Google introduced the Google Play Security Reward Program in 2017. Two years later, any app with more than 100 million downloads was eligible for coverage by the program. Now the company announced in an email to devs that the program is ending.

Sean Pesce shared the email he received X:

Dear Researchers,

I hope this email finds you well. I am writing to express my sincere gratitude to all of you who have submitted bugs to the Google Play Security Reward Program over the past few years. Your contributions have been invaluable in helping us to improve the security of Android and Google Play.

As a result of the overall increase in the Android OS security posture and feature hardening efforts, we’ve seen fewer actionable vulnerabilities reported by the research community. Due to this decrease in actionable vulnerabilities reported, we are winding down the GPSRP program. The GPSRP program will end on August 31st. Any reports submitted before then will be triaged by September 15th. Final reward decisions will be made before September 30th when the program is officially discontinued. Final payments may take a few weeks to process.

I want to assure you that all of your reports will be reviewed and addressed before the program ends. We greatly value your input and want to make sure that any issues you have identified are resolved.

Thank you again for your support of the GPSRP program. We hope that you will continue working with us, on programs like the Android and Google Devices Security Reward Program.

Best regards,
Tony
On behalf of the Android Security Team”

Google has updated its bug bounty page to reflect the change:

Important note: The Google Play Security Reward Program (GPSRP) will close for submissions of new reports on August 31st 2024. All reports submitted before August 31st will be processed. Final reward decisions will be made before September 30th when the program is officially discontinued. Final payments may take a few weeks to process.

Swift is the standard programming language for macOS and iOS development. Until now, there has been no easy way for iOS devs to release an Android version off of the same code base. Instead, developers have needed to use Kotlin or Java to manually write their Android app, or use frameworks like React, Vue, or similar frameworks that use web technologies. While popular, web-based frameworks often suffer from a lack of performance and interfaces that don’t quite look native.

Skip 1.0 hopes to address those issues with the first tool that makes cross-platform mobile development possible. Abe White, Skip co-founder, announced the news on X.

The company’s website explains how it works.

As you build your Swift and SwiftUI app in Xcode, the Skip Xcode plugin continuously transpiles it into the equivalent Kotlin and Jetpack Compose for Android. Develop dual-platform libraries or entire apps, with native performance and native user interfaces on both platforms.

The website emphasizes that Android apps created using Skip are truly native.

Skip apps don’t just “look native”, they are native: Swift and SwiftUI on iOS, Kotlin and Compose on Android. You know the difference, and so do your users.

Skip is tackling a major need within the mobile development community and will likely become a popular option for individuals and organizations looking to support both iOS and Android.

Unlike iOS, Android gives users the ability to easily load apps from alternate app stores, or to download apps directly from a developer’s site. Google has been planning to give users the option of updating such sideloaded apps via the standard Play Store, and it appears the update is rolling out to users.

Mishaal Rahman announced the news on Mastodon:

The Google Play Store is starting to give users the option of whether they want to update an app installed from another source (ie. apps they sideloaded).

User Ayan on Telegram noticed this new “update from Play” button while they were on a listing for an app they sideloaded outside the Play Store.

“The app installed on your device didn’t come from Google Play. You can update the app from the original source or from Google Play,” the message below reads.

App Stores have become a hot topic among regulators and consumers alike, with people wanting more options to have control over their own devices.

Google is clearly taking a much different approach, making it as easy as possible for people to manage their sideloaded apps.

News broke last week that T-Mobile was recalling all Revvl 7 Pro phones, although the company didn’t provide any details regarding the reason. According to a statement given to Android Authority, the company is recalling the devices because some of them aren’t performing as well as expected.

We paused sales on REVVL 7 Pro 5G devices after a small number of customers shared that the devices weren’t performing up to par. We’re working quickly to make them available for sale again and continue to have many device options for our customers.

The REVVL line is T-Mobile’s own in-house brand of phone. As the company’s statement makes clear, not all devices were performing poorly, but the company decided to recall all of them to ensure customers aren’t further impacted.

T-Mobile is to be commended for taking the initiative and ensuring its customers receive the best possible experience with its phones.

Apple notified Patreon late last year that it would be required to switch to the iOS in-app payment system, beginning in 2024. The deadline is quickly approaching, with Apple saying the company must remove all other billing options from the iOS app by November 2024.

As Patreon points out, this will impact creators and fans in two major ways:

• Apple will be applying their 30% App Store fee to all new memberships purchased in the Patreon iOS app, in addition to anything bought in your Patreon shop.
• Any creator currently on first-of-the-month or per-creation billing plans will have to switch over to subscription billing to continue earning in the iOS app, because that’s the only billing type Apple’s in-app purchase system supports.

