Hacker team finds iPhone security exploit using paper clips

iPhoneIslam, a hacker team that is know for discovering security flaws with iOS, has posted a new video this week that shows off a newly discovered flaw that gives access to contact information, phone calls, emails, and more just by using a paper clip, patience, and the ability to call the phone that you're trying to get into.

The exploit is fairly simple - call the phone that you'd like to hack into, allow the call to go to voicemail, pop out the SIM card of the iPhone (using a paper clip), and swipe the missed call notification on the home screen. The process takes a while and requires patience since it's probably not going to work the first time (as seen in the video below), but it is reproducible. It also requires the device to be running iOS 5 and be a GSM iPhone so that it has a SIM card.

The only way to avoid this happening to you is by turning off missed call notifications on the home screen, but that's obviously going to be inconvenient for most. Apple hasn't commented on this yet, but we expect it to be patched in a future iOS update.

Apple building 160-acre data center in Oregon

Apple's data center in North Carolina

Local news website KTVZ has received confirmation from Apple that the Cupertino-based company plans to build a new data center in  Prineville, Oregon on a 160-acre lot. Apple purchased the land from Crook County for a whopping $5.6 million. An Apple spokesperson confirmed earlier today that the land was indeed purchased for a data center, but no further information was provided.

A statutory warranty deed for the property off Baldwin Court was filed last week with the Crook County clerk’s office, a public document finally breaking the official silence over a long-term courtship with a company formerly known only as “Project Maverick.”

Just last year, Apple completed the building of a large data center in North Carolina, which currently powers the company's iCloud and Siri services.

Facebook is widely known for owning a fairly large data center in Prineville as well.

Apple extends date of “sandboxing” requirement of Mac App Store apps to June 1

Today, Apple announced that it has extended the date of when all applications available in the Mac App Store are required to make use of "sandboxing" technology to June 1, 2012. Sandboxing is a technology that essentially keeps every app inside of its own little "space" on a user's hard drive, and it is not allowed to access any other user files. It adds a second layer of protection against possible compromised apps, making sure that they wouldn't affect any entire system.

The technology, however, takes quite a while to integrate into apps, and brings into question a number of features that may have to be removed. Apple previously set a deadline for all apps to use sandboxing in November of last year, but this was later delayed to March 1 and delayed again today.

We have extended the deadline for sandboxing your apps on the Mac App Store from March 1st to June 1st to provide you with enough time to take advantage of new sandboxing entitlements available in OS X 10.7.3 and new APIs in Xcode 4.3. Get more details about sandboxing your app and find answers to FAQs.

Developers have made their voices heard, informing Apple that there are still questions on how sandboxing should be implemented properly.

Apple’s North Carolina data center earns “LEED Platinum certification”; soon to be powered by largest solar array in U.S.

This week, Apple updated its environmental information page, which is where the company displays statistics about its products and how environmentally friendly ("green") they are. The new info deals with Apple's Maiden, North Carolina data center and discusses how it has been awarded "the coveted LEED Platinum certification from the U.S. Green Building Council."

The Cupertino-based technology company says that it knows of no other data center of that size to earn the same level of certification. In addition, Apple has revealed its plans to power the data center, which supposedly is used for its new iCloud and Siri services, "with high percentage renewable energy mix." It plans to build the largest "end user-owned solar array" and "nonutility fuel cell installation" in the United States.

China Telecom to begin selling iPhone 4S on March 9

China Telecom, the nation's smallest of three major carriers, announced today that it will begin taking pre-orders for Apple's iPhone 4S on March 2, with sales beginning March 9, 2012. Customers will be able to choose between the 16 GB, 32 GB, or 64 GB models, the same options that are available world wide.

ABC previews ‘Nightline’ visit to Foxconn factory

Over the past weekend, ABC announced that it had been granted access to the Foxconn factory in China, where Apple assembles its products. The segment, which is entitled "iFactory: Inside Apple," is scheduled to air tomorrow night, but ABC has posted a preview of the video today as a teaser.

It was around this time when Apple called me. They wondered if "Nightline" was interested in seeing their iPhone, iPad and MacBook final assembly lines at Foxconn during a first-ever audit by the Fair Labor Association. I said yes, very much, and immediately started imaging the reasons why they were offering such a scoop to me, of all people. Among the possibilities...

The segment is hosted by Nightline co-anchor Bill Weir, and features interviews with Foxconn employees and top executives.

Next-generation iPad to sport larger tapered edges, 8-megapixel camera

According to images released by NextMedia, the next-generation iPad, which has been dubbed "iPad 3" by the media, will sport larger, more gradual tapered edges than the current iPad 2 model, as well as an improved 8-megapixel rear-facing camera. From the shots, it's clear that the case design has been modified (even if it is slightly) when compared to the iPad 2, and the most noticeable thing is the larger camera lens. The camera lens now resides directly on the tapered edge, something we've seen Apple go with in previous devices.

The iPad 2 only has a 1-megapixel camera on the back, meaning that this could be a significant upgrade. The site is also claiming that the tablet will be powered by a quad-core processor (likely another in-house CPU developed by Apple, "A6") and a high-resolution display. In addition, a March 7 announcement date is once again being thrown around the rumor mill.

Apple files antitrust complaint against Motorola Mobility with European Commission

As noted by Bloomberg, Apple has filed an antitrust complaint against Motorola Mobility with the European Commission (EC), accusing the company of violating a promise to license patents on fair terms. The complaint was likely filed earlier than yesterday, which is when Motorola Mobility was informed of it by the EC. A company spokesperson has stated that Motorola Mobility is willing to "negotiate a patent license with Apple."

Apple believes that Motorola is licensing patents against the "fair, reasonable, and non-discriminatory" (FRAND) terms, which are designed to force companies to license intellectual property fairly to avoid a possibly monopoly in a certain market.

Earlier this week, the EC approved Google's $12.5 billion acquisition of Motorola Mobility.

Fair Labor Association finding “tons of issues” with Foxconn facility

Manufacturing of an aluminum Mac notebook

Just days after the Fair Labor Association (FLA) released their preliminary thoughts on Apple's Foxconn supplier facility, stating that it was "top-class," the association has stated that "tons of issues" have since been uncovered. According to Bloomberg, FLA chief executive officer Auret van Heerden said, "I believe we’re going to see some very significant announcements in the near future."

Heerden also said that the issues that have been found, which likely deal more with chemicals rather than physical conditions, will need to be addressed in the near future.

The FLA will be releasing more information on their findings in the coming weeks.

Apple announced earlier this week that it has asked the FLA to complete a thorough investigation of nearly off of its supplier facilities amidst reports that working conditions are poor.

[UPDATE] Apple settles iPhone 4 “Antennagate” lawsuit – customers eligible to receive $15 or free bumper case

According to CNET, Apple has settled a class-action lawsuit with iPhone 4 customers that dates back to 2010. The lawsuit accused Apple of "misrepresenting and concealing material information in the marketing, advertising, sale, and servicing of its iPhone 4--particularly as it relates to the quality of the mobile phone antenna and reception and related software."

As a result of the settlement, U.S. residents who purchased an iPhone 4 are eligible to receive $15 or a free bumper case from Apple. A similar offer was being made by Apple back in July of 2010, shortly after the performance issues surrounding the iPhone 4 antenna system were uncovered.

Sometime in the next couple of weeks, customers will be able to go to www.iPhone4Settlement.com (website not working right now) to apply for a claim. In addition, emails will be sent to users before April 30, 2012 informing them of the outcome of the lawsuit, and the claims period will then be open for 120 days.

"We believe that the Apple iPhone 4 settlement is fair, adequate, and reasonable," Ira Rothken, co-lead counsel representing the class, told CNET. "We believe that it allows members of the class to choose, and they can get $15 of cash or a bumper, so we believe that type of choice is proportional to the circumstances."

UPDATE: Apple has issued a statement that reveals that this settlement is for any customer who didn't participate in the free case program of 2010, or elected to not return their iPhone 4.

iOS 5.1 to include Japanese Siri, refreshed Camera icon on lock screen

Apple has been testing the iOS 5.1 software update with developers for several months now, with the most recent seed, beta version three (3), being seeded in early January. While it does appear that development of iOS 5.1 has slowed down for the time being, BGR claims to have gotten their hands on the "Gold Master" build of the update. A Gold Master (a.k.a. "GM") build of software is usually the final, shipping build of an update.

From the GM build, BGR says that Siri will be gaining Japanese language support, which has been rumored for the past couple of weeks now and previously promised by Apple. In addition, it appears as though access to the Camera from the lock screen of iOS will be available by sliding up on the new icon. The icon will reportedly be "persistent," meaning that it will always be there. In the current version of iOS 5, the Camera icon is accessible by double-clicking the home button.

iOS 5.1 is expected to be released on or around March 9, 2012, the rumored announcement date of the next-generation iPad.

Apple begins countdown to 25 billion iOS app downloads

Today, Apple launched a countdown on its website for 25 billion iOS app downloads from the App Store. At the time of writing, the countdown is at 24, 310, 616 apps downloaded. The person who downloads the twenty-fifth billion app will receive a $10,000 App Store gift card courtesy of Apple. Users can also enter the contest by filling in a submission form.

As of today, nearly 25 billion apps have been downloaded worldwide. Which is almost as amazing as the apps themselves. So we want to say thanks. Download the 25 billionth app, and you could win a US$10,000 App Store Gift Card.* Just visit the App Store and download your best app yet.

Apple ran similar countdowns for the 10 billion App Store downloads milestone just over one year ago, as well as a countdown to 10 billion songs being downloaded from the iTunes Store in February of 2010.

iPad 3 to have Retina Display

It has been rumored for some time now that the third-generation iPad will feature a high resolution Retina Display like that of the iPhone 4 and 4S. MacRumors now says the have obtained an iPad 3 display and examined it closely to reveal that it has double the resolution of previous iPads.

A Retina Display is a term that Apple uses for showing off high resolution displays in their products. The iPhone 4 and 4S have Retina Displays as with the latest iPod touch. With a high resolution display it allows the user to see sharper and clear images on the device.

With double the resolution a Retina Display iPad 3 would carry a full pixel count of 2048 x 1536. Previous generation iPads have had the same 1024 x 768 pixel resolution. The report also says that the parts obtained show the screen has the same 9.7" diagonal display.

The iPad 3 is expected to be officially introduced by Apple on March 7 at a media event. Other mainstream rumors suggest the device to have 4G LTE capability and a faster A6 processor while keeping the same form factor the iPad 2 has.

Apple seeds Safari 5.2 to developers for testing

Alongside the release of the OS X Mountain Lion developer preview earlier today, Apple also seeded developers with a build of the upcoming Safari 5.2 software update. The update, which will come pre-installed on OS X Mountain Lion, brings a number of tweaks and new features to Safari users on Mac OS X Lion.

New features in Safari 5.2 include:

• Unified address bar and search bar
• "Reader" icon always appears - turns blue when the feature can be used
• URLs will now display the domain of the website, and any specific path will be grayed out

It's unclear when Apple will be releasing Safari 5.2 to the public, but it's safe to say it will be around the same time as the OS X Mountain Lion release in the Summer of this year.

Apple releases beta of “Messages” for OS X Lion

Earlier today, Apple announced the ninth major release of Mac OS, dubbed "OS X Mountain Lion." The update brings a number of new features to the Mac platform, most of which come from iOS. One new feature is the Messages app, which integrates FaceTime, iMessages, and iChat functionality into one.

In order to test the app and give users an idea of what it will be like, Apple has released a beta version of Messages to OS X Lion users today.

Download Messages Beta and get a taste of what’s coming in OS X Mountain Lion. When you install Messages, it replaces iChat. But iChat services will continue to work. And Messages brings iMessage to the Mac — just like on iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch running iOS 5. Here are the features you can expect with Messages:

• Send unlimited iMessages to any Mac, iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch.*
• Start an iMessage conversation on your Mac and continue it on your iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch.
• Send photos, videos, attachments, contacts, locations, and more.
• Launch a FaceTime video call and bring the conversation face-to-face.
• Messages supports iMessage, AIM, Yahoo!, Google Talk, and Jabber accounts.

Messages for OS X Lion is available for download here.

Apple announces “OS X Mountain Lion” – the next major release of Mac OS

In a very unexpected move today, Apple announced "OS X Mountain Lion," the ninth major release of the Mac OS X desktop operating system. Mountain Lion will be released to the public this summer, with a developer preview being seeded today. The OS will come less than a year after OS X Lion was released to the public.

OS X Mountain Lion continues Apple's work on migrating features of iOS to the Mac environment. The OS touts 100 new features, including: Reminders, Notes, Game Center, Notification Center, AirPlay Mirroring, Twitter integration, and Messages. Messages will  be replacing the aging iChat application on OS X, and will feature iMessage support, allowing messages to be sent between Macs and iOS devices.

“The Mac is on a roll, growing faster than the PC for 23 straight quarters, and with Mountain Lion things get even better,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. “The developer preview of Mountain Lion comes just seven months after the incredibly successful release of Lion and sets a rapid pace of development for the world’s most advanced personal computer operating system.”

OS X Mountain Lion will also include tighter integration with iCloud, which will allow apps like Mail, FaceTime, and Find My Mac to be automatically setup. In addition, documents will be automatically synced and pushed to all iCloud-enabled devices.

