Three weeks after introducing the new AI-infused Bing, Microsoft is ready to shove it into Windows 11 with an update coming today. If you're in the Bing AI preview, you'll be able to access all of its new features from the search box in the Windows 11 taskbar. Just imagine a slightly more streamlined version of what we saw with the Bing AI on Edge: In addition to general web searching, you can ask Bing natural language queries and its intelligent chatbot will reply conversationally. If you don't have access to the new Bing yet, you can still sign up for access on Microsoft's waitlist.

The impetus here is pretty clear. Now that people are finally talking about Bing in a less derogatory way, Microsoft is aiming to infuse it into the very core of Windows 11. No need to open up Edge or switch your primary web browser. Last week, the company also rolled out the Bing AI preview on its mobile apps and Skype. More so than the expanding access, though, we'll be keeping a close eye on how Microsoft is improving Bing's capabilities, while also trying to limit some of its bad behavior. Remember folks, chatbots are just very good predictive text generators, not arbiters of truth.

Microsoft

If you don't give a lick about Bing AI, this latest Windows 11 update is still packed with plenty of intriguing new features. For one, Windows Insiders will be able to test out Phone Link for iPhones, which will let you make calls and send texts from within Windows. (This follows Microsoft's recent iCloud integration in Windows 11's Photos app.) Android users with Samsung phones, who have had access to Phone Link for a while now, will also be able to easily turn on their Wi-Fi hotspots and transfer their browser sessions. It'll be interesting to see how Microsoft's solution compares to Intel's Unison app, which supports calls, texts and file syncing between iPhones and select Windows 11 PCs.

Microsoft is also diving deeper into "touch" experiences with this update. If you've got a detachable or convertible PC, the taskbar will automatically shrink down to give you more screen real estate. A swipe up will let you use the taskbar as you normally would. For some users, this may be easier to deal with than having the taskbar hide itself entirely.

Microsoft

Windows 11 is also expanding support for more braille displays, including three "Designed for Surface" devices from HumanWare. Microsoft this will make it easier to flip between its built-in Narrator screen reader and alternatives. Additionally, Windows' voice commands are coming out of preview, allowing you to have complete control of your PC without a mouse or keyboard. Microsoft expanded that functionality in its 2022 Windows 11 update — now it appears to be even more robust.

Here's a quick rundown of a few other features you'll find in today's Windows 11 update, which will roll out to users over the next few weeks. (As always, you can check for its availability in the Windows Update app.)

• NotePad is officially getting tabs — it's no longer limited to Windows Insiders.

• Windows Studio Effects, which includes AI-driven features like background blurring and eye contact during video chats, are now accessible through the taskbar's quick settings.

• You'll be able to quickly preview your video from the taskbar's Team's video chat button.

• The Quick Assist app is faster, and you'll also be able to quickly switch between screen sharing and full control of another users PC. (Troubleshooting your parent's PC just got a bit easier.)

• There are more widgets coming, including Xbox Game Pass, Phone Link, as well as some from third parties like Meta and Spotify. (In the two years since Windows 11's release, I've yet to see anyone actually use its widgets regularly.)

• The Snippet Tool can now record your screen.

• Enhanced energy recommendations will help you save a bit more power.

• The Windows 365 app is now in the Microsoft Store, giving you quick access to Cloud PCs.

Microsoft is taking its first steps towards bringing iPhone syncing to Windows 11. The company announced today that the Insider preview of Phone Link would support iPhones starting this week. The feature (which has undergone several name changes) has worked with Android phones since as far back as 2015.

The initial preview will only sync calls, messages and contacts from your iPhone to a Windows 11 PC. (It will show them like regular Windows notifications.) However, there are some limits: You won’t be able to reply to group messages, and sending media in messages is also unsupported. Still, it’s a big step in the right direction for a feature that has thus far excluded the countless people who use both iPhones and Windows PCs.

Microsoft says Phone Link for iPhones will only roll out to “a small percentage” of Windows Insiders this week; it explicitly states that not all Insiders will initially see the option. Instead, the company will expand the preview to more Insiders as it gathers feedback from the first batch of testers. Further, access is cloud-based, so there won’t be a specific version of the Phone Link app that instantly lets you use the preview.

Microsoft

If you’re one of the lucky few accepted, you’ll see an option to link your iPhone in the Phone Link app. After choosing it, it will guide you through the steps to pair your phone and PC over Bluetooth (including scanning a QR code). You’ll also need to confirm a code and grant permissions on both the Windows and iOS sides to ensure everything syncs up.

The feature follows Intel’s Unison app, which supports calls, messages, notifications and file transfers between phones (including iPhones) and Intel PCs. Several third-party apps like AirDroid have offered similar functionality for years.

Google is bringing some new features to its Workspace apps in the coming weeks, including a fresh lick of paint. The company is updating the look and feel of Drive, Docs, Sheets, Slides and Chat in the coming weeks, drawing from its Material Design 3 language to do so. Google says the updated designs will streamline the user interface and put more emphasis on the most-loved tools in each app.

There's another handy update coming to Drive in the next few weeks as part of the Smart Canvas collaboration initiative. Google will introduce a multiselect toolbar that should make it easier to share, download, move and delete more than one file at a time. Google is also adding an option to filter files by type, such as documents, videos, PDFs and .zip files, without having to search for something first. Improved file management in Drive is always welcome.

Several new features are on the way to Docs. Starting today, you'll be able to access a stopwatch directly in the app, which could come in useful if you're trying to stay hyper focused for short bursts. In the coming weeks, Docs will gain emoji reactions for comments, which can be used to emphasize or upvote a response. A calendar invite template will be available in the app soon too.

As for Sheets, you'll be able to preview a Google Maps link directly in the app starting today. Google says that could come in useful for things like logistics tracking and event planning. Something that could be even more helpful on a day-to-day basis are date shortcuts. By typing @today, @yesterday, @tomorrow and @date, you can add quickly add the relevant date to a sheet without having to look at your calendar. That feature will be generally available as of today, as is the option to add stocks, mutual funds and currencies by using the @-mention function and typing in a company's name, stock ticker or currency.

Bloomberg sources claim Apple’s quest for no-prick blood glucose monitoring is now at a "proof-of-concept stage" and good enough that it could come to market once it's smaller. The technology, which uses lasers to gauge glucose concentration under the skin, was previously tabletop-sized but has reportedly advanced nearer to an iPhone-sized prototype.

It’s been in the works for a long time. In 2010, when Steve Jobs headed up Apple, the company bought blood glucose monitoring startup RareLight. But no-prick monitors are a challenge. In 2018, Alphabet's health subsidiary, Verily, scrapped plans for a smart contact lens that tried to track glucose using tears.

– Mat Smith

The Morning After isn’t just a newsletter – it’s also a daily podcast. Get our daily audio briefings, Monday through Friday, by subscribing right here.

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Spotify's new AI DJ will talk you through its recommendations

The DJ uses OpenAI to tell you about the songs it chooses for you.

Generative AI is absolutely everywhere right now, and that includes Spotify. Its latest feature, simply called DJ, kicks off a personalized selection of music playing that combines Spotify’s well-known personalization tools, like Discover Weekly, as well as the content that populates your home screen, all with some AI tricks. The feature rolls out today across Spotify Premium in the US and Canada.

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Notion's AI editor is now available to anyone who wants writing help

The company only began testing Notion AI late last year.

Last November, Notion, the popular note-taking app, began testing a built-in generative machine learning algorithm dubbed Notion AI. Now it’s ready for launch. Notion said anyone, including free users, can start using its AI-powered writing assistant. More than two million people signed up for the waitlist for the alpha version and, according to the company, most testers weren’t asking it to write blog posts and marketing emails from scratch. Instead, they were using it to refine their own writing. As a result, the company decided to “completely redesign” Notion AI to make it more “iterative and conversational.” The new version of the tool will generate follow-up prompts until you’re satisfied with its results.

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Twitter’s 2FA paywall is a good opportunity to upgrade your security practices

The platform could become less secure – but that doesn't mean you have to be.

Twitter announced plans to pull a popular method of two-factor authentication for non-paying customers last week. Starting March 20th, if you don’t want to pay $8 to $11 per month for a Twitter Blue subscription (hi, that’s me!), you’ll no longer be able to use text message authentication to get into your account. There are still some options to keep your account secure. Software-based authentication apps like Duo, Authy, Google Authenticator and the 2FA authenticator built into iPhones either send you a notification or, in the case of Twitter, generate a token to complete your login, or you can use hardware-based security keys that plug into devices. We walk you through the options if you want to stick around on Twitter.

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Uber puts a cute lil ride tracker on the iPhone lock screen

The app now supports iOS 16's Live Activities feature.

Uber

Uber has rolled out an update for its iPhone app that shows whether it's time to head out the door and meet the ride you ordered. You even get a cute car icon moving along to illustrate it. The company has launched support for Live Activities, an iOS 16 feature that puts real-time events from compatible apps on top of the lock screen and on the iPhone 14 Dynamic Island when your device is unlocked.

