Gezixuan reported on November 4 that, according to TheGuardian, the British National Health Service (NHS) is about to try out a "superhuman" artificial intelligence tool called "Aire", which can predict the risk of illness and early death of patients.

The new technology, known as AI-ECG risk estimation, or Aire for short, is trained to read the results of an electrocardiogram (ECG) test, which is able to detect underlying structural problems in the heart that doctors can't see and flag patients who may need further monitoring, testing, or treatment. It is reported that the researchers trained Aire using a dataset of 1.16 million ECG test results from 189,539 patients.

The technology will be trialled at two NHS Trust hospitals in London in the middle of next year, and experts hope to roll it out to the entire healthcare system in the next five years, according to IT House. It is reported that hundreds of patients will be recruited initially, and then expanded for further research.

The study, published in The Lancet Digital Health, found that in 78% of cases, Aire was able to correctly identify a patient's risk of death within 10 years of an ECG. In addition, Aire was 76% accurate in predicting future serious heart rhythm problems and 70% accurate in predicting future atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.

Arunasis Sau, a registered cardiologist at Imperial College London's NHS Trust Hospital, who is involved in the trial, said the goal of the project is not to replace doctors, but to "surpass humans" through AI.

gezixuan reported on November 4 that, according to Reuters, the European Commission issued a statement on Monday saying that the EU antitrust regulator will review Apple's iPadOS to assess whether it complies with the EU's important regulations aimed at limiting the power of technology giants - the Digital Markets Act (Digital Markets Act, hereinafter referred to as DMA).
The European Commission's review stems from Apple's iPadOS compliance report. In April, the European Commission recognized iPadOS as an important "gateway" for connecting businesses and consumers. The EU's antitrust regulator said in a statement that the Commission will scrutinize in detail whether the measures taken by iPadOS have effectively met its obligations under the DMA.

The statement also noted that the Commission's assessment will be based on feedback from relevant stakeholders. Apple did not respond to a request for comment.

The DMA, which went into effect earlier this year, requires Apple to allow users to choose a default browser on the iPad, open up third-party app stores in the operating system, and allow (third-party) headphones and smartpens to use iPadOS features. Violations of the DMA can result in fines of up to 10% of annual global revenue.

The recent month has seen a wave of launches in the smartphone market.

In addition to MediaTek and Qualcomm successively releasing flagship SoC chips, mobile phone manufacturers, including vivo, OPPO, Honor, Xiaomi, etc., have also released new flagship mobile phone products.

At the press conference, manufacturers presented a dazzling variety of parameters and concepts. Among them, there is a term that has successfully attracted the attention of Xiao Zaojun, that is, - no network communication.

According to the manufacturer's introduction, based on this networkless communication technology, voice communication of up to several kilometers can be achieved without a network, which is very sharp.

So, what kind of communication is networkless communication? How does it work? What are the use cases?

Next, Xiao Zaojun will talk to you about this topic.

█ What is networkless communication?
Networkless communication refers to communication that does not depend on external networks. That is, point-to-point communication between two devices in the absence of a third-party device (base station or wireless router, etc.) to provide the network.

Everyone must have thought of two technologies, one is walkie-talkie and the other is Bluetooth.

That's right, both of them are theoretically network-free communications.

What is the difference between networkless and networked communication?

Internet communication is the most commonly used communication method for us at present. Its advantages lie in its large communication range, high bandwidth, and large number of users.

Network communication has an advantage in power.

For example, mobile communication base stations have greater radio frequency transmission power, which can cover a longer distance (hundreds of meters ~ more than ten kilometers) and access more devices. Wireless routers, the power will be much smaller, but they can also cover a long distance (100 meters).

Whereas, end devices, such as mobile phones, have stricter limits on RF power. Therefore, the communication distance that can be achieved by direct communication between devices is very limited.

There is another advantage of network communication, that is, frequency band.

Mobile phones and base stations are used to communicate, and they are all legal communication frequency bands issued by the state to operators, which are high-quality and exclusive frequency band resources.

Wireless LAN communication (Wi-Fi) uses the unlicensed frequency band (ISM frequency band, which can also be called free frequency band) designated by the state. Everyone can use it, so it's very crowded. This also affects the communication distance and effectiveness.

