Swype Keyboard – Updated Version of App

Nuance Communication, Inc. has announced that its famous Swype keyboard for iPhone, iPod and iPad touch users with iOS8 would be available now in over 20 languages. Those iPhone and iPad users preferring Swype’s iOS keyboard will find more to tap into, in the updated version of the app.

Other features also include new intuitive emoji support besides the new keyboard layouts. iPad users can access all available Swype themes and its continuous touch technology will bring about a change in the way people feed in text on the smartphone which became the top paid third party keyboard within 24 hours of its launch on the App Store.

Swype is one of the many third party keyboards which have come up since Apple opened support for them in iOS 8 and though the built-in keyboard of Apple provides predictive typing as well as other features, some of the third party keyboard provides additional functionality like gesture based type and Swype is one of them.

Version 1.1 of Swype was released recently adding a number of features and tweaks for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch users and one have the option of choosing from 21 languages which include 16 new ones which are available for download.

New Keyboard Layouts

Nuance Communication. Inc., has been a leading provider of voice and language solution for all businesses as well as consumers across the world and its technologies, applications and services has provided the users with enhanced way in interacting with devices and system.

Swype is a part of Nuance’s portfolio of touch, voice and natural language understanding innovations which defines new generations of smart systems and personal assistant technologies. People can experience more human conversation with the world’s most updated phone, computers, tablets, cars, TVs apps and service through Nuance technology, from leading manufacturers and operators.

 The app owned by Nuance has added new keyboard layouts which supports AZERTY as well as QWERTZ besides the tradition QWERTY style. `Sound on keypress’ enabled will help to hear a sound while pressing a key or one could opt out of it according to the user’s preference.

New Swype Features

The features for new Swype for iPhone and iPod touch includes –

Expanded Language Support besides English, Italian, German, French and Spanish, Swype has more than 20 languages which include Czech, Dutch, Danish, UK English, Finnish, Greek, Hinglish, Hungarian, Irish, Norwegian, Polish Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Swedish and Turkish.

It has intuitive Emoji input wherein when a message is send to a friend in anexcited mood; Swype automatically suggests the right emoji.

It predicts emoji based on the words entered and if the sender is feeling happy or confused, tenacious or satisfied, Swype tends to get the right emoji to suit the mood.

The Qwerty, Qwertz and Azerty keyboard layout for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch user with iOS 8 and new layout especially for iPad makes it easy to Swype whichever way it is held. All of the Swype’s built in themes are made available for the iPad and users of tablets could choose from the choice of Dark, Light, Sand, Earth and Sun for a different look and feel to the keyboard while other third party keyboards for iOS 8 include Fleksy, Ginger, and SwiftKey keyboard. The app is available at $1 in Apple’s App Store.

Apple/Barclaycard - New Co-branded Credit Card

With the launch of Apple Pay last month in the US, Apple and Barclaycard have come up with a new co-branded credit card with embedded EMV chip and pin support together with revised rewards and financing options.The latest Apple Rewards cards comes now with three points on each dollar spent at the Apple Store, one point for a dollar on all purchases and two for restaurants.

When a user reaches the threshold of 2,500 points, they are eligible to receive a $25 Apple Store Gift Card. Barclaycard recently announced a revamped version on its credit card partnership with Apple and the Barclaycard Apple Rewards Visa, offering new Apple rewards program as well as financing deal through AppleInsider.

Moreover, the cards also provides a privilege to the customers with the ability to finance purchases that are made through Apple with no interest for purchases made in the first thirty days, on opening an account and the purchases made under $498 could be financed for 6 months while purchases under $998 for 12 months and over $999 for 18 months.

The new card is an improvement from the earlier Barclaycard with iTunes Rewards whichdid not offer a triple points rewards for their consumers and started off by paying only two points on every dollar spent at the Apple Store or iTunes Store with one point on every dollar spent anywhere else.

Stronger Security Support – Chip & Pin 

The pay-out at 2,500 points was at iTunes gift card instead of an Apple Store gift card and reaching that threshold seemed a bit difficult for several customers without the option of the triple points.However, though the card is not confirmed yet to work with Apple Pay, it is expected since both Visa as well as Barclaycard is participating partners.

Moreover the new card also includes a stronger security support of Chip & Pin security and not Chip and signature as in the case of most of the other latest cards in the US, with embedded EMV Chip for the purpose of security.

Barclaycard Apple Rewards Visa can be applied for, at present on Barclaycards’ Official website and Apple is also promoting updated card with its reward and financing options on the online store of the company.

Though as of now, the new Barclaycard Apple Visa Rewards does not work with Apple Pay, support for Apple’s mobile payment system is expected keeping in mind that Barclaycard is a supporter of the system together with Visa.

Apple to Enable Apple Pay 

Users could apply for the Barclaycard Visa with Apple rewards wherein they can receive a reply within a short span of time of around 30 seconds and if the same is approved, a new account can be activated for immediate use at Apple.

Apple, it is said is planning to enable the card for Apple Pay soon, given to understand that Barclaycard is one of the participating Apple Pay partners as well as Apple’s long standing retail partner. To get to know on more details, users could check with Barclaycards which has a new FAQ at its website providing details on the specifics of earning and claiming rewards.

Apple’s Web Tool to Deregister Phone Number from Apple’s iMessage System

Latest Apple’s release is a new tool that helps to switch between iOS and other smartphones with ease wherein the new web tool enables to deregister instantly the phone number from Apple’s iMessage system.The website helps to simply edit a phone number and Apple sends you a code through text message which can be entered into a field on the same site to confirm your consent to remove the number from iMessage.

The site first identified by a poster on Reddit, could help to resolve the problem of disappearing text messages. Several former users of iPhone had reported that they had not been receiving text messages from their friends where the problem had cropped up by Apple continuing to route messages through iMessage inspite of users moving on to other devices and since iMessage is proprietary to Apple’s platform those who had switched from iOS and had not disabled iMessage, could not view messages sent from friend with Apple devices.

Several of the users, who experienced this problem, had one option that they had to entirely deregister the old device from their Apple accounts.

Helpful – Switched Platform

This system could now help users who had switched platforms to Android devices making sure that their phone number was not registered to iMessage and that could solve the problems of users who moved away with their iPhones missing messages and still made their way to iMessage though they did not end up on any targeted device.

Many people have been facing this problem who has switched over to Android without completely deactivating iMessage, which was often reported to Apple and also ended in a lawsuit from users facing these issues.

Apple, it is said, has promised software to fix it back in May. The new website of Apple provides instructions for deregistering the phone number prior to divesting yourself of the iPhone which involves going to Setting > Messages and then toggling iMessage to the off position and the new web based tool could be a big help for those who have migrated already and could be facing problems on loss of missing messages.

Two Steps Procedure to Deregister

It could also be helpful for user who would switch between platforms for instance while travelling, or developing and testing mobile software. Should the user face a situation of not having an iPhone but need to remove the number from the iMessage server, then the following two steps procedure could be followed to resolve the issue:

1. The Phone number to deregister from iMessage should be provided and a confirmation code will be sent to the user.

2. On receiving the confirmation code, enter the 6 digit number and submit the same.

If the devices are not switched often, the updated tool may tend to be insignificant though for those users who may swap SIM cards often in different device for the purpose of work, it could make the transition easier. The company had to face a lot of problems earlier this year, due to the disappearing iMessages wherein some users had even gone to the extent of filing a lawsuit against them.

Apple Malware Affects Chinese Users

New Type of Malware - WireLurker

A new type of malware has been discovered by Palo Alto Networks which can infect Apple desktop and mobile operating systems, highlighting the increasing attacks on iPhones as well as Mac computers.

The malware tends to target Mac computers through a third party store before it can copy itself to iOS devices and researchers warn that the malware steals information and is capable of installing other damaging apps.

`WireLurker’ as it is called, is unlike anything that is seen with regards to Apple iOS and OS X malware, according to Ryan Olson, Intelligence director of Palo Alto Network and `the technique in use suggest that bad actors are getting more sophisticated when it comes to exploiting some of the world’s best known desktop and mobile platforms’.

 It also has the potential to transfer from an Apple Mac computer to mobile devices with the use of a USB cord on regular, non-jail broken iOS devices and hop from infected Macs to iPhone.

Attackers – Chinese

Recent statement from Palo Alto Networks report that it has seen indication that the attackers were Chinese and the malware originated from Chinese third party apps store and seemed to affect users in the country.

