Google Meet Video Goes Freebie; Lyft Lays Off 17%; OLED iPhone 12 for $649; iOS 13.5 Beta-Easier Unlock With Masks

Google has opened up Google Meet video conferencing to all, not just enterprise and education users over G Suite. According to theverge.com, anyone with a Google account can create free meetings of up to 100 people that can last any amount of time until September 30th. After that, Google may restrict meeting length to an hour. Of note…people won’t be able to just click a link to join a meeting…they will have to log in, affording better control by hosts…and perhaps avoiding unwanted drop ins like so-called ‘Zoombombing.’ Also…those who haven’t been added by a calendar invite will automatically be placed in a green room, and will need host approval to join the meeting. The free version has no landline support.

As we reported earlier this week, Uber is looking at a substantial layoff (20% of staff) due to the huge drop in their core ride-sharing business from the coronavirus. Now, Lyft has laid off 17% of their workforce, some 982 employees, and and additional 288 have been furloughed. CNBC reports that Lyft has also put into effect salary reductions for base pay for execs for a 12 week period. The salary cuts, which begin in May, amount to a 30% reduction for executive leadership, 20% for vice presidents and 10% for all other exempt employees.

A rumor has Apple releasing an iPhone 12 model with an OLED screen for $649 this fall. Macrumors.com notes that Apple has never sold an OLED screen handset for under $999. The rumor came from Jon Prosser of the YouTube channel Front Page Tech. Prosser claims the info came from the same source that accurately revealed the new iPhone SE release date. Here’s what his source says the iPhone 12 lineup’s pricing will look like:

• 5.4-inch iPhone 12: $649
• 6.1-inch iPhone 12: $749
• 6.1-inch iPhone 12 Pro: $999
• 6.7-inch iPhone 12 Pro Max: $1,099

All 4 phones will not only have OLED screens but also 5G support, which has previously been reported. The more expensive 6.1-inch model and 6.7-inch models are expected to have triple-lens rear cameras with a LiDAR Scanner.It is still believed that Apple will show the phones in late September, as usual, but the actual order and delivery dates will slip to late October or early November.

In another report from Appleland, iOS 13.5 beta is out, and has a cool and necessary feature in today’s world. If you are wearing a mask, it takes a while to try to get Face ID to give up, and show you the password screen. this is a hassle if you are, say, outside a store or mass transit. The beta apparently has new code that will let Face ID recognize almost immediately that you have a mask on and present you with the password screen. If all the bugs are squashed in a timely manner, expect iOS 13.5 to be out in the next few weeks.