Uber rival Bolt sees surge in London rides three months after launch September 18, 2019 Ride-hailing app Bolt has boasted that 300,000 Londoners have signed up to its platform in just three months since its summer launch, as it aims to dent Uber’s dominance. The startup, which formerly launched in the UK as Taxify two years ago, has also seen around 50,000 drivers join a waiting list to work on [...]
Politicians and campaigners call for scrapping of live facial recognition surveillance September 18, 2019 Privacy campaigners and MPs from several parties have called for police and private companies to “immediately stop” using live facial recognition surveillance in public spaces. In an open letter published by campaigning group Big Brother Watch, signatories including shadow home secretary Diane Abbott cite “serious concerns” about the technology’s “incompatibility with human rights” and “lack [...]
Apple accuses EU of misunderstanding its business in €13bn court case September 18, 2019 Apple has accused the European Commission of misunderstanding its business as the tech giant’s appeal against a €13bn tax order entered its second day. The Commission had accused Apple of having dodged taxes and received illegal state aid from Ireland, ordering the company to pay a €13bn Irish tax bill in 2016. Read more: Apple [...]
Wework rival Knotel expands London presence with new City locations September 18, 2019 Knotel, the flexible workspace rival to Wework, has snapped up a string of new City locations as it continues to expand its presence in the capital. Read more: Wework rival Knotel secured unicorn status with $400m fundraising The New York-based startup has signed an agreement with property developer Great Portland Estates to take over 82,000 [...]
UK must adapt to automation or firms will suffer, MPs warn September 18, 2019 MPs have warned that British businesses could lose out to foreign competitors if the country fails to quickly adopt new technologies such as automation, and have called on the government to take action. Read more: Robot rollout: Number of businesses using automation doubles in 2019 Parliament’s Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) Committee said the [...]
Brits curious about cryptocurrencies but still keen on cash, survey finds September 18, 2019 Members of the public are curious about the possibilities offered by cryptocurrencies, but cash is likely to remain king for the foreseeable future with the vast majority consumers wanting it to remain in use, a new study has found. Just 20 per cent of British people would prefer it if cash no longer existed, according [...]
Bill Gates says ditching fossil fuel stocks has ‘zero’ impact on climate change September 17, 2019 Bill Gates has poured cold water on climate activists’ attempts to lobby investors to abandon fossil fuel stocks. The billionaire tech tycoon-turned-philanthropist said it would be more worthwhile to urge investors to back emerging technology that helps cut carbon emissions. Read more: Does fast fashion stand up to ethical scrutiny? Speaking to the Financial Times, [...]
Do Not Pay founder launches anti-subscription app in the UK September 17, 2019 An app that automatically cancels subscriptions when the free trial period comes to an end has launched in the UK, with thousands of Brits signing up each day. Free Trial Surfing is not linked to customers’ bank accounts or credit cards but uses Visa cards in partnership with a major bank to stop people getting [...]
Wework bond tumbles on delay to stock market float September 17, 2019 Wework’s bond price has fallen sharply following the company’s decision to push back its troubled initial public offering (IPO). The coworking company last night said it had postponed its float until the end of the year after a cold response from investors forced the firm to slash its valuation target in half. Read more: Wework: [...]
Apple tells EU court €13bn Irish tax bill ‘defies reality and common sense’ September 17, 2019 An order by the European Commission for Apple to pay a €13bn (£11.5bn) Irish tax bill “defies reality and common sense”, the tech giant said today as it launched a challenge against the ruling. Apple accused the Commission of using its powers to fight state aid to “retrofit changes to national law” at a hearing [...]