Apple Denies iCloud Breach; Microsoft Defies Court; Gamers Protest Harassment

Topping tech headlines Tuesday, Apple said the hack of celebrity photos did not include a breach of iCloud or Find My iPhone.

Instead, “certain celebrity accounts were compromised by a very targeted attack on user names, passwords, and security questions, a practice that has become all too common on the Internet,” Apple said in a statement. Moving forward, Cupertino encouraged users to “always use a strong password and enable two-step verification.” For more, check out the video below.

Meanwhile, Microsoft reportedly refuses to turn over emails stored in a Dublin data center, despite a recent court ruling. The company intends to appeal the case, which began in December as part of a criminal inquiry. Redmond argues that the same rules for a search warrant in the physical world should apply online, and that this case could have serious implications outside the U.S.

In other news, dozens of gamers and labels have taken a public stand against harassment in the industry, following threats levied at a female blogger and developer. Spaces of Play’s Andreas Zecher published an open letter, which has garnered a number of signatures from independent labels and major companies, including Infinity Ward, Bioware, and Ubisoft.

Be sure to check out a few other stories making headlines in the links below.

• What to Expect at IFA 2014: Europe’s version of CES kicks off this week in Berlin. Here’s what to expect.
• Apple Details Why Your App Was Rejected: Reasons for rejection range from crashes and bugs to not enough lasting value.
• Samsung Gear S Gets Swarovski Treatment: The unique smartwatch accessory takes advantage of Swarovski’s just-released Crystal Fine Mesh.
• Apple to Developers: Don’t Share HealthKit Data: Cupertino wants to ensure its customers’ health data does not become fodder for targeted ads.
• Recommend Netflix Favorites to Facebook Friends: The new social recommendation feature makes it easy to privately suggest shows and movies.
• VIDEO: Drone Captures Apple Spaceship Campus Construction: A YouTube user published an 8.5-minute video with a bird’s-eye-view of the new grounds.
• Microsoft China Accidentally Teases Windows 9: MS China leaked an image of the Windows 9 logo with a note saying the next-gen OS is “coming soon.”
• Imagination Unveils 64-Bit MIPS ‘Warrior’ CPU Cores: The U.K.-based chip firm positioned its new chip design to challenge ARM and x86 in mobile devices.
• Russia’s Sex Geckos Perish in Space: The peripatetic, Earth-orbiting lizards who made headlines in July were found dead in their return vessel.
• Home Depot Probing ‘Unusual Activity’ After Data Breach Report: The company could be the source of a massive batch of stolen cards hitting the digital black market.