Lit Apple Mac, iPhone, iPad User Group

[sandysgeek]

This little-known iPhone trick lets you instantly take a picture of an entire web pag

iPhone 12 Mini and iPhone 12 Pro Max.



My colleague sent me a tweet over the weekend that reminded me of an iPhone feature I’d long forgotten about. But you might find it useful in case you ever want to take a screen shot of an entire webpage to read later, or mark up and send to someone.

It’s one of those weird iPhone features that’s been staring right as us for over a year, but it seems like most people don’t know about it.


Here’s how to take a screen shot of an entire page on your iPhone

• Open Apple’s Safari browser (it doesn’t work in Google Chrome) and navigate to the website you want to capture.
  
  
• Take a screenshot on your iPhone. If you have a newer phone with no home button, you do this by tapping the volume up and power button on the same time. (If your iPhone still has a home button, tap the home button and power button at the same time.)
  
  
• You’ll see a capture of the site. Now, tap the screenshot on the lower left.
  
  
• Tap the “full page” option on the top.
  
  
• Your iPhone will capture an image of the entire website. You can tap the square crop tool on the top-left to grab a specific part of it if you want. Or tap the pen tools on the bottom to draw on the page.
  
  
• Tap Done.

That’s it. Now you’ve capture an entire website on your iPhone and can share it with other people, read it later, draw on it or save it for later.

 

[sandysgeek]

watchOS 7.3.1 now available for Apple Watch with Power Reserve bug fix

Apple has released watchOS 7.3.1 to the public today. According to the company, the update includes a fix for Apple Watch Series 5 and Apple Watch SE users related to Power Reserve. The update is only available for Apple Watch Series 5 and Apple Watch SE.

Apple explains in the release notes that the update resolves an issue that prevented Apple Watch Series 5 and Apple Watch SE users from charging after entering the Power Reserve mode.

watchOS 7.3.1 addresses an issue that prevented some Apple Watch Series 5 and Apple Watch SE devices from charging after entering Power Reserve.

To update your Apple Watch to watchOS 7.3.1, open the Settings app on the Apple Watch and look for Software Update. You can also install the update via the Apple Watch companion app on your iPhone.

 

[sandysgeek]

Apple offering free repairs for Watch Series 5 & SE devices stuck Power Reserve mode

Apple offering free repairs for Apple Watch Series 5 and SE devices stuck in Power Reserve mode

Apple today released watchOS 7.3.1 for the Apple Watch Series 5 and Apple Watch SE. The release notes indicated that the update includes a fix to prevent a bug that caused those Apple Watch models to get stuck in Power Reserve Mode.

Apple has published a new support document to complement watchOS 7.3.1 with additional details on this bug.

For those unfamiliar, Power Reserve lets you see the time on your Apple Watch while preserving your battery life. In Power Reserve, your Apple Watch and iPhone don’t communicate, and you can’t access other watch features.

Apple explains in its new support document that a “very small number” of Apple Watch customers with the Apple Watch Series 5 or Apple Watch SE have “experienced an issue with their watch not charging after it enters Power Reserve.”

Apple says that watchOS 7.3.1, released to the public today, “prevents this issue from happening to other Apple Watch Series 5 or Apple Watch SE devices.” This means that the update will not fix the problem for users who are already experiencing it, but it should prevent it from happening to additional users.

A very small number of customers with Apple Watch Series 5 or Apple Watch SE models running watchOS 7.2 or 7.3 have experienced an issue with their watch not charging after it enters Power Reserve.

To check if your Apple Watch is affected by this issue, place your watch on the charger that you normally use, then wait at least 30 minutes.

Apple has released watchOS 7.3.1, which prevents this issue from happening to other Apple Watch Series 5 or Apple Watch SE devices.

But what if your Apple Watch Series 5 or Apple Watch SE is already experiencing this problem? Apple says that you should contact Apple Support to set up a mail-in repair free of charge. Your watch will be examined before service to verify that it’s eligible for free repair, the company explains.

 

[sandysgeek]

Mac Malware Detections Dropped 38% in 2020, Most Still Adware

Antivirus software developer Malwarebytes today shared its 2021 State of Malware Report, which found that malware threat detections on Macs fell a total of 38 percent in 2020.

In 2019 Malwarebytes detected a total of 120,855,305 threats, which dropped to 75,285,427 threats in 2020. Consumer threats were down 40 percent, but as businesses operated remotely and shifted to online work, threat detections for business users grew 31 percent.

There was a drop in detections of Adware and potentially unwanted programs (PUPs), but Malwarebytes says that malware, which includes backdoors, data stealers, and cryptocurrency stealers/miners, increased by more than 61 percent.

That number sounds high, but malware still only accounted for 1.5 percent of all threat detections on the Mac, with the rest still coming from Adware and PUPs.

Potentially unwanted software includes "cleaning" apps like MacKeeper and MacBooster, along with apps like Advanced Mac Cleaner, Mac Adware Cleaner, and others, and it represented more than 76 percent of detections. Adware represented approximately 22 percent. These are overall numbers, and the breakdowns varied somewhat by country, but most Malwarebytes users are in the United States. Business machines saw a bit more malware and adware, with less unwanted software.

Of malware found on Macs, the top 10 malware families accounted for more than 99 percent of the total, with more than 80 percent detected due to suspicious behaviors. OSX.FakeFileOpener, malicious apps designed to open files, accounted for the second highest number of detections.

Malwarebytes says that the most unusual Malware detected on Macs in 2020 was ThiefQuest, which spread through installers found on torrent sites. When infected, Macs would start to have files encrypted, with the malware providing ransom instructions.

These instructions went nowhere, though, and didn't provide a legitimate contact for removing the encryption. Instead, the ransomware was a cover for something more malicious.

Upon further investigation, we learned that the ransomware activity was really a cover for massive data exfiltration, including MS Office and Apple iWork documents, PDF files, images, cryptocurrency wallets, and more. This kind of malware, known in the Windows world as a "wiper," had never before been seen on Macs.

Even more interesting, the malware would inject malicious code into executable files found in the Users folder, such as components of Google Software Update, in a virus- like manner, another rarity in the Mac world. The combination of these features made ThiefQuest not only the most unusual Mac malware in 2020, but perhaps the most unusual Mac malware ever.

Sophisticated adware techniques were also spotted on Macs in 2020, including phishing for admin passwords, using synthetic clicks to automate browser extension installations, modifying the sudoers file to maintain root permissions indefinitely, and manually editing the TCC database to give the adware more system access.

