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| Here's your daily tech briefing: - Meta makes Messenger chats and calls encrypted by default.
- Apple to release new iPad Air, iPad Pro, and MacBook Air models in 2024.
- Ex-Twitter executive claims he was fired for raising security concerns.
- GameStop reports 9% drop in Q3 sales and narrowing losses.
- Sony launches PS5 controller for players with disabilities.
Beth
p/beth-duckett | |
| 1 | | In a win for privacy supporters, Meta is making one-on-one chats and calls on Messenger encrypted by default. The long-awaited update makes it impossible for anyone, including Meta, to view a user's personal messages unless they choose to report them to the company. Encryption for group chats will remain opt-in. More: - Since 2016, Messenger has offered the option for users to switch on end-to-end encryption (E2EE), but it was not a default feature.
- The update makes Messenger more like Meta sister app WhatsApp, the world's largest encrypted platform.
- The company said it could take some time for E2EE to reach all Messenger users.
- Meta added that the feature "has taken years to deliver because we've taken our time to get this right" and it had to "rebuild Messenger features from the ground up."
Zoom out: - Instagram's direct messages will also transition to default encryption, most likely in 2024.
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| 2 | | Apple is gearing up to release new iPad Air, iPad Pro, and MacBook Air models in the first few months of 2024, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. With the upgraded devices, Apple hopes to counteract a drop in Mac and iPad revenue. Mac and iPad sales have declined in recent quarters as inflation and high borrowing costs impact consumer non-essential purchases, with both devices experiencing a year-over-year sales drop in Apple's latest fiscal quarter. 
Details: According to Gurman, the upcoming iPad Air will introduce two different sizes, a 10.9-inch screen and a 12.9-inch screen. The new iPad Pro model will feature OLED screens and an M3 chip. Meanwhile, a new MacBook Air, Apple's most popular laptop, will come with Apple's new M3 processor for faster performance. All devices are expected to be launched in March. Extra: Apple is also working on updated versions of its Apple Pencil and Magic Keyboard accessories for the iPad Pro. The company plans to release its Vision Pro mixed-reality headset in early 2024. | | | |
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| 3 | | A former executive of Twitter, now X, is suing the company, claiming he was wrongfully fired for opposing budget cuts that would violate federal rules. Alan Rosa, Twitter's former global head of information security, filed the lawsuit this week in a New Jersey federal court, alleging breach of contract, wrongful termination, and retaliation. More: - Shortly after Musk's acquisition of Twitter last year, Rosa claims he was told to slash his department's physical security budget by 50% and deactivate software for global law enforcement information sharing.
- Steve Davis, an adviser to Elon Musk, allegedly instructed Rosa to halve the physical security budget within hours.
- Rosa claims he raised concerns that the cuts could lead to Twitter violating a $150M FTC settlement in 2022 over alleged misuse of user data.
- He says he was fired within days after objecting to the cuts.
- X did not respond to media requests for comment.
Zoom out: - Rosa's suit is one of many filed by ex-Twitter employees against Musk and X, alleging contract breaches and violations of state employment laws, among other allegations.
- In September, X agreed to pursue a settlement with thousands of former Twitter employees who claim they were denied severance pay.
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| 4 | | GameStop on Wednesday reported Q3 sales of $1.08B, down 9% YoY, falling short of analysts' estimates of $1.18B. The video game retailer has been struggling as gamers download more games online and free app store games gain in popularity. More: - The October-ended quarter was the first with executive chairman Ryan Cohen as CEO.
- In the quarter, GameStop cut its net losses to $3.1M, down from $92.6M in Q3 2022.
- Hardware and accessories net sales came in at $579M, down 8% year-on-year.
- Software net sales were $321M, down 9% YoY, while collectibles net sales were $178M, a YoY decline of 14%.
Zoom out: - On Dec. 5, GameStop's board authorized Cohen to oversee the company's investment portfolio.
- The billionaire founder of Chewy.com is GameStop's largest shareholder.
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| 5 | | Sony has launched a PlayStation 5 controller designed specifically for players with disabilities. The Access controller debuted worldwide on Wednesday, priced at $89.99 / €89.99. More: - The circular-design controller was co-developed with AbleGamers, Stack-Up, and SpecialEffect, which are organizations dedicated to assisting people with disabilities in gaming.
- The device comes as a customizable kit that lets player tailor the design of the controller using different buttons, triggers, and sticks.
- The controller tackles three major challenges for players with disabilities: extended use comfort, precise button pressing, and optimal finger placement.
- The device's inclusively-designed packaging is also openable with one hand.
Zoom out: - In October, Sony said its PS5 is fully stocked worldwide, overcoming three years of supply chain problems triggered by global chip shortages.
- The company is aiming for a record-breaking sales target of 25 million PS5 units in 2023.
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| 6 | | Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) is now selling its MI300X, an AI chip that competes against Nvidia's H100 chip for training and running AI models. Meta, Microsoft, Oracle, and OpenAI have already signed up to use the MI300X when it starts shipping next year, taking on market leader Nvidia. More: - AMD CEO Lisa Su called the MI300X "the most advanced AI accelerator in the industry."
- According to Su, MI300X rivals Nvidia's H100 AI GPU in training large language models.
- MI300X outperforms the H100 by 1.4x when running Meta's Llama 2 model for inference tasks.
- Pricing details of the MI300X weren't shared publicly. Su said AMD's chip must offer a more competitive cost compared to Nvidia's ~$40,000 H100 to win over customers.
Zoom out: - AMD now projects a $45B market for data center AI processors this year, growing to $400B by 2027, reflecting the surging demand for AI chips.
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| 7 | | QUICK HITS - Want to master Kubernetes? The Kubernetes Cookbook is a must-have guide to discover guidance on cloud architecture analytics, optimization, governance, and more.*
- Amazon is discontinuing Venmo as a direct payment option after just 14 months.
- AMD unveiled its Ryzen 8040 mobile processors, which incorporate neural processing units and offer AI processing performance.
- Apple released MLX, a machine learning framework optimized for Apple Silicon. Developers can use MLX to create AI models that run on MacBooks and other Apple devices.
- Microsoft's Seeing AI app, now available on Android, uses generative AI to provide detailed image descriptions for blind and low-vision users. It launched for iOS devices back in 2017.
- Toast to 2024: Key affiliate marketing trends to help your campaigns start off on the right foot in the new year. Get the free report.*
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 | AI and technology writer | | Beth is a contributing editor and writer of Inside's AI and Tech newsletters. She has written for notable publications like USA Today and the Arizona Business Gazette. During her time as a public policy reporter at The Arizona Republic, she received recognition with a Pulitzer Prize nomination and a First Amendment Award for her collaborative reporting on pension cost increases. Beth also authored a book on the solar photovoltaic industry in 2016. You can reach her at Beth.Duckett@yahoo.com. | | This newsletter was edited by Eduardo Garcia | |
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