Apple added Group FaceTime calls with iOS 12.4.1, and with iOS 13.5 you can now turn off Group FaceTime moving photos.
FaceTime
Apple Earnings Chat – TMO Daily Observations 2020-05-01
Andrew Orr, Bryan Chaffin, and John Martellaro join host Kelly Guimont to discuss Apple’s earnings, and what was said (or not) during the call. With a bonus trolling that Kelly totally fell for.
Apple Pays $18 Million to Settle FaceTime Lawsuit
Apple is paying US$18 million to settle a lawsuit with VirnetX. The latter accused Apple of purposely breaking FaceTime on iOS 6.
13 Videoconferencing Apps - A Selection Guide
Working from home may mean selecting a quality, secure, easy-to-use videoconferencing app. Here’s a nifty rundown, with text description and comparison chart, on the major ones from the Freedom of Press Foundation.
FaceTime Didn’t See Much Growth due to COVID-19
A survey of 1,630 people found that among other video chat apps, Apple’s FaceTime got the highest satisfaction score, but didn’t see significant growth in users now that everyone is working from home.
Respondents consider FaceTime to be the easiest service to use, by far: it was ranked highest in terms of video quality and overall satisfaction. However, almost everyone reserved the service for one-on-one calls, and use of the app has barely changed since stay-at-home orders were put in place. Because FaceTime is only accessible to people with Apple products, it makes sense that current circumstances haven’t had a significant impact on the app’s popularity—it is quite likely that users interact with the app in much the same ways they did pre-COVID.
I’m thinking the biggest factor for this is the fact that FaceTime is only available on Apple devices. It’s not a good video conferencing app for businesses with multiple operating systems.
John's Ten iPhone Tips – TMO Daily Observations 2020-04-09
John Martellaro joins host Kelly Guimont to discuss John’s ten tips for iPhone users who want to get the most out of their devices.
iOS 13.4.1 Just Dropped With Bug Fixes for FaceTime
Apple just released 13.4.1 today for iOS and iPadOS and it fixes a number of bugs that people experienced in iOS 13.4.
iOS 13: How to Use Animoji Camera Effects
In iOS 13 you can use Animoji and Memoji camera effects in iMessage and FaceTime. Here’s where to find the setting.
Democrats Question Tim Cook Over FaceTime Bug
Democratic Reps. Frank Pallone, Jr., and Jan Schakowsky wrote a letter to Tim Cook today asking for details about the FaceTime bug.
iOS 12.1.4 Could Fix FaceTime Bug and will Drop Soon
Apple should fix the group FaceTime bug in iOS 12.1.4 which the company says will appear later this week. If we don’t see it today then that means tomorrow (via Macrumors). [Apple Sued Over Group FaceTime Eavesdropping Bug] Group FaceTime Bug As was widely reported, the FaceTime bug was originally discovered by a teenager, whose…
Apple Sued Over Group FaceTime Eavesdropping Bug
An Attorney in Houston, Texas sued Apple Wednesday as the fallout over the Group FaceTime eavesdropping bug continued. Bloomberg News reported on allegations from Larry Williams. He claimed the flaw resulted in him being eavesdropped on while a client was giving sworn testimony in a deposition.
Attorney Larry Williams II said the glitch intrudes on the privacy of “one’s most intimate conversations without consent,” according to the complaint he filed in state court in Houston. He said he was eavesdropped on while taking sworn testimony during a client deposition. Williams is seeking unspecified punitive damages on his claims of negligence, product liability, misrepresentation and warranty breach.
Group FaceTime Security Bug was Apparently Highlighted by Twitter User a Week Ago
Most of us are only heard about a security flaw on FaceTime on Monday and Tuesday. However, MacRumors found that a Twitter user actually tweeted both Apple Support and Tim Cook about the issue a week earlier. They also submitted a bug report, emailed Apple Support, and contacted Fox News. The user said their teen had found the Group FaceTime bug and could listen to a user’s iPhone or iPad without their permission. It all just adds to the embarrassment caused to Apple by this incident.
Twitter user MGT7500 tagged the official Apple Support account in a January 20 tweet claiming that her 14-year-old son discovered a “major security flaw” that allowed him to “listen in to your iPhone/iPad without your approval.” The user also tagged Tim Cook on the issue in a follow-up tweet on January 21.
Apple's Privacy Stance Means it Does Not Get a Pass on FaceTime Security Bug
It was revealed Monday that Group FaceTime has a major bug. It allows a caller to hear the person they are ringing before the recipient has picked up the phone. As Ben Lovejoy points out on 9to5Mac, Apple, and Tim Cook, in particular, have taken a very strong stance on privacy in recent months. The company even put a big privacy advert on the side of a Marriott in Las Vegas during CES. It has received a lot of praise for its approach to privacy. However, that does not mean they cannot be held to account when a security flaw like this is exposed. In fact, arguably we should expect more from a company that puts such importance on privacy.
This particular FaceTime bug occurs only when someone does something completely illogical and unexpected: adds themselves to a call they initiated. I appreciate this would have been a tricky scenario to anticipate and include in testing. But when you are Apple, a company which has talked of little other than privacy over the past few months, then you don’t get a pass on this.
Group FaceTime Offline After Major Security Flaw Revealed
A major Group Facetime security bug allowed users to hear and see a recipient before they had accepted a call.
Apple Releases iOS 12.1.1 Developer Beta 1 with FaceTime Interface Improvements
iOS 12.1.1 developer beta 1 for the iPhone and iPad is out with interface improvements for FaceTime calls.
How to Use Memoji Camera Effects in Messages and FaceTime
You can use your Memoji, or Animoji with real time camera effects in Messages and FaceTime in iOS 12. Here’s how.
Apple and Microsoft in Talks with UAE to End Ban on FaceTime and Skype
Voice-over-IP (VOIP) services face are banned in the UAE to protect local telecom monopolies, but the government also tends towards authoritarianism and listens in on communications of its citizens and vast numbers of foreign guest workers.
macOS and iOS: How to Disable Live Photos in FaceTime
Did you know that FaceTime on both the Mac and on iOS will now let you take Live Photos while you’re on a video call? Well, if that question shot as many shivers down your spine as it did Melissa Holt’s, you’ve gotta come read this Quick Tip. She’s going to tell us all how to turn it off!
Apple and the Broken FaceTime Lawsuit - TMO Daily Observations 2017-02-06
Apple is facing a class action lawsuit over claims it intentionally broke FaceTime to force users to upgrade to iOS 7. John Martellaro and Dave Hamilton join Jeff Gamet to look at the case and decide whether or not they think it has any merit.
Lawsuit Claims Apple Broke FaceTime to Force iOS 7 Upgrades
What happens when you don’t want to upgrade to a new version of iOS on your iPhone, but you’re sure Apple is forcing you to anyhow? Lawsuit! Apple is facing a class action lawsuit for just that where the plaintiffs allege the company intentionally broke FaceTime in iOS 6 to force upgrades to iOS 7 all to save some money.
Apple Sued for Failing to Prevent the Use of FaceTime While Driving in Fatal Accident
A Texas family is suing Apple for failing to implement iPhone safety features that would prevent the use of apps like FaceTime by drivers behind the wheel, and potentially have prevented a traffic accident that claimed the life of the family’s five-year-old daughter.
VirnetX Scores $302.4M Win from Apple in Patent Trial
The third time is a charm for VirnetX and its ongoing patent infringement lawsuit fight with Apple because a Tyler, Texas, Federal Court jury ruled the iPhone and iPad maker owes the company US$302.4 million. The patents in question cover secure communication and FaceTime, and now the case will head to the Appeals Court where VirnetX may have a harder time convincing a judge to let it keep the money.