Meta tests user-created AI chatbots on Instagram

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Meta tests user-created AI chatbots on Instagram
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Image credit — Meta

Meta is introducing AI chatbots on Instagram, starting with a test run in the U.S. These chatbots, developed by creators through Meta AI Studio, will be integrated into Instagram’s messaging feature. They are designed to engage with users in a fun and interactive way, offering personalized responses and recommendations.Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg envisions these AI avatars as an evolving “art form” that will improve over time. While the initial focus is on entertainment and engagement, he believes that these chatbots will eventually become sophisticated tools for creators and businesses to interact with their audiences.

To ensure transparency, Meta will clearly label these chatbots as AI so users are aware they are interacting with a machine. The company is collaborating with creators like Wasted and Don Allen Stevenson III to develop and refine the early versions of these chatbots.

The initial test will involve around 50 creators and a small percentage of users. Meta plans to gradually expand access over the next few months, aiming for a full launch by August.

Zuckerberg highlighted the potential of AI avatars to cater to diverse interests and provide personalized experiences. He mentioned the need for a wide range of APIs to reflect different preferences and enable creators and businesses to develop their own AI chatbots.

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These chatbots could help creators manage their massive influx of messages from fans by offering automated yet engaging responses. This would allow creators to connect with their audience on a larger scale while saving time and effort.

Zuckerberg acknowledged the challenges in creating truly engaging and trustworthy AI avatars. He sees this as an ongoing experiment and encourages creators to explore different approaches to discover what works best.

Meta’s foray into AI chatbots on Instagram aligns with the growing trend of integrating artificial intelligence into social media platforms. As this technology continues to advance, we can definitely expect more AI-centric experiences for users in the future.

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Spotify has 250,000 video podcast shows; big annual growth

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Spotify has 250,000 video podcast shows; big annual growth
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In a recent blog post, Spotify highlighted the huge growth of video podcasts available on its platform. The format is becoming increasingly popular and helping to improve audience retention.

When thinking about podcasts, the first thing that probably comes to mind is audio-based shows. Many people tend to listen to podcasts during their daily activities. Classic podcasts are especially useful when you’re busy with tasks that require your visual attention. However, there are times of the day when users can give their full attention to the show. In those cases, a video podcast may be more attractive.

Spotify boasts the growth of available video podcast shows

Video podcasts are especially popular on YouTube due to the nature of the platform. Spotify began allowing video podcasts in 2020, first in a limited number of shows. Now, Spotify is boasting about the growth of the catalog of video podcasts they offer, reaching 250,000 in 2024. In comparison, the platform offered 100,000 in 2023, so the numbers more than doubled.

Apparently, video podcasts boast higher retention rates compared to the traditional format. This means that people listen to them for longer, probably because they offer a visual-enriched experience. Good production, set design, or being able to see the facial expressions and body gestures of the podcast participants can make a difference.

The blog post also includes statistics that further explain the growth of the video podcast format on Spotify. For example, since its availability, it has experienced 39% annual growth in views. Additionally, the number of creators using this format is growing by 70% annually. The company even claims that almost two-thirds of the American public prefers video podcasts over the traditional format.

So, now Spotify seems to be placing a lot of importance on video podcasts. It will be interesting to see if, in the future, they are able to surpass YouTube in this section. In the end, users will benefit from the fierce competition between both companies.


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Google Play Store tests “Collections” widget hub for app discovery

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Google Play Store tests “Collections” widget hub for app discovery
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Image credit — PhoneArena

Google is testing a new widget hub called “Collections” that will be integrated into the Play Store to help users discover new apps. This feature, previously known as “Cubes,” has been in development for some time and seems to be nearing release.

The latest Google Play Store beta version (41.6.26) gives us a sneak peek into what Collections might look like. By long-pressing the Play Store icon, users can access a context menu where Collections resides. Upon opening the widget, familiar Play Store categories such as “Watch,” “Read,” “Listen,” “Shop,” and “Social” are displayed, each leading to a selection of apps within that category.

New “Collections” widget | Image credit — Android Authority

What sets Collections apart is its curated approach. Google partnering with select apps to be featured within these categories could address a common pain point for users: app discovery fatigue. Scrolling through endless lists of apps in the Play Store can be overwhelming, and it’s often difficult to know which ones are worth downloading. By showcasing a curated selection of high-quality apps, Collections can streamline the process and make it easier for users to find apps that genuinely meet their needs and interests.

However, access to Collections might be limited at first. The feature seems to be geographically restricted, with the app’s code indicating that it may initially launch only in the United States with plans to announce expansions to other countries later on, but there’s no official timeline yet. This limited rollout could be a strategic move by Google to gather user feedback and iron out any kinks before making Collections available to a wider audience.


At this stage, Collections are still under wraps and not widely available. Screenshots reveal that it’s a work in progress, with the official rollout date yet to be confirmed, but hopefully not too far in the future.


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T-Mobile’s AI chatbot claims the carrier broke its price lock promise

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T-Mobile’s AI chatbot claims the carrier broke its price lock promise
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Despite raising the prices on legacy plans, T-Mobile claims it has not broken its word. However, the company’s own internal AI-powered chatbot does not agree with that position. In fact, the T-Mobile chatbot claims that the company broke its price lock commitment following its recent actions.

The controversial price increase in legacy plans

During the last week of May, T-Mobile became embroiled in a controversy related to the prices of its plans. There are users who contracted the company’s services due to a promise of an unalterable price. This means that T-Mobile was committed to never raising prices on those particular plans. There would only be changes to the monthly bill if the user changed to another one. However, the company announced price increases for some of those legacy plans.

The news received a lot of backlash from users who felt deceived. Prices for affected plans rose between $2 and $5. However, the company claimed that it was not doing anything wrong. In any case, the explanations offered by T-Mobile never fully convinced users. This caused not only criticism but also people to move to another carrier because of the broken promise.

T-Mobile broke its price lock commitment, claims its own chatbot

T-Mobile employees have the “Superpowers” suite to help them in their work, including an AI-powered chatbot. It is trained with the company’s policy documentation. With that in mind, you might find it amusing to know that the chatbot contradicts T-Mobile’s public position.

According to the chatbot, the carrier breached the price lock commitment by raising the prices of old plans. The chatbot adds that T-Mobile’s actions could incur legal problems. Furthermore, it states that such an action would also be negative for the company’s reputation.

The chatbot’s claims cannot be taken as an official statement. After all, similar AI-powered services can sometimes have “hallucinations,” which are basically made-up facts. However, it is still interesting that even T-Mobile’s internal tools do not support its public position. Even more so if these tools were trained in the carrier’s own policies.


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EU Competition Commissioner sees delay in Apple Intelligence rollout as anti-competitive

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EU Competition Commissioner sees delay in Apple Intelligence rollout as anti-competitive
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Apple has decided to delay the rollout of Apple Intelligence in the EU leading the European Commissioner for Competition to take notice.

The EU Commissioner for Competition reportedly sees this decision as an anticompetitive behavior. The decision not to offer the AI features in the EU is a “stunning declaration” of its anticompetitive behavior, said EU Commission Executive Vice President Margrethe Vestager.

Apple decided not to offer the feature to EU users to protect their privacy

Just a couple of days ago Apple announced that it won’t launch its self-developed AI features in the EU region. The company reasoned that the interoperability required by the EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA) could hurt user privacy and security. Now the commission has accused Apple’s App Store of DMA breaches.

Apple’s move to delay Apple Intelligence in Europe is the most “stunning, open declaration that they know 100% that this is another way of disabling competition where they have a stronghold already,” said the EU Competition Commissioner. According to the

The Digital Markets Act requires companies to be open to competition in order to operate in Europe, said EU Commission Executive Vice President Margrethe Vestager. Non-compliance means fines of up to 10% of annual revenue. In Apple’s case, it could be over €30 billion. In addition to that, the percentage will increase for repeated infringements.

EU Commissioner for Competition sees the delay in the rollout of Apple Intelligence as anti-competitive

Under the Digital Markets Act, Apple is a “gatekeeper,” meaning it has to make sure it does not stifle competition. iOS 18 comes with Apple Intelligence and some capabilities of OpenAI’s ChatGPT. The AI capabilities are integrated within iOS 18 system apps and voice assistant Siri. The features will roll out in beta later this year.

Reportedly, the EU Commissioner for Competition could mark the lack of interoperability with non-Apple apps as anti-competitive. It’s important to mention that Apple does intend to bring Apple Intelligence to Europe. However, it’s taking a cautious approach with its new technology in that region due to “regulatory uncertainties”. It’s reasonable that Apple will want to ensure it won’t have to compromise on user safety.

The European Commission for Competition is carrying out multiple investigations into the company over possible violations of the DMA. The commission has already accused Apple of violating the law’s anti-steering provisions this week. According to the commission, Apple blocked app developers from freely informing users about alternate payment options outside of the company’s ecosystem.


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Google Chrome to add background playback for Read Aloud on Android

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Google Chrome to add background playback for Read Aloud on Android
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Google Chrome’s Android app is poised for a game-changing update: soon, you’ll be able to listen to articles like audiobooks, even when the app is closed or your phone is locked.

This new feature, dubbed “Read Aloud with Background Playback,” was recently spotted via a telltale flag within Chrome’s code. The flag’s description explicitly mentions adding support for background playback during read-aloud sessions, a clear indication that Google is actively testing the feature.

