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Microsoft's quantum breakthrough, Elon Musk's X turnaround, and Apple's new iPhone: Tech news roundup

By Quartz Intelligence Newsroom
Published

That asteroid hurtling toward Earth is starting to look scarier

There’s a 3.1% chance an asteroid will hit Earth on Dec. 22, 2032. But there’s no reason to panic — at least not yet.

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Elon Musk’s X could get its $44 billion valuation back

Elon Musk’s X is reportedly discussing a new round of financing that would value the social media company at $44 billion, the price that its owner paid for the company formerly known as Twitter in 2022.

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Microsoft created a new type of matter for its quantum computing chip

Microsoft (MSFT) is changing what you learned about the states of matter in elementary school with a creation that it said will advance “the path to useful quantum computing.”

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Apple just unveiled a new version of its cheaper iPhone

Apple (AAPL) just unveiled the newest version of its lower-cost iPhone as part of the iPhone 16 family.

The new iPhone 16e uses the same A18 chip that is in the iPhone 16, features a full-screen OLED display, and includes Apple Intelligence capabilities — all of which was speculated by Bloomberg and other reports. Unlike its predecessor, the iPhone SE, the iPhone 16e doesn’t have a home button and has Face ID enabled.

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Intel could get split up by its rivals. Here’s what to know

Chip pioneer Intel (INTC) could see its faltering business be split up by its rivals.

The chipmaker has become an acquisition target for its competitors amid recent struggles to compete for dominance in artificial intelligence chips. The company, which rose to prominence with its central processing chips for personal computers and data centers, announced in August that it was laying off more than 15% of employees as part of a plan to reduce capital expenditures by more than $10 billion this year.

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Apple faces a new threat

For the first time, the world’s only trifold phone will be available to customers outside of China.

Huawei’s Mate XT Ultimate first went on sale in China last September and has been a hit since its launch. Now the phone is rolling out in Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Mexico.

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Amazon owns James Bond now

The e-commerce giant Amazon (AMZN) now owns and has creative control over the James Bond movie franchise.

Amazon MGM Studios and longtime Bond film producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli announced today that they have formed a new joint venture that will house the franchise’s intellectual property rights. Once the deal closes, Amazon will take over creative control of future Bond movies.

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Amazon takes creative control of the James Bond movie franchise

Producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli will remain co-owners of the 007 franchise under the new deal with Amazon MGM Studios

Apple’s iPhone 16e debuts at $599. Here’s what you need to know

The iPhone 16e is part of Apple’s iPhone 16 lineup, and includes Apple Intelligence

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