Good morning. Let’s get into the tech news, shall we?
1. Woolies teams up with other international grocery chains for VC fund
W23, Woolworth’s venture capital fund, is teaming up with other grocery chains such as Tesco, Ahold Delhaize, Empire/Sobeys and South Africa’s Shoprite Group, to explore new ways that the supermarket/retail experience can be improved, per The Australian. This collaboration will likely lead to more tech being introduced in stores, with W23 chief Ingrid Maes saying “At a time when innovation is reshaping retail and value chains across the economy, we aim to offer our investors incomparable access to transformative innovation in grocery and sustainability across the globe.”
2. Brazil launches X inquiry
The Guardian reports that Brazil has launched an inquiry into Twitter, now X, for allegedly defying a court order, by rolling back account blocks ordered by Justice Alexandre de Moraes, which were being investigated for their role in former President’s Jair Bolsonaro’s attempt to cling to power. X CEO Elon Musk has called for the judge to be impeached or to resign, with de Moraes now investigating what has been labelled an obstruction of justice. “We cannot live in a society in which billionaires domiciled abroad have control of social networks and put themselves in a position to violate the rule of law, failing to comply with court orders and threatening our authorities,” Brazil federal solicitor general Jorge Messias said. “Social peace is non-negotiable.”
3. TikTok to launch Instagram competitor
TikTok is working on a competitor to Instagram called TikTok Notes, as reported by Tech Crunch. Users of the social video platform have been getting prompts about the new platform, with a “new app for photo posts” being shown in popups. The new app has been confirmed by TikTok, but details on availability have not been disclosed just yet. “As part of our continued commitment to innovating the TikTok experience, we’re exploring ways to empower our community to create and share their creativity with photos and text in a dedicated space for those formats,” a TikTok spokesperson told Tech Crunch.
4. Microsoft feeling good about Apple-slaying ARM
The Verge has the story on Microsoft feeling confident in its Qualcomm-based ARM processors, with it hoped that the new chips will allow the company’s Surface product range to beat out the Apple M3 chip. Microsoft has also reportedly claimed internally that the new Qualcomm-powered PCs will have faster-emulated processing than Rosetta 2, Apple’s Intel-to-Mac compatibility layer. Perhaps we’ll see this in action at Microsoft’s May event.
5. Google Find My Device revamp launches
Google is launching a revamp for Find My Device, starting in the U.S. and Canada, and making its way to the rest of the world. The new app will allow Google device and Android users to locate their devices even if they’re offline, with wide-ranging support for (compatible) Bluetooth tags and the ability to locate items depending on their proximity to other items.
BONUS ITEM: If you’re curious, the next Total Solar Eclipse to grace Australia will be on July 22, 2028.
The first total solar eclipse to grace North America in seven years was visible over Niagara Falls as sky-watchers gazed upward for the celestial display. Here’s everything you need to know about the total solar eclipse as it happened: https://t.co/IVfPEsICn6 pic.twitter.com/Jm1dQ0QrSX
— Reuters (@Reuters) April 8, 2024
Have a lovely day.