A US judge has ruled that Google must make significant changes to its Play Store, allowing Android users to access third-party app stores and payment methods for three years. The ruling comes after a jury sided with ‘Fortnite’ creator Epic Games, which accused Google of monopolising app access and in-app payments on Android devices.
The order, issued by Judge James Donato, prevents Google from blocking alternative payment options or pre-installing its app store through deals with device makers. The decision is set to take effect on 1 November 2024, giving Google time to comply. However, Google plans to appeal the ruling, arguing that it could harm consumers, developers, and device makers.
Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney called the decision “big news” and said it could lead to a more competitive Android ecosystem by 2025. Meanwhile, Google is also facing antitrust cases over its dominance in web search and ad technology.
Google is testing a new feature that adds blue check marks next to verified companies in its search results to help users identify trustworthy sources, a company spokesperson confirmed on Friday. This move aims to protect users from fraudulent websites that impersonate official businesses, potentially spreading false information and damaging brands.
The spokesperson mentioned that Google frequently tests new features to help users identify credible businesses online, with this checkmark initiative being a limited trial. While Google already employs automated systems to block ‘scammy’ or fake content from its search results, this additional feature offers an extra level of verification.
According to The Verge, some users have noticed these blue checkmarks next to official site links for companies like Microsoft, Meta, and Apple. However, the feature is not yet widely available, suggesting that Google is still in the early stages of testing.
Google is adding ads to AI-generated summaries, known as AI Overviews, which appear in response to certain search queries. These ads, labelled ‘Sponsored,’ will appear alongside non-sponsored content, offering users quick access to relevant products and services. This marks Google’s latest effort to monetise its AI search feature and boost user engagement, particularly among younger audiences.
Along with ads, Google is also rolling out AI-organised search results. These new pages will display more diverse content, including videos, articles, and forum posts. While these AI-organised results will not include ads, they aim to make search results more relevant and visually appealing, offering users a more tailored experience.
As Google continues to expand its AI-driven search features, there are concerns about the impact on web traffic for publishers. Some studies suggest AI-generated summaries could reduce page views and ad revenues, potentially costing publishers billions. However, Google says it is working to address these concerns while continuing to refine its AI search technology.
Google is introducing several new AI-powered features to its Maps app in India, including AI-generated summaries, enhanced search options for experiences, and real-time weather alerts. Announced during the annual Google for India event, these updates will allow users to search for specific experiences, like ‘unique picnic spots’ or ‘themed birthday cakes,’ with results presented through an image-focused interface highlighting photos uploaded by businesses and users.
Additionally, the AI in Google Maps will analyse reviews to provide concise summaries of places, similar to features launched in the US earlier this year. When navigating, users will also receive weather alerts about low visibility from fog or flooding.
These updates follow Google’s July introduction of India-specific features, such as improved navigation for narrow roads and flyovers, EV charging station locations, and community-powered discovery lists. The new features will be rolled out to Indian users later this month.
Google has announced it will stop linking to New Zealand news articles and end agreements with local news outlets if a proposed law to ensure fair revenue sharing moves forward. The New Zealand government is reviewing legislation aimed at making tech companies like Google pay for news content featured on their platforms, following a similar model introduced in Australia.
Google New Zealand’s Country Director, Caroline Rainsford, expressed concerns about the potential law, saying it would require major changes to Google’s services. She highlighted that Google could be forced to stop showing news content on platforms like Google Search and Google News in the country if the law passes.
The company also warned the legislation could negatively affect smaller publishers and create financial uncertainty. Despite these concerns, the New Zealand government remains in consultation, with Media and Communications Minister Paul Goldsmith considering feedback before any final decision.
While the minority coalition partner ACT opposes the law, it is expected to receive enough cross-party support to pass. Australia has already implemented a similar law, which has been deemed successful by a government review.
Tim Brooks, one of the co-leads on OpenAI’s video generation tool, Sora, has left the company for Google. Brooks, who had been working on Sora since January 2023, announced on X that he will join Google DeepMind to focus on video generation technologies and ‘world simulators.’ His departure comes as Sora faces technical challenges, reportedly taking over 10 minutes to generate a one-minute video, leaving it behind competitors like Luma and Runway.
Google DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis welcomed Tim Brooks, highlighting his contribution to the development of world simulators, which aim to create virtual environments for a variety of applications, from filmmaking to AI training. DeepMind has been developing models like Genie, which generate interactive virtual worlds using images, photos, and sketches to create action-controllable environments.
Tim Brooks’ departure is part of a growing trend of high-profile exits from OpenAI. Key figures like CTO Mira Murati and research scientist Andrej Karpathy have also left the company in recent months. While OpenAI has demonstrated its video generation tool, Sora, to Hollywood studios and filmmakers, it has yet to secure a significant production partnership, leaving its future uncertain amid stiff competition.
Google’s Gemini Nano, a powerful on-device AI model, is now available for developers to integrate into their apps through the newly released AI Edge SDK. By running locally, Gemini Nano offers tasks such as text summarisation and image descriptions, while keeping user data private by processing everything on the device.
Already featured in Google’s Pixel 9 and Samsung’s Galaxy S24 devices, Gemini Nano powers AI functionalities in apps like Pixel Recorder and Google Messages. Developers can now experiment with these tools to bring AI features to their own apps, with Google expanding access to the AI Edge SDK beyond its previous early access programme.
Currently, developers can explore text-to-text prompts, such as smart replies, proofreading, and summarisation. Google plans to add support for other modalities, like image processing, in future updates. This move will enable broader AI integration across third-party apps, offering enhanced user experiences.
By customising Gemini Nano through the AI Edge SDK, developers will have control over how AI processes information, allowing them to adapt responses to suit their app’s needs. This marks a significant step towards more AI-driven apps for Android users.
Google is ramping up its AI efforts in India, aiming to integrate its Gemini AI model across various products to cater to the world’s most populous nation. The move, announced at Google’s 10th event in India, focuses on enhancing search, visual recognition, and language processing features, with special attention to voice commands and support for multiple Indian languages.
To further this, the company is launching its AI assistant, Gemini Live, initially in Hindi, with plans to expand support for eight more Indian languages soon. Google is also rolling out generative AI tools for search in regional languages such as Bengali, Marathi, and Telugu, alongside expanding its visual search capabilities, particularly through video-based searches, to enhance the user experience.
Google Maps is also being revamped for the Indian market, with new AI-generated summaries and improved local business discovery features. Additionally, the company has introduced several AI-powered tools for merchants, allowing them to easily build engaging online profiles and offer deals through their Google Business Profiles.
Google’s AI push in India is part of its broader strategy to tap into the country’s vast user base and help businesses thrive in the digital era. The company has proposed frameworks to enhance India’s AI adoption, estimating that AI could unlock $4 trillion in economic value for the nation by 2030.
Google is facing accusations of censorship after locking the pan-African media platform African Stream out of its Gmail Workspace, resulting in the loss of two years’ worth of emails and files stored in the cloud. The organisation has claimed that this action is part of a broader crackdown by US tech companies on its content, which is dedicated to providing a voice for Africans and challenging negative stereotypes.
The controversy escalated following remarks from US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who suggested that African Stream is influenced by Russian propaganda, labelling the outlet as ‘Kremlin propagandists.’ Within the last two weeks, African Stream pointed out that it had also been banned from other platforms, including YouTube, Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, and Threads, and criticised Google for not providing any credible reasons for the ban.
In response to the allegations, African Stream has denied any wrongdoing and questioned why major tech companies would bow to a single speech by a US official. The organisation emphasises its commitment to delivering African-centered content and amplifying African voices globally, raising significant concerns about the implications of censorship and the influence of political narratives on the policies of major tech firms.
Epic Games has accused Google and Samsung of conspiring to protect Google’s Play Store from competition through Samsung’s Auto Blocker feature. The gaming company plans to file a lawsuit in a United States court, alleging that the Auto Blocker, introduced in late 2023, deters users from downloading Android apps from sources outside Google’s Play Store or Samsung’s Galaxy Store.
Epic argues that Samsung’s Auto Blocker was made the default setting in mid-2024 to reduce the impact of a 2023 US court ruling that required Google to make it easier for users to access apps from alternative sources. Epic claims this action violates US antitrust laws by reducing consumer choice and stifling competition, which would otherwise drive down app prices.
Tim Sweeney, CEO of Epic Games, described the lawsuit as part of a larger global effort to defend competition and its benefits for consumers. The company also plans to raise these concerns with regulators in the European Union, which has scrutinised Google’s business practices in the past.
Epic previously sued Google in 2020, accusing the tech giant of maintaining an illegal monopoly over app distribution and payments. The lawsuit follows the verdict in that case, where a US court found Google had acted unlawfully.