Commit requesting for Chrome for Android to add support for background playback for Read Aloud | Image credit — MSPowerUser
Currently, Chrome’s “Listen to this Page” option already allows you to listen to web articles aloud. But, to keep the audio going, you have to keep the Chrome app open and active. This new update will change that, letting you multitask or even lock your screen while continuing to enjoy your articles.

Chrome flag to enable “Read Aloud Background Playback” (still not available in Beta or Dev channels) | Image credit — MSPowerUser

Chrome’s desktop version has already offered this background playback functionality for a while, so it’s great to see that the Android app is finally catching up, bringing a more seamless and convenient listening experience to mobile users. This means that even when you minimize the tab with the article or switch to another application, the audio will keep playing.For those who love to consume content on the go, this is a major plus. This feature is also particularly useful for those with visual impairments or reading difficulties, as it can open up more ways in which one can consume information and entertainment that might have been previously inaccessible.

It’s important to note that this feature is still under development, and it’s not clear when it would be officially rolled out to the stable channel. Additionally, its functionality could change at any time before it’s officially released. However, the fact that it’s being actively tested suggests that it could be coming sooner rather than later.


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OnePlus 12 and Open’s Android 15 Beta 2 update is now available

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OnePlus 12 and Open’s Android 15 Beta 2 update is now available
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Google talked a lot about the latest iteration of Android at this year’s I/O event in May. At the same time, the search titan also released the Android 15 beta 2 update for the Pixels. Notably, soon after Google’s announcement, OnePlus became the first OEM to release Android 15 beta builds for its devices.

OnePlus released the Android 15 beta 1 update for the OnePlus 12 and the Open flagship smartphones in mid-May. Now, both the latest OnePlus handsets have been treated to the Android 15 beta 2 update. The update is released for the beta testers starting today.

The OnePlus 12 and Open’s Android 15 beta 2 update brings several bug fixes and improvements

The OnePlus 12 and the Open’s Android 15 beta 2 updates have many bug fixes and improvements. The new update fixes compatibility issues with some third-party applications, apart from improving the system’s stability and performance. The firmware fixes an error that causes the Auto Pixlate function to fail during screenshot preview.

There’s one specific bug fix for the OnePlus Open, which was causing some problems in the split-screen mode on the primary screen.

The update also fixes multiple connection and camera-related bugs

Furthermore, the Android 15 beta 2 update for the latest OnePlus flagships fixes various connection and camera-related bugs. As per the changelog, the new firmware fixes Bluetooth compatibility problems in “specific scenarios”. The issues with the Multi-Screen Connection features when connecting with a PC or tablet are also fixed. There also are fixes for the personal hotspot settings.

The new beta update fixes some issues with the camera app in “specific scenarios”. In addition, the Smart Image Matting feature’s failure in certain situations has also been fixed. The complete changelog of the latest Android 15 beta version is available on the OnePlus Community forums.

It’s worth mentioning that the Android 15 beta 2 update has multiple bug fixes, but it’s still not daily driver-ready. However, if you still want to test out the latest Android version on your OnePlus 12 or Open, then follow the instructions on the community forums.


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We have new information on OnePlus’ new affordable earbuds

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We have new information on OnePlus’ new affordable earbuds
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OnePlus has been making premium devices since it hit the scene, but it also has a line of affordable products under its Nord series. The company has its Nord Buds line of affordable earbuds, and we just got some information about its next earbuds. Thanks to 91Mobiles, we know that the OnePlus Nord Buds 3r just received an official certification.

Speaking of OnePlus devices, the company just launched the new OnePlus Pad 2. This is the latest tablet from the company. It’s OnePlus’ most powerful tablet to date, using the powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC. It comes with up to 16GB of RAM, a 3K display (3000 x 2120), and up to 900 nits of peak brightness. It’s currently available in China starting at ¥2899 (~$398) for the 8GB/128GB variant. The maxed-out 16GB/512GB variant costs ¥3799 (~$522).

The OnePlus Nord Buds 3r gained official certification

One of the best ways to confirm a device is to check for certification. Different countries have their own entities that certify devices before they can be sold on their soil. The U.S. has the FCC (Federal Communications Commission), India has the BIS (Bureau of Indian Standards), and so on. Well, Canada has the REL (Radio Equipment List).

The OnePlus Nord Buds 3r has been added to that very list. Certification listings like these don’t come with a ton of information about the device’s specs, and that’s the case with this REL listing. What we do know is the device’s model number. It’s E511A, and the FCC listing of the case shows us that the model numbers 112570 and 761832-B1.

OnePlus Nord Buds 3r REL Canada

The listings don’t really give us much information about this device. However, they did give us some battery information. Each bud will house a 58mAh battery. That’s a 61% increase over the batteries in the OnePlus Nord Buds 2r (36mAh). However, the battery in the case will see a slight decrease. It will pack a 440mAh battery. The case in the Nord Buds 2r had a 480mAh battery.

