Techmeme
August 26, 2020, 2:10 PM

Top News

Sara Fischer / Axios:
Facebook warns publishers that Apple's upcoming privacy changes in iOS 14, which clamp down on ad tracking IDFA usage, will make Audience Network less effective  —  Facebook is warning advertisers that they can expect weaker ad performance from iPhone users once iOS 14 comes out next month …
New York Times:
How Microsoft's talks with TikTok ballooned from a small investment into a big, messy, closely watched political soap opera after Trump's intervention  —  Neither side wanted a big deal.  But what began as talks about a small investment ballooned with interventions from President Trump.
Mark Gurman / Bloomberg:
Sources: Apple plans to add AR content to Apple TV+ next year, as a form of bonus content akin to director commentaries, ahead of an AR headset in 2022  —  - Company plans to add AR-based bonus content to original video  — Apple seeks to make AR more mainstream ahead of headset launch
Ari Levy / CNBC:
In a letter from Palantir's S-1, CEO Alex Karp says Silicon Valley's “engineering elite” don't know “how society should be organized or what justice requires”  —  KEY POINTS  — In Palantir's filing to go public on Tuesday, CEO Alex Karp said Silicon Valley engineers …
New York Times:
As Palantir files to go public, questions remain about whether to define the company as a software business, a less-profitable consulting firm, or both  —  A tech start-up named for objects in “The Lord of the Rings” has become a major government contractor.  But what it does is not easy to understand.
Jordan Novet / CNBC:
Kate Cox / Ars Technica:
Unsealed court docs: Google engineers admitted knowing and discussing that the company's location privacy app settings were confusing and could be misleading  —  Users could make change, but it was “difficult enough that people won't,” one employee wrote.  —  Newly unsealed and partially …
Kyle Wiggers / VentureBeat:
White House announces $1B+ investment to create 12 research institutes focused on AI and quantum computing  —  The White House today detailed the establishment of 12 new research institutes focused on AI and quantum information science.  Agencies including the National Science Foundation …
Richard Lai / Engadget:
Hands-on with the ~$950 ASUS ZenFone 7 Pro, which has a flippable camera, Snapdragon 865 Plus, 6.67" 90Hz AMOLED display, and a 5,000mAh battery  —  ASUS has been taking a cautious approach to its new phones, at a time when rivals continue to churn out a mix of flagship and midrange devices.
Abner Li / 9to5Google:
Google rolls out Chrome 85 with 10% faster page load times, collapsible tab groups, a PDF editor, and more  —  Following version 84's release on Android, Mac, Windows, Linux, and Chrome OS, the next release of Google's browser is rolling out today.  Chrome 85 sees faster page loads …
Reuters:
Sources: Alibaba pauses investments in Indian companies for at least six months, but has no plans to lower stakes or exit investments, amid India-China tensions  —  NEW DELHI/HONG KONG (Reuters) - China's Alibaba Group has put on hold plans to invest in Indian companies …
Frank Chaparro / The Block:
Crypto derivatives exchange FTX has acquired crypto price tracking app Blockfolio for $150M, in the form of equity, FTX's native token, and cash  —  Crypto derivatives exchange FTX has acquired popular crypto price tracking app Blockfolio for $150 million in one of the largest acquisition deals in the digital asset space this year.
Bloomberg:
Source: UK might impose restrictions on TikTok's activities, like moving data out of the country, but will likely stop short of banning its planned London HQ  —  - Popular app may be banned from moving user data out of country  — But Johnson unlikely to impose outright ban on London office
Katie Abel / Footwear News:
Tony Hsieh is stepping down as Zappos CEO after 21 years at the helm; COO Kedar Deshpande will succeed him at the Amazon-owned company  —  Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh is stepping down after 21 years at the helm.  —  Kedar Deshpande, COO at the company, has assumed the role of CEO, according to an internal email obtained by FN.

Sponsor Posts

Google:
Try Gemini 3 Pro  —  Google's newest and most intelligent AI model that helps you bring any idea to life
Shopify:
Shopify: Revolutionizing Commerce with Winter Edition '26  —  Over 150+ new features transform how merchants build, design, and grow—with technology that amplifies creative vision.
Zoho:
Email fatigue is real: Here's how smart email tools help you regain control  —  Picture this: It's Monday morning.  You walk into the office feeling energized and ready to take on the week.
IDrive:
Protecting your Cloud Applications Data  —  Backing up Office 365, Google Workspace, Dropbox & Box data is critical to preventing data loss or corruption, complying with laws and avoiding critical downtime in case of a disaster.

Featured Podcasts

Big Technology Podcast:
OpenAI's 2026 Priority, Disney's AI Play, Datacenter Buildout Trouble
The Big Technology Podcast takes you behind the scenes in the tech world featuring interviews with plugged-in insiders and outside agitators.
Subscribe to Big Technology Podcast.
Hard Fork:
Australia Kicks Kids Off Social Media + Is the A.I. Water Issue Fake? + Hard Fork Wrapped
The future is already here. Each week, journalists Kevin Roose and Casey Newton explore and make sense of the latest in the rapidly changing world of tech.
Subscribe to Hard Fork.
Access:
Why the next AI frontier is phone calls, with Beside CEO Maxime Germain
A show about the tech industry's inside conversation, hosted by tech reporter Alex Heath and founder whisperer Ellis Hamburger.
Subscribe to Access.
Great Chat:
So what happens after AGI?
A podcast mostly about tech. Brought to you weekly by Angela Du, Sally Shin, Mac Bohannon, Helen Min, and Ashley Mayer.
Subscribe to Great Chat.
Tools and Weapons with Brad Smith:
Ted Sarandos: Netflix and how tech changed storytelling
Microsoft Vice Chair and President Brad Smith speaks with leaders in government, business, and culture to explore the most critical challenges at the intersection of technology and society.
Subscribe to Tools and Weapons with Brad Smith.
Channels with Peter Kafka:
Lachlan Cartwright Started in Tabloids. Now He's a Must-Read Media Gossip.
Media and tech aren't just intersecting - they're fully intertwined. To understand how those worlds work, Peter Kafka talks to industry leaders, upstarts and observers.
Subscribe to Channels with Peter Kafka.
 

About This Page

This is a Techmeme archive page. It shows how the site appeared at 2:10 PM ET, August 26, 2020.

The most current version of the site as always is available at our home page. To view an earlier snapshot click here and then modify the date indicated.

More News

Olaf Storbeck / Financial Times:

Earlier Picks

Patrick O'Neill / MIT Technology Review:
Issie Lapowsky / Protocol:
Lucas Matney / TechCrunch:
Ian Sherr / CNET:
Sara Fischer / Axios:
The Verge: