News/Apple
Apple brings back AI notification summaries with stronger error warnings
Apple has reintroduced AI-powered notification summaries for news and entertainment apps in the fourth iOS 18 developer beta, months after temporarily disabling the feature due to accuracy issues with BBC headlines. The return comes with enhanced warnings about potential errors, signaling Apple's cautious approach to deploying Apple Intelligence features that could misrepresent critical information. What you should know: Apple Intelligence notification summaries are back with stronger disclaimers about their limitations. Users installing the new beta see a splash screen where they can opt into summarized notifications for News & Entertainment apps. Apple displays a prominent red warning stating "Summarization may...
read Jul 22, 2025Apple loses key AI leader to Meta amid talent exodus
Apple's AI division is facing major upheaval after losing Ruoming Pang, the respected leader of its foundation models team, to Meta. Pang's departure, along with several key researchers, has created what insiders describe as an "earthquake inside Apple" at a critical moment when the company is already struggling to catch up in the AI race. What you should know: Pang was central to Apple's efforts to build its own large language models and develop on-device AI capabilities for iPhones.• He joined Apple in 2021 from Google DeepMind, a leading AI research lab, and led the team responsible for shrinking large...
read Jul 21, 2025Apple Intelligence fixes Wallet order tracking by scanning emails
Apple is upgrading Wallet's long-neglected order tracking feature in iOS 26 by using Apple Intelligence to automatically extract shipping details from confirmation emails. The AI-powered enhancement promises to finally make Wallet a viable hub for tracking online purchases, addressing years of limited merchant adoption that has kept the feature largely unused. What you should know: The new system works by analyzing emails from merchants and delivery carriers to automatically populate order information in the Wallet app. Apple Intelligence scans confirmation emails to identify and summarize order tracking details across all purchases, providing full order details and progress notifications in one...
read Jul 21, 2025Apple details 4 breakthrough AI innovations in new technical report
Apple released a comprehensive technical report detailing how it built its latest artificial intelligence models, offering rare insights into the company's approach to competing in the increasingly crowded AI landscape. The 2025 Apple Intelligence Foundation Language Models Tech Report reveals significant architectural innovations and training improvements that could help close the gap with competitors like OpenAI and Google. Apple Intelligence, the company's suite of AI-powered features launched in 2024, has faced criticism for limited language support and perceived lag behind rivals. However, this technical deep-dive demonstrates Apple's continued investment in both on-device processing and cloud-based AI capabilities, with particular emphasis...
read Jul 18, 2025HSBC warns Apple’s slow AI rollout may delay iPhone upgrades
HSBC has warned that Apple's slow rollout of AI features introduced at WWDC 2024 has "failed to trigger significant improvement in user experience," potentially leading users to delay iPhone upgrades. The investment bank's analysis suggests that initial hopes for AI to accelerate the iPhone renewal cycle have been short-lived, with delays in launching the AI-powered Siri particularly concerning for Apple's hardware sales strategy. What you should know: Apple's AI strategy isn't delivering the expected boost to iPhone sales, according to HSBC, a global investment bank. The iPhone still represents about half of Apple's total sales, making upgrade cycles critical to...
read Jul 18, 2025Meta poaches 2 Apple AI researchers for Superintelligence Labs team
Meta Platforms has hired two Apple AI researchers, Mark Lee and Tom Gunter, for its Superintelligence Labs team, according to Bloomberg. The recruitment follows Meta's recent poaching of Apple's AI chief, signaling an intensified talent war between the tech giants as they compete for top artificial intelligence expertise. What you should know: The hirings represent Meta's continued efforts to strengthen its AI capabilities by targeting Apple's research talent. Mark Lee has already started at Meta after leaving Apple in recent days, while Tom Gunter will begin work in the near future. Both researchers will join Meta's Superintelligence Labs team, which...
read Jul 17, 2025xAI’s Grok chatbot violates Apple’s App Store guidelines with sexualized AI avatars
xAI's Grok chatbot has introduced animated AI avatars on iOS that appear to violate Apple's App Store content guidelines, featuring sexualized characters despite maintaining a 12+ age rating. The controversy highlights broader concerns about AI chatbots' potential psychological risks for vulnerable users, particularly following previous incidents where AI interactions contributed to user suicides. What you should know: Grok's new avatars include "Ani," an anime character designed as a possessive girlfriend who engages in sexually explicit conversations after extended interaction. The app currently maintains a 12+ age rating with content warnings for only "Infrequent/Mild Mature/Suggestive Themes." Apple's App Review Guidelines specifically...
read Jul 15, 2025Has Tim timed out? Analysts call for Apple to replace Cook amid AI struggles
Two research analysts from LightShed Partners called for Apple to replace CEO Tim Cook, arguing the company needs a "product-focused CEO" rather than one centered on logistics as it struggles to keep pace with AI developments. The analysts' July 9 note highlights growing concerns that Apple's AI setbacks represent more than typical product delays—they're undermining confidence in the company's ability to innovate in a technology that's already reshaping work, education, and daily life. What you should know: Apple faces mounting pressure as it lags behind competitors in artificial intelligence development, with several high-profile delays and struggles. The company delayed a...
read Jul 14, 2025Apple delays smart home hub until 2026 over Siri AI setbacks
Apple's highly anticipated smart home hub has been delayed until 2026, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. The iPad-like device, designed to control smart home gadgets similar to Google Nest or Amazon Echo speakers, was originally targeted for a March 2025 release but now faces a significant postponement tied to delays in Apple's AI-powered Siri upgrade. What you should know: The smart home hub's delay is directly connected to Apple's broader AI strategy and Siri overhaul. Apple delayed its Siri upgrade back in March, with the smart home hub reportedly reliant on many of those new AI features to function properly....
read Jul 10, 2025Apple’s AI model detects health conditions with 92% accuracy using behavior data
Apple researchers have developed a new AI model called WBM (Wearable Behavior Model) that can detect health conditions with up to 92% accuracy by analyzing behavioral data from wearables rather than raw sensor readings. The breakthrough suggests that movement patterns, sleep habits, and exercise data may be more reliable health indicators than traditional biometric measurements like heart rate or blood oxygen levels. What you should know: The WBM model was trained on over 2.5 billion hours of data from Apple Watch and iPhone users, focusing on 27 behavioral metrics rather than raw sensor streams. The model analyzes higher-level behavioral patterns...
read Jul 10, 2025Apple shareholder warns Tim Cook’s departure would trigger stock sell-off
Malcolm Ethridge, managing partner at Capital Area Planning Group and Apple shareholder, stated that replacing CEO Tim Cook would be a compelling reason to sell Apple stock. The comment came during a CNBC "Closing Bell" segment where Ethridge discussed Apple's leadership and the company's ongoing challenges in artificial intelligence development. What you should know: The discussion centered on Apple's current strategic position under Tim Cook's leadership and the company's AI capabilities. Ethridge, representing Apple shareholders' perspective, emphasized Cook's critical importance to the company's value proposition. The conversation addressed Apple's struggles in the AI space, highlighting potential competitive disadvantages as artificial...
read Jul 9, 2025Apple develops AI assistant for Support app to handle routine inquiries
Apple is reportedly developing a generative AI assistant for its Support app that would automatically handle routine customer service inquiries before escalating complex issues to human agents. This move could significantly reduce wait times and improve customer service efficiency by leveraging AI to address common support questions covered in Apple's documentation. What you should know: The AI-powered "Support Assistant" feature would use generative models to handle basic customer service cases, though Apple appears to be considering third-party AI models rather than its own technology. According to code strings found in the Support app, the assistant "uses generative models," suggesting Apple...
read Jul 8, 2025Apple loses key AI leader to Meta amid fierce talent competition
Apple Inc.'s top executive in charge of artificial intelligence models is leaving for Meta Platforms Inc., another setback in the iPhone maker's struggling AI efforts. Ruoming Pang, a distinguished engineer and manager in charge of the company's Apple foundation models team, is departing to join Meta's new superintelligence group, representing the latest high-profile talent loss as the social media giant aggressively recruits AI expertise. Why this matters: The departure highlights Apple's ongoing challenges in retaining top AI talent and competing with rivals like Meta, which has been on a hiring spree to build its superintelligence capabilities. Key details: Pang joined...
read Jul 3, 2025Apple abandons internal AI development, turns to OpenAI and Anthropic for Siri
Apple is abandoning its internal AI development for Siri and instead considering partnerships with OpenAI or Anthropic to power its voice assistant, according to new Bloomberg reporting. This represents a major strategic retreat for one of the world's largest tech companies, which has faced lawsuits from shareholders and customers over unfulfilled promises about AI-powered Siri features in the iPhone 16. What you should know: Apple's AI ambitions have spectacularly failed to materialize, forcing the company to seek outside help for Siri's long-promised upgrade. The iPhone 16, launched in September 2024 for $799, was marketed with promises of "Apple Intelligence" features...
read Jun 30, 2025Germany orders Apple and Google to remove DeepSeek AI app over China data concerns
Germany's top data protection regulator has formally requested Apple and Google remove the DeepSeek AI app from their stores, citing concerns over illegal data transfers to China. This marks the latest escalation in a growing international crackdown on the Chinese AI startup, as Western governments grapple with data sovereignty concerns amid rising AI adoption. What you should know: Germany joins a growing list of countries taking action against DeepSeek over data privacy violations.• Meike Kamp, Berlin's federal commissioner for data protection and freedom of information, said DeepSeek failed to provide sufficient guarantees that user data is protected under EU-equivalent standards.•...
read Jun 23, 2025Perplexity launches Comet browser for Windows as Apple eyes $14B acquisition
Perplexity is expanding its AI browser Comet to Windows users through a selective testing program, following its initial macOS beta launch in May. This development comes amid reports that Apple executives are considering acquiring the AI search company for what could be Apple's largest acquisition ever at $14 billion. What you should know: Comet is a Chromium-based browser that replaces traditional search engines with Perplexity AI's conversational search experience. The browser provides curated responses to queries similar to Google's AI Mode, complete with source links and product purchase options. Built-in features include an ad blocker, page summarization, and an Ask...
