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Apple releases an iCloud password extension for Chrome
Following a leak last week, Apple has released a Chrome extension for Windows that lets you use passwords stored using iCloud.
Apple is having iCloud activation problems at the worst possible time (updated)
Apple iCloud has been suffering sign-in and activation problems right as many people are getting its devices for the holidays.
iCloud outage takes down backups and photos for some users (updated)
Apple is reporting outages affecting numerous iCloud services, including backups, calendars and photo syncing.
Apple One subscription bundle launches on October 30th
Apple officially revealed its “Apple One” subscription bundle back at the Watch event in September. The Individual plan offers a combo of Apple Arcade, Apple Music, Apple TV+ and iCloud (50GB) for $14.95 (£14.95) a month.
Apple outage caused iCloud, App Store, Music and TV+ problems
If you’re getting error messages instead of media across your Apple devices and services then you’re not alone. The company’s status page notes an outage that’s affecting many of its connected services that bring music, video and pictures to you.
Apple One bundle offers Arcade, Music, TV+ and iCloud for $15 a month
Apple officially announced its “Apple One” subscription bundle: a combination of Apple Arcade, Apple Music, Apple TV+ and iCloud (50GB) for $14.95 a month.
Italy is investigating Apple, Google and Dropbox cloud storage services
Italy launches six investigations into Apple, Google and Dropbox cloud storage services.
Apple is reportedly planning 'Apple One' subscription bundles
Apple has many subscription services, and now it wants to bundle them together. As Bloomberg reports, the company is preparing a series of bundles -- currently dubbed "Apple One" internally -- that will offer multiple Apple-made services at a reduced monthly price. The cheapest will reportedly combine Apple Music and Apple TV+, followed by pricier options that stack Apple Arcade, then Apple News +, and finally iCloud storage on top.
Apple reportedly dropped iCloud encryption plans amid FBI pressure
Apple encrypts your iOS device's locally stored data, but it doesn't fully encrypt iCloud backups -- and that was apprently a conscious choice. Reuters sources say Apple dropped plans for end-to-end encryption of iCloud backups (codenamed KeyDrop and Plesio) roughly two years ago. The decision came soon after the company revealed those plans to the FBI, which unsurprisingly objected given its previous pressure on Apple to facilitate access to San Bernardino shooter Syed Farook's iPhone. However, it's not clear this was the reason -- law enforcement's desires may have been secondary.
Apple tests iCloud.com sign-ins with your face or finger
The iCloud website is handy when you want to check info from an unfamiliar device or just prefer to use a browser, but the need to enter your password could be enough of a pain that you might just pull out your phone instead. Soon, though, it could be relatively effortless. The company is testing a beta iCloud site that uses Face ID or Touch ID to sign you in. You'll need a beta version of iOS 13, iPadOS or macOS Catalina, but after that it's just a matter of using your face or finger to sign in with compatible Apple gear.
Microsoft's dual-screen tablet could run Android apps
Microsoft could release a radically different Surface as early as the first half of 2020. Rumors about a dual-screen tablet have been circulating since last year, and the company reportedly showed a similar device to employees earlier this month. Now, market research firm IHS Markit told Forbes that the device will be ready sometime in the first six months of 2020, and it's expected to run both Android apps and Apple's iCloud.
Apple and Microsoft made a new iCloud for Windows app
Apple and Microsoft teamed up to create an iCloud Drive experience that will hopefully resolve some compatibility issues. A brand new iCloud for Windows app is available today in the Microsoft Store for Windows 10 users. The iCloud app will use the same technology as Microsoft's OneDrive's On-Demand feature -- a very rare collaboration from tech's two biggest rivals. Users can now easily access photos, videos, mail, calendars, files and other information from their iCloud accounts from their PC or smartphone.
Apple Pay can be used for iTunes, App Store and Apple Book purchases
You can now use Apple Pay to make purchases from iTunes, the App Store and Apple Books. MacRumors spotted the change in a recently updated support document. The added Apple Pay options are coming to users in the US, Canada, Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Russia, Ukraine and the United Arab Emirates, but they might not be available in all of those locations just yet.
Hackers in Microsoft's webmail breach could read some users' messages
For some users, that Microsoft webmail breach was worse than first thought. Microsoft has confirmed a Motherboard source's claims that the hackers had access to a portion of the email content, not just email addresses and subject lines. About 6 of the affected users had their messages exposed, according to a spokesperson. It's not clear if the intruders read the email before Microsoft blocked access, but the company told the The Verge in a statement that the subset received "additional guidance and support."
Apple stops charging $99 to transfer data to new Macs
If you have a ton of files you need to move to your new Mac, you're in luck. Apple quietly did away with the $99 fee it charges to migrate data from your old Mac to your new computer. The policy change, which went into effect on April 2nd, was first reported by TidBITS. From now on, if you purchase a new Mac or take your computer in for repair, Apple will transfer your data for free.
Looks like iCloud is having problems (updated)
Apple is having a bad day. A litany of iCloud services are down or experiencing service disruptions, including sign-in, backup, reminders, Mail, Calendar and Find my iPhone features. On DownDetector, reports started spiking around 11AM ET, and the most common issues appear to be email connectivity and what the website deems "total blackout."
Fifth 'Celebgate' account hijacker sentenced to 34 months in prison
The "celebgate" photo leaks might be years old by now, but that isn't stopping the courts from doling out stiff punishment for the account hijacks. A federal judge has sentenced Chris Brannan to 34 months in prison after he pleaded guilty to identity theft and unauthorized access charges. He admitted to compromising the iCloud, Facebook and Yahoo accounts of 200 targets through both phishing attacks as well as social engineering (where he researched targets to answer their security questions).
Researcher finds macOS bug but won’t share details with Apple
A researcher has discovered an exploit that can expose passwords on macOS, but says he won't share details of the bug with Apple because of its bug bounty policies. Linus Henze posted a demo video of the KeySteal exploit this week. It seems to grab passwords from login and system keychains without requiring administrator privileges, with a simple click of a button. It works on the latest version of macOS Mojave, though it doesn't seem to affect items stored in iCloud's keychain.
Apple and Microsoft are fixing a serious iCloud bug in Windows 10
The return of Windows 10's October update wasn't welcome news for everyone. Microsoft says it's "working with Apple" to solve an iCloud for Windows bug that creates problems updating or syncing shared photo albums when using the latest Windows release. Suffice it to say that's a serious problem if you're interested in seamless access to your photos across your devices.
Fifth person pleads guilty to 'celebgate' account hijacks
Did we say that all the 'celebgate' perpetrators had faced justice? Well, not quite. A fifth person embroiled in the incident, Virginia resident Chris Brannan, has pleaded guilty to unauthorized access and identity theft charges for his part in the data leaks. He used a combination of phishing emails and simple social engineering efforts (such as hunting Facebook accounts for answers to security questions) to obtain logins for iCloud and email accounts to harvest their data. He compromised more than 200 accounts for "celebrities and noncelebrities," using software to comb iCloud accounts for nude photos and other sensitive info.
