Tech Roundup: Duolingo ABC, Google Podcasts & More

[A recurring feature on the latest in Science & Technology.]

• Facebook launches a new program to partner with app developers to use Messenger to support government health agencies with timely and reliable information about COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak; photo-sharing app Instagram announces Co-Watching, a feature that allows users browse the app together over video chat.
• Facebook to lower video streaming quality on its platform and on Instagram in India and Latin America, replicating measures adopted in Europe, to ease network congestion in the wake of coronavirus pandemic; Google's YouTube to start playing videos in standard definition by default for the next month worldwide.
• Walmart-owned Flipkart suspends services in India in response to a a 21-day lockdown to fight the spread of the coronavirus pandemic, as rival Amazon halts orders for non-essential products in the country.
• Kenya fast tracks permit for Alphabet's Loon internet balloons as the country looks to boost communication capabilities to help fight the spread of COVID-19 coronavirus.
• Google updates Photos app with new feature that allows users to copy text from images, in addition to providing options to search and translate the selected text; rolls out new version of YouTube Music with support for static lyrics on its Android and iOS apps.

• Apple officially releases iOS 13.4, iPadOS 13.4, macOS 10.15.4, tvOS 13.4, and watchOS 6.2; comes with trackpad support on iPadOS, rolls out a universal purchase option, letting developers bundle macOS, iOS, tvOS, watchOS, and iPadOS apps and share in-app purchases across iOS and macOS, and updates Safari's anti-tracking tech with full third-party cookie blocking by default as part of Intelligent Tracking Prevention.
• It's worth pointing out that Google has unveiled similar plans to start phasing out third-party cookies but not fully until some time in 2022.
• That having said, Apple really needs to decouple first-party app updates from the operating system, and make them update-able via the App Store. with other messaging, music, maps, fitness, notes, reminders and other apps getting frequent updates, it just ridiculous that apps like Apple News, Apple Maps and Apple Music receive major updates once a year along with iOS version updates.
• Japanese tech giant Sony to spin off its consumer electronics, imaging, and mobile businesses into new intermediate holding company Sony Electronics Corporation on April 1.
• Popular enterprise chat service Slack says it's working on Microsoft Teams integration to enable cross-platform calling.

• Disney's Disney+ streaming services officially launches in the U.K., Spain, Italy, Germany, Ireland, Switzerland, and Austria, with roll out in France set to happen on April 7 and other markets such as Belgium, the Nordics, and Portugal later this summer.
• British fintech firm Revolut debuts its banking app and debit cards for customers in the U.S. as it seeks to expand beyond its base in the U.K. and Europe.
• Popular video conference platform Zoom updates its iOS app to remove Facebook SDK that was found sending data to the social network (such as when the user opens the app, details on the user's device such as the model, the time zone and city they are connecting from, the phone carrier they are using, and a unique advertiser identifier created by the user's device which companies can use to target a user with ads) even if the user doesn't have a linked account after concerns over Zoom's failure to disclose Facebook data sharing in its privacy policy.
• Social interest platform Pinterest introduces a new Today tab, a central hub including curated topics and trending posts.
• Apple updates Apple Card's privacy policy to share more anonymised data with Goldman Sachs, to help some users secure or expand credit, in addition to allowing opt out via email.
• Web browser maker Brave partners with Binance to include a widget on the new tab page that lets users buy, trade, and receive cryptocurrencies, including bitcoin and ethereum.

• Facebook reportedly in talks to buy a multibillion-dollar 10 percent stake in telecom giant Reliance Jio as it seeks to expand its presence in India.
• Mozilla launches Firefox Better Web with Scroll that bundles Firefox tracking protection and Scroll's ad-free browsing experience for US$ 2.50/month for the first six months.
• PC maker Dell updates its Mobile Connect app for iOS to support iPhone screen mirroring, letting users control their phone using the PC’s keyboard and mouse, and drag and drop photo and video files to transfer them between the two devices.
• Google brings its Podcasts app to iOS and unveils a redesign of its Android app, revamps Google Podcasts for Web with support for subscriptions, allowing users to sync listening progress across devices.
• Google says it sent users 40,000 warnings about phishing or malware attempts from nation-states in 2019, a 25 percent drop YoY, with residents in the U.S., India, Pakistan, Japan, and South Korea collectively receiving more than 1,000 warnings.
• Smartphone maker Huawei rolls out Celia, its multilingual AI assistant for phones outside China, initially on P40 smartphone in UK, France, Spain, Chile, Mexico, and Colombia.
• Popular language learning service Duolingo launches a new iOS app, Duolingo ABC, that's designed to teach young children how to read English, using short lessons made to help teach the alphabet, phonics, and sight words to kids ages three through six.
• Scientists discover new strain of Pseudomonas bacteria, a family known for its ability to withstand harsh conditions, that can break down toxic non-recyclable plastic such as polyurethane.