Techmeme
August 13, 2020, 9:45 AM

Top News

Bloomberg:
Sources: Apple is readying tiered subscription bundles, starting with a basic package that will include Apple Music and Apple TV+, launching as early as Oct.  —  Apple Inc. is readying a series of bundles that will let customers subscribe to several of the company's digital services at a lower monthly price …
Wall Street Journal:
Sources: companies including Apple and Disney participated in a White House call over the WeChat ban, saying it could undermine their competitiveness in China  —  Companies including Apple, Disney and Walmart participate in call with White House over action against China's most important app
Manish Singh / TechCrunch:
Sources: ByteDance has been in talks with India's Reliance for investment in TikTok's India operations since late last month, after India banned the app in June  —  Chinese giant ByteDance is engaging with India's Reliance Industries Limited, the parent firm of telecom giant Jio Platforms …
James Vincent / The Verge:
Twitter launches API v2, the first complete rebuild of its API since 2012, in a bid to improve relations with third-party developers  —  Wooing developers with a new API  —  Twitter is making it easier for businesses, academics, and third-party developers to build on its platform with the launch of its API v2 today.
Andrew Webster / The Verge:
Epic offers new direct payment option in Fortnite on iOS and Android to get around app store fees and will pass along the savings to players  —  Plus, V-bucks get permanently discounted  —  Today, Epic announced the Fortnite “mega drop,” a permanent discount on V-bucks and other cash purchases in the game of up to 20 percent.
Chaim Gartenberg / The Verge:
Intel offers a first look at its next-gen Tiger Lake processors and Xe graphics, both of which promise to offer higher performance and lower power consumption  —  Architecture Day 2020 offers a preview of Intel's future  —  Intel's Architecture Day 2020 brought a first look …
Nathan DiCamillo / CoinDesk:
Coinbase says it will offer fiat loans to US retail customers, backed by as much as 30% of a customer's bitcoin holdings, in 17 states this fall  —  Coinbase will allow U.S. retail customers to borrow fiat loans against as much as 30% of their bitcoin holdings in the fall, the San Francisco-based exchange announced Wednesday.
Naomi Gleit / About Facebook:
Facebook launches a Voting Information Center on Facebook and Instagram, a one-stop-shop for information on how to register and vote  —  In June we announced that we're conducting the largest voting information campaign in American history, with the goal of helping 4 million voters register …
Nancy Scola / Politico:
Google, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and others partner to scenario-plan for the last three months before US Election Day, including slow election results  —  Google, Facebook, Twitter and other major social media companies are working together to scenario-plan for the last three months …
New York Times:
Israel says it thwarted an attack on its defense industry by North Korea-linked hacking group Lazarus, but researchers say classified data was likely stolen  —  Israel says the attack was thwarted, but a cybersecurity firm says it was successful.  Some officials fear that classified data stolen …
Brian J Barth / OneZero :
A look at how Alphabet subsidiary Sidewalk Labs' bet on making Toronto a smart city failed, driven by intense resistance from residents and civic leaders  —  Alphabet bet big in Toronto.  Toronto didn't play along.  —  October 2017, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau spoke …
Alex Heath / The Information:
Source: Facebook and Snap recently approached Dubsmash, a lip-syncing video app, about an acquisition, with discussions including a possible nine-figure deal  —  Facebook and Snap recently held talks to buy Dubsmash, a lip-syncing video app that has surged in popularity alongside a crop of other TikTok competitors.
New York Times:
Hands-on with Instagram's Reels: confusing, frustrating, impossible to navigate, and lacking TikTok's editing features  —  TikTok might not be winning over President Trump, but it sure beats its Instagram copycat for making and sharing short videos.  —  Millions of people have used …
Alex Kantrowitz / Big Technology:
Tom Warren / The Verge:
Microsoft is launching its Surface Duo dual-screen Android phone on September 10 for $1,399, with preorders starting today in the US  —  Microsoft is launching its Surface Duo dual-screen Android phone on September 10th, priced from $1,399.  After months of Microsoft executives teasing …
Scott Stein / CNET:

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More News

Lora Kolodny / CNBC:
Anthony Ha / TechCrunch:

Earlier Picks

Bloomberg:
Kevin Roose / New York Times:
Joseph Cox / VICE:
Lauren Feiner / CNBC: