Last week was a rush of a week and quite a lot happened across the week. The biggest story, of course, was the Buckingham Palace announcement yesterday that Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II has died.
But the weekend is here and we think it is a good time to reflect on the major news reports that have made the waves in the tech domain this week even as you rest from all that you have done through the week.
So, in case you have missed out of some tech news this week, don’t worry. We have got you covered. Here is a roundup of major Global Tech news from across the world for this week.
Here is a summary:
- Apple launches iPhone 14 and other Apple gadgets
- Elon Musk’s row with Twitter continues plus
- Google announces a new set of grantees for its Black Founders Fund cohort 2
Let us get to it…
Read also: Garry Tan to take over as Y Combinator’s CEO + other major stories
Apple launches iPhone 14, Ultra watches
If you are a lover of Apple products, then there is a reason to be excited at the latest products Apple is bringing to the market with its launch of the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus, Ultra watches and AirPods.
The event which was live on YouTube offered users a chance to see new Apple products and features that would be available soon for pre-order and order. Here’s the list of the latest additions to the products announced. They include:
- Apple Watch Series 8
- iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus
- iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max
- Satellite emergency service for iPhones
- Apple Watch Ultra
- New AirPods Pro
- The new Apple Watch SE
The new iPhone 14 will be available to order Friday, and Apple did not increase the prices as some analysts had expected. The new Apple Watches will be available to order next Wednesday and the new AirPods Pro will be on the market by Sept. 23.
The smaller model with a 6.1-inch screen is called the iPhone 14 Pro. The bigger model will be called iPhone 14 Max. The iPhone 14 Pro will start at $999, and the bigger model starts at $1099. That’s the same price as last year’s models.
Apple also announced a long-rumoured capability to connect its iPhone 14 series to satellites for emergency services during its event on Wednesday, through a partnership with Globalstar. The feature is designed to connect an iPhone 14′s antennas directly to a satellite, to send a message in areas unconnected by cell towers.
Announced also by the Apple CEO is the new model of Apple’s AirPods Pro, which are wireless earbuds with noise-cancelling, The new Airpods are set to cost $249 and will go on sale on Sept 23. They have better sound quality and clarity, Apple said, due to an Apple H2 chip on the inside, an upgrade from the earlier model’s H1.
TikTok denies data breach
Earlier this month, Forbes reported that security researchers had uncovered a serious TikTok vulnerability that could have exposed users to a 1-click account takeover exploit.
The first reports of an alleged hack appeared on the Breach Forums message board on September 3. A user with the handle of AgainstTheWest posted what was claimed to be screenshots from a TikTok and WeChat breach. In his post, the user referred to the alleged stolen data, that they had “yet to decide if we want to sell it or release it to the public.”
A TikTok spokesperson has told the magazine that no evidence of a security breach has been found. Security experts recommend that TikTok users change their passwords and ensure two-factor authentication (2FA) is activated anyway, out of an abundance of caution.
Now, a TikTok spokesperson responded that “TikTok prioritizes the privacy and security of our users’ data. Our security team investigated these claims and found no evidence of a security breach.”
Elon Musk latest
If you have been following us up on the row between Twitter and Elon Musk, then this latest news might interest you a little bit, as Musk has been denied an attempt to delay the Twitter trial.
A Delaware court has denied billionaire Elon Musk’s attempt to push back the October trial over his abortive Twitter acquisition, but it agrees that he can incorporate claims made by former Twitter security chief Peiter “Mudge” Zatko into his case, The Verge reports.
As reported last week, Zatko claims gave Musk a little bit of succour and win in his continuous fight with the social media platform.
This latest decision follows a hearing on Wednesday afternoon that saw Musk’s attorneys argue for a “meagre” few weeks to review new information before the trial’s October 17th start date. Twitter, meanwhile, accused Musk of trying to drag out the trial and “sow chaos” with more document requests — claiming at one point that its lawyers had been forced to pause responding to international law enforcement requests.
Chancellor Kathaleen McCormick said that Musk should be granted wide latitude to amend claims before the trial starts, overruling Twitter’s objections, although she said she was “reticent to say more concerning the merits of the counterclaims” before the litigation.
Musk and Twitter will negotiate on “limited” discovery of new documents related to Zatko’s allegations, which include a variety of claims about poor management at Twitter as well as assertions that executives lied about the number of bots on the platform.
Google announces grantees of Black Founders Fund cohort II
This week, we reported that Google has announced that 60 eligible black-founded startups across Africa have been selected for the second cohort of Google for Startups Black Founders Fund (BFF) for Africa.
The startups joining the program will receive a total of $4 million in funding and support to enable them to scale up their ongoing work.
Each of the selected startups will receive support in the form of a 6-month training programme that includes access to a network of mentors to assist in tackling challenges that are unique to them. They will also be part of tailored workshops, support networks and community-building sessions.
We’re proud that we were able to reach gender parity in this cohort, We looked at three key factors when selecting startups: Product-market fit, startup-programme fit and founder potential. The companies we’ve selected are those that have found product-market fit, the programme must be beneficial to them beyond just the money and the founders must be people that have the potential to create enormous value.
Folarin Aiyegbusi, Head of Startup Ecosystem, Africa
The grantees, made up of 50% women-led businesses, hail from Botswana, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa and Uganda
An alternative for Russia in the midst of war
Russia is looking at alternatives in rescuing its dampening economy that has resulted from its long-standing war with Ukraine amidst sanctions from economies in Europe and America.
The Bank of Russia and the country’s Ministry of Finance have reconsidered their positions toward cryptocurrency, acknowledging it to be necessary to legalize the use of cryptocurrencies in cross-border settlements, per a report by local news outlet TASS, Bitcoin magazine reports.
According to TASS, the two government bodies have agreed that “it is impossible” to continue without enabling cryptocurrency as a legal payment method for international trade.
The move comes as Russia dabbles on how to best regulate the Bitcoin and cryptocurrency markets. Swamped by Western sanctions, the world’s largest country is seeking alternatives to the US dollar in order to guarantee efficient trade of its commodities.
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