Apple's week January 30: Under a sheet of ice

Apple launched Apple Creator Studio this week, and we heard more about the Google Gemini partnership, affirming what I've reported about it. While there's still a lot of questions about how things are implemented, we know for a fact that users will be interacting with Apple Foundation Models on-device and in Private Cloud Compute servers.

Here's the news of the week:

• Siri to get more chatbot-like, but won't have a destination app
• TikTok America is here and it's only going to get worse
• iOS 27 will get more powerful Siri trained on better Gemini model
• C-series modems will help limit accuracy of location data shared with carriers
• Tim Cook's emotionless memo does nothing to address Alex Pretti's murder
• Sebastiaan de With joins Apple Design Team
• Apple's stance on privacy isn't changing even with Gemini partnership

Apple isn't going to share any more detail about the Google Gemini deal

Ever since Apple and Google shared that brief public statement about having Gemini act as the foundation of Apple Foundation Models, there have been an increasing number of questions. During the earnings call on Thursday, analysts attempted to get answers to those questions, but failed.

Ultimately, Tim Cook shared that there won't be any more detail shared about the Google Gemini partnership, just that users will see the results in Apple Intelligence. He reaffirmed once again that Apple Intelligence will be powered by Apple Foundation Models that run on device and in Private Cloud Compute.

For some reason, people seem to believe that this is contradictory with reports from internal leaks, like those from Mark Gurman. However, I believe this is because those leaks are usually accompanied by a ton of guesswork, wishcasting, and doomerism.

What we know of Apple's strategy with Apple Intelligence and Gemini isn't much, but we can arrive at what's going on with careful analysis of all the data points. Unless Cook is a liar and setting Apple up for lawsuits, we know that what he said is true.

So, let's make that work with what we know from internal leaks as well.

Apple got a 1.2 trillion parameter model of Google Gemini that works on Apple's hardware and Private Cloud Compute servers. This model will not be what users interact with, which has been made repeatedly clear.

Apple isn't just sitting on this Gemini model though. It's doing something called model distillation, which is a process where a more powerful model trains a smaller, less capable model, kind of like how a teacher educates a student. Instead of having Apple's model learn from scratch through standard training methods, it can learn from a model that's already been trained.

The newly trained Apple Foundation Model has Gemini at its foundation, but it isn't literally Gemini. Apple didn't just swap in Google's tech and rename it, like some have implied.

The rumored Siri upgrade coming in iOS 27 is more of the same. Sure, it'll likely have chatbot-like functionality by gaining a memory between interactions, but it'll also be much more powerful. Google is providing an even more capable Gemini model for training AFM version 11, which is the one for OS 27 versus AFM 10 being used in the spring Apple Intelligence update.

Another set of rumors attempting to make sense of Apple's secret backend moves suggest Apple is going to move Siri to Google Tensor-powered servers. The suggestion is that Apple's servers can't handle the higher-end AI models and Apple's weakness in the field means it must rely on Google to save them.

Of course, this is all bullshit.

The reality is that Apple is faced with an industry-wide shortage within the supply chain. Nvidia is eating up all the GPU stock, and the parts to make them used to be prioritized for Apple, and that is no longer the case. Apple has to compete for access to these parts like everyone else, and this supply chain bottleneck is why everything is constrained at the moment, even AirPods Pro.

So, while Apple continues to build its own Private Cloud Compute servers, it is also going to rely upon leasing third-party servers. As it turns out, Google has industry-leading TPUs available for Apple to rent. Just like how Apple uses Google for iCloud storage, it is also going to use Google for Private Cloud Compute capacity.

This deal won't change anything about how a user interacts with Siri or Apple Intelligence. Nothing goes to Google, and Cook's comments still stand.

Other than needing clickbait headlines and drama to drive a story, I don't know why this isn't being reported on better.

We should see official announcements and betas for Apple's new AI systems soon. Don't expect those announcements or any part of the technology stack to mention Google, of course, but they don't need to, because it isn't there.

