Compared: Parallels Desktop 18 vs VMWare Fusion
If you need to run Windows apps on an Apple Silicon Mac, the two best choices are Parallels Desktop 18 for Mac and VMWare Fusion. Here's what you should know about the two tools.You can get Windows onto an Apple Silicon MacBook Air. One of the rare issues with Mac ownership in a multi-platform working environment is that you may run into a situation better suited for a Windows desktop. Sometimes you simply can't run certain apps you may need, as macOS-compatible equivalents aren't available. Though other apps may perform the same functions, they may not be the right ones for the job. Read more...

Read more »

Engadget reviews Apple Watch Ultra: Might be the ultimate smartwatch
Apple Watch Ultra delivers a new bold design and a wide range of features built for endurance, exploration, and adventure… The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.

Read more »

iPhone Building Builds Momentum, Supplier Flex and More
During today's look from the Observation Deck, we're seeing India making more iPhones, Foxconn reporting a great month and Apple agreeing to pay TSMC's price hike. There's also glimpses of the future of smart home support in iOS 16.1, a nifty (note the sarcasm) bug in Apple's AirPods Pro 2 and more new season announcements from Apple TV+. Plenty more to see, too, so keep your eyes and ears out for what we've got our own eyes on. India’s iPhone Exports Set to Nearly Double Year-on-Year Apple’s plans for manufacturing in India seem to be humming along. Apple 3.0 ran an excerpt of a Bloomberg piece Tuesday. That piece has Apple nearly doubling the dollar-amount of iPhone exports from India over the course of a year.  According to the report, for five months beginning in April, Apple’s Indian iPhone exports “crossed $1 billion…” The piece says that puts those exports on track to hit $2.5 billion by the end of March 2023. That would be nearly double the $1.3 billion in iPhone exports from India Apple saw for the same period a year earlier.   Those exports, which mostly land in Europe and the Middle East, are small compared to the total number of iPhones produced. But the trajectory looks good for Apple’s plans to be less reliant on China, and for India’s plan to pick up some of China’s manufacturing business.  Foxconn Saw Stellar September; “Cautiously Positive” on Q4 Foxconn had a stellar September, and it seems to have Apple to thank. CNBC ran a piece on the contract manufacturer’s numbers for last month. According to that: Foxconn said September revenue totaled 822.3 billion new Taiwan dollars ($25.9 billion), up 40.4% year-on-year and 83.2% higher than August, a monthly sales record for the company. While Foxconn did not say the surge was thanks to iPhone 14 production, the company did credit a “new product launch and smooth mass production…” Also, mad props to Foxconn’s “smart consumer electronics products division, which includes its key smartphone business.”  Is that shouting out Apple twice? Or was there some other “new product launch and smooth mass production” we missed? Counterpoint Research analyst Neil Shah seems to think it’s the former. He says the Foxconn rise came compliments of “storming demand” for iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max, both of which launched in September.  As for what’s left of the year, Apple’s manufacturing partner says it is “cautiously positive” on its fourth-quarter outlook — accentuate the “cautiously.” CNBC quotes Foxconn as saying, “The dynamics of inflation, the pandemic, and the supply chain still need to be closely monitored…” Report: Apple Will Pay TSMC’s Higher Processor Prices Word on the street has Apple giving in to TSMC’s higher prices. I told you last week that Apple’s semiconductor manufacturing partner intended to up its processor prices by 6% to 9%. I also told you that Apple had reportedly declined the TSMC increase.  Looks like Apple blinked. Mark Tyson over at Tom’s Hardware cites a report from Taiwan’s UDN, saying “Apple has yielded to TSMC’s price increase demands for 2023…” UDN is the same site that reported the standoff last week. The piece says the huge number of customers vying for chips gave TSMC leverage. While Apple reportedly accounts for 25-percent of the chipmaker’s business, there are many companies across many industries that would happily fill any void in orders left by Apple.  Interestingly, the piece indicates that Apple may have simply decided that TSMC was being reasonable. “Apparently,” the report says: …TSMC only sought ‘modest’ price increases in previous boom periods. Hence, insiders see the current 5% or so increases as reasonable, especially with higher inflation, and raw materials costs swinging up in most regions. Apple Seeds New Round of OS Betas to Developers Big Bam Beta — Live Through 2022 continues. AppleInsider says Apple on Tuesday seeded the fourth beta of iOS 16.1, the fifth beta of iPadOS 16.1, and the fourth beta of tvOS 16.1 to developers. Meanwhile, a piece from MacRumors says the same crew of developers got the tenth beta of macOS 13 Ventura dropped on them. Why iOS 16.1 May Matter One exciting feature in iOS 16.1 got one step closer outside of the betas on Tuesday. A separate piece from MacRumors says the Matter smart-home standard officially launched with v1.0 on Tuesday. Matter is spearheaded by the Connectivity Standards Alliance. That organization’s President and CEO, Tobin Richardson, was quoted in a press release, saying: This release is the first step on a journey our community and the industry are taking to make the [Internet of Things] more simple, secure, and valuable no matter who you are or where you live. Members of the Connectivity Standards Alliance pledging to support Matter include Amazon, Apple, Google, Samsung, and others. According to MacRumors, supporting organizations “now have all of the resources that they need to begin implementing Matter into their platforms…” The site figures Matter could be integrated with HomeKit very soon, with the groundwork being laid in iOS 16.1. Apple Updates Firmware for MagSafe Charger The idea of a “smart home” would sound silly to some of our forebears. Makes you wonder what they would make of a power cord that needs an update. Apparently Apple’s MagSafe Charger did, and now it has one.  Yet another piece from MacRumors says the charger, meant to work with iPhone 12 and later as well as the second generation AirPods Pro, got new firmware over the last few days. The update happens over-the-air, with apparently no way to prompt or force it. There’s also no word on what it does, though MacRumors has a guess. Given “the recent release of both the iPhone 14 models and the ‌AirPods Pro‌ 2,” the site figures the firmware “could have optimizations for these devices.” Reports: AirPods Pro 2 Prompting 'Replace Battery' Message While firmware for the MagSafe Charger addresses unknown issues, there’s a visible bug pestering owners of Apple’s latest AirPods Pro. A piece from The Mac Observer says Apple’s really recent ear stoppers are telling people in some cases that it’s time to replace the battery. According to the report: With this bug, something unusual happens in the Find My app whenever the AirPods Pro 2 earbuds or charging case battery charge drops too low. A notification pops up urging the user to “replace the battery on [Left, Right, or Case] soon…” Seems unlikely that a battery replacement is actually necessary. The things went on sales less than two-weeks ago. One assumes the issues is software related, and that that bug will be squished soon. “Apple has not yet commented on the issue,” according to the report.  Report: US Labor Board Files Complaint Against Apple in NYC “…the US Labor Board has filed a complaint against Apple in NYC for conduct in its World Trade Center store.” That’s the word from Bloomberg, by way of 9to5Mac. The Communications Workers of America (CWA) is the group backing a push to unionize Apple’s Grand Central store. They appear to be behind the Labor Board complaint as well. 9to5 has Bloomberg saying: The complaint followed a CWA filing alleging that Apple interrogated staff, restricted the posting of union fliers and required employees to attend mandatory anti-union speeches. The conduct took place at Apple’s World Trade Center store in New York City, a CWA representative said in May. Season-Two Trailers Out for 'Acapulco' and 'The Problem with Jon Stewart' Two shows returning to Apple TV+ this month got new trailers this week. Coming up toward the end of October is season two of Acapulco. Starring and executive produced by Eugenio Derbez, Apple says the bilingual comedy: …[tells] the story of 20-something Máximo Gallardo, whose dream comes true when he scores the job of a lifetime as a cabana boy at the hottest resort in Acapulco… Derbez tells the story in flashback, with his younger self played by Enrique Arrizon. The first two episodes hit Apple TV+ on Friday 21 October. Following episodes will hit one-per-week through 16 December. The trailer for season two is up now on YouTube.  The other trailer presents a few problems. In a press release, Apple said The Problem With Jon Stewart will hit this Friday. “This season will tackle topics including gender, taxes, globalization, elections and more.” Quoting Apple’s description: Using comedy and common sense, the series features tough, topical and culture-moving conversations from the perspectives of stakeholders, experts and individuals confronting these issues. Season two, episode one hits this Friday 7 October. New episodes will follow one-per-week. You can also catch that trailer on YouTube. 'Limitations' to iOS 16 Custom Lock Screens And finally today — 100,000,000 songs in your pocket, but only 200 lock screens? Lame… Not really. Should be plenty. As a piece from iDownloadBlog puts it: iOS 16 won’t let you create more than 200 custom lock screens on your iPhone, but who in their right mind would want to cycle through that many lock screens anyway? Trying to create screen number 201 apparently prompts the message, “Wallpaper Limit Reached.” At that point, you have to “delete at least one custom lock screen before creating a new one,” according to the report. Also — each lock screen has a limit of 50 wallpapers. 100,000,000 songs in your pocket, but only 50 wallpapers? Lame…

Read more »

Apple's App Store Revenue Fell Last Month, Morgan Stanley Says
Apple's App Store net revenue fell about 5% in September, according to Morgan Stanley, the steepest drop for the business since the bank started modeling the data in 2015. From a report: The App Store saw declines in markets including the U.S., Canada and Japan, Morgan Stanley analyst Erik Woodring wrote in a report Monday. His analysis was based on data from Sensor Tower, a firm that tracks app downloads and sales. Morgan Stanley said the main culprit for the drop was gaming revenue, which was down 14% in September, according to the data. Apple customers may be spending less due to economic concerns, Woodring wrote. Across much of the globe, consumers are facing soaring inflation and recessionary risks. "We believe the recent App Store results make clear that the global consumer has somewhat de-emphasized App Store spending in the near-term as discretionary income is reallocated to areas of pent-up demand," Woodring wrote in the note. Morgan Stanley analysts also expect to see a drop in sales on Google Play, the primary Android app store. They estimate revenue there fell 9% in September. Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Read more »

Matter Has Officially Launched, But Does It Matter For You?
After what seems like a lifetime, the Connectivity Standards Alliance has launched the Matter 1.0 smart home accessory standard. This brings in a new chapter in the smart home story, but how might it affect you? Let’s look at what Matter does, who the key players are, and what it might mean for you. One Smart Home Communications Standard to Rule Them All Up until now, the key players in smart home technology had their own proprietary standards and communications protocols. Apple has HomeKit, Google uses its own system, and so does Amazon. Let’s not forget Samsung’s Smart Things ecosystem, either. While smart home accessories exist that support all of the above, they’re not as common as we might like. That’s where Matter comes in, offering a communications standard for all to use. A large number of tech giants are behind it, too, including the aforementioned Apple, Google, Amazon and Samsung. Furthermore, some of the top smart home accessory makers are adopting Matter. These include Eve, Nanoleaf, Wemo and more. With the rollout of Matter, many smart home accessories that aren’t specifically noted as being HomeKit compatible can now be added to your Apple Home app anyways. Matter Is Launched, So Its Supporters Can Officially Implement It While the supporting companies have been working on integrating Matter for months, the standard hadn’t officially launched. That meant these companies could say they would support Matter, but couldn’t fully roll it out. The day has finally come when the standard is live, and integration can begin. Authorized test labs are now available to certify products as Matter-compatible and the open-source programming kit is complete. Apple has already begun laying the groundwork for this, with the iOS 16.1 beta. In its first version, Matter already supports a wide variety of smart home products. These include lighting, HVAC controls, window coverings, smart door locks, and safety and security sensors. There’s also support for media devices, controllers and bridges. Matter operates over both Wi-Fi and Thread. This means devices can communicate with the cloud, but the inclusion of Thread also allows for an energy-efficient and reliable mesh network of smart home devices throughout your home. How Will the Matter Launch Affect You? If all of your smart home accessories are HomeKit devices, Matter’s launch doesn’t affect you … yet. If you don’t plan on adding any non-HomeKit devices to your home, the new standard still doesn’t affect you. However, it’s there if you need it. If a device is Matter-compatible, that means it’s effectively compatible with HomeKit, too, once iOS 16.1 launches. If you find a smart home accessory you want to incorporate into your setup, it won’t matter if the manufacturer has included HomeKit support. As long as the accessory supports Matter, adding it into the Home app should be simple and painless. As TechRadar’s Jeremy Kaplan recently said, “Today’s smart gadgets kinda suck.” Kaplan’s more optimistic now that Matter is live, saying “that shaky smart home” could soon become “something really livable.” From our perspective, simply knowing that a smart home accessory will work with Apple’s HomeKit without having to jump through a bunch of ever-changing hoops is a net positive.

Read more »

Night mode on iPhone: How to use it and best shots we’ve seen
Night mode continues to be one of the iPhone’s most impressive camera system features. After asking the 9to5Mac community on Twitter to reply with their best nighttime shots, I gathered the top comments and what I thought was the most awe-inspiring. Here’s how to use Night mode and the best photos I’ve seen with it. more… The post appeared first on 9to5Mac.

Read more »

Apple TV+ debuts season three trailer for Emmy Award-winning series ‘Ghostwriter’
Apple TV+ today revealed the trailer for the third season of the Emmy Award-winning kids and family series, "Ghostwriter,” a reimagining… The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.

Read more »

How to pair AirPods with Android, Windows, Nintendo Switch
AirPods work best within the Apple ecosystem, but they still function as basic Bluetooth earbuds everywhere else. Here's how.AirPods can pair with more than just Apple productsAirPods, AirPods Pro, and AirPods Max use the H1 or H2 processor which communicates directly with other Apple products for easy pairing. These devices are registered with the user's iCloud so devices on the same network can easily detect AirPods and pass them to whichever is playing audio. Read more...

Read more »

Usual suspects complain about App Store price hikes outside US
The Coalition for App Fairness and Epic Games' Tim Sweeney equate Apple's recent international App Store price hikes to landlords raising rent costs.Coalition for App Fairness fights for developersApple increased App Store prices for many non-US customers without giving a direct reason. The increase affects any market that uses the euro as well as Chile, Egypt, Japan, Malaysia, Pakistan, Poland, South Korea, Sweden, and Vietnam. Read more...

Read more »

14-inch MacBook Pro is irresistible after $400 discount
Apple’s powerful yet compact 2021 14-inch MacBook Pro is down to $1,599 on Amazon. That’s a massive $400 off its MSRP and its lowest price in the last 30 days. While the 2021 MacBook Pros are frequently discounted, you rarely get to see such a deal on the entry-level 14-inch model. This post contains affiliate […] (via Cult of Mac - Tech and culture through an Apple lens)

Read more »

Apple's Tim Cook Latest CEO To Question the 'Metaverse'
While Meta funnels billions into CEO Mark Zuckerberg's pitch for the metaverse, Apple CEO Tim Cook thinks most people couldn't even define the metaverse, let alone spend long periods of time living their lives inside of it. From a report: "I always think it's important that people understand what something is," Cook told Dutch publication Bright (via Google Translate). "And I'm really not sure the average person can tell you what the metaverse is." In other words, despite persistent reports of Apple's interest in building all manner of AR and VR hardware, Cook isn't ready to claim that the company is working towards any so-called "metaverse." Mark Zuckerberg has a different view. Earlier this year, the Meta CEO told his employees that the company is in a "very deep, philosophical competition" with Apple to build the metaverse. "This is a competition of philosophies and ideas, where they believe that by doing everything themselves and tightly integrating that they build a better consumer experience," Zuckerberg said, contrasting what he says is Apple's closed approach with Meta's more interoperable development. Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Read more »

This guy mowed his lawn for the ultimate Apple Watch Ultra GPS test
We’ve seen some incredibly extreme Apple Watch Ultra tests, but nothing comes close to this one. Reddit user suburbandad1999 endured the workout that we all dread: mowing the lawn. The results are actually fascinating for seeing how the new GPS in Apple Watch Ultra performs. more… The post appeared first on 9to5Mac.

Read more »

Best USB-C and Thunderbolt displays for Mac
USB-C/Thunderbolt display options have really grown over the last couple of years. While Apple’s Pro Display XDR isn’t the best fit for most Mac users at $5,000+, it now offers the more affordable Studio Display. And there are also lots of solid choices from LG, Samsung, BenQ, and more. Let’s look at the best USB-C/Thunderbolt displays available in the $400-$1,600 range. more… The post appeared first on 9to5Mac.

Read more »

Apple’s Stage Manager still wonky as iPadOS 16 release looms
Taking advantage of the power of the M1 chip, iPadOs 16's Stage Manager feature brings a new way to multitask with multiple overlapping… The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.

Read more »

Google Chrome is the most vulnerable browser in 2022
New data reveals that Google Chrome users need to be careful when browsing the web, but Safari users don't get off scot-free.Google Chrome iconAccording to a report by Atlas VPN on Wednesday, Google Chrome is the most vulnerable browser on the market. So far, in 2022, the browser had 303 vulnerabilities, totaling 3,159 cumulative vulnerabilities. Read more...

Read more »

Apple releases watchOS 9.1 developer beta 4
The fourth beta of watchOS 9.1 has been released by Apple for developer testing.watchOS 9.1 beta 4 now availableThe latest builds can be downloaded by developers taking part in the beta-testing program via the Apple Developer Center, or as an over-the-air update for any hardware that's already running the beta builds. Public beta versions of the releases generally arrive a short while after their developer counterparts, available through the Apple Beta Software Program website. Read more...

Read more »

watchOS 9.1 beta 4 update is now available to developers
Following the release of the fourth beta of iOS 16.1 on Tuesday, Apple has now released watchOS 9.1 beta 4 for developers. The update comes to improve the stability of the Apple Watch operating system – which is now in its ninth version. more… The post appeared first on 9to5Mac.

Read more »

Apple Watch Series 8 features unique new temperature sensor
Apple Watch Series 8 takes a unique approach to temperature sensing with a two-sensor design — one sensor on the back of the watch… The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.

Read more »

Square merchant partners launch ‘Tap to Pay’ feature
Square-powered businesses can now advertise the ‘tap to pay’ feature that’s available on the iPhone. The payment processing platform first announced ‘tap to pay’ ... Read more The post appeared first on iLounge.

Read more »

The 2-in-1 Case-Mate Fuel Charging Stand for iPhone and Apple Watch is $22 Off
The Case-Mate Fuel Charging Stand juices up both your iPhone and Apple Watch in a convenient package. Today, it’s down to just $77.61 from ... Read more The post appeared first on iLounge.

