Apple To Possibly Invest In iHeartMedia
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| Apple To Possibly Invest In iHeartMedia | |
| Number | 664 |
| Broadcast Date | NOVEMBER 1, 2018 |
| Episode Length | 5:03 |
| Hosts | Sarah Lane |
Xiaomi sends Lyft scooter cease & desist, Apple’s T2 chips add security to new MacBook Airs, Spotify needs to hire more engineers.
Headlines
- Security researcher Jose Rodriguez discovered a bug in iOS 12.1 that exploits group FaceTime calls, allowing anyone access to an iPhone's contact information without needing a passcode. Rodriguez sent the information to The Hacker News and uploaded a video to YouTube demonstrating how the exploit works by selecting the FaceTime icon, adding a person, selecting the plus icon, and then scrolling through the contacts and using 3D for more information. A hacker would need physical access to a phone which limits the exploit's power, but contact emails and phone numbers from a victim’s network could play into more elaborate phishing schemes.
- Sources tell the Financial Times that Apple has held talks with iHeartMedia to take a stake in the U.S. radio company, but that the potential deal is still in a preliminary stage, and may be a multimillion-dollar marketing partnership rather than a direct investment. iHeartMedia filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy back in March.
- Spotify narrowly missed its first-ever operating profit in the third quarter, which the company says was because it hadn't spent enough money to hire more engineers. Spotify said it would ramp up research and development in new music services and additional content in 2019, reducing its operating margins “for the foreseeable future.” Spotify reported an operating loss of 6 million euros after previously setting expectations of losses between 10-90 million euros. Monthly subscribers, which account for 90 percent of Spotify's revenue, rose to 87 million, up from 83 million in the previous quarter, and total users rose to 191 million, including ad-supported free tiers.
- The UK government is readying a smartphone app designed to help EU citizens apply to remain in the UK after Brexit, which is an estimated 3.5 million EU citizens in the UK needing to apply for "settled status". But the app isn't fully functional on iOS. The app asks users to answer a few questions, take a "selfie" to match Home Office records and then scan the chip on their passport to verify their identity. But Apple's NFC chip doesn't allow this final step. Sources tell the BBC Apple is working with the Home Office but there's no guarantee of a solution before the UK leaves the EU in March.
- Xiaomi sent a cease-and-desist letter to Lyft, claiming it didn't consent to associate its electric scooter brand with Lyft, but Lyft has referenced Xiaomi in ads and other documentation as if there was a partnership in place. Xiaomi also wrote “We also do not condone Lyft’s unauthorized modification or retrofitting of our electric scooters for general public use." Xiaomi says it will pursue legal action against Lyft if necessary and also demands that Lyft stop deploying its scooters “that have been modified without our consent in public scooter rentals.” A Lyft spokesperson denied using Xiaomi's trademarks in advertising, and says scooter modifications are meant to satisfy local regulatory guidelines.
- Twitter is testing a homescreen button on iOS that lets users switch from an algorithmic timeline to the former reverse chronological feed that only shows people they follow. This option existed within Twitter's iOS settings, but the test makes toggling between a Top Tweets view and a Latest Tweets view much easier.
- Apple’s new MacBook Airs have a new T2 security chip, which helps protect the device’s encryption keys, storage, fingerprint data and secure boot features. The chip's newly published security guide explains a hardware microphone disconnect feature that physically cuts the device’s microphone from the rest of the hardware whenever the lid is closed. No software, even with root or kernel privileges in macOS, and even the software on the T2 chip, can trigger the microphone when the lid is closed. The camera doesn't also disconnect because its “field of view is completely obstructed with the lid closed.”
- Uber is rewarding drivers who have high ratings and low cancellation rates with higher payouts and free college tuition through a new program called Uber Pro. Uber Pro puts drivers in 4 categories: partner, gold, platinum and diamond. Drivers in the partner category must keep a 4.85 rating and a cancellation rate of 4 percent or less over a three-month period, which earns points unlocking partner status and unlocking more rewards like cash back on fuel purchases, discounts on vehicle maintenance, and free 24/7 roadside assistance. Platinum and diamond status drivers can take online classes at Arizona State University for free, or transfer the ASU reward to a family member.
- Sonos announced it's delaying support for Google Assistant until 2019, after saying last October that Google Assistant would be supported by 2018. In a blog post, Sonos says it needs more time to get the experience right, is making progress, and will try to lock down a date in "early" 2019.
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| Preceded by: "UK and Canada Jointly Summon Zuckerberg" |
Apple To Possibly Invest In iHeartMedia |
Followed by: "US DOJ Indicts Fujian Jinhua" |