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LATEST TECH NEWS: Netflix to deactivate old, unused accounts. 4 other things and a trivia you need to know today, May 22, 2020

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4 years ago

May 22, 2020

Ripples Nigeria

These 5 latest stories from the tech space will keep you updated with trends today.

1. Netflix to deactivate old, unused accounts

Popular video on-demand platform Netflix has on Thursday announced that it will begin deactivating long-dormant accounts, a way to help customers who no longer use the service cancel their subscriptions. The announcement, which was signed by the Director of Product Innovation Eddy Wu, stated that “the last thing we (Netflix) want is people paying for something they’re not using.”

Although industry leaders remarked that this development is an unusual move for a subscription-based service, as it typically relies on long-time subscribers. According to the statement from the director, accounts will be flagged on two situations. The notice noted that its primary targets are users who signed up for their account a year ago but haven’t watched anything, or accounts that haven’t watched anything for more than two years.

2. Flat6Labs Tunis graduates 8 new Tunisian startups

Eight Tunisian startups have graduated from Tunisian accelerator Flat6Labs Tunis‘s fifth cohort, a report from the accelerator firm has confirm. By sector, these startups make up a block from the automotive sector, robotics, edtech, fintech and tourism.

Press report on the event noted that the graduation programme was conducted virtually, and was held on Wednesday, May 20, to mark the 16-week accelerator’s fifth cohort. The accelerator assured participants of working to expand its network by constantly promoting new partnerships with stakeholders. Each startup netted an initial investment of 200,000 Tunisian dinars (estimated over USD65 000).

Tech Trivia:

What year was the first webpage launched?

A. 1980
B. 1981
C. 1990
D. 1991

Answer: See end of post.

3. Edtech startup Syafunda closes R2.5m from Edge Growth

South Africa’s edtech startup Syafunda has, despite the challenges of the pandemic, closed a R2.5-million investment from Edge Growth. This fund, according to the edutech platform, will help the startup to scale its platform in meeting the growing need amid the coronavirus pandemic for online learning in South Africa.

7 year old Syafunda was founded by Zakheni Ngubo as is an educational platform that provides access to digital content through mobile technology. In its operations, it partners with local content developers and publishers, setting up digital libraries in places like township and rural schools where connectivity is limited or non-existent.

4. India’s Reliance Jio nets another $1.5bn with KKR’s new investment

Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Jio Platforms has agreed to sell 2.32% stake to U.S. equity firm KKR. The firm disclosed this bid on Friday, May 22. This new U.S’ interest marks the fifth major deal this top Indian telecom operator has secured in just few weeks.

Recall General Atlantic, another U.S firm recently invested in the telecoms player. With the new investment, KKR also joins existing investors such as Facebook, Silver Lake, Vista Equity Partners, and General Atlantic that have made similar bets on Jio Platforms. According to Henry Kravis, co-founder and co-chief executive of KKR, the company is investing in Jio Platforms given its impressive momentum, world-class innovation and strong leadership team.

5. Google Map adds feature to guide wheelchair users

With the growing need to include people with locomotive disabilities, Google has announced a new feature to its maps app, aimed at indicating wheelchair accessibility around places. According to Google, businesses and points of interest featuring accessible entrances, bathrooms and other features will now be prominently marked as such.

Before this launch, Google has been collecting information on locations’ accessibility for a couple of years, and this new setting puts it front and center. Users can turn it on by going to the “Settings” section of the Maps app, then “Accessibility settings,” then toggle on “Accessible places.”

Tech Trivia Answer: 1991

Although there are millions of web pages now, but none of them existed 30 years ago. The first web page went live on August 6, 1991. It was dedicated to information on the World Wide Web project and was made by Tim Berners-Lee. It ran on a NeXT computer at the European Organization for Nuclear Research, CERN.

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