Consumer Tech News (May 5-May 9): Google Faces Divestiture Demand From US DoJ, Microsoft Pulls Plug On Skype, Tesla Axes Cybertruck Range Extender & More

Zinger Key Points

President Donald Trump said he would consider pushing back the June 19 deadline for ByteDance to sell TikTok‘s U.S. operations if a deal is not finalized in time. This marks the third time he’s granted a reprieve to the short video app used by over 170 million Americans.

The Donald Trump administration is planning to terminate the Energy Star program, which certifies energy-efficient home appliances.

Earnings Release

Electronic Arts EA reported fourth-quarter earnings of $1.58 per share, which beat the analyst consensus estimate of $1.09. Quarterly revenue clocked in at $1.8 billion, beating the consensus estimate of $1.56 billion.

Technology

The U.S. Department of Justice proposed that Google, owned by Alphabet Inc. GOOG, be required to divest two major components of its advertising empire: the AdX advertising exchange and the DoubleClick for Publishers (DFP) ad server.

Warren Buffett, 94, announced that he plans to step down as CEO of Berkshire Hathaway BRK by the end of the year, bringing to a close one of the most celebrated careers in corporate America.

Microsoft Corporation MSFT is officially shutting down Skype after more than two decades of service, encouraging users to migrate to Microsoft Teams, its modern communication and collaboration platform.

Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates spoke about the disruption in international climate cooperation in the wake of President Donald Trump‘s campaign.

Meta Platforms Inc. META CEO Mark Zuckerberg has become the world’s second-richest person, overtaking Amazon.com, Inc. AMZN founder Jeff Bezos.

Meta-owned WhatsApp has secured a $168 million jury verdict against NSO Group, the Israeli firm behind the controversial Pegasus spyware, over a 2019 hacking incident.

Smartphones

Apple AAPL is reportedly planning a significant shift in its iPhone release strategy, beginning with the iPhone 18 series in 2026.

Apple has expressed apprehension over the potential financial consequences of a contempt ruling in favor of Epic Games. The tech giant has warned that this ruling could lead to "substantial" financial losses.

Automobiles & Semiconductors

Tesla TSLA reportedly has over 10,000 units of the Cybertruck in its domestic inventory as the company grapples with poor sales and an aging line-up of vehicles.

Tesla will no longer sell the range extender battery pack for its Cybertruck. The range extender would have let the vehicle achieve a range of over 500 miles.

Future Fund LLC‘s Gary Black criticized Elon Musk‘s EV giant Tesla over the company’s lack of communication and poor marketing strategy.

ARM Holdings ARM executives reassured investors that the company's business model protects it from direct tariff impacts amid growing U.S.-China trade tensions, according to its fourth quarter of 2025 earnings call.

Artificial Intelligence (AI)

ChatGPT-parent OpenAI said that it will retain its nonprofit parent’s control over its for-profit operations, scaling back a plan to transition fully to a public benefit corporation amid mounting legal pressure and investor concerns.

OpenAI reportedly plans to cut the share of revenue it pays to Microsoft by at least half by the end of the decade.

OpenAI is reportedly negotiating with a senior technology executive to take on a major leadership role.

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