Meta is encouraging more users to post to its X rival Threads. In its latest experiment, the company is providing an easy toggle for users to cross-post from Instagram to Threads, the company told TechCrunch. Earlier today, users shared that they saw control for cross-posting on their Instagram accounts. Users could cross-post an individual post […]
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X, formerly Twitter, is rolling out support for passkeys, a new and more secure login method compared with traditional passwords, to all iOS users globally. The option debuted in January, but only for iOS users in the U.S.
In an update to the X @Safety account on Monday, the company shared that passkeys are now available as a login option for global iOS users. Similar technology has already been added to other popular apps and services, including PayPal, TikTok, WhatsApp, GitHub and others. Google last fall made passkeys the default sign-in option for all users. Apple, Microsoft, Amazon and other companies also support the option.
Passkey technology was initiated by Google, Apple, Microsoft and the FIDO Alliance, alongside the World Wide Web Consortium. The idea is to make passwordless logins available across different devices, operating systems and web browsers. Unlike traditional logins, which require a username and password combination, passkeys use biometric authentication like Face ID or Touch ID, a PIN or a physical security authentication key to validate logins. The process combines the benefits of two-factor authentication (2FA) into a single step, making logins more seamless while maintaining increased security.
For X, the addition could help users protect their accounts against hacks from bad actors. The social network has seen a number of high-profile hacks over the years, including one in January where the U.S. Securities and Exchange’s X account shared an unauthorized post regarding Bitcoin ETF approval. Donald Trump Jr.’s X account was also hacked to post a fake message saying that Donald Trump had passed away. There was also a 2020 crypto scam that saw many larger accounts compromised, including Apple’s, President Biden’s and X owner Elon Musk’s account, among others.
The addition could also help X users who previously relied on SMS 2FA to re-secure their accounts, as X announced last year that option would be removed for non-paying users. X had argued that the cost-cutting measure could be abused by bad actors, such as in the case of SIM swaps. But the reality is that it made X less secure.
X offers users instructions on how to get started with passkeys on iOS. There’s no word yet on when Android users will have the option.
Apple updated its App Store rules Friday to allow emulators for retro console games globally with an option for downloading titles. However, the company warned that the developers are responsible for making sure that they follow copyright rules.
Android users can already access a ton of emulators to play old classics on their devices. Apple’s update will probably encourage some of those developers to bring their emulators to the App Store.
The company stated that these emulator apps must use an in-app purchase mechanism to offer digital items. With Apple having to tweak App Store rules because of regulations, these kinds of games would provide another revenue stream for the company.
In January, when Apple released the first set of rules in compliance with the EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA) rules, the company also announced that it would allow streaming game stores globally. Plus, it updated App Store rules at that time to support in-app purchases for mini-games and AI chatbots.
Apple also updated the clause on Friday for offering plug-ins to cover HTLM5-based mini-apps — possibly to include services offered by super apps like WeChat.
“Apps may offer certain software that is not embedded in the binary, specifically HTML5 mini apps and mini-games, streaming games, chatbots, and plug-ins. Additionally, retro game console emulator apps can offer to download games,” the clause said.
Last month, when the U.S. Department of Justice sued Apple, suppression of super apps was one of the five points in the lawsuit about the company’s monopolistic practices.
Another major upgrade to the rules will allow music streaming services — like Spotify — to display information about subscriptions and other digital buys along with including links to drive users to their website to complete the purchase.
Last month, Spotify submitted an update in the App Store to show pricing information to EU-based users.
The music streaming platform said that Apple still hasn’t approved its submission. Spotify said that it is still reviewing Apple’s updated rules.
“Following the law is not optional, but Apple continues to defy that decision. Effective April 6th, the Commission can start noncompliance proceedings and impose daily fines. It’s time for decisive action to once and for all give consumers real choice,” Spotify spokesperson Jeanne Moran told TechCrunch in a statement.
The story has been updated with Spotify’s statement.
Microsoft has introduced new versions of Microsoft 365 and Office 365 subscription services that exclude its business collaboration chat offering Teams following scrutiny from the European Union regulator and complaints from rival Slack.
The move — which some analysts say is unlikely to change the commercial growth trajectory of Office 365 — follows Microsoft agreeing to sell Office 365 suite sans Microsoft Teams offering in the EU and Switzerland last year. At the time, the software giant said it was making the changes to address the concerns raised by the European Commission.
“Globally consistent licensing helps ensure clarity for customers and streamline decision making and negotiations,” the company wrote in a blog post Monday. The company introduced Teams as a complementary offering to the Office 365 suite in 2016. It has amassed over 320 million users.
Microsoft said it is also introducing a new standalone Teams offering for enterprise customers outside the EU and Switzerland.
Though Microsoft has long allowed businesses to pay separately for Teams, it has also offered the service bundled in the widely popular Office 365 suite. The latter has upset some competitors with some asserting that the tech giant was leveraging its position in an unjust manner to gain a competitive edge.
Slack, owned by Salesforce, has termed Microsoft’s actions “illegal” in the past, alleging that the Windows-maker forced installation of Teams to customers through its market-dominant productivity suite and hid the true cost of the chat and video service.
Microsoft didn’t address these concerns in its blog, but said as part of the change, it is offering flexibility to its existing customers, allowing them to maintain their current bundled package that includes Teams, Office and other products. These customers can choose to renew their current deal, update it or select a new offer that better suits their needs.
For new customers, Microsoft has introduced standalone pricing for Teams at $5.25 per user per month. Additionally, Office packages without Teams will be available at prices ranging from $7.75 to $54.75, depending on the specific package and features included.
The new Microsoft suite offering with Teams (Image: Microsoft)
Microsoft is also introducing a new variant of Microsoft 365 Business that excludes Teams. Image Credits: Microsoft
In a note seen by TechCrunch, Morgan Stanley analysts estimated that Microsoft’s Monday decision is “unlikely to change the O365 commercial growth trajectory, as more consolidation (not less) seems to be the direction of travel for CIO’s due to macro pressures and technological progress like GenAI driving stronger gains for the broader suites and deeper data sets.”
“Further, providing more choice for purchasing Teams clearly illustrates its compelling value, at just $5.25 per user per month for New Microsoft Teams Enterprise (standalone), which compares to Slack Pro at $7.25/mo and Slack Business+ at $12.50/mo. The price reduction in the Enterprise Suites without Teams is only $2.25, yet the Standalone cost is $5.25. For new customers, this equates to a pricing increase. Using Teams in F1 SKU’s costs only $0.50 per user per month and using Teams in Business SKU’s cost only $1.25-$2.25 per user per month,” wrote the analysts.
Image credits: Morgan Stanley
The story was updated with details from Microsoft’s official blog and Morgan Stanley’s comment.
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