After the debut of Friday Night Baseball, Apple is pushing further into live sports streaming. Starting in 2023, Apple TV will be the only place to watch every Major League Soccer game for the next decade. Soccer fans around the world will be able to stream all of the league's matches through the Apple TV app. Notably, there won't be any restrictions or regional blackouts.

The 10-year deal also covers Leagues Cup games (though viewers in Mexico will have to watch those and Campeones Cup matches elsewhere), along with select MLS NEXT Pro and MLS NEXT games. ESPN, Fox Sports and Univision currently hold the rights to MLS games, though their deals will expire after the current season.

Fans will need to subscribe to a new MLS streaming service, which will only be available through the Apple TV app, to watch every game. Access will be included as part of MLS full-season ticket packages. Apple also says TV+ subscribers will have access to a "broad selection" of MLS and Leagues Cup matches at no extra cost. Some games will be available for free.

Along with live games, the MLS streaming service will feature replays, highlights, analysis and a weekly whip-around show that will include goals and other key moments. There will be original programming as well. All MLS and Leagues Cup matches will have English and Spanish announcers, and games with Canadian teams will have French announcers too.

Fans will be able to follow news about MLS and their favorite teams in Apple News, and highlights will be featured there too. Along with the Apple TV app, which is available on a variety of platforms and devices, you'll be able watch games on the streaming service's website. More details, including pricing, will be revealed in the coming months.

“For the first time in the history of sports, fans will be able to access everything from a major professional sports league in one place,” Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of services, said in a statement. “It’s a dream come true for MLS fans, soccer fans, and anyone who loves sports. No fragmentation, no frustration — just the flexibility to sign up for one convenient service that gives you everything MLS, anywhere and anytime you want to watch.”

The company will reportedly pay MLS at least $250 million per year under the pact. After the minimum guarantee is met through subscriptions, MLS will receive extra revenue. Some games may air on linear TV networks as well, according to Sports Business Journal, though those matches will still be available on the Apple/MLS service.

Apple's push into sports may not end with baseball and soccer. The company has also long been rumored as a potential partner for the NFL. 

Amazon's smart thermostat is once again on sale. The device, which Amazon released in November, has dropped to $48. That's 20 percent off the regular price.

The smart thermostat is a lower-cost alternative to models from other companies, such as Google's Nest lineup. It works with Alexa, of course, though there's no on-board microphone or speaker. You'll need to use a different Alexa-enabled device to control it with your voice. You can also adjust the settings remotely using the Alexa mobile app, which could be handy for heating up your house on a cold day right before you return home.

The device uses Honeywell Home Thermostat Technology. It's also Energy Star-certified, meaning it's required to save users around $50 worth of energy bills per year. As such, the cost of the device should be more or less covered within 12 months of use.

The features aren't quite as in-depth as what you'd find on a Nest thermostat, but for those on a stricter budget, it could do the trick. Before you buy it, Amazon recommends using its compatibility tool (which you'll find on the product page) to make sure the smart thermostat will work in your home and to find out whether you'll need a C-wire power adapter.

Meta is introducing new parental supervision features for Quest virtual reality headsets and Instagram. The VR safety tools, which were announced in March, are rolling out worldwide. 

The parental supervision process needs to be initiated on a teen's account (the minimum age to have a Facebook account is 13). A Parent Dashboard in the Oculus app will allow parents and guardians to block apps (including web browsers), see a list of apps on the teen's account and view their friends list. A teen can ask to buy an age-restricted app, then their parent can approve or deny the request. Parents can also view headset screen time, receive alerts when an app is purchased and block the Link and Air Link features to stop teens from using PC content on their headset.

On top of that, Meta is debuting a parent education hub, which includes information about the VR supervision options. The company says it worked with industry experts, teens, parents and policymakers on these controls. It will refine the tools over time.

At the start of this year, the Information Commissioner's Office in the UK said it would hold talks with Meta over how Quest 2 complies with a children's code that's designed to protect young users. These new measures could go some way toward addressing the watchdog's concerns.

Meanwhile, Instagram's parental supervision tools, which launched in the US in March, will arrive in the UK, Japan, Australia, Ireland, Canada, France and Germany this month with some expanded options. Parents can now invite teens to set up supervision tools (rather than requests solely coming from teen accounts).

Parents and guardians can limit access to Instagram at certain times by scheduling breaks. They can view more details about an account or post their teen reports, including the person in question and the type of report. They can also see which users their teen follows and who follows them. Instagram plans to roll out the tools globally later this year.

In the UK and Ireland, Instagram is testing a nudge feature. Teens will be encouraged to look at different posts if they spend too much time with the same kind of content in the Explore tab. The aim is to prompt them to be more mindful of their Instagram use. As part of a different test, teens in certain countries may see a prompt to turn on the Take a Break feature after watching Reels for a while.

Elsewhere, Instagram is adding more resources to its educational Family Center. There's a new page that provides teens with details about privacy settings for Quest, Instagram, Facebook and Messenger. Parents and guardians can access information about how to talk to kids about online safety issues.

Google will allow other advertising intermediaries to run ads on YouTube, according to Reuters. The company currently requires advertisers to use its Ad Manager to place ads on YouTube, which has caught the attention of European Union antitrust officials.

The European Commission opened a probe into Google's ad tech in 2021 after two years of informal consultations. Competition officials also cited concerns about potential restrictions on how rival ad platforms can run YouTube ads and the fact advertisers need to use the Display & Video 360 and Google Ads services. The investigation centers around whether Google, a division of Alphabet, gave itself an unfair advantage in the digital advertising space by limiting the user data that advertisers and rival ad platforms can access.

Reuters reports that Google's concession could help allow it to settle the case and avoid a fine of as much as 10 percent of its global turnover. Alphabet generated revenue of $257 billion in 2021. However, it's believed that Google will need to address other concerns to resolve the investigation.

The UK's Competition and Markets Authority is also looking into the company's ad tech practices. In the US, senators last month filed a bill with bipartisan support that would break up Google's ad business were it to become law. Engadget has contacted Google for comment.

Microsoft has formally agreed to respect the right of Activision Blizzard workers to unionize in a pact with the Communications Workers of America. The agreement will be applied 60 days after Microsoft closes its acquisition of the video game publisher. The $68.7 billion takeover requires approval from regulators in various markets and is expected to close by the end of June 2023.

“This agreement provides a pathway for Activision Blizzard workers to exercise their democratic rights to organize and collectively bargain after the close of the Microsoft acquisition and establishes a high road framework for employers in the games industry,” CWA president Chris Shelton said in a statement. “Microsoft’s binding commitments will give employees a seat at the table and ensure that the acquisition of Activision Blizzard benefits the company’s workers and the broader video game labor market. The agreement addresses CWA’s previous concerns regarding the acquisition, and, as a result, we support its approval and look forward to working collaboratively with Microsoft after this deal closes.”

The agreement follows Microsoft announcing a set of "principles for employee organizing" earlier this month that did not contain much in the way of actual substance. The CWA pact is legally binding and centers around five core provisions. Microsoft laid those out as follows:

• First, Microsoft will take a neutral approach when employees covered by the agreement express interest in joining a union.

• Second, covered employees will be able to easily exercise their right to communicate with other employees and union representatives about union membership in a way that encourages information sharing and avoids business disruptions.

• Third, employees will have access to an innovative technology-supported and streamlined process for choosing whether to join a union.

• Fourth, employees can maintain confidentiality and privacy of that choice if they wish.

• Fifth, if a disagreement arises between the CWA and Microsoft under the agreement, the two organizations will work together promptly to reach an agreement and will turn to an expedited arbitration process if they cannot.

“Earlier this month, we announced a set of principles that will guide our approach to labor organizations, and the Activision Blizzard acquisition is our first opportunity to put these principles into practice,” Microsoft president and vice chair Brad Smith said. “We appreciate CWA’s collaboration in reaching this agreement, and we see today’s partnership as an avenue to innovate and grow together.”

Microsoft and the CWA also agreed to explore other forms of collaboration. Among those are "joint opportunities for the US workforce to benefit from new technology and skill building programs that will enhance the country’s competitiveness."

The arrangement formalizes much of Microsoft's rhetoric about Activision Blizzard workers' attempts to organize. Microsoft Gaming CEO and Xbox chief Phil Spencer reportedly said in an all-hands meeting in late May that "we would absolutely support [an] employees’ organization that’s in place." Microsoft corporate vice president Lisa Tanzi previously said the company "respects Activision Blizzard employees’ right to choose whether to be represented by a labor organization and we will honor those decisions.”

The pact may also help Microsoft placate the Federal Trade Commission and antitrust regulators in other key markets as it tries to secure approval for its Activision Blizzard takeover. The publisher's shareholders approved the proposed buyout almost unanimously in April.

Last month, quality assurance workers at Activision studio Raven Software voted to form the first union at a major video games company in North America. Activision Blizzard did not formally challenge the result of the election with the National Labor Relations Board. The company affirmed last week it would enter negotiations with the CWA, which is representing the workers.

Activision Blizzard is bound to conduct good faith negotiations over a collective bargaining agreement, though CEO Bobby Kotick warned that "may take some time to complete." The company, which the CWA hasaccused of union busting, said in April it would hire 1,100 QA workers as permanent employees with higher minimum pay and benefits. However, it did not extend the same offer to the Raven workers who have organized as the Game Workers Alliance.

This weekend's Xbox and Bethesda showcase was jam-packed with news, trailers, updates and announcements about games that are already on Xbox or coming to the platform over the next year. If you don't have a spare hour and 40 minutes or so to watch the entire event, don't worry. You can catch up on the highlights with our supercut, which runs less than 20 minutes.

Freshly announced games include Forza Motorsport, Minecraft Legends, Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty and Rick and Morty co-creator Justin Roiland's typically wacky High on Life. You'll get also your first in-depth look at gameplay from Starfield, along with news on Diablo IV, Grounded, Microsoft Flight Simulator and a tonof titles that are coming to Game Pass. The highlights for me were the first peek at co-op vampire shooter Redfall in action and the Overwatch 2 release date, but there's at least a little of something for just about everyone here.

It was never truly in doubt that Netflix would bring its most popular show of all time back, but the company has at last officially greenlit season two of Squid Game. It hasn't been revealed when the next batch of episodes will hit the streaming service.

Squid Game became a word-of-mouth phenomenon when it debuted last September. Netflix said that, in the first 28 days it was available, viewers watched a little over 1.65 billion hours of the first season. Money Heist: Part 5, which arrived that same month, is in second place with 792 million hours watched over the same timeframe — less than half the overall viewership time of Squid Game.

The show scooped up Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild awards this year. It's likely to feature heavily among the Emmy nominations when those are announced next month.

Last October, creator Hwang Dong-hyuk said he wasn't sure whether there'd be more episodes but that he would hold talks with the company because he wanted to make a film first. Netflix said in January a second season would "absolutely" happen, but it's not clear why it took quite so long for a formal announcement.

Not too many details have been announced for season two of Squid Game just yet. Hwang confirmed protagonist Seong Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae) will return, as will villain The Front Man (Lee Byung-hun). In addition, Hwang promised to reveal the "boyfriend" of Young-hee, the giant animatronic doll that monitored competitors during the show's first deadly game, Red Light, Green Light.

Microsoft opened its not-E3 Xbox and Bethesda showcase with a deeper look at Redfall. The co-op vampire shooter from Arkane Austin was supposed to be out this summer but it has been delayed until the first half of next year. In the meantime, many more details about the game have been revealed.

The first gameplay trailer begins with one of the playable characters, Layla, exploring a blood-drenched church by themselves. In an attic space, they hear a voice muttering. A vampire attacks, followed by a couple more. Sharpshooter Jacob, one of Layla's teammates, shows up to help out. 

Redfall is set on an eponymous island off the coast of Massachusetts. It's filled with vampires and cultists who want to be turned (i.e. familiars). The vampires blocked out the sun and caused the tide to recede, making it impossible for those on the island to escape. 

