logo
U.K. May Drop Plans To Break Apple's Encryption To Please Trump

U.K. May Drop Plans To Break Apple's Encryption To Please Trump

Forbes4 days ago
U.K. government seeks to keep Donald Trump happy over encryption
The U.K. government is reportedly backtracking on plans to force Apple to create a backdoor into encrypted communications.
In January, the U.K. issued a technical capability notice to Apple, demanding that it create a backdoor in encrypted communication systems that would allow law enforcement and security services to read customers' messages.
Apple resisted the move and has launched a legal challenge, as well as removing the Advanced Data Protection encryption from some of its services in the U.K. market. Apple has subsequently been joined in its legal challenge by the Meta-owned WhatsApp.
Now, according to a report in the Financial Times, the U.K. government is seeking ways to avoid a confrontation with the tech companies, through fear of upsetting Donald Trump's U.S. administration.
'This is something that the vice-president is very annoyed about and which needs to be resolved,' a 'senior official' in the UK's technology department told the newspaper. 'The Home Office is basically going to have to back down.'
Attack On Free Speech?
The vice-president has been repeatedly critical of what he views as attacks on free speech by European governments. The officials who spoke to the Financial Times said the U.K. government is keen not to be drawn into anything that the vice-president may regard as a free-speech issue.
Donald Trump has also publicly stated his opposition to breaking encrypted communications, publicly urging the prime minister Kier Starmer not to introduce such measures.
Aside from being a free speech issue, it's also one of communications security. Apple and other tech companies have long argued that it's not possible to create a backdoor for the security services alone, that once encryption has been compromised it becomes a potential attack vector for anyone.
'Apple has never created a backdoor or master key to any of our products or services,' the company claims in a statement on its website regarding government security requests. 'We have also never allowed any government direct access to Apple servers. And we never will.'
The company does co-operate with governments and law-enforcement agencies around the world, when legally required to hand over details of customers' devices or accounts. Apple publishes a transparency report to show how many of these requests it deals with on a country-by-country basis.
For example, between January and June 2024, the company dealt with 2,925 device requests in the U.K. and 2,550 requests for details of customers' accounts. In the U.S. those figures are 12,043 and 12,812 respectively for the same period. Apple's transparency data shows that the number of such requests has grown sharply in recent years in both countries.
Tech Companies Threaten To Walk
It's not only the U.S. administration that the U.K. government might be mindful of upsetting, but the tech companies themselves. Aside from Apple and WhatsApp leading a legal challenge, other communications firms have threatened to leave the U.K. altogether if they are forced to break encryption.
Signal president Meredith Walker told the BBC in 2023 that her company 'would absolutely, 100% walk' if it were forced to weaken the privacy of its messaging system in the U.K.
Signal is, of course, the encrypted messaging system that was the center of a U.S. government security scandal earlier this year when senior members of the administration were revealed to be discussing battle plans in a conversation in which a journalist was accidentally added to the group.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

I swapped my Apple Watch Series 10 for a Google Pixel Watch 3 — here's what I liked and disliked
I swapped my Apple Watch Series 10 for a Google Pixel Watch 3 — here's what I liked and disliked

Tom's Guide

time23 minutes ago

  • Tom's Guide

I swapped my Apple Watch Series 10 for a Google Pixel Watch 3 — here's what I liked and disliked

