ReportWire

Tag: iPhone

  • Apple iPhone just had its best year in India as the smartphone market stays broadly flat | TechCrunch

    Apple’s iPhone is gaining ground fast in India, shipping about 14 million units in 2025, based on market data shared exclusively with TechCrunch.

    Yet the country’s overall smartphone market stayed largely flat at around 152–153 million devices. That means that across the full-year of 2025, Apple’s market share of shipments rose to a record 9%. This is up from 7% in 2024, Counterpoint Research data shows, making it the iPhone’s strongest year yet in the world’s second-largest smartphone market by volume.

    The gains were driven by the iPhone’s product portfolio, growing aspirational demand and wider availability across sales channels, Counterpoint Research’s director for devices and ecosystems, Tarun Pathak, said.

    Apple has repeatedly pointed to India as a standout market in recent quarters, with CEO Tim Cook saying the company set an “all-time revenue record in India” on its last earnings call in October. CFO Kevan Parekh also said iPhone’s active install base hit an all-time high in India and the company set a quarterly record for upgraders, highlighting Apple’s push to expand its user base beyond just new buyers, though the company did not disclose detailed figures for India on the call.

    Beyond shipments, Apple has been widening its footprint in India by ramping up local manufacturing and broadening its retail reach. Last month, the company opened its fifth Apple Store in the country — its first in Noida — as part of a broader retail expansion that began in 2023.

    Apple is also sharpening its services pitch in India. Earlier this month, it introduced Apple Creator Studio — a subscription bundle of creative apps such as Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro — priced at ₹399 a month ($4.35) in India. That’s around 66% cheaper than the $12.99 a month it charges in the U.S., underscoring how the company is tailoring pricing to deepen its reach in the country.

    That strong iPhone year came against a market that has largely stopped growing. India is set to log its fourth straight year at about the same shipment level of 152 million units, Counterpoint estimates, with the October–December quarter down 8–10% year-over-year despite the festive season.

    Techcrunch event

    San Francisco
    |
    October 13-15, 2026

    Longer replacement cycles, fewer feature phone users upgrading to smartphones, and the growing popularity of refurbished devices are among the key reasons the market has struggled to grow, Pathak told TechCrunch.

    Even as overall shipments stagnated, India’s premium segment continued to expand. Smartphones priced above ₹30,000 (around $327) grew 15% year-over-year in 2025 and accounted for a record 23% of total shipments — the highest share ever — according to Counterpoint.

    That shift has helped brands with stronger premium portfolios, including Apple, gain ground even as the mass market slowed.

    By volume, China’s Vivo led India’s smartphone market in 2025 with a 23% share of shipments, per Counterpoint, followed by Samsung at 15% and Xiaomi at 13%.

    Apple remained outside India’s top three by shipments despite its record year, underlining how the market is still dominated by mass-market Android brands even as premium devices take a growing share.

    Counterpoint expects India’s smartphone market to slip about 2% in 2026, warning that rising memory prices could squeeze demand in the sub-₹15,000 (under-$170) segment and force phone makers to cut cashback offers, trim specifications or raise prices. Even so, average selling prices are forecast to rise 5% in 2026 after a 9% increase in 2025, suggesting the premiumization trend is set to continue.

    Apple did not respond to a request for comment.

    Jagmeet Singh

    Source link

  • Apple warns millions of iPhones are exposed to attack

    NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

    The Apple iPhone is the most popular smartphone in the United States and one of the most widely used devices in the world. An estimated 1.6 billion people rely on iPhones every day. That massive user base also makes the platform a prime target. 

    Over the past few weeks, Apple has been sending out warnings about a serious security flaw. New data suggests the risk could affect roughly half of all iPhone users.

    That puts hundreds of millions of devices in potential danger right now.

    Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy Report
    Get my best tech tips, urgent security alerts and exclusive deals delivered straight to your inbox. Plus, you’ll get instant access to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide – free when you join my CYBERGUY.COM newsletter.

    WHATSAPP WEB MALWARE SPREADS BANKING TROJAN AUTOMATICALLY

    Apple is warning iPhone users about a serious Safari security flaw that could leave hundreds of millions of devices vulnerable if updates are delayed. (Thomas Trutschel/Photothek via Getty Images)

    What Apple discovered in Safari and WebKit

    Late last month, Apple confirmed two critical vulnerabilities in WebKit. WebKit powers Safari and every browser that runs on iOS. According to Apple, the flaws were used in an extremely sophisticated attack that targeted specific individuals. The problem allowed malicious websites to trick iPhones and iPads into running harmful code. Once that happens, attackers could gain control of the device, steal passwords or access payment information. In simple terms, visiting the wrong website could have been enough.

    Why millions of iPhones are still exposed

    Apple moved quickly to release a fix. The patch is included in the latest software update. The problem is that many people have not installed it yet. Estimates suggest that about 50 percent of eligible users have not upgraded from iOS 18 to iOS 26. That would leave around 800 million devices vulnerable worldwide. Data from StatCounter paints an even worse picture. It estimates that only 20 percent of users have updated so far. Once security details become public, the risk grows fast. Attackers know exactly what to exploit.

    iPhone and iPad models at the highest risk

    Apple says the following devices are affected if they are not updated:

    • iPhone 11 and later
    • iPad Pro 12.9-inch 3rd generation and later
    • iPad Pro 11-inch 1st generation and later
    • iPad Air 3rd generation and later
    • iPad 8th generation and later
    • iPad mini 5th generation and later

    If your device appears on this list and you have not updated it, it is vulnerable.

    INSTAGRAM PASSWORD RESET SURGE: PROTECT YOUR ACCOUNT

    An iPhone resting on a keyboard.

    New data suggests nearly half of all iPhone users worldwide may still be exposed to a critical WebKit exploit Apple says was actively used in attacks. (Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

    Why upgrading is the only real protection

    There is no setting to flip and no safe browsing habit that fixes this issue. The vulnerability lives deep inside the browser engine. Security experts say there is no workaround or user behavior that meaningfully reduces the risk. Installing the latest software is the only effective defense. Apple is no longer offering a security-only update for users who want to stay on iOS 18. Unless your device cannot run iOS 26, the fix is only available through iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2.

    Steps to update your iPhone or iPad now

    Updating is quick and usually painless. If automatic updates are enabled, the fix may already be installed.

    If not, follow these steps:

    • Open the Settings app on iPhone
    • Tap General
    • Select Software Update
    • Download and install iOS 26.2 or iPadOS 26.2 or later 

    Make sure your device is connected to Wi-Fi and has enough battery life or is plugged in.

    Pro tip: Use strong antivirus software

    Keeping your iPhone updated is critical, but it should not be your only line of defense. Strong antivirus software adds another layer of protection by scanning malicious links, blocking risky websites and alerting you to suspicious activity before damage is done.

    This matters even more when attacks rely on compromised websites or hidden browser exploits. Security software can help catch threats that slip through and give you extra visibility into what is happening on your device.

    Think of it as backup protection. Software updates close known holes, while strong antivirus tools help guard against the next one.

    Get my picks for the best 2026 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices at Cyberguy.com.

     FAKE ERROR POPUPS ARE SPREADING MALWARE FAST

    A person using their iPhone.

    Apple says malicious websites could exploit a Safari flaw to steal passwords or payment information from unpatched iPhones and iPads. (David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

    Kurt’s key takeaways

    Apple rarely uses language like “extremely sophisticated” unless the threat is serious. This flaw shows how even trusted browsers can become attack paths when updates are delayed. Waiting weeks or months to update now carries real consequences. If you use your iPhone for banking, shopping or work, this update should be treated as urgent.

    How long do you usually wait before installing major iPhone updates, and is that delay worth the risk anymore? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com.

    CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

    Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy Report
    Get my best tech tips, urgent security alerts and exclusive deals delivered straight to your inbox. Plus, you’ll get instant access to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide – free when you join my CYBERGUY.COM newsletter.

    Copyright 2026 CyberGuy.com.  All rights reserved.

    Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson is an award-winning tech journalist who has a deep love of technology, gear and gadgets that make life better with his contributions for Fox News & FOX Business beginning mornings on “FOX & Friends.” Got a tech question? Get Kurt’s free CyberGuy Newsletter, share your voice, a story idea or comment at CyberGuy.com.

    Source link

  • Is Apple Bringing Back the Flip Phone With iPhone 18?

    Things are changing, and Apple is bringing some trends back. They always say things may go out of style for a minute, but they will return. Remember having a flip phone back in the day? The dramatic close when you wanted to end a conversation. Those were the days. Well, Apple may have heard we’re reminiscing on the good old days and decided to bring the flip phone back.

    Speculation is stating that the new Apple iPhone 18 is set to release in 2026 and will feature an iconic flip. The new “iPhone Fold” is expected to come out in Fall 2026. Apple Insider reports that Analyst Jeff Pu released a short spec sheet for what we can expect regarding the new phone. Although the information is still too early to confirm, his data usually seems to be accurate.

    Of course, many of the features will resemble the 2025 iPhone 17 models, except with a twist… the flip! The iPhone Fold has been speculated for so long, so we will see if it’s finally time for the release. If an iPhone Flip is for sure to be released, we will probably hear confirmation from Apple soon.

    Now, we wait to find out if the iPhone Flip will for sure be a thing or not. Will you be upgrading your phone to the new flip if it’s to be released?

    Randi Moultrie

    Source link

  • 5 simple tech tips to improve digital privacy

    NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

    Protecting your privacy doesn’t require advanced tools or technical expertise. Some of the most effective protections are already built into your phone; you just need to know where to look.

    These five privacy tips show you exactly how to reduce tracking and limit data sharing on both iPhone and Android using the latest software.

    Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy Report
    Get my best tech tips, urgent security alerts and exclusive deals delivered straight to your inbox. Plus, you’ll get instant access to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide — free when you join my CYBERGUY.COM newsletter.

    10 WAYS TO PROTECT SENIORS FROM EMAIL SCAMS

    Smartphone users can boost privacy by adjusting built-in settings that limit tracking, location sharing and background data collection on iPhone and Android devices. (Neil Godwin/Future via Getty Images)

    1) Reduce app permissions

    Apps often request access to your camera, microphone, contacts, photos and location, even when it’s not necessary. Limiting these permissions reduces background data collection.

    iPhone

    • Open Settings
    • Tap Privacy & Security
    • Select a permission type such as Microphone, Camera, Photos or Contacts
    • Toggle off access for apps that don’t need it

    Android

    Settings may vary depending on your Android phone’s manufacturer

    • Open Settings
    • Tap Security and Privacy
    • Scroll down and tap More privacy settings or Privacy controls  
    • Tap Permission Manager
    • Choose a permission category and set apps to Don’t allow or Allow only while using the app

    2) Turn off location access you don’t need

    Location tracking can reveal where you live, work, shop and travel.

    iPhone

    • Open Settings
    • Tap Privacy & Security
    • Tap Location Services
    • Select an app and choose While Using the App or Never
    • Turn off Precise Location when exact coordinates aren’t needed

    Android

    Settings may vary depending on your Android phone’s manufacturer

    • Open Settings
    • Tap Location
    • Tap App location permissions or App permissions 
    • Scroll through the list and tap the app you want to change
    • Select Allow only while using the app or Don’t allow

    3) Turn off photo sharing with apps

    Some apps request full access to your photo library, giving them visibility into every image and video you’ve taken.

    iPhone

    • Open Settings
    • Tap Privacy & Security
    • Tap Photos
    • Select an app and choose Selected Photos or None

    Android

    Settings may vary depending on your Android phone’s manufacturer

    • Open Settings
    • Tap Security and Privacy
    • Scroll down and tap More privacy settings or Privacy controls  
    • Tap Permission Manager
    • Tap Photos and videos 
    • Scroll through the list and tap the app you want to change
    • Set apps to Don’t allow, or Allow limited access

    5 TECH TERMS THAT SHAPE YOUR ONLINE PRIVACY

    Woman holding her phone.

    Turning off unnecessary app permissions and tracking features helps protect sensitive information stored on your phone. (Sebastian Kahnert/picture alliance via Getty Images)

    4) Turn off app tracking

    App tracking allows advertisers to follow your activity across multiple apps.

    iPhone

    • Open Settings
    • Tap Privacy & Security
    • Tap Tracking
    • Turn off Allow Apps to Request to Track

    Android

    Settings may vary depending on your Android phone’s manufacturer

    • Open Settings
    • Tap Security & privacy
    • Scroll down and tap More privacy settings
    • Tap Ads
    • Tap Delete advertising ID to remove the existing ID tied to your device
    • Tap Reset advertising ID to generate a new, blank ID

    This removes the identifier apps use to track you for targeted ads and replaces it with a fresh ID that isn’t linked to your previous activity.

    5) Turn off unnecessary background app activity

    Some apps continue running and collecting data even when you’re not actively using them.

    iPhone

    • Open Settings
    • Tap General
    • Tap Background App Refresh
    • Turn it off entirely or disable it for individual apps

    Android

    Settings may vary depending on your Android phone’s manufacturer

    • Open Settings
    • Tap Apps
    • Select an app
    • Tap Battery
    • Choose Restricted or turn off Allow background usage 

    Pro tip: Use a password manager

    A password manager reduces the need to store logins inside apps, which can limit unnecessary permissions and data collection.

    Next, see if your email has been exposed in past breaches. Our No. 1 password manager pick includes a built-in breach scanner that checks whether your email address or passwords have appeared in known leaks. If you discover a match, immediately change any reused passwords and secure those accounts with new, unique credentials.

