Tackling one of the dirtiest fruits on the shelf

Strawberries may be a consumer favourite, but they’re also among the most chemically treated fruits in commercial farming. According to the US based non-profit Environmental Working Group’s 2024 “Dirty Dozen” list, strawberries once again topped the rankings for the highest levels of pesticide residue found on produce in the US. Despite growing demand for organic alternatives, conventional pest control practices in strawberry production remain heavily reliant on chemical sprays, often applied multiple times per week throughout the season.

It’s this issue that San Luis Obispo based TRIC Robotics set out to address with a radically different approach. Rather than spraying crops with synthetic chemicals, the ag-tech company is using ultraviolet (UV-C) light, applied by autonomous robots operating at night, to kill pathogens and deter pests. Early results suggest the method could significantly reduce pesticide use on commercial farms while improving yield and sustainability.

Who Is behind TRIC Robotics?

TRIC Robotics was founded in 2017 by Adam Stager, who holds a PhD in robotics. The company originally focused on developing mobile robots for law enforcement but pivoted towards agriculture in 2020 after Stager began exploring how automation could be applied to more socially impactful sectors. Through a US Department of Agriculture (USDA) commercialisation programme, he was introduced to dormant UV-light research that had not yet reached the field.

“I really wanted to do something that would have meaningful impact,” Stager told TechCrunch earlier this year. “When I discovered the potential of UV-C for farming, I saw a way to improve food production while reducing harm.”

Alongside co founders Vishnu Somasundaram and Ryan Berard, TRIC began trialling early prototypes in strawberry fields along the US west coast. The first robot was built in Stager’s garage and transported cross-country to farms in California, where the majority of US strawberries are grown. Since those early experiments in 2021, the company has expanded to nine robots and secured contracts with several major growers.

How the technology works

The system centres around large, tractor sized autonomous robots, named Eden and Luna, which use UV-C light to control fungal and bacterial pathogens as well as insects such as spider mites. UV-C light, a short wavelength ultraviolet radiation, damages the DNA of microorganisms, disrupting their ability to reproduce.

The robots operate exclusively at night, when UV-C is most effective and when plants are less vulnerable to stress. Each robot is equipped with adjustable booms, dosing systems and high resolution cameras for precision treatment. They can cover 50 to 100 acres each, moving independently through rows and adjusting to uneven terrain and plant height in real time. Vacuum systems are also fitted to remove pest residue and insects from leaves without damaging the crop.

Robots As-A-Service?

Instead of selling robots to farmers outright, TRIC offers a subscription style “service model” in which robots are delivered, managed and maintained by the company. Farmers pay roughly the same as they would for conventional spraying but avoid the need for pesticides, re-entry delays or additional labour.

Environmental and operational benefits

The approach offers a clear environmental upside, which is reduced pesticide use. This, in turn, means less chemical runoff into soil and waterways, lower risk to pollinators and other beneficial insects and fewer residues on produce. It also supports growers aiming to meet organic standards and export restrictions tied to pesticide levels.

From a business perspective, the robots improve consistency, reduce re-spray requirements and allow treatments to occur more frequently. TRIC claims farms using its robots have seen pesticide use fall by up to 70%, with some reporting yield improvements thanks to better pest and disease control.

The autonomous machines also generate valuable data. Built in cameras and sensors capture real time insights on plant health and pest pressure, helping growers monitor performance and make more informed decisions.

Automated crop protection

TRIC raised $5.5 million in seed funding in mid 2025, led by Version One Ventures, with backing from Garage Capital, Lucas Venture Group, and others. The investment is being used to expand the robot fleet, enhance analytics and explore the system’s applicability to other crops beyond strawberries.

Stager says the long term ambition is to provide “automated crop protection” across multiple types of produce. “Agriculture needs practical, scalable solutions to reduce chemical inputs and protect yields,” he told investors during the funding round. “UV-C is one of those solutions—but only if it can be applied efficiently, safely, and at scale.”

TRIC’s approach also highlights a broader shift in ag-tech away from standalone equipment sales towards service based, data rich models that mirror the way many farmers already procure services like spraying or fertilisation.

Others in the field

TRIC is not alone in applying UV-C to agriculture, but its combination of automation, scale and commercial deployment is relatively rare. One of the best known alternatives is Norway’s Saga Robotics, whose Thorvald platform uses UV-C light to treat strawberries and grapes in Europe and the US. However, Saga’s robots are smaller, battery powered and typically used in research or niche applications.

Other firms, such as FarmWise and Naïo Technologies, are also building autonomous farm machinery, but these generally focus on weeding, harvesting or mechanical cultivation rather than light based disease control.

In the greenhouse sector, Dutch firms like Priva and Signify have experimented with UV light for fungal control in tomatoes and cucumbers, but few solutions are currently available for open field use at scale.

This essentially positions TRIC as one of the most commercially advanced players applying UV-C at field level. Still, the space is expected to grow quickly, with McKinsey predicting that farm robotics and automation will become a $50 billion global market by 2030.

Challenges

Despite promising results, the technology is not without challenges. One concern is the potential for overuse of UV-C, which can damage plant tissue or lead to resistance in certain pest populations if not carefully managed. TRIC’s dosing systems are designed to avoid this, but it remains a technical and biological balancing act.

Another issue is energy use. Although TRIC’s early robots were battery powered, the current versions use on board diesel generators due to limited field charging infrastructure, thereby raising questions about carbon emissions, especially for a solution marketed on sustainability grounds. TRIC has acknowledged this limitation and says future versions may explore hybrid or fully electric designs as farm infrastructure improves.

There are also operational constraints to consider. For example, the robots work best in certain field layouts and require access to well maintained paths and consistent planting patterns, which is something not all farms can offer without modification. That said, TRIC’s tractor sized form factor was deliberately chosen to mirror existing spray rigs and reduce disruption.

Some industry observers have questioned whether UV-C alone is actually sufficient to replace chemical sprays across a full growing season, especially in regions with high pest pressure. While results from pilot sites have been encouraging, broader third party trials and peer reviewed research will be key to long term credibility.

What does this mean for your business?

If TRIC’s model continues to scale, it may bring about a change in how pest and disease control is delivered across large scale agriculture. By offering automation as a service and avoiding upfront equipment costs, the company has lowered the barrier to adoption for growers who might otherwise resist change. That could accelerate the move away from chemical inputs in a sector long dependent on them. The fact that it’s proving cost comparable to traditional spraying means it may not take government intervention or subsidies to push adoption forward.

For the robotics industry, TRIC’s success adds weight to the idea that task specific, autonomous machines, especially those built around a practical service model, can find real traction in farming. This is a notable development in a space where many ag-tech ventures remain trapped in trial stages or small scale pilots. If other crops can be treated as effectively, and if energy issues are resolved, UV-C robotics may offer a compelling template for reducing agrochemical reliance more widely.

UK farmers, especially those under pressure from changing pesticide rules and tighter sustainability requirements, may see clear potential in this approach. British growers facing EU derived regulations on maximum residue levels and soil health could benefit from a model that allows frequent treatment without chemical application or delayed re-entry. There could also be scope for adaptation to local crops such as soft fruits, leafy greens, or high value organics, particularly where manual spraying is still dominant or increasingly expensive due to labour shortages.

For UK businesses involved in food supply chains, TRIC’s methods are likely to be promising. As major retailers and buyers place more emphasis on sustainability, traceability and reduced chemical use, upstream suppliers using robotic UV-C solutions may gain competitive advantage. The same applies to UK based ag-tech firms exploring adjacent fields. The window is open for others to localise or licence similar models in the UK and Europe, or to partner with growers on collaborative trials.

