Every day we wake up, drink a cup of coffee, and get ready for work. Following are a handful of stories from around the tech world condensed to fit into one single cup of coffee. These are the things you need to know before you step foot out of your door (or in front of a webcam) and into the real world this morning.
So sit back, grab a cup, and start your morning off right with a few “Quick Bytes” from Innovation & Tech Today.
Netflix is Partnering with Samsung on Ad-Based Subscriptions
Netflix has announced Microsoft will be its partner for its ad-supported service. Netflix COO Greg Peters said in a statement Microsoft has the flexibility to innovate over time on both the technology and sales side, as well as the ability to provide strong privacy protection for members.
Netflix announced its intention to create a tier-based subscription plan in April, giving users the choice of a cheaper ad-based option or a more expensive ad-free service. It has been a successful model for other streaming platforms, and Netflix is following suit due to falling subscription numbers.
It’s 2022 Q1 earnings report showed a decline in subscriptions for the first time in the company’s history. The flagship streaming service warned it expects to lose another 2 million subscribers during the second quarter. Despite the recent drop, Netflix currently still has more than 221 million subscribers.
New Samsung Foldables to Launch at Unpacked Event
Samsung’s latest foldables will reportedly launch Aug.10, alongside the new Galaxy 5 watch. The unveiling will occur at Samsung’s next major “Unpacked” according to a promotional image leaked by Evan Blass.
Devices expected to be launched at the event include the Galaxy Flip 4 foldable and the Galaxy Fold 4, renders for which leaked in May.
The Galaxy Watch 5 and Watch 5 Pro could also be rolled out at the event. Unofficial renders of the devices were also leaked earlier this month.
The August 10th date for Samsung’s upcoming launch was previously leaked by Jon Prosser, who indicated that the devices could go on sale on Aug. 26, according to The Verge.
Uvalde Shooting Bodycam Footage Leads to Criticism Over Police Response
A preliminary report released Sunday by the Texas House committee investigating the mass shooting in Uvalde, Texas found “systemic failure and egregiously poor decision making” by law enforcement and the school district.
Police bodycam footage showing confusion and hesitation to act by police during the school shooting that left 19 students and 2 teachers dead is at the center of the scathing report.
“People are gonna ask why we’re taking so long,” an off-camera officer can be heard saying at one point, roughly an hour after officers first entered Robb Elementary School May 24.
It took more than an hour for police to take down the gunman, a fact that has been heavily criticized by both parties.
Snapchat Moves to Desktop
Snapchat launched a web-based version of its messaging app, Monday. The move to desktop was not just about providing more convenience for users, however. Snapchat executives said its video-sharing feature has become more popular in recent years. The web-based option may be a play to rival Zoom and other video conferencing software.
Snapchat said its app hosts more than 100 million video calls each month with up to 15 participants each. Now, it hopes that service will become easier to use when people join those calls from a desktop, according to CNN Business.
“With so many in our community spending more time online, whether it is for remote learning or working, streaming or just plain browsing — we saw a huge opportunity to make it easier for our community to stay connected throughout their day,” said a spokesperson for Snap, the app’s parent company, in a statement.
