The FBI claims there’s absolutely no other way for it to access San Bernardino terrorist Syed Rizwan Farook’s iPhone 5c expect other having Apple create a backdoor. But according to Edward Snowden there’s at least one other option: acid and lasers.
The former NSA contractor and privacy activist appeared in a virtual talk at Johns Hopkins University and pointed out that even though FBI insists forcing Apple to hack the iPhone is the only way forward, that’s simply not true.
The director of the FBI has written an impassioned open letter to Apple, asking it to go along with the recent court order to unlock the iPhone at the center of the San Bernardino shooting investigation.
James Comey writes that the FBI, “isn’t about trying to set a precedent or send any kind of message. It is about the victims and justice.”
Check out the rest of his open letter below:
Samsung has launched its own Upgrade Program alongside the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge to make it easier for fans to get their hands on its latest devices.
It comes in response to Apple’s iPhone Upgrade Program, but it’s nowhere near as good.
Tim Cook sparked an internet controversy when he penned his open letter to Apple customers about why the tech giant was pushing back against a court order to create an FBI-friendly version of its iOS software.
Find out more about Apple’s epic battle over iPhone encryption, along with how to unlock your iPhones secret emoticons, 10 hard drive space-saving tips, the best news and RSS apps for your iOS devices, and a bit about John McAfee’s bid to hack the iPhone for the FBI.
All that and much more in this week’s Cult of Mac Magazine. Here are the top stories this week.
Donald Trump has threaten to permanently switch to Samsung if Apple doesn’t give in to the federal government’s demands, and he’s calling on all his followers to do the same.
At a rally in South Carolina this morning the US presidential candidate says that citizens should boycott Apple products until the company hands over the PIN to one of the San Bernardino terrorist’s iPhone 5c. Trump neglected to mention though that nearly all his tweets come from an iPhone.
Apple’s fight against the FBI continues to dominate headlines, with the company standing firm to protect its beliefs and the privacy of its users. But should it really be doing more to help law enforcement agencies?
No one who uses Apple products wants it to compromise the security of iOS by creating dangerous backdoors, but should it be working to find a safer solution that would provide the FBI with information when it’s needed?
Join us in this week’s Friday Night Fight between Cult of Android and Cult of Mac as we battle it out over this hot topic — and be sure to weigh in at the end with your opinion!
Apple is planning to fight the FBI’s terror probe by invoking the right of free-speech and they’ve hired the most legendary free-speech lawyer in the country to help them win.
Theodore Olson, famous for successfully arguing before the Supreme Court that money is a form of free speech in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, is joining Apple’s fight against the FBI’s order to build a backdoor into San Bernardino terrorist Syed Rizwan Farook’s iPhone 5c.
Longtime Cult of Mac readers know I can be a sucker for wood. It’s a material with integrity, and I like the way it juxtaposes with Apple’s preferred design materials of metal and glass. I loved using Monolith’s beautiful wood veneers with my old iPhone 5. And I can’t wait to try Pad & Quill’s new gorgeous wood cases for the latest iPhones.
A mother used Apple’s Find My iPhone feature to track down her kidnapped daughter, tracing the teenager to a McDonald’s parking lot more than 150 miles from her home in Pittsburgh.
The unnamed daughter was being held against her will by her ex-boyfriend, who allegedly kidnapped her and bound her hands, feet and mouth with duct tape — but apparently (thankfully!) forgot to remove the victim’s iPhone.
When it comes to hacking the iPhone, it’s hard to find anyone with more experience breaking into Apple’s software than Will Strafach, aka Chronic.
The legendary hacker has spent years reverse engineering each version of iOS to give jailbreakers full control of the iPhone and he’s got some very important insight into the FBI’s demands that Apple hack the iPhone.
Mainly, don’t do it!
Apple is finally providing a solution for customers whose iPhones are bricked by the disastrous Error 53 issue that disables iPhones that had a home button or cables related to Touch ID replaced by an unauthorized third-party.
The company released iOS 9.2.1 this morning as an iTunes-only update that can restore devices that have been taken out by Error 53. Apple published a new support document detailing what causes Error 53 and how to repair iPhones effected.
An official statement was also released apologizing for Error 53, saying it was intended to only be used in factories to check hardware.
Apple is launching a new strategy to get customers to ditch their old iPhones for a new model by combining aspects of its two upgrade programs to create the “Trade Up With Installments” plan.
The new program lets customers trade in an old iPhone or Android (they’ll even take Windows phones if you can find one). Apple will then apply the value of the old device toward a new iPhone and let you pay off the rest of the purchase price over 24 months.
