Tech Roundup: Apple iOS 16, E.U. Common Charging Standard & More

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

• The European Union reaches landmark agreement on legislation that will mandate USB-C on electronic devices by the end of 2024, to reduce e-waste; applies to mobile phones, tablets, laptops, e-readers, earbuds, digital cameras, headphones and headsets, handheld video game consoles and portable speakers.
• Apple unveils iOS 16 with customisable lock screen (it won't be applicable to iPadOS 16), Safety Check to help protect people in abusive relationships by making it possible to review and revoke access to apps and passwords, support for copy-pasting edits to photos, Live Text in videos, Face ID in landscape mode, built-in package tracking within Wallet app, multi-stop navigation routes in Maps, and live translation in its translation app, ability to view Wi-Fi network passwords, access Activity app without requiring an Apple Watch, track medications in Health app, redesigned Home app, and options to edit or unsend an iMessage up to 15 minutes after sending it, schedule or unsend emails in its Mail app as well as set up 2FA authentication using third-party authenticator apps such as Google Authenticator or Authy; brings revamped System Settings app in macOS Ventura and improved multi-tasking (called "Stage Manager") and Weather app to iPadOS (also macOS), previews Freeform collaboration/whiteboard app, and debuts new MacBook Air and MacBook Pro models powered by its new M2 processor. (One cool feature worthy of mention is the ability to extract a subject from a photo, then drag and drop that subject as a photo across the system to use in Messages, Notes, Mail, and other supported apps!)

• Apple replaces the Dark Sky API with WeatherKit, allowing third-party developers to create apps for Android and Apple's operating systems using its weather data; announces Apple Pay Later, letting some U.S. users split the cost of an Apple Pay purchase into four equal payments without any interest or late fees (to managed by a wholly-owned subsidiary named Apple Financing LLC), adds new ability to create live lock screen notifications called "Live Activities," and plans to add opt-in web push notifications to iOS 16 in 2023, letting Safari users get notifications from websites.
• Tesla CEO Elon Musk threatens to back out of a proposed US$ 44 billion agreement to acquire Twitter, claiming a lack of clarity on the platform's spam bot problem.
• Google agrees to pay US$ 100 million to residents of the U.S. state of Illinois to settle a class-action lawsuit over a facial recognition feature in Google Photos that allowed it to automatically group faces without prior consent in violation of the Illinois’ Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA).
• Meta-owned Instagram extends its Sensitive Content Control options to Accounts You May Follow, hashtags, in-feed recommendations, Reels and search; adds new option that allows users to pin up to three posts to the top of their profiles.
• PayPal begins letting users in the U.S. move cryptocurrency from and to external wallets and exchanges upon completing a new identity verification process.
• Amazon simplifies its Amazon’s Kids+ multi-platform package to renew Prime subscribers to a new plan for a monthly price of US$ 4.99 a month, and US$ 7.99 for non-Prime users.
• Twitter begins testing Product Drops, a shopping feature that lets brands tease items before they go on sale, starting with select partners for U.S. users on iOS.
• Link-in-bio service Linktree announces Link Apps, letting creators embed services from Cameo, OpenSea, PayPal, SoundCloud, Reddit, Square, Venmo, and others via a new Marketplace.