Tech Digest daily roundup: Apple considers pay-as-you-go iPhones
Apple is considering launching a monthly subscription for the iPhone and other gadgets in a move that could encourage users to pay regularly for access to the latest devices. The company is working on the service, which would mean consumers paying for devices in instalments rather than upfront, ahead of a potential launch later this year, Bloomberg reported. iPhone owners have been holding on to their phones for longer, leading to uncertainty about when they will be encouraged to upgrade. Launching a subscription service for hardware could mean consumers paying more over time and upgrading their phones more regularly, boosting the company’s revenues. Telegraph
Online shoppers are being warned to take care before they “drink and click”. More than half (54%) of late-night online shoppers have browsed for deals while drinking alcohol, according to the competition watchdog. More than four-fifths (86%) have shopped online while watching TV, a survey for the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) found. And seven in 10 (70%) shop while scrolling on social media. The watchdog said that, with nearly a third of retail purchases taking place online, it was concerned people may be leaving themselves vulnerable to misleading sales tactics. Evening Standard
A loophole allowing drivers to escape punishment for hand-held phone use if they are taking a photo or playing a game will be closed from Friday. New rules ban virtually all hand-held use of mobile phones on Britain’s roads, in what Transport Secretary Grant Shapps described as a “zero-tolerance approach”. New legislation means making phone calls and texting are not the only functions banned when behind the wheel. Taking photos or videos, scrolling through playlists and playing games will also be prohibited. Anyone caught using their hand-held device while driving could face a fine of up to £1,000 as well as six points on their licence. Yahoo!
A 16-year-old from Oxford has been accused of being one of the leaders of cyber-crime gang Lapsus$. The teenager, who is alleged to have amassed a $14m (£10.6m) fortune from hacking, has been named by rival hackers and researchers. City of London Police say they have arrested seven teenagers in relation to the gang but will not say if he is one. The boy’s father told the BBC his family was concerned and was trying to keep him away from his computers. Under his online moniker “White” or “Breachbase” the teenager, who has autism, is said to be behind the prolific Lapsus$ hacker crew, which is believed to be based in South America. BBC
The US and EU have hailed a breakthrough in an ongoing battle over data protection standards, during a visit by President Joe Biden to Europe to build transatlantic unity over the Russian invasion of Ukraine. For years the transfer of European citizens’ data to the US has been a topic of contention particularly in the light of allegations about US intelligence agencies accessing foreign persons’ data. But the Russian invasion of Ukraine appears to have reset discussions between Washington and Brussels. Sky News