Big tech companies might be supporting Apple’s pro-privacy stance when it comes to creating a backdoor for the iPhone, but not everyone is in complete agreement.
Specifically, the family of British soldier Lee Rigby — who was murdered by Islamic extremists in 2013 — has spoken out about Apple’s decision to refuse a court order to break into the San Bernardino shooter’s iPhone. Rigby’s family says Apple’s stance is “protecting a murderer’s privacy at the cost of public safety.”
I’ve never really understood the appeal of flexible smartphones before I saw this video. Now it’s changed things forever for me. I want a flexible iPhone! Or, better yet, a bendy iPad! Because flex tech is going to open up whole new ways to interact with devices.
A federal judge has ordered Apple to comply with the FBI’s demands to unlock the San Bernardino terrorist’s iPhone 5c. Apple CEO Tim Cook has boldly and politely refused. However, his reason has nothing to do with whether Apple has the ability to hack the iPhone.
It simply doesn’t want to.
Apple has spent the past few years making its devices more secure by adding Touch ID and a secure element. The iPhone 5c doesn’t have Touch ID, though, so the FBI wants to brute-force unlock it by guessing the terrorist’s PIN. The problem is, iOS will automatically wipe the device after too many unsuccessful attempts — and iOS also delays how often you can guess a passcode. So the FBI created a plan for how Apple can help the bureau get around it.
If you haven’t already grabbed a free trial of Spotify, you’re in luck – this deal makes joining the streaming music service even more enticing.
Today through February 28, when you buy three months of Spotify Premium for $29.97, you’ll get a free Chromecast.
Google takes a leaf out of Samsung’s marketing playbook in its latest Android ad, with a subtle swipe at Apple and the lack of choice you get when you choose iOS.
“Monotune” is part of the company’s “Be together. Not the same.” campaign, and it’s nothing short of brilliant.
Android has long been the best platform for smartphone buyers on a budget, and now entry to Google’s ecosystem is even more affordable.
Indian handset maker Ringing Bells just launched the new Freedom 251, an ultra affordable device that looks a lot like an iPhone, priced at 251 rupees — or about $3.67.
iPhone sales may be beginning to slow, but the addition of a 4-inch “iPhone 5se” handset could net Apple an extra 10 million+ units — or the equivalent of an extra 23 cents per share for Apple’s earnings — according to RBC Capital Markets analyst Amit Daryanani.
Donald Trump has slammed Apple for its refusal to unlock gunman Syed Rizwan Farook’s iPhone 5c after being requested to do so by the FBI.
“Who do [Apple] think they are? They have to open it up,” Trump told Fox and Friends when asked about Apple’s responsibility to help with the investigation following the attack in San Bernardino, California, which killed 14 people.
Emoji has sort of taken over my iMessage conversations on the iPhone lately, and I’m willing to bet you use a lot of the cute little pictures too.
What if I told you there was a hidden treasure trove of text-based emoticons that you can access in addition to your favorite emoji?
Even better — it’s easy to enable these iPhone secret emoticons. Here’s how.
Got an old Android you don’t use anymore? It’s useless to you in the bottom of a drawer, but if you dig it out and dust it off, you can sell it to us for cold hard cash!
We’re buying used and broken Android and Microsoft devices through our new buyback program, and we pay more than Best Buy, Gazelle, and Walmart in most cases. We’ll even buy used wearables, watches, and devices that don’t even work anymore.
Hipsters have been using the iPhone to document their meals on Instagram for years now, but the culinary geniuses at Bon Appétit are taking iPhone food photography to unprecedented levels for its March issue.
Bon Appétit sent its top photographers to shoot everything from food festivals to fine-dining dishes for next month’s Culture issue, only instead of lugging around their pro-level DSLRs and wide array of lenses, the photogs were only allowed to use their iPhones.
The end result is a gorgeous 43-page spread that will make your mouth water. The issue hits newsstands this week, but the company has already revealed some of the incredible photos that you won’t believe were shot on iPhone.
Forget all the doom predictions about Apple — according to Drexel Hamilton analyst Brian White, the company may have just had its best January since 2008.
Although Apple itself has said that iPhone sales are likely to fall for the first time ever in the January quarter, White claims that his own analysis of Apple’s suppliers suggests that things are looking far from bleak.
Apple has acknowledged the existence of a somewhat bizarre bug which bricks any iOS devices that has its date set back to 1970 — and confirms that a fix is on the way.
“An upcoming software update will prevent this issue from affecting iOS devices,” Apple notes on one of its support pages.
While there’s no word on exactly when this software update will be made available, it’s good to know that Apple is on the case.
