Month: October 2020

Apple steps up efforts to develop alternative to Google search

CompuScoop Staff October 28, 2020 0

Apple has increased its efforts to develop its own search technology as competition authorities in the U.S. and Europe question its deal with Google which pays Apple billions of dollars a year to make its search engine the default option on Apple devices.

In a little-noticed change to the latest version of the iPhone operating system, iOS 14, Apple has begun to show its own search results and link directly to websites when users type queries from its home screen.

That web search capability marks an important advance in Apple’s in-house development and could form the foundation of a fuller attack on Google, according to several people in the industry.

The Silicon Valley company is notoriously secretive about its internal projects, but the move adds to growing evidence that it is working to build a rival to Google’s search engine.

Two and a half years ago, Apple poached Google’s head of search, John Giannandrea. The hire was ostensibly to boost its artificial intelligence capabilities and its Siri virtual assistant, but also brought eight years of experience running the world’s most popular search engine.

Via: The Financial Times

Apple buys Vilynx

CompuScoop Staff October 28, 2020 0

Apple has acquired Barcelona-based Vilynx Inc., a startup specializing in advanced artificial intelligence and computer vision technology that may contribute to improving Apple’s AI across a broad swath of apps and services.

Vilynx developed technology that uses AI to analyze a video’s visual, audio and text content to understand what the video shows. It used that technology to create tags for the video, making it searchable.

The deal was completed for about $50 million, said the people who asked not to be named because they weren’t authorized to speak about the transaction.

Vilynx applied its technology to software that companies used for search and recommendation engines for video and other media. On its now defunct website, the startup touted the ability of its system to not only recognize items, but understand them. “Recognition is detecting Michael Jordan’s face,” the website said. “Understanding is knowing it’s Michael Jordan, the former NBA basketball player who played for the Chicago Bulls and went to the University of North Carolina.”

Via: Bloomberg

T-Mobile launches live TV streaming with free year of Apple TV+

Dan Uff October 27, 2020 1

T-Mobile today launched three distinct TV streaming services — TVision LIVE, VIBE and CHANNELS — with three different streaming services:

• TVision LIVE: The primary TVision service and a total game-changer for anyone who wants live news and sports, available in three packages ranging from $40-$60/month, including local stations. Watch with up to three simultaneous streams with 100 hours of cloud DVR, and get access to over 10,000 programs on-demand.

TVision Live TV: Just $40/month for 30+ channels featuring top sports and news.

TVision Live TV+: All of the above plus 10+ more channels, including regional sports, football and golf, for just $50/month. That’s $15/month less than YouTube TV!

TVision Live Zone: The best choice for sports fans to get into the zone with pro sports networks and more! At just $60/month, it includes all of the above, plus 10 additional channels. You can’t find this content at a lower price. Period.

• TVision VIBE: The best of comedy, lifestyle and drama. It’s the lowest price to cut the cord and still get all this incredible content. Just $10/month for a great selection of 30+ channels from many of the most-watched networks on TV, including thousands of programs on demand, with up to two simultaneous streams.

• TVision CHANNELS: Create your own unique lineup with a-la-carte streaming services with one bill, one login and one place to manage it all in the T-Mobile app or online, starting with STARZ, SHOWTIME and EPIX.

For full channel lineups, head to T-Mobile.com/TVision.

Former ‘Daily Show’ host Jon Stewart coming to Apple TV+

CompuScoop Staff October 27, 2020 0

The show, which will run for multiple seasons, puts Stewart back in the anchor’s chair as he explores a host of topics at the center of both the national conversation and his own advocacy work.

The still-untitled show, which will feature hourlong, single-subject episodes, will be executive produced by Stewart through his company Busboy Productions. In his role as EP, he’ll be joined by his longtime manager James Dixon and former HBO chief Richard Plepler, who via his EDEN Productions also has a rich deal at Apple. A showrunner for the forthcoming series, for which Apple is expected to offer a companion podcast, has yet to be named…

Until recently, he had had a long-term production deal at HBO, where he had a first-look deal and was quietly prepping a timely, animated shortform series, which he and HBO ultimately pulled the plug on for technical reasons. While sources say HBO made a play for Stewart’s latest on-air foray, the latter ultimately landed at Apple, where it’s expected to begin rolling out next year.

Via: The Hollywood Reporter