News Analysis India

Tag: Google

  • Google Agrees To Reinstate Delisted Indian Apps On Play Store After Govt Intervention |

    New Delhi: Google has agreed to reinstate all the delisted apps of Indian companies on its Play Store after government intervention facilitated dialogue to resolve a dispute over service fee payments.

    Telecom and Information Technology Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, who brought Google and the startups to the negotiating table, stated that the US tech giant has been supporting India’s technology development journey.

    “Google and the startup community have met with us, and we have had very constructive discussions… Google has agreed to list all the apps,” he said. On Friday, Google removed apps from a dozen developers, including popular ones by Matrimony.Com and the job search app Naukri, for non-compliance with its in-app payment guidelines.

    As the government strongly objected to the removal, calling it unacceptable, Google began restoring some apps on Saturday, provided they agreed to comply with its guideline to pay a fee of 11-25 percent on in-app payments or conduct financial transactions outside of the app. (Also Read: Lava Blaze Curve 5G With Curved Display Launched In India At Rs 17,999; Check Price, Specs)

    Vaishnaw and Minister of State for Information and Technology Rajeev Chandrasekhar held multiple rounds of discussions with Google and the app owners on Monday in an attempt to find a solution to the crisis, which some labeled as a dark day for the internet.

    On Tuesday, Vaishnaw announced that Google has agreed to restore the status from Friday morning, i.e., pre-delisting. “We believe Google and the startup community will be able to come to a long-term solution in the coming months,” he said, indicating that the two sides will now sit down and resolve the issue of the levy of service charges.

    India is the world’s largest consumer internet market for tech giants like Meta and Google. With the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government effectively using its geopolitical clout, they cannot afford to ignore the Indian market or act aggressively towards it.

    A day after Google delisted the apps, Vaishnaw revealed the government’s stance in an interview with PTI when he said the removal was unacceptable and that “startups will get the protection they need.”

    The government subsequently called for a meeting on Monday to resolve the issue. At the heart of the problem is Google’s in-app fee. While Google claims the fees help develop and promote the Android and Play Store ecosystem, startups argue that the tech giant is forcing them to use its payment system and pay a fee, failing which they are being offloaded by the Play Store. (Also Read: Apple Launches Refreshed MacBook Air Models With M3 Chipset In India; Check Price, Features)

    The Competition Commission of India had previously ordered Google not to mandatorily enforce an earlier system of charging 15-30 percent. Google then imposed a fee of 11-26 percent on in-app payments. It removed the apps that weren’t paying the fee after the Supreme Court did not provide interim relief to the companies behind these apps in their battle against the search giant’s platform fees.

    While removing the apps, Google stated on Friday that some Indian companies had chosen not to pay for the “immense value they receive on Google Play.”Among the worst affected by the removals is Matrimony.Com, which has seen more than 140 of its apps being dropped from the Play Store. Other removed apps included Balaji Telefilms’ Altt (formerly ALTBalaji), audio platform Kuku FM, dating service Quack Quack, and Truly Madly.

    Info Edge saw its job search app Naukri and real estate search app 99acres removed, but they were back the next day when it moved to Google’s consumption model, where any payment made is conducted outside of the app.

    Google had briefly removed the popular payments app Paytm from its Play Store in 2020, citing policy violations. This led to widespread industry outcry, with startups joining hands to mount legal challenges against the tech giant. They even joined forces to launch their own app store.

  • Google Play Store: 8 out of 10 Indian Companies Return After Compliance With New Policy |

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  • Ashwini Vaishnaw’s BIG Statement On Google-Indian Startups Row, Says… |

    New Delhi: Taking a strong view of Google pulling out some apps from its Play Store, the government on Saturday said delisting of Indian apps cannot be permitted and that the tech company and the startups concerned have been called for a meeting next week. In an interview to PTI, IT and Telecom Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the startup ecosystem is key to the Indian economy and their fate cannot be left to any big tech to decide.

