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Facebook, Google and other tech firms must verify identities under proposed UK law
The UK government is introducing a bill that will require Facebook, Google and other tech platforms to verify the identities of users.
Apple says eight states have signed up to let people store IDs in Wallet
Arizona and Georgia are first up, with six more to follow.
The EU plans a digital wallet for payments, passwords and IDs
The European Union is getting ready to unveil a digital wallet that will allow citizens in the bloc to store payments details and passwords.
Microsoft's $7.5 billion ZeniMax acquisition approved by US and EU regulators
The European Commission has unconditionally cleared Microsoft's $7.5 billion acquisition of ZeniMax, owner of games studios Bethesda, id and Arkane.
Microsoft’s Bethesda deal: Great for Game Pass, troubling for exclusives
Microsoft's ZeniMax Media acquisition is going to make Game Pass a lot stronger. But it could also mean more headaches for console exclusives.
Volkswagen will only sell its ID electric cars online
A new agency model means no more hard sell from dealerships.
Kenya halts biometric ID scheme over discrimination fears
Kenya introduced a sweeping national biometric identity program last year, with the view to collecting personal and biometric data -- such as fingerprints and facial photographs -- from its 50 million-strong population. Now, however, the program has been temporarily suspended by the country's high court, which has cited concerns about the way the data may be used.
VW teases a smaller, more affordable EV in a holiday card
Once again, Volkswagen is using a Christmas card to tease a new vehicle. The automaker sent the card, which appears to show a smaller entry-level ID, to journalists this week, Autocar reports. The sketch is purposefully vague, but it could offer a glimpse of the more affordable electric car VW is working on.
'Doom Eternal' is delayed to March 2020
DOOM Eternal's launch was slated for November 22nd -- but to add some polish, publisher Bethesda Softworks is pushing that date back to March 20, 2020. The developer, iD Software, will also add a new feature called Invasion Mode, which will allow players to enter others' campaigns as a playable demon. This new mode will be a free download available shortly after the game arrives.
Juul will require retailers to scan IDs before selling its vapes
By May 2021, anyone looking to purchase a Juul e-cig will have to have their ID scanned. Juul announced today that it will soon require all retailers to use an updated point-of-sale (POS) system. When Juul products are scanned, the POS will prompt the retailer to scan the customer's ID. Anyone under the locally mandated age will be prohibited from buying Juul products. The POS will also block sales of more than one vaporizer and four refill packs, so users won't be able to buy in bulk and presumably share with their underage friends.
Apple's contactless student IDs come to 12 more schools
A new school year is approaching, and for Apple that means an expansion of its contact-free student IDs. Apple Watch and iPhone owners can tap their devices to access campus facilities in 12 more schools, and these are institutions you'll likely recognize -- Georgetown University, the University of Tennessee and the University of San Francisco are some of the institutions. Considering that tap-based IDs were limited to just seven schools before, this is welcome news if you'd rather not pull out plastic to grab lunch or access the gym.
Germans can soon use their iPhones as virtual ID cards
iOS 13's newly expanded NFC support will be useful for more than just hopping on the subway. Germany is taking advantage of the upcoming software's support for Apple-approved NFC identification documents to let residents scan their ID cards and use them both online and for check-ins at international airports. You'll need to wait for both the release of iOS 13 (likely in September) and the German government's AusweisApp2 to make everything work, but this might just save you the trouble of pulling out your wallet to prove who you are.
VW starts taking deposits for its ID.3 electric hatchback
VW is finally ready to take €1,000 deposits for the production version of its I.D. electric hatchback in 29 European countries. Now called the ID.3, the finished car (which won't come with the colorful camouflage above) is initially available in a loaded, limited-edition "1st" model that includes the mid-tier, 261-mile battery as well as navigation, voice control and large wheels. Pricing will start at "less than €40,000" (about $44,800), but there will also be a 1st Plus variant with additional lighting and design touches as well as a 1st Max with an augmented reality heads-up display and a panoramic glass roof.
Android's digital wallet could eventually hold your driver's license
Governments have been exploring digital driver's licenses for a while, but there are quite a few flaws with existing approaches. You usually have to rely on a proprietary app, sometimes with uncertain security... and what happens if your phone is low on battery when you need to flash your credentials? Google might have a solution. XDA has discovered that Google is working on an IdentityCredential framework that would securely store and display digital IDs, including driver's licenses. It could also display your ID even if there isn't enough power to start Android -- you'd just need the power for a secure chip and a "low-power communication channel."
VW will build its US electric cars in Tennessee
Volkswagen just made a major commitment to electric car production in the US. The company has revealed that it will open its first dedicated EV factory for North America at its existing facility in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Production won't start until 2022, but VW claimed the new plant will create 1,000 jobs. The first vehicle out of the gate will be the ID Crozz SUV, which will go on sale in the country in 2020 -- in other words, those initial models will likely come from outside the country.
VW hopes to sell 10 million electric cars based on its new platform
Volkswagen has grand expectations for the platform underpinning its first purpose-built electric cars. The VW Auto Group plans to sell 10 million EVs based on its modular electric drive matrix (MEB) across all its brands during the "first wave." It hopes to have sold 150,000 electric cars in total by 2020, 100,000 of which will be 100,000 I.D. models produced in Germany.
VW's $4 billion connected car push includes its own operating system
VW knows it has to rethink its approach to technology if it's going to adapt to a world full of electric cars, autonomy and ridesharing services, and that extends to the very software that makes those vehicles tick. The automaker has committed €3.5 billion ($4.05 billion) through 2025 for a connected car push that not only moves the company toward a new role as a "mobility services provider," but will include the development of an in-house operating system, vw.OS, that will govern entire vehicles.
Discovery's streaming service could package 17 channels for $5 a month
Discovery could launch its own streaming service. CEO David Zaslav (above) said that he's considering bundling the 17 channels his company picked up in last year's Scrips Networks Interactive acquisition into a service that'd cost between $5 and $8 per month.
VW unveils electric race car built to tackle Pikes Peak
Volkswagen is delivering on its promise of an electric car powerful enough to conquer the Pikes Peak hill climb. It has formally unveiled the I.D. R Pikes Peak, and the design is very clearly tailor-made for the job -- it looks more like a Le Mans machine than the relatively pedestrian I.D. models you've seen before. The company still isn't offering specs beyond four wheel drive. However, it's still determined to break the existing Pikes Peak electric vehicle record of 8 minutes and 57 seconds, which suggests it will have a monstrous amount of power. The current holder, a Drive eO PP100 driven by Rhys Millen, mustered 1,596HP.
What to expect from the Geneva Motor Show
The city of Geneva, Switzerland is about to become of the center of the automotive universe. Automakers from all over the world are descending upon the city to unveil their latest vehicles and Engadget will be there to keep you abreast of the breaking news. But first, we wanted to catch you up on what to expect from the show.