Read more »

Apple TV+ gets Yet-Unnamed South Korea documentary
Apple TV+ announces the addition of a documentary film featuring the ‘haenyeo’ in South Korea. The documentary film is yet to have a title, ... Read more The post appeared first on iLounge.

Read more »

Archaeologist team at Pompeii highlight the importance of iPad Pro
Apple highlights the iPad Pro and the role it plays in the excavation of Pompeii. A recent archaeological excavation in Pompeii gave props to ... Read more The post appeared first on iLounge.

Read more »

Apple launches new App Store foundations program in the UK
Apple’s new App Store development platform will be focused on women in the UK. Tim Cook, Apple CEO recently announced the launch of a ... Read more The post appeared first on iLounge.

Read more »

Observing the 11th Anniversary of the Passing of Steve Jobs: Celebrating a Legacy
Today is the 11th anniversary of the passing of Steve Jobs at the age of 56. The co-founder and Apple CEO passed one day after the company introduced the iPhone 4S and Siri. Though it has been 11 years since his passing on Oct. 5, 2011, Jobs was able to transform the world during his lifetime. The 11th Anniversary of the Passing of Steve Jobs At the top of July, Jobs posthumously received the Presidential Medal of Freedom for 2022. Jobs was among 17 recipients. The highest civilian honor in the United States, Jobs received the award for his contributions to the world of communication, computers and entertainment. Steve Jobs (d. 2011) was the co-founder, chief executive, and chair of Apple, Inc., CEO of Pixar and held a leading role at the Walt Disney Company. His vision, imagination and creativity led to inventions that have, and continue to, change the way the world communicates, as well as transforming the computer, music, film and wireless industries. During September, journalist Kara Swisher held an interview with Tim Cook, Jony Ive and Laurene Powell Jobs to discuss the legacy of Jobs. Interestingly, Jobs was also the first Code Conference interviewee. Furthermore, during the discussion, Powell Jobs shared a new website, known as The Steve Jobs Archive. The website contains a collection of quotes, videos and emails from Jobs. Additionally, the website also promises future “programs, fellowships, collections, and partnerships that reflect Steve’s values and carry his sense of possibility forward”. Apple also has a “Remembering Steve” page on its website. The website shares condolences from friends, colleagues and customers from around the world. For the 10th anniversary of Jobs’ passing last year, Apple also shared a short film, “Celebrating Steve” that honors his life. https://youtu.be/CeSAjK2CBEA Tim Cook also took to Twitter this morning to remind the world of Jobs’ influence. Posting a photo of Jobs, Cook stated, “Steve showed us all, again and again, that a great idea really can change the world. Remembering him today and always.” Devising a Legacy As someone who uses Apple products quite often and with fondness, it’s hard not to observe the legacy Jobs has left within the tech industry. Watching old speeches from Jobs, viewers can see the enthusiasm for technology and communication pouring out of every surface of the man. Watching Jobs unveil the first iPhone, even today, is still rather extraordinary. Showing the world the iPhone for the first time, Jobs showed an excitement the same way a child shows excitement presenting a frog to their parents: they realize the importance of what they’re holding, but they’re not fully aware of the object’s place in the world. Though, maybe Jobs was almost too aware of the impact the device would have on not just the world, but technology in general. While Jobs may have been taken from the world too soon, the legacy he has left behind remains almost unfathomable. From the hardcore nerds and geeks that have been around since the Apple-1, to a teenager getting their first iPhone 14, Jobs’ influence on the tech industry is almost unrivaled. What are some of your favorite stories of Steve Jobs? Let us know in the comments.

Read more »

Charging On Hold Warning: What To Do If You See It
Maybe you’ve seen this warning already in iOS 16, and wondered what you’d done wrong. You look down at your iPhone, plugged in and supposedly charging, but see a notification that says “Charging On Hold.” That’s when you might wonder what caused it, and what, if anything, you need to do about it. Here’s the scoop on that message. Your iPhone Can Only (Safely) Charge Below a Certain Temperature Generally speaking, extreme heat is bad for electronics. This is especially true when they’re being charged, since that process alone generates heat. If your iPhone or, more specifically, its battery gets too hot, bad things can happen. These can, potentially, include swelling or just internal damage to the battery. Either one can reduce the battery’s health and lifetime. With iOS 16, Apple has introduced a system to stop charging the iPhone if it’s excessively hot. This way, the operating system can try to keep charging safe for the battery’s health and your safety. When this process kicks in, iOS 16 lets you know it’s putting charging on hold until the temperature normalizes. You’ll most often see this when you’re driving. Many of us plug our iPhones into the car to use CarPlay, and have our devices on a dash mount. This means your iPhone is near the windshield, baking in the sun. Or, perhaps you just have your iPhone plugged in and resting in a particularly hot part of the vehicle. What To Do When You See a ‘Charging On Hold’ Warning Basically, you just have to let your iPhone’s temperature drop to a safe level. Apple recommends keeping the ambient temperature around your iPhone between 60º F (16º C) and 72º F (22º C). This takes time, of course, but there are some ways to reduce how long you have to wait for the charging to resume. The first thing you should do is pull off the road safely, if you’re driving. Remove your iPhone from direct sunlight, whether that’s by taking it off your windshield or dashboard mount or just moving it into the shade. You can also take your device out of its case, since that will help it cool down faster. Should you want to speed up the cooldown process even more, here are some other things you can do. Note that many of these will stop you from being able to use your iPhone for navigation or music, though. Lower the brightness of the display, or use Auto-Brightness in Accessibility settings Enable Low Power Mode Enable Airplane Mode Turn off your iPhone for 10 to 15 minutes At the same time as any of these, you should keep your handset out of direct sunlight. Another step you can take is to stop any apps using cellular data. This is anecdotal, but staff from both The Mac Observer and AppleInsider have noted this step does seem to help cool the iPhone faster when charging is on hold. Keep It Cool, Keep It Safe Now, you might think the thing to do is stick your iPhone in a cooler. This might help, but you definitely don’t want to just put the handset on ice. Ice melts, turns into water. Yes, the iPhone of today has much better water resistance than its predecessors, but let’s not put that to the test, hey?

