Sunday, June 30, 2019

OpenID Foundation Claims 'Sign In with Apple' Exposes Users to Security and Privacy Risks

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At WWDC 2019 earlier this month, Apple announced Sign In with Apple, a new privacy-focused login feature that will allow macOS Catalina and iOS 13 users to sign into third-party apps and websites using their Apple ID.


The feature has been largely welcomed as a more secure alternative to similar sign-in services offered by Facebook, Google, and Twitter, since it authenticates the user with Face ID or Touch ID, and doesn't send personal information to app and website developers.

However the implementation of Sign In with Apple has now been questioned by the OpenID Foundation (OIDF), a non-profit organization whose members include Google, Microsoft, PayPal, and others.

In an open letter to Apple software chief Craig Federighi, the foundation praised Apple's authentication feature for having "largely adopted" OpenID Connect, a standardized protocol used by many existing sign-in platforms that lets developers authenticate users across websites and apps without them having to use separate passwords.

Yet it cautioned that several differences remain between OpenID Connect and Sign In with Apple that could potentially put users' security and privacy in jeopardy.
The current set of differences between OpenID Connect and Sign In with Apple reduces the places where users can use Sign In with Apple and exposes them to greater security and privacy risks. It also places an unnecessary burden on developers of both OpenID Connect and Sign In with Apple. By closing the current gaps, Apple would be interoperable with widely-available OpenID Connect Relying Party software.
To remedy the situation, the foundation asked Apple to address the differences between Sign In with Apple and OpenID Connect, which have been recorded in a document managed by the OIDF certification team.


It also invited the company to use OpenID's suite of certification tests to improve the interoperability of the two platforms, publicly state their compatibility, and join the OpenID Foundation.

Shortly after unveiling Sign In with Apple, the tech giant told developers that if an app lets users log in using their Facebook or Google logins, then it must also provide an alternative Sign In with Apple option.

The company then raised some eyebrows when it emerged that its updated Human Interface Guidelines asked app developers to place its authentication feature above other rival third-party sign-in options wherever they appeared.

(Thanks, Jonathan!)


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Saturday, June 29, 2019

Using 4K Monitors With Chromebooks: What You Need To Know [VIDEO]


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Apple Identifies Logic Board Issue With 'Very Small Number' of 2018 MacBook Airs, Will Fix Free of Charge

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Apple has identified an undisclosed issue with the logic board in "a very small number" of 2018 MacBook Air units, according to an internal document distributed to Apple Stores and Apple Authorized Service Providers on Friday. The document was obtained by MacRumors from a source who has proven reliable.


Apple will replace the main logic board in affected MacBook Air units, free of charge. Apple will also send an email to affected customers to let them know that their notebooks are eligible for a main logic board replacement.

2018 MacBook Air owners can visit Apple's support website to schedule an appointment with an Apple Store or Apple Authorized Service Provider. When the serial number of an affected MacBook Air is entered into Apple's internal repair system, a message will direct technicians to replace the logic board.

Apple will authorize coverage within four years of the MacBook Air's original purchase date. If the notebook has accidental damage that the customer does not want repaired, technicians are instructed to proceed with the logic board replacement at no cost as long as the damage does not prevent completion of the repair.

If accidental damage does prevent the logic board replacement from being completed, Apple says the customer must pay for necessary repairs in order to get the logic board replaced at no cost.

Apple has not publicly announced this repair policy, likely due to what it believes is a very small number of affected customers. While we are confident this information is accurate, as it comes from a consistently reliable source, we cannot guarantee that all Apple employees will acknowledge the policy.

This is at least the third repair program that Apple has introduced in the past five weeks, alongside its 2015 15-inch MacBook Pro battery recall and replacement program and 2016 13-inch MacBook Pro display backlight service program.

Related Roundup: MacBook Air
Buyer's Guide: MacBook Air (Neutral)

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4K Lenovo Yoga Chromebook C630 sale brings price to just $25 more than the 1080p model


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Top Stories: Jony Ive Leaving Apple, iOS 13 and macOS Catalina Public Betas, 16" MacBook Pro

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The big news of this week was obviously the announcement that Jony Ive will be leaving Apple to start his own design firm, but there was plenty of other news including a surprise early launch of public betas of iOS 13, macOS Catalina, and tvOS 13.

Read on below for a summary of all our top stories from this week.

Apple's Longtime Design Chief Jony Ive Leaving to Start New Design Company With Apple as a Primary Client


It feels like it's been a long time coming, but it was still a bit of a surprise this week when Apple announced that design chief Jony Ive will be departing the company to start his own design firm. It sounds like it won't be a clean break, as Apple says it will be a "primary client" of Ive's new firm, but we'll have to see how much influence he ends up having on Apple's future products.


In the wake of the announcement, Bloomberg took a look back at the last few years of Ive's tenure at Apple, noting that his involvement in Apple's product design began tapering off as long as four years ago following the introduction of the original Apple Watch. Ive turned his attention to the company's Apple Park campus, and even limited the time he spent at Apple's headquarters, preferring to work out of a location close to his home in San Francisco.

Public Betas of iOS 13 and More Released!


Apple surprised us this week with the first public betas of iOS 13 and iPadOS, macOS Catalina, and tvOS 13, which weren't expected until July. This allows anyone who signs up to Apple's free beta software program to test the updates before they are officially released in the fall.


We have put together a guide on how to install the iOS 13 public beta — we also have ones for iPadOS, macOS Catalina, and tvOS 13. As usual, Apple cautions against installing the updates on your primary, daily-use devices, as there are still bugs and issues to be sorted out.

16-Inch MacBook Pro Said to Launch in September With LCD and 3072x1920 Resolution


Rumors continue to surface about an all-new 16-inch MacBook Pro coming later this year, as first mentioned by reputable analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.


The latest word comes from Jeff Lin, an analyst at research firm IHS Markit, who believes the 16-inch MacBook Pro will have an LCD, not an OLED display, and launch in September.

Lin also believes that Apple plans to refresh the MacBook Air and the 13-inch MacBook Pro — perhaps the models without the Touch Bar — with faster processors in the fall.

Apple Hires ARM's Lead CPU Architect Amid Rumors of ARM-Based Macs as Early as 2020


Rumors suggest Apple plans to transition to its own ARM-based processors in Macs starting as early as 2020, and its hiring of ARM's lead CPU architect Mike Filippo could certainly help those efforts.


Filippo led the development of several chips at ARM between 2009 and 2019, and he was also Intel's lead CPU and system architect between 2004 and 2009, so he brings a wealth of experience with him to Apple.

Apple Says Spotify Pays 15% Fee on Just <1% of Subscribers in Response to App Store Complaint


Apple has filed a response to Spotify's anticompetitive complaint about the App Store in Europe, noting that Spotify only pays Apple a 15 percent commission for less than 1% of its paying subscribers.


That equates to around 680,000 users who subscribed to Spotify through its iOS app via Apple's in-app purchase system between 2014 and 2016.

Hands-On With LG's Massive 5K 49-Inch $1,500 Display


LG recently came out with a new curved ultra-wide monitor sporting a massive 49-inch display size, 5K resolution, and a ~$1,500 price tag.


In our latest video over on our YouTube channel, we went hands-on with the display to see if it's a worthwhile purchase for a Mac user.

Subscribe to MacRumors on YouTube for new Apple videos every week!

2015 15" MacBook Pro Recall Applies to About 432,000 Units, Apple Received 26 Reports of Batteries Overheating


Last week, Apple launched a worldwide recall program for select 2015 15-inch MacBook Pro units due to batteries that "may overheat and pose a fire safety risk." Apple will replace affected batteries free of charge.


Now, we have learned that about 432,000 potentially affected MacBook Pros were sold in the United States, plus 26,000 in Canada. Apple has received 26 reports of batteries overheating in the United States and one in Canada.

Here is everything you need to know about the recall program, including how to identify your Mac and get the battery replaced.

Leaked Photos Show Apple Card's Design in the Wild


Apple's upcoming Apple Card credit card is now being tested by both its corporate and retail employees ahead of a planned summer launch, and some more photos of the card have now leaked.


The titanium Apple Card appears to weigh in at 14.75 grams, making it much heavier than typical plastic credit cards around 5 grams and more in line with other metal cards like the Chase Sapphire Reserve.

It is likely the Apple Card launch will be tied to the release of iOS 12.4, which is inching towards the end of beta testing.

MacRumors Newsletter


Each week, we publish an email newsletter like this highlighting the top Apple stories, making it a great way to get a bite-sized recap of the week hitting all of the major topics we've covered and tying together related stories for a big-picture view.

So if you want to have top stories like the above recap delivered to your email inbox each week, subscribe to our newsletter!


This article, "Top Stories: Jony Ive Leaving Apple, iOS 13 and macOS Catalina Public Betas, 16" MacBook Pro" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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