India Confirms Users Have the Option to Remove Compulsory State-Owned ‘Security’ Application

In response to backlash against a requirement for phones in India to have a state-owned, non-removable app pre-installed, the government has now indicated that users may delete the app if they wish.

Nonetheless, this development is unlikely to alter Apple’s decision to ignore the order. Here are the specifics.

### India claims its ‘responsibility’ is to implement the app, but users can decide to uninstall it

Last week, the Indian government announced a mandate stipulating that smartphone manufacturers must pre-load a state-owned application called Sanchar Saathi. The Indian government has been advertising Sanchar Saathi as a security tool, providing features to report lost devices, block a phone’s unique IMEI number through service providers, and alert users to spam or scam calls.

Earlier today, Reuters disclosed that Apple would not adhere to the mandate:

> Apple, however, does not intend to follow the directive and will inform the government that it does not comply with such mandates globally due to significant privacy and security concerns for its iOS ecosystem, stated two industry sources knowledgeable about Apple’s issues. They requested anonymity as the company’s strategy is confidential.

One significant point of contention regarding the mandate was the obligatory nature of the app being non-removable, alongside being either pre-loaded on new devices or installed automatically through a software update.

Currently, the Indian government seems to have moderated its position on the non-removable aspect of the app, though it still appears to be insisting that manufacturers either pre-install or auto-install it.

This slight change is not expected to influence Apple’s position on the issue since it does not tackle the company’s additional worries about privacy and security.

This deadlock emerges at a moment when India is becoming increasingly vital to Apple’s operations, both as a manufacturing substitute for China and as a burgeoning consumer market, further complicating a recent conflict related to a possible $38B antitrust fine in the nation.

It remains uncertain whether this situation will prompt any action from the local government (or Apple) regarding the company’s domestic operations in the country.

Google, on the other hand, has not yet provided its input, as the company has not responded to numerous media requests for comments on the matter or to clarify whether it plans to comply or likewise reject the mandate.

Research Uncovers AI’s Ability to Improve Heart Data Evaluation from Apple Watch’s Optical Sensor

### Investigating Apple’s Progress in Cardiac Health Monitoring via AI

A recent investigation showcases Apple’s continuous pursuit of insights into cardiac health, particularly leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) alongside optical sensors. This comes after the launch of hypertension notifications in watchOS 26, which employ data from the Apple Watch’s optical heart sensor to evaluate blood vessel reactions and identify potential hypertension over a 30-day timeframe.

#### Background of Hypertension Notifications

Apple’s hypertension notifications are intended to inform users of possible undiagnosed hypertension by examining trends in heart data, instead of delivering real-time readings. Although this feature does not replace medical diagnoses, it seeks to notify over 1 million users within the first year of its rollout. This proactive method of health monitoring signifies a major advancement in utilizing wearable technology for preventive health strategies.

#### Progress in Cardiac Monitoring

The new research, entitled “Hybrid Modeling of Photoplethysmography for Non-Invasive Monitoring of Cardiovascular Parameters,” suggests an innovative technique for estimating cardiovascular biomarkers from photoplethysmography (PPG) signals, which are widely used in devices such as the Apple Watch. The researchers integrated a hybrid modeling strategy that combines hemodynamic simulations with unlabeled clinical information to improve the accuracy of cardiac health insights obtained from PPG readings.

By employing a dataset of labeled simulated arterial pressure waveforms (APWs) alongside actual APW and PPG data, the study illustrates the feasibility of deducing deeper cardiac metrics like stroke volume and cardiac output from basic optical sensors. This methodology enables the derivation of important heart insights without the necessity for invasive methods.

#### Research Approach and Results

The research team developed a generative model to correlate PPG data with corresponding APW data, allowing them to derive APW information with adequate accuracy. They subsequently employed a second model to extract cardiovascular parameters from the inferred APWs. The findings revealed that while the method effectively tracked variations in stroke volume and cardiac output, it did not yield precise absolute figures. Nevertheless, the AI-enhanced modeling surpassed conventional methods, demonstrating the potential for obtaining valuable cardiac data from current sensors.

The study concludes that while predicting absolute values for complex biomarkers poses challenges, the hybrid modeling technique presents encouraging outcomes for monitoring temporal trends in cardiovascular health. The researchers recommend that subsequent studies could investigate alternative generative methodologies and broaden these approaches to other modalities, potentially leading to long-term cardiac monitoring via wearable technology.

#### Summary

While it remains to be seen if Apple will incorporate these sophisticated features into its products, the research highlights the company’s dedication to improving health monitoring capabilities through cutting-edge technology. The findings not only enhance the understanding of PPG signal informativeness but also emphasize the possibility of creating non-invasive methods for tracking vital health metrics.

For those interested in the complete study, it can be accessed on

Discovering Uncommon Terminal Commands: Advice and Observations (Section 3)

### Discovering Helpful Terminal Commands for Mac Users

The Terminal is a robust utility for Mac users, providing a variety of commands that can boost efficiency and facilitate tasks. Below are some lesser-known commands that can enrich your macOS experience.

#### Set an Alarm in Terminal

If you struggle to take breaks while working in Terminal, you can directly set alarms from the command line. Use the command:

“`bash
leave [time]
“`

For instance, to set an alarm for 6:46 PM, type:

“`bash
leave 1846
“`

This command can also accommodate local time formats.

#### Comprehensive Battery Details

To ensure optimal battery health of your Apple devices, you can access detailed battery information using the following command:

“`bash
system_profiler SPPowerDataType
“`

This command reveals details about battery condition, cycle count, and additional information.

#### Retrieve Saved Passwords

You can easily find saved Wi-Fi passwords via Terminal. Input the following command:

“`bash
Security find-generic-password -wa [Wi-Fi Network]
“`

Substitute `