On Macs, Malwarebytes says that the "business model of choice for most criminals" remains Adware, with trojans, worms, spyware, and RiskWareTools being more common on Windows machines. Still, malware is an increasing Mac problem and it's something that Mac users should be aware of.

Malwarebytes' full report can be read on the Malwarebytes website.

 

[sandysgeek]

PSA: App Store Bug Hiding App Update Buttons for Some Users

If you've logged into the App Store this morning and have noticed that there's no update button next to apps that you want to update, you're not alone.

There appears to be an *App Store* bug that is preventing the "Update" button that's normally displayed alongside apps from being visible, preventing apps from being updated one by one.

The update button bug seems to come and go, and not all users may be seeing it. Those that are will not see the individual update buttons when viewing app updates under their profiles in the *App Store*.

If you want to update your apps, the "Update All" button remains available and functional, and you can also tap over to any app's *App Store* description page to install an update.

 

[sandysgeek]

First Apple Silicon M1 malware discovered in the wild

The first malware native to Apple Silicon M1 Macs has been discovered by independent security researcher Patrick Wardle.

Ex-NSA researcher Patrick Wardle has recently praised Apple for the security of its M1 processor, but even so has now discovered evidence of hackers recompiling malware for it.

Wardle discovered the existence of GoSearch22.app, an M1-native version of the longstanding Pirrit virus. This version appears to have been aimed at displaying ads and collecting data from the user's browser.

"Today we confirmed that malicious adversaries are indeed crafting multi-architecture applications, so that their code will natively run on M1 systems," says Wardle in a blog post. "The malicious GoSearch22 application may be the first example of such natively M1 compatible code."

"The creation of such applications is notable for two main reasons," he continues. "First (and unsurprisingly), this illustrates that malicious code continues to evolve in direct response to both hardware and software changes coming out of Cupertino."

"There are a myriad of [sic] benefits to natively distributing native arm64 binaries, so why would malware authors resist?" he continues. "Secondly, and more worrisomely, (static) analysis tools or anti-virus engines may struggle [to detect this]."

Wardle says that a number of current anti-virus systems which could spot the Intel versions of the Pirrit virus, failed to identify the Apple Silicon M1 version.

Apple has now revoked the developer's certificate so that it cannot be run. Wardle says that this means there are certain issues regarding its distribution that can no longer be answered.

"What is not known is if Apple notarized the code," noted Wardle, meaning whether a developer submitted it to Apple or was working around the company's security. "We cannot answer this question, because Apple has revoked the certificate."

"What we do know is," he continues, "as this binary was detected in the wild... whether it was notarized or not, macOS users were infected."

 

[sandysgeek]

M1 MacBook Pro photo editing test beats ‘beast’ of a desktop PC

An M1 MacBook Pro photo editing test found that the 13-inch M1 MacBook Pro running M1-optimized apps was faster than a ‘”beast” of a Windows desktop PC – despite the fact that the latter was specifically specced with photo editing in mind and had a massive 128 GB of RAM.

Professional photographer Andrew Hoyle said that he was “astonished” by the performance, and concludes that an M1 Mac is a safe bet for photographers looking to upgrade…

Hoyle is CNET’s European lead photographer. He found that the M1 MacBook Pro with 16 GB RAM didn’t compete when it was running Intel-based Photoshop, but it was a different story when he tried the M1 beta version.

I tested how long it took Photoshop (both in Intel and M1 beta versions) to align 19 full-resolution raw images and then to merge them into a focus-stacked image. It’s a technique I use regularly in my product photography, so it’s important for me to have good efficiency here. [Focus stacking is where you take a bunch of photos with different focus points, then combine them in software to get the entire image in focus, from the closest point to the furthest.]

Intel-based Photoshop, via Rosetta 2, took 50.3 seconds to align the layers and 1 minute, 37 seconds to merge them. I compared that to an exceptionally powerful Windows desktop PC that was built with an AMD Ryzen 9 3950 X CPU, Nvidia RTX Titan graphics and 128GB RAM, specifically to be a beast with editing photos and 8K video. The PC took 20 seconds to align the layers and 53 seconds to merge them — a clear victory for the PC.

However I then ran the same tests on the beta version of Photoshop that supports Apple M1. It took 22 seconds to align the layers and 46.6 seconds to merge them — a faster overall time than my immensely powerful editing rig was able to achieve.

The M1 version of Lightroom also beat out the PC when it came to importing 100 raw images.

The PC was still significantly faster when it came to video, however.

The Intel-based version of Premiere took 6 minutes, 25 seconds to export on the M1 MacBook, but the optimized M1 beta version took about half the time, at 3 minutes, 24 seconds. For reference, my desktop did the same export in 1:20.

While Hoyle didn’t give any comparisons, he said that there were ‘”no issues” working with 4K files in DaVinci Resolve Studio, a high-end video editing and color-correction app.

All in, he says, there’s no reason for photographers to hold back.

Overall I’m impressed. Even when running non-optimized versions of apps, the M1 MacBook Pro still puts up a hell of a fight against a superpowered editing PC, and the fact that it’s able to outperform the PC on some tests when using M1-optimized beta apps is astonishing. I’m certainly excited about what performance improvements we’ll see as more developers fully optimize their software for Apple’s silicon.

If you’re a photographer and considering upgrading, I’d absolutely say the M1 MacBook is a safe bet. At the very least you’ll still be able to use all your current software as normal via Rosetta 2, and in time when official M1 versions are released, those performance boosts – and likely the battery life savings as well – will be extremely welcome.

It's suggested photographers and videographers in the market for a MacBook to hold out for the Apple Silicon 16-inch MacBook Pro, expected later this year. In addition to the larger screen, that should be significantly more powerful than the 13-inch model. But if you specifically want the smaller form factor for portability, it looks like there’s no reason not to press the button now.

 

[sandysgeek]

Apple launches 2021 Platform Security guide with iOS 14, macOS Big Sur, Apple Silicon

Apple has published its 2021 update to its Platform Security guide today along with refreshing the Apple Platform Security landing page. The latest guide goes in-depth on the new and updated security features that have arrived with iOS 14, macOS 11 Big Sur, Apple Silicon Macs, watchOS 7, and more. Apple has also launched an all-new Security Certifications and Compliance Center website and guide.

Apple has long held that secure software necessitates the foundation of security built into hardware. With the shift to using its own custom Apple Silicon in its first three M1 Macs starting last fall, the company has been able to realize that goal across its entire lineup of devices.


2021 Apple Platform Security guide

Device security is a never-ending mission and the latest Apple Platform Security guide details all the effort and changes Apple has implemented over the last year – highlighted by the guide growing 39 pages with this edition to a total of 196.

