verge-rss

In the AI chatbot world, ubiquity is everything. Companies have raced to build desktop and mobile apps for their bots, in order to both give them new capabilities but also to make sure they’re right in front of your face as often as possible.
There’s no better example of that than Google’s new Gemini app for iPhone, which quietly hit the App Store around the world this week. The free app is simple and straightforward: it’s just a chat window and a list of your previous chats. You can query the bot with text, voice, or your camera, and it’ll give you answers. It’s effectively identical to the Gemini section of the Google app, or what you’d get by opening a browser and going to the Gemini website.
The Gemini app does have one newish feature: access to Gemini Live, the bot’s more interactive and conversational chat mode that is similar to ChatGPT’s voice mode. Gemini Live has been available on Android for a few weeks, but this is the first place it has been usable for iPhone owners. In my short tests so far it works really well, and when you’re using Live it shows up both in the iPhone’s Dynamic Island and on your lockscreen.
But Live will eventually be everywhere. Whenever the next version of Gemini comes out, that will be too. The whole point of the Gemini app is to put the icon on your homescreen, and give you something to assign to the Action Button or one of the other quick-access spots on your phone. With one tap and half a second, you can be chatting with the bot. That access, and the muscle memory it helps build, are crucial for any company that wants users to make a habit out of chatting with bots.
Like all the other non-Siri chatbots, Gemini has some big limitations on your phone. It can’t change settings or access other apps. But it can access other Google apps, which continues to be Gemini’s big advantage. You can ask Gemini to play music, and it’ll fire up YouTube Music. You can ask it for directions and it’ll send you to Google Maps. It’s a tiny glimpse of what Gemini hopes to be on Android, and what Apple’s trying to do with Siri: use AI to make everything on your phone a littler more interactive and accessible. But none of that matters if people don’t use the bots — and so the race for your homescreen is on.

In the AI chatbot world, ubiquity is everything. Companies have raced to build desktop and mobile apps for their bots, in order to both give them new capabilities but also to make sure they’re right in front of your face as often as possible.

There’s no better example of that than Google’s new Gemini app for iPhone, which quietly hit the App Store around the world this week. The free app is simple and straightforward: it’s just a chat window and a list of your previous chats. You can query the bot with text, voice, or your camera, and it’ll give you answers. It’s effectively identical to the Gemini section of the Google app, or what you’d get by opening a browser and going to the Gemini website.

The Gemini app does have one newish feature: access to Gemini Live, the bot’s more interactive and conversational chat mode that is similar to ChatGPT’s voice mode. Gemini Live has been available on Android for a few weeks, but this is the first place it has been usable for iPhone owners. In my short tests so far it works really well, and when you’re using Live it shows up both in the iPhone’s Dynamic Island and on your lockscreen.

But Live will eventually be everywhere. Whenever the next version of Gemini comes out, that will be too. The whole point of the Gemini app is to put the icon on your homescreen, and give you something to assign to the Action Button or one of the other quick-access spots on your phone. With one tap and half a second, you can be chatting with the bot. That access, and the muscle memory it helps build, are crucial for any company that wants users to make a habit out of chatting with bots.

Like all the other non-Siri chatbots, Gemini has some big limitations on your phone. It can’t change settings or access other apps. But it can access other Google apps, which continues to be Gemini’s big advantage. You can ask Gemini to play music, and it’ll fire up YouTube Music. You can ask it for directions and it’ll send you to Google Maps. It’s a tiny glimpse of what Gemini hopes to be on Android, and what Apple’s trying to do with Siri: use AI to make everything on your phone a littler more interactive and accessible. But none of that matters if people don’t use the bots — and so the race for your homescreen is on.

Read More 

The Verge

Google has added some new travel and shopping features to Maps that aim to make it easier to find local products and stay on time during busy periods. Starting today, Maps now allows users to search for items like home goods, clothing, and electronics, and find stores nearby that sell them — a useful feature to have for any last-minute holiday shopping.
The search results in Maps will display individual product listings alongside locations where generic examples of desired items can be found (showing nearby stores that sell “holiday sweaters,” for example). The product listings are presented similarly to products in Google Shopping, only with useful information like store distance and if the item is currently in stock.

Gif: Google
The update effectively adds Google Shopping listings directly into Maps, but with stock information, so you can run out and buy it in person.

The update also makes it easier to plan travel and avoid road traffic and delays in transit systems. Maps will now tell you the best and worst times to visit local locations like stores, airports, and salons by telling you what time and days are busiest, and allow users to check and report weather disruptions like flooded roads or unplowed snow. Users and local transit agencies can also report any delays on bus or train routes to keep riders up to date and limit the impact on travel arrangements.

Image: Google
Here’s an example of what will be displayed on location listings to help Maps users avoid busier periods.

EV drivers who have vehicles with Google built-in can plan trips on their phone and send it directly to their car. This includes charging stops, and Maps can inform users which charging stations are compatible with their vehicle’s plug type by referencing the car make and model. And for users that will be hauling larger items in trailers, Maps now lets users add cargo dimensions into the in-vehicle app to show trailer-friendly routes that avoid low bridges and tunnels.

The Verge

Google has added some new travel and shopping features to Maps that aim to make it easier to find local products and stay on time during busy periods. Starting today, Maps now allows users to search for items like home goods, clothing, and electronics, and find stores nearby that sell them — a useful feature to have for any last-minute holiday shopping.

The search results in Maps will display individual product listings alongside locations where generic examples of desired items can be found (showing nearby stores that sell “holiday sweaters,” for example). The product listings are presented similarly to products in Google Shopping, only with useful information like store distance and if the item is currently in stock.

Gif: Google
The update effectively adds Google Shopping listings directly into Maps, but with stock information, so you can run out and buy it in person.

The update also makes it easier to plan travel and avoid road traffic and delays in transit systems. Maps will now tell you the best and worst times to visit local locations like stores, airports, and salons by telling you what time and days are busiest, and allow users to check and report weather disruptions like flooded roads or unplowed snow. Users and local transit agencies can also report any delays on bus or train routes to keep riders up to date and limit the impact on travel arrangements.

Image: Google
Here’s an example of what will be displayed on location listings to help Maps users avoid busier periods.

EV drivers who have vehicles with Google built-in can plan trips on their phone and send it directly to their car. This includes charging stops, and Maps can inform users which charging stations are compatible with their vehicle’s plug type by referencing the car make and model. And for users that will be hauling larger items in trailers, Maps now lets users add cargo dimensions into the in-vehicle app to show trailer-friendly routes that avoid low bridges and tunnels.

Read More 

PayPal is making it easier to collectively pool together funds on the platform. | Image: Cath Virginia / The Verge; Getty Images

PayPal is introducing a new money-pooling feature that aims to make it easier to collect and pay for things as a group. The feature is free and allows PayPal users to create a pool online or via the platform’s app, invite friends and family to contribute, track contributed funds, and transfer that cash to their own PayPal balance.
Provided you trust the pool organizer who will hold the power to spend or withdraw those funds, the pooling feature should provide a simple way to gather cash for things like gifts and group traveling collectively. Pool organizers can share pool joining links via “text, email, WhatsApp, and more” to people regardless of whether they have a PayPal account or not. Contributions can be made using a PayPal balance or bank account, and organizers can also set a pool name, description, target date, and funding goal amount.

Image: PayPal
Here’s what the setup process looks like in the PayPal app.

The money pooling feature is rolling out today across the US, UK, Germany, Italy, and Spain. Users in those regions can access it by selecting “Pool Money” from either the PayPal app menu, or in the “More Options” menu within the “Send/Request” tab.
Other apps like Settle Up are already available that directly focus on tracking and pooling group expenses. Venmo also introduced a similar feature last year called “Groups” with a notable distinction — the responsibility is entirely shared, which may be a better solution if you don’t want a single individual in charge of the group.

PayPal is making it easier to collectively pool together funds on the platform. | Image: Cath Virginia / The Verge; Getty Images

PayPal is introducing a new money-pooling feature that aims to make it easier to collect and pay for things as a group. The feature is free and allows PayPal users to create a pool online or via the platform’s app, invite friends and family to contribute, track contributed funds, and transfer that cash to their own PayPal balance.

Provided you trust the pool organizer who will hold the power to spend or withdraw those funds, the pooling feature should provide a simple way to gather cash for things like gifts and group traveling collectively. Pool organizers can share pool joining links via “text, email, WhatsApp, and more” to people regardless of whether they have a PayPal account or not. Contributions can be made using a PayPal balance or bank account, and organizers can also set a pool name, description, target date, and funding goal amount.

Image: PayPal
Here’s what the setup process looks like in the PayPal app.

The money pooling feature is rolling out today across the US, UK, Germany, Italy, and Spain. Users in those regions can access it by selecting “Pool Money” from either the PayPal app menu, or in the “More Options” menu within the “Send/Request” tab.

Other apps like Settle Up are already available that directly focus on tracking and pooling group expenses. Venmo also introduced a similar feature last year called “Groups” with a notable distinction — the responsibility is entirely shared, which may be a better solution if you don’t want a single individual in charge of the group.

