Friday, July 22, 2022

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Google Calendar is getting better at weeding out spam invites

Posted: 21 Jul 2022 04:40 AM PDT

Google Calendar has released a new update for an issue that it promised to fix three years ago. The "known senders" feature will finally let you block invitations from people you don't know that can effectively spam up your calendar. With the "Only if the sender is known" toggle enabled under "Event settings," it'll automatically add invites only from people in your contacts list, people you've interacted with, or users on the same domain. 

Normally, Google Calendar automatically adds events when you receive emailed invites, no matter who sends them. The only way to prevent this until now was to disable automatic event adding completely, forcing you to manually deal with each invite. 

Google Calendar has a new feature meant to weed out spam invites
Google

Now, you can have the automatic invitations from folks you know while cutting off spam events like "Crypto meetup 9PM tonight" sent by some rando. Simply navigate to your Google Calendar settings, choose "Event Settings" and choose the "Add invitations to my calendar dropdown." Then, select the option "Only if the sender is known."

You'll still receive spammy invites, but the new option lets you trash them before they ever see your calendar. Google notes that this may alert a sender that they're not in your contacts list, but that seems to be the only potential downside. It's a small but useful tweak, joining recent Google updates for Calendar, Gmail and other apps. 

The Morning After: President Biden's plan to expand offshore wind farms

Posted: 21 Jul 2022 04:15 AM PDT

President Biden is unveiling further measures to combat climate change, and his latest efforts are aimed at addressing incoming environmental crises. The President has outlined a string of executive actions that include the first wind energy areas in the Gulf of Mexico. The 700,000 acres could generate enough offshore wind power to supply over 3 million homes.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has also unveiled $2.3 billion in funding to bolster resilience against heat waves, wildfires and other climate change-related disasters. This will expand the use of the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program for air conditioning, community cooling centers and other resources to fight extreme heat.

These measures come on top of other initiatives from Biden, who has devoted billions of dollars to clean energy projects, outlined plans for a national EV charging network and pledged to cut US greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2030.

– Mat Smith

The biggest stories you might have missed

Samsung says it shipped almost 10 million foldable phones in 2021

The company also confirms it's launching new foldables at its next Unpacked event in August.

Samsung says it has shipped "almost 10 million foldable smartphones" worldwide. The company's chief of Mobile Experience (MX) Business, Dr. TM Roh, said that's a 300 percent increase from 2020 and that he expects what he calls "fast-paced growth" to continue. Most of its foldable customers, 70 percent of them apparently, went for the clamshell-like Flip. Roh also confirmed that the company is introducing its next Flip and Fold models at its Unpacked event in two weeks.

Continue reading.

With a Samsung TV and Game Pass Ultimate, I don't need to buy an Xbox

But I'd have to buy a new TV…

TMA
Samsung

I'm a PlayStation gamer. I'm pretty upfront with that knowledge when I write for Engadget – and occasionally even in this newsletter. However, I'm not an idiot. Microsoft's Xbox Game Pass Ultimate is awfully tempting, even when its consoles aren't. Now, with the launch of Samsung's Game Hub on its newest TVs (and only its newest models), you can stream Xbox titles from the cloud without needing a console.

On a big TV, playing Flight Simulator turns into a meditative experience. Type in your destination for an exploration flight (or, easier on a controller, set your cursor on the world map), and just fly and fly and fly. That's what I did, and I started to hate that I'll never be able to do this on my PS5. The only problem is that requirement of a new Samsung TV…

Continue reading.

An unofficial 3D-printed kit makes your AirPods case repairable

And even adds USB-C.

Ken Pillonel (of USB-C iPhone fame) has created an open source repair kit for first- and second-generation AirPods models. If you're comfortable cracking open the case, you can perform repairs (such as installing a fresh battery) and get back to business using a 3D-printed replacement part. Moreover, the kit will drag your AirPods into the modern era — it switches the charging port from Lightning to a USB-C connection.

Continue reading.

Somehow, I'm playing 'Overwatch' again

The latest beta for its sequel just wrapped up.

TMA
Blizzard

There are big changes afoot in Overwatch 2. After weeks of playing the beta, I was relieved that many of my primary characters really haven't changed at all – at least, not yet. It's unusual to see Bastion wheeling around as a tank, though…. Some changes seem to skew the sequel towards skilled FPS players, which I'm less happy to see. One of the reasons I got into OW was the ability to contribute in squad fights without needing meticulous headshot talents. It's still early days in the beta, and I can't wait to see the third character and what else Blizzard has planned.

