Episode 198: Apple’s New Image Scanning System: A Slippery Slope or a Sensible Step To Protect Children?

Welcome back to Double Tap Canada. This week’s show kicks off with the news that Steven has bought a high-end gaming PC … again! After complaining that his last one was too loud and too hot, will he actually end up keeping this one?

Next, Marc is excited by the new products just announced by Samsung. Firstly, the folding smartphones Galaxy Fold and Z Flip have been updated to Version 3, but is there enough here to tempt anyone to jump into the folding device ecosystem yet or is the technology still too immature? Secondly, Samsung have the Galaxy Watch 4 and Galaxy Watch 4 Classic. Promising good performance and featuring the new Tizen / Android Wear hybrid operating system, has the Apple Watch finally got some competition?

Google have also announced updated products, with the new Nest Doorbell and Nest Camera. Both products feature on-board machine learning with the ability to alert you when they detect parcels, animals, vehicles and recognized faces. Are these must-have gadgets when it comes to security, especially if you are blind or partially sighted?

On a more serious topic, the discussion turns to the recent announcement from Apple that they will be implementing new features in iOS15 aimed at identifying child abuse material. The reaction to this news has been massive, with many people asking questions about how the feature will be implemented and just where it could lead. Is it a slippery slope to a Big Brother-like future? Marc will explain exactly what Apple will be doing and telling us his feelings on the topic.

The show wraps up with emails, including one from Greg asking, “What old tech are we hanging on to?” Shaun wonders why he keeps hanging onto his Amazon Fire tablet even though he never uses it, and Steven goes back to the 80s with his much-loved Sony Walkman. If only he had some tapes…