Tim Robberts/Getty ImagesI'm officially convinced we are living in the weirdest timeline. Let me explain.A few weeks ago, TikTok was banned and subsequently unbanned, but that isn't the weird part.The weird part is the reaction to the ban.Apple and Samsung devices with TikTok still installed sold for as much as $58,000 on eBay. Also:Why a TikTok ban could collapse the creator economyThat's not a typo, and I'm not trolling you.But! It gets weirder!!!! Other Chinese social apps started trending, some not even in English, so translation apps also started trending.It's all weird, but you know what blew my mind"Delete Instagram" and "Delete Facebook" started trending. This is when I get my tin foil hat out, and we can discuss all the possible scenarios as to why this could be happening, what Meta may or may not have done, etc.But this article isn't about that.We must discuss why Snapchat could be the biggest winner from these events and not Meta, and specifically, how you and I could benefit from the chaos.In this article, I'll share with youWhy I believe Snapchat is well-positionedWhat Snapchat is doing that could be a game-changerWhat opportunities you should be looking for as an advertiser and an investor. (This is not financial advice.)So grab your tin foil hat -- I mean, your notepad -- as we discuss what Snapchat has going on and how this may be the best thing to happen to you. Quick introIf you're new to my work, my name isLester. My friends call me Les. I'm a founder with a successful exit and currently the executive chairman of a group of DTC brands. But at my core, I'm an award-winning performance marketer.I've crafted and managed tens of millions in digital marketing campaigns on Meta, TikTok, and Google. Also: How to delete Facebook, Messenger, or Instagram - if you want Meta out of your lifeNeedless to say, I have unique insight into what's happening.If you're into data-driven marketing insights and strategies, check out my free newsletter,No Fluff Just Facts.All that said, let's get into why I'm so bullish on Snapchat should TikTok disappear.What is Snapchat, and why is it well-positioned to take over?Snapchat is a social media platform that was launched in 2011 by Evan Spiegel, Bobby Murphy, and Reggie Brown to send photos, messages, and videos that disappear. The cool kids call these "snaps." Since its launch, it has evolved into a more mature social platform with features like Stories, filters, AI chatbots, and even Spotlight, its version of short-form video.When comparing user adoption to platforms like TikTok and Instagram, Snapchat has definitely struggled. But like my mother would say, comparison is the thief of joy. With that as the benchmark, what they have built is impressive, especially considering how many other platforms have failed to survive in the same period.Also:No, RedNote is not the new TikTok - and here's whyThat said, let's dig into the opportunity I see. When I analyzed Snapchat's performance last year, it was clear they did some things well, while some areas need improvement.The latest data on Snapchat's demographics show that nearly 2 in 5 users (37.4%) are between 18 and 24. This is the platform's largest segment. The second-largest group, ages 25 to 34, makes up 24.7%.Together, these two groups account for a massive 62.1% of all Snapchat users.Now, here's the thing: Young people move culture, and culture moves markets.This group can make or break a business. They are often overlooked because they don't have the same spending power as the 40+ crowd. But guess what? This age group is going to get older.Also: You'll never guess who's back to rescue us from clickbaitThey are the future CEOs, business professionals, and decision-makers. Speak to any executive, and they will tell you they are desperately trying to appeal to this audience because their core customers are aging out. The brands that win are the ones that stay ahead of cultural shifts and capture young audiences early.Why does this matter right now? Gen Z is notoriously hard to market to. It is like high school with the "you can't sit with us" attitude.Trying too hard to relate is "cheugy." That's Gen Z slang for doing too much. Unlike Instagram, which has become an ad-heavy, influencer-driven space, or YouTube Shorts, which is still playing catch-up, Snapchat feels personal. The app is built around private messaging, real interactions, and content that disappears instead of lingering forever. Younger users still engage with it daily, even if they do not always post publicly.Also: How to protect your privacy from Facebook - and what doesn't workWith TikTok out of the picture, Snapchat has a clear opening to capture displaced users and keep them engaged in a way other platforms struggle to do.If Snapchat plays this right, this moment could be bigger than anyone expects.It's a long shot, but I'm currently bullish on Snapchat.The road aheadReplacing TikTok will not be easy, but let's not forget that the first version of TikTok, Musical.ly, bombed.So, while Snapchat does not have everything figured out, that does not mean all hope is lost. The silver lining here is that this is not a winner-take-all situation. It is more like winner-take-most.Before we jump into what could go wrong and what needs to be improved, let's talk about the moves Snapchat is making that are right.Also: Will AI kill creativity and destroy human innovation? Here's the unsettling truthSnapchat has taken a few major steps in the right direction, notably the platform redesign.But another move really stands out to me.Let me explain.TikTok's algorithm gets a lot of credit for its success, and rightfully so, as it's highly effective. But is it really the algorithm that makes TikTok so powerful, or is it the content driving engagement?What truly sets TikTok apart isn't just the algorithm but how the platform invested in creators like no other, fueling the content that keeps users engaged. It provided tools that empowered anyone to grow, regardless of their following. With built-in insights, easy-to-use editing features, and content creation support, TikTok made it simpler for creators to succeed, fueling the platform's rapid growth.Also: 3 genius side hustles you can start with OpenAI's Operator right nowIf I had to sum it up, TikTok made creators feel like active participants, not just pawns in the system. More importantly, it didn't nickel-and-dime audience reach, and success wasn't dependent on