Inside Tech

For December 29, 2023

Here are today's top tech stories:

Google agrees to settle Chrome "Incognito mode" lawsuit.
X fails to block California content-moderation law.
Huawei says company "back on track" after U.S. trade restrictions.

Google has tentatively settled a class-action lawsuit claiming it tracked users in Chrome's "Incognito" mode. While settlement terms weren't made public, the lawsuit sought at least $5B from Google.

More:

The lawsuit alleged that Google tracked Chrome users' online activity even in Incognito mode or "private" mode in other browsers.
The plaintiffs claim that Google deceived customers when its cookies, analytics, and app tools continued tracking browsing activity while they thought they were doing private browsing.
Google disputed the claims, saying that Incognito allows users to browse the internet without saving their activity, though websites can still collect information during a session.

Zoom out:

The lawsuit targeted "millions" of Google users since June 2016, demanding a minimum of $5,000 per user for alleged breaches of federal wire-tapping and California privacy law.
The case, previously set for a 2024 trial in California, is now on hold pending the finalization of the settlement details.

X, formerly Twitter, has failed to block a California law requiring social media firms to reveal their content moderation policies. On Thursday, a Sacramento federal judge rejected the social media company's request for a preliminary injunction of the law.

More:

The law, AB 587, forces large social media companies to biannually report their content moderation practices and data on how they handle objectionable posts.
X sued California in September, claiming the law infringes on its free speech rights under the U.S. Constitution's First Amendment and the California state constitution.
On Thursday, U.S. District Judge William Shubb dismissed X's request. The law's reporting requirement, while burdensome for social media companies, is not excessively "unjustified or unduly burdensome within the context of First Amendment law," he wrote.
X did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Zoom out:

X has faced criticism over its content moderation policies, with hundreds of advertisers pausing their ads on the platform since Elon Musk's takeover last year.
Earlier this month, the European Commission opened an investigation into X amid concerns it may have violated the EU's new Digital Services Act (DSA), particularly as it relates to spreading disinformation about Hamas' attacks on Israel.

Huawei Technologies forecasts a 9% revenue growth in 2023, signaling a return to normalcy following U.S. sanctions that have impacted its business since 2019. The Chinese hardware giant expects a surge in annual revenue to 700 billion yuan ($98.7B) in 2023, driven by a rebounding smartphone sector and strong 5G equipment sales, marking its fastest growth in years.

What the numbers show: Huawei forecasts a 9% rise in annual sales this year, up from a modest 0.9% rise in 2022 and a 28.6% drop in 2021. The company's smartphone shipments soared by 83% in October compared to the same month last year, buoyed by the launch of its Mate 60 Pro. The smartphone, featuring an in-house chip for ultrafast data connections, is Huawei's first 5G smartphone since U.S. export controls limited access to advanced chips and other tech.

Quotable: "After years of hard work, we've managed to weather the storm. And now we're pretty much back on track," the company's rotating chairman, Ken Hu, said in a year-end message to employees.

What it means: Looking ahead, Hu said Huawei plans to prioritize its devices business for expansion in 2024. However, Hu also warned of "serious challenges" in the New Year, including geopolitical and economic uncertainties, technology restrictions, and trade barriers. "Together, these forces are reshaping business models and the global value chain," Hu said.

Microsoft plans to incorporate advanced AI and next-gen neural processing units (NPU) into its upcoming Surface laptops. The Surface Pro 10 and Surface Laptop 6, due out in 2024, will be optimized to run AI software, according to Windows Central.

More:

The laptops will come with either Intel's Meteor Lake processors or Qualcomm's Snapdragon X series chips.
Both chip lines include an NPU to accelerate AI applications and improve their performance.
Intel's Meteor Lake series features a dual-core NPU optimized for machine learning.
Similarly, Snapdragon X Elite's flagship chip includes an NPU that can handle AI models with up to 13 billion parameters.

Zoom out:

The Snapdragon X-equipped Surface Pro and Surface Laptop are also expected to run Windows' new AI-enhanced "Hudson Valley" release.
The release features AI-powered file search and Super Resolution for visuals and could have a dedicated button for turning on Microsoft's Copilot AI assistant in Windows.

BuzzFeed President Marcela Martin announced her resignation, effective January 12, to explore new opportunities. Martin, formerly the CFO of Squarespace, was appointed president of BuzzFeed in May 2022.

More:

Before Squarespace, Martin was SVP and CFO of Booking.com.
BuzzFeed won't seek Martin's replacement, as her duties will be managed by the CEO and other executives.
Martin's departure follows BuzzFeed CFO Felicia DellaFortuna's exit in November.

Zoom out:

BuzzFeed, like many digital media companies, has faced challenges due to heavy reliance on ad revenue and competition from platforms like TikTok.
The company, founded in 2006 and public since 2021, closed its news division in April.
Although the division won a Pulitzer Prize in 2021 for its reporting on China, it struggled financially.

MacRumors shared the iOS 17 and 18 features expected to launch in 2024. The company will release new iPhone features throughout the year. Here are the highlights:

Stolen Device Protection adds an extra layer of security to prevent thefts where the thief knows the iPhone's passcode.
RCS Support in the Messages App will improve iPhone-Android messaging with features like high-resolution media and improved group chats.
Apple Music Collaborative Playlists allows multiple users to contribute to a playlist.
Next-Generation CarPlay will include deeper integration with vehicle controls.
Generative AI for Siri, part of iOS 18, reportedly involves using large language models to improve Siri's responses and task automation.

QUICK HITS

2024 is the year your startup gets funded. Make it happen with Foundersuite Over 50k global startups have raised $15Bln+ with our investor DB, CRM, data room and more.*
A Chinese court has ruled in favor of JD.com in its antitrust lawsuit against its competitor, Alibaba.
The California Highway Patrol confirmed the first collision involving a Tesla Cybertruck, with no major injuries reported. A new Cybertruck carrying three passengers was reportedly struck in Palo Alto by a 2009 Toyota Corolla driven by a 17-year-old.
Google Assistant in Android Auto can now use AI to summarize texts and other messages.
Frec Direct Indexing delivers the benefits of passive index investing with supercharged tax savings – up to 38% of your portfolio over 5 years in tax deductions.*

*This is a sponsored post.

Beth Duckett

AI and technology writer

Beth is a contributing editor and writer of Inside's AI and Tech newsletters. She has written for notable publications like USA Today and the Arizona Business Gazette. During her time as a public policy reporter at The Arizona Republic, she received recognition with a Pulitzer Prize nomination and a First Amendment Award for her collaborative reporting on pension cost increases. Beth also authored a book on the solar photovoltaic industry in 2016. You can reach her at Beth.Duckett@yahoo.com.