SSPAI

Category: Smartphone

  • SSPAI Morning Brief: “Rules on Pricing Behavior of Internet Platforms” Released

    SSPAI Morning Brief: “Rules on Pricing Behavior of Internet Platforms” Released

    Morning Brief

    1. “Rules on Pricing Behavior of Internet Platforms” Released
    2. TikTok signs agreements with investors to establish a new U.S. joint venture
    3. Airbus plans to migrate core business to Europe-based cloud services to avoid U.S. jurisdiction risks
    4. Tesla wins final ruling; Musk’s record-breaking 2018 compensation package reinstated
    5. Anna’s Archive announces completion of a large-scale backup of Spotify’s music catalog
    6. Sam Altman explains the “red alert,” infrastructure plans, and hardware strategy in an interview
    7. Rumors You Can Just Glance At

    “Rules on Pricing Behavior of Internet Platforms” Released

    On December 20, the National Development and Reform Commission, the State Administration for Market Regulation, and the Cyberspace Administration of China jointly issued and released the Rules on Pricing Behavior of Internet Platforms. The Rules were previously open for public consultation from August 23 to September 22, 2025.

    The main points of the Rules include—

    • Protecting operators’ autonomy in pricing. Platforms must not use technical means or their dominant position to impose unreasonable restrictions on operators within the platform, such as forcing “choose one of two,” mandating promotions, or restricting pricing on other channels. Platform fee standards must be open and transparent, and any adjustments to fees must solicit opinions in advance;
    • Regulating price labeling practices. Operators must clearly disclose product prices, service content, and additional fees (such as shipping). Where dynamic pricing or promotional activities are involved, pricing rules and promotion conditions must be prominently disclosed. Products ranked through bidding must be clearly labeled as advertisements;
    • Restraining price competition behaviors. Practices such as selling below cost, using algorithms to implement discriminatory pricing (“big data price discrimination”), price gouging, and price fraud are prohibited;
    • Protecting consumers’ price-related rights. Automatic renewals must provide a convenient cancellation option and issue prominent reminders before charges are made; bundled products must not be pre-selected by default.

    Compared with the earlier draft for public comment, the final version expands the scope of protection for pricing autonomy by extending the prohibition on price comparison bans from other platforms to all sales channels, and further banning intervention measures such as search result demotion and algorithmic downgrading. The criteria for identifying price gouging have been relaxed: in non-emergency situations, price increases that do not match cost increases will no longer be automatically deemed price gouging. Requirements for informing users about automatic renewals are made stricter—beyond specifying the deduction time, amount, and any price changes, platforms must also clearly and prominently notify users of the cancellation method. For price labeling, the Rules further require prominent disclosure on service pages.

    The Rules will take effect on April 10, 2026, with the aim of allowing operators sufficient time to make necessary compliance adjustments.

    TikTok signs agreements with investors to establish a new U.S. joint venture

    According to Caixin, on the afternoon of December 18 (U.S. time), TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew announced in an internal memo that ByteDance and TikTok have signed agreements with three investors to establish a new TikTok U.S. joint venture. The new entity will be named TikTok US Data Security Joint Venture LLC (TikTok USDS Joint Venture LLC) and will be responsible for data protection, algorithm security, content moderation, and software assurance in the United States. Matters related to the agreement are expected to be completed no later than January 22, 2026. Reaching this deal also means that TikTok will avoid being banned in the U.S.

    Under the agreement, ByteDance and TikTok will continue to own the intellectual property rights to the core algorithms and will license them to TikTok USDS for use within the United States. Other TikTok entities in the U.S. (wholly owned by ByteDance) will continue to handle commercial activities such as e-commerce, advertising, and marketing operations, as well as maintaining global interoperability of TikTok products.

    TikTok USDS will be 19.9% owned by ByteDance, making it the largest single shareholder in the new joint venture. ByteDance’s current U.S. and global shareholders will collectively hold 30.1%, while the new investors will hold 50%. Among them, Oracle, Silver Lake, and Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund MGX will each hold a 15% stake. The company will have a seven-member board of directors: ByteDance will occupy one seat, ByteDance’s existing U.S. and global shareholders will hold two seats, the new investors will hold three seats, and the remaining seat will be filled by an independent director appointed by the board.

    Previously, on September 25, Trump signed an executive order in the Oval Office approving the transaction that allows TikTok to continue operating in the United States. The executive order also granted TikTok a 120-day exemption period during which it would not face penalties. At the same time, Trump retained the authority to issue further orders on the matter if necessary to safeguard national security.

    Airbus plans to migrate core business to Europe-based cloud services to avoid U.S. jurisdiction risks

    According to The Register, Airbus is preparing to launch a major tender to migrate its core mission-critical operations to Europe-based cloud platforms with “digital sovereignty,” in a bid to reduce its reliance on U.S. cloud service providers. The contract is expected to be worth more than €50 million and span a period of up to 10 years. The migration will cover systems such as ERP, manufacturing execution systems (MES), and lifecycle management systems involving sensitive aircraft design secrets. The tender is scheduled to open in January next year, with a final supplier expected to be selected before the summer.

    Catherine Jestin, Executive Vice President of Digital at Airbus, emphasized that the move is intended to ensure that extremely sensitive information related to national and European security remains fully under European control. Beyond market factors—such as software vendors like SAP shifting their technological focus to the cloud—geopolitical risks are the primary driver. With Donald Trump’s return to the White House unsettling transatlantic trade relations, and the U.S. CLOUD Act allowing American law enforcement to access overseas data held by U.S. companies, concerns over data sovereignty among European enterprises have been intensifying.

    Although U.S. giants such as Microsoft and AWS offer compliance solutions, Microsoft has previously acknowledged in a French court that it cannot fully guarantee exemption from U.S. law. Additionally, reports that the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) Chief Prosecutor once had services cut off by Microsoft due to U.S. sanctions have further heightened Airbus’s concerns about business continuity. At present, Airbus is awaiting clarification from European regulators on whether it can truly obtain protection from the extraterritorial reach of foreign laws.

    Finding a suitable European provider, however, remains a challenge. Jestin noted that, given the relatively limited scale and technological maturity of European cloud service providers, there is only about an 80% chance of finding a satisfactory solution. These stringent requirements will not only test the technical capacity of Europe’s cloud vendors but also push them to accelerate industry collaboration in order to meet Airbus’s timeline.

    Tesla wins final ruling; Musk’s record-breaking 2018 compensation package reinstated

    On December 19, the Delaware Supreme Court issued a ruling overturning a lower court decision that had previously voided Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s 2018 compensation plan. The record-setting equity incentive plan was valued at approximately $56 billion at the time of vesting. The Supreme Court held that the Delaware Court of Chancery’s remedy—outright cancellation of the plan—was “overly extreme” and failed to give Tesla an opportunity to propose a reasonable alternative form of compensation. The court therefore reinstated the plan and awarded only $1 in nominal damages.

    Back in 2018, Tesla’s board approved a ten-year equity incentive plan under which Musk, upon achieving a series of market-capitalization and operational milestones, would be entitled to purchase roughly 304 million Tesla shares at a deeply discounted price of $23.33 per share. During the plan’s term, Musk would receive no other compensation. A minority shareholder later filed suit, alleging that Musk and Tesla’s board breached their fiduciary duties. In January 2024, the lower court ruled that the compensation-setting process suffered from “serious defects,” finding that the board lacked independence, was controlled by Musk, and failed to adequately disclose key information to shareholders—ordering the plan’s rescission.

    Although the compensation plan has now been reinstated, experts note that the Supreme Court’s ruling primarily addressed the proportionality of the punishment—namely, rescinding the plan—rather than overturning the lower court’s factual findings that Musk was a controlling shareholder and that the compensation process was unfair. As such, the court preserved the negative assessment of Tesla’s corporate governance and merely corrected the remedial approach.

    Following the earlier loss, Musk moved Tesla’s corporate domicile from Delaware to Texas and pushed shareholders to reapprove the plan in subsequent votes. With the 2018 plan reinstated, Tesla’s contingency compensation plan—prepared to mitigate the risk of an adverse outcome—immediately became void. Notably, Tesla shareholders also approved an even larger 2025 compensation incentive plan this November; if its targets are met over the next decade, the new plan’s total value could reach as high as $1 trillion.

    Anna’s Archive announces completion of a large-scale backup of Spotify’s music catalog

    On December 20, the well-known piracy archive Anna’s Archive announced that it has successfully completed a large-scale backup of streaming giant Spotify’s music library. The site claims the project to be the world’s first “fully open” music preservation archive, aiming to ensure the permanent survival of musical culture through distributed storage. The release totals roughly 300 TB of data, including metadata for 256 million tracks and 86 million audio files, covering approximately 99.6% of Spotify’s total user listening volume. Anna’s Archive did not disclose the source of the files.

    The released metadata database contains 186 million unique ISRCs (International Standard Recording Codes). By comparison, the mainstream open database MusicBrainz currently holds only about 5 million unique ISRCs. This means Anna’s Archive has built the largest publicly accessible music metadata index in the world.

    Previously, Anna’s Archive focused primarily on the preservation of books and academic papers. The team stated that this effort was intended to fill gaps in existing archiving practices—namely, the tendency of audiophile-driven archives to prioritize lossless audio quality (resulting in massive file sizes that are difficult to mirror), as well as an overemphasis on popular works at the expense of “long-tail” music. Anna’s Archive emphasized that many niche tracks on Spotify have extremely small audiences and lack dedicated enthusiast maintenance; once streaming platforms remove them or data loss occurs, these “cultural artifacts” risk disappearing permanently.

    According to the release plan, the metadata is already online, while the audio files, album artwork, and differential patches used to reconstruct original files will be released in stages based on popularity. At present, the project is intended primarily for archival purposes and does not yet support online searching or downloading of individual tracks.

    Sam Altman explains the “red alert,” infrastructure plans, and hardware strategy in an interview

    Recently, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman appeared on the Big Technology Podcast, confirming that Google’s recent release of the Gemini 3 model did indeed trigger an internal “Code Red” at OpenAI. This marked the company’s second time entering such an emergency state this year—the first being in response to competitive pressure from the Chinese AI company DeepSeek. Despite the intense competition, Altman revealed that ChatGPT’s weekly active users have surged from 400 million at the beginning of the year to 800 million. He stressed that OpenAI’s approach is not purely defensive, but rather focused on maintaining leadership through rapid iteration. The recently released GPT-5.2 model is widely regarded as the strongest reasoning model to date, excelling in scientific research and enterprise-level tasks.

    On the product ecosystem, Altman said OpenAI is working to move beyond the single chatbot paradigm. He expressed reservations about Google’s strategy of embedding AI into existing search and office suites, arguing that the future lies in “native AI” products. As for the much-discussed hardware plans, Altman disclosed that OpenAI is developing a family of devices centered on proactive perception and environmental understanding, aiming to break free from the interaction limits imposed by traditional screens and keyboards.

    To support its massive computing needs, Altman confirmed infrastructure investment commitments totaling as much as $14 trillion. This enormous sum will be allocated over the long term across chips, data centers, and energy infrastructure. Although OpenAI currently expects annual revenue to reach $20 billion, the company remains unprofitable in the short term due to high training costs. Regarding financial sustainability, Altman said that as inference costs account for a larger share and enterprise business scales up, revenue will eventually cover expenses. On the question of going public, he admitted that while he is not particularly eager to become the CEO of a public company, constraints related to shareholder limits and capital requirements mean that an IPO will be an unavoidable option.

    Altman defined the core of the next generation of AI as “scientific discovery capability,” and previewed the release of a significantly improved model built on this foundation in the first quarter of 2026. As for the definition of artificial general intelligence (AGI), he proposed a new benchmark—“superintelligence”—where AI systems must surpass human capabilities when taking on complex roles such as serving as a company CEO or a national leader.

    Rumors You Can Just Glance At

    • According to Weibo user @i冰宇宙, Samsung’s Galaxy S26 series is confirmed to be announced in February, with an expected release in March. This would be later than the launch schedule of recent years.
    • Some users have noticed that the official WeChat account of Computer Fan magazine has recently been deactivated, and its official website is no longer accessible. Computer Fan was first founded in 1993.
    • On December 20, Xiaomi Brand General Manager Lu Weibing said during a livestream that “the Xiaomi 17 Ultra will definitely see a price increase—and I think it will be a fairly significant one. But compared with the rise in memory costs, I still think it’s relatively modest.” When the Xiaomi 15 Ultra was released, the company had previously stated that it would be the “last time at 6,499 yuan.” Lu explained that this assessment did not fully take memory costs into account, and was based only on increases in processor and camera costs. The 17 Ultra, however, also factors in rising memory prices, with increases far exceeding those of processors and cameras. He added that since the end of 2022, AI has experienced explosive growth, and based on overall projections, memory costs are expected to continue rising through 2025, 2026, and 2027.
  • What I Was Thinking While Constantly Jumping Between Phones

    What I Was Thinking While Constantly Jumping Between Phones

    Also known as: In Search of a Handy 6.3 Inches, I Made These Phones Fight It Out.

    In the end, the answer is simple: life is all about trade-offs.

    Lost at Sea After Pulling the SIM: My Phone-Hopping History

    As a loyal Smartisan user for nine and a half years—from the Smartisan T1 in 2014, to the M1, then the Nut R2, and even the TNT Go tablet—by 2023, when the R2 in my hand was getting increasingly sluggish, I found myself stuck for quite a while in a state of “pulling out the phone and looking around in confusion.” Every brand has its strengths, but without “One Step” and “Big Bang,” 1any phone felt awkward and uncomfortable to me.

    From top to bottom: the T1 with a shattered glass back, the unboxing of its successor M1, and finally the R2 and TNT Go.

    During that time, I briefly tried phones from Xiaomi, Huawei, and Samsung, but none of them really clicked with me. Later, on a friend’s recommendation, I decided to experience stock Android. Drawn by its much-praised camera capabilities, I bought a Pixel 7 Pro in May 2023. It was genuinely refreshing for quite a while: the telephoto really was long, video stabilization really was rock-solid, the haptic feedback really was satisfying, and the global search bar fixed at the bottom of the home screen really was convenient… And using a Pixel in China isn’t actually that hard—the main requirement is just a stable network environment.

    I didn’t root the phone. Just to get my China Telecom SIM working properly, I followed a SSPAI article and used Shizuku and Pixel IMS to enable VoLTE. The process was very straightforward—following the steps for the first time took no more than 15 minutes. After that, it was just a matter of spending a couple of minutes re-enabling it after each reboot.

    My first day and last day with the Pixel 7 Pro.

    But the Pixel had one fatal flaw for me: it only supports a single physical SIM (you can add an eSIM, but I never really looked into it). Since I separate my call/SMS SIM and my data SIM, I still had to carry my old Nut R2 whenever I went out.

    Then, at the beginning of 2024, tempted by the Apple Watch—and gifted one by my partner—I picked up an iPhone 12 on Xianyu and began a dual-device life: Android as my main phone, iOS as a secondary.

    I did discover some apps on iOS that I couldn’t find truly satisfying alternatives for on Android, which gave me a bit of attachment to the iPhone. For example, the travel log app FootPrint (the free features are more than enough for me), the English reading app Mengge Reader (cheap and effective), and the calendar app Across (rich views and beautiful widgets). Some apps exist on both platforms, but while their iOS widgets are compact and elegant, their Android counterparts are just big, clunky blocks (I’m looking at you, Minimal Exchange Rate!).

    From left to right: FootPrint, Mengge Reader, Across widgets.

    The next issue that surfaced was weight.

    The Pixel 7 Pro itself weighs 212 g. Not long after I started using it, I dropped it twice, denting the metal frame, and its protruding camera module also made me uneasy—so I put on the original 37 g case that came from the Xianyu seller. That pushed the total weight to around half a kilo, which was honestly exhausting to hold; my pinky finger was under increasing strain. I also tried switching fully to the iPhone 12 as my main device, but after just a few months, the frustration set in. Every time I opened the Subway WeChat mini program to order a sandwich, choosing bread and vegetables meant waiting ages for each option to load. And if I needed to reply to a WeChat message midway—since mini programs and chats don’t run as separate windowed processes on iOS—once I exited and went back in, I had to start the order all over again. In the end, I switched back to the Pixel as my main phone.

    That remained the case until September this year, when Sanyang started looking into LCD-screen phones for eye-care reasons. From a few models she bought, I ended up using an iQOO Z8. At a second-hand price of just 880 yuan, with a Dimensity 8200 chip, dual SIM, and NFC, plus plenty of commendable touches in OriginOS, it felt like a great deal. I finally went from remembering to carry a Pixel, an iPhone, and an access card to work every day, to traveling light with just one Z8. No more using one phone as a hotspot for the other, no more constant switching between two devices. On trains and planes, the presence of the “Atomic Island” feature was genuinely convenient, and that sense of relief lasted for quite a while. Sure, opening heavyweight apps like Meituan still involved some lag, but at this price, what more could I complain about? Even though my eyes aren’t particularly sensitive, I could clearly feel the eye-friendly benefits of the LCD screen. It might struggle a bit under bright sunlight, but even if I lost track of time scrolling for a full hour, my eyes wouldn’t end up with that familiar soreness.

    But—life always has a “but.” A month later, I finally realized that even using the phone bare, with the weight down to 200 g, the 6.7-inch size itself was simply too big for me.

    What I needed wasn’t just lighter—it had to be smaller too.
    And once again, I wanted to change phones.

    The Final Showdown: A Three-Kingdom Battle Among 6.3-Inch Phones

    At this point, my top priority was crystal clear: I wanted a 6.3-inch phone that wouldn’t be too heavy.

    What else did I want? Strong camera performance, more eye-friendly screen tuning, a smooth and quiet system, dual SIM support, and a reasonable price. I don’t think these demands were all that outrageous—after all, I’d already given up on ever using “One Step” again.2

    But the reality is that even in a market bursting with options, once you stack six separate “wants” together, there aren’t many “flowers” left to pick. Take eye care to the extreme and you’d be looking for an LCD screen—yet there are virtually no LCD phones on the market with genuinely strong camera systems (here’s hoping some manufacturer revisits this niche someday and gives us a better-specced LCD model).

    “One Step” split-screen: lightning-fast window switching and seamless drag-and-drop interactions between apps—an absolute killer feature for expense tracking.
    (Image source: Bilibili, Nut Phone 2019 New Product Launch Full Recap)

    So in the end, I looked through the flagship and upper-midrange 6.3-inch phones released over the past couple of years (there really weren’t many) and narrowed it down to three finalists:

    1. iPhone 17 / 17 Pro: Everyone says the iPhone 17 lineup brings noticeable upgrades, so I figured I’d take a look. The newly added display pulse smoothing is theoretically easier on the eyes, and features like ProRAW and axis-based color grading sounded fun to play with.
    2. Pixel 9 Pro: After reading Clyde’s article, I was surprised to find that the 9 Pro had returned to a 6.3-inch size. With a second-hand price of around 3,400 RMB for the 256 GB version, it immediately entered my shortlist.
    3. vivo X200 Pro mini: The OPPO and vivo offerings are fairly similar. I also looked into the Find X9s, but ruled it out early due to weaker video performance. I also owe Clyde a thanks here—after I asked him about his experience with the first two phones, he mailed me an X200 Pro mini to try out for a few weeks.

    In the end, the choice came down to elimination.

    • iPhone 17 / 17 Pro: I honestly didn’t like the new Liquid Glass effect. Even in toned-down color modes, it still stood out too much. Paying over 5,000 RMB for the standard model or over 7,000 RMB for the Pro, only to likely dislike the visual style for years to come, just felt too expensive.
    • Pixel 9 Pro: The lack of true dual physical SIMs was still a deal-breaker, and its eye-care credentials were hard to pin down.

    And so, the vivo X200 Pro mini survived the final round. As for my six “wants,” here’s what it managed to deliver:

    • Size: At 187 g, the weight is quite manageable. I’ve seen complaints about the large circular camera module digging into fingers, but I actually rest my index finger there intentionally, changing my grip so the phone is “half-hung, half-resting” in my hand. That way, my pinky no longer has to support it from the bottom—an unexpected relief.
    • Camera: Both the wide and telephoto cameras are strong performers, and the street photography and style modes are genuinely fun to experiment with.
    • Eye care: In the Eye Comfort mode, there are options like anti-fatigue brightness adjustment, adaptive ambient color temperature, and full high-frequency dimming. I turned everything on without hesitation. It can’t quite match an LCD, but compared with my iPhone 12 and the Pixel 7 Pro, the viewing experience is noticeably gentler.
    • System: Google Play can be downloaded directly from the built-in app store. There may still be occasional app issues overseas, but for daily use it’s more than sufficient.
    • Dual SIM: Since I’ll be heading to Australia, and Australian carriers use a VoLTE whitelist system, I checked that the X200 Pro mini supports it. For Huawei and Xiaomi, the information I found was all over the place, and I also came across reports that MIUI cuts off FCM in lock screen, affecting push notifications for apps like Gmail and WhatsApp—so both brands were knocked out of this fight early.
    • Price: A 512 GB unit goes for under 3,000 RMB on the second-hand market, which is frankly a great deal.

    Post-Match Wrap-Up: Letting Go of the Better, Fuller Moon

    I see myself as a perfectly ordinary user—just a tiny bit picky.

    I say “picky” because I stubbornly stuck with Smartisan phones for so many years. Even when, hardware-wise, they lagged behind other phones at the same price, I was still willing to pay a premium for the system and the design. It’d be hard to say there wasn’t at least a little pickiness involved. But I also say “ordinary” because I’m not that keen on tinkering. When I used a Pixel, I never bothered rooting it just to unlock NFC. I don’t play games or chase high refresh rates, and I have zero research interest in system interaction logic—you can tell because I barely mentioned any of that throughout this piece. All I want, in a very plain way, is a kind of “comfortable enough” that I can’t even fully articulate.

    So when it comes to the oft-repeated mantra “buy new, not old” for electronics, I simply don’t buy into it.

    Especially with phones. After all these years, even if manufacturers are accused of squeezing out upgrades bit by bit, there’s still at least some improvement every year. But is the experience gap between two adjacent generations really that big? The reason the finalists didn’t include the latest Pixel 10 Pro or vivo X300 is simply that I didn’t think the incremental upgrades justified the current price difference. I’m also perfectly happy buying from the second-hand market—if I end up hopping again later, I won’t lose much on resale.

    When we watch reviews, we’re constantly shown all kinds of flashy new features, and it’s easy to imagine them unlocking endless possibilities. But in reality, only a handful ever make it into our actual daily habits. Take the “floating ball” as an example. When I first saw it in the settings, I enthusiastically set up a whole suite of shortcuts for double-tap, long-press, swipe left, swipe up, swipe down. In practice, though, aside from popping up uninvited to get in my way, I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve actively used it—and I still haven’t even memorized the shortcuts I assigned.

    Zooming out a bit further, I no longer hold the naïve belief that buying a new gadget will magically create habits that never existed in the first place. Before getting an Apple Watch, I imagined I’d be motivated by those visual activity rings to exercise more. The reality is that I’m still struggling every month just to fill ten rings and earn Grow’s badge. The functions I actually use the most are checking my walking distance while traveling, monitoring my heart rate zones and route deviation when hiking, or using it as a convenient replacement for a kitchen timer when I’m cooking.

    New tools can’t take you “from zero to one.” At best, they help you go “from one to two.”

    Just look at these dismal Fitness stats—on rare months I manage to earn the ten-ring Grow badge. The idea of changing myself through tools alone simply doesn’t hold water for me.

    So now my attitude toward electronics—including phones—is extremely pragmatic: I don’t chase perfection. As long as they avoid my personal “deal-breakers” and offer a few genuinely pleasant “bonus points” in certain areas, that’s enough.

