Facebook launches their newsletter platform Bulletin to take on Substack.
Bulletin is on a separate website and allows writers to publish free and paid newsletters. Surprisingly, subscriptions do not require a Facebook account. Facebook won’t take a cut from writers "at launch" and writers have full ownership of their content and subscriber list (writers determine the price of paid content). Substack takes a 10% cut of subscription revenues and Twitter's similar Revue takes 5%. Bulletin isn’t accepting writer signups yet and Facebook have brought on Malcolm Gladwell, Tan France, and Erin Andrews, among others for a beta period. Link

Sam Altman's Worldcoin raises $25M for a cryptocurrency belonging to all people on earth, and is making a device to ID users via iris scan.
Altman, 36, the former president of Y Combinator, cofounded the company whose intention is to use cryptocurrency to spread money around to every person on earth, inspired by the economic theory known as universal basic income. To do that, Worldcoin has developed a basketball sized device that scans a person’s iris to create a unique personal identifier for each person. The company aims to help economies transition to cryptocurrencies "through a novel approach: a dedicated hardware device ensuring both humanness and uniqueness of everybody signing up, while maintaining their privacy and the overall transparency of a permissionless blockchain.". Pretty ambitious, this could give Bitcoin a run for it's money. Link

Photo credit: TechCrunch via Wikimedia Commons

Facebook hits $1T market cap after FTC's antitrust case was dismissed.
A federal court dismissed the Federal Trade Commission's antitrust complaint against Facebook, saying that the FTC did not prove Facebook maintains a monopoly. The dismissal is a major setback to the FTC's complaint, which could have resulted in Facebook having to spin out Instagram and WhatsApp. The court will let the FTC strengthen its arguments and refile the compliant. Facebook shares increased more than 4% following the rulings, passing the $1 trillion mark for the first time, making it the fifth US company to hit the milestone. Link

Google unveils “Play Media Experience Program”, which gives some apps a larger cut of Play Store sales for supporting more Android devices.
Google wants developers to support more Android form factors, so they're going to solve that by paying them more. Media apps that focus on audio, video, or books now have special targets they can hit that will result in Google cutting Play Store fees to 15 percent from their normal 30% cut. Currently Google only charges 15% on the first $1 million in revenue so this new program is actually aimed specifically at multimillion-dollar media apps. In order to get the lower fees developers need to support extra Android form factors like Android TV, Google TV, Wear OS, and Google Cast. Link

Telegram add group video calls to mobile and desktop apps.
Group video calls were announced last year but Telegram only released them now. Audio calls can have unlimited participants, but group video calls are limited to the first 30 people who join a voice chat (for now, they plan to increase that "soon"). They also added screen sharing, noise suppression, animated backgrounds, and tablet and desktop support with side panel and split-screen view. Link

Microsoft announces Windows 11, with new design, new Windows app store, and more.
As expected, the name of the next version of Microsoft's operating system will be Windows 11. The main focus is an updated simplified UI, a new "Microsoft Store", and improvements to performance and multitasking. Windows 11 will also include new support for running Android apps! That's thanks to a partnership with Amazon who will embed their Amazon Appstore inside Microsoft Store. Microsoft says developers will keep 100% of their revenue "if you do bring your own commerce engine", unlike Google and Apple stores that take 30% of developer revenue. Microsoft plans to release Windows 11 by the holidays and it'll be free for Windows 10 users. Link

Instagram will test adding suggested posts above posts from people users follow.
Instagram claims the reception to its "suggested posts" feature has been so positive that now they are testing mixing suggested posts throughout your primary feed, including ahead of posts from people you follow. This signals that Instagram is shifting to becoming more like Facebook where the algorithm is in control even though people might prefer to just see posts from the people they follow. People are still upset the feed is no longer chronological, and now it will include posts from strangers. Link

Photo credit: Instagram

Microsoft has become the second public US company to reach $2T market value.
Apple was the first to reach the milestone in August 2020. It took Microsoft 33 years since its IPO to reach the first $1 trillion in value in 2019, and only 2 years for the next trillion. Microsoft’s cloud-computing business is a central force behind their recent growth. Their Intelligent Cloud business accounted for 33.8% of Microsoft’s 2020 revenue. Link

Investigation finds Amazon destroys 130,000 items per week in one UK warehouse.
A probe into an Amazon warehouse in the UK found that Amazon destroys millions of items of unsold stock every year, in order to save on warehouse costs. These include products that are often new and unused, including MacBooks, COVID-19 masks, jewelry, headphones, books, and TVs. A former Amazon employee said staff were given a weekly target of 130,000 items to destroy. British news outlet ITV filmed undercover footage inside Amazon's warehouse in Dunfermline, Scotland which revealed thousands of products sorted into boxes marked "destroy".