    The minister’s comments assume significance as Google on Friday began removing some apps, including popular matrimony apps, from its Play Store in India over a dispute on service fee payments, even as apps and well-known startup founders cried foul. (Also Read: Google Responds To Criticism By Reinstating Shaadi.com, Naukri, And Other Apps On Play Store)

    Taking a serious view of the issue, Vaishnaw said: “India is very clear, our policy is very clear…our startups will get the protection that they need.” The minister said the government will be meeting Google and app developers who have been delisted, next week, to resolve the dispute. (Also Read: Google Faces Backlash For Removing Indian Apps From Play Store Amid Fee Dispute)

    “I have already called Google…I have already called the app developers who have been delisted, we will be meeting them next week. This cannot be permitted..This kind of delisting cannot be permitted,” Vaishnaw asserted.

    Stating that India has built a strong startup ecosystem of over one lakh startups, and more than 100 unicorns from scratch in a matter of 10 years, the minister said the energy of youth and entrepreneurs must be channelised fully and “cannot be left to the policies of any big tech.”

    “I will be telling Google…Our entrepreneurial energy…startups, look at the whole startup India programme, 10 years back we had practically nothing and today we have more than 1,00,000 startups, more than 100 unicorns…this is something…the energy of our youth, the energy of our entrepreneurs, energy of our talented people that has to be channelised fully well, it cannot be left to the policies of any big tech,” Vaishnaw said.

    On Friday, Google said 10 companies in the country, including “many well-established” ones had avoided paying fees despite benefiting from the platform and Play Store, and proceeded to delist some apps.

    It did not name the firms but a search of Play Store on android phones did not give results for matrimonial apps such as Shaadi, Matrimony.com and Bharat Matrimony. Balaji Telefilms’ Altt (formerly ALTBalaji), audio platform Kuku FM, dating service Quack Quack, Truly Madly also disappeared from Play Store.

    Separately , Minister of State for IT Rajeev Chandrasekhar said he has been flagging the concerns around dominance of Google stifling competition and startups. The government, he said, has to find if the current issue “trespasses” into the “abuse and misuse” of dominance category.

    “I have raised concerns on the dominance of Google in the past, it controls more than 90 per cent of the app ecosystem in India, the fact that they are a vertically integrated large company, we are concerned that their dominance does stifle competitions and startups, and it can be misused against startups, and there are some legitimate concerns that the government has,” Chandrasekhar said.

    The government and court has to look whether this particular incident trespasses into that territory of abuse and misuse, he added. The raging dispute is over Google imposing a fee of 11 to 26 per cent on in-app payments after anti-competition body CCI ordered scrapping of an earlier system of charging 15 to 30 per cent.

    Google went ahead to remove the apps not paying the fee after the Supreme Court did not provide interim relief to companies behind these apps in their battle against the search giant’s app marketplace fee.

    While Bharat Matrimony founder Murugavel Janakiraman described the move as “dark day” for the Internet in India, Kuku FM Co-founder Vinod Kumar Meena in a statement had said that Google was behaving like a ‘monopoly’.

    Quack Quack Founder Ravi Mittal said the company would comply with rules to get back on the marketplace. Google previously sent notices of Play Store violations to Matrimony.com, which runs app BharatMatrimony, and Info Edge, which runs a similar app, Jeevansathi.

    Info Edge (India) Ltd on Saturday said its apps, including naukri.com, 99 acres.com, and shiksha.com have been removed from Google Play Store but within hours stated that some of them have been restored.

    “Many of the Info Edge apps are back on the play store. An effort very well led by (company MD and CEO) Hitesh and the entire Info Edge team. People were up all night for this. Great crisis management,” Info Edge founder Sanjeev Bikhchandani said in a post on X.

    On Friday, Bikhchandani had emphasised on the need of an app store/ play store that is a part of Digital Public Infrastructure. “Indian companies will comply – for now. But what India needs is an App Store/ Play Store that is a part of Digital Public Infrastructure – like UPI and ONDC. The response needs to be strategic,” he had said.

    Bikhchandani had claimed that Info Edge had cleared all pending Google invoices in a timely manner and was compliant with its policies. IAMAI – an industry association that represents some of the largest Indian startups as well as international firms – condemned the removal of apps and had urged Google to reinstate delisted apps.

  • Struggling With Tricky Math Problem? Don’t Worry! Solution Is Just A Photo Away |

    New Delhi: Mathematics is a tough subject for many. Its complicated calculations are the subject of worry. Are you also among those who are tired of scratching your head over tricky math problems? Don’t worry! Now, Google has a solution for your frustration. Yes, you read it right.

    In a move aimed at revolutionizing the way students tackle mathematics, Google has announced its acquisition of the popular Photomath app. (Also Read: Satya Nadella Regrets This Decision He Taken As Microsoft CEO; Says…)

    This innovative application serves as a smart camera calculator and math assistant, empowering users to solve complex equations with ease. (Also Read: 6 Credit Cards With No Joining Fees And Zero Annual Charge: Check Features)

    About Photomath

    Originally unveiled in May 2022, Photomath quickly gained traction for its ability to simplify math problem-solving. After receiving regulatory approvals, Google finalized the acquisition in March 2023, integrating Photomath into its extensive app portfolio.

    Photomath: Where It Is Available?

    Now available on the Play Store, this powerful tool is accessible to users worldwide.

    Photomath: Various Topics

    Photomath’s intuitive interface allows users to address a wide range of mathematical topics, including algebra, geometry, trigonometry, statistics, and calculus.

    Photomath: How One Can Get Desired Output?

    The process is remarkably straightforward: users can snap a picture of the problem at hand, and the app provides step-by-step explanations for solving it. This functionality not only aids in finding solutions but also enhances understanding through detailed guidance.

    Photomath Plus

    For users seeking an enhanced experience, Photomath offers a subscription service called Photomath Plus. This premium option provides access to advanced problem-solving techniques and ad-free usage, further enhancing the app’s utility.

  • Google Removes Some India Matrimony Apps, Executive Calls Move ‘Dark Day’ |

    New Delhi: Google began removing the apps of 10 companies in India on Friday, including some popular matrimony apps such as Bharat Matrimony, in a dispute over service fee payments, potentially sparking a showdown with startup firms.

    The dispute centres on efforts by some Indian startups to stop Google from imposing a fee of 11 percent to 26 percent on in-app payments, after the country’s antitrust authorities ordered it to dismantle an earlier system of charging 15 percent to 30 percent. (Also Read: BIG Bonanza To Farmers Ahead Of Kharif Season! Centre Clears Rs 24,400 Crore Fertiliser Subsidy)

    But Google effectively received a go-ahead to charge the fee or remove apps after two court decisions in January and February, one by the Supreme Court, not to give any relief to startups. (Also Read: Bill Gates And PM Modi Meeting: Did You Know Their Topic Of Discussion? Check Here)

    Matrimony.com dating apps Bharat Matrimony, Christian Matrimony, Muslim Matrimony and Jodii were deleted on Friday, company founder Murugavel Janakiraman said, describing the move as a “dark day of Indian Internet”.

    “Our apps are getting deleted one by one”.

    The unit of Alphabet Inc has sent notices of Play Store violations to Indian companies Matrimony.com, which runs the app BharatMatrimony, and Info Edge, which runs a similar app, Jeevansathi.

    Both companies are reviewing the notice and will consider the next steps, their executives told Reuters. Shares of Matrimony.com fell as much as 2.7 percent after the Reuters report, before paring losses, while Info Edge dropped 1.5 percent.

    Info Edge founder Sanjeev Bikhchandani said it had cleared all pending Google invoices in a timely manner and was compliant with its policies.

    In a blog post, Google said 10 Indian companies had chosen for an extended period of time not to pay for the “immense value they receive on Google Play”. It did not identify the firms.

    “For years, no court or regulator has denied Google Play’s right to charge,” the company said on Friday, adding that the Supreme Court on Feb. 9 also “refused to interfere” with its right to do so.

    Google’s app removal could anger the Indian startup community which has been protesting many of the U.S. giant’s practices for years. The firm, which denies any wrongdoing, dominates the Indian market as 94 percent share of phones are based on its Android platform.

    Google says its fee supports investments in the app store and the Android mobile operating system, ensuring free distribution, and covering developer tools and analytic services.

    Just 3 percent of the more than 200,000 Indian developers who use the Google Play platform are required to pay any service fee, it added.

