tech giants Archives

AppWizard

December 2, 2025

WhatsApp Launches EU Interoperability for Encrypted Cross-App Messaging

Meta Platforms Inc.’s WhatsApp is rolling out interoperability features across Europe, allowing users to send messages to individuals on third-party applications starting in November 2024. This initiative is in response to the European Union’s Digital Markets Act (DMA), which requires dominant tech companies to enhance competition by opening their platforms. Users will be able to communicate while maintaining end-to-end encryption, a process that has taken over three years to develop. Users must opt-in to receive messages from third-party applications, and the initial rollout is limited to specific partners. The interoperability allows for sharing text, images, voice messages, videos, and files. Meta's engineering team adapted WhatsApp's infrastructure to accommodate external services while upholding encryption standards. Concerns have been raised about potential security vulnerabilities and the implications of proposed regulations like "Chat Control" that could conflict with encryption efforts. This development could influence competitive dynamics in the messaging sector, providing smaller applications like BirdyChat and Haiket visibility by integrating with WhatsApp’s large user base. Compliance with the DMA helps Meta avoid fines while risking dilution of WhatsApp's market dominance. Privacy implications are a significant concern, with discussions around how interoperability could facilitate surveillance or compromise user security. Meta's journey involved regulatory oversight to ensure compliance with DMA objectives, and the success of this initiative could set a precedent for global standards in digital communication.

Winsage

December 1, 2025

As Windows 11 turns into an AI OS, Microsoft Copilot boss does not understand how AI is underwhelming

Mustafa Suleyman, Microsoft's AI CEO, noted user frustration with the aggressive integration of AI into Windows 11, despite the company's efforts to enhance user experience with features like Copilot, which operates on models similar to ChatGPT. Windows 11 includes various AI functionalities, such as Copilot Voice and Copilot Vision, and aims to transform the OS into an "agentic OS" with features like Copilot Actions in Microsoft Edge. Users have expressed dissatisfaction with AI being present in applications like Notepad and File Explorer, perceiving it as intrusive rather than beneficial. Microsoft 365 applications have also integrated Copilot functionalities, but concerns about safety and privacy persist. User feedback indicates a desire for more thoughtful AI integration, as many feel that AI is being applied to problems that do not exist, leading to stress and uncertainty regarding the operating system's control.

AppWizard

December 1, 2025

Google Pixel Ghost Apps Bug Plagues Models 7-10 in Android 16 Update

In late November 2025, Google Pixel users reported a "ghost app" issue where apps reopen without user intervention, affecting multiple models from Pixel 9 to Pixel 10. This problem has been linked to recent software updates and has been described as a systemic glitch. Users also reported "ghost touches" on older models like the Pixel 7, where screens register inputs without contact. Complaints include apps struggling to stay closed, overheating, and inconsistent performance, with theories suggesting bugs in Android 16 and issues with the Pixel's Tensor chips. A botched privacy update may have exacerbated the problem by throttling background processes. The ongoing reliability challenges have led to a significant erosion of user trust in the Pixel brand.

AppWizard

November 30, 2025

OpenAI plants testing ads in ChatGPT Android app

OpenAI's latest beta version of the ChatGPT Android application includes references to an advertising system, indicating plans to introduce ads on its mobile platform. The beta APK reveals terms like “ads feature,” “bazaar content,” “search ad,” and “search ads carousel,” suggesting the development of a feature for displaying ads related to search, shopping, and recommendations. This may lead to marketplace-style product displays where sponsored cards appear alongside organic responses during product searches. The introduction of ads is seen as a strategy to subsidize operational costs for free users while maintaining an ad-free experience for premium users. The development aligns with trends from companies like Google and Microsoft, indicating a shift towards integrating ads in AI assistants. The timeline for public rollout is uncertain, but code evidence suggests progress towards implementation.

Winsage

November 29, 2025

Microsoft Teams Update Will Soon Fix Its Biggest Windows Problem

Microsoft is implementing a solution to address performance issues in Microsoft Teams on Windows, specifically targeting crashes and slowdowns. A new background process, ms-teams_modulehost.exe, will be added to the desktop version of Teams to manage call-related functions separately from the main application. This change aims to reduce system strain, decrease crash rates during meetings, and improve startup times. The strategy builds on the existing architecture of Teams, which uses WebView2, and seeks to offload complex features to enhance performance. Users have reported frequent freezes, delays, and high RAM usage with Teams. While this modular approach is intended to provide immediate improvements, some experts suggest that a complete redesign as a native Windows application would be a more effective long-term solution.

Winsage

November 28, 2025

Why people keep flocking to Linux in 2025 (and it’s not just to escape Windows)

The Linux desktop has seen a rise in popularity, attributed to user distrust in Microsoft Windows, particularly as Windows 10 nears the end of its support life. Zorin OS 18 achieved 1 million downloads in its first month, with 78% from Windows users. Linux desktop market share increased from 1.5% in 2020 to over 4% in 2024, with a peak of over 5% in the US by 2025. The current US figure shows Linux at 3.49%, while the "unknown" category accounts for 4.21%, suggesting many could be running Linux. ChromeOS, a Linux variant, has a market share of 3.67%, bringing the total Linux desktop market share to approximately 11.37%. When including Android, Linux's presence rises to 41.71% in the US and 72.55% globally. The Digital Analytics Program reports a 5.8% market share for Linux desktops, up from 0.67% a decade ago, with a total of 23.3% when including Chrome OS and Android for government site access. Windows 10 holds a 16.9% market share, while Windows 11 is at 13.5%. Factors driving Linux adoption include Microsoft's shift to cloud services, improved gaming capabilities, better usability, hardware compatibility, and concerns about privacy. Approximately 25% of Windows 10 PCs cannot upgrade to Windows 11, with 26% of users planning to continue using Windows 10 post-support. Digital sovereignty is becoming important for users outside the US, with European governments seeking alternatives to Microsoft, leading to increased exploration of Linux solutions.

Winsage

November 24, 2025

Microsoft adds tables and more AI to Notepad — what happened to the app we loved?

Windows 11's Notepad app is receiving new features for testing by Windows Insiders, including support for bold and italic text, hyperlinks, lists, and headings. The introduction of AI capabilities, such as streaming responses for the Write, Rewrite, and Summarize tools, has led to mixed user feedback, with many expressing dissatisfaction over the integration of AI into the traditionally simple application. Users have voiced concerns about feature bloat, with some feeling that Notepad is losing its identity as a lightweight tool. There is a growing sentiment of AI fatigue among users, reflecting frustration with unnecessary AI tools in applications where they are not needed.

Winsage

November 23, 2025

Microsoft faces uphill climb to turn enterprise dominance into widespread AI chatbot adoption

Microsoft's CEO Satya Nadella highlighted that over 150 million users are engaging with its Copilot assistant, which aims to enhance productivity in various sectors. However, there are challenges in the enterprise market, with clients hesitant to adopt Copilot licenses and some wanting to reduce their licenses. Copilot, launched as an add-on to Microsoft 365, helps with tasks like summarizing emails and creating presentations. Microsoft has invested heavily in AI, particularly through its Azure cloud infrastructure, which reported a 40% revenue growth. Competing tech companies like Adobe, Google, Salesforce, and Workday are also targeting the enterprise AI market. Despite skepticism, over 90% of Fortune 500 companies use Microsoft 365 Copilot, and some organizations have purchased large numbers of licenses. To encourage adoption, Microsoft plans to introduce a new tier for Microsoft 365 Copilot Business and has offered discounts in the past. Companies like Land O'Lakes and Pearson have successfully integrated Copilot into their operations. Microsoft is also collaborating with Anthropic to enhance its AI offerings. Daily usage of Copilot among commercial sales and support staff has increased, indicating growing internal traction.

AppWizard

November 22, 2025

No, Google isn’t using your Gmail data to train AI models, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be careful about the kind of data you share with companies

The ongoing dialogue surrounding data collection highlights the relationship between users and their digital footprints, particularly during events like Black Friday. Recent claims about a new Gmail setting allowing Google to use user message data for AI training have been clarified by Google, which states it does not use Workspace data for this purpose. Instead, data is anonymized to improve features like spam detection. Users often become the product in a digital economy where their data is exchanged for free services, leading to the creation of detailed profiles that can be sold to advertisers. This results in practices like price discrimination and hyper-targeted messaging. Data breaches pose a threat to companies holding extensive data, and automated decision-making can lead to biased outcomes. Consumers are encouraged to engage with privacy policies and question the necessity of data requests to better manage their data and maintain ownership of their digital identity.

BetaBeacon

November 20, 2025

Chromebooks will now get to skip the line to play games on GeForce NOW

Google and NVIDIA have launched GeForce NOW Fast Pass for Chromebooks, allowing users to stream over 2,000 PC games without any wait times. This service offers an ad-free experience and is available exclusively for Chromebooks, with a one-year Fast Pass included with the purchase of a Chromebook.