That is Android Central’s Information Weekly, your go-to supply for a concise roundup of the week’s most vital tech tales. That is the place we delve into the highest headlines that present the newest developments and improvements contributing to the digital panorama.
This week, we get into the large earnings Alphabet introduced for its final quarter, Amazon giving up the Irobot deal, Google introducing Gen AI in maps, Google Bard ranges up with Imagen 2, and the brand new Android 14 beta replace accessible solely to 1 particular telephone.
Alphabet revamped $300 billion in 2023
Google’s mother or father firm, Alphabet, launched its earnings report for This fall and monetary yr 2023 on January 30. Alphabet’s This fall earnings report exhibits that the corporate made $83.3 billion in This fall alone.
Its full-year income was $307 billion, a 9% enhance from 2022. In accordance with the report, Search and YouTube subscriptions had been main contributors to This fall progress.
Nonetheless, Google additionally spent $2.1 billion in worker severance after shedding over 12,000 staff in 2023. On the earnings name, Chief Funding Officer Ruth Porat hinted at extra layoffs and a slower hiring tempo within the close to future as they proceed to deal with “eradicating layers to simplify execution and drive velocity.” Google’s generative AI remained the main focus of the This fall earnings name, with Pichai calling it the ‘Gemini Period.’
In the meantime, different firms like Meta, Amazon, and Qualcomm additionally launched earnings this week, talking in regards to the newest developments of their providers and the incorporation of AI of their methods.
Gemini Professional goes international as Bard picks up new abilities
Talking of the Gemini Period, Google introduced Gemini Professional final yr. Beginning February 1, Gemini Professional will energy Google Bard worldwide as it’s accessible in additional than 40 languages and over 230 international locations and territories.
With Gemini Professional, Bard will get a brand new software known as “double-check,” which cross-checks Bard’s reply in opposition to comparable web outcomes to test for accuracy and details, enhancing customers’ belief in Bard.
One other cool characteristic that was launched was Imagen 2, the text-to-image mannequin. With this software, customers can generate pictures which are greater in high quality and accuracy when in comparison with different such AI picture mills. Google claims that they’ve particularly labored on areas the place some picture mills wrestle with issues like textual content, faces, and palms.
The Imagen 2 mannequin is supplied to generate pictures in Google Adverts, Duet AI in Google Workspace, and the Search Generative Expertise. Imagen 2 powers ImageFX, a picture technology software presently accessible in Labs.
Amazon gave up a $1.9 Billion take care of iRobot
Earlier this week, Amazon introduced that it has come to a “mutual” settlement with iRobot to terminate its earlier $1.4 billion deal to accumulate the Roomba maker. Leaving the deal will resolve “all excellent issues” alongside the termination payment each firms agreed upon prior.
Amazon should pay iRobot $94 million as a result of termination of the acquisition. On Monday (January 29), EU antitrust chief Margrethe Vestager mentioned that “the acquisition of iRobot would have enabled Amazon to foreclose iRobot’s rivals by proscribing or degrading entry to Amazon shops.”
Nonetheless, in accordance with Reuters, Amazon and iRobot agreeing to half methods appears to correlate to the resistance it confronted within the EU.
The deal’s termination has brought about vital challenges, with iRobot’s now-former Chairman and CEO, Colin Angle, resigning and 35% of the corporate’s workers being laid off.
Just one Pixel telephone will get the brand new Android 14 beta replace
Google issued a new Android 14 replace on Thursday (February 1). Nonetheless, this replace solely involves the Google Pixel 5a house owners.
In accordance with Google’s beta launch notes (through the Android Beta Reddit), QPR2 Beta 3.2 (construct AP11.231215.010) addresses 15 points that an earlier replace to the telephone could have brought about. The replace is rolling out now, and Pixel 5a house owners ought to obtain it throughout the subsequent 5 days.
You probably have a Pixel 5a, you’ll be able to replace your telephone by navigating to Settings > System > System replace.
In the meantime, we’re nonetheless ready on the steady model of QPR2 to roll out to Pixel telephones, which we anticipate might occur in February or March (when the following characteristic drop is predicted).
Google Maps can now aid you plan your out of doors actions
With Gen AI, Google is making an attempt to improve the Maps expertise by taking it a step additional. Customers within the U.S. will quickly discover the choice to jot down a question or select from a number of pre-made ones on Google Maps.
For instance, if you kind in”locations with a classic vibe in SF,” Google says Maps’ AI will checklist out companies and locations round you that match the outline of the immediate. It can additionally pull up evaluations, pictures, and scores of the areas shut by. These outcomes are additionally categorized by kind/exercise, i.e., outfitters, vinyl outlets, flea markets, and many others.
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As of now, this characteristic is just rolling out to “native guides” within the U.S. People who exit and assessment locations to see/ eating places within the space.
These are a few of the greatest tales from this week. In the meantime, listed below are another tales from this week which are price catching up on: