Apple to Introduce AI-Driven M4 Chips in Future Macs
- Written by Deep Shikha Content Writer
- Fact-Checked by
Apple Inc. plans to refresh its entire Mac lineup with a new set of in-house M4 chips with Artificial Intelligence capabilities.
According to Bloomberg’s 11 April report , this move aims to boost slowing computer sales. Despite launching Macs with M3 chips just 5 months ago, Apple is already close to starting production on this next version.
Bloomberg reported (citing anonymous sources familiar with the plans) that Apple’s upcoming M4 chip will come in at least 3 main versions. These versions will include an entry-level chip called Donan, more powerful models named Brava, and a high-end processor codenamed Hidra.
Apple aims to showcase the AI capabilities of these chips and their integration with the next macOS version, which is set to be announced in June at Apple’s annual developer conference. The company plans to use this new processor in every Mac model. Apple has not officially announced these plans yet.
According to the report, the updated computers may launch late this year and early next year. The new lineup will include new iMacs, a low-end 14-inch MacBook Pro, high-end 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros, and Mac minis.
Bloomberg suggested that the tech giant is working to improve its position in AI technology, where it currently falls behind competitors like Microsoft and Google.
Mac sales dropped 27% in the last fiscal year, ending in September, after reaching a peak in 2022. During the holiday season, revenue from the Mac line remained unchanged at $7.78 billion, slightly up from $7.73 billion the previous year.
The first quarter of 2023 marked the worst year for Apple in terms of computer sales. However, Apple saw an improvement in the first quarter of 2024, with a 14.8% increase in Mac sales .
On April 12, AAPL stocks jumped up 4.3% to $177.93 — which marks the highest single-day gain for the company in the last 11 months. It fell by a little less than 1% the day after. Apple’s shares are down nearly 9% for the year-to-date but have risen more than 6% over the past 12 months.
As Apple gears up for its annual developers conference in June, the anticipation builds with the possibility of unveiling new AI partnerships and significant iOS updates. This move could mark a crucial step in Apple’s strategy, enhancing its product lineup and potentially setting new industry standards for innovation and user experience.
Roku Cyberattack Impacts Over 500,000 Accounts
- Written by Shipra Sanganeria Cybersecurity & Tech Writer
- Fact-Checked by
Streaming service provider Roku has disclosed a new data breach incident, impacting nearly 576,000 accounts.
The company said this is the second incident it discovered this month. This discovery was made while investigating the March 2024 breach , where unauthorized actors used stolen login credentials to access 15,000 user accounts.
In both cases, the threat actors had utilized a form of automated cyberattack known as “credential stuffing.”. In this method, hackers use stolen login information from one platform and reuse the same login to gain unauthorized access across multiple sites and accounts.
“There is no indication that Roku was the source of the account credentials used in these attacks or that Roku’s systems were compromised in either incident,” Roku said in a statement on April 12 . The company attributed the attack to login credentials obtained from online accounts unrelated to it.
With an active user base of more than 80 million, Roku said that its security system was not impacted, though some user accounts were breached to make unauthorized purchases.
It said that it identified fewer than 400 cases where stolen information was used to make fraudulent purchases of Roku streaming services and hardware products using the payment data stored in the accounts.
However, it said that the threat actors did not gain access to any sensitive information, including credit card and other payment-related information.
The company, on its part, is implementing several measures to control and deter similar future incidents, including resetting the passwords of the affected accounts and enabling two-factor authentication (2FA) for all Roku accounts.
The company will also notify the impacted customers and refund and reverse charges for accounts where hackers had used stored payment information to make unauthorized purchases.
Advisories went out requesting password resets for all Roku accounts with strong, unique passwords. Roku says to contact the company’s customer support if requests to disclose credentials, update payment details, or click on suspicious links are received.
