Labour party says redrafted surveillance bill needs work

The UK government is trying to push through a new piece of surveillance legislation, despite facing strong opposition from technology companies and the intelligence community. Following a cross-party investigation, the Home Office has issued a redrafted bill — but little has changed, and the Labour Party says it still needs “significant improvement.” In a letter to the home secretary Theresa May, Andy Burnham MP has asked for a stronger definition of Internet Connection Records (ICRs). With these, investigators could access the basics of your online communications — the who, when, where and how of a particular conversation on WhatsApp, for instance.

But internet service providers (ISPs) and mobile network operators have said they’re unsure what, exactly, they would need to retain for hypothetical government requests. Burnham agrees with their complaints, saying the definition in the redrafted Investigatory Powers Bill is “much too vague.” He’s asking for a “clear and consistent definition,” that specifies an ICR covers a domain (like facebook.com) but not individual webpages.

“Technology will change over time and, if ICRs are not clearly defined in law, they could evolve into something much more intrusive. It is essential, therefore, that the parameters of what can and cannot be included in an ICR are explicitly specified on the face of the Bill.”

Burnham also wants ICRs to be more difficult for the government to obtain. Under the redrafted bill, they would be treated similar to “communications data,” which is a broad category covering the context (who, where, when etc.) of your communications. Information of this nature is easier for law enforcers to acquire, and accessible to more public authorities, than the actual “content” of your messages.” Burnham argues that, under the current arrangement, ICRs could be requested for almost “any crime.” He recommends raising the threshold to serious infractions and reducing the number of public bodies that could request such information.

The letter also calls for an independent assessment of the government’s bulk surveillance powers, as recommended by the joint committee last November. The Home Office will be opposed to such a review, given it’s already racing to introduce the new Investigatory Powers Bill before the end of the year. Such a timeframe has been introduced because of the Data Retention and Investigatory Powers Act. The emergency legislation was rushed through with one caveat — it would automatically expire or “sunset” in 2016, and therefore require a more thorough replacement.

The Investigatory Powers Bill is currently being debated in parliament. Eventually, a decision will be made as to whether the proposed legislation is fit to become law. Today, the Labour party has put out a pretty clear message — if its concerns aren’t addressed in the bill, it’ll be “unable to support a timetable that puts the Bill on the Statue Book by December this year.” For the home secretary Theresa May, that just isn’t an option.

Via: TechCrunch

Source: Andy Burnham MP

Teardown of 9.7-Inch iPad Pro Examines Speakers and Rear Camera, Finds ‘Gobs of Adhesive’

After discovering that a handful of iPhone SE components are interchangeable with those of the iPhone 5 in a teardown last week, iFixit today shifted its sights to the other major release from Apple’s “Let Us Loop You In” media event – the 9.7-inch iPad Pro.

iFixit surmised that the new iPad Pro is essentially the offspring of the iPad Air 2 and 12.9-inch iPad Pro, acquiring the looks of the former and specs of the latter. The site found, however, that the 9.7-inch iPad Pro acquired the “ugly genes” of the family when it comes to its internals as Apple continues to cram ever more features into its devices at the cost of repair accessibility.

Unlike the larger-screened iPad Pro, which houses its display cables in the center of the device, the 9.7-inch device has its display cables nestled into the bottom right edge of the case.

After disassembling the EMI shield covering the logic board, removing the battery, and moving onto the upper speakers, which connect to the logic board with spring contacts, iFixit discovered that most of the 9.7-inch iPad Pro’s components are held together by “gobs of adhesive” that will make it difficult for everyday repairs.

The site also examined the protruding camera, which it notes is the same 12 MP camera found in the iPhone 6s Plus and an upgrade from the 12.9-inch version’s 8 MP rear-facing camera. iFixit suggests the iPad Pro’s camera is optically stabilized like the one in the iPhone 6s Plus, but Apple has not marketed the iPad Pro with support for optical image stabilization. Regardless, the beefed-up specs of the 9.7-inch iPad Pro’s camera require the bump on the rear housing, which is not present on the 12.9-inch device.

One of the wild cards of the teardown centered around a group of antenna interconnect boards, which iFixit determined to “serve no actual purpose.” Upon closer inspection, the site hypothesized that the sturdy, flat tops of the boards perhaps provide extra support for the iPad’s display, which could come in handy since users with Apple Pencils are bound to rest their palms on the display repeatedly.

After inspecting a similar A9X 64-bit processor, iFixit compared the battery capacities of the recent line of iPads to the new iPad Pro. The 9.7-inch iPad Pro’s 7,306 mAh is expectedly less than the 12.9-inch iPad Pro’s score of 10,307 mAh, but largely in line with the 7,340 mAh of the iPad Air 2. Despite their varying scores, iFixit noted that all three of the iPads have “roughly the same estimated battery life” of about 10 hours.

iFixit gave the 9.7-inch iPad Pro a repairability score of 2 out of 10, with a 10 being the easiest to repair. The disassemblers noted that with the removal of the pull tabs found under the battery in the 12.9-inch iPad Pro, a “virtually impossible to replace” Smart Connector, the fused-together LCD and front panel glass, and a more-than-average amount of adhesive holding everything together, the smaller iPad Pro is even more difficult to repair than its larger counterpart, which scored a 3 out of 10 in the same test.

Related Roundup: iPad Pro
Tags: iFixit, teardown
Buyer’s Guide: iPad Pro (Buy Now)
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iPhone SE Sales Forecasted as ‘Lackluster’ Over First Weekend

While it appears that Apple has elected not to share first weekend sales numbers for the iPhone SE, as it has done in the past for some flagship models, multiple analysts have forecasted that sales of the new 4-inch smartphone were “lackluster” during its first three to four days of availability.

In a research note issued today, KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo questioned last week’s CNBC report claiming that iPhone SE orders topped 3.4 million in China, and added that demand for the iPhone SE “has been significantly lower than that of past new models” since launching on March 31.

Lackluster iPhone SE demand supports our view. Although there exists a market survey that indicates iPhone SE preorders top 3.4mn units in China, we couldn’t find more evidence to support this. However, judging by the delivery time for iPhone SE preorders, we believe initial demand for the iPhone SE following the announcement has been significantly lower than that of past new models. We believe this is due in part to lackluster demand for smaller-size smartphones and, more importantly, that the product itself offers no significant upgrades to form factor or hardware specs.

Mobile analytics firm Localytics echoed Kuo, claiming that iPhone SE adoption was “lackluster” following the device’s launch. According to the firm’s research, the iPhone SE “managed to grab only 0.1% of the iPhone market” over its first weekend of sales, which marked lower adoption than the iPhone 5s and all of the “6” models.

Apple launched the iPhone SE last Thursday on the same day as Tesla began accepting reservations for its lower-cost Model 3, and consumer excitement was unsurprisingly geared towards the highly-anticipated electric vehicle. In fact, many Tesla locations in the U.S. and Europe had longer lineups than nearby Apple retail stores.

Kuo forecasted that overall iPhone shipments will likely fall below 200 million units in 2016, indicating that the iPhone SE will not be enough for Apple to overcome “peak iPhone” until at least next year.

We forecast 1H16 and 2H16 iPhone shipments of 85-95mn units and 105-115mn units, respectively, implying full-year shipments of 190-210mn units (vs. 232mn in 2015), below market consensus of 210-230mn units.

In light of market feedback for iPhone 6s, 6s Plus and SE, we believe growth on replacement demand for larger display is slowing. We are therefore conservative about shipments of current iPhone models in 1Q-3Q16.

Nevertheless, considering that the iPhone SE is effectively an upgraded iPhone 5s, and based on a design first introduced in 2012, it is largely unsurprising that demand among early adopters may be lower than usual. Apple’s flagship iPhone 7 series is also due in September, which many customers are likely holding out for.

The success of the iPhone SE in emerging markets such as China, India, and Pakistan is likely what Apple is more concerned about. The smartphone’s lower starting price should help get the device in the hands of consumers in markets where premium smartphones are out of reach due to socioeconomic factors.

In those markets, there is at least anecdotal evidence to suggest that the iPhone SE may be off to a good start.

Related Roundup: iPhone SE
Tags: KGI Securities, Ming-Chi Kuo, Localytics
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UK clamps down on online ads disguised as articles

Even the most robust ad-blocking software can’t strip the internet of promotional material entirely. UK watchdog The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) usually spends its time putting the kibosh on misleading ads, but recently it’s also started turning its attention to more underhand marketing practices. Just last month, the regulator begun cracking down on fake online reviews, and today it announced it’s now taking media companies to task over promotional articles and blogs — aka sponsored content — that doesn’t clearly tell the reader they’re essentially looking at an advertisement.

Specifically, the CMA has named and shamed marketing firms Starcom Mediavest and TAN Media, which were found to be distributing unlabeled advertorials promoting payday loans provider MYJAR. The companies are said to have “engaged constructively” with the CMA’s investigation, and will make sure all sponsored content is labeled as such, not presented as opinion. Further to making an example out of this particular case, the CMA has written to other marketing companies, their clients and online publishers, and plans to outline the rules in open letters to make everyone aware that ignoring consumer protection law in this way won’t be tolerated.

The UK in general is growing increasingly more irritated by advertising that tries its damnedest to avoid being recognized for what it is. And the CMA isn’t the only local regulator strong-arming marketers into playing ball. The UK Financial Conduct Authority, for example, voiced concerns about sponsored social network posts that aren’t immediately identifiable as ads several years ago. More recently, the UK’s Advertising Standards Authority also felt it necessary to spell out exactly what an ad is (and how it should be labeled) to vloggers, bloggers and social media stars getting paid to feature products.

Source: UK Competition and Markets Authority

Google pulls Taliban app after it was on Play for two days

A propaganda app from the Taliban that was initially accepted on the Play store Friday has now been pulled by Google over hate speech concerns. Called “Pashto Afghan News – Alemara,” it reportedly features videos and statements from the group’s main website. A Google spokesperson told The Telegraph that “we don’t allow apps that advocate against groups of people based on their race or ethnic origin, religion, disability, gender, age, nationality, veteran status, sexual orientation, or gender identity.”

Google says it doesn’t comment on specific apps, but the insurgent group’s most recent atrocities include gang rapes, mass murder and house-to-house searches in the city of Kunduz, according to Amnesty International. It was first spotted on Play by the US-based Intel Group, which monitors jihadist social network activity. The group may be trying to take a page from ISIS, which has lured fighters and suicide bombers from Europe and elsewhere on social media. A Taliban spokesman told Bloomberg that the app “is part of our advanced technological efforts to make more global audience [sic].”

Google received a half-million app submissions last year alone, meaning it’s required to screen thousands per day. Still, the search giant implemented an app review process for the Play store last year, so it’s not clear how an app from a terrorist group slipped through initially.

Source: Telegraph

BBM’s paid privacy features go free

When BlackBerry phones were popular, so was BBM. The messaging app’s dominance has slowly faded, however, as iPhone and Android shipments have soared. BBM is but one choice now in the App Store and Google Play, fighting against popular alternatives like WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger. To compete, BlackBerry is ripping out two of its premium privacy features and offering them to users for free. The first is Retract, a tool that lets you delete individual messages. Once it’s been activated, the chosen text or media will disappear both from your device and the recipient’s, leaving no trace it was ever sent in the first place.

The second, Timer, is a Snapchat-style tool for ephemeral messaging. With it, users can set how long their text and photos are visible to the chat’s participants. Neither feature is unique or new to BBM — BlackBerry has offered both since October 2014 — but for a long time, they were locked behind a paywall. The company launched them as free upgrades but warned they join its paid BBM Subscription after a few months. At the time, this might have made financial sense, but these days it’s a difficult sell when the same functionality is available for free in other apps.

To coincide with the reversal, BlackBerry has made a slew of smaller improvements to the app on Android, iOS and BlackBerry 10. These include the ability to forward messages from one chat to another, support for Android 6.0, and improved BBM Voice call quality on Android and iOS. Will these additions return BBM to the top of the messaging app heap? Probably not, but for longtime fans they’ll be welcome all the same, and possibly discourage them from switching for a little while longer.

Source: Inside BlackBerry

iPhone SE Found Less Durable Than 6 Series in Bend, Drop, and Water Tests

While the iPhone SE rivals the iPhone 6s series in performance with the latest internal hardware, a new video reveals that the recently launched 4-inch smartphone is less durable than its larger 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch siblings when bent under pressure, submerged in water, and dropped on its corner.

Extended warranty provider SquareTrade subjected the iPhone SE, iPhone 6s, and iPhone 6s Plus to a series of excessive bend, drop, tumble, and water tests, and the results show that its compact design does not necessarily make it more durable than the slimmer 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch iPhones.

SquareTrade noted that the iPhone SE bent at 160 pounds of pressure, whereas the thinner iPhone 6s did not bend until an additional 10 pounds later. Moreover, at 178 pounds, the iPhone SE reached catastrophic failure, whereas the iPhone 6s Plus was only beginning to bend under the pressure.

When submerged under five feet of water, the iPhone SE permanently shut off after less than one minute. “In comparison, the iPhone 6s survived a full 30 minutes and only lost audio,” said SquareTrade. “The iPhone 6s Plus started malfunctioning at 10 minutes and eventually died.”

One test where the iPhone SE, iPhone 6s, and iPhone 6s Plus all suffered the same fate was the facedown drop from six feet high, which shattered all three smartphone screens. But when dropped on its corner, the iPhone SE split along its side after ten drops, while the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus only had minor cosmetic damage.

The results should be largely unsurprising given that the iPhone SE’s design is virtually the same as the iPhone 5s, which yielded comparable results under similar tests over two years ago. The only cosmetic differences on the iPhone SE are matte chamfered edges and a color-matched inset Apple logo.

Related Roundup: iPhone SE
Tag: SquareTrade
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Dual Camera Said to Be Exclusive to 5.5-Inch iPhone 7

Dual cameras will be exclusive to Apple’s next-generation 5.5-inch iPhone, according to a new research note issued by respected KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

New iPhone shipments to be capped by similar form factor as iPhone 6s & 6s Plus; top hardware upgrade is dual-camera (5.5-inch model only), though many competing models with dual-camera will launch soon, joining others already on the market; first impressions could underwhelm.

Rumors surrounding dual-camera iPhones have gained momentum since January, when Kuo said that Apple has both single- and dual-camera iPhone 7 Plus models in development. Recent reports have been unclear, however, about whether the 4.7-inch iPhone 7 will also have dual cameras.

Leaks surrounding the rumored dual cameras have been limited to a blurry photo of the purported iPhone 7 Plus (or iPhone Pro?) and a possible dual-lens module appropriate for the 5.5-inch smartphone. Apple reportedly received dual-lens camera samples from suppliers for testing purposes in February.

LinX Technology multi-aperture camera modules
The rumored camera improvements have been linked to Apple’s acquisition of LinX Technology, which could lead to “DSLR-quality” photos on iPhones. LinX’s multi-aperture cameras are also smaller sized than single-aperture cameras, meaning the iPhone 7 Plus could have a slightly less protruding camera lens.

LinX camera modules have a number of other benefits, including 3D depth mapping, better color accuracy and uniformity, ultra HDR, low noise levels, higher resolution, low costs, zero shutter lag, and a compact design that allows for edge-to-edge displays. A recent video demo provides a good overview of dual-camera technology.

Apple recently patented a dual-camera system consisting of one standard wide-angle lens, similar to what is found in the latest iPhones, and a second telephoto lens capable of capturing zoomed-in video and photos. In a recent video, we visualized what the interface could look like on future iOS devices.

(Top Image: Cameraplex)

Related Roundup: iPhone 7
Tags: KGI Securities, Ming-Chi Kuo, dual camera
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Import listing hints at Moto X3 with 5-inch display

Indian import export website Zauba has listed a device with the Moto X3 moniker making its way to the country. The listing shows that eight units in total were imported into the country from the U.S., likely headed for software testing and validation at Motorola’s R&D facility in India. There’s no mention of specs, but the phone is listed with a 5-inch display and single-SIM connectivity.

With Lenovo restructuring its mobile division, it is likely the upcoming Moto X3 will be the first device to feature the “Moto by Lenovo” branding. Not much else is known at this stage, but the pricing of the individual units of the phone at ₹6,812 ($102) is in line considering they’re meant meant for testing and not slated for retail use. We’ll share more details as we receive them. Until then, what are your thoughts on the 5-inch screen size for the Moto X3?

Oculus Rift hits shipping delays, blaming component shortages

There has been no shortage of buzz surrounding the launch of the first full virtual reality system, Oculus Rift, but it seems there might be a shortage of components, leading to some delays.

Oculus was first to announce a date for the Rift, opening pre-orders on 6 January, and putting the first shipments in the calendar for 28 March. 

While some of those who pre-ordered have received their Oculus Rift, some customers are now being told that there are shipping delays and they’ll have to wait a little longer.

Brendan Iribe, Oculus CEO, took to Twitter on 2 April to confirm that the first Rift orders are going a little slower than planned, with a sweetener that shipping costs will be knocked off pre-orders.

First set of Rifts are going out slower than we orig estimated, so we’re giving free shipping for all pre-orders, including international.

— Brendan Iribe (@brendaniribe) April 2, 2016

Emails are being sent out to customers awaiting pre-ordered Rift units, saying that an update to their order status will be coming on 12 April. Whether that’s a new shipping date, or just when Oculus will be updating customers, remains to be seen.

However, many customers have received their orders and are happily getting involved with a new world of virtual reality.