News on the sidelines week 19 - 25 January

Forty years is the age of the Mac device that revolutionized the computer world, and a major boost in artificial intelligence for Apple, and the iPhone 16 Pro Max will contain a larger and more advanced main camera sensor. Apple is getting the first chips with 2 nanometer technology, and adding experimental artificial intelligence features. Generative to the latest version of Chrome, and other exciting news in the sidelines...

A new announcement from Apple about the durability of the iPhone 15

In a recent ad on Apple's Australian YouTube channel, the durability of the iPhone 15 was highlighted, with particular emphasis on the Ceramic Shield front glass. The video shows a woman on a bike being attacked by a bird, causing her to fall along with her iPhone, which uses cycling directions. Despite the fall, the iPhone, protected by the ceramic shield, remains intact. Apple emphasizes that this technology makes the glass “stronger than any other smartphone glass,” a feature introduced with the iPhone 12 in 2020, with drop performance improved by 4 times compared to the iPhone 11.

After watching the advertisement, I saw that the matter was absurd, and how could Apple do this? It is clear that the iPhone fell on a nice ground full of tree leaves. If it had been solid ground, the advertisement would have been convincing.

Apple gets the first 2nm chips

According to a report by DigiTimes, Apple is poised to become the first company to have 2nm processors. The Taiwanese company TSMC is expected to start producing these advanced chips in the latter half of 2025. Lower nanometers lead to more transistors in the processor, which contributes to improved speed and power efficiency. This year, Apple integrated 3-nanometer chips into iPhone and Mac devices, which led to significant improvements in performance. Apple, as TSMC's primary customer, is expected to implement design changes to accommodate these advanced chips. There are rumors of the company paving the way for more advanced 1.4nm chips, with Apple said to be interested in securing manufacturing capabilities for these future technologies.

The iPhone 16 Pro Max will have a larger and more advanced main camera sensor

The iPhone 16 Pro Max is rumored to feature a significantly improved main camera sensor, enhancing photography and video capabilities. Weibo information indicates that the device will provide a fantastic image through a 903-megapixel Sony IMX48 sensor. This sensor features advanced features such as a stacked design for improved performance, a 14-bit analog-to-digital converter for converting high-quality image data, digital gain control for enhanced dynamic range and noise control. The main camera is also expected to be 12% larger, measuring 1/1.14-inch, which could enhance dynamic range, background blur and low-light photography. Additionally, the leak suggests a slightly more curved display design, while maintaining a similar thickness to its predecessors.

The X platform for iOS adds support for passkeys, allowing for more secure logins

X (formerly Twitter), has introduced support for passkeys as a login option for iOS users in the United States. Passkeys, available since the launch of iOS 16, provide a more convenient and secure way to sign in, using your face, fingerprint, or device passcode. It is resistant to online attacks such as phishing, which enhances security compared to traditional methods. To set up passkeys in App X, users can follow specific steps in Security Settings. Although it is currently only available to iPhone users in the United States, X did not provide information about when this feature will be extended to other platforms and countries. The move is consistent with a trend seen in other companies, including Google, PayPal, Best Buy, eBay, Microsoft and others, offering support for passkeys over the past year.

Big AI boost for Apple

It is now known that Apple is taking strategic steps in the field of artificial intelligence and working to integrate it into the upcoming iPhones. It has made many acquisitions of startup companies related to artificial intelligence, and has appointed employees to face the technical challenge of running artificial intelligence on mobile devices. Recent acquisitions include California-based WaveOne, which specializes in AI-powered video compression. Apple emphasizes “deep learning” in its AI job postings, indicating a focus on generative AI algorithms. Apple aims to develop artificial intelligence generated on the device, as opposed to cloud-powered services. The challenge includes optimizing and reducing the size of large language models (LLMs), along with improvements to mobile devices such as the iPhone 16's microphone. Apple is expected to unveil innovative AI-driven tools at its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in June Next, in conjunction with the iOS 18 update preview. Analysts expect features like AI-enhanced Siri powered by LLM languages.

Forty years is the age of the Mac, which revolutionized the computer world

January 24 marks the XNUMXth anniversary of Steve Jobs' unveiling of the Macintosh, the first widely successful computer with a graphical user interface. The original Macintosh system introduced the computer mouse for on-screen control, which at the time revolutionized the ease of navigating a computer screen, as it was a new technology at the time. Unlike the complex text-based DOS command line interfaces of the time.

Excerpt from Apple's 1984 press release:

“Users tell the Macintosh operating system what to do by simply moving the 'mouse'—a small pointing device—to choose from functions listed in menus and represented by pictorial icons on the screen. Users no longer have to memorize the numerous and confusing keyboard commands of traditional computers. The result is radical ease of use and a significant reduction in learning time. “In fact, the Mac is a desktop device that offers users more utility and creativity with simplicity.”

