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Apple

Apple Faces Stern Chip Challenge in Replacing Qualcomm Modems

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Apple Inc is one of the world’s largest technology companies with investments in various sectors and fields. Recently, the company made a foray into the world of semiconductors and chipsets. The switch has helped make Apple a powerhouse within the semiconductor industry in the past decade or so. The move impacted several major manufacturers who earlier used to supply chips to the American tech-giant. However, the iPhone maker will soon face their sternest test in the coming years. The biggest and toughest challenge that Apple will face will be Qualcomm. In this article, we will take a look at what Apple needs to do to replace Qualcomm’s cellular modems with its unique design.

Can Apple Succeed?

On Friday, Qualcomm slumped to its steepest decline since mid-June when it fell by over 7% to $144.28. Bloomberg was the first to report in June that Apple was entering the modem industry by kicking off development on its unique design. However, this reaction severely undermines the challenges that Apple will have to face to make it in this industry. According to analysts and experts, Apple will b confronted by the primary task of replacing Qualcomm in the coming years. Many also questioned whether the California-based tech giant had bitten off more than what it could chew. With doubts swirling around the industry, Apple will have to come back strong with a design that is both unique and highly functional.

Apple

Questions Raised

A representative of Raymond James, Chris Caso mentioned that the most significant questions that experts have are when and if Apple will be successful. Many experts believe that there are no assurances that Apple will be highly successful in developing a high-end and cutting-edge modem. However, modems are one of the most vital elements that make up an iPhone. It is the part that is responsible for connecting the phone to various cellular networks. Without this device, people could no longer browse the internet, message their friends over the internet, or make phone calls. Hence, ensuring that this component works smoothly and seamlessly is vital to ensuring the mobile in itself is successful. However, designing and crafting a modem requires specialized engineering and critical and broad industry knowledge and know-how. Both of these might take significant time to acquire, which Apple does not possess.

Other options and issues

Meanwhile, wireless carriers work differently as the networks built to support them use distinct radio frequencies. But, in that case, the equipment required to capture these waves are also very different and must conform to various stringent local government rules. As a result, modems have to integrate seamlessly with different technologies and fit into older systems as well with ease. The ever-growing need for cellular data and technical prowess makes this divide and the need for complexity even more considerable. Hence, field testing will be an integral part of the research and development process. 

What Qualcomm Does Right

To facilitate such testing, Qualcomm has labs that work towards replicating the varying environments that mobile phones will face. These labs accurately predict and run scenarios that phones will experience around the world. Additionally, engineers spent decades working with various carriers to fine-tune their technology and integrate it seamlessly over the years. It is this experience and knowledge that has helped Qualcomm rule the semiconductor and modem industry all this time. It is also precisely these qualities that served as a barrier to other tech companies that wished to work their way into the lucrative semiconductor industry.

Expert Opinion

Analysts at Bernstein Research mentioned that while Apple has a history of immaculate expertise in semiconductor design. However, even with all that expertise, modems are very challenging to design and get right. The company took around five to ten years to come up with a sustainable and viable processor for the personal computer system. Experts believe that modems pose an even more significant challenge than PC processors, making this a difficult journey for the American giant.

Also, Qualcomm enjoys another vital advantage when compared to Apple. It regularly collaborates with players in the wireless industry and helps in the development of cellular standards. As a result, most of their chips are the first to market when it comes to functionality and features. This has been one of the things that have helped Qualcomm maintain its lead over its competitors.

However, it is foolish to write Apple off since it has in the past taken on influential industry players and won. The company started designing PC processors to displace Intel from being used in Macs. Since 2010, Apple has been using its own processors in the iPhone and iPad. The company has also been successful in developing wireless and power-management chips for the Apple Watch. While the challenge might be harder this time around, users will have to wait and see if it can meet this stern challenge.

U.S

U.S government agencies attacked by hackers putting the Russians in question

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According to FireEye, a top cybersecurity Silicon Valley company, hackers broke into the network during the software update. FireEye is the first call for any U.S. government agencies to detect and prevent major cyber attacks. The company said that the hackers used “novel techniques” to breach the network and these techniques could possess a new threat to the world. It was only a few days ago that the U.S. warned the nation’s cybersecurity department that cyber actors linked to the Russian government are trying to manipulate sensitive data.

