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Confirmed: No FaceTime in UAE, reported working in SA unless phones are updated
We just got some confirmation on our story earlier this week that FaceTime had gone missing in parts of the world, mostly around the Middle East. @dutweets is the official Twitter account for du, the telecom operator for the iPhone in the United Arab Emirates, and in a tweet just a little while ago, the account confirmed that FaceTime is currently unavailable in that country. The iPhone hasn't even officially launched there yet, but the account also says that FaceTime "won't be working as of the launch" (which takes place tomorrow), so even official customers there won't have access to the video chat feature. Unfortunately, there's no detail yet on why -- we've heard that there may be local restrictions on VoIP technology that would block these kinds of communications. And this is only confirmation for the UAE, though it's probably a pretty good guess that other outages are legit as well. Stay tuned -- we'll keep an eye out for official confirmation in other areas, as well as a reason why this decision was made. Thanks, Joe! Update: The Next Web Middle East has a confusing writeup that suggests Apple pulled FaceTime because it was assumed assumed the feature would run afoul of the region's regulations around VoIP. The suggestion is that Apple made this move unilaterally, without consulting the carriers. Update 2: We have a report from a Saudi Arabian source that FaceTime is working in the kingdom. However, subsequent reports show that once the iPhones are updated from the shipping iOS version, 4.02, to the current 4.1 version, the FaceTime feature drops away.
Etisalat BlackBerry update was indeed spyware, RIM provides a solution
Um, yikes? An unexpected (and unwanted) surprise struck some 145,000 BlackBerry users in the UAE this time last week, when an official looking prompt coerced many of the aforesaid Etisalat customers to follow through with a software update. Rather than bringing about performance enhancements, the SS8-built app enabled the carrier to keep tabs on customers' messages. According to RIM: "Etisalat appears to have distributed a telecommunications surveillance application... independent sources have concluded that it is possible that the installed software could then enable unauthorized access to private or confidential information stored on the user's smartphone. Independent sources have concluded that the Etisalat update is not designed to improve performance of your BlackBerry Handheld, but rather to send received messages back to a central server." Like we said, yikes. The zaniest part is that Etisalat isn't backing down, still assuring the world that the upgrades were "required for service enhancements." At any rate, RIM has made remarkably clear that the update wasn't one authorized by the company, and it's even providing an app remover for those who'd prefer their BlackBerry to be in working order and, you know, not forwarding all their email to some dude in an Etisalat supply closet. Good on you, RIM. Bad on you, Etisalat.[Thanks, Gerald]Read - Confirmation of spywareRead - RIM app remover
International HD news roundup
Here at Engadget HD, we'd prefer not to just focus on high-def happenings in the US of A. Thus, we round up the best of the best from the international front each week and present it here, bundled together in a single, easy to digest list. If something went down in your corner of the globe over the past seven days, let the rest of the world know it in comments. 'Til next week, Allez ciao! Read - Canal Digital launches HD over IP Read - Freeview picks up marketing push Read - Freesat: How we'll compete with Freeview HD Read - iBAHN Launches High Definition with Hilton Hotels Read - Virgin adds new 'Dexter' in HD Read - Du goes HD IPTV in Dubai Read - Free HD From FRANSAT Finds ATLANTIC BIRD 3 Highly Beamable Read - Fox International to simulcast FXHD channel