Apple said the Macintosh typically took “only a few hours to learn,” and touted what were now basic computer features, such as a desktop with icons, the ability to use multiple programs in windows, drop-down menus, and copy and paste.

The Macintosh system allowed users to point and click, simplifying interaction. Apple emphasized ease of use, as users guide the device through the mouse instead of memorizing keyboard commands. The Macintosh featured a desktop with icons, multiple window programs, drop-down menus, and copy and paste functionality. Steve Jobs highlighted the design of the Macintosh, its ease of use, and its ability to enhance productivity and creativity.

The original price of the Macintosh was $2495, which is equivalent to more than $7000 today. Its basic specifications included an 8 MHz processor, 128 KB of RAM, a 400 KB floppy disk drive, and serial ports for connecting a printer and other accessories.

Another ad highlights the iPhone 15 Plus battery

Apple published a comedic ad focusing on the iPhone 15 Plus, especially on battery life. In the ad, a man films a video of a child trying to break a wooden board with his hand. The attempts were not successful until late at night, and the iPhone 15 Plus battery was able to record for hours. The tagline at the end of the video says: “The battery lasts and lasts.” According to Apple's technical specifications page, the iPhone 15 Plus is capable of providing up to 26 hours of offline video playback and 100 hours of audio playback.

Miscellaneous news

◉ Apple will reportedly impose restrictions and fees on developers offering sideloading in the European Union, in response to the bloc's Digital Markets Act. Sideloading, which allows apps to be downloaded from sources outside the App Store, is mandated by the EU to address anticompetitive concerns. Apple aims to comply with the law while maintaining control and reviewing every application downloaded, and also imposing fees on developers. Details of the fee structure were not disclosed. The deadline for these changes is March 7. Companies like Spotify, Microsoft, and Meta are exploring strategies to leverage these changes to their advantage.

◉ Apple scores a legal victory against spyware maker NSO. NSO tried to dismiss Apple's case and transfer it to Israel, but the judge denied these requests. The court ruled that Apple's claims that NSO violated laws and contracts were true. The lawsuit filed by Apple accuses NSO of hacking iPhone devices using the Pegasus spyware. Apple seeks to impose a permanent ban on NSO's use of its software, services or devices. This win allows Apple to continue the case in US court, and hold NSO responsible for cyber threats. NSO must respond to Apple's complaint by February 14, 2024.

◉ While Apple's Vision Pro glasses won't launch until February 2, Apple has released the VisionOS 1.0.1 update for Apple Glass, according to developer Nicolas Alvarez. It's not clear what's new in the update, as Apple has not yet started sharing VisionOS release notes publicly, but the build number indicates that it will likely be a minor update with bug fixes.

◉ Apple has provided a new firmware update for the first and second generation AirPods Pro and second generation AirPods. Speaker updates often don't come with details about new features, so it's unclear what might be included in them. For last week's AirPods 3 update, Apple only listed "bug fixes and other improvements."

◉ Apple announced that applications for the upcoming Swift Student Challenge will be accepted starting Monday, February 5. This annual challenge encourages students to create innovative programming projects using the Swift Playgrounds app. Apple plans to select 350 winners, including 50 distinct winners to submit their outstanding applications. Distinguished winners will have the opportunity to visit Apple's headquarters in Cupertino, California, to network with their peers and the Apple team. All winners will receive a free one-year membership in the Apple Developer Program.

◉ Google announced the addition of experimental generative AI features to the latest version of Chrome for Mac (M121). These features are intended to help users organize tabs, create themes, and craft content. The Tab Organizer suggests and creates tab groups based on your open tabs, accessible through the Organize Similar Tabs option. Users can create custom themes using the text to image post form, available under the “Create with AI” theme option. Chrome's Writing Assistant helps users create content, and can be accessed by right-clicking on the “Help me type” option in text boxes. The tab organizer and theme builder will be rolled out to Chrome users in the US in the coming days, while Writing Assistant will be available in next month's Chrome update. Users can enable these experimental features in Chrome settings by going to the Experimental AI page.

◉ Samsung competes with Apple to launch non-invasive blood sugar monitoring and continuous blood pressure tracking. The latest Galaxy Ring ad focuses on health features, including activity and sleep tracking. Hun Bak, head of mobile health at Samsung, underscores the company's commitment to achieving continuous blood pressure and glucose monitoring, with the latter potentially available within five years. Samsung's current blood pressure monitoring on smartwatches requires calibration, while Apple plans to detect high blood pressure without calibration. The two companies are exploring health sensors like body temperature and heart rate monitoring for their earbuds.

Sources:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10| 11| 12| 13| 14| 15