As per the security firm, the malware can steal a variety of information from mobile devices, it infects and regularly request updates from the attacker’s control server. The company states that it is under active development and its creator’s final goal is not known.

It was first noticed by Palo Alto Networks in June when a developer Tencent a Chinese firm, realised that there were suspicious files and processes occurring on his Mac and iPhone and on further inquiries it was revealed that a total of 467 Mac programs listed on the Maiyadi App Store had been compromised to be included in the malware where they were downloaded 356,104 times till 16th October.

The software that was infected was popular games inclusive of Angry Birds, Pro Evolution Soccer 2014, The Sims 3 and Battlefield – Bad Company 2.

Communicates with Command & Control Server

The malware spreads via infected apps that are uploaded to the apps store which in turn were downloaded on Mac computers. Once the malware gets on the Mac, it communicates with a command and control server to check if there is a need to update its code, waiting till an iPhone, iPad or iPod is connected.

If an iOS device is connected, the malware checks it was jail-broken which is a process utilized by some in order to remove some of Apple’s restrictions and if jai-broken, WireLurker then backs up the device’s apps to the Mac, and repackages them with malware, installing the infected versions back on the iOS machine.

If it is not jail-broken, in the case of most of the iOS devices, WireLurker takes advantage of the technique which has been created by Apple to enable businesses to install special software on their employee’s tablets and handsets.

 To reduce the risk of attack, Palo Alto Network have suggested the following: not to download Mac app from third party stores, not to jailbreak iOS devices, not to accept request for new `enterprise provisioning profile’, unless it comes from an authorised party for instance the employer’s IT department, not to connect the iOS device to unreliable computers and accessories to either copy information or charge the machines.

Apple HomeKit-Enabled Chips

Apple HomeKit Firmware

Apple had announced its program at the developers’ conference for hooking smart home devices in iOS with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth though in order to get the device makers on board, they would need the Apple certification wherein one part of the certification process would be to buy their Bluetooth as well as the Wi-fi chips from Apple approved chipmakers.

Chipmakers, Broadcom and Texas Instruments have already begun shipping out Bluetooth and Wi-Fi chip that have been installed with Apple HomeKit firmware to manufacturers and the HomeKit enables devices would be hitting the market very soon.

Though Apple has not yet made an official launch of the HomeKit, device makers could start putting together their gadgets since they now have the wireless chip which has been equipped with the HomeKit firmware. Senior director of embedded wireless in mobile and wireless group at Broadcom states that `everyone is getting ready and expecting to see the new product launch in the next cycle of product releases’.

 The HomeKit protocol ascertains how the devices are identified in iOS depending on defined device categories as well what type of action could be taken for instance, `turn on or turn off a light’. The will enable the interactions between devices to be more consistent and reliable than with the earlier wireless interaction in a home automation technology.

Communicate & Control Products in Connect Home Ecosystem

HomeKit, within iOS 8 framework enables iPhone and iPad owners to communicate as well as control products in a connected home ecosystem. Manufacturers and developers could build in support for task macros or groups of action and invoke functions in the device utilising the Siri virtual assistant.

According to Bedrosian, he states that `one thing HomeKit provides is the bridging protocols for various devices to connect simply by Wi-Fi to the cloud. Broadcom, so far has been shipping its Bluetooth Wi-Fi combo chip loaded with HomeKit firmware to several device makers which also includes makers of connected climate controls, security cameras, lighting and door locks.

Broadcom has been doing great business in selling its wireless chips to Apple and its silicon is found in the iPhone as well as its upcoming Apple Watch and its focus now is on smart home business.

Better Consumer Experience – Controlling Home Devices 

Since Apple is still in the process of finalizing the protocol, there is a possibility that the firmware on the chips that would come out would probably be updated. The firmware is in the beta versions of HomeKit according Broadcom’s Bedrosian though device manufacturers would be capable of updating the firmware remotely as HomeKit software develops gradually.

Device makers who tend to manage to get certified, Apple’s entrance could be a great achievement for them since by marketing and labelling a connected thermostat or light bulb as Apple friendly, companies could promise easier installation process as well as more interoperability between the devices.

Bedrosian informed that Apple has been widening access to their ecosystem and more products would be seen. He further states that `the goal is to create better consumer experience for iOS ecosystem to provide simple and unified approach in controlling home devices and this is the first wave of several products’.