google – Tech News

Google announces Material 3 Expressive, a colorful evolution of Android design

Google says the new interface will begin with Android OS, but it will eventually expand across the full Google app ecosystem, bringing a more lively vibe to Gmail, Google Photos, and more. Material 3 Expressive won't be entirely unfamiliar—it shares some basic design elements with the Material You system Google launched four years ago. Material 3 Expressive is a bolder take on the same aesthetic, featuring "springy" animations, brighter colors, and new shapes.
https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2025/05/google-reveals-vibrant-material-3-expressive-coming-soon-to-a-pixel-near-you/

AI Has Upended the Search Game. Marketers Are Scrambling to Catch Up.

In a matter of months, artificial intelligence has begun to change how people search for things online in ways that have alarmed some marketers. Both developments have begun to eat away at the clicks and website traffic that marketers have earned over time by spending millions of dollars on search engine optimization, or SEO. They have also created a wave of businesses claiming to specialize in new industry acronyms such as generative engine optimization (GEO), answer engine optimization (AEO) and, of course, artificial intelligence optimization (AIO).
https://www.wsj.com/articles/ai-has-upended-the-search-game-marketers-are-scrambling-to-catch-up-84264b34?mod=tech_feat1_ai_pos1

PSA: Google Ending Support for Early Gen Nest Learning Thermostats

This means users will no longer be able to control these models remotely from their phone or via Google Assistant, but they’ll still be able to adjust the temperature and modify schedules directly on the thermostat itself.
https://www.pcmag.com/news/psa-google-ends-support-for-early-gen-nest-learning-thermostats

Google Guilty of ‘Willfully Anticompetitive Acts’ in Display-Ads Business, Court Finds

“Plaintiffs have proven that Google has willfully engaged in a series of anticompetitive acts to acquire and maintain monopoly power in the publisher ad server and ad exchange markets for open-web display advertising,” Judge Leonie Brinkema concluded in a 115-page ruling (PDF) for the Alexandria division of the US District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia.
https://www.pcmag.com/news/google-guilty-of-willfully-anticompetitive-acts-in-display-ads-business

Android phones will soon reboot if they’re locked for a few days

Android is launching a new security feature that will force devices to reboot themselves if you haven’t unlocked them for a while, making it harder for other people to access the data inside. The feature included in the latest Google Play services update says that Android phones will automatically restart “if locked for 3 consecutive days,” requiring users to enter their passcode the next time they want to open the device.
https://www.theverge.com/news/648757/google-android-update-automatic-reboot-phone-locked

Samsung’s Ballie robot launches in the US ‘this Summer’ with Gemini in tow

After years of teasing, Samsung is finally gearing up to launch its Ballie robot “this Summer,” with the company teaming up with Google to leverage Gemini on the helpful home robot. Samsung first showed off Ballie in early 2020, but the project has been delayed and reimagined in the years since. At CES 2024, the company showed off the updated design of Ballie, and has now committed to a “Summer” 2025 release.
https://9to5google.com/2025/04/09/samsung-ballie-gemini-launch-date/

Google discontinues Nest Protect smoke alarm and Nest x Yale door lock

In a post on its Nest community forum, Google says it made the decision to ditch its popular smoke alarm and door lock as part of its move toward “building a platform that all device makers and developers can use to spur innovation in the home.” The company added that as the smart home evolves, it “must continue to refine our portfolio of devices to meet the needs of our customers.”
https://www.theverge.com/news/638171/google-discontinuing-nest-protect-smoke-alarm-nest-x-yale-smart-lock