The security researchers that found a vulnerability in Apple’s T2 chip have developed an exploit using a clone of an internal debugging cable that can hack a Mac without user action.
Earlier in October, the checkra1n team developed the unfixable vulnerability that essentially allows an attacker to jailbreak the T2 security chip in a Mac. Once they do, all types of malicious attacks can be carried out on an affected macOS device.
Now, the team has demoed a real-world attack that takes advantage of a technique similar to one leveraged by specialized USB-C cables used internally by Apple for debugging.
As depicted in a YouTube video, and accompanying blog post, the exploit causes a machine to shut down once the cable is plugged in. From there, it’s placed into DFU mode and checkra1n is run to achieve a root SSH session. A second video posted to the team’s YouTube account showed that the attack was successfully carried out by modifying the Apple logo at boot.
The attack is carried out by software reverse engineered from specialized debug probes, which are used by Apple and known under internal code names such as “Kong,” “Kanzi,” or “Chimp.” These cables work by allowing access to special debug pins within a USB port for the CPU and other chips.
These “Chimp” or “Kanzi” cables have leaked from Cupertino and Apple retail in the past. Security researcher Ramtin Amin created an effective clone of the cable, dubbed a “Bonobo” and used in the video. Combined with the checkra1n team’s exploits, it allows for this type of attack to be carried out.
Although the video demonstration shows them modifying the Apple logo, the team notes that the same exploit can be used to replace a device’s EFI and upload a keylogger. That’s possible because a mobile Mac’s keyboard is connected directly to the T2 chip.
The proof-of-concept exploit was disclosed by checkra1n security researchers Rick Mark, Mrarm, Aun-Ali Zaidi, and h0m3us3r. The team also announced that a version of the cable will soon be available for sale.
Who’s at risk, and how to protect yourself
As noted earlier, these specialized debug cables can sometimes be found in the wild. With a commercial clone soon to be available, there’s a good chance that most Mac models on the market with a T2 chip could be vulnerable.
Of course, the attack requires direct physical access to a Mac, which rules out most types of scenarios for the average user.
However, users who may find themselves targeted by nation-states or cybercriminals should ensure that they have keep their Mac safe by maintaining physical security of the device.
Every so often, I enjoy taking a step back and surveying the tech I use every day at my desk. This ranges from the desk itself to new Mac apps, new Apple hardware, and so much more. I’ve made quite a few changes over the last year to my setup, so read on as I share a peek at the tools I’m using to successfully work from home.
The desk: VertDesk v3 Electric Sit Stand Desk
Two years ago, I reviewed the Uplift standing desk as part of my Behind the Screens office tour for 9to5Toys. Since then, quite a bit about my setup has changed, including a cross-country move that resulted in finally being able to have a room in my house as a dedicated office, and the COVID-19 pandemic.
I’ve worked from home for years because 9to5Mac is a completely virtual company, so not much about my working habits have changed due to the pandemic, except for the fact that my girlfriend now also works from home. This quickly necessitated that we get another desk so that we could both have our own work areas.
After some research, I landed on the VertDesk v3 as the best choice. I was enticed by a few different features, including the butcher block surfacing option, Shortcuts integration, and the fact that VertDesk was the only company that wasn’t back-ordered by several months.
This meant that the Uplift Desk would be repurposed in our living room as my girlfriend’s desk, and the VertDesk V3 would be my new desk in the office/spare bedroom. I chose the 72” by 30” desk with the butcher block surface, paired with the black frame. I also added a Qi-enabled power grommet that allows me to wireless charge my iPhone or AirPods by placing them on the grommet. There are also three USB-A ports on the side of the grommet.
Building the VertDesk V3 was very easy and straightforward, thanks to excellent included instructions and additional videos on YouTube. All in all, the process took about two hours to complete. The wire management box that you can optionally add to your VertDesk is very useful, and it makes it easy to hide your wires.
The butcher block surface of the VertDesk V3 that I chose is especially gorgeous and by far my favorite feature of the desk. It’s sturdy, bright, and smooth to the touch.
There’s also a VertDesk application for iPhone that allows you to control your desk via Bluetooth. This is very neat, but in practice, the most useful aspect is integration with the Shortcuts application. This means you can add VertDesk actions for raising and lowering your desk to other Shortcuts.
One example of this is a shortcut I’ve created that automatically raises the desk to my standing height, starts a timer for 15 minutes, and starts playing a specified playlist in Apple Music – my personalized Apple Music Get Up mix. I also have a shortcut for the end of the day, which automatically raises the desk and turns off the office lights.
The VertDesk v3 isn’t perfect, but I’ve yet to find a standing desk that is perfect. I have two main gripes with the VertDesk v3. First and foremost, the crossbeam that sits beneath the desk can sometimes impede on your legroom. I’m around 6’4” tall, and there are certainly times when I whack my knee on the crossbeam.
Second, the lifting mechanism on the VertDesk v3 is louder and a touch slower than the Uplift Desk I’d been using previously. This is by no means a dealbreaker, but it’s something to keep in mind if you want the quietest solution possible. Otherwise it’s entirely stable and reliable, even at its tallest height of 47 inches.
Overall, I’m very happy with the VertDesk v3. Its ingenious cable management tray, butcher block design option, and Shortcuts integration make it a compelling option among the growing sea of standing desk choices on the market. My configuration retails for just over $1,100 and you can learn more on the VertDesk webpage.
The chair: Uplift Pursuit
One thing that is unchanged about my desk compared to my 2018 tour is the desk chair. I’m still using Uplift Pursuit Ergonomic Chair, which is available for $329 in black and white.
The Pursuit is incredibly versatile, with back angle adjustment, height options, the ability to raise and lower the arms and headrest, and much more. The versatility meant that I was able to fine-tune the chair over the course of a week or so, finding the best settings for my comfort.
16-inch MacBook Pro, 24” LG UltraFine 4K, and Mac mini
I used an iMac for several years and paired it with the 12-inch MacBook and eventually the MacBook Air for on-the-go use, but once I graduated and no longer needed a small laptop that could fit on lecture hall table tops, I ditched the iMac and MacBook Air in favor of a 16-inch MacBook Pro.
This setup provides an insane amount of versatility, which I love. The 16-inch MacBook Pro can be unplugged and taken on the go with ease, or my girlfriend can even dock her 15-inch MacBook Pro and use the UltraFine when she needs some additional screen real estate.
The 24-inch UltraFine has mixed reviews, but it’s always been rock solid for me. I greatly appreciate the two Thunderbolt 3 and three USB-C ports you find on the back, which make it easy to connect a single cable to the MacBook Pro itself. The UltraFine design is certainly nothing out of this world, but it’s practical and gets the job done.
Finally, housed inside an unpictured entertainment center is a 2012 Mac mini that I’ve repurposed into a Plex server. It won’t win any awards for speed, but it’s an out-of-sight solution for media storage that’s accessible from anywhere. It’s hardwired directly to my Eero Pro router.
Other odds and ends
There are a few other odds and ends you’ll notice on and around my desk. Above the desk is the Nanoleaf Aurora light panels, which have been a staple of my workspace for years. The Nanoleaf light panels can be obnoxious in certain situations, but when you set them to a solid color, they’re a great way to add some light to your space.
My audio needs are satisfied two space gray HomePods on either side of my display. How the forthcoming HomePod mini will integrate into my setup remains to be seen, but ultra wideband features almost certainly mean that I’ll incorporate at least one somehow.
Mounted on the top bezel of the display itself is the BenQ ScreenBar Plus, which is a light bar that clips to you monitor and shines downwards onto your desk. It’s a pricey solution for making your workspace as bright as possible, but I’m a big fan of it.
Other knick knacks:
Mac apps
Over the last several months, I’ve also worked to integrate a variety of new and different Mac applications into my workflow.
Tabs to Links app is an app made by 9to5Mac’s own Benjamin Mayo, and it allows you to turn a browser full of tabs into a correctly formatted list of links for show notes and roundups. Fun fact: Even though I work closely with Mayo every day, I didn’t know Tabs to Links existed until a few months ago.
I use Marco Arment’s Forecast app to encode 9to5Mac Daily episodes as MP3 and add chapter marks and other metadata details. The audio itself is processed in Auphonic Leveler.
