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Over 10,000 women are suing Google over gender pay disparity
Four female former Google employees have won class-action status for their gender pay disparity lawsuit against the tech giant.
Amazon to increase the pay of over 500,000 workers amid union battles
Amazon will give workers a pay rise of between 50 cents and $3 as part of an early wage review, the retailer said on Wednesday.
Samsung's Pay Card will be a 'true digital wallet' for its UK phone owners
Samsung Pay Card will act like a digital wallet.
Amazon will hire 100,000 workers to keep up with the surge in demand
To keep up with a "significant increase in demand" due to the coronavirus outbreak, Amazon is hiring an additional 100,000 warehouse and delivery workers in the US. As more people turn to online shopping in an attempt to stay home (and because grocery stores are struggling to keep shelves stocked), Amazon says its labor needs are unprecedented for this time of year.
Uber offers 14 days of financial assistance to drivers with COVID-19
There have been a lot of questions about how so-called "gig" workers like Uber drivers will be affected by the coronavirus pandemic and what, if anything, companies will do to help. Today, Uber detailed its plan for compensating drivers if they are unable to work because of a COVID-19 diagnosis or a mandated quarantine. In either scenario, Uber will offer its drivers and delivery workers 14 days of financial assistance.
Facebook will pay for user recordings to improve speech recognition
Facebook may have stopped listening to and transcribing Messenger voice chats, but it still needs voice recordings to improve its speech recognition technology. So the company is going to pay select users to record snippets of audio through a new program called "Pronunciations," The Verge reports. In exchange, users can earn up to $5.
Facebook increases pay for contractors and content moderators
It's no secret that Facebook depends on contract laborers, who do everything from moderate content to help train AI. But the work those contractors do is often anxiety-inducing and under-paid. In response to an exposé by The Verge earlier this year, Facebook said it would improve moderator job conditions. Now, the company says it will increase contractors' pay and offer additional benefits to content moderators.
Uber and Lyft drivers are striking over pay and job security
Ridesharing drivers for have acted on promises to go on strike over labor conditions. Workers for Uber, Lyft and other companies in 10 cities (including Chicago, New York City and LA) are staging actions to demand better pay and job security. The exact conditions vary from city to city, but there are common demands for minimum guaranteed pay, caps on the companies' fare portions and an end to sudden, opaque deactivations that leave drivers with few options to get their access back.
Lyft agrees to pay its drivers the minimum wage in New York
Following new laws introduced last year, Lyft has agreed to pay its drivers the minimum wage in New York, a union representing the drivers said. The law stipulates that ride-hailing companies like Uber and Lyft must pay chauffeurs at least $15 per hour, plus $2.22 to cover payroll taxes and paid time off. "The landmark rules ... are expected to raise driver pay by an average of $9,600 per year," said Machinists Union affiliate IDG.
Google Assistant now has the power to send and request money
Google is making it easy to pay Bob and Kate for last weekend's barbecue by connecting its voice assistant to its mobile payment platform. You can now ask Assistant to pay your contacts -- or to ask for payment from that one friend who keeps avoiding your calls -- by saying "Hey Google, request $10 from Kevin for pizza three weeks ago" or "Hey Google, send Conny $15 for the movies tonight." The feature is now live for Assistant on Android and iOS (probably through Google Pay Send's peer-to-peer payment capabilities) devices, but only if you're in the US.
Tinder's premium Boost feature is rolling out worldwide
Tinder's latest idea to monetize its mobile matching service is rolling out worldwide, as users outside of Australia and the UK will be able to Boost to the top of nearby dater's queues. Getting Tinder to put its thumb on the algorithm is free once a week as a part of the variably-priced Plus subscription, or it can be purchased individually. Either way, it lasts just 30 minutes, so Pokémon Go players can just treat it like a lucky egg -- the company says it can result in as much as a 10x increase in profile views.
Will LG's payment card succeed where others have failed?
A new report out of the Korea Herald revives the rumor that LG's going to try something different with its own foray into mobile payments. As we reported earlier this year, the company has been working on a system that uses a standalone digital credit card rather than an NFC chip inside your smartphone. Apparently the Korean conglomerate had planned to launch the product at the start of the year, but held off to foster better relations with banks. But given how other attempts at reinventing the credit card have gone, is LG really going to crack a winning formula?
Android Pay will tell you where it works nearby
One of the ways that Google is making Android more useful is by harnessing your location data for context-aware services. For instance, Nearby uses GPS and Bluetooth to monitor where you are, launching a relevant app should one be particularly useful. Now, XDA-Developers has uncovered code inside Android Pay that suggests that it'll bring a similar level of location-aware smarts. If true, then it's possible that a future update will show you retail outlets in your nearby area that take Google's mobile payments platform. Keen-eyed investigators have even found the location-pin style icon that you'll use to activate the feature. Of course, this is all a rumor until it isn't anymore, but it's perfectly in keeping with Google's location-savvy future.
