Apple Developers Required to Justify Use of Some APIs in Latest Move to Boost Privacy

In an effort to bolster user privacy, developers will need to justify their use of certain Apple APIs before their apps can be listed on the App Store, according to a new article on the Apple developer website spotted by 9to5Mac.

The Apple Developer website now lists some APIs as "Required Reason APIs," meaning that developers have to clarify why they are using them in their privacy manifest. Some commonly used APIs, such as UserDefaults, which stores user preferences, now fall under the Required Reason category.

With the launch of watchOS 10, iOS 17, iPadOS 17, tvOS 17, and macOS Sonoma later this year, developers will receive a warning if they submit apps using a Required Reason API without specifying its usage. From spring 2024, any apps using these APIs without a legitimate justification will be rejected in the review process.

Apple explains that main reason for this change is to curb fingerprinting, a method used to track users across different apps and websites. Fingerprinting uses API calls to gather details about a user's device, such as screen resolution, model, and operating system. This data is then used to create a unique "fingerprint," enabling the user to be identified across various apps or websites.

According to Apple, Required Reason APIs will guarantee that apps only employ these APIs for their prescribed use. In the event of a rejection, Apple will permit developers to contest the decision and submit a request for approval if their case does not fit within the existing guidelines. See the Apple Developer website for more information.

This article, "Apple Developers Required to Justify Use of Some APIs in Latest Move to Boost Privacy" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Source: TechRadar

Apple Releases First Public Beta of tvOS 17

Apple today seeded the first beta of the upcoming tvOS 17 update to its public beta testing group, allowing the general public to download and test the update ahead of its September launch. Public beta testers can download the tvOS 17 beta by opening up the Settings app on Apple TV , choosing the Software Updates section under System, and then toggling on the Get Public Beta Updates option. Signing up on Apple's public beta website is also required. tvOS 17 adds FaceTime to the ‌Apple TV‌, with an iPhone or iPad serving as the camera. The ‌FaceTime‌ interface shows up on the bigger display of the TV, and Center Stage keeps you front and center as you move around the room. There's even a Split View option so you can use ‌FaceTime‌ while watching TV or playing a game on the other part of the screen. There's a revamped Control Center that makes it quicker to get to key settings and information without needing to go into the Settings app, plus it supports useful sho

Apple Says 128GB iPhone 15 Pro Limited to 1080p ProRes Video Recording Unless External Storage Connected

ProRes video recording remains limited to 1080p quality at 30 frames per second on the 128GB model of the iPhone 15 Pro, unless the device is recording directly to a connected external storage drive , according to Apple. On the 256GB and higher iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max, ProRes video recording is supported in up to 4K quality at 60 frames per second to both internal storage and external storage. Apple does not mention this information on the iPhone 15 Pro's tech specs page on its website, but the limitation is listed when comparing the iPhone 15 Pro to another iPhone model in the Apple Store app, as seen in the screenshot below. The same limitation applied to iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro models with 128GB of storage, but those devices cannot record ProRes video to external storage, so at least iPhone 15 Pro users have that option this time around. The limitation does not apply to the iPhone 15 Pro Max, as that model starts with 256GB of storage. ProRes video fi

Apple Releases macOS Ventura 13.4.1 With Security Fixes

Apple today released macOS Ventura 13.4, a minor update for the ‌macOS Ventura‌ operating system that was released last October. ‌macOS Ventura‌ 13.4.1 comes more than a month after the launch of macOS Ventura 13.4 . The ‌‌‌‌‌macOS Ventura‌‌‌‌‌ 13.4.1 update can be downloaded for free on all eligible Macs using the Software Update section of System Settings. According to Apple's release notes, the update provides important security fixes and is recommended for all users. Apple has also released macOS 11.7.8 and macOS 12.6.7 security updates for those who are unable to run Ventura. Related Roundup: macOS Ventura Related Forum: macOS Ventura This article, " Apple Releases macOS Ventura 13.4.1 With Security Fixes " first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums Source: TechRadar

Hands-On With Volvo's Dual-Screen Apple Maps CarPlay Experience

A few months ago, Volvo and Polestar announced updates for their infotainment systems to support dual-screen Apple Maps displays from CarPlay , allowing a supplementary Apple Maps view to appear in the driver display separate from the main infotainment screen. While an increasing number of vehicles are supporting text-based ‌Apple Maps‌ navigation prompts in the driver display and/or head-up display, Volvo is one of the first to adopt a full map view on a second screen, and I recently had a chance to test it out in a 2024 S60 Recharge . The driver display ‌Apple Maps‌ screen is only active when there is a navigation route running in CarPlay , and it provides a familiar ‌Apple Maps‌ view with your vehicle position and your route, including upcoming traffic lights as well as surrounding streets, points of interest, and other features. At the bottom of the screen is a thin black box displaying your arrival time plus the time and distance remaining in the current trip. This second

Tech Talk

Search This Blog