iOS 14.5 Adds New Siri Voices, No Longer Defaults to Female - MacRumors

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The sixth beta of iOS 14.5 that was released this morning introduces two new Siri voices that are available in English, plus it adds a new setup selection option that will let people choose their preferred ‌Siri‌ voice rather than defaulting to a female voice in the United States.

The ‌Siri‌ changes were outlined by TechCrunch, and the site says that the two new voices will add more diversity in speech sound and pattern. Apple in a statement said that the change is a continuation of its commitment to diversity and inclusion.

We're excited to introduce two new ‌Siri‌ voices for English speakers and the option for ‌Siri‌ users to select the voice they want when they set up their device. This is a continuation of Apple's long-standing commitment to diversity and inclusion, and products and services that are designed to better reflect the diversity of the world we live in.

The new voices that have been added use source talent recordings run through Apple's Neural Engine to make the voices "flow more organically" through phrases generated on the fly.

After upgrading to iOS 14.5, the "‌Siri‌ & Search" portion of the Settings app has an upgraded "‌Siri‌ Voice" option. The "Accent" label has been changed to "Variety," and there's no longer a "Gender" selection. Instead, there are now four "American" voice options to choose from.

Today's beta also improves ‌Siri‌ voices in Ireland, Russia, and Italy to add Apple's Neural text to speech, which brings the total number of devices using this technology to 38. ‌Siri‌ now handles 25 billion requests on over 500M voices and supports 21 languages in 36 countries.

Note: Due to the political or social nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Political News forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.

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Soon, Siri Won't Be a Feminine Voice by Default - Gizmodo

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Photo: Victoria Song/Gizmodo

The latest update to the iOS 14.5 beta won’t fix all of our gripes with Siri, but it does introduce a few major changes for Apple’s digital assistant. For starters, Siri will no longer be feminine by default for English speakers. Instead, once iOS 14.5 is officially pushed out, iOS users will be prompted to pick their preferred Siri voice during setup.

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Per TechCrunch, the move is part of a larger effort to make the digital assistant more inclusive. In addition to letting users choose how they want Siri to sound, the beta version also adds two new English voices. Reportedly, the two new Siri voices were created by running “source talent recordings” through Apple’s Neural text to speech engine. The idea is to offer a Siri that sounds more organic with smoother transitions and is capable of generating responses in real-time.

“We’re excited to introduce two new Siri voices for English speakers and the option for Siri users to select the voice they want when they set up their device,” Apple said in a statement to TechCrunch. “This is a continuation of Apple’s long-standing commitment to diversity and inclusion, and products and services that are designed to better reflect the diversity of the world we live in.”

This is a welcome development, as diversity extends to speech patterns and regional dialects. Giving users the ability to pick a Siri that best suits them is the next logical step in creating a digital assistant that feels natural to interact with. Likewise, expanding the types of voices available will eventually help create a digital assistant with fewer unintended biases. Right now, Siri—as well as Alexa and Google Assistant—sometimes stumbles when it comes to naming non-John Smiths of the world, making features like texting or calling via Siri for certain friends or family unreliable.

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This change also addresses the inherent sexism that was initially built-in with digital assistants. For years, Apple, Amazon, and Google have been criticized for failing to foresee the implicit gender biases of making digital assistants feminine by default. (Though, it should be noted that in some countries, like the U.K., Siri is masculine by default, or “Male” as it is designated on the menu.) A 2019 UN report found that digital assistants reinforced gender stereotypes, such as women being more subservient and accommodating to instances of verbal abuse. Famously, a 2017 Quartz report delved into how each digital assistant coded as female responded to sexual harassment. The results were lackluster, to say the least. When told “You’re a bitch” or “You’re a slut,” Alexa at the time would respond with a meek “Well, thanks for the feedback.” Samsung also caught flack for adding sexist tags to feminine and masculine versions of Bixby.

Tech companies seemed to take this criticism to heart, with many programming more progressive responses to loaded questions like, “Are you a feminist?” or “Do Black lives matter?” In the aftermath, Apple, Google, and Microsoft also added male voice options. The ability to choose which voice you preferred was also added, though crucially, not during setup. That meant if you wanted a different voice, you had to know that option was available to you and then figure out how to change that setting. Apple allowing users to decide during setup is a small, but meaningful change.

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Google canceling April Fools’ Day jokes for the second year in a row - 9to5Google

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Many in the industry pulled the plug on April Fools’ Day pranks in 2020 as tension from the emerging COVID-19 pandemic was high, Google included. Now, for the second year in a row, Google is skipping April Fools’ Day 2021.

An internal memo sent by Google’s VP of global marketing, Marvin Chow, explains that the company will continue its “pause” of April Fools’ Day pranks in 2021 as “much of the world” is still dealing with “serious challenges” during the pandemic. The message, obtained by Business Insider, reads:

Throughout the past year, I have been so inspired by how helpful our products, programs and people have been during humanity’s toughest times. We’ve done it with sensitivity and empathy, reflecting the range of challenging experiences so many are experiencing globally.

As you will remember, last year we made the decision to pause our longstanding Google tradition of celebrating April Fools’ Day, out of respect for all those fighting COVID-19. With much of the world still grappling with serious challenges, we feel we should again pause the jokes for April Fools’ Day this year. Like we did last year, we should continue to find appropriate ways to bring moments of joy to our users throughout the year (e.g. Doodles, easter eggs, etc.)

Google has confirmed that the message is genuine.

Notably, we believed we had spotted one of the company’s potential pranks in Stadia earlier this year. The prank would have teased the game-streaming platform’s ability to stream games on 56K internet connections. Google has confirmed to us shortly after publication that Stadia will not feature any April Fools gags this year.

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Hands-on: Here’s how to find the new Siri voices in iOS 14.5 - 9to5Mac

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Among the new features introduced with the sixth beta release of iOS 14.5, which is currently available to developers and public beta users, Apple has added two new voice options for Siri. If you have already updated your iPhone, iPad, or even HomePod to iOS 14.5, read on as we explain how you can find and enable the new Siri voices.

According to Apple, the new voices were recorded to sound more natural, even with phrases generated by Apple’s Neural text to speech engine. Right now, the two new Siri voices are only available for English speakers, but the company expects to expand them to more languages in the future.

For those who have already installed the latest version of iOS 14.5, there are just a few steps you need to follow to change the voice of Siri on your device. Here’s how to do it:

1. On your iPhone or iPad, open the Settings app
2. Tap the Siri & Search menu
3. Check if you have chosen English (United States) as Siri’s language
4. Tap the Siri Voice option

Instead of having only two voices, you will now find four different options. Voice 1 and Voice 4 are the old male and female voices, respectively. The new female voice is Voice 2, while the new male voice is Voice 3. Just tap one of the options and your device will download the new Siri voice.

Once you choose a new voice on your iPhone, it automatically uses the same voice on your paired Apple Watch. However, if you have a HomePod, you also need to update it to Software 14.5 to get the new voices.

Beta releases of the HomePod Software are not widely available as the iOS and watchOS betas, but if you have access to the latest HomePod Software beta, here’s what you have to do to change Siri’s voice:

1. On your iPhone or iPad running iOS 14.5, open the Home app
2. Tap and hold the HomePod icon that you want to change Siri’s voice
3. Swipe down to access the HomePod settings
4. Check if you have chosen English (United States) as Siri’s language
5. Tap the Siri Voice option

From there, the options for Siri voices are the same as those available on the iPhone and iPad. Just tap the option you want and HomePod will download the new Siri voice.

If you don’t have iOS 14.5 installed yet, check out a preview of the new voices in the video below:

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Indie Semiconductor is profiting from auto chip shortage, CEO says - CNBC

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In this article

• TBCP
• THBR
• F

The global chip shortage that's been a headache for auto manufacturers has actually been a boon for Indie Semiconductor, CEO Donald McClymont told CNBC Wednesday.

"Whereas others are struggling, we've actually really profited," he said in a "Mad Money" interview.

McClymont's comments came after Ford Motor announced earlier in the day it would cut back on car production at multiple North American plants as the industry grapples with a global chip shortage. Demand for semiconductors has spiked during the Covid-19 pandemic as consumers buy more electronics for their homes. Semiconductors are used in a range of consumer products, including phones, computers and increasingly electrified automobiles.

Indie Semiconductor, which is based in Aliso Viejo, California, makes next-generation chips and software for the automobile industry. It supplies chips for applications including advanced driver-assistance and autonomous systems, connected driving, user experience and vehicle electrification.

But while companies like have Ford struggled, Indie Semiconductor reports having a $2 billion backlog for orders.

"We developed our supply chain kind of in our own image. We're wholly focused on the automotive market," McClymont said. "We picked suppliers who are also much the same and to that end, they make the right decisions for the auto market."

The private company is expected to turn into a public one within weeks after its blank-check merger with Thunder Bridge Acquisition II closes. Shares of the SPAC, or special purpose acquisition company, rose 3.37% to $10.42 per share on Wednesday.

The merger, which was announced in December, values Indie Semiconductor at about $1.4 billion. Indie Semiconductor wants to grow its reach in a $16 billion market for auto semiconductors, the company said citing IHS figures.

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AUTO RACING: Auto Racing Glance - Associated Press

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All Times Eastern

NASCAR CUP SERIES

Last race: Joey Logano became the seventh different winner in as many races, leading the last 61 laps to win a rain-delayed race on the dirt at Bristol.

Fast facts: After seven races last season, Logano and Hamlin had each won twice. ... Hamlin leads Logano by 58 points in the standings and his six top-five finishes are twice as many as any other driver. ... Martin Truex Jr. is third in points, followed by Kyle Larson and Brad Keselowski. ... Larson leads all drivers with 379 laps led. Logano is a distant second with 259.

Next race: April 10, Martinsville, Virginia.

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Online: http://www.nascar.com

NASCAR XFINITY SERIES

Last race: Justin Allgaier took advantage when Martin Truex Jr. was caught speeding on pit road and outran the 2017 Cup champion to the finish at Atlanta.

Fast facts: Reigning series champion Austin Cindric is the only two-time winner through six races. He leads Daniel Hemric by 46 points in the standings with Harrison Burton third, A.J. Allmendinger fourth and Justin Haley fifth. ... Cindric has five top-five finishes. Allmendinger is next with four. ... Cindric has ledd a series-best 288 laps. Hemric is next, having led 120.

Next race: April 9, Martinsville, Virginia.

Online: http://www.nascar.com

NASCAR TRUCK SERIES

Last race: Martin Truex Jr. led 105 of 150 laps in his first start in the series since 2006 and won on the dirt at Bristol, his first series victory in just his third start.

Fast facts: John Hunter Nemechek, who drives for Kyle Busch, is the series points leader with four top 10 finishes in five races. ... Ben Rhodes, the winner of the season’s first two events, is just six points back and 2020 champion Sheldon Creed are next with three-time series champion Matt Crafton fourth. ... The series will return for a more traditional race on Bristol’s high-banked oval in September.

Next race: April 17, Richmond, Virginia.

Online: http://www.nascar.com

FORMULA ONE

Last race: Seven-time and defending series champion Lewis Hamilton held off Max Verstappen in the season opener at Bahrain to win for the 13th time in the last 19 races.

Next race: April 18, Imola, Italy.

Online: http://www.formula1.com

INDYCAR

Last race: Scott Dixon clinched his sixth series championship, holding off Josef Newgarden despite Newgarden’s Dixon-matching fourth victory of the season.

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Next race: April 18, Birmingham, Alabama (season opener)

Online: http://www.indycar.com

NHRA DRAG RACING

Last event: Josh Hart won Top Fuel and J.R. Todd in Funny Car at the Gatornationals.

Next event: April 18, Las Vegas, Nevada.

Online: http://www.nhra.com

WORLD OF OUTLAWS

Next events: April 2 and 3, Pevely, Missouri.

Online: http://worldofoutlaws.com/sprintcars

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Apple's Newest iOS 14.4.2 Update Just Launched - Here's Why You Should Download It Now - Yahoo Lifestyle

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For many iPhone users, it seems as if there's always a new Apple update that they need to install on their devices. This week, yet another update is available, iOS 14.4.2, but it's actually an important security update that all iPhone users should immediately download. The new update addresses a vulnerability problem in Apple's WebKit browser engine, which the tech giant worries has already been exploited. These security concerns make it essential for iPhone users to install the update as soon as possible to ensure their devices are protected from attackers. Apple is so concerned about the security breach that it also released an iOS 12.5.2 update for people who have devices like the iPhone 6, iPhone 5S, and older iPads so they can also keep their iOS 12 operating systems safe.

