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Microsoft Store announces new approach to retail - Stories - Microsoft
Warning—Apple Suddenly Catches TikTok Secretly Spying On Millions Of iPhone Users - Forbes
The Last of Us Part 2 sells 4M, becomes fastest-selling Sony game ahead of Spider-Man - CNET

Microsoft Store announces new approach to retail - Stories - Microsoft

Posted: 26 Jun 2020 06:02 AM PDT

Microsoft to continue to support customers online, with retail team members working remotely and at Microsoft corporate locations

REDMOND, Wash. — June 26, 2020 — Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ: MSFT) ("Microsoft") today announced a strategic change in its retail operations, including closing Microsoft Store physical locations. The company's retail team members will continue to serve customers from Microsoft corporate facilities and remotely providing sales, training, and support. Microsoft will continue to invest in its digital storefronts on Microsoft.com, and stores in Xbox and Windows, reaching more than 1.2 billion people every month in 190 markets. The company will also reimagine spaces that serve all customers, including operating Microsoft Experience Centers in London, NYC, Sydney, and Redmond campus locations. The closing of Microsoft Store physical locations will result in a pre-tax charge of approximately $450M, or $0.05 per share, to be recorded in the current quarter ending June 30, 2020. The charge includes primarily asset write-offs and impairments.

"Our sales have grown online as our product portfolio has evolved to largely digital offerings, and our talented team has proven success serving customers beyond any physical location," said Microsoft Corporate Vice President David Porter. "We are grateful to our Microsoft Store customers and we look forward to continuing to serve them online and with our retail sales team at Microsoft corporate locations."

Since the Microsoft Store locations closed in late March due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the retail team has helped small businesses and education customers digitally transform; virtually trained hundreds of thousands of enterprise and education customers on remote work and learning software; and helped customers with support calls. The team supported communities by hosting more than 14,000 online workshops and summer camps and more than 3,000 virtual graduations.

"We deliberately built teams with unique backgrounds and skills that could serve customers from anywhere. The evolution of our workforce ensured we could continue to serve customers of all sizes when they needed us most, working remotely these last months," said Porter. "Speaking over 120 languages, their diversity reflects the many communities we serve. Our commitment to growing and developing careers from this talent pool is stronger than ever."

The retail team members will serve consumers, small-business, education, and enterprise customers, while building a pipeline of talent with transferable skills.

"The Microsoft Store team has long been celebrated at Microsoft and embodies our culture," said Microsoft Chief People Officer Kathleen Hogan. "The team has a proven track record of attracting, motivating, and developing diverse talent. This infusion of talent is invaluable for Microsoft and creates opportunities for thousands of people."

With significant growth through its digital storefronts, including Microsoft.com, and stores on Xbox and Windows, the company will continue to invest in digital innovation across software and hardware. New services include 1:1 video chat support, online tutorial videos, and virtual workshops with more digital solutions to come.

"It is a new day for how Microsoft Store team members will serve all customers," said Porter. "We are energized about the opportunity to innovate in how we engage with all customers, maximize our talent for greatest impact, and most importantly help our valued customers achieve more."

About Microsoft

Microsoft (Nasdaq "MSFT" @microsoft) enables digital transformation for the era of an intelligent cloud and an intelligent edge. Its mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more.

Forward-Looking Statements

Statements in this release that are "forward-looking statements" are based on current expectations and assumptions that are subject to risks and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially because of factors such as:

intense competition in all of our markets that may lead to lower revenue or operating margins;
increasing focus on cloud-based services presenting execution and competitive risks;
significant investments in products and services that may not achieve expected returns;
acquisitions, joint ventures, and strategic alliances that may have an adverse effect on our business;
impairment of goodwill or amortizable intangible assets causing a significant charge to earnings;
cyberattacks and security vulnerabilities that could lead to reduced revenue, increased costs, liability claims, or harm to our reputation or competitive position;
disclosure and misuse of personal data that could cause liability and harm to our reputation;
the possibility that we may not be able to protect information stored in our products and services from use by others;
abuse of our advertising or social platforms that may harm our reputation or user engagement;
the development of the internet of things presenting security, privacy, and execution risks;
issues about the use of artificial intelligence in our offerings that may result in competitive harm, legal liability, or reputational harm;
excessive outages, data losses, and disruptions of our online services if we fail to maintain an adequate operations infrastructure;
quality or supply problems;
the possibility that we may fail to protect our source code;
legal changes, our evolving business model, piracy, and other factors may decrease the value of our intellectual property;
claims that Microsoft has infringed the intellectual property rights of others;
claims against us that may result in adverse outcomes in legal disputes;
government litigation and regulatory activity relating to competition rules that may limit how we design and market our products;
potential liability under trade protection, anti-corruption, and other laws resulting from our global operations;
laws and regulations relating to the handling of personal data that may impede the adoption of our services or result in increased costs, legal claims, fines, or reputational damage;
additional tax liabilities;
damage to our reputation or our brands that may harm our business and operating results;
exposure to increased economic and operational uncertainties from operating a global business, including the effects of foreign currency exchange;
uncertainties relating to our business with government customers;
adverse economic or market conditions that may harm our business;
catastrophic events or geo-political conditions, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, that may disrupt our business; and
the dependence of our business on our ability to attract and retain talented employees.

