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Apple may bring Siri Shortcuts and Screen Time to macOS
Details on what Apple may have in store for the next major versions of its operating systems are trickling out ahead of June's Worldwide Developers Conference. The latest leaks are linked to macOS 10.15, to which Apple could add some iOS features, such as Siri Shortcuts and Screen Time, according to 9to5 Mac.
Kris Holt04.19.2019
Man pleads guilty to hijacking Apple IDs of rappers and sports stars
The end to Celebgate didn't mark the end to attempts to exploit superstars. Georgia resident Kwamaine Ford has pleaded guilty to hijacking Apple IDs of athletes (including NBA and NFL players) and rappers for the sake of spending sprees. From "at least" March 2015 onward, Ford tricked stars into handing over their account details primarily through a phishing campaign where he posed as an Apple customer support rep. Whenever he succeeded, he'd change the sign-in details and attempt to obtain credit card information. He'd use that to pay for "thousands of dollars" of travel, furniture and money transfers.
Jon Fingas03.31.2019
PSA: Don't lose your Apple ID recovery key if you are using two-factor authentication
Apple's two-factor authentication may protect you from a hacking attack, but the extra layer of security has one major "gotcha" that could trip you up. As related by The Next Web's Owen Williams, the security feature uses a recovery key that you should never ever lose. If you misplace this key, you may be locked out of your Apple account permanently. Williams faced this unfortunate situation when he was the target of an unsuccessful hacking attempt. His Apple ID was locked due to security reasons following the hack, and Williams could not unlock his account using his user name and password or even a trusted device. Williams needed his recovery key, which was lost somewhere in the shuffle of his files and devices. Let Williams' experience be a cautionary tale -- if you decide to use two-factor authentication, then you should take extra care to store your recovery key in a safe place. Print and store it in a trusted location or take a picture of the key and store it in locally on another drive. You can even upload it to Dropbox, Google Drive or some other storage service as long as they are secure. If you already have two-factor authentication configured and you discover you have lost your recovery key, then you can replace it at any time by following the steps below. Go to My Apple ID (https://appleid.apple.com/account/home) Select Manage your Apple ID and sign in with your password and trusted device Select Password and Security Under Recovery Key, select Replace Lost Key When you create a new key, your old Recovery Key is no longer usable. This restoration option is only available if your account is accessible and not locked for security reasons. You can read more two-factor authentication on Apple's support website. Be sure to revisit William's cautionary tale of how easy it its to lose control of your Apple ID if you are not careful.
Kelly Hodgkins12.09.2014
Apple launches Maps Connect to let businesses add details to their Maps listing
Apple Maps has experienced some growing pains over the years, but with time the app has become a useful GPS solution. Of course there's always room for improvement, which is why Apple has launched Maps Connect. Maps Connect is a new service for small business owners who want to add more information to their Apple Maps listings, or change details that are out of date. Users can login to the site using their Apple ID and update or change their business's information for free. You can include your business' address, hours of operation, links to your social media pages, and even your Yelp page. Once you update your information a verification code is sent via telephone. A source at Apple has told Search Engine Land businesses would also be able to verify their information using an email connected to their business website in the future. Their source also said that updates and new listings could take up to a week to show up on the service. Apple is also using the service to promote their iBeacon technology. When you login to the service you'll see a drop down menu in the upper left side of the screen. This allows you to specify if your business is indoor or a store front. If you select "Indoor" it shows you the following screen. Apple is prioritizing access to the service to larger venues currently. Here's what the sign up process looks like. You can sign your business up right now by heading over to MapsConnect.Apple.com.
