Engadget |
- Spotify is reportedly thinking about expanding into ticketed events
- Twitch Watch Parties now work on iOS and Android
- Maine bans facial recognition technology from schools and most police work
- Amazon calls for FTC chair Lina Khan's recusal from antitrust investigations
- watchOS 8 beta hands-on: Subtle but useful changes
- AT&T will soon enable RCS messaging for all Android phones
- Instagram is working on a paid Stories subscription feature
- iOS 15 beta hands-on: A surprisingly complete preview
- The iOS 15, iPadOS 15 and watchOS 8 public betas are here
- Apple’s developer problems are much bigger than Epic and ‘Fortnite’
- July's PlayStation Plus games include 'Call of Duty: Black Ops 4'
- Loki and the Simpsons meet on Disney+ July 7th
- France orders streaming services to reinvest in local content
- Volvo's Concept Recharge offers a peek at the company's 'pure' EVs
- Slack is getting a Discord-like audio feature called 'Huddles'
- Renault plans to electrify two thirds of its cars by 2025
- YouTube will stream the UEFA Women’s Champions League for free
- Amazon’s Halo app gets better with Movement Health update
- WhatsApp is rolling out 'view once' messages to Android beta testers
- Watch the first livestreamed Virgin Orbit rocket launch starting at 9:50AM ET
- Sony's excellent WH-1000XM3 wireless headphones hit new low of $190
- LG's 'QNED' Mini LED TVs are coming to the US in July
- Google UK will rely on a regulator to crack down on scam finance ads
- The Morning After: Sony adds another games studio to its PlayStation roster
- United's new Boeing jets will offer Bluetooth audio with its in-flight entertainment
| Spotify is reportedly thinking about expanding into ticketed events Posted: 30 Jun 2021 02:23 PM PDT Spotify is reportedly "considering" expanding into events, according to The Information. The outlet reports the company could sell tickets for both virtual and live concerts as it looks to diversify its business. However, making money off of ticketed events isn't necessarily Spotify's short-term goal. Its more immediate plan is to use them as a way to improve its relationship with artists. The Information suggests Spotify thinks there's an opportunity to leverage the data it has to help musicians plan successful concerts in places most promoters avoid. In this way, the company is said to believe it can better show those artists it's invested in their careers. It would also be a way for it to differentiate its platform from Apple Music. Spotify has already dabbled in live events. This past spring, the company put on a handful of prerecorded virtual concerts featuring artists like The Black Keys and Leon Bridges. It sold tickets to those shows for $15 each. The Information reports the results of those concerts "validated" Spotify's thinking on what events could do for it in the future, and it's been thinking about next steps ever since. Of course, we wouldn't say that makes an expansion is a done deal. Selling tickets to concerts might make a lot of sense for a music streaming platform, but it would still represent a massive business shift for Spotify.  |
| Twitch Watch Parties now work on iOS and Android Posted: 30 Jun 2021 12:58 PM PDT Following last year's expansion beyond the US, Twitch users can now access the platform's "Watch Parties" feature on Android and iOS devices. Watch Parties allow Twitch users to stream content from Amazon Prime Video much like they would a video game. Viewers can follow along with the TV show or movie as it unfolds and take part in chat.
Previously, Watch Parties were only available through Twitch's web client. As you might imagine, there are some limits in place to prevent people from watching Prime Video content for free. To start, both the person streaming the video and watching it need an active Prime Video subscription to take part. Regional restrictions also apply, so someone can't stream a TV show or movie that's not available in their local Prime Video library. But even when you take those restrictions into consideration, there aren't a lot of features out there that match what Twitch has with Watch Parties. After all, it's something the company can only offer because it's owned by Amazon.  |
| Maine bans facial recognition technology from schools and most police work Posted: 30 Jun 2021 12:12 PM PDT Maine has passed the strongest statewide law regulating government use of facial recognition to date. The state's House and Senate voted unanimously in favor of rules that prohibit law enforcement from using the technology unless they have probable cause that an unidentified person in an image committed a serious crime. Once the law goes into effect later this year, it will also limit how police conduct facial ID searches. They won't have direct access to the tech. Instead, they'll need to go through the FBI and Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) in the few instances where they're sanctioned to use it. Additionally, the law affords citizens the right to sue the state if they believe a government agency has used the technology unlawfully. It also prohibits Maine from deploying facial recognition systems in schools, and mandates that both Maine State Police and the BMV will need to maintain public records of search requests from law enforcement. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) said the bill "stands in sharp contrast" to Washington state's SB 6280, the only other statewide law in the US governing the use of facial recognition. That bill was sponsored and primarily written by a current Microsoft employee. It has also been criticized by privacy advocates for giving police too many opportunities to use the technology for surveillance purposes.  |
| Amazon calls for FTC chair Lina Khan's recusal from antitrust investigations Posted: 30 Jun 2021 11:15 AM PDT Amazon has requested the recusal of Federal Trade Commission Chair Lina Khan from the agency's antitrust investigations into the company. "Amazon.com, Inc. respectfully petitions the commission for recusal of Chair Lina Khan from any antitrust investigation, adjudication, litigation, or other proceeding in which Amazon is a subject, target or defendant for which Chair Khan's prior public statements create the appearance of her having prejudged facts and/or legal issues relevant to the proceeding," the company said in a 25-page filing. President Joe Biden appointed Khan as FTC chair this month on the same day she won confirmation as an agency commissioner. She came to prominence as a critic of major tech companies, including Amazon. Khan published a Yale Law Journal article in 2017 titled "Amazon's Antitrust Paradox," in which she argued that US policies and laws weren't enough to keep giants like Amazon accountable. "Given her long track record of detailed pronouncements about Amazon, and her repeated proclamations that Amazon has violated the antitrust laws, a reasonable observer would conclude that she no longer can consider the company's antitrust defenses with an open mind," Amazon said in the filing, as The Wall Street Journal notes. The FTC is looking into Amazon as part of a series of investigations against major tech companies. The agency is also reviewing Amazon's plan to buy movie studio MGM for $8.45 billion. Khan previously worked with the House Judiciary's antitrust subcommittee on a 16-month probe into Amazon, Apple, Facebook and Google. Last year, Democrats on the panel called on Congress to consider breaking up those companies. During her confirmation hearing, Khan said she would speak with FTC ethics officials regarding a possible recusal if needed.  |
| watchOS 8 beta hands-on: Subtle but useful changes Posted: 30 Jun 2021 10:54 AM PDT With the iOS 15 and watchOS 8 public betas now available for testing, it's time for us to get an early look at some of the features coming to Apple's biggest platforms. While the next watchOS might not represent as significant a change as iOS 15, it does bring new health and fitness tools, along with tighter iPhone integration. If you're thinking of checking out the public beta for yourself, make sure you've considered the risk of running preview software. Those who simply can't wait for a stable public version of the upcoming platform can sign up for Apple's beta program and install the builds now, provided you have an Apple Watch Series 3 or newer, along with an iPhone running the iOS 15 beta. Mindfulness, health and fitnessApple's new health-centric features could interest those looking for a more wholistic approach to wellbeing. The company has renamed its Breathe app to Mindfulness, adding "Reflect" to the existing breathing exercises. You can set each Reflect session's duration from one to five minutes. A prompt appears before each session to help you focus your thoughts, along with a button to begin. So far, I've seen prompts similar to other meditation guides that tell you to be aware of your thoughts and let them pass without judgement. Some other examples include "Think of someone you care about. Imagine you can feel your connection with them" and "Consider the values that matter to you in something you're focused on." Then, a colorful swirling animation takes up the screen. I usually just lean back and close my eyes at this point, but if you continue to stare at your watch, the animation is a nice distraction that's almost hypnotizing. When your time is up, the watch vibrates and shows a closing thought tied to the opening prompt, like "Bring this sense of open awareness with you." You'll also see your heart rate and your total Mindful minutes for the day (which includes time spent doing Breathe exercises). After two Mindfulness sessions, my Apple Watch SE said my pulse plummeted from 64 to 47bpm, which is great, I guess. Cherlynn Low / Engadget It does at times feel like a glorified timer, meets fortune cookie, meets Magic 8 Ball, all set to Windows Media Player visualizations. But combined with reminders throughout the day that you can customize, Mindfulness can be a valuable tool for checking in with yourself and your state of mind. A few other health-centric additions to watchOS include two new Workout categories: Tai Chi and Pilates. I've yet to do a session of either exercise so I can't say how accurately Apple tracks these yet. There are also a couple more features I need more time to get a better sense for, like respiratory rate tracking overnight and walking steadiness. To be clear, the latter isn't specifically a watchOS feature — it uses your iPhone stashed somewhere on your body, but I thought to include it as part of Apple's health updates here. Walking steadiness requires at least two weeks of testing before delivering an assessment, so it'll take some time before I get results. Messaging, new apps and integration with iPhoneA big part of the watchOS 8 update is improved communications tools and integration with your iPhone. Notably, the Messages app now allows you to compose via Scribble, Dictate and Emojis all within the same screen. I scrawled out part of a message, dictated longer parts of it, and added emoji from one page easily. Editing is also less of a hassle than before, thanks in large part to the ability to use the Digital Crown to control the cursor. Hallelujah! Scrolling back to insert a space or fix a stray "v" got so much easier. Additionally, there's a new option now to send GIFs in Messages, from the same place you'd send a Digital Touch (just hit the search glass button and type in your keyword). Communicating with people is also easier now thanks to the new Contacts app, which lets you find specific friends more quickly. If you've set one of iOS 15's new Focus modes on your iPhone, the same settings will apply to your watch. People and apps that have been blocked will remain muted on your wrist, and a symbol at the top of the screen indicates which Focus mode is active. Contacts isn't the only new app for watchOS 8. Apple is also redesigning Home to make interacting with your connected appliances easier, and bringing Find Items, Find Devices, and Tips to your wrist. The new OS will also add support for ultra wideband to enable more precise car key functions like spatial awareness. Plus, the update lets you use your Watch as a key for hotels and offices in addition to your home and car, though naturally it only works with compatible buildings and locks. I haven't had a chance to test those features yet. Apple Like its counterpart on iOS, the watchOS Wallet app will also support adding your driver's License, which you can use in participating states and agencies in the US when that's more broadly rolled out. In addition to privacy and security concerns around Apple storing your ID on your device, there are also questions here about how likely law enforcers or various authorities are to welcome these digital cards. But that's not something I was able to test with this preview build, given this feature is not accepted in most places at the moment. Portrait watch faces, multiple timers and Fitness+In addition, I tried out a few other new features on the watchOS 8 beta: portrait watch faces and multiple timers. Similar to how you could create a Photos face for Apple Watch before, hit Share on a picture on your iPhone, then tap Create Watch Face. If you want the faux depth-of-field effect on your wrist, you'll need to pick an image shot using your phone's Portrait mode. The effect will animate when you rotate the watch dial. Currently, there are only three clock styles available for these, and I found "Modern" the least offensive. You can also add a single complication to Portrait faces. As for multiple timers: It works. I set a countdown for three minutes, then hit back and set another for a minute. They both went off without a hitch. It's funny that something as simple as this took eight whole updates to get, but at least it's here. Those who use their Apple Watch for cooking timers will appreciate this one. Finally, this isn't quite a watchOS update but since you need an Apple Watch to use Fitness+, the two are intertwined. When you use Fitness+ on your iPhone or iPad, you'll now be able to watch the exercise videos in Picture-in-Picture mode. I was also able to resize the panel that was overlaid atop my other apps simply by pinching to zoom. Wrap-upThis isn't the biggest update to watchOS, but Apple has made some subtle improvements to its communication apps and it's also tightened its iPhone integration. I also appreciate the attention paid to different takes on health and wellbeing. There are still more features to test, like walking steadiness and ID support, but for now the watchOS 8 beta feels like a thoughtful, if small, update. Update (at 7:45pm ET): This article was edited to clarify that Walking Steadiness is an iOS 15 feature, not a watchOS 8 feature.  |
| AT&T will soon enable RCS messaging for all Android phones Posted: 30 Jun 2021 10:45 AM PDT AT&T is the latest carrier to make Messages by Google the default messaging service for all customers on Android devices. The move will replace the default messaging system, SMS, with Rich Communication Services technology, an open standard that prioritizes media, eliminates character limits, and generally upgrades the traditional texting experience. RCS unlocks the ability to share full-resolution photos and send larger media files than SMS can handle, it streamlines group chats, enables end-to-end encryption for one-on-one conversations, and it works over Wi-Fi or data. The transition for AT&T customers will take place soon, according to Google. Google has been nudging the mobile industry toward RCS for years, and it's finally catching on. T-Mobile is making the switch to Messages by Google, and therefore RCS messaging, by the end of the year, and now AT&T is doing the same. However, Verizon hasn't announced plans to adopt RCS — and neither has Apple, for that matter.  |
| Instagram is working on a paid Stories subscription feature Posted: 30 Jun 2021 10:40 AM PDT Instagram has confirmed it's working on a new feature called "Exclusive Stories." Since June 21st, images of the Stories offshoot have circulated online after software developer Alessandro Paluzzi shared on Twitter that they had found references to the feature in Instagram's codebase. On Wednesday, the company told TechCrunch the screenshots showcase an internal prototype it's working on behind the scenes. Unfortunately, Instagram didn't reveal any other details about the project, noting it had nothing more to share when Engadget reached out.
But what we can gather from the screenshots is that the feature is Instagram's take on Twitter's paid Super Follow subscription. When regular users stumble upon an Exclusive Story, Instagram will tell them "only members" can view the content. It also appears the company will prevent people from trying to screenshot what they see. At the same time, it will push creators to save their Exclusive Stories to a Highlight so that new members have something to view as they subscribe. As with any insight that comes courtesy of someone finding early references to a new feature, there's the possibility Instagram may never release the feature Paluzzi found. But the images clearly show the company is thinking about how it can entice creators to stay on the platform. If that means adapting a feature from one of its rivals, so be it. Facebook and Instagram have done that plenty of times in the past.  |
| iOS 15 beta hands-on: A surprisingly complete preview Posted: 30 Jun 2021 10:25 AM PDT The iOS 15 public beta is live today, which means a larger swath of people can now check out the latest features coming to iPhones later this year. Despite being a beta, it's surprisingly complete, with most of the coming changes already available. Some of the updates getting the most buzz are the new Focus modes and FaceTime sharing tools, but there are also changes across Messages, Maps, Weather, Safari, Photos and more to check out. So far, the preview software seems largely stable. But as always with betas, think twice about how willing you are to risk bricking your phone in exchange for early access to new features. Regardless of whether that's you, we've put together a detailed preview of how iOS 15 will work when it launches in the fall. FaceTime: SharePlay, screen sharing and spatial audioThough it would have been a lot more helpful if Apple had launched this feature during the throes of the pandemic, FaceTime's SharePlay feature will still be useful for many of us. Whether you want to watch an episode of Ted Lasso with your long-distance buddy or provide remote tech support to your relatives, SharePlay and screen sharing over FaceTime will make your life a little easier. Screenshots of iOS 15 beta Unfortunately, my colleague Mat Smith and I had to futz around for ages before we figured out how to SharePlay something. While screen sharing is more straightforward — just press a button at the bottom right of a new control panel at the top of FaceTime calls — SharePlay options only show up when you have a compatible media app open during a chat. Mat and I are seasoned tech journalists and we still spent some time looking for a SharePlay-specific button, which seems like the more intuitive way. Once we figured it out, things went a little more smoothly. When you try to play an episode or video while on a FaceTime call, a window pops up asking if you want to use SharePlay. From there, you can choose to stream with your caller (or callers), play it only for yourself, or cancel. As a reminder, depending on the app, both you and your friend will need subscriptions to watch stuff together on SharePlay. For Apple's services like TV+ and Music, you'll both need a subscription or trial. Other streaming apps like HBO Max, Hulu and Disney+ will be the ones that decide whether all parties need accounts to watch shows together on SharePlay, but it's highly unlikely they allow it some other way. On our attempts to stream episodes of Mythic Quest and Central Park on SharePlay, though, Mat and I kept getting a failure notice saying "Unable to SharePlay. This title isn't available to SharePlay with people in different countries or regions." It's odd, since both those shows are available in both our regions. It's also sad that you wouldn't be allowed to watch it with someone abroad. Apple hasn't said if this limit will be in place when iOS 15 launches, but if it is it'll be disappointing for anyone that was looking forward to SharePlaying with their overseas partners, families and friends. We'll update this article if Apple confirms this either way. Screen sharing worked better. I was able to show Mat my dubious shopping list on Instagram though, as it does with other video chat apps, my camera automatically turned off whenever I shared my screen. When Mat streamed his display, his camera stayed on. We suspect this has something to do with the fact that he's using a more capable iPhone 12 mini while I was on an aging iPhone XR that was burning up from my testing. This is a known issue with SharePlay that has been detailed in the iOS 15 developer beta release notes, so it may get fixed in time. Screenshots of the iOS 15 beta Two other FaceTime features that are also live in this beta: links to join calls from non-Apple devices and spatial audio. The latter lets you hear each person in a call from the direction where they're positioned on your FaceTime grid. Since it required multiple people running the beta to work, I couldn't fully experience this. I got on a call with Mat and our former colleague Chris Velazco, and while Mat and I were able to hear each other from different directions, Chris wasn't on the beta and did not notice the effect. I also sent FaceTime web links to Chris, as well as Engadget staffers Nathan Ingraham and Valentina Palladino. The URL brought us to a page that prompted us to enter our names, and as the host I could choose to allow or block each would-be participant. Chris was able to join my call from a non-Apple laptop, while Valentina and Nate went through the browser on their Macs. Meanwhile, I was using an iPhone. Everyone looked and sounded great… to me. Valentina and Nate couldn't hear each other until they used the FaceTime app on their MacBooks. Chris also couldn't hear other people on the call — all anyone heard was my beautiful voice. (As it should be.) But really, this appears to be an issue with how browsers handle audio input devices or a possible bug in the beta. It's not yet clear whether the region-specific SharePlay restrictions will also work this way in the stable release. But so far, barring some glitches, the updates to Apple's video calling app appear meaty and potentially very useful. Focus modesI've spent too much time talking about FaceTime, so I'm going to try to succinctly describe the other iOS 15 features I've tested thus far. One of these felt incredibly relevant as I spent time finishing this article on deadline: Focus modes. Here, Apple allows you to customize profiles that will allow notifications from specific apps or people when enabled. Screenshots from the iOS 15 beta Three placeholders are available at the start: Work, Bedtime and Personal. On your first time trying to enable each, you'll have to set up which contacts and apps to allow. You can also choose to enable your Focus Status so people who try to reach you will see that you're away when they're using a compatible app. Developers of messaging apps will have to use Apple's API to enable this, so that your friends who hit you up on, say, Telegram or Facebook Messenger will see your status too. For now, only Apple's own Messages supports it and I was able to see below our conversation that Mat had silenced notifications. I sent a message anyway, and the app showed my text was "delivered quietly." Just like you can on Slack, you can choose to "notify anyway" so your message breaks through the wall of silence. (I'm not an awful person so I didn't, poor Mat had already put up with my relentless testing and FaceTiming all day.) With each Focus mode, you can also pick a home screen showing just the apps you want. To do so, you'll have to first create each page as an additional panel on your main screen, then select the relevant one when customizing your Focus mode. I created a barebones page with just four apps and designated it as my main Personal screen. I also made a different option for Work and was able to have apps appear on multiple pages — Instagram and Twitter could be placed on every page, for example. When each mode was enabled, I couldn't see any other page; swiping sideways only showed the apps drawer and the Today view. I haven't spent enough time with the beta to know how useful these customized views will be, but I'm already in love with the ability to pick different notifications profiles. You can also set them to automatically activate based on the time of day, your location or app usage. Again, this is something I'll need to use for more than a few days, but I appreciate the concept. Unfortunately, I haven't encountered Notifications summaries in the beta yet. Live text (aka Apple's version of Google Lens)Many other iOS 15 updates are similar to features that competitors already offer, and the most obvious of these is Live Text. This tool scans the photos on your device for words and turns them into text you can actually use, whether it's copying and pasting a phone number to another app or translating foreign words on a menu. This is basically Apple's answer to Google Lens, which has been around for years. Screenshots of the iOS 15 beta Similar to Lens, Apple's version will show a small symbol at the bottom right of each image in the Photos app to indicate it's found something. Tap that icon, and all the characters in that picture will be highlighted, and you can select the portions you need. I snapped a picture of my bottle of moisturizer and was able to copy all the words on the label and URLs also got identified as links I could click through. You can also use Live Text via the Camera app's viewfinder without snapping a