I’m a big fan of Tot, a minimalistic text editor created by the Iconfactory. It’s a great way to keep quick notes and bits of text on your Mac, with built-in constraints so it never becomes a messy collection of files. I use Tot for workshopping headlines, jotting down notes during a call, and more.
TextExpander is easily my most-beloved app on the Mac, and I use it for so many different things. I have TextExpander snippets for 9to5Mac Daily show notes, ad copy, email invoices, and much more. Speaking of text, I also use the app Rocket to bring Slack-style emoji shortcuts to macOS.
You’ll also notice both Spotify and Apple Music in my macOS dock, and I can’t really explain this one. While Apple Music is my go-to streaming music service, I also really like some of the playlists and features in Spotify as well.
Wrap-up
That’s my desk setup and a few of my favorite Mac apps. What about you? Have you made any recent changes to your setup? I’d love to hear your tips, tricks, and recommendations down in the comments!
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Apple’s radical update to the macOS platform will have to wait before it can take to the stage. Although Tim Cook and his team will take to the virtual stage this week, the focus will be on the iPhone finally shipping with 5G. The revolutionary MacBooks will have to wait for their moment in that spotlight… a spotlight that will ask how Tim Cook is going to solve the biggest problem facing macOS over the next few years.
This problem arises from Tim Cook’s decision to move the entire macOS platform to Apple’s own chip designed based around ARM. The presumptive MacBook and MacBook Pro releases following this decision, expected to be on sale before the end of 2020, will set the tone for the transition’s success. I’ll be carefully watching how Apple addresses the biggest issue of app compatibility both during the presentation during the launch event and beyond as they reach the market.
The silhouettes of attendees are seen in front of a display featuring the new MacBook Pro laptop … [+]computer during an event at Apple Inc. headquarters in Cupertino, California, U.S., on Thursday, Oct. 27, 2016. Apple Inc. introduced the first overhaul of its MacBook Pro laptop in more than four years, demonstrating dedication to a product that represents a small percentage of revenue. Photographer: David Paul Morris/Bloomberg
The bar is set high for Apple. It’s clear that the geekerati are expecting the new MacBook ARM machines to carry backwards compatibility for all of their key applications as well as unlocking new experiences and power with apps specifically coded for the ARM environment. This will initially be handled by Rosetta 2, built-in software which will allow x86-Intel based apps to run on the new ARM-based hardware.
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Apple has suggested that, thanks to setting up each app for Rosetta 2 during the installation process rather than at runtime, users will not notice that emulation is being used. Like any technological claim, the market will decide if this statement stands up in all cases. Consumers who are looking to invest in a high-end machine – and by its suffix the MacBook Pro certainly sets itself up as such – will want a full suite of apps available at launch.
There’s a cautionary tale with Microsoft’s Surface Pro X, the Windows 10 on ARM 2-in-1 that debuted last year. The device was pitched by Microsoft as a device for a “tech forward mobile professional” and having spent time with it, the Pro X works incredibly well in the area that it was designed for.
Yet the mainstream reviews focused on its inability to run Photoshop or complicated video editing. The geekerati’s expectations were for a different kind of machine altogether; something closer to the Intel-powered Surface Pro 7 (launched at the same time) but with the inherent advantages of ARM.
The same giddy expectations around Apple’s transition of the Mac platform are growing in the forums and social groups that follow the company. If you buy the ARM-powered MacBook Pro, it’s going to do everything… isn’t it? It’s going to do everything faster, with more battery life, in an exciting slimmer design… isn’t it? It’s going to be the perfect laptop… isn’t it?
I want Apple to have found a solution to the Intel on ARM problem. I want these new MacBooks and MacBook Pros to arrive before the end of the year with seamless compatibility between the older x86 apps, the new ARM based apps, and the wider world of progressive web apps.
Not only will that benefit the macOS ecosystem, but it will also push Microsoft’s Windows 10 on ARM ecosystem to greater heights, which in turn will push Apple forwards. It would create a rising tide that would reinvigorate and lift up the desktop and laptop ecosystems from both companies. It would introduce a new virtuous cycle of development, design, and innovation.
Apple needs to immediately deliver on the expectations its dedicated fanbase has set for these first Mac machines. Yet we need to wait another month to see if Tim Cook is able to reach, or even clear, that incredibly high bar. It’s going to be an anxious wait all round.
Taking a look back at another week of news and headlines from Cupertino, this week’s Apple Loop includes details on Apple’s iPhone 12 launch event, the latest iPhone 12 images, the iPhone’s sneaky price cut, the future of the iPhone SE, a dangerous MacOS exploit discovered, the House Judiciary calls out Apple’s monopoly, why track and trace apps don’t work on older phones, and Spotify catches up with Apple Music.
Apple has confirmed that it will be hosting an online event next week, with the long-expected iPhone 12 family set to be revealed on October 13. Apple is expected to launch four iPhone 12 models using the new A14 processor, the geo-location AirTags trackers, the AirPods Studio headphones, and possibly a HomePod mini. Along with the key image, Apple has tagged the event that will celebrate the delayed launch with the phrase “Hi, Speed!”. Stephen Warwick for iMore speculates on the event artwork:
“The event logo is orange and blue, with a mix of different sized circles. There isn’t much to glean from it, except that whatever Apple plans to announce is fast! Of course, the news also confirms that Apple’s iPhone 12 event will be fighting for bandwidth with Amazon’s Prime Day event, to be held on October 13 and 14.”
“Sometimes nice looking rings are just nice looking rings.”
Touché.
One Last iPhone 12 Prediction
Ahead of the upcoming event, the teams at Let’s Go Digital and Concept Creator have taken everything we know about the new iPhones (which as it stands is pretty much everything) to put together one final render of the iPhone 12 5G, which is expected to be pitched as the ‘core’ iPhone the other models are derived from. Perhaps we’ll have a nice surprise with the screen?
“It remains unclear whether Apple is also able to give the screens a 120Hz refresh rate, as has been used by many other smartphone manufacturers in recent months. According to the rumors, Apple would be short of driver ICs, making it necessary to choose 60Hz screens this year as well.”
Will Apple see a spike in iPhone sales with the inclusion of 5G in the handsets for the first time, matching the spike when it moved to a larger screen with the iPhone 6 Plus? That’s certainly the expectation in the industry. Match that up with a lower than expected retail price on the iPhone 12 Mini and the iPhone 12 and Apple could see a big financial win with the new handsets. Just remember you’ll need to buy your own AC adaptor and headphones; these are going to be removed from the box to bring the retail price down – and I’d expect to see a rise in peripheral sales counterbalancing that price cut. Gordon Kelly reports:
“Multinational investment bank Morgan Stanley has revealed that the iPhone 12 series launch will be the “most significant iPhone event in years,” with sales skyrocketing 22% next year to 220 million units. And price is going to be a huge factor.
“…Morgan Stanley highlights the all-new iPhone 12 mini starting from $649 ($50 less than the entry-level iPhone 11 last year), and the top of the range 512GB iPhone 12 Pro Max selling for $1399 ($50 less than the 512GB iPhone 11 Pro Max).
The launch off the second-generation iPhone SE earlier in 2020 allowed Apple to maintain overall iPhone sales in the face of the economic whirlwind of the coronavirus pandemic. The SE was advertised as having the same power as the current iPhone 11 line-up. With the iPhone 12 launch, there’s going to be a clear performance difference between the iPhone SE and the presumptively-named iPhone 12 Mini. Will that be equalised with an iPhone SE update in 2021? The latest leaks suggest the SE is going to be left behind at the bottom of the ladder.
“The report from Mizuho Securities suggests that the latter. The next generation of the iPhone SE is not starting a new spring cycle of iPhone launches, instead those waiting for a third generation of the SE are going to have to manage their expectations for another year.”
The Mac community is also facing up to security issues around the T2 chip from a team of researchers that have been hard at work examining Apple’s T2 security chip that is prevalent in the modern Mac ecosystem (an explanatory timeline is here). Lily Hay Newman takes a closer look at the exploit’s impact:
“Combined with another T2 vulnerability that was publicly disclosed in July by the Chinese security research and jailbreaking group Pangu Team, the jailbreak could also potentially be used to obtain FileVault encryption keys and to decrypt user data. The vulnerability is unpatchable, because the flaw is in low-level, unchangeable code for hardware.
