9to5Mac

---

• Report: Apple to get more time to formally respond to government’s request for access to locked iPhone
• Apple Watch sales hit 5.1M during Q4 2015, pushing smartwatches ahead of Swiss watch for first time
• Senate Intelligence Committee considering bill to penalize companies refusing to decrypt user devices
• Google releases open-source iOS UI testing framework, EarlGrey
• Review: HomeKit-enabled ecobee3 Wi-Fi thermostat w/ remote sensors is perfect for Siri fans
• How-To: Take better videos with your iPhone using FiLMiC Pro [Video]
• Apple updates iOS 9.2.1 to restore iPhones affected by ‘error 53’, apologizes to customers
• PayPal for iOS updated w/ completely new iPhone 6-optimized interface, much more
• Petition urges White House to support Apple in blocking government access to locked iPhones
• 9to5Toys Last Call: 15″ Retina MacBook Pro $549 off, D-Link iOS Water Sensor $38, iPhone car mount $5, more
• Tasting Table launches Apple TV app in 24 hours thanks to JW Player’s new tvOS framework
• Honeywell’s new Lyric Round thermostat w/ HomeKit now available & in-stock
• Volvo announces launch of new V90 Estate, its latest with Apple’s CarPlay
• Opinion: Why an iPhone master key is better than a backdoor, but still too dangerous
• Apple launches iPhone ‘Trade Up With Installments’ plan from $15/mo, yet another way to buy a new iPhone in the US
• Use your iPhone to control any AA-powered device with this simple $10 adapter
• LastPass survey finds 95% of Americans share passwords, 59% use same password for multiple sites
• PSA: Skype’s group video calling on iOS & Android rolling out from today
• Apple’s chief chipmaker reveals how the iPad Pro was late & almost out-powered by the iPhone 6s
• Civil rights groups and tech companies express support for Apple’s stand against the FBI

Report: Apple to get more time to formally respond to government’s request for access to locked iPhone Posted: 18 Feb 2016 05:19 PM PST Bloomberg reports this evening that Apple is getting an extension on its Tuesday deadline to make a decision and respond to the court order asking them to aid the government in retrieving data off of an iPhone 5c used by one of the gunmen involved in the fatal San Bernardino shootings last December. Apple now has until February 26th to respond to the request in court. Following the order from the court, Apple CEO Tim Cook replied with an open-letter saying that the request is an “unprecedented step which threatens the security of our customers.” With Cook being so vocal on the topic so quickly after the initial order, it’s hard to imagine Apple giving in the FBI’s request. Originally, the company had 5 days to reply, making this coming Tuesday its deadline. No matter what happens surrounding this issue, it will likely set a major precedent moving forward when it comes to user privacy versus national security. We’ve covered the topic in detail and you can view all of our coverage at the links below: U.S. judge orders Apple to help FBI access data on San Bernardino gunman's iPhone 5c Apple publishes letter responding to FBI iPhone unlock demand: 'an unprecedented step which threatens the security of our customers' Google CEO Pichai appears to side with Apple in series of vague tweets on FBI encryption battle Security firm shows how Apple could bypass iPhone security to comply with FBI request Opinion: How likely is Apple to succeed in resisting the FBI court order? Should Apple comply with FBI request to bypass San Bernardino gunman's iPhone? [Poll] Civil rights groups and tech companies express support for Apple's stand against the FBI Opinion: Why an iPhone master key is better than a backdoor, but still too dangerous Petition urges White House to support Apple in blocking government access to locked iPhones Senate Intelligence Committee considering bill to penalize companies refusing to decrypt user devices Filed under: iOS Devices Tagged: Apple, Data, Encryption, FBI, iPhone 5C Visit 9to5Mac to find more special coverage of iOS Devices, Apple, and iPhone 5C. What do you think? Discuss "Report: Apple to get more time to formally respond to government’s request for access to locked iPhone" with our community.

Apple Watch sales hit 5.1M during Q4 2015, pushing smartwatches ahead of Swiss watch for first time Posted: 18 Feb 2016 04:44 PM PST According to a new report from Strategy Analytics, the sales of smartwatches in the fourth quarter of 2015 outpaced sales of Swiss watches for the first time. The company claims that during the holiday quarter, a total of 8.1 million smartwatches were shipped, while 7.9 million Swiss watches were shipped. Of those 8.1 million smartwatch shipments, Apple and Samsung led the way. The former accounted for 63 percent of the market, coming out to roughly 5.1 million units, while the latter held 16 percent, or 1.3 million units. With 8.1 million smartwatches shipped in the fourth quarter of 2015, that’s a 316 percent increase over the 1.9 million units shipped in Q4 of 2014. Obviously the big difference between the two years here is that Apple Watch was released in April of 2015, so Android manufacturers and companies like Pebble were the sole manufacturers in 2014. In Q4 of 2014, Swiss watch shipments were at 8.3 million, meaning that shipments fell by 5 percent year-over-year to the 7.9 million shipped in the 2015 holiday quarter. The report notes that smartwatches manufactured by Swiss companies, like Tag Heuer, accounted for just 1 percent of the smartwatch. Strategy Analytics executive director Neil Mawston had the following to say about smartwatches overtaking Swiss watches: “The Swiss watch industry has been very slow to react to the development of smartwatches. The Swiss watch industry has been sticking its head in the sand and hoping smartwatches will go away. Swiss brands, like Tag Heuer, accounted for a tiny 1 percent of all smartwatches shipped globally during Q4 2015, and they are long way behind Apple, Samsung and other leaders in the high-growth smartwatch category." A report from Strategy Analytics during the summer of last year claimed that Apple accounted for an estimated 75% of the smartwatch market during Q2 of 2015. The decrease in marketshare since then could perhaps suggest that Apple Watch propelled the general smartwatch idea to be more mainstream, prompting Android users to go out and purchase models compatible with their phones. You can view the full chart below: Filed under: Apple Watch Tagged: Apple, Apple watch, smartwatch Continue reading more about Apple, Apple watch, and Apple Watch at 9to5Mac. What do you think? Discuss "Apple Watch sales hit 5.1M during Q4 2015, pushing smartwatches ahead of Swiss watch for first time" with our community.

Senate Intelligence Committee considering bill to penalize companies refusing to decrypt user devices Posted: 18 Feb 2016 02:46 PM PST Following Apple’s refusal to unlock an iPhone 5c used by one of the San Bernardino gunmen, the Wall Street Journal reports that the Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Richard Burr, a Republican out of North Carolina, plans to propose a new bill that would impose criminal penalties on companies that don’t comply with those types of orders. Citing people familiar with the matter, the report says that Burr’s plan isn’t finalized yet and that it’s unclear how many other lawmakers support the idea. Apple on Tuesday was ordered by a U.S. magistrate judge to give the FBI access to a passcode-locked iPhone 5c used by one of the San Bernardino gunmen. CEO Tim Cook then argued in an open-letter posted on Apple’s that the company would not comply with the order, saying it doesn’t want to create such a dangerous tool. While the bill is likely far off from being officially voted on, it signals just how monumental this issue has become in both Silicon Valley and Washington D.C. The bill, the report claims, could be written as a modification to the Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act, which was originally imposed in 1994. This law suggests that companies develop their communication systems so that law enforcement agencies are able to gain access with a proper court order. Burr has long been a proponent of forcing technology companies to work more closely with government agencies when it comes to accessing data on locked devices. He worked with Senator Dianne Feinstein, a Democrat, in December to propose a bill that would require social media companies to report terrorist activity. That bill, however, has yet to advance. In New York, a bill has been proposed that would force companies to give the government access to user devices, or else face punishment. On the other side of the aisle, Adam Schiff, the top Democrat on the House of Representatives’ Intelligence Committee, is more open when it comes to the issue. He suggests that “the court’s decision will likely accelerate our consideration of how to weigh the competing privacy, security and competitiveness issues,” noting that a legislative approach to the issue is “neither feasible or even desirable” (via Reuters). The Reuters report also notes that the House Judiciary Committee plans to hold a hearing on encryption on March 1st and has invited Apple to attend. That hearing won’t be the first tim Apple has met with the U.S. government on encryption. Meanwhile, a new petition is urging the White House to back Apple in the case. Filed under: AAPL Company Tagged: Apple, Encryption, Government, legal For more news on AAPL Company, Apple, and Encryption continue reading at 9to5Mac. What do you think? Discuss "Senate Intelligence Committee considering bill to penalize companies refusing to decrypt user devices" with our community.

