Google

Google has been under fire for its dominance in online search for years, and currently, the tech giant is facing down a case in the EU over its actions. This week, however, the company is leaning on the idea that its customers want to use Google Search over alternatives, with the evidence used to support that being that the most popular search term on Bing is apparently “Google.”

While the US and other regions are shining more of a spotlight on Google and the Play Store, the EU has already issued a 2018 ruling that imposed Google with a $5 billion fine over anticompetitive practices on Android. Google is fighting that fine, and slamming EU regulators over turning a blind eye to Apple.

In a post on The Keyword today, Google has officially announced plans to purchase the St. Johns Terminal property in New York City to build its largest office outside of California, the “Hudson Square” campus.

Just over a year after being officially announced, Google’s Grace Hopper undersea cable has now officially arrived in Bude, Cornwall, UK.

South Korea’s regulatory authority, The Korea Fair Trade Commission (KFTC), has handed down a ruling and fine regarding Google’s actions with Android, saying that Google’s contract preventing heavier Android skins are an abuse of the company’s dominant market position.

With the fifth and final beta now available to Pixel owners, Android 12 will be released in the “next few weeks” according to Google. Now, though, we might have some clearer insight into the exact Android 12 release date.

Google’s next environmental goal after committing to being carbon-free 24/7 worldwide by 2030 is focused on water and replenishing more of it than its offices and data centers use. 

Google is working with Antmicro on a “Human Presence Sensor” for upcoming Chromebooks, which could be used for face unlock or other long-awaited Chrome OS features.

After several leaks and our own exclusive reporting, Google announced last month that it would debut its first self-designed smartphone chip in the Pixel 6 series later this year. Apparently, the company’s ambitions don’t stop there. Today, a new report claims that Google is also building chips for future Chromebooks.

In newly unredacted court documents from the Epic vs. Google case, a previously unknown program has come to light. Google’s “Premier Device Program” offered Android phone-makers an incentive to exclusively use the Play Store instead of third-party options.

As Epic Games continues its legal battles with Google and Apple, court documents are revealing a lot of interesting details regarding conversations behind the scenes. Today, an unredacted document sees a claim from Epic Games that, at one point, Google had apparently considered locking down Android’s ability to sideload apps in response to the Fortnite feud.

Google and Sonos have been engaged in a semi-public feud over the past couple of years, which has seen some legal battles as well. Following a lawsuit started in early 2020, a preliminary ruling has been passed down that accuses Google of infringing on several Sonos patents.

In a blog post today, Google is announcing several new online tools and changes to its various products that are designed to protect kids under the age of 18. These changes encompass Search, YouTube Kids, and much more.

Google is currently in the midst of defending itself against a US lawsuit that takes issue with the Play Store requirement to use Google’s in-app billing, which takes a cut of revenue. Recently unsealed court documents have surfaced interesting details regarding Google and Epic Games, including that Google once called sideloading on Android an “awful experience.”

Sundar Pichai kicked off yesterday’s Alphabet Q2 2021 earnings call by encouraging “everyone to get the vaccine when it’s available to you.” In an internal memo today, the Google CEO announced that vaccinations will be required for employees working at offices.

Alphabet today announced Q2 2021 earnings with $61.88 billion in revenue. These numbers range from April to June, and reflect an increasing return to normal in some industries.

Sundar Pichai has historically maintained a low public profile, especially as of late, compared to other tech CEOs. A fascinating interview with the Alphabet/Google CEO by the BBC aired in the UK last week and reveals more than recent talks.