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Google Drive adding ARM support, NordVPN & ExpressVPN now on Snapdragon PCs

Google Drive adding ARM support, NordVPN & ExpressVPN now on Snapdragon PCs

by | Sep 5, 2024 | Technology


3 min read Last Updated : Sep 05 2024 | 12:22 PM IST

Google has reportedly confirmed that Google Drive will soon gain native support for ARM chips. Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon announced at the company’s IFA event that Google will be launching an Arm64 version of Google Drive on Windows later this year, according to the technology news website The Verge. He added that NordVPN and ExpressVPN have arrived on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon laptops. 


Additionally, he informed that Qualcomm is exploring the possibility of Snapdragon chips in desktop PCs. Qualcomm has previously teased Snapdragon X Elite chips for desktop PCs but the closest device to a desktop PC is Qualcomm’s eight-inch development kit. More details about desktop plans could be revealed at the Snapdragon summit in October.


What is the reason for the limitations of many apps on Arm based Windows?


Microsoft announced AI powered Copilot Plus PCs in May this year. The new range of Arm-based Copilot+ PCs support select apps from Adobe such as Photoshop, Lightroom and Express and other software that are supported out-of-the-box includes DaVinci Resolve Studio, CapCut, Cephable, LiquidText, djay Pro, and more. 


However, Windows on Arm has faced the issue of native support for many apps as most apps have been created in accordance with Windows on x86 processors and many softwares are not compatible with Arm architecture. Arm and x86 processors differ in their instruction set architectures and software compatibility.


Many apps are now adapting to Windows on Arm processors and Arm processors need software specifically built for their architecture. This is what has been resulting in limitations for many apps but with the major software developers showing support, things are changing. Google Drive and VPN apps have been missing on recently launched Copilot Plus PCs as it was required that they were updated for Windows on Arm.


Qualcomm and Microsoft have been putting in effort to persuade app developers to port their applications over to Windows on Arm and now it appears that Google has been brought onboard with the idea of turning Drive into a fully-fledged app for Arm64. 


Previously, Google released a native version of Chrome for Arm based Windows PCs before the Qualcomm’s latest Arm-based processors for Windows, dubbed Snapdragon X Elite and just in time for the launch of Copilot Plus in June.


Quick Share, Google’s file-sharing app for Android devices, continues to be missing ARM support completely.

First Published: Sep 05 2024 | 12:22 PM IST



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Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus 8-core Arm chip to make Copilot+ PCs affordable

Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus 8-core Arm chip to make Copilot+ PCs affordable

by | Sep 5, 2024 | Technology


Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus 8-core

2 min read Last Updated : Sep 05 2024 | 11:29 AM IST


American chip maker Qualcomm has unveiled a new Arm chip, the Snapdragon X Plus 8-core, to expand its portfolio of AI PC processors. The new chip by Qualcomm features eight CPU cores, making it the smallest in the Snapdragon X-series that encompasses Snapdragon X Elite (12 core) and Snapdragon X Plus (10-core). 


The new processor is likely to make Copilot+ PCs more affordable, significantly bringing down the prices.  


The Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus 8-core chip features the same 4nm architecture-based Oryon CPU cores as the company’s flagship PC processors that the company said delivers 61 per cent faster CPU performance while consuming significantly less power. The chip also features a Qualcomm Adreno integrated GPU (Graphic processing unit), capable of processing visual data at up to 2.1 teraflops (TFLOPS). 


Similar to Qualcomm’s other X-series processors, the Snapdragon X-Plus 8-core processor gets a dedicated neural processing unit (NPU) which is responsible for running machine learning algorithms and processing data for AI. The company said that the integrated NPU on the new processor can handle 45 trillion operations per second (TOPS) for faster on-device AI. 

Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus 8-core


Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus 8-core


“The first and best Copilot+ PCs are powered by Snapdragon X Series platforms, launching a new generation in personal computing, made possible by our groundbreaking NPU,” said Cristiano Amon, President and CEO at Qualcomm Incorporated. 


“With the Snapdragon X Plus 8-core, we are now bringing to more users these transformative AI experiences, and the best-in-class performance and unprecedented battery life of our power efficient custom Qualcomm Oryon CPU,” he added.


