Apple's Acquisition of Xnor AI: Revolutionizing AI Image Recognition

Table of Contents:

• Introduction
• Apple's Acquisition of Xnor AI
• Xnor AI's Technology and Potential
• Microsoft Releases Chromium-based Edge Browser
• Mozilla's Layoffs and Revenue Challenges
• Fitbit Introduces Blood Oxygen Monitoring
• VC Funding Trends in the US
• App Economy and Consumption
• Google's AI-driven Weather Forecasting
• Conclusion

Introduction

Welcome to the Technium Ride Home for Thursday, January 16th, 2020. In today's tech news roundup, we have some exciting updates from the world of technology. Apple has made an intriguing acquisition of Xnor AI, a Seattle-based startup known for its low-powered ai Image Recognition tools. Microsoft has released its chromium-based Edge browser, while Mozilla faces layoffs due to revenue challenges. Fitbit has beaten the Apple Watch with its blood oxygen monitoring feature, and there are interesting trends in VC funding, the app economy, and the development of AI-driven weather forecasting by Google. Let's dive into the details!

Apple's Acquisition of Xnor AI

Apple has reportedly acquired Xnor AI, a Seattle-based startup, for a rumored price of $200 million. Xnor AI specializes in developing low-powered edge-Based ai Image Recognition tools. This acquisition marks a significant win for the Allen Institute for Artificial Intelligence (AI2), created by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, as Xnor AI was its Second spin-out from their startup incubator. The deal suggests that Xnor AI's image recognition tools might become standard features in future iPhones and webcams.

Xnor AI's Technology and Potential

Xnor AI enables developers to easily incorporate AI-centric code and data libraries into their apps without requiring specific proficiency in AI. Their motto, "AI everywhere for everyone," reflects their commitment to making AI accessible to a wider audience. What sets Xnor AI apart is their focus on edge computing, allowing machine learning and image recognition to be processed on low-power, often portable devices. They have successfully developed a wireless AI demo camera that runs entirely on solar power, demonstrating the potential for high-Level AI applications on inexpensive, low-power devices.

The capabilities of Xnor AI's image recognition tools are impressive, including object recognition, photo sorting, and on-device translation. Their technology enables accurate identification and labeling of objects in real-time, surpassing the performance of traditional computer vision systems. Xnor AI's advancements in utilizing AI on low-power devices open up new possibilities for various industries, such as Healthcare, security, and transportation.

Microsoft Releases Chromium-based Edge Browser

Microsoft has rolled out its chromium-based Edge browser for Windows, Mac OS, Android, and iOS. The stable release of Edge 79 brings promises of enhanced performance, tracking protection, extensions, and themes. While Microsoft has not provided a roadmap for future features, developers and users are encouraged to explore the beta releases for a sneak peek. The initial launch primarily targets businesses, intending to attract users already using Chrome or Internet Explorer by offering ad support, Internet Explorer mode, and seamless integration with Microsoft services.

Mozilla's Layoffs and Revenue Challenges

Mozilla, the organization behind the popular Firefox browser, recently laid off around 70 employees due to revenue challenges. The slow rollout of new revenue-generating products led to this decision, impairing Mozilla's plans to diversify its revenue streams beyond relying on search revenue sharing from Google. A cautious approach to projecting revenue for 2020, living within means, and exploring new revenue sources were highlighted in an internal memo by Mitchell Baker, Mozilla's chairwoman, and interim CEO. This setback casts uncertainty on the future of Mozilla's subscription-based services and raises questions about its long-term sustainability.

Fitbit Introduces Blood Oxygen Monitoring

Fitbit has emerged as the first wearable device maker to introduce blood oxygen monitoring as a feature in its devices, beating the Apple Watch to market. Fitbit's Versa, Ionic, and Charge 3 devices now provide blood oxygen data to track health issues like asthma, heart disease, and sleep apnea. This data is particularly beneficial for individuals with sleep apnea, as it helps monitor their condition. Fitbit utilizes a combination of red and infrared sensors to measure oxygen variation, empowering users to stay informed about their health in a non-relative manner.

