Innehållsförteckning för #714 från Techlife News

A FLAGSHIP PHONE WITH FLAIR Nothing, the London-based tech upstart founded by OnePlus co-founder Carl Pei, launched its first true flagship smartphone, the Phone (3), alongside its debut over-ear headphones, the Headphone (1), at a high-energy event in London. The Phone (3), priced at $799 for the 12GB/256GB model and $899 for 16GB/512GB, marks Nothing’s shift from midrange to premium, challenging giants like Apple’s iPhone 16 and Samsung’s Galaxy S25. With a transparent design and a reimagined Glyph Matrix, the phone blends style with performance, aiming to make tech “personal again,” as Pei put it. Powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 chip, the Phone (3) boasts a 36% CPU and 88% GPU boost over the Phone (2), delivering flagship-grade speed for gaming and AI tasks. Its 6.67-inch AMOLED display,…

A COSMIC GUEST NAMED 3I/ATLAS The European Space Agency (ESA) has confirmed that a newly discovered object, initially dubbed A11pl3Z and now officially named 3I/ATLAS or C/2025 N1, is the third known interstellar visitor to our solar system. Spotted by NASA’s Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) between June 25 and 29, the comet is hurtling toward the sun at 152,000 miles per hour, with a hyperbolic orbit that suggests it originated beyond our stellar neighborhood. The discovery, announced on social media by ESA’s Operations account, has sparked excitement among astronomers racing to study this fleeting cosmic traveler. The comet, roughly 6 to 12 miles wide, is currently near Jupiter’s orbit, about 3.8 astronomical units (AU) from Earth—one AU being the Earth-sun distance of 93 million miles. Its path will…

As AI weaves itself deeper into the fabric of daily life, the promise of AI agents acting on behalf of users (handling tasks like sending messages, making purchases, or adjusting settings) has sparked both excitement and caution. But there are challenges ahead… THE RIGHT AI BALANCE Apple is renowned for its deliberate and privacy-centric approach to innovation, and is now tackling the challenges of the new AI frontier head-on. Recent research from Apple’s Machine Learning Research team addresses the critical question of whether AI agents can truly understand the consequences of their actions when interacting with mobile user interfaces. Titled From Interaction to Impact: Towards Safer AI Agents Through Understanding and Evaluating Mobile UI Operation Impacts, this study introduces a framework to ensure AI agents act responsibly, prioritizing user safety…

A STEP TOWARD UNDERSTANDING COGNITION A team of researchers has unveiled Centaur, a foundation model designed to predict and simulate human behavior across a wide range of tasks, marking a bold advance in capturing human cognition. Built by fine-tuning Meta’s Llama 3.1 70B on a massive dataset called Psych-101, which includes trial-by-trial data from over 60,000 participants making 10 million choices in 160 experiments, Centaur outperforms existing cognitive models. Lead researcher Marcel Binz announced on X that the model, available on Hugging Face, can simulate human decisions in any experiment described in natural language, from choosing breakfast cereal to tackling complex problems. Centaur’s strength lies in its ability to generalize to new scenarios, cover stories, and task structures, unlike traditional models limited to specific domains. It matches or exceeds human…

A NEW APPROACH TO DIAGNOSIS Microsoft has introduced a groundbreaking AI-powered tool, the Microsoft AI Diagnostic Orchestrator (MAI-DxO), designed to diagnose complex medical cases with greater accuracy than human doctors. Developed by Microsoft’s AI health unit, led by former DeepMind co-founder Mustafa Suleyman, the system mimics a panel of expert physicians by analyzing patient symptoms, asking targeted questions, and ordering tests step-by-step. Tested on 304 challenging case studies from the New England Journal of Medicine, it achieved an 85.5% accuracy rate, compared to just 20% for doctors working alone without resources. The tool uses a “chain of debate” method, where multiple AI agents, each with a distinct role like hypothesizing or test selection, collaborate to reach a diagnosis. It draws on leading models, including OpenAI’s o3, Google’s Gemini, and Meta’s…

Microsoft has announced a significant round of layoffs, slashing approximately 9,000 jobs, or just under 4% of its global workforce of 228,000, as it streamlines operations to fuel its $80 billion AI investment. The cuts span teams, geographies, and experience levels, with a focus on reducing management layers to boost agility. This is Microsoft’s largest staff reduction since 2023, when it eliminated 10,000 positions, and follows earlier 2025 cuts of 6,000 in May and 300 in June, signaling a broader shift in priorities. The layoffs, effective from the start of Microsoft’s 2026 fiscal year, hit divisions like Xbox, LinkedIn, and international offices, with about 2,000 roles cut in Washington state alone, including 1,510 in-office and 475 remote workers. CEO Satya Nadella, speaking at a town hall, framed the move as…

