News/Apple
Apple pulled its hallucinating AI summaries, but improvement (and patience) should be expected
Apple has paused certain AI notification summary features in iOS 18.3 beta following accuracy concerns and user criticism. The situation: Apple Intelligence's notification summary feature has faced significant backlash after producing inaccurate news summaries from major media outlets. The AI tool incorrectly reported that a murder suspect had taken his own life It prematurely announced a sports championship winner before the event occurred These errors led Apple to disable notification summaries for news and entertainment apps in iOS 18.3 beta Key context: Apple Intelligence, introduced in September, provides AI-powered summaries of various content including emails, articles, and notifications. The feature...
read Jan 19, 2025Apple is bringing new AI features to the macOS Mail app
Apple is reportedly bringing Apple Intelligence features to the macOS Mail application with the upcoming 15.4 update. Key details: The macOS Mail app will receive intelligent email organization capabilities that automatically categorize messages and highlight important correspondence. The update will introduce automatic sorting of emails into categories like transactions and promotions A new "Priority" feature will surface important emails at the top of users' inboxes These features mirror functionality already available to iPhone users since iOS 18.2 Industry context: This development represents Apple's continued integration of AI-powered features across its ecosystem of products and services. The expansion from iOS to...
read Jan 18, 2025Apple engineers reportedly flagged AI flaws before company’s fake news blunder
Apple's new AI product, Apple Intelligence, has been suspended after generating inaccurate news summaries, despite prior internal research warning of fundamental flaws in language model capabilities. The core issue: Large Language Models (LLMs) demonstrate significant limitations in their ability to reason and process information, as revealed by Apple's own research conducted in October 2023. Apple researchers tested 20 different LLMs using mathematical problems from the GSM8K dataset The study found that AI models don't truly reason but instead attempt to replicate patterns from their training data Even minor modifications to problem statements caused notable drops in accuracy across all tested...
read Jan 17, 2025Apple’s cheapest iPad is bad for AI
The entry-level iPad 10, currently priced at $299, lacks support for Apple Intelligence, making it the only iPad model without this capability in 2025. Key specifications and features: Apple's most affordable iPad offers a full-screen design, colorful options, Touch ID authentication, USB-C connectivity, and high-quality cameras. The device is significantly less expensive than the next comparable iPad model, which starts at $600 The tablet features modern design elements that align with Apple's current aesthetic Basic functionality remains strong despite lacking newer AI capabilities Hardware limitations: The iPad 10's inability to support Apple Intelligence stems from its RAM specifications falling below...
read Jan 17, 2025Apple stock tumbles amid China sales slowdown and AI concerns
Apple shares dropped 4% in their steepest single-day decline since August, driven by concerns over iPhone sales in China and questions about the company's artificial intelligence strategy. Market performance and immediate triggers: The significant stock decline reflects mounting pressures on Apple's core business and competitive position in key markets. Apple's stock has fallen nearly 12% from its December peak, making it the worst performer among major tech stocks in 2025 The 4% drop on Thursday marked the company's largest single-day decline since August 5 The sell-off was triggered by multiple reports highlighting challenges in the Chinese market and AI development...
read Jan 17, 2025Apple halts AI news summaries for continuing to spread misinformation
Key changes and updates: Apple has temporarily suspended AI-generated notification summaries for news and entertainment applications in the latest iOS 18.3 developer beta while addressing accuracy concerns. The suspension specifically targets news and entertainment app categories, with plans to restore functionality in a future update once underlying issues are resolved New warning labels now appear in Settings, explicitly stating that "Summaries may contain errors" for apps where the feature remains active AI-generated content will be displayed in italics to clearly differentiate it from text originated by news outlets or app developers Enhanced user controls: A new set of features provides...
