The Tech Landscape #120 🦟
Food additive E120, or Carmine, is a bright red colouring used in sweets, juices, ice cream, yoghurt, and many cosmetics. It’s produced by boiling red scale insects.
This was a huge week for news—I think a lot of announcements were held back by a week or two to avoid being lost in the wake of Apple’s new iPhone launches. I’ve picked out a couple of stories I think are important to avoid them being overlooked.
Highlights
Google made a number of announcements related to their Indian audience, most intriguingly a new platform called Spot that lets businesses sell directly through Google Pay; this approach, neither web nor native app, seems very similar to the Mini Programs that are very popular in China, and is Google’s second attempt at this after the announcement of Mini-apps in Assistant and search announced at IO this year. Other news includes language switching in Assistant and wider multi-language support across other apps, a toll-free phone number that people can use to call Assistant, and a new Pay for Business app that lets retailers accept online payment without verification.
blog.google/around-the-globe/google-asia/more-accessible-internet-india/
Facebook announced three new versions of its Portal smart display: an updated original, the Portal Mini, and Portal TV that turns your TV into a video-calling device. The devices will be available internationally for the first time, including in the UK. WhatsApp calls, Alexa, and Amazon Prime Video make these a pretty attractive package.
newsroom.fb.com/news/2019/09/meet-the-new-portal-family/
Assistants & Voice
Google Assistant users in nine countries, including the UK, can now change the voice of their Assistant. New users setting up for the first time will be assigned a voice at random, a nice way to avoid accusations of gender bias.
blog.google/products/assistant/new-voices-your-google-assistant-nine-countries/
Alexa can now speak Hindi and Hinglish for the ‘hundreds of thousands’ of Echo owners in India.
amazon.in/b?ie=UTF8&node=1592137031
Drivers using Apple’s CarPlay can now get directions from Google Maps and Waze by using Siri.
9to5mac.com/2019/09/19/google-maps-waze-siri/
Users of the Tmall Genie smart speaker in China can now get a Starbucks coffee delivered in 30 minutes by using a voice command.
abacusnews.com/culture/people-can-get-starbucks-delivered-30-minutes-asking-their-smart-speaker/article/3028084
XR
Snapchat added 3D Camera Mode that applies filters to pictures and videos taken with depth-sensing cameras. The feature will be exclusive to iPhone XR and above at launch, although anyone can view them. The latest Snap Spectacles also take 3D images.
snap.com/en-GB/news/post/3d-snaps/
Magic Leap has opened up its AR platform for Concepts—essentially, demos. It’s an easy way to get more content to users.
magicleap.com/news/product-updates/magic-leap-world-wants-concepts
North’s AR-lite Focals smart glasses will now allow users of iPhone X and above to get a fitted pair by scanning their faces using Apple’s TrueDepth cameras. The glasses previously had to be fitted by visiting a physical store.
theverge.com/2019/9/18/20872000/north-focals-smart-glasses-truedepth-3d-face-scan-ordering-iphone-home-fitting
Facebook is reportedly working with Luxottica, owner of eyewear brands including Ray Ban, on a pair of AR smart glasses which will work independently of phones. The glasses are aimed for release between 2023 and 2025.
cnbc.com/2019/09/17/facebook-enlists-ray-ban-maker-luxottica-to-make-orion-ar-glasses.html
Social
Facebook announced new tools for video creators, including extended live broadcasting features, and scheduling for Watch Parties and IGTV.
techcrunch.com/2019/09/16/facebook-rolls-out-new-video-tools-plus-instagram-and-igtv-scheduling-feature/
TikTok ran a trial of an in-app shopping feature with US brand Kroger. Hashtag Challenge Plus lets brands place their products with creators and lets users buy the product through a separate tab.
pymnts.com/news/mobile-commerce/2019/tiktok-video-platform-launches-in-app-shopping-feature/
Twitter is expanding its ‘hide replies’ feature to the US and Japan, after successfully trialling it in Canada.
