Technology

Square, the financial payments firm run by Jack Dorsey, launched an in-house bank that it says will allow it to “operate more nimbly” in an increasingly crowded fintech market. The firm announced Monday that the bank has begun operations after completing the charter approval process with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) and the Utah

By the end of the decade, the only Volvo you’ll be able to purchase will be electric. And you’ll only be able to buy it online. The Chinese-owned carmaker announced plans on Tuesday to stop selling cars that run on fossil fuels by 2030, part of an accelerating trend within the industry to respond to

Amazon has quietly changed the design of its new app icon, replacing the blue ribbon on top that drew some unfavorable comparisons. Users of the Amazon Shopping app will now see a brown box that resembles a parcel with a blue strip that looks like packaging tape above the company’s signature arrow in the shape

Facebook is launching its news product in Germany without media giant Axel Springer, which publishes the country’s most popular daily newspaper and says it won’t participate due to the “inappropriately low remuneration” offered for journalistic content. The social media platform said Monday that Facebook News will launch in Germany in May. The product, which Facebook

President Joe Biden on Sunday night lent his support to Amazon workers who are pushing to unionize — and appeared to warn Amazon not to deter them. In a video posted on Twitter, Biden didn’t mention the company by name, but he did reference workers in Alabama, where a milestone union election is underway at

Rocket Lab, a startup that builds small rockets to shuttle satellites to orbit, announced Monday that it’s going public via SPAC, joining a wave of companies opting to list themselves on the stock market by reverse merger rather than more traditional IPO routes. The deal will value the company at $4.1 billion, according to a

India issued strict new rules on Thursday for Facebook, Twitter and other social media platforms weeks after the country’s government attempted to pressure Twitter to take down accounts it deemed incendiary. The rules require any social media company to create three roles in India: a “compliance officer” who will ensure they follow local laws; a

At a McDonald’s drive-thru in a Chicago suburb, customers may notice something different about the voice that takes their orders for Big Macs and fries. “Welcome to McDonald’s, what can I get for you?” it asks in a welcoming, unmistakably feminine tone. While the voice sounds helpful, it’s also stilted and monotonous enough for the

For Kamille Elizabeth, delivering Amazon packages in Wilmington, Delaware feels carefree and comfortable. She has deliveries to make and rules to follow, but says she enjoys being on the road by herself with what she calls a “limited freedom.” But Elizabeth’s work environment is set to change as Amazon announced this month that it has

The Federal Communications Commission on Thursday approved final rules for a new broadband subsidy program that could help struggling families pay for internet service during the pandemic. The agency’s $3.2 billion Emergency Broadband Benefit Program provides eligible low-income households with up to a $50 per month credit on their internet bills through their provider until

The United Kingdom should introduce special visas and overhaul its stock market rules to allow entrepreneurs to keep control of their companies if it wants to remain competitive in financial technology after Brexit. Those are among the recommendations contained in a new report published on Friday. It is one of several reviews commissioned by the

Airbnb and DoorDash went public the same week in early December and were both met with strong demand from investors. But in their first earnings reports as publicly traded companies on Thursday, the two sharing economy businesses signaled very different possible paths forward after the pandemic ends. In a letter to investors, Airbnb said it

Hyundai will recall 82,000 electric cars globally to replace their batteries after 15 reports of fires involving the vehicles. Despite the relatively small number of cars involved, Hyundai’s recall is one of the most expensive in history, signaling how electric car defects could create hefty costs for automakers — at least in the near future.

Zillow is no longer just an online platform for browsing available homes or for creeping on the value of your neighbor’s house. In recent years, the company has also begun actually buying, fixing up and selling homes itself through a new division called Zillow Offers — a major shift in its business model. On Thursday,

After a wild several weeks for GameStop, the retailer’s chief financial officer is resigning. The company announced Tuesday that Jim Bell, its executive vice president and CFO, will resign from his roles on March 26. GameStop has started searching for a new CFO “with the capabilities and qualifications to help accelerate GameStop’s transformation,” it said,