Apple’s Design Decisions Might Hinder Government Attempts to Prohibit iMessage

**Title: The Consequences of Russia’s FaceTime Prohibition and the Unforeseen Shielding of iMessage**

Authoritarian regimes frequently endeavor to regulate the dissemination of information and communication among their populace, particularly via end-to-end encrypted messaging applications. Recently, Russia has made a notable move in this regard by prohibiting FaceTime, citing worries about its role in coordinating terrorist activities. Interestingly, though, the widely used messaging platform iMessage has not encountered a similar ban, provoking speculation about the reasons for this difference.

### Russia’s FaceTime Prohibition

The Russian communications authority, Roskomnadzor, defended the FaceTime prohibition by asserting that law enforcement has recognized its role in enabling terrorist acts, recruitment, and various offenses against citizens. However, the authority failed to present tangible proof to substantiate these claims. FaceTime utilizes end-to-end encryption (E2EE), ensuring that audio and video calls are kept confidential and cannot be intercepted by governmental entities. This security level likely serves as a primary reason for the regime’s choice to limit its use.

### The Enigma of iMessage’s Exemption

Considering that iMessage also employs end-to-end encryption, numerous observers were baffled as to why it wasn’t banned along with FaceTime. One theory suggests that iMessage usage in Russia is relatively minimal, with users preferring alternative messaging platforms. However, a more captivating explanation has surfaced concerning the technical framework of Apple’s services.

### The Technical Rationale

A conversation sparked by Apple commentator John Gruber on social media led to user insights about the potential technical ramifications of blocking iMessage. It was proposed that iMessage traffic is linked with Apple’s Push Notification service (APNs). Therefore, if the government were to prohibit iMessage, it would unwittingly disrupt all push notifications to iOS devices, impacting not just messaging but other essential app functionalities.

This integration might have been a tactical choice by Apple to ensure that telecom carriers could not easily obstruct iMessage, thereby maintaining its functionality and motivating users to choose iPhones. By associating iMessage with push notifications, Apple established a scenario whereby obstructing one would require obstructing the other, making it less likely for carriers or governments to implement such extreme actions.

### Ramifications for Government Control

While the precise motivations behind Apple’s design decisions remain speculative, the possibility of iMessage continuing to function in an oppressive regime underscores a vital aspect of digital communication. The capacity to keep conversations private from government intrusion is essential for safeguarding civil liberties. If the theory regarding the connection between iMessage and push notifications holds true, it could illustrate an unintentional barrier against authoritarian censorship.

### Conclusion

The recent prohibition of FaceTime in Russia highlights the extent to which authoritarian governments will resort to regulate communication. The exemption of iMessage from corresponding restrictions raises inquiries about the interaction between technology, privacy, and governmental control. As digital communication evolves, the repercussions of these developments will be crucial in influencing the future of privacy and freedom of expression within authoritarian settings.

Researchers Examine 3 Million Days of Apple Watch Data to Create Disease-Detection AI

### A Novel Foundation Model for Forecasting Medical Conditions Utilizing Apple Watch Data

A recent investigation by scholars from MIT and Empirical Health has utilized a comprehensive dataset of 3 million person-days gathered from Apple Watch users to create a foundation model adept at predicting various medical conditions with exceptional precision. This groundbreaking method employs the Joint-Embedding Predictive Architecture (JEPA), a concept introduced by Yann LeCun during his time at Meta, which emphasizes inferring the meaning of absent data instead of reconstructing it.

#### Overview of JEPA

JEPA is crafted to tackle the difficulties presented by data gaps. Rather than trying to ascertain the exact values of missing information, the model learns to anticipate what those absent segments signify based on the surrounding context. For instance, in an image with some sections concealed, JEPA would embed both the visible and concealed areas into a unified space, enabling it to deduce the representation of the hidden area without requiring knowledge of its specific contents.

LeCun’s aspiration for JEPA is to develop machines capable of swiftly acquiring internal models of the world, allowing them to plan elaborate tasks and adjust to new circumstances. This architecture has motivated exploration into “world models,” transcending the conventional token-prediction emphasis of large language models (LLMs).