Read more »

Apple Asks Suppliers to Shift Production of AirPods and Beats to India
For the first time, Apple is asking suppliers to shift production of some AirPods and Beats headphones to India. Aside from older iPhones and iPhone 14 for local sale, AirPods and Beats headphones will also soon be made in India. Apple Asks Suppliers to Shift AirPods Production to India Nikkei Asia reported that Apple asked its suppliers to shift headphone production to India for the first time. The report cited three unspecified sources who told Nikkei Asia that Apple intends to increase Indian production starting in 2023. The report said Foxconn heeded Apple and has started preparing to produce Beats headphones in the country. It also hopes to do the same with AirPods later on. Aside from Foxconn, the report noted that another supplier, Luxshare, may follow suit in shifting AirPods production to India. However, the company has already been manufacturing AirPods in Vietnam and China. Therefore, it may be some time before it can begin manufacturing AirPods in India. India's Road to Becoming a Significant Export Base for Apple Products Interestingly, Indian production for Apple was previously for products intended to be sold locally. However, by shifting AirPods production, India is starting to become an export base for Apple products, as well. Apple has been taking baby steps toward reducing its reliance on China production. Last week, Bloomberg estimated that it will take Apple eight years to reduce its independence from China by 20% to 40%. For the iPhone alone, China accounts for 98% of Apple's total production. Aside from avoiding over-reliance on one country, particularly China, Apple is also trying to diversify to avoid future problems. Whatever the rationale, there's no harm in trying to gradually move away from China and relocating Apple's production to other countries. India could end up becoming Apple's next big production partner, if major suppliers such as Foxconn can quickly establish production lines in the country.

Read more »

Labor Board Accuses Apple of Discriminating Against Employees and Other Anti-Union Practices
The US National Labor Relations Board filed a complaint against Apple for several anti-union tactics. The Board accused Apple of discriminating against and interrogating employees at one of its New York stores. Labor Board Accuses Apple of Discriminating Employees According to Bloomberg, the Labor Board accused Apple of "prohibiting the placement of union flyers on the break room." However, it permitted nonunion solicitations and distributions. The NLRB said Apple allegedly enforced its "no solicitation" policy against staff who supported unionization. Additionally, Apple interrogated employees about their workplace activism, the NLRB said. Bloomberg also reported that an earlier filing from the Communications Workers of America (CWA) spurred NLRB's complaints. CWA accused Apple of suppressing the unionization efforts of its employees. The group also cited the same interrogations and restrictions on flyers that Apple is allegedly enforcing. Apple even required employees to attend captive audience anti-union speeches held at the company's World Trade Center store, according to CWA. CWA Wants Apple to Respect Employees' Unionization Efforts CWA's secretary-treasurer Sarah Steffens issued a statement on Tuesday saying, "It is past time for Apple's senior management to respect its retail employees and stop its unlawful attempts to prevent them from forming unions." Apple has a choice — does it want to be known for intimidating its workers and creating a culture of fear, or does it want to live up to its stated values and welcome true collaboration with all of its employees -- including retail workers? Disputing the allegations, Apple said, "We are fortunate to have incredible retail team members and we deeply value everything they bring to Apple.” Apple also said that it regularly communicates with its teams and always wants to ensure everyone's experience at Apple is the best it can be. If considered favorably by administrative law judges, companies such as Apple can appeal the rulings to NLRB members in Washington and from there to federal court. The NLRB can order Apple to change policies that conflict with the law. However, the NLRB has no authority to issue punitive damages for violations.

Read more »

Apple Agrees to TSMC’s Price Hike Despite Previous Reports of Rejecting the Bid
Less than a week ago, reports indicated that Apple rejected a bid from TSMC to raise chip prices by 6% to 9%. Now, new reports suggest that Apple is now agreeing to the price hike. Currently, TSMC is the world’s leading advanced semiconductor manufacturer, and Apple is looking to adopt its new tech. Apple Agrees to TSMC's Price-Hike on Chips Despite Past Objections At the end of September, reports indicated that Apple rejected TSMC’s plans to raise chips prices 6% to 9%. Right now, Apple relies heavily on TSMC for its chips, despite them being 20% pricier than rivals. However, a report from the Economic Daily News suggest that Apple has now agreed to the price increase. Right now, there are reports that Apple is aiming to be the first company to utilize TSMC’s latest 3-nanometer processors for the A17 in 2023’s iPhone Pro series. It is not entirely clear which chips from TSMC will see a price hike; whether this is for 3nm, later processors, or for the next batch of chip production. Since chip production can be an involved process, Apple and TSMC are likely well along within the next round of the process. One of the issues with the situation is that according to industry insiders, though the current market for semiconductors isn’t great, booms in recent years means there is no “stable cyclical trajectory” to follow like in the past. Economic Daily News observes that TSCM is able to raise their prices during a falling market because those that buy their chips may be worried about future demand. A quote from an unnamed source within the Economic Daily News' article puts it this way, "Who would have thought that the epidemic would lead to a large shortage of chips?" The quote is likely referencing the semiconductor chip shortage that occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic, one that is still causing issues. All About Supply Additionally, industry insiders also noted that in the past, when chips did come in short supply, other chip companies would drastically increase prices, whereas TSMC would only increase prices by a little. Meaning that in times of short supply, TSMC can be in a situation where the company’s processors are cheaper than others. Of course, TSMC produces all of Apple’s custom chips, which makes up more than 25% of TSMC’s total revenue. In short, both companies need to rely on each other. Apple agreeing to TSMC’s price increase may not only see an increase in the price of future iPhone models, but it also means that other companies will likely have to agree to the new prices as well. What do you think about price increase on processors? Let us know in the comments.

Read more »

Vulnerability Summary for the Week of September 26, 2022
Original release date: October 3, 2022 | Last revised: October 5, 2022  High Vulnerabilities Primary Vendor -- Product Description Published CVSS Score Source & Patch Info acer -- altos_t110_f3 There is a stack buffer overflow vulnerability, which could lead to arbitrary code execution in UEFI DXE driver on some Acer products. An attack could exploit this vulnerability to escalate privilege from ring 3 to ring 0, and hijack control flow during UEFI DXE execution. This affects Altos T110 F3 firmware version FUN_0007db78 function with the request /goform/SetNetControlList/ 2022-09-23 7.2 CVE-2022-40861 MISC tenda -- ac18 Tenda AC18 router contained a stack overflow vulnerability in /goform/fast_setting_wifi_set 2022-09-23 9.8 CVE-2022-40854 MISC tenda -- i9 Tenda i9 v1.0.0.8(3828) was discovered to contain a buffer overflow via the set_local_time function. This vulnerability allows attackers to cause a Denial of Service (DoS) via a crafted string. 2022-09-23 7.5 CVE-2022-40106 MISC tenda -- i9 Tenda i9 v1.0.0.8(3828) was discovered to contain a buffer overflow via the formexeCommand function. This vulnerability allows attackers to cause a Denial of Service (DoS) via a crafted string. 2022-09-23 7.5 CVE-2022-40107 MISC tenda -- i9 Tenda i9 v1.0.0.8(3828) was discovered to contain a buffer overflow via the formWifiMacFilterGet function. This vulnerability allows attackers to cause a Denial of Service (DoS) via a crafted string. 2022-09-23 7.5 CVE-2022-40105 MISC tenda -- i9 Tenda i9 v1.0.0.8(3828) was discovered to contain a command injection vulnerability via the FormexeCommand function. 2022-09-23 9.8 CVE-2022-40100 MISC tenda -- i9 Tenda i9 v1.0.0.8(3828) was discovered to contain a buffer overflow via the formwrlSSIDset function. This vulnerability allows attackers to cause a Denial of Service (DoS) via a crafted string. 2022-09-23 7.5 CVE-2022-40102 MISC tenda -- i9 Tenda i9 v1.0.0.8(3828) was discovered to contain a buffer overflow via the formWifiMacFilterSet function. This vulnerability allows attackers to cause a Denial of Service (DoS) via a crafted string. 2022-09-23 7.5 CVE-2022-40101 MISC tenda -- i9 Tenda i9 v1.0.0.8(3828) was discovered to contain a buffer overflow via the formwrlSSIDget function. This vulnerability allows attackers to cause a Denial of Service (DoS) via a crafted string. 2022-09-23 7.5 CVE-2022-40104 MISC tenda -- tx3 Tenda TX3 US_TX3V1.0br_V16.03.13.11 is vulnerable to stack overflow via compare_parentcontrol_time. 2022-09-28 9.8 CVE-2022-40942 MISC tenda -- w20e Tenda W20E router V15.11.0.6 (US_W20EV4.0br_V15.11.0.6(1068_1546_841)_CN_TDC) contains a stack overflow vulnerability in the function formSetDebugCfg with request /goform/setDebugCfg/ 2022-09-23 9.8 CVE-2022-40866 MISC tenda -- w20e Tenda W20E router V15.11.0.6 (US_W20EV4.0br_V15.11.0.6(1068_1546_841)_CN_TDC) contains a stack overflow vulnerability in the function formIPMacBindDel with the request /goform/delIpMacBind/ 2022-09-23 9.8 CVE-2022-40867 MISC tenda -- w20e Tenda W20E router V15.11.0.6 (US_W20EV4.0br_V15.11.0.6(1068_1546_841)_CN_TDC) contains a stack overflow vulnerability in the function formDelDhcpRule with the request /goform/delDhcpRules/ 2022-09-23 9.8 CVE-2022-40868 MISC tenda -- w20e Tenda W20E router V15.11.0.6 contains a stack overflow in the function formSetPortMapping with post request 'goform/setPortMapping/'. This vulnerability allows attackers to cause a Denial of Service (DoS) or Remote Code Execution (RCE) via the portMappingServer, portMappingProtocol, portMappingWan, porMappingtInternal, and portMappingExternal parameters. 2022-09-23 9.8 CVE-2022-40855 MISC toaruos -- toaruos readelf in ToaruOS 2.0.1 has a global overflow allowing RCE when parsing a crafted ELF file. 2022-09-27 7.8 CVE-2022-38932 MISC tp-link -- archer_ax10_v1 TP Link Archer AX10 V1 Firmware Version 1.3.1 Build 20220401 Rel. 57450(5553) was discovered to allow authenticated attackers to execute arbitrary code via a crafted backup file. 2022-09-28 8.8 CVE-2022-40486 MISC MISC MISC trendmicro -- deep_security A link following vulnerability in Trend Micro Deep Security 20 and Cloud One - Workload Security Agent for Windows could allow a local attacker to escalate privileges on affected installations. Please note: an attacker must first obtain the ability to execute low-privileged code on the target system in order to exploit this vulnerability. 2022-09-28 7.8 CVE-2022-40710 N/A N/A trudesk_project -- trudesk The trudesk application allows large characters to insert in the input field "Full Name" on the signup field which can allow attackers to cause a Denial of Service (DoS) via a crafted HTTP request in GitHub repository polonel/trudesk prior to 1.2.2. This can lead to Denial of service. 2022-09-29 7.5 CVE-2022-1718 CONFIRM MISC ui -- desktop A local privilege escalation vulnerability in UI Desktop for Windows (Version 0.55.1.2 and earlier) allows a malicious actor with local access to a Windows device with UI Desktop to run arbitrary commands as SYSTEM. 2022-09-23 7.8 CVE-2022-35257 MISC vim -- vim Use After Free in GitHub repository vim/vim prior to 9.0.0614. 2022-09-29 7.8 CVE-2022-3352 CONFIRM MISC vim -- vim Use After Free in GitHub repository vim/vim prior to 9.0.0579. 2022-09-25 7.8 CVE-2022-3297 MISC CONFIRM vim -- vim Stack-based Buffer Overflow in GitHub repository vim/vim prior to 9.0.0577. 2022-09-25 7.8 CVE-2022-3296 MISC CONFIRM vim -- vim Stack-based Buffer Overflow in GitHub repository vim/vim prior to 9.0.0598. 2022-09-27 7.8 CVE-2022-3324 CONFIRM MISC wayland -- wayland An internal reference count is held on the buffer pool, incremented every time a new buffer is created from the pool. The reference count is maintained as an int; on LP64 systems this can cause the reference count to overflow if the client creates a large number of wl_shm buffer objects, or if it can coerce the server to create a large number of external references to the buffer storage. With the reference count overflowing, a use-after-free can be constructed on the wl_shm_pool tracking structure, where values may be incremented or decremented; it may also be possible to construct a limited oracle to leak 4 bytes of server-side memory to the attacking client at a time. 2022-09-23 9.8 CVE-2021-3782 MISC wazuh -- wazuh Wazuh v3.6.1 - v3.13.5, v4.0.0 - v4.2.7, and v4.3.0 - v4.3.7 were discovered to contain an authenticated remote code execution (RCE) vulnerability via the Active Response endpoint. 2022-09-28 8.8 CVE-2022-40497 MISC wedding_planner -- wedding_planner Wedding Planner v1.0 was discovered to contain a SQL injection vulnerability via the id parameter at /wedding_details.php. 2022-09-26 9.8 CVE-2022-40483 MISC wedding_planner -- wedding_planner Wedding Planner v1.0 was discovered to contain a SQL injection vulnerability via the id parameter at /package_detail.php. 2022-09-26 9.8 CVE-2022-40485 MISC wedding_planner -- wedding_planner Wedding Planner v1.0 was discovered to contain a SQL injection vulnerability via the id parameter at /admin/feature_edit.php. 2022-09-26 7.2 CVE-2022-40403 MISC wedding_planner -- wedding_planner Wedding Planner v1.0 was discovered to contain a SQL injection vulnerability via the booking parameter at /admin/client_edit.php. 2022-09-26 9.8 CVE-2022-40484 MISC wedding_planner -- wedding_planner Wedding Planner v1.0 was discovered to contain a SQL injection vulnerability via the booking parameter at /admin/client_assign.php. 2022-09-26 8.8 CVE-2022-40402 MISC wedding_planner -- wedding_planner Wedding Planner v1.0 was discovered to contain a SQL injection vulnerability via the id parameter at /admin/select.php. 2022-09-26 8.8 CVE-2022-40404 MISC wordpress -- wordpress The Scripts Organizer WordPress plugin before 3.0 does not have capability and CSRF checks in the saveScript AJAX action, available to both unauthenticated and authenticated users, and does not validate user input in any way, which could allow unauthenticated users to put arbitrary PHP code in a file 2022-09-26 8.8 CVE-2021-24890 MISC CONFIRM wordpress -- wordpress Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) vulnerability in Read more By Adam plugin