VC Funding Trends in the US

The West Coast's share of total VC deal value in the US dropped to 50.2% in 2019, down from 62.3% in 2018. However, California, New York, and Massachusetts still accounted for 78% of total funding, showcasing their dominance in the investment landscape. Other regions, such as Philadelphia, Chicago, and Washington DC, experienced Incremental growth in the number of deals, with Seattle and San Diego exhibiting higher year-over-year growth. Despite these positive signs, experts believe that sustained growth outside the Bay Area would require multiple billion-dollar exits and increased local institutional investors.

App Economy and Consumption

The app economy continued its growth trajectory in 2019, with consumers downloading over 204 billion apps worldwide, representing a 6% increase year-on-year. Global spending on apps, subscriptions, and in-app features reached $120 billion. On average, mobile users spend 3.7 hours per day using apps. The growth in downloads has been driven by emerging markets like India, Brazil, and Indonesia, which saw download increases of 190%, 40%, and 70%, respectively, since 2016. However, mature markets like the US and China still contribute significant download figures, with 12.3 billion and 2.5 billion respectively in 2019.

Google's AI-driven Weather Forecasting

Google is developing new AI models to provide nearly instantaneous weather forecasts, addressing the need for quicker and more accurate predictions in an era of climate change. Traditional weather forecasting techniques can take hours to compile detailed forecasts. Google's researchers have made significant progress and demonstrated the ability to generate accurate rainfall predictions up to six hours in advance at a 1-kilometer resolution. By training their AI model on historical radar data, the researchers achieved results comparable to existing methods while significantly reducing calculation time. This development has the potential to improve planning, crisis management, and the reduction of losses caused by extreme weather events.

Conclusion

In today's tech news roundup, we explored Apple's acquisition of Xnor AI and the potential impact of their low-powered edge-based AI image recognition tools. Microsoft's release of the chromium-based Edge browser and Mozilla's layoffs highlighted the challenges faced by browser companies in an increasingly competitive market. Fitbit's blood oxygen monitoring feature offers a significant advancement in wearable health technology. We also delved into trends in VC funding, the app economy, and Google's AI-driven weather forecasting efforts. Exciting developments await in the world of technology as we progress into 2020. Stay tuned!

Highlights:

• Apple acquires Xnor AI, known for its low-powered AI image recognition tools.
• Xnor AI enables developers to incorporate AI-centric code and libraries into their apps easily.
• Microsoft releases the chromium-based Edge browser for enhanced performance and integrated ad support.
• Mozilla faces revenue challenges and layoffs due to the slow rollout of revenue-generating products.
• Fitbit introduces blood oxygen monitoring, providing valuable health insights to users.
• VC funding in the US sees a decline in the West Coast's share but growth in other regions.
• The app economy shows steady growth, with consumers downloading over 204 billion apps in 2019.
• Google develops AI-driven models for nearly instantaneous weather forecasting.
• AI in weather forecasting becomes crucial for better planning and response to climate change.

FAQ

Q: What is Xnor AI known for?

A: Xnor AI specializes in developing low-powered AI image recognition tools.

Q: What is unique about Xnor AI's technology?

A: Xnor AI's technology allows for machine learning and image recognition on low-power, often portable devices.

Q: What features does Microsoft's chromium-based Edge browser offer?

A: Microsoft's Edge browser offers enhanced performance, tracking protection, extensions, and themes.

Q: Why did Mozilla face layoffs?

A: Mozilla faced layoffs due to the slow rollout of revenue-generating products beyond search revenue.

Q: What is the significance of Fitbit's blood oxygen monitoring feature?

A: Fitbit's blood oxygen monitoring feature helps track health issues like asthma, heart disease, and sleep apnea.

Q: Where did the majority of VC funding take place in the US?

A: The majority of VC funding in the US still took place in California, New York, and Massachusetts.

Q: How much did consumers spend on apps in 2019?

A: Consumers spent $120 billion on apps, subscriptions, and in-app features globally in 2019.

Q: What are the benefits of Google's AI-driven weather forecasting?

A: Google's AI-driven weather forecasting allows for nearly instantaneous and more accurate predictions, aiding in planning and crisis management.

Q: How many apps were downloaded in 2019 globally?

A: Consumers downloaded over 204 billion apps globally in 2019.

Q: What is the potential impact of AI in weather forecasting?

A: AI in weather forecasting can provide actionable predictions to better respond to climate change and reduce losses to life and property.

Resources:

• Xnor AI
• Edge Browser
• Mozilla
• Fitbit
• App Annie
• Google AI Blog