RIP Apple Car Project
Source

Apple internally disclosed on Tuesday, surprising the 2,000 employees working on the Apple Car Project codenamed "Project Titan" that it has been canceled!

These engineers have previously worked for NASA and developed racecars for Porsche.

Most engineers will now move to Apple's AI team & some will be laid off

The Apple Car has been in development since 2014 & Apple spent more than 10$ billion on this decade-long dream

Apple was targeting a 2028 release date for its electric car with a price of around $100,000
However, the executives were concerned that it would NOT be able to generate the profits that Apple typically enjoys from its iPhone sales

Apple car designers drew concepts for a car that would look like a Fiat Multipla 600
It would NOT have a steering wheel & would be controlled entirely by Siri 😂

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Apple cancelled its Micro-LED Display Plans on the Apple Watch Ultra

Apple has likely abandoned its plans of using Micro-LED Display on the Apple Watch Ultra, initially planned for release in 2025

Apple supplier AMS OSRAM announced it would "re-assess its Micro-LED strategy" after a "cornerstone project" was "unexpectedly cancelled."

Display Consultant Ross Young said that "an LTPS backplane is needed along with a way to transfer the MicroLEDs to the backplane."
These projects were also cancelled!

Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo also said that Apple has indeed canceled the project for the "foreseeable future." citing that microLED production costs are currently "too high" for the project to be "economically viable."

However, the Apple Leaker Mark Gurman is reporting that its FALSE news as OSRAM was just one of the suppliers and the watch is coming in few years

Micro-LED are highly expensive and are mostly used on transparent Laptops/TV or the VR Headsets

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Apple backtracks on removing iPhone web apps

Back in mid-February, Apple announced that iOS 17.4 would remove support for progressive web apps (PWA's) in Europe.

PWA's are websites you can add as a shortcut to your homescreen as an app but with added functionality like sending notifications & keeping your sign-in info.
They're based on Safari's WebKit engine.

But the EU's DMA forced Apple to allow 3rd-party browsers to use their own engines on iOS meaning that these PWAs could be based on any of those, instead of WebKit.

So Apple announced that it would REMOVE PWA's support in the European Region blaming the EU's DMA and arguing that it involves a lot of work & web apps' low user adoption

Apple also cited that malicious apps could read data, gain access to a user's camera, location blah blah blah

However, the decision back-fired at Apple by users & developers

So Apple has now changed its mind
However, Apple notes that homescreen apps will still “be built directly on WebKit

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Heads up: Users are reporting that the Google Messages app won't let them send or receive RCS messages if the OS is rooted or hasn't passed GMS certification (like most custom ROMs).

It seems that Google Messages has implemented Play Integrity API attestation checks, so be aware if you root your device or install a custom ROM, you may lose access to RCS in Google Messages.

More discussion here.

(Video by Reddit user joefuf).

Motorola Teases The Moto X50 Ultra

Motorola has teased that the Flagship X50 Ultra is coming to China and will have several AI-powered features as well

Lenovo is the official sponsored partner for Formula 1 racing

Moto X50 Ultra will be powered by Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC

Expected features:
4500mAh battery
125W wired + 50W wireless fast charging
e-SIM support
Vegan Leather Back

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JUST IN: The Pixel 8 Pro comes with UFS 4.0 storage

Google mentioned in the Pixel 8 Pro specifications that it comes with UFS 3.1 storage on BOTH, 128GB as well as 256GB storage variant

However, in reality, the 256GB storage comes with Kioxia UFS 4.0 storage and the 128GB comes with UFS 3.1

Google didn't mention it uses UFS 4.0 only because the controller in the Google Tensor G3 chip does NOT support UFS 4.0

But at the same time, Google did NOT cheap out on parts either and offered UFS 4.0 storage likely because the price difference between the UFS 3.1 and UFS 4.0 isn't that much and Google does NOT do cost-cutting on parts like Xiaomi

OnePlus on the other hand advertised the OnePlus 12R as having UFS 4.0 storage and the SoC in it even supports UFS 4.0 but in reality was offering UFS 3.1 storage

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The March 2024 Pixel Feature Drop is here, bringing new features to Pixel phones, the Pixel Tablet, and the first-gen Pixel Watch. Here’s what’s new:

Pixel phones:

1) Circle to Search is coming to the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro! This was previously exclusive to the Galaxy S24 series and the Pixel 8 series.

2) Next-gen Call Screen (Pixel 6 and newer) is adding a “hello” chip that gets the Google Assistant to prompt the caller to speak. This can be useful if the caller is silent. If you aren’t available, the Assistant will let the caller know to wait.

3) You can now share Ultra HDR photos to Instagram or 10-bit HDR videos to Reels from your Pixel phone (Pixel 7, 7 Pro, 8, 8 Pro, and Fold)!

Pixel Tablet:

1) Gboard’s new Voice Toolbar for tablets minimizes the digital keyboard when voice input is activated in order to optimize screen space.

Pixel phones and Pixel Tablet:

1) Android’s Connected Devices settings page now lets you access Bluetooth accessories you previously set up through Fast Pair (Pixel 5a and later)..

2) Google Docs Markups lets you add handwritten annotations to a document using only your finger or stylus. (This was announced last week at MWC 2024 and is available on any device running Android 8.0+).

Pixel Watch:

1) First-gen Pixel Watch is finally getting automatic workout detection! This works for running, walking, elliptical, spinning, outdoor biking, treadmill, and rowing.

2) You can now set a goal pace during an exercise with your first-gen Pixel Watch. This lets you know when you’re within your target and get notifications for when you fall outside of it.

3) You can now track the time you spend in each heart rate zone to optimize and guide your training on your first-gen Pixel Watch, and you can set up notifications to alert you when you move between zones.

4) Fitbit Relax App now guides you through breathing exercises to help you relax.

The update also brings Android 14 QPR2 with the March 2024 security patches. QPR2 introduces several new Android features including an expandable Bluetooth QS tile, faster seamless updates, partial screen recording and screen casting, a search bar in the taskbar’s app drawer, a revamped privacy indicator dialog, a new shortcut to share your Wi-Fi network, and other minor changes.

RIP Yuzu Emulator

Recently, Nintendo sued Yuzu, for “facilitating piracy at a colossal scale.”
Now, Yuzu has decided to settle the lawsuit

The Nintendo 3DS emulator, Citra is also DEAD

Nintendo wants Yuzu to:
• Pay $2.4 Million for damages
• Agree that Yuzu is “primarily designed to circumvent and play Nintendo Switch games.”
• Surrender the yuzu-emu.org domain name to Nintendo
• NOT delete any “evidence” that infringes Nintendo’s IP rights.
• Delete copies of Yuzu

Prohibit working on Yuzu, hosting Yuzu, distributing Yuzu’s code or features, hosting websites and social media that promote Yuzu

Agree to DELETE “all circumvention tools used for developing or using Yuzu—such as TegraRcmGUI, Hekate, Atmosphère, Lockpick_RCM, NDDumpTool, nxDumpFuse, and TegraExplorer,”

Handover any “physical circumvention devices” and “modified Nintendo hardware” to Nintendo.

So, Yuzu Shuts Down to Better Emulate the Video Game Industry
You will always be remembered 🙏🏻

F*CK YOURSELF NINTENDO!

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First Look at US President Joe Biden's iPhone mockup
~Designed by White House

Mod note: the most accurate iPhone 15S leak yet

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Nothing Phone 2a launched Globally

Nothing Phone 2a rear design has an NFC coil which is World's-FIRST with its 90° unibody cover wrapping around the edges

The back design takes inspiration from Massimo Vignelli’s New York subway map & comes in a plastic back cover instead of glass

Phone 2a Glyph lights come in 3 segments with 26 individually addressable zones

Specs:
• 6.7" FHD+ OLED display by Visionox & BOE
• 30~120Hz refresh rate
• 2160Hz PWM dimming
• HDR10+; 1.07 Billion colors
• 1300nits peak brightness
• Gorilla Glass 5

• MediaTek Dimensity 7200-Pro SoC
• LPDDR4X RAM; UFS 2.2 storage
• Upto 12GB Virtual RAM
• 3200mm² VC chamber

• 32MP front camera
• 50MP main (Samsung GN9, OIS) + 50MP UltraWide Dual rear camera

• 5000mAh battery; 45W fast charging
• In-display fingerprint
• Stereo speakers; Plastic Frame
• IP54 splash-resistant; Plastic Back
3OS + 4yrs SP

Pricing:
• 8GB+128GB= Rs. 24,000/ €329/ £319
• 8GB+256GB= Rs. 26,000 (India-ONLY)
• 12GB+256GB= Rs. 28,000/ €379/ £349

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