Here's a quick look at what made news in the world of technology this week.
Reddit communities go dark to boycott third-party app charges: Thousands of Reddit discussion forums went dark this week to protest a new policy that will charge some third-party apps to access data on the platform. According to a report in the Associated Press citing a tracker and live Twitch stream of the boycott, more than 8,000 subreddits were dark as of 13 June afternoon. Participants ranged from small forums to large communities with tens of millions of subscribers, the report said. Organisers of the boycott said the policy would impact accessibility and content moderation on Reddit. While there’s no clarity on when the blackout will end, the effect of the move was visible, with many Reddit users taking to social media to express their frustration at not being able to access certain forums and communities.
Truecaller launches AI-powered call recording feature: On 14 June, popular caller ID app Truecaller launched an AI-powered call recording feature for users on both iPhone and Android. The feature has been launched in the US and will be rolled out in different parts of the world in the coming months, according to the platform. It is only available, though, to its premium users. According to a press release, this new feature will record both sides of the call and provide summarised transcriptions of all call recordings. Each transcription will come with a brief subject line, making it easier to search quickly and accurately within these transcriptions using Large Language Model technology.
Ubisoft plans VR version of ‘Assassin’s Creed': Assassin’s Creed fans could soon be playing the popular video game in virtual reality (VR). French video-game maker Ubisoft announced on 12 June that a VR version of its blockbuster Assassin’s Creed franchise would be available by the end of this year. According to an AFP report, the players in Assassin’s Creed Nexus VR will take on the roles of earlier protagonists from the franchise, complete with the trademark hidden wrist blades, dramatic parkour escapes and the iconic “leap of faith” from atop buildings. While the game will be available on Meta’s latest VR Quest headsets, the report adds that the new VR component will also add an interesting double-layer to the series, whose plot often centres on modern-day protagonists entering their own virtual historical world.
(With inputs from agencies)
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