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How iPhone Thieves Can Ruin Your Digital Life in Minutes
Imagine this: You’re at a bar with your friends, enjoying a drink and chatting. You take out your iPhone to check something and enter your passcode. You don’t notice the person behind you who’s watching your every move and memorizing your passcode. A few minutes later, they snatch your iPhone from your hand and run away.
You might think that’s bad enough, but it gets worse. Within minutes, the thief has used your passcode to gain access to your iPhone and change your Apple ID password, which enables them to disable Find My, make purchases using Apple Pay, gain access to passwords stored in iCloud Keychain, and scan through Photos for pictures of documents that contain a Social Security number or other details that could be used for identity theft.
This is not a hypothetical scenario. It’s a real threat that has been happening across the US. The Wall Street Journal’s Joanna Stern has been hearing from victims who have lost thousands of dollars and their entire digital lives after their iPhones were stolen with the thieves obtaining their passcodes.
These thieves often work in groups with one distracting a victim while another records over a shoulder as they enter their passcode. Others have been known to even befriend victims, asking them to open social media or other apps on their iPhones so they can watch and memorize the passcode before stealing it.
A 12-person crime ring in Minnesota was recently taken down after targeting iPhones like this in bars. Almost $300,000 was stolen from 40 victims by this group before they were caught.
What can you do to protect yourself? You might be thinking, why not just use Face ID or Touch ID in public? That’s definitely one way to avoid this issue, but the feature doesn’t always work, and it can be easy to not give a second thought to manually entering a passcode as that’s what iOS asks for if Face ID or Touch ID isn’t successful.
Also, some people may not have Face ID or Touch ID set up at all - a mistake in my opinion.
Take These Steps to Keep Your Data Safe:
So, what can you do in order to better protect yourself in the event that your smartphone is stolen by someone who knows your passcode? There are a few steps you can take:
Use a strong alphanumeric passcode instead of a simple four- or six-digit one. This makes it harder for thieves to guess or memorize it.
Enable two-factor authentication for your Apple ID account. This adds an extra layer of security by requiring a verification code sent to another device when signing in from a new device.
Enable Account Recovery Key for your Apple ID account. This is a unique code that only you know and can use to regain access to your account if you forget your password or lose access to your trusted devices.
To enable Account Recovery Key on an iPhone or Mac, go to Settings > Your Name > Password & Security > Recovery Key > Use Recovery Key and enter the device passcode .
Write down the recovery key and store it in a safe place (not on your iPhone), then confirm it on the next screen .
Be aware of your surroundings when using your iPhone in public places. Don’t let strangers see you enter your passcode or ask you to open apps on your phone.
If possible, use Face ID or Touch ID instead of entering your passcode manually.
If you lose your iPhone or suspect it has been stolen, report it immediately to the police and contact Apple Support.
Your iPhone is more than just a phone. It’s also the key to your digital life. Don’t let thieves take advantage of that by stealing both.
The HomePod is back with the release of the 2nd generation model. This one is all about bringing great sound into your home. Watch my review of the new HomePod here - and check them out for yourself if interested!
TikTok’s Bold Glamour Filter Sparks Controversy Over AI & Unrealistic Beauty Standards
TikTok is known for its fun and creative filters and effects that allow users to transform their appearance and express themselves. However, one of its filters has been causing a lot of backlash for its unrealistic and potentially harmful effects on users’ self-esteem and body image.
The filter in question is called Bold Glamour, which applies light makeup, smooths skin, enlarges lips, and tweaks bone structures to create a more “glamorous” look. However, many users have pointed out that the filter also changes their eye color, nose shape, jawline, cheekbones, and even hairline, making them look like completely different people.
Some users have been using the filter to compare their before and after looks or to show how different they look from their friends or family members. Others have been using it to mock or criticize the filter for its unrealistic beauty standards or to make jokes about how they would look like celebrities with the filter on.
(Speaking of TikTok, be sure to follow me there for the latest tech content!)
The new M2 Pro and M2 Max MacBook Pros are impressive. Watch my review of the M2 Max 16-inch MacBook Pro - and check them out for yourself if interested!
MWC 2023 Shows Us The Future of Smartphones
Mobile World Congress 2023, the biggest event for the mobile industry, took place in Barcelona from February 27 to March 2. The event showcased some of the most innovative and exciting trends and technologies that are shaping the future of smartphones.
One of the main themes of MWC 2023 was repairability. Several smartphone makers unveiled devices that are designed to be more durable, modular, and easy to fix. For example, Motorola announced its Moto G100, which features a replaceable battery, a headphone jack, and a microSD card slot. Fairphone also showcased its Fairphone 4, which is made of recycled materials and can be upgraded with new components.
iPhone 14 Could Get Sunny Makeover with New Yellow Color
Apple might be ready to brighten up its iPhone lineup with a new color option for the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus. According to a rumor from a Chinese social media site Weibo, which was spotted by Japanese blog Mac Otakara, Apple is planning to introduce a yellow color for its lower-end models as soon as next week.
The yellow color was last seen with the iPhone 11 back in 2019, and it could be something Apple revisits with the iPhone 14, given that it’s generally expected that the current-gen smartphone gets a new color in the spring to help boost sales.
There’s nothing like a shiny new paint job to nudge you off the fence perhaps and tempt you to finally grab the new handset you’ve been mulling over. That said, the iPhone 14 and 14 Pro were released last September - not only was that 6 months ago, but it also means that we are 6 months away from the release of the iPhone 15 with what is rumored to be a major redesign.
The source of this rumor is untested and has no track record of accuracy, so take this one with a grain of salt. However, MacRumors reports that it has received multiple reports of an Apple product briefing planned for next week.
The iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus are currently available in blue, purple, midnight (black), starlight (cream), and red. The yellow color would join these options as an additional color.
Last year, Apple released new green colors for both the iPhone 13 and 13 Pro - that leads me to believe that the Pro models will also get a new yellow hue as well to add to the Silver, Gold, Space Black, and Deep Purple options.
Would a yellow iPhone 14 or 14 Pro be something you’d consider buying?
andru
andru
Fun Fact: Foldable phones were a dream for manufacturers and consumers alike for years. Samsung was showcasing concepts and false trailers of the technology since 2013. It remained a pipedream until 2019 when the first truly foldable smartphones were released. The first foldable phone to hit the market was the Samsung Galaxy Fold. Not long after that announcement, Huawei came onto the scene and launched its foldable phone, the Mate X.
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