GRUNGECAKE

Tag: Apple

  • Apple says United States passport digital IDs are coming to Wallet ‘soon’

    [media-credit name=”Jakub Porzycki/Nurphoto/Getty Images” link=”https://techcrunch.com/2025/10/27/apple-says-u-s-passport-digital-ids-are-coming-to-wallet-soon” width=2048 align=”center”][/media-credit]

    Apple is gearing up to let United States users add their passports to Apple Wallet as a digital ID credential, according to a recent report. The feature was announced by Apple Inc. during the rollout cycle of iOS 26 and reflects the company’s push to transform the Wallet app into more than just payments and boarding passes.

    Under the new system, users will “create and add a Digital ID to Apple Wallet using a US passport”, Apple says—though the company emphasises that this digital credential is not a replacement for the physical passport, especially for international travel. More precisely: The digital ID is intended for identity checks at select domestic locations—such as Transportation Security Administration (TSA) checkpoints—rather than border crossings.

    Why does this matter?

  • It signals a shift in how official identity documents may be carried and validated: Your phone (and probably your watch) moves closer to replacing one of the bulkiest items in your bag.
  • For travellers (especially domestic ones), the possibility of ditching the physical passport at TSA is appealing.
  • On the other hand, questions remain regarding security, privacy, and fallback scenarios (such as a dead battery or a lost phone). Some users and developers voiced caution—even on sites like Hacker News.

    • When will it land? Apple hasn’t given a firm date beyond “soon”. The feature didn’t debut with iOS 26’s initial release, but it was confirmed to be coming in a future update.

    If you’re managing travel plans, digital identity, or privacy policy for clients (or yourself), this is a development worth keeping an eye on.

  • Apple removes ICE-tracking app after US government pressure

    [media-credit name=”Reuters” link=”https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/society-equity/apple-removes-ice-tracking-apps-after-pressure-by-trump-administration-2025-10-03″ width=1536 align=”center”][/media-credit]

    In early October 2025, Apple quietly removed ICEBlock—an iOS app that allowed users to crowdsource sightings of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents—from its App Store, citing “safety risks” flagged by law enforcement. The takedown came after direct pressure from the US Department of Justice and Attorney General Pamela Bondi, who argued that the app posed a danger to agents performing their duties.

    Launched in April by developer Joshua Aaron, ICEBlock functioned like a reverse radar: Users could anonymously alert others within a five-mile radius when ICE officers appeared in public spaces. Reports would disappear after four hours to limit persistent tracking.

    Within months, it had amassed over a million users and become a flashpoint in the broader debate surrounding immigration enforcement, civil liberties, and technological surveillance.

    Apple says it acted after receiving law enforcement information about the risks associated with ICEBlock’s design and usage. Critics counter that the removal amounts to censorship under political duress, noting that other apps—like Waze or Google Maps—allow users to flag police or speed traps but remain untouched. Legal experts note that the act of observing or reporting government agents in public is often shielded under the First Amendment, so long as no interference occurs.

    Supporters of ICEBlock view it as a civic tool: A way for communities to respond to surprise immigration raids, monitor enforcement patterns, and protect vulnerable populations.

    Opponents argue it could escalate risk, incite violence, or facilitate obstruction. The debate raises a tougher question: When tech becomes a medium for political resistance, how should platforms navigate state pressure, civil liberties, and safety claims?

  • Apple shares ‘Big Man’, a short film starring English-Ghanaian music star Stormzy: Watch

    [media-credit name=”Courtesy; Apple” width=3840 align=”center”][/media-credit]

    Four days ago, Apple released a short film shot entirely on an iPhone 16 Pro called ‘Big Man’ starring British music star rapper-songwriter Stormzy exclusively through its YouTube channel to its twenty million subscribers.

    [media-credit name=”Courtesy; Apple Music” width=3840 align=”center”][/media-credit]

    According to the description, “the fictional story of Tenzman, a world-weary musician, and the two bright, joyful kids who come into his life by chance. Soon the trio find themselves on a journey together — one that will reveal a better way forward for them all.”

    Check out the twenty-minute film directed by the Oscar-winning creator, Aneil Karia. It has over five million views and counting.

    [youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AUrLMJQf2Bw&h=315]

    About the new step into a new space for the award-winning British Grime superstar, he said, “Music is my first love, but film is my second. #Merky Films is something I’ve been dreaming about for ages.”

    Stormzy says it is “a space for powerful British stories and a solid home for fresh, unexpected art” and “a natural next step for everything we do at #Merky – sharing our stories, spotlighting important voices and making room for those who deserve to be seen and heard.”

    If it is your first time coming across the first Black British rapper to headline the Glastonbury Festival in 2019, there is no way it could be your fault. We may judge the people in your life, though.