Weekly Technology Roundup: In this fast-paced world, it’s hard to keep up with all the new happenings that happen during the week. But fear not, we’ve got you covered (at least on the tech front) with a roundup of some of the top stories that made waves in the tech world. This week on Tech Recap, Google launched its flagship Pixel 9 series, Instagram started working on copying another Snap feature, WhatsApp might soon be working on adding a Like button, and more.
Top tech news of the week:
1) Google launches Pixel 9 series:
Google finally introduced its Pixel 9 The Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, Pixel 9 Pro XL, and Pixel 9 Pro Fold range of smartphones were unveiled at the company’s annual Made by Google event this week. All four new devices – Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, Pixel 9 Pro XL, and Pixel 9 Pro Fold were launched in India and are expected to compete with the likes of Apple and Samsung of the world. The new phones are packed with AI features thanks to Google’s Gemini AI model, and some of these features will be coming to other Android phones as well.
Shortly after the launch of the Pixel 9 series, Google also announced a price cut for some of its previous devices like the Pixel 8, Pixel 8 ProPixel 7a and Pixel 8a.
2) iPhone SE4 with Apple Intelligence will be released early next year:
As plain Apple prepares to launch its flagship iPhone 16 Next month, rumors about the relatively cheaper new iPhone SE are in full swing. According to a recent leak from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, the new iPhone SE 4 is likely to launch early next year and come with Apple Intelligence.
After months of lagging behind the competition, Apple finally announced artificial intelligence features for its operating systems, dubbed Apple Intelligence. However, these features were limited to the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max, and even the latest iPhone 15 didn’t have access to these features.
The news of the new iPhone SE The model comes as a surprise, especially since previous reports also suggested that the SE 4 could feature a design similar to the iPhone 14, which means that the cheaper iPhone SE 4 could likely feature a design similar to the latest iPhones while retaining the performance quotient.
It’s worth noting that many of Apple’s Intelligence features run on-device and require a lot of processing power, so Apple is rumored to be bringing the same A18 processor and RAM upgrades to the iPhone 16 lineup. However, it’s unclear whether Apple will be bringing the A18 chipset or an older processor to the iPhone SE lineup, or exactly what RAM configurations it might feature.
3) WhatsApp may soon add a Like button:
Meta-owned WhatsApp is reportedly on the verge of introducing a new feature that could allow users to express their appreciation for status updates with a simple “like” reaction. This addition, which mirrors Instagram story likes, is designed to streamline the process of acknowledging and interacting with content shared by contacts.
According to reports from WABetaInfo, the like reaction feature is now being tested by public beta users and has been in development for some time. Users will be able to like a status update by tapping on a heart emoji icon located at the bottom left of the screen while viewing the update. This action will trigger a notification for the person updating the status, informing them of the new like, and users will also be able to see who liked their status through the usual views list.
4) Google may be forced to part ways with Android: Report
Alphabet-owned Google is reportedly facing the possibility of being broken up as the US Department of Justice (DOJ) weighs its options following a recent court ruling. The ruling, issued last week, found that Google had illegally monopolized the online search market, spending billions of dollars to secure its dominance as the world’s go-to search engine. The decision marks a significant victory for federal authorities in their ongoing efforts to curb the power of Big Tech.
According to a Bloomberg News report, the Justice Department is exploring several possible measures in response to the court’s decision. These options include forcing Google to share its vast data sets with competitors, implementing safeguards to prevent it from gaining an unfair advantage in artificial intelligence (AI) products, and even considering divesting some of its key assets.
Among the most discussed solutions is the possible separation of the Android operating system from Google. Justice Department lawyers are also considering forcing Google to sell its AdWords search advertising program and even its Chrome web browser, according to people familiar with the matter, the report added.
5) Instagram starts working on another Snap-like feature:
Instagram will allow users to choose the specific group of people they want to share their location with, such as “close friends” or “followers who are followed only,” a Meta spokesperson told The Verge. They also stated that Instagram is developing this feature “with safety in mind,” though they did not elaborate further on the service. According to the report, Instagram’s new feature will be optional and will only be available as a “small test” in a few markets.
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Posted: Aug 17, 2024, 03:37 pm IST
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