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Apr 18, 2025

Google loses antitrust case over online ad practices

Bay Area Times
Bay Area Times
Google loses antitrust case over online ad practices
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Top stories today:

  1. Google loses antitrust case over online ad practices
  2. Netflix Q1 revenue +12.5% YoY to $10.54B, tops expectations
  3. Google’s Gemini 2.5 Flash now in preview
  4. Chatbot Arena, popular AI model-ranking site, becoming real company
  5. Trump said to have discussed ousting Fed Chair Powell for months

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0. Data and calendar

All values as of 6 AM ET / 3 AM PT, other than S&P500 and NASDAQ close (4 PM ET / 1 PM PT).

All times are ET.

Listen to our AI-generated podcast summarizing today’s newsletter (beware of hallucinations):

1. Google loses antitrust case over online ad practices

  • Could force Google to sell off part of its ā€œnetworkā€ ad business.

  • 2nd major antitrust loss for Google this year, after the search case defeat in Aug.

  • Google acted illegally to maintain its advertising monopoly, Judge Leonie Brinkema said in a 115-page ruling.

  • The DOJ and 17 states had sued Google over its ad tech that allegedly inflated prices.

  • ā€œWe won half of this case and we will appeal the other half,ā€ Google's VP for regulatory affairs Lee-Anne said.

  • Google’s display ad tools didn’t qualify as a monopoly, the judge ruled, dismissing the government’s claim.

  • Both sides have 7 days to propose a schedule for the next phase.

2. The protein that might stop arthritis is raising money. Seriously.*

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3. Netflix Q1 revenue +12.5% YoY to $10.54B, tops expectations

  • $10.51B in revenue was expected by Wall Street analysts.

  • 31.7% of operating margin in Q1, up from 28.1% a year ago.

  • Jan.: Netflix raised subscription prices, which helped boost its revenue.

  • +16% in its subscriber base in 2024 to 301.6M subscribers globally.

  • +15% in revenue is expected for Q2.

  • Reed Hastings is stepping down from his executive chair role to the chair of the board.

4. Fintech Predictions 2025 Is Here*

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  • Bank’s interest in ad platforms

  • AI’s role in financial services

  • Big bank’s new focus on fraud

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5. Google’s Gemini 2.5 Flash now in preview

Gemini 2.5 Flash is ranked 2nd on Chatbot Arena, alongside GPT-4.5 Preview and Grok 3:

X: lmarena.ai.

  • Available via Gemini app, Vertex AI, and Google AI Studio.

  • Fully hybrid reasoning model with the ability to turn ā€œthinkingā€ on or off.

  • ā€œThinking budgetā€ setting to set a cap on how much the model can ā€œthinkā€.

Gemini 2.5 Flash is costing $0.15/M input and $0.60/M output tokens

Google.

Google has called Gemini 2.5 Flash as its most cost-efficient thinking model

Google.

6. 2025 Salary Report: Hire smarter, save big today.*

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*Disclaimer: We have equity in Athyna.

7. Chatbot Arena, popular AI model-ranking website, becoming real company

X: lmarena.ai.

  • LMArena will be the entity with the corporate name, Arena Intelligence Inc.

  • Early 2023: Chatbot Arena was created as an academic research project.

  • Will remain an open and neutral platform for testing AI models, Anastasios Angelopoulos, the project leader, said.

  • LMArena is planning to raise money to support its growth as a company.

8. Trump said to have discussed ousting Fed Chair Powell for months, but hasn’t decided yet

Trump has apparently justified Powell’s ouster on Thu.:

Truth Social: Donald J. Trump.

  • Feb.: Trump reportedly met Kevin Warsh at Mar-a-Lago to discuss possibly firing Powell before his term ends in 2026.

  • Warsh has advised against firing Powell.

  • Mar.: Trump also discussed Powell’s firing with others.

  • Treasury Secy. Bessent has consistently pushed back against the decision to replace Powell.

  • Fed chair removal before their 4-year term has never been attempted.

  • Didn’t think legal challenge would ultimately apply to the Fed, Powell said.

9. Tim Cook worked behind scenes as Trump’s China tariffs hit Apple

  • Last week: Cook reportedly spoke to the Commerce Secy. about the potential tariff impact on the iPhone.

  • He also reached out to other senior officials in the White House.

  • Refrained from publicly criticizing Trump or his policies, unlike other executives.

  • Apple shares ~+7% after Trump exempted electronics on Sat.

  • Hadn’t granted ā€œany exemptionsā€ to benefit Apple, the White House said.

10. China smartphone shipments +3.3% YoY to 71.6M units in Q1, surpassing 1.5% global growth

IDC.

11. Mar. sees 11 new unicorns, adding $200B in value

Crunchbase.

12. Interesting videos, posts, and memes

13. Other headlines

AI

  • Geoff Ralston, former Y Combinator president, launches new AI ā€˜safety’ fund.

  • Anthropic invests $1M in Goodfire, first investment in startup.

  • ChatGPT users trace photo locations with AI tools, prompting privacy fears.

  • OpenAI launches Flex processing for cheaper, slower AI tasks.

  • Apple Intelligence blocked by Meta on Facebook, its other iOS apps.

  • Athyna: Success starts with the best hires.*

*Sponsored.

Tech

  • Amazon preps Vega OS TV launch: report.

  • Instagram launches Blend to create custom reels feed.

Tech & Law

  • Discord sued by NJ attorney general over child predator concerns.

Biotech

  • HepaRegeniX raises €21.5M to advance liver regeneration drug.

Business

  • China tariffs may not rise further, Trump says, citing reluctance.

  • EU weighs export restrictions on U.S. if trade negotiations fail.

  • Ukraine minerals deal to be signed next Thu.: Trump.

  • Trump says 100% confident on Europe trade deal.

  • China stops buying liquefied gas from U.S.

  • Ackman bets on Hertz rebound with ~20% stake.

  • Abu Dhabi pushes ahead with major projects despite oil price slump.

Crypto

  • Kraken cuts ā€œhundredsā€ of jobs amid traditional finance push: report.

  • Galaxy Research proposes new voting system to reduce SOL inflation.

  • Arizona crypto reserve bill passes House committee, heads to third reading.

U.S. politics

  • Supreme Court to hear Trump’s birthright citizenship request.

  • Harvard’s ability to enroll international students threatened by Trump.

  • Abrego Garcia case: judge blasts Trump admin’s ā€œshockingā€ conduct.

World

  • Zelensky accuses China of supplying Russia with weapons.

  • Hamas rejects Israeli hostage-truce proposal.

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