Tech Roundup: Google Aalyria, Instagram Gifts & More

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

• Internal research from Meta finds that Instagram users spend 17.6 million hours per day on Reels vs. 197.8 million hours/day on TikTok, with roughly one-third of Reels turning out to be recycled posts from other platforms.
• Apple releases iOS 16 for iPhones with customisable lock screen, iMessage editing, Lockdown Mode, and other enhancements; ships Safari 16 with Tab Group Start Pages, cross-device syncing for website settings and the ability to adjust strong passwords to meet website-specific requirements.
• Indian music streaming service Gaana switches to a paid subscription model after potential buyout talks with Bharti Airtel fail.
• Google spins out its secret hi-speed telecom project called Aalyria that aims to "radically" improve satellite communications, Wi-Fi on planes and ships and cellular connectivity, effectively reviving and packaging its Loon technology under a different brand name.
• Google cancels the next version of its Pixelbook laptop slated for 2023 as part of cost-cutting measures, as it doubles down on Chromebooks amid continued instability of its hardware efforts.
• Meta's Instagram begins internally testing a tipping feature called Gifts that would give creators a new way to make money on the social network; rolls out Discord-like Community Chats on Messenger and Facebook Groups.
• Twitter says that a preliminary count shows that shareholders have voted to approve Elon Musk's proposed US$ 44 billion buyout of the social media platform; rolls out its redesigned Spaces tab to Twitter Blue subscribers on iOS, which includes live and recorded Spaces, podcasts, and themed audio stations.
• Amazon updates its entry-level Kindle with USB-C, 16GB of storage as standard, a blue colour option, and an improved 300ppi display for US$ 120 (available for US$ 100 with ads).
• Linux Foundation announces plans to form the OpenWallet Foundation, developing open-source interoperability for digital wallets.
• Chinese tech giant Tencent earns US$ 4.4 billion revenue from its apps in H1 2022, the highest globally, according to Sensor Tower, followed by ByteDance with US$ 1.3 billion.