There's a brief look at the two other playable characters: engineer Remi, who has a killer robot companion, and Devinder, an expert on all things creepy (or a cryptozoologist, if you're fancy). Layla, meanwhile, has telekinetic powers and Jacob has a cloaking ability. The characters' various abilities can be upgraded.

As with the Dishonored games, playing stealthily will be to your advantage. “A huge emphasis for Redfall has been the solo experience, in keeping with Arkane’s passions,” explains Arkane Austin studio and creative director Harvey Smith said. “Redfall is an open world game, but it can be soloed with any of the heroes. The pace becomes more exploratory; you can use recon and stealth to gather info on encounters and avoid enemies or get the drop on them.”

The vampires have a hierarchy, seemingly ranging from grunts to powerful bosses. There will be nests to clear out. The cultists, meanwhile, are willing to lay down their lives to protect the vampires. They will shoot on sight. 

Luckily, you'll have an extensive arsenal with which to battle your enemies as you try to purge the island of evil. Some of the weapons have unique traits. Along with regular ol' guns, you'll have slightly more traditional vamp-vanquishing weapons, including a stake launcher and a UV beam. 

Redfall is coming to PC, Xbox consoles and Xbox Cloud Gaming in the first half of 2023.

Activision Blizzard isn't owned by Microsoft just yet, but the publisher still had a presence at Sunday's Xbox and Bethesda showcase. There was a trailer for Overwatch 2, along with some major news. The game will be free-to-play and early access will begin on October 4th (the Overwatch blog calls this the game's launch). There will be at least one more beta before then, with details to be announced at a reveal event on Thursday.

The clip showed a glimpse of a new hero that's been part of the game's lore for years, the Junker Queen. It seems likely that the character will be playable as part of the next beta. They have a shotgun and a Reinhardt-esque melee weapon, and it appears that one of their abilities involves rampaging forward. With the sequel already having one new damage character in Sojourn, it seems likely that Junker Queen is a tank character.

The trailer also included a quick look at a new Zenyatta ability, which allows the omnic to knock back an enemy with a melee attack. Naturally, it invokes the movie 300, since you can kick an opponent into the Ilios well. In addition, there was a glimpse of a mysterious fox that was leading a team into a fight.

Given that Blizzard will move all current Overwatch players to Overwatch 2, the original game will be going free-to-play as well. Those who own the game before June 23rd will receive a founder's pack, with a special icon, two skins (General Doomfist and Jester Sombra) and more goodies. You'll need to log in by December 5th to receive the pack.

It's unclear whether the co-op player-vs-environment side of the sequel will be free too, or how Blizzard plans to monetize everything. Overwatch 2 will herald a shift to a seasonal content format, which suggests there will be a battle pass of some kind. That means there should finally be content updates on a regular cadence.

Should the Microsoft deal go through, Overwatch 2 will more than likely be included in Game Pass. It's worth noting that only the player-vs-player (PvP) side will be available at launch on October 4th. The co-op missions will arrive later.

Starting next week, Meta will add a more social-oriented home space to Quest 2. Horizon Home, which the company announced at Oculus Connect last year, will appear when users slip on the virtual reality headset. They can invite friends to come over and hang out, watch videos and play games together. It's part of Meta's vision of the metaverse, a shared virtual space where folks can do all kinds of things together, along with Horizon Worlds and Horizon Workrooms.

One of those, as demoed in a video shared by Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, is the option to watch 360-degree footage with friends. Zuckerberg showed off the feature with climber Alex Honnold of Free Solo fame. They watched The Soloist VR, a film that features Honnold free climbing the Dolomite Mountains. If you thought Meta's torso-only avatars looked strange on the virtual ground, just wait till you see two of them floating 1,000 feet above northern Italy.

Quest 2 users can check out Horizon Home and its miserable-looking virtual home office starting today if they are comfortable using the Public Test Channel. Meta will roll out the v41 Quest update, which includes Horizon Home, more broadly next week. We'll likely learn more details about Horizon Home then. Meta will add more customization options for the home space later.