bluetooth Bluetooth Contact Tracing Faces Significant Technical Hurdles Contact tracing apps rely heavily on Bluetooth signal strength to measure proximity, but real-world variables make accurate distance tracking incredibly difficult.
magic leap Magic Leap Halves Workforce, Abandons Consumer AR Market Augmented reality startup Magic Leap lays off approximately 1,000 employees and abandons its consumer focus to concentrate entirely on enterprise customers amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
apple Apple Warns of Revenue Shortfall as Coronavirus Disrupts iPhone Production Apple admits it will miss its March quarter revenue guidance due to coronavirus-related iPhone supply shortages and dropping consumer demand in China.
cdc CDC Museum Timeline Chronicles Origins and Early Spread of COVID-19 The CDC Museum offers a detailed timeline documenting the initial emergence of the novel coronavirus in late 2019 and the global health response in early 2020. The museum remains temporarily closed and requires advanced reservations for future visits.
coronavirus Coronavirus Spreads Rapidly Across Asia, Europe, and Middle East The novel coronavirus expands its global footprint with major spikes in South Korea and Italy, while Iran reports its first fatalities and the WHO warns the window for containment is narrowing.
covid-19 Privacy Fears Spark Expert Exodus From European COVID-19 Tracing Project A major European initiative to create coronavirus contact-tracing apps faces a growing backlash from cybersecurity experts over centralized data concerns. Over 300 specialists warn the approach could lead to unacceptable government surveillance.
covid-19 Italy Imposes Unprecedented National Lockdown to Combat COVID-19 Spread The Italian government places approximately 60 million residents under a strict national quarantine to control the rapidly growing COVID-19 outbreak. The massive restrictions represent the largest suppression of constitutional rights in the nation's history.
5g False 5G Pandemic Links Spark Arson Attacks on Cell Towers Baseless conspiracy theories connecting 5G networks to the coronavirus pandemic prompt vandals to set fire to cellphone towers across Europe. Telecommunications workers now face physical threats as they attempt to maintain critical infrastructure during the crisis.
coronavirus Coronavirus Spreads Rapidly Across Asia, Europe, and the Middle East The novel coronavirus continues its global expansion with significant new outbreaks in South Korea, Italy, and Iran. World Health Organization officials warn that the window to contain the virus is rapidly narrowing.
instagram founders Instagram Founders Launch Rt.live to Track COVID-19 Spread by State Instagram co-founders Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger introduce Rt.live, a dashboard that visualizes the real-time transmission rate of COVID-19 across individual states to guide public health decisions.
airbnb Airbnb Cuts Contractors and Cancels Summer Internships Amid Pandemic Airbnb ends contracts for contingent workers and delays undergraduate hiring as the COVID-19 crisis disrupts the tech industry. Affected interns now face a sudden, highly competitive search for replacement opportunities.
facebook Facebook Introduces New Care Emoji Reaction During Pandemic Facebook rolls out a new "care" emoji reaction across its main app and Messenger to help users show support during the coronavirus pandemic. This marks the first addition to the platform's reaction options since expanding beyond the "like" button in 2015.
amazon Bezos Outlines Amazon's Plan for Employee COVID-19 Testing Labs Jeff Bezos reveals Amazon is building dedicated labs to regularly test all employees for COVID-19, including asymptomatic workers. The initiative aims to curb the virus spread among warehouse staff and through delivered packages.
gopro GoPro Slashes 20% of Workforce, Pivots to Direct-to-Consumer Sales GoPro lays off over 200 employees and cuts office space to save $100 million in 2020, largely driven by pandemic-related retail disruptions. The action camera maker is also shifting its primary sales strategy away from physical retail stores to focus on direct online sales.
instacart Instacart Teams Up With Costco to Launch Prescription Delivery Service Instacart expands its online delivery offerings by partnering with Costco to bring prescription medications directly to customers' doors. The new service responds to a massive surge in demand amid the COVID-19 pandemic.