Firefox for Android brings back support for extensions

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While Google Chrome remains a top choice for most Android users, Firefox also manages to secure a spot for itself. According to a recent announcement, it’s getting even better. Firefox parent Mozilla announced the support for new extensions for Firefox Android versions. This takes an edge over Chrome because if you use Chrome on Android, you’d know it doesn’t support extensions yet.

Mozilla Firefox for Android now supports extensions

Mozilla’s latest announcement notes the support for extensions on Firefox for Android devices. All supported extensions can be found on the Firefox browser’s add-on page, and at the time of writing, over 491 extensions are available. This leads to the question: why do we need extensions or add-ons for mobile browsers? Well, they enhance the overall browsing experience.

Mobile browser extensions let users tailor their browsing experience. You can add privacy shields that block trackers, banish unwanted content with blockers, boost productivity with helpful tools, or unlock new ways to explore the web. For instance, Android Authority notes that extensions like Automatic AdSkipper let you skip video ads on websites. Another extension, SingleFile, lets you save an entire webpage as an HTML file that you can access offline.

More importantly, Firefox for Android supported extensions previously until an app overhaul in 2020. But things have changed for the better now. In August of this year, Mozilla announced the successful implementation of the necessary infrastructure to reintroduce the open extension ecosystem to Firefox for Android. Following this milestone, the company began testing and including hundreds of additional extensions for Firefox for Android users. And today, we get what the company had promised: extension support for Firefox Android.

Firefox is far behind Google Chrome in terms of its userbase

According to a recent report published by Statcounter, Chrome takes an edge over its peers with 64.23% of the market share in mobile browsers worldwide. The top mobile browsers are Safari (25.24%), Samsung Internet (4.55%), Opera, and UC Browser. Meanwhile, Firefox stands in the seventh position with barely 0.5% market share.


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Future iPhone models to utilize 10x Tetraprism lens

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Apple is planning to bring a 10x Tetraprism lens to future iPhone models. No, don’t expect this to happen with the iPhone 16 Pro series, however. Both of those devices will likely include a 5x Tetraprism lens, like the one included in the iPhone 15 Pro Max.

Future iPhone models are expected to feature a 10x Tetraprism lens

At some point in the future, Apple is planning to roll out an improvement. However, LG Innotek won’t be the supplier of it, it seems. Based on a new report, ICT will be the provider, a Chinese company. ICT is a subsidiary of Luxshare, by the way.

The report does not specify why is Apple ditching LG Innotek, however. If we had to guess, however, pricing probably has something to do with it, or the sheer quantity of such lenses Apple will need. Those are just guesses, of course. Perhaps LG Innotek stumbled upon a production problem or something of the sort. We can only guess.

There is a good chance that LG Innotek will continue being Apple’s supplier for the 5x Tetraprism lens, however. Both iPhone Pro variants next year are expected to offer it, while only one phone offers it at the moment.

Things could change moving forward

There is a chance the tables will turn in the next year or so. LG Innotek seemingly still has a deal with Apple for the iPhone 16 series, so… who knows, perhaps things will pan out, and LG Innotek will continue being Apple’s supplier.

Either way, it would be nice to see a 10x Tetraprism lens on an iPhone, that’s for sure. That 5x unit that Apple is using is capable, but it’s trailing the competition. Not only does it offer 5x magnification instead of 10x, but it’s not a full-fledged periscope unit.

We’re not sure when is Apple planning to make that change. The iPhone 17 Pro models could deliver it, but we can’t know for sure. Apple is never in a hurry when it comes to making such changes, so who knows, we may even have to wait until the iPhone 18 Pro series.


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Hackers’ Use of Remote Administration Tools to Control Systems

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Recently, there has been a rise in incidences of hackers using “Remote Administration Tools” to control the infected system and bypass protection technologies.

Remote administration tools are software that allows managing and controlling terminals from a remote location. 

The tools can be used for work-from-home purposes as well as remote control, management, and maintenance of unmanned devices. “Remote Administration Tools,” or RATs, are legitimately utilized remote control tools.

