I’m a longtime iPhone user who has not upgraded to one of the iPhone 15 models. The iPhone 14 Pro is still an amazing device. It’s practically the equivalent of the base iPhone 15. And I’m fairly confident that I could keep it for one more year after the iPhone 16 hits stores next September. But if the rumored Apple GPT is ready to debut with iOS 18 on the iPhone 16 series, I’ll upgrade immediately, even if I have to pay more or get the iPhone 16 Pro Max for the best native generative AI experience.

The future of AI on the iPhone sounds promising already. A report from Korea says that the Phone 16 series will get a revamped Siri experience.

The rumor saying Siri will become the “ultimate virtual assistant” dropped on the heels of Samsug’s big Gauss announcement. That’s the Korean giant’s ChatGPT equivalent that will probably debut on the Galaxy S24 as soon as January. That’ll give Samsung a big head start. Also, it’ll put plenty of pressure on Apple to deliver its own generative AI experience.

Will Apple GPT be exclusive to the iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max?

I said I’d be willing to pay more for an iPhone 16 model next year to get the best possible generative AI experience. I have no way of knowing what it’ll be, but I certainly don’t expect Apple’s Siri GPT to be exclusive to the iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max.

If anything, I think Apple should figure out ways to make its ChatGPT alternative available on as many iPhone models as possible, including my current iPhone 14 Pro. Previous rumors said Apple is considering both on-device generative AI experiences and cloud-based AI features. Samsung confirmed that Gauss will also rely on on-device hardware and cloud infrastructure.

This next-gen Siri experience that iOS 18 should bring will have to work on older iPhones. 

iPhone 15 Pro Max Action Button Image source: Christian de Looper for BGR

I also know how Apple works. Apple might make iOS compatible with older devices, yes. But some features will be exclusive to the newest iPhones, the ones that have the better hardware for it.

The iPhone 15 Pro Max has the best zoom capabilities of any smartphone because it features a tetraprism lens that no other model rocks. The iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max feature the A17 Pro chip that delivers console-grade gaming experiences. But those console games do not work on the iPhone 14 Pros.

At the same time, iOS 17 enables features on the iPhone 15 that could work on the iPhone 14 Pro, but Apple decided not to enable them. Like the default 24-megapixel photos, the battery life stats, and the maximum battery charge setting.

Why I’m willing to pay more for the iPhone’s AI features

With all that in mind, I’m certain that Siri AI would offer generative AI features that work on most iPhones. However, Apple will surely devise unique functionalities for the iPhone 16 series, especially the Pro models.

Put differently, I expect the A18 Pros that will power the iPhone 16 Pro models to feature upgrades to the Neural Engine involved in machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) in iOS 18.

Not only that, but the A18 Pro chips should be better at handling the AI features coming in the next few years. And if you’ve been following ChatGPT innovations for the past year, you have a pretty good idea of how much has happened in the span of 12 months.

However, I don’t need new hardware to get the best ChatGPT features. All I need is a subscription to the Plus tier, and the newest generative AI features will be available in the cloud.

iPhone 15 Screen. Image source: Christian de Looper for BGR

The point is I’d still have to pay more money for access to the newest generative AI experience. That’s understandable, as nothing is free on the internet. We can’t expect that from ChatGPT or Siri GPT.

I could run the latest ChatGPT Plus experience on the iPhone right now via OpenAI’s app. But it wouldn’t be a native generative AI experience.

Also, the problem with ChatGPT is that it’s not yet close to delivering a personal AI experience. OpenAI probably can’t do it until it makes its own hardware.

But Apple GPT has a much better chance to do that on iPhone 16 and other models. That’s where on-device processing would come in handy, considering Apple’s big stance on privacy. And, again, this is why I’d want the best possible hardware to handle iOS 18’s personal AI features.

That said, I’m only speculating. Thankfully, WWDC 2024 should give us a look at the first generative AI features Apple will be willing to reveal. And I’ll be in a better position to determine whether an iPhone hardware upgrade is necessary.

That said, I think that native generative AI might be the best thing to happen to the iPhone next year. And I’m more excited about it than battery innovations, new buttons, larger screens, or better cameras. According to current leaks, the iPhone 16 is supposed to deliver on all those fronts.

The post I’ll upgrade to the iPhone 16 Pro Max if I have to, just for the native generative ChatGPT-like experience appeared first on BGR.

When Humane unveiled the Ai Pin wearable on Thursday evening, we already knew everything about it. The specs, features, and price of the Ai Pin had leaked hours before the official announcement. Still, we lacked context and needed to see exactly how Humane pitched the device and whether that $699 price tag would be worth it.

After seeing Humane’s display-less AI-based smartphone vision for the future, I can safely say that I’ll never replace my iPhone with something like the Ai Pin. Never, ever, not in a thousand lifetimes. Not in this form.

The biggest problem with the device is the lack of a screen, which will make everything more difficult. Humane’s desire to eliminate displays is noble, don’t get me wrong. And I’d love to reduce my iPhone screen time with the help of AI. But we’re not quite in a place where that can happen.

That said, I immediately thought about one use case scenario for the Humane Ai Pin where I’d have no trouble relying on an AI gadget rather than taking the iPhone from my pocket. It’s running and walking sessions for me, but it could fit well with outdoor fitness activities.

I already told you how I use ChatGPT to improve my running, from picking better equipment to actually devising a training plan for running a half-marathon. And it worked. I’m running faster than ever, and I’ve completed one official race, ran two additional half-marathons, and ran and walked several hundred miles this year. I don’t plan on stopping anytime soon.

Humane Ai Pin comes with a laser projector. Image source: Humane

Also, I use the Apple Watch to track my performance, but I always bring the iPhone with me. By now, you might have realized where I’m going with this. I’d rather clip something like the Ai Pin to my clothing when running and walking and leave the smartphone at home.

The reason I carry the handset has to do with communication. I didn’t get a cellular Apple Watch, so I need to be able to answer calls if the need arises. I could upgrade the Apple Watch and leave the iPhone at home. Considering the Ai Pin’s price tag, that’s the better option.

But then Humane also demoed a few interesting features for the Ai Pin that the Apple Watch can’t offer. The Pin can take hands-free photos and videos, which is something I could have used while running my half-marathon race. I could take pictures more often and even record entire running sessions.

Humane Ai Pin supports touch gestures and voice. Image source: Humane

Since running and walking takes a lot of time, I might be out at odd hours of the day. With winter setting in and days getting shorter, that also means running well after dark. And while it’s generally safe around me, the Ai Pin could help with my peace of mind. After all, accidents happen, and I’d need to be able to call for help.

Not only that, but again, the Ai Pin lets you quickly record videos and take photos. It could be a handy bodycam that I’d hope to never have to use.

Maybe I get ideas I want to remember while I train, and the Ai Pin could help me easily save those notes. I’d just have to talk to the AI or touch it to get started. The AI could also answer questions I might have, and it would automatically translate foreign languages. Also, I think the AI could help out if I get lost. It could be faster than loading up Google Maps on the iPhone.

A person wearing the Humane Ai Pin. Image source: Humane

The Humane wearable could also help with entertainment. I often have music, a podcast, or even a Netflix documentary playing while I run and walk. I usually select those before I leave the house. But with the Ai Pin, I could do it on the fly. Too bad Humane doesn’t do apps. This means the Ai Pin doesn’t work with all the services I’d subscribe to.

I’d also take advantage of the AI’s ability to recognize food and beverages and calculate the intake of calories. When running longer distances, I pack water and gels. When walking, I stop for food. An AI that sees the food I consume could come in handy, helping me make the process more efficient. That would be especially good during official races.

Finally, I can’t help but wonder whether an AI like the ones powering the Ai Pin could actually help monitor my progress. There could be AI models that could take into account data coming from the Ai Pin to give me on-the-fly stats about my running. The AI could compare what I’m doing with past races and maybe point out issues with how I run.

At the very least, the AI could keep track of my chosen routes and then map them out inside map apps.

Accessing Humane Ai Pin content on a computer. Image source: Humane

I will also point out that Humane’s commitment to strong user privacy is a great Ai Pin feature. I’d be more willing to collect all that data about myself during my runs, knowing that the data won’t be fed to the AI or sold to third parties for ads.

Unfortunately, most of what I’ve described above will eventually require a display. I’d need a screen to go through the data the Ai Pin collects. I would need to load an app on a smartphone or a website to see the photos, videos, notes, calories, and other health stats the AI might help me collect. And I’d only be able to do that when I return home.

Is all that worth $699 and a separate $24/month phone encryption? Unfortunately, I don’t think so. Not to mention that the Ai Pin isn’t available in Europe, and from the looks of it, it’s not coming anytime soon. A better bet would be getting a first-gen Apple Watch Ultra and wait for Apple’s AI to roll along.

The post I can only think of one use for the Humane Ai Pin, and even that isn’t worth it appeared first on BGR.

WhatsApp is Meta’s (then Facebook’s) most expensive purchase to date, with nearly $20 billion paid in 2014. It’s also the most difficult one to monetize. The app is free, and everything in it is end-to-end encrypted. Placing personalized ads based on user-generated content and interests isn’t possible. But Meta is looking to place ads inside WhatsApp. That’s always been the case, and WhatsApp’s head, Will Cathcart, confirmed as much in a recent interview.

However, WhatsApp won’t put ads inside your chat inbox. Instead, you might see commercials in the status or channels. The latter is a feature that Meta seems to have copied from Telegram, which allows people to create communities inside WhatsApp. Before you get started with channels, you should know that’s probably the only area in WhatsApp where texting isn’t protected by end-to-end encryption.

Ads in WhatsApp

Last month, Cathcart denied that ads are coming to WhatsApp, as a report from The Financial Times claimed. However, Cathcart had to adapt his response when talking to Brazilian media Folha.

“The article claimed that we were going to put ads in the inbox. We’re not doing that, we’re not discussing it. We don’t think that’s the right model. People, when they open their inbox, don’t want to see advertising,” the high-ranking WhatsApp exec.

Meanwhile, Meta has been rolling out paid versions of Facebook and Instagram in Europe, where local privacy laws are getting tougher. I said recently that Meta might have created these premium ad-free Facebook and Instagram experiences as bait for consumers.

Rather than paying the monthly fee, they’d agree to see ads. And Facebook looks to obtain explicit consent from European Facebook and Instagram users for personalized ads.

WhatsApp Status features. Image source: WhatsApp

Users in Europe are already seeing such prompts in action, and Meta seems to be steering customers to the ad-supported apps rather than the premium models. That’s to say that Meta wants to show ads in its apps rather than charge you for them, and WhatsApp isn’t going to be an exception.

Cathcart clarified to Folha that WhatsApp will remain free, and the main messaging experience will be ad-free. “The reason I qualified the answer [to The Financial Times article] is that there could be ads in other places placements or statuses,” the exec added.

“For example, channels could charge people to subscribe, they could be exclusive to paid members, or the owners might want to promote the channel. But, no, we’re not going to put ads in the inbox.”

How WhatsApp makes money now

The WhatsApp boss also said that combined, Facebook Messenger, Instagram, and WhatsApp bring in $10 billion a year. It’s unclear how much of that figure comes from WhatsApp, but Meta has two ways of monetizing the chat app that do not involve ads in WhatsApp. Both concern enterprise use.

Meta charges businesses a fee for allowing them to chat with customers via WhatsApp. Also, Meta might offer businesses that rely on WhatsApp for communication with consumers other paid services, like Facebook and Instagram ads that point to a company’s WhatsApp presence.

Meta AI features in WhatsApp: AI stickers, AI chats, and Photorealistic Image Generation. Image source: WhatsApp

Cathcart also addressed generative AI features in WhatsApp and dropped an interesting gem about the experience. The WhatsApp AI will give you information from the internet without you having to browse the web manually. That is, Meta wants to keep you inside the app with the help of AI rather than losing your attention.

I can’t help but wonder if that’s something Meta will monetize with ads. Here’s Cathcart’s quote about it:

Another thing is that we have the AI agents, who you can talk to, exchange messages with, and it answers your questions. It can give ideas, search the internet, and give recent and accurate information. Obviously, this is AI, so we’re learning. But it’s a way to access information without having to search the internet, enter websites.

With all that in mind, it’s unclear when Meta will roll out ads in WhatsApp. But at least you’ve been warned to expect them in some WhatsApp experiences.

The post WhatsApp is getting ads, but it’s not as bad as it sounds appeared first on BGR.

Loki is a must-see MCU story, no matter what sort of Marvel fan you might be. If you follow every new release, you probably haven’t skipped this hotly anticipated TV show. But if you pick and choose your MCU stories, you should definitely have Loki on your radar. The story is complete now that the Loki season 2 finale is streaming on Disney Plus. And if you already thought that Loki influences the MCU’s past, present, and future, well, season 2 will further reinforce that idea.

In what follows, I’ll give you the biggest takeaways from the season 2 finale titled Glorious Purpose, which shouldn’t be confused with season 1 episode 1, also titled Glorious Purpose.

Big spoilers from Loki and the entire MCU will follow below.

The fact that Loki starts and ends with the same episode title is enough to tell you this is a complete two-part MCU story. It also teases the time travel that Loki (Tom Hiddleston) has started to master in episode 5. He’s now able to control his time-slipping and also stop time around him. He’s a more complete hero than the Loki variant who died in Infinity War.

Given what happened in the season 2 finale, I feel there’s no need for a third installment. What Loki & Co. did during these 12 episodes changed the MCU completely. And it all happened without anyone in these timelines realizing what was going on.

The natural evolution from Loki is the next Avengers adventure, starting with The Kang Dynasty and ending with Secret Wars. The Loki season 2 finale doesn’t even have a credits scene, nor does it need one.

Sylvie (Sophia Di Martino) in Loki season 2 trailer 1. Image source: Marvel Studios

Loki just became one of the biggest MCU heroes

I always knew that Tom Hiddleston would deliver a great Loki performance in season 2, and he absolutely shines through in the finale.

Glorious Purpose is an ode to Loki, offering us the most complex, most exciting, and most heartbreaking transformation of the former antagonist/villain into a loving, selfless hero who is ready to sacrifice himself for the brief good of the multiverse, fully knowing he’s also taking the biggest gamble of his life.

Loki’s arc in Loki is more significant than the one we saw during the Infinity War. That Loki variant pales by comparison.

When the season 2 finale starts, you realize Loki is about to pull a Groundhog Day. Rather than Bill Murray’s Phil being stuck in a small town during a particular winter day, Loki goes to plenty of places trying to fix the TVA’s Time Loom problem. He spent centuries learning TVA engineering, which means Loki could create another TVA from scratch if he wanted to.

When he realizes that fixing the Time Loom isn’t possible, he revisits the Loki season 1 finale, relentlessly trying to stop Sylvie (Sophia Di Martino) from killing Kang (Jonathan Majors). The only solution is sacrificing her, something Kang suggests. It turns out He Who Remains had also set in motion the events that allowed Loki to time-slip and reach this time loop.

(L-R): Tom Hiddleston as Loki, Ke Huy Quan as OB and Owen Wilson as Mobius in Loki season 2. Image source: Gareth Gatrell/Marvel

The conversation between them in the season 2 finale echoes the one in the season 1 finale. It’s here that Loki starts discovering how difficult his choice is. Killing Sylvie or destroying the Time Loom could save the entire multiverse. But neither is a guarantee, especially the latter, which Loki chooses.

At this point, you realize, once again, that He Who Remains and Loki are plenty alike. Though their methods might differ, they have the same (glorious) purpose.

After chatting with Mobius (Owen Wilson) and Sylvie, Loki makes the touch sacrifice. He chooses to destroy the Time Loom even if that means briefly endangering all the timelines. The Time Loom would have killed those alternate realities by design, so this was the only way to preserve multiversal life while simultaneously knowing that multiversal wars are inevitable.

By the end of the episode, we’re many centuries later than the start of this big adventure. But those centuries passed in a place where time doesn’t really flow. And that’s where Loki chooses to spend what will be an eternity of sorts, leaving the timelines alive and waiting. That’s what sort of god he has to be.

What’s incredibly sad here is that Loki ends up all alone despite having tried so far to save all his friends and be around them. Even more painful is that nobody except for the TVA knows what Loki did. Thor (Chris Hemsworth) or Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) would probably have a hard time believing that Loki is responsible for them being alive and at peace.

Again, the events in the entire Loki happen outside of time. The official MCU chronology places the TV show after Endgame. But only because, from Loki’s initial perspective, that’s where his TVA life starts.

Ke Huy Quan as OB, Wunmi Mosaku as Hunter B-15, Tom Hiddleston as Loki, and Owen Wilson as Mobius in Loki season 2. Image source: Gareth Gatrell/Marvel

The Kang problem is resolved

The Loki season 2 finale also fixes Marvel’s Jonathan Majors problem. Marvel can choose to recast Kang with a different actor and continue the story, thus freeing itself from Majors’s issues. Obviously, Marvel could keep Majors in place for all future Kang roles. That’s also an option. But the finale also allows Marvel to go in a different direction.

Unfortunately for the Multiverse Saga, the next Avengers film is titled The Kang Dynasty. So, Kangs would have to be involved in such a story.

What I’m getting at is that there’s a lot of maneuver. Kang seemed like the biggest, baddest villain in the MCU so far. But the Loki season 2 finale proves that Kang might have met his match in Loki. The problem is that Loki is kind of stuck at the end of time, holding on to those timeline branches for eternity.

The fix for Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

The multiverse that Loki now holds in his hands looks a lot like the mythical Yggdrasil tree from Norse mythology. A tree that Thor referenced earlier in the MCU. This World Tree contains the universe together, and Loki season 2 practically takes that literally. Yggdrasil now holds the multiverse for however long or brief is needed.

The visual aspect of the multiverse has changed dramatically. That’s what I’m trying to say. And it no longer looks like it did in the finale of Loki season 1. The Sacred Timeline is no longer circular.

Victor Timely Kang (Jonathan Majors) in Loki season 2 trailer 1. Image source: Marvel Studios

You’ll remember how much I struggled to reconcile the multiverse in Across the Spider-Verse with the MCU multiverse. The former showed a tree-like shape against the circular Sacred Timeline and the sprawling multiverse around it in Loki. Well, the season 2 finale reconciles all of that. And I couldn’t be happier. This anchors the Spider-Verse to the MCU firmly.

The multiverse connections

It’s not just about Spider-Man. I said earlier that Loki doesn’t need a season 3, considering the season 2 finale. Loki managed to avoid the destruction of the TVA, saved the Sacred Timelines and all the emerging timelines, and gave the TVA a new purpose. The organization is now guarding the tree and has a War Room ready.

The TVA is actively monitoring the Kangs of the multiverse, which have not become aware of the TVA’s existence.

While Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania is another big MCU letdown, the Loki finale also addresses that Kang version. And it gives us a lot of information about the Quantum Realm. That’s an Earth-616-adjacent realm. This practically tells us the TVA doesn’t live in the Quantum Realm.

I often said that Kang was responsible for the events in the Infinity War. He paved the way for Loki and Sylvie to get to him. That means he manipulated most of the events in the Infinity War. But the Loki season 2 finale tells us that Loki is practically responsible for what happens in the Multiverse Saga. All the other realities we see in the MCU are alive because Loki keeps Yggdrasil alive.

Is that the Time Loom rearranging realities into a new Sacred Timeline? Image source: Marvel Studios

Like Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) retiring to a different reality. Or Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) dealing with his share of multiverse adventures. Or the events in What If…? and The Marvels. The latter is playing in theaters right now. And The Marvels brings huge developments for the Multiverse Saga.

The same goes for the Fox universe of Marvel stories. Or Sony’s Spider-Man Universe (SSU). They exist in the big Marvel multiverse because Loki is keeping those realities alive. The Time Loom would have eventually destroyed all branches.

Also, that War Room teases future events involving the TVA. The multiverse wars are still happening, and the TVA will play a role in them.

The Loki characters are available for other MCU adventures

As soon as it was clear to me that Loki would revisit the season 1 finale, as fixing the Time Loom was impossible, I worried that Sylvie would have to die. At least briefly. That didn’t happen. Loki sacrificed his future instead.

Sylvie is very much alive and somewhat well. Whatever happens next in the Multiverse Saga, I’m sure we’ll see her resurface. She still can travel the multiverse at will, one of the few characters with such powers in the MCU.

Also, most of the recurring characters from Loki seasons 1 and 2 are alive. Mobius, Hunter B-15 (Wunmi Mosaku), OB (Ke Huy Quan), Ravonna (Gugu Mbatha-Raw), and Miss Minutes (Tara Strong) are alive.

OB (Ke Huy Quan) in Loki season 2 trailer 1. Image source: Marvel Studios

The TVA’s renewed importance

Even Alioth seems to be there, which means the Void is still there. That’s where Renslayer is and where some of the Deadpool 3 action will occur.

This means we might see some of these characters in upcoming movies. I didn’t reference Deadpool 3 accidentally. The TVA might play a big part in the sequel, with rumors saying that it’ll be responsible for raising a multiversal army to fight the Kangs. It might all start with Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds) and Wolverine (Hugh Jackman).

This TVA isn’t the ruthless organization that would prune everything for the greater good. And, on that note, the Loki season 2 finale also extends Mobius’s arc. We learn that he was a Hunter once, and a mistake might have turned him into an analyst. He briefly spared a variant that would have killed 5,000 people, and that cost Mobius the lives of other hunters.

The end of Loki season 2 also shows that those at the TVA, the billions of people working in this place outside of time, still believe they have a purpose. Even Mobius, though he needs some time off to explore what having a life would have been.

The post Loki is a must-see MCU show: 6 big takeaways from the season 2 finale appeared first on BGR.

Streaming subscriptions are getting increasingly more expensive. It’s not just Netflix, as everyone in the industry continues to raise prices periodically. That’s a good excuse to reconsider your streaming budget and ditch the services you’re not watching.

But it also makes propositions like Verizon’s rumored $10 Netflix-Max bundle very exciting. You can save money without ditching Netflix or Max, even if that means watching ads. That’s because, yes, the $10 bundle only includes the ad-supported versions of Netflix and Max.

Purchased separately, they’ll cost you around $17 a month, with Netflix’s ad-based tier accounting for $6.99. Verizon’s bundle will let you save $7 per month, a great deal that comes right in time for the Black Friday shopping season.

Verizon hasn’t announced the deal officially, however. But the carrier reportedly plans to roll out the Netflix-Max bundle in the coming weeks. Per The Wall Street Journal, the $10 streaming bundle will be available to Verizon’s “myPlan” wireless customers.

This isn’t the first time Verizon has offered better streaming deals to its subscribers. About a year ago, Verizon threw in a free year of Netflix’s most expensive ad-free subscription as long as you subscribed to a second streaming service Verizon offered via its platform.

The reason Verizon is bundling such services concerns customer retention. The carrier found that bundling streaming services cuts churn by 60% to 70%. Also, Verizon gets a piece of the revenue, though the deal’s financial details have not leaked. Moreover, the report says there is a minimum revenue guarantee for the streamers.

Father of the Bride is streaming on HBO Max in June. Image source: Warner Bros. Pictures

This time around, the bundle concerns the ad-based versions of Netflix and Max, which might seem like an odd choice. However, both Netflix and Max want to expand the reach of their ad-based tiers significantly.

That’s the only way for advertisers to pay more attention to the streaming platforms and invest more money in ads tailored to these products.

The Journal reports that Netflix isn’t happy with the adoption of its ad-supported plan and is looking to boost those figures. This might explain why Netflix killed the cheapest ad-free subscription a few months ago, right after its password-sharing crackdown started. The streamer might have wanted to push more new subscribers to the ad-supported subscription.

Launched late last year, Netflix’s ad-based tier has 15 million active users. That’s up from five million in May. Netflix has 247 million subscribers globally. The Journal also notes that the ad-supported subscriptions accounted for 30% of new US customers as of September. The figures come from analytics firm Antenna.

In turn, the sign-ups for Max with ads rose from 16% to 19% over the same period. Warner Bros. Discovery does not disclose the actual number of Max subscribers on the ad-supported tier. Or the total number of Max subscribers.

But Warner has 95.1 million subscribers to its direct-to-customer services, Warner Bros. Discovery. While the figures for Max aren’t available, Max is the biggest streaming service in Warner’s portfolio.

Put differently, Netflix has 77.3 million customers in the US and Canada, compared to 52.6 million for Warner’s services, of which Max is, again, the largest.

The post $10 Netflix & Max streaming bundle from Verizon is a great deal, even with ads appeared first on BGR.

The $1,599 M3 MacBook Pro 14-inch is Apple’s cheapest MacBook Pro option, featuring a base configuration that includes 8GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. That’s probably enough for people who are choosing between the 15-inch MacBook Air and the base M3 MacBook Pro. The M3 packs a big performance bump, and the 14-inch model features excellent battery life, a better screen, and several extra ports.

But professionals who routinely use MacBook Pros to increase their productivity will probably want to get more RAM out of the gate. As you’ll see in the following video comparison, 8GB of RAM will turn out to be a big bottleneck when it comes to multitasking — regardless of what Apple says.

Apple has already addressed criticism about its decision to pair the base M3 chip with 8GB of RAM instead of 16GB. The company told a blogger that 8GB RAM on the M3 MacBook Pro is the equivalent of 16GB of memory on a PC. That’s more proof of Apple’s great marketing skills, though I am sure the company isn’t throwing out claims it can’t back up.

Even so, that 8GB of RAM on the cheapest M3 MacBook Pro can only do so much. YouTuber Max Tech compared the 8GB and 16GB versions of the base M3 MacBook Pro using multitasking experiments instead of benchmark tests.

8GB M3 MacBook Pro exporting 50 images under various conditions. Image source: Max Tech

In one instance, the YouTuber used Lightroom Classic to export 50 42-megapixel images on both machines and looked at which version did it faster. That wasn’t the only thing happening on the laptops. The MacBook Pros were also running 5 or 20 tabs inside the browser while exporting those photos.

As you can see above, the 8GB model was really pushed to its limits. When handling 20 tabs and the export, the Mac needed more than 5 minutes to do the job. The 16GB M3 MacBook Pro exported the same photos in just over a minute, regardless of the number of open tabs.

Exporting 50 photos with 20 browser tabs open is over 4 times faster on the 16GB M3 MacBook Pro. Image source: Max Tech

Interestingly, the performance of the 16GB M3 MacBook Pro was on par with the 16GB M2 Pro MacBook Pro.

The video, available at the end of this post, shows other multitasking examples. The conclusions are all the same: 8GB of RAM might not be enough.

The workflows the YouTuber shows off won’t fit every MacBook Pro buyer’s way of doing things. But most people have plenty of tabs open in a browser while they operate other apps, including Adobe’s photo editing tools, video editing software, chat apps, and who knows what else.

16GB M3 MacBook Pro matches the performance of the 16GB M2 Pro MacBook Pro in this test. Image source: Max Tech

The point here is that you’ll need to think carefully about your current and future needs. The 8GB M3 MacBook Pro can still be a great tool for a professional whose needs aren’t too demanding. Or someone who doesn’t mind being slowed down. Because if you don’t want to pay more money for the RAM upgrade, you’ll have to accept that more intensive tasks will take longer.

The 16GB RAM upgrade will cost you $200 extra, and you have to do it when you order the laptop. MacBooks do not let you upgrade the RAM or storage after the fact. But, at $1,799, the 16GB M3 MacBook Pro is approaching the price of the $1,999 M3 Pro MacBook Pro. And that chip model has a default 18GB (not a typo) of RAM.

If you’re still choosing your M3 MacBook Pro model, I’ll remind you of two other key details about the new laptops. First of all, the 14-inch M3 Max models support High Power Mode. Secondly, the 16-inch models support fast charging via USB-C, not just MagSafe.

Finally, be sure to check our M3 Max MacBook Pro 14-inch review. The M3 Max versions will begin shipping later this month.

The post Is 8GB of RAM really enough? Watch this M3 MacBook Pro comparison and decide appeared first on BGR.

Soon after Apple unveiled the iPhone 15 series, a report said the company was developing a new iPhone SE variant. Contrary to previous reports, the iPhone SE 4 project was back on the table, with Apple looking to repurpose the iPhone 14 design for the next-gen affordable iPhone SE model.

In addition to retiring the Touch ID design, the iPhone SE 4 would also deliver a slew of upgrades over the predecessor. The list includes Face ID, which comes with the all-screen iPhone 14 design, a 48-megapixel camera, the Action button, and USB-C connectivity.

Paired with an iPhone chip that would be at least as good as the iPhone 14 Pro’s A16, this iPhone SE 4 would be just too good to pass up, I said at the time.

Apple has a large collection of iPhones in its 2023 lineup, hitting various price points. The iPhone SE series is the cheapest possible option. The iPhone SE 4 would have to continue to be the most affordable iPhone Apple sells. The bad news in all of this is that Apple might not be ready to launch the iPhone SE 4 anytime soon. A new report teases a 2025 launch considering the current development progress.

The late September report came from MacRumors, with the blog now doubling down on the information obtained from sources familiar with the iPhone SE 4 progress. In a new story, MacRumors repeats some of the previous claims about the iPhone SE, while adding more context.

The iPhone SE 4 (known as D59 or Project Ghost internally) will be based on the iPhone 14 chassis. The handset will feature a single rear-facing camera, necessitating a new glass backplate design. The camera will be a 48-megapixel shooter, which is the new norm on iPhones.

iPhone 15’s USB-C Port Image source: Christian de Looper for BGR

The blog offered actual dimensions for the upcoming iPhone SE 4, which match the base iPhone 14 model. But the iPhone SE 4’s 165g weight should be 6g lighter than the iPhone 14. That’s because of the single-lens camera system.

The iPhone SE 4 will feature an aluminum (6013 T6) frame like the iPhone 14. But it’ll have an Action button and USB-C port instead of the iPhone 14’s traditional mute switch and Lightning port.

MacRumors also mentions one of the phone’s potential colors, black. Apparently, iPhone SE 4 prototypes come in a Midnight option similar to what’s available from the iPhone 14. While the Action button is coming to all iPhones, just as the USB-C port, the rumored Capture button will be exclusive to the iPhone 16.

The report still doesn’t give us the iPhone SE 4’s specs. I’m mostly interested in the A-series chip Apple will use for the handset. It can’t be the A15 Bionic, as that’s what powers the iPhone SE 3. As I said before, the A16 Bionic makes more sense. But if MacRumors’ release date estimate is accurate, we might see a different chip inside the next iPhone SE 4 version.

iPhone 15 Pro profile shows the Action button. Image source: Jonathan Geller, BGR

The blog says the current development schedule points to a 2025 release date. That would be an early 2025 launch, considering Apple’s agenda for iPhone SE versions. By then, Apple’s iPhone 16 phones will be available in stores, rocking purported A18 and A18 Pro chips.

I wouldn’t be surprised to see the iPhone SE 4 get the A18 treatment as well. The main reason for this is the imminent arrival of Apple GPT via iOS 18. This is all speculation from yours truly at this point.

Whatever the case, if the iPhone SE 4 described in these reports becomes real, it’ll probably become the mid-range phone to buy. And the best iPhone to get someone started on Apple’s ecosystem. Say a teenager or a parent looking to upgrade their iPhone.

The post Apple’s major iPhone SE 4 redesign might not launch until 2025 appeared first on BGR.

Like magic, the SAG-AFTRA strike concluded just in time for The Marvels premiere. Of course, there’s no connection between the strike and Marvel’s final MCU movie of the year.

However, the former lets Marvel restart work on Deadpool 3 and the future movies and TV shows that will lead to the Avengers adventures of the Multiverse Saga. As for The Marvels, it advances the arcs of three of the Earth’s mightiest heroes while also delivering a few exciting developments in the post-credits scenes for the overarching story.

Specifically, The Marvels‘ post-credits scenes help link the movie to two important developments we’re about to witness as we head to Avengers: Kang Dynasty and Avengers: Secret Wars. I’ll explain both of them, but know that big spoilers follow below. And this time around, I’ll address confirmed leaks, as The Marvels has started playing in early previews on Wednesday night in some regions.

Like many of the previous Phase 4 and 5 movies, The Marvels plot and credits scenes leaked well before the film’s premiere. The promo trailers that Marvel released only helped confirm those leaks.

Marvel did alter one of The Marvels credits scenes recently. But even those changes leaked. Reports teased two mind-blowing cameos for the scene, and it looks like the leaks are accurate. I will not provide links to leaked footage, but those of you who know their way on social media will have no problem finding them.

The Young Avengers

A plot leak said that The Marvels will tease the formation of the Young Avengers. After all, various rumors said in the past that Marvel was working on a Young Avengers movie or TV show. I’ve often explained how the superpowered teenagers have been teased or introduced via the various Phase 4 and 5 projects that Marvel finished so far.

Kamala Khan (Iman Vellani) is one of the most prominent young superheroes in the MCU. She’s also one of the three protagonists in The Marvels; Ms. Marvel might be instrumental in assembling the first Young Avengers teams.

The Marvels ends with her showing up at the home of Kate Bishop (Hailee Steinfeld), much like Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) would appear in the Infinity Saga credits tags.

Kamala Khan (Iman Vellani) in The Marvels trailer 2. Image source: Marvel Studios

Ms. Marvel talks to Hawkeye’s replacement and asks Kate if she knows Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) has a daughter. She’s referring to Cassie (Kathryn Newton), whom we last saw in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.

It sure looks like Ms. Marvel has learned a thing or two from Fury. Or that, at least, she accessed his files to learn more about young superheroes.

This The Marvels credits scene practically sets up the Young Avengers team. But we have no idea when we’ll see them in action.

The X-Men reappear in the MCU

Kamala might be the first mutant of the MCU, but there’s no label for such individuals in this reality. However, we did see X-Men in a previous Marvel movie. That’s Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, of course, where Professor X (Patrick Stewart) showed up and promptly died.

Also, we knew from the moment Deadpool 3 was announced that Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) would join Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds) in this one. These are two other powerful X-Men members from the Fox universe joining the MCU.

With that in mind, The Marvels practically confirms that the X-Men are coming to the MCU in Phases 5 and 6. And it’s all happening before Kang Dynasty and Secret Wars.

The Marvels has two amazing cameos in the credits scene that saw last-minute changes. Monica Rambeau (Teyonah Parris) is stranded in an alternate reality after preventing an incursion. That’s when two realities collide, potentially leading to the destruction of both timelines.

Monica Rambeau (Teyonah Parris) in The Marvels trailer 2 – Is that an incursion? Image source: Marvel Studios

To save the main MCU reality, she had to stay behind in the other one. Monica wakes up in a medical facility that happens to be part of the X-Men mansion. She’s not shocked to see that, as she has no idea what the X-Men are.

But she’s certainly shocked to see the two people taking care of her. One of her is a version of Captain Marvel, Maria Rambeau (Lashana Lynch). This Maria never had a kid, so she can’t recognize the grown-up Monica.

More puzzlingly, there’s a beast of a creature delivering the bad news to Monica. That’s actually Kelsey Grammer’s Beast from Fox’s X-Men movies. Among other things, he tells them that he has to report back to Charles. That means Professor X of this reality hasn’t just died at the hands of Wanda (Elizabeth Olsen). Either that, or we’re looking at a scene that predates the events in Multiverse of Madness.

Monica Rambeau (Teyonah Parris) looking up at someone in The Marvels promo clip. Image source: YouTube

I will point out that Maria has a different suit from the one we saw in Doctor Strange 2. As a reminder, that Captain Marvel might have died, just like Charles, as they were fighting Wanda.

As exciting as the Young Avengers teaser might be, I think The Marvels teasing the old X-Men’s arrival in the MCU is the most interesting credits scene of the sequel. With that in mind, Deadpool 3 can’t come soon enough. Hopefully, Marvel can restart shooting soon now that both strikes are over.

The post How The Marvels post-credits scenes set up the future of the Avengers appeared first on BGR.

Samsung Gauss is the name the Korean giant chose for the generative AI language model that customers will use on future devices. Samsung confirmed its work on this ChatGPT rival earlier this week at the AI Forum event in Korea. Gauss will probably debut on the Galaxy S24 phones, though Samsung has yet to confirm anything. Samsung did say recently that it will launch an AI phone next year. The Galaxy S24 phones would likely be the best fit for that role.

Gauss has three components, Samsung announced. These are Gauss Language, Gauss Code, and Gauss Image. They’re all generative AI features that will match experiences available from competing products, like ChatGPT, Google Bard, and others. But then Samsung teased a specific AI feature coming to phones in the near future.

The feature is called “AI Live Translate Call” and will do what the name implies. It’ll likely debut with the Galaxy S24 phones in a few short months. However, again, Samsung is only teasing its work on generative AI right now instead of committing to anything.