shot, by the way. When your phone detects words in the scene, the same icon will appear in the bottom right and you can hit it to pull up the snippets that Live Text noticed. So far, this generally performed as expected, though it's worth noting that as its name suggests, Live Text only works on images that have a lot of words in them. But even a photo of my dinner, which included a container of yogurt with a brand name prominently displayed on it, didn't trigger Live Text. Google's Lens, meanwhile, will identify buildings, pets, furniture and clothes in pictures with nary a letter in them. Maps, Photos and generally tighter integrationElsewhere in iOS 15 you'll find updates to Maps, Weather and Photos. In some cities, Apple's maps look richer and more detailed than before, thanks to meticulous drawings of individual trees, lanes, traffic lights and more. I was able to explore a golf course in San Francisco, as well as the Conservatory of Flowers and Dutch Windmill in the Golden Gate Park in surprisingly detailed 2D and 3D views. I was disappointed when I zoomed super close to the Penguin Island in the San Francisco zoo and there were no cute little feathered friends. But I guess that'd be too much to ask. Screenshots of the iOS 15 beta Memories in Photos has also been updated to give you greater control over who shows up in them and what music plays in the background. You can now edit your pictures' descriptions to create richer alt text that stays with each image as you forward them to friends. I liked using this to identify people and places in a photo for contacts who are blind or have low vision. Even though I added keywords like "sunset" and people's names to some pictures' descriptions, searches for those words in my iPhone's Spotlight didn't return those images. It would be nice, but the descriptions aren't currently being indexed for that. But that's another update in iOS 15: Spotlight searches for all things in your phone will now include your photos in results, too. It uses Apple's own machine learning to detect things in your library though, and this is still sometimes inaccurate. I searched for "Cherlynn" and "Sunset" and was shown screenshots with my name in them and an image of a red-hot map of New York from the Weather app that Apple thought was a sunset. This isn't perfect, but at least photos are better integrated into Spotlight now. Another update that provides better integration across iOS is the consolidation of media that your friends send you. Apple calls this Share With You, and things from your recent interactions with each person will show up there — pictures that Mat sent me of his adorable baby niece, as well as the screenshots he shared from our FaceTime adventures, were all in his page in the Phone app. Screenshots of the iOS 15 beta There's still a ton more to explore not only in the public beta but in iOS 15 when the final release is ready. The Weather app has new maps that appropriately show just how scorching hot it's been in the New York area these last few days. And we still have to test more things like Safari mobile extensions and ID and keys support in Wallet. For now, this has been an intriguing taste of what to expect in the software update. Despite a few snags, it looks like iPhone users will have plenty to look forward to later this year.  |
| The iOS 15, iPadOS 15 and watchOS 8 public betas are here Posted: 30 Jun 2021 10:22 AM PDT There's plenty to look forward to in the upcoming iOS 15 update: SharePlay in FaceTime, new Focus modes, better Maps and Weather apps, as well as deeper integration across Messages, Photos and more. Though there's still some time to wait before the next OS officially rolls out, those eager to try early versions of these new features can check them out starting today. Apple has released the iOS 15 public beta and if you're curious enough to install potentially unstable software, you can run it today. Additionally, Apple also dropped the public betas for iPadOS 15 (which shares many of the same features as iOS 15) and watchOS 8. Make sure you back up your data before you begin! iOS 15 will be compatible with iPhone 6S and later (including both generations of the iPhone SE), as well as the 7th-generation iPod Touch. Those hoping to test watchOS 8 will also need an Apple Watch Series 3, 4, 5 or 6 running the iOS 15 beta. If you have compatible hardware, all you have to do is sign up for Apple's beta program on its website here. You'll get a notification that it's ready to install (or you can keep looking at your "Software update" page in Settings). We've been using a developer beta build for a couple of days and, assuming it's largely similar to the public beta, the software seems fairly stable with occasional glitches in specific apps. While your devices are enrolled in the beta program, you'll receive updates automatically when they're publicly available. If you've played around with the preview and decide you've had enough, you can revert to an older version by unenrolling. Once again, to ensure that your data is safe, make sure you perform a back up before getting the beta.  |
| Apple’s developer problems are much bigger than Epic and ‘Fortnite’ Posted: 30 Jun 2021 10:15 AM PDT Near the end of the Epic v. Apple trial, Judge Yvonne Gonzales Rogers had some pointed questions for Tim Cook on the state of Apple's relationship with its developers. Citing an internal survey of developers, she noted that 39 percent of them indicated they were unhappy with the App Store's distribution. What incentive, then, she asked, does Apple have to work with them? Cook seemed to be caught off guard by the question. He said Apple rejects a lot of apps and that "friction" can be a good thing for users. Rogers replied that it "doesn't seem you feel pressure or competition to change the manner in which you act to address concerns of developers." It was a brief but telling exchange. And one that strikes at the heart of Apple's currently rocky relationship with developers. Epic vs. Apple vs. developersOstensibly, Epic's antitrust case against Apple was about the iPhone maker's treatment of Fortnite and its refusal to allow the game developer to bypass the App Store for in-app purchases. Epic, along with many other prominent developers, has long chafed at Apple's 30 percent commission, or "App Store" tax. It's not just that they see 30 percent as greedy and unfair (Apple recently lowered its take to 15 percent for small developers). It's that Apple has appeared to treat some developers differently than others. For example, documents unearthed during the trial detail how Apple went to great lengths to prevent Netflix from yanking in-app purchases from its app. After considering "punitive measures" toward the streaming giant, Apple offered Netflix custom APIs that most developers don't have access to. It also dangled the possibility of additional promotion in the App Store or even at its physical retail stores. Netflix ended up pulling in-app purchases anyway, but it was illustrative of the kind of "special treatment" many developers have long suspected Apple employs towards some apps. Meanwhile, game developers have no choice but to pay Apple's "tax." Not only that, but Apple's rules prohibit them from even alerting their users that they may be able to make the same purchase elsewhere for less — what's known as its "anti-steering" rules. Friction over these rules is nothing new. But the details of these arrangements, and Apple's hardball tactics with developers, had never been as exposed as they were during the trial. "What was great about the Epic trial was that it brought many of these issues to light and into the public dialogue," said Meghan DiMuzio, executive director for the Coalition for App Fairness, an advocacy group representing developers who believe Apple's policies are anticompetitive. "I think we saw how Apple more generally chooses to approach their relationships with developers and how they value, or don't value, their relationships with developers. I think those are really incredible soundbites and storylines to have out in the public eye." The case touched on other issues that have been the source of long-simmering developer frustrations with Cupertino, and not just for giants like Netflix. Epic also highlighted common developer complaints around App Store search ads, fraudulent apps and Apple's often inscrutable review process. In one particularly memorable exchange, the developer of yoga app Down Dog spoke at length about how Apple's opaque policies can have an outsize impact on developers. For example, he said Apple had repeatedly rejected app updates for seemingly bizarre reasons, like using a "wrong" color on a login page. Once, he said, an update was rejected because App Store reviewers couldn't find his app's integration with Apple's Health app. He later realized it was because the reviewers were testing on an iPad, which doesn't support the Health app. These types of complaints are probably familiar to most developers. It's not unusual for Apple to quibble over the placement of a particular button, or some other minor feature. These seemingly small issues can drag on for days or weeks, as Epic repeatedly pointed out. But it's rare for such squabbles to spill over into public view as they did during the trial. The trial raised other, more fundamental issues, too. A witness for Epic testified that the operating margin for the App Store was 78 percent, a figure Apple disputed but didn't offer evidence to the contrary. Instead, Tim Cook and other execs have maintained they simply don't know how much money the App Store makes. Cook did, however, have much more to say when pressed on whether game developers effectively "subsidize" the rest of the App Store. "We are creating the entire amount of commerce on the store, and we're doing that by focusing on getting the largest audience there," Cook stated. The argument struck a nerve with some. Marco Arment, a longtime iOS developer whose apps have been featured by Apple, wrote a scathing blog post in response. "The idea that the App Store is responsible for most customers of any reasonably well-known app is a fantasy," Arment writes. "The App Store is merely one platform's forced distribution gateway, 'facilitating' the commerce no more and no less than a web browser, an ISP or cellular carrier, a server-hosting company, or a credit-card processor. For Apple to continue to claim otherwise is beyond insulting, and borders on delusion." Determining just how many developers agree with that sentiment, though, is trickier. There are millions of iOS developers and for much of the App Store's history, most have been reluctant to publicly criticize Apple. The company has conducted its own surveys — as evidenced in the Epic trial disclosures — but the findings aren't typically made public. And even Cook admitted he was unsure if it's a metric the company regularly tracks. "There's not a lot of actual third-party survey on the developer ecosystem," says Ben Bajarin, CEO of analyst firm Creative Strategies. He has been conducting his own poll of Apple developers to gauge their feelings toward the company. He says he sees "a pretty big gap" between the smaller, independent developers and the larger businesses on the App Store. Developers with smaller projects, he says, are "simply much more reliant on Apple." And while they quibble with things like search ads or Apple's review process, they don't have many alternatives. "These aren't developers that have a huge budget for marketing […] they're entirely reliant on Apple to get them customers." The coming antitrust battlesThese issues could end up being much bigger than Epic's or a few other high-profile frustrated developers. Regardless of the outcome of the Epic trial, Apple is facing other antitrust battles in the United States and Europe, where many of the same issues are being raised. UK regulators launched an investigation into the App Store in March. That probe, which came in response to developer complaints, is looking at Apple's rules for developers and its policies around in-app purchases. Separately, the European Union is moving forward with its own antitrust case centered around the company's commission structure and anti-steering rules. And earlier this month, US lawmakers, who have also heard from frustrated app developers in recent months, introduced five antitrust bills targeting Apple and its fellow tech giants. One of which would bar Apple from pre-installing any apps on iPhones at all. The outcome of any one of these could dramatically reshape how Apple runs the App Store, and the rules it sets for developers. On its part, Apple has argued that opening the App Store would harm users and affect its ability to protect their privacy. Behind the scenes, Cook has reportedly personally lobbied members of Congress to rethink the proposed legislation. Even if Apple is able to emerge from its antitrust fights relatively unscathed, dissatisfied developers could eventually pose a more existential problem for Apple. Bajarin, of Creative Strategies, says that issues with developers are unlikely to hurt Apple in the short term because there are still few alternatives. But, he says, that could change should Apple face competition from an emerging platform it doesn't yet dominate, such as AR or VR. "You just don't want this strain on developer relationships because Apple wants all those developers to be right on board day one for whatever's coming next. They need those larger developers to still prioritize their OS."  |
| July's PlayStation Plus games include 'Call of Duty: Black Ops 4' Posted: 30 Jun 2021 09:52 AM PDT Sony has revealed the next batch of games PlayStation Plus members can claim starting on July 6th. The highlight for many will be Call of Duty: Black Ops 4, the 2018 entry in the blockbuster series. It includes three multiplayer modes: the standard multiplayer affairs that Call of Duty fans have enjoyed for nearly two decades, Zombies and the Blackout battle royale experience. PlayStation 5 owners can get their hands on A Plague Tale: Innocence at no extra cost if they're PS Plus subscribers. The PS5 and Xbox Series X versions of the survival horror game arrive on July 6th, as does the Nintendo Switch port. The other addition to the PS Plus library in July is WWE 2K Battlegrounds, an arcade-style take on WWE's brand of pro wrestling. You'll have until August 2nd to claim these three games, as well as Virtua Fighter 5 Ultimate Showdown, which stays in the lineup for a second month. There are still a few more days to grab the other games currently on offer, Star Wars: Squadrons and Operation: Tango (PS5-only). July 5th is the deadline for snagging those.  |
| Loki and the Simpsons meet on Disney+ July 7th Posted: 30 Jun 2021 09:02 AM PDT Fans of Loki will have more than just a new episode of Marvel's live-action series to look forward to next Wednesday. On July 7th, Disney will also release The Good, The Bart, and The Loki, a new Simpsons short guest starring Tom Hiddleston, to Disney+. Of his latest (mis)adventure, the company says Loki has once again gotten himself banished from Asgard, only this time to find himself in the town of Springfield. The God of Mischief teams up with Bart and hijinks ensue. The Good, The Bart, and The Loki is the second Disney+ Simpsons crossover following the Star Wars-themed The Force Awakens from its Nap. Of course, you can thank the billions Disney spent adding Marvel, Lucasfilm and assets from 21st Century Fox to its empire for that fact the Simpsons and Loki can appear in an animated short together.  |
| France orders streaming services to reinvest in local content Posted: 30 Jun 2021 08:45 AM PDT The French government has decreed that Netflix, Disney+ and other streaming services will have to spend up to a quarter of their French revenue on making local content. Eighty percent of each platform's respective investment will go toward making French shows, TV movies and documentaries (more Emily in Paris and Lupin, anyone?). The remaining fifth — four or five percent of their total French revenue — will be used to make theatrically released movies. The country is the first European Union member to enforce new streaming rules under the European Commission's Audiovisual Media Services Directive. The framework is designed to create more parity between streaming platforms and other broadcasters and entertainment services across the EU. Until now, streaming platforms have been prohibited from adding any theatrically released movie to their French libraries until three years after the film hit cinemas in the country. If the services spend a quarter of their French revenue on local content, they'll have access to films within 12 months of their release dates. If they opt for the minimum investment of 20 percent, they'll need to wait at least a year before adding theatrical releases. So, there's an incentive for platforms to invest the full 25 percent of revenue. Disney+, for instance, might be tempted to go down that route so it can stream the likes of Marvel, Star Wars and Pixar movies much sooner in France. Netflix is planning to reinvest 20 percent of its French revenue in local content, according to Variety. It's hoping to lock down a 12-month window for theatrical movies. The company hasn't shown its movies at the Cannes Film Festival for years, partly because of the three-year cinema rule. The EU has been working for years to ensure streaming platforms have a significant proportion of local content in their libraries. Other jurisdictions have been attempting to make streaming services invest in local productions as well. The Canadian government, for instance, is looking to reclassify streaming companies, which could require them to contribute hundreds of millions of dollars toward making local content. In 2017, Netflix committed to spending $400 million on Canadian productions over five years.  |
| Volvo's Concept Recharge offers a peek at the company's 'pure' EVs Posted: 30 Jun 2021 08:28 AM PDT Volvo's electric vehicles to date have been offshoots of existing car platforms (yes, even the Polestar 2), but it's now ready to show just what it can do when it builds an EV from the ground up. The brand has unveiled a Concept Recharge design that shows the direction for the company's "pure" EV future — both in aesthetics and technology. The Concept Recharge ditches the usual engine bay and tucks a large battery into a flat floor. That makes for more interior space, of course, but also leads to shorter overhangs, a lower hood and a slicker roof profile. This also gives Volvo an excuse to streamline its look — the Concept Recharge removes "all unnecessary elements" and looks more like a tall hatchback despite its SUV-like vantage point. Volvo The interior is equally stripped back and likened to a "Scandinavian living room." You'll still get plenty of technology, though, including a digital dash and a 15-inch infotainment touchscreen. Volvo's fondness for safety is in full view with a roof-mounted LiDAR sensor to collect environmental data and (eventually) enable autonomous driving features. There's no mention of whether or not the Concept Recharge will evolve into a production car, or when you can expect the first EVs based on this formula. However, it's safe to presume that many of the design cues and basic technological ideas will reach cars you can actually buy. It's just a question of whether or not Volvo can compete against the many, many rivals planning from-scratch EVs in the next few years.  |
| Slack is getting a Discord-like audio feature called 'Huddles' Posted: 30 Jun 2021 07:30 AM PDT Slack just became the latest company to embrace real-time audio. The messaging app is launching a new, Discord-like chat feature called Huddles. The feature, along with new collaboration tools for sharing pre-recorded audio and video are, according to the company, meant to provide an alternative to the "endless stream of meetings" that have dominated many office workers' calendars during the pandemic. Huddles allows Slack users to create impromptu meetups either in direct messages or an existing channel. When a participant starts a Huddle, other members can quickly join and chat in real time, much like you would in Discord. Though it's meant to be "camera-free," Huddles does support screen-sharing for an extra layer of collaboration. Slack says the feature is a good alternative to voice or video calls because it's a more low-pressure way for workers to quickly chat without the need to schedule a meeting. Tamar Yehoshua, the company's chief product officer, compared Huddles to the kinds of impromptu conversations that happen in offices but don't often occur with remote work. "It's as if you see people congregating in a conference room and you just stick your head in and then leave when you're ready," she said during a briefing with reporters. Slack While Slack is the latest in a long list of companies embracing the audio trend kickstarted by Clubhouse, the company says it's responding to the way that work has changed during the pandemic. After more than a year working from home, Zoom fatigue is real. At the same time, many workers may never go back to the office — at least, not full-time. So it's not surprising Slack would respond to these shifts. Similarly, the company is also addressing the need to collaborate when everyone isn't online at the same time. The "schedule send" feature it recently previewed will now be rolling out. And the app is introducing new tools to share videos, voice and screen recordings within Slack. While the app already allows users to swap video files within chats, the new tools go a step further. Users can record and share natively within a channel, and other team members can respond with a video or voice recording of their own. They also include live captioning, and both the recording and the accompanying transcription are searchable after the fact. Finally, Slack also showed off a new directory tool for its business users called Slack Atlas. The feature adds more information to Slack's existing profiles, such as org charts and employee start dates. It can also integrate with existing tools like Workday to automatically pull in relevant details to workers' Slack profiles.  |
| Renault plans to electrify two thirds of its cars by 2025 Posted: 30 Jun 2021 07:28 AM PDT Renault has been sending signals that it wants to accelerate its EV plans, and it's now clear just how aggressive the firm will be. The French automaker now expects 65 percent of its lineup to be electrified by 2025 — potentially the "greenest" car mix in Europe, according to the company, and much better than an earlier 30 percent target. Its plans revolve around a lineup with 10 new electric cars, including the reborn 5, the 4ever (a modern Renault 4) and a Mégane EV. Up to 90 percent of cars in Renault's brand stable (which includes Alpine and Dacia) should be electric by 2030. The strategy hinges in part on making EVs more accessible. Renault is prepping a new platform (CMF-BEV) that should reduce costs by a third compared to the Zoe through an interchangeable battery, a "right-sized" 100kW powertrain and borrowed components from conventional cars. Renault is also focusing on more capable and affordable components, including more efficient nickel-manganese-cobalt batteries (with 20 percent more range versus alternatives) and an all-in-one powertrain that's roughly half as large as before while costing 30 percent less. Renault is also hoping to cut the cost of recycling EV batteries to a third of its current levels by 2030, and have its Mobilize brand reuse batteries as stationary energy storage. You'll have to wait a while for some of these cars. The Mégane arrives in 2022, and Alpine's "dream garage" will have to wait until 2024. Still, It's evident Renault wants to earn an eco-friendly reputation much sooner than originally expected. Whether or not Renault will lead the pack is another matter. Volkswagen, for instance, hopes to be the worldwide leader in electric vehicles by 2025 "at the latest," and wants an all-electric European lineup by 2030. There's no guarantee rivals will meet their own goals, but Renault may have to tweak its plans again if it's going to stay ahead in a rapidly changing market.  |
| YouTube will stream the UEFA Women’s Champions League for free Posted: 30 Jun 2021 07:12 AM PDT Soccer fans around the world will be able to watch the UEFA Women's Champions League for free over the next two seasons. YouTube will stream every game from the competition in 2021-23. It struck a deal with UEFA and sports streaming service DAZN, which snapped up the broadcast rights to the UWCL for the next four years. With the exception of the Middle East, North Africa and China and its territories, fans everywhere can watch all 61 games (not including qualifying rounds) live and on demand on DAZN's YouTube channel during the upcoming two seasons. In the following two seasons (2023-24 and 2024-25), DAZN will stream every game live on its own platform, which is now available in more than 200 countries. You'll still be able to catch 19 matches per season on YouTube. The broadcasting deal will get into gear amid a new format for the UWCL. UEFA is introducing a 16-game group stage this season, similar to the format of the men's Champions League. Previously, it was a two-legged knockout competition with a one-off final. The group stage for the 2021-22 edition starts on October 5th. This is a chance for soccer enthusiasts in most parts of the world to catch some of the best players on the planet in action without having to pay an extra penny (as long as they have a decent internet connection and device on which to watch YouTube). The deal should give the UWCL more exposure than in the past, and it could perhaps inspire more kids to take up the sport. Streaming services have been duking it out over soccer rights for years. This is a significant deal for DAZN, as well as whatever sports ambitions YouTube has. CBS and Paramount+ hold English-language broadcast rights to the men's version of the competition in the US. Univision's TUDN airs games in Spanish.  |
| Amazon’s Halo app gets better with Movement Health update Posted: 30 Jun 2021 06:00 AM PDT Amazon took a different approach from companies like Apple, Google and Samsung when it launched its first health-centric wearable last year. The Halo band stood out as a screenless $100 wrist-band that required a monthly subscription for the bulk of its functions, and kicked up a ton of controversy with its tone-detecting feature. The company is continuing to deviate from industry trends like squeezing more sensors or adding more workout types and is instead rolling out a smartphone camera-driven service called Movement Health, which it announced earlier this month. Movement Health is another way Amazon is distinguishing itself from the sea of other fitness offerings. Instead of just tracking your steps, heart rate and sleep, which the Halo wearable does, the app also offers tools like body fat scanning and tone detecting. The latter feature was widely denounced at launch for listening in on all your conversations all the time. Even setting aside those concerns, Tone Detection isn't very useful anyway — Amazon doesn't provide enough context around each entry to help you understand why you sounded "angry" or "happy" at various points during the day. Amazon Halo general featuresBut as someone who's been trying to improve her general fitness and knows that weight is only one of many metrics towards an overall picture of your health, I've found the body fat scan helpful. As a recap, Amazon uses your phone's camera to take front, back and side pictures of you, then analyzes it to deduce your body fat percentage. The company has cited study after study claiming its computer vision tool is more accurate than scales using bioimpedance, which send a mild electric current through your body. Pennington Biomedical Research Center even goes as far as to say that its tests found the Halo app "can be as accurate as the methods doctors use to measure body fat percentage." That study, by the way, was funded by Amazon. In my own experience with the band over the last few months, Halo's greatest draw is its app. The device itself, which doesn't have a screen, is nondescript and underwhelming. It's so plain that I didn't even notice it was on a pile of laundry one day and accidentally tossed it into my washing machine. The good thing is that it survived being washed and dried. This might be the Nokia 3310 of wearables. Just like the old-school phone, the Halo band doesn't do much. It houses a heart rate monitor and microphones to track your heart rate and tone (if you opt in). It also has an accelerometer to help it log your steps and sleep, as well as a multi-function button. There's nothing wrong with a simple device that just does the basics, except that it costs $100. You could get all these features for a fraction of the price from a plethora of companies without having to pay an additional monthly subscription fee. Movement Health impressions and testingWhere Amazon does stand out is in offerings like body fat scanning and Movement Health. The latter, which rolls out today, is intended to "improve the way you move." I don't like the idea that there's something inherently wrong about the way some people move, but if you've ever wondered whether your joints might be stiffer than most, or you've had issues with back or shoulder pain, Movement Health might help. According to Amazon, it's "based on functional fitness, which is your body's readiness to execute the everyday movements you do without thinking — bending, reaching, lifting, twisting, pulling, pushing and even just walking." Basically, the Halo app can guide you through a quick mobility test, and through your phone camera it'll assess your performance. I've had it for just under two weeks. On my first attempt, I ran the test on my Pixel 4a, and per the app's directions I turned my speaker volume up and set the phone on the ground leaning against a wall. It also suggested I wear form fitting clothes and tie my hair up. Once I framed myself within the outlined boundaries, the app showed an instructor that demonstrated each movement. I'd recommend using wireless headphones if you can for this part, as I struggled to hear the instructions over street noise in an apartment in Brooklyn. The entire session was about 10 minutes long and Halo asked me to do sets of five movements like squats, lunges and overhead reaches — both facing the camera and to the side. Each time I successfully performed an action, it chimed and told me to repeat the action (when required). At the end, I got a report saying my performance was "great, you're in the healthy range!" I scored 94 percent on Mobility and Stability, and 93 percent on Posture. Results and recommended exercisesThe app also displayed cards on each metric, explaining what they meant and how they related to my physiological performance. Scrolling further down, I also saw a detailed breakdown of things like "shoulder mobility," "trunk stability," "hip mobility," "hip stability," "lower mobility" and more. According to Amazon, "this assessment delivers comparable accuracy to an in-person assessment with a professional trainer." I've yet to have a similar assessment with a professional trainer so I can't vouch for that claim. Amazon Halo app screenshots Like the body fat scan tool and other Halo features, by the way, Amazon says "multiple layers of privacy and security are built into the service to keep data safe and in your control." The assessment videos of you lunging and squatting are "encrypted in transit to the cloud, securely processed within seconds and then automatically deleted." The company promises that no one ever sees them, whether or not you take Amazon at its word is your decision. After analyzing your results, you can also check out the program of "corrective exercises" that Amazon recommends based on your performance. For me, the system suggested two sets of actions like 45 seconds of shinbox bridge extensions, 60 seconds of side lying t-spine rotation and 40 seconds of hip airplanes, for example. I'm meant to alternate these and do them at least three days a week for four weeks. Each set has a video led by physical therapist Dr. Kelly Starrett, as well as text laying out the movements. In the videos, Dr. Starrett explained not just how to perform each movement but also what areas it targets and how it helps your general mobility. You can set up a schedule and reminders to have Amazon keep you on track via notifications on your phone. The company also recommends that you perform an assessment every two to four weeks, which will likely result in new sets of corrective exercises for you to use. Amazon says "if you're looking for a little extra burn, you can also see an additional curated list of workout recommendations to provide a higher-intensity alternative." Wrap-upAs someone who hits the gym or yoga mat three to four times a week, I didn't see the need to add these exercises to my routine. Most of the moves are similar to what I get out of my yoga sessions. But if you're plagued by joint or back issues, these videos might be a good, gentle way to start working on your mobility in those areas. Of course, this shouldn't and can't replace a visit to the doctor, but they could be a helpful supplement. So far, Movement Health and the body fat scans seem to be ways Amazon is trying to use its computer vision skills to improve the Halo app, making it much more useful than the band on its own. Too bad having the device tied to your account is a requirement.  |
| WhatsApp is rolling out 'view once' messages to Android beta testers Posted: 30 Jun 2021 05:40 AM PDT Facebook is diving into ephemeral messaging. After debuting self-erasing media and texts on Messenger and Instagram, the social giant is rolling out a similar feature on WhatsApp. Starting today, the app's beta testers on Android have begun to receive a "View Once" mode that wipes photos and videos as soon as you view and dismiss them. You'll know if you have access to the new feature if you see a dedicated button (that looks like a timer) in the caption input field, according to the experts at WABetaInfo. Not to be confused with WhatsApp's disappearing messages — which delete within seven days — photos and video sent using view once mode are single-use only and vanish after you close them. You'll get a notification once your media has been viewed. Despite the added sheen of privacy, there are some quirks you should be aware of before jumping in. As noted by WABetaInfo, disabling read receipts won't stop others from being notified if a view once message has been opened — though, you won't see when a recipient open yours. In groups, you'll be able to see when members have opened disappearing media even if you have read receipts disabled. Also, there's nothing stopping people from screenshotting your message without you finding out. View once apparently still works if you send a message to someone who doesn't have access to the feature. Those on iOS will reportedly get the new mode at a later date. Facebook announced the feature in June on the heels of its divisive WhatsApp privacy policy update. The tech giant was forced to delay the new rules to mid-May from early February following an outcry over its access to additional user data. Facebook also later backtracked on its decision to limit WhatsApp features for those who didn't accept the changes. The company has previously painted ephemeral messaging as a way to encourage more authentic and intimate conversations.  |
| Watch the first livestreamed Virgin Orbit rocket launch starting at 9:50AM ET Posted: 30 Jun 2021 05:39 AM PDT Now that Virgin Orbit is comfortable carrying satellites into space, it's ready for you to tune in. The orbital delivery company is livestreaming a rocket launch for the first time, with an expected takeoff time around 9:50AM Eastern. The "Tubular Bells: Part One" mission will see the Cosmic Girl host aircraft deploy the LauncherOne rocket roughly an hour after lifting into the sky. LauncherOne will have plenty to do during the flight, as Space.comnoted. It's carrying seven satellites for three countries, including the US (four cubesats for the Department of Defense Space Test Program), Poland (two vehicles for SatRevolution) and the Netherlands (a cubesat for the Royal Netherlands Air Force). As before, Virgin Orbit's appeal is its flexibility and cost — organizations can put payloads into space more on their own terms, and potentially for less money than needed for a conventional launch. The company has had just two launches before now, though. In that light, a lot is riding on this mission — it should help prove that Virgin is ready to pick up the pace and compete against private spaceflight rivals like Rocket Lab and SpaceX.  |
| Sony's excellent WH-1000XM3 wireless headphones hit new low of $190 Posted: 30 Jun 2021 05:25 AM PDT There's a lot to like about Sony's WH-1000XM4 wireless headphones, and many of them come from their predecessor, the WH-1000XM3. Sony added to the exceptional foundation of the XM3 to make the XM4 stand out even further from the competition, but as the company's latest ANC cans, the XM4s are expensive at $348. If you can bare with a slightly older model, you can get the WH-1000XM3 for a great price right now — just $190 if you go to Best Buy. That's $10 less than their previous all-time low that we saw back in March. Buy WH-1000XM3 at Best Buy - $190 Just because the XM3 are not the newest cans anymore, that doesn't mean they have been made obsolete. In fact, they still have god sound quality and excellent active noise-cancellation, the latter of which is strong enough to block out most background noise from the street when you're walking to work or from an airplane when you're traveling. They also have a comfortable and relatively attractive design, plus a killer battery life. The XM3 will last about 30 hours before they need a recharge, and quick-charging capabilities will give you five hours of use after only 10 minutes of power-up. If you're on the market for a new pair of ANC headphones, you're probably wondering what Sony added to the XM4 to make them fresh. It's really two key features: the XM4 will automatically pause when they detect that you're speaking and multi-device connectivity. With the later, you can switch between listening on two devices — like your smartphone and your computer — pretty seamlessly. Those new features, in addition to other small improvements, helped the $348 XM4 top our list of best headphones. But if you can skip them, the XM3 remain a solid pick that are made even better at this sale price. Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.  |
