Here are the editor's top picks for the week.
US Supreme Court ruling on iPhone apps unlikely to take bite out of Apple
A recent ruling to allow an antitrust lawsuit against Apple Inc. to go forward should not have a significant impact on the company's finances or business model, analysts and industry experts said, noting that it could take years for the case to materialize. In a 5-4 vote, the Supreme Court on May 13 ruled that consumers have a right to sue Apple for its alleged monopolistic practices regarding the sale of iPhone apps. Apple had argued that consumers could not sue because they were not purchasing the apps directly from the company, citing a previous legal precedent.
Upfronts 2019: NBC favors stability in fall, but tweaks Monday, Thursday
With NBC (US) poised to win the September-to-May TV season for the fifth time in six years among adults 18 to 49, the network introduced a fall season long on schedule stability. Five of the seven nights on NBC's fall schedule remain intact, with some tweaking on Monday and Thursday. Executives at NBCUniversal Media LLC said the broadcast network will win the September-to-September battle for viewers 18 to 49 for a sixth consecutive time.
Conference Chatter: Wi-Fi industry looks forward to next-generation standard with 6 GHz spectrum
At Wi-Fi Now USA 2019, an event for Wi-Fi executives and enthusiasts, many spoke of the opportunities for a new standard, known as Wi-Fi 6, to clear up congestion issues and enable Wi-Fi to better compete with 5G. In addition to the explosive growth of Wi-Fi-connected devices and networks, consumer demand for higher speeds and the injection of certain cellular traffic into Wi-Fi spectrum have added to congestion issues.
Upfront 2019: FOX has changes in store, but sports dominates its fall lineup
Fox Corp.'s inaugural programming slate as a stand-alone company features four new comedies and a half-dozen fresh dramas, but with a heavy sports-leaning fall, only three of the shows will appear on the lineup when the new TV season begins. The Fox sports programming includes "Thursday Night Football," as well as World Wrestling Entertainment Inc.'s "SmackDown Live!," which will run year-round.
Upfronts 2019: CBS says farewell to 'Big Bang,' hello to 8 new shows
On the day before it bid adieu to hit sitcom "The Big Bang Theory," CBS (US) unveiled a new slate that featured eight new series evenly split between comedies and dramas. Many of the changes for CBS Corp.'s broadcast network occur on Thursday, the night "Big Bang" has called home for much of its 12-year run. "Our new lineup features both classic CBS shows and genres that viewers love, as well as some new series that push the boundaries of what you might expect from us," said Kelly Kahl, president of CBS Entertainment, in a statement.