Elon is buying Twitter again (at least for now)
Elon is buying Twitter again (at least for now)
Plus, Apple's iPhone will switch to USB-C soon, and some people can now officially edit tweets.
Welcome to the first premium edition of Legendary Scoop! I realize that you’re probably not a paying subscriber of my newsletter, but I wanted to give you guys a chance to check out what it means to be a paying subscriber. This is the only paid edition I’m sending out for free, by the way, so if you want the full Friday newsletter, you’ll have to subscribe. It’s only $5/month or $50/year!
Anyway, on with the news.
I was gonna write an intro for this newsletter, but there’s been so many headlines over the past two days that I scrapped it and decided to dive right in. Trust me when I tell you, these stories don’t need any introduction whatsoever.
Elon says he’s buying Twitter - definitely, for sure, absolutely this time
Oh Elon.
Yesterday, Elon Musk filed with the SEC in order to guarantee he’d buy Twitter at his original price of $54.20 per share, or around $44 billion. The filing was sent in conjunction with a letter to Twitter, who shared a statement via its investor relations account confirming the company’s “intention… is to close the transaction at $54.20 per share.”
What this means: Elon finally seems to be committing to the promise he made to Twitter months ago after his on-again, off-again interest with the deal over the summer. It’s the Tesla founder’s firmest promise yet that he’ll acquire the social media company.
How we got here: Musk originally said he’d buy Twitter in April of this year for $44 billion, and Twitter happily went along with it (at $54.20/share, they really didn’t have a choice). But then, at least publicly, Musk began questioning how many bots were on the platform, which Twitter claimed was 5 percent of all active users. Elon didn’t believe them, so he tried to exit the deal and tanked Twitter’s stock. Things were in limbo for a second, then Twitter got a court date scheduled to force Musk to keep his promise.
What’s next: There will be further discussions, meetings, and negotiations between Elon Musk and Twitter ahead of his ultimate acquisition. Musk will also still have to face trial on October 17th which Chancellor Kathaleen McCormick confirmed is still on, as far as she’s concerned. But if things manage to go smoother than they have, Musk should be the official owner of Twitter by April 2023 (the time that Musk’s financing expires). Of course, knowing Elon, there’s no telling that things will go smooth, but we can at least hope they do.
Apple will be forced to ship an iPhone with USB-C by 2024, says the EU
A little while ago, lawmakers in the European Parliament agreed on new legislation that would require all new devices sold in the EU to offer USB-C ports for wired charging. This would not only simplify charging for consumers, but also help reduce e-waste, according to the EU. This week, that legislation was voted on, and it was favored by a vast majority of law makers. It’s now been put into motion, and beginning in September of 2024, every new device that charges with a wire will be required to use USB-C.
Everyone is talking about Apple: Of course, a law like this doesn’t mean much for manufacturers that have switched to USB-C, but there’s one huge exception: Apple. For over 10 years, the iPhone has included the company’s proprietary Lightning port, which by now has been surpassed in virtually every technical aspect by dozens of competitors thanks to USB-C. Rumors have popped up suggesting the iPhone would switch to USB-C every time a new model was due, but year after year, Apple has continued to include Lightning for almost no conceivable reason beyond just keeping it around.
The big question: When will the iPhone make the switch? Technically speaking, Apple could avoid it until 2026. The legislation still needs to be approved by the European Council, and it’s when the final OK is given that companies will be given 24 months to add USB-C to their devices. That means Apple could ship the iPhone 16 in 2024 with Lightning since iPhones typically come out in September, so 2025’s iPhone 17 might wind up being the first to boast a charger that’s not Lightning. Of course, there’s also a theory out there that Apple might drop wired charging altogether and stick with MagSafe wireless charging, but that seems unlikely, at least for now.
How this affects other devices: The EU’s legislation also covers other electronics like tablets, laptops, keyboards, mice, headphones, and more. Lightning ports would also have to be removed from things like AirPods and Mac accessories, and companies would be forced to stick with USB-C as a primary way to charge whatever device they sip until further notice. Once the new laws go into effect, it’ll be interesting to see how companies respond.
Some Twitter Blue users can now edit their tweets
You could argue that this news is bigger than Elon Musk’s acquisition of the entire company, if only because it’s taken so long to happen. This week, Twitter officially started rolling out the ability to edit tweets to Twitter Blue subscribers in Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. It’s a Labs feature, which means it’s still in testing phases and could be unstable, but it’s incredibly exciting nonetheless.
How editing tweets works: As discovered in a test of the feature last month, a new “Edit Tweet” option will be available in the three-dot menu on each tweet you share, but only for 30 minutes after it’s sent. Twitter says you’ll be able to edit a single tweet “a few times,” and there will be a timestamp marketing when the last time you edited a tweet. Users will be able to tap the stamp to view a full edit history of the tweet, which is important on a platform like Twitter where posts can be shared by tens of thousands of accounts in a matter of minutes.
