Apple Plans AI Comeback With Tabletop Robots, Life-Like Version Of Siri
A tabletop robot that serves as a virtual companion, targeted for 2027, is the centerpiece of the AI strategy, according to people with knowledge of the matter. The smart speaker with a display, meanwhile, is slated to arrive next year, part of a push into entry-level smart-home products.
Home security is seen as another big growth opportunity. New cameras will anchor an Apple security system that can automate household functions. The approach should help make Apple's product ecosystem stickier with consumers, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the initiatives haven't been announced.
Apple shares climbed to a session high on Wednesday after Bloomberg News reported on the plans. The stock was up nearly 2% to $233.70 as of 2:17 pm in New York.
Tim Cook is banking on an ambitious product road map to help get the company's AI effort on track.
It's all part of an effort to restore Apple's mojo. Its most recent moon-shot project, the Vision Pro headset, remains a sales flop, and the design of its bestselling devices has remained largely unchanged for years.
At the same time, Apple has come under fire for missing the generative AI revolution. And OpenAI may even threaten the company's home turf by developing new AI-driven devices with the help of former Apple design chief Jony Ive.
Though Apple is still in the early stages of turning around its AI software, executives see the pipeline of hardware as a key piece of its resurgence - helping it challenge Samsung Electronics Co, Meta Platforms Inc, and others in new categories.
A spokesperson for Cupertino, California-based Apple, declined to comment. Because the products haven't been announced, the company's plans could still change or be scrapped. Many of the initiatives and their timelines rely on Apple's continued progress in AI-powered software.
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Time of India
39 minutes ago
- Time of India
How a $30 million crypto pardon scheme failed even before it got to Trump
Live Events (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel The audacious plan crystallized over a lobster dinner in Puerto Rico. That's where a self-styled connector for the MAGA era says he and a child actor-turned-crypto enthusiast hatched an idea to secure a presidential pardon for Bitcoin booster Roger Ver and make millions for themselves in the men, Matt Argall and Brock Pierce, had only tenuous ties to the entrepreneur known as Bitcoin Jesus, but they knew he was angling for a grant of clemency from President Donald Trump , who had just been elected to a second term. Most importantly, the pair suspected Ver was a billionaire, and figured that if all went accordingly, he'd be willing to pay $30 million for their Argall reached out to Ver, who was under indictment for tax evasion, offering to assemble a group of people with strong connections to Washington insiders who could help push the administration for a pardon. He proposed Ver wire $10 million to a trustee account to set the process in motion and cough up an additional $20 million success fee for him and his associates once the pardon came through, according to communications reviewed by Bloomberg News and confirmed by people with direct knowledge of the unclear whether Argall and his associates had genuine connections to people with power, much less the clout to persuade them that Ver's pardon was a worthy cause. The White House denied any knowledge of the the episode shows how people on the periphery of the MAGA movement are touting supposed ties to Trump and other administration officials to try to persuade white-collar defendants to fork over money. Those pitchmen, promising to try to get the cases in front of the White House, are increasingly seeking to cash in on the clemency business, a space once largely populated by pro-bono the fee proposed to Ver is at the higher end of the scale, other lobbyists, lawyers and consultants are offering more a la carte options to potential clients; a $5,000 finder's fee to be put in touch with someone who knows someone or $1 million to prepare an application that is intended to appeal to Trump's grievances about overzealous a series of communications over encrypted networks earlier this year, Argall and Pierce formulated a plan for Ver. At times, other potential participants with conservative credentials and clemency track records were brought into the discussion. Those people have since denied playing any significant role in the game plan, according to people familiar with the pitch and a review of communications, went something like this: Try to convince as many MAGA influencers as possible of the merits of Ver's cause, present Ver as someone who was treated unfairly, and leverage purported relationships with senior White House officials to get the case in front of House spokesman Harrison Fields said all pardon applications are thoroughly reviewed by the pardon czar and White House counsel's office.'The pardon process is a serious one, and outside grifters trying to make a big buck by overstating access to the White House will realize that soon enough,' he said. 'The president, after consulting with his senior advisers, will have the final say on pardons.'Ver had a reputation as one of cryptocurrency 's most effective promoters when the industry was still in its infancy. Last year, he was charged with tax evasion and mail fraud, accused of hiding gains from selling $240 million in has since asked a judge to dismiss the criminal indictment against him, arguing he followed a lawyer's advice about tax obligations when he relinquished his citizenship and moved to Saint Kitts and Nevis in 2014. A media representative for Ver didn't respond to requests for the 2024 presidential election, Ver joined a chorus of prosecuted crypto investors angling for relief from Trump. He used social media to build a pardon campaign and sat down for interviews with conservative commentators to discuss his battle with US play was further spotlighted in May when the Wall Street Journal reported that associates of the crypto investor had offered $5 million to $10 million to lobbyists to try to secure him a pardon. Ver's attorney David Schoen said that no one intended to pay for a pardon for this year, Argall began reaching out to Ver, offering to advocate for his freedom. An associate described him as a dealmaker. Argall told people he has helped companies secure lucrative government contracts, according to communications reviewed by previously ran call centers near Tampa, Florida, selling health supplements like African mangoes and açaí, with one client describing him in a LinkedIn post as a guy with a bleached Mohawk who could sell anything to his LinkedIn profile photo featured him with Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Argall, whose email signature reads 'from the desk of Lord Argall,' didn't appear to have any clear connections to Trump's inner circle. His pitch to Ver leaned heavily on the purported political sway of others.A spokesman for Kennedy didn't respond to requests for the communications reviewed by Bloomberg, Argall said that Ver's situation was brought to his attention by Washington lobbyist Robert Wasinger, who is described on his biography page as one of the first senior members of Trump's 2016 and Ver were first in contact in late 2024 about lobbying for a potential pardon, but the lobbyist wasn't retained, people familiar with the matter said. Wasinger had success in the clemency world before, having helped Republican fundraiser Elliott Broidy secure a pardon during the first Trump administration, according to people with knowledge of the declined to comment through a communications earlier this year with Ver, Argall's friend Pierce — who starred in the Disney film The Mighty Ducks as a child — was involved. One of the co-founders of Tether, Pierce is now chairman of the Bitcoin Foundation and darts between Washington and Puerto Rico, where he bought an old W Hotel that has been at the center of costly one of their interactions in January, Pierce thanked Ver for his contribution to the crypto industry, assuring the indicted investor that he had his back, according to a review of the communications. That same day, Argall posted photographs on Instagram of an ocean sunset and him and Pierce, drinks in some of the communications, Argall suggested that people who would help work on Ver's case had supposed connections to senior officials in Trump's Argall said in an interview, knew Ver from their early crypto days and estimated Ver's net worth was somewhere from $10 billion to $20 billion. Pierce and Argall figured that asking Ver to pay them a $20 million success fee for securing his pardon was more than reasonable, Argall told said in the interview that initially, he thought Ver was serious about engaging him and others to lobby his cause, and that he traveled to Washington on multiple occasions to lay the Ver's attorney, told Bloomberg he believed the people behind the pardon proposal 'were falsely claiming to have high-level contacts.''It is absolutely clear to me that no one in the White House had any part in this process,' Schoen in the interview with Bloomberg, said that he saw himself as a connector. 'This wasn't about me trying to make dough,' he said. 'If I made this happen, since my guys came through, hook me up after.'He said the money could have been used to fund a crypto project. Or maybe he'd just get 'good karma' for helping didn't respond to multiple requests for February, Argall introduced Ver to Washington lawyer Jesse Binnall, who had represented Trump in litigation tied to the Jan. 6, 2021, riots, and touted him as possibly being able to help, according to communications reviewed by outlined his track record advocating conservative causes before mapping out a rough path to securing a presidential pardon. He didn't speak or agree when Argall reiterated the $30 million fee structure to Ver, according to the communications.'Binnall's sole involvement in the Ver matter was limited to a single phone call,' a spokesperson for the Binnall Law Group said. 'He had no role whatsoever in setting, negotiating or pursuing any fee of any amount, nor did he take on the client or have any further involvement in the matter.'By March, the ambitious plot appears to have fizzled out, with an email reviewed by Bloomberg showing Ver ignored follow-up texts and calls from Argall.
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Business Standard
42 minutes ago
- Business Standard
Seafood startup Captain Fresh files for $400 mn India IPO with Sebi
B2B seafood startup Captain Fresh has confidentially filed for an initial public offering (IPO) with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi), seeking to raise $350–400 million. The Tiger Global-backed company aims to expand its technology-driven supply chain platform in the $450 billion global seafood market. The offering is expected to include about $200 million worth of new shares, which could value the company at over $1 billion, according to people familiar with the matter. The filing comes soon after Captain Fresh converted into a public limited entity. Founded in 2020 by Utham Gowda, Captain Fresh has rapidly evolved into a multi-species, multi-origin seafood conglomerate. It is recognised for deploying technology to transform a traditionally fragmented sector. Bengaluru-based Captain Fresh owns global brands such as CenSea and Ocean Garden in the US, Koral in Poland, and Senecrus in France. Its portfolio includes shrimp, salmon, tuna, cephalopods, crab and lobster. Captain Fresh's revenue from operations rose 71 per cent to ₹1,395 crore in FY24 from ₹817 crore in FY23. Net losses narrowed 22 per cent to ₹229 crore from ₹294 crore a year earlier. In early 2025, the firm raised ₹100 crore from Motilal Oswal Group, likely as part of a pre-IPO funding round. Ahead of the listing, it strengthened its leadership team, appointing Mathew George as Group CFO, Jayant Prakash as vice-president of legal and compliance, and Rupali Gupta as Group CHRO. More than 60 per cent of the company's revenue comes from the US, with the rest from Europe, India, the UAE and other markets. Captain Fresh has over 400 employees, half of whom are based outside India. Gowda has emphasised the company's asset-light model as a differentiator. Unlike traditional players, Captain Fresh does not own factories, vessels or farms. Instead, it uses a technology-driven operating system that integrates these assets on a single platform. This allows it to monitor and influence key decisions at partner facilities, giving it control over critical aspects of production. The company counts Accel, Prosus, Matrix Partners (Z47) and Tiger Global among its investors. It has raised $226 million in funding to date, according to Tracxn, and is currently valued at about $541 million.
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Business Standard
42 minutes ago
- Business Standard
Swiggy partners with Bounce to roll out e-scooters for delivery fleet
Bengaluru-based Swiggy on Monday announced a partnership with electric vehicle (EV) company Bounce. The collaboration aims to utilise Bounce's electric scooters for the food delivery major's operations across multiple cities. Saurav Goyal, Senior Vice President, driver and delivery organisation at Swiggy, said, 'This partnership with Bounce is a significant move towards greener and more cost-effective delivery. We aim to scale this partnership across multiple cities in the country in the coming months.' Bounce plans to roll out the e-scooters in the Delhi National Capital Region (NCR) and Bengaluru over the next three months as part of the first phase of deployment, Swiggy said in a release. The electric scooters will be available for purchase on Swiggy's Delivery Partner app, as well as Bounce's mobile app, exclusively for delivery partners, the company added. Swiggy said the initiative will help reduce the carbon footprint of hyperlocal deliveries while lowering operating costs for its delivery partners. It also seeks to make electric mobility more accessible and affordable for thousands of partners across Swiggy and Instamart. The food delivery platform already works with more than 50 EV partners across the country to provide its delivery partners with access to electric vehicles. The new partnership is intended to further strengthen the steady supply of EVs for its fleet. The company plans to expand this partnership to several cities across the country in the coming months. In March this year, Swiggy announced that it aims to transition to a fully electric delivery fleet by 2030, while also promoting sustainable packaging among restaurants. E-commerce majors partnering with EV firms to reduce carbon footprint Last year, Battery Smart, a battery-swapping network for electric two- and three-wheelers, partnered with quick-commerce platform Zepto to provide delivery partners access to more than 1,000 battery-swapping stations. The tie-up will enable Zepto's two-minute battery swaps in over 30 cities and add 10,000 new electric vehicles to its fleet during FY25. Similarly, EV provider BLive expanded its partnership with Zomato in southern India last year. As part of the collaboration, TVS iQube scooters were planned to be deployed for last-mile deliveries in more key cities.
