Plus, EU upholds $2.7 billion antitrust fine against Google over search results. And Sony announces a beefed up version of PlayStation 5 for the holiday season. Zoe Thomas hosts.
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[00:00:01] [SPEAKER_00]: Here's your TNB Tech Minute for Tuesday, September 10.
[00:00:05] [SPEAKER_00]: I'm Zoe Thomas for the Wall Street Journal.
[00:00:08] [SPEAKER_00]: Apple and Google have both lost efforts to overturn multi-billion dollar rulings against
[00:00:13] [SPEAKER_00]: them in the European Union.
[00:00:15] [SPEAKER_00]: It marks a win for the bloc's regulators who are trying to rein in alleged abuses
[00:00:20] [SPEAKER_00]: by big tech.
[00:00:21] [SPEAKER_00]: The EU's highest court upheld an order for Ireland to recoup taxes from Apple
[00:00:26] [SPEAKER_00]: up to $14.4 billion plus interest.
[00:00:31] [SPEAKER_00]: The decision stemmed from a 2016 order from the European Commission, the EU's executive
[00:00:36] [SPEAKER_00]: arm.
[00:00:36] [SPEAKER_00]: The Commission said Ireland had violated EU state aid rules by allowing Apple to pay
[00:00:42] [SPEAKER_00]: substantially less tax than it owed.
[00:00:45] [SPEAKER_00]: Both Apple and the Irish government appealed that decision.
[00:00:49] [SPEAKER_00]: The EU competition chief called the ruling a quote, big win for European citizens.
[00:00:54] [SPEAKER_00]: Apple said it was disappointed with the decision and that it always pays all the
[00:00:58] [SPEAKER_00]: taxes it owes.
[00:01:00] [SPEAKER_00]: Meanwhile, the EU's top court upheld an antitrust fine against Google over how its
[00:01:05] [SPEAKER_00]: comparison shopping service fares in search results.
[00:01:09] [SPEAKER_00]: The alphabet-owned company was ordered to pay $2.7 billion.
[00:01:13] [SPEAKER_00]: The service, formerly known as Google Shopping, allows consumers to compare products and
[00:01:19] [SPEAKER_00]: prices and find deals from online retailers.
[00:01:22] [SPEAKER_00]: But in 2017, the European Commission said Google abused its position in the market by
[00:01:27] [SPEAKER_00]: promoting the service in search results and demoting those of competitors.
[00:01:33] [SPEAKER_00]: And Sony says it will launch a new version of its PlayStation 5 console for the holiday
[00:01:37] [SPEAKER_00]: shopping season.
[00:01:38] [SPEAKER_00]: The PS5 Pro offers faster rendering, enhanced details and other upgrades from the original
[00:01:44] [SPEAKER_00]: that debuted in 2020.
[00:01:46] [SPEAKER_00]: Sony says it will launch in November for around $700.
[00:01:50] [SPEAKER_00]: Microsoft previously announced plans to launch three new variations of its Xbox series
[00:01:56] [SPEAKER_00]: consoles for the upcoming holiday season.
[00:01:58] [SPEAKER_00]: For a deeper dive into what's happening in tech, check out Wednesday's Tech News
[00:02:02] [SPEAKER_00]: briefing podcast.