Posts Tagged: paid
Google paid $26 billion in 2021 for default search engine status
Vice president Prabhakar Raghavan testified Friday that Google paid $ 26.3 billion in 2021 for the purpose of maintaining default search engine status and acquiring traffic, Bloomberg reports. It’s likely the lion’s share of that sum went to Apple, which it has showered with exorbitant sums for many years in order to remain the default search option on iPhone, iPad and Mac.
Raghavan, who was testifying as part of the DOJ’s ongoing antitrust suit against the company, said Google’s search advertising made $ 146.4 billion in revenue in 2021, which puts the $ 26 billion it paid for default status in perspective. The executive clarified that default status was the most costly part of what it pays to acquire traffic.
Raghavan didn’t mention how much of the $ 26.3 billion went to Apple. But CNBC reports that an estimate from private wealth management firm Bernstein ballparked that Google could pay Apple up to $ 19 billion this year for the default privilege.
A slide shown in court revealed that, in 2014, Google brought in $ 47 billion in search revenue while paying $ 7.1 billion for default status. Raghavan testified that Google’s overall default search engine payments nearly quadrupled from 2014 to 2021, while its search advertising revenue (roughly) tripled.
Google objected to making the figures public, arguing it would hurt its ability to negotiate future contracts. Judge Amit Mehta, overseeing the case, disagreed.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/google-paid-26-billion-in-2021-for-default-search-engine-status-203129384.html?src=rss
Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics
Facebook and Instagram may offer paid, ad-free plans in Europe to sate EU privacy concerns
Meta may add a paid subscription option to Instagram and Facebook in Europe, according toThe New York Times. The ad-free tier is meant to address European Union (EU) regulations that have diminished some of Meta’s most lucrative data-collection methods. The company said in April that advertising in the EU made up 10 percent of the company’s total revenue.
The move would be the first time Meta has deviated from its standard model of a single free platform supported by advertising (and associated data collection). The NYT says the company would continue offering free ad-supported versions of Facebook and Instagram in the EU. It’s unknown exactly when the company would launch the ad-free tiers or how much they would cost.
Company “insiders” cited by the NYT believe offering a paid ad-free variant could help “alleviate some European regulators’ concerns,” even if few people use it. The optional tier “could serve Meta’s interests in the region,” they added.
An ad-free option for European users would mark one of the most significant splits between consumer tech in the EU and the US. Meta and other social platforms have been forced to adapt as the GDPR and other regulations take hold. The EU fined Meta €1.2 billion in May for moving EU citizen’s data to US-based servers. In addition, the company was fined €265 million in 2022 for failing to prevent millions of Facebook users’ mobile numbers (and other data) from being scraped and posted online.
“This shows that tech companies are complying with the E.U.’s digital regulations, suggesting that they remain beholden to governments and not the other way around,” Columbia University law professor Anu Bradford told The New York Times.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/facebook-and-instagram-may-offer-paid-ad-free-plans-in-europe-to-sate-eu-privacy-concerns-190926273.html?src=rss
Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics
You paid too much money for your Pixel Watch — and Google knows it
A new report shows just how much money Google is making from each Pixel Watch sale and, as it turns out, it’s a lot.
Digital Trends
Guess how much Apple has paid App Store developers — you won’t even be close
Apple has revealed how much it’s paid out to App Store developers since its launch in 2008, and it’s probably a lot more than you think.
Digital Trends
This browser extension tells you who paid for Twitter verification
Twitter verification is now just $ 8 away, but that doesn’t mean the social network has democratized its long-standing status symbol entirely. The Twitter verification badge is now split between two different groups: accounts that were officially verified for being “notable in government, news, entertainment, or another designated category,” and accounts that paid for the checkmark by being subscribed to Twitter Blue. But it can be difficult to tell the difference between the two types of verified accounts without clicking into their individual profiles, which is why one Twitter user created a tool to make it a lot easier.
Introducing Eight Dollars, a simple browser extension that swaps out Twitter’s standard verification badge for two different labels that spell out if an account is “actually verified” or if it “paid for verification.” Without the extension, you’d need to click on a user’s profile, and then tap on the verification checkmark to determine if the user’s check was approved by Twitter staff or purchased through Twitter Blue, but Eight Dollars makes that information available directly in your timeline.
If you’re confused by the new Twitter Verification feature, I’ve been working with some friends on a Chrome Extension that helps you tell the differencehttps://t.co/zXkwzhXIc1pic.twitter.com/pHTBswBnnE
— Walter Lim (@iWaltzAround) November 10, 2022
The extension was originally only available for Chrome, but New Zealand designer Walter Lim says it should work with Microsoft Edge as well as Firefox, and he’s also added Safari to his to-do list. Installing any of them will take a little extra work: the add-on is currently only available on GitHub, and needs to be installed manually using the browser’s developer mode. Even so, it could be worth the effort — unless you like being fooled by hackneyed scam accounts and impersonators.
YouTube’s new Primetime Channels hub gives easy access to paid services such as STARZ, Paramount+, and more
Tired of switching from app to app trying to find your favorite show? YouTube’s new Primetime Channels feature will let you access a range of paid services without needing to head over to a different app or perhaps even another device. The Primetime Channels feature is accessed by tapping on the Movies & TV hub […]
Come comment on this article: YouTube’s new Primetime Channels hub gives easy access to paid services such as STARZ, Paramount+, and more
Telegram founder confirms paid features are coming soon
Those unlockable Telegram features that showed up with the app's beta version in May will soon be available for paying users. Telegram founder Pavel Durov has confirmed that the app is launching a subscription plan called Telegram Premium sometime this month. While Durov didn't discuss the specific benefits that come with the plan, he said it will give paying users extra features, speed and resources, as well as first access to the app's latest offerings.
Durov explained that a lot of people have been asking the service to raise the limits on its chats, media and file uploads. However, doing so for everyone would lead to massive traffic and server costs beyond what it could afford. Telegram apparently came to the conclusion that the only way it could give its "most demanding fans" more while keeping its existing features free is to offer those raised limits as a paid option.
The service's founder has also assured users in his announcement that Telegram will still be releasing new free features despite having a paid tier. Further, even free users will be able to enjoy some of the Premium option's new futures, including being able to view larger-than-usual documents, media and stickers sent by paying members. A previous report by tech publication Beebom says Premium subscribers will have the capability to upload files up to 4GB in size and will enjoy up to twice a non-paying users' limits when it comes to the number of channels they can join, among other things. Beebom also says a Premium subscription will cost $ 5 a month, though we won't know for sure until the option launches.
Durov ended his announcement with:
"While our experiments with privacy-focused ads in public one-to-many channels have been more successful than we expected, I believe that Telegram should be funded primarily by its users, not advertisers. This way our users will always remain our main priority."
Russian TikTok creators have reportedly been paid to share propaganda
The White House isn't the only one trying to steer discussion of Ukraine on TikTok. Vice News has discovered that Russian TikTok influencers are reportedly being paid to share videos promoting the Putin government's narrative surrounding the invasion. An anonymous operator in a Telegram channel has been telling creators what and when to post, what goals they must meet and otherwise dictating their content. At least some of the followers have over a million followers.
It's unclear who is behind the campaign, but the operator claims to be a journalist and has looked for posters for additional pro-government content (such as supporting Russian athletes in the Olympics) and private companies. However, TikTok's ban on new videos from Russia apparently isn't an obstacle. The channel administrator tells influencers how to dodge the ban, and at least some producers have posted videos after the ban took effect.
The channel suddenly shut down on March 9th as Vice conducted its investigation. Most of the videos have since been removed, but the campaign team reportedly asked them to do this. Others remain, and it's not certain how many similar initiatives might be underway. It's also unclear if the propaganda was effective.
TikTok hasn't commented on the pro-Kremlin campaign and told Vice about its general efforts to spot "emerging threats" and "harmful misinformation" surrounding Russia's war against Ukraine.
Whether or not the Russian government was involved with this TikTok effort, there's little doubt the country has tried to control the online narrative on Ukraine. It has blocked social networks like Instagram, posted misinformation through its embassies' accounts, circumvented bans on its state news outlets and criminalized media reports that contradict the official stance on the war. TikTok's large user base may be a tempting target if Russia hopes to sway more of the internet to its side.
Apple reveals how much it paid to App Store developers in 2021
Apple’s App Store continues to pay out tens of billions of dollars annually to developers, though the store’s success hasn’t come without controversy.
Mobile | Digital Trends
I’ve paid for 5G for more than 2 years and it has been a complete waste of money
I signed up for a 5G contract in 2019, and now, more than two years later and despite elaborate promises, I have not seen any benefit from it at all.
Mobile | Digital Trends
Virgin Galactic delays the start of its paid spaceflights to the end of 2022
Virgin Galactic has suffered yet another setback. On Thursday, the company told CNBC it has delayed the start of its commercial space tourism service to the fourth quarter of 2022. It had previously hoped to begin offering paid spaceflights sometime in the third quarter of next year.
With the delay, the company will begin refurbishing both its carrier airplane and spacecraft this month. Virgin Galactic says it expects the entire process should take between eight to 10 months. As a result of the move, Unity 23, the company’s next flight, won’t take off until mid-2022 at the earliest.
“The re-sequencing of our enhancement period and the Unity 23 flight underscores our safety-first procedures, provides the most efficient path to commercial service, and is the right approach for our business and our customers,” Virgin Galactic CEO Michael Colglazier said in a statement.
The delay is not connected to the recent investigation the FAA conducted into Unity 22, the flight that took Virgin Galactic founder Richard Branson to the edge of space. The federal agency cleared the company for future flights after completing the investigation.
Mozilla combines tracker blocking with paid, ad-free browsing
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Someone, somewhere is getting paid to listen to your voice interactions with your smart speaker
In a bit of news that should surprise absolutely no one, there’s a chance that some of your voice interactions with your smart speaker will be reviewed by a human at some company. Whether you’re rocking an Echo Dot, Google Home Max, or some other third-party device with one of the aforementioned assistants built in, […]
Come comment on this article: Someone, somewhere is getting paid to listen to your voice interactions with your smart speaker
Best app deals of the day! 6 paid iPhone apps for free for a limited time
Everyone likes apps, but sometimes the best ones are a bit expensive. Now and then, developers put paid apps on sale for a limited time, but you have to snatch them up fast. Here are the latest apps on sale in the iOS App Store.
The post Best app deals of the day! 6 paid iPhone apps for free for a limited time appeared first on Digital Trends.
Best app deals of the day! 6 paid iPhone apps for free for a limited time
Everyone likes apps, but sometimes the best ones are a bit expensive. Now and then, developers put paid apps on sale for a limited time, but you have to snatch them up fast. Here are the latest apps on sale in the iOS App Store.
The post Best app deals of the day! 6 paid iPhone apps for free for a limited time appeared first on Digital Trends.
Best app deals of the day! 6 paid iPhone apps for free for a limited time
Everyone likes apps, but sometimes the best ones are a bit expensive. Now and then, developers put paid apps on sale for a limited time, but you have to snatch them up fast. Here are the latest apps on sale in the iOS App Store.
The post Best app deals of the day! 6 paid iPhone apps for free for a limited time appeared first on Digital Trends.
Best app deals of the day! 6 paid iPhone apps for free for a limited time
Everyone likes free apps, but sometimes the best ones are a bit expensive. Now and then, developers put paid apps on sale for a limited time, but you have to snatch them up fast. Here are the latest and greatest apps on sale in the iOS App Store.
The post Best app deals of the day! 6 paid iPhone apps for free for a limited time appeared first on Digital Trends.
Best app deals of the day! 6 paid iPhone apps for free for a limited time
Everyone likes free apps, but sometimes the best ones are a bit expensive. Now and then, developers put paid apps on sale for a limited time, but you have to snatch them up fast. Here are the latest and greatest apps on sale in the iOS App Store.
The post Best app deals of the day! 6 paid iPhone apps for free for a limited time appeared first on Digital Trends.
Best app deals of the day! 6 paid iPhone apps for free for a limited time
Everyone likes free apps, but sometimes the best ones are a bit expensive. Now and then, developers put paid apps on sale for a limited time, but you have to snatch them up fast. Here are the latest and greatest apps on sale in the iOS App Store.
The post Best app deals of the day! 6 paid iPhone apps for free for a limited time appeared first on Digital Trends.
Best app deals of the day! 6 paid iPhone apps for free for a limited time
Everyone likes free apps, but sometimes the best ones are a bit expensive. Now and then, developers put paid apps on sale for a limited time, but you have to snatch them up fast. Here are the latest and greatest apps on sale in the iOS App Store.
The post Best app deals of the day! 6 paid iPhone apps for free for a limited time appeared first on Digital Trends.
Best app deals of the day! 6 paid iPhone apps for free for a limited time
Everyone likes free apps, but sometimes the best ones are a bit expensive. Now and then, developers put paid apps on sale for a limited time, but you have to snatch them up fast. Here are the latest and greatest apps on sale in the iOS App Store.
The post Best app deals of the day! 6 paid iPhone apps for free for a limited time appeared first on Digital Trends.
Warner Bros. paid YouTubers for positive game reviews
Warner Bros. has settled an FTC complaint accusing the company of paying YouTubers "hundreds to tens of thousands of dollars" to make positive review videos for Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor. FTC filed the complaint back in 2014, after the studio ra…
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Evernote restricts free accounts to two devices, increases the price of paid tiers
Evernote is about to get a bit more restrictive for free users. The service is limiting to two the number of devices on non-paying accounts, and it’s hiking the price of its Plus and Premium tiers.
The post Evernote restricts free accounts to two devices, increases the price of paid tiers appeared first on Digital Trends.
Hackers have been paid $1 million for breaking into iOS 9
An unnamed group of hackers have claimed the $ 1 million prize for hacking iOS 9 using sophisticated techniques, after the bounty was offered by security company Zerodium last month. The company plans to sell the hack to its customers.
The post Hackers have been paid $ 1 million for breaking into iOS 9 appeared first on Digital Trends.