read Jan 16, 2025Apple Intelligence makes another AI summary blunder, this time about SpaceX launches
Key development: Apple Intelligence incorrectly reported that SpaceX had launched two significant space missions before they actually occurred. Background context: Two major SpaceX missions were being prepared at the time of the incident, highlighting the AI system's premature and inaccurate reporting. A Florida mission was set to launch two lunar landers: one NASA-contracted Blue Ghost lander built by Firefly, and another for Japan In Texas, teams were preparing Starship Block 2, the world's largest rocket, for its first flight carrying deployable payloads Technical significance: The incident illustrates current limitations in AI-powered content summarization systems. Apple Intelligence attempts to condense notifications...
read Jan 15, 2025Don’t want Apple Intelligence on your new iPhone? Here’s how to disable it
Apple's latest iOS update automatically includes Apple Intelligence, a suite of AI tools that requires 7GB of storage space and can be disabled through specific settings. What is Apple Intelligence: Apple's new AI integration uses on-device processing for enhanced privacy while offering features like text rewriting, image generation, and email prioritization in core applications. The system processes data locally on the device rather than using external servers or cloud storage Core functionality includes AI-powered tools for Mail, Messages, and Photos applications The suite requires 7GB of local storage space, which remains occupied even when features are disabled Update implementation: The...
read Jan 14, 2025Apple just joined a consortium of Big Tech companies to challenge Nvidia’s closed AI hardware ecosystem
Apple has joined the Ultra Accelerator Link Consortium as a board member, marking its formal entry into an industry-wide effort to develop next-generation AI accelerator connectivity standards. Key development: Apple has secured a board position in the Ultra Accelerator Link (UALink) Consortium, a group of over 65 members working to establish open standards for AI hardware connectivity. Becky Loop, Apple's Director of Platform Architecture, emphasized the company's commitment to addressing connectivity challenges and expanding AI capabilities through this collaboration The consortium includes major tech players such as AWS, Google, Meta, Microsoft, AMD, and Intel Apple's involvement will enable the company...
read Jan 9, 2025Apple defends data privacy practices amid Siri lawsuit
Key Development: Apple has responded to privacy concerns raised in a lawsuit about Siri by releasing detailed information about its data protection practices and settling the case regarding third-party grading concerns from 2019. Core Privacy Claims: Apple maintains a strict policy regarding Siri data usage and user privacy protection. The company explicitly states it has never used Siri data to create marketing profiles Siri data has never been made available for advertising purposes No user data has been sold to third parties for any purpose Technical Implementation: Apple prioritizes on-device processing to minimize data exposure and protect user privacy. Personalized...
read Jan 9, 2025Apple’s new AI summaries inadvertently make scam messages appear legit
Apple's new AI-powered notification system is inadvertently lending credibility to scam messages by summarizing and prioritizing them alongside legitimate communications on iPhones and Mac computers. Key developments: Apple's "Apple Intelligence" update, rolled out to Australian users in late 2023, includes features that summarize notifications and prioritize certain alerts using artificial intelligence. The system condenses multiple notifications into single messages and flags what it determines to be urgent communications This AI-powered feature is being applied to both legitimate messages and scam attempts without discrimination Apple has already faced criticism for incorrectly summarizing BBC headlines, including a notable error regarding a CEO's...
read Jan 8, 2025Apple Intelligence expansion to TV and watch devices expected soon
Apple Intelligence, Apple's AI assistant technology, is currently limited to select iPhones, iPads, and Macs, while competitors are expanding their AI offerings to TV platforms and wearables. Current availability and requirements: Apple Intelligence is exclusively available on devices with A17 Pro or M1 chips and newer processors, reflecting Apple's commitment to on-device processing for enhanced privacy. The technology is present only on recent devices like the iPhone 15 Pro and iPad mini 7 Features are being rolled out in phases, starting with Writing Tools and text summarization Second phase introduced Genmoji and Image Playgrounds, along with ChatGPT integration in Siri...
