HeyWhatsNew: Amazon’s Just Walk Out Concept Is a Bust, and PlayStation CEO Jim Ryan Officially Resigns
Hello there, Heyuppers. Good to have you back for a weekly dose of tech news headlines. Here’s what went down in the first week of April, beginning 1/4/2024.
Amazon’s “Just Walk Out ” Didn’t Really Work Out
Despite owning Whole Foods, Amazon has struggled with in-person retail and has closed several of its physical store formats over the years. In a new development, Amazon is ditching its Just Walk Out program which allows customers to skip formal checkout at its physical grocery stores around the U.S..
Instead, the company will reportedly be fully embracing “Dash Carts,” where customers scan items as they put them in their cart. This change is happening in larger stores, while Just Walk Out will still be used in smaller corner stores and UK groceries.
The April 8 Eclipse May Also Reveal a Comet
On April 8th, alongside the solar eclipse, sky gazers might witness a rare sight: the “devil comet.” Originally named 12P/Pons-Brooks, this comet earned its ominous nickname due to a dramatic outburst of dust and gasses in July 2023.
Astronomers suggest that during the Great American Eclipse, the devil comet might be visible without the need for telescopes or binoculars.
PlayStation CEO Jim Ryan Officially Resigns
Jim Ryan, the PlayStation CEO who announced his planned retirement late last year in September, has officially hung up his hat at Sony after 30 years with the company. When he announced his retirement back in September 2023, check expressed the difficulties he faced balancing life in Europe and work in North America.
As of April 1st, Sony’s president, COO, and CFO Hiroki Titoki assumed his role as the interim CEO of PlayStation for a period not yet confirmed.
Microsoft Office and Microsoft Teams Are Set to Become Separate Entities
Microsoft is separating its Teams messaging and video app from its Office software all over the world, not just in Europe. They originally did this in Europe to avoid getting in hot water with competition regulators, but it appears the decision has spread to other countries.
This move aims to make it clearer for customers and give big companies more flexibility in their purchases. The standalone version of Teams will cost $5.25 for new customers. However, it’s still uncertain if this change will prevent Microsoft from facing antitrust charges in the European Union.
Google Says They’ll Stop Collecting Our Incognito Data
Google has settled its fourth lawsuit in four months by agreeing to delete billions of data records it collected from millions of Chrome browser users. The lawsuit accused Google of misleading users by tracking their online activity in Chrome’s Incognito mode, which users believed to be private.
Google has spent over $1 billion settling lawsuits since December, including cases related to app fees, sharing private information from Google+, and patent infringement.
That concludes this week’s update on tech news headlines. Join us again next time.
