For three consecutive days, the Headspace app has been silently installing itself on some iPhones around 1pm EST, despite automatic downloads being turned off. Users on iPhone 12, 13 Pro, and iPhone 17 have reported the same issue on Reddit. The cause of the unwanted installation remains unclear.
Amazon will acquire Globalstar to add direct-to-device satellite services to its low Earth orbit network. The company also announced an agreement with Apple to continue providing satellite services for iPhone and Apple Watch, including Emergency SOS via satellite.
A security vulnerability in Apple Pay's Express Transit Mode allows scam tap-to-pay readers to exploit Visa cards linked for transit payments. The issue is specific to Visa cards and iPhones, and doesn't affect Mastercard, American Express, or Samsung Pay. Apple states this is a Visa system issue unlikely to occur in real-world scenarios.
The rewards app Freecash, which claimed to pay users for scrolling TikTok, actually collected sensitive data and funneled users into mobile games. Apple removed the app from its App Store after being contacted by TechCrunch, while Google Play also removed it. The app had reached the No. 2 position in the U.S. App Store before being taken down.
A fake Ledger cryptocurrency wallet app appeared in the Mac App Store, stealing $9.5 million from around 50 users. Victims who entered their seed phrases into the malicious app had their wallets immediately drained. The legitimate Ledger Live Mac app is only available directly from Ledger's website.
A 16-year-old student in Northern Ireland was diagnosed with Leber's Hereditary Optic Neuropathy, a rare genetic condition that caused 95% vision loss. He uses Apple's screen zooming features with extraordinary dexterity to continue his studies and create illustrations on an iPad.