However, any rollout here would need to take into account different field conditions, crop types, and infrastructure. Unlike the flat, uniform rows of California strawberry farms, many British farms are smaller, more varied in layout, and less mechanised. That may limit near term deployment without further design iterations.

It’s also worth watching how regulators may respond. For example, UV-C is already used in food processing and healthcare, but applying it in open field environments could raise fresh questions about environmental exposure, crop labelling, and treatment records. Clear data on safety, efficacy, and operational standards will be essential to building trust.

For now, TRIC’s model stands out as an example of how robotics, when applied thoughtfully and at the right point in the production chain, can genuinely support more sustainable agriculture. The bigger test will come as more farms take it on, and as others begin to compete on similar ground.

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Why? 

Meta’s deal with Sage Geosystems is part of its push to support its sustainability goals while trying to meet the growing energy demands of its AI infrastructure. Geothermal energy offers a continuous, carbon free, and reliable power supply, unlike intermittent sources like solar and wind, thereby ensuring stable operations for energy hungry AI technologies. Also, by diversifying its energy mix, Meta can enhance its resilience and reduce reliance on a single source, thus partnering with Sage supports clean energy innovation and offers long term cost efficiency through geothermal’s stable operating costs.

What Kind of Deal? 

Although the financial terms of the deal have not been disclosed, Meta says its new partnership with Sage Geosystems is a “first-of-its-kind project exploring the use of new, advanced geothermal energy in parts of the country where it has not been possible before”. 

Meta says the first phase of its project to use geothermal energy and utilise Sage’s proprietary Geopressured Geothermal System (GGS) to provide carbon free power for Meta’s data centres, will aim to be online and operating in 2027. As part of this partnership with Sage, Meta hopes to deliver “up to 150 MW of new geothermal baseload power” to support its data centre growth.

It’s also worth noting here that the geothermal energy from Sage Geosystems will not actually be directly supplying each data centre, but will feed the power grid. Meta could use renewable energy credits (RECs) and geothermal energy can help stabilise energy prices.

Geothermal Can Save Costs For Meta 

Meta has been overhauling its infrastructure to support AI workloads, refitting data centres to accommodate AI optimised chips. This AI push has driven up its expenses. For example, Meta has forecast $37-40 billion in capital expenditure for 2024 and warned that infrastructure costs will keep rising in 2025. Geothermal energy offers a cost effective, stable power source, helping to manage these growing operational costs while ensuring reliable energy for its AI driven operations.

Geothermal Energy: GGS Will Use Advanced Drilling

In Meta’s announcement of the deal, it highlighted how geothermal energy is a viable, renewable energy source across the US and how advanced geothermal energy is already being used in Nevada, Utah, and California.

However, Sage’s Geothermal Geosystems (GGS) technology aims to tap into geothermal energy by accessing heat from deeper underground than traditional methods. Using advanced drilling and reservoir engineering techniques, GGS can create geothermal systems in areas that were previously unsuitable for geothermal energy. This technology allows for broader geographic access to geothermal power, making it possible to deploy geothermal energy across the US and beyond, even in regions without naturally occurring geothermal hotspots. Meta has, therefore, highlighted that one of the key advantages of its deal with Sage is that Sage’s technology can access geothermal energy virtually anywhere, giving hot dry rock as an example of a vastly abundant resource compared to traditional hydrothermal formations. This is why Meta believes Sage’s GGS technology is a highly scalable approach with the potential for rapid expansion across the US and globally.

Other Tech Companies Using Geothermal Too 

Several major tech companies, in addition to Meta, have explored or invested in geothermal energy to power their data centres or other operations. For example, these include:

• Google. Back in 2021, Google announced partnerships with companies like Fervo Energy to integrate next generation geothermal power into its energy portfolio. Google aims to run its data centres on 100 percent carbon free energy by 2030, and geothermal energy is part of its plan to provide a continuous, reliable power source.
• Microsoft has also shown interest in geothermal energy as part of its broader renewable energy initiatives. The company is committed to becoming carbon negative by 2030 and removing its historical carbon emissions by 2050. Microsoft has, therefore, invested in various clean energy projects, including exploring geothermal energy to power its operations and data centres, especially as it looks for sustainable energy sources that can meet the growing demand from AI and cloud computing.
• Apple. As part of powering all its global operations with renewable energy by 2018, the company has heavily invested in solar, wind, and biogas projects. However, it has also explored geothermal energy, particularly in regions like Nevada, where it has data centres and renewable energy projects.

What Does This Mean For Your Business? 

Meta’s move to adopt geothermal power is a significant development, not only for its own operations but also for the broader business landscape. For Meta, the shift represents a strategic solution to the growing energy demands of its AI driven infrastructure. As the company continues to expand its data centres and refit them to support AI optimised chips, geothermal energy offers a stable, cost effective power source. This could help Meta manage its rising operational costs while contributing to its sustainability goals. For businesses like Meta that rely on large scale AI processing and data storage, accessing renewable energy solutions like geothermal will become increasingly important in maintaining both operational efficiency and environmental responsibility.

Meta’s customers stand to benefit from this shift as well. As the company scales its AI capabilities, users can expect improved performance, reliability, and potentially lower costs passed on from energy savings. For those concerned about sustainability, Meta’s commitment to geothermal energy demonstrates a tangible effort to reduce its carbon footprint, as well as costs, aligning with the growing demand from consumers and businesses for greener practices.

This partnership also signals significant growth for geothermal energy and advanced technologies like Sage Geosystems’ Geopressured Geothermal System. By tapping into deeper geothermal resources, Meta and Sage could pave the way for the broader adoption of geothermal energy, making it viable in regions previously unsuitable for this form of power. As this technology scales, more businesses should have access to stable, carbon free energy, supporting the growth of AI, cloud computing, and other data intensive operations.

For competitors and the wider tech industry, this development highlights the increasing importance of renewable energy solutions. Companies like Google, Microsoft, and Apple are already exploring geothermal energy as part of their sustainability strategies, and Meta’s entry into this space raises the bar for the industry. The shift towards geothermal highlights how AI driven businesses are rethinking their energy sources, and as AI continues to grow, we can expect more companies to follow suit in embracing renewable energy to power their operations.

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Hiding Important Information 

In the complaint, filed in the US District Court for the Northern District of California, it’s alleged that Adobe Inc systematically violated the Restore Online Shoppers’ Confidence Act (ROSCA) using fine print and inconspicuous hyperlinks to hide important information about Adobe’s subscription plans.

Using an Early Termination Fee as a Retention Tool? 

Allegedly, these violations include a significant “Early Termination Fee” that customers may be charged when they cancel their subscriptions, which Adobe may have profited from. The complainant says that this may amount to misleading Adobe’s consumers about the true costs of a subscription and “ambushing” them with the fee when they try to cancel, using the fee as a powerful retention tool.

Deterred from Cancellation by the Complexity of the Process? 

The Justice Department and Federal Trade Commission (FTC) complaint alleges that Adobe has also been violating ROSCA by not providing consumers with a simple mechanism to cancel their recurring, online subscriptions. Instead, it’s alleged, Adobe protects its subscription revenues by “thwarting subscribers’ attempts to cancel” and by “subjecting them to a convoluted and inefficient cancellation process filled with unnecessary steps, delays, unsolicited offers, and warnings”. It’s alleged, therefore, that the complexity of the cancellation process appears to be used as a retention tool to deter customers from cancelling.

Trapping Customers 

The Director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection, Samuel Levine, summed up the complaint against Adobe, saying “Adobe trapped customers into year-long subscriptions through hidden early termination fees and numerous cancellation hurdles,” and that “Americans are tired of companies hiding the ball during subscription signup and then putting up roadblocks when they try to cancel”. 

