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Google rolls out its smart AI scam detector for the Pixel Phone app

Scam Detection is here, for some

A Pixel Scam Detection alert on a red and magenta background

The on-screen scam detection warning(Image credit: Google)

AI-powered Scam Detection feature rolling out for Pixel Phone app
Feature scans audio from incoming calls and sends scam alerts
Currently only available in the beta version of the app for US users

Having announced the feature back atGoogle I/O 2024in May,Googleis now rolling out its AI-powered Scam Detection feature for the Pixel Phone app – though for now it’s only available in the beta version for US users.

The rollout was announced by Google in ablog post(via9to5Google), with the promise that they’ll be appearing on other Android devices besides Pixels in the future. For now, thePixel 6from 2021 and all later Pixels are eligible for the update.

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As we previously reported, the feature uses on-board AI to scan the audio from your incoming calls. If the algorithms detect that you might be getting scammed, you’ll see an alert to that effect on the Phone app screen.

“For example, if a caller claims to be from your bank and asks you to urgently transfer funds due to an alleged account breach, Scam Detection will process the call to determine whether the call is likely spam and, if so, can provide an audio and haptic alert and visual warning that the call may be a scam,” explains Google.

Local processing

The feature is available on all Pixels from the Pixel 6 onwards, including the Pixel 7a (Image credit: Future)

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While the thought of AI listening to your calls is a little unnerving, this is all handled locally, with no data sent back to the cloud: the Pixel 9 phones use the built-in Gemini Nano, and older Pixels use “other robust Google on-device machine learning models”.

While the rise of generative AI certainly has its benefits, it’s also proving to be something of a headache in terms of digital security. Fraudsters are making use of the tech to create scam calls, while the good guys are fighting back with their own AI operators.

The new feature adds to the suite of security protections already available in the Phone app for Pixels. Those protections include Call Screen, which can answer calls with a bot to see what the caller wants before you get involved.

In this early form inside the beta app, Scam Detection isn’t on by default: you have to go to the app settings (via the three-dot button in the top right corner) to enable it. Google is also asking early adopters for feedback on the feature, and how well it works, before rolling it out more widely.

Samsung’s first tri-fold smartphone could overcome a major weakness of the Huawei Mate XT

According to a new report, Samsung‘s first tri-fold could measure up to 10-inches across in its unfolded state. However, it may do so with a completely different design than the one showcased earlier this year by the Huawei Mate XT. In the process, Samsung’s foray into the world of tri-fold smartphones could surpass the durability of Huawei’s first attempt.

Samsung‘s first ‘tri-fold’ may resemble the Flex G, pictured. (Image source: The Korea Herald)

Huawei has well and truly beat Samsung to delivering the first ‘tri-fold’ smartphone. For reference, the Mate XT is exclusive to China for the time being. However, there have been suggestions that the company introduce the device internationally early next year.

Seemingly, Samsung has been working on its own attempt for some time, though. On the one hand, the company recently received approval from the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for a smartphone design that looks similar to Huawei’s first tri-fold release.

On the other hand, there have been multiple reports from South Korea that Samsung is seeking to perfect the tri-fold design before mass-producing a device that it intends to bring to market. Now, ETNews suggests that Samsung may launch its inaugural tri-fold in 2025, albeit with a completely different design to what has been discussed until now.

The Samsung Display Flex S features the same form factor as the Huawei Mate XT. (Image source: The Korea Herald)

Incidentally, Samsung Display revealed a prototype almost three years ago that closely resembled the Mate XT. By contrast, ETNews’ new report claims that Samsung’s production tri-fold folds inward twice with two hinges, thereby omitting the wraparound section of the Flex S and Mate XT.

In other words, it seems that Samsung may have settled for the form factor showcased by the Flex G, another prototype that popped up at trade shows in 2022. Theoretically, this would make Samsung’s effort more durable, considering that it will have none of its display showing when in its folded state.

