Apple is poised to reshape the smartphone experience with iOS 18, which is expected to unveil a series of groundbreaking features dedicated to on-device artificial intelligence. As reported by expert journalist Mark Gurman, the upcoming software update is set against the backdrop of the WWDC24 event, where the tech giant traditionally announces its latest operating system iterations.

The narrative of Apples unwavering commitment to user privacy and device security takes a new leap forward with iOS 18. A highlight of the new update is the introduction of AI capabilities that are processed locally on iPhones, without the dependency on external cloud servers. This strategic move ensures enhanced protection for users sensitive personal data and positions Apples AI as a distinct qualifier within the industry.

Insiders anticipate that the new generative AI functions will enrich a plethora of applications such as the iPhone Spotlight search tool, Siri voice assistant, Safari web browser, and various native apps like Shortcuts, Apple Music, Messages, Health, Numbers, Pages, and Keynote. Siri is expected to gain more advanced cognition to handle complex queries, while Messages might feature predictive text enhancements.

While all signs suggest that Apple is not aiming for a direct counterpart to the likes of ChatGPT within iOS 18, speculation around a potential built-in chatbot based on proprietary or third-party collaboration cannot be entirely ruled out. The tech titan has reportedly been in discussions with various AI leaders, including Google, OpenAI, and Baidu, hinting at a future foray into cloud-based AI functionalities as well. Supply chain analysts such as Ming-Chi Kuo and Jeff Pu have hinted at Apples substantial investments in specialized AI server hardware, signaling that Apple is gearing up to be a formidable contender in the generative AI space.

Current Market Trends: The integration of on-device AI in mobile operating systems aligns with the current trend toward enhancing user privacy and data security. Major tech companies are increasingly focusing on processing sensitive information locally to address privacy concerns, regulatory pressures, and growing user demand for secure data handling. On-device AI also reflects the trend of providing users with instant and reliable services that do not require a persistent internet connection.

Companies like Google and Apple have been making significant strides in edge computing, where computation is performed on local devices rather than in a centralized cloud-based infrastructure. This shift is driven by advancements in hardware, such as the development of more powerful and energy-efficient processors capable of handling complex AI tasks directly on smartphones.

Forecasts: As AI technology continues to rapidly evolve, it is forecasted that more sophisticated AI and machine learning capabilities will become standard features in mobile operating systems. These advancements will likely foster new applications in areas such as augmented reality (AR), real-time language translation, and personalized recommendations. Additionally, the market may see an increasing number of partnerships between AI technology providers and smartphone manufacturers.

Key Challenges and Controversies: One of the key challenges associated with this shift towards on-device AI is maintaining the delicate balance between user privacy and the functionality of AI services. Although data may be secure on the device, the potential limitations in computational power compared to cloud servers might affect the performance and scope of AI services.

Another challenge is Apples ability to continue to innovate in AI without compromising its stance on privacy. As competitors may offer more advanced AI features through cloud-based services, Apple needs to ensure its on-device solutions can compete effectively in terms of ability and user experience.

Concerns about potential biases in AI algorithms and the ethical implications of AI decision-making also persist. As AI becomes more ingrained in consumers daily lives, controversies regarding these biases and the transparency of AI systems will likely intensify.

Advantages and Disadvantages: The advantages of implementing on-device AI include:

Enhanced Privacy: User data is processed locally, reducing the risk of unauthorized access during transmission to and from cloud servers. Reduced Latency: AI tasks processed on the device can provide quicker responses and a smoother user experience. Offline Availability: On-device processing allows AI features to be available without an internet connection.

The disadvantages, on the other hand, might include:

Limited Processing Power: Even though smartphones are powerful, they lack the processing capacity of cloud servers, which could limit AI capabilities. Energy Consumption: Intensive AI tasks may lead to increased battery drain, affecting the devices overall battery life.

For more insights and developments, you can visit the official Apple website at the following link.