read Jan 7, 2025Apple to revamp notifications after misinformation concerns
Apple is implementing changes to its Apple Intelligence notification system following complaints about AI-generated summaries spreading misinformation. The core issue: Apple Intelligence's smart notification feature has been combining multiple news stories and creating inaccurate summaries, leading to the spread of false information. The BBC filed a formal complaint after notifications carrying their logo presented false information about a high-profile criminal case One notable error claimed that Luigi Mangione, accused of killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, had died by suicide when he was actually alive The feature is currently limited to devices running iOS 18.2 or macOS 15.2 Technical context: The...
read Jan 6, 2025Apple is prioritizing user privacy protection over winning the AI race
Apple's strategic approach to AI development prioritizes user privacy and security while focusing on practical applications, marking a distinct contrast to competitors' race for generative AI dominance. Core strategy and philosophy: Apple maintains a fundamentally different approach to AI development, emphasizing privacy as a human right and prioritizing on-device processing over cloud-based solutions. The company processes AI features like text prediction, Face ID, and image recognition locally on devices Siri handles many tasks without transmitting data to external servers, preserving user confidentiality This privacy-first stance creates technical limitations compared to competitors who leverage vast cloud resources Current AI implementation: While...
read Jan 6, 2025Apple Intelligence caught spreading false headlines again
AI-powered news service Apple Intelligence has produced multiple instances of false headlines, including incorrect claims about a CEO's death, sports outcomes, and personal announcements about public figures. Recent incidents: Apple Intelligence's BBC app integration has generated several inaccurate news headlines, raising concerns about AI reliability in news distribution. The system falsely reported that murder suspect Luigi Mangione had committed suicide It incorrectly announced darts player Luke Littler's victory in the PDC World Championship before the final match A notification erroneously stated that Spanish tennis player Rafael Nadal had come out as gay, confusing him with Brazilian player Joao Lucas Reis...
read Jan 5, 2025AI emoji showdown: Apple’s Genmoji vs. Google’s Emoji Kitchen
Apple recently introduced Genmoji, a new AI-powered emoji creation tool that competes with Google's Emoji Kitchen by offering faster, more flexible emoji generation capabilities. Core functionality and differences: Apple's Genmoji and Google's Emoji Kitchen represent contrasting approaches to emoji creation, with each offering unique advantages. Genmoji operates like a miniature version of Apple's Image Playground app, allowing users to describe desired emojis through text or incorporate personal photos Emoji Kitchen relies on human-designed combinations, limiting users to mixing two existing emojis but offering more creative and humorous results Apple's AI-driven approach processes requests within seconds, while Emoji Kitchen requires users...
read Jan 4, 2025Apple’s AI takes a whopping 7GB of iPhone storage
Apple's latest artificial intelligence features for iOS 18.2 now require 7GB of device storage, raising concerns about storage management on iPhones and iPads with limited capacity. Storage impact analysis: The new storage requirement represents a significant increase from the previous 4GB baseline needed for Apple Intelligence features. On 128GB iPhone models, Apple Intelligence now consumes 5.5% of total storage capacity, up from 3% previously iPad Air users with 64GB devices face an even greater impact, with AI features claiming 11% of available storage New AI capabilities driving the increased storage requirements include Genmoji, ChatGPT integration with Siri, and Image Playground...
read Jan 3, 2025How to map ChatGPT voice mode to iPhone action button in 3 steps
OpenAI's ChatGPT Advanced Voice Mode can now be mapped to newer iPhone models' Action Button, providing easier access to voice-based AI interactions. Setup process: Mapping ChatGPT's Advanced Voice Mode to the Action Button involves several steps in the iPhone's settings. Navigate to Settings > Action Button Scroll to the "Shortcut" option Select ChatGPT from the third-party app list Choose "Start voice conversation" with the headphones icon Long-press the Action Button to activate the feature Usage and accessibility options: The feature offers multiple activation methods to suit user preferences. The Action Button provides tactile activation without looking at the screen Users...
read Jan 3, 2025Apple reportedly opts everyone into having their personal photos analyzed by AI
Apple introduced automated photo landmark identification capabilities in iOS and macOS through Enhanced Visual Search, activating the feature by default across its ecosystem. Key Implementation Details: Apple's Enhanced Visual Search leverages AI and machine learning to analyze users' photos for landmarks and points of interest, processing this data through both local and cloud-based systems. The feature was quietly rolled out with iOS 18.1 and macOS 15.1 updates on October 28, 2024 The system employs advanced privacy technologies including homomorphic encryption (which allows data processing while remaining encrypted) and differential privacy techniques Photo analysis occurs locally on devices before encrypted data...
read Jan 3, 2025Apple to pay $95M in Siri privacy lawsuit settlement
Apple has agreed to a $95 million settlement following allegations that Siri recordings violated user privacy between 2014 and 2024. Key details of the settlement; The class action lawsuit, filed in 2019, covers customers who used Siri-enabled Apple devices over a ten-year period. The settlement awaits approval from U.S. District Judge Jeffrey White in Oakland, California Affected customers could receive up to $20 in compensation, though the final amount may be lower after legal fees Legal teams can seek up to $28.5 million in fees and $1.1 million for expenses Core allegations: Users claimed that Apple's voice assistant recorded private...
read Jan 3, 2025Apple’s new photo feature captures more data than you may want– here’s how to turn it off
Apple recently launched Enhanced Visual Search (EVS), a photo recognition feature in iOS 18 that has sparked privacy concerns due to its default-enabled data sharing with Apple's servers. Key functionality: Enhanced Visual Search uses on-device AI to identify landmarks and points of interest in photos, creating mathematical fingerprints that are sent to Apple's servers for matching. The system generates "vector embeddings" for detected points of interest in photos Data is transmitted through a privacy relay system that includes fake queries to mask genuine requests Matches are returned to users in encrypted form Privacy concerns: Developer Jeff Johnson has highlighted that...
read Jan 3, 20254 iPhone settings to explore after installing iOS 18.2
Apple's iOS 18.2 update brings significant improvements to iPhone functionality, including new Home Screen customization options, photo management features, camera controls, and expanded Find My capabilities. Core update overview: iOS 18.2 delivers both AI features and quality-of-life improvements, with notable changes affecting device customization and usability. The update requires an iPhone 13 Pro or newer model AI features like Visual Intelligence and Image Playground are exclusive to iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 series Installation is available through Settings > General > Software Update Home Screen customization enhancements: Apple introduces unprecedented flexibility in how users can arrange and display their...
read Dec 26, 2024Have a new MacBook? Try these 5 Apple Intelligence features
Core features overview: Apple has introduced five key intelligence capabilities that enhance productivity and creative tasks on MacBooks equipped with M-series chips. Image Playground enables users to generate and modify images using both text prompts and existing photos, though customization options remain basic in this initial release Enhanced writing tools provide sophisticated text refinement options, including tone adjustment, proofreading, and format conversion capabilities Safari now includes built-in webpage summarization functionality through the Reader view The Notes app can transcribe and summarize audio recordings with word-level precision ChatGPT integration brings conversational AI capabilities to Siri, subject to daily usage limits Setup...
read Dec 24, 2024Investigative report uncovers hundreds of unsafe mobile apps marketed to children
Key findings: A joint investigation by Parents Together Action and Heat Initiative uncovered hundreds of apps with inappropriate content that were incorrectly rated as suitable for children on Apple's App Store. Researchers identified 200 problematic apps during a 24-hour review of 800 applications Many apps were rated suitable for children as young as 4 years old, despite containing mature content Categories included AI face rating systems, virtual girlfriend simulations, anonymous chat platforms, and drug-dealing games Types of concerning content: The investigation revealed a wide range of potentially harmful applications that could expose children to dangerous situations or inappropriate material. Multiple...
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