HeyWhatsNew: iPhone 15 Pro Edges Closer to Apple's All-Screen Dream & Meta's AI Music Generator Strikes a New Chord

What's up HeyUppers. Welcome to HeyWhatsNew– Your roundup of the latest tech news and developments impacting the world of tech for the week beginning 31/07/2023.

iPhone 15 Pro: A Step Closer to Apple's Dream of an All-Screen Display

Apple Inc. is on the brink of unveiling the iPhone 15 and next-generation watches, marking another milestone towards the company's dream of an all-screen iPhone. The iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max will feature a new technology, low-injection pressure over-molding (LIPO), which will reduce the border size around the display to 1.5 millimeters.

This technology was first used in the Apple Watch Series 7 to make the device's borders thinner and increase the size of the display. The iPhone 15 line will also introduce a series of other new features, making it the most significant update since the device added 5G capability three years ago.

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X, the New Twitter, Reinstates Kanye West's Account

X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, reinstated Kanye West's account on Saturday, eight months after suspending it for violating company policy.

The musician and designer, now legally known as Ye, will not be eligible to monetize his account on X, and advertisements will not appear next to his posts. X reinstated West's account after receiving reassurance that he wouldn't use the platform to share antisemitic or otherwise harmful language.

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VanMoof Bankruptcy: Owners of $2,000+ E-Bikes Left in Limbo

Dutch e-bike maker VanMoof declared bankruptcy last month, leaving owners of its $2,000+ bikes in a quandary over replacing proprietary parts and losing app-enabled bike functions.

The company, which tripled its sales during the pandemic and raised over $180 million in funding, built its e-bikes from proprietary parts available mostly at company-run service centers. Many of the bikes' functions are linked to VanMoof's smartphone app, leaving riders uncertain about the future. 

Meta's AI Music Generator: The New Synthesizer or Just Muzak?

Meta has released a new open-source AI code called AudioCraft, which allows users to create music and sounds entirely through generative AI. The AI consists of three models, each tackling different areas of sound generation.

The MusicGen model takes text inputs to generate music, while AudioGen creates audio from written prompts. An improved version of Meta’s EnCodec decoder lets users create sounds with fewer artifacts.

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YouTube TV Launches Multiview, But With Limits

YouTube is officially launching Multiview for YouTube TV and Primetime Channels, starting with WNBA games. Multiview, which has been in testing since March, allows users to watch up to four streams simultaneously.

It's available on smart TVs and streaming devices, like the Chromecast and Amazon Fire TV. However, Google says that "mobile and web do not support multiview."

Meta's New Strategy: Chatbots with Personas

Facebook owner Meta is preparing to launch a range of artificial intelligence-powered chatbots that exhibit different personalities. The chatbots, dubbed "personas," take the form of different characters, including one that emulates Abraham Lincoln and another that advises on travel options in the style of a surfer.

The chatbots are designed to provide a new search function and offer recommendations, as well as being a fun product for people to play with. 

YouTube Shorts Challenges TikTok with New Creation Tools

In a bid to compete with TikTok and Instagram Reels, YouTube has announced an expanded suite of creation tools for its short-form video platform, YouTube Shorts. The new features include tools for remixing, adding effects, stickers, going live, and others aimed at encouraging inspiration.

One of the key new tools is "Collab," a way for a creator to record a Short in a side-by-side format with other YouTube or Shorts videos.
 
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