By , SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - U.S. states promoting apps that could prove essential to ending the coronavirus lockdown may be headed for a showdown with the two Silicon Valley companies that control key software on 99% of smartphones over the collection of sensitive GPS location data.Apple Inc and Alphabet Inc’s Google plan to release technology jointly in the coming weeks for digital contact tracing through Bluetooth sensors on phones. Public health authorities have determined that the technology is crucial to apps that will alert people when they have been close to people who have tested...…By , SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - U.S. states promoting apps that could prove essential to ending the coronavirus lockdown may be headed for a showdown with the two Silicon Valley companies that control key software on 99% of smartphones over the collection of sensitive GPS location data.Apple Inc and Alphabet Inc’s Google plan to release technology jointly in the coming weeks for digital contact tracing through Bluetooth sensors on phones. Public health authorities have determined that the technology is crucial to apps that will alert people when they have been close to people who have tested...WW…

By , (Reuters) - Apple Inc and Alphabet Inc’s Google on Monday said they would ban the use of location tracking in apps that use a new contact tracing system the two are building to help slow the spread of the novel coronavirus.Slideshow Apple and Google, whose operating systems power 99% of smart phones, said last month they would work together to create a system for notifying people who have been near others who have tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. The companies plan to allow only public health authorities to use the technology.Both companies said...…By , (Reuters) - Apple Inc and Alphabet Inc’s Google on Monday said they would ban the use of location tracking in apps that use a new contact tracing system the two are building to help slow the spread of the novel coronavirus.Slideshow Apple and Google, whose operating systems power 99% of smart phones, said last month they would work together to create a system for notifying people who have been near others who have tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. The companies plan to allow only public health authorities to use the technology.Both companies said...WW…

By , News publishers, especially the print media, have struggled as many advertisers pulled their marketing budgets to rein in costs because of economic uncertainty related to the coronavirus pandemic.Jason Kint, chief executive of media industry trade association Digital Content Next, said that any move to help the news publishing industry is appreciated.“But we would be foolish to believe this changes any other well-founded concerns around Google’s dominance over the digital ad business,” Kint said.Google Ad Manager, the service for which fees are being waived, is the most-used ad serving...…By , News publishers, especially the print media, have struggled as many advertisers pulled their marketing budgets to rein in costs because of economic uncertainty related to the coronavirus pandemic.Jason Kint, chief executive of media industry trade association Digital Content Next, said that any move to help the news publishing industry is appreciated.“But we would be foolish to believe this changes any other well-founded concerns around Google’s dominance over the digital ad business,” Kint said.Google Ad Manager, the service for which fees are being waived, is the most-used ad serving...WW…

By , The rare collaboration between the two Silicon Valley companies, whose operating systems power 99% of the world’s smartphones, could accelerate usage of apps that aim to get potentially infected individuals into testing or quarantine more quickly and reliably than existing systems in much of the world. Such tracing will play a vital role in managing the virus once lockdown orders end, health experts say.The planned technology also throws the weight of the tech leaders into a global conflict between privacy advocates who favor a decentralized system to trace contacts and governments in...…By , The rare collaboration between the two Silicon Valley companies, whose operating systems power 99% of the world’s smartphones, could accelerate usage of apps that aim to get potentially infected individuals into testing or quarantine more quickly and reliably than existing systems in much of the world. Such tracing will play a vital role in managing the virus once lockdown orders end, health experts say.The planned technology also throws the weight of the tech leaders into a global conflict between privacy advocates who favor a decentralized system to trace contacts and governments in...WW…

By , Slideshow (Reuters) -Apple Inc plans to argue that it faces abundant competition in the market for video game transactions to defend itself against antitrust allegations by “Fortnite” maker Epic Games, the iPhone maker said on Thursday.In a federal trial scheduled to begin May 3, the companies will fight over whether Apple’s 15% to 30% commissions for use of its in-app payment systems, and its longstanding practice of exercising control over which apps users can install, amount to anticompetitive behavior.Epic and Apple filed dueling position statements with the court on Thursday in...…By , Slideshow (Reuters) -Apple Inc plans to argue that it faces abundant competition in the market for video game transactions to defend itself against antitrust allegations by “Fortnite” maker Epic Games, the iPhone maker said on Thursday.In a federal trial scheduled to begin May 3, the companies will fight over whether Apple’s 15% to 30% commissions for use of its in-app payment systems, and its longstanding practice of exercising control over which apps users can install, amount to anticompetitive behavior.Epic and Apple filed dueling position statements with the court on Thursday in...WW…

