As populations grow in cities, we can expect more traffic. 5G-focused companies say their new technologies could make commutes smarter and faster, from real-time rerouting to avoiding crashes.
Why it matters: American drivers spend nearly 300 hours behind the wheel each year. While some transportation experts are skeptical, others say that with the rise of autonomous vehicles and new connected-car systems, 5G could potentially transform transportation, saving time, gas and money.
Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios
Facing enormous financial pressure and uncertainty around reopenings, media companies are giving up on their years-long building leases for more permanent work-from-home structures. Others are letting employees work remotely for the foreseeable future.
Why it matters: Real estate is often the most expensive asset that media companies own. And for companies that don't own their space, it's often the biggest expense.
Illustration: Eniola Odetunde/Axios
Pinterest set out to be a bright spot in cutthroat Silicon Valley, but now stands to see its reputation forever tarnished by allegations of mistreatment and a toxic culture by women who held senior roles at the company.
Why it matters: Even a company known for progressive policy decisions and successfully combatting hateful and otherwise problematic content isn't immune to the systemic problems that have plagued many tech companies.
Illustration: Rebecca Zisser/Axios
Tech giants are going all in on civic engagement efforts ahead of November's election to help protect themselves in case they're charged with letting their platforms be used to suppress the vote.
Why it matters: During the pandemic, there's more confusion about the voting process than ever before. Big tech firms, under scrutiny for failing to stem misinformation around voting, want to have concrete efforts they can point to so they don't get blamed for letting an election be manipulated.