Qualcomm has partnered with PC makers such as Acer, ASUS and Dell to bring new Snapdragon X Plus 8-core chip powered AI PCs built on Microsoft’s Copilot+ PC platform. The company said that select PCs powered by the new Snapdragon X Plus 8-core are now available. However, availability of these devices may vary depending on the region.

First Published: Sep 05 2024 | 11:29 AM IST



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India inks chip deal with Singapore as PM Modi pushes tech ambition

India inks chip deal with Singapore as PM Modi pushes tech ambition

by | Sep 5, 2024 | Technology


While India’s semiconductor industry is in its infancy, Singapore has played a significant role in the sector for decades | Photo: Bloomberg

3 min read Last Updated : Sep 05 2024 | 10:05 AM IST


By Gao Yuan and Philip J. Heijmans

 


India and Singapore agreed to ramp up collaboration in semiconductors and digital technologies, seeking a bigger role in a global chip supply chain being reshaped by tensions between the US and China.


During a two-day visit by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the city-state, the countries signed agreements to cultivate talent in chip design and manufacturing and facilitate Singaporean tech investment in India, according to a statement from the Indian government on Thursday. The nations will also work more closely together in cybersecurity, fifth-generation mobile networks, super-computing and artificial intelligence.


Singapore, India and Malaysia are among Asian economies that have emerged as beneficiaries of the prolonged US-China chip war that has rattled the global chip market, which is on track to hit $588 billion in sales this year. Both China and western countries are racing to establish stand-alone supply chains to avoid geopolitical risks, creating business opportunities for the industry.


While India’s semiconductor industry is in its infancy, Singapore has played a significant role in the sector for decades. The city-state is home to some of the largest chip manufacturing plants in Southeast Asia, hosting international names from NXP Semiconductors NV to Micron Technology Inc. The island nation boasts a legion of chip research and engineering talent as well as abundant venture capital for chip startups.


The tie-up also showcases Modi’s ambition to turn the world’s most populated country into a technology superpower, in which a strong semiconductor ecosystem is crucial. During his trip to Singapore he met with Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and is expected to meet with other key officials in the city-state. The two nations also signed deals in the areas of health, medicine and skills development.


Closer ties with India in semiconductors would help Singaporean companies to tap into the rapidly growing market in South Asia, Singapore’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Vivian Balakrishnan told reporters last month. “They know that although Singapore is very small, we have a disproportionate share of global semiconductor manufacturing capability, and they are carefully studying our system in terms of its ecosystem,” he said.


Modi’s government has set up a $21 billion plan to beef up semiconductor capabilities across the country, with a total of $15 billion worth of investment in chipmaking plants announced earlier this year. Singapore’s expertise in memory chips and matured logic processors, which are widely used in electronic devices and automobiles, could help India grow its chip industry at a faster pace.

First Published: Sep 05 2024 | 10:05 AM IST



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Advertisers abandon Elon Musk's X amid concerns over content and trust

Advertisers abandon Elon Musk's X amid concerns over content and trust

by | Sep 5, 2024 | Technology


3 min read Last Updated : Sep 05 2024 | 9:53 AM IST

More than a quarter of global advertisers are planning to reduce spending on Elon Musk’s social media platform, X (formerly Twitter), due to growing concerns over content and trust in the information shared on the platform, according to new research by data firm Kantar.


Since Musk’s $44 billion acquisition of the platform in October 2022, X has seen a steep decline in advertising revenue. Once heralded as a hub for “free speech,” the platform has struggled with controversies and advertiser dissatisfaction. Musk’s unpredictable behaviour and public statements, often shared with his nearly 200 million followers, have triggered a major pullback by advertisers wary of brand safety risks.


X: An unpredictable platform


Kantar’s research, which involved 18,000 consumers and 1,000 senior marketers globally, reveals that 26 per cent of marketers are planning to slash their ad budgets on X in 2025. This marks a sharp rise from the 14 per cent of marketers who planned similar cuts in 2024.


“Marketers are brand custodians and need to trust the platforms they use,” said Gonca Bubani, a director at Kantar. 


