With Twitter deal on hold, Musk says a lower sale price isn’t ‘out of the question’

Billionaire Elon Musk is continuing to clash with Twitter over the accuracy of its bot count, and hinted today that he may try to renegotiate the $44 billion deal. Musk told attendees at a Miami conference that a deal at a lower price wasn’t “out of the question,” reportedBloomberg. 

“Currently what I’m being told is that there’s just no way to know the number of bots,” Musk said at the conference. “It’s like, as unknowable as the human soul.”

Musk’s potential bid for a lower price is an unexpected twist, given that the SpaceX exec agreed to pay a 38 percent premium on Twitter when he reached a deal with the company’s board back in April. 

Last Friday, Musk had announced that a buyout of Twitter was “temporarily on hold” due to concerns that the number of bots on the platform was much higher than the company estimated. The billionaire tweeted that his team would do an independent analysis on bot count and also tried to crowdsource bot estimates from his own followers. Musk was later reprimanded by Twitter’s legal team for revealing — in a tweet, of course — the company’s methodology for estimating the proportion of bot accounts across the platform.

Earlier today, Twitter CEO Parag Agrawal explained in a series of tweets that external estimates of bots are likely wrong, since the platform includes private data in its count.

“Unfortunately, we don’t believe that this specific estimation can be performed externally, given the critical need to use both public and private information (which we can’t share),” tweeted Agrawal.

Musk responded to Agrawal’s explanation with a series of his own tweets, one that included a single poop emoji. Musk also suggested that Twitter verify whether users are human or not by calling them on the phone.

Tesla expert Dan Ives — an analyst at financial advisory firm Wedbush Securities — put the chances of Musk going through with the deal at under 50 percent. If Musk chooses to walk away, he’ll be subject to a $1 billion “kill fee”. But according to legal experts who spoke to The Washington Post, Twitter could sue Musk for the financial damages inflicted on the company due to the hasty reversal of the deal.

Tesla starts taking Semi truck reservations, five years later

Tesla’s long-delayed Semi just took an important step toward becoming a practical reality. As CNETreports, the automaker has started taking reservations for its electric big rig. You’ll need to place a $20,000 deposit ($15,000 of it by wire transfer), and Tesla still hasn’t narrowed down the launch beyond the expected 2023 production window. Still, this is notable when early commitments have largely been limited to bulk orders from the likes of PepsiCo and Walmart.

The Semi was unveiled in 2017 alongside the second-generation Roadster. The machine was meant to up-end conventional trucking with a maximum 500-mile range, fast “Megacharger” top-ups and a 20-second 0-60MPH time at a loaded weight of 80,000lbs. It’s still expected to start at $150,000, making it potentially viable for companies that want inter-city haulers without the usual fuel costs or environmental impact.

As with the new Roadster, though, the launch didn’t go according to plan. Tesla has delayed the Semi multiple times, most recently to grapple with chip shortages and limited production capacity for the necessary 4680 battery cells. Reservations at this stage are less about imminent delivery and more about locking in future income, just as Cybertruck deposits (estimated at 1.3 million as of November 2021) helped Tesla secure billions in revenue whenever the pickup arrives.

Still, Tesla might not be too worried about the wait. Rival Nikola is only just ramping up production of its electric semi-truck, and established brands like Freightliner haven’t found runaway success with their EVs. The Semi will still enter a relatively young field with both name recognition and technology as advantages.

Apple rolls out iOS 15.5 with upgrades to Apple Cash and Podcasts

Apple is quickly acting on its promise to deliver some useful upgrades before WWDC. The company has released iOS 15.5 and its iPadOS 15.5 counterpart with improvements to both Apple Cash and (as mentioned earlier) Podcasts. Cash users can now send and receive money from their card, while Podcasts users can have the app automatically limit episode storage based on criteria like the number of shows or time since release.

A corresponding macOS 12.4 update adds the relevant Podcasts features. You can also grab a previously teased firmware fix for the Studio Display’s mediocre webcam quality. Apple has also released watchOS 8.6, tvOS 15.5 and HomePod 15.5 updates, although those focus on bug fixes and performance rather than any significant features.

The iOS, iPadOS and macOS updates aren’t huge, but that’s not surprising. Apple has historically wound down significant upgrades to its current operating systems around this time of year. The focus now is likely on iOS 16 and other big revisions likely to arrive in the fall.

‘Fall Guys’ lands on Switch, Xbox and Epic Games Store on June 21st

It’s been over a year since Mediatonic confirmed Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout was coming to Xbox and Nintendo Switch. After somedelays, the wait is almost over. The ridiculously fun battle royale platformer is coming to those platforms, as well as Epic Games Store, on June 21st. A dedicated PlayStation 5 version is on the way too. Full cross-play and cross-progression will be available across all platforms as well.

What’s more, Fall Guys is going free-to-play. Epic pulled a similar move with Rocket League after snatching up Psyonix. Existing players on PlayStation and Steam will receive a legacy pack, which includes three costumes and some other bonuses. Newcomers who pre-register can claim some swag as well. 

It’s not a huge shock that Fall Guys is coming to the Epic Games Store — Epic bought Mediatonic parent Tonic Games Group last year. Users have needed an Epic account to play Fall Guys since November, when cross-progression was added. However, the game will no longer be available to new players on Steam. Those who already bought it on that platform will still get new content and updates, though.

A new season will also get underway on June 21st. Mediatonic is resetting the counter and calling it Season 1: Free For All. It will be the first seasonal update since November and, as ever, there will be new levels and more cosmetics.

For the first time, there will be a premium (i.e. paid) season pass with 100 tiers and extra cosmetic items. Those who receive the legacy pass will get free access to the premium season pass for season one. A free season pass will still be available with other items to unlock. 

Crowns will no longer be used for currency to buy items in the store. The crown rank feature will be boosted with more rewards. Unspent crowns will be converted into Kudos. There will be another in-game currency called Show-Bucks, which can be used to buy the premium season pass. Costumes that are on the way include Ezio from the Assassin’s Creed series, along with Mecha Godzilla and Mothra.

There’s one more big update on the way: a level creator. This was announced as being “under construction” and, while it won’t be arriving any time soon, it’s an exciting feature to look forward to.

The game debuted on PS4 and Steam in August 2020 and was an instant hit, racking up millions of players on PC in just a few days and becoming the most-claimed game in the history of PlayStation Plus at the time. It seems player numbers have dropped quite a ways since the early days — having increasingly lengthy seasons likely hasn’t helped. However, the arrival of Fall Guys on more platforms, the free-to-play shift and a new season should all bring new and lapsed players into the fold.

Cadillac’s Lyriq EV will start at $62,990

Cadillac has released more details about the vehicle and its features ahead of online orders reopening for its highly-anticipated Lyriq EV on May 19th. The crossover will start at $62,990 and just $2,000 more for its 4WD variant. What’s more, Cadillac is sweetening the deal by including either two years of unlimited public charging through EV Go or up to a $1,500 credit for a home charging unit through QMerit.

Orders will open for both the RWD and AWD versions at the end of this week. Customers will have two additional exterior paint options — Opulent Blue Metallic and Crystal White Tricoat — to choose from that happens. Customers should expect the RWD models to arrive first — it’s coming this fall after the summer production run of the Lyriq Debut Edition concludes. The AWD models should hit dealerships by early next year. Cadillac also unveiled the EPA-rated mileage of 312 miles for the RWD Lyric (no official word yet on the AWD version but assume it to be a bit lower). 

The company also announced on Monday that it is partnering with both charging station network EV Go and home charging system installers, QMerit, to help reticent buyers overcome their range anxiety through the judicious application of cash. Lyric shoppers will have their pick of two included charging options: two years of unlimited charging sessions at EV Go’s 850-plus stations or they’ll receive up to a $1,500 rebate for the installation of a Level 2 AC home charging unit. Opting for the public charging option will be faster (with a 190kW max rate on a Level 3 DC charger, the Lyric will add 76 miles of range in about 10 minutes) while the home charging method won’t require you to hang around a parking lot for 45 minutes while the Lyric’s batteries refill.  

Apple Podcasts will manage episode downloads to save storage space

Apple is giving Podcasts a useful boost, both for listeners and podcasters. As TechCrunchexplains, the impending iOS 15.5, iPadOS 15.5 and macOS 12.4 upgrades will finally give you a host of advanced tools to limit podcast storage across your devices. You can tell the Podcasts app to only download a certain number of recent episodes, those within a set timeframe (such as a week or month) or only new episodes. You can also disable downloads entirely — helpful if you’re using a small-capacity iPhone and need every gigabyte you can get.

Apple Podcasts storage management on iOS 15.5
Apple

The new OS upgrades will also give you the option of yearly subscriptions for paid podcasts. You’ll alsoget to browse shows by season and filter episodes by their status.

You may see more podcasts, too. Apple has unveiled plans for a “Delegated Delivery” feature that lets creators send both free and paid shows to Podcasts through third-party providers like Acast, Libsyn and Omny Studio. The move should make it much easier for producers to distribute their shows across platforms — they could make a series available through Podcasts, Spotify and other big platforms while managing content in one place.

Delegated Delivery will be available sometime this fall, and will be free whether or not creators are part of the Apple Podcasters Program. They’ll only need to join that program to publish paid material. The initiative is effectively Apple’s response to Spotify’s Anchor, and should increase the odds that your favorite show is available through your listening app of choice.

Forget rideshares, Uber will rent you a party bus

Uber continues to show that it has grand ambitions that go far beyond the ride-sharing service that it first became known for. At the company’s second annual, product-focused Go/Get event, Uber announced a host of new features focused primarily on expanding its offerings in both the travel and delivery categories. 

Travel may sound obvious, given Uber’s background, but probably the most notable new offering is simply called Uber Travel; its focus is helping you get around when you’re not in your home city. It’s an integration with Gmail that can pull details out of your inbox like hotel, flight and restaurant reservations and group it together in the Uber app. The point, of course, is that you can then schedule rides for each of these events, and Uber will give 10 percent back in Uber Cash when you do. Uber Travel goes live today in the US and will be available in Canada within a few weeks.

Uber Travel
Uber

Of course, you may be understandably wary about linking your Gmail account to Uber. I asked the company about what protections they have in place, and a spokesperson note that integrations with Gmail all have to undergo a security assessment and also get a letter of verification from a third party that Google chooses. Uber was verified through this process, and the company also has to follow the data privacy requirements found in Google’s API Services User Data Policy.

Another rather unconventional new service is called Uber Charter. This lets you reserve large vehicles directly through Uber — think things like party buses, coaches, passenger vans and so forth. It’s not clear how far in advance you’ll need to book these things, but the benefit is that you’ll see up-front pricing for whatever sort of vehicle you need. Uber says this is coming to “select cities” starting this summer.

Uber Charter
Uber

Uber definitely has larger gatherings on its mind with that new features, and Uber Vouchers could be similarly helpful for weddings and other events. Let’s say you want to make it easier for your guests to get to an event. Uber Vouchers lets you fill in event details like the location, set a maximum amount that you will pay. Once that’s set, you can share a code with your guests and their rides will be paid for out of the pool of money you put aside for those trips. Uber’s been doing this for businesses already, but now anyone can use the voucher system.

A number of other announcements Uber is making focus on its delivery services. Earlier today, the company made an announcement that it was launching two different autonomous delivery pilots in Los Angeles, one with autonomous vehicle company Motional and the second with Serve, which will do deliveries with autonomous robots (the Serve robot is pictured above).

The other new delivery features aren’t quite as big a deal, but they’ll actually be available to people not in LA. For starters, Uber Eats will soon support voice ordering with the Google Assistant. As you might expect, you simply say “Hey Google” and then ask your phone to order by asking for specific items from specific merchants. This will only work on Android for starters, but hopefully Uber Eats users with iPhones will get this feature as well (or something similar with Siri). Google Assistant integration is rolling out this summer, at which point I imagine we’ll get more specifics on exactly how it works. 

Uber Eats will also soon be available in a handful of sports arenas and stadiums, as well. Obviously, you won’t have drivers bringing food to the venue — instead, you can place an order from the arena’s eateries and go pick it up at your convenience. You can skip the line and go straight to pick-up once your order is ready, and Uber says it’ll work with food, beer, merchandise and more. This new program is initially rolling out at Dodger Stadium and Angel Stadium in LA, Yankee Stadium in New York, the Capitol One Arena in Washington, DC, Minute Maid Park in Houston, PayPal Park in San Jose, and internationally at Roazhon Park in Rennes, France. 

Uber Comfort Electric
Uber

Finally, Uber has a few new features specifically focused on electric vehicles. Uber Green has let you request a ride from a hybrid or electric vehicle for a while now, but the new “Comfort Electric” option specifically lets you request a ride in a “premium EV” (think a Tesla or Polestar). This is available for starters in Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego and Dubai.

Meanwhile, Uber drivers using EVs will get some new tools to help make their lives easier. There’s a charging map built into the Uber app for drivers that shows the nearest EV chargers, their charging speeds and navigation to get there — this should make it easier for drivers to top up their cars during a shift. This is part of a new EV Hub in the app that gives drivers info and incentives on switching to an EV when the time comes. Among the details it includes is a cost of ownership estimate for an EV versus a gas-powered vehicle. The car-buying market is a bit wild right now, and it might take years before you start to see cost savings if you just buy a new EV to replace a functional gas vehicle, but drivers who might be thinking about a new vehicle may be able to find some useful tools here.

All this news comes shortly after Uber announced its quarterly earnings, a report that showed the company was bouncing back from the pandemic better than its rival Lyft. That’s at least in some part thanks to the relative diversity of Uber’s offerings — indeed, Uber Eats played a huge role in keeping business up as traditional rides tanked in 2020. While none of today’s announcements on their own will likely make a huge impact on the company’s business, it does help paint a picture for how Uber sees itself growing in the future.