Here are the top trending stories from the world of technology. News that we feel every tech enthusiast should keep a tab on.
1)
Twitter’s Interface is all set to get a major Tweak (Here’s What will Change)
Twitter users will soon witness many changes in Twitter’s UI as early as this week after Elon Musk notified about the upcoming changes on Twitter. Musk, who acquired the microblogging company for nearly $44 Bn last year, announced that ‘recommended and followed tweets will now be swiped left & right and bookmark button will be rolled out as soon as this week. He further added that long form tweets will also be introduced but users will have to wait till the first week of February for this feature. Ever since his takeover, Musk has been hinting that he will be making some major changes in Twitter’s UI pretty soon.
2)
China’s Poster boy Jack Ma Gives up Control over Ant Group
Alibaba founder & billionaire Jack Ma is all set to relinquish his control over fintech company Ant Group, which over the years has achieved a dominant position in China’s financial sector. Ma, who until now owned more than 50% stake in Ant Group directly or indirectly, will now control only 6% stake and henceforth won’t be able to assert any major influence on company’s major decision. Once known for his flamboyance and outspoken nature, Ma over the last few months has become increasingly reclusive following his strained relationship with Chinese leadership. The soured relationship with China’s top leaders also ended up halting the $34 Bn Ant Group IPO, which was supposed to be the largest IPO.
3)
WhatsApp will now let you send messages even during internet black out
Instant messaging giant WhatsApp said on Thursday that it will now allow its users to send and receive messages even when there is an internet shutdown or internet is disrupted. The Meta owned platform will enable this feature with the help of a proxy server. In other words, WhatsApp users can now also access the instant messaging service with the help of a VPN service. WhatsApp has assured that all the messages sent via proxy server will continue to remain encrypted. Meta said that this new feature will help the suppressed people in raising their concerns at the global level, making a direct reference to the ongoing protest in Iran.
4)
Android Phones will soon get Satellite Connectivity
Several Android handsets will pretty soon enjoy internet satellite connectivity. This is all thanks to a new partnership signed between the satellite phone firm Iridium and chip giant Qualcomm. However, this service will be restricted to only premium Android handset and access to satellite internet services will be granted only to send and receive text messages and that too during emergency services. Apple has already announced satellite internet feature for its recently launched iPhone 14 handset. Satellite internet is likely to become the buzz word in the coming years due its ability to take internet to every nook and corner of the world. Elon Musk’s Starlink and Airtel & SoftBank backed Oneweb are the major player in the satellite internet industry.
5)
Apple’s Much Rumored Mixed Reality Headset is all set to hit the market
After years of rumors and media leaks, Apple’s much anticipated mixed reality headset is reportedly almost ready and will get an official unveiling in couple of months. According to Bloomberg, the tech giant plans to announce the device just ahead of its annual WWDC conference in June. According to media reports, Apple has also shared its mixed reality headset with some of the software developers to give them a first hand experience in headset’s native software “xrOS” software.