The slow death of social media and its resurrection

TikTok America is here and it's going poorly so far, even if they've probably not touched the algorithm yet. I will give them a benefit of the doubt here and say, sure, I believe them; they didn't intentionally destroy the platform in less than 24 hours, it was a server power outage and a load of incompetence.

The true evolution to state-run media is coming, and this comedy of errors is just a preview.

Needless to say, a server losing power wouldn't wipe out random videos' view history or prevent people from uploading content. However, people did get a little overzealous in their attempts to blame this on malicious moves to target Democratic leaders and protestors. No, they didn't block you from sending Epstein in DMs – it's just when you send a single word at random, the bot filters kick in.

This isn't to excuse TikTok or its new Trump-loyal owners. Just saying that we'll know the evil when we see it, and this isn't it. I expect they flubbed moving user data over to Oracle, and someone leaned on a keyboard too long. That kind of stuff.

When the new algorithm kicks in, we'll all know.

In the meantime, it's probably best to get off TikTok. It is yet another annoying loss in the world of social media. Vine, Twitter, and other excellent platforms have all fallen due to idiotic rich folks making poor decisions.

While I've never been a fan of TikTok, it did bring people who liked it a lot of joy. I hope the content creators can find new platforms to thrive on. Many are turning to YouTube Shorts and Instagram Reels, but both are kind of a dud, not to mention that those platform owners are not ideal either.

My hope is in Bluesky. While I know it isn't the perfect platform and has its flaws (no iPad app, poor 2FA system, questionable leadership), it feels like something that can grow and thrive. The latest influx of users brought a lot of verified game studios and publishers, so that's promising for what I follow and enjoy on the platform.

Apps like Skylight are also getting much-deserved attention. Their timeline works great, though. I do wish I had more control over what I saw. I appreciate Aaron Rupar's dedication to clipping videos of this government's corruption, but I'd rather view that on Bluesky than Skylight. The app needs to let me say "only show me these creators I follow on Bluesky" or even just a separate following list.

The app and platform are off to a good start, but they've got a long way to go. Not just in features, but available creators too.

TikTok was popular because the algorithm was scary good at connecting users to content, but without that content, TikTok couldn't exist. Skylight could be the perfect app, but without the creators, it's just a flashy video player.

Many users have flocked to an app called Upscrolled. I immediately dismissed it as an awkward Instagram-like that has support for vertical video scrolling akin to Reels. What's worse, the creators have taken on this weird "we're a free speech platform" approach. They'll allow Nazis and racism, but will block your account for a boob pic.

Cultivate your micro networks

This will all shake out eventually. I'd like to see something new and fun rise from the ashes, especially if that something is built on the Bluesky ATProtocol. However, I'm more interested in something a little more personal and useful – micro social networks.

I've discussed this before, but this is a concept that I think needs to be taken more seriously. Global social media has been a kind of poison to modern society, but it has its place when used correctly. I think a platform like Bluesky could easily be our one true social media where we connect with people around the world.

Instead of posting to Meta platforms backed by fascists, create group chats with friends and treat them like your timeline. You don't need Instagram and strangers liking your photos; you can have a shared photo album where the people you care about comment and like what you post, and you do the same when they post.

You don't need Facebook to remind you of birthdays and anniversaries; that's what Calendar and Contacts are for. Put those dates in your Contacts, and they'll show up in Calendar and can alert you of a birthday at a time of your choosing.

Find My has always been an interesting concept when it comes to sharing location with friends and loved ones. Apple Music lets you generate shared playlists everyone can add to, plus you can follow each other and see what everyone is listening to as you browse.

You can even challenge your friends to fitness challenges in Apple Fitness or see each other in Apple Games. Even Maps and News have ways to tie things to your personal social network.

My point is, while it is nice to have these global platforms where it feels like your voice can be heard, we shouldn't forget what we have around us. Whether they are online friends that live across the world or family that are right down the road, our immediate circles are the most important ones, and those are the relationships we should be cultivating.

I mention Apple apps and technology here because they are objectively good at this. I remain annoyed that Apple hasn't taken things a step further to better tie all of these disparate apps and accounts together into one unified personal social platform that stands distinct from our classic definition of social media.

It saddens me that I have family and friends more concerned about what some stranger or a distant friend from high school thinks about their life, family, and activities than me. They'll happily post photos of their kids attending their first day of school for their three hundred Facebook friends but neglect to do so in a family group chat. It makes you ask, what's the point? Who is this for?

As tech nerds, we have an understanding of these technologies that the layman doesn't, so I think it is important that we help our family with these matters. I've been met with resistance many times when I show them a feature that could help us connect better in a kind of micro social network, but when something I show them catches on, it's always a hit.

I write all this to say, yes, it is possible to delete your Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and platforms like it. If there is someone you'd like to keep in your life that you're afraid of losing by deleting these fascist platforms, reach out to them. Tell them you're deleting your account, ask for their number or email. Maintain that connection.

Believe it or not, we all got by just fine without global social media networks before. We can strive to do better in the future. I expect one day humanity will look back on all of these giant platforms as a big mistake.

For now, we can meet up on Bluesky on a global scale and cultivate our micro networks at the same time. Let's work with our family to show them that there's a better way to interact with each other without posting their entire lives on a platform built to suck up their data for ads and AI training.

Keep hope alive

For those keeping track, I took last weekend off of my weekly blog post. Friday was busy for me, and Saturday was the murder of Alex Pretti, so I didn't want to post a silly blog in the wake of such tragedy.

I have a lot of thoughts about Tim Cook attending the "Melania" screening hours after that tragedy, but I've vocalized most of them on the AppleInsider Podcast episode I embedded above. Of course, I'm not happy that he went. I'm not happy it occurred at all.

It's all a load of bullshit. But here we are. This is the reality we have to contend with. Tech is cozying up to Trump in the hopes they won't get more tariffs and fines because that's the rules Trump has set forth.

Apple has a lot of money and power, and I'm sure it could do something in terms of resistance if it wanted to, but it hasn't and it won't. Its top priority is to its shareholders and customers, and extreme tariffs and regulatory punishment go against that.

I won't say what Cook is doing is right, but I do think it is necessary. Live to fight another day, so to speak. Apple and Cook have done the bare minimum to appease Trump, and it has worked. The donations from Cook's pocket are minimal too — I mean, OpenAI's CEO gave Trump $25 million, and I don't see anyone calling for a boycott.

The thing is, we're kind of trapped. Maybe that's why Apple's dominance and walled garden are a bad thing in the long run. If Apple turns bad, there's nowhere else to go. We're locked in.

That said, Apple really is the only choice for so many reasons. It is a company that still stands up for user privacy and security. If you're an activist, the safest place to be is on iPhone, iPad, or Mac. With the right settings, no one, not Apple, not the feds, no one can get your data, communications, or photos. Apple is even locking down the modem from cellular providers.

It's tough being an Apple fan or even a tech fan today. There's a lot to be angry about, but I've said this before and will keep saying it: make sure your anger is directed to the source of the problem. Like it or not, Apple is suffering along with us in this situation. It's the Trump administration we should be directing our hate and anger towards, not Apple.

Don't expect Apple or any other corporation to save us. Democracy is the answer. Protest. Vote. Make your voice heard. We will fight and we will win.

If you do feel the need to vote with your wallet, don't give up your last bastion of privacy and abandon Apple products. Instead, simply don't upgrade for a while. Don't buy the new thing the second it comes out. Keep using the thing you already own, because giving Samsung or Google money isn't exactly a good thing today either.

No, I won't be joining you. To be clear, I'm going to continue using Apple products and writing about them for my work and my hobby. My frustration is with our country, not this corporation, even if it could do better.

The US is under a sheet of ice, in more ways than one, so I just hope everyone is staying warm and safe out there. We'll make it through this. Just keep fighting.