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With a plethora of news hitting throughout the week, its hard to keep up pace with top news stories. In order to help the readers stay up to date, we have compiled the Weekly Tech Recap where we take a look at the top news making waves in the world of technology. This week, reports suggested that Google could be forced to sell its Chrome browser and remove some key services from Android, a more conversational Siri could be in the works for iOS 19, WhatsApp gets a new Voice Note transcription feature and more.
1) Google could be forced to sell Chrome browser, decouple Android: US Justice Department is set to request a judge to mandate that Google divest its Chrome browser, according to Bloomberg. The department may also propose additional measures targeting artificial intelligence and Google’s Android operating system. Judge Amit Mehta might also consider imposing data licensing requirements on the tech giant.
If these proposals are accepted, it would mark an unprecedented legal action against a big tech company. This development follows an August ruling in which the court found Google guilty of violating antitrust laws by maintaining monopolistic control over the search and advertising markets. “After having carefully considered and weighed the witness testimony and evidence, the court reaches the following conclusion: Google is a monopolist, and it has acted as one to maintain its monopoly," the ruling stated.
Currently, Google Chrome leads the global browser market with a commanding 65% share, while Apple’s Safari trails at 21%, according to SimilarWeb’s October 2024 data. 2) iPhone 17 Air may feature a revamped camera module: In an early report, The Information highlighted that the iPhone 17 Air might feature a significant shift in camera placement, moving from the traditional left-hand corner to a top-centre position. Over the years, Apple has maintained its signature corner placement for the camera in single, dual, or triple-camera setups, giving its devices a distinctive look compared to the competition.
However, the iPhone 17 Air is expected to deviate from this, likely as a measure to accommodate the device's slim profile and ensure better weight distribution. A recent video from Apple Track on YouTube has given us a closer look at what the iPhone 17 Air could look like. According to the render, the device would sport a dual-camera setup positioned at the centre-top of the rear panel, with the LED flash placed directly below.
This central positioning, though, has raised eyebrows, as it seems to compromise the phone’s aesthetic, especially when compared to earlier rumours suggesting a single rear camera setup. 3) LLM Siri set to make debut with iOS 19: After giving a major overhaul to Siri with iOS 18 earlier this year, Apple is now planning to develop a more conversation version of the voice assistant akin to OpenAI's ChatGPT and Google's Gemini, according to a report by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. The new Siri is said to use a more advance large language model (LLM) that could potentially improve back and forth conversations and allow the voice assistant to handle sophisticated requests more quickly.
Reportedly, the new voice assistant, which will eventually replace the current Siri, is being dubbed as ‘LLM Siri’ by the people working on it. The new Siri overhaul is likely to be announced as part of the iOS 19 and macOS 16 update, internally named Luck and Cheer, in 2025. However, much like the upgraded Siri features in iOS 18, the new Siri isn't expected to come packed with iPhone 17 next year and instead the Cupertino based tech giant is planning to release the revamped digital assistant some time in Spring 2026, as per Gurman.
4) WhatsApp gets new Voice Note Transcription feature: WhatsApp has introduced a new transcription feature that allows users to read the contents of voice messages without needing to listen to them. This new voice transcript feature is especially useful in noisy environments or during busy meetings. WhatsApp has announced that the feature is rolling out globally today for both Android and iOS users and will be available to all users in the coming weeks.
WhatsApp doesn't provide details on whether the company is using AI to transcribe voice messages into text. However, the Meta-owned messaging app has revealed that transcripts are generated on the device itself, ensuring that voice messages remain end-to-end encrypted. This means no one, including WhatsApp, can listen to the voice messages.
5) TRAI takes key steps to combat spam calls: Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has taken several decisive steps to tackle the ongoing issue of spam calls and SMS, reporting significant progress in reducing complaints and enhancing message traceability. In a move to clamp down on unauthorised promotional calls, TRAI issued directives on 13th August 2024 mandating stringent actions against violators. Penalties include disconnection of telecom resources, blacklisting for up to two years, and bans on new resource allocations during this period.
As per the regulatory body, these measures have shown promising results, with complaints about spam calls reducing steadily. Access Providers reported 1.89 lakh complaints in August 2024, which dropped to 1.
63 lakh in September (a 13 per cent reduction) and further to 1.51 lakh in October (a 20 per cent reduction from August). Livemint tops charts as the fastest growing news website in the world to know more.
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