Sir Apfelot newsreel week 33, 2021

Oops, it's Friday again ... So lucky for you, because that doesn't just mean that the weekend is just around the corner, but also that you will be presented with a new Sir Apfelot newsreel at this point. In the following, I'll show you which Apple and tech news caught my eye in calendar week 33 of the year 2021. Among other things, these topics are included: disaster warnings via cell broadcast, exciting and frightening development of humanoid robots, no security check of the Luca app, Apple's controversial CSAM scanner for photos, program for Gamescom 2021, and more. 

Disaster warning for all cell phones: Cell broadcast launched

According to one Articles At t3n, the federal government has initiated the use of cell broadcast technology for disaster warning. To this end, a proposal to amend the Telecommunications Act was submitted. With the help of the technology, warnings about natural disasters or other emergencies in the relevant area can be sent to all mobile devices located there - simply by SMS. Neither a smartphone nor a specific app on it are then required. In the linked source you can find a few more background information on the topic, including the screwed up warning day 2020, which showed some deficiencies in the warning system.

From week 29: Read the relevant message here

Boston Dynamics robots: agile humanoids make you think

"The engineers at Boston Dynamics have enabled the Atlas robot to cope with a complex course in various ways“, It says in the introduction to another Articles by t3n. It refers to a video made by Boston Dynamics shared on twitter became. It shows robots based on the human anatomy that can overcome various obstacles and even do a backflip. The fact that the robots from Boston Dynamics should not only have fun jumping around is shown, among other things, by the use of the robot dog "Spot" by the US police and the French army ( ). The question now is not if, but when and where "Atlas" will also be used by the police and the military.

Recommended film: Chappie by Neill Blomkamp 

More convenient search on YouTube - also in the mobile app

Let's stay for a third one Entry at t3n and briefly go into the YouTube search. Because this should be more comfortable and from the desktop or Browserversion also bring well-known features to the mobile app. For example, the video preview that appears on the computer when you hover the mouse cursor over the thumbnail. In addition, there should also be a chapter overview for those videos whose uploaders have divided them into sections. In addition, a search filter should bring up videos that are not in your own language but contain automatically generated subtitles. At the start of the function, however, only English-language videos will be taken into account. 

Review of the Luca app: Ministry of the Interior blocks viewing

Administrative hierarchies in federal Germany have meant that the Luca app, which has repeatedly landed in the headlines due to security gaps and similar concerns, is not checked at the federal level. The Federal Office for Information Security (BSI) rejected a request from the State of Hesse at the behest of the Ministry of the Interior, since "[t] he licensing of the Luca app is a matter for the federal states," it says in one Entry from the iPhone ticker. It is also shown that the BSI, as the “cyber security authority”, could and should have checked. In the linked source you will find further information on the case as well as information related to the Luca app.

Safari on iOS 15 - design changes can be completely deactivated

As part of WWDC21 (here is the keynote summary) Apple has introduced iOS 15 as the upcoming iPhone operating system, among other things. There are some new features as well as changes to the standard Apple apps. The mobile version of the Safari web browser has also been revised. The address line as well as the buttons for tabs, bookmarks, the share function and the like are moved (currently in the beta of iOS 15) and no longer pinned, but shown floating. This brings some problems with the display of the web pages and with the use of the browser. That is why Apple now seems to have implemented the option to deactivate all innovations in the current beta, such as the iPhone ticker shows here. 

Important feature moved: Apple SharePlay is coming later

Apple's CSAM scanner has been criticized from several quarters

Apple had announced that with iOS 15 it would carry out a scan of photos realized on the iPhone in order to identify recordings of (sexual) child abuse and, if found, to report it to the responsible authorities. Although the legal and moral approach behind it is a good one, there has been criticism of the implementation of the whole thing from several quarters. Not only is the technology supposed to have come to the iPhones with iOS 14.3, it is also error-prone and could report harmless images through the so-called “hash collision”. In addition, they do not recognize any rotated or cropped graphics Entry at heise online. Furthermore, the image or hash comparison could become a gateway for further content monitoring. For this purpose z. B. Criticism from the Bundestag (Entry from iFun). MacRumors too berichtet of dissenting voices who fear more surveillance by technology.

Apple iPad 9 could be introduced this fall

A completely different topic: Apple hardware, which will be presented in autumn 2021. We have already commented on this here: Apple September Keynote 2021 - All the products we expect. With regard to new tablets, we only mentioned the Apple iPad mini 6. Like now, but MacRumors with reference to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman schreibt, Apple could also introduce a regular iPad in addition to the small one. This would then be the 9th generation model, which is the 8th generation presented last year follows. The new device should be thinner and deliver better performance thanks to the more recent processor. The basic design should stay the same and offer a home button with Touch ID.

MagentaTV offer from Telekom with alternative Apple TV remote control

The Apple TV 4K comes with its own Siri remote control. However, if you rent or buy the set-top box as part of the MagentaTV offer from Deutsche Telekom, you will also get a MagentaTV Remote. This remote control offers even more buttons and thus tends to be more comprehensive in operation. In addition to iFun as German source MacRumors also reports about it as English language source. Both emphasize, however, that the Telekom offer is not without competition. Because you don't have to book MagentaTV if you absolutely want to use an alternative Bluetooth remote control for the Apple TV. There are also offers from SALT and Universal Electronics.

Gamescom 2021 - the program for the (digital) video games fair is set

Gamescom 2021 will take place soon - like last year due to the Covid 19 pandemic, 100% digital and online again. On the now presented show program, among other things, the page PlayStationINFO goes with a Entry a. Accordingly, more than 30 games are to be presented as part of the “Opening Night”, which will be presented live. But there will also be a program beyond that. For example, anyone who likes indie games will be presented with almost 40 new titles. You will get even more information, offers for visitors and press content along with a countdown to Gamescom 2021 www.gamescom.de. 

Johannes Domke

After graduating from high school, Johannes completed an apprenticeship as a business assistant specializing in foreign languages. But then he decided to research and write, which resulted in his independence. For several years he has been working for Sir Apfelot, among others. His articles include product introductions, news, manuals, video games, consoles, and more. He follows Apple keynotes live via stream.