With 12, iOS gains Snapchat-like camera for texts, but with Memojis instead of AR

Apple

Messaging is evolving from thumbed-out text messages to visual communication from built-in cameras inside everything from Snapchat to Facebook Messenger. And now Apple is joining the trend with a handful of camera-focused updates for iOS 12. The Apple Messages app will soon have a built-in camera with filters, stickers, and Memoji avatars, Apple announced during WWDC on June 4. The latest OS will .

While Apple Messages isn’t (yet) gaining the augmented reality masks, the changes feel similar to Snapchat and Facebook Camera. Visual communication has been on the rise since emojis, but it’s a trend that’s accelerated because of the visual tools inside social networks and messaging platforms. A study by Facebook last year suggested that those who use forms of visual communication rate their conversations as “great” more often than non-visual communicators.

Apple Photos

Apple

The iOS 12 update to Photos is also partially focused on sharing. After the update, Photos will suggest photos to share with friends. The app will use factors like facial recognition to suggest sharing photos with the friends you spent the day with, all inside a new section Apple calls For You. 

On the receiving end of a shared photo? Photos will soon suggest images to share back. The share back suggestion comes from photos or video of the same event, Apple says.

The search inside Photos will also see enhancements. Inside the search tab, the app will soon suggest Events, People, Places, Groups, Categories and recent searches before you type into the search bar. If the category suggestions aren’t enough, the search bar will also allow users to search for multiple terms at once.

The photo announcements come from the opening keynote of WWDC — Apple will likely dive into more detail and share additional features for the new operating system during the weeklong event designed for developers. The new mobile operating system will roll out this fall, while developers can get their hands on a beta version now.

Editors’ Recommendations

• At WWDC 2018, Apple to show off its latest software innovations
• iOS 12 will make your iPhone faster and less annoying. Here’s what’s coming
• MacOS Mojave brings Dark Mode, stacking, and a redesigned App Store to Macs
• Live updates: How to watch Apple’s WWDC 2018 keynote
• Report: Apple going all OLED all the time with new iPhones

Android Security Bulletin: Everything you need to know!

Fixing the latest bugs and exploits in Android every month.

Google has detailed the latest Android Security Bulletin and released the fixes for Nexus and Pixel devices.

These are exploits and other security concerns that affect Android as a whole. Issues with the operating system, kernel patches, and driver updates may not affect any particular device, but these need to be fixed in the Android base by the folks maintaining the operating system code. That means Google, and they’ve detailed the things they have improved for this month.

Updated factory images for Pixel and Nexus devices that are supported are available, and over-the-air updates are rolling out to users. If you don’t want to wait, you can download and flash the factory image or OTA update file manually, and here are some handy instructions to get you started.

How to manually update your Nexus or Pixel

The company that made your phone uses these patches to send an update out to you.

These changes have been released to the people making Android phones for at least 30 days, but Google can’t force anyone to deliver them to you. If you’re using a phone from Samsung, LG, or anyone besides Google, you’ll need to wait for them to send an update and shouldn’t try to flash any of the above files.

Of course, Google has safety checks in place to prevent any problems on your phone because of any security exploits. Verify Apps and SafetyNet are at work anytime you add an app to your phone, and seamless updates to Google Play Services will keep them up to date regardless of any hold up from a manufacturer or carrier. Details and incident numbers can be found in the yearly Android Security Review (.pdf file).

Highlights for June 2018

June 2018’s update comes with two patch dates: 06/01/2018 and 06/05/2018.

• Once again the Android Media Framework sees patches to prevent the latest exploits from gaining elevated privileges, as does the Application Framework.
• LG, Qualcomm, MediaTek, and NVIDIA all provide important fixes for their assorted binaries across all devices, and critical issues with the bootloader were patched by Qualcomm and LG.
• Google also patched a number of Nexus and Pixel-specific issues in this month’s bulletin as well as made usability tweaks for those devices. Those can be seen here.

Previous bulletin highlights

Here are summaries and highlights of recent patches from the monthly Android Security Bulletin. As with the current bulletin, these issues were also mitigated by Google’s Verify Apps, Safety Net, and seamless updates to Google Play Services.

Highlights for May 2018

May 2018’s update comes with two patch dates: 05/01/2018 and 05/05/2018.

• The most severe issues addressed are in the Android runtime and Media framework, and would allow a remote user to gain elevated privileges if not fixed.
• Qualcomm and NVIDIA both provide important fixes for their assorted binaries across all devices, and Qualcomm has addressed a critical bug in the WLAN driver of their chips.
• Google also patched a number of Nexus and Pixel-specific issues in this month’s bulletin, which can be seen here.

Archives of all previous Android Security Bulletins are available at the Android Security website.

See the Android Security website for details on all bulletins

Updated June 2018: Google has detailed the latest Android Security Bulletin and released June 2018 security updates for the Pixel and Nexus devices.

Every Android phone with ARCore right now

Google’s AR platform is now available to more than just the Pixels.

You don’t need to own a Pixel from Google to take advantage of ARCore anymore! Google is working with partners like Samsung, Motorola, Huawei, Xiaomi and others to bring augmented reality to all types of phones at all price ranges.

Here’s the complete list!

Phones with ARCore support

Asus

• Zenfone AR

Google

• Pixel and Pixel XL
• Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL
• Nexus 6P
• Nexus 5X

Huawei

• P20, P20 Pro
• Mate RS

LG

• V30 and V30S
• LG G6
• LG G7
• LG V35

Motorola

• Moto G5S Plus
• Moto G6 Plus
• Moto Z2 Force

Nokia (HMD Global)

• Nokia 6 (2018)
• Nokia 8 Sirocco

OnePlus

• OnePlus 5
• OnePlus 3T

Samsung

• Galaxy S7 and S7 edge
• Galaxy S8 and S8+
• Galaxy Note 8
• Galaxy S9 and S9+
• Galaxy A5 (2017)
• Galaxy A7 (2017)
• Galaxy A8 and A8+ (2018)

Sony

• Xperia XZ Premium
• Xperia XZ1
• Xperia XZ1 Compact

Xiaomi

• Mi Mix 2S

Excited to get started with ARCore? Make sure you have the framework app installed and get ready for some exciting new apps to head your way!

Updated June 4, 2018: This article was updated with a complete list of all the phones that support ARCore.

How to sign up for YouTube Music

Get started with the new YouTube Music in just a few taps.

The YouTube Music app has technically been around since 2015, but it was only recently that Google shifted its focus from Play Music and made YouTube Music its own proper streaming service.

YouTube Music is showing a lot of promise with its new direction, and now that it’s got a brand-new desktop site and redesigned Android app, it’s absolutely worth checking out.

To do so, here’s what you’ll need to do.

Download YouTube Music

Before you can sign up for YouTube Music, you’ll need to first download the app. Doing so is just a few taps away, and the process is as follows:

Open the Google Play Store.
Search for YouTube Music and tap on the first result.

Tap the green Install button.

Once the app is done downloading, you can launch it by tapping the green Open button or by finding and tapping on the new YouTube Music icon in your app drawer.

Sign up for YouTube Music

With YouTube Music successfully downloaded, it’s time to actually sign up for the service.

Upon opening the app, tap the blue Sign In button.
Tap the Google account you want to use with YouTube Music.

Tap on your profile icon at the very top right of the app.

With that done, you’ll now be on your Account page. From here:

Tap the large Get YouTube Red banner at the bottom of the screen.
Tap the blue Try It Free button.
Enter your payment details.

Once the payment goes through, tap the red Let’s Go button.

That’s it! You’ve officially signed up for YouTube Music!

Have any further questions? Drop a line in the comments below.

YouTube Music review: A mixtape full of promise

Apple Revamps App Store Guidelines, Sets New Rules for Remote Mirroring Apps Like Steam Link

Alongside the debut of iOS 12, which is available to developers for beta testing as of today, Apple has introduced new App Store Guidelines.

There are several tweaks that have been made to the App Store Guidelines, and one notable change appears to have been introduced specifically because of the Steam Link debacle that saw Apple approve and then renege on the Steam Link app for iOS.

A new guideline, 4.2.7, says that all Remote Application Mirroring apps, such as Steam Link, must comply with a specific set of rules. Such apps are not allowed to offer a user interface that resembles an App Store view or a store-like interface, nor can they include the ability to purchase software not already owned by the user. Apple is allowing transactions to be made by remote mirroring apps, as long as purchases are made on the host device rather than the iOS device.

The UI appearing on the client does not resemble an iOS or App Store view, does not provide a store-like interface, or include the ability to browse, select, or purchase software not already owned or licensed by the user. For the sake of clarity, transactions taking place within mirrored software do not need to use in-app purchase, provided the transactions are processed on the host device.

With the clarification of Apple’s stance on games streamed from a PC or Mac, the Steam Link app may be able to launch on iOS devices after all. Valve has not yet commented on the policy changes, and it’s not clear what Valve will need to tweak to comply with the new rules.

There are multiple other changes to the App Store Guidelines. A modified 3.1.1 rule, for example, says that non-subscription apps may offer a free time-based trial period using a free in-app purchase option that temporarily unlocks app functionality. This will allow all apps in the App Store to offer free trials, rather than just subscription apps.

Apps that offer auto-renewing subscriptions, meanwhile, are prohibited from attempting to trick users into purchasing a subscription under false pretenses or engaging in bait-and-switch practices. Such apps will be removed from the App Store.

Apps are no longer allowed to encourage users to disable Wi-Fi, turn off certain security features, and make other modifications to system settings that are unrelated to the core functionality of an app.

All apps (including third-party ads) are now forbidden from running unrelated background processes like cryptocurrency mining.

A new rule, 2.3.12, states that all apps are required to “clearly describe” new features and product changes in their “What’s New” text. Apps can continue to use generic descriptions for bug fixes, security updates, and performance improvements, but anything more significant must be listed in the notes.

Apps are also now required to obtain explicit user consent and provide a clear visual indication when recording or making a record of user activity, and there’s a new rule that says apps can use Unicode characters that render as Apple emojis within apps and app metadata, a change from earlier this year when some apps were rejected for using emojis in their App Store descriptions. Emojis can’t be embedded directly into an app binary, however.

There are many other smaller guideline changes concerning content ratings, iCloud documents, data security, cryptocurrency, and more, with the full list of App Store Guidelines available on Apple’s website.

Related Roundup: iOS 12Tags: App Store, App Store Review Guidelines
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Apple Announces 2018 Apple Design Award Winners

Apple tonight announced the developers and apps who received an Apple Design Award, marking what Apple thinks are some of the best apps for various Apple platforms.

This year, Apple chose a total of 10 apps that work across iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple TV, with the winners listed below:

• Agenda – A unique date-based note-taking app for iOS and Mac devices.
• Bandimal – A music composing app that’s designed for kids and uses cute animal-based graphics.
• Calzy – A modern calculator app for iPhone, iPad, iMessage, and Apple Watch.
• iTranslate Converse – A translation app that’s designed to translate foreign languages in real time.
• Triton Sponge – An app that uses an image processing algorithm to calculate a real-time estimation of surgical blood loss.
• Florence – An interactive storybook game.
• Playdead’s INSIDE – A 2D puzzle platformer with impressive graphics and complex puzzles from the makers of LIMBO.
• Alto’s Odyssey – A desert-based endless runner that’s a followup to the first ultra popular Alto’s Adventure game.
• Frost – Frost is a dreamlike Puzzle game where the goal is to draw paths to guide spirits to their home planets.
• Oddmar – Oddmar is an action adventure platformer game that stars a viking named Oddmar who is trying to redeem himself and earn a place in Valhalla.

Apple plans to make a video of the Apple Design Awards ceremony available online in the near future, and it will be available on the Apple Design Awards website.

All Apple Design Award winners receive a unique cube-shaped award along with an iMac Pro, a 15-inch MacBook Pro, an iPad Pro with Apple Pencil, an iPhone X, a 4K Apple TV, an Apple Watch Series 3, and a set of AirPods.
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Apple CEO Tim Cook: ‘Privacy is a Fundamental Human Right’

Apple CEO Tim Cook this evening sat down for an exclusive interview with CNN’s Laurie Segall, where he discussed everything from his iPhone usage habits to the importance of privacy.