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Apple to Introduce On-Device AI with iOS 18, Bypassing Cloud Servers - elblog.pl

While a lot of the talk right now is about Apple's AI plans for the future, including an expected big unveiling of new features at WWDC 2024, Google has today announced its own AI initiative. But this isn't about bringing AI features to future Pixel phones Google has already done a pretty good job of that to date but rather about setting the company up to be at the forefront of server-based AI technology for years to come.

The announcement, Google's new Arm-based AI chip called Axion, is designed to ensure that the company is at the forefront of AI processing power in data centers everywhere. Initially used to support Google's own services like Google Earth and YouTube ads, the chips will eventually roll out as options for Google Cloud business customers later this year.

Google says that its Axion CPU promises around 30% better performance than so-called general-purpose Arm chips and 50% more than Intels existing options. That's a lot of big talk, and right now we wouldn't put it past Google to be on the money here. The company is very much ahead of Apple and much of the competition in the world of not only AI but server-based computing and services. And the Axion CPU could prove to be a real boost for the future.

Announced via a blog post, Google Axion is built on years of work that has seen the company launch five generations of Tensor Processing Units (TPU) since 2015. Axion is Google's first custom Arm-based CPU, with the company saying that they deliver "industry-leading performance and energy efficiency."

Google's blog post gets into the weeds about how Axion is put together, and it's clear that there is plenty of excitement for what the custom silicon can do.

"Built using the Arm Neoverse V2 CPU, Axion processors deliver giant leaps in performance for general-purpose workloads like web and app servers, containerized microservices, open-source databases, in-memory caches, data analytics engines, media processing, CPU-based AI training and inferencing, and more," Google explains.

But much like Apple, Google says that performance isn't the only reason these new AI chips are important it's all about saving the planet, too.

iMore offers spot-on advice and guidance from our team of experts, with decades of Apple device experience to lean on. Learn more with iMore!

"Beyond performance, customers want to operate more efficiently and meet their sustainability goals," Google explains. "Google Cloud data centers are already 1.5X more efficient than the industry average and deliver 3X more computing power with the same amount of electrical power compared with five years ago. Weve set ambitious goals to operate our offices, campuses, and data centers on carbon-free energy, 24/7, and offer tools to help you report on carbon emissions. With Axion processors, customers can optimize for even more energy-efficiency."

The rest of the blog post includes plenty of testimonies from companies that use Google's cloud services and seem very excited about what Axion can do for them.

Google is putting its money where its mouth is, too. Axion chips are ready to go now, offering improved performance and up to 60% better energy efficiency. As a result, the company has "already started deploying Google services like BigTable, Spanner, BigQuery, Blobstore, Pub/Sub, Google Earth Engine, and the YouTube Ads platform on current generation Arm-based servers and plan to deploy and scale these services and more on Axion soon."

As for Apple, it's thought to be talking to Google about using its generative AI technology in iOS 18 and beyond, so it's possible iPhone users could still benefit from Google's big announcement in some small way, too.

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As Apple's artificial intelligence plans take shape, Google announces its own custom AI chips for cloud servers and more - iMore

Virtual servers and application hosting provider Summit, backed by private equity firm Silver Oak Service Partners, has acquired Deft, a data center and managed cloud services provider. The financial details of the deal were not disclosed.

This is technology M&A deal number 53 that ChannelE2E and MSSP Alert have covered so far in 2024. See more than 2,000 technology M&A deals for 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, and 2020 listed here.

Summit, founded in 2006, is based in Alpharetta, Georgia. The company has 46 employees listed on LinkedIn. Summits areas of expertise include web hosting, Sage hosting, QuickBooks hosting, application management, RDS routing, cloud services, international business, technical support, customer service, cloud hosting, cloud management, cybersecurity, VDI, DaaS, PaaS, and colocation.

Deft, founded in 1999, is based in Elk Grove Village, Illinois. The company has 126 employees listed on LinkedIn. Defts areas of expertise include colocation, hybrid cloud, private cloud, managed data center services, IT infrastructure, IaaS, network connectivity, data center, backup, disaster recovery, VMware, and managed services.

The acquisition aims to combine the strengths of both companies to enhance their offerings in cloud hosting, data center, and network services.

The deal is described as a strategic alignment of two companies aiming to better serve their customers as IT infrastructure needs evolve.

Warren Patterson, CEO, Summit, commented:

"Together, Summit and Deft share a unified vision for the future of IT services a future where innovation, security, and customer-centric solutions lead the way.

As part of the acquisition, Deft's co-founders and principals, Jordan Lowe, Daniel Brosk, and Eric Dynowski, will join Summit's leadership team and retain an ownership stake in the company.

"There's no hidden agenda to change how Deft operates, said Lowe, now a member of Summits Board of Directors, commenting on the transition.

This acquisition is part of a series of strategic moves by Summit, including the previous acquisitions of Handy Networks and Tech Commandos, indicating a pattern of growth supported by investments from Silver Oak Service Partners, LLC.

Silver Oak is a private equity firm with a history of investments in the business, healthcare, and consumer services sectors, aiming to facilitate growth and development in these areas.

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Summit Acquires Deft to Expand Cloud and Data Center Offerings - Channel E2E

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Cloud storage is a service that helps to free up space on your device by letting you store your files in the cloud. You can access your files from anywhere as long as you have an internet connection. There are plenty of cloud storage options available, as we discuss in our best cloud storage services article. However, lets answer one question first: What is cloud storage and how does it work?

Using cloud storage offers many benefits. One example is that you can easily access and share your files with almost anyone. Another is security: While stored on remote servers, security protocols and user account settings keep your data protected. However, it is not a one-size-fits-all solution. Well discuss cost, use cases and the different types of cloud storage available.

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Cloud storage is a service that allows you to store data online in a network of remote servers, also known as the cloud. Without cloud storage, you must keep your data on your computer, an external hard drive or a flash drive. This means you have limited space available. You can run into issues or lose your data if your external hard drive fails.

Since your data is stored on a remote server, you only need an internet connection to access it. Most cloud storage services have downloadable apps for desktop or mobile, giving you plenty of flexibility to access your files.

When you upload folders or files from your device to your cloud storage account, they go to remote servers. You can store many file types as long as you have the storage space. You can use cloud storage for personal or business use. The difference between these two types of use cases is typically the storage space the user requires.

It is common for cloud storage solutions to spread your data across multiple servers, though youll rarely ever notice. This method provides redundancy and avoids data loss should one of the servers go offline. Additionally, there are several models for cloud storage: public, private, hybrid and multicloud.

Public cloud storage is perhaps the most common or at least the most familiar type of cloud storage. For example, if you have an account with Box.com which we cover in more detail with our Box Business review then you are using public cloud storage.

Public cloud storage users share server space with each other. Public cloud storage can adjust server capacity if demand increases or decreases.

Private cloud storage works very similarly to public cloud storage, with the main difference being that server space is not shared with outside organizations or individual users. Anyone who uses private cloud storage has their own servers and data centers to store and manage data. Organizations can negotiate with public cloud providers to procure dedicated server space.

A hybrid cloud storage solution is like a combination of public and private cloud models. Larger businesses and organizations are most likely to use a hybrid configuration. With a hybrid cloud storage model, organizations have more flexibility in deciding where to store their data. Sensitive data could go on private servers, while team project files could go on public servers.

A multicloud model combines more than one cloud storage service using public, private or a combination of both models. There are a few reasons why an organization, or even an individual, would choose a multicloud model.

A good example is an organization choosing a cloud storage provider because of other features it might offer while also using a provider in a different country if the organization has a global workforce.

Cloud storage offers many benefits and advantages over storing data locally. Examples include cost, security and flexibility, as you will see below.

Choosing a cloud storage provider means that businesses or individuals dont have to worry about infrastructure costs and maintenance. Most will only pay for the amount of storage needed and can reallocate costs and resources to other areas.

It is rare to find a cloud storage provider that doesnt have robust security protocols and protected data centers. Most cloud storage services also have user-controlled security settings, such as two-factor authentication.

Some cloud storage takes security and privacy a step further by offering zero-knowledge encryption. Zero-knowledge encryption ensures that only you can access your account, as only you have the password to decrypt it.

