Category Archives: Business

Business, Gaming, News

Unity’s Controversial Per-Install Pricing Model Angers Game Developers

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Unity has been at the receiving end of ire from the Game development community and here’s what’s happening.

In a startling move that has left the game development community reeling, Unity, the company behind one of the most prolific game engines, has announced a new pricing model set to go live on January 1, 2024. Unlike Unity’s traditional royalty-free licensing structure, this change introduces a “per-install” fee, triggering outrage and concern among developers.

Breaking Down the New Pricing Structure

Unity’s “Runtime Fee” is poised to impact developers based on the number of game installations. The fee structure varies depending on the subscription tier:

  • Unity Personal: Developers under this tier will incur a $0.20 per-install fee after their game achieves $200,000 in annual revenue and 200,000 lifetime installs.
  • Unity Pro and Enterprise: These tiers will experience slightly lower per-install fees starting at $0.125 to $0.15 after a game reaches $1 million in annual revenue and 1 million total installs. Volume discounts will apply for heavily installed games, potentially going as low as $0.01 per install for games with 1 million monthly installations.

The new pricing model will affect certain countries, including the United States, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, South Korea, and the United Kingdom. In other countries, an “emerging markets rate” ranging from $0.005 to $0.02 will apply after meeting the minimum thresholds.

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Source: Unity Technologies

Developer Shock, Outrage & Concerns

Unity’s decision to switch to a per-install fee structure has sparked widespread anger within the game development community. This change fundamentally contradicts Unity’s previous approach, which allowed developers making under $100,000 per month to enjoy fee-free usage of the Unity engine. Larger developers, earning $200,000 or more monthly, paid only per-seat subscription fees for access to Unity’s full-featured Editor.

This shift has not only infuriated developers but has also cast a shadow on trust in Unity. Many developers are concerned about retroactive changes, as the new fee structure will apply to previously existing Unity games. Developers who invested significant time and resources into Unity based on its royalty-free structure now feel betrayed.

The outcry was loudest on X, formerly Twitter. Developers were up in arms as the changes in the pricing structure for Unity’s game engine could result in Unity charging more than the developer will ever make. This would create a very unsustainable development cycle for games. In a post on X, Gary Newman, founder of Facepunch – the company behind the hit game Rust, outlined that the new pricing policy not only increases the price of maintaining and developing games, it does so exponentially. In his post, he outlines what would have cost his company USD$410,000 over the lifetime of the game, it would cost the company USD$2,517 a month barring increases to the install base of Rust. In an interview with IGN, Newman has come out saying that Rust 2 would not be a Unity based game due to the changes.

Developer Aggro Crab also highlights that games on services like Xbox Game Pass and PlayStation Plus would incur costs simply for access to the user base when they agree to list on these services. Let’s not forget massive games like Honkai Star Rail and Genshin Impact that use Unity’s development engine and are free to play would incur massive fees which could put companies like Hoyoverse and Aggro Crab out of business. Let’s not forget games like PokémonGO.

Possible Misuse and Privacy Concerns

Developers fear the potential for abuse in a per-install fee model. Groups of gamers with a history of “review bombing” could theoretically engage in “install bombing” by repeatedly installing and deleting a game, incurring costs for the developer with each new installation. Pirated copies of games could also be factored into the fee calculations, adding costs for illicit downloads.

Initially, Unity stated that the per-install fee would apply even if a user deleted and re-installed a game. However, they later adjusted this stance to charge only for the initial installation on a single device with exceptions for secondary devices like the Steam Deck. In addition, the wording of the announcement and its terms and conditions indicate that fees would be incurred by the distributing entity. This would mean that platforms like Steam, Epic Game Store and App Store would be the ones who would incur the charge and not developers.

Developers also question Unity’s ability to accurately track installations, raising concerns about privacy and the accuracy of Unity’s counting methods. These concerns and the uproar at the change in pricing have resulted in a massive dip in Unity’s shares with the trend continuing today after some reprieve. What’s even more intriguing is the fact that the top brass in Unity divested a portion of their shares days before the announcement. CEO Jon Riccitiello alone sold 2,000 shares the week before the announcement according to Kotaku.

Impact on Game Business Models

Unity’s new fee structure could significantly impact the feasibility of various game business models. It may discourage developers from offering low-cost games due to the additional fee burden. Additionally, games distributed through subscription services like Microsoft’s Game Pass may face financial challenges due to per-install fees.

Some developers are urging players not to install their games in protest of the new fee. The overall sentiment among developers is one of frustration and distrust, with many questioning Unity’s commitment to its user base. Some developers are looking into delaying upcoming games to jump to another engine like Valve’s Unreal Engine. It’s worth noting that Unity was launched to “democratize game development” and now, it seems like the company wants to cash in in the most douchy way possible. Having only just gained prominence in recent years, the company is looking at a possible mass exodus of developers from its platform due to the pricing change that is due to come into effect in 2024.

Unity’s announcement has set off a firestorm of controversy, with developers clamouring for changes to restore trust and transparency in their relationship with the platform provider.

Business, Contributed

Tech Solutions Executives Must Consider Levelling Up Their Team

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This article is contributed by Varinderjit Singh, General Manager, Lenovo Malaysia

Today, integrating forward-thinking technology is not an option, but a key business strategy that touches nearly every part of a growing business. Not only do customers expect customized on-demand services, but employees do too.

According to recent research, nearly half (48.6%) of workers think using the right tech increases their productivity, and 35.8% say being equipped with appropriate technology helps make their job more flexible. Businesses small and large that want to take team creativity and productivity to the next level must leverage technology that can drive faster results and adapt to new trends in the market. It is imperative that enterprises harness modern technology such as mobile apps, AI-enabled services, and cloud automation as tools for their teams to help simplify or automate time-consuming day-to-day activities so they can focus on more challenging work.

Taking your team to the next level in our increasingly digitally driven world will require businesses to find a balance between implementing emerging tech for tasks that can be automated, and training their employees on how to provide personalized experiences for their clientele.

Here are the top three emerging technologies all business owners should have on their radar to scale their business efficiently.

Hi-speed Network Infrastructure

Slow and unstable connectivity is a major obstacle for a distributed workforce that is reliant on their PCs’ efficient technology to lead collaborative brainstorms, listen and engage during monthly planning meetings, and/or connect with team members during 1:1 meetings. Wifi 6E offers an advanced band connection needed for optimized work-from-home, online learning, live streaming, and faster speed for all your connected devices.  Emerging technologies like Wifi 6E will be instrumental in delivering high bandwidth, ultra-low latency connectivity and power to devices all over the world and will expand the landscape of solutions for businesses that want to grow.

ThinkPad X1

While devices must be faster and more functional, it is imperative that design and engineering teams also offer new possibilities of thinner and more flexible designs for employees on the go. For example, global PC manufacturers are designing unique laptops with extended battery life that allows you to work through the day uninterrupted—even with versatile usage modes on the go. The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon operating on Windows 11 Pro is a great laptop for employees, especially in the hybrid working world. Windows 11 is the most secure Windows ever. Businesses report a 58% drop in security incidents with Windows 11 Pro devices.1 Forward-thinking technology equipped with always-on always-connected capability will be key for business continuity.

Cloud Automation

Cloud automation is an easy entry point for many businesses that are looking to expedite their processes through tech-enabled automation. As data, apps and workloads shift to the cloud, it can improve day-to-day operations and workflow, helping small-to-medium business (SMB) owners in particular automate tasks such as scheduling appointments, content marketing management and tracking business expenses in one place. By freeing up some time with the help of automation solutions, leaders can help their team build skills to become more productive through various training programs or employee enrichment opportunities.  These are a few examples of how digital transformation can be harnessed to enable businesses of all sizes to achieve efficiency, productivity and smart collaboration.

By automating certain tasks, business owners will provide employees with more time to deliver thoughtful and creative work. However, the prospect of automation can create uncertainty, both regarding job security and changes to day-to-day tasks. To reduce these fears, it is essential to communicate with employees throughout the entire process. The main message to reinforce is, “Automation technology is being used to support staff, not replace their roles.” Through open communication and continuous learning, employees will be given plenty of enrichment opportunities and stay loyal and engaged in their work and their companies long-term success.

AI-Enabled Services and Products

AI-enabled services are now in our homes, cars and personal computing technology, and they can also play a role in helping businesses address common challenges such as staffing, security monitoring, finance management, personalization of services, and more.

Some workplaces have incorporated AI chatbots to provide employees with resources around the clock, adding convenience for those seeking answers to common questions about employee benefits, scheduling, insurance, vacation availability and sick time. In turn, by allowing some HR processes to be accomplished without human intervention, chatbots offer a better allocation of HR staff members’ time toward addressing more complex employee concerns.

In fact, companies that smartly adapt to incorporating AI-enabled services and products have a competitive advantage. AI and machine learning can enable targeted data analysis, so employees can do creative and social tasks that AI simply cannot. Not only can companies save money by using AI to do repetitive work, but teams are able to focus their skills on more innovative assignments and, therefore, be more productive.

Uplevel your business by being adaptable and strategic

To take your team and company to the next level, businesses must strategically implement the proper infrastructure, cloud automation and AI tools that will help their business scale. Today, businesses of all sizes require client and data center infrastructure that enables growth rather than restricts it. As technology rapidly evolves, businesses need the ability to integrate new technologies and workloads efficiently and seamlessly, often within resource, budget and capital restrictions. The best way to ensure your plan is suited for growth is to routinely check in with your team, evaluate your structure and ensure it is adaptable for the unforeseeable obstacles that come with running a successful business.

Business, Editorial

Recognizing Third-Party Risks & Addressing the Gaps with Identity-Based Security

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Enterprises and businesses are well into their digitization journey. Many have adopted digital strategies and tools that align with their businesses and goals. However, in their swiftness to adopt software and tools that enable them to be agile, many may have overlooked one of the most crucial aspects of their data security – third-party access and control. The issue arises as a result of the adoption of multiple diverse tools and technologies needed for digitization, the acquisition of contract talent, consultants and third-party support. This rings true even for Financial Service Institutions (FSIs). In a recent report, Gartner stated that 59% of organizations experienced a data breach due to third parties and only 16% of them say they are equipped to manage these risks.

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“Today, organizations can manage up to thousands of identities which means more access points that may present significant risks. In order to mitigate the risks of breach and protect digital identities, data and resources, enterprises need a comprehensive identity security solution for complete visibility into all user types and their related access, including all entitlements, roles, and attributes, to ensure employees receive the right access to the right resources to do their job.”

Chern-Yue Boey, Senior Vice President, Asia-Pacific, SailPoint

While it can seem like a daunting task for IT departments and CIOs to get a handle on the issue, the truth is that it’s a simple task of managing access on a “just-in-time” and/or “as-needed” basis. With an increasing number of such instances, it becomes a conundrum of how to dynamically manage these permissions. One emerging approach is to manage these permissions or instances as “identities”. Using this approach, it’s a matter of mapping these identities and the data they have access to. Essentially, a holistic view of who (identities) can access what data (what), is needed. While it can be a little complicated to administer this on a dynamic level, companies like SailPoint provide turn-key solutions fortified with artificial intelligence (AI) that allow just that.

An Increasing Concern for Financial Service Industries (FSIs)

As banks and other FSIs start embracing digitization and move towards becoming digital services, we’ve seen an increasing emphasis on data security and privacy particularly when it comes to user data. However, like many other enterprises, the digital infrastructure and tools that they have in place may pose a risk when it comes to data security. What’s more, when it comes to FSIs, the consequences of poor security can result in millions of dollars of loss for both the client and the institution itself.

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Photo by Tima Miroshnichenko on Pexels.com

In Malaysia alone, we’ve seen an increasing number of scams and data breaches in the past 5 years. This seems to have skyrocketed during the pandemic and is not showing any signs of slowing down. In fact, in the past year alone, we’ve had breaches of large service providers like Telekom Malaysia and Maxis. More worryingly, we’ve had breaches of FSIs like Maybank and iPay88. Of course, under the watchful eye of regulators, these issues are constantly being investigated and fines are dolled out for mismanagement.

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“The reality is a large majority of cyber security breaches today occur as a result of non-employee identities. According to a research by Ponemon, 59% of respondents confirm that their organizations have experienced a data breach caused by one of their third parties and 54% of these respondents say it was as recent as the past 12 months”

Chern-Yue Boey, Senior Vice President, Asia-Pacific, SailPoint

That said, it’s important that these institutions move from a reactive approach to a more preventative and proactive one. This change has to happen with both policy and adoption of security technologies which give CIOs and data security experts a clear view of who is accessing what data and why.

Creating A Data Secure Environment for Business

FSIs like Maybank and iPay88 may point to their apps with features like SecureKey and their implementation of one-time pins (OTPs) as potent security measures. However, as Chern-Yue Boey, Senior Vice President at SailPoint puts it, “Authentication is like giving someone the keys to your front door, but identity security is where you can control whether this person can have access to your rooms and other aspects in your home.”

What’s needed is a system that can cross-check and verify if access to the information is allowed. Mr. Boey weighs in on this, “A complete identity security strategy involves understanding, controlling, and managing user identities and access to all resources holistically, in line with authentication methods. This means building an identity security foundation to enable authentication and comprehensive identity governance.”.

close up view of system hacking
Photo by Tima Miroshnichenko on Pexels.com

Identity governance will entail creating unique profiles to manage access to data. This also entails structuring data so that it can be accessed on an “as-needed” basis. While many systems for cybersecurity do include options for Zero Trust environments, the implementation of identity management ups the ante and creates an environment where small silos of data can be made available to external users and contractors. This will enable access to data on a restricted basis and allow CIOs and IT Departments to manage data based on job function, role and levels of access.

Mitigating Risk with Identity-based Security

This is where Identity Security can play a huge role for FSIs and even other corporations. The creation of these identities limits the potential exposure even if a breach occurs. That said, in order to mitigate the risk, it falls to the C-suite executives – particularly the CIO or CSO – to understand which job functions should have access to what data. Only with this understanding can they deploy solutions like SailPoint effectively.

Having this understanding – which can be fostered at every level of management – will help mitigate risks associated with third-party workforces. In fact, it helps with a key risk: unauthorized access to sensitive data. As access becomes limited, so too do the entry points for bad actors.

person paying using her smartwatch
Photo by Ivan Samkov on Pexels.com

That said, understanding is only one part of the equation, FSIs and other organizations will need better oversight over the identities in their system and the data being accessed across the entire distributed IT ecosystem. This includes the ability to grant or restrict access as necessary. Doing this will create a perimeter of security when it comes to pertinent, sensitive data.

Maximizing Security with Informed Access

This transparency and oversight will allow for better-informed decisions as CSOs and CIOs have access to a central repository of all users – third-party or otherwise – and their relationship to the organization. This includes their job functions and the data they have access to. It helps with managing risk when it comes to third-party access. IT Departments are able to assign risk ratings to individual third-party users based on who they work for, location, access level and other parameters as set by the organization.

It also allows them to better manage the onboarding and offboarding of employees and non-employees as they enter and exit the organization. Essentially, the visibility, relationship data and governance will necessarily give rise to a lifecycle for each identity in the organization. While it may seem like a simple matter of managing the current access of users to the data, it goes further than that with identity management. It gives granular control and visibility to a CIO, CSO and IT Departments allowing them to react effectively and in a timely fashion. It also allows them to automate compliance audits with minimal manual intervention.

A Necessary Measure for Dynamism and Agility

As much as it may seem like an added layer of complications and headaches for IT departments, the shift from managing data based on access vs. through identities is the difference between being reactive and proactive. Managing data access with Identity security is a necessary measure for FSIs and organizations to remain agile in operations as well as respond dynamically to a landscape of uncertainties.

Business, Computers, Contributed

How To Balance Business Innovation and Operational Excellence

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This article is contributed by Varinderjit Singh, General Manager, Lenovo Malaysia

IT decision-makers have officially earned their seats at the table — nearly three-quarters of CIOs say their roles have been elevated by the visibility they received during the pandemic. [1] Now they have to figure out what to serve first.

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The Lenovo ThinkPad® X1 Nano Gen 3 is powered by 13th Generation Intel® Core™ i5-1340P processor takes multitasking—and manageability—to the next level and is built for what IT needs and users want.

Digital strategy and transformation took the lead last year for 67% of CIOs, but the number fell to 60% in 2022 as IT decision-makers focused on the fundamentals of optimizing and managing technology.1 Priority whiplash has left more than 76% of CIOs struggling to balance two critical goals: business innovation and operational excellence.1

With the right technology partner, IT decision-makers don’t have to choose. Smarter digital workplace solutions raise the bar on productivity, business agility, and infrastructure integrity, freeing them to focus on strategic organizational change. In fact, that’s how they would prefer to spend their time — 83% of IT decision-makers are actively seeking digital transformation opportunities that will help their companies contribute good to the world.[2]

What should you look for in a technology partner?

An end-to-end solution provider will have your back, optimizing operations in three essential ways.

01. Productivity and collaboration

Exceptional technology is the baseline for productivity and collaboration, supporting hybrid workplaces, connecting employees, and securing data and devices from anywhere. When it works, technology enables peak performance and improves user experience. On average, three-quarters of employees credit their business technology with making them feel more productive and empowered.2 And 60% of IT decision-makers see their employee experience (EX) scores rise by focusing on improving users’ experience with technology.[3]

When technology doesn’t work, IT decision-makers put innovation on the back burner while they scramble to field help desk requests, respond to security emergencies, push out patches, and source new products to meet evolving business needs.

Look for technology that is optimized to work together, promises exceptional reliability, and leverages the most current innovations for data and employee security.

