line Line Partners With Visa to Expand Digital Wallet Across Japan Japan's top messaging app is moving its digital payment service onto physical Visa credit cards. The partnership aims to accelerate the country's shift away from cash ahead of the 2020 Olympics.
facebook Facebook Secretly Pays Users for Total Phone Access in Project Atlas Facebook pays users up to $20 a month to install a research app that collects all phone and web activity, bypassing App Store rules. Apple immediately revokes Facebook's enterprise certificate for the clear policy violation.
irobot iRobot Unveils Terra Mower After a Decade of Development iRobot introduces Terra, a robotic lawnmower that leverages the company's deep Roomba expertise to tackle outdoor yard work. The highly anticipated product takes a decade of dedicated research to navigate complex outdoor environments.
pandora Pandora Shareholders Approve $3.5 Billion SiriusXM Buyout Pandora shareholders officially approve a $3.5 billion acquisition by SiriusXM, triggering the departure of CEO Roger Lynch and several other top executives. SiriusXM CEO Jim Meyer takes over leadership of the newly combined audio company.
argo ai Ford-Backed Argo AI Secures California Testing Permit for Autonomous Vehicles Argo AI receives a California DMV permit to test one self-driving vehicle with two drivers, expanding its footprint beyond Pittsburgh, Miami, and Detroit. The move comes as the Ford-backed startup prepares for a planned 2021 commercial launch.
apple Apple Reveals 900 Million Active iPhones Worldwide Apple discloses for the first time that its global active iPhone install base surpasses 900 million devices. The announcement comes as the company shifts away from reporting traditional unit sales.
apple Apple Reports First Revenue Drop in Years as iPhone Sales Slide 15 Percent Apple logs a 5 percent year-over-year revenue decline as its flagship iPhone business shrinks significantly. Meanwhile, the tech giant's services and wearables divisions show strong growth to offset the hardware losses.
gmail Google Brings Material Design Refresh to Mobile Gmail Apps Google updates its mobile Gmail apps for iOS and Android with a fresh Material Design look and new display features. The redesign brings the mobile experience closer to the web version with customizable density settings.
vr Andreessen Horowitz Leads $68M Into Location-Based VR Startup Sandbox Sandbox VR brings players into empty rooms and transforms them into full-body virtual reality experiences using backpack PCs and haptic gear. The startup just raises a $68 million Series A led by Andreessen Horowitz to expand its scalable out-of-home VR arcades.
apple Apple Disables FaceTime Group Calls to Stop Eavesdropping Bug Apple temporarily turns off FaceTime group calling as it develops a patch for a severe bug that allows users to eavesdrop on others. The company promises a permanent software fix later this week.
huawei US Justice Department Unveils Criminal Charges Against Huawei The United States announces sweeping criminal charges against Chinese telecom giant Huawei and its CFO, accusing them of bank fraud and violating Iran sanctions.
los angeles Los Angeles Taps Via Shuttles to Bridge Public Transit Gap Los Angeles launches a $2.5 million pilot program with Via to provide on-demand shared rides to three major transit stations. The initiative aims to solve the first- and last-mile problem that contributes to declining public transit ridership.
apple Apple Disables FaceTime Group Calls After Severe Eavesdropping Bug A major FaceTime bug allows callers to secretly access a recipient's microphone and camera before the call is accepted. Apple has temporarily disabled the group calling feature while it prepares a software fix.
screen time Excessive Screen Time Delays Toddler Development, New Study Shows A University of Calgary study reveals that young children who spend more time looking at screens perform worse on developmental tests. Researchers emphasize that passive screen viewing directly replaces crucial physical and social interactions needed for healthy growth.
jigsaw Google's Jigsaw Offers Free DDoS Shields to European Political Groups Jigsaw, a cybersecurity division of Alphabet, expands its free Project Shield anti-DDoS service to European political organizations ahead of upcoming parliamentary elections. The technology protects websites from disruptive junk traffic that malicious actors use to undermine democratic processes.