WhatsApp Music Status, Google UK Billing Choice, and Ubisoft's New Subsidiary | Daily Tech Headlines

WhatsApp Status Music Feature

• 🎶 WhatsApp is rolling out a new feature allowing users to add 15-second music clips to photo statuses and 60-second clips to video statuses.
• 🎵 This functionality, reminiscent of older platforms like AIM and MySpace, will be accessible via a music note icon in the status tab, offering millions of songs from WhatsApp's library.

Google's User Choice Billing in the UK

• 🇬🇧 Starting March 29th, Google Play will offer user choice billing in the UK, enabling developers to use third-party payment options alongside Google's system.
• 💸 Initially for non-game developers, this change provides payment flexibility and a 4% discount on Google's fees for those opting for alternative billing.

Ubisoft's Strategic Restructuring

• 🎮 Ubisoft is forming a new subsidiary to focus on its major franchises like Assassin's Creed, Far Cry, and Tom Clancy's Rainbow 6.
• 🤝 Tencent will invest $1.25 billion for a minority stake, while Ubisoft will concentrate on other series, aiming for a more agile operating model.

Leadership and Platform Updates

• 🎬 Jennifer Sulki, head of Amazon MGM Studios, is stepping down to focus on producing, with her role not being filled to flatten leadership structure.
• 👥 Facebook is launching a new friends tab in the US and Canada to re-emphasize user connections, filtering out algorithmic recommendations.
• 🚗 Android Auto is adding gaming support for parked cars, allowing users to play select games like Candy Crush as part of its beta testing.
• 📱 Instagram is introducing a 2x speed option for Reels, a feature similar to TikTok's, to encourage engagement with longer videos.

Security and Legal News

• 🔒 Microsoft is moving towards a passwordless experience for its over 1 billion users by the end of April, prioritizing passkeys due to increasing password attacks.
• ⚖️ A judge dismissed Samsung's lawsuit against smart ring maker Aura, ruling that Samsung acted prematurely without concrete evidence of Aura's intent to sue.