Apple is said to have commenced discussions with Tencent Holdings and ByteDance to deliver its Apple Intelligence service to mainland China. 

As initially reported by Reuters, the approach to the Chinese heavyweights is necessary as Apple is required to work with a local AI model provider to make the expansion happen.

With the talks said to be at an early stage, a conclusion is not yet in sight, but there is likely to be plenty of interest in the lucrative contract. 

The Chinese market is very busy, populated with several AI providers, including Baidu. 

It has partnered with Apple but obstacles have appeared in the way of progress, with Baidu’s LLMs experiencing issues with prompts and accuracy in response to ordinary queries. To eradicate certain problems and boost AI performance, the company wanted access to user data, but that would violate Apple’s privacy policy.

iPhones searching for AI breakthrough in China

The ongoing difficulty in adding AI tech to iPhones in China will have a significant impact on sales in the country if a workaround is not reached relatively soon. The US tech giant is already witnessing a declining market share in China which it will be keen to arrest, but the absence of key AI features on its devices is a contributing factor. 

In the third quarter, iPhone sales in China dropped 0.3% which contrasts sharply with the 42% spike in Huawei’s sales for the same period, as outlined by research company IDC. 

This comes after a successful 2023 in China, for Apple.

The September launch of the iPhone 16 in the world’s biggest smartphone market was undermined due to the lack of headline AI features.

In the US, Apple has been able to roll out iPhones powered with ChatGPT but the OpenAI service is not authorized for use in China.

Image credit: Via Midjourney

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Apple is hoping to launch a foldable, 18.8-inch iPad by around 2028, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman in his Power On newsletter. Apparently, the company’s industrial design team has already developed prototypes of this exciting device, featuring a “nearly invisible crease.” Gurman describes it as essentially being like “two iPad Pros side-by-side.”

Rumors about an Apple foldable have been swirling for years, but it seems like the company is finally narrowing its focus. Bloomberg reports that while the tech giant is working on a foldable device set to launch in a few years, it is also planning to roll out a smaller model potentially arriving in 2026 or 2027. As ReadWrite previously reported in February, iPhones were not first on the list for foldables.

Apple is reportedly working on a giant foldable iPad that could launch in 2028

The product would unfold into the size of two iPad Pros side-by-side and Apple aims to eliminate the crease

Source: @markgurman pic.twitter.com/gA31LloyEz

— Apple Hub (@theapplehub) December 15, 2024

What could the foldable Apple iPad look like?

When fully unfolded, this display is rumored to be about 20 inches and described by Gurman as a “single, uninterrupted piece of glass.” It’s positioned as a “higher-end device,” so it’s clear Apple is going big with its foldable plans.

Instead of trying to squeeze foldable tech into a pocket-sized tablet, Apple seems to be aiming for larger screens you can carry in your backpack, prioritizing a premium experience over portability. As for the operating system, Gurman hints that this foldable will likely run on a version of iPadOS.

He does add: “I don’t believe it will be a true iPad-Mac hybrid, but the device will have elements of both. By the time 2028 rolls around, iPadOS should be advanced enough to run macOS apps.”

Since Macs can already run iPhone and iPad apps, it’s not a stretch to imagine the reverse happening someday. In fact, it could make a lot of sense. Take the 13-inch iPad Pro, which starts at $1,299—that’s already a serious investment. Now, imagine the price of an iPad that’s twice that size. Allowing it to run macOS apps could definitely sweeten the deal and make the hefty price tag a bit more justifiable.

According to Gurman, a foldable iPhone is still on Apple’s radar, but don’t expect to see it “before 2026 at the earliest.” He also mentions that what he’s hearing from his sources lines up with a recently leaked internal Apple display roadmap. This roadmap suggests some exciting plans, including the 18.8-inch foldable iPad, OLED MacBook Pros coming in 2026, and an OLED MacBook Air update in 2027.

ReadWrite has reached out to Apple for more information.

Featured image: Ideogram

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Google is rolling out Android updates that make it harder to spy on you with a Bluetooth tracker that supports the Find My Device network.

To start, you can pause your phone’s location updates for up to 24 hours. This lets you quickly prevent misuse of your whereabouts while you try to find and disable the unfamiliar tracker, Google says.

If you receive an alert about an unknown Bluetooth tracker moving with you, the “Find Nearby” option helps you locate the offending device. You might discover that someone slipped a tag into your backpack or underneath your car, for instance.

This only applies to tags that support Find My Device. As many modern trackers are compatible, though, this reduces the chances that someone can abuse off-the-shelf hardware to watch your movements without your consent.

An important step in spotting unwanted Bluetooth tracker activity

Privacy issues surrounding Bluetooth trackers flared soon after Apple released the AirTag in 2021. While Apple did include some anti-stalking measures at launch, there was nothing to warn Android users. It was also relatively easy to remove the speaker and prevent it from warning victims. The audio alert initially took three days, creating a window of opportunity even for those stalkers who didn’t tamper with the hardware.

