Apple Finally Supports RCS in iOS 18 Update
Apple has finally added support for Rich Communication Services (RCS) to Messages as part of the second developer beta of iOS 18. Until now, iPhone users could only send SMS or MMS messages from the Messages app to people who didn’t have an Apple device. Now, users can share high-quality images and get read receipts and typing indicators while messaging with Android users, although text bubbles are still green.
In other news, OpenAI is delaying the release of its new Voice Mode. The company had planned to start rolling out advanced Voice Mode in alpha to a small group of ChatGPT Plus users in late June but said that lingering issues forced it to postpone the launch to sometime in July. Depending on internal safety and reliability checks, Advanced Voice Mode might not launch for all ChatGPT Plus customers until the fall.
The FCC proposed an easier way for consumers to unlock their phones from their carriers, suggesting that all devices must be unlockable just 60 days after purchase. The rule would potentially allow phones to work with different mobile networks after that time period, but it may run afoul of today’s phone and wireless markets.
News
OpenAI releases ChatGPT for Mac: ChatGPT is now available to all macOS users via a new app. Mac users can quickly call up ChatGPT by using the keyboard combination of Option + Space after installing the new app. Read more
Apple reportedly won’t integrate Meta’s AI models after all: Days after reports emerged that Apple and Meta were in talks to integrate the latter’s AI models, a new report says Apple shelved the idea over privacy concerns. Read more
Waymo ditches its waitlist in San Francisco: Waymo announced that now anyone can download its app and immediately hail a robotaxi in San Francisco, removing the final obstacle for customers keen to use the self-driving technology. Read more
Zuckerberg disses “closed” AI: In a new interview, the Meta CEO said he doesn’t believe there will be “just one AI” and emphasized the importance of open source AI. Zuckerberg also said closed source AI competitors are trying to “create God.” Read more
Andrew Ng’s AI Fund wants to raise a lot of cash: According to a new SEC filing, Andrew Ng’s AI Fund plans to raise upward of $120 million for its second effort. The startup incubator backs small teams of experts looking to solve key problems using AI. Read more
Gemini AI comes to Gmail: Google is rolling out a Gemini AI side panel in Gmail to help you draft emails and find information from your inbox. The Gemini side panel will also be available in Docs, Sheets, Slides, and Drive. Read more
OpenAI continues its M&A tear: OpenAI has acquired Multi, a startup developing an enterprise-focused, video-first collaboration platform. A source familiar with the matter tells us that most of Multi’s team will join OpenAI following the deal’s close. Read more
An eerie smiling robot with living skin: Will robots ever have living, human skin? Researchers at the University of Tokyo and Harvard have been exploring the question — and they’ve come up with some pretty unsettling results. Read more
Meta’s chatbots head to India: After a few months of testing during the general elections, Meta is making its Llama 3-powered AI chatbot available to all users in India. But Meta AI currently only supports English. Read more
Prosus zeroes out its stake in Byju’s: One of Byju’s largest investors said its once-$2.1 billion stake in the Indian edtech startup is now worth nothing. However, Prosus is still hopeful that Byju’s can be salvaged. Read more
Analysis
Silicon Valley is being weird about DEI again: DEI has become incredibly divisive. A prime example of the tension is the conversation sparked by startup Scale AI founder Alexandr Wang, in which he discussed moving away from DEI to instead embrace “MEI” — merit, excellence, and intelligence. But according to the data, a “meritocracy” is not better than DEI. Read more
What Ayana Parsons’ resignation means: Fearless Fund’s co-founder Ayana Parsons is stepping down. The announcement follows continued legal trouble and the pendulum swing in tech that has resulted in increased anti-DEI sentiment. Read more
Following raft of consumer complaints, Shein and Temu face early EU scrutiny of DSA compliance
Ultra-low-cost e-commerce giants Shein and Temu have only recently been confirmed as subject to centralized enforcement of the strictest layer of the European Union’s digital services regulation, the Digital Services Act.
Cold shipping might be the next industry that batteries disrupt
Artyc has raised $14 million to date and has a product on the market, Medstow Micro, that helps ship temperature-sensitive specimens.
Elevate your 2025 fundraising strategy at Disrupt 2024
Get ready to unlock the secrets of successful fundraising in the upcoming year at Disrupt 2024. Our featured session, “How to Raise in 2025 if You’ve Taken a Flat, Down,…
Remote access giant TeamViewer says Russian spies hacked its corporate network
The remote access giant linked the cyberattack to government-backed hackers working for Russian intelligence, known as APT29.
Here are the hottest product announcements from Apple, Google, Microsoft and others so far in 2024
We’ve poked through the many product announcements made by the biggest tech companies and product trade shows of the year, so far, and compiled them into this list.
Feather raises €6M to go Pan-European with its insurance platform for expats
As a foreigner, navigating health insurance systems can often be difficult. German startup Feather thinks it has a solution and raised €6 million to help some of the 40-plus million…
Rohlik rolls up $170M to expand in European grocery delivery and sell its tech to others
The salad days of fresh grocery delivery startups are over, but those that have stayed the course, and built businesses that are seeing gains, are still here and hungry for…
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