Patreon makes clear that this only impacts new memberships:

Before we go any further, we want to be crystal clear about one thing: Apple’s fee will not impact your existing members. It will only affect new memberships purchased in the iOS app from November onward.

Patreon says it has been working with creators to provide options that best address the situation:

Based on creator feedback, we’ve built an optional tool that can automatically increase your prices — only in the iOS app — to offset the cost of Apple’s fee. This way, you’ll continue to earn at least the same amount per membership as you do on all other platforms.

That said, you deserve the chance to decide whether that’s something you want. So, while the automatic price increase is the default option, you also have the choice to keep your prices the same and pay the 30% fee from your earnings. We don’t recommend this, because it means you’d earn less per membership on in-app iOS transactions – but ultimately we believe it’s important to give you agency to make your own decisions.

Obviously, neither of these solutions are ideal. But remember, Apple’s fees are only in the iOS app. Your prices on the web and the Android app will remain completely unaffected. You can always send your fans to this Help Center article which explains the iOS in-app fees relative to other platforms, so they can better understand the implications of where they choose to make their purchases.

Apple’s billing requirement also creates problems for Patreon and its community:

Patreon is home to an incredible range of creators, all with unique circumstances and billing needs. Apple’s in-app purchase system, on the other hand, only supports Patreon’s subscription billing model. Apple has also made clear that if creators on Patreon continue to use unsupported billing models or disable transactions in the iOS app, we will be at risk of having the entire app removed from their App Store.

Apple’s billing mandates mean that if you’re on a first-of-the-month or per-creation billing model, your membership will no longer be available to fans in the iOS app starting this November until you switch over to subscription billing.

As a result of Apple’s mandates and in order to make sure that you can continue getting new members in the iOS app, we’ve started a 16-month-long migration process to bring all creators onto subscription billing by November 2025, supported by a roadmap of new features and tools to make sure the billing model works for you, your community, and your business. To be clear, this means that first-of-the-month and per-creation billing models will be discontinued in November 2025.

Most creators on Patreon use subscription billing. Over the past few years, we’ve slowly rolled it out, tackling each hurdle that has come up to ensure that the migration is not disruptive for creators. That’s the way we like to roll out products. Unfortunately, because of Apple’s timelines and constraints, we can’t continue to do it this way. Instead of helping creators move to subscription billing if and when they feel like it’s right for them, we’re now forced to migrate all creators on Apple’s timeline.

Patreon says it will continue to work with creators to improve the billing process. What’s more, it is tapping into its community of creators who have already made the switch, recruiting them to make how-to videos and instructional articles and FAQs to help others through the transition.

In the broader scope, Patreon’s dilemma illustrates why Apple has increasingly found itself under regulatory scrutiny for its App Store billing practices.

Unlike iOS, Android gives users full access to the file system. This makes it a viable option for transferring files and more. According to Microsoft, accessing those files is getting a lot easier with File Explorer.

Today we are beginning to gradually roll out the ability to see your Android phone in File Explorer to Windows Insiders with Android phones across all Insider Channels.

With this new experience, you will be able to wirelessly browse through all your folders and files, including media that is on your Android phone. You can open them, copy them to your PC, copy PC files to your phone, rename files, move them, and delete them.

Microsoft says the Android phone must be running at least Android 11 or later, and a beta version of the Link to Windows app is necessary. Users will also need to register for the Windows Insider Program while the features is still in testing.

To enable this experience, go to Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Mobile Devices and choose “Manage devices” and allow your PC to access your Android phone. You’ll then be able to see a toggle to show your phone in File Explorer. If you do not see this toggle, that means the experience hasn’t yet rolled out to you yet.

The feature will be a nice addition for Android users, and will help ease cross-platform file sharing and access.

Fortunately, there are some easy strategies that can help you do it.

Common Reasons Phones “Die”

Phones don’t last forever, but if we want to maximize how long they last, we need to first understand why they “die” or become no longer useful.

These are the usual culprits:

·       Physical damage. Most of us have had the experience of dropping a phone, then picking it up and resuming normal use. But unfortunately, all it takes is one bad point of physical damage to completely compromise your phone’s functioning capacity. Dropping your phone into water, causing forceful damage to the phone, and in some cases, even cracking the screen can prevent the phone from being functionally useful. Thankfully, you can protect most phones with the right phone case – more on that later.

