> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://spyglass.org/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Inklings #029 📧 - URL: https://spyglass.org/inklings-spring-loaded-ternus-endless-geminis-mathpocalypse-openais-missing-arr-ok-googlebooks/ - Published: 2026-10-09T19:18:14.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-09T19:56:57.000Z - Description: Spring-Loaded Ternus • Endless Geminis • Mathpocalypse • OpenAI's "Missing" ARR • OK Googlebooks - Author: M.G. Siegler - Tags: inklings, newsletter Hard to remember a time when there was more going on product-release-wise for Apple. Obviously, the iPhone 18 Pro models [just launched](https://spyglass.org/iphone-duo-event/) (along with the new Apple Watch models and [AirPods 5](https://spyglass.org/airpods-5-thoughts/)) and we're still a week out from [iPhone Duo](https://spyglass.org/iphone-duo/) pre-orders. But before we get to that, we're clearly going to have a handful of other new products announced [next week](https://www.apple.com/newsroom/in-the-loop/2026/10/welcome-home/?ref=spyglass.org). If the '[HomePod Hub](https://spyglass.org/apple-homepod-hub/)' and new Apple TV and HomePod minis don't ship immediately, it will be presumably be soon. And then [two weeks after that](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-10-08/apple-set-to-debut-touch-screen-macbook-and-new-ipad-mini-in-late-october?ref=spyglass.org), we're likely to hear about the 'MacBook Ultra' – aka the [touchscreen MacBook Pro](https://spyglass.org/touchscreen-macbook-toaster-fridge/). And a new iPad mini. And maybe a few other M6 products. Tim Cook was not lying when he said he was [teeing up](https://spyglass.org/tim-cook-steps-down-as-ceo-of-apple/) John Ternus well to hit the ground running. It's honestly almost too much in such a short span. A bit dizzying. ****Inklings** is a [newsletter](https://spyglass.org/newsletter/) featuring links and commentary from ****M.G. Siegler** on timely topics found around the web. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. ### I Note... **💫** [**Google Announces Their 16th Agent and 12th Gemini**](https://venturebeat.com/orchestration/google-cloud-unveils-persistent-gemini-agents-for-long-running-tasks-and-they-get-their-own-gmail-calendar-and-drive-storage?ref=spyglass.org) **–** On one hand, I get it: Google is combating Microsoft, which [just unified Copilot](https://spyglass.org/inklings-metas-vision-pro-copilots-super-app-streaming-ads-doj-helps-apple/#:~:text=%F0%9F%9B%A9%EF%B8%8F%20The%20Copilot%20%22Super%20App%22%20Lands) after [a few years](https://spyglass.org/microsoft-copilot-copilot-copilot/) of [confusing and conflicting sprawl](https://spyglass.org/microsoft-copilot-ai-strategy/). On the other, they're seemingly running the *old* Copilot playbook, by launching Gemini anywhere and everywhere in such a way that [no one knows what to use for what](https://spyglass.org/why-didnt-google-build-muse/). This new '[Gemini Agent](https://cloud.google.com/blog/products/ai-machine-learning/welcome-to-gemini-at-work-2026?ref=spyglass.org)' is not 'Gemini Spark' nor 'CC' nor any of the other agentic projects they have at the moment. Nor is it Gemini (chatbot) itself. Even better: this new Gemini (agent) *can be powered by Claude* and not Gemini (model). Too many cooks. Too many kitchens. Patrons confused. Going elsewhere. **\[**[**VentureBeat**](https://venturebeat.com/orchestration/google-cloud-unveils-persistent-gemini-agents-for-long-running-tasks-and-they-get-their-own-gmail-calendar-and-drive-storage?ref=spyglass.org)**\]** **🧮** [**The Mathpocalypse**](https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/openai-unleashes-hundreds-more-math-results-upon-a-field-already-in-shock/?ref=spyglass.org) **–** First, they came for coding, and we said nothing. Then, they came for math, and... honestly, people are saying *a lot* about this. And it's probably both [overblown](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/10/07/your-money/duke-math-major-salaries.html?ref=spyglass.org) *and yet under-appreciated* how much AI is impacting the field. The technology is seemingly solving things in ways we don't understand, which feels a lot like [that *Good Will Hunting* scene](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PKL2uB1gNK0&ref=spyglass.org), but with a robot. But here, it's [yet another example](https://spyglass.org/claude-mythos-quandry/) of not just smarts, but scale. AI can run nearly infinite scenarios to brute force its way to solutions in ways humans cannot. And while everyone is just starting to gear up for the future where quantum computers can leverage similar dynamics to crack our encryption protocols, [what if AI beats those machines to it](https://cointelegraph.com/news/justin-drake-urges-crypto-bunker-mode-as-ai-could-break-wallet-security-within-months?ref=spyglass.org)? That feels like the real thing we should be focused on here and not [academics complaining](https://www.ahmath.org/statements?ref=spyglass.org). **\[**[**Scientific American**](https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/openai-unleashes-hundreds-more-math-results-upon-a-field-already-in-shock/?ref=spyglass.org)**\]** **💸** [**OpenAI's "Missing" $20B in Revenue**](https://www.ft.com/content/b66a9858-f8fb-46cb-b506-44bfe26fca2a?syn-25a6b1a6=1&ref=spyglass.org) **–** Immediately, another movie scene pops into my mind, the viral clip of Robert Pattinson as Chris Hansen, ["You see how this looks, right?"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5fHXyqQOKL8&ref=spyglass.org) And clearly, Wall Street agreed with that (damning) initial assessment. But actually, if you read beyond the headline, it's clear what happened here, and it's mostly optics (and a lack of visibility into private company numbers). As many are well aware by now, Anthropic and OpenAI's reported (as in via leaked reports and presentations, not by the company's themselves to the public) ARR numbers are not apples-to-apples. Because OpenAI largely strips out the cut of revenue that goes to their cloud partners while Anthropic does not (there are accounting reasons for doing this too, so it's not *just* about number inflation). So OpenAI ([or their investors](https://www.axios.com/2026/09/29/scoop-openais-annual-recurring-revenue-nears-70b?ref=spyglass.org)) tried to showcase what their ARR number would look like if they used Anthropic's method and, well, it's a lot higher than the number they usually report. Duh. This is also why ARR is [not a GAAP number](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/10/09/business/dealbook/openai-revenue-safety.html?ref=spyglass.org) (though [those have](https://spyglass.org/buyer-beware-big-tech-gains-and-losses-boosted-by-big-ai/) issues [at times](https://spyglass.org/inklings-nvidias-profit-crown-nvidias-hugging-face-deal-hugging-faces-robot-metas-openclaw/#:~:text=%F0%9F%92%B0%20NVIDIA%27s%20Regains%20the%20Profit%20Crown) too!) – because there are about two dozen ways to twist it for your own means. Better to just state revenue but that's obviously going to look less impressive (and, if we want to be fair here at all, doesn't showcase huge growth as clearly). Anyway, don't trust everything you read! **\[**[**FT**](https://www.ft.com/content/b66a9858-f8fb-46cb-b506-44bfe26fca2a?syn-25a6b1a6=1&ref=spyglass.org) **🔒\]** **🥧** [**First Googlebooks Taste Underbaked**](https://www.theverge.com/tech/1005745/google-googlebook-android-laptops-dell-acer-asus-lenovo-hp-impressions?ref=spyglass.org) **–** *The Verge* seems a bit kind in their initial assessment here. Everything I'm reading points to [a product](https://spyglass.org/googlebook/) not just underbaked, but *half-baked* at the moment. The move from Chromebooks to these [should-be-called-Androidbooks](https://spyglass.org/googlebook-android/) seems filled with creaky or janky bits and the app ecosystem, while robust, sounds like a mess to actually use quite often (multiple versions of apps to choose from, [issues with x86 compatibility](https://www.androidauthority.com/googlebooks-android-app-support-complicated-3718943/?ref=spyglass.org), etc). Also, [there's no Samsung phone support](https://9to5google.com/2026/10/06/googlebook-android-sync-features-samsung-delay/?ref=spyglass.org) yet (they've said it's coming – but it's also interesting that Samsung is not actually *making* any Googlebooks, at least not yet), which seems like a massive issue given the scale of those devices. At least the "Glowbar" sounds [better than the Pixel 'HiLight'](https://spyglass.org/google-pixel-hilight-lowlight/)... **\[**[**Verge**](https://www.theverge.com/tech/1005745/google-googlebook-android-laptops-dell-acer-asus-lenovo-hp-impressions?ref=spyglass.org)**\]** ### Apple Assassins... 🔗 Microsoft Comes to Kill the MacBook Again • Spyglass 🔗 Amazon Comes to Kill the iPad Again • Spyglass ### Asides... - Sort of wild that **Meta** is blocking **ByteDance** ads now, *years* after the company used the tactic to grow TikTok into what it became. It's obviously part of the back-and-forth about the [US social media settlement](https://spyglass.org/metas-poke-on-the-wrist/). **\[**[**Blooomberg**](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-10-08/meta-bans-tiktok-parent-bytedance-from-advertising-on-its-apps-in-7-countries?ref=spyglass.org) **🔒\]** - **Apple** makes a '[**hackquistion**](https://spyglass.org/tag/hackquisition/)'! It sounds like some of the **Huxe** team, which had originally helped built NotebookLM within Google could do some [interesting](https://spyglass.org/notebookllm-podcasts/) AI product work... **\[**[**MacRumors**](https://www.macrumors.com/2026/10/09/apple-signs-hiring-deal-ai-podcast-startup-huxe/?ref=spyglass.org)**\]** - **Samsung** is set to take the profit crown [back from](https://spyglass.org/inklings-nvidias-profit-crown-nvidias-hugging-face-deal-hugging-faces-robot-metas-openclaw/#:~:text=%F0%9F%92%B0%20NVIDIA%27s%20Regains%20the%20Profit%20Crown) **NVIDIA**, which [had just taken it](https://spyglass.org/samsung-profit/) back [from](https://spyglass.org/nvidia-profit/) Samsung. They're guiding towards $80.1B in operating income for the quarter on the back of memory chips. Just insane. **\[**[**Bloomberg**](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-10-07/samsung-reaches-new-profit-record-with-memory-chip-windfall?ref=spyglass.org) **🔒\]** - Recently [thinking back on "Antennagate"](https://spyglass.org/steve-jobs-crisis-comms-antennagate-ai/), it seems a little *underreported* that **Apple** has a legitimate "[Red Ring of Death](https://xbox.fandom.com/wiki/Red%5FRing%5Fof%5FDeath?ref=spyglass.org)" problem right now. I suppose it's just one specific model, **iPhone 18 Pro Max**, and only US models ([thanks, Qualcomm?](https://www.macrumors.com/2026/10/05/apple-att-yet-to-share-cause-of-iphone-issue/?ref=spyglass.org)) but still, they have to **replace* the entire device* to fix! **\[**[**MacRumors**](https://www.macrumors.com/2026/10/02/apple-statement-on-iphone-18-pro-max-att-issue/?ref=spyglass.org)**\]** - Apple may have [dominated](https://spyglass.org/apple-tv-hbo-emmys/) the **Emmys**, but Amazon now controls them, grabbing the rights for **Prime Video**. After YouTube [grabbed the Oscars](https://spyglass.org/future-of-hollywood-youtube-netflix/) and Disney got the Grammys for Disney+ (and ABC, I suppose). **\[**[**NYT**](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/10/06/business/media/emmy-awards-amazon.html?ref=spyglass.org)**\]** - Disney