The month in technology: Google unveils hands-free control on Pixel 4 and PayPal drops out of Libra crypto group

Google introduces hands-free control on Pixel 4

Google has unveiled Pixel 4’s motion sense feature where users can move their hand over their phone to skip a music track, silence a call or unlock the phone using face unlock.

The functionality, powered by Project Soli, involves radar-based technology developed by Google. According to the tech giant, the Pixel 4 is the “first smartphone with a radar sensor”.

The phone recognises four main gestures. Reach quietens the phone when you’re reaching for it. Swipe recognises a dismissive wave to reject and silence unwanted calls, snooze alarms and dismiss timers. The flick of a finger across the screen allows you to skip a music track or replay a previous one, while presence keeps your phone unlocked while you are looking at it.

When the Soli chip is active, the sensor’s data is processed on-device and isn’t saved or shared with other Google services.

Google’s Pixel 4 was unveiled yesterday as part of the Made by Google 2019 event. Other announcements included the launch of Stadia, Google’s cloud video game streaming service, new Pixel Buds and a Nest Mini.

Amazon migrates 100 consumer services from Oracle to AWS databases

Retail giant Amazon is moving around 75 petabytes of internal data stored in almost 7,500 Oracle databases to its own AWS databases.

More than 100 consumer services have been moved to AWS databases, including customer-facing tools like Alexa, Amazon Prime and Twitch. It also moved internal tools like AdTech, its fulfilment system, external payments and ordering.

Each team moved the Oracle database to an AWS database service like Amazon DynamoDB, Amazon Aurora, Amazon Relational Database Service and Amazon Redshift.

“Over the years, we realised that we were spending too much time managing and scaling thousands of legacy Oracle databases,” explains AWS’ Jeff Barr. “Instead of focusing on high-value differentiated work, our database administrators spent a lot of time simply keeping the lights on, while transaction rates climbed and the overall amount of stored data mounted.”

Germany vows not to exclude Huawei from its 5G networks

Germany will not bar Chinese tech giant Huawei from its 5G networks as it wants to create “a level playing field” for vendors, reports the BBC.

Other countries like the US have banned Huawei from selling 5G equipment to its telecom firms for fear of the set up being used to enable Chinese surveillance. Here, the UK has promised to make a decision this autumn on whether Huawei should be excluded from its 5G rollout.

According to a Huawei spokesperson, a “fact and standards-based approach” was the best way to address global cyber-security challenges.

In a statement, Huawei said it welcomed the German government’s decision: “Politicising cyber-security will only hinder technology development and social progress while doing nothing to address the security challenges all countries face.

“Huawei will continue to work openly with regulators, customers, and industry organisations to ensure that mobile networks are secure. Over the past 30 years, we have served more than three billion people around the world, and we have maintained a strong track record in security throughout.”

Huawei has already worked on 5G trials with Deutsche Telekom and has previously supplied existing equipment to all of Germany’s telecoms operators.

McDonald’s unveils voice-initiated job applications

Fast food chain McDonald’s has announced a new initiative where job applications can be started through voice assistants like Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant.

Claimed to be the world’s first voice-initiated application process, McDonald’s Apply Thru is available as part of the recently launched Made at McDonald’s global hiring campaign that seeks to drive applications worldwide.

To begin the application process, candidates just need to answer a few basic questions out loud. They will then receive a text with a link to complete the application process online. Job applications cannot be completed in their entirety via Alexa or Google Assistant.

“We must continue to innovate and think of creative, and in this case, ground breaking ways to meet potential job seekers on devices they are already using, like Alexa,” said McDonald’s executive vice president and chief people officer David Fairhurst. “Alexa has many of the qualities we look for on our teams – friendly, responsive and fun. I am looking forward to having our application process simplified with Alexa.”

PayPal becomes first company to drop out of Facebook’s Libra crypto group

Payment provider PayPal has become the first company to pull out of Facebook’s cryptocurrency project Libra, reports Mobile Marketing.

PayPal said it has left the group to “continue to focus on advancing our existing mission and business priorities”. However, the payments firm said it will continue to support the concept of Libra and keep working with Facebook on other projects.

Just days after PayPal’s withdrawal from the project, Mastercard, Visa, eBay, online travel company Booking Holdings, plus payments firms Stripe and Mercado Pago all dropped out of the Libra Association.

Facebook announced plans to launch the digital currency in June 2020 in partnership with other members of the Libra Association, but the project has received scepticism from regulators around the world.

France and Germany last month pledged to block Libra from operating in Europe and backed the development of a public cryptocurrency instead.

The Libra Association is set to have its first official meeting this week, where the remaining 23 members are due to sign the group’s charter.