Google news covering Search, Android, YouTube, Cloud, Pixel devices, AI developments, Alphabet earnings, and Google's business strategies.
San Francisco city attorney David Chiu sent cease-and-desist letters to Apple and Google, demanding removal of 13 AI-powered 'nudify' apps. Apple has removed three identified apps and terminated associated developer accounts, while Google has suspended all five Play Store apps referenced in the letter and restricted search terms like 'nudify'.
Google is emailing Android users about a policy change where all backup data, including SMS, call history, and device settings, will count toward the 15 GB free storage limit. The change takes effect in 45 days for existing users, with an estimated average increase of 40 MB per backup. New toggles allow users to control which data is backed up.
Google announced on Friday, World Emoji Day, that it is open-sourcing its 3D emoji set by providing raw .OBJ files. The company also shared insights into the design process for the 3D models.
This commentary argues that Intel's stock decline following its AI partnership announcement with Google was primarily driven by Taiwan Semiconductor's earnings report, not the deal itself. It contends that Intel's foundry struggles and competition from AMD are more significant factors than the cloud computing agreement.
Google is addressing a security flaw in its Gemini assistant that allows sending SMS messages from the lock screen without a PIN. The bug affects Android devices and bypasses standard authentication.
Google's flagship AI model Gemini 3.5 Pro is delayed by months as engineers work to improve its coding capabilities. Alphabet shares fell 4.4% on Thursday, erasing $200 billion in market cap, following a Bloomberg report. A Google spokesperson stated the company is shipping quickly across a range of models and testing 3.5 Pro with partners. Alphabet reports quarterly results next week.
This article explains Google's new system for measuring Gemini AI usage based on computing power rather than request count. It argues that while this approach is more logical for Google, it creates confusion for users who can no longer predict their limits. The piece offers practical advice on tracking usage across different subscription tiers.
The European Commission mandated Google to open its Android operating system and search data to AI rivals under the Digital Markets Act. Google must allow voice activation of rival AI assistants on Android by July 2027 and share anonymized search data with AI chatbots from January 2027. Google's lawyer criticized the decision, citing privacy and security risks.
Google is rolling out a 'Your info' card in the Contacts app on Android that displays the user's own phone number and allows sharing via VCard. The card appears at the top of the contacts list and includes a share button to limit shared data, mirroring Apple's 'My card' functionality.
This commentary argues that Google's delayed launch of Gemini 3.5 Pro signals internal struggles and risks losing competitive edge to rivals like Anthropic and OpenAI. It suggests bureaucratic hurdles and performance concerns are driving the delay, highlighting the fast pace of the AI industry.