TikTok is fined €5 million by France's data protection watchdog. The fine relates to a cookie-consent flow TikTok had used on its website. The regulator found it was not as easy for users to refuse cookies as to accept them. TikTok has since implemented a ‘Refuse all’ button on the site.
Alphabet Google and Nvidia Corp. have expressed concerns to the Federal Trade Commission about Microsoft Corp.’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard Inc., adding fuel to the government’s case against the $69 billion deal, according to people familiar with the matter. The companies joined Sony Group Corp. in raising issues with the transaction, which the FTC sued to block in December. The commission has argued that the deal would hinder competition in the video-game industry and has scheduled an in-house trial for August. Either company could be called to testify as part of the FTC trial.
Apple could release a MacBook Pro laptop with a touchscreen as soon as 2025. The move would mark a reversal for Apple, which has said for years that touchscreen laptops are inferior. Apple’s Mac business generated $40.1 billion in revenue during the company’S fiscal 2022.
Apple announced a big update to Apple Maps on Wednesday. The update will add new photos, buttons and promotions to the app on business pages. Apple is also introducing a new dashboard for business owners that tracks metrics like how customers are landing on their Apple Maps page. The features are free for businesses and Apple isn't selling ad units in maps.
FTX's lawyer declared today that the company had recovered over $5 billion in assets. The figure most likely excludes Alameda Research's positions in illiquid tokens. The trading firm had previously given these holdings high valuations in its balance sheet. It is still unclear how much FTX actually owes its creditors.
Mojo Lens was a contact lens with a MicroLED display. It was designed to give you a heads-up display without the need for glasses. The company has announced it can no longer afford to continue developing the device. It will instead focus on its MicroLED technology.
Microsoft Corp. is rolling out an energy-saving update to its Xbox gaming consoles intended to help the tech giant meet a 2030 deadline for its environmental goals. On Wednesday a subset of users, Xbox Insiders, will be automatically switched to a new energy-saving Shutdown option, Blaine Hauglie, technical program manager, wrote in a blog post. When left idle consoles will use less power than Sleep mode, which enables users to wake up devices and start gameplay more quickly. There are over a quarter of a million people in the Insider program, a group of gamers that get an early look at features and content in development.
TikTok poses no national security threat to US, study finds. Georgia Institute of Technology study claims TikTok poses no threat to U.S. national security. The finding comes as more and more states are banning employees from using the Chinese social video platform on government devices. The study disputed allegations that the app exports Chinese censorship, citing an array of topics found on the platform.
Apple is planning to start using its own custom displays in mobile devices as early as 2024, an effort to reduce its reliance on technology partners like Samsung and LG and bring more components in-house.The company aims to begin by swapping out the display in the highest-end Apple Watches by the end of next year, according to people with knowledge of the matter. The screens upgrade the current OLED standard to a technology called microLED, and Apple plans to eventually bring the displays to other devices, including the iPhone.