Welcome to Tech World, your monthly round up of the top technology news from across the globe. This month, we have smartphone news, a $3.25bn acquisition and even some politics. We also speak with Rahul Gautam from EY about blockchain and digital rights management.
Samsung recall
Dominating the headlines recently was Samsung’s announcement that it was officially recalling its Galaxy Note 7 devices.
This followed claims the smartphone was overheating and self-combusting. Customers who have a Galaxy Note 7 have been told they can exchange their phone for another Samsung device, or receive a refund.
Google Pixel
Sticking with smartphone news, Google has received better press having launched its first branded smartphone, Pixel.
The handset features a 12 megapixel camera, unlimited photo storage, and comes in two variants, a five-inch display or an XL version.
Prices start at £599, and it comes in three colours: Very Silver, Quite Black and Really Blue.
Polish acquisition
Over in Poland, e-commerce platform Allegro has been purchased for a massive $3.25bn.
The firm is described as a Polish equivalent to eBay, and it competes with eBay and other auction sites within the Eastern European online retail space.
Zuckerberg & Thiel
Mark Zuckerberg has been making headlines again. He responded to calls from the tech community to address the fact Facebook board member Peter Thiel donated $1.25m to Donald Trump’s presidential campaign.
He defended Thiel’s stance, stating that it helped create diversity within Facebook’s board.
Snapchat flotation
Snapchat is rumoured to be preparing for a flotation on the stock market, which would value the firm at $25bn.
The listing would be the largest social media float since Twitter went public in 2013, and could happen as soon as March next year.
Hot Topic: Blockchain and digital rights management
In this episode’s Hot Topic interview, Rahul Gautam from EY explained what digital rights management (DRM) is, what’s wrong with the existing or legacy methods and how blockchain could be the solution.
We also discussed the recent EY Startup Challenge, which focused on blockchain’s use in DRM. Watch the video to see the interview in full.
That’s all for this month’s roundup. Visit our Tech World channel for more and subscribe now to receive future videos to your inbox.