Microsoft will lay off approximately 10,000 employees through March 31, the software maker announced today. The cuts will affect 4.5% of Microsoft's total workforce of 220,000. In a statement, CEO Satya Nadella said customers upped their digital spending during the pandemic but are now optimizing their expenses "to do more with less." More: - While the layoffs are expected to occur across all units and geographies, Microsoft's sales and marketing teams will be affected more than engineering roles, a spokesperson said.
- Microsoft will begin notifying some employees immediately, and all of the cuts will take place before the end of its fiscal Q3 on March 31.
- The company said the layoffs will result in a $1.2B charge for severance payments and other costs.
Zoom Out: - Microsoft said it will continue to hire this year for certain strategic roles, though Nadella didn't specify what those might be.
- He said the world is experiencing the "next major wave of computing" through AI advancements. Microsoft, in particular, has focused heavily on AI through its investment and support of OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT and other similar technologies.
- Earlier this week, Nadella said the company plans to incorporate AI capabilities into "every product."
- Microsoft last laid off fewer than 1,000 employees in October.
CNN 
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Apple announced its second-generation HomePod smart speaker ($299) after the first was discontinued in 2021. The original ($349) was replaced by the smaller and more affordable HomePod mini, which starts at $99. More: - The new HomePod has a similar form factor as its predecessor but upgraded capabilities and smart home features.
- It's powered by an upgraded S7 chip, the same as in the Apple Watch Series 7.
- The latest iteration contains "room-sensing technology" to alter its sound profile based on surroundings. It also adds support for the Matter smart home standard and can serve as a home hub for Apple’s HomeKit smart home system.
- Compared to the OG model, the HomePod has five microphones, down from seven, and a four-inch woofer and five tweeters, also down from seven.
- It supports spatial audio via Dolby Atmos as well as stereo pairing with other HomePods.
- Pre-orders start today. The HomePod will be available in stores and start shipping on Feb. 3.
THE WALL STREET JOURNAL
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Discord is acquiring the teen social media app Gas, known for its community polls and positive affirmations. Gas, founded by former Meta Platforms product manager Nikita Bier, will continue on as a standalone app. The deal marks Discord's expansion beyond social networking primarily for gaming. More: - Gas launched in August 2022 and reached the top spot on the Apple App Store in October.
- By December, the app has surpassed 10 million downloads and $6M in sales, according to Bier.
- The former Meta employee also co-created tbh, a social networking app similar to Gas that was acquired and later shut down by Facebook in 2018.
- The financial terms of the new acquisition weren't disclosed. Gas's team will join Discord, which says it could integrate some of the former's technology into its servers.
TECHCRUNCH
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TikTok is bringing its labels for state-linked media outlets to more markets, including the U.S., Canada, and China. The labels identify accounts on the platform that are run by groups whose stories or decision-making processes are "subject to control or influence by a government,” TikTok said. The tags will signify Chinese state-run media outlets, a spokesperson confirmed. More: - TikTok first rolled out a pilot program for the labels in March 2022, shortly after Russia's invasion of Ukraine. However, the test only applied to accounts in Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus.
- Now, the company said it has formalized the policy and will immediately begin rolling out the tags to over 40 markets.
- To decide which accounts get the label, TikTok said it will weigh criteria such as coverage, funding, journalistic conduct, and editorial independence.
- Outlets will be able to appeal a designation if they believe it's unwarranted.
- YouTube, Meta, and Twitter all adopted similar tags in 2020 or earlier.
THE VERGE
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 A message from LACEWORK Discover cloud insights and harden your security posture In the latest installment of the Cloud Threat Report series, Lacework Labs covers the significant increase in efficiencies used by cybercriminals. Get insights into these trends that cover how: - Attackers are automating key discovery and exploits, taking advantage of momentary mistakes
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- Cryptojacking continues to be a staple in cybercriminal tool belts
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Twitter announced a new annual plan for its paid subscription service, which includes the blue check mark for verification. The update comes as Elon Musk continues to seek more revenue sources for Twitter. According to the Financial Times, Musk's first interest payment on the $13B in debt he took to finance the $44B acquisition could be due as early as this month. More: - As of today, Twitter is offering a yearly subscription price of $84, a discount on its $8 monthly subscription or $11 a month for iOS users.
- Twitter said the annual subscription is only available through the web in select countries including the U.S., Canada, U.K., Japan, Australia, and New Zealand.
- In addition to the verified check mark, the plan includes fewer ads, early access to the edit tweet capability, custom app icons, and other features.
REUTERS
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Apple has postponed the development of its augmented-reality glasses due to technical challenges, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. The lightweight AR glasses are a separate product from Apple's upcoming mixed-reality headset, which is due out this fall. More: - Apple reportedly planned to release the AR glasses, which overlay digital information onto the wearer's view of the real world, in 2025.
- However, the glasses are now on hold indefinitely after the company reportedly faced challenges in developing the needed hardware, sources familiar with the decision told Gurman.
- Instead, Apple will focus on developing a more affordable version of its mixed-reality headset. This version, expected to cost around $1,500, could launch in 2024 or early 2025, according to Gurman.
- The version of the XR headset due out this year is expected to cost roughly $3,000, putting it out of the price range for many consumers.
- Gurman believes AR glasses remain a long-term goal for Apple and could one day replace the iPhone.
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- Some social media users are criticizing Apple for its low trade-in values for Mac computers. The $52,200 Mac Pro configuration, for example, has a trade-in credit of only $970.
- Three visual artists have filed a class-action lawsuit against three companies that have released AI-powered art generators. They are Midjourney, Stable Diffusion creator Stability AI, and DeviantArt, which recently released the AI art generator DreamUp.
- U.S.-based crypto exchange giant Coinbase said it has halted its operations in Japan as it conducts a review of its business in the country. Its Japan customers now have until Feb. 16 to withdraw their fiat and crypto holdings.
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 |  | Beth is a writer and editor at Inside.com covering artificial intelligence and daily technology news. You can reach her at Beth.Duckett@inside.com. |   | | Editor | Eduardo Garcia is a writer and editor based in New York. He is the author of "Things You Can Do," an illustrated book about climate action. Bylines in The New York Times, The Guardian, Slate, Scientific American, and others. In one of his previous lives, Eduardo worked as a Reuters correspondent in Latin America for nearly a decade. | |
OneSchema, the embeddable CSV importer for SaaS. Load cleaned customer data in minutes, not weeks. | |
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