blog.twitter.com/en_us/topics/product/2019/controlexpansion.html
Facebook revealed details of its new independent Oversight Board, which will deal with big matters of free speech and harmful content. People will be able to appeal Facebook’s decisions to this board, which has the power to overturn decisions.
newsroom.fb.com/news/2019/09/oversight-board-structure/
Hardware
Google will reveal its 2019 hardware lineup in an event on 15 October. Seemingly every feature of the Pixel 4 has already been leaked, and it’s expected that a refreshed Home/Nest product will also be announced. After that, I’m hoping for a watch and some smart earbuds.
theverge.com/2019/9/16/20868670/google-pixel-4-event-date-time-october-15-announcement
Google will put more effort into AndroidTV over the next few years, according to a leaked plan. This includes integrating its streaming games platform Stadia, and a new ‘hero’ home device incorporating Lens and Assistant next year.
xda-developers.com/stadia-android-tv-android-11-r/
Huawei’s new Mate 30 Pro flagship phone has impressive specs but will have no access to Google services due to the company‘s blacklisting by the USA. Huawei is building its own alternative to Google’s service core, but many apps will be unavailable.
theverge.com/2019/9/19/20872199/huawei-mate-30-pro-price-release-date-specs-features
Advertising
Facebook is adding more interactive ad formats, including video polls, AR makeup try-ons, and games.
facebook.com/business/news/facebook-invites-people-and-businesses-to-play
YouTube is bringing its Masthead advertising unit to TV screens.
blog.google/products/ads/masthead-on-tv-screens/
Channel 4 will start to use Sky’s targeted AdSmart technology, after the two extended their partnership. The deal, which also includes some content sharing, is a defence against a Facebook and Google advertising duopoly.
channel4.com/press/news/sky-and-channel-4-broaden-industry-leading-partnership
Environment
Google is making the biggest purchase of renewable energy in corporate history, including 18 new energy deals that will involve construction of new wind and solar farms, half of which will be in Europe.
blog.google/outreach-initiatives/sustainability/our-biggest-renewable-energy-purchase-ever/
Amazon has committed to being fully carbon neutral by 2030, ten years ahead of the Paris Agreement goal. It has also placed an order for 100,000 electric vehicles for its delivery fleet.
sustainability.aboutamazon.com/sustainable-operations/amazon-co-founds-the-climate-pledge-setting-goal-to-meet-the-paris-agreement-10-years-early
Everything Else
Pinterest updated its visual search tool, Lens, with a new UI and shoppable Product Pins.
newsroom.pinterest.com/en/post/upgrading-lens-for-more-online-to-offline-inspiration
The latest release of Fortnite on mobile devices introduced Party Hub, a voice chat feature that connects players and non-players alike. It’s based on their recent acquisition of video calling app, Houseparty.
epicgames.com/fortnite/en-US/news/party-hub-faq
Podcasting startup Descript has acquired synthetic voice startup Lyrebird. Users will be able to edit their podcast recordings to add ‘dubs’ of things they never said using a synthetic model of their own voice.
techcrunch.com/2019/09/18/descript-audio/
The Google News Initiative is teaming up with UK local publisher, Archant, on Project Neon, an initiative to bring news to underserved communities.
blog.google/outreach-initiatives/google-news-initiative/project-neon-archant/
Mozilla, Creative Commons, and micropayments startup Coil announced Grant for the Web, a programme that will distribute $100m over five years to projects that promote a healthy open web that funds creators.
fastcompany.com/90403645/mozilla-and-creative-commons-want-to-reimagine-the-internet-without-ads-and-they-have-100m-to-do-it
Facebook has acquired Servicefriend, a customer support messaging bot service, apparently for their new digital wallet service Calibra.
techcrunch.com/2019/09/21/facebook-servicefriend/
Google Search results will now show key moments in videos, allowing users to jump to specific spots. The feature will work for videos in English where the creator has included timestamped descriptions.
blog.google/products/search/key-moments-video-search/
DeepMind’s health division, which has been working with the NHS, is being spun out of the company and joining Google Health.
blog.google/technology/health/deepmind-health-joins-google-health/