From the launch of Chinese smartphone maker OnePlus' flagship OnePlus 12 series to reports that major companies like Microsoft and Salesforce are making mass layoffs, there have been a number of big events shaking up the tech world over the past week. woke up. A round-up of this week's top technology news.
1) Launch of OnePlus 12 series:
OnePlus announced the OnePlus 12 series at its “Smooth Beyond Belief” event on January 23rd. The two smartphones, OnePlus 12 and OnePlus 12R, come with powerful chipsets, vibrant displays, and a 100W fast charger that can refill the battery in about 26 hours. Minutes.
The OnePlus 12 is powered by the flagship Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC, while the OnePlus 12R is powered by last year's premium Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset.
OnePlus 12 prices start below INROnePlus 12R price starts from 64,999. INR39,999 in India.
2) Microsoft layoffs:
Microsoft will lay off about 1,900 employees at Activision Blizzard and Xbox this week, news website The Verge reported on January 25th. The report quoted the memo.
The company is primarily laying off positions at Activision Blizzard, but some Xbox and ZeniMax employees will also be affected by the layoffs, according to the report.
3) Salesforce headcount reductions:
US cloud-based software company Salesforce will lay off about 700 employees, nearly 1% of its global workforce, Reuters reported, citing the Wall Street Journal. Salesforce's layoffs follow a wave of layoffs at U.S. tech companies, including giants like Amazon and Google.
Last year, Salesforce cut its workforce by 10% and closed some offices to reduce headcount. However, the company announced that it would hire more than 3,000 people in September 2023 after cutting staff in January last year to improve profit margins.
4) Apple's new AI features in iOS 17.4 beta:
Apple is reportedly preparing to release the long-awaited iOS 18 in June with enhanced artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities. A sneak preview of the iOS 17.4 beta has arrived, showing Apple's plans to enhance Siri's AI capabilities. And surprisingly, OpenAI's ChatGPT API has emerged as a key ally in this technological evolution.
A newly discovered SiriSummarization private framework in the code calls OpenAI's ChatGPT API. As reported by 9to5Mac, this integration will continue to evolve, as evidenced by system prompts such as “Please summarize,” “Answer this question,” and “Summary the given text.” It plays a pivotal role in Apple's internal testing of AI capabilities.
4) Spotify CEO accepts Apple's proposed App Store changes, 'arrogantly…':
Daniel Ek, CEO of Swedish music streaming service Spotify, on January 26 criticized Apple's proposed changes to the App Store ahead of the EU Digital Markets Act (DMA), saying the changes It called it “vague and misleading at best,” “a new low for the company” and “extortion.” .
Spotify's CEO claimed in a blog post that under false pretenses of compliance and concessions, Apple has proposed a new plan that is “a complete and utter farce.”
He argued that: “Apple is nothing if not consistent. They have been cheating for years, but this takes the level of arrogance to a whole new level. The falsehood of compliance and concessions. Under the pretext of , they proposed a new plan that is an utter farce. In essence, the old tax was no longer acceptable under the DMA, so a new tax was created under the guise of compliance with the law. .”
5) Microsofft is working on smaller and cheaper AI technology.
Microsoft is reportedly working on developing artificial intelligence technology that is smaller and cheaper to run than the current technology it is currently procuring from OpenAI.
According to a report in The Information, Microsoft has formed a new team to develop conversational AI, which has less processing power than OpenAI's technology. The report also notes that Microsoft has moved several top developers from its research group to the New Generation AI team.
Click here to read the full report
6) GTA Vice City Nostalgia:
Excitement is at an all-time high as Grand Theft Auto fans eagerly analyze every frame of the GTA 6 trailer for potential clues and connections to their beloved Vice City. The speculation specifically focuses on Tommy Vercetti, the iconic GTA: Vice City character voiced by the late Ray Liotta. Although Rockstar has not officially confirmed anything, the building spotted in the trailer has sparked a new wave of speculation in the GTA community.
Vice City, a virtual representation of the GTA universe's Miami, is being talked about amid rumors that GTA 6 may return to the iconic location. Despite the gap between the HD Universe and his early PS2 days, fans are intrigued by the possible connections between the games. The waterfront mansion of Tommy Vercetti, a memorable character in the 2002 classic film, has become a center of curiosity.
Click here to read the full report
Unlock a world of benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time inventory tracking, breaking news and personalized newsfeeds, it's all here, just a click away. Log in here!