This documentation provides details about how security technology and features are implemented within Apple platforms. It also helps organizations combine Apple platform security technology and features with their own policies and procedures to meet their specific security needs.

While there a number of security updates that apply to existing/older devices, Apple Silicon has been notable with the M1 Macs allowing Apple to step up security to new levels when it comes to Data Protection via a rebuilt FileVault, System integrity, password protection, and more.

Another notable change in the last year has been the advanced BlastDoor security for iMessage (not specifically mentioned in the new security guide). While it was just recently discovered as present in iOS 14, we’ve learned Apple has built it into macOS Big Sur as well. It’s a totally under the hood change that users won’t notice, but it’s the biggest security improvement to iMessage since the service got end-to-end encryption.

Check out all the new topics added to the Apple Platform Security guide this year:

• Memory safe iBoot implementation
  
  
• Boot process for a Mac with Apple silicon
  
  
• Boot modes for a Mac with Apple silicon
  
  
• Startup Disk security policy control for a Mac with Apple silicon
  
  
• LocalPolicy signing-key creation and management
  
  
• Contents of a LocalPolicy file for a Mac with Apple silicon
  
  
• Signed system volume security in macOS
  
  
• Apple Security Research Device
  
  
• Password Monitoring
  
  
• IPv6 security
  
  
• Car keys security in iOS

And here are all the security topics that have been updated:

• Secure Enclave
  
  
• Hardware microphone disconnect
  
  
• recoveryOS and diagnostics environments for an Intel-based Mac
  
  
• Direct memory access protections for Mac computers
  
  
• Kernel extensions in macOS
  
  
• System Integrity Protection
  
  
• System security for watchOS
  
  
• Managing FileVault in macOS
  
  
• App access to saved passwords
  
  
• Password security recommendations
  
  
• Apple Cash security in iOS, iPadOS, and watchOS
  
  
• Secure Business Chat using the Messages app
  
  
• Wi-Fi privacy
  
  
• Activation Lock security
  
  
• Apple Configurator 2 security

You can find the full, updated Apple Platform Security guide on Apple’s website. Back in December, Apple also updated its Privacy website as it launched App Store Privacy labels.


Apple Security Certifications and Compliance Center

Along with the updated Apple Platform Security guide, Apple has an all-new Security Certifications and Compliance Center. It’s a robust resource covering Apple hardware, software, and services and also features a 50-page, in-depth guide.

 

[sandysgeek]

Apple cracks down on apps with irrationally high prices as App Store scams are expose

Apple cracks down on apps with ‘irrationally high prices’ as App Store scams are exposed

App Store scams have recently resurfaced as a developer exposed several scam apps in the App Store making millions of dollars per year. Most of these apps exploit fake ratings and reviews to show up in search results and look legit, but trick users into getting subscriptions at irrationally high prices.

It looks like Apple has started to crack down on scam attempts by rejecting apps that look like they have subscriptions or other in-app purchases with prices that don’t seem reasonable to the App Review team.

A rejection email shared by a developer that provides a subscription service through their app. It shows a rejection message from Apple telling them that their app would not be approved because the prices of their in-app purchase products “do not reflect the value of the features and content offered to the user.” Apple’s email goes as far as calling it a “rip-off to customers” (you can read the full letter at the end of this post).

We were initially skeptical about the veracity of this email given some of the wording choices, but looking through Apple’s App Store Review Guidelines, it’s possible to find the term “rip-off” at least twice, such as in section 3, where Apple states that “we won’t distribute apps and in-app purchase items that are clear rip-offs.”

In contact with the developer of the rejected app, we were able to verify the authenticity of the rejection email from Apple. Unfortunately in this case, it seems clear that the rejection was a mistake. The developer was able to work with the app review team and eventually got their app approved by explaining that the subscription price was justified because the app employed paid APIs to perform its tasks. Just as with many other items in the guidelines, it’s possible for the review team at Apple to encounter false positives that lead to wrongful rejections of apps, which highlights why moderating the App Store is such a complicated task.

This rule has been in place for a long time, so it’s unclear when Apple started enforcing it more rigorously. A quick Google search turns up a few results in the Apple Developer Forums with similar phrasing to this email going as far back as October 2020. It’s possible that recent issues with scams being exposed in the App Store have caused Apple to change its review policies to look at the prices of subscriptions and other in-app purchases more closely before approving an app.

We reached out to Apple for more information on these practices. The company reiterated its commitment to keeping the App Store a safe place for users to discover and download apps, and that app review rejects apps that attempt to scam or rip off users, based on section 3 of the review guidelines.

Here’s the full rejection letter from Apple:

Customers expect the App Store to be a safe and trusted marketplace for purchasing digital goods. Apps should never betray this trust by attempting to rip-off or cheat users in any way.

Unfortunately, the prices you’ve selected for your app or in-app purchase products in your app do not reflect the value of the features and content offered to the user. Charging irrationally high prices for content or services with limited value is a rip-off to customers and is not appropriate for the App Store.

Specifically, the prices for the following items are irrationally high:

– (redacted)

Next Steps

To resolve this issue, we recommend you take the following steps:

– Revise your app or in-app purchase products to provide more value to the user at the time of purchase – Choose a price for your app or in-app purchase products that accurately reflects the value being provided to the user – Once you’ve made appropriate changes, resubmit your app for review

The next submission of this app may require a longer review time, and it won’t be eligible for an expedited review until this issue is resolved.

Remember the first I saw, I Am Rich.

The screen only contains a glowing red gem and an icon that, when pressed, displays the following mantra in large text:

I am rich
I deserv it
I am good,
healthy & successful

And was sold on the App Store for US$999.99, the highest price Apple allowed for App Store content.

 

[sandysgeek]

Portland Apple Store ready to reopen after nearly nine months

1,874px × 1,054px


Apple Pioneer Place in Portland, Oregon will reopen this coming Monday, February 22 at 11:00 a.m., according to a message posted by Apple. It’ll be the first time the store is open to customers in 267 days.

Apple Store openings and closures have become routine due to health conditions over the past year, but Apple Pioneer Place is a special case. The store has been open just three days total since COVID-19 gripped the US, fewer than any other location.

A litany of unfortunate events and coincidental timing kept the store closed during large portions of 2019, 2020, and 2021 so far. Even as other retailers struggle, Apple has continued to pour significant resources into the flagship store over the past few years, an indicator of the company’s dedication to remaining in downtown Portland. While closed to customers, the store has been continuously updated and used for operations behind the scenes.

Most recently, extensive repairs have been underway on the facade, which was badly damaged last May. The damages required Apple to completely rebuild a significant portion of the costly storefront. Last month, the famous George Floyd mural surrounding the store was removed and donated.


Let’s take a look at the recent history of Apple Pioneer Place:

• March 24, 2019: Apple Pioneer Places temporarily closes for a major renovation project.
  
  
• May 31, 2019: The store reopens with a new design that includes indoor trees, a Forum, and Video Wall.
  
  
• March 14, 2020: All Apple Stores outside of Greater China close due to COVID-19.
  
  
• May 27, 2020: Apple Pioneer Place reopens for Storefront service and sales.
  
  
• May 29, 2020: The store is looted and heavily vandalized during a night of violence in Portland.
  
  
• May 30, 2020: One day before the store’s renovation anniversary, it sits closed and destroyed.
  
  
• June 1, 2020: A community mural recognizing the death of George Floyd is painted on a temporary wall around the store.
  
  
• December 23, 2020: Apple promises to donate the mural, which became an icon in downtown Portland.
  
  
• January 22, 2021: Don’t Shoot PDX accepts the mural and panels are later removed for preservation.
  
  
• January 27, 2021: Restoration of Apple’s storefront begins.
  
  
• February 22, 2021: Apple Pioneer Place reopens for the first time in 267 days.

Apple Pioneer Place reopened on May 27 after COVID-19 shutdowns that began in March. On May 30, the store closed again after an evening of protests and vandalism throughout Portland following the killing of George Floyd. The store was looted and severely damaged along with more than a dozen other locations around the country. The closure came just one day before the first anniversary of the store’s floor-to-ceiling renovation.

A plywood barrier around the store soon became a work of art thanks to muralist Emma Berger, who painted a portrait of George Floyd and the words “I can’t breathe.” Other community members joined in, adding their own messages in solidarity with Black Lives Matter. Berger later added portraits of Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery.

Since June, the memorial site at Apple Pioneer Place has drawn widespread media attention, and community members have continued to leave signs, flowers, and candles on the steps in front of the store. The mural has transformed from a simple message into a culturally significant tapestry that captures the spirit of 2020’s racial equity protests.

While numerous other Black Lives Matter murals at Apple Stores across the world were removed earlier this year, Apple hasn’t touched its Pioneer Place location until now. The Oregonian’s Mike Rogoway says that Apple will put protective plywood over the murals today and announce long-term plans for the artwork in early 2021.

Spencer Lindsay @spencerlindsay · Jun 15, 2020
The Apple Store in Portland was boarded up after some of the #BlackLivesMatter protests and this powerful artwork grew in it's place:

Spencer Lindsay @spencerlindsay · Jun 15, 2020
The decimated model and 8K texture are free to download on SketchFab (Thank you @albn):

https:/*******qTd4fud2cW?amp=1
https:// t . c o /qTd4fud2cW?amp=1
Literotica censored the link. remove the five (5) spaces in the URL

2,560px × 1,440px

 

[sandysgeek]

New malware found on 30,000 Macs has security pros stumped

MAC MYSTERY —

With no payload, analysts are struggling to learn what this mature malware does.

A previously undetected piece of malware found on almost 30,000 Macs worldwide is generating intrigue in security circles, which are still trying to understand precisely what it does and what purpose its self-destruct capability serves.

Once an hour, infected Macs check a control server to see if there are any new commands the malware should run or binaries to execute. So far, however, researchers have yet to observe delivery of any payload on any of the infected 30,000 machines, leaving the malware’s ultimate goal unknown. The lack of a final payload suggests that the malware may spring into action once an unknown condition is met.

Also curious, the malware comes with a mechanism to completely remove itself, a capability that’s typically reserved for high-stealth operations. So far, though, there are no signs the self-destruct feature has been used, raising the question why the mechanism exists.

Besides those questions, the malware is notable for a version that runs natively on the M1 chip that Apple introduced in November, making it only the second known piece of macOS malware to do so. The malicious binary is more mysterious still, because it uses the macOS Installer J a v a S c r i p t API to execute commands. That makes it hard to analyze installation package contents or the way that package uses the J a v a S c r i p t commands.

The malware has been found in 153 countries with detections concentrated in the US, UK, Canada, France, and Germany. Its use of Amazon Web Services and the Akamai content delivery network ensures the command infrastructure works reliably and also makes blocking the servers harder. Researchers from Red Canary, the security firm that discovered the malware, are calling the malware Silver Sparrow.


Reasonably serious threat

“Though we haven’t observed Silver Sparrow delivering additional malicious payloads yet, its forward-looking M1 chip compatibility, global reach, relatively high infection rate, and operational maturity suggest Silver Sparrow is a reasonably serious threat, uniquely positioned to deliver a potentially impactful payload at a moment’s notice,” Red Canary researchers wrote in a blog post published on Friday. “Given these causes for concern, in the spirit of transparency, we wanted to share everything we know with the broader infosec industry sooner rather than later.”

Silver Sparrow comes in two versions—one with a binary in mach-object format compiled for Intel x86_64 processors and the other Mach-O binary for the M1. The image below offers a high-level overview of the two versions:

So far, researchers haven’t seen either binary do much of anything, prompting the researchers to refer to them as “bystander binaries.” Curiously, when executed, the x86_64 binary displays the words “Hello World!” while the M1 binary reads “You did it!” The researchers suspect the files are placeholders to give the installer something to distribute content outside the ********** execution. Apple has revoked the developer certificate for both bystander binary files.

Silver Sparrow is only the second piece of malware to contain code that runs natively on Apple’s new M1 chip. An adware sample reported earlier this week was the first. Native M1 code runs with greater speed and reliability on the new platform than x86_64 code does because the former doesn’t have to be translated before being executed. Many developers of legitimate macOS apps still haven’t completed the process of recompiling their code for the M1. Silver Sparrow’s M1 version suggests its developers are ahead of the curve.

Once installed, Silver Sparrow searches for the URL the installer package was downloaded from, most likely so the malware operators will know which distribution channels are most successful. In that regard, Silver Sparrow resembles previously seen macOS adware. It remains unclear precisely how or where the malware is being distributed or how it gets installed. The URL check, though, suggests that malicious search results may be at least one distribution channel, in which case, the installers would likely pose as legitimate apps.

Among the most impressive things about Silver Sparrow is the number of Macs it has infected. Red Canary researchers worked with their counterparts at Malwarebytes, with the latter group finding Silver Sparrow installed on 29,139 macOS endpoints as of Wednesday. That’s a significant achievement.

