Latest news with #JonyIve
Hans India
2 days ago
- Business
- Hans India
OpenAI's New AI Browser Poised to Challenge Google Chrome's Reign
OpenAI is gearing up to launch its own AI-driven web browser in the coming weeks, aiming to redefine how people interact with the internet and take direct aim at Google Chrome's firm hold on the market. According to Reuters, this bold step marks OpenAI's expansion from chatbots and AI assistants into the core tool billions rely on to navigate the web daily. Unlike traditional browsers that mainly serve as a gateway to websites, OpenAI's upcoming browser promises to weave artificial intelligence directly into the browsing experience. The goal is to transform passive scrolling and clicking into an interactive, conversational process. Users may soon be able to book tickets, summarise articles, fill out forms, or complete everyday tasks without ever leaving an AI chat window within the browser. 'Weaving AI into the fabric of the browser means your experience feels less like hopping across tabs and more like having an assistant right by your side,' a source close to the development shared. The new browser will be built on Chromium — the same open-source foundation powering Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, and Opera. This choice means users will be able to access the same websites and extensions they're used to, easing the transition for those willing to give OpenAI's alternative a shot. OpenAI has also recruited talent from Google's original Chrome team, highlighting just how serious it is about competing head-on. Beyond convenience, the move represents a significant data opportunity for OpenAI. For years, Chrome's massive user base has been an invaluable source of behavioural data for Google, helping the tech giant refine its ad targeting and cement its search engine as the default for billions worldwide. With its own browser, OpenAI will have a direct window into how people navigate and interact online — information that could further train its AI systems and make them even more personalised. The stakes are high. Google Chrome holds over two-thirds of the global browser market, with an estimated 3 billion users. It's not just a tool for browsing — it's a linchpin for Google's advertising empire and search engine dominance. But OpenAI's ChatGPT already boasts around 500 million weekly users. If just a fraction of these users switch to OpenAI's browser, Google could find its browser stronghold under real pressure for the first time in years. OpenAI's ambitions don't stop at browsers. The company recently acquired an AI hardware startup led by Jony Ive, Apple's former design chief, underscoring its push to blend software and devices. A browser gives OpenAI yet another platform to embed its AI agents deeply into everyday routines, handling tasks and gathering insights to make interactions smarter over time. The competition is heating up. AI-first browsers like Perplexity's Comet and Brave's enhanced AI tools are also vying to reimagine how people use the web. Whether OpenAI's new browser will lure people away from Chrome remains to be seen, but its arrival will almost certainly shake up a market long dominated by a few tech giants. With the launch just weeks away, the world is about to find out whether a more conversational, AI-powered browser can really change the way we surf the web.
CNET
5 days ago
- CNET
All the Important New iOS 26 Features, From Liquid Glass to Photos App Fixes
While we look ahead to what new iPhone 17 models might bring to the phone's hardware, we've already got a look at the future of iPhone software, iOS 26. The new Liquid Glass interface is a major design refresh that will make its way across all of Apple's product lines. The Camera and Photos apps are gaining long-awaited functional redesigns; the Messages and Phone apps are taking a firmer stand against unwanted texts and calls; and Apple Intelligence contributes some improvements in a year when Siri has been delayed. The next version of the operating system is due to ship in September or October (likely with new iPhone 17 models), but developer betas are available now, with a public beta expected this month. Watch this: Introducing iOS 26 at WWDC25 04:37 Apple/Screenshot by Joe Maldonado/CNET Transparent new Liquid glass design After more than a decade of a flat, clean user interface -- an overhaul introduced in iOS 7 when former Apple Chief Design Officer Jony Ive took over the design of software as well as hardware -- the iPhone is getting a new look. The new design extends throughout the Apple product lineup, from iOS to WatchOS, TVOS and iPadOS. The Liquid Glass interface also now enables a third way to view app icons on the iPhone home screen. Not content with Light and Dark modes, iOS 26 now features an All Clear look -- every icon is clear glass with no color. Lock screens can also have an enhanced 3D effect using spatial scenes, which use machine learning to give depth to your background photos. The new All Clear icon look in iOS 26 is part of the Liquid Glass design. Apple/Screenshot by Jeff Carlson/CNET Dynamic and adaptable lock screen Translucency is the defining characteristic of Liquid Glass, behaving like glass in the real world in the way it deals with light and color of objects behind and near controls. But it's not just a glassy look: The "liquid" part of Liquid Glass refers to how controls can merge and adapt -- dynamically morphing, in Apple's words. In the example Apple showed, the glassy time numerals on an iPhone lock screen stretched to accommodate the image of a