Tech Roundup: Android 14, Google Multisearch & More

[A recurring feature on the latest in Science & Technology.]

• Google expands multisearch in Lens worldwide with a new "search your screen" option on Android that lets users search with a picture and text at the same time as well as "search what you see in photos or videos across the websites and apps you know and love." (The development comes amid Microsoft's decision to infuse ChatGPT — the fastest-growing app in history — into its search engine in an attempt to supercharge and breathe new life into the platform.)
• Twitter announces a new form of free access to its API that will allow the "creation of up to 1,500 Tweets per month for a single authenticated user token"; launches Blue subscription to India, Indonesia and Brazil and a longer tweet feature, giving Blue subscribers in the U.S. the ability to post up to 4,000 characters at once.
• Google debuts immersive view in Maps and contextual options in Translate for more accurate translations in English, French, German, Japanese and Spanish, in addition to expanding options for translating image-based content across Android and the web.
• Music streamer Spotify rolls out new feature that allows users to exclude certain playlists from its recommendations.
• Google releases the first Android 14 developer preview, for Pixel phones, offering multi-device experiences, customisation features, and security changes; to offer the ability to clone apps with multiple account support and ban installations of old apps that target Android 6.0 and below.
• Google confirms that AI-generated content isn't against its Search guidelines, but using AI content to manipulate search results ranking violates its policies; says it will reward high-quality content that's based on "expertise, experience, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness."
• Meta's Instagram expands Gifts, a monetisation feature that lets fans tip Reels creators using its virtual currency Stars, to more US creators, after a test in 2022.
• Microsoft partners with Adobe to bring the latter's PDF technology to Edge browser in Windows 10 and Windows 11 with support for improved security features, better text selection and read-aloud narration.
• The U.K. Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) says Microsoft's proposed US$ 68.7 billion Activision Blizzard acquisition will harm competition in the gaming market and "result in higher prices, fewer choices, or less innovation."
• Netflix rolls out its long-anticipated password sharing rules in Canada, New Zealand, Portugal and Spain; requires users to set up a primary location and log into the Netflix app on their home Wi-Fi network at least once every 31 days or risk having their account access blocked.
• Google releases Chrome 110 with customisable network error pages and biometric authentication when entering stored passwords; drops support for Windows 7 and Windows 8 / 8.1 systems.
• Browser maker Opera announces plans to integrate ChatGPT into its products.
• Disney reports Q1 2023 revenue of US$ 23.51 billion; posts a total of 161.8 million Disney+ global subscribers, a 1% decrease of 2.4 million subs from 164.2 million in the previous quarter, with Hotstar seeing a decline of 3.8 million, down rfom 61.3 million QoQ.
• Robinhood reports Q4 2022 revenue US$ 380 million, up 5% YoY, and net loss of US$ 166 million, down 61% YoY; monthly active users drop by 0.8 million QoQ to 11.4 million, as full-year revenue declines 25% YoY to US$ 1.36 billion.
• Uber reports Q4 revenue of $8.6B, up 49% YoY, gross bookings of US$ 30.7 billion, up 19% YoY; monthly active users surge 11% YoY to 131 million and customer trips jump 19% YoY to a record 2.1 billion.