TikTok will label videos that contain unverified information

TikTok already has a content monitoring system that checks videos for harmful or misleading content, and gets them removed if deemed necessary. In some scenarios though, the information in a video might fall in a grey area where its accuracy and veracity can not be fully ascertained. And even they are not removed, TikTok prevents them from appearing in the For You feed. For the latter class, TikTok is now adding an extra layer of precaution by informing users if a video contains unverified information.

Both viewers and creators will be warned if a video contains unverified information

TikTok’s audience will now see a label at the top of such videos that clearly says that it has been flagged for unverified content. And this applies not just for viewers, but creators as well. The company will also inform creators of these videos that an ‘unverified content’ label has been added to their video. As mentioned above, these videos won’t be deleted after being flagged and others will be able to view them too, but with a label on top warning them about its potentially misleading contents.

Image: TikTok

Going a step further, TikTok will also ask users to do a double check before sharing videos with an ‘unverified content’ logo slapped on top. When users attempt to share such videos, they’ll see a prompt telling them about it has been flagged and if they still want to go ahead and share it with others. “Sometimes fact checks are inconclusive or content is not able to be confirmed, especially during unfolding events,” explains the company regarding the type of videos that will be labeled.

TikTok's new safety tools starts rolling out today

TikTok says during its initial test run, viewership of videos with an ‘unverified content’ label on top dropped by 24%, while their like count went down by 7%. The new safety tool will begin rolling out starting today in the US and Canada, and will expand to the global audience in the weeks to come.

TikTok is taking inspiration from Twitter

TikTok is borrowing a page from Twitter’s books here. Back in June last year, Twitter began testing a new feature that would ask users to first read an article before retweeting it, urging them to actually go through its contents before amplifying its reach. A few months later, Twitter expanded these prompts to its global audience in a bid to curb the spread of misleading and inflammatory content.

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TikTok is testing a Q&A feature to make life easier for creators

When it comes to social media platforms, Q&A are a great solution for celebrities and creators to engage with their fan base. And it is a particularly useful tool for up-and-coming stars to get in touch with their followers to answer their queries and create a loyal fan base. Realizing the potential, TikTok has started testing its very own Q&A feature globally. However, it is currently limited to a small bunch of accounts with over 10,000 followers, and will reportedly be rolled out widely in the weeks to come.

Wider rollout is planned in the coming weeks

Screenshots of TikTok’s new Q&A trick were shared by social media evangelist Matt Navarra on Twitter, and the feature’s in-test status was later confirmed officially by the company to TechCrunch. As per the screenshots, creators will be able to add a dedicated Q&A button o their profile that will appear as a red ‘Q&A’ text with a chat icon to their followers.

Additionally, the Q&A button will also appear in a video’s comments section as well. When someone asks a question, creators will be able to answer it via video or a simple text-based reply. Of course, it is up to the creator to answer each one of them or just a select few (which is usually the case).

READ MORE: TikToks and Reels will now appear in Google App for mobile devices

Also, the Q&A button will appear for both video as well as livestream content. Plus, there is apparently no limit to the number of questions that a creator gets sent their way via the new feature. “Where available, users will be able to designate their comments as questions by tapping the Q&A button in a video’s comment field, or they can submit questions directly through the Q&A link on the creator’s profile page,” says the TechCrunch report.

As mentioned above, the new Q&A feature on TikTok is being tested among creators with over 10,000. At the moment, it is an opt-in functionality, but it is available globally. As for a wider rollout, the company has just given a vague ‘in the weeks ahead’ schedule.

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TikToks and Reels will now appear in Google App for mobile devices

TikTok and Instagram’s Reels are growing more than ever. Now, Google is also taking the growth into consideration as it will surface Instagram Reels and TikTok videos in the Google App for mobile devices. These will appear in their dedicated carousel. The move is said to help Google retain users in search of social video entertainment from fully leaving its platform.

The new update was first reported by Search Engine Roundtable(via Brian Freiesleben’s tweet). It is an expansion of a feature introduced earlier this year that introduced a carousel of “Short Videos” within Google Discover. It appears in the personalized feed in the Google mobile app, which is found to the left of the home screen on some Android devices.

Don't confuse it with Google Stories.

Notably, the introduction of TikTok’s and Reels in the Google App is different from Google Stories, which was rolled out in October 2020. It is part of the Google Search app for iOS and Android. The Stories carousel is now available in India, the United States, and Brazil. To browse Web Stories in Discover you need to open the feed, and you’ll be greeted by the new feature. You can tap to move forward to the next page, or swipe to an entirely different Story in the carousel. Essentially, Google Stories consists of the content created by the company’s online publishing partners like Forbes, USA Today, Vice, Now This, and more.

On the other hand, the new “Short Videos” feature focuses on aggregating social video from other platforms, including Google’s own short-form video project Tangi. Plus, it will bring videos from Trell and YouTube alongside TikTok and Reels. We replicated the feature with the search for “Packers” and found it located below the Google Knowledge Base box for the Green Bay Packers, which is followed by the scores, Top Stories, Twitter results, Top Results, Images, Videos, and other content.

It makes you stay in the Google environment.

When clicked, it takes you to the web version of the social platform, and not the native mobile app, even if you have it installed. As a result, users stay on Google instead of leaving their environment. A Google spokesperson confirmed to TechCrunch the feature was currently being piloted on mobile devices.

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Want TikTok on your TV? It’s a reality for Samsung Smart TVs in Europe

TikTok is taking over the world of content, and every major social media platform is trying to imitate the success by copying its features to their apps. For instance, Instagram introduced Reels and Snapchat got Spotlight. Now, after being on every major social media platform (kind of) TikTok is coming to your Samsung TV. The South Korean company and TikTok have announced a new partnership that brings TikTok’s trending content to Samsung Smart TVs. It is launching in Europe, and is available for UK customers first.

TikTok’s TV app has been specifically created for a home-viewing experience, allowing people to view the ‘For You’ and ‘Following’ feeds. Further, it will view the majority of the most liked and viewed content on TikTok. You can organize this content into 12 categories covering everything including Comedy, Learning, Sports, Travel, Animals, Art, Food, and more. Moreover, the new TikTok TV app will allow users to like, comment, and even Block/Mark not-so-interested content(Restricted mode). Plus, you don’t need an account on TikTok to access the new app. That’s right, you can surf the TikTok TV App even without an account on the platform.

The new app is coming to Samsung Smart TV models from 2018-2020 onwards, which includes Samsung’s 4K and 8K TVs as well as its Smart Monitor, The Premiere, The Frame, and The Serif. You can easily download TikTok via the Samsung Smart TV App Store. Samsung will now pre-install the TikTok TV app on all its new Smart TV purchases.

More of us are spending more time at home, watching TV with loved ones and enjoying content that entertains and educates through our smartphones. This has led us to think about how we can bring the creativity and joy of TikTok to even more people across the UK. Our new TikTok app will do just that, giving the millions of Samsung TV owners access to our trending recipe hacks, comedy skits, challenges and more – straight into living rooms across the country.

Rich Waterworth, General Manager, TikTok UK

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Pocketnow Daily: TikTok & WeChat Ban is Official! Here’s What You Should Know… (video)

The Samsung Galaxy Note 10, Apple Watch Series 6 and more devices on sale today

Deals. Let’s start today off with previous generation Galaxies. The Galaxy Note 10 is currently available for $710 for the 256GB variant in both Aura Black and Aura Glow, you do have to pay an extra 20 bucks for the Aura Pink variant and disclaimer, these only work on GSM Networks as it’s sadly an Exynos variant. For those who want a US phone, the Galaxy S10 is available for $733 for the entry level variant. We’re about to talk Sony so, the vanilla Xperia 1 is currently $252 off, leaving it at $698 shipped. Finally, the LG G8 ThinQ is currently priced at $400 for the entry level variant. We also have more deals on other Samsung phones, Moto phones and more.