After FireEye was attacked by this “global intrusion campaign” many experts including the company suspect that Russian hackers are responsible for this act. The U.S. government hasn’t publicly identified Russians as hackers. But, the fact that a few days ago foreign government hackers broke into FireEye’s network and stole their own hacking tools makes everything very shady.

How badly it can affect the U.S?

Yesterday, FireEye posted a blog post saying that they have identified a global campaign that introduces a compromise in private and public networks of any targeted organizations through the software supply chain. It also further said that “This compromise is delivered through updates to a widely-used IT infrastructure management software – the Orion network monitoring product from Solar Winds.”

If the nation, most probably, the Russians were able to successfully plant this compromise in the network, this will shake the security system of the United Nations. Solar Winds Corporation is responsible for selling technology products to a Who’s Who list of sensitive targets. It involves a vast network including the State Department, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the FBI, the U.S. military, most companies of Fortune 500, and many more. This is a very intense situation as the vulnerable information of major departments of a nation’s security and the multination companies are involved.

U.S

FireEye further informs that these hackers not only hit organizations in the U.S. but also Europe, North America, Asia, and the Middle East. They target mainly government sectors, telecommunication industry, oil, and gas, etc. The U.S. government has been made aware of the entire situation. John Ullyot, a spokesperson for the National Security Council said that the government is taking all the necessary steps to provide a remedy to every identified damage caused. Currently, the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security’s cybersecurity arm are investigating the matter.

Focus on the U.S. government 

According to Reuters, the attack involved the hackers snooping around on emails of the U.S. Treasury Department and a part of the Commerce Department. According to some experts, these hackers are backed by the Russian government themselves. A thorough analysis by FireEye showed that this campaign has targeted the U.S. government and beyond involving top-tier operational tradecraft and resourcing companies from the spring of 2020.

These hackers are very efficient and they rarely keep track behind. It can be a possibility that the hackers saw an advantage of timing as the American government agencies including FireEye were all focused on securing the servers for the presidential election. This is not new as the Russians also targeted the election system during 2016. The 2016 hack was known as the biggest cybersecurity theft and the group remains unidentified.

For several months the U.S. government is focusing on detecting and countering the Russian interference in the nation’s presidential election. Through the government agencies were quite successful in creating stronger cybersecurity, a senior director at FireEye said that “it is the most effective cyber-espionage operations we have seen in quite some time.”

A proper investigation by the FBI

The number of casualties is increasing due to the compromise in the networks. Solar Winds mentioned that one of the software update systems for a particular product was used to send malware to the customers. Since the products got manipulated, the number of victims will eventually cross thousands. Yesterday, the company was aware of 25 entries that were affected by the update system.

The investigators are trying to trace the digital tracks of these hackers. While investigating they have discovered that FireEye is the first victim to spot this breach in the network. This means there are possibly many victims whose server has already been compromised. It will take days and weeks to estimate the damage already caused by these hackers. According to the Washington Post, a Russian hacking group known as Cozy Bear is behind this campaign.

Google Pixel

A Quick Look at the New Features Coming to Android Devices Like Google Pixel

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Google recently announced its December update for its Pixel devices. Several updates and features that have been added to this roll-out will also be available for other Android devices, such as the Pixel 3. However, some of the features have been introduced exclusively for the Pixel 4a and Pixel 5. Since Indians have access only to the Pixel 4a, enthusiasts have been patiently awaiting this announcement to see what new features they will be gaining next year. Let us now take a look at all the new features announced and what value it adds to smartphone users in India.

Google Pixel Features Galore

Some of the new features that have been added to the Android devices include Extreme Battery Saver, Contextual translation, and Home Screen Customisation. All these features will be available on the Pixel 4, Pixel 3a, and Pixel 3, all of which are sold in India. Let us now take a closer look at all the features announced by Google.

Google Pixel
Image Source: robertschlatter.com

Extreme Battery Saver: Helps by limiting the usage of battery to only a few handfuls of essential apps. The feature will enable the device’s battery to last longer than ever imagined before helping users who always run out of power mid-meeting.

Duo Screen Share: This feature is an absolute necessity during this COVID-19 pandemic, wherein people are conducting all business meetings online. It allows users to share their screens and windows while taking Duo calls, helping make meetings a lot more organized and coordinated.

Enhanced Google Lens: The Google Lens update allows it to help users by translating to their native language if needed. All users have to do is take a screenshot of whatever they need to translate by swing up to the recent app’s overview, making traveling a lot easier than ever before.

Playlist Export: This interesting new feature will allow you to store the tracks you listen to while driving or waiting in line in the supermarket. Since Google Music will soon become obsolete, the device will allow users to export their Now Playing playlist to YouTube music, helping make all our lives easier.

Home Screen Customisation: A prominent Android feature, such high levels of customization allow users to make their device a true expression of themselves. The new update enables users to change their icon shapes, app shapes, and grid views. It also introduces new wallpapers through Google Arts and Culture. Pixel devices will also have a slew of new and original Mandalorian wallpapers which all Star Wars fans will appreciate and truly enjoy.

Hold for Me

The new Hold for Me feature allows users to enable the Google Assistant to stay on the line when they are busy with other calls. The Assistant stays on the line patiently and informs the other person when someone is ready to take the call and talk. This feature can be quite useful to entrepreneurs who have to take hundreds of business calls every day. However, this feature will be limited to devices sold and used in the USA.

Android Updates to Watch Out For

Some of the other features that all Android users will be able to enjoy after the December update are as follows;

  1. The Emoji Kitchen is getting a major revamp and will now feature over 14,000 unique designs. Users will now have the option of tapping on two emojis and creating a slew of different combinations. The Gboard will display suggestions of combinations or extreme versions when users either tag or double-tap a particular emoji. This feature will be available on all devices that have Android 6 or higher and unique holiday season stickers will soon go live on Google Play.
  2. To assist the differently-abled, the Voice Access will feature new commands. Some of the new actions include ones to open Photos, start a Search, or open your Map among others. The feature is expected to help make navigation more comfortable than ever before and will run on all devices that have Android 6 or higher.
  3. Google Maps will now allow users to pin their favorite destinations and routes with the new Go tab. Hence, all users can now receive real-time Estimated Time of Arrivals to their favorite coffee shop or office at all times. The feature will extend to public transport services and will feature multiple routes to all destinations, and will also be available on iOS devices.

Additionally, the Nearby Share feature will allow users to share their apps with devices without Wi-Fi or cellular data. All users have to do is click on Share Apps via My Apps and Games and then choose the apps they wish to share. Once the receiver taps on Accept, they will receive all the apps selected. Most of these features will be available to most Pixel models including;

  1. Pixel 3
  2. Pixel 3 XL
  3. Pixel 3a
  4. Pixel 3a XL
  5. Pixel 4
  6. Pixel 4 XL
  7. Pixel 4a
  8. Pixel 4a 5G
  9. Pixel 5

It will be interesting to see when these new features will drop, and how fans will rate them based on functionality and ease of use.

Adobe

Adobe announces the release of ARM version of Lightroom for Apple’s M1 and Windows 10

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Yesterday, Adobe announced the release of the Arm version of the Lightroom app for both macOS and Windows 10. The new Lightroom version created especially for the M1 processors will take advantage of this processor leading to better productivity of the app. The Qualcomm powered Windows 10 is also compatible with running this app but only in those smartphones operating on ARM-based processors. The news became public via the blogpost of Adobe’s Photo Product Manager, Sharad Mangalick where he also mentions that the company intends to ship Apple M1 native versions as soon as they are ready. So, Adobe Lightroom will be available as a native app for the users of Apple’s M1 and Arm-based Windows 10, and also it is becoming a part of the Creative Suite installer.

Adobe new updates

In the blogpost by Sharad Mangalick, the news updates for the native app of Lightroom, Camera Raw, and Lightroom Classic are also mentioned. With the December updates, the users will now have the advantage of ProRAW format support. Once you take an image in the Apple ProRAW format you can import and edit those images in Lightroom. This applies to the desktop version as well. Adobe has also introduced new Lightroom widgets for iOS14 which will allow the users to quickly take photos and selfies using the Lightroom camera. The new widgets will allow the users to explore the Discover Edits and In-app tutorials from the Widget screen. In Lightroom iOS (iOS 14 and above), the users can drag these widgets onto the Home screen which will save some time and enable easy access.

Adobe
Image Source: somagnews.com

There is also a free Lightroom starter plan for the desktop version of the software. This can be used by both Mac and Windows users but geographically limited to Australia and New Zealand. The new customers can start this free Lightroom starter plan, get used to the core Lightroom features, and continue to use without a subscription or trial limit. But, in general, this software can be downloaded for free but the trial period is only for one week. After one week, a monthly subscription fee of $9.99 has to be paid for continuing to use it. This subscription pack also includes 1TB cloud storage. Though the beta version of the app is already available for download, the Classic lovers have to wait for some time for a full rollout.