John-Michael Bond10.22.2014
Setting up two-step verification for Apple ID and iCloud security
Since you're probably moving to iOS 8 soon -- if not as soon as possible after it goes live -- you might want to start thinking about security as well. In particular, Apple has recently enabled two-step verification for iCloud. What's two-step authentication? As Apple describes it on this web page, "Two-step verification is an additional security feature for your Apple ID that's designed to prevent anyone from accessing or using your account, even if they know your password." Considering the recent issues involving nude celebrity photos that were pulled from iCloud, it's great to see that Apple added one more level of security. Basically, two-step verification requires you to verify your identity using one of your devices before you can sign into My Apple ID to manage your account, sign in to iCloud on a new device or at iCloud.com, make an iTunes, iBooks or App Store purchase from a new device, or get Apple ID related support from Apple. I recently set up two-step verification for my Apple ID, and the process isn't that difficult. To begin with, sign into My Apple ID using your Apple ID and password. Once you're in, go to the Password & Security tab on the left side of the My Apple ID page and click it. Under two-step verification, select Get Started, and then follow the simple onscreen instructions. Note that this doesn't all happen in one day. You'll actually have to wait a few days for an email to arrive: Now what will happen is that each and every time you log in to make changes to your account, make a purchase, or connect from a new device, you'll have to verify your identity from one of your devices. This requires you to receive a 4-digit random code on one of your trusted devices that must be entered in to verify that you're coming in from that trusted device. Just yesterday, Apple sent out an update email to two-step authentication users letting them know that the service also protects iCloud. The email, seen below, also includes information about the requirement for app-specific passwords starting on October 1, 2014. That's a big deal. If you use iCloud to store data from any third party apps and you're using two-step verification, remember that you will need to get an app-specific password in order to make it work starting on October 1, 2014.
Steve Sande09.17.2014
Australian Apple users held to ransom by Find My iPhone hacker (updated)
Some Australian Apple device owners today woke up not to the sound of their alarm, but the jingle of a "ransom" notification instead. The Sydney Morning Herald reports that a hacker (or a group of hackers) going by the name "Oleg Pliss" systematically froze iPhone, iPad and Mac users out of their own devices, holding them hostage until payments of between $50 and $100 were received. Threads on Apple's official support forums detail how the attacker (or attackers) used Apple's own Find My iPhone feature to remotely lock devices and send messages requiring payment via PayPal. Fortunately, those who had set passcodes were able to regain access, because you can't add or change a lock on a device that already has one in place, but those without the security measure weren't so lucky.
Matt Brian05.27.2014
Apple brings two-step verification for Apple ID to more countries
After discovering a huge security hole last year, Apple added an extra layer of protection for Apple ID and iCloud users in the form of two-step verification. Today it's making the important security feature available in more countries: Canada, France, Germany, Japan, Italy and Spain. With two-step verification, Apple sends a special code to a trusted device like your iPhone whenever someone attempts to make changes to your account or log in for the first time on a new device. Similar to what Google does with Gmail, the extra step prevents malicious changes happening without your knowledge. It's a simple thing to set up, and something that can save you from a whirlwind of pain should your Apple ID ever fall into the wrong hands. Those in the mentioned countries can register now on Apple's website.
Emily Price02.20.2014
Help family members keep track of Apple ID/iCloud details with TUAW's fill-out form
Now that the gift-giving season is winding down, you may have a less tech-savvy relative who has suddenly found themselves with a shiny new Apple product. Whether they're getting started with an iPhone, iPad or MacBook, there's one thing they'll be needing (aside from apps): their Apple ID and iCloud account setup information. iCloud will help them keep track of their contacts, calendar, email and documents; an App Store account (which, of course, uses the same Apple ID credentials) will allow them to load up that iPad with great apps. But setting up an account requires first providing quite a bit of personal information. That information -- including easily researched or guessed answers to security questions, which, for safety's sake, should be faked anyway -- is something your family may need again someday, even if your relative has forgotten it or is no longer around to provide it. Apple even lets you include a rescue email address, which could be set to go to the "family IT lead" if that person is willing to take on the responsibility of screening password reset attempts. To that end, we've created a small PDF form; print it out and go over it together with your family member to keep track of all the important account setup info. Then, you may take a photo of it or scan it to hold onto (put it on an encrypted disk image, if you like) and your relative puts their copy in a paper file in a locked drawer or cabinet, with the house deed and the passports. You can't hack a piece of paper, and in the unlikely event that a password is forgotten or a security question misremembered, you can easily get back into the iCloud/App Store account with a minimum of heartache and recriminations. You can preview and download the form right here. Best of luck! Apple ID Account Details This post was inspired by J. Thanks!
