This past week at Made by Google was filled with exciting announcements from Google’s major hardware event. Google introduced its new range of Pixel 9 phones, including the premium $1,799 Pixel 9 Fold Pro, advanced AI-powered photo editing tools, and the new Pixel Buds Pro 2 featuring Gemini AI integration. Additionally, Google unveiled Gemini Live, a conversational AI voice assistant aimed at competing with OpenAI’s Advanced Voice Mode, although the live demo encountered a few glitches.
Epic Games launched its alternative iOS app store in the European Union, offering popular games like Fortnite, Rocket League, Sideswipe, and Fall Guys. The company is collaborating with developers to bring their games to the Epic Games Store in the future. Fortnite’s return to iOS follows years of legal battles and regulatory changes brought by the EU’s Digital Markets Act after Apple initially removed the game from its App Store over four years ago.
X introduced Grok-2 and Grok-2 mini in beta with enhanced reasoning capabilities. The new Grok AI model now has the ability to generate images on X, currently accessible only to the social network’s Premium and Premium+ users. However, there seem to be no restrictions on using Grok’s image-generation feature for creating images of political figures, leading to some users taking advantage of this capability.
Welcome to TechCrunch’s Week in Review, where we summarize the week’s most significant news. Interested in receiving this newsletter every Saturday? Sign up here.
News
The “most epic fail” award goes to…: CrowdStrike received the award for the Most Epic Fail at Def Con’s Pwnie Awards following a recent software update that caused a global IT crisis. Despite the mishap, the company took it in good stride. Read more
Waymo brings its driverless robotaxis to the freeways: Waymo is set to commence testing its fully autonomous robotaxis on freeways in the San Francisco Bay Area after obtaining approval from California regulators to offer autonomous rides on the freeway for a fee. Read more
Celebrating 20 years of competition with Google Maps: OpenStreetMap, a community-driven platform providing maps to companies and software developers as an alternative to proprietary products like Google Maps, marked its 20th anniversary milestone. Read more
Enhance your productivity with open-source alternatives: If you’re looking to boost your productivity while reducing dependence on major tech players, we’ve compiled a list of open-source alternatives to popular productivity apps like Calendly, Zoom, and Substack. Read more
The FBI targets Radar: The FBI seized the servers of a ransomware and extortion group known as Radar (also referred to as Dispossessor). This successful operation is a rare victory for the FBI in combating the escalating ransomware threat. Read more
Shutdown of Score: The dating app catering to individuals with strong credit scores ceased operations in early August, revealing that what was meant to be a temporary app outlasted expectations due to high user demand. Read more
Apple’s stance on Patreon: Apple issued warnings to Patreon regarding the use of unsupported third-party billing options by creators or disabling transactions on iOS, emphasizing the need for compliance with its in-app purchasing system for Patreon subscriptions. Read more
California embraces digital IDs: Residents in California will soon have the option to store their driver’s license or state ID in their Apple Wallet or Google Wallet apps as the state prepares to introduce digital ID support in the coming months. Read more
Challenges for Byju’s: India’s Supreme Court has temporarily halted a tribunal ruling that suspended Byju’s insolvency proceedings, marking a legal victory for U.S. creditors seeking to recover $1 billion from the once-prominent edtech startup that has faced setbacks. Read more
Earning opportunities on Telegram: Telegram announced new monetization options for creators on its platform, such as monthly paid subscriptions that users can purchase using the app’s digital currency to access exclusive content from creators. Read more
Questionable decisions by Palo Alto Networks: Palo Alto Networks faced criticism following an event where two individuals posed with lampshades on their heads. CEO Nikesh Arora issued an apology, stating that the incident was not in line with the company’s values. Read more
Analysis
The Impact of AI on Art: The latest AI models showcase impressive capabilities, raising questions about the potential transformation of filmmaking and television production. While generative AI and similar systems offer short-term benefits, long-term implications could revolutionize the medium as we know it. A panel at SIGGRAPH explored these possibilities. Read more
Farewell to CrowdTangle: Meta’s decision to discontinue CrowdTangle, a valuable tool used by journalists, researchers, and politicians for tracking disinformation on Facebook and Instagram, has sparked criticism. The replacement platform lacks accessibility and features, leaving many to question the timing of the tool’s removal ahead of a contentious U.S. election already fraught with AI and misinformation challenges. Read more