Lenovo delivers a portfolio of premium solutions — hardware, software, services, and accessories — ranging from PCs and smartphones to smart collaboration to augmented and virtual reality technology (AR/VR). Plus, remote management and automation technology innovations can cut time spent on manual processes by as much as 50%.[4] Hardware- and software-based security and manageability tools elevate productivity on modern devices like the ThinkPad® X1 Carbon Gen 11, powered by 13th Generation Intel® Core™ i5-1335U processor, built for what IT needs and users want.4

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About half of CIOs right now are spending significant time on operational IT improvements, and 26% are busy reacting to IT crises.1

What would you be doing if your technology could manage and secure itself?

02. Agility and optimization

Business transformation often depends on the ability to scale, requiring immediate access to mission-critical technology. Quick access to technology has proven elusive for some organizations, which results in IT teams spending significant time managing older equipment.

That’s an easy ask if they’re partnered with a technology provider that offers as-a-service solutions. With Lenovo TruScale, devices, infrastructure, services, and support can all be scaled easily to meet evolving business needs. Everything from the pocket to the cloud is available on demand, from a single point of contact, in a cost-efficient OpEx model. End-of-life recycling is also an important part of the package — streamlining the process for IT decision-makers, eliminating security risks associated with asset disposal, and helping to meet organizational sustainability goals.

When it comes to freeing up time for innovation, few decisions are as impactful as choosing an as-a-service partner. When everything from infrastructure to end-user devices is optimized, updated, and ready to be deployed anywhere in the world, operational excellence takes care of itself.

03. Intelligent infrastructure

Businesses need an infrastructure that delivers faster time to insights, improved application performance, enhanced security, and better manageability.

Cloud computing is an important part of the equation. As of 2022, 60% of corporate data worldwide is now stored in the cloud,[5] and that makes achieving operational excellence significantly easier.

Within just a few months after migrating to the cloud, 80% of businesses report operational improvement[6] thanks to the continuity, resilience, and efficiencies achieved with hybrid cloud computing.

The Intel® Xeon® Scalable processors in Lenovo’s ThinkAgile appliances optimize workloads and improve efficiency, providing significant improvement in data processing capacity. Along with flexible cloud storage, IT decision-makers also have access to remote management services and support analytics through one customer portal. With increased visibility across the entire fleet and the capability to manage technology remotely, they can significantly reduce organization-crushing downtime — and make time for transformation.

Smarter IT decision-makers don’t go it alone. 92% of CIOs believe technology vendors play a valuable role in their company’s overall success.[7]

[1] CIO.com, “State of the CIO, 2022: Focus turns to IT fundamentals,” March 2022
[2] Reach3 Insights and Lenovo, “Human-centered insights to fuel IT’s vision,” July 2022
[3] Lenovo, Intel, and Forrester, “Invest in Employee Experience, Drive Your Bottom-Line Growth,” October 2020
[4] Salesforce.com and Pulse, “Global IT Survey 2020,” accessed August 2022
[5] Statista.com, “Share of corporate data stored in the cloud in organizations worldwide from 2015 to 2022,” accessed August 2022
[6] Zippia, “25 amazing cloud adoption statistics,” May 2022
[7] IDG, “2022 Executive Summary State of the CIO,” 2022

Business, News

VMware Private AI Foundation with NVIDIA Looks To Enable Entreprises to Embrace Generative AI

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VMware Inc. and NVIDIA (NASDAQ: NVDA) are expanding their strategic partnership. Their mission? To ready the multitude of enterprises dependent on VMware’s cloud infrastructure for the imminent generative AI era.

Generative AI, the driving force behind intelligent chatbots, assistants, search engines, and summarization tools, is revolutionizing industries. VMware Private AI Foundation with NVIDIA is designed to democratize this transformation. It offers an integrated solution, seamlessly combining generative AI software with NVIDIA’s advanced accelerated computing, all within VMware Cloud Foundation, optimized for AI applications.

VMware NVIDIA logos png

The synergy between generative AI and multi-cloud environments is profound. Enterprise data resides in various locations, including data centres, edge devices, and diverse cloud platforms. VMware and NVIDIA aim to empower enterprises to harness generative AI while preserving data privacy, ensuring security, and retaining control.

Enterprises are in a race to implement generative AI, with the potential to contribute up to a staggering $4.4 trillion annually to the global economy. VMware Private AI Foundation with NVIDIA is stepping in to empower them to expedite this journey. It enables enterprises to customize large language models (LLMs), construct secure and private models for internal use, offer generative AI as a service, and scale inference workloads securely.

With emerging concerns surrounding data privacy and security with deploying Generative AI tools like ChatGPT at an organisational level, VMware Private AI Foundation with NVIDIA empowers organizations to use the full capabilities of Generative AI without the worry of data leaks. Enterprises can deploy AI services close to their data, safeguarding data privacy and ensuring secure access.

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It also provides them with diverse options for constructing and running models, including leading OEM hardware configurations without ruling out the potential integration with public clouds. This choice doesn’t come at the expense of performance with NVIDIA’s accelerated infrastructure. It promises performance equal to or even surpassing bare-metal solutions.

When enterprises are ready to scale, they can do so seamlessly and without much hassle. GPU scaling optimizations in virtualized environments facilitate the efficient scaling of AI workloads across multiple nodes. Scaling and implementation costs can also be minimized through VMware Private AI Foundation with NVIDIA. This is thanks to resource optimization and a shared resource environment fostered by the platform. In fact, the platform is built with fast prototyping capabilities with pre-installed frameworks and libraries allowing enterprises to fail quickly and achieve development milestones at an accelerated rate.

Aside from this, the platform will be deployed on performance-optimized NVMe storage and GPUDirect® storage over RDMA for seamless data transfer. Networking performance is also sustained and accelerated with deep integration between vSphere and NVIDIA NVSwitch™ technology ensuring efficient multi-GPU execution.

The platform integrates NVIDIA NeMo, a cloud-native framework simplifying the creation, customization, and deployment of generative AI models. NeMo offers customization frameworks, guardrail toolkits, data curation tools, and pre-trained models. It provides enterprises with an efficient, cost-effective, and expeditious path to adopting generative AI. For production deployment, NeMo leverages TensorRT for Large Language Models (TRT-LLM), optimizing inference performance on the latest LLMs on NVIDIA GPUs.

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Photo by Brett Sayles on Pexels.com

VMware Private AI Foundation with NVIDIA receives robust support from Dell Technologies, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, and Lenovo. These partners will offer systems equipped with NVIDIA L40S GPUs, NVIDIA BlueField®-3 DPUs, and NVIDIA ConnectX®-7 SmartNICs. These components will supercharge enterprise LLM customization and inference workloads.

VMware aims to release VMware Private AI Foundation with NVIDIA in early 2024, marking the continuation of a decade-long partnership that has optimized VMware’s cloud infrastructure to run NVIDIA AI Enterprise with the performance of bare metal.

Business, News

Apple Showcases Its In-House Apps on New ‘Apps by Apple’ Page

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Apple has introduced an all-new “Apps by Apple” webpage, residing on its official website. This dedicated space serves as a platform to celebrate and showcase Apple’s proprietary apps, available across the iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Mac, and Apple TV ecosystems.

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In true Apple fashion, the company showcases its commitment to delivering a seamless user experience through these apps, accompanied by tantalizing glimpses of forthcoming features in iOS 17 and beyond.

So, what exactly does this ‘Apps by Apple’ page bring to the table?

A Guide to Apple’s App Universe

This newly minted digital domain, found at apple.com/apps, conveniently categorizes Apple’s apps into six distinct clusters:

  1. Communication: Tagged as “Apps to keep you connected,” this category includes essentials like Phone, Messages, FaceTime, Mail, and Contacts. Apple’s aim here is clear – to facilitate effortless connections.
  2. Creativity: “Tools for pros and passionate creatives” is the mantra here. This enclave caters to the artist in you, boasting apps like Photos, Camera, GarageBand, iMovie, and Final Cut Pro for iPad.
  3. Productivity: In the “All you need to make your work of art” realm, Apple’s offerings include Notes, Reminders, Calendar, Freeform, and Pages. The focus? Enhancing your productivity and creativity.
  4. Exploration: Embark on journeys of discovery with apps like Safari, Maps, Weather, Find My, and Wallet. These apps are designed to simplify your explorations of both the digital and physical worlds.
  5. Entertainment and Home: “Brilliant ways to watch, read, listen, and relax” – this segment features Apple TV, Apple Music, Apple Arcade, Apple Music Classical, and Podcasts, promising entertainment and relaxation at your fingertips.
  6. Health and Fitness: Prioritizing “Wellness for your mind and body,” Apple offers apps such as Apple Health, Fitness, Workout, Sleep, and Cycle Tracking. Your well-being takes centre stage here.
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Aside from these categories, the ‘Apps by Apple’ page provides insights into the features that underpin Apple’s ecosystem. These include Siri, iCloud, CarPlay, and Continuity, designed to seamlessly integrate various aspects of your digital life. Family Sharing, another highlighted feature, promotes harmonious device sharing among families.

A Response to Regulatory Changes

It’s worth noting that the unveiling of this page comes at a time when the European Union (EU) is considering regulations that may require Apple to allow third-party app stores and sideloading on iPhones within its member states. Sideloading entails installing apps from sources other than Apple’s App Store. Apple’s long-standing argument for restricting sideloading revolves around security concerns, as it enables stricter control over potential threats like malware.

