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| Welcome to the latest edition of Inside Tech! Here are today's highlights: - Google unveils the Pixel 8, Pixel 8 Pro, and Pixel Watch 2.
- Netflix to raise prices after the ongoing actor's strike ends.
- Apple CEO Tim Cook nets $41M in share sale.
If you find this newsletter useful, please share it with your friends and colleagues. Thank you! Beth
p/beth-duckett | |
| 1 | Google introduced the Pixel 8, Pixel 8 Pro, and Pixel Watch 2 at its hardware event on Wednesday. While the reveals were expected, the company did share and confirm details about the new devices. More: - The Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro Smartphones will launch on October 12 starting at $699 and $999, with preorders starting today.
- Both models support a 120Hz max refresh rate along with better performance through the Google Tensor G3 chip.
- The new chip has improved AI and machine learning capabilities, allowing the phones to do tasks like summarize web pages, block out spam calls, and edit photos and videos.
- The Pro model has a larger 6.7-inch OLED screen, improved camera capabilities, and a built-in temperature sensor.
Other announcements: - The Pixel Watch 2, its upgraded smartwatch, offers improved heart rate monitoring and new body-response and skin temperature sensors from Fitbit, which help with stress management.
- Google has also started rolling out Android 14 for Pixel phones, with Samsung and other devices gaining access later this year. The latest OS version offers new lock screen customizations, improved privacy protections, and expanded passkey support to sign in to third-party apps with a fingerprint.
- Google also extended its Pixel phone software support to seven years, up from five, far ahead of competitors.
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| 2 | | According to The Wall Street Journal, Netflix plans to raise the price of its ad-free subscription plans a "few months" after the Hollywood actors' strike ends. The undisclosed price increase is expected to impact several global markets, starting in the U.S. and Canada. More: - Talks between the actors' union and studios are ongoing, with negotiators meeting today for the second time this week.
- Netflix's last price increase in early 2022 set the Basic plan at $9.99/month, the Standard plan at $15.49/month, and the Premium plan at $19.99/month.
- Netflix recently discontinued its $9.99/month Basic ad-free tier in the U.S. and U.K., pushing customers towards its $6.99/month ad-supported plan or more expensive tiers.
Zoom out: - Other streaming services are also raising prices. Disney+ without ads will soon cost $13.99/month, while ad-free Hulu will be $17.99/month, with both price hikes taking effect this month.
Q: For Netflix subscribers: Would you still consider keeping your subscription if prices go up? Let us know by joining the discussion on our community site. | | | |
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| 3 | | Apple CEO Tim Cook sold 511,000 shares of Apple stock in the past week, netting approximately $41.5M after taxes, according to an SEC filing. Cook's largest stock sale in over two years coincides with an unusual downturn in Apple's stock performance, which has seen a 13% decline from its peak of $198.23 in July. Apple's valuation has still surged by $628B this year, solidifying its position as the world's most valuable company with a market capitalization of $2.7T. 
What happened: According to the filing, Cook sold 270,000 shares on Friday and an additional 241,000 on Monday, resulting in gross proceeds of $88M. It is Cook's largest Apple share sale since August 2021, when he netted $355M after taxes. He now owns around 3.28 million Apple shares worth roughly $565M, the filing showed. What else: Other Apple executives, including Deirdre O'Brien and Katherine Adams, also reported recent stock sales of $11.3M each before taxes, according to separate regulatory filings. The bigger picture: Following a rare 40% pay cut this year, Cook's compensation now stands at $49M, with his stock awards tied to Apple's performance increasing from 50% to 75%. In 2015, Cook told Fortune that he planned to donate all of his wealth after setting aside money to pay for his nephew's college education. | | | |
| 4 | | Meta, Facebook's parent company, is reportedly cutting jobs in its metaverse custom silicon division, according to Reuters. The Facebook Agile Silicon Team, or FAST, designs custom chips for the company's VR headsets and other metaverse devices, improving their performance and efficiency. More: - The layoffs were revealed in an internal forum on Tuesday, but exact figures were not disclosed.
- FAST employs approximately 600 staff members.
- A restructuring was expected after Meta hired Jean Boufarhat, a former Microsoft chip executive, to lead the unit in April.
Zoom out: - The move comes shortly after the release of Meta's Quest 3 mixed reality headsets, a key component of its metaverse strategy, along with its updated Ray-Ban smart glasses.
- Meta has cut about 21,000 jobs since November.
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| 5 | Uber drivers can now return customers' packages to post offices, UPS, or FedEx stores. Uber introduced a "Return a Package" feature through Uber Connect, allowing customers to return up to five prepaid packages for a $5 flat fee (or $3 for Uber One members). More: - Uber Connect is the company's service that provides same-day local delivery services.
- With its new "Return a package" service, customers can schedule a driver to pick up their package through the Uber of Uber Eats app.
- The feature, which also tracks the real-time delivery progress, is available in "dozens" of major metro areas.
- The service has weight and value limits of 30 pounds and $100, respectively.
Zoom out: - According to a February study cited by Uber, almost 50% of consumers would rather dea with rush-hour traffic than mail returns.
- Nearly 80% of shoppers under 30 find mail returns to be "somewhat or very annoying."
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| 6 | | Microsoft's LinkedIn partnered with OpenAI to introduce new AI features, including a learning coach and talent-sourcing platform. LinkedIn has already been gradually incorporating AI into its services, including AI-based writing suggestions and AI-created job descriptions. More: - The new offerings include Recruiter 2024, an AI-assisted recruiting experience using generative AI.
- Recruiters type in natural language prompts, and the AI tool will create a project and offer a list of matching candidates.
- LinkedIn is also offering an AI-powered learning coach for LinkedIn Learning, offering tailored advice based on job title and more, as well as an AI tool for marketing called Accelerate.
- AI is also being applied to LinkedIn's Inside Sales for better B2B audience engagement.
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Term of the Day January Effect: The January Effect is a seasonal increase in stock prices that tends to happen in January. Question of the Week Do you share details about your salary with your coworkers? Join the conversation |
INSIDE TECH LEADERBOARD (7 DAYS) |
 | AI and technology writer | | Beth is an editor and writer of Inside's AI and Tech newsletters, with a career spanning journalism since 2007. She has written for publications including The Arizona Republic and USA Today and authored a book on the solar industry in 2016. Reach her at Beth.Duckett@yahoo.com. | | This newsletter was edited by Eduardo Garcia | |
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