People are worried over the strain COVID-19 is putting on the internet, YouTube and Netflix reduce their streaming resolutions in response to spikes in traffic, and Tech’s Big 5 lost a lot of money in one month.
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As the world settles into their humble abodes to prevent the spread of COVID-19, the question shifts to whether or not the internet can handle all of our internet-ing. Vice reports that While industry insiders say that the U.S. internet should be able to handle the strain overall, broadband availability, affordability, and slow speeds could still pose a serious problem for many housebound U.S. residents. In Canada, reports have already surfaced that people are having trouble dialing into certain conference calls because of the increased traffic. Major Canadian internet service providers, including Telus and Rogers, are removing the monthly data cap on their internet subscriptions.
In Europe, Netflix and YouTube have agreed to reduce streaming resolution, from HD to standard, for 30 days to help lessen the strain on the region’s internet infrastructure. The announcement comes as Disney+ prepares to launch in several European countries on March 24. The news has lead to a lot of chatter online about how 5G would function under similar circumstances, and while a lot of that is speculation, it does shed light on some of the archaic networking infrastructure that’s currently in place across North America.
And lastly, Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, Alphabet and Facebook have lost a combined $1.3 trillion in value since the market peaked on Feb. 19. CNBC reports that the Seattle area, home to Microsoft and Amazon, and the San Francisco-Silicon Valley corridor, have been two of the hardest-hit areas in the nation in terms of COVID-19 outbreaks.
That’s all the tech news that’s trending right now. Hashtag Trending is a part of the ITWC Podcast network. Add us to your Alexa Flash Briefing or your Google Home daily briefing.