Spotify might be a behemoth in the music streaming world, and even Apple Music is having trouble catching up to them, but there are problems that come with being big.
One of them is that there isn't a ton of room to grow, and they are expanding to different revenue streams. Acquiring new subscribers is getting harder and harder, although Spotify's growth figures have been pretty impressive.
Podcasts have become infinitely more successful in the recent years, and that is also where Spotify looks for growth. Now they're ready to invest a cool $200 million to back that up.
Spotify has decided to acquire podcasting startup Gimlet, Recode reports. Gimlet is known for podcast shows like Reply All and even some TV show, and has been a Spotify partner prior to this deal.
The acquisition hasn't been finished yet, but according to the insider information it is only a matter of time before companies join forces.
Samsung is preparing for their most important event of the year, and leakers are all eyes on them. The Unpacked 2019 in San Fransisco later this month will feature of course the new Galaxy S10, but there might be much more on display.
Rumored are the FCC leaked Bluetooth headphones, dubbed Galaxy Buds, but now a leak from Samsung Vietnam is teasing us with even more impressive tech.
A video has leaked that is supposedly a promo video intended for the event. In the video we see a couple things that are not Samsung's actual products, at least for now.
There's an all-screen tablet which looks like nothing we've seen from Samsung so far, and right at the end we see a folding phone.
Samsung already gave us a glimpse to their folding Galaxy F prototype, but this is a much more comprehensive look at it, if indeed it is the Galaxy F their intend to launch.
Then again, it could be just a placeholder device they often use in generic promo videos. We'll just have to wait and see. Fortunately we are invited to the Unpacked 2019 and will be able to report back if we find a folding phone.
Entry to console gaming has always been pretty inexpensive, but soon it might be less expensive than ever, thanks to affordable versions planned by multiple companies.
Microsoft is said to be developing a new budget version of Xbox One, one with no optical drive. And now we've heard rumors about a less expensive version of Nintendo Switch too.
Nintendo seems to oscillate between massive hits and commercial failures. GameCube wasn't popular, Wii was a definitely hit, Wii U was a total bust, and now Switch has been taking the world by storm.
According to recent rumors from Japan, Nintendo is planning on releasing a cheaper version of Switch. Switch has already sold over 32 million units, and with a more affordable option to choose from maybe it can top 100 million in its lifetime like Wii.
The cheaper version is supposedly aimed towards mobile gaming enthusiasts and gaming on the go. It might actually be that there is no dock at all to connect the device to your TV, or you at least have to buy it separately.
If it doesn't support a dock, one possibility is that you can connect it to your TV via a USB-C port.
The previous one was called "Collection #1", and now HPI university (Hasso-Plattner-Institut) has released a tool to check if you have been breached in Collections #2 to #5.
These four new databases consist of 2.2 billion unique login and password entries. The collections were shared in BitTorrent networks and sized over 800 gigabytes.
Much of the data comes from large known data breaches, such as Yahoo's breach and Dropbox leaks, although it is impossible to say what leak is responsible for what portion as there is just simply too much data.
The Collection #1 breach checkup tool can still be found at the Have I been Pwned? website. HPI email checkup for Collections #2 - #5 can be found here.
Now the scandal is expanding as new reports emerge claiming Google has been doing the same thing for years.
Facebook had been paying users $20 a month to install a data monitoring app which was distributed using the Enterprise Development Program. The program, which is a way to bypass App Store, is meant only for internal use, not for public distribution of apps.
Google has been using the same avenue to collect data, TechCrunch reports.
Google-owned Screenwise Meter app has been distributed using the Enterprise Development Program to users whose smartphone data they've been collecting.
Just like Facebook, Google has been paying the volunteers, in their case with gift cards. The app, and the corresponding gift card scheme, was introduced in 2012.
As we all know, Apple loves proprietary technologies so much that sometimes it makes completely mundane feature sound like they are a new innovation.
Some of their own tech is pretty impressive, but others should be scrapped for a more universally accepted technology. One of these is of course Lightning port.
Apple has fought against universal chargers for ages, and although Lightning port is far from the worst of them, it still isn't USB-C.
Fortunately, according to Bloomberg, this is about to change. Report has it that Apple is already using USB-C, the first reversible USB connector found in most higher-end Android phones these days, in their current iPhone prototypes.
This doesn't come as a huge surprise after Apple moved away from Lightning port in the iPad line when they introduced the newest iPad Pro with USB-C.
Even though USB-C should technically reduce the need of adapters as more and more peripherals support the port out of the box, you have to remember that old iPhone accessories are compatible only with Lightning.
Bloomberg also reports that the upcoming iPhone will have a triple camera setup, like some Android counterparts. One of the lenses is supposedly a wide angle lens that allows expanding the photo afterwards.
Due to anti-gambling policies in Belgium, Electronic Arts (EA) will stop Belgians from purchasing Fifa Points in the country.
Players will still be able to earn Fifa Points, but not able to buy them after the gambling regulator in the country threatened action. With the points, players can make digital purchases in-game. The Belgian gambling commission has been cracking down on 'loot boxes' in games, which are virtual crates in games that contain weapons and other items used in games.
According to the Belgian Gambling Commission, loot boxes are essentially the same as gambling because they are games of chance.
"After further discussions with the Belgian authorities, we have decided to stop offering Fifa Points for sale in Belgium," EA said in a statement.
"We're working to make these changes effective in our Fifa console and PC games by 31 January 2019. While we are taking this action, we do not agree with Belgian authorities' interpretation of the law, and we will continue to seek more clarity on the matter as we go forward."
Gamers reported a variety of issues with their Xbox One consoles on Wednesday, including a black screen issue that saw the console completely unusable.
Microsoft was acknowledging the reports throughout the day and confirmed that the issues were caused by a service change. Among the reported issues were problems signing in, problems with title updates and unresponsive guides. The worst issue, however, was a black screen on startup, rendering the consoles unusable altogether.
Microsoft has since identified the issue that was caused by a service change and has rolled back, which should fix the problems being experienced by users.
The issues surrounding Xbox One console startup, sign-in, title update errors, and our status page have now been resolved. Thank you for sticking with us while our teams addressed these issues and we appreciate the reports. As always, we're here and we're listening.
Apple says Facebook has been abusing its membership of the Enterprise Development Program to push data-collecting apps to consumers.
Earlier this week it emerged that Facebook had been paying $20 a month to users aged between 17 and 35 to monitor their activity online. This was achieved by sideloading a VPN app onto the devices of the participants. That Facebook Research app has now provoked Apple to take action against the social media network.
Facebook took advantage of Apple's Enterprise Developer Certificates to sideload the app - install it on the devices without pushing it through the official App Store. Apple has responded by revoking Facebook's certificates, which has reportedly caused considerable disruption for Facebook.
In a statement, Apple said:
"We designed our Enterprise Developer Program solely for the internal distribution of apps within an organization. Facebook has been using their membership to distribute a data-collecting app to consumers, which is a clear breach of their agreement with Apple."
"Any developer using their enterprise certificates to distribute apps to consumers will have their certificates revoked, which is what we did in this case to protect our users and their data."
According to an AppleInsider report, Facebook is trying to work out an arrangement to get the enterprise development certificate restored.
Samsung has unveiled a new advanced display driver IC that it says will drive new 8K all-display televisions.
The new 8K display driver IC (DDI) provides for intra-panel data transfer speed at up to 4-gigabit-per-second (Gbps), enough to transfer true 8K images to 8K panels without additional components and allowing for more streamlined product designs for slim bezel-less TVs of 65-inch or larger.
Given that 8K resolution has four times the number of pixels than 4K UHD, the amount of image data to be transferred within a panel must increase accordingly, as well as the number of components to support that task.
"To deliver true 8K resolution, it is essential for today's DDIs to support a high-speed 4Gbps intra-panel interface," said Ben K. Hur, senior vice president of System LSI marketing at Samsung Electronics.
"Samsung's 8K DDI (S6CT93P) with USI-T 2.0 will bring stunning 8K images to premium displays that can take visual experiences on large-screen TVs to the new level."
Lower sales of Apple's iPhone models in some regions of the world have hit the firm's financial performance, but it is bullish on future services revenue.
Apple revealed that its revenue from iPhone sales fell 15 percent in the most recent quarter, driving a 5 percent overall drop in the firm's revenue compared to a year earlier. Revenue in the quarter was $84.3 billion, which is around where Apple had cautioned investors it could end up.
"While it was disappointing to miss our revenue guidance, we manage Apple for the long term, and this quarter's results demonstrate that the underlying strength of our business runs deep and wide," said Apple CEO Tim Cook.
Sales of Apple's iPhones were particularly lower in the greater China region, where overall sales dropped by more than 25 percent during the quarter compared to the previous year. Europe also saw a 3 percent drop in overall sales for the Cupertino giant.
While acknowledging the drop in hardware sales, Apple is very optimistic about its revenue in services. During the same quarter, its services revenue rose 19 percent to a firm record of $10.9 billion.
Apple is to fix a bug in FaceTime that means audio from a recipient's end can be listened to before they have even answered a video call.
The problem appears to be with the group calling feature that was released to the public in October 2018. It means that a user can place a video call to a recipient and can hear the audio feed from the recipient's phone even before they have answered the call.
This is obviously a major privacy concern and Apple is aware of it.
"We're aware of this issue and we have identified a fix that will be released in a software update later this week," an Apple spokesperson said, reported the Reuters news agency.
The issue affects iPhones, iPads and Mac products.
If you are concerned about the bug, you could choose to disable FaceTime on your devices until the patches are pushed out by Apple. On an iPhone or iPad, open up the Settings app. You can then scroll down to FaceTime and toggle it off.
On a Mac, open the FaceTime app, click FaceTime in the Menu bar and you will see an option to turn off FaceTime.
Apple is reportedly working on a game subscription service, according to a report from Cheddar.
The report cites sources familiar with the service, which is in the earliest stages of development. They report that Apple began discussion a subscription service with developers in the second half of 2018.
It would charge users a monthly fee for unlimited access to a bundled list of game titles. Sony, Microsoft, Nintendo, and others also have similar services or plans for them as the rush is on to become the "Netflix for video games."
In addition to planning a game subscription service, Apple also reportedly spoke to some developers about acting as a pubisher for their titles.
While Apple could still abandon the plans at any point, the firm is putting more focus on its revenue from services particularly as its hardware sales have slowed. Sales of iPhones have slumped in recent months though Apple has not revealed exact numbers.
Apple has updated its App Store rules and guidelines to target apps that use dirty tricks while selling in-app subscriptions to users.
From now on, apps will have to be totally up front with monthly subscription prices. They will have to present the actual cost of a renewed subscription per month in the largest text, rather than showing potential cost savings and special offers in larger texts.
Apps that offer free trials must also be totally up front with how long the free trial is valid for, and the exact cost that will kick in once the free trial period is over.
While not required, Apple is also encouraging developers to let customers manage their subscriptions in-app, rather than through the App Store settings.
Users have often complained about winding up in subscriptions that cost more than they expected, and free trials with a shorter duration than expected.
Mastercard recently enforced new rules for merchants that offer free trials too which also require them to be upfront about costs, free trial durations and to make it very easy to cancel subscriptions.
Samsung Electronics has announced that it will dramatically reduce the use of plastics in the packaging material for its products, and focus on more environmentally friendly materials.
From the first half of 2019, the packaging used currently for Samsung's products and accessories – ranging from mobile phones and tablets to home appliances – will be substituted with environmentally sustainable materials like recycled/bio-based plastics and paper.
For its mobile phone, tablet and wearables, it will replace plastic used for holder trays with pulp molds, and bags wrapping accessories with eco-friendly materials. It will also alter the phone charger design, swapping the glossy exterior with a matte finish and eliminating plastic protection films.
While it will be increasing the use of paper, it will only use fiber materials certified by global environmental organizations. By 2030, Samsung aims to use 500 thousand tons of recycled plastics and collect 7.5 million tons of discarded products.
"Samsung Electronics is stepping up in addressing society's environmental issues such as resource depletion and plastic wastes," said Gyeong-bin Jeon, head of Samsung's Global Customer Satisfaction Center.
Spotify might be a behemoth in the music streaming world, and even Apple Music is having trouble catching up to them, but there are problems that come with being big.
Samsung is preparing for their most important event of the year, and leakers are all eyes on them. The Unpacked 2019 in San Fransisco later this month will feature of course the new Galaxy S10, but there might be much more on display.
Entry to console gaming has always been pretty inexpensive, but soon it might be less expensive than ever, thanks to affordable versions planned by multiple companies.
