Techmeme
August 18, 2020, 10:45 PM

Top News

Adi Robertson / The Verge:
Oculus will soon require all of its VR headset users to sign up with a Facebook account, removing support for new separate Oculus accounts in October  —  Support for separate Oculus accounts will end in 2023  —  Oculus will soon require all of its virtual reality headset users to sign up with a Facebook account.
Jon Porter / The Verge:
Google Maps says it's rolling out more detailed maps with improved street designs for SF, NYC, and London, and with more accurate natural features worldwide  —  Making natural features easier to see and streets easier to navigate  —  Google Maps is being redesigned to make it easier …
Dieter Bohn / The Verge:
Samsung Note20 Ultra review: has fast performance, multiday battery life, big display is great for streaming games, but camera bump is huge, and it's expensive  —  A refinement of the formula  —  Samsung has settled into a new routine for its Galaxy Note line of smartphones …
Michael Simon / PCWorld:
Samsung promises three generations of Android updates for many Galaxy S, Note, foldable, and A series devices, rivaling Google's three-year promise for Pixel  —  When Samsung launched the Galaxy Note 20 earlier this month, the biggest surprise wasn't the faster screen, smoother S Pen, or more powerful processor.
Steven T. Dennis / Bloomberg:
Senate Intelligence Committee concludes Putin ordered the 2016 hacking of Democratic Party accounts and the release of emails to harm Hillary Clinton's campaign  —  - Manafort described as a ‘grave counterintelligence threat’  — Report details plan to hurt Clinton, finds no Trump collusion
Chance Miller / 9to5Mac:
Report: a look at the narrowing regulatory exemptions Apple has been operating under in China, such as running an App Store without a local partner  —  Amid continued tension between the United States and China, a new report from The Information details how Apple could be impacted by Chinese retaliation.
Apple:
Apple renames Beats 1, its streaming radio station, Apple Music 1, and launches two new radio stations: Apple Music Hits and Apple Music Country  —  Apple Music 1 and two new stations, Apple Music Hits and Apple Music Country, feature exclusive original shows from the world's top music hosts and artists
The New Indian Express:
India's main opposition party asks Facebook to look into reports of favorable treatment towards BJP by Facebook's India team, replace it while investigating  —  The Congress and other opposition parties have attacked the social media giant after a US media report alleged that Facebook did not apply its hate speech rules on BJP leaders.
Matthew Handrahan / GamesIndustry.biz:
Take-Two Interactive has agreed to acquire NYC-based mobile game developer Playdots for $192M in cash and stock; Playdots had raised $10M Series A in 2014  —  New York-based studio's entire team will join Take-Two in cash and stock deal  —  Take-Two Interactive has acquired the mobile developer Playdots in a deal worth $192 million.
Sebastian Herrera / Wall Street Journal:
Amazon says it is expanding physical offices and adding 3,500 corporate employees in six major cities, including 2,000 jobs in New York City  —  The e-commerce giant says it is adding 3,500 employees in six major cities, including 2,000 jobs in New York City
Matthew Smith / TIME:
After saying it was committed to justice in Myanmar, Facebook is fighting The Gambia's suit in US court seeking info from FB for Rohingya genocide case at ICJ  —  Just when it seemed like Facebook's controversies might have peaked, the company now appears to be obstructing a genocide investigation, and it's using U.S. law to do it.
Nick Corasaniti / New York Times:
Inside the work of the DNC and RNC digital teams for the conventions: building a robust network, ensuring a livestream, producing a broadcast, and more  —  Making sure livestreams don't lag.  Sending out remote video kits.  Showing speakers how to avoid microphone mishaps.
Kate Conger / New York Times:
Sources: Uber and Lyft are considering a franchise-like model in California where they would license their brands to operators of vehicle fleets  —  Under pressure to classify their freelance drivers as full-time employees, the ride-hailing companies are discussing another option.
Manish Singh / TechCrunch:
Reliance Retail, India's largest retail chain, has acquired a 60% stake in online pharmacy Netmeds' parent firm Vitalic for about $83.2M  —  Reliance Retail has bought a 60% stake in pharma marketplace Netmeds' parent firm Vitalic for about $83.2 million, it said today …
Ashley Carman / The Verge:
Instagram starts rolling out QR codes for user profiles globally, a feature that it had first launched in Japan last year; Instagram is deprecating Nametags  —  Don't open Instagram to find a profile  —  Instagram is bringing QR codes to the app.  Users can now generate QR codes that'll …
More: 9to5Mac
Sam Shead / CNBC:
Pandemic-battered travel companies like GetYourGuide, Trivago, and HomeToGo say they have been feuding with Google for weeks over outstanding ad payments  —  - Google has been locked in a debate for weeks with the likes of GetYourGuide, Trivago and HomeToGo over outstanding ad payments.

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