Xerox secures $24bn financing for HP hostile takeover bid January 6, 2020 Printer maker Xerox has announced it has secured $24bn (£18.3bn) financing for its $33.5bn takeover offer for HP – a deal the computing giant is opposing. HP rejected Xerox’s $22 per share offer in November, saying it “significantly” undervalued the company. Xerox then took the proposal directly to HP shareholders. Read more: Xerox takes $33.5bn [...]
The social media giants are becoming digital graveyards January 6, 2020 In the final weeks of 2019, Twitter announced an imminent cull of inactive accounts. Desultory users risked losing their Twitter handles and having to start building their social media presence all over again. But there was another implication: inactivity might also mean that the person behind the profile is no longer alive. Bereaved people reacted [...]
The top tech predictions for 2020 January 6, 2020 Welcome to 2020. After a week or more of festive cheer and turkey-induced fatigue, it’s time to get back to work. But don’t despair. The year — and decade — ahead is set to be an exciting one, especially in the world of technology. To find out what changes may lie ahead, City A.M. asked [...]
Technology in the driving seat: There’s a futuristic road ahead for the car January 6, 2020 The future of mobility is an exciting yet sometimes unimaginable concept. There’s a temptation to jump to driverless vehicles and new forms of transport without considering the evolution that is currently already happening across the mobility industry. We believe that reports of “the death of the car” are greatly exaggerated, but we also know that [...]
Apple rekindles relationship with Imagination Technologies with new deal January 2, 2020 Apple has struck a new licensing deal with a British chipmaker it had previously cut ties with three years ago. Apple previously used chips that were made by Imagination Technologies, before breaking off the partnership in 2017. Read more: Apple supplier Imagination Technologies swings to biggest ever loss Today, Imagination said it had “formed a [...]
Huawei predicts ‘difficult’ 2020 as US sanctions bite December 31, 2019 Huawei has cut its full-year revenue forecasts, with the Chinese tech giant’s chairman saying 2020 is likely to be a “difficult year” for the company after US trade blacklisting disrupted growth and its ability to source key parts. The world’s biggest maker of telecom network equipment and second largest smartphone manufacturer said its full-year revenue [...]
Brazil fines Facebook over data breach December 30, 2019 Brazil has fined US tech giant Facebook 6.6m reais (£1.24m) for improperly sharing data after the information of more than 400,000 users was made available to app developers. Brazil’s Ministry of Justice said it found that data from 443,000 Facebook users was made improperly available to developers of an app called “thisisyourdigitallife”. Read more: Facebook [...]
Google workers exposed to chemical that causes birth defects December 29, 2019 Google has admitted that some of its employees have been exposed to harmful chemicals than can cause birth defects. Factory workers making Google products, but hired by an outside supplier, have been exposed to N-Methylpyrrolidone, which can cause birth defects and serious skin and respiratory irritation. Read more: France fines Google over anti-competitive behaviour The [...]
Spotify to suspend political ads in 2020 December 28, 2019 Music streaming service Spotify has said it will pause selling political advertising in early 2020. The world’s most popular music subscription service, which according to latest figures has 141m users listen to its ad-supported platform, said the pause would include its original and exclusive podcasts. It comes as campaigns for the presidential election set for [...]
UK cyber security chief to step down next year December 28, 2019 The head of the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has announced he will stand down next summer. The government said that Ciaran Martin would leave his post in 2020 on Friday evening, almost four years after founding the organisation. The 45-year-old said it had “been the privilege of a lifetime” and warned the challenge [...]