The bottom line: Apple's iOS 14.4.2 update is an important way to keep your devices safe, so download it as soon as you can. Since this is purely a security-based issue, users do not have to worry about bugs or problems stemming from the update. In addition to this update, iOS 14.5 is set to launch within the next few weeks. This update will add new improvements to devices and let users be able to unlock an iPhone with an Apple Watch, add new shortcut actions, play around with more emoji, improve battery health, and more. The next time your phone prompts you to download an update, jump on it so you can make sure your devices are not only up to date but also safe.

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Instagram officially launches Remix on Reels, a TikTok Duets-like feature - TechCrunch

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Instagram today is officially launching a new feature called Remix, which offers a way to record your Reels video alongside a video from another user. The option is similar to TikTok’s existing Duets feature, which also lets users react to or interact with another person’s video content while creating their own. Instagram’s new feature has been in public testing before today, so some Instagram users may have already gained access.

We recently reported on Instagram’s plans with Remix, when noting that Snapchat was developing a Remix feature of its own. In fact, Snapchat is also using the name “Remix” for its TikTok Duets rival that’s currently in development.

On TikTok, Duets are a key part to making the app feel more like a social network and less of just a passive video-watching experience. Users take advantage of Duets to sing, dance, joke or act alongside another user’s video. They will do things like cook someone else’s recipe, record a reaction video, or even just watch a video from a smaller creator to give them a boost.

Meanwhile, TikTok competitors — like Instagram Reels, Snapchat’s Spotlight or YouTube’s Shorts, for example — have launched their short-form video experiences without a full set of engagement or editing features like TikTok has, making their apps feel like pale knockoffs of the original. Remix on Reels is a first step toward changing that perception, by giving users at least one important option to engage and collaborate with their fellow creatives.

Re-re-re-remix 🤩

Now you can use the Remix feature in Reels to create your own reel next to one that already exists 🎭

Whether you’re capturing your reaction, responding to friends or bringing your own magic to trends, Remix is another way to collab on Instagram ✨ pic.twitter.com/eU8x74Q3yf

— Instagram (@instagram) March 31, 2021

To use the new Remix feature, you’ll first tap on the three-dot menu on a Reel and select the new “Remix this Reel” option. The screen will then split into the original Reel and your own new one, where you can begin to record side by side with the original. When you’ve finished, you can tweak other aspects of the recording like the volume of the original video or your audio and you can optionally add a voiceover. After applying these or any other edits, you can publish the Remix.

The feature will only be available on newly uploaded Reels — so unfortunately, if you want your older Reels to be duetted, you either need to reupload them or go back to your old Reel and specifically enable Remix.

Image Credits: Instagram

Your Remixes will appear alongside any other Reels you’ve recorded on the Reels tab on your Instagram profile, and you’ll be able to track who has remixed your content through Instagram’s Activity tab.

The feature is rolling out, starting today, says Instagram. It will be enabled by default on all new Reels published from a public account.

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Free PlayStation Plus Games for April 2021 - IGN Daily Fix - IGN

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A first look at Xbox running Discord and Google Stadia in its new Edge browser - The Verge

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Microsoft has started testing a new version of its Edge browser on Xbox consoles. The software giant provided access to the Chromium version of Edge to Xbox Insiders earlier this month, offering an early look at the improved browsing capabilities coming to the Xbox One and Xbox Series X / S. I’ve had a chance to try out this early version over the past few days, and I’ve been able to test Discord, Stadia, and other web services running inside Edge on the Xbox. It’s like having the full version of Edge from PC running on your TV.

The Xbox version of Edge looks almost identical to the one you can find on PC or Mac right now. It even includes features like vertical tabs and Collections. Like Edge on PC and mobile, the Xbox version also syncs all your settings, favorites, tabs, and web history.

Extension support is the only big feature that’s really missing right now. I’m not sure if this is a general restriction with the Xbox version, or whether Microsoft might implement it once this Chromium version is ready to release. Either way, if you try to add a Chrome or Edge extension it will fail.

The big reason you might want to use this new version of Edge on the Xbox is for the greatly improved web compatibility. This allows services like Discord, Skype, or even Google Stadia to run on the Xbox version of Edge. Discord will let you join voice calls and participate in text channel chats, but microphone support isn’t there just yet. This is a really early version, so it’s likely that it will be supported eventually. Likewise, if you switch to another game or app, Discord calls in the Edge browser do not continue in the background. This may also change before this Edge update is broadly available, too.

