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microLED

The iPhone may get a microLED display. What does that mean?

According to a recent report, Apple plans to start producing its own internal mobile displays in 2024 in an effort to lessen its reliance on Samsung and LG. This move will purportedly bring the benefits of microLED, a screen technology that is even more powerful than the OLEDs already in use, in addition to cutting prices and providing the corporation greater leeway in how it designs its products.

microLED
Image Source: tomsguide.com

Reputable leaker-analyst Mark Gurman claims in a piece for Bloomberg that the plan will initially have a bearing on the Apple Watch, whose premium Ultra edition will receive an in-house bespoke MicroLED with its 2024 update. The displays will eventually be added to the iPhone as well as other Apple Watch devices if there are no technological difficulties.

It’s important to keep in mind that the term “in-house” in the report has some nuances. The distinction would be that Apple will retain more design control; these displays will probably still be produced by an outside supplier.

Also Read: Tesla is getting cheaper. Is it a good move by Elon Musk?

Currently, Apple creates its iPhone and Apple Watch screens using current Samsung and LG technology and calibrates them to the company’s requirements. Now that the display itself will be created and designed by Apple, the company would have more influence over the final product.

Samsung presently manufactures microLED displays, however, they are only applied to their premium televisions. Within the next few years, MicroLED might overtake OLED as the standard display technology. It performs better than OLED in a variety of aspects, including. It is slimmer, making a low-profile and lightweight smartwatch possible.

With apparent advantages for battery life, it is nearly twice as power-efficient (more specifically, it is predicted to take half as much energy to achieve a comparable brightness). In the future, it will be possible to achieve numerous thousand pixels per inch with microLED, which is capable of providing a screen resolution that is many times higher.

Also Read: Is Google bringing its own ‘AirTags’?

In addition, it may produce images that are superior in practically every regard, including color, contrast, and brightness. The displays, according to Bloomberg, are already in testing and “make content appear like it’s painted on top of the glass.”

Additionally, it is less susceptible to display burn-in, which can be a problem with OLED panels. Without a certain, users won’t see any of these features on a 2-inch display, but engineers working on different Apple mobile products would regard them highly.

What we can actually anticipate for this year is that the iPhone 15 will reportedly maintain the 6.1-inch and 6.7-inch OLED panels that we’ve encountered on the iPhone 14 range and earlier devices.

The new iPhones should be a worthwhile investment for the majority of people in need of a phone upgrade because of additional upgrades like a periscope telephoto camera on the iPhone 15 Pro and the latest iPhone 15 Ultra model with a new titanium body and haptic, solid-state buttons.

facebook

Facebook Bug Allows 2FA Bypass Via Instagram

A flaw in Meta’s latest centralized system for users to maintain their Facebook and Instagram account logins might have permitted cybercriminals to disable a user account’s two-factor authentication merely by knowing one‘s mobile number.

facebook
Image Source: technologistan.pk

Gtm Mänôz who is a Nepalese security researcher discovered that Meta did not impose a limit on how many attempts whenever a user inputs the two-factor code utilized to log into one‘s accounts on the latest Meta Accounts Center, which allows users to connect all of their Meta accounts, which include Instagram and Facebook accounts.

A hacker would access the centralized accounts center, enter the victim’s mobile number, connect that phone number to their own Fb or Instagram account, and afterward using brute force can guess the two-factor authentication code. This was the most important step since there was no constraint to how many tries somebody could make.

Also Read: Why major advertisers are leaving Twitter?

When the attacker correctly entered the code, the victim’s phone number was connected to the hacker’s Facebook account. A successful attack still would lead to Meta sending a notification to the victim stating that their two-factor authentication had been disabled because their phone number had been linked to a different account.

Basically the highest impact here was revoking anyone’s SMS-based 2FA just knowing the phone number,” Mänôz told TechCrunch.

Source: techcrunch.com

Provided that the target no longer had two-factor activated, a hacker might possibly attempt to obtain the victim’s Facebook account simply by spoofing the password.

Also Read: Will the metaverse be good for society?

Last year, Mänôz discovered the flaw in the Meta Accounts Center & revealed the issue to the firm in mid-September. A few days back, Meta resolved the bug and provided 27,200 USD to Mänôz for disclosing it.

“If the phone number was fully confirmed and 2FA enabled in Facebook, then the 2FA will be turned off or disabled from victim’s account,” Mänôz wrote. “And, if the phone number was partially confirmed (that means only used for 2FA), it will revoke the 2FA, and also the phone number will be removed from [the] victim’s account.”

Source: darkreading.com

According to Meta spokesperson Gabby Curtis, the login system was still in the early stages of a limited public test at the time of the flaw. Curtis also stated that once the bug was revealed, Meta carried out an investigation and discovered no indications of mistreatment in the wild, as well as no sudden increase in the utilization of that particular function, indicating that nobody was misusing it.

Galaxy Unpacked 2023

Samsung’s Galaxy Unpacked 2023 Event: What to expect?

Galaxy Unpacked 2023 is first and foremost an official live event hosted by Samsung on February 1st, 2023 in San Francisco. However, viewers from all over the globe will be able to witness the event live online on the Samsung Newsroom website, the company’s official website, and the official YouTube channel.

Samsung revealed the Galaxy S22 lineup, which included the S22, S22 Plus, and S22 Ultra, at a launch event quite similar to the one it did this year in February 2022. The Galaxy Tab S8, Tab S8 Plus, and Tab S8 Ultra were three other tablets that the company unveiled with it.

Galaxy Unpacked 2023
Image Source: thehindubusinessline.com

The Galaxy S series is the only thing that comes to mind when the words “premium” and “Galaxy” are mentioned. As a result, experts are positive that the Samsung Galaxy S23 range will be the event’s biggest attraction at Galaxy Unpacked 2023.

The latter represents the company’s 2023 flagship smartphone lineup. The Galaxy S23, Galaxy S23 Plus, and Galaxy S23 Ultra will be the minimum number of devices in the S23 series. Although all 3 of them will be launching in early February, customers may currently make a reservation.

Also Read: What were the main highlights of CES 2023?

A modified version of Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset will power the Galaxy S23. As a result, the smartphones will deliver excellent performance and may launch as the most potent Android devices available.

The Galaxy S23 will probably include a slew of further improvements in addition to the powerful processor. The high-end Galaxy S23 Ultra includes a very outstanding camera module, brighter screens, and enhanced thermals and battery life.

The majority of reports state that Samsung won’t raise the Galaxy S23 lineup’s base price. But customers should prepare to fork over a sizable extra for these flagship models. Fortunately, Samsung is notorious for offering hefty early-bird discounts, so if users move quickly (or make a purchase), they can save a significant amount of money.

Additionally, experts anticipate Samsung will provide users with an update on the Galaxy S22 series and let users know whether the device will be discontinued or kept on the market alongside its replacement. A price reduction will be required if the latter is the case.

Last but not least, Samsung might also have a few software announcements to share, such as a future One UI update.

There is just one other important product launch beside the Galaxy S23: the Galaxy Book 3 range of laptops. Both the Samsung Galaxy Tab Fold and the Galaxy Tab S9 series are unlikely to debut. According to reports, both have been postponed until late 2023 or early 2024.

Last year, Samsung did introduce a new series of Tab S8 tablets along with the Galaxy S22. However, a story from the South Korean publication The Elec claims that the corporation postponed the launch of its next tablet (likely the Tab S9) from its initial December 2022 launch date because of a decline in consumer electronics demand.

The Elec claims that a new generation of tablets will still be released this year, so they may still debut at Samsung’s expected Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Z Flip 5 foldable during the company’s customary summer presentation.

Baidu

China’s Baidu to launch ChatGPT-style bot in March

As per a person with knowledge of the matter, Baidu is preparing to launch an artificial intelligence chatbot system similar to ChatGPT by OpenAI, possibly becoming China’s greatest influential entrance in a race sparked by the tech trend.

According to the person who requested anonymity to describe personal information, China’s biggest search engine firm plans to launch a ChatGPT-style software in March, at first incorporating it within its primary search services. The unnamed tool will provide users with chat-style search results similar to OpenAI’s popular service.

Baidu
Image Source: tribune.com.pk

Baidu has invested billions of dollars in artificial intelligence research in a multi-year attempt to transform from internet advertising to profound technology.

According to the source, the Ernie system is a big-scale machine-learning framework that has been specialized in data for several years. It will serve as the foundation for its impending ChatGPT-like tool. A delegate for Baidu declined to answer questions.

Also Read: BuzzFeed will use ChatGPT bots instead of writers

Since its public debut in November, ChatGPT which is the OpenAI’s artificial intelligence software has captured the internet, accumulating over a million users in days as well as sparking a debate about the importance of AI in schools, offices, and homes.

Firms such as Microsoft are putting in billions of dollars to try to develop practical applications, while others are using a lot of buzz to obtain financing. Buzzfeed’s stock massively increased this month just after the company unveiled its plans to include ChatGPT within its content.

Baidu, Tencent Holdings, Alibaba Group Holding, and ByteDance control a large portion of the Chinese internet. The search company has been attempting to resurrect progress in the mobile world, after falling behind its larger competitors in areas such as mobile advertising, video, as well as social media. Aside from AI research, Google is now working on technology for autonomous driving.

Also Read: Quora introduces Poe, a way to talk to AI chatbots like ChatGPT

ChatGPT caught the attention of Chinese online consumers, who, like others, disclosed screenshots of unexpected discussions with the Artificial Intelligence bot on local social networking sites.

Even after a highly censored residential internet which is largely disconnected from the remaining of the world, businesses like Baidu have thrived as native alternatives to Google, Amazon, as well as Facebook.

Aside from Baidu, many Chinese start-ups are experimenting with generative Artificial Intelligence and have captivated shareholders including Sequoia & Sinovation Ventures.

