Techmeme
March 13, 2021, 4:15 PM

Top News

Matthew Panzarino / TechCrunch:
Apple says it is discontinuing the original HomePod to focus on HomePod mini, will provide HomePod owners software updates and support via Apple Care  —  After 4 years on the market, Apple has discontinued its original HomePod.  It says that it will continue to produce and focus on the HomePod mini, introduced last year.
Joseph Cox / VICE:
US DOJ indicts CEO of encrypted phone company Sky for selling devices to drug traffickers, the second such company to face charges after Phantom Secure  —  “The indictment alleges that Sky Global generated hundreds of millions of dollars providing a service that allowed criminal networks around …
Hamish McKenzie / Substack Blog:
Substack co-founder on how Substack Pro works: year one, writers get upfront pay, Substack keeps 85% of revenue; later, writers keep 90% revenue, no minimum pay  —  The thinking behind Substack Pro  —  When we started Substack in mid-2017, the future for writers was frightening.
Jay Peters / The Verge:
Microsoft will adjust its release cycle for Edge to match the four-week release cadence of Chrome, starting with Edge 94, which is set for release in September  —  The change will go into effect in September  —  Microsoft is going to adjust its release cycles for Microsoft Edge to match …
James Tarmy / Bloomberg:
MetaKovan, an anonymous digital asset investor and founder of NFT focused crypto-based investment fund Metapurse, is the buyer of the $69M Beeple NFT  —  A digital asset investor who goes by the handle Metakovan and refuses to give his full name, announced that he is the buyer …
Hayden Field / Morning Brew:
An inside look at Gen X, Amex's latest ML-based fraud detection model, which was developed, updated, and rolled out as spending patterns changed amid lockdowns  —  For Amex's fraud risk team, the year leading up to the new model's rollout was full of upended expectations—and wishing they had a stress ball handy
Lora Kolodny / CNBC:
NTSB sent a letter to the NHTSA asking for stricter standards on automated vehicle tech, citing Tesla's Level 2 Autopilot system tests as needing more oversight  —  - The National Transportation Safety Board is calling on its sister agency, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration …
Kent Walker / The Keyword:
Google says Microsoft's support of a bill for greater bargaining power for news pubs is “self-serving” and intended to distract from the SolarWinds hack  —  Google has always been committed to providing high-quality and relevant information, and to supporting the news publishers who help create it.
Brad Smith / Microsoft On the Issues:

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Earlier Picks

Patrick Howell O'Neill / MIT Technology Review:
James Vincent / The Verge:
Chance Miller / 9to5Mac: