Tech Roundup: Google Hangouts Shutdown, Sony InZone & More

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

• Twitter begins rolling out closed caption toggle to all users on iOS and Android; tests new option that allows iOS users to start a Space straight from the tweet composer.
• Apple brings a refreshed look to the subscription management interface on iOS and iPadOS by means of a server-side update, with options to resubscribe to an expired subscription.
• Customer experience software company Zendesk agrees to be acquired by an investor group led by Permira and Hellman & Friedman in an all-cash deal valuing the company at nearly US$ 10.2 billion; to go private once the deal closes by Q4 2022.
• New investigation from The New York Times reveals predictive policing software used by the Chinese government to harness and sift through its troves of surveillance data to foretell crime and protest before they happen.
• Google to formally shut down Hangouts in November later this year as it begins prompting mobile Hangouts users to migrate to Chat, officially marking an end to its confusing messaging strategy. (It's worth noting that Google Meet is also set to replace the consumer-facing Google Duo on mobile devices.)

• Mozilla releases Firefox 102 with a new privacy feature that strips tracking parameters from URLs; requires users to enable Strict mode in Enhanced Tracking Protection (ETP).
• U.S. telco T-Mobile launches App Insights, which, when opted in, lets marketers target its wireless customers based on apps installed on the devices and engagement patterns.
• Google announces Google Public Sector, a new division aiming to bring Google Cloud technology to U.S. educational institutions and federal, state, and local governments; makes Google Earth Engine, which tracks the earth's surface, available to any commercial or government organization using Google Cloud.
• Sony launches InZone, a brand of gaming devices including an M9 4K IPS gaming monitor and a H9 wireless headset with digital noise cancellation and 32 hours of battery life per charge, aimed at PC gamers but with tight PlayStation 5 integration.
• Meta tests Discord-like changes in Facebook Groups, adding a channels list in a left-aligned sidebar that can include audio rooms, text chats and feeds.
• A Moscow court fines Amazon-owned Twitch, Pinterest and Airbnb about US$ 38,000, Google $260,000, and UPS US$ 19,000 for failing to comply with a Russian law requiring technology companies to localise users' personal data.