THE NEWS WRAP: Apple investigators say celebrity photo hacks highly targeted

The celebrity photo leak was a very targeted attack on specific accounts, Apple says in an update on its investigation into the incident.

Apple engineers have been working for more than 40 hours in an attempt to find the source of the leak.

“We have discovered that 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,” the statement says.

“None of the cases we have investigated has resulted from any breach in any of Apple’s systems including iCloud or Find My iPhone.

“We are continuing to work with law enforcement to help identify the criminals involved.”

UberPop ride-sharing service banned in Germany

A German court has banned Uber’s most popular service from operating in the country until a hearing this year is completed, The New York Times reports.

The hearing will examine whether or not the service unfairly competes with taxis.

UberPop allows people to use their smartphones to book rides with freelance drivers. Uber Black is unaffected by the ruling. Uber says it will continue operations and appeal the ruling.

Ouya in acquisition talks

Ouya, the maker of a low-cost Android-based gaming console of the same name, is in preliminary acquisition talks with a number of big players in China and the US, including Xiaomi, Tencent, Google and Amazon, sources have told Re/code.

Those sources say the acquisition is related to company’s staff talent, rather than the Ouya console.

Overnight

The Dow Jones Industrial Average is down 30.89 to 17,067.56. The Australian dollar is currently trading at US93 cents.