Business news

Business

Google wins delay in opening Android app store to rivals

A US judge on Friday let Google delay opening Android-powered smartphones to rival app shops, suspending a November 1 deadline ordered in an antitrust case brought by Fortnite-maker Epic Games.

Business

A giant biotechnology company might go bust. What will happen to the millions of people's DNA it holds?

Since it was founded nearly two decades ago, 23andMe has grown into one of the largest biotechnology companies in the world. Millions of people have used its simple genetic testing service, which involves ordering a saliva ...

Business

Researchers study how to create a public–private network for the urban distribution of goods

Estimates suggest that 4 million parcels are delivered every day in Spain, most of which are destined for the metropolitan areas of large cities, which is where 55% of the country's population lives.

Business

AI bots easily bypass some social media safeguards, study reveals

While artificial intelligence (AI) bots can serve a legitimate purpose on social media—such as marketing or customer service—some are designed to manipulate public discussion, incite hate speech, spread misinformation ...

Business

New York Times takes aim at another AI company

The New York Times has sent a cease and desist letter to Perplexity, a hot AI startup often touted as a promising competitor to Google search, over alleged copyright infringement.

Business

Amazon wants to be everything to everyone

Amazon is bolstering its e-commerce empire while continuing a march deeper into people's lives, from robots to health care and entertainment.

Consumer & Gadgets

Exploring the hidden costs of free apps

Procrastination, sleep deprivation and reduced focus are part of the price we pay for free mobile apps. This is according to researchers at Linköping University and RISE, who have investigated the costs hidden behind the ...

Business

US weighs Google breakup in landmark trial

The US Department of Justice said on Tuesday it would demand that Google make profound changes to how it does business and even consider the possibility of a breakup, after the tech juggernaut was found to be running an illegal ...

Business

Google cracks down on climate change denial by targeting ads

Google is cracking down on digital ads promoting false climate change claims or being used to make money from such content, hoping to limit revenue for climate change deniers and stop the spread of misinformation on its platforms.

Business

Chinese central bank boss vows to further fintech crackdown

China will strengthen supervision of the online payments industry and continue its anti-monopoly crackdown, the governor of the central bank said, indicating Beijing will press ahead with a regulatory crackdown on the country's ...

Business

Irish tech sector weighs up implications of global tax plan

The day after Ireland backed plans for a minimum global corporation tax of 15 percent, tech firms lured to the Republic by its historically low levy are waking up to the possibility that their situation might now change radically.

Internet

Facebook controversy raises ethical questions for corporations

This week, Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen testified about the tens of thousands of pages of internal documents she leaked exposing how Facebook prioritized profits over the public's safety and called on lawmakers to ...

Business

FIFA video game maker mulls rename

US video game developer Electronic Arts is considering renaming FIFA, its immensely popular football video game series, the company said Thursday.

Business

Google to invest $1 bn to lift Africa internet access

Google announced Wednesday that it would invest $1 billion in boosting Africa's internet access and startup scene, as the tech giant eyes a youthful market increasingly armed with smartphones.

Internet

Spotify is powerful. Is it biased?

Research published in the International Journal of Industrial Organization found that independent-label music and female artists benefited most from an appearance on Spotify's New Music Friday playlist, which is a curated ...

Internet

Outage highlights how vital Facebook has become worldwide

The six-hour outage at Facebook, Instagram and Whatsapp was a headache for many casual users but far more serious for the millions of people worldwide who rely on the social media sites to run their businesses or communicate ...