Happy Thursday free readers and paid readers alike!
Great news about Passkey adoption but still a long way to go. I also have my thoughts about the Apple alarm issue and a possible helpful tip. And some juicy revelations from the US v. Google trial which is winding up this week.
Enjoy!
Tom
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Big story
"Google says its secure entry passkeys have been used a billion times"
"Microsoft launches passkey support for all consumer accounts - The Verge"
Happy World Password Day. Google announced that passkeys - the secure login tokens that mean you don't have to remember a password - have been used more than one billion times by 400 million Google accounts. Those are very large numbers, but Google has a lot of users. It doesn't really tell you much other than a lot of people are using them. Google launched passkey support in 2022 but didn't roll it out widely until last year.
Google will also begin offering passkeys as an alternative to physical security keys to members of its higher security program called the Advanced Protection Program.
Microsoft also announced it will roll out passkey support on all its consumer accounts starting now. Microsoft account holders can generate passkeys across Windows, Android and iOS.
Passkeys are stored on your device not on company servers so you can't accidentally give them out by typing them in the wrong website. They're resistant to most types of phishing. They also speed up log ins. Google says Kayak sees 50% faster logins and Dashlane has a 70 percent increase in conversion.
It's a slow march but the announcements do show progress toward passkey ubiquity. Once that is achieved the next step would be for companies to wind down old-style passwords as authentication. Until that happens your account is still only as secure as its weakest method of access, aka the password. So, keep them long and strong.
More Stories
"Google’s payments to Apple reached $20 billion in 2022, antitrust court documents show"
"Email Microsoft didn’t want seen reveals rushed decision to invest in OpenAI | Ars Technica"
As I may have mentioned, the most interesting information to come out of court cases is the evidence made public, rather than the actual decisions which can be underwhelming and take years to settle. That's proving true with the US Department of Justice's case against Google. The case alleges Google abused its dominant position in search and advertising technology in the US. But the most interesting thing coming out of the case is the emails.
For example, Google paid $20 billion in 2022 to Apple to the default search engine on Safari. That's based on a share of ad revenue.
Another email from Microsoft CTO Kevin Scott to other Microsoft execs said he had made a mistake by dismissing Google's AI efforts as a game-playing stunt. Scott wrote that it might take Microsoft "multiple years" before it could compete with Google. Scott added, "their auto-complete in Gmail, which is especially useful in the mobile app, is getting scarily good." A response from Satya Nadella said this is "why I want us to do this," presumably referring to Microsoft's large investment into OpenAI. Weeks after the email Microsoft made that investment.
We won't have more revelations from the case as closing arguments will happen by the end of the week. A decision is expected later this year and will likely be appealed by the losing side.
https://www.theverge.com/2024/5/2/24147054/microsoft-windows-11-vpn-issues-update
Users report VPN connection problems after installing the April 2024 Windows 11 update. Particularly users with TPM-backed certificates report failures, instead returning a "certificate could not be found" error. TPM is the Trusted Platform Module built into the hardware. For now the workaround is to roll back the update. Microsoft says its got a fix coming int an upcoming release.
"Apple adds more carve-outs to its EU core tech fee after criticism from devs | TechCrunch"
Apple must let EU users install third-party app stores, side-load apps and let developers offer third-party payment options. Developers who want to take advantage of these must pay Apple a Core Technology Fee of 50 cents per app after the first million downloads in a year. Apple announced that the fee will not apply to non-commercial developers who do not charge for their apps. Also, commercial developers who make less than €10 million in annual business revenue will be exempt from the fee for three years.
"Snapchat will soon let you edit your messages after sending - The Verge"
Snapchat has added the ability to edit a message you already sent to a friend within five minutes after sending if the recipient has not yet opened it. The edit feature is coming first to Snapchat Plus paid users.
For Context
"TikTok and Universal Music Group Settle Royalty Dispute"
So you will now see music return to TikTok that wasn't there for the past month or so. And any videos that were muted will be unmuted.
"Apple working to fix iPhone alarm problem | Apple | The Guardian"
I suspect this has to do with activity detection being too sensitive. But maybe don't sleep with the phone near you just to be sure? Getting up to turn off the alarm will help you wake up.
"SK Hynix Has Sold Most of Its AI Chip Capacity Through 2025 - Bloomberg"
"Qualcomm jumps as AI sparks rebound in Chinese smartphone market | Reuters"
Bad news for Samsung is that SK Hynix is at capacity through next year. That's good news for the cop industry though and maybe not awful news for Samsung since it can pick up some of the slack. Qualcomm also saw a jump in revenue as sales of chips to Chinese smartphone makers jumped 40%. A sign that chips and the Chinese smartphone market are rebounding. Also, it means Qualcomm is beating out MediaTek in that market more often.
"How Sidechat Fanned the Flames of University Campus Protests | WIRED"
Good to know: Sidechat is targeted at University students though you no longer need to be one to sign up. It launched in 2022. It purchased YikYak and is somewhat of a spiritual heir.
"T-Mobile owns Mint Mobile - The Verge"
Ryan Reynolds no longer owns Mint Mobile. T-Mobile does.
Interesting Reads
"How Developers Gave Llama 3 More Memory — The Information"
"A Lawsuit Argues Meta Is Required by Law to Let You Control Your Own Feed | WIRED"
"It’s not you. It’s me. (Taking a break from Mastodon) – VKC.sh | Veronica Explains"
"AM radio law opposed by tech and auto industries is close to passing | Ars Technica"