THE NEWS WRAP: Samsung launches new phones

Samsung has officially launched the Galaxy S6 edge+ and Galaxy Note 5, which will both be available on 21 August.

The company is renowned for its oversized smartphone-tablet hybrids, and the Note 5 looks to be following in this vein, with a glass front and back, solid metal frame, and elongated writing utensil.

“With the launch of the Galaxy S6 edge+ and Note 5, we’re re-emphasising our ongoing commitment to bold, fearless innovation that meets the needs of our consumers,” CEO and president of Samsung’s IT and mobile division JK Shin says in a blog post.

Samsung also announced a new Periscope-like video service called Live Broadcast, which allows users to shoot a video on their phone and then stream it live to another phone, tablet or desktop computer.

It’ll be on a seven second delay just in case something really awful or embarrassing happens.

Massdrop raises $40 million

US-based group commerce startup Massdrop has raised US$40 million in Series B funding, adding to the $6.5 million it amassed last year.

As TechCrunch reports, the startup is based on “community-driven commerce” and allows users who are interested in a very specific thing to connect with other like-minded individuals, discuss the various products, make purchases and design new products.

Massdrop now has a registered user base of over one million, and has a weird and wonderful collection of 12 categories so far, including quilting.

August Capital led the round, and David Hornik will be joining the startup’s board of directors as part of the deal.

“Many companies have found initial success in ecommerce, but hit a plateau where they can no longer drive growth through paid acquisition alone,” Hornik says.

“By fostering and engaging the community, rather than buying one, Massdrop has pushed through this plateau and continues to grow its user base.”

Apple delays its live TV streaming service

We’ll have to wait until at least next year for Apple’s live TV streaming service as negotiations have stalled.

As Bloomberg reports, Apple had wanted to announce a live TV service delivered via the internet as early as next month, but these plans have no apparently been put on hold.

It’s another tactic in Apple’s ongoing mission to ensure its devices and services are always front and centre in its users’ lives.

Overnight

The Dow Jones Industrial Average is up 5.74, rising 0.03% overnight to 17,408.25. The Australian dollar is currently trading at US74 cents.

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