The biggest update of 2020

In 2020, Adobe Lightroom has introduced many new updates throughout the year. In February, Lightroom released Raw defaults for Lightroom Classic and Adobe Camera Raw followed by introducing Improved GPU support for the same. In June 2020, the software included the option of Share Edits, Local Hue color updates, Raw Defaults, and Watermarks for Mac, Windows, iOS, and Android users. Share Edits is a very helpful option for all the budding photographers out there helping them to understand the edits. Many big photographers on social media have started sharing the Lightroom presets which is a great advantage for the content creators.

In October 2020, one of the best new features of Lightroom so far was added, that is, Advanced Color Grading in Classic, Adobe Camera Raw, and Lightroom. This feature allows much finer control producing even more sensational photographs than normal Split Tones. Apart from the Hue and Saturation control that already existed, the new color grading option gave broader tones for the users to experiment with. With the three new options of Luminance, Blending, and Balance the users get the best chance to change the mood of their photographs accordingly. The color effects produced by the advanced color grading are mostly used by the video editors.

The recent Beta version of Photoshop

Apart from the latest Lightroom updates, Adobe has also released the Beta version of Photoshop that runs on M1 Macs and ARM-based Windows PCs. The new Lightroom updates have all the missing features of this new beta version of Photoshop. The beta version undoubtedly has improved performance but features like the content-aware fill, patch tool, healing brush, etc are missing. This beta version was released in November, just a couple of weeks before the release of the native Lightroom app. But, the updates in Lightroom show that Adobe is improving the existing features continuously striving to optimize the software for Arm and M1 devices.

bumble

Bumble and OkCupid Have a Flaw Putting User Data of Millions at Risk

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Data security has been gaining prominence in recent years thanks to data activists and experts. As more and more people have started asking questions regarding their user data, companies have also started to become more stringent. User data becomes quite sensitive, especially when used to find suitable matches on popular dating websites and apps. A recent allegation regarding a significant flaw in apps such as OkCupid, Bumble, and Grindr have left millions worried about their personal data. Here’s a quick look at what the flaw is, how it can impact people, and what the experts are doing about it.

Bumble Putting User Data of Millions at Risk

Apps such as OkCupid, Grindr, Bumble, Yango Pro, PowerDirector, and several others are vulnerable to a flaw in the Play Core library. This defect puts the user data of millions of people at risk as per a report by Check Point. The research firm believes that though Google patched this flaw in April, app developers are yet to make the required changes. For the fix to work, the developers have to install the new Play Core library to neutralize the threat. However, all the apps mentioned above still make use of the old library, putting them at risk. Apps such as Booking and Viber were some of the few that updated their Play Core library and mitigated the risk.

bumble
Image Source: pcmag.com

What is the flaw?

The security experts at Check Point noted that Bumble, Grindr, and OkCupid are vulnerable to the CVE-2020-8913. While Google released a new patch in April, for the flaw rooted in the widely used Play Core library, failure to update the library leaves these apps at risk. The Play Core library is responsible for notifying users of in-app updates and feature modules for their phones. The CVE-2020-8913 allows threat actors to siphon off user data through these vulnerable apps. As a result, the flaw could lead to millions of people losing their private information. The leaked data will include critical information, including financial details, email passwords, and login credentials. The CVE-2020-8913 flaw allows hackers to add their executable modules to apps that use the Play Core library. Hence, arbitrary codes can be compromised to execute with malicious intent

Google’s Response

Google acknowledged that the bug was serious and gave it a severity rating of 8.8 out of 10. They responded quickly by releasing a patch that remedied the problem, way back in April. However, app developers have not been careful enough, and are yet to install the new update putting millions at risk of a data breach. Experts at Check Point note that over 13% of all Google Play apps they analyzed in September leveraged the Google Play Core library. Unfortunately, over 8% of these apps still used the vulnerable version, with only a few making the switch to the safer version. Even ones like Viber and Booking only updated after the experts at Check Point brought the matter to their attention.

