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Twitter Blue Set to Relaunch with Higher Price for iOS Users

According to Esther Crawford, director of product management at Twitter, the Twitter Blue membership will resume on Monday, starting in five nations.

Twitter said that its monthly membership service, Twitter Blue, would resume on Monday for $8. However, customers who choose to subscribe through the Twitter app on their iPhone rather than the Twitter webpage will incur an additional $3 charge.

According to the firm, users can subscribe to the updated service for $8 per month via the web but $11 per month via Apple iOS. Twitter Blue will allow users to edit tweets, upload 1080p videos, and receive a blue tick upon account verification.

Twitter noted, “We’re relaunching @TwitterBlue on Monday – subscribe on the web for $8/month or on iOS for $11/month to get access to subscriber-only features, including the blue checkmark.”

After Elon Musk’s takeover in November, the most recent version of Twitter Blue—which permitted users to purchase a blue-check verification—was first introduced. Immediately after a surge of impersonations on Twitter, it was suspended. Late in November, Musk once more put the launch on hold as he tried to avoid the 30% fee that Apple’s App Store levies on the majority of its sales.

Musk has previously said that the cost was actually ten times higher than it ought to be and accused Apple of engaging in monopolistic behavior. Musk also asserted that Apple “threatened” to remove the Twitter app from the app store, but after speaking with Apple CEO Tim Cook on 30th November, he referred to it as a “misunderstanding.”

Despite media claims that the corporation was exploring measures to offset costs levied in the App Store, Twitter did not clarify why Apple customers were charged higher than other users on the web.

Twitter has previously made the blue checkmark accessible to anyone who pays $8 monthly to democratize the status of the blue checkmark, which was once used to authenticate reliable and notable accounts. As a result, numerous individuals purchased blue ticks to impersonate well-known individuals.

Crawford stated in a tweet that impersonation, which she claims is against Twitter Rules, has been combated by Twitter by adding a review process before giving a blue tick to an account.

Twitter may further color-code timelines with the relaunch of its subscription service by adding gold checkmarks for corporations and, shortly, grey checkmarks for governments and “multilateral accounts”.

Crawford tweeted, “Businesses who previously had relationships with Twitter will receive gold checks on Monday. We will soon open this up to more businesses via a new process.”

Twitter has advised users that changing their handle, display name, or profile picture will temporarily remove the blue checkmark from their account till their account is verified again.

As per Twitter, Twitter Blue is “currently available on iOS only in the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the UK, with plans to expand”. Musk has made it plain that he intends Twitter to rely less on advertising, which generated $5.1 billion in revenue for the company last year and constituted 90% of its total revenue.

This need has grown more pressing when the CEO of Tesla claimed a “massive drop in revenue” as a result of advertisers leaving the platform over worries about content moderation, which were made worse by the emergence of “verified” impostor accounts.

Sandhya Gupta

I am a law graduate from NLU Lucknow. I have a flair for creative writing and hence in my free time work as a freelance content writer.

Apple’s iOS 16.2 update released: Check out the new features

Apple has begun to deploy iOS 16.2 to all users, together with iPadOS 16.2 as well as macOS Ventura 13.1. Among other things, the new version includes improved encrypted messages for iCloud data, Live Operations on the Home Screen, as well as a unique karaoke functionality for Apple Music. In addition, Apple is launching Freeform which is a collaborative whiteboard app.

Here’s a rundown of everything you’ll be able to do with iOS 16.2.

End-to-end encryption for iCloud data

In earlier years, Apple has encoded sensitive data such as passwords before stashing it in iCloud. With a new Advanced Data Security mode, the firm is now introducing end-to-end encryption for most data. Emails, contact details, and calendar events are not encrypted end-to-end because they are focused on unsecured standard protocols.

If you enable Advanced Data Protection then only you will be able to view your device’s data by verifying your identity on a secure device such as an iPhone or a Mac. Anybody else attempting to decrypt the data, including Apple, will most likely find invalid data.

This is not to be confused with Lockdown mode, which protects reporters, activists, and defenders of human rights from threats such as government-grade spyware attacks.

With the release of iOS 16.2, all users living in the United States will be able to protect their information with encryption. According to the firm, a larger rollout is planned for next year. At this point, the Advanced Data Protection mode will safeguard backups of your device and messages, as well as voice memos reminders, Notes, Safari Bookmarks, and photos.

Karaoke mode on Apple Music

While Spotify Wrapped is a popular year-end event, Apple Music’s karaoke mode may be a fun feature addition to house parties all year. Apple Sing will also be usable to all iPhone 11 and later users, as well as iPad and Apple TV owners.

Apple separates vocals from music tracks using a fusion of improved real-time lyrical content synced for karaoke as well as on machine learning. It also separates and emphasizes background vocals to create a more immersive group experience. According to the company, at release, this function will be accessible to the top 80 percent of its most-listened-to songs in addition to more tunes being added as time goes on.

Spotify’s karaoke function has been in testing for months, according to users. However, no official rollout was ever confirmed by the company. So now that Apple Music has made this useful feature accessible to its users, the onus is on Spotify to add it to its service.

Freeform app

Throughout its Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) in June, Apple initially launched Freeform as just a digital whiteboard in its ecosystem. It was previewed last month when it was accessible in iOS 16.2, iPad 16.2, and macOS 13.1 beta versions.

The app is not complicated to use since it’s essentially an infinite board where you can draw items and lines, add media, append documents or notes, and write notes. There’s also a collaborative component, but everyone must use Apple devices.

Digital whiteboard products are extremely valuable. Adobe paid a hefty 20 billion USD for Figma, especially over the past month. Miro raised about 400 million USD earlier this year for a valuation of 17.5 billion USD. Whereas Apple is not currently competing for enterprise customers or professional designers, it is contending for the focus of casual tinkerers who may prefer Freeform over other tools.

Airdrop Limitation

With the iOS 16.1.1 update, Apple reworked AirDrop settings in China. If you set AirDrop to receive requests from “Everyone,” it is restricted to 10 minutes. Also with iOS 16.2 upgrades, the firm is now making this feature available to all users. After 10 minutes, the AirDrop setting reverts to “Contacts Only,” and you must change it by the manual process to “Everyone” each time.

Updates to live activities feature

Live Activities are widgets on the Home Screen and Lock Screen that can be changed in real-time with information. They were part of the iOS 16.1 upgrade. Apple is bringing Sports score updates via the Apple TV app in iOS 16.2. Users in the United States and Canada will have access to NBA, MLB game scores, and the English Premier League. In the meantime, customers in Australia, Brazil, Japan, Mexico, the United Kingdom, and South Korea will be able to access MLB scores through Live Activities.

Other features

• With this update, iPhone Indian users would be allowed to use 5G in qualified regions on the Reliance Jio network.

• The Weather app will include a devoted news section that will display local news stories.

• Apple is also going to add Sleep widgets to the Home Screen. These widgets keep you up to date on the latest sessions and stages. It also allows you, to quickly view your medication schedule.

Starting December 13, 2022, all users with an iPhone 8 or later will receive the iOS 16.2 update.

Suhani Jain

I am a student pursuing my bachelor’s in information technology. I have a interest in writing so, I am working a freelance content writer because I enjoy writing. I also write poetries. I believe in the quote by anne frank “paper has more patience than person

Former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried arrested in the Bahamas

Leave a Comment / News, Tech News / By Sandhya Gupta

Sam Bankman-Fried, an American entrepreneur, businessman, and former billionaire, was detained in the Bahamas after US prosecutors filed criminal charges against him.

Sam Bankman-Fried, the former CEO of FTX, was detained on Monday in the Bahamas based on allegations brought in the United States. Several charges of wire fraud and conspiracy in relation to the failure of his crypto exchange are among the federal accusations that were revealed on Tuesday morning.

The Office of the Attorney General of the Bahamas stated in a statement issued on Monday that Fried’s arrest is following the receipt of formal information from the USA that it has brought criminal charges against Fried and is likely to request his extradition.

Fried was taken into custody, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, which also noted that the arrest was undertaken in accordance with a sealed indictment.

Seven charges, including wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud against lenders and customers, securities fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and infringements of campaign finance laws, were included in the grand jury’s indictment against Fried.

The Justice Department and federal regulators were looking into whether FTX utilized client cash to support risky wagers at Fried’s hedge company, Alameda Research.

The Department of Justice is exploring charges against Binance, the top exchange in the cryptocurrency market, at the same time as US officials have indicted Bankman-Fried. According to Reuters, some Justice Department officials think they have enough evidence in their extensive investigation of Binance to bring charges against the firm and some of its top executives.

According to Reuters, Binance is being looked at for potential money laundering and sanctions violations. Four people with knowledge of the situation told Reuters that other department members have argued in favor of devoting time to reviewing further evidence.

Additionally, the arrest occurred a day before Fried was supposed to testify before American lawmakers on Tuesday and provide testimony via video link.

According to Reuters, Bankman-Fried surreptitiously transferred $10 billion in FTX customer money to his private trading company, Alameda Research, which led to FTX’s liquidity crisis.

Sam Bankman-Fried attempted to separate himself from allegations of fraud in a series of statements and media interviews acknowledging risk management problems but claiming he never purposefully mixed customer assets on FTX with assets at Alameda.

Before it shut down last month, FTX was among the biggest crypto exchanges in the world. In a single day, users withdrew around $5 billion worth of cryptocurrency as worries about the exchange’s viability grew. On November 11, Bankman-Fried submitted his resignation, and FTX declared Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

Additionally, Bankman-Fried was sued by American cryptocurrency investors who claimed that he and numerous celebrities who advocated FTX used misleading tactics, causing the investors to lose $11 billion in losses.

The collapse of FTX was the latest upheaval for the cryptocurrency market this year. A string of meltdowns that have brought down other significant players like Voyager Digital and Celsius Network has caused the total cryptocurrency market to decline.

Sandhya Gupta

I am a law graduate from NLU Lucknow. I have a flair for creative writing and hence in my free time work as a freelance content writer.

Elon Musk’s Twitter Dissolves Trust And Safety Council

Leave a Comment / News, Tech News / By Suhani Jain

Twitter has disbanded its Trust and Safety Council which was a group of about 100 independent civil, human rights, and other organizations formed in 2016 to confront hate speech, exploitation of children, suicidal behavior, self-harm, and other issues on the platform.

The council was supposed to meet with representatives from Twitter on Monday night. According to multiple members, Twitter notified the group through the use of email that it would be disbanding soon before the meeting.

The council members, who offered The Associated Press images of the e-mail from Twitter, were speaking on the subject of anonymity due to fear of retaliation.

“Our work to make Twitter a safe, informative place will be moving faster and more aggressively than ever before and we will continue to welcome your ideas going forward about how to achieve this goal,” said the email, which was signed “Twitter.”
Source: india.com

The volunteer organization provided expert knowledge and direction over how Twitter can indeed better combat hate, bullying, and other harms, but it lacked judgment authority and did not look into specific content disputes.

“Twitter’s Trust and Safety Council was a group of volunteers who over many years gave up their time when consulted by Twitter staff to offer advice on a wide range of online harms and safety issues,” tweeted council member Alex Holmes. “At no point was it a governing body or decision making.”
Source: india.com

Twitter, headquartered in San Francisco, clarified the meeting with the committee in an email on Thursday, promising an open discussion and Q&A with Twitter staff, which include Ella Irwin, the new head of trust and safety.

This happened on the very day that three Trust and Safety council members stepped down in a public announcement posted on Twitter, claiming that contrary to Elon Musk’s claims, the safety, and well-being of Twitter’s users are on the decline.

After Musk criticized them and Twitter’s previous management for supposedly not doing enough to prevent child sexual abuse on the platform, those former council members have become the target of online predators.

Musk wrote on Twitter that It is a crime that they have refused to act on exploitation and abuse for years.

Concerns were raised by some remaining Trust and Safety council members, who wrote an e-mail to Twitter demanding that the company stop misrepresenting its role on Monday.

Suhani Jain

Apple now has a deadline for switching the iPhone over to USB-C

Leave a Comment / News, Tech News, Uncategorized / By Suhani Jain

The European Union has set a December 27, 2024 deadline for device makers to shift to USB-C for data and charging ports, which implies Apple will be required to give up the iPhone Lightning connector before then.

Whilst European Union had already reached a decision, the date is a recent development. It implies that the 2024 iPhone 16 will indeed be able to operate without USB-C, but the 2025 iPhone 17 will be required to have it.

There is a possibility that Apple will make the iPhone 17 completely portless, relying on Wi-Fi for data transmission and wireless charging to charge the battery. Wireless charging devices are excluded from the European Union’s new regulations.

We’ve already heard rumours that Apple is considering switching the iPhone 15 or at least the Pro models to USB-C for its port. However, we’ve heard the same rumour about so many consecutive iPhones at this point.

The EU’s deadline for laptop manufacturers has been extended till April 2026. To improve compatibility, hardware manufacturers will have to ensure that the exact charging speed is present regardless of the charger used.

Of course, this only appears to apply to the EU, but it’s not good enough to justify it for companies like Apple to produce one version of its products with USB-C and another without. The only question right now is how long the users have to wait for a USB-C iPhone.

The iPhone’s adoption of USB-C has been a hard journey. It’s something we’ve been asking since the release of the iPhone 12 in 2020, and rumours regarding Apple trying to make the switch on its flagship handsets have been circulating for nearly as long.

Apple is well-versed in the technology since it is already used in MacBook ports and iPad devices. Even the entry-level iPad switched to USB-C previously this year, leaving only iPhones to use the Lightning standard.

It makes good sense for Apple to switch since there isn’t much reason to remain with its proprietary standard at this point. Apple executives have publicly stated that they will have to abide by whatever directive the European Union imposes.

We’d be fascinated if Apple waits till the iPhone 17 to bring USB-C, but the iPhone 15 could be too soon. This is all speculative, but possibly the iPhone 16 which is expected in September 2024, will be the first to include USB-C.

Suhani Jain

Amazon Launches Inspire, a TikTok-Style Shopping Feed

Leave a Comment / News, Tech News / By Sandhya Gupta

Amazon.com Inc. has introduced a feed Inspire, modeled after TikTok that will enable customers to purchase goods from a selected feed of images and videos.

The newest tech business to attempt to copy TikTok is Amazon. The world’s largest online retailer debuted Inspire on Thursday. Inspire is a short-form video and picture stream that enables users to browse and purchase things from content made by influencers, businesses, and other users.

According to Amazon, Inspire will progressively roll out to US users through December and is exclusively accessible through the Amazon Shopping mobile app.

The launch comes after testing conducted earlier this year when it was discovered that Amazon was exploring a TikTok-like shopping stream in its app, which at the time had a separate navigation button at the bottom.

The Inspire feed now will require tapping a light bulb icon rather than the diamond logo that was observed in testing. According to Amazon, as Inspire gathers more information about the user’s preferences by monitoring their engagement and likes, the feed will eventually become more individually tailored.

In order to further enhance the product, the retailer intends to add more shoppable elements to Inspire as well as extra in-app functionality and content.

Mae Badiyan, Practically Pursia, and other Amazon Influencers have already been invited to post on Inspire by the corporation. The Amazon Influencer Program will allow the creators to profit from user purchases.

Amazon noted, “Inspire was designed to make it easy to explore new products, discover ideas, and seamlessly shop content created by other customers, influencers, and brands they love.”

Inspire, which specializes in short-form video content but also supports photographs, functions somewhat like a cross between Instagram and TikTok. Similar to Instagram, one may double-tap and give a red heart “like”. Scrolling Inspire is also similar to TikTok’s vertical video feed, where users may swipe up and down.

Amazon has been attempting to make it simpler for customers to explore products rather than only search for specific items, as the company has traditionally used static product photos and information to create a unified catalog. Despite these efforts, the majority of clients leave the vast internet marketplace quickly.

When it comes to combining product discovery and purchase under one roof, Amazon is perhaps one of the few businesses that might meaningfully challenge TikTok. The problem is convincing customers to make purchases using the short-form video app, but TikTok has already demonstrated its ability to generate sales of everything from cleaning supplies to makeup.

Despite partial bans on the platform in a number of USA states due to cybersecurity concerns, TikTok also seems to be stepping into the e-commerce market.

As it looks to establish its own product fulfillment facilities, the Chinese video-sharing site may directly compete with Amazon in the US, according to an October Axios article. The report stated that TikTok might be considering e-commerce as a potential key source of revenue based on recent job postings that have been listed.

Sandhya Gupta

I am a law graduate from NLU Lucknow. I have a flair for creative writing and hence in my free time work as a freelance content writer.

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