Techmeme
February 18, 2020, 2:10 PM

Top News

Bloomberg:
Sources: iPhone SE 2 is on track to launch in March despite coronavirus crisis and updated iPad Pro models with a new camera system are expected in H1 2020  —  - Coronavirus has hurt both supply and demand for iPhone maker  — Low-cost iPhone plans said to remain on track for March launch
Apple:
Apple does not expect to meet revenue guidance for March quarter due to constrained iPhone supply and low demand due to store closures amid coronavirus crisis  —  As the public health response to COVID-19 continues, our thoughts remain with the communities and individuals most deeply affected by the disease …
Karen Hao / MIT Technology Review:
Interviews with current and former employees reveal how OpenAI has become more secretive as it tries to juggle its ideals with the need to finance its research  —  The AI moonshot was founded in the spirit of transparency.  This is the inside story of how competitive pressure eroded that idealism.
Lauren Kaori Gurley / VICE:
Kickstarter employees vote 46-37 to unionize with the Office and Professional Employees International Union, the first workers at a major tech company to do so  —  Kickstarter employees voted to form a union with the Office and Professional Employees International Union, which represents more than 100,000 white collar workers.
Steve Streza:
iOS users not subscribed to Apple's services are constantly forced to look at ads for those services, either in first-party apps or through push notifications  —  Over the years, Apple has built up a portfolio of services and add-ons that you pay for.  Starting with AppleCare extended warranties …
Dr. Ian Cutress / AnandTech:
Qualcomm unveils Snapdragon X60 5G modem built on a 5nm process, offering up to 7.5 Gbps download and 3 Gbps upload speeds  —  To date Qualcomm has promoted two key standalone 5G modems for widespread adoption: the Snapdragon X50 and the Snapdragon X55.  Today the company is disclosing details …
Amelia Lucas / CNBC:
Sources: US Commerce Department is proposing restrictions requiring foreign companies to obtain licenses in order to make chips for Huawei using US equipment  —  - The Commerce Department is considering requiring chip factories globally to obtain licenses if they want to use American equipment …
Saeed Azhar / Reuters:
Sources: SoftBank has invested $2.5B of its own cash into investments since October, as it seeks to re-establish credibility ahead of a planned Vision Fund 2  —  (Reuters) - SoftBank Group Corp (9984.T) has pumped $2.5 billion of its own cash into new investments since October …
Nicholas Quah / Hot Pod News:
Patreon has launched Patreon Capital, which provides creators with cash advances they pay back with slight interest using income earned on the platform  —  I was tempted to kick this story off with a platitude along the lines of: “Starting something is the hardest part.”
Aarian Marshall / Wired:
A look at how Uber drivers' strategies have changed in California after AB5, which has allowed drivers to see estimated ride payouts and destinations  —  In response to a new law, the ride-hail service shows California drivers where a ride would go and how much it would pay.  Drivers are learning when to say “No.”

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Featured Podcasts

Hard Fork:
The Future of Addictive Design + Going Deep at DeepMind + HatGPT
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.
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Great Chat:
Go touch some grass (but don't tweet about it)
A podcast mostly about tech. Brought to you weekly by Angela Du, Sally Shin, Mac Bohannon, Helen Min, and Ashley Mayer.
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Lenny's Podcast:
An AI state of the union: We've passed the inflection point, dark factories are coming, and automation timelines | Simon Willison
Interviews with world-class product leaders and growth experts to uncover actionable advice to help you build, launch, and grow your own product.
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Access:
The future of AI might be on your finger
A show about the tech industry's inside conversation, hosted by tech reporter Alex Heath and founder whisperer Ellis Hamburger.
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The Upstarts Podcast:
Axiom's Carina Hong: Solving Math's Hardest Problems With AI, And AI's Problems With Math
Veteran tech reporter Alex Konrad sits down with breakout entrepreneurs taking on the status quo to shake up their fields in AI, design, nuclear energy, space, and more.
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Tools and Weapons with Brad Smith:
Ryan Roslansky: Turning AI Anxiety into Skills for the Future of Work
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.
 

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More News

Chris Welch / The Verge:
Corbin Davenport / Android Police:

Earlier Picks

Brian Krebs / Krebs on Security:
Jay Peters / The Verge:
Reuters: