The end of the Google era

Summary

This week, Google faces a landmark antitrust lawsuit, accused of maintaining a monopoly by paying billions to be the default search engine on devices. The company also discontinues its Chromecast, replacing it with a new Google TV streamer. Meanwhile, the Humane AI pin struggles with high return rates, and Apple introduces a distraction control feature in iOS 18 beta. Intel reports progress on its next-gen process nodes, aiming to catch up with TSMC, while Disney+ raises prices and plans a password sharing crackdown.

Takeaways

• 📚 Google has been labeled a monopolist by the U.S. Department of Justice in a significant antitrust lawsuit, with implications for the tech industry.
• 💡 Google's alleged monopolistic practices include paying billions to make Google the default search engine on browsers and Android devices, thereby stifling competition.
• 🔍 The court found that Google's monopoly power allows it to maintain high ad prices, leading to superior ad placements and profits, which in turn funds its competitive exclusion strategy.
• 🏢 Even if Google's search quality declined, its revenues would reportedly remain stable, highlighting its monopolistic control over the market.
• 💰 The high costs of competing with Google's search engine, estimated at billions of dollars by both Google and Apple, have deterred competitors from entering the market.
• 📺 Google has discontinued the Chromecast streaming device after 11 years, replacing it with a new, higher-end Google TV streamer at $99.
• 🆕 The new Google TV streamer offers enhanced features such as 4K HDR, Dolby Vision and Atmos, and is powered by Google's natural language search capabilities.
• 📉 Humane AI's device, the 'Pin', is facing dismal sales with returns exceeding new sales, and due to T-Mobile limitations, returned units cannot be refurbished or resold.
• 📱 OnePlus has released a new Apex edition of its foldable phone with a unique color, 1TB of storage, and a privacy feature that disables camera and microphone access.
• 🌡️ Google has unveiled the fourth generation of its Nest Learning Thermostat with a complete redesign and a 60% larger display, priced at $280.
• 🔌 Anker has launched a range of high-end charging products, many of which are GaNitrite powered and designed for compactness.

Q & A

What was the outcome of the Anti-Trust lawsuit against Google by the United States Department of Justice?

The lawsuit resulted in a 286-page decision by a US judge, concluding that Google abused its dominance for over a decade, stifling competition by paying browser makers and Android brands to make Google the default search engine, and charging super-competitive prices for ads.

How did Google maintain its monopoly according to the lawsuit?

Google maintained its monopoly by paying to make itself the default search engine on browsers and Android devices, which allowed it to earn monopoly profits and afford to squeeze out competitors.

What was the significance of Google's internal study conducted in 2020 regarding search quality?

The study showed that even if Google significantly reduced the quality of its search, the revenues from search would still be fine, indicating a firm with monopoly power that operates without concern for users switching to other search engines.

What are the potential implications for Google if the ruling stands?

Google may be forced to stop paying others to be the default search engine, which could create massive challenges for device makers, including Android OEMs and Mozilla, and potentially help other search engines and advertisers.

What is the estimated cost for Apple to run a general search engine like Google?

Apple has calculated that it would cost $6 billion annually, on top of what it already spends on developing search capabilities, to run a search engine like Google.

Why did Google discontinue the Chromecast and what did they replace it with?

Google discontinued the Chromecast after 11 years and 100 million units sold. They replaced it with a new, higher-end device called the Google TV streamer, which comes with improved specs and features.

What are the key features of the new Google TV streamer compared to the old Chromecast?

The Google TV streamer includes 4K HDR with Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos, more internal storage, Ethernet, Matter thread, and natural language search powered by Google's Gemini.

What is the current situation with the Humane AI pin and why is it considered a disaster?

Returns of the Humane AI pin are outpacing sales, with only around 7,000 pins still with customers. The returns cannot be refurbished or resold due to a T-Mobile limitation, potentially leading to significant e-waste.

What is the significance of the new report from The Verge regarding the Humane AI pin?

The report indicates that the Humane AI pin is less successful than initially thought, with high return rates and an inability to refurbish or resell returned units, highlighting a major issue with the product's market viability.

