The smarter, more capable version of Siri that Apple is developing will be powered by Google Gemini, reports Bloomberg. Apple will pay Google approximately $1 billion per year for a 1.2 trillion parameter artificial intelligence model that was developed by Google.


For context, parameters are a measure of how a model understands and responds to queries. More parameters generally means more capable, though training and architecture are also factors. Bloomberg says that Google's model "dwarfs" the parameter level of Apple's current models.

The current cloud-based version of Apple Intelligence uses 150 billion parameters, but there are no specific metrics detailing how the other models Apple is developing measure up.

Apple will use Gemini for functions related to summarizing and multi-step task planning and execution, but Apple models will also be used for some ‌Siri‌ features. The AI model that Google is developing for Apple will run on Apple's Private Cloud Compute servers, so Google will not have access to Apple data.

Gemini uses a Mixture-of-Experts architecture, so while it has over a trillion total parameters, only a fraction of them are activated for each query. The architecture allows for a large total compute capacity without racking up significant processing costs.

Apple weighed using its own AI models for the LLM version of ‌Siri‌, and also tested options from OpenAI and Anthropic, but it decided to go with Gemini after deciding Anthropic's fees were too high. Apple already has a partnership with Google for search results, with Google paying Apple around $20 billion per year to be the default search engine option on Apple devices.

Though Apple is planning to rely on Google AI for now, it plans to continue working on its own models and will transition to an in-house solution when its LLMs are capable enough. Apple is already working on a 1 trillion parameter cloud-based model that could be ready as soon as 2026. Apple is unlikely to publicize its arrangement with Google while it develops in-house models.

Apple was meant to debut an updated version of ‌Siri‌ in iOS 18, but deficiencies required the company to overhaul the underlying ‌Siri‌ architecture and significantly delay the rollout. The smarter ‌Apple Intelligence‌ ‌Siri‌ is expected to be introduced in an iOS 26.4 update that's coming in spring 2026.

‌Siri‌ will be able to answer more complex queries and complete more complicated tasks in and between apps. It will be closer in function to Claude and ChatGPT, though Apple is not planning a dedicated chatbot app.
This article, "Apple's New Siri Will Be Powered By Google Gemini" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Google has proposed sweeping changes to its Play Store and Android to end an ongoing antitrust dispute with Epic Games. The two companies filed a joint settlement agreement with the court last night, and if approved, Apple will be left as the only company embroiled in a public antitrust fight with Epic.


Google will allow Android app developers to use alternative payment methods in apps or through external links instead of forcing them to use Google Play Billing. Google is supporting Registered App Stores, which are alternative app stores that can be easily installed alongside Google Play. ‌Epic Games‌ would be a Registered App Store, able to be installed on Android devices to offer its own catalog of app titles.

As for fees, Google will charge a maximum of 9 percent or 20 percent based on transaction type and date of install, with the lowered fees applicable worldwide instead of solely in the United States. Google can charge a fee for transactions completed using alternative payment methods, and it is also able to charge an additional fee for transactions processed by Google Play Billing.

The wording around fees is complicated and could be somewhat open to interpretation for virtual items in games, plus it applies to new app installs, not existing app installs. Google can charge a 20 percent fee for in-game purchases providing more than a de minimis gameplay advantage, which would presumably be things like power ups, items that increase experience, or loot boxes.

Google can only charge a 9 percent fee for items that do not affect gameplay, such as additional levels, events, or Fortnite skins that are considered cosmetic. The 9 percent maximum fee is also applicable to in-app subscriptions, non-game app purchases, or up front app and game purchases. In a situation where there's a mixed bundle that includes in-game items like weapons and in-game skins, Google can charge the higher 20 percent rate. Google told The Verge that it would also charge a five percent fee for apps that choose to use the Google Play Billing system, which would be in addition to the 9 to 20 percent fee.

To simplify, the base fee for all apps will be 9 percent, while fees for games will range from 9 percent to 20 percent. Developers will pay another five percent if using Google Play Billing. For alternative app stores, Google is able to charge reasonable fees that cover operational costs, but nothing additional. ‌Epic Games‌ will be able to create an ‌Epic Games‌ Store on Android, paying minimal fees to Google, which is what the company set out to do when it initially filed lawsuits against Apple and Google back in 2020. ‌Epic Games‌ CEO Tim Sweeney said that Google's proposal is "awesome" and a "comprehensive solution that stands in contrast to Apple's model of blocking all competing stores."


Google agreed not to enter into agreements that would see apps launch "first or exclusively" on Google Play, and it will not require an app to provide the same features on Google Play that it does on another app store. Developers are also free to communicate with customers about cheaper prices available outside of the Google Play Store.

It's possible that Google's settlement with ‌Epic Games‌ could impact the eventual outcome of the ‌Epic Games‌ v. Apple case. Apple and Google have charged developers similar fees historically, and there is inevitable change coming to the ‌App Store‌ ecosystem.

There are important differences between the two legal disputes, however, so what's going on with Google is not directly applicable to Apple. In Epic v. Apple, Apple largely won the case. The judge did not find that Apple had a monopoly, and Apple was only required to allow developers to link to web-based purchase options.

In Epic v. Google, Google lost. If Google didn't settle with Epic, it was going to be forced to make Play Store changes anyway. A jury decided that Google abused its power by operating an app store monopoly and charging developers exorbitant fees. Google has also always allowed for sideloading on Android devices and has been more open to it, even though it isn't as easy as it will be in the future.

Apple has consistently opposed sideloading and will not likely make the same concessions that Google made without being forced into it.

In Epic v. Apple, Apple is currently fighting an injunction requiring it to allow developers to link to outside purchase options in apps in the U.S. Apple is currently not allowed to collect fees on purchases made through in-app links, an order that came after the court found that Apple had willfully violated the original order requiring links by controlling the appearance of links and charging high fees.

The court is planning to review the proposed Epic v. Google settlement on November 6.
This article, "Google Agrees to Make Major Play Store Changes to Settle Epic Games Antitrust Lawsuit" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Google is updating the Chrome app for the iPhone and the iPad with a dedicated "AI Mode" button that matches functionality found in the desktop version of Chrome. AI Mode is located under the Google search bar, next to an Incognito Mode button.


The AI Mode option provides quicker access to Chrome's Gemini-powered AI search feature. Google says that AI Mode lets users ask more complex, multi-part questions, and follow up on answers.

Chrome users in the United States will see the AI Mode button in the Chrome apps for ‌iPhone‌, ‌iPad‌, and Android as of today, with Google planning to expand it to additional countries in the near future.
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With every flagship smartphone launch, the new devices are subject to bend tests, drop tests, and other durability tests. YouTuber JerryRigEverything (Zack Nelson) is known for his scratch and bend tests, and he did his usual routine with the Pixel 10 Pro Fold. This time, something went wrong.


When Nelson bent the Pixel 10 Pro Fold, it broke on the first test, and the second test damaged the battery and engulfed his studio in smoke. Nelson bent the smartphone backward in a way unlikely to occur in normal use, but it's also the first time that he's had a battery rupture.

"Surprisingly, in the decade that I've been durability testing phones, I have never had a smartphone explode before," he says. "The Pixel 10 Pro Fold is the first phone to go up in smoke."

He goes on to explain that he's subjected every mainstream smartphone from the last decade to the exact same tests, but this is the first time he's had a failure that set off his fire alarm. At the end of the video, the Pixel 10 Pro Fold is a smoking, charred mess, and Nelson suggests not putting an open 10 Pro Fold in a pocket.

According to Nelson, Google's line of foldable Pixel smartphones have had the same antenna line design issue for the last three years. Every one bends at the antenna line, and this time around, the layers of the battery were pinched together, resulting in a short circuit that caused a thermal reaction.

iFixit told The Verge that while the battery fire is dramatic, it's "not necessarily a sign that something is wrong with the Pixel 10 Pro Fold design." The battery does not appear to have been discharged before the bend test, and iFixit said that short circuits can happen if you break the insulating layers of a battery. Google has not yet responded to the incident.

The Verge also points out that Google has had other battery issues this year. The company updated the Pixel 6A to address a potential battery overheating risk, and also updated the 4A to improve the stability of the battery's performance.
This article, "Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold Catastrophically Fails Bend Test, Ends Up a Charred Mess" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Google today announced the launch of a new Google Home Speaker, which has a more HomePod mini-like design than prior versions of the smart speaker.


Priced at $100, the speaker has a squat, rounded shape with a 3D knit fabric covering and a colorful light ring at the bottom so you know when the speaker is listening. It comes in Jade, Berry, Porcelain, and Hazel. Google says the speaker offers richer, 360-degree sound, balanced acoustics, and the ability to pair multiple speakers together.

The speaker's design is reminiscent of the HomePod mini, but it isn't quite as round. Google is targeting the same price point, as Apple sells the ‌HomePod mini‌ for $99. It's been some time since Apple upgraded the ‌HomePod mini‌, but we could get a refresh as soon as this year.

The new Google Home Speaker integrates with Gemini for Home and a new Google Home Premium service that's powered by Google's Gemini AI. Natural voice chat is supported for AI conversations, and all the AI features you might expect are available like conversational context. You can ask questions about cooking, trips, planning, explore ideas, study, manage calendars, learn languages, get advice, learn skills, play music, and more.


Google added a physical toggle to turn off the microphone for a privacy mode that ensures the speaker isn't listening to conversations.

The Google Home Premium service is a key part of the updated Google Home Speaker, and it is meant to integrate with speakers, cameras, displays, and more, providing AI oversight and simple, conversation-based automation. If you have connected cameras, Google Home Premium can analyze footage and let you know what happens when you're away, plus it powers smart alerts for detecting packages, people, doors left open, and smoke alarms. Google's Gemini AI integration gives its speaker capabilities that the ‌HomePod‌ and the ‌HomePod mini‌ currently lack.

Google's new speaker is set to come out in spring 2026, and it will be priced at $100. Google Home Premium Standard is priced at $10 per month or $100 per year for Gemini Live and home automation features, while Google Home Premium Advanced is priced at $20 per month or $200 per year for daily summaries and video history search options. Access is also included in Google AI Pro and Google AI Ultra.

Google Home Premium replaces Nest Aware. Google Home Speaker owners can ask Gemini questions at no cost because Gemini for Home is included, but Gemini Live (the voice-based chat feature), AI automations, sound detection, AI-powered notifications, Home Brief, video history search, and daily briefings require Google Home Premium.

Google also debuted new Nest Cam Indoor, Nest Cam Outdoor, and Nest Doorbell cameras with 2K HDR video, improved low-light performance, and Google Home Premium integration.
This article, "Google Announces $100 Home Speaker With HomePod Mini-Like Design and Gemini AI" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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