Apple Threatens to Pull UK FaceTime and iMessage; Microsoft will Deliver Army Improved HoloLens; Tesla Revenue up, Margins Down; Samsung Confirms ‘Slimmer and Lighter Folding Phones

Apple says it will pull services including FaceTime and iMessage in the UK if plans to amend surveillance legislation that would require tech companies to make major security and privacy changes go ahead. Macrumors.com picked up a story from BBC that the UK government would force technology companies to disable security features like end-to-end encryption without telling the public, as well as store internet browsing records and do bulk collection of personal data in the UK. Apple, WhatsApp, and Signal also oppose a clause in the UK’s proposed Online Safety Bill that would allow its communications regulator to require companies to install technology to scan for child sex abuse material in encrypted messaging apps and other services. 

Microsoft is getting ready to send an improved version its military version of the HoloLens to the US military. According to engadget.com, the new headsets are “slimmer, lighter and more balanced” than the previous model. The army will get the first 20 prototype sets in late August. Some testers complained last year of nausea, headaches and eye strain, while others weren’t happy with the bulk, narrow field of view and a display glow that could give away a soldier’s presence at night. Key features also failed relatively frequently. If this new test is successful, the army will do another field study next year, and could award a contract by April 2025, with deployment coming a few months after that. It could be worth up to $21.9 billion for 121,000 units over a 10 year period.

Tesla notched a revenue win in the 2nd quarter, pulling in $25 billion in revenue. That’s the good news. The not so good news? For the 2nd time this year, the auto maker’s gross margins decreased…this time from 25% to 18.2%. Elon Musk said they might have to cut margins again to stay competitive. 

The Tesla CEO also reportedly said in regards to its self-driving tech, “We’re not trying to keep this to ourselves. We’re more than happy to license it to others.” The company is apparently thinking of doing so to pull in yet more revenue…much like they are doing by opening up the SuperCharger network to non-Tesla EVs.

More teases about Samsung’s Unpacked event coming up in less than a week. TM Roh has confirmed that both the Galaxy Z Flip 5 and Fold 5 will be thinner and lighter than the current models. Both phones are expected to adopt a new hinge design that enable them to remove the ‘hinge gap’ that has been notable on earlier phones, and at the same time it will cut down on weight. In fact, the Z fold 5 is expected to be just slightly heavier than the Galaxy S23 Ultra. Unpacked will be July 26th in Seoul South Korea…the first Unpacked to be held in Samsung’s home country.

I’m Clark Reid and you’re ‘Technified’ for now.