Ready to get your hands on the Google Pixel 8a? Good news! Its release date shouldn’t be far off now, as a new bit of news confirms.
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Google I/O is one of Google’s biggest tech events of the year. And now, we finally know exactly when Google I/O 2024 its taking place.
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Even Google’s own phones are not above flaws. Pixel Fold users complain of sticky scrolling, and here’s how it’s affecting them.
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An update to Google Wallet has further simplified the process of getting all your passes in one place. Per this week’s release notes for Wallet, spotted by Android reporter Mishaal Rahman, Google says movie tickets and boarding passes will now be surfaced automatically after purchase, as long as the confirmation email has made it to the user’s Gmail inbox. It might not work for every theater chain or airline just yet, but Google says the feature is live for “some” and more should be added in time.
Google little by little has been tweaking Wallet to make it more useful. The company last month expanded Wallet passes to WearOS so Android smartwatch users could have easy access to their tickets from their wrist. That includes boarding passes, event tickets, gym memberships, loyalty cards and more. Per the latest release notes, Google has also added a way for users to manually archive most of their passes from either their smartphone or smartwatch. These will be moved to a section called Archived Passes, where users will be able to undo the action if they’ve made a mistake or need to refer to an old pass.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/google-wallet-can-now-automatically-add-your-movie-tickets-and-boarding-passes-214241833.html?src=rss
Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics
Yesterday Google outlined the changes it will make to comply with the EU's Digital Markets Act (DMA) that goes into effect starting today. One important detail it left out, however, was whether it would charge developers who directed users outside the Play Store to sideload apps — and if so, how much.
Now, Google has revealed that it will indeed charge developers even if they don't use the Play Store, just like Apple did with the App Store. Per new details found in the Play Console help section, the company will charge two new fees:
An initial acquisition fee of 10% for in-app purchases or 5% for subscriptions for two years. This represents the value Play provided in facilitating initial user acquisition.
An ongoing services fee of 17% for in-app purchases or 7% for subscriptions. This covers ongoing Play services like parental controls, security, fraud prevention, and app updates.
Developers can opt out of ongoing fees after two years if users agree, but ongoing Play services will no longer apply. "Since users acquired the app through Play with the expectation of services such as parental controls, security scanning, fraud prevention, and continuous app updates, discontinuation of services requires user consent as well," Google stated.
Google included the following chart to show how the fees will apply to a hypothetical "Fantastiq App":
With this, Google is taking a similar approach to Apple, which reduced App Store commissions but introduced new fees. Namely, Apple tacked on on a new 3 percent “payment processing” fee for transactions that go through its store. And a new “core technology fee” will charge a flat €0.50 fee for all app downloads, regardless of whether they come from the App Store or a third-party website, after the first 1 million installations.
Google is justifying the fees by touting the value it provides in the Android ecosystem: "Play's fees support our investment in Android and Google Play and reflect the value provided by Android and Play, including enabling us to distribute Android for free and provide the continuously growing suite of tools and services that help developers build successful businesses, all while keeping our platforms safe and secure for billions of users worldwide."
Epic CEO Tim Sweeney already blasted Google's post about DMA compliance yesterday, before the new fees were even made public. "Google announced its malicious compliance plans for the European DMA law… it looks like their illegal anti-steering policy will be replaced by a new Google Tax on web transactions. We'll likely soon learn how he and other developers react to the new fees.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/google-is-following-apples-lead-by-adding-new-developer-fees-in-the-eu-064618768.html?src=rss
Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics
Google’s Waze navigation app is getitng a bunch of major updates that will make your experience with the app a lot more enjoyable.
TalkAndroid
The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra is a fantastic smartphone. But is it really worth $ 300 more than the Google Pixel 8 Pro? It’s time to figure that out.
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It’s that time once again. Google has just announced Android 15 and released the first developer preview for it. Here’s everything that’s new!
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Uncomfortable with Google Assistant? Tired of it popping up uninvited? Our simple guide will show you how to limit it or turn it off altogether on any device.
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The Google Pixel 8 is a great mid-range smartphone and it’s also highly affordable. Here’s where you can find the best Google Pixel 8 deals.
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Bard is dead, and the Gemini app is set to take the lead but there are some tasks that only the Google Assistant can perform.
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The Google Pixel series has always had a lot of amazing software features, but the Pixel 8 will soon be getting one that allows touch sensitivity to be automatically adjusted.
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What do you do if you accidentally buy the wrong app or decide you don’t want that game after all? Here’s how to get a refund in the Google Play Store.
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You might be curious to know whether the Google Pixel Watch 2 supports wireless charging. Given that the first one did, the answer might surprise you.
