Following the exposure of the decryption key protecting the firmware software running on the iPhone 5s's Secure Enclave coprocessor that was posted on GitHub yesterday, an Apple source has reportedly said that any customer data securely stored in the cryptography coprocessor remains protected and that the company does not intend to roll out a fix at this time.
Apple has implemented a new feature in iOS 11 that allows users to quickly call emergency services when rapidly pressing the sleep/wake button five times in a row. Intended or not, this feature also disables Touch ID and requires the user to enter his passcode to gain access to the phone again, something privacy enthusiasts will see as a great feature.
Ahead of this year’s Hack in the Box (HITB) conference in Singapore, security researcher who goes by the Twitter handle “xerub” has managed to expose the fully grown decryption key for the iPhone 5s's cryptographic coprocessor that handles Touch ID, called Secure Enclave.
For most people, using a passcode or Touch ID authentication on the Lock screen is enough for keeping an iPhone secure from intruders. On the other hand, many share their passcodes with those near and dear to them or give their unlocked iPhones to others to show off photos or videos.
If you’re worried about someone rifling through your data when they shouldn’t be, and you fall under either of the two scenarios above, then a new jailbreak tweak called Bio Locker by iArrays might be worth checking out.
Apple has “cancelled” plans to embed a Touch ID fingerprint sensor under the cover glass of iPhone 8, revered Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo wrote in a note issued to clients last weekend, a copy of which was obtained by AppleInsider.
Earlier this week, iOS developer @r_idn uncovered evidence from the accidentally released HomePod firmware that Apple's iPhone 8 may permit users to authenticate Apple Pay transactions with a face scan instead of through a fingerprint.
Apple's upcoming OLED-based iPhone 8 won't start shipping out to buyers until October or early November, sources said, adding that its much larger Power button that appears on leaked CAD drawings won't integrate Touch ID functions as some have suspected.
When you let someone hold your iPhone to look at a picture or two in your Camera Roll, do you ever get the voice of reason in your head that says, “I hope they don’t swipe into the rest of my photos?”
If you do, then you might want to try a new jailbreak tweak called SurpriseSelfie by iOS developer Frozen Penguin. This tweak provides management options for locking people out of the rest of your photos or to impose consequences if they try.
Highly unlikely claims by KeyBanc Capital Markets analyst Andy Hargreaves were cited in today's report by the investment publication Barrons, alleging that Apple has “just weeks” to decide whether to put a Touch ID fingerprint sensor under the cover glass of iPhone 8 or completely replace the popular feature with an advanced facial recognition system.
Apple's struggles with the workaround for the fingerprint sensor increases the potential that the OLED iPhone could be delayed or even ship without a fingerprint sensor at all, he speculates.
Hargreaves went as far as to suggest the flagship device could launch without Apple Pay support unless the Touch ID situation is resolved in a timely manner.
“We do not believe facial recognition would be initially qualified as an acceptable verification method for Apple Pay,” he wrote. “While Apple could achieve this over time, the likelihood for an initial lack of Apple Pay could adversely affect demand.”
It would typically take at least three months from ordering Touch ID chips to full iPhone volume production. If Apple does place orders for the chips before August, the company would likely be able to reach volume production in late October or early November, the analyst speculates.
“We believe this remains Apple's preferred path, and expect it would be acceptable to both consumers and investors,” he said, adding it is “entirely unclear” if Apple will be able to fix the problem in this time frame.
He doesn't think that an advanced facial recognition system would provide strong security required for Apple Pay, even if Apple designed this feature to work from many angles and in low-light environments, as suspected.
That's because scanning your face wouldn't work without clear line of sight to your face, which could be especially problematic when paying with Apple Pay at stores.
Here's an excerpt from the report:
Even if this encompassed just five percent of login scenarios, it would mean that several times a day the new iPhone would perform worse at an elemental feature than older iPhones, which would risk pushback from consumers.
Further, we do not believe facial recognition would be initially qualified as an acceptable verification method for Apple Pay. While Apple could achieve this over time, the likelihood for an initial lack of Apple Pay could adversely affect demand.
Hargreaves says a delay in the retail availability of iPhone 8 is “very unlikely, but possible,” especially if Apple decides that facial recognition isn't suitable for Apple Pay.
Take the report with a grain of salt.
I don't think Apple would launch its highly anticipated premium smartphone without Touch ID and Apple Pay support, although anything is possible.
How about you?
Claimed iPhone 8 schematics top of post via Sonny Dickson.
Apple is working on a 3D face scanning feature that could replace Touch ID in iPhone 8, reports Bloomberg. Citing sources familiar with the product, the outlet says that the "improved security system" allows users to log in, authenticate payments, and launch secure apps by scanning their face.
This is powered by a new 3-D sensor, added the people, who asked not to be identified discussing technology that’s still in development. The company is also testing eye scanning to augment the system, one of the people said.
The sensor’s speed and accuracy are focal points of the feature. It can scan a user’s face and unlock the iPhone within a few hundred milliseconds, the person said. It is designed to work even if the device is laying flat on a table, rather than just close up to the face. The feature is still being tested and may not appear with the new device. However, the intent is for it to replace the Touch ID fingerprint scanner, according to the person.
Apple wouldn't be the first tech company to integrate face-scanning tech into its handset. Samsung's Galaxy S8 has an iris scanner that can be used to unlock the phone, although it has received mostly negative reviews. Apple's face-scanning sensor is believed to be more secure, thanks to 3D depth perception.
Thus far, a majority of the leaks and reports we've seen regarding the iPhone 8 have pointed to a device without a Home button, leading many to believe Apple found a way to embed Touch ID into the display. Noted analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, however, agrees with Bloomberg's facial recognition theory.
Source: Bloomberg
Windows giant Microsoft today unveiled a nicely designed wireless keyboard with a built-in fingerprint sensor located between the Alt and Ctrl keys, as reported by Engadget.
Dubbed Modern Keyboard and priced at $129.99, the accessory lets users unlock their Windows 10 devices with a finger press using Windows Hello.
The dedicated Fingerprint ID key was designed to blend seamlessly so it would appear to be any other key, said Microsoft. The keyboard supports both wired connections via USB and wireless connections via the low-energy Bluetooth 4.0/4.1 standard.
Although Modern Keyboard can be paired with any device via Bluetooth, fingerprint scanning does not work on iOS and macOS due to the lack of a dedicated Secure Enclave chip.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDpGtDzAw4I
Featuring slim, low-profile design and a robust aluminum-clade frame, Modern Keyboard is “heavy and virtually indestructible”, according to Microsoft.
Like Apple's Magic Keyboard, Modern Keyboard sports a built-in rechargeable battery with up to two months on full charge and provides seamless Bluetooth paring experience, with automatic pairing when first connected to a computer via a cable.
Microsoft also unveiled a brand new mouse.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5eI0klTsqnA
Called Modern Mouse and priced at $49.99, it has an aluminum body and a metal scroll wheel.
The device looks visually similar to Modern Keyboard to match Microsoft's Surface styling. Unfortunately, it uses AAA batteries with up to 12 months of run time on a single charge, not a rechargeable lithium-ion battery.
Furthermore, Modern Mouse is not compatible with macOS.
Both Modern Keyboard and Modern Mouse are listed as “coming soon” on Microsoft Store.
Apple currently sells an extended keyboard with a numeric pad that can be used in either wired or wireless mode. However, the company has yet to make a standalone keyboard with a built-in Touch ID sensor.
Apple is said to have developed a next-generation Touch ID sensor where an OLED display of the device doubles as a fingerprint sensor. This should enable users to rest their finger on the display to authenticate themselves.
According to a Chinese-language Economic Daily News report, citing sources from Apple's chip supplier Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Apple has managed to develop an optical fingerprint sensor to enable authentication directly on the screen.
KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo first called it in January.
He said because Touch ID’s capacitive sensor does not work through the display’s cover glass, Apple could go with an optical sensor which doesn’t require physical contact with a user’s finger.
Other iPhone 8 features, according to a TSMC source, include no physical Home button, the screen ratio of 18.5:9 instead of the previous 16:9 and invisible infrared image sensors to enhance camera functionality and enable augmented reality features.
Apple is understood to have been plagued with yield issues regarding the new optical fingerprint sensor. It's unclear if the company has managed to resolve those technical issues.