·       Battery issues. Some phones die simply because their batteries no longer hold an adequate charge. We rely on our phones for their portability, giving us access to communication and various technological features no matter where we go. Once the battery is no longer able to hold many hours of a charge, the phone no longer works as a mobile device.

·       General slowdown. Sometimes, phones become in need of replacement when they experience a general slowdown. They’re no longer as responsive as they once were, and certain apps no longer work as we’d like. This is often because operating systems and software evolve to keep pace with the latest hardware, so it’s only a matter of time before old hardware can no longer keep up. However, this may also be attributable to hardware mismanagement.

·       Lack of support/compatibility. Phones eventually reach the end of their life permanently when they experience such a lack of support and so many compatibility issues that they’re no longer worth using. For most users, a manufacturer terminating support is the end of the road.

Use the Right Case

One of the best strategies to make your phone last longer is to use the right case. A good case can protect your phone from almost any kind of physical damage, though admittedly, no case is perfect.

·       Fit. Make sure you’re using a phone case that’s approved for your specific phone model. You need a case that fits snugly around your phone, while still providing ample flexibility.

·       Materials. It’s also important to consider the materials used. Soft materials are flexible and capable of absorbing impact, while harder materials provide even more durability. Most people benefit from using a combination of both.

·       Port coverage. Ports gather dust and debris, eventually compromising their effectiveness. Ideally, you’ll have a case that can protect them.

·       Screen protection. You should also have something in place to protect your screen. If your case doesn’t come with one, invest in a separate screen protector.

Handle Your Phone Responsibly

No matter how good your case is, it’s still a good idea to handle your phone responsibly. Driving over your phone with a car, throwing it recklessly, or submerging it into water can cause irreversible damage, even if you have a nice phone case in place.

Upgrade/Replace Your Battery

No matter how well you take care of it, your phone battery is going to start losing capacity within 2 or 3 years. Once you start noticing a discrepancy in your battery life, consider upgrading or replacing the battery. This is usually inexpensive, and it might even be something you can do on your own, but it can add years of life to your existing phone model.

Install Updates Regularly

Turn on automatic updates and make sure your phone and all its apps are updated regularly. Updates are made for several reasons, such as adding new features, improving efficiency, boosting security, and ensuring compatibility. It’s one of the best ways to make sure your phone continues functioning throughout the end of its natural life.

Get Rid of Whatever You Don’t Need

Be sure to regularly offload any apps, photos, and other media you no longer need. Maintaining a leaner phone can help it run faster and more smoothly; plus, the fewer apps and items you have to deal with, the fewer potential issues you’ll face.

Use Low Power Mode

Even if your battery is quite high, consider using low power mode. When in low power mode, your phone uses far fewer resources and operates much more efficiently. It’s not especially detrimental to most tasks, but it can greatly extend your battery life and cause less wear and tear to the phone itself.

Periodically Clean

Cleaning out phone ports is easier than you might think, and it’s something you should do regularly. Taking just a few minutes to clean out your ports can ensure they maintain clean, consistent contacts, ultimately prolonging their lifespan.

As you can see, even a handful of simple strategies are enough to boost the functional, useful life of your phone. As long as you’re willing to make a few investments and maintain your phone as necessary, you can probably get many additional years out of each model you buy.

Apple has long been rumored to be working on a foldable iPhone, with many experts and critics believing the company cannot ignore the form factor forever. In true Apple fashion, however, the company has been in no hurry to release its first foldable, waiting for the technology to mature so it can release a device that meets its exacting standards.

Apple’s summary provides some interesting details:

An electronic device may be provided with a foldable housing. The housing may have first and second portions that are coupled by a hinge for rotation about a bend axis.

A foldable display may be mounted to the foldable housing. The foldable display may have a display cover layer and a flexible display panel. The foldable display may bend around the bend axis. The display panel may have an array of pixels configured to display an image through the display cover Layer.

The display cover may be formed from a layer of glass. A recess may be formed in the layer of glass that extends along the bend axis. The recess may form a flexible locally thinned portion in the layer of glass that allows the glass layer to bend about the bend axis.To ensure that the display cover layer exhibits satisfactory impact resistance during drop events, corner portions and other edge portions of the display cover layer may have increased thickness relative to other portions of the display cover layer outside of the locally thinned portion.

The hinge and/or other structures in the display may be configured to help hold the display flat when unfolded during normal use, while causing the display to slightly fold about the bend axis when the electronic device is jolted during a drop event. This helps prevent the display from impacting a hard surface while fully opened.

Apple’s summary focuses heavily on addressing one of the biggest criticisms of many foldable devices, namely their fragility. Users have complained about screens becoming unusable after small drops, something Apple focuses heavily on in its summary.

Apple has a long history of incorporating fall detection measures. The company incorporated Sudden Motion Sensor technology in its laptops as early as 2005. The feature was designed to detect a fall and instantly park the heads of traditional spinning hard drives to prevent damage from the fall. A decade ago, the company received a patent for technology to help iPhones better survive falls.

In view of that history, it’s not surprising that Apple is focusing so heavily on helping a foldable iPhone survive a drop event intact.

Android 5.0 was first released in 2014, marking a decade of varying levels of support. While Lollipop has not received upgrades or security updates, the decade-old OS could still use Google Play Services.

According to a company support article, Android 6 is now the minimum supported version:

Google Play Services connects apps to other Google services, like Google Sign In and Google Maps. Google Play Services isn’t the same as the Google Play Store app, and is included with Android.

Google Play Services doesn’t make your battery drain faster or use too much of your mobile data plan. You can’t force stop or uninstall Google Play services.

Important: Google Play services are only supported on devices with Android 6.0 (API level 23) or higher.

Fuchsia has been Google’s other OS project since at least 2016 when its existence became known publicly. It has been rumored to be Google’s replacement for Android and Chrome OS, a more modern OS that could unify Google’s OS strategy.

According to Android Authority, it appears Google is finally bringing the new OS to Android devices, but not as a native OS. In one of the outlet’s excellent deep dives, writer Mishaal Rahman uncovers evidence that Google is working on a project called “microfuchsia,” which would allow Fuchsia to run in virtualization.

In many ways, such an approach makes sense and taps into Fuchsia’s core benefits. The OS uses a completely different kernel than Android—the Zircon kernel—which offers some significant security benefits. Because Zircon is a “microkernel-like architecture,” Fuchsia can operate with very few services utilizing trusted code, unlike Android which needs to run trusted code for far more functions.

There’s still no word if Google plans to wide its use of Fuchsia. The company uses the OS to power its Nest Hub devices, but it has yet to make its way onto any Android devices as a primary OS, despite Samsung teasing in 2021 that the S22 could run Fuchsia.

In late 2023, Linux kernel developer Jonathan Corbet announced that support for long-term support (LTS) kernels would drop from six years to just two. LTS kernels form the basis of some of the most popular Linux distros, such as Debian and Ubuntu. LTS kernels have security and bug fixes backported throughout the life of the kernel, allowing distros to provide long-term stability and reliability while still having the latest security and bug fixes.

“There’s really no point to maintaining it for that long because people are not using them,” Corbet said at the time.

“Maintainers are burning out [because] maintainers don’t scale,” added Josef Bacik, kernel file system developer and kernel maintainer.

“This cannot stand,” added Darrick Wong, a senior kernel maintainer. “We need help.”

Google uses LTS Linux kernels as the backbone of Android, benefiting from the security and bug fixes those kernels provide to help protect Android users. The company describes its kernel strategy for Android common kernels (ACKs):

When a new LTS is declared upstream, the corresponding common kernel is branched from android-mainline. This allows partners to begin a project prior to the declaration of the LTS version, by merging from android-mainline. After the new common kernel branch is created, partners can seamlessly change the merge source to the new branch.

Other common kernel branches receive regular merges from their associated LTS kernel. These merges are normally done immediately after the LTS release is posted. For example, when Linux 6.1.75 was posted, it was merged into the 6.1 common kernel (android14-6.1). Partners are strongly encouraged to update their kernels to stay up-to-date with LTS and Android-specific bug fixes.

Needless to say, the changes to the Linux kernel LTS period directly impact Google’s efforts, limiting the viable kernels that can be used for Android:

Before Android 15 (AOSP experimental), any of the three most recent kernels could be used for device launch. Starting with Android 15 (AOSP experimental), the two most recent kernel versions can be used for device launch. The launch kernels for Android 15 (AOSP experimental) are android15-6.6 and android14-6.1.

Because of these changes, Google says it will now provide four years of support for the LTS kernels it uses as the basis of Android, going above and beyond the initial two.

ACKs might be supported for longer than the corresponding upstream stable kernel at kernel.org. In this case, Google provides extended support until the end-of-life (EOL) date shown in this section. When kernels are EOLed, they are no longer supported by Google and devices running them are considered to be vulnerable.

Beginning with kernel 6.6, the support lifetime for the stable kernels is 4 years.

The company provides the following table to show how long each specific kernel will be supported:

Google’s announcement should be welcome news for Android developers and vendors.

Users took to Reddit to post screenshots of their phones receiving the update to the latest version of Android. Interestingly, both users are Cricket Wireless customers.

Although the update is good news for Motorola Razr customers, as many pointed out, it’s hard to excuse Motorola for taking this long to release the update. Users were even less happy that it took this long for an unlocked phone they paid for outright.

“I can’t believe that the factory unlocked Razr is dead last to receive updates,” said user sunjay140.

“Really great that unlocked Razr owners will be the last to receive Android 14,” added ProgressiveSquirrel.

“I’m totally stoked I bought my phone outright and I’m being treated like I’m less of a Razr owner than someone making monthly payments and literally doesn’t own their phone.”

Slow updates have long plagued the Android ecosystem, in comparison to Apple’s iOS, with users very much at the mercy of manufacturers and their timetables. It’s one of the reasons that Samsung, and recently Google, have become so popular. Samsung and Google provide some of the longest support periods for individual phones, and roll out updates responsibly fast.

In the meantime, at least Motorola Razr user are finally getting Android 14. Better late than never…

According to MacRumors, citing Taiwanese outlet CTEE, Apple has reportedly increased its order of TSMC-manufactured chips for the upcoming iPhone 16. The company believes there is significant pent-up demand for the new model, leading to the increase.

The iPhone 16 is expected to use the new A18 chips across the entire lineup. In contrast, the iPhone 15 saw the use of two different chips, the A16 on lower-end models and the 17 on the Pro series.

MacRumors reports that the iPhone 16 is likely to see a RAM upgrade on the standard models from 6GB to 8GB, making 8GB the standard across the lineup. The move is likely a result of Apple’s decision to include on-device AI models, which the company indicated would require at least 8GB.

The new version is expected in September, if Apple holds to its usual release pattern. Given how well its AI announcements at WWDC were received, Apple could very well be looking at an upgrade supercycle.

The Samsung Galaxy Unpacked event is slated for July 10 in Paris, Fance, and will showcase Samsung’s Galaxy AI.

The next frontier of Galaxy AI is coming. Prepare to discover the power of Galaxy AI, now infused into the latest Galaxy Z series and the entire Galaxy ecosystem. Get ready for a world of possibilities as we enter a new phase of mobile AI.

The company says that users who reserve a new Galaxy device anytime between the 25th and July 10 will be eligible to receive the credit.

Starting today [June 25] through July 10, consumers who reserve one of the new Galaxy devices on Samsung.com are eligible to receive $50 instant Samsung Credit and save up to $1,500 when you pre-order a new Galaxy device.1 Those who reserve on Samsung.com are also eligible to enter into a sweepstakes for a chance to win $5,000 in Samsung Credit

Apple surprised the industry when it announced it would adopt RCS to replace the aging SMS for communication between iOS and Android devices. RCS offers many of the benefits of iMessage, including read receipts, group administration, file sharing, high-resolution media, and more. The feature is slated for iOS 18.

According to users on Reddit, the feature appears to be enabled in the latest beta. User “harry_1” showed a sent message that included a high-resolution picture.

While Apple will likely never support RCS to the extent it supports its own iMessage, RCS adoption should still go a long way toward improving text messaging between the two platforms.

Apple was already on the verge of becoming the first Big Tech company to be fined under the DMA for failing to do enough to allow third-party developers to bypass its App Store rules and fees. The DMA is designed to regulate gatekeeper companies, such as those that control an entire platform and meet certain user and revenue thresholds.

In an interview with CNBC, Vestager said Apple’s non-compliance was a serious issue.

“We have a number of Apple issues; I find them very serious. I was very surprised that we would have such suspicions of Apple being non-compliant,” Vestager told CNBC’s Silvia Amaro.

″[Apple] are very important because a lot of good business happens through the App Store, happens through payment mechanisms, so of course, even though you know I can say this is not what was expected of such a company, of course we will enforce exactly with the same top priority as with any other business,” Vestager added.

The DMA forced Apple to open iOS and allow third-party app stores and side-loading apps. While Apple did comply, it introduced a whole new set of fees that many saw as a way to try to dissuade developers from choosing alternative payment methods.

Vestager told CNBC said she hoped the probe would wrap up soon, but her comments certainly raise significant doubt that any outcome will be favorable for Apple.

Burke made the announcement in an X post:

So… after 14 yrs leading Android engineering, I’ve decided it’s time for a change. An awe-inspiring ride helping build the biggest OS on the planet (+ many Nexus/Pixel). I’m forever grateful for the opp. Continuing as advisor while figuring out what’s next in AI/bio.

— Dave Burke (@davey_burke) | June 12, 2024

In a post on LinkedIn, Burke provided additional details, including what he is most proud of:

But at the end of the day, what I’m most proud of is the team I helped build as we scaled Android users 3000x from 1 million to over 3 billion. Working with you, and representing your work publicly, has been the biggest honor of my career. It’s important for me to leave you in good hands with a well thought out succession plan. We’ll be following up shortly with some additional specifics about this change, so please keep an eye out for that.

Burke reiterated that he will be taking on an advisory role focused on AI:

I’ll be stepping away from leading Android Engineering and shifting into an advisory position while exploring AI / bio projects. AI has the potential to play a pivotal role in accelerating drug discovery, with wide applicability, including in hard-to-treat pediatric cancers, a topic close to my heart. I’m working with Sundar to explore relevant roles at Alphabet.

Google has yet to announce Burke’s replacement.

The Fitbit.com web dashboard was launched when the company first launched its products, but the company says developments since then have made the dashboard unnecessary.

We launched Fitbit with the Fitbit.com web dashboard to offer users a new way to interact with and log their data. Since then we introduced the Fitbit app, a robust health and wellness app that includes the features users love about our Fitbit.com web dashboard and many other features that were exclusively developed for the app.

The company also says that being purchased by Google has also been a factor.

Combined with Google’s decades of being the best at making sense of data, it’s our mission to be one combined Fitbit and Google team. Consolidating the Fitbit.com dashboard into the Fitbit app is a part of that mission, and will allow us to focus on features that provide even more valuable insights to our users.

The data and features of the Fitbit.com dashboard are available in the Fitbit app which you can download on Google Play Store and Apple App Store. The web browser will no longer offer access to the Fitbit.com dashboard after July 8, 2024, but all your details and logging for activities, nutrition, sleep, and weight continue to be available in the Fitbit app.

According to Kyodo News, the bill prohibits Apple and Google from blocking third-party app stores, but it goes much further. It also prohibits the companies from prioritizing their own services over competitors, and ensures developers can use the payment options of their choosing.

The outlet reports that new law will likely take effect by the end of 2025. Once it does, the law will penalize companies that violate it 20% of their domestic revenue, with the possibility of that penalty increasing to 30% if companies do not change course.

Jurisdictions are increasingly cracking down on Apple and Google, concerned about the duopoly they represent. The EU passed similar legislation, aimed at forcing the companies to change how they do business. If more jurisdictions follow suit, the mobile landscape could look very different in the coming years.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has teased the possibility of a Tesla phone in the past, and is no fan of Apple. The executive has been critical of the company many times, most recently saying he would ban Apple devices from his companies’ buildings if Apple continues with its integration of ChatGPT.

Morgan Stanley believes these factors play a role in possibility of a future Tesla phone. The note, seen by Slashdot, is copied in its entirety below:

From our continuing discussions with automotive management teams and industry experts, the car is an extension of the phone. The phone is an extension of the car. The lines between car and phone are truly blurring.

For years, we have been writing about the potential for Tesla to expand into edge compute domains beyond the car, including last October where we described a mobile AI assistant as a ‘heavy key.’ Following Apple’s WWDC, Tesla CEO Elon Musk re-ignited the topic by saying that making such a device is ‘not out of the question.’ As Mr. Musk continues to invest further into his own LLM/genAI efforts, such as ‘Grok,’ the potential strategic and userexperience overlap becomes more obvious.

From an automotive perspective, the topic of supercomputing at both the datacenter level and at the edge are highly relevant given the incremental global unit sold is a car that can perform OTA updates of firmware, has a battery with a stored energy equivalent of approx. 2,000 iPhones, and a liquid cooled inference supercomputer as standard kit. What if your phone could tap into your vehicle’s compute power and battery supply to run AI applications?

Edge compute and AI have brought to light some of the challenges (battery life, thermal, latency, etc.) of marrying today’s smartphones with ever more powerful AI-driven applications. Numerous media reports have discussed OpenAI potentially developing a consumer device specifically designed for AI.

The phone as a (heavy) car key? Any Tesla owner will tell you how they use their smartphone as their primary key to unlock their car as well as running other remote applications while they interact with their vehicles. The ‘action button’ on the iPhone 15 potentially takes this to a different level of convenience.