    If you ask whether the vivo X200 Pro mini truly surprised me, the answer is no. It’s simply the phone that survived the process of elimination. I still have my complaints. Take the global search function I use all the time: on a Pixel, it’s clean, fast, and fluid. On OriginOS, it took me quite a while to figure out that you can set it to “show the keyboard by default upon entering the home screen.” Before that, every time I pulled down and then had to tap the search box again to bring up the keyboard, I’d be silently grumbling to myself. And even after turning off recommended cards and trending searches, the page still feels noisy—rows of Baidu search, Douyin search, and Bilibili search just sitting there.

    The global search page: Pixel on the left, vivo on the right.

    That said, it does have a few small touches I find genuinely interesting. For example, after long-pressing the bottom gesture bar to summon Blue Heart Little V, there’s an option called “Add to Favorites.” It analyzes and summarizes the entire webpage you’re currently viewing. Sometimes the summary isn’t quite right, but it’s still an approachable and usable feature. So far, I’ve only collected things sporadically and haven’t had the chance to go back and dig them up again. That said, I do still really want to experience how far Pixel’s system-level AI interactions can evolve with Gemini’s backing. In comparison, Blue Heart Little V feels usable in certain scenarios, but far from impressive—so on that front, there’s still some regret.

    For instance, when saving this Weibo post, the key point should’ve been analyzing the recommended merchants image in the middle—but Blue Heart Little V’s analysis got maybe three out of six points right.

    For me, the most genuinely delightful “bonus point” of the vivo X200 Pro mini is still its camera.

    I do own a Sony RX100 II, but aside from trips where I bring it intentionally, my phone remains my primary camera day to day. With the X200 Pro mini, you can just pull it out and snap a shot, and it’ll usually look pretty good. It does have its own tonal preferences due to tuning—unlike the Pixel, which strives more for faithful color reproduction—but it delivers that immediate, intuitive satisfaction of “hey, this actually looks like something.” Whether it’s handling extreme backlighting, or automatically detecting food and popping up a 2.2× food mode, I’ve been quite pleased. Even in less-than-ideal lighting, it can beautify things just a bit, which makes me willing to spend an extra twenty seconds before every meal arranging bowls and plates before pressing the shutter.

    Dinner shots taken at the same table under similar lighting: the top from Pixel 7 Pro, the bottom from vivo X200 Pro mini.

    Last weekend, I went to see a Les Misérables concert. Thanks to the 50-megapixel periscope telephoto, even with nothing more than mindless tapping of the shutter button, I got atmosphere-rich shots from the very last row of the second floor in stage mode.

    In that moment, I suddenly felt that this was enough.

    I gave up on the pursuit of a pristine system, gave up on the “better, fuller moon,” and instead, at a reasonable price, avoided some obvious inconveniences in exchange for something that’s everyday, effortless, and readily at hand—an easygoing kind of “enough.”

    That’s my current answer.

    From wide shots to close-ups, a few photos taken along the way.

    Finally, here are a few original, unedited snapshots taken casually with the vivo X200 Pro mini, for reference.

    Shot in Humanistic Street Photography mode.
    Performance under extreme backlighting.
    Moon photography performance (the moon in the cover image was shot on a Pixel 7 Pro).
    1. At least in the 23-year market, there’s arguably no alternative. ↩︎
    2. It’s almost 2026! While every company has its own split-screen floating window solution, why hasn’t anyone tried to copy OnePlus’s incredibly sleek 1+3 effect? ↩︎
  • SSPAI Morning Brief: Xiaomi Releases the MiMo-V2-Flash Model, FIFA to Launch a New Game, and More

    SSPAI Morning Brief: Xiaomi Releases the MiMo-V2-Flash Model, FIFA to Launch a New Game, and More

    Morning Brief

    • Xiaomi releases the MiMo-V2-Flash model
    • Adobe Firefly updates its video editing features
    • Baidu Mind Map announces the specific shutdown date
    • Leica to support the Capture One tethered workflow
    • Let’s Encrypt introduces a Generation Y certificate hierarchy
    • FIFA to jointly launch a new game with Netflix

    Xiaomi releases the MiMo-V2-Flash model

    On December 16, Xiaomi released the open-source MoE model Xiaomi MiMo-V2-Flash. The model has a total of 309B parameters, with 15B active parameters, and is designed specifically for agentic AI with a strong focus on speed.

    According to Xiaomi, MiMo-V2-Flash ranks in the global Top 2 among open-source models across multiple agent benchmarks. Its coding capabilities surpass those of all other open-source models and are on par with the flagship closed-source model Claude 4.5 Sonnet, while its inference cost is only 2.5% of that model’s and its generation speed is doubled.

    The model adopts a hybrid architecture combining Global Attention and Sliding Window Attention (SWA) at a 1:5 ratio, with a window size of 128, a native context length of 32K, and extended training up to 256K.

    Xiaomi also launched an online AI chat service, Xiaomi MiMo Studio (https://aistudio.xiaomimimo.com), where users can experience Xiaomi MiMo-V2-Flash. The service supports deep reasoning and web-connected search. Source

    Adobe Firefly updates its video editing features

    On December 17, Adobe rolled out an update to Adobe Firefly, introducing a new video editor that supports precise, text-prompt–based editing. The update also brings in multiple third-party models for image and video generation, including Black Forest Labs’ FLUX.2 and Topaz Labs’ Astra.

    With the new editor, users can modify video elements, colors, and camera angles using text prompts. A timeline view has also been added, making it easier to adjust frames, audio, and other video properties.

    In addition, Topaz Labs’ Astra model can be used to upscale video resolution to 1080p or 4K. Black Forest Labs’ FLUX.2 image generation model is set to arrive in the app as well, alongside a newly launched collaborative canvas feature.

    Adobe stated that the FLUX.2 model is available starting today across all Firefly apps, while Adobe Express users will gain access to the model beginning in January next year. Source

    Baidu Mind Map announces the specific shutdown date

    On December 16, Baidu Mind Map announced via an official notice that, due to product adjustments, the service will be officially discontinued on March 31, 2026. Baidu also reminded users to export and save important data locally in advance to avoid potential data loss. Source

    Leica to support the Capture One tethered workflow

    On December 11, Leica announced a partnership with Phase One to bring tethered shooting workflow support to Leica cameras and the Capture One photo editing software.

    When a Leica camera is connected to a computer running Capture One, photos can be transferred directly, and the camera can be remotely controlled from the computer, allowing photographers to shoot and edit simultaneously. Since Capture One also has an iPad version, this workflow can be used in on-location shooting scenarios as well.

    However, at present, Leica cameras do not support wireless tethered shooting. Only the SL3, SL3-S, M-EV1, M11-P, and Q3 models can display a live view feed while shooting. In addition, Phase One is offering a benefit to Leica users: all registered Leica members who own eligible camera models can receive a free three-month trial of Capture One Pro. Source

    Let’s Encrypt introduces a Generation Y certificate hierarchy

    On December 17, the free digital certificate provider Let’s Encrypt announced via its blog that it is transitioning from the X-generation root certificate system to the Y-generation certificate hierarchy. This change involves issuing two new root certificates (ROOT CAs) and six intermediate certificates. The new certificates will be cross-signed by the existing X-generation root certificates X1 and X2.

    ACME profiles are currently undergoing transitional adjustments. By May 13, 2026, the default profile will switch to the new Y-generation certificate hierarchy. However, due to upcoming root program requirements, the new intermediate certificates do not include the TLS client authentication extended key usage. As a result, starting in February 2026, Let’s Encrypt will discontinue support for TLS client authentication. Users who encounter issues or need more time to migrate to the Y-generation certificates may continue using the tlsclient profile until May 2026, after which the new profile must be enabled.

    In addition, beginning this week, some users may start seeing newly issued Y-generation certificates. This also marks the official rollout of Let’s Encrypt’s short-lived certificates, including support for issuing short-lived TLS certificates to IP addresses—meaning TLS certificates can now be issued without relying on domain names.

    FIFA to jointly launch a new game with Netflix

    On December 18, the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) announced that it will collaborate with Netflix to launch a new FIFA football game. The game will be led in development by the Delphi Interactive team, with Netflix Games handling publishing, and will be closely themed around the 2026 World Cup. However, neither party disclosed concrete details about the game’s content or development progress, stating only that information related to the gameplay experience will be revealed in 2026. Source

  • SSPAI Morning Brief: vivo Unveils the S50 Series and More

    SSPAI Morning Brief: vivo Unveils the S50 Series and More

    Morning Brief

    1. vivo releases the S50 series smartphones
    2. Robot vacuum pioneer iRobot announces bankruptcy restructuring
    3. Google to bring real-time voice translation to Google Translate
    4. Astell&Kern’s IRIVER returns to the Chinese market
    5. Meituan announces suspension of the “Tuan Haohuo” business
    6. China Mobile releases a 6G transmission technology white paper and prototype
    7. Ant Group’s AI health app AQ renamed Ant Afu
    8. Rumors You Can Just Glance At

    vivo releases the S50 series smartphones

    On December 15, vivo held the S50 series launch event, unveiling multiple new products.

    The vivo S50 is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 processor, featuring a 6.59-inch display and a 6,500mAh battery, with support for 90W wired fast charging. It uses an ultrasonic under-display fingerprint sensor and the Ultra low-frequency global antenna. For imaging, it is equipped with a 50MP periscope telephoto camera using a 1/1.95-inch Sony IMX882 sensor, a 50MP main camera with a 1/1.56-inch Sony LYT-700V large sensor with advanced stabilization, and a 110° ultra-wide, low-distortion lens. The device focuses on 3× telephoto Live Photo shooting, and supports features such as Live Photo passerby removal, AI-customized beauty effects, film-style filters, and highlight slow-motion camera movement. The vivo S50 is available in Confession, Leisurely Blue, Inspiration Purple, and Deep Space Black, priced from CNY 2,999 (12GB+256GB) to CNY 3,599 (16GB+512GB).

    The vivo S50 Pro mini is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 processor, with a 6.31-inch display and a 6,500mAh battery. It supports 90W wired fast charging and 40W wireless charging, and also features an ultrasonic under-display fingerprint sensor and the Ultra low-frequency global antenna. In terms of imaging, the S50 Pro mini shares the same ultra-wide and periscope telephoto lenses as the S50, while its main camera uses a 50MP 1/1.56-inch Sony IMX921 ultra-sensitive bionic large sensor. The vivo S50 Pro mini is available in Confession, Inspiration Purple, and Deep Space Black, priced from CNY 3,699 (12GB+256GB) to CNY 4,299 (16GB+512GB). Pre-orders for both S50 models start today, with official sales beginning on December 19.

    In addition, vivo Pad5 Pro has introduced a new matte display edition, featuring a 3.1K high-definition matte screen produced with nano-level crystalline etching technology. The 12GB+256GB version is priced at CNY 3,699, while the 16GB+512GB version costs CNY 4,199, and is available starting today. Source

    Robot vacuum pioneer iRobot announces bankruptcy restructuring

    On December 14, iRobot—the company that pioneered the robot vacuum category—issued an announcement stating that it has reached a restructuring support agreement with its secured creditors and primary contract manufacturer, Shenzhen Shanchuan Robotics Co., Ltd., and its subsidiaries. Under the agreement, Shanchuan Robotics will acquire iRobot and obtain 100% ownership.

    Following the completion of the acquisition, iRobot will become a wholly owned private company of Shanchuan Robotics and will be delisted from Nasdaq. Previously, Shanchuan Robotics had assumed iRobot’s USD 190 million loan. The acquisition will relieve iRobot of this debt, as well as an additional USD 161.5 million in loans owed to Shanchuan Robotics related to contract manufacturing. Shanchuan Robotics is one of the world’s largest contract manufacturers of robot vacuum cleaners. Source

    Google to bring real-time voice translation to Google Translate

    On December 12, Google published a blog post outlining the next phase of upgrades for Google Translate. Google will introduce real-time natural speech translation powered by Gemini across its apps. The Google Search app will deliver more natural and accurate text translations. With Gemini support, Google Translate will provide more precise translations of idioms, implied meanings, localized expressions, and slang. This feature will first launch in the U.S. and India on both app and web, supporting mutual translation between English and nearly 20 languages including Spanish, Hindi, Chinese, Japanese, and German.