What isn’t working yet: Twitter is only letting straightforward tweets to be edited right now. If you want to edit a reply to a tweet, a thread, retweets, or pinned tweets, you’ll need to wait for the feature to be fleshed out in the future.
When more users will get it: Twitter says US users that pay for Blue will get the feature “soon,” while free users of the platform should expect it at some point in the future. We don’t have specific yet for when that’ll happen, but stay tuned.
More news
Google overhauls its Home app and introduces new Nest Doorbell and Wifi Pro to gear up for Matter
Google has announced an overhauled version of its Home app that includes support for Matter, the new smart home platform that companies from Apple to Amazon to Google have promised to invest in and develop for. The app was announced alongside a new wired Nest Doorbell and new Nest Wifi Pro router that includes Wi-Fi 6E. The future of the smart home lies in Matter, and Google isn’t wasting any time in getting its own portfolio of products and services optimized. (The Keyword)
YouTube might make you pay for 4K
There’s been a bit of a controversy swirling on social media about a new test YouTube is conducting: some users have reported that they’re unable to watch 4K versions of videos without having a YouTube Premium account. It seems to be another incentive the company might use to entice users to pay $10 a month for ad-free YouTube, but there’s no word on whether it’ll actually ship. (9to5Google)
Instagram, Pinterest responsible for teen’s suicide, says British ruling
Instagram and Pinterest’s algorithmic practices are to blame for the side of UK teen Molly Russell. The determination was made by a London judge who ruled that each platform played a “more than minimal” role in her death. It comes after both Meta and Pinterest executives were rigorously grilled over how each platform serves content and why. (The New York Times / Bloomberg)
Meta is shutting down Bulletin
I’m gonna bet that you didn’t know Meta had its own alternative to Substack. Well, in case that intrigues you, don’t let it - it’s being shut down. The company confirmed this week that the platform, which never managed to get off the ground after it was announced in June of 2021, is being unplugged by early 2023. Bulletin was never given a chance to grow as Meta opted to invite writers to the platform instead of letting people sign up themselves. It amassed over 115 publications in total, and each had at least 1,000 free email subscribers each. (The Verge)
Kim Kardashian is being charged for “unlawfully touting” cryptocurrency
The SEC has charged Kim Kardashian for advertising crypto that she never disclosed was being promoted. “This case is a reminder that, when celebrities / influencers endorse investment opps, including crypto asset securities, it doesn’t mean those investment products are right for all investors,” said Gary Gensler on Twitter. Kardashian has already settled the suit for a cool $1.26 million and agreed to assist in the SEC’s ongoing investigation. (TechCrunch)
Google updates its Gmail app on iOS with Lock Screen widgets
If you want to see how many unread emails you have in your inbox at a glance on your iPhone’s Lock Screen, Gmail is happy to provide that for you. The app has been updated with a widget for your lock screen in iOS 16 that does just that, along with a few different sizes to fit your style. (9to5Google)
Twitter now lets you use photos, videos, and GIFs in the same tweet
In even more Twitter news, the platform has announced that you can now use all three media formats in a single tweet. It still puts a limit of four individual pieces of content on a tweet, but it’s much better than having to share photos or videos separately. The feature is rolling out to all users now. (Twitter)
Peacock gains two million paid subscribers after a growth slump
NBCUniversal CEO Jeff Shell confirmed in an interview with CNBC that Peacock has gained two million paying subscribers in the this quarter of 2022, boosting the platform’s user base to 15 million after it remained at 13 million all year long. It’s driven by content primarily, with shows like SNL and One Chicago particularly helping Peacock gain some momentum since they premier on the platform the day after they air on NBC. (CNBC / Variety)
Apple Music now has 100 million songs on its platform
Apple has confirmed that it’s managed to grow Apple Music to hosting 100 million songs. For context, Spotify says it offers over 80 million songs. Apple says it’s adding about 20,000 new tracks every single day, so it doesn’t look like the growth will be stifling any time soon. The service launched in 2015 with 30 million songs available. (Engadget)
OnePlus’ upcoming Buds Pro 2 will reportedly offer Fast Pair, ANC, and the LDHC codec
OnePlus has new earbuds on the way in the form of the Buds Pro 2. A new report from Pircebaba suggests that the buds will look similar to the original Buds Pro, but will get plenty of internal upgrades thanks to new 11mm and 6mm drivers. These will support the new LDHC 4.0 codec which offers higher-quality audio performance. They’ll also reportedly have improved ANC, Google Fast Pair, and up to six hours of battery life on a full charge. no word yet on pricing or release dates. (9to5Google)
Okay, that’s enough news for one newsletter. Time to get ready for the Pixel 7 event tomorrow…
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