Apple released an Android app later that year, but it had to run in the foreground to spot AirTags. There also weren’t safeguards against unwanted Android-oriented tags. Apple and Google eventually addressed this in 2023, when they started collaborating on a common standard for detecting rogue Bluetooth tracker units. Android’s Unknown Tracker Alerts appeared in July that year.

These latest Android updates could be particularly important, however. Trackers have many positive uses, such as finding lost luggage. Still, a sufficiently determined person can use them to stalk ex-partners, follow cars home to steal them later, or otherwise use the inconspicuous gadgets to jeopardize your safety. Now, you’ll have a simple emergency cutoff as well as a better chance of finding the tracker in question.

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Microsoft has released an Insider preview that lets you “seamlessly” share files from your iPhone to a Windows 10 or 11 PC.

So long as you’re part of the Windows Insider Program and your iPhone runs iOS 16 or later, you can pair with Windows’ Phone Link app and enable file sharing.

To share files from your iPhone with your PC, you send them to the Link to Windows app using iOS’ built-in sharing tools. To share from the PC to the iPhone, you right-click on the file you want, choose “Share,” and then either “My Phone” or “Phone Link.”

Microsoft hasn’t said when it expects iPhone sharing to become widely available. As with many Insider previews, you’re more likely to see bugs. The company encourages you to point out issues through the Feedback Hub.

Limitations on sharing iPhone files to Windows

The feature might not be satisfying if you expect drag-and-drop file sharing like you frequently get with Android phones. This still requires special apps on both sides, and isn’t going to let you put files exactly where you’d like them. Large-scale transfers, including folders, still aren’t going to be elegant.

However, this might address one of the most common complaints about linking an iPhone with a Windows PC: the inability to quickly share files beyond photos. This could be helpful if you need to move a must-read document and don’t want to rely on cloud services.

The expansion doesn’t come as a shock. Apple has generally been more willing to accommodate Windows users in recent years, such as integrating iCloud images into Windows 11’s Photos app. While you’ll still get the tightest integration on Macs, moves like this can keep iPhone users loyal when switching from Windows isn’t realistic.

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Apple has released iOS 18.2 along with matching updates for iPadOS and macOS, bringing Visual Intelligence to the iPhone 16 family along with a host of Apple Intelligence image features.

As unveiled in September, Visual Intelligence uses your phone’s camera to recognize the world around you and perform AI tasks. Press and hold the Camera Control button and the iPhone can search Google for goods to buy, answer queries with ChatGPT, or summarize the text in front of you. This is somewhat similar to Google Lens, but it’s available more immediately and isn’t tied to Google’s AI models.

Image generation also plays an important part in the iOS 18.2 upgrade. You can now produce Genmoji, or custom emoji based on you or generic elements. Image Playground is also available, both integrated into Messages and as a standalone app, to create images based on prompts, suggestions, and (if you like) people you know. It’s limited to animated and illustrated styles, so you won’t get photorealistic pictures like you might with OpenAI’s DALL-E or Google Gemini.

Siri can now use ChatGPT to fulfill requests with your permission, including image and text generation. You don’t need a ChatGPT account, and neither Apple nor OpenAI stores requests.

On the iPad, Image Wand turns your Notes sketches and phrases into detailed images. Writing Tools are now on the Mac, and iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, and macOS Sequoia 15.2 all let you describe the tone you’d like to set for text instead of choosing from simple options like “friendly” or “professional.”

Apple Intelligence comes to more countries with iOS 18.2

In addition to the feature expansion, Apple Intelligence is now available in languages beyond US English. You can use it in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, and the UK without having to change your settings.

Non-English countries are expected to receive support in early 2025. Regardless of region, you’ll need at least an iPhone 15 Pro, the iPad mini 7, or an M1-based device (such as the iPad Air or Macs from the past few years) to use Apple Intelligence.

Apple hasn’t yet specified when some of the most advanced Intelligence features will be available, including a Siri upgrade that understands context and specific app functions.

Those are also believed to be arriving in early 2025, however, and Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman has suggested that Apple is moving to a more gradual approach for updates as a whole with even some iOS 19 features already moved to 2026.

Apple is planning a big update for spring with iOS 18.4, but some capabilities planned for later in 2025 are already postponed. I’m told that a larger-than-usual number of features for iOS 19 (beyond LLM Siri) are already delayed till spring 2026 (19.4). https://t.co/j7au0Dp4MD

— Mark Gurman (@markgurman) November 24, 2024

If accurate, that isn’t surprising. Generative AI models like GPT and Gemini tend to have rapid update schedules that can make it difficult to stick to Apple’s traditional yearly releases. Apple is also racing to add AI features while simultaneously improving its underlying software — even Google has only gradually introduced Gemini Live and similar functionality to Android.

In that sense, iOS 18.2 is part of a transition to a new approach where Apple delivers a steady stream of improvements rather than monolithic upgrades.

The post Apple releases iOS 18.2 with Visual Intelligence and Image Playground appeared first on ReadWrite.

The iPhone SE 4 might get a 48-megapixel main camera at the rear, according to a supply chain report from ET News.

