More Windows PCs previously blocked are now able to upgrade to Windows 11. Apple has fallen to number two in terms of iPhone market share. Salesforce makes news with a possible acquisition of Informatica. And a new AI wearable device gets savage reviews.

All this and more on the “winners and losers” edition of Hashtag Trending. I’m your host, Jim Love. Let’s get into it.

Some Windows users who were previously blocked from upgrading to Windows 11 may finally be able to make the switch. Microsoft has lifted a compatibility hold that prevented certain PCs with 11th generation Intel processors from installing the latest version of its operating system.

The hold was put in place over two years ago due to an issue with Intel’s Smart Sound Technology drivers causing problems when running Windows 11 on those chips. But now, with updated drivers from Intel to resolve the bug, Microsoft says affected systems should be offered the option to upgrade in the next 48 hours.

However, this doesn’t represent a change to the strict minimum hardware requirements for Windows 11 that have left many older but still capable PCs unable to officially update. The move from Microsoft comes as it is beginning to phase out support for Windows 10, with commercial customers soon having to pay increasing fees for security patches after the October 2025 end-of-support date

For users with computers stuck on the previous operating system version, upgrading hardware may be the only path to Windows 11, unless Microsoft expands the update eligibility in the future.  But for that subset affected by this specific driver issue, the path to Microsoft’s latest OS is now clear after over two years of waiting.

Sources include: Windows Central

Apple is facing more troubling signs for its iPhone business. Global shipments of the company’s flagship smartphone dropped nearly 10% in the first quarter of 2024 compared to a year ago. It has once again lost the number one position to rival Samsung, but this time, they have a tougher struggle to regain leadership in terms of sales.

Market intelligence firm IDC reports that in Q1 global iPhone shipments fell to just over 50 million units. Apple’s share of the worldwide smartphone market also slipped from 20.7% down to 17.3%.

The declines come despite an overall recovery in the broader smartphone market.  It represents an ongoing challenge for Apple in the face of rising competition from Chinese manufacturers like Xiaomi and Transsion. Xiaomi’s shipments surged nearly 34% in the quarter, while Transsion’s jumped 85%.

We often forget that China was and still remains a major market for iPhones and with greater competition and tension with the US at an all time high, Apple continues struggling in the critical Chinese market.  iPhone revenues expected to drop again in the current quarter as Beijing workers are increasingly pressured to avoid foreign-branded phones.

The iPhone maker is also contending with a series of other issues – from declining iPad and wearables sales to high-profile antitrust battles with regulators in the U.S. and Europe over its tight control of the App Store ecosystem.

Apple’s stock is down more than 8% so far in 2024 as investors grow concerned about the tech giant’s near-term outlook and challenges from rivals abroad.

Some potential relief could come later this year if Apple impresses with its expected unveiling of new AI capabilities at its developer conference in June. But for now, the latest shipment numbers underscore the mounting pressures facing Apple and the all-important iPhone business.

Sources include: Yahoo Finance

A potential major acquisition could change the landscape with regard to company data and artificial intelligence. Salesforce, the cloud computing giant known for its customer relationship management software, is reportedly in advanced talks to buy data integration firm Informatica for $11 billion.

If completed, the Informatica acquisition would be the latest in a string of major purchases by Salesforce aimed at expanding beyond its core CRM business into a comprehensive data management and AI platform.

Founded in 1993, Informatica specializes in integrating data across different sources like databases, applications and social media. Its software enables companies to combine this disparate information while ensuring accuracy and quality.

Salesforce has already rolled out its new generative AI product called Einstein Copilot to automate tasks using conversational prompts. But analysts say adding Informatica’s data integration capabilities could significantly elevate Salesforce’s AI innovations by improving the quality of data being fed into its models.

The acquisition would complement Salesforce’s previous billion-dollar deals for companies like Tableau for data visualization, MuleSoft for application integration, and most recently its purchase of Slack.

Tying it all together, Salesforce aims to create an end-to-end “data journey” platform that collects information, cleans and transforms it, then allows businesses to analyze it through products like Tableau while leveraging generative AI like Einstein.

In an AI-driven future, ensuring high quality and properly integrated data will be crucial to developing accurate predictive models and natural language processing tools. If the Informatica deal goes through, it could give Salesforce a powerful advantage over rivals like Oracle and SAP in the enterprise AI market.

Sources include:  Analytics India

And there’s proof that just because it’s AI enabled, not every product is going to work.

A much-hyped new artificial intelligence wearable device from a startup founded by former Apple executives has been absolutely and even brutally panned by tech reviewers.

The AI Pin, a smart brooch that can answer questions, take photos and send messages through voice commands, is being criticized as an outright flop that fails to deliver on its promised reimagining of how we interact with technology.

The $700 device made by the company Humane has been scorched by prominent reviewers like Marques Brownlee, who said in a 25-minute video critique that the AI Pin is “bad at almost everything it does, basically all the time” – describing it as the worst product he’s ever reviewed.

Issues cited include poor battery life requiring constant recharges, visible heat buildup while wearing it, and a hand projection display that’s difficult to see, especially in bright light. While meant to operate independently of a smartphone, reviewers found the AI Pin lacking basic functions and integration.

Writing for The Verge, David Pierce bluntly stated “the one and only thing I can truly rely on the AI Pin to do is tell me the time.”

The startup raised nearly $250 million to develop the gadget, which was aimed at pioneering new AI-driven hardware experiences beyond the smartphone. But based on the scathing initial reviews, it appears to have missed the mark.

Humane’s founders have acknowledged the software needs significant updates, vowing not to be deterred by the negative coverage as they continue refining the AI Pin throughout the summer.

This should be a warning for every AI product developer out there. You can’t have automatic success just by saying you have AI in your product. People are looking for the solutions to real problems and expecting a phenomenal user experience. Without, there could be a backlash.

But even if this one device fails, the idea of a wearable device won’t go away, another AI firm called Limitless just announced a new wearable device at the amazing price of 99 dollars. We’ll cover that device and its different approach in the next few days.

And that’s our show for today…

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I’m your host Jim Love, have a Thrilling Thursday.