Apple denies including privacy backdoors in iOS

in a recent research paper which highlights back doors and surveillance mechanisms in iOS devices, security researcher Jonathan Zdziarski brought to light some potential issues with the mobile OS that could potentially be used to compromise user privacy.

The paper argues that people with inside information of how iOS 7 operates could use vulnerabilities which are coded into the source code to install applications or extract data from devices, even without assistance from Apple.

Apple does have the ability to provide law enforcement with SMS messages, call history, contacts, videos and other media to law enforcement with a valid search warrant, but Zdziarski argues that advanced techniques exist to provide third parties with that information through ulterior methods. This allegedly includes more data than Apple can provide even as required by law enforcement, including deleted items.

iOS has since issued a statement to Financial Times journalist Tim Bradshaw, which was published on Twitter:

"We have designed iOS so that its diagnostic functions do not compromise user privacy and security, but still provides needed information to enterprise IT departments, developers and Apple for troubleshooting technical issues. A user must have unlocked their device and agreed to trust another computer before that computer is able to access this limited diagnostic data. The user must agree to share this information, and data is never transferred without their consent.

As we have said before, Apple has never worked with any government agency from any country to create a backdoor in any of our products of services."

It's worth noting that Zdziarski has stated that he's not looking to create a Snowden-esque security emergency with his paper. Instead he wants Apple to remove the questionable services from iOS devices, or at the very least to provide some level of disclosure as to why they're there.

Apple iPhone 6 cloned before it is even released

Apple iPhones are always among the most popular smartphones in the market and that’s beyond any shadow of doubt. In the past there have been multiple iPhone clones and the tradition is going to continue with the iPhone 6 as well.

    

While the next generation iPhone is about two months away, we already have the functional clones of the iPhone 6. The design of the smartphone is based on the already available mock-ups and the device also runs on an OS that has been skinned to look very similar to iOS.

    

There’s no word on what hardware the device features, but as seen in the previous clones, the iPhone 6 replica is bound to be pack an underpowered processor. However, we don’t expect to see this device anywhere outside the Chinese land.

Meanwhile, the original iPhone 6 model is said to sport a new A8 chipset with a clock speed of 2GHz. Apple is expected to officially announce its next-generation iPhone in September.

Two unannounced ZTE Nubia phones hit Chinese TENAA

Two ZTE smartphones have been spotted at the Chinese TENAA (an equivalent to the FCC in the USA) carrying the model numbers NX507J and NX505J. Both have undergone the approval process of the Chinese authority a few weeks ago.Neither of the phones is the Nubia Z7 that ZTE teased last month, judging from the photos released.The rumored specifications of the new higher-end of the two new phones include a 5.5" 1080p display, a Snapdragon 801 chipset with a 2.3GHz quad-core CPU, 2GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage (microSD slot is present, too).

   

ZTE Nubia NX505J

At the back of the Nubia NX505J, there's an 8MP camera with a CMOS sensor and 1080p video recording skills. The phone measures 152.7x 76 x 8.5 mm and its weight is 168g. ZTE has included support for the Chinese networks TD-LTE and TD-SCDMA and the phone will ship with Anrdoid 4.4.2 KitKat.Next up is the ZTE Nubia NX507J. It features a smaller, 5" 1080p display and a clocked-down 2GHz CPU. There's no information if its on a Qualcomm chipset yet or ZTE has opted for a MediaTek chip on this one. Internal storage is 16GB (plus a microSD card slot), while RAM is 2GB.

    

ZTE Nubia NX507J

At the back of the NX507J is an 8MP shooter, while at the front there's a 5MP one. No further information on either the price or the availability of the two is available at the moment.

Project Ara Chief Designer Dan Makoski leaves Google

Chief Designer of Project Ara - Dan Makoski - has left Google.

Makoski has been working at Google/Motorola since 2012 and is quitting now after his two year contract with the company ended. Why he chose not to renew his contract with Google is not known. Makoski is will now be working as VP of Design at Capital One.Makoski has been a major part of designing Project Ara and worked on it since the beginning. For those not aware, Project Ara is the first modular phone concept we have seen from a major manufacturer and something that is actually close to becoming a reality. However, with the chief designer now gone, it remains to be seen what direction the product design takes.

Microsoft and Canon strike patent cross-licensing deal

Software giant Microsoft and imaging giant Canon have struck a cross-licensing patent deal that affects "a broad range of products and services each company offers, including certain digital imaging and mobile consumer products".

While details on the specific devices and services aren't given and we have no specific information on individual patents the deal makes for interesting prospects.

Microsoft could use Canon's patents and software knowledge for improving the PureView technology itbought from Nokia or perhaps Canon could launch a smart camera running on Windows Phone.

Then again this deal could just be a reassurance that neither company will have patent disputes with the other. Or it could mean that the two platforms will be made to play nicer with each other - Canon cameras with Windows devices (smartphones, PCs, tablets).

New iPhone 6 launch date rumored as front glass panel leaks

From China today comes a new rumored announcement date, alongside a purported release date as well as pricing information (at least for the mainland).

Furthermore, what you can see below is said to be the upcoming 4.7-inch iPhone's front glass panel that goes atop the display. It's been made to star in a photo shoot, getting compared to the glass of the iPhone 5S (in the first two images), and even Apple's current flagship smartphone itself (in the next two).

 

iPhone 6 front glass panel

This gives us an idea about how the 4.7" iPhone 6 will fare, size-wise, against its predecessor. The new glass panel is thinner than the one used in the iPhone 5S, which is what you'd expect given the technological advances in the field.

The edges of the iPhone 6's glass front are rounded, and that may have to do with them seamlessly 'blending' into the metal frame of the handset - to supposedly allow for easier one-hand use of the biggest iPhone yet.

The iPhone 6 is now rumored to get official on September 15, with a release on September 25 - at least in China. A while back a German carrier leaked September 19 as the launch date over there, and both things may be true. Apple is known to do staged rollouts of its devices across the world, so perhaps the 'first wave' of countries (US included) will get it on the 19th, and the next wave (of which China will apparently be a part of) will have it six days later.

On the other hand, the Chinese media report on the matter specifically mentions that China will be in the "first list". So do take all of this with a pinch of salt.

In terms of pricing, the 4.7-inch iPhone will start at exactly as much as the iPhone 5S currently does. That's CNY 5,288 ($851) in China, but prices vary across markets.

The 5.5" variation of the iPhone 6 will reportedly go by the name iPhone Air and it will be sold for CNY 5,998 with 16GB of built-in storage. That's around $965 at the current exchange rates, so in the US you should probably expect this bigger handset to cost around $100 more than its smaller sibling.

In China, the new devices are likely to be carried by both China Mobile and China Unicom.

New iPhone 6 launch date rumored as front glass panel leaks

The iPhone 6 rumors aren't going to stop anytime soon, but by now you've probably gotten used to that idea.

From China today comes a new rumored announcement date, alongside a purported release date as well as pricing information (at least for the mainland).

Furthermore, what you can see below is said to be the upcoming 4.7-inch iPhone's front glass panel that goes atop the display. It's been made to star in a photo shoot, getting compared to the glass of the iPhone 5S (in the first two images), and even Apple's current flagship smartphone itself (in the next two).

 

iPhone 6 front glass panel

This gives us an idea about how the 4.7" iPhone 6 will fare, size-wise, against its predecessor. The new glass panel is thinner than the one used in the iPhone 5S, which is what you'd expect given the technological advances in the field.

The edges of the iPhone 6's glass front are rounded, and that may have to do with them seamlessly 'blending' into the metal frame of the handset - to supposedly allow for easier one-hand use of the biggest iPhone yet.

The iPhone 6 is now rumored to get official on September 15, with a release on September 25 - at least in China. A while back a German carrier leaked September 19 as the launch date over there, and both things may be true. Apple is known to do staged rollouts of its devices across the world, so perhaps the 'first wave' of countries (US included) will get it on the 19th, and the next wave (of which China will apparently be a part of) will have it six days later.

On the other hand, the Chinese media report on the matter specifically mentions that China will be in the "first list". So do take all of this with a pinch of salt.

In terms of pricing, the 4.7-inch iPhone will start at exactly as much as the iPhone 5S currently does. That's CNY 5,288 ($851) in China, but prices vary across markets.

The 5.5" variation of the iPhone 6 will reportedly go by the name iPhone Air and it will be sold for CNY 5,998 with 16GB of built-in storage. That's around $965 at the current exchange rates, so in the US you should probably expect this bigger handset to cost around $100 more than its smaller sibling.

In China, the new devices are likely to be carried by both China Mobile and China Unicom.