Read More 

Apple Logic Pro for Mac 11.1 with Quantec Room Simulator | Image: Apple

Apple today announced some minor updates to Logic Pro for both the Mac and the iPad, including the ability to search for plug-ins and sources and the addition of more analog-simulating sounds.
In Logic Pro for Mac 11.1 and Logic Pro for iPad 2.1, you can now reorder channel strips and plug-ins in the mixer and plug-in windows to make it easier to organize the layout of an audio mix.
As for the new sounds, Apple added a library of analog synthesizer samples called Modular Melodies, akin to the Modular Rhythms pack already found in Logic.
A more exciting sonic addition is the new Quantec Room Simulator (QRS) plug-in, which emulates the vintage digital reverb hardware of the same name, found in professional recording studios all over the world. Apple has acquired the technology for the classic QRS model and the later YardStick models to integrate into this software.

Image: Apple
I wish the QRS plug-in looked like the real life reverb unit

Specific to Logic Pro for Mac, you are now able to share a song to the Mac’s Voice Memos app — which may be a great feature for when Voice Memos gets that multitrack option on the iPhone in iOS 18.2
Added to the iPad version of Logic Pro is the ability to add your own local third party sample folders to the browser window, to make it easier to bring external audio files into tracks and sampler plug-ins.
These upgrades are small for current Logic users, but they do overall make the digital audio workplace easier to use and adds to the plethora of useful tools for no additional cost. Users will have access to upgrade to Logic Pro for Mac 11.1 and Logic Pro for iPad 2.1 today.

Apple Logic Pro for Mac 11.1 with Quantec Room Simulator | Image: Apple

Apple today announced some minor updates to Logic Pro for both the Mac and the iPad, including the ability to search for plug-ins and sources and the addition of more analog-simulating sounds.

In Logic Pro for Mac 11.1 and Logic Pro for iPad 2.1, you can now reorder channel strips and plug-ins in the mixer and plug-in windows to make it easier to organize the layout of an audio mix.

As for the new sounds, Apple added a library of analog synthesizer samples called Modular Melodies, akin to the Modular Rhythms pack already found in Logic.

A more exciting sonic addition is the new Quantec Room Simulator (QRS) plug-in, which emulates the vintage digital reverb hardware of the same name, found in professional recording studios all over the world. Apple has acquired the technology for the classic QRS model and the later YardStick models to integrate into this software.

Image: Apple
I wish the QRS plug-in looked like the real life reverb unit

Specific to Logic Pro for Mac, you are now able to share a song to the Mac’s Voice Memos app — which may be a great feature for when Voice Memos gets that multitrack option on the iPhone in iOS 18.2

Added to the iPad version of Logic Pro is the ability to add your own local third party sample folders to the browser window, to make it easier to bring external audio files into tracks and sampler plug-ins.

These upgrades are small for current Logic users, but they do overall make the digital audio workplace easier to use and adds to the plethora of useful tools for no additional cost. Users will have access to upgrade to Logic Pro for Mac 11.1 and Logic Pro for iPad 2.1 today.

Read More 

It’s been 25 years since the first Final Cut Pro was announced.

More than a decade after the launch of Final Cut Pro X, Apple’s video editing software is taking a step forward. The app is now being updated to Final Cut Pro 11, after dropping the number in its name for the past few years. The update includes new AI masking tools, the ability to generate captions directly in your timeline, spatial video editing features, and a set of workflow improvements. The new version is free for existing users and a $299 one-time purchase for new users. Final Cut Pro for iPad and Final Cut Camera are also getting some updates today, too.
I’ve spent the last week testing out these new features, and many of them are great improvements. I’ve been particularly impressed by the speed and accuracy of one new feature coming to the desktop: Magnetic Mask. With one click, you can easily isolate a subject, like a person, from the background and apply different color adjustments to that part of the footage.
I tested Magnetic Mask in various scenarios, like static talking head videos and fast-moving snowboarding footage. In each scenario, Final Cut Pro did a very good job of isolating the subjects. But don’t expect a pixel-perfect mask each time. I still had to jump in and do a few smaller adjustments to help it out. You can either manually fine-tune your mask with a brush or add or remove tracking points and let Final Cut Pro analyze the footage.

One thing that was impressive is that it automatically detected my flapping backpack straps.

I was impressed by the speed of the whole process. Granted, these were fairly short clips (about 45 seconds each), but each mask took less than a minute on my four-year-old 10-core M1 Pro MacBook Pro — a lot less time than the tedious and exhausting process of manually rotoscoping in After Effects.
I did notice that analysis slowed down significantly once I started screen recording my process. This feature will work on Intel-based Macs as well.
I am an avid user of Adobe’s Premiere Pro, but features like these always make me want to give Final Cut Pro another shot. I may not be left behind for long, though: Adobe announced a similar feature for Premiere earlier this year. DaVinci Resolve also already has a similar feature called Magic Mask.
The next new highlight is the ability to autogenerate captions in your timeline. Final Cut Pro does this using an Apple-trained language mode, and the whole process takes place locally on-device without sending information to the cloud. The process is fast but not always accurate and often misspells common words. It fumbled at proper nouns like “The Verge” and even more common nouns like “machine,” where it would just write “macine” instead. Those are just a few of many examples. There’s also no way to stylize your captions if you were hoping to add them to your TikToks. For that, you’ll need to look into some third-party plug-ins.

It is a good update, but I wish Apple went a step further and added text-based editing, which lets you edit videos solely by using text instead of on the timeline itself. Text-based editing in Premiere has helped me immensely when working on longer documentaries or sit-down interviews, and I wish it were possible in Final Cut Pro 11.
Other changes include the ability to edit spatial videos for the Vision Pro and some new keyboard shortcuts. My favorite is Option + Arrow Up / Arrow Down to move clips between layers. It’s the little things!
Final Cut Pro for iPad is also getting a few new updates. The AI-enabled “enhance light and color” tool that was initially released in Final Cut Pro 10.8 for the Mac is making its way to the iPad app. It is the fastest way to quickly improve the color, contrast, and overall tonality of your footage.

The AI-enhanced light and color tool originally came out for Final Cut Pro for Mac but has made its way to the iPad version in this update.

In a few tests that I ran, the tool did a really good job of getting me started on my coloring process. It cleans up the overall exposure nicely and adds very subtle stylistic color choices. For far less subtle color grades, Apple is expanding the number of presets available in the app. In addition to those presets, Apple is also adding new modular transitions and new songs to its soundtrack library.
If you’re using the Apple Pencil Pro to edit, you’ll finally be able to unlock all those new brushes that were released alongside the M4 iPad Pro and features like tilt recognition and take advantage of the haptic feedback. Haptic feedback works particularly well on the iPad, and I’m enjoying it more than I thought I would. It really makes the editing process feel a lot more tactile. In fact, I wish more gestures had some haptic feedback.
Lastly, there are some minor but significant workflow improvements. You can now resize the height of your clips in your timeline by using the pinch gesture, you can edit in 120fps timelines, and the picture-in-picture mode is dynamic. Apple also mentioned there are new keyboard shortcuts, but I’ve only found one: Render Entire Timeline.
I’m glad to see more frequent updates coming to the iPad version of Final Cut Pro, but there are still features that are desperately needed to really make this app worth the $4.99 a month subscription plan. At the top of my wish list are things like custom LUTs, better file management, and some of the other AI-powered features that have already made their way to the desktop version. Since my initial review, I’ve mostly started using DaVinci Resolve on the iPad, which continues to impress me with how similar it is to its desktop equivalent.
The trifecta of updates ends with the Final Cut Camera, which can now film HEVC files in Apple Log — no need to stick with storage-hungry ProRes files anymore. HEVC Log capture will work for both standalone capture or as part of the Live Multicam session. Final Cut Camera will also include LUT previews during recording, meaning you can monitor your exposure and color while filming in Apple Log.

Final Cut Camera can shoot in 120fps in Apple Log and has a new leveler to help you frame up your shots.

And in order to make sure your framing is correct and aligned, Apple is adding a new level indicator to the app. The new leveler includes tilt and roll indicators and crosshairs for your top-down and bottom-up shots, too.
The introduction of new AI features and workflow improvements mark significant steps forward for content creators, but they don’t address some of the community’s requests to fully compete with the likes of DaVinci and Adobe. I’d still like to see text-based editing, more robust coloring options, and custom captions. It will be interesting to see if these new updates convert any new users. Magnetic Mask alone could be enough of a reason to switch.

It’s been 25 years since the first Final Cut Pro was announced.

More than a decade after the launch of Final Cut Pro X, Apple’s video editing software is taking a step forward. The app is now being updated to Final Cut Pro 11, after dropping the number in its name for the past few years. The update includes new AI masking tools, the ability to generate captions directly in your timeline, spatial video editing features, and a set of workflow improvements. The new version is free for existing users and a $299 one-time purchase for new users. Final Cut Pro for iPad and Final Cut Camera are also getting some updates today, too.

I’ve spent the last week testing out these new features, and many of them are great improvements. I’ve been particularly impressed by the speed and accuracy of one new feature coming to the desktop: Magnetic Mask. With one click, you can easily isolate a subject, like a person, from the background and apply different color adjustments to that part of the footage.

I tested Magnetic Mask in various scenarios, like static talking head videos and fast-moving snowboarding footage. In each scenario, Final Cut Pro did a very good job of isolating the subjects. But don’t expect a pixel-perfect mask each time. I still had to jump in and do a few smaller adjustments to help it out. You can either manually fine-tune your mask with a brush or add or remove tracking points and let Final Cut Pro analyze the footage.

One thing that was impressive is that it automatically detected my flapping backpack straps.

I was impressed by the speed of the whole process. Granted, these were fairly short clips (about 45 seconds each), but each mask took less than a minute on my four-year-old 10-core M1 Pro MacBook Pro — a lot less time than the tedious and exhausting process of manually rotoscoping in After Effects.