Moreover, utilising this Flex G style design may be possible using existing Ultra Thin Glass (UTG) standards. Reportedly, Samsung‘s Flex G-esque design will span 9~10 inches, which would be roughly 2 inches wider diagonally than the current Galaxy Z Fold6.

Samsung Display exhibited the Flex G in two sizes during CES 2022. (Image source: The Korea Herald)

Number of Americans looking to live abroad jumps by 1,500% after Trump wins election

Americans most frequently searched to relocate to Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the UK, data shows

Trump’s recent victory has driven many Americans to search about moving abroad(REUTERS)

Donald Trump may have a different immigration talking point since becoming the president-elect: Americans wanting to move abroad.

As emotions ran high after Trump won the presidential election on Wednesday morning, the number of Google searches to leave the country increased by 1514 per cent, according to VisaGuide.World.

From Election Day through November 6, search traffic for “immigration” related pages on its site grew by 338 per cent, as disgruntled Americans looked up where they had the best shot of moving to, the website said.

Pages with information about relocating to specific countries also gained traction. Norway was the most popular of those pages, followed by the UK, Ireland and New Zealand.

Germany-Visa.org also saw a 336 per cent uptick in traffic for pages related to immigration, with particular interest in the country’s Opportunity Card — a residence permit that allows anyone from a country outside of the European Union to live in Germany for up to one year to find a job.

Google searches in the US for migration topics are roughly 15 times higher this week compared to the week before the presidential election.

“Moving to New Zealand from the US” was the most-searched term, with searches for the phrase up 76 times from before Trump’s victory. Similarly, “moving to Germany from the US” was 42 times more searched this last week, and searches for “Moving to the Netherlands” was searched 32 times more, the site found.

Americans most frequently searched for information about relocating to Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the UK.

Here’s how to create a custom emoji with the Apple Intelligence feature Genmoji

Image Credits:Apple

Apple’s latest iOS 18.1 software update introduced a series of Apple Intelligence features, including Writing Tools and notification summaries. However, some features were missing from the lineup, like Genmoji, which allows users to create emojis from written prompts.

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Now, with iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, and macOS Sequoia 15.2 public betas officially available, the highly anticipated AI-generated Bitmoji feature is finally here for some users to try.

Here’s what you need to know about the Apple Intelligence feature that many people are excited about, whether you’re in Apple’s beta software program and want to take it for a test drive, or if you’re just curious about what to expect when Genmoji launches for all users.

What is a Genmoji?
Genmoji initially debuted at WWDC 2024 back in June. Built into the iPhone’s emoji keyboard, the feature lets people generate original emojis with prompts. For example, “A sloth wearing a suit and tie.” It can also generate emojis of people using photos. Genmojis can be used not only in Messages but also in Stickers and Tapbacks. It’s also possible to react to a message with a Genmoji or with Apple’s message effects.

How to create a customized emoji with Apple Intelligence

To use Genmoji, first make sure Apple Intelligence is enabled. Then launch the Messages app, start a new message (or go to an existing chat), and click on the emoji keyboard located in the bottom left corner. Next, type the prompt into the search bar and choose “Create New Emoji” just below it.

After a few seconds, Apple Intelligence creates multiple versions of the AI-generated emoji based on that custom description. To save a favorite Genmoji, tap “Add” in the top-right corner to permanently include that new emoji to the keyboard.

To save a Genmoji that someone else sends, long press on it and select “Emoji Details,” which will display the prompt that was used to generate it. There’s also an option to download it.

Image Credits:Apple

When is the official launch of Genmoji?

Currently, Genmoji is only available to users with Apple’s iOS 18.2 public beta. Note that there may be a waitlist, so users might have to wait a few days or even weeks until they gain access.

It’s expected that the feature will officially launch in early December.

What Apple devices support Genmoji?

iPhone 15 Pro
iPhone 15 Pro Max
iPhone 16
iPhone 16 Plus
iPhone 16 Pro
iPhone 16 Max
iPad mini with A17 Pro chip
All iPads with an Apple silicon chip
macOS Sequoia support coming soon

Is Apple Intelligence supported in my country?

The only regions where Apple Intelligence is not supported are China and the EU because of certain regulations.

Regarding language support, it’s currently only available in U.S. English. In late 2024, it’ll roll out localized English support for Australia, as well as language support for users in Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, and the U.K. By 2025, Chinese, English (India), English (Singapore), French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish, and Vietnamese will also become available.

Apple Intelligence gets a Xiaomi tribute act with ‘thoughtful’ Super Xiao AI assistant

Where have we seen this before?

The Xiaomi 14(Image credit: Future )

Xiaomi unveils Super Xiao AI
The AI assistant looks incredibly similar to Apple Intelligence
This wouldn’t be the first time Xiaomi has taken inspiration from Apple

Xiaomi has unveiled its next-generation AI assistant, Super Xiao AI, and it looks… very familiar.

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The upgraded AI voice assistant is “thoughtful and capable” of handling more complex tasks than the previous version of Xiao AI, Xiaomisays. The new voice assistant also looks incredibly similar toApple Intelligence; it could almost be a direct clone of the Cupertino giant’s own AI feature suite.

When typing text into Super Xiao AI, you’ll immediately see the similarities with Apple Intelligence’s Type to Siri feature – even the shape of the text box and logo placement are the same. One user on X also demonstrated the similarities between Super Xiao AI and Apple Intelligence’s Writing Tools.

Judging by the above, Xiaomi’s AI Writing feature is a borderline copy/paste job of Apple’s UI; it even includes the new ability to enter prompts to direct the AI writing tool, just like the new update to Writing Tools in iOS 18.2.

Super Xiao AI is part of a wider software update coming to the best Xiaomi phones running HyperOS 2, including the Xiaomi 15 and Xiaomi 14.

Not the first time

（Xiaomi HyperOS in action)

This isn’t the first time the Chinese company has taken inspiration from its North American competition. Xiaomi’s MIUIoperating systemlooked incredibly similar to Apple’s Control Center design iOS 17, and the company even adopted similar UI elements in the MIUI Camera app and Settings.

It’s not a surprise to see brands copy Apple’s gorgeous UI design, but Xiaomi’s approach is so blatantly obvious that it can often take away from the company’s excellent products. While I’ve heard many tech journalists rave about Xiaomi smartphones (we ourselves described theXiaomi 14 Ultra, for instance, as the “king of the camera phones”), as an iPhone user, I’m more familiar with the company’s attempts to clone iOS than I am with Xiaomi devices.

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To quote Oscar Wilde, “Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery that mediocrity can pay to greatness.” But why does a company that is so far above mediocrity continue to imitate? Super Xiao AI might end up trumping Apple Intelligence as the best AI voice assistant, but it will be hard for the AI model to ever get rid of its tag as an Apple clone.

Apple’s rumored smart home display might arrive early next year with Apple Intelligence onboard

It’s reported to be a six-inch square screen that can be wall-mounted

Apple’s long-rumored smart home display might arrive as soon as March 2025
It could have a six-inch screen and run a new operating system
Apple Intelligence could be front and center

There is seldom a shortage ofApplerumors, but one that has been constant – and heating up in recent months – is that the technology giant isplanning to release a smart home display. And it makes a lot of sense as Apple continues to push into the smart home – there are already two smart speakers, theHomePodandHomePod mini, major updates to the Home app, and we can’t forget that Apple is part of the smart home standard Matter.

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Now, though, it seems Apple is working at a record pace to ready a smart home display.Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reportsthat “a wall-mounted display that can control appliances, handle videoconferencing, and use AI to navigate apps” could launch as early as March 2025. That’s just five months away, and it sounds like a direct competitor toAmazon’s Echo Show 15. It might also be my dream Apple smart home display and a bit better than just a HomePod with a screen.

Gurman shares a bit more about the smart display, which is codenamed J490. As expected, it’ll be a showcase for Apple Intelligence and likely the smarter features of the forthcoming Siri. From a design and hardware standpoint, it’ll come in silver or black and stand as a 6-inch square screen that resembles an iPad with thicker bezels. The report states it’s “about the size of two iPhones side by side” with a built-in camera seemingly for FaceTime calls or home monitoring, speakers, and a rechargeable battery.

(Image credit: Apple)

There is no mention of the processor, but we’d expect it to be Apple Silicon as it will need to power some other sensors, including one that can detect how many people are near the display. This is likely similar toGoogle’s Soli technology that is used on the Nest Thermostat to adjust what’s on screen based on whether you’re closer to it or farther away.

Bloomberg’s report notes that theoperating systemis a cross between watchOS and the iPhone’s StandBy mode. This means you’ll likely get dedicated apps and peek into them like widgets. It’s reported that it will run FaceTime,Safari, Music, and Calendar, among others. Of course, it will also be an ideal way to control the smart home, and it is being pegged as a “Command Center.”

As far as interactions go, it will either be touch or hands-free voice through Siri, much like a HomePod or HomePod Mini. The report notes that the smart display was “designed around App Intents, a system that lets AI precisely control applications and tasks” – a feature originally shown off atWWDC 2024when Apple Intelligence was launched.

Just asAmazonoffers several designs for Echos or how Google’s Pixel Tablet can be affixed to a stand, Apple has reportedly made different attachments or bases for the smart display. The report notes that beyond hanging on a wall, there will be bases for placing it on a desk, nightstand, or even counter, and these will offer better sound through additional speakers. It remains to be seen if the wall attachment will be done magnetically to a mount, allowing you to move it around quickly.

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Like other smart displays, Apple’s will likely be a standalone device that you set up with an iPhone and sign in to with your Apple Account (formerly an Apple ID) to enable easy data syncing and the ability to hand off things like music or a call.

While this is a stationary, non-moving smart display from Apple, there are also many rumors of an intelligent display attached to a roboticarmthat the company is said to be working on. Bloomberg’s latest report notes that it is in the pipeline but farther out and will be much more costly at $1,000. That makes sense, considering it’s a robot. This smart display, which could launch next year, is said to be “far-less” expensive and closer in line with competitors like Amazon’s Echo Show.

(Image credit: Future)

All in all, it feels like it’s about time for Apple to really enter the smart home, and it seems like the company really wants to take a piece of the smart display market from the mainstays. If it’s anything like the HomePod, iPad, or iPhone, we can expect it to offer a premium build with strong audio and a good interface. It would also likely check off the box for a lot of folks who have been waiting for a proper smart home control panel.

Further, it would reinforce Apple’s commitment to the smart home and show that it’s a category that the company sees on its roadmap for the long haul and one that it’ll likely continue to invest in. We also saw rumors this week that Apple is considering developing smart home accessories like cameras, and this report does mention that the development of those could be sped up if the smart display succeeds.

Of course, until Apple announces it’s all but a rumor, so take this with a grain of salt.

Apple will soon let you share an AirTags location with an airline, and it might make lost luggage a thing of the past

I wish this had come out months ago

Apple will soon let you share an AirTags location securely with an airline
With several airlines onboard, the hope is to help sooner reunite lost baggage with an AirTag inside
“Share Item Location” will launch with iOS 18.2 later in 2024

If you’ve ever had an airline lose your luggage,Applemight have announced the best news possible. And this is one that I really wish had arrived months earlier.

As part of iOS 18.2, which is expected to launch in December 2024, Apple is giving AirTags and FindMy a significant upgrade that will likely be music to many ears. You’ll now be able to securely share your AirTags location with a specific person, but more importantly, a business.

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With “Share Item Location,” you can easily and quickly generate a shared URL showing the AirTag’s location, a map, and the timestamp. Why is this so handy? Well, if you’re already in the habit of having an AirTag in your luggage, and if it goes missing, you’ll be able to share this URL with, say, an airline – like United or Delta, among others – in the hopes of getting it back sooner. The map viewable by the URL will be similar to seeing the AirTag’s location within the FindMy app, and it can be accessed from a browser.