    At the same time, Google Translate is rolling out a beta Android app in the U.S., India, and Mexico that supports real-time natural speech translation—users can activate it simply by wearing headphones—with support for over 70 languages. The feature is expected to expand to the iOS app and more regions in 2026. In addition, the built-in language learning features within Google Translate will be extended to 20 new countries and regions, including Germany, India, and Sweden. Source

    Astell&Kern’s IRIVER returns to the Chinese market

    On December 13, South Korean digital audio brand IRIVER announced its return to the Chinese market via an official post on Xiaohongshu. IRIVER stated that it will focus on the Hi-Fi audio and CD player segments going forward, and that full-scale operations in the Chinese market will soon begin. Brands under the IRIVER umbrella include Astell&Kern, ACTIVO, and IRIVER. Source

    Meituan announces suspension of the “Tuan Haohuo” business

    On December 15, Meituan’s Tuan Haohuo business issued an internal email stating that, after research and discussion, the grocery retail management team has decided to suspend the Tuan Haohuo operation and refocus on exploring new retail formats. As an exploratory initiative within Meituan’s parcel-delivery e-commerce efforts, the business accumulated experience in product retail. However, in recent years, as the grocery retail sector has continued to innovate, parcel-based e-commerce has struggled to meet the needs of instant retail users. “We will follow the trend and proactively seek change,” the email said.

    Regarding personnel affected by this adjustment, Meituan noted that internal communication will be conducted, with detailed follow-up plans to be explained. Tuan Haohuo is a B2C e-commerce business incubated by Meituan. It launched as a mini program in August 2020, was promoted to a top-level entry within the Meituan app in December 2020, and was later renamed Meituan E-commerce. Source

    China Mobile releases a 6G transmission technology white paper and prototype

    On December 15, China Mobile published an article stating that, at the 2025 China Information and Communications Conference and the academic annual meeting of the China Institute of Communications, it released the China Mobile 6G Transmission Technology White Paper along with the “China Mobile 6G Transmission System Prototype 1.0.”

    The white paper proposes that the core concept of 6G transmission is to move from “connectivity” toward “beyond connectivity.” By deeply integrating three key elements—dynamic intelligence, multidimensional coordination, and end-to-end security—it aims to build an integrated 6G intelligent collaborative transmission network architecture consisting of a service perception layer, a coordinated transmission packet layer, a coordinated transmission channel layer, and a coordinated transmission medium layer. Source

    Ant Group’s AI health app AQ renamed Ant Afu

    On December 15, Ant Group held its Ant Health AI strategy and brand upgrade launch event, announcing that Ant AQ has been renamed Ant Aifu, alongside the release of a new version of the app. The Aifu app will focus on three core health functions: health companionship, health Q&A, and health services. It has already partnered with the health commissions of 8 provinces and municipalities, as well as the medical insurance authorities of 18 provinces and municipalities through the “Yibaor” program, forming a network of 200 hospital-based medical AI agents, and has launched joint AI research initiatives with 16 institutions. Source

    Rumors You Can Just Glance At

    • According to Tom, host of the Moore’s Law Is Dead channel, citing sources from multiple distribution and retail channels, Samsung is preparing to gradually exit its SATA SSD business and plans to halt SATA SSD production in the long term. If Samsung removes its SATA SSD production lines, it will inevitably put upward pressure on prices across the entire SSD market, including both SATA and NVMe products. This also signals that the era of low-cost SATA SSDs may be coming to an end. Source
    • Earlier this month, the GNOME Shell Extensions store banned AI-generated extensions from being listed. Source
    • At the Black Hat Europe conference on December 11, Microsoft Vice President Tom Gallagher announced that Microsoft will immediately expand the scope of its bug bounty program. Any critical vulnerability that has a direct and verifiable significant impact on Microsoft online services will now be eligible for a reward. Source
    • According to the Financial Times, the UK government is considering requiring Apple and Google to build age-verification systems and explicit-content detection algorithms directly into their operating systems. Until users complete adult verification via biometric methods or official identification, all explicit content would be blocked by default. Source
    • Many LG webOS TV users have reported that after completing a recent webOS system update, a non-removable Microsoft Copilot app appeared on the home screen. Source
  • SSPAI Morning Brief: Market Regulator Drafts Compliance Guidelines to Curb “Selling Cars at a Loss”

    SSPAI Morning Brief: Market Regulator Drafts Compliance Guidelines to Curb “Selling Cars at a Loss”

    Morning Brief

    1. Market regulator drafts compliance guidelines to curb “selling cars at a loss”
    2. Motion-sensing game console Nex Playground gains popularity in the U.S.
    3. Musk seeks evidence from Alipay in lawsuit accusing Apple of monopoly practices
    4. OpenAI begins selling physical merchandise
    5. Central authorities signal continuation of national subsidies next year, with policies to be optimized
    6. Doubao mobile assistant clarifies it cannot capture screenshots of banking keyboards
    7. Rumors You Can Just Glance At

    Market regulator drafts compliance guidelines to curb “selling cars at a loss”

    On December 12, China’s State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) released the Automobile Industry Price Conduct Compliance Guidelines (Draft for Public Comment) and opened it for public feedback. The document emphasizes that automobile manufacturers and dealers that “sell cars at a loss” through various means will face significant legal risks.

    The Guidelines first detail pricing conduct requirements for automobile manufacturers, calling for: the establishment of end-to-end pricing management systems covering vehicle sales and financial services; clear and transparent rebate policies that respect dealers’ independent pricing rights; prohibitions on price collusion, below-cost sales aimed at excluding competitors, and price discrimination; and requirements that “paid unlock” features disclose free-use periods and fee standards to protect consumers’ right to be informed.

    The Guidelines also specify pricing conduct requirements for automobile dealers, including: clear price marking and strict separation of vehicle prices from sales service fees; standardized promotions; bans on deceptive pricing, false reference prices, and failure to honor pricing commitments; encouragement for platforms to provide two-way alerts for conspicuously low prices; and strict prohibitions on charging without providing services, duplicate charges, and passing on improper fees.

    In addition, the Guidelines encourage companies to establish internal compliance management systems covering price decision-making, contract management, internal oversight, and risk prevention, so as to prevent pricing violations at the source.

    In response, automakers such as Changan Automobile, BYD, BAIC Group, and XPeng have successively stated their support and indicated they will actively comply with the Guidelines.

    Since the beginning of this year, regulators have continued to roll out measures to curb “involution” in the auto industry. In March, a senior official at the National Development and Reform Commission criticized disorderly competition in the car market, noting that some companies were sacrificing profits to grab market share, and pledged efforts to rectify market chaos and regulate competition. In May, an official from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology said oversight of involution-style competition would be intensified. In June, under regulatory guidance, automakers committed to shortening supplier payment terms to 60 days; in September, the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers further issued initiatives to standardize practices.

    Motion-sensing game console Nex Playground gains popularity in the U.S.

    According to The Wall Street Journal, during the 2025 U.S. holiday shopping season, a motion-sensing game console called Nex Playground unexpectedly emerged as a market “dark horse.” Launched by Silicon Valley startup Nex, Nex Playground topped Amazon’s Toys & Games rankings during Black Friday and sold out at brick-and-mortar retailers such as Walmart and Target. Data shows that its single-week sales surpassed Microsoft’s Xbox, trailing only Sony’s PS5 and Nintendo’s Switch 2, ranking third in overall U.S. game hardware sales.

    Priced at $249 (approximately RMB 1,757), Nex Playground’s core appeal lies in completely abandoning traditional controllers in favor of capturing player movements via built-in cameras and AI-powered computer vision. Unlike conventional consoles, the product targets family and parent–child scenarios, encouraging kids to “get moving” in the living room rather than slumping on the couch—an approach that has resonated strongly with parents. In addition, Nex secured the IP licensing rights to Bluey, a children’s animated series with exceptionally high viewership on streaming platforms, which became a key driver behind the surge in sales.

    Nex’s success stems from a high-risk business pivot. The company originally started by developing an AI basketball training app and once received investment from NBA star Steve Nash. After recognizing the market ceiling of a single sports-focused app, the team leveraged its core vision technology to first pivot into AR game development, and then crossed over into the supply-chain-intensive hardware sector, aiming to fill the gap left by the discontinuation of the Nintendo Wii in the motion-gaming market.

    The commercial returns from this transformation have been striking. Two years ago, the device sold only 5,000 units; this year, sales during Black Friday and Cyber Monday surpassed 300,000 units, with full-year sales projected to reach 600,000. Company revenue is expected to grow from roughly $3 million annually to $150 million, with profitability anticipated for the first time.

    Musk seeks evidence from Alipay in lawsuit accusing Apple of monopoly practices

    According to 9to5Mac, newly disclosed court filings show that in xAI’s antitrust lawsuit against Apple and OpenAI, Elon Musk’s company sought documentary evidence from foreign tech firms including China’s Alipay and South Korea’s Kakao. The aim is to argue that Apple preserves its iPhone hardware monopoly and high pricing by restricting the growth of “super apps.”

    In the case, xAI alleges that Apple not only entered into exclusive agreements with OpenAI and suppressed the visibility of competitors such as Grok in the App Store, but also used ecosystem rules to block “super apps” that integrate instant messaging, payments, transportation, and e-commerce. Musk’s team contends that such apps reduce users’ dependence on a specific operating system, making it easier for consumers to switch from iPhones to other brands, and are therefore deliberately constrained by Apple.

    Under evidence-gathering requests sent to judicial authorities in China and South Korea pursuant to the 1970 Hague Evidence Convention, xAI asked Alipay and KakaoTalk to provide their App Store ranking histories, revenue data, and internal strategic assessments on “how super apps affect users’ willingness to switch smartphones.” Under the Hague Convention, judicial authorities in one contracting state may request evidence from the competent authority of another contracting state in civil or commercial matters. xAI is expected to submit similar requests to other leading Asian app developers, including WeChat and Grab.

    Musk has long sought to transform the social platform X (formerly Twitter) into a Western-style “super app” akin to WeChat. While the lawsuit initially appeared to stem from a dispute over Grok’s App Store ranking, the expanding scope of evidence collection suggests the case’s core has clearly shifted toward Musk’s ambitions for an all-in-one app.

    OpenAI begins selling physical merchandise

    According to Business Insider, to mark its 10th anniversary, OpenAI has opened its official merchandise store, OpenAI Supply Co., to the public for the first time. Previously, the store was accessible only to internal employees. After OpenAI shared the store link on X, it quickly sparked a buying frenzy, with most popular sizes of hoodies and T-shirts already sold out.

    The store currently lists 10 items available for purchase, largely themed around OpenAI’s technological vision and geek culture. For example, there is a set of Pokémon-style collectible trading cards featuring models such as Sora 2 and GPT-5, as well as several apparel designs incorporating elements of “artificial general intelligence” (AGI). Beyond the items for sale, the website also showcases a large archive of past merchandise, including hats printed with the “1-800-CHATGPT” phone number and retro designs featuring San Francisco city motifs.

    Central authorities signal continuation of national subsidies next year, with policies to be optimized

    According to Yicai, the Central Economic Work Conference held in Beijing from December 10 to 11 made it clear that next year China will “adhere to demand-driven growth and build a strong domestic market,” and will optimize the implementation of the “Two New” policies.

    The so-called “Two New” policies refer to large-scale equipment upgrades and the trade-in program for consumer goods, the latter of which is commonly known as the “national subsidy.” The conference’s clarification that the “Two New” policies will be optimized in 2026 indicates that national subsidies will continue next year, though with adjustments to specific measures.

    To boost consumption, China issued RMB 150 billion in ultra-long-term special government bonds in 2024 to support consumer goods trade-ins. Given the strong results that year, China doubled the amount in 2025, issuing RMB 300 billion in ultra-long-term special bonds for the same purpose. The 2025 national subsidy program also expanded on the 2024 scope, adding three categories of digital products—smartphones, tablets, and smartwatches/bands—as well as four categories of home appliances, including microwave ovens, water purifiers, dishwashers, and rice cookers.

    Data from the Ministry of Commerce shows that from January to November this year, consumer goods trade-ins drove related product sales exceeding RMB 2.5 trillion, benefiting more than 360 million instances of consumers. Among them, over 11.2 million vehicles were traded in, more than 128.44 million home appliances were replaced, subsidies covered over 90.15 million purchases of phones and other digital products, more than 12.91 million electric bicycles were traded in, and over 120 million home renovation and kitchen/bathroom “refresh” items were upgraded.

    Experts interviewed said that the national subsidy budget in 2026 may see a moderate increase over 2025 levels, with further optimization of funding allocation—potentially expanding into service consumption—to better leverage fiscal spending to stimulate consumption, promote industrial transformation and upgrading, and support economic growth.

    Doubao mobile assistant clarifies it cannot capture screenshots of banking keyboards

    On December 13, in response to recent online claims that the “Doubao Mobile Assistant” exploits special permissions to steal private information such as banking keyboard inputs, the Doubao team issued a statement clarifying that this interpretation is incorrect. The company said the assistant uses the system’s native screenshot APIs and strictly follows Android’s underlying security mechanisms, making it impossible to capture protected interfaces such as those used by banking apps.

    The core of the controversy centers on the use of permissions such as READ_FRAME_BUFFER. Doubao explained that the assistant employs a “virtual screen” technology, running third-party apps within a virtualized environment. While this permission allows reading the graphics buffer for AI inference, on Android, once an app invokes the FLAG_SECURE interface (as is typically the case during sensitive steps like password entry), the system returns black-screen data at the graphics rendering layer for any screenshot or screen-recording request. As a result, even with screen-reading permissions, no actual content can be seen.

    Regarding the CAPTURE_SECURE_VIDEO_OUTPUT permission, Doubao said its practical purpose is to ensure that users can visually view protected pages normally when operating in small-window modes such as the “Dynamic Island,” rather than seeing a completely black screen. This, however, does not change the page’s inherent screenshot-blocking properties.

    Doubao added that the mobile assistant currently operates on a workflow of user command → screenshot upload to the cloud → model feedback. Because the multimodal large models required for interface analysis have massive parameter sizes and are constrained by current mobile chip performance, screenshots must be uploaded to the cloud for processing. The company emphasized that screenshots are taken only when explicitly triggered by user commands, and uploaded data is used solely for real-time visual understanding and reasoning, with no cloud storage after the task is completed.

    The technical preview version of the “Doubao Mobile Assistant” was released on December 1 and preinstalled on the nubia M153 engineering prototype jointly developed by ByteDance and ZTE, which was sold in limited quantities. On December 3, after encountering risk-control restrictions that prevented normal use of WeChat, Doubao removed the assistant’s ability to operate WeChat. On December 5, Doubao announced plans to standardize and adjust certain AI phone-operation capabilities, including—but not limited to—score farming, incentive farming, and scenarios involving financial apps and games.

    Rumors You Can Just Glance At

    • According to Macworld, a leaked internal build of iOS 26 reveals some of Apple’s future development plans. Among them, iOS 26.4—expected to be released in spring 2026—will include a revamped Siri integrated with Apple Intelligence and based on Google’s Gemini model, along with a redesigned Health app interface. The code also indicates Apple is developing a new verification system that checks device integrity before Apple ID sign-in, meaning devices that have been “jailbroken” or otherwise modified without authorization may be unable to access online services such as iCloud. In addition, the Apple TV app may add a “Sports” subscription, and the Freeform app is set to gain folder management features.
    • On the hardware side, AirPods Pro 3 will leverage the built-in U2 ultra-wideband chip to support “outdoor Precision Finding” within the Find My network. Looking further ahead, iOS 27 is expected to improve the Photos app’s “Featured” functionality and AirPods pairing mechanisms, while iOS 28 plans to add sleep-tracking metrics such as “time in bed” for Apple Watch. macOS 28 is also slated to receive the Health app.
  • SSPAI Morning Brief: Index 01 Smart Ring Launch, Cyberpunk 2077 5th-Anniversary XR Glasses, and More

    SSPAI Morning Brief: Index 01 Smart Ring Launch, Cyberpunk 2077 5th-Anniversary XR Glasses, and More

    Morning Brief

    1. Pebble Founder Launches Index 01 Smart Ring
    2. Cyberpunk 2077 5th-Anniversary Limited-Edition XR Glasses Released
    3. CowTransfer Pauses Shutdown, Begins Negotiations With 123 Cloud Storage
    4. Nothing Releases Phone (3a) Community Edition
    5. EU Opens New Antitrust Probe Into Google
    6. Rumors Worth a Glance

    Pebble Founder Launches Index 01 Smart Ring

    Following the revival of several Pebble smartwatches, Pebble founder Eric Migicovsky has announced a new device: the Index 01 smart ring, priced at USD 75. The core features of Index 01 are AI-powered note-taking and audio recording. Its speech-to-text capability relies on an open-source AI model running inside the Pebble mobile app, and recording requires the user to hold down the button on the ring throughout the process. Index 01 supports basic water resistance up to 1 meter, though the company advises against wearing it while swimming. Positioned purely as a wearable note-taking tool, the ring does not include any health or fitness-tracking features. All notes saved via the ring are stored locally on the user’s mobile device.
    Source

    Cyberpunk 2077 5th-Anniversary Limited-Edition XR Glasses Released

    On December 9, CD PROJEKT RED announced a collaboration with VITURE to launch the VITURE × Cyberpunk 2077 5th-Anniversary Collector’s Edition XR Glasses. Based on the VITURE Luma Pro, this limited edition features a redesigned translucent body, dynamic cyber-themed light strips along the sides, and a printed Kiroshi Optics logo from the game.

    The glasses are limited to 10,000 units worldwide (numbered CP0000–CP9999). They are equipped with Sony MicroOLED displays and VITURE’s custom optical engine, capable of projecting an image equivalent to a 152-inch screen. They support a 120Hz refresh rate and 1,500-nit peak brightness, and can use AI algorithms to convert standard 2D content into 3D visuals with spatial depth in real time.

    The VITURE × Cyberpunk 2077 5th-Anniversary Collector’s Edition XR Glasses went on sale globally on December 10, priced at USD 549. Source

    CowTransfer Pauses Shutdown, Begins Negotiations With 123 Cloud Storage

    On December 9, CowTransfer released an update stating that—after receiving a large amount of user feedback following its shutdown announcement—it has decided to delay the closure and is now entering strategic partnership negotiations with 123 Cloud Storage. During these discussions, all CowTransfer services will continue operating normally, with no impact on user data or experience.

    Founded in 2016, CowTransfer is known for secure and stable large-file transfer and cloud storage. Last month, the team had announced that service would officially end on December 8. They now state that further updates will be shared as negotiations progress. Source

    Nothing Releases Phone (3a) Community Edition

    On December 9, Nothing announced the Phone (3a) Community Edition. This version introduces a new color scheme and a frosted-glass back panel, and the accompanying wallpapers and system interactions differ slightly from the original model. A total of 1,000 units will be available starting December 12 through the official Nothing website, with pricing unchanged from the standard edition. Interested users can register on the website for a chance to purchase.
    Source

    EU Opens New Antitrust Probe Into Google

    On December 9, the European Commission announced a new antitrust investigation into Google. The probe will assess whether Google violated competition rules while using online publishers’ and YouTube creators’ content to train its AI systems. The EU stated that the investigation will focus on whether Google imposed unequal or unreasonable terms on publishers and creators, granting itself privileged access to their content and thereby disadvantaging rival AI model developers. Source

    Rumors Worth a Glance

    • According to a Google blog post related to The Android Show: XR Edition, the company’s first AI-powered smart glasses are expected to launch in 2026. The product is being co-developed by Google, Samsung, Gentle Monster, and Warby Parker. Google also revealed improved Android XR support for both wired smart glasses and models with display-enabled lenses. Source
    • ADWEEK reports that Google has notified select advertising clients that it plans to introduce ad placements within Gemini, with rollout expected in 2026. Specific formats, pricing, and testing details remain undisclosed. Source
    • The NanoKVM switch produced by Shenzhen Sipeed Technology (Sipeed) was found to contain several major security vulnerabilities, including preset passwords with open SSH access, a Web UI lacking proper security protections, and hardcoded encryption keys identical across all devices. Additionally, the device inexplicably includes a small built-in microphone of unknown purpose. Although the manufacturer has now patched the reported vulnerabilities after multiple communications, users still need to manually remove the microphone themselves. Source
    • Some players who preordered Resident Evil 9: Requiem on PlayStation discovered that Sony had mistakenly uploaded a game cover featuring popular series character Leon S. Kennedy. Capcom has so far avoided confirming whether Leon will appear in the new title, despite previous leaks showing character figurines and achievement icons featuring him. Source
    • U.S. President Donald Trump posted on his social platform Truth Social stating that NVIDIA is now permitted to sell its second-tier H200 processors to China. The U.S. Department of Commerce later clarified that a 25% tariff will be imposed on such sales. Source
  • SSPAI Morning Brief: Meta Promises EU-Compliant Personalized Ad Options, and More

    SSPAI Morning Brief: Meta Promises EU-Compliant Personalized Ad Options, and More

    Morning Briefing

    1. Meta promises to offer EU users compliant personalized ad options
    2. Google showcases three Android XR device prototypes
    3. Viwoods launches AiPaper Reader C color e-ink device
    4. Jolla completes crowdfunding for the new Jolla Phone
    5. Meituan releases LongCat-Image, its new image generation model
    6. Zhipu AI open-sources the GLM-4.6V multimodal model series
    7. Google Gemini web version adds a “My Content” folder
    8. Just some rumors to glance at

    Meta promises to offer EU users compliant personalized ad options

    On December 8, the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Competition and Directorate-General for Communications Networks, Content and Technology issued a statement noting that the EU has acknowledged Meta’s decision to comply with the Digital Markets Act (DMA). Meta will offer Facebook and Instagram users in the EU an option to view ads with a lower level of personalization. Users will be able to choose to share all of their data and receive fully personalized ads, or share less personal information and see ads with reduced personalization. This is the first time such an option has appeared on Meta’s social platforms. The change will go live in January 2026. Previously, in April 2025, the EU informed Meta that it was not in compliance and engaged in close discussions afterward. The Commission stated that once the feature rolls out, it will continue engaging with Meta and other stakeholders to gather feedback, assess the impact of the changes, and collect relevant evidence. Source

    Google showcases three Android XR device prototypes

    At its Android XR media preview event on Monday, Google unveiled three prototypes of Android XR devices. The first, Project Aura, is developed in collaboration with Chinese manufacturer XREAL. Its form factor is similar to the Galaxy XR and requires connection to an external device, making it more of a “less immersive” head-mounted display. Project Aura is expected to officially launch in 2026.

    The second prototype resembles the Meta Ray-Ban glasses, embedding a display in the right lens as a single-eye display setup, but in an even lighter and thinner design. Media attending the event said the prototype’s display performance, software smoothness, and Gemini integration were noticeably improved compared to what Google showed at I/O 2025. This prototype must be connected to a smartphone, which serves as its computing hub. Google prohibited photography of the device. The final retail version will be jointly developed by Google, Samsung, and eyewear companies Warby Parker and Gentle Monster, and is planned for a 2026 release, with an audio-only version also available.

