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Halfofthe News is a place where you can find the latest news-related updates and information. We cover topics such as politics, business, health, science, and entertainment. Our goal is to provide quality content that will keep our readers informed about the world around them.

Testing by Macworld’s Jason Cross indicates that disabling the 120Hz ProMotion feature on iPhone 15 Pro models marginally improves battery life by about 5%, making it generally unnecessary for non-gamers to turn off the feature for everyday use. However, significant battery savings are observed when playing high-refresh-rate games with ProMotion disabled, which might be beneficial for gamers without access to power.

OpenAI engineers, earning up to $800,000 per year, threatened to quit if CEO Sam Altman was not reinstated after his unexpected firing. The board accused Altman of being opaque but reconsidered following a staff petition. Amidst the turmoil, Altman had planned to join Microsoft but is now set to return as OpenAI’s CEO, while the company’s high valuation of $90 billion remains uncertain.

Google Meet has launched a hand gesture detection feature that recognizes when a user raises their hand during a video call. The feature triggers the hand raise icon to notify other participants. It is available on most Google Meet Workspace plans and can be enabled in settings. The feature is useful for situations where a user may be away from the computer or their hands are dirty. Last month, Google Meet introduced a portrait touch-up mode for video calls.

Former Apple employees are most likely to transition to Google, according to an analysis of LinkedIn profiles in the tech industry. The analysis also revealed that Apple employees most commonly come from Intel, Microsoft, and Amazon. Apple recruits relatively few employees from other tech giants, while Meta, Google, and Salesforce have higher percentages of employees from other companies.

Speculation has emerged on the r/wallstreetbets subreddit and Hacker News forum about a potential quid pro quo exchange between OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella. The discussion centers around Altman’s controversial acceptance of a $1 billion investment from Microsoft in 2019, which led to criticism from OpenAI talent and the creation of a competitor called Anthropic. Nadella recently extended a job offer to Altman shortly after he was fired and later re-hired by OpenAI. Some allege this is favor trading, considering Altman’s past dealings with Microsoft. Instructions have been shared for filing an SEC whistleblower complaint.

Apple CEO Tim Cook has stated that he wants his successor to come from within the company. While he couldn’t provide a specific name, Cook mentioned that he is grooming “several people” for the board to eventually choose from. Cook, who has no immediate plans to step down, also discussed Apple’s detailed succession plans in case of unforeseen circumstances. Under Cook’s leadership, Apple has experienced significant growth and success, with analysts predicting that the company may reach a $4 trillion market cap by 2025.

Google is facing backlash for its ad policies on YouTube, but the reality is that ads are necessary to sustain the platform. Users have the option to pay a monthly fee to avoid ads, but blocking them entirely angers Google. While it may seem unfair, Google can do what it wants with YouTube. The only solution for users who despise ads is to stop using the platform altogether. However, this is unlikely to happen in large numbers, so Google retains its power over users.

Device skin company Dbrand is suing rival Casetify for allegedly copying its Teardown device skins and cases. Dbrand claims that Casetify reused the same image of device internals across different phone models, thus not accurately representing each device. Dbrand also accuses Casetify of attempting to hide the copying by rearranging parts of the designs. Dbrand is seeking eight figures in damages and has launched a federal lawsuit in Canadian courts. Casetify’s Inside Out phone cases are currently viewable on its website.

OnePlus is offering referral codes to customers who have already purchased the OnePlus Open foldable phone. The codes can be shared with up to five friends, who will receive a $100 discount on the $1,699 phone. The person who shares the code will receive a $100 coupon for any OnePlus product. The referral codes are only valid for OnePlus Open purchases and are automatically sent to eligible customers. OnePlus is also offering a guaranteed $200 off the phone, as well as trade-in bonuses.

Google has confirmed that the display bumps on the Pixel 8 Pro have no impact on its performance or durability. The bumps are caused by internal components and are visible when the screen is off and under specific lighting conditions. While it is not a serious issue at the moment, Google appreciates users flagging the problem to ensure it does not become a bigger concern in the future.