The biggest story this week was TikTok and the US government going at it again, with the house voting in favor of a bill that could force TikTok's parent company to sell to a US owner or face getting banned outright. Don't worry, though; your elected officials didn't waste the chance to embarrass themselves, as usual.
Aside from who’d win in a fight between Elon Musk and the ghost of Steve Jobs, the question I’m asked most is how to find the best budget-friendly smartphone.
A bill that could force a sale or outright ban on TikTok passed the House of Representatives just days after it was first introduced. It now goes to the senate.
The Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act (no, we’re not calling it PAFACAA) is the latest attempt by the government to constrain TikTok. If it passes, it could have one of two outcomes: The parent company sells TikTok to a US-based owner, or it faces a ban from US app stores and web hosting services.
Neil Young is back on Spotify after boycotting the platform over two years ago, he said in a new blog post. The Canadian singer ditched the platform over vaccine misinformation on the Joe Rogan podcast. He’s returned because Rogan’s podcast is no longer exclusive on Spotify.
Airbnb has announced a complete ban on indoor cameras in host properties. Hosts were allowed to have cameras in communal spaces, but they were supposed to be banned from bedrooms and bathrooms. Hosts were also supposed to disclose any cameras in the rental, which may not always have happened. The company says it established the new rules “in consultation with our guests, hosts and privacy experts” and that it’ll continue to seek feedback.
Apple has reversed its decision to ban Epic Games’ developer account after it emerged that European Union officials were investigating the issue. And the EU is currently fining Apple for almost two billion dollars, so it's probably wise to pay attention.
Apple’s latest update to iOS has an important addition — at least in the European Union. With the arrival of iOS 17.4, Apple now officially supports third-party app stores on the iPhone. Web browser makers no longer need to base their apps on Apple’s WebKit, and Apple is opening up the NFC chip to wireless payment methods that are not Apple Pay. These changes all adhere to strict new rules in the EU. (Expect to hear more changes from Apple, Google and other major tech players as the EU’s Digital Markets Act comes into power.)
The creator of a popular Nintendo Switch emulator, Yuzu, appears to have agreed to settle Nintendo’s lawsuit against it, less than a week since the games company accused the emulator’s creator of “piracy at a colossal scale.”
This website first began on March 2, 2004. It’s older than YouTube, the iPhone, Uber, Tesla cars, Spotify and a whole lot more. It’s even roughly a month older than the word ‘podcast.’
To mark the 20th anniversary of Engadget, we’re taking a longer look at how the tech industry has changed over the past two decades. First up: streaming.
We're back, having had to say goodbye and part with some great coworkers friends here at Engadget last week.