“To me, the most notable [thing] is that it was found on almost 30K macOS endpoints... and these are only endpoints the MalwareBytes can see, so the number is likely way higher,” Patrick Wardle, a macOS security expert, wrote in an Internet message. “That’s pretty widespread... and yet again shows the macOS malware is becoming ever more pervasive and commonplace, despite Apple’s best efforts.”


Hello, World: bystander binaries

The first version of Silver Sparrow malware analyzed, compiled for Intel x86_64 that appeared to play no additional role in the Silver Sparrow execution. Ultimately this binary seems to have been included as placeholder content to give the PKG something to distribute outside the J a v a S c r i p t execution. It simply says, “Hello, World!” (literally!)

The second version also included an extraneous that was compiled to be compatible with both Intelx86_64 and M1 ARM64. Like before, this binary seems to have been included as a placeholder—this time, displaying the message “You did it!”

 

[sandysgeek]

WhatsApp Reveals What Happens Users Who Don't Agree to Upcoming Privacy Policy Change

WhatsApp has revealed how it will gradually cripple accounts held by users who do not accept the platform's impending privacy policy changes, due to come into effect on May 15.

1,344px × 840px



According to an email seen by TechCrunch to one of its merchant partners, WhatsApp said it will "slowly ask" users who have not yet accepted the policy changes to comply with the new terms over the coming weeks, "in order to have full functionality of WhatsApp" starting May 15.

If they still don't accept the terms, "for a short time, these users will be able to receive calls and notifications, but will not be able to read or send messages from the app," the company added in the note.

The company confirmed to TechCrunch that the note accurately characterizes its plan, and that the "short time" will span a few weeks. WhatsApp's policy for inactive users states that accounts are "generally deleted after 120 days of inactivity."

WhatsApp first announced its new usage terms early last month, and the changes at the time were interpreted by many users to mean that the platform would share their messages with parent company Facebook.

In fact, private messages between users will remain end-to-end encrypted, so that they can only be accessed by those in the conversation. WhatsApp also lets users message businesses, however, and the same protections won't apply to those messages. Data in business messages will be able to be used for commercial purposes like ad targeting on Facebook, with some data stored on Facebook's servers.

The misperception caused a backlash amongst users of the Facebook-owned platform, causing an exodus to rival messaging apps like Telegram and Signal, both of which were quick to exploit the situation by coaxing former users with more mainstream chat features.

WhatsApp has since used in-app Status updates to clarify that the update does not affect data sharing with Facebook in terms of user chats or profile information, with the new terms instead applying to those who use the business chat feature.

In the weeks leading up to May, WhatsApp will begin to roll out a small, in-app banner (pictured above) that users can tap to re-review the privacy policies.

Tapping the banner will show a more detailed summary of the changes, including further specifics about how WhatsApp works with Facebook. The Facebook-owned company says it will eventually remind users to read the new policy and accept it to continue using the app.






Please keep in mind who owns WhatsApp, what that company does not only with members info, and how they handle it, but also tracking others around the web.

 

[sandysgeek]

Today at Apple Product Skills sessions are now available online for anyone

Today at Apple is bringing more of its free creative sessions online for anyone to attend. Beginning in March, Product Skills sessions covering the basics of iPhone, iPad, and Mac will be available in a new virtual format.

COVID-19 has kept Today at Apple out of US Apple Stores for nearly a year, but creativity never stopped online. Virtual sessions hosted on Webex are a growing alternative that are more accessible for customers anywhere.

Apple says the virtual versions of its popular Product Skills sessions are designed for those who are new to their device, have recently upgraded, or simply want to learn more on how to get the most out of their iPhone, iPad, or Mac. The sessions will cover hardware and software basics, tips for staying productive while working at home, and resources for going further with your devices. Apple began offering similar sessions in Australia in January for students preparing for the new term.

All virtual Today at Apple sessions include an interactive Q&A segment. Your voice, face, and name won’t be visible to other participants, but you can submit questions through the session chat. If you’re using an iPhone or iPad to join, download the Cisco Web Meetings app ahead of time to avoid missing the start of your session.

You can sign up starting today at Apple.com/today or through any of the direct links below:

• Virtual Session: Getting Started with iPad
  
  
• Virtual Session: Getting Started with Mac
  
  
• Virtual Session: Getting Started with iPhone

Apple is also highlighting upcoming artists hosting sessions throughout March in collaboration with It’s Nice That. The sessions are part of New World, a series that celebrates the role of creativity in rebuilding a better world.

Siham Ali spoke to three artists redefining beauty and inclusion. Each artist’s session is in celebration of International Women’s Day on March 8:

These artists are continually challenging the very notions of beauty, power and representation through their work. By reframing narratives and looking for beauty where others may not see it, they’re showing us the possibilities of a new world where anyone can stand at the helm.

You can sign up for the March lineup of New World sessions on Apple’s website.

 

[sandysgeek]

First M1 MacBook Pros now available from Apple Refurbished Store

Apple today began selling certified refurbished models of the 13-inch MacBook Pro with the M1 chip in the United States and Canada for the first time since the notebook was released in November 2020. As usual, the refurbished models are discounted by approximately 15 percent compared to the equivalent brand new models.

If you were waiting for a great discount before buying a new M1 Mac, Apple has begun selling the M1 MacBook Pro for the first time in the Apple Refurbished Store. Customers can save up to $230 when buying a refurbished Mac M1 compared to the retail price.

While the base model of the MacBook Pro M1 starts at $1,299, you can now find the same model for $1,099 in the Apple Refurbished Store. This model comes with 8GB of RAM, 256GB SSD, and is available in both Space Gray and Silver colors.

There are also other Refurbished models available with 16GB RAM or 512GB SSD for $1,269 — while a brand new unit costs $1,499 at Apple. Unfortunately, there are no refurbished units of the new M1 MacBook Air or M1 Mac mini available yet.

Apple Certified Refurbished Products are pre-owned Apple products that undergo Apple’s stringent refurbishment process prior to being offered for sale. While only some units are returned due to technical issues, all units undergo Apple’s stringent quality refurbishment process. Refurbished units are shipped in a special box with all original accessories and a one-year limited warranty.

 

[sandysgeek]

Apple Investigating 'Pink Squares' Appearing on Displays Connected to M1 Mac Mini

Mac mini 'pink squares' graphical glitch fix on the way

Apple is aware of a display glitch where pink squares appear on a display attached to an M1 Mac mini, a problem that it is working on to fix.

A number of users of the Apple Silicon Mac mini are encountering problems with their compact computing setup, in that sometimes rows of pink squares appear on the display. Many users have complained on Reddit and Apple's support forums about the problem, and it seems Apple has taken notice.

The problem seems to affect only HDMI-connected displays, not USB-C nor Thunderbolt, and is temporary in nature. In one AppleInsider writer's case, the pink squares disappear once they switch audio sources for the affected monitor away from the Mac and then back, or simply to turn the monitor on and off.

An internal memo from Apple to service providers confirms Apple knows about the problem and it is investigating the issue. A timeframe for the fix was not provided in the update.

Most likely fixable in software, it is likely Apple will either release a minor update to macOS fixing it, or will wait to incorporate it as part of a larger release, such as in macOS Big Sur 11.3.

Apple also offered troubleshooting steps that included putting the Mac mini to sleep and waking it after two minutes. Apple then suggests unplugging the display temporarily then changing the display resolution in System Preferences.

This is not the first instance of a graphical problem with its M1 Mac lineup. Users have encountered a lack of resolution options when using an M1 Mac with an ultrawide or super-ultrawide display.

There are also limitations for external monitor support, with the Mac mini able to handle two external displays, while the MacBook Air and 13-inch MacBook Pro only allow one external display alongside the built-in screen.

 

[sandysgeek]

Apple Now Selling Refurbished M1 MacBook Air Models Priced Starting at $849

Apple begins selling first refurbished M1 MacBook Airs, save up to $250


Apple today began offering refurbished versions of the M1 MacBook Air that was first released in November 2020. Pricing on refurbished MacBook Air models starts at $849, which is $150 cheaper than the standard $999 starting price for a new model.

One day after it started selling the refurbished M1 MacBook Pro, Apple has also now started selling the M1 MacBook Air via its Certified Refurbished store. The M1 MacBook Air starts at $849 in refurbished condition, a savings of $150.

In total, Apple is selling five different configurations of the M1 MacBook Air via its refurbished store available in gold, silver, and space gray color options.

• $849 (down from $999): M1 chip with 8-core CPU and 7-core GPU, 8GB unified memory, 256GB SSD
  
  
• $1019 (down from $1199): M1 chip with 8-core CPU and 7-core GPU, 16GB unified memory, 256GB SSD
  
  
• $1059 (down from $1249): M1 chip with 8-core CPU and 8-core GPU, 8GB unified memory, 512GB SSD
  
  
• $1229 (down from $1449): M1 chip with 8-core CPU and 8-core GPU, 16GB unified memory, 512GB SSD
  
  
• $1399 (down from $1649): M1 chip with 8-core CPU and 8-core GPU, 16GB unified memory, 1TB SSD

As with all refurbished Apple products, the company highlights that refurbished M1 MacBook Air units have gone through a “rigorous” refurbishment process, while you also get a one-year warranty covering manufacturing defects.

• Quality products at great prices
  
  
• Rigorous refurbishment process prior to sale
  
  
• Covered by Apple’s one-year limited warranty
  
  
• Covered by Apple’s 14-day returns policy
  
  
• AppleCare product can be purchased

Apple’s supply and availability can fluctuate wildly, and the company generally has few units available. If you’ve been waiting for Apple refurbished M1 Macs, we recommend buying sooner rather than later.

 

[sandysgeek]

Today Marks Steve Jobs' 66th Birthday

Apple co-founder and former CEO Steve Jobs was born on February 24, 1955, and if he was still alive, today is his 66th birthday.

Jobs founded Apple alongside Steve Wozniak in 1976, producing the very first Apple computers, but he also served as CEO during a pivotal period and was largely responsible for the company's wild success with products like the iPhone and the iPod.

Under Jobs' leadership from 1997 until his 2011 death from cancer, Apple went from a company on the brink of failure to one of the biggest tech companies thanks to the launch of the 1998 iMac and the well known "Think different" ad campaign.

The 1998 *iMac* was followed by a slew of other successful products, including the *iPhone*, iPod, and iPad along with the iTunes Store. Jobs also oversaw the opening of the first Apple retail locations in 2001, and he established a company culture that Apple still operates under today.

As Apple CEO Tim Cook has said multiple times in the past, Jobs' thinking, unwavering perfectionism, dedication to hard work, and lust for innovation are the "foundation of Apple."

Millions of lives have been touched by Apple devices, and there are few technology products on the market that have not been influenced by Apple and Steve Jobs in some way, even today. *Tim Cook* has since taken over for Steve Jobs, and has kept Jobs' legacy alive.

Apple fans around the world will celebrate Steve Jobs and his accomplishments today, and *Tim Cook* as always has tweeted in memory of Jobs' birthday.

Tim Cook @tim_cook
Celebrating Steve on what would have been his 66th birthday. Especially in a year where so much kept us apart, technology brought us together in limitless ways. That’s a testament to Steve’s life and the legacy he left, which continue to inspire me every day.

2:10 PM · Feb 24, 2021

Steve Jobs returned to the company he helped to create and became iCEO
And there began what I think is the greatest turnaround in the history corporate America
iMac set the stage for Apple’s comeback

 

[sandysgeek]

Apple details additional guidance on app privacy labels

Apple provides additional guidance for developers on App Store privacy labels

Following the launch of the new App Store privacy labels in December last year, Apple today published additional guidance for developers to better understand the information required for App Store privacy labels.

The new App Store privacy labels went live in December 2020, and the feature has been making some developers unhappy ever since, either because they don’t want to report the data they collect from users or because they don’t understand how to fill out the privacy report correctly.

With App Store privacy labels, developers are required to submit a full report on all the personal data they collect from users through an app, such as contacts, photos, financial information, location, browsing history, messages, and more. The feature is part of a number of privacy changes that came with iOS 14.

With today’s additional guidance, Apple clarifies for developers how they should fill out the privacy report if the app or game has web views, collects users’ IP addresses, or even offers multiplayer matches.

For example, apps with internal web views must declare all data that is collected via the web unless the app lets users browse the open internet. Apps that collect IP addresses are required to report what data they get from this information, such as precise location or device IDs. Apple also says that if an app only requests a specific data but does not store it or send it to third-party services, the developer doesn’t have to report that request.

“Collect” refers to transmitting data off the device and storing it in a readable form for longer than the time it takes you and/or your third-party partners to service the request. For example, if an authentication token or IP address is sent on a server call and not retained, or if data is sent to your servers then immediately discarded after servicing the request, you do not need to disclose this in your answers in App Store Connect.

