Zone’s Rianna Mitchell handpicks and shares the five best new stories on digital trends, experiences and technologies…
Zone is deeply saddened by the passing of Her Majesty the Queen. Our sincerest condolences are with the Royal Family during this time. We would like to pause, reflect, and show our heart-felt gratitude for her historic reign. Known for her unwavering sense of duty and devotion to a life of service, her pioneering leadership provided our country and the commonwealth with hope, strength, stability, and inspiration through decades of enormous social change. Your Majesty, thank you for shaping our future, our Country and the World, your legacy will never be forgotten.
1. Queen’s final trip breaks flight tracking record
The plane that transported Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin from Edinburgh to London has been recorded as the most tracked flight in history. According to Flightradar24, over five million people watched the final trip across the UK. More than 4.79 million viewed the journey on its website and mobile app while 296,000 tuned in on its YouTube channel.
According to the flight-tracking site, millions of people attempted to click on the Queen’s flight within the first minute of the aircraft’s transponder activating, putting strain on the platform, and causing a temporary crash. The website said the route will “likely remain at the top for a long while”.
2. Crypto draws near to going green
Ethereum — the world’s second largest cryptocurrency — will soon undergo a major upgrade to retrench its energy consumption. The new operating model, named The Merge, will see the Ethereum Proof of Work blockchain integrate with a carbon copy called the Beacon Chain. It will change how ether tokens are created and how transactions occur on the Ethereum blockchain, slashing energy demands by 99%.
It is designed to challenge criticism from investors and environmentalists that cryptocurrencies are harmful to the planet, with Ethereum currently using as much energy as a medium-sized country. “It’s really exciting and a major achievement,” says Ethereum Foundation Researcher, Justin Drake, yet expresses concerns about the transition not going off without a hitch.
3. Google loses appeal for anti-trust fines
Search engine giant Google has been fined €8.25bn in anti-trust fines by the EU’s competition commission. The company has been accused of using its Android mobile operating system to thwart rivals and “consolidate the dominant position of its search engine”.
The commission, backed by the EU general court, said that Google had behaved anti-competitively by forcing Android phone manufacturers to pre-install its search and web browser apps to access Google’s Play app store. The multinational tech company also imposed restrictions on mobile network operators. Google expressed its disappointed by the verdict after its appeal to the European court of justice failed.
4. New retail app tech on the block
Ubamarket expands its ‘Scan, Pay, Go’ tech by launching a new retail app solution in the UK. The pioneering innovation will be piloted by flagship store Nash and Gardner’s Budgens in Islington where the Scan, Pay, Go app now creates real-time reductions on hundreds of in-store products, revolutionising loyalty for the mid-sized supermarket sector.
Helping consumers tackle the cost-of-living-crisis, Ubamarket’s technology identifies buyers’ shopping behaviours, most-preferred brands, and regular purchases to offer them exclusive deals and money-saving opportunities for their favourite products. App users also receive 10% off deli and lunch items as a special promotion throughout September.
5. The billboard cooling your beer
Heineken highlights its Green Energy Program with a billboard in Brazil that cools down its beers using solar energy. Ahead of the large Rock in Rio music festival this month, the beer company installed solar panels on a billboard connected to the famous Brewteco bar in Rio de Janeiro. Boasting its sustainability efforts, the message on the billboard reads: “This billboard is cooling your Heineken. Cheers.”
The aim of the campaign is to promote the use of renewable energy in the drink sector. Heineken uses 100% renewable energy across its production process and intends to take renewable energy to 50% of its partner bars and restaurants in 19 world capitals by 2030.
