Apple Responds to Rumors of iPhone 16 Not Supporting WeChat, Domestic 3A Games Enter a New Era

Apple Responds to Rumors of iPhone 16 Not Supporting WeChat, Domestic 3A Games Enter a New EraHere are the main highlights from today's AIdaily early news: Apple China responds to rumors of the iPhone 16 not supporting WeChat; another domestic 3A game is on its way after "Black Myth: Wukong"; ByteDance completes the acquisition of open-earphone brand Oladance; AI demand drives up storage prices; Google officially abandons the Fitbit smartwatch project; InfinigenceAI announces the completion of nearly 500 million yuan in Series A funding; Yu Minhong steps down as legal representative of two companies; Intel reportedly considering selling businesses including Altera to cut costs; Meta scientist Yann LeCun says reliable data sources for AI training are drying up.Apple China Responds to Rumors of iPhone 16 Not Supporting WeChatRecent online rumors that "the iPhone 16 may not support WeChat" have sparked widespread attention

Apple Responds to Rumors of iPhone 16 Not Supporting WeChat, Domestic 3A Games Enter a New Era

Here are the main highlights from today's AIdaily early news: Apple China responds to rumors of the iPhone 16 not supporting WeChat; another domestic 3A game is on its way after "Black Myth: Wukong"; ByteDance completes the acquisition of open-earphone brand Oladance; AI demand drives up storage prices; Google officially abandons the Fitbit smartwatch project; InfinigenceAI announces the completion of nearly 500 million yuan in Series A funding; Yu Minhong steps down as legal representative of two companies; Intel reportedly considering selling businesses including Altera to cut costs; Meta scientist Yann LeCun says reliable data sources for AI training are drying up.

Apple China Responds to Rumors of iPhone 16 Not Supporting WeChat

Recent online rumors that "the iPhone 16 may not support WeChat" have sparked widespread attention. In response, Apple's official hotline technical consultant said that whether WeChat can continue to be listed and downloaded on the Apple App Store requires communication and negotiation between Apple and Tencent. The consultant explained that the Apple App Store charges developers a certain fee, and WeChat, as a popular software, both parties will make adjustments for their own interests, so there is no need to worry for now. He emphasized that the final result needs to wait for official information and will not comment on third-party information.

Another Domestic 3A Game Is on the Way After "Black Myth: Wukong"

"Black Myth: Wukong," developed by Game Science, has successfully attracted attention both domestically and internationally, demonstrating the huge potential of the Chinese game market. Ying Shuling, chairman of Hero Games, said that the next domestic 3A game could emerge soon, as "Black Myth: Wukong" has proven that Chinese-made 3A games can achieve global success. He also revealed that he knows of at least one similar game currently in development, and Hero Games has invested in this project. Ying Shuling believes that China has at least 5 to 10 thousand-year-old stories that can be made into games.

ByteDance Completes Acquisition of Open-Earphone Brand Oladance

ByteDance has completed the acquisition of the open-earphone brand Oladance and achieved 100% ownership. All investor shareholders, including Black Ant Capital and BlueRun Ventures, have exited.

AI Demand Drives Up Storage Prices

Strong demand for generative AI servers has driven continuous increases in SSD prices. During the period from July to September 2024, the wholesale prices of TLC256GB and 512GB benchmark SSD products increased by about 10% month-on-month, marking a rise for four consecutive quarters. Notably, the price of 256GB products has increased by about 50% over the past year, reaching a new high since October-December 2021.

Google Officially Abandons Fitbit Smartwatch Project

Sandeep Waraich, head of Google's wearables division, said that Google has officially abandoned the Fitbit smartwatch project and will focus on the Pixel Watch series. While this decision is surprising, it is considered a crucial step in Google's strategic adjustments. Fitbit was once known for its fitness trackers, but its smartwatch business has consistently faced setbacks. Despite launching the Versa and Sense series, subsequent versions have been criticized for feature reductions and poor experiences.

InfinigenceAI Announces Completion of Nearly 500 Million Yuan in Series A Funding

InfinigenceAI announced the completion of nearly 500 million yuan in Series A funding. Within 1 year and 4 months of its establishment, InfinigenceAI has cumulatively completed nearly 1 billion yuan in funding. The joint lead investors of this round are the Social Security Fund Zhongguancun Independent Innovation Special Fund, Qiming Venture Partners, and Hongtai Fund, with follow-on investors including Lenovo Capital, Xiaomi, and SoftCom. It is understood that the funds raised this time by InfinigenceAI will be used to strengthen the recruitment of technical talents and technological research and development, deepening the commercialization of products, and becoming a "super amplifier" for AI model computing power.

Yu Minhong Steps Down as Legal Representative of Two Companies

Tianyancha website shows that Beijing New Oriental Cultural Tourism Co., Ltd. and its wholly-owned subsidiary Beijing New Oriental Vokade International Education Travel Co., Ltd. have both undergone industrial and commercial changes. Yu Minhong has stepped down as the legal representative of both companies, replaced by Yang Zhihui.

Intel Reportedly Considering Selling Businesses Including Altera to Cut Costs

According to Reuters, Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger and key executives are expected to present a plan later this month to the company's board of directors to divest non-essential businesses and adjust capital expenditures. The plan will include how to reduce overall costs by selling businesses, including Altera, which Intel can no longer afford to fund from the company's once-substantial profits. Intel declined to comment.

Meta Scientist Yann LeCun Says Reliable Data Sources for AI Training Are Drying Up

Facebook's chief AI scientist and Turing Award winner, Yann LeCun, wrote that reliable data sources for AI training are gradually drying up, while the cost of manual "post-training" is rapidly increasing. He said that the performance of AI models in benchmark tests has now reached saturation, so current large language models will not achieve human-level intelligence, "but that doesn't mean they are useless."