By , Google called the allegations “factually wrong” and did not respond to a request to elaborate.The company sells its Chromebook laptops to schools around the world alongside its free or low-cost G Suite for Education software package, which includes email and writing tools.Brian McMath, an assistant attorney general under Balderas, said recent testing by his team and outside technical experts found that students aged below 13 who are given Chromebooks by their schools have their Web browsing, location, passwords and other personal information transmitted to Google.The lawsuit states...…By , Google called the allegations “factually wrong” and did not respond to a request to elaborate.The company sells its Chromebook laptops to schools around the world alongside its free or low-cost G Suite for Education software package, which includes email and writing tools.Brian McMath, an assistant attorney general under Balderas, said recent testing by his team and outside technical experts found that students aged below 13 who are given Chromebooks by their schools have their Web browsing, location, passwords and other personal information transmitted to Google.The lawsuit states...WW…

By , News publishers, especially the print media, have struggled as many advertisers pulled their marketing budgets to rein in costs because of economic uncertainty related to the coronavirus pandemic.Jason Kint, chief executive of media industry trade association Digital Content Next, said that any move to help the news publishing industry is appreciated.“But we would be foolish to believe this changes any other well-founded concerns around Google’s dominance over the digital ad business,” Kint said.Google Ad Manager, the service for which fees are being waived, is the most-used ad serving...…By , News publishers, especially the print media, have struggled as many advertisers pulled their marketing budgets to rein in costs because of economic uncertainty related to the coronavirus pandemic.Jason Kint, chief executive of media industry trade association Digital Content Next, said that any move to help the news publishing industry is appreciated.“But we would be foolish to believe this changes any other well-founded concerns around Google’s dominance over the digital ad business,” Kint said.Google Ad Manager, the service for which fees are being waived, is the most-used ad serving...WW…

Apple unveils AirTag, in this still image from the keynote video of a special event at Apple Park in Cupertino, California, April 20, 2021. Apple Inc./via REUTERS. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comWASHINGTON, April 21 (Reuters) - A panel of U.S. senators questioned officials from Apple Inc and Alphabet Inc’s Google on Wednesday about the dominance of their mobile app stores and whether the companies abuse their power at the expense of smaller competitors.Amy Klobuchar, the top Senate Democrat on antitrust issues, said Apple and Google can use their power to "exclude or...…Apple unveils AirTag, in this still image from the keynote video of a special event at Apple Park in Cupertino, California, April 20, 2021. Apple Inc./via REUTERS. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comWASHINGTON, April 21 (Reuters) - A panel of U.S. senators questioned officials from Apple Inc and Alphabet Inc’s Google on Wednesday about the dominance of their mobile app stores and whether the companies abuse their power at the expense of smaller competitors.Amy Klobuchar, the top Senate Democrat on antitrust issues, said Apple and Google can use their power to "exclude or...WW…

Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comApril 20 (Reuters) - Deployments of facial recognition from Israeli startup AnyVision show how the surveillance software has gained adoption across the United States even as regulatory and ethical debates about it rage.The in photos or videos, with banks representing one sector that has taken interest in systems from AnyVision or its many competitors to improve security and service.Organizations in other industries are chasing similar goals. The Los Angeles hospital Cedars-Sinai and oil giant BP Plc are among several previously unreported...…Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comApril 20 (Reuters) - Deployments of facial recognition from Israeli startup AnyVision show how the surveillance software has gained adoption across the United States even as regulatory and ethical debates about it rage.The in photos or videos, with banks representing one sector that has taken interest in systems from AnyVision or its many competitors to improve security and service.Organizations in other industries are chasing similar goals. The Los Angeles hospital Cedars-Sinai and oil giant BP Plc are among several previously unreported...WW…

By , Apple last week disclosed features in its forthcoming operating system for iPhones and iPads that will require apps to show a pop-up screen before they enable a form of tracking commonly needed to show personalized ads.Facebook and Google are the largest among thousands of companies that track online consumers to pick up on their habits and interests and serve them relevant ads.Apple said the new feature was aimed at giving users greater transparency over how their information is being used. In training sessions at a developer conference last week, Apple showed that developers can...…By , Apple last week disclosed features in its forthcoming operating system for iPhones and iPads that will require apps to show a pop-up screen before they enable a form of tracking commonly needed to show personalized ads.Facebook and Google are the largest among thousands of companies that track online consumers to pick up on their habits and interests and serve them relevant ads.Apple said the new feature was aimed at giving users greater transparency over how their information is being used. In training sessions at a developer conference last week, Apple showed that developers can...WW…