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Developers Have New Apple App Store Rules To Follow
ShutterstockAccording to Apple, its App Review team reviews over 100,000 app submissions every week. The App Review team is responsible for approving or rejecting a developer's application to have an app published on the App Store.
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But the review process is strict, and Apple announced on its Apple Developer website that some requirements will get stricter. Beginning this fall, developers must describe why they use certain application programming interfaces (APIs).
APIs are the building blocks of an application's software, but some standard and common APIs can be misused to access a user's sensitive data. However, the App Store will not require developers to explain every API used in their app. Only apps with code that can potentially be misused to "fingerprint" (or identify) devices or users must be justified by the developer -- for now, at least.
APIs that can possibly be used to fingerprint users are deemed as "required reason APIs" by Apple. Required reason APIs include file timestamp APIs, system boot time APIs, disk space APIs, active keyboard APIs, and user default APIs.
Fingerprinting occurs when code or a third-party software development kit (SDK) accesses device signals in an attempt to identify a device or the user. SDKs are the framework that developers use to build software for a specific platform or operating system. SDKs typically include at least one API.
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Even if a user gives an app permission to track their activity in-app or across other apps, fingerprinting is prohibited by the App Store.
As a result, if an app or third-party SDK includes a required reason API, developers will be notified by Apple to expound on its inclusion in their submitted app. Beginning spring of 2024, any apps that don't explain their use of a required reason API will be rejected by App Store Connect.
Apple says that developers using required reason APIs must explain one or more acceptable reasons that accurately describe the use of the data collected from the app. Additionally, if approved, developers cannot use the data collected from the app for reasons other than their intended and justified purpose.
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Developers seeking to publish an iOS, iPadOS, tvOS, visionOS, or watchOS must be cognizant that their APIs and third-party SDKs comply with the App Store's required reason API policy. The required reason policy is in place to further protect the privacy of users who download apps from the App Store.
However, some developers told 9to5Mac that user default APIs are commonly used in apps, and including them on the required reason list could increase app rejections from the App Store. User default APIs allow the user to tailor an app's behavior to their preferences.
Still, developers can appeal an app rejection, and Apple says it will frequently review the required reason API list.
Featured Is Windows 10 too popular for its own good? 5 ways to find the best place to start your career This is how generative AI will change the gig economy for the better 3 reasons why I prefer this $300 Android over Google's Pixel 6aEven The Flipper Zero Is Getting Its Own App Store
Although it had a low-key debut back in 2020 through a Kickstarter campaign, the Flipper Zero's user base and popularity have grown considerably over the past three years with ever-increasing sales. But the surest sign that a device is a success is when it gets its own app store, which, for the Flipper Zero, launches today.
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Explaining to someone what exactly the Flipper Zero does, or what you're supposed to do with it, isn't easy. The device's creators describe it as, "a portable gamified multi-tool designed for pentesters," while others have called it a multi-purpose hacking tool. Designed with the ability to read, copy, and even replicate the functionality of wireless devices like RFID cards, NFC tags, and remote controls that rely on radio signals or infrared pulses, there are just as many practical uses for the Flipper Zero as there are potential ways for it to be used for illicit activities.
That's why, earlier this year, Amazon banned the Flipper Zero from being sold through its platform because it can potentially be used as a card-skimming device, which it prohibits. Is that how all the 350,000+ Flipper Zero devices the company claims it has sold so far are being used? Clearly not, because today Flipper Devices Inc. Is introducing Flipper Apps: a central hub for apps that can run on the device created by third-party developers, and of the nearly 100 available at launch, none seem to be tools for stealing credit card numbers.
Describing Flipper apps as an app store isn't entirely accurate because there's nothing you can actually buy. All of the software available through the hub is free and open source. But like the app stores maintained by companies like Apple, while "any developer can build and submit an application to Flipper Apps," the company will review the submissions (both manually and through automated processes) to "ensure the applications are safe and perform the declared functionality without accessing prohibited tools, protocols, or frequencies."
Some of the Flipper Apps available at launch include a software-based authenticator that uses the Time-based One-time Password (TOTP) protocol so the Flipper Zero can be used as a two-step verification tool, a replacement for the Xbox's infrared remote control, a barcode generator, a digital metronome, and can even run games like Solitaire and Arkanoid. They can be installed using the accompanying Flipper Zero app running on a mobile device, or eventually through a browser with the device connected to a computer.
Flipper Zero Portable Hacking Multitool Now Has An App Store For Free And Open Source Apps
The Flipper Zero is a pocket-sized tool designed for security researchers, software and hardware hackers, and other folks looking for a portable, versatile, and incredibly geeky toy. Designed to look more like a toy than a hacking tool, it can be used to interact with RFID, NFC, Bluetooth, or IR devices. And there are GPIO pins that let you connect other hardware to extend the capabilities.
When the Flipper Zero first launched through a Kickstarter campaign a few years ago, it shipped with software for basic functionality, but also allowed developers to write their own apps. Now the company behind the Flipper Zero has launched an app store that makes it easy for users to download around a 100 apps.
Store might not really be the best word for it, because all of the apps available are free (and open source). But we've gotten used to calling these sorts of software repositories app stores, so I guess it's handy to have an easy-to-understand name for the place where you can install software for a not-that-easy-to-describe device.
The Flipper Zero app store is built into the official Android and iOS apps for the device, allowing you browse and install software without scouring a bunch of different sources on the internet.
Everything in the store has also been reviewed by the folks at Flipper Devices, so you can ensure they should be fairly safe to use.
The Flipper Zero features a 1.4 inch, 128 x 64 pixel monochrome, sunlight-readable LCD display, a 5-button direction pad for navigation plus a back button, a status LED, microSD card reader, IR transceiver, and sub-1 GHz transceiver with a range of up to 50 meters.
IR support lets you use it to as a TV remote, garage door opener, or controller for an air conditioner or other appliances. An integrated 125 kHz antenna allows you to use the Flipper Zero to read and even clone old-school RFID security badges.
There's also a built-in 13.56 MHz NFC module and a 433 MHz antenna for communicating with other Flipper devices. You can also use the Flipper Zero as a multi-factor security authentication device.
The GPIO pins let you add a WiFi module or other hardware. And the device's 2,000 mAh battery should last for 7 days to a month, depending on usage. There's a USB Type-C port for charging and flashing firmware.
And that's all before you start programming your own apps or installing anything from the new app store. Among other things, there are apps in the store that let you use the Flipper Zero as a remote control for your smartphone camera, as a tuning fork, as an Xbox IR controller, a barcode generator, a tuning fork, or metronome. There are even a few simple games including a solitaire app and an Arkanoid clone.
The Flipper Zero is available for for $169, while add-ons including a silicone case, screen protector, WiFi dev board, and prototyping board are available for around $7 to $29.
via Gizmodo and The Verge
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