By Sheila Dang (Reuters) – Twitter Inc said Tuesday it will seek applications from users who want to be the first to test new content subscription and ticketing features, as the social platform works to build more ways for users to earn money.

Twitter users can apply to get first access to “Super Follows,” which will let them sell exclusive content to paying subscribers, and “Ticketed Spaces,” to charge for entry into audio chat rooms they host on the platform.

Both features are part of Twitter’s plan to compete with other social media companies to attract more influential content creators by letting them earn money from fan followings.

Users must have at least 10,000 followers on Twitter to be eligible to apply for Super Follows, and at least 1,000 followers to apply for first access to Ticketed Spaces.

The company aims to select “a diverse set of voices,” from the applications, said Esther Crawford, senior product manager at Twitter.

The company will take a 3% cut of a creator’s revenue until the user hits $50,000 in earnings, after which Twitter will keep 20%, in order to help up-and-coming creators earn more money at the start, Twitter said.

Crawford added that Twitter will focus on individuals who apply for the features, but will also consider brands, publishers and nonprofit organizations which have built an audience on Twitter.

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Google faces a sweeping European Union probe into its advertising technology, a move that strikes at the heart of the tech giant’s business model. The European Commission said Tuesday its new confrontation with the Alphabet unit will focus on concerns the company may be illegally favouring its own online display advertising technologies, squeezing out rivals.

“This is probably the probe that many people were waiting for because it goes to the core of Google’s business,” said Aitor Ortiz, an analyst for Bloomberg Intelligence. The biggest risk would be an order for Google to separate from or restrict its online ads operations, which “could have a significant impact on the money generated through online advertising,” he added.

It’s the first time the EU has directly examined the black-box of online advertising where Google automatically calculates and offers ad space and prices to advertisers and publishers as a user clicks on a web page. Earlier EU cases focused on shopping search ads, mobile phone ads and advertising contracts. The investigation will also check if Google unfairly blocks competitors’ access to user data and will scrutinize privacy changes to phase out some cookies and data access for advertisers.

Harder to compete

“We are concerned that Google has made it harder for rival online advertising services to compete,” Margrethe Vestager, the EU’s antitrust commissioner, said in the statement. “Online advertising services are at the heart of how Google and publishers monetize their online services.”

The latest EU case has been brewing for months. Vestager signaled in March the regulator was working on a “very large” probe into Google.

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Samsung is likely to unveil its new foldable smartphone in August, industry insiders said on Tuesday, amid its push to popularise the foldable category.

The South Korean tech giant is expected to hold its Galaxy Unpacked online event in early August to introduce the Galaxy Z Fold3 and the Galaxy Z Flip3 before officially launching those products later that month, according to the sources.

Foreign tech reviewers have predicted that the event may take place on August 3, but the sources said it is expected to be held later than that date.

At the event, Samsung, the world’s largest smartphone vendor, is also likely to unveil the Galaxy Watch4 smartwatch and the Galaxy Buds 2 wireless earbuds.

However, the sources said the Galaxy S21 FE smartphone will not be introduced at the event, reports Yonhap news agency.

The Galaxy S21 FE is the budget edition of the Galaxy S21 flagship smartphone released in January. The product is expected to be launched in September or October as Samsung apparently wants to focus on promoting foldable devices in the summer, according to the sources.

Nothing has been confirmed about Samsung’s upcoming foldable smartphones, but tech reviewers predicted that the Galaxy Z Fold3 will feature an under display camera and support the S-Pen stylus.

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Samsung is likely to unveil its new foldable smartphone in August, industry insiders said on Tuesday, amid its push to popularise the foldable category.

The South Korean tech giant is expected to hold its Galaxy Unpacked online event in early August to introduce the Galaxy Z Fold3 and the Galaxy Z Flip3 before officially launching those products later that month, according to the sources.

Foreign tech reviewers have predicted that the event may take place on August 3, but the sources said it is expected to be held later than that date.

At the event, Samsung, the world’s largest smartphone vendor, is also likely to unveil the Galaxy Watch4 smartwatch and the Galaxy Buds 2 wireless earbuds.

