According to estimates shared by research firm IDC, Apple shipped 12.9 million iPads in the second quarter of 2021. By comparison, IDC estimated that Samsung and Amazon shipped a combined 12.3 million tablets in the quarter, suggesting that Apple shipped more tablets than the two companies altogether in the quarter.

Twitter Inc announced it will launch a competition for computer researchers and hackers to identify biases in its image-cropping algorithm, after a group of researchers previously found the algorithm tended to exclude Black people and men. The competition is part of a wider effort across the tech industry to ensure AI technologies act ethically.

Data that are crucial for the safety of self-driving cars, and the way they are handled, will be important issues that the technology will have to deal with at some point down the line, predicted Volkswagen Group chief executive Herbert Diess.

French carmaker Renault announced it was optimistic about 2021 financial results and further noted it even expected to close a full-year with profits despite the acute semiconductor chip shortages that pressured the whole automotive industry. Renault reported first-half net profit of 354 million euros after suffering a loss of nearly 7.3 billion euros a year earlier amid long industry-wide production shutdowns during the pandemic, Reuters elaborated.

The lifting of travel bans and restrictions related to pandemic helped Air France - KLM to reduce its losses in the middle of 2021. As most European nations eased travel restrictions the transport sector is finding solid ground to spur its recovery, Reuters elaborated. The French-Dutch carrier announced positive second quarter results which proved smaller losses and raising cash from operations.

European plane maker Airbus posted 1.87 billion euros ($2.2 billion) net profit for the second quarter and raised its outlook for plane deliveries as the airlines sector steadied itself amid the devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, AP reports.

Finland's producer of mobile phones and wireless solutions Nokia announced key internal restructuring to place emphasis on sales of equiptment for 5G networks as demand for next generation communications is booming worldwide, AP reported. Nokia aims to take a leading role in that market under its new CEO Pekka Lundmark who vowed to introduce a new model of management in the company.

Key US companies led by Google, Netflix and others have found ways to make vaccination against Covid-19 mandatory for their personnel. While the streaming company plans to require that "zone A" personnel, including actors and supporting crew in close contact with them must get the jab, Google announced that only vaccinated employees would be allowed to return to their work stations in the firm's US campuses, BBC reported.

Electricity demand in the European Union has returned to pre-pandemic levels without a corresponding rise in emissions, according to a report published Wednesday by the energy think tank Ember.

The South Korean car maker Hyundai and LG Energy Solutions announced massive investments in a brand new plant, focused on making electric vehicles. The total envisaged investment accounts for 1.1 billion dollars and each partner will cover half of that cost, Reuters elaborated. The new joint venture will be locted in Indonesia and will establish a battery cell plant for electric vehicles.