#### The Research: Examining 3 Million Days of Data

The research, entitled “JETS: A Self-Supervised Joint Embedding Time Series Foundation Model for Behavioral Data in Healthcare,” has recently been endorsed at a NeurIPS workshop. It adapts JEPA’s joint-embedding methodology to manage irregular multivariate time-series data, such as the extensive wearable data captured from individuals’ Apple Watches, where metrics like heart rate, sleep, and physical activity may emerge inconsistently.

The dataset included wearable device data from 16,522 individuals, amounting to roughly 3 million person-days. Investigators logged 63 unique time series metrics spanning five categories: cardiovascular health, respiratory health, sleep, physical activity, and general statistics. Remarkably, only 15% of participants had labeled medical histories available for assessment, indicating that conventional supervised learning techniques would have made 85% of the data unserviceable. Instead, the JETS model employed self-supervised pre-training on the entire dataset prior to fine-tuning on the labeled portion.

To effectively manage the data, researchers assembled triplets of observations linked to day, value, and metric type, converting each observation into a token. This token underwent a masking procedure, was encoded, and subsequently transmitted through a predictor to estimate the embeddings of the missing information.

#### Evaluation and Consequences

The JETS model was assessed against baseline models, including an earlier version grounded in the Transformer architecture, utilizing metrics such as AUROC (Area Under the Receiver Operating Characteristic) and AUPRC (Area Under the Precision-Recall Curve). JETS delivered notable outcomes, with an AUROC of 86.8% for high blood pressure, 70.5% for atrial flutter, 81% for chronic fatigue syndrome, and 86.8% for sick sinus syndrome, among others.

It is crucial to recognize that AUROC and AUPRC are not direct indicators of accuracy but instead signify how effectively a model can rank or prioritize probable cases. The study underscores the potential of innovative models and training methodologies to extract meaningful insights from wearable data, even when it is incomplete or inconsistent.

In summary, this investigation showcases the potential of advanced modeling techniques in optimizing the usage of data obtained from commonplace wearable devices such as the Apple Watch. The results indicate that even irregular health metrics can offer significant insights into individuals’ health, paving the way for enhanced predictive healthcare solutions. For more information, the complete study can be accessed

Citi Confirms Buy Rating on Apple Shares and Raises Price Target

Amidst persistent leadership challenges and uncertainties surrounding AI, analysts at Citi have elevated the price target for Apple’s stock from $315 to $350. This decision rests on several crucial elements that hint at an optimistic future for the tech titan.

### iPhone Sales Trends and AI Prospects Set to Elevate Stock

Citi’s analysts have upheld a “buy” recommendation for Apple’s stock, forecasting a potential rise of 26.3% based on the revised price target. This prediction follows a market close at $277.18, suggesting that analysts anticipate substantial growth driven by a boost in iPhone sales. Numerous consumers are reportedly ready for upgrades after keeping their devices for several years, which may trigger a spike in sales.

The increase in the price target aligns with a recent IDC study that elevated the iPhone shipping forecast for 2025 to 6.1%, up from a former estimate of 3.9%. This favorable outlook is further backed by Apple’s latest quarterly results, during which CEO Tim Cook conveyed confidence in the early sales figures for the iPhone 17. Data from IDC and Counterpoint Research have reinforced this view, underscoring Apple’s robust status in the smartphone sector.

Furthermore, Citi highlighted the potential consequences of Apple’s collaboration with Google, which is anticipated to enhance AI functionalities introduced during last year’s WWDC but have not yet been implemented. Analysts think this partnership could facilitate improvements in Siri and grant Apple the essential time to create its own AI framework.

In recent months, Apple’s stock has demonstrated signs of recovery following a tough commencement to 2025, characterized by a notable drop amid trade tensions earlier this year. Since August, Apple’s dedication to a $600 billion investment in the U.S. has eased some pressures from Washington, enhancing investor confidence. Consequently, Apple’s stock has risen by approximately 30%, achieving a 13.7% increase year-to-date.

In conclusion, the combination of expected growth in iPhone sales and the prospect of improved AI capabilities via collaborations has prompted Citi’s analysts to raise their price target for Apple, reflecting a positive outlook for the company’s future performance.