Continue reading.

Lyft is shutting down its in-house car rental program

Posted: 21 Jul 2022 03:15 AM PDT

Lyft will stop renting out cars from its own fleet and has laid off around 60 employees, according to The Wall Street Journal. As TechCrunch notes, the layoffs have also been confirmed by the LinkedIn posts of affected workers. The people who lost their jobs, The Journal said, worked in operations and covered 2 percent of the company's workforce. Back in May, the company reportedly wrote in a staff memo that it's slowing down hiring due to the economic downturn, but that it didn't have any layoffs planned. Things have clearly changed since then.

In an internal memo from Lyft VP Cal Lankton seen by The Journal, the executive said that the company's road to in-house rentals is "long and challenging with significant uncertainty." Lankton also explained that Lyft started discussing the possibility of exiting the business last fall and that talks ramped up as the "economy made the business case unworkable."

The ride-hailing service debuted its car rental business in Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay Area back in 2019 after a few months of testing, eventually expanding its first-party car rental offering to five locations. While it's sunsetting the option to rent vehicles from its fleet, the company isn't leaving the space completely. Lyft already runs more than 30 rental locations with Sixt SE and Hertz Global Holdings Inc., and it said it will continue working with big car-rental companies. "This decision," a spokesperson told the publication, "will ensure we continue to have national coverage and offer riders a more seamless booking experience."

Lyft is also in the midst of reorganizing its global operations and consolidating its offers from 13 to nine regions. That will lead to the closure of a location in Northern California and of its Detroit Hub, but it's unclear if the move will cause more layoffs. Either way, Lyft is merely the latest company in the tech industry to cut jobs due to the economy. Tesla reportedly laid off 500 employees from its Nevada Gigafactory without 60 days of advanced notice. Netflix cut 300 jobs in June after cutting 150 jobs in May. And more recently, TikTok started laying people off around the world. Even the biggest companies in the industry aren't immune: Meta reportedly told managers to keep an eye out for low-performing workers and to "move to exit" them if they're unable to get back on track.

Ford is reportedly planning to cut 8,000 jobs to help fund its EV plans

Posted: 21 Jul 2022 02:35 AM PDT

Ford is reportedly planning to cut up to 8,000 jobs over the coming weeks in an effort to fund its plans to build EVs, according to Bloomberg. The layoffs would occur at its Ford Blue unit, recently created to develop vehicles with internal combustion engines (ICE), and would affect other salaried positions in the company. The bulk of cuts are expected to occur in the US.

In March, Ford CEO Jim Farley restructured the company, dividing it into the Ford Blue and Model E divisions, with the latter dedicated to electric cars and pickups like the Mach E and F150 Lightning. As part of that, he announced plans to cut $3 billion in costs by 2026, with the aim of transforming Ford Blue into "the profit and cash engine" for the entire company.

"As part of this, we have laid out clear targets to lower our cost structure to ensure we are lean and fully competitive with the best in the industry," Ford's CCO Mark Truby told Bloomberg in a statement, without revealing more details about the cuts. Ford currently employees around 31,000 salaried US workers. 

In March, the automaker announced plans to boost electric vehicle spending to $50 billion and plan to build two million EVs by 2026. The company sold just 27,140 EVs stateside last year, but got a significant 76.6 percent boost last month as shipping commenced for the F-150 Lightning. 

Dell's XPS 13 Plus Developer Edition is the first laptop certified for Ubuntu 22.04 LTS

Posted: 21 Jul 2022 01:20 AM PDT

Dell's XPS 13 Plus Developer Edition is the first laptop to be certified for the Ubuntu 22.04 LTS version of Linux, Canonical announced. That means you can buy one starting in August with Ubuntu pre-installed, while current owners of the XPS 13 Plus model sold with Windows 11 can download and install Ubuntu 22.04 LTS "and receive the same hardware-optimized experience." 

The Ubuntu certification means all components will "work as expected" and the LTS (long-term support) designation means it will be supported for at least 10 years with "Base Package" maintenance and security updates. It also includes specific software or drivers different from the default distribution where required, installed automatically in the optimal configuration, according to Canonical. 

Ubuntu 22.04 brings a new version of the Gnome 42 Linux desktop environment offering boosted desktop performance with triple-buffering and enhanced power management settings. It also includes new workspace layouts, touchpad gestures and customization options, including a cross-desktop dark style. 

Dell has been offering XPS 13 laptops with Linux for years now, starting with its Ubuntu-based "Project Sputnik" laptop also aimed at developers, with the latest model being the 10th generation. As we noted in our hands-on review (above), the XPS 13 Plus itself is a sharp-looking minimalist ultra-portable laptop with capacitive touch keys replacing the function row, up to a Intel Core i7-1280P CPU (six performance and eight efficient cores), and more. It's launching in August starting at $1,289. 

EA's last FIFA game is finally making women's soccer a priority

Posted: 21 Jul 2022 12:10 AM PDT

After revealing Chelsea star Sam Kerr on its cover earlier this week, EA has unveiled the first trailer for FIFA 23 showing that women's soccer will finally be a key part of the game. It will include women's club teams from the top leagues in England and France, along with both the women's and men's competitions in both the 2022 Qatar World Cup and 2023 Australia/New Zealand World Cup. 

International women's teams have been available in EA FIFA games since 2016, but this will be the first edition with club teams. The women's game has climbed in popularity thanks in part to the Olympics and other international competitions, and the 2022 World Cup will provide another huge boost. Two leagues is far short from the dozens available for men's soccer, but it looks like EA plans to add more via future updates. "We're committed to building an equitable experience and aspire to help grow women's football," said FIFA 23's Matt Lafreniere.

FIFA 23 also introduces cross-play functionality and more "realistic" gameplay via its latest evolution of HyperMotion2 technology, EA said. That feature applies machine learning to motion capture data to create smoother player movements during gameplay.

FIFA 23 will be EA's last version of the game with the FIFA name, as it failed to come to terms with FIFA over financial and exclusivity issues. However, EA still holds licenses for more than 300 soccer partners and has exclusive agreements with the likes of the Premier League, MLS, La Liga, Bundesliga and Serie A. The series will be rebranded as EA Sports FC in its future versions.

Samsung says it shipped almost 10 million foldable phones in 2021

Posted: 20 Jul 2022 09:57 PM PDT

Just a couple of short weeks before its next Unpacked event, Samsung has revealed that it shipped "almost 10 million foldable smartphones" worldwide. In a post on the Samsung Newsroom, the company's chief of Mobile Experience (MX) Business, Dr. TM Roh, said that's a 300 percent increase from 2020 and that he expects what he calls "fast-paced growth" to continue. Most of its foldable customers, 70 percent of them apparently, went for the clamshell-like Flip. That's not surprising in the least: Samsung previously admitted that the Flip 3motivated more people to switch brands than its flagships did.

The 10 million units Roh claims Samsung shipped last year is considerably larger than the shipment numbers IDC previously published, though. In a report by the International Data Corporation in February, it said it "witnessed worldwide shipments of foldable phones, inclusive of both flip and fold form factors, reach a total of 7.1 million units in 2021." Whichever figure is true, Samsung's MX division posted an increase in revenue last year, mostly due to the strong sales of its foldables and its latest Galaxy S devices.

In addition to giving an update on how Samsung's devices are doing, Roh has also confirmed that the company is introducing its next Flip and Fold models at its next Unpacked event. He also said Samsung made advancements to enhance users' experiences with the upcoming devices:

"I am excited to see people to discover new ways to do more of the things they love with the new foldable.... At our upcoming Unpacked on August 10th, you'll see that the impact of our innovation is not only about what technology can do. It's about what you can do. We've once again taken our inspiration from the most important source — Galaxy users — to push the limits of what's possible. I can't wait to show you the potential of our new Samsung Galaxy foldables as the ultimate tool for both productivity and self-expression."

Samsung's upcoming Unpacked event will take place on August 10th at 9AM ET. Join us at our YouTube channel to tune into our coverage, which begins at around 8:40AM.

250,000 car deliveries in one quarter can't save Tesla from dwindling revenue

Posted: 20 Jul 2022 02:19 PM PDT

The supply chain issues that have wracked the rest of the automotive industry for more than a year appear to have finally caught up with Tesla. The EV automaker announced on Wednesday's Q2 investors report that its automotive revenue has declined by more than 13 percent following last quarter's record-breaking mark despite ending the quarter with "the highest vehicle production month" in company history. 

Per the company, Tesla produced 258,580 vehicles last quarter and delivered 201,304 of them. During last quarter's investor call, CEO Elon Musk estimated that the company could increase its annual deliveries by 60 percent in 2022. To date, the company has delivered 564,743 vehicles and would need to sell another 935,257 of them by year's end to meet that goal. 

This could prove challenging given that the company produced nearly 18 percent fewer vehicles this quarter than last (though still up 27 percent year over year). COVID-related lockdowns shuttered the Shanghai Gigafactory for most of Q2, though ramping production at the newer Austin and Berlin-Brandenburg plants have helped offset the closure. Austin has begun producing vehicles with the company's new 4680 battery cells and the Berlin Gigafactory notched a production rate of more than a thousand vehicles in a single week during the last three months. 

"It is worth emphasizing that we have enough 2170 cells to satisfy all vehicle production or the remainder of the year," Musk said. Tesla had generally managed to avoid the supply chain woes that have hamstrung the automotive industry since the start of the pandemic — until now. The MSRP of a Model Y long-range currently sits just under $66,000, that's 30 percent higher than it cost in 2021. Tesla is continuing to focus on "production readiness" for its long delayed Cybertruck, Musk noted during the call, with production starting by "middle of next year."

The company was sure to point out that its total revenue grew 42 percent year over year to $16.9 billion, operating income had improved year over year to $2.5 billion (with an impressive 14.6 percent operating margin) and is currently sitting atop a $18.9 billion pile of cash.

This is thanks in large part to Tesla's liquidating 75 percent of its Bitcoin holdings (worth $936 million) over the past three months. The company invested $1.5 billion in the digital pseudo-currency in February 2021 and sold off a 10 percent stake a couple months later. Tesla's backing of Bitcoin, much as with Musk's pet Dogecoin currency, helped to further mainstream the crypto schemes. Musk reportedly had "a super bad feeling about the economy" in June. "We have not sold any of our Dogecoin," Musk said.

Jury finds Tesla just '1%' responsible for a Florida teen's crash

Posted: 20 Jul 2022 02:05 PM PDT

Tesla is receiving minimal blame for a fiery 2018 crash in South Florida, which killed two teenagers and injured another. A jury today found Tesla just one percent responsible for the crash, reports the AP, which means it's only responsible for paying $105,00 of the $10.5 million awarded to the teen's family. 90 percent of the blame was placed on the teen driver, Barrett Riley, while his father James Riley received nine percent of the blame.

According to an NTSB investigation, Barrett Riley was driving at 116 mph in a 30 mph zone near Fort Lauderdale Beach. The agency concluded he most likely lost control of the vehicle. James Riley initially sued Tesla over the crash, claiming that it would have been survivable if the electric car's lithium ion batteries hadn't "burst into an uncontrollable and fatal fire." He also noted that the company removed a speed limiter that was meant to keep the vehicle under 85 mph. An investigation later found that his son had asked a Tesla dealership to remove that limiter.

Tesla lawyers argued that Riley's parents were negligent by allowing him to drive the car, despite his record of reckless driving and speeding. They denied negligence on the company's part. After the crash in 2018, Tesla released an update allowing drivers to set their own speed limits, a feature initially dedicated to Barrett Riley.

'Minecraft' studio wants nothing to do with NFTs

Posted: 20 Jul 2022 01:43 PM PDT

Don't expect to buy a creeper skin as an NFT (non-fungible token) and plug it into your Minecraft server in the near future. Mojang has taken a firm stance against the massively popular game's involvement with NFTs and blockchain tech. "[To] ensure that Minecraft players have a safe and inclusive experience, blockchain technologies are not permitted to be integrated inside our Minecraft client and server applications, nor may they be utilized to create NFTs associated with any in-game content, including worlds, skins, persona items or other mods," the developer said in a statement. It will soon update the game's guidelines accordingly.

Minecraft has a marketplace where people can sell their creations for others to use. Mojang notes that some companies recently started offering NFTs that are connected to the game. There are some NFTs associated with Minecraft skin packs and world files that people can buy. The studio said it might have been possible for players to earn Minecraft NFTs for activities completed inside the game or elsewhere. Mojang is not on board with any of that.

"Each of these uses of NFTs and other blockchain technologies creates digital ownership based on scarcity and exclusion, which does not align with Minecraft values of creative inclusion and playing together," it said. "NFTs are not inclusive of all our community and create a scenario of the haves and the have-nots."

While Minecraft server owners are allowed to charge for access, Mojang rules state that everyone should have access to the same functionality and content. "NFTs, however, can create models of scarcity and exclusion that conflict with our guidelines and the spirit of Minecraft," the studio said.

