Apple's "gone full Android"

TechLinked
13 Mar 202409:47

TLDRApple will enable sideloading of apps in the EU this spring, allowing users to download apps directly from developers' websites, albeit with strict requirements and fees. The EU AI Act aims to limit the use of biometrics by law enforcement and impose stricter AI regulations. Meanwhile, the US government warns of existential threats from AI and the tech world reacts to various developments, from AI text-to-video generators to privacy concerns with Airbnb's policy on security cameras.

Takeaways

  • 📱 Apple will allow sideloading of apps in the European Union, enabling direct downloads from developers' websites.
  • 🔒 To be eligible for sideloading, developers must be part of the Apple Developer Program as an EU organization for over 2 years, submit apps through Apple's notarization process, and have an app installed over 1 million times on iOS in the EU.
  • 💶 Developers must pay a 'core technology fee' of €0.50 per subsequent install after meeting the eligibility criteria for sideloading.
  • 🚫 The EU AI Act has been adopted, limiting law enforcement's use of biometrics and prohibiting AI-enabled social scoring and emotion recognition systems in workplaces.
  • 📈 The EU AI Act has faced criticism for potentially disadvantaging European AI firms compared to American companies in development and funding.
  • 🎥 Sora CTO Mira Muradi announced that the text-to-video generator, Sora, will be available to the public this year, with future capabilities to generate audio and limited nudity.
  • 🚨 A US government-commissioned report warns of serious security risks and potential extinction-level threats posed by AI, urging immediate action.
  • 🤔 Social media users speculated about Kate Middleton's whereabouts after a significantly edited Mother's Day photo was released.
  • 🏎️ Apple's canceled electric vehicle project was reportedly a minivan, with an AI brain as powerful as four M2 Ultra chips combined.
  • 📈 Insurance premiums may increase for drivers due to tracking features in connected car apps, which sell driving data to third parties.
  • 📹 Airbnb will ban indoor security cameras in rentals starting April 30th, in response to past abuses of the previous policy.

Q & A

  • What is Apple's new policy regarding app sideloading in the European Union?

    -Apple will allow sideloading of apps in the European Union later this spring, which means users can download apps directly from developers' websites instead of only through the App Store.

  • What are the requirements for developers to be eligible for sideloading apps on iOS in the EU?

    -To be eligible for sideloading, developers must be enrolled in the Apple Developer Program as an EU organization in good standing for at least 2 years, submit their apps through Apple's notarization process, and have one of their apps installed more than 1 million times on iOS in the EU. Additionally, there is a core technology fee of €0.50 per subsequent install.

  • What does the EU AI Act aim to limit in terms of law enforcement's use of biometrics?

    -The EU AI Act limits law enforcement's use of biometrics and prohibits AI-enabled social scoring, exploitative behavioral engineering, and emotion recognition systems at work or school.

  • What are some criticisms of the EU AI Act within Europe?

    -Some critics within Europe argue that the EU AI Act goes too far, potentially placing European AI firms at a disadvantage compared to American rivals in development, raising capital, and possibly destroying civilization as we know it.

  • What is the expected timeline for the full implementation of the EU AI Act's new provisions?

    -The new provisions of the EU AI Act will be rolled out in phases over the next 2 years to give companies time to come into compliance.

  • What was the controversy surrounding a Mother's Day image of Kate Middleton?

    -A Mother's Day image of Kate Middleton was found to have been significantly edited, including a disappearing sleeve and a zipper that splits into two, leading to speculation that the photo was entirely AI-fabricated or that her face was photoshopped over a stand-in.

  • How did the royal family explain the edited Mother's Day photo?

    -The royal family claimed that the photo was edited using a 2022 version of Photoshop from before AI features were added, and apparently, Princess Kate took responsibility for the poor Photoshop job.

  • What is Grammarly's role in assisting professionals with writing?

    -Grammarly is an AI writing partner that helps professionals write better and faster by generating ideas, making outlines, and providing helpful tips for improving writing.

  • What is the Tiny Box, and what is its significance in the AI server market?

    -The Tiny Box is an AI server developed by George Hotz's company, the tiny Corp, powered by RX700 XTX GPUs. It is significant because it represents an alternative in the AI server market, potentially challenging Nvidia's dominance.

  • What was the rumored design of Apple's canceled electric vehicle project?

    -Apple's canceled electric vehicle project was rumored to be a minivan, and the Apple silicon team was involved in designing an AI brain for the vehicle that was as powerful as four M2 Ultra chips combined.

  • What is Airbnb's new policy on indoor security cameras in rentals?

    -Airbnb will start banning the use of indoor security cameras inside rentals starting April 30th, following past abuses despite a previous policy that tried to restrict camera use.

  • What is the risk of Inception attacks on virtual reality headsets like the Quest and Vision Pro?

    -Inception attacks on VR headsets like the Quest and Vision Pro could allow a hacker on the same Wi-Fi network to control the user's VR environment and manipulate interactions with other users, potentially becoming a serious risk as these headsets are used in more professional applications.

Outlines

00:00

📱 Apple's Sideloading Policy and EU Regulations

Apple will allow sideloading of apps in the European Union, enabling users to download apps directly from developers' websites. This change is in response to the EU's digital markets act. To be eligible, developers must be part of the Apple developer program as an EU organization for at least two years, submit apps through Apple's notarization process, and have one app installed over 1 million times on iOS in the EU. This last requirement sets a threshold for the 'core technology fee,' with each subsequent install costing €0.50. The policy also includes several other requirements and is expected to be fully implemented over the next two years.

05:01

🤖 EU AI Act and its Implications

The European Parliament has adopted the EU AI Act, which restricts law enforcement's use of biometrics and prohibits AI-enabled social scoring, exploitative behavioral engineering, and emotion recognition systems in workplaces or schools. The act also mandates stricter scrutiny and transparency requirements for AI systems based on their potential risks to society and users. Critics argue that the act may disadvantage European AI firms compared to American companies. The new provisions will be rolled out in phases over two years to allow companies to comply.

🌐 AI and Security Concerns

A US government-commissioned report warns of serious security risks and potential extinction-level threats to humanity posed by AI. It calls for immediate and decisive action to avert these dangers. Meanwhile, social media users have been speculating about the Duchess of Cambridge's whereabouts, following a manipulated Mother's Day image posted on Instagram. The photo's metadata reveals it was edited using an older version of Photoshop, leading to speculation about the use of AI fabrication or Photoshopping over a stand-in.

🚗 Tech Quick Bits

Nvidia's dominance in the AI accelerator market is challenged by alternatives like the Tiny Box, an AI server by George Hotz's company, and Grayskull AI accelerator cards by Jim Keller's company. Apple's canceled electric vehicle project is revealed to have been a minivan with an AI brain as powerful as four M2 Ultra chips combined. Car drivers face increased insurance premiums due to tracking features in connected car apps, with some manufacturers selling driving data to data brokerage firms. Airbnb will ban indoor security cameras in rentals starting April 30th. Researchers warn that VR headsets might be vulnerable to 'Inception' attacks, where hackers can control users' VR environments.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Side loading

Side loading refers to the process of installing applications on a device from sources outside the official app store. In the context of the video, Apple is allowing side loading of apps in the European Union, which means users can download apps directly from developers' websites. This change is in response to the EU's digital markets act, and it represents a significant shift from Apple's traditionally controlled App Store ecosystem.

💡European Union

The European Union (EU) is a political and economic union of 27 member countries that are located primarily in Europe. The EU has its own rules and regulations that member countries must adhere to. In the video, the EU's digital markets act plays a crucial role in influencing Apple's decision to allow side loading of apps within its jurisdiction.

💡Digital Markets Act

The Digital Markets Act (DMA) is a piece of legislation proposed by the European Union aimed at regulating digital platforms that act as 'gatekeepers' in the market. The act seeks to promote fair competition and prevent large tech companies from abusing their market power. In the video, the DMA is the catalyst for Apple's policy change to permit side loading of apps in the EU.

💡App Store

The App Store is a digital distribution platform developed and maintained by Apple Inc. It allows users to browse and download applications for iOS, iPadOS, Mac, macOS, and watchOS devices. In the video, the App Store is referenced as the traditional platform for app distribution, which is being supplemented by the new side loading option in the EU.

💡Notarization process

The notarization process is a security feature introduced by Apple that requires developers to submit their apps for scanning against known malware before they can be distributed outside the Mac App Store. It's a part of Apple's security measures to ensure that applications are free from malicious content. In the video, developers who wish to side load their apps must go through this process.

💡AI Act

The AI Act refers to legislation that governs the use of artificial intelligence within a jurisdiction. In the video, the European Parliament has voted to adopt the EU AI Act, which includes restrictions on the use of biometrics by law enforcement and prohibits certain AI systems in public spaces, aiming to protect individuals from exploitative AI technologies.

💡Biometrics

Biometrics refers to the measurement and analysis of unique personal attributes such as fingerprint, voice, and facial patterns. In the context of the video, the EU AI Act limits the use of biometrics by law enforcement agencies, aiming to protect individual privacy and prevent potential abuses of this technology.

💡Social scoring

Social scoring is a system that evaluates and assigns a numerical score to individuals based on their behavior, often using AI and data analysis. It can be used to influence or control social behavior. The EU AI Act prohibits AI-enabled social scoring, which is seen as a form of behavioral manipulation and a potential privacy violation.

💡Emotion recognition systems

Emotion recognition systems are AI technologies designed to detect and interpret human emotions based on facial expressions, voice tone, or other physiological signals. The EU AI Act prohibits the use of these systems in work or school settings, citing concerns about privacy and potential misuse.

💡Text to video generator

A text to video generator is an AI-powered tool that converts written text into video content. These generators can create visual representations of the text, often including elements like images, animations, or even synthesized speech. In the video, the CTO of Sora, an AI company, mentions that their text to video generator will be available to the public, indicating advancements in this technology.

💡AI fabrication

AI fabrication refers to the creation of digital content, such as images or videos, that are not real but are made to appear as if they are. This can include deepfakes or other AI-generated media that can be used to manipulate perceptions or spread misinformation. In the video, there is a discussion about the potential AI fabrication of a photo involving Kate Middleton.

💡Photoshop

Photoshop is a popular image editing software developed by Adobe Inc. It is widely used for manipulating digital images, including editing, retouching, and composing photos. In the video, the misuse of Photoshop is discussed in the context of a manipulated image of Kate Middleton, which led to a public scandal.

Highlights

Apple will allow side loading of apps in the European Union later this spring, enabling users to download apps directly from developers' websites.

This side loading feature is not a full transition to an Android-like system, as it comes with certain restrictions and requirements.

Developers based in the EU must be enrolled in the Apple Developer Program for at least two years and submit their apps through Apple's notarization process to be eligible for side loading.

One of the developer's apps must have been installed over 1 million times on iOS in the EU to qualify for the side loading feature.

There is a €0.50 fee for every subsequent install of an app from a developer's website, contributing to Apple's revenue.

The European Parliament has voted to adopt the EU AI Act, which limits the use of biometrics by law enforcement and prohibits AI-enabled social scoring and emotion recognition systems.

The EU AI Act also mandates stricter scrutiny and transparency requirements for AI systems based on the potential risks they pose to society and users.

Critics argue that the EU AI Act may disadvantage European AI firms by hindering development, raising capital, and potentially destroying civilization.

The AI text-to-video generator Sora is expected to be released to the public this year, offering the capability to generate audio and possibly some nudity.

A US government-commissioned report warns of serious security risks and potential extinction-level threats to humanity posed by AI if immediate action is not taken.

Social media users speculate on the edited Mother's Day image of Kate Middleton, suggesting AI fabrication or Photoshopping over a stand-in.

The photo's metadata indicates it was edited using a 2022 version of Photoshop, and Middleton reportedly claimed responsibility for the poor editing job.

Grammarly, the AI writing partner, helps professionals write better and faster, with features like idea generation, outline creation, and sentence enhancement.

Nvidia dominates the AI accelerator market, but alternatives are emerging, such as the Tiny Box by Tiny Corp and Grayskull AI accelerator cards by Tenstorrent.

Apple's cancelled electric vehicle project was reportedly a minivan with an AI brain as powerful as four M2 Ultra chips combined.

Some car manufacturers' connected car apps track and rate drivers' performance, selling the data to entities that may increase insurance premiums.

Airbnb will ban the use of indoor security cameras in rentals starting April 30th, in response to past abuses of the previous policy.

Researchers warn that VR headsets like the Quest and Vision Pro might be vulnerable to Inception attacks, where hackers can control users' VR environments.