Hello, how are you going? We’ve got a few things to share with you this morning if you’ve got 5 minutes to spare.
1. Moves (again) to regulate crypto
The federal government yesterday moved to finally do something about regulating crypto and digital assets, releasing a proposal paper that recommends making crypto exchanges and digital asset platforms subject to existing Australian financial services laws and requiring platform operators to obtain an Australian Financial Services Licence. Under the proposed law, digital asset platforms will need to meet specific obligations (such as minimum standards for holding tokens, standards for custody software, and standards when transacting in tokens). The government reckons regulation will go some way to preventing another crypto exchange collapse.
2. Quantum physicist scores top science prize
Staying local for a second and quantum physicist and 2018 Australian of the year Professor Michelle Simmons has been awarded the top honour at the Prime Minister’s prizes for science. She was recognised for creating the field of atomic electronics, where her discoveries are powering the world from the digital age to the quantum age and are being commercialised as the basis for a new approach to quantum computing. Simmons’ team is part of the global race to create the world’s first error-corrected quantum computer.
3. More Apple rumours
Yesterday we learned a new iPad or two would be silently on its way to us this week, and today, we’re hearing a new Pencil and a cheaper Apple Vision Pro could be heading our way. There’s no way to make a $US3,500 device into a mainstream phenomenon like the iPhone, so of course Apple has been discussing ways to manufacture a cheaper version of the Vision Pro. These discussions reportedly began before the first Vision Pro was announced in June and execs have been aiming for a retail price in the $US1500 to $US2500 range. According to Bloomberg, the company is planning to reduce the cost of the device by using low-res displays and an iPhone processor instead of a Mac chip. Apple may also get rid of the EyeSight feature as well as a couple of external cameras and sensors in the cheap model.
4. Twitch gets Stories
Twitch is the latest social media platform to adopt a feature present on another platform. This time, it’s Stories. And… gross. Per TechCrunch, we learn Partners and Affiliates who have streamed at least once for 45 minutes or longer in the last 30 days are eligible to post stories, which are viewable for any of their followers and subscribers on the Twitch mobile app. Instead of expiring after 24 hours, Twitch stories will last 48. How innovative.
5. LinkedIn lays off staff
Lastly, LinkedIn has taken to LinkedIn to announce it will “eliminate approximately 668 employee roles” across the company. Roles, it said, will be impacted in the engineering, product, talent, and finance arms and are equal to roughly 3 per cent of the company’s global workforce. The LinkedIn post took the opportunity to also showcase the other companies laying off staff, such as chipmaker Qualcomm (laying off 1,258 employees) and supply chain software startup Flexport (cutting 20 per cent of its 3,500 staff) – it was a bizarre post. “”While we are adapting our organisational structures and streamlining our decision making, we are continuing to invest in strategic priorities for our future and to ensure we continue to deliver value for our members and customers,” the Microsoft-owned company did say, however.
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Have a good one!
Image: AP Photo/Eric Risberg