If you’re a fan of Star Trek, you’re probably familiar with the idea of universal translator tech that allows humans to talk to most alien species in real-time. That’s sci-fi artificial intelligence (AI) at work in there, of course. But Samsung AI Live Translate Call sounds like the kind of tech that will get us there in the future, assuming we find some aliens to talk to.

In the meantime, AI Live Translate Call will let you make calls to people who speak a different language. The smartphone will then translate the conversation in real-time, as it happens.

Samsung says the feature will work on-device, which means the data will never hit Samsung’s servers. AI Live Translate Call will offer both audio and text translations as you speak:

For a tiny glimpse of one benefit Galaxy AI will enable, look no further than the very thing our phones were originally created to do, calling each other. AI Live Translate Call will soon give users with the latest Galaxy AI phone a personal translator whenever they need it. Because it’s integrated into the native call feature, the hassle of having to use third-party apps is gone. Audio and text translations will appear in real-time as you speak, making calling someone who speaks another language about as simple as turning on closed captions when you stream a show. Because it’s on-device Galaxy AI, you can trust that no matter the scenario, private conversations never leave your phone.

AI Live Translate Call feature will probably be available on Galaxy S24 phones. Image source: Samsung

We can already use translation apps to talk to people in other languages. But most apps involve face-to-face conversations. What Samsung proposes would let you translate what people are saying over the phone. The feature should come in handy in a variety of situations, provided it works as seamlessly as Samsung is teasing.

As you can see in the quote above, Samsung doesn’t mention the Galaxy S24 by name. Instead, it mentions “the latest Galaxy AI phone.” This implies multiple devices could get the feature, but the Galaxy S24 should be the first. You don’t announce Gauss and tease features like AI Live Translate Call a few months before the Galaxy S24 launch without equipping the upcoming flagships with these generative AI features.

The entire blog post makes a big deal about generative AI, with Samsung suggesting it’ll unveil AI features that aren’t available elsewhere:

No company can harness AI’s potential like Galaxy. Why? Because Galaxy puts the power of openness in the palm of your hand. Designed to empower everyone, everywhere, Galaxy AI is universal intelligence on your phone as you’ve never seen it before. In all the places it matters most — from barrier-free communication, to simplified productivity, to unconstrained creativity — we’re unleashing new possibilities.

Samsung also confirmed that Galaxy AI will be powered by “both on-device AI developed at Samsung and cloud-based AI enabled by our open collaborations with like-minded industry leaders.” It’s unclear what those collaborations might be.

The post Galaxy S24 will use AI to translate phone calls in real-time, and it sounds amazing appeared first on BGR.

Some iPhone buyers and developers have been asking Apple for years to support sideloading on iPhone, as well as third-party app stores and third-party payment systems. Apple has never budged on these issues. But iOS and the App Store have been declared gatekeepers in Europe. That means Apple will have to open them to competing services.

I already told you that sideloading and third-party app stores are imminent on the iPhone. The same goes for third-party payment systems. Should iMessage also get the gatekeeper designation, Apple will have to open it to rivals — and Google is dying to have RCS support in iMessage.

Apple has never announced these iPhone features for the Europan Union (EU). However, the iPhone maker filed new paperwork with the SEC that essentially confirms these changes are coming to the App Store experience in Europe. In turn, the changes might impact Apple’s bottom line.

Apple noted in previous interviews it would comply with new regulations in Europe, like the Digital Markets Act (DMA). It did so without committing to an actual rollout schedule for iOS changes that would enable sideloading and third-party app stores on iPhones in the region.

Rumors said these iOS features would be available only locally. International users will be unable to circumvent strong geolocation protections that prevent non-Europeans from sideloading apps on iPhones.

The six companies and 22 services the EU considers gatekeepers under the new DMA law. Image source: European Commission

Apple still needs to explain how it plans to implement support for App Store rivals, and how sideloading support will work. But the company addressed the incoming changes in a new 10-K filing:

The Company [Apple] expects to make further business changes in the future, including as a result of legislative initiatives impacting the App Store, such as the European Union (“EU”) Digital Markets Act, which the Company is required to comply with by March 2024.

The Company is also subject to litigation and investigations relating to the App Store, which have resulted in changes to the Company’s business practices, and may in the future result in further changes. Changes have included how developers communicate with consumers outside the App Store regarding alternative purchasing mechanisms. Future changes could also affect what the Company charges developers for access to its platforms, how it manages distribution of apps outside of the App Store, and how and to what extent it allows developers to communicate with consumers inside the App Store regarding alternative purchasing mechanisms

Apple warns that the imminent changes “could reduce the volume of sales, and the commission that the Company earns on those sales, would decrease.” Apple is forced to make these disclosures, of course. But it doesn’t have to go into specifics. That’s why the language above doesn’t include references to sideloading or third-party app stores.

Analysts from Morgan Stanley wrote in a research note late Tuesday TechCrunch saw that Apple will enable App Store changes in Europe. The company will “likely begin 3rd party app stores on devices in Europe.”

However, the analysts believe that “Apple is well positioned to compete should these changes take place due to the App Store’s security, centralization, and convenience, limiting the potential user experience and/or P&L impact.”

Since I live in Europe, I will have access to third-party app stores and iPhone sideloading once Apple enables them. But I don’t plan on ever taking advantage of these changes. And Morgan Stanley perfectly captures why I prefer the current iPhone experience. The App Store is just too convenient and secure for me to even consider all of the risks that are unavoidable with sideloading and third-party app stores.

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