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In a court filing last month, Google argued that it needed its privacy in an antitrust trial that would spotlight its dominance in online search. It was part of a pattern of Google’s pushing to limit transparency in the federal government’s first monopoly trial of the modern internet era. v. Google, enters its third week in court, it is shaping up to be perhaps the most secretive antitrust trial of the last few decades. Not only has Google argued for the landmark trial to be largely closed off to the public, but so have other companies that are involved, such as Apple and Microsoft. Apple even fought to quash subpoenas, describing them as “unduly burdensome,” to get its executives out of giving testimony.

Organizations: Google, New York Times, Apple, Microsoft

Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of services, testified in Washington that Google’s placement as the default search option on the Safari browser across Apple devices was motivated by quality. “I didn’t think at the time, or today, that there was anybody out there who is anywhere near as good as Google at searching,” said Mr. Cue, who was called to testify by the Justice Department. “Certainly there wasn’t a valid alternative.”The Justice Department has accused Google of illegally locking in its monopoly through deals to make its search option the default on Apple, Samsung, Firefox and other platforms. Those partnerships squashed competitors that struggled to get their products in front of consumers, the Justice Department argues.

Persons: Apple’s, ” Organizations: Google, Justice Department, Justice, Apple, Samsung Locations: Washington

☆ Apple Unveils iPhone 15 and Switches to USB-C Charger
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-12 | by ( Tripp Mickle | More About Tripp Mickle | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Every September for the past decade, Apple has convened media from around the world for a marketing event that celebrates the creative feats behind its newest iPhone. It has hyped the shine of the phone’s exterior, the sculpting around its cameras and the power of its processors. On Wednesday, Apple revealed that its newest product line, the iPhone 15, will drop the company’s proprietary Lightning port in favor of European-mandated USB-C ports. The company’s newest iPhones feature a charging plug that is slightly bigger and rounder than its predecessor but capable of delivering a faster charge. Though Apple resisted the change, warning that government mandates could stifle innovation, it will make it possible to use the same USB-C cord that powers a Mac to charge an iPhone.

Persons: Apple Organizations: Apple, European

China has discouraged the use of foreign-made electronic devices by government officials for a decade. It has told agencies and state-owned companies to replace American computer servers and other devices with domestic ones. And officials frequently show off to Americans their phones made by Huawei, China’s cellphone giant. Now, some employees of government agencies said they have received directives not to use Apple iPhones for work. Chinese authorities have issued no public pronouncements about broader restrictions on iPhones.

Organizations: Huawei, Apple, Street Locations: China, American, U.S

☆ As Smartphone Industry Sputters, the iPhone Expands Its Dominance
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-11 | by ( Tripp Mickle | More About Tripp Mickle | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

There’s a general rule about consumer electronics: The older a device becomes, the more competitors appear and prices fall. Remarkably, at an age in which most consumer devices have lost some of their appeal to users, Apple has increased its share of smartphone sales over less expensive rivals. Over the past five years, the iPhone has increased its percentage of total smartphones sold around the world while expanding its share of sales in four of the world’s largest regions: China, Japan, Europe and India. In the United States, the iPhone’s largest market, the device now accounts for more than 50 percent of smartphones sold, up from 41 percent in 2018, according to Counterpoint Research, a technology firm. The gains have helped it claim about a fifth of the world’s smartphone sales, up from a low of 13 percent in 2019.

Persons: There’s Organizations: Apple, Research Locations: China, Japan, Europe, India, United States

My Waymo pulled into a parking lot six minutes later than it had initially predicted. It glided through the parking lot to a small, empty space where the map on the touch screen showed a circle. The Waymo rides were affordable, ranging from $18 to $21, about the same as an Uber. It’s going to take years — if not decades — for Waymo to recoup the billions of dollars that it has invested in its service. Though there’s no driver, each ride is supported by staff at a Waymo site that can be summoned if a car runs into trouble.

Persons: “, Mike, Uber Organizations: Chalet Locations: Golden, Waymo

☆ Amid Sextortion’s Rise, Computer Scientists Tap A.I. to Identify Risky Apps
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-10 | by ( Tripp Mickle | More About Tripp Mickle | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

“There are reviews out there that talk about the type of dangerous behavior that occurs, but those reviews are drowned out,” Mr. Levine said. “You can’t find them.”Predators are increasingly weaponizing apps and online services to collect explicit images. Because Apple’s and Google’s app stores don’t offer keyword searches, Mr. Levine said, it can be difficult for parents to find warnings of inappropriate sexual conduct. He doesn’t plan to profit off the site but is encouraging donations to the University of Massachusetts to offset its costs. Mr. Levine and a dozen computer scientists investigated the number of reviews that warned of child sexual abuse across more than 550 social networking apps distributed by Apple and Google.

Persons: ” Mr, Levine Organizations: ” Predators, University of Massachusetts, Apple, Google

☆ Big Tech Rebounds and Preps for Transformative A.I. Investments
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-05 | by ( Tripp Mickle | More About Tripp Mickle | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

In a call with investors on Thursday, Andy Jassy, Amazon’s chief executive, said work on generative A.I. And during recent calls with analysts, Google, Meta and Microsoft also said they would increase investments to support A.I. Generative A.I. The number of customers using Microsoft’s Azure OpenAI Service, a tool to build on the generative A.I. models developed by its partner OpenAI, has increased this year to more than 11,000, from 250.

Persons: Andy Jassy, Tim Cook, Stacy Rasgon, Bernstein, OpenAI, “ It’s, ”, Gavin Baker Organizations: Google, Meta, Microsoft, McKinsey, OpenAI, Management Locations: Boston

☆ Apple Revenue Drops 1%, but Profit Rises to $19.88 Billion
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-03 | by ( Tripp Mickle | More About Tripp Mickle | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The world’s most valuable tech company, which relies on the iPhone for half its sales, reported on Thursday that revenue fell 1 percent, to $81.8 billion, during the three months that ended in June. Profit increased 2 percent, to $19.88 billion. Apple’s financial results were the latest indication that tech’s biggest companies have found their footing after last year’s downturn. Last week, Facebook’s parent company, Meta, and Google’s parent company, Alphabet, reported double-digit growth in profits driven by a rebound in digital ad sales. Microsoft posted a record quarterly profit behind a surge in cloud-computing sales, and Amazon on Thursday posted nearly twice the profit expected by Wall Street.

Organizations: Apple, Meta, Microsoft, Wall

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