Google releases open-source iOS UI testing framework, EarlGrey Posted: 18 Feb 2016 02:44 PM PST On Wednesday, Google released their aptly named UI testing framework, EarlGrey. Having been using the framework in a few of their current iOS apps already for functional testing, it's good to hear that the product has been validated before an initial public release. EarlyGrey offers a few key features to help differentiate it from other functional testing frameworks, the most interesting to me personally is the built-in synchronization feature. This means that when tests are being executed, they'll automatically wait for "animations, network requests, etc." before interacting with UI. Developers are now freed up from having to write tests that account for waiting or "sleeping" before proceeding to the next test. The key features offered by EarlGrey include: Powerful built-in synchronization : Tests will automatically wait for events such as animations, network requests, etc. before interacting with the UI. This will result in tests that are easier to write (no sleeps or waits) and simple to maintain (straight up procedural description of test steps). Visibility checking : All interactions occur on elements that users can see. For example, attempting to tap a button that is behind an image will lead to test failure immediately. Flexible design : The components that determine element selection, interaction, assertion and synchronization have been designed to be extensible. For developers out there worried about EarlGrey clashing against Xcode's own testing frameworks Google states that, "EarlGrey works in conjunction with the XCTest framework and integrates with Xcode's Test Navigator so you can run tests directly from Xcode or the command line (using xcodebuild)." EarlGrey is available as an open-source project on GitHub under the Apache license and may be added to your current Xcode project using CocoaPods or manually adding it in. Google’s list of apps currently utilizing the EarlGrey framework are: YouTube, Google Calendar, Google Photos, Google Translate, and Google Play Music. Filed under: Developers, General, iOS Tagged: developers, Development, EarlGrey, framework, Google, Google Calendar, Google Play Music, Google Translate, google+ photos, iOS, Testing frameworks, Xcode, YouTube For more information about iOS, iOS, and Google continue reading at 9to5Mac. What do you think? Discuss "Google releases open-source iOS UI testing framework, EarlGrey" with our community.

Review: HomeKit-enabled ecobee3 Wi-Fi thermostat w/ remote sensors is perfect for Siri fans Posted: 18 Feb 2016 02:15 PM PST A smart thermostat that you can control from your iPhone is nice, but if you’re a fan of Siri then HomeKit-compatibly is a must. The ecobee3 Wi-Fi thermostat can be controlled using Siri on your iPhone, iPad, or Apple Watch, and it uses remote sensors to determine temperature and presence around your home to be smarter about automating your HVAC system. Overall, the thermostat itself is rather slick and the software experience behind it holds up well. If you’re curious about HomeKit and in the market for a smart thermostat, the ecobee3 just might be the best option yet … As with any new thermostat, smart or not, there’s a hardware installation process required at setup. You’re mileage may vary depending on conditions and experience, but using a combination of the setup instructions and the geniuses of YouTube, we got our ecobee3 up and running in under an hour. Wiring configuration will vary and this is where it can get complicated, but assuming your setup is already standard and you follow instructions carefully, you likely won’t need the pros to do the job. Once you replace your previous thermostat for ecobee3, the real fun begins. At a distance, ecobee3 displays just the current inside temperature prominently above an icon for the local weather condition next to the current outside temperature. When ecobee3 detects your presence, the display animates to reveal an on-screen target temperature slider, current relative humidity, menu button, full weather report, and quick changes button. Heating and cooling are distinguished by orange and blue bars. While the main view shows you the current outside temperature, you can actually get a detailed weather report right on the ecobee3. This includes a temperature forecast for the next several hours. It’s a small thing and already available on my other devices, but it makes ecobee3 feel smarter knowing and presenting the outside weather next to the inside temperature. You’ll also find a full menu of settings for your temperature preferences and managing ecobee3, but most of these tasks are just easier from the iPhone, iPad, or the web when available. The ecobee3 unit itself has a built-in sensor for detecting presence and current temperature, but you can optionally place additional sensors around your house to more accurately monitor and manage temperature. My kit came bundled with three sensors, bringing the total number to four including the unit. I’ve placed a sensor in my bedroom, living room, and office, and have the ecobee3 located in the center of the home in the hallway. These detect both temperature and presence, making ecobee3 more intelligent when using the system to cool or warm your home. You can buy additional ecobee3 Remote Sensors in 2 packs for $79. As a smart thermostat, you can already control ecobee3 remotely from your iPhone or iPad from the iOS app, but turning on HomeKit enables Siri control and a lot of automation capabilities. Being able to change the temperature and make my home and office cooler or warmer without interrupting my work or watching a TV show is super convenient with the app alone, but being able to use Siri makes it super fast. Siri works from the iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch for changing the target temperature or asking where the current temperature is around the house. You can also set target temperatures as triggers and scenes with other HomeKit-compatible accessories. For example, saying “Netflix and chill” to Siri could mean locking the door, dimming the lights, and setting the temperature to be cooler in the summer. ecobee3 lets you set your system to heating, cooling, or automate between both based on target temperatures. Back in December when I first setup ecobee3, configuring HomeKit disabled Auto Mode which lets you set target cool and heat temperatures, which was an interesting limitation. But just last week the iPhone app prompted me to the message above, noting that HomeKit now works with Auto Mode. What would have been a knock just a week earlier turned into a positive that reminded me that smart thermostats only get smarter over time. For Apple Watch owners, ecobee has a nice watchOS 2 app that lets you monitor temperatures and tweak settings. You need to use Siri to set a specific temperature, but the Apple Watch app lets you view the current target temperature as well as what temperature each sensor including the ecobee3’s currently reads. Force Touching within the app brings up options to turn your system’s fan on or off, or manually set ecobee3 to Home or Away mode. There’s also a watch face complication, or widget, which tells you what mode ecobee3 is in as well as current target temperature. For fans of glances, the app has a card that you can swipe up to access from the watch face to view current temperature, target temperature, and mode. The watch app is nice, especially for viewing temperature readers from various rooms, but Siri control from the Apple Watch is my favorite part. The ecobee iPhone app actually looks almost identical to the user interface on the actual thermostat, which is nice because it creates a familiar experience on the unit and on your iPhone. The animations on the iPhone app are noticeably laggy, though, which I hope improves in the future. For the ecobee iPad app, the same user interface is cleverly spread across of grid that requires fewer menus and more features. It feels futuristic and just plain cool controlling and managing the ecobee3 from the modular view on a tablet. Whether you’re using the thermostat, iPhone app, or iPad app, ecobee3 has some handy intelligence behind it. For example, you can set target temperatures for when you’re at home and away then using the motion sensors to track presence. The ecobee system also has alert and reminder options for extreme temperature and humidity levels and maintenance reminders. We changed the air filter at our house when we installed ecobee3, then turned on the three-month reminder to change the filter in the future (which I tend to be terrible about remembering). For me, the ecobee3 thermostat’s appeal is mostly in controlling remotely using Siri and the mobile apps, but the ecobee app also offers insights into system usage over time in the Home IQ section. The iPad app offers some data here, but the web interface shows even more. According to ecobee, my Home Energy Efficiency rating puts me in the top 20% of homes in my state and I should work on lowering my runtimes. During the month of January (my first full month with ecobee), Home IQ says I’ve saved 13 hours of runtime and $4.80 based on my equipment’s runtime and local electricity rates. This should be fun to game over time. Finally, there’s the web interface that you can access from ecobee’s website where you can remotely control the temperature, manage settings, view sensor data, and everything else you can access from the iOS apps. The screenshot above captured in Safari features a nearly identical layout to the ecobee iPad app. This makes accessing and controlling the thermostat from anywhere a familiar experience which I like a lot. Overall, I’ve really enjoyed using the ecobee3 since December and can easily recommend it as a quality HomeKit accessory. Siri control for turning on the heat from my desk is super convenient, especially using the Apple Watch, and using the iPhone app to change the temperature has almost entirely replaced walking over to the thermostat. I also really enjoy seeing the local outside weather next to the current inside temperature, viewing temperatures by room with multiple sensors is helpful, and I appreciate that the user interface is similar from the thermostat to the iPhone app to the iPad version to the website. Round thermostats like the Nest (no HomeKit, reviewed) and new Honeywell Lyric (HomeKit) can’t quite pull this off. Lastly, ecobee’s ability to adjust temperature based on my preferences for when I’m home and away or awake and asleep is really helpful in saving energy. I’m still optimizing my preferences after the first month but also finding new features like the ability to schedule vacation temperature levels in advanced. Being deep in the Apple ecosystem means HomeKit and Siri control enable a lot of the ecobee3 experience, but in general the software and intelligence make it a quality competitor in the smart thermostat space on its own. Aside from HomeKit and Siri, ecobee3 is getting smarter with new connections like the recently added Amazon Echo for voice control. You can grab the ecobee3 Smarter Wi-Fi Thermostat with Remote Sensor (2nd Generation) from $243, or the 3 Sensor Bundle I have from $318. Filed under: HomeKit, Reviews Tagged: ecobee, Ecobee3, ecobee3 Smart Thermostat, homekit, Siri, smart appliances, smart home, Thermostat, Wi-Fi thermostat Continue reading more about Reviews, Siri, and homekit at 9to5Mac. What do you think? Discuss "Review: HomeKit-enabled ecobee3 Wi-Fi thermostat w/ remote sensors is perfect for Siri fans" with our community.

How-To: Take better videos with your iPhone using FiLMiC Pro [Video] Posted: 18 Feb 2016 12:26 PM PST The stock Camera app found in iOS is decent enough. It's great for the casual shooting of photos and videos, and more importantly, it's easy to use and almost always works. But just like there are dedicated photo apps for improving the quality of your photography, the same thing is true for videographers. If you're looking to improve your iPhone or iPad videography skills, then look no further than FiLMiC Pro, a $9.99 universal app. The "Pro" in FiLMiC Pro isn't some arbitrary nomenclature tacked on just because it sounds good.  This is a professional video app containing features normally found on standalone cameras. Let’s have a look at the interface and then consider 15 of my favorite features. The basics The FiLMiC Pro interface is chock full of settings and features. Many of the tools available are hidden behind menus in an effort to keep the interface simple and focused. Here’s a look at a few of the basic things that you should know about the interface before getting started. Action slider The action slider, accessible via the arrow button in the upper left-hand corner of the interface, reveals additional settings and features. There, you’ll find options for the LED flash, zoom, rule of thirds overlay, and more. Settings The settings gear, located to the left of the shutter button, lets you access settings for features like resolution, frame rate, audio, etc. Settings is filled to the brim with additional features to customize the app to your liking. Manual control sliders There are all sorts of manual control sliders available for various features in FiLMiC Pro. Sliders exist for focus, ISO, tint, white balance, LED flash intensity, shutter speed, and more. Sliders are generally accessible by tapping and holding on a button associated with the slider. For example, tap and hold on the focus button or reticle to reveal its associated manual control slider. Those are just a handful of the basic interface elements that you should become familiar with. FiLMiC Pro is a very deep videography app, so play around with it and see what you can discover. Let’s continue and talk about 15 of my favorite features. Separate focus and exposure reticles This is a fairly basic feature, and the stock Camera app in iOS does have the ability to set and lock both exposure and focus. Still, it’s nice to have two separate reticles dedicated for each task. You can easily move and lock both reticles independently of one another (just tap to lock), which lends more fine-tuned control overall. Also, there’s the ability to lock either setting using dedicated buttons in the bottom left-hand corner of the app’s interface. Focus slider Speaking of focus, FiLMiC Pro lets you pull off an impressive rack focus with ease. A rack focus is the practice of changing the focus of your lens while shooting video. It’s a good way to switch focus between a foreground object and a background object in a single take. It’s possible to pull off a similar effect with the stock Camera app, but it’s much easier to do so in FiLMiC Pro thanks to built-in pull points. To access the focus slider, just tap and hold on the focus reticle, and it will appear on the left side of the interface. You can use the focus reticle icon on the slider to change focus, but the real benefits occur when you establish two pull points. The pull points are the two lines that rest horizontally on the slider. By adjusting those two pull points, you can set in and out points for focus pulling. Once the pull points are set, tap on either point to create a smooth rack focus transition between the two. Variable speed slider To enhance the rack focus ability, FiLMiC Pro includes a handy variable speed slider that lets you adjust the speed of the transition between pull points. The variable speed slider is hidden out of the way, but a simple right-swipe on the focus slider reveals it. Adjust the variable speed slider up or down to control the speed of the transition between pull points. Lock white balance, adjust temperature and tint By tapping the white balance button in the bottom left-hand corner of the FiLMiC Pro interface, one can easily lock white balance. This can be combined with a grey card to set accurate white balance in almost any lighting condition. But not only that, you can tap and hold the white balance button to reveal the white balance slider, which allows you to manually adjust color temperature using Kelvin values. In addition, a new tint option is also revealed for quickly changing the tint of a scene on the fly. Record in 4K at 100Mbps The stock Camera app limits the iPhone 6s bitrate when shooting 4K video to around 50Mbps. When shooting 1080p30 video, the bitrate is (unsurprisingly) even lower. FiLMiC Pro, on the other hand, gives you more control over bitrate values. For example, it’s possible to shoot 4K video on an iPhone 6s at 100Mbps, and 1080p30 video at 50Mbps. To adjust the bitrate within FiLMiC Pro, tap the settings gear, and tap the Resolution section. When you factor in things like compression, differences may be hard to notice, but it’s nonetheless a nice area to have a say in. Set frame rate You can set the frame rate used within the stock Camera app, but your choices are limited. Along with that, you actually have to exit the app and delve into iOS’ preferences just to find the frame rate setting. As you might expect, FiLMiC Pro features a wider variety of frame rate settings to choose from within the FrameRate section of its settings, and these can be adjusted without leaving the app. FiLMiC Pro defaults to a cinematic frame rate of 24fps instead of the 30fps setting of the stock Camera app. Change aspect ratio …and it just keeps going. Yes, you can even change the aspect ratio within FiLMiC Pro. Tap the settings gear and select Resolution to find aspect ratio options. You can choose between 16:9, 17:9, 1:1 for square Vine-friendly video, 2.59:1, 2.39:1, 2.2:1, and 1.66:1. Change digital zoom speed and zoom targets Traditionally, it’s not a great idea to incorporate digital zoom into your workflow, as it results in reduced image quality. Optical zoom, the type of zoom that uses the lens instead of software, is by far the more desirable type of zoom. That said, there may still be occasions where you wish to incorporate zoom into your project for creative reasons, and if digital zoom is the only option at your disposal, then that’s what you’ll have to use. To access digital zoom, tap the action slider button in the upper left-hand corner to reveal additional options. From there, tap the Zoom button in the upper right-hand corner. Use the + button to zoom in and the – button to zoom out. The great thing about FiLMiC Pro is that it will let you know when you’ve zoomed far enough to causes substantial image degradation. The bar next to the zoom levels will change from green (safe) to red (unsafe) as you zoom in. You can set zoom targets by tapping one of the three target points while at the desired zoom level. This allows you to smoothly zoom between two values with the press of a button. To adjust the speed of the zoom using the variable speed slider, tap and hold the zoom button within the action slider in the upper right-hand corner of the screen. Adjusting shutter speed You can adjust the shutter speed within FiLMiC Pro by tapping and holding on the ISO reticle. This will reveal the ISO slider, which functions similarly to the focus slider that we covered earlier. You’ll notice three buttons next to the ISO slider. The middle button, the shutter speed button, allows you to adjust the camera’s shutter speed. As a general rule, shutter speed should be double the current frame rate, so if you’re shooting 24FPS, you’ll want the shutter speed to be 48. For creative reasons, however, you may wish to change the shutter speed to a different value. Adjust the LED flash intensity If you tap and hold on the lightbulb icon within the action slider, you’ll notice a new slider dedicated to the LED flash intensity. This is an awesome feature to use if you only need subtle lighting, or if you wish to adjust the intensity of the flash to garner the desired exposure. In all, FiLMiC Pro’s LED flash intensity slider allows you to maneuver between four grades of light. Pause and resume recordings Sadly, there’s no way to pause and resume recordings with the stock Camera app. As it stands now, you’re forced to create different files when stopping video using the stock Camera. With FiLMiC Pro, you can enable the Stitch feature to make it possible to pause and resume in-progress recordings. Simply tap the settings gear, select Device, and enable the Stitch Recorded Footage switch. Such a feature makes it easy to shoot one continuous video, while incorporating creative jump cuts within the recording. Once Stitch Recorded Footage is enabled, you’ll notice a slight change to the record button in the bottom right-hand corner of the interface. You can now pause and resume in-progress recordings without creating a new file. To end a recording, use a tap and hold gesture on the record button. Audio meters Having audio meters presents another advantage over the stock Camera app for those serious about video. You can use the audio meters to monitor microphone input for either the iPhone’s built-in mic, or an external Lightning-enabled microphone. Having audio meters lets you visually monitor audio input to make sure it’s not too quiet or too loud. Advanced audio settings Speaking of microphones, FiLMiC Pro lets you choose from any of the three microphones on the iPhone to capture sound. Within the settings, tap the Audio section, and you’ll find the ability to switch between the iPhone’s bottom, front, or back microphone. Talk about granular control! Additionally, FiLMiC Pro lets you record uncompressed audio with up to a 96 kHz sample rate for external Lightning-enabled microphones like the Apogee MiC 96k. Finally, if it’s your desire, you can even disable the microphone altogether and just capture video. Hiding the interface Depending on the application, you may wish to use an external display hooked up via Apple’s Lightning Digital AV Adapter. For example, I’ve connected my Atomos Ninja Assassin external monitor to my iPhone via HDMI. FiLMiC Pro contains a Tap To Hide Interface preference within the Devices section of its settings, which lets you disable on-screen display information. That allows you to mirror a clean video feed from your iPhone without any overlays on screen to an external monitor. Save presets Although there are many additional features that I could talk about, the last one that we’ll discuss in this post is the ability to save and recall presets. For an app this deep with so many configuration options, it’s imperative to be able to quickly save and recall favorite settings. You can do this within the Presets section of the app’s preferences. Potential shortcomings FiLMiC Pro isn’t for everyone. For instance, if you wish to shoot vertical videos, then you’ll need to look elsewhere. For that matter, if you wish to shoot still images, you’ll have to look towards another app as well. FiLMiC Pro is built with one primary thing in mind: creating great looking videos. You’ll also need to utilize iTunes File Sharing to save footage directly from your iPhone to your computer. That’s because additional compression may be introduced when saving footage to your camera roll, or when simply using iOS’ native share sheet functionality. In my experience, I’ve found that, despite the inconvenience, it’s much better to use the iTunes File Sharing to maintain original image fidelity. A ridiculously deep app As you can see, FiLMiC Pro is a crazy deep app with tons of settings and features for videographers that require more than the stock Camera app can offer. At $9.99, it’s not cheap, but if you’re truly serious about making video content with the iPhone or iPad, it’s an app that you should absolutely have in your arsenal. Here are a couple of FiLMiC Pro promo codes for our readers: 434HFE3EEYX4 MRAK64EEFHPE (Update: Redeemed!) There are also a couple of additional promo codes to be found on our video. Be sure to head over to our YouTube channel to find them and subscribe to our channel. We’ll be back with additional FiLMiC Pro coverage in the future. Until then, feel free to share links to some of your own creative video creations down below in the comments. Filed under: How-To, Apps, iOS Devices Tagged: 4k, Apps, Camera, FiLMiC Pro, iOS, iPhone, videography For more information about iOS Devices, Apps, and iPhone continue reading at 9to5Mac. What do you think? Discuss "How-To: Take better videos with your iPhone using FiLMiC Pro [Video]" with our community.

Apple updates iOS 9.2.1 to restore iPhones affected by ‘error 53’, apologizes to customers Posted: 18 Feb 2016 10:17 AM PST Apple today has released a new version of iOS 9.2.1 that will remedy bricked iPhones affected by ‘error 53‘ after servicing hardware with Touch ID (via TechCrunch). iOS 9.2.1 is the same version number released last month, but the updated build from 13D15 to 13D20 reflects the resolution for bricked iPhones. Don’t expect to see this iOS update appear over-the-air if you’re already running iOS 9.2.1, however, as it’s only intended to make restoring via iTunes possible for affected iPhones. Error 53 gained attention earlier this month as a large number of iPhone users with third-party Home button repairs were reporting issues after updating to newer versions of iOS, namely no longer being able to use the device. The error was put in place by design to protect fingerprint data on the Secure Enclave found on iPhones with the Touch ID sensor, but the issues created by it caught enough attention to lead to a potential class action lawsuit in the U.S. For Apple’s part, it reacted somewhat quickly to the controversy with today’s fix. The company offered the following statement to TechCrunch regarding the issue: Some customers' devices are showing 'Connect to iTunes' after attempting an iOS update or a restore from iTunes on a Mac or PC. This reports as an Error 53 in iTunes and appears when a device fails a security test. This test was designed to check whether Touch ID works properly before the device leaves the factory. Today, Apple released a software update that allows customers who have encountered this error message to successfully restore their device using iTunes on a Mac or PC. We apologize for any inconvenience, this was designed to be a factory test and was not intended to affect customers. Customers who paid for an out-of-warranty replacement of their device based on this issue should contact AppleCare about a reimbursement. Apple has also updated its support document detailing error 53 for iPhones. Filed under: iOS Devices Tagged: Error 53, iOS, iOS 9.2.1, iPhone, iTunes, Touch ID For more news on iOS Devices, iPhone, and iOS continue reading at 9to5Mac. What do you think? Discuss "Apple updates iOS 9.2.1 to restore iPhones affected by ‘error 53’, apologizes to customers" with our community.

PayPal for iOS updated w/ completely new iPhone 6-optimized interface, much more Posted: 18 Feb 2016 09:53 AM PST At long last PayPal has updated its iOS app with a completely redesigned interface that optimizes the experience for iPhone 6/iPhone 6s and 6 Plus/6s Plus users. PayPal announced the update in a post on its blog, detailing all of the new features, including a new start screen, improved Send and Request interface, new account info details, and much more. The most notable change, though, is an entirely new interface. When you first open the redesigned app, you’re presented with a new start screen that offers the ability to quickly manage your balance, see recent activity, send money, request money, and quickly pay in-store. The activity feed has been redesigned, as well, and now shows activity as far back as three years ago. The ability to send/request money has been streamlined with it being much easier to quickly find a contact from your Contacts app or enter a new one. You simply choose a contact, enter the amount, and send the money. When you request money, the person on the other end can now pay you with just a single tap. The app icon has also gained support for 3D Touch, so now when you hard press on the icon, you can quickly jump into your activity stream. The full changelog is below. The big story is obviously the redesigned interface that is optimized for iPhone 6 and above after over a year and a half. The app is available on the App Store for free. What’s New in Version 6.0.0 A completely refreshed design New start screen that provides faster access to your most important account info and the top actions you take Send and Request Money pages that can be personalized with the people you exchange money with most – including your phone contacts Completely new request money flow that allows others to pay you with just one click Greater account info including 3-years of history and how you funded your payments and the money you sent Yes, basically everything is new (You’re welcome Kanye. Happy to support you in your creative endeavors.) Filed under: Apps Tagged: app, iOS, Paypal, redesign For more information about Apps, iOS, and app continue reading at 9to5Mac. What do you think? Discuss "PayPal for iOS updated w/ completely new iPhone 6-optimized interface, much more" with our community.