(Image credit: Apple)

In fact, “Share Item Location” is designed for a trusted person or an airline from the ground up, in that Apple is working with many airlines to let a user share this link if a piece of luggage goes missing. Those airlines include United and Delta Airlines as well as Aer Lingus, Air Canada, Air New Zealand, Austrian Airlines, British Airways, Brussels Airlines, Eurowings, Iberia, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Lufthansa, Qantas, Singapore Airlines, Swiss International Air Lines, Turkish Airlines, Virgin Atlantic, and Vueling as of the time of writing.

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As someone whose luggage has been lost, having an airline better equipped to handle and understand an AirTag and the location it pings will be leagues better. The goal here is that the AirTag’s location, as well as technology that airlines already have in place, can help to end lost luggage … or at least make it a faster return.

David Kinzelman, United’s chief customer officer, said in a statement, “We know many of our customers are already traveling with AirTag in their checked bags, and this feature will soon make it easier for them to share location information with us safely and securely, helping our customer service agents work more efficiently and giving our customers added peace of mind. We plan to accept Find My item locations in select airports initially, with the goal of introducing the service systemwide in early 2025.”

It’s great that United is taking the time to integrate “Share Item Location” and the data it will bring into its systems. When this launches in early 2025 for the carrier, they’ll likely be inundated with questions. Delta is similarly excited about the new solution and hopes that it can close the gap.

Beyond individual airlines prepping for this launch of “Share Item Location,” SITA, which runs the global baggage tracing system WorldTracer, is working to build out support for the feature. Considering it’s used at over 2,800 airports around the world, this is good news in the quest to reunite baggage.

Analysis: This is a win for customers

(Image credit: United Airlines/Apple)

One of the biggest frustrations I had when my luggage went missing was that I could see where it was thanks to the AirTag inside, but that also meant I could tell when it was going somewhere that was the complete opposite of what a customer service representative would tell me. I could not share my AirTag’s location outside of screenshots; I just spoke to them or wrote it up in an email. It was frustrating as I had the information and could see my baggage moving the wrong way while I was told something completely different from the airline.

I truly don’t think this feature can roll out soon enough, and while I’d give the same hope as I do when recommending an AirTag is that you’ll never have to use it to track down your lost luggage, at least the airlines will be better equipped to reunite you even sooner. So yes, if AirTags go on sale again for Black Friday 2024, you should get one for every piece of luggage you own.

Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra could beat iPhone 16 Pro Max with this one feature

It’s time that Samsung DeX gets a massive overhaul

(Image credit: Future)
In the last month, I’ve been trying to lighten the load in my backpack by trying to condense what I absolutely need to bring with me to work. One of the heaviest offenders has been my laptop, which at 3 pounds is still taxing on my back. That’s why I ditched my laptop for the Galaxy Z Fold 6 for 2 weeks, just to see if I could make due with a phone for all of my work-related duties.

With the Galaxy S25 Ultra tipped for an early launch in 2025, it will more than likely have Samsung DeX support to fill my need as a laptop replacement. While this has been a longstanding feature in Samsung’s flagship series, it desperately needs to be exploited more than ever if the Galaxy S25 Ultra stands any chance at beating the best phone out there in the iPhone 16 Pro Max.

I totally get that Samsung is probably gambling on new Galaxy AI features to drive people to get the Galaxy S25 Ultra, but Samsung DeX has long been flying under the radar and deserves an overhaul. I think it’s the key to the Galaxy S25 Ultra’s salvation.

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Bridging the phone-laptop gap

(Image credit: Future)

It pains me to know that Samsung DeX was first released in 2017 with the launch of theGalaxy S8. Since then, there have been new features added to the desktop PC interface here and there, but it’s been stale the last three years.

The Galaxy S25 Ultra could be the perfect opportunity for Samsung to revamp the experience because DeX is one of the few services that satisfies that gap between laptops and phones. This concept of a phone offering an experience similar to a desktop PC has long been around, but most people don’t realize that Samsung DeX works on touchscreen displays.

