- Netflix Introduces ‘My Netflix’ Tab on Mobile Apps, Which Consolidates Downloads, Watch List, Reminders and More Variety
- Netflix’s new mobile tab could make it easier to find things to watch The Verge
- Netflix Announces New ‘My Netflix’ App, Making Finding What You Want to Watch Even Easier Cord Cutters News
- New ‘My Netflix’ tab puts the company’s most frivolous features in one place Android Police
- Netflix rolls out ‘My Netflix,’ a new tab for trailers, reminders and more TechCrunch
- View Full Coverage on Google News
Tag Archives: Apps
Over 60,000 Android apps secretly installed adware for past six months – BleepingComputer
- Over 60,000 Android apps secretly installed adware for past six months BleepingComputer
- Take matters into your own hands and delete these malicious new Android apps before Google PhoneArena
- Billions of Android users warned to check phones for 10 worst ‘bank draining’ apps – including Netflix and… The US Sun
- Over 60K Adware Apps Posing as Cracked Versions of Popular Apps Target Android Devices The Hacker News
- Android apps with 30 million downloads contain SpinOk Android malware — delete these now Tom’s Guide
- View Full Coverage on Google News
Money stored on apps like PayPal and Venmo could be at risk, feds warn – CBS News
- Money stored on apps like PayPal and Venmo could be at risk, feds warn CBS News
- Money stored in payment apps such as Venmo may be more vulnerable than bank deposits, CFPB says CNBC
- Money stored in Venmo and other payment apps could be vulnerable, financial watchdog warns The Associated Press
- Americans are holding ‘billions of dollars’ in uninsured accounts, federal agency warns. But how many even realize this? MarketWatch
- Money stored on mobile payment apps may not be FDIC insured, US watchdog warns Cointelegraph
- View Full Coverage on Google News
Money stored in payment apps like Venmo may be more vulnerable than bank deposits, CFPB says – CNBC
- Money stored in payment apps like Venmo may be more vulnerable than bank deposits, CFPB says CNBC
- Money stored in Venmo, other payment apps could be vulnerable, financial watchdog warns The Associated Press
- Money stored in Venmo, other payment apps could be vulnerable Honolulu Star-Advertiser
- CFPB Finds that Billions of Dollars Stored on Popular Payment Apps May Lack Federal Insurance Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
- Americans are holding ‘billions of dollars’ in uninsured accounts, federal agency warns. Here’s what you can do about it. MarketWatch
Over 600000 Android users infected with malware on Google Play — delete these apps now – Tom’s Guide
- Over 600000 Android users infected with malware on Google Play — delete these apps now Tom’s Guide
- Billions of Android users warned about apps secretly signing them up for paid subscriptions – here’s what t… The US Sun
- New Android malware infects over 620000 users, including Malaysians TechNave
- Delete these Google Play apps now! HD 4K Wallpaper to Fingertip Graffiti-check full list HT Tech
- Billions of Android users warned to delete eight types of apps – here’s how to check for them right now… The US Sun
- View Full Coverage on Google News
Android 14 set to block certain outdated apps from being installed
To help reduce the potential for malware, Android 14 will begin fully blocking the installation of apps that target outdated versions of Android.
For years now, the guidelines for the Google Play Store have ensured that Android developers keep their apps updated to use the latest features and safety measures of the Android platform. Just this month, the guidelines were updated, requiring newly listed Play Store apps to target Android 12 at a minimum.
Up to this point, these minimum API level requirements have only applied to apps that are intended for the Google Play Store. Should a developer wish to create an app for an older version, they can do so and simply ask their users to sideload the APK file manually. Similarly, if an Android app hasn’t been updated since the guidelines changed, the Play Store will continue serving the app to those who have installed it once before.
According to a newly posted code change, Android 14 is set to make API requirements stricter, entirely blocking the installation of outdated apps. This change would block users from sideloading specific APK files and also block app stores from installing those same apps.
Initially, Android 14 devices will only block apps that target especially old Android versions. Over time though, the plan is to increase the threshold to Android 6.0 (Marshmallow), with Google having a mechanism to “progressively ramp [it] up.” That said, it will likely still be up to each device maker to decide the threshold for outdated apps or whether to enable it at all.
If the minimum installable SDK version enforcement is enabled, block the install of apps using a lower target SDK version than required. This helps improve security and privacy as malware can target older SDK versions to avoid enforcement of new API behavior.
By blocking these outdated apps, Google intends to curb the spread of malware apps on Android. The developer responsible for the change notes that some malware apps have intentionally targeted older versions of Android to bypass certain protections only enforced on newer apps.
That said, if for whatever reason you want or need to install an outdated application, it will still be possible through a command shell, by using a new flag. Given the extra steps required, it’s less likely that someone would do this by mistake and inadvertently install malware.
More on Android 14:
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Amazon blocking guide apps on Fire TV including Plex
As content keeps moving around between various streaming services, Google TV has turned out to be a lifeboat of sorts in making it easy to figure out what content is available on which service. Some third-party apps have since found ways to replicate that, but Amazon is blocking that “guide” functionality on its Fire TV platform.
Google TV’s “guide” for content allows the platform to show where movies and TV shows are available for streaming or purchase. In many cases, it allows for those pages to “deep link” into other apps. Searching for “The Office,” for example, shows a button that can directly pull up the show with the Peacock app.
Plex picked up on similar functionality across its various apps last year. Like Google TV, it could find shows and movies across services and directly link to them.
But as Tech Hive reports, that “guide” feature on Plex, called “Discover” is now blocked on Amazon Fire TV. That’s because Amazon has apparently changed its policies to block apps on Fire TV from deep-linking to other apps, though Amazon has yet to confirm such a change. That’s obviously a shame for users, but it’s not the only platform that blocks such behavior. Roku similarly blocks third-party apps from deep-linking to other apps, which is why Plex never launched its “Discover” feature there in the first place. It’s certainly a user-hostile move, and one that’s a shame to see.
Over the past year, Amazon made a similar move in blocking third-party launchers, but it’s also scored some wins as a deal was struck to allow Google’s Android TV partners to make Fire TV sets.
More on TV:
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Microsoft Defender ASR rules cause apps and icons to vanish • The Register
Techies are reporting that Microsoft Defender for Endpoint attack surface reduction (ASR) rules have gone haywire and are removing icons and applications shortcuts from the Taskbar and Start Menu.
The problems were first noted early today, Friday 13th, by multiple IT folk and many seem to be scratching their head as to the cause. Some said they are experiencing it on both Windows 10 and Windows 11.
“I noticed it at around 8.45am (UTC),” one techie at an independent software shop told us. “The ASR rule is removing icons on the taskbar and Start Menu and in some cases uninstalling Microsoft Office as well.”
ASR is designed to make a PC safer by blocking macros etc, but the clean-up is certainly more dramatic than expected. “It just happened, we don’t know what caused it.
“We suspected it was a KB – a patch from Tuesday – that went wrong but I’ve spoken to plenty of others this morning and we think it is definitely related to the ASR rules.”
A thread on Reddit indicates this isn’t an isolated incident with other sysadmins jumping in. The person that started the conversation said:
“We recently onboarded our estate to Defender for Endpoint and we’ve had a number of reports this morning that their program shortcuts (Chrome, Firefox, Outlook have all vanished following a reboot of their machine, which has also occurred for me too. It seems to be blocking from the rule: ‘Block Win32 API calls from Office macro’.”
Another said they were seeing “exactly the same issue” and had to “push a policy update to set this rule into Audit mode instead of Block – as it’s trashing almost all 3rd party apps and even first party ones as you’ve said – Slack, Chrome, Outlook.”
“Same. Huge numbers of machines nuked in the past hour. Happy Friday,” said another. All Microsoft apps including Excel and Word had also gone AWOL, said yet one more sysadmin.
Microsoft has so far remained publicly silent on the problem, although it has published MO497128 under the Microsoft 365 Suite category and not the Defender category, warning:
One techie has claimed the problem is related to the newest Defender signature (1.381.2140.0). They said it then appears “all shortcuts located ProgramDataMicrosoftWindowsStart MenuPrograms will be deleted instantly.”
Deleting ASR rules worked for one IT pro, and another said it changed the rule to Audit “and it appears to work. The difficulty is that the InTune policy isn’t applying particularly quickly and we also need to repair Office on some machines as the outlook.exe is literally missing (not just the shortcut).”
In agreement, a poster said: “Set defender ASR rule 92e97fa1-2edf-4476-bdd6-9dd0b4dddc7b to audit only. Confirmed working but will lessen your defences. Big risk if applied org wide, run it by management.”
Frustration then turned to anger. “How in the hell did this update make it past Microsoft testing/QA?? They test before they push updates, right? Guys? Right?”.
And: “Yep Microsoft have fucked it. False Attack Surface alerts for most of Start Menu shortcuts.”
One more added: “Defender really is the Gift that keeps on giving!”
We have asked Microsoft to comment and will update when Redmond makes it to the keyboard. ®
Apple previews a trio of apps that will finally replace iTunes for Windows
Enlarge / Apple’s rendition of what a PC running iTunes looks like.
Apple
Apple discontinued its iTunes music player for macOS in 2019 when it split the app’s functionality between four apps in macOS Catalina. But for Windows users with large local media libraries or who wanted to back up their iDevices or subscribe to Apple Music, iTunes has soldiered on, receiving minor maintenance-mode updates to maintain compatibility with Apple’s devices and services.
Today, as part of a new Windows 11 preview build for Windows Insiders, Microsoft has announced that previews of new Apple Music, Apple TV, and Apple Devices apps are available in the Microsoft Store for download.
The Apple Music and Apple TV apps handle iTunes’ music and video functionality, just as they do on macOS, and provide access to the Apple Music and Apple TV+ subscription services. The Apple Devices app is what you’ll use to make local device backups, perform emergency software updates, sync local media, and the other things you can do with an iDevice that’s plugged into your PC (in macOS, similar functionality was added to the Finder, rather than being broken out into its own app).
For now, if you install any or all of these three apps, you’ll no longer be able to use iTunes, so don’t upgrade if you still rely on iTunes for anything specific that the apps don’t handle. You can use iTunes again if you uninstall the new apps.
iTunes handles two things on Windows that the new apps will not: podcasts and audiobooks. We don’t know whether Apple plans versions of Apple Podcasts or Books to run on Windows, if that functionality will be added back to the Apple Music app for Windows, or whether Apple will rely on the cloud versions of both apps.
The release notes for Apple Music say that podcasts and audiobooks on Windows PCs “will be inaccessible until a compatible version of iTunes is released.” This suggests that Apple is working on a version of iTunes that can run alongside the new apps, and that iTunes may continue to handle some features in the absence of official Windows versions of Apple Podcasts and Books.
Microsoft announced that versions of Apple Music and Apple TV would be coming to Windows last October, alongside other new Windows 11 features and refreshed Surface devices. For now, the apps require Windows 11 with the 2022 Update installed to run, though it’s possible that the final versions may be compatible with Windows 10 or older Windows 11 versions as well.
5 Android apps you shouldn’t miss this week
Welcome to the 465th Android Apps Weekly and the final edition in 2022. Happy new years, and here are the big headlines from the last week:
- We asked our readers how well Google did this year. You all told us that you thought Google did pretty well this year, both in terms of hardware and software. Regarding stats, 48% of you said that Google had a good year, while only about 5% thought the year was a total failure. You can hit the link to see the more granular stats.
- We also asked our readers when they sideloaded an app on Android last. Over 40% of our readers have sideloaded an app within the last month, and only about 15% have never sideloaded an app at all. We found that interesting since the common narrative is that sideloading is rare. Apparently, we have some rare readers.
- Our own Adam Birney attempted to use Google Translate on a trip with some mixed results. For example, some of the traveler-friendly features don’t work offline. Adam outlined his experience with the various features working or not working, and you can read it at the link above.
- Google is worried about Search. The number of AI tools and their surging popularity have the company a little on edge. Reportedly, the situation is a code red at Google. The worry is that AI responses give such tight answers that people won’t click on advertising links anymore, which would cause Google to lose a lot of money. Hit the link to keep reading, and we’ll keep monitoring to see what happens.
- As per the norm, we have rounded up the best new Android apps, best new Android games, and most controversial apps and games from the last year. You can hit any of the links to check out our selections. Overall, there are 50 apps and games to scroll through, along with ten more controversial apps and games. It was a pretty exciting year with some interesting launches.
Alliance Alive HD Remastered
Price: $11.99
Alliance Alive HD Remastered is a remaster of the Nintendo 3DS game of the same name. It’s also available on Steam, Nintendo Switch, and iOS. The game is an RPG that takes place in a fantasy world. Players eventually wind up with nine characters, each one’s story interweaving with the other. Combat is turn-based and fairly indicative of JRPGs of its era. The game includes the whole story from the original, along with updated graphics, new features, and, of course, mobile controls. It’s a tad expensive at $11.99, but there are no ads or in-app purchases to tarnish the experience after that.
Mere Launcher
Price: Free
Mere Launcher is a minimalist launcher with larger icons. The home screen shows your favorite apps, with a simple shortcut to the app drawer where you can find everything. The app includes dark and light themes, a background tint function for improved contrast, and you can even orient the launcher landscape if needed. There aren’t a ton of extra features, but that’s normal for a minimalist app. It’s not half bad and worked well in our testing.
Frozen City
Price: Free to play
Frozen City is a city-building simulator. It’s set in a world that is beset by snow and ice, and that plays into the survival aspects of the game. You slowly build up your city, assign newly arrived survivors to do tasks, explore the wilderness, and survive the cold. It’s a fairly straightforward game without many twists and turns to annoy the player. There are microtransactions, but they aren’t terrible. Aside from some early game bugs, everything works pretty well.
My Link Manager
Price: Free
My Link Manager is an app for organizing and managing your web browser bookmarks. This is an especially great app if you use a web browser that doesn’t support bookmarks or one that doesn’t allow you to sync them to a new device. It’s a fairly simple app overall. You put your links in there, organize them, and retrieve them when needed. There is an import and export function, so you can back them up. It also doesn’t require Internet access, making it a fully offline app. There really isn’t much wrong with this one, and it worked fine in our testing.
Ever Legion
Price: Free to play
Ever Legion is an idle RPG. The game sets the player off on an adventure to save their family from being turned into undead monsters. You collect heroes, let them do battle to level up, and progress through the game. As the genre suggests, the game plays itself in the background so you can grind while you sleep. The graphics are decent. We liked the world design more than the character design, but it’s a very Diablo-like experience, with dark color palettes. It competes with games like AFK Arena, and as long as the developer doesn’t mess up, it might actually succeed at it.
If we missed any big Android apps or games news or releases, tell us about it in the comments.
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