Inside Tech

For April 29, 2024

Here’s a look at today's tech briefing:

EU to investigate Meta over election disinformation.
Getir withdraws from U.S., Europe.
Apple could launch iPad Pro with new 'M4' chip.
Tesla wins approval that could allow Full Self-Driving in China.
Google lays off members of Flutter, Dart, and Python teams.

The European Union is expected to open an investigation into Meta over concerns that it's not doing enough to fight disinformation from Russia and other foreign countries, particularly when it comes to European elections. Brussels could announce the probe as early as today.

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EU officials are concerned about "deceptive advertising and political content."
The commission won't specifically target Russia in its statement, instead referring to the manipulation of information by foreign actors, as per the Financial Times.
EU officials are particularly concerned about Meta's plan to shut down CrowdTangle, a tool used by researchers and fact-checkers to study content on Facebook and Instagram.
In response, Meta said it has a "well-established process for identifying and mitigating risks on our platforms."

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The U.K., Austria, and other European countries have elections this year, as does the European Parliament in June.

Grocery delivery startup Getir is exiting the U.S. and Europe and will refocus on its home market of Turkey. The fast delivery firm said the U.S., the U.K., Germany, and the Netherlands account for only 7% of its revenue.

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Founded in 2015, Getir operates on a model where groceries are packed at urban "dark stores" and delivered by its fleet of drivers.
Getir grew rapidly during the pandemic as people turned more to online shopping, reaching a $12B valuation in 2022.
However, its valuation fell to $2.5B after raising $500M in September.
To support its growth in Turkey, Getir secured an investment round of an undisclosed amount, led by existing backers Mubadala Investment Co. and G Squared.

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Layoffs.fyi reports that Getir has laid off 3,300 employees as part of the reorganization, though that figure could eventually be as high as 6,000.
Getir is now second to Tesla in number of employee layoffs this month. The automaker announced on April 15 that it will cut over 10% of its 140,000-person workforce.

Apple is expected to unveil a new iPad Pro model with an M4 chip at its "Let Loose" event on May 7. The OLED tablet could be the first Apple device to feature the next-generation M4 chip.

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Bloomberg's Mark Gurman believes Apple will market the new iPad Pro as "its first truly AI-powered device."
He expects the M4 chip will to contain an upgraded Neural Engine, improving AI task performance.
The iPad Pro is also expected to gain an OLED screen for deeper blacks and richer colors.
After the tablet's launch, Gurman predicts Apple will market all future products as AI devices.

May 7 event:

Apple could also announce a new Pencil with haptic feedback.
The company plans to unveil a 12.9-inch variant of the iPad Air, along with a revamped Magic Keyboard designed for iPads.

Tesla received approval from Chinese authorities for its data security, potentially clearing the way for its most advanced self-driving software in China. Tesla's Full Self-Driving (FSD) technology has been available in China but with restricted features.

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The China Association of Auto Manufacturers announced that Tesla's Model 3 and Y vehicles passed China's data security requirements.
Tesla partnered with Baidu to use its mapping license for collecting data in China, a key move for introducing FSD in the country.
The announcement came after CEO Elon Musk on Sunday met with Chinese Premier Li Qiang.
The two were set to discuss FSD software and approval to transfer driving data abroad to train Tesla's algorithms.

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The China Association of Automobile Manufacturers also approved data security for car models from top Chinese manufacturers including BYD and Nio.
Amid competition from such rivals, Tesla's market share in China fell from 10.5% in early 2023 to 6.7% by Q4, according to Bloomberg's analysis of data from China's Passenger Car Association.

Google has laid off an undisclosed number of employees from its Flutter, Dart, and Python teams. The move comes two weeks after Google restructured its finance division, including layoffs, as it prioritizes investments in AI.

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In a recent WARN notice, Google announced the layoff of 50 employees at Sunnyvale, California locations.
Social media reports indicated the company will replace some U.S.-based Python programmers with software engineers in Munich, Germany.
Google confirmed the layoffs and said they were targeted reorganizations as part of its business operations.
Affected employees can seek other positions within Google.

Apple is in talks with OpenAI to integrate generative AI features into the iPhone's iOS 18 update. Apple has also been considering Google's Gemini AI engine for new iPhone features.

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Apple is considering multiple options for integrating AI capabilities into its devices.
The company could license Google's Gemini and/or tap ChatGPT maker OpenAI's technology to power a chatbot on iOS.
Bloomberg notes Apple could choose both OpenAI and Google or select another provider altogether.

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Apple is expected to announce iOS 18 along with new AI features at its Worldwide Developers Conference on June 10.
iOS 18, the next iPhone operating system, is due out publicly this fall.

QUICK HITS:

Apple's iPadOS now falls under the EU's strictest digital competition rules, giving the company six months to comply.
Peacock will raise subscription prices starting July 18, days before the platform begins coverage of the 2024 Summer Olympics.
Google is adding the ability to simultaneously download two Android apps on the Play Store.
G/O Media sold The Onion to Global Tetrahedron, a Chicago-based group owned by Twilio co-founder Jeff Lawson.
Apple plans to launch the Vision Pro 2 in late 2026, though the company still wants to unveil a cheaper version of the mixed-reality headset before that.

Beth Duckett

AI and technology writer

Beth is a contributing editor and writer of Inside's AI and Tech newsletters. She has written for publications including USA Today, the Arizona Business Gazette, and The Arizona Republic, where she received recognition with a Pulitzer Prize nomination and a First Amendment Award for collaborative reporting on state pension cost increases. You can reach her at Beth.Duckett@yahoo.com.