South Korea’s LG Innotek will supposedly provide both that 48MP sensor as well as a 12MP front camera system with a TrueDepth sensor for Face ID.

If accurate, the new hardware would give iPhone SE 4 the largest camera upgrade in the budget phone’s eight-year history. Every SE model until now has had a 12MP main camera. While initially competitive, that has become more of a limitation as the rest of the lineup has moved to using 48MP sensors for at least the primary cam.

A 48MP rear camera would not only provide sharper ordinary photos but allow for a “lossless” 2X digital zoom that crops in for a 12MP image. You still wouldn’t get the telephoto or ultrawide photography that requires dedicated lenses, but this might make the SE 4 more appealing if you still care about picture quality.

The new phone is believed to be shipping in early 2025, most likely in March as with past models. The existing SE currently starts at a $429 price.

The iPhone SE 4 camera upgrade adds to much-improved specs

Should the iPhone SE 4 get a new camera, it’ll complement an expected redesign that will help the device catch up after years of using an iPhone 8-derived chassis.

The SE is poised to switch from an old 4.7-inch LCD to the 6.1-inch OLED found in the iPhone 13 and 14. It might use a notch for the front camera rather than the Dynamic Island cutout from the iPhone 14 Pro onward, but it could still get a USB-C port and the customizable Action Button introduced with the iPhone 15 Pro.

As with other iPhone SE models, performance could be the main draw. Apple Intelligence needs much more computing power than the current SE’s A15 Bionic chip and 4GB of RAM can deliver, so the fourth-generation model might leap to an A18 with 8GB of memory. That’s what’s found in the regular iPhone 16.

This could be vital to improving Apple’s competitiveness in the mid-range phone space. The present-day SE sometimes lags behind similarly-priced Android rivals like Samsung’s Galaxy A35 5G, Google’s Pixel 8a, the Nothing Phone 2a Plus, and a raft of Chinese phones from affordable sub-brands like Poco and Realme.

Some of those competitors will still have larger screens or a wider variety of included cameras. However, Apple will likely have a much faster chip as well as better core photography and longer software support.

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The classic Nokia game ‘Snake’ is back, but not by who you’d expect as it will now be available through a home screen widget on Nothing.

The widget can be downloaded for free from the company’s Community Widgets app and launched on Wednesday (December 4). It is playable on every Nothing handset.

The company teased its arrival on X (formerly Twitter) by writing: “Snake just got a reboot…”

Snake just got a reboot.
Head to Google Playstore to get involved. pic.twitter.com/9MVKM1yKBc

— Nothing (@nothing) December 4, 2024

This comes after a visual artist named Rahul Janardhanan posted ten widget concepts for the brand on X in January of this year. One of them included the much sought-after Snake game, along with

At the time, he noted the ideas were “just concepts” and said the idea behind the project “was to explore the possibilities, bringing them to life is an incredibly hard job.”

If you didn't know already, he is the legend behind turning the snake game concept into reality. Our most talented community member!
Go follow him to witness some of the best creations from the @nothing community. https://t.co/umxAZj8Kq5

— Rahul Janardhanan (@raonehere) December 5, 2024

The retro game is where users take on the role of a snake as they guide it to eat food while being careful to avoid collisions. If a collision occurs, the game ends.

Snake is now able to be played on all Nothing phones

It’s the simple gameplay that makes Snake addicting, with it being a firm favorite in the late 90s and early 2000s.

In 1997 when the game gained widespread popularity as it was pre-installed on the Nokia 6110. The work quickly spread and the early 2000s saw it being a go-to for many.

Now, it should be available on all of Nothing’s three phones which plays into the brand’s aim which is to build “a world where tech is fun again.”

On its website, the brand explains its reasoning behind this: “Our lives rely on technology. But in a world where so much of it looks and feels the same, it’s easy to feel uninspired. Locked into empty product iterations. Under the thumb of giants.

“Nothing is here to change that. By creating iconic technology that feels just as joyful to interact with as it does to look at.”

It also sells a range of phone accessories, smart watches, power adapters, and earbuds. 

Featured Image: Via Kami Rao on Flickr

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Samsung has confirmed the release of the One UI 7 beta program, bringing with it a range of enhanced AI features for mobile. 

The official announcement introduces what users can expect from an “AI-first” interface on the Galaxy S24 series. 

Based on Android 15 which arrived on Pixel in October, One UI 7 presents a significant visual uplift with noticeable changes to the home screen and widgets. There is an optional split for notifications and quick settings, with the South Korean tech giant also opting for a bold approach to refresh app icons.

A new key addition is the “Now Bar”, providing users with notifications for relevant activities based on use. Mostly operating on the lock screen, the bar can display live information including messages, music, timers, and more. 

Samsung is yet to indicate if the feature will support third-party apps but the “Now Bar” will reduce the need to constantly unlock the device to access required information. 

One UI 7 beta will also include a redesigned camera UX, while the addition of “call transcripts” will provide support for call recording in over 20 languages when enabled.

Samsung One UI 7 Beta starts to roll out, showcasing a glimpse of the future of mobile AI. #GalaxyAIhttps://t.co/2KJIwBs0y7

— Samsung Mobile (@SamsungMobile) December 5, 2024

Range of new security upgrades for the beta program update

The launch of the beta program has also detailed various security and privacy upgrades, as part of a new “fortified” approach, exclusive to Galaxy users.

With added AI features, privacy becomes more important and Samsung believes a joined-up security system is required to keep data safe. 

Knox Matrix provides a multi-layered threat response between connected Samsung devices, while Maximum Restrictions introduces added controls for network connections. 

There is also functionality to block unwanted USB connections, with further theft protection measures included as part of the system upgrade.

The One UI 7 beta release will be available to users, immediately, in Germany, India, Korea, Poland, the UK, and the US, followed up by the official rollout in the first quarter of next year. 

Galaxy S24 users can apply to join the beta program through the Samsung Members feature.

Image credit: Via Midjourney

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Chinese hackers Salt Typhoon have coordinated a devastating attack on American telcos with hundreds of thousands of users thought to be impacted. 

The United States administration has described the incident as one of the biggest intelligence compromises ever, a wide-ranging attack aimed at several nations. 

As reported by Sky News, the access to critical American infrastructure is ongoing with officials and authorities frantically working to stop the problem. 

A Washington spokesperson told reporters at least eight U.S. firms had been compromised, in what is a clear escalation of the espionage situation inside the network. Previously, it was acknowledged the likes of Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, and Lumen had been targeted, amongst others. 

The huge metadata heist involves the key details of phone calls, the who, what, when, and where the communications relate to. Call content is not disclosed, but the other specifics can be pieced together to construct a wide vista of a particular person’s activity or relationships. 

US officials have specifically stressed the importance of choosing encrypted messaging apps instead of ordinary text messages, to prevent and reduce the chances of interception from hostile actors. 

Once again, the hacker group known as Salt Typhoon is said to be responsible for the cyber attack, working on behalf of the Chinese regime.

Despite the scale and serious nature of the incident, senior White House representative Anne Neuberger intimated that no classified material has been accessed. 

The Deputy National Security Advisor added not every cell phone on the country’s networks had been involved, but the government believes it was a large number of individuals targeted by the threat actors.

BREAKING: Chinese hackers known as Salt Typhoon compromised at least 8 telecommunications companies, deputy national security advisor @AnneNeuberger announced on a call with reporters, and “we do not believe any have fully removed the Chinese from their networks… Until they…

— Nick Schifrin (@nickschifrin) December 4, 2024

Impossible to predict a time frame

An industry expert added to the gravity of the problem, stating it will be some time before authorities get to the bottom of the intrusion. 

Jeff Greene, executive assistant director for cybersecurity at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency said the scope of the wide-ranging attack  is so serious that it was “impossible” to “predict a time frame on when we’ll have full eviction.”

Addressing the issue is a current government priority with incumbent President Biden briefed on the incidents and response measures. 

Conversely, Chinese officials at the embassy in Washington have poured scorn on reports that Beijing – via Salt Typhoon – is responsible.

“The US needs to stop its own cyberattacks against other countries and refrain from using cyber security to smear and slander China,” said embassy spokesperson Liu Pengyu.

Image credit: Via Midjourney

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Apple has revealed how it collaborated with Aardman, the animation studio behind iconic creations like Wallace and Gromit, to produce a massive light show projected onto a famous London landmark this year.

For those unfamiliar with the iconic British duo, Wallace is a cheese-loving, bumbling inventor, while Gromit is his long-suffering, loyal, and remarkably intelligent dog.

Aardman, who are also the creative geniuses behind Chicken Run, teamed up with Apple to create a magical four-minute Christmas animation. The short film features two towering Christmas trees decorating the iconic 331-foot-tall wash towers. Each tree is loaded with presents, and every gift has a handwritten tag with the names of the animators’ kids.

The magic was captured using eight iPhone 16 Pro Max devices, using the 5x telephoto lens in ProRAW mode. In true stop-motion style, they shot 6,000 individual frames, assembling them into a stunning 6K video. Mounted on motorized heads, the iPhones captured multiple angles, so that the animation felt alive and vibrant.

It’s not the first time that iPhones have been used to produce films. ReadWrite has previously reported how the California-based company launched its first scripted film, Submerged, using Apple Immersive Vision for Vision Pro. For the 2018 psychological thriller, Unsane, director Steven Soderbergh used three iPhone 7 Plus phones, shooting 4K video with an app called FiLMiC Pro controlling shutter speed, color and focus.

Apple and Aardman on their ‘joyful’ collaboration

Apple’s marketing head, Greg Joswiak, praised Aardman’s artistry, pointing out how the combination of their creativity and the iPhone’s technology resulted in something truly heartwarming.

Joswiak added: “Wallace & Gromit are a much-loved and iconic duo, and we’re delighted that they will be lighting up Battersea Power Station for Londoners this year.

“It’s great to see the skill and ingenuity of Aardman, and how they’ve used the most advanced iPhone we’ve ever made to produce something so joyful.”

Gavin Strange, Aardman’s director said: “This project has been a dream to direct — a cinematic fusion of tech and art.”

The animator continued: “Shooting stop-motion animation on iPhone with the legendary Wallace & Gromit, to then be projected onto the iconic Battersea Power Station, makes this unique in so many ways. I hope that this Christmas, everyone feels inspired to start shooting their own stop-motion masterpieces, and I’m excited and proud of what we’ve all created.”

Even the tech giant’s CEO, Tim Cook, complimented the result. Taking to X, he said: “The stop-motion animation was #ShotOniPhone and will surely get people into the holiday spirit.”

Thank you to the brilliant Aardman for creating this amazing Wallace & Gromit animation on London’s Battersea Power Station! The stop-motion animation was #ShotOniPhone and will surely get people into the holiday spirit. pic.twitter.com/VC6hTN2WEi

— Tim Cook (@tim_cook) December 1, 2024

The light show has just gone live at Battersea Power Station in south London, which will be on display every day from 5pm to 10.30pm until Dec. 31. Apple’s headquarters in the United Kingdom, happen to be in the same building.

Featured image: Apple / Aardman

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Social media has become a huge part of day-to-day life, with a recent study finding that adults in the UK spend a daily average of four hours 20 minutes online.

The study, published by Ofcom the regulator for communication services in the UK, shows people are now spending a high amount of time online.

“Young adults spent the most time online, with 18-24-year-olds spending a daily average of 6 hours 1 minute online, and those aged 65+ spending the least time online (3 hours 10 minutes).”

How the UK compares to the US

While the statistics out of the UK sound high, it’s worse in the U.S. Fortune reported that Americans spend an average of seven hours and three minutes online a day.

Women in the UK were found to spend more time plugged into the web than men across all adult age groups, with the highest difference being amongst Gen Z women. Those in the 18-24 category spend more than an hour longer online than their male counterparts (6 hours 36 minutes vs 5 hours 28 minutes.)

Google and Meta dominance

The research has been focused on May of 2024, with almost half (48%) of the time UK adults spent online being on services owned by Alphabet or Meta.

Alphabet is Google’s parent company which acquired the video sharing platform YouTube in 2006. Meta is another technology company that dominates the online space, as they own several brands including Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and Threads.

“In May 2024, UK adults spent an average of 2 hours 4 minutes a day on services owned by these two organizations.

“Alphabet remains the highest reaching organization visited by almost all online adults (99%), with 94% visiting YouTube, spending an average of 49 minutes a day on it. Meta was not far behind as the second highest reaching organization (96%).”

In total, a huge 70% of UK online adults visited all top three Meta-owned platforms – Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram.

“Although Facebook and Messenger was Meta’s highest-reaching service among adults (at 91%), there is a notable difference in the time spent on it by adult age groups.

“Facebook users aged 18-24 are the least engaged with the service, spending an average of 15 minutes a day on the platform, much lower than the average time spent by adults overall (39 mins).”

The post This is how much time people in UK spend online in 2024 appeared first on ReadWrite.

Huawei officially unveiled its latest flagship smartphone, the Mate 70 series, on Tuesday (November 26) as the business faces potential export controls in the future.

The new series is the successor to the Mate 60 series which the Chinese technology giant launched in August of last year, amidst the export controls brought in by the U.S.

At an event in the company’s hometown of Shenzhen, the chairman of Huawei’s Consumer Business Group Richard Yu described the release as being “the most powerful Mate phone ever.”

This comes just days after Reuters reported the U.S. is expected to announce new export controls that could add up to 200 Chinese chip companies to a trade blacklist as soon as this week. This would restrict their access to suppliers in the States.

While the product launch shared the news of the company completely moving away from Android, Huawei remained quiet about its chip advancements but it hasn’t discussed these at product launch events in the past.

What is the Huawei Mate 70 smartphone?

Instead, all eyes were on the Mate 70 which will include three devices – the Mate 70, Mate 70 Pro, and Mate 70 Pro+.

The devices will include a satellite paging system, and an improved processor, and will be run on the company’s self-developed operating system named HarmonyOS NEXT.

This complete move away from Android marks the technology giant’s move towards technology independence which will be beneficial should the U.S. impose further sanctions and restrictions.

The system is reported to need another two to three months to improve its user experience, but the plan is to use it on upcoming gadgets and the Mate 70 series.

The phones have debuted in the three devices, with pre-orders having been open for the last week.

The standard device, along with the Pro, will come in Black, White, Green, and Purple colors with 12 GB RAM. Storage will be either 256 GB, 512 GB or 1 TB.

The Mate 70 Pro+ will come in Black and White with different color finish options like Gold and Sky Blue. This will be available with 16 GB RAM and 512 GB or 1 TB storage.

Featured Image: Image Credit to VMALL  [Screenshot]

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Huawei is officially bidding farewell to Android as its smartphones and tablets will run on a completely separate operating system from next year, named HarmonyOS NEXT.

This is a proprietary distributed operating system developed by the company to support only native apps and it marks its first fully self-developed mobile operating system.