Apple has confirmed that iOS 26, its next major iPhone software update, will launch in the European Union with some features disabled due to compliance issues with the Digital Markets Act (DMA). The company cited the “visited places” feature in Apple Maps, which tracks and stores a user’s recent locations for personalized navigation, as one tool that won’t be available at launch. Apple’s legal team, led by Vice President Kyle Andeer, stated that the DMA’s rules create uncertainties, forcing the company to delay certain features to avoid privacy and security risks. The DMA, designed to curb the power of tech giants, labels iOS, Safari, and the App Store as “core platform services,” requiring Apple to open its ecosystem to competitors. This includes allowing third-party app stores, alternative payment systems, and…

Nvidia has surged to become the world’s most valuable company, reaching a record-breaking market capitalization of $3.92 trillion, surpassing Apple’s previous high of $3.915 trillion. The chipmaker’s stock climbed 2.2% to $160.60, fueled by Wall Street’s relentless optimism about artificial intelligence. This milestone, achieved on Thursday, marks Nvidia’s ascent from a niche graphics chip designer to a global powerhouse, driven by its dominance in AI accelerators critical for tech giants like Microsoft, Google, and OpenAI. The company’s rise is staggering. Just two years ago, Nvidia’s market cap was $400 billion, but its stock has soared nearly 850% since late 2022, propelled by AI demand. In 2024 alone, it tripled in value, hitting $3.34 trillion in June to overtake Microsoft and Apple briefly before reclaiming the top spot multiple times. Posts…

LIVE FROM THE COSMOS Netflix is teaming up with NASA to stream live space events, including rocket launches, astronaut spacewalks, and real-time views of Earth from the International Space Station, starting this summer. The partnership brings NASA’s ad-free streaming service, NASA+, to Netflix’s 700 million global users, making cosmic spectacles accessible within the platform’s interface alongside movies and series. The content, included in all Netflix subscriptions at no extra cost, aims to inspire a new generation by showcasing the thrill of space exploration from the comfort of home. NASA+, launched in 2023, offers high-definition feeds of launches, spacewalks, and mission updates, previously available only through NASA’s app and website. The Netflix deal expands this reach, tapping into the streaming giant’s massive audience to fulfill NASA’s 1958 Space Act mandate to…

A LAWSUIT TARGETS ADDICTIVE DESIGN Utah has filed a lawsuit against Snap Inc., the parent company of Snapchat, accusing the social media platform of crafting features that addict children and expose them to dangers like drug sales and sexual exploitation. Led by Governor Spencer Cox and Attorney General Derek Brown, the 90-page complaint, lodged in Salt Lake County’s 3rd District Court, claims Snapchat violates the Utah Consumer Sales Practices Act and Utah Consumer Privacy Act. The state alleges that the app’s design, including vanishing messages and AI chatbots, hooks young users while failing to protect them from predators. The lawsuit marks Utah’s fourth legal action against major social media companies, following suits against Meta and TikTok for similar issues. It points to features like Snapstreaks, push notifications, and beauty filters,…

TRACKING YOUR FURRY FRIENDS Pet owners now have a range of tech tools to keep track of their cats and dogs, easing the worry of a missing companion. Devices like Apple’s AirTag, Chipolo’s Bluetooth trackers, and Tractive’s GPS collars let you monitor your pet’s location using a smartphone, offering peace of mind when they wander off. These gadgets, paired with apps, show real-time paths or alert you if your pet strays beyond a set area, making searches faster than calling their name in the neighborhood. Microchips, long a staple for pet identification, remain essential but don’t provide real-time tracking. These rice-sized RFID implants, inserted by a vet, store contact details that shelters or clinics can scan to reunite lost pets with owners. GPS trackers, however, clip onto collars and use…

A GROWING AI TEAM Meta has added four more researchers from OpenAI to its roster, boosting its push to build advanced artificial intelligence. The hires—Shengjia Zhao, Jiahui Yu, Shuchao Bi, and Hongyu Ren—join a team led by Meta’s CEO Mark Zuckerberg, who is personally driving efforts to create a “superintelligence” group. These researchers, known for their work on models like GPT-4.1 and OpenAI’s o1, bring expertise in machine learning, computer vision, and multimodal AI, strengthening Meta’s bid to catch up in the race for artificial general intelligence. The recruitment follows Meta’s earlier success in pulling three OpenAI researchers from its Zurich office, signaling an aggressive campaign to bolster its AI capabilities. Zuckerberg’s strategy includes offering hefty compensation packages, with reports of $100 million signing bonuses, though Meta’s CTO Andrew Bosworth…

