Apple goes USB-C

It could be time to say goodbye to lightning charging – at least, in the case of Apple’s AirPods and Mac accessories. According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, he believes that Apple is looking to do away with lightning charging and making the switch to USB-C.

The change has to do with the European Union’s recently approved mandate that will force all devices sold in Europe to use USB-C ports as the standard. The mandate is not yet law in Europe, though European Parliament approved the changes last week.

If Gurman is to be believed, we could see USB-C in the next generation of AirPods and AirPods Pro by 2024. Accessories such as the Magic Keyboard, Magic Mouse and Magic Trackpad could be eyeing up a switch in 2023. He didn’t specify changes to Apple’s higher-end products but believes that the next generation of iPhones and iMacs could make the change next.

We’re still not sure of how the legislation will affect the world surrounding Europe just yet and whether Apple will make the change worldwide. The EU’s legislation officially comes into effect at the end of 2024, giving companies (Apple) plenty of time to comply.

Source: Bloomberg

Facebook sends out a dire warning to around 1 million users

Meta, Facebook’s parent company, is set to notify around 1 million users, warning them that their credentials may be compromised. Facebook blamed the concerns on security issues with apps downloaded on the Play Store and App Store.

Facebook announced that it found over 400 apps that disguise themselves as games, fitness apps and photo editors. Users download these apps and log in using their Facebook credentials, allowing the apps to steal them. Meta has reached out to both app stores to organise the removal of these apps. Since then, 45 out of the 400 have been taken down.

Meta has shared useful tips on how to avoid becoming “re-compromised”. According to David Agranovich, director of global threat disruption at Meta, none of the malicious activity happened on Meta’s systems, which means that there’s a chance not all of the million users may have had their login information stolen.

Source: The Verge

Origin is dead, long live EA App

Nearly two years have passed since EA announced the incoming death of the Origin app, replacing it with the ‘EA App’ – a faster, better version of Origin. The time has finally come (for Windows users) to make the switch as the EA app leaves the beta phase. Mac users… you’ll have to wait a bit longer.

Windows users will soon be ‘invited’ to ‘upgrade’ to the new app, noting that users’ save data, friends list and games will all still be there. The new app features a more intuitive design and the ‘fastest’ and ‘lightest’ PC client. Of course, this is EA tooting its own horn, so take it with a grain of salt.

EA hasn’t noted a release date for macOS users just yet. But, it did mention that it would have more news to come on that front in a few months.

Source: PC Gamer

Did somebody call 9-1-1?

It’s been just over a month since Apple’s Far Out event, which introduced a new set of AirPods, four new iPhones and three Apple Watches. One of the biggest draw-ins to the new lineup was the inclusion of crash detection, which is exactly what it sounds like. In a major car crash? Your watch or iPhone will alert the necessary emergency services. The only problem is, it’s calling 911 when users aren’t in any danger.

According to The Wall Street Journal, a woman by the name of Sara White took her iPhone 14 onto a roller coaster, when her phone alerted 911 reporting its owner had been in a car crash. Obviously, the owner was okay – but the team that arrived on the scene wasn’t aware of this. The false positive caused the owner and emergency services plenty of unnecessary stress and worry.

Unfortunately, this wasn’t a one-time affair. In the same park, The Warren County Communications Centre told WSJ that they’d had six other reports all warning them that their owner was in danger after a crash.

Apple responded to the reports, claiming that “the technology provides peace of mind, and Apple will continue to improve it over time.”

Source: Android Authority