Innholdsfortegnelse for #742 i Techlife News

The U.S. Department of Defense has confirmed plans to incorporate the Grok artificial intelligence chatbot, developed by xAI, into parts of its internal technology environment. The decision places Grok alongside existing AI systems already in use across defense networks, including tools developed by Google, as the Pentagon continues to expand its use of artificial intelligence for analysis, logistics, and operational support. The announcement comes amid heightened global scrutiny of AI tools deployed by governments, particularly those linked to private companies led by high-profile figures such as Elon Musk. U.S. officials have framed the move as part of a broader effort to diversify AI capabilities rather than rely on a single provider or model architecture. HOW GROK FITS INTO PENTAGON AI STRATEGY Defense officials have indicated that Grok will not replace…

U.S. automakers are increasingly redirecting capital and manufacturing capacity toward energy storage, entering a business where Tesla already has a long operational lead. The shift comes as growth in electric vehicle adoption has slowed from earlier projections, leaving battery factories built for EVs underutilized and prompting manufacturers to search for alternative demand for large-scale battery production. Energy storage systems rely on many of the same core technologies as electric vehicle batteries, but they serve a different market. Instead of powering vehicles, these systems store electricity for homes, businesses, and utilities, helping manage grid stability, peak demand, and backup power. As electricity usage begins rising again in the United States after years of stagnation, automakers see storage as a way to repurpose existing investments while participating in a sector tied to…

Apple has warned that a large share of iPhone users remain exposed to sophisticated spyware attacks because they have not upgraded to the latest version of iOS. According to the company, roughly half of eligible iPhones worldwide are still running older software, leaving hundreds of millions of devices without recent security protections designed to block so-called mercenary spyware. These tools are not typical consumer malware. They are usually developed by specialized vendors and deployed in targeted campaigns that exploit previously unknown vulnerabilities to gain deep access to devices. Once installed, spyware can read messages, track location data, activate microphones or cameras, and extract sensitive information without the user’s awareness. WHAT MAKES MERCENARY SPYWARE DIFFERENT Unlike common scams or malicious apps, mercenary spyware is engineered to operate silently and with elevated…

Apple has launched Apple Creator Studio, a new bundled subscription that brings together its professional creative software across Mac and iPad for $12.99 per month or $129 per year. The package, now available on the App Store with a one-month free trial, represents Apple’s most direct attempt yet to consolidate its creator-focused apps into a single commercial offering. The launch follows a year in which Apple’s services business posted record results, with the company reporting $109 billion in annual services revenue. Creator Studio is positioned as part of that broader strategy, aimed at expanding adoption of Apple’s pro software while reducing the upfront cost traditionally associated with creative tools. WHAT’S INCLUDED IN APPLE CREATOR STUDIO Apple Creator Studio combines several of Apple’s flagship professional applications under one subscription. On both…

Apple is preparing to enter a new phase of its silicon strategy with the development of proprietary AI server processors, according to supply-chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. The chips are expected to enter mass production as early as the second half of this year, marking Apple’s first serious move into custom silicon designed specifically for data-center and AI workloads rather than consumer devices. While Apple has spent more than a decade refining in-house processors for iPhones, iPads, and Macs, server-class silicon represents a different category altogether. These chips are intended to power Apple’s internal AI infrastructure, supporting services such as Apple Intelligence, Siri, on-device model training coordination, and private cloud compute workloads. HOW APPLE’S SERVER CHIPS DIFFER FROM M-SERIES PROCESSORS Apple’s existing M-series chips are optimized for energy efficiency and high…

Idris Elba has described his character Sam Nelson as a “shell of a man” in the upcoming second season of Hijack, signaling a darker and more psychologically complex chapter for the Apple TV thriller. The new season premieres January 14 on Apple TV and shifts the action from the confines of an aircraft to the underground rail system of Berlin. Elba, who also serves as an executive producer on the series, said the events of the first season have left lasting damage on Sam, fundamentally altering how he approaches danger, responsibility, and survival. A CHARACTER SHAPED BY TRAUMA In season one, Sam Nelson was portrayed as a capable corporate negotiator thrust into an extreme hostage situation midair. While he emerged alive, Elba said the experience did not leave the character…

Apple has steadily expanded airline support for an iPhone feature designed to help travelers recover lost or delayed luggage, and the list of participating carriers has now grown to 36 worldwide. The capability is built into the Find My network and works with AirTag-equipped bags running iOS 18.2 or later. The feature allows passengers to temporarily share the live location of a tracked item with airline staff, giving baggage teams direct visibility into where a bag is within an airport system or beyond. Apple says the functionality was designed to integrate with existing airline baggage workflows rather than replace them. HOW THE SHARE ITEM LOCATION FEATURE WORKS Within the Find My app, iPhone users can generate a secure, time-limited sharing link for an AirTag or compatible tracker placed inside checked…

NASA and the U.S. Department of Energy have formalized plans to deploy nuclear fission power systems on the Moon by the end of the decade, a move intended to support long-duration lunar missions and lay groundwork for future exploration beyond Earth orbit. The agencies confirmed this week that they have signed a memorandum of understanding outlining cooperation on space-based nuclear power systems, including reactors designed for use on the lunar surface and potentially in orbit. The initiative reflects growing recognition that traditional power sources, particularly solar, face severe limitations on the Moon. Lunar nights last roughly 14 Earth days, creating long periods without sunlight and complicating sustained scientific operations, habitation, and infrastructure development. Nuclear power is being positioned as a way to provide uninterrupted energy regardless of lighting conditions or…

Apple and Alphabet have confirmed a multiyear agreement that will see Google’s Gemini models used as a core foundation for Apple’s next generation of artificial intelligence features. Under the arrangement, Gemini technology will support Apple Foundation Models that power Siri and Apple Intelligence, marking one of the most significant AI partnerships between the two long-time rivals. According to people familiar with the deal, Apple will pay roughly $1 billion per year for access to Gemini models. Financial terms have not been publicly detailed by either company, and both sides emphasized that the agreement is non-exclusive. GEMINI BECOMES A BACKBONE FOR APPLE INTELLIGENCE Apple and Google said the decision followed months of internal evaluation of multiple large language model providers. In a joint statement cited in reports, the companies said Apple…

Apple has long seen payments as more than simple transactions, instead treating them as a way to rethink everyday financial life. Six years after launching Apple Card, the minimalist titanium card that removed annual fees, late charges, and foreign transaction fees, Apple is changing course again. The company announced that JPMorgan Chase, the largest bank in the US by assets, will replace Goldman Sachs as the card’s issuer, bringing greater scale, deeper innovation, and access to a $20 billion cardholder portfolio. CHASE APPLE CARD The timing feels prescient. Digital payments, once the Wild West of QR codes and clunky apps, have matured into a $10 trillion global behemoth by 2025, per McKinsey estimates, with contactless taps and embedded finance blurring the lines between banking and everyday commerce. Yet cracks have…

Apple closed 2025 with what the company described as its strongest year yet for services, according to a statement released Monday and comments from Eddy Cue, senior vice president of Services. The update covered performance across Apple’s growing portfolio, including Apple Music, Apple TV, Apple Pay, the App Store, and Apple Fitness+, while also outlining how the company is positioning the division for 2026. Apple did not release a single aggregate revenue figure for individual services, but said multiple platforms reached new highs in users, engagement, or transaction volume. Cue framed the results as the product of broader distribution, deeper integration across Apple devices, and gradual expansion into new markets rather than short-term promotional pushes. STREAMING GAINS ACROSS APPLE MUSIC AND APPLE TV Apple said both Apple Music and Apple…

Apple strengthened its position at the top of the global smartphone market in 2025, while Google continued to expand the reach of its Pixel lineup at a pace that outstripped the broader industry. New data from Counterpoint Research shows Apple increasing its global smartphone market share to 20%, overtaking Samsung at 19%, as Pixel shipments rose 25% year over year from a much smaller base. The figures reflect a year in which premium smartphones regained momentum after a period of demand softness, while mid-range and regionally focused devices found growth through targeted distribution and longer product cycles. Apple’s gains were driven primarily by sustained demand for the iPhone 17 lineup and continued sales of the iPhone 16 series, while Google’s Pixel growth came from deeper penetration in select markets rather…

Apple has announced that Pixelmator Pro is coming to iPad, marking the first significant product expansion since Apple acquired the Pixelmator team. The move brings one of macOS’s most established professional image-editing tools to iPad for the first time and aligns with Apple’s broader push around the Apple Creator Studio initiative. Pixelmator Pro has long been positioned as a lightweight but powerful alternative to traditional desktop photo editors, particularly on Mac. Its arrival on iPad signals Apple’s intent to further blur the line between desktop-class creative workflows and touch-first hardware. WHAT PIXELMATOR PRO BRINGS TO IPAD Pixelmator Pro on iPad is expected to retain the core feature set that made the Mac version popular among designers, photographers, and illustrators. That includes non-destructive editing, advanced color correction, machine-learning-powered tools, and support…

