theverge--2020-08-12--Hyper Scape is having a rough launch on Twitch

Ubisoft entered the crowded battle royale market yesterday with Hyper Scape , a new first-person shooter promising a unique twist on the crowded formula .
Ahead of its release , the game looked like it had potential to be a big hit on Twitch , even topping the streaming giant ’ s most-viewed charts the day it was announced and its technical test first went live .
Sadly , the hype for Ubisoft ’ s futuristic free-to-play game has fallen off significantly , as it ’ s now pulling in abysmal viewership just one day after release on console and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hyper Scape has over 240,000 followers and just 11,000 viewers tuning in to watch various content creators stream it live .
( Compare that to Fall Guys , another battle royale game that launched last week , which has over 311,000 active viewers this afternoon and 431,000 total followers on the platform . )
Hyper Scape ’ s other competitors — Fortnite , Apex Legends , Call of Duty : Warzone , and PlayerUnknown ’ s Battlegrounds — have millions of followers and hundreds of thousands of viewers tuning in on a regular @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Hyper Scape , too , hoping it could rival the most popular titles on Twitch .
Ahead of its release , Ubisoft announced it was working on special Twitch integrations for the game , allowing viewers to decide random map events that would temporarily affect a streamer ’ s active match , such as infinite ammo or low gravity .
That same type of integration would also allow streamers to set up and partake in matches with their viewers instantly .
It ’ s not clear what ’ s causing such low @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be a number of factors such as oversaturation in the battle royale genre and stiff competition from games like Fortnite and Call of Duty : Warzone , which frequently release new content to keep players coming back .
Perhaps Shroud ’ s return to streaming exclusively on Twitch is another contributing factor .
The popular streamer did at one point have over 500,000 people watching his return to play Riot ’ s new tactical shooter Valorant .
Ubisoft is no stranger to growing its games over time .
The company turned Rainbow Six @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the course of many years and countless updates and expansions .
There is , of course , plenty of time for Hyper Scape to do the same .
But considering other battle royale hits have seen tens of millions of new players in their first weeks on the market , Ubisoft may need to get creative to help convince everyday players and streamers to give it a shot sooner rather than later .

Ubisoft entered the crowded battle royale market yesterday with Hyper Scape, a new first-person shooter promising a unique twist on the crowded formula. Ahead of its release, the game looked like it had potential to be a big hit on Twitch, even topping the streaming giant’s most-viewed charts the day it was announced and its technical test first went live. Sadly, the hype for Ubisoft’s futuristic free-to-play game has fallen off significantly, as it’s now pulling in abysmal viewership just one day after release on console and PC.
As of this afternoon, Hyper Scape has over 240,000 followers and just 11,000 viewers tuning in to watch various content creators stream it live. (Compare that to Fall Guys, another battle royale game that launched last week, which has over 311,000 active viewers this afternoon and 431,000 total followers on the platform.) Hyper Scape’s other competitors — Fortnite, Apex Legends, Call of Duty: Warzone, and PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds — have millions of followers and hundreds of thousands of viewers tuning in on a regular basis.
Ubisoft had big streaming plans for ‘Hyper Scape’
Ubisoft had big streaming plans for Hyper Scape, too, hoping it could rival the most popular titles on Twitch. Ahead of its release, Ubisoft announced it was working on special Twitch integrations for the game, allowing viewers to decide random map events that would temporarily affect a streamer’s active match, such as infinite ammo or low gravity. That same type of integration would also allow streamers to set up and partake in matches with their viewers instantly.
It’s not clear what’s causing such low viewership for Hyper Scape; it could be a number of factors such as oversaturation in the battle royale genre and stiff competition from games like Fortnite and Call of Duty: Warzone, which frequently release new content to keep players coming back. Perhaps Shroud’s return to streaming exclusively on Twitch is another contributing factor. The popular streamer did at one point have over 500,000 people watching his return to play Riot’s new tactical shooter Valorant.


theverge--2020-08-12--The 2021 Game Developers Conference will try to go physical again — but now in July

Last month , the world ’ s biggest tech show announced that CES would go online-only in 2021 instead of expecting companies and journalists to brave Las Vegas in January .
But the Game Developers Conference ( GDC ) just announced it isn ’ t following suit : it ’ ll hold a “ hybrid event taking place physically in San Francisco ” that also includes a “ robust virtual offering.
” While it ’ s not yet clear how robust the virtual portion will be , GDC 2021 does have one thing going for it right away : it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ next year , instead of the typical March timeframe .
Perhaps we ’ ll have a vaccine by then or at least be more confident about gigantic business and social gatherings .
Or perhaps it ’ ll simply be a smaller event : GDC has never been known as a showcase for big game industry announcements , and developers have sometimes resented it when companies use the show for that purpose .
In the wake of GDC ’ s makeup “ GDC Summer ” virtual event , it sounds like organizers intend to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , too , with a set of “ virtual GDC Master Classes ” that will offer day-long deep-dives into game development later this year .
They also intend to fill the March 2021 hole that GDC is leaving with a “ GDC Community Celebration ” : Finally , a week-long single-track “ GDC Community Celebration ” will run from March 1 through March 5 , 2021 , which will stream behind-the-scenes lectures on top games of the past year , high-profile talks , Q & As and more interactive content .
Organizers will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Q & As , with the lineup and sponsorship programs to be confirmed over the coming weeks and months .
GDC is promising more info on the hybrid event , including instructions for companies that want to attend , in the near future .
It sounds like the idea is very much still coming together , so don ’ t be surprised if plans change as society recovers from COVID-19 .

Last month, the world’s biggest tech show announced that CES would go online-only in 2021 instead of expecting companies and journalists to brave Las Vegas in January. But the Game Developers Conference (GDC) just announced it isn’t following suit: it’ll hold a “hybrid event taking place physically in San Francisco” that also includes a “robust virtual offering.”
While it’s not yet clear how robust the virtual portion will be, GDC 2021 does have one thing going for it right away: it’ll be held July 19th–21st of next year, instead of the typical March timeframe. Perhaps we’ll have a vaccine by then or at least be more confident about gigantic business and social gatherings.
Or perhaps it’ll simply be a smaller event: GDC has never been known as a showcase for big game industry announcements, and developers have sometimes resented it when companies use the show for that purpose.
In the wake of GDC’s makeup “GDC Summer” virtual event, it sounds like organizers intend to keep the virtual ball rolling this year, too, with a set of “virtual GDC Master Classes” that will offer day-long deep-dives into game development later this year. They also intend to fill the March 2021 hole that GDC is leaving with a “GDC Community Celebration”:
Finally, a week-long single-track “GDC Community Celebration” will run from March 1 through March 5, 2021, which will stream behind-the-scenes lectures on top games of the past year, high-profile talks, Q&As and more interactive content. Organizers will extend invitations to speakers to present talks and Q&As, with the lineup and sponsorship programs to be confirmed over the coming weeks and months.


theverge--2020-08-12--Shroud’s comeback stream shows the power of Twitch’s biggest names

Michael “ Shroud ” Grzesiek ’ s first stream back on Twitch after his departure for Mixer was , by any measure , a massive success .
He came back with more than 500,000 concurrents , a tide of subscriptions , and a new goatee .
Grzesiek ’ s stream was the most popular on Twitch for the time he was live — a full nine times bigger than top-five streamer Nick “ Nickmercs ” Kolcheff ’ s channel , which had around 55,000 live viewers .
“ God it feels good , man !
Ugh , fuck , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ d been a bit nervous when he started streaming and saw the viewer numbers climbing .
( He said he ’ d expected around 200,000 , for what it ’ s worth . )
“ It ’ s my first day .
There ’ s gon na be years .
Years.
” The chat was flying too fast for anyone to read .
It ’ s a win for Twitch , which signed Grzesiek to an exclusive deal after his Mixer contract was up when that site went dark for good .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ for years , and it ’ s very clear Twitch ’ s community was glad to have him back .
It remains to be seen whether Twitch will extend the same kind of deal to Tyler “ Ninja ” Blevins , another high-profile departure .
Since he left Mixer , Blevins has streamed on both YouTube and Twitch to massive numbers both times — it ’ s clear he ’ s testing the waters and figuring out where he ’ ll stream next .
Guy “ DrDisrespect ” Beahm , on the other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ where he also had around half a million people watching .
The chat was flying too fast for anyone to read What Grzesiek ’ s , Blevins ’ , and Beahm ’ s streams had in common — aside from the massive numbers — was that they hadn ’ t broadcast anything for a while .
On his stream , Grzesiek said he ’ d taken 45 days off , while Blevins popped up on YouTube a couple weeks after Mixer shut down in June .
Beahm got permanently banned from Twitch in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he didn ’ t return to streaming until last week .
A comeback stream is an event .
A kind of debutante ball for a streamer who has the public waiting eagerly for their return .
For Grzesiek and Blevins , returning to streaming meant seeing a large part of their communities again ; when both of them signed to Mixer , they lost significant chunks of their audiences , which is to say the people who wouldn ’ t follow them to a whole new website .
And that ’ s why @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s no hype quite like the hype generated when a streamer switches platforms or returns home .
Viewers love events .
It was easy to see how hyped the chat was during Grzesiek ’ s stream ; everyone was excited to see him back where he made his name in the first place .
And while he probably won ’ t keep the same wild numbers he ’ s pulling now — a couple hours into the stream , Grzesiek ’ s channel was down to 344,000 concurrents — he ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @

Michael “Shroud” Grzesiek’s first stream back on Twitch after his departure for Mixer was, by any measure, a massive success. He came back with more than 500,000 concurrents, a tide of subscriptions, and a new goatee. Grzesiek’s stream was the most popular on Twitch for the time he was live — a full nine times bigger than top-five streamer Nick “Nickmercs” Kolcheff’s channel, which had around 55,000 live viewers.
“God it feels good, man! Ugh, fuck,” said Grzesiek, who admitted that he’d been a bit nervous when he started streaming and saw the viewer numbers climbing. (He said he’d expected around 200,000, for what it’s worth.) “It’s my first day. There’s gonna be years. Years.” The chat was flying too fast for anyone to read.
It’s a win for Twitch, which signed Grzesiek to an exclusive deal after his Mixer contract was up when that site went dark for good. He was a fixture on the site for years, and it’s very clear Twitch’s community was glad to have him back. It remains to be seen whether Twitch will extend the same kind of deal to Tyler “Ninja” Blevins, another high-profile departure. Since he left Mixer, Blevins has streamed on both YouTube and Twitch to massive numbers both times — it’s clear he’s testing the waters and figuring out where he’ll stream next. Guy “DrDisrespect” Beahm, on the other hand, popped up at YouTube, where he also had around half a million people watching.
The chat was flying too fast for anyone to read
What Grzesiek’s, Blevins’, and Beahm’s streams had in common — aside from the massive numbers — was that they hadn’t broadcast anything for a while. On his stream, Grzesiek said he’d taken 45 days off, while Blevins popped up on YouTube a couple weeks after Mixer shut down in June. Beahm got permanently banned from Twitch in late June for unspecified reasons, and he didn’t return to streaming until last week.
A comeback stream is an event. A kind of debutante ball for a streamer who has the public waiting eagerly for their return. For Grzesiek and Blevins, returning to streaming meant seeing a large part of their communities again; when both of them signed to Mixer, they lost significant chunks of their audiences, which is to say the people who wouldn’t follow them to a whole new website. And that’s why their returns were so big: there’s no hype quite like the hype generated when a streamer switches platforms or returns home. Viewers love events.


theverge--2020-08-12--Avatar: The Last Airbender creators quit Netflix live-action adaptation over creative differences

Avatar : The Last Airbender creators Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko are no longer working on the live-action series adaptation set for Netflix .
The creators announced their departure on Wednesday , sparking concern among fans .
DiMartino ’ s lengthy blog post only confirmed those concerns , as the writer and executive producer noted that “ whatever version ends up on-screen , it will not be what Bryan and I had envisioned or intended to make.
” Both DiMartino and Konietzko cited creative differences with Netflix over the direction of the project .
The news may have come @ @ @ @ @ @ @ considering that when Netflix announced the project in 2018 , both DiMartino and Konietzko ’ s involvement was heavily promoted .
“ When Bryan and I signed on to the project in 2018 , we were hired as executive producers and showrunners , ” DiMartino wrote .
“ In a joint announcement for the series , Netflix said that it was committed to honoring our vision for this retelling and to supporting us on creating the series .
And we expressed how excited we were for the opportunity to be at the helm @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as we had hoped.
” Adaptations often move forward with different creative teams , but DiMartino ’ s and Konietzko ’ s statements will feel familiar to Percy Jackson fans .
Back in 2018 , Percy Jackson author Rick Riordan published his own lengthy blog post about the issues he faced early in production of the first live-action film , which was released in 2010 .
Riordan wrote that once he “ saw the final script and saw what they were doing on the set , I realized I had to step away @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Other creatives like Alan Moore ( Watchmen , Swamp Thing , V for Vendetta ) have completely disavowed adaptations of their work .
DiMartino recognized that while he “ couldn ’ t control the creative direction of the series , ” he could control his reaction and decided to leave .
“ It was the hardest professional decision I ’ ve ever had to make , and certainly not one that I took lightly , but it was necessary for my happiness and creative integrity , ” DiMartino wrote .
“ We have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bryan and the story that they created in the Avatar animated series , ” a Netflix spokesperson told The Verge .
“ Although they have chosen to depart the live action project , we are confident in the creative team and their adaptation.
” Konietzko added to DiMartino ’ s frustrations and wrote on Instagram that it wasn ’ t about them having full control over the series .
They were perfectly fine with collaborating “ as long as we felt those ideas were in line with the spirit and integrity of Avatar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ progressed , both Konietzko and DiMartino “ came to the belief that we would not be able to meaningfully guide the direction of the series.
” The project is moving forward with Nickelodeon and producer Dan Lin .
Fans do have a right to be concerned : the last time a live-action Avatar : The Last Airbender was attempted without DiMartino and Konietzko , it didn ’ t exactly go well .
Sorry , M. Night Shyamalan .
Update ( August 12th , 4:50pm ET ) : The story has been updated to @ @ @ @ @ @

Avatar: The Last Airbender creators Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko are no longer working on the live-action series adaptation set for Netflix.
The creators announced their departure on Wednesday, sparking concern among fans. DiMartino’s lengthy blog post only confirmed those concerns, as the writer and executive producer noted that “whatever version ends up on-screen, it will not be what Bryan and I had envisioned or intended to make.” Both DiMartino and Konietzko cited creative differences with Netflix over the direction of the project. The news may have come as a shock to Avatar fans, considering that when Netflix announced the project in 2018, both DiMartino and Konietzko’s involvement was heavily promoted.
“When Bryan and I signed on to the project in 2018, we were hired as executive producers and showrunners,” DiMartino wrote. “In a joint announcement for the series, Netflix said that it was committed to honoring our vision for this retelling and to supporting us on creating the series. And we expressed how excited we were for the opportunity to be at the helm. Unfortunately, things did not go as we had hoped.”
Adaptations often move forward with different creative teams, but DiMartino’s and Konietzko’s statements will feel familiar to Percy Jackson fans. Back in 2018, Percy Jackson author Rick Riordan published his own lengthy blog post about the issues he faced early in production of the first live-action film, which was released in 2010. Riordan wrote that once he “saw the final script and saw what they were doing on the set, I realized I had to step away for my own peace of mind.”
Other creatives like Alan Moore (Watchmen, Swamp Thing, V for Vendetta) have completely disavowed adaptations of their work. DiMartino recognized that while he “couldn’t control the creative direction of the series,” he could control his reaction and decided to leave. “It was the hardest professional decision I’ve ever had to make, and certainly not one that I took lightly, but it was necessary for my happiness and creative integrity,” DiMartino wrote.
“We have complete respect and admiration for Michael and Bryan and the story that they created in the Avatar animated series,” a Netflix spokesperson told The Verge. “Although they have chosen to depart the live action project, we are confident in the creative team and their adaptation.”
Konietzko added to DiMartino’s frustrations and wrote on Instagram that it wasn’t about them having full control over the series. They were perfectly fine with collaborating “as long as we felt those ideas were in line with the spirit and integrity of Avatar,” he wrote. As things progressed, both Konietzko and DiMartino “came to the belief that we would not be able to meaningfully guide the direction of the series.” The project is moving forward with Nickelodeon and producer Dan Lin.
Fans do have a right to be concerned: the last time a live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender was attempted without DiMartino and Konietzko, it didn’t exactly go well. Sorry, M. Night Shyamalan.


theverge--2020-08-12--Over 500,000 people watched Shroud’s return to Twitch

Michael “ Shroud ” Grzesiek , one of the most popular live streamers in the world , returned to Twitch on Wednesday following Microsoft ’ s decision to shut down the competing Mixer platform , attracting nearly 500,000 active viewers in his comeback stream before it even officially started .
Many of those viewers showed up only to find a “ starting soon ” message , before Shroud turned his camera on at roughly 2:50PM ET .
Twitch users continued to pour in , and Shroud surpassed half a million active viewers just a few minutes past the hour .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ technical difficulties , a common culprit he cites when showing up late to scheduled streams that has become a bit of an inside joke among his legion of fans .
But he did say the end result of apparent bit rate and audio issues was that his stream might remain capped at 720p .
Despite the early issues , a freshly goateed Shroud fired up Riot ’ s new tactical shooter Valorant , where he began maintaining between about 400,000 and 475,000 active viewers .
Shroud is currently responsible for more than 80 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which is now sitting at the top of the most-viewed Twitch charts .
Shroud , alongside his Fortnite-playing contemporary Tyler “ Ninja ” Blevins , signed a deal with Mixer before Microsoft reportedly paid him and other streamers out of their exclusive contracts as part of the shutdown terms .
He then spent more than a month away from streaming while he deliberated which platform he might return to , before announcing yesterday that he would come back to the Amazon-owned product where he originally began streaming .
Although Microsoft partnered with Facebook @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over to the social network ’ s Facebook Gaming platform , popular streamers like Ninja and Shroud were free to negotiate new deals , and Shroud picked Twitch .
It ’ s unclear how much money the platform paid to secure him , but Microsoft reportedly paid him in the ballpark of $ 10 million for his brief time on Mixer .

Michael “Shroud” Grzesiek, one of the most popular live streamers in the world, returned to Twitch on Wednesday following Microsoft’s decision to shut down the competing Mixer platform, attracting nearly 500,000 active viewers in his comeback stream before it even officially started. Many of those viewers showed up only to find a “starting soon” message, before Shroud turned his camera on at roughly 2:50PM ET. Twitch users continued to pour in, and Shroud surpassed half a million active viewers just a few minutes past the hour.
Shroud says his lateness was due to technical difficulties, a common culprit he cites when showing up late to scheduled streams that has become a bit of an inside joke among his legion of fans. But he did say the end result of apparent bit rate and audio issues was that his stream might remain capped at 720p. Despite the early issues, a freshly goateed Shroud fired up Riot’s new tactical shooter Valorant, where he began maintaining between about 400,000 and 475,000 active viewers. Shroud is currently responsible for more than 80 percent of the viewership of Valorant, which is now sitting at the top of the most-viewed Twitch charts.
Shroud, alongside his Fortnite-playing contemporary Tyler “Ninja” Blevins, signed a deal with Mixer before Microsoft reportedly paid him and other streamers out of their exclusive contracts as part of the shutdown terms. He then spent more than a month away from streaming while he deliberated which platform he might return to, before announcing yesterday that he would come back to the Amazon-owned product where he originally began streaming.


theverge--2020-08-13--Epic offers new direct payment in Fortnite on iOS and Android to get around app store fees

Today , Epic announced the Fortnite “ mega drop , ” a permanent discount on V-bucks and other cash purchases in the game of up to 20 percent .
The developer is quick to point out that it ’ s not a sale : these are new prices for the in-app currency in both the PC and console versions of the game .
On mobile , however , things are a bit more complicated .
On both iOS and Android , Epic has introduced a new direct payment option .
If you purchase V-bucks or anything else in the game @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Play Store , it will cost the same as always .
But the new direct option comes with the discount ; when you select it , the game sends you to a payment screen where you can choose either a credit card or PayPal .
“ Currently , there are no savings if players use Apple and Google payment options , where Apple and Google collect an exorbitant 30 percent fee on all payments , ” Epic says .
“ If Apple and Google lower their fees on payments , Epic will pass @ @ @ @ @ @ @ You can check out a list of supported countries here . )
It ’ s not clear exactly how Epic is able to get around these fees , but here ’ s some more detail from the company ’ s FAQ : Why has Epic decided to implement its payment system for purchases inside Fortnite on iOS and Android ?
By offering an alternate payment system , we ’ re not only offering players more choice , but we ’ re able to pass along the savings to players .
Does a new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are less safe ?
No .
Thousands of apps on the App Store approved by Apple accept direct payments , including commonly used apps like Amazon , Grubhub , Nike SNKRS , Best Buy , DoorDash , Fandango , McDonalds , Uber , Lyft , and StubHub .
We think all developers should be free to support direct payments in all apps .
In operating Fortnite on open platforms and operating the Epic Games Store , Epic has processed over $ 1,600,000,000 of direct payments successfully , and uses industry trusted encryption and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Clearly Apple and Google acknowledge that third party payment services are safe and acceptable for goods and services .
Epic direct payment simply offers players the same kinds of payment options as these other apps .
Of course , the battle between Epic and mobile app stores isn ’ t new .
In 2018 , the developer ignored Google Play completely when launching Fortnite on Android , before eventually giving in earlier this year .
“ After 18 months of operating Fortnite on Android outside of the Google Play Store , we ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Epic said in a statement back in April .
“ Google puts software downloadable outside of Google Play at a disadvantage , through technical and business measures such as scary , repetitive security pop-ups for downloaded and updated software , restrictive manufacturer and carrier agreements and dealings , Google public relations characterizing third party software sources as malware , and new efforts such as Google Play Protect to outright block software obtained outside the Google Play store.
” The company has been similarly critical of Apple ’ s store fees , joining @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , with CEO Tim Sweeney frequently speaking out about it .
As for Fortnite players , the new discounted prices are in effect today , and Epic says that it will be offering bonus V-bucks to those who made purchases after July 14th .
The developer is also giving a new in-game item — the Shooting Starstaff Pickaxe — for free to all active players .

Why has Epic decided to implement its payment system for purchases inside Fortnite on iOS and Android?
By offering an alternate payment system, we’re not only offering players more choice, but we’re able to pass along the savings to players.
Does a new payment method on mobile mean purchases there are less safe?
No. Thousands of apps on the App Store approved by Apple accept direct payments, including commonly used apps like Amazon, Grubhub, Nike SNKRS, Best Buy, DoorDash, Fandango, McDonalds, Uber, Lyft, and StubHub. We think all developers should be free to support direct payments in all apps. In operating Fortnite on open platforms and operating the Epic Games Store, Epic has processed over $1,600,000,000 of direct payments successfully, and uses industry trusted encryption and security measures to protect customer transactions.
Clearly Apple and Google acknowledge that third party payment services are safe and acceptable for goods and services. Epic direct payment simply offers players the same kinds of payment options as these other apps.


theverge--2020-08-13--Intel offers a first look at its next-gen Tiger Lake processors and Xe graphics

Intel ’ s Architecture Day 2020 brought a first look at the company ’ s upcoming Tiger Lake processors , along with a more detailed preview of Intel ’ s foray into building its own GPUs with its upcoming Xe graphics — both of which promise to offer higher performance and lower power consumption than ever before .
These new products are a big deal for Intel for a few reasons .
Intel ’ s been forced on the defensive the past few years , with heightened competition from AMD ; its recent 7nm Ryzen 4000 chips are already ahead @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chips from a manufacturing standpoint and , in many cases , outperform Intel ’ s offerings in laptops .
Intel is also facing pressure from ARM , which is starting to chip away at Intel ’ s control over the major computing space , with major companies like Microsoft , Samsung , and Apple beginning to offer ARM computers .
And of course , Intel recently announced that it ’ d be delaying its 7nm chips until at least 2022 — a major setback for its upcoming hardware releases .
Intel needs a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its partners and consumers alike why it ’ s still a force to be reckoned with in the processor world .
The company ’ s upcoming Tiger Lake chips ( expected to be Intel ’ s 11th Gen Core processors under the company ’ s current branded scheme ) are Intel ’ s attempt to fight back against its increased competition .
It ’ s powered by the company ’ s new Willow Cove architecture , which is built on a new “ SuperFin ” transistor that the company promises will offer a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ node shift would have offered .
That ’ s a big promise to make , but if Tiger Lake can meet that , it could be critical for Intel , given the 7nm delay .
Tiger Lake chips will offer dramatically better frequency speeds , while also drawing considerably less power The result of the new 10nm SuperFin design , though , is that Intel promises Tiger Lake chips will offer dramatically better frequency speeds , while also drawing considerably less power .
That means Intel will be able to offer chips that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voltage levels as today ’ s Ice Lake chips or offer comparable frequency rates while reducing power consumption .
Tiger Lake will also support a variety of new I/O standards out of the box , including Thunderbolt 4 and USB4 , DDR5 RAM at up to 5400MHz ( in addition to DDR4 at up to 3200MHz and LPDDR4X at up to 4767MHz ) , and PCIe Gen 4.0 ( offering speeds of up to 8GB per second to memory ) .
Intel is promising a major improvement for integrated graphics with Xe-LP Tiger @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Intel ’ s Xe graphics — specifically the first generation of Intel ’ s Xe-LP integrated graphics , which will offer up to 96 EUs ( a 50 percent increase ) and promises to provide similarly substantial increases over the current Gen11 graphics offered alongside its 10th Gen Ice Lake chips in both improved performance and lower power consumption .
The Xe-LP graphics will obviously offer big improvements to gaming across Intel ’ s lineup ( especially on devices that aren ’ t typically focused on gaming ) .
Intel showcased modern @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Doom Eternal , and Battlefield V running smoothly at 1080p on integrated Xe-LP graphics and noted that games that only ran on a 25W system with Gen11 were now achievable on a 15W system with Xe-LP .
Xe-LP also promises better performance for creators and display performance , with support for up to 8K UHD with HDR10 and Dolby vision panels , up to 360Hz refresh rates , and up to two times the performance for encoding and decoding video .
But Xe-LP is only a part of Intel ’ s graphics strategy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on its Xe-HP , the higher-powered version of its graphics architecture , with a demo showing off its video-encoding skills and promising a 2021 release window .
Intel announced another graphics microarchitecture : Xe-HPG , which will focus specifically on gaming and might represent Intel ’ s first foray into actively competing with AMD and Nvidia for gaming-focused GPUs .
Xe-HPG looks to combine aspects of the other Xe architectures and will be able to offer GPU-accelerated ray tracing when it starts shipping next year .
The company also announced that it has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ card ( based on the same Xe-LP technology that ’ ll be featured in Tiger Lake ) , which is set to ship later this year .
That GPU isn ’ t really the kind of high-end graphics card that you ’ d typically associate with the name .
It ’ s effectively just the integrated GPU that Intel will be shipping with Tiger Lake offered as an external card , allowing for better cooling .
It ’ s more of a proof-of-concept for Intel ’ s discrete GPU ambitions ( which , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than the next big thing in graphics .
Lastly , Intel previewed the next wave of its roadmap for 2021 .
Up next for its traditional microarchitectures is its 10nm Golden Cove cores , which promises further performance improvements , AI and 5G optimization , and increased security .
Golden Cove will be a key part of the newly announced Alder Lake series , which is a performance-focused hybrid chipset that will succeed the recently released Lakefield hybrid chips .
The current Lakefield chips take a similar approach to ARM ’ s BIG.little @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , more power-hungry core for performance with smaller cores for better efficiency .
Today ’ s single Core-class Sunny Cove core ( the same 10nm architecture the 10th Gen Ice Lake chips are based on ) with four low-power Atom-class Tremont cores , Alder Lake will combine Golden Cove cores with Gracemont ( the next-generation Atom cores , set to succeed Tremont ) for even better performance and lower power consumption .
That could potentially mean that Alder Lake could be coming to higher-powered laptops or even desktops in the future .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only a high-level , technical look at Intel ’ s upcoming hardware .
Expect a full reveal of the new Tiger Lake chips ( which will feature integrated Xe-LP graphics ) on September 2nd .

Intel’s Architecture Day 2020 brought a first look at the company’s upcoming Tiger Lake processors, along with a more detailed preview of Intel’s foray into building its own GPUs with its upcoming Xe graphics — both of which promise to offer higher performance and lower power consumption than ever before.
Intel needs a big win
These new products are a big deal for Intel for a few reasons. Intel’s been forced on the defensive the past few years, with heightened competition from AMD; its recent 7nm Ryzen 4000 chips are already ahead of Intel’s 10nm Ice Lake chips from a manufacturing standpoint and, in many cases, outperform Intel’s offerings in laptops. Intel is also facing pressure from ARM, which is starting to chip away at Intel’s control over the major computing space, with major companies like Microsoft, Samsung, and Apple beginning to offer ARM computers.
And of course, Intel recently announced that it’d be delaying its 7nm chips until at least 2022 — a major setback for its upcoming hardware releases. Intel needs a big win this fall, to show its partners and consumers alike why it’s still a force to be reckoned with in the processor world.
The company’s upcoming Tiger Lake chips (expected to be Intel’s 11th Gen Core processors under the company’s current branded scheme) are Intel’s attempt to fight back against its increased competition. It’s powered by the company’s new Willow Cove architecture, which is built on a new “SuperFin” transistor that the company promises will offer a generational type of increase that a full node shift would have offered. That’s a big promise to make, but if Tiger Lake can meet that, it could be critical for Intel, given the 7nm delay.
Tiger Lake chips will offer dramatically better frequency speeds, while also drawing considerably less power
The result of the new 10nm SuperFin design, though, is that Intel promises Tiger Lake chips will offer dramatically better frequency speeds, while also drawing considerably less power. That means Intel will be able to offer chips that provide big performance boosts at the same voltage levels as today’s Ice Lake chips or offer comparable frequency rates while reducing power consumption.
Tiger Lake will also support a variety of new I/O standards out of the box, including Thunderbolt 4 and USB4, DDR5 RAM at up to 5400MHz (in addition to DDR4 at up to 3200MHz and LPDDR4X at up to 4767MHz), and PCIe Gen 4.0 (offering speeds of up to 8GB per second to memory).
Intel is promising a major improvement for integrated graphics with Xe-LP
Tiger Lake will also be the public debut of Intel’s Xe graphics — specifically the first generation of Intel’s Xe-LP integrated graphics, which will offer up to 96 EUs (a 50 percent increase) and promises to provide similarly substantial increases over the current Gen11 graphics offered alongside its 10th Gen Ice Lake chips in both improved performance and lower power consumption.
The Xe-LP graphics will obviously offer big improvements to gaming across Intel’s lineup (especially on devices that aren’t typically focused on gaming). Intel showcased modern AAA games like PUBG, Grid, Doom Eternal, and Battlefield V running smoothly at 1080p on integrated Xe-LP graphics and noted that games that only ran on a 25W system with Gen11 were now achievable on a 15W system with Xe-LP.
Xe-LP also promises better performance for creators and display performance, with support for up to 8K UHD with HDR10 and Dolby vision panels, up to 360Hz refresh rates, and up to two times the performance for encoding and decoding video.
But Xe-LP is only a part of Intel’s graphics strategy. The company also offered an update on its Xe-HP, the higher-powered version of its graphics architecture, with a demo showing off its video-encoding skills and promising a 2021 release window. Intel announced another graphics microarchitecture: Xe-HPG, which will focus specifically on gaming and might represent Intel’s first foray into actively competing with AMD and Nvidia for gaming-focused GPUs. Xe-HPG looks to combine aspects of the other Xe architectures and will be able to offer GPU-accelerated ray tracing when it starts shipping next year.
The company also announced that it has started production of its DG1 discrete graphics card (based on the same Xe-LP technology that’ll be featured in Tiger Lake), which is set to ship later this year. That GPU isn’t really the kind of high-end graphics card that you’d typically associate with the name. It’s effectively just the integrated GPU that Intel will be shipping with Tiger Lake offered as an external card, allowing for better cooling. It’s more of a proof-of-concept for Intel’s discrete GPU ambitions (which, as mentioned above, are extensive) than the next big thing in graphics.
Lastly, Intel previewed the next wave of its roadmap for 2021. Up next for its traditional microarchitectures is its 10nm Golden Cove cores, which promises further performance improvements, AI and 5G optimization, and increased security. Golden Cove will be a key part of the newly announced Alder Lake series, which is a performance-focused hybrid chipset that will succeed the recently released Lakefield hybrid chips.
The current Lakefield chips take a similar approach to ARM’s BIG.little technology, combining a mix of faster, more power-hungry core for performance with smaller cores for better efficiency. Today’s single Core-class Sunny Cove core (the same 10nm architecture the 10th Gen Ice Lake chips are based on) with four low-power Atom-class Tremont cores, Alder Lake will combine Golden Cove cores with Gracemont (the next-generation Atom cores, set to succeed Tremont) for even better performance and lower power consumption. That could potentially mean that Alder Lake could be coming to higher-powered laptops or even desktops in the future.


theverge--2020-08-13--How Samsung’s beans broke the mold of wireless earbuds

It wasn ’ t hard to spot Yongseok Bang , lead designer of the new Samsung Galaxy Buds Live , the moment I joined a video call with him and other employees gathered around a table in one of Samsung ’ s South Korea conference rooms .
Directly in front of Bang was a black notebook with a big white bean stamped on the front .
He quickly confirmed to me that the team had internally called Samsung ’ s latest true wireless earbuds by the same “ beans ” nickname that the rest of us did once the leaks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ direction with the final branding in an attempt to emphasize the open-air design of the Buds Live .
Oh well .
For the next 30 minutes , Bang spoke with me about how Samsung made it a priority from the very beginning to come up with a design that would stand out from everything else on the market .
This is Samsung ’ s first set of open-type earbuds , and in a world of AirPods knockoffs everywhere you look , the company wanted to get a little bold .
Bang said it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Buds Live to market , a time frame that involved a lot of experimentation and trial and error .
There were three areas of focus : originality in design , ergonomic fit , and the desire for form to follow function — another way of saying that these earbuds had to sound good no matter what they ended up looking like .
So how did the company land on the bean shape ?
Samsung closely studied the concha of the ear and found that a bean-like form factor could cradle snugly in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fit .
It conducted design tests with over 2,000 people to finalize the exact measurements and weight .
But getting the Galaxy Buds Live to accommodate smaller ears was one of the biggest design challenges .
( In my review , I mention that a friend had trouble getting them to fit her ears comfortably . )
The small wingtips were added to the earbuds for this purpose ; the Buds Live sat naturally in the folds of the concha for people with medium- and large-sized ears without any help , and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ box — helped keep them in place inside ears on the tiny side .
They ’ re supposed to , at least .
Samsung also had to approach the engineering process differently than it had with the more traditional Galaxy Buds and Galaxy Buds Plus .
Bang pointed out that the components are placed sideways as opposed to being stacked vertically like in the Buds Plus .
This allowed for a thinner , more subtle design that wouldn ’ t noticeably protrude from the ear like many wireless buds do .
Since the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s contours , Bang ’ s team had to be mindful of mic placement .
The distance between the two exterior mics was initially quite far to ensure performance , but user tests showed that one of the mics could sometimes be covered by longer ears .
So engineers optimized the distance and added a small groove to the outside of each earbud to help your voice carry to the mic .
Bang told me that Samsung tested the mic performance with hundreds of people .
As for the carrying / charging @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a bean shape much like the earbuds inside .
But according to Bang , the consensus was that this style looked more like a sunglasses case than an earbuds case .
With a focus on pocketability and easy opening , the team landed on the final case design that some have compared to a jewelry box .
There ’ s a groove running along three sides , making it easy to pop open in whatever way you find most comfortable .
Sound quality was never lost in the shuffle .
Samsung was determined @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and I was very satisfied with the listening experience .
You can rotate the Buds Live so they ’ re seated deeper in your ear for more powerful bass and less overwhelming ambient sound — that ’ s how I prefer to wear them .
No matter how you fit them , there ’ s always a fair amount of outside noise leaking through , as is to be expected with this form factor .
Bang hit me with a car analogy , comparing the Buds Live to a convertible .
The open-air @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , he said , and the active noise cancellation isn ’ t all that different from a cloth-cover roof .
It ’ s not going to block out all the noise around you — not even close — but it can help cut down mid- and low-band noises .
The noise cancellation was the most underwhelming part of the Galaxy Buds Live in my tests .
With no in-ear seal , Samsung is significantly limited in what it can do to mute your surroundings .
But in almost every other regard , Samsung @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the development of the Galaxy Buds Live .
The style is unique and fresh , the fit is comfortable , and they sound quite good .
As for what ’ s next , Bang said it all comes down to customer feedback .
The company has been encouraged by early reviews , so the bean form factor might be here to stay .

It wasn’t hard to spot Yongseok Bang, lead designer of the new Samsung Galaxy Buds Live, the moment I joined a video call with him and other employees gathered around a table in one of Samsung’s South Korea conference rooms. Directly in front of Bang was a black notebook with a big white bean stamped on the front. He quickly confirmed to me that the team had internally called Samsung’s latest true wireless earbuds by the same “beans” nickname that the rest of us did once the leaks began. Samsung went in a different direction with the final branding in an attempt to emphasize the open-air design of the Buds Live. Oh well.
For the next 30 minutes, Bang spoke with me about how Samsung made it a priority from the very beginning to come up with a design that would stand out from everything else on the market. This is Samsung’s first set of open-type earbuds, and in a world of AirPods knockoffs everywhere you look, the company wanted to get a little bold.
It’s fair to say Samsung succeeded.
Early prototypes of the Galaxy Buds Live show Samsung’s efforts to nail the right shape and size. Image: Samsung
Bang said it took Samsung two years to bring the Buds Live to market, a time frame that involved a lot of experimentation and trial and error. There were three areas of focus: originality in design, ergonomic fit, and the desire for form to follow function — another way of saying that these earbuds had to sound good no matter what they ended up looking like.
So how did the company land on the bean shape? Samsung closely studied the concha of the ear and found that a bean-like form factor could cradle snugly in the ear with a pleasantly surprising, comfortable fit. It conducted design tests with over 2,000 people to finalize the exact measurements and weight.
But getting the Galaxy Buds Live to accommodate smaller ears was one of the biggest design challenges. (In my review, I mention that a friend had trouble getting them to fit her ears comfortably.) The small wingtips were added to the earbuds for this purpose; the Buds Live sat naturally in the folds of the concha for people with medium- and large-sized ears without any help, and the wingtips — two sizes come in the box — helped keep them in place inside ears on the tiny side. They’re supposed to, at least. In the photo at the top of this article, you can see that the company explored numerous ideas for silicone covers and other accessories for keeping the buds securely in all ears.
Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge
Samsung also had to approach the engineering process differently than it had with the more traditional Galaxy Buds and Galaxy Buds Plus. Bang pointed out that the components are placed sideways as opposed to being stacked vertically like in the Buds Plus. This allowed for a thinner, more subtle design that wouldn’t noticeably protrude from the ear like many wireless buds do.
Some of Samsung’s drawings of the Galaxy Buds Live and its carrying case. Image: Samsung
Since the Buds Live are completely inside your ear’s contours, Bang’s team had to be mindful of mic placement. The distance between the two exterior mics was initially quite far to ensure performance, but user tests showed that one of the mics could sometimes be covered by longer ears. So engineers optimized the distance and added a small groove to the outside of each earbud to help your voice carry to the mic. Bang told me that Samsung tested the mic performance with hundreds of people.
The dots on these prototypes were potential microphone locations that Samsung tested before deciding on the final placement. Image: Samsung See that top row? The Galaxy Buds Live case also looked like a bean at first. Image: Samsung
As for the carrying / charging case, it actually started out with a bean shape much like the earbuds inside. But according to Bang, the consensus was that this style looked more like a sunglasses case than an earbuds case. With a focus on pocketability and easy opening, the team landed on the final case design that some have compared to a jewelry box. There’s a groove running along three sides, making it easy to pop open in whatever way you find most comfortable.
Sound quality was never lost in the shuffle. Samsung was determined to nail its first open-type earbuds, and I was very satisfied with the listening experience. You can rotate the Buds Live so they’re seated deeper in your ear for more powerful bass and less overwhelming ambient sound — that’s how I prefer to wear them. No matter how you fit them, there’s always a fair amount of outside noise leaking through, as is to be expected with this form factor.
Bang hit me with a car analogy, comparing the Buds Live to a convertible. The open-air style is like putting the roof down, he said, and the active noise cancellation isn’t all that different from a cloth-cover roof. It’s not going to block out all the noise around you — not even close — but it can help cut down mid- and low-band noises. The noise cancellation was the most underwhelming part of the Galaxy Buds Live in my tests. With no in-ear seal, Samsung is significantly limited in what it can do to mute your surroundings.
The Galaxy Buds Live design team had these stickers made to celebrate the finished product. Image: Samsung
But in almost every other regard, Samsung succeeded on those focus areas that guided the development of the Galaxy Buds Live. The style is unique and fresh, the fit is comfortable, and they sound quite good. As for what’s next, Bang said it all comes down to customer feedback. The company has been encouraged by early reviews, so the bean form factor might be here to stay.


theverge--2020-08-13--Watch an indie puzzle game get built, tile by tile, in this fascinating Twitter thread

“ idk what this is yet but I had an idea.
” That ’ s how game developer @ davemakes started a Twitter thread last January , sharing a GIF of colorful tiles floating through a diagonal game space .
Follow Dave ’ s thread , though , and you ’ ll see how they develop this single idea over the months into a fully fledged rhythm and puzzle game called Mixolumia , available to buy on Itch.io as of last weekend .
The game itself looks extremely fun , pairing a simple and bold art style with immersive music @ @ @ @ @ @ @ looks to be a cross between Tetris and Puyo-Puyo .
What ’ s really fascinating about the thread , though , is how it offers a look into the often opaque world of game development , tracking Dave ’ s work and experiments .
Follow the thread , and you can see how Dave adds new features over time , testing out certain mechanics .
One early question is how should the tile-blocks move when they hit another point-on-point ?
Should they break in half ?
Should they slide down alternate directions ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to avoid this problem altogether ?
As you can see , Dave eventually solves the problem by having the blocks move in the direction they were last pushed .
As they note , that makes it easier for players to direct the tiles , adding more depth and strategy to the gameplay in turn .
We won ’ t recap the whole thread here , but click on that first tweet , and you can watch as Dave adds particle effects , previews of where each block will land , a scoring and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and more .
It ’ s fascinating to see the title take shape , and it feels like watching a time-lapse of a painter turning out a fresh landscape .
What starts as a game in simple primary shades gets colorful when new palettes are added : Then , the musical elements of the game evolve .
Dave starts with their own dynamic music effects but collaborates with musician Josie Brechner to build out a more complex soundscape .
I particularly love the example track below , named “ Summer Shower , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ intensity as you play through a level .
Throughout the game ’ s development , Dave takes the title to Tokyo Indies ( a monthly gathering for game developers ) , starts a Patreon to support development , and is eventually able to launch the title as a full game , complete with customizable color palettes and music effects .
You can buy Mixolumia right now for Mac and PC for $ 9 ( 10 percent off the regular price ) .
It ’ s amazing to see what happens when you have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ simply ... follow through .

“idk what this is yet but I had an idea.”
That’s how game developer @davemakes started a Twitter thread last January, sharing a GIF of colorful tiles floating through a diagonal game space. Follow Dave’s thread, though, and you’ll see how they develop this single idea over the months into a fully fledged rhythm and puzzle game called Mixolumia, available to buy on Itch.io as of last weekend.
The game itself looks extremely fun, pairing a simple and bold art style with immersive music and sound effects, and gameplay that looks to be a cross between Tetris and Puyo-Puyo. What’s really fascinating about the thread, though, is how it offers a look into the often opaque world of game development, tracking Dave’s work and experiments.
Follow the thread, and you can see how Dave adds new features over time, testing out certain mechanics. One early question is how should the tile-blocks move when they hit another point-on-point? Should they break in half? Should they slide down alternate directions? Or should they zig-zag down the screen to avoid this problem altogether?
As you can see, Dave eventually solves the problem by having the blocks move in the direction they were last pushed. As they note, that makes it easier for players to direct the tiles, adding more depth and strategy to the gameplay in turn.
We won’t recap the whole thread here, but click on that first tweet, and you can watch as Dave adds particle effects, previews of where each block will land, a scoring and level system, different gameplay modes, and more. It’s fascinating to see the title take shape, and it feels like watching a time-lapse of a painter turning out a fresh landscape.
What starts as a game in simple primary shades gets colorful when new palettes are added:
Then, the musical elements of the game evolve. Dave starts with their own dynamic music effects but collaborates with musician Josie Brechner to build out a more complex soundscape. I particularly love the example track below, named “Summer Shower,” which features rain noises that build in intensity as you play through a level.
Throughout the game’s development, Dave takes the title to Tokyo Indies (a monthly gathering for game developers), starts a Patreon to support development, and is eventually able to launch the title as a full game, complete with customizable color palettes and music effects. You can buy Mixolumia right now for Mac and PC for $9 (10 percent off the regular price).


theverge--2020-08-13--Apple reportedly launching subscription bundles with new iPhones this October

Apple is planning to unveil a range of subscription bundles alongside its new iPhones this October according to Bloomberg .
Internally , the bundles are being referred to as “ Apple One , ” though that ’ s not necessarily the name they will launch under .
A number of different tiers will be available , starting with a basic combo of Apple Music and Apple TV+ , while more expensive bundles will add Apple Arcade , then Apple News+ at the next tier , then extra iCloud storage for the tier above that .
Higher-end bundles will also reportedly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from Apple .
This will offer virtual classes and workouts accessible via an iOS app and on Apple TV , similar to services from Nike and Peloton .
Bloomberg says that the bundles will be marketed towards families , and that they ’ ll work with Apple ’ s Family Sharing system , meaning each service can be accessed by up to six individuals .
As you ’ d expect with subscription bundles , buying them will be cheaper than buying individual services .
As Bloomberg says : “ For example , if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Apple ’ s major services plus the highest iCloud storage tier , that would cost about $ 45 a month .
A new bundle could knock more than $ 5 off that.
” Bundles will save customers between $ 2 and $ 5 a month Bloomberg reports that in addition to these bundles , Apple plans to start offering new software and hardware combinations , like including a free year of Apple Arcade with purchases of an Apple TV streaming box .
However , Bloomberg says Apple doesn ’ t plan to include @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with these bundles straight away , a possibility Apple CEO Tim Cook has alluded to in the past .
There are no specifics yet on pricing or the exact configuration of each bundle , and it ’ s very possible these details will change before the bundles are unveiled later this year .
There have been reports of Apple ’ s plan to offer subscription bundles since at least 2018 , but they seem much more concrete now .
Just last month , code was found in iOS 13.5.5 that referred to both @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bundle subscription , ” and in 2019 the company experimented with a bundle for students , packaging together Apple Music and Apple TV+ .
Apple has been increasingly focused on recurring revenue from it services business in recent years , particularly as sales from smartphones plateau .
And as Amazon has shown with Amazon Prime , which bundles together faster delivery times alongside streaming music and video , subscriptions can provide regular income while locking customers into a company ’ s ecosystem .
Once you ’ ve bought Prime , it makes sense @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s subscription bundles could do the same for its services and hardware .

Apple is planning to unveil a range of subscription bundles alongside its new iPhones this October according to Bloomberg. Internally, the bundles are being referred to as “Apple One,” though that’s not necessarily the name they will launch under.
A number of different tiers will be available, starting with a basic combo of Apple Music and Apple TV+, while more expensive bundles will add Apple Arcade, then Apple News+ at the next tier, then extra iCloud storage for the tier above that.
Higher-end bundles will also reportedly include an as-yet unseen fitness subscription service from Apple. This will offer virtual classes and workouts accessible via an iOS app and on Apple TV, similar to services from Nike and Peloton.
Bloomberg says that the bundles will be marketed towards families, and that they’ll work with Apple’s Family Sharing system, meaning each service can be accessed by up to six individuals. As you’d expect with subscription bundles, buying them will be cheaper than buying individual services. As Bloomberg says: “For example, if a family subscribes today to all of Apple’s major services plus the highest iCloud storage tier, that would cost about $45 a month. A new bundle could knock more than $5 off that.”
Bundles will save customers between $2 and $5 a month
Bloomberg reports that in addition to these bundles, Apple plans to start offering new software and hardware combinations, like including a free year of Apple Arcade with purchases of an Apple TV streaming box. However, Bloomberg says Apple doesn’t plan to include monthly payment plans for iPhones or Macs with these bundles straight away, a possibility Apple CEO Tim Cook has alluded to in the past.
There are no specifics yet on pricing or the exact configuration of each bundle, and it’s very possible these details will change before the bundles are unveiled later this year.
There have been reports of Apple’s plan to offer subscription bundles since at least 2018, but they seem much more concrete now. Just last month, code was found in iOS 13.5.5 that referred to both a “bundle offer” and “bundle subscription,” and in 2019 the company experimented with a bundle for students, packaging together Apple Music and Apple TV+.


theverge--2020-08-13--Apple, Ford, and Disney push back on Trump’s WeChat ban: WSJ

Several major US companies have expressed their concern over the effects of the Trump administration ’ s executive order targeting WeChat , according to a report in The Wall Street Journal .
“ More than a dozen ” companies including Apple , Ford , Walmart , and Disney are all said to have taken part in a call with White House officials on Tuesday where the companies detailed the adverse consequences that a ban on WeChat could have on their own businesses .
The executive order was signed on Thursday night and explicitly blocks “ any transaction that is related @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to go into effect in a matter of weeks , but due to its broad language there ’ s still a lot of confusion on the intended reach of the ban , which is subject to the Commerce Department .
One reason for the call between the White House and the US companies was to attempt to gain some clarity in that regard , according to the WSJ .
Operated by internet giant Tencent , WeChat is the dominant messaging app in China , and is also used extensively for payments , e-commerce @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s no exaggeration to say that it ’ s a ubiquitous presence in modern Chinese life , and that any smartphone without access to it would be an extremely hard sell .
This means a ban would obviously hurt Apple directly , as a US business that would no longer be able to offer viable products in the world ’ s largest mobile market .
An App Store without WeChat would be even more of a problem for the iPhone in China than the lack of Google services is for Huawei elsewhere @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more distant relationship to the smartphone industry have cause for concern .
Not being able to market products or handle transactions on WeChat would significantly hamper their operations in China and their ability to reach Chinese consumers .
These companies are hoping that the scope of the executive order will be narrowed and clarified in the coming weeks , says the WSJ .

