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Apple TV prompt requires another Apple device

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Re: Apple TV prompt requires another Apple device

#331

Post by shagie »

tails4e wrote: post #329
shagie wrote: post #269

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you could administer it from the phone, it would be possible for an enterprising child to remove those same restrictions on that device (how many stories have we heard of kids removing the parental control software from a computer?) If you could administer it from the phone, it could be used to partially lock you out of your own device if done by a 3rd party (loan to a friend, and you get it back and you can't use…

I want to do the opposite - i. e. administer it from another phone, or Web UI, which I have the password to.

If you can administer it from a webUI that doesn't have authentication back to another device you hold with the keys for managing that Apple account, then so can an attacker.

For another phone, yes - that would work... but it needs to be one that holds the private keys for the apple account.

Those keys are held by a part of the apple hardware that prevents them from accidentally leaking outside. Because of how "find my device" works, leaking those keys would allow a 3rd party to track you (or access your stored secrets associated with your account) - and so Apple has been very careful with the hardware and software securing those keys.

From Apple's perspective, the ability to administer the family plan from a web UI is inherently risky and possibly privacy violating - neither are things they want to let go of. Part of the brand value is that it isn't risky to use their devices and that they make the privacy of the people them something that those people trust.

And so, consider, that you're asking Apple to allow someone to log into a website and use a password (possibly compromised) to restrict the functionality that a given device has without being able to verify back (send apple verify codes to devices held by that same account) that the person making the changes is one who should be able to do it.

Re: Apple TV prompt requires another Apple device

#332

Post by fnordpiglet »

Marsymars wrote: post #297
fnordpiglet wrote: post #174

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think for in the range of 98% of smartphone users the phone is the least useful feature. In truth they’re often really crap phones and my old flip phone had better all around phone quality and utility. But at this point I feel annoyed when I have to speak to a person. If I were meant to speak to people I wouldn’t have been born an engineer.

> I think for in the range of 98% of smartphone users the phone is the least useful feature. Part of the reason this number's so high is that if a phone feature is really important to you, you're liable to get a standalone VoIP line and a headset to go with whatever handset you have rather than using a smartphone.

Yeah certainly the fact they’re universally bad phones makes them less useful as a phone, and phone phones are better at being phones.

But I would also hold that phones generally suck, but that’s opinion.

Re: Apple TV prompt requires another Apple device

#333

Post by Marsymars »

fnordpiglet wrote: post #332
Marsymars wrote: post #297

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I think for in the range of 98% of smartphone users the phone is the least useful feature. Part of the reason this number's so high is that if a phone feature is really important to you, you're liable to get a standalone VoIP line and a headset to go with whatever handset you have rather than using a smartphone.

Yeah certainly the fact they’re universally bad phones makes them less useful as a phone, and phone phones are better at being phones. But I would also hold that phones generally suck, but that’s opinion.

> But I would also hold that phones generally suck, but that’s opinion.

Technically compared to e.g. internet-native voice communication, or you just think that remote voice communication is bad?

Re: Apple TV prompt requires another Apple device

#334

Post by fnordpiglet »

Marsymars wrote: post #333
fnordpiglet wrote: post #332

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah certainly the fact they’re universally bad phones makes them less useful as a phone, and phone phones are better at being phones. But I would also hold that phones generally suck, but that’s opinion.

> But I would also hold that phones generally suck, but that’s opinion. Technically compared to e.g. internet-native voice communication, or you just think that remote voice communication is bad?

Voice is for jocks.

Re: Apple TV prompt requires another Apple device

#335

Post by fbdab103 »

jdiez17 wrote: post #316
fbdab103 wrote: post #179

Related - is there a way I can download pictures from an Iphone to a Linux computer locally? Not interested in using any form of cloud intermediary. Evidently, if I plug a cable from an Iphone into a computer, enter my password, this still represents a threat if it is not overseen by iTunes. The device is in my hand, connected to the intended destination, and it is non-trivial to retrieve my data. Just absurd behavio…

You can use ifuse: https://github.com/libimobiledevice/ifuse

This worked! Huge boon.

For anyone following along, I am on PopOS. Installed the package (apt install ifuse), rebooted, and now it mounts like every other USB storage device on the planet.

Re: Apple TV prompt requires another Apple device

#336

Post by enos_feedler »

mcculley wrote: post #321
enos_feedler wrote: post #320

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think its less about money and more about network capacity and also ensuring your average mac user can leave it on without running up a surprise bill. Until users have good control with sane defaults it wont happen

You can buy a Dell with a cell modem. It’s more likely about the patent/royalty situation with Qualcomm. If Apple starts making their own cell modems, they will start putting them in laptops.

Dell also cares less about users sim card bills. Apple is the kind of company that just wants it to be done right.

Re: Apple TV prompt requires another Apple device

#337

Post by TheCleric »

Someone1234 wrote: post #146
TheCleric wrote: post #75

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Having tried both, the parental controls on the iPhone are much better.

The best out there and also still a buggy mess that hasn't been improved in almost ten years. Pretty sorry state of affairs if you ask me. I've put in numerous bug reports on parental controls to Apple, I'm 0/9 on fixes.

Oh yeah, it's imperfect and much more a winner by default.

Re: Apple TV prompt requires another Apple device

#338

Post by jrnichols »

diydsp wrote: post #323
jrnichols wrote: post #272

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What wifi receiver? Why is it up to Apple to support third party hardware? Youtube? That's not an Apple product. I don't recall the YouTube app ever being removed. What are you referring to?

It's called Apple Airport. See: It was made by Apple and they simply dropped support for it. They made a new version and I could buy it to get back what I used to have. https://www.macworld.com/article/671121/what-is-apple-airpor... Here's an article about Apple dropping support for youtube playback. Part of the reason I bought the AppleTV was because it had support for youtube playback. Then they announced it was go…

Apple discontinued the Airport units, yes. but they still work. I have one here right now.

No, Apple did not drop support for YouTube playback. Google/YouTube stopped developing the app for the older versions. This was 100% on Google, not Apple. Not sure why you claimed that Apple did this when that is factually incorrect.

Cheers!

Re: Apple TV prompt requires another Apple device

#339

Post by tails4e »

shagie wrote: post #331
tails4e wrote: post #329

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I want to do the opposite - i. e. administer it from another phone, or Web UI, which I have the password to.

If you can administer it from a webUI that doesn't have authentication back to another device you hold with the keys for managing that Apple account, then so can an attacker. For another phone, yes - that would work... but it needs to be one that holds the private keys for the apple account. Those keys are held by a part of the apple hardware that prevents them from accidentally leaking outside. Because of how "find…

Apple allow me to buy stuff with my apple account on other devices, apple music, iTunes, etc. So clearly if I'm giving them money they are just fine with non apple devices. All I want to do here is change thr screen time allowance on my kids phone. Its totally possible, and security is clearly not the reason if they allow 3rd party devices for financial transactions.

Re: Apple TV prompt requires another Apple device

#340

Post by mcculley »

enos_feedler wrote: post #336
mcculley wrote: post #321

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You can buy a Dell with a cell modem. It’s more likely about the patent/royalty situation with Qualcomm. If Apple starts making their own cell modems, they will start putting them in laptops.

Dell also cares less about users sim card bills. Apple is the kind of company that just wants it to be done right.

I remain unconvinced that it has anything to do with Apple thinking about the user’s mobile data bill. Watch what happens when Apple is no longer entangled with Qualcomm royalties.

Though I do like the idea that this is why tethering to my iPhone is so flaky. It isn’t due to bugs, it is because Apple cares about my mobile data bill!

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