October, 2021

• 31 October

  Facebook changes name to Meta in embrace of VR

  

  Bloomberg Facebook Inc is re-christening itself Meta Platforms Inc., decoupling its corporate identity from the eponymous social network mired in toxic content, and highlighting a shift to an emerging computing platform focused on virtual reality. “The metaverse is the next frontier,” Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg said in a presentation at Facebook’s Connect conference, held virtually. “From now on, we’re …

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• 31 October

  Xpeng unveils plan to go beyond cars with AI, flying car and robot

  

  Bloomberg Chinese electric vehicle startup Xpeng Inc unveiled details of new products and features including an assisted driving system, a faster charging infrastructure and a flying car as it signalled its intent to expand from its auto-manufacturing roots. The Guangzhou-based company also launched the prototype of a ridable robot horse at its so-called “Tech Day.” Xpeng said 60% of its …

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• 31 October

  Google’s Pixel 6 beats iPhone camera but fails elsewhere

  

  Bloomberg Pixel 6 is the latest smartphone to be released under the Google brand and the closest thing to an iPhone running Google’s Android software. It advances mobile photography with creative new uses of artificial intelligence (AI), but it ultimately falls short of competing with the world’s most popular handset. Controlling the operating system, hardware design and now also its …

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• 31 October

  Toyota rolling out new electric SUVs

  Bloomberg Toyota Motor Corp is kicking off its first series of electric vehicles bound for the global market with a battery-powered SUV that the Japanese automaker says embodies the reliability and efficiency underpinning the Toyota brand. The “bZ4X,” which resembles Toyota’s popular Rav-4, is set for release in North America, Japan, China and Europe in mid-2022, the company said. With …

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• 28 October

  Avianca seeks approval for plan that cuts airline’s debt by $3b

  

  Bloomberg Avianca Holdings SA asked a judge for permission to exit bankruptcy under a plan that the airline says will eliminate about $3 billion in debt and preserve over 10,000 jobs. Latin America’s second-largest airline before the pandemic presented its restructuring plan at a hearing in New York. If approved, the 102-year-old company is eyeing an exit from bankruptcy this …

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• 28 October

  Heathrow posts 1st quarter of traffic growth since Covid

  

  Bloomberg London’s Heathrow airport said it saw its first full quarter of passenger growth since 2019 as restrictions eased and travellers returned to flying. Traffic reached 28% of pre-pandemic levels in the third quarter, the airport said as it reported financial results. However, 3.4 billion pounds ($4.7 billion) in losses since the start of the Covid outbreak “underscore the long …

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• 28 October

  Unvaccinated pilots costing United Airlines millions in paid leave

  

  Bloomberg United Airlines Inc told a federal judge the company is spending millions on paid leave for unvaccinated pilots because their colleagues “refuse to risk their safety” by flying with them. The leave is costing United about $1.4 million every two weeks — money it’s unlikely to recover even if it wins a lawsuit challenging the airline’s vaccine mandate for …

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• 28 October

  US issues new pandemic travel rules for vaccination, testing

  

  Bloomberg The Biden administration issued new rules for travellers to the US requiring proof of full vaccination against Covid-19 in addition to a recent negative test for the virus. People from countries with low supplies of vaccines who aren’t traveling on tourist visas, and those under 18, will be exempt from the vaccine requirement, senior administration officials said. US citizens …

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• 28 October

  Sneaker brand Allbirds seeks to raise up to $269m in IPO

  Bloomberg Shoemaker Allbirds and its existing shareholders are seeking to raise up to $269 million in an IPO, adding to a fast-paced season for consumer-oriented listings in the US The San Francisco-based company is marketing 15.4 million shares for $12 to $14 each, according to its filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission. Existing backers are selling an additional …

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• 28 October

  Thrasio raises $1b in funding round

  Bloomberg Thrasio Holdings Inc, an aggregator of Amazon.com Inc products, has raised more than $1 billion in a private funding round led by technology investor Silver Lake. Silver Lake, a new investor in Thrasio, was joined by existing investors including Advent International, Upper90, Oaktree Capital Management and Peak6 in the Series D financing, according to a statement. The round valued …

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