The FTC proposes new rules to curb data monetization by children
US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has proposed changes to the Children’s Online Privacy and Security Act (COPPA) to bring it into conformity with the latest technology. The new regulations will make it easier for tech companies to collect data of children under the age of 13 and share it with their parents. The FTC has also asked Congress to approve COPPA.
Beeper attempts to keep iMessage on his phone
Apple has finally shut down iMessage app Beeper Mini on Android. Apple’s iMessage app is fully-controlled and offers end-to-end encryption, while Beeper Mini claims it works on Mac devices. Beeper Mini uses the same registration data as Apple’s iMessage app, however, the registration data will have to be re-generated once or twice a day to keep the app in working order.
How Apple can avoid banning the Apple Watch
Apple’s decision to remove heart-rate monitors with Masimo’s pulse oximetry technology from its product lineup has raised many questions about its plans if it loses a patent case. “It is extraordinarily rare for the President to overturn a decision from International Trade Commission,” said Andrei Iancu, Co-chair of the Council for Innovation Promotion (C4IP). The US government had ordered Apple to remove the technology.
US lawmakers want the DOJ to investigate Apple
Several US lawmakers have written to Justice Department seeking an investigation into Apple’s attempts to disable messaging app Beeper Mini. Beeper Mini has been trying to provide an iMessage-compatible Android app, however, Apple has also been trying to disable it. The lawmakers have also asked DOJ to investigate Apple for “potentially anticompetitive conduct”.
The past 100 years have shaped science
Google DeepMind has said that the new version of its AI tool ‘AlphaFold’ will be released next year. Researchers had used it to predict the 3D shapes of proteins with high accuracy. They added that the tool will be releasing a new version of AlphaFold on December 9. The new version will be available through Google’s app for iOS and Android.
If the company finds that its app store is illegal, it will be required to pay $700 million
Google announced that it will contribute $650 million into a settlement fund to settle an antitrust lawsuit by several states against it. It will also pay $70 million to the states to settle the case. It has also agreed not to let developers link to their own websites to give customers discounted rates on Play Store.
Apple has stopped selling the Apple Watch Series 9 and Watch Ultra 2
Apple has said it’ll “take all measures to return Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 to customers in the US as soon as possible”. This comes after the US International Trade Commission (ITC) barred imports of Apple’s watches over a patent dispute with Masimo. The ruling banned imports of the smartwatches over Masimo’s use of e- EKG feature for its blood pressure monitoring.
The Apple Watch Series 9 and Watch Ultra 2 won’t be sold anymore
Apple has said that it will “continue to take all measures” to return Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 to customers in US as soon as possible. This comes after President Joe Biden ordered a 60-day delay in the import of Apple Watches until he reviews the US International Trade Commission’s (ITC) order banning Apple from selling its smartwatches in the US.
Hydrogen has a footprint on the water
A 1-megawatt pilot platform operated offshore for five months this year using desalinated seawater and a 10-megawatt platform is planned for Belgian waters in 2026. Sydney Water said it’s research confirmation the viability of hydrogen production from its treated water. Water for producing hydrogen by electrolysis must be 9 litres of H2O and treated to remove minerals that would gum up the works.
The company lay off a quarter of it’s work force
GM has formed an Employee Advisory Committee on Cruise’s Absence of Test Beds, as Ordered by the California Highway Safety Act (CLEP 2012), to review the company’s safety practices. The committee will advise Cruise on what it needs to do to improve its practices. This comes as Cruise fired 11 executives and suspended operations after a pedestrian was seriously injured in a crash.