According to a recent report from The Washington Post, there are several apps with false or inaccurate privacy report on the App Store. At the same time, Google has been avoiding updating its iOS apps after Apple began requiring App Store privacy labels, while Facebook has been criticizing Apple for imposing these and other guidelines on developers.

You can find the additional guide about App Store privacy labels on the Apple Developer website.






Facebook has been criticizing Apple? The fact that Facebook has been saying iOS 14 will “harm the growth of business and the free internet.” in its iOS apps criticizing Apple demonstrates that the company is trying to get popular appeal to change Apple’s mind about its new App Store privacy rules. That’s because Facebook is one of the companies that will be most impacted by Apple’s new privacy policies as its social networks rely heavily on tracking people and collecting personal data from users.

 

[sandysgeek]

Insultingly, Facebook continues to try to convince users that privacy-violating

I'm chopping the crap out of this so it doesn't flow, to say the least.


Insultingly, Facebook continues to try to convince users that privacy-violating targeted ads are good

Somewhere along the line, Facebook moved from being the preposterously insecure social media service, into a corporation whose people seem pretty insecure — which has been further demonstrated by the company on Thursday trying its latest attempt to convince people how privacy-breaking targeted advertisements are actually good for consumers.

On Thursday, we are yet again seeing a Facebook blogging tirade where the company wants to be seen as our lone champion against — well, anything it can grab on to. If you can't be bothered to read this latest diatribe, the short version is that the company appears to believe that we need our online habits tracked in order to provide us with more ads, and we should be thankful that Facebook gives us that.

Still from Facebook’s new ad campaign, “Good Ideas Deserve to be Found.”


Facebook has publicly bemoaned the effects that App Tracking Transparency could have on its advertising business. The company even took out full-page newspaper ads claiming that it is “standing up to Apple” on behalf of “small businesses everywhere.”

Facebook executives have been publicly decrying Apple’s change for months. Facebook even launched a print ad campaign late last year arguing that the change will harm small businesses, and suggesting online content makers will have to turn to subscriptions to replace lost ad revenue, forcing users to pay for what once was free.

Facebook has always regarded its users with some level of disdain, but now it's vastly more blatant about it than ever. The tirades against Apple's privacy seem panicked, like a politician knowing he's about to be caught doing something incredibly stupid, and tries diverting attention.

The fact that Facebook now so very loudly does not want you thinking about what it does, is making more people think about it. And you cannot think about Facebook's business model for one instant without being uncomfortable about it.

So there's Facebook, forever disdaining us, now making us uncomfortable. And there's Facebook, blackmailing Australia and showing the rest of the world that it's ready to put charities in jeopardy unless it gets its way.

And then there's Apple. While we admit this is part of Apple's entire marketing schtick, Tim Cook and Apple keeps telling us about privacy and giving us an informed choice of what we do or don't want to accept as it pertains to our habits, our information, and what we do on the internet.

Apple is using privacy to sell its devices, and Facebook is using its total absence of privacy to sell us to advertisers. And to line its own pockets. Even Google has a better privacy record than Facebook does.

For its part, Apple has said that the new App Tracking Transparency feature “does not require Facebook to change its approach to tracking users,” but only gives users the option of opting out. Facebook clearly disagrees.

App Tracking Transparency will fully launch as part of iOS 14.5 in the “early spring,” Apple has announced. Facebook is also testing a new prompt explaining to users what App Tracking Transparency means, and encouraging users to allow tracking.






No one has explained to me how users not paying up front for a service or app, but instead having our info stolen and being tracked around the web is free, yet these websites and apps make money selling it.

 

[sandysgeek]

Apple Begins Selling Refurbished M1 Mac Mini

Apple now selling refurbished M1 Mac mini,
some iMac models currently unavailable

Following the arrival of the M1 MacBook Pro and M1 MacBook Air in the Apple Refurbished Store, Apple today began selling the refurbished M1 Mac mini. Customers can now get all three Macs with M1 chip in the Refurbished Store at a discounted price.

The cheapest model of the refurbished M1 Mac mini currently available has 256GB SSD storage and 16GB RAM. While this model is priced at $899, you can now buy the same model in the Apple Refurbished Store for $759 — a $140 discount.

Apple is now offering five different refurbished models of the M1 Mac mini, which you can check out below:

• $759 (down from $899): M1 Mac mini with 256GB SSD and 16GB RAM
  
  
• $929 (down from $1,099): M1 Mac mini with 512GB SSD and 16GB RAM
  
  
• $929 (down from $1,099): M1 Mac mini with 1TB SSD and 8GB RAM
  
  
• $1,099 (down from $1,299): M1 Mac mini with 1TB SSD and 16GB RAM
  
  
• $1,439 (down from $1,699): M1 Mac mini with 1TB SSD and 16GB RAM

Apple Certified Refurbished Products are pre-owned Apple products that undergo Apple’s stringent refurbishment process prior to being offered for sale. While only some units are returned due to technical issues, all units undergo Apple’s stringent quality refurbishment process. Refurbished units are shipped in a special box with all original accessories and a one-year limited warranty.


Some iMac models currently unavailable

On a related note, some models of the 21.5-inch 4K iMac are currently unavailable from Apple. Models with 512GB or 1TB of SSD storage are out of stock, although the base model with 256GB of storage is still available.

 

[sandysgeek]

Apple Stores offering free sign language interpreter appointments

Apple is now offering prescheduled support from sign language interpreters at hundreds of its retail stores in nearly a dozen countries. The service is provided to customers by appointment at no cost.

Starting today, customers can visit the webpage for their local Apple Store and request a sign language interpreter for their next store visit. The request link will send an email to the store, and Apple will follow up to arrange an appointment.

Currently, sign language interpreter services are available by appointment at Apple Stores in the US, UK, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Sweden, Switzerland, Belgium, and Austria.

Apple has long been a leader in retail accessibility and began offering ASL interpreters at its flagship D.C. Carnegie Library store in 2019. The company has a partnership with Gallaudet, a university providing education for the Deaf community. Over 30 members of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing community are employed at the Carnegie Library store.

Today at Apple creative sessions hosted both in-store and online are also often supported by sign language interpreters, and Apple installs assistive listening systems at all of its stores outfitted with a Video Wall for live events.

Last year, Apple began offering transparent face masks to its retail and corporate employees to help those who are hard of hearing better understand speech.

 

[sandysgeek]

Facebook agrees to $650M settlement to end Illinois privacy lawsuit

A judge has approved a settlement valued at $650 million from Facebook to end a privacy lawsuit, one which alleged the social network used facial recognition technology on user photos stored on its iPhone app without permission.

