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

Pent-up travel demand helps Lufthansa halve losses

German airline Lufthansa said Thursday it halved its losses in the second quarter compared to a year ago, as travel restrictions eased over the coronavirus pandemic and passengers returned.

Business

End tax breaks for gaming firms, says Chinese state media

China should end tax breaks for gaming companies as they have grown into global firms, a state-backed newspaper said Thursday, in the latest threat to the multi-billion sector to drift out through state-controlled media.

Business

Zoom's next act may be a threat to the rest of tech

The pandemic catapulted Zoom Video Communications Inc. from a scrappy upstart into a $111 billion video-conferencing behemoth, central to the lives of millions of remote workers and other socially distant users. Now, as COVID-19 ...

Business

Shares of Vodafone's India arm in free-fall

Shares in telecoms giant Vodafone's debt-ridden Indian unit fell sharply for a second day Wednesday following reports that its billionaire chairman thought the firm was on the brink of collapse and wanted to sell his stake.

Business

Alibaba earnings down as China tech giants face turmoil

Chinese e-commerce leader Alibaba Group said Tuesday that it posted lower profit but maintained steady revenue growth, indicating that a government crackdown on the country's tech giants was having little impact on its core ...

Business

China gaming shares dive after 'spiritual opium' warning

Shares of Tencent and other major Chinese gaming companies plummeted Tuesday after a state-run media article described online games as "spiritual opium", prompting the tech giant to consider a playing ban on children under ...

Business

Tencent limits gaming for kids after official media critique

China's biggest gaming company, Tencent Holdings, said Tuesday it will limit gaming time for minors and ban children under age 12 from making in-game purchases after a state media article called games "spiritual opium."

Business

Activision Blizzard executive exits following sexism row

Activision Blizzard unveiled a management shakeup Tuesday following employee protests and a California state lawsuit alleging the "Call of Duty" game maker enabled toxic workplace conditions and discriminated against women.