Payment companies team up to help developers ditch App Store billing
This launch follows the Epic v. Apple ruling in April that blocks Apple from collecting fees on purchases made outside of its App Store system and restricting in-app links to external payments in the US. That means app developers are less restricted by Apple's commission charges and payment system, but would be faced with independently managing complexities like tax, compliance, and cross-platform support for subscriptions.
The RevenueCat and Paddle integration is designed to make these issues easier for developers to navigate. It's supported across iOS, Android, and web, allowing consumers to subscribe on one platform and automatically unlock access across others. RevenueCat provides an analytics dashboard for managing performance insights, while Paddle handles payments, tax, and compliance on the web.
'There's a huge opportunity for subscription apps to grow revenue by expanding to the web — but that shift brings new technical and operational challenges,' Paddle CEO Jimmy Fitzgerald said in the announcement. 'By partnering with RevenueCat, we're making it easier for developers to manage subscriptions across platforms, while giving them more control over how and where they monetize.'
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CNET
an hour ago
- CNET
The Beats Studio Pro Headphones Shocked Me by Becoming an Essential Part of My Everyday Life
It all started when my beloved Apple AirPods just stopped working one day. No matter what I did, attempting to charge and revive them, they simply would not turn on, and I had to finally accept that they'd had a good run, and it was time to put them to rest. RIP. That put me in a tricky predicament, though. I use headphones at least 4 to 5 hours a day, and I desperately needed new ones immediately. I knew I was due for an upgrade, but the AirPods weren't on sale at the time. But coincidentally, the Beats Studio Pro were. I didn't expect to fall in love with a pair of headphones so quickly, especially because I loved my Apple buds so much. I was just hoping for solid noise cancellation and good sound quality, but the Beats delivered so much more -- and now they're an essential part of my daily routine, practically an extension of my ears. Like I said, I get a lot of mileage out of them every single day. Whether I'm writing, commuting, doing chores or taking my precious pup out for a walk, the Beats Studio Pro are there with me. And now, most colors are $50 off on Amazon. Here's how the Beats Studio Pro work Let's start with the specs. The Beats Studio Pro are premium over-ear headphones that bring serious upgrades to the iconic Beats design. Think of these as the grown-up, more refined cousin of the Beats Solo series. They're still stylish, still punchy, but with significantly better sound quality and comfort. Here are some key features of the Beats Studio Pro: Hey, did you know? CNET Deals texts are free, easy and save you money. Active Noise Cancellation and Transparency Mode : Two core features that let you tune out the world or stay aware, depending on your mood. The ANC is excellent, especially for this price, and it's great for navigating travel, open offices or city streets. and : Two core features that let you tune out the world or stay aware, depending on your mood. The ANC is excellent, especially for this price, and it's great for navigating travel, open offices or city streets. USB-C Lossless Audio : A game-changer for audiophiles. With USB-C, you can listen to lossless audio directly from your device -- no compression, just crystal-clear sound. : A game-changer for audiophiles. With USB-C, you can listen to lossless audio directly from your device -- no compression, just crystal-clear sound. Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking: This creates an immersive, surround-sound-like experience. with dynamic head tracking: This creates an immersive, surround-sound-like experience. Custom 40mm drivers : Deliver balanced sound, with punchy bass, crisp mids and smooth highs. : Deliver balanced sound, with punchy bass, crisp mids and smooth highs. Battery : Up to 40 hours with ANC off or 24 hours with it turned on. That's more than enough to get you through several workdays or even a full international flight without scrambling for a charger. : Up to 40 hours with ANC off or 24 hours with it turned on. That's more than enough to get you through several workdays or even a full international flight without scrambling for a charger. Built-in microphones and voice-targeting beamforming tech: Translation: your