Global Scans · GAFA et al · Weekly Summary

• [New] Google and Xreal are pushing into new territory with the VR-like, glasses-sized Project Aura, also expected in 2026. CNet
• [New] Consumers now expect features such as over-the-air updates, real-time traffic data, and smartphone connectivity through Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Persistence Market Research
• [New] Google, Amazon, Microsoft and Meta alone plan to allocate $725 billion to capital expenditures in 2026 - up 77% from last year's $410 billion. Forbes
• [New] Google Search will use AI agents for online shopping, introducing a Universal Cart that works across merchants and services. BGR
• [New] The upcoming iPhone might be the first Apple cellphone to embrace silicon anode batteries. CNet
• [New] Google expects capital spending of $180 billion to $190 billion in 2026, up from $31 billion in 2022, much of it going toward its eighth-generation TPU 8 t and TPU 8 i chips for training and inference. Forbes
• [New] Google will be rolling out tools this week to help make it easier to move campaign history, settings, and data into AI Max. Ignite Visibility
• [New] The multi-year collaboration means that Gemini will be the foundation for all of Apple Intelligence's next-generation devices. Ignite Visibility
• [New] Alibaba plans to invest more than $55 billion in AI infrastructure and cloud data centers between FY2026 and FY2028. Bingx Exchange
• [New] Google is not ruling out ads, saying what they have learned from ads in AI Mode will likely carry over to Gemini. Ignite Visibility
• [New] Investors will focus on whether Alibaba Cloud can maintain growth above 30%, whether China commerce margins stabilize, and whether management signals a slowdown in quick commerce subsidies. Bingx Exchange
• [New] Amazon is committing $1 billion to Career Choice by 2030, a centerpiece of the $2.5 billion Future Ready 2030 initiative. US About Amazon
• [New] The Phone by Google app will automatically end spoofed banking scam calls on Android 11 and newer devices in the coming weeks. Android Authority
• [New] At the I/O Conference last week, Google announced a massive overhaul of its Search product, specifically that it will include more AI features than before. Ignite Visibility
• [New] Starting in 2026, Google will require all apps on certified devices to come from verified developers. Gadget Hacks
• [New] Consumers will be able to add products from multiple retailers into a single cart while Google tracks discounts, price changes, and restocks automatically. Direct Avenue
• [New] If SpaceX can seamlessly route inference requests from Earth to orbital clusters via the existing Starlink laser-mesh constellation, xAI will possess a structural cost advantage that no terrestrial competitor (Amazon, Microsoft, Google) can replicate. Klover.ai - Klover.ai
• [New] Pinterest signs $4 billion Amazon deal for cloud services Pinterest will pay AWS $4 billion through 2031 - its largest-ever deal - tapping Amazon's custom Graviton and Trainium chips to scale its AI, particularly visual search, as it fights to keep up with TikTok and Meta. Digiday
• [New] The next 90 days will determine whether Google and Microsoft's infrastructure advantages can overcome Anthropic and OpenAI's head starts in model capability and developer loyalty. Unrot
• [New] Amazon spent $44.20 billion on capex while signing OpenAI to roughly 2 GW of Trainium capacity starting in 2027 and Anthropic to up to 5 GW. 24/7 Wall St.

Last updated: 21 June 2026