Apple plots expansion into AI robots, home security and smart display
Apple is planning an ambitious AI-driven hardware comeback, including a robotic tabletop assistant, smart speaker with display, home-security cameras, and an overhauled Siri. Devices will run a new "Charismatic" OS, with voice-led interfaces and facial recognition, aiming to challenge rivals like Amazon and Google in the smart home space.
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India.com
3 minutes ago
- India.com
Bad news for Amazon, this state authorities issue notice over fake…, ask company to apologize and remove…
Authorities on Wednesday served notices to a West Bengal-based private firm and e-commerce major Amazon over allegations of misbranding fake carpets as 'authentic Kashmiri handmade silk carpets.' 'NOTICES issued 2 @jewelcarpet & @amazonIN for misbranding #KashmirCrafts,' Director, Department handicraft and handloom Mussarat Zia said in a post on X. What Are Allegations Against Amazon? Attaching a screenshot of the misbranded carpet to his post, Zia said, 'They must b crazy offering 50% rebates on cheap FAKES in name of Authentic Kashmiri Handmade Silk Carpet for '‚¹2,160 & '‚¹2,630. UNACCEPTABLE. Brings disrepute 2 artisans & high value items.' NOTICES issued 2 @jewelcarpet & @amazonIN for misbranding #KashmirCrafts They must b crazy offering 50% rebates on cheap FAKES in name of Authentic Kashmiri Handmade Silk Carpet for ₹2,160 & ₹2,630. UNACCEPTABLE. Brings disrepute 2 artisans & high value items@diprjk @dohhkmr — Mussarat Zia (@mussarat_zia) August 13, 2025 The size of silk carpet mentioned in the Amazon listing would cost upwards of Rs 25,000. The company has been also directed to provide details of all sales of the misbranded products and submit a compliance report within three days. Amazon India Quick-Commerce Plans Amazon India head Samir Kumar on Wednesday said the e-commerce company has seen an overwhelming response from customers in Bengaluru and Delhi, where it recently launched quick-commerce offering, and hinted at 'big plan to grow beyond', urging people to 'stay tuned'. Online commerce space has ample room for multiple players and it is still early days, Kumar – Country Manager at Amazon India told PTI in an interview. 'We at Amazon, believe that competition is always good for us. We welcome that. But at the same time, this whole space, e-commerce and online commerce, is such a big space,' he said. There's room for multiple players, Kumar said adding 'we believe it's very early on.' 'We are still scratching the surface,' he pointed out. On the Amazon Now, the company's quick commerce play in Bengaluru and New Delhi, Kumar said the response has been overwhelming. '…On beyond Bengaluru and Delhi, stay tuned for that. We have a very big plan to grow beyond…,' he said about the ultra fast delivery service. (With Inputs From PTI)
Indian Express
3 minutes ago
- Indian Express
Perplexity's $34.5B Chrome bid: How AI is fueling the next browser wars
AI search startup Perplexity has made an unsolicited offer to purchase Google Chrome for $34.5 billion, a move that comes as a US court considers forcing the tech giant to sell its popular web browser as part of the remedies in an antitrust case that Google lost last year. Google parent Alphabet's share price held steady on Tuesday, indicating that investors do not appear to be taking Perplexity's offer to buy Chrome seriously. However, Perplexity's move is still significant as it is targeted at one of Google's prized assets even as the US government pushes to break up the big tech company. The $34.5 billion potential price tag also highlights the growing strategic importance of web browsers in the age of AI. Perplexity has positioned itself as a challenger to Google with its generative AI-powered search products. The San Francisco-based startup closed a $100 million funding round in July this year at a valuation of $18 billion, as per reports. Its offer to buy Chrome at nearly twice its own value has drawn skepticism from analysts, tech columnists, and others. To be sure, Perplexity has said it will seek the help of outside investors to fund the $34.5 billion bid for Chrome. The company added that it would not make stealth modifications to the web browser, and has further offered to invest $3 billion in Chrome and its underlying web infrastructure over the next two years if the deal goes through. But that is still a very big if. The deal would realistically be possible only if the US district court rules in favour of the Department of Justice (DOJ) and forces Google to spin out its market-leading web browser, among other proposed remedies. In a landmark antitrust ruling last year, Judge Amit Mehta of the US District Court for the District of Columbia held that Google had an illegal monopoly of the online search market. The case then entered the remedies phase, where Judge Mehta heard arguments from both Google and the DOJ on the most appropriate ways to address the tech giant's anti-competitive behaviour and create a more equal playing field for other search competitors. The DOJ, which filed the landmark case against Google in 2020, called for the company's divestiture of Chrome. It also proposed to prohibit Google from making exclusive search deals with smartphone makers and browser developers to set its search engine as the default. For instance, the company reportedly pays Apple over $20 billion every year to make Google Search the default search engine on iPhones. Another proposed remedy by the DOJ is to make Google Search more interoperable. This would involve the company providing access to valuable search data such as ranking signals, US-originated query data, and its search index at a 'marginal cost, and on an ongoing basis.' In its defence, Google has argued that 'the DOJ's proposal to break off Chrome — which billions of people use for free — would break it and result in a shadow of the current Chrome.' The browser would likely become 'insecure and obsolete', Parisa Tabriz, vice president and general manager, Google Chrome, said. Google's counter-proposal is to let smartphone makers and browser developers have multiple default search agreements. With Judge Mehta set to rule on