voice will sound clear on calls, even in a noisy space. They also pair effortlessly with both Apple and Android devices, thanks to support for Find My, Google Fast Pair and one-touch pairing. CNET audio expert David Carnoy closely reviewed these earphones and found both the sound quality and voice-calling performance impressive. "The noise canceling is quite effective," Carnoy wrote in his review. "It's the adaptive variety, so it's not a fixed setting, and occasionally I'd hear it shift in strength as it adjusted to the ambient noise around me, whether I was on the subway or walking the streets of New York." Why I'm obsessed with my Beats There are plenty of great headphones out there. So what sets these apart for me? First and foremost, I love the comfort. I've worn lots of over-ear headphones that start to ache or feel heavy after an hour or so. I also have several ear piercings -- five in my left ear and three in my right -- and that means many over-ear headphones push the earring into my skin, digging in until it's quite painful. Not these. The earcups are plush, the clamping force is just right, and the memory foam actually makes a difference. I can wear them for hours without fatigue, which is saying something when you log four to five hours a day in them. The sound quality is also great. Beats used to have a reputation for overly bass-heavy tuning, but the Studio Pro strikes a beautiful balance. There's still that satisfying low-end thump when I'm listening to pop, hip hop or K-pop, but it doesn't overpower the vocals or mids. Whether I'm streaming Hozier for the umpteenth hour, catching up on podcasts or listening to a new audiobook, everything sounds great. Finally, the ANC and Transparency Mode are shockingly good. I've used my Beats in loud coffeeshops, on airplanes and while vacuuming, and they efficiently block out noise like a champ. But when I need to hear what's going on (like when I run into one of my neighbors while I'm walking my dog), a quick button press switches me into Transparency Mode, and I can hear them clearly. It's seamless. I would also be remiss if I didn't mention their style. Frankly, they just look cool. I know that's not the most important thing, but the sleek matte finish, the minimalist design and the range of colors make these headphones feel like a fashion accessory as much as a tech device. I have the "Earth" color headphones, and they look so gorgeous with any outfit. My one request, though, (Beats execs, I'm sure you're reading this!) would be to make these in a sage green color. Pretty please? They'd make a great gift for any audiophile Buying tech for someone else can be tricky, but I think the Beats Studio Pro are a pretty safe bet for anyone for a few reasons. For one, they work across platforms, so it doesn't matter if your gift recipient is team iPhone or Android. The intuitive pairing process, native device integration and wide compatibility make these user-friendly for just about anyone. They're also great for all types of use cases. Daily commuters? Check. Frequent flyers? Definitely. College students pulling all-nighters, or music lovers who want to hear every nuance of a track? Absolutely. These can suit really any type of person, day in and day out. The Beats just feel premium, too. This is the kind of gift someone might not splurge on for themselves, but they would certainly be grateful to open up these Beats, no matter the occasion. If you're shopping for a summer birthday or anniversary, these are a hit waiting to happen. Why this Beats deal matters Let's get down to numbers. The Beats Studio Pro normally retail for $350 or $450, depending on the color you select. That's pretty pricey. But right now, most colors are marked down to about $300. I keep a pretty close eye on tech deals, and huge discounts don't come around often, especially on newer, high-demand models. That means I don't expect a much bigger sale on this product anytime soon. Considering the quality, durability and features packed into these headphones, you're getting a lot for your investment, including flagship-level ANC, excellent sound and cross-platform support for less than the cost of most premium earbuds. My final thoughts on my Beats Studio Pro headphones In a world full of flashy gadgets and fleeting trends, the Beats Studio Pro are the real deal. They've become an essential part of my everyday life, not because they're trendy or hyped, but because they work. They're reliable, comfortable and sound fantastic. If this discount puts them in your price range, it's a great time to pull the trigger and buy them.
