10 things in tech you need to know today, September 16


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  1. Apple unveiled a redesigned iPad Air, new Apple Watches, Fitness service, and more at its big September event. Apple device owners can tune into guided workouts from top trainers, and even view their Apple Watch metrics onscreen.
  2. Kim Kardashian said she would freeze her Facebook and Instagram accounts in protest at the ‘spreading of hate’ on the platforms. “Misinformation shared on social media has a serious impact on our elections and undermines our democracy,” she wrote.
  3. Microsoft reportedly upset TikTok’s owner during negotiations by describing the app as a security risk. Sources also told Reuters that Microsoft’s bid — which was more than $20 billion — did not satisfy ByteDance’s investors.
  4. The Federal Trade Commission is reportedly working on an antitrust lawsuit against Facebook. The agency hasn’t decided yet whether to sue Facebook, but is building its case as part of its year-long investigation into the company, according to the report.
  5. US senators gave Google a grilling over its ad dominance – and a glimpse at what an upcoming antitrust lawsuit might hold. It follows an historic antitrust hearing with the big four tech giants — Amazon, Google, Facebook, Apple – in July. 
  6. Swedish fintech Klarna became Europe’s latest decacorn startup after raising $650 million at a $10.65 billion valuation. The company specializes in “buy now, pay later” credit for retailers and customers and operates across Europe and the US.
  7. A new survey showed women in tech still report high rates of harassment three years after the #metoo movement. Almost half of female tech employees said they had been harassed, and the majority of those who reported it to HR said their harasser faced no repercussions.
  8. Anonymous founders are posting brutal reviews of venture capitalists on VC GuideSome of the reviews discuss which VC has offered “exceedingly non-standard term sheet that harms companies,” which one is a “legend,” and which one is “really a hidden gem in the investment community.”
  9. Bill Gates Sr., father of Microsoft cofounder Bill Gates, has died at the age of 94. Gates Sr. was an accomplished attorney and a fixture in the Seattle-area community.
  10. Minecraft partnered with a supercomputing startup that boosted its maximum player numbers by 900%. Hadean CEO Craig Beddis told Business Insider he was extremely proud to have Minecraft — the world’s biggest video game — as the first paying customer for the firm’s new Aether Engine.

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