The Download: Trump’s tariffs, and the DOJ’s proposals for Google
This is today’s edition of The Download, our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of what’s going on in the world of technology.
How Trump’s tariffs could drive up the cost of batteries, EVs, and more
President-elect Donald Trump’s “America First” plan to enact huge tariffs on imported goods threatens to jack up the cost and slow down the development of US cleantech projects.
These plans could easily add billions of dollars to the prices that US companies—and therefore consumers—pay for batteries and electric vehicles, as well as the steel used to build solar farms, geothermal plants, nuclear facilities, transmission lines, and much more.
Here are three areas where the costs of materials and products that are crucial to the energy transition could rise. Read the full story.
—James Temple
Google’s antitrust gut punch and the Trump wild card
Last week, the US Department of Justice released its recommendations for proposed remedies in its antitrust case against Google. While no one thought the DOJ would go easy on Google, the remedies it did suggest are profound and, if enacted, could be catastrophic to its business.
Next, Google will make its own set of proposals to the court. Finally, Judge Amit Mehta, who has been presiding over the case, will have to decide which, if any, of these remedies to enact. So what is the DOJ proposing, and what role will the incoming Trump administration play?
—Mat Honan
This story originally appeared in The Debrief with Mat Honan, your weekly take on the tech news that really matters. It’s subscriber-only, so sign up here to get the next one in your inbox.
The must-reads
I’ve combed the internet to find you today’s most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology.
1 Developing countries aren’t happy with Cop29’s climate finance deal
They claim the $300 billion annual pledge isn’t anywhere near enough. (The Atlantic $)
+ That’s despite the sum tripling the current annual pledge to aid them. (Bloomberg $)
+ Here’s how the money stacks up. (Reuters)
2 There’s no way Elon Musk is going to balance the US government’s books
His ambitions to slash $2 trillion in annual spending are highly unlikely to be realized. (Vox)
+ Musk’s cost-slashing department is interviewing applicants. (WP $)
+ What tech ‘broligarchs’ really want from Trump. (The Atlantic $)
3 One of the world’s biggest battery startups has filed for bankruptcy
Northvolt was one of the industry’s brightest hopes. What happened? (WSJ $)
+ Its struggles demonstrate how Europe is losing the battery race with Asia. (FT $)
+ Super-light materials that help suppress EV battery fires just got a big boost. (MIT Technology Review)
4 Huawei is poised to launch a phone running its own software
The Mate 70 device would be its first flagship device devoid of Android code. (FT $)
5 Meta is struggling to respond to Bluesky’s success
It’s tweaking Threads in a bid to make it more attractive to displaced X users. (WP $)
+ Bluesky has rapidly overtaken Threads in daily user numbers. (FT $)
6 Tesla violated environmental rules in Texas
Its factory dumped toxic pollutants in Austin for months in 2022. (WSJ $)
7 Is it still worth learning to code these days?
The creep of AI-powered coding assistants has recent graduates worried. (NYT $)
+ How AI assistants are already changing the way code gets made. (MIT Technology Review)
8 Singapore is a self-driving car paradise
The past decade has seen the island state reinvent itself as an autonomous vehicle hub. (Rest of World)
+ Baidu’s new robotaxis are hitting China’s roads. (The Verge)
+ How Wayve’s driverless cars will meet one of their biggest challenges yet. (MIT Technology Review)
9 This Etsy witch will curse Elon Musk for you
For the bargain price of $7.99. (Wired $)
10 Stuck for Christmas gift ideas? Ask ChatGPT
Choosing the perfect present is tough. AI could help to lighten the load. (The Guardian)
+ Here’s how people are actually using AI. (MIT Technology Review)
Quote of the day
“This document is little more than an optical illusion.”
—Chandni Raina, a negotiator for India during the Cop29 climate negotiations, condemns the $300 billion pledge agreed to help developing nations cope with the effects of climate change, the Guardian reports.
The big story
Who gets to decide who receives experimental medical treatments?
There has been a trend toward lowering the bar for new medicines, and it is becoming easier for people to access treatments that might not help them—and could even harm them. Anecdotes appear to be overpowering evidence in decisions on drug approval. As a result, we’re ending up with some drugs that don’t work.
We urgently need to question how these decisions are made. Who should have access to experimental therapies? And who should get to decide? Such questions are especially pressing considering how quickly biotechnology is advancing. We’re not just improving on existing classes of treatments—we’re creating entirely new ones. Read the full story.
—Jessica Hamzelou
We can still have nice things
A place for comfort, fun and distraction to brighten up your day. (Got any ideas? Drop me a line or tweet ’em at me.)
+ The forgotten history of the world’s very first cyber cafe is fascinating.
+ If you’re looking to plan a holiday for 2025, this is the ultimate guide to help you decide where to go.
+ What happened when Ridley Scott met Paul Mescal.
+ Stop! Whatever you do, don’t do this to your Thanksgiving turkey.