Mojang also expressed concern about the speculative nature of NFTs and noted that some have been sold at "artificially or fraudulently inflated prices." Given that Minecraft has millions of young players, it probably wouldn't be a great look for the game to support NFTs. "The speculative pricing and investment mentality around NFTs takes the focus away from playing the game and encourages profiteering, which we think is inconsistent with the long-term joy and success of our players," Mojang said.

The studio and its parent company Microsoft have good reason to be wary of NFTs and blockchain tech. For one thing, there has been an overwhelming backlash from the broader gaming community against those technologies. For another, cryptocurrency prices have plummeted and the NFT market has dried up. Even the erstwhile leader in the blockchain gaming space, Axie Infinity, was the target of a major hack (with victims losing out as a result) and its daily player numbers have plummeted by over two thirds in the last few months.

Some other major players in the gaming industry have already shied away from NFTs and the blockchain. Last October, Steam banned games that enable cryptocurrency and NFT trading. Sony recently announced a PlayStation rewards program that includes digital collectibles. However, it emphasized that these could not be traded and the program does not involve NFTs or the blockchain.

However, Mojang isn't completely rejecting the blockchain. The studio said it will monitor the evolution of the technology to "determine whether it will allow for more secure experiences or other practical and inclusive applications in gaming."

Biden's latest climate change actions expand offshore wind farms

Posted: 20 Jul 2022 01:23 PM PDT

President Biden is still unveiling measures to combat climate change, and his newest efforts are aimed at preventing environmental crises. The President has outlined a string of executive actions that, notably, include the first "Wind Energy Areas" in the Gulf of Mexico. The 700,000 acres will allow for enough potential offshore wind power to supply over 3 million homes, according to the administration. The Secretary of the Interior, meanwhile, will further work on wind power along the mid-to-southern Atlantic Coast as well as the Florida Coast.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has unveiled $2.3 billion in funding to bolster resilience against heat waves, wildfires and similar climate change-related disasters. New guidance from the Department of Health and Human Services expands the use of the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program for air conditioning, community cooling centers and other resources to fight extreme heat.

As in the past, Biden characterized his efforts as useful for the economy, not just the environment. The wind power projects should create jobs, while the FEMA and Health Department initiatives could minimize the damage from natural disasters. These events disproportionately hurt minorities and underserved communities, he said, and they also put critical infrastructure at risk.

Biden has pledged to cut greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2030. The White House has also devoted billions of dollars to clean energy projects, planned a national EV charging network and fought to reverse the purchase of gas-powered Postal Service vehicles.

This isn't as extensive a response as some expected. The Washington Post reported that Biden considered declaring a climate emergency this week, though press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre confirmed he is still open to the idea. Biden is far from alone in failing to treat the warming climate with urgency, though. Congress has struggled to pass climate-related legislation given Senate opposition from Republicans and Democrat holdout Joe Manchin. These executive moves could help Biden advance elements of his climate agenda despite the legislative roadblock.

Apple's latest iOS and macOS updates offer more control over live sports

Posted: 20 Jul 2022 12:13 PM PDT

Apple may be several weeks away from releasing iOS 16, macOS Ventura and other major updates, but that isn't precluding one last hurrah for current-generation software. The company has released iOS 15.6, iPadOS 15.6 and macOS 12.5, all of which provide more control over live sports in the TV app. You can restart matches already in progress, and you'll find typical playback options like pause, fast-forward and rewind.

The new software also fixes a Safari bug that could revert a tab to a previous page. You can expect the customary round of security patches (most of which fix holes allowing arbitrary code), including equivalents for older macOS versions like Big Sur and Catalina. Equally new watchOS 8.7 and tvOS 15.6 releases, meanwhile, deliver bug and security fixes to Apple Watch and Apple TV users alongside generic "improvements."

The timing suggests these may be the last significant updates for existing software. Apple has historically shipped major versions of iOS, macOS and other software as soon as September, and there aren't hints of iOS 15.7 or similar upgrades on the horizon. The company is shifting its priorities, and the modest changes in these latest updates reflect that changing focus.

App developers can now suggest Alexa routines for you

Posted: 20 Jul 2022 11:37 AM PDT

At an Alexa developer event, Amazon revealed some tools that will make it possible for developers to create Alexa routines and suggest them to users. With user permission, they can use the Alexa Ambient Home Dev Kit to integrate their devices and services with other products more seamlessly.

