Google has introduced enhancements to the Google Pay API to provide developers with greater flexibility and control over merchant-initiated transactions (MIT). The update includes new objects within the PaymentDataRequest to specifically handle recurring subscriptions, deferred payments like hotel bookings, and automatic account reloads. By allowing merchants to clearly define future payment terms, these changes improve transparency for users and help reduce transaction declines through better token management. Developers can now implement these features to create more seamless and secure long-term payment experiences.

Gemini CLI has introduced subagents, specialized expert agents that handle complex or high-volume tasks in isolated context windows to keep the primary session fast and focused. These agents can be customized via Markdown files, run in parallel to boost productivity, and are easily invoked using the @agent syntax for targeted delegation. This architecture prevents "context rot" by consolidating intricate multi-step executions into concise summaries for the main orchestrator.

Google DeepMind has launched Gemma 4, a family of state-of-the-art open models designed to enable multi-step planning and autonomous agentic workflows directly on-device. The release includes the Google AI Edge Gallery for experimenting with "Agent Skills" and the LiteRT-LM library, which offers a significant speed boost and structured output for developers. Available under an Apache 2.0 license, Gemma 4 supports over 140 languages and is compatible with a wide range of hardware, including mobile devices, desktops, and IoT platforms like Raspberry Pi.

A2UI v0.9 introduces a framework-agnostic standard designed to help AI agents generate real-time, tailored UI widgets using a company’s existing design system. This update simplifies the developer experience with a new Agent SDK for Python, a shared web-core library, and official support for renderers like React, Flutter, and Angular. By decoupling UI intent from specific platforms, the release enables seamless, low-latency streaming of generative interfaces across web and mobile applications. Integrating with broader ecosystems like AG2 and Vercel, A2UI v0.9 aims to move generative UI from experimental demos to production-ready digital products.

LiteRT is a production-ready framework designed to help mobile developers unlock the power of Neural Processing Units (NPUs), overcoming the performance and battery limitations of traditional CPU or GPU processing. By providing a unified API that abstracts away hardware complexities, it allows industry leaders like Google Meet and Epic Games to deploy sophisticated AI models for real-time video, animation, and speech recognition with significantly higher efficiency. The platform further supports developers through benchmarking tools and cross-platform compatibility, enabling seamless AI deployment across mobile devices, AI PCs, and industrial IoT hardware.

The blog post outlines the transition of a brittle sales research prototype into a robust production agent using Google’s Agent Development Kit (ADK). By replacing monolithic scripts with orchestrated sub-agents and structured Pydantic outputs, the developers eliminated silent failures and fragile parsing. Additionally, the post highlights the necessity of dynamic RAG pipelines and OpenTelemetry observability to ensure AI agents are scalable, cost-effective, and transparent in real-world applications.

Microsoft is offering first-ever retirement buyouts to some US employees as AI-driven data center spending grows and tech layoffs continue.

The post Microsoft Offers First-Ever Retirement Buyouts to Thousands of Employees appeared first on TechRepublic.

The provided workflow streamlines motion-controlled game development by using Gemini Canvas to rapidly prototype mechanics like the MediaPipe Pose Landmarker through high-level prompting. Developers can refine these prototypes in Google AI Studio by optimizing for low-latency "lite" models and stable tracking points, such as shoulder landmarks, to ensure responsive gameplay. The process concludes by using Gemini Code Assist to refactor experimental code into a modular, production-ready application capable of supporting various multimodal inputs.

India’s app market is booming in downloads and usage, but much of the money still flows to global platforms rather than local developers.

The post India’s App Boom Has a Revenue Problem appeared first on TechRepublic.

TikTok is building a second data center in Finland as part of its Project Clover push to keep European user data stored within Europe.

The post TikTok Invests $1.16 Billion in New Finland Facility to Localize European Data appeared first on TechRepublic.

Samsung Galaxy Connect now works on non-Samsung Windows 11 PCs with Intel or AMD chips, bringing continuity features beyond Galaxy Book laptops.

The post Samsung Galaxy Connect Now Works on Any Windows 11 PC appeared first on TechRepublic.

The Pentagon is seeking about $54 billion for autonomous warfare and drone systems, a huge bet that is raising concerns about doctrine, training, and oversight.

The post New Pentagon Plan Would Pour $54B Into Drones, AI Combat Systems appeared first on TechRepublic.

More people than ever are using Meta technologies, and over the last several years we’ve built new apps and devices that have become part of how people connect — from Threads to Meta AI to AI glasses. With so many ways to create, learn, and communicate, it’s more important than ever to have a central, convenient location to manage experiences across apps.

That’s why today, we’re introducing the improved Meta Account. Building on Accounts Center, Meta Account is the simpler way to access and manage your Meta apps and devices, all in one place.  

What to Expect

Accounts Center will automatically be updated to a Meta Account. This rollout will happen gradually over the next year.  Here’s what to expect:

• Your apps and devices will show up automatically: All of the technologies that are part of your Accounts Center will be in your Meta Account. You’ll be notified when this happens.
• Your day-to-day experience stays the same: The switch to Meta Account will not change how you use your apps. It’s designed to make signing in and managing your settings easier.
• Optional for WhatsApp: If you previously added WhatsApp to your Accounts Center, it will carry over to your Meta Account, and you can still remove it at any time. If you haven’t added WhatsApp to your Accounts Center, it will remain separate from your Meta Account, and you can manage your WhatsApp as you do today. Your personal messages and calls remain private and end-to-end encrypted. Learn more here. 

