Here are the top trending stories from the world of technology and AI. News that every tech enthusiast should keep a tab on.
1)
TikTok is rolling out group chats, now you can converse with 32 users at a time
TikTok on Monday finally announced that it is adding group chats feature, a feature that was highly requested by the users. The group chats can support up to 32 participants per chat where they can watch, comment and react to videos in real-time. However, for the sake of safety TikTok is adding few safety protocols. For instance, this feature won’t be available for users between the age of 13 and 15. As for 16- and 17-year-olds, they can join group chats only if they have at least one mutual friend in that list. Additionally, TikTok is adding stickers to its DMs, which will enhance the user-experience of the users as they can interact visually.
2)
The Made by Google event kicks off Today: Here’s what you should be expecting
The Made by Google event is scheduled to take place on Tuesday, 13 August at 1 PM ET Time. Google is expected to publicly reveal the Pixel 9 line up including the much-anticipated Pixel 9 Pro Fold, which is expected to be much better than Pixel Fold 2. We can also expect a public roll out of ‘Android 15’ while some accessories including Pixel Bud Pro 2 and new Pixel watch can also be revealed. It is also expected that Google will be integrating lot of AI features into its Pixel handsets as well as Pixel watch to make it more attractive for users. You can watch the event live on the official ‘Made by Google’ YouTube channel.
3)
Musk-Trump’s space event faces technical glitch
The much-anticipated Musk-Trump Space event on X, which was scheduled to start at 5 PM PT time, apparently crashed on Monday afternoon. When the users tried to login into the space, they got the error message that read ‘this Space is not available.’ However, the event did start at nearly 5: 40 PM. Some of posts from Trump sparked a engaging debate on contentious political topics with Musk. This marks Trump’s comeback on the microblogging platform following the nearly three year ban as a result of the infamous capitol hill riots. Musk, by the way, blamed a massive DDOS attack for causing the technical glitch.
4)
Google starts rolling out made-in-India Pixel Phones
After Apple, it is Google’s turn to get a made-in-India badge for its Pixel phones. Google on Tuesday announced that it is rolling out the first batch of made-in-India Pixel phones, most of which is likely to be sold in India; currently only Pixel 8 and Pixel 8a will be manufactured in India. Google had first announced about its manufacturing plans nearly 10 months back. This development comes closely on the heels of the public launch of the Pixel 9 lineup. It also highlights the growing prominence of the Indian market for smartphone players. Apple already has a manufacturing plant in India where it manufactures iPhones in partnership with Foxconn and Tata Electronics.