Eavesdropping Using the FaceTime Bug

You get irritated when you catch someone eavesdropping. It is a total breach of privacy and space. But what happens if your phone was the one caught eavesdropping? In an embarrassing situation for Apple- Users complained of eavesdropping. To be more specific, iPhone users can call another iPhone user via FaceTime and even when the recipient of the call does not pick up, the one calling can hear everything the other person is saying. Thus turning the iPhone into an Eavesdropping device.

iPhone an Eavesdropping Device:

Last week social media including Twitter and others blew up with Apple users complaining of eavesdropping. But this time it was their iPhone doing the eavesdropping.

An iPhone user can call someone up via FaceTime and get to hear everything said on the other side without the person even picking up the call.

What caused such an embarrassment?

The problem of eavesdropping may have been the result of a bug and until that is fixed, users are advised to disable the app or be eavesdropped on.

The problem of eavesdropping is not limited to just listening in on a person’s conversation but also obtaining a live feed of the person through their camera. FaceTime which is an online app allows users to make video and audio calls to anyone else using the internet. So besides getting a hear into what the other person is saying, you could also see them without them wanting you.

An Embarrassing Situation for Apple:

The Silicon Valley company prides itself on privacy and security of its users. But with this embarrassing situation it has now disabled Group FaceTime- the source of all the eavesdropping. Apple said in a statement that they have identified the issue and are going to fix it in a software update coming later this week.

The glitch has even earned Apple a statement form officials. The governor of New York has urged people to disable FaceTime till the problem is fixed. He went on to say that this was an enormous breach of privacy and put people at risk.

Replicating the Eavesdropping Bug:

 

You can replicate the eavesdropping bug by using two iPhones. You can place the FaceTime call with one and swipe on the screen to add yourself to the conversation. From there you will be able to listen in on the other person’s conversation. This happened without the other person even picking up. If the recipient hit the volume up and down button during a call that he was unaware of himself having, then the other person would also get access to their camera.

What should you do?

If you don’t want to find yourself in an embarrassing situation, then the best you can do for now is to disable FaceTime. This is a short and temporary fix till Apple is able to launch a software update that they say will be coming in a week’s time.

You can disable FaceTime by going into the iPhone’s settings and tapping on FaceTime and Toggling off.

Apple sued over fatal 'FaceTime crash'

Smartphones or iPhones can be one’s favorite pass time as it includes several interesting features and applications that can add to your amusement. At least one member in every family uses iPhone and with the increase in its popularity and decrease in price almost everyone is aware of this gadget which is surely beneficial as you can get access to several things happening in and around the world. But, yes it can only prove out to be beneficial if proper measures are taken while using it otherwise your life can be at stake

With the increase in popularity of iPhones lawsuits against Apple has also increased in number. Several cases against the Apple company have been registered in recent times because the users have become so addicted to its usage that they do not even hesitate to risk their and their fellow beings’ life.

Once An American Couple lost their son in an accident, and when the investigation took place it was discovered that the boy who was 20 years old was using Face Time on his iPhone and on further note it was found that the application was running almost for over an hour before the accident took place which proves that the boy was hardly cautious in terms of driving and when suddenly another vehicle came from the other side he could not control his car and met with a fatal accident. When the cops found the phone of the boy at the accident spot they noticed that application was still running.After this revelation the couple filed a case against Apple but it is very obvious that no matter how hard they try they will not get back their son.

Another incident took place in India where a person while driving was busy doing video chat over his iPhone hit a women who was crossing the road with her daughter and unfortunately both of them died because of the carelessness of the driver. Similarly, there are several accidents taking place almost every day and everywhere.

After so many accidents taking place the court has issued a notice against Apple regarding their Face Time, iMessage and video calling features asking them that they should launch a technology, or a software should be fed in iPhone were anyone while driving will not be able to access these features.

Though the iPhone manufacturers have not yet yielded any response in favor of the allegations but it is sure that in near future they will definitely figure out a solution to these dead ends.

We all believe that technologically advanced gadgets are very beneficial but as users we should also remain careful while availing all these benefits given by Apple so that we do not risk our life as well as others. It is good to be advanced but it is simultaneously necessary that we are careful enough to use it in a proper manner. Take the advantages of the features but be sure that it does not leads to disaster instead of privileges.

Apple plans FaceTime camera

Apple Watch 2 – Video Camera/New Wireless System for iPhone

It has been revealed by sources that two months after its initial launch of Apple Watch and a day following the device’s debut at its store, Apple is considering for the 2016 release of a second generation model. As per several sources familiar with the plans of Apple, the Apple Watch 2 is scheduled to gain a video camera, a new wireless system for the iPhone independence together with new premium models and would also have similar battery life to its predecessor.

The present consideration of Apple calls for a video camera to be assimilated into the top bezel of the Apple Watch 2, allowing users in making and receiving FaceTime calls on the move through their wrists. The company has transmitted its interest in growing Apple Watch FaceTime functions at the time of the rollout of watchOS 2.0 during the Worldwide Developers Conference earlier this month and for the first time, the new software enabled users to answer FaceTime Audio calls from the Apple Watch and route FaceTime video calls to be answered or rejected on iPhone. However, plans could change and there could be a possibility that the camera may be pushed back to a later model.

