Apple has teamed with Anthropic on a “vibe coding” AI platform that will write, edit and test software for developers. The system is essentially an update on Xcode, Apple’s free integrated development environment (IDE) that will be powered by Anthropic’s Claude Sonnet model, according to reports. Apple’s plan is said to be introducing the software internally then deciding later whether to launch it publicly. Apple developed the proprietary Xcode suite of tools and began using it in 2003 to code, debug, test and vet submissions to the App Store for software that runs on all of its operating systems, from iOS to visionOS. Continue reading Apple Reportedly Using Anthropic’s Claude for AI Code Tool

Apple had a legal setback last week when a federal judge in California ruled in favor of Epic Games, which sued the tech giant for violating a court order to stop demanding commission fees for purchases outside of the Apple App Store. In a ruling last week, Apple was found to be in “willful violation” of a 2021 injunction prohibiting it from anticompetitive practices involving pricing. U.S. District Court Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers went so far as to refer the case to prosecutors for a possible criminal investigation. Apple has already filed a notice of appeal. Continue reading Stakes Escalate for Apple as Epic Scores Lower Court Victory

Apple reported revenue increased 5 percent to $95 billion in Q1, beating Wall Street analysts’ expectations. Net income was up by nearly 5 percent, to $24.8 billion, from the January-to-March period in 2024, and iPhone sales increased by 2 percent, helped by demand for the more affordably priced 16e model. Services were particularly strong, with $26.6 billion in revenue for the quarter, up from $23.9 billion year-over-year, also beating analysts’ expectations. But it isn’t exactly business as usual. CEO Tim Cook said tariffs will increase costs by $900 million in the June quarter. Continue reading Apple Quarter Beats Expectations, But Tariff Concerns Loom

IBM plans to invest $150 billion over the next five years to fuel the U.S. economy. Included in the spending plan is more than $30 billion devoted to research and development for mainframe and quantum computers to be manufactured in the U.S. The announcement comes as President Trump is pressing global companies to invest more here, including with trade tariffs that threaten to make products manufactured overseas more expensive to sell at home. IBM CEO Arvind Krishna says the company has “been focused on American jobs and manufacturing since our founding 114 years ago.” Continue reading IBM Unveils 5-Year Plan for $150B in Manufacturing and R&D

Perplexity AI has entered into a deal with Motorola to preinstall its artificial intelligence search engine technology in Motorola smartphones, giving buyers three free months of Perplexity Pro, which costs $20 per month and includes a deep research feature. Earlier this year, Motorola launched a Moto AI beta program to test core features like “Catch me up,” “Pay attention” and “Remember this” prompts. Based on feedback, Motorola says it has enhanced these features further as well as developed new AI experiences that will be available on the new generation of Razr and Edge devices. Continue reading Motorola Will Preinstall Perplexity on New Razr, Edge Models

The new Vivo X200 Ultra smartphone is being released in China with a triple back-camera array and the ability to upgrade the main 35mm camera to zooms — including an 8.7x converter — for capturing still photos or video that makes it comparable to a dedicated device. No news yet if or when it will launch in the U.S., but shutterbugs are buzzing. Powered by Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 8 Elite — the processor inside Samsung’s Galaxy S25 Ultra — the X200 Ultra packs up to 16GB of RAM and can accommodate up to 1TB of storage. An optional photographer kit comes with a removable grip and 8.7x converter that captures native telephoto. Continue reading Vivo Unveils Its Latest Smartphone with Emphasis on Camera

Google’s Gemini coding assistant has gained agentic capabilities, available as part of Gemini in Android Studio, a subscription service for businesses designed to make app development for the Android ecosystem easier and more secure. This agent-centric “AI-powered cloud for developers and operators” is designed to infuse AI into all stages of application development, laying the groundwork for more rapid software creation cycles. The service is available to those who subscribe to Gemini Code Assist Standard or Enterprise editions. The new offering was unveiled at the Google Cloud Next 2025 developer conference in Las Vegas. Continue reading Google Pushes Gemini in Android Studio for App Developers

Semiconductor giant Intel has reached a tentative agreement with Taiwan’s TSMC and some U.S. firms to create a joint venture that would assume operating responsibility for Intel’s chip fabrication plants here. TSMC will reportedly hold a 20 percent stake in the JV, while Intel and the other investors would control the remaining 80 percent. This specific JV is limited to Intel’s foundry unit, which posted a 2024 operating loss of $13.4 billion in 2024 and is not expected to break even until 2027. New Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan said at last week’s Intel Vision conference that he will spin off all non-core units. Continue reading TSMC Reportedly Ready for Joint Venture with Intel Foundries

Patreon, a subscription platform popular among individual creators and small companies, is expanding beyond boutique service with a network initiative that has inked Wondery and Sony Music Entertainment to podcasting deals. Patreon says podcasting is its largest category, with participants earning more than $472 million from over 6.7 million paid memberships. The figure marked a 35 percent increase from 2023. With more than 100 million total memberships, Patreon says it is “the best place on the Internet for independent podcasters and media networks alike.” The 12-year-old company provides tools for creators to connect directly with fans. Continue reading Patreon Signs Podcasting Deals with Wondery and Sony Music

Meta Platforms is developing a deluxe entry for its popular Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses line that is said to incorporate hand-gesture controls and will include a screen for displaying photos and apps. The price tag will reportedly be more than $1,000 (and possibly as high as $1,400) when the item hits the shelves, possibly by the end of this year. Code-named Hypernova, the souped-up eyewear is part of a Meta plan to make a wearable alternative to Apple iPhones. Existing Ray-Ban Meta glasses can pair with Android phones to make calls. Continue reading New Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses to Include Built-In Screen

Chinese smartphone giant Vivo is entering the XR headset market with a device called the Vivo Vision that is drawing comparisons to Apple’s Vision Pro in name and looks. The headset debut coincides with the announcement of the Vivo Robotics Lab, signaling a strategic expansion beyond mobile phones. Vivo EVP and COO Hu Baishan said that AI and robotics currently represent the height of technological achievement in the digital and physical worlds, and that the mobile phone industry, with its massive consumer base and advanced infrastructure is well-positioned to bridge the two worlds, “blending digital connectivity with physical capabilities.” Continue reading Smartphone Maker Vivo Intros Vision XR and Robotics Group

Utah has become the first state to make app stores responsible for verifying users’ ages. The Utah App Store Accountability Act shifts the burden of proving one’s age from social platforms like Snapchat, Instagram and X to digital storefronts, namely Google Play and Apple’s App Store. Those who create accounts in the state will have to prove they’re over 18 or, if underage, link their account to a parent or guardian’s. Utah Governor Spencer Cox signed the bill into law on Wednesday and it begins taking effect May 7. Google opposed the legislation and lobbied the governor to veto it. Meta, X and Snap applauded the measure and are encouraging other states to follow suit. Continue reading Utah Law Is First in Nation Making App Stores Verify User Age

Snap has marked the six-month anniversary of its fifth generation Spectacles by showcasing new geo-location features that developers can start using now, and previewing what an all-day AR experience might be like, though that capability is not here yet. The latest Spectacles — introduced September 2024 and described as “still very much a developer kit” — have only 45 minutes of standalone battery power. But Snap has made immediately available for developers a swathe of geo-location data for better outdoor AR experiences, showcasing the integrations with gear from Utopia Labs. Continue reading Snap Updates Geo Data for Spectacles, Previews All-Day AR

Apple’s iOS 18 update added Rich Communication Services (RCS), which meant better integration with Android users, including media sharing and chat. Now the GSMA has added end-to-end encryption (E2EE), which Apple will implement to allow iPhone users to share E2EE files and messages with Android users. The new specs make RCS the first mainstream messaging service to support interoperable E2EE between different providers, according to the GSMA. Coupled with SIM-based authentication, “E2EE will provide RCS users with the highest level of privacy and security for protection” from fraud and threats, GSMA adds. Continue reading End-to-End Encryption Bridges Gap Between iOS and Android

Meta Platforms has reportedly begun “a small deployment” of its first in-house chip designed for AI training. The accelerator chip is engineered around the open-standard RISC-V architecture. TSMC produced the working samples now being tested. The goal is to create purpose-specific chips that are more efficient than Nvidia’s general purpose GPUs, enjoying the cost-savings that would come with wide use and reducing reliance on outside chip suppliers in a tight market. If the tests go well, Meta plans to scale up production for expanded use by 2026. Details of the new chip’s specifications remain unknown at this time. Continue reading Meta Tests New AI Accelerator Chip Designed with Broadcom