Top Stories: Apple Warns About MacBook Webcam Covers, iOS 13.6 Released, Apple Hacked on Twitter

[MacRumors]

While much of our attention has been focused on iOS 14 over the past weeks, Apple was finishing up some final updates for the iOS 13 series of releases, and this week delivered iOS 13.6 and associated updates for other platforms to the public. New iOS features include audio stories for Apple News+, support for digital car keys, and more.

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One incredibly popular story (and in fact one of our most popular stories in years) was about a new Apple support document warning users to be careful about installing physical webcam covers on their Mac notebooks. Other top stories included a major Twitter security breach that saw Apple's official account tweet out a Bitcoin scam, the opening of filing for cash payments in the iPhone "Batterygate" lawsuit, and more.

Check out our video above and read on below for more on all of this week's biggest stories!

Apple Warns Against Closing MacBooks With a Cover Over the Camera

In a new support document this month, Apple has advised customers not to close the lid of a MacBook, MacBook Air, or MacBook Pro with a cover over the webcam, noting that this practice may cause damage to the display and might also interfere with the ambient light sensor and prevent features like automatic brightness and True Tone from working.

Apple said that customers should instead look for a green indicator light to know when the webcam is active, and decide which apps can use the camera in System Preferences. Apple ensures that the camera is engineered so that it can’t activate without the light also turning on.

Apple Releases iOS 13.6 With Car Key, Apple News+ Audio, and More

Apple this week publicly released iOS 13.6 with a handful of new features, including support for digital car keys in the Wallet app, audio stories for Apple News+ subscribers, and a toggle switch for enabling or disabling the automatic downloading of iOS updates.

At launch, the Car Key feature is limited to select BMW models manufactured after July 1, 2020, including the 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, X5, X6, X7, X5M, X6M and Z4.

Apple also publicly released macOS 10.15.6, watchOS 6.2.8, tvOS 13.4.8, and a HomePod update.

Apple's Twitter Account Hacked by Bitcoin Scammers

Apple, Uber, Bill Gates, Elon Musk, Barack Obama, Joe Biden, Kim Kardashian, and Kanye West were just some of the high-profile brands and individuals involved in a major Twitter security breach this week.

All of the compromised Twitter accounts tweeted out a similar message that claimed users could send Bitcoin to a certain address and receive double the amount in return. The hackers appear to have received more than $100,000 worth of cryptocurrency before Twitter took action.

Twitter continues to investigate the breach, which it described as a "coordinated social engineering attack by people who successfully targeted some of our employees with access to internal systems and tools."

iPhone Users Can Now File to Receive Around $25 From Apple Over 'Batterygate'

Earlier this year, Apple agreed to settle a U.S. class action lawsuit that accused the company of "secretly throttling" older iPhone models, and affected customers can now claim their share of the settlement.

Apple will provide a cash payment of approximately $25 to each eligible iPhone owner who submits a claim, with its total payout to fall between $310 million and $500 million. The exact amount that each iPhone owner receives could vary slightly based on the number of claims submitted.

The class includes any U.S. resident who owns or previously owned an iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, and/or iPhone SE that ran iOS 10.2.1 or later, and/or an iPhone 7 or iPhone 7 Plus that ran iOS 11.2 or later, before December 21, 2017. Class members must have experienced "diminished performance" on their devices in order to qualify.

Five Mac Apps Worth Checking Out - July 2020

Each month, we share a video highlighting a handful of Mac apps worth checking out. This month's selections focus on productivity and feature great tools for working from home.

For more of our Mac app picks, check out our essential Mac apps archive.

MacRumors Newsletter

Each week, we publish an email newsletter like this highlighting the top Apple stories, making it a great way to get a bite-sized recap of the week hitting all of the major topics we've covered and tying together related stories for a big-picture view.

So if you want to have top stories like the above recap delivered to your email inbox each week, subscribe to our newsletter!

Article Link: Top Stories: Apple Warns About MacBook Webcam Covers, iOS 13.6 Released, Apple Hacked on Twitter

 

[I7guy]

Editors: minor grammatical quibble -- "will prevent features like automatic brightness and true tone from working". What other features are there? Could prevent features like automatic brightness and true tone from working.