Petition urges White House to support Apple in blocking government access to locked iPhones Posted: 18 Feb 2016 09:46 AM PST A new We the People petition has been created urging the White House to "halt efforts that compel Apple and other device makers to create a “backdoor” for the Government to access citizens data" (via MacReports).  The petition comes as Apple CEO Tim Cook this week penned an open letter detailing why the company is resisting a demand from the FBI to unlock a device belonging to a suspect in the high profile San Bernardino shooter case. The United States government has demanded that Apple take an unprecedented step which threatens the security of its customers…The FBI, is demanding that Apple build a “backdoor” to bypass digital locks protecting consumer information on Apple’s popular iPhones…We the undersigned, oppose this order, which has implications far beyond the legal case at hand. The controversy and Cook's letter followed complaints from the FBI that it couldn't crack Apple's encryption on the iPhone and Apple's refusal to assist the courts and agency in doing so. In his open letter, Cook defended Apple's long running stance of not providing access to personal data to government under any circumstances and said that complying with the FBI's request would be "'an unprecedented step which threatens the security of our customers." Cook continued: The implications of the government's demands are chilling. If the government can use the All Writs Act to make it easier to unlock your iPhone, it would have the power to reach into anyone's device to capture their data. The government could extend this breach of privacy and demand that Apple build surveillance software to intercept your messages, access your health records or financial data, track your location, or even access your phone's microphone or camera without your knowledge. Since Cook's letter, several organizations have voiced support for Apple including statements issued by The Electronic Frontier Foundation, American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and Amnesty International. And while it certainly would be possible for Apple to bypass the iPhone's security — either with a master key of sorts like the FBI wants or through other methods — our own poll shows that an overwhelming amount of you — around 86% of 17,000 and counting votes — support Apple and do not support any type of method of government access to data on iOS. But so far, at the time of publishing, the We the People petition only has under 100 signatures. Another 99,900 to go before March 18th in order to get the White House’s attention and the required response. You can sign it here. Filed under: iOS Devices Tagged: Apple, encrpytion, iPhone, privacy, White House For more information about iOS Devices, Apple, and iPhone continue reading at 9to5Mac. What do you think? Discuss "Petition urges White House to support Apple in blocking government access to locked iPhones" with our community.

9to5Toys Last Call: 15″ Retina MacBook Pro $549 off, D-Link iOS Water Sensor $38, iPhone car mount $5, more Posted: 18 Feb 2016 09:36 AM PST Keep up with the best gear and deals on the web by signing up for the 9to5Toys Newsletter. Also, be sure to check us out on: Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+ and Safari push notifications. TODAY’S CAN’T MISS DEALS: Last Call Updates: Canon adds three new Wi-Fi cameras to its mid-range lineup for prosumers and videographers iPhone 5s 16GB Factory Unlocked 4G LTE (Refurb) $180 shipped (Orig. $450) Samsung 55-inch Smart 4K UHDTV w/ 3 HDMI inputs: $700 (Reg. $900+), more Charge your iPhone on JBL's Rumble Bluetooth speaker w/ Lightning dock: $125 (Orig. $400) Sports/Fitness: Nike Dri-Fit training shirt $20 (Reg. $40), more Home: Philips Body Groomer $20 (Reg. $35), more It's official! Apple has named Warhammer Tyranid Invasion the App Store Free App of the Week wp.me/p1xTlR-NHo https://t.co/dgpZNRQ95s — 9to5Toys (@9to5toys) February 18, 2016 Alright, alright, alright! Movie Soundtracks for $0.99: Dazed & Confused, Juno, more wp.me/p1xTlR-NNx https://t.co/7UBCWPKMoN — 9to5Toys (@9to5toys) February 18, 2016 Save $549 on Apple's most powerful standard configuration 15-inch Retina MacBook Pro: $1,950 shipped (Reg. $2,499) Keep tabs on flood risk areas w/ this D-Link Wi-Fi Water Sensor for iOS/Android: $38 shipped (Reg. $60) Aukey iPhone car accessories w/ Prime shipping: Magnetic air vent mount $5, Dual USB charger $6, more Apple Deals: The latest iPad Pro deal nets you a 128GB Wi-Fi model for the price of a 32GB: $799 shipped (Reg. $949) Apple iPad Air Wi-Fi 16GB $299 or 64GB $349 shipped (Reg. $399/$449) Apple iPhone 6s/Plus (Verizon + Sprint) on-contract pricing gets slashed by $200, 64GB now just $100 Many Apple Watch models now $100 off: 38mm Sport $249 w/ free shipping (Reg. $349), more Download VLC's Remote app for iOS and Apple Watch while it's free and save $5 App Store Free App of the Week: The Mesh puzzler goes free for the first time (Reg. $2) Heroes Reborn: Enigma for iOS goes free for the first time as IGN's Game of the Month (Reg. $5) Final Fantasy IX is now available for download on iOS/Android The Martian official iOS/Apple Watch game goes free (up to $3 value) Apple offering popular iOS video editing app 'Videoshop' for free ($2 value) MORE NEW GEAR FROM TODAY: Daily Deals: Aukey Aluminum 4-port USB 3.0 Hub $11, more Pad & Quill's new wooden iPhone 6/s/Plus cases use kevlar for added strength BJ's Warehouse Inner Circle One-Year Membership: $25 w/ email delivery (Reg. $50) Get a pair of $10 Google Play Gift Cards ($20 total) for just $14.49 shipped (28% off) Patagonia – up to 50% off: Down Sweater Jacket $114 (Orig. $229), more Free MP3 of  Footloose Soundtrack feat. Blake Shelton, Zac Brown, more (Reg. $9+) Master Ruby on Rails with this six-course coding bootcamp: $29 (Orig. $1,296) Games/Apps: The Order 1886 from $10, Terraria $13, iOS freebies, more The original Rayman game is now available for download on the App Store Beyerdynamic DT 990 Premium Open-Back Headphones $150 shipped (Reg. $300), more Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge 128GB (unlocked) for $550 shipped (Orig. $915) MORE DEALS STILL ALIVE: Control up to 8 devices w/ Logitech's Harmony Home Universal Remote: $100 (Reg. $150) Spotify tempts new Premium subscribers with free Google Chromecast offer Cambond 10-ft. MFi Lightning Cable $11 (Reg. $17), USB-C Cable, more Amazon's magnetic earbuds have a built-in remote & tangle-free design: $15 (Reg. $25) Kinda Deal: 2-pack Anker 6-ft MFi Lightning cables for $13 Prime shipped (Reg. $16) LG 60-inch 4K 120Hz Smart UHDTV w/ 3 HDMI inputs + webOS 2.0: $880 (Reg. $1,200) Sony set to launch another free multiplayer weekend across all PS4 titles Logitech Keyboards: Illuminated K740 for Windows $50 (Reg. $80), more Buy a Moto X Pure Edition 64GB for $500, get a free first gen. Moto 360 ($200 value) Magazine subs from $5/yr: Wired, Forbes, The Atlantic, more (Reg. $20+/yr) Sports/Fitness: Gonex mutli-tool bracelet $4 (Reg. $11+), more Nintendo Select best sellers on the way w/ new low prices: Donkey Kong, Mario 3D World,  more Jet Set Radio is available for free on Steam alongside a handful of other Sega titles Kinda Deal: Keep your cash secure w/ this fake-out book safe for $9 (Reg. $12) Wrap your iPhone 6/s in this minimal leather wallet case for $15 (Reg. $25), more Apple iPad Air 2 Smart Cover in 5 colors $15 (Reg. $35), Smart Case $20 (Reg. $70) Aukey 2-in-1 Mini Clip-on SmartPhone Camera Lens Kit $9 Prime shipped (Reg. $15) Beats by Dr. Dre Solo2 Wireless Headphones Active Collection: $230 (Reg. $300) Media: Straight Outta Compton HD download $10, Weeds Complete Collection $45, much more Beats by Dr. Dre Solo 2 On-Ear Headphones now half off: $100 w/ free shipping (Reg. $200) The popular ad-free version of the Trivia Crack app for Android drops to just $0.10 (Reg. $3) Philips Wake-Up Light With Colored Sunrise Simulation: $98 shipped (Orig. $170) Get a free pair of Level U Wireless headphones when you register a card w/ Samsung Pay AirPrint 3-in-1 Wireless Color Printers: Epson InkJet $150 (Reg. $200), more Prime: 3 months/books of Audible for free ($45 value, new Audible members only) Enjoy the best of Google Cardboard Virtual Reality Headset: $25 (Orig. $30, CA Tax only) Pad & Quill's leather Lowry Cuff Apple Watch band offers Hermès style for $104 (Reg. $130) SanDisk 64GB Wi-Fi Flash Drive for iOS/Android: $35 Prime shipped (Orig. $60), more Mackie CR4 speakers (pair) + AT ATH-M40x headphones $170 ($240+ value) Google Play Music 1-month subscription w/ YouTube Red access: $5 (Reg. $10) Amazon offers rare 25% discount on Kindle Unlimited : 6-months $45 (Reg. $60), more Everything you need to know to get the most out of Amazon's Prime Pantry service NEW PRODUCTS & MORE: The new Carv wearable tracks your fitness and provides real-time feedback while skiing The Coleco Chameleon retro gaming console is sure to appeal to any Millennial NERF's Fall 2016 line includes battery-powered 70MPH blasters, Alien designs, more PSA: Fallout 4 gets 3DLC packs – get your Season Pass now before it jumps up in price Mega Bloks details a new Destiny-themed line of kits at Toy Fair 2016 The new Assault on Hoth LEGO Star Wars kit recreates every detail with flawless execution The latest Monopoly goes digital with an ATM to manage properties & bank accounts Square Enix announces Hitman Go: Definitive Edition for PS4, Vita and PC Immersit wants to turn your family room into an IMAX theatre Review: Anker’s PowerCore+ gear is some of the best money can buy PowerEgg Drone has a unique design w/ a 4K camera OMBEE's modular standing desk turns any table into a upright workstation The new Andy Warhol Where's Waldo book is perfect for any Pop Art connoisseur 3Doodler Start reimagines the popular Kickstarter project with a focus on children BearTek's new Smart Gloves offer iPhone/Android controls + GoPro support Review: Incase and surfer Kelly Slater team up for the ultimate GoPro-focused backpack Filed under: Tips and Tricks Tagged: 9to5Toys, Amazon, app deals, Best Buy, D-Link iOS Water Sensor, Daily Deals, free apps, Gold Box, iPhone car mount, Retina MacBook Pro For more news on Tips and Tricks, 9to5Toys, and Daily Deals continue reading at 9to5Mac. What do you think? Discuss "9to5Toys Last Call: 15″ Retina MacBook Pro $549 off, D-Link iOS Water Sensor $38, iPhone car mount $5, more" with our community.