  • Google Pauses Gemini’s People Image Feature After Anti-‘Woke’ Backlash |

    New Delhi: Google has paused the image-generation function of its Gemini AI chatbot following a string of controversies. The company, acknowledged that Gemini had provided “incorrect representations in certain historical contexts” and assured users that an enhanced version of the feature would be released shortly.

    In a statement on the X platform regarding Gemini’s text-to-image abilities, Google stated “We’re working to improve these kinds of depictions immediately. Gemini’s AI image generation does generate a wide range of people. And that’s generally a good thing because people around the world use it. But it’s missing the mark here.” 

    Images produced by Gemini spread across social media recently, leading to widespread ridicule and anger. Some users criticized Google, claiming that the company prioritizes being “woke” over truth or accuracy.

    Some of the images that drew criticism included a portrayal of four Swedish women, none of whom were depicted as white, as well as scenes featuring Black and Asian soldiers dressed as Nazis.

    “It’s embarrassingly hard to get Google Gemini to acknowledge that white people exist,” Debarghya Das, the engineer who founded the enterprise search startup Glean, shared on X platform a post containing several images created by Gemini.

    It’s embarrassingly hard to get Google Gemini to acknowledge that white people exist pic.twitter.com/4lkhD7p5nR
    — Deedy (@debarghya_das) February 20, 2024

    The challenges faced by AI models, such as overlooking people of color and perpetuating stereotypes underscore the need for continual improvement and ethical considerations in AI development. 

    Google’s efforts to keep pace with competitors like OpenAI since the launch of ChatGPT in 2022 have been accompanied by setbacks in the rollout of its AI products. Instances like the apology issued last year for inaccuracies in its AI chatbot Bard’s demonstration highlight the ongoing complexities in AI technology. 

  • ‘Gmail Is Here To Stay’: Google Clarifies After Fake Note Claims App’s ‘Shutting Down’ |

    New Delhi: Clarifying the rumours that created havoc among users that Google is shutting down Gmail, the tech giant on Friday took to social media platform X to announce that Gmail is not going anywhere and “is here to stay”.

    There was a viral post on X recently that caused concern among netizens. (Also Read: Redmi Issues Warning Regarding Liquid UV Screen Protectors For Curved Displays)

    The post claimed that Gmail was going to be shut down. It included a screenshot of an email from Google titled ‘Google is sunsetting Gmail’, which quickly spread across the internet. This caused panic as people feared that Gmail might cease to exist entirely. (Also Read: Google Pauses Gemini’s People Image Feature After Anti-‘Woke’ Backlash)

    “After years of connecting millions worldwide, enabling seamless communication, and fostering countless connections, the journey of Gmail is coming to a close. As of August 1, 2024, Gmail will officially be sunsetted, marking the end of its service,” the message reads.

    “This means that as of this date, Gmail will no longer support sending, receiving, or storing emails. The decision to sunset Gmail has been made with careful consideration of the evolving digital landscape and our commitment to providing high-quality, innovative solutions that meet the needs of our users,” it added.

    The post generated significant controversy among Gmail users, with over 4 million views of the screenshot. However, some individuals suspected it was a forged document or a hoax.

    Google only modified the default Gmail view, which was previously ‘basic HTML’, to a new and more colourful one. This change occurred in January 2024.

  • Google Offers 300% Salary Hike To Retain Employee; Read More |

    New Delhi: During a recent episode of the Big Technology Podcast, Aravind Srinivas, CEO of Perplexity AI, revealed that Google once offered an employee a staggering 300 percent hike in salary to dissuade them from switching jobs to Perplexity AI. This anecdote sheds light on the lengths to which big tech companies go to retain their employees.

    Details Of Salary Hike

    Srinivas disclosed that the employee who received the substantial salary increase was a member of Google’s ‘search team’ and had no direct involvement with its AI division. Despite this, Google deemed it necessary to offer such a significant raise to prevent the employee from leaving. (Also Read: Nothing CEO Carl Pie Became ‘Carl Bhai’ In Twitter Bio, But Why So?)

    Google’s Internal Memo On Job Cuts

    The revelation of the extraordinary salary hike comes amidst recent job cuts at Google, with CEO Sundar Pichai warning employees of more impending layoffs. (Also Read: Google Opens New Office In Pune; Employee Shares Video Of Interiors: Watch)

    In an internal memo addressed to all Google employees, Pichai emphasized the need for “tough choices” to create capacity for future investments.

    Pichai’s Statement On Job Reductions

    Pichai’s memo acknowledged the company’s ambitious goals and reiterated its commitment to investing in key priorities. However, he stressed that creating capacity for these investments requires difficult decisions, including workforce reductions.

    Scope Of Job Cuts

    Since January 10, Google has reportedly laid off over a thousand employees across various departments. Earlier announcements by Pichai indicated plans to cut approximately 12,000 jobs globally, which accounts for about 6 percent of Google’s workforce.

    Pichai’s Announcement To Employees

    In a previous communication to employees, Pichai had informed them of the decision to reduce the workforce by approximately 12,000 roles. While employees in the US received immediate notifications, the process in other countries may take longer due to local laws and regulations.

  • Google Launches Second Fund Worth 10Mn Dollars For Ukraine–Based Startups |

    New Delhi: Google on Saturday announced a second startup support fund for Ukraine worth 10 million dollars, to allocate equity-free cash awards throughout 2024 and 2025.

    Since the devastating war in Ukraine started, Google said it has committed over $45 million in cash and $7 million in kind to support humanitarian relief efforts for people in Ukraine and those fleeing the war. “We’ve also sought to use our products to help people affected by the war, like protecting against cyber attacks and fighting misinformation,” said Agnieszka Hryniewicz-Bieniek, Senior Director, Google for Startups. (Also Read: OpenAI, Meta And Other Tech Giants Sign Effort To Fight AI Election Interference)

    The second ‘Google for Startups Ukraine Support Fund’ will select startups on a rolling basis and give up to $100,000 in non-dilutive funding, as well as ongoing Google mentorship, product support and up to $300,000 in Cloud credits.

    “This hands-on support is designed to help Ukrainian entrepreneurs maintain and grow their businesses, strengthen their community and build a foundation for post-war economic recovery. Applications will open later this year,” the company announced.

    In March 2022, the company first announced the fund to support Ukraine-based startups, which has gone on to provide $5 million in equity-free cash awards to 58 recipients.

    Startups supported by the Ukraine Support Fund have received $15.8 million in follow-on funding, created 100 per cent revenue growth and significantly increased their employment despite the war and hardships they have faced, the company said. (Also Read: OpenAI Can’t Register GPT As Trademark, Rules US Patent Office)

    Startups like Skyworker.ai and Mindly are using AI to drive economic opportunity, Google added. 

  • Google To Help Map Global Methane Emissions From Space |

    New Delhi: Google has announced a partnership with the non-profit Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) to map methane pollution and oil and gas infrastructure from space.

    The Environmental Defense Fund’s satellite, MethaneSAT, will soon orbit the Earth to collect satellite data. This data, combined with Google’s AI and infrastructure mapping, will create a better understanding of how to mitigate methane emissions, the tech giant said in a statement.

    The year 2023 was the hottest year on record, and the last 10 years have been the hottest years since 1850. “We are announcing a partnership with EDF that combines our science and technology to reduce methane emissions. This is one of the most powerful, short-term actions we can take to reduce warming,” said Yael Maguire, VP and General Manager, Geo Developer & Sustainability, Google. (Also Read: Redmi A3 Budget Smartphone Launched In India, Check Price, Camera, And Battery)

    Methane from human sources is responsible for about 30 percent of global warming today, and a big contributor of methane in the atmosphere comes from extracting fossil fuels, like oil and gas, from the Earth.

    By powering methane detection algorithms with cloud computing and applying AI to satellite imagery to identify oil and gas infrastructure around the world, the goal is to help EDF quantify and trace methane emissions to their source.

    “With this information, energy companies, researchers, and the public sector can take action to reduce emissions from oil and gas infrastructure faster and more effectively,” said Google. (Also Read: Google CEO: Do You Know How Many Phones Sundar Pichai Uses? Here’s What Report Claims)

    Launching in early March on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, MethaneSAT will orbit the Earth 15 times a day at an altitude of over 350 miles. It will measure methane levels in the top oil and gas regions in the world for regular analysis. To help researchers and organizations, the insights will be available later this year on MethaneSAT’s website and accessible through Google Earth Engine.