Amazon to introduce adverts on Prime Video
Amazon is set to introduce adverts to its Prime Video streaming service in 2024 as it seeks to put more cash into creating TV shows and films. UK Prime customers, along with those in the US, Germany and Canada, will see ads early next year unless they subscribe for an “ad-free” option at an additional cost. In a statement, Amazon said Prime Video still offered “very compelling value”. It follows similar moves by rivals including Disney+ and Netflix. BBC
Prices of second-hand electric cars have plummeted by almost a quarter in a year, figures show, amid a drop in consumer confidence. Dealers have warned that Electric Vehicles (EVs) are sitting on forecourts for ‘months on end while they haemorrhage value’, with some at risk of selling at a loss if the market does not recover. Earlier this week, Rishi Sunak ditched the 2030 target for a ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel vehicles, postponing it until 2035. Daily Mail
Apple has withdrawn an app created by Andrew Tate after accusations that it encouraged misogyny and could be an illegal pyramid scheme. Tate created the app, Real World Portal, after the closure of his “Hustler’s University”, which was an online academy for his fans, promising to assist them in making thousands of pounds while helping Tate’s videos on social media, which have been described as misogynistic, to go viral. The Guardian
Scientists have made a major breakthrough with a new type of solar panel that they claim could supercharge the transition to renewable energy sources. A team from the University of Surrey discovered that a nanoscale “ink” coating could improve stability enough to make next-generation perovskite solar cells suitable for mass production. Perovskite is cheaper and lighter than conventional silicon-based cells, as well as far more efficient. Independent
Social media platform X’s most senior employee in India has resigned ahead of the country’s elections, as the company fights the government in court over content removal, according to the Reuters news agency. In his role as head of policy for India and South Asia for the site, formerly known as Twitter, Samiran Gupta “enabled transition leadership… post acquisition by Elon Musk-led X-Corp”, according to his LinkedIn profile. Sky News
So we have the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 and Surface Laptop Go 3, and the hype around them has been tepid to say the least — almost like Microsoft just doesn’t seem to care about Surface anymore. I say that with a heavy heart, after loving the innovation the company brought to its hardware. From the constant march of nifty tweaks made to the Surface Pro to the wacky and wonderful Surface Neo, it provided the proof that tech companies don’t just find a good formula and stand still. But I’ve got a bad feeling that this is the beginning of the Surface standstill. Laptop Mag
Apple Stores and Apple Authorized Service Providers are able to individually repair the bottom-right microphone on the lower-end iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus, according to information obtained by MacRumors today from multiple sources.
The new procedure of replacing this microphone on its own should make these repairs cheaper for customers, and also less wasteful, as part of Apple’s focus on environmental responsibility. Mac Rumors