For more information about risks and uncertainties associated with Microsoft's business, please refer to the "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" and "Risk Factors" sections of Microsoft's SEC filings, including, but not limited to, its annual report on Form 10-K and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, copies of which may be obtained by contacting Microsoft's Investor Relations department at (800) 285-7772 or at Microsoft's Investor Relations website at http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/investor.

The company undertakes no duty to update any forward-looking statement to conform the statement to actual results or changes in the company's expectations.

For more information, press only:

Microsoft Media Relations, WE Communications for Microsoft, (425) 638-7777, rrt@we-worldwide.com

For more information, financial analysts and investors only:

Michael Spencer, General Manager, Investor Relations, (425) 706-4400

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Warning—Apple Suddenly Catches TikTok Secretly Spying On Millions Of iPhone Users - Forbes

Posted: 25 Jun 2020 11:04 PM PDT

FRANCE-US-INTERNET-TECHNOLOGY — AFP via Getty Images

As I reported on June 23, Apple has fixed a serious problem in iOS 14, due in the fall, where apps can secretly access the clipboard on users' devices. Once the new OS is released, users will be warned whenever an app reads the last thing copied to the clipboard. As I warned earlier this year, this is more than a theoretical risk for users, with countless apps already caught abusing their privacy in this way.

Worryingly, one of the apps caught snooping by security researchers Talal Haj Bakry and Tommy Mysk was China's TikTok. Given other security concerns raised about the app, as well as broader worries given its Chinese origins, this became a headline issue. At the time, TikTok owner Bytedance told me the problem related to the use of an outdated Google advertising SDK that was being replaced.

Well, maybe not. With the release of the new clipboard warning in the beta version of iOS 14, now with developers, TikTok seems to have been caught abusing the clipboard in a quite extraordinary way. So it seems that TikTok didn't stop this invasive practice back in April as promised after all.

Worse, the excuse has now changed.

According to TikTok, the issue is now "triggered by a feature designed to identify repetitive, spammy behavior," and has told me that it has "already submitted an updated version of the app to the App Store removing the anti-spam feature to eliminate any potential confusion." In other words: We've been caught doing something we shouldn't, we've rushed out a fix.

TikTok also told me that the platform "is committed to protecting users' privacy and being transparent about how our app works." No comment on that one. TikTok added that it "looks forward to welcoming outside experts to our Transparency Center later this year."

When I covered the original TikTok clipboard issue, the company was adamant it was not their problem and related to an outdated library in their app. "The clipboard access issues," a spokesperson told me, "showed up due to third-party SDKs, in our case an older version Google Ads SDK, so we do not get access to the information through this (presumably they do but we cannot speak to that). We are in the processes of updating so that the third-party SDK will no longer have access."

TikTok assured me it was being fixed and questioned coverage that suggested this was an issue. "It's a Google Ads SDK issue," they assured again in a later email, "so we need to make the change in which version of that SDK we use. TikTok does not get access to the data, but we are updating regardless to resolve it."

Now Apple's welcome iOS 14 security and privacy changes have caught them red-handed still doing something they shouldn't. Something they said was fixed. TikTok isn't alone—other apps will now need to change deliberate or inadvertent clipboard access. But TikTok is the highest profile and most totemic of the apps caught out, given its prior coverage and wider issues.

The most acute issue with this vulnerability is Apple's universal clipboard functionality, which means that anything I copy on my Mac or iPad can be read by my iPhone, and vice versa. So, if TikTok is active on your phone while you work, the app can basically read anything and everything you copy on another device: Passwords, work documents, sensitive emails, financial information. Anything.

Earlier in the year, when TikTok was first exposed, the security researchers acknowledged that there was no way to tell what the app might be doing with user data, and its abuse was lost in the mix of many others. Now it's feeling different. iOS users can relax, knowing that Apple's latest safeguard will force TikTok to make the change, which in itself shows how critical a fix this has been. For Android users, though, there is no word yet as to whether this is an issue for them as well.

"Apple dismissed the risks that we highlighted and explained that iOS already had mechanisms to counter all of the risks," the researchers told me earlier this week. "But the mechanisms that Apple provided were not effective to protect user privacy." Following their initial report, they explained, "there was a tremendous public interaction with the topic—not only iOS users, but also Android users demand more restriction and transparency about the apps that use the system-wide clipboard."

Apple originally dismissed the clipboard vulnerability as an issue, and only provided a fix after significant media coverage of the security research. This latest news shows just how important a fix that will be.

All iPhone users should update to the latest version of TikTok as soon as it's released—and given it is actively reading your clipboard, you might want to bear that in mind while using the app ahead of that update.

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The Last of Us Part 2 sells 4M, becomes fastest-selling Sony game ahead of Spider-Man - CNET

Posted: 26 Jun 2020 08:42 AM PDT

the-last-of-us-part-ii-e3-2018-screen-02-ps4-us-10jul18 — The Last of Us Part 2 is a sequel to one the most popular games ever made.
Naughty Dog

The Last of Us Part 2, Sony's post-apocalyptic survival game set decades into a pandemic that nearly wipes out humanity, has become one of the company's fastest-selling games ever. The company said it tallied more than 4 million copies sold to customers through June 21, after its release on June 19.

The game follows characters from 2013's blockbuster The Last of Us, a grizzled smuggler named Joel and a gay teenager named Ellie, four years after they traveled across the country facing down gangs, militias and other desperate survivors. The game also centers on a pandemic fungus that takes over people's brains and disfigures their bodies.

The Last of Us Part 2 was praised by critics for its detailed visuals, voice acting and gameplay. Some portions of the internet however criticized the game's story and its marketing, which omitted surprise twists. Still, that hasn't kept millions of people from purchasing and playing.

Now playing: Watch this: The Last of Us Part 2 is a brilliant work of art

7:30

"The Last of Us Part 2 represents large scale innovation in gaming with a great blend of excellent gameplay mechanics and masterful storytelling," Eric Lempel, senior vice president of worldwide marketing for Sony PlayStation, said in a statement. "We strive to bring you unique, engaging experiences."

Sony's financial success with the Last of Us Part 2 is the latest example of how popular video games have become in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic happening in the real world, which has infected nearly 10 million people and killed more than 484,000 patients since it was first detected in December. Governments around the globe have ordered millions of people to shelter at home, in hopes of slowing the virus's spread. That's helped to contribute to record video game sales as people turn to games like the world building games Animal Crossing: New Horizons and Minecraft, the demon shooter Doom Eternal and the battle royale game Fortnite as both entertainment and a way to digitally connect with friends.

For Sony, the Last of Us Part 2's first week sales tally beat out other hit games it made in the past seven years, including Marvel's Spider-Man and the adventure game God of War. It also follows 2013's The Last of Us, which was the fastest-selling exclusive game for the PlayStation 3, selling 3.4 million copies in its first three weeks.

Sony said its tally for sales of The Last of Us Part 2 takes into account returns or canceled preorders.

Ellie and one of "the infected."

Naughty Dog

Internet hate

Naughty Dog, Sony's video game studio that made the game, is known for its intricate stories and dramatic games. The studio also made titles such as the well-received adventure series Uncharted.

With the Last of Us, Sony's team shifted from the adventure genre to survival drama. The first game included regular scenes of brutal fighting and gory deaths. With the sequel, the company made it even grittier. Neil Druckmann, vice president of Sony's Naughty Dog studio and the game's director, said in a 2018 interview with Variety that his team doesn't use the word "fun" to describe The Last of Us Part 2, but rather prefers you feel the stakes for your character.

"If we're going to tell this story, we have to go there. We have to make you feel uncomfortable," he explains." I don't want you to willy-nilly commit these acts. I want you to feel these moments."

That visceral gameplay came up in some reviews.

"It's a hard game to stomach," wrote Kallie Plagge in her review for CNET sister site GameSpot. "At times, the pain you inflict feels so senseless that it can leave you numb. It's all messy and bleak and made me profoundly sad for myriad reasons, but the more I reflect on it, the more I appreciate the story and characters at its core."

The story and its characters turned off some people in various corners of the internet, though. They responded to early leaks about the game, then reviews, and then the game's release with vitriol that continues to fuel thought pieces, angry YouTube videos and barrages of tweets a week after the game's release.

"While there are some honest players who simply didn't like The Last of Us Part 2's story direction, many of the people tanking the game's score on Metacritic or tweeting abuse on Twitter aren't interested in an honest appraisal," CNET's Daniel Van Boom explains in his piece dissecting the internet hate.

Sony's Druckmann, for his part, said in a statement that he'd set out "to tell a new kind of story, one that deals with difficult themes and would challenge you in unexpected ways."

"Hearing how the experience has resonated with so many of you and witnessing the type of thoughtful discussions it has sparked has been so incredible," he added. "The Last of Us Part 2 was made possible thanks to the efforts of the hundreds of talented and passionate developers here at Naughty Dog. We can imagine no greater honor than seeing that same passion mirrored by the people playing it."

Update, 7:18 a.m. p.m.: Corrects date of game's release.

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