TECHNOLOGY
Spotify 1st music streaming service to be available on Roblox
The Swedish company launched 'Spotify Island,' a place where artists and fans will gather to play interactive quests, unlock exclusive content, and buy artist merchandise. "'Spotify Island' is a paradise of sound where fans and artists from all over the world can hang out and explore a wonderland of sounds, quests, and exclusive merch," the company said in a statement.
US smartphone sales decline 6% in Q1, Apple leads
Overall, US smartphone sales were down 6 per cent (on-year) in Q1 2021, according to Counterpoint Research. "While Q1 2022 did see weaker sales compared to last year, this needs to be seen in context. It is not a sign of the market contracting because last year's Q1 was unusually high due to several factors driving demand," said Research Director Jeff Fieldhack. Apple's iPhone 12 series sales pushed into Q1 2021 due to its staggered launch causing higher premium demand in a usually soft quarter.
Spotify's podcasting tech chief Michael Mignano quits
Mignano co-founded DIY podcast distributor Anchor in 2015. Spotify bought Anchor in 2019 for more than $150 million and brought Mignano in as its podcast tech chief. He will leave Spotify as June end, reports The Verge. Last month, reports surfaced that Spotify's head of studios and video, Courtney Holt, will leave the company.
Don't feel for me, pray for Twitter instead: Parag Agrawal
Amid multiple reports that Musk has lined up a new CEO to replace him, Agrawal has already said that he took the job to change Twitter for the better, course correct where we need to, and strengthen the service. "I feel for the current CEO of Twitter (@paraga) - he had all these plans and now lives with the same uncertainty of his whole team," posted a Twitter user.
Twitter bans 2 right-wing accounts as Musk promotes free speech
The micro-blogging platform permanently suspended their accounts shortly after the duo rejoined it with creating new Twitter handles, for violating platform rules against evading bans, reports The Verge. Lindell was banned last year while Zelenko was banned in 2020. Lindell was originally suspended for violating Twitter's rules against election misinformation.
Meta plans to launch 4 high-end VR headsets by 2024
According to The Information, the aggressive timeline reflects Meta Founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg's desire to advance his metaverse dream by getting more people to use VR devices. "Meta is planning to release Project Cambria, a high-end VR and mixed-reality headset it is billing as a device for the future of work, around September, according to a person familiar with the matter," the report said late on Monday.
EU says Apple Pay anticompetitive, restricting rival mobile wallets
In its preliminary ruling, the Commission said that by limiting access to a standard technology used for contactless payments with mobile devices in stores ('Near-Field Communication (NFC)' or 'tap and go'), Apple restricts competition in the mobile wallets market on iOS.
Apple's global smartphone market share surges 20% in 1 year
According to a report by Europe-based online shopping platform Burga, Apple is gaining ground in market share despite the company's smartphones mainly being considered expensive compared to competitors.
Sony India unveils new 4K Bravia series with smart Google TV
The new X75K TV series is available in 165 cm (65-inch), 140 cm (55-inch), 126 cm (50-inch) and 108 cm (43-inch). The two models which the company launched in India are KD-43X75K and KD-50X75K, priced at Rs 55,990 and Rs 66,990, respectively. "With X75K, you will enter the world of true entertainment and experience thrilling games, movies in beautiful colour and incredible 4K clarity with clear and natural sound," the company said in a statement
Amazon ends paid time off for employees with Covid
Starting from Monday, Amazon will offer up to five days of "unpaid, excused leave", reports CNBC. Amazon initially offered 14 days of paid time off to Covid-infected workers at the start of the pandemic. In a fresh notice, Amazon said that the workers with "confirmed" Covid-19 cases can submit a request for paid time off per its "standard sick leave policy", regardless of vaccination status.
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