The Morning After: The Apple vs. Epic app store battle has begun
And a foldable iPhone rumor to kick things off.
After months of back and forth, the Apple vs. Epic battle over how an app store should work has reached an actual courtroom. Shenanigans on day one included Epic CEO Tim Sweeney identifying — under oath — the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and Nintendo Switch, but so far the most interesting parts are what we’ve learned about how the video-game industry works.
Between filings and testimony, we’ve heard information about how Sony charges developers of cross-play games if PlayStation players spend money on other platforms, about the nearly $12 million Epic spent to secure games for “free” giveaways and about the $146 million advance that locked in Borderlands 3 as an exclusive for the Epic Game Store on PC. Not enough has happened for us to have an idea of who will win, but if all you want is gossip and a unique perspective behind the scenes of industry dealings, then dive into the various filings right here and stay tuned — we’re just getting started.
— Richard Lawler
Apple might have a foldable iPhone ready by 2023
An eight-inch foldable.
Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo told investors that Apple plans to launch an 8-inch foldable iPhone by 2023. Kuo already noted the possibility of a folding iPhone in March, but his latest report has more detail on suppliers, suggesting a QHD+ flexible OLED will come from Samsung Display. The report is highly speculative, so don't start saving up for an iPhone Fold or whatever just yet. However, other details give it some extra credibility. And if you wanted more options, Kuo expects Oppo, Vivo, Xiaomi and Honor to launch new foldable models in late 2021 or early 2022. Continue reading.
Verizon is selling its media business, including Engadget, AOL and Yahoo
I, for one, welcome my new Apollo overlords.
Verizon has agreed a deal to sell its Verizon Media unit — including Engadget — to the investment firm Apollo Global Management for $5 billion. Through the deal, Verizon Media, which was once called Oath, which was once called AOL, will be renamed once again, as... Yahoo.
It’ll include not only media sites and brands like ourselves but also big Yahoo properties like Mail, Finance and Sport, with Verizon Media's ad tech assets also included. The deal is expected to conclude in the second half of 2021. Continue reading.
Tamiya’s Wild One RC car is returning as a replica you can drive
The electric buggy will come with extra parts to make it road legal.
The Wild One Max is an 8/10th scale replica of the 1985 toy model built by The Little Car Company in partnership with its original manufacturer, Tamiya. The buggy measures about 138 inches long and 71 inches wide, which is roughly as long as a Fiat 500 and as wide as a Volkswagen Golf. It features a polycarbonate bathtub chassis and metal roll cage, as well as oil-filled shocks and a trailing-arm rear suspension.
It will have a top speed of 30MPH, with a modular battery pack that lasts about 25 miles in range and can be recharged by regenerative braking. The Little Car Company is also promising three packs to make the car road legal in the US and Europe. These will include brake lights, turn signals, reflectors and rear-view mirrors. The base unit will cost about $8,250, excluding tax, and is available for pre-order now. Continue reading.
Sony is bringing Discord to PlayStation consoles
It should appear next year.
Sony is partnering with Discord with the aim of “bringing the Discord and PlayStation experiences closer together.” How that will look, however, is anyone’s guess. The wording references the PlayStation Network, which might mean it could integrate with any device with access to your profile, including phones and PCs. Continue reading.
Facebook's Oversight Board will issue its ruling on Trump's ban tomorrow
The decision will come down on Wednesday, May 5th.
After a delay, partially to review the more than 9,000 public comments submitted to this case, the Oversight Board has announced it'll release its decision on Trump's ban this Wednesday, May 5th, at 9 AM ET. It’s taken some time, but this should be the final word on Trump's future on the platform — both Facebook and the Oversight Board have made it clear the board's decisions are final, and Facebook is unable to overturn them. Continue reading.
The best gifts for the new grads in your life
We’ve selected the best tech for those graduating at a very unusual time.
Graduation season is here, and it was a peculiar last year of college for most. That means it’s worth some extra celebration, right? Even if that doesn’t quite extend to a new MacBook Air, we collected a selection of devices and services that might make the new world of adulting a little easier. My favorite item in this year’s guide? Fellow’s Stagg electric pour over kettle, pictured above. Continue reading.
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The best gaming gear for graduates
