Study finds online harassment of girls ‘seen as normal’, EU investigates tech firms
Online harassment of girls is “so standard” that some parents see it as “normal”, a study has found. Online safety charity Internet Matters found that 77% of girls aged 13 to 16 in the UK report digital experiences that are or may be harmful. The survey also found that parents “are coming to regard online harassment of girls as normal – verging upon trivialising it”. Carolyn Bunting, the charity’s co-executive, said she is concerned that “we’ve collectively lost sight of the fact that what is unacceptable offline should also be unacceptable online”. Sky News
The EU has announced investigations into some of the biggest tech firms in the world over uncompetitive practices. Alphabet, which owns Google, Meta, and Apple are all being looked into for potential breaches of the Digital Markets Act (DMA) introduced in 2022. If they are found to have broken the rules, the firms can face huge fines of up to 10% of their annual turnover. EU antitrust boss Margrethe Vestager and industry head Thierry Breton announced the investigations on Monday. It comes three weeks after the EU fined Apple €1.8bn (£1.5bn) for breaking competition laws over music streaming. BBC
Nissan has vowed to cut the cost of making electric vehicles (EVs) by a third as the Japanese car giant embarks on a fightback against China. Under its “Arc” business plan, the Yokohama-based company said it would also launch 16 new EVs by 2026, as well as another 14 internal combustion engine cars. Bosses said they would slash the cost of making battery-powered cars by 30pc using a “family” of designs and exploiting technology partnerships such as the deal Nissan has struck with former arch-rival Honda. Telegraph
A report from Apple’s supply chain indicates that Apple’s A18 Pro chip will feature a larger die area (vs the A17 Pro), which could be needed for more AI computing power. The report comes from Jeff Pu at Haitong International Tech research, via 9to5Mac. The chip will reportedly process AI on-device, something current top-dog Androids can already do thanks to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip…Apple could leverage AI on its 2024 iPhones by using a combination of on-device AI and Google’s Gemini AI, which Apple is reportedly looking to license. GSM Arena
Cars have a weight problem. Consider the Mini, designed to save precious fuel during rationing; it has ballooned in size. It is not alone. Cars have got bigger and bigger, with the rise of the SUV only accelerating the trend. Electric cars might look the same (for now) but they have one important difference: a heavy battery. Transport & Environment, a campaign group, calculates that EVs are on average between 300kg and 400kg heavier. For every 150km of range, it adds about 100kg of battery weight. The Guardian
A smart ring can’t replace a smartwatch. It can’t fit all the sensors, haptics, and other components needed for apps, notifications, and calling. Aside from that, I’m skeptical that a smart ring can match a watch for step count or workout data. But sleep tracking? I can’t see anyone continuing to wear a smartwatch after trying their first smart ring. I’ve been testing the Ultrahuman Ring Air for a little over a week, and I quite like its sleep-tracking features thus far. Android Central
