Dane Burkholder: Serving Athletes and Building Trust Through Education
"We never approach these relationships talking money management first," says the managing partner of Roseville Wealth Management. "We approach it with behavioral finance, building out a game plan, understanding the options and providing education."
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News.com.au
2 hours ago
- News.com.au
Apple Executives Defend Apple Intelligence, Siri and AI Strategy
Apple's AI rollout has been rocky, from Siri delays to underwhelming Apple Intelligence features. WSJ's Joanna Stern sits down with software chief Craig Federighi and marketing head Greg Joswiak to talk about the future of AI at Apple—and what the heck happened to that smarter Siri.
The Australian
3 hours ago
- The Australian
WWDC 2025 Apple's new CarPlay Features: what it means for Australian drivers
Apple has upped the ante in the $US1.5 trillion ($2.3 trillion) battle to control the dashboard, updating its CarPlay offering to extend beyond an infotainment system to change the way people drive. CarPlay allows people to mirror their iPhone on their vehicle's dashboard screens to play music, access maps, receive text messages and make phone calls. Apple says motorists use the software 600 million times a day. At its annual Worldwide Developer's Conference in Cupertino, Apple revealed an updated version that can support widgets and live activities, allowing drivers to track real time activities such as a friend's flight status or track an online delivery. People can also add their car keys to Apple's Wallet app so they can lock or unlock their vehicles using an iPhone with compatible cars. CarPlay will feature the sweeping changes to Apple's operating systems, including its new 'liquid glass' that can make icons and menus appear translucent. While the changes aren't as big as CarPlay Ultra - which Apple announced last month and is so far only available on Aston Martin vehicles - Apple director of car experience engineering, Emily Schubert, said it would make driving safer. 'We have added new features to help keep you connected while driving, like a compact design so when you get a call, you can still see what's on the screen like your upcoming directions, tap backs and pinned conversations and messages,' Ms Schubert said. 'iOS 26 also gives you widgets in CarPlay. They're quick and glanceable ways to get information which is perfect while driving, as well as live activities, so you can stay on top of what's important to you. All that in a way to help you stay focused on the road.' Ms Schubert said the same widgets that developers have built for iPhone work in CarPlay to create a 'consistent and more unified experience' Apple chief executive Tim Cook is overseeing a strategy to change the way people drive. CarPlay Ultra takes that a step further, allowing people to control key car functions via the software like adjusting climate control and seats, while displaying the full instrument cluster, including speedometer, tachometer, and fuel and temperature gauges. While Ultra is only available on Aston Martins, Ms Schubert said it will be launched across other marques soon. 'This is just the start of the CarPlay Ultra journey, with many more brands around the world working to bring this experience to market. 'We're so excited to work with different automakers, combining their unique look and feel as well as vehicle features with the power of iPhone.' At its developer conference, Apple said its operating system updates will also enable iPhones to learn people's preferred routes and offer them in Maps automatically. Apple services software engineering manager Kathy Lin said if there are significant delays, Maps will display alternate route options, 'even if you didn't start directions'. 'So if you have that important meeting, you won't be late due to an unexpected slowdown,' she said. The battle to control car dashboard screens has intensified in the past three years. There are billions of dollars at stake, with some market analysts expecting digital service revenues could hit $US1.5 trillion globally by 2030. The battle centres on digital subscription services. Tesla boss Elon Musk said in 2023 that 'technically we could sell for zero profit for now and then yield actually tremendous economics in the future through autonomy' and other subscription services. While auto makers have partnered with Apple or Google to offer more intuitive infotainment systems, others have pushed back to offer their own. General Motors has phased out Apple and Google from many of its new electric vehicle models last year in favour of developing its own software, so it could generate more revenue from drivers. Others, including Mercedes-Benz and Aston Martin, say partnering with tech companies allows them to focus more on making better cars. Aston Martin chief executive said: 'The integration of CarPlay Ultra is a clear example of the dedication to collaborate with the best companies in the world to bring unique experiences and in-vehicle capabilities to our customers'. 'Building on our in-house state-of-the-art infotainment system, CarPlay Ultra will provide additional functionality and personalisation opportunities, which place Aston Martin at the forefront of infotainment in the sector.' The author travelled to Cupertino as a guest of Apple. Jared Lynch Technology Editor Jared Lynch is The Australian's Technology Editor, with a career spanning two decades. Jared is based in Melbourne and has extensive experience in markets, start-ups, media and corporate affairs. His work has gained recognition as a finalist in the Walkley and Quill awards. Previously, he worked at The Australian Financial Review, The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age. @jaredm_lynch
News.com.au
3 hours ago
- News.com.au
Biocurious: Clever Culture Systems has a lot on its ‘plate' as it revolutionises quality control in drug making
Clever Culture's AI-enabled APAS Independence device automates the arduous process of agar plate reading at large drug facilities Having attracted Astrazeneca as a foundation client, the company is talking to at least 14 more Big Pharma players The company will expand APAS usage from so-called 'settled' agar plates to 'contact' plates Reports of big pharmaceutical companies expanding their manufacturing footprint are music to the ears of Clever Culture Systems' (ASX:CC5) CEO Brent Barnes. That's because the agar plate reading device maker's business is leveraged to Big Pharma's drug making volumes, at ultra-clean 'aseptic' facilities. 'There are many examples of pharmaceutical companies investing hundreds and millions of dollars in greenfield facilities or expanding and modernising existing ones,' he says. Not surprisingly the activity centres in the US, given Donald Trump's decree of a yet-to-be quantified tariff on offshore drugs. But much of the activity precedes the Trumpian Era Mark Two. For instance, Novo Nordisk is investing more than US$4 billion on a new facility in Clayton, North Carolina. The site will produce Novo's obesity and diabetes drugs Wegovy and Ozempic. 'It's a great industry to be in, because potentially there will be a huge shortage of capacity,' Barnes says. A clean room is a joyful room Barnes' joy has been sparked by the Adelaide-based Clever Culture's role in ensuring the aseptic facilities are kept cleaner than a rumpus room after a Marie Kondo blitz. In this case, 'clean' means free of pathogens rather than clutter. The company's AI-enabled device APAS Independence automatically reads the hundreds of agar plates required to ensure such quality control. Short for 'Automated Plate Assessment System', APAS can manage 200 plates per hour without a tea break or whingeing. The facilities need to install and read culture plates as part of mandated environmental monitoring processes. Now, the microbiologists can focus only on the plates that read positive. 'The plate is clean 99% of the time but if there are bacteria the process can flag a quality event that could halt production,' Barnes say. 'The results are critical in terms of releasing drugs that are safe and effective.' The US Food and Drug Administration approved APAS Independence in May 2019 and European regulators followed suit in September 2021. Strategy U-turn gains traction Formerly known as LBT and then LBT Innovations, Clever Culture focused initially on the clinical microbiology market: hospitals and pathology labs. But the company discovered that while the tech was proven, these potential clients viewed the device as a 'nice to have' rather than a 'must have'. Clever Culture turned to the Big Pharma market, attracting Astrazeneca as a cornerstone customer. Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS) followed suit. Customers use the units - made in Melbourne by the renowned contract manufacturer by Planet Innovation - in the US, Singapore, China, the UK, Sweden and locally. 'We are focused on the largest pharmaceutical companies,' Barnes says. 'We do that by getting into their 'centre of excellence' facilities – every pharma has one – in the expectation the client will standardise APAS across all its facilities.' Tests by the plateload The quality control process involves 90 millimetre 'settled' plates being left open, to absorb any pathogens in the room. The plates are then sealed and removed every four hours, to be read after a five-day incubation period. A large facility will produce a steady stream of hundreds of plates. The rooms also use a second type of agar test – a 'contact' plate about 55-60mm in diameter. Assistants dab the plate's contents on to surfaces, such as a gown or gloved fingertips. The plates are cultured and read in a similar way to the settled plates. APAS simply doesn't do false negatives – if a bacterial colony is present, the algo will detect it 100% of the time. But there's more leeway with false positives. As a result, about 10% of plates are checked by two real-life microbiologists. Expanding the market To date, the APAS units have only been able to process the settled plates. But Clever Culture is tweaking the physical configuration of the units – as well as the algos – to process these smaller plates. The company aims for a mid-year launch. Given quality control is split roughly half between settled and contact plates, catering for the latter would seem to double the market for APAS. It doesn't quite work like that: the contact plate modality is more about enabling clients to automate 100% of their plate reading. Thus, Clever Culture hopes the device will appeal to smaller customers who otherwise could not justify the cost. 'It's great value add for the customer because they only invest once in the hardware, which can now operate both types of plates,' Barnes says. Clever Culture is also mulling a cheaper desktop version, APAS Compact, which similarly would expand the market to the smaller facilities. Revenue model Clever Culture currently has 13 APAS devices in the field, having launched the units last year. Astrazeneca accounts for nine of them, having started with one. BMS started with one site – its centre of excellence – and now has expanded usage to a second facility under a 'sequential rollout'. Barnes says the company is holding discussions with 14 of the 40 biggest pharma companies. One of them is completing an expanded 6000 plate evaluation, potentially enabling Clever Culture to hold procurement discussions directly with the manufacturing sites. More broadly the company cites a 'pipeline' of 40 customers, representing upfront revenue of about $75 million and $15 million of recurring revenue. The APAS units sells for US$350,000, but Clever Culture then derives ongoing income from an annual software licence of US$30,000 (rising to US$50,000 with the contact plate modality). There's also an annual hardware maintenance fee of $US15,000-25,000. In the black Clever Culture reported $500,000 of net cash inflows in the March (third) quarter, its second successive quarter in the black. The company recorded receipts of $2.3 million, $2 million attributable to sales to Astrazenca. The board expects the company to have 'breakeven or better' cashflow in the current half. Clever Culture ended the quarter with cash of $2.2 million. The company expects to bank $3.6 million of outstanding receivables in the current half. 'We don't need to raise capital to keep the lights on,' Barnes says. Furthermore, the company has issued in-the-money options, exercisable at 0.8 cents by November this year. This compares with yesterday's close of 1.8 cents. If investors exercise all of them - a reasonable assumption - they would generate other $3.2 million. Clever Culture has earmarked $1 million to pay off a $1 million, low-interest loan from the South Australian Government. But some of the funds could support developing APAS Compact. Leveraging a decade's work 'This company has completely turned around over the last 12 months because of its successful launch into pharma,' Barnes says. Since the then LBT listed in mid 2006, the company has spent at least $60 million developing APAS. The company's initial misstep into the laboratory sector shows that even if a device is clinically validated, the market needs compelling cost reasons to switch. 'Infectious diseases are not usually life threatening, so a delay in getting a result back or mistake is simply inconvenient,' Barnes says. 'They may pay microbiologists overtime to repeat the test, but there are no real consequences.' It's a different story for aseptic drug production at a massive scale. 'The consequence of getting it wrong literally is life-threatening,' Barnes says. 'The cost of a product recall and the reputation damage would be in the hundreds of millions. 'In the worst-case scenario, a patient could die.'