The company is debuting this on the Mate 70 its new flagship smartphone and the successor to the Mate 60. The new phone range is already open for pre-order and will be available to customers on December 4.

According to Bloomberg, the chairman of Huawei’s consumer business group Richard Yu said HarmonyOS NEXT will still need another two to three months to improve its user experience, but the plan is to use it on upcoming gadgets.

Huawei focuses on its self-developed mobile operating system

Huawei was previously a Google partner running full Android on its products, but it was in 2019 that this began to change. The Chinese technology giant then separated from Google’s Android operating system and created its version: HarmonyOS.

Now, the company has gone one step further as it pushed toward technological independence in the wake of U.S. sanctions on chips. The full technical details aren’t yet known, but it’s likely more information will be made available in due time.

“HarmonyOS Next has good potential as an alternative in China,” Will Wong, senior research manager at IDC, told CNBC.

“This is not only because of Huawei’s brand name but also because it has been putting effort into attracting developers to join its ecosystem.”

The company is a week away from seeing how its Mate 70 series is received by the public, with all eyes on the sales count. There will be three devices – the Mate 70, Mate 70 Pro and Mate 70 Pro+.

The standard device, along with the Pro, will come in Black, White, Green, and Purple colors with 12 GB RAM. Storage will be either 256 GB, 512 GB or 1 TB.

The Mate 70 Pro+ will come in Black and White with different color finish options like Gold and Sky Blue. This will be available with 16 GB RAM and 512 GB or 1 TB storage.

Featured Image: Screenshot from VMALL

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Apple is reportedly working on a more conversational upgrade to its Siri digital assistant, in a bid to compete with OpenAI’s ChatGPT and other advanced voice services.

Although details remain scarce, Bloomberg reports that the new Siri will use advanced large language models (LLMs) to allow for more natural back-and-forth conversations. According to sources cited by the outlet, the upgraded system will also be able to process more complex requests with greater speed.

Currently, Apple relies on ChatGPT for certain functionalities in iOS 18.2. Hence, the company is said to be updating ‌Siri‌’s capabilities within and across apps using Apple Intelligence in iOS 18. The improvements are expected to lay the foundation for the updated version of ‌Siri‌.

Apple is testing the new ‌Siri‌ in a standalone app on iPhones, iPads, and Macs, with plans to eventually replace the existing version. According to sources, the company plans to unveil the revamped ‌Siri‌ as early as 2025, alongside the iOS 19 and macOS 16 updates, internally codenamed “Luck” and “Cheer.” Consequently, it could be released at the June Worldwide Developers Conference, which will see Apple unveil iOS 19.

That said, the new features are not expected to be included in next year’s lineup of hardware devices. Instead, Apple is targeting a consumer release for the new Siri as early as spring 2026, roughly a year and a half away. However, the timeline is not finalized and may be subject to change. As reported by ReadWrite in October, a set of beta intelligence features had already been made available to developers.

What features could the advanced Siri offer?

The assistant is expected to use App Intents for precise third-party app control and Apple Intelligence for text generation and summarization.

While initial updates with iOS 18 were largely cosmetic, including a glowing interface and text command options, Siri is gaining functionality to use on-screen context and customer data for smarter responses.

The current system employs a first-generation Apple LLM, but iOS 19 will introduce a next-generation, end-to-end LLM to enable more complex, ChatGPT-like capabilities.

The tech giant also plans to integrate ChatGPT into Apple Intelligence next month, followed by other chatbots like Gemini. The new Siri is attempting to bring these capabilities in-house, focusing on user privacy while potentially maintaining access to third-party AI systems.

ReadWrite has reached out to Apple for comment.

Featured image: Apple / Canva

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The government of Indonesia is said to be considering a $100 million offer from Apple to secure a reverse of the ban on sales of the new iPhone 16.

The increased incentive is worth ten times the value of the previous proposal from the US multinational giant which included the establishment of a production factory in Bandung, near Jakarta.  

Apple was prohibited from selling its iPhone 16 in the country due to a dispute over locally produced components. The Ministry of Industry told the company’s local subsidiary, PT Apple Indonesia, it had not met the required 40% local content stipulation for smartphones. 

It was also claimed Apple had not delivered on its earlier investment pledge of 1.7 trillion rupiah ($109 million), with only 1.5 trillion rupiah ($95 million) accounted for.

Due to the revised bumper investment offer, the government could change tack on its position, with a meeting convened to discuss the situation. 

In a statement carried by Bloomberg, ministry spokesperson Febri Antoni said the meeting “means that the industry minister welcomes Apple’s investment commitment.”

Following the precedent set by former president

The most populous nation in south-east Asia has also placed restrictions on sales of Google’s Pixel phones due to similar investment disputes. 

President Prabowo Subianto has adopted the strongarm approach as a means to pressure international firms to provide a stimulus to local manufacturing, with a positive knock-on effect on the domestic supply chain. 

The action follows the precedent set by former president Joko Widodo who pursued TikTok owner, ByteDance in a dispute around cheap Chinese-made goods, ultimately leading to a $1.5 billion investment in partnership with an Indonesian e-commerce firm.

This is despite some concerns the measures could deter major international investment in the country. 

With news of the $100 million salvo, Apple is intent to unlock access to Indonesia’s $1 trillion economy, with a market of over 350 million active smartphones within a population of 270 million.

Image credit: Via Midjourney

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Apple has released a software update for iPhone, iPad, and Mac users as it urges people to install it to protect devices.

This comes after the company added information to its Rapid Security Responses log on Tuesday (November 19) with several devices listed.

The company says it is aware of two vulnerabilities that “may have been actively exploited on Intel-based Mac systems.” The bugs relate to WebKit and JavaScriptCore, with Apple releasing a software update for macOS.

JavaScriptCore is a framework for running JavaScript code within apps and websites, while WebKit is an engine that helps to power Safari.

They have also released fixes for the iPhone and iPad and the Apple Vision Pro has been listed as possibly being affected by the same issue too. With this in mind, users should update their devices as soon as possible.

The security flaws were discovered by security researchers Clement Lecigne and Benoit Sevens from Google’s Threat Analysis Group.

It is not yet known who was behind the attacks, with the information released by Apple being fairly limited.

How to update Apple software to prevent security issues

Apple makes it easy to update devices, as it allows you to see possible updates within the settings feature.

Beforehand, any device that is about to be updated should be charged or connected to a charger as the changes can sometimes take a while.

Firstly, go into the device’s ‘Settings’ and then the ‘General’ button. From there, this will open up a new page with other options, one being ‘Software Update’ which should be in the second spot on the page.

After loading, it will tell you what software your device is currently running on and will provide details about any that are currently available. If a new software update has appeared on the page, simply click ‘Install Now’ for the change to begin.

There is also the option to have ‘Automatic Updates’ turned on and while some may need to be installed manually, your device will update to the latest version of iOS or iPadOS if it is able to.

Featured Image: AI-generated via Ideogram

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The Chinese-based Huawei has already started taking pre-orders for its upcoming Mate 70 smartphone, with customers able to reserve the device ahead of the launch.

The Mate 70 series has been officially announced, with the company sharing the news through the Chinese social media network Weibo.

The series will feature four models – standard, Pro, Pro+, and the Ultimate Design. All of which will vary slightly in specifications. With the pre-order now open, it’s expected this will run until the launch date.

The official Mate 70 series by Huawei will be unveiled fully on November 26 at a launch event, with the new device building on the existing capabilities of the Mate 60. The new series will be launched with a new generation of HarmonyOS operating system which will have improved features and redesigned animations.

On the Huawei Vmall e-commerce platform, it says 1.895 million people have made reservations for the Mate 70 Pro+. The website states that 1.901 million people have reserved the Mate 70 Pro and 1.902 million people for the Mate 70.

What is the Huawei Mate 70 series?

The full details and inner workings of the new series are expected to be released at the event as Huawei continues its smartphone offerings.

One of the devices is thought to have three cameras on the back, with one of them being a periscope lens.

The standard device, along with the Pro, will come in Black, White, Green, and Purple colors with 12 GB RAM. Storage will be either 256 GB, 512 GB or 1 TB.

Then, the Mate 70 Pro+ will come in Black and White with different color finish options like Gold and Sky Blue. This will be available with 16 GB RAM and 512 GB or 1 TB storage.

This comes just a month after it became known the company had surpassed Apple in smartphone shipments in mainland China in August. This occurred for the first time in 46 months, with the duo going head-to-head in the smartphone market in this country.

Featured Image: via VMALL

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A standalone Google Gemini app for the iOS App Store that allows users to access Gemini Live could soon be available.

This would mark a move away from opening the search app and clicking the Gemini tab at the top, as the offering is currently only available as part of the Google Search app.

The specialist Google product news publisher, 9to5Google, is reporting that the separate app has been spotted for iPhone, with it featuring a Gemini icon.

The publisher shares images from a Reddit board where a user named ‘lostshenanigans’ posted: “Gemini on iPhone just launched. Anybody tried it? I also have pixel buds pro 2. Maybe they can work together now.”

Via ‘lostshenanigans’ on Reddit

The Redditor added a screenshot and said he has found a “new and standalone app. Still trying it now. I haven’t tried it on android but I was really surprised there’s a standalone app all of a sudden. I usually access it via a home shortcut or the google app.”

The OP replied to others who said it’s only available through its integration into the Google Search app with screenshots of a standalone app in the App Store.

This possible introduction would signal a significant change as Apple has its own AI features, under Apple Intelligence, which it is rolling out on the iPhone. While there has been a delay in some of the schedule, this move could see competition be added to Apple devices worldwide.

Google Gemini could be tested in a few countries before roll-out

It appears that Gemini Live is included in the apparent separate app too which is a feature that isn’t currently available on iOS.

The publisher 9to5Google reports that there has only been one report of the app being downloadable, which was by a user in the Philippines. They say the App Store listing doesn’t load in the US as it states “This app is currently not available in your country or region.”

The journalist suggests Google is presumably testing this within a few countries before the wider launch.

A standalone app is available on Android for devices running Android 10 and up, but these reports suggest iOS users could soon see the same boosted accessibility.