Easy Login & Enhanced Security

Your Meta Account makes it easy to sign into the apps and devices you use to connect with the people and communities that matter to you.

• One password, zero hassle: You can optionally set up a single password to log into your apps and devices so you no longer have to remember multiple passwords. 
• Easy setup for new apps and devices: When you download a new Meta app or set up a new device, your Meta Account lets you get started quickly — without creating another login and profile from scratch.

Your Meta Account also comes with enhanced protections designed to keep your information safe without requiring extra effort from you.

• Boosted security with passkeys: Passkeys offer a more secure alternative to traditional passwords — letting you log in with your fingerprint, face recognition, or device password. With your Meta Account, passkeys will now work on Instagram, in addition to Facebook and Messenger, with more apps coming soon. WhatsApp passkeys are managed within WhatsApp independently.
• 24/7 protection: Our account security systems work around the clock to detect and stop suspicious activity, helping prevent unauthorized access before it can cause harm.
• Personalized security recommendations: Security Checkup is streamlined with your Meta Account, helping you stay up to date on protections like multi-factor authentication and login alerts across your Meta technologies.

A Central Place for Settings That Matter to You

Your Meta Account is designed to make things easier for you when it comes to managing settings that matter to you.

Settings that apply across Meta apps and devices are managed in one place through your Meta Account — similar to how Accounts Center works today. Now, more settings can be centrally managed this way, including your password, two-factor authentication, and the email address associated with your account. Because these don’t change from app to app, you shouldn’t have to update them separately. 

Settings that are specific to an app remain managed independently so you can also tailor your experiences for each. These kinds of choices are personal to how you use each app, so they live right where you’d expect: inside the app itself. For example, who can see your Facebook posts is a Facebook setting. Similarly, whether someone can tag you in a photo on Instagram is an Instagram setting. These will not change with your Meta Account. Learn more about managing your Meta Account settings here.

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For parents, Meta Account makes it easier to organize teens’ supervised accounts without having to switch between them. You can manage teens’ Instagram, Facebook, Messenger, and Meta Horizon settings from a single, simplified dashboard through Family Center, located within your Meta Account. We’ll continue improving our supervision tools to make life easier for busy parents.

Meta Account is here to make your digital life simpler and safer — and this is just the beginning. We’ll add more features over time. Learn more here.

Your Meta Account Questions, Answered

Here are answers to some of the most common things people want to know about their Meta Account.

Does Meta Account change anything for me?

Your day-to-day experiences with Meta technologies will stay the same. Once your Accounts Center updates to a Meta Account, you’ll have a simpler login experience for your apps and devices, enhanced security features, and the ability to manage more settings and preferences in one place. 

What apps and devices are included in Meta Account?

Meta Account supports Meta technologies including Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, Threads, Meta AI, AI glasses, and Meta Quest headsets. WhatsApp can be added optionally and will not be in your Meta Account unless you previously added it to your Accounts Center, or choose to add it to your Meta Account later.

Do I have to add all of my apps and devices to one Meta Account?

No. You can choose to have different Meta Accounts for different apps or devices. For example, you can have a Meta Account for your Facebook and another Meta Account for your Instagram profile. You can choose to keep WhatsApp separate from your Meta Account and manage your WhatsApp as you do today.

Will my information be safe with a Meta Account?

Absolutely. Your Meta Account uses industry-leading security features like passkey login, proactive safeguards, and personalized Security Checkup to keep your information safe. You have full control over your privacy settings and account security. Learn more here.

I already have a Meta Account for my Meta Quest and AI glasses. Is this the same thing?

Yes, but your updated Meta Account builds on Accounts Center and now works across more apps and devices — making it easier to log in, control more settings centrally, and keep your information secure.

The post Meta Account: The Simpler Way to Access Your Apps and Devices appeared first on Meta Newsroom.

Apple patched an iPhone notification bug that let deleted messages linger in system storage, closing a privacy gap exposed by an FBI Signal case.

The post Apple Fixes iPhone Bug After FBI Retrieved Signal Messages appeared first on TechRepublic.

Google Pixel users are reporting severe battery drain after recent Android updates, with complaints spanning multiple models and no confirmed fix yet.

The post Google’s Pixel Update Sparks ‘Severe’ Battery Drain Across Multiple Models appeared first on TechRepublic.

Apple’s $599 Mac mini is now sold out, with shortages spreading across configurations amid supply and demand pressures.

The post Apple’s $599 Mac mini Just Sold Out Everywhere appeared first on TechRepublic.

Here is a recap of what happened in the search forums today, through the eyes of the Search Engine Roundtable and other search forums on the web. We are seeing Google volatility get heated again...

Danny Sullivan from Google spoke at the Google Search Central event in Toronto a couple of days ago and a few of his slides spoke about it is important to produce "unique, authentic and non-commodity content." And then Sullivan dug into what commodity content is.

Google may now hold your review replies for approval before showing them in Google Maps or Google Search. Previously, those replies were immediately shown but that may have changed.

I know it has been a while since I covered the Google Search ranking volatility and algorithm twitches but I am now seeing signs of the volatility heating up. These signs are mostly coming from the tools; the community seems busier with other things.