By Tian DuBelko
We round up the trending stories every week so you can catch up on the top tech news. This week, Microsoft is expected to layoff thousands of employees, an ‘Uber’ service for garbage is gaining traction, Tesla is planning to build the world’s largest battery storage facility, and Samsung is expected to post high profits for Q2. Get your weekly recap here, then head over to our blog for more stories.
An Uber for garbage?
Recycle Track Systems (RTS) is a New York-based waste and recycling management technology company serving to remind us that there remain plenty of opportunities for startups looking to turn our smartphones into lucrative businesses. Now, RTS is trying to do the same by making it simple for customers to schedule on-demand pickups through its phone app.
Investors are taking the company seriously, too. For one, RTS is an asset-light business. Instead of purchasing its own trucks, RTS is partnering with a growing number of mid-size, independent haulers that it provides with feature-rich tablets to make their work more efficient, even when they aren’t being used in service to RTS.
Tesla to build world’s largest battery storage facility
Tesla will continue its foray into the renewable energy storage market with the largest lithium-ion battery storage facility in the world. The facility will be built for Australia’s Hornsdale Wind Farm, with a completion date of the end of 2017. This system will be able to power around 30,000 homes at max capacity, which Tesla says is equivalent to how many were without power during a storm that caused a state-wide blackout in South Australia in 2016.
The real goal, however, is to help stabilize the South Australian electric power grid, by controlling power delivery according to peak demand. Tesla adds that its Powerwall home battery storage devices are also being installed for residential customers in the country, which can further aid in grid stabilization.
Microsoft set to lay off thousands
Thousands of layoffs are planned to hit Microsoft’s global workforce this week, part of a shakeup of the company’s sales organization. As part of the layoffs, Microsoft plans to merge parts of its enterprise customer business with its small-and-medium-enterprise business unit.
Bloomberg recently reported that Microsoft was planning a reorganization of its sales group in order to focus more intently on its growing cloud computing business. No exact number of layoffs has been announced, and it is unclear whether the layoffs will be accompanied by new cloud-focused job openings.
Samsung expecting massive profit in Q2
Samsung expects its biggest operating profit ever in the second quarter, thanks to continued global demand for semiconductors and the popularity of its Galaxy S8 flagship phone. The company introduced its new Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus handsets in the first quarter, but the phones hit the market too late to contribute to that period’s financial results.
Samsung is depending on those devices to help it win back mobile customers and regain their trust after it scrapped last year’s Note 7 because of overheating problems. The company’s overall financial picture is expected to benefit from the soaring demand for chips for smartphones and servers as well.
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