the proposed remedies this month, there is blood in the water as AI companies like Perplexity move to challenge Google's search dominance by trying to take Chrome off its hands. How does this tie into the browser wars? The second, and more strategic reason AI companies are eyeing web browsers is the shift in user behaviour. People are increasingly turning to AI chatbots like ChatGPT instead of traditional search engines to look up information online. Eddy Cue, a senior Apple executive, testified in the Google antitrust remedies case that search volume to its Safari browser had declined for the first time in 22 years. Cue linked the drop in search volume to the rise of AI chatbots. However, AI chatbots lack user context. Unlike traditional web browsers, chatbots do not offer insights into a user's online activity such as reading articles, writing emails, online shopping, etc. Tech startups like Perplexity, The Browser Company, and even OpenAI are looking to fill this gap by developing AI native web browsers, where the traditional search bar is replaced by an AI chatbot or agent. To be sure, Google is also testing a Gemini integration in Chrome. Perplexity on Wednesday announced that its agentic AI browser Comet is available to all Pro subscribers in the US. 'We'll start expanding access every week going forward to make Comet generally available to all Perplexity Pro users,' CEO Aravind Srinivas said in a post on X. Comet is a desktop browser that primarily relies on an AI agent to respond to user queries with links to relevant websites. It comes with several advanced features such as the ability to describe an image on a user's screen or perform deeper research about a particular topic. Users can also prompt the AI agent within Comet to take control of the browser and autonomously perform tasks such as sending an email or posting on a social media platform. For Perplexity, the appeal of Google Chrome is most likely its distribution. Google Chrome has a market share of 70 per cent in the global desktop browser market and a 67 per cent share in the mobile browser market. It has around 3.5 to 4 billion users globally, as per the DOJ. While Chrome's business model is not highly lucrative on its own, it plays a pivotal role in Google's search flywheel. The browser gathers data that feeds into its search engine, which uses the data to show more relevant search results as well as targeted ads. Note, search-related advertising makes up a bulk of Google's revenue. Chrome could also serve as a direct channel for Perplexity to showcase its latest and most advanced AI products, where users can experience their capabilities without actively seeking it out. It is likely that other AI companies will also throw their names into the running. Nick Turley, ChatGPT's head of product, testified during Google's antitrust remedies trial that OpenAI would be interested in buying Chrome. While ChatGPT already has web search features baked into it, the company would be able to potentially bring its AI chatbot to even more users with Chrome. Brian Provost, Yahoo's Search General Manager, also testified that the company would be open to buying Chrome with the help of its parent firm Apollo Global Management. However, big tech companies such as Apple, Microsoft, Meta, and Amazon are unlikely to pursue Chrome as it would be difficult to pass antitrust scrutiny.
India Today
3 minutes ago
- India Today
Apple to launch HomePod Mini 2 and Apple TV update this year possibly alongside iPhone 17
Looks like Apple has a busy launch schedule planned for the second half of 2025. The Cupertino giant is likely to launch the iPhone 17 series next month. Following that, the company is reportedly planning to refresh two of its popular home entertainment products, the compact HomePod mini and the Apple TV 4K.A new report by MacRumors, referencing Apple's own code, suggests that Apple is preparing to launch its next-generation HomePod mini and a more powerful Apple TV model, both expected to arrive before the end of mini 2 to be more powerfulThe new HomePod mini, internally codenamed B525, was spotted in code by MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris. According to the listing, the processor in the new-generation HomePod is built on the T8310 microarchitecture. Its the same core technology that currently powers the S9 and S10 chips in the Apple Watch Series 9 and Series 10. It is also anticipated to be used in the upcoming Watch Series 11. The current HomePod mini runs on the older S5 chip, which dates back to early Apple Watch models. If the report turns out to be true, the move to a newer S-series processor, potentially the S11, is expected to bring in a significant performance jump in the new-gen HomePod mini. The chip is rumoured to be a 64-bit dual-core processor derived from the A16 Bionic, paired with a four-core Neural Engine for on-device machine raw performance, the HomePod mini 2 is also rumoured to feature Apple's new in-house Wi-Fi and Bluetooth combo chip with support for Wi-Fi 6E, likely offering faster and more stable wireless TV 4K also on the launch schedule?Alongside the new HomePod mini, Apple is also rumoured to be preparing an upgraded Apple TV 4K. In the discovered code, the report points to the inclusion of the A17 Pro chip in the Apple TV. It's the same silicon powering the iPhone 15 Pro models. If true, this would mark a notable leap from the A15 Bionic found in the current Apple TV. The upgraded processor is expected to enable the device to run more demanding apps, deliver higher-end gaming experiences, and support Apple Intelligence the A17 Pro's advanced graphics capabilities mean the updated Apple TV could handle console-quality games with enhanced visual effects which could allow Apple to push further into the gaming space. The new-generation Apple TV is also expected to feature an Apple-designed Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip, potentially supporting Wi-Fi 6E or even Wi-Fi for the official launch timeline, rumours suggest the new Apple TV could debut alongside the iPhone 17 lineup at the same event, or Apple might choose to introduce its home entertainment refresh later in its end-of-year launch cycle.- Ends
