Tech Talk

Google next month will make its latest AI-powered photo editing feature available to all users of Google Photos on iOS, the company has announced . Magic Editor, which featured heavily in last year's Google Pixel 8 series marketing blitz, uses generative AI to perform complicated photo edits, such as filling in gaps in a photo, repositioning subjects, and additional foreground/background adjustments like making a cloudy, grey sky look blue. The edits mimic the kind of possibilities afforded by more professional editing tools like Photoshop, except Magic Editor achieves its automated results via AI, rather than the user having to do them manually. To editing tool debuted as one of the headline AI features on the company's flagship phone when it launched six months ago, and has since been exclusive to Google Pixel 8 owners and Google One subscribers. The tool will become available to all users of Google Photos starting May 15. Google Photos for iOS and Android will inclu

Apple on Wednesday sent threat notifications to users in 92 countries warning that they may have been targeted by mercenary spyware attacks, likely because of who they are or what they do. According to TechCrunch , Apple sent the alerts to the individuals at 12 p.m. Pacific Time, delivered via email and iMessage using the contact details associated with the user's Apple ID. A notification also appears at the top of the page if the user signs into appleid.apple.com . "Apple detected that you are being targeted by a mercenary spyware attack that is trying to remotely compromise the iPhone associated with your Apple ID -xxx-," the company wrote in the warning to affected customers. "We are unable to provide more information about what caused us to send you this notification, as that may help mercenary spyware attackers adapt their behavior to evade detection in the future." "This attack is likely targeting you specifically because of who you are or what

The touch-related bug that was known to be impacting the Apple Watch Series 9 and the Apple Watch Ultra 2 also affects the Apple Watch Series 7, Series 8, and Ultra 1, Apple said in a memo shared with Apple Authorized Service Providers. Service providers have been told not to replace watches for the ghost touch problem, instead instructing customers to fix the issue through a force restart . A force restart can be initiated by simultaneously holding down the side button and the Digital Crown for 10 seconds. AASPs have also been asked to make sure affected Apple Watches are running the latest version of watchOS. Apple first began looking into the touch-related problem affecting some Apple Watch models in February . At the time, it was a bug that had been seen on the Series 9 and the Ultra 2. Apple Watch owners were experiencing "false" or "ghost" touches on the display, which could cause the screen to "jump erratically" or exhibit unexpected behavio

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 192 includes fixes and updates for Authentication, CSS, Editing, JavaScript, Media, Rendering, Web API, and Web Extensions. 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.

Apple's iPhone 16 Plus may come in seven colors that either build upon the existing five colors in the standard iPhone 15 lineup or recast them in a new finish, based on a new rumor out of China. According to the Weibo-based leaker Fixed focus digital , Apple's upcoming larger 6.7-inch iPhone 16 Plus model will come in the following colors, compared to the colors currently available for the iPhone 15 Plus: iPhone 15 Plus (2023) iPhone 16 Plus (2024) Blue Blue Pink Pink Yellow Yellow Green Green Black Black – White – Purple The leaker did not provide any more context beyond the model name, so it is unclear if the alleged color options are exclusive in whole or in part to the iPhone 16 Plus, or whether they are set to be available across both the iPhone 16 and its larger equivalent. Given that the two models are expected to be identical apart from their size difference, the latter possibility seems most like

Apple's usual strategy of introducing a new mid-cycle iPhone color in the spring is unlikely to be replicated for the iPhone 15 this year, if a new rumor out of Asia is anything to go by. Apple usually introduces new ‌iPhone‌ color options in the spring to boost sales midway through the device's product cycle, keeping the device top-of-mind for consumers at a time when the next iPhone launch is still another six months away. Apple has used the tactic frequently in recent years. In 2017 and 2018, it released red mid-cycle versions of the iPhone 7 and iPhone 8 lines, respectively. Then in 2021, Apple added a purple color to the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 mini models for the spring season in late April. In March 2022, the iPhone 13 lineup received new green finishes, and in the same month last year, Apple released the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus in a new yellow color . Each new color launch has been accompanied by a significant ad campaign to attract new customers and upgrade

Automattic, the company behind popular web management system WordPress, has purchased Beeper and will absorb Beeper's 27 employees. Beeper made headlines back in December for Beeper Mini, an app that brought iMessage to Android devices . Beeper Mini used reverse engineered iMessage protocols and encryption, taking advantage of Apple's own iMessage servers to let Android users send "blue bubble" texts to iPhone users without an Apple ID . The app supported all iMessage functionality, including read receipts, typing indictors, reactions, and end-to-end encryption. Apple was not happy with Beeper Mini using its iMessage servers, and it blocked the Beeper Mini app . Beeper tried workarounds , but after suggesting Android users acquire a jailbroken ‌iPhone‌ to get the service to work, the company gave up on the idea . After Apple blocked Beeper Mini from working, both the FTC and the U.S. Department of Justice met with Beeper CEO Eric Migicovsky . Beeper Mini was