“X has changed so much in recent years and can be unpredictable from one day to the next. It is difficult to feel confident about your brand safety in that environment,” she added.


The exodus has been exacerbated by X’s declining global revenues. According to eMarketer, X peaked in 2021 with $4.46 billion in global revenues, including $366 million from the UK. By 2022, this had fallen to $4.14 billion, and with Musk’s takeover, revenues have more than halved. Projections for 2024 suggest that annual revenues could fall to $1.9 billion, with UK revenues shrinking to just $160 million.


“The trend of advertisers moving away from X has been ongoing for years, but the acceleration over the past 12 months suggests a turnaround is unlikely,” added Bubani.


X’s commercial woes have been compounded by other crises. The platform recently faced a ban in Brazil, one of its largest markets with over 20 million users. Brazil’s Supreme Court upheld the ban after X failed to comply with court orders to remove profiles spreading disinformation and refused to appoint a local legal representative.


Marketers’ trust in advertising on X has continued to plummet, with only 12 per cent expressing confidence in 2024, down from 22 per cent in 2022. A mere 4 per cent believe X offers brand safety.


Musk’s lawsuits against  global advertising firms


In response to the growing advertiser revolt, Musk has taken an aggressive stance. Last month, X filed a lawsuit against a global advertising alliance and major corporations such as Unilever, Mars, and CVS Health, accusing them of colluding to boycott the platform and intentionally causing revenue loss.


“We tried peace for two years, now it is war,” Musk wrote on X.

Despite these challenges, X maintains that advertisers are increasing their investment. A company spokesperson told The Guardian, “Advertisers know that X now offers stronger brand safety, performance, and analytics capabilities than ever before. Our brand safety rate is 99 per cent, as validated by DoubleVerify and Integral Ads Science, which is reflected by the fact that the majority of advertisers are increasing their investment in X, as shown by Kantar’s data.”

 

First Published: Sep 05 2024 | 9:53 AM IST



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US antitrust trial targets Alphabet, to challenge Google's ad business

US antitrust trial targets Alphabet, to challenge Google's ad business

by | Sep 4, 2024 | Technology


Google (Photo: Shutterstock)

4 min read Last Updated : Sep 04 2024 | 11:29 PM IST


Alphabet’s Google faces trial in a second antitrust case next week where the U.S. Department of Justice will challenge how the search giant monetizes advertising through a system that prosecutors say harms news publishers.


The case is part of the Biden administration’s effort to rein in Big Tech through antitrust law, and follows a major win for the Justice Department in a separate lawsuit on Aug. 5 when a judge found that Google illegally monopolized online search.

 


While that case focused on Google’s ubiquitous search engine, the trial beginning in Alexandria, Virginia, on Monday will home in on less conspicuous Google technology that connects website publishers and advertisers.

 


Those advertising tools contributed to the more than 75 per cent of Google’s $307.4 billion in revenue last year that came from advertising.

 


“Google is far and away the largest seller of advertising on earth. They touch every part of the industry, if not directly, then indirectly. Everyone has an interest in Google one way or another,” said Brian Wieser, an advertising consultant and financial analyst.

 


The Justice Department and a coalition of states will seek to show Google broke U.S. antitrust law in its digital advertising businesses. A victory for the states and Justice Department would set the stage for them to ask U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema to order a breakup of the company.

 


The antitrust regulators accuse Google of dominating the markets for the technology behind website ads by tying its tools for publishers and advertisers together, staking out a “privileged position as the middleman.”

 


Google has denied the claims, saying it is not required to share technological advantages with rivals and that its products are interoperable with those offered by competitors.

 


The Justice Department alleges that Google controls 91 per cent of the market for ad servers, where publishers offer ad space, more than 85 per cent of the market for ad networks, which advertisers use to place ads, and over half of the market for ad exchanges.

 


Google says its share of those markets is 30 per cent or less when including advertising on social media, streaming TV and apps, and says the Justice Department’s narrow focus on website ads obscures the fierce competition it faces as those categories grow.

 


Google competitors on the advertiser side, such as Trade Desk and Comcast, and publisher side, such as PubMatic, are on the list of potential witnesses.

