Spotify reportedly filed for an IPO, Roku launches a streaming service, and more. Dana Wollman, Executive Editor at Engadget, joins Cheddar to discuss the latest headlines in tech.
According to reports, Spotify will list directly at the NYSE. Wollman says this is proof that the company needs money badly. She also talks about the steep competition within the music streaming industry right now with Apple Music, Spotify, YouTube, and Google all getting in the game.
Plus, Roku plans to debut its new streaming service at the Consumer Electronics Show on January 9th. Now the streaming company won't be physically manufacturing a device like Amazon or Google does, but it will be licensing the software to other companies. Roku was up 6% on Wednesday after the news was announced.
Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) have introduced a new bill to afford greater protection to minors on social media. The genesis of the Kids Online Safety Act came from a Facebook whistleblower case exposing the harm apps can have on the mental health of young girls.
Ride share competitors Uber and Lyft both posted their fourth quarter earnings days apart from each other. Both companies have been trying to get back on their feet after taking some pandemic-related hits, but the Omicron variant had other ideas as the year came to a close, with each company taking a hit in ridership in December. Lance Ippolito, head trader at The Future of Wealth explains how Uber and Lyft measured up this earnings period and why Uber may still have an edge over the competition.
Parallel Systems has been selected to receive $4.5 million from the Department of Energy for an advanced testing program of its autonomous, battery-electric rail vehicles. The startup, which has raised more than $53 million to date, was founded by former SpaceX engineers to reimagine the rail system by creating a more efficient, decarbonized freight network. Matt Soule, Co-founder & CEO of Parallel Systems, joined Cheddar's Opening Bell to discuss what the company hopes to achieve.