Social engineering: This is very bad for twitter. Entire markets could have been maliciously disrupted. Twitter is no longer a secure platform, imo.

Lawsuit: Well I'm eligible for $50. I'll either not take it or take it. I guess I'll take it.

 

[scrapesleon]

Apple hacked??? what did I missed

 

[JosephAW]

My friend in Slovakia just fell for a bitcoin scam from a email or FB link and paid 250 € from his CC to open a bitcoin account. One of those "we'll double your money schemes".
They wanted all kinds of personal information including id and copy of a bill until he figured out something is not on the level, major identity theft. Getting all kinds of scam calls now.
He says he talked to someone and he wants to close his bitcoin account and they will refund his deposit on his card. I told him don't hold your breath. He'll probably have to change his phone number.

 

[Unggoy Murderer]

Can we stop saying "Apple hacked", please? It creates so much unnecessary worry and confusion.

Apple wasn't hacked, neither was Apple's Twitter - it was Twitter that was "hacked", and the attacker added a tweet to Apple's feed. Apple did nothing wrong, along with the other 40 or so accounts that suffered the same.

 

[cerote]

Have not installed since getting Mac mini and not having mic or cam but does Micro Snitch still work on newer OS?

It alerts when mic or camera is used. I know it is not a full cover protection but added extra alert and some logging on when anything tried to use them.

 

[Williesleg]

I love how Tim Apple's most important task is to make a laptop where you'll break it by using a privacy protecting camera cover. Bravo Genius!

 

[I7guy]

I love how Tim Apple's most important task is to make a laptop where you'll break it by using a privacy protecting camera cover. Bravo Genius!

What hyperbole. Would one prefer Apple made a laptop that had loose tolerances? To the critics no matter what Apple does there is a criticism to be had.😬

 

[patent10021]

Apple said that customers should instead look for a green indicator light to know when the webcam is active, and decide which apps can use the camera in System Preferences. Apple ensures that the camera is engineered so that it can’t activate without the light also turning on.

This is a fallacy and very misleading. Even Zuckerberg who uses macbooks exclusively, covers his with tape 100% of the time. It's not difficult to access a camera that is connected to a network.

 

[I7guy]

This is a fallacy and very misleading. Even Zuckerberg who uses macbooks exclusively, covers his with tape 100% of the time. It's not difficult to access a camera that is connected to a network.

Surprised zuckerberg doesn’t have his MacBook disassembled and the wires cut.

 

[Apple_Robert]

Can we stop saying "Apple hacked", please? It creates so much unnecessary worry and confusion.

Apple wasn't hacked, neither was Apple's Twitter - it was Twitter that was "hacked", and the attacker added a tweet to Apple's feed. Apple did nothing wrong, along with the other 40 or so accounts that suffered the same.

Technically, Twitter wasn’t hacked. An inside employee gave access to bad actors to take advantage of people.

 

[szw-mapple fan]

This is a fallacy and very misleading. Even Zuckerberg who uses macbooks exclusively, covers his with tape 100% of the time. It's not difficult to access a camera that is connected to a network.

Yeah he’s also the CEO of one of the most profitable companies in the world and would especially be a target for sophisticated attacks.

 

[kacper1703]

The $950m Apple Pay Cash transfer from the article cover cracked me up 😂

 

[Lucas284]

Curious: how does Apple check if you owned one of these phones in that time?

 

[TiggrToo]

I love how Tim Apple's most important task is to make a laptop where you'll break it by using a privacy protecting camera cover. Bravo Genius!

It would be nice if we can start calling people by their proper name. It's Tim Cook. Tim Apple sounds just so damn immature.

 

[DotCom2]

Curious: how does Apple check if you owned one of these phones in that time?

You bought a phone.
It has a serial number.
They are a Tech Company.
They know.

 

[FightTheFuture]

This is a fallacy and very misleading. Even Zuckerberg who uses macbooks exclusively, covers his with tape 100% of the time. It's not difficult to access a camera that is connected to a network.

The macbook’s camera cannot be powered without the green active light illuminating. It was designed that way. Similar to how a microwave cannot turn on without the door closed.

I looked into it a couple months back when MacBook camera security was discussed. I couldn’t find any articles where someone’s macbook camera was accessed. But if it gives Snowden or Zuckerberg, or yourself solace to cover your camera - have at it.

 

[imassents]

Apple ensures that the camera is engineered so that it can’t activate without the light also turning on.

Anyone remember the "iSeeYou" security flaw that affected iSight's? They would've been 'engineered' with the same intentions too. It's hard to win back trust.

 

[glowplug]

Surprised zuckerberg doesn’t have his MacBook disassembled and the wires cut.

Maybe he did and still uses tape.

 

[I7guy]

Anyone remember the "iSeeYou" security flaw that affected iSight's? They would've been 'engineered' with the same intentions too. It's hard to win back trust.

Not for everybody. Those that don’t learn from their mistakes will repeat them.

 

[Killbynumbers]

I've owned and still own each and every one of those iPhones mentioned. Does that mean I get $25 for each phone? I have two SEs, 6+, 6S, 6S+ and 7+.

 

[TiggrToo]

I've owned and still own each and every one of those iPhones mentioned. Does that mean I get $25 for each phone? I have two SEs, 6+, 6S, 6S+ and 7+.

It depends on if you meet all the conditions required.

If you're asking can you claim for multiple devices, the answer is yes as long as each device was eligible (and are a US resident)

(1) iPhone 6, 6 Plus, 6s, 6s Plus, 7, 7 Plus, and/or SE device (2) that ran iOS 10.2.1 or later or, in the case of iPhone 7 and 7 Plus devices, that ran iOS 11.2 or later before December 21, 2017.

 

[benlukes]

Editors: minor grammatical quibble -- "will prevent features like automatic brightness and true tone from working". What other features are there? Could prevent features like automatic brightness and true tone from working.

Social engineering: This is very bad for twitter. Entire markets could have been maliciously disrupted. Twitter is no longer a secure platform, imo.

Lawsuit: Well I'm eligible for $50. I'll either not take it or take it. I guess I'll take it.

minor grammatical quibble — “Twitter is no longer a secure platform”. Nothing changed about Twitter. It was never a secure platform, that fact is just now coming to light. Twitter is no[t] longer a secure platform.
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Anyone remember the "iSeeYou" security flaw that affected iSight's? They would've been 'engineered' with the same intentions too. It's hard to win back trust.

Yep. Has anyone pulled apart their MacBook to confirm that it is impossible for the camera to come on without the light? I can imagine how this could be done, but I’d like someone to confirm that isn’t Apple or an Apple fanboy.
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The macbook’s camera cannot be powered without the green active light illuminating. It was designed that way. Similar to how a microwave cannot turn on without the door closed.

I looked into it a couple months back when MacBook camera security was discussed. I couldn’t find any articles where someone’s macbook camera was accessed. But if it gives Snowden or Zuckerberg, or yourself solace to cover your camera - have at it.

Funny you should mention the microwave example. I just moved out of a place that had a microwave that would turn on with the door open. In fact, sometimes opening the door would be the thing that turned it on (with everything fully cancelled out on the screen, no timer or anything).

 

[Johnny907]

The trouble with those green indicator LED’s is that they are triggered by software, not hardware. Software can be hacked, Apple. There’s a reason the macs in the background of your ARM announcement video had their cameras covered. You could at least be honest about that fact and engineer in a solution yourself.

 

[V.K.]

Technically, Twitter wasn’t hacked. An inside employee gave access to bad actors to take advantage of people.

True but the larger point is that Apple's account wasn't hacked and media should use correct language when describing what happened. When regular people hear that an account was hacked they assume some degree of negligence by the account holder, perhaps by not securing their account properly. For example, here is the reaction to this story by a pretty high profile twitter account. Such reaction is typical and not at all surprising given the headlines.