October 2024
Alphabet delivers earnings beat but investors wary of AI hit on Google
Sundar Pichai, the chief executive of the world’s second-largest technology company, says the search engine giant can move quickly to respond.
December 2023
Little-used mobile phone feature exposes new scam threat
A newly discovered security risk that exploits 19-year-old mobile phone technology might let scammers bypass identity checks for banking and email.
Social media is dead, long live messaging
Facebook has announced major upgrades to its messaging apps, which could help it avoid having to moderate content and reduce some of social media’s negative impacts.
April 2023
Download the AFR’s new Android app
The AFR app makes it easy to stay ahead of the latest business news, insights and analysis, wherever you are.
August 2022
Google hit with $60m penalty for misleading data claims
Google will pay $60 million in penalties for misleading Australians about the collection and use of their Android phone location data, following a long-running court fight against the competition watchdog.
TikTok under Australian privacy watchdog scrutiny
The information commissioner is looking at data collection and permissions requests after fresh analysis of the app’s source code raised alarm.
June 2022
Westpac turns Android phones into payment terminals
Using Quest Payment Systems’ ‘Airpay TAP’ technology, the bank will allow customers to use their phones and tablets for ‘tap and go’ card payments.
February 2022
Westpac upgrades payment terminals to counter Square, CBA
The bank’s new hardware also uses Android software that will allow it to create dynamic credit products at the point of sale.
June 2021
Why Microsoft wants you to love Windows 11
Sure, it was inspired by the pandemic. But there’s another reason Microsoft decided to overhaul Windows another time: emotions.
April 2021
What do we do when Google does evil things?
Googling is a Faustian bargain. The ACCC’s win showed that even turning off location history isn’t enough to tell Google not to keep a history of your location.
December 2020
Apple's most downloaded apps in 2020
The most-used app of 2020 was one most people had never touched before.
October 2020
Android phones become payments terminals as Aussie app takes on Square
A Melbourne company has been allowed by Visa and Mastercard to turn Android phones into payments devices without the need for additional hardware.
June 2020
Apple to sail through antitrust crackdown
Apple is being targeted by regulators, but investors looking beyond these threats can't see any significant long-term damage to the firm's money generating power.
December 2019
Google makes mobile messaging more like Apple
Google officially flipped the switch on an update that makes texting on Androids more like texting on an iPhone.
October 2019
You've turned off your location history. Now what?
Experts warn that even if Android users turn off both their location history and "Web and App Activity", their whereabouts can still be tracked and stored by Google, service providers and more.
July 2019
Snap's Android fix and new lens boost users
Shares of Snap jumped 11.6 per cent after Snapchat beat analysts' estimates for user growth and revenue.
Google workers listen to Assistant requests on speakers and phones
Contractors employed by Google listen to recordings of conversations customers have with their Google voice-activated devices like smart speakers and phones.
June 2019
US prepares for landmark Google antitrust probe
The US Justice Department is preparing an investigation of Google to determine whether it has broken antitrust law in operating its sprawling online businesses.
May 2019
Huawei hard line shows Silicon Valley sees the value of nationalism
Google's ban on Huawei last week came shortly before Facebook's Sheryl Sandberg raised the spectre of Chinese strength, as big tech sees a chance to dodge a break up.
Huawei lacks answers as 'tech cold war' heats up
Huawei has sought to reassure users of its smartphones that a potential suspension by Google will not affect them, but this has been disputed.