Hello Reader,

I hope March went well for you and you're not too impacted by the global events happening right now.

Fun fact: On April 8, 1983, John Sculley became Apple's CEO after Steve jobs convinced him to leave his position as president of PepsiCo. Just two years later, on April 11, 1985, John Sculley asked Steve Jobs to step down as head of the Macintosh division. Stripped of nearly all responsibilities, despite the title of Chairman, Steve left Apple in September the same year.

🆕 M3 MacBook Air

On March 4, 2024, Apple has announced the release of new MacBook Air models featuring the M3 chip, while discontinuing the MacBook Air with the M1 chip.

On a side (and for some, sad) note, it also means that the famous wedge design of the MacBook Air has been retired after 14 years. Remember when Steve Jobs famously pulled the first MacBook Air out of a Manila envelope?

The updated MacBook Air with the M3 chip supports up to two external displays but only when the lid is closed. At the time of writing, this feature is still missing from the M3 MacBook Pro, however Apple confirmed to 9to5Mac that an upcoming software update will bring it to parity with the M3 Air, in the future.

The M3 MacBook Air has been benchmarked to be 20% faster than the M2 model and early reviews highlights this improved performance alongside faster Wi-Fi, and better SSD speeds, especially for the base 256GB model.

However, the 13-inch M2 MacBook Air is still available for purchase on Apple's website, and now starts at $999 (+ tax) or €1,159 (incl. VAT), while the 15-inch M2 model has been discontinued.

For light work and especially if you only need to be able to connect it to a single external screen, the M2 MacBook Air offers the best value for money at the moment.

Now regardless from the processor (M2 or M3) you'll choose, my recommendation is to bump the unified memory to 16 GB minimum.

When it comes to the size of the internal SSD, ideally you'd want to shoot for at least double of your current disk space usage (so that you'll have room to grow) and/or of your current iCloud+ Storage plan (so that you'll be able to store locally your entire iCloud Photos library and iCloud Drive files).

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WWDC'24

The Apple Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) for 2024 is shaping up to be a major event, happening from June 10 to June 14.

It will offer both online and in-person experiences, starting with a special day at Apple Park on June 10.

I expect that it will start with a pre-recorded keynote presentation, and in-person attendees will get the chance to participate in various activities that include meeting with Apple team members.

There's a lot of excitement about Artificial Intelligence (AI) this year, with hints from Apple's Senior Vice President of Marketing, Greg Joswiak, about "Absolutely Incredible" AI news. Expect to see AI improvements across Apple's products, possibly including new features in iOS 18.

Apple is also reaching out more to developers through a new Apple Developer YouTube channel, where WWDC sessions and other updates will be shared.

Even though it's mainly targeted towards developers, the opening keynote on June 10 is worth watching for anyone who wants a glimpse at the next versions of iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, and macOS.

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Operating System Updates

iPhone & iPad

On March 5th, Apple launched iOS 17.4 and iPadOS 17.4 with big changes. Now, in the European Union (EU), users can use other app stores, different payment systems, and new browser engines on their Apple devices. This is a big deal for EU users and developers. The update also brings new emoji, podcast transcripts, and better battery health info for the iPhone 15. Apple fixed two big security issues too, making iOS devices safer.

Then, on March 21st, Apple released iOS 17.4.1 and iPadOS 17.4.1 to fix small bugs and improve security. This included fixing a problem with QR code scanning on some iPads, making sure everything works well and stays secure on Apple devices.

Mac

On March 8th, Apple released macOS Sonoma 14.4, macOS Ventura 13.6.5, and macOS Monterey 12.7.4. These updates focus on better security and some new features. For example, macOS Sonoma 14.4 added new emoji, made podcasts easier to follow, and updated Messages and Safari with more features. However, some users faced issues with USB connections on monitors and printers, and a glitch with iCloud Drive's file versions.

To fix these, on March 25th, Apple came out with macOS Sonoma 14.4.1. This update tackled the USB and Java crash problems, showing Apple's relatively quick action to fix bugs.

Apple Watch and Apple TV

On March 7th, Apple released watchOS 10.4. This update mainly made the system more stable and faster, without adding new stuff. After watchOS 10.2 made Siri and the look of the watch better, watchOS 10.4 fixed a "ghost touch" problem seen in the Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2, where the screen would act like it was being touched when it wasn't. Plus, it added some new emojis for fun chats.

Meanwhile, tvOS 17.4 brought a cool new thing to Apple TV - Apple Music SharePlay. This lets people add songs to a playlist together using a QR code, making listening to music together better. But, this update caused some issues with non-Apple remote controls not working right, needing to be set up again each time.

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Apple TV+

Apple TV+ is spicing up its selection with some cool new additions for its subscribers. They've added 51 classic movies to the mix, all free to watch. These movies cover all sorts of genres, so there's something for everyone. It's a great chance for subscribers to dive into some iconic films at no extra cost, really broadening what Apple TV+ has to offer.

But that's not all – 'Friday Night Baseball' made a comeback on March 29, with two games lined up every Friday of the regular season. This is perfect for baseball fans based in the US who want to keep up with their favorite teams and players right from their living rooms.

Plus, there's a two-part documentary about the legendary comedian Steve Martin, offering an up-close look at his amazing career. I absolutely loved this documentary, especially the first part simply because I discovered so much about Steve's early career as a comedian.

And on April 12, get ready for 'Franklin', an eight-part drama with Michael Douglas playing Benjamin Franklin, focusing on Franklin's key part in the American Revolution.

These new shows and movies show just how committed Apple TV+ is to giving its viewers a wide range of quality content.

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Artificial Intelligence

Apple

Apple is getting stronger in the AI (Artificial Intelligence) world by buying a company called DarwinAI and working with others. This move is going to make Apple's products, like the new iOS 18, even smarter while keeping your information private and safe on your device.

They're also making a new AI system called 'MM1' that's really good at understanding both words and pictures. This could make a lot of things better, like helping your phone describe photos or answer questions about what's in them.

Plus, Apple is talking with Google and OpenAI to use some of their smart AI in iPhones. Apple's plan is to use these powerful AI tools but also make sure they keep your data private by processing it right on your device, just like they do with searches using Google and their own Spotlight search.

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OpenAI

OpenAI has been making strides in incorporating news content into ChatGPT through collaborations with publishers like Le Monde and Prisa Media, despite facing legal challenges. These partnerships, which come with a hefty price tag ranging from $4 million to $20 million annually, could potentially create a high entry barrier for other AI companies, possibly hindering innovation in the field.

Meanwhile, OpenAI’s video creation tool, Sora, is expected to be released to the public later this year. It promises to deliver highly realistic videos and might even include audio capabilities, which raises concerns about potential misuse, especially during election seasons.

In addition to Sora, OpenAI has developed a Voice Engine capable of replicating a person’s voice from just a brief recording. This technology has a wide range of applications, from aiding those with reading difficulties to providing foreign language dubbing and enhancing accessibility features. However, the potential for its misuse in fraudulent activities or spreading misinformation underscores the importance of implementing stringent security measures prior to its widespread release.

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Google

Google and its sister companies are really pushing the boundaries with Artificial Intelligence (AI), using it to change both everyday tools and the tech of tomorrow.

YouTube’s getting in on the action too, asking video makers to be upfront about any AI tricks they use in their videos to keep things clear and honest for viewers.

Google Maps is getting smarter with AI, making it easier to find places you’ll like and giving you directions that fit what you want, even taking into account what you like to eat.

Google’s not stopping there, though. They’ve got this project called SIMA that’s teaching AI to play video games just like a person would, learning from all kinds of games.

And they’ve come up with an AI that can predict floods way before they happen, which could really help keep people safe by giving them more time to get ready.

All these cool things Google is doing with AI show they’re not just about making our day-to-day tech better. They’re also tackling big problems and looking for ways to help out in the world.

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Other AI news

In a big move in the tech industry, Microsoft has hired the creators of Inflection AI, Mustafa Suleyman and Karén Simonyan, to lead a new team focusing on AI for customers. This shows Microsoft is really trying to get the best people to work on their AI projects. Suleyman, who helped start DeepMind, is now in charge at Microsoft AI.

Nvidia has shown off their latest Blackwell B200 GPU, claiming it’s the top chip out there for AI work. This new chip could change how fast and effectively computers can do AI tasks, impacting many industries.

Mercedes-Benz is trying out AI robots, made with Apptronik, in their car-making process. They’re using these humanoid robots to handle tough, repetitive tasks, aiming to make car production more efficient and innovative.

Figure AI is introducing a robot that can chat and help around the house, like serving meals and doing dishes. This robot, which uses OpenAI tech, could make AI a bigger part of our daily lives, helping out not just with computer tasks but with physical ones too. After watching their demo video, I realised that what was pure science fiction only a couple of years ago has now become reality:

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​Next training in Luxembourg

The next session of my training “Smartphones are hard to hack: Myth or Reality?” will take place on May 23rd.

At the end of this training, participants will get:

• A better appreciation about how vulnerable their smartphone really is
• Awareness of how their smartphone could get compromised
• Easy mitigations to quickly reduce the risk of their smartphone getting hacked

It is offered in partnership with the Digital Learning Hub (DHL), an initiative from Luxembourg’s Ministry of Education, Children and Youth (MENJE).

For more info, visit: https://dlh.lu/product/smartphones-are-hard-to-hack-myth-or-reality-5/​

I would appreciate it if you could check it out and spread the word to your family, friends, and colleagues.​

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Have a great day!
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