Tech wrap: Google Pay tests easy payments, Apple-Epic battle gets ugly, Elon Musk’s Neuralink and more

It was an eventful day in the world of tech. On one hand, Reliance announced a new acquisition while on the other hand, Google Pay starts testing NFC-based payment with a wider audience. Elon Musk plants computer chips in animals and Apple terminates Epic Games’ developer accounts.

We also reviewed Quantum 400 gaming headphone, JBL’s first gaming headphone in India.

So, here is everything that made headlines in tech today:

JBL Quantum 400 gaming headphone review: A promising first attempt

Considering this is JBL’s first move in the gaming headphone industry, one can say it is a rather safe and carefully taken step instead of a bold and risky one. Here’s the review.

Apple terminates Epic’s developer account after Fortnite fee clash: Here's what it means

Apple Inc. said it terminated Epic Games’s App Store developer account in the midst of a legal battle over the iPhone maker’s in-app-purchase rules. The Cupertino, California-based technology giant had recently threatened to do this after Epic added an option for users of its Fortnite video game to pay Epic directly for in-game upgrades. Epic Games CEO however, says that Apple had an option to keep or remove the court’s decision and it chose to remove.

This Android security bug let malicious apps siphon off private user data

A security vulnerability was discovered in Android that could have allowed malicious apps to siphon off sensitive data from other apps on the device.App security startup Oversecured found the vulnerability in Google’s widely used Play Core library. Play Core lats developers push in-app updates and new feature modules to the Android apps like language packs or game levels, reports TechCrunch.

Three little pigs: Musk's Neuralink puts computer chips in animal brains

Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk's neuroscience startup Neuralink on Friday unveiled a pig named Gertrude that has had a coin-sized computer chip in its brain for two months, showing off an early step toward the goal of curing human diseases with the same type of implant. This tech aims to help cure neurological conditions like Alzheimer's, dementia and spinal cord injuries and ultimately fuse humankind with artificial intelligence.

Google Pay tests NFC-based payment feature, rolls out to wider audience

Although the announcement of this feature was made in Google for India 2019, the firm has made a couple of support pages live that tells people how to get on board with the new payment option. In a separate statement, Google has even confirmed the feature rollout to HT Tech and that it has partnered with Axis Bank and SBI bank for now.

Apple to pay $9.75 million to settle over Powerbeats 2 design defect

Apple has agreed to settle the dispute over the design flaw that was plaguing the Powerbeats 2 headphones. The settlement is going to be handled out of court. According to reports, while the company did not admit that there was an issue with the design of the 2014 Powerbeats 2, they have said it is easier, and cheaper, to settle out of court. Apple has agreed to pay $9.75 million to settle this issue.

Apple may soon take on Google with its own search engine

Apple might be working on launching its own search engine and according to reports there are several clues online that support the possibility including job announcements for search engineers. Apple is looking to create its Spotlight Search to take on Google Search with iOS 14 beta. Reports have it that Google pays billions of dollars to Apple to remain their default search engine on iOS, macOS and iPadOS.

Reliance Retail acquires retail and wholesale business from the Future Group

Reliance Retail Ventures Limited (RRVL) has announced that it will be acquiring the Retail & Wholesale business and the Logistics & Warehousing business from the Future Group. Besides this Reliance Retail and Fashion Lifestyle Limited (RRFLL) plans to invest ₹1,200 crore in the preferential issue of equity shares of FEL.