Google’s Android update tackles motion sickness, accessibility, and more

Source: Tech Crunch

Google’s Android update tackles motion sickness, accessibility, and more

Startups

Google announced five Android updates to improve accessibility and personalization. Key features include Motion Assist to reduce motion sickness for Android 17 users and Guided Vision, which leverages Gemini to assist blind and low-vision users. Additionally, Gemini will help track remembered items in Find Hub. Google Messages is receiving Keep integration for shared lists and new customization options for chat backgrounds, colors, and text bubbles.

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AfterQuery reportedly becomes Y Combinator’s fastest-ever unicorn, now valued at $3.2B

Startups

"AI training-data startup AfterQuery has reached a $3.2 billion valuation, marking the fastest ascent to unicorn status in Y Combinator's history. Founded by two young entrepreneurs, the San Francisco company reports a $100 million annualized revenue run rate. AfterQuery employs specialists like doctors and lawyers to train AI models on professional reasoning and task completion, serving major clients including Nvidia, Legora, and Motif Technologies.".

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Open AI’s Astra model is on the way—and very good at breaking into computer systems

Startups

OpenAI previewed the precautions it is taking as it prepares to release Astra, its newest, cyber-critical LLM.

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X says attackers are targeting user accounts after the launch of X Money

Startups

"X users are reporting a surge in unsolicited password reset emails following the launch of X Money, the platform's new payments service. Attackers are mass-triggering reset forms using public usernames to attempt unauthorized account access. X representatives and the Grok chatbot state there is currently no evidence of successful breaches. The company is investigating the issue while users are encouraged to enable two-factor authentication for security.".

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John Ternus hypes ‘huge launch next week’ in first memo as Apple CEO

Startups

John Ternus has succeeded Tim Cook as Apple's CEO after Cook's fifteen-year tenure. The former senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering takes over just before the September 9 iPhone event, where Apple may debut its first foldable iPhone and an enhanced Siri AI. Ternus expressed excitement for future innovations, while rumors suggest the company is developing smart glasses, camera-equipped AirPods, and a new touchscreen laptop.

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Oracle To Lay Off Another 3,000 Employees In India: Report

Business

Oracle is preparing for global layoffs, with India expected to lose approximately 3,000 employees, roughly 10% of its local workforce. These cuts, potentially starting in September, follow a previous reduction of 12,000 staff in March. The company is slashing operational costs to fund massive investments in AI and data centers, mirroring a broader industry trend where tech giants prioritize automation over traditional workforce expansion.

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Anthropic’s new Fable release is cheaper, less restrictive

Startups

Fable 5.1 includes changes meant to reduce token cost and false-positive restrictions from the model's safeguards.

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Thrive’s Kushner defends involvement in FIFA mess, hires Elon’s go-to lawyer

Startups

New York's prestigious-yet-secretive venture firm Thrive Capital finally speaks out about its involvement in the messy drama upending international soccer.

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Who is John Ternus, the new Apple CEO?

Startups

John Ternus, a 25-year Apple veteran and former senior vice president of hardware engineering, has succeeded Tim Cook as CEO. Ternus previously oversaw the development of the Apple Watch, AirPods, and the transition to Apple silicon. He assumes leadership during a critical period, facing an upcoming iPhone launch and the rollout of a Gemini-powered Siri AI, as the company strives to compete in the global AI race.

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Google’s answer to Canva is an AI tool where you prompt instead of design

Startups

"Google is launching Google Pics, an AI-powered image creation and editing tool for Google Workspace business customers and premium AI subscribers. Powered by the Nano Banana model, it enables users to generate visuals like posters and social media posts via prompts. Integrated into Docs and Slides, the tool features collaborative editing and object transformation. Unlike Canva or Adobe Express, it focuses on AI generation rather than manual design.".

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ChatGPT Health adds Epic integration for clinicians to import patient data

Startups

OpenAI said that the integration provides read-only access to health records for clinicians.

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Waymo goes on offense ahead of Tesla’s Cybercab launch

Startups

Waymo has criticized Tesla's camera-only approach to autonomous driving, arguing that a combination of lidar, radar, and cameras is essential for safety. While Waymo currently operates thousands of robotaxis across 14 U.S. cities, Tesla is preparing to unveil its steering-wheel-less Cybercab on September 3. This clash highlights a fundamental industry divide between Waymo's sensor-heavy redundancy and Tesla's cost-effective, AI-first strategy for scaling driverless vehicles.

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Sequoia-incubated Empirik launches with $21M to predict outages before they happen

Startups

"Empirik, an AI-driven observability startup, has spun out from Sequoia Capital after raising $21 million in seed funding. Founded by tech veterans Avon Puri and Sudheer Dhurjati, the company offers a tool that predicts and prevents infrastructure outages by tracking system changes. By automating routine troubleshooting for DevOps and SRE teams, Empirik helps companies like S&P Global maintain stability amidst the accelerating pace of software development.".

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Masters’ Union Secures University Status From Haryana Govt

Business

The Haryana government has granted full university status to Gurugram-based Masters’ Union through the Haryana Private Universities (Amendment) Bill, 2026. Now operating as Master’s Union University, the institution plans to expand its Gurugram campus with research infrastructure and accelerator hubs. Founder Pratham Mittal announced new departments in law, medicine, agriculture, and biotech, alongside PhD programs, continuing the school's focus on practitioner-led and entrepreneurship-driven higher education.

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InsuranceDekho + RenewBuy: Ankit Agrawal On Making Of A Pan-India Insurance Distribution Giant

Business

InsuranceDekho and RenewBuy have completed their merger, operating under the InsuranceDekho brand led by CEO Ankit Agrawal. The combined entity is now India’s largest AI-enabled insurance distribution platform, boasting a premium book exceeding ₹6,600 crore and over 6 lakh digital partners. Covering 98.57% of India’s pin codes, the platform offers 750+ products from 52 insurers, leveraging complementary geographic strengths to compete with major industry players.

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GoPro to be acquired for $285M, will remain a public company

Startups

GoPro is being acquired by Starman Optical for $285 million, a deal that will eliminate $92 million in debt. Shareholders will receive $1.14 per share and retain a 10% stake in the combined entity. The merger aims to leverage GoPro's optical IP to expand into defense, AI, and commercial markets while onshoring manufacturing to the United States, moving beyond its traditional focus on consumer action cameras.

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Amazon Alexa can now alert you when something new might tempt you to shop

Startups

Amazon has introduced "Update Me When," a new AI-powered feature for its Alexa for Shopping assistant. This tool sends personalized notifications about product launches, media releases, and events to proactively prompt consumer purchases. This shift reflects a broader strategy to move Alexa from a reactive tool to an anticipatory one. Other AI capabilities include price tracking with automatic purchasing, personalized deals, and AI-generated product overviews for shoppers.

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AIR raises $50M to help companies vet the skills and add-ons AI agents use

Startups

AI security startup AIR has emerged from stealth after raising $50 million in seed funding led by Sequoia and Greenoaks. Founded by Unit 8200 veterans, the company provides a platform to discover, vet, and secure the software supply chain for AI agents, including plugins and MCP servers. AIR aims to prevent malicious attacks by continuously monitoring agent tools, serving over 20 customers in highly regulated industries.

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Microsoft 365 outage drags on, but things are improving

Startups

"Microsoft is working to resolve a multi-day outage affecting Outlook and various Microsoft 365 services, including Teams and SharePoint. The disruption was caused by a core authentication configuration misconfiguration that hindered infrastructure deployment. While Microsoft has implemented mitigations and reports improving service availability and mail flow, the company has not yet declared a full recovery and is currently entering a period of extended monitoring to ensure stability.".

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Fambot introduces an ‘AI chief of staff’ for families

Startups

Fambot, an AI-powered "chief of staff" for parents, helps families manage information overload from emails, calendars, and WhatsApp groups. Founded by former executives from Uber, Instagram, and Google, the startup provides daily checklists and proactive scheduling via a mobile app and web interface. Backed by $3.5 million in pre-seed funding, Fambot is currently in free beta testing across iOS, Android, and the web.

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