Read more »

Microsoft: Two New 0-Day Flaws in Exchange Server
Microsoft Corp. is investigating reports that attackers are exploiting two previously unknown vulnerabilities in Exchange Server, a technology many organizations rely on to send and receive email. Microsoft says it is expediting work on software patches to plug the security holes. In the meantime, it is urging a subset of Exchange customers to enable a setting that could help mitigate ongoing attacks.

Read more »

Fake CISO Profiles on LinkedIn Target Fortune 500s
Someone has recently created a large number of fake LinkedIn profiles for Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) roles at some of the world’s largest corporations. It’s not clear who’s behind this network of fake CISOs or what their intentions may be. But the fabricated LinkedIn identities are confusing search engine results for CISO roles at major companies, and they are being indexed as gospel by various downstream data-scraping sources.

Read more »

The Dangers of Expired Domains and Old Email Addresses – Intego Mac Podcast Episode 259
When domain names expire, anyone can take them over, and not only confuse people used to a company name, but also access any emails sent to that domain. The post appeared first on The Mac Security Blog.

Read more »

Vulnerability Summary for the Week of September 19, 2022
Original release date: September 26, 2022 | Last revised: September 27, 2022  High Vulnerabilities Primary Vendor -- Product Description Published CVSS Score Source & Patch Info There were no high vulnerabilities recorded this week. Back to top   Medium Vulnerabilities Primary Vendor -- Product Description Published CVSS Score Source & Patch Info There were no medium vulnerabilities recorded this week. Back to top   Low Vulnerabilities Primary Vendor -- Product Description Published CVSS Score Source & Patch Info There were no low vulnerabilities recorded this week. Back to top   Severity Not Yet Assigned Primary Vendor -- Product Description Published CVSS Score Source & Patch Info 10-strike -- network_inventory_explorer 10-Strike Network Inventory Explorer v9.3 was discovered to contain a buffer overflow via the Add Computers function. 2022-09-23 not yet calculated CVE-2022-38573 MISC MISC acer -- multiple_products There is a stack buffer overflow vulnerability, which could lead to arbitrary code execution in UEFI DXE driver on some Acer products. An attack could exploit this vulnerability to escalate privilege from ring 3 to ring 0, and hijack control flow during UEFI DXE execution. This affects Altos T110 F3 firmware version

Read more »

Accused Russian RSOCKS Botmaster Arrested, Requests Extradition to U.S.
A 36-year-old Russian man recently identified by KrebsOnSecurity as the likely proprietor of the massive RSOCKS botnet has been arrested in Bulgaria at the request of U.S. authorities. At a court hearing in Bulgaria this month, the accused hacker requested and was granted extradition to the United States, reportedly telling the judge, "America is looking for me because I have enormous information and they need it."

Read more »

Apple’s New iPhone 14 and Apple Watch Series 8 – Intego Mac Podcast Episode 258
Josh and Kirk each got a new iPhone 14 Pro, and discuss the new features in the phone. They also look at some bugs in iOS 16, and new malware that may affect the Mac. The post appeared first on The Mac Security Blog.

Read more »

SIM Swapper Abducted, Beaten, Held for $200k Ransom
A Florida teenager who served as a lackey for a cybercriminal group that specializes in cryptocurrency thefts was beaten and kidnapped last week by a rival cybercrime gang. The teen's captives held guns to his head while forcing him to record a video message pleading with his crew to fork over a $200,000 ransom in exchange for his life. The youth is now reportedly cooperating with U.S. federal investigators, who are responding to an alarming number of reports of physical violence tied to certain online crime communities.

Read more »

iPhone 14 Pro Review – An Amazing New Camera, Safety Features, and an Always-On Display
This year's iPhone comes with big changes: an always-on display, a new 48 Mp main camera, safety features, and more. The post appeared first on The Mac Security Blog.

Read more »

Apple Watch 8 Review – Why Change What Works?
The Apple Watch 8 has incremental changes compared to its predecessor; why change a device that works? The post appeared first on The Mac Security Blog.

