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  • šŸ” UK drops Apple iCloud backdoor push | šŸ’ø SoftBank puts $2B into Intel | šŸ“‰ Crypto wobbles ahead of Jackson Hole

šŸ” UK drops Apple iCloud backdoor push | šŸ’ø SoftBank puts $2B into Intel | šŸ“‰ Crypto wobbles ahead of Jackson Hole

You get a privacy win, a heavyweight chip bet, and a jittery crypto setup—here’s what it means for your day in five minutes.

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šŸ–‹ Today’s Angle

Welcome to your Tuesday download. SoftBank just bet billions on a chip giant, Nvidia is making PC gamers’ lives easier, and Apple just scored a privacy win in the UK. Meanwhile, crypto markets are twitchy ahead of Jackson Hole, Gemini’s IPO filing reveals a curious partnership, and there’s a skill‑building deep dive on generative AI. Grab your coffee — here’s what matters now:

  • SoftBank’s $2 billion splash in Intel is more than a lifeline — it hints at a geopolitical battle over chip sovereignty.

  • Nvidia’s app overhaul lands today, bringing global DLSS overrides, new graphics tweaks and smooth motion to more GPUs.

  • After U.S. pressure, the UK backs down from forcing Apple to build an iCloud backdoor. Your encrypted backups remain your own.

  • Crypto traders are bracing for Jerome Powell’s Jackson Hole speech as markets wobble and leverage unwinds.

  • Gemini’s Nasdaq filing shows a Ripple‑powered credit line and a big loss — will investors swallow a token‑linked IPO?

––Sascha Thiele

šŸš€ Tech & Business

What Happened: Japanese conglomerate SoftBank announced a $2 billion investment in Intel, taking roughly a 2 percent stake. SoftBank’s CEO Masayoshi Son called it a vote of confidence that advanced semiconductor manufacturing will expand in the U.S., while Intel CEO Lip‑Bu Tan emphasised the partnership’s role in reinforcing domestic chipmaking. The news sent Intel shares up about six percent.

What Happened: Nvidia’s modern PC app, which has been slowly replacing its legacy control panel, gets a substantial update today. The beta release adds anisotropic filtering, anti‑aliasing and ambient occlusion options, and the setup tool for Nvidia Surround. Gamers no longer need to toggle DLSS settings per game — a global DLSS override now applies preferred settings across supported titles. The app also brings Smooth Motion — a driver‑based AI model that doubles perceived frame rate — to RTX 40‑series GPUs and reduces the memory footprint of the G‑Assist AI assistant by 40 percent.

What Happened: United Kingdom officials quietly withdrew a secret technical capability notice that would have compelled Apple to create backdoor access to encrypted iCloud backups. U.S. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard announced the reversal, crediting months of joint work with the White House. The January order had forced Apple to remove its Advanced Data Protection (ADP) end‑to‑end encryption offering in the UK.

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šŸ’° The Finance Overview

Season 4 Money GIF by SpongeBob SquarePants

Giphy

The tech markets are a tale of two sentiments. Big Tech Barometer: Intel jumped about six percent on SoftBank’s $2 billion investment, while investors now weigh reports that the Trump administration wants to convert CHIPS Act grants into roughly a 10 percent stake — a move that could dilute existing shareholders. Apple shares were steady after the UK rescinded its backdoor demand; the potential return of Advanced Data Protection could reassure privacy‑minded customers. Startup Thermometer: venture funding remains chilly; unicorn birth rates are down, but AI‑infrastructure plays still draw capital. Infrastructure Watch: Nvidia’s new app and upcoming RTX 5080 cloud servers underscore how software and cloud are offsetting hardware cycles; hyperscalers are also eyeing on‑prem GPUs as SoftBank–Intel news pushes a focus on sovereign chip supply. Wild Card: Watch streaming and media stocks — Netflix’s push to recruit YouTube stars like Mark Rober suggests platforms are racing to secure creator‑driven IP, mirroring Amazon’s earlier MrBeast deal.

Gif by darkbean on Giphy

What Happened: Crypto prices retreated after traders liquidated about $270 million in positions, mainly long bets on ether and bitcoin. The sell‑off came as futures traders recalibrated expectations for U.S. monetary policy before Fed Chair Jerome Powell’s speech at Jackson Hole. Implied volatility for ether spiked, indicating traders are pricing in near‑term turbulence.

What Happened: In its S‑1 filing, crypto exchange Gemini disclosed a $75 million credit facility from Ripple, with options to expand it to $150 million and denominated partly in Ripple’s RLUSD stablecoin. The filing also revealed a net loss of $282.5 million for the first half of 2025 and plans to separate operations between a New York‑based trust company and a Florida subsidiary to meet regulatory requirements.

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šŸ Tomorrow’s Forecast

Wednesday brings the calm before the storm: expect final leaks ahead of Google’s Pixel 10 event and fresh Jackson Hole speculation. Keep your eyes peeled for surprises — and maybe, just maybe, schedule some ā€œDad Modeā€ downtime. šŸ˜Ž

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