US Treasure Secretary warns TikTok will be shut down if Oracle deal is not closed, after reports China won't approve sale
TECHNOLOGY POWERING BUSINESS
September 2020
Google To Lease More London Office Space, Despite Remote Working
Search engine giant to lease extra 70,000 sq ft of office space in London’s King’s Cross area, despite remote working policy
Amazon One Scanner To Use Veins In Palm For Payments
Amazon One device will scan the veins in a human hand to authorise supermarket checkout payments for example, or entry to buildings
Germany To Toughen Scrutiny Of Huawei
Berlin is aiming for tougher oversight of Huawei, but stops short of an outright ban, as part of strategy to handle 'high risk vendors'
China Readying Google Antitrust Investigation – Report
Hollow threat? Chinese authorities reportedly preparing antitrust investigation of Google's Android OS, amid trade tensions
Google Concessions Likely To Win EU Approval For Fitbit Deal – Report
Alphabet division Google likely to win EU antitrust approval over its contrversial acquisition of wearable fitness provider Fitbit
Flightradar24 Suffers Repeated Cyberattacks
Popular aviation website Flightradar24 admits three cyberattacks in a two day period, after services knocked offline for hours
Uber Wins Appeal Against London Ban
Setback for TfL and also London mayor Sadiq Khan, after court upholds appeal by ride-hailing firm Uber against London ban
Microsoft Cloud Services Outage Hits Office 365, Outlook
Cloud services from technology giant Microsoft laid low on Monday evening for a number of hours, by what seems to be a botched upgrade
Nokia Wins 5G Contract From BT
Two months after the British government ordered Huawei equipment to be removed by 2027, Nokia signs 5G deal with EE owner BT
Judge Blocks TikTok US App Store Ban
US judge issues preliminary injunction barring order that would have made TikTok unavailable in the US, as administration seeks forced sale
Apple Grants Surprise Concession On App Store Fees
Apple grants three-month exception to App Store's 30 percent cut for businesses forced by pandemic to switch to online-only events
US Regulator Demands New Hearing On Qualcomm Decision
US Federal Trade Commission asks appeals court to reconsider decision that struck down landmark Qualcomm antitrust injunction
Twitter To Expand Labelling Of State-Affiliated Accounts
Twitter to expand policy of labelling state-affiliated accounts to more countries, amidst controversy over political disinformation
Google To Block Political Ads After US Election Day
Google to ban political ads after polls close after 3 November US presidential election, as internet companies face pressure to control misinformation
‘Taurus’ Malicious Ad Campaign Puts Data At Risk
Drive-by hacking tools plant Taurus data-stealing malware on vulnerable systems, as pandemic raises risk of corporate data being stolen from home computers
Amazon’s Flying Home Security Camera Sparks Privacy Debate
Always Home Cam drone from Amazon subsidiary Ring is designed to fly around homes to offer 'peace of mind', but critics say it invades privacy
Facebook Shuts Down Russian Military Intelligence Operations
Social networking giant takes down 'co-ordinated inauthentic behaviour' connected to Russian military intelligence services
Google Maps To Track Local Coronavirus Hotspots
Useful Covid-19 tracking data in your area. Google Maps will from this week being to show how prevalent coronavirus is in geographic areas
EC Challenges Court’s Quashing Of Apple £12bn Tax Bill
European regulator appeals court ruling, which rejected EU order for Apple to pay 13 billion euros ($11.8bn) in Irish back taxes
Coalition To Challenge Apple App Store Fees
Growing App Store revolt? Epic Games, Spotify, Deezer and other Apple critics create new coalition against App Store fees and rules
Tesla Sues US Government Over Chinese Tariffs
Electric car maker Tesla is suing Uncle Sam, in an effort to halt tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump on Chinese imports
EU Investigates Chinese Fibre Optic Cable Imports
Official investigation to see if imports of fibre optic cables from China are being sold in Europe at artificially low prices
Is Data the Answer To Business COVID-19 Recovery?
As businesses of all sizes build their strategies for COVID recovery, data will play a vital role. As the commercial landscape has changed, information is critical to creating new secure and robust processes and trading environments to ...
Facebook Oversight Board Ready For US Election
Facebook's oversight board that will make final decision on objectional content will launch just before US election on 3 November
NHS Covid-19 Tracing App Launches, But Not On Older iPhones
Coronavirus contact tracing app for people in England and Wales finally available for download, but it won't work on older iPhones
The road to recovery: Using data to keep selling
Nigel Cullington, Head of Marketing for Upland Software’s ESM Cloud, explains how data can help companies continue operating during the pandemic.
Facebook, Twitter, YouTube Agree To Hate Speech Audits
Social networking giants agree to outside audit of efforts to deal with hate speech, after advertising boycott by major firms
EU Regulators Extend Fitbit Antitrust Probe
Fitness data probe. European antitrust regulators have given themselves more time to investigate Google's acquisition of Fitbit
The Tech Of Health: How Wearable Technology Is the Key To Long-Term Fitness
News that Amazon has moved into the wearable health and fitness area with its Halo Band, Silicon UK considers the technologies and services we can all access to improve our health and stay fit. Wearable health has been an option for se ...
Coronavirus: Mobile World Congress Postponed To June 2021
Safety concerns due to the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic around the world, delays telecom sector's biggest gathering to June 2021
Huawei CEO: ‘Survival Is The Goal’
With US restrictions hurting its business and threatening its supply chain and tech inventory, Huawei says it is in survival mode
Tesla Battery Day: Elon Musk Touts New Advances
Tesla's Elon Musk 'battery day announcements include 'tabless' batteries for improved range; goal of making a $25,000 Tesla; and cobalt less batteries
Police Raid Dark Web Marketplaces, Seize 500kg of Drugs
Worldwide police operation against dark web vendors results in 179 arrests, seizure of 500kg of drugs, $6.5m (£5m) in cash and 64 firearms
IBM Hit With Another Age Discrimination Lawsuit
Big Blue once again accused of axing older staff, after another age discrimination lawsuit is filed against grandfather of tech industry
Old TV Responsible For Welsh Village Broadband Outage
Openreach sends in its 'SAS' engineers! Old TV set found to be responsible for two years of broadband outages in Welsh village
Twitter Investigates Picture Cropping Tool Over Racial Bias Concerns
Twitter confirms its algorithm used for picture-cropping is being investigated over racial bias concerns, and opens up its source code
Beijing Unlikely To Sanction Oracle TikTok Deal – Report
Chinese state media warn that despite President Trump's approval, China is unlikely to sign off on the Oracle, Walmart deal with ByteDance
COVID Education: How Tech Is Transforming Learning
As schools return, Silicon UK considers how technology has been used to keep students connected to their teachers and, what the future of education could look like. As hybrid working looks set to become the norm for businesses, will we ...
