Apple Duo hinge designed with AI help. That must be why there is a problem

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Apple Duo hinge designed with AI help. That must be why there is a problem

30 October 2026

Lucas Ropek, writing for Techcrunch, quoting Johny Srouji, Chief Hardware Officer, at Apple:

During manufacturing, we use AI algorithms to precisely match each individual hinge with its best-fit housing to ensure perfect alignment, and a confocal laser progressively scans the topology of every single unit and 3D prints up to 25 micro layers of a custom photopolymer to eliminate residual waviness.

But since launching, some users of the the foldable phone, called Duo, have reported the appearance of cracks in the screen, above the location of the centre hinge. So far, only a small number of people are having a problem.

Frank Landymore, writing for Futurism, suggests the cause of the fault may have been isolated:

In light of that fiasco, now feels like a good time to bring up how the hinge was designed: with the help of AI.

Srouji did say AI algorithms were used during manufacture, not design. I doubt Apple “vibe designed” the Duo’s hinge. If AI played any part in the design process, that was possibly in assessing a vast array of hinges, so the best possible hinge could be developed.

Some people reviewing the folding phone subjected the hinge to rigorous testing. Joanna Stern, for instance, used a custom made device to open and close the phone more than thirty-two thousand times, over the course of four nights, but reported no problems.

A Linux smartphone: a viable alternative to iPhone and Android?

29 October 2026

The idea of a Linux smartphone has been simmering for several years. There have been a few obstacles along the path, but such a device is somewhat more possible now, than previously.

To fly, the l-Phone — could I use that name? — would need to meet the expectations of smartphones users, particularly in regards to apps. But a Linux smartphone might offer enhanced privacy, which would appeal to some people.

The article, by Amos B. Batto, is a longer read, but worth the time, if you’ve ever wondered about Linux smartphones ever being a thing.

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Linux, smartphones, technology, trends

Addicted to information, not social media or smartphones

15 September 2026

explorator.dev:

Then… I finally realised. I’m not addicted to the internet, neither to my smartphone. I’m addicted to information. Good information, in particular.

The web, smartphones, and social media keep that information tap flowing.

A teacher of mine often to used say: “there is no such thing as too much information”. I think they were trying to tell us there’s always more you could learn.

We had the web back then, clunky desktop computers, and dial-up internet, but not social media, nor smartphones. I’m not sure though the teacher envisaged a time when we could access information, day and night, from the palm of our hand.

Maybe today we could instead say, “there is no such thing as too much good information”.

My Feed My Way will make Instagram feeds overwhelming says Adam Mosseri

14 September 2026

Ange Lavoipierre, writing for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), quoting Adam Mosseri, Head of Instagram (IG):

“If you go to a chronological feed, it ends up getting overwhelmed with content from companies, brands, and publishers. Creators get drowned out, and then your friends get drowned out even more.”

These are the words of the Head of Instagram. Can it be Mosseri has no idea how the platform he oversees, works?

Australia’s proposed My Feed, My Way laws give local IG users a choice. They can either see content posted only by the people they follow, in their main feed, or elect to see what the algorithm presents.

If IG users choose to only see what the people they follow publish, how is anyone supposed to see what is posted by “companies, brands, and publishers”, if they’re not following them?

Of course creators — a dubious use of the term in the first place, given the quality of some of their content — who sit squarely in the companies, brands, publishers, and influencers category, will be drowned out: that’s the idea.

As for friends, how do they “get drowned out even more”, if they are the only people an IG user follows? Their content is the entirety of what anyone opting for the “friends only” feed will see. With the possible exception of ads, I imagine.

But if someone is only following two people, both of whom maybe only post something twice daily, how could they feel their feed was overwhelming?

Mosseri is clearly unhappy with the proposed My Feed, My Way laws.

So displeased that he seems to be losing sight of what’s what. He continues to believe the platform is not addictive, while also conceding IG “is too complicated”. In saying that, Mosseri is trying to suggest adding a button somewhere, giving users the choice of what they see, will clutter — clutter even further — IG’s interface.