    The third prototype is still in an early development stage and was only shown in a short demo. It features displays embedded in both lenses, offering better audio performance and a wider field of view. With dual-eye displays, it can also create depth effects. The product corresponding to this prototype will not be released in 2026. Source

    Viwoods launches AiPaper Reader C color e-ink device

    On December 8, Viwoods introduced the AiPaper Reader C to overseas markets. It features a 6.13-inch color e-ink display suitable for reading comics and viewing images. The device is largely similar to the previously released AiPaper Reader, with the main upgrade being the transition to a color screen. It is equipped with a 6.13-inch Carta 1300 panel using Kaleido 3 color technology. However, when operating in color mode, the resolution drops to 824 × 1648, and pixel density falls to 150 PPI. The device runs on an octa-core 2.0 GHz processor with 4GB LPDDR4X RAM and comes with Android 16, supporting the installation of third-party apps. Its dimensions are 159.39 × 80.27 × 6.7 mm. It has a built-in 2580mAh battery and supports Wi-Fi connectivity, as well as a physical SIM card slot that enables 4G mobile data when on the go, though phone calls are not supported. It includes a microphone, a side-mounted fingerprint sensor integrated into the power button, and page-turn buttons on the right side, allowing page flips without touching the screen. The product is now available overseas at a retail price of 359 euros. Source

    Jolla completes crowdfunding for the new Jolla Phone

    The Finnish company Jolla, known for carrying forward the legacy of Nokia’s MeeGo system, has recently completed crowdfunding for its new Jolla Phone. The device runs Sailfish OS 5, a Linux-based system, and supports Android apps through Jolla AppSupport. It features a replaceable battery and back cover, as well as physical privacy switches. The processor is an unspecified MediaTek model, and the phone supports 5G. It comes with a 6.36-inch display and 12GB of RAM. The first batch is priced at 499 euros, the second batch at 549 euros, and the official retail price starts at 599 euros. Source

    Meituan releases LongCat-Image, its new image generation model

    On December 8, Meituan’s LongCat team officially released and open-sourced the LongCat-Image model. Built with a high-performance architecture, systematic training strategies, and comprehensive data engineering, the model reaches the performance level of larger models in core text-to-image and image editing capabilities, despite having only 6B parameters. It offers highly controllable image editing and accurate Chinese text generation. For text-to-image generation, Meituan conducted large-scale human evaluations using MOS (Mean Opinion Score), scoring four key dimensions: text-image alignment, visual plausibility, visual realism, and aesthetic quality. LongCat-Image shows outstanding realism compared to mainstream open and closed models, and reaches state-of-the-art levels among open-source models in text-image alignment and plausibility. For image editing, Meituan adopted strict side-by-side (SBS) evaluations focusing on overall editing quality and visual consistency—two core user-experience metrics. Results indicate that while LongCat-Image still trails some commercial models like Nano Banana and Seedream 4.0, it significantly outperforms other open-source solutions. The model is now available for download on Hugging Face and GitHub. Source

    Zhipu AI open-sources the GLM-4.6V multimodal model series

    On December 8, Zhipu AI launched and open-sourced the GLM-4.6V series of multimodal large models, including the base GLM-4.6V (106B-A12B) designed for cloud and high-performance cluster scenarios, and the lightweight GLM-4.6V-Flash (9B) aimed at local deployment and low-latency applications. GLM-4.6V increases the training-time context window to 128k tokens, achieves state-of-the-art visual understanding performance for its parameter size, and integrates tool-calling capabilities natively into the vision model. Compared with GLM-4.5V, the GLM-4.6V series is priced 50% lower, with API pricing adjusted to 1 RMB per million input tokens and 3 RMB per million output tokens. Source

    Google Gemini web version adds a “My Content” folder

    Google recently rolled out an upgraded web version of Gemini, introducing a dark theme and a streamlined “My Content” folder to improve readability and highlight its latest generative image model: Nano Banana Pro. With this update, Gemini’s web interface now aligns more closely with the mobile version. The new light theme carries a subtle blue-gray tint, while the dark theme switches to a pure-black background. The greeting on the landing page has been simplified from “Hello” to “Hi,” and the prompt input field and suggestion features have been moved to the bottom. The hamburger menu has also been reorganized, adding a new “My Content” module alongside Gems and Conversations. It separates AI-generated images, videos, Canvas creations, and chat histories into distinct categories for easier access. When users click on an item in “My Conversations,” they can see all chat threads associated with that content. Additionally, when users start a new conversation, the star icon on the Gemini homepage now features a rotation animation, and the input box outline is more prominent. The chat history section in the hamburger menu also gains a new “more actions” button, allowing users to share, pin, rename, or delete items. Source

    Just some rumors to glance at

    After Netflix announced its acquisition deal with Warner Bros., Paramount made a hostile takeover bid to Warner Bros. shareholders at 30 USD per share, totaling 108 billion USD. Source

    JD.com has launched “Jing Min Tong,” a public services portal. Users can access it by searching “京民通” within the JD or JD Finance apps. Source

    Xiaohongshu announced that it will suspend its “Xiao Hong Card” program starting January 1, 2026. All current cardholders will retain their full benefits until then, and after the service ends, all purchased cards will be automatically refunded in full. Source

    Douyin officially responded on Weibo to user questions, stating that 952420 is the official number of the Douyin Safety Center. Users will receive calls from this number if they have interacted with accounts involved in fraud. Source

    IBM announced a 11 billion USD all-cash acquisition of data platform company Confluent, aiming to strengthen its enterprise AI data platform offerings. Source

    Apple Fitness+ will launch on December 15 in 28 new storefront regions including Chile, Hong Kong, India, the Netherlands, Singapore, and Taiwan, and will arrive in Japan early next year. Courses will gradually roll out with AI-generated dubbing in Spanish, German, and Japanese. Source

    Microsoft announced that commercial versions of Microsoft 365 and Office 365 will see various price increases starting July 1, 2026. Source

    Tesla’s Optimus robot fell during a demo last weekend, and a video posted by a Reddit user shows that just before falling, Optimus made a motion resembling a remote operator removing a VR headset. Tesla has indeed used VR operators in the lab to train the Optimus robot. Source

  • SSPAI Morning Brief: Netflix Plans to Acquire Warner Bros.’ Film and Streaming Businesses for USD 72 Billion

    SSPAI Morning Brief: Netflix Plans to Acquire Warner Bros.’ Film and Streaming Businesses for USD 72 Billion

    Morning Brief

    1. Netflix Plans to Acquire Warner Bros.’ Film Studio and HBO Max Streaming Business for USD 72 Billion
    2. “Baidu Name Directory” Found Used in Multiple Official Lists
    3. Meta Plans Major Cuts to Metaverse Budget, Shifts Spending Toward AI Devices
    4. Cloudflare Suffers Another Service Outage
    5. Russia Blocks FaceTime Citing Security Concerns
    6. Doubao AI Mobile Assistant Restricts Functions in Score-Farming, Finance, and Gaming

    Netflix Plans to Acquire Warner Bros.’ Film Studio and HBO Max Streaming Business for USD 72 Billion

    According to The Wall Street Journal, on December 5, streaming giant Netflix announced that it had reached an agreement to acquire Warner Bros.’ film studio and its HBO Max streaming business for USD 72 billion in cash and stock. Under the terms of the deal, parent company Warner Bros. Discovery will carry out a spin-off plan, separating its traditional cable TV networks — including CNN, TNT, and TBS — before selling its entertainment production and streaming division to Netflix. This marks the largest acquisition in Netflix’s history and is expected to close within 12 to 18 months.

    The transaction values Warner Bros. stock at USD 27.75 per share, with the total enterprise value of the assets involved reaching approximately USD 82.7 billion. Previously, competitor Paramount had proposed an all-cash offer of USD 30 per share to acquire the entire Warner operation, including its cable network assets. However, Warner’s board favored Netflix’s proposal because it allows shareholders to retain equity in the spun-off cable TV business while also receiving Netflix shares — resulting in a combined potential value of USD 31 to 32 per share, surpassing Paramount’s full acquisition offer.

    Through this acquisition, Netflix would gain access to one of Hollywood’s largest content libraries, including Harry Potter, Friends, the DC Extended Universe, and HBO’s premium original programming. Netflix Co-CEO Ted Sarandos described the deal as a rare opportunity to secure long-term competitive advantage and pledged to preserve Warner Bros.’ traditional theatrical distribution model post-acquisition, ensuring that select films will continue to premiere in cinemas before arriving on streaming.

    The deal, however, faces significant antitrust scrutiny. Officials from the Trump administration have already voiced concerns that the merger could excessively strengthen Netflix’s global dominance. Paramount, whose bid was rejected, also sent a letter to Warner asserting that regulatory challenges may render the deal impossible to complete. Following the announcement, U.S. markets closed with Netflix shares down nearly 3%, Warner Bros. shares up more than 6%, and Paramount — the failed bidder — plunging nearly 10%.

    “Baidu Name Directory” Found Used in Multiple Official Lists

    According to The Paper, a document titled 10,000 Common Chinese Names on Baidu Wenku has recently been linked to several suspected falsification cases. Fake names listed in the document were directly copied into official rosters across multiple domains, sparking widespread public concern over procedural integrity and review mechanisms. These names were used to “build” expert panels in government procurement announcements, fill out award lists for competitions, and even appear in a public administrative penalty notice. Among them, “Zhang Jiwei, Lin Guorui, Lin Wenshu, Lin Yanan, Jiang Yiyun” appeared so frequently that they became known as “the busiest five people on the entire internet.”

    Examples include—

    • In 2024, the Liaoning Science and Technology Enterprise Knowledge Transfer Platform and the Yingkou Science and Technology Enterprise Knowledge Transfer Platform published lists of individuals who passed the non-public senior professional title review. Several names on the lists matched those in the “Name Directory”;
    • In 2023, a graduation results announcement on the website of Guangzhou General Vocational and Technical School listed 110 students, many of whose names were identical to those in the directory, and the exam scores were fabricated;
    • In 2023, the “Luoxia Cup National Painting and Calligraphy Seal-Carving Competition,” jointly organized by Shuhua Art Network and provincial associations in Shanxi and Jiangsu, featured numerous awardees whose names came directly from the directory;
    • In 2022, in a public notice by the School of Humanities at Hangzhou Normal University for recipients of a welfare lottery public fund project, several names and their exact sequence fully matched the directory. The university released a statement on December 6 admitting staff misconduct, offering a sincere apology, and accepting public criticism;
    • In 2019, the Chengdu Recreational Environment Technology Research Institute published results for a project-funding review. Zhang Jiwei appeared as project lead, teaming up with Lin Guorui, Cai Yiyun, and Chen Zhengqian to submit a project. Following on-site and correspondence reviews by experts, the project was approved. These four individuals, along with many others on the public notice, overlapped with names in the directory.

    New cases of identical names are still continuously being uncovered and exposed.

    Meta Plans Major Cuts to Metaverse Budget, Shifts Spending Toward AI Devices

    According to Bloomberg, sources reveal that Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg plans to drastically reduce investment in the company’s Metaverse initiatives. Meta executives are currently discussing a proposal to cut the Metaverse team’s 2026 budget by as much as 30%, with a new round of layoffs potentially beginning as early as January. A Meta spokesperson confirmed the resource reduction, noting that the freed-up funds will be redirected to fast-growing projects such as AI-powered smart glasses and other wearable devices.

    The proposed cuts stem from Meta’s annual budget planning meeting held last month at Zuckerberg’s Hawaii estate. At the meeting, Zuckerberg asked all departments to identify 10% budget reductions, though the Metaverse division was assigned far more aggressive targets. Sources explained that this is largely due to the Metaverse failing to generate the level of industry-wide competition Meta had once anticipated. The reductions are expected to focus on the VR team behind the Quest headsets and the Horizon Worlds virtual social platform — the two largest cost drivers of Meta’s Metaverse spending.

    This shift marks a significant strategic reorientation for Meta. Since the 2021 rebrand from Facebook to Meta, Reality Labs — the division overseeing the Metaverse — has accumulated losses exceeding USD 70 billion. Although Zuckerberg maintains that humanity will ultimately work and live in virtual worlds, he has rarely mentioned the Metaverse in recent public appearances or earnings calls, instead turning attention to large language models that power chatbots and to AI-integrated hardware such as Ray-Ban smart glasses.

    For years, investors have criticized the massive spending on the Metaverse for draining company resources without generating meaningful revenue. Following news of the budget cuts, Meta’s stock rose 3.4% to USD 661.53. Analysts widely believe that reducing investment in the long-unprofitable Metaverse will allow Meta to compete more effectively with its industry rivals in the generative AI space.