Apple is gearing up to release a more affordable MacBook, powered by the A18 Pro chip used in the iPhone 16 Pro, according to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. The 13-inch laptop, expected to hit mass production in late 2025 or early 2026, aims to undercut the current $999 MacBook Air, targeting price-conscious buyers like students or casual users. The move could help Apple reclaim its peak MacBook sales of 25 million units from the COVID-19 era, with the new model projected to account for 5 to 7 million units in 2026. The A18 Pro, a six-core chip, delivers single-core performance close to the M4 chip in current MacBooks, scoring around 3,400 on Geekbench 6, and multi-core results near the M1’s 8,500. Unlike M-series chips, which support higher core counts and larger…

A FRESH LOOK FOR PHOTOS Google has rolled out a redesigned photo view for its Google Photos app, bringing a cleaner, more intuitive interface to iOS users, with Android support slated to follow soon. The update, announced in a Google Photos Community post, introduces a light mode option, glanceable photo details, and a streamlined actions menu to make browsing and managing images easier. The overhaul aims to modernize the app’s user experience, aligning it with today’s mobile device trends while keeping functionality intact for its 1 billion users. The standout change is the addition of a light mode, which automatically matches the device’s system theme—light or dark—replacing the app’s previous dark-only background. At the top of each photo, users now see date, time, and location details, making it simpler to…

A FLAGSHIP STUDIO IN LOS ANGELES Apple Music is marking its 10th anniversary with the launch of a state-of-the-art studio complex in Culver City, California, a 15,000-square-foot creative campus set to open this summer. Named Apple Music Studios, the three-story facility is designed to be a global hub for artists, offering spaces for music creation, live performances, and fan engagement. Equipped with two advanced radio studios featuring Spatial Audio playback, a 4,000-square-foot soundstage, and a social media lab, the studio aims to foster innovation and deepen connections between musicians and their audiences. The Los Angeles studio anchors a growing network of Apple Music production spaces, with existing locations in Tokyo, Berlin, Paris, and Nashville, and new hubs planned for New York and London. Zane Lowe, global creative director for Apple…

A BLOCKBUSTER THAT DELIVERS The AppleMagazine team attended the premiere of F1 The Movie, and the verdict is unanimous: it’s a triumph. Directed by Joseph Kosinski, this high-octane sports drama delivers every element of a summer blockbuster—heart-pounding action, compelling characters, and a visual spectacle that leaves you breathless. Starring Brad Pitt as retired racer Sonny Hayes and Damson Idris as rookie Joshua Pearce, the film captures the essence of Formula 1’s intensity while weaving a story of redemption and rivalry. With a stellar cast, including Javier Bardem, Kerry Condon, and Tobias Menzies, and real-world F1 drivers like Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen, it’s a love letter to the sport’s fans and a gateway for newcomers. The movie, produced with Jerry Bruckheimer and Ehren Kruger of Top Gun: Maverick fame, blends…

Apple is gearing up to launch a pair of smart glasses by the end of 2027, designed to resemble Ray-Ban’s style, with a focus on audio, cameras, and AI features rather than a display. Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo from TFI Securities predicts these glasses will ship 3 to 5 million units in their debut year, pushing the global smart glasses market past 10 million units in 2027, a leap from the 2 million units sold in 2024. The forecast, shared in a recent note, highlights Apple’s knack for turning niche gadgets into mainstream hits, much like it did with AirPods. The glasses, part of Apple’s broader push into head-mounted devices, will offer voice control, gesture recognition, photo and video recording, and AI-driven environmental sensing. Unlike the $3,500 Vision Pro, a mixed-reality…

Apple has unveiled a patent that could redefine smartphone photography, detailing a stacked image sensor with an unprecedented 20 stops of dynamic range, rivaling the human eye and top-tier cinema cameras. Titled “Image Sensor With Stacked Pixels Having High Dynamic Range And Low Noise,” the patent outlines a design that captures light with a 1,048,576:1 contrast ratio, preserving details in both the brightest highlights and deepest shadows. Spotted by Y.M.Cinema Magazine, this innovation signals Apple’s ambition to move beyond its reliance on Sony sensors and compete with professional camera makers. The sensor’s architecture splits into two layers: a sensor die with photodiodes and analog circuits to capture light, and a logic die for real-time processing and noise cancellation. This setup uses Lateral Overflow Integration Capacitor (LOFIC) technology, allowing each pixel…

A federal judge in New Jersey has rejected Apple’s bid to dismiss a major antitrust lawsuit filed by the U.S. Justice Department, paving the way for a trial that could reshape the tech giant’s iPhone ecosystem. The 33-page ruling by U.S. District Judge Xavier Neals found enough evidence to support claims that Apple’s practices create a “walled garden” that stifles competition and inflates prices. The case, backed by 16 state attorneys general, accuses Apple of monopolizing the smartphone market through restrictive policies, with a trial potentially set for 2027. The lawsuit targets Apple’s control over the iPhone, iPad, and App Store, alleging that the company blocks competitors from key features like digital wallets, third-party app stores, and messaging apps. Neals wrote that the Justice Department’s claims of “technological barricades” raise…