Several major US companies have expressed their concern over the effects of the Trump administration’s executive order targeting WeChat, according to a report in The Wall Street Journal. “More than a dozen” companies including Apple, Ford, Walmart, and Disney are all said to have taken part in a call with White House officials on Tuesday where the companies detailed the adverse consequences that a ban on WeChat could have on their own businesses.
The executive order was signed on Thursday night and explicitly blocks “any transaction that is related to WeChat.” It’s set to go into effect in a matter of weeks, but due to its broad language there’s still a lot of confusion on the intended reach of the ban, which is subject to the Commerce Department. One reason for the call between the White House and the US companies was to attempt to gain some clarity in that regard, according to the WSJ.
Operated by internet giant Tencent, WeChat is the dominant messaging app in China, and is also used extensively for payments, e-commerce, marketing, and more. It’s no exaggeration to say that it’s a ubiquitous presence in modern Chinese life, and that any smartphone without access to it would be an extremely hard sell.
This means a ban would obviously hurt Apple directly, as a US business that would no longer be able to offer viable products in the world’s largest mobile market. An App Store without WeChat would be even more of a problem for the iPhone in China than the lack of Google services is for Huawei elsewhere.


theverge--2020-08-13--Google is testing domain-only URLs in Chrome to help foil scams and phishing

Google is experimenting with showing domain names only in Chrome ’ s address bar instead of full URLs .
The feature will be tested in the upcoming Chrome 86 release , with Google hoping the change could protect users against scams and phishing attacks using misleading URLs .
Domain names and URLs are one of of the most basic forms of web security we have , letting us quickly know where we are online .
Sometimes , though , they can be used to mislead .
Hackers and scammers often create fake websites that look plausible by using URLs with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ yourbank.sign-in.info ) or hyphenated domains ( secure-gmail.com ) .
Unsuspecting users then visit these URLs thinking they belong to legitimate companies before being tricked into giving away their credentials .
Some browsers like Safari show only a URL ’ s domain name in the address bar , partly because it looks cleaner , but also because it makes some of these scams more obvious .
If you ’ re used to seeing facebook.com in your address bar and your browser suddenly shows facebook.com.money.biz.scam.inc instead , you ’ ll ( hopefully ) get suspicious @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be shown to a random subset of users in Chrome version 86 .
The company wants to see if the change “ helps users realize they ’ re visiting a malicious website , and protects them from phishing and social engineering attacks.
” If it does , we can probably expect it to become a permanent feature in the future .
If you ’ re not enrolled in the experiment but want to see what it looks like , you can download Chrome 86 via the canary or dev channels , open @ @ @ @ @ @ @ flags , # omnibox-ui-reveal-steady-state-url-path-query-and-ref-on-hover and # omnibox-ui-sometimes-elide-to-registrable-domain , and relaunch Chrome to test it out .
Chrome 86 isn ’ t expected as a stable release until October .

Google is experimenting with showing domain names only in Chrome’s address bar instead of full URLs. The feature will be tested in the upcoming Chrome 86 release, with Google hoping the change could protect users against scams and phishing attacks using misleading URLs.
Domain names and URLs are one of of the most basic forms of web security we have, letting us quickly know where we are online. Sometimes, though, they can be used to mislead. Hackers and scammers often create fake websites that look plausible by using URLs with typos (twittter.com) unfamiliar subdomains (yourbank.sign-in.info) or hyphenated domains (secure-gmail.com). Unsuspecting users then visit these URLs thinking they belong to legitimate companies before being tricked into giving away their credentials.
Full URLs can be toggled on by right clicking the address bar. Image: Google
Some browsers like Safari show only a URL’s domain name in the address bar, partly because it looks cleaner, but also because it makes some of these scams more obvious. If you’re used to seeing facebook.com in your address bar and your browser suddenly shows facebook.com.money.biz.scam.inc instead, you’ll (hopefully) get suspicious.
Google says the new domain-only feature will be shown to a random subset of users in Chrome version 86. The company wants to see if the change “helps users realize they’re visiting a malicious website, and protects them from phishing and social engineering attacks.” If it does, we can probably expect it to become a permanent feature in the future.


theverge--2020-08-13--Turtle Beach’s new gaming headsets have a refreshed design and USB-C charging

Turtle Beach is releasing new versions of its Stealth 600 and 700 gaming headsets , improving on the 2017 models with a refined design that moves its buttons to a more convenient location while swapping out Micro USB charging for much-needed USB-C across the entire lineup .
The peripheral maker is still splintering the headsets by gaming platform , with a Stealth 600 and 700 for Xbox owners and options made specific for PlayStation gamers .
Really , the major differences are what they ’ ve been for a while now : color and connection type .
For the Stealth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that matches the color scheme of either console ( or simply in white if you don ’ t feel like displaying your allegiance ) .
And while the PlayStation version relies on a USB wireless receiver , the made-for-Xbox headsets can connect directly to the console or to a PC if you have an Xbox wireless adapter plugged in .
Turtle Beach says that its new headsets will work with the PS5 and Xbox Series X , in addition to the current consoles .
In the case of the Stealth 600 and 700 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ USB wireless adapter allows it to work with Nintendo Switch when the console is docked .
Though , just to avoid confusion , the previous iteration of Turtle Beach ’ s headsets will work just the same with the new tech .
You just won ’ t have the handy USB-C charging and the other tweaks it brings .
Speaking of , the biggest change that will impact how you use these headsets is related to the controls .
The offering is the same ( except for the USB-C port ) , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ edge of the left ear cup .
Visually , the new headsets ’ button layouts are an improvement over the previous iterations , which had buttons sprinkled all around the ear cup .
But if you ’ re coming from one of Turtle Beach ’ s older headsets , it might take some practice to learn the updated arrangement .
The microphone is still a fold-out affair that automatically mutes when it ’ s tucked in , but it now forms nicely into the ear cup design when it ’ s off , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ regarding the microphone , it still has the great monitoring effect when it ’ s in use .
If your opinion of the older Stealth headsets was that they weren ’ t super comfortable , my limited time with the Stealth 600 Gen 2 tells me that your mind probably won ’ t be changed .
The breathable mesh ear pads feel great and the audio quality is fantastic , but the frame really presses hard against my head .
I admit my noggin might be larger than most , so your results @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2 has a metal-reinforced headband , so perhaps that one will be more durable and more forgiving to wear for long periods , too .
The new Stealth 600 Gen 2 will cost $ 99.99 , and the PlayStation version is releasing today , while the Xbox-ready version is coming later on September 20th .
The Stealth 700 will be more expensive at $ 149.99 and will release for both platforms on September 20th .
That bump in price will get you an all-black design with plush , leather-like ear pads and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in addition to your game source , so you can listen to more than just your in-game audio while you play .

Turtle Beach is releasing new versions of its Stealth 600 and 700 gaming headsets, improving on the 2017 models with a refined design that moves its buttons to a more convenient location while swapping out Micro USB charging for much-needed USB-C across the entire lineup.
The peripheral maker is still splintering the headsets by gaming platform, with a Stealth 600 and 700 for Xbox owners and options made specific for PlayStation gamers. Really, the major differences are what they’ve been for a while now: color and connection type. For the Stealth 600, you can get a headset that matches the color scheme of either console (or simply in white if you don’t feel like displaying your allegiance). And while the PlayStation version relies on a USB wireless receiver, the made-for-Xbox headsets can connect directly to the console or to a PC if you have an Xbox wireless adapter plugged in.
Turtle Beach says that its new headsets will work with the PS5 and Xbox Series X, in addition to the current consoles. In the case of the Stealth 600 and 700 Gen 2 made for PlayStation, the USB wireless adapter allows it to work with Nintendo Switch when the console is docked. Though, just to avoid confusion, the previous iteration of Turtle Beach’s headsets will work just the same with the new tech. You just won’t have the handy USB-C charging and the other tweaks it brings.
The reconfigured button layout, as seen on the PlayStation version of the Stealth 600 Gen 2. Turtle Beach
Speaking of, the biggest change that will impact how you use these headsets is related to the controls. The offering is the same (except for the USB-C port), but it all has been moved around the edge of the left ear cup. Visually, the new headsets’ button layouts are an improvement over the previous iterations, which had buttons sprinkled all around the ear cup.
But if you’re coming from one of Turtle Beach’s older headsets, it might take some practice to learn the updated arrangement. The microphone is still a fold-out affair that automatically mutes when it’s tucked in, but it now forms nicely into the ear cup design when it’s off, effectively hiding it from view. Also regarding the microphone, it still has the great monitoring effect when it’s in use.
If your opinion of the older Stealth headsets was that they weren’t super comfortable, my limited time with the Stealth 600 Gen 2 tells me that your mind probably won’t be changed. The breathable mesh ear pads feel great and the audio quality is fantastic, but the frame really presses hard against my head. I admit my noggin might be larger than most, so your results may vary. The Stealth 700 Gen 2 has a metal-reinforced headband, so perhaps that one will be more durable and more forgiving to wear for long periods, too.
The Stealth 700 Gen 2 costs $50 more than the Stealth 600, but it features plush ear pads, a metal-reinforced headband, as well as the ability to connect via Bluetooth in addition to your console. Turtle Beach


theverge--2020-08-13--Xbox Series X confirmed for November launch in Japan

Unlike the Xbox One , the Xbox Series X will launch in Japan at the same time as other major markets , meaning it ’ ll see release this November .
Microsoft confirmed the news in response to an inquiry from Japanese site Game Watch .
The Xbox One came out in November 2013 in 13 countries , but Japan had to wait until September 2014 along with several other regions , despite its outsized importance to the games industry .
Some countries saw their announced release dates slip with Microsoft citing localization issues ; the Xbox One ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ made it more complex to support a wide variety of languages .
The Xbox One has not performed well in Japan The Xbox One has not performed well in Japan , to put it lightly .
Sales figures from Media Create put the platform at around 114,000 total units sold since its launch , including the One S and One X. Microsoft has long struggled in Japan , but that ’ s dramatically worse than even the Xbox 360 , which managed to sell about 1.65 million units by the end of 2014 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ following in the country .
Speaking to Game Watch last year , Xbox head Phil Spencer said it was a mistake to launch the Xbox One later in Japan , and expressed a desire to see the Xbox platform succeed in the market .
That ’ ll be a tall order for the Series X in a country where even the PS4 has already been outsold by the Nintendo Switch , but it could at least see Microsoft further its efforts to get Japanese games on the Xbox .
Microsoft has recently struck @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fantasy , Dragon Quest , and Yakuza to Xbox Game Pass .

Unlike the Xbox One, the Xbox Series X will launch in Japan at the same time as other major markets, meaning it’ll see release this November. Microsoft confirmed the news in response to an inquiry from Japanese site Game Watch.
The Xbox One came out in November 2013 in 13 countries, but Japan had to wait until September 2014 along with several other regions, despite its outsized importance to the games industry. Some countries saw their announced release dates slip with Microsoft citing localization issues; the Xbox One’s initial focus on Kinect and voice commands made it more complex to support a wide variety of languages.
The Xbox One has not performed well in Japan
The Xbox One has not performed well in Japan, to put it lightly. Sales figures from Media Create put the platform at around 114,000 total units sold since its launch, including the One S and One X. Microsoft has long struggled in Japan, but that’s dramatically worse than even the Xbox 360, which managed to sell about 1.65 million units by the end of 2014 and did achieve something of a cult following in the country.


theverge--2020-08-13--Google forced OnePlus to decimate a Fortnite launcher deal, claims Epic Games

Epic Games sued Google over pulling Fortnite from the Google Play Store Thursday evening , following a similar lawsuit against Apple .
We might have expected that .
What we didn ’ t expect : Epic claims that Google forced phone manufacturer OnePlus to break off a deal that would have seen a special Fortnite launcher preinstalled on OnePlus phones — and demanded that another Android phonemaker , LG , abandon any plans to do the same .
With OnePlus , Epic claims that Google “ forced OnePlus to renege on the deal ” after Google expressed ‘ concern ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Play Store .
Epic also alleges that the original deal between Epic and OnePlus would have made the launcher available worldwide , but Google “ demanded that OnePlus not implement its agreement with Epic with the limited exception of mobile devices sold in India.
” Epic also alleges that Google “ prevented LG from pre-installing the Epic Games app on LG devices ” because — in LG ’ s words , apparently — LG had a contract “ to block side downloading off Google Play Store this year.
” Without Google blocking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the studio “ could and would negotiate with OEMs to make Fortnite and other Epic games directly available to consumers , free from Google ’ s anti-competitive restraints.
” Instead , after these deals were apparently scuttled , Epic gave in and wound up releasing Fortnite on the Play Store this April .
( It did wind up working with OnePlus on a different Fortnite feature . )
But today , Google kicked Fortnite from the Play Store for violating the store ’ s policies after Epic implemented a new payment mechanism @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for in-game currency .
( It still offered the option to pay through Google ’ s payment mechanism , but for a higher price . )
Epic ’ s complaint against Google alleges the company is violating the Sherman Act and California ’ s Cartwright Act by having a monopoly on the payment systems on the Play Store .
Apple booted Fortnite from the App Store store on Thursday for similar reasons to Google , and shortly after , Epic sued the iPhone-maker , alleging similar complaints as it did against Google .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ 1984 ” ad .

Epic Games sued Google over pulling Fortnite from the Google Play Store Thursday evening, following a similar lawsuit against Apple.
We might have expected that. What we didn’t expect: Epic claims that Google forced phone manufacturer OnePlus to break off a deal that would have seen a special Fortnite launcher preinstalled on OnePlus phones — and demanded that another Android phonemaker, LG, abandon any plans to do the same.
With OnePlus, Epic claims that Google “forced OnePlus to renege on the deal” after Google expressed ‘concern’ about Epic’s ability to bypass the Play Store. Epic also alleges that the original deal between Epic and OnePlus would have made the launcher available worldwide, but Google “demanded that OnePlus not implement its agreement with Epic with the limited exception of mobile devices sold in India.”
Epic also alleges that Google “prevented LG from pre-installing the Epic Games app on LG devices” because — in LG’s words, apparently — LG had a contract “to block side downloading off Google Play Store this year.”
Google declined to comment on the specifics of these deals when contacted by The Verge.
Without Google blocking these sorts of deals, Epic argues, the studio “could and would negotiate with OEMs to make Fortnite and other Epic games directly available to consumers, free from Google’s anti-competitive restraints.” Instead, after these deals were apparently scuttled, Epic gave in and wound up releasing Fortnite on the Play Store this April. (It did wind up working with OnePlus on a different Fortnite feature.)
But today, Google kicked Fortnite from the Play Store for violating the store’s policies after Epic implemented a new payment mechanism that allowed players to pay Epic directly for in-game currency. (It still offered the option to pay through Google’s payment mechanism, but for a higher price.) Epic’s complaint against Google alleges the company is violating the Sherman Act and California’s Cartwright Act by having a monopoly on the payment systems on the Play Store.
Apple booted Fortnite from the App Store store on Thursday for similar reasons to Google, and shortly after, Epic sued the iPhone-maker, alleging similar complaints as it did against Google. Epic also parodied Apple’s iconic “1984” ad.


theverge--2020-08-13--Samsung’s most affordable 5G phone, the Galaxy A51, is now available on Verizon

Samsung ’ s affordable midrange 5G phone , the Galaxy A51 , is finally available at Verizon .
Compared to other phones released within the past year , the $ 550 Galaxy A51 5G UW is one of the more affordable 5G phones right now : $ 900 cheaper than the ( discontinued ) Samsung ’ s Galaxy Z Flip originally cost , $ 250 less than the OnePlus 8 5G UW , and $ 100 cheaper than the Galaxy A71 5G UW .
The new Galaxy A51 5G UW comes in just one color , “ Prism Bricks Blue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pearlescent blue .
Compared to the Galaxy A71 5G UW , the A51 5G UW has the same Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G processor and 128GB of storage .
Both phones also have the same 12-megapixel wide-angle camera , a 5-megapixel macro camera , and a 5-megapixel depth camera .
But the A51 5G UW has a 6.5-inch OLED screen , making it slightly smaller than the A71 5G UW ’ s 6.7-inch OLED screen , plus a 48-megapixel main camera , whereas the A71 5G UW has a 64-megapixel main camera .
The Samsung @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 550 on Verizon ’ s website Originally announced back in April , the Galaxy A51 5G UW includes Verizon ’ s ultra-wideband 5G network and will add its low-band network when it arrives later this year .
As my colleague Chris Welch pointed out in this 5G explainer video , while Verizon ’ s high-band is “ blazing fast , ” the coverage areas are spotty outdoors and have almost no coverage while indoors .
Verizon is expected to launch its low-band 5G network this fall .
The Samsung Galaxy A51 5G UW @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s website , but the company is offering a temporary promotion to buy the phone for just $ 360 if you sign up for a new Unlimited plan .

Samsung’s affordable midrange 5G phone, the Galaxy A51, is finally available at Verizon. Compared to other phones released within the past year, the $550 Galaxy A51 5G UW is one of the more affordable 5G phones right now: $900 cheaper than the (discontinued) Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip originally cost, $250 less than the OnePlus 8 5G UW, and $100 cheaper than the Galaxy A71 5G UW.
The new Galaxy A51 5G UW comes in just one color, “Prism Bricks Blue,” which is basically a slightly pearlescent blue. Compared to the Galaxy A71 5G UW, the A51 5G UW has the same Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G processor and 128GB of storage. Both phones also have the same 12-megapixel wide-angle camera, a 5-megapixel macro camera, and a 5-megapixel depth camera. But the A51 5G UW has a 6.5-inch OLED screen, making it slightly smaller than the A71 5G UW’s 6.7-inch OLED screen, plus a 48-megapixel main camera, whereas the A71 5G UW has a 64-megapixel main camera.
The Samsung Galaxy A51 5G UW retails for $550 on Verizon’s website
Originally announced back in April, the Galaxy A51 5G UW includes Verizon’s ultra-wideband 5G network and will add its low-band network when it arrives later this year. As my colleague Chris Welch pointed out in this 5G explainer video, while Verizon’s high-band is “blazing fast,” the coverage areas are spotty outdoors and have almost no coverage while indoors. Verizon is expected to launch its low-band 5G network this fall.


theverge--2020-08-13--Epic is suing Google over Fortnite’s removal from the Google Play Store

Epic Games has filed suit against Google over alleged antitrust violations , just hours after seeing Fortnite dropped from the both the Google Play Store and iOS App store and filing a similar lawsuit against Apple .
Epic ’ s complaint alleges that Google ’ s payment restrictions on the Play Store constitute a monopoly , and thus a violation of both the Sherman Act and California ’ s Cartwright Act .
Epic ’ s hit game Fortnite was removed from the Google Play Store earlier today .
“ Twenty-two years later , Google has relegated its motto to nearly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opened with a description of the company ’ s iconic 1984 ad , Epic ’ s complaint against Google focuses on that company ’ s now-infamous “ Don ’ t Be Evil ” mantra .
“ Twenty-two years later , Google has relegated its motto to nearly an afterthought , ” the complaint alleges , “ and is using its size to do evil upon competitors , innovators , customers , and users in a slew of markets it has grown to monopolize.
” Outside of the colorful opening , the two primary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suit against Apple : monopoly control over the distribution of software to phones , and monopoly control over payment systems within that software .
In Google ’ s case , Epic is specifically concerned about the Google Play Store ’ s powerful role as a distributor of Android apps , and the Play Store ’ s requirement that hosted apps use Play Store Billing for any in-app purchases .
That case is more difficult to level against Google , which controls Android software less strictly than Apple does for iOS .
Android has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ party app stores , including Epic ’ s own Epic Games App .
Apps can also be sideloaded through direct links , without the involvement of an app store .
For years , Fortnite for Android was primarily available through this kind of sideloading .
The app finally arrived on the Google Play Store in April , overcoming longstanding concerns over the Play Store policy of taking 30 percent of all in-app purchases .
“ After 18 months of operating Fortnite on Android outside of the Google Play Store , we ’ ve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the company said at the time , “ Google puts software downloadable outside of Google Play at a disadvantage.
” Thursday ’ s lawsuit makes a similar case , arguing that Google has established the Play Store as the only viable distribution method for Android apps .
“ Notwithstanding its promises to make Android devices open to competition , Google has erected contractual and technological barriers that foreclose competing ways of distributing apps to Android users , ensuring that the Google Play Store accounts for nearly all the downloads of apps from app @ @ @ @ @ @ @ comment , Google emphasized that Fortnite had been removed from the Play Store for violating clear and pre-established rules .
“ For game developers who choose to use the Play Store , we have consistent policies that are fair to developers and keep the store safe for users , ” a representative said .
“ While Fortnite remains available on Android , we can no longer make it available on Play because it violates our policies .
However , we welcome the opportunity to continue our discussions with Epic and bring Fortnite back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 9:51PM ET : Updated with statement from Google .

Epic Games has filed suit against Google over alleged antitrust violations, just hours after seeing Fortnite dropped from the both the Google Play Store and iOS App store and filing a similar lawsuit against Apple. Epic’s complaint alleges that Google’s payment restrictions on the Play Store constitute a monopoly, and thus a violation of both the Sherman Act and California’s Cartwright Act.
Epic’s hit game Fortnite was removed from the Google Play Store earlier today.
“Twenty-two years later, Google has relegated its motto to nearly an afterthought”
Where the Apple complaint opened with a description of the company’s iconic 1984 ad, Epic’s complaint against Google focuses on that company’s now-infamous “Don’t Be Evil” mantra. “Twenty-two years later, Google has relegated its motto to nearly an afterthought,” the complaint alleges, “and is using its size to do evil upon competitors, innovators, customers, and users in a slew of markets it has grown to monopolize.”
Outside of the colorful opening, the two primary charges are identical to Epic’s suit against Apple: monopoly control over the distribution of software to phones, and monopoly control over payment systems within that software. In Google’s case, Epic is specifically concerned about the Google Play Store’s powerful role as a distributor of Android apps, and the Play Store’s requirement that hosted apps use Play Store Billing for any in-app purchases.
That case is more difficult to level against Google, which controls Android software less strictly than Apple does for iOS. Android has long allowed for the installation of third party app stores, including Epic’s own Epic Games App. Apps can also be sideloaded through direct links, without the involvement of an app store.
For years, Fortnite for Android was primarily available through this kind of sideloading. The app finally arrived on the Google Play Store in April, overcoming longstanding concerns over the Play Store policy of taking 30 percent of all in-app purchases. “After 18 months of operating Fortnite on Android outside of the Google Play Store, we’ve come to a basic realization,” the company said at the time, “Google puts software downloadable outside of Google Play at a disadvantage.”
Thursday’s lawsuit makes a similar case, arguing that Google has established the Play Store as the only viable distribution method for Android apps. “Notwithstanding its promises to make Android devices open to competition, Google has erected contractual and technological barriers that foreclose competing ways of distributing apps to Android users, ensuring that the Google Play Store accounts for nearly all the downloads of apps from app stores on Android devices.”
Reached for comment, Google emphasized that Fortnite had been removed from the Play Store for violating clear and pre-established rules. “For game developers who choose to use the Play Store, we have consistent policies that are fair to developers and keep the store safe for users,” a representative said. “While Fortnite remains available on Android, we can no longer make it available on Play because it violates our policies. However, we welcome the opportunity to continue our discussions with Epic and bring Fortnite back to Google Play.”


theverge--2020-08-13--Facebook tells Elizabeth Warren it has two different standards for climate fact-checking

Facebook says its third-party fact-checking partners “ do review and rate climate misinformation , and there has never been a prohibition against them doing so , ” in a response to criticism from Democratic senators .
Facebook will continue its policy of exempting “ clear opinion content ” from fact-checking , the letter says .
The senators are unsatisfied .
In the response , which was shared exclusively with The Verge , the tech behemoth says it does not consider all climate change content “ opinion.
” But opinion articles about climate change don ’ t receive fact-checking , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ There should be no company too big , too powerful , and too opaque to be held accountable for its role in the climate crisis.
” “ We asked Facebook leadership to close the loopholes that let climate disinformation spread on their platforms , ” Senators Elizabeth Warren , Tom Carper , Sheldon Whitehouse , and Brian Schatz said in a statement .
“ Their response : we should trust them to make and follow their own rules and procedures , even if it results in the distortion of facts and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ future of our planet is at stake , and there should be no company too big , too powerful , and too opaque to be held accountable for its role in the climate crisis .
Facebook is no exception.
” Facebook has been accused of allowing climate denial to fester on its platform .
Last August , it removed a “ false ” rating from an op-ed published by the Washington Examiner that cast doubt on the accuracy of climate change models .
Initially , Facebook ’ s independent fact checker flagged the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it included inaccurate information and cherry-picked data .
But the CO2 Coalition , a non-profit group created by former Trump advisor William Happer , protested the rating .
Facebook ultimately caved , E & E News reported in June .
According to E & E News , Facebook created a de facto loophole for opinion articles to escape fact checking .
But Facebook says that this was the policy the entire time .
As a result of the dust-up , the senators wrote a letter to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg on July 15th @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and demanded Facebook explain how the decision to change the rating was made .
“ The climate crisis and environmental degradation are not matters of opinion , ” they wrote .
“ Placing statements that are verifiably false in an opinion section shouldn ’ t grant immunity from fact-checking , ” Scott Johnson , a science editor at one of Facebook ’ s third-party fact-checkers called Science Feedback , told The New York Times in July .
Facebook has told its independent fact-checkers that opinion content is not subject to fact-checking , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
( The company told The New York Times that the policy has been in place since 2016 . )
“ However , when someone presents content based on underlying false information as opinion — even in the form of an op-ed or editorial — it is still eligible for fact-checking , ” it added .
In their letter , the senators asked if disinformation around climate change is treated differently than fake COVID-19 posts — and if so , why .
Climate change misinformation isn ’ t a priority for Facebook , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ communications director , told The New York Times in July .
Instead , the company is most concerned with more immediate threats like hate speech or coronavirus disinformation .
Climate change is expected to lead to an additional 250,000 deaths every year between 2030 and 2050 because of malnutrition , malaria , diarrhea , and heat stress , according to the World Health Organization .
The Democratic senators aren ’ t the only ones worried about the damage that lies about climate change could do .
A majority of polled voters think Facebook @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about climate change as false , according to a recent survey by the think tank Data for Progress .

Facebook says its third-party fact-checking partners “do review and rate climate misinformation, and there has never been a prohibition against them doing so,” in a response to criticism from Democratic senators. Facebook will continue its policy of exempting “clear opinion content” from fact-checking, the letter says. The senators are unsatisfied.
In the response, which was shared exclusively with The Verge, the tech behemoth says it does not consider all climate change content “opinion.” But opinion articles about climate change don’t receive fact-checking, a policy Facebook says it began in 2016.
“There should be no company too big, too powerful, and too opaque to be held accountable for its role in the climate crisis.”
“We asked Facebook leadership to close the loopholes that let climate disinformation spread on their platforms,” Senators Elizabeth Warren, Tom Carper, Sheldon Whitehouse, and Brian Schatz said in a statement. “Their response: we should trust them to make and follow their own rules and procedures, even if it results in the distortion of facts and the mass dissemination of falsehoods. The future of our planet is at stake, and there should be no company too big, too powerful, and too opaque to be held accountable for its role in the climate crisis. Facebook is no exception.”
Facebook has been accused of allowing climate denial to fester on its platform. Last August, it removed a “false” rating from an op-ed published by the Washington Examiner that cast doubt on the accuracy of climate change models. Initially, Facebook’s independent fact checker flagged the article as “highly misleading” because it included inaccurate information and cherry-picked data. But the CO2 Coalition, a non-profit group created by former Trump advisor William Happer, protested the rating.
Facebook ultimately caved, E&E News reported in June. According to E&E News, Facebook created a de facto loophole for opinion articles to escape fact checking. But Facebook says that this was the policy the entire time.
As a result of the dust-up, the senators wrote a letter to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg on July 15th. They objected to the alleged loophole and demanded Facebook explain how the decision to change the rating was made. “The climate crisis and environmental degradation are not matters of opinion,” they wrote.
“Placing statements that are verifiably false in an opinion section shouldn’t grant immunity from fact-checking,” Scott Johnson, a science editor at one of Facebook’s third-party fact-checkers called Science Feedback, told The New York Times in July.
Climate change misinformation isn’t a priority for Facebook
Facebook has told its independent fact-checkers that opinion content is not subject to fact-checking, the company said in response to the senators. (The company told The New York Times that the policy has been in place since 2016.) “However, when someone presents content based on underlying false information as opinion — even in the form of an op-ed or editorial — it is still eligible for fact-checking,” it added.
In their letter, the senators asked if disinformation around climate change is treated differently than fake COVID-19 posts — and if so, why. Climate change misinformation isn’t a priority for Facebook, Andy Stone, Facebook’s policy communications director, told The New York Times in July. Instead, the company is most concerned with more immediate threats like hate speech or coronavirus disinformation.
Climate change is expected to lead to an additional 250,000 deaths every year between 2030 and 2050 because of malnutrition, malaria, diarrhea, and heat stress, according to the World Health Organization.