Tech Roundup: Snapchat+ India Launch, Spotify Concert Tickets & More

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

• A new analysis reveals Meta tracks users' every interaction without their explicit consent when browsing links from within its Facebook and Instagram apps (it's worth noting that every time a user clicks a link to an external website within the apps, it's opened in a custom in-app browser within the app rather than redirecting users to the default web browser installed on the devices); shows the company injects its tracking code (aka Meta Pixel) into every website opened, including when clicking on ads, "enabling them monitor all user interactions, like every button & link tapped, text selections, screenshots, as well as any form inputs, like passwords, addresses and credit card numbers."
• Music streamer Spotify tests a new website "tickets.spotify.com" to sell concert tickets directly to fans, instead of redirecting buyers to Ticketmaster and Eventbrite.
• Microsoft open sources its library of over 1,500 3D emoji, letting creators remix and customize them for free.

Source: Pew Research Center

• Microsoft accuses its gaming rival Sony of trying to hurt the success of its subscription gaming platform by signing contracts with game developers that prohibit distribution through Xbox Game Pass; says "Sony pays for 'blocking rights' to prevent developers from adding content to Game Pass and other competing subscription services."
• South Korean chaebol Samsung unveils next generation Galaxy Z Fold 4 (US$ 1,799), Galaxy Z Flip 4 (US$ 999), Galaxy Buds 2 Pro with improved ambient noise cancellation (US$ 229.99), and Galaxy Watch 5 (US$ 279.99 and US$ 449.99 for the Pro model) with a touch bezel.
• Snap launches Snapchat+ in India for Rs. 49 (~US$ 0.62) per month, offering exclusive, experimental, and pre-release features, a few weeks after launching the service in the U.S. for US$ 3.99 per month.
• Apple debuts Apple Pay in Malaysia, making it the second country in Southeast Asia to get the mobile payments service after Singapore in 2016.
• Foxconn reports Q2 2022 revenue of about US$ 50 billion, up 12% YoY, and net income of US$ 1.1 billion, as its cloud unit helps weather supply chain issues and weak smartphone demand.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4

• Deliveroo reports H1 revenue £1 billion, up 12% YoY, as its pre-tax loss widens to £147 million, up from £95M in H1 2021; announces plans to exit the Netherlands in November.
• Dating platform Bumble reports Q2 2022 revenue of US$ 220.5 million, up 18% YoY, and a net loss of US$ 6.4 million.
• Disney, which reported US$ 21.5 billion in revenue for Q3 2022, hits 221.1 million global streaming subscribers (Disney+: 152.1 million, Hulu: 46.2 million, and ESPN+: 22.8 million), surpassing Netflix's 220.7 million, as Disney+ Hotstar, which is available in India and Southeast Asia, adds 8.3 million subscribers to reach 58.4 million; to raise the price of its ad-free Disney+ subscription from US$ 7.99 to US$ 10.99 per month starting December 8, coinciding with the launching of its ad-supported "Disney+ Basic" tier for US$ 7.99 per month. (Price hikes are across the board: Hulu without ads: US$ 14.99, Hulu with ads: US$ 7.99, ESPN+: US$ 9.99, and Disney Bundle: US$ 14.99 per month.)