I did notice that analysis slowed down significantly once I started screen recording my process. This feature will work on Intel-based Macs as well.

I am an avid user of Adobe’s Premiere Pro, but features like these always make me want to give Final Cut Pro another shot. I may not be left behind for long, though: Adobe announced a similar feature for Premiere earlier this year. DaVinci Resolve also already has a similar feature called Magic Mask.

The next new highlight is the ability to autogenerate captions in your timeline. Final Cut Pro does this using an Apple-trained language mode, and the whole process takes place locally on-device without sending information to the cloud. The process is fast but not always accurate and often misspells common words. It fumbled at proper nouns like “The Verge” and even more common nouns like “machine,” where it would just write “macine” instead. Those are just a few of many examples. There’s also no way to stylize your captions if you were hoping to add them to your TikToks. For that, you’ll need to look into some third-party plug-ins.

It is a good update, but I wish Apple went a step further and added text-based editing, which lets you edit videos solely by using text instead of on the timeline itself. Text-based editing in Premiere has helped me immensely when working on longer documentaries or sit-down interviews, and I wish it were possible in Final Cut Pro 11.

Other changes include the ability to edit spatial videos for the Vision Pro and some new keyboard shortcuts. My favorite is Option + Arrow Up / Arrow Down to move clips between layers. It’s the little things!

Final Cut Pro for iPad is also getting a few new updates. The AI-enabled “enhance light and color” tool that was initially released in Final Cut Pro 10.8 for the Mac is making its way to the iPad app. It is the fastest way to quickly improve the color, contrast, and overall tonality of your footage.

The AI-enhanced light and color tool originally came out for Final Cut Pro for Mac but has made its way to the iPad version in this update.

In a few tests that I ran, the tool did a really good job of getting me started on my coloring process. It cleans up the overall exposure nicely and adds very subtle stylistic color choices. For far less subtle color grades, Apple is expanding the number of presets available in the app. In addition to those presets, Apple is also adding new modular transitions and new songs to its soundtrack library.

If you’re using the Apple Pencil Pro to edit, you’ll finally be able to unlock all those new brushes that were released alongside the M4 iPad Pro and features like tilt recognition and take advantage of the haptic feedback. Haptic feedback works particularly well on the iPad, and I’m enjoying it more than I thought I would. It really makes the editing process feel a lot more tactile. In fact, I wish more gestures had some haptic feedback.

Lastly, there are some minor but significant workflow improvements. You can now resize the height of your clips in your timeline by using the pinch gesture, you can edit in 120fps timelines, and the picture-in-picture mode is dynamic. Apple also mentioned there are new keyboard shortcuts, but I’ve only found one: Render Entire Timeline.

I’m glad to see more frequent updates coming to the iPad version of Final Cut Pro, but there are still features that are desperately needed to really make this app worth the $4.99 a month subscription plan. At the top of my wish list are things like custom LUTs, better file management, and some of the other AI-powered features that have already made their way to the desktop version. Since my initial review, I’ve mostly started using DaVinci Resolve on the iPad, which continues to impress me with how similar it is to its desktop equivalent.

The trifecta of updates ends with the Final Cut Camera, which can now film HEVC files in Apple Log — no need to stick with storage-hungry ProRes files anymore. HEVC Log capture will work for both standalone capture or as part of the Live Multicam session. Final Cut Camera will also include LUT previews during recording, meaning you can monitor your exposure and color while filming in Apple Log.

Final Cut Camera can shoot in 120fps in Apple Log and has a new leveler to help you frame up your shots.

And in order to make sure your framing is correct and aligned, Apple is adding a new level indicator to the app. The new leveler includes tilt and roll indicators and crosshairs for your top-down and bottom-up shots, too.

The introduction of new AI features and workflow improvements mark significant steps forward for content creators, but they don’t address some of the community’s requests to fully compete with the likes of DaVinci and Adobe. I’d still like to see text-based editing, more robust coloring options, and custom captions. It will be interesting to see if these new updates convert any new users. Magnetic Mask alone could be enough of a reason to switch.

Read More 

Illustration by Cath Virginia / The Verge | Photos by Getty Images

OpenAI is preparing to release an autonomous AI agent that can control computers and perform tasks independently, code-named “Operator.” The company plans to debut it as a research preview and developer tool in January, according to Bloomberg.
This move intensifies the competition among tech giants developing AI agents: Anthropic recently introduced its “computer use” capability, while Google is reportedly preparing its own version for a December release. The timing of Operator’s eventual consumer release remains under wraps, but its development signals a pivotal shift toward AI systems that can actively engage with computer interfaces rather than just process text and images.