Potential Danger

Aviran Hazum, who serves as the Manager of Research on Mobiles at Check Point, believes that hundreds of millions of users now face a security risk. Since CVE-2020-8913 is highly dangerous, the developers not installing the new patch is highly risky. In case any malicious application finds its way into this vulnerability, it can compromise several popular applications and gain the same access as the app. For instance, the vulnerability allows for the stealing of the two-factor authentication codes or even that of banking application credentials.

A threat actor could also manipulate social media apps to spy on others and grab messages from people, leading to a large number of attack possibilities. Hence, all users who have such apps on their phones are putting their data at risk. Experts are therefore recommending users to uninstall these apps until developers install the new patch and mitigate the risk of a breach. Since the security firm has notified the apps regarding the vulnerability, an update is expected son from their side. Following such an update, users can reinstall the apps and continue to use them as they did before.

Nvidia

Nvidia finally acknowledged the GeForce RTX 3000 series global crisis publicly.

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On 5th December 2020 during the Credit Suisse 24th Annual Technology Conference, Colette Kress, CFO of Nvidia acknowledged the global shortage of the RTX 3000 series. He went into some details about the reasons for the shortage as there have been several reports on what is causing such a crisis. Colette revealed in front of the media that wafer yields are not the only reason behind the global shortage.

During the webcast of the conference, Colette also mentioned that the production yield of Samsung 8nm nodes is one of the prime reasons for the decelerated rate of 3000 series production. Before this conference, Nvidia didn’t put any official statement acknowledge the global shortage of the RTX 3000 series.

Reason behind Nvidia GeForce RTX 3000

Colette Kress has given proper statements in the webcast regarding the shortage of the RTX 3000 series. Apart from revealing that the yield of Samsung 8nm nodes is one of the reasons for the shortage, other topics on the same group have also come up. Kress further said that the company is currently facing supply constraints that go beyond just the wafers and silicon supply. Some constraints are also in substrates and components but no details were discussed. The company will continue to work in this crisis and it believes that the demand will exceed supply in Q4 for overall gaming.

Nvidia
Image Source: indianexpress.com

From what Colette said in the webcast it is clear that the low production rate of various components is one of the reasons the production rate of GPU has gone down. Till now, Samsung was the sole provider of Nvidia GeForce RTX 3000 series 8nm nodes. But, this is also having a negative effect slowing down the production of Nvidia. So, the company is looking for other options and most probably will get nodes from TSMC as well. It is better to keep more than one option in hand in a time of crisis.

Samsung or TSMC nodes 

Many rumors and reports have spread earlier regarding Nvidia’s preference for using Samsung or TSMC’s nodes. But, it was only a few months ago that Nvidia confirmed the use of the Samsung 8N node for building Ampere second-gen RTX cards. The company said that it is replacing the TSMC 7nm node which was used for the initial Ampere GA100 GPU. Jensen Huang, CEO of Nvidia then announced that for the majority of its GPUs they will be using TSMC tech and for a small subset of graphics silicon production they have chosen Samsung.

On 1st September 2020, in GeForce Special event, Jensen Huang announced that the company decided to use Samsung’s 8N process for all the large Ampere RTX GPUs. Many reports said that with smaller Samsung-built process nodes, the new generation of GeForce chips will offer a huge amount of rasterizing performance. But, with the shortage of production, Nvidia probably will switch to TSMC again.

Why the shortage is taking place?

According to some experts, the reason behind the shortage is difficulties faced in logistics and supply chain. A report by Tom’s Hardware explains that most of the cargo space in the distribution system is taken up by the pharmaceutical supplies which have caused the shortage of supplies for the electronic division. We are in the middle of a pandemic and most of the attention is going to the pharmaceutical needs and their fastest transportation. So, this can be a very important reason why the delay has been caused in yield and production rate. Moreover, the COVId-19 vaccines are also getting transferred to so many places across the world. And, currently, that is the prime concern of every nation.

The demand for the GPU has already exceeded the supply. And, you might have also noticed that the stocks are vanishing in no time. Even if someone is lucky to get hold of the RTX 3000 series they are receiving an unboxed version.

Will it get better soon?

Kress mentioned that the situation will improve within a couple of months but still it is difficult to quantify what is the exact portion of the demand they can meet. The company will update further on this situation by the end of this quarter. Till then we just have to sit tight and wait when these GPUs will be in stock again. The pandemic has affected every field in the industrial sector and we have to overcome it.