Audible is testing a new category of book recommendations based on what a user watched recently on Prime Video. Which, as the name suggests, will show you audiobooks based on what you watch on the Amazon-owned service, TechCrunch reports.
The new carousel should appear on mobile and web apps for about half of users who have Amazon Prime Video and Audible subscriptions. You might see recommendations as straightforward as the book a movie you watched is based on or titles with storylines or authors that users with similar preferences to you have enjoyed.
Audible claims the decision came due to the uptick it saw in users accessing titles recently released as shows or movies. "There is a natural synergy between TV, movies, and books, and we see that clearly in how our customers engage with content on Audible," Andy Tsao, chief product and analytics officer at Audible, said in a statement. The company gives examples such as Reacher, which came out on Amazon Prime in 2022. Audible claims that the listenership of author Lee Child's books rose by almost 80 percent daily in the two weeks after its release.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audible-is-testing-book-recommendations-based-on-your-prime-video-habits-123053133.html?src=rss Another day, another company tests Apple's resolve. This time, it's TikTok allegedly violating the company's rules for apps, with the video platform seemingly allowing some users to purchase its coins directly from its website. TikTok has apparently given some iOS users the option to "Try recharging on tiktok.com to avoid in-app service fees" — namely Apple's 30 percent commission on purchases.
According to photos shared on X (formerly Twitter) by David Tesler, co-founder of the app Sendit, TikTok is prompting users to save around 25 percent when purchasing coins (used to tip creators) thanks to lower third-party service fees. They can then use Apple Pay, PayPal or a credit or debit card to complete their transaction. It's unclear why only some users have access to this circumnavigation; one hypothesis is the feature was turned on for individuals who previously purchased a large number of coins.
TikTok might get banned from the app store next week
— David Tesler (@getdavenow) April 30, 2024
Why? It looks like they’re circumventing apple fee by directing users to purchase coins via external payment methods pic.twitter.com/VG8ihvsRmv
Apple notably kicked Fortnite off its app store in 2020 after Epic Games introduced discounts on the game's currency for anyone who directly purchased it. The incident set off a multi-year legal battle, with Apple reinstating Epic Games' developer account in March after the European Union began looking into the situation. More recently, Apple has faced pushback from Spotify and rejected updates that would have displayed the music streamer's pricing and allowed in-app plan purchases.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/tiktok-might-be-going-around-apples-in-app-purchase-rules-for-its-coins-134527587.html?src=rss Meta is bringing some of its existing safety features to Threads, including the Hidden Words tool. The platform — which recently hit more than 150 million users — will now allow you to filter out words, phrases and even emojis, just like you can on Instagram.
Threads will have the setting on by default and filter out anything that it deems offensive, along with content that could be irrelevant or uninteresting. You can then add other things that you want to be filtered out, such as "weight loss," "assault" or a derogatory term. To add your own options, go to "manage custom words and phrases" and type in anything you're sick of seeing on Threads.
The platform is also testing two additional features: muting and quote controls. The first would allow you to mute notifications specifically for any interactions with your posts. This way, you could still get alerts about new followers or tags without seeing every response. Quote controls would let you choose who can quote your post and even let you unquote yourself. Meta has yet to announce when these two features might be available to all Threads users.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/threads-is-getting-its-own-hidden-words-feature-170058508.html?src=rss It's a post-Digital Markets Act (DMA) world, and Spotify continues to test what that means for its iOS app. The music streamer announced that it submitted an update for Apple's approval that would allow Spotify to display "basic pricing and website information" on its app in Europe and "the bare minimum outlined under the European Commission's ruling in its music streaming case." Within a few hours, Apple had rejected the update.
"Apple continues to break European law,” and unfortunately that means we still can’t give EU consumers the information they need and the choices they deserve in our app. Here’s what we mean. pic.twitter.com/tkcXQkRqLy
— Spotify News (@SpotifyNews) April 24, 2024
In the news, shared in a post on X (formerly Twitter), Spotify's chief public affairs officer Dustee Jenkins further stated, "By charging developers to communicate with consumers through in-app links, Apple continues to break European law. It's past time for the Commission to enforce its decision so that consumers can see real, positive benefits."
In the hours following Spotify's stunt, Apple swiftly moved to reject the update. In a response sent to Spotify and shared with Engadget, the company said the following:
Hello team at Spotify,
We are reaching out to let you know about new information regarding your app, Spotify - Music and Podcasts, version 8.9.33.
As you may be aware, Apple created a new Music Streaming Services Entitlement (EEA) for iOS and iPadOS music streaming apps offered in EEA storefronts. The entitlement allows music streaming apps to use buttons, external links, or other calls to action to direct customers to a purchase mechanism on a website owned or controlled by the developer. You must accept its terms before adding any of these capabilities to your app. Please find more information about the entitlement here.
We note that your current submission includes a call to action to purchase a Spotify subscription on your website. As such, you must accept the terms of the Music Streaming Services Entitlement (EEA) and include the entitlement profile in your app for submission. To be clear, this entitlement is required even if your app does not include an external link (nor does it require that you offer an external link). We will, however, approve version 8.9.33 after you accept the terms of the Music Streaming Services Entitlement (EEA) and resubmit it for review.
If you have any questions about this information, please reply to this message to let us know.
Best regards,
App Review
Spotify is — surprise! — not pleased with this development. A spokesperson for the company told Engadget that "Apple has once again defied the European Commission’s decision, rejecting our update for attempting to communicate with customers about our prices unless we pay Apple a new tax." They added that Apple's "disregard for consumers and developers is matched only by their disdain for the law."
