Tech Roundup: E.U. CSAM Law, Google I/O 2022 & More

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

• The European Commission proposes controversial new regulation that would require chat apps like WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger to selectively scan users' private messages for child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and "grooming" behavior.
• Google relaunches Wallet as a standalone Android feature at Google I/O 2022 after discontinuing it in 2018 to store payment cards, transit passes, memberships, tickets, airline travel information and vaccine passports, among other documents (Google Pay will remain the place for contactless payments in the U.S.), adds virtual credit cards on Android and Chrome to keep payment information safe and secure, shows off automatic summaries for Docs and Chat, adds support for 24 new languages to its Translate tool, brings new immersive view to Maps, and expands end-to-end encryption support for group chats in the Messages app for Android; unveils new Pixel Watch with deep integration with Fitbit, Pixel 6A smartphone, Pixel Buds Pro headphones with noise cancelling features, prototype versions of an upcoming Pixel Tablet and a pair of augmented reality glasses (after its abandoned Google Glass experiment nearly a decade ago), and teases the first look of Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro devices which are set to debut later this year.
• Electric car maker Tesla to recall 130,000 cars due to an issue causing the CPU in vehicles' infotainment systems to overheat during fast charging, potentially making the car’s touchscreen malfunction or go completely blank.
• Netflix to launch an ad-supported tier of its on-demand video streaming service as soon as by the end of the year in hopes of attracting new subscribers as the service hemorrhages 200,000 users for the first time in over a decade; to also plans a crackdown on password sharing starting in the same window.
• Google's YouTube debuts new feature that allows both fans and creators to gift paid channel subscriptions; to bring support for transcripts and auto-translated captions on desktop and mobile.
• Apple officially discontinues the last iPod model, the iPod touch, formally ending the product line after debuting the original iPod in October 2001.
• Coinbase reports Q1 2022 with net revenue of US$1.2 billion, down from US$ 1.6 billion YoY, 9.2 million monthly transaction users, up from 6.1 million YoY, and trading volume of US$ 309 billion, down from US$ 335 billion YoY.
• Apple to reportedly ditch its proprietary Lightning port and switch to USB-C on all or possibly some models of the iPhone 15 lineup destined to launch in the second half of 2023.
• Meta Platforms to rebrand Facebook Pay to Meta Pay as it streamlines its financial division.
• Google lowers the minimum price for Android apps to US$ 0.05 in over 20 emerging markets across Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia-Pacific.
• Online rental service Airbnb releases several updates, including searching by category, the ability to book two listings for stays over one week, and AirCover guest travel insurance.
• Bumble reports Q1 revenue of US$ 211.2 million, up 24% YoY as paying subscribers jumps 7% YoY to 3 million.
• Disney's streaming subscribers hits 205.6 million globally in Q2 2022: Disney+ adds 7.9 million subscribers to reach 137.7 million, Hulu adds 300,000 to 45.6 million, and ESPN+ adds 1 million to 22.3 million.
• DuckDuckGo updates its Chrome extension to block Google's Privacy Sandbox initiatives Topics and FLEDGE for privacy-oriented ad tracking; says "these new methods enable creepy advertising and other content targeting without third-party cookies."