Apple's fall product launch next month is all but certain to include a new iPhone, and rumors say it could include faster charging.

In 2021, a series of HSBC advertisements started appearing on bus stops around the UK. Part of a

WhatsApp is changing the way billions of users log into the messaging app, ditching passwords and two-factor authentication in favour of quicker and more secure passkeys. The move is part of a major shift within the tech industry to move away from decades-old password technology and replace it with the more modern passkey format, which combines biometric information like fingerprints with a simple numeric code in order to identify people. A similar switch was recently announced by Google, which will introduce passkeys to its apps like Maps, Search and YouTube. WhatsApp’s update will only impact Android users to begin with. “Passkeys are a new way to log back into your account,” said Will Cathcart, who heads WhatsApp. “This is a more secure way of confirming it’s really you – and gives you an added layer of security.” WhatsApp is also rolling out self-destructing voice notes to users as part of new measures to improve privacy on the world’s most popular messaging app. The update is currently only available for beta tester users who have the latest version of WhatsApp installed on their phone or computer, though it is expected to eventually be introduced for all users. With more than 2.7 billion users worldwide – the majority of which on Android devices – WhatsApp updates typically need to be introduced gradually in order to make sure any potential security bugs do not have a critical impact. The self-destructing audio messages, first spotted by WhatsApp feature tracker Wabetainfo, is compatible with both Android and iOS users, though no date has been given for when a wider roller out might be expected. WhatsApp does not comment on release schedules for feature updates unless they relate to security. “After sending the voice note with view once mode enabled, you won’t be able to listen to it and the recipient can no longer listen to the voice note after dismissing it,” Wabetainfo noted. “This mode effectively minimises the chances of unauthorised access or later listening, providing a new layer of privacy for sensitive and confidential information.” The latest update follows recently added features like ‘Channels’, which allow people to follow celebrities and companies within the app, and a ‘Create’ button that gives users the ability to make custom art on the platform. The Create feature brings generative artificial intelligence to WhatsApp for the first time, and means users do not require external tools or specific design skills to create the stickers. Instead, the custom stickers can be produced using simple text-based prompts, similar to other AI image generators like Midjourney and OpenAI’s Dall-E. Read More Facebook and Instagram users face monthly fee for ad-free version Meta launches AI chatbots with ‘personalities’ to take on ChatGPT Viral WhatsApp warning of cyberattack targeting Jewish people is fake Amazon trials humanoid robots to see if they can help staff warehouses Tesla’s profits dip as Musk goes on rant about staff working from home

By Echo Wang NEW YORK Arm Holdings Ltd is targeting a valuation between $50 billion to $55 billion

Mark Zuckerberg won gold and silver medals in the Nogi Master 1 and Gi Master 2 White Belt Feather Weight Divisions, respectively

France moved closer to securing a carve-out from the European Union’s plans to massively scale up renewable energy

TL;DR: Udemy hosts a wide range of online AI and ChatGPT courses. You can take

Tristan Tate said, 'It will take them less than 8 seconds to find women from his past to raise criminal charges on him'

A study commissioned by Apple has highlighted the work of its small developers, amid ongoing questions about the future and fairness of the App Store. The research showed that small developers have seen strong growth in their revenues, and that they have outpaced larger developers in finding new customers. Smaller developers – those that earn up to $1 million per year and get fewer than a million annual downloads – saw their revenue increase 71 per cent between 2020 and 2022, according to the research, conducted by Analysis Group. In Europe, revenues among those developers were up 64 per cent. Announcing the results of the study, Apple pointed to the work it has done to support those smaller developers. It highlighted initiatives such as its “Small Business Programme”. That gives those smaller developers a larger proportion of their revenues, with Apple taking less of a cut, in an attempt to encourage independent businesses on the store. Many of Apple’s initiatives come amid an increased focused by regulators on its behaviour in relation to the App Store. Larger companies have accused it of using its control over the iPhone to benefit itself, while smaller ones have complained about the difficulties of finding new customers given the vast number of apps that are available on the store. The new report looked to address that latter belief by pointing to the small developers who were able to flourish on the App Store. As well as seeing an increase in revenues, those smaller developers were going on to become large ones quickly, the study noted – 40 per cent of those earning more than $1 million in 2022 earned less than $10,000 five years ago or were not on the App Store at all. It also looked to show how the global reach of the App Store meant that developers were able to show their app to users in a variety of countries. In 2022, almost 80 per cent of small developers were active on multiple storefronts, and about 40 per cent of total app downloads for those small developers came from users outside of their home country, the research showed. Apple has commissioned a range of studies from the Analysis Group that have examined the nature of the App Store amid that increasing regulatory scrutiny. The latest comes amid particular pressure over the position of the App Store on the iPhone and iPad as the only way to download apps, with some arguing that Apple should allow “sideloading” so that new software can be installed from other sources. Rumours have suggested that Apple could be preparing to allow at least some version of that sideloading in future versions of its iOS operating system, at least partly in response to regulatory pressure in the US and Europe. The company will host its Worldwide Developer Conference early in June, and is expected to make a range of new announcements about the App Store and its software more generally. Ahead of that conference, Apple’s head of developer relations Susan Prescott hailed the importance of having apps “built by everyone” in an interview with The Independent last month. Read More Apple finally launches two professional apps on the iPad Apple announces shock results Tim Cook reveals his thoughts on AI – and Apple’s plans to use it

If you're having trouble finding the hidden chests in Super Mario RPG's Mushroom Kingdom, you've come to the right place.

ByteDance Inc.’s former head of engineering in the US said in a lawsuit he was fired for voicing

When looking for the best way to entertain kids with video, you have no shortage