Apple Pay comes to China in early 2016
As rumored (and inevitably), Apple Pay is coming to China. The company has partnered-up with Chinese bankcard network UnionPay to launch its payment system. The network, which is as ubiquitous as Visa in China, to let iPhone users pair their bank details to their Apple hardware. It arrives with support from "15 of China's leading banks." Like other territories, card numbers aren't stored on devices or Apple's servers and it'll launch in China with support for the Apple Watch right from the start, if it's wrist payments you're waiting, nay aching, for. The country's regulators still have to approve the announcement, but Apple's press release points to a launch in early 2016 -- just in time for Chinese New Year.
Samsung Pay works with 19 more banks in the US
Samsung has signed a deal that'll get its smartphone-based payments system accepted with 19 more banks in the US. The agreement means that you'll now be able to use your Galaxy smartphone as a substitute for a PNC Visa and KeyBank MasterCard credit and debit card. In addition, the partnership means that plenty of regional issuers are now signed up, including TCF Bank, Utah Community Credit Union and USC Credit Union. If you've yet to make a splash into the realm of Samsung Pay, you'll need to grab a Galaxy S6 variant or a Note 5 and download the app from Google Play and dash to your nearest franchise coffee house.
Samsung Pay is now available on all major US carriers
Samsung has opened the floodgates to its mobile payment solution in the US. The company announced today that Samsung Pay now works with all major US carriers: AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint, US Cellular and, despite some drama, Verizon. In order to take advantage of this feature, which is Samsung's answer to Apple Pay, you'll of course need to have a compatible smartphone -- like the Galaxy S6, Galaxy S6 edge, Galaxy S6 edge+ or Galaxy Note 5. Samsung Pay first became available Stateside in beta on September 28th, but as of today anyone on one of the big networks can start using it. To do so, download the app from Google Play, enter your debit/credit card information and you'll be set.
Starbucks' app lets UK users pre-order drinks and skip the queue
Starbucks first allowed US customers to begin pre-ordering drinks and food at the end of last year, but it took until late last month for it to become available to both iOS and Android users across the country. Meanwhile Brits were left out in the cold. Luckily, the coffee giant has now decided to include the UK, as Mobile Order & Pay has today begun rolling out across 150 of its London stores.
Android Pay will arrive with Android M, handle payments via NFC
Google SVP Sundar Pichai may have tipped the company's hand on mobile payments back in Barcelona, but he offered little detail on how the system would work. At I/O 2015, though, the folks in Mountain View served up a wealth of details on the matter, including the announcement that Android Pay would be part of the Android M release. Just like Apple Pay, transactions are sorted via NFC and your actual card number isn't shared with merchants. Instead, it'll use "a virtual account number" to handle payments. When it arrives, the system will be employed by over 700,000 retailers (sounds familiar) like Macy's, Whole Foods, Walgreen's and many more. It'll also be used for in-app purchases, so if you're ordering food from Chipotle or paying for an Uber ride, you'll be able to use Android Pay there as well. And yes, web sellers can leverage the system, too.
Every major US credit card will soon work with Apple Pay
The roster of credit cards that work with Apple's mobile payments platform has always had one notable absentee. Thankfully, the folks at Discover have realized that there's little to be gained from not being available to use on Apple Pay. That's why the firm has signed a deal that'll see its customers be able to buy goods and services with their iPads, iPhones and Apple Watches, which will begin at some point in the fall. Naturally, users are afforded the same offers and protections that they would if they'd paid by card, including Cashback Bonus and Freeze It -- now all we need is for Chipotle to join in and we're all set.
Sainsbury's new app will let you skip the checkout
Scan-and-pay isn't a new concept inside Britain's major supermarkets, but Sainsbury's is keen to ensure it plays a key role in its shopping future. The grocery chain today announced that it will soon begin trialling a new shopping app that's designed to cut down the time spent doing the weekly the shop. According to Sainsbury's, the app will let customers fill their baskets using their phone, guide them to the in-store location of their chosen products, and then let them scan and pay. Everything is handled inside the app, which skips the checkout to reportedly cut down bagging and payment time to "seconds." Although Sainsbury's has also teamed up with Zapp to let you pay at the checkout using your mobile from early next year, a spokesperson tells us that the two payment systems will be independent of each other. The supermarket says it will begin trialling the system with its own teams in the coming weeks, before rolling it out to Nectar cardholders sometime in 2015.