With these regulatory shifts looming, Apple’s ‘Apps by Apple’ initiative can be seen as a strategic move to bolster its in-house app portfolio. By emphasizing the quality, seamlessness, and privacy features of its apps, Apple aims to ensure that users continue to choose its ecosystem, even in the face of alternative options.

Apple reassures users that “Every app by Apple comes with powerful privacy features to help protect your data and give you control over your information.” This commitment aligns with Apple’s broader stance on privacy and data protection.

While these changes may initially impact EU users, the global tech landscape may witness ripple effects as the industry navigates evolving regulations.

In conclusion, Apple’s ‘Apps by Apple’ webpage serves as a testament to the company’s dedication to delivering a user-friendly and secure app experience. As the tech world continues to evolve, Apple remains unwavering in its pursuit of innovation and excellence.

Business, News, Social Media

Meta Contemplates Ad-Free Subscriptions for Facebook and Instagram in Europe

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Meta – Facebook and Instagram‘s parent company – is considering the possibility of offering paid versions of the social media platforms in Europe. This comes after the company’s tumultuous few months as the company continues to navigate the European Union’s stringent data privacy and online platform regulations.

dima solomin mr26tQgHGmc unsplash
Photo by Dima Solomin on Unsplash

The New York Times reports that Meta is considering subscription-based versions of both Facebook and Instagram. These versions would be free from advertisements. That said, the free, ad-supported versions of these platforms will still be available in the European Union.

So far, there is no word on the exact pricing and rollout timeline for these ad-free versions. Meta‘s motivation behind this potential offering is primarily to align with EU regulations rather than a clear revenue opportunity.

Meta’s Ongoing Struggle with EU Regulations

Meta has been grappling with the European Union over data privacy and advertising-related issues. The company faced a significant fine of $1.3 billion from Ireland’s Data Protection Commission for transferring European user data to the United States, violating GDPR regulations. In response, the United States and the EU established a data transfer agreement in July, easing some restrictions on social media platforms.

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Photo by Geri Tech on Pexels.com

To address EU concerns, Meta began allowing users in the region to opt out of targeted advertising. There were even discussions about shifting this feature to an opt-in model for all users in the EU.

Additionally, Meta postponed the release of its new social platform, Threads, in Europe due to regulatory concerns. The company appears to be apprehensive about the upcoming Digital Markets Act, which restricts the reuse of personal user data.

A Potential Pivot in Business Model

If Meta proceeds with ad-free paid versions of Facebook and Instagram in Europe, it would mark a notable departure from its traditional ad-supported model. While it remains uncertain how many users would embrace this paid option, industry insiders suggest that it could help appease European regulators and serve Meta’s interests in the region.

This move signifies a significant distinction between consumer technology in the European Union and the United States. Meta and other social media platforms are adapting to comply with GDPR and other regulations, demonstrating their accountability to governments rather than the reverse. As Meta navigates this evolving landscape, it could set an important precedent when it comes to the future of ad-free social media experiences.

Business, News

Alibaba Cloud Unveils Open-Source AI Models for Understanding Images and Text

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Alibaba Cloud has recently introduced two open-source large vision language models: the Qwen-VL and the Qwen-VL-Chat. These models are designed to understand both images and text, making them versatile tools for various tasks in both English and Chinese.

Qwen-VL understands images and texts

The Qwen-VL is an extension of Alibaba Cloud’s own AI Chatbot, Tongyi Qianwen and is capable of comprehending image inputs and text prompts. It works like a smart assistant that can look at pictures and answer open-ended questions about them.

Alibaba Cloud stated Qwen-VL is capable of handling higher-resolution image inputs compared to other open-source models. It can also engage in various visual language tasks, including captioning, question answering, and object detection in pictures.

Qwen-VL-Chat can perform creative tasks

On the other hand, Qwen-VL-Chat takes things a step further by enabling complex interactions. It can perform creative tasks like writing poetry and stories based on input images, summarising the content of multiple pictures, and solving math problems displayed in images.

According to benchmark tests conducted by Alibaba Cloud, Qwen-VL-Chat excels in text-image dialogue and able to answer questions in both Chinese and English

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Both open-source models are accessible globally

This is exciting news to the world because Alibaba Cloud is sharing these models with researchers and academic institutions worldwide. Alibaba Cloud made the code, weights, and documentation available for free.

This means more people can use these models for various tasks. Companies with over 100 million monthly active users can also request a licence for commercial use.

These models have the potential to change how we interact with images online. For example, they could assist visually impaired individuals with online shopping by describing products in images.

