Author: News Room

Apple TV Plus is losing more than $1 billion every year despite reaching 45 million subscribers in 2024, according to a report from The Information. It’s reportedly the only Apple subscription that isn’t generating a profit.As part of an effort to take “a harder line on spending,” Apple cut its initial $5 billion budget for Apple TV Plus content by around $500 million, The Information reports. Even with hit original shows like Severance, Apple TV currently captures less than 1 percent of total monthly streaming services viewership, as opposed to Netflix’s 8.2 percent, according to data from Nielsen cited by…

The European Union has outlined exactly how Apple needs to improve the interoperability of iOS, and the guidance reveals which features could be available to other smartwatches, headphones, and speakers.The specifications adopted by the European Commission on Tuesday explain exactly how Apple needs to open iPhone and iPad operating systems to comply with the bloc’s Digital Markets Act (DMA) law, and involves two sets of different measures. One is focused on improving the application process for developers who request interoperability with Apple’s ecosystem. The other is more exciting for iPhone and iPad users, as it specifically outlines nine iOS-exclusive connectivity…

The Google Pixel 9A may have the same Tensor G4 chip as its more expensive counterparts, but it comes with a text-only version of Gemini AI. Google confirmed to Ars Technica that the Pixel 9A doesn’t have access to certain features, like the AI-powered Pixel Screenshots app, because of the phone’s lower 8GB of memory.Unlike the Gemini Nano XS model that comes with the Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, and Pixel 9 Pro Fold, the Pixel 9A has an even smaller on-device AI model: Gemini Nano 1.0 XXS, according to Ars Technica. For comparison, the Pixel 9 comes with 12GB…

Apple is replacing the head of Siri, shortly after pushing back the rollout of its highly-anticipated AI features, according to a report from Bloomberg. Mike Rockwell, the head of Vision Pro development, will reportedly replace John Giannandrea as the leader of AI and Siri.The move comes after Apple CEO Tim Cook “lost confidence” in Giannandrea’s ability to lead AI development, Bloomberg reports. Earlier this month, Apple said in a statement to Daring Fireball that it’s delaying the launch of generative AI upgrades for Siri to “the coming year,” as development is taking “longer than we thought.” Bloomberg later reported on…

Meta is finally allowing Threads users to set the following feed or any custom feeds as the default. The change is part of a number of new Threads features, including the ability to now limit post replies to followers only, a better video player, and the option to add topics in your bio.Threads users have been asking to be able to set the following feed as default ever since the social media network launched in December 2023, and Meta is finally giving in. After testing the option to choose a default feed late last year, it’s now rolling out so…

Every year, Apple squirts new features into your Apple phone and iPad with a major iOS update – and then continues adding goodies over subsequent months. iOS 18 is packed with them – and you might not know where to start. We’ve dug deep to give you the very best iOS 18 tips and tricks to supercharge your Apple smartphone or tablet – now updated for iOS 18.3 Not sure if your iPhone can run iOS 18? Check the iOS 18 system requirements. Get started Back up your iPhone It’s unlikely that installing an operating system upgrade will obliterate your data.…

Unlike those digital notebooks, which are appealing because they lack traditional displays, the XP-Pen Magic Note Pad uses a full-color LCD instead of E Ink. The tablet attempts to emulate the E Ink experience with three quick-access color modes, including a black-and-white option.XP-Pen says the Magic Note Pad’s nano-etched surface reduces reflection and glare while also simulating the feel of a pen on paper. It has a “Light Color Mode” that reduces the screen’s saturation to create an experience that sounds closer to how colors might appear on E Ink devices like the Kindle Colorsoft. The “Ink Paper Mode” discards…

TikTok will now show AMBER Alerts in the US. If there’s a missing child in your area, you’ll see an AMBER Alert directly within your For You feed.In the example shared by TikTok, the AMBER Alert shows a photo of the child, along with relevant details and an option to call 911. TikTok is launching the feature in partnership with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, a nonprofit organization mostly funded by the US government.In addition to the automatic AMBER Alert notifications sent to phones in the US, other apps have also added AMBER Alerts over the years,…

In the relentless pursuit of performance, Girard-Perregaux and the Aston Martin Formula One team have unveiled their latest creation – the Laureato Absolute Aston Martin F1 Edition. This new watch is the most rugged and sporty Laureato to date, seamlessly blending racing-inspired materials with high-end watchmaking craftsmanship. At the heart of the watch is a 44 mm case crafted from Grade 5 titanium, a material revered in both motorsport and horology for its exceptional strength-to-weight ratio. Titanium’s resistance to corrosion, non-magnetic properties, and hypoallergenic nature make it an ideal choice for an everyday sports watch, and here, GP has sandblasted…

When asked what they do for work, creative couple Jessie Char and Maxwell Neely-Cohen should probably just say “yes.” True professional multihyphenates, Char’s gig history includes stints as a UI/UX designer, conference organizer, concert cellist, and Apple Genius; Neely-Cohen is a novelist, ballet dancer, and coeditor of the experimental literary journal The HTML Review. Together, they’ve built everything from a real-life version of Cher Horowitz’s Clueless closet to the sound design of a play with over 200 original sound cues. I asked them for a tour of the tech in their Williamsburg, Brooklyn, loft, where they regularly host literary salons,…

Huawei has launched a new flip phone that upends the form factor, opening sideways rather than vertically to create a wider device with a tablet-esque aspect ratio. It’s the first Huawei phone to ship without Android app compatibility, and debuts the company’s in-house AI assistant, Harmony Intelligence — something the industry shouldn’t ignore, Nvidia’s CEO admits.The Pura X looks similar to a Samsung Galaxy Flip or Motorola Razr when it’s closed, with a palm-sized design and a square cover screen below its triple camera. The giveaway that something’s up is that the hinge is on the phone’s side, not its…

As social media continues to make compact cameras cooler than permafrost, form factor front-runner Fujifilm has delivered what might just be the new undisputed champion. The GFX100RF somehow squeezes a medium format sensor in a body that makes system camera rivals look positively portly in comparison. The smallest and lightest GFX model to date pairs a monstrous 102MP CMOS sensor with a 35mm f/4.0 fixed lens, which gives a 28mm equivalent focal length and is good for close-ups from a mere 20cm away. In-camera cropping then adds 45mm, 63mm, and 80mm magnification (equivalent to 36mm, 50mm, and 63mm) into the…