The animations are fine for FaceTime‚ but maybe not a therapy telehealth app. | Image: Apple Apple looks ready to give developers more control over its video emoji reactions feature in upcoming iOS 17.4 and iPadOS 17.4 updates‚ MacRumors reports. The feature‚ which was introduced with the release of iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 last year (as well as in macOS 14)‚ automatically shows 3D animations like fireworks and lasers when an Apple device’s camera sees participants making certain hand gestures on a call. iOS 17.4 reportedly offers a new API to let third-party developers turn off the feature. The update appears to be in response to reports from last year that the chipper 3D animations — which are turned on by default — could trigger in inappropriate situations like online therapy sessions. That’s because as well as appearing in... Continue reading…

Illustration: The Verge Apple is officially launching its Apple TV‚ Apple Music‚ Apple Devices apps on Windows this week. The apps were originally launched in preview last year‚ but Apple has now removed the preview tag after working with Microsoft to launch the apps. The trio of apps‚ in combination with an overhauled iCloud for Windows app‚ are designed to move Windows users away from the reliance of iTunes‚ according to MacRumors. If you use Apple TV‚ Apple Music‚ and Apple Devices then iTunes is only required for access to podcasts and audiobooks on Windows. Image: Apple The Apple TV app on Windows. The Apple Music app provides access to the iTunes library‚ alongside song and album purchases. Apple TV also lets Windows users... Continue reading…

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Google is famous for having a million similar products with confusingly different names and seemingly nothing in common. (Can I interest you in a messaging app?) But when it comes to its AI work‚ going forward there is only one name that matters: Gemini. The company announced on Thursday that it is renaming its Bard chatbot to Gemini‚ releasing a dedicated Gemini app for Android‚ and even folding all its Duet AI features in Google Workspace into the Gemini brand. It also announced that Gemini Ultra 1.0 — the largest and most capable version of Google’s large language model — is being released to the public. Gemini’s mobile apps will likely be the place most people encounter the new tool. If you download the new app on Android‚ it can... Continue reading…

Repeated U.S. strikes against Iran-backed armed groups in Iraq are pushing the government to end the mission of the U.S.-led coalition in the country‚ the prime minister's military spokesman Yahya Rasool said Thursday.

Fans can expect celebrities and more lighthearted commercials‚ along with glimpses of Taylor Swift‚ during the Super Bowl on Sunday‚ as corporate advertisers avoid the recent practice of using the big game to promote social causes.

A Colorado funeral home owner who authorities say abandoned nearly 200 bodies in a building infested with maggots and flies was set to appear in court Thursday to hear prosecutors' evidence against him.

The U.S. response to the war on merchant shipping being conducted by the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen has been ferocious.

Ukrainian air defense and mobile drone hunter groups shot down 11 out of 17 Russia-launched drones over four regions of the country‚ the air force said Thursday.

Donald Trump is expected to sweep Nevada's GOP caucuses Thursday‚ which would give the former president a third consecutive victory in the Republican presidential race and display his dominance over the Republican Party.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping spoke by phone and both rejected what they called U.S. interference in the affairs of other countries‚ Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov said on Thursday.