Apple: News
NewsBytes Briefing: Facebook clamps down on rogue Groups, and more
While Parler was made a convenient scapegoat, it was revealed that Capitol Hill rioters had coordinated using Facebook Groups. The social media giant has only now begun cracking down on shady groups after the news has died down.
Facebook launches fund to support human rights activists. Another hogwash?
Facebook has been indirectly instrumental in serious human rights abuses across the world. The company has now responded by pledging to publicly share annual report focusing on human rights.
Apple releases iOS and macOS updates patching a WebKit vulnerability
Apple has recently released updates to iOS and macOS. The update fixes a memory corruption issue within WebKit, Safari browser's underlying framework.
NewsBytes Briefing: Google demands its pound of flesh, and more
Google has amply demonstrated there is no such thing as free lunch with its payments app. After getting people accustomed to its convenience, Google Pay will soon monetize users' transaction data.
Apple starts assembling iPhone 12 in India for 'local customers'
Apple has started assembling its latest flagship model, the iPhone 12, in India. "We are proud to be starting production of iPhone 12 in India for our local customers," the company stated.
NewsBytes Briefing: Tesla hooking up Texas to mega-battery, and more
Battery backup is a necessity in Third World countries, where the power grid is unreliable. However, First World countries are trying to replicate the same conditions by embracing fickle wind and solar energy.
Apple to soon start iPhone 12's production in India
Apple will soon start manufacturing its flagship iPhone 12 model in India for the local customers, the company said, giving a big boost to the government's 'Make in India' initiative.
Apple granted patent for connector which could replace lightning ports
Since MagSafe launched last year, rumors have been circulating that Apple could let go the charging port on iPhones for the iPhone 13 Pro Max this year.
NewsBytes Briefing: Reliance is gunning for low-cost laptops, and more
After upending the telecom space with Jio, Reliance has now got its sights on the laptop segment. Like the JioPhone, the Indian conglomerate is rumored to be working on an Android-based low-cost laptop dubbed the JioBook.
iOS 14.5 doesn't have a default music service setting
Apple iOS version 14.5 beta testers noticed that Siri would ask you to select a player or streaming service when you instructed it to play music for the first time. This led them to assume Apple would allow users to set a default service for music.
NewsBytes Briefing: WhatsApp gets desktop voice calling, and more
Nothing drives innovation more than your consumer base waking up and saying no to the abuse. At least, that seems to be why Facebook has been adding new and shiny features at an impressive rate.
Hacker group unc0ver releases jailbreak utility for iOS 14.3
iPhone hacker group unc0ver has released the latest version of its iOS jailbreak utility on February 28 that works for almost all iPhones. The tool exploits a vulnerability that Apple has fixed in the iOS 14.4 update.
NASA's Perseverance rover powered by processors used in 90s' iMacs
NASA's Perseverance rover, which is presently on Mars, is powered by the same IBM PowerPC processor found in the Apple iMacs from 1998. The processor is about 23 years old, and is painfully slow by modern standards.
NewsBytes Briefing: Amazon accused of discriminating against blacks, and more
Not long after being caught stealing tips from its drivers, Amazon follows in Google's footsteps and gets accused of discriminating against a black employee.
NewsBytes Briefing: Twitter will soon have paywalls, and more
Even as Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey bloviates about making Twitter free, the microblogging site announced plans to introduce monetization and paywalled content. Dubbed as Super Follow, the upcoming feature allows Twitter to make money off paywalled content.
Facebook-Apple spat escalates: Facebook launches PR campaign defending targeted advertising
On Thursday, social media giant Facebook launched a campaign called "Good Ideas Deserve To Be Found" attempting to explain to users how small businesses rely on targeted advertising. Facebook will air commercials on radio and on TV, including during the Golden Globe Awards on Sunday.
NewsBytes Briefing: Apple M1 Macs are dying slowly, and more
If you thought Macs are expensive, wait until you learn how long the new M1 Macs are going to last. Well, not very long as their SSDs are decaying alarmingly quickly.
Apple rumored to replace iPad mini with foldable iPhone
Latest report from MyDrivers suggests that Apple might replace the iPad mini with a foldable version of the iPhone. If that didn't sound bizarre enough, this foldable iPhone will also support stylus input.
Apple M1 Mac users report abnormally high SSD usage
Over the past week, numerous Apple users have tweeted about abnormally high SSD usage on their few-month-old M1 Macs.
NewsBytes Briefing: Facebook shows Australia its merciful side, and more
After successfully getting Google to capitulate and pay for news, Australia learned the hard way that Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg is made of sterner stuff. Facebook's Aussie news ban also wiped out critical resources involving suicide helplines and COVID-19 information channels.
#DealOfTheDay: iPhone 12 mini available with benefits worth Rs. 6,000
If you are planning to own an iPhone, this might be a good deal for you. Flipkart is offering the iPhone 12 mini (64GB model) with an instant discount of Rs. 6,000 on EMI transactions via HDFC Bank Debit and Credit Cards.
Leaked AirPods 3 images reveal in-ear design and shorter stem
Late last month, we reported that Apple's next-generation true wireless earphones (AirPods 3) could be launched by mid-2021. On Saturday, Chinese website 52audio leaked an image and some CAD renders showing off the earphones and the charging case.
NewsBytes Briefing: Google keeps firing its ethics researchers
Google's former pride and joy, its Ethical AI research team, is turning out to be a PR campaign gone awry. The search giant had hired scientists promising them freedom, but the honeymoon period ended when they began publishing papers critical of Google's own products.
Border conflict with China impacts iPhone production in India
Repercussions of India's geopolitical tensions with its neighbor China are being felt at Apple's iPhone production facilities in India. The South China Morning Post reports that the tensions have limited the issuance of entrance visas to Chinese engineers, which, in turn, is impacting Apple suppliers in the country.
NewsBytes Briefing: Zuckerberg goes full Sopranos on Apple, and more
Last month, we had predicted how Apple's new-found love for privacy was an act of war and that it would lead to the Silicon Valley equivalent of a gang war.
Zuckerberg tells Facebook employees "to inflict pain" on Apple
This weekend, a Wall Street Journal report elaborated upon the ongoing rift between Apple CEO Tim Cook and Facebook boss Mark Zuckerberg.
Apple will repair faulty Apple Watch batteries free of charge
Apple released the watchOS version 7.3.1 update yesterday. It intends to fix a bug affecting, what Apple claims to be, "a very small number" of Apple Watch Series 5 and Apple Watch SE devices.
'Foundation' is Apple TV's answer to 'GoT': Details here
Foundation is the latest lion-sized entrant into mainstream sci-fi entertainment, and Apple TV+ is banking its success on this "Autumn 2021" release.
Google Chrome beta for iOS allows locking incognito tabs
The latest beta version of the Google Chrome browser for iOS reportedly lets users lock incognito tabs using Touch or Face ID.
Apple Pay users can now make purchases using Bitcoin
It looks like there's no stopping Bitcoin from going mainstream. Everyone's favorite cryptocurrency is now coming to Apple Pay.
NewsBytes Briefing: Facebook is after your vital stats, and more
From your political preferences to buying habits, Facebook's spying of its users is comprehensive. However, there's always some scope for improvement.
Apple offers free battery replacement for eligible 2016-17 MacBook Pros
Specific MacBook Pro models from 2016 and 2017 were affected by an issue which wouldn't let their battery charge past one percent.
NewsBytes Briefing: Apple pulls a Xiaomi with advertisements, and more
Apple had recently taken great pains to warn us about its evil Big Tech brethren and their evil advertisements. Looks like it forgot to heed its own warnings.
Apple introduces ads in App Store Search tab. Hypocrisy much?
After pontificating about privacy and the menace of tracking ads, Apple is now deploying advertisements in its App Store app.
iPhone 12 can deactivate pacemakers, other medical implants
Apple iPhone 12 can seriously interfere with the working of medical devices such as pacemakers and implantable defibrillators.
Hyundai/Kia say they aren't in talks for Apple Car
South Korean automaker Hyundai Motor Co and Kia Corp told Bloomberg on Monday that they are not in talks with Apple Inc. to develop the rumored Apple Car. The news sent Hyundai and Kia shares sliding.
Apple to discontinue iPhone 12 mini's production by Q2 2021
JP Morgan's supply chain analyst William Yang has claimed (via AppleInsider) that Apple will discontinue the production of its iPhone 12 mini handset by Q2 2021.
Massachusetts man accidentally swallows Apple AirPods whilst asleep
Worcester, Massachusetts resident Bradford Gauthier recently woke up with trouble swallowing, and a missing Apple AirPods. His wife and son jokingly suggested he might have swallowed it.
NewsBytes Briefing: Google learns blackmailing Australia doesn't work, and more
They say it doesn't hurt to try, but Google will beg to differ; especially, if that involves blackmailing entire countries.
Apple rumored to be working on a $3,000-worth VR headset
As if VR headsets weren't expensive enough, Apple is now rumored to raise the bar even higher. The iPhone maker is expected to launch a $3,000-worth virtual reality headset as early as next year, with a mind-boggling 8K resolution per eye.