Wireless walkie-talkies, some are private network communication (public security, fire protection, military and other units are dedicated, using specially allocated frequency bands), and some are shared by the public (hotels, security guards, etc.). Shared frequency bands are also congested.

Bluetooth, which uses the same license-free frequency band as Wi-Fi, is public and congested.

All in all, in terms of network capabilities, network communication (mainly referring to cellular mobile communication) has an absolute advantage. In addition, networked communication is very suitable for centralized networking, which can allow a large number of terminals to quickly access Internet nodes (data center servers), which is suitable for Internet business scenarios. Therefore, it has become the most mainstream means of communication now.

█ Advantages and use scenarios of networkless communication
So, with "networked" communication, why do we need to engage in networkless communication?

Because networkless communication has the following advantages:

1. Network-free communication is simple, flexible and convenient. As long as the two terminals are close to each other, they can communicate point-to-point, without networking, and are decentralized, which can meet the most basic communication needs.
2. In the absence of third-party network equipment (remote areas or disasters), communication can also be realized without network communication.
3. It does not consume mobile phone traffic, and the cost is low.
4. It is not connected to the public network, which has better privacy.

Everyone must understand that networkless communication is not intended to replace networked communication, but is used as a supplementary means in specific scenarios.

What are the specific scenarios?

We can give a few examples:

1. There is no base station signal in the underground garage. With networkless communication, you can contact a friend or find your car.
2. Outdoor adventures in deserts, forests, snow-capped mountains and other areas. There is no base station signal, and through network-free communication, the basic communication needs between teammates can be met. (Satellite communications are more expensive and are suitable for communication between the expedition and the outside world, such as calling for help.) ）
3. In the event of an earthquake and other natural disasters, all base station signals are interrupted. With networkless communication, it can help with rescue. (Satellite communications are not available when people are buried or trapped, while unconnected communications can call rescuers in close proximity.) ）
4. When traveling abroad, you can keep in touch with your relatives and friends without generating roaming traffic or phone bills through no network communication.
5. Realize regional socialization, so that users in a certain area can establish social networks. Intercom-style calls also increase playability.

█ Recent trends and implications for networkless communications
Networkless communication is a concept that has only emerged in the past two years, and no one has mentioned it before.

The two major technologies of walkie-talkie and Bluetooth mentioned earlier. Walkie-talkies have always existed because they are cheap and convenient, and they are Push to talk. Bluetooth, mainly used in headphones, keyboards, wearables, smart homes and other devices, has become a standard because of low power consumption, low cost, simple and easy to use.

Now, there are many reasons why mobile phone manufacturers focus on networkless communication.

First of all, it is the involution of the market.

Under the fierce competition, screens, cameras, SoC chips ...... Everything that can be rolled has been rolled, so it is necessary to create some differentiated advantages and find new "roll points".

Secondly, there is the demand for the scene.

There are indeed some demand scenarios for short- and medium-distance point-to-point communication, such as those mentioned earlier, and these scenarios are becoming more and more common. Under the goal of ubiquitous communication, the development of this function also has a certain necessity and practical value.

Third, technological exploration.

This is actually the most important thing. Traditional Bluetooth technology has not had a major breakthrough for a long time, and it cannot well meet the needs of user scenarios in terms of communication distance, bandwidth, and power consumption.

You should find that in recent years, terminal manufacturers have not only increased their participation and investment in global public technical standards, but also increased the development of private protocols.

Network communications, such as 5G and Wi-Fi, are based on public standard protocols, which are conducive to the unification of the industrial chain, but the standards are in the hands of a few large enterprises (mainly operators and equipment vendors), and terminal manufacturers lack the right to speak. A standard protocol like Bluetooth has many aspects to take into account, involving too many interests, and it cannot be said to be moved.

Then, terminal manufacturers can only make a fuss about private protocols.

The most typical example is not a mobile phone, but a DJI drone.

DJI drones carry out remote control, and the communication between the control terminal (handle) and the drone is point-to-point communication, network-free communication. Because traditional technology simply cannot meet the needs of remote control and video transmission, DJI chose to develop its own proprietary protocol, which can extend the control distance to an astonishing 10 kilometers or more.

This year, DJI released the new DJI SDR video transmission, which is based on Software-Defined Radio (SDR) technology and adopts SDR and Wi-Fi dual-standard video transmission technology, supporting 1080p / 60fps transmission specifications, transmission bit rate up to 20Mbps, latency as low as 35ms, and video transmission distance of up to 3km.

On the side of mobile terminals, the development of private protocols is to make up for the shortcomings of existing technologies on the one hand, and to serve the interconnection between their own products on the other hand.

As you may have thought, mobile phone manufacturers now usually launch mobile phones, pads, laptops, watches, etc. Then, the linkage and screen projection between these devices can also be based on private protocols.

Traditional technologies, especially Bluetooth, do have a lot of room for improvement in technical performance. Earlier, I told you about Starlight. In terms of technical indicators, the Starlight standard is completely Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.

This shows that the existing mainstream technical standards are not perfect. The main reason why they cannot be replaced is that they have become an established global standard and are difficult to replace (requiring the support of all or most vendors).

Recently, mobile phone manufacturers have released networkless communications, in fact, they are essentially enhanced on the basis of Bluetooth, or have developed Bluetooth-like technologies. These technologies make use of the phone's existing radio hardware, and then employ special protocols and algorithms.

vivo's networkless communication technology is mainly based on Bluetooth and LoRa spread spectrum technology. The vivo X200 series of mobile phones can achieve up to 1500 meters of network-free communication. This technology can support SOS text broadcasting, one-to-one voice and text intercom, map location display, and more.

OPPO's networkless communication technology is called MeshTalk. Text, voice transmission, and even voice calls within 3,000 meters can be achieved without cellular, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth. MeshTalk can even support multiple devices to freely network in the form of mesh to achieve multi-group chat.

Xiaomi's just-released Xingchen communication system supports "the industry's first kilometer-level network-free call", within a radius of 3.5km, two-way communication can be made without a network. It is understood that Xiaomi's networkless communication also supports mesh networking.

These networkless communication technologies are self-developed private protocols, which can only be supported under the same brand terminals, and only some terminals currently support them.

█ Final words
All in all, the development of private protocols to further improve the communication capabilities of terminals and meet the user experience in special scenarios has become a common choice for vendors. The global unified standard protocol has shortcomings in flexibility and customization, which provides some room for the development of private protocols.

It remains to be seen whether this trend will continue to expand and whether new vendors or technology alliances will emerge.

各自选 News on November 2, Korean media ETNews released a blog post yesterday on October 27, based on supply chain news, Apple plans to launch the iPhone 17 series next year, the whole system will deploy "low-temperature polycrystalline oxide (LTPO)" panels.

According to sources, the panel is provided by two vendors, Samsung Display and LG Display, and all four models of the iPhone 17 series use LTPO panels, which means that the standard version will also support a 120Hz refresh rate.

Note: LTPO (Low Temperature Polycrystalline Oxide) technology reduces the power consumption of OLED displays, ensuring that ProMotion functionality does not significantly affect battery life.

LTPO technology supports variable refresh rates, which can be reduced to 10Hz on the iPhone 13 Pro and 1Hz on the iPhone 14 Pro to iPhone 16 Pro, which makes always-on display possible.

Since ProMotion was first introduced in the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max in 2021, the feature has been limited to Pro models. This expansion to the iPhone 17 and its "Air" version will give users a smoother scrolling and video playback experience.

In addition, the supply chain news once again proves that Apple is considering adjusting its product line, and plans to replace the Plus with the Slim (or Air) in the iPhone 17 series, making it Apple's thinnest iPhone model.

Currently, the standard iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus still come with a 60Hz display. With the release of the iPhone 17 series, Apple is expected to officially announce this new series in September 2025, which will further enhance the user experience.

各自选 reported on November 1 that after Apple announced its financial results for the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2024 (corresponding to the third quarter ended September 28), the company's CEO Tim Cook said in an interview with CNBC: "iPhone 15 sales are stronger than the 14 series in the same period, and the sales of the 16 series are stronger than 15."

According to the latest financial report business data, iPhone business revenue was 46.22 billion US dollars (IT home note: currently about 329.361 billion yuan), a year-on-year increase of 6%, and business revenue accounted for 48.7%. In the interview, Cook revealed that he expects the performance of Apple Intelligence to further boost sales of the iPhone 16 series.


iOS 18.1 was released on October 28, bringing Apple Intelligence features to iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, and iPhone 16 models. It includes a writing tool for proofreading text, a new Siri interface and input Siri feature, summaries and smart replies, a "Clean Up" tool for photos, and more.

October 7 that Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman published the latest issue of the "Power On" newsletter last night, mentioning that Apple is gradually abandoning the "annual update" product release strategy.

"Apple is phasing out its annual product upgrade cycle, a move that could make product launches more frequent and less troubling delays." Gurman said.

Traditionally, Apple usually releases a preview of the latest system in June every year, and a new generation of iPhones, iPads, Macs, and other products in September and October every year. This has the following advantages:

It helps motivate employees to move towards the same goal. Employees won't be confused about when certain products need to be ready.

Analysts and investors know "what to expect". The company sees reliable sales growth at the same time each year, helping to drive the all-important holiday season (note from IT House: "Holiday season" in overseas often refers to the time of year when merchants and retailers have the highest sales, including Christmas, New Year, and other holidays such as Thanksgiving, Black Friday, Cyber Monday, etc.).

If Apple holds a big launch event in the fall, it will be easier to plan its marketing and public relations. This is because it ensures that the media can get back to work and attention after the holidays (usually the iPhone launch event is on the Tuesday or Wednesday of the week after the first Monday in September).

But even so, Gurman believes that this strategy is beginning to "crack". Because Apple's product range is increasing day by day, it is not practical to pursue iPhone, iPad, Mac, AirPods and other products every year. In addition, products such as the Apple Watch Ultra or iPhone SE do not need to be updated frequently.

Based on this analysis, Gurman said that Apple is gradually deviating from its plan to "release new products in the fall". However, Apple "may have to" take a more flexible approach, releasing a product when it's ready, and not releasing it if it's not.

The current iPad OS 18 also shows the downside of Apple's previous approach: the system has few new features and even contains a bug that has resulted in some iPad Pros with M4 processors It doesn't work, and the hardware must be replaced to fix the problem. As a result, the operating system was unusable for two weeks and was not restored until Thursday. The day before that, Apple was forced to withdraw the third beta of watchOS 11.1 because it caused a similar glitch. In September, the same issue occurred with the HomePod beta update.

Gurman said Apple is "clearly aware" of the problem. The pursuit of releasing most new hardware and software products in the fall has put undue pressure. At present, the company is gradually moving away from this path. For example, Apple officially announced Apple Intelligence in June, but has already announced in advance that the launch will be completed step by step.

According to reports from Russia's TASS and the British Daily Telegraph on October 30, the Russian government's fine on Google has reached about 20000000000000000000000000000000000000000 (IT Home Note: 35 digits) US dollars, which is far more than the annual global GDP (about 110 trillion US dollars in 2023, a 15-digit number).

According to reports, Google lost the case in 2020 because its video platform YouTube blocked multiple Russian media accounts. Since then, Google has been fined 100,000 rubles (IT Home Note: currently about 7,350 yuan) per day.

Legal professionals told TASS that if the fine is not paid within 9 months, the fine will double every day with no upper limit. Only by complying with the court's decision can Google return to the Russian market. This figure far exceeds Google's own market value.

The Daily Telegraph said that after the outbreak of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict in 2022, Google closed its Russian division and its subsidiary declared bankruptcy. Russian police had previously seized more than $100 million in assets from bankrupt entities. Despite Russia's astronomical claims against Google, the company said in its last financial report that "we do not believe that these ongoing legal matters will have a substantial adverse impact." TASS quoted experts as saying that Google "obviously will not pay the fine, and the Russian Federation will not be able to recover the money from the company," and all of Google's properties in Russia have been reclaimed or seized. The media said that any claims made by the Russian government are only valid domestically.