EU forces Apple to open big iPhone security hole

December 19, 2022

Apple's decision to open up the iPhone and iPad to third-party app stores and sideloaded apps gets a big thumbs up from me.

I think it's healthy to add competition to the App Store space, and there have always been apps I wanted to install that Apple refused to support (like vaping apps).

But our writer Ed Hardy argues that the decision will open the floodgates of hell, and we'll be battling numerous ills like spyware and viruses.

Ed raises some good points about the upcoming changes. Yes, we might be freed from some onerous App Store rules, but it's not all gonna be good.

-- Leander Kahney, EIC.

P.S. If you've been waiting for an "M2 Extreme" Mac Pro, there's bad news: The chip to power the machine appears to have been canceled. But the good news is that Apple is reportedly developing plenty of other computers (and new monitors to boot).

Criminals around the world are surely celebrating news that Apple is being forced by the European Union to enable iPhone to install applications from outside the App Store. The move will allow hackers to release a fresh tidal wave of malware, hoping to slip it onto iOS handsets. iPhone users will be forced to fend off attempts to trick them into installing this malware virtually every day. And well-known, unscrupulous companies will take advantage of the new security hole, too.

At WWDC20, Apple promised to complete its transition to Apple silicon inside Macs in two years. It missed that deadline: The company has yet to reveal a replacement for its 2019 Intel Mac Pro. A new report details the reason behind the delay.

Although Apple killed off the iMac Pro line, it’s coming back better than ever, according to a reliable source. That means a high-end macOS all-in-one is supposedly on Apple’s product roadmap.

Cupertino is reportedly working on several new displays powered by its own powerful processors. This includes a replacement for the Pro Display XDR that launched in 2019.

A magnetic wireless charging station like these Momax models can juice up more than just your iPhone. And that proves incredibly convenient. Just stick one of these on your nightstand or desk, and it’s always ready to top up your gadgets. Plus, Cult of Mac readers can get a 20% discount with a special coupon code.

Apple's new pro tablet drops to its lowest-ever price. And, if you want the M2-powered iPad by Christmas, Amazon promises you can get it delivered.

Apple’s efforts to broadcast pro football games on Sunday nights reportedly have come to an end. The Mac-maker has pulled out of negotiations with the NFL. Still, Apple TV+ will continue to boast high-profile sports.

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: If the EU does indeed force Apple to open up the iPhone to allow alternative app stores, is that a bad thing? Also on The CultCast: Cool new stuff to try in iOS 16.2. Why web browsing might be in for radical changes on iOS devices. How to get Apple TV+ for free so you can watch Severance, our favorite show of the year.

On December 19, 2007, Apple settled a lawsuit with rumor reporter Nick Ciarelli. The result? His Think Secret website closes down.

To a lot of people, “home for the holidays” may mean even more massive amounts of gameplay than usual. That could be the case with the owner of today’s featured computer setup. In addition to two Mac minis, the workstation sports an Xbox Series S with a couple of special-edition controllers. And two of the three displays in the setup are curved gaming monitors. The other’s a 12.9-inch iPad Pro mounted on a stand.

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One more thing ...

"Most people never pick up the phone and call, most people never ask, and that's what separates, sometimes, the people that do things from the people that just dream about them. You gotta act." — Steve Jobs, 1994.

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