Why e-commerce platforms with Buy Now Pay Later business models are facing challenges

Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) firms have created one of the fastest-growing segments in consumer finance, with transaction volumes hitting $120 billion in 2021 up from just $33 billion in 2019, according to GlobalData. https://ift.tt/ex9D37Z

Meta investigating Sheryl Sandberg's use of company resources, claims report

Several employees have been interviewed in connection with the investigation by Facebook-parent Meta, the WSJ reported, adding that the probe has been underway since at least last fall. https://ift.tt/lNePUpO

After delivery startup Gorillas raised $1B in October, sources say it is drastically cutting costs, reducing staff benefits, and considering closing warehouses (Aggi Cantrill/Bloomberg)

Aggi Cantrill / Bloomberg:
After delivery startup Gorillas raised $1B in October, sources say it is drastically cutting costs, reducing staff benefits, and considering closing warehouses  —  After Germany's rapid food delivery startup Gorillas Technologies GmbH closed a $1 billion funding round last October …

How to change the alert sounds on your iPhone

The one stick with which Android users like to beat iPhone with is the lack of customisation options. Apple has in the last few years started to offer customisation options in iOS. However, it’s still limited but not as expansive as the customisation options available on Android. Take the case of alert sounds. It's fun to customise the iPhone’s alert sound to give it a more personal touch. https://ift.tt/o9EhAeL

Source: Meta will distribute the first version of its AR glasses, codenamed Orion, exclusively to developers, helping them build software for future devices (Alex Heath/The Verge)

Alex Heath / The Verge:
Source: Meta will distribute the first version of its AR glasses, codenamed Orion, exclusively to developers, helping them build software for future devices  —  It's also canceling a planned smartwatch with two cameras  —  Meta has decided to not sell the first version of its full-fledged AR glasses …

Alibaba drops as much as 8% after its Ant Group unit said it has no current plans to revive its IPO and a key regulator said it had not evaluated the listing (Arjun Kharpal/CNBC)

Arjun Kharpal / CNBC:
Alibaba drops as much as 8% after its Ant Group unit said it has no current plans to revive its IPO and a key regulator said it had not evaluated the listing  —  - Alibaba shares dropped 8% on Thursday after its financial affiliate Ant Group said there were currently no plans to revive a public listing.

Noise all set to launch India's most affordable smart glasses

Indian brand Noise is set to enter smart eyewear segment. The company is aiming to further strengthen its position in the wearable industry with the launch of the new connected lifestyle product, smart glasses. https://ift.tt/0xgZaih

The UK's CMA plans a market investigation into Apple's App Store restrictions on cloud gaming alongside Apple and Google's market power in mobile browsers (GOV.UK)

GOV.UK:
The UK's CMA plans a market investigation into Apple's App Store restrictions on cloud gaming alongside Apple and Google's market power in mobile browsers  —  Apple and Google “hold all the cards” with interventions needed to give innovators and competitors a fair chance to compete in mobile ecosystems

Cybertruck will be Tesla's best product ever, says Elon Musk

Tech billionaire Elon Musk said he believes that the upcoming Cybertruck will be the companys "best product ever". According to Teslarati, the Cybertruck was spotted at the Moss Landing Battery System's commissioning event in California earlier this week. It was sporting its 30X Cold-Rolled Stainless-Steel exoskeleton and its somewhat challenging wiper blade, which has been in development for some time, along with other portions of the vehicle, which have been modified since the vehicle's unveiling in late 2019. https://ift.tt/8CS0xhG

Palantir is preparing to bid on a £360M contract to underpin UK NHS' operations, to be awarded in November; Palantir employs 600 in the UK and plans to add 250 (Financial Times)

Financial Times:
Palantir is preparing to bid on a £360M contract to underpin UK NHS' operations, to be awarded in November; Palantir employs 600 in the UK and plans to add 250  —  US data analytics group hires health service executives in bid to secure £360mn contract

UK startup Papercup, which uses AI for video dubbing, raises a $20M Series A led by Octopus Ventures to invest in adding "more human-like voices" to AI dubbing (Georg Szalai/The Hollywood Reporter)

Georg Szalai / The Hollywood Reporter:
UK startup Papercup, which uses AI for video dubbing, raises a $20M Series A led by Octopus Ventures to invest in adding “more human-like voices” to AI dubbing  —  The capital injection will allow the British firm to invest in bringing “more human-like voices” and “human emotion” to artificial intelligence dubbing.

Google Pixel Watch might have its own companion app

Google’s Pixel Watch will arrive later this year, and you might need a different app to pair it with your smartphone. Yes, instead of the WearOS app, users need to install the Pixel Watch app to pair it to their smartphone. It would be similar to how Samsung and Apple have a dedicated companion app for Galaxy Watch and Apple Watch. https://ift.tt/SVzY8Ft

Snapshot: 54% of ApeCoin owners vote in favor of remaining on Ethereum, after Yuga Labs floated creating its own blockchain after its huge metaverse land sale (Olga Kharif/Bloomberg)

Olga Kharif / Bloomberg:
Snapshot: 54% of ApeCoin owners vote in favor of remaining on Ethereum, after Yuga Labs floated creating its own blockchain after its huge metaverse land sale  —  ApeCoin owners have decided to keep the token, which is expected to be key to snagging exclusive metaverse game items and deals …

Meta may have put the development of its Apple Watch rival on hold

Last year, we learned that Meta has been working on a smartwatch, and it had invested billions of dollars in its development. Further, it was being reported that the watch would be coming out in the summer of 2022 for around $400. Cut to 2022, and Meta has reportedly put the project on hold. https://ift.tt/LhPJ8dx

How Amazon prevented 4 billion bad listings, dumped over 3 million fake products in 2021?

The results were mixed compared with 2020, when Amazon blocked 10 billion listings and got rid of 2 million phony products. The Seattle-based e-commerce juggernaut also saw a decrease in complaints of intellectual property infringement in 2021 while growing the number of active brands on its site. https://ift.tt/ZTqVjQs