Google Stadia works really smoothly. I’ve been able to stream multiple games using the service, and the Xbox controller is automatically detected and supported in games. I’ve also tried to use Nvidia’s GeForce Now streaming service, but Nvidia appears to be blocking the Edge user agent string, and there are no developer tools or extensions that will allow me to spoof the Chrome user agent.

Elsewhere, I’ve also tested out Office web apps in this Xbox version of Edge. They work as reliably as you’d expect, and you can even hook up a keyboard to the Xbox and type away. Unfortunately, mouse support isn’t available in this Edge browser yet. That appears to be part of a broader restriction on Xbox apps accessing a mouse on Microsoft’s consoles, so it’s not clear if this will be fully supported in the future.

Edge on Xbox is currently based on Chromium 91, which is expected to debut on desktop versions of Edge in May. Microsoft hasn’t revealed when it plans to release this Xbox version, though.

This Edge browser is already a big improvement over the legacy version that exists on Xbox today. Full sync support, web compatibility, and just the general interface is greatly improved. While Xbox typically gets dedicated streaming apps for most services, this Edge update will be useful for many who want to access everything the web has to offer.

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Google Maps is getting a heap of new AI-driven features - TechRadar

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Around the world, it's become second nature for people to navigate their way through cities and streets via Google Maps, but now the tech giant has announced you'll soon be able to bring some of that power to indoor spaces as well.

The latest post on Google's blog lists a host of AI-powered updates that will be rolling out over the course of the year to Google Maps, and chief among them is an Indoor Live View.

Google Maps has already implemented Live View for a while now – a feature which uses the company's wealth of Street View footage to determine specific directions and overlay them over live footage from your camera, creating an augmented reality (AR) directional tool.

Indoor Live View, as its name suggests, is the same feature but will also operate in a number of key indoor locations such as malls, airports, and other transit stations.

According to Google, this new feature "can help you find the nearest elevator and escalators, your gate, platform, baggage claim, check-in counters, ticket office, restrooms, ATMs and more," so it's clearly a granular tool.

As for availability, the feature is live now on both iOS and Android apps, but is currently only operating in "a number of malls in Chicago, Long Island, Los Angeles, Newark, San Francisco, San Jose, and Seattle," with locations in Tokyo and Zurich rolling out in the coming months and other cities further down the track.

Google Maps and the environment

Along with this key feature, a number of other tools are finding their way to Google Maps, including map layers that provide information on current and forecast weather conditions for specific areas, as well as the air quality in an area (granted there's a nearby Air Quality Index [AQI] station).

The weather layer will roll out globally over the course of the year, and the AQI layer will be coming to the US, India and Australia.

(Image credit: Google)

For the environmentally-conscious Google Maps user, you'll soon be able to select a route based on lower fuel consumption and, as a result, lower carbon emissions. This will be calculated based on factors such as high density traffic and road incline.

In fact, Google Maps will default to choosing the more eco-friendly route when the alternatives "has approximately the same ETA," but you'll be given a prompt when it will take significantly longer. In either case, you'll be told how fewer emissions your trip will cause as a percentage.

This feature will land 'later this year' in the US on both Android and iOS, with other countries on the way.

From June, Google Maps will let you know if you'll be driving through low emission zones in global locations and cities that enforce them, and whether or not your vehicle is allowed in them. This feature will be coming to Germany, Netherlands, France, Spain and the UK, with more to follow.

Google is also making the choice between sustainable transport options easier to access with a singular screen within Maps that quickly summarizes all the different modes of transit to your destination and the time they'll take.

This feature will also learn from your habits and location to prioritize certain suitable options higher in the list – you can select your preferred methods manually, but biking options will be preferred if you cycle often, similarly with public transport. This feature is rolling out globally 'in the coming months'.

A number of other features will be coming to the iOS and Android app over the course of the year, including improvements to pickup and delivery details for participating grocery stores and service providers, as well as updates to Assistant Driving Mode.

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Pressure intensifies on auto insurers to provide bigger refunds - Insurance Business

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An analysis by the insurance commissioner’s office obtained by Forbes showed that from March to September 2020, the 10 largest auto insurers in the state refunded an average of 9% in premiums, when they should have returned 17%. By December, the number of insurers offering partial refunds dropped to four.