I’ve connected myGalaxy S24 UltraandGalaxy Z Fold 6to an old portable monitor I have lying around, and to my surprise, the interface offers touch interaction — so it very much feels and acts like a tablet. From a productivity standpoint, this ability to lean on touch controls make DeX even more valuable with my day-to-day duties.

My point here is that people crave multi-functioning devices, much like how smartphones integrated the functions of point and shoot cameras, MP3 players and dedicated phones. Samsung DeX on the Galaxy S25 Ultra could potentially be good enough to replace my laptop, but it’s going to need more in order to get there.

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More Air Gesture support with the S Pen

(Image credit: Future)

Another component of Samsung DeX that needs to be enhanced are the Air Gestures of the S Pen. I suspect we’ll still get it on the S25 Ultra.

Even though the S Pen is first and foremost a pressure sensitive stylus for that rich paper meets pen experience, I would love for Samsung to make it the key component to interacting with DeX. I want to think of it much like how the Apple Vision Pro relies on hand gestures to navigate around its interface, so the S Pen could do the same for DeX.

In the current iteration of Samsung DeX, I’m mostly using a physical mouse connected to my phone for navigating around the interface, but I’d like Samsung to somehow incorporate even more gesture support with the S Pen. For example, I’d like to see the S Pen acting more like the mouse cursor in DeX — as well as offering functions that could execute pinch and scrolling gestures by flicking the S Pen in the air.

Samsung can’t afford to overlook DeX again

(Image credit: Future)

Just with any major phone launch, I’m always hopeful that there’s no price increase — which could be true for the S25 Ultra considering how the S24 Ultra got one last year. Either way, Samsung can’t afford to just sweep DeX under the table yet again with no major improvements. The iPhone 16 Pro Max has nothing remotely close to this, which is why it’s imperative that DeX gets the proper upgrade it deserves.

I’ve only learned recently from my colleague’sMac Mini M4 reviewthat you can hook it up to a portable monitor touchscreen support. Just imagine if the iPhone 17 Pro Max could do the same? Samsung can’t neglect the utility that DeX offers, so it needs to take it to the next level and prove that the interface can be intuitive and more functional with the Galaxy S25 Ultra.

Google’s Android-exclusive Gemini Live could be about to launch on iPhone

Gemini Live on iPhone

Google Gemini Gmail on iPhone 16 Pro Max

(Image credit: Future / Apple)

A user in the Philippines has spotted a Google Gemini app on the App Store
The app gives iPhone users access to Gemini Live
No timeframe on when or if the app will roll out worldwide

You could be usingGemini Liveon your iPhone very soon after a standaloneGoogleGemini app has appeared on the App Store.

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U/lostshenanigans, based in the Philippines, found the app and shared the link via Reddit. Unfortunately, the app isn’t live in the UK, US, or Australia yet, but this could be a sign that the Gemini app is about to roll out worldwide.

The Gemini app gives iPhone users access to Gemini Live, the paid AI voice bot that was previously exclusive to the best Android smartphones. Gemini Live lets you talk with Gemini rather than typing and uses Google’s AI model to produce eerily realistic conversations.

From the screenshots shared in the Reddit thread, it looks like the Gemini Live works as a Live Activity, allowing you to chat with Gemini from your Lock Screen. This would be a huge coup for iPhone users who haven’t been able to use Gemini outside of the Google app, giving an alternate option to Siri.

We’re yet to hear of any reports of other users accessing the Gemini app, so either Google is currently testing this new addition to its app family or U/lostshenanigans is fooling us all (I’m leaning towards the former).

As soon as we have more updates on a standalone Gemini app for iPhone we’ll be sure to give it a download. After all, Gemini Live is one of the best examples of AI we’ve tried so far – it’s just a shame it’s exclusive to Android (for now).

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Gemini Live on iPhone

(Image credit: Future, Lance Ulanoff)

I’ve been waiting for Gemini Live to come to iPhone for a while, so this news of a potential standalone Gemini app with Live functionality is incredibly exciting. I’ve used Gemini Live briefly on Android but as an iPhone user I’ve been wanting to test it on a daily basis and I might not have long to wait to finally be able to do that.

