TechCrunch Industry News

The U.K.’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has formally cleared the proposed $8.1 billion merger between cybersecurity giants NortonLifeLock and Avast, a month after provisionally greenlighting the deal. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Google announced today it’s expanding the user choice billing program for Play Store — which lets users choose alternative payment systems for in-app purchases — to India, Australia, Indonesia, Japan, and the European Economic Area. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Disney is looking at ways for viewers to buy themed merchandise and accessories by scanning a QR code in the Disney+ app, according to a report from the Wall Street Journal. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

OneSignal, a platform that powers notifications for mobile apps and more, today announced that it raised $50 million in a Series C round led by BAM Elevate with participation from SignalFire and other existing investors. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Despite serving as the online watercooler for journalists, politicians and VCs, Twitter isn’t the most profitable social network on the block. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NetEase, a Chinese technology company and billion-dollar video-game publisher, has acquired French video-game studio Quantic Dream. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Pakistani fintech PostEx has acquired logistics service provider Call Courier, creating what it describes as the largest e-commerce service provider in the country. PostEx will now serve 1.3 million users with over 8,000 merchants across 500 cities in Pakistan, and is on track to having a loan book of more than $12 million. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Elon Musk is adding allegations from Twitter security whistleblower Peiter “Mudge” Zatko to his list of reasons for pulling out of the $44 billion Twitter acquisition he proposed back in April. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Honda is the latest car company with plans to manufacture lithium-ion batteries in the U.S. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After much fanfare, including a crop of celebrity appearances and the arrival of Vice President Kamala Harris, NASA said it was scrubbing today’s first-ever launch attempt of the mega moon rocket due to technical issues. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices