The Chinese automaker Geely announced that it has partnered with the social media and gaming giant Tencent. The two companies will join forces in an effort to build the cars of the future. The goal of the partnership is to develop the necessary features for smart cars and autonomous driving tech.

Tencent Said They Will Work With Geely to Make Mobile Apps and Functions for Drivers and Passengers

In a recent statement, Tencent said that the two companies would work together to make mobile apps and functions that include multi-screen interaction, intelligent speech, and smart surfaces. These would all be developed with the goal of being accessible to drivers and passengers alike. Neither of the two companies has yet said how much money it would commit to the new partnership.

Geely Has Already Partnered With Baidu to Build Electric Cars

Recently, Geely also announced that it was teaming up with the search giant Baidu to develop electric cars. This is just the latest example of automakers working with tech companies to build vehicles that are better for the environment. The partnership sent Tencent stock 3.7% higher in Hong Kong and boosted the Shares in Geely by 5.6%, resulting in a new record high for its stock.

Geely was apparently busy entering into partnerships because the one with Tencent was the third in recent weeks. In addition to its agreement with Baidu, Geely also signed a deal with Apple supplier Foxconn. This deal was about making cars for other automakers and consulting on electric vehicles. Apparently, Geely is getting ready to take the next step in making the cars of the future.

The recent flurry of corporate activity in the Chinese car-making industry is due to the rising competition for next-generation cars. More importantly, it is about who would win the market in China, which is the largest market for cars in the world. In addition to the steps Geely took recently, Tesla began rolling out its own made-in-China vehicle – the Model Y, while Volkswagen launched its electric SUV.

2020 has been a strange year, and according to the internet, it got even weirder at the end of June. Rumors emerged earlier on in the month that the Loch Ness Monster had been spotted, and within a few days, social media was full of people seeming to confirm the monster’s existence. The question is, was that really Nessie in the water?

The Initial Sighting

When the alleged picture of the Loch Ness Monster first appeared on Facebook, people wasted no time sharing it with their friends. The image quickly made its way to Twitter, and before long, thousands of users were posting the photo and talking about it. Plenty of people were willing to believe it was real because why not?

The picture was allegedly taken by Steve Challice back in 2019, although the man told the Daily Record that he didn’t believe in the creature’s existence. He thought there was a logical explanation for the animal in the photo, as well as all the previous supposed sightings of Nessie.

Not What It Seems

Given everything that’s happened this year, an appearance from the Loch Ness Monster doesn’t seem that crazy. However, despite people’s adamance on social media, that wasn’t actually Nessie in the picture. It was apparently a Wels catfish that had supposedly been photoshopped into the image. The creature appeared to have the same markings as that of a massive catfish caught by Benjamin Gruder back in 2018. Although the coloring was different, digital sleuths were sure that it was simply a case of digital trickery.

While we don’t know for certain that the image was faked, it seems a likelier answer than Challice actually photographing the Loch Ness Monster. If the picture is real, then the creature is probably just a Wels catfish. Still, we can’t blame people for hoping it was Nessie. After all, this year could do with something magical to make us smile.