    WHY JANUARY IS THE BEST TIME TO REMOVE PERSONAL DATA ONLINE

    Person selecting an item on their phone.

    Privacy experts say small changes to phone settings can go a long way in reducing digital surveillance and data exposure. (Karl-Josef Hildenbrand/Picture Alliance via Getty Images)

    Check out the best expert-reviewed password managers of 2026 at Cyberguy.com.

    Kurt’s key takeaways

    Protecting your privacy doesn’t have to be complicated. By reducing app permissions, limiting location access, controlling photo sharing, turning off app tracking and restricting background activity, you can significantly reduce how much personal data your phone shares. A few simple setting changes can go a long way in protecting your digital life.

    What privacy setting surprised you the most, or is there one you’re unsure about? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com.

    CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

    Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy Report
    Get my best tech tips, urgent security alerts and exclusive deals delivered straight to your inbox. Plus, you’ll get instant access to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide — free when you join my CYBERGUY.COM newsletter.

    Copyright 2026 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved.

    Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson is an award-winning tech journalist who has a deep love of technology, gear and gadgets that make life better with his contributions for Fox News & FOX Business beginning mornings on “FOX & Friends.” Got a tech question? Get Kurt’s free CyberGuy Newsletter, share your voice, a story idea or comment at CyberGuy.com.

    Source link

  • 5 tech terms that shape your online privacy

    NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

    Protecting your personal information online starts with understanding the language behind your apps, devices and accounts. We’ll break down five essential tech terms that directly impact your digital privacy, from app permissions and location tracking to VPNs and cross-app advertising. 

    Learning these concepts will help you limit data exposure and stay in control of who can see what.

    Stay tuned for more in this series as we dive deeper into privacy-related tech terms and other essential concepts, answering the top questions we get from readers like you!

    Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy Report
    Get my best tech tips, urgent security alerts and exclusive deals delivered straight to your inbox. Plus, you’ll get instant access to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide – free when you join my CYBERGUY.COM newsletter.    

    WHY JANUARY IS THE BEST TIME TO REMOVE PERSONAL DATA ONLINE

    1) App permissions

    What your apps are really allowed to see

    Every app on your phone requests permissions, approval to access features like your camera, microphone, location, contacts or photos. Some permissions are necessary for an app to function, but many apps ask for far more access than they actually need.

    Once granted, these permissions can allow apps to collect data in the background, sometimes even when you’re not actively using them. Over time, this can quietly expose sensitive personal information.

    Regularly reviewing and limiting app permissions in your phone’s settings is one of the easiest and most effective ways to improve your privacy. Pay special attention to apps with access to your location, microphone and photo library.

    iPhone steps (iOS 18 and later)

    To review permissions by category

    • Open Settings
    • Tap Privacy & Security
    • Select a category such as Location Services, Microphone, Camera, Photos or Contacts
    • Review each app listed
    • Change access to Never or While Using the App when available

    To review permissions by app

    • Open Settings
    • Scroll down and tap the app’s name
    • Toggle off any permissions the app does not truly need

    Extra privacy tip

    • For Photos, choose Limited Access instead of full library access when possible

    Many apps request more access than they need, quietly collecting data in the background. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

    Android steps (Android 14 and later)

    Settings may vary depending on your Android phone’s manufacturer

    To review permissions by category

    • Open Settings
    • Tap Privacy
    • Tap Permission manager
    • Select a category such as Location, Camera, Microphone or Contacts
    • Review apps and change access to Don’t allow or Allow only while using the app

    To review permissions by app

    • Open Settings
    • Tap Apps
    • Select an app
    • Tap Permissions
    • Remove any permissions that aren’t essential

    Extra privacy tip

    • Disable Allow background usage for apps that don’t need constant access

    Why this matters

    • Apps can collect data even when you’re not using them
    • Location, microphone and photo access are the most sensitive
    • Fewer permissions mean less data exposure
    • You stay in control without breaking most apps

    Extra protection beyond settings:

    Even with careful permission management, malicious apps and phishing attempts can still slip through. A trusted antivirus solution helps block malware, fake pop-ups and dangerous downloads before they compromise your device. 

    Get my picks for the best 2026 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices at Cyberguy.com.

    MALICIOUS CHROME EXTENSIONS CAUGHT STEALING SENSITIVE DATA

    2) Location services

    When your phone knows where you are, constantly

    Location services use GPS, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and nearby cell towers to determine your location. While this is helpful for maps and weather, many apps request constant access they don’t actually need.

    Reducing location access limits, tracking and helps protect your daily routines.

    iPhone steps (iOS 18 and later)

    To review all location access

    • Open Settings
    • Tap Privacy & Security
    • Tap Location Services

    For each app

    • Tap an app name
    • Select Never or While Using the App
    • Turn Precise Location off unless required

    Recommended settings

    • Avoid Always unless the app truly needs background tracking
    • Use While Using the App for most apps
    • Disable Precise Location for weather, shopping and social apps

    System services (optional)

    • Scroll down and tap System Services
    • Turn off items you don’t need, such as Location-Based Ads and Location-Based Suggestions
    Person typing on cellphone

    Location tracking can reveal your routines and movements long after you close an app. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

    Android steps (Android 14 and later)

    Settings may vary depending on your Android phone’s manufacturer

    To review location access

    • Open Settings
    • Tap Privacy
    • Tap Location

    For each app

    • Tap Location access for apps
    • Select an app
    • Choose Don’t allow or Allow only while using the app
    • Turn Use precise location off when available

    Recommended settings

    • Avoid Allow all the time
    • Use Allow only while using for navigation apps
    • Disable precise location for apps that don’t require accuracy 

    Why this matters

    • Location data reveals routines, habits and patterns
    • Many apps track location in the background by default
    • Limiting access reduces profiling and data sharing
    • You keep core features without constant tracking

    3) Two-factor authentication (2FA)

    Your second line of defense

    Two-factor authentication (2FA) adds an extra layer of protection to your accounts by requiring something you know (your password) and something you have, like a one-time code sent to your phone or generated by an app.

    Even if hackers steal your password through a data breach or phishing attack, 2FA can stop them from accessing your accounts. That’s why security experts strongly recommend enabling it on email, banking, cloud storage and social media accounts.

    It may take a few extra seconds to log in, but 2FA can prevent identity theft and unauthorized access, making it one of the most powerful security tools available.

    Extra security tip:
    Strong passwords and two-factor authentication work best together. If remembering complex passwords or managing one-time codes feels overwhelming, a secure password manager can generate, store and autofill strong passwords safely.

    Check out the best expert-reviewed password managers of 2026 at Cyberguy.com.

    HACKERS ABUSE GOOGLE CLOUD TO SEND TRUSTED PHISHING EMAILS

    4) VPN (Virtual Private Network)

    Hiding your online activity

    A VPN creates a secure, encrypted tunnel between your device and the internet, masking your IP address and protecting your online activity from outsiders.

    VPNs are especially important when using public Wi-Fi at airports, hotels or coffee shops, where cybercriminals can intercept unprotected data. They also help limit tracking by advertisers and internet service providers.

    While a VPN doesn’t make you completely anonymous online, it adds a valuable layer of privacy and security, especially when browsing, shopping or accessing sensitive accounts.

    For the best VPN software, see my expert review of the best VPNs for browsing the web privately on your Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices at Cyberguy.com.

    5) Cross-app tracking

    How companies follow you across apps

    Cross-app tracking lets advertisers and data brokers link your activity across multiple apps and websites. That data is used to build detailed profiles based on what you do, buy and watch.

    On iPhone, this tracking is controlled by Apple’s App Tracking Transparency system.
    On Android, it relies on advertising IDs and ad personalization controls.

    Turning these off limits how easily companies can connect your behavior across apps. You’ll still see ads, but they won’t be tailored to your personal activity.

    iPhone steps (iOS 18 and later)

    • Open Settings
    • Tap Privacy & Security
    • Tap Tracking
    • Turn Allow Apps to Request to Track off

    Optional extra protection

    • Review the app list below and make sure no apps are allowed to track you
    • Apps already denied cannot track you across other apps or websites
    Woman holds a phone

    Two-factor authentication (2FA) adds a critical extra step that helps stop account takeovers. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

    Android steps (Android 14 and later)

    Settings may vary depending on your Android phone’s manufacturer

    • Open Settings
    • Tap Privacy
    • Tap Ads
    • Turn Delete advertising ID on
    • Tap Ad topics and turn them off
    • Tap Ad measurement and turn it off

    What this does

    • Removes your advertising ID
    • Stops apps from sharing ad behavior across other apps
    • Limits interest-based and cross-app ad profiling

    One more thing to know:
    Turning off cross-app tracking helps going forward, but it doesn’t remove data that’s already been collected. Data removal services can help you request the deletion of your personal information from data broker sites.

    Check out my top picks for data removal services and get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web by visiting Cyberguy.com.

    Get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web: Cyberguy.com.

    Take my quiz: How safe is your online security?

    Think your devices and data are truly protected? Take this quick quiz to see where your digital habits stand. From passwords to Wi-Fi settings, you’ll get a personalized breakdown of what you’re doing right and what needs improvement. Take my Quiz here: Cyberguy.com.       

    Kurt’s key takeaways

    Online privacy doesn’t have to feel overwhelming. Once you understand what these common tech terms really mean, it becomes much easier to spot where your data is being collected and decide what you’re comfortable sharing. Small changes, like tightening app permissions or turning off cross-app tracking, can make a meaningful difference over time. Staying informed is the first step toward staying in control, and we’ll keep breaking it all down so you can protect your digital life with confidence.

    CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

    Confused by a tech term or want something explained? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com.

    Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy Report
    Get my best tech tips, urgent security alerts and exclusive deals delivered straight to your inbox. Plus, you’ll get instant access to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide – free when you join my CYBERGUY.COM newsletter. 

    Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson is an award-winning tech journalist who has a deep love of technology, gear and gadgets that make life better with his contributions for Fox News & FOX Business beginning mornings on “FOX & Friends.” Got a tech question? Get Kurt’s free CyberGuy Newsletter, share your voice, a story idea or comment at CyberGuy.com.

    Source link

  • How to send free digital invitations on iPhone

    NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

    Creating invitations should feel easy, not stressful. Apple’s Invites app makes it simple to create free digital invitations with built-in RSVP tools, even if your guests do not use iPhones.

    You can design the invite, track responses, and share photos after the event, all from your iPhone. Below is a clear step-by-step guide with exact instructions so you can get it right the first time.

    Oh, and if you want more options beyond Apple’s Invites app, we also cover the best invitation apps for both iPhone and Android.

    Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy Report
    Get my best tech tips, urgent security alerts and exclusive deals delivered straight to your inbox. Plus, you’ll get instant access to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide – free when you join my CYBERGUY.COM newsletter.

    HOW TO SHARE YOUR ESTIMATED ARRIVAL TIME ON IPHONE AND ANDROID

    Apple’s Invites app lets users create free digital invitations with built-in RSVP tools directly from an iPhone, making event planning faster and easier. (Katharina Kausche/picture alliance via Getty Images)

    Why Apple Invites makes event planning easier

    Apple Invites keeps everything in one place. You design the invite, manage RSVPs and share memories without switching apps. You can:

    • Create invitations for parties, meetings and family events
    • Let guests RSVP from any device
    • Share photos, playlists and links after the event

    Apple Invites system requirements

    Before you start, confirm these basics. You need:

    • An iPhone running iOS 18 or newer
    • An iCloud+ subscription to create invitations

    Guests can view and RSVP without an iCloud+ subscription. The steps in this article were tested on an iPhone 15 Pro Max running iOS 26.2.

    Download Apple Invites from the App Store

    First, install the Apple Invites app.

    • Open the App Store.
    • Search for Apple Invites.
    • Download the app named Apple Invites to avoid confusion.

    Open the Invites app after installation.

    How to create a free digital invitation with RSVP on iPhone

    You are now ready to build your invitation.

    Start a new invitation in Apple Invites

    • Open the Invites app.
    • If this is your first time, tap Create Invitation.

    If you have created invites before, tap the plus icon in the top corner.

    Add a background image to your invitation

    • Tap Add Background.
    • Choose one option:PhotosCameraPlayground using Apple Intelligence on supported modelsYou can also select Emoji, Photographic or Color backgrounds.
    • Photos
    • Camera
    • Playground using Apple Intelligence on supported models
    • You can also select Emoji, Photographic or Color backgrounds.

    Grant photo or camera access if prompted.

    Add event details like title, date and location

    Next, fill in the key information.

    • Tap Event Title and enter the name of your event.Choose from four available fonts.
    • Choose from four available fonts.
    • Tap Date and Time.Select a start and end time or mark the event as all day.
    • Select a start and end time or mark the event as all day.
    • Tap Location.Enable Location Services if prompted.
    • Enable Location Services if prompted.
    • Tap Add a Description to include event details or notes.

    If you add both a date and a location, the app automatically shows:

    • The weather forecast for that day
    • A Maps link with directions

    Add optional features like photos, links and playlists

    You can add several optional features to enhance your invitation.

    • Add a shared photo album so guests can view and upload photos by tapping Create Album
    • Add a website link, such as a gift registry, by tapping Add a Link
    • Add a shared Apple Music playlist guests can listen to and add songs to by tapping Add Playlist

    Add a Tile to bundle photos, playlists or links in one place by tapping Add Tile

    Preview and create your invitation

    Before sending, review everything.

    • Tap Preview.
    • Review how the invitation will look to guests.
    • Tap Next in the upper-right corner.
    • Wait a few seconds while the invite is created.

    NEVER LOSE YOUR CAR WITH MAPS PARKING TOOLS

    iPhone screen at a store.

    Apple Invites allows hosts to design invites, track guest responses and share photos without requiring guests to own an iPhone. (Nikolas Kokovlis/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

    How to send invitations and manage RSVPs on iPhone

    Once your invitation is live, you can share it in two different ways.

    Invite guests using a public link

    • Under Invite with Public Link, choose how you want to share the link:MessagesMailShare LinkCopy Link
    • Messages
    • Mail
    • Share Link
    • Copy Link
    • Toggle Approve Guests on if you want to review RSVPs before guests are added.
    • Leave Approve Guests off to allow anyone with the link to RSVP automatically.

    Guests who accept the invite will appear in your guest list.

    Invite guests individually

    • Scroll to Invite Individuals.
    • Tap Choose a Guest.
    • Then you’ll be prompted to access your contacts and click Continue.
    • Click Select Contacts
    • Select only the contacts you want to include for this invitation and click Continue 
    • Tap Allow Selected Contacts 
    • Select a contact to send a one-time invite link.
    • Then click Messages, Mail or Share Link

    This option sends a unique link to a single guest.

    Guests can RSVP even if they do not own an iPhone.

    How to send invitations and manage RSVPs on iPhone

    Once your invitation is live, you can share it in two different ways.

    Invite guests using a public link

    • Under Invite with Public Link, choose how you want to share the link:MessagesMailShare LinkCopy Link
    • Messages
    • Mail
    • Share Link
    • Copy Link
    • Toggle Approve Guests on if you want to review RSVPs before guests are added.
    • Leave Approve Guests off to allow anyone with the link to RSVP automatically.

    Guests who accept the invite will appear in your guest list.

    Invite guests individually

    • Scroll to Invite Individuals.
    • Tap Choose a Guest.
    • Then you’ll be prompted to access your contacts and click Continue.
    • Click Select Contacts
    • Select only the contacts you want to include for this invitation and click Continue 
    • Tap Allow Selected Contacts 
    • Select a contact to send a one-time invite link.
    • Then click Messages, Mail or Share Link

    This option sends a unique link to a single guest.

    Guests can RSVP even if they do not own an iPhone.

    Manage event settings and RSVP notifications

    You stay in control after sending.

    • Tap the Settings icon inside the invite.
    • Adjust guest permissions and RSVP options.
    • Enable notifications to receive alerts when guests respond.
    • Set plus one limits or block additional guests if needed.

    Your invitation appears on the app home screen under Upcoming.

    Edit an invite after sending it

    Plans change, and edits are allowed.

    • Open the invite from the Upcoming list.
    • Tap the More Button (three horizontal dots in the upper-right corner)
    • Click Edit to update details.
    • Changes sync automatically for guests.

    5 BEST APPS TO USE ON CHATGPT RIGHT NOW

    iPhones on a display at the store.

    With Apple Invites, users can manage event details, RSVPs and shared content all in one place using iOS 18 or newer. (Nikolas Kokovlis/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

    Pro tip: duplicate invitations for recurring events

    If you host a recurring event, such as a book club, save time.

    • Open an existing invitation.
    • Tap the More button. (three horizontal dots in the upper-right corner)
    • Select Duplicate.
    • Adjust the date, time or details as needed.

    Take my quiz: How safe is your online security?

    Think your devices and data are truly protected? Take this quick quiz to see where your digital habits stand. From passwords to Wi-Fi settings, you’ll get a personalized breakdown of what you’re doing right and what needs improvement. Take my Quiz here: Cyberguy.com.

    CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

    Kurt’s key takeaways

    Apple Invites makes event planning feel simple again. You can create free digital invitations, send them in seconds and track RSVPs without chasing people down. Everything lives in one place, from guest lists to shared photos, which saves time and reduces stress. Best of all, guests do not need an iPhone to respond. That makes Apple Invites practical for real life, not just Apple users. Whether you are planning a birthday, a family dinner, or a casual meetup, this app helps you focus on the event rather than the logistics.

    Would you consider replacing paper invites or group texts with Apple Invites, or are you still planning events the old way? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com.

    Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy Report
    Get my best tech tips, urgent security alerts and exclusive deals delivered straight to your inbox. Plus, you’ll get instant access to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide – free when you join my CYBERGUY.COM newsletter. 

    Copyright 2025 CyberGuy.com.  All rights reserved.

    Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson is an award-winning tech journalist who has a deep love of technology, gear and gadgets that make life better with his contributions for Fox News & FOX Business beginning mornings on “FOX & Friends.” Got a tech question? Get Kurt’s free CyberGuy Newsletter, share your voice, a story idea or comment at CyberGuy.com.

    Source link

  • How to share your estimated arrival time on iPhone and Android

    NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

    Sharing your estimated time of arrival (ETA) lets others know when to expect you without constant check-ins. Apple Maps and Google Maps both include built-in tools that send live arrival updates while you drive. Once turned on, the updates run automatically. That means fewer distractions and safer trips.

    Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy Report
    Get my best tech tips, urgent security alerts and exclusive deals delivered straight to your inbox. Plus, you’ll get instant access to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide — free — when you join my CYBERGUY.COM newsletter.

    NEVER LOSE YOUR CAR WITH MAPS PARKING TOOLS

    Apple Maps and Google Maps let drivers share live ETAs, so contacts can track arrival times without constant texts or calls. (Photographer: David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

    Why this feature makes everyday travel easier

    Sharing your ETA is quick and practical. It lets contacts know you are on your way and see your updated arrival time in real time. It also adds peace of mind during late nights, long routes or unfamiliar areas. Most importantly, you stay focused on moving safely instead of responding to messages.

    We tested these steps using an iPhone 15 Pro Max running iOS 26.2 and a Samsung Galaxy Android phone running Android 16. Make sure Apple Maps or Google Maps is installed and updated to the latest version.

    Enable Share ETA Permissions on iPhone

    Before starting navigation, confirm that Apple Maps has the correct permissions. Without these settings enabled, ETA sharing may never appear.

    • Open Settings.
    • Tap Privacy & Security.
    • Tap Location Services and make sure it is turned on.
    • In Location Services, tap Maps.
    • Set location access to While Using the App or Always.
    • Turn on Precise Location.
    • Return to Settings.
    • Scroll down and tap Apps
    • Click Maps.
    • Scroll down, and next to Share ETA, enable it.

    ANDROID EMERGENCY LIVE VIDEO GIVES 911 EYES ON THE SCENE

    Woman typing on her phone.

    Sharing your ETA updates automatically as traffic changes, helping drivers stay focused on the road. (Photo by Sebastian Kahnert/picture alliance via Getty Images)

    How to Share ETA on iPhone Using Apple Maps

    Follow these steps to share your live ETA with a contact using Apple Maps. Note: ETA sharing only works after navigation begins. You also need Location Services enabled for Maps and Contacts.

    • Open Apple Maps on your iPhone.
    • Search for your destination and tap it.
    • Select your travel mode, then tap Go to start navigation.

    Once navigation starts, tap the route card at the bottom of the screen to expand it.

    • Scroll down and tap Share ETA.
    • Choose a recent contact or tap Contacts to search for someone.
    • Your contact will get a notification and can see your live ETA until you arrive or stop sharing.

    How to share ETA on Android using Google Maps

    Android users can share their ETA just as easily with Google Maps. You can share your live arrival time on any Android phone using Google Maps. The feature is built into the Google Maps app.

    Menu wording or placement may vary slightly depending on your device and Android version.

    • Open the Google Maps app on your Android phone.
    • Search for your destination and tap Directions.
    • Tap Start to begin navigation.
    • While navigation is active, swipe up from the bottom of the screen to open the trip menu.
    • Tap Share trip progress (on some devices, this may appear as Share your trip).
    • Choose a contact or share a link using text message or another app.

    Your contact can follow your live location and see updated arrival times until you reach your destination or stop sharing.

    Pro tip: If you don’t see “Share trip progress,” make sure navigation has already started.

    HOLIDAY TRAVEL PRIVACY RISKS AND HOW TO STAY SAFE

    Person using their iPhone.

    iPhone and Android users can send real-time arrival updates directly from Apple Maps or Google Maps. (Photo by Sebastian Kahnert/picture alliance via Getty Images)

    What happens after you share your ETA

    Once sharing is active, both apps handle updates automatically.

    • Arrival times adjust with traffic
    • Delays appear without manual messages
    • Sharing ends when you arrive

    You can stop sharing at any time from the navigation screen. 

    Take my quiz: How safe is your online security?

    Think your devices and data are truly protected? Take this quick quiz to see where your digital habits stand. From passwords to Wi-Fi settings, you’ll get a personalized breakdown of what you’re doing right and what needs improvement. Take my Quiz here: Cyberguy.com.

    CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

    Kurt’s key takeaways

    Sharing your ETA on iPhone or Android removes the pressure of keeping others informed while driving. Apple Maps and Google Maps do the work for you. It is a simple habit that improves safety of communication and peace of mind.

    Do you use ETA sharing when you drive, walk, or take transit, and has it changed how often people check in on you? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com. 

    Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy Report
    Get my best tech tips, urgent security alerts, and exclusive deals delivered straight to your inbox. Plus, you’ll get instant access to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide — free — when you join my CYBERGUY.COM newsletter. 

    Copyright 2025 CyberGuy.com.  All rights reserved.

    Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson is an award-winning tech journalist who has a deep love of technology, gear and gadgets that make life better with his contributions for Fox News & FOX Business beginning mornings on “FOX & Friends.” Got a tech question? Get Kurt’s free CyberGuy Newsletter, share your voice, a story idea or comment at CyberGuy.com.

    Source link

  • Never lose your car with Maps parking tools

    NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

    Forgetting where you parked happens to everyone. Busy schedules, crowded lots and mental autopilot make it easy to walk away without a second thought. Thankfully, your iPhone can remember for you. Both Google Maps and Apple Maps now make it easy to find your car again with little or no effort. Google recently added smarter automatic parking detection on iPhone. Apple Maps has offered a similar feature for years. Together, they give you a reliable backup when your memory fails. Below is how each one works and how to make sure it is ready when you need it.

    If you use an Android phone, we have steps below that show you how to save and find your parked car using Google Maps on Android.

    Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy Report

    Get my best tech tips, urgent security alerts, and exclusive deals delivered straight to your inbox. Plus, you’ll get instant access to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide — free when you join my CYBERGUY.COM newsletter.

    GOOGLE MAPS VS WAZE VS APPLE MAPS: WHICH IS BEST?

    Google Maps can automatically save where you parked on an iPhone and drop a clear pin on the map. Once it appears, you can tap it anytime to get walking directions back to your car. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

    How Google Maps saves your parking spot on iPhone

    Google Maps can automatically detect when you park and drop a pin that stays for up to 48 hours or until you drive again. It currently works on iPhone only.

    Connect your iPhone to your car

    Google Maps needs a signal that you stopped driving.

    • Connect your iPhone to your car using Bluetooth: On your iPhone, open Settings, tap Bluetooth and pair it with your vehicle before you drive.
    • Connect your iPhone using USB: Plug your iPhone into the car’s USB port with a cable before you start your journey.
    • Use CarPlay with your iPhone: Go to Settings on your iPhone, tap General, tap CarPlay, then select your car to link your iPhone to the vehicle.

    Any of these connections can trigger parking detection.

    Allow Google Maps to save parking automatically

    If you want this to work every time, adjust one key setting.

    • Open the Settings app on your iPhone
    • Tap Apps
    • Then, click Google Maps
    • Tap Location
    • Select Always

    This allows Google Maps to track parking even when the app is not open.

    Turn on motion-based parking detection

    This helps Google Maps save your parking spot even when Bluetooth or CarPlay is not in use.

    • Open Google Maps on your iPhone
    • Tap your profile photo in the upper right corner
    • Tap Settings
    • Then click Navigation
    • Turn on Automatically save parking
    • To make sure motion detection works:
    • Open the iPhone Settings app
    • Tap Privacy and Security
    • Tap Motion & Fitness
    • Make sure Fitness Tracking is on
    • Make sure Google Maps is enabled

    This allows Google Maps to use movement data to detect when you stop driving.

    Find your parked car

    • Once you park, Google Maps drops a pin labeled You parked here.
    • Open Google Maps to see the pin
    • Tap the search bar
    • Choose Saved parking

    The pin stays visible for up to 48 hours.

    Adjust the location if needed

    If the pin is slightly off:

    • Tap the parked location
    • Select Change location
    • Drag the marker to the correct spot

    FIND A LOST PHONE THAT IS OFF OR DEAD

    Google Maps application on smartphone

    After parking, Google Maps shows your saved location along with a quick Directions button. This makes it easy to return to your car without retracing your steps. (OLIVIER DOULIERY/AFP via Getty Images)

    How Apple Maps saves your parking spot

    Apple Maps uses your iPhone location and car connection to remember where you parked. In many cases, it works automatically without setup.

    Make sure Location Services is enabled

    Apple Maps relies on system settings.

    • Open Settings
    • Tap Privacy and Security
    • Tap Location Services
    • Make sure Location Services is on
    • Tap Maps
    • Select While Using the App

    Use Bluetooth or CarPlay

    Apple Maps detects parking when your iPhone disconnects from:

    • Your car’s Bluetooth system
    • Wired or wireless CarPlay

    This disconnection signals that you parked.

    Find your parked car in Apple Maps

    After parking:

    • Open Apple Maps on your iPhone
    • Look for Parked Car under the Search box or a parked car icon on the map
    • Tap the parked car entry or icon
    • Tap Directions to navigate back to your vehicle

    Apple Maps drops a parked car marker when your iPhone disconnects from Bluetooth or CarPlay as you exit your car. You can also see parking details, like how long ago you parked, if you enabled the proper settings in iPhone Settings.

    Google Maps vs Apple Maps for parking reminders

    Both apps work well, but they shine in different ways.

    • Google Maps: Parking pins last up to 48 hours and are easy to edit
    • Apple Maps: Deep iOS integration and simple automatic detection

    Many iPhone owners keep both enabled for backup.

    Photo of the Apple Maps app.

    Apple Maps can also remember where you parked when your iPhone disconnects from Bluetooth or CarPlay. Open the app and look for your parked car to get directions back. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

    How to find your parked car on Android phones

    If you use an Android phone, you can still save and find your parked car using Google Maps, but the process is manual.

    Save your parking location on Android

    Settings may vary depending on your Android phone’s manufacturer.

    • Open Google Maps on your Android phone
    • Tap the blue dot showing your current location
    • Tap Save your parking
    • Add notes or photos if you want help remembering landmarks

    Google Maps drops a parking pin that stays visible until you remove it or save a new one.

    Find your parked car later on Android 

    Settings may vary depending on your Android phone’s manufacturer.

    • Open Google Maps
    • Tap the saved parking pin on the map
    • Tap Directions to navigate back to your car

    Unlike the iPhone, Android does not currently support automatic parking detection in Google Maps.

    Take my quiz: How safe is your online security?

    Think your devices and data are truly protected? Take this quick quiz to see where your digital habits stand. From passwords to Wi-Fi settings, you’ll get a personalized breakdown of what you’re doing right and what needs improvement. Take my Quiz here: Cyberguy.com.

    CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

    Kurt’s key takeaways

    Forgetting where you parked happens fast, but finding your car does not have to be stressful. Google Maps and Apple Maps can save your parking location and guide you back when you need it most. On the iPhone, much of this works automatically once settings are enabled. Android users can still save their spot manually with Google Maps. Either way, taking a few minutes to set this up now can save time, steps and frustration later.

    How much time have you already wasted searching for your car that your phone could have saved? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com.

    Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy Report

    Get my best tech tips, urgent security alerts, and exclusive deals delivered straight to your inbox. Plus, you’ll get instant access to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide — free when you join my CYBERGUY.COM newsletter. 

    Copyright 2025 CyberGuy.com.  All rights reserved.

    Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson is an award-winning tech journalist who has a deep love of technology, gear and gadgets that make life better with his contributions for Fox News & FOX Business beginning mornings on “FOX & Friends.” Got a tech question? Get Kurt’s free CyberGuy Newsletter, share your voice, a story idea or comment at CyberGuy.com.

    Source link

  • This Brilliant Hack is the Best Use of ChatGPT on an iPhone I’ve Found Yet

    A while back, we stopped paying for Spotify. It wasn’t out of protest or principle—it was just one of those decisions you make when you realize how many monthly charges have crept into your life. We already have Apple Music as a part of the Apple One bundle, so it made sense to stop paying for one more thing.

    In practice, though, it was kind of annoying. The problem isn’t the catalog or interface. In fact, there are a lot of things I prefer about Spotify over Apple Music. The real problem, however, was the decade of carefully built playlists. Rebuilding them manually in Apple Music would take hours. Having to add every song, one at a time, meant enough friction that, for a while, we just… didn’t do it.

    Sure, there are services you can pay for to move your Spotify playlists to Apple Music, but I’m not sure how I feel about random third-party services that require you to sign into your Spotify and Apple accounts. Actually, I know exactly how I feel about them, and it’s just not something I’m going to do.

    Then, almost accidentally, I found what might be the most genuinely useful thing I’ve done with ChatGPT on an iPhone yet.

    Recently, the ChatGPT iOS app added app integrations, including the ability to interact directly with Apple Music. That alone sounded mildly interesting. I played around with it long enough to connect my Apple Music account and ask ChatGPT to make me a Christmas Playlist. What I really wanted, though, was the playlist I’ve been listening to for years–the one I made in Spotify.

    Then I realized that ChatGPT could probably just recreate that playlist, but I didn’t want to have to type up the whole list. Instead, I opened Spotify, pulled up my Christmas playlist, and took a few screenshots. Then I opened ChatGPT and said, essentially: “Create this playlist in Apple Music.”

    That was it. ChatGPT read the screenshot, identified every song, matched them in Apple Music, and built the playlist automatically. There was no manual searching or copy-pasting track names. And, most importantly, there were no sketchy third-party migration tools involved.

    Go inside one interesting founder-led company each day to find out how its strategy works, and what risk factors it faces. Sign up for 1 Smart Business Story from Inc. on Beehiiv.

    Jason Aten

    Source link

  • Meet the team that hunts government spyware

    For more than a decade, dozens of journalists and human rights activists have been targeted and hacked by governments all over the world. Cops and spies in Ethiopia, Greece, Hungary, India, Mexico, Poland, Saudi Arabia, and United Arab Emirates, among others, have used sophisticated spyware to compromise the phones of these victims, who at times have also faced real-world violence being intimidated, harassed, and in extreme cases, even murdered.

    In the last few years, in the fight to protect these higher-risk communities, a team of a dozen digital security experts, mostly based in Costa Rica, Manila, and Tunisia, among other places, have played a key role. They work for the New York-headquartered nonprofit Access Now, specifically its Digital Security Helpline. 

    Their mission is to be the team of people who journalists, human rights defenders, and dissidents can go to if they suspect they’ve been hacked, such as with mercenary spyware made by companies like NSO Group, Intellexa, or Paragon. 

    “The idea is to provide this 24/7 service to civil society and journalists so they can reach out whenever they have… a cybersecurity incident,” Hassen Selmi, who leads the incident response team at the Helpline, told TechCrunch. 

    According to Bill Marczak, a senior researcher at the University of Toronto’s Citizen Lab who has been investigating spyware for almost 15 years, Access Now’s Helpline is a “frontline resource” for journalists and others who may have been targeted or hacked with spyware.

    The helpline has become a critical funnel for victims. So much so that when Apple sends its users a so-called “threat notification” alerting them that they have been targeted with mercenary spyware, the tech giant has long directed victims to Access Now’s investigators. 

    In speaking with TechCrunch, Selmi described a scenario where someone gets one of these threat notifications, and where Access Now can help victims.

    “Having someone who could explain it to them, tell them what they should do, what they should not do, what this means… This is a big relief for them,” said Selmi. 

    According to several digital rights experts who have investigated spyware cases and previously spoke with TechCrunch, Apple is generally taking the right approach, even if the optics look like a trillion-dollar tech giant offloading its responsibility to a small team of nonprofit workers. 

    Being mentioned by Apple in the notifications, said Selmi, was “one of the biggest milestones” for the helpline.

    Selmi and his colleagues now look into about 1,000 cases of suspected government spyware attacks per year. Around half of those cases turn into actual investigations, and only around 5% of them, around 25, result in a confirmed case of spyware infection, according to Mohammed Al-Maskati, the helpline’s director.

    When Selmi started doing this work in 2014, Access Now were only investigating around 20 cases of suspected spyware attacks per month. 

    At the time, there were three or four people working in each timezone in Costa Rica, Manila, and Tunisia, locations that allowed them to have someone online throughout the whole day. The team isn’t that much bigger now, with fewer than 15 people working for the helpline. The helpline has more people in Europe, the Middle East, North Africa, and Sub-Saharan region, given that these are hotspots for spyware cases, according to Selmi.  

    The increase in cases, Selmi explained, is due to several circumstances. For one, the helpline is now more well known, so it attracts more people. Then, with government spyware going global and becoming more available, there are potentially more cases of abuse. Finally, the helpline team has done more outreach to potentially targeted populations, finding cases of abuse they may not have found otherwise. 

    Contact Us

    Have you received a notification from Apple, Google, or WhatsApp about being targeted with spyware? Or do you have information about spyware makers? We would love to hear from you. From a non-work device, you can contact Lorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai securely on Signal at +1 917 257 1382, or via Telegram and Keybase @lorenzofb, or email.

    When someone contacts the helpline, Selmi told TechCrunch, its investigators first acknowledge receipt, then they do a first check to see if the person who contacted them is within the organization’s mandate, meaning if they are part of civil society — and not, for example, a business executive or lawmaker. Then, the investigators assess the case in triage. If a case is prioritized, the investigators ask questions, such as why the person believes they were targeted (if there was no notification), and what device they own, which helps to establish what kind of information the investigators may need to collect from the victim’s device.

    After an initial, limited check of the device performed remotely over the internet, the helpline’s handlers and investigators may ask the victim to send more data, such as a full backup of their device, to do a more thorough analysis examining for signs of intrusions. 

    “For each known kind of exploit that has been used in the last five years, we have a process on how to check that exploit,” said Selmi, referring to known hacking techniques. 

    “We know more or less what is normal, what is not,” said Selmi.

    The Access Now handlers, who manage communication and often speak the victim’s language, will also give the victim advice on what to do, such as whether to get another device, or take other precautions. 

    Every case that the nonprofit looks into is unique. “It’s different from person to person, from culture to culture,” Selmi told TechCrunch. “I think we should do more research, get more people on board — not just technical people — to know how to deal with these kinds of victims.”

    Selmi said that the helpline has also been supporting similar investigative teams in some regions of the world, sharing documentation, knowledge, and tools, as part of a coalition called CiviCERT, a global network of organizations that can help members of civil society who suspect they were targeted with spyware. 

    Selmi said this network has also helped to reach journalists and others in places where otherwise they could not get to. 

    “No matter where they are, [victims] have people who could talk to and report to,” Selmi told TechCrunch. “Having these people talk their language and know their context helped a lot.”

    Lorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai

    Source link

  • New iPhone scam tricks owners into giving phones away

    NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

    Getting a brand-new iPhone should be a moment you enjoy. You open the box. You power it on. Everything feels secure. Unfortunately, scammers know that moment too. 

    Over the past few weeks, we’ve heard from a number of people who received unexpected phone calls shortly after activating a new iPhone. The callers claimed to be from a major carrier. They said a shipping mistake was made. They insisted the phone needed to be returned right away. One message stood out because it shows exactly how convincing and aggressive this scam can be.

    “Somebody called me (the call said it was from Spectrum) and told me they sent the wrong iPhone and needed to replace it. I was to rip off the label on the box, tape it up and set it on my porch steps. FedEx was going to pick it up and they’d put a label on it. And just for my trouble, he’d send me a $100 gift card! However, the guy was just too anxious. He called me again at 7 am to make sure I would follow his instructions. Right after that, I picked up my box on the steps and called Spectrum, who confirmed it was a scam. There are no such things as refurbished i17 phones because they’re brand new. I called the guy back, said a few choice words and hung up on him. Since then, they have called at least twice for the same thing. Spectrum should be warning its customers!”

    — Kris L, Columbus, Montana

    That second early morning call was the giveaway. Pressure is the scammer’s favorite tool.

    Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy Report
    Get my best tech tips, urgent security alerts and exclusive deals delivered straight to your inbox. Plus, you’ll get instant access to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide — free when you join my CYBERGUY.COM newsletter.

    HOLIDAY DELIVERIES AND FAKE TRACKING TEXTS: HOW SCAMMERS TRACK YOU

    Scammers often strike right after a new iPhone purchase, using urgency and fake carrier calls to catch you off guard before you have time to verify. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

    How the new iPhone replacement scam works

    This scam relies on timing and pressure. First, criminals focus on people who recently bought a new iPhone. That information often comes from data-broker sites, leaked purchase data or marketing lists sold online. Next, scammers spoof a carrier phone number. As a result, the call appears legitimate. They sound confident and informed because they already know the device model you ordered.

    Once the call begins, the story moves quickly. The scammer claims a shipping mistake occurred. Then they insist the phone must be returned right away. To reinforce urgency, they say a courier is already scheduled. If you follow the instructions, you hand over a brand-new iPhone. At that point, the device is gone. The scammer either resells it or strips it for parts. By the time you realize something is wrong, recovery is unlikely.

    Why this scam feels so believable

    This scam copies real customer service processes. Carriers do ship replacement phones. FedEx does handle returns. Gift cards are often used as apologies. Scammers blend those facts together and add urgency. They count on you acting before you verify. They also rely on one risky assumption, that a phone call that looks real must be real.

    REAL APPLE SUPPORT EMAILS USED IN NEW PHISHING SCAM

    iphone

    By spoofing trusted phone numbers and knowing details about your device, criminals make these calls feel real enough to push you into acting fast. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

    Red flags that give this scam away

    Once you know what to watch for, the warning signs are clear.

    • Unsolicited calls about returns you did not request

    • Pressure to act fast

    • Instructions to leave a phone outside

    • Promises of gift cards for cooperation

    • Follow-up calls to rush you

    Legitimate carriers do not handle returns this way.

    THE FAKE REFUND SCAM: WHY SCAMMERS LOVE HOLIDAY SHOPPERS

    Woman on her phone while sitting down.

    Once a phone is handed over, it is usually resold or stripped for parts, leaving victims with no device and little chance of recovery. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

    Ways to stay safe from iPhone return scams

    Protecting yourself starts with slowing things down. Scammers rely on speed and confusion. You win by pausing and verifying.