On the subject of device usage, Cook says that when he started using the new Screen Time feature built into iOS 12, he found he was spending too much time on the iPhone. “I found I was spending a lot more time than I should,” he said. “I thought I was fairly disciplined about this. And I was wrong.”

Cook said that Apple is aiming to provide the tools to consumers to let them make their own decisions about device usage, and what’s considered too much will vary from person to person. He said that while Apple wants customers to be “incredibly satisfied and empowered,” it’s not the goal to get customers to spend all of their time on iOS devices.

I think the power is now shifted to the user and that has been What Apple has always been about – giving the power from the institution to the user. I am hopeful great things are going to happen from this.

Cook reiterated his stance on privacy, and called it a “fundamental human right,” as he has done in the past. He said it’s “not healthy” to point a finger at companies like Facebook, and instead, we should be focusing on making the web an “unbelievable place.”

To me, and we feel this very deeply, we think privacy is a fundamental human right. So that is the angle that we look at it. Privacy from an American point of view is one of these key civil liberties that define what it is to be American.

Cook said customers can trust Apple to be “on their side.” “We’re the trusted adviser and company here,” he said, explaining that people are not fully aware of how their data is being used and who has access to it. “I think this needs to be addressed.”

The interviewer asked Cook whether or not he was concerned about machines taking over the world, and he said it’s not something that he worries about. Instead, he is concerned about people becoming more machine-like.

I don’t subscribe to machines the taking over the world. And I don’t worry about that. I worry much more about people thinking like machines then machines thinking like people. I mean forgetting the humanity in things. Forgetting that all of our products should be infused with humanity. Forgetting that we have a broader obligation to society.

Cook said he doesn’t consider himself to be political, and suggested that he would not run for political office.

I’m not political. I’m not sure I would really do well in that environment. I think that I can make the greatest contribution doing what I’m doing. […] I love getting things done and I don’t love the political machine in the background. I love Apple, it is the privilege of a lifetime to be leading this company at this time.

He also said that he believes Steve Jobs would support Apple’s current trajectory when asked how Jobs would feel “about this moment in time.”

In terms of the broader issue of humanity, that was his philosophy. That is the DNA of this company. Apple should always be trying to change the world, and change means make it better. That is the thing that we get up in the morning and focus on doing. And I don’t see that changing. That is the north star that keeps us going.

Several snippets of Cook’s full interview, which cover topics like DATA, immigration, tariffs, and more, are available over on CNN and are well worth checking out for those who want to see everything Cook had to say this evening.

Cook also did a separate interview with NPR, which covered topics like privacy, rumors that Apple had access to Facebook users’ personal information, the new Screen Time feature, and the Trump administration.

Tag: Tim Cook
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Apple Launches New ‘App Store Connect’ App for Developers

Apple today introduced a new App Store Connect app, which appears to be a replacement for the existing iTunes Connect app. iTunes Connect is, however, still available from the iOS App Store at this time.

App Store Connect allows developers to manage their app, see analytics trends, and respond to App Store reviews, features that are also available in iTunes Connect.

App Store Connect for iOS helps developers manage their apps that are available in the App Store. Developers can use App Store Connect to monitor their latest trends, receive notification from user reviews, as well as respond to customer reviews immediately from their iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.

App Store Connect is available for both the iPhone and the iPad and can be downloaded right now. [Direct Link]

Tag: App Store
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iOS 12 Hidden Features: New Close App Gesture on iPhone X, Revamped iPad Gestures, Screen Time Widget and More

Apple today introduced iOS 12 with a whole slew of updates, ranging from improvements to Do Not Disturb to a whole new activity monitoring system that tracks how much time you spend on your iPhone or iPad.

There are also new “Memoji,” aka personalized Animojis, there’s support for Group FaceTime, and there were tons of other changes covered in the keynote event. But in addition to all of these new features, there are dozens of smaller tweaks that Apple didn’t cover in its iOS 12 announcement.

