Archives January 2024

Apple’s new rules in the European Union will allow browsers like Firefox to use their engines on iOS. In iOS 17.4, Apple will no longer force browsers in the EU to use WebKit, which is the underlying engine that powers Safari.
The change will allow other popular engines, like Blink, which is used by Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge, as well as Gecko, the engine used by Firefox.The Cupertino-based tech giant will also enable third-party browsers to become fully functional on iPhone without any of the limitations that come along with WebKit.
However, Firefox browser owner Mozilla is still ‘not happy’ with Apple’s new rules.

What Mozilla said about Apple’s browser rules

In a statement to The Verge, Mozilla spokesperson Damiano DeMonte said it’s “extremely disappointed” with the way things turned out.

Mozilla argued that rolling out the changes only in the EU will make it more difficult for browsers to switch between different versions.
“Apple’s proposals fail to give consumers viable choices by making it as painful as possible for others to provide competitive alternatives to Safari. This is another example of Apple creating barriers to prevent true browser competition on iOS,” DeMonte added.

Other companies ‘not happy’ with Apple’s new rules

Apart from Mozilla, other developers have also criticised Apple’s new rules. These new rules also extend to game streaming apps, alternative app stores and sideloading.
Epic CEO Tim Sweeney called the new terms a “horror show,” while Spotify said the changes are a “farce.” Apple’s guidelines still need to be approved by the EU Commission.
In a statement, Apple replied that under the new rules, over 99% of the developers would pay the same or less.
The company said: “We’re happy to support the success of all developers — including Spotify, which has the most successful music streaming app in the world. The changes we’re sharing for apps in the European Union give developers choice — with new options to distribute iOS apps and process payments. Every developer can choose to stay on the same terms in place today.”
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Apple has announced a set of changes for the iPhone and its App Store that will take place in the European Union (EU). However, some developers have expressed their opposition to the changes, saying that it remains unjust. They argue that the proposed changes could violate the DMA. The European Union’s industry chief has stated that Apple could face severe consequences if it does not comply with the regulations regarding its App Store.
When asked about Apple’s plans, EU industry chief Thierry Breton told Reuters that the DMA aims to bring fairness and openness to digital markets by promoting competition.
When asked about Apple’s plans, the EU industry chief, Thierry Breton, stated to Reuters that the DMA (Digital Markets Act) would offer fair and open opportunities for competition in digital markets.
Under the Digital Markets Act (DMA), Apple is required to allow developers to distribute their apps to iPhones via alternative stores. And it also needs to let developers use third-party payment options. So, starting March 7, when the Digital Markets Act goes into effect, developers will be able to offer alternative app stores on iPhones and opt out of using Apple’s in-app payment system that charges commissions of up to 30%.
Breton says that change is already happening and that starting from March 7, companies’ [including Apple] proposals will be assessed with the feedback of third parties. “If the proposed solutions are not good enough, we will not hesitate to take strong action,” he added.
Even though Apple has opened up the iPhone to alternative marketplaces, it still requires developers to submit their apps for review. Apple says that this is to ensure the “best, most secure experience possible for EU users.” However, developers say otherwise.
Developers who opt into the new business terms will have to pay a “core technology fee” of 50 euro cents per user account per year. Apple estimates that most developers will maintain or reduce their fees, but larger developers may be more affected.
Some of the biggest critics of Apple, which includes Tim Sweeney, the CEO of Epic Games, have called out the iPhone-maker’s changes as “hot garbage,” though to note Epic has announced its app store coming to iPhone later this year.
Spotify, which is also benefiting from the changes since it will be able to take in-app payments on iPhones, says that Apple’s proposal is “a complete and total farce.” David Heinemeier Hansson, the co-founder of Basecamp, who has been at rift with Apple time and again, termed the new guidelines a “poison pill” that is designed to “ensure that no second-party app store ever takes off.”
In a statement to The Verge, Apple spokesperson Fred Sainz says the “ changes we’re sharing for apps in the European Union give developers choice — with new options to distribute iOS apps and process payments. Every developer can choose to stay on the same terms in place today. And under the new terms, more than 99% of developers would pay the same or less to Apple.”
The European Commission Commission says that it will have to say more about Apple’s changes when the Digital Markets Act goes into effect in March. The commission adds that gatekeepers, including Apple, should test their proposals with third parties and allow developers sufficient time to review the new guidelines.

Meta has reportedly reached out to India’s telecom regulator seeking assistance in addressing metaverse and AI-related issues. In a detailed written letter to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), the US-based tech giant has asked for the creation of regulatory sandboxes to bridge the regulatory gaps and develop a nurturing policy work for the growth of these newer technologies. Owned by Mark Zuckerberg, Meta is trying to integrate metaverse tech into social networking and virtual reality paradigms to make online experiences more immersive.

Reaching out to TRAI, Meta has insisted that India must promote dialogue between the policymakers and the industry stakeholders to ensure the constant growth of technologies like AI and the metaverse.

“To the extent that any novel or unique issues arise over time as the metaverse continues to evolve, we call upon the Indian policymakers to address any emerging legislative gaps on a case-by-case basis, using evidence-based policy development. Policymakers must recognise that these technologies are nascent and that many of the benefits and potential risks that experts predict will be raised by advances that are still to come,” a report quoted Meta’s submission to TRAI as saying.

In India, the regulatory framework to govern over the Web3 sector is currently in the making. It is, however, noteworthy that the primary focus of the Indian government presently is to ensure that cryptocurrencies do not disturb the national financial stability.

In the backdrop, Web3 elements like the metaverse and NFTs are lingering without a concrete classification – slumping the growth of related companies.

As per Meta, “…regulatory sandboxes with clear exit criteria can allow industry participants to offer products to limited numbers of consumers in a more controlled environment, or other experimental governance programs.”

To give a fresh twist to its family of apps and overall operations, Zuckerberg rebranded Facebook to Meta in September 2021. Despite this mega rebranding, Reality Labs, the metaverse-focussed division of Meta, lost a whopping $13.7 billion (roughly Rs. 1,12,200 crore) in 2022.

Despite clocking losses year after year, Zuckerberg remains firm on his prediction that the metaverse technology will evolve and see an adaption for day-to-day engagements.

Meta is now listing potential challenges that could obstruct the rise of technologies like metaverse and AI for daily use, which it feels must be discussed in tech-savvy nations like India.

“Like the Internet, the metaverse will not be limited to use from within defined, geographic parameters. The siloed nature of bordered approaches to regulation might impede interoperability and portability in the metaverse. Onerous requirements for local storage of data are already particularly challenging for smaller businesses and their cross-border activities,” Meta has told TRAI – hoping to convince the regulatory body to ignite discussions around these young technologies and solve issues.

As per Statista, it was estimated that the global metaverse market stood at $65.5 billion (roughly Rs. 5,44,035 crore) in 2022. In 2023, the market was expected to rise to $82 billion (roughly Rs. 6,81,082 crore) before surging to $936.6 billion (roughly Rs. 77,79,526 crore) by 2030.

Samsung Galaxy S24 preorders end tomorrow, which means you’re running out of time to get your hands on the limited-time-only promotions especially aimed at early adopters.

Right now, you can still get yourself a free storage upgrade across all three models at Samsung and other leading retailers. This might not sound like much, but you’re essentially saving at least $100 and securing a device that will likely have better trade-in value down the line. 

Honor Magic 6 series and Honor Magic V2 lineup are all set to hit the global market in February. The new handsets will be launched during the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2024 event in Barcelona, the Chinese company confirmed on Monday (January 29). The Honor Magic 6 and Honor Magic 6 Pro were introduced in China earlier this month. They run on MagicOS 8.0 skin based on Android 14 and are powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC. The Honor Magic V2 RSR is a Porsche Design branded version of the Magic V2 foldable phone.

The former subsidiary of Huawei took to X (previously Twitter) to announce the arrival of the new Honor Magic 6, Honor Magic 6 Pro, and Honor Magic V2 RSR smartphones at this year’s MWC event. As per the post, the handsets will launchon February 25 at 2:00pm CET (6:30pm IST) in Barcelona. The poster carries the tagline “discover the magic”.

Honor Magic 6 series and Honor Magic V2 RSR were first unveiled in the Chinese market earlier this month. Price of Honor Magic 6 starts at CNY 4,399 (roughly Rs. 50,000) for the 12GB + 256GB RAM and storage model. Meanwhile, the Honor Magic 6 Pro is priced at CNY 5,699 (roughly Rs. 65,000) for the base 12GB + 256GB model.

The new Magic 6 series smartphones run on MagicOS 8.0 skin based on Android 14 and are powered by Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC. They boast an LTPO OLED display and have triple rear cameras. A 180-megapixel periscope sensor headlines the rear camera unit of the Honor Magic 6 Pro, whereas the regular model features a 50-megapixel main sensor. The Honor Magic 6 packs a 5,450mAh battery while the Pro model has a 5,600mAh cell. Both models are IP68-rated for dust and water resistance.

The Honor Magic V2 RSR is a special version of the foldable smartphone with a distinct design from Porsche. The handset comes in Porsche Agate Grey shade and has 16GB of RAM and 1TB of storage. It is equipped with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC and packs a 5,000mAh battery with support for 66W wired charging. The foldable phone has a 6.43-inch cover display and a 7.92-inch inner display. It has a triple rear camera setup, led by a 50-megapixel primary shooter.

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Dozens of vulnerabilities have been discovered in vehicle charging systems, in-car entertainment technology and modem subsystems from some of the world’s biggest automotive suppliers, including Tesla. 

The vulnerabilities, which numbered almost 50 in total, were unearthed thanks to the Pwn2Own Automotive hacking competition, which took place during the Automotive World conference in Tokyo earlier this month.

Samsung Electronics will feature Baidu’s Ernie Bot as a key attraction of its new Galaxy S24 smartphone series in China.

The South Korean maker has pitched its latest handset family as the first of a wave of AI smartphones, and Baidu’s artificial intelligence tools will help with text summarization, organization and translation, Baidu said in a statement. It will also provide the backend support for Samsung’s “circle to search” feature, which is handled by Alphabet’s Google in other markets.

Google’s Android software provides the backbone for the majority of smartphones in China, but the company’s add-on mobile services and app store are not available, leaving it to local companies to fill gaps with alternatives like Tencent Holdings’s WeChat.

For Baidu, the Samsung deal marks a major adopter of its Ernie AI, one of the earliest and best efforts to create a Chinese challenger to OpenAI’s ChatGPT.

Samsung’s market share has crumbled in the world’s largest smartphone arena in past years to roughly 1-2 percent, crowded out by Apple’s iPhones as well as local brands from Xiaomi to Huawei Technologies. Showcasing Ernie prominently might appeal to its millions of existing users, as the Korean company safeguards its global presence and tries to pioneer a new mainstream category with foldables.

© 2024 Bloomberg LP

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Clearing your browser data is an important maintenance task that can enhance page loading times, safeguard your privacy, and resolve browser glitches. Given Chrome’s widespread global usage, it’s crucial for users to understand the correct method for clearing cache and cookies.

What is Cache?

Cache consists of temporary files stored by Chrome to expedite website loading during subsequent visits.These files encompass images, documents, and other media items acquired when you access a website.
Clearing the cache erases these temporary internet files, compelling Chrome to re-download all content upon revisiting the site.

What are Cookies?

Cookies are tiny text files generated by websites you visit to retain information about your preferences and browsing patterns. They assist websites in recalling details such as your login credentials, items in your shopping cart, or your settings.
When you clear cookies, you eliminate this tracking information, and you will be logged out of websites where you were previously signed in.

Why Should You Clear Cache and Cookies?

Below are several important reasons to clear your cache and cookies:

How to Clear Cache and Cookies on Desktop Chrome

Chrome will now remove your cached files and cookies. You might need to log back into websites and allow pages to re-download fresh files the next time you visit them.

How to Clear Cache and Cookies on Android

Chrome will proceed to remove the chosen cached files and cookies from your Android device. Similar to the desktop version, you may notice that pages need to re-download content during your next visit.

How to Clear Cache and Cookies on iPhone and iPad

Your iPhone or iPad’s Chrome browser will now remove the chosen cache files and cookies. After clearing this website data, you’ll need to log back into websites and wait for pages to reload with fresh content.

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