paying to play.Which brings me to one of the key reasons I am bullish on Snapchat. Snapchat's most significant and impressive move is revamping its creator monetization program.This is a significant step toward Snapchat putting creators first.On February 1, Snapchat officially introduced a new, unified monetization program for creators.For creators to qualify:They need 50,000 followers.They must post at least 25 times monthly to Saved Stories or Spotlight.They must post to either Spotlight or Public Stories on at least 10 of the last 28 days.While this is a step in the right direction, TikTok's biggest strength was that anyone could be a creator and have a fair shot at going viral or earning revenue.In my opinion, Snapchat's 50,000-follower requirement is not in its best interest. It would be better for them to remove barriers and let creators create and be rewarded regardless of their size.Now, let's talk about the challenges.The obvious one is that Meta does not play well with others. Without question, they will make things difficult for anyone in this space.Beyond that, Snapchat still has a stigma.Also: The billion-dollar AI company no one is talking about - and why you should careIt has been known as a platform for private, explicit content for years. They need to shake that stigma fast because it will hurt advertisers' trust and limit mainstream adoption.Snapchat has made big moves, but if it wants to capitalize on TikTok's potential downfall, it needs to lower the barriers for creators, fight off Meta's inevitable interference, and clean up their brand image.If they do that, this could be their moment.The big opportunityI know what you are thinking. "Cool story, but what is in it for me?"Great question. Regardless of what happens with TikTok, I see two significant opportunities on Snapchat right now. Opportunity 1The most obvious one is creating content for Snapchat. Ban or no ban, Snapchat is a unique opportunity to connect authentically with Gen Z. Whether you are making funny content or telling the audience about a product or service, there is a real opportunity to grow.Also: Crawl, then walk, before you run with AI agents, experts recommendWith the rise of AI, launching and running a business has never been easier. AI agents, automation, and incredible tools are making everything more accessible. But because of that, finding a way to connect with an audience is now mission-critical. Snapchat offers a chance to build genuine connections with a younger demographic that will shape future markets.Opportunity 2If you are a marketer or someone looking to promote a product or service to a younger audience, Snapchat should be on your radar.According to Snapchat's website, Snapchat ads reach Gen Z and Millennials like few other platforms can. They claim to reach 90% of the 13-to-24-year-old population and 75% of the 13-to-34-year-old population across 25+ countries. That is a massive audience with a spending power of $5 trillion, making Snapchat an opportunity for businesses of any size.I have used Snapchat Ads in the past with moderate success. Your product and the problem you are solving matter when running ads on Snapchat. In my experience, B2C brands performed better than B2B. Also: I recommend this $50 anti-spy camera finder to anyone travelingFor example, jewelry brandOak & Luna saw 47% higher ROI using Snapchat Ads."Snap's platform provided us with an invaluable opportunity to connect with fresh audiences, surpassing our initial investment expectations," according to Eytan Korn, CEO of Tenengroup.All that said, I am not telling you to drop Meta or TikTok for Snapchat. This is not a zero-sum game, especially for creators and business professionals.My two centsI will leave you with this.When I first heard TikTok would be banned, I thought, "Wow, Meta wins again."But after it was briefly banned and #DeleteInstagram started trending, my outlook changed.Call me crazy, but the more I look at this situation, the more I am convinced.Meta is not loved. It is tolerated. And if that theory holds any weight, the door is still open for other social platforms like Snapchat to step in and fill the void.Remember when Facebook was all the rage, and Instagram was the platform for teens that adults did not take seriously? We could be witnessing the same shift with Snapchat. One day, Instagram might just not be cool anymore.Snapchat fully leaning into Gen Z could be the key differentiator in how this plays out.Also:How Instagram's upcoming video editor aims to surpass TikTok's CapCutThat said, no matter what happens with TikTok, I am bullish on Snapchat. I would like to see Snapchat make content creation even easier for creators. One of the smartest things TikTok did was leverage CapCut, an intuitive video editing app that removes friction from the process. If you have ever used it, you know how seamless it makes content creation.Snapchat is well positioned, but whether they can actually pull this off remains to be seen. By the way, if you want more data-driven business insights like this, sign up for my free newsletter, No Fluff Just Facts. I share what is working, the latest trends, and the occasional pep talk to keep you inspired. If this sounds like your jam,click here to sign up. It is totally free. Hope this helps. I am rooting for you.Disclaimer: I hold shares of Meta (NASDAQ: META) and operate a TikTok Shop. This article reflects my opinions and insights, based on my own experiences and observations in the industry. While I strive to provide an unbiased perspective, my involvement with these companies may influence my views. Readers should consider this context when interpreting the content presented here.Featured

In this weeks edition of InnovationRx, we look at a new biotech fund spearheaded by Recursion, a shift in bird flu strategy from the Trump Administration, a new vaccine approval from the FDA, Nvidias latest AI model for life sciences and more. To get it in your inbox, subscribe here.Recursion CEO Chris GibsonSportsfile for Web Summit via Getty ImagesThe Trump Administration policies of spending freezes and grant cuts have thrown the biotech industry into disarray. Although federal judges have placed a hold on any spending freezes, uncertainty plus persistent inflation makes it a hard environment for early-stage biotech startups to get the funds they need to keep going.In response to these policy shifts, Recursion announced today that its biotech accelerator Altitude Lab is launching a pre-seed venture fund to support biotech startups. The fund will provide up to $250,000 in capital, 12 months of lab space and access to Altitude Labs accelerator program for biotech startups that have been reviewed for Small Business Innovation Research grants.If policymakers fail to act swiftly to restore this funding, then its up to us to bridge the gap, Recursion CEO wrote in an article published in Stat explaining his motivation for starting the fund. Im eager to share what weve learned in launching Altitude Lab Fund and to collaborate with others who are committed to sustaining biotech innovation during this uncertain time.Trump Administration Wants To Control Avian Flu With VaccinesAnadolu via Getty ImagesAvian flu continues to spread among both dairy and chicken farms, which is driving up egg prices and also infecting more people. A report from the CDC, for example, shows that many dairy veterinarians may be infected with the virus without showing symptoms. To that end, the Trump Administration said that it wants to shift the strategy on controlling the outbreak, moving away from mass culling of flocks and toward stronger containment and vaccinations.Last week, the Department of Agriculture granted a conditional license to Zoetis for a flu vaccine that can be administered to poultry, a key step on the path to approval to be placed on the market and used at farms. A USDA spokesperson also told Forbes that the agency has approved several field studies of avian flu vaccines for dairy cattle.A vaccine for poultry could help ensure that avian flu has more limited exposure to humans. Thats because many people infected with the disease from birds are farm workers who took part in poultry culling operations, Amesh Adalja, a senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, told Forbes in an email. Vaccination of poultry may lessen the need for those types of activities so could reduce spillover risk to poultry workers.BIOTECH AND PHARMAThe FDA has approved GSKs new vaccine against invasive meningococcal disease for people aged 10 to 25 years. Unlike previous vaccines, this one targets all five major types of bacteria that cause the disease. It does so by combining elements of two of GSKs other IMD vaccines, which have been on the market for years. In a clinical trial of over 4,800 people, the vaccine showed a strong safety profile and immune response.DIGITAL HEALTH AND AINvidia continues to make more moves into the life sciences. Today, the company unveiled Evo 2, an AI foundation model developed by the nonprofit Arc Institute in collaboration with researchers at UC San Francisco, Stanford and UC Berkeley. The model is trained on the DNA of over 100,000 different species and aims to enable researchers to better understand patterns in genes across species. The model can even design genomes for simple bacteria. The training itself took place on Nvidias DGX Cloud AI platform, and Greg Brockman, president and cofounder of OpenAI, spent part of his recent sabbatical from the company working on the technical aspects of its training. Nvidia has made Evo 2 available to scientists on its life sciences research platform BioNeMo.MEDTECHSince its 2006 founding, $3.5 billion (market cap) iRhythm Technologies has built its business around one core product: an easy-to-wear heart monitor that attaches to the body like a big adhesive bandage. After a patient wears it for 14 days, the San Francisco-based company can use AI to look for irregular heartbeats among the 1.5 million to 2 million it captures and flag those arrhythmias (a leading cause of strokes) for the physicians who ordered the test.Now, CEO Quentin Blackford tells Forbes that the company (which anticipates 2024 revenue slightly above $588 million) wants to get approval to use similar monitoring for additional diseases, starting with sleep apnea. His company also plans to look at the overlap of arrhythmias and other diseases, such as COPD, kidney disease and diabetes, to ideally prevent heart attacks and strokes. We think the signals of the heart tell us so many things of different disease states, Blackford said.PUBLIC HEALTH AND HOSPITALSThe CDCs advisory board has sent a letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and acting CDC director Susan Monarez criticizing widespread cuts being made to public health across agencies, Stat reported. While the firing of these experts would be dangerous under any circumstances, this action seems especially reckless at a time when there is an Ebola virus outbreak in Uganda, surging seasonal influenza in the United States, a new strain of mpox emerging in the world, and a massive outbreak of avian influenza in our country with newly identified human cases resulting from transmission from cattle, the board wrote.DEAL OF THE WEEKLithuanian-based biotech startup Atrandi Biosciences raised a $25 million series A round led by Lux Capital. The company has developed a semi-permeable capsule for holding single cells in analysis, with a goal of avoiding the technological tradeoffs of conventional technologies. The company claimed this enables higher throughput for researchers in labs. With the new capital in hand, the company said it aims to further develop its technology and expand its commercial operations into the United States.WHAT WERE READINGThe Department of Health and Human Services has reversed its previous plans to shut down a program that ships free Covid-19 tests to Americans.A young woman has been in remission from cancer for 19 years, the longest recorded remission after treatment with CAR-T therapy.Despite his pledge to Senator Bill Cassidy that he wouldnt interfere with childhood vaccination schedules, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. appears poised to commission a panel to review them.A new study finds that generic drugs manufactured in India are linked to more adverse events compared to those made in the U.S.States with abortion bans say theyve seen very fewor even zeroabortions, but medical professionals cast doubt on those claims.Johnson and Johnson has put its stroke care business up for sale, aiming for a valuation of more than $1 billion.AI-generated voice clones are being used by patients with motor neuron diseases to enable them to communicate again.MORE FROM FORBES

Google's "AI co-scientist" aims to make research by humans faster and more efficient. gettyScientists, get ready to meet your new collaborator. Google on Wednesday announced an AI co-scientist designed to help human researchers accelerate discovery. In one early test, the system solved a scientific mystery, one that had stumped scientists for more than a decade.The AI co-scientist is designed to generate novel testable hypotheses, detailed research overviews and experimental protocols, all with the goal of making scientific and biomedical research faster and more efficient.The tool is built on Gemini 2.0, the latest version of Googles chat-based AI assistant that responds to user prompts like other chat-based large language models such as OpenAIs ChatGPT. To work with the AI co-scientist, human scientists specify their research goal in natural language. They can also suggest their own ideas and proposals and offer feedback and reviews.AI co-scientist is a collaborative tool to help experts gather research and refine their work its not meant to automate the scientific process, Google said in a blog post announcing the new system, seemingly aiming to ease fears about artificial intelligence replacing humans in a host of fields.For now at least, AI co-scientist is the systems only name. The tool promises to assist humans in a variety of ways, such as shortening the time it takes to review detailed literature across fields researchers might be unfamiliar with. It can also directly supply hypotheses to be tested experimentally by scientists who bring the gray matter.The AI co-scientist currently is only available to researchers participating in Googles new Trusted Tester Program, which involves around 20 principal researchers, a company spokesperson clarified over email. Those interested in participating in the program can fill out an online application.Same Hypothesis In Less TimeEarly testers have already seen promising results with the model. At University College London, scientists have spent a decade studying superbugs resistant to antibiotics, proving how certain bacteria contribute to antibiotic-resistant infections, a widespread health challenge.Given its relationship with Fleming Initiative, which works to control the spread of antimicrobial resistance, Google asked the UCL team to see how the AI co-scientist would react to the same problem.When the Google research team approached us to test its AI platform, we realized we needed to task it with the same scientific questions that we had already explored ourselves and used as the basis of our experimental work, Jos Penads, a professor with Imperials Department of Infectious Disease, said in a statement.This effectively meant that the algorithm was able to look at the available evidence, analyze the possibilities, ask questions, design experiments and propose the very same hypothesis that we arrived at through years of painstaking scientific research, but in a fraction of the time.Safety And Ethical ConcernsIn a detailed report on the AI co-scientist, Google addresses limitations of the system, and acknowledges the need for technical safeguards against unethical research queries and malicious user intent. Just this month, Google warned of Gemini misuse by cyercriminals, raising the specter that sensitive or confidential scientific queries could fall into the wrong hands. The AI co-scientist currently has some safeguards in place, the paper notes, but it says more will ultimately be needed.Nonetheless, scientists whove experimented with the system express enthusiasm about its potential.What our findings show is that AI has the potential to synthesize all the available evidence and direct us to the most important questions and experimental designs, said Tiago Dias da Costa, who co-led the experimental work from Imperials Department of Life Sciences and the Fleming Initiative.

In a nutshell: Bethesda has remained mostly radio silent regarding The Elder Scrolls 6 development since announcing the project in 2018. The silence ended on Monday when the studio revealed it would be developing an NPC based on the winner of an auction to benefit charity. In a partnership with the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Bethesda has agreed to "immortalize" one fan as an NPC in The Elder Scrolls 6. As part of a charity event, the chance isn't free. Interested fans must participate in a silent auction hosted by OneCause. As of this writing, the winning bid sits at $35,750, so it won't come cheap, but it's for a good cause.The Make-A-Wish Foundation is a 501 nonprofit group that helps children with critical and terminal illnesses by granting "life-changing" wishes. Becoming an NPC in a TES game sounds like a wish right up its alley. However, this is a fundraiser. All auction proceeds go directly to Make-A-Wish to help grant the requests of children who might be making their last wish.Bethesda announced the auction on Monday, noting that it has worked with Make-A-Wish for several years. However, it did not provide details on what the winning bidder receives other than an NPC with their likeness. It only vaguely mentioned "working with" the studio."We are giving one winner the opportunity to work with Bethesda Game Studios to create a character to appear as an NPC in The Elder Scrolls VI. All of the money made from the auction goes directly to Make-A-Wish," the developer said. // Related StoriesWill the "experience" include direct contact with the studio for mo-cap or facial scanning sessions? Will the fan voice the NPC? Will the winner have any input into the character's personality? The answers remain unknown and unmentioned by Bethesda or Make-A-Wish, which is odd since these factors would influence the value of the opportunity. Which is worth more: having your face uploaded onto an NPC or becoming part of the game's development by contributing to the NPC's creation and meeting the TES6 team?Although the specifics are still a bit vague, the auction has clearly caught people's attention. In just one day, the bidding shot past $10,000. Now, it's approaching $36,000 but with days left, it's anyone's guess how high it could go.It's worth noting that the auction winner won't be alone. Bethesda has already promised to include Shirley Curry, aka "Skyrim Grandma," in the game. Curry, an 88-year-old grandmother, avid Skyrim player, and YouTuber with over one million subscribers, survived a stroke in 2022. Afterward, more than 50,000 of her followers signed a petition asking Bethesda to immortalize her in TES6. Bethesda agreed.

After a two-year hiatus, one of the best video game adaptations returns this spring.HBO announced The Last of Usseason 2premieres at 9 p.m. ET/PT on Sunday, April 13. The episode will air on HBO and will be available to stream on Max. Season 2 will consist of seven episodes.Recommended VideosBesides the release date announcement, HBO released three new character posters featuring Pedro Pascal as Joel, Bella Ramsey as Ellie, and Kaitlyn Dever as Abby.Please enable Javascript to view this contentSeason 2 takes place five years after the events of the first season. Per HBO, Joel and Ellie are drawn into conflict with each other and a world even more dangerous and unpredictable than the one they left behind.1. Pedro Pascal as Joel2. Bella Ramsey as Ellie3. Kaitlyn Dever as AbbyAt the end of season 1, Joel rescued Ellie from the Fireflies, who were going to remove her brain and kill her to hopefully create a cure for the Cordyceps virus. Instead of telling Ellie he killed the Fireflies, Joel lies and says they could not create a cure. Joel and Ellie return to the Jackson compound by the end of the season 1 finale.Season 2s returning cast features Gabriel Luna as Tommy and Rutina Wesley as Maria. New cast members include Isabela Merced as Dina, Young Mazino as Jesse, Ariela Barer as Mel, Tati Gabrielle as Nora, Spencer Lord as Owen, Danny Ramirez as Manny, and Jeffrey Wright as Isaac. Catherine OHara also guest stars.Based on Naughty Dogs beloved video game franchise, The Last of Usis written and executive produced by Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann.The Last of Usseason 1 was met with universal acclaim, winning eight Emmys out of 24 nominations.Editors Recommendations

Table of ContentsTable of ContentsApple iPhone 16e vs. OnePlus 13R: specsApple iPhone 16e vs. OnePlus 13R: designApple iPhone 16e vs. OnePlus 13R: displayApple iPhone 16e vs. OnePlus 13R: performanceApple iPhone 16e vs. OnePlus 13R: battery and chargingApple iPhone 16e vs. OnePlus 13R: camerasApple iPhone 16e vs. OnePlus 13R: software and updatesApple iPhone 16e vs. OnePlus 13R: price and availabilityApple iPhone 16e vs. OnePlus 13R: verdictThe Apple iPhone 16e has been announced, and its a bold new direction for Apple. Based on the iPhone 14s chassis, the new iPhone 16e is the modern iPhone the midrange market deserves, and it finally means you wont be ashamed to place your midrange iPhone down on the table next to your friends iPhone 16 Pro. And not only has it had a facelift, its also had some serious internal upgrades too. Now rocking Apples A18 processor, the newest iPhone on the block promises to be a true powerhouse.But is it powerful enough to stand toe-to-toe with the Flagship Killer? The OnePlus 13R is OnePluss midrange phone, and its sure to be a close competitor for many. Is the iPhone 16e a match for the OnePlus 13R, and should you buy one or the other if youre looking to buy a powerful phone for $600?Recommended VideosApple iPhone 16eOnePlus 13RSize146.7 x 71.5 x 7.8 mm (5.78 x 2.81 x 0.31 inches)161.7 x 75.8 x 8 mm (6.37 x 2.98 x 0.31 inches)Weight167 grams (5.89 ounces)206 grams (7.27 ounces)Screen size6.1-inch XDR OLED (60Hz)6.78-inch LTPO AMOLED (Dynamic 1-120Hz)Screen resolution2532 x 1170 resolution at 457 pixels per inch2780 x 1264 resolution at 450 pixels per inchOperating systemiOS 18Android 15 with OxygenOS 15Storage128GB, 256GB256GB, 512GBMicroSD card slotNoNoTap-to-pay servicesApple PayGoogle PayProcessorApple A18Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3RAM6GB12GB, 16GBCamerasRear: 48-megapixel primaryFront: 12MPRear: 50MP primary, 8MP ultrawide, and 50MP telephotoFront: 16MPVideoRear: 4K at up to 60 fps, and FHD at up to 240 fpsFront: 4K at up to 60 fps, and FHD at up to 240 fpsRear: 4K at up to 60 fps, and FHD at up to 240 fpsFront: Up to 1080p at 30 fpsBluetoothYes, Bluetooth 5.3Yes, Bluetooth 5.4PortsUSB-CUSB-CBiometricsNone, Face ID-onlyOptical in-display fingerprint sensorWater resistanceIP68IP65BatteryTo be confirmed6,000mAhFast charging 80WApp marketplaceGoogle Play StoreGoogle Play StoreNetwork support5G5GColorsBlack, whiteAstral Trail, Nebula NoirPriceFrom $599From $600Available fromApple, Amazon, Best BuyOnePlus, Amazon, Best BuyRelatedAppleThe new iPhone 16e is a gorgeous piece of technology. If youve loved an iPhones design in the last few years, then youre going to love the iPhone 16e. As is tradition, Apple has used one of its previous designs to make a budget iPhone, but this time, instead of using the venerable and outdated iPhone 8, its using the iPhone 14s body. That means the new 16e is gorgeous, and while its slightly outdated compared to recent iPhones, its nowhere near as noticable as the iPhone SE was, with its Touch ID sensor and chunky bezels. Now, the notch is about the only element that marks this as a cheaper iPhone, and thats honestly very forgiveable. The iPhone 16e is a beautiful phone, and its a durable one too, thanks to an IP68 rating for water and dust-resistance.Joe Maring / Digital TrendsThe OnePlus 13R isnt a bad looking phone, but wed certainly say it values function over form. The matte aluminum frame has flat edges, making it a more modern design, but outside of that its a little boring. The matte glass finish is nice, but if youre not picking up the Astral Trail colorway then you might find it overly simple. However, with this in mind, it has a solid build and feels like a premium phone, despite the price tag. The circular camera module has become OnePluss signature, and it adds to the premium overall style. An IP65 rating protects it against water jets, and the Corning Gorilla Glass 7i over the display shoud keep it safe from bumps, scratches, and drops.As ever with design, this is very much a personal call. However, were suckers for a beautiful phone, and while the OnePlus 13R feels solid and premium, so does the iPhone 16e and its gorgeous to boot. The iPhone wins this round.Winner: Apple iPhone 16eJoe Maring / Digital TrendsApple has finally brought every iPhone from LCD to OLED, meaning every iPhone now uses OLED display technology. This is a big deal for the iPhone 16e, as it means stronger blacks, more vibrant colors, and a higher peak brightness. Also included, but not related to the shift to OLED, is a much larger 6.1-inch panel, and a much sharper display with a higher pixels-per-inch measurement.But the new iPhone is taking on the OnePlus 13R so how does it fare? Unfortunately for Apple, not well.OnePlus specializes in delivering flagship specifications at lower prices, so its no surprise to see some seriously impressive display numbers here. Whether or not the larger 6.78-inch screen size is better is be a personal choice, but other elements are just objectively better. The OnePlus 13Rs display has a much higher peak brightness, so its easier to see in sunlight and under strong lights, and the refresh rate goes up to 120Hz, meaning it feels much smoother to use and watch. While Apple does do 60Hz very well, there arent many ways to spin the 16es lower refresh rate as better. It does sport more pixels-per-inch than the OnePlus 13R, but its so close youre not likely to notice.Well admit we havent had much time with the 16es display yet, so its entirely possible it will overcome the odds and dazzle us. However, at this point, its not looking likely. The OnePlus 13R wins here.Winner: OnePlus 13RAppleThis ones a tougher category to judge, not least because we havent had a huge amount of time with the iPhone 16e yet. However, there are a few assumptions we can make, even before weve reviewed the new phone.First, its fair to assume that both of these phones will be stupendously powerful. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 is a last generation processor, but its still exceptionally powerful and capable of tackling the latest 3D games and demanding apps with contemptuous ease. Similarly, Apples A18 processor is a top-of-the-line chip, and while its not as fast as the A18 chip youll find the iPhone 16, its still powerful enough to handle anything you throw at it. The Apple processor may be the more powerful of the two, being built on the smaller 3nm process, but the difference isnt likely to be enough to really notice.There are bigger gulfs in other areas, though. The OnePlus 13Rs base variant starts at 256GB, outdoing the 16es 128GB model. The OnePlus phone also has much more RAM, though since iPhones use RAM differently, that probably isnt a huge problem.As mentioned, its hard to make a call here. The A18 may be the more powerful of the two chips, but the OnePlus phone outdoes it in pure storage options. This is a tie until weve had chance to test the iPhone 16e.Winner: TieJoe Maring / Digital TrendsThis is another category that really requires time with both devices to get the most out of it, well defer full judgement until weve been able to get significant hands-on time with the iPhone 16e. However, there are more than a few educated guesses we can make about how this will shake down.Well cover the phone we know about first: The OnePlus 13R. Its equipped with a massive 6,000mAh cell, so right off the bat you know youre getting a phone with a solid battery life. The reality is even more impressive. With regular use, we found the 13R was capable of going two days on a single charge, with the potential to go as far as three days on light use. Thats an incredible feat in an industry where lasting a single day is still the standard. In addition, OnePlus has some of the fastest charging in the business, and while the 13Rs 80W charging isnt OnePluss fastest, its still way faster than most of its competition.We dont know how the 16es battery will hold up, or even how large the cell is likely to be, but if we take the iPhone 16 as a decent idea of what a cheaper, smaller iPhone with the A18 chip can achieve, we could be looking at a single day of battery life. A solid day, but still only a day. Charging speeds on the iPhone 16e also arent likely to be great, , and we dont expect it to exceed 20W. Worst of all, though, Apple has binned MagSafe support for the 16e. Instead, it will get 7.5W wireless charging, which is a little disappointing.While this has the chance to change, depending on how well the 16e holds up in our tests, with a very long battery life and far better charging options, we wager the OnePlus 13R will be the stronger of the two here.Winner: OnePlus 13RThe iPhone 16e has a single 48-megapixel lens on the back, and it looks likely to be the same 48MP main lens from the iPhone 16. This is a very good thing, as the iPhone 16s main camera is excellent, taking consistently good shots across a variety of circumstances. Throw in Apples Photographic Styles and AI features, and you have an excellent camera system on the 16e. We havent had any time with it yet, but its likely it will be a strong, if limited, camera setup. Theres an integrated 2x telephoto zoom inside that one lens, but theres no ultrawide lens, which is a bit of a disappointment since its based on the iPhone 14, which had a second lens. Still, that main lens is likely be very strong.Joe Maring / Digital TrendsBut is it going to be better than the OnePlus 13Rs camera? Its hard to say at this point, but whats clear is the 13R has a solid camera. It has a 50MP main camera, with a 50MP telephoto lens, and an 8MP ultrawide lens, and it takes good shots across all three lenses. The 8MP lens has a small drop in quality, as youd expect, but its still good across the board. Its strong and versatile, and while its not the equal of most of the best camera phones, its still a very good camera.Does that leave the iPhone 16e at the mercy of the multi-lens OnePlus 13R? Perhaps but its important to note Apple often sprinkles a little bit of magic on its phone cameras. Its entirely possible for single-lens cameras to outdo multi-lens systems; just ask the early Pixel phones. This is too close for us to call, were leaving this as a tie until weve had chance to play with the 16e.Winner: TieJoe Maring / Digital TrendsThe crux of this category comes down to a single question: Do you prefer Android or iOS? Most of us have enough