dog and even shrunk as the image shifted to accommodate incoming notifications. The dock and widgets are now rounded, glassy panels that float above the background. As notifications fill the bottom of the screen, the subject in the background image is pushed up and the time numerals resize to accommodate. Apple/Screenshot by Joe Maldonado/CNET Watch this: I'm Impressed With iOS 26. Apple Just Made iPhones Better 05:40 Camera and Photos apps go even more minimal The Camera app is getting a new, simplified interface. You could argue that the current Camera app is pretty minimal, designed to make it quick to frame a shot and hit the big shutter button. But the moment you get into the periphery, it becomes a weird mix of hidden controls and unintuitive icons. The Camera app has fewer distractions. Apple/Screenshot by Joe Maldonado/CNET Now, the Camera app in iOS 26 features a "new, more intuitive design" that takes minimalism to the extreme. The streamlined design shows just two modes: Video or Camera. Swipe left or right to choose additional modes, such as Pano or Cinematic. Swipe up for settings such as aspect ratio and timers, and tap for additional preferences. With the updated Photos app, viewing the pictures you capture should be a better experience -- a welcome change that customers have clamored for since iOS 18's cluttered attempt. Instead of a long, difficult-to-discover scrolling interface, Photos regains a Liquid Glass menu at the bottom of the screen. The Photos app gets a welcome redesign. Apple/Screenshot by Joe Maldonado/CNET The Phone app gets a revamp The Phone app has kept more closely to the look of its source than others: a sparse interface with large buttons as if you're holding an old-fashioned headset or pre-smartphone cellular phone. iOS 26 finally updates that look not just with the new overall interface but in a unified layout that takes advantage of the larger screen real estate on today's iPhone models. The Phone app's unified layout should make for less switching between screens when dealing with calls. Apple/Screenshot by Joe Maldonado/CNET It's not just looks that are different, though. The Phone app is trying to be more useful for dealing with actual calls -- the ones you want to take. The Call Screening feature automatically answers calls from unknown numbers, and your phone rings only when the caller shares their name and reason for calling. Or what about all the time wasted on hold? Hold Assist automatically detects hold music and can mute the music but keep the call connected. Once a live agent becomes available, the phone rings and lets the agent know you'll be available shortly. Messages updates The Messages app is probably one of the most used apps on the iPhone, and for iOS 26, Apple is making it a more colorful experience. You can add backgrounds to the chat window, including dynamic backgrounds that show off the new Liquid Glass interface. Enliven your daily chats with backgrounds and more group features. Apple/Screenshot by Joe Maldonado/CNET In addition to the new look, group texts in Messages can incorporate polls for everyone in the group to reply to -- no more scrolling back to find out which restaurant Brett suggested for lunch that you missed. Other members in the chat can also add their own items to a poll. A more useful feature is a feature to detect spam texts better and screen unknown numbers, so the messages you see in the app are the ones you want to see and not the ones that distract you. Safari gets out of its own way In the Safari app, the Liquid Glass design floats the tab bar above the web page (although that looks right where your thumb is going to be, so it will be interesting to see if you can move the bar to the top of the screen). As you scroll, the tab bar shrinks. Web pages occupy the entire screen and the address bar shrinks to get out of the way. Apple/Screenshot by Joe Maldonado/CNET FaceTime focuses on calls, not controls FaceTime also gets the minimal look, with controls in the lower-right corner that disappear during the call to get out of the way. On the FaceTime landing page, posters of your contacts, including video clips of previous calls, are designed to make the app more appealing. FaceTime minimizes its controls into one corner. Apple/Screenshot by Joe Maldonado/CNET New Music app features Do you like the sound of that song your friend is playing but don't understand the language the lyrics are in? The Music app includes a new lyrics translation feature that displays along with the lyrics as the song plays. And for when you want to sing along with one of her favorite K-pop songs, for example, but you don't speak or read Korean, a lyrics pronunciation feature spells out the right way to form the sounds. AutoMix blends songs like a DJ, matching the beat and time-stretching for a seamless transition. And if you find yourself obsessively listening to artists and albums again and again, you can pin them to the top of your music library for quick access. Keep the beat going with intelligence-based song transitions using AutoMix. Apple/Screenshot by Joe Maldonado/CNET New Games app is a reminder that yes, people game on iPhone The iPhone doesn't get the same kind of gaming affection as Nintendo's Switch or Valve's Steam Deck, but the truth is that the iPhone and Android phones are used extensively for gaming -- Apple says half a billion people play games on iPhone. Trying to capitalize on that, a new Games app acts as a specific portal to Apple Arcade and other games. Yes, you can get to those from the App Store app, but the Games app is designed to remove a layer of friction so you can get right to the gaming action. The new Games hub has a simple control screen to let you navigate all of your Apple games on any device. Apple/Screenshot by CNET Live translation enhances calls and texts Although not specific to iOS, Apple's new live translation feature is ideal on the iPhone when you're communicating with others. It uses Apple Intelligence to dynamically enable you to talk to someone who speaks a different language in near-real time. It's available in the Messages, FaceTime and Phone apps and shows live translated captions during a conversation. Live translation during a voice call Apple/Screenshot by Joe Maldonado/CNET Maps gets more personal Updates to the Maps app sometimes involve adding more detail to popular areas or restructuring the way you store locations. Now, the app takes note of routes you travel frequently and can alert you of any delays before you get on the road. A Maps widget shows a frequently-used route. Apple/Screenshot by Joe Maldonado/CNET It also includes a welcome feature for those of us who get our favorite restaurants mixed up: visited places. The app notes how many times you've been to a place, be that a local business, eatery or tourist destination. It organizes them in categories or other criteria such as by city to make them easier to find the next time. New CarPlay features Liquid Glass also makes its way to CarPlay in your vehicle, with a more compact design when a call comes in that doesn't obscure other items, such as a directional map. In Messages, you can apply tapbacks and pin conversations for easy access. Widgets are now part of the CarPlay experience, so you can focus on just the data you want, like the current weather conditions. And Live Activities appear on the CarPlay screen, so you'll know when that coffee you ordered will be done or when a friend's flight is about to arrive. The new CarPlay interface with Liquid Glass. Screenshot by CNET Wallet improvements The Wallet app is already home for using Apple Card, Apple Pay, electronic car keys and for storing tickets and passes. In iOS 26, you can create a new Digital ID that acts like a passport for age and identity verification (though it does not replace a physical passport) for domestic travel for TSA screening at airports. The app can also let you use rewards and set up installment payments when you purchase items in a store, not just for online orders. And with the help of Apple Intelligence, the Wallet app can help you track product orders, even if you did not use Apple Pay to purchase them. It can pull details such as shipping numbers from emails and texts so that information is all in one place. The Wallet app supports legal state IDs and national IDs for age and identity verification. Apple/Screenshot by Joe Maldonado/CNET New features powered by Apple Intelligence Although last year's WWDC featured Apple Intelligence features heavily, improvements to the AI tech were less prominent this year, folded into the announcements during the WWDC keynote. As an alternative to creating Genmoji from scratch, you can combine existing emojis -- "like a sloth and a light bulb when you're the last one in the group chat to get the joke," to use Apple's example. You can also change expressions in Genmoji of people you know that you've used to create the image. Combine existing emoji using Apple Intelligence. Apple/Screenshot by Joe Maldonado/CNET Image Playground adds the ability to tap into ChatGPT's image generation tools to go beyond the app's animation or sketch styles. Visual Intelligence can already use the camera to try to decipher what's in front of the lens. Now the technology works on the content on the iPhone's screen, too. It does this by taking a screenshot (press the sleep and volume up buttons) and then including a new Image Search option in that interface to find results across the web or in other apps such as Etsy. Apple/Screenshot by Joe Maldonado/CNET This is also a way to add event details from images you come across, like posters for concerts or large gatherings. (Perhaps this could work for QR codes as well?) In the screenshot interface, Visual Intelligence can parse the text and create an event in the Calendar app. Some iOS 26 updates Apple didn't mention Not everything fits into a keynote presentation -- even, or maybe especially, when it's all pre-recorded -- but some of the more interesting new features in iOS 26 went unremarked during the big reveal. For instance: If you have AirPods or AirPods Pro with the H2 chip, you can use AirPods Camera Remote to start recording video on your iPhone by pressing and holding one of the AirPods. You can choose your own snooze duration of between 1 and 15 minutes for alarms. Audio recording options have expanded, enabling high-quality recording during conference calls and high-definition recording in the Camera app with AirPods and AirPods Pro that contain the H2 chip. Accessibility features include an "all-new experience designed with Braille users in mind," more options for the Vehicle Motion Cues feature to avoid motion sickness and "a more customizable reading experience." Reminders uses Apple Intelligence to "suggest tasks, grocery items and follow-ups based on emails or other text on your device." The Journal app supports multiple journals, inline images and a map view that tracks where journal entries were made. Parental controls have been updated in unspecified ways, including "enhancements across Communication Limits, Communication Safety and the App Store." Apple/Screenshot by Joe Maldonado/CNET iOS 26 availability The finished version of iOS 26 will be released in September or October with new iPhone 17 models. In the meantime, developers can install the first developer betas now, with an initial public beta arriving this month. (Don't forget to go into any beta software with open eyes and clear expectations.) Follow the WWDC 2025 live blog for details about Apple's other announcements. iPhone models compatible with iOS 26 iOS 26 will run on the iPhone 11 and later models, including the iPhone SE (2nd generation and later). That includes:
Business Insider
5 days ago
- Business
- Business Insider
OpenAI releases 'Agent Mode' as it looks for a much-needed win
OpenAI released "Agent Mode" on Thursday. OpenAI said the new tool is a ChatGPT agent that can tackle complex tasks "using its own computer." That includes requests like "look at my calendar and brief me on upcoming client meetings based on recent news" and "plan and buy ingredients to make Japanese breakfast for four," the company said in its announcement. "Starting today, Pro, Plus, and Team users can activate ChatGPT's new agentic capabilities directly through the tools dropdown from the composer by selecting 'agent mode' at any point in any conversation," the company said. The release is a much-needed distraction from what has been a bumpy summer for the world's premier AI startup, which in March was valued at $300 billion after raising another $40 billion. OpenAI has faced increased competition from Big Tech giants like Meta, Google, Amazon, and Microsoft recently. Google, for example, hired staffers from AI coding assistant startup Windsurf after its deal with OpenAI collapsed. Meta poached several of OpenAI's top staffers to bolster its own ranks, and Amazon is developing a potentially unflattering film about OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. It's also navigating disagreements with its largest investor, Microsoft, and a trademark suit related to its much-hyped collaboration with io, the design company founded by famed Apple designer Jony Ive. Elon Musk's xAI, meanwhile, released the latest version of its chatbot, Grok, this month. OpenAI, on the other hand, delayed the release of its own new model. With the release of Agent Mode, the ChatGPT maker is reminding everyone that it's still, for now, the leading AI company out there. Agent Mode will allow ChatGPT users to do all kinds of things, including parsing data and creating spreadsheets and slides, competing directly with Microsoft and Google.
Business Insider
7 days ago
- Business
- Business Insider
Why Sam Altman and OpenAI are making a web browser
OpenAI kicked off the AI boom with ChatGPT in 2022. It plans to make some kind of mystery gadget with famed Apple designer Jony Ive. It is also working on … a web browser? Yes: Sam Altman and company are working on a web browser — something most of you don't spend much time thinking about, even though you use it all the time. Like when you're reading this article. OpenAI's interest in a browser is something of an open secret in tech. Earlier this month, Reuters reported that the company plans to release its browser "in the coming weeks." But why would OpenAI spend time on tech that seemed very important in the 1990s — when the internet was brand-new — but doesn't seem top of mind right now? OpenAI won't tell me. A rep there declined to comment on the existence of the company's browser project, or anything else. But people who spend their time working on browsers think OpenAI's plan is straightforward: Like other AI companies, OpenAI says it will make virtual assistants that can learn about you, figure out what you need, and provide it whenever you need — that's the " agentic" future AI people keep talking about. And in order to do that, it will need to peer into your life, and it will need to access all sorts of data and sites. An app can't do that. But a browser, in theory, can —especially for people who spend a lot of time using their computers for work, shopping, and other high-value tasks. If you're on a browser right now, think of how many other tabs you have open, and how much data each one of them contains about you — not just the sites you visit, but the spreadsheets and docs you're working on, and/or how you manage your finances and everything else. "If you believe that AI agents are going to be the future of our industry, those agents will need two things," says Josh Miller, CEO of The Browser Company. "They will need access to the tools you use every day, and they need to be with you as you're doing your work, so they have context." And for those same reasons, some tech folks argue, OpenAI owning a browser isn't just nice to have — it's a crucial part of the company's plans. It's also a way to protect itself if competitors like Apple or Google — who have their own AI agendas — limit OpenAI's access to their platforms. But announcing you have a browser is different from getting people to switch browsers, which isn't something most people do willingly or often. If you're a normal person, you likely haven't thought about which browser you use in some time — you probably use Chrome, Google's browser, or Safari, the Apple browser that comes as the default option on iPhones and MacBooks. Before that, you may have used Netscape Navigator — the first browser many people used to get on the web — or Internet Explorer — Microsoft's answer to Netscape, which it promoted aggressively (and, the US government argued in court, illegally). But periodically, people keep trying to introduce new browsers. Brave, for instance, launched in 2016 