Right now, we’re still waiting for more information about these earbuds to come out. Hopefully, OnePlus will bring improvement to give them good audio quality. The Nord series is known for bringing high-quality devices at an affordable price.


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WhatsApp is widely rolling out an event feature for group chats

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WhatsApp is widely rolling out an event feature for group chats
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Image credit — PhoneArena
WhatsApp is expanding its new event feature beyond communities and making it available to all group chats. This means that anyone can easily create and manage events within their group chats. Whether it’s an online meeting or a social gathering, this feature makes organizing and coordinating events much simpler.Previously, the event feature was limited to communities. However, with the latest WhatsApp beta for Android update (2.24.14.9), now available on the Google Play Store, we see that WhatsApp is rolling out the feature to all group chats.

Event planning option available within a regular group chat | Image credit — WABetaInfo

Now, even in regular group chats that are not part of any community, you can create events. This feature allows users to enter event details such as name, description, date, location (if applicable), and whether a voice or video call is required. Once the event is created, members of the group chat can see the invitation and accept it. The event creator can also update the event details whenever needed. Importantly, these events are end-to-end encrypted, so only the participants in the conversation can see the event details and any communications about it.The wider rollout of the event feature to the stable release means that more people can try it out in their regular group chats. WhatsApp seems committed to improving the user experience of group chats and is developing additional features for future updates. These may include things like event reminders and the option to set cover photos for group chats. These enhancements aim to make event management smoother and help people identify group chats more easily.

This new event feature for group chats is currently available to some users who have installed the latest WhatsApp beta for Android updates from the Google Play Store. It is expected to roll out to more people in the coming days.


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TEMU sued for being “dangerous malware” by Arkansas Attorney General

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TEMU sued for being “dangerous malware” by Arkansas Attorney General
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Chinese online shopping giant Temu is facing a lawsuit filed by State of Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin, alleging that the retailer’s mobile app spies on users.

“Temu purports to be an online shopping platform, but it is dangerous malware, surreptitiously granting itself access to virtually all data on a user’s cellphone.”

Temu quickly denied the allegations.

In speaking with the outlet Ars Technica, a Temu spokesperson said “the allegations in the lawsuit are based on misinformation circulated online, primarily from a short-seller, and are totally unfounded.”

According to Baclinko statistics, Temu was the most downloaded shopping app worldwide in 2023, with 337.2 million downloads, 1.8x more than Amazon Shopping, and according to TechCrunch, Temu was the most downloaded free iPhone app in the US for 2023.

Temu is most popular today likely for its exceedingly low prices (a brief scan of its website shows a shoulder-sling backpack being sold for $2.97, and a broom-and-dust–pan combo for $12.47). How those low prices are achieved has been a mystery for some onlookers, but current theories include:

  • Temu relies on the de minimis exception to ship goods directly to U.S. customers for a low price. A shipment below the de minimis value of $800 isn’t inspected or taxed by US Customs.
  • The online webshop pressures manufacturers to lower their prices even further to appease discount-seeking customers, leaving those manufacturers with little to no profit in return.
  • Most items sold on Temu are unbranded and manufactured en masse by manufacturers in China. Almost every tech product on Temu is a knockoff or “dupe” of a real, brand-name product.

But according to reporting last year from Wired, Temu’s low prices are easy to decipher—Temu itself is losing millions of dollars to break into the US market.

“An analysis of the company’s supply chain costs by WIRED—confirmed by a company insider—shows that Temu is losing an average of $30 per order as it throws money at trying to break into the American market.”

Attorney General Griffin seems determined that Temu baits users with misleading promises of discounted, quality goods and adds addictive features like wheels of fortune to keep users engaged to the app.

He called Temu “functionally malware and spyware,” adding that the app was “purposefully designed to gain unrestricted access to a user’s phone operating system.”

The lawsuit claims that Temu’s app can sneakily access “a user’s camera, specific location, contacts, text messages, documents, and other applications.” Further, the lawsuit alleges that Temu is capable of recompiling itself, changing properties, and overriding the data privacy settings set by the user. If true, this would make it almost impossible to detect, even by “sophisticated” users, the lawsuit said.

Some may suspect that this is another attempt to ban an app hailing from a “foreign adversarial country” like TikTok, but Attorney General Griffin is very clear about his reasons.

“Temu is not an online marketplace like Amazon or Walmart. It is a data-theft business that sells goods online as a means to an end.”

We don’t just report on phone security—we provide it

Cybersecurity risks should never spread beyond a headline. Keep threats off your mobile devices by downloading Malwarebytes for iOS, and Malwarebytes for Android today.


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