All the leading AI companies have promised autonomous AI agents, and OpenAI has hyped up the possibility recently. In a Reddit “Ask Me Anything” forum a few weeks ago, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said “we will have better and better models,” but “I think the thing that will feel like the next giant breakthrough will be agents.” At an OpenAI press event ahead of the company’s annual Dev Day last month, chief product officer Kevin Weil said: “I think 2025 is going to be the year that agentic systems finally hit the mainstream.”
AI labs face mounting pressure to monetize their costly models, especially as incremental improvements may not justify higher prices for users. The hope is that autonomous agents are the next breakthrough product — a ChatGPT-scale innovation that validates the massive investment in AI development.

Illustration by Cath Virginia / The Verge | Photos by Getty Images

OpenAI is preparing to release an autonomous AI agent that can control computers and perform tasks independently, code-named “Operator.” The company plans to debut it as a research preview and developer tool in January, according to Bloomberg.

This move intensifies the competition among tech giants developing AI agents: Anthropic recently introduced its “computer use” capability, while Google is reportedly preparing its own version for a December release. The timing of Operator’s eventual consumer release remains under wraps, but its development signals a pivotal shift toward AI systems that can actively engage with computer interfaces rather than just process text and images.

All the leading AI companies have promised autonomous AI agents, and OpenAI has hyped up the possibility recently. In a Reddit “Ask Me Anything” forum a few weeks ago, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said “we will have better and better models,” but “I think the thing that will feel like the next giant breakthrough will be agents.” At an OpenAI press event ahead of the company’s annual Dev Day last month, chief product officer Kevin Weil said: “I think 2025 is going to be the year that agentic systems finally hit the mainstream.”

AI labs face mounting pressure to monetize their costly models, especially as incremental improvements may not justify higher prices for users. The hope is that autonomous agents are the next breakthrough product — a ChatGPT-scale innovation that validates the massive investment in AI development.

Read More 

Image: Cath Virginia / The Verge

Sonos is still trying to climb out from the hole it dug itself earlier this year by recklessly shipping an overhauled mobile app well before the software was actually ready. Today, just a couple weeks after the release of its latest hardware products — the Arc Ultra and Sub 4 — Sonos reported its fiscal Q4 2024 earnings. And the damage done by the app debacle is clear.
Revenue was down 8 percent year over year, which Sonos attributed to “softer demand due to challenging market conditions and challenges resulting from our recent app rollout.” During the quarter, the company sank $4 million into unspecified “app recovery investments.” (Sonos previously estimated it could spend up to $30 million to resolve all of the trouble that has stemmed from the rebuilt app.)
“To date, we have released 16 updates and restored 90 percent of missing features,” the company wrote in its earnings presentation. “Moving forward, we’ll alternate between major and minor releases. This will allow us to maintain our momentum of making improvements while also ensuring adequate beta testing.”
CEO Patrick Spence has taken accountability for the app situation, and last month, Sonos announced multiple commitments that it believes will prevent another colossal misstep like this from happening again. Some aspects of the plan are focused on more rigorous testing and greater transparency — both inside the company and out. But others, like executives potentially losing out on their annual bonuses, have been mocked by customers as meaningless, half-hearted measures.

“The Sonos flywheel remains strong, as evidenced by the fact that the number of new products per home increased in fiscal 2024,” Spence said in today’s press release. The company also reported its “all-time highest annual market share” in home theater, another positive sign at a time when morale among Sonos employees has taken a serious hit.
The rebuilt app is in a better place now, which you’d hope would be the case after several months of bug fixes and performance enhancements. The mood within Sonos community spaces like the company’s subreddit has also improved, with less of the vitriol that felt non-stop (understandably so) from late spring through the early fall.
As far as hardware is concerned, Sonos seems to be getting back on track. Early reviews of the Arc Ultra have been largely positive. (Yes, I’ll have one coming in the near future.) One early bug with the new soundbar affected Trueplay tuning and, for some customers, resulted in lackluster bass response from a paired subwoofer. Sonos just rectified this issue with a software update that went out earlier today.
But some of the company’s most loyal customers are still feeling a sense of wariness and frayed trust towards the brand. Sonos’ next major new product is rumored to be a video streaming box. I’m still flummoxed as to just how the company plans to stand out from competitors in that space. But hopefully there won’t be another major controversy to derail the product, as was the case with the Sonos Ace headphones.

Image: Cath Virginia / The Verge

Sonos is still trying to climb out from the hole it dug itself earlier this year by recklessly shipping an overhauled mobile app well before the software was actually ready. Today, just a couple weeks after the release of its latest hardware products — the Arc Ultra and Sub 4 — Sonos reported its fiscal Q4 2024 earnings. And the damage done by the app debacle is clear.