OnePlus Nord N10 5G with a 90Hz display, 64MP camera coming soon for under $400: Report

OnePlus Buds Z to be company’s budget TWS earphones: Rumor

OnePlus made a lot of buzz with the Nord earlier this year and, apparently they want to keep that up. We know that Carl Pei confirmed that we’d be getting more Nord devices and now, a new report from Android Central gives us more details on that possible device. It’ll reportedly be called the OnePlus Nord N10 5G and it will bring a 6.49in FHD+ display running at 90Hz, the Snapdragon 690 SoC, 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. It’ll apparently bring quad cameras at the back, with a main 64MP sensor, an 8MP ultra wide and of course, my favorites, a 2MP depth sensor and a 2MP macro. Finally, the report claims that this device would be priced under the $400 mark to compete with the iPhone SE and the Pixel 4a. But, that’s not it, Max J is back at it again teasing a new OnePlus product. In his typical fashion he tweeted out the word BudZ which were also spotted by XDA in the Oxygen OS 11 Beta. Apparently these would be a more affordable version of the OnePlus Buds which are already pretty affordable. So far we have no specs for them just yet but, we hope they get a new design to avoid any other customs incidents.

OnePlus 8T launch date is October 14: Report

Let’s continue talking about OnePlus but about a more familiar device this time. We’ve been getting a lot of leaks for the OnePlus 8T, first we got some specs for it and then we got some CAD renders, revealing the design changes. Well, according to a new report from MySmartPrice and a very reliable tipster, we’ll be getting this device on October 14th. The 8T will reportedly feature a 6.55in FHD+ flat display running at 120Hz. It’ll be powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865, not the Plus, 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. We’ll also be getting a new quad camera stove-module that consists of a 48MP main sensor, a 16MP wide angle shooter and again, my personal favorites, a whopping 5MP macro lens, and a 2MP portrait camera. It’ll also pack a 4800 mAh battery and it’ll run on the latest Oxygen OS 11, meaning Android 11.

Infographic reveals everything about the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G

We’ve been covering a lot of leaks of the Galaxy S20 FE, and I mean a lot. Now, Evan Blass just shared us the full infographic for the device which gives us, well everything. These new leaks serve as confirmation for the ones we’ve had before, including the 6.5in AMOLED display running at 120Hz, an Exynos 990 for the LTE variant, and the Snapdragon 865 for the 5G model. It also packs a 4500 mAh battery and an IP rating. We have a triple camera setup and the back which includes two 12MP shooters and an 8MP telephoto. It has a pretty similar design to the Galaxy S20 but with a flat display and the camera module kinda looks like the one on the regular Note 20. Apparently it’s getting it’s own Unpacked Event on September 23rd and it is rumored to start at €700.

Apple could have new magnetic wireless charger in the works

We know that Apple failed with AirPower after they announced it a crazy three years ago and we know that rumors for it have sparked up again. However, it looks like Apple might be working on a totally different form factor. 9to5Mac has posted a new video that claims to be of a “magnetic wireless charger prototype”. Honestly, it kinda looks like one of the AirTags but, we’re expecting those to be way smaller so that’s pretty much ruled out. It’s a flat white disc with somewhat of a connector at the back. The circular shape of course resembles the Qi connector on the back of iPhones and with that connector it kinda looks like it might be part of a larger accessory. Now, remember that we have had leaks of ring magnets on the back of the iPhone 12 to help it stay in place when you’re wirelessly charging it and this might be related. We don’t know if this is a new form of AirPower or what, but it definitely looks interesting.

Story of the day:

USA bans TikTok, WeChat from Play Store and App Store

And finally for the most controversial news today, let’s talk Ban Section and everything you should know. Let’s rewind a little bit so you’re aware of everything that’s been going on today. Some time ago, the President of the US gave an executive order to ByteDance, to sell their US operations of TikTok to an American Company, or they would be banned. There were several reports that Microsoft or Oracle would buy them, saying that it was practically a done deal but, TikTok didn’t want to sell. In the mean time they chose to sue the government and China also change their regulations, so they were only able to sell if they had permission from the Chinese government. Also, remember that WeChat was also getting banned and, earlier on we covered how that might affect Apple. Well, in a new press release, and we’re going to try to stay as far away from the political jargon as we can the US Department of commerce said “Today’s announced prohibitions, when combined, protect users in the U.S. by eliminating access to these applications and significantly reducing their functionality. So as of September 20 for WeChat and as of November 12 for Tiktok, they will be prohibited basically hosting services or provisioning content for their US application. The Department of Commerce said that they are doing this because of security due to the risk these apps possess. This basically means that they will ban you from downloading the app from both, the App Store and the PlayStore in the United States. We’re not exactly sure if you’ll still be able to fully use the app in the US but, if you’re in another country you’ll be able to get it.
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USA bans TikTok, WeChat from Play Store and App Store

