Update (08/02/19): Apple has announced today that Group FaceTime is now back online and the eavesdropping bug fix has begun rolling out to iOS and Mac users.
Update (08/02/19): Apple has announced today that Group FaceTime is now back online and the eavesdropping bug fix has begun rolling out to iOS and Mac users. The fix comes as part of the iOS 12.1.4 update, meanwhile Mac users will need to update their FaceTime app.
Apple reiterated that it is sorry for the issue. In order to protect users who haven’t updated their iOS device yet, the Live Photos feature of FaceTime will be blocked on those devices via Apple’s servers. To get the feature back, users will need to install the latest update.
The 14-year old responsible for finding the bug has been contacted by Apple and will be receiving a bug bounty award for doing so, although the exact payout is not yet known. Under Apple’s bug bounty program, the teenager could stand to earn anywhere from $25,000 to $200,000.
Update (05/02/19): Last week, a FaceTime group calling bug came to light, posing a serious threat to user privacy.
