Apple faces intense WWDC pressure; Elon Musk deletes post about Trump; Chinese hackers aim for U.S. smartphones
Apple faces intense WWDC pressure
Apple is set to host its annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) tonight at Silicon Valley. While the event is largely aimed at developers, the iPhone-maker generally puts out a slew of announcements and launch updates about its operating systems, device upgrades, AI enhancements, and more. However, this year will see Apple presenting its annual event under significantly more pressure, as it faces customer anger and sharp questions over the delayed deployment of all the Apple Intelligence features it promised. The elephant in the room will be Apple's inability to release the AI-enhanced Siri assistant as previously promised, and the disappointment of Apple iPhone 16 buyers who purchased the phone in order to access this.
Analysts have predicted this year's WWDC could see Apple attempting to rebuild its damaged credibility or possibly focusing on more standard updates regarding its OS. Others are expecting possible announcements about Apple integrating Google's Gemini, Perplexity, or chatbots from other companies.
Elon Musk deletes post about Trump
Elon Musk has deleted a post on his platform X (formerly Twitter) where he had accused U.S. President Donald Trump of being named in the Epstein Files. This referred to U.S. government files related to allies of Jeffrey Epstein, who died by suicide in 2019 while facing sex trafficking charges. Musk had posted the claim on X during a highly-public feud with Trump over the latter's controversial spending bill. The post garnered millions of views and ignited a range of reactions across the political spectrum, as Musk claimed that Trump's alleged inclusion in the list was the reason it had not been made public.
However, Musk deleted the posts over the weekend. He and Trump continued to criticise each other from their respective social media platforms; Trump is an avid user and endorser of the right-wing Truth Social. The digital fight between the two billionaires also served to bring curious and amused viewers to X, with views and activity levels reportedly spiking as high-profile insults were hurled.
Chinese hackers aim for U.S. smartphones
While cybersecurity experts warn about digital attacks against the topmost layers of the U.S. government and military, one major vulnerability that is often left out of discussions is a user's everyday smartphone. In order to gain access to a victim's calls and communications, hackers no longer need to dupe users into clicking a link. Instead, Chinese hackers are reportedly targeting the smartphones of high-profile U.S. users in order to carry out espionage operations, according to multiple cybersecurity experts.
Chinese hackers have also tried to compromise phones used by U.S. President Donald Trump and JD Vance during their 2024 campaign. Just months ago, U.S. authorities warned that a large-scale Chinese hacking campaign was trying to gain access to the texts/phone conversations of an unknown number of U.S.-based users.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
33 minutes ago
- Time of India
Chinese beauty brands explore foreign M&A to spur growth
HighlightsProya Cosmetics aims to join the ranks of the top ten global beauty brands within the next decade, targeting annual revenue of at least 50 billion yuan ($7 billion) through acquisitions of established European brands. Chinese beauty companies such as S'Young and Ushopal are actively pursuing international acquisitions, having already expanded their portfolios with well-known foreign skincare and fragrance brands. Experts warn that while global acquisitions can diversify revenue streams for Chinese beauty firms, challenges remain in successfully managing and localizing foreign brands after acquisition. Some of China's top beauty brands such as Proya and S'Young are exploring acquisitions of smaller foreign rivals to expand their portfolios and replicate the success of global leaders like L'Oreal or Estee Lauder amid slowing growth at home. While still relatively unknown internationally, these Chinese brands have found significant domestic success, even capturing market share from global players. But a prolonged property crisis and concerns about wage growth and employment security have dampened consumer spending in China - posing new challenges to their continued growth. Proya Cosmetics ' founder, Hou Juncheng, said last month that the company's 10-year plan aims to position the firm among the top ten globally, a goal that would require an annual revenue of at least 50 billion yuan ($7 billion). To do so, the Hangzhou-based Proya plans "to acquire some European brands with history and technology", local media reports cited Hou as telling shareholders at a meeting. Proya, which specialises in science-backed skincare at mass market price points, became the first Chinese beauty player to surpass 10 billion yuan in annual revenue in 2024. In comparison, Japan's Shiseido, currently ranked tenth globally, raked in $6.9 billion and market leader L'Oreal generated over $45 billion in revenue last year. S'Young and Ushopal , two prominent Chinese beauty groups, have already made strides in international acquisitions. S'Young owns French skincare brand Evidens de Beaute and U.S.-brand ReVive, while Ushopal added French brand Payot to a portfolio that includes British skincare label ARgENTUM and French fragrance Juliette has a gun. William Lau, a partner at Ushopal, said the company plans to acquire one to two new brands annually. Analysts say buying foreign brands can help Chinese beauty firms diversify revenue streams and reduce reliance on the domestic market, but they also note that some similar efforts by Chinese fashion groups had missed expectations in the past. The beauty and personal care market is projected to generate a revenue of $677.19 billion globally in 2025, versus $41.78 billion in China, German data provider Statista estimates. Chinese brands are likely to target premium-positioned European skincare, fragrance or haircare brands with valuations under $500 million, said Gregoire Grandchamp, co-founder of Next Beauty China, who has advised Chinese groups on global deals. "In coming years, there will be a big Chinese company that will be the Chinese L'Oreal, Estee Lauder, Shiseido, or Amorepacific," Grandchamp predicted. GLOBAL M&A 'VERY DIFFICULT' Acquisitions have long been a growth strategy for beauty giants. L'Oreal's $2.5 billion purchase of Australian brand Aesop in 2023 added a premium, natural cosmetics brand to its portfolio, while Estee Lauder's $2.8 billion acquisition of Tom Ford in 2022 helped boost its array of high-end perfumes. Chinese beauty brands aim to borrow from this M&A playbook, but there are concerns about their ability to operate brands outside their home turf. In the fashion space, state-owned textile giant Ruyi once made headlines for snapping up foreign brands and touting its ambition to become "China's LVMH" only to see those international deals unwound by creditors in a few short years. But Ushopal's Lau says these challenges are not unique to Chinese groups, citing examples like Shiseido's buyout of Drunk Elephant to L'Oreal's purchase of some Chinese brands that struggled to meet expectations. "Global acquisitions are very difficult" in general and part of the problem is that companies often try to localise brands too quickly after a deal, he said. "One of the reasons you buy a brand is because it's an amazing brand, so if you then redo the entire DNA of the brand, what's the point of buying it?" he added. Mark Tanner, founder and managing director of Shanghai-based marketing and research agency China Skinny, said: "Opening doors to the Chinese market and capital injections, rather than a wholesale management takeover" are more likely to succeed.
Time of India
36 minutes ago
- Time of India
Elon Musk backs JD Vance — and Trump's not happy: Michael Wolff says the President is paranoid
Elon Musk backs JD Vance — and Trump's not happy: Michael Wolff says the President is paranoid: The story of Elon Musk backing JD Vance has taken a serious turn — and President Donald Trump isn't pleased. According to veteran political author Michael Wolff, the President is growing paranoid, even suspicious, of his own Vice President. With Trump currently in the White House and Vance just one heartbeat away, this isn't just political gossip — it's a sign of real tension at the top. Why is Trump worried about Elon Musk supporting his own VP, JD Vance? In a report published by Raw Story, journalist Michael Wolff revealed that President Trump is becoming increasingly anxious about Elon Musk's influence — and the way it's shaping JD Vance's political identity. Elon Musk, the billionaire CEO of Tesla and X (formerly Twitter), has reportedly suggested that Vance would make a better president than Trump himself. In private, Musk has allegedly encouraged key donors and Silicon Valley insiders to look to Vance as a long-term successor. That idea, according to Wolff, has deeply unsettled Trump. Even though Vance is his running mate and now serves as Vice President of the United States, Trump is said to see him as 'too close to Musk' and a potential rival rather than a loyal partner. Is Trump's fear of being replaced by Vance real or just political paranoia? Wolff says the fear is real — and growing. 'He's always been paranoid, but this is different,' Wolff told Raw Story. 'Trump sees Musk's money, his power on social media, and the way he talks about Vance — and he's starting to think there's a plot.' Live Events Wolff claims Trump is even considering 'loyalty tests' for his vice president, privately questioning whether Vance is more committed to the MAGA movement or to Musk's vision of tech-backed nationalism. The timing matters here. We're deep into 2025, with Trump now in his second term, and Vance being groomed by many on the right as the future of the Republican Party. That kind of speculation — especially when amplified by Musk — is enough to trigger Trump's deep political insecurities. How has JD Vance responded to Trump's growing suspicion? Vice President JD Vance has publicly downplayed the rift, but his words reveal the pressure he's under. In a recent interview, Vance said, 'I'm the vice president to President Trump. My loyalties are always going to be with the president.' He also called Musk's recent comments a 'huge mistake' that stirred up unnecessary division. Vance has spent the past year carefully balancing his loyalty to Trump with his appeal to younger conservatives and Silicon Valley influencers. That balancing act has worked — until now. As Musk continues to throw subtle shade at Trump and hint at a post-Trump GOP, Vance is increasingly caught in the middle. Behind closed doors, some Republican insiders say Vance is being advised to 'stay in his lane' — not to appear too ambitious, not to align too closely with Musk, and definitely not to outshine the president. But that's easier said than done when Musk has nearly 200 million followers on X and regularly fuels speculation about Vance's future. What role did the Epstein post play in escalating the drama? Things really boiled over when Musk posted — and then deleted — a message on X hinting that Trump's name might be found in Jeffrey Epstein's court records. No evidence was provided, and Musk has since gone silent on the matter. But the damage was done. Wolff said this was the moment that sent Trump over the edge. 'That was a silver bullet. Even if there's nothing there, just the suggestion of it reactivates all of Trump's worst fears.' The deleted post was widely screenshotted and shared across social media, giving critics of Trump a new narrative — and giving Musk's feud with the president a deeply personal edge.
Mint
39 minutes ago
- Mint
Android 16 begins rollout on 11 June: Eligible devices and what to expect
Google is set to begin the phased rollout of its latest mobile operating system, Android 16, on Wednesday, 11 June. The update will initially be available to select Pixel devices as an over-the-air (OTA) software update, with broader availability expected in the coming weeks. Unlike previous years, the tech giant is introducing the stable version of Android 16 earlier than usual, hinting at a renewed focus on improving its release cycle. Although the update marks the official launch of Android 16, most of its headline features — including a redesigned interface and advanced battery health tools — will not be part of the initial version and are scheduled to arrive later through the Android 16 QPR1 (Quarterly Platform Release 1) update. The announcement was confirmed by the official Android Developers account on social media platform X. While Google has confirmed the 11 June release date, no specific rollout time has been disclosed. As with previous Android releases, the update is expected to reach users in stages depending on region and device eligibility, due to global time zone variations. The update is being rolled out first to compatible Pixel smartphones. Google's own devices are usually the first to receive Android updates, with other brands pushing the update later after integrating their respective user interfaces or skins. Confirmed devices expected to receive the update include: Pixel 6, 6 Pro, 6a Pixel 7, 7 Pro Pixel 8, 8 Pro, 8a Pixel Fold, Pixel Tablet Pixel 9, 9 Pro, 9 Pro XL, 9 Pro Fold Pixel 9a S Series: Galaxy S22, S23, S24, S25 Z Series: Fold 4/5/6, Flip 4/5/6 A Series: A24–A26, A34–A36, A54–A56, A73 M Series: M34–M36, M54–M56 F Series: F34, F54, F55 Xiaomi 13, 14, 15 Redmi 12, 13 Redmi Note 13, 14 Redmi K70 OnePlus 11, 12, 13 Nord 3, Nord CE 4, Nord CE 4 Lite Edge 40, 50, 60 Razr 50, 60 G45, G85 While the initial update may not bring sweeping changes, significant enhancements are expected in the coming months with the QPR1 update. One of the standout upgrades could be the Material 3 Expressive interface — a refined take on Google's dynamic design language. This new version will likely feature adaptive colours, smoother animations, and enhanced haptic feedback, offering a more intuitive and responsive user experience. Quick Settings will likely see a design refresh. The brightness slider could be reimagined with a rectangular shape, and tiles may be resized and grouped into categories. A new reset option for quick toggles is believed to be in development. Live Activities, a feature designed for real-time updates, such as tracking sports scores or deliveries, is anticipated to be integrated into the lock screen, status bar, and notification panel.