“The T2 is meant to be this little secure black box in Macs—a computer inside your computer, handling things like Lost Mode enforcement, integrity checking, and other privileged duties,” says Will Strafach, a longtime iOS researcher and creator of the Guardian Firewall app for iOS. “So the significance is that this chip was supposed to be harder to compromise—but now it’s been done.”
More at Wired. Apple has been approached for comment, but Cupertino has not made an on the record statement regarding this security breech. While the security issue applies to every Mac with the T2 chip, because the attack requires physical interaction with the computer, the MacBook family is more at risk than the desk-bound Mac machines. That’s one more danger for corporate IT departments to add to the risk register.
SHANGHAI, CHINA – 2020/01/12: American multinational technology company Apple logo seen on a screen … [+]of a MacBook Pro in an Apple retail store in Shanghai. (Photo by Alex Tai/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images
Does Apple Have A Software Distribution Monopoly?
Following a 16-month investigation, the US’ House Judiciary Committee has reported on the potential ‘monopoly power’ that Apple, Facebook, Google, and Amazon’ have in the tech space. Kari Paul reports:
“Companies including Amazon, Google, Facebook and Apple have amassed too much power and should be reined in, US lawmakers concluded in a major report resulting from a 16-month inquiry into America’s largest tech platforms. These companies “wield their dominance in ways that erode entrepreneurship, degrade Americans’ privacy online, and undermine the vibrancy of the free and diverse press”, the House judiciary committee concluded in its nearly 500-page report.
“…Apple is accused of dominating the distribution of software by controlling what apps are allowed on iOS devices. The investigation cited that Apple favors its own services by pre-installing them on to iPhones and disadvantages its competitors by charging them as much as 30% in commission fees.”
Track And Trace, Security, And OS Updates Explained
The rise of ’Track and Trace’ applications in your smartphones has been part of public health strategies around the world during the coronavirus pandemic. The recent launch of England’s app has drawn the ire of many with its requirement for iOS 13 (or Android 6). Why can’t this app run on older phones? Which brings us back to the issue of smartphone OS updates and the shorter windows they operate on compared to the life of the phone. Kate Bevan reports:
“The news is slightly better with iPhones: Apple supports its phones for up to five years. The general rule of thumb with iPhones (and iPads) is that if you can’t install the current version of iOS, then it’s time to replace your device. For the record, the oldest iPhone that can install iOS 14 is the iPhone 6S.
“Apple does occasionally put out updates for devices it’s no longer officially supporting: the last update it put out to iOS 13 was to roll out the underlying software framework (the ‘API’) that allows the NHS Covid-19 app to work. If your phone can download and install iOS 13.5, you can run the NHS Covid-19 app.”
What happens when you have a musical lyric stuck in your head? Unlike hearing a snippet of music on the radio, you can’t use the likes of Shazam. Spotify now has the answer, although it’s one that Apple users may already be familiar with. Michael Potuck reports:
“…it’s common to search the web for the lyrics before heading to your music service to play or add the track. Now Spotify has simplified that problem as the service on both iOS and Android has added the handy option to type in lyrics to search for songs.
“The update catches Spotify up to Apple Music, as the latter gained search by lyrics back in 2018 with iOS 12.”
A new leak claims that Apple’s new “HomePod mini” will be $99 and half the height of the original, plus details a release schedule for the whole of the “iPhone 12” range.
A leak originally posted on Chinese site Weibo but then relayed by previously accurate tweeter Ice Universe, claims to have full details of the rumored smaller HomePod, plus confirmation of the “iPhone 12” range Apple is expected to announce on October 13.
A translation of the original Weibo posting says, “HomePod Mini, priced at $99, 3.3-inch speaker, S5 processor.
Most places are scheduled for November 6/7, and will be released on 16/17. Please wait for the domestic release.”
The reference to a domestic release implies that these dates are for America, not China where the leak was posted.
At 3.3-inches, the HomePod mini would be just under half the height of the original HomePod. And at $99, it would be just under a third of what that HomePod currently costs.
The same source lists prices for the “iPhone 12” range, the bottom two of which are both $50 higher than previously reported. Specifically, it claims that the “iPhone 12 mini” will start at $699 instead of $649, and the “iPhone 12” will be from $799 rather than $749.
It also claims a release schedule for all four “iPhone 12” models, starting with the “iPhone 12” and the “iPhone 12 Pro.” Pre-orders for these are said to be on either October 16 or October 17, with shipping from a week later on October 23 or October 24.
The leak says that the “iPhone 12 mini” will open for pre-orders on November 6 or 7, and ship a week later on November 13 or November 14. And reportedly the “iPhone 12 Pro Max,” will see pre-orders on November 13 or November 14, with shipping November 20 or November 21.
In tweeting the original leak, leaker Ice Universe says that the Weibo poster’s history “is very accurate, so I suggest you take it seriously.”
Ice Universe has previously leaked details about the “iPhone 13” and its notch, plus a claim that the “iPhone 12 Pro” will feature a 120Hz ProMotion display.
ARM unveils Matterhorn and 64-bit-only Makalu Cortex-A cores scheduled for 2021 and 2022, respectively 10/08/2020
Microsoft, Qualcomm partner on App Assure to get Windows 10 on ARM PCs ready for the Apple Silicon MacBook challenge 09/23/2020
Leaker outlines possible ARM transition roadmap for Apple; ARM MacBook Pro 16 to arrive in 2021 08/14/2020
Leaker claims that Apple may not have a Special Event planned for its first ARM MacBooks 08/11/2020
Apple MacBook: First ARM MacBook may have up to 20 hours battery life, an A14X Bionic chipset and 16 GB of RAM, but also a 720p webcam and a butterfly keyboard 07/31/2020
Apple’s ARM-based MacBooks may be significantly cheaper than the current Intel-powered machines 07/28/2020
AirPods Studio, ARM MacBook and MacBook Pro 13, new iPad Pro, iPhone 12 series and HomePod refresh are all arriving between August and October 07/27/2020
MacBook Pro 13 and MacBook Air with ARM processors to enter mass production in Q4 2020; ARM-powered MacBook Pro 14 and MacBook Pro 16 joining in mid-2021 07/10/2020
Exclusive: Apple legend Tony Fadell responds to ARM-based Mac transition, will lead to longer lasting MacBooks, accelerate innovation 06/24/2020
Security researchers are reporting a significant flaw in Apple’sT2 security chip that has a wide-ranging impact on the MacOS platform, especially the latest MacBook Air and MacBook Pro machines. With the issue located in the read-only memory portion of the T2, the flaw is effectively unpatchable, leaving user data exposed.
Philip “Phil” Schiller, senior vice president of worldwide marketing for Apple Inc., displays the … [+]new MacBook Pro laptop computer while speaking at the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference in San Francisco, California, U.S., on Monday, June 11, 2012. Apple Inc. is releasing a fresh lineup of computers and software tools to woo consumers and keep developers making applications amid accelerating rivalry from Google Inc., Microsoft Corp. and, now, Facebook Inc. Photographer: David Paul Morris/Bloomberg *** Local Caption *** Phil Schiller
BLOOMBERG NEWS
As first described by Belgian security firm IronPeak, it is possible to gain control over the core Operating System. This could facilitate data extraction, allow keylogging software or malware to be installed, and any number of other potential uses. The exploit relies on code previously used to jailbreak the iPhone X handsets. Mahit Huilgoi has more details at iPhoneHacks:
“The exploit is called check8 and was developed initially for iPhone X. Interestingly, the iPhone X is powered by A10 processor, and the T2 chip is also modeled after the A10 processor. Typically, the T2 chip throws a fatal error whenever it gets a decryption call. However, the attackers can circumvent the check with the help of a blackbird vulnerability. The worst part is that sepOS/BootROM is Read-Only memory, which means Apple will not be able to patch this without changing the hardware.”
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Because of the physical nature of the flaw in the T2 chip – the exploit is in the read-only memory of the chip – this is not a security issue that can be patched by a firmware update. Apple will no doubt be re-engineering the chip so that Macs rolling out of the factory in the near future will have patched hardware.
