This week's roundup looked at the top news stories from the Global B2B tech & telecoms industry.
The stories cover Cruise, Vodafone, AI, Amazon, Roomba, Fitbit, USA, Mobile Networks, Meta, Nintendo and Sparkle.
Here are our highlights:
monday_____________________________
Cruise is being investigated after robotaxi dragged pedestrian
General Motors’ driverless Cruise division is facing investigations following an October 2023 incident in which a jaywalking pedestrian was struck by an autonomous Cruise vehicle and then dragged 20 feet, exacerbating her injuries. Read the full story here: https://bit.ly/47O34W1
Vodafone-Three merger faces competition probe
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) will look into whether the deal could harm consumers by leading to reduced choice or higher prices. The combined group would be the UK's biggest mobile network with about 27 million customers.The firms said the deal would result in an additional investment of £11bn in the UK. Read the full story here: https://bit.ly/3UjdPMJ
TUEsday___________________________
‘Canva of audio’ AI startup backed by Steven Bartlett in £2.4m round
Launched in 2023 by engineers from US data firm Palantir, Wondercraft is an audio editing platform for podcasts, audiobooks and other audio content creation.
Read the full story here: https://bit.ly/3HE6uzR
Merger between Amazon and Roomba maker iRobot abandoned
The $1.4bn (£1.1bn) deal collapsed after regulators in the EU and US expressed concerns it would give the vacuum cleaner maker an unfair advantage over its rivals.
Read the full story here: https://bit.ly/42kNHTV
WEDNESday___________________________
Fitbit denies Charge 5 update made devices unusable
Fitbit has denied claims, made by scores of its users, that a software update it issued in December 2023 has left many devices unusable. More than 100 users have taken to official forums to say their Charge 5 devices now do not work properly. One customer told the BBC the update had rendered theirs "useless". Read the full story here: https://bit.ly/3SDs0Lr
Elon Musk sees $56bn Tesla pay deal cancelled in Delaware court
A judge in the US state of Delaware has annulled a $55.8bn (£44bn) pay deal awarded to Elon Musk in 2018 by the electric car company Tesla. Read the full story here: https://bit.ly/3SnwDIl
Thursday____________________________
Nintendo’s Record Gain Tested in Wait for ‘Switch 2’: Tech Watch
Nintendo Co.’s recent climb to a record high is looking increasingly stretched as investors wait for news on the successor to its aging Switch game console. Shares of the Mario and Zelda creator have soared 48% last year. Read the full story here: https://bit.ly/3ugok8V
Meta boss Mark Zuckerberg apologises to families in fiery US Senate hearing
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has apologised to families who say their children had been harmed by social media, during a fiery hearing in the US Senate.
Read the full story here: https://bit.ly/3w8D22g
Friday____________________________
Italian government makes offer for 100% of Sparkle
The never-ending story of TIM selling its fixed network to KKR took yet another twist yesterday, as the Italian Government made a bid for 100% of TIM’s infrastructure and connectivity business, Sparkle. The offer will be effective for 15 days and will be examined by TIM's Board.
Read the full story here: https://bit.ly/3OdGWxm
Meta share price surges as Facebook's parent company announces dividend
The newly announced dividend has been set at 50 cents (39p) a share, while a $50bn (£39bn) share buyback programme is set to benefit existing investors. It marks a rapid turnaround for Meta. Read the full story here: https://bit.ly/48VGRGP