“By installing remote administration tools in a target system, the threat actor was able to simultaneously obtain control over the system and bypass anti-malware security products”, AhnLab shared in a report with GBHackers On Security.

AnyDesk is a remote control application with many functions, including file transfer and remote desktop. Remote desktop is a program that allows a user to access and control an environment remotely where RDP or AnyDesk is installed.

In this case, attackers like the Conti ransomware group are known to connect AnyDesk with Cobalt Strike in an attempt to take control of a company’s internal network.

Remote control using AnyDesk
Remote control using AnyDesk

NetSupport is also a remote control program that also offers functions including sharing clipboard contents, taking screenshots, gathering browser history data, managing files, and executing commands.

It doesn’t require an installation process using a standard installer; it can be operated with just the essential internal files. Up until recently, it was disseminated by spam emails that purported to be purchase orders, shipment documents, invoices, or even phishing pages that tricked users into installing it themselves by pretending to be SocGholish software update pages.

NetSupport execution log – EDR detection
NetSupport execution log – EDR detection

Chrome Remote Desktop is a feature that Google provides. The Chrome web browser can be used to operate a system remotely that has the remote desktop program installed and associated with a user account. 

Attacks by the Kimsuky group, which is believed to have North Korean support, are typically carried out to steal technology and confidential data from businesses. To remotely control the compromised system, the group would install malware such as VNC or activate RDP after installing backdoor-type malware.

EDR detection of a suspicious Chrome Remote Desktop execution
EDR detection of a suspicious Chrome Remote Desktop execution

Chrome Remote Desktop has been used to take control of compromised PCs in certain recent situations.

Final Thoughts

AhnLab EDR gathers and provides relevant data, even when users utilize remote administration tools for legitimate remote control reasons. This enables administrators to identify and address suspicious behavior.

Additionally, when suspicious conditions lead to the installation of remote administration tools, these behaviors are recognized as threats, allowing administrators to determine the root cause, take appropriate action, and set up procedures to prevent recurrence.


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OPPO Find X7 Ultra is coming too, with an exclusive feature

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We knew that the OPPO Find X7 series was coming. However, everyone believed that two devices will launch as part of that flagship smartphone series, until now. The OPPO Find X7 Ultra has reared its head, and it will come with an exclusive feature.

The OPPO Find X7 Ultra is coming, and it will offer an exclusive feature

This information comes from Digital Chat Station, a well-known tipster. The OPPO Find X7 Ultra is seemingly coming in addition to the OPPO Find X7 and OPPO Find X7 Pro. What’s this exclusive feature we’ve mentioned? Well, it seems like the ‘Ultra’ model will be the only one to offer satellite connectivity.

In addition to that, it’s possible that the ‘Ultra’ model is the one with an octagonal camera setup. That could explain why we’ve been seeing more than one camera module. The ‘Pro’ model will have a circular camera module, while the ‘Ultra’ will include an octagonal one, it would seem.

Furthermore, both of these devices will be fueled by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor, while the Find X7 will be an exception with the MediaTek Dimensity 9300 processor. Only the ‘Pro’ and ‘Ultra’ models will come with a dual periscope telephoto camera setup. They’ll offer 3x and 6x optical zoom.

OPPO will announce its new flagships in Q1 2024, most likely

Hasselblad will be a part of the picture once again, of course, while the devices are expected to arrive in Q1 next year. The OPPO Find X6 series launched back in March this year, in case you were wondering.

OPPO could stick to the same release cycle, so we may have to wait until the end of Q1 2024 to see these devices. What’s interesting is that OPPO decided not to offer its most powerful smartphone for 2023 to global consumers. The company applied the opposite strategy in 2022.

What will happen next year? Well, we’re expecting OPPO to push either the ‘Pro’ or ‘Ultra’ models to global markets. Chances are we’ll see the ‘Pro’ one, though, and possibly even the vanilla OPPO Find X7.


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Ledger NPM Repo Hacked Through a Spear Phishing Attack

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In a recent turn of events, Ledger, a prominent hardware wallet provider, faced a security breach that sent shockwaves through the cryptocurrency community. 

The breach, initiated by a malevolent version of the npm package @ledgerhq/connect-kit, posed a severe risk to users’ digital assets.

Security research firm SlowMist Team sounded the alarm, unveiling a covert threat within the @ledgerhq/connect-kit package on the npm repository. 

Ledger
Ledger

This malicious package harbored a concealed backdoor capable of pilfering users’ private keys—a potential catastrophe for those invested in the volatile world of cryptocurrency.

Ledger’s Confirmation and Swift Action

Acknowledging the breach on its official Twitter account, Ledger promptly confirmed the security lapse. 

The company swiftly released a fix for the vulnerability, urging users to update to the latest @ledgerhq/connect-kit package version. 

Ledger NPM Repo Hacked
Ledger NPM Repo Hacked

As an additional precaution, Ledger emphasized the paramount importance of safeguarding one’s 24-word recovery phrase.

The Ongoing Investigation

The scope of the breach remains shrouded in uncertainty. 

Ledger Team continues its meticulous investigation, aiming to unveil the extent of user impact and quantify potential financial losses. 

The aftermath of this breach underscores the inherent risks associated with the burgeoning realm of cryptocurrency.

Renowned for its hardware wallets, Ledger stands as a stalwart in cryptocurrency security. 

These hardware devices store private keys in fortified environments, making them a favored choice among users. 

The npm repository, a repository of JavaScript code packages, plays a pivotal role in the cryptocurrency ecosystem. 

Developers rely on it to discover and install essential code packages. 

The compromise of the @ledgerhq/connect-kit package exposes a vulnerability in this otherwise indispensable resource for developers in the cryptocurrency space.

Amid the chaos, the question lingers: How did the attacker infiltrate the npm repository? The possibility of a spear phishing attack emerges—a targeted ploy where the attacker masquerades as a legitimate entity, often leading the victim to divulge sensitive information. 

The intricacies of this attack method raise concerns about the broader security landscape.

In the aftermath of the breach, Ledger is taking decisive steps to fortify its security measures. 

Collaborating with npm, the company aims to enhance the security infrastructure of the npm repository.

Additionally, users are reminded to exercise caution and adhere to best practices, such as refraining from sharing their 24-word recovery phrases.


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Nubia Z60 Ultra will feature a large silicon-carbon battery

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The Nubia Z60 Ultra puzzle is slowly coming together. Nubia confirmed that the phone will launch on December 19 quite recently, while we also got various other details about the phone. The latest official piece of info confirms that the Nubia Z60 Ultra will feature a large silicon-carbon battery.

The Nubia Z60 Ultra will include a large silicon-carbon battery pack

The phone will ship with a 6,000mAh unit. Considering that this is a silicon-carbon battery, it has a higher energy density. That basically makes it possible for Nubia to use a high battery capacity in a smaller footprint. This is actually something similar to what HONOR did earlier this year.

This smartphone will be the most powerful one Nubia announced to date. The company already showed us its design, while the company also shared some camera samples with the world.

An under-display camera will also be used here

Unlike most other devices out there, this one will feature an under-display camera. That will provide you with a clear canvas up front, and very thin bezels too. The phone will be boxy, with flat sides.

Its power/lock key will be red-colored, which is something we’re used to seeing from Nubia. Its camera setup on the back will look odd, and different. Each of the three camera sensors will have a different design, as you can see below.

The phone is coming in three colors

The Nubia Z60 Ultra will arrive in Black, Cream, and Starry Night colors, and will be quite powerful. The device will be fueled by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC, and it will support 80W wired charging. We’re not sure about wireless charging just yet.

It will also be IP68 certified for water and dust resistance. A 50-megapixel main camera will be included, in addition to a 50-megapixel ultrawide camera, and a 64-megapixel periscope telephoto camera.

Everything will be revealed next week, when the phone is set to launch in its homeland. We’re not sure if this handset will be launched globally or not.


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Vivo X100 series makes global debut with Pro-grade cameras

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Vivo has brought its Vivo X100 series to global markets. The Vivo X100 and Vivo X100 Pro launched globally, and these are the most powerful smartphones the company launched to date. Both of these phones were originally launched in China, back in November.

The Vivo X100 series phones make their global debut

There is a big focus on the cameras here, as expected. The Vivo X100 is inferior to its ‘Pro’ sibling, but the two phones do have a lot in common, including their designs. Both devices have a huge camera oreo on the back, with ZEISS optics.

Both smartphones have very thin bezels around the screen, and a centered display camera hole. They both also include curved displays, in case you were wondering.

As already mentioned, the two devices do have a lot in common. Their specs are the same, save for RAM + storage configurations, camera setups, battery capacities, and charging.

Both devices include compelling 120Hz displays with high PWM dimming

Both smartphones feature a 6.78-inch 1.5K curved displays. These are LTPO AMOLED panels with a 120Hz refresh rate, and they can get really bright at 3,000 nits at their peak. A 2,160 PWM dimming is also a part of the package.

The MediaTek Dimensity 9300 SoC fuels both of these smartphones. The Vivo X100 comes with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, and 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage models. On the other hand, the Vivo X100 Pro is available with 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage only.

vivo x100 pro in blue

The Vivo X100 Pro has a larger battery, and supports fast wireless charging

The Vivo X100 features a 5,000mAh battery with 120W charging. The ‘Pro’ model, on the flip side, has a 5,400mAh battery, and supports 100W charging. 50W wireless charging is supported on the ‘Pro’ model only, and the same goes for reverse wireless charging.

There is an under-display fingerprint scanner included on both phones, and the same goes for an IR blaster. You’ll find stereo speakers on these phones too. They’re both also IP68 certified for water and dust resistance.

Android 14 comes pre-installed on both devices, with Funtouch OS 14. There are also two SIM card slots included in both smartphones. Bluetooth 5.4 is supported too, as is Wi-Fi 7. Both smartphones include a 32-megapixel selfie camera (f/2.0 aperture).

Both phones have compelling cameras, but the ‘Pro’ model does have the edge in this regard

The Vivo X100 includes a 50-megapixel main camera (Sony’s IMX920 sensor, VCS bionic, f/1.57 aperture, OIS), a 50-megapixel ultrawide camera (150-degree FoV, f/2.0 aperture), and a 64-megapixel telephoto camera (f/2.57 aperture, OIS, up to 100x digital zoom, telephoto macro).

The Vivo X100 Pro, on the flip side, has a 50-megapixel main camera (Sony’s IMX989 sensor, VCS bionic, f/1.75 aperture, OIS), a 50-megapixel ultrawide camera (150-degree FoV, f/2.0 aperture), and a 50-megapixel telephoto camera (f/2.5 aperture, 1/2-inch sensor, OIS, up to 100x digital zoom, telephoto macro). There is also a V3 imaging chip included in both phones, and ZEISS optics.

The Vivo X100 Pro is a bit thicker, while we still don’t know the pricing

They have basically the same dimensions, though the ‘Pro’ model is a bit thicker. The price tags will vary from one market to the next, and we still don’t know the details. Both phones come in Asteroid Black and Startrail Blue color options. Both are pictured below.


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Apple asks for your help to improve Apple Maps’ AR features

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Augmented Reality (AR) places computer generated-images over a real-world view. For example, on Apple Maps you can use AR to get walking directions that are placed over a live shot from a rear camera showing you which way to go. This feature is only available in certain cities and is similar to Live View on Google Maps. Supported devices include the iPhone SE 2 and SE 3, the 2018 iPhone XR, iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max and later models.

Apple is asking for your help to improve the accuracy of its AR features in Apple Maps

Since part of this feature requires your iPhone to figure out your current location, Apple does collect certain data from your phone to improve the accuracy of the AR location data on your handset. In a new support document titled “Help improve Augmented Reality Location Accuracy in Maps,” Apple writes, “To help improve the speed and accuracy of augmented reality features in Maps, you can share data with Apple about your surroundings when you use these features. No photos are shared and Apple collects only the data that we need to make these experiences better.”

When raising your iPhone while using AR in Apple Maps for immersive walking directions or to refine your current location, your handset scans your surroundings and detects “feature points” from buildings. These “feature points” use the physical appearance and shapes of buildings and other stationary objects to create data that a person cannot read. Instead, using on-device machine learning, this data is compared to Apple Maps reference data sent to your phone to enable the AR features in Apple Maps.