The US Commerce Department has announced that it is planning to ban people in the US from downloading Chinese-owned video-sharing app TikTok and messaging app WeChat starting September 20. The former was given a deadline to sell its US operations to a US company. There were reports that Oracle is all set to acquire TikTok’s US operations.

However, reports later said that ByteDance will not sell TikTok’s US operations to Microsoft or Oracle. To recall, Chinese government recently changed its rules on tech exports, which bans the commercialization of specific technology categories to foreign countries. Hence, ByteDance cannot sell its US operations without the permission of the Chinese government.

In a press release on the matter, the US Department of Commerce noted: “The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has demonstrated the means and motives to use these apps to threaten the national security, foreign policy, and the economy of the U.S. Today’s announced prohibitions, when combined, protect users in the U.S. by eliminating access to these applications and significantly reducing their functionality.”

As of September 20, 2020, for WeChat and as of November 12, 2020, for TikTok, the following transactions are prohibited:

  • Any provision of internet hosting services enabling the functioning or optimization of the mobile application in the US;
  • Any provision of content delivery network services enabling the functioning or optimization of the mobile application in the US;
  • Any provision directly contracted or arranged internet transit or peering services enabling the function or optimization of the mobile application within the US;
  • Any utilization of the mobile application’s constituent code, functions, or services in the functioning of software or services developed and/or accessible within the US.

Commerce Department officials said they were taking the extraordinary step because of the risks the apps’ data collection poses. China and the companies have denied US user data is collected for spying.

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ByteDance is not selling TikTok’s US operations to Oracle or Microsoft: Report

On Sunday, Microsoft released a statement saying ByteDance would not be selling TikTok’s US operations to the company. Soon after, reports started flourishing the internet claiming Oracle has won, and it is all set to acquire TikTok’s US operations. However, this seems to be false. The latest report from CGTN claims that ByteDance will not sell TikTok’s US operations to Microsoft or Oracle. Plus, the company will not give the source code to any US buyers, sources said.

“ByteDance let us know today they would not be selling TikTok’s U.S. operations to Microsoft. We are confident our proposal would have been good for TikTok’s users, while protecting national security interests. To do this, we would have made significant changes to ensure the service met the highest standards for security, privacy, online safety, and combatting disinformation, and we made these principles clear in our August statement,” Microsoft said in a statement.

Earlier today, it was reported that Oracle is gaining the upper hand in its negotiations for TikTok‘s US operations. However, the new report says, “CGTN has learned from sources that ByteDance will also not sell TikTok’s U.S. operations to Oracle.” Further, there is no official statement from ByteDance yet, and it has declined to comment on this matter. To recall, the US President set a deadline last month for TikTok to be sold to a US company by September 15 or face a ban. The deadline ends tomorrow.

Moreover, the Chinese government recently changed its rules on tech exports, which bans the commercialization of specific technology categories to foreign countries. Now, ByteDance may have to obtain a license from the government to proceed with TikTok’s sale to an American company.

Source: CGTN

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Pocketnow Daily: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 FINALLY Makes Sense! (video)

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Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra bundles, Labor day deals and more today

Deals. Labor Day is close, so you know that the deals are stacked today. Samsung still has their Amazon sale going on and they have this crazy bundle where you get the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra, the Galaxy Tab S6, a Galaxy Watch Active 3 and some Galaxy Buds Live for $1911, meaning you save $477 and get three products for the price of a Galaxy Fold, lol. The rest of those deals are in the links below as, they also have deals on the S10+, Galaxy Buds+ and more. Moving on to B&H deals, you can get up to $300 off on the MacBook Pro. For example, the 13-inch MacBook Pro is $1200, for the Intel Core i5, 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage variant. The 16-inch variant is also getting a discount, meaning you can get the Intel Core i7, 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage variant for $2099. We have more labor day sales in the links below.

Google’s upcoming ‘Sabrina’ Android TV dongle could cost just $49.99 as per a retail listing

It’s been a while since we’ve talked about Google’s Android TV dongle, Sabrina. Sabrina was leaked a few months ago with a similar design to the Chromecast but it would bring full blown Android TV and Stadia Support instead of just letting you cast. Now we have an alleged price tag that actually comes from Home Depot.. (break 4th barrier.. Wait, is this right, Home Depot?.. Like, they’re doing tech now?) as they briefly listed the device for $49.99 for the Rock Candy color variant. The listing was obviously pulled, but there is still a way to access it through cache. According to other leaks, Sabrina will also come in Cosmo Blue and Summer Melon. Sadly, the launch date is still a mystery because this is a Google Product, but we could expect it at the Google Pixel 5’s Event, if we have one.

Apple iPhone 11 was the world’s most-shipped smartphone in H1 2020: Omdia

We have a new quarter results from Omdia this time and, let’s just say that the iPhone 11 crushed everything in it’s path. These are global sales for the first half of 2020 and the iPhone 11 took the first spot with 37.7M units sold, just to give you some perspective, the Galaxy A51 is in second place with 11.4M. Apple dominated the market with 5 spots in this top ten. Xiaomi’s Redmi had 4 more spots as well meaning that the Galaxy A51 was the only phone from another brand to reach the chart. The iPhone SE is apparently fulfilling it’s purpose as it reached the top 5 with 8.7M units. We should be getting more results for Q2 soon to see how certain markets went but, it looks like Apple killed it globally.

Motorola RAZR 5G leak tips faster Snapdragon 765G chip, better cameras and larger battery

Yesterday we got the labeled pictures from Evan Blass and now, we have even more leaks of the Moto RAZR 5G. These new leaks come from Twitter where we get some high res renders of the device along with some specs. The renders show the device from the different angles, both open and closed and even sideways. According to the tipster, it’ll bring the Snapdragon 765G, a 48MP main camera, a 20MP shooter and an upgraded 2800 mAh battery. It apparently weighs 190g and he also provided the dimensions, saying it will be 8mm thick. Yesterday we also saw some different changes like the Polished Graphite color variant and that the fingerprint sensor will be on the Moto logo. So yeah, we’re already in September so we should expect an event very soon.

Chinese government could now block TikToK sale to US companies

We’ve had a little break from our ban section after Apple literally terminated Epic but, it looks like the news are back, with Tik Tok this time. Just to refresh your memory, the president of the US signed an executive order giving the company a certain amount of time to sell their operations to a US company, or they would be banned. Tik Tok responded with a lawsuit but they were in talks with Microsoft to sell their operations as, even Walmart wanted a piece of the pie. Well, according to The Guardian, Beijing just issued new restrictions or bans on tech exports, requiring companies to seek government approval, which can take up to 30 days, to sell their operations. Apparently the rule hadn’t been changed since 2008 and it is believed that it’s aimed at delaying the Tik Tok sale. Some of the technologies they added to the export restrictions list include, AI interfaces, voice recognition and content recommendation analysis, which is exactly what Tik Tok uses. ByteDance has agreed that they will strictly abide to these regulations but they didn’t elaborate on their next move. We still don’t understand how it might work in case they don’t end up selling to the US but, we’ll assume the ban would kick in.

Story of the day:

Samsung announces Galaxy Z Fold2: Here’s all you need to know

Back at Unpacked, Samsung simply teased the Galaxy Z Fold 2 and later on they announced that we would be getting a Part 2. Well, Part 2 was today and the Z Fold 2 is now official. Finally! First off, it brings 2 nearly bezel-less Infinity O displays with the outer display being 6.2in and the main display 7.6in, both larger than the original Fold, though only the one inside does 120hz. It’s powered by the Snapdragon 865+ SoC, 12GB of LPDDR5 RAM and 256GB of storage. It brings triple 12MP cameras at the back, which include the main sensor, a wide angle lens and a telephoto. It sports a 4500 mAh battery with 25W fast charging and it comes in both Mystic Bronze and Mystic Black but you can actually customize the hinge in different colors when you order. It’ll retail for $1999 with pre-orders being available tonight, and it’ll go on stores by September 18th. If you follow our main post on Pocketnow you can see different trade-in options for the US and let us know what kind of content you want to see from the Z Fold 2.

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Chinese government could now block TikToK sale to US companies

The famous Chinese video-sharing social networking service owned by ByteDance has also suffered attacks by the US Government over alleged privacy and security concerns. On August 1, President Trump admitted he wanted to ban TikTok in the United States, and he also said that he wasn’t happy with US companies’ interest in acquiring the app.

Things changed some days later as he signed an executive order on August 6 that would block transactions with Bytedance on September 20, which then extended to November 12, giving the Chinese company five more days to close any deal with US companies. The most interested in a possible acquisition have been Microsoft, Twitter, and Google Discover, with Walmart recently joining in together with Microsoft. However, things may get a bit more complicated as the Chinese government may block a possible TikTok sale.

A new turn of events could now block TikTok from selling its US operations to a US company. The Chinese government has changed its rules on tech exports, which bans the commercialization of specific technology categories to foreign countries. And now, according to The Guardian, some of these changes may seem as intended to include the video-sharing app.

“Late on Friday, Beijing issued new restrictions or bans on tech exports, requiring companies to seek government approval – a process that can take up to 30 days. In mid-August, Trump gave the company 90 days to sell up or face a shutdown.
“The rules, which hadn’t been updated since 2008, are believed to be aimed at delaying the sale of TikTok to US buyers, as ordered by the US president.
“Some technologies were removed from the list of regulated exports, including vaccine technologies, but the 23 new additions included tech relating to AI interfaces, voice recognition, and content recommendation analysis.
“TikTok’s recommendation algorithm relies on domestic technology that might need to be transferred to a new overseas owner.”

Further, Professor Cui Fan, a Chinese trade expert, told news agency Xinhua that:

“China was not in favour of “decoupling” from the US, but “some forefront technologies, however, might impact national security and public welfare, and need to be included in catalogue management.
“Cui said ByteDance should “seriously and cautiously consider whether it is necessary to suspend the [TikTok sale negotiations]”.

Source 9to5Mac

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Walmart is joining hands with Microsoft to purchase TikTok’s US operations

A few weeks ago, Microsoft confirmed that it is in talks to purchase TikTok’s operations in the US, following an executive order by President Trump threatening a ban on the app unless it is acquired by a US-based company. Now, Walmart has told CNBC that it is partnering with Microsoft to purchase TikTok’s operations in the US, however, financial details of the deal or how the partnership will be split between the two companies are still a mystery.

“We believe a potential relationship with TikTok US in partnership with Microsoft could add this key functionality and provide Walmart with an important way for us to reach and serve omnichannel customers as well as grow our third-party marketplace and advertising businesses,” Walmart as quoted as saying by CNBC.

Walmart claims its partnership with Microsoft to purchase the viral social media app’s US operations will meet the expectations of TikTok users in the US and will also satisfy the concerns of US regulatory bodies. The report claims that Microsoft’s deal with ByteDance to purchase TikTok’s operations in the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand falls in the range of $20 billion to $30 billion.

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TikTok CEO Kevin Mayer quits amid turmoil

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Kevin Mayer left Disney’s direct to consumer operations in May to take up the CEO position at TikTok. Now, within three months, and amid the political issues that TikTok has been facing, the official has decided to step down from his position. In the interim, current TikTok general manager Vanessa Pappas will lead the company.

As per a Financial Times report, Mayer told TikTok employees in a letter that he’s stepping down. He said, “In recent weeks, as the political environment has sharply changed, I have done significant reflection on what the corporate structural changes will require, and what it means for the global role I signed up for. Against this backdrop, and as we expect to reach a resolution very soon, it is with a heavy heart that I wanted to let you all know that I have decided to leave the company.”