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The Google Pixel 8 series is packed with a lot of cool AI tricks, including the Magic Editor. Here’s how to use it to get the most out of your photos.
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Google’s Chrome has long featured the ability to launch the browser in Incognito mode, offering a seemingly blank slate for your internet browsing, away from your usual cookies, forms and web history. But that seemingly didn’t mean Google wasn’t keeping an eye on where you were browsing.
The company faced a lawsuit in 2020 that accused it of tracking Chrome users’ activities even when they were using Incognito mode. Google has now agreed to settle the complaint that originally sought $ 5 billion in damages, after failing to get the suit dismissed.
The plaintiffs said Google used tools like its Analytics product, apps and browser plug-ins to monitor users. By tracking someone on Incognito, the company was falsely making people believe that they could control the information that they were willing to share with it.
The lawsuit’s plaintiffs revealed internal emails that allegedly showed conversations between Google execs proving that the company monitored Incognito browser usage to sell ads and track web traffic. Which does sound like a thing Google would do. According to Reuters and The Washington Post, neither side has made the details of the settlement public.
– Mat Smith
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Xiaomi, best known for its smartphones, smart home peripherals, and many other things, has made an EV. Unveiled at a Beijing event yesterday, the Xiaomi SU7 — pronounced “soo-chee” in Chinese — is a sedan that will come in two flavors: the dual-motor all-wheel-drive SU7 Max, and the single-motor rear-wheel-drive SU7.
Xiaomi claims the SU7 Max has a range of up to 800km and a 0-100km/h acceleration of just 2.78s, both of which apparently beat Tesla’s Model S and Porsche’s Taycan Turbo. There’s also a lot of tech splashed around, with a dedicated in-car entertainment system, ports for your (Xiaomi, of course) tablets and headlamps designed to look like the chinese character for rice – also the ‘mi’ in Xiaomi. We’ve chewed over all the details below.
The Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 are back on sale, after a federal appeals court in Washington D.C. granted a temporary pause on an import and sales ban. However, Apple’s wearables aren’t out of the woods just yet: the ban could be reinstated on January 10, when the International Trade Commission (ITC) decides on whether to grant Apple a longer pause.
The ban could also return on January 13, when the same agency makes a decision regarding Apple’s redesign of both smartwatches. The original ban lasted a little more than a day.
Yes, CES is in a couple of weeks. Why do you ask?
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-morning-after-google-will-settle-5-billion-lawsuit-over-tracking-incognito-chrome-users-121651324.html?src=rss
Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics
Google has agreed to settle a $ 5 billion lawsuit brought by claimants who accused the web giant of privacy invasion by tracking their online activities.
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When it comes to hardware, unless you’ve got one of Nvidia’s Shield TV devices streaming your content it’s…
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Google has lost a landmark case against Epic Games after a jury decided on Monday that the web giant operates an illegal monopoly via its Android app store.
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The Google Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro are great phones made even more irresistible while they’re on sale at Best Buy right now.
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If you’d like to pick up a tablet in the Google ecosystem, then the Pixel Tablet is going for $ 100 as part of this Black Friday sale.
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The 256GB Google Pixel Fold, which comes with a 7.6-inch inner OLED display and a 5.8-inch OLED cover display, is available from Best Buy with a $ 400 discount.
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I’ve had the Google Pixel 8 Pro for over a month. Is it still one of the year’s best Android phones? Have software bugs ruined it? Here’s what I’ve learned.
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The Google Pixel 7a is a great mid-range phone when you grab this deal that discounts it down to just $ 375.
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There are a lot of impressive smartwatch deals taking place right now, and we’ve rounded up the best from Apple, Garmin, Google, and Samsung.
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The Google Pixel Watch 2 just launched last month, but there’s already a problem with it: some users can’t get it to charge. Here’s what’s going on.
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Vice president Prabhakar Raghavan testified Friday that Google paid $ 26.3 billion in 2021 for the purpose of maintaining default search engine status and acquiring traffic, Bloomberg reports. It’s likely the lion’s share of that sum went to Apple, which it has showered with exorbitant sums for many years in order to remain the default search option on iPhone, iPad and Mac.
Raghavan, who was testifying as part of the DOJ’s ongoing antitrust suit against the company, said Google’s search advertising made $ 146.4 billion in revenue in 2021, which puts the $ 26 billion it paid for default status in perspective. The executive clarified that default status was the most costly part of what it pays to acquire traffic.
Raghavan didn’t mention how much of the $ 26.3 billion went to Apple. But CNBC reports that an estimate from private wealth management firm Bernstein ballparked that Google could pay Apple up to $ 19 billion this year for the default privilege.
A slide shown in court revealed that, in 2014, Google brought in $ 47 billion in search revenue while paying $ 7.1 billion for default status. Raghavan testified that Google’s overall default search engine payments nearly quadrupled from 2014 to 2021, while its search advertising revenue (roughly) tripled.
Google objected to making the figures public, arguing it would hurt its ability to negotiate future contracts. Judge Amit Mehta, overseeing the case, disagreed.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/google-paid-26-billion-in-2021-for-default-search-engine-status-203129384.html?src=rss
Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics
The Google Pixel Watch 2 is a solid smartwatch. But what if it’s too small for you? I found an alternative I think you’ll really like.
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I’ve had the Google Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro for a couple of weeks, and I quite like them. But there’s something about them that worries me.
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Google will have to pay over $ 1 million to an executive who alleged the company discriminated against her based on her gender and later retaliated when she spoke up about it. Ulku Rowe, a Google Cloud engineering director, accused the company of hiring her at a lower level, lower paid position than men with less experience who were hired for similar roles at the same time, according to Bloomberg Law. She also claimed she was passed over for a promotion in favor of a less qualified male colleague.
A New York jury on Friday decided that Google did commit gender-based discrimination, and now owes Rowe a combined $ 1.15 million for punitive damages and the pain and suffering it caused. Rowe had 23 years of experience when she started at Google in 2017, and the lawsuit claims she was lowballed at hiring to place her at a level that paid significantly less than what men were being offered.
It comes nearly five years after some 20,000 Google employees organized a walkout to demand changes around the company’s handling of sexual misconduct and discrimination. While the company pledged to do better on sexual harassment, its response still left a lot to be desired on the topics of bias. According to Bloomberg Law, the Rowe lawsuit is the first such case Google has faced since the protests.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/google-ordered-to-pay-1-million-to-female-exec-who-sued-over-pay-discrimination-214702002.html?src=rss
Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics
The Google Pixel 8 Pro has one of the brightest displays available on a smartphone. However, that won’t be the case for long.
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OnePlus just launched its very first foldable. How does it stack up against the Pixel Fold, which is also Google’s first entry into the foldable market?
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The case for choosing the Google Pixel 8 over the Pixel 8 Pro is stronger than ever, as its camera, battery, and software all impress in our review.
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The Google Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro were just announced last week, but they’re already old news. Another new Google phone coming in 2024 has leaked!
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The Pixel 8 Pro targets an audience that wants the best of Android, while the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra sits at the hardware summit. Which one’s best for you?
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The Google Pixel 8 has landed. Make sure yours is protected from day one with the best Google Pixel 8 cases available right now!
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The Google Pixel Watch 2 brings substantial under-the-hood changes. But should you ditch your first-generation Pixel Watch for it? Let’s find out!
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It’s an exciting season for smartphones with Google’s Pixel 8 Pro joining Apple’s iPhone 15 Pro as two of the best of 2023. Which one is right for your money?
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Google has just dropped the brand new Google Pixel 8. How does it fare against Apple’s latest iPhone 15? We found out.
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Google’s new Pixel Watch 2 is here. But can you use your old bands with it?
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Google plans to discontinue one of its popular apps, Google Podcasts, in the new year. Here’s what you need to do about the closure.
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Google will pay $ 93 million in a settlement it reached with California Attorney General Rob Bonta, resolving allegations that the company’s location-privacy practices violated the state’s consumer protection laws. The California Department of Justice claimed that Google was “collecting, storing, and using their location data” for consumer advertising purposes without informed consent.
The complaint alleges that Google continued to collect consumer data related to a user’s location even when a user turned the “location history” feature off. The company settled similar lawsuits in Arizona and Washington last year for illegally tracking consumers.
In addition to paying $ 93 million, Google agreed to “deter future misconduct.” This settlement, which won’t really hurt Google’s deep pockets, is important because the tech giant generates the majority of its revenue from advertising and location-based advertising is a critical feature of its advertising platform.
Moving forward, the California AG is asking Google to provide additional transparency about location tracking by providing users with detailed information about location data it collects. The company must also provide disclaimers to users that their location information may be used for ad personalization.
Engadget reached out to Google for comment but didn't receive a response.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/google-settles-california-lawsuit-over-its-location-privacy-practices-190859183.html?src=rss
Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics
Come comment on this article: Google gives the Android branding a smart 3D refresh ahead of the Pixel 8 launch
The Google Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro will be here before you know it. Here are all the latest rumors, plus a few things we’re hoping to see.
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