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Apple's tap-and-go Express payments come to London public transport
Paying for daily necessities using your phone might feel like the future, but the reality can sometimes be slower as mobile payments require authentication that can take time to approve. To combat this issue, Apple has brought its Express feature to London, making it far quicker and easier to use Apple Pay on services like the Tube.
Uber reportedly tells its staff not to disclose potential crimes
Uber has faced numerous sexual assault charges against its drivers in its time, but has repeatedly assured its users that it's taking steps to strengthen security for riders. Now, The Washington Post has revealed that despite these measures, Uber's customer service department is reportedly skewed in favor of the company, no matter how serious the complaints -- the majority of which involve sexual assault.
Watch the official trailer for Netflix's 'Top Boy' revival
Netflix announced back in 2017 that it was planning on reviving popular UK drama Top Boy -- now you can finally watch its first proper trailer. The long-awaited third season -- made a reality thanks to Canadian megastar Drake --- will pick up from where it left off, with Dushane returning to the gritty streets of London to reclaim his crown as king of the underground drug business. From the looks of the trailer, things aren't going to go according to plan. Catch it on Netflix on September 13th.
Apple taps renowned artists for AR art walks
Apple has been pushing its way into the world of augmented reality for years. Now, it wants to get more users involved. Working with artists like Nick Cave, an American fabric sculptor and performance artist, Apple has installed AR art in public spaces in San Francisco, New York, London, Paris, Hong Kong and Tokyo. Users in those cities can sign up for a free Today at Apple experience called [AR]T. It involves an interactive walk to tour the AR installations, an in-store session that teaches the basics of creating AR using Swift Playgrounds and an AR installation in the store.
London's Tube will finally offer 4G coverage next year
It's finally happening: 4G is coming to the London Underground. After years of promises, Londoners will at last be able to check their email while traveling on the Tube.
Microsoft's first UK store opens in London on July 11th
It's been several years in the making, but Microsoft has finally announced an opening date for its flagship store in London. Its first physical retail premises in the UK will open to the general public on July 11th in Oxford Circus, covering 21,932 square feet over three floors.
Uber's Jump will take on Lime's e-bikes in London
Londoners have seen multiple bikeshare companies come and go -- including ofo, oBike and Urbo. When Lime introduced its e-bikes in December, it seemed like the tide could be changing. Now, Uber's Jump will give it a go. As part of a pilot program, Uber dropped 350 of its bright red, dockless electric-assisted bikes in Islington today.
The UK gets its first checkout-free grocery store
The days of spending your precious lunchbreak standing in line for a sandwich are increasingly numbered, as supermarket chain Sainsbury's has launched the UK's first ever till-free grocery store. The busy store in London's Holborn Circus has been given a mobile-first makeover, so customers can scan and pay for their goods via their smartphone, while staff previously chained to checkout areas are free to spend time helping customers on the shop floor.
Uber adds London's public transportation info to its app
Londoners can now compare their public transport and ridesharing options in the Uber app. Tuesday, the company added real-time Underground, bus, train and Docklands Light Railway (DLR) info to a new "Public Transport" feature, which appears next to the UberX and UberPool options. When users search a destination, the app now generates a list of the fastest public transit routes, real-time schedules and walking directions to and from stations or bus stops.
Citymapper launches a transit-only payment card for London
Like many big cities, navigating London can be a struggle, with the sheer volume of transit options being confusing. Its maps, though beautiful, can be misleading to tourists and those passing through, which is why apps like Citymapper exist. The app examines every form of mass-transit available to help you plan the most efficient route, and now it's looking to help you pay for it, too.
Heathrow and Gatwick airports buy anti-drone systems after scare
London's airports don't want a repeat of the drone panic that left Gatwick travelers grounded for days, and they're willing to spend loads of cash to keep their skies safe. Heathrow and Gatwick have spent millions of pounds on "military-grade" anti-drone systems in the wake of the scare. It's not clear what they've purchased, but it might be a Rafael Drone Dome system that can jam drone communications. The company told the Times that it had seen interest from UK customers, but it's not clear if that included the two airports.
Drones cause holiday chaos at one of London's busiest airports (updated)
Drones spotted over the UK's second-busiest airport have halted flights since Wednesday evening (December 19th), heavily disrupting the holiday travel of tens of thousands of passengers. Flights at London's Gatwick airport couldn't take off or land, and airport authorities said that 110,000 passengers on 760 flights were affected yesterday. Operations briefly resumed at around 3 AM, then were halted about an hour later when the drone was spotted again. The airport finally reopened this morning, though the Gawick airport authority has advised travelers to check their flight's status before traveling.
Lime will take on London's Boris Bikes with e-bike launch
US dockless e-scooter and e-bike service Lime is bringing its electric-assisted bicycles to London, following their launch in Milton Keynes just over a week earlier. A fleet of 1,000 bright green e-bikes -- equipped with a 250-watt motor boasting a maximum assisted speed of 14.8 miles per hour -- will be available in the London boroughs of Brent and Ealing initially, starting tomorrow. The dockless bikes cost £1 ($1.30) to unlock and an additional 15 pence (19 cents) per minute of riding time.
The UK's first Dolby Cinema to open in London
London's iconic Odeon Leicester Square cinema has already firmly established itself in the silver screen history books, having hosted more than 700 film premieres since its opening in 1937. Now, it's getting another accolade. Following an 11-month, multi-million pound refurbishment, the cinema will re-open its doors this Christmas, complete with the UK's very first Dolby Cinema.
Bird launches UK's first scooter sharing service on one London path
London faces some of the biggest transport problems in the world, but one startup thinks its electric scooter scheme could be the solution -- as long as it can get around the UK's draconian vehicle laws. US company Bird is set to launch the UK's first scooter-hire service in the capital, but it's only got permission to do so along a single path in the east London Olympic Park.
Uber will introduce a 'clean air fee' to all London rides
Uber has been consistently vocal about its green aspirations. From electric scooters to its own EV charging networks, the company's eco-friendly ambitions reached a pinnacle last year when it announced its "Clean Air Plan" for the city of London. Now, it's revealed more about what this plan will look like.
Addison Lee's self-driving taxis could hit London by 2021
Private hire taxi company Addison Lee has announced plans to place autonomous cabs on the streets of London by 2021. To help it get there, it's teaming up with Oxbotica, a company that specializes in self-driving software.
Uber brings 24/7 phone support to the UK
The whole point of Uber is to make getting from A to B as easy and convenient as possible, but when things go awry (which can include anything from confusing cleaning fees to allegations of harassment) getting in touch with an actual human on Uber's side has been a herculean challenge. Until now. From today, Uber in the UK is launching a 24/7 helpline, available to both passengers and drivers.
Google's Trafalgar Square lion uses AI to generate crowdsourced poem
In London's Trafalgar Square, four lions sit at the base of Nelson's Column. But starting today, there will be a fifth. Google Arts & Culture and designer Es Devlin have created a public sculpture for the London Design Festival. It's a lion that over the course of the festival will generate a collective poem by using input from the public and artificial intelligence.
London’s mayor wants to cap ride-hailing licenses too
The mayor of London is looking to put a cap on the number of ride-hailing drivers in the city, the Guardian reports, and is asking the government to grant him the powers to impose such limits. The move comes just as New York City institutes a one-year moratorium on licensing new ride-hailing drivers. Mayor Sadiq Khan reportedly sent a letter to Chris Grayling, the UK's transport secretary, saying that he was "determined to create a vibrant taxi and private hire market in the capital, with space for all providers to flourish." However, he noted that the massive increase in private hire drivers in the city was "causing increased congestion, polluting our air and leaving many drivers struggling to make enough money to support themselves and their families."
