Weekly Tech Recap: From Apple launching two new iPad models to Sam Altman refuting reports that OpenAI is launching a new search engine ahead of Google I/O 2024 event, there’s a lot to unpack in this week’s tech recap. Without further ado, let’s dive into the top 5 tech news of the week.
1) Apple reveals AI ambition with new iPad Pro:
Apple unveiled two new iPads at its Let Loose event this week, giving the company’s tablet range a much-needed upgrade after a wait of around 18 months. The iPad Air lineup sees some major improvements, including the addition of a larger 13-inch variant for the first time and an upgrade to the faster M2 chipset compared to the M1 on its predecessor. Apple has also moved the camera to the side of the iPad Air, making it much easier to use the device in landscape mode.
However, the star of the show at the Let Loose event was the iPad Pro, which is being marketed as the thinnest device Apple has ever made. The new iPad Pro range features a new OLED Ultra Retina XDR display and Apple’s latest M4 chipset. The new processor runs on 3-nanometer technology, which is said to be much more power efficient and deliver up to 1.5x better CPU performance compared to the M2 chipset in the last-gen iPad Pro.
But the intriguing thing here is that, for the first time, you can see Apple trying to position one of its devices for AI use cases. Apple says that the new iPad Pro is an “outrageously powerful device for AI”, thanks to a new neural engine capable of 38 trillion operations per second.
2) Google quietly introduces Pixel 8a:
Google shocked everyone when it quietly unveiled the Pixel 8a right after the iPad launch event on May 7. The latest member of the Pixel ‘A’ series features the same Tensor G3 chipset as its more expensive siblings and supports up to 8GB of LPDDR5X RAM and up to 256GB of UFS 3.1 storage.
The Pixel 8a also comes with the promise of 7 years of OS updates and security patches. Google is also bringing a number of AI features to the Pixel 8a, including the integration of Gemini AI, Circle to Search, Magic Eraser and Best Take.
In terms of optics, the Pixel 8a comes with a dual rear camera setup, including a 64MP primary sensor with OIS and a 13MP ultra-wide-angle lens. There is also a 13MP front-facing shooter for handling all the selfie and video calling needs. The Pixel 8a is capable of shooting up to 4K 60fps video from the rear cameras and 4K 30fps from the selfie shooter.
3) Sam Altman refutes report of launching a new AI search engine to rival Google:
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has denied reports that his company could launch a new AI-powered search engine to rival Google and Perplexity AI on May 13, just one day before the Android maker’s I/O 2024 event. However, Altman did state that he would be making some new announcements regarding ChatGPT and GPT-4 at an event on Monday.
Refuting reports of starting a new search engine or announcing GPT-5, Altman wrote in a post on X (formerly Twitter), “not gpt-5, not a search engine, but we’ve been hard at work on some new stuff we think people will love! feels like magic to me. monday 10am PT.”
4) Google Wallet launched in India:
Google has launched its digital wallet application, Google Wallet, in India. The application allows users to securely store their private information such as loyalty cards, transit passes, IDs and more. However, the company has categorically stated that the launch of Google Wallet will not affect its already popular UPI application, Google Pay.
Google Wallet app will come pre-installed on all Pixel smartphones in India. While non-Pixel users can head to the Play Store to download the digital wallet and use it to store their card details. However, the Mountain View, California-based company has confirmed that the Google Wallet app will not be coming to wearables in Inida just yet.
5) New upgrade to Siri might be in store at WWDC 2024:
Apple may introduce a much-needed generative AI-powered upgrade to Siri that could make the voice assistant more conversational and versatile and giving it the ability to chat rather than just answer one question at a time, the New York Times reported. The new Siri upgrade, along with Apple’s other AI offerings, could be unveiled at the company’s Worldwide Developers Conference on June 10.
Apple reportedly isn’t looking to compete directly with ChatGPT with the new Siri upgrade. Instead, the company is focusing on making Siri better at tasks it already does, such as setting reminders, creating calendar appointments, adding items to shopping lists and more. Siri could also get the ability to summarise text messages.
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Published: 12 May 2024, 03:07 PM IST
