Latest news with #appstore
Bloomberg
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Bloomberg
Elon Musk Is Cashing In on the AI Romance Boom
Elon Musk is a no-holds-barred kind of tech billionaire. So too are his new AI companions. Two characters have been added this week to Grok, the chatbot developed by Musk's company xAI, including a flirtatious girl with all the hallmarks of a manga character: enormous eyes, thigh-high fishnet stockings and an exaggerated hourglass figure. Musk spent the early hours of Wednesday promoting the character on X, pointing to how Grok was climbing the app store ranks across the world.
Yahoo
08-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Apple appeals EC's €500m fine over App Store restrictions
Apple has appealed to the European General Court against the €500m ($590m) fine imposed by the European Commission (EC) in April 2025. The fine was issued after the EC concluded that Apple violated the Digital Markets Act (DMA) by restricting app developers from steering users to cheaper deals outside its App Store. This case is among the first under the DMA, which seeks to regulate large tech firms. Meta was also fined €200m for similar breaches. Apple had previously announced its intention to seek judicial review and subsequently filed its lawsuit on Monday as per the deadline, reported Reuters. The company stated: "Today we filed our appeal because we believe the European Commission's decision - and their unprecedented fine - go far beyond what the law requires." Apple further argued that the EC's directives for operating its store were perplexing for developers and disadvantageous for users. The Commission's investigation, which began in March 2024, concluded that Apple's policies infringed on the DMA's anti-steering rules. These regulations require app developers to have the ability to inform customers about alternative offers outside the App Store without incurring a charge. Developers should be able to guide consumers to these alternatives and facilitate purchases, according to the EC. The regulator's findings indicated that Apple's restrictions hindered developers and consumers from accessing more affordable options outside its platform. In response to these findings, the Commission ordered Apple to dismantle its technical and commercial restrictions that impeded steering, prohibiting any future conduct with similar effects. To avert punitive measures, Apple recently adjusted its App Store policies, aligning them with European Union (EU) requirements by eliminating barriers that prevented app developers from directing users elsewhere. This compliance effort was also intended to avoid daily fines calculated at 5% of Apple's average daily global revenue, equating to approximately €50m per day. In June 2025, an EU spokesperson confirmed to Euronews that immediate financial sanctions would not be applied to Apple or Meta if they fail to meet compliance deadlines. In parallel, the EU competition authority is seeking input from app developers before deciding whether to accept Apple's revisions or necessitate additional changes. This ongoing feedback process could influence future regulatory actions concerning Apple's App Store operations under EU law. "Apple appeals EC's €500m fine over App Store restrictions" was originally created and published by Verdict, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site.
Yahoo
07-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Fortnite maker Epic Games settles antitrust case against Samsung
Fortnite maker Epic Games has settled its antitrust case against Samsung, according to a court filing. The case, filed last September, accused Samsung of working with Google to block rival app stores by default on Samsung phones. 'We're dismissing our court case against Samsung following the parties' discussions,' Epic CEO Tim Sweeney said in a post on X. He added, 'We are grateful that Samsung will address Epic's concerns.' An Epic spokesperson declined further comment, pointing to Sweeney's post. Samsung and Google did not respond to TechCrunch's request for comment. Epic had alleged in the lawsuit that Samsung's 'Auto Blocker' feature, which blocked downloads outside of the Google Play Store and Samsung Galaxy Store, was a coordinated effort to block competition in app distribution. At the time, Google called Epic's legal action 'meritless,' saying, 'Android device makers are free to take their own steps to keep their users safe and secure.' Samsung said it planned to 'vigorously contest Epic Game's baseless claims.' The settlement comes almost a year after Epic launched its own mobile app store to distribute both its own games and third-party titles. Before suing Samsung, Epic won a separate antitrust case against Google in 2023 over claims that Google's app store practices constituted an illegal monopoly. A judge ordered Google to open its app store to rivals, though a decision on Google's appeal is still pending. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
TechCrunch
07-07-2025
- Business
- TechCrunch
Fortnite maker Epic Games settles antitrust case against Samsung
In Brief Fortnite maker Epic Games has settled its antitrust case against Samsung, according to a court filing. The case, filed last September, accused Samsung of working with Google to block rival app stores by default on Samsung phones. 'We're dismissing our court case against Samsung following the parties' discussions,' Epic CEO Tim Sweeney said in a post on X. He added, 'We are grateful that Samsung will address Epic's concerns.' An Epic spokesperson declined further comment, pointing to Sweeney's post. Samsung and Google did not respond to TechCrunch's request for comment. Epic had alleged in the lawsuit that Samsung's 'Auto Blocker' feature, which blocked downloads outside of the Google Play Store and Samsung Galaxy Store, was a coordinated effort to block competition in app distribution. At the time, Google called Epic's legal action 'meritless,' saying, 'Android device makers are free to take their own steps to keep their users safe and secure.' Samsung said it planned to 'vigorously contest Epic Game's baseless claims.' The settlement comes almost a year after Epic launched its own mobile app store to distribute both its own games and third-party titles. Before suing Samsung, Epic won a separate antitrust case against Google in 2023 over claims that Google's app store practices constituted an illegal monopoly. A judge ordered Google to open its app store to rivals, though a decision on Google's appeal is still pending.
The Guardian
07-07-2025
- Business
- The Guardian
Apple appeals against ‘unprecedented' €500m EU fine over app store
Apple has launched an appeal against an 'unprecedented' €500m (£430m) fine imposed by the EU on the company, in the latest clash between US tech companies and Brussels. The iPhone maker accused the European Commission – the EU's executive arm – of going 'far beyond what the law requires' in a dispute over its app store. In April the commission fined Apple €500m after finding the company had breached the Digital Markets Act by preventing app developers from steering users to cheaper deals outside the app store. Last month, Apple overhauled its app store rules to comply with the EU order to scrap its technical and commercial curbs on developers in order to avoid fines of 5% of its average daily worldwide revenue, or about €50m a day. As a result Apple introduced new fee structures for developers using its app store. On Monday, Apple accused Brussels of making it deploy 'confusing' business terms in order to avoid the threat of fines. 'Today we filed our appeal because we believe the European Commission's decision – and their unprecedented fine – go far beyond what the law requires,' said Apple, announcing an appeal to the general court, the second highest court in the EU. 'As our appeal will show, the EC is mandating how we run our store and forcing business terms which are confusing for developers and bad for users.' Apple also accused the commission of unlawfully expanding the definition of 'steering' – or the language and methods the company allows developers to use when guiding consumers outside its app stores. The company said Brussels officials had changed the definition by, for instance, not just focusing on whether app developers should be allowed to link to an external website, but also on whether developers should be permitted to promote offers inside an app. Donald Trump's senior trade adviser, Peter