Apple Music has launched a major promotion, offering new subscribers six months for just $2.99 instead of the usual $10.99 per month. The deal, described as one of Apple Music’s biggest ever, is available for a limited time to new and eligible users, though it’s unclear if it extends beyond the U.S. The announcement comes as Apple Music prepares for the Super Bowl Halftime Show, headlined by Kendrick Lamar. On February 6, hosts Ebro Darden and Nadeska Alexis will interview Lamar, streaming live across multiple platforms. The performance itself takes place during the Super Bowl on February 9. This move highlights Apple’s push to attract more users amid growing competition in the streaming industry.

A dispute is escalating between OpenAI and Chinese AI startup DeepSeek, with allegations that the latter improperly leveraged OpenAI’s proprietary models to develop a competing system. Bloomberg reported that OpenAI and Microsoft conducted an investigation last year, ultimately blocking accounts in August that were suspected of violating OpenAI’s terms of service—accounts they now believe were linked to DeepSeek. At the heart of the controversy is AI distillation, a technique where smaller models are trained using the outputs of more advanced systems. OpenAI argues that while this method is common, DeepSeek went beyond acceptable use by employing it to build a direct rival. The Financial Times cites sources within OpenAI who claim DeepSeek extracted knowledge from OpenAI models outside of permissible research boundaries. DeepSeek’s R1 model has gained attention for delivering high-level reasoning at a remarkably low development cost—just $5.6 million, a fraction of what U.S. tech giants typically spend. The company’s rapid rise has been underscored by the app’s dominance on Apple’s App Store charts, where it has reached the top position in multiple countries, including the United States. The allegations have sparked concern at the highest levels of government and industry. Speaking to Fox News , White House AI advisor David Sacks stated that there is “substantial evidence” that DeepSeek extracted information from OpenAI’s systems, a claim that could prompt regulatory scrutiny. The impact has already been felt in financial markets—with reports suggesting that Nvidia’s stock plummeted 17%, erasing $589 billion in market value in a single day, as investors reassessed the long-term viability of expensive AI hardware investments in light of DeepSeek’s cost-efficient breakthroughs. This dispute raises broader concerns about AI ethics, intellectual property, and competition as the race to dominate artificial intelligence technology intensifies. Disclaimer:  The Apple Square is a technology-focused platform and typically does not cover political topics. However, we are reporting on this issue due to its significant impact on the tech industry and users. We aim to provide objective coverage and encourage readers to seek additional sources for broader context.

Apple’s Swift Student Challenge for 2025 is officially underway, giving students worldwide a platform to showcase their programming skills through app development. The competition, which encourages creativity and innovation using Swift, allows participants to submit their projects starting today. Apple first revealed in October 2024 that the challenge would take place in February 2025, giving students ample time to prepare. In January, the company confirmed the exact launch date, and to further support participants, Apple hosted an online session featuring insights from previous winners and Apple engineers, offering guidance on how to craft compelling app concepts. This annual challenge has been a staple for aspiring developers, historically aligning with the Worldwide Developers Conference. However, Apple shifted the timing in 2024, moving it earlier in the year. Participants are expected to design an app experience using Swift Playgrounds or Xcode, and Apple provides resources through its Develop in Swift tutorials to help them build a strong foundation in coding. Judges will evaluate submissions based on factors like creativity, social impact, inclusivity, and overall innovation. From the pool of applicants, 350 winners will be chosen, with 50 receiving a special invitation to Apple Park for a three-day experience this summer, likely coinciding with WWDC 2025. Students interested in participating have three weeks to submit their projects before Apple begins the review process. More details about the challenge can be found on Apple’s developer website.

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