    1) Never return a device based on a phone call alone

    Hang up and contact the carrier using the number on your bill or the official website. If the issue is real, they will confirm it.

    2) Do not leave electronics outside for pickup

    Legitimate returns use tracked shipping labels tied to your account. Carriers do not ask you to leave phones on porches or doorsteps.

    3) Be skeptical of urgency

    Scammers rush you on purpose. Pressure shuts down careful thinking. Any demand for immediate action should raise concern.

    4) Use a data removal service

    Scammers often know what phone you bought because your personal data is widely available online. Data removal services help reduce your exposure by removing your information from data broker sites that criminals rely on. While no service can guarantee the complete removal of your data from the internet, a data removal service is really a smart choice. They aren’t cheap, and neither is your privacy. These services do all the work for you by actively monitoring and systematically erasing your personal information from hundreds of websites. It’s what gives me peace of mind and has proven to be the most effective way to erase your personal data from the internet. By limiting the information available, you reduce the risk of scammers cross-referencing data from breaches with information they might find on the dark web, making it harder for them to target you.

    Check out my top picks for data removal services and get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web by visiting Cyberguy.com.

    Get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web: Cyberguy.com.

    5) Install strong antivirus software

    Strong antivirus software adds another layer of protection. Many antivirus tools help block scam calls, warn about phishing links and alert you to suspicious activity before damage is done.

    The best way to safeguard yourself from malicious links that install malware, potentially accessing your private information, is to have strong antivirus software installed on all your devices. This protection can also alert you to phishing emails and ransomware scams, keeping your personal information and digital assets safe.

    Get my picks for the best 2025 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android, & iOS devices at Cyberguy.com.

    6) Save messages and call details

    Keep voicemails, phone numbers and timestamps. This information helps carriers warn other customers and spot repeat scams.

    7) Share this scam with others

    Criminals reuse the same script again and again. A quick warning to friends or family could stop the next victim.

    Kurt’s key takeaways

    Scams aimed at new iPhone owners are getting more targeted and more aggressive. Criminals are timing their calls carefully and copying real carrier language. The simplest defense still works best. Verify before you act. If a call pressures you to rush or hand over a device, pause and contact the company directly. That one step can save you hundreds of dollars and a major headache.

    If a carrier called you tomorrow claiming a mistake with your new phone, would you verify first or would urgency take over? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com.

    CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

    Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy Report 
    Get my best tech tips, urgent security alerts and exclusive deals delivered straight to your inbox. Plus, you’ll get instant access to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide — free when you join my CYBERGUY.COM newsletter. 

    Copyright 2025 CyberGuy.com.  All rights reserved.

    Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson is an award-winning tech journalist who has a deep love of technology, gear and gadgets that make life better with his contributions for Fox News & FOX Business beginning mornings on “FOX & Friends.” Got a tech question? Get Kurt’s free CyberGuy Newsletter, share your voice, a story idea or comment at CyberGuy.com.

    Source link

  • It Sure Seems Like the Foldable iPhone Will Be a Wide Boi

    Apple’s very long-rumored foldable iPhone is finally starting to take shape. Expected to arrive in fall 2026 alongside the iPhone 18 Pro, the foldable iPhone is not only supposedly going to have a small-ish external screen when closed, but it’s increasingly looking likely that it’ll have wider dimensions than Android foldables like Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 7 or Google’s Pixel 10 Pro Fold.

    “Unlike other foldable phones made by Samsung and Google, Apple’s product will have an aspect ratio similar to that of Apple’s largest iPads when viewed in landscape mode, meaning it will be more wide than tall when unfolded,” reports The Information (via 9to5Mac).

    There are a few reasons why I could see Apple ship a foldable iPhone with a wider aspect ratio compared to its competitors. The first is that Apple needs its foldable iPhone to be recognizable instantly. In a sea of Android book-style foldables that are all taller than they are wide when closed, there would be no mistaking a foldable iPhone.

    The second is software. Think about an iPad running iPadOS 26 and how its latest windows-based multitasking works. It’s designed for landscape orientation. An iPhone that opens up to a widescreen tablet device would mean software consistency and familiarity for users. As somebody who has tested nearly every book-style foldable, it’s less cramped running two or three apps on a wider foldable display than it is on a taller one.

    I could easily picture Apple next fall touting the benefit of having an iPad app’s sidebar on the left half of the foldable iPhone and content on the right. Notes, Photos, Files—Apple loves trumpeting a sidebar and how it makes it easier to organize your content. I could also imagine a redesigned Apple Books app to feel more like you’re flipping pages on a real book.

    A wider foldable iPhone also makes more sense for watching videos and playing mobile games. On the Z Fold 7 and Pixel 10 Pro Fold, videos are sandwiched between thick black bars (letterboxing), which makes them look no larger than on a big regular touchscreen phone. The only way to get larger video dimensions with smaller black bars is to rotate the foldable, in which the video will fill up more pixels. Videos in 16:9 or 2:1 would automatically appear much larger on a wider foldable screen. The crease would run vertically down the middle, but apparently Apple has solved that, or at the very least, reduced its visibility. The usefulness of a significantly larger screen for consuming content is arguably the biggest reason why book-style foldables even exist.

    Leaker @UniverseIce shared on X what a foldable iPhone with a 4:3 aspect ratio would look like when unfolded. ETNews, another source, which has semi-accurately leaked details on unreleased Apple and Samsung products, also said that Samsung is planning to release its own foldable with a wide aspect ratio in Q3 2026 to compete with the foldable iPhone.

    Not a new idea

    A foldable phone that’s wider than it is tall when it’s unfolded wouldn’t be an Apple invention. Countless other companies have tried a similar form factor. These “passport-style” devices, like the original Google Pixel Fold and the Oppo Find N, and even the dual-screen Microsoft Surface Duo, all failed to catch on.

    © JOSH EDELSON / Contributor / Getty Images

    The design intent of these devices all seemed logical, but they all either suffered from subpar hardware, poorly optimized software, or both. Consumers preferred foldable phones that worked more like a regular phone when closed, but still allowed for a bigger screen when unfolded. Known for elegantly combining hardware and software, Apple could bring its expertise to the still relatively niche foldables market, so to speak. Smaller dimensions when closed would also make the device more pocketable, something wider passport-shaped foldables were not.

    There’s almost 9 months before Apple is expected to announce the foldable iPhone, and more leaks will certainly drip out in the new year. One thing I’m sure about is that the foldable iPhone’s complete schematics haven’t leaked out yet.

    As MacRumors Senior Editor Tim Hardwick pointed out, the alleged CADs detailing the dimensions are from a concept created by a MacRumors forum member “based on rumored specs dating back to May.”

    Raymond Wong

    Source link

  • Free up iPhone storage by deleting large attachments

    NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

    If your iPhone keeps warning you about low storage, your Messages app may be part of the problem. Photos, videos and documents saved inside your text threads can stack up fast. The good news is that you can clear those big files without erasing entire conversations.

    Below, you will find simple steps that work on the latest iOS 26.1. These steps help you clean up storage while keeping your messages right where you want them.

    If you haven’t updated to iOS 26.1, go to Settings > General > Software Update to install the latest version.

    Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy Report Get my best tech tips, urgent security alerts and exclusive deals delivered straight to your inbox. Plus, you’ll get instant access to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide — free when you join my CYBERGUY.COM newsletter.      

    ‘CLOUD STORAGE FULL’ SCAM STEALS YOUR PHOTOS AND MONEY

    An iPhone displays a low-storage alert as large photos, videos and documents saved in Messages fill device space, prompting users to remove files without deleting entire conversations. (Cyberguy.com)

    Why clearing attachments helps your iPhone run better

    Removing large attachments gives you quick breathing room on your iPhone. It can free up gigabytes in seconds, especially if you text lots of photos or videos. Clearing old files also keeps your message threads tidy and helps your device run more smoothly by reducing the amount of storage your system needs to manage. The best part is that you can clean up everything without losing a single conversation.

    How to delete attachments but keep your conversations on iPhone 

    These quick steps help you clear large files from Messages while keeping every conversation intact.

    • Launch the Messages app on your iPhone
    • Open the conversation thread that holds the attachments you want to delete.
    • Tap on the name of the contact(s) in the text thread.

    To the right of Info, click on Photos or Documents; you may need to swipe over other tabs to see these. Photos will also contain videos and GIFs, while documents will contain Word documents, PDFs and other types of files.

    • Hold your finger and long-press on a photo, video or document until a menu appears.
    • Tap Delete to remove that single file.

    Then confirm Delete when asked.

    How to delete multiple files on your iPhone at once

    To clear out several attachments at once, follow these quick steps on your iPhone.

    Person using iPhone

    Deleting attachments in Messages quickly frees space without losing your conversations. (Sean Gallup/Getty Images)

    • Go back to the Photos or Documents tab.
    • Tap Edit.
    • Click Select documents or Select Photos 
    • Tap on the photos or documents that you want to remove. You will see a blue checkmark appear in the bottom-right corner.
    • Tap the trash icon in the bottom right corner.

    Confirm you want to delete the selected attachments by clicking Delete Photos.

    These steps work almost the same way on an iPad. After you finish, you will often see an instant boost in available storage.

    How to review large attachments in settings and delete them 

    If you want to clear the biggest files on your device, you can check them from your iPhone’s storage screen and delete them:

    • Open Settings
    • Tap General
    • Choose iPhone Storage
    • Tap Messages
    • Click Review Large Attachments to see photos, videos and attachments taking up storage in Messages.
    • Click Edit.
    • Select items to delete by clicking the circle next to the attachment you want to delete. A blue checkmark will appear.

    Then, tap the trash can icon in the upper right to delete it.

    APPLE RELEASES IOS 26.1 WITH MAJOR SECURITY IMPROVEMENTS AND NEW FEATURES FOR IPHONE USERS

    This method gives you a quick overview of what takes up the most space and lets you delete it quickly.

    Person using their iPhone

    IPhone users can clear large photos, videos and files from Messages using built-in storage tools, helping free space, keep conversations intact and improve device performance. (Cyberguy.com)

    Take my quiz: How safe is your online security?

    Think your devices and data are truly protected? Take this quick quiz to see where your digital habits stand. From passwords to Wi-Fi settings, you’ll get a personalized breakdown of what you’re doing right and what needs improvement. Take my Quiz here: Cyberguy.com.

    Kurt’s key takeaways

    Freeing up storage doesn’t have to be confusing. A few quick taps can remove bulky files and keep your conversations intact. With these simple steps, your iPhone stays organized, runs smoothly and is ready for more photos, videos and apps.

    What is the one type of attachment that takes up the most space on your iPhone? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com

    CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

    Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy Report Get my best tech tips, urgent security alerts and exclusive deals delivered straight to your inbox. Plus, you’ll get instant access to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide — free when you join my CYBERGUY.COM newsletter 

    Copyright 2025 CyberGuy.com.  All rights reserved.

    Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson is an award-winning tech journalist who has a deep love of technology, gear and gadgets that make life better with his contributions for Fox News & FOX Business beginning mornings on “FOX & Friends.” Got a tech question? Get Kurt’s free CyberGuy Newsletter, share your voice, a story idea or comment at CyberGuy.com.

    Source link

  • Find a lost phone that is off or dead

    NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

    Losing your phone can leave you in panic mode, especially when the battery dies. The good news is that both Apple and Android offer built-in tools that help you track a missing device even when it is powered off or offline.

    With an iPhone, you can use the Find My network on another Apple device or sign in from a browser. With Android, you can use Google’s Find My Device system to see the last known location and secure your phone fast.

    This guide walks you through clear steps for iPhone and Android so you know exactly what to do next.

    Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy Report
    Get my best tech tips, urgent security alerts and exclusive deals delivered straight to your inbox. Plus, you’ll get instant access to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide — free when you join my CYBERGUY.COM newsletter.

    YOUR PHONE IS TRACKING YOU EVEN WHEN YOU THINK IT’S NOT

    You can still find your lost Apple device even when it’s dead. (Apple)

    Does Find My work when your iPhone is dead?

    Yes, it does. Your iPhone uses low power mode in the background so it stays findable for a period after powering off. If other Apple devices are nearby, your phone can still send out a Bluetooth signal that helps pinpoint the last known location.

    You can check this location from any Apple device or a browser.

    Use Find My from another Apple device

    If you have an iPad, Mac, or another iPhone, you can look up your missing device in seconds. Family Sharing works too, so you can track a shared device even if it is offline. Here is how to do it:

    • Open the Find My app
    • Tap the Devices tab
    • Swipe up to see your full list of devices
    • Select your missing iPhone
    • View the location on the map
    • Tap Directions to navigate to it
    • Tap Play Sound if the phone is on and nearby
    Steps to enable Find My on iPhone

    Steps to use Find My from another Apple device. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

    • Turn on Lost Mode by tapping continue at the bottom of the screen to lock it and show a message with a callback number.
    • Enter a phone number that can be used when someone finds your iPhone and wants to contact you. Then, tap Next. 
    • If the screen icon is black, the phone is dead. You will still see the last known location, so you know where to start looking.
    Steps to enable Find my on iPhone

    Steps to use Find My from another Apple device. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

    Find your iPhone from a web browser

    If you only have access to a computer or an Android phone, use iCloud.com to locate your device. The browser version gives fewer tools, but it still shows your iPhone on the map. Follow these steps:

    • Go to iCloud.com/find
    • Sign in with your Apple ID
    • Approve two-factor if needed
    A Find Devices sign in screen

    Steps to find your iPhone from a web browser. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

    • Select All Devices
    • Choose your missing iPhone
    A map with location of iPhone

    Steps to find your iPhone from a web browser. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

    • Use Play Sound if the device is on
    • Turn on Lost Mode to lock the phone

    Use this method when you have no Apple hardware nearby.

