Good morning. It’s Wednesday, May 21. Today we are covering:
Xreal and Google Debut Aura AR Glasses to Rival Meta's Orion Plan
Fortnite Returns to Apple's App Store After Scoring a Legal Victory
Google found a way to make virtual meetings suck less
AI scam factories force trafficked workers to defraud global victims
Volvo cars will get new Android Automotive features faster, including Gemini
Let’s dive in
Xreal and Google Debut Aura AR Glasses to Rival Meta's Orion Plan
By Mark Gurman via Bloomberg
Google has partnered with Xreal Inc. to launch Project Aura, the first AR glasses powered by the new Android XR operating system.
Unveiled at the Google I/O conference, the device aims to extend the Android experience across devices including mixed-reality headsets and AR glasses.
The collaboration positions Google and Xreal as direct competitors to Meta’s Orion project in the evolving AR wearables race.
𝕏: Google has entered the glasses race by partnering with Xreal on the first spectacles to run an augmented-reality version of its operating system. There are also glasses coming with Samsung and Warby Parker. - Mark Gurman (@markgurman)
Fortnite Returns to Apple's App Store After Scoring a Legal Victory
By John Yoon via The New York Times
Fortnite has returned to the Apple App Store in the U.S. after a federal judge ruled that Apple cannot block apps linking to external payment options, marking a major moment in the long-running legal battle between Epic Games and Apple.
The legal fight began in 2020 when Epic bypassed Apple's 30% commission, leading to Fortnite’s removal and a series of lawsuits; a judge recently held Apple in civil contempt for not complying with prior rulings.
While Apple and Epic have resolved this latest dispute, their broader court battle over App Store policies continues, with Google also appealing a 2023 ruling that found it maintained a monopoly in the app store market.
𝕏: Thanks to everyone who supported the effort to open up mobile competition and #FreeFortnite from the very beginning. And thanks to all of the folks who initially sided with Apple then later came around to the winning side, supporting app developer rights and consumer rights. - Tim Sweeney (@TimSweeneyEpic)
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Google found a way to make virtual meetings suck less
By Alex Heath via The Verge
Google's 3D video calling platform, formerly known as Project Starline, has been rebranded as Google Beam and is set to ship to select offices later this year, with companies like Salesforce, Deloitte, and Duolingo already onboard.
Beam uses a light field display, six cameras, and a custom AI model running on Google Cloud to deliver lifelike, volumetric 3D video calls without headsets—HP is producing the first commercial devices based on Google’s reference design.
Internal research shows Beam significantly reduces virtual meeting fatigue and boosts attentiveness and nonverbal engagement, with upcoming features like screen mirroring, live translation, and eventual support for group calls and home use.
𝕏: Google’s Project Starline is now being launched as Google Beam. The fancy 3D video booth is coming to some offices later this year, but I can’t help but feel this is destined for the Google graveyard - Tom Warren (@tomwarren)
AI scam factories force trafficked workers to defraud global victims
By Linda Yulisman via Rest of World
Young Indonesians are being trafficked through fake job ads on social media into scam compounds across Southeast Asia, where they're forced to use AI tools like deepfakes and voice clones to defraud global victims of billions of dollars.
These high-tech “scam factories”, often run by Chinese criminal syndicates, exploit trafficked workers with threats, poor pay, and quotas, using AI-generated personas on platforms like WhatsApp and dating apps to build trust and extract large sums from victims.
Despite efforts from platforms like Meta and Telegram, traffickers continue to adapt, aided by jailbroken LLMs, deepfake kits, and dark web credentials, prompting calls for greater local enforcement and international action.
Volvo cars will get new Android Automotive features faster, including Gemini
By Ben Schoon via 9to5Google
Volvo and Google have expanded their partnership, making Volvo a reference platform for Android Automotive, ensuring Volvo cars get new features before or alongside other automakers.
The collaboration will debut with Gemini integration, set to arrive later this year, giving Volvo drivers early access to Google's latest AI capabilities in cars.
At Google I/O 2025, the Volvo EX90 was used to showcase Gemini, highlighting Volvo’s central role in shaping Android Automotive’s future.
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