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

FAA opens Boeing safety review amid reports of pressure

US air safety regulators will open a review of operations at Boeing after feedback from inspectors assigned to provide oversight for the government showed many feel unable to share their concerns.

Internet

When you buy an NFT, you don't completely own it

NFTs or non-fungible tokens first captured the public imagination when a digital collage by an artist named Beeple sold for US$69 million (£51 million) at Christie's in March 2021. Since then, there has been an explosion ...

Business

Samsung announces $205 billion investment plan

Samsung Group unveiled a $205 billion investment blueprint on Tuesday aimed at making the company a leader in a range of technologies from semiconductors to robotics and creating 40,000 new jobs.

Business

Walmart opens delivery services for all businesses

US shopping giant Walmart on Tuesday announced it was opening a delivery service for businesses, including other retailers, in its latest push to reposition itself and fend off Amazon's rise.

Business

California 'gig worker' ballot ruled unconstitutional

A California voter-approved referendum that lets many "gig workers" be treated as independent contractors was ruled unconstitutional on Friday, setting up more legal fights over the controversial measure.

Business

Hackers steal $97 mn from Japanese crypto exchange

Japanese cryptocurrency exchange Liquid was scrambling Friday to recover stolen assets worth nearly $100 million, in the second such major heist by hackers in recent days.

Business

Cooperative control brings 'smart shipping' closer to port

Drones are not the only autonomous vehicles at the forefront of automating deliveries and human services—ships may be about to turn the corner, assisted by helpful tugboats. Researchers at the Delft University of Technology ...

Business

China Telecom up nearly 20% in Shanghai debut

Shares in China Telecom surged nearly 20 percent in their Shanghai debut Friday after the world's biggest public offering of the year, coming after the company was delisted in the United States amid China-US tensions.

Business

New Chinese law tightens control over company data on users

China is tightening control over information gathered by companies about the public under a law approved Friday by its ceremonial legislature, expanding the ruling Communist Party's crackdown on internet industries.

Business

Three former Netflix employees charged with insider trading

US regulators on Wednesday filed insider trading charges against five people, including three former Netflix employees, accusing them of illegally using confidential data on subscriber growth at the streaming television giant.

Business

China state firms invest in TikTok sibling, Weibo chat app

The Chinese government has made investments in two of the nation's most significant technology firms—ByteDance, the Chinese company that owns global video app TikTok, and Weibo, China's version of Twitter—in a move apparently ...