AllYouCanTech

Apple Risks Possible Prohibition on iPhones Employing Chinese Display Technology

A judicial decision may result in Apple being prohibited from selling iPhones equipped with displays from Chinese manufacturers in the US. Although the ruling is not yet definitive, it appears highly probable that it will come into force later this year.

Apple would face a ban on the US sale of any iPhone featuring a display produced by China’s BOE, following allegations that the company misappropriated manufacturing techniques from Samsung.

Apple obtains iPhone displays from three suppliers: Samsung, LG, and BOE. Samsung has accused BOE of violating its trade secrets and submitted a complaint to the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC).

The ITC possesses the authority to prohibit companies from both importing products into the US and marketing them there if it determines that those products infringe upon patents or other trade secrets.

It was the ITC that restricted Apple from bringing in and selling Apple Watches equipped with the blood oxygen feature after it was determined that the company violated patents held by healthtech firm Masimo. Apple was compelled to disable the feature in watches sold in the US.

ET News reports that the ITC has upheld Samsung’s grievance against BOE.

Samsung Display achieved a significant triumph in the organic light-emitting diode (OLED) trade secret infringement lawsuit brought against the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) concerning China’s BOE. The ITC ruled that it should acknowledge the infringement of BOE trade secrets in its preliminary ruling and implement measures to prohibit imports.

Although this is merely a preliminary judgment, scheduled for finalization in November, such decisions are seldom overturned.

The preliminary ruling is not the ultimate determination, yet it carries substantial implications as the ITC conducts an investigation into unfair trade practices. It is extremely uncommon for a preliminary ruling to be revoked in the final determination.

Unless overridden by the president, the ruling would then come into force, leading Apple to be unable to import any iPhone models with BOE-made displays into the US, or sell any of its current inventory of these models.

9to5Mac’s Take

My interpretation of this situation suggests that BOE engaged in industrial espionage to uncover Samsung’s manufacturing methods and subsequently duplicated these processes.

BOE only produces non-ProMotion displays, so Pro models would remain unaffected, but other iPhone 16 variants would be impacted. The ban would also extend to any iPhone 17 models featuring BOE displays. Currently, it appears likely that the standard iPhone 17 and the iPhone 17 Air will utilize non-ProMotion displays, which would necessitate Apple sourcing all these from Samsung and LG.

At a minimum, this could prompt Apple to hurriedly reconfigure its display supply chains to eliminate BOE. In the worst-case scenario, it could disrupt supplies of the base iPhone 17 and the iPhone 17 Air in the US.

Apple’s Machine Learning Framework to Aid NVIDIA’s CUDA Platform

### Apple’s MLX Framework Integrates CUDA Backend: A Major Breakthrough for Machine Learning

Apple’s MLX machine learning framework, originally designed for Apple Silicon, is now integrating a CUDA backend, signaling a significant enhancement in its functionalities. This initiative is led by developer [@zcbenz on GitHub](https://github.com/ml-explore/mlx/pull/1983), who started experimenting with CUDA support a few months back. The project has been divided into smaller modules, with several already incorporated into the main branch of Apple’s MLX.

Although the backend is still under development, it presently supports and has tested multiple fundamental operations, such as matrix multiplication, softmax, reduction, sorting, and indexing.

#### What is CUDA?

CUDA, or Compute Unified Device Architecture, is NVIDIA’s proprietary computing framework designed to exploit the capabilities of its GPUs for high-performance parallel computing tasks. It shares a comparable purpose with Metal, Apple’s graphics API, but is specifically optimized for NVIDIA hardware. CUDA has emerged as the benchmark for running machine learning tasks on NVIDIA GPUs, extensively used throughout the ML landscape, from academic research to commercial uses. Major frameworks like PyTorch and TensorFlow rely on CUDA for effective GPU acceleration.

#### Why is Apple’s MLX Incorporating CUDA?

Initially optimized for Apple Silicon and Metal, the inclusion of a CUDA backend in MLX represents a strategic pivot. This upgrade enables researchers and developers to prototype CUDA-based models locally on a Mac using MLX, making it easier to deploy on expansive NVIDIA GPU clusters that continue to lead machine learning training tasks.

Nonetheless, there are constraints to this new functionality. Not all MLX operators are currently available, and support for AMD GPUs is expected in the future. Despite these limitations, the capacity to shift MLX code to NVIDIA GPUs without extensive modifications offers substantial benefits for quicker testing, experimentation, and research, which is essential for AI developers.

For those keen on exploring this new feature, additional information can be found on

Apple Scientists Create AI System Able to Reason Regarding App Interfaces

**ILuvUI: An AI That Surpassed Its Foundational Model**

A recent study supported by Apple, in partnership with Aalto University in Finland, unveils ILuvUI: a vision-language model designed to comprehend mobile application interfaces through screenshots and natural language interactions. This research addresses a persistent issue in human-computer interaction (HCI): training AI models to interpret user interfaces as humans do, both visually and semantically.

Grasping and automating tasks on user interfaces (UIs) poses difficulties due to the intricate layers of information embedded in UI components, like list items, checkboxes, and text fields. Although large language models (LLMs) have demonstrated exceptional abilities to understand task instructions expressed in natural language, relying exclusively on text descriptions of UIs overlooks the abundant visual data available in the interface.

Most current vision-language models are developed using natural images, which restricts their efficacy in analyzing structured environments such as app UIs. The integration of visual and textual information is essential for understanding UIs, as it mirrors the way humans interact with their surroundings. Vision-Language Models (VLMs) usually process multimodal inputs of images and text but frequently produce only text outputs, which diminishes their effectiveness in UI applications due to a deficiency of UI examples in their training datasets.

To tackle this challenge, researchers fine-tuned the open-source VLM LLaVA and modified its training methodology for the UI context. They trained ILuvUI using synthetically created text-image pairs, encompassing Q&A-style dialogues, comprehensive screen descriptions, anticipated action results, and multi-step strategies. The resulting model surpassed the original LLaVA in both machine evaluations and human preference assessments.

ILuvUI eliminates the need for users to indicate a specific region of interest within the interface; it comprehends the entire screen contextually from a straightforward prompt. This proficiency allows it to deliver responses for scenarios such as visual question answering.

**In What Ways Will Users Gain from This?**

Apple’s researchers propose that ILuvUI may prove advantageous for accessibility and automated UI testing. Prospective enhancements could include larger image encoders, better resolution management, and output formats that integrate smoothly with current UI frameworks, like JSON. Furthermore, merging ILuvUI with ongoing investigations into AI models that forecast the repercussions of in-app actions could lead to major advancements, particularly for users depending on accessibility features or seeking more autonomous management of in-app processes.

watchOS 26 Debuts Capability to Minimize Notification Interruptions

# watchOS 26: Upgrades and New Features for Your Apple Watch

Apple continues to push the envelope with its watchOS releases, and watchOS 26 is no different. This new version brings forth an array of enhancements intended to improve the user experience, including fresh watch face tips, an exclusive Notes app, and a more robust Control Center. A highlight of watchOS 26 is the automatic volume adjustment, designed to minimize the disturbances caused by notifications.

## Automatic Volume Adjustment: A Remedy for Disruptive Alerts

For numerous Apple Watch users, handling notifications can prove challenging, particularly in loud environments. Since its inception in 2015, the Apple Watch has included a Silent Mode feature, which many users, myself included, have depended on to steer clear of disruptive alerts. Nevertheless, with watchOS 26’s automatic volume adjustment feature, users may find a strong reason to rethink their notification preferences.

As stated in Apple’s press release, this feature enables the Apple Watch to automatically modify the speaker volume in accordance with the ambient noise levels surrounding the user. This implies that notifications, timers, alarms, incoming calls, and even Siri will be presented at a suitable volume, assisting users in remaining connected without inconveniencing those nearby.

### Implications for Users

For those who appreciate audible notifications, this feature could greatly enhance the experience of utilizing the Apple Watch in public or tranquil settings. It seeks to harmonize the act of staying informed while being mindful of others, making it especially valuable in environments where noise sensitivity is paramount.

However, it is crucial to recognize that this capability is not accessible to all. Automatic volume adjustment will function solely on certain models, such as the Apple Watch Series 9, Apple Watch Series 10, and Apple Watch Ultra 2. This restriction may pose challenges for users with older versions who are eager to leverage this new capability.

### Conclusion

As watchOS 26 is rolled out, users can anticipate a host of enhancements that elevate the overall performance of the Apple Watch. Although automatic volume adjustment may not sway everyone to turn off Silent Mode, it symbolizes a considerate strategy for managing notifications in a manner that honors both the user’s needs and the social environment. Whether you are a devoted Apple Watch user or contemplating an upgrade, watchOS 26 offers features that accommodate a variety of preferences and lifestyles.

