US senators reintroduce bill to open Apple and Google's app stores
The Open App Markets Act applies its changes to app stores with 50,000 monthly users or more, most obviously applicable to the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store. Like the original bill, the reintroduced Open App Markets Act wants covered companies to allow things like sideloading, third-party app stores and alternative payments systems, while protecting developers ability to "tell consumers about lower prices and offer competitive pricing." It would also prevent app store operators from privileging their own apps and services in app store search results.
While the aims of the new bill are largely the same as the original one, the legal environment is meaningfully different. Apple has been forced to allow third-party app stores and alternative payment systems in the European Union following the introduction of the Digital Markets Act in 2022. Thanks to its failure to make good on the small concession Epic won via its lawsuit, Apple has also been forced to allow developers to direct customers to pay for things outside of the App Store and its in-app payments system. The Open App Markets Act would make these kinds of changes the law in the US.
It seems possible the bill could pass, too. Regulatory pressure on tech companies has only increased since 2021. For example, Utah recently passed an age-verification law that would require app stores to only allow users 18 and up to make an account.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hamilton Spectator
an hour ago
- Hamilton Spectator
US, Indo-Pacific partners agree to strengthen maritime, critical minerals cooperation
WASHINGTON (AP) — The United States. Australia, India and Japan have agreed to expand their cooperation on maritime security in the Indo-Pacific and further collaborate on supplies of critical minerals and rare earths that are key components of high-tech production. The foreign ministers of the four countries, known as the 'Quad,' met in Washington on Tuesday as the Trump administration seeks to expand U.S. influence in the Indo-Pacific to compete with a rising China amid tensions with partners over trade and defense issues. In a joint meeting with his three colleagues, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the Quad must be a 'vehicle for action' that goes beyond statements of intent and stressed that commerce and trade will be critical to ensuring the group's relevance in the future. To that end, the four announced in a statement the creation of a 'Quad Critical Minerals Initiative' that aims 'to strengthen economic security and collective resilience by collaborating on securing and diversifying critical mineral supply chains.' The statement did not provide details of the initiative. 'We are deeply concerned about the abrupt constriction and future reliability of key supply chains, specifically for critical minerals,' they said. 'This includes the use of non-market policies and practices for critical minerals, certain derivative products, and mineral processing technology.' The statement did not mention China by name, but Chinese domination of the critical minerals supply chain has long been a concern of the U.S. and others. The ministers expressed specific concern about rising tensions in the East and South China Seas, where Beijing has become increasingly assertive of maritime and territorial claims that are rejected by its smaller neighbors. 'We reiterate our strong opposition to any unilateral actions that seek to change the status quo by force or coercion,' they said. 'We express our serious concerns regarding dangerous and provocative actions, including interference with offshore resource development, the repeated obstruction of the freedoms of navigation and overflight, and the dangerous maneuvers by military aircraft and coast guard and maritime militia vessels, especially the unsafe use of water cannons and ramming or blocking actions in the South China Sea.' The ministers also condemned North Korea for continuing to launch ballistic missiles, expand its nuclear weapons program and engage in malicious cyberactivity. In a veiled reference to North Korean support for Russia in its war against Ukraine, they expressed 'deep concern about countries that are deepening military cooperation with North Korea, which directly undermines the global nonproliferation regime.' Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Apple glasses just tipped for 2027 launch — here's everything we know
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. We've heard a bunch of rumors about Apple's plans for smart glasses, and other wearable head gear, but those plans may be grander than we initially thought. According to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple has at least 7 different head-bound devices in development right now. According to the analyst's report, "Apple views head-mounted devices as the next major trend in consumer electronics." Which may explain why it's putting so much work into developing different options. Apparently this includes three Vision series products and four different kinds of smart glasses. None of these are expected to arrive in 2026, and the first releases are planned to arrive from 2027. Kuo claims that 5 of these products have "confirmed development timelines," while the final 2 are still TBD. The first new product set to arrive is apparently the Ray-Ban-like smart glasses, with projected shipments of 3-5 million units in 2027. However, he believes an M5-powered Vision Pro, which is otherwise unchanged from the current model, is set to go into mass production in Q3 of this year. Kuo claims that these glasses will have no display functionality — instead relying on audio playback, cameras, video recording and an AI that can analyze the world around you. There will also apparently be voice and gesture controls to go along with it. Kuo's report predicts that a lightweight "Vision Air" will enter mass production in Q3 2027, with a 40% reduction in weight, lower price tag and "Apple's latest flagship iPhone processor." Meanwhile, the 2nd generation Vision Pro is expected to arrive in late 2028, with a new lighter design, a lower price and a "Mac-grade processor." In terms of glasses, late 2028 is also when Kuo predicts a set of XR glasses will arrive, complete with a liquid crystal on silicon (LCoS) color display — plus voice and gesture controls. AI support is said to be critical to its success. Some kind of tethered display accessory is also said to have been in development, but has been paused since last year. Apparently, this was delayed because it doesn't have what Apple needs to better compete with rival products. It's unclear what the final seventh device actually is, and Kuo doesn't go into details about what might be involved. Between Meta's Project Orion AR glasses and current Ray-Ban and Oakley smart glasses, Google's Android XR glasses, Samsung's Project Moohan and upstarts like Xreal, Apple really has its work cut our for it. The competition is heating up, and right now 2027 seems like a very long way away. Samsung just tipped to show off Project Moohan headset during Galaxy Unpacked in July Meta Quest 3S Xbox Edition is real — and after months of cloud gaming, I'd choose it over an actual Xbox Samsung's tri-fold Galaxy G Fold could appear at Unpacked — what we know
Hamilton Spectator
an hour ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Man who killed his family after his wife sought a divorce is set for execution in Florida
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — A man who killed his wife and two children in 1994 after she sought a divorce is scheduled for execution in Florida under a death warrant signed Tuesday by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis. Edward J. Zakrzewski, II, is set to die July 31 in the ninth execution scheduled for this year in the state. He pleaded guilty in 1996 to three counts of first-degree murder and received three death sentences in the killings of wife Sylvia Zakrzewski, son Edward Zakrzewski, 7, and Anna Zakrzewski, 5. The man beat his wife with a crowbar and machete and strangled her to death and killed the children with a machete June 9, 1994, in Okaloosa County. He eventually turned himself into law enforcement after the case was profiled on the television show 'Unsolved Mysteries,' according to court documents. Another man on death row, Michael Bernard Bell , 54, is set to die by lethal injection July 15 at Florida State Prison. He's convicted of killing two people outside a bar. Thomas Lee Gudinas , 51, who was convicted of raping and killing a woman in Florida, was executed following a lethal injection at the same prison last week. The state also executed six people in 2023 but only carried out one execution last year. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