“Returning insurance premiums is a stimulus that people need right now, and they deserve it as long as they continue to drive less and our roads are safer as a result,” Lara said in a YouTube video.

His order comes as several policyholders in Nevada have sued their auto insurance providers, accusing them of overcharging during the pandemic, when the number of accidents and miles driven has declined.

Carmen Balber, executive director of the California group Consumer Watchdog, told Forbes that these lawsuits, along with Lara’s demand, could force car insurers across the US to pay out additional refunds to policyholders.

“Every insurance commissioner in the country has the power to shine a spotlight on the profits auto insurance companies are making in their state and say that consumers are owed more,” she said.

In Massachusetts, the Division of Insurance followed Lara’s lead asking insurers to submit rate filings, which include data about claims and expenses in 2020, not later than June 30. The department said it wanted to make sure auto insurers are factoring in “pandemic-related shifts in vehicle traffic” in setting premiums.

However, the Center for Economic Justice revealed that besides Lara, no other state insurance commissioner has required insurers to issue refunds to policyholders. Car insurance providers across the country, apart from those in California, have been returning money to clients on a voluntary basis.

The group also told Forbes that auto insurers have seen claims dip by $25 million since the pandemic began but have returned less than half of that amount to customers. It added that it has been working with the Consumer Federation of America in urging state insurance commissioners to demand insurers to return money that policyholders deserve.

In response, the American Property Casualty Insurance Association (APCIA) said that auto insurers have provided more than $14 billion in refunds and credits to customers in 2020 to reflect reduced traffic during the pandemic.

“Insurers understood the urgency of helping businesses and individuals recover from the unprecedented crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and took immediate action to adapt premiums when driving was reduced in 2020,” said Mark Sektnan, vice president of the trade group, in a statement obtained by Forbes. “Insurers continue to work with policyholders to adjust their policies in 2021.”

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Google Meet’s free ‘unlimited’ calls will continue until June - The Verge

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Google will not introduce a 60 minute call limit on free Google Meet users at the end of March, the company announced in a tweet. Instead, it will now be begin on June 30th. Until then, anyone using the service’s free version will be able to host calls up to 24 hours in length, which Google refers to as “unlimited.”

This is the second time Google has pushed back the introduction of call limits since opening up the service to free users last April. A 60 minute limit had originally been due to come into effect at the end of September, but that deadline was later pushed back to March when it became clear that many of us wouldn’t be able to celebrate the holidays in person with our loved ones.

Google hasn’t explicitly said why it’s extending its deadline this time, but the continued pandemic restrictions in place around the world probably have something to do with it. I think I speak for everyone when I say I hope Google won’t have a reason to extend its deadline again come June.

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Apple 'Betrayed' My Trust, Says iPhone User Who Lost $1M To Scam Bitcoin App - Benzinga

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An Apple Inc (NASDAQ:AAPL) smartphone user, Phillipe Christodoulou, lost over one million dollars worth of Bitcoin (BTC) after he downloaded an application from the iPhone’s App Store, the Washington Post reported Tuesday. 

What Happened: Christodoulou is angry at the Tim Cook-led company after losing 17.1 BTC to the fraudulent app, according to the Post. 

The iPhone user suffered a loss of nearly $1.01 million as per BTC's trading price of $59,194.26 at press time.

The bitcoins were reportedly lost after Christodoulou downloaded an app from the App store to check his bitcoin balance last month.

Christodoulou searched for “Trezor” in the App Store, which brought up a result that included a logo that bore resemblance to the one used by the namesake cryptocurrency hardware wallet maker, as per the Post.

After downloading the app from the App Store, which was rated five stars, he lost his life savings in less than a second.

Christodoulou expressed anger at the Cupertino, California-based iPhone maker. He said, “They betrayed the trust that I had in them.”

“Apple doesn’t deserve to get away with this.”

Why It Matters: An Apple spokesperson said that App Store is the “most secure app marketplace in the world,” reported the Post. 

“In the limited instances when criminals defraud our users, we take swift action against these actors as well as to prevent similar violations in the future,” said the spokesperson.

See Also: Best Cryptocurrency Wallets

Apple reportedly acknowledged other cryptocurrency scams on App Store but didn't reveal a number.

