Tech Roundup: Amazon's Booming Ad Business, iPhone X & More
[A recurring feature on the latest in Science & Technology.]
Alphabet/Google:
1. To address burn-in and other audio/display issues with Google Pixel 2 XL smartphone in an upcoming software update even as a manufacturing defect results in a few units being ship with no operating system installed. (How did this even escape quality control?)
Amazon:
1. Debuts Alexa-integrated subscription-based Cloud Cam that keeps track of homes using an intelligent security camera that syncs with company's Android and iOS apps and a new Amazon Key with Cloud Cam integration exclusively for Prime members to "get your Amazon packages securely delivered just inside your front door."
2. Earns over US$ 1.12 billion from ads for the first time, as it attempts lure advertisers with the promise of connecting what people are searching for with what they are being online and in brick-and-mortar stores.
3. Acquires AmazonRX.com domain, signaling its potential interest in pharmaceutical business.
4. Announces a new Audible Romance Package that makes use of machine learning to allow audiobook listeners to skip to the best parts of a romance novel. (Yes, that includes the sex scenes too!)
Apple:
1. Says minor screen burn-in and shifts in colour when looking at iPhone X's Super Retina display off-angle are expected as it attempts to prevent a Google Pixel 2 XL-like debacle while customers throng in long lines to purchase the new tenth anniversary iPhone.
2. Acquires New Zealand-based wireless charging company PowerbyProxi; says the "team will be a great addition as Apple works to create a wireless future."
3. Releases iOS 11.2 Beta to fix a calculator bug that causes incorrect calculations when numbers are rapidly entered. (One more reason it's high time Apple adopts a Google-like approach to updating first-party apps through the App Store instead of issuing an entire OS update!)
4. Continues to make more money from its services division than iPad, AirPods, Apple TV, Apple Watch, iPod Touch and Beats combined; market cap briefly crosses US$ 900 billion.
5. Asks app developers to begin making apps for its HomePod smart speaker, but restricts it to messaging, lists and notes.
6. Admits the new redesigned iPhone X was originally for a 2018 release.
Facebook:
1. Admits that an estimated 126 million people in the United States saw Russia-sponsored ads aimed at manipulating audiences ahead of the presidential elections last year. (This number may be small until you realise the number of voters for the U.S. elections were 136.7 million.)
2. Hits 1.368 billion daily active users on Facebook as mobile accounts for 88% of total ad revenue on the platform and average revenue generated per daily user increases to US$ 7.54; warns investors of growing costs to combat dis- and misinformation on the social network and its messaging services (aka fake news).
3. Says its Slack-variant Workplace is in use in by 30,000 businesses; releases a desktop app and adds group video chat features.
4. Plans to increase advertising transparency by allowing anyone see any ad by any organisation with a test beginning in Canada.
5. Rolls out GIF-supported polls feature to web and mobile apps; releases group video chat app Bonfire on Android and adds option to recall messages on WhatsApp sent by mistake.
6. Brings 2X bigger Stories previews in the middle of Instagram feeds; boasts of 300 million daily active users of Instagram Stories and WhatsApp Status.
7. Partners withs SeatGeek to purchase tickets to events without having to leave the site.
Microsoft:
1. Adds LinkedIn integration into Outlook.com, allowing email users to "view profile pictures, work history and more from their inbox."
2. Kills off Outlook Premium; bundles the features into Office 365.
3. Becomes the latest company after Google, Apple, Intel and Qualcomm to work on AI-focussed chips for its devices.
4. To begin selling Android smartphones at its retail store locations as it winds down on Windows 10 Mobile.
Twitter:
1. Posts a surprise profit for quarter ending Sept. 30 with revenues of US$ 590 million; publishes a new version of its rules clarifying its policies about abuse, spam, self-harm and other topics.
2. Comes under for fire censoring the terms "bisexual" and "queer" in search results.
In other news:
1. Saudi Arabian government grants citizenship to a robot named Sophia in a world-first.
2. China shuts down 40% of its factories that are not meeting emission standards to combat air pollution.
3. Snap Inc. reportedly sitting on hundreds of thousands of unsold Spectacles after having "badly overestimated demand," reports The Information (paywall).
4. BuzzFeed begins testing a Stories-like module, featuring repackaged GIFs, still images and animations, in its mobile app.
5. Popular stock trading app Robinhood launches a web version; adds tools, features and information on other users' activity for a more social experience.
6. Ride-hailing startup Uber announces a new credit card for people who want to earn points for using its service.
7. Indian digital wallet service provider Paytm rolls out messaging features (only on Android for now) in an attempt to compete with rival WhatsApp.
8. HTC announces U11 Plus and mid-range U11 Life smartphones with Android 8.0 Oreo; The Verge reports the former was original Google Pixel 2 XL before the search giant shelved the idea and went for LG.
9. Razer, the game company that acquired Nextbit earlier this January, releases a new Android smartphone called Razer Phone for gamers.
10. Chipmaker Qualcomm finds its stock tumbling after reports emerge that Apple might ditch its chipsets for Intel and MediaTek as patent war between Apple and the company escalates.
Alphabet/Google:
1. To address burn-in and other audio/display issues with Google Pixel 2 XL smartphone in an upcoming software update even as a manufacturing defect results in a few units being ship with no operating system installed. (How did this even escape quality control?)
2. No longer lets users change domains to search different countries for localised search results.
3. Releases Android 8.1 developer preview with new Neural Networks API, which brings hardware-accelerated inference to the phone for quickly executing previously trained machine learning models (similar to CoreML on iOS).
4. Celebrates 10th anniversary of Android mobile operating system.
4. Celebrates 10th anniversary of Android mobile operating system.
Amazon:
1. Debuts Alexa-integrated subscription-based Cloud Cam that keeps track of homes using an intelligent security camera that syncs with company's Android and iOS apps and a new Amazon Key with Cloud Cam integration exclusively for Prime members to "get your Amazon packages securely delivered just inside your front door."
2. Earns over US$ 1.12 billion from ads for the first time, as it attempts lure advertisers with the promise of connecting what people are searching for with what they are being online and in brick-and-mortar stores.
3. Acquires AmazonRX.com domain, signaling its potential interest in pharmaceutical business.
4. Announces a new Audible Romance Package that makes use of machine learning to allow audiobook listeners to skip to the best parts of a romance novel. (Yes, that includes the sex scenes too!)
Apple:
1. Says minor screen burn-in and shifts in colour when looking at iPhone X's Super Retina display off-angle are expected as it attempts to prevent a Google Pixel 2 XL-like debacle while customers throng in long lines to purchase the new tenth anniversary iPhone.
2. Acquires New Zealand-based wireless charging company PowerbyProxi; says the "team will be a great addition as Apple works to create a wireless future."
3. Releases iOS 11.2 Beta to fix a calculator bug that causes incorrect calculations when numbers are rapidly entered. (One more reason it's high time Apple adopts a Google-like approach to updating first-party apps through the App Store instead of issuing an entire OS update!)
4. Continues to make more money from its services division than iPad, AirPods, Apple TV, Apple Watch, iPod Touch and Beats combined; market cap briefly crosses US$ 900 billion.
5. Asks app developers to begin making apps for its HomePod smart speaker, but restricts it to messaging, lists and notes.
6. Admits the new redesigned iPhone X was originally for a 2018 release.
 |
| Apple stock price in the 10 years since it debuted the first iPhone (price in US$) |
Facebook:
1. Admits that an estimated 126 million people in the United States saw Russia-sponsored ads aimed at manipulating audiences ahead of the presidential elections last year. (This number may be small until you realise the number of voters for the U.S. elections were 136.7 million.)
2. Hits 1.368 billion daily active users on Facebook as mobile accounts for 88% of total ad revenue on the platform and average revenue generated per daily user increases to US$ 7.54; warns investors of growing costs to combat dis- and misinformation on the social network and its messaging services (aka fake news).
3. Says its Slack-variant Workplace is in use in by 30,000 businesses; releases a desktop app and adds group video chat features.
4. Plans to increase advertising transparency by allowing anyone see any ad by any organisation with a test beginning in Canada.
5. Rolls out GIF-supported polls feature to web and mobile apps; releases group video chat app Bonfire on Android and adds option to recall messages on WhatsApp sent by mistake.
6. Brings 2X bigger Stories previews in the middle of Instagram feeds; boasts of 300 million daily active users of Instagram Stories and WhatsApp Status.
7. Partners withs SeatGeek to purchase tickets to events without having to leave the site.
Microsoft:
1. Adds LinkedIn integration into Outlook.com, allowing email users to "view profile pictures, work history and more from their inbox."
2. Kills off Outlook Premium; bundles the features into Office 365.
3. Becomes the latest company after Google, Apple, Intel and Qualcomm to work on AI-focussed chips for its devices.
4. To begin selling Android smartphones at its retail store locations as it winds down on Windows 10 Mobile.
Twitter:
1. Posts a surprise profit for quarter ending Sept. 30 with revenues of US$ 590 million; publishes a new version of its rules clarifying its policies about abuse, spam, self-harm and other topics.
2. Comes under for fire censoring the terms "bisexual" and "queer" in search results.
In other news:
1. Saudi Arabian government grants citizenship to a robot named Sophia in a world-first.
2. China shuts down 40% of its factories that are not meeting emission standards to combat air pollution.
3. Snap Inc. reportedly sitting on hundreds of thousands of unsold Spectacles after having "badly overestimated demand," reports The Information (paywall).
4. BuzzFeed begins testing a Stories-like module, featuring repackaged GIFs, still images and animations, in its mobile app.
5. Popular stock trading app Robinhood launches a web version; adds tools, features and information on other users' activity for a more social experience.
6. Ride-hailing startup Uber announces a new credit card for people who want to earn points for using its service.
7. Indian digital wallet service provider Paytm rolls out messaging features (only on Android for now) in an attempt to compete with rival WhatsApp.
8. HTC announces U11 Plus and mid-range U11 Life smartphones with Android 8.0 Oreo; The Verge reports the former was original Google Pixel 2 XL before the search giant shelved the idea and went for LG.
9. Razer, the game company that acquired Nextbit earlier this January, releases a new Android smartphone called Razer Phone for gamers.
10. Chipmaker Qualcomm finds its stock tumbling after reports emerge that Apple might ditch its chipsets for Intel and MediaTek as patent war between Apple and the company escalates.
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