Tasting Table launches Apple TV app in 24 hours thanks to JW Player’s new tvOS framework Posted: 18 Feb 2016 09:35 AM PST Thanks to JW Player's new tvOS app framework, Tasting Table was able to successfully build and submit an Apple TV app for review in less than 24 hours. JW Player's new beta open-source product allows content makers on its platform to utilize what they already have created to build a fully branded Apple TV app. Tasting Table is the first company to use JW Player's new app framework to build out their own Apple TV app. Boasting a library of more than 250 food and drink related videos, and producing new videos every month, Tasting Table will be able to bring their viewing experience directly to their 8 million member's couches. "Video has always been a mainstay of our content strategy, but with the creation of our in-house Content Studio and our recent push this past November to produce even more video, we knew we wanted to get our new content to an even broader audience. JW Player was already helping us seamlessly stream video to our website, so when it came time to identify a technology provider to help us build an app for Apple TV, it was the natural choice." - Rohit Gupta, Director of Product at TastingTable.com Customers on the JW Player platform will be able to utilize the content they already have to fully populate the app using any already created playlists. Video titles, descriptions and hero images are all captured from the video feed's metadata and applied directly into the app. One of best parts about using JW's open-source option is that it's free for all users on the platform. Customers who want to integrate HLS (HTTP Live Streaming) within their app can do so by adding external URLs within the JW Player dashboard. JW Player made sure that any existing customers were able to truly customize and make the app look and match their established brands. Customer can use their own image assets to change the look of the app and take the customization further by editing the framework's source code. Data collected from video playback within the tvOS apps are reported back to the customer's JW Player Dashboard. The Tasting Table app is now available for free in the Apple TV App Store. JW Player's framework for the Apple TV can be found on GitHub. Filed under: Apple TV, Apps Tagged: Apple TV, developers, Development, framework, JW Player, Tasting Table, tvOS For more news on Apps, Apple TV, and Apple TV continue reading at 9to5Mac. What do you think? Discuss "Tasting Table launches Apple TV app in 24 hours thanks to JW Player's new tvOS framework" with our community.

Honeywell’s new Lyric Round thermostat w/ HomeKit now available & in-stock Posted: 18 Feb 2016 08:52 AM PST Honeywell's new Lyric Round thermostat originally announced back at CES in January and until now up for preorder only is today officially on sale and in-stock for all. Currently shipping from the company's website for $249, the Honeywell Lyric Round is thought to be one of the smart, wi-fi connected thermostats this year that might ultimately give Google's Nest thermostat a run for its money. It's Honeywell's second generation of the product, but its the first in its line to officially support Apple's HomeKit home automation platform. That means its the first to offer control via Siri voice commands, something that Nest and other competitors are still a hold outs on as Google pushes its own competitive home automation platform. The Honeywell Lyric Round works with a companion iOS app that allows manual control of the thermostat, but the product's main pitch is that it will learn your habits overtime and hopefully help you keep track of energy consumption and adjust accordingly to improve your habits. Honeywell gives the rundown on features of the second-gen Lyric Round including Apple Watch and HomeKit: Apple HomeKit and Apple Watch® – easily and securely control the Lyric thermostat using Siri, set up special actions, connect to other HomeKit-enabled products in the home via the Lyric app, and even make changes and check multiple thermostats using Apple Watch. Customizable Geofencing – consumers can create a custom geofence map and distance, enabling the Lyric thermostat to deliver “comfort when you’re home, savings when you’re away” with even greater accuracy. Smart Alerts – the Lyric thermostat can send reminders about filter changes, warn of extreme temperatures and humidity inside the home, and more. Intelligent Comfort Control – to make sure 72 degrees feels like 72 degrees, the Lyric thermostat considers temperature and humidity to maintain comfort, and can also work with your system to adjust in-home humidity levels. Custom Shortcuts – create a dynamic heating/cooling schedule, and set up recurring event triggers with a single touch of the thermostat or app. You can grab the new Lyric Round thermostat with HomeKit ($249) from Honeywell's website now. Filed under: iOS Tagged: Apple, availability, CES, homekit, Honeywell, iPhone, Lyric, order, preorder, Shipping, Thermostat For more information about Apple, iPhone, and iOS continue reading at 9to5Mac. What do you think? Discuss "Honeywell's new Lyric Round thermostat w/ HomeKit now available & in-stock" with our community.

Volvo announces launch of new V90 Estate, its latest with Apple’s CarPlay Posted: 18 Feb 2016 08:20 AM PST Volvo is today announcing the launch of its latest vehicle, the V90 Estate, which also happens to be the company's latest with support for Apple's in-dash iPhone CarPlay feature. The car is Volvo's third for its premium 90 series and for that reason is being referred to as a sibling of the S90 sedan and XC90 SUV models that the company previously unveiled (and which also include support for CarPlay). In its press release, the company notes that means the new V90 Estate, like the XC90 and S90 before it, is "built on the company's specially-designed and fully modular Scalable Product Architecture (SPA)." "The modern premium estate is all about the intriguing combination of a luxurious experience with the functional origins of the estates silhouette. The sophisticated ambience of our new Volvo Interiors is combined with a great cargo space, providing the right kind of functionality – whether through connectivity or cargo and storage solutions," said Thomas Ingenlath senior vice president for design at Volvo Cars. The new V90 delivers cutting-edge Pilot Assist semi-autonomous drive technology, the most advanced standard safety package on the market, with large animal detection and run-off road mitigation, and class-leading connectivity including smartphone integration with Apple CarPlay. The vehicle has full support for Apple's CarPlay on the V90 Estate's in-dash system using a connected iPhone. Volvo says the in-dash system on the V90 Estate is the same as in the S90, which includes a 9-inch touchscreen display as pictured above. And here’s a look at the exterior on the V90 Estate: Volvo first announced support for CarPlay on its 2016 XC90 SUV last year that it later delivered to owners of the vehicle through a software update back in December. Here’s a look at the feature in action in the vehicle: Earlier this year Apple for the first time offered up an official list of CarPlay partners by year and model via a new webpage, but it has yet to update it to note the new Volvo V90 Estate launching today. Filed under: CarPlay Tagged: Apple, CarPlay, dash, iPhone, launch, pictures, press release, release, V90 estate, Volvo Check out 9to5Mac for more breaking coverage of Apple, iPhone, and CarPlay. What do you think? Discuss "Volvo announces launch of new V90 Estate, its latest with Apple's CarPlay" with our community.

Opinion: Why an iPhone master key is better than a backdoor, but still too dangerous Posted: 18 Feb 2016 07:54 AM PST Discussing the FBI case with a friend yesterday, one distinction that seems worth addressing is the difference between a backdoor into iPhones – which is what law enforcement agencies have so far been calling for – and what we might term a master key, which is what the FBI is calling for in this particular case. Law enforcement agencies have so far been calling for Apple to abandon its use of strong encryption. Technically, they want Apple to build in a backdoor route into that encryption for use by law enforcement agencies, but that’s the same thing: strong encryption with a built-in flaw is not strong encryption. It’s only a matter of time before hackers find and exploit it. What the FBI is asking in the San Bernardino case is quite different. Instead of asking Apple to weaken the encryption, they want it to weaken the lock guarding access to the phone by removing the auto-wipe and time-delay functions. That would leave the phone vulnerable to a brute-force attack. And, the FBI assures us, it isn’t asking Apple to do this for all iPhones, just this one specific device. It’s a very different scenario, and one that sounds superficially harmless … Again, I emphasise that I fully sympathize with the FBI’s intentions in the San Bernardino case. If there are other terrorists out there waiting to launch similar attacks, we want to know about them. If this iPhone could lead to those possible terrorists, it doesn’t seem unreasonable to agree to this one request. The problem, however, is that it is never ‘just this once.’ Any time we give up one of our civil liberties in a good cause, the legal precedent is set. There will be a second exception, and a third and … Effectively, if we permit just a single exception to a Constitutional right, we give up that right forever. Some are arguing that there are sufficient safeguards in this case such that we don’t need to worry. Only Apple would hold the key, and it would only use it when presented with a court order. The FBI and other agencies would have no ability to carry out warrantless searches, and it would likely only seek court orders in the most serious of cases. Again, however, we need to look beyond what is being asked for in the short term to what is likely to follow. In this particular case, the FBI wants Apple to unlock the phone. (Technically, Apple would remove the safeguards and the FBI would unlock the phone, but that’s a semantic argument.) Apple continues to hold the key. But it is an extremely short distance from there to arguing that there will be some very time-critical cases where the delay involved in knocking on Apple’s door is too damaging. The classic ‘time-bomber in custody’ scenario. That the FBI needs to hold the key to prevent delay. It still wouldn’t do so without a court order, so where’s the harm? It would simply be cutting out the middleman. So soon, the FBI would hold the key. Then other law enforcement agencies. In time, that key would be held in every police precinct house. We would then be trusting more than a million people with access to that key to abide by the rules. Government agencies don’t always have the best of track-records in doing that. Ok, you could argue, but where’s the harm? This is the ‘nothing to hide’ argument. That if we’re all law-abiding people, why should we fear the government snooping in our phones? As I’ve argued before, however, that’s a silly argument. If you take that line, then you could equally argue that everyone should be fitted with a GPS chip embedded in their skin to track their movements, and we should have blanket CCTV coverage on every street and in every building. And lots of people have perfectly legitimate things to hide, from a partner sending intimate photos to cheer up a soldier serving overseas to journalists with contact details for confidential sources. But even if we would trust our government with that much power, it isn’t just one government we have to consider. The USA almost certainly has agreements with friendly governments to share certain technologies, and the iPhone master key could well join the list. History shows that a country considered an ally today may well be an enemy tomorrow. Even if you were prepared to risk that, there is no getting away from the fact that terrorists may be evil, but they are generally not stupid. In the San Bernardino case, it appears the shooters destroyed their own phones and hard drives, and the FBI is somehow hoping they might still have left incriminating evidence on a work phone. Do we doubt that they had the wit to use a strong passcode too? Terrorists and major criminals use burner phones to plan their attacks, not their own iPhones, registered in their own names and using their own Apple IDs. So the arguments I made before this all happened haven’t changed. We would still be asked to sacrifice our right to privacy. We would still have no control over who ends up with the ability to access our devices. And it would still achieve nothing worthwhile. Filed under: Opinion Tagged: Apple, backdoor, Encryption, master key, privacy, Security For more information about Apple, Opinion, and Security continue reading at 9to5Mac. What do you think? Discuss "Opinion: Why an iPhone master key is better than a backdoor, but still too dangerous" with our community.

Apple launches iPhone ‘Trade Up With Installments’ plan from $15/mo, yet another way to buy a new iPhone in the US Posted: 18 Feb 2016 07:22 AM PST Apple is today rolling out another new way to buy an iPhone at an Apple Store, a combination of its existing iPhone Upgrade Program and trade-in offers. Right now, on the normal iPhone Upgrade Program, customers can pay about $32 a month for a brand new iPhone 6s on a two-year agreement with an annual trade-in option. What the ‘Trade Up With Installments’ offers is a reduction of that monthly fee, in exchange for a trade-in of your existing smartphone. For example, you can trade in your current iPhone 6 to get a new iPhone 6s with a 2-year payment plan of $15/mo. What’s interesting is that you can trade in an Android device, not just iPhones — Apple will give up to $300 in trade-in value for Android handsets. Exact pricing varies based on the age of the device being traded in and the new phone you are looking to buy. Moving from one iPhone generation to another works out to a monthly price of about $15 for 24 months, but moving from an iPhone 4 to a 128 GB iPhone 6s Plus will result in a $35.37 monthly bill, via USA Today. You can trade in an iPhone dating back as far back to the iPhone 4. You'll pay somewhere in the neighborhood of $15 a month for each step up in model, with the interest-free term again lasting for 24 months. For example, if you step up from an iPhone 4 to an iPhone 5S, you'll pay $14.58 a month for 24 months. If you move from an iPhone 6 to a 6S, the monthly tab is $14.54. To take the most extreme example, to move from the iPhone 4 to the largest-capacity (128 GB) iPhone 6S Plus, you'll pay $35.37 a month. Effectively, the new program is an interest-free loan with credit handled by Citizens Bank. It’s an alternative option to the existing iPhone Upgrade Program and trade-in Apple Store credit opportunities the company offers at its stores. On Apple’s most recent earnings call, Tim Cook said that 60% of the install base prior to iPhone 6 has still yet to upgrade … this new plan seems like a targeted move on incentivizing some of this existing user base to upgrade. For now, the Trade Up With Installments plan is only available at Apple Retail Stores in the United States. In most cases, buying an iPhone outright is still the cheapest way of buying a new device in the long run, but many iOS customers are unable (or simply do not want) to pay >$650 as a lump sum at once. Hence, Apple and carriers now offer a plethora of interest-free-loan smartphone payment plans just like this one. Filed under: AAPL Company, iOS Devices Tagged: Apple, buying an iPhone, carrier, ihpoen subsidy, iOS, iPhone, iPhone 6s, payment plan For more information about AAPL Company, iOS Devices, and Apple continue reading at 9to5Mac. What do you think? Discuss "Apple launches iPhone 'Trade Up With Installments' plan from $15/mo, yet another way to buy a new iPhone in the US" with our community.

Use your iPhone to control any AA-powered device with this simple $10 adapter Posted: 18 Feb 2016 06:19 AM PST HomeKit-certified devices are the slickest way to control your technology, but if you have any dumb technology powered by AA batteries, you can now remotely switch it on and off using your iPhone. The Tethercell AA Smart Battery Adapter is a really simple idea. Replace one of the device’s AA batteries with this adapter, which takes a smaller AAA battery, and you can then switch it on and off from an app on your iPhone. It’s Bluetooth LE rather than Wi-Fi, so range will be limited (the company claims 50-60 feet), but if the device is close enough, it’s a cheap and easy way to add remote control functionality. It’s compatible with all iPhones from the 4S onward. The adapter costs $20 for two from Amazon. Via BGR Filed under: iOS Devices Tagged: AA battery, AAA battery, Bluetooth, Bluetooth LE, Home automation, smart AA battery, smart home Check out 9to5Mac for more breaking coverage of iOS Devices, Bluetooth, and Home automation. What do you think? Discuss "Use your iPhone to control any AA-powered device with this simple $10 adapter" with our community.

