Google Updates Android Requirements, Expands AI Travel Booking, And Rehires Former OpenAI Executive
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Google introduced new Android app quality requirements in response to memory chip shortages, setting performance thresholds for dynamic memory and bitmap usage, along with code optimization standards to reduce slowdowns and crashes. Developers will receive tools to flag apps exceeding these limits, and a Memory Limiter feature is planned for later this year, with compliance required by February 2027. Additionally, Play Store apps must implement a Zero Tap Sign-In requirement by April 2027 to ensure automatic restoration of sign-in status during device migrations. Google also expanded its AI Mode search to act like a travel agent, allowing users to track flight prices, book hotels, and see costs in points or miles through conversational requests. The tool compares prices across more than 300 airlines and travel sites, offers flight tracking in over 180 countries, and has begun rolling out hotel booking in the US with partners including Marriott, Hilton, and Expedia, with payments made via Google Pay. In personnel news, Barret Zoph, co-founder of Thinking Machines Lab, has joined Google as vice president of research after a year that included a departure from Thinking Machines and a brief five-month return to OpenAI. A Google spokesperson stated that Zoph will contribute reinforcement learning and post-training expertise to Gemini, and his move highlights ongoing executive turnover in the AI industry, particularly at OpenAI.
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