The physical nature of the exploit also means that any attacker is going to need to physical access to your machine to take control of the T2 chip (although remote programs could be installed so that access may be a one-time requirement). That puts Apple’s mobile Macs at a higher risk, especially the MacBook Pro given its target market is more likely to be carrying sensitive information at a personal, enterprise, or governmental basis while travelling.
The impact on the individual is huge. MacOS, as it stands today, has issues. IronPeak sums up the state of the platform as they see it:
“TL;DR: all recent macOS devices are no longer safe to use if left alone, even if you have them powered down.
“The root of trust on macOS is inherently broken; They can bruteforce your FileVault2 volume password; They can alter your macOS installation; They can load arbitrary kernel extensions; Only possible on physical access.”
“What is proven: with physical access to such a computer and time to reboot into DFU to apply checkm8, one can boot arbitrary code on the T2. What is not proven: any sort of useful persistence. property lists on the Data partition could be modified, which is not great, but there is no evidence yet that one can persist unauthorized code through a full and proper reboot.”
Not discounting the severity of the actual exploit, the perception of the actual exploit may have a larger impact. Apple places great value in its message of security, and providing a safe working environment for consumers using its devices. This is laid out in details through the ‘Apple Platform Security’ section of its website. The existence of a potentially significant security exploit in Mac hardware that users need to be aware of, does not sit easily next to this message.
A future MacBook Pro may do away with mechanical keyboard mechanisms entirely to eliminate issues with debris, by using a force-sensitive surface on a flexible area of the MacBook’s casing to mimic the pressing of keys.
Over the years, Apple has received complaints about its MacBook Pro keyboards, especially for the butterfly mechanism, with key death being an issue among users. The ability for the mechanism to be jammed up with debris led to Apple introducing a membrane in 2018, but even that inclusion wasn’t enough for it to rethink its key mechanism usage.
The main issue is that it is practically impossible for Apple to create a keyboard that can be protected from the elements using conventional keyboard design techniques. Even if Apple internalizes most of the mechanism, there still has to be a protrusion to allow the externally-facing key to actuate, with the required holes being an entrypoint for debris.
While it is plausible to switch over to a display-style keyboard, as it has suggested in the past, this may not be desirable for end users. The result could be similar to typing on an iPad’s display, with the lack of tactile feedback likely to be an issue.
In a patent granted by the US Patent and Trademark Office on Tuesday titled “Configurable force-sensitive input structure for electronic devices,” Apple proposes that the keyboard and trackpad on devices like a MacBook could still be chained by a touch-sensitive layer. In this particular case, it would use force sensing to detect key presses, rather than typical touch-sensitive technology.
Areas of a MacBook’s main surface that could be defined for a keyboard or trackpad.
Apple’s system would consist of an exterior surface for the keyboard having a defined virtual key region, complete with a lighting system within the casing to illuminate the keys. Using a transparent light guide that can be deformed by pressure, the keys can be lit individually, and could feasibly be set to display many different alphabets and layouts.
The surface would include the use of deformable sections, with the casing covering the light guide then an input stack, with all capable of being deformed based on the input of the user. The input stack would consist of a drive layer and a sense layer, with a processor configured to confirm a user input once a level of capacitance from pressure reaches a desired threshold.
In effect, the pressing of a finger on a virtual key would deform the surface and generate a force, which is measured and then determined to be a key press. This value of the pressed key is then sent to the rest of the system for further use.
While the mention of a deformable layer would suggest the use of plastics and other materials, it is still entirely plausible for it to be made from metal, allowing the entire surface of the MacBook Pro to remain one material.
Furthermore, while the use of a light guide will help determine the positioning of keys and values, it is also feasible for the same guide to be used to change what areas are used for different tasks. For example, the system could swap out the keyboard layout in favor of a very large trackpad, which would be outlined by the light guide.
The stack of components used to create the deformable keyboard layer.
It doesn’t even necessarily require the elimination of physical keys, as it would be possible to simply apply a layer of keys on top of their respective virtual versions, which will detect pressure from a user typing the physical version.
The patent was filed in July 2017, and lists its inventors as John B. Morrell, Ron A. Hopkinson, Peter M. Arnold, Mikael M. Silvanto, and William F. Leggett.
Apple files numerous patent applications on a weekly basis, but while the existence of a filing indicates areas of interest for Apple’s research and development teams, it doesn’t guarantee the appearance in a future product or service.
Apple has explored the idea of alternative keyboard systems for quite some time, both in terms of retaining a mechanical keyboard and replacing it.
On the mechanical side, it has suggested new mechanisms to reduce the thickness of the components, and the use of light as part of an “optical keyboard” mechanism. A hinged mechanism could even raise the angle of the keyboard and the height of the display to make it more ergonomically sound.
Apple has also suggested the use of a hinged OLED screen as a dynamic keyboard, and a “keyless keyboard” that follows the same idea with force sensing and haptic feedback, namely actuators to vibrate the device to mimic keystrokes.
We’re seeing a pair of solid deals today on Amazon, related to the latest 10.2-inch iPad and the 16-inch MacBook Pro from 2019. Both of these deals represent the lowest prices that we’ve ever tracked for these devices.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Starting with the new eighth generation iPad, Amazon is discounting the 32GB Wi-Fi model to $299.00, down from $329.00. We’ve seen this deal reappear for a few weeks now, but it does disappear fast.
$30 OFF
New iPad For $299.00
As of writing, the iPad won’t ship until October 9, but if you purchase it today you can lock in this discount on the just-released tablet. You can also save on the 128GB Wi-Fi model, priced at $395.00, down from $429.00.
Next is Apple’s 1TB 16-inch MacBook Pro at $2,399.00, down from $2,799.00. This is a new all-time-low price on this model of the MacBook Pro, which is typically on sale for around $2,499.00. You can also get this sale at B&H Photo.
$400 OFF
1TB 16-Inch MacBook Pro For $2,399.00
The 512GB model is on sale as well this week. You can get it for $2,099.00, down from $2,399.00 at Amazon (B&H Photo is matching this price). This sale is a bit more common and is a match of the previous low price on the 512GB 16-inch MacBook Pro.
If you’re on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.
Air vents are shown on Apple Inc.’s new MacBook Pro, with retina display, in an arranged photograph … [+]in San Francisco, California, U.S., on Monday, June 11, 2012. Apple is releasing a fresh lineup of computers and software tools to woo consumers and keep developers making applications amid accelerating rivalry from Google Inc., Microsoft Corp. and, now, Facebook Inc. Photographer: David Paul Morris/Bloomberg
The implicit promise is that the new macOS on ARM platform, and therefore the new Mac laptops, are going to run every program that the current Macs from 2020 can run. That is a big ask, especially right out of the box. And those that run may not reach the same performance levels running under emulation as they would on the native platform. This is on the cutting edge, and that’s not always smooth, as Microsoft’s Surface Pro X has demonstrated.
In terms of capabilities, I’m expecting the mono-monikered MacBook to offer a similar experience to the Surface Pro Xl the first-party apps will work smoothly and offer a matching experience; third-party apps specifically designed for ARM will have a similar standard; and emulation for the extensive back catalogue will have a number of issues and not run at ‘full’ speed. This MacBook will also make for an excellent ‘cloud client’ machine, just as the Pro X does.
The ‘Pro’ suffix carries weight, especially in the macOS world. It’s not a lightweight laptop for day-to-day use, it’s not something that focuses on cloud computing and living in the web browser, and it’s definitely not a cheap take-anywhere laptop. It’s a grunt of a laptop geared for heavy-duty media work with countless images, for throwing around 1080p (and increasingly 4K) video for editing, to act as the primary machine for software development.
So how will a MacBook Pro on ARM fare?
This is perhaps the biggest question that Apple needs to answer. As it stands today, can a macOS on ARM device pick up the heavy workload expected of a Pro machine, and deliver the advantages inherent with ARM?
If Apple can manage this at the upcoming launch (and while there’s nothing to say it can’t, neither is there anything quantifiable to say it will), the Mac platform will have something that the Windows 10 platform has not yet demonstrated. That would give Apple a significant lead in ARM-based computing over the next two years, and leave the ARM-powered Surface machines behind.