The last time I looked at the IG app, before deleting it from my phone, there was an option to select “following” or “favourites”. In theory, choosing “following” meant someone would mainly see posts only from those whom they followed. This was only somewhat effective though, provided another option, “snooze suggested posts”, was enabled.

Suggested posts, being content by the aforementioned companies, brands, publishers, and influencers, were slipped into an IG member’s main feed, if the algorithm deemed this was somehow of interest. But the “snooze suggested posts” setting only did so for thirty-days at a time.

Disabling suggested posts also required drilling down through several levels of the settings menu to find. Indeed Mosseri is correct when he says IG “is too complicated”. The Australian government proposal aims to make this a one-step, lasting, action.

Mosseri can take consolation though from Anika Wells, the Australian communications minister, who thinks, as I wrote last week, most IG users will stick with the algorithm:

“The reality is that lots of people will want to choose the algorithm.”

Anyone hoping an unintended, or unspoken consequence, of the My Feed, My Way laws, would result in people spending less time looking at screens, will be disappointed.

But to each their own. I spend quite a bit of time using my phone, while say on a public transport trip. Typically I’ll be reading or sending emails, organising work schedules, or reading news.

And I’m often grateful for the chance to do so during so-called downtime, as it leaves time for doing nothing later on. But I don’t look at any Meta social media/network apps, as I removed them.

But I’m still at a loss to recall what I used to do on a train trip during the pre-smartphone era. Likely I starred out the window and daydreamed, something I still do once I’ve finished using my phone.

Home scrolling social media on Friday night instead of going out?

27 August 2026

Possibly, just possibly, related to the previous post.

Recent research by Neal Caren, a professor at the University of North Carolina, has found people in the United States are not going out as much as they once did on a Friday night.

Instead they are choosing to stay home more often than not. The pandemic played some part, but “the growing availability of screen-based alternatives” may be what is driving the trend.

I would be interested to see if this is also the case in Australia. If “screen-based alternatives” are indeed the cause, then I’d think a few more people locally now stay home on a Friday night.

It’s purely anecdotal, but bars nearby are often filled to overflowing on Saturday nights (to be expected), almost empty Sunday night (to be expected), with some closed on Monday night (possibly to be expected). But people seem to be out on Saturday evening, around here anyway.

I can’t speak much for Friday night, as I seldom seem to be near any bars for some reason — has a lot of course to do with not being the biggest drinker — but I’m guessing Fridays would still be about as busy as Saturdays. Or for now at least.

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We need to ask ourselves: why are we addicted to our phones?

26 August 2026

In last week’s edition of Dense Discovery, publisher Kai Brach linked to an article, written by Kate Wagner, challenging the notion that our phones are over overpoweringly addictive.

But they are, aren’t they?

To Wagner’s mind, excessive smartphone use is a behaviour we have developed. But what is at the root of this behaviour? What do we seek in constantly checking our phone?

Why can’t we instead focus on a work task, watch a movie in its entirety, or sit on a train looking at the view out the window, without the need to see what’s happening somewhere else?

Why can’t we even be enveloped by a bit of boredom now and then, and let the emotion take its course, before reaching for the phone?

Wagner’s article is worth reading in full, something you can of course do with your phone.

My old red iPhone SE 2, no AusAlert alert, much embarrassment

28 July 2026

AusAlert is a new, nation wide, emergency warning system being rolled out by the Australian government. Should there be a crisis or disaster of some sort, authorities will be able to send warnings to mobile phones in the vicinity.

The alerts, which will be heralded by a short, but loud siren sound, are designed to override both silent, and do not disturb (DND) modes. That’s a good thing, as I avail myself of both constantly.

To test the system, an AusAlert message was to be sent to every mobile device in Australia, yesterday afternoon. It is unlikely nationwide broadcasts will occur regularly, if at all, as alerts are only intended to go only to phones in a specific region, if something is wrong. But saying every mobile device in Australia would receive the test warning was something of an exaggeration.