| LG's 'QNED' Mini LED TVs are coming to the US in July Posted: 30 Jun 2021 05:20 AM PDT LG's lineup of QNED 4K and 8K TVs unveiled late last year will arrive in the US in July, the company has announced. They'll sit just below LG's flagship OLED and consist of two 8K models (the QNED99 and QNED95) along with the 4K QNED90, in sizes from 65 to 85 inches. The TVs will launch first in North America and arrive to other regions in the coming weeks. The new sets will use Mini LED tech that blends characteristics from both OLED and LED. Unlike regular LED models, Mini LED uses thousands of tiny LEDs, up to 30,000 for the 86-inch 8K QNED99. With so many more so-called dimming zones, the QNED sets will be able to display deeper blacks and offer more contrast than regular LED TVs. LG At the same time, they offer more brightness than OLED TVs, though contrast and black levels aren't as good. Also, unlike with OLED, you'll occasionally see "blooming" or blockiness around bright areas when the dimming zone is larger than the light source on the screen. Mini LED is not to be mistaken with MicroLED either, as the latter is a completely different (currently very expensive) technology that works more like OLED, with individual LEDs for each pixel. The models have all the specs you'd expect in a high-end TV, including brightness levels up to 3,000 nits, HDR10, HLG and Dolby Vision HDR support, along with Dolby Atmos for sound. All models offer 120 Hz native refresh rates with AMD FreeSync support, and LG revealed yesterday that the QNED99 models would have 120 Hz Dolby Vision gaming support when they arrive in July. You'll also get LG's Magic Remote, ThinQ AI, webOS smart TV features and Apple AirPlay 2 & HomeKit support. LG didn't reveal the pricing in its press release, but B&H Photo Video already has most of the lineup up on preorder. Prices start at $1,997 for the QNED90 65-inch 4K model, with the 75- and 86-inch 4K QNED90 sets at $2,997 and $3,997, respectively. The QNED99 8K sets jump jump considerably as you'd imagine, with the 65-inch model priced at $3,497, the 75-inch model at $4,797 and the flagship 86-inch model at $6,497. There's no sign yet of pricing for the QNED95 8K models.  |
| Google UK will rely on a regulator to crack down on scam finance ads Posted: 30 Jun 2021 04:50 AM PDT Google is tightening its ad screening rules in the UK after a steep rise in fraudulent adverts online during the pandemic. The search giant has announced that starting in the fall it will only run ads for financial products and services from sources that have been cleared by the UK's financial watchdog. Google said it will update its policy from August 30th and begin enforcing the rules a week later on September 6th. At that point, advertisers will have to demonstrate that they are authorized by the UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) or qualify for its limited exemptions. According to Google, the requirement covers financial products and services that go beyond the regulator's ambit. The decision didn't happen overnight, however. Google has been on the end of mounting criticism from regulators, law enforcement and consumer groups over its perceived lack of action against scrupulous ads. According to trade body UK Finance, investment scam cases on search engines saw a 32 percent increase last year. These typically involve criminals duping victims into moving their money to a fictitious fund (such as a pension pot) or to pay for a fake investment. Losses incurred from the fake ads totaled over £135 million. Meanwhile, the FCA threatened to take legal action against Google and social media companies after it issued 1,200 warnings about fraudulent ads on their platforms, double the amount from 2019. The regulator told a parliamentary committee that it was able to start taking action in the wake of Brexit. In the past, the FCA had been bound by EU rules on financial ads that did not apply to online platforms. Others blamed Google's system for the failings. UK consumer group Which? found that 51 percent of the 1,870 search engine users it surveyed didn't know how to report suspicious ads in search listings. The perceived inertia from Google led some lawmakers to claim that it was content to continue profiting from the bogus ads. MPs told The Guardian that the company was benefiting from online scammers who paid to host ads on its platforms. While the FCA had also paid Google more than £600,000 ($830,000) in 2020 and 2021 to run 'anti-scam' ads. For its part, Google claims it has improved its ad screening rules using a mix of machine learning and human review. The tech giant removed 3.1 billion adverts that violated its policies in 2020 according to its ad transparency report. It also began verifying advertisers in January by requiring them to submit legal identification, business incorporation documents and proof of the country in which they operate. Back in 2018, Google followed in Facebook's footsteps by banning cryptocurrency ads. "This new update builds on significant work in partnership with the FCA over the last 18 months to help tackle this issue," Ronan Harris, vice president and MD, Google UK and Ireland, said in a blog post. "Today's announcement reflects significant progress in delivering a safer experience for users, publishers and advertisers. While we understand that this policy update will impact a range of advertisers in the financial services space, our utmost priority is to keep users safe on our platforms — particularly in an area so disproportionately targeted by fraudsters."  |
| The Morning After: Sony adds another games studio to its PlayStation roster Posted: 30 Jun 2021 04:20 AM PDT The big game-studio buy-up continues, and it's Sony's turn. Again. This time, it's picked up Housemarque, the Helsinki-based studio behind PlayStation games including Returnal for the PS5 and arcade-style shooters like Super Stardust HD and Dead Nation. Housemarque In recent years, Sony Interactive Entertainment snapped up Ratchet and Clank developer Insomniac Games in 2019. Before that, it acquired Horizon Zero Dawn developer Guerilla Games — whose former head Hermen Hulst is now the chief of PlayStation Studios — and Sucker Punch, the studio behind Ghost of Tsushima. Sony seems to be stepping up its studio shopping. Microsoft made waves with its acquisition of all those Bethesda wares, and we finally started to see the results at E3 2021, with exclusive games headed to Xbox. It seems Sony isn't stopping at Housemarque: PlayStation Japan uploaded the wrong image with their first tweet on the Housemarque news, mentioning a Bluepoint acquisition. That's an entirely different studio, which was tasked with the Demon's Souls PS5 remake. The spending spree continues. — Mat Smith
|
| United's new Boeing jets will offer Bluetooth audio with its in-flight entertainment Posted: 30 Jun 2021 03:54 AM PDT United has announced that it's adding 270 Boeing and Airbus planes to its fleet in a bid to reinvigorate domestic travel now that states have started lifting pandemic-related restrictions. And one of the best news for frequent flyers is that the new jets will feature seatback entertainment screens that come with Bluetooth connection. In addition, United will refurbish its old mainline jets with the new and upgraded in-flight entertainment until 2025. Bluetooth audio is a much-requested addition to all in-flight entertainment systems that United has granted with the launch of its new interior. As The Verge notes, tech companies have been pushing a wireless lifestyle onto consumers by removing headphone jacks from their phones and launching truly wireless earbuds. Some may have already thrown their wired earphones away, or tucked them away in a drawer, forgotten until the next time they decide to do some spring cleaning. Aviation writer Jason Rabinowitz has tweeted a video that gives us a look at the new seatback entertainment system with Bluetooth capabilities on a 737 MAX 8 plane. As you can see, all of the seats will have entertainment screens, which while great for passengers could also cause a bit of a headache. At full capacity, passengers may have trouble pairing their earphones as everyone tries to connect to Bluetooth at the same time.
Still, that's a small problem for those waiting for the feature for a long time. Bluetooth audio is a fantastic addition to the new planes' entertainment systems, and passengers will be able to get to try it soon. United will fly its first 737 MAX 8 jets with the new interior this summer, while its first 737 MAX 10 and Airbus jets will start flying in 2023.  |
| You are subscribed to email updates from https://www.engadget.com/. To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
| Google, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, United States | |
No comments:
Post a Comment