Apple temporarily suspends advertising on X following the recent controversy surrounding Elon Musk and his stance on the war in Gaza. Additionally, the voice chat feature in the ChatGPT application is now freely accessible to all users. Furthermore, Apple is set to launch the Apple Vision Pro glasses in March 2024, featuring a redesigned battery for the iPhone 16, among other exciting news on the Weekly Tech News.
Apple Joins the Holiday Ad Campaign with "Ambiguous Emotions"
Apple unveiled its annual holiday ad titled "Fuzzy Feelings," offering a behind-the-scenes look at the process of creating a stop-motion video shot with the iPhone 15 Pro Max and edited on a MacBook Air. The video tells the story of an animated artist balancing her office job with creating holiday-themed animations in her spare time. Despite her initially negative perception of her boss, he surprises everyone with handmade holiday gifts, revealing a more positive side. The message emphasizes the transformative power of creativity, suggesting that viewing things differently can have a profound impact.
New Feature in WhatsApp: Email Address Verification for Accounts
WhatsApp now allows users to verify their accounts using their email addresses, providing an alternative to the usual phone number verification, especially in areas with weak cellular coverage. This new option does not replace the standard SMS verification with a six-digit code, and users still need to provide their phone number when creating a WhatsApp account. By verifying via email, current users can authenticate their accounts on an internet-connected device, even in areas without cellular service. This feature is part of WhatsApp version 23.24.70 for iPhone, accessible through settings, under account, then email address. Additionally, WhatsApp is working on enhancing privacy with a "username" feature, similar to Telegram, though the details are still in the early stages of development.
Testing the Roadside Assistance Feature via Satellites on iPhone
.jpg)
Starting with iOS 17, iPhone 14 and iPhone 15 models offer the "Roadside Assistance" feature, using satellites to connect users to the AAA roadside assistance service in the United States, even in areas without cellular or Wi-Fi coverage. This service is demonstrated in a video by a tech reviewer named Brian Tong. To use it, open the Messages app, start a new message, type "On the Road" in the subject field, and when there's no regular connection, the option "Roadside Assistance" appears. Press it, follow the on-screen instructions, and connect to the Globalstar satellite to request assistance from AAA.
This feature is useful for various issues such as a car battery running out, mechanical problems, flat tires, or running out of fuel. The service is free for two years with iPhone 14 or iPhone 15, and afterward, it will be charged per use if you're not a AAA member. Currently available in the United States, Apple may expand its coverage to more countries later. This feature relies on the satellite-based SOS emergency service, extended for an additional year.
Leak: Redesigned Battery for iPhone 16
Reliable leaker Kosutami shared images claiming to be leaked photos revealing the new design of the iPhone 16 battery. The images suggest a slightly larger capacity of 3355 milliampere-hours, still in the early stages, and slightly larger than the iPhone 15 Pro's 3274 milliampere-hour battery. Notably, the battery features a redesigned connector and replaces the traditional black casing with a crystalline metal casing, aiming to improve thermal efficiency without adding significant weight.
.jpg)
This change aligns with recent reports indicating Apple's intention to implement a new thermal system in the iPhone 16 series to address potential temperature concerns. Rumors also suggest that the entire iPhone 16 lineup may feature a graphene heat spreader to enhance thermal management, reflecting Apple's ongoing interest in superior thermal conductivity of graphene compared to traditional materials such as copper. These developments may be a response to temperature-related issues reported with the iPhone 15 Pro, which Apple addressed through a system update earlier this year.
Apple Vision Pro Glasses Launch in March 2024
Apple is expected to postpone the release of the Apple Vision Pro glasses from the initially planned date in January 2024 to March of the same year, according to analyst Mark Gorman. This delay is attributed to Apple's ongoing efforts to make improvements and conduct additional testing. The intricate design of the Vision Pro glasses has presented challenges in the production process, leading to a significant decrease in production expectations to less than four hundred thousand units for the year 2024. The initial launch will be limited to the United States, with subsequent expansions to Canada and the United Kingdom. In preparation for the launch, some retail employees at Apple in the United States undergo training at the headquarters in Cupertino, and dedicated training zones will be established in flagship stores. Apple provided developers with the sixth beta version of VisionOS for operating the Apple glasses last week, including new videos displayed during the setup process, indicating that development work is nearing completion.
