Bill Gates, Fourth Richest Human, Announces Divorce

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Bill Gates, Fourth Richest Human, Announces Divorce

Bill and Melinda Gates have announced their divorce, putting into question the fourth largest personal fortune.

The iconic founder and former CEO of Microsoft, Bill Gates has been married to his wife, Melinda, for 27 years. The two originally met in 1987, while working at Microsoft. In addition to three children, the two founded the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, “a nonprofit fighting poverty, disease, and inequity around the world.”

Bill Gates released a statement on Twitter:

After a great deal of thought and a lot of work on our relationship, we have made the decision to end our marriage. Over the last 27 years, we have raised three incredible children and built a foundation that works all over the world to enable all people to lead healthy, productive lives. We continue to share a belief in that mission and will continue our work together at the foundation, but we no longer believe we can grow together as a couple in this next phase of our lives. We ask for space and privacy for our family as we begin to navigate this new life.

– Melinda Gates and Bill Gates

Divorces are difficult under the best of circumstances but, add in a vast fortune, and things can become complicated very quickly. Despite being the richest man alive, Amazon’s Jeff Bezos would be substantially wealthier had the divorce settlement not cost him $36.8 billion.

It remains to be seen how the Gates’ divorce will unfold, but it could have significant ramifications for the foundation they run.

pic.twitter.com/padmHSgWGc

— Bill Gates (@BillGates) May 3, 2021

Bill Gates, Fourth Richest Human, Announces Divorce
Matt Milano

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Wedbush: Epic’s ‘Risky Path’ Unlikely to Prevail Against Apple

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Wedbush: Epic’s ‘Risky Path’ Unlikely to Prevail Against Apple

Wedbush analyst Daniel Ives has weighed in on the Apple vs Epic court case, and he believes Apple will come out on top.

Epic has launched a serious legal challenge to how Apple’s App Store ecosystem works. Last year, the company circumvented Apple and Google’s in-app payment systems, resulting in Fortnite being removed from both companies’ app stores.

Epic launched a lawsuit against Apple, claiming the company was harming it by removing Fortnite. A judge refused the company an injunction, saying Epic couldn’t cry foul when it caused the problem by breaking its developer agreements with Apple and Google. In contrast, if the company had an issue with the terms of doing business on the app stores, it could have filed a lawsuit and collected back damages if it won. Instead, it engaged in a PR stunt to make its point.

The trial between Apple and Epic started today, but analysts aren’t convinced the game-maker will win. According to AppleInsider, Wedbush analyst Daniel Ives believes Apple will prevail. This is not the first time Apple’s App Store policies have come under fire. Apple has always prevailed and Ives believes this will be “no different.” He also said Epic’s approach was a “risky and calculated path,” whereas Apple’s approach is “fortress-like despite the Epic noise.”

The outcome of the trial will have profound impacts on both Apple and Google, as well as multiple app store economies.

Wedbush: Epic’s ‘Risky Path’ Unlikely to Prevail Against Apple
Matt Milano

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Verizon Media Sold to Apollo Funds

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Verizon Media Sold to Apollo Funds

Following reports Verizon was exploring a sale of Yahoo and AOL, its Verizon Media business is being sold to Apollo Funds.

Verizon purchased Yahoo and AOL, both pioneers among the early internet companies. Although both had since fallen on hard times, the two brands still had large, loyal followings. Verizon’s goal was to build an advertising business that could rival Google and Facebook.

Unfortunately, the advertising business proved more difficult for Verizon to crack than it planned. Over the last several years, the company has been selling off some of its media properties, with Yahoo and AOL being the final piece. Apollo Funds has agreed to purchase Verizon Media for $5 billion. The new company will be known as Yahoo, and Verizon will maintain a 10% stake in it.

“We are excited to be joining forces with Apollo,” said Guru Gowrappan, CEO, Verizon Media. “The past two quarters of double-digit growth have demonstrated our ability to transform our media ecosystem. With Apollo’s sector expertise and strategic insight, Yahoo will be well positioned to capitalize on market opportunities, media and transaction experience and continue to grow our full stack digital advertising platform. This transition will help to accelerate our growth for the long- term success of the company.”

“We are thrilled to help unlock the tremendous potential of Yahoo and its unparalleled collection of brands,” said Reed Rayman, Private Equity Partner at Apollo. “We have enormous respect and admiration for the great work and progress that the entire organization has made over the last several years, and we look forward to working with Guru, his talented team, and our partners at Verizon to accelerate Yahoo’s growth in its next chapter.”

“We are big believers in the growth prospects of Yahoo and the macro tailwinds driving growth in digital media, advertising technology and consumer internet platforms,” said David Sambur, Senior Partner and Co-Head of Private Equity at Apollo. “Apollo has a long track record of investing in technology and media companies and we look forward to drawing on that experience to help Yahoo continue to thrive.”

“Verizon Media has done an incredible job turning the business around over the past two and a half years and the growth potential is enormous,” said Hans Vestberg, CEO, Verizon. “The next iteration requires full investment and the right resources. During the strategic review process, Apollo delivered the strongest vision and strategy for the next phase of Verizon Media. I have full confidence that Yahoo will take off in its new home.”

Verizon Media Sold to Apollo Funds
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Facebook and Instagram Try to Scare iOS Users Into Accepting Tracking

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Facebook and Instagram Try to Scare iOS Users Into Accepting Tracking

Facebook and Instagram are resorting to scare tactics to convince iOS users to allow the companies to track them.

The latest version of iOS 14 forces apps to ask for permission before tracking users. Apple has framed the feature in the context of protecting user privacy and, just as importantly, giving users control over their own data and how it is used. As a company that charges for the vast majority of its products and services, Apple does not view its customers as the product, and doesn’t need to sell its users’ data to make money.

In contrast, Facebook, Instagram and other social media companies view their users as their main product, profiting off the wholesale monetization of their data. Facebook has made no bones about its opposition to Apple’s latest iOS privacy move, and is now resorting to scare tactics to convince iOS users to give them permission to track them and continue profiting off of them.

In the most recent notification asking for permission, Facebook and Instagram’s iOS apps imply that, without permission to track, the apps may not remain free. Ashkan Soltani, a technology reporter and former Obama White House advisor, was the first to report on the change.

NOTE: The Internet existed ‘free of charge’ well before the ‘ad supported web’ and will continue well after…#Adtech’s revisionist history that ‘big tech’ brought you the web is total fiction.https://t.co/hY9tz9uarT pic.twitter.com/qpSnAbn5nE

— ashkan soltani (@ashk4n) April 30, 2021

Facebook and Instagram Try to Scare iOS Users Into Accepting Tracking
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GE Partners Uses Verizon 5G to Power Cross-Industry Testbed

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GE Partners Uses Verizon 5G to Power Cross-Industry Testbed

GE Research and Verizon have partnered to power a cross-industry GE testbed with Verizon’s 5G Ultra Wideband.

Verizon’s Ultra Wideband, also known as mmWave, is the fastest flavor of 5G. It offers revolutionary speed, measured in gigabits. This makes it ideal for data-intensive applications that require high speeds and low latency.

GE’s testbed will tackle a range of industries, including wireless, remote patient monitoring, predictive maintenance of aircraft engines and real-time control of wind farms.

“Together with Verizon, we are leading the way in innovating on 5G,” said Vic Abate, GE’s Chief Technology Officer. “It marks a pivotal moment for the industrial world, as we finally have a wireless network platform that delivers the speed, scale, reliability and flexibility to connect industrial devices in a truly transformative way.”

“Verizon’s 5G platform capabilities provide the perfect testbed for GE’s research team to build the next-generation, real-time solutions that will transform every industry,” said Tami Erwin, CEO of Verizon Business. “There’s never been a more critical time to build the 21st century infrastructure built on mobility, broadband and cloud and our 5G sits right at the epicenter.”

GE Partners Uses Verizon 5G to Power Cross-Industry Testbed
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Microsoft Teams Hits 145 Million Daily Users

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Microsoft Teams Hits 145 Million Daily Users

Microsoft Teams has hit a major new milestone, boasting some 145 million daily users.

Microsoft Teams has become one of the most widely used programs in the pandemic, as business have relied on it for communication, collaboration and remote work. The software has benefited from being bundled with Microsoft 365, and has become an increasingly important part of Microsoft’s overall strategy.

Thanks to the pandemic, Teams has experienced meteoric growth. In March 2020, Teams had 44 million users, and by October the platform had passed 115 million users. According to Microsoft Corporate Vice President Jeff Teper, Teams has now hit 145 million daily users.

#MicrosoftTeams now 145 million daily active users – thank you to customers, partners, and team

— Jeff Teper (@jeffteper) April 27, 2021

Microsoft Teams Hits 145 Million Daily Users
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FCC Announces Start Date for Emergency Broadband Program

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FCC Announces Start Date for Emergency Broadband Program

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has announced the start date of its emergency broadband program.

The FCC proposed emergency broadband measures to help low-income families have reliable internet access. The global pandemic has shone a spotlight on the need for high-speed access, although the cost associated with it can be a challenge.

To combat this problem, Congress authorized the creation of a $3.2 billion initiative in 2020. The program will provide up to $50 for low-income households, and up to $75 for those on Tribal lands. The FCC has announced the program will begin on May 12.

“Families in every corner of the country have been struggling to get online throughout this pandemic,” said Acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel. “For those families, we now say help is around the corner. In less than two weeks, we will have a new way for disconnected Americans to access the internet to carry out their day- to-day life, so they can reach the virtual classroom, take advantage of telehealth, and seek new employment opportunities. I’m proud of the work we’ve done as an agency to get this program off the ground in record time.”

FCC Announces Start Date for Emergency Broadband Program
Matt Milano

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