News Weekly
News Weekly is our column the place we spotlight and summarize a few of the week’s high tales so you’ll be able to compensate for the most recent tech information.
This is Android Central’s News Weekly, your go-to supply for a concise roundup of the week’s most vital tech tales. This is the place we delve into the highest headlines that present the most recent developments and improvements contributing to the digital panorama.
This week, Google had fairly a couple of huge bulletins with the launch of Android XR, Gemini 2.0, and a worth hike for YouTube TV. Plus, Sundar Pichai had some alternative phrases about Microsoft and a brand new rumor claims the Galaxy S25 sequence would possibly truly get Qi2 help, however with a catch.
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It’s been lengthy teased that Google was engaged on an XR platform primarily based on Android, with {hardware} coming from Samsung in partnership with Qualcomm. Now the cat’s out of the bag with the announcement of Android XR, a brand new platform that is set to energy sensible glasses and XR headsets not not like the Apple Vision Pro or Meta Quest 3S.
According to Google, the platform will launch first on headsets, with Samsung’s Project Moohan set to launch in 2025. This will allow customers to “change between being absolutely immersed in a digital surroundings and staying current in the actual world,” not not like how a few of the greatest VR headsets work. Smartphone and pill apps will even work, and Google is optimizing its personal apps for the platform.
Google can be testing sensible glasses, as we noticed with Project Astra. This will use Gemini to supply details about what you are taking a look at, and it is instructed that visible cues might also be out there.
There appears to be quite a lot of potential with Android XR, which makes it probably the most thrilling issues to stay up for in 2025.
Gemini will get the improve we have been ready for
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Gemini has been all over in 2024, however 2025 seems to be an thrilling 12 months for Google’s AI efforts after it revealed a significant replace for its mannequin. Gemini 2.0 is taking issues to the following stage by making it extra succesful than earlier than, permitting it to raised perceive the world round you and full duties on behalf of the person.
What does this imply, precisely? This implies that Gemini 2.0 is provided to energy experiences like Project Astra, which was proven on Google I/O earlier this 12 months. It can visualize the world round you and even bear in mind what it noticed so you’ll be able to recall one thing later. And with Project Mariner, Gemini 2.0 can full complicated, multi-step duties for you by understanding what’s in your display, simply as a digital assistant ought to. We’ve seen corporations like Motorola showcase ideas much like this, so it’s going to be fascinating to see how this evolves in 2025.
Qi2 may lastly be a factor in 2025
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Qi2 has been out for a short while, nevertheless it’s been largely absent on Android, save for some HMD telephones. However, with the Galaxy S25, this might change, as the most recent rumors counsel the corporate would possibly lastly undertake the wi-fi charging spec in its upcoming units.
If true, then the Galaxy S25 sequence will help the Qi2 and MagSafe equipment out there for iPhones, permitting them to cost wirelessly on the full 15W as a substitute of being subjected to slower speeds.
That stated, a separate rumor means that the telephones could not have Qi2 built-in into the telephones themselves. Instead, the newer normal could solely be accessible through appropriate circumstances. This could be much like what we have seen with current OPPO telephones and the OnePlus 13.
If true, it is unclear why corporations are choosing this methodology, however provided that many customers will doubtless buy circumstances for his or her telephones, it might not be an enormous deal. Still, it will be good to have it built-in for many who could not need a case, however we’ll have to attend and see what we get when the Galaxy S25 launches in early 2025.
YouTube TV continues to rise, within the worst manner attainable
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Price hikes for streaming companies are nothing new, so the brand new base worth for YouTube TV should not shock anybody, however it is going to sting. The firm introduced this week that new customers will instantly see the bottom worth of $82.99, a $10 improve from the earlier $72.99 that was launched in early 2023.
The firm defined that the up to date worth is as a result of rising prices of content material however that customers can anticipate to retain their present options and advantages.
For new customers, the worth will not replace till January 13, 2025, so there’s some buffer time in case you need to think about your choices or pause your membership. Otherwise, put together to pay extra within the coming month as streaming companies proceed to succeed in cable costs.
Google vs. Microsoft: The AI wars
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Google CEO Sundar Pichai threw a little bit of shade at Microsoft throughout The New York Times’ DealBook Summit. Journalist and writer Andrew Ross Sorkin requested Pichai about his ideas on the place Google is in comparison with its rivals within the AI race, prefacing it with a quote from Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, who stated that Google ought to have been the default winner.
Pichai rapidly responded by saying he would love to check Microsoft’s personal fashions with Google’s, noting that Microsoft is utilizing another person’s.
It’s no secret that Microsoft obtained a little bit of a headstart within the AI house after partnering with OpenAI to combine its fashions into the corporate’s companies like Bing. Meanwhile, Google was seen by many as having to play catch-up after shedding some mindshare to the likes of ChatGPT.
That stated, Google noticed loads of progress in 2024 with Gemini throughout numerous units and companies. However, Pichai famous throughout his discuss that whereas he expects to see extra developments in 2025, we should not anticipate it on the similar tempo we have seen.
More tales this week
Those are a few of the greatest tales from this week. Meanwhile, listed below are another tales which can be value catching up on:
