Foxconn could make AirPods in India, the founding father of TSMC speaks a scary future, and life imitates artwork on the moon.
Report: Foxconn Constructing AirPod Manufacturing facility in India
Apple’s manufacturing shift to India continues, a minimum of if secret sources are to be believed. MacRumors highlights a Reuters report that has secret peeps saying Foxconn is constructing a plant within the southern Indian state of Telangana — to make AirPods.
Sort of an enormous deal for a few causes: First, there’s the aforementioned manufacturing shift. Second — Foxconn’s by no means made AirPods. I wouldn’t say it’s beneath them, although they’re typically extra Mac and iPhone Professional-level manufacturing. Based on the piece:
Foxconn officers are stated to have debated internally for months about whether or not to assemble AirPods, as a result of comparatively low revenue margins, however they finally determined to go forward with the deal to “reinforce engagement” with Apple.
And reinforce it ought to. The contract producer is claimed to be sinking $200 million into the ability. Building is anticipated to start within the second-half of 2023. The report says the plant will begin cranking out AirPods “by the tip of 2024 on the earliest.”
TSMC Founder: Globalization and Free-Commerce Are Useless within the Chip Business
Morris Chang — placing the concern of God in all people!
That is going to be like listening to an article with footnotes, beginning with — Who’s Morris Chang? Based on a bit from Bloomberg (by way of Enterprise Customary) Chang is the founding father of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC). They’re the corporate that cranks out A-series and M-series processors for Apple, in addition to different chips for different clients.
His message appears to be that the social gathering is over, which stinks because it actually hasn’t felt like a celebration for fairly some time now. At an occasion in Taipei on Thursday, the “91-year-old trade pioneer” stated:
Within the chips sector, globalization is lifeless. Free commerce is lifeless. Simply have a look at the way in which China has been embargoed and the entity listing. I agree with that.
I had a tough thought of what “free commerce” is, however felt I wanted a bit extra data. So, I turned to Investopedia, which says:
A free commerce settlement is a pact between two or extra nations to scale back boundaries to imports and exports amongst them. Below a free commerce coverage, items and providers might be purchased and bought throughout worldwide borders with little or no authorities tariffs, quotas, subsidies, or prohibitions to inhibit their change.
And that’s lifeless, in response to Chang. Whereas he’s down with steps taken by the U.S. to restrict China’s tech improvement, he doesn’t sound down with the U.S. as an entire. That may very well be, although, as a result of the U.S. as an entire — nicely, it’s not that they’re not cool with Taiwan, however they’re not essentially BFFs. Quoting Bloomberg:
When American leaders converse of “friend-shoring” high-tech manufacturing, Taiwan shouldn’t be included in that coverage, Chang stated, as they’ve repeatedly voiced considerations about counting on Taiwan.
Buddy-Shoring? What’s That?
I hadn’t heard the “friend-shoring” factor and needed to do a little bit of digging. It appears U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen used the time period in a speech final summer season at LG’s Science Park in Seoul, South Korea. Based on a bit from CNBC:
Yellen drummed up assist from allies of the U.S. to work collectively in carving up extra resilient provide chains amongst trusted companions via “friend-shoring.”
The time period attracts on the ideas of “onshoring” and “nearshoring,” which seek advice from the transferring of provide chains again house or nearer to house, versus having them in international nations. “Buddy-shoring” goes past that however limits provide chain networks to allies and pleasant nations.
And the man from Taiwan who principally began that nation’s semiconductor dominance says, when the U.S. talks about “friend-shoring,” the U.S. shouldn’t be speaking about Taiwan. After all, you may sort of see his level. The Bloomberg piece says that about the identical time as Secretary Yellen’s speech final yr, “US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo described US dependence on Taiwan for superior chipmaking as ‘untenable…’” Moreover, the piece says fear over China has led US officers to war-game “eventualities the place Taiwan’s refined semiconductor trade could be worn out to forestall it falling into China’s fingers.”
The half the place the U.S. is hindering tech within the Center Kingdom, Chang’s cool with. “I definitely assist that a part of American industrial coverage to decelerate China’s progress.” He’d most likely favor that cease wanting wiping out the enterprise sector he created, although. Based on Bloomberg:
Chang stated China is a minimum of 5 to 6 years behind Taiwan in chipmaking know-how, however he additionally cautioned Taiwan shouldn’t be naive about its place relative to the US.
Report: tvOS Beta Exhibits Apple Testing ‘Siri Pure Language Technology’
If you happen to’re anxious that Apple is dropping the chat-bot race, you’ll be pleased to know that Apple is in it. Or on the very least conscious of it. 9to5Mac says the most recent tvOS 16.4 beta has Apple “testing new pure language technology options for Siri…” The beta is claimed to have “a brand new framework for ‘Siri Pure Language Technology’ capabilities.” Can’t do a lot presently — “telling jokes” on Apple TV appears to be all for now. And — once more — solely on the one system. Based on 9to5Mac:
Although tvOS is what powers the Apple TV and HomePod, these new language-generating options are solely presently enabled on the Apple TV. Findings by 9to5Mac, nonetheless, point out that the code for these options is included throughout iPhone, iPad, Mac, HomePod, and Apple TV. It’s simply not presently enabled on something aside from Apple TV.
It’s additionally not sure that it’ll do rather more than observe instructions — set a timer, inform a joke — issues like that. “Presently,” the piece says, “Siri is powered by a system that’s based mostly on templates, moderately than any form of language-generating synthetic intelligence.” That stated, the piece says:
That is primarily Apple’s method of quietly and slowly beta-testing its first foray into this form of AI know-how. These options might even have a server-side part enabling or disabling the function, permitting Apple to fine-tune testing in public.
Apple TV App for macOS Has a Hidden Left Sidebar
Whereas Apple works on making tvOS chatty (perhaps), the Apple TV app for Mac could also be making method for a user-friendly function. A bit from Cult of Mac says the app for macOS 13.3 has “a left sidebar” buried within the code. When evident, that sidebar makes the Mac model of the app virtually similar to the model for iPad. On the iPad, the piece says:
The sidebar provides quick access to collection and movies on Apple’s streaming service, plus the consumer’s library of content material they bought via iTunes or the Apple TV itself.
Now — it’s good to put an enormous “perhaps” beside all of this. The Cult says 9to5Mac was capable of coax the sidebar out of the most recent beta, utilizing “a little bit little bit of trickery” to make it present up. Because it stands proper now, the model of the Apple TV app with the sidebar shouldn’t be exhibiting up for testers of the macOS beta.
Costume Designer for ‘For All Mankind’ Designs EVA Suites for Precise Lunar Mission
And eventually at this time, when Apple CEO Tim Prepare dinner first introduced Apple TV+ in early 2019, he stated “nice tales can change the world.” Now, it seems like they’ll change the moon as nicely. NASA confirmed of a brand new spacesuit this week for a deliberate lunar touchdown. A bit from the positioning Area Explored says the brand new extravehicular exercise (EVA) spacesuit took design cues from the Apple TV+ flagship collection “For All Mankind.”
Whereas NASA received to disclose the go well with, NASA didn’t make it. Based on the report, an outfit known as Axiom Area has a “contract for EVA operations” for the mission. That features the EVA outfits. Based on the report:
Axiom shared in its announcement that the outer cowl of the go well with was designed by the day one Apple TV+ present For All Mankind costume designer Esther Marquis.
The go well with seems superior. Too dangerous you received’t see the one proven off this week on the moon although. The design revealed this week “incorporates three colours – orange, blue, and black.” Black won’t make the lunar floor, although. “Whereas a black go well with seems nice,” Area Explored says:
…it’s not sensible on the Moon as it can take in an excessive amount of warmth. White fits, used for Apollo and the Area Shuttle/ISS, are significantly better [for] reflecting warmth and preserving the astronauts inside snug.
Consolation? That is style we’re speaking about.
And science.
And survival.
Nonetheless sort of neat, although.
Nice tales can change the photo voltaic system.
At the moment on The Mac Observer’s Each day Observations Podcast
TMO Managing Editor Jeff Butts and I shall be speaking concerning the phrases of — warning? Doom? The proclamations, let’s say, for the TSMC founder. Plus: Sleep — I hear it’s a factor individuals get! We’ll revisit Sleep schedules within the well being app on the Each day Observations Podcast from The Mac Observer.
