Tech Digest daily roundup: Apple warns it could shut down apps rather than break encryption
Apple has warned Suella Braverman that it would shut down apps such as FaceTime and iMessage in the UK rather than comply with an order to break encryption. The iPhone maker has told the Home Office that it would refuse to build a secret backdoor into its apps as it labelled government plans to extend its surveillance powers “deeply troubling”. “[The existing law] could be used to force a company like Apple, that would never build a backdoor, to publicly withdraw critical security features from the UK market, depriving UK users of these protections,” it said in a response to a Home Office consultation. Telegraph
Bad news for people waiting to get their hands on the iPhone 15, as the launch of the next smartphone could be delayed by up to a month. Apple usually unveils its new flagship iPhone range in September and makes the new devices available for purchase a few days later. But, this year, the tradition could reportedly be pushed back due to manufacturing issues. The claims come from Wamsi Mohan, a Global Research Analyst for Bank of America. In an investor note obtained by financial news site Barron’s, Mohan predicts the iPhone 15 will come out in October. Daily Mail
Artificial Intelligence will lead to more jobs in the video game industry, one of the bodies representing games developers has told the BBC. Dr Richard Wilson, boss of TIGA, says AI will “reduce the cost of making games and speed up the process”. Video games have been using forms of artificial intelligence for decades. But use of the latest technology in games creation is concerning some who worry that it could cost jobs and create legal issues for studios. BBC
Over the past few weeks I have been using GPT-4 to help me cook. Need a substitute for an ingredient you forgot to buy? GPT can suggest an alternative. Time to clear out the cupboards? Simply type: “Please create a recipe using two eggs, a jar of borlotti beans, a potato, a leek, and the scrapings on the bottom of a jar of pickle.” I’m always polite, and so is GPT. It thinks for a moment – then whips up the instructions for an unusual but edible hash and even wishes me bon appétit. But that’s not all it can do. The Guardian
While availability will vary, a trio of very popular and/or useful apps is coming to the Samsung Galaxy Watch wearables, including Samsung Wallet, Thermo Check, and WhatsApp. While the first and the last apps mentioned above need no introduction, Thermo Check – which will launch with the next-gen Galaxy Watch devices scheduled next Wednesday – will be able to measure temperatures without physical contact, so the user can check the temperature of surrounding objects, including the meal on their plates and the water in the pool. Notebook Check
Tesla has shared a new look of its upcoming Cybertruck vehicle – almost four years after it was announced. The unusual looking electric pick-up truck, first unveiled back in 2019, is nearing full production – and company boss Elon Musk has said deliveries should begin by the end of the year. He provided the update during the carmaker’s second-quarter earnings call, where images were shared of the Cybertruck being built at a factory in Texas. Sky News
