ShinyShiny tech round up: iPhone 13 to have terabyte storage option?
Apple could be about to upgrade the iPhone 13 with huge amounts of new storage, according to a last minute rumour. The company is planning to release the new phones in the same options that are offered in the iPhone 12, numerous reports have suggested. But it will add a new storage option, giving people a full one terabyte of storage, according to a report from reliable analyst Ming-chi Kuo and reported by Apple Insider. That would be double the existing storage and bring it more in line with traditional computers than a phone. The report suggests that the option will only be available in the more premium models – so the Pro and Pro Max, but not the standard iPhone 13 or the Mini – and would come with a price bump to account for it. Independent
A report from Vodafone and WPI Economics, launched today, calls on the Government to put the fast deployment of digital technology at the core of its forthcoming net-zero strategy. The research shows that the adoption of technology in manufacturing, transport and agriculture could reduce the UK’s overall emissions by as much as 4% a year (17.4 million tonnes of CO2), the equivalent of the annual emissions of the North East of England. Digital technology could also play a key role in helping the Government reach its goal to slash emissions by 78% by 2035, before achieving net-zero by 2050, the report finds. Tech Digest
Apple has issued a software patch to block so-called “zero-click” spyware that could infect iPhones and iPad. Independent researchers identified the flaw, which lets hackers access devices through the iMessage service even if users do not click on a link or file. The problem affects all of the technology giant’s operating systems, the researchers said. Apple said it issued the security update in response to a “maliciously crafted” PDF file. University of Toronto’s Citizen Lab, which first highlighted the issue, had previously found evidence of zero-click spyware, but “this is the first one where the exploit has been captured so we can find out how it works,” said researcher Bill Marczak. BBC
Motorbike vibrations can cause damage to iPhones, Apple has said. The tech giant published a warning to iPhone users that vibrations, like those from motorbikes, can damage the camera systems. The optical-image stabilisation and closed-loop autofocus systems – mechanisms that helps capture clear, sharp images by counteracting movement – can be harmed by engine vibrations. The phones should therefore not be attached to powerful bikes, for purposes like navigation, the support page on Apple’s website said. Sky News
The British taxpayer has become a shareholder in an online store for knitting, an at-home beautician service and the Secret Cinema following an effort to rescue startups struggling to survive the pandemic. The Government’s Future Fund, which was launched in May last year to bail out early stage companies, revealed part of its portfolio for the first time on Tuesday. The fund provided loans of up to £5m to early stage companies, matched by venture investors, which converted into shares if the company raised a further round of equity. In total, £1.14bn was lent to 1,190 companies. The Future Fund, run out of the British Business Bank, had until now remained secretive about which companies had benefited from taxpayer cash, citing confidentiality agreements. Telegraph
