Apple's iOS 18 beta and Amazon's AI assistant top the innovation index

iOS 18 beta running on iPhone 15 Pro.

Jason Heiner/ZDNET

Welcome to ZDNET's Innovation Index, where we identify the most innovative developments in technology from the past week and rank the top four based on votes from our editors and experts. Our mission is to help you identify the trends that will have the greatest impact on the future.

Topping the index this week is Apple's iOS 18 public beta, which brings to life many of the features that editors and experts were most excited about at WWDC last month. As expected, the features are subtle, customizable, and even fun, according to ZDNET Editor-in-Chief Jason Hiner, who has been testing iOS 18 since the keynote event. Standouts include the new integrated password app and the creative freedom tied to the look of the home screen and the Messages app. But what it offers is as notable as what it lacks. It's significant that the beta doesn't include any of the Apple Intelligence features that many of us would like to try. By the time users try Apple Intelligence on their iPhones, consumer standards for AI on personal devices may be changing rapidly, especially as companies like Samsung roll out their own AI features.

Gidnet

In second place is Amazon, which released its AI shopping assistant, Rufus, as part of its Prime Day promotion. Working much like ChatGPT, Rufus helps Amazon shoppers navigate the frenzy of the e-commerce giant's annual summer sales event. While chatbots are technically standard, Rufus marks another step toward a move toward personalized AI agents that are integrated into every part of consumers' digital experiences, even at the most everyday level.

In third place is Scribe, Proton's new AI writing assistant. Known for its encrypted, privacy-focused email service, Proton Mail, the company stressed that Scribe is not trained on the contents of users' inboxes and therefore will not misuse users' data. Integrated with Proton Mail, Scribe uses localized AI, not via the cloud like Apple Intelligence does. The tool aims to meet the needs of people who want the productivity benefits of AI chatbots without worrying about potential data security. If the promises are fulfilled, this release will mark a turning point in what has been a reluctant trade-off between AI access and lack of privacy, meaning more people will feel more comfortable using chatbots.

We close out the week with the ripple effects of Samsung's Galaxy AI upgrades, announced at Samsung Unpacked last week. Similar to Apple's approach, these features aim to simplify and improve the fundamentals of the device. However, availability is key, as “AI features from Apple, Samsung, and Google are nearly identical in terms of functionality and usage,” according to Kerry Wan of ZDNET. “Samsung's Galaxy AI features have been on the market longer than Apple's and are more widely available across Galaxy smartphone models,” Wan noted. Not only does this mean that Apple is playing catch-up, but it gets even more complicated considering that Apple Intelligence will likely only be supported on the iPhone 15 Pro and the upcoming iPhone 16 series.

Finally, it's worth mentioning that OpenAI has released a “small” GPT-4o that significantly reduces costs for developers and the model itself performs similarly to the original GPT-4o. We're excited to see how developers will make the most of this.

What Are The Main Benefits Of Comparing Car Insurance Quotes Online

LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / June 24, 2020, / Compare-autoinsurance.Org has launched a new blog post that presents the main benefits of comparing multiple car insurance quotes. For more info and free online quotes, please visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/the-advantages-of-comparing-prices-with-car-insurance-quotes-online/ The modern society has numerous technological advantages. One important advantage is the speed at which information is sent and received. With the help of the internet, the shopping habits of many persons have drastically changed. The car insurance industry hasn't remained untouched by these changes. On the internet, drivers can compare insurance prices and find out which sellers have the best offers. View photos The advantages of comparing online car insurance quotes are the following: Online quotes can be obtained from anywhere and at any time. Unlike physical insurance agencies, websites don't have a specific schedule and they are available at any time. Drivers that have busy working schedules, can compare quotes from anywhere and at any time, even at midnight. Multiple choices. Almost all insurance providers, no matter if they are well-known brands or just local insurers, have an online presence. Online quotes will allow policyholders the chance to discover multiple insurance companies and check their prices. Drivers are no longer required to get quotes from just a few known insurance companies. Also, local and regional insurers can provide lower insurance rates for the same services. Accurate insurance estimates. Online quotes can only be accurate if the customers provide accurate and real info about their car models and driving history. Lying about past driving incidents can make the price estimates to be lower, but when dealing with an insurance company lying to them is useless. Usually, insurance companies will do research about a potential customer before granting him coverage. Online quotes can be sorted easily. Although drivers are recommended to not choose a policy just based on its price, drivers can easily sort quotes by insurance price. Using brokerage websites will allow drivers to get quotes from multiple insurers, thus making the comparison faster and easier. For additional info, money-saving tips, and free car insurance quotes, visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ Compare-autoinsurance.Org is an online provider of life, home, health, and auto insurance quotes. This website is unique because it does not simply stick to one kind of insurance provider, but brings the clients the best deals from many different online insurance carriers. In this way, clients have access to offers from multiple carriers all in one place: this website. On this site, customers have access to quotes for insurance plans from various agencies, such as local or nationwide agencies, brand names insurance companies, etc. "Online quotes can easily help drivers obtain better car insurance deals. All they have to do is to complete an online form with accurate and real info, then compare prices", said Russell Rabichev, Marketing Director of Internet Marketing Company. CONTACT: Company Name: Internet Marketing CompanyPerson for contact Name: Gurgu CPhone Number: (818) 359-3898Email: [email protected]: https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ SOURCE: Compare-autoinsurance.Org View source version on accesswire.Com:https://www.Accesswire.Com/595055/What-Are-The-Main-Benefits-Of-Comparing-Car-Insurance-Quotes-Online View photos