Innehållsförteckning för April 2021 från Macworld UK

It was only a matter of time. As the security specialist Patrick Wardle reports (fave.co/3shjodr), the first adware for M1 Macs has been recorded. The malware, based on the adware Pirri, was specially compiled for Apple’s ARM platform and makes unwanted ads display. The malware, first reported to the antivirus platform VirusTotal in December, was called GoSearch22 and was even signed with a developer certificate from Apple. (Apple has since withdrawn this certificate, so the malware would no longer be executable.) The fact that the first ARM malware is adware is not really surprising. Adware of this type often disguises itself as a browser extension that the user installs themselves; it then changes the browser settings and shows targeted adverts and sometimes also collects user data. Obviously a profitable business,…

When Apple unveiled its new MagSafe magnetic accessory system for the iPhone 12, we were all thinking one thing: a smart battery pack. Instead, we got a wallet and an underwhelming portable charger. Now, a new report says the battery pack Apple is working on might never arrive at all. Bloomberg reveals that Apple is indeed working on a “magnetically attached battery pack” that would wirelessly charge the iPhone 12 throughout the day. The description of the product suggests it would look similar to the leather wallet and not cover the whole back of the phone like the previous Smart Battery Case. However, as the iPhone 12 enters its fourth month of availability, the question remains whether the accessory will actually reach shelves. According to the report, development has been…

Just when we thought the fabled Apple Car had driven off into the sunset, a flurry of recent rumours has given new life to the project. But despite some promising signs, we’re still likely many years away from driving one. The most recent rumour comes from well-known analyst Ming-Chi Kuo (via MacRumors), who writes that Apple is collaborating with several automakers on the Apple Car project, including Hyundai, GM and Peugeot manufacturer PSA. According to Kuo, “Apple will leverage current automakers’ resources and focus on self-driving hardware and software, semiconductors, battery-related technologies, form factor and internal space designs, innovative user experience and the integration with Apple’s existing ecosystem.” Specifically, he says Apple will be using Hyundai’s E-GMP battery electric vehicle platform for the foundation of the Apple Car. This isn’t…

Internet-based threats come in many forms these days and things will only get worse, not better. While viruses are still a very real problem, there are other types of attack which a Mac security suite can help to protect you from. While we all think of antivirus software as something that stops malicious programs being downloaded and run, a modern security app does a lot more than that. It can warn you of dodgy email attachments, sketchy websites and some of the options here will even protect other devices you use, since you probably don’t use a single Mac exclusively. HOW TO CHOOSE Features fundamental to all packages are two ways to find viruses: on-demand protection and via always-on protection. The former finds viruses by examining one file after another…

Family members recently reported to me that they got a pop-up message on their iPhones and Macs asking them to re-enter their Apple ID password for the account associated with iCloud. I’ve seen with my own eyes and I have no idea how widespread this is, but it was peculiar to see it so close to home (literally). Fortunately, I have spread scepticism about entering one’s password into a random pop-up and both my wife and father asked me if these requests were legitimate. These may say ‘Apple ID Verification’, and they appear over the Home screen in iOS/iPadOS, and as a system pop-up window in macOS. You can imagine that malware that could create something similar would be an effective – if short-lived – way to phish for people’s…

Battery life is pretty important when it comes to laptops, and if even you have an old one, you expect it to last at least a few hours. So if your MacBook is struggling to get through a cup of coffee, Apple might fix it for free. While it isn’t yet part of an official repair or replacement programme, Apple has agreed to replace the batteries in 2016 and 2017 MacBook Pros (see fave.co/3bqzmLz) that “have experienced an issue with the battery not charging past 1 per cent”. Apple says the affected devices will also display “Service Recommended”, which you can check in the Battery menu in either System Preferences or the menu bar. These are the models that are eligible for a possible replacement battery: MacBook Pro: 13in, 2016,…

The iPhone may be the top-selling smartphone with 5G, but a new job posting discovered by Bloomberg suggests that Apple is already looking ahead to the next generation of wireless networks. Apple has posted ads looking for “wireless system research engineers for current and next-generation networks” at its offices in California. According to the ad, candidates “will be at the centre of a cutting-edge research group responsible for creating next-generation disruptive radio access technologies over the next decade”. The job description states that hires “will have the unique and rewarding opportunity to craft next-generation wireless technology that will have a deep impact on future Apple products”, and specifically lists “next-generation 6G wireless communication systems” as a focus. With 5G only just beginning to roll out, 6G is likely a decade…

It’s a long-held belief of Mac users that their computers are immune to the kind of malware and viruses that plague Windows PCs. While there is some credibility in this idea, we shouldn’t get over-confident when it comes to Mac security, as there are exploits that criminals can use to hack your Mac and leave it like a wide-open door through which they can steal your data or worse. Here we take a look at whether Macs can be hacked, how to tell if your Mac has been hacked or if someone is spying on your Mac and what you can do if your Mac is being remotely accessed. Here’s what you need to know – and what you need to do. CAN MACS GET HACKED? Apple has gone to…

We are terrible at passwords. We suck at creating them (the top two most popular remain ‘123456’ and ‘password’), we share them way too freely, and we forget them all the time. Indeed, the very thing that can ensure our online security has become our biggest obstacle to it. This is what makes a good password manager essential. A password manager relieves the burden of thinking up and memorizing unique, complex logins – the hallmark of a secure password. It allows you to safely share those logins with others when necessary. And because these tools encrypt your login info in a virtual vault – either locally or in the cloud – and lock it with a single master password, they protect the passwords themselves. If you’re looking to up your…

Apple is not a person. It’s easy to forget sometimes, but Apple is not Tim Cook or the imprint of Steve Jobs or Phil Schiller, or any other person. It’s an entity made up of thousands of people and a corporate culture (which, I’ll grant you, was largely defined by Jobs) that evolved over time. That said, Apple does have a corporate personality all its own, and I’ve been thinking lately about one of its stronger traits: pride. No company wants to admit failure in its press conferences and PR blitzes – those utterances are best said late on a Friday afternoon in a terse statement to a sympathetic media outlet. But Apple is in another league. Failed features don’t disappear – they’re replaced by exciting new ones. One of…

Price: £28.99 from fave.co/3qM4xHu When it comes to creative design work, Adobe Photoshop has been a go-to for Mac users for nearly three decades. But the times they are a-changing, and in recent years a new generation of developers have released apps that are easier to use, have more comprehensive features, and most importantly, are much cheaper. Art Text 4 is one such app. This app makes it a snap to create whatever kinds of typography and 2D or 3D text effects you can dream up for social media posts, website graphics, or company logos. Rich, colourful graphics complete with customizable backgrounds and textures are just a few mouse clicks away. Now with support for Metal 2 and Dark Mode, version 4.0 introduces the Spray Fill tool, which uses real-world…

Qualcomm has announced what it claims is the first 10 gigabit 5G modem, the Snapdragon X65. Or more accurately, ‘Modem-RF System’, as it includes the modem, RF transceivers, RF front-end, antenna module... it’s a matched set. If you’re excited about the prospect of this sort of speed in Apple’s autumn iPhone release (iPhone 12S? iPhone 13?), don’t hold your breath. It’s likely headed to next year’s iPhone, due to be released in the autumn of 2022. When it arrives, you can expect better peak performance and a host of other benefits, but some of it will require carriers to upgrade their networks. BENEFITS Qualcomm lists a host of improvements in its new modem. As usual, you should take any manufacturer’s claims of performance with a grain of salt. The Snapdragon…

While a new Apple Car is still likely many years away (see page 17), that’s not the only new product Apple is reportedly working on. A flurry of new rumours point to a possible release of an AR/VR headset early next year. While it’s not quite the sleek Apple Glasses that were recently rumoured, two reports say that Apple may launch an augmented- and virtual-reality headset in 2022 with seriously high-end specs. According to JP Morgan (via iMore), the headset will feature six cameras and an optical LiDAR scanner like the iPhone 12. The firm says the design of the unit is somewhat similar to HTC and Oculus with a head strap and enclosed front. That report was followed by tech news site The Information, which adds a few more…

While it’s true that Macs are less likely to be attacked than PCs, Mac users can be a very lucrative target and hence considered worth the effort. As a result, Macs do get viruses and are just as vulnerable to attack as a PC. They are generally safer, though. This is because the operating system is Unix-based and therefore more difficult to exploit. Apple also has a number of security measures built into the macOS and the Mac hardware. APPLE ANTIVIRUS On the software side, macOS includes its own antivirus software built in. XProtect detects and blocks any known malware. Apple monitors for new malware infections and updates XProtect regularly. XProtect will check for malware when an app is first launched and if it has been changed. If it detects…

If you’re not using iCloud Keychain on your iPhone, you should definitely turn it on. A full-fledged password manager built into iOS and macOS, it stores all of your sensitive information with end-to-end encryption and syncs it across all of your Apple devices. But even if you’re already using it to store logins to apps, Apple Pay info and other online passwords, you might not be getting all you can out of it. Here’s how to get the most out of Apple’s password manager – and why you don’t want to rely on it for all of your data storage needs. HOW TO SET UP iCLOUD KEYCHAIN If you have an iPhone, you have an iCloud account, and if you have an iCloud account, you have iCloud Keychain. If you…

There’s no doubt that Apple’s new M1 Macs have shaken up the marketplace with its low power consumption and fantastic performance – even with non-native Mac apps, surprisingly. But users who want to run Windows on the Mac are officially and natively left out in the cold. Admittedly, those of us who run Windows on a Mac are a distinct minority of the community. I run Windows 10 quite a bit on my iMac for professional reasons, and the M1 Mac’s lack of Boot Camp support seemed to be a non-starter for me. And after witnessing the M1’s scintillating performance in the testing for this article, I was not happy about it in the least. Fortunately, the situation is far from hopeless. Thanks to Parallels (fave.co/3uppYAu), the venerable Apple virtual…

HOW iCLOUD PHOTOS OPTIMIZES PHOTO STORAGE AND KEEPS YOUR ORIGINALS The old saying about one’s eyes being larger than one’s belly surely applies in an era when we can capture multi-megabyte images and gigabyte videos and have infinite storage online, but still have to contend with the size of flash drives in iPhones and iPads, and SSDs in Macs. Apple squared that circle with iCloud Photos, one of many companies’ attempts to pair cloud storage and personal or professional media capture. With Google Photos, Google stores everything in your cloud account and uses its native and browser-based apps as glimpses into that storage. Apple, in contrast, wants you to have a sort of copy of all your images available offline and online with iCloud Photos. For devices that lack enough…