Tech Digest daily roundup: UK’s new net zero plan under fire from critics
The government has unveiled a new net zero plan which has been met with intense criticism from experts and environmental groups. The document was drawn up after the High Court ruled the government’s existing plans were not sufficient to meet its climate targets. A central plank of the strategy is to store CO2 under the North Sea. But scientists say even this plan will not move the UK closer towards meeting its legally-binding carbon commitments. Ministers say it also aims to lower people’s energy bills, although this will not be achieved in the short term. BBC
After nearly eight years of development, Apple is expected to finally unveil its hotly-anticipated mixed reality headset this June. The tech giant has confirmed that its annual Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) will take place between June 5 and June 9. Apple published a blog post confirming the dates with a cryptic promo image featuring curving coloured lines – a possible nod to the headset. Daily Mail
Facebook and Instagram’s parent company, Meta, is reportedly considering a company-wide ban on political advertising in Europe amid fears it could struggle to abide by new EU campaigning laws. Policymakers in Brussels are proposing rules that would force online tech groups including Facebook and Google to divulge information about political adverts, including how much they cost, who paid for the content and how many people have viewed them. The Guardian
The UK government has promised further clarity on the zero-emissions vehicle (ZEV) mandate, launching a final consultation. The government reiterated its proposal of a requirement that 22% of all new cars sold in the UK be ZEVs in 2024, with that figure rising annually. It will then hit 80% in 2030 and 100% in 2035. For vans, the requirements will start at 10% in 2024 and reach 70% in 2030. The non-ZEV portion of manufacturers’ annual sales will be regulated based on their fleet average CO2 emissions from 2021 – rather than on a per-vehicle basis. Autocar
Film awards season may have been and gone, but BAFTA is rolling out the red carpet once again this week. This time, video games are in the spotlight – with everything from the biggest blockbusters to some of 2022’s most celebrated indie darlings in the running. PlayStation action epic God Of War Ragnarok leads the way with 14 nominations, but its closest rival is Stray – an inspiring debut from French studio BlueTwelve that casts players as a cute cat. The BAFTA Game Awards take place in central London on Thursday from around 7pm. Sky News
When the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra was unveiled a few weeks ago, many revelled over what was sure to be a superb camera. Packing a whopping 200MP main sensor on the back, the combination of Samsung’s photography technology and raw hardware power looked sure to be a success. Now, the camera system has been given a series of extra tweaks to improve performance and fix bugs. It’s currently only available to users in Korea, but is expected to roll-out across the board soon – possibly as part of the April update. T3.com
