Apple News Twitter account starts promoting stories
The Apple News account on Twitter appears to be up and running, promoting stories as of last night. So far the feed has sent out a handful of sports and news items with links that direct users back to the Apple News app. Anyone clicking on story links from a device without Apple News or in a country where Apple News isn’t available will be redirected to the affiliate news provider’s site instead.
Siri security issue lets users bypass iPhone 6s/6s Plus lock screen (Update: Apple issues fix)
A newly discovered security flaw in the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus allows users to bypass the lock screen and gain access to contacts and photos. The exploit only works on 3D Touch-equipped phones set to allow Siri access to Twitter, Contacts and Photos, but if all of those variables are in place, gaining access to a user’s photos is relatively easy.
If a Twitter search run through Siri yields a tweet that contains an email address, a 3D Touch gesture can then be used to call up the contextual menu with options to send mail to the address or add it to contacts. Choosing to add the address to contacts allows access to the phone’s existing contact list, and using the contact list’s option to add photos to a contact, the user can browse the phone’s photos without ever entering a passcode. To guard against the potential intrusion, users need only disable Siri’s Twitter integration under Settings > Twitter. [via Apple Insider]
Update: Apple has tweaked Siri to stop the personal assistant from allowing access to Twitter searches from a locked iPhone. A spokesman confirmed to the Washington Post that the company pushed out a fix to make Siri force users to unlock their phone before delivering Twitter search results. The update was handled on Apple’s on servers, so it won’t require any action from users.
Tip of the Day: Using the iPhone as a remote camera with Apple Watch
If you’ve got an Apple Watch, you probably already know that you can use your wearable device as a camera remote to take pictures on your iPhone from your wrist, but you may not realize that it also makes a great way to keep an eye on what’s happening elsewhere in your home or nearby, directly from your wrist.
For example, you could leave your iPhone in a kid’s room to keep an eye on the youngsters while you’re busy with other household tasks, or check on the status of lights in the kitchen when trying to figure out which circuit breakers are which in the basement of your house. As the link between the iPhone and your Apple Watch is limited to the standard Bluetooth range of about 30 feet, you won’t be able to roam far, but it should work reasonably well in a small home or office setting.…
Review: Apple 9.7-inch iPad Pro
Apple’s iPad has undergone a number of transitions in its lifetime, and has popped up in an array of variations since its 2010 debut. The first iPad had a 9.7” display, and since then, there have been smaller (mini) and larger (Pro) iPads — to say nothing of how much thinner and lighter they’ve become over the years. But there has always been a 9.7” “standard” iPad. That size has basically defined how large a tablet should be.
Apple clearly believes in its newer iPad Pro — enough to bring its features to its 9.7” iPad, and even enough to bring the iPad Pro name to its standard sized tablet while leaving the iPad Air 2 in the current lineup. The new 9.7” iPad Pro comes in an equal number of Wi-Fi (32GB/$599, 128GB/$749, 256GB/$899) and Wi-Fi + Cellular (32GB/$729, 128GB/$879, 256GB/$1029) models. It pairs the hallmark 12.9” Pro features — four stereo speakers, multi-touch display, and the Smart Connector — with the best cameras that have ever been seen in an iPad, and new display capabilities.…
French agency: Apple owes 48.5 million euros over illegal contracts
A French watchdog agency claims Apple should pay 48.5 million euros in damages over illegal contracts with cellular carriers, French website BFMTV reports. The Directorate General for Competition, Consumption and Fraud has filed a complaint with the Commercial Court in Paris alleging Apple’s contracts with carriers are “significantly unbalanced” in favor of Apple, in violation of the Commercial Code.
Starz launches subscription app for iOS, Apple TV
STARZ has launched the STARZ Play app for iOS devices and Apple TV, offering a standalone subscription to cord cutters for $9 a month and free access to existing cable subscribers. The app allows up to four users to watch simultaneously, supports universal search through the Siri remote and is the first premium cable app to allow full download rights “for most titles.” Which titles are exempted isn’t clearly specified.
Daily Deal: Scrivener 2
In today’s iLounge Deal you can pick up Scrivener 2 for $22.50 — 50% off the regular price. This award-winning writing app, used by New York Times best-selling authors, takes the pain out of writing a novel in your typical word processor. Combining a wordsmith and project management tool, Scrivener 2 lets you outline your ideas, take notes, view research, and more, all in a single integrated application. You can view and edit different sections of your work in isolation or as a whole, easily storyboard and rearrange your project, and even switch to a scriptwriting mode for automatic formatting and export to a dedicated scriptwriting app. Get started on that novel you’ve been putting off for years with Scrivener 2.
Siri improves MLB knowledge, but results are hit-or-miss
In honor of Opening Day in the MLB, Apple has rolled out some improvements to Siri’s baseball knowledge, but we’ve found there’s still a lot of room for improvement. The personal assistant is supposed to be able to provide more detailed statistics, including historical data going back to the beginning of baseball records, but simple questions like, “What was Ty Cobb’s best single-season batting average?” returned, “I don’t know who leads the league in batting average,” so she can’t even answer the question we didn’t ask, much less the one we did.
Apple’s plan to sell used phones in India meets strong opposition
Apple’s latest push to sell used iPhones in India is meeting strong resistance from a consumer group backed by rival Samsung, Bloomberg reports. Apple’s 2015 application was rejected, and the company’s recent request has drawn opposition from technology executives who say allowing the sale of used phones will turn India into a dumping ground for electronic waste. “Make in India could turn into Dump in India,” said Sudhir Hasija, chairman of Karbonn Mobiles, referencing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Make in India program that encourages local manufacturing.
iFixit posts teardown of 9.7-inch iPad Pro
iFixit’s teardown of the 9.7-inch iPad Pro found, unsurprisingly, that the smaller tablet packed all the features previously found in the original 12.9-inch iPad Pro in a smaller package, but noted a few minor internal differences. The device’s smaller size meant squeezing the four stereo speakers back along the margins rather than giving them the huge enclosures that dominated the larger model’s interior, and the display cable is configured differently as well, now attaching at the bottom right corner.
