Core Viewpoint - Apple has shifted towards prioritizing durability over repairability in its product design, reflecting a response to sustainability concerns and the right to repair movement [1][4]. Repairability and Durability - Apple emphasizes that while repairability is important, optimizing solely for it may not yield the best outcomes for customers or the environment [2]. - The ideal device should be both durable and easily repairable, minimizing the need for repairs in the first place [2]. Recent Developments - Apple has expanded its user repair service, now offering Diagnostics for Self Service Repair in 32 European countries, including the U.K., France, Germany, and the Netherlands [3]. - The company has made used components available for repairs, although it clarifies that third-party parts may not always have the same system access [3]. Parts Pairing Policy - Apple’s parts pairing policy is designed to ensure security and proper calibration of components, rather than blocking third-party parts [4]. - The company argues that prioritizing longevity over repairability is more sustainable, as not all components require frequent repairs [4][5]. Component-Specific Insights - Displays and batteries are highlighted as components that are more likely to require repair, thus should be easier for users to access [5]. - An internal study showed that the iPhone charging port rarely requires replacement, suggesting that making it individually replaceable would increase carbon emissions unnecessarily [5]. Addressing Planned Obsolescence - Apple counters accusations of planned obsolescence by noting that hundreds of millions of iPhones have been in use for over five years, and the company has a long history of providing free updates to extend product life [6].

GM’s Cruise has appointed Marc Whitten — a video game veteran who was a founding engineer at Xbox and Xbox Live— as CEO. The Cruise CEO position has been vacant since December when co-founder Kyle Vogt resigned as part of a broader executive shakeup following an October 2 incident that saw one its robotaxis drag a felled pedestrian 20 feet. Whitten, who will start July 16, has a long history developing tech products, particularly in the world of video games. He most recently worked at video game engine mak ...

Core Insights - VW Group will invest $1 billion into EV startup Rivian, with potential expansion of the deal up to $5 billion [1] - Rivian's shares surged over 36% in after-hours trading following the announcement of the investment [1] - The partnership aims to create a joint venture focused on next-generation electrical architecture and software technology [1][2] Investment Details - The initial investment of $1 billion will be made via an unsecured convertible note, which will convert into Rivian's common stock upon certain conditions [1] - VW Group is expected to invest an additional $4 billion as part of the transaction [1] Strategic Benefits - Rivian aims to lower manufacturing costs and strengthen its balance sheet while scaling production of existing EVs and developing the next-generation R2 line [2] - VW Group seeks to enhance its software development capabilities and bring software-defined vehicles to market [2] Technological Advancements - Rivian has recently started producing the next-generation R1T pickup truck and R1S SUV, featuring significant upgrades in various components [3] - The new electrical architecture reduces the number of electronic control units (ECUs) from 17 to 7, allowing for a reduction of over 1.6 miles of wiring and a weight savings of 44 pounds per vehicle [3]

The European Union accused Microsoft of breaching competition rules Tuesday. In a formal statement of objections the bloc said it suspects the software giant of abusing antitrust rules by bundling its real-time comms and collaboration tool, Teams, with popular productivity apps, including its cloud-based suites for businesses Office 365 and Microsoft 365. The EU opened an antitrust probe of Microsoft’s bundling of Teams just under a year ago, back in July 2023 — two years after a complaint by Teams rival Sl ...

Amazon said on Tuesday that its annual Prime Day sales event will be held on July 16 and 17. The sales will kick off at 12.01 a.m. Pacific Standard Time on 16 July for U.S. citizens, and will feature exclusive and invite-only deals for Prime members.Apart from the U.S., Amazon is holding Prime Day sales in over 20 countries on the same date: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Egypt, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Mexico, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Spain ...

Days after the Wall Street Journal reported that Apple and Meta were in talks to integrate the latter’s AI models, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman said that the iPhone maker was not planning any such move.Apple briefly held talks with Meta about the possibility of a partnership way back in March, according to Bloomberg. This was the time when Apple was talking to multiple companies to explore integration of their models with their devices. However, the company shelved the idea of putting Meta’s AI models on iPhon ...

Shopify merchants can now sell their items to Target’s millions of shoppers, thanks to a new partnership. The companies announced on Monday that sellers on the commerce platform can apply to join Target Plus, the retail giant’s third-party marketplace where merchants can sell and manage orders.Target is the first major retailer to collaborate with Shopify to introduce its merchants’ products into physical stores. The initial group of Shopify sellers to be featured at Target include True Classic and Caden La ...

A few months after opening a non-compliance case on Apple and the Digital Markets Act (DMA), the European Commission has shared its preliminary findings with Apple. And the bottom line is that the current App Store rules are in breach of the DMA. Confirmed violations of the DMA can lead to fines of up to 10% of global annual turnover.“‘Act different’ should be their new slogan,” the EU’s internal market commissioner, Thierry Breton, wrote on X. “For too long, Apple has been squeezing out innovative companie ...

After a few months of testing during the general elections, Meta is making its Llama-3-powered AI chatbot available to all users in India. However, Meta AI currently only supports English and no other local languages.The company started testing Meta AI in India across WhatsApp, Instagram, Messenger, and Facebook in April by rolling it out to select users. Days later, the company officially rolled out the bot in more than a dozen countries, but not India, likely due to the general elections being held in the ...

As Apple enters the AI race, it’s also looking for help from partners.During the announcement of Apple Intelligence earlier this month, Apple said it would be partnering with OpenAI to bring ChatGPT into the revamped version of Siri. Now, the Wall Street Journal reports that Apple and Facebook’s parent company Meta are in talks around a similar deal. These talks have reportedly not been finalized and could still fall through. Apple and Meta did not immediately respond to TechCrunch’s request for comment.As ...