Revenue was down 8 percent year over year, which Sonos attributed to “softer demand due to challenging market conditions and challenges resulting from our recent app rollout.” During the quarter, the company sank $4 million into unspecified “app recovery investments.” (Sonos previously estimated it could spend up to $30 million to resolve all of the trouble that has stemmed from the rebuilt app.)

“To date, we have released 16 updates and restored 90 percent of missing features,” the company wrote in its earnings presentation. “Moving forward, we’ll alternate between major and minor releases. This will allow us to maintain our momentum of making improvements while also ensuring adequate beta testing.”

CEO Patrick Spence has taken accountability for the app situation, and last month, Sonos announced multiple commitments that it believes will prevent another colossal misstep like this from happening again. Some aspects of the plan are focused on more rigorous testing and greater transparency — both inside the company and out. But others, like executives potentially losing out on their annual bonuses, have been mocked by customers as meaningless, half-hearted measures.

“The Sonos flywheel remains strong, as evidenced by the fact that the number of new products per home increased in fiscal 2024,” Spence said in today’s press release. The company also reported its “all-time highest annual market share” in home theater, another positive sign at a time when morale among Sonos employees has taken a serious hit.

The rebuilt app is in a better place now, which you’d hope would be the case after several months of bug fixes and performance enhancements. The mood within Sonos community spaces like the company’s subreddit has also improved, with less of the vitriol that felt non-stop (understandably so) from late spring through the early fall.

As far as hardware is concerned, Sonos seems to be getting back on track. Early reviews of the Arc Ultra have been largely positive. (Yes, I’ll have one coming in the near future.) One early bug with the new soundbar affected Trueplay tuning and, for some customers, resulted in lackluster bass response from a paired subwoofer. Sonos just rectified this issue with a software update that went out earlier today.

But some of the company’s most loyal customers are still feeling a sense of wariness and frayed trust towards the brand. Sonos’ next major new product is rumored to be a video streaming box. I’m still flummoxed as to just how the company plans to stand out from competitors in that space. But hopefully there won’t be another major controversy to derail the product, as was the case with the Sonos Ace headphones.

Read More 

Google versus the bad guys. | Illustration: Alex Castro / The Verge

Google is beefing up its malware detection with new protections designed to suss out ever-sneakier bad actors.
Android’s Google Play Protect service is getting an update called live threat detection which seeks out potentially harmful apps on your phone by analyzing app behavior and alerts you in realtime if something looks fishy. The update was first announced at Google I/O earlier this year and is available now to Pixel 6 and newer phones. It should come to additional non-Pixel Android phones from Lenovo, OnePlus, Nothing, and Oppo, among others “in the coming months.”
Live threat detection targets particularly hard-to-spot malware apps that hide their intentions well. Rather than just scanning apps for malicious code when you download them, Play Protect will keep looking for signs of suspicious app behavior even after they’re on your phone. This can help it spot malware that remains dormant at first and later starts engaging in malicious activity. This detection takes place on-device using an Android privacy infrastructure called Private Compute Core to help keep user data secure, and users will get real-time alerts to take action if needed.
Google is rolling out another security feature today, too: scam call detection. Also announced at I/O, this feature uses on-device AI to analyze phone calls and looks for signs that that caller is a scammer. If it spots suspicious conversational patterns or requests typical of scam attempts, it will flag the user and encourage them to end the call. It’s only available to members of the Phone by Google app’s beta program with a Pixel 6 or later (as of this morning that program appears to be full) and will roll out to more Android phones in the future.

Google versus the bad guys. | Illustration: Alex Castro / The Verge

Google is beefing up its malware detection with new protections designed to suss out ever-sneakier bad actors.

Android’s Google Play Protect service is getting an update called live threat detection which seeks out potentially harmful apps on your phone by analyzing app behavior and alerts you in realtime if something looks fishy. The update was first announced at Google I/O earlier this year and is available now to Pixel 6 and newer phones. It should come to additional non-Pixel Android phones from Lenovo, OnePlus, Nothing, and Oppo, among others “in the coming months.”

Live threat detection targets particularly hard-to-spot malware apps that hide their intentions well. Rather than just scanning apps for malicious code when you download them, Play Protect will keep looking for signs of suspicious app behavior even after they’re on your phone. This can help it spot malware that remains dormant at first and later starts engaging in malicious activity. This detection takes place on-device using an Android privacy infrastructure called Private Compute Core to help keep user data secure, and users will get real-time alerts to take action if needed.

Google is rolling out another security feature today, too: scam call detection. Also announced at I/O, this feature uses on-device AI to analyze phone calls and looks for signs that that caller is a scammer. If it spots suspicious conversational patterns or requests typical of scam attempts, it will flag the user and encourage them to end the call. It’s only available to members of the Phone by Google app’s beta program with a Pixel 6 or later (as of this morning that program appears to be full) and will roll out to more Android phones in the future.