John-Michael Bond12.27.2013
Third-generation Apple TV setup now as easy as touching an iOS 7 device to it
TUAW reader Aaron G pointed out an interesting Apple knowledge base article to us this morning. According to the post, a third-generation Apple TV running Apple TV software 6.0 or later can be easily set up by using an iOS device running iOS 7. It's as easy as touching the device to the Apple TV. Once the Apple TV is connected to your TV and showing the setup screen, you just unlock the iOS 7 device, making sure that Bluetooth is enabled and you're connected to the WiFi network that you want the Apple TV to be connected to. You then touch the iOS device to the Apple TV, after which prompts appear on both the iOS device and Apple TV. After entering your Apple ID and password on the iOS device and answering two simple questions, the configuration of the Apple TV takes place. It's connected to your WiFi network, activated and is set up with your iTunes Store account. It's a fast and easy way to set up the current Apple TV and hopefully any new devices that may be released by Apple in the future.
Steve Sande09.25.2013
Apple's Activation Lock draws praise from US prosecutors and NYPD (Updated)
While some frustrated potential iOS 7 upgraders are cursing Apple this fine September day, prosecutors in San Francisco and New York are giving iOS 7 rave reviews thanks to the inclusion of Activation Lock in Apple's new mobile operating system. San Francisco DA George Gascón and New York Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman issued a joint statement yesterday praising Apple for taking "an important first step towards ending the global epidemic of smartphone theft." Update: New York's Finest are also in favor of iOS 7, it would seem. Mike Rose visited the Operation ID booth at Apple's 5th Avenue store on Friday, where cops were encouraging buyers to register their devices; there are also NYPD flyers circulating that recommend upgrading to iOS 7 specifically for Activation Lock. AllThingsD runs it down. Flyer image via Michael Hoffman Activation Lock works with an Apple ID and Find My iPhone to ensure that a device cannot be erased or reactivated without an Apple ID password. The prosecutors urged consumers to enable device passcodes or use Touch ID on the iPhone 5s, but note that those steps alone don't keep thieves from stealing smartphones. They believe that the long-term use of Activation Lock by a majority of iPhone users will make Apple's devices less of a tasty target for thieves. The full press release from the two prosecutors is included below. Show full PR text Secure Our Smartphones Coalition Statement On Release Of Apple's iOS 7 Gascón & Schneiderman: After Months Of Pressure, Apple Responds With The World's First Attempt To Implement A Technological Solution To The Global Smartphone Theft Epidemic SAN FRANCISCO -- San Francisco District Attorney George Gascón and New York Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman released this joint statement following today's deployment of Apple's newest operating system, iOS 7: "After months of pressure from a global coalition of elected officials and law enforcement agencies, we are pleased that Apple is set to release a new mobile operating system that includes a theft deterrent feature called Activation Lock. This is an important first step towards ending the global epidemic of smartphone theft. "In the months ahead, it is our hope that Activation Lock will prove to be an effective deterrent to theft, and that the widespread use of this new system will end the victimization of iPhone users, as thieves learn that the devices have no value on the secondary market. We are particularly pleased that – because Activation Lock is a feature associated with Apple's new operating system as opposed to a new device – it will be available to consumers with older phone models who download the free upgrade. "While it is too early to tell if Activation Lock will be a comprehensive solution to the epidemic of 'Apple Picking' crimes that have victimized iPhone and iPad owners around the world, we believe it is a step forward and strongly urge iPhone users to download iOS 7, and most importantly, ensure they utilize both an Apple ID and Find My iPhone. We also encourage Apple to make Activation Lock a fully opt-out solution in order to guarantee widespread adoption, and strongly urge the other leading manufacturers of smartphones to quickly implement effective theft deterrents that protect their customers from violent crime." Gascón and Schneiderman also urge consumers to enable basic security features such as a password or the newly available fingerprint scanning technology on the iPhone 5S. While password and fingerprint scanning security features can help protect data on a device, they do not deter thieves from stealing smartphones. Theft deterrence for iPhone users will occur only if adoption of iOS 7, and the utilization of an Apple ID and Find My iPhone is widespread. Additionally, the success of Activation Lock is largely dependent on the failure of hackers' rumored exploits. Finally, they noted that simply downloading iOS 7 and enabling Activation Lock through the use of an Apple ID and Find My iPhone does not mean consumers are safe from potential theft. Even if Activation Lock proves effective, thieves will not react overnight. Accordingly, it is vital that consumers beare aware of their surroundings at all times, especially when using their smartphones in public places. The Secure Our Smartphones (SOS) Initiative coalition is a groundbreaking coalition of state Attorneys General, major city Mayors, District Attorneys, major city Police Chiefs, state and city Comptrollers, public safety activists and consumer advocates from around the world. This initiative is working to encourage the industry to implement meaningful solutions that will end the national epidemic of violent thefts of mobile communications devices such as smartphones and tablets. For more information on efforts by District Attorney Gascón and Attorney General Schneiderman to combat "Apple Picking," visit the San Francisco District Attorney's website and the New York State Attorney General's website.
Steve Sande09.19.2013
How to use multiple Apple IDs in iOS 7
If you have been used to using different Apple IDs for different apps in iOS 6, you can still do that in iOS 7, but some of the details have changed. One of the first complaints that came in was about Find My iPhone, with several people writing in worried that Apple had done away with the ability to use different Apple IDs with the app. But there is a "Sign Out" button on the first screen. Simply tap that button, and you will be able to use a different Apple ID for Find My iPhone. (Aside: you really should be using Find My iPhone, especially with the new improvements to it that came with iOS 7, which make it harder for anyone who might steal your iPhone to disable the feature.) The same is also true for Messages, but the logout button is a bit harder to find. You have to go to Settings » Messages » Send & Receive. At the top of that window you will see the Apple ID currently associated with Messages on that iOS device. Tap it, and you will be shown several options, including one to sign out of Messages. Likewise, FaceTime has a setting under Settings » FaceTime » Apple ID. Tap it, and the same options will appear as described for Messages. The same goes for iTunes and the App Store. And Game Center. And so on. The options are there, even if they aren't always immediately available. So if you need to use separate Apple ID accounts, start your search in the Settings app, and work your way from there. Update 11:27 AM: Thanks to Greg Deichler for pointing out to me on Twitter that I had missed an important detail. If you want to use Find My iPhone on iOS 7, you must do so using the primary iCloud account on the device. As with iOS 6, you can add additional iCloud accounts in iOS 7, but they do not have access to "Find My iPhone." I have always set up our family's iOS devices using the "family" Apple ID as the main iCloud device, and then added the personalized iCloud accounts as a secondary account, so I did not notice it had changed. You can see the difference by comparing the images below, showing the "Add a Secondary iCloud Account" options. So, I take it back: Apple did change this, and they changed it for the worse. I don't know why Apple changed this, but I am hoping that it is a temporary oversight that will be fixed in a later release of iOS 7.
TJ Luoma09.19.2013
Daily Update for September 12, 2013
It's the TUAW Daily Update, your source for Apple news in a convenient audio format. You'll get all the top Apple stories of the day in three to five minutes for a quick review of what's happening in the Apple world. You can listen to today's Apple stories by clicking the inline player (requires Flash) or the non-Flash link below. To subscribe to the podcast for daily listening through iTunes, click here. No Flash? Click here to listen. Subscribe via RSS
Steve Sande09.12.2013
Set up a new Mac on your birthday for a cupcake
Steve Jobs once said that Apple aims to "surprise and delight" its customers. Here's a cute example of just that. David Chartier at Finer Things in Tech shares a photo he received from Dan Cameron. Apparently, when you register a new Mac on your birthday, the Apple ID set-up process produces a birthday cupcake icon and the message, "Happy Birthday!" This reminds me of this story about Disney from Signal Vs. Noise. A customer ordered a Woody costume from the online Disney store. When it arrived, he noticed that a worker had written "Love-- Andy" on the box. Surprise and delight.
Dave Caolo09.11.2013
Daily Update for March 22, 2013
It's the TUAW Daily Update, your source for Apple news in a convenient audio format. You'll get all the top Apple stories of the day in three to five minutes for a quick review of what's happening in the Apple world. You can listen to today's Apple stories by clicking the inline player (requires Flash) or the non-Flash link below. To subscribe to the podcast for daily listening through iTunes, click here. No Flash? Click here to listen. Subscribe via RSS
Steve Sande03.22.2013
Apple adds two-factor authentication to your Apple ID
Apple is beefing up the security of its Apple ID by adding two-factor authentication to the account login process. Customers concerned about unauthorized access to their Apple ID can login to their account at Apple's My Apple ID webpage and turn on the feature as described below: Go to My Apple ID (appleid.apple.com) Click the "Manage your Apple ID" button to login to your Apple ID Enter your Apple ID and password and click "Sign In" Select "Password and Security" in the left-hand column Type in the answers to your account security questions if you are prompted to answer them. You will see Two-Step Verification at the top of the page. Click on "Get Started" and follow the on-screen instructions. If you have two-factor verification enabled, you will be required to enter both your password and a 4-digit code to verify your identity. According to Apple's support page, you will need this information whenever you sign in to My Apple ID to manage your account, make an iTunes / App Store / iBookstore purchase from a new device or get Apple ID-related support from Apple. You can read more about the security feature on Apple's support website, and check out Glenn Fleishman's thorough pros and cons rundown on TidBITS.
Kelly Hodgkins03.22.2013
Apple on the verge of rolling out two-step verification for iCloud, Apple ID
According to a report on 9to5 Mac, Apple has begun training support personnel in advance of rolling out two-step authentication for iCloud and Apple ID. This is a significant step towards enhanced security for Apple accounts as it requires both a trusted device and an extra security code in addition to a password. Other cloud providers currently providing two-step authentication include Dropbox and Google. Apple's relatively weak security for its online services came under the spotlight last year when tech writer Mat Honan suffered a hack attack that compromised his iCloud account. It appears that 9to5 Mac may have jumped the gun in terms of posting this information, as the My Apple ID website referenced heavily in their post displays placeholders instead of actual text and links (see image at the top of this post). The way the system will work is that whenever you log in to manage your Apple ID on My Apple ID or make a purchase via iTunes, the App Store or iBookstore from a new device, you'll be asked to enter your password and a four-digit verification code. Without entering both the password and verification code correctly, account access is denied. ' Apple will also provide a 14-digit Recovery Key that they recommend printing and keeping in a safe place. This allows Apple ID users to regain access to their accounts if they lose their devices or forget their password. One other good feature -- you'll no longer need to create or remember any security questions. Two-step verification will initially be available in the US, UK, Australia, New Zealand and Ireland, with additional countries added over time.
Steve Sande03.21.2013
Amazon, Apple stop taking key account changes over the phone after identity breach
By now, you may have heard the story of the identity 'hack' perpetrated against Wired journalist Mat Honan. Using easily obtained data, an anonymous duo bluffed its way into changing his Amazon account, then his Apple iCloud account, then his Google account and ultimately the real target, Twitter. Both Amazon and Apple were docked for how easy it was to modify an account over the phone -- and, in close succession, have both put at least a momentary lockdown on the changes that led to Honan losing much of his digital presence and some irreplaceable photos. His own publication has reportedly confirmed a policy change at Amazon that prevents over-the-phone account changes. Apple hasn't been as direct about what's going on, but Wired believes there's been a 24-hour hold on phone-based Apple ID password resets while the company marshals its resources and decides how much extra strictness is required. Neither company has said much about the issue. Amazon has been silent, while Apple claims that some of its existing procedures weren't followed properly, regardless of any rules it might need to mend. However the companies address the problem, this is one of those moments where the lesson learned is more important than the outcome. Folks: if your accounts and your personal data matter to you, use truly secure passwords and back up your content. While Honan hints that he may have put at least some of the pieces back together, not everyone gets that second chance.
Jon Fingas08.07.2012
Dear Aunt TUAW: Help me sort iTunes Music by Apple ID
Dear Aunt TUAW, Ah, the problems of modern romance. Since I broke up with "her" (and yes, I know you were saying she wasn't right for me) getting rid of all the remants of the relationship has not been easy, especially "her" digital footprint. She loved her music. So she would bring her iPod to my house and sync it leaving a whole bunch of songs I'll NEVER play again that were purchased under her Apple ID. How can I find them, delete them and finally be ready to move on with my life? Your favorite but knucklehead nephew, Mark Dear Mark, When in doubt, there's usually an AppleScript solution to everything. Doug's Scripts offers one called "track down purchases" that scans your library, looks at the file for each song, and retrieves the apID purchase account for the track. It then builds individual playlists that sorts the songs by account. Be aware that you may encounter snags for homebrew recordings such as those from GarageBand, because the script expects to encounter standard iTunes tracks. If so, you may want to temporarily remove those while running the AppleScript. Let Auntie know if that does the job for you. Hugs, Auntie T.
Erica Sadun05.16.2012
Fake Apple billing email is circulating
Not surprisingly, scammers are targeting Apple customers with a fake phishing email asking them to update their account billing information. People who are new to Apple and probably received their first Mac or iOS device during the holiday season are particularly vulnerable to this scam. This group of customers would not be surprised to receive an email from Apple shortly after they signed up for iTunes for the first time. According to Intego, the email has the same silver coloring as Apple's website and includes the Apple logo to make it look authentic. If you click on the link within the email, you'll travel to a website that closely resembles Apple's website. Of course, there's a login on the fake page that'll steal your Apple ID and password if you make the mistake of logging into the site. On the next page, there's a form that'll steal your credit card information if you willingly submit this information to the fake site. The only way to tell that this email is a scam is to look closely at the URL contained in the email. The link in the email says "store.apple.com", but the underlying URL directs you to page named "apple.htm" on a server that does not belong to Apple. Depending on your email client, you only have to put you pointer over the link to see a pop-up box that'll expose this fake web address. A real link to Apple's website will end in "apple.com" and not some random name or number like the one shown above. To be extra cautious, you should avoid clicking on links in an email and go directly to Apple's website by typing in "store.apple.com" into your web browser. Once you've manually logged into your Apple account, you can then update your billing information, if necessary. [Via CNET]
Kelly Hodgkins12.28.2011Dear Aunt TUAW: Help me iMessage my wife
Dear Aunt TUAW, One iMessage "feature" is that messaging can be started on one device and picked up from another device, like from iPhone to iPad. My wife and I share an iTunes account so that we don't have to pay for apps twice, or worry about signing into different accounts. Will sharing an iTunes account across two iPhones mess with our ability to text to each other with iMessage? Thanks! Your loving nephew, Toby Dear Toby, Fear not. Your store account is distinct from your iMessages account. You can create separate Apple IDs for iMessage so you and your wife can pseudo-text back and forth. You will, however, require two email addresses. Select Settings > Messages > Receive At and create a new Apple ID specific to those addresses. Hugs, Auntie T.
Erica Sadun10.12.2011