Another new feature is dubbed "Gatekeeper," which will allow Mountain Lion users to determine which sources are able to run and install things on the computer. This seems to be Apple's attempt at drastically improving OS X security.

OS X Mountain Lion will be a Mac App Store exclusive download and will be available sometime in the late summer of 2012.

A couple of other notes about Mountain Lion:

• Removes the "Mac" title from "Mac OS X"
• System software updates have been moved to the Mac App Store
• By default, apps must either be "signed" with a certificate or be installed through the Mac App Store. This can be overridden, but lessens security

Apple seeks court approval before suing Kodak over patents

According to a report from Bloomberg, Apple has asked the court currently overseeing Kodak's chapter 11 bankruptcy case for approval to file a lawsuit against the already struggling company. Apple is accusing Kodak of infringing upon its patents in printers, digital cameras and digital picture frames.

Apple said in a filing yesterday in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in New York that it intends to file a complaint against Kodak at the International Trade Commission and a corresponding suit in U.S. District Court in Manhattan based on patent-infringement claims. The suit will seek an order blocking Kodak’s infringement, according to the filing.

It's interesting to note that Apple did ask the court for permission to sue Kodak, which normally isn't a requirement. The company, however, "requests express authority from this court before it initiates the actions out of an abundance of caution."

Kodak will have the right to ask the court to halt the district court case until the ITC makes its ruling, though a court order on that request “is not required before Apple commences” its lawsuits, Apple said in the filing.

Kodak filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy protection earlier this year and is currently in a court-operated auction to sell off its patents.

Fair Labor Association reveals first thoughts on Foxconn – “first-class” facility

Earlier this week, Apple announced that it has asked the Fair Labor Association (FLA) to complete a thorough investigation of nearly all of its supplier facilities amidst reports that workers are under poor conditions. Apple believes that it is one of the few companies being transparent about the issues at facilities, and CEO Tim Cook reiterated this during a Q&A session at yesterday's Goldman Sachs Technology and Internet Conference.

Reuters reports on the first impressions of the FLA, who state that Foxconn is "first-class." The FLA believes that conditions at the facility are much better than others in the industry.

After his first visits to Foxconn, van Heerden said, "The facilities are first-class; the physical conditions are way, way above average of the norm."

He spent the past several days visiting Foxconn plants to prepare for the study.

"I was very surprised when I walked onto the floor at Foxconn, how tranquil it is compared with a garment factory," he said. "So the problems are not the intensity and burnout and pressure-cooker environment you have in a garment factory. . It's more a function of monotony, of boredom, of alienation perhaps."

Apple to address recent address book controversy with future software update

Over the past week, you've probably heard a little something about the iOS app "Path," which allows users to share life events with friends and family through social networks. It was found last week that Path had been sending users' entire address books to its servers, without informing the user or asking for permission. Since then, the contact information has been removed from Path's servers and the app has been updated, but the issue still sheds light on how iOS handles certain privacy features.

In a statement issued to All Things D earlier today, an Apple spokesperson has confirmed that in a future software update, apps will be required to request permission from users to access their address book. This will be similar to how location services work on iOS in the sense that an app must first gain approval from the user to find their location.

“Apps that collect or transmit a user’s contact data without their prior permission are in violation of our guidelines,” Apple spokesman Tom Neumayr told AllThingsD. “We’re working to make this even better for our customers, and as we have done with location services, any app wishing to access contact data will require explicit user approval in a future software release.”

Tim Cook: iCloud has 100 million users; Apple to release worker safety data monthly

Today, Apple CEO Tim Cook spoke at the Goldman Sachs Technology and Internet Conference and took part in a question and answer session with analyst Bill Shope. During the Q&A, Cook revealed that iCloud, Apple's cloud-based service that replaced MobileMe last October, now has over 100 million users. This number is quite large considering the service has been out for only a few months.

In addition, Cook revealed that Apple will begin releasing monthly reports on the safety of workers at Apple's supplier facilities on its website. This news comes just one day after Apple announced that it has asked the Fair Labor Association to complete a full investigation of nearly all Apple facilities to make sure that workers are being treated well and are safe. Cook believes that Apple is one of the few companies actually communicating with the world about the issues at supplier facilities.

Finally, when asked about Apple's recent financial earnings report for the first fiscal quarter of 2012, Cook said that the Cupertino-based company had "a decent quarter." Apple reported a record-breaking revenue of $46.33 billion by selling 37.04 million iPhones and nearly 15 million iPads.