    A map with location of iPhone

    Steps to find your iPhone from a web browser. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

    Use the Help a Friend feature in Find My

    If you need to borrow another person’s iPhone, avoid signing in to their device directly. That triggers security checks you cannot complete without your missing phone. Instead, use Help a Friend inside the Find My app:

    • Open Find My on your friend’s iPhone
    • Scroll to Help a Friend
    • Sign in with your Apple ID
    • View the last known location of your iPhone

    This tool bypasses two-factor prompts so you can get your location without any issues.

    Help a Friend feature on iPhone

    Steps to use the Help a Friend feature in Find My. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

    Can you find an iPhone without Find My

    If ‘Find My’ was never enabled, you must retrace your steps. You can check ‘Your Timeline’ in Google Maps if you use that app and have location history on.

    Without ‘Find My,’ there is no way to remotely lock, track, or erase the device.

    Once you recover your phone, turn on ‘Find My’ and enable ‘Send Last Location’ so you are covered next time.

    Best iPhone settings to turn on before your device goes missing

    Before your iPhone ever goes missing, take a minute to set up these key protections.

    1) Turn on Find My iPhone

    This keeps your device trackable whether it is on or off. Go to Settings, then tap your name, then click Find My, then Find My iPhone and enable it. 

    2) Enable Send Last Location

    Go to Settings, then tap your name, then click Find My, then Find My iPhone and scroll down and enable Sent Last Location. 

    Your phone will save its final location before the battery dies.

    3) Turn on Find My network

    Go to Settings, tap your name, click Find My, then tap Find My iPhone and enable Find My network.
    This keeps your iPhone discoverable through nearby Apple devices even when it is off or offline.

    4) Keep two-factor authentication on

    Go to Settings, tap your name, tap Sign-In & Security, select Two-Factor Authentication (2FA), then tap your iPhone and make sure 2FA is turned on.
    This blocks anyone from accessing your Apple ID without approval.

    5) Use a strong passcode

    Go to Settings, then tap Face ID & Passcode, then enter your current passcode.
    Tap Change Passcode and follow the prompts to set a unique passcode that is hard to guess.

    6) Add a recovery contact

    Go to Settings, tap your name, tap Sign-In & Security, then tap Recovery contacts. Then, click Add Recovery Contact. 
    Add a trusted person as your recovery contact so you can verify your identity if you ever lose your iPhone. 

    CAN’T FIND YOUR ANDROID PHONE? HERE’S WHAT TO DO TO TRACK IT DOWN

    How to find an Android phone that is off or dead

    Android users can also track a missing device using Google’s Find My Device system. While you cannot see live location when the phone is powered off, you can view the last known location, lock the phone, or display a message for anyone who finds it. Here is how to track it:

    Find your Android from a browser

    Settings may vary depending on your Android phone’s manufacturer.

    • Go to android.com/find
    • Sign in with your Google account
    • Select your missing device
    • View the last known location on the map
    • Select Secure Device to lock it and display a callback message
    • Select Play Sound if the phone is on and nearby

    Find your Android from another phone

    Settings may vary depending on your Android phone’s manufacturer.

    • Download the Find My Device app on another Android
    • Sign in with your Google account
    • Tap your missing phone to view its last known location

    If the phone is off or dead, the map will show its last saved location. You can still lock the device or leave a message for whoever finds it.

    Best Android settings to turn on before your device goes missing

    Before your Android phone ever goes missing, take a minute to set up these key protections.

    Settings may vary depending on your Android phone’s manufacturer.

    1) Turn on Find My Device

    This lets you track your phone or lock it from any browser.
    Go to Settings, tap Security & privacy, tap Find My Device or Device Finders and turn it on.
    (Names may vary by manufacturer.)

    2) Enable Location Services

    This improves accuracy and helps Google save your phone’s last known location.
    Go to Settings, tap Location and turn on Use Location.

    3) Turn on Google Location History

    This allows Google to show past locations even when your phone is off.
    Go to Settings, tap Location, tap Location Services, then choose Google Location History or Google Location Sharing and turn it on.

    4) Add a recovery phone number or email

    This helps you verify your identity and recover your account fast.
    Go to Settings, tap Google, tap Manage your Google Account, then open the Security tab and add a recovery phone number or email.

    5) Use a strong screen lock

    Choose a secure lock to keep your data safe.
    Go to Settings, tap Security, then Screen lock, and select a PIN, pattern, or password that is hard to guess.

    6) Turn on “Send last location” (If available)

    Some Android models save the phone’s last known location before the battery dies.
    Go to Settings, tap Security & privacy, tap Find My Device and enable Send last location if your device supports it.

    Take my quiz: How safe is your online security?

    Think your devices and data are truly protected? Take this quick quiz to see where your digital habits stand. From passwords to Wi-Fi settings, you’ll get a personalized breakdown of what you’re doing right and what needs improvement. Take my Quiz here: Cyberguy.com 

    CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

    Kurt’s key takeaways

    A dead or powered-off phone does not have to stay lost. Apple’s Find My network and Google’s Find My Device system both give you a last known location and fast tools that help you lock or secure your phone. With the right settings in place before anything happens, you can recover your device sooner and protect your personal data.

    What would you do first if your phone went missing today? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com.

    Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy Report
    Get my best tech tips, urgent security alerts and exclusive deals delivered straight to your inbox. Plus, you’ll get instant access to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide — free when you join my CYBERGUY.COM newsletter.

    Copyright 2025 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved.

    Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson is an award-winning tech journalist who has a deep love of technology, gear and gadgets that make life better with his contributions for Fox News & FOX Business beginning mornings on “FOX & Friends.” Got a tech question? Get Kurt’s free CyberGuy Newsletter, share your voice, a story idea or comment at CyberGuy.com.

    Source link

  • Anker Prime Wireless Charging Station Review: The Best 3-In-1 Charging Stand for iPhone, Apple Watch, AirPods

    I’ve been onboard the wireless charging train for nearly a decade, and still remember being excited to finally have a device I could try it with when I bought my iPhone 8 in 2017. Wireless charging felt like magic,despite the fact that it was slow and unreliable, that it wasn’t all that unusual to pick up your phone to find it was both way too hot and hadn’t charged at all. We’ve come a long, long way since then.

    The most recent innovation is Qi2.2, the latest version of the Wireless Charging Consortium’s MagSafe-based standard that requires chargers to feature a magnetic ring and be capable of outputting up to 25 watts of power to Qi2.2-compatible phones. That’s really good for wireless charging, although without some additional cooling, you can’t expect it to hit that rate for very long, if at all.

    Enter the new Anker Prime Wireless Charging Station, one of the first Qi2.2 chargers on the market—and priced like it’s the only one, at $230. At first glance, it’s no different than any other 3-in-1 stand that you can hang iPhones, Apple Watches, and AirPods on for simultaneous charging. Yet there’s more to it than that: it’s got a cooling fan to keep your phone from throttling the charging rate. It also has a touchscreen, so you can check the charging power going to each device. You can also see that same info in an app that lets you tweak settings, set the time (its timeout screen shows a clock), and even update its firmware.

    Anker Prime Wireless Charging Station (3-in-1, MagGo, AirCool, Dock Stand)

    Anker’s 3-in-1 Prime Wireless Charging Station great multipurpose wireless charger held back by an obscene price.

    • Very fast wireless charging
    • Cooling fan keeps your phone chilly
    • Useful integrated display
    • Tilting Magnetic charger
    • Solidly built
    • Onscreen clock loses time easily
    • Too expensive

    That’s all a lot, but the good news is that the Anker Prime Wireless Charging Station works well, especially when it comes to its big banner feature of fast wireless charging for your smartphone. I confirmed with my partner’s iPhone 16 that this charger can get up to 22.5W, as Apple says it and others in the 16 line can. And my own iPhone 15 Pro, which isn’t explicitly capable of that, still reached about 17W and held it for long-ish stretches. That’s all according to the stand’s own display; there’s not a good way to check it, otherwise. But the end result was a phone that could fully charge nearly as fast as when I charged with USB-C, yet was still cool—and sometimes cold—to the touch when I pulled it off the charging pad.

    © Wes Davis / Gizmodo

    These sorts of charging stands—the kind with two stalks, one for a phone and one for an Apple Watch and a wireless charging pad for AirPods—aren’t usually pretty, but Anker sure tried! It’s sturdy and weighty, and the company used soft touch materials for the base and magnetic pad for iPhone charging. Its stalks are encased in shiny, reflective metal, the base has nicely grippy feet, and its display seems to sit beneath glass.

    The phone pad is thick to accommodate the cooling fan and sports vents at the top and bottom to eject hot air through, and you can tilt it up and down for better viewing. The Apple Watch charger, like the AirPods pad, charges at up to 5 watts. Powering this apparatus are a braided USB-C cable and a 65W Anker USB-C wall adapter.

    See Anker Charging Stand at Amazon

    There’s a screen and a fan

    Anker Prime Wireless Charging Station 5
    © Wes Davis / Gizmodo

    I am a sucker for screens on devices that don’t usually have them, even when they’re extraneous; thankfully, the one on the Anker Prime Wireless Charging Station is anything but. Besides offering key info about the charging wattage of each device sitting on it, you can also cycle through a few options to set things like the charging mode, the time and date, and screen brightness. The clock function is a little under-baked; it doesn’t account for daylight savings time in the U.S. (which happened to start while I was testing it), and if you unplug the device and plug it back in, it loses the time completely. You know, like a stove clock. Thankfully, all you have to do is connect to the charger via the Anker app and the time corrects itself. As for the display, it was barely visible under the bright fluorescents of IFA 2025, where I first saw it, but, thankfully, it’s perfectly visible in normal indoor lighting conditions.

    Anker Prime Wireless Charging Station 2
    © Wes Davis / Gizmodo

    As for those charging modes, they are Ice Mode, which sets the phone charging pad’s cooling fan to full blast; Boost Mode, which is a balanced charging mode in which the fan doesn’t run as high; and Sleep Mode, which turns the fan off and is probably best if you use the charger at your bedside. It’s nice to have the choice, but also, the fan is already so quiet even in Ice Mode that I didn’t bother changing it after testing the various options.

    App for Anker Prime Wireless Charging Station
    © Screenshots by Wes Davis / Gizmodo

    It’s my firmly held belief that the screen is good enough that the Anker Prime Wireless Charging Station never needed an app at all, but the Anker app connects to it, so we might as well talk about it. When using the app, you’ll connect to the charger via Bluetooth, giving you a screen that shows you a picture of the Prime Charging Station, current output wattage, voltage, and amperage, and a “Real-Time Data” line graph. Tap on that, and you can see a few hours’ worth of charging history for each of the charging points.

    The Price Is Too Much

    Anker Prime Wireless Charging Station 3
    © Wes Davis / Gizmodo

    It’s great that Anker has decided to come out of the gate swinging with its first Qi2.2 charging station. The Prime Wireless Charging Station is inarguably nice and certainly worth more than your average no-name Amazon charger. And the company seems like it’s really trying to justify the price with the features that this thing comes with. I really like this charging stand and don’t mind calling it one of the best 3-in-1 charging stands you can buy today.

    The thing that Anker has to contend with here is that the vast bulk of its value is derived from the raw convenience of its tree-style form factor, not from its fast charging, its cooling fan, its touchscreen display, or any of the other niceties. It’s just too convenient to have one easy place to plop an iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods case at the end of the day, and the bar to improve on that is a lot higher than I think any of Anker’s extra features reach. I just can’t see myself paying $230 for this.

    Anker seems to know that’s perhaps too much, and has already discounted the charger to $150 (as of this writing) within less than two months of it being announced. But that’s still more than what competing 3-in-1 Qi2.2 chargers cost; see Belkin and its own cooling fan-equipped Qi2.2 charging stand for $130, or Kuxiu, with its tri-fold Qi2.2 travel charger that’s fanless and much more vulnerable to thermal throttling in my testing, but also only costs $100. I think you’d have to be a real Anker super fan to buy the Prime Wireless Charging Station for full price or anywhere close to it. Still, it’s a great device, and it’s totally worth checking its price during Black Friday.

    See Anker Charging Stand at Amazon

    Wes Davis

    Source link

  • Don’t Fall for Sketchy iPhone VPNs—Here Are the Only 3 You Should Use

    iPhone VPNs, Compared

    You might be surprised how similar the three VPNs I chose are when you break down their features, but that’s not an accident. Given how restrictive I was with who made the final cut, there’s a pretty high bar for inclusion. Although there are some minor differences, I designed this list in a way that you can choose one of my picks without reading a single word and still come out the other side with an excellent VPN for iPhone.

    Other iPhone VPNs We Tested

    Surfshark

    Courtesy of Surfshark

    Surfshark: Surfshark was a strong contender for the main list. Even its Starter plan comes with extra features like a masked email generator. Features like ad and tracker blocking, as well as unlimited simultaneous connections, come standard across plans. However, it was a bit slower than my top picks, dropping around 20 percent of speed on average, compared to around 15 percent for the top options.

