Good morning. It’s Thursday, August 14. Today we are covering:
Apple Plots Expansion Into AI Robots, Home Security and Smart Displays
Russia restricts calls via WhatsApp and Telegram, the latest step to control the internet
Google Messages rolls out Sensitive Content Warnings on Android
Apple returns blood oxygen monitoring to the latest Apple Watches
I used Microsoft's elusive 'Surface Neo' dual-screen Windows PC - its biggest-ever hardware failure
Let’s dive in
Apple Plots Expansion Into AI Robots, Home Security and Smart Displays
By Mark Gurman via Bloomberg
Apple is planning an AI-driven hardware push, including robots, a lifelike Siri, smart speakers with displays, and home-security cameras.
A tabletop robot acting as a virtual companion is targeted for 2027 and will be the centerpiece of the company’s AI strategy.
An entry-level smart speaker with a display is slated for release next year as part of a broader smart-home expansion.
𝕏: Apple prepares ambitious AI devices comeback with multiple robots, smart speaker with a screen, lifelike version of Siri with conversational abilities, redesigned Siri, new Home OS, major home security push & more. - Mark Gurman (@markgurman)
Russia restricts calls via WhatsApp and Telegram, the latest step to control the internet
By Dasha Litvinova via AP News
Russia’s internet regulator Roskomnadzor has partially restricted audio calls on WhatsApp and Telegram, citing crime prevention and accusing the platforms of enabling scams, extortion, and terrorist recruitment.
The move follows a broader crackdown that includes cellphone internet shutdowns, new laws penalizing certain online searches, promotion of the state-backed MAX messenger, and routine blocking of VPNs.
WhatsApp (96M monthly users) and Telegram (89M) remain Russia’s top platforms, but officials warn WhatsApp may exit the market unless it complies with Russian legislation.
𝕏: This is almost certainly an effort by the Russian government to force most Russians onto the new “Max” app by the Russian tech/social media giant VK (and thereby allow the government to more closely monitor all of its citizens) - Blake Allen (@Blake_Allen13)
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Google Messages rolls out Sensitive Content Warnings on Android
By Abner Li via 9to5Google
Google Messages for Android now includes Sensitive Content Warnings that automatically detect and blur nude images, with on-device processing via Android System SafetyCore and no identifiable data sent to Google servers.
The feature provides in-app options to view, block, or learn about risks when receiving such images, and issues prompts requiring confirmation before sending or forwarding nude images.
Availability varies by user type: adults (18+) can toggle it in settings, supervised users have it always on with parental control via Family Link, and unsupervised teens (13–17) can disable it through Google Account settings.
Apple returns blood oxygen monitoring to the latest Apple Watches
By Victoria Song via The Verge
Apple is restoring blood oxygen monitoring to Apple Watch Series 9, 10, and Ultra 2 via a redesigned feature that shifts data processing to the paired iPhone, avoiding the ITC import ban.
The update applies only to US watches sold after January 17, 2024 with serial numbers ending in LW/A, requiring watchOS 11.6.1 and iOS 18.6.1; older models and non-US units keep the original feature.
The change stems from Apple’s ongoing patent dispute with Masimo, which led to a 2023 import ban; Apple is appealing while Masimo’s patents remain valid until 2028.
𝕏: It’s really a clever workaround but much better than nothing: “Sensor data from the Blood Oxygen app on Apple Watch will be measured and calculated on the paired iPhone, and results can be viewed in the Respiratory section of the Health app.” - Mark Gurman (@markgurman)
I used Microsoft's elusive 'Surface Neo' dual-screen Windows PC - its biggest-ever hardware failure
By Zac Bowden via Windows Central
Microsoft’s unreleased Surface Neo, announced in 2019 for Holiday 2020, featured a premium dual-screen design with two 9-inch 1920×1440 LCDs, Intel Lakefield CPU, LTE support, and innovative accessories like a magnetic keyboard and Slim Pen, but was shelved in 2021 alongside Windows 10X.
Hardware impressed with ultra-thin 5.6 mm halves, robust aluminum hinges, and clever engineering touches like a SIM-tray-integrated volume rocker, yet performance suffered from poor thermals and an underpowered Intel Lakefield chip.
Windows 10X delivered fluid dual-screen experiences, smart keyboard integration, and the “Wunderbar” multitasking strip, but limited app support and unfinished features left the Neo a tantalizing glimpse of a canceled category-defining device.
𝕏: I finally got a chance to review Microsoft's canceled Surface Neo! I had some hands-on time with it a number of months ago, and was able to document the experience. In short, it's an incredible and unique PC that I'm sad will never see the light of day - Zac Bowden (@zacbowden)
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