29 Sept 2025
This episode of TekTalk 145 covers a broad range of topics, from new military service exemption laws and environmental protection efforts in Iran to global tech developments like Apple Intelligence and Spotify's lossless audio. Discussions also highlight critical domestic issues, including internet infrastructure problems, medical quota controversies, and the introduction of eSIM technology amidst widespread public struggles.
The TekTalk podcast will now be uploaded to platforms catering to visually impaired listeners, addressing a previously overlooked need.
A new law allows for the purchase of military service exemptions under specific conditions, including a five-year absence from conscription, priority for married individuals over 35, and discounts for those with children or under Imam Khomeini Relief Committee coverage. The cost of exemption varies by educational level, ranging from 250 million Toman for diplomas to 600 million Toman for doctorates, with potential discounts up to 60% for multiple children and additional reductions for specific social groups. This law is currently awaiting parliamentary approval and official notification.
Iran's actions have effectively contributed to improving the ozone layer, primarily due to the country's limited industrial activity and greenhouse gas emissions, as confirmed by continuous monitoring and public reports. The Deputy of Human Environment, Sadiqa Torabi, emphasized the organization's commitment to environmental protection and the importance of reforming related laws, particularly regarding the arming of environmental personnel. The environmental sector faces a significant shortage, with 60% of national capacity unfilled and a need for 600-700 additional personnel.
Concerns are raised regarding the medical university quota system, where 60% of students gain admission through quotas, potentially compromising the quality of education and the competency of future doctors. This system often admits students with significantly lower entrance exam ranks, leading to questions about their foundational medical knowledge and skills.
Approximately 70% of Iran's internet traffic is routed through VPNs, severely disrupting network traffic engineering and leading to widespread service quality issues, cybersecurity vulnerabilities, and an imbalanced network load. This practice reroutes domestic traffic internationally, making the national network susceptible to various security breaches.
Apple Intelligence is scheduled to launch in China by late 2025 with iOS 16.1 or 16.2, partnering with Baidu for visual intelligence and Alibaba for overall AI responsibility. This integration raises concerns about potential censorship, given that Chinese AI models are known to incorporate such restrictions.
The internet in Iran suffers from constant disruptions and poor quality, often compared to a 'juice bar' offering only subpar products. International incidents, such as fiber optic cable cuts in the Red Sea, also impact Iran's connectivity, highlighting the lack of robust alternative routes.
Kevin Barry, the founder of Nova Launcher, will no longer be involved with the company, and the popular Android launcher will not be released as open-source software, marking a significant change for its user base.
Major updates for Apple's operating systems, including iOS 16, iPadOS 16, watchOS 16, macOS 16, and tvOS 16, are expected to be released around September 24th. These updates will support iPhone 11 and newer, iPhone SE (2nd gen), iPad Air 3rd gen and newer, iPad 8th gen and newer, Macs from 2019, and Apple Watch Series 6 and newer.
The UAE has introduced K2 Think, an artificial intelligence model with 32 billion parameters, positioned as a competitor to OpenAI and DeepMind, reflecting the country's strategy of investing in advanced technology rather than attempting to indigenously develop all solutions.
Spotify, after announcing lossless audio for premium subscribers in 2017, has repeatedly delayed its release, now promising it in select markets within two months, while Apple Music already offers similar quality at no additional cost.
Despite public enthusiasm for new iPhones and eSIM functionality, Iran's major telecom operators (Hamrah-e Aval, IranCell, RighTel) have been 'testing' eSIM since 2019 without widespread public availability. Hamrah-e Aval's recent announcement of eSIM support and a lottery for prizes is criticized as a misleading marketing stunt, offering non-existent services and prizes for features not yet functional in the country.
AirPods Pro offers live translation for Spanish, French, Portuguese, and Italian, but this feature is currently unavailable in the European Union, the primary region for these languages, due to privacy concerns regarding data handling and user consent.
Sony introduced its new Xperia 10 Mark 7 smartphone, featuring a 6.1-inch FHD+ display, Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 processor, a 50MP main camera with 2x optical zoom, and an 8MP ultrawide lens, shortly after the (fictional) 'iPhone Air' was mentioned.
OpenAI's research suggests that AI hallucinations are not primarily due to poor model design but rather stem from current testing and ranking methodologies that reward any response, even incorrect ones, while penalizing models that express uncertainty. This incentivizes AI models to generate confident but potentially inaccurate answers rather than admitting a lack of knowledge.
The podcast engages with audience feedback, including appreciation from visually impaired listeners and soldiers, questions about specific university professors, and comments on local observations such as the city of Islamshahr. Recommendations for the 'Spark' email client and warnings against using cracked software due to security risks are also provided. The host addresses concerns about Google search results and criticizes Excoino's 'absurd' explanation for withdrawal issues due to internet problems after a hack.
Many people struggle for basic necessities, while others eagerly anticipate new iPhones and eSIM functionality.
| Category | Topic | Key Insight/Status |
|---|---|---|
| Government/Policy | Military Service Exemption | A new law allows purchasing military service exemptions under specific conditions (5 years absence, age, marital status, children, relief committee discounts). Prices vary by education level (e.g., up to 600M Toman for doctorates), with significant discounts possible for specific groups. |
| Environment | Ozone Layer Improvement & Protection | Iran's limited industrial activity and greenhouse gas emissions have positively impacted the ozone layer. However, environmental protection faces severe challenges, with 60% of national capacity unfilled and a shortage of 600-700 personnel. |
| Education | Medical University Quotas | 60% of medical students gain admission through quotas, raising significant concerns about the quality of education and the competence of future doctors due to lower admission standards. |
| Telecom/Internet | Internet Traffic & VPN Usage | 70% of Iran's internet traffic is routed through VPNs, leading to network disruption, service quality issues, and cybersecurity risks by rerouting domestic traffic internationally. |
| Telecom/Internet | eSIM Implementation in Iran | Major Iranian telecom operators claim to be 'testing' eSIM since 2019. Hamrah-e Aval's recent lottery for eSIM prizes is criticized as a misleading marketing stunt, offering non-existent services and prizes for features not yet widely available or functional. |
| Global Tech | Apple Intelligence in China | Apple Intelligence is set to launch in China by late 2025, partnering with Baidu and Alibaba. Concerns exist regarding potential censorship within the AI's functionalities, mirroring issues with other Chinese AI models. |
| Global Tech | Spotify Lossless Audio Delays | Spotify's lossless audio feature, announced in 2017, continues to face significant delays, now projected for some markets in two months, lagging behind competitors like Apple Music, which already offers similar quality at no extra cost. |
| AI Research | OpenAI Hallucination Analysis | OpenAI's research attributes AI hallucinations primarily to flawed testing and ranking methodologies that reward any response, even incorrect ones, over models admitting uncertainty, rather than inherently poor model design. |
| AI Development | UAE's AI Initiative (K2 Think) | The UAE has launched K2 Think, an AI model with 32 billion parameters, positioning itself as a competitor to OpenAI and DeepMind. This initiative reflects a strategy of acquiring advanced technology rather than emphasizing indigenous development. |