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Uber has rolled out an update for its iPhone app that gives you the capability to see at a glance whether it's time to head out the door and meet the ride you ordered. The company has launched support for Live Activities, an iOS 16 feature that puts real time events from compatible apps on top of the lock screen and on the iPhone 14 Dynamic Island when your device is unlocked. 

Uber's take on Live Activities is a window that includes the live progress of a ride, its latest estimated time of arrival and the trip status, such as whether your driver is already waiting for you and if the ride has been completed. It also shows the vehicle type and the license plate number of the ride you're waiting for. As MacRumors notes, Apple announced that Uber would support Live Activities at WWDC last year, and the feature has been in testing in select regions over the past months. This is a wide release that gives you access to the feature anywhere in the world. A company spokesperson also told the publication that the Uber Eats app will support Live Activities in the coming months.

In addition to Live Activities, Uber has updated its app to simplify the homescreen experience, as well. It has a new Services tab where you can find all of the company's services available in your city, as well as a new Activity Hub that tracks past and upcoming rides and Eats orders. 

Mercedes-Benz is developing a new in-house operating system to power its next generation of electric vehicles. Announced today at an event the automaker held in California, Mercedes said MB.OS – short for Mercedes-Benz Operating System – will deliver enhancements in safety, automated driving and navigation.

The automaker is working with several partners to build its new software stack, including NVIDIA, Luminar and Google. Mercedes will lean on NVIDIA for the company’s software, data and AI expertise. The GPU maker's Orin chipset will also power the first generation of electric cars Mercedes builds based on its upcoming Mercedes Modular Architecture (MMA) platform. The automaker expects the first MMA EV to arrive by mid-decade.

Mercedes-Benz

As for Luminar and Google, the former will provide Mercedes with its LiDAR technology, while the latter will work with the company to build a branded navigation experience incorporating features from Google Maps. In the meantime, Mercedes is partnering with Google to bring the company’s “Place Details” data to all cars that sport the latest version of its MBUX infotainment system. You can use the integration to look up a local business, find out when it opens, and see photos of the inside and what other Google users have to say about it. Mercedes plans to open MB.OS to other partners as well, including TikTok, Zoom and even Angry Birds developer Rovio.

All MMA EVs will ship with the hardware needed for Level 2 automated driving. Mercedes is also working with NVIDIA and Luminar to offer Drive Pilot, a Level 3 automated driving system. The software will arrive later this year in 2024 EQS and S-Class models. Naturally, MB.OS will also enable Mercedes to deliver over-the-air updates, allowing it to add new features to existing cars.

The company isn’t shy about the fact that some upgrades may cost a one-time fee or come as part of a subscription package. In fact, Mercedes has already announced a handful of software bundles it will offer to owners of cars with MB.OS. MB.Connect, for instance, will bring together the company’s navigation, entertainment and communication features in one package. Other bundles, such as MB.Charge, will provide customers with priority access to Mercedes-Benz charging stations. The automaker says it will allow drivers to explore and buy upgrades for their Benz online, through the Mercedes mobile app and directly from the car.

“The company is confident that this strategic approach to software and hardware development will be the basis for lifetime revenues as well as additional contributions,” Mercedes said, adding it expects software revenue from bundles like MB.Connect to contribute “a low-to-mid single-digit billion euro figure” to its bottom line by mid-decade.

Artifact, the personalized news curation app from Instagram's co-founders, no longer has a waitlist. The app is live in the Apple App Store in most English-speaking markets, as well as on Android. Starting today, you'll no longer need a phone number to use Artifact unless you want to create an account and move to a different device. 

In addition, Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger's team has added more features, including a social element. There's now the option to upload your contacts to see if a certain article has gained traction with your friends. A badge will appear next to an article that's popular enough among your contacts.

Systrom told TechCrunch that you can't see which of your specific friends have read a story or how many. There's a threshold before the badge appears too, so you won't be able to just upload a single contact and use the feature to track what they're reading. These, apparently, are privacy considerations, but they overlook the fact that you'll need to upload your contacts' details to use it.

In another time, Artifact might have tapped into Twitter to see what the people you're following are reading (akin to the Top Articles feature for Blue subscribers). But with Elon Musk severely restricting Twitter's APIs, that may no longer be viable.

Eventually, Artifact will have a way for users to share and comment on articles in the app. The beta version already has a Discover feed of things people are sharing. Naturally, users can like and comment on those shared articles.

The app now has a stats feature that visualizes the categories you've been reading most often, as well as the publishers you've been reading the most. Artifact is grouping articles into more narrowly defined topics as well. Meanwhile, you can now indicate when you don't like an article or publisher and the app will show you less of that. It's possible to block publishers too.

I've been using Artifact for a few weeks and I'm enjoying it so far. Unsurprisingly, the suggestions have become more attuned to my tastes the more I use it and tell it what I don't want to see. It reminds me a bit of Facebook's old Paper app, my favorite thing Meta has built to date. Artifact doesn't have anything like the social graph of Facebook, but given that the Instagram guys are behind it, it's hard to bet against their new app finding success.

Since it started opening up its generative AI-powered chatbot in Bing earlier this month, Microsoft has granted more than a million people access to a preview of the tool, while millions more are on the waitlist. Until now, the only way to access the chatbot has been through the Edge desktop browser. But Microsoft is already bringing it to more products, services and devices.

Starting today, those with access to the chatbot through their Microsoft account can use it on the Edge and Bing mobile apps for Android and iOS. Tapping the Bing button at the bottom of the namesake mobile app will start a chat session. In the Edge mobile app, you can fire up the chatbot from the homepage.

On top of that, you can start using the chatbot in Skype. Users can converse with it one-on-one or add it to a group chat. You might use the chatbot to help plan a trip and let everyone else see the suggestions at the same time, or settle a debate by asking it to clarify which movies an actor has appeared in over the last decade. It can translate information between more than 100 languages too.  

There's also another way to use the chatbot. Microsoft has added voice control on both mobile and desktop. While it's early days for the chatbot, it could finally spell the end for Cortana after years of the voice assistant gradually fading into the background.

Microsoft notes that it could (and probably will) bring the chatbot to other apps, such as Teams,. However, it said that it's still fine-tuning the chatbot, which has run into a number of speed bumps after more people got their hands on it.

Uber has given its app a major redesign for the first time in a long while, and the new version reflects the massively expanded range of services in recent years. The updated Android and iOS apps center around a new home screen that puts ridesharing and Uber Eats deliveries in one place, with fewer steps needed to book trips or order food. There's also a dedicated tab for all the services available in your city, so you won't have to wonder which options are available.

The revamp promises more personalization as well. Tap the usual "where to?" button and you'll now see both saved locations as well as recommendations for destinations and ride types based on your habits. If you normally reserve rides instead of booking on the spot, you may see other scheduled options. An activity hub shows all your past and future Uber uses.

The upgrade also brings some long-expected Live Activities features to iPhone users. Anyone using iOS 16 can now see live ride progress on their phone's lock screen. And if you happen to have an iPhone 14 Pro or Pro Max, you'll see those ride updates around the Dynamic Island (read: front camera cutout) while the device is unlocked. You won't have to wait for notifications to know when it's time to head out the door.

The app is available today. Uber tells Engadget the Eats app "isn't going anywhere," and that the iPhone-specific upgrades will reach that software in the "coming months." The unified experience in the main app isn't exactly a shock, though. Uber now handles bikes, scooters, package deliveries, groceries and many other services beyond basic car hailing and restaurant orders. The app redesign might help you discover offerings you didn't realize were available, or encourage you to try features that previously felt like too much of a hassle.

A rework like this might be necessary. While Uber touted higher bookings and profit margins in 2022, its delivery business grew just six percent over the year. The harmonized app isn't guaranteed to improve Uber's bottom line, but it might encourage delivery orders from customers who otherwise wouldn't have tried a feature like Eats.

TikTok has launched its research API and has started giving more people access to its data as part of its "continued commitment to transparency and accountability," the ByteDance-owned service says. The short-form video hosting app has been beta testing its API since last year with help from members of its Content and Safety Advisory Councils. Now, it's expanding the API's availability to researchers affiliated with non-profit academic institutions in the US. 

Any proposal submitted by interested universities and researchers will have to be approved by its US Data Security (USDS) division, the new subsidiary TikTok established to comply with national security reviews in the United States. Those that do get approved will get access to public account and content information users post on the app, such as the details found on user profiles, comments, likes and favorites. TikTok's API could give researchers a look into the social media usage of the younger generation and an alternative source of information overall. Other social networks also offer research APIs, but in Twitter's case at least, people will soon have to pay to be able to use it. 

The service is giving more outsiders a look into the data it has access to at a time when it's desperately trying to prove that it's not a threat to national security. It has spent years negotiating with the US government, but several states have recently prohibited the app's installation on government-owned phones, and it's is still facing calls for a total ban in the country.