Responsibility 

US Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey for the Northern District of California highlighted how “Companies that sell goods and services on the internet have a responsibility to clearly and prominently disclose material information to consumers”.  He added that “It is essential that companies meet that responsibility to ensure a healthy and fair marketplace for all participants.  Those that fail to do so, and instead take advantage of consumers’ confusion and vulnerability for their own profit, will be held accountable.” 

Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division, also highlighted the importance of stopping “companies and their executives from preying on consumers who sign up for online subscriptions by hiding key terms and making cancellation an obstacle course”. 

What Does Adobe Say? 

In a statement on Adobe’s website, in answer to the allegations in the lawsuit, Adobe’s general counsel and chief trust officer Dana Rao denies the FTC’s claims and says Adobe will contest the charges in court.

Mr Rao says: “Subscription services are convenient, flexible and cost effective to allow users to choose the plan that best fits their needs, timeline and budget. Our priority is to always ensure our customers have a positive experience. We are transparent with the terms and conditions of our subscription agreements and have a simple cancellation process. We will refute the FTC’s claims in court.” 

Penalties 

The lawsuit seeks unspecified amounts of consumer redress and monetary civil penalties from the defendants, as well as a permanent injunction to prohibit them from engaging in future violations.

Not the Only Ones 

Adobe is, of course, not the only big tech company to have attracted the attention of the FTC in recent times. For example, earlier this month, the FTC filed a lawsuit against Amazon for allegedly enrolling customers in its Prime subscription service without their consent and making it difficult to cancel the subscription. The FTC accused Amazon of using “dark patterns” to mislead customers and hinder their attempts to unsubscribe easily.

What Does This Mean For Your Business? 

The lawsuit against Adobe should be an important reminder for businesses about the importance of transparency and simplicity in subscription services. The allegations against Adobe highlight the potential risks and legal repercussions of not clearly disclosing all terms and conditions associated with subscription plans. UK businesses offering similar services must ensure that all subscription related fees, particularly early termination fees, are clearly communicated to customers upfront to avoid misleading them.

The complexity of the cancellation process is another significant issue raised in the Adobe case. Businesses must create a straightforward and user friendly cancellation process. Any attempt to complicate this process could be viewed as a strategy to retain customers unfairly, which could lead to legal challenges. Ensuring that customers can easily unsubscribe from services not only builds trust but also complies with consumer protection laws.

The involvement of two high level executives in the Adobe lawsuit, David Wadhwani and Maninder Sawhney, highlights the accountability at all levels of an organisation. Business leaders should, therefore, be vigilant and ensure their company’s practices are transparent and compliant with regulations. This includes regularly reviewing and updating terms of service and cancellation policies to meet legal standards and customer expectations.

For UK businesses, this case also signals the increasing scrutiny from regulatory bodies worldwide, including the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), which has similar oversight on consumer rights and business practices. Staying informed about both local and international regulations and aligning business practices accordingly can prevent potential legal issues.

The Adobe lawsuit, therefore, illustrates the crucial need for businesses to be transparent, honest, and straightforward in their dealings with customers. By adopting clear communication, simplifying processes, and ensuring compliance, UK businesses can foster better customer relationships and avoid costly legal disputes.

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Showcasing New Products 

At Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC24) from 10th to 14th June, Apple showcased a variety of updates and advancements across its software platforms, including iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, tvOS, and visionOS. Key announcements included significant updates for iOS 18 and macOS 15, as well as new AI integrations and improvements to built in apps like Photos and Apple Music. Crucially, the conference also highlighted Apple’s commitment to AI technologies and its plans to integrate generative AI capabilities into its devices.

Let’s take a look at the key product and other announcements from WWDC24:

iOS 18 

iOS 18, Apple’s latest iOS for iPhones, introduces several significant updates, including a more customisable home screen, a redesigned Photos app with AI powered editing tools, RCS support in Messages for improved cross platform communication and enhancements to the Mail, Calendar and Maps apps. All these improvements are around making the iPhone more intuitive and powerful for users. Also, the Control Centre has now been revamped to feature a multipage layout with third party widgets.

One other fun new feature for iOS 18 around user personalisation will be the ability for iPhone users to make their conversations more enjoyable by creating AI images of people they’re messaging with in a way that’s similar to an AI upgraded Bitmoji.

iPhones To Use Satellites 

There was also the announcement at WWDC 24 that with iOS 18, iPhone users will be able to send messages via satellite. This feature, available on iPhone 14 models and later, expands upon the existing emergency SOS via satellite capability. It allows users to send and receive iMessages and SMS texts, including emoji and Tapbacks, even when they are out of range of cellular and WiFi networks.

macOS Sequoia 

Apple’s macOS Sequoia, the latest version of its OS for Macs has been given a range of new features including a new Passwords app, redesigned Reader view in Safari with machine learning integration, upgrades to Messages and Notes, and improved window management. The update also includes enhancements to Continuity, such as iPhone Mirroring. With iPhone Mirroring, through macOS’ Continuity feature users can mirror their iPhone’s screen and control it from their Mac laptop or desktop.

All this should mean enhanced user productivity and convenience, with better password management, a smarter browsing experience, more efficient multitasking, and improved messaging and note taking capabilities.

iPadOS 18 

iPadOS 18 brings updates to the Notes app, including support for Math Notes and a new Calculator app that supports Apple Pencil. It also introduces a floating tab bar for better navigation and similar home screen customisation options to iOS 18.

watchOS 11 

watchOS 11, the latest version of Apple’s operating system for Apple Watch, adds a redesigned Photos face, a new Translate app, and enhancements to the Fitness app, including a Training Load feature and a customisable Summary mode. It also introduces the Vitals app for health monitoring. The hope is that these new features will provide users with a more personalised and comprehensive fitness and health tracking experience, and a more intuitive and visually engaging interface.

tvOS 18 

tvOS 18, the latest version of Apple’s OS for Apple TV includes AI enhanced subtitles, Amazon X-Ray style information while watching, and clearer dialogue options, improving the viewing experience on Apple TV 4K.

‘InSight’ For Apple TV+ 

Those who use Apple TV+ may be pleased with the new InSight feature that displays actors’ names and song titles as they appear on the screen and is similar to Amazon’s X-Ray technology. Also, like Shazam, it highlights the song playing in the TV show or film and, as you may expect, then gives the user the option to add it to their Apple Music playlist.

visionOS 2 

Apple’s OS for the Vision Pro headset, visionOS 2, has received upgrades to enhance the Vision Pro experience with new developer frameworks, an international launch schedule, and improved virtual display features. It also introduces new gestures and SharePlay support in the Photos app. For example, it will allow photos to be transformed into interactive experiences using AI. Notably, users will be able to turn existing images into spatial photos, including photos captured on older devices.

New navigation gestures are also being introduced, and it supports higher resolution and larger virtual displays for connected Macs.

Improvements also include new developer tools like volumetric APIs and TabletopKit for games, adds train support in travel mode, and expands content with new 180 degree 8K video formats through partnerships with content creators.

New Markets for Vision Pro Headsets Announced

Accompanying the news of the upgraded features in visionOS 2, Apple has also announced that it will be making its Vision Pro headset available in eight new countries: China, Japan, Singapore, Australia, Canada, France, Germany and the UK, and that the first release of the headset will be in China, Japan, and Singapore on 28th June.

Apple Intelligence 

The most significant announcement from WWDC24 is the introduction of Apple Intelligence, a new AI initiative aimed at integrating personal and private AI capabilities across Apple’s ecosystem. There was some concern that Apple has fallen behind in AI and its announcement that it is partnering with OpenAI to include its technology and ChatGPT is a significant strategic shift for Apple. This prompted an angry reaction on X by Elon Musk, citing privacy concerns, although possibly more about competition concerns.

