Google has introduced a new AI-powered dictation app named Google AI Edge Eloquent. The app focuses on offline speech-to-text and is currently available on iOS. According to Google, it converts speech into text in real time and can function offline once models are downloaded, using Google’s Gemma AI for speech recognition. With this launch, Google is entering the expanding space of AI transcription tools that convert spoken words into clear, usable text.
Netflix has introduced a new app called Netflix Playground, designed for children aged eight and under. According to Netflix, the app goes beyond standard video streaming by combining games with familiar characters. It is included in the existing Netflix subscription and offers an ad-free experience without in-app purchases. The company is expanding its gaming efforts by creating a dedicated space where kids can interact with content based on popular shows. It is currently available on iPhone and iPad in select markets and will roll out globally on April 28.
Google has introduced two new features for Android users in Google Photos. According to Google, the update includes an AI-powered photo editing tool called “AI Enhance” along with video playback speed controls. The AI Enhance feature can adjust lighting, contrast and colours with a single tap, while the video option allows users to change how fast or slow a clip plays. With these additions, Google aims to simplify everyday photo editing and video viewing within the app.
Google has launched a special edition of its Pixel 10a smartphone, introducing a new colour called Isai Blue. The new variant marks 10 years of Pixel phones and is currently exclusive to Japan. Along with the new colour, the company has also added custom user interface elements to the software to match the theme.
Apple’s iPhone has appeared in one of Nasa’s most closely followed missions. The iPhone 17 Pro Max is onboard the Orion spacecraft for the ongoing Artemis II lunar mission, marking one of the first instances of a mainstream consumer smartphone being cleared for extended use in space. According to a report by TheNew York Times, several iPhone units were seen floating inside the spacecraft cabin during the mission, with astronauts using them to capture photos and videos. The devices were provided to the crew by Nasa during their pre-flight quarantine phase and were approved specifically for imaging purposes.
Apple’s next-generation iPhone Air is expected to launch this year, earlier than previously anticipated. According to a report by 9To5Mac, the iPhone Air 2 is now reportedly set to arrive alongside the iPhone 18 Pro models and the anticipated foldable iPhone. Earlier reports suggested that the iPhone Air 2 could launch with the base iPhone 18, which is expected in the first half of 2027, as part of Apple’s staggered launch plan.
Apple has been encountering setbacks in the engineering test phase of its first foldable iPhone, which could lead to delays in its mass production and product shipment schedule, Nikkei Asia reported on Monday, citing sources. Engineering development issues could delay the first shipments of the foldable iPhones by months in a worst-case scenario, according to the Nikkei report.
Rivals OpenAI, Anthropic PBC, and Alphabet Inc.’s Google have begun working together to try to clamp down on Chinese competitors extracting results from cutting-edge US artificial intelligence models to gain an edge in the global AI race. The firms are sharing information through the Frontier Model Forum, an industry nonprofit that the three tech companies founded with Microsoft Corp. in 2023, to detect so-called adversarial distillation attempts that violate their terms of service, according to people familiar with the matter.
Global chip design and manufacturing major Intel on Tuesday elevated its India managing director and vice president, Santhosh Viswanathan, to head the Asia Pacific and Japan (APJ) region. In the new role, Viswanathan will lead Intel’s overall business, brand, and customer engagements across both the Asia Pacific and Japan regions, the company said.
