HeyWhatsNew: Apple Shifts iPhone Production to India to Possibly Make Their Devices Cheaper, and X Boasts an Interesting Combination of Investors
Hello again, Heyuppers. Welcome back to HeyWhatsNew, your weekly source of the latest tech news headlines that are changing the world. Let’s take a look at what went down in the week beginning 19/08/2024.
India May Become the New iPhone Manufacturer, Making the Devices More Affordable
Apple has reportedly been seeking to expand the production of its products beyond China, and it appears that 2024 may be the year it happens. Rumors from multiple sources indicating that Apple will shift some of its production to India were confirmed this week when images of the Apple iPhone 16 Pro’s official packaging, boasting an “Assembled in India” box seal, were leaked.
Since the leaked photograph comes from an unfamiliar source, Gizmochina says it can not be confirmed as authentic. However, the fact that one of Apple’s key manufacturing partners, Foxconn, has also been rumored to have begun training workers in India may make the rumor more credible.
A List of the Biggest Investors in X Has Been Released, as Ordered by a Judge
In October 2022, Elon Musk changed the fate of one of the biggest social media platforms in the world when he acquired Twitter for $44 billion with the help of nearly 100 investors. This week, a judge in San Francisco ordered the company to reveal its list of investors, which has now been found to include some of the world’s most prominent figures including hip-hop mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs, and the Saudi Prince Alwaleed bin Talal al Saud. Being the successful entrepreneur he is, Elon Musk easily gained the trust and interest of the investors. However, under his leadership, the company which has since been renamed to X has reportedly been struggling to meet the expectations of investors.
X initially filed the list of investors under seal in response to a 2023 lawsuit from former Twitter employees. These employees claimed that after Elon Musk bought the company, he violated their arbitration agreements by not paying them certain fees. In July, attorneys for the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press filed a motion to unseal the records on behalf of independent tech journalist Jacob Silverman.
Smart Rings Are Bound to Become e-Waste Very Quickly
One of the tech world’s most trusted reviewers and teardown experts, iFixIt, recently opened up one of Samsung’s latest innovations, the Galaxy Ring to give the world a closer look at the components that bring this technology to life. The review revealed that the ring’s durability is unquestionable, however, once the battery deteriorates, the ring’s life cycle is over.
According to Shahram Mokhtari who wrote the review, this is the fate of most smart rings. The use of a lithium ion battery in most smart rings indicates that a majority of them are bound to end up in the dump after approximately 400 charges, contributing to the growing e-waste problem the world already faces.
The Chick-fil-A Franchise Is Expanding into Entertainment Production with a New Streaming Platform
In a news article originally posted by Deadline, it has been revealed that the fast food franchise Chick-fil-A is currently looking into establishing its own family-friendly streaming platform in partnership with production companies. Sources say that the plan is to launch the platform later in the year, with programming set to be led by Brian Gibson.
Chick-fil-A follows a recent trend by companies unrelated to entertainment entering the streaming industry, including Airbnb who recently produced Gay Chorus Deep South that aired on MTV.
Neuralink Celebrates Its Second Successful Implant
Neuralink has shared updates about the second patient who had the chip installed in their brain, after the operation took place last month. The company reports that the PRIME Study participant, who has only been identified as Alex, was discharged the day after his surgery and recovery has gone smoothly. According to the report, Alex was able to begin controlling his computer with his brain a mere five minutes after connecting to it, and the patient says he is already impressed with the way the chip works.
To minimize the chances of thread retraction in the second participant, something that, according to Reuters, happened to the first patient, Neuralink introduced several strategies including stabilizing brain movement during surgery and narrowing the gap between the implant and the brain’s surface.
British Tech Billionaire Mike Lynch Passes Away After Yacht Accident in Storm
A violent storm off the coast of Sicily on Monday night has claimed the life of UK entrepreneur and tech billionaire, Mike Lynch. Lynch founded the venture capital firm Invoke Capital, as well as co-founding tech companies Autonomy and Darktrace. He was recently acquitted of 15 counts of fraud by a San Francisco Court.
Sky News reports that the billionaire’s wife is one of the 15 survivors who were on board the yacht when it sank, and that the couple’s 18 year old daughter is still among those missing.
That’s a wrap of this week’s HeyWhatsNew, your weekly source of the latest tech news shaping our world as we know it. Join us again next time.
