Although initially slated for iOS 12, the release of iOS 11.4.1 has seen the rollout of USB restricted mode, which prevents the hacking of an Apple device via the Lightning port. But that’s not the only feature that the company slipped into its latest incremental update.
Former NSA hacker Patrick Wardle found that, when iPhone users either sent or received a message containing the word Taiwan or a Taiwanese flag emoji, the app they were using would crash.
Wardle detailed the bug extensively in his step-by-step blog post and reported it to Apple, which lead to the issue being quietly patched in the latest iOS release (11.4.1) under the code CVE-2018-4290.
Chinese democracy
Wardle found that the bug would crash several messaging applications, such as iMessage, Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp, and would occur as soon as the user typed in the country’s name or selected its flag. It would also occur upon receipt of a message containing either of these.
He discovered the cause of these crashes to be related to a series of checks that verified whether the iPhone’s region was set to China or not, and then attempted to remove a specific emoji (in this case, the Taiwanese flag) from incoming messages.
As can be found by visiting the aptly-titled website Emojipedia, the Taiwanese flag emoji is, in fact, censored from iPhones that have their locale set to China – no doubt due to lingering political tensions between the two countries – and such users will instead see a missing character.
At this point, Patrick Wardle boils down the crashing applications to an error in the coding rather than a deliberate bug, but regardless of whether the crashes were intentionally programmed into iOS, the flag censorship certainly was, indicating Apple’s willingness to appease the Chinese government.
Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has a reputation for predicting product advancements with a reasonable amount of accuracy, so when he starts talking about what the Cupertino company has in store, it’s generally worth listening.
As reported by 9to5Mac, the prolific prognosticator has just published new research notes predicting that Apple plans to shake up the Mac product line this fall in the US (that’s roughly mid-September through to mid-December).
Expectedly, the hardware predictions include updates to Apple’s MacBook, MacBook Pro and iMac lineup, which are all said to boast “significant display-performance upgrades”, though what’s more surprising is Kuo’s belief that the tech giant is finally looking to replace its MacBook Air with a new budget laptop option.
However, perhaps the most exciting forecast in Kuo’s notes involves a long-awaited refresh to the neglected Mac mini series, which has not seen an update in almost four years.
Sweet, what else you got?
Along with the updated Mac lineup, Kuo also doubles down on his previous predictions of new iPad Pro models with Face ID technology, and a more affordable notch-bearing iPhone with an LCD display (which may or may not be the iPhone 9).
According to Kuo, we should also expect two new Apple Watch models with larger displays this year, with 1.57-inch and 1.78-inch versions that are said to include enhanced heart rate detection features.
Apple’s highly anticipated AirPower charging mat is also expected to finally land on shelves later this year (as per our previous report), and it looks like the company’s popular AirPods will be updated, too — although they probably won’t be the noise-canceling ones that have been slated for release in 2019.
We’ll have to wait to see if any of these projections are proven accurate, but if even half of them are, we could be looking at another record-breaking year for Apple.
If you’re anything like us, you’re already planning on jumping on the best laptop deals on Amazon Prime Day 2018. But that doesn’t mean you can’t get an awesome laptop deal before then. Luckily, you’ve come to the right place to find the best laptop deals. Here we’ve compiled the absolute best laptop deals of the week, as well as a selection of perpetual picks for the best cheap laptops.
We understand that purchasing a new laptop can be a daunting task of comparing storage, memory, processing power and features – but we’re here to help you find the best laptop deals and get the most for your money. From huge names like Dell to more obscure brands like Acer, you’re sure to be happy with these bargains.
At the top of the page, you’ll find our selection of the very latest and best cheap laptop deals of the week. Beneath those, you’ll find our pick of the latest best cheap laptops along with their lowest available prices.
The best laptop deal of the week
HP 15t 15.6-inch Laptop | Was $1,219.99, now $549.99 | HP With an estimated battery life of more than 13 hours, this HP machine is great for taking on the go. Plus, it comes equipped a touchscreen, a Coffee Lake i7 processor, 8GB RAM, and a 1TB HDD. Even better, at nearly $700 off list price, it less than half its list price.View Deal
Here we have one of the few budget laptops with a processor nearly equivalent to the MacBook Pro, that is, if you opt for the Intel Core i5 configuration. The best part? It’s roughly half the cost of its Apple-branded rival. Now given that it sells at a range of different prices, the Acer Swift 3 can be an obtuse purchase, but lucky for you, the midrange model will get you by just fine.
CPU: Intel Atom x5-Z8350 | Graphics: Integrated Intel HD Graphics | RAM: 4GB | Screen: 10.1-inch HD (1,280 x 800) LED touch display | Storage: 64GB
Tablet and laptop in one
Sizable hard drive
Tiny size could be tough
Its name is alphabet soup to the average reader, but then again this convertible laptop has always been about function over form. For one minuscule transaction, you’re getting a tablet equipped with an included keyboard and even a fingerprint scanner for more secure logins. Along with reliable performance and a magnesium-alloy chassis, it’s built to last.
CPU: 1.5GHz Intel Celeron 3205U | Graphics: Intel HD Graphics | RAM: 4GB | Screen: 15.59-inch, HD (1,920 x 1,080) touchscreen | Storage: 32GB SSD
Stunning battery life
Attractive, fanless design
Trackpad feels clunky
While it may be outclassed by the Pixelbook and the Samsung Chromebook in terms of sheer power, the Acer Chromebook 15 can still pack a wallop while providing battery life that is frankly out of this world. It’s rare that a laptop can truly provide all-day battery, but in our independent battery tests, Acer’s Chromebook lasted an astonishing 17 hours – on top of providing enough power to get your work done online. If you’re looking for a 15 inch Chromebook that will give you the most bang for your buck, look no further.
CPU: 1.44GHz Intel Atom x5-Z8550 | Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 400 | RAM: 4GB | Screen: 10.1-inch FHD (1,920 x 1,200 resolution), IPS touchscreen | Storage: 64GB flash storage (plus 128GB with microSD)
Insanely thin and light
Keyboard surprisingly accurate
Woefully underpowered
Dated microUSB port
The Lenovo Yoga Book, and the Windows 10 version of it in particular, is the sort of futuristic fodder you would find in an episode of Black Mirror. It has a keyboard that doubles as a Wacom touch panel and, best of all, it’s cheap as hell. Now, of course, that comes with the caveat of a weak Intel Atom processor, but the rest of the Lenovo Yoga Book should go down in the history books.
With its slick lines and a slim silhouette, the Acer Chromebook 14 makes for a subtle, snazzy laptop. Although its display isn’t the most attractive we’ve seen, it’s still acceptable for full HD. On top of that, the keyboard and trackpad adhere to the principle of ‘it just works.’ The battery life is satisfactory as well despite falling a bit south of Acer’s 12-hour claim in real-world use.
