You’re not shoplifting, you’re just shopping in the future.
Amazon has launched a beta version of its Go convenience store, which it describes as a “new kind of store with no checkout required.” An ambitious project that has apparently been in the works for four years, Amazon Go seeks to do away with the nuisance of waiting in lines. Rather than paying in the store, customers simply … walk out once they’re done getting their groceries.
So how does it work? According to Amazon, the experience depends upon “the same types of technologies used in self-driving cars: computer vision, sensor fusion, and deep learning.” Whenever you grab an item from a shelf, the company’s Just Walk Out technology detects what’s been taken and its price. If you change your mind about an item, you can put it back, and Amazon will remove it from your virtual shopping cart. When you’re finished, just leave, and your credit card will be charged and you’ll be sent a receipt.
As it stands, Amazon Go currently offers ready-to-eat breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snack options, created daily by on-site chefs, local kitchens, and bakeries. And while Go has grocery store staples like bread, milk, and cheese, it also stocks products for the more adventurous eaters from brands Amazon is eager to introduce to the public. You can even buy an Amazon Meal Kit, which promises to contain “all the ingredients you need to make a meal for two in about 30 minutes.”
Currently, only Amazon employees are taking part of the Beta program, though Amazon promises to open up its 21st century grocery store to the public in early 2017. You can sign up to be notified when Go opens here. But until then, keep paying for your groceries in the store. You don’t want to jump the gun on this one.
Samsung’s scandal over its Game Optimizing Service, or GOS, has returned with a bill attached. South Korea’s Fair Trade Commission has tentatively fined the company 20.1 billion won, or about $15.1 million, over gaming claims made for the Galaxy S21, Galaxy S22, and Tab S8.
The regulator says Samsung promoted the devices as gaming powerhouses without disclosing that GOS placed preset CPU and GPU limits on certain demanding games. Samsung disputes that conclusion, calling GOS a legitimate way to manage heat.
Apple's next cheaper iPhone could get a brand-new processor while keeping its most stubborn display compromise. Digital Chat Station tips the iPhone 18e for a 2027 release with a 2nm A20 chip and a 6.12-inch OLED screen still limited to 60Hz.
The rumored camera setup includes a single 48MP rear camera and a possible 24MP selfie camera. There's new hardware to consider, but buyers hoping Apple would extend that upgrade generosity to smoother scrolling could be disappointed.
Google Photos is introducing a new design for the Collections tab on Android, giving users more control over their albums, folders, and photo categories. The update is all about customization, allowing users to pin collections they access often, hide sections they use rarely, and rearrange the layout to make their photo libraries easier to navigate.
According to a 9To5Google report, the change comes after Google rolled out the redesigned floating navigation bar on Android earlier this year. Rather than inventing a brand new way to store photos, Google is making it easier to get to the content people want, without having to scroll through sections they rarely open.