Apple Intelligence includes, for example, significant upgrades to Siri, as outlined below, making interactions more natural and advanced, and other functionalities with advanced, personal, and private AI capabilities. Apple CEO, Tim Cook, described Apple Intelligence as “the next frontier” in personal AI and explained that the reason why it is so effective is that it will be able to “understand you and be grounded in your personal context, like your routine, your relationships, your communications and more”. 

Siri Upgrade 

The new Apple Intelligence AI initiative has meant that Siri, Apple’s virtual assistant, has received a substantial upgrade. The AI enhancements make Siri more conversational and contextually aware, so it can handle more complex tasks and understand a wider variety of requests. This should include being able to summarise incoming messages, executing commands across multiple apps, and integrating more naturally with users’ daily activities. Apple has also emphasised how most processing will be done ‘on device’ to help user privacy.

One significant announcement is that Siri will also be one of the apps that will be able to use OpenAI’s ChatGPT for “expertise”. Tapping into ChatGPT will also mean that users will also be able to include photos with questions for ChatGPT, via Siri, and even ask questions related to docs or PDFs.

Developers and Siri 

It’s also worth noting here that Siri’s new capabilities will also allow developers to enable voice command access to any app menu items and displayed text without additional coding. This means users can issue commands like “show my presenter notes” in a slide deck or “FaceTime him” from a reminder, enhancing app functionality through natural language interactions and improving user experience.

Next Generation CarPlay 

Apple provided an updated look at the next generation CarPlay system, the in car system that allows users to integrate their iPhone with their vehicle’s infotainment system. The improvements include new Vehicle, Media, and Climate apps, designed to offer a more integrated and enhanced user experience.

What Does This Mean For Your Business? 

The WWDC24 announcements appear to signify a transformative phase for Apple, with their belated yet determined and substantial adoption of AI all the way through their entire estate, standing out as a strategic pivot. This initiative, which includes a partnership with OpenAI’s ChatGPT, enhances Siri’s capabilities, making it more contextually aware and conversational. For business users, this means more efficient and natural interactions with their devices, potentially improving productivity and streamlining workflows.

The upgrades across iOS, macOS, iPadOS, watchOS, and tvOS collectively may create a more cohesive and powerful Apple ecosystem. For instance, iOS 18’s customisation options and AI powered tools should make iPhones more versatile and user friendly, while macOS Sequoia’s new features may enhance productivity through smarter password management, improved multitasking, and seamless integration with iPhones. These improvements could help businesses better manage their digital environments, ensuring that employees can work more efficiently and securely.

The introduction of Messages via satellite with iOS 18 is significant for businesses operating in remote areas or in sectors where connectivity is often an issue, such as logistics, construction, and outdoor events, ensuring continuous communication, which can be crucial for operational efficiency and safety.

Apple’s Vision Pro headset and the enhanced visionOS 2 signals a move towards more immersive and interactive experiences. For industries such as design, training, and presentations, the ability to turn photos into interactive experiences and use spatial navigation may offer new ways to engage and educate. The expanded international availability of the Vision Pro headset may also open up new markets and opportunities for businesses worldwide.

The updates to watchOS 11, with enhanced fitness and health tracking capabilities, emphasises Apple’s commitment to health and wellness, which may be particularly beneficial for businesses focusing on employee well being and productivity. The new features in tvOS 18, such as AI enhanced subtitles and detailed information while watching, enhance the user experience for both personal and professional usage, perhaps making Apple TV a more compelling option, for example for business presentations and entertainment.

Overall, Apple’s latest announcements reflect a strategic effort to integrate advanced AI and machine learning technologies across its product range. This not only addresses fears of Apple lagging behind in AI but could even position Apple as a leader in the AI space. It also offers business users innovative tools to enhance productivity, connectivity, and user engagement. By leveraging the advancements outlined by Apple at WWDC24, businesses could improve their operational efficiency, employee satisfaction, and customer interactions, which may ultimately give Apple a stronger foothold in the competitive tech marketplace.

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