TikTok is facing from the Trump government in the USA, and the app has been banned in several countries including India. Recently, it sued the Trump administration over an executive order that threatens to ban the app in the country until its US operations are acquired by an American company. 

Source: Financial Times

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TikTok files lawsuit against Trump administration over executive order that threatens US ban

Just as previously reported (and expected), TikTok has sued the Trump administration over an executive order that threatens to ban the app in the country until its US operations are acquired by an American company. TikTok claims that the executive order seeks to overstep the rights of its community “without any evidence to justify such an extreme action, and without any due process.”

“We do not take suing the government lightly, however we feel we have no choice but to take action to protect our rights, and the rights of our community and employees,” the company added. TikTok argues that the executive order aims to ban the app over ‘speculative possibility’ that it can be manipulated by the Chinese government, something that the app’s data storage and monitoring infrastructure doesn’t allow.

The ByteDance-owned company argues that the executive order relies on the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), but the activities that the government order targets do not fall under the “an unusual and extraordinary threat” class covered by the act. TikTok also mentions that banning the app without any notice or chance to be heard is also a violation of the Fifth Amendment, and that the order did not provide any hard evidence and neither did it justify such a harsh punitive action.

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The new Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 gets leaked on TikTok

We have new leaks for the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 5G. Yesterday we saw some leaked images of the device as it passed through the Chinese regulatory website TENAA, but now we have received a complete hands-on video of the device.

It has been a long time since we have mentioned TikTok without mentioning its issues with the US government and the possible sale of its US operations to a US company. However, this time we will focus on a new leaked video that was posted on this social media platform. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 5G was posted two days ago by used @digitalsight. This 15-second video lets us see every angle of the device, and we can also see the phone’s camera app, dialer app, and lock screen.

This leak is supposed to come from China, maybe from a factory worked or a Chinese telecom regulator. Whatever the case, we can get a nice look at the device before the device while we wait for Samsung to give us more official information about the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 on September 1.

Source Android Police

Via TikTok

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Pocketnow Daily: Apple vs Epic Games: CHECKMATE! (video)

https://youtu.be/f3nkn17yg5E

Today’s deals include Apple’s 27-inch iMac, laptops, tablets and more

Deals. Amazon is currently having a back-to-college sale on their own devices. For example, the Echo Dot is $20 off, leaving it at $30 shipped. The Echo is $30 off as well, leaving it at $70 shipped. The Echo Plus is half off, leaving it at $75 and the Echo Show is $50 off, leaving that at $180. They also have deals on Kindles, Fire Sticks and more. Moving on, the 27in 5K iMac is $120 off, leaving the Intel Core i7, 8GB of RAM and 512GB of SSD variant for $2180. Finally, Gigabyte’s Aero 15X gaming laptop is now $700 off it’s original price, leaving it at $1487. We have deals on Razer keyboards, iPads and more, in the links below.

Here’s your first clear glimpse of the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G, and it looks pretty darn cool

Speaking of Samsung, There’s been a bunch of rumors on the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE. So far, we’ve gotten some leaks on both Exynos and Snapdragon variants, as well as some leaked specs like the 6.4in display running at 120Hz, the 8GBs of RAM and the 4500 mAh battery. We also got a render of the front from Evan Blass but, now we get some full blown CAD renders of the whole device from OnLeaks. It brings bigger bezels than the S20 but, they’re still pretty slim. The camera array also looks pretty similar to the S20+ but, the sensors seem smaller inside the stove. We’re expecting this phone to come out some time in October so, we’ll keep you posted if we get some more leaks.

New executive order gives ByteDance 90 days to sell TikTok

Let’s talk about the whole Tik Tok ban situation. Last week we covered how the President signed an executive order, giving Tik Tok 45 days to sell their US operations to a company like Microsoft or they would be banned, possibly being forced out of the App Store and Play Store globally. This morning, the President signed a new executive order, giving them 90 days to sell their operations. According to him, there is credible evidence that ByteDance might take actions that threaten to impar the United States security. This new order gives Tik Tok to iron out whatever their plan is, whether that is selling to Microsoft or taking legal action. Apple also presented their concerns about the WeChat ban but, they just dismissed them and the 45 day order seems to still be on for Tencent.