Twitter

Why major advertisers are leaving Twitter?

Elon Musk’s Twitter deal was met with swift criticism. One of the four biggest advertising agencies, IPG Megabrands, urged their clients to halt advertising Twitter just days after the acquisition. Along with these other businesses, paid advertisements on the platform have been suspended by Pfizer, General Motors, and Volkswagen.

Twitter
Image Source: mashable.com

Ninety-two percent or so of Twitter’s overall revenue in 2021 came from advertising. If there was any doubt before, it is now evident that Musk must wean Twitter off its dependence on advertising revenue in order for his vision for the company to succeed.

At Twitter, Elon Musk has had a very busy week. His most active users will now need to pay a monthly fee, and he has sacked half of his workers and told the other employees they may no longer work remotely.

Also Read: Ad Spending on Twitter Falls by Over 70%

He has also criticized advertising. Elon Musk in his tweet on Friday claimed that Twitter had experienced a “massive drop in revenue” as more advertisers choose to stay away from what can only be called a turbulent transition.

It’s important to note that overall spending on digital advertising has decreased as the economy faces its own uncertainty. Additionally, it appears that everything is being done to divert attention from the mass layoff issue.

Musk tweeted about advertising again later though. This time, it was in response to a request that Musk “name and shame” companies who have halted their advertising. He tweeted, “A thermonuclear name & shame is exactly what will happen if this continues.”

It appears that 50 out of the top 100 advertisers on Twitter have halted advertising on the platform. These 50 advertisers have spent about $2 billion on Twitter advertisements since 2020, and more than $750 million only in 2022, according to research from Media Matters for America.

Also Read: What Does Twitter 200 Million User Email Leak Actually Mean?

Based on the report, which was released on Tuesday, seven new companies have reduced their advertising to nearly nothing. Since 2020, these businesses have paid Twitter over $255 million for advertising. Chevy, Chipotle Mexican Grill, Ford, Kyndryl, Jeep, Merck & Co., and Novartis AG all made announcements concerning the suspension of Twitter advertisements, or it was rumored and confirmed that they had done so.

The others stopped using the site to advertise for a significant period of time following direct outreach, controversies, and media buyers.” The day following an account pretending to be from Eli Lilly and Co. posted, “We are excited to announce insulin is free now,” the pharmaceutical business ceased running advertisements on Twitter.

The post was left up for hours despite Eli Lilly’s request for Twitter to remove it because the company’s staff was overworked as a result of recent firings and resignations. Eli Lilly’s shares fell shortly after the tweet received thousands of likes and hundreds of retweets.

Advertisers have stopped spending on Twitter advertisements because they don’t want to pay for ads that would randomly start appearing next to violent or racist content. They want assurances that the situation won’t worsen into an even worse swamp than it already is.

Musk hasn’t taken any action to reassure them that it won’t. Instead, he simply continues to use his “management by chaos” approach. He believes it works for him, however, brand stability and predictability are what advertisers desire.

BuzzFeed

BuzzFeed will use ChatGPT bots instead of writers

Based on a memo sent out to staff by Cheif executive officer, Jonah Peretti & answers provided to The Verge, BuzzFeed will be using Artificial intelligence technology provided by ChatGPT maker OpenAI to strengthen and “personalize” the data.

Jonah Peretti claims in the document that AI will be among two significant developments establishing the future of digital media and the other being creators.

BuzzFeed
Image Source: nytimes.com

So, as per Peretti, BuzzFeed’s AI-influenced content will debut on the site in 2023 which will be improving the trivia experience, guide our pondering, and customize our information for the public. The Wall Street Journal broke the story about the memo.

“Our industry will expand beyond AI-powered curation (feeds), to AI-powered creation (content),” says Peretti. “AI opens up a new era of creativity, where creative humans like us play a key role in providing the ideas, cultural currency, inspired prompts, IP, and formats that come to life using the newest technologies.”

Source: theverge.com

AI could be utilized to create customized rom-com pitches for readers, according to one example cited by the Wall Street Journal but not mentioned in the memo. They would indeed be asked a variety of questions, along with private details such as naming an alluring flaw or picking a favorite rom-com trope, and the results would be universally accessible.

In the memo, Peretti stated that he’ll share a sneak peek of the material he’ll be introducing in February at an all-hands gathering later.

Also Read: Chrome Adds Fingerprint Unlock to Incognito Tabs on Android

When questioned if BuzzFeed was thinking about the use of AI in its news department, the firm’s, Matt Mittenthal, VP of communications, denied it and said they will be using OpenAI for sure.

The escalating ability of AI-based tools such as ChatGPT to compose prose has created the technology, appealing to media companies suffering from declining advertising rates. BuzzFeed, in specific, has experienced a bumpy market ride until coming out publicly in December 2021.

By June 2022, the firm’s stock price already had dropped 40 percent and has continued to drop since. Following the announcement, that BuzzFeed will use AI to create content, the company’s stock price had increased well over % at the moment of writing.