Tech Report: Ford partners with Amazon on certified used car sales as Apple accelerates CEO succession planning

Ford’s franchised dealers will soon be able to sell certified preowned vehicles directly through Amazon.

(LILAMAX)- Ford’s franchised dealers will soon be able to sell certified preowned vehicles directly through Amazon. The companies announced Monday that the new program will allow customers to secure financing, begin paperwork, and schedule pickup times at participating Ford dealerships. The move comes a year after Amazon first said it would open its platform to auto sales, starting with Hyundai.

Apple is meanwhile accelerating its closely held CEO succession planning. According to the Financial Times, board members and senior executives have stepped up preparations in recent months as CEO Tim Cook, who turned 65 this month, considers ending his 14-year tenure. Cook took over following the death of co-founder Steve Jobs in 2011, and the report suggests a transition announcement could come as early as next year.

WhatsApp continues to gain popularity among U.S. iPhone users. The Wall Street Journal reports the messaging platform’s monthly active users are up 39 percent since 2020, with the app’s Communities feature becoming a go-to tool for organizing events such as weddings and large gatherings.

In other tech developments, Jeff Bezos is stepping further into the AI race. The New York Times reports the Amazon founder will serve as co-CEO of a new startup called Project Prometheus, which aims to build artificial intelligence tools for aerospace, automotive, and computing applications.