Apple Offers Free Watch Series 5 And SE Repairs If Firmware Update Fails To Fix Charging Issues

Apple has rolled out a new watchOS update that aims to fix a battery charging issue present on its Watch Series 5 and SE wearables. For reference, the latest firmware version number is 7.3.1 and is now available for download.

The support document on the company’s website stated that a small number of users have experienced their Apple Watch Series 5 and SE to not charge after entering Power Reserve mode. It added that the issue is reported to occur on the aforementioned devices that are running on watchOS 7.2 or 7.3.

On that note, to check which firmware is currently operating on your devices, simply open the Watch app on your iPhone or the Settings app on your wearable. From there, tap General and then navigate to the About page in order to check the watchOS version.

After updating your Watch’s firmware, Apple suggests to place the affected watch model on the charger and wait for at least 30 minutes to see if it is charging normally. Should the update fail to remedy the issue, the company recommends to contact Apple Support directly so a mail-in repair can be arranged, completely free of charge. Keep in mind that Apple will still have to examine your watch first to see if it is eligible for the service.

Clubhouse Announces Privacy Changes To Fix China Spying Vulnerability

Audio-based social media app Clubhouse said it would make privacy changes after US researchers based at Stanford University revealed the app’s potential vulnerability to spying by the Chinese government. The app was recently blocked by China, but Clubhouse officials conceded that conversations involving China nationals that took place before then could go through Chinese servers.

In a statement provided to the Stanford Internet Observatory (SIO), Clubhouse admitted that the pings that the company sent to servers all over the world do contain user’s ID. Even though this only applies to a small part of its traffic, these servers might be located in China as well.

Hence, it will now increase the encryption and blocks within the Clubhouse app to stop it from pinging Chinese servers. The company has also planned to have these new changes to be audited and verified by an external security company.

Earlier, SIO researchers raised concerns that Agora, who provides back-end infrastructure to Clubhouse, might have access to users’ raw audio. SIO surmised that since Agora is subject to China’s cybersecurity laws, the company must turn over recordings to Beijing if requested to do so under national security grounds.

For its part, Agora told The Verge that it does not have access to identifiable user data. The Shanghai-based company also insists that voice and video traffic from non-China users does not go through China.

Beijing blocked Clubhouse last week after Chinese users began using it to discuss taboo topics such as China-Taiwan relations, the ill-treatment of Uighur Muslims in China’s Xinjiang province, and the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown.