☁️ Microsoft's Cloud Soars, China Proposes Internet ID, Google Targets Deepfakes
Good morning. It’s Wednesday, July 31. Today we are covering:
Microsoft's cloud revenues rule again in Q4, as Surface continues to dip
China Wants to Start a National Internet ID System
Google makes it easier to remove explicit deepfakes from its search results
New US rule on foreign chip equipment exports to China to exempt some allies
Bumble and Hinge allowed stalkers to pinpoint users' locations down to 2 meters, researchers say
Let’s dive in
Microsoft's cloud revenues rule again in Q4, as Surface continues to dip
By Tom Warren via The Verge
Microsoft reported $64.7 billion in revenue and $22 billion in net income for Q4 2024, with cloud revenues growing 19%, while Surface revenues declined for the seventh consecutive quarter.
Xbox content and services revenue increased by 61%, driven by Activision Blizzard contributions, but Xbox hardware revenue fell by 42%, with new console releases expected later this year.
Azure and other cloud services revenue grew 29%, aided by AI services, while Office 365 commercial revenue rose 13%, contributing to Microsoft's overall 15% revenue growth.
𝕏: Microsoft CFO Amy Hood guidance for Q2 FY25: • Windows OEM: "flat in line with PC market" • Xbox content and services: "low to mid 50s, driven by Activision" • Gaming : "mid 30s, 40 points from Activision" • Xbox hardware: "will again decline YoY" - Tom Warren (@tomwarren)
China Wants to Start a National Internet ID System
By Meaghan Tobin via The New York Times
China is proposing a national internet ID system to centralize online verification, aiming to protect privacy and prevent fraud.
The proposal, while intended to reduce excessive data collection by internet platforms, has raised concerns among legal scholars about potential government overreach and increased surveillance.
Public comments on the proposal are open until the end of August, and the system's use by websites and apps would be voluntary, according to Chinese regulators.
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Google makes it easier to remove explicit deepfakes from its search results
By Mariella Moon via Engadget
Google has updated Search to make it easier to remove explicit deepfakes, filtering explicit results and duplicates once a removal request is granted.
The new system ensures searches for explicit deepfakes with a person’s name yield high-quality, non-explicit content instead, such as news articles about the person.
To combat harmful content, Google will demote sites with a high volume of removal requests for manipulated images, treating them as low-quality sites.
New US rule on foreign chip equipment exports to China to exempt some allies
By Karen Freifeld via Reuters
The Biden administration plans to expand U.S. powers to stop semiconductor manufacturing equipment exports to Chinese chipmakers, but will exempt key allies like Japan, the Netherlands, and South Korea.
Major chip equipment manufacturers such as ASML and Tokyo Electron will not be affected by the new rule, resulting in stock gains for these companies and other Japanese makers of chip-related equipment.
The rule, still in draft form, aims to pressure China’s semiconductor industry without antagonizing allies and will include adding about 120 Chinese entities to the restricted trade list.
Bumble and Hinge allowed stalkers to pinpoint users' locations down to 2 meters, researchers say
By Lorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai via TechCrunch
Researchers found vulnerabilities in popular dating apps Bumble and Hinge that allowed stalkers to pinpoint users' locations down to 2 meters.
The vulnerability was due to the apps using exact locations for their filters feature, which could be exploited using a technique called oracle trilateration.
The apps have since updated their systems to round up coordinates, making them less precise and preventing such pinpointing, with Bumble and Hily confirming swift resolutions to these issues.
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