Your Tech Story

Technology

Apple Pay

EU antitrust regulators seeking more info on Apple Pay

The European Commission announced on Wednesday that EU antitrust investigators are searching for additional details on Apple’s smartphone payment system, Apple Pay. This is an indication that the regulator is trying to plug any gaps in its allegations against the iPhone manufacturer.

Apple Pay
Image Source: thehindu.com

A year ago, the EU antitrust authority alleged Apple conspired to make it hard for its competitors to establish competing solutions for Apple devices by limiting their access to its tap-and-go Near-Field Communication (NFC) technology, which is utilized for mobile wallets.

Also Read: Apple launches ‘buy now, pay later’ service in the US

“We can confirm the sending of requests for information,” a commission spokesperson said while declining to provide details.

Apple opted not to respond.

Apple has already mentioned the popularity of PayPal within its iOS smartphone OS as an alternative for users, along with rival MobilePay from Denmark, Swish from Sweden, as well as Payconiq from Belgium.

complainant Vipps and a mobile payment app from Norway claimed that NFC options are inefficient and uncompetitive.

It is rare for the commission to ask competitors and retailers for material now, three months afterward, Apple justified itself in an inquiry on February 14.

Following such hearings, the regulator normally makes its decision. If proven guilty of breaking antitrust regulations, the agency has the power to penalize Apple a maximum of ten percent of the company’s worldwide revenue.

Apple also debuted the “buy now, pay later” (BNPL) scheme in the United States in March, posing an imminent danger to the fintech industry, which is currently dominated by companies like Affirm Holdings as well as the Swedish payment provider Klarna.

With its “buy now, pay later” support, Apple is attempting to enter the loan industry. As a result, the corporation has established guidelines regarding how it will accept transactions. If you’ve been a loyal client in the past, this is one important consideration.

The Apple Pay Later service, which was introduced a year ago but is still under testing, will assess consumers based on their purchasing patterns in addition to which Apple products they now own.

Also Read: What is Apple’s rapid security response?

The service, which enables users to make purchases and spread-out payments over time, will also check to see if users have applied for an Apple Card credit card or any additional cards, they have associated with their Apple Pay account.

According to the firm, Apple Pay Later will enable customers to split expenditures into four installments spaced out over six weeks without any interest or fees. It will first be made available to a small number of users to bring it out to everyone in the upcoming months.

Google

How is the new Google AI search different from the Bard chatbot?

In an effort to dispel concerns that it is falling behind Microsoft Corp.’s OpenAI-powered Bing search, Alphabet Inc.’s Google on Wednesday showed off an improved core search product that incorporates more AI in its solutions.

Google also has a chatbot called Bard that rivals ChatGPT, the OpenAI chatbot that has sparked a lot of user interest with its human-like responses. According to the company, conventional searches on Google may still be used to find and seek out information, such as finding a product to buy.

Google
Image Source: reuters.com

Bard is a chatbot with a character that can have conversations that seem human-like and is intended to serve as a tool for creative collaboration, such as writing software code or captions for pictures.

Also Read: Google I/O 2023: How to watch and what to expect

The Search Generative Experience, the improved search feature, keeps the familiar search bar’s look and function on Google’s home page.

The difference is in the responses: if the new Google determines that generative artificial intelligence (AI) can be used to respond to a query, the AI-generated response will appear at the very top of the results page. The standard Web links are still available below.

For instance, a person searching for “weather New York” will typically be directed to an eight-day prediction, but if they search for “what to wear in the California city,” AI will give a long response, according to a test done for Reuters earlier this week.

The result included links to websites where it found such advice and said, “You should bring layers, including a short-sleeved shirt and a light jumper or jacket for the day.” Additionally, users will have access to a brand-new “conversational mode,” which works similarly to Bard and ChatGPT in that it keeps track of the user’s previous inquiries to make it simpler for users to ask follow-up questions.

However, the business emphasizes that the conversational mode is merely meant to improve search results and is not intended to be a chatbot with a personality. For instance, unlike Bard and ChatGPT, it will never use the “I” statement in its responses.

Also Read: What is the admin review feature on WhatsApp?

The Bard chatbot is designed to engage in natural language conversations with users, typically in a specific domain such as customer service or personal assistance. It uses natural language processing and machine learning to understand the user’s questions and provide helpful responses While both systems use AI, they have different goals and capabilities.

Google AI search is focused on information retrieval and presenting relevant results to users, while the Bard chatbot is focused on conversational interactions and providing assistance to users in a specific domain. Bard is already accessible without a wait list in over 180 nations, according to the business, which also wants to provide support for 40 additional languages.

admin review

What is the admin review feature on WhatsApp?

WhatsApp, a platform for instant messaging owned by Meta, is currently developing new updates and upgrades. For users to have a seamless and simple experience on the platform, Whatsapp provides new updates every other month. According to recent news, the tech company is working on delivering a new feature dubbed “admin review” for Android that would provide group admins with more tools so they can manage their WhatsApp group more effectively.

admin review
Image Source: ommcomnews.com

WhatsApp, a platform for instant messaging owned by Meta, is currently developing new updates and upgrades. For users to have a seamless and simple experience on the platform, Whatsapp provides new updates every other month.

Also Read: Google I/O 2023: How to watch and what to expect

According to recent news, the tech company is working on delivering a new feature dubbed “admin review” for Android that would provide group admins with more tools so they can manage their WhatsApp group more effectively.

According to WABetaInfo, group users on the app will be able to report particular messages to the group admin after WhatsApp launches the feature and it is activated on your mobile device.

According to the article, once a group member reports a message as improper or in violation of the group’s rules, the feature will enable group administrators to delete the offending posting.

Once it is implemented, WhatsApp’s group settings section will provide the new option to remove the message from the group. In the meanwhile, the article added that WhatsApp will display the reported texts in the group in a new part of the app within the group details page, which would be accessible only to group administrators and not to other group members.

A future update to WhatsApp’s app will make beta testers aware of the capability to report texts to group administrators.

On the other hand, according to some beta testers, WhatsApp is also apparently rolling out a new side-by-side’ function for Android users on its WhatsApp tablets platform.

Users will have more control over the platform’s user interface on their Android tablets thanks to WhatsApp’s “side-by-side” functionality, which enables them to flip between discussions without losing track of their ongoing chats.

The admin review feature on WhatsApp is a feature that allows group administrators to review and approve messages before they are posted in a group chat. When this feature is turned on, any message posted by a group member will be held for review by the group administrator(s) before it is visible to the rest of the group.

Also Read: Does the EU draft Data Act put trade secrets at risk?

This feature can be useful for group administrators who want to ensure that the messages posted in their group are appropriate and in line with the group’s rules and guidelines. It can also help prevent the spread of misinformation and spam in the group.

To enable the admin review feature, the group administrator(s) can go to the group settings, select “Group Info”, and then toggle on the “Admin Only” option under the “Send Messages” setting. After this is done, any message posted by group members will require approval from the group administrator(s) before it can be seen by other group members.

Bittrex

Crypto exchange Bittrex files for bankruptcy after SEC complaint

Three weeks after being charged with running an unauthorized securities exchange by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), cryptocurrency trading platform Bittrex Inc applied for bankruptcy exemption on Monday.

Bittrex which is based in Seattle stopped operating in the United States on April 30 while stating that Bittrex Global, which services clients outside of the United States, would not be impacted by the bankruptcy case. The non-American operations of the business are headquartered in Liechtenstein.

Bittrex
Image Source: investing.com

Based on a bankruptcy filing submitted in a Wilmington, Delaware court, Bittrex’s financial assets, and debts were in the range of 500 million USD to 1 billion USD.

Also Read: Qualcomm to acquire Israeli auto-chip maker Autotalks

According to Bittrex, U.S. users who hadn’t withdrawn money before April 30 still have crypto assets in their possession.

The assets in question are safe & secure, according to Bittrex, which also stated that it planned to seek the bankruptcy court seeking a brief reopening of account holders so that the cryptocurrency may be returned to customers.

Over the past twelve months, several businesses in the cryptocurrency sector have filed for bankruptcy. These failures were caused by a decline in asset prices, increased regulatory attention, and, in the scenario of the once-famous exchange FTX, criminal allegations.

the SEC filed a lawsuit against Bittrex, On April 17, saying that, William Shihara, its previous chief executive officer, had urged cryptocurrency asset issuers looking to list their tokens on the exchange’s website to take down any public declarations that would prompt regulators to look into the token sales as securities.

The cryptocurrency assets on Bittrex’s website weren’t securities or investment agreements, according to Bittrex, which has refuted the SEC’s accusations.

Although the SEC’s action is continuing, Bittrex has previously consented to pay the U.S. Treasury an amount equal to $29 million in penalties for apparent breaches of the country-specific regulations and the money laundering prevention law.

The Bureau of Foreign Asset Control under the Treasury Department was cited as Bittrex’s biggest unsecured creditor in its plea, owing the organization more than 24 million, USD.

Also Read: Google Rolls Out Passkeys to (Eventually) Kill Passwords

The majority of Bittrex’s other biggest creditors were cryptocurrency exchange users. Without mentioning them by name, Bittrex highlighted 16 users who have at least one million dollars in their respective accounts. As per the petition, the biggest existing Bittrex client account has assets at 14.6 million USD.

“The market downturn triggered by multiple failures in the crypto ecosystem became an outright collapse by the end of the year. These events have caused us to reset our strategy,” Bittrex co-founder Richie Lai told employees in an internal email leaked on Twitter.

Source: forkast.news
Google I/O

Google I/O 2023: How to watch and what to expect

Google I/O 2023 will take place on May 10th. Google I/O is an annual developer conference hosted by Google. The conference typically features keynote presentations, technical sessions, and product demonstrations focused on the company’s latest innovations in technology and software.

Google I/O
Image Source: techpp.com

In contrast to the multi-day I/Os of former years, this year’s event just lasts for that single day. Although Google is holding I/O as a live event at Shoreline Amphitheatre close to its campus in Mountain View, California, it is also being streamed on the Google I/O webpage. Google I/O can be live-streamed by any individual who registers for free on that website. The event can also be streamed on Youtube.

Also Read: Google Rolls Out Passkeys to (Eventually) Kill Passwords

These days, everyone seems to be thinking about AI-powered chat solutions, including Google. The organisation will have the chance to discuss Bard, its in-house chat client, and how it may benefit additional Google services like search, mapping, and productivity tools at Google I/O.

Google might take the opportunity to address worries regarding the hazards that certain individuals have identified with AI in addition to discussing how AI chatbots integrate into its own line of products, as one might anticipate.

The company released the Android 14 beta last month, and Google I/O 2023 will be its first chance to provide a public peek to a larger audience. This year is expected to be no different, given the significant role Android has played at previous I/O conferences.

Since a completed version of Android 14 is anticipated before the end of summer, we might even have more clarification on the development timeframe. Long rumoured to be in the works, Google’s first foldable device astonished everyone last week when it became public.

The maker shared a picture and a video of the Pixel Fold, a device that can be folded horizontally like a book. While Google declined to provide any information regarding its features, a prior claim from CNBC indicates the device may have a display that is 5.8 inches when it is closed and 7.6 inches when it is opened, making it comparable to Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 4.

Also Read: Google Authenticator finally syncs one-time codes in the cloud

The main announcement at Google I/O 2023 is expected to be a new piece of hardware for the company. There have been persistent rumours of a Pixel Fold that would disrupt the foldable phone market, which is now dominated by Samsung products. Google has now essentially acknowledged that this will take place.

It is anticipated that at least one new phone will be released by Google, especially in light of the rumours that claim the Pixel 7a will go on sale during that time.

Qualcomm

Qualcomm to acquire Israeli auto-chip maker Autotalks

In an attempt to grow its automotive-related business, Qualcomm Inc announced on Monday that it would be acquiring Israel’s Autotalks Ltd, a manufacturer of chips utilized for crash-prevention technology in automobiles.

The business claimed Autotalk’s technology would be integrated into its aided and automated driving solution, known as Snapdragon Digital Chassis, although declined to disclose the financial details of the agreement.

Qualcomm
Image Source: moneycontrol.com

With more and more automakers outfitting their vehicles with driver-assistance mechanisms, Qualcomm reported in September of last year that the company’s automotive business” pipeline,” or possible future orders, increased by over ten billion dollars to 30 billion USD following its third-quarter earnings were released at the end of July.

Also Read: Nvidia short sellers lose $5 billion as shares rise more than 90%

The firm, which attributes the increase to its Snapdragon Digital Chassis product, is competing to gain that market share with Mobileye Global of Intel & Nvidia Corporation.

In the second quarter that concluded on March 26, earnings from the automotive business of Qualcomm increased 20 percent to 447 million USD.

In order to increase safety on the roadways, Autotalks manufactures specialized chips for use in V2X technology for communication for human-driven and autonomous vehicles.

“We have been investing in V2X research, development, and deployment since 2017 and believe that as the automotive market matures, a standalone V2X safety architecture will be needed for enhanced road user safety, as well as smart transportation systems,” said Nakul Duggal, senior vice president & GM, automotive, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc.

Source: qualcomm.com

Licensing company, QTL, as well as the great bulk of the patent portfolio, are both parts of Qualcomm Incorporated. The engineering, R&D, and nearly all of the products and services businesses, which include the QCT semiconductor business, are all run by Qualcomm Technologies which is a Qualcomm Incorporated division, along with its other subsidiaries.

Also Read: IBM to pause hiring in the plan to replace 7,800 jobs with AI

Products with the Snapdragon and Qualcomm brands are made by Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. or one of its affiliates. It Incorporated grants licenses for Qualcomm’s trademarked technologies.

With the help of Qualcomm, the entire globe may be smartly connected. With the help of their single technological roadmap, they can effectively expand the mobile revolution’s founding technologies, such as improved connectivity, efficiency, low-power computing, on-device ability, and others, to the upcoming next generation of smart devices with connectivity throughout industries.