Kalakshar US

Last August, SoundCloud cut its workforce by 20 percent, citing “the challenging economic climate” for the layoffs. That’s been a common refrain among companies reducing staff in recent years — with companies like Google, Meta, Amazon and more framing layoffs as restructuring or cost cutting measures. Now, SoundCloud says it will be cutting staff by an additional 8 percent, telling staff that the reduction is a “challenging but essential decision to ensure the health of our business and get SoundCloud to profitability this year.”

That goal was baked into the company’s last round of layoffs too, with the 2022 cuts being positioned as putting SoundCloud on “a path to sustained profitability.” This new “headcount reduction” seems to be the next step in that plan, with sources telling Billboard that the company hopes to be profitable by Q4. SoundCloud leadership has also reportedly said that it’s courting new investors.

Although SoundCloud’s layoffs follow the same gruesome pattern we’ve seen across different tech brands recently, the company has actually been slowly reducing staff for some time. In addition to last year’s cuts, the company slashed its workforce by 40 percent back in 2017.

Check out Engadget’s look at the biggest tech layoffs of 2023 for more details.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/soundcloud-will-lay-off-eight-percent-of-its-staff-in-hopes-of-becoming-profitable-204510023.html?src=rss 

Microsoft Build 2023 kicked off with an opening keynote from CEO Satya Nadella, followed by two other keynote sessions. Surprising absolutely no one, there was a big focus on AI. While we have coverage of all the big news, if you want to hear the updates straight from the source without watching the entire thing, you can check out our supercut below.

Perhaps the biggest announcement is that Microsoft will soon embed AI deeply into Windows 11. Windows Copilot, which you’ll be able to try a preview of next month, can be used in a similar way to Bing AI. So, you can ask it general questions like you would of the search engine chatbot. However, you can also use text prompts to change Windows settings, summarize documents and carry out a host of other tasks on your desktop.

Also on the Windows 11 front, AI will power live captions for more languages and Microsoft will roll out Bluetooth Low Energy Audio support for compatible devices. Elsewhere, the company will infuse AI into the Microsoft Store and Edge. On top of that, Bing Search will soon be integrated into ChatGPT, while Microsoft plans to help third-party developers build their own AI apps and copilots that are compatible with ChatGPT.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/watch-the-microsoft-build-2023-keynote-in-under-10-minutes-202055599.html?src=rss 

Netflix has been quick to act on its plans to charge for account sharing in the US. The streaming service is notifying American customers that they’ll need to pay $8 per month for viewers outside of the household who want to share the account. As in other countries, you can add one extra member with the Standard plan, and two with the Premium tier. You can convert profiles into paying extra member accounts.

The company rolled out account sharing in Canada, New Zealand, Portugal and Spain this February after trialing the change in Latin America. You can still watch outside of your home, but you’ll have to establish the household’s boundaries either manually through a smart TV app (which looks for devices on the same WiFi network) or automatically (based on IP addresses, device IDs and activity). Netflix says it doesn’t know your exact location, but it may ask you to verify a device if you’re travelling or otherwise using a different connection.

Netflix has been direct about the reasoning behind its initiative. The media giant has pinned some of its recent financial troubles on users borrowing passwords to effectively get free service. The sharing theoretically converts some of these people into paying customers, even if it also risks sending them into the arms of competitors like Amazon and Disney.

There have been criticisms of this approach. It could prove a hassle for college students that previously used the family account for in-dorm viewing. And while $8 per month isn’t a high price for a streaming service, there are some viewers who may simply drop Netflix altogether. However, it’s doubtful the company is going back. It said it was “pleased” with the results from the February launch, suggesting that paid sharing is here to stay.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/netflix-starts-charging-for-account-sharing-in-the-us-185133792.html?src=rss 

Big changes are coming to the Peloton app. As of today, the software offers three different standalone subscription tiers. To start, there’s a new free option, with no credit card required, that comes with access to more than 50 classes – though live workouts are off the table. It joins Peloton’s existing service, which will be known as App One. For $13 per month, App One grants you access to nine of Peloton’s 16 “modalities,” meaning you can watch the company’s pilates, yoga and outdoor running classes. However, the tier limits you to just three equipment-based cycling, treadmill and rowing classes per month, with scenic and lanebreak variants excluded. For unlimited access to those, you will need to pay for Peloton’s new App+ subscription, which costs $24 per month.

Effectively, the change means those who used the Peloton App to enjoy the company’s cycling and treadmill on their non-Peloton equipment will need to pay more to keep doing that. If you’re a current annual subscriber, you will continue to have access to all of the classes Peloton offers through its app until your membership renews. At that point, you will need to decide if you want to upgrade to the App+. Even with today’s change, it’s worth noting the Peloton App won’t replace the company’s equipment subscription, which will you will still need to access its classes on your Bike, Tread or Row machine.

Separately, Peloton is adding tutorials for strength training. The company says the app’s new “Gym” component features “self-paced, whiteboard-style” classes for those who prefer exercising outside of their home. The service will be available in the coming days, with the new App+ tier launching in the US, Canada, Australia, German and UK.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/pelotons-revamped-fitness-app-restricts-most-equipment-workouts-to-new-more-expensive-tier-190522723.html?src=rss