Apple

Check if your iOS device has been compromised by the FBI breach

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated April 15, 2024

Yesterday, news broke that the hacking group AntiSec published a million UDIDs from an alleged trove of twelve million device IDs claimed to have been stolen from a laptop belonging to an FBI agent. Even though the hackers had removed some of the identifiable information from the list, your UDID might be exposed out in the wild, along with 999,999 other IDs posted on the web.

And why would you want to know if your UDID is out there for everyone to see? Good question. Your UDID uniquely identifies your device and expert hackers could use it to glean all sorts of information from other data associated with your UDID.

Yeah, it's a privacy catastrophe, one that might potentially even lead to identity theft. Perhaps even more important than that, wouldn't you like to know if your device is on the FBI's watch list?

Samsung has 20 times as many designers as Apple

Christian Zibreg ∙ September 4, 2012

Yet the Korean company is unable to come up with distinct enough designs to avoid being accused of purposefully creating products that look like knockoffs, per the ruling in the Apple v. Samsung trial. While Apple's products are created by a "kitchen" design team comprised of no more than twenty people and led by SVP of Industrial Design Jonathan Ive, Samsung has 20 times as many designers as Apple, Bloomberg reports...

Hacker group leaks 1 million Apple device IDs from FBI breach

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 15, 2024

Earlier this year, Apple started rejecting applications that called on unique device identifiers (or UDIDs). The move came amidst privacy and security concerns, as several apps were found to be misusing the information.

Tonight, those concerns multiplied as the hacking group known as AntiSec announced that it had acquired more than 12 million device IDs from a recent FBI hack. And they've just released a million of them...

Can a bigger iPhone stop the march of jumbo-sized Androids?

Christian Zibreg ∙ September 3, 2012

Unless you've been sleeping under a rock for months, you're aware that Android handsets have been gobbling up market share just about everywhere.

Everywhere except in the United States, that is, where Android phones declined by 4.5 percent as iOS grew by nearly nine percent year-to-year, per latest data from market research firm Kantar Worldpanel ComTech, the WPP-owned market analysts.

Android is big in Europe and has been growing its share steadily in other markets over the past three months, mostly exceeding the fifty percent share mark and in some countries even approaching total domination.

This surge in Android's popularity has been seemingly led by jumbo-sized devices with screens sizes measuring four and a half inches diagonally and up. Considering that market share appears to favor the trend toward bigger smartphones, Apple has no doubt chosen the right time to release an iPhone with a bigger screen. Or has it?

T-Mobile reportedly has iPhone 5 response in the works

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated April 10, 2018

T-Mobile USA, the nation's third-largest telco and the only major U.S. carrier with no official iPhone offering, is allegedly looking to counter Apple's rumored September 12 introduction of a sixth-generation iPhone and the subsequent September 21 availability.

The word on the street is that the carrier is putting in motion its mysterious "iPhone Response — Phase 2" plan, scheduled for September 21 through October 1. If true, this new intel points away from a T-Mobile iPhone, just as Sanford C. Bernstein’s analyst Craig Moffett opined back in July...

Google readying 3G Nexus 7 as mini iPad slowly crawls into view

Christian Zibreg ∙ September 3, 2012

Google on June 27 entered the tablet race with a seven-inch slate named Nexus 7, but only the WiFi model was initially made available. The decision to pass on cellular connectivity was met with criticism by some reviewers who pointed out that WiFi-only capability severely cripples the tablet's usability, even if one can just as easily use their mobile phone's cellular data as a wireless hot spot for the device.

Google was likely governed by cost considerations (it sells the Nexus 7 below cost and makes up with content purchases on its Google Play digital store). Just as we expected, the Internet giant appears to be ready to offer a 3G variant of its slate. The 3G Nexus 7 is said to arrive in mid-October, just in time for the holidays and to conveniently counter Apple's rumored October unveiling of the iPad mini...

Sharp reportedly to agree to sell shares to Foxconn at a lower price

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated October 20, 2017

Following reports of contention between Apple's favorite contract manufacturer Foxconn and the struggling Japanese electronics giant Sharp over the stake-sale price, The Wall Street Journal reports this morning that Sharp may agree to a lower price after all.

A new round of talks is reportedly focused not only on the sale price, but also on broadening the two companies' business alliance, which includes the future of Sharp's television assembly plants in Mexico and China rumored to be part of the Foxconn deal...

Bruce Willis goes after Apple over iTunes music ownership (update: wife debunks)

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 25, 2016

Die Hard trilogy star Bruce Willis is reportedly considering legal actions against Apple over iTunes policy which governs the ownership of digital music files. The actor has amassed a music collection worth thousands of dollars that is being accessed via "many, many iPods".

The action hero is keen on handing his vast digital music collection legitimately to his daughters Rumer, Scout and Tallaluh upon his death. Conversely, Willis has eventually discovered that under Apple's pesky rules one does not actually own the tracks and instead borrows them under a non-transferable license.

Deciding enough is enough, the 57-year-old actor is reportedly prepping to unleash legal sharks on Apple in order to break Cupertino's restrictive digital content policy, which could have major repercussions given Apple's choke-hold of the music market...

Attention-seeking Chinese popstar pictures himself with a purported iPhone 5

Christian Zibreg ∙ September 3, 2012

File this one under the WTF category. If you believe a recent trending topic that blew up on social media channels, apparently popular Chinese pop singer Jimmy Lin has an iPhone 5. Also known as Dreamer Jimmy, Lin published a series of photos on his personal blog which depict him holding what resembles an upcoming sixth-generation iPhone in his hand. Lin commands nearly 14 million strong following on Chinese social networking site Weibo so it's not like he's hungry for publicity, though one can never be certain of celebrities' motives...

New mini iPad mockups show the skinner side bezels and thin design

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated November 28, 2016

Building upon a mid-August report calling for a smaller iPad with an iPod touch-thin profile and smaller bezels on the sides of the display, case makers have begun producing physical mockups of what they believe Apple's rumored iPad mini might look like. Granted, case vendors have been wrong more often than right (hint: last year's teardrop-shaped iPhone cases), but a pair of new mockups do align nicely with claimed iPad mini schematics and other tidbits circulating around the web lately...

Reports of low 3GS stock surface ahead of new iPhone event

Cody Lee ∙ September 2, 2012

If previous reports hold true, Apple will unveil its next-generation smartphone at a media event on Wednesday, September 12. It's expected to feature a larger screen, and a number of other improvements.

In addition to the new handset, it'll also be interesting to see what Apple does with the rest of its iPhone lineup. According to a new report, Apple Stores are starting to see very low stock of 3GS models...

Report claims next-gen iPhone to come with redesigned headphones

Cody Lee ∙ September 1, 2012

Judging from what we know, or at least what we think we know, about the new iPhone, it's going to be loaded with changes and upgrades: new charging port, new back, new screen, and new processor.

And the handset may not be the only thing getting a revamp this year. A new video has surfaced online of what is claimed to be a redesigned headphones that will be included with the next-gen iPhone...