Weekend Wrap-up: Verizon Buys Intel TV; Beats Launches Another Music Subscription Service
Want to get caught up on all the major tech stories from the past week? You’ve come to the right place; it’s time for this week’s edition of the Weekend Wrap-up.
Verizon Buys Intel TV
Remember when Intel was going to change TV as we know it? Well, that didn’t end up happening. The company decided to press pause on that plan, and now Intel TV — which is actually called Intel Media — has been sold to Verizon for an amount rumored to be between $200 million and $500 million. Verizon reportedly plans to put the Intel TV technology to work in its own FiOS TV system.
Beats Music Launches, Adding Another Music Subscription Service
Since music subscription MOG was acquired by Beats Audio in 2012, we long suspected the company planned to launch its own Beats-branded music service. This past week, that happened. Beats Music is the latest service to jump into the crowded subscription music market, joining services like Spotify, Rdio, Google Play Music All Access and Xbox Music. Beats Music had some hiccups at the onset, but things appear to have been smoothed out now and the service is actually getting some good reviews.
More iPhone 6 Rumors Swirl Around
It happens every time Apple releases the latest version of the iPhone. The tech press goes through its paces with the device, puts out a review and then immediately becomes transfixed on the next generation, even though it probably won’t show up for a year. This past cycle has been no different. The latest rumors for the phone many are calling the “iPhone 6” state that the device will use the same metal frame as the iPhone 5s, and will also forego the use of a curved display.
Microsoft Beats its Own Projections by Almost $1 Billion
Is Microsoft struggling? It depends on where you look. If your eyes land on the company’s Q2 fiscal results before anything else, you’d probably come to the conclusion that Microsoft is doing very well. The company pulled in $24.5 billion in revenue for Q2, which beat the company’s projection of $23.7 billion. Microsoft can probably thank the release of the Xbox One as well as its new line of Surface tablets, which are selling a bit better than the previous year’s line.