 


The case will also highlight how advertising technology has affected news organizations. One-third of newspapers in the U.S.


have been closed or sold since 2005, according to a Northwestern University study published last November.

 


“Journalism is under threat in large part due to consolidation in the advertising market,” Justice Department antitrust chief Jonathan Kanter said at an event held in June by the Open Markets Institute, an anti-monopoly advocacy group.

 


Current or former executives from News Corp, the Daily Mail and Gannett, which has also sued Google, may testify at trial.

 


Google has focused on small businesses and publishers, some of whom it plans to call as witnesses at trial. A breakup would “slow innovation, raise advertising fees, and make it harder” for small companies to grow, Google has said.

 


The way Google viewed its ad tech will be a key focus at trial, with potential testimony from more than two dozen current or former employees and executives, including YouTube Chief Executive Neal Mohan, a former Google advertising executive.


(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

First Published: Sep 04 2024 | 11:29 PM IST



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Tech wrap Sep 04: Intel AI chips, Pixel 9 Pro Fold sale, Music Search, more

Tech wrap Sep 04: Intel AI chips, Pixel 9 Pro Fold sale, Music Search, more

by | Sep 4, 2024 | Technology


4 min read Last Updated : Sep 04 2024 | 8:03 PM IST


American chipmaker Intel has introduced its new Core Ultra 200V series processors, also known as Lunar Lake chips. These processors are designed to compete with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Elite and AMD’s Ryzen AI 300 series processors for AI PCs.


Google has introduced new features for Android phones, tablets, and Wear OS watches. Among the updates, the American tech giant has announced the Circle to Search Music feature, along with other enhancements to the Android platform.


The Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold smartphone is now available for purchase in India. Unveiled at the “Made By Google” event last month, this second-generation foldable device joins Google’s flagship series for the year, alongside the Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, and Pixel 9 Pro XL. It is powered by Google’s Tensor G4 chip, featuring 16GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage.


GoPro has introduced two new cameras in India: the high-end GoPro HERO13 Black and the entry-level GoPro HERO. The GoPro HERO13 Black boasts features such as Magnetic Latch Mounting, GPS functionality, and swappable HB-series lens options. Meanwhile, the GoPro HERO is noted as the company’s smallest camera with a screen.


Google announced the official release of its new Android 15 operating system and is making the source code available on the Android Open Source Project (AOSP). While this marks the end of the Android 15 beta testing phase, the new OS is not yet available to consumers.


Instagram is adding comments to stories on its platform. The social media company introduced the new feature, “Comments in Stories,” recently during the launch of Creator Lab in India and has confirmed it through a post on their official Instagram account.


Taiwanese electronics company MSI has unveiled a new lineup of laptops at the Internationale Funkausstellung (IFA) 2024 in Berlin, Germany. The new range includes both gaming and business productivity laptops, powered by the latest Intel Core Ultra (Series 2) processors and AMD Ryzen AI 300 Series processors, each equipped with a dedicated neural processing unit (NPU) for AI tasks.


China’s OnePlus is set to release its new entry-level Nord Buds 3 wireless earbuds on September 17. Before the launch, the company shared several key specifications of the earbuds.


Samsung released the Galaxy A06 entry-level smartphone in India on September 4th. As the newest member of the brand’s “A” series, this device is equipped with a MediaTek Helio G85 chipset and features a 5,000 mAh battery.


Snap, the parent company of Snapchat, is rolling out sponsored messages alongside chat threads from friends on the platform. In a note to employees, Snap’s CEO Evan Spiegel reflected on the company’s 13-year journey and outlined upcoming changes to the platform in the coming months.


The fine print in terms of use agreements, which many users overlook, often includes clauses that allow for such intrusive practices.


On Tuesday, Bloomberg News reported that the US Department of Justice has issued a subpoena to Nvidia as part of its expanding investigation into the company’s antitrust practices, according to sources familiar with the matter.


On Tuesday, social media giant Meta Platforms announced that it will disclose to Brazilians how it plans to use their personal data for training generative artificial intelligence (AI), in response to a request from the country’s data protection authority.

First Published: Sep 04 2024 | 8:03 PM IST



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