experience with both to answer this question by now, and its likely to inform how you feel about buying either of these phones. But if youre not familiar with one, rest assured both operating systems are easy to learn, fast, and havbe slowly become more and more like the other. Switching between the two is no longer as huge an issue as it once was.Its important to make a note about OnePluss software, Oxygen OS. Its a long-running trope that manufacturer skins are bad, and while some still are, Oxygen OS is not included in that. Its fast, responsive, and improves over stock Android in a few ways, like with the improved Open Canvas multitasking. AI is the current flavour of the year, so its important to note the AI features available here. Youll get Circle to Search, photo editing, and other standard Android AI features. In terms of software updates, OnePlus has promised four years, which falls behind Samsung and Google, but is still impressive enough.AppleApple is the reigning king of software updates, having been updating old devices before it was cool, and while it doesnt make promises for software updates, you can be sure your iPhone will be getting updates for years to come. In terms of AI, the 16e gets all the same Apple Intelligence features as the iPhone 16. That includes tools for changing the tone of your writing, image generation, and using ChatGPT to superpower Siri. Its a good suite of tools now, and the iPhone 16e is the cheapest way to experience them for yourself.This is another one thats tough to call, as so much of it comes down to personal preference. At the moment, well give it to Apple simply for pure number of software updates.Winner: Apple iPhone 16eThe Apple iPhone 16e is currently available for pre-order, and prices start from $599 for the 128GB model. As its an iPhone youll be able to find it anywhere that sells phones.The OnePlus 13R is a real bargain, packing flagship specs into a $600 price point. You can buy it right now.Joe Maring / Digital TrendsIt wasnt expected for Apple to release a $599 phone instead of a cheaper SE phone, and as such, its up against some stiff competition. The iPhone 16es beauty and AI brains outweighed the OnePlus 13R in this early verdict, but the OnePlus 13R has the advantage in performance and camera, with some utter domination in display tech and battery performance. In fairness to the newest iPhone, the OnePlus phone is capable of taking on the biggest beasts in the mobile space in a lot of these spaces, so it was always going to struggle.So where does the iPhone 16e fall here? Unfortunately for Apple, it looks as if it falls at the OnePlus 13Rs feet. At this moment in time, while some of the categories may be tight, theres a definite advantage forming for the Flagship Killer. And really, when you consider the iPhone 16e is basically a souped up iPhone 14, that was always going to be the case. The OnePlus 13R is just that good, and even if the iPhone 16e is good, it cant match OnePluss mastery of this price point.Editors Recommendations

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Group chats have always been dangerous Russia-aligned hackers are targeting Signal users with device-linking QR codes Swapping QR codes in group invites and artillery targeting are latest ploys. Kevin Purdy Feb 19, 2025 4:21 pm | 9 Credit: Aurich Lawson/Getty Images Credit: Aurich Lawson/Getty Images Story textSizeSmallStandardLargeWidth *StandardWideLinksStandardOrange* Subscribers only Learn moreSignal, as an encrypted messaging app and protocol, remains relatively secure. But Signal's growing popularity as a tool to circumvent surveillance has led agents affiliated with Russia to try to manipulate the app's users into surreptitiously linking their devices, according to Google's Threat Intelligence Group.While Russia's continued invasion of Ukraine is likely driving the country's desire to work around Signal's encryption, "We anticipate the tactics and methods used to target Signal will grow in prevalence in the near-term and proliferate to additional threat actors and regions outside the Ukrainian theater of war," writes Dan Black at Google's Threat Intelligence blog.There was no mention of a Signal vulnerability in the report. Nearly all secure platforms can be overcome by some form of social engineering. Microsoft 365 accounts were recently revealed to be the target of "device code flow" OAuth phishing by Russia-related threat actors. Google notes that the latest versions of Signal include features designed to protect against these phishing campaigns.The primary attack channel is Signal's "linked devices" feature, which allows one Signal account to be used on multiple devices, like a mobile device, desktop computer, and tablet. Linking typically occurs through a QR code prepared by Signal. Malicious "linking" QR codes have been posted by Russia-aligned actors, masquerading as group invites, security alerts, or even "specialized applications used by the Ukrainian military," according to Google.Apt44, a Russian state hacking group within that state's military intelligence, GRU, has also worked to enable Russian invasion forces to link Signal accounts on devices captured on the battlefront for future exploitation, Google claims.Another ease-of-use feature, Signal "Group Link" invite pages, is similarly being exploited, with its QR codes linking a user's device instead of adding them into a group chat. These and other methods, including a phishing kit themed to look like Ukraine's artillery guidance app, Kropyva, are often hosted on a lookalike URL, such as "signal-confirm.site," or "signal-protect.host."Other methods used by APT44 and other actors include malware on Windows and Android devices, which search out Signal databases, then prepare the messages for scraping and transmission, according to Google.The Threat Intelligence post notes that while Signal is a known and popular target, "this threat is not only limited to Signal, but also extends to other widely used messaging platforms, including WhatsApp and Telegram." Microsoft last month