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| Here are today's top stories: - The iPhone 15 is set to go on sale around Sept. 22.
- Elon Musk says his proposed cage fight against Mark Zuckerberg would be live-streamed on X.
- Tesla's CFO, Zachary Kirkhorn, has stepped down.
- Zoom is requiring employees to return to office twice a week.
Beth
p/beth-duckett | |
| 1 | | The news: Apple is gearing up to release the iPhone 15 on or around September 22, following a launch event expected on September 12 or 13, as reported by Bloomberg. The upcoming phone is rumored to boast various enhancements, including thinner bezels, a faster processor, an updated camera, and USB-C charging. Details: Carrier partners have allegedly blocked employee time off on September 13, aligning with the schedule. Besides the iPhone 15 lineup, Apple could unveil updates for Apple Watch Series 9, Apple Watch Ultra 2, and iOS 17. The September launch tradition aligns with Apple's strategy to maximize revenue before the fiscal quarter's end. What the numbers say: The timing will ensure the new iPhone is available throughout Apple's crucial holiday sales quarter, starting from October 1. However, recent weak iPhone sales have sparked concerns among investors. In its latest fiscal third quarter, iPhone sales dipped by 2% from a year earlier to $39.67B, and the company expects similar sales in the fourth quarter. 
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| 2 | Tesla CEO Elon Musk said he may need surgery before participating in the proposed cage match against Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg. The two billionaires have exchanged online jabs about a mixed martial arts match, which escalated after Zuckerberg launched Threads to directly rival Musk's X, previously Twitter. More: - Musk announced that the fight will be live-streamed on X, with all proceeds going to veterans' charities.
- However, Musk said he's scheduled to undergo an MRI of his neck and upper back, which may require surgery, potentially postponing the match.
- In response to Musk's announcement, Zuckerberg questioned the use of X as a reliable platform for raising funds for charity.
- Zuckerberg said he's ready for the fight and suggested a date of Aug. 26, but Musk has yet to confirm.
Zoom out: - Musk, 52, and Zuckerberg, 39, have been bantering about the fight since June, with Musk preparing by lifting weights throughout the day.
- Musk is the richest man in the world, with a net worth of $227.5B, while Zuckerberg ranks seventh with a net worth of $110.1B.
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| 3 | | Tesla's CFO, Zachary Kirkhorn, unexpectedly stepped down after 13 years with the company. Vaibhav Taneja, Tesla's chief accounting officer, will take on the CFO role in addition to his current responsibilities. More: - Kirkhorn, who was considered a contender to succeed Elon Musk as CEO, joined Tesla in 2010 and became CFO in March 2019.
- He played a significant role in achieving consistent profitability for the company.
- Kirkhorn will stay until the end of the year to ensure a smooth transition.
Zoom out: - This marks the second CFO replacement at Tesla in just over four years.
- Taneja has been with Tesla since 2017, joining through the acquisition of SolarCity, and previously worked at PwC for about 17 years.
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| 4 | | PayPal is launching PayPal USD (PYUSD), a stablecoin that's fully backed by U.S. dollar deposits, short-term U.S Treasuries, and similar cash equivalents. Stablecoins are cryptocurrencies pegged to an underlying asset and are designed to minimize volatility. More: - PaPal's stablecoin will be gradually available to U.S. customers and can be used for person-to-person payments, funding purchases, and converting supported cryptocurrencies.
- It will also be compatible with web3 environments and accessible on Venmo.
- Built on the Ethereum blockchain, the coin offers integration with external developers and applications.
- Initially targeting the cryptocurrency and web3 sectors, PayPal plans to expand its usage to remittances and micro-payments.
- Paxos Trust Co., the issuer of PYUSD, will provide transparency by publishing monthly reports on the assets backing the stablecoin.
Zoom out: - Roughly $126B worth of stablecoins are currently in circulation, with Tether Holdings Ltd.'s USDT being the largest.
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| 5 | | Zoom is now requiring its employees to return to the office at least two days per week. The company's "structured hybrid approach" only applies to employees living within 50 miles of an office. More: - In a statement, Zoom said employees who live near an office "need to be onsite two days a week" because it's "most effective" for the video-conferencing service.
- Zoom currently employs around 8,400 people, with more than half based in the U.S.
- Google, Amazon, and Salesforce have announced similar return-to-office policies in recent months.
Zoom out: - A July survey by Stanford University and others revealed that 12% of U.S.-based employees were fully remote, while 29% had hybrid work arrangements.
- Prior to the pandemic, remote work days in the U.S. were only around 5%.
- While many companies are opting for partial office returns, research shows that in-office mandates are unpopular among employees.
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| 6 | | Microsoft is discontinuing its standalone Cortana app in Windows. Cortana, Microsoft's virtual assistant since 2014, trailed rivals Alexa, Siri, and Google Assistant in popularity. More: - While Cortana will still be available in Microsoft apps like Outlook and Teams, the company is shifting its attention to AI-powered tools, including AI-based Bing search and Windows Copilot AI assistant.
- Cortana's support has been scaled back over the years, with previous removals from iOS, Android, and the Windows taskbar.
- The move underscores Microsoft's newfound focus on GPT-4 AI technology over the more basic voice assistant.
- A Microsoft support document mentions that AI experiences will still be available in Windows 11.
- It highlights Windows Copilot, the new Bing, Microsoft 365 Copilot, and the new voice access for controlling the PC with your voice in Windows 11.
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| 7 | | 
Community Corner Last week, we asked our tech community, "Do you think that technology is making us more or less creative?" Here's a highlighted response we received: Madison Peter (p/Madison85), Developer at Delimiti, answered: "Technology can both make us more and less creative. On the one hand, technology can provide us with new tools and resources that can help us to be more creative. For example, we can use technology to create new forms of art, music, and literature. We can also use technology to solve problems in new and innovative ways. On the other hand, technology can also make us less creative. For example, we may become too reliant on technology to solve our problems, which can lead to us becoming less creative in our own thinking. Additionally, technology can sometimes make it easier for us to copy and paste ideas from others, which can stifle our own creativity." Join the conversations at Inside.com, and we may shout out your name and business, or contact you for more! ⭐️ | | | |
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Term of the Day Cash burn: Cash burn is defined as the amount of cash a company utilizes to meet its expenses in a specific period. Question of the Week Do you think the 9-to-5 workday still relevant in today's modern workplace? Join the conversation |
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 | AI and technology writer | | Beth is the curator and writer of the AI and Tech newsletters at Inside. With a career in journalism and editing that began in 2007, she has written for publications including USA Today, The Arizona Republic, Arizona Business Gazette, and more. You can reach her at Beth.Duckett@yahoo.com. | | This newsletter was edited by NO ACCOUNT ASSOCIATED WITH THE EDITOR | |
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