Netflix on Thursday said it is weighing offering a cheaper, ad-supported subscription plan over "the next year or two" in an effort to expand its subscriber base.
Why it matters: As the streaming subscription market becomes more saturated, analysts have argued that an ad-supported tier is Netflix's best option for growth.
Netflix's stock sunk more than 20% in after-hours trading Tuesday after the streaming giant said it lost 200,000 subscribers in the first quarter — its first subscriber loss in a decade. It also missed investor expectations on revenue.
Why it matters: Netflix's stock was already down more than 40% year-to-date, in large part due to increased competition and slowed user growth forecasts from Netflix for Q1.
Anthony Levandowski,the former self-driving car engineer and Uber executive pardoned by President Trump after being convicted of stealing trade secrets from Google, has found venture capital backers for his new startup.
Driving the news: Pollen Mobile, a mobile carrier that leverages cryptocurrencies for rewards, raised an undisclosed amount of funding led by Slow Ventures, with DISH Wireless also participating.
An unnamed worker is alleging that Nintendo, and a firm it uses for hiring contractors, violated their legally protected right to unionize, according to a new filing with the National Labor Relations Board.
Why it matters: The NLRB complaint, filed on Friday, brings one of gaming’s most successful companies into the increasingly active conversation about workers’ rights in the sector.
Chipotle on Tuesday announced the creation of a $50 million venture capital fund to invest in tech startups that can help it better run its restaurants or improve the customer experience.
Between the lines: Quick-serve restaurant chains have begun experimenting with automation, including Chipotle's tortilla chip-cooking robot (Chippy) and Sweetgreen buying a startup that automates the cooking and delivery of warm and salad bowls.
Labor organizers see Apple and Amazon offering them an opening in the tech industry's longstanding barriers against unions, thanks to the nature of their workforces.
How it works: Unlike their competitors, these firms each have massive payrolls in retail or warehouse jobs, and those roles are seen as friendlier to unionizing efforts than the engineers and salespeople at corporate HQ.
California lawmakers will debate a law Tuesday meant to require internet companies to design programs and apps for kids in ways that protect their privacy.
Why it matters: If the bill passes in California, many other states are likely to adopt similar measures, as happened with the state's last online privacy law.
You are getting slammed with more annoying spam calls — and now annoying texts on your cell phone — than at any point in the history of these devices.
Why it matters: These junk messages do more than irritate. They often try to steal your data, identity and money — and they're getting better and better. So here are some tips, from spam experts, on how to protect yourself.
The brand-new Playdate portable gaming device has more going for it than a striking yellow color scheme and a crank you can use to control some of its games.
Driving the news: Launching today, the Playdate is a mix of retro and modern with a clutch of unexpectedly pleasing games.
Driving the news: In a TikTok clip, Masked Singer champion T-Pain explained — in not so many words — that he's perplexed by the fact that he's only sold 26% of the tickets available for his May 18 show at The Factory in Dallas.
Governments around the world have made even more extensive use of commercial spyware from Israel's NSO Group than previously known, according to new reporting in the New Yorker by Ronan Farrow.
Why it matters: Governments are simultaneously employing NSO's Pegasus software while grappling with the impact that it and similar tools can have when used against their interests.
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