The Next Morning: Apple’s Customizable Genmoji Arrive to Transform Your Messages.
The main news this morning includes that The Pokémon Company is collaborating with Aardman Studio, known for Wallace and Gromit, on a mysterious project. Additionally, Astro Bot will receive ...
Yesterday was filled with news in the tech realm after a somewhat quiet week. Google unveiled its Gemini 2.0 AI model, numerous video games were announced that promise to capture our attention in 2025, and MasterClass is venturing into the world of AI. Finally, Apple showcased some of its most striking features related to artificial intelligence, included in the latest iOS update.
Among the new features in iOS 18.2, many are limited to the latest iPhone models, such as the 15 Pro, 16, and 16 Pro, which have the necessary chip to run Apple Intelligence functions. Additionally, access to these new tools is temporarily restricted to users in the U.S., Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, and the UK.
One of the standout applications is Image Playground, which allows users to generate image suggestions based on text messages. It is also possible to use photos stored in your iPhone's library as a starting point; however, this tool is not designed to create photorealistic images of people. On the other hand, Genmoji lets users create custom emojis, where they just need to input a description of the desired character, even offering the option to use pictures of contacts if available.
In the same vein, both Siri and Writing Tools can now turn to ChatGPT for assistance, though they will always ask for permission beforehand.
In other notable news, Apple has launched its multitrack recording tool for Voice Memos, while The Pokémon Company announced a collaboration with Wallace and Gromit studio Aardman for a mysterious project. Additionally, Astro Bot receives a free bonus level for the holiday period, and a judge has rejected The Onion's proposal regarding Infowars.
On its part, Google has introduced its most advanced AI model to date: Gemini 2.0, which is available for preview. This new version can provide native support for audio and images and starts with the lighter version, Gemini 2.0 Flash, accessible to all Gemini users. Along with this new version, Deep Research was launched, a tool that leverages the long-context capabilities of Gemini 1.5 Pro to draft reports on complex topics.
Finally, Microsoft has begun a beta test for cloud streaming of games you already own on your Xbox consoles, accessible to members of the Xbox Insiders program at the Alpha Skip-Ahead and Alpha levels. This service is limited to Game Pass Ultimate members, and the games must be compatible with cloud streaming, with an initial listing that includes recognized titles like Baldur's Gate 3 and Cyberpunk 2077.
