Tech Roundup: Android 13 Beta 2, Netflix Live Streaming & More

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

• Russia puts forward a law that requires ride-hailing apps in the country to give its FSB intelligence agency real-time access to their rider/travel data.
• Google says there are 110 million monthly active devices using Android TV OS, up from 80 million in May 2021; to let Android users cast to Google TV later this year, as the latter gains a picture-in-picture mode. (It's worth noting that Google TV is in fact a software layer running on top of Android TV.)
• Google and Samsung announce Health Connect, an initiative to simplify connectivity between health and fitness apps and let users share their data across apps.
• Google releases Android 13 Beta 2 with finer privacy controls, an improved Material You theme system, and the ability to change the language of each app; refreshes its car infotainment system Android Auto with a "brand new interface" that offers a split-screen view and is built to adapt to any screen size.
• The price of bitcoin plunges below $26,000 for the first time since December 2020, as Ether drops as low as $1,720, its lowest level since July 2021.
• Twitter begins testing a new "Liked by Author" label for tweets to "help give people context about the tweets they see"; comes as Tesla CEO Elon Musk temporarily puts US$ 44 billion Twitter deal on hold "pending details supporting calculation that spam/fake accounts do indeed represent less than 5% of users."
• Apple is purportedly testing iPhones with a USB-C port, and adapters for Lightning accessories, for 2023 at the earliest, to help it conform with looming E.U. regulations that would required all devices with the execution of fitness trackers and smartwatches to include USB-C ports to "establish a common charging solution ."
• India-based delivery service Swiggy plans to acquire Dineout, an OpenTable like restaurant booking platform, for US$ 200 million in an all-equity deal.
• Netflix is reportedly exploring live streaming for its unscripted shows and stand-up specials, which would enable live voting for competitions.
• Chip technology firm Arm reports record 2021 revenue, up 35% YoY to US$ 2.7 billion, due to licensing up 61% YoY to US$ 1.13 billion and royalties up 20% YoY to US$ 1.54 billion; says 29.2 billion chips shipped in 2021.