Initiative Internally Known - `Tether-less’

Apple plans for the second generation under an initiative internally known as `tether-less’. Presently, the activity tracking, mobile payment together with music playback operation of Apple works substantially without a connected iPhone. Although several other features which could normally function under a Wi-Fi connection, may not function completely and this could include text messaging receiving updated weather data and emailing.

To make the Apple Watch more proficient without the connection of an iPhone, Apple plans to integrate a more enhanced dynamic wireless chipset in the wearable. However, it would continue to require an iPhone for the purpose of heavy data transfers, with inclusive of software upgrades as well the synchronization of media files and basic communication jobs could be handled without the assistance of the iPhone. The updated Wi-Fi chip also permits the `Find my Watch feature’, reported earlier this year, since Apple will be capable of tracking Apple Watches utilising Wi-Fi router triangulation technology rather than the GPS.

Nightstand Charging Mode

While the consumers as well as Apple were apprehensive about its real world battery life before the release of the Apple’s product, the company had undertaken market research ever since and had concluded that the majority of the customers were satisfied charging their Watches every night.

Apple’s study according to a source specifies that average consumers tend to finish each day within a 30% and 40% charge balance on their Apple Watches thereby enabling Apple’s engineers to change their hardware priorities for the future Apple models.

Though Apple could have considered focusing on major improvement of battery life, for the next Apple Watch, the company is of the belief that it could satisfy consumers by keeping or improving a bit the existing battery life while adding more advanced hardware features.

Apple’s inclusion of a Nightstand charging mode to its Watch suggests that the charging at night will stay on, in the near term and this strategy would trail Apple’s annual iPad hardware plan that has brought about updated features to the product yearly without moving away from the 2010 promise of 10 hour battery life.

Focus on Broader Portfolio

The company is presently focusing in discovering a broader portfolio of the latest Watch models beyond present day’s Sport, Steel and Edition levels and the company is believed to be focusing on the introduction of latest models which would be sitting between the highest end stainless steel Apple Watch with the entry level of a 18-karat gold Apple Watch Edition.

 Moreover, the company is also on the lookout on ways in attracting the consumers at price points within the range of $1,000 and $10,000, though it is not known if it would manage in attracting consumers in lower priced gold Apple Watch variation, higher priced steel models together with more advanced bands or versions along with latest materials. There is a possibility that Apple would introduce Apple Watch 2 differences made with titanium, palladium, and tungsten or as it has previously been suggested, in platinum.

Release of a Full Next Generation Apple Watch Device - 2016

It has been hinted in analyst reports, over the past few months, that with minor hardware upgrades, Apple would most likely wait till 2016 for the release of a full next generation Apple Watch device. Sources have also cautioned that Apple samples several variations of future hardware products prior to the release and hence the plan for a camera equipped model would eventually be saved for another generation owing to roadmap changes or component availability.

Till the new model shows up, Apple will hold off Apple Watch consumers by releasing watchOS 2.O this fall along with the latest Nightstand functions, as well as a trio of new watch faces, with improved email functions and new messaging features of new Digital Touch.

FaceTime

OS X Mavericks is specially made for desktop, it is most advanced operating system for desktop it allows mac user to experience the latest features, latest advanced technology and security. Mavericks make the mac experience better (by adding more apps to operating system) at less power consumption.

Apple, Less than one week to delivers OS X 10.9.1 to consumer apple launched its first beta version next OS X 10.9.2 on 18th December 2013 and it was maintenance update to developers. Mac OS X 10.9.2 have feature FaceTime audio, which is voice over internet protocol, basically this feature is made for iPhone with iOS 7, this feature allows the apple users to communicate (voice chat) between the any apple devices namely laptop and iPhones.

Focused areas of Mavericks OS X 10.9.2 are

• Mail
• Message,
• Virtual private network (VPN),
 • Voiceover and
• Graphics driver.


FaceTime

FaceTime allows user to make a voice call with other FaceTime user without any streaming trouble and turning of video feed. But Mavericks only used to access the FaceTime app, which contain both audio and video.

There is a similar app like FaceTime which is best for the users having interest in voice communication called Skype, it is a third party application allows both the video chat and voice chat.

FaceTime is made for iOS7 to make a voice call on mobile device and now FaceTime audio is comes with update of OS X 10.9.2 which allows to make a call on desktop.

The FaceTime audio is deeply integrated into both messages and FaceTime apps, which allows communicate between the apple users on any device and it makes the communication so easier than ever. The FaceTime and FaceTime audio on iOS and OS x respectively, it is completely communication system.

There is basic principle to attend phone calls that means that call is answered once the chat request have made from all devices. But Apple INC have a reason to follows the (little modified protocol) alternative of voice over internet protocol (VoIP) apps to communicate with each other Apple user because of its Audio clarity. FaceTime is also uses high-quality Voice over internet protocol (VoIP), for high quality audio (voice) it uses the AAC-ELD codec. AAC-ELD is designed to provide high clarity audio like CD for voice calls, it delivers high audio quality at a low coding.

Apple launched its beta version OS X 10.9.2 so early because it has some issues to rectified, the issues was Mavericks had a problem on viewing mail, so that only major part of update of OS X 10.9.1 mainly concentrate to fix that issues. But till now user had same issue with Gmail and smart Mailboxes.

Now all the updates and testing are used for development and maintenance to achieve a stable and rectify the flaw in the beta version. Soon the stable version OS X 10.9.2 will released and it would be milestone in Mavericks series.

To know more things about theOS X Mavericks click here.