Apple and Spotify have consistently butted heads over what the latter can and can't do with its iOS app. Following the DMA going into effect, Spotify submitted an update to Apple that would have allowed users to purchase plans directly from the app, but Apple rejected it. Apple did so even though the European Union had just hit it with a nearly $2 billion fine for "blocking" alternative music apps. The EU is also investigating Apple, Meta and Google for self-preferencing and charging developers additional fees.
Update, April 25 2024, 2:50PM ET: This story has been updated twice since publishing. The first update, at 8:45AM ET, included Spotify's reaction to Apple's rejection. The second update, published at 2:50PM ET, included a letter sent by Apple to Spotify.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/spotify-tests-apples-resolve-with-new-pricing-update-in-the-eu-120004754.html?src=rss As learning language models (LLMs) continue to advance, so do questions about how they can benefit society in areas such as the medical field. A recent study from the University of Cambridge's School of Clinical Medicine found that OpenAI's GPT-4 performed nearly as well in an ophthalmology assessment as experts in the field, the Financial Times first reported.
In the study, published in PLOS Digital Health, researchers tested the LLM, its predecessor GPT-3.5, Google's PaLM 2 and Meta's LLaMA with 87 multiple choice questions. Five expert ophthalmologists, three trainee ophthalmologists and two unspecialized junior doctors received the same mock exam. The questions came from a textbook for trialing trainees on everything from light sensitivity to lesions. The contents aren't publicly available, so the researchers believe LLMs couldn't have been trained on them previously. ChatGPT, equipped with GPT-4 or GPT-3.5, was given three chances to answer definitively or its response was marked as null.
GPT-4 scored higher than the trainees and junior doctors, getting 60 of the 87 questions right. While this was significantly higher than the junior doctors' average of 37 correct answers, it just beat out the three trainees' average of 59.7. While one expert ophthalmologist only answered 56 questions accurately, the five had an average score of 66.4 right answers, beating the machine. PaLM 2 scored a 49, and GPT-3.5 scored a 42. LLaMa scored the lowest at 28, falling below the junior doctors. Notably, these trials occurred in mid-2023.
While these results have potential benefits, there are also quite a few risks and concerns. Researchers noted that the study offered a limited number of questions, especially in certain categories, meaning the actual results might be varied. LLMs also have a tendency to "hallucinate" or make things up. That's one thing if its an irrelevant fact but claiming there's a cataract or cancer is another story. As is the case in many instances of LLM use, the systems also lack nuance, creating further opportunities for inaccuracy.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gpt-4-performed-close-to-the-level-of-expert-doctors-in-eye-assessments-131517436.html?src=rss The European Union doesn't think you should have to choose between giving Meta and other major players your data or your money. In a statement, the European Data Protection Board (EDPB) stated that "consent or pay" models often don't "comply with the requirements for valid consent" when a person must choose between providing their data for behavioral advertising purposes or pay for privacy.
The EDPB argues that only offering a paid alternative to data collection shouldn't be the default for large online platforms. It doesn't issue a mandate but stresses that these platforms should "give significant consideration" to providing a free option that doesn't involve data processing (or at least not as much). "Controllers should take care at all times to avoid transforming the fundamental right to data protection into a feature that individuals have to pay to enjoy," EDPB Chair Anu Talus said. "Individuals should be made fully aware of the value and the consequences of their choices."
Currently, EU users must pay €10 ($11) monthly for an ad-free subscription or be forced to share their data. The EU is already investigating if this system complies with the Digital Markets Act, which went into effect at the beginning of March.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/eu-criticizes-metas-privacy-for-cash-business-model-103042528.html?src=rss It's becoming increasingly difficult to determine what is AI-created as tools' capabilities continue to improve. Marking AI-created images is one solution and an option Snapchat is expanding on. The platform is introducing a watermark on AI-generated content that is saved to your camera roll or exported.
In a surprise to absolutely no one, Snapchat's AI watermark will be a ghost with sparkles next to it. There doesn't seem to be any way to control where the icon appears (as is typical with watermarks), but we'll know more when Snapchat adds the feature "soon."
The addition of an AI marker for externally seen images follows Snapchat's steps to label in-app content. There's the extend tool, which creates the effect of a zoomed out image, and has a sparkle icon to indicate it's an AI feature. Then there's the Dreams feature, which uses generative AI to turn selfies into "fantastical images that transform their persona into new identities." Anyone who receives a Dream image also gets a context card explaining its AI use.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/snap-is-adding-a-watermark-to-ai-generated-images-124542245.html?src=rss WhatsApp is making it a bit easier to find specific conversations by introducing Chat Filters. The new update will let you sort messages by All (as it currently is), Groups or Unread. They're all pretty self-explanatory, with Unread showing any, well, unread messages and Groups showing only your group chats. Groups will also show you any subgroups from Communities.
You could already use WhatsApp's search bar to find a particular conversation, so if you know who you're looking for, this update isn't likely to change much for you. This feature will likely be the most beneficial for finding the chats you've yet to respond to, as it can be hard to remember who you still owe a message to. The Unread filter will show messages you've yet to open and ones you've marked as "unread" to return to later.
The new sort options will live at the top of your messages, so you can easily switch back and forth without having to dig into settings. WhatsApp has begun rolling out filters and claims they should be available to everyone in the coming weeks.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/whatsapps-new-chat-filters-make-it-easier-to-find-unread-messages-123003086.html?src=rss