Sources: Amazon is planning to build and expand Whole Foods stores across the US to put more customers within range of its Prime Now two-hour delivery service — Expansion would widen tech giant's delivery reach — Amazon.com Inc. AMZN 1.12% is planning to build and expand Whole Foods stores across …
Malware attack on Tribune Publishing's network disrupts the printing and distribution of Saturday editions of LA Times, WSJ, NYT, and other papers — A cyberattack that appears to have originated from outside the United States caused major printing and delivery disruptions at several newspapers across …
How Facebook engineers keep Messenger from crashing on New Year's Eve, when more messages are sent than on any other day, through “graceful degradation” — Messenger's 1.3 billion users send more messages on New Year's Eve than on any other day of the year
Key Highlghts: Netflix will no longer allow users to pay for their plans on iPhone or iPad New Users will have to go to the Netflix website to pay and login to the app in their iOS devices The move is presumably a backlash against Apple's claim of a high 30 percent revenue cut from in-app purchases You can no longer renew your Netflix subscription from your iPhone or iPad. Along with other prominent app developers, Netflix will no longer allow customers to subscribe via iTunes by way of an in-app purchase on iOS devices. While the change was spotted earlier in November, Netflix delved deep into the move in a VentureBeat article on Friday. The report explained users who are already paying via iTunes may continue to do so. However, users renewing after a month or new sign ups will have to bill their purchase in the Netflix website and then login into the iOS app. Netflix is not the only streaming service to do so. Presumably done against Apple’s move to take a larger revenue share from in-app purchases, streaming apps like Spotify and Soundcloud had to charge extra for iOS users. Later, Spotify stopped in-app purchases altogether and iOS users can only pay for their plans via the website. Apple normally takes 30 percent of the revenues made via in-app purchases by an app. This may shrink down to 15 percent for long-term subscribers, but even then, many developers have argued that it takes away a substantial amount of their revenue. It’s partly the reason why most apps on iOS are more expensive as compared to their Android counterparts. Many have argued that the decision to cut away from developer’s profits gives Apple an unfair advantage. For Spotify, where Apple Music is present omnipotently across iOS devices, it is indeed so. It’s also somewhat unfair for Apple to make money out of content it doesn’t produce or even host. Related Links: App developers want better revenue cut from Apple
http://bit.ly/2BPdHuz
As Alphabet tests Wing drone deliveries in a suburb of Canberra, some enjoy the convenience of orders arriving in minutes while others complain about noise — In one of the world's most advanced drone-delivery tests, sunscreen arrives in minutes—as do complaints
Profiles of Arab women influencers, like the recently murdered Tara Fares, who are pushing boundaries in conservative societies while facing death threats — Middle Eastern women like Tara Fares hustle for followers and brands like any other influencers — but they risk being killed for it
Bangladesh orders mobile operators to shut down high-speed mobile internet services to “prevent rumours and propaganda” ahead of national elections on Sunday — The country's telecom regulator say it ordered mobile operators to shut down 3G, 4G services until December 30 midnight.
European Commission to start offering bug bounties on 14 Free Software projects like Notepad++ and VLC that the EU institutions rely on — It's been a while since I last wrote about the Free and Open Source Software Audit project, FOSSA, so let me start with a quick recap that you can safely skip …
China approves the release of 80 video games, none of which are from Tencent, a week after lifting a nine-month freeze on approvals — SHANGHAI (Reuters) - China on Saturday approved the release of 80 online video games after a freeze on such approvals for most of the year.
How online hate and its long-term effects lingered for seven people in 2018, including a Parkland shooting survivor, a CNN journalist, and a track cyclist — It cost a school-shooting victim the safety of home. — It cost an athlete the joy of a victory. — It cost the family of a gay teen a battle with their community.
Katharine Gemmell / Bloomberg : Microsoft's partnership with Mistral AI will avoid a UK antitrust probe after the CMA finds Microsoft...