If you own an iPhone and you're fully locked into the Apple ecosystem, then it's hard to look past choosing the Apple Watch as your smartwatch. Whether it's our top smartwatch pick or the number one smartwatch choice for women, it's a tough one to beat. There are other great smartwatches outside of the Apple Watch, including the Google Pixel Watch 3. It's our favourite Android smartwatch and is proof that great Wear OS smartwatches exist. So what would happen if you swapped Apple Watch for Google Pixel Watch to dish out those phone notifications, let you make payments from the wrist, or let the music play sans smartphone? That's exactly what we did to find out if Google's best is a good enough alternative to the Apple Watch Series 10. Here's what we liked and disliked as we did smartwatch swapsies. If there's one area in general I think Wear OS smartwatches struggle in comparison to the Apple Watch, it's with the native fitness and health tracking support. It's generally good in parts, but lacks as a package. That's where the Pixel Watch 3 differs, and that's mainly down to the strong Fitbit integration, which essentially takes care of monitoring daily step counts, motivating you to keep moving during the day, and offers the kind of metrics and insights that are both glanceable and actually useful to pay attention to. A few features stand out particularly on the Pixel Watch. One is sleep tracking, which Fitbit has had quite a head start on Apple, both with tracking and with the level of metrics it can offer. Apple's sleep tracking support is pretty solid, but in contrast to what you get on the Pixel Watch, the presentation of data on and off the watch is a bit slicker. Readiness scores are another feature that's a win for Google over Apple. It's a good example of a metric that's powered by reliable tracking of heart rate and sleep. Once calibrated, these scores can offer a simple heads-up of whether you should work out or take a rest day. Currently, Apple doesn't offer a similar readiness-type score that is a great feature for fitness newbies and more experienced fitness lovers. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. The Google Pixel Watch 3 is hardly a battery powerhouse, especially compared to other Wear OS smartwatches like the OnePlus Watch 3 and many of Mobvoi's dual-display-toting TicWatches. It does manage to squeeze out a little bit more battery than the Apple Watch Series 10, based on my testing time. The raw numbers state the Pixel Watch 3 can last up to 24 hours with the screen set to always-on, or you can switch to the Battery Saver mode to get up to 36 hours. The Apple Watch Series 10 lasts 18 hours, and really will if you keep the screen on at all times. Granted, it's a pretty rapid charger, but it doesn't negate that you definitely do end up having to think about the battery. Especially if you're taking it to bed to track your sleep. While the Pixel Watch 3 isn't immune to similar concerns, it's definitely slightly less of one compared to Apple's smartwatch. Like Apple, it does try to remedy that with some pretty rapid charging support. Apple's smartwatch has remained square since the original Watch and seems unlikely to shift from that angular look. While there's no shortage of round smartwatches, I'd say that the Pixel Watch 3's round look stands out for the right reasons. For starters, it comes in two different sizes, which is great news whether you like a smartwatch to dominate on the wrist or you prefer something that lives a little smaller, letting you strap on additional wristwear alongside it. You're getting a fully circular case design in either a polished or matte aluminium finish, an elegant watch crown, and a bright AMOLED display, and it has those deep black levels you associate with a high-quality colour screen. Combine all of that and you get something that's sleek and really does set it apart from other smartwatches. You certainly can't accuse the Google Pixel Watch 3 of aping the look of the Apple Watch Series 10 or other Apple Watches, and while Apple also gets plenty of things right with its design, so does Google with its own. Apple beats Google when it comes to tracking your exercise. Quite simply, if you want a smartwatch that can closely match the performance of a dedicated sports watch, it's not the Pixel Watch 3 you'll want on your wrist. Take GPS performance, or the fact that it doesn't offer the latest dual-band GPS technology that now appears on a whole host of smartwatches, some of which cost less than the Pixel Watch 3. If you look at the supported sports tracking profiles, there's simply more on offer with Apple's smartwatch. Take swimming as an example, where the Pixel Watch 3 only supports tracking pool swims, while Apple's will track your movements in the open water and do a really good job of it. If you're heading outside to track workouts, Apple gives you maps to view. Some of that mapping is available out of the box, with a host of apps in the App Store that are capable of extending that to other sports. That extensive third-party training and fitness app support gives Apple the upper hand to enhance its sports tracking capabilities. It also has the advantage of letting you pair external fitness accessories like a heart rate monitor, which you cannot do on the Pixel Watch 3. Yes, there's certainly enough on the Pixel Watch to track workouts and offer a satisfactory level of performance as well as a good array of metrics. The Apple Watch Series 10 is a much better performer across most, if not all, fronts. Having Fitbit take care of most of the Pixel Watch 3's fitness and health tracking was a smart move, but you will need to shell out more money, either on a monthly or annual basis, to get the most complete Fitbit experience. Thankfully, features like daily readiness scores, core activity tracking, and health metrics are available in the free version of the Fitbit App. The biggest features you're going to miss out on by not paying up for Premium are the extra analysis offered for sleep and stress data. You also miss out on Fitbit's workout videos and audio-based training sessions, but I'd say that richer sleep and stress insights are the things that most users will most appreciate having access to. Yes, I did like the fact that the Pixel Watch 3 (the larger 45mm version) has a better battery than the Apple Watch Series 10, but it's not by a huge amount. This is still a smartwatch where you have to think about the battery pretty much every day, whether the screen is on at all times, or when using the raise-to-wake gesture support. Having spent time with other Wear OS smartwatches that can go for almost a week without charging, it's frustrating that Google didn't seize the opportunity to make the Pixel Watch 3 go much longer than Apple's Watches, or at least seek parity with the best WearOS battery performers. Now, this is exactly the same criticism that can be levelled at the Apple Watch and its inability to play nice with Android. This dislikable element of using a Pixel Watch is unlikely to change anytime soon. The lack of compatibility across the two biggest smartphone platforms instantly makes using the Google Pixel Watch 3 a restrictive experience for many. If you don't have the luxury to switch between Android phones and iPhones, then that's going to be a pretty major reason to dislike the Pixel Watch 3. Follow Tom's Guide on Google News to get our up-to-date news, how-tos, and reviews in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button.

Volkswagen takes R27bn global hit from Trump tariffs
Volkswagen takes R27bn global hit from Trump tariffs

News24

time24 minutes ago

  • News24

Volkswagen takes R27bn global hit from Trump tariffs

For more financial news, go to the News24 Business front page. German auto giant Volkswagen said Friday that tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump had cost it 1.3 billion (R27 billion) euros in the first half of the year as it reported falling profit. Overall net profit fell 38.5 percent year-on-year during the period to hit 7.28 billion euros (R150 billion). Higher-sales of lower-margin electric vehicles (EVs) as well as restructuring costs hit the result in addition to the tariffs, Volkswagen said. Finance chief Arno Antlitz said Volkswagen was nevertheless "on the right track" and that performance was at the "upper end of expectations", if tariffs and restructuring costs are excluded. The firm struck an unprecedented deal with unions last December to cut 35 000 jobs in Germany by 2030 as part of plans to save 15 billion euros a year. The 10-brand group also cut its revenue and profit outlook, warning of "political uncertainty and increased barriers to trade" for the remainder of the year. It now forecasts a profit margin for the year of between 4 and 5 percent, down from 5.5 to 6.5 percent previously, amounting to billions of euros for the firm. The range assumes that the United States will continue to levy tariffs of 10 percent on imported cars in the best case and stick to its current rate of 27.5 percent in the worst, Volkswagen said. Volkswagen's previous guidance, released in April shortly after new US tariffs took effect, did not take the increased duties into account. Sales by volume in North America fell 16 percent "mainly due to tariffs" in the first half even as they rose slightly worldwide, Volkswagen said. Trump in April slapped an additional 25-percent levy on imported cars as part of an aggressive trade policy he says will help boost US manufacturing. That has hit European carmakers. French group Stellantis - whose brands include Jeep, Citroen and Fiat - said on Monday that North American vehicle sales by volume plunged 25 percent in the second quarter of the year. US and European Union diplomats are currently negotiating ahead of the latest deadline set by Trump, with Trump threatening a blanket duty of 30 percent after August 1 if no agreement is reached.

iOS 26 public beta is here — 5 settings you need to change first
iOS 26 public beta is here — 5 settings you need to change first

Tom's Guide

timean hour ago

  • Tom's Guide

iOS 26 public beta is here — 5 settings you need to change first

Now that the iOS 26 public beta is available, more people can preview Apple's latest mobile software ahead of its final release later this fall. I've been using the iOS 26 beta ever since it was released shortly after WWDC 2025, and if you've already hit that install button for the public beta, you're in store for a big surprise. There's obviously a lot of buzz around the big makeover that Apple's implementing, but not all the new changes and additions make for a more meaningful experience. That's why I want to share the settings I think you need to change first soon after installing the iOS 26 public beta. Of course, Apple could continue to change stuff with subsequent public beta updates. But for now, you'll get more out of the experience by adjusting these settings. As much as Liquid Glass adds depth and separation with its new material design, there are instances when Liquid Glass looks messy. Case in point, when you access Control Center and how the transparency of the interface makes it look too confusing. Just take a look at the shot above! In order to make Liquid Glass more suitable, I recommend enabling the setting for reduce transparency to make Liquid Glass less transparent — and it's quite easy. Just got the general Settings menu, select Accessibility, then Display & Text Size, and finally hit the toggle for Reduce Transparency. Once it's enabled, you'll see how Liquid Glass elements around the interface will have more of an opaque appearance instead of being transparent. Whether you're for or against the new Camera Control button on the iPhone 16 series, you might notice after installing the iOS 26 public beta that its behavior has changed. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. While pressing on the button launches the camera app, the other Camera Control gestures could be disabled. I'm referring to the two-press gesture used to switch between the various modes. You'll want to restore it back to its original setting by enabling the setting for Camera Control adjustments. Simply navigate to general Settings, then proceed to Camera. From here, select Camera Control and enable the toggle for Camera Adjustments under Controls. In addition to reenabling all of the Camera Control adjustments, you can also customize the gestures and the hierarchy of the controls. Shortly after I installed the iOS 26 developers beta, I noticed my battery life taking a big hit on my iPhone 16 Pro Max. I'm not really surprised by this, seeing that battery saving optimizations are a work in progress with any beta software. However, there's one setting that will help out with exactly this. It's the new "adaptive power" mode in iOS 26 that aims to extend the battery life of your compatible iPhone. There are optimizations with this mode that helps to extend your iPhone's battery life by doing things such as lowering the screen brightness — or 'allowing some activities to take a little longer.' You can enable adaptive power mode by going into Settings, Battery, and then Power Mode. There's a toggle for adaptive power that you select to enable it. Apple changes the look of Safari with the iOS 26 public beta, namely the toolbar and tabs. The look with the default setting makes the toolbar appear as minimalist as they come, with it almost disappearing when you begin to scroll web sites. I prefer the Safari toolbar to be a bit more prominent, which is why you'll want to change the setting to change its layout. You can do this quickly by going into the Settings, then scroll down to Apps. Once there, you'll have to scroll all the way down until you see Safari (or just type Safari into the search box), and then find the section for 'tabs' halfway down the page. You have three options: compact, bottom, and top. The iOS 26 public beta defaults to compact, but I'd suggest changing it to top if you bottom to make the toolbar a bit bigger so that it's easier to see. This one may not be as pressing, but I know it's something that annoys me because when I go into my photo library, I want to see everything — including the screenshots I capture. With iOS 26, the Photos app gets another redesign, but I've noticed that screenshots aren't shown under my photo library. Instead, they're populated within the Screenshots folder under the collections tab, but I also want to see them in the main library. You can easily get them to show up by tapping on the filter icon on the top right indicated by the three horizontal lines icon, then tap on View Options, and finally press on screenshots to show there's a checkmark on it. Now, all of your screenshots will show up under the library in addition to the screenshots folder. Follow Tom's Guide on Google News to get our up-to-date news, how-tos, and reviews in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store