What is the new feature in Apple's iOS 18 beta called 'distraction control' and how does it work?

The 'distraction control' feature in iOS 18 beta allows users to temporarily remove ads from websites while reading or taking screenshots, providing a cleaner viewing experience without blocking ads entirely.

What is the significance of the departure of John Schulman from OpenAI to join Anthropic?

John Schulman's departure is significant as it represents another high-profile defector from OpenAI's leadership team, potentially signaling issues within the company and impacting its reputation and operations.

What are the implications of Intel's next-gen foundry process nodes 20A and 18A for the company's future?

The successful development and launch of Intel's 20A and 18A process nodes could potentially allow the company to catch up with TSMC, ending a significant technological gap and improving Intel's market position.

Outlines

00:00

📘 Google's Antitrust Case and Tech Industry Implications

Google faced a monumental antitrust lawsuit, resulting in a ruling that could significantly impact the tech industry. The U.S. Department of Justice declared Google a monopolist, accusing the company of abusing its dominance for over a decade, thereby stifling competition. The court highlighted Google's practice of paying browser makers, including Apple and Mozilla, as well as Android brands like Samsung, billions to set Google as the default search engine. This tactic allowed Google to maintain a monopoly and earn 'monopoly profits.' The ruling suggests that Google's search engine dominance is partly due to its ability to push out competitors. The company's internal study revealed that even a reduction in search quality would not affect revenues significantly, demonstrating its monopolistic power. The lawsuit's outcome could potentially force Google to cease payments for default search engine status, affecting device makers and browser competitors, including Mozilla, which heavily relies on Google's payments. While Google is expected to appeal, the industry could face monumental changes.

05:02

📺 Chomecast Discontinued and Google TV Streamer Launch

Google announced the discontinuation of its Chomecast streaming dongle after 11 years and 100 million units sold. Simultaneously, Google introduced a new device, the Google TV streamer, priced at $99 and set to launch in September. The new streamer boasts higher-end specifications, including 4K HDR with Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos, more internal storage, Ethernet, Matter, and Gemini-powered natural language search. The move to discontinue Chomecast and launch a higher-end device suggests Google's strategy to move upmarket in a market already saturated with affordable dongles and TVs with built-in casting capabilities. The decision to retire the Chomecast brand, despite its popularity, reflects Google's tendency to innovate and evolve its product offerings.

🛍️ Humane AI Pin Flops and Other Tech News

The Humane AI Pin has become an even greater failure than anticipated, with The Verge reporting that returns are exceeding sales, leaving only around 7,000 units with customers. The inability to refurbish or resell returned units due to a T-Mobile limitation has led to potential e-waste. Humane's attempt to sell itself to HP for $1 billion a few months ago, despite knowing the product's failure, highlights the company's desperate situation. In other tech news, OnePlus launched an Apex edition of its foldable phone with a new color, 1TB of storage, and a privacy feature that disables camera and microphone access. Google unveiled the fourth generation of its Nest Learning Thermostat with a complete redesign, a 60% larger display, and a price tag of $280. Anor introduced six new high-end charger products, many of which are G nitrite powered and compact. Apple is reportedly working on its smallest computer ever, a Mac Mini with an M4 chip, potentially as small as an Apple TV. iOS 18 beta introduces 'distraction control,' allowing users to temporarily remove ads for a better reading or screenshot experience. OpenAI co-founder John Schulman left the company to join rival Anthropic, following other leadership departures. Disney+ announced a price increase and a crackdown on password sharing starting in September. Olympic athletes were given special edition Samsung Galaxy Z flip phones, many of which are being sold. Intel reported that its turnaround is on track with its next-gen foundry process nodes, 20A and 18A, and the Panther Lake client processor, made with 18A, is already booting Windows within Intel ahead of schedule.

Keywords

💡Anti-Trust lawsuit

An Anti-Trust lawsuit refers to legal action taken against a company for violating antitrust laws, which are designed to promote fair competition. In the video, Google is mentioned as losing such a lawsuit, with significant implications for the tech industry. The lawsuit against Google concluded that the company abused its dominance, suppressing competition for over a decade.

💡Monopolist

A monopolist is a company that has exclusive control over a market or resource. The video discusses how the U.S. Department of Justice labeled Google as a monopolist, asserting that it maintained its monopoly by paying browser makers and Android brands to make Google the default search engine, thereby stifling competition.

💡Market share

Market share is the portion of the total market for a particular product or service that is controlled by a company. The script explains how Google's monopoly power allowed it to have a massive market share, which in turn led to better ad placements and more profitable advertising due to a large inventory and numerous ad placement options.

💡Chromcast

Chromecast is a streaming device developed by Google, allowing users to stream content from their devices to a television. The video script mentions that Google discontinued the Chromecast streaming dongle after 11 years and 100 million units sold, and simultaneously launched a new device called the Google TV streamer.

💡Google TV streamer

The Google TV streamer is a new device introduced by Google as a higher-end alternative to the discontinued Chromecast. Priced at $99 and set to launch in September, it offers enhanced features such as 4K HDR with Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos, more internal storage, and an ethernet connection, along with Google's natural language search capabilities.

💡Humane AI pin

The Humane AI pin is a product mentioned in the video that has been facing significant challenges, with returns reportedly outpacing sales. The device cannot be refurbished or resold due to a T-Mobile limitation, which renders returned units as potential e-waste. This situation is highlighted as a significant failure in the script.

💡Nest Learning Thermostat

The Nest Learning Thermostat is a smart home device that learns the user's temperature preferences and adjusts heating and cooling accordingly. The video script announces the launch of its fourth generation, featuring a complete redesign with a 60% larger display and a price tag of $280.

💡Distraction control

In the context of the video, distraction control refers to a feature in Apple's iOS 18 beta that allows users to temporarily remove ads from websites to improve focus while reading or taking screenshots. This feature is not a full ad blocker but provides a user-friendly way to manage on-screen distractions.

💡AI chatbot

An AI chatbot is an artificial intelligence program designed to simulate conversation with users. The script humorously notes that Apple's AI chatbot has plain text files setting behavioral prompts, which include instructions like 'do not hallucinate' and 'do not make up factual information,' suggesting the challenges in managing AI accuracy and reliability.

💡Intel Foundry process nodes

Intel's Foundry process nodes refer to the manufacturing technology used to create semiconductor chips. The script mentions Intel's next-generation process nodes, 20A and 18A, which are expected to be more advanced than their 3-nanometer predecessors. The development of these process nodes is part of Intel's ambitious plan to catch up with TSMC's technological lead in chip manufacturing.

Highlights

Google lost an Anti-Trust lawsuit with major implications for the tech industry, being labeled a monopolist by the United States Department of Justice.

A 286-page decision concluded Google abused its dominance for over a decade, stifling competition.

Google paid browser makers and Android brands billions to ensure its default search engine status.

The court found Google's monopoly power allowed it to charge super-competitive prices for ads.

Google's tactics created a cycle of market dominance and ad revenue growth.

A study revealed Google could reduce search quality without affecting revenues, indicating monopoly power.

Apple estimated it would cost $6 billion annually to develop a search engine to compete with Google.

Google's potential remedies could include stopping payments for default search engine status, impacting device makers and browsers.

Google officially discontinued its Chromecast streaming dongle after 11 years and 100 million units sold.

Google launched a new device, the Google TV streamer, at a higher price point with enhanced specs.

The Humane AI pin faced high return rates, with returns outpacing sales and units unable to be refurbished due to T-Mobile limitations.

OnePlus introduced an Apex edition of its open foldable phone with 1TB storage and a privacy-focused VIP button.

Google released the fourth generation of its Nest Learning Thermostat with a complete redesign and a larger display.

Anker launched six new high-end charger products, many of which are GaNitrite powered and compact.

Apple is reportedly launching its smallest computer ever, a Mac Mini with an M4 chip potentially as small as an Apple TV.

Apple's iOS 18 beta introduces 'distraction control' to temporarily remove ads from websites for a cleaner reading experience.

OpenAI co-founder John Schulman left the company to join rival Anthropic, following other leadership departures.

Disney+ increased its subscription price and will start enforcing password sharing restrictions in September.

Intel claims its turnaround is on track with next-gen process nodes 20A and 18A on time, aiming to catch up with TSMC.

Transcripts

hey happy Friday this week Google lost

an Anti-Trust lawsuit with massive

ramifications for the whole tech

industry the company also killed off its

chomecast and then kind of rebooted it

and the Humane AI pin is somehow an even

bigger disaster than we thought welcome

to the Friday

[Music]

checkout this video was sponsored by

brilliant okay for my first story of the

week the United States Department of

Justice just called Google a monopolist

in what could be described as the

biggest Anti-Trust lawsuit since

Microsoft a 286 page decision was handed

down by a us judge which concluded that

Google abused its dominance for well

over a decade and gave the competition

no real chance to compete a big part of

the ruling was that Google paid browser

makers like apple and Mozilla as well as

all major Android Brands including

Samsung tens of billions of dollars

every year to make Google the default

search engine the judge said that Google

is a monopolist and it has acted as one

to maintain its Monopoly and also that

quote importantly the court also finds

that Google has exercised its Monopoly

Power by charging supera competitive

prices for General search tax ads that

conduct has allowed Google to earn

Monopoly profits so they pay to squeeze

out the competition which allows them to

have massive market share that then

leads to much better ad placements and

much more profitable ad placements

because they have huge inventory and way

more places to place the ads into which

allows them to gain more per search

which allows them to be able to afford

to squeeze out the competition again

that is the cycle that they're alleging

here now everyone basically agrees that

Google is the best search engine but the

ruling argues that this is in large part

because they were able to squeeze out

the competition with this tactic Google

even conducted a study in 2020 to see

what would happen to its bottom line if

it were to significantly reduce the

quality of its search and found that the

revenues from search would still be fine

this led to a judge saying that quote

the fact that Google makes product

changes without concern that its users

might go elsewhere is something only a

firm with Monopoly power could do that's

why Google itself has found that people

would probably not switch even if the

search result quality got significantly

worse Apple has apparently calculated

that it would cost $6 billion annually

on top of what it already spends

developing search capabilities to run a

general search engine like Google while

Google internally estimated $20 billion

were needed to reproduce Google's

technical infrastructure dedicated to

search so it would be hugely expensive

and of course Apple would earn less

because they would have much less market

share too so understandably Apple choose

to simply not compete and while we still

don't know what the result of these

files will be one thing that looks very

possible is that Google will be forced

to stop paying others for being the

default search engine and given that

competitors can monetize less well I

guess that would create massive

challenges this would potentially hit

device makers including Android oems

many of which rely on Google payments

for their razor thin margins but also

Mozilla whose entire Firefox product

depends on Google paying them $510

million a year to be the default so

ironically while these changes might

help other search engines and maybe even

advertisers get lower rate it might also

basically put one of Google's biggest

competitors in the browser space out of

business of course these remedies are

not set in stone yet and Google will

definitely appeal but for now this looks

like it might create Monumental changes

across the industry okay for my second

story of the week we have to talk about

chomecast Google officially killed

chomecast its streaming dongle after 11

years and 100 million units sold the

bandwagon to jump on is of course to

make fun of yet another product being

placed in the Google graveyard but the

real story is more interesting as they

also launched a new higher end device

called the Google TV streamer and Stat

it is $99 it is coming in September and

as you would expect it has higher end

specs than the chomecast did this

includes 4K HDR with Dolby vision and

Dolby Atmos more internal storage

ethernet matter thread and of course

some Gemini powered natural language

search too so why is Google doing the

switch well Google said that the Nvidia

Shield was our gold tier price point as

well as gold tier performance and this

is really what it's going to be with our

Google tier TV streamer presumably the

market is flooded with cheap dongles

already and almost every TV has casting

built into so I suppose Google wanted to

move up Market from that I don't

understand why they also had to throw

away the very popular chomecast brand

but that's Google for you okay and for

my third story of the week the Humane AI

pin is somehow even less successful than

we thought a new report from The Verge

