Tech Roundup: Google Hangouts Shutdown, Instagram Redesign & More

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

• The Digital Markets Act (DMA) officially comes into effect in the E.U. with an aim to prevent companies in gatekeeper roles from "favouring their own services or preventing business users of their services from reaching consumers" to address larger antitrust concerns.
• Should Apple be designated as a gatekeeper, it could force the company to allow side-loading of apps, enable developers to use third-party payment systems, and even making messaging services like iMessage interoperable across platforms.
• Twitter to increase the cost of the Twitter Blue subscription from US$ 4.99 to US$ 8 per month; to come with account verification, ability to post long-form audio/video, priority in replies, bypass paywalls for collaborating publishers and fewer ads, as it discontinues ad-free articles to focus its "resources on adding additional value" to subscribers and considers making the option to edit tweets a free feature.
• The plan also means existing verified accounts will lose their blue checkmark should they opt not to pay for the new paid tier. What's also not clear is the timeline of the rollout, what with Twitter Blue available only in a handful of countries like the U.S., Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
• Meta's Instagram gets a visual redesign on desktop web with a prominent left navigation bar with links to search, explore, messages, and notifications and profile pages; WhatsApp tests new option that allows users to send messages to themselves.
• Google pauses enforcement of Play Store billing requirement in India following antitrust order last month that mandates the company not to restrict app developers from using third-party payment processing services for in-app purchases and purchasing apps through the Play Store.
• Amazon plans to delist large seller Appario Retail, in which it maintains a stake, from its Indian marketplace in the next year, after scrutiny of sellers the company owns; comes after ending ties for another large seller named Cloudtail over allegations from retailers that some sellers received preferential treatment.
• Ride hailing company Uber begins displaying ads from other companies as push notifications amid its new advertising push.
• Netflix acquires indie game studio Spry Fox, making it the movie streamer's latest purchase after Next Games, Boss Fight Entertainment and Night School.
• Social media platform Discord says it disabled "some 55,573,411 accounts and 68,379 servers" between January and June, 2022, for "spam or spam-related offenses," including issues relating to "child safety" or "exploitative and unsolicited content."

• Enterprise communications app Slack begins rolling typing indicators in threaded conversations.
• Google Chrome debuts new feature in desktop web that makes it possible to open Google searches in the address bar in a side panel; also announces a built-in price tracking feature that alerts via email when the price of a product drops.
• Amazon grants Prime subscribers full access to its catalogue of 100 million songs and ad-free podcasts, in what's seen as an attempt to lock-in users into its own platform as opposed to Apple and Spotify. (That said, the major catch is that it doesn't support on-demand listening, meaning users will still need to pay an extra US$ 8.99 to play individual songs.)
• Google officially sunsets Hangouts on November 1, 2022, as part of its transition to Google Chat and Meet, marking an end to one of the company's most confusing messaging strategies.
• Google adds a shortcut to Google Lens in the search bar of the Google.com homepage and unveils new shopping features that make it easier to compare deals and price insights; to shut down its standalone Street View app for Android and iOS in the "coming weeks."
• Automattic, which owns Tumblr, updates the platform's community guidelines to allow nudity, mature subject matter and sexual themes, but says sexually explicit acts "remain off-limits."
• Google-owned YouTube rolls out Primetime Channels in the U.S., with shows and movies from 35 partners, including streaming services Paramount+ and Epix, in an attempt to make it the one-stop destination for videos. (With streaming wars getting hotter and more competitive, it's not surprising that services big and small are looking for new ways to get subscribers.)
• Sony reports a decline in PlayStation Plus subscribers to 45.4 million in Q2 2022, down from 47.3 million in Q1, as PlayStation Network monthly active users slides to 102 million in Q2 from 103 million in Q1; gaming revenue rises 12% YoY to US$ 4.92 billion and ships 3.3 million PlayStation 5 units, bringing total sales to 25 million.
• Uber reports Q3 2022 revenue of US$ 8.34 billion, up 72% YoY; gross bookings rise 26% YoY to US$ 29.1 billion, including US$ 13.7 billion from Uber Eats.
• Match Group reports Q3 2022 revenue up 1% YoY to US$ 810 million; paying users up 2% YoY to 16.5 million.
• AMD reports Q3 2022 revenue up 29% YoY to $5.57 billion; net income down 93% YoY to US$ 66 million, Client unit revenue drops nearly 40% YoY to US$ 1.02 billion due to weak PC sales, with Gaming segment producing US$ 1.63 billion in revenue, up about 14%.
• Airbnb reports record Q3 2022 revenue of US$ 2.9 billion, up 29% YoY; net income up 46% YoY to US$ 1.2 billion, and Nights and Experiences booked surges 25% YoY to nearly 100 million.