News on the sidelines for the week of March 3 - 9

Apple is working on under-screen fingerprint technology, Samsung makes its own processors similar to Apple Silicon, WhatsApp prefers to leave the UK in order not to weaken encryption, the Microsoft Outlook application is completely free, the emergency feature is available via satellite in new countries, and other exciting news in the Margin…

Access to the VPN is now available to all individuals who subscribe to the paid Google One service

Google is expanding its VPN feature to all Google One subscribers, providing protection from website tracking and hackers. The change means that storage space is now the main differentiator between Google One plans. Additionally, Google offers a feature to monitor personal information on the dark web and alert users if their data is found. The basic Google One plan, which includes VPN access, costs $1.99 per month and can be shared with up to five others. The feature is available in 22 countries across Android, iOS, Windows and Mac devices.

iPhone 15 Pro models contain an improved LiDAR scanner

According to reports from analysts at Barclays and analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Sony is rumored to provide the majority, if not all, of the enhanced LiDAR scanner components for the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max models. The LiDAR scanner can measure light distance and capture depth information, and the improved LiDAR is expected to be useful for augmented reality applications, night mode photos, and camera autofocus. Other rumored features of the iPhone 15 Pro models include the A17 Bionic chip, USB-C port, titanium body, thinner curved edges, and more.

Apple is reconsidering the development of generative AI

Apple is said to be re-evaluating its approach to developing AI, particularly generative AI such as ChatGPT, in response to growing interest in the field. This step is an attempt to catch up with Microsoft in the field of artificial intelligence. This trend is expected to lead to the development of the next generation of CPUs optimized for AI operations. And while it has an advantage in local processing thanks to its Neural Engine, Apple hasn't taken full advantage of it to generate the deeper content and insights offered by the new AI tools. While Apple has mostly stayed out of the race to develop generative AI tools, it is now said to be considering its own approach to developing this type of AI.

WhatsApp is testing “expired groups” to make it easier to leave chats

The Expired Groups feature allows group chats to expire after a specified period of time, which helps in solving the problem of groups that were created for a purpose and this purpose ended and the group is still continuing even after achieving its goal, and this may cause unnecessary chaos in the application. The feature will allow users to choose from pre-defined expiration and removal options.

WhatsApp is also said to be working on a feature to silence calls from unknown numbers, to combat spam calls.

The standard iPhone 15 will not have ProMotion and Always On Display features

The standard iPhone 15 models will not have an LPTO display, which means they will not have ProMotion support to support 120Hz frequency or the Always On Display feature like the Pro models. The source confirms to Naver that screen analyst Ross Young said production scale limitations likely prevented Apple from bringing LPTO screens to the entire iPhone 15 series. However, all iPhone 15 models will be equipped with a more energy-efficient OLED display chip manufactured with 28 nm technology, compared to 40 nm for current models, which may contribute to extending battery life.

Samsung competes with Apple Silicon and develops its own processors

Samsung plans to develop its own processors for smartphones and computers to compete with Apple Silicon, and the report says that it has already established an internal team dedicated to developing the CPU core and appointed, Rahul Toli, a former AMD developer to lead the group. Samsung used the British company Arm for chips to make advanced Exynos processors, but developing the chips internally will allow the company to fully control the design and optimization process, similar to Apple and its move away from Intel. The first Galaxy Chip is expected in 2025, with a CPU based on Arm technology.

This is not the first time that Samsung has tried to develop its own CPU. It had previously built its own development team and invested in its own processor technology since early 2010, but it did not move forward with it, because its technology was lower than competitors such as Qualcomm in terms of energy efficiency, heat generation and multi-core efficiency. In 2019, the company officially canceled the project and laid off more than 300 developers.

Apple is working on Touch ID under the screen

Apple is said to be ramping up its research into under-display fingerprint sensor technology for the iPhone with the aim of re-introducing Touch ID in the first full-screen model. And Apple has been working on the fingerprint under the screen since 2013 and obtained a patent related to this matter this week, and reports say that Apple may launch the fingerprint technology under the screen within two to three years after Face ID under the screen is possible in the iPhone 18 of the year 2026 at the earliest.

Miscellaneous news

◉ Apple releases the third beta version of iOS 16.4 and iPadOS 16.4 updates, Apple and the macOS Ventura 13.3 update,

◉ Apple is working to improve the rapid security response feature on iOS 16, iPadOS 16, and macOS Ventura, as the latest beta version of iOS 16.4 includes new code that alerts users about incompatible apps that may cause problems with rapid security updates.

◉ Apple released 19 new straps for the Apple Watch in a new collection called Casaque, including three decorative straps made of nylon or leather dedicated to the Apple Watch Hermès, inspired by the shirts of cavalry horses, as part of Apple's cooperation with the French fashion company Hermès, and the price of the Apple Watch ranges Hermes from $ 1230 to $ 1509.

◉ Apple released new silicone cases for the iPhone 14 series in four new colors, including Canary Yellow, Olive, Sky, and Iris, and they can be purchased from the Apple Online Store for $49 or in Apple retail stores. This update comes along with the announcement The new yellow color for iPhone 14 and 14 Plus models.

◉ Apple announced that the Emergency SOS feature via satellite will be available in six new countries later this month, including Austria, Belgium, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Portugal. The feature is free for two years after it is activated on the iPhone. The service first launched in the US and Canada in November and became available in France, Germany, Ireland and the UK in December.

◉ Apple is said to be planning to launch next-generation 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air models equipped with the M3 chip, which has an octa-core CPU with 3nm technology. It is reported that Apple is also planning an updated version of the 13-inch MacBook Pro with an M3 chip. The launch date is not known yet, but some reports indicate that the WWDC 2023 event in June would be an ideal time to announce these devices.

◉ Microsoft has made its Outlook app for Mac free to use without the need for a Microsoft 365 subscription or license. The app is supported by many email service providers and is optimized for Macs with Apple chips. It also supports Notification Center and Handoff features between macOS and iOS. It is available for free on the Mac App Store.

◉ Wix.com partnered with Apple to enable more than seven hundred thousand businesses in the United States to accept payments via Tap to Pay on the iPhone, as this feature allows customers to pay without the need for additional devices and can be used securely with NFC technology for Apple Pay. To use this feature, businesses need to have an online store on Wix.com and use the Wix Owner app on iPhone XS or later models.

◉ It is decided that the Chinese company BOE will provide OLED screens for the fourth generation of the iPhone SE, which is expected to be released next year, with an estimated number of 20 million OLED screens. It was reported that BOE missed the initial orders for the iPhone 15 series for this year, but it will make up for that by focusing on producing the low-cost iPhone SE, rather than applying new specifications, and it is expected that the iPhone SE 4 will use the OLED stock originally intended for the iPhone. iPhone 13 or 14. The new iPhone SE will have a 6.1-inch OLED screen and an Apple 5G chip, similar to the standard iPhone 14.

◉ Apple is working on a new iMac, which is now in an advanced stage of development. It is expected to have the same 24-inch screen size and color as the current model, but with changes to the interior, a new stand design, and a 3nm M3 chip for improved performance and energy efficiency. The new iMac is expected to be launched in the second half of 2023 at the earliest.

◉ Apple Watch Ultra owners can ask Apple to check if the dipstick and seals for their watch are working properly. They can order it online, and the watch will be visually checked for damage before being tested. If there is unseen damage, the watch may stop working during testing and need to be replaced, which can cost money unless it is covered by the warranty. It is not clear whether this service is free or not, and the watch will be returned within ten days after testing. Apple posted this in a new support note.

◉ Apple announced that it will invest an additional €2000 billion in German engineering over the next six years to expand its silicon design center in Munich. The investment will be used to build a research facility to improve collaboration and innovation among the R&D teams. The expansion will allow for closer collaboration between XNUMX Apple engineers in Bavaria working on custom silicon designs, power management chips, and future wireless technologies. This investment builds on Apple's previous commitment to invest €XNUMX billion in Munich and support job creation and community development in Germany.

◉ WhatsApp CEO Will Cathcart said the company would rather leave the UK market than give up end-to-end encryption, which protects users' privacy. An online safety bill proposed by the UK government could force WhatsApp to implement content moderation policies that would require weakening of its encryption. The move could affect the app's popularity in the UK, where more than 70% use it online. The bill is expected to return to Parliament this summer.

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