This Week in IT: Google Innovations, Dell Edge Platform, Surface Devices, Security Spending

Editor’s note: There is a lot going on in the world of IT, from emerging technologies to digital transformation and new cybersecurity threats. However, we can’t possibly cover it all, so we’ll bring you This Week in IT, a curated summary of IT and enterprise technology stories each week.

Google Cloud Next ’22 announcements

Google announced dozens of new products s and services at its Cloud Next event this week, including new data cloud offerings designed to help organizations better understand their data, new infrastructure innovations to help organizations modernize legacy systems and build new ones, new security tools and collaboration enhancements.

Announcements span the company’s large portfolio of products, including BigQuery, Anthos, Chronicle, Meet and more. The company also announced new and expanded relationships with several large customers, including Coinbase, Prudential plc, Rite Aid, Snap, T-Mobile, Toyota and Wayfair.

Read this blog for a full list of announcements.

Dell announces Project Frontier software platform

Dell introduced Project Frontier, a new edge operations platform integrated with Dell’s edge portfolio designed to help customers more securely manage and orchestrate edge applications and infrastructure for deployments at global scale. The company says the platform will support choice of software, IoT, operational and multicloud technologies. The platform provides zero trust-enabled security protection across edge applications, data and infrastructure from design to deployment.

Dell says the platform provides greater efficiency and reliability of end-to-end operations and requires minimal IT expertise thanks to automation to streamline edge deployments across thousands of edge locations. The platform also integrates edge compute and storage hardware with workloads for ease of serviceability and better security.

New Microsoft Surface devices, apps, integrations

As part of its annual Ignite conference, Microsoft unveiled new Surface products, apps and experiences, including the 13-inch Surface Pro 9, 13.5-inch or 15-inch Surface Laptop 5 and Surface Studio 2+. The company also announced Microsoft Designer, a new graphic design app in Microsoft 365 powered by the company’s AI and DALL∙E 2, a popular AI-powered image generator. Also announced was a new integration with iCloud and the Photos app in Windows 11 that enables easier access to photos and videos on the user’s iPhone.

iCloud and the Photos app in Windows 11, you will be able to access all your photos and videos from your iPhone right in the Photos app

Read this Microsoft blog for more information on those announcements and others made during Ignite.

Global security spending to grow 11.3% next year

Research and analysis firm Gartner says spending on information security and risk management products and services will reach more than $188.3 billion in 2023, a growth of 11.3%. Security services including consulting, hardware support, implementation and outsourced services is the largest category of spending, at almost $72 billion in 2022, and expected to reach 76.5 billion in 2023. By 2025, at least 70% of remote access deployments will be served predominantly by Zero Trust Network Access as opposed to VPN services, Gartner predicts.

Google expands Project Starline testing via early access program

After launching Project Starline last year, Google is expanding its testing efforts through an early access program with the company’s enterprise partner, including Salesforce, WeWork, T-Mobile and Hackensack Meridian Health. Google will begin installing prototypes in select partner offices for regular testing.

According to Google, the technology works like a “magic window,” allowing users to make eye contact with another person, life-size and in three dimensions. Project Starline leverages the company’s advancements in machine learning, computer vision, spatial audio and light field display systems.

Read this Google blog for more information on Project Starline.

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