The Android version enables users to access the writing, brainstorming, and learning features, as well as being able to summarize and find quick information from Gmail or Google Drive. It also includes the ‘Hey Google’ feature which is where users can ask Gemini for help with what’s on the phone screen.

Featured Image: AI-generated via Ideogram

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Samsung has long been rumored to be working on a more budget-friendly addition to its Z-series lineup, though it’s now nearly certain that it won’t be a book-style Z Fold model. According to new speculation, Samsung may instead release a Z Flip FE clamshell, potentially launching alongside the Galaxy S25 Slim in April.

Korean blogger yeux1122 suggests that Samsung might release a Galaxy Z Flip FE at the same time as the anticipated Galaxy Z Flip 7. Currently, the Galaxy Z Flip 6 starts at $1,099, while the recently launched Special Edition Galaxy Z Fold is priced around $2,000, although it’s not available in the U.S.

The report doesn’t provide specific details on the specs or pricing for the upcoming Flip FE. However, it does mention a simultaneous launch as Samsung typically unveils both Fold and Flip models together.

Samsung Conference Call –

“We are considering ways to lower entry barriers so that more customers can actually experience foldable products, given the high satisfaction among existing foldable users,” hinting at the preparation of budget-friendly foldable models.

The Fold will…

— Jukanlosreve (@Jukanlosreve) October 31, 2024

Possible key features of the Samsung Galaxy Flip FE

Cited by a user on X, a Samsung executive reportedly said the company is “considering ways to lower entry barriers” for foldable phones “so that more customers can actually experience” them.

The user called Jukanlosreve, then went on to say that the Fold is expected to “become slimmer and lighter while providing a powerful camera experience.” The Flip is said to feature a differentiated, premium cover screen design.

This statement, along with the recent leak, suggests that a more affordable foldable model could be coming soon. The executive also hinted that Samsung is “preparing new form factors,” which may allude to the rumored Samsung tri-fold device.

Given the possible launch timeline, the device is likely to come with Android 15-based OneUI 7, along with extended software support from Samsung.

So far, reaction online to the previous Flip phone has been less than favorable. One user posted on X that besides the fact that it folds, “it offers nothing of value.” Perhaps, Samsung is attempting to lure more customers back.

I've been using Samsung Z Flip 6 for over 2 weeks now, here are my thoughts.

I still don't understand why this form factor exists.

Besides the fact that it folds, it offers nothing of value.

Unlike the Fold form factor which gives you a big screen when unfolded for media… pic.twitter.com/Bhi4jFN5Gd

— Adan (@durreadan01) November 1, 2024

In September, ReadWrite reported that Samsung had canceled the Galaxy Z Fold 6 FE, after the company had been unable to make it as thin as they wanted. That coupled with “industry uncertainty” has supposedly led Samsung to abandon the project. However, Samsung Galaxy Z Flip did launch on July 10, 2024.

ReadWrite has reached out to Samsung for comment.

Featured image: Samsung

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Indonesia has banned the sale of Pixel phones, claiming that Alphabet Inc.’s Google had not met local content regulations. This follows a report from ReadWrite earlier this month stating that the country also prohibited the sale of Apple’s iPhone 16 and other newly released products from the tech giant.

Like Apple, Indonesia blocked Google Pixel phone sales, stating that the company has not met regulations requiring at least 40% of smartphone components sold domestically to be locally manufactured.

Despite the restrictions, an estimated 22,000 units have already entered Indonesia this year through personal shipments or as carry-on items, Ministry of Industry spokesperson Febri Hendri Antoni Arief stated during a press briefing on Thursday (Oct. 31).

In a statement cited by Reuters, Arief added: “We are pushing these rules so that there’s fairness for all investors in Indonesia.

“Google’s products have not adhered to the scheme we set, so they can’t be sold here.”

Arief stated that consumers may purchase Google Pixel phones abroad if they pay the required taxes, adding that the country may consider deactivating phones sold illicitly.

Indonesia targets both Apple and Google

This follows the government’s earlier decision to block sales of iPhone 16 devices in Southeast Asia’s largest economy after Apple Inc. failed to meet its investment commitments. The Cupertino, California-based company has since requested a meeting with Industry Minister Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita to discuss the ban, although a date has yet to be scheduled, Arief stated.

He added: “The local content rule and related policies are made for fairness for all investors that invest in Indonesia, and for creating added value and deepening the industry structure here.”

Apple reportedly pledged $109 million for Indonesian infrastructure and local sourcing but has contributed only $95 million, leaving a $14 million shortfall. This gap has led the Ministry of Industry to withhold IMEI certifications, preventing device sales in the country.

However, companies can meet requirements in various ways. Samsung and Xiaomi built manufacturing facilities, while Apple established developer academies. That said, marketing research firm Counterpoint reports that neither Google nor Apple ranks among Indonesia’s top five smartphone brands. Indonesia’s $1-trillion economy presents a growth opportunity, with over 350 million active mobile phones exceeding its 270 million population, according to government data.

Featured image: 

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