Axios

The next Apple Watch could connect directly to cell phone networks, allowing it to do more things without a nearby iPhone, Bloomberg reported on Friday.

Why it matters: Adding a cellular connection would add cost and hurt battery life, but would allow the watch to do things like download music and send messages without relying on a phone. Apple could well offer the watch in both Wi-Fi only and cellular versions, as it does with the iPad.

Separating the Apple Watch from the iPhone would be a "game changer," one analyst told Bloomberg. "If they could deliver an experience that isn't tethered to an iPhone, it could kick start a new direction for the business," said Gene Munster, co-founder of Loup Ventures.

Also: Bloomberg says that the cellular-capable Apple Watch will use a modem from Intel, rather than longtime supplier Qualcomm, with whom Apple is engaged in a bitter patent dispute.

Despite Waymo's objections, Uber insists that it should be able to present evidence that a former employee downloaded an alleged 14,000 proprietary files for reasons tied to his compensation bonus while working at Waymo.

Why it matters: Waymo has filed a lawsuit against the ride-hailing company alleging that it's using secrets stolen by a former employee, Anthony Levandowski, whose startup Uber acquired last last year. This is one of Uber's arguments to defend itself against the accusation that it acquired Levandowski's company knowing that he had the proprietary files and plotted to use Waymo's technology to get ahead in the self-driving car race.

Last year, Uber rented out Honda cars it knew were defective to Singapore drivers, according to a report from the Wall Street Journal. This culminated in one of the cars catching on fire this January, though there were no injuries. The cars were part of an initiative by Uber to purchase vehicles and rent them out to get more drivers on the road in a region where few own cars.

Explained: Fundamentally, purchasing cars and renting them out goes against Uber's business model, which hinges on the company not owning assets like vehicles. It attempted to cut corners by purchasing the cars from auto importers for about 12% less than through authorized Honda dealers, per Uber's estimates. And of course, this meant that Honda wouldn't help fix the cars (nor was it obligated to), and Uber was left to deal with the importers to get the cars fixed and the subsequent delays and contingency plans after one car caught on fire.

We are in a robotics renaissance, with companies everywhere rushing to develop new automation technology. Rewired is the latest to join the race to invest, with a $100 million bankroll.

The approach: Rewired calls itself a "startup studio," meaning that unlike traditional investors who write a check and provide advice as needed, it will take in entrepreneurs and researchers and help them hatch their companies. It will also back early-stage companies that already exist. "In many cases, these scientists have no idea how to commercialize these technologies," Rewired venture partner Santiago Tenorio told Axios.

Since 2014, there have only been 34 reported accidents involving self-driving cars on California roads, according to state incident reports — and most happened when a human-driven car rear-ended or bumped into a self-driving car stopped at a red light or stop sign, or driving at low speed.

Why it matters: A major benefit to self-driving cars is the potential to reduce traffic accidents caused by human error. While it's a small set of data, the low rate of accidents caused by self-driving cars underscores the technology's enhanced safety.

Golf Magazine is the latest, and perhaps the most surprising, outlet to be labeled Fake News by the president.

An excerpt from a recent Golf Magazine article, in reference to President Trump's many visits to his golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey:

As President, Trump has already made four visits to the club. He has his own cottage adjacent to the pool; it was recently given a secure perimeter by the Secret Service, leading to the inevitable joke that it's the only wall Trump has successfully built. Chatting with some members before a recent round of golf, he explained his frequent appearances: "That White House is a real dump."

Trump tonight...