Technology

Alphabet Inc-owned Google's planned $2.1 billion buy of fitness trackers company Fitbit may harm consumers and hinder innovation, European consumer group BEUC said on Wednesday, calling it a game-changer deal in the health and digital markets.

The European Commission urged EU governments on Wednesday to use COVID-19 contact tracing apps on a voluntary basis as part of efforts to lift border restrictions and revive the European Union's tourism and travel industries.

Loon, a unit of Google's owner Alphabet Inc , which uses high-altitude balloons to provide mobile internet to remote areas, has signed a deal with Vodacom to expand the South African mobile operator's network in Mozambique.

High demand for video games during COVID-19 lockdowns buoyed Tencent Holdings' first-quarter revenue and profits, with blockbuster games PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds Mobile and Honor of Kings helping it beats forecasts.

Sony Corp expects operating profit to drop at least 30% this financial year to its lowest in four years as the company anticipates a hit to demand for its TVs, cameras and smartphone image sensors from the coronavirus outbreak.

Gaming hardware maker Razer Inc plans to dispense its locally produced masks in Singapore through a network of vending machines across the city-state, where it has become compulsory to wear them in public.

A new drone service will reduce delivery times for urgent medical supplies to a hospital on the Isle of Wight, which lies about 8 kilometres off the south coast of England.

High demand for video games during the coronavirus pandemic lifted first quarter revenue at Chinese gaming and social media giant Tencent Holdings by 26%, beating forecasts.

The European Commission will urge EU governments on Wednesday to use COVID-19 contact tracing apps on a voluntary basis as part of a package of measures aimed at lifting border restrictions and reviving the European Union's tourism and travel industries.

Insurance company Brit and Google Cloud are together launching the first digital Lloyd's of London [SOLYD.UL] syndicate, accessible from anywhere and at any time.

Sage Group's sales to new customers in April were roughly half the level expected as it felt the effects of a sharp economic downturn caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday urged that Tesla Inc be allowed to reopen its electric vehicle assembly plant in California, joining CEO Elon Musk's bid to defy county officials who have ordered it to remain closed.

Intel Capital, the venture arm of chipmaker Intel Corp , has invested in two Chinese startups in the semiconductor sector, the company announced on Wednesday, as part of its latest batch of deals.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott said on Tuesday that he spoke with Elon Musk, the chief executive of Tesla Inc , in recent days about a potential move of the company's electric vehicle assembly plant to the Lone Star state.

Colombia's commerce regulator said on Tuesday it would look into whether Chinese-owned social media app TikTok complies with laws on the collection and treatment of children's and adolescents' personal data.

Facebook Inc on Tuesday reported a sharp increase in the number of posts it removed for promoting violence and hate speech across its apps, which it attributed to technology improvements for automatically identifying text and images.

U.S. online grocery delivery company Instacart is in discussions to raise several hundred million dollars from existing and new investors, The Information reported on Tuesday, citing two people with knowledge of the situation.

Twitter Inc on Tuesday became the first major tech company to allow employees who can work remotely to do so indefinitely, as the coronavirus outbreak forces unprecedented changes in work culture across the world.

Brazilian digital wallet PicPay hit 20 million clients in early May, reaching a goal previously expected for December as social isolation measures to combat the coronavirus accelerates the search for digital financial services, an executive said on Tuesday.

Throw a global pandemic at the world's religions, and you get confessions via Skype, virtual seders and recitations of the Koran over Facebook.