Thirteen Upcoming Vehicle Brands to Incorporate Car Keys into Wallet App Shortly

### Expansion of Apple Wallet’s Car Key Feature

Apple has made considerable progress in weaving technology into daily living, and one of its recent advancements is the broadening of the car key feature in the Apple Wallet app. Originally introduced in 2020, this capability enables users to unlock and start their cars using their iPhone or Apple Watch, effectively superseding conventional car keys.

#### Functionality of Car Keys

The operation of car keys differs among manufacturers, presenting various functionalities that enhance user ease. Here are some notable features:

– **Passive Entry**: As you near your vehicle with your device, it unlocks automatically. After entering, you can start the engine, and when you move away, it locks again.
– **Proximity**: Users have the option to lock, unlock, and start their vehicle by placing their device near the door handle or key reader.
– **Remote Access**: The device can be utilized to lock and unlock the car from a distance, granting extra control over vehicle entry.

For an exhaustive list of vehicles that are currently supported, users can visit the Apple Wallet car key support page.

#### New Vehicle Brands Accepting Car Key Support

During the recent WWDC event, Apple revealed that 13 new vehicle brands will soon adopt the car key feature, broadening the reach of this technology. The brands slated to incorporate this feature include:

– Acura
– Cadillac
– Chery
– Chevrolet
– GMC
– Hongqi
– Lucid
– Porsche
– Rivian
– Smart
– Tata
– Voyah
– WEY

While Apple has not offered a specific timeline for when these brands will introduce car key support, the announcement made during the iOS 26 presentation indicates that users can anticipate these updates by year’s end. Following the integration of these brands, Apple Wallet will then support a total of 33 vehicle brands.

#### User Feedback

As the integration of car keys in Apple Wallet grows, users are invited to share their experiences and insights. This feature is designed to simplify vehicle access and improve the overall driving experience, aligning with Apple’s vision of a more digital and interconnected lifestyle.

AirPods Pro 2 Brings Hearing Capabilities and Sleep Apnea Notifications to More Countries

Today, Tim Cook utilized X to reveal that the Hearing Aid and Test functionalities of the AirPods Pro 2, along with the Apple Watch Sleep Apnea alerts, are now accessible in several new countries and territories.

## Hearing Aid and Hearing Test

These features were initially rolled out last year but needed local health authority approval before being implemented regionally. Once activated, users of AirPods Pro 2 can benefit from both functionalities:

– **Hearing Test**: A quick five-minute assessment conducted with AirPods Pro 2 and an iPhone or iPad operating on iOS 18.1 and later, which produces a customized hearing profile based on the outcomes.

– **Hearing Aid mode**: Utilizing that profile (which can be synced to other devices through iCloud), iOS transforms the earbuds into a clinical-grade hearing aid, aimed at aiding those with mild to moderate hearing impairments. The hearing modifications are applied system-wide, impacting music, phone calls, and more, without any manual adjustments needed.

Here is the comprehensive list of countries and territories that have just gained access to both features:

1. Argentina
2. Australia
3. Ecuador
4. Honduras
5. Indonesia
6. Israel
7. Kazakhstan
8. Moldova
9. Palestinian Territories
10. Serbia
11. Taiwan
12. Thailand
13. Ukraine
14. Vietnam

You can learn how to configure them [here](https://9to5mac.com/how-to-use-airpods-hearing-aid/), and if you wish to view the complete availability list for countries and territories, it’s [this way](https://www.apple.com/airpods-pro/feature-availability/).

## Sleep Apnea

This is another feature enabled from iOS 18.1 onward, requiring a compatible Apple Watch running watchOS 11 and higher. The feature monitors breathing irregularities during sleep and can alert you if it detects ongoing signs of moderate to severe sleep apnea.

Here is the selection of countries and territories that now have access to this feature:

1. Argentina
2. Australia
3. Christmas Island
4. Cocos (Keeling) Islands
5. Ecuador
6. Heard and McDonald Islands
7. Honduras
8. Indonesia
9. Moldova
10. Norfolk Island
11. Serbia
12. Taiwan
13. Thailand
14. Ukraine
15. Vietnam

You can also find the complete list of country availability [here](https://www.apple.com/watchos/feature-availability/#health-sleep-apnea-notifications).

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