Today’s Cache | Google’s antitrust tussle with Epic
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Google’s antitrust tussle with Epic
Google is trying to push back against a legal order that will require it to open up its app store to rivals, after facing allegations from developers that it hurt competition in the market. U.S. District Judge James Donato on October 7 issued a landmark injunction that will allow third-party apps to access the Play store, but Google has appealed this decision. The judge’s ruling also stops Google from leveraging exclusive deals with phone makers to have its Play Store come installed on users’ devices. App developers will also have more freedom to offer alternative payment options, per the judge’s ruling.
On the other hand, Google has claimed the move could impact consumers’ privacy and security, apart from harming competition on mobile devices. This issue became a major point of contention in August 2020 when Fortnite-maker Epic Games offered a direct payment option on its app, going against Google’s in-app billing system. Epic CEO Tim Sweeney has moved against both Google and Apple over their handling of third-party apps in their stores.
AI companies invest in nuclear power
Companies like Google, Microsoft, Amazon, and OpenAI are looking into nuclear energy and its potential to power their advancing generative AI ambitions and data centres. Nuclear energy is considered clean by the U.S. administration, and cited benefits include its availability 24×7 and the development of small modular reactors (SMRs), which are expected to be less costly to build and operate due to their compact design.
However, environmental groups are against the promotion of nuclear energy and disagree with it being called, “clean.” In particular, there are concerns as Microsoft and Constellation outlined plans to potentially restart the Three Mile Island Unit 1. The station’s Unit 2 in 1979 saw what is considered to be one of the worst nuclear industrial accidents in the U.S.
Perplexity’s fundraising goals
The AI company Perplexity is reportedly in fundraising talks, with the goal of doubling its valuation in order to reach $8 billion or even go beyond this, reported Wall Street Journal. Per sources, Perplexity AI wants to raise around $500 million in the latest funding round. The company is backed by Jeff Bezos and Nvidia. Its estimated annualised revenue is currently about $50 million, per WSJ.
However, the AI company has faced accusations of plagiarism and violating copyrights, after which it rolled out a way for publishers to share revenue. The company also received a “cease and desist” notice from the New York Times, it said.
Published – October 21, 2024 01:26 pm IST