Exclusive: Amazon is destroying millions of items of unsold stock in one of its UK warehouses every year, an ITV News investigation has uncovered.

Many of the products - including smart TVs and laptops - are often new and unused. https://t.co/OJjexB0YQd#AmazonWaste pic.twitter.com/UR7XrLWvIM

— ITV News (@itvnews) June 21, 2021

Link

Hyundai completes its acquisition of robotics firm Boston Dynamics.
Both Google (2013) and SoftBank (2017) have owned the company, which was originally spun-out of MIT. SoftBank still holds 20% and now Hyundai owns the remaining 80%. Previous sales of the company were for unknown prices, the current deal valued Boston Dynamics at $1.1B. Hyundai plans to use the company to create a "robotics value chain" across manufacturing, construction, and automation. Link

Facebook launching its podcasting platform on June 22.
Podcast hosts will link their show’s RSS feed and then Facebook will automatically generate posts on the creator's page for all episodes published. There will also be a new "podcasts" tab on the user's profile/page, similar to the photos tab. A unique feature that Facebook podcasts will have is that listeners will be able to create and share clips from episodes. Another feature they will be launching is called Soundbites, which will give users a "sound studio in your pocket" and allow them to create and share short audio clips. Link

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella is now also the company's chair, becoming the first person since Bill Gates to hold both roles at the same time.
Nadella, who has been Microsoft's CEO since 2014 (replacing Steve Balmer), was elected chairman by Microsoft's board. The last person to hold both positions at the same time was Bill Gates, before he stepped down as CEO in 2000. Gates stepped down as chair in 2014, and left Microsoft's board in 2020 to focus on his "philanthropic priorities". Nadella replaces John Thompson as chair Link

Snapchat removes "Speed Filter" after US court ruled they could be sued for a fatal car crash.
Snapchat had the filter since 2013 and it let users show how fast they were moving and share it with friends. It had been connected to a few deadly or near-fatal car crashes, often with teenagers involved. Parent company Snap said the feature "is barely used by Snapchatters... And in light of that, we are removing it altogether". This decision could have vast implications for similar services like TikTok and Instagram. Link

Photo credit: Youtube King Forbes

Spotify launches Greenroom, their Clubhouse competitor, for broadcasting live audio.
Greenroom is a separate app that lets Spotify users worldwide join or host live audio rooms and turn those conversations into podcasts. It's based on their acquisition of Locker Room, which they announced in March (in fact current Locker Room users will see their app update to become the rebranded and redesigned Greenroom experience). The feature set is very similar to other live audio offerings like Clubhouse, Twitter Spaces, and Facebook Live Audio Rooms, however Greenroom will let users optionally turn those conversations into podcasts (which could be a big differentiator, at least until others copy it). Link

Photo credit: Spotify

Facebook will begin testing ads in VR on Oculus headsets.
The first ads will start to appear in the shooter game Blaston, from Resolution Games, and in two other unnamed Oculus apps. Facebook say they won't use data stored on devices to target ads. However, a Facebook spokesperson says they will use data from your Facebook profile, as well as "whether you’ve viewed content, installed, activated, or subscribed to a Oculus app, added an app to your cart or wishlist, if you’ve initiated checkout or purchased an app on the Oculus platform, and lastly, whether you’ve viewed, hovered, saved, or clicked on an ad within a third-party app". In addition, Andrew 'Boz' Bosworth, Head of Facebook Reality Labs, tweeted that you'll be able to manage what ads you want to see and that "Ads in VR will be different from ads elsewhere and this is a space that will take time and people's feedback to get right". It does sound like Facebook is looking for feedback about these initial experiences and will expand later based on feedback. Link

Here's an advertisement within the Oculus Quest game Blaston:

Update: Resolution Games has pulled out of the deal to test Facebook ads following backlash from the gaming community.

Biden names Lina Khan, an antitrust expert, as FTC chair.
Khan, who wrote the "Amazon Antitrust Paradox", has been outspoken and focused on the immense market power of big tech. Her appointment as FTC Commissioner is a big win for progressives who are pushing for tougher laws against monopolies and growing corporate power. In a rare show of bipartisan support, the Senate voted 69-28 to confirm her as commissioner. Link

Sir Tim Berners-Lee is auctioning his original source code for the web as an NFT.
This would be the first time he would be able to raise money directly from his invention of the world wide web. "The idea is somebody might like a digitally signed version of the code, a bit like plenty of people have asked for physically autographed copies of the book" Berners-Lee said. It will be auctioned off at Sotheby’s and this could be a turning point in interest in NFTs beyond artwork and sports memorabilia. Berners-Lee is no billionaire, unlike other founders of prominent web companies. Link

Update: Tim Berners-Lee auctioned the source code for the World Wide Web as an NFT called "This Changed Everything" for $5.4M. The winning bidder was undisclosed. Link

Photo credit: Paul Clarke

Microsoft will end Windows 10 support in October 2025.
Microsoft has revealed that they will stop supporting the current operating system on October 14th, 2025. That will be just over 10 years since the operating system was first introduced. The next version of Windows will be revealed on June 24th (called Windows 11?). That means Microsoft expects the transition to the next version of Windows to take around four years. Link

Daily journaling app Day One acquired by Automattic, owner of Wordpress.
Day One is a popular journaling app for Mac and iOS. Automattic has been growing quickly over the past few years and they own a several notable online publishing properties like Wordpress.com, Tumblr (which they bought from Verizon in 2019), Woocommerce, and Simplenote. The biggest difference with Day One is that it is focused on self publishing and privacy, unlike WordPress and Tumblr, which are intended for public distribution. The terms of the deal were not disclosed. Day One CEO Paul Mayne will continue to lead Day One following the acquisition and the rest of the team will remain onboard. Day One has been downloaded more than 15M times over the past 10 years since it was founded. Link

Apple hires automotive executive Ulrich Kranz to work on Apple Car.
Kranz was recently CEO and co-founder of EV startup Canoo, previously CTO of Faraday Future (an electric vehile startup), and spent 30 years at BMW (where he worked on BMW’s all-electric i3 hatchback and hybrid i8 sports car). He's now reporting to Apple VP of Special Projects Group Doug Field, who previously worked in senior positions at Tesla. This is another confirmation that Apple is actively working on "Project Titan", their electric autonomous vehicle, aka the Apple Car (iCar?). The project started in 2014 and has apparently gone through some turmoil over the years. Earlier this year it was reported that Apple invested $3.6B in Kia (owned by Hyundai) to build the Apple Car. Link

Photo credit: Canoo

Microsoft launching a console-free game streaming service on smart TVs.
Microsoft said they're going to launch Xbox Game Pass on smart TVs so that people will be able to play Xbox games via the cloud, only needing a controller. They announced they're working with TV manufacturers to "embed the Xbox experience directly into internet-connected televisions" and are building their own streaming devices for cloud gaming to reach gamers on any TV or monitor without the need for a console at all. The device is apparently similar to how Google's Chromecast device is used for streaming Stadia games. Xbox Game Pass is currently ~$15 per month, but the company says it's exploring pricing changes to reach new gamers. Stadia, Google's cloud gaming platform, has been struggling due to a lack of original content and latency issues. With Microsoft’s resources and Xbox’s library of gaming content, it stands a good chance to lead the way in the $1.4 billion cloud gaming market. Link

Image: Microsoft

Facebook's first-ever smartwatch will reportedly be released next summer.
The company has apparently spent over $1 billion since 2019 developing their smartwatch. The watch will have a display and two cameras that can be detached from the wrist to take photos and videos. Facebook employees say the watch will cost $400 but that can still change by next year. Reports say Facebook is in talks with wireless carriers to equip the watch with LTE connectivity, and the watch will come in three colors: white, black, and gold. There hasn't been an official announcement from Facebook about the watch yet, but they said they will "share more when we're ready". Link

