| Here is today's tech briefing: - Jury rules that Google app store has illegal monopoly.
- E3 will shut down permanently.
- Apple is training retail employees for Vision Pro headset.
Beth
p/beth-duckett | |
| 1 | | A U.S. jury has sided with Epic Games in its antitrust lawsuit against Google, finding that the internet search giant holds an illegal monopoly in its Google Play app store and Play Billing service. After a four-week trial, Monday's unanimous verdict was reached after only three hours of deliberation, with Epic hailing it as "a win for all app developers and consumers around the world." Google plans to appeal the decision. More: - Epic Games, the creator of Fortnite, sued Google in 2020, accusing the company of abusing its power to protect its Google Play Store from competition.
- Google, like the Apple App Store, charges a commission of up to 30% on in-app digital transactions, which Epic argued constitutes an unlawful monopoly.
- On Monday, a federal jury in San Francisco sided with Epic on every question, finding that Google holds monopoly power in the Android app distribution and in-app billing services markets.
- The jury agreed that Google engages in anticompetitive practices in the Android market that have injured Epic.
- Jury members also found that Google has an illegal tie-in between its app store and billing payment services.
- Google continues to deny wrongdoing and notes that it competes against Apple for app sales.
Zoom out: - If the ruling endures the appeals process, it could fundamentally change how Google and Apple oversee the distribution of third-party apps on their mobile operating systems.
- However, an appeals court ruled in April that Apple App Store policies don't violate federal antitrust law, siding with Apple in a years-long legal challenge brought by Epic.
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| 2 | | E3, formerly the gaming industry's largest trade show, is permanently shutting down and won't return in 2024. The Entertainment Software Association, the nonprofit trade organizer behind E3, confirmed the news in a post on X today, writing that "the time has come to say goodbye." More: - ESA CEO Stanley Pierre-Louis called it the right move "given the new opportunities our industry has to reach fans and partners."
- E3 hasn't held an in-person event since 2019. The event was canceled in 2020 due to the pandemic, and in 2021, it shifted to a digital showcase.
- Plans for a hybrid in-person and online event in 2023 were later canceled after major players like Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo withdrew from the show.
Zoom out: - E3's decline is linked to game publishers' changing strategies, including year-round game releases and direct fan engagement through events like Nintendo Direct or State of Play.
- Gaming events like Gamescom surpass E3 in terms of attendance. Geoff Keighley's Summer Game Fest included a physical event last year and is set to return in 2024.
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| 3 | | Apple is preparing its retail stores for its upcoming Vision Pro headset, which could launch as early as January, Bloomberg reports. Apple has scheduled seminars for select employees from each of its U.S. stores to undergo training for the mixed-reality headset. More: - During seminars in Apple's HQ of Cupertino, California, employees from each store will learn how to use and sell Vision Pro, Appe's first spatial computing device.
- The setup process for the Vision Pro will "be complex and not something Apple wants to screw up," according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
- Priced at $3,499, the device must be customized to each customer, whose experience could be ruined by a poor fitting.
- As a result, Apple is meticulously planning all aspects, from employee interactions to device placement on a user's head, according to Gurman.
- The device will initially launch in the U.S. only, with purchases requiring appointments. Customers who reserve one online could be encouraged to pick it up in-store.
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| 4 | | Crypto hack losses this year have dropped by over 50% compared to 2022, according to TRM Labs. Infrastructure attacks, like private-key theft, accounted for nearly 60% of this year's total stolen funds, as reported by the financial crime detection service. 
What the numbers show: Cybercriminals stole $1.7B in the year through November 2023, which is less than half the $4B lost to hacks in 2022. The top 10 crypto hacks this year accounted for nearly 70% of stolen funds, with major incidents involving Euler Finance, Multichain, and Poloniexs. While a few major hacks could narrow the gap in December, 2023 is expected to end with significantly lower totals than 2022, as per TRM Labs. What it means: TRM attributed the decline in hack volumes to improved security measures, increased law enforcement efforts, and greater industry coordination. Despite the positive development, the service warned that vigilance and adaptability are crucial in the rapidly changing hacking landscape, as new threats will likely still emerge in 2024. | | | |
| 5 | | Tesla has re-introduced a clause that could lead to legal action if new Cybertruck buyers flip their vehicles too soon. The rule prevents buyers from selling the luxury EV truck within the first year without explicit permission from Tesla. More: - Tesla initially added the clause but later removed it, before appearing to reinstate it again.
- A purchase agreement says Tesla may seek injunctive relief to prevent Cybertruck owners from selling their vehicles.
- If Tesla denies consent and the car is sold, Tesla can also demand liquidated damages from the owner for $50,000 or the value from the sale or transfer, whichever is greater.
- However, it remains uncertain if the rule applies universally to all buyers or only to those of the $120,000 Foundation Series limited-edition models.
Zoom out: - The company delivered its first Cybertrucks on Nov. 30, with full production slated for next year.
- The lineup offers different price points: the rear-drive model begins at $60,990, the midlevel all-wheel-drive version starts at $79,990, and the high-end Cyberbeast is priced at $99,990.
- While the more expensive models are expected to be widely available in 2024, the rear-drive truck is set to follow in 2025.
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| 6 | | European AI startup Mistral AI raised €385M ($415M) in a funding round led by Andreessen Horowitz and Lightspeed Ventures. Bloomberg reported that the round values the company at roughly $2B, making it one of the highest-valued AI startups. More: - Mistral AI, founded by former Meta and DeepMind AI researchers, develops open-source software for powering generative AI applications.
- Other investors in the round include Salesforce, BNP Paribas, CMA-CGM, General Catalyst, Elad Gil, and Conviction.
- In addition to the funding, Mistral AI is launching its beta developer platform, allowing other companies to access and use Mistral AI's models through APIs for a fee.
- In September, Paris-based Mistral launched its first model, Mistral 7B, offering it as a free download for developers to use on their devices and servers.
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- Apple releases its list of the most downloaded apps and games of 2023 in the U.S. The top free iPhone app was "Temu: Shop Like a Billionaire" and the top paid app was "Shadowrocket."
- Samsung's upcoming Android update will introduce AI features, including Google AI wallpapers adapted from the Pixel 8 series for Samsung Galaxy phones.
- Bose is discontinuing its Frames audio smart glasses, with plans to stop selling them by the end of the year.
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*This is a sponsored post. | | | |
 | AI and technology writer | | Beth is a contributing editor and writer of Inside's AI and Tech newsletters. She has written for notable publications like USA Today and the Arizona Business Gazette. During her time as a public policy reporter at The Arizona Republic, she received recognition with a Pulitzer Prize nomination and a First Amendment Award for her collaborative reporting on pension cost increases. Beth also authored a book on the solar photovoltaic industry in 2016. You can reach her at Beth.Duckett@yahoo.com. | | This newsletter was edited by Eduardo Garcia | |
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