Tech Talk

Apple's next-generation 12.9-inch iPad Pro will revert to an LCD display instead of adopting OLED panel technology, claims a controversial new report coming out of Asia. It has been widely reported that Apple's next iPad Pro models will be the first Apple tablets to debut superior OLED panels, with rumors suggesting they will begin shipping around the middle of next year . That's not necessarily the case, according to a confusing new DigiTimes report. The Taiwan-based outlet now claims Apple will in fact revert to using LCD backlighting for its upcoming 12.9-inch iPad Pro model, putting it on par with the existing 11-inch model. The current 12.9-inch iPad Pro features a mini-LED display that Apple calls a "Liquid Retina XDR display," while the 11-inch variant uses an inferior LCD-based "Liquid Retina Display." The report alleges that the high production cost of using mini-LED backlights in the 12.9-inch iPad Pro has been a "hurdle for broade

With the explosive popularity of generative AI tools like ChatGPT, there have been rumors that Apple is working on its own AI product, and that some kind of "Apple GPT" artificial intelligence bot could launch in the future. This guide highlights everything we know about Apple's experiments with AI, and it will be updated regularly as new rumors come out. Internal Testing and Development Apple's AI chief John Giannandrea is leading development on large language models within Apple, and Giannandrea reports directly to Apple CEO Tim Cook . Giannandrea established a team that works on conversational AI four years ago, and work has since ramped up. For the last several months, Apple has been testing an "Apple GPT" rival that could compete with ChatGPT. According to Bloomberg 's Mark Gurman , work on AI is a priority for Apple, with the company designing an "Ajax" framework for large language models. Apple has an internal chatbot that s

Netflix today said that it is increasing the cost of some of its subscription plans in the United States, the UK, and France. Prices will be going up for the Basic and Premium plans in those three countries. In the United States, the price of the Basic plan will increase from $9.99 to $11.99 per month, while the price of the Premium plan will increase from $19.99 to $22.99 per month. The ad-supported tier price will remain the same at $6.99 per month, as will the $15.49/month Standard plan. Netflix no longer offers the Basic plan to new subscribers in the United States, but prices will presumably increase for existing subscribers. The Premium Netflix plan is the only plan that provides access to 4K video streaming and spatial audio. The $15.49 Standard plan and the ad-supported plan are limited to 1080p. Netflix announced the price hikes in its earnings call for the third quarter of 2023 [ PDF ], which took place today. Netflix said that it added 8.8 million new subscribers, u

Apple today released a new update for Safari Technology Preview , the experimental browser Apple first introduced in March 2016. Apple designed the ‌Safari Technology Preview‌ to test features that may be introduced into future release versions of Safari. ‌Safari Technology Preview‌ 181 includes fixes and updates for CSS, HTML, JavaScript, Media, Rendering, and SVG. The current ‌Safari Technology Preview‌ release is compatible with machines running macOS Ventura and macOS Sonoma , the latest version of macOS that Apple released in September 2023. The ‌Safari Technology Preview‌ update is available through the Software Update mechanism in System Preferences or System Settings to anyone who has downloaded the browser . Full release notes for the update are available on the Safari Technology Preview website . Apple's aim with ‌Safari Technology Preview‌ is to gather feedback from developers and users on its browser development process. ‌Safari Technology Preview‌ can run si

Google today shared some information on updates that it is making to the address bar (or search bar) on mobile devices and the web, with these updates aimed at making it easier to find the website that you're looking for. When you make a typo when putting in a URL, Chrome can detect the typo and show you suggestions of the site you might actually want to visit based on your previously visited websites. Chrome is also smarter at autocompleting URLs, filling in suggestions based on sites you've visited in the past. If, for example, you have visited https://ift.tt/Fr5NS0Q in the past, just typing in "flights" will see Google bringing that website up as a suggestion to visit. The typo correction features are available now on the desktop and on iOS, while the autocompletion update is limited to the desktop for now. Chrome now allows you to search within your bookmark folders from the address bar, and it will suggest highly popular sites even if you've never vis

Apple's rumored foldable iPad is now in "intensive development" and could be announced as soon as late 2024, according to DigiTimes . In a paywalled report that cites supply chain sources, ‌DigiTimes‌ outlines how Apple is now working with suppliers on foldable ‌iPad‌ development, ahead of small-scale production scheduled for the end of 2024. The Taiwanese publication believes that this indicates Apple could announce the device in late 2024 or early 2025 if progress remains steady. Apple has apparently been working on foldable products for four years and continuously made design changes in this time, planning to release a foldable ‌iPad‌ before working on a foldable iPhone . Apple chose to focus on the ‌iPad‌ because it makes up a comparatively small proportion of the company's sales, meaning that potential issues are easier to manage and less impactful. The company has reportedly not yet finalized the design of the foldable ‌iPad‌. Initially, Apple's pr

MacBook sales have dropped significantly amid Apple's decision to launch no new Macs for the remainder of 2023, Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reports. In a new post on Medium , Kuo claimed that MacBook sales as a whole are expected to be around 30% lower this year compared to 2022, reducing to about 17 million units. He highlighted that demand for the 15-inch MacBook Air has dropped substantially following the end of the back-to-school period, revising shipment forecasts down by approximately 20% or more. In September, Kuo reported that Apple is unlikely to release any new MacBook models with the M3 chip this year. With no new product launches for the rest of 2023, Kuo now expects MacBook shipment momentum to be significantly lower than in previous seasons. He added that declining work-from-home demand and the waning appeal of Apple silicon and mini-LED displays are also driving MacBook sales down. Kuo believes that one reason for Apple choosing to withhold the