When you raise your iPhone in the air to perform the scan, things that move like people and vehicles are filtered out leaving feature points for stationary objects. If these feature points move in a way that doesn’t coincide with the movement of your camera, the iPhone assumes that whatever data it collected is not for a stationary object and discards that information.

When you raise your iPhone and it is collecting the “feature points” of stationary items, it compares this information to Apple Maps’ reference data to find your exact location on a map to help you obtain AR walking directions and also refines your location. For this to work, the reference data in Apple Maps that images from your rear camera are compared with need to be updated consistently and this is where you come in.

As Apple explains, “When you agree to share the feature points that your iPhone camera detects with Apple, you help refresh this reference data to improve the speed and accuracy of these augmented reality features.” Apple collects this data by encrypting it while you are on the move, and stores it encrypted when you stop. This data is not associated with you or your Apple ID. As your iPhone scans, it shares only feature points. No photos are sent to Apple.

Apple claims that “Only an extremely sophisticated attacker with access to Apple’s encoding system” would be a problem

Now read this part carefully. Apple claims that “Only an extremely sophisticated attacker with access to Apple’s encoding system would be able to attempt to recreate an image from the feature points. Since the feature point data that you share is encrypted when it leaves your device and only Apple has access to the data collections, such an attack and recreation are extremely unlikely. The additional noise further prevents any attempt to use the feature point data to recreate an image in which people or vehicles may be identified.”

If this doesn’t resolve your worries about the security of this process, you can make sure that you are not sharing data to improve the AR location accuracy of Apple Maps by going to Settings > Privacy & Security > Analytics & Improvements; make sure that Improve AR Location Accuracy feature remains toggled off.  

On the other hand, while the setting is off by default, if you feel that the data you are providing Apple with is secure and not connected to you at all, you can improve the accuracy of immersive AR walking directions and the refine location features by turning the toggle on. It is up to you.

As previously noted, if you enable the collection of the physical characteristics of the buildings and other stationary items around you, your Apple ID is not attached to the data and no photos are used. The bottom line is that if you use AR walking or refine your location using AR on Apple Maps, you might be helping yourself by helping Apple.


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Major ASUS ROG Phone 8 series leak: Images, specs & accessories

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We already know that the ASUS ROG Phone 8 series will launch in China on January 16. The global launch is not far away either, almost certainly. That being said, a major ASUS ROG Phone 8 series leak just shared a ton of info.

The ASUS ROG Phone 8 series images, specs & accessories shown in a major leak

Not only do we get to see the design of both devices, thanks to a bunch of images, but their specs also got shared. On top of that, some accessories that will be at your disposal are also shown here. Let’s kick things off with the design of these two devices.

It seems like ASUS is changing things up this year. Instead of truly flashy design choices, the company decided to tone things down. The ASUS ROG Phone 8 and ROG Phone 8 Pro look much more like regular smartphones.

ASUS is changing things up design-wise

If you check out the images provided in the gallery below, you’ll see that the company is using a squarish design. The corners are rounded a bit, but the sides are flat, for the most part. A very noticeable ROG logo is placed on the back of both phones. That logo also doubles as RGB lighting.

The two devices do look basically the same, as you can see. The camera island is placed in the top-left corner of the back, which goes for both devices. Three cameras sit inside it, and the camera island itself is not particularly large. It does have an interesting shape, though.

A centered display camera hole is used on the displays of both devices. The bezels seem to be thinner than on current-gen models, and the displays are… of course, flat.

Windows Report also shared a bunch of specs for us to check out. Both smartphones will be fueled by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC, as expected. Android 14 will come pre-installed, with ROG UI on top of it.

The ‘Pro’ model will offer up to 24GB of RAM

Both devices will also be IP68 certified for water and dust resistance. The ASUS ROG Phone 8 will offer 12GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage. The ‘Pro’ model will be on offer in 16GB and 24GB RAM options, with 512GB and 1TB of storage. Do note that LPDDR5X RAM and UFS 4.0 storage will be used in all models.

You’ll find a 6.78-inch Flexible AMOLED display from Samsung on both phones. Those displays will be protected by the Gorilla Glass Victus 2. The source notes that the ‘Pro’ model will utilize a 120Hz LTPO panel, with refresh rates up to 165Hz. The regular variant will probably peak at 120Hz, and chances are that is an LTPS display.

A 5-magnet speaker system will be utilized by both phones, and the same goes for an audio jack. Dirac Virtuo for Headphone is also mentioned, as is Hi-Res Audio. Bluetooth 5.3 will be on offer, as will a 5,500mAh battery. Quick Charge 5.0 will be supported, and so will PD charging.

The source also shared the camera setup of the ‘Pro’ model

The camera setup of the ‘Pro’ model is mentioned, but the same cannot be said for the vanilla phone. The ASUS ROG Phone 8 Pro will feature a 50-megapixel main camera (Sony’s IMX890 sensor). A 13-megapixel ultrawide camera will also be on offer, as will a 32-megapixel telephoto camera (3x optical zoom). You’ll also find a 32-megapixel selfie camera here.

A ‘Rebel Gray’ color is mentioned, while the ASUS ROG Phone 8 Pro will measure 163.8 x 76.8 x 8.9mm, and weigh 225 grams. Such info is not available for the regular model, but chances are the numbers will be similar.

Some interesting accessories are also coming

Last, but not least, Windows Report mentioned and showed three accessories. One of them is the DEVILCASE Guardian, a phone case with the AeroActive Cooler X. The other is the AeroActive Cooler X itself, and the third one is a classic TPU case with an antibacterial screen protector. You can check out all three of them in the gallery below.

When you’re using the DEVILCASE Guardian case, you can attach a transparent backplate to see the RGB lighting. The AeroActive Cooler X is very similar to last year’s model. You can attach it via the side USB-C port, when not attached to the case. It also serves as a stand for the device.


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Spotify tests AI-powered playlists: What you need to know

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“Oh, no, not AI-related news again!” Well, it is what it is, as the wise man once said.

Spotify is in the testing stage of a brand new feature that would allow users to build new playlists with the help of short, ChatGPT-like prompts. For example: “Fill the silence with background cafe music”, or “Get pumped up with fun, upbeat, positive songs”, or you could command Spotify to scramble a new playlist that’s more specific with “Explore a niche genre like Witch House”.

The AI feature is not yet rolled out to all to try; TechCrunch reports on it and while Spotify did confirm that they’re testing it, they didn’t share any further information about the technology and how it works, nor did it commit to a launch time frame.

There’s a TikTok video (by @robdad_) and albeit a short one – all in all, 11 seconds – it gives us a peek at what Spotify + AI could look like if this feature becomes available in the near future. On a side note: this could very well be limited to paid users, so don’t act surprised if you don’t get it on a free account.

What does it look like and what can it do?


“I just randomly discovered Spotify’s ChatGPT?”, says the video caption of the aforementioned TikTok. There’s a short preview in there, too – for the moment, the AI playlists feature is accessed from the “Your Library” tab in Spotify’s app by tapping on the plus (+) button at the top right of the screen. Here, a pop-up menu appears and the AI playlist feature is a new option underneath the existing “Playlist” and “Blend” options.The feature’s description reads “Turn your ideas into playlists using AI” and notes that it’s currently only available in English.

What happens next will be very familiar to those who have used ChatGPT: a new chat-like window opens, waiting for your prompts and commands. There’s a list of suggested prompts, but users could ignore the menu and just type what they want to be mixed especially for them.

Next, there’s a “Processing your request…” message from Spotify’s AI and then the playlist itself is ready and you’re taken to a new screen where you can swipe left to remove any songs you don’t want to refine the playlist further.

YouTube Music also went AI, just not music-related


At the end of October 2023, YouTube Music rolled out a new AI playlist art generator feature. This experimental feature (for English language US users on YouTube Music) creates customized playlist art using generative AI.

Images of AI-generated pugs and turtles are nice, but maybe it’s time for YouTube Music to step up and catch up with Spotify…


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