Month: December 2020

Apple begins notifying eligible developers of App Store Rate Cut

CompuScoop Staff December 23, 2020 0

Developers who qualify for Apple's definition of a small business, and who applied in time, are now starting to be notified that they are on the new App Store Small Business Program.

Following Apple's announcement of halving its App Store commission for developers earning under $1 million annually, qualifying companies are now being notified. Apple repeats certain conditions but also says that it will cut its commission rate to 15% from January 1, 2021.

It's estimated that some 98% of app developers are eligible for the Small Business Program, but they had to apply for it by December 18.

Developers on Twitter have been sharing how they've received Apple's email notification. The full text sets out the basic terms of how it is specifically for app developers who earn less than $1 million per year from their App Store sales.

However, it also sets out two circumstances in which a qualifying developer could be removed from the program.

"If you initiate an app transfer after December 31, 2020, or accept a transfer of an app that was initiated after December 31, 2020, you will no longer be eligible to participate in the program," says Apple.

This is to prevent developers who earn over $1 million annually from effectively splitting into two companies in order to qualify. Note that no other income so a company that sells directly as well via the App Store could be earning more than $1 million in total and remain eligible.

Apple has previously highlighted positive reactions from developers who were applying to be on the program. AppleInsider checked with a cross-section of developers too, and while many suspected Apple's move was in response to App Store legal issues, they did universally welcome it.

Via: AppleInsider.com

Nintendo Switch Games Successfully run on Macs with M1 Chip

Dan Uff December 22, 2020 0

Well known, fouled-mouth developer @daeken claims that he has gotten some Nintendo Switch games running on a M1 Mac.

To see his claims, click here.

Dozens of media staffers’ iPhones hacked with NSO ‘zero-click’ spyware

CompuScoop Staff December 21, 2020 1

Based on logs from compromised phones, we believe that NSO Group customers also successfully deployed KISMET or a related zero-click, zero-day exploit between October and December 2019.

The journalists were hacked by four Pegasus operators, including one operator MONARCHY that we attribute to Saudi Arabia, and one operator SNEAKY KESTREL that we attribute to the United Arab Emirates.

We do not believe that KISMET works against iOS 14 and above, which includes new security protections. All iOS device owners should immediately update to the latest version of the operating system.

Given the global reach of NSO Group’s customer base and the apparent vulnerability of almost all iPhone devices prior to the iOS 14 update, we suspect that the infections that we observed were a miniscule fraction of the total attacks leveraging this exploit.

Infrastructure used in these attacks included servers in Germany, France, UK, and Italy using cloud providers Aruba, Choopa, CloudSigma, and DigitalOcean.

We have shared our findings with Apple and they have confirmed to us they are looking into the issue.

Via: Citizens Lab

UPS returning some AirPod Max shipments to Apple because it has labeled them ‘Hazardous Materials’

Dan Uff December 16, 2020 0

Some customers who ordered Apple's new AirPod Max in Canada and the U.S. have received notices from United Parcel Service (UPS) because it has deemed some AirPod Max shipments as 'Hazardous Material'.

According to iPhone in Canada, users are reporting that the return happens around halfway through the shipping process. One specifies that their package got to UPS's center in Ontario, California before being halted.

"A hazardous materials irregularity occurred with this package," says the UPS shipping notification sent to multiple buyers in Canada. "We'll contact sender with additional information. The package will be returned to sender."