New iPhone 12 lineup could look just like the iPhone 4

And, let’s start talking about Apple as, there’s a lot to cover today. We have a new gallery of pictures of iPhone 12 dummies from a tipster on Facebook. We’ve gotten dummies on two occasions prior to this but, these are probably the realest-looking ones. On these new images we can see the 4 different models, two with dual camera and two with the triple camera array. As expected, they all look pretty boxy, reminiscent of the iPhone 4 and the newer iPad Pros. All of these dummies are for case makers so we only get to see the back of them. Some of the things we’re also expecting that aren’t included here are the LiDAR sensor and some smaller notches for the Pro models. We’re expecting these phones to come out some time in October and November so, we’ll keep you posted.

Epic Games CEO calls Apple a middleman that separates gamers from game creators

On Friday we covered how Epic Games is taking on both Apple and Google and suing them for anti-competitive practices due to the high fees they put on developers. Well, you won’t believe who’s the next company denouncing Apple, it’s Facebook. On Saturday, Facebook announced that businesses and creators can host paid online events to help them make money and survive during the pandemic. What’s really good about this is that Facebook is letting these people keep 100% of the money they make from this events, saying that they won’t be charging any fees for at least a year. However, this is apparently only happening on Android phones as Apple won’t let them achieve this goal. According to them, they asked Apple to waive their infamous 30% tax or allow them to use Facebook Pay so that they could absorb the costs and let creators keep the revenue but Apple dismissed both of these requests, meaning people who do this on Apple devices will only keep 70% of the money. Facebook will now disclose this issue with users, if you make a payment on an Android device it will say “Facebook doesn’t take a fee from this purchase” but if you do it from an iPhone, it’ll say “Apple takes 30% of this purchase”. We’ll see how Apple moves as, this means there’s three people on their back, Spotify, Epic and Facebook.

Story of the day:

Epic could lose all access to Apple’s App Store and app development tools

Speaking of Epic being on Apple’s back, it looks like Apple has decided to strike back. According to a new PDF from Epic’s Court Filing, Apple told Epic that by August 28th, they will be cutting off Epic’s access to “all development tools necessary to create software for Apple’s platforms” and, this even includes the Unreal Engine which Epic offers to third party developers. Apple sent out a letter to Epic where they said they reviewed the situation and have found several violations to the Apple Developer Program License Agreement, therefore their account will be terminated if these violations aren’t cured in 14 days. Epic is currently asking the court to prevent Apple from taking “any adverse action” which includes terminating Apple’s License to the Apple Developer Program as well as modifying the Fortnite code. They’re also working on a solution as, Unreal Engine doesn’t really violate any of the terms like they did with the Fortnite app, and it shouldn’t be removed as it will also affect third-party developers. As for right now, Fortnite remains banned, an Epic has to work something now during these 14 days unless the court rules something against Apple. Subscribe: http://bit.ly/pocketnowsub http://pocketnow.com Follow us: http://flipboard.com/@Pocketnow http://facebook.com/pocketnow http://twitter.com/pocketnow http://google.com/+pocketnow

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Oracle challenges Microsoft to acquire TikTok’s US business: Report

Microsoft is confirmed to be in talks to purchase the US arm of TikTok. Now, a new report from Financial Times claims that Oracle could purchase TikTok‘s US business. The news comes after the Trump administration ordered ByteDance to divest TikTok’s US operations within 90 days.

According to the report, Oracle has held preliminary talks with TikTok’s Chinese owner, ByteDance and it is seriously considering purchasing the app’s operations in the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. The company is said to be working “with a group of US investors that already own a stake in ByteDance, including General Atlantic and Sequoia Capital.”

Microsoft now has a serious contender in the race to acquire TikTok’s US operations. To recall, Twitter was also said to have held early-stage talks with TikTok. However, there were concerns about the company’s ability to finance the deal.

Source: Financial Times

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