posted about a campaign by Russia-aligned Star Blizzard to deploy a similar device-linking phishing attack against WhatsApp users engaged with Ukrainian topics.The best defense against device-linking Signal hijacking, Google suggests, is good security hygiene: implementing complex screen-locking passphrases (not just numbers); keeping devices up to date; regularly checking a linked device's list in Signal or other apps; and being exceptionally wary of QR codes and group chat invites you did not request.APT44 and other Russia-linked hacking groups working primarily in espionage have recently been seen collaborating frequently with financial cybercriminals. Financially motivated hackers get access to previously unavailable tools and rich targets, while nation-state actors can make use of "bulletproof" servers that resist law enforcement takedowns and muddle their identities and motivations with the larger crime world.Kevin PurdySenior Technology ReporterKevin PurdySenior Technology Reporter Kevin is a senior technology reporter at Ars Technica, covering open-source software, PC gaming, home automation, repairability, e-bikes, and tech history. He has previously worked at Lifehacker, Wirecutter, iFixit, and Carbon Switch. 9 Comments

Synthetic science Googles new AI generates hypotheses for researchers And it's already helping with some real-world research. Ryan Whitwam Feb 19, 2025 2:20 pm | 9 Credit: Andrew Brookes/Getty Images Credit: Andrew Brookes/Getty Images Story textSizeSmallStandardLargeWidth *StandardWideLinksStandardOrange* Subscribers only Learn moreOver the past few years, Google has embarked on a quest to jam generative AI into every product and initiative possible. Google has robots summarizing search results, interacting with your apps, and analyzing the data on your phone. And sometimes, the output of generative AI systems can be surprisingly good despite lacking any real knowledge. But can they do science?Google Research is now angling to turn AI into a scientistwell, a "co-scientist." The company has a new multi-agent AI system based on Gemini 2.0 aimed at biomedical researchers that can supposedly point the way toward new hypotheses and areas of biomedical research. However, Google's AI co-scientist boils down to a fancy chatbot.A flesh-and-blood scientist using Google's co-scientist would input their research goals, ideas, and references to past research, allowing the robot to generate possible avenues of research. The AI co-scientist contains multiple interconnected models that churn through the input data and access Internet resources to refine the output. Inside the tool, the different agents challenge each other to create a "self-improving loop," which is similar to the new raft of reasoning AI models like Gemini Flash Thinking and OpenAI o3.This is still a generative AI system like Gemini, so it doesn't truly have any new ideas or knowledge. However, it can extrapolate from existing data to potentially make decent suggestions. At the end of the process, Google's AI co-scientist spits out research proposals and hypotheses. The human scientist can even talk with the robot about the proposals in a chatbot interface. The structure of Google's AI co-scientist. You can think of the AI co-scientist as a highly technical form of brainstorming. The same way you can bounce party-planning ideas off a consumer AI model, scientists will be able to conceptualize new scientific research with an AI tuned specifically for that purpose.Testing AI scienceToday's popular AI systems have a well-known problem with accuracy. Generative AI always has something to say, even if the model doesn't have the right training data or model weights to be helpful, and fact-checking with more AI models can't work miracles. Leveraging its reasoning roots, the AI co-scientist conducts an internal evaluation to improve outputs, and Google says the self-evaluation ratings correlate to greater scientific accuracy.The internal metrics are one thing, but what do real scientists think? Google had human biomedical researchers evaluate the robot's proposals, and they reportedly rated the AI co-scientist higher than other, less specialized agentic AI systems. The experts also agreed the AI co-scientist's outputs showed greater potential for impact and novelty compared to standard AI models.This doesn't mean the AI's suggestions are all good. However, Google partnered with several universities to test some of the AI research proposals in the laboratory. For example, the AI suggested repurposing certain drugs for treating acute myeloid leukemia, and laboratory testing suggested it was a viable idea. Research at Stanford University also showed that the AI co-scientist's ideas about treatment for liver fibrosis were worthy of further study.This is compelling work, certainly, but calling this system a "co-scientist" is perhaps a bit grandiose. Despite the insistence from AI leaders that we're on the verge of creating living, thinking machines, AI isn't anywhere close to being able to do science on its own. That doesn't mean the AI-co-scientist won't be useful, though. Google's new AI could help humans interpret and contextualize expansive data sets and bodies of research, even if it can't understand or offer true insights.Google says it wants more researchers working with this AI system in the hope it can assist with real research. Interested researchers and organizations can apply to be part of the Trusted Tester program, which provides access to the co-scientist UI as well as an API that can be integrated with existing tools. Ryan WhitwamSenior Technology ReporterRyan WhitwamSenior Technology Reporter Ryan Whitwam is a senior technology reporter at Ars Technica, covering the ways Google, AI, and mobile technology continue to change the world. Over his 20-year career, he's written for Android Police, ExtremeTech, Wirecutter, NY Times, and more. He has reviewed more phones than most people will ever own. You can follow him on Bluesky, where you will see photos of his dozens of mechanical keyboards. 9 Comments