Apple Finally Supports RCS in iOS 18 Update

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Apple finally added Rich Communication Services (RCS) support to Messages this week as part of the second developer beta of iOS 18. Until now, iPhone users could only send SMS or MMS messages from the Messages app to people who didn’t have an Apple device. Now, you can share high-quality images and get read receipts and typing indicators when sending messages to Android users — but the text bubbles are still green.

OpenAI delays the release of its new Voice Mode. The company had planned to begin rolling out Advanced Voice Mode in alpha to a small group of ChatGPT Plus users in late June, but said persistent issues forced it to postpone the launch to July. Depending on internal security and reliability checks, Advanced Voice Mode may not launch for all ChatGPT Plus customers before fall, the company says.

The FCC has proposed an easier way for consumers to unlock their phones from carriers, suggesting that all devices must be unlocked 60 days after purchase. After that period, the rule would potentially allow phones to work with a variety of cellular networks, but could conflict with today’s market for phones and wireless devices.

News

OpenAI releases ChatGPT for Mac: ChatGPT is now available to all macOS users via a new app. Mac users can quickly invoke ChatGPT by using the Option + Space key combination after installing the new app. read more

However, Apple will reportedly not integrate AI Meta models: Days after The Wall Street Journal reported that Apple and Meta were in talks to integrate the other company’s AI models, a Bloomberg report says Apple has shelved the idea due to privacy concerns. read more

Waymo abandons waitlist in San Francisco: Waymo announced that now anyone can download its app and instantly order a robotaxi in San Francisco, removing the final hurdle for customers looking to use self-driving technology. read more

Zuckerberg criticizes “closed” artificial intelligence: In a new interview, Meta’s CEO said he doesn’t believe there will be “just one AI” and stressed the importance of open source AI. Zuckerberg also said that closed-source AI competitors are trying to “create God.” read more

Andrew Ng’s AI fund wants to raise a lot of cash: Andrew Ng’s AI fund plans to raise more than $120 million in its second venture, according to a new SEC filing. The startup incubator supports small teams of experts who want to solve key problems using artificial intelligence. read more

Gemini AI comes to Gmail: Google is rolling out a Gemini AI sidebar in Gmail to help you compose emails and find information in your inbox. The Gemini sidebar will also be available in Docs, Sheets, Slides, and Drive. read more

OpenAI continues its M&A streak: OpenAI has acquired Multi, a startup developing an enterprise-focused, video-first collaboration platform. A source familiar with the matter tells TechCrunch that most of Multi’s team will join OpenAI once the deal closes. read more

Incredibly smiling robot with living skin: Will robots ever have living, human skin? Scientists from the University of Tokyo and Harvard are investigating this issue and have come to some rather disturbing results. read more

Meta Chatbots Heading to India: After months of testing during the general elections, Meta is rolling out its Llama 3-based AI chatbot to all users in India. But Meta AI currently supports only English. read more

Prosus withdraws its stake in Byju: One of Byju’s biggest investors said his stake in the Indian edtech startup, once worth $2.1 billion, is now worth nothing. However, Prosus still hopes that Byju can be saved. read more

Analysis

Silicon Valley Gets Weird About DEI Again: DEI has become incredibly controversial. A prime example of the tension is the conversation sparked by Scale AI startup Alexander Wang, in which he discussed moving away from DEI to embrace “MEI”—merit, excellence, and intelligence. But Dominic-Madori Davis and Kyle Wiggers write that, according to the data, “meritocracy” is no better than DEI. read more

What Ayana Parsons’ resignation means: Fearless Fund co-founder Ayana Parsons is stepping down. The announcement comes after ongoing legal issues and a swing in tech that has led to a rise in anti-DEI sentiment. Julie Bort and Dominic-Madori Davis explore how the latest events at Fearless Fund and the shift to publicly criticizing DEI are a sad reflection of the VC world for Black women. read more