For instance, they might suggest a routine that instructs a robot vacuum cleaner to get to work after you leave home and arm your security system. The dev kit will also allow for changes made in one app to be replicated elsewhere. So if you rename a room in the app you use to control your smart lights, Alexa and other compatible connected services can automatically update the room's name on their end too.

Another set of APIs is all about home states for scenarios such as Home, Vacation, Dinner Time and Sleep. Modes and settings can sync between devices and services based on the situation. So, when you go to bed, the home state function can make sure certain electronics turn off, the doors lock (it they haven't already) and the thermostat adjusts the temperature to your preferred nighttime setting.

Allowing companies to create routines could be both a timesaver for consumers and open up their eyes to some smart home possibilities that they might not have previously considered. Amazon says there are now more than 300 million smart home devices that folks have connected to Alexa, so there are a lot of opportunities to improve or streamline people's lives. That is, as long as they're willing to put their faith in Amazon, a company that doesn't exactly have a spotless track record when it comes to privacy in the home. While Amazon laid out more of its vision of the "ambient home" during the event, it said it's years away from truly bringing that to fruition.

Other announcements the company made include more ways it's playing nicely with alternative voice assistants. Universal Device Commands (UDCs) and Agent Transfers (ATs) will allow for simultaneous wake words on the same device, so that it can support multiple voice assistants. With UDCs, developers will be able to let users issue a command "using any compatible voice service's wake word, even if the service was not originally used to initiate the request." If a voice service can't handle a request, it can be transferred to another assistant through ATs. Amazon expects both capabilities to be enabled on the cloud side in the next 12 months. In addition, certain Skullcandy headphones will be able to handle Alexa and "Hey Skullcandy" requests simultaneously.

Apple's AirTag four-pack is on sale for $89 right now

Posted: 20 Jul 2022 11:20 AM PDT

Now's a good time to pick up a few AirTags while you can get a four-pack for one of the best prices we've seen. Amazon has the multipack of Apple's Bluetooth trackers for $89, or 10 percent off their usual rate. While the bundle briefly dropped to $85 on Prime Day last week, this $89 sale price is still a good deal, especially for those that have more than one item they'd want to keep track of with the gadgets. If a single AirTag is enough for you, you can pick one up for $27.50 right now.

Buy AirTag (4 pack) at Amazon - $89Buy AirTag (1 pack) at Amazon - $27.50

While Apple has competition from Tile, Chipolo and even Samsung to a degree in this space, those steeped in the Apple ecosystem will find a lot of advantages to AirTags. They pair quickly and seamlessly when placed next to iPhones, and then you can label them and track their locations using Apple's Find My network. You can force your AirTag to emit a chime, which should help guide you to your missing things, and those who have newer iPhones can use the ultra-wideband feature to be guided to their things using on-screen directions.

A slight downside to AirTags is their lack of keyring hole, which makes them a bit less versatile than competing trackers on their own. You'll have to buy a holder of some sort if you want to hook the AirTag to your keys, but the coin-sized devices can easily slip into a bag or wallet without taking up too much space.

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US Postal Service to boost purchases of electric vehicles

Posted: 20 Jul 2022 10:31 AM PDT

WASHINGTON (AP) — The US Postal Service plans to substantially increase the number of electric-powered vehicles it's buying to replace its fleet of aging delivery trucks, officials said Wednesday.

The Postal Service anticipates boosting electric vehicles from 20 percent to 50 percent in its initial purchase of 50,000 vehicles — with the first of them rolling onto delivery routes next year. It also proposes buying an additional 34,500 commercially available vehicles over two years, officials said.

The proposal, to be posted in the Federal Register on Thursday, came after 16 states, environmental groups and a labor union sued to halt purchases of next-generation delivery vehicles under the initial plan that was skewed heavily toward gas-powered trucks.

The new environmental proposal effectively pauses the purchases at 84,500 total vehicles — 40 percent electric — even as the Postal Service seek to buy up to 165,000 next-generation vehicles over the next decade to replace aging delivery trucks that went into service between 1987 and 1994.

Future purchases would focus on smaller amounts of vehicles in shorter intervals than the original 10-year environmental analysis, officials said. 

The goal is to be more responsive to the Postal Service's evolving operational strategy, technology improvements and changing market conditions, the Postal Service said in a statement. A public hearing on the new proposal will be held next month.

The next-generation delivery vehicles are taller to make it easier for postal carriers to grab packages and parcels that make up a greater share of volume. They also have improved ergonomics and climate control. 
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