Hello and welcome to Tuesday. Let’s jump into your morning tech news briefing.
1. Microsoft potentially facing EU antitrust warning
Reuters is reporting that Microsoft is likely to receive an EU antitrust warning about its $US69 billion bid for Activision Blizzard. The report said the European Commission is readying a charge sheet known as a statement of objections setting out its concerns about the deal which will be sent to Microsoft in the coming weeks. Microsoft went public with the deal a year ago now and it hasn’t exactly been smooth sailing.
2. New MacBook Pros might be imminent
The usually accurate Mark Gurman (who writes for Bloomberg) is predicting an Apple drop in the next few days. He reckons it’ll be the new MacBook Pro in 14- and 16- inch models, ones boasting the company’s M2 chip. His post follows MacRumours reporting that Apple filed what appears to be an unreleased MacBook Pro with model identifier A2779 in a Canadian regulatory database on January 11.
The new MacBook Pros are imminent (Apple does have an announcement tomorrow – with press briefings later this week and embargoes lifting next Monday). The new Macs arriving early this year first reported here in October https://t.co/P34OdoMRgZ https://t.co/9JlQ0ueBO1
— Mark Gurman (@markgurman) January 16, 2023
3. Telstra-TPG network sharing deal back from the dead
In December, the ACCC shot down the Telstra and TPG regional Australia network sharing deal, deciding not to authorise shared network coverage between the two telcos. Now, the two telcos are taking the matter to the Australian Competition Tribunal. The telcos claim that the ACCC made two errors in its decision to not allow the network-sharing agreement. The move will be considered by the Australian Competition Tribunal as ‘act one’ of 2022. Read all about the saga over here.
4. A Google competitor to the AirTag
AirTags and Tiles are a wonderful way to track your stuff, mostly luggage, but unhappy with Android users just using Tile devices, Google is reportedly working on its own proprietary tracking device. Per Android Authority, citing leaks from usually reliable Kuba Wojciechowski, a Google tracker could be in the works that would be a direct competitor to AirTags. Allegedly, the codename for this product is “grogu,” aka the real name of “Baby Yoda” from The Mandalorian. This is a cute name because Grogu is essentially a small accessory for The Mandalorian.
Google is working on a smart tracker similar to Apple’s AirTag, codename “grogu” – report 🧵👇 pic.twitter.com/8K6KO7tfzj
— Kuba Wojciechowski⚡ (@Za_Raczke) January 16, 2023
5. IBM scores $725M government contract
Back in 2018, IBM walked away with a $1 billion whole-of-Australian government contract that basically saw the company known as Big Blue be Canberra’s ‘technology partner’. While it was meant to be just $1 billion, reports indicate this blew out way further, and the total spent was closer to $2 billion. This week, IBM scored itself another $725 million, forming yet another whole-of-government arrangement.
BONUS ITEM: Another timeline cleanser for you today, with the 2022 Dog Photography Awards announced overnight.
Pooch portraits: Dog Photography awards – in pictures https://t.co/KmczFB8EVh
— The Guardian (@guardian) January 16, 2023
Have a good day.