Why Your Wi-Fi Router Doubles As an Apple AirTag
An anonymous reader quotes a report from Krebs On Security: Apple and the satellite-based broadband service Starlink each recently took steps to address new research into the potential security and privacy implications of how their services geo-locate devices. Researchers from the University of Maryland say they relied on publicly available data from Apple to track the location of billions of devices globally -- including non-Apple devices like Starlink systems -- and found they could use this data to monitor the destruction of Gaza, as well as the movements and in many cases identities of Russian and Ukrainian troops. At issue is the way that Apple collects and publicly shares information about the precise location of all Wi-Fi access points seen by its devices. Apple collects this location data to give Apple devices a crowdsourced, low-power alternative to constantly requesting global positioning system (GPS) coordinates. Both Apple and Google operate their own Wi-Fi-based Positioning Systems (WPS) that obtain certain hardware identifiers from all wireless access points that come within range of their mobile devices. Both record the Media Access Control (MAC) address that a Wi-FI access point uses, known as a Basic Service Set Identifier or BSSID. Periodically, Apple and Google mobile devices will forward their locations -- by querying GPS and/or by using cellular towers as landmarks -- along with any nearby BSSIDs. This combination of data allows Apple and Google devices to figure out where they are within a few feet or meters, and it's what allows your mobile phone to continue displaying your planned route even when the device can't get a fix on GPS. With Google's WPS, a wireless device submits a list of nearby Wi-Fi access point BSSIDs and their signal strengths -- via an application programming interface (API) request to Google -- whose WPS responds with the device's computed position. Google's WPS requires at least two BSSIDs to calculate a device's approximate position. Apple's WPS also accepts a list of nearby BSSIDs, but instead of computing the device's location based off the set of observed access points and their received signal strengths and then reporting that result to the user, Apple's API will return the geolocations of up to 400 hundred more BSSIDs that are nearby the one requested. It then uses approximately eight of those BSSIDs to work out the user's location based on known landmarks. In essence, Google's WPS computes the user's location and shares it with the device. Apple's WPS gives its devices a large enough amount of data about the location of known access points in the area that the devices can do that estimation on their own. That's according to two researchers at the University of Maryland, who theorized they could use the verbosity of Apple's API to map the movement of individual devices into and out of virtually any defined area of the world. The UMD pair said they spent a month early in their research continuously querying the API, asking it for the location of more than a billion BSSIDs generated at random. They learned that while only about three million of those randomly generated BSSIDs were known to Apple's Wi-Fi geolocation API, Apple also returned an additional 488 million BSSID locations already stored in its WPS from other lookups. "Plotting the locations returned by Apple's WPS between November 2022 and November 2023, Levin and Rye saw they had a near global view of the locations tied to more than two billion Wi-Fi access points," the report adds. "The map showed geolocated access points in nearly every corner of the globe, apart from almost the entirety of China, vast stretches of desert wilderness in central Australia and Africa, and deep in the rainforests of South America." The researchers wrote: "We observe routers move between cities and countries, potentially representing their owner's relocation or a business transaction between an old and new owner. While there is not necessarily a 1-to-1 relationship between Wi-Fi routers and users, home routers typically only have several. If these users are vulnerable populations, such as those fleeing intimate partner violence or a stalker, their router simply being online can disclose their new location." A copy of the UMD research is available here (PDF). Read more of this story at Slashdot.

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Apple’s Wi-Fi-based Positioning System Reveals Access Point Locations
University of Maryland security researchers used a clever approach to querying Apple’s location API to determine the locations of more than two billion Wi-Fi access points worldwide. You can opt out.Read original article

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New Beats Pill speaker hits the FCC ahead of launch
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New Apple Accessibility Features Coming Later This Year
To celebrate Global Accessibility Awareness Day, Apple revealed a slew of new accessibility features slated for the next versions of its operating systems.

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New Apple feature will revolutionize using iPhone, iPad in the car: ‘Transformative’
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Apple hires Cynthia Bowman as new VP of diversity
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Apple Fellow Phil Schiller defends 27% App Store fee in court
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9to5Mac Daily: May 22, 2024 – New Xfinity bundle, Vision Pro Paris experience, more
Listen to a recap of the top stories of the day from 9to5Mac. 9to5Mac Daily is available on iTunes and Apple’s Podcasts app, Stitcher, TuneIn, Google Play, or through our dedicated RSS feed for Overcast and other podcast players. Subscribe to support Chance directly with 9to5Mac Daily Plus and unlock: Ad-free versions of every episode Bonus content more…

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American homes are full of old, obsolete iPads
Unlike iPhone or even Mac users, iPad owners are more likely to repurposes older, technically obsolete tablets for myriad uses… The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.

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How much would you be willing to pay for an iPhone 17 Ultra? [Poll]
It’s a busy time for iPhone rumors. Even though we’re still months away from the debut of the iPhone 16 lineup, some interesting reports have started pointing to a major change in the works for next year’s iPhone 17. One model of iPhone 17 is said to be ultra-thin and ultra-premium, coming in at a starting price higher than the 17 Pro Max. It sounds like Apple is preparing to launch an iPhone 17 Ultra. How much higher can the iPhone’s price go? Tell us what you’d be willing to pay for an iPhone Ultra in our poll below. more…

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Sonos Ace vs AirPods Max: How do the premium over-ears compare?
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PETA slams Apple TV+ series ‘Bad Monkey’ claiming ‘animal exploitation’
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6 reasons to set up Apple’s Family Sharing ASAP
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Logitech gear for as low as $5? Hell yes.
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Which Magic Keyboard is compatible with your iPad? Find out here
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Today in Apple history: Newton spins off as its own company
On May 22, 1997, Apple set up its Newton division as a separate company. The spinoff Newton Inc.'s first job? Selling the MessagePad 2000. (via Cult of Mac - Apple news, rumors, reviews and how-tos)

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Marvel's 'What If…? – an Immersive Story' coming to Apple Vision Pro on May 30
Marvel fans can step into the MCU and help save the day with an exclusive, immersive experience, available on Apple Vision Pro.Marvel Studios 'What If...' "What If...? — An Immersive Story," will feature elements from the original Disney+ animated series of the same name. The show reimagines how different characters within the Marvel universe would behave if their situations were altered.The experience will last about an hour. It requires fans to participate in the universe alongside the show's heroes, both in virtual and augmented reality. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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Gyllenhaal says ‘I did not kill her’ 12 times in Presumed Innocent trailer
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Grab two 6-foot USB-C fast-charging cables for the price of a fancy coffee
Macworld Don’t you hate being tethered to whatever socket your phone is charging from? Well, let’s change that because this two-cable bundle from INIU features USB-C to C fast charging cables that are 6 feet long each. The whole bundle will cost you a mere $8.40, down from the regular $14.  You can expect high charging speeds of up to 100W, which means you can get your MacBook to 60% in just 45 minutes, and your iPhone 15 in even less time. INIU claims the cables support Samsung’s Super Fast Charging 2.0, so powering up your Galaxy gadgets will be just as easy.  Fast charging isn’t just limited to your phone or laptop. The INIU USB C to USB C Cable works seamlessly with a wide range of devices, including tablets, consoles, controllers, headphones, and more. No more hassle of managing multiple cables or worrying about compatibility issues; this one cable is all you need. The cables are pretty flexible and durable, thanks to the braided nylon coating and anti-rupture SR joints. This means they won’t break as easily when you roll them up and throw them in your bag. so, not only will you have a bit more freedom of movement when charging your device, but this INIU bundle will also give you the best possible price.  So go ahead and get yourself two six-foot USB C to C cables for just $8.40 before the deal expires. Use the code SXBCGE2T to get an extra 15 percent off the already discounted price displayed on the product page.  Get two 6ft USB-C to C INIU cables for $8.40 at Amazon Mobile Phone Chargers

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