*Sigh* … Anoooother player enters the streaming wars, reports surface of a cancer risk at WeWork phone booths, and the Pixel 4 isn’t launching in India because of specific computer chip.
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The world’s largest theater chain is joining the streaming wars. AMC Entertainment says it plans to launch an online video store that will feature more than 2,000 films for sale or rent, competing with the likes of Amazon, Apple, and other streaming platforms. The New York Times reports that AMC streaming films will arrive 90 days after their cinema run. The news has quickly gained traction across LinkedIn, where users are chiming in poking and prodding the announcement from various angles. Some of them are quickly pointing to the 90 day gap between the cinema runs and the movies’ arrival on the streaming service, and suggesting how this doesn’t give AMC any competitive advantage. Others are saying the focus should be on making the movie-going experience better, not launching a streaming service to supplement stagnant ticket sales.
Also trending on LinkedIn is a story from the New York Times about how a WeWork employee’s complaint about odour and eye irritation led to the investigation of the company’s phone booths, which then led to the discovery of possible formaldehyde contamination. Exposure to formaldehyde can cause respiratory symptoms, and eye, throat, and nose irritation according to the Environmental Protection Agency. WeWork says it’s identified 1,600 phone booths in the U.S. and Canada that may be impacted. An additional 700 phone booths might be removed as well. The phone booths are a critical component of WeWork’s shared-office concept. They offer private places for making calls, something that’s tough to do in WeWork’s popular open-layout spaces.
Bad news for Pixel fans in India – the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL is not launching there. You can thank the Pixel’s Soli radar chip on the front of the phone, which is driving the new Motion Sense and the Face Unlock feature. The chip uses the 60Ghz spectrum, which is not allowed commercially in India. At this point it’s unclear if buying a Pixel 4 from abroad will be deemed legal for use in India.
That’s all the tech news that’s trending right now. Hashtag Trending is a part of the ITWC Podcast network. Add us to your Alexa Flash Briefing or your Google Home daily briefing.