Google Puts Auto Expansion in Top Gear

Google has been making news in the automotive industry this year. First, with the announcement of HD Maps to support assisted driving and then with a partnership with Mercedes Benz to develop Mercedes-branded navigation. Google’s deal with Mercedes is interesting. Google will be licensing services including YouTube and map data to Mercedes but without the automotive OS, and it will not control…

Google I/O 2023 Key Highlights: Generative AI, Search, New Pixel Devices and More

Google held its annual developer conference, I/O 2023, at the Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, California. The company’s biggest event of the year was attended by developers, media, and partners. At the conference, Google offered a glimpse of new features powered by generative AI, and how it is changing the landscape of core products from Gmail to Sheets, Slides, and Google Photos. The…

BoM Analysis: Google Pixel Watch Costs $123 to Make

The BoM cost of the LTE-capable Google Pixel Watch is estimated to be $123, which is a big leap from the previous Fitbit smartwatches. Samsung not only provides the highly integrated main chipset but also supplies the LTE transceiver and other paired components, collectively accounting for around 20% of the total BoM cost. BOE, which is the exclusive supplier of the smartwatch’s custom…

BoM Analysis – Samsung Accounts for More Than 50% of BoM Cost in Google’s Pixel 7 Pro

Samsung plays a critical role in strengthening Google’s presence in the high-end segment and contributes to more than half of the Google Pixel 7 Pro’s bill of materials (BoM) cost. Samsung Display exclusively supplies the model’s brand-new screen, which accounts for around 20% of the BoM cost. Google ranks second in terms of cost contribution, accounting for over 7% of the model’s BoM cost.…

HERE Maintains Location Platform Leadership; TomTom Surpasses Google to Take Second Position; Mapbox Moves to Fourth

HERE took an unassailable lead across major criteria such as Location Intelligence, Location Services and Platform by a wide margin. TomTom and Mapbox moved up the rankings with a more holistic platform play across consumer, enterprise and auto verticals when compared to Google. 2022 saw the entry and expansion of newer players such as Huawei Petal Maps, MIREO, Carto and Otonomo.…

Google Pixel 6a Review: Bringing Tensor’s advanced AI & ML experiences to a lower price point

Google introduced its affordable Pixel “a” series smartphone in 2019, focusing on offering pure Android OS, Google smarts, and flagship computational photography experiences at lower price points. In 2020, we used the Pixel 4a (review) and were impressed with its still photography capabilities. Now, we have the latest $450 Google Pixel 6a which brings several improvements over the predecessor.……

Google allows Donald Trump’s Truth Social in Play Store

TMTG early this month announced today that a Truth Social app was freshly available for people in the United States who use Samsung smartphones, which are powered by customized Android software and have their own app shop. Samsung's share of the US smartphone market is about 30 percent, according to industry analysis firm Counterpoint...Read more

Pixel 7 and Watch: Made by Google Showcases Android Greatness, Attempts to Check Shift to iOS

Made by Google 2022 showcased new Pixel 7 and 7 Pro, Pixel Watch, and a new Pixel Tablet coming in 2023 Latest G2 Tensor chip promises 60% improvement in machine learning and 20% improved efficiency with Google's custom TPU Sustainability a core focus for Google, every product made partially with recycled materials Pixel seeks to promote Androids best features and innovations to help…

Local Lead: After Uber, Grab Aims to Overtake Google Maps, HERE in Southeast Asia

In 2018, when Uber was dominating the ride-hailing market across the globe, it sold its Southeast Asian business to Grab, recognizing its weak credentials in offering localized services. Fast forward to June 2022, when Grab announced that it would be competing with Google and HERE by launching a map service called GrabMaps. Currently, the GrabMaps service is powering Grab in seven out of the…

Can Google’s Pixel Watch Be a Game Changer in Smartwatch Market?

Google has finally unveiled its first smartwatch — Pixel Watch. No surprise here, considering that this is being predicted since 2019, when Google announced its acquisition of Fitbit. At the same time, there has been a lot of market interest in the details. Although Google did not mention the price or detailed specifications, user-friendly software such as Google Maps, Google Wallet and…

HERE Maintains the Location Platform Leadership, Ahead of Google, and TomTom in 2021

The tech industry is going through an “intelligent” digital transformation wave as data collected from the billions of connected fixed and mobile assets is converted into actionable intelligence and insights. However, all the intelligence is less useful without adding richer “location data” as context. The power of location when merged with the business and telemetry data is the new battleground…

Pixel 6, Pixel 6 Pro with Tensor SoC: Google’s Showcase of AI and ML Advancements

The Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro smartphones come with a new and impressive industrial design. The smartphones are powered by Google’s in-house Tensor SoC that leverages AI and ML to enable rich new experiences. After officially announcing its Tensor processor in August this year to power the Pixel smartphones, Google has now launched the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro models. Marking a departure from…

India antitrust probe finds Google abused Android dominance, report shows

Microsoft, Amazon.com, Apple, as well as smartphone makers like Samsung and Xiaomi, were among 62 entities that responded to CCI questions during its Google investigation, the report says. Android powers 98% of India’s 520 million smartphones, according to Counterpoint Research...Read more

Google Share to Drop Leading up to Pixel 6 Launch

Last month, Google released its new Google Pixel 5a 5G model, the follow-up to last year’s Pixel 4a and 4a 5g. The Pixel 5a 5G packs decent specs compared to its predecessor, including a larger 6.34” display, a 4680 mAh battery, an updated Snapdragon 765G processor, and water and dust resistance. More importantly, the Pixel 5a 5G retails for $449 compared to the Pixel 4a 5G’s $499 launch price.…