HeyWhatsNew: Microsoft Relaunches AI Snapshot Tool & Netflix Tests AI Search Tech
Hey there HeyUppers! Welcome to yet another exciting week in tech. Let’s dive into the headlines for this week starting 14/04/2025.
Samsung’s One UI 7 Delayed
In November 2024, Samsung announced its new user interface, One UI 7, followed by a public beta in December for some flagships. One UI 7, built on Android 15, promised deep integration of Samsung’s AI called Galaxy AI, designed to make everyday use more intuitive, while also giving the user interface a fresh look. Other new features included the Now Bar on the lock screen for real-time updates and quick control, as well as Now Brief, which offers personalized daily updates.
An initial roll-out began on April 7th, however, Samsung paused the launch shortly after users reported some issues with the new UI, such as battery drainage, primarily on the Exynos-powered S24 models. Analyses reported a bug that was affecting the S24 models. Presuming that the bug has been fixed, Samsung continued the roll-out of One UI 7 on April 15th with no further issues reported since.
Netflix Tests Out New AI Search Technology
Netflix is testing an OpenAI-powered search engine to help subscribers find movies and TV shows. The new search engine lets users look for shows using more specific terms, including the subscriber’s mood. Netflix’s current technology allows users to find shows using actors’ names or parts of the show’s name, but the new search tech uses AI and machine learning to let users pose inquiries that go beyond that.
For this feature, subscribers must choose to opt in to test it out; it will not automatically roll out to customers. Audiences in Australia and New Zealand can already use the new search engine, though it’s only available on iOS devices. The test will soon expand to other markets.
Opera Mini Receives AI Boost
Mobile browser, Opera Mini, now has a built-in AI tool that is accessible at no additional cost. The AI tool, named Aria, has new features including AI search and chat, as well as AI image generation. Opera is focused on saving users money on data costs, particularly in Africa, where over 100 million people use the browser. Opera Software claims Opera Mini’s data-saving mode can reduce data usage by up to 90% compared to other popular browsers. Due to growing interest in AI, Aria is optimized for minimal data consumption, so users can use AI at no extra cost.
Microsoft Relaunches AI Screenshot Tool
Microsoft has begun the rollout of an AI-powered tool that takes screenshots of users' screens every few seconds. This is a relaunch of the Recall feature that was announced last year. The purpose of Recall is to allow PC users to easily search through their past activity, including files, photos, emails, and browsing history.
Microsoft has tested the tech with a small number of users and says Recall will be rolled out worldwide. After privacy concerns, the company has added an opt-in mechanism so that users can choose whether they want to use the feature.
Spotify Goes Dark
On Wednesday, the music streaming app experienced an outage that left many users unable to listen to music on the app. The issue has since been fixed, and Spotify says that the app is now functioning normally. Users reported that during the outage, they were still able to listen to their downloaded music, but were unable to view artists or use the search engine. The app appeared to time out and display a message saying “Something went wrong,” with a refresh button.
Many users rushed to social media to report the issue. Spotify has denied any reports of a security hack and says that the issue has been fixed.
That’s it for this week. We hope you enjoyed these headlines. Stay tuned for more tech highlights next week!
