Zoom meetings with Apple Vision Pro?!

Welcome, Tech enthusiasts.

Zoom just revealed new upcoming Vision Pro offerings, bringing remote work and conferencing into AR/VR.

If Apple’s launch is a home run, will Zoom breathe new life into the stagnant video meeting space? Let’s dig deeper…

In today’s tech rundown:

• Zoom brings realistic avatars, 3D viewing to Vision Pro

• Amazon cancels Roomba deal on regulatory concerns

• 8 new products

• Apple hits back at proposed EU laws

• Canon moves into chipmaking

• Tesla owners angry over new software update

Read time: 3 minutes

TODAY’S HEADLINES

ZOOM

Zoom brings realistic avatars, 3D viewing to Vision Pro

The Rundown: Zoom just unveiled new mixed reality features for Apple's new Vision Pro headset, including digital avatars and collaborative 3D model viewing.

The details:

• Zoom will leverage Vision Pro's Persona system to animate users' facial and hand expressions on calls.

• Shared 3D assets can be viewed and manipulated together in a virtual space.

• An integrated Zoom chat and the ability to pin real-world participants aims to boost virtual meeting engagement.

• The capabilities build on Vision Pro's room-scaling and background removal strengths that boost remote collaboration.

Why it matters: While other companies are shying away from building on top of the Vision Pro, Zoom is doubling down. Could a coming AR/VR revolution breathe new life into the meeting leader, bringing a whole new dimension (literally) to how we interact on meetings?

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AMAZON & ROOMBA

🚫 Amazon cancels Roomba deal on regulatory concerns

The Rundown: Amazon just nixed its proposed $1.4B purchase of Roomba maker iRobot due to antitrust scrutiny, following increased pressure from EU and U.S. regulators around Big Tech’s dealmaking and fair competition compliance.

The details:

• Regulators had suggested the deal could restrict competition in the robotic vacuum cleaner market.

• Amazon will pay a whopping $94M fee to iRobot for terminating the deal, which was originally revealed in 2022.

• iRobot laid off 30% of its staff following the news, with its founder and CEO also stepping down.

Why it matters: In an unusual surrender, Amazon's scrapped acquisition signals the waning ability of Big Tech to gobble up competitors as governments promote more competitive markets. But regulations will likely only slow — not stop — Amazon’s far-reaching ambitions across markets.

NEW PRODUCTS

🤖 GPT Analytics- Transform your understanding of GPT with advanced analytics (link)

💬 LiveChatAI- Streamlined AI and human live chat support solution (link)

🧑 Leed- Capture lead data using GPT-driven prompts (link)

💤 Daydream- Business intelligence for effective decision-makers (link)

🖌️ AirBrush Studio- Create AI-generated headshots effortlessly (link)

🐦 TweetHunter- All-in-one Twitter growth tool to create content using AI, build an audience, and schedule posts (link)

⚡️ Notion AI- Your notes, on steroids. Access the limitless power of AI, right inside Notion (link)

🎬 HeyGen - Create videos from text in minutes with AI-generated avatars and voices (link)

Browse the most popular tools ever featured with our tool database.

SNIPPETS

Arc has launched a minimalist, AI-powered search tool browser app for the iPhone, focusing on search summaries and a streamlined user interface.

Apple attacked new proposed UK laws allowing the government to secretly veto global privacy updates before release, saying it would undermine security and force companies into surveillance.

Japan's Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) mission resumed after the lander, which had experienced a power outage post-landing, recharged its solar panels and re-established communication with JAXA.

Flutter Entertainment is preparing for a New York Stock Exchange listing, reflecting its significant growth in the US sports betting market.

Canon is set to challenge ASML by introducing a new, low-cost nanoprint lithography technology for chip manufacturing.

Some Tesla owners have expressed frustration over a new software update that intensifies driver supervision mandates on the Autopilot feature.

DJ Novotney, an influential Apple hardware engineering architect with 25 years of service, is departing to join Rivian, an electric vehicle manufacturer.

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THAT’S A WRAP

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