EU Plans To Bring In Crypto-Asset Rules By 2024
Proposed EU rules to be published this month aim to bring crypto-assets into line with existing regulatory framework, but risk stifling innovation
Amazon’s Zoox Obtains California Permit For Fully Driverless Car Tests
Amazon subsidiary Zoox receives permit to test driverless vehicles without a backup driver in California, one of only four granted such a licence to date
Twitter Adds Extra Security Ahead Of US Election
Twitter adds mandatory additional security measures to prominent political accounts ahead of US presidential election, following high-profile July hack
Police Open Homicide Probe Into Hospital Hack After Woman Dies
German prosecutors open negligent homicide investigation into ransomware attack on Düsseldorf hospital after death of woman needing critical care
TikTok US Ban Delayed As Trump Expresses Deal Approval
Trump says he approves of TikTok partnership with Oracle and Wal-Mart 'in concept', as judge blocks US download ban on WeChat
Tesla Wins Case Against Former Staffer Who Stole Data
Tesla wins court case against former employee at Tesla's Giga Nevada factory, who hacked systems and supplied data to unknown third parties
Patient Dies In Germany After Hospital Ransomware Attack
Real world consequence of ransomware attacks. A female patient has died as a result of a cyberattack at a German hospital
Tesla Driver Charged For Sleeping As Car Drove At 90mph
Unbelievable! Driver in Canada charged with dangerous driving, after he slept in fully reclined seat as his Tesla car drove at 90mph
ByteDance Majority Stake Puts Oracle-TikTok Deal At Risk – Report
Plan to keep majority stake in TikTok, will hinder White House approval reports suggest, as ByteDance warns China will also need to approve deal
Nintendo Shuts the Lid On 3DS
Nearly a decade after it first launched, Japanese gaming giant Nintendo discontinues its popular 3DS handheld gaming device
Aussie Regulator Refuses To Back Down After Facebook News Warning
Blunt warning from Facebook about blocking news sharing down under, receives equally blunt response from antitrust officials
Academic Sector Warned Of Cyber Threat By NCSC
Universities and schools are being warned by UK's cyber guardian of threats posed to their institutions after a spate of online attacks
Apple iOS 14 ‘Reimagines’ iPhone Experience, But Developers Unhappy
Major update to iPhone user experience begins rolling out to customers on Wednesday, but developers unhappy at short notice
Facebook Celebrity Boycott Joined By Kim Kardashian West
Kardashian joins Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Lawrence and others in celebrity boycott of Facebook's Instagram on Wednesday
Apple Responds After Spotify Criticises Apple One
Spotify condemns Apple One as anti-competitive behaviour, but Apple insists its subscription service can save customers money
Uber Safety Driver Charged With Homicide Over Fatal Crash
Backup safety driver involved in autonomous driving test in Arizona that killed a pedestrian is charged with negligent homicide
Apple One Subscription Bundle, Fitness+ Service Launched
Apple continues its move into the services segment with a bundled subscription package called Apple One, plus the Fitness+ virtual fitness service
Apple Unveils Watch 6 And New iPads
Apple launches new Watch Series 6 that measures blood oxygen levels to help in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as new iPad models
White House Reviewing Oracle TikTok Deal
Trump administration says it is reviewing TikTok's 'technology partner' deal with Oracle, and its Trump supporter Larry Ellison
Facebook Acquires More Office Space, Despite Remote Working Plan
Social networking platform acquires more office space in Washington, despite allowing staff to work from home until July 2021
European Court Backs EU Net Neutrality Rules
The top court in Europe, the CJEU, has officially backed the European Union's net neutrality laws that were enacted back in 2015
Microsoft Raises Orkney Undersea Data Centre
Up she rises! Microsoft’s moonshot project to build more environmentally sustainable data centres under the ocean is deemed successful
Google Achieves Carbon Neutral Footprint
Alphabet division becomes first major company to reach carbon neutrality, and is also world's largest corporate buyer of renewable energy
Oracle Confirms TikTok ‘Technology Partner’ Deal
Oracle says TikTok parent ByteDance has chosen it to be the app's 'trusted technology partner' in the US, ahead of sale deadline for TikTok's US operations
