🛰️ SpaceX vs Apple, China’s Robot Bet, Windows BSOD Revamp

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🛰️ SpaceX vs Apple, China’s Robot Bet, Windows BSOD Revamp

Plus: arXiv’s Evolution and the UK’s AI-Fraud Crackdown.

Jose Montes de Oca

Mar 31, 2025

Transcript

Good morning. It’s Monday, March 31. Today we are covering:

SpaceX trying to block Apple satellite messaging expansion
Humanoid Robots Are Lousy Co-Workers. China Wants to Be First to Change That.
Microsoft is redesigning the Windows BSOD and it might change to black
Inside arXiv-the Most Transformative Platform in All of Science
Banks and tech groups commit to live data-sharing in UK fraud clampdown

Let’s dive in

SpaceX trying to block Apple satellite messaging expansion

By Ben Lovejoy via 9to5Mac

SpaceX is pressuring the FCC to block Apple’s expansion of iPhone satellite messaging, citing spectrum conflicts with Starlink, as both companies compete for limited radio frequencies.
Apple, which partners with Globalstar for satellite connectivity, seeks more bandwidth after launching features like Emergency SOS, roadside assistance, and Messages via satellite, backed by a $1B+ investment.
Concerns are growing over Elon Musk’s close ties to the White House and newly appointed FCC Chair Brendan Carr, a Musk ally, especially as Globalstar still relies on SpaceX for satellite launches.

𝕏: MUSK, APPLE CLASH OVER SATELLITE EXPANSION PLANS. TENSIONS HAVE RENEWED MUSK'S INTEREST IN BUILDING IPHONE COMPETITOR, SOURCES SAY - CN Wire (@Sino_Market)

Humanoid Robots Are Lousy Co-Workers. China Wants to Be First to Change That.

By Raffaele Huang via Wall Street Journal

China is racing to lead the development of humanoid robots that can function as capable co-workers, addressing current limitations in coordination, adaptability, and workplace integration.
Despite major progress in robotics and AI, most humanoid robots remain clumsy and impractical in real-world environments, often unable to perform basic collaborative tasks reliably.
Backed by heavy investment and national policy support, Chinese tech firms and research institutions are prioritizing breakthroughs in hardware and autonomy to gain a strategic edge in global automation.

𝕏: Humanoid Robots Are Lousy Co-Workers. China Wants to Be First to Change That. U.S. and China are racing to build a truly useful humanoid worker. Whoever wins could gain a huge edge in countless industries. - Jonathan Cheng (@JChengWSJ)

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Microsoft is redesigning the Windows BSOD and it might change to black

By Tom Warren via The Verge

Microsoft is testing a redesigned Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) for Windows 11, dropping the classic blue color, frowning face, and QR code in favor of a cleaner, update-style black screen.
The new design aligns with Windows 11’s UI principles, aiming to streamline crash notifications while preserving technical details to help users return to productivity faster.
Available now in Insider builds (appearing green for testing), the new BSOD may ship as black or blue in the final Windows 11 version 24H2, marking the first major BSOD revamp since Windows 8.

𝕏: Microsoft is redesigning the Windows BSOD and it might change to black. Microsoft is testing a new BSOD that drops the frowning face, QR code, and traditional blue color. - Tom Warren (@tomwarren)

Inside arXiv-the Most Transformative Platform in All of Science

By Sheon Han via WIRED

Paul Ginsparg, creator of arXiv, revolutionized academic publishing by launching a free, open-access platform for preprints that bypassed the slow, paywalled peer-review process—an innovation now essential to global scientific research.
Despite its success, arXiv has struggled with bureaucratic friction, outdated infrastructure, and Ginsparg’s own polarizing involvement, with critics citing both his indispensable commitment and disruptive micromanagement.
Now hosting over 2.6 million papers and backed by new funding, arXiv is modernizing its tech stack and governance, even as it grapples with challenges around moderation, quality control, and its role in the fast-moving world of AI and open science.

Banks and tech groups commit to live data-sharing in UK fraud clampdown

By Georgina Quach via Financial Times

UK banks, tech, and telecom giants including Barclays, HSBC, Meta, Google, and BT have committed to real-time sharing of fraud data—such as suspicious URLs and unusual transactions—to tackle online scams more effectively.
The move follows a two-month pilot in 2023 and now leverages an automated system exchanging tens of thousands of data points daily, improving scam detection by at least one day earlier than current systems.
As fraud cases surged 20% in 2024, industry leaders and MPs are urging the UK government to take stronger leadership, with new strategies in development to combat AI-enabled fraud and enhance cross-sector coordination.

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