Gemini Live’s natural voice is seriously impressive and as a fan of ChatGPT’s Advanced Voice mode but without a Plus membership, Live could be the voice assistant I’ve been waiting for – at least until Siri gets its Apple Intelligence overhaul next year.

Elon Musk talks about a Tesla phone but can he make one?

Elon Musk stressed if Apple and Google become more prominent gatekeepers in the smartphone space, he may consider launching the Tesla phone.

JUST HAPPENED! Elon Musk’s NEW Tesla Phone FINALLY Hitting The Market!

(Image from: YouTube)

Elon Musk has rekindled the rumours about a Tesla smartphone. During an interaction with comedian Joe Rogan on the Joe Rogan Experience podcast, Musk hinted that Tesla could build a smartphone but only when necessary. He stressed if Apple and Google become more prominent gatekeepers, he may consider launching the Tesla phone.

“If Apple and Google/Android started doing really bad things, like, I don’t know, censorship of apps or… just being like gatekeepers, in a really bad way, then I guess we’d make a phone (sic),” Musk told Rogan.
Musk could be referring to rulings from different regulators, including the most impactful European Union, that Apple and Google were gatekeepers in the smartphone space, changing how users access services. The EU has slapped both companies with hefty fines over their malpractices, which allegedly harm small companies and developers and restrict customers’ choices.

However, his company is currently not interested in making a phone. “But it’s not something we wanna do unless we have to or something,” he added.

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But a bigger question: Is Elon Musk’s Tesla capable of making a smartphone?

Musk’s statement that Tesla can make a phone if necessary confirms that the company has what it needs to build a phone that can readily compete with Apple’s iPhone and Android-powered smartphones. He is confident because the existing infotainment system on Tesla vehicles provides access to a host of apps and games. It would take a few tweaks for the company to build a mobile operating system that would not be based on Android or iOS. Tesla can easily procure hardware, including chips, from existing partners, while Tesla Power could provide the relevant batteries for the smartphone.

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He could even go as far as launching its own cellular service, leveraging SpaceX’s Starlink satellite service. The satcom company is already talking to T-Mobile for a direct-to-cell service for messaging and emergency alerts on smartphones — akin to Apple’s Emergency SOS via satellite service available on iPhones. Musk, however, would be better placed than Apple or other mobile phone brands in the satellite-based communication service sector since his space company owns several satellites.

While Musk may have the right ingredients to build a fully functional smartphone that can easily compete with the iPhone or Pixel, it is easier said than done. A phone that does not run on iOS or Android may face challenges, like limited support from developers or low adoption by customers, owing to the perception. Case in point, Microsoft’s Windows Phone, which struggled for years to convince developers to build apps for the platform. However, when Google rejected Microsoft’s requests to bring its suite of apps – the services of which are among the most popular worldwide – to its mobile platform, the company knew that Windows Phone would eventually fail.

Even Amazon found it out the hard way, especially when its Fire OS was based on a forked version of Android. Despite multiple attempts to woo developers to prefer Fire OS and convince customers to choose its tablets, Amazon – one of the biggest online marketplaces – could not help Fire OS take off, and its first Fire Phone failed.

Over and above these roadblocks, Musk may also have to deal with people’s perception of him to be able to instill trust in customers.

Musk’s Focus: Electric Cars, Autonomy, and AI

Tesla phone could happen if Google and Apple go too far (Image source: Tesla)
At the end of his interview, Musk reiterated Tesla’s main objectives: advancing electric cars, solving autonomous driving, and developing humanoid robots. “Our focus is on making great electric cars, solving autonomy so that cars can drive themselves;
For now, Tesla appears content to leave the smartphone market to established players. However, should tech industry tensions intensify, particularly around app store policies and censorship, Musk may well be compelled to enter the smartphone arena as a defensive manoeuvre.