Renault Rolls Out Blockchain-Based System For Auto Industry Compliance
Renault's XCEED system uses Hyperledger Fabric blockchain technology to create neutral compliance-tracking platform for auto components
ARM Sold To Nvidia As Critics Blast Deal
Labour urges government to step in to ensure ARM retains its British headquarters as SoftBank agrees sale to Silicon Valley-based Nvidia
Tesla ‘In Talks’ To Establish Carbon-Neutral Nickel Mine
Tesla reportedly in talks with Canada's Giga Metals to establish environmentally friendly nickel mine in British Columbia as it expands battery production
Apple Modifies App Store Rules Amidst In-App Payments Row
Apple changes App Store guidelines to respond to criticism over in-app payment restrictions, but Epic Games is still left out in the cold
Tesla To Expand Charging Infrastructure In Europe
Tesla plans to build more Supercharger fast-charging points in Europe as it targets city centre dwellers who may not have access to home vehicle charging
Facebook Launches Legal Action Against Irish Regulator Over Data Order
Facebook begins legal action against Irish Data Protection Commission over preliminary order barring it from sending EU personal data to the US
England, Wales Contact Tracing App To Launch On 24 September
The Government has confirmed it will release its delayed contact tracing app for England and Wales on Thursday 24 September
Amazon Hires Former NSA Director In Charge During Snowden Revelations
Amazon names former NSA director to board of directors, who was also the man in charge when Edward Snowden blew spying whistle
President Trump Warns No Extension To TikTok Sale Deadline
Sell up or shutdown. ByteDance's 15 September deadline to sell TikTok operation will not be extended, President Trump warns
Tesco To Trial Drone Delivery Service
Late to the party? UK's biggest supermarket Tesco to trial drone deliveries for small basket-sized shops in southern Ireland
Huawei Readies Harmony OS For 2021 Android Replacement
Second version of Android replacement operating system, Harmony OS, announced by Huawei - with 2021 hinted at general release date by CEO
Coronavirus: Scotland Launches Covid-19 Contact Tracing App
Scottish government makes its Coronavirus contact tracing app (Protect Scotland) live as it tries to slow Covid-19 infections
Apple To Withdraw User ID Logins For Fortnite Gamers
Urgent warning from Epic Games that Apple will withdraw the Apple ID sign-in for Fortnite etc, due to ongoing legal dispute
EU Tells Facebook, Twitter, Google To Clamp Down On Fake News
Tech companies must do more to clamp down on fake news, amid a surge of disinformation during the global Coronavirus pandemic, says EU
PUBG Cuts Tencent Ties After Indian Ban
Effort to persuade Indian authorities not to ban PUBG Mobile, sees South Korean developer cut ties to Chinese publisher Tencent
Google Drive Outage In United States
Thousands of Google Drive users across the United States were unable to access the cloud storage platform for a number of hours on Tuesday
Android 11 Tightens Privacy Controls, Touts Conversation Management
Conversation management, upgraded media controls, smart device access, privacy permissions, and faster updates are some of the features of Android 11
Uber Pledges Electric Only Rides By 2030
Firm pledges to rid itself of combustion engine powered vehicles in US and Europe by 2030, and will be zero-emission by 2040
Apple Counter-sues Fortnite’s Epic Games
The Empire strikes back. Apple seeks damages from Epic Games for stealing commission charges, as it launches counter lawsuit
Apple Teases Event On 15 September
Arrival of the delayed iPhone 12 portfolio? Smartphone maker Apple schedules Tuesday 15 September for unspecified media event
Epic Games Asks Court To Restore Fornite To App Store
Epic Games hammers on Apple App Store door...'let us back in', as court filing reveals Fortnite use on iOS platforms has declined by more than 60 percent
Verizon Opts For Samsung 5G Equipment
Bad news for Nokia and Ericsson, as one of the largest mobile operators in the United States opts for 5G equipment from Samsung
Visualizing Data: How Data Insights Could Be About To Change
Gartner recently noted a shift away from data dashboard. Is this a trend that will continue? As businesses collect vast quantities of information from their customers and commercial partners, how can this data be visualized for insight ...
AWS Lambasts President Trump, As Pentagon Confirms Microsoft Jedi Contract
US Department of Defense confirms Microsoft's JEDI award, but AWS calls it a “politically corrupted contract award” and lambasts US President Donald Trump
SMIC In ‘Complete Shock’ Over US Sanctions Threat
Shares in Chinese chip maker SMIC have plummeted over concerns it will get dragged into US-China tech cold war and put on a trade blacklist
Warner Music Warns Of Three-Month Payment Card Hack
Attackers made off with full payment card details from Warner Music Group e-commerce sites from April to August of this year, company tells customers
Tablet Sales Skyrocket As Lockdown Drives Demand
European consumers flock to tablets amidst sudden need for education and leisure devices, leading to segment's first growth spurt in six years
Palantir Opens Books To Investors Ahead Of NYSE Listing
Controversial loss-making data intelligence company to lay out its business to investors ahead of unusual direct listing on New York Stock Exchange
Amazon Deletes Thousands Of ‘Fake’ Reviews After Probe
Amazon deletes tens of thousands of reviews from its sites after two studies focus on use of fraudulent five-star reviews to promote substandard products
US Antitrust Lawsuit Against Google Coming ‘Within Weeks’
US Justice Department pushes ahead with competition lawsuit against Google as some within the department battle for more time to strengthen their case
US Estimates £1.4bn Bill To Remove Huawei, ZTE Gear
US telecoms regulator the FCC estimates rural US carriers will face a bill of at least £1.4bn to remove Chinese equipment as trade war intensifies
Apple Delays Advertising Privacy Changes
After pushback from Facebook and advertising associations, Apple delays implementation of new privacy controls on advertisers tracking ability
Facebook Halts Oculus Sales In Germany Over Privacy Concerns
German regulator slams decision to require virtual reality headset users to have FB account, so Facebook halts sales in Germany
NSA Surveillance Program Exposed By Edward Snowden, Ruled Unlawful
Spying setback. US Court of Appeals rules the NSA surveillance and mass data collection program exposed by Edward Snowden, was unlawful
Growing Demand Sees Amazon Promise 7,000 UK Jobs
Rare bit of good news on the jobs front as Amazon says it will create another 7,000 new jobs in the UK to cope with demand
Facebook To Halt Last Minute Political Adverts In US
Facebook said it will not take on any new political ads in the seven days prior to the US election, amid Coronavirus and misinformation concerns
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 To Cost $1,999
Not getting any cheaper. Second generation of Samsung's folding phone, the Galaxy Z Fold 2, will still cost an eye watering sum of money
The Tech Of Charity
How do charities use technology to manage their organizations and, raise their funds? In an environment dominated by COVID-19, how can charities leverage technology to maintain fundraising and offer new ways of giving?
Intel Unveils 11th Gen Core CPU, And Redesigns Logo
Chip giant conducts only its third brand refresh in the past 51 years, as it unveils its 11th generation Core PC processor
Twitter Account Of Indian Prime Minister Hacked
The official Twitter account of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been hacked, asking for a cryptocurrency donation
Amazon Withdraws Job Listing For Union ‘Analyst’ – Report
Did Amazon attempt to hire people to spy on union activity within workforce? E-commerce giant says wording for position was inaccurate
India Bans 118 Mostly Chinese Apps, Including PUBG
India has increased its Chinese mobile app clampdown, with 118 mobile apps including Tencent's popular game PUBG Mobile, now banned
Microsoft Offers Deepfake Detection Tool
Effort to combat disinformation campaigns sees Microsoft offer software tool to help identify deepfake photos and videos ahead of US election
Facebook Dismantles Russian Influence Operation After FBI Tip
Russian meddling in the United States has been detected again and dismantled, after Facebook receives tip off from the FBI
Apple, Google Offer Covid-19 Contact Tracing
No need for official government app! Apple and Google to roll-out built-in Covid-19 exposure notifications to smartphones
Amazon Gains FAA Drone Delivery Approval
Critical certificate issued by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), nudges actual Amazon drone deliveries one step closer
Apple Orders 75 Million 5G iPhones From Suppliers – Report
Big demand expected for next generation iPhone handsets, as Apple reportedly asks suppliers to build 75 million 5G iPhones
Facebook To Block News Sharing In Australia Over Proposed Law Change
Blunt message for Australian politicians, as Facebook warns it will block news sharing down under if proposed law is approved
Neuralink Chip Implanted In Pig’s Brain
Elon Musk and his Neuralink team implant a computer chip in the brain of a pig, in the first stage of a human-machine interface
Pacific Undersea Cable Drops Hong Kong, Amid National Security Concerns
Google and Facebook's Pacific Light Cable Network (PLCN) cable will not be activated in Hong Kong, after security law and national security concerns