says that returns are outpacing sales

right now there's only around 7,000 pins

still with customers today and what's

really strange is that returns can't be

refurbished or resold because of a

T-Mobile limitation that means that pins

can't be reassigned this means that all

the return units are potentially e-w at

this point I wouldn't even really want

to make fun of them anymore because it's

mostly just sad but then I also remember

the following just a few months ago

Humane tried to actually sell itself to

HP for $1 billion at this point they

must have already known how much of a

disaster they had on their hands so I

guess they really tried to fake it until

they made it okay moving on to our

release monitor we have a short one

again and this one starts with a new a

Apex edition of the OnePlus open

foldable it has a pretty new color 1 TB

of storage and a special VIP button that

weirdly enough cuts off your camera and

microphone access for privacy okay I

guess next Google also launched the

fourth generation of its nest learning

thermostat with a complete redesign

after about a decade including a 60%

larger display and a price of

$280 and finally Anor launched six new

high-end charger products that range

from docking stations to charging cables

many of these are G nitrite powered and

they all seem very compact so those who

like high-end Chargers might like these

okay and for the brief we start with

Bloomberg reporting that Apple will soon

launch its smallest computer ever a Mac

Mini Made even more mini with an M4 chip

which might even be as small as an Apple

TV nice meanwhile still with apple the

company has just launched a really nice

idea in its iOS 18 beta called

distraction control which will actually

allow you to wipe out ads from websites

if they bother you as you read or try to

screenshot something the ads do load so

this is not a proper ad blocker but you

can just wipe them away temporarily if

you want to concentrate that's pretty

elegant and I want to see this on

Android too and for our last Apple news

people have dug into Apple intelligence

and discovered files in plain text that

set the behavioral prompt for the AI

chatbot these hilariously include things

like do not hallucinate and do not make

up factual information which man if like

that's the solution to AI not

hallucinating like you just tell it to

not do it that'll be absolutely

hilarious meanwhile over at open AI one

of the co-founders John Schulman has

announced that it's leaving the company

to join rival anthropic and thereby

joining many of the other defectors from

open ai's leadership team ouch next

Disney plus is getting a lot worse first

they announced a price hike making

Disney plus now cost $16 for a basic

plan which is up from $7 at launch and

the company's password sharing Crackdown

will also properly start in September

yikes then in funny news athletes at the

Olympics were given special edition

Samsung Galaxy Z flip phones and guess

what they did with them many of them are

selling them of course and Mima Intel

says that its turnaround is on track

after all as its next gen Foundry

process nodes called 20a and 18a are on

time if you remember those are the ones

that come after 3 nanom and the Panther

Lake client processor which is the first

chip made with 18a is already powered on

and booting Windows yielding well in use

inside Intel and ahead of schedule on

product qualification Milestones of

course Intel is absolutely desperate for

good PR right now so we should take all

of this with many grains of salt but

they say that the 18a processing chips

with it are supposed to be launching in

2025 already and if they're right then

that would mean that they would actually

theoretically catch up with tsmc finally

Intel is going through one of the

biggest engineering crunches in tech

company history trying to Leap Frog the

three four maybe fiveyear technological

lead that tsmc has and also burning tens

of billions of dollars in the process at

the heart of this transformation are

thousands of Engineers from top to

bottom trying to do the impossible and

if you'd like to become a brilliant

engineer yourself then check out

brilliant it's an online learning

platform that teaches you to think like

an engineer or a scientist they have a

ton of stem courses that cover math

physics chemistry computer science and

more you have whole learning paths that

start at beginner levels and will take

you all the way to advanced concepts

like machine learning large language

models and more and all the courses are

designed so that the big concepts are

broken down into many smaller learnings

and then those are practiced right away

with interactive tests to make sure that

you practice and fully understand what

you've just learned not only is this

just way more fun than simply reading a

book it's also proven to help you retain

the knowled much better and if you want

the recommendation I particularly like

the courses on how L&M or large language

models work to try everything that

brilliant has to offer for free for a

full 30 days visit brilliant.org TFC or

click on the link in the description

you'll also get 20% off an annual

premium subscription if you choose to

get one so happy learning and I'll see

you next Friday