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| Welcome to the latest edition of Inside Tech! Here are today's highlights: - X/Twitter is now testing a $1 annual subscription in two countries.
- Apple could announce a foldable iPad in 2024 or 2025.
- The IRS will launch a free tax filing pilot program next year.
If you find this newsletter useful, please share it with your friends and colleagues. Thank you! Beth
p/beth-duckett | |
| 1 | | X/Twitter is now testing a $1-per-year subscription for new users in New Zealand and the Philippines. According to X, the test could help improve its ongoing efforts to combat spam, platform manipulation, and bot activity. More: - The "Not A Bot" subscription charges X's web users for actions like liking, reposting, and quoting other accounts' posts.
- The fee "is not a profit driver," the company said.
- During the test, existing X users won't have to pay the fee, but new users who choose not to subscribe will only be able to view, read posts, watch videos, and follow accounts.
- The company said on its support page that it will share progress about the program's effectiveness in combating spam.
Zoom out: - The test is already generating speculation that X intends to eventually charge all users.
- Owner Elon Musk recently hinted at making the platform a paid service, saying X could introduce a "small monthly" subscription fee.
- A fee could help deter people from creating fake or bot accounts that often spread misinformation, propaganda, and scams, he explained.
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| 2 | | According to new reports, Apple could unveil its long-awaited foldable iPad as early as 2024 or 2025. Digitimes suggests a foldable iPad might arrive before a foldable iPhone because the iPad's smaller sales share makes it easier for Apple to handle any potential issues that could arise from the technology. 
What happened: Apple's foldable iPad is in "intensive development," with mass production set to begin in late 2024, according to DigiTimes' sources. Apple is reportedly in talks with Samsung Display (SDC) and LG Display (LGD) about supplying a display that lessens "creasing" mechanical design solutions. If progress continues at its current pace, Apple could unveil the device in late 2024 or early 2025. The bigger picture: Although Apple hasn't officially announced a foldable device, the rising popularity of devices like the Google Pixel Fold and Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 strongly suggests that Apple is actively working on its own foldable technology. DigiTimes notes that a foldable could drive higher iPad shipments, potentially helping to revive the struggling tablet market. Q: Do you think a foldable iPad would be a game-changer for the tablet market? Share your thoughts and join the conversation here. | | | |
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| 3 | In 2024, the IRS will launch a pilot program for a no-cost digital tax filing system. A test run of the "Direct File" program will allow certain taxpayers to electronically file federal tax returns for free directly with the IRS. More: - IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel noted that the test, potentially involving hundreds of thousands of taxpayers, will help gather feedback to shape the program's future direction.
- Arizona, California, Massachusetts, and New York will join the 2024 pilot by integrating state tax filings.
- Taxpayers from Alaska, Florida, New Hampshire, Nevada, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, and Wyoming could also potentially qualify.
- After filing federal returns via Direct File, the software will guide taxpayers to tools for separate state filings.
Zoom out: - Nearly half of Americans use software, such as TurboTax, to file their taxes, according to a survey of 1,200 U.S. adults commissioned by The College Investor.
- Only around 25% of people filed their taxes for free, despite the IRS estimating around 70% eligibility.
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| 4 | | Amazon is now testing drone deliveries for prescription drugs in College Station, Texas. The company promises to deliver medications to customers of Amazon Pharmacy within 60 minutes at no extra charge. More: - Qualified customers can choose from over 500 medications, with a drone delivering them to their doorstep.
- Amazon said its drones are equipped with cameras for object recognition and fly within an obstacle-free airspace between 40 and 120 meters.
- If the delivery area is clear, the drone will drop the medication package; otherwise, it will return for a later attempt.
- To qualify for the delivery, customers must join Prime Air and complete a yard survey.
Zoom out: - Amazon plans to launch drone delivery in one additional U.S. location, as well as Italy and the U.K., by the end of 2024.
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| 5 | | Two years after its release, Windows 11 now claims roughly 400 million users, a slower adoption rate compared to Windows 10, which had nearly 600 million users at the same point in its lifecycle. Windows 10 is still dominant, running on more than 70% of Windows devices, while Windows 11 lags at 24%, according to Statcounter data. More: - Windows 11's slower adoption could be attributed to its stricter hardware requirements, including support only for CPUs released from 2018 onwards.
- In addition, Windows 10 succeeded Windows 8, which was unpopular due to its interface changes, while Windows 11 is seen as a less necessary upgrade.
- Microsoft expects Windows 11 to reach 500 million monthly active devices in early 2024.
Zoom out: - Sources suggest Microsoft is expected to launch Windows 12 in 2024.
- With Microsoft's support for Windows 10 ending in 2025, the company faces the challenge of convincing users to transition to Windows 11 or its successor by that time.
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| 6 | | Baidu, the Chinese tech giant, unveiled Ernie 4.0, its latest AI foundation model that the company claims is on par with OpenAI's GPT-4. Ernie 4.0 can generate text, images, and videos. More: - Ernie 4.0 primarily operates in Mandarin Chinese but can also handle English queries to a lesser extent.
- Baidu's CEO, Robin Li, said Ernie was designed for four core capabilities: understanding, generating, reasoning, and memorizing.
- Li demonstrated the bot's capabilities at the Baidu World conference, including its ability to create commercials, solve complex math problems, and write plots for books.
- Baidu plans to integrate generative AI into its search engine, maps, business tools, and cloud services, though it has yet to provide a timeline.
Zoom out: - Baidu first unveiled the Ernie bot, its user-facing text chatbot, in March.
- Since the bot was publicly released in August, it has attracted over 45 million users.
- The latest Ernie model will initially launch to invited users, with no date yet for a public release.
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INSIDE TECH LEADERBOARD (7 DAYS) |
 | AI and technology writer | | Beth is an editor and writer of Inside's AI and Tech newsletters, with a career spanning journalism since 2007. She has written for publications including The Arizona Republic and USA Today and authored a book on the solar industry in 2016. Reach her at Beth.Duckett@yahoo.com. | | This newsletter was edited by Eduardo Garcia | |
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