Techmeme: Kuo: Apple is working on an updated version of the HomePod for release in Q4 2022 or Q1 2023, and there “may not be much innovation in hardware design” (Juli Clover/MacRumors)

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May 20, 2022, 9:05 PM

Top News

Washington Post:

Court docs and a source: Larry Ellison participated in a November 14, 2020 call that focused on strategies for contesting the legitimacy of the 2020 US election — The billionaire GOP donor participated along with Fox's Sean Hannity and Sen. Lindsey Graham, according to court filings and a participant

More: Protocol. Tweets: @robpegoraro, @normornstein, @mikedrucker, @washingtonpost, @samhouston, @remotesynth, @davidoatkins, @teddyschleifer, @mattzeitlin, @counternotions, @kombiz, @whstancil, @jaypinho, @scout_finch, @josheidelson, and @djrothkopf

Juli Clover / MacRumors:

Kuo: Apple is working on an updated version of the HomePod for release in Q4 2022 or Q1 2023, and there “may not be much innovation in hardware design” — Apple is working on an updated version of the HomePod that could come in the fourth quarter of 2022 or the first quarter of 2023 …

More: 9to5Mac, 9to5Mac, MobileSyrup, iDownloadBlog.com, iMore, SlashGear, Wccftech, Redmond Pie, iPhone in Canada Blog, iThinkDifferent, AppleInsider, AppleTrack, iClarified, and Cult of Mac

Tweets: @mingchikuo, @davemark, @apple_tomorrow, and @jake31krol

Joe Rossignol / MacRumors:

Report details the development of Apple's MR headset as sources say Jony Ive remains involved as an external consultant and the device is not focused on gaming — Earlier this week, The Information's Wayne Ma outlined struggles that Apple has faced during the development of its long-rumored AR/VR headset.

Source: The Information. More: Philip Elmer‑DeWitt, The Information, The Verge, getrevue.co, Tom's Guide, Wccftech, Slashdot, Macworld, iPhone in Canada Blog, AppleInsider, iPhone Hacks, TechCircle, BGR, Input, UploadVR, MobileSyrup, Fossbytes, 9to5Mac, iMore, and Cult of Mac

Adi Robertson / The Verge:

Qualcomm updates its AR Smart Viewer reference design with a higher-powered chipset, a Wi-Fi 6 / 6E and Bluetooth tethering system instead of USB-C, and more — But don't expect much battery life — Qualcomm is introducing a wireless version of its augmented reality Smart Viewer …

More: Qualcomm, Android Headlines, BGR, Forbes, TechRadar, CNET, iPhone in Canada Blog, AR Insider, MobileSyrup, UploadVR, Android Central, and Phandroid

Tweets: @androidcentral, @cesarberardini, @stanlarroque, @scobleizer, and @sadlyitsbradley

Sean Hollister / The Verge:

Qualcomm unveils the Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1, promising 10% faster CPU performance, 10% faster GPU clocks, and up to 30% better CPU and GPU power efficiency — Bragging rights (and battery life?) for gaming phones — Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 set the stage for the biggest Android smartphones of 2022 …

Jay Bonggolto / Android Central:

Google agrees to let Match Group offer alternative billing to Android users; the Tinder owner drops its request for a temporary restraining order against Google — Match Group apps will be able to offer alternative billing systems to users. — What you need to know

More: PR Newswire, TechCrunch, Android Police, Digital Trends, Wall Street Journal, PYMNTS.com, Reuters, and Thurrott

Murray Stassen / Music Business Worldwide:

Google agrees to keep Bandcamp in the Play Store even if it doesn't adopt Google's in-app payment system; Epic will keep 10% of Bandcamp's IAP revenue in escrow

More: Protocol, 9to5Google, and FOSS Patents

Tweets: @fosspatents, @drbarnard, and @timsweeneyepic

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From Mediagazer

Ashley Capoot / CNBC:

Disney and OpenAI sign a three-year deal to bring 200+ Disney characters to Sora; Disney will make a $1B investment in OpenAI and become a major OpenAI customer

Sara Guaglione / Digiday:

The Washington Post's new Your Personal Podcast, which offers AI-generated customizable podcasts, was developed under a multiyear agreement with ElevenLabs

Mark Stenberg / Adweek:

Sources: the tenure of Anastasia Nyrkovskaya, Fortune's outgoing CEO, was marked by turmoil over a clash with Victor Pang, a lawyer for the company's owner

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FinSMEs:

Noyo, which provides APIs to help companies offer health insurance and other employee benefits, raises a $45M Series B led by Norwest Venture Partners

More: Business Wire and Insider

TechCrunch:

Seoul prosecutors open an investigation into Terraform Labs, creator of the UST stablecoin and the LUNA token, as its co-founder Do Kwon faces a $78M tax fine

More: Decrypt, Angel City Stakes, Gizmodo, The Korea Times, NewsBTC, Finbold, and koreajoongangdaily.joins.com. Tweets: @jeffjohnroberts

Carly Page / TechCrunch:

Conti urges Costa Rican citizens to pressure their government to pay a ransom, now doubled to $20M, and says it is “determined to overthrow the government”

More: BleepingComputer, SiliconANGLE, and CPO Magazine

Tweets: @uuallan and @zackwhittaker

Matt Day / Bloomberg:

Amazon is testing a service that uses its Flex drivers to deliver packages from mall-based retailers, expanding the variety of goods available for fast shipment

More: PYMNTS.com, Benzinga, CNBC, and Barron's Online

Tweets: @brianroemmele and @masasoncap

Scharon Harding / Ars Technica:

HP refreshes its Spectre x360 laptop with Intel 12th Gen and AMD Ryzen 5000 CPUs, an Intel Arc GPU, a beefed-up webcam, and a quieter fan, starting at $1,650

More: CNET, The Verge, XDA Developers, XDA Developers, XDA Developers, Digital Trends, Pocket-lint, PCMag, Engadget, and windowscentral.com

Tweets: @ifixit and @frameworkputer

Jay Peters / The Verge:

In its annual diversity report, Google saw its “largest increases in representation of Black and Latinx Googlers in the US” at 20% YoY and 8% YoY, respectively

More: Silicon Valley Business … and Protocol

Tweets: @alphabetworkers and @peard33

Nilesh Christopher / Rest of World:

Bengaluru-based Koo, an app touted as India's answer to Twitter, offers a self-verification feature that highlights the risks of giving data to the government

More: Insider. Tweets: @restofworld, @restofworld, and @cengizyar

Earlier Picks

Timothy Craig / Crypto Briefing:

YC-backed DeFi startup Stablegains faces a lawsuit after losing $44M+ of users' funds by investing them in UST, despite previously claiming it was using USDC

Sarah Perez / TechCrunch:

Snapchat is working on Family Center, to let parents see who their teens are friends with and whom they are messaging; teens have the option to not participate

More: Social Media Today, dot.LA, iMore, MSPoweruser, 9to5Mac, and Benzinga

Tonya Riley / CyberScoop:

The FTC warns edtech companies to not use children's data for ads and other commercial purposes without parental consent, as it will “vigilantly enforce” COPPA

More: Federal Trade Commission, PCMag, Washington Post, The Register, govtech.com, Law Street Media, and Protocol

Tweets: @ftc, @justinbrookman, @cherkies, @linakhanftc, @maggiejordanacn, @tonyajoriley, and @hypervisible

Rich McHugh / Insider:

Docs: SpaceX paid $250K to settle a flight attendant's allegation that Elon Musk exposed himself and offered a horse in exchange for an erotic massage in 2016

More: The Guardian, Newslit Daily, Bloomberg, Electrek, Нов …, Gizmodo, Fossbytes, Benzinga, Engadget, The Verge, KRON4, Daily Mail, CNBC, Forbes, ZDNet, New York Post, Coinspeaker, Boing Boing, The Wrap, Android Headlines, and New York Times

Tweets: @elonmusk, @elonmusk, @elonmusk, @johnjcook, @nichcarlson, @elonmusk, @drewharwell, @popehat, @elonmusk, @karacarlson2, @ashleyfeinberg, @mmasnick, @elonmusk, @andst7, @elonmusk, @chad_hurley, @lebassett, @clarajeffery, @pixelatedboat, @cbouzy, @kenklippenstein, @danprimack, @gadyepstein, @jowiph, @imranzomg, @jeffgrubb, @nichcarlson, @drmistercody, @ericnewcomer, @parikpatelcfa, @jscros, @samthielman, @tedfrank, @parasocialyte, @goadgatsby, @chad_hurley, @michaelharriot, @sethabramson, @ashtonpittman, @internethippo, @davidfrum, @timobrien, @joemcken, @andizeisler, @moorehn, @johniadarola, @goldengateblond, @willoremus, @willoremus, @kimmasters, @sarahjeong, @sarahjeong, @marypcbuk, @dennisjromero, @sawyerhackett, @eriqgardner, @apollozac, @benadida, @wagatwe, @nicoleeinbinder, @cathygellis, @popehat, @mavenofmayhem, @marlownyc, and @lopezlinette