Big Tech Show: Musk takes swing at Apple, Intel CEO woos Trump and should judges use AI
The conversation began with Elon Musk who announced on Monday that his artificial intelligence startup xAI would take legal action against Apple. Accusing the iPhone maker of breaching antitrust regulations in managing App Store rankings.
You can listen to the full episode here, on the Irish Independent website or wherever you get your podcasts.
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Irish Times
3 hours ago
- Irish Times
Cash not the issue for Government but how to spend it wisely, Ifac boss briefed ahead of committee
The Apple tax windfall, the budgetary impact of migration and value for money in the health service were likely questions flagged to Irish Fiscal Advisory Council (Ifac) chairman Seamus Coffey in briefings by his officials in advance of an Oireachtas appearance. Two Q&A documents were prepared for Mr Coffey in advance of the meeting of the committee on budgetary oversight in early July – one highlighting issues likely to be 'pertinent now' while the other looked at questions that arose 'consistently. 'On what to do with the €13.8 billion Apple tax windfall, a suggested answer for Mr Coffey said to remember the Government 'is not stuck for cash.' It said: '[The State] is stuck for its capacity to spend it on things we all want. There are three broad options – spend it, save it, [or] cut debt.' READ MORE The Q&A said spending it on housing was easier said than done as the biggest issues were 'construction sector capacity and planning bottlenecks' not the availability of cash. If asked about the budgetary implications of migration, the briefing noted there had been 'large increases' in numbers coming to Ireland in recent years. 'This has meant the labour force and employment has been able to grow as rapidly as it has in recent years,' it said, before noting that around €2.1 billion 'has been set aside for humanitarian assistance to refugees this year (€800 million of this is for Ukrainian refugees). 'In terms of future costs, these are uncertain,' the briefing note added. The Q&A said that getting migrants integrated into employment and their own homes would reduce costs for the Government. 'An increased supply of housing would mean some of the more expensive means of accommodation [hotels] may be replaced,' it said. On cost-of-living supports, which have been a big feature of recent budgets, the Ifac briefings said these were now 'likely permanent'. 'There is probably less of a case for once-off measures this winter,' the briefing document said. 'Permanent increases in social welfare could be targeted at specific groups. However, the measures have seldom been targeted.' Mr Coffey was also briefed on employment in construction and whether we needed more people working in that sector. 'Just over 6 per cent of all employment is in the construction sector,' his Q&A document noted, adding that between 2005 and 2007, this had reached over 10 per cent. 'This may have been unsustainable, however,' the briefing added, advising Mr Coffey to 'mention productivity, can we get more output from the same workforce?'. A Q&A on broader questions highlighted the challenges in creating a wealth tax that would be fair, not become an administrative burden, and collect enough money to make it worthwhile. On how to fix repeated overruns in health spending, the briefing said that 'poor budgeting' was a problem but that there was also evidence of 'reduced productivity'. It also explained how Ireland's failure to meet its climate targets carried a very real 'fiscal risk'. The Q&A said the State had already forgone €500 million from carbon credits it was entitled to sell and that costs of noncompliance were in the range of €8 billion and €26 billion. 'While several [EU] member states are projected to fall short, the potential costs are significantly higher for Ireland relative to the size of its economy,' the briefing noted. Asked about the records, Ifac said they had no further comment to make.
Irish Examiner
7 hours ago
- Irish Examiner
IFAC on Apple tax: 'Spend it, save it or cut debt'
Briefings for the Fiscal Advisory Council (IFAC) chair ahead of an Oireachtas appearance flagged likely questions on the Apple tax windfall, the budget impact of migration, and poor value from money in health spending. Two Q&As were prepared for Séamus Coffey as he got ready to appear before a committee on budgetary oversight in early July. One section highlighted issues that were likely to be 'pertinent now' while another looked at questions that arose 'consistently.' On what to do with the €13.8bn Apple tax windfall, a suggested answer for Mr Coffey said to remember the government 'is not stuck for cash.' It said: '[The state] is stuck for its capacity to spend it on things we all want. There are three broad options – spend it, save it, [or] cut debt.' The Q&A said spending it on housing was easier said than done as the biggest issues were 'construction sector capacity and planning bottlenecks' not the availability of cash. If asked about the budgetary implications of migration, the briefing for Mr Coffey said there had been 'large increases' in numbers coming to Ireland in recent years. It said: 'This has meant the labour force and employment has been able to grow as rapidly as it has in recent years. '[Around] €2.1bn has been set aside for humanitarian assistance to refugees this year (€0.8bn of this is for Ukrainian refugees). In terms of future costs, these are uncertain.' The Q&A said that getting migrants integrated into employment and their own homes would reduce costs for the government. 'An increased supply of housing would mean some of the more expensive means of accommodation (hotels] may be replaced,' it said. On cost-of-living supports, which have been a major feature of recent budgets, the IFAC briefings said these cost increases were now 'likely permanent.' The Q&A said: 'There is probably less of a case for once-off measures this winter. Permanent increases in social welfare could be targeted at specific groups. However, the measures have seldom been targeted.' Mr Coffey was also briefed on employment in construction and whether we needed more people working in that sector. 'Just over six per cent of all employment is in the construction sector. Over the period 2005 to 2007, this reached over ten per cent. This may have been unsustainable, however.' The briefing added: 'Mention productivity, can we get more output from the same workforce?' A Q&A on broader questions highlighted the challenges in creating a wealth tax that would be fair, not become an administrative burden, and collect enough money to make it worthwhile. On how to fix repeated overruns in health spending, the briefing said that 'poor budgeting' was a problem but that there was also evidence of 'reduced productivity.' It also explained how Ireland's failure to meet its climate targets carried a very real 'fiscal risk.' The Q&A said the country had already foregone €500m from carbon credits it was entitled to sell and that costs of non-compliance were in the range of €8bn and €26bn. The document said: 'While several [EU] member states are projected to fall short, the potential costs are significantly higher for Ireland relative to the size of its economy.' Asked about the records, IFAC said they had no further comment to make.
The Irish Sun
9 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
Millions of iPhone owners warned over ‘big drop' in mobile value coming in DAYS with shock fall of up to £300
Read on for the new iPhone 17 features CASHED OUT Millions of iPhone owners warned over 'big drop' in mobile value coming in DAYS with shock fall of up to £300 MILLIONS of iPhone owners are being warned to sell up fast, with experts predicting a shock drop in mobile values of up to £300 in just days. Apple iPhones usually hold their value, meaning you can flog your old one for a tidy sum when it's time to upgrade. Advertisement 4 iPhone owners could see up to £300 wiped off the value of their handsets within days Credit: Reuters 4 Expert warns a 'big drop' in resale prices expected to hit soon Credit: Getty But a top second-hand tech firm has warned prices could plunge by as much as 30% once the iPhone 17 drops. Sam Wilson, boss at Gadget GoGo, has urged iPhone owners to flog their handsets now if they want top dollar for their next upgrade. 'You've got just 30 days before the value starts to tank,' he warned. 'Every year, people hang on until after Apple's big reveal – and by then it's too late. The market's flooded with old models and prices nosedive.' Advertisement more on apple APPY DAYS Unlock cheaper shopping bills and holidays with genius Apple 'AI tricks' Why the shock fall? Wilson said simply announcing a new iPhone is enough to make older ones plummet in value, with Pro and Pro Max handsets losing £150–£300 in the first month after launch. 'That's cash straight out of your pocket if you wait,' he added. So if you've got an iPhone 16 Pro or Pro Max and plan to flog it to fund the shiny new iPhone 17, you might want to move fast. Even older models like the iPhone 13 (2021) or iPhone 14 (2022) could bag you more cash now than in a month's time, warns Wilson. Advertisement 'Even if your iPhone's a few years old, the value will take a hit the second Apple drops its new one,' he said. Rumour has it the iPhone 17 range – including Pro, Pro Max and a wafer-thin 'iPhone 17 Air' – will be unveiled on September 9, with pre-orders from September 12 and on-sale date of September 19. Apple reveals 'Safety Check' trick to instantly stop exposing your pics and location That gives you just 30 days to cash in before prices tumble. 'Get the selling ball rolling now – even if you're eyeing up an upgrade in September,' Wilson urged. Advertisement 'Plenty of buyback sites let you lock in today's price and keep your handset for a few more weeks.' With Brits hanging onto their mobiles for longer as yearly upgrades lose their sparkle, flogging your iPhone now could mean pocketing far more cash than if you wait. And you don't have to splash out on a pricey iPhone 17 either – the money could go towards a refurbished or second-hand model and still leave change in your pocket. iPhone tricks to try today Here are some of the best... Typing cursor – When typing, hold down the space bar to turn your keyboard into a trackpad, letting you move around words and sentences more easily – When typing, hold down the space bar to turn your keyboard into a trackpad, letting you move around words and sentences more easily Close all Safari tabs – To do this in one go, simply hold the overlapped squares in the bottom right-hand corner, and press close all tabs – To do this in one go, simply hold the overlapped squares in the bottom right-hand corner, and press close all tabs Delete lots of photos quickly – Hold down on a photo and then drag your finger diagonally in Photos to select lots of images at once, then hit delete – Hold down on a photo and then drag your finger diagonally in Photos to select lots of images at once, then hit delete Convert currency quickly – Swipe down from the top of your Home screen (or swipe left to right on an iPhone X or later model), then tap in the bar and type a currency (like $200) and it will automatically covert to your local currency – Swipe down from the top of your Home screen (or swipe left to right on an iPhone X or later model), then tap in the bar and type a currency (like $200) and it will automatically covert to your local currency Check if you're due a battery upgrade – Batteries inside smartphones degrade over time. Just go to Settings > Battery > Battery Health, and check out the Maximum Capacity reading. Generally a battery is considered worn when you're down to 80% capacity. If you're below, you can buy a battery swap from Apple – Batteries inside smartphones degrade over time. Just go to Settings > Battery > Battery Health, and check out the Maximum Capacity reading. Generally a battery is considered worn when you're down to 80% capacity. If you're below, you can buy a battery swap from Apple Move apps around faster – Hold an app until it starts wiggling, then (while still holding) tap other apps, causing them to stack so you can move them around easier iPhone 17 features Apple is cooking up huge design changes for this year's big iPhone release – including tempting tweaks to the battery and screen. Advertisement Apple is expected to unveil as many as four new iPhone models. We are expecting the lot to include a premium iPhone 17 Pro smartphone, an upgrade on the rumoured iPhone 17. Expert Apple blog MacRumors revealed the changes we're expecting, including a larger battery. This will reportedly be made possible thanks to a slightly thicker design. Advertisement iPhone 16 models were hailed for their impressive battery life (including in our iPhone 16 review), but the iPhone 17 Pro could offer even more juice. Apple is reportedly working on a more scratch-resistant screen. Apple may be creating a new anti-reflective coating for the display that makes it tougher. So, hopefully your screen will stay pristine for longer, giving you better resale value when you're done with it. Advertisement Another quirky design change is the claimed move to a rectangular camera bump. On current iPhone Pro models, there's a raised square on the top-left of its rear casing where the camera lives. But the iPhone 17 Pro could see this bump stretch right across the back of the handset. It's still expected to only feature three cameras, keeping the current triangle layout. Advertisement It's rumoured that we'll see an upgraded 24-megapixel selfie camera (up from the current 12 megapixels). That's in addition to the reported 48-megapixel telephoto camera on the back, which would be an increase from the 12-megapixel zoom lens on the iPhone 16 Pro. Other rumoured tweaks include a new aluminium frame (swapping away from titanium), an upgrade to 12GB of RAM, better cooling, a more powerful Apple A19 Pro processor, and an Apple-built Wi-Fi 7 chip for connecting to the internet. 4 Apple is expected to release the new iPhone 17 models in September Credit: Apple Advertisement