Photo credit: Getty / Facebook

Apple announce new iOS, macOS, and other updates at WWDC 2021.
Here are the most significant announcements from the opening keynote at Apple's annual Worldwide Developers Conference: new macOS named Monterey, new iOS 15 and iPadOS 15, iCloud+ which has some new privacy features for the same price, watchOS update, and some developer tool updates (like the new ability to develop apps directly on the iPad). The notable products that got updates are Facetime (spacial audio, voice isolation, and browser calling), Apple Wallet (support for keys and upcoming support for storing your driver's license!), Siri opening up to third party manufacturers, Airplay to Mac, and Shortcuts coming to Mac. Overall it seemed like there wasn't anything spectacular or groundbreaking in their announcements this year. There's a full recap in the link. Link

Jeff Bezos and his brother will fly on Blue Origin's first passenger space flight.
The flight is planned for July 20, the 52nd anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing. Blue Origin is conducting an auction for another seat on the flight, and the highest bid stands at $2.8 million as of Monday morning, five days before the auction closes. Blue Origin has successfully completed more than a dozen crewless test flights with its New Shepard rocket. The launch date is just 15 days after Jeff Bezos is set to step down as CEO of Amazon. Bezos made the announcement with a video on Instagram, where he invited Mark, his brother, to join him. Link

Square commits $5M to build a solar-powered bitcoin mining facility.
The financial services firm has partnered with Blockstream, a blockchain technology provider. The project will serve as a "proof-of-concept for a 100% renewable energy Bitcoin mine at scale". The companies will establish a facility at one of Blockstream's US sites and information on operational costs and return-on-investment will be open to the public. Link

Facebook to end special treatment for politicians.
The announcement comes after Facebook's Oversight Board (an independent group funded by Facebook to review its policies) approved Facebook's decision to suspend former President Donald Trump, but critiqued the special treatment it gives politicians, stating that the "same rules should apply to all users". This means that Facebook will end its controversial policy that mostly shields politicians from the content moderation rules that apply to other users. In response to the Oversight Board ruling, Facebook has suspended Donald Trump for two years until January 7, 2023, and says it will then reconsider the suspension. Link

McDonald's is testing automated drive-thrus that can recognize your voice.
CEO Chris Kempczinski said they are testing the AI powered voice recognition at 10 McDonald’s restaurants in Chicago. The technology mostly gets orders right, but employees have to step in about 20% of the time. One challenge they have is training restaurant workers to stop themselves from jumping in to help. McDonald's acquired the AI voice-recognition technology in 2019 when they bought an AI company called Apprente, for an undisclosed amount. Kempczinski said the technology will likely take more than two years to implement. Link

Stack Overflow sold to Prosus for $1.8 billion.
Stack Overflow announced they'll be acquired by Prosus, a European investment and holding company. Stack Overflow is the leading online community for software developers and has over 100M monthly visitors. Prosus is best known as the largest shareholder in Chinese internet and videogaming giant Tencent. They acquired the Tencent stake in 2001 for $34 million and it's now worth $200 billion 😲. The deal lets Stack Overflow continue as an independent site "with the exact same team in place that has been operating it, according to the exact same plan and the exact same business practices", and also mints 61 new millionaires. The Stack Overflow deal is Prosus’ first acquisition in the educational tech space but they do already owns stakes in two educational tech companies - Udemy and Codecademy. Link

Tesla filed a trademark to use its brand for restaurant services.
This likely indicates the company is going to deliver on their plan to convert Supercharger locations, an idea that CEO Elon Musk and other executives have discussed publicly since 2017. In 2017 JB Straubel, who was CTO at the time, said the company was considering turning EV charging stations into convenience stores with food services, and in 2018 Musk said Tesla would launch a classic drive-in restaurant with wait staff on roller skates. Tesla has tried out a scaled down version of that idea by creating lounges like the one at its Kettleman City, California Supercharger station. Link

Xiaomi shows it can fully charge a phone in eight minutes.
Claiming "world records" for both wired and wireless charging speeds, Xiaomi demonstrated how they fully charge a 4,000mAh battery in 8 minutes over a 200W wired “HyperCharge” system, or in 15 minutes with 120W wireless charging. In a video they released you can see they charge the phone to 10% in 44 seconds, 50% in 3 minutes, and 100% in 8 minutes. This still isn't something that they are offering commercially yet, it's just a demo. Link