CNET
2 hours ago
- CNET
Why the Powerbeats Pro 2 Earbuds Instantly Became My Go-To Workout Companions
Beats launched the Powerbeats Pro 2 earlier this year after a six-year hiatus in the lineup. The new pair introduced a built-in heart rate tracker, improved the ergonomics and borrowed the Apple H2 chip from the AirPods Pro 2. I've been using them on and off since launch, and these are my new go-to earbuds to use for workouts. The Powerbeats Pro 2 are feature-packed Beats' new workout earbuds represent one of the biggest generational updates to this model. They come equipped with the Apple H2 chip, which puts them on par with the AirPods Pro 2. Beats says it's "leveraged Apple's best noise canceling." I find that I get a good, secure seal when I'm wearing them, so the noise cancellation performance is pretty good. However, they're tuned differently compared with the flagship Apple earbuds. The Powerbeats Pro 2 are more bassy, which some gym enthusiasts might appreciate. The best part about them is their fit, thanks to their ear hook build. The music never left my ears. Whether I was on a run or in the gym, the earbuds sat comfortably. More than the fit, I was surprised by the voice-calling performance. As CNET's David Carnoy noted in his review, "Thanks to the H2 chip, new microphones and voice accelerometers to help pinpoint your voice, Beats has made some big improvements in the voice department." Read more: Best True Wireless Earbuds With Ear Hooks for 2025 Android users have to manually start the heart rate monitor in the app or use the control button on the buds. Screenshot by David Carnoy/CNET I haven't relied on their heart rate monitoring system, because I have an Apple Watch. And if you're like me and you already own the Apple Watch, your iPhone will prioritize readings from the Watch. If you don't own one, it'll show the heart rate data in Apple's Health app. Like other Beats products, the Powerbeats Pro 2 are also platform-agnostic, and the company says all Android fitness and wellness apps with heart rate monitoring capabilities are compatible with its earbuds. That said, the Powerbeats Pro 2 offer a few Apple-exclusive features, like personalized spatial audio with head tracking, hands-free Siri, audio sharing and iCloud pairing across all your Apple devices logged in to your iCloud account. Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 key specs Weight: 8.7 grams per earbud (case weighs 69 grams) Bluetooth 5.3 Apple H2 chip Custom designed, dual-element dynamic diaphragm transducer IPX4 splash-proof and sweat-proof Active noise cancellation (adaptive) Transparency mode Adaptive EQ Spatial audio with dynamic head tracking Six microphones total (one dedicated voice microphone on each earbud) Sensors (per bud): Optical in-ear detection, optical heart rate monitoring, accelerometer, gyroscope Customizable controls Five sizes of soft silicon ear tips (XS, S, M, L, XL) Wireless charging case (Qi compatible or via USB-C cable) Battery life: Up to 10 hours with ANC off (8 hours with ANC on) 35 additional hours from charging case with ANC off (28 hours with ANC on) Fast Fuel: 5-minute charge gets you up to 1.5 hours of playback Telephony: Up to five microphones employed for phone calls, wind-noise reduction, voice accelerometer isolates user's voice Colors: Electric Orange, jet black, Hyper Purple and Quick Sand The case isn't easy to carry Prakhar Khanna/CNET Though Beats made the Powerbeats Pro 2 50% smaller, the case is still on the bigger side. It isn't as comfortable as carrying other earbud cases, especially when you go for a run. I leave the case at home most of the time, but if you want a pair of earbuds that's easy to carry in a case, the Powerbeats Pro 2 aren't for you. That said, if portability isn't a priority, the Powerbeats Pro 2 can be counted among the best ear hook earbuds on the market right now, which is why they're on CNET's list of the best wireless earbuds of 2025. They offer good sound quality and great noise cancellation and voice call performance, and they stay snug in your ears. They also offer heart rate detection. With the $50 discount, this might be the best time to buy them. If you're interested in other options to improve your listening experience, check out our roundup of the best earbud and headphone deals.