The lawsuit, which started in April 2015, alleged Facebook did not gain consent from users to use its facial tagging features on their photographs. Originally filed by Chicago attorney Jay Edelson on behalf of plaintiff Carlo Licata, the complaint claimed the consent-less tagging was not allowed under privacy laws in Illinois.

The case originated in Cook County Circuit Court before moving to Chicago federal court then California, reports the Chicago Tribune. On reaching California, the lawsuit attained class-action status.

The class in question constitutes approximately 6.9 million Facebook users in Illinois that Facebook created and stored a face template for after June 7, 2011. Close to 1.6 million claim forms were filed ahead of the November 23 deadline for joining, making up roughly 22% of potential class members.

Facebook went against the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act, the complaint alleged, which is among the toughest privacy laws in the United States. Part of the act requires companies to gain permission from users before being able to start using biometric systems with their data, which includes facial recognition systems.

U.D. District Judge James Donato called the settlement one of the largest of its kind for privacy, and a "landmark result" for class members. "Overall, the settlement is a major win for consumers in the hotly contested area of digital privacy," said Donato.

Of the $650 million settlement, each class member is expected to receive at least $345, while three named plaintiffs will be awarded $5,000 apiece. Edelson will be paid $97.5 million in attorney's fees and around $915,000 in expenses.

Checks could be sent out to class members within two months, though an appeal over the decision could still be made, prolonging the case.

The settlement news arrives at a time when Facebook is attacking Apple over its looming privacy-related changes. In concern for a potential loss of advertising revenue due to reduced tracking in iOS 14's App Tracking Transparency, Facebook has attacked Apple with ad campaigns framing the changes as being bad for small businesses.

Reports have also surfaced claiming Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has been repeatedly angered by Apple's privacy stance, and that he wanted to "inflict pain" to the iPhone maker.

This is not the only privacy lawsuit Facebook faces over its biometric data usage. In August 2020, it was sued in a Redwood City, California state court for allegedly "collecting, storing, and profiting" from the biometric data of more than 100 million Instagram users, again over the use of facial recognition.






Ahh, a prime example of Mark Zuckerberg's Facebook's "free internet"

...By tapping the Learn More button, the app opens an article written by Facebook in which the company says Apple’s policies announced at WWDC 2020 with iOS 14 will “harm the growth of business and the free internet.” Facebook refers both to the new App Store privacy labels and also an option in iOS 14 that prevents apps from tracking users....

 

[sandysgeek]

Warren Buffet annual letter praised Apple how share repurchases good for investors

Warren Buffett praises AAPL stock in annual letter, Berkshire’s stake now valued at $120 billion

Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway Inc. published its highly-anticipated annual letter this morning, offer details on the conglomerate’s investments in 2020. In this year’s letter, Buffett touted that Apple ranks as Berkshire’s biggest common stock investment, even though the conglomerate sold 9.81 million shares of AAPL at the end of 2020.

Warren Buffett on AAPL:

Buffett touts AAPL as a stock that “vividly illustrates the power of repurchases.” Berkshire first began acquiring Apple stock in late 2016 and it currently holds $120 billion worth of the stock, at a cost of $31.1 billion.

Berkshire’s investment in Apple vividly illustrates the power of repurchases. We began buying Apple stock late in 2016 and by early July 2018, owned slightly more than one billion Apple shares (split-adjusted).

When we finished our purchases in mid-2018, Berkshire’s general account owned 5.2% of Apple.

Buffett also says that Berkshire sold a small portion of its AAPL stake at the end 2020, pocketing $11 billion. Because of Apple’s buybacks, however, which reduce the total number of outstanding shares, Berkshires ownership of AAPL has increased to 5.4% despite that sale:

Since then, we have both enjoyed regular dividends, averaging about $775 million annually, and have also – in 2020 – pocketed an additional $11 billion by selling a small portion of our position.

Despite that sale – voila! – Berkshire now owns 5.4% of Apple. That increase was costless to us, coming about because Apple has continuously repurchased its shares, thereby substantially shrinking the number it now has outstanding.

This also has benefits for Berkshire shareholders, Buffett explains in the letter:

But that’s far from all of the good news. Because we also repurchased Berkshire shares during the 21⁄2 years, you now indirectly own a full 10% more of Apple’s assets and future earnings than you did in July 2018.

As Bloomberg reports, Buffett resisted buying Apple stock for years because he said he failed to understand the technology company. Working with investing deputies Todd Combs and Ted Weschler, however, Berkshire expanded and has also since added other technology companies such as Amazon and Verizon.

AAPL is now one of Berkshire’s top three most valuable assets, aligning with his insurers and BNSF Railway, the American railroad purchase the conglomerate completed in 2010.

Nonetheless, even though Berkshire Hathaway is a major investor in Apple, Warren Buffett himself only switched from a flip phone to the iPhone last year. Buffett said at the time that Apple CEO Tim Cook spent “hours” teaching him how to use his new iPhone 11.

You can read the full Berkshire Hathaway annual letter right here.

 

[sandysgeek]

Apple shares new ‘Hometown’ Shot on iPhone video in honor of Black History Month

Apple’s newest Shot on iPhone short film has hit YouTube today, this time in honor of Black History Month. The new short film, entitled Hometown, is part of a “series highlighting Black photographers across the United States.”

Apple first announced this Hometown initiative on February 1, and it’s expanding the campaign with a new video today. Hometown features 32 of the “most visionary Black photographers” in the United States.

To celebrate Black History Month, Apple commissioned more than 30 Black photographers to capture and share their hometowns with the world through their unique lens, all shot on iPhone 12 Pro. All across the US, these photographers set out to showcase the people and the pockets of their cities that embody their local culture.

The new Shot on iPhone video comes from Phillip Youmans, who is the youngest director to win at the Tribeca Film Festival. The Hometown video follows some of these photographers around the United States. Apple’s description of the video explains:

In honor of Black History Month, 32 of the country’s most visionary Black photographers show us their hometowns. Phillip Youmans, the youngest ever director to win at the Tribeca Film Festival, follows a number of our image-makers as they each celebrate the Black experience, Black excellence, love, and imagination.

You can check out the new Hometown Shot on iPhone video below.


https://youtu.be/I3wepT1XcSg

Hometown — Shot on iPhone by Phillip Youmans - 5:45

In honor of Black History Month, 32 of the country’s most visionary Black photographers show us their hometowns. Phillip Youmans, the youngest ever director to win at the Tribeca Film Festival, follows a number of our image-makers as they each celebrate the Black experience, Black excellence, love, and imagination.

 

[sandysgeek]

Not yet. Almost.

.