Various industries merge with new breakthroughs in tech

Quantious Team
3 min readOct 17, 2022

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Emerging Tech Roundup — October 14

The Quantious team’s top picks for timely trending news in the tech world.

This week in tech: GiveDirectly uses Google’s AI to provide hurricane relief, Meta introduces a headset for a new audience, Apple introduces a Q&A feature for developers, Delta invests in Jobi Aviation’s aircraft, Microsoft introduces a premium teams product offering, Apple teases additional fintech offerings and Amazon furthers plans to offer enhanced connectivity.

AI scans Hurricane Ian damage to give cash to poorest victims

(Yahoo! News, October 10)

Nonprofit GiveDirectly has innovatively used Google’s AI to help provide relief to victims of Hurricane Ian. The AI technology uses satellite to identify areas of high damage from the hurricane, and when crossed with poverty data, GiveDirectly was able to offer relief applications to eligible victims, reaching over 900 people as of October 10th.

Meta unveils $1,500 Quest Pro virtual-reality headset aimed at office workers

(Meta Newsroom, October 11)

Meta has revealed its newest VR headset at its annual Connect conference, and it is aimed at office workers and creatives rather than the typical gamer audience. The new headset provides a full color, higher-quality presentation of one’s surroundings, enhanced hand and eye-tracking and increased abilities to exhibit facial expressions. The device is already available for preorder and buyers can expect shipping to begin on October 25th.

Apple introduces Ask Apple for developers

(Apple Newsroom, October 11)

Apple has launched a new Q&A support system, free of charge and open to anyone in the Apple Developer Program. The series of Q&As are interactive and provide support on a “variety of topics, including testing on the latest seeds, implementing new and updated frameworks from the WWDC, adopting new features and preparing apps for new OS and hardware releases.” Apple team members can be reached via Slack or during one-on-one office hours for Q&A support.

Delta to Invest in Flying-Taxi Maker to Offer Rides to Airports

(WSJ, October 11)

Delta has invested $60M in startup Jobi Aviation as a part of a deal lasting for at least five years. Jobi Aviation provides flyers with air transportation to and from airports, reducing travel time significantly. Delta plans to use Jobi’s aircraft to provide transportation to and from the Delta terminal for travelers in New York City and Los Angeles. Jobi Aviation plans to begin offering rides in 2024.

Microsoft Teams Premium arrives with meeting recaps and live translations

(The Verge, October 12)

Microsoft is integrating AI into its Teams software with its upcoming launch, introduced earlier this week. Microsoft Teams Premium will include an AI assistant that provides meeting notes and highlights at the end of a call, live translation services in up to 40 languages and “advanced meeting protections.” Pricing has not yet been determined, but Microsoft said its aiming for February 2023 for launch.

Apple looks even more like a bank now that it’s adding a savings account to Apple Card

(The Verge, October 13)

Apple is adding to its fintech offerings by teasing the idea of high-yield savings accounts for Apple Card holders. The company has not yet provided timing or interest rate specifications, but has said that the alleged high-yield account would leave account owners “with no fees, no minimum deposits, and no minimum balance requirements.” Account owners would also be able to deposit funds into the account from either their Apple Cash balance or an existing, previous savings account.

Amazon’s set to launch its prototype internet satellites early next year

(The Verge, October 13)

Amazon is planning to send its two prototypes Kuipersat-1 and Kuipersat-2 into orbit from the United Launch Alliance (ULA) in early 2023. As a part of the commercial satellite system project, Amazon plans to use this launch to better understand connection capabilities from space, specifically when using its own technology. The company has yet to finish building the satellites, but once it develops the product fully, the tech giant plans to use it to offer better connectivity for “underserved communities around the world.”

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