Tesla has confirmed that its lithium refinery in Texas is now operational, marking the company’s first facility of its kind dedicated to refining battery-grade lithium in the United States. The project is intended to support Tesla’s battery production plans while reducing dependence on overseas processing of critical minerals. The company shared details of the facility through a video posted on its official North America account on X, describing the refinery as a step toward regionalizing access to battery materials. Tesla has said the project is designed to create local jobs, lower emissions tied to long-distance transport, and strengthen domestic supply chains for electric vehicle production. ROLE OF LITHIUM IN TESLA’S BATTERY STRATEGY Lithium is a core component in most modern electric vehicle batteries, and while the United States has lithium…

OpenAI is reportedly working on a pair of AI-powered earbuds that could place the company in direct competition with Apple and its AirPods lineup. According to details circulating from supply-chain and product-design leaks cited by Firstpost, the project is internally referred to as Sweetpea and is being developed as part of OpenAI’s broader push into consumer hardware. The reported effort follows OpenAI’s public confirmation that it is collaborating with former Apple design chief Jony Iveon new AI-focused devices. While neither OpenAI nor Ive has confirmed plans for earbuds specifically, the leak adds concrete details that suggest audio hardware could be among the first consumer products to emerge from that partnership. CONTEXT: OPENAI’S HARDWARE AMBITIONS OpenAI’s interest in hardware became explicit in 2025, when CEO Sam Altman said the company was…

JPMorgan Chase reported fourth-quarter results that came in ahead of analysts’ expectations, driven by a strong performance in trading, even as headline profit declined from a year earlier due to a sizable reserve tied to the Apple Card business. The bank said quarterly net income totaled $13 billion, or $4.63 per share, compared with $14 billion, or $4.81 per share, in the same period last year. Despite the year-over-year dip, results exceeded market forecasts, reflecting continued strength in markets activity during a volatile end to the year. TRADING REVENUE DRIVES OUTPERFORMANCE JPMorgan’s markets division was a central contributor to the earnings beat. Revenue from trading rose 17% compared with the prior year, as heightened volatility across interest rates, currencies, equities, and commodities boosted client activity. Executives pointed to increased hedging…

Elon Musk has outlined a series of predictions about how artificial intelligence and robotics could reshape work, healthcare, and economic structures over the coming years. Speaking in recent interviews and public forums, Musk argued that rapid advances in AI systems and physical robotics are accelerating toward a point where many assumptions about careers, productivity, and retirement may no longer hold. His comments come amid growing adoption of large language models, industrial automation, and autonomous systems across manufacturing, logistics, healthcare, and software development. While Musk’s views often attract attention for their scale and speed, they reflect broader debates already taking place among policymakers, economists, and technologists. ROBOT SURGEONS AND THE FUTURE OF MEDICAL PRACTICE One of Musk’s most striking claims is that robot-assisted surgery could surpass human surgeons in routine procedures…

Apple says Apple Podcasts reached its largest audience ever during 2025, according to newly published performance updates across the company’s services business. The milestone comes nearly two decades after Apple helped bring podcasting into the mainstream, and it arrives at a moment when the audio medium is both more competitive and more diversified than at any point in its history. Apple did not release absolute listener figures, but it confirmed that active devices, listening time, and overall engagement all increased year over year. The company also indicated that growth was geographically broad, with gains recorded across multiple international markets rather than being concentrated primarily in the United States. FROM ITUNES EXPERIMENT TO GLOBAL PODCAST PLATFORM Apple’s relationship with podcasting dates back to 2005, when the company added podcast support to…

Alphabet crossed the $4 trillion market capitalization threshold this week, becoming the latest technology company to reach the milestone alongside Nvidia, Microsoft, and Apple. The move followed a prolonged rally in Alphabet’s shares, which gained roughly 65% over the course of 2025 as investors responded to accelerating growth in artificial intelligence products and cloud services. The valuation milestone places Alphabet among a small group of companies whose market value reflects not only current earnings but also expectations that AI-related investments will continue to translate into long-term revenue expansion. Alphabet shares rose again at the start of the week after confirmation of a multi-year AI partnership with Apple, briefly allowing Alphabet to overtake Apple in market capitalization for the first time since 2019. AI AND CLOUD DRIVE INVESTOR CONFIDENCE Alphabet’s stock…