LastPass survey finds 95% of Americans share passwords, 59% use same password for multiple sites Posted: 18 Feb 2016 06:00 AM PST It’s no surprise that 95% of U.S. consumers share up to six passwords with other people when you consider that this includes WiFi passwords for home Internet connections and sharing Netflix passwords with family members, but a survey by LastPass showed that 59% also re-use the same passwords for multiple sites. Put the two facts together and people could potentially be allowing access to rather more than they intended. The younger you are, the more likely you are to share passwords with a friends: 40% of 18-29 year olds do so, dropping to 15% for those aged 30-44 and 6% at 45-59. Only just over a quarter bother to reset a password after they’ve shared it with someone else. While the company’s motivation is to promote the emergency access and password-sharing features it introduced last month, it does provide a nudge to ensure you’re not using your WiFi password for anything sensitive. Filed under: Tech Industry For more information about Tech Industry continue reading at 9to5Mac. What do you think? Discuss "LastPass survey finds 95% of Americans share passwords, 59% use same password for multiple sites" with our community.

PSA: Skype’s group video calling on iOS & Android rolling out from today Posted: 18 Feb 2016 05:46 AM PST Skype told us a month ago that it would soon be rolling out group video calling to both iOS and Android devices, and the company has today advised that the rollout is now underway. Today, we've started rolling out group video calling on iPhone, iPad and Android phones and tablets in Western Europe and North America and we expect to have completed our roll-out to these markets over the next week or so. We plan to be fully available worldwide in March This brings the mobile experience in line with that already available on the desktop. The UI lets you choose between a grid view of all those in the call, and a focus view that automatically switches to the person speaking. Alternatively, if you only really care about one person in the call, you can use a ‘pin’ feature to stick with your view of them. Via Engadget Filed under: Apps Tagged: Skype, Skype for iOS, Skype for iPad, Skype for iPhone, Skype group video Visit 9to5Mac to find more special coverage of Apps, Skype, and Skype for iPhone. What do you think? Discuss "PSA: Skype’s group video calling on iOS & Android rolling out from today" with our community.

Apple’s chief chipmaker reveals how the iPad Pro was late & almost out-powered by the iPhone 6s Posted: 18 Feb 2016 04:47 AM PST A Bloomberg profile of Apple’s ‘chief chipmaker’ – SVP of hardware technologies Johny Srouji – talks about how the iPad Pro was launched behind schedule, and almost ended up being less powerful than the iPhone 6s. The original plan was to introduce the iPad Pro with Apple's tablet chip, the A8X, the same processor that powered the iPad Air 2, introduced in 2014. But delaying until fall meant that the Pro would make its debut alongside the iPhone 6s, which was going to use a newer, faster phone chip called the A9 […] The iPad Pro would look feeble next to the iPhone 6s. So Srouji put his engineers on a crash program to move up the rollout of a new tablet processor, the A9X, by half a year. While the piece predictably doesn’t reveal much we didn’t already know, it does contain one surprising fun fact about the original iPhone … Srouji said that because the original iPhone had to piece together existing components from a range of suppliers, it couldn’t be as powerful as the company had hoped, with a low-powered processor, no front camera, connectivity limited to 2G and poor battery life. One of those components? Elements from a Samsung chip used in DVD players. It was disappointment in what could be achieved using existing components, said Srouji, that led Steve Jobs to conclude that Apple needed to design its own chips. Steve came to the conclusion that the only way for Apple to really differentiate and deliver something truly unique and truly great, you have to own your own silicon. You have to control and own it. The whole piece makes for an interesting background read. Filed under: AAPL Company, iOS Devices Tagged: Apple Inc, Chips, iPad, iPad Pro, iPhone, iPhone 6s, Johny Srouji, Samsung, Steve Jobs Visit 9to5Mac to find more special coverage of AAPL Company, iOS Devices, and iPhone. What do you think? Discuss "Apple’s chief chipmaker reveals how the iPad Pro was late & almost out-powered by the iPhone 6s" with our community.

Civil rights groups and tech companies express support for Apple’s stand against the FBI Posted: 18 Feb 2016 04:17 AM PST Civil rights organizations have expressed strong support for Apple’s resistance to a court order instructing it to create special firmware that would allow the FBI to break into an iPhone – with tech companies doing the same, albeit in a weaker fashion. The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) posted a statement in which it said that it applauded Apple for standing up for the rights of its customers, and would be making its views known to the court. Essentially, the government is asking Apple to create a master key so that it can open a single phone. And once that master key is created, we’re certain that our government will ask for it again and again, for other phones, and turn this power against any software or device that has the audacity to offer strong security […] EFF applauds Apple for standing up for real security and the rights of its customers. We have been fighting to protect encryption, and stop backdoors, for over 20 years. That’s why EFF plans to file an amicus brief in support of Apple’s position. The Verge notes similar support from both the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and Amnesty International … ACLU staff attorney Alex Abdo said that the court order was unconstitutional, and Apple deserved praise for its stance. This is an unprecedented, unwise, and unlawful move by the government. The Constitution does not permit the government to force companies to hack into their customers’ devices. […] Apple deserves praise for standing up for its right to offer secure devices to all of its customers. Amnesty’s Deputy Director of Global Issues Sherif Elsayed-Ali echoed the widespread view that the case would set a dangerous precedent. Apple is right to fight back in this case: the FBI’s request, which would in practice require Apple to rewrite its operating system to weaken security protections, would set a very dangerous precedent. Such backdoors undermine everyone’s security and threaten our right to privacy. Unsurprisingly, Edward Snowden also tweeted his support for Apple, describing it as “the most important tech case in a decade” and quoting a NYT piece that argued that if the US government was allowed to access iPhones, the Chinese government would demand the same. The New York Times: @FBI's war on #Apple will aid China. https://t.co/URWamc702q pic.twitter.com/KnHDsWIENY — Edward Snowden (@Snowden) February 17, 2016 I noted yesterday that other tech giants had remained quiet, but a number of them have since voiced their support for Apple’s stance – though as we noted on 9to5google, not always in the most unequivocal of terms. Google CEO Sundar Pichai posted a series of five tweets in which he said the case could set “a troubling precedent.” Important post by @tim_cook. Forcing companies to enable hacking could compromise users' privacy. We know that law enforcement and intelligence agencies face significant challenges in protecting the public against crime and terrorism. We build secure products to keep your information safe and we give law enforcement access to data based on valid legal orders. But that's wholly different than requiring companies to enable hacking of customer devices & data. Could be a troubling precedent. Looking forward to a thoughtful and open discussion on this important issue. Microsoft chose not to issue a statement directly, but instead quoted a statement on the Reform Government Surveillance website, an organization of which the company is a member. Reform Government Surveillance companies believe it is extremely important to deter terrorists and criminals and to help law enforcement by processing legal orders for information in order to keep us all safe. But technology companies should not be required to build in backdoors to the technologies that keep their users’ information secure. RGS companies remain committed to providing law enforcement with the help it needs while protecting the security of their customers and their customers’ information. WhatsApp CEO Jan Koum, however, used stronger language in a Facebook post in support of Apple. I have always admired Tim Cook for his stance on privacy and Apple’s efforts to protect user data and couldn’t agree more with everything said in their Customer Letter today. We must not allow this dangerous precedent to be set. Today our freedom and our liberty is at stake. A clear majority of 9to5Mac readers also support Apple’s stance. Some 86% of you said that Apple should maintain its current position, while 11% felt the company should cooperate with the FBI and 3% were indifferent. This is down from the 93% support expressed prior to the San Bernardino shootings and subsequent court order, but this is not surprising – we of course always feel sympathy for the victims and loved ones of specific attacks. But, as the old saying has it, hard cases make for bad law. Filed under: AAPL Company Tagged: AAPL, ACLU, all writs act, American Civil Liberties Union, Amnesty International, Apple Inc, California, court order, edward snowden, EFF, Electronic Frontier Foundation, Encryption, FBI, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Google, iPhone, Microsoft, privacy, San Bernardino, Security, Tim Cook, WhatsApp For more information about AAPL Company, iPhone, and Google continue reading at 9to5Mac. What do you think? Discuss "Civil rights groups and tech companies express support for Apple’s stand against the FBI" with our community.

You are subscribed to email updates from 9to5Mac. To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email delivery powered by Google
Google Inc., 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, United States