by promoting itself as an ad-blocker, but has since emphasized connections to crypto. The Browser Company launched its Arc Browser widely in 2023, pitching it as a browser for people who were frustrated with Chrome. "Browser markets are immortal," says Brave CEO Brendan Eich, arguing that opportunities for new entrants pop up every few years. Brave says they now have more than 90 million active users — not huge, but enough to crack some lists of browsers ranked by market share. Meanwhile, The Browser Company has announced that it is moving on from Arc to focus on Dia, a new, AI-first browser. Miller says Arc topped out at a "few million." He says the company immediately found a group of fans willing to spend time learning how to use its complicated set of features, and loved it — but that it struggled to find more users after that. Neither Eich nor Miller has a silver bullet for getting new browsers into people's hands, other than getting the software into the hands of enthusiastic users who tell other people to use it, too. Are there other options? Microsoft famously bundled Internet Explorer with its Windows software, to brute force itself into market share — which, again, triggered a bruising antitrust suit. But even if OpenAI has 800 million users worldwide — per a recent Sam Altman kinda-suggestion — it would make no sense for the company to require those users to download its browser. "If you try to force a browser down people's throats, they rebel," Eich says. Which means that Altman has to convince users that OpenAI's browser isn't just better than the alternatives, but offers new tools and new ways to use them. Sam Altman is very good at selling. But is he that good?
Arabian Post
14-07-2025
- Business
- Arabian Post
OpenAI Set to Disrupt Browser Market with AI-Powered Offering
OpenAI is preparing to unveil a web browser embedded with its flagship ChatGPT interface and 'Operator' AI agent, marking a strategic shift directly targeting Google's Chrome dominance. The forthcoming browser, expected within weeks, promises to streamline browsing by enabling conversational queries, task automation and form-filling without navigating multiple sites, according to Reuters. The browser is built atop Chromium, the open-source foundation behind Chrome, Edge and Opera, ensuring compatibility with current web standards. More significantly, embedding ChatGPT natively allows users to interact through natural language rather than searching and clicking. OpenAI's Operator AI agent will autonomously complete web-based tasks—such as booking reservations, filling out forms or completing orders—on behalf of users. This initiative is part of OpenAI's broader strategy to gain deeper access to user browsing behaviour and data. Google's dominance via Chrome has long served as a rich mine for ad targeting; OpenAI seeks comparable insights by controlling the data pipeline from its own browser. Industry analysts warn, however, that this raises privacy concerns—mirroring criticisms levelled at Chrome itself. ADVERTISEMENT OpenAI's move into the browser space follows its acquisition of hardware startup io, led by former Apple designer Jony Ive, and signals an ambition to build an ecosystem across software, AI agents and devices. The company has also hired Google-alumni engineers behind Chrome's original development, underscoring the seriousness of its challenge. Competition is already intensifying. AI-centric browsers like Perplexity's Comet, Brave, and The Browser Company's Dia have emerged in recent months—all built on Chromium and offering similar capabilities. The rise of these products reflects a trend toward 'agentic' browsing experiences, where browsers act as intelligent intermediaries and perform tasks autonomously. Should even a fraction of ChatGPT's 500 million weekly users adopt OpenAI's browser, Alphabet's ad-reliant Chrome business could face significant pressure. Chrome holds over two-thirds of global browser market share—roughly three billion users—while Safari trails at around 16 %. With the U. S. Department of Justice already urging Chrome's divestiture amid antitrust proceedings, OpenAI's entry adds further complexity. Internally, this push aligns with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman's vision for embedding AI throughout daily life. Launching the browser gives the company a platform to integrate its services, including deep research tools and agentic capabilities. Indeed, the browser's release follows the launch of Operator in January, now available in limited preview. Privacy advocates caution that capturing browsing data through a proprietary AI browser could pose risks. OpenAI emphasises safety and data protections in its materials, and Agent workloads run within controlled environments. The firm has also signalled openness to purchasing Chrome outright if required by antitrust enforcement—though Google has not indicated any intention to sell. Perceptions in tech communities are mixed. Some Redditors argue it may be unwise for OpenAI to challenge Google directly, while others see the opportunity to reshape search and browsing as an advantage. One user commented, 'I don't think launching a browser is a bad move… there will be room in this market for more big players'. As OpenAI readies its release, key uncertainties remain: how it will address data privacy, whether its user interface will attract mass adoption, and how Google will respond. With launch imminent, the browser could well catalyse a new phase in the evolution of web interaction—one powered by conversational AI and autonomous agents.