Fast Company
2 hours ago
- Fast Company
Consumers win in Big Tech antitrust cases
Can you imagine your life without Google? Google Search, Google Chrome, Google Maps, Google Wallet, Google Drive, the Google Pixel phone—you could probably live your entire digital life within the Google ecosystem. Many, including the Justice Department, say that's a problem. The department recently won antitrust cases against Google's search engine and ad placement businesses. This may all feel abstract and perhaps invisible to most consumers. Google, Microsoft, Apple —they constitute the digital water we're all swimming in, and their monopoly raises prices, stifles innovation, and shapes our lives often to our detriment. The landmark antitrust case against Google marks a big victory against this status quo. Here's why it's so important. Monopolies create higher advertising costs Imagine promoting your business in a small town. You might buy an ad in the newspaper, put up a billboard, and run a spot on the local radio. Because these outlets are independent, you have lower prices and more advertising options. Now, imagine that the newspaper, billboard, and radio station are all owned by the same company. That shifts the dynamic: Because there is no competition for your ad dollars, prices are higher. That's essentially what the Google Ad business achieved, especially considering how critical digital advertising has become to businesses. People aren't watching commercials anymore. They're browsing the web during a commercial break. Google's monopoly on digital ads allows it to raise prices, making it harder for smaller businesses to compete and thrive. Google's monopoly created a less user-friendly internet Historically, about 90% of search traffic comes from Google, giving it a lot of power. For instance, Google uses an algorithm that examines web pages to score how relevant it is for search phrases, like 'pizza shop Minneapolis' or 'leaking fridge how to fix.' Because Google search is so dominant, people and companies who build and run websites do so with Google's algorithm in mind. That means the user experience takes a back seat to Google's preferences. If you've been to any recipe website lately, you know what I'm talking about. In a recent episode of the podcast Stay Tuned with Preet Bharara, former FTC chair Lina Khan noted that a monopoly is when a company can offer worse products and/or raise costs without suffering any substantial consequences in the market. 'You can understand this in some ways as a firm becoming too big to care,' Khan said. Many say the internet has become increasingly awful to use. The first page of search results are often dreck, in my opinion, written for Google's robots, not for humans. It's getting harder to find the information you're looking for, so a lot of people append their searches with tags for Reddit and YouTube, e.g. 'Hiking itinerary New Zealand Reddit' or 'best salmon dip recipe YouTube,' to cut through the SEO slop. Google's search monopoly could be a chokepoint for information Because of its dominance, Google can evolve in the direction of its own interests, rather than the interests of the user individually or collectively. It's not wild to imagine that Google can throttle searches for sensitive topics. During COVID, a 2020 Senate Commerce Committee hearing called Google CEO Sundar Pichai, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, and then-Twitter's then-CEO Jack Dorsey to question them about censoring conservative voices. Back in 2017, the World Socialist Web Site alleged that Google restrict ed access to 13 progressive and anti-war websites. For users, the question is not whether Google's algorithmic policies line up with your political views but whether Google can put its thumb on the scale regarding your access to information, based on what's advantageous for Google . It definitely can, and it definitely has. Monopolies stifle innovation Google can throw its weight around to thwart competition. In 2023, internet users noticed that YouTube (which Google owns) ran five seconds slower on the Mozilla Firefox browser than on Google Chrome. Ostensibly, Google tuned YouTube to purposely run slower on a competitor's browser to encourage users to switch to Chrome. Google, like many large companies, tends to acquire burgeoning competition rather than innovate in-house. Google has acquired hundreds of companies, from data analytics firms to rival search engines, from virtual reality developers to mapping products. When a company can buy out all the competition, consumers lose out on new ideas and better products, because the company has no incentive to pursue them. The ruling The ruling found that Google's default status with makers of smartphones, tablets, and laptops locked out rivals like Bing and DuckDuckGo, and that the integration of Google's adtech tools created a feedback loop that entrenched its monopoly. Google's ad business is facing its own antitrust lawsuit and may be broken up. The Department of Justice argues that Google's dominance in search (and its vast collection of user data) positions Google to achieve a similar feedback loop in AI -powered search and assistants—which could create a new monopoly. The DOJ has proposed forcing Google to sell Chrome and license some of its core search technologies to competitors, as well as ending default search agreements and allowing more visibility into how search results are ranked. The DOJ proposed Google give advance notice of AI-related acquisitions. Both sides have given their closing arguments and now await the judge's ruling, which is expected by August. This case is a blow against Big Tech in general, which has monopolized almost the entire digital world. I can only hope the FTC ' s antitrust case against Meta plays out in a similar fashion, and facilitates a return to a freer, more innovative digital world.