United Kingdom-based Coinfirm, a company that specializes in cryptocurrency regulations, said that fake apps on Apple and Alphabet Inc (NASDAQ:GOOGL) (NASDAQ:GOOG) subsidiary Google’s app stores are common.

According to Coinfirm, five people have reported cryptocurrency stolen by the fake Trezor app on iOS worth a total of $1.6 million. On Android, the losses totaled $600,000 in cryptocurrency. 

Trezor itself does not have a mobile application. A company spokesperson said it had been informing Apple and Google for years about fake apps posing as its product, reported the Post.

This month, a cryptocurrency user was defrauded of 10 BTC, now worth nearly $591,000 after he fell victim to a scammer pretending to be Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla Inc (NASDAQ:TSLA). 

Price Action: Apple shares closed 1.23% lower at $119.90 on Tuesday.

Read Next: 'Tiger King' NFT Drops Tomorrow — Despite Opposition From The Tiger King Himself

© 2020 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

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Google extends availability of 'unlimited' free Meet calls to June 30th - Engadget

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Google is once again extending the availability of longer Meet calls for free users. As things currently stand, you can take part in chats that last up to a full day until the end of June 2021. Back when the company made Meet available for free to Gmail account holders, it waived a 60-minute limit on calls. Initially, Google said it wouldn’t reinstate that limit until September 30th, 2020. It then extended that deadline to March 31st, 2021. This latest extension moves that timeline toward the start of the summer. Then as now, the extension will help friends and families stay in touch during the pandemic.

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Research shows Google collects 20x more data from Android than Apple collects from iOS [U] - 9to5Mac

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Tech companies have been talking more about privacy in recent years, and Apple proudly says that it protects user data more than anyone else. This week, new research by Douglas Leith from Trinity College showed that Google collects up to 20 times more data from Android users compared to the data Apple collects from iOS users.

As reported by Ars Technica, the research analyzed the amount of telemetry data transmitted directly to the companies responsible for the iOS and Android operating systems. It checked not only data sent to Apple or Google through pre-installed apps, but also during idle periods.

Another interesting point of this research is that it also considers data sent from users who have chosen not to share any information with the companies in the settings for each operating system.

Both iOS and Android, researcher Douglas Leith from Trinity College in Ireland said, transmit telemetry data to their motherships even when a user hasn’t logged in or has explicitly configured privacy settings to opt out of such collection. Both OSes also send data to Apple and Google when a user does simple things such as inserting a SIM card or browsing the handset settings screen. Even when idle, each device connects to its back-end server on average every 4.5 minutes.

While iOS automatically collects data from Siri, Safari, and iCloud to send to Apple, Android gets data from Chrome, YouTube, Google Docs, Safetyhub, Google Messenger, Clock, and search, even when the user is not logged into a Google account. Interestingly enough, iOS sends about 42KB of data to Apple right after booting up the device. Android, on the other hand, sends 1MB of data to Google.

When idle, Android sends roughly 1MB of data to Google every 12 hours, compared with iOS sending Apple about 52KB over the same period. In the US alone, Android collectively gathers about 1.3TB of data every 12 hours. During the same period, iOS collects about 5.8GB.

A Google spokesperson told Ars Technica that the company disagrees with this research as it considers essential that both iOS and Android devices send and receive data to the companies behind them, which helps them keep their software up to date and check that everything is working as expected. Apple didn’t respond to a request for a comment.

Update: Google also reached out to 9to5Mac with a statement about the study, which you can read below.

We identified flaws in the researcher’s methodology for measuring data volume and disagree with the paper’s claims that an Android device shares 20 times more data than an iPhone. According to our research, these findings are off by an order of magnitude, and we shared our methodology concerns with the researcher before publication.

This research largely outlines how smartphones work. Modern cars regularly send basic data about vehicle components, their safety status and service schedules to car manufacturers, and mobile phones work in very similar ways. This report details those communications, which help ensure that iOS or Android software is up to date, services are working as intended, and that the phone is secure and running efficiently.

The company believes that the methodology used by the researchers was not ideal and reinforces that Android and Google’s APIs are built to work with various types of devices, claiming that telemetry data is needed to adjust the platform to different smartphones and tablets.

The full research with more details is available in this PDF file for those interested in learning more about the study.

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

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