    Mullvad: Mullvad is a favorite among privacy enthusiasts, and for good reason. It doesn’t fuss with multi-year discounts or referral programs, and you don’t even need to provide an email to sign up for an account. You can even pay the static monthly fee by mailing Mullvad cash. It’s a great service if privacy is your top priority, but it trades speeds and features in the process. VPN services like Nord and Proton have quickly grown into full privacy and security suites, while Mullvad is more focused on making a robust VPN. In the context of an iPhone, the scales tip more toward those security suites, but Mullvad is still a great privacy-focused option to keep in mind.

    ExpressVPN: By the numbers, ExpressVPN should be at the top of the list. It has a ton of servers, a featureset that can go toe-to-toe with Nord, and speeds only a touch below Proton. However, ExpressVPN has found itself in a spiral of increasing controversies over the past four years, and the brand has yet to get back on solid footing. After being purchased by Kape Technologies—the company behind the infamous adware company Crossrider—former US intelligence official Daniel Gericke took over at CTO and continued in that role for two years, even after being fined over $300,000 by the US Department of Justice for hacking activities on behalf of a foreign government. Gericke left in 2023, but that same year, ExpressVPN experienced a large swath of layoffs, and Kape, its parent company, was delisted from the London Stock Exchange. The vast majority of shares went to Unikmind Holdings Limited, a company owned by Israeli billionaire Teddy Sagi, who got his start by creating gambling software Playtech. That’s an extremely condensed version of what ExpressVPN has gone through over the past few years. The company hasn’t done anything nefarious, but the revolving door of executive control tied to controversial names doesn’t inspire confidence.

    Private Internet Access: Private Internet Access, or PIA, is also owned by Kape Technologies, and it followed a similar playbook as ExpressVPN and CyberGhost, which Kape also owns. After the acquisition and community backlash, there’s been very little transparency about what’s going on in the company. A connection to Kape definitely raises questions, but that doesn’t immediately disqualify a service from being included. Unfortunately for PIA, it had much slower speeds than any of the other VPN services I tested, so regardless of ownership, it isn’t a top pick for iPhone VPNs.

    iPhone VPNs to Avoid

    X-VPN: X-VPN is one of many different VPNs that show up high in the search results on iPhone. There’s a desktop app, but X-VPN mainly targets mobile users with its free plan. It was featured in a Tech Transparency Project report about VPNs with ties to the Chinese government, alongside apps like TurboVPN. I haven’t tested TurboVPN, but X-VPN has issues. Even without questionable ties, X-VPN doesn’t have the best speeds, and it lacks basic features like split tunneling, all while charging the same price as top VPNs like NordVPN and Proton VPN.

    Hola: Hola is an infamous name if you’ve been around the VPN space long enough. Around a decade ago, Hola fell under fire. It owns a data collection company known as Bright Data (formerly Luminati), and that network is made up of users who use Hola. This network was used for a public distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack. Even a decade on, Hola still logs user data, including your IP address, and it still sells access to its peer-to-peer network, meaning you could become an exit node without knowing.

    EventVPN: EventVPN comes from the same team behind ExpressVPN, but it takes a very different approach to privacy. It’s free, and it’s only available on iPhone and Macs, but most importantly, it’s supported by ads. EventVPN says it’s able to leverage an ad-supported model with Apple’s advertising privacy features, which allows for tailored ads without giving out personally-identifiable information. That’s the story, at least, but as you can read in our iPhone privacy guide, Apple’s privacy-focused advertising model still shares some critical information, including your zip code. Further, the pervasiveness of ads in EventVPN makes it hard to recommend. You have to wait through a 30-second video each time you connect or disconnect from a server, and a banner ad lives at the top of the app at all times. EventVPN has a paid plan to remove ads, but at that point, you might as well pick up ExpressVPN. And, on the free end, there’s ProtonVPN and Windscribe, both of which I’d recommend over EventVPN.

    How We Tested

    To earn the best iPhone VPN title, a service needs to satisfy three criteria. It needs to be secure, fast, and easy to use. That may seem straightforward enough, but there’s a little more that goes into it. For ease of use, I only looked at VPNs that offer a one-tap connection. If you need to configure anything, that’s a disqualification. That still encompasses a lot of the most popular VPNs on iPhone, so I narrowed the field further by focusing on apps that balance usability with power. You should have all the relevant features in the iOS app that are available in the desktop app, and organized in a way that they don’t disrupt that one-tap experience.

    Speed testing is where I focused a lot of my testing time. Speed testing is highly variable, and trying to come out with one singular number to encompass the speed of thousands of servers is a fool’s errand. The numbers I gathered for this guide are the result of 20 tests I ran for each VPN, then averaged.

    I tested five locations for each VPN, measuring my unprotected speed immediately before testing and running three passes before averaging. Each location was tested at a different time of day, and I removed any outliers before averaging. For this guide, that meant if there was greater than a 10 percent deviation between two of the three passes. After averaging the speed drop for each location, I gathered all of those numbers together and averaged them for a final speed drop.

    Finally, security. The traditional wisdom with a VPN is that you, at some point, have to put some faith in the company that its privacy policy is accurate and it isn’t lying about its logging practices. That didn’t do it for me. Again, I set a high bar for inclusion.

    Every VPN I’ve included here has not only been independently audited, but also been forced to uphold its no-logs policy in legal proceedings. You indeed need to put some trust that the VPN provider you’re using is telling the truth, but the options I included all have rock-solid track records when it comes to transparency.

    Power up with unlimited access to WIRED. Get best-in-class reporting and exclusive subscriber content that’s too important to ignore. Subscribe Today.

    Jacob Roach

    Source link

  • Apple now lets you add your passport to your phone’s Wallet

    NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

    Apple now lets you add your passport to your phone’s Wallet, giving you a new way to move through TSA lines with less stress this holiday season. Instead of digging through your bag for your ID, you can use a secure Digital ID on your iPhone at more than 250 airports across the United States. With more digital ID options appearing across the country, here is what you need to know before you start using it.

    Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy Report Get my best tech tips, urgent security alerts and exclusive deals delivered straight to your inbox. Plus, you’ll get instant access to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide — free when you join my CYBERGUY.COM newsletter  

    How Apple Digital ID works

    Digital ID stores your passport information securely on your device. Your data stays encrypted at all times. Apple cannot see where or when you use your Digital ID.

    Apple’s new Digital ID lets you store a passport on your iPhone for faster TSA checks. (Sean Gallup/Getty Images)

    When you present your Digital ID, you choose what information the TSA can see. You review the request on your screen and confirm it with Face ID or Touch ID. This helps prevent situations where someone else could access your ID without your approval.

    APPLE PASSKEY TECHNOLOGY TRANSFORMS MAC SECURITY WITH BIOMETRIC AUTHENTICATION, ENCRYPTED STORAGE

    Where Digital ID works

    Digital ID works for identity checks at select TSA lanes during domestic travel. It does not work for international flights or border crossings. Apple says support will expand to certain hotels, stores and online services where age or ID checks are needed.

    Eligibility requirements for Apple Digital ID

    Before you add a Digital ID to Apple Wallet, you need to meet a few basic requirements. To start, you must have a valid, unexpired U.S. passport. You also need an iPhone 11 or later with iOS 26.1 or later. 

    If your iPhone is not up-to-date, you can install iOS 26.1 by opening Settings, tapping General, choosing Software Update and following the on-screen steps. Make sure your phone is charged and connected to Wi-Fi before you start the update.

    Digital ID in Wallet works only at select TSA checkpoints for domestic travel. It cannot replace a physical passport. Because of that, you should still bring your physical passport or license in case TSA needs to review it. You must also carry your physical passport for any international travel or border crossing.

    TSA agent works at Houston airport security checkpoint

    With Digital ID, you control what information is shared at security and confirm each request with Face ID. (Ronaldo Schemidt/AFP via Getty Images)

    How to add your passport to Apple Wallet 

    • Setting up Digital ID only takes a few minutes. You need an iPhone and a valid U.S. passport.
    • Open the Wallet app on your iPhone
    • Tap the Add button
    • Select Driver’s License or ID Cards
    • Choose Digital ID
    • Click Add to iPhone and Apple Watch or Add to iPhone Only
    • Scan the photo page of your passport
    • Hold your iPhone to read the passport chip
    • When it says “Verification Required”, click Continue
    • Take a selfie
    • Complete the short head movement prompts
    • Wait for verification
    • Your Digital ID appears in Apple Wallet when approved. You will receive a notification that says, Digital ID is ready to use. 

    CLOUD STORAGE FULL SCAM STEALS YOUR PHOTOS AND MONEY

    How to use your Digital ID at TSA

    How to add a passport to Google Wallet

    Google users can also store a digital version of their U.S. passport in Google Wallet. This option works at TSA checkpoints that support digital IDs for domestic travel, just like Apple’s version. You still need to keep your physical passport or license with you in case TSA requests it. Setting it up is simple and only takes a few minutes.

    How to add your passport to Google Wallet

    Settings may vary depending on your Android phone’s manufacturer 

    • Open the Google Wallet app on your Android phone
    • Tap Add to Wallet
    • Select ID Card
    • Choose U.S. Passport
    • Scan the photo page of your passport
    • Hold your phone near the passport chip to read it
    • Take a selfie video so Google can verify your identity
    • Follow the on-screen head movement prompts
    • Wait for verification
    • Your passport will appear in Google Wallet once approved
    passport at front desk

    Digital ID works at more than 250 airports for domestic travel, with more locations coming soon. (iStock)

    How to use your digital passport at TSA with Google Wallet

    Settings may vary depending on your Android phone’s manufacturer 

    • Open Google Wallet on your phone
    • Tap your passport
    • Hold your device near the TSA identity reader
    • Review the information TSA requests
    • Confirm with your device unlock method, such as fingerprint or PIN

    FAKE FLIGHT CANCELLATION TEXTS TARGET TRAVELERS

    Take my quiz: How safe is your online security?

    Think your devices and data are truly protected? Take this quick quiz to see where your digital habits stand. From passwords to Wi-Fi settings, you’ll get a personalized breakdown of what you’re doing right and what needs improvement. Take my Quiz here: Cyberguy.com

    Kurt’s key takeaways 

    Digital ID gives you a fresh way to move through crowded TSA lines with less hassle. It uses the security features built into iPhone and Apple Watch and keeps your passport information stored on your device. Use it for domestic travel and keep your physical ID handy as a reliable backup.

    Would you feel confident using a digital passport during your next TSA screening? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com

    CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

    Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy Report Get my best tech tips, urgent security alerts and exclusive deals delivered straight to your inbox. Plus, you’ll get instant access to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide — free when you join my CYBERGUY.COM newsletter

    Copyright 2025 CyberGuy.com.  All rights reserved. 

    Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson is an award-winning tech journalist who has a deep love of technology, gear and gadgets that make life better with his contributions for Fox News & FOX Business beginning mornings on “FOX & Friends.” Got a tech question? Get Kurt’s free CyberGuy Newsletter, share your voice, a story idea or comment at CyberGuy.com.

    Source link

  • iOS 27 Will Reportedly Just Be Bug Fixes for iOS 26

    Are you still waiting for more patches to materialize and fix something that’s bugging you about iOS 26?

    I have good news: A really big patch for iOS 26 is reportedly coming, and it’s iOS 27.

    iOS 26 was actually pretty well received, and I wouldn’t want to make it sound like Apple is scrambling to fix it, but it was a big, ambitious update. Bloomberg’s Apple scoop-getter, Mark Gurman, claims the next mobile operating system will be, quite reasonably, less ambitious. Gurman says it will be to iOS 26 what 2009’s Snow Leopard MacOS update was to 2007’s Leopard—less a reinvention than an attempt to perfect what its predecessor was trying to do.

    First of all, once again to all the Liquid Glass haters: Apple has indicated that there will be no takebacks here. You’re stuck with this vibe across all your Apple devices for the next few years. There have already been some tweaks, and Gurman hints that iOS 27 will “include adjustments to the new styling.” 

    Intuitively, the most obvious area of focus when trying to mop up problems with this hardware-intensive update would be the slight but pervasive jank distributed across the whole OS—interconnected issues of sluggishness, weirdness, battery drain, and overheating.

    Indeed, the unfailingly polite Gurman says that while he personally never experienced any of these downsides, Apple engineers are “combing through Apple’s operating systems, hunting for bloat to cut, bugs to eliminate, and any opportunity to meaningfully boost performance and overall quality.”

    He also notes that “user interface glitches,” “keyboard failures,” and “cellular connectivity snags” have been reported by users.

    But it won’t all be minor tweaks, and there will reportedly be a few major updates that “center on AI, an area where the company is still playing catch-up.” 

    Given that AI notification summaries in particular still seem to be a solution in search of a problem, this is an area where a small fix might make a huge difference. The feature rolled out in a disastrous, hallucination-laden form, breaking non-existent news stories that undermined trust in at least one news outlet that did nothing wrong. The feature was pulled, and then returned in a less exciting form. By being stingy with specificity in iOS 26, notification summaries avoid catastrophe, but also usefulness. With iOS 27, Apple has a chance to finally nail it on the third try. 

    iOS 26.4 is when users will reportedly get the long-awaited, secretly Google-powered, Siri update—the one that might finally make Apple’s voice assistant do something interesting for the first time in over a decade. But that big AI feature added to the current OS could be followed by related iOS 27 features like a paid “health focused AI agent,” AI-powered web search features, and apparently an Apple chatbot app that Gurman says is currently known as “Veritas,” and used as a “proving ground for the re-architected Siri.” 

    All this Siri talk feels like a time shift back to the 20-teens, so forgive me if I sum up what the update from iOS 26 to iOS 27 will probably mean with a paraphrase from that era: If you like your iOS, you can keep it.