Read More 

Image: The Verge

The Wall Street Journal is experimenting with AI-generated article summaries that appear at the top of its news stories. The summaries appear as a “Key Points” box with bullets summarizing the piece. The Verge spotted the test on a story about Trump’s plans for the Department of Education, and the Journal confirmed it’s trialing the feature to see how readers respond.
The “Key Points” box has a message explaining that an “artificial intelligence tool created this summary” and that the summary was checked by an editor. The box also points to a page about how the WSJ and Dow Jones Newswires use AI tools.

Screenshot by Jay Peters / The Verge
The AI-generated “Key Points” from this WSJ article.

“We are always assessing new technologies and methods of storytelling to provide more value to our subscribers,” Taneth Evans, head of digital at the WSJ, says in a statement to The Verge. “To that end, we are currently running a series of A/B tests to understand our users’ needs with regards to summarization. The newsroom does this hand-in-hand with colleagues in technology and while speaking with readers at every step of the way. We also disclose how we leverage artificial intelligence tools to support our journalism whenever it’s used.”
AI summaries have been spreading across news sites and platforms. USA Today owner Gannett has also experimented with adding AI-generated summaries to its articles — it’s even using a similar “Key Points” format. Apps like Particle summarize articles using AI, too. Personally, I’d recommend reading full articles when you can in case the AI tool hallucinates something that’s incorrect.

Image: The Verge

The Wall Street Journal is experimenting with AI-generated article summaries that appear at the top of its news stories. The summaries appear as a “Key Points” box with bullets summarizing the piece. The Verge spotted the test on a story about Trump’s plans for the Department of Education, and the Journal confirmed it’s trialing the feature to see how readers respond.

The “Key Points” box has a message explaining that an “artificial intelligence tool created this summary” and that the summary was checked by an editor. The box also points to a page about how the WSJ and Dow Jones Newswires use AI tools.

Screenshot by Jay Peters / The Verge
The AI-generated “Key Points” from this WSJ article.

“We are always assessing new technologies and methods of storytelling to provide more value to our subscribers,” Taneth Evans, head of digital at the WSJ, says in a statement to The Verge. “To that end, we are currently running a series of A/B tests to understand our users’ needs with regards to summarization. The newsroom does this hand-in-hand with colleagues in technology and while speaking with readers at every step of the way. We also disclose how we leverage artificial intelligence tools to support our journalism whenever it’s used.”

AI summaries have been spreading across news sites and platforms. USA Today owner Gannett has also experimented with adding AI-generated summaries to its articles — it’s even using a similar “Key Points” format. Apps like Particle summarize articles using AI, too. Personally, I’d recommend reading full articles when you can in case the AI tool hallucinates something that’s incorrect.

Read More 

Image: Cath Virginia / The Verge; Getty Images

If you want to preserve the existing version of Lil Jon’s “Get Low” in your brain, maybe don’t listen to this cover T-Pain made with Mark Zuckerberg — excuse me, Z-Pain. Their version transforms the “Get Low” I got down to at all my school dances into a song with a much slower tempo complete with an acoustic guitar.
Trust me, I may be scarred for life after hearing Zuckerberg’s autotuned voice serenade me with “‘Til the sweat drop down my balls.” If you get halfway through the song, you’ll also hear a cameo from T-Pain.

Apparently, Zuckerberg made the song for his wife, Priscilla. “‘Get Low’ was playing when I first met Priscilla at a college party, so every year we listen to it on our dating anniversary,” Zuckerberg wrote on Instagram. “This year I worked with @tpain on our own version of this lyrical masterpiece. Sound on for the track and also available on Spotify.”
He also attempted to include the song in his post, but it doesn’t seem to be working, whether it’s due to a copyright strike or some other issue. Maybe that’s for the best?

Image: Cath Virginia / The Verge; Getty Images

If you want to preserve the existing version of Lil Jon’s “Get Low” in your brain, maybe don’t listen to this cover T-Pain made with Mark Zuckerberg — excuse me, Z-Pain. Their version transforms the “Get Low” I got down to at all my school dances into a song with a much slower tempo complete with an acoustic guitar.

Trust me, I may be scarred for life after hearing Zuckerberg’s autotuned voice serenade me with “‘Til the sweat drop down my balls.” If you get halfway through the song, you’ll also hear a cameo from T-Pain.

Apparently, Zuckerberg made the song for his wife, Priscilla. “‘Get Low’ was playing when I first met Priscilla at a college party, so every year we listen to it on our dating anniversary,” Zuckerberg wrote on Instagram. “This year I worked with @tpain on our own version of this lyrical masterpiece. Sound on for the track and also available on Spotify.”

He also attempted to include the song in his post, but it doesn’t seem to be working, whether it’s due to a copyright strike or some other issue. Maybe that’s for the best?

Read More