Apple Temporarily Halts X Advertisement Following Recent Controversy Regarding Elon Musk and His Position on the Gaza War
After Elon Musk's statements about the brutal aggression on our people in Palestine on the X social network (formerly Twitter), stating that violence begets violence and that they will not eliminate Hamas but rather assist in creating a renewed Hamas over time, his latest announcement on Tuesday declared that the platform would donate all proceeds from ads and subscriptions related to the war in Gaza to hospitals in the occupied territories and the Red Cross-Red Crescent in Gaza. In response, Apple has decided to suspend all its advertisements on the platform, according to Axios. This decision comes after 164 rabbis and activists requested Apple, Google, Amazon, and Disney to stop advertising on X, urging Apple and Google to remove Twitter from their app stores. Apple, a major advertising partner for Twitter, continued paying for advertising even after other advertisers withdrew following Musk's acquisition of the social network. This move by Apple follows a history of tensions with Musk and Twitter, including a temporary ad suspension in November 2022 when Musk claimed that Apple threatened to remove Twitter from the App Store. The dispute was resolved after a meeting between Musk and Tim Cook. With Musk's comments conflicting with the stances of these companies supporting the Zionist occupier and its atrocities against civilians, it remains unclear whether Apple will resume advertising on the platform in the future. Tim Cook stated in September last year that Apple continuously evaluates whether to advertise on the social network. In response, many Twitter users urged Elon Musk to expedite the release of a phone to compete with the iPhone so they could boycott Apple and its products. Apple is not the only company withdrawing from Twitter advertising; IBM announced this week that it would pull ads, and the European Union no longer plans to advertise on the social network. Earlier today, the White House condemned Musk's remarks, and X employees told The New York Times that they received calls from other companies upset with Musk.
Apple Supports RCS Standard on iPhone Next Year
Apple has decided to support the Rich Communication Services (RCS) standard, a messaging protocol promoted by Google, after years of opposition. This move means that iPhone users will have enhanced messaging capabilities when communicating with Android users. iMessage will remain the default option for communication from iPhone to iPhone, but RCS will replace old messaging standards like SMS and MMS. RCS supports better media quality, improved encryption, and enhanced group chats. Support for RCS is expected to be introduced in future updates.
Sunbird Halts iMessage App for Android Due to Security Concerns
The Sunbird app, designed to enable Android users to send messages to iPhone iMessages, temporarily ceased operations due to security concerns. The app's operators claimed to provide comprehensive encryption for messages but faced scrutiny after partnering with Nothing to launch the "Nothing Chats" app. Security issues arose when it was discovered that Sunbird was transmitting Apple account credentials through unencrypted channels, raising concerns about data privacy and potential vulnerabilities. As a result, both Sunbird and Nothing Chats were suspended, and users were advised to change their Apple account passwords and uninstall the apps. This situation cast doubt on Sunbird's effectiveness in addressing these security challenges.
ChatGPT App Voice Chat Feature Now Free for All Users
OpenAI has announced that the voice chat feature in the official ChatGPT app for iPhone and iPad is now available for all users, without the need for a subscription. This feature was initially introduced in September but was limited to ChatGPT Plus subscribers. It is now rolled out for free to all users on both iOS and Android. For those unfamiliar with ChatGPT, it is an AI-driven chatbot that uses generative AI to answer questions, provide advice, explanations, and more. Users can engage in voice conversations with the chatbot instead of typing, and it recognizes whispered speech, syncing chat history across devices. This announcement comes amid recent changes in OpenAI's leadership, with the initial ousting and subsequent reinstatement of CEO Sam Altman, leading to the creation of a new board of directors. The ChatGPT app can be downloaded from the app store.
Other News
◉ Apple is now selling the second generation of refurbished AirPods Pro in selected European countries, including the United Kingdom, Austria, Belgium, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, Poland, and Switzerland. They are approximately 15% cheaper than the original price.
◉ Apple is testing iOS 17.1.2, focusing on bug fixes. The update addresses Wi-Fi issues and minor problems reported in the previous 17.1.1 release. The update is expected to be released next week, according to Apple's usual schedule.
◉ Apple has filed a legal challenge against the Digital Markets Act of the European Union, which requires major companies, including Apple, to open up their services. The law could impact Apple platforms, necessitating changes to the App Store, Messages, FaceTime, Siri, and more, including enabling sideloading of apps. Apple cites concerns about privacy and data security. Similar challenges have been filed by Meta and TikTok.