However, the sources said the Galaxy S21 FE smartphone will not be introduced at the event, reports Yonhap news agency.

The Galaxy S21 FE is the budget edition of the Galaxy S21 flagship smartphone released in January. The product is expected to be launched in September or October as Samsung apparently wants to focus on promoting foldable devices in the summer, according to the sources.

Nothing has been confirmed about Samsung’s upcoming foldable smartphones, but tech reviewers predicted that the Galaxy Z Fold3 will feature an under display camera and support the S-Pen stylus.

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Apple Inc. announced the $149.99 Studio Buds wireless earphones, the latest addition to its Beats headphones line and a strong signal for how the company divides its two competing personal-audio brands.

The Studio Buds are more affordable and compatible than Apple’s AirPods line: they charge via the more universal USB-C connector rather than Apple’s proprietary Lightning and they have a dedicated Android app, making them friendlier to users outside the company’s device ecosystem. Where the AirPods line appears tailored to enhance and complement Apple’s iPhones, iPads and Macs, Beats products are pitched at the wider market with a more device-agnostic approach.

Apple has sought to make the AirPods a more premium product, adding the pricey AirPods Max over-ear headphones at the top of its range and sound enhancements like Spatial Audio to differentiate its products. Shares jumped as much as 2% Monday in New York to $129.88, the highest intraday value since May 7.

ALSO READ: iOS 15: Apple prepares iPhone’s OS for life in pandemic, and thereafter

The Beats Studio Buds include the Spatial Audio capability with Apple gear, but they also allow Android users to see exactly how much battery charge each earbud and the accompanying carry case have remaining, plus their controls can be customized to even include a Google Assistant trigger.

The minimalist design of the Studio Buds marks a change for Apple, as its wireless earbuds have so far either had a stem protruding from the bottom, as on the AirPods, or over-the-ear hooks to hold them in place during exercise, as with the Powerbeats. In testing by Bloomberg News, the contoured shape and light weight of the buds made them comfortable to wear for extended periods of time. They offer a noise canceling option, which isn’t hugely effective against loud traffic noise on the street but helps improve the user experience. Battery life is rated at 8 hours on a single charge with noise canceling turned off.

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American multinational technology company Amazon will be opening up access to Luna, its game streaming service, for all Amazon Prime members on June 21 and 22 (Amazon Prime Day).

According to The Verge, previously, for a test out of Luna, users had to request access or sign up from supported Fire TV devices. But now, for a limited time, mainland US Prime subscribers will be able to start a seven-day trial of Luna right away.

Luna is currently available on Windows PC, Mac, Fire TV, and via the web on iPhone, iPad, and select Android phones. Its regular pricing is USD 5.99 a month for access to games including ‘Control’, ‘GRID’, and ‘Metro Exodus’.

Once a user has access to a Luna account, they canpay USD 14.99 a month for the Ubisoft Plus beta channel. As per The Verge, this grants access to a big range of Ubisoft games, including the latest titles from the ‘Assassin’s Creed’, ‘FarCry’, and ‘Watch Dogs’ franchises.

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Toshiba Corp’s chairman on Monday pushed back against calls from shareholders to resign, saying he wanted to help to put things right at the crisis-hit Japanese conglomerate and would bring in new directors.

Toshiba is in the spotlight after an independent investigation last week alleged that management colluded with Japan’s trade ministry to block foreign investors from gaining board influence, in what one top shareholder called the world’s worst corporate scandal in a decade.

The shareholder-commissioned investigation has marked an explosive turn in a struggle between Toshiba management and foreign shareholders and has revived concerns about corporate governance in Japan.

Toshiba, in response to the investigation, has said it would no longer put forward the names of two directors for re-election and that two other executives would also resign.

But this was not enough for proxy advisory firm Institutional Shareholder Services Inc, which on Monday reiterated that Board Chairman Osamu Nagayama should step down – a call echoed by other investors.

Nagayama apologised at a news conference on Monday and said there were lapses in governance, but the former pharma executive said he wanted to stay on and help to reconstruct Toshiba’s management.

“There’s different kinds of responsibility,” Nagayama said when asked if he would step down to take responsibility for the scandal. “I want to focus on fulfilling the duties that must be fulfilled.”

The company needs directors with a global perspective and a background managing similar firms, he said, adding that Toshiba would call an extraordinary general meeting and speed up plans for a strategic review.

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While announcing new games for Xbox fans during the E3 2021 virtual gaming conference, Microsoft has also unveiled the first look of a cool Xbox Series X-shaped mini fridge.

The Xbox Mini Fridge is “the world’s most powerful mini fridge,” according to the company, that will help gamers stay cool as they go through immersive play experience.

When the Xbox Series X was first announced in 2019, people made memes on its shape and compared it to a refrigerator.

Inspired by this, the company took to social media and after defeating Skittles in a Twitter poll, said that an actual mini-Xbox fridge will be released in holiday 2021.

In April, Aaron Greenberg who is GM, Xbox Games Marketing at Microsoft, tweeted: “Thanks to everyone who voted, this was down to the wire and thrilling to follow. Now that @Xbox won, we will move forward on our promise to make those Xbox Series X Mini Fridges. First one off the line will be filled with games & headed to our friends @Skittles of course! Green heart.”

The Xbox mini-fridge is now a reality and will be available later this year during the holiday season.

The refrigerator was unveiled during the Xbox + Bethesda E3 event.

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Telecom operator Reliance Jio on Friday introduced Jio Freedom plans, with five new no daily limit’ prepaid mobility offerings, according to information available on its website.

The new plans listed on the website start from Rs 127 for 15 days validity, offering 12 GB of uncapped daily data over the plan period.

Other plans with the validity of 30 days, 60 days, 90 days and 365 days have also been introduced.

Sources said the five new no daily limit’ prepaid mobility offerings, under Jio Freedom plans, will bring more options for digital life.

The new prepaid plans have a 30-day multiple validity unlike the earlier popular prepaid plans that came with 28-day and multiple validity, they added.

The five plans offer fixed data with no daily limit and unlimited voice. The ‘no daily limit’ plans will help high data users enjoy seamless data usage without having to worry about exhausting daily limits, while the 30-day validity cycle offers ease of remembering the recharge date, the sources said.

The plans also offer access to Jio’s information and utility apps, including JioTV, JioCinema, JioNews and others.

An email sent to Reliance Jio for comments did not elicit a response.

As per information on Jio’s website, the plan priced at Rs 247 has a 30-day validity and 25 GB data, without any daily limits. Other plans are priced at Rs 447 (60 days validity, 50GB data), Rs 597 (90 days validity and 75 GB data), and Rs 2397 (365 days validity and 365 GB data).

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The Japanese government will start investigating Apple and Alphabet’s Google deal with Japanese smartphone makers, which could lead to tightening antitrust regulations, the Nikkei newspaper reported Sunday, without saying where it got the information.

A government panel, which consists of officials, bureaucrats and external experts, will kick off the discussion this month as Apple’s iOS and Google’s Android software stands at more than 90 per cent of the Japanese smartphone market, the paper said. The probe will include input from executives from domestic smartphone handset makers as well as manufacturers of smart speakers and personal computers.

The panel will evaluate business dealings in Japan and whether they are conducted in a fair manner compared with cases overseas. The government may step up antitrust regulations if the panel finds any issues from the probe, the paper said.

Back in June 2020, Japan announced that it will will join forces with the United States and Europe to take on any market abuses by the four Big Tech companies. This was perceived as a sign that Tokyo will join global efforts to regulate digital platform operators.

“If the size of any merger or business-tie up is big, we can launch an anti-monopoly investigation into the buyer’s process of acquiring a start-up,” Kazuyuki Furuya, chairman of Japan’s Fair Trade Commission, had told Reuters back then. “We’re closely watching developments including in Europe.”

Japan was perceived as laying the groundwork to regulate platform operators. Among them are big tech giants dubbed “GAFA” —Google, Apple, Amazon AMZN.O and Facebook FB.O — that face various antitrust probes in western nations.

Multi-national companies like GAFA have similar business practices across the globe, which makes global coordination crucial.

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