Below, we’ve rounded up a list of new, lesser-known or “hidden” features in the new iOS 12 operating system update.

– iPhone X App Switcher – You no longer need to hold down on apps to close them. Swiping up like on the iPhone 8 and older works.

– Multiple Faces in Face ID – In the Face ID Settings, there’s an option to “Set Up an Alternate Appearance” which appears to be aimed at people who may need to drastically change their appearance on the regular or those who want to unlock Face ID with two faces.

– Screen Time Widget – In the Widgets section, accessible by swiping to the right on the Home screen, there’s a new Screen Time widget where you can see how much time you’ve spent on your iOS device lately, and what you’ve been doing. You can also see your full Screen Time usage metrics in the Settings app.

– Automatic Updates – iOS 12 introduces an option to turn on automatic software updates under General –> Software Update. This will update your version of iOS automatically when an update is available.

– Messages Shortcuts – If you tap on a person’s name in the Messages app, there are now shortcuts to initiate a FaceTime audio call, initiate a standard FaceTime video call, or get info on the contact. This is also how group FaceTime calls are started from the Messages app.

– Notification Grouping – In the Notifications section of the Settings app, there are options to customize Notification Grouping for all of your apps. Notification Grouping Settings include Automatic, By App, and off. Notification settings have also been redesigned somewhat, and there are toggles for setting notifications to show up only in the Notification Center but not the Lock screen.

– New iPad Gestures – Apple tweaked gestures on the iPad to better match the iPhone X. You now swipe down from the top right of the iPad to bring up Control Center, rather than swiping up from the bottom. Swiping up from the dock goes to the Home screen.

– iPad Menu Bar – The menu bar at the top of the iPad has been redesigned, and it looks like Apple is making room for a notch that will be included on upcoming iPad Pro models that will feature Face ID. The time, day, and date are located on the upper left hand side of the screen, while the right shows Wi-Fi or LTE connection, Bluetooth, and battery life.

– Passwords – There’s a new Password Manager API that can show passwords from 1Password and similar apps in the QuickType suggestion bar when you’re inputting login information. iOS 12 also adds iOS password suggestions to third-party apps, like Keychain in Safari. Apple will also keep track of passwords that have been reused and prompt you to create new ones.

– One-Time Password Autofill – Apple says that one-time SMS passcodes will appear automatically as Autofill options so you don’t need to hassle with quitting out of an app, opening the Messages app, copying it, and then entering it in the app that needs the code. In the Settings app, Safari Autofill has been replaced with the more general Password Autofill, and there’s a new Autofill Passwords setting under Passwords & Accounts.

– Smarter Siri – Siri can answer questions about famous people, food, and motorsports. Siri can also look up passwords and search for memories in Photos.

– Scan QR Code in Control Center – There’s a new Control Center shortcut for scanning a QR code.

– Wallpaper – There’s a new iOS 12 wallpaper available.

– Siri Suggestions – Siri is smarter in iOS 12, and there’s a new setting to allow Siri suggestions to appear on the Lock screen. You can also enable Shortcuts in the Settings menu, though Shortcuts are not yet available and will be coming through an app set to be released at a later date. Siri suggestions on the Lock screen can be enabled on a per-app basis.

– Lock Screen Options – There are new options to disable access to Wallet and USB Accessories when an iPhone is locked with a passcode. With USB Accessories disabled, you need to unlock the iPhone to allow USB accessories to connect when it has been more than an hour since your iPhone was locked. This setting will make it more difficult for law enforcement to access locked devices with USB tools like the GrayKey box.

– Voice Memos – Now that Voice Memos is also on the iPad and Mac and has iCloud support, there are settings for Voice Memos in the Settings app. You can choose when to delete Voice Memos, choose audio compression quality, and set a default recording name.

– Markup Colors – There are a lot more colors available when using Markup for editing screenshots, marking up images, editing PDFs, and more.

– Safari Icons – There’s an option in the Settings app to enable Favicons for Safari tabs, a new feature in iOS 12. There are also several new Experimental WebKit Features that Apple is testing.

– Apple Books – With the Books app getting a revamp and a new name, there are several new settings for Books in the Settings app. You can turn on syncing options for the “Reading Now” feature to keep track of where you are in a book across devices, and you can choose specific devices where you want to update your place.

– Podcasts – You can set custom durations for the Forward and Back options in Podcasts. The two options are separate, and durations from 10 to 60 seconds are available.

– Battery Info – In the Settings app, the battery usage chart shows usage for the last 24 hours or the last 10 days instead of the last 7 days.

Have you found other features in iOS 12 that we haven’t mentioned here? Make sure to let us know in the comments, and stay tuned for more coverage on the new features in iOS 12, macOS Mojave, tvOS 12, and watchOS 5.

Related Roundup: iOS 12
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Google reportedly plans to end involvement with Project Maven

Sundar Pichai

In April, more than 4,000 Google employees signed an open letter to CEO Sundar Pichai wanting out of what they term “the business of war.” Google senior engineers were among thousands of Google staff members who signed the letter, according to The New York Times. The letter requested the immediate cancellation of a specific military project and a more general policy statement about building technology for the military.

One month later, around a dozen Google employees have decided to resign as a form of protest over Google’s continued participation in the military project known as Project Maven. Those who are resigning cited ethical concerns in leveraging A.I. in drone warfare, as well as more general concerns about Google’s decisions in the political arena. Many of the employees who have chosen to end their tenure at Google have shared their rationales in a document that has been circulated internally at Google.

As Gizmodo reported, “The employees who are resigning in protest … say that executives have become less transparent with their workforce about controversial business decisions and seem less interested in listening to workers’ objections than they once did.” And while Google’s culture has often been described as open and honest, that seems to be shifting. As one resigning employee said, “Over the last couple of months, I’ve been less and less impressed with the response and the way people’s concerns are being treated and listened to.”

The open letter, which has apparently gone ignored by management, requested that Google immediately cancel its role in implementing Project Maven. The code name for a Department of Defense (DoD) Algorithmic Warfare Cross-Functional Team (AWCFT), Project Maven is an artificial intelligence (A.I.) program currently under development. Maven’s purpose is to assess drone video footage, Gizmodo reported.

In response to these protests, Google has reportedly decided not to renew Project Maven though it will finish out current contract. Google has not made any formal announcements regarding this, though Reuters cited sources “familiar with the deal.” Previously, Google had defended the contract saying that Project Maven was being used for non-offensive purposes and would save lives.

Project Maven was established by the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) for the Pentagon in April 2017. A letter under Deputy Secretary of Defense letterhead date stamped April 26, 2017 states the DoD needs to “integrate artificial intelligence and machine learning more effectively across operations to maintain advantages over increasingly capable adversaries and competitors.”

The Defense Deputy Secretary’s announcement says the initial intended use of Maven is to to provide “computer vision algorithms for object detection, classification, and alerts” for tactical Unmanned Aerial System (UAS), or drones.

Getty Images

The second, more general request in the Google letter, was that Pichai “draft, publicize, and enforce a clear policy stating that neither Google nor its contractors will ever build warfare technology.”

Participating in Project Maven will “irreparably damage Google’s brand and its ability to compete for talent,” the letter stated. Google is “struggling to keep the public’s trust,” the letter continued, while many fear “biased and weaponized A.I.”

The letter refers to a Google core value statement: “Every one of our users is trusting us. Never jeopardize that. Ever.” The letter’s signatories assert that the contract with the DoD directly opposes this core value and places the company’s reputation at risk.

Former Google CEO and Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt was the keynote speaker at the November 2017 Center for a New American Security Artificial Intelligence and Global Security Summit. Schmidt was asked about the relationship between tech companies, A.I. research, and national security.

“There’s a general concern in the tech community of somehow the military-industrial complex using their stuff to kill people incorrectly,” Schmidt said.

The letter to current CEO Pichai is evidence that at least for those who signed it, the general concern Schmidt mentioned is real and specific. Another letter has since been circulated, authored by over 90 academics in artificial intelligence, ethics, and computer science, who similarly asked Google to cease its work on Project Maven.

Updated on June 2: Google has reportedly decided it will not renew Project Maven.

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