    Cloudflare Suffers Another Service Outage

    Internet infrastructure provider Cloudflare has confirmed that it has resolved a global service outage that occurred on Friday, December 5. The incident caused widespread delays and connection errors across the internet, affecting numerous banking and financial institution websites, video conferencing platform Zoom, and professional networking service LinkedIn, among others.

    Cloudflare reported that the outage lasted about 30 minutes. The company’s investigation found that the issue was not caused by a cyberattack but by a misconfiguration introduced during an attempt to patch a security vulnerability (CVE-2025-55182) in its React server components. The configuration change inadvertently triggered a logic error that resulted in a surge of HTTP 500 internal server errors. Cloudflare noted that such logic flaws could have been avoided in strongly typed programming languages, and the new Rust-based architecture it is rolling out has already addressed this risk.

    This marks Cloudflare’s second major outage in less than a month. As a core pillar of global internet infrastructure, Cloudflare’s services are relied on by countless companies for website acceleration and cybersecurity protection. A single point of failure at Cloudflare often produces cascading effects, knocking offline thousands of unrelated websites simultaneously.

    Cloudflare publicly apologized via social media, acknowledging that both incidents exposed weaknesses in its global configuration system, including the lack of staged rollouts and automated health checks. The company stated that it is conducting a comprehensive review to ensure network stability, and will accelerate the deployment of “fail-open” safeguards and stricter release validation procedures.

    Russia Blocks FaceTime Citing Security Concerns

    According to Reuters, on December 4, Russia’s federal communications regulator Roskomnadzor officially blocked Apple’s FaceTime video-calling service within the country. In its statement, Roskomnadzor cited law enforcement claims that FaceTime had been used “to organize and carry out terrorist attacks, recruit perpetrators, and commit fraud against Russian citizens,” though it provided no concrete evidence to support these allegations.

    As a result, users across Moscow reported being unable to use the service on Thursday; calls showed only a “user unavailable” message, and recipients could not answer even if they saw the incoming call. Apple has not yet responded. FaceTime is a core communication tool within the Apple ecosystem, known for its end-to-end encryption; the ban means Russian Apple users have now lost a major encrypted communication channel.

    This move is the latest escalation in Russia’s ongoing crackdown on Western tech platforms. Authorities have already imposed varying levels of restrictions on Google’s YouTube, Meta’s WhatsApp, and Telegram. On December 3, Roskomnadzor also blocked the U.S. gaming platform Roblox, citing the spread of extremist materials and illegal content. In August, the agency accused WhatsApp and Telegram of refusing to share anti-terrorism and anti-fraud information with law enforcement and subsequently restricted voice-call functionality on both platforms.

    Alongside restricting foreign services, Russia is pushing domestically developed alternatives in pursuit of “digital sovereignty.” This year, the government launched MAX, an official communications app intended to fill the void left by departing foreign platforms. Despite external concerns over possible data surveillance, Russian state media maintains that these measures are legitimate actions to safeguard national information security.

    Doubao AI Mobile Assistant Restricts Functions in Score-Farming, Finance, and Gaming

    According to Caixin, on December 5, Doubao announced that it would implement standardized restrictions on certain AI-driven phone operations, including—though not limited to—score-farming, reward-farming, financial app interactions, and gaming-related scenarios.

    Earlier on December 1, ByteDance’s Doubao AI model released the “Doubao Mobile Assistant” technical preview, integrated into the engineering prototype nubia M153 developed with ZTE, which was sold in limited quantities. Following the news, ZTE’s stock hit its daily limit, and the ¥3499 prototype sold out the same day. On the evening of December 3, after encountering risk-control blocks that prevented normal use of WeChat, Doubao disabled the assistant’s ability to operate WeChat.

    Doubao stated in its announcement that although the nubia M153 is merely a small-batch engineering prototype running a preview version, public attention far exceeded expectations. The concept of “AI operating your phone” sparked substantial discussion. The adjustment, Doubao says, “is a necessary step to ensure the technology develops steadily and sustainably.”

    Among the newly restricted scenarios, “score-farming and reward-farming” refers to retention-oriented incentives provided by apps that depend on real user interaction and therefore do not want AI collecting rewards. For banking and fintech applications, Doubao noted that although sensitive operations require explicit user authorization, it would still suspend AI operation of such apps out of caution. For certain gaming scenarios, Doubao said that because they involve competitive ranking, AI assistance will be temporarily disabled to maintain fairness.

    Doubao added that it will continue communicating with stakeholders to promote clearer, more predictable rules and “avoid blanket prohibitions that deny users the reasonable right to use AI.” Doubao reiterated that the AI assistant will not replace users in completing authorizations or sensitive actions; during long-running tasks, clear on-screen prompts will be displayed, and users may interrupt at any time, keeping the process fully controllable.

    Tensions among internet service companies, smartphone makers, and AI model developers are becoming increasingly visible. Recently, WeChat stopped supporting AI bookkeeping features on OPPO phones, and Bilibili no longer allows AI assistants to summarize video content. As early as 2017, when Honor was still under Huawei, its Magic smartphone featured AI functions that recommended restaurants based on WeChat and Alipay behavior — prompting Tencent to file a complaint with China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, accusing Huawei of violating user privacy.

    Rumors to Take With a Grain of Salt

    • On December 4, AI search engine company Perplexity announced that global football star Cristiano Ronaldo (CR7) will invest in the company. Perplexity has also signed Ronaldo as a global brand ambassador and launched an interactive fan hub dedicated to him on its platform. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. According to recent Bloomberg estimates, Ronaldo’s net worth is roughly USD 1.4 billion. A few weeks ago, Ronaldo also met with Donald Trump, sparking speculation about potential business collaborations.
    • Bloomberg reports that Johny Srouji — widely regarded as the chief architect of Apple’s in-house chips and currently a senior vice president — has informed CEO Tim Cook that he is considering leaving the company. To retain this key talent, Apple is reportedly weighing a promotion that would make Srouji the company’s Chief Technology Officer (CTO), though such a move could trigger complex internal power-balance issues. Apple has recently been facing a wave of executive departures. According to The Wall Street Journal, LinkedIn data shows that in recent months, dozens of Apple engineers working in audio, watch design, and robotics have left for OpenAI.
    • On December 6, Elon Musk posted on X stating that he hopes to open-source all of X’s code next month — “with no reservations.”
    • According to The Wall Street Journal, sources reveal that SpaceX is preparing a new secondary stock sale, seeking a valuation as high as USD 800 billion. If completed, SpaceX would surpass OpenAI to become the most valuable private tech company in the United States. CFO Bret Johnsen has reportedly informed investors of the sale plan, and executives have indicated that the company is considering an initial public offering (IPO) in 2026. Thanks to its dominance in rocket launches and the rapid growth of its Starlink business, SpaceX continues to be highly favored by investors.
  • SSPAI Morning Brief: Micron Shuts Down Crucial Consumer Business

    SSPAI Morning Brief: Micron Shuts Down Crucial Consumer Business

    Morning Brief

    1. Micron shuts down Crucial consumer business
    2. Apple’s head of interface design Alan Dye resigns
    3. Dyson releases Spot+Scrub AI vacuum robot
    4. Let’s Encrypt to shorten certificate validity from 90 days to 45 days
    5. Apple confirms iPhone 17 Pro will no longer support Night mode in Portrait mode
    6. China’s State Administration for Market Regulation releases Basic Requirements for Food-Delivery Platform Services
    7. Apple Beijing Huiju retail store to open on December 6
    8. Google launches automation tool Workspace Studio
    9. App Store Awards 2025 winners announced

    Micron shuts down Crucial consumer business

    Micron has announced its exit from the consumer storage business under its Crucial brand, shifting its focus to high-bandwidth memory (HBM) as demand for artificial intelligence and data-center infrastructure surges.

    AI-driven data center expansion has created strong demand for high-performance storage and memory. As a core component, HBM uses vertically stacked designs to reduce power consumption and improve data-processing efficiency, making it widely used for AI model training and inference. Compared with consumer products, HBM commands higher pricing and better margins, becoming one of the most competitive markets among Micron, SK Hynix, and Samsung.

    Amid ongoing global semiconductor supply constraints—from mobile flash storage to HBM chips—Micron will cease selling consumer-grade products through retail, e-commerce, and distribution channels. However, shipments will continue until February 2026 to ensure a smooth channel transition. Analysts note that consumer storage has never been a major revenue driver for Micron, and the company has already been shifting its strategic focus toward the HBM product line. Source

    Apple’s head of interface design Alan Dye resigns

    Apple’s design team faces another major adjustment as interface design chief Alan Dye departs the company. He will join Meta on December 31 as the company’s newly appointed Chief Design Officer.

    According to Bloomberg, Meta is establishing a new cross-disciplinary design studio, led by Dye, to unify hardware, software, and AI interface design. Dye will report directly to CTO Andrew Bosworth. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg stated that the studio’s mission is to merge design, fashion, and technology, exploring new product forms that treat “intelligence as a design material.” With devices like AI glasses expected to reshape human–computer interaction, the new team aims to create more natural and human-centered experiences.

    Apple has confirmed that veteran designer Steve Lemay will step into Dye’s role. Lemay, who joined Apple in 1999, has contributed to nearly all major interface design projects. CEO Tim Cook said that Lemay has helped define the high standards of Apple’s interface design, reflecting the company’s culture of collaboration and innovation. With former COO Jeff Williams now retired, Apple’s design team reports directly to Cook.

    Dye’s departure is part of a series of ongoing leadership changes at Apple. Prior to this, Apple announced that its longtime AI chief John Giannandrea would step down, while chip chief Johnny Srouji is reportedly evaluating future plans. Former Apple designer Billy Sorrentino has also confirmed he will be joining Meta. Source

    Dyson releases Spot+Scrub AI vacuum robot

    On December 4, Dyson announced its new Spot+Scrub AI robot vacuum. According to official information, the device uses a dual-line laser paired with an HD camera, enabling it to recognize around 200 common household objects while running and updating its models entirely on-device. In mopping mode, the robot features a 27 cm-wide roller, supports 60°C hot-water cleaning and self-cleaning, and can lift the roller when needed. In vacuuming mode, the motor provides 18,000 Pa of suction and includes an edge brush. The base station supports cyclone dust collection, up to 100 days of hands-free dust disposal, 60°C deep roller cleaning, and 45°C hot-air drying.

    The robot can be controlled via a mobile app for quick mapping, zone management, virtual boundaries, and scheduled cleaning. Dyson states that image data is never uploaded to the cloud, and the device does not store images locally, ensuring user privacy. The product is now available on JD.com at a price of 5,499 RMB. Source

    Let’s Encrypt to shorten certificate validity from 90 days to 45 days

    On December 2, Let’s Encrypt announced it will further shorten the validity period of its TLS/SSL certificates—from the current 90 days to 45 days—with full implementation planned for 2028. Meanwhile, the “authorization reuse period” for domain validation will be reduced from 30 days to 7 hours, meaning domain ownership will almost always be revalidated during renewal. Let’s Encrypt emphasizes that modern ACME clients already support high automation, so most website administrators will not need to take action, as automatic renewal will continue working seamlessly.

    Under the planned timeline:

    • May 2026: An optional 45-day certificate profile will be introduced for testing.
    • February 2027: Default certificate validity will be shortened to 64 days.
    • February 2028: Full transition to 45-day validity.

    Additionally, Let’s Encrypt revealed plans to introduce a new DNS-PERSIST-01 validation method in 2026. This will allow users to configure a DNS TXT record only once; subsequent certificate renewals will no longer require frequent manual DNS TXT updates. Source

    Apple confirms iPhone 17 Pro will no longer support Night mode in Portrait mode

    On December 4, Apple confirmed in an official support document that a previously available camera feature has been removed from the iPhone 17 Pro: Portrait mode will no longer support Night mode. Previously, when shooting portraits in low-light environments, Portrait mode would automatically work in tandem with Night mode to produce better image quality. Notably, Apple has removed this feature only from the iPhone 17 Pro — Portrait + Night mode remains available on the iPhone 12 Pro through iPhone 16 Pro. Source

    China’s State Administration for Market Regulation releases Basic Requirements for Food-Delivery Platform Services

    On December 4, 2025, the State Administration for Market Regulation officially released the recommended national standard Basic Requirements for Food-Delivery Platform Service Management.