At 2PM AEST yesterday, my phone sat silent, even though phones all around me wailed for about ten seconds. As it happens though, AusAlerts cannot reach every phone, or mobile device, after all. For one, devices switched off, or in aeroplane mode, would not have received the test warning.

The same goes for older devices, of which mine, an iPhone SE 2, must be considered as far as AusAlert goes. I had heard “older” phones would instead receive a backup “presidential alert”, but I saw nothing. Landlines are likewise incapable of receiving the warnings, though I believe plans are in the works to include them eventually.

Later yesterday afternoon, Kristy McBain, the Australian Emergency Management Minister, said ninety-four percent of phone towers sent the alert.

That sounds a little low for what is meant to be national warning framework. It seems to me a lot of people could miss out in the event of a crisis. Still, the system is a work-in-progress, and doubtless coverage will move closer to one-hundred percent of towers.

I (still) have an iPhone SE 2, which I am reluctant to part with. It’s one of the (RED) red ones, which I had struggled to obtain. So I’m still using it. This is disassociated not Daring Fireball.

But I felt slightly embarrassed my phone didn’t join in the test. Most people knew what was happening, but some — despite pre-test publicity — seemed confused. I needn’t have fretted about my old red phone though, I doubt anyone had the slightest idea it remained mute during the drill.

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Australia, smartphones, technology

To read more, pick up a book not your phone, no wait…

23 July 2026

Hobart, Tasmania, based Australian software engineer Elia Scotto:

First of all, you don’t have to make time to read. What you need to do is read every single time you are not doing something else. In today’s world, most people pick up their phones as soon as they get a moment of inactivity. Serious readers pick up their books instead.

I’ve been having difficulty finding time to read books recently, for various reasons, and am still working on a way to resolve this.

Since removing most of the social media apps from my phone though, I’m not spending so much time looking at it. That’s eventually going to free up some time to read.

Ironically though, I’ll probably end up reading e-books, on my phone. I know that isn’t the idea, but it’s better than not reading at all. Besides, I don’t like hauling physical media around.

But, if you feel you don’t have enough time to read books, whether print or electronic, try deleting the social media apps from your phone, as a first step.

Reading books has to be more fulfilling than doomscrolling social day-in and day-out.

Other things, fun things, coming to Instagram, Facebook… for a price

6 June 2026

Sarah Perez, writing for TechCrunch:

For a few dollars per month, consumers subscribing to Instagram Plus ($3.99/mo), Facebook Plus ($3.99/mo), or WhatsApp Plus ($2.99/mo) will gain access to extra features, like profile customization, super reactions, and story insights, among other things.

In addition to these “other things”, Meta also says “more fun features” are imminent.

Too bad I removed all the Meta apps from my phone a while back. I still check in on Instagram and, occasionally, Facebook, through the websites, via my laptop. This has the bonus of restricting exposure to Meta products to work hours only. I don’t know how many, if any, of these new “plus” features will be available through the website though.

Is it smart for someone who writes in the general tech space, to evade these products? Probably not, but Meta is not the entirety of tech.

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smartphones, social media, technology

Psychological distress in parents possibly behind low Australian birth rates, not smartphones

22 May 2026

Sixty percent of Australian parents reported experiencing psychological distress, according to the results of the Parenting Today survey, conducted late last year by the Parenting Research Centre.

It has been suggested the impact on the mental health of parents in Australia is contributing to current record low birth rates here.

Psychological distress and poor mental health, are not however the only factors dragging down births both in Australia, and elsewhere in the world. Cost of living pressures and expensive housing are also playing a part. As is, possibly, smartphone usage.

Earlier this week Tyler Cowen, at Marginal Revolution, posted birth rate data from ten countries which generally show a prolonged, and clear, decline in birth rates across the twentieth century.

An uptick is apparent in some nations during the baby-boom, which followed World War II, through to the 1960’s. The overall downward trend in birth rates obviously predate smartphones, and possibly even expensive housing, though.

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