Apple launches new MacBook Air, Jeff Bezos usurps Elon Musk as world’s richest man

Apple has launched a new MacBook Air, with a new chip inside. The laptop takes the same basic design of Apple’s smallest and cheapest computer, but gives it the M3 chip that was first launched late last year. In addition to that improved chip, the new computer has better WiFi, new microphone features and better voice clarity on calls, Apple said. It will now also support two displays when the lid is closed, rather than one. Otherwise, everything else stays the same, including its $1,099 starting price and the four colours it has always been offered in. Independent 

Jeff Bezos has usurped Elon Musk as the world’s richest man with a net worth of $200bn (£158bn) after a surge in the share price of Amazon. The Amazon founder, 60, overtook his rival for the first time in three years, with Mr Musk now sitting on a fortune worth $198bn, according to Bloomberg data. The pair’s fortunes are largely tied to their respective holdings in online retail giant Amazon and electric car maker Tesla. Amazon’s shares have climbed 18pc so far this year, valuing the business at more than $1.8 trillion. Telegraph 

Owners of Nissan Leaf electric cars have accused the firm of “dumping its pioneers” after it announced its app would stop working for older vehicles. The firm says the app – which allows remote control of functions such as heating – is stopping because the UK’s 2G network is being switched off. But customers have reacted with anger, telling the BBC they did not expect it to be withdrawn. Experts expect the issue to affect more electric vehicles as the market grows. Around 3,000 Nissan Leaf and e-NV200 cars made before 2016 are affected by the app being withdrawn. BBC 

Alongside the new M3 MacBook Air laptops, Apple announced a set of new color options for its Silicone MagSafe iPhone case and Apple Watch bands. The silicone case with MagSafe is now available in Soft Mint, Sunshine, Light Blue, and Pink for iPhones and are available now from Apple for iPhone 15 series devices.

   
Apple Silicone case with MagSafe in Soft Mint, Sunshine, Light Blue, and Pink

Apple Watch bands are also getting the same new colors. Sport Loops now come in Soft Mint and Ocean Blue colors. Sport Bands are available in Soft Mint, Sunshine, and Light Blue. The Braided Solo Loop gets Sunshine, Light Blue, and Raspberry colors while the Solo Loop now comes in Pink, Soft Mint, and Ocean Blue. All of these Apple Watch bands are now available from Apple’s website. GSM Arena 

Apple has been fined €1.8bn (£1.5bn) by the EU after an investigation found it had limited competition from music streaming services such as Spotify. The fine is nearly four times higher than expected as the European Commission attempts to show it will act decisively on tech companies who abuse their dominant position in the market for online services. The European competition commissioner, Margrethe Vestager, said a smaller fine would have been nothing more than the equivalent of a parking fine. The Guardian 

Microsoft’s decision to ease off its 23-year competition with Sony and Nintendo over supremacy in games hardware has opened a path for Japan’s return as the world’s undisputed home of the console. The prospect of a new, less internationalised era of console wars has raised hopes of happier times for the Japanese survivors, but has also caused analysts and investors to revisit the question of how much longer the whole genre of dedicated games machines will continue to exist. FT.com