Most cloud storage services offer tools and features that let you access and work with your data in various ways. Options include multiple file-sharing methods, different ways to keep your account in sync and flexibility with version control.

Redundancy is essential to cloud storage, as it provides a fail-safe against data loss. With redundancy, data is replicated on multiple servers, often at different locations. Should a disaster happen at one location, cloud storage solutions are able to recover.

Cloud storage is not a perfect solution, especially when using a public model. Privacy and compliance are two of the more significant challenges that individuals and organizations face.

Though all cloud storage services collect data when you sign up or use the service, the provider you choose significantly impacts your privacy. Sync.com is an excellent example of a cloud service that collects the minimum amount of data necessary. Check out our Sync.com review for more information.

Conversely, Google is notorious for collecting data on you and how you use its services. We cover more in our Google Drive review. Simply put, anyone who uses Googles products becomes part of its analytics machine.

Not all industries can use any cloud provider they want due to regulatory compliance issues. A good example is companies in the healthcare or financial sector. Any company with strict data compliance rules should be aware that some cloud storage solutions may not comply with their company or industry regulations.

Using a cloud storage solution puts you at the mercy of how fast it can process data. Cloud services with slower upload or download speeds could impact your productivity. Speed is a factor if thats a priority for you, check out our article on the fastest cloud storage providers.

Similar to speed, latency could also be a factor. Latency happens when network traffic either yours or the cloud storage providers becomes congested and slow.

Despite cloud storage solutions best efforts, it is impossible for any of them to have 100% uptime all the time. If a service goes down, you are at the cloud providers mercy to restore services. You cant access your data while it is down. Downtimes are rare, but they can happen.

Cloud storage use cases go beyond simply sharing files and storing data, regardless of whether you have personal or professional needs.

Using cloud storage for backup or disaster recovery is a great use case example. Data loss can happen due to several factors, including human error or cyberattacks. Using a cloud storage solution to store some or all of your data instead of keeping it locally helps prevent data loss in the event of an unforeseen event or failure.

Online backup services are another category of cloud products. Similar to cloud storage, online backup provides a dedicated way to back up large amounts of data. Read our article on the best online backup services for more details.

Cloud storage is a great way to offload older or archival data taking up space on local hard drives or servers. Companies in certain industries, like financial services or law firms, often need to keep data for many years for research or audit purposes. Storing data with a cloud storage solution is a great way to maintain access while freeing up space for relevant data.

Cloud storage is a useful tool for large, complex or virtual teams to manage project files. Depending on the cloud storage solution, teams could have access to additional productivity and collaboration tools. A few examples include tagging folders or files, adding comments and creating tasks.

Another benefit of cloud storage while working on project documents is sharing files. Files can be shared internally to a team or externally if needed. Most cloud storage providers let you invite others directly with an email address or create a shareable link.

For some, using cloud storage to hold data for analytical purposes is easier and more cost-effective. As data grows, cloud storage provides a scalable option thats accessible and secure.

Data lakes are large-scale cloud storage solutions designed for analytics. When data lakes use the object storage type defined in the next section it doesnt alter the data. Object storage also includes metadata, which is often used when running analytical reports.

Cloud storage comes in three types: object storage, file storage and block storage. What you need from a cloud storage solution will determine the type of service you choose.

File storage is commonly used on computers and external hard drives. It organizes and stores data using a hierarchical method at the file level. Network-attached storage (NAS) devices also use the file storage type. Read our best NAS cloud backup article if you need this capability.

Simply put, data is stored in files and often organized into folders. You can find these folders and files with directories and sub-directories. Open Finder on a Mac or File Explorer on Windows and youll see the file storage type in action.

Block storage gets its name from how it disassembles and stores a file. With block storage, files are broken down into equal-sized blocks, and each block is stored individually with a unique identifier or address. Compared to file storage, block storage is faster and more efficient.

The main difference between block storage and file storage is that block storage does not use the directory/sub-directory/folder method of organization. When you want to access a file, the operating system reassembles the blocks of that file.

Object storage is best used to store vast amounts of unstructured data and is the preferred storage type for building applications. Unstructured data includes files like photos, videos, audio files and web content. These data types are stored in buckets instead of files or blocks, making it easier to customize the metadata.

With object storage, scalability, flexibility and cost are benefits for those who store a large amount of unstructured data.

Cost is one of the most significant factors to consider when getting what you need out of a cloud storage provider. Before deciding on a plan, make sure the cloud storage solution has the features you want. In most cases, you are purchasing more than just storage space.

For some, a free plan, which many providers offer, is enough to test a service. If you are looking for a free plan, check out our best free cloud storage article. However, a paid plan is the way to go for those needing more storage space.

Unfortunately, pricing varies significantly between providers. Generally, the higher the price, the more storage and features you get. If storage is your only concern, peruse our list of the best unlimited cloud storage providers.

Most cloud storage providers have different tiers in their pricing models. A basic or entry-level plan can cost between $5 and $9 per month, whereas the more advanced plans run anywhere from $20 to $30 per month.

Business plans cost $15 to $35 per user per month. Almost all cloud storage services offer a lower monthly price when you pay annually. Some even offer lifetime plans, which we cover in our best lifetime plans article.

For a deeper dive into costs and plans, read our article on understanding cloud storage pricing.

Cloud storage is a flexible and affordable tool to help us manage our growing digital lives. Most of us use the familiar file storage type, though other types are also available. Use cases include data storage for analytics or as a way to protect our data during a disaster. If cloud storage is a newer concept, hopefully this article demystified what it is and how it works.

Cloud storage allows you to store your data on a remote server, saving space on your local device. Changes you make to your files in the cloud sync with your device and vice versa. Additionally, you can share files with others by directly inviting them via email or by creating a shareable link.

Yes. Most cloud storage solutions have several security measures to protect your data. Examples include using AES 256-bit encryption to protect your data from unauthorized access while it is stored on a remote server. TLS/SSL encryption protocols protect your data during transfers from anyone trying to impersonate the recipient.

Privacy is one of the larger potential disadvantages of cloud storage. The service provider you choose is a major determining factor. Some cloud storage providers, like Sync.com, are great with privacy. Others, like Google, are not.

Yes. Many cloud storage providers offer free plans. pCloud is one example, as it offers up to 10GB of free storage. Read more about it in our pCloud review. MEGA offers the most free storage at 20GB. We cover this and more in our MEGA review.

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What Is Cloud Storage and How Does It Work? 2024 Guide to Online Data Storage - Cloudwards

Malicious actors are increasingly abusing free cloud services, which has led to a significant spike in botnet scanning activity, according to performance and security solutions provider Netscout.

Netscout typically sees 10,000-20,000 IP addresses conducting internet scans every day. However, the company observed an increase to more than 35,000 devices on December 8 and another spike that reached 43,000 devices on December 20.

The number of source IPs associated with scanning activity saw a sharp increase on several days since, peaking on January 5, with nearly 1.3 million IPs. A majority of the IPs are associated with the US, China, Vietnam, Taiwan and Russia, Netscout reported.

Analysis of the activity has uncovered a rise in the use of cheap or free cloud and hosting servers that attackers are using to create botnet launch pads. These servers are used via trials, free accounts, or low-cost accounts, which provide anonymity and minimal overhead to maintain, the company explained in a blog post.

Netscout believes the scanning represents reconnaissance activity, with hackers using these new botnets to find vulnerabilities they can exploit.

The most commonly targeted ports are associated with HTTP, HTTPS, RDP, SIP, and other types of web servers, and there has also been an increase in scanning for email servers.

The unprecedented growth of malicious botnets in the cloud confirms that a dangerous new wave of cybercrime is underway. This battle is just beginning and the adversary is performing reconnaissance to uncover areas to exploit, Netscout said.

Related: Mysterious Malware Uses Wi-Fi Scanning to Get Location of Infected Device

Related: Mozi Botnet Likely Killed by Its Creators

Related: Multiple DDoS Botnets Exploiting Recent Zyxel Vulnerability

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Cloud Server Abuse Leads to Huge Spike in Botnet Scanning - SecurityWeek