Paul Stenhouse: Google releases upgraded weather forecast model, Apple begins new era

Don't think the weather forecast is accurate? Google says it's given it an upgrade   Google's DeepMind has released their latest weather forecast model that has been improved thanks to AI.    Using more real-time data than traditional forecasts (and their own previous models), WeatherNext 3 uses hourly satellite data to makes its predictions. They can create these hourly forecasts now at a 5-kilometer resolution and take into account the local landscape... so if you're in a valley, up a mountain, etc. This new model is five times more detailed than WeatherNext 2, which also only updated four times a day. They claim forecasts are up to 50% more accurate.   To explore their full capabilities, search for "google weather lab" – there is a global rain radar, wind, and temperature maps. They're doing 15 day weather forecasts, broken down hour by hour. Or just use Google to search for the weather where you are – it's already been added globally to Google Search, Gemini, and more.      The new era of Apple is here   September 1st saw John Ternus take over as CEO. The geeks are excited because John is a hardware guy, so they think there'll be a lot more focus on innovation. The things released next week at the 'Surprise and Shine' event will be things his team has designed and developed (but under Tim Cook) and according to reporting at Bloomberg, they were a key reason why Cook stepped away ahead of the launch – to give him the best foot forward.   We're expecting a folding iPhone (possibly called the iPhone Ultra - I personally hope they give it a new name like iFold to create something totally new, but who knows) but don't expect it to be cheap, as it's believed to start at US$2,000, and a touch screen MacBook.   And on Thursday NZT, we'll see it revealed in a live Apple event, rather than the pre-recorded ones that started during the pandemic.      LISTEN ABOVE   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.