will also stream the next **Super Bowl** ([and *New Year's Rockin' Eve*](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/disney-plus-stream-2027-super-bowl-new-years-rockin-eve-1236724428/?ref=spyglass.org)) on **Disney+** in an ongoing attempt [to 'super app' it up](https://spyglass.org/super-app/). **\[**[**Variety**](https://variety.com/2026/tv/news/disney-plus-streaming-super-bowl-lxi-2027-1236904265/?ref=spyglass.org)**\]** - It sure feels like David Ellison wanted to tee up some big ***Transformers*** news for Paramount as they [formally merge](https://spyglass.org/inklings-apples-homehub-a-nimble-apple-spacex-phone-mountdancewarbrodisco-argons-conquest-flight-club/#:~:text=%F0%9F%8F%94%EF%B8%8F%20MountDanceWarBroDisco%27s%20Musical%20Merger%20Chairs) with Warner Bros. **Steven Spielberg** is back – perhaps to help creatively guide also-returning director **Michael Bay**. **\[**[**Deadline**](https://deadline.com/2026/10/steven-spielberg-transformers-movie-michael-bay-1237125679/?ref=spyglass.org)**\]** - More exciting to me: Blunt, Brolin, and Del Toro back for ***Sicario 3***! No Denis Villeneuve ([he's a bit busy](https://spyglass.org/denis-villeneuve-james-bond-movie/)) but [the guy](https://thoughts.spyglass.org/p/down-bad?ref=spyglass.org#:~:text=Denis%20Villeneuve%E2%80%99s%20Bond%20finds%20its%20writer%20in%20Steven%20Knight%20%E2%80%94%20best%20known%20as%20the%20writer/creator%20of%20Peaky%20Blinders.%20His%20film%20screenplays%20include%20Dirty%20Pretty%20Things%20and%20Eastern%20Promises%2C%20which%20should%20make%20for%20an%20interesting%20potential%20mix%20for%20James%20Bond!%20He%E2%80%99s%20clearly%20excited.%20%5BDeadline%5D) [writing](https://spyglass.org/back-to-basics-bond/) *Bond* for him is writing this too. **\[**[**THR**](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/sicario-3-emily-blunt-benicio-del-toro-josh-brolin-1236722522/?ref=spyglass.org)**\]** ### Thoughts On... 🔗 AI as UI • The Datacenter NIMBY Problem • Spyglass 🔗 Apple's LG Home Partnership • HBO Max/Paramount+ Super App • Spyglass ### I Quote... > "AI is certainly powerful enough to drive events that, you know, cause a billion deaths." – **Bill Gates** [from the top rope](https://www.axios.com/2026/09/25/bill-gates-ai-deaths-doom?ref=spyglass.org)! Seriously, why not a trillion deaths? I can't be the only one who finds [his doomer approach](https://spyglass.org/thoughts-on-bill-gates-doomer-the-mac-mini-morphs/) pretty weird? He's [hardly the only one](https://spyglass.org/ai-end-of-humanity/), but he's the only one who is Bill Gates, which lends credibility, warranted or not, to this specific topic. ### I Wrote... 🔗 Ode to the AirPods 5 • Spyglass ### I Spy... The [LG smart home devices](https://spyglass.org/thoughts-on-apples-lg-home-partnership-hbo-max-paramount-super-app/), [when rendered](https://x.com/itspdfu/status/2107818771213664728?s=20&ref=spyglass.org) from [the leaked skematics in the FCC filings](https://www.macrumors.com/2026/10/07/first-look-at-lg-apple-smart-home-products/?ref=spyglass.org) look awfully [Nest-y](https://store.google.com/gb/product/nest%5Flearning%5Fthermostat%5F3rd%5Fgen?hl=en-GB&srsltid=AU7gw4Us9pz3e0AtRyKj75h6u0uNsqGOA-KHryseUy7jqeEeqiDEZeGd&ref=spyglass.org)... [![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/af/ca/afcaa655-46e2-45b8-889a-2881de5cce69/content/images/2026/10/HUB2rZjWUAAX89e.png)](https://x.com/itspdfu/status/2107818771213664728?s=20&ref=spyglass.org) 🎶 Listening to [****"Ted Lasso Theme" by Brandi Carlile**](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZtQcjhdtZ9Q&ref=spyglass.org) **(good season finale)** 🍺 Enjoying a [****Samuel Smith Pale Ale**](https://samuelsmithsbrewery.co.uk/shop/online/organic-pale-ale-case-of-12/?ref=spyglass.org) 🇬🇧 Sent from ****London, England**