That sound you hear overhead is me flying back to San Francisco. I was going to drop off each issue of Login manually, but the pilot thought that wouldn't be safe. Something about FAA regulations ... I stopped listening, to be honest.
That sound you hear overhead is me flying back to San Francisco. I was going to drop off each issue of Login manually, but the pilot thought that wouldn't be safe. Something about FAA regulations ... I stopped listening, to be honest.
Illustration: Caresse Haaser, Sarah Grillo/Axios
A withering report from a U.K. parliamentary committee that calls out Facebook and other tech platforms as "digital gangsters" is adding new heat to a European campaign against U.S.-based tech giants, Axios' Scott Rosenberg writes.
Why it matters: U.S. regulators have fewer powers at their disposal and have moved more slowly than their European counterparts, leaving Europe to frame the debate over tech firms' privacy controversies, misinformation problems, and potential antitrust violations.
Details: The 100-page report released Sunday says Facebook only acts to protect user privacy when problems become public.
The report also accuses Facebook of failing to cooperate with its inquiry.
The big picture: The EU and other European agencies have been moving against Facebook, Google, and other tech companies for the past year and show no sign of slowing down.
In the U.S., by comparison, moves against Facebook on the antitrust front have been minimal, and privacy-related enforcement lacks the teeth GDPR gives the EU.
Yes, but: The European assault on big tech platforms under GDPR privacy regulations and EU antitrust rules may take a toll on Facebook and Google, but complying with the region's labyrinth of regulations will be even harder for upstart challengers and smaller competitors.
Our thought bubble: Europe starts out with a more privacy-oriented culture than the U.S. and is less conflicted about antitrust action. When it comes to regulating Big Tech, Europe has the "first-mover advantage," and it's keeping it.
Go deeper: Read Scott's full story here.
Photo: Qnovo
Battery technology is notorious for being slow to advance, with improvements in chemistry not coming nearly as fast as in other aspects of computing. One startup's solution: Use the power of software to get more from the batteries we have.
Background: Qnovo, based in Newark, California, has been working on this for nearly a decade. Its technology, used by LG, Sony and some Chinese phone makers, already allows smartphones to adaptively charge their batteries, helping improve performance and battery life.
What's new: Today, the company is announcing that its latest software can also help detect batteries that are prone to failure.
Why it matters: Battery life is tremendously important to consumers, and ensuring battery safety is also high on the list of needs for those who make phones. Just ask Samsung, which had to recall its entire Galaxy Note 7 line after a small number of the millions of early devices ignited.
Qnovo CEO Nadim Maluf tells Axios that what seems logical now engendered quite a bit of skepticism when the company first laid out its plans.
What's next: Maluf says Qnovo sees as much or more opportunity for its battery technology inside of electric cars, where bigger batteries mean failures could be even more damaging.
Illustration: Lazaro Gamio/Axios
Screen time for children aged 0-2 more than doubled from 1997 to 2014, according to new research published in the science journal JAMA Pediatrics, Axios' Sara Fischer reports.
The twist: The study found that, despite the advent of new types of devices in that time span like iPads and smartphones, most of the uptick came from screen time spent on television. In total, TV consumption has more than doubled in percentage points of overall consumption of screen time from 1997 to 2014.
Why it matters: This means that the increase in screen time might not be the result of an onslaught of new technologies, but rather caused by changes in parental interactions because of work schedules or other socio-economic factors.
Go deeper: Read Sara's full story here.
Photo: Ina Fried/Axios
In a noteworthy move, Pokémon Go creator Niantic last week reached a possible deal with property owners upset with the way the company placed virtual objects on or near their turf.
Details: As part of the proposed settlement, Niantic agreed to take steps to make it easier for those who own or lease a home to have a "Poké Stop" or "Gym" that's on or near their property removed.
Why it matters: While not a court precedent, the case suggests that residents may have some rights over virtual objects that appear on their property.
As iPhone sales have tapered off, Apple has increased its focus on growing its services business. What started out as cloud storage and extended support contracts has expanded to include Apple Music and will soon likely expand further to news and video.
Apple has pledged that by 2020 its services business will be double that of 2017. However, as this chart shows, hardware in general, and the iPhone in particular, still dominate companywide revenue.
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