read Jun 23, 2025Apple faces class-action lawsuit over delayed Siri AI features
Apple faces a federal securities class-action lawsuit from shareholders who claim the company knowingly promoted incomplete Siri AI features for the iPhone 16 despite lacking a functional prototype. The lawsuit, filed by shareholder Eric Tucker, targets CEO Tim Cook and current and former CFOs, alleging violations of US securities laws after Apple's stock fell in March 2025 following confirmation that advanced Siri features won't arrive until 2026. What you should know: The lawsuit represents all individuals or entities who purchased Apple shares between June 10, 2024, and June 9, 2025, seeking damages for alleged securities violations. • Filed against CEO...
read Jun 23, 2025Apple reportedly considers $14B Perplexity deal to improve AI search
Apple is reportedly considering acquiring AI search startup Perplexity in what would be the iPhone maker's largest acquisition in company history. The potential $14 billion deal would give Apple access to Perplexity's AI-powered search engine and chatbot technology, which serves around 15 million users as a leading ChatGPT alternative, helping Apple accelerate development of its own search capabilities and enhance Siri's intelligence. What you should know: Apple's head of mergers and acquisitions Adrian Perica has been in early-stage discussions with top executives about a potential Perplexity offer, though no bid has been made yet. Executives from both companies have met...
read Jun 19, 2025Apple plans AI-powered chip design tools to superpower productivity
Apple is exploring the use of generative artificial intelligence to accelerate the design of its custom chips, according to remarks from its senior vice president of hardware technologies, Johny Srouji. The move signals Apple's commitment to leveraging cutting-edge tools to maintain its competitive edge in chip development, as the company continues expanding its custom silicon across its entire product lineup. What you should know: Srouji outlined Apple's interest in AI-powered chip design during a speech in Belgium, where he was receiving an award from Imec, a leading semiconductor research organization.• "Generative AI techniques have a high potential in getting more...
read Jun 17, 2025Adobe launches Firefly AI image and video generator for iPhone
Adobe has officially launched its Firefly AI image and video generation tool as a dedicated iPhone app, bringing professional-grade creative AI capabilities directly to mobile devices. This marks a significant expansion of Adobe's AI strategy, making sophisticated content creation tools accessible anywhere inspiration strikes. Adobe Firefly, the company's flagship generative AI platform, gained popularity as a web-based tool for creating images and videos from text prompts. The new iPhone app delivers the same core functionality in a mobile-optimized interface, addressing the growing demand for on-the-go content creation among creative professionals and business users. What sets this app apart from other...
read Jun 16, 2025Apple’s AI reasoning study sparks fierce debate over flawed testing methods
Apple's machine-learning research team ignited a fierce debate in the AI community with "The Illusion of Thinking," a 53-page paper arguing that reasoning AI models like OpenAI's "o" series and Google's Gemini don't actually "think" but merely perform sophisticated pattern matching. The controversy deepened when a rebuttal paper co-authored by Claude Opus 4 challenged Apple's methodology, suggesting the observed failures stemmed from experimental flaws rather than fundamental reasoning limitations. What you should know: Apple's study tested leading reasoning models on classic cognitive puzzles and found their performance collapsed as complexity increased. Researchers used four benchmark problems—Tower of Hanoi, Blocks World,...
read Jun 12, 2025Apple executives struggle to explain why Siri can’t compete with ChatGPT
Apple executives Craig Federighi and Greg Joswiak struggled to explain the company's continued delays in delivering a significantly improved Siri during a Wall Street Journal interview following WWDC 2025. The tech giant's AI assistant remains far behind competitors like ChatGPT, despite promises of major upgrades that were later retracted due to reliability concerns. The big picture: Apple's cautious approach to AI development has left it trailing significantly behind competitors who have already deployed conversational AI tools, raising questions about whether the company's perfectionist standards are hindering innovation in a rapidly evolving market. What went wrong: Apple's attempt at a conversational...
read Jun 12, 2025Siri-ously delayed: Apple pushes Siri AI improvements to 2026
Apple executives have confirmed that Siri's long-awaited AI upgrades will not arrive until 2026, providing the most specific timeline yet for features that were originally planned for iOS 18. The confirmation comes from Greg "Joz" Joswiak, Apple's senior vice president of worldwide marketing, during a recent interview with Tom's Guide, marking a significant delay that pushes the enhanced Siri capabilities well beyond this year and likely into spring 2026 with iOS 26.4. What you should know: Apple has been deliberately vague about Siri's AI upgrade timeline until now, using phrases like "in the coming year" without committing to specific dates....
read Jun 11, 2025Apple offers free on-device AI to developers, eliminating API costs
Apple has announced that developers can now access its on-device AI large language model for free through the Foundation Model Framework across all its operating systems. This removes both the financial barriers and privacy concerns that have previously made incorporating AI features into apps a complex business decision, potentially transforming how developers approach app creation. Why this matters: Unlike existing AI services that charge per API call, Apple's approach eliminates transactional costs and keeps data processing entirely on-device, removing the two biggest friction points that have limited AI adoption among smaller developers. The big picture: This mirrors the revolutionary impact...
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