Jeff Williams Appointed to Disney Board Following Departure as COO of Apple

**Jeff Williams Named to Disney’s Board After Departure from Apple**

Jeff Williams, the previous Chief Operating Officer of Apple, has quickly moved into a new position following his exit from the tech company. He has recently been put forward for nomination to join Disney’s board of directors, representing a key moment in his post-Apple journey.

Williams officially concluded his tenure at Apple last month, transferring his COO duties to Sabih Khan earlier this year. His exit from Apple has paved the way for fresh opportunities, and his nomination for Disney’s board stands out as a significant achievement.

As reported by Variety, Disney has broadened its board to incorporate Williams, who will be nominated as an independent director for election at the company’s 2026 annual shareholder meeting. This increase will elevate the board’s total to 11 members, effective upon the election of directors at the forthcoming meeting, which generally takes place in late March or early April.

In a statement released by Disney, Williams conveyed his respect for the company, remarking, “I have long admired Disney’s legacy of pairing imagination with innovation — leveraging new technologies in bold, creative ways to bring to life timeless stories and entertain its guests. It is an honor to be nominated to the board of this storied company. I look forward to working with Disney’s talented leadership team and contributing to the company’s ongoing journey of creativity and excellence.”

This nomination occurs at a moment when Disney is maneuvering through the competitive environment of the entertainment sector, particularly regarding streaming services. Importantly, Disney CEO Bob Iger formerly served on Apple’s board but stepped down in 2019 following the launch of Apple TV+, as Disney was gearing up to unveil its own streaming platform, Disney+.

Jeff Williams’ vast expertise at Apple, especially in operations and technology, is anticipated to provide essential perspectives to Disney as the company continues to innovate and broaden its offerings in the entertainment industry.

iOS 26 Shortcuts Application Brings More Than 25 Fresh Actions: Comprehensive Summary of Enhancements

iOS 26 Shortcuts: All the New Features

With the release of iOS 26, a range of enhancements and additions to the Shortcuts app were introduced, featuring over 25 fresh actions. The Shortcuts app from Apple has considerably strengthened this year due to the introduction of new LLM-based actions and automations for the Mac. Unlike numerous other application updates, Apple has made available a comprehensive inventory of changes to Shortcuts.

Here are all the new Shortcuts actions introduced in iOS 26:

Freeform

• “Add Files to Board”

Image Playground

• “Create Image”

Mail

• “Find Message”

Measure

• “Launch Measure”

Messages

• “Find Message”
• “Find Conversation”

Photos

• “Rename Album”
• “Search Photos”
• “Create New Memory”
• “Filter Library”

Reminders

• “Show Quick Reminder”

Screen Time

• “Get App & Website Data”

Sports

• “Get Upcoming Sports Events”

Stocks

• “Delete Symbol from Watchlist”
• “Add Symbol to Watchlist”

Use Model

• “Use Model” enables you to directly engage with Apple Intelligence models or ChatGPT and generate responses that integrate with the remainder of your shortcut

Visual Intelligence

• “Open Visual Intelligence”

Voice Memos

• “Find Voice Recording”

Weather

• “Add Location to List”
• “Remove Locations from List”

Writing Tools

• “Adjust Tone of Text”
• “Make List from Text”
• “Make Table from Text”
• “Proofread Text”
• “Rewrite Text”
• “Summarize Text”

Moreover, Apple highlights that numerous existing actions have received updates and enhancements:

• “Calculate Expression” can now process expressions that involve units, such as real-time currency exchange rates, temperature, distance, and more
• “Create QR Code” can now define colors and styling
• “Date” can now indicate a holiday
• “Find Contacts” can now filter based on relationship
• “Transcribe Audio” performance has seen improvements
• “Show Content” can now present scrollable lists of items, including calendar events, reminders, and additional elements

For further details on all the modifications Apple has made to Shortcuts in iOS 26, iPadOS 26, and macOS Tahoe, refer to the complete support document. There are fresh glyphs, settings, extensive lists of Mac automation capabilities, and more.