Technology

Bloomberg LG Electronics Inc. plans to begin selling big-screen TVs next year that can be rolled up and put away like a poster, the centerpiece of an effort to revive an ailing business, according to a person familiar with the matter. The envisioned 65-inch TVs will retract automatically at the touch of a button like a garage door, the person …

Bloomberg Driverless car startup Zoox Inc. became the first company to win approval to transport members of the public in its driverless test vehicles in California, according to a statement from the California Public Utilities Commission. While there are more than 60 companies with permits to test autonomous vehicles in California, they are restricted to carrying employees and contractors. With …

Bloomberg SoftBank Group Corp. just led a $385 million funding round for a flexible-leasing app that makes cars more accessible to Uber drivers and other gig-economy workers. Fair, led by TrueCar Inc. co-founder Scott Painter, has continued to grow since buying lease contracts in January from Uber Technologies Inc.’s shuttered subprime-lending unit. Fair has an exclusive contract with Uber in …

Bloomberg Zwift, a company that gives cyclists the opportunity to compete in virtual-reality races, has raised $120 million to help them set up an esports league and further their expansion into running. Based in Long Beach, California, Zwift has built software that lets riders simulate outdoor training — such as cycling up a mountain — from their living room. Customers …

Bloomberg An unusual consensus emerged recently between artificial intelligence researchers, activists, lawmakers and many of the largest technology companies: Facial recognition software breeds bias, risks fuelling mass surveillance and should be regulated. Deciding on effective controls and acting on them will be a lot harder. The Algorithmic Justice League and the Center of Privacy & Technology at Georgetown University Law …

Bloomberg Niantic Inc., the company behind the popular game Pokémon Go, is looking to catch a $3.9 billion valuation, according to a person familiar with the matter. The San Francisco-based company is planning to raise at least $200 million in a round led by venture capital firm IVP, said the person, who asked not to be identified because the discussions …

Bloomberg Grab is attracting more global backers after the ride-hailing service defeated Uber Technologies Inc. in Southeast Asia. A motorcycle maker has become the latest investor. Yamaha Motor Co. agreed to invest $150 million in Grab and the two will collaborate on motorcycle-ride services in Southeast Asia with a focus on Indonesia, the Japanese manufacturer said in a statement. Singapore-based …

Bloomberg K-Swiss Inc. is introducing a line of sneakers designed for video-game competitions, another attempt by athletic brands to capitalise on the burgeoning esports market. The new shoes sell for $110 and bear the logo of Immortals, an esports organisation that fields teams for the games Overwatch and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. K-Swiss is now readying a “performance” version of the …

Bloomberg Retailers have been trying for years to escape the clutches of the credit-card companies, which this year will levy more than $90 billion in swipe fees on an industry already struggling to navigate the shift online. Some believe the answer lies in payment apps. While shoppers have largely shunned mobile payments offered by third-party providers like Apple Inc., retailers …

Bloomberg Skip Transport, one of two companies that won licenses to rent scooters on the streets of San Francisco, received $100 million in debt and is seeking more funding from investors, said three people familiar with the matter. While it explores an equity deal, Skip plans to use the debt on a project to design and build scooters that would …