Today in the Connected Economy: Apple Watch Upgrade to Expand Health Monitoring

Today in the connected economy, Apple’s watch will incorporate improvements to its health applications. Plus, the Bank of England (BoE) tests some of the country’s biggest lenders, Google unveils new rules designed to prevent fraud in advertising, and the Department of Transportation proposes payments standards for electric vehicle (EV) charging.

Apple’s watchOS 9 Moves Deeper Into Health Monitoring

Apple previewed its forthcoming watchOS9 at its 2022 Worldwide Developers Conference this week, taking a deeper dive into healthcare apps for its new wearable update. The latest upgrade to the Apple Watch seems to confirm that consumers see wearables less as trendy digital jewelry and more as personal assistants that can make their lives — including their health and fitness routines — easier to manage.

BOE: UK Banks Need to Show They Can Fail ‘Safely’

The BoE found that three of the country’s biggest lenders have more work to do to convince regulators they could fail without hurting taxpayers and customers. The central bank made this announcement following its first assessment of whether HSBC, Lloyds Banking Group and Standard Chartered put proper measures in place to handle their — theoretical — collapse. The bank has ordered each lender to address its concerns and to list steps they would take to fund themselves if they run into trouble.

Google Expands Verification for Financial Services Ads

In an effort to battle fraud in advertising, Google has expanded its verification program for financial services advertisers to new markets. Google debuted the program in September in the United Kingdom, where advertisers are required to demonstrate they have the approval from that country’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). Since then, the company has seen a steep drop in reports of ads that promote financial scams.

Ensuring Interoperability of EV Charging Stations

Electric vehicle (EV) public charging stations installed with money from the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) may be required to include contactless payment methods if standards proposed this week are approved. That’s one of the possible requirements published by the Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). Other proposed standards for payment methods used at EV charging stations include that contactless payment be accepted using all major debit and credit cards, that access and service aren’t restricted by membership or payment method type, and that plug and charge payment capabilities are mandated.

Telegram Paid Subscriptions Set to Arrive This Month

Telegram is preparing to launch a paid subscription plan for users later this month. Co-Founder Pavel Durov said subscribers will get access to a higher limit for chats and file and media uploads when they sign up for Telegram Premium. “The only way to let our most demanding fans get more while keeping our existing features free is to make those raised limits a paid option,” he said.