    Mike Pearl

    Source link

  • The Most Popular iPhone Travel App Is an Overnight Success 12 Years in the Making

    A few weeks ago, Flighty quietly pulled off something remarkable. In the middle of a nationwide travel meltdown, it rocketed to number one in the App Store’s Travel category, and number 17 most popular overall. During what was one of the most chaotic weeks of travel in recent memory, it seemed as though everyone was suddenly depending on the same app.

    If you only looked at the charts, you might think Flighty came out of nowhere. The thing is, there’s a lot more to the story. First of all, Flighty has long been a favorite among frequent travelers, pilots, and anyone else who cares about knowing everything you could know about their next flight. I recommend Flighty to anyone I know whose plans include getting on a plane.

    The real story, however, is that Flighty is the product of a 12-year journey that started on an oil rig, wound its way through a brief stint at Apple, and eventually arrived at the exact moment when millions of travelers needed it most. It is, you could say, an “overnight success” that just happened to have taken more than a decade. Which, by the way, is how these things almost always work.

    A data-obsessed weather app

    Long before Flighty, its founder, Ryan Jones, was a mechanical engineer working in the oil industry in East Texas. And then the iPhone happened. Somewhere between long shifts and long drives, Jones found himself following a handful of indie developers on Twitter and realized that most apps are just made by normal people, not giant software companies.

    So he gave himself six months to make one. Not only that, Jones wanted to prove he could make an app that made it into the top 100 apps on the App Store. That’s a big bet for someone who didn’t even know how to code. But he had an idea: take weather data—something inherently nerdy and hard to parse—and make it visual.

    That idea became Weather Line, a beautifully simple weather app that turned forecasts into a clean line graph that looked like it was designed for the iPhone on purpose. The app launched in 2013, and proved something important. Jones told me that the experience “gave me the confidence that there wasn’t this secret group of people in California who only knew how to build software and make great products, and like no one else could figure it out.”

    On the contrary, he could just make something great, and people would use it. As for his goal, Weather Line reached number 17 on the App Store charts.

    Then, he took detour number two and “accidentally” got hired at Apple. For two years, he sat inside one of the most product-obsessed companies in the world, absorbing how it thinks about design and product. That would become incredibly important for what came next.

    The app he wished he had

    Flighty didn’t start with a grand plan. It started in an airport Chili’s.

    Jones has told this story before: he was stranded during a brutal delay and couldn’t get reliable information from anyone—not the gate agent, not the airline, not the apps that were supposed to help. The data clearly existed. It just wasn’t getting to the people who actually needed it. So he decided to build the app he wished he had.

    He tweeted about the idea that night and ended up assembling a small distributed team that would spend the next few years obsessing over a single problem: turning an overwhelming amount of aviation data into something normal people could understand instantly.

    “I think what I’m great at is taking nerdy data and making it really simple and visual on small screens,” Jones told me. “That’s what Weather Line was. That’s a lot of what Flighty is.”

    Flighty launched in 2019, and from the beginning, it has always done one thing better than anything else: tell you what’s happening with your flight. I cannot even tell you the number of times I’ve been sitting in an airport and Flighty let me know a flight was delayed or canceled long before the airline did.

    There’s no magic behind that. It’s the same instinct that powered Weather Line—making something complicated, simple enough for everyone to understand. In this case, it just happens to be applied to a much harder domain.

    It also required a different kind of superpower: learning how to negotiate with the obscure companies that sell flight data to airlines, hedge funds, and large industrial customers. That experience became one of Flighty’s not-so-secret advantages. The team figured out how to get world-class data, stitch it together, and wrap it in a design that makes it feel obvious.

    Success is a long game

    What’s most interesting about Flighty is that none of this came with the typical trappings of a startup “success story.” There’s no giant funding round or massive ad spend. The team is seven people. Marketing is mostly people sharing screenshots because the product gives them something worth sharing.

    Even the business model is unconventional. Flighty offers a free tier, along with monthly and annual subscriptions of its Pro tier. But there’s also a flexible weekly plan—one of the only legitimate uses of weekly subscriptions, in my opinion—that aligns with how people actually travel. The annual and lifetime plans serve the frequent-flyer crowd while the free tier gives people a taste without forcing them into a trial they’ll forget to cancel.

    Still, nothing compared to what happened during the shutdown.

    Becoming an overnight success

    When flights started melting down, Flighty didn’t have to reinvent itself. It simply did what it always does—only this time, millions more people were watching. Downloads and subscriptions grew and, for a brief window, the most popular travel app in the world was the one built by a handful of people who spent a decade getting ready without knowing it.

    From the outside, that looks like luck. But when you zoom out, it’s the opposite.

    This is what it looks like when someone brings a very specific set of skills—visualizing data, designing for clarity, negotiating for obscure inputs, sweating the details—and applies them to a hard problem that almost everyone would like solved.

    The truth is, “overnight success” is almost never about timing alone. It’s usually about what happens when someone keeps going long enough for all of those oddly specific experiences to line up at the right moment. For Flighty, that moment was a government shutdown that wreaked havoc on travel.

    The thing is, Flighty didn’t become the world’s most useful travel app just last week. It was just the moment everyone finally noticed.

    The opinions expressed here by Inc.com columnists are their own, not those of Inc.com.

    The final deadline for the 2026 Inc. Regionals Awards is Friday, December 12, at 11:59 p.m. PT. Apply now.

    Jason Aten

    Source link

  • ‘Cloud Storage Full’ scam steals your photos and money

    NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

    A new scam is sweeping across smartphones and catching thousands of people off guard. Criminals are sending fake “Cloud Storage Full” or “photo deletion” alerts that claim your images and videos are about to disappear unless you upgrade your storage. 

    The warning looks urgent and real. It even mimics major cloud services. But the moment you click the link, you enter a trap.

    Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy Report Get my best tech tips, urgent security alerts and exclusive deals delivered straight to your inbox. Plus, you’ll get instant access to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide — free when you join my CYBERGUY.COM newsletter

    How this fast-growing ‘Cloud Storage Full’ scam tricks victims

    Trend Micro researchers recently uncovered this fast-growing phishing campaign after seeing a massive jump in activity. The company reports a 531% month-over-month spike from September to October, which shows how quickly the scheme is spreading.

    PROTECT YOUR DATA BEFORE HOLIDAY SHOPPING SCAMS STRIKE

    Scammers use convincing storage alerts and fake dashboards to push victims into paying small fees that expose their credit card details. (Pixelfit/Getty Images)

    Scammers are sending personalized SMS and iMessage alerts that include your name and a believable count of photos or videos. Once you tap the link, you land on a convincing fake website that appears to be a cloud storage dashboard. From there, you are urged to pay a tiny $1.99 upgrade fee to prevent deletion. Instead of protecting anything, you hand over your credit card, PayPal login or other personal information.

    Trend Micro provided several screenshots and internal samples that reveal how polished the scam has become. The fake sites use progress bars, countdown timers and warnings that your files will be lost. They even simulate a cloud storage layout to match the look of popular platforms. 

    Jon Clay, VP of threat intelligence at Trend Micro, shared an important warning to CyberGuy:

    “The recent spike in ‘Cloud Storage Full’ scams shows just how well cybercriminals are perfecting emotional manipulation. These scams prey on fear and urgency, warning users their photos will be deleted unless they pay a small upgrade fee. During a time of year when we may be capturing many precious moments on camera, scammers are targeting older adults who may think this type of scam message is legitimate and who may be worried and anxious about losing something that cannot easily replace. Consumers should always stay cautious of unsolicited messages and always verify alerts directly through official apps or websites.”

    Trend Micro’s analysis outlines exactly how the scam works, from the initial message to the final theft. Their screenshots show fake dashboards, false warnings and pages asking for credit card or PayPal details. Some versions even redirect to legitimate sites later to cover their tracks.

    How the ‘Cloud Storage Full’ scam works

    Scammers follow a predictable pattern with this scheme, and each stage reveals a clear red flag that can help you spot the danger early.

    1) Initial contact

    Victims receive an unsolicited SMS or iMessage that claims their photos or videos will be deleted soon. Messages include the person’s first name and fake counts like “1,675 images” or “2,010 snaps” to boost credibility. Scammers add statements like “Act now” or “Final warning” to trigger panic. Each message ends with a short link that leads to a malicious .info domain.

    FAKE CHATGPT APPS ARE HIJACKING YOUR PHONE WITHOUT YOU KNOWING

    2) Trust building

    After tapping the link, the user arrives at a fake “Cloud Storage Full” website. It mirrors the fonts, icons and button styles of real cloud services. Users see alerts such as “Your photos, contacts and private data will be lost.” Everything looks polished to reduce suspicion.

    3) The hook

    The site claims your storage is completely full and urges a one-time upgrade for $1.99. A progress bar sits at 100% full and a countdown timer warns that data will vanish in minutes. The “Continue” button goes to a fake payment page.

    4) The exit

    Once victims enter credit card or PayPal details, scammers harvest the data instantly. Attackers may use stolen credentials for unauthorized purchases, credential stuffing or resale on dark web markets. Some victims receive fake receipt emails to make the charge look legitimate.

    Trend Micro reports that certain scam sites later redirect to real pages like iolo.com to hide their tracks.

    An elderly man purchasing something with his credit card online

    Scammers use fake dashboards and alerts to push victims to share payment info. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

    Red flags to watch for

    • Urgent warnings that your photos will be deleted
    • Unfamiliar links ending in .info
    • Messages that include your name to appear credible
    • Payment requests for tiny fees like $1.99
    • Countdown timers meant to force quick decisions
    • Sites that look familiar but have unusual URLs

    Tips to stay safe from ‘Cloud Storage Full’ scams

    Scammers rely on fear and urgency to push quick decisions, but a few smart habits can shut down their tricks before they start.

    1) Verify alerts inside the official app or website

    Open your cloud storage app or go to the official website directly. If you see a real problem, it will appear there. This simple step prevents you from reacting to fake warnings.

    GHOST-TAPPING SCAM TARGETS TAP-TO-PAY USERS

    2) Never tap storage alerts sent through SMS or iMessage and use strong antivirus software

    Break the habit of tapping links in messages. Real cloud services rarely text users about photo deletion. A strong antivirus tool will flag dangerous links before they open.

    The best way to safeguard yourself from malicious links that install malware, potentially accessing your private information, is to have strong antivirus software installed on all your devices. This protection can also alert you to phishing emails and ransomware scams, keeping your personal information and digital assets safe.

    Get my picks for the best 2025 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices at Cyberguy.com

    3) Use a data removal service

    Consider using a reputable data removal service to scrub your personal details from data broker sites. This step makes it harder for scammers to target you with personalized messages that look real.

    While no service can guarantee the complete removal of your data from the internet, a data removal service is really a smart choice. They aren’t cheap, and neither is your privacy. These services do all the work for you by actively monitoring and systematically erasing your personal information from hundreds of websites. It’s what gives me peace of mind and has proven to be the most effective way to erase your personal data from the internet. By limiting the information available, you reduce the risk of scammers cross-referencing data from breaches with information they might find on the dark web, making it harder for them to target you.

    Check out my top picks for data removal services and get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web by visiting Cyberguy.com

    Get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web: Cyberguy.com

    4) Watch for strange links

    Look closely at every link. Scammers rely on short domains that look suspicious. Legitimate companies avoid shortened URLs and unknown domains.

    5) Use multi-factor authentication

    Turn on multi-factor authentication (MFA) for all cloud and payment accounts. It adds a powerful layer of protection if criminals steal your login.

    6) Check your credit card for small test charges

    Review your statements often. Attackers start with tiny charges to test a card before making bigger purchases.

    GEEK SQUAD SCAM EMAIL: HOW TO SPOT AND STOP IT

    7) Use a password manager

    A good password manager helps you create strong, unique passwords. It limits the fallout if your login appears in a data breach.

    Next, see if your email has been exposed in past breaches. Our No. 1 password manager pick includes a built-in breach scanner that checks whether your email address or passwords have appeared in known leaks. If you discover a match, immediately change any reused passwords and secure those accounts with new, unique credentials.

    Man reviews inheritance documents

    These fake storage warnings mimic real cloud services and pressure users to upgrade for $1.99. Once you enter payment info, scammers steal it instantly. (uchar/Getty Images)

    Check out the best expert-reviewed password managers of 2025 at Cyberguy.com

    8) Report suspicious messages

    Forward scam texts to 7726 (SPAM). This helps carriers block similar messages for everyone.

    Kurt’s key takeaways

    This scam spreads because it hits people where they are most vulnerable. Our phones store personal memories, family events and moments we never want to lose. Scammers know this and are now creating messages that look real enough to fool even the most cautious users. Emotional triggers like fear and urgency remain powerful tools for cybercriminals. Always question surprise warnings about data loss. When in doubt, check your account directly through the official app or website. A few seconds of verification can save you from credit card theft and identity headaches.

    Have you ever received a message like this, and how did you handle it? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com

    CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

    Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy Report 

    Get my best tech tips, urgent security alerts and exclusive deals delivered straight to your inbox. Plus, you’ll get instant access to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide — free when you join my CYBERGUY.COM newsletter

    Copyright 2025 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved.

    Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson is an award-winning tech journalist who has a deep love of technology, gear and gadgets that make life better with his contributions for Fox News & FOX Business beginning mornings on “FOX & Friends.” Got a tech question? Get Kurt’s free CyberGuy Newsletter, share your voice, a story idea or comment at CyberGuy.com.

    Source link