Deepfake nonconsensual porn apps are advertising in the App Store
Users looking to create nonconsensual deepfakes of unknowing individuals can simply perform an App Store search. If App Review has a job, it clearly isn't doing it.It is trivially easy to search for deepfake tools when they take out adsIt isn't just the Grok app that lets users create nonconsensual deepfake nudes and pornography. Apple did remove at least 28 such apps in January, and even threatened xAI with a Grok removal, but that clearly hasn't been enough.According to a report from The Tech Transparency Project that was first shared by 9to5Mac, "nudify" apps are appearing in search ads and suggestions in the App Store. Pornography isn't banned from the App Store if it isn't the app's sole purpose, but illegal or harmful products are. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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Google One discount takes 50% off YouTube Premium for a year
After boosting AI Pro storage earlier this month, Google One is now running a limited-time YouTube Premium discount. more…

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Improbable Visa & iPhone loophole leads to Apple Pay heist that'll never happen to you
Researchers were able to pull $10k from a locked iPhone via a trick that requires physical device access, perfect circumstances, and specialized hardware. Don't let fearmongering convince you to turn off Transit Mode.Visa cards on Apple Pay have a very specific vulnerability that no one should worry aboutFear is one of the most prevalent emotions to utilize when looking to make some content go viral. If you watched TV in the past 40 years, a lot of late-night news broadcasts thrived on the "but it could happen to you" plot devices.YouTube is no stranger to using fear as a tactic, and one of the biggest tech YouTubers, Marques Brownlee, let hacking channel Veritasium steal $10k from his locked iPhone in a video. It utilized a man-in-the-middle technique where transaction handshakes are intercepted between an iPhone and payment terminal. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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New report claims App Store search suggestions and ads steered users to ‘nudify’ apps
The Tech Transparency Project (TTP) has followed up on its January report that revealed dozens of “nudify” apps on the App Store with a new investigation focused on how Apple’s own search and ad systems may be helping users find them. Here are the details. more…

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Apple's 'AI coding bootcamp' could help its engineers make a better Siri with AI
As part of ongoing efforts to improve Siri, Apple's engineers are set to participate in a multi-week coding bootcamp, which will help them master the use of AI in coding.Apple will allegedly organize an AI coding bootcamp for its Siri engineers.Apple's planned contextual awareness upgrade for Siri still isn't here, nearly two years after it was announced at WWDC 2024. Development has hit some snags, and it's often been said that Apple has fallen behind in the AI race.However, the company remains undeterred. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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Google launches native Gemini app for Mac
Google today officially released a standalone native Gemini app for macOS, giving Mac users a dedicated, high-performance way to access… The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.

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Apple to drive OLED notebook growth in 2026 amid smartphone slowdown, per report
According to a new Counterpoint Research report, Apple is expected to play a key role in driving OLED notebook display growth in 2026, even as the broader OLED market faces pressure from rising memory costs and softer smartphone demand. Here are the details. more…

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Report: Apple to send Siri engineers to multi-week AI coding bootcamp
The Information reports that a group of Apple engineers who are working on Siri will be sent to a “multi-week bootcamp to learn to code using AI.” Here are the details. more…

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BofA ups Apple stock price target to $325 ahead of Q2 earnings
On Tuesday, top Bank of America analyst Wamsi Mohan reiterated a Buy rating on Apple stock and raised his price target to $325 from $320… The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.

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Jon Prosser's last-ditch effort against Apple's lawsuit is the First Amendment
Journalists are protected when they report trade secrets, with caveats, and leaker Jon Prosser hopes that this protection will be enough to have the lawsuit that Apple filed dismissed.Jon Prosser believes his Liquid Glass leaks are protected speechThings haven't been going well for Front Page Tech owner Jon Prosser. He leaked early prototype designs of Liquid Glass and has been sued by Apple for how he allegedly got hold of the materials.After failing to respond to Apple's complaints and placed in a default ruling, he's allegedly been working the case from behind the scenes. The latest filing from Prosser's team suggests he believes it is all going to be thrown out. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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iOS 26.4 adds brand new widgets for your iPhone’s Home Screen
iOS 26.4 comes packed with many new features, including brand new Ambient Music widgets that can be added to the iPhone’s Home Screen. Here are the details. more…

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Never pay for VPN again: Get FastestVPN on 10 devices, just $30 for life
Keep your personal data private with a FastestVPN lifetime license, on sale now. Supports iOS, macOS, Windows, Android, smart TVs and more. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)

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Whitelisted: Which router manufacturers aren't affected by FCC's ban
The US FCC's ban on foreign-made routers is benefiting a very small number of companies. Here's what companies are blocked from import, which are exempt, and why, as of April 15, 2026.The FCC's ban applies to almost the entire U.S. marketIn March, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission implemented a ban on routers. Rather than targeting products from specific companies, it banned any routers "produced in a foreign country."The reality is that, since the vast majority of routers are imported into the United States, the ban effectively affects the entire router market as a whole. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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Apple says Jon Prosser has only partially complied with subpoenas in iOS 26 leak case [U]
Update, April 15, 2:41 p.m. ET: Jon Prosser has filed a separate status report. Details below. In a joint status report, attorneys for Apple and Michael Ramacciotti updated the court on the latest developments in the trade secrets lawsuit over the leak of iOS 26 design details. Here’s what’s new with the case. more…

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Microsoft has a new idea on how to deter students from MacBook Neo
The effects of MacBook Neo continue to ripple through the PC industry this week. As spotted by The Verge, Microsoft has introduced a new “Microsoft College Offer” initiative. Through this, college students in the US can score 12 months free of Microsoft 365 Premium and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate with the purchase of an eligible PC, plus a free custom Xbox controller. more…

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Apple TV debuts trailer for ‘Unconditional,’ suspenseful new thriller premiering May 8th
Apple TV on Wednesday released the trailer for “Unconditional,” the new drama series from co-creators Adam Bizanski (“Magpie”) and… The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.

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Video shows how to steal $10,000 from locked iPhone in controlled setting
A new video from the Veritasium YouTube channel shows how a niche loophole could allow someone to steal $10,000 from a locked iPhone—though you probably don’t need to worry. more…

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Google Gemini Mac app focuses on speed over deep integration
Google released a Gemini macOS app that brings its AI onto the desktop, but after I tried it, I found that it works more like a quick-access tool than a fully integrated assistant like Siri.Apple Intelligence and Google GeminiThe app runs on recent macOS versions and lets users summon Gemini instantly with a keyboard shortcut. Users can analyze on-screen content with permission and work with files, images, and documents without leaving their current app.Google frames the release as a way to keep people "in flow" while they work. The broader goal is to position Gemini as a persistent layer across macOS instead of a standalone tool. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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Nike board member Tim Cook pumps another $1M into shoe-maker's stock
Apple CEO Tim Cook is on Nike's board. In what has been seen as a vote of confidence, Cook made a purchase of $1 million of the shoemaker's stock.Tim Cook's custom-made sneakers from an iPad Pro launch - Image source: Apple via HypebeastTim Cook has a long-time relationship with shoe and fitness brand Nike that has lasted for two decades. On Friday, the Apple CEO deepened his dealings by buying more Nike stock.In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Cook bought 25,000 Nike shares on April 10. At a value of approximately $42.43 apiece, that works out to be a total purchase of $1.06 million. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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Apple will launch 15+ new products later this year, here’s what’s coming
Apple has already had a busy year with new product launches, but a lot more is coming. Here’s every new Apple product rumored for later this year. more…

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Gemini Mac app puts Google AI right in your workflow
The new Gemini for Mac app integrates into your workflow for quicker and easier AI access, hopefully improving productivity. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)

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Apple TV series ‘Pluribus’ begins season 2 shooting this fall
Despite the expected long wait between seasons, "Pluribus" season 2 has received a positive filming update from Karolina Wydra… The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.

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Pluribus season 2 just got an exciting release timing update
Pluribus season 2 is in the works, and one of the stars just shared a big update that sheds light on when to expect the show’s return. more…

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Use Apple’s App Store at your own risk
Macworld Apple’s app-vetting procedures are in the spotlight this week, as not one but two news stories demonstrate the grave consequences of what appears to be a troublingly lackadaisical approach at the Cupertino-based company. Case study 1: “Ledger Live” On Tuesday, the crypto news site CoinDesk reported on a week-long phishing campaign predicated on the use of a cloned Mac app. Financial hackers created a cloned app called Ledger Live, using the former name of a legitimate wallet app for iOS and macOS, and managed to get it accepted by the Mac App Store. Users of this app were prompted to enter recovery phrases, and those who did so had their wallets completely emptied. CoinDesk says the scam affected more than 50 victims and resulted in the loss of at least $9.5m worth of Bitcoin, Ether, and other cryptocurrencies. One victim, a musician going by the name G. Love, vented his frustrations on X. “I had a really tough day today,” he wrote. “I lost my retirement fund… All my BTC [Bitcoin] gone in an instant.” He later clarified that his losses totalled 5.9 BTC, which at current valuations is worth almost $75,000. To most of us such a loss would be devastating. But the scam’s unluckiest victims were hit a great deal harder. ZachXBT reports that the three biggest individual losses were worth $2m, $2.1m, and $3.2m respectively. The app has now been removed from the App Store, but victims and commentators are questioning how the software made it past Apple’s vetting process in the first place. It’s also unclear how the fake app remained on the store for a fortnight, reportedly taking people’s money for the entire second week of that period, before the company took action. ZachXBT has even floated the idea of a class-action lawsuit, although at this point that remains speculation. Case study 1: Freecash With unhappy timing, news of this scam broke in the same week as the banning of Freecash, as reported by Macworld’s sister site TechCrunch. In adverts, Freecash offered to pay users to scroll on TikTok, but this was a flimsy veil for its real purpose: harvesting sensitive data. By installing and running the app, users were giving up data about anything from their religion to their sexual orientation, which the makers happily sold on to third parties. Many free apps are built on a data-harvesting business model, and such practices are not in themselves illegal or against the App Store’s terms and conditions. But critics complained that Freecash was harvesting data in a way which was manipulative and misleading. In January, Wired reported that the app used deceptive marketing techniques (the app’s makers deny this allegation, stating that “Our apps are fully compliant with the Apple App Store and Google Play Store policies, as demonstrated by the fact that they are live and regularly pass platform reviews”), and TikTok banned some of its ads. But it wasn’t until this week–shortly after being contacted by TechCrunch, perhaps coincidentally–that Apple finally pulled the app. That decision would appear to indicate that Freecash does not, contrary to its makers’ protestations, meet the standards of Apple’s App Store. (The Android app is still showing up for me in Google search, but the URL it directs to no longer works. Presumably, then, it’s been kicked off Google Play too.) But once again, it’s unclear why Apple’s vetting team wasn’t able to spot this shortcoming before welcoming the app on to the company’s official storefront. Or why it took so long to take action against an app whose murkier practices had been highlighted by journalists months previously. Rotten to the Store: The wider story I should emphasize at this point that the main reason I’ve discussed these two cases in the same article is that the stories happened to break in the same week. They each, in their own way, reflect poorly on Apple’s vetting procedures, but that doesn’t mean they’re in the same ballpark of misbehavior. The first case study above is straightforward larceny, while the second is more complicated: an ethically dubious developer choosing to skirt the boundaries of what is and isn’t permitted for personal gain. The principle is the same, but the offenders are not. There are two facts which unite these two apps. First, Apple allowed them on to the App Store when it absolutely should not have done. Second, when problems emerged, it let them stay there longer than it had any business doing. And these raise major concerns about the way the App Store is run, and the rationale behind Apple’s stewardship of the market for apps on its products. After all, the whole point of the App Store is to give owners of Apple devices peace of mind that the software they’re installing is legitimate and won’t cause any problems. Craig Federighi has claimed that sideloading, the installation of apps through non-official means, is a cybercriminal’s best friend. But what are customers supposed to think when even officially sanctioned software is liable to steal their secrets and their money? In what way is the official store better than buying it (likely at a lower price) direct from the developer? What does vetting actually involve, other than a malware scan and the eager exchange of bank details? What is the App Store bringing to the table at this point, other than an outstretched hand? This week has been unusually bad, but stories of this sort don’t come as a surprise any more. The App Store of 2026 is absolutely stuffed with slop, scams, and clones, propped up by an ecosystem of fake reviews pushing undeserving apps to the top of the charts. Phil Schiller was complaining about “insane” scam apps 14 years ago, and to the casual eye it’s difficult to see that things have got any better. Reports in the past few years have identified everything from fleeceware VPNs to exploitative knockoffs of popular games. Search is broken, foregrounding apps blatantly designed to trick you into clicking on the wrong thing; selling ads here doesn’t help matters. So-called trash apps are essentially a licence to print money. The App Store, in other words, is rotten. And whatever Apple’s app-vetting procedure is, it’s not working. Perhaps that reflects the magnitude of the job. At last count there were approximately two million iOS apps on the store, which across its 18-year history equates very roughly to 9,000 per month. Factor in the acceleration over time, not to mention all the other apps that were vetted once but have since been removed because the developers stopping updating them, and that’s a lot of vetting, even for a company with major resources. But is that an excuse? Not really. If running an app store is too much trouble, close it down. If comprehensive vetting is impractical, stop pretending the App Store is completely safe. (And definitely stop scaremongering about sideloading.) If you can’t make the App Store a truly reliable resource for good, safe, legitimate software, then give iPhone users the freedom to install from other places. Or just stop pretending the App Store monopoly is about anything other than revenue.

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Fold, Ultra, or something else? What should Apple call the foldable display iPhone?
Apple is widely expected to release the first iPhone with a foldable display this year. What’s less certain is exactly when it will launch and what Apple will call it. iPhone Fold, to me, is the clearest shorthand way to reference the foldable iPhone before it has an official name. It also feels like the least likely name to actually be used. more…

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Listen to gentle rain and ocean sounds while you work
Your iPhone has a built-in feature called Background Sounds for playing rain noises or white noise to tune it all out. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)

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Google launches Gemini Mac app, here’s what it offers
Google’s Gemini AI app is a constant top three iPhone app in the App Store. Starting today, Gemini is available as a dedicated Mac app as well. more…

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iOS 26.4 moves App Store updates, here’s how to open them fast
iOS 26.4 made some changes to where app updates are located in the App Store. But there’s a shortcut available to find them just as quickly as before. more…

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Apple’s next-gen Apple TV 4K: A long-awaited powerhouse poised to redefine home entertainment
After more than three years since the last refresh (the third-generation Apple TV 4K launched in late 2022) users have grown impatient for… The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.

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Grab this 3-in-1 charger for 30% off and get a FindMy tracking card for free
Macworld Free FindMy Tracking Card View Sale (function () { document.querySelector("#sticky-promo-block a").addEventListener("click", function(e) { const debug = document.location.host.search(/lndo.site|go-vip.net/) !== -1; const text = this.closest("#sticky-promo-block").querySelector("p.promo-title").textContent; const data = { event: "stickyConversionUnitClick", eventCategory: "Sticky Conversion", eventAction: "Click", eventLabel: text }; if(debug)console.log("Sticky Conversion CLick - pushing to dataLayer: ", data); dataLayer.push(data); return true; }); })(); Premium Apple accessory maker Nomad is offering an extra incentive in its Overstock Sale, with a free iOS tracking card (the Nomad Tracking Card Air, worth $29) when you buy over $80 of other accessories. The Nomad Base One Max, pictured above, is on sale for $111, down from $159. This 15W MagSafe charging base can simultaneously fast charge your iPhone, Apple Watch and AirPods. Nomad Or you could buy the 15W Nomad Stand One that fast-charges your iPhone as well as holding it at the perfect viewing angle. Usually priced at $119, it’s on sale for $83—just enough to trigger the free Nomad Tracking Card Air. The Nomad chargers are recommended in our best magnetic iPhone chargers roundup. The Sale runs until 9am PST on April 17. The Nomad Tracking Card Air works with Apple’s FindMy app just like an AirTag, and is as thin as two standard credit cards, making it one of the slimmest trackers on the market and able to slip into your wallet without adding bulk. Nomad Unlike Apple AirTag that requires a replaceable battery, the Tracking Card Air can be wirelessly charged on any wireless charger, including either the Base One Max or Stand One that you can purchase in the Nomad Sale.

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