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iPhone 6 Banned in Beijing over Patent Infringement

June 19, 2016 By Gary Wymore

China-made fake iPhone 6, the Android-based ZTE Blade 6S (left).

BEACON TRANSCRIPT – Apple can no longer sell its iPhone 6 and IPhone 6 Plus in the Chinese capital city as the city’s regulators found that the U.S. smartphone maker allegedly stole some exterior design detsils from a locally produced handset: the 100C.

Although the iPhones are obviously different from the Chinese counterpart, which is manufactured by Shenzhen Baili, Beijing’s intellectual property authorities ruled that they are disturbingly similar. Chinese authorities even found that Apple infringed a Chinese patent held by the 100C’s maker.

According to the ruling, there are “minor differences” between the U.S. and Chinese phones. Plus, because variations between the devices are so “tiny” an average user could be easily tricked. As a result, the ruling states, the case is deferred to a court that handles patent infringement.

Apple doesn’t expect the bizarre ruling to affect its profits. iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus are already two years old and are expected to be removed from sale globally this fall when iPhone 7 gets launched.

In response, the U.S. company said that Chinese customers can currently buy all iPhone 6 models including iPhone 6Plus and iPhone 6s. But the company had to file an appeal against the ban in Beijing with the Beijing intellectual property court, which is currently reviewing the case.

Apple is not Chinese authorities’ darling right now. So, it has struggled to make friends with Chinese businesses and regulators through heavy investments in local businesses. For instance, it poured $1 billion into the Chinese version of Uber taxi app firm, Didi. The move is very unusual for Apple which usually invests such large amounts of cash to acquire a business.

But Apple took the decision after Chinese regulators banned Apple iTunes Movies and Books from the country. Plus it also lost a lawsuit against a Chinese luxury goods firm which requested to use the “iPhone” name on its handbags.

Furthermore, Chinese companies have flooded the market with iPhone copycats and no one seems to care. For example, Goophone i6S and i6S are a perfect replica of iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus with the sole difference that they are powered by Android, lack the apple logo, and are a lot cheaper than the iPhone: $129 and $149, respectively.

Image Source: Youtube

Your Phone Belongs to the Law

May 3, 2016 By Helen Bradford

A new era in digital security with Apple’s security improvement.

We are living in the digital world, and we are all adapting the best we can. And we are not the only ones. Since 2014, your phone belongs to the Law. Confused? If you have yet to find out, you should know that judges can sign warrants authorizing policemen to gain access to the information stored on your phone.

With Apple’s security improvement, the fingerprint reader announced in 2013, came a new era in digital security. Your phone is indeed well protected against bad-doers, but what if you are one of them? Law enforcement can gain access to the information stored on your computer and your tablet, and it can surely find its way through your encrypted iPhone.

Such event took place no more than a year after Apple’s big security launch. Paytsar Bkhchadzhyan, a woman involved with a member of an Armenian gang, was forced to place her thumb on the Touch ID of her phone. Only forty-five minutes after the sentencing of the woman accused of identity theft, the judge signed the warrant that permitted law officers to search her phone. Paytsar Bkhchadzhyan is not a singular case. For example, in the case of the San Bernardino shooting, the FBI paid to bypass the security of the iPhone used by one of the shooters.

Even though The Fifth Amendment protects the citizens from self-incrimination, and stops the government from finding out passcodes or PINs, fingerprints are incriminating. It is because we are talking about a biometric indicator, that it is perfectly legal for the government to obtain such evidence and use it in a court of law.

Being such a sensitive subject for some people, the question asked now is “How do we protect our information?”. Although iPhone’s fingerprint reader is a state-of-the-art solution when it comes to digital security, we might just have to learn to reuse PINs. But it does come with a cost. Short PINs can be decrypted easily and long ones will get on your nerves if you have to check your phone frequently. So keep in mind that your phone belongs to the law and the law will surely find its way through all the traps that the citizens place willingly, or not, against it.

IMAGE SOURCE: NoSoloiOS

Windows Users Urged to Uninstall QuickTime

April 17, 2016 By Angelina Stapp

Windows users should uninstall QuickTime for security reasons.

BEACON TRANSCRIPT – An alert has been issued by the United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team of the Department of Homeland Security, urging Windows users to uninstall the QuickTime video player from Apple.

The call to action comes as a consequence of the fact that Apple will no longer update the program, which leaves it prone to high-risk bugs, as reported by TrendMicro, a security software maker. The company has discovered that QuickTime was previously vulnerable to critical bugs, but after it is released from the protection of Apple, it will be completely void of any security.

The message from the United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team presses all Windows PC users to uninstall the software as quickly as possible:

“Computers running QuickTime for Windows will continue to work after support ends. However, using unsupported software may increase the risks from viruses and other security threats. Potential negative consequences include loss of confidentiality, integrity, or availability of data, as well as damage to system resources or business assets.”

So, you can continue to use QuickTime at your own risk, but you might lose your privacy and security, a process affecting not only your personal life but also your career. The team has also mentioned two important reasons for this message.

The first one is, of course, the fact that Apple will no longer release security patches for the video player. Since the video player will not be protected in the future, users are advised to uninstall the program from their computers. However, this is the case only for Windows users, as those who use Apple will still receive patches regularly.

The second one refers to the high-risk vulnerabilities uncovered by the Zero Day program from TrendMicro. It appears these vulnerabilities from QuickTime can be activated whenever the user unknowingly accesses malicious websites or tainted files.

When Apple stops sending security patches, the best thing to do is instantly removing the video player from your computer. In this way, you can prevent any potential attacks. Attacks making use of the flaws of the system have yet to be reported, but TrendMicro’s recommendation is to listen to the advice from Apple.

Since both companies and the United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team are all urging us to take the same measures, it is clear the best thing to do is to get rid of QuickTime and use other video players.

Image Source: YouTube

Still No Fix for iOS 9.3 Hang-up Issue

March 28, 2016 By Gary Wymore

Apple has yet to release a patch for the 9.3 freeze and crash issue.

BEACON TRANSCRIPT – As more and more users complain about the iOS 9.3 hang-up/ freeze issue, Apple support said its engineers are currently working to fix the problem. However, no timetable was set for the release of the patch and no one knows for sure how many devices were affected by the problem.

Here’s the latest scuttlebutt on the iOS 9.3 problem. For those of you who either don’t have an iPhone or just don’t care, some Apple users reported after the launch of iOS 9.3 some freeze/ hang-up problem.

More specifically, users who’ve tried to open hyperlinks in browsers such as Safari, Google Chrome, or in Mail or Messages discovered that the application became laggy and eventually crash. Moreover, it would seem that iOS 9.3 users didn’t only experience the problem.

According to the complaints received by Apple’s customer service, it appears that even Apple handsets running version 9.2 of iOS. Each time, the problem was the same: when the user clicked on an embedded link, the OS would simply freeze and crash.

Moreover, it would also seem that those updating their system from iOS 9.2 to the newer version of the OS had to deal with another issue. According to some users, while upgrading from 9.2 to 9.3, the software prohibited older handset users from completing the activation process, thus transforming the device into a veritable paperweight.

The software engineers declared that the hang-up problem must be with the OS itself and are currently working on a way to mend the problem. However, Apple didn’t say anything about when the problem will be patched.

In the meantime, users experiencing the problems mentioned above could search different forums for fixes. It would seem that the most general fix out there refers to turning off the JavaScript function.

Many users have reported that after turning off the Script features, their handsets no longer experience the freeze/crash issue. To do that, head on over to Settings, tap on Safari and search for the advanced tab.

At the end of the section, you should be able to see an option called “Turn off JavaScript.” Tap on the function, and restart the browser. Another fix you could try is to press long a link. But, according to various users, this solution only works in Google Chrome, and it doesn’t work all the time.

So, if you’ve bought a device running iOS 9.3, you could try one of the solutions mentioned above. On the other hand, if you’re still running 9.2, it would be a better idea to sit this one out, until Apple finds a way to patch the issue.

Photo credits:pixabay

Apple might Face a Lawsuit over Error 53

February 9, 2016 By Helen Bradford

PCVA has begun to investigate the user’s allegations concerning error 53.

BEACON TRANSCRIPT – If would seem that things are not looking too good for the Cupertino-based tech giant. A law firm has recently begun to investigate the user’s allegations, according to which Apple is using error 53 in order to ensure that the user doesn’t use third-party services. Apple might face a lawsuit over error 53 if the allegations prove to be true.

A law company by the name of Phau Cochran Vertetis Amala PLLC or PCVA for short has publically announced that it has begun an investigation into the error 53 issue. According to the law firm, over the next few weeks, in will begin to systematically investigate all the claims coming from the users who experienced the error 53 issue after updating their handsets to the newest version of iOS.

For those who are unaware, error 53 is that kind of glitch that somehow manages to turn your regular iPhone handset into a paperweight. Basically, the problem resides in the phone’s inability to recognize if the components are authentic or not. The new line of phone employs a pairing technology between the Touch ID sensor and the Fingerprint device.

For example, if you have issues with your handset, it seems only natural to bring your iPhone to a service. And yes, most iPhone users prefer to take their phone to a third-party service because Apple’s repair prices are quite high. If the technician uses a different power cable or swaps the defective phone button with a new one, the phone will detect that one or more components are not genuine and will return the dreaded error.

Moreover, according to the ongoing investigations, there are a couple of iPhone 6 users who have reported that they’ve actually received the message without any warning after updating their phone the latest version of iOS.

As for Apple, the Cupertino-based tech giant declared that this system only ensures that the no one is capable of accessing the user’s private data. Technically speaking, anyone getting hold of a handset, can swap the fingerprint sensor with another one and gain access to the user’s data without even breaking a sweat. According to Apple, this mechanism prevents data theft, but, lately, it would seem that this security policy is doing more harm than good.

And now, Apple might face a lawsuit over error 53 if the allegations are proven. According to several users who experienced the dreaded error 53 issues, the tech giant is taking advantage of this issue, in order to use it as leverage. By doing so, the tech giant allegedly makes sure that the users will use Apple’s repair services instead of a third-party service.

Photo credits:www.pixabay.com

More iPhone Users are Getting Steamed over Error 53

February 6, 2016 By Troy G. Bennett

Here are a bouple of details about iPhone’s much dreaded error.

BEACON TRANSCRIPT – According to a recent reporting, the number of users receiving the error 53 message has increased. More iPhone users are getting steamed over error 52 which basically transforms your iPhone into a paperweight.

When installing a new update or software on you iPhone, it’s now unheard of to receive an error during the installation process. Things like this happen all the time, regardless whether you’re using a smartphone or a computer.

But what if I told you that there’s one error out there that can make you break in tears over your recently deceased iPhone? Yes, we are of course talking about the dreaded error 53, Apple’s sweet own of saying “Execute Order 66” when you want to repair your phone outside Apple’s authorized service.

So, what’s error 53? Basically, it’s all related to security and to the Touch ID fingerprint sensor. According to Apple’s testimony, this kind of error occurs when the software is unable to verify if the components inside your iPhone are genuine. For example, if your home key gets damaged, you would naturally have to replace it. If the product used is not Apple certified, then the ID touch fingerprint device will call up the error 53 message, turning your phone in a paperweight.

Moreover, according to the same statement issued by the tech giant, it would seem that when you take your phone to a certified Apple service, the components used to patch up your phone are capable of re-initiating the authentication process, thus proving to the Touch ID device that all the component are genuine and that no one is attempting to remove the touch device.

The same principle applies to the power cable. For example, there have been many users who have reported this error after attempting to update the smartphone using another cable. The same goes for users who turned in their phone to third-party services. In each case, the dreaded error would appear on the phone’s display. But don’t think that after you received this error your phone would sit there, motionless.

According to the users who received this message, the phone gets stuck in a reboot loop, meaning that your phone will restart each time you switch it on. Naturally, more iPhone users are getting steamed over error 53. Apple’s response was swift: use only certified services if you don’t want to wave bye-bye to your beloved handset.

What to do in order to in order to avoid the error? If you decide to go to a third-party service, ask the repairman to use the phone’s original Touch Id fingerprint sensor, home button and power cable. Do not attempt to change any of these because you will receive the error. If the home button or any of the components are beyond repair, head on over to the nearest Apple service.

Also, if you want to replace a power cable of a broken update button, do not attempt to upgrade your phone’s OS. Last, if the error does appear on your screen, turn the phone off, and replace the new parts with the original components.

Photo credits:www.wikipedia.org

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