SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Facebook on Tuesday launched an app that will pay users to share information with the social media giant about which apps they’re using. The company previously rolled out two similar apps that tracked what activities people did on their phones. But both were shut down after drawing criticism for infringing on…
Apple Previews New Software as it Diversifies Beyond iPhones
SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — Apple, beset by falling iPhone sales, announced upcoming changes to its phone and computer software intended to highlight its increasing emphasis on digital services and to further position it as a fierce guardian of personal privacy. The revisions previewed Monday during a conference in San Jose, California, included a new…
Google’s Activities Under Scrutiny by US, Europe Regulators
WASHINGTON (AP) — Google, the tech giant known universally for its search engine, also has fingers in a number of other pies, like online advertising, email messaging and video. That gives U.S. antitrust enforcers, who have reportedly evinced a new interest in pursuing competition charges against Google, lots to look at. Governments around the world…
Hawley Bill Would Allow People to Opt Out of Data Tracking
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Sen. Josh Hawley on Tuesday introduced legislation that would give internet users the ability to opt out of allowing their personal data to be tracked and collected, the latest effort in the Missouri Republican’s broader campaign against big tech. Hawley’s Do Not Track Act is modeled after the national Do…
Huawei Could Be Stripped of Google Services After US Ban
Huawei could lose its grip on the No. 2 ranking in worldwide cellphone sales after Google announced it would comply with U.S. government restrictions meant to punish the Chinese tech powerhouse. The Trump administration move, which effectively bars U.S. firms from selling components and software to Huawei, ups the ante in a trade war between…
WhatsApp Discovers Spyware that Infected with a Call Alone
Spyware crafted by a sophisticated group of hackers-for-hire took advantage of a flaw in the popular WhatsApp communications program to remotely hijack dozens of phones, the company said late Monday. The Financial Times identified the actor as Israel’s NSO Group, and WhatsApp all but confirmed the identification, describing hackers as “a private company that has…
Supreme Court Rules Antitrust Suit Against Apple Can Move Forward
The Supreme Court on Monday ruled that an antitrust lawsuit brought against Apple by iPhone users accusing the tech giant of unlawfully monopolizing the iPhone app market and inflating prices can proceed. When a user purchases a third-party iPhone app, Apple collects 30 percent of the payment essentially as a commission, with the remainder going…
Google’s Privacy Push Gets a Mixed Reception
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. (AP) — Google announced new privacy tools Tuesday intended to give people more control over how they’re being tracked on the go or in their own home, part of a broader effort by big tech companies to counter increasing scrutiny of their data collection practices. The updates give people some much-needed sway…
Android to Offer More Location, Usage Controls
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. (AP) The Latest on Google conference in California (all times local): noon The next version of Google’s Android operating system will include more features to help people prevent mobile apps from shadowing them. Location-tracking by Google and other digital services have become a hot-button topic as people have become more aware about…
Consumers See 5G Value, But Expect More than Speed: Ericsson Report
As the mobile industry works to make the case for 5G, a new report from Ericsson finds that contrary to popular perception, consumers have high expectations for the next-gen technology and many are willing to pay a premium for it. In regards to 5G, a good deal of attention has been paid to industrial and…