    According to the announcement, the new standard addresses real-world industry needs and focuses on four key areas. In merchant management, platforms must enforce strict onboarding reviews and daily operational oversight, implement primary responsibility for safety, and are encouraged to promote “Internet + Transparent Kitchens” to uphold food safety. In pricing and promotions, the standard calls for greater transparency in platform fees and more regulated promotional tactics, ensuring a fair and orderly competitive environment. In labor management, platforms are urged to optimize delivery workers’ schedules, strengthen training and social protection, and further improve rights safeguards. The standard also requires establishing multi-party complaint and appeal channels to enhance transparency and facilitate public supervision.

    In addition, the standard explicitly limits delivery workers’ working hours:

    Daily order-taking time should not exceed 8 hours; if 8 hours is reached, riders must confirm before accepting more orders… After 4 consecutive hours of order-taking, a fatigue alert must be issued and dispatching paused for 20 minutes… Platforms must not use algorithmic optimization, bonus incentives, or other indirect methods to force riders into overtime labor.

    The State Administration for Market Regulation stated that the new standard is expected to promote healthier and more orderly development within the industry, creating a win–win outcome for all parties involved. Source

    Ele.me’s Response

    Ele.me stated that it will voluntarily implement the national standard Basic Requirements for Food-Delivery Platform Service Management, integrating its guidelines into platform operations and service workflows. The company will continue optimizing platform rules, improving merchant and courier management, enhancing user experience, and protecting the rights of couriers, consumers, and merchants.

    Apple Beijing Huiju retail store to open on December 6

    On December 4, Apple announced that the Apple Beijing Huiju retail store will officially open on the morning of December 6, becoming Apple’s sixth retail location in Beijing. Apple stated that the new store integrates sustainability and accessibility elements to enhance the shopping experience for all customers. Universal design principles—such as flexible seating heights, accessible pathways, and enhanced hearing systems—ensure inclusivity and support a wide range of needs. Source

    Google launches automation tool Workspace Studio

    On December 4, Google officially launched Workspace Studio, an automation tool designed for the Workspace ecosystem that enables users to rapidly create intelligent work agents powered by Gemini 3’s multimodal understanding capabilities. Previously tested under the name Workspace Flows, the tool is now available to a wider user base.

    Google says Workspace Studio allows users to describe business needs in natural language without writing any code, enabling them to build AI Agents in minutes. These agents can automatically process emails, documents, communications, and task management. The tool is deeply integrated with core Google Workspace apps such as Gmail, Drive, and Chat, and can connect with third-party services including Asana, Jira, Mailchimp, and Salesforce to cover broader business workflows.

    Compared with traditional rule-based automation tools, the new agents offer stronger reasoning and contextual understanding. They can identify issues and emotional tone in emails, extract invoice numbers or key task details, and automatically generate content, set priorities, or send smart notifications based on context—significantly improving workflow efficiency. In Workspace Studio, each AI agent is built from three components: triggers, steps, and variables. Enterprises can combine them as needed to create workflows of varying complexity, with support for team sharing. Source

    App Store Awards 2025 winners announced

    Apple has officially announced the winners of the 2025 App Store Awards, recognizing apps and games that demonstrated excellence in technological innovation, user experience, and cultural impact.

    In mainland China, CapWords won App of the Year for its clever design that seamlessly integrates language learning into everyday life. Valorant: Radianite Rising, developed by Tencent TiMi, took home Game of the Year, praised for its stunning visuals and fast-paced competitive gameplay. Source

    Globally, Tiimo, Detail, Essayist, Explore POV, Strava, and HBO Max were awarded App of the Year on iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Vision Pro, Apple Watch, and Apple TV respectively. In the games category, Pokémon TCG Pocket, DREDGE, Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition, Porta Nubi, and WHAT THE CLASH? won Game of the Year for iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Vision Pro, and Apple Arcade.

    In addition to the main awards, Apple announced six “Cultural Impact Award” winners, honoring apps and games that promote inclusion, understanding, and improved quality of life. The recipients are Art of Fauna, Chants of Sennaar, despelote, Be My Eyes, Focus Friend, and StoryGraph. Source

  • SSPAI Morning Brief: OnePlus Launches Ace 6T, Li Auto Unveils Livis Smart Glasses, and More

    SSPAI Morning Brief: OnePlus Launches Ace 6T, Li Auto Unveils Livis Smart Glasses, and More

    Morning Brief

    1. OnePlus Launches the High-Performance Ace 6T
    2. Li Auto Launches Livis Smart Glasses
    3. Razer Releases Portable Wireless Keyboard Razer Joro
    4. Perplexity Introduces Browser AI Assistant Security System
    5. Spotify Releases 2025 Wrapped Recap

    OnePlus Launches the High-Performance Ace 6T

    On December 3, OnePlus unveiled its new performance-focused flagship, the OnePlus Ace 6T, available in three colors: Fluorescent Green, Electric Purple, and Flash Black. The device debuts the fifth-generation Snapdragon 8 flagship chipset globally, achieving an AnTuTu benchmark score of over 3.56 million. Paired with the “WindChaser Gaming Engine” and a “Triple-Core Esports Architecture,” it further enhances gaming stability and power efficiency.

    The OnePlus Ace 6T is equipped with an 8300mAh ultra-large Glacier Battery, one of the rare high-capacity solutions in the industry. Complemented by 100W Super Flash Charging, the phone emphasizes long battery life and low degradation. OnePlus highlights that the battery maintains stable output even under heavy loads and benefits from OnePlus’s Battery Health System to extend overall lifespan.

    In terms of display, the Ace 6T features a 165Hz high-refresh esports screen and debuts the native 165Hz high-refresh mode for Peace Elite. It delivers responsive touch performance, ultra-fast reaction times, and optimized frame stability across various scenarios.

    For imaging, the device uses a Sony 50-megapixel flagship large-sensor main camera, combined with OPPO’s Ultra-Light and Shadow Imaging Algorithm. It supports lossless zoom, enhanced night-scene processing, and improved skin-tone rendering. The body also features multiple water-resistance levels, strengthened 3D flat-screen durability, and comes pre-installed with the new ColorOS 16.

    The OnePlus Ace 6T is offered in configurations ranging from 8GB + 256GB to 16GB + 1TB, starting at 2,399 RMB, and will officially go on sale on December 5. Source

    Li Auto Launches Livis Smart Glasses

    On December 3, Li Auto introduced its multifunctional Livis smart glasses, emphasizing lightweight comfort, hands-free shooting, immersive audio, and an always-available AI assistant experience.

    The new product adopts a classic frame design, with the glasses weighing only 36g. It comes in three color options — Tech Grey, Olive Green, and Classic Black — and its structure has been optimized based on head-shape data from over 50,000 Chinese users. Ergonomics include a 137mm temple spacing, 15° outward temple flex, adjustable titanium nose pads, a 7° forward tilt, and ultra-thin 4mm ear hooks.

    Livis features a built-in 12-megapixel camera using Sony’s IMX681 sensor, offering an ƒ/2.2 aperture and a 105° ultra-wide field of view. It supports EIS stabilization, automatic horizon correction, 0.7-second instant capture, portrait texture enhancement, first-person viewpoint recording, Live Photos, 4032×3024 landscape shooting, and 1440p 30fps video recording. On a full charge, it can continuously record approximately 41 minutes of video.

    For audio, Livis is equipped with dual-magnetic sandwich speakers, a Cirrus Logic power amplifier, spatial audio, and a four-microphone wind-noise suppression system, ensuring clear sound for calls and media playback. It supports Bluetooth 5.4 dual-device connection, allowing seamless switching between a computer and a smartphone, and has built-in NetEase Cloud Music with up to 7.6 hours of continuous music playback.

    Battery life is rated at 18.8 hours under typical use, with standby time reaching up to 78 hours.

    Livis integrates Li Auto’s self-developed MindGPT-4o multimodal model, offering a 0.3-second response time, insights from over 1.49 million serviced vehicle owners, and billions of executed instructions. It supports visual Q&A, voice Q&A, text Q&A, memory assistance, schedule reminders, temperature prompts, and more. The glasses can connect with Li Auto vehicles to perform tasks like turning on the air conditioning, opening the trunk, or checking battery levels without using a phone. In driving scenarios, they support voice navigation and controls; after parking, features like “glasses find my car” are also available.

    Li Auto also introduced a wireless charging case for Livis, capable of providing four full extra charges. For lenses, the entire Livis lineup supports Zeiss options, available in both prescription and non-prescription versions, including blue-light blocking, photochromic, and clear lenses, with same-day fitting and shipping available.

    Livis is now available for purchase, with a suggested retail price starting at 1,999 RMB, or 1,699 RMB after national subsidies. It can be bought via the Li Auto Store, JD.com, or select physical locations. Source

    Razer Releases Portable Wireless Keyboard Razer Joro

    On December 3, Razer introduced its new portable wireless keyboard, the Razer Joro, designed for on-the-go gaming and mobile office use. The keyboard features a compact 75% layout and an ultra-lightweight body for easy carrying while still retaining essential function keys and multimedia controls. The Joro measures about 16.5 mm thick and weighs only around 374 grams, making it suitable for slipping into a backpack.

    Razer Joro uses a low-profile key structure with short travel and crisp feedback, offering faster responsiveness than traditional laptop keyboards. It is suitable for long typing sessions and lightweight gaming. The keyboard includes the Razer Chroma RGB lighting system, enabling various lighting effects and customization options, and preserves dedicated controls for brightness, volume, and other functions to support diverse usage scenarios.

    For connectivity, the Joro supports both Bluetooth and USB-C modes, can pair with up to three devices simultaneously, and allows quick switching across Windows, macOS, and iPadOS. It also provides a wired connection option for users who require low-latency input.

    Razer Joro is now available on Razer’s website and select e-commerce platforms, with the China retail price set at 999 RMB. Source

    Product image from Razer

    Perplexity Introduces Browser AI Assistant Security System

    On December 2, AI company Perplexity launched its new security system, BrowseSafe, designed to defend AI browser assistants against “prompt-injection” attacks. BrowseSafe scans webpage HTML content in real time to detect harmful instructions targeting AI agents, blocking threats without affecting browser performance.

    Perplexity also released an open-source benchmark dataset, BrowseSafe-Bench, covering real-world complex attack types such as script injection, role manipulation, social engineering, and multilingual prompt injection. The dataset includes multiple HTML structures and language styles to evaluate how AI browser agents perform under realistic security conditions.

    According to Perplexity, AI browsers are evolving from “search tools” into “intelligent agents” capable of handling emails, online shopping tasks, form-filling, and more — making security protection increasingly critical. BrowseSafe aims to ensure these agents always “act on the user’s side,” immediately blocking potentially malicious commands when detected. Source

    Spotify Releases 2025 Wrapped Recap

    On December 3, Spotify launched its annual recap feature, Spotify Wrapped 2025, displaying users’ year-long listening data across music, podcasts, and audiobooks — including top artists, songs, and genres. Users can access the feature from the homepage banner or the “Wrapped” button at the top of the Spotify app.

    This year’s Wrapped adds two new interactive features: “Wrapped Party” and “Listening Age.” Wrapped Party allows up to ten people to form a group, share individual and group listening statistics, and compare results. Listening Age analyzes users’ preferred eras and musical styles to calculate their “music age,” reflecting their listening background and tendencies.

    Wrapped 2025 also introduces updates to its visuals and presentation, adopting a paper-texture design and assigning users to “Wrapped Club” identity groups — such as Cloud State Society or Soft Hearts Club — to enhance immersion and a sense of belonging. Source