Read more »

Botched Crypto Mugging Lands Three U.K. Men in Jail
Three men in the United Kingdom were arrested this month after police responding to an attempted break-in at a residence stopped their car as they fled the scene. The authorities found weapons and a police uniform in the trunk, and say the trio intended to assault a local man and force him to hand over virtual currencies. 

Read more »

Visible offers free $200 gift cards + free set of Beats Studio Buds with Apple iPhone 14 purchase
Verizon's low-cost wireless cell service, Visible, will include a free $200 gift card plus a free set of Beats Studio Buds with the purchase of a any new 2022 Apple iPhone 14 & a new line of service. Gift cards are available from MasterCard or a host of retailers such as Amazon, Target, and others, and will be made available to customers after 3 months of service. Free overnight delivery is available on all new phones. The post first appeared on MacPrices.net.

Read more »

Visible offers free $200 gift cards + free set of Beats Studio Buds with Apple iPhone 14 purchase
Verizon's low-cost wireless cell service, Visible, will include a free $200 gift card plus a free set of Beats Studio Buds with the purchase of a any new 2022 Apple iPhone 14 & a new line of service. Gift cards are available from MasterCard or a host of retailers such as Amazon, Target, and others, and will be made available to customers after 3 months of service. Free overnight delivery is available on all new phones. The post first appeared on MacPrices.net.

Read more »

Apple is offering custom-configured Mac Studios with up to 128GB of RAM and 8TB SSDs for up to $800 off MSRP!
Apple has the base standard-configuration Mac Studio available in their Certified Refurbished section for $1799, and it's in stock today. For the first time, Apple has added custom-configured Mac Studio models with a range of CPUs, memory, and storage configurations at discounts ranging up to $800 off MSRP... The post first appeared on MacPrices.net.

Read more »

In stock: 14-inch MacBook Pro with Apple M1 Max CPU for $400 off MSRP plus get free 1-2 day shipping
B&H has Space Gray 14" M1 Max MacBook Pros (10-Core M1 Max CPU/24-Core GPU/32GB RAM/512GB SSD) in stock today for $2499 including free 1-2 day shipping to most US addresses. Their price is $400 off Apple's MSRP for this configuration, and it's also the lowest price available for an M1 Max-powered MacBook from any Apple retailer. The post first appeared on MacPrices.net.

Read more »

16″ Apple MacBook Pro with M1 Max CPU (24-Core GPU) in stock today and on sale for $400 off MSRP
B&H is offering a $400 discount on the 16" MacBook Pro with a 10-Core CPU/24-Core GPU M1 Max CPU. It's in stock today with free 1-2 day shipping to most US addresses. Their price is the lowest available for this configuration from any of the Apple retailers we track: 16" MacBook Pro (10-Core M1 Max CPU/24-Core GPU/32GB RAM/512GB SSD) Space Gray or Silver: $2699 $400 off MSRP. The post first appeared on MacPrices.net.

Read more »

New record-low price: Apple AirPods for only $79
Amazon has 2nd generation Apple AirPods on sale for only $79 for a limited time. That's a whopping $50 off Apple's MSRP. Shipping is free. Their price is the lowest we've ever seen for a new set of AirPods from any Apple retailer, and it will likely be the lowest price even during the upcoming holiday shopping season. The post first appeared on MacPrices.net.

Read more »

Open a new line of service at Verizon and quality for a free CPO 256GB or 512GB Apple iPhone 13
Verizon is giving away a free Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) 256GB or 512GB iPhone 13 (any color) in Great Condition to customers who choose one of those phones and open a new line of service. Offer is available online only, and no trade-in is required. Price of the phone is applied to your account monthly over a 36 month period... The post first appeared on MacPrices.net.

Read more »

Apple adds a range of custom-configured 13-inch M2 MacBook Pros to their Certified Refurbished store for up to $250 off MSRP
Apple standard-configuration 13" MacBook Pros with M2 CPUs in stock and available today starting at $1169, Certified Refurbished, and ranging up to $150 off original MSRP. These are the cheapest 13" M2 MacBook Pros for sale today at Apple. Apple's one-year warranty is included, shipping is free, and each MacBook has a new outer shell. Apple has now added a series of custom-configured models to their Certified Refurbished section with up to 24GB of RAM and 2TB SSDs ranging up to $250 off MSRP. The following configurations are available... The post first appeared on MacPrices.net.

Read more »

13″ MacBook Pros with M2 CPUs are on sale for $150-$200 off MSRP
Amazon has new 13" MacBook Pros with Apple M2 processors in stock and on sale today for $150-$200 off MSRP. Their prices are the lowest we've seen so far for Macs with M2 processors, and they represent some of the first major discounts on new M2 13" MacBook Pros. Be sure to purchase from Amazon rather than a third-party seller, and not that Amazon's stock is likely to come and go, so check their site often... The post first appeared on MacPrices.net.

Read more »

14″ MacBook Pros with Apple M1 Pro CPUs in stock and on sale starting at $1599, $400 off MSRP
Amazon has restocked 14" MacBook Pros M1 Pro CPUs for $400 off MSRP, starting at only $1599. Shipping is free. Be sure to make your purchase from Amazon rather than a third-party seller. Their prices are the lowest we've seen for new 14" MacBook Pros from any Apple retailer... The post first appeared on MacPrices.net.

Read more »

Apple has M1 Mac minis in stock again starting at only $589, Certified Refurbished
Apple has restocked a full line of M1-powered Mac minis available in their Certified Refurbished section starting at only $589 and up to $140 off MSRP. Each mini comes with Apple's one-year warranty, and shipping is free: M1 Mac mini (8GB RAM/256GB SSD): $589 $110 off MSRP. Step up to a mini with 512GB of storage for $759: M1 Mac mini (8GB RAM/512GB SSD): $759 $140 off MSRP. The post first appeared on MacPrices.net.

Read more »

Apple has M1 Mac minis in stock again starting at only $589, Certified Refurbished
Apple has restocked a full line of M1-powered Mac minis available in their Certified Refurbished section starting at only $589 and up to $140 off MSRP. Each mini comes with Apple's one-year warranty, and shipping is free: M1 Mac mini (8GB RAM/256GB SSD): $589 $110 off MSRP. Step up to a mini with 512GB of storage for $759: M1 Mac mini (8GB RAM/512GB SSD): $759 $140 off MSRP. The post first appeared on MacPrices.net.

Read more »