For more detailed information, you can read the full story on Alizila and find additional details about Qwen-VL and Qwen-VL-Chat on ModelScope, HuggingFace, and GitHub pages. The research paper detailing the model is also available here.

Business, News

[Google Cloud Next] Google Chat Gets New Features & Plays Nice with Slack & Teams

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Google Chat is getting some big updates that take significant strides to better the user experiences and add interoperability across platforms.

Welcome to the new Google Chat

Google Chat will soon be able to Duet you and help you collaborate even better with your coworkers. Duet AI is Google’s real-time collaboration partner is designed to provide users with updates, insights, and proactive suggestions across their Google Workspace apps. It will also be able to handle complex queries and even search through organisational data by searching through messages and files in Gmail and Drive. You won’t be slugging away to summarizing shared documents, and even offering recaps of missed conversations much longer as Duet AI will be able to take over with a simple prompt.

Google Chat Duet AI

Together with the inclusion of Duet AI, Google Chat is getting a makeover. It will be getting updated colour schemes, typography, and visual styling inline with Google’s Material 3 design language. It will also be getting a little bit more accessible with a unified conversation list that will consolidate direct messages and spaces. Additionally, new shortcuts, including a chronological home view, @mentions, and starred conversations, aim to streamline communication for users.

New Features To Enhance Collaboration

Collaboration is taking centerstage in Google Chat. Google is introducing a bevvy of new features that will allow teams to work seamlessly and collaborate more efficiently.

One of the many changes coming to Google Chat is the integration of Smart Canvas on the chat platform. This will allow teams to collaboration real time and interact seamlessly as if they were in the same room even remotely. The addition of smart chips for quick file sharing directly from the compose bar will also make collaborating a breeze. Accessing relevant conversation threads is also getting easier with in-line threading improvements.

Speaking of real time collaboration, Huddles offers teams a way to communicate in real time through quick-to-join audio and video conversations. Huddles seamlessly integrate meetings into the Chat experience, eliminating the need to switch between platforms. This feature is expected to enter customer preview by the end of the year.

gif google slack

Of course, in many organisation or even when it comes to cross organisational collaboration, compatibility is always an issue. Recognizing that collaboration often spans multiple platforms and tools, Google Chat is partnering with Mio, a collaborative interoperability solutions provider. This collaboration enables messaging interoperability between Google Chat and other platforms such as Slack and Microsoft Teams.

Scaling your team and collaborating with more parties will now be easier with Google Chat. The limitations on team size on team size is figuratively going away with Google increasing the number of members in spaces to a whopping 500,000 members compared to 8,000 members previously. This will allow larger corporations to manage their workforces through a single space.

Better Search, More Privacy

Google Chat’s search functionality is receiving a revamp. It will feature a redesigned results page and enhanced features such as suggested queries, autocomplete, and AI-based relevance ranking of results. Additionally, an autocorrect feature is being introduced to the suite of AI-powered composition tools, ensuring professional and polished communication.

With Chat being integrated into the Workspace ecosystem, users benefit from built-in protections against spam, phishing, and malware. Real-time data loss prevention warnings and content moderation tools help organizations maintain data security and privacy.

Business, Lifestyle, News

Samsung Unveils Specialized TVs for Healthcare Industry

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Samsung Electronics has introduced two new display models, the HCU7030 and HCF8000. The two new models are tailored for the healthcare sector. These models aim to enhance user experiences with features such as integrated pillow speaker interfaces, 4K resolution, and HDR performance. They are also Web RTC ready, enabling swift video conferencing integration.

  • Samsung Healthcare TV 2
    Source: Samsung
  • Samsung Healthcare TV 3
    Source: Samsung

The HCU7030 is designed for hospital environments, while the HCF8000 is suited for both healthcare and hotel settings. The displays are designed to prioritize patient comfort. The HCU7030 boasts a business management suite for easy device enrollment, and both models offer UL certification and three-pin plugs to uphold safety standards.

The HCU7030 series ranges from 43 to 75 inches, while the sleek 32” QLED HCF8000 fits well in hospitality settings. Both come with a Multi-Code Remote to minimize interference and Web RTC for virtual healthcare assistance.

Samsung Healthcare TV 1
Source: Samsung

LYNK Cloud, a comprehensive cloud solution, equips both models with customizable content, remote device management, and access to OTT entertainment. Managers can analyze user engagement and content viewership for an optimized guest experience.

Pricing & Availability

The HCU7030 launches in the U.S. on August 25, and the HCF8000 arrives in the U.S. and Europe in Q4 2023. No public pricing has been announced at this time.