Orange has started removing the switched telephone network or PSTN in a first French geographical area, Google Assistant no longer needs an “OK Google” to operate in certain cases, Renault boss Luca de Meo announces that the prices of cars will continue to increase, this is today’s recap.
Orange begins to remove its old telephone network
The traditional fixed telephone is in the process of being phased out at Orange. In fact, the company announced the end of the opening of Numéris lines from November 15, 2021 and chose to eliminate fixed lines from October 15 in six municipalities in South Finistère and one municipality in Île-de-France. In other words, it will therefore be necessary to install new equipment between the telephone socket and the telephone to call with IP technology, in this case an Internet box. The second phase of shutdown of RTC zones is scheduled for October 15, 2023 and this time will concern 1237 municipalities, then a new wave will take place from October 15, 2024.
Read: Orange takes action – the traditional landline phone is about to be phased out
Google Assistant can do without an “OK Google”
Google Assistant no longer needs an “OK Google” to work in some cases. According to the findings of our colleagues at XDA Developers, this feature called “Quick Phrases” in VO is already available on some smartphones and should land on other devices in the coming weeks. If the option is available on your phone running Android 12, it should be possible to configure it directly in the settings of the Google application. According to XDA, this is a deployment limited to a handful of phones directly from Google’s servers. Orders compatible with the option only concern basic daily orders.
Read: Google Assistant – some voice commands now work without “OK Google”
Renault boss predicts price hike due to shortage
Renault boss Luca de Meo has announced that car prices are expected to continue to rise for the next 12 months. He explains that chipmakers are taking advantage of the lack of supply and high demand to inflate semiconductor prices. We must add to this other problems that have forced Renault to increase their margins, such as the temporary closure of several factories. The solution would obviously be to produce electronic chips in Europe, but Luca de Meo estimates that it will take at least more than 10 years to achieve sufficient production.
Read: Renault boss announces vehicle price increase