Apple’s security ecosystem has received a slew of updates as the tech major keeps pace with demand for more robust protection on devices and services.
The updates, released at the California-based company's Worldwide Developers Conference in June, are designed to further safeguard users by incorporating “powerful” new protections on their devices.
These will be included in the latest versions of Apple’s operating systems, expected to be rolled out in September alongside the launch of the next iPhone. The National tried a number of these features on the latest public beta version of iOS 17.
Securely surfing Safari
To prevent unwanted access by other users sharing a device, private browsing windows on Safari, Apple’s web browser, will lock by default.
This allows a user to keep tabs open and come back to them by unlocking with Face ID, Touch ID or a passcode.
Apple will also introduce a feature that will stop tracking in Safari: private browsing will completely block known trackers from loading on pages visited.
Another feature, called link tracking protection, will remove “trackers”, or the gibberish set of characters appended to the URLs of sites visited.
Picture-perfect permissions
Apple has created a new permission protocol that prevents apps from accessing certain data from a device.
For example, because giving apps permission to access the photo library means potentially giving up lots of sensitive information, Apple will allow access only to specific photos that users choose by letting apps embed a photo picker.
On screen sharing, or sharing content across multiple displays of Apple devices, a new system interface has been built for Macs that gives better transparency and control over when a screen is shared and what parts of it are shared.
This will allow for even easier screen-sharing, while leaving out content that users do not wish to show.
Apple will also be rolling out new tools for developers, which are intended to give them more information on the data practices of their partners so they can provide more accurate privacy nutrition labels, which are the information Apple provides on how apps handle user data.
Sensitive content warnings
In 2021, on iOS 15.2, Apple introduced Communications Safety, which detected highly sensitive or inappropriate images and videos – nudity, in particular – being sent from or received in iMessages, in order to prevent children from viewing them.
In iOS 17, Apple has boosted this in the form of a Sensitive Content Warning, which basically extends the feature to AirDrop, FaceTime and contact posters on the phone app.
Sensitive images are scanned and detected within the device, meaning that no indication of the detection of these leaves the device and Apple does not get access to the messages.
Communications Safety and the upcoming Sensitive Content Warning are both opt-in features that can be toggled within settings. The former has only been available in select countries, but it will now be available globally. Also, later this year, it will be activated by default for users under 13 years old.
It is unclear whether this feature will be extended to third-party apps, as it is only currently available for Apple’s native apps. But the company is working with certain developers by sharing with them the underlying technology it uses for on-device detection.
Watch on automatic lockdown
Lockdown Mode, which Apple introduced last year to help protect users from state-sponsored cyber attacks, has been extended to provide even more high-level protections.
On iOS 17, it will now be able to block automatic connections to 2G cellular networks and automatic joining of Wi-Fi networks that are potentially insecure, as well as unsafe media sharing and PDF viewing, among others.
Additionally, turning on Lockdown Mode on an iPhone automatically activates it on a paired Apple Watch, with notifications also sent to any Macs and iPads of the specific user to ensure end-to-end protection.
Sharing is caring (for privacy)
AirDrop, Apple’s proprietary wireless sharing service, will feature Name Drop, which allows one-to-one sharing of contact details by holding iPhones near each other, ensuring that information is shared only with the intended recipient. Photos and website links may also be shared using this method.
Live Voicemail, meanwhile, will let users see a live transcription from a caller who starts to leave a message, without answering the call. At any time this is happening, the user can opt to pick up the call.
The logic behind this is that Live Voicemail helps stop scam and spam calls using on-device processing, according to Apple: calls identified as such won’t appear as Live Voicemail, and will be declined.
An additional feature, Silence Unknown Callers, will redirect calls from unknown numbers to Live Voicemail without ringing.
Vision Pro
Vision Pro, Apple’s first dive into the mixed reality headset race, promises to protect user privacy, according to Apple, sharing the same security features the company uses such as privacy permissions, data protection camera, microphone indicators and privacy nutrition labels.
The device has Optic ID, which Apple says is a new secure authentication system that allows a user to instantly unlock the device and authorise purchases.
Apple guarantees data is encrypted, meaning it never leaves the device and is accessible only to the secure enclave processor.
Its eye tracking is designed to protect where a user looks while using apps before interacting with any content. Data using this isn't shared with Apple or third-party apps or websites, as it is processed at the system level.
The Brutalist
Director: Brady Corbet
Stars: Adrien Brody, Felicity Jones, Guy Pearce, Joe Alwyn
Rating: 3.5/5
Cultural fiesta
What: The Al Burda Festival
When: November 14 (from 10am)
Where: Warehouse421, Abu Dhabi
The Al Burda Festival is a celebration of Islamic art and culture, featuring talks, performances and exhibitions. Organised by the Ministry of Culture and Knowledge Development, this one-day event opens with a session on the future of Islamic art. With this in mind, it is followed by a number of workshops and “masterclass” sessions in everything from calligraphy and typography to geometry and the origins of Islamic design. There will also be discussions on subjects including ‘Who is the Audience for Islamic Art?’ and ‘New Markets for Islamic Design.’ A live performance from Kuwaiti guitarist Yousif Yaseen should be one of the highlights of the day.
The UAE squad for the Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games
The jiu-jitsu men’s team: Faisal Al Ketbi, Zayed Al Kaabi, Yahia Al Hammadi, Taleb Al Kirbi, Obaid Al Nuaimi, Omar Al Fadhli, Zayed Al Mansoori, Saeed Al Mazroui, Ibrahim Al Hosani, Mohammed Al Qubaisi, Salem Al Suwaidi, Khalfan Belhol, Saood Al Hammadi.
Women’s team: Mouza Al Shamsi, Wadeema Al Yafei, Reem Al Hashmi, Mahra Al Hanaei, Bashayer Al Matrooshi, Hessa Thani, Salwa Al Ali.
EA Sports FC 24
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Other ways to buy used products in the UAE
UAE insurance firm Al Wathba National Insurance Company (AWNIC) last year launched an e-commerce website with a facility enabling users to buy car wrecks.
Bidders and potential buyers register on the online salvage car auction portal to view vehicles, review condition reports, or arrange physical surveys, and then start bidding for motors they plan to restore or harvest for parts.
Physical salvage car auctions are a common method for insurers around the world to move on heavily damaged vehicles, but AWNIC is one of the few UAE insurers to offer such services online.
For cars and less sizeable items such as bicycles and furniture, Dubizzle is arguably the best-known marketplace for pre-loved.
Founded in 2005, in recent years it has been joined by a plethora of Facebook community pages for shifting used goods, including Abu Dhabi Marketplace, Flea Market UAE and Arabian Ranches Souq Market while sites such as The Luxury Closet and Riot deal largely in second-hand fashion.
At the high-end of the pre-used spectrum, resellers such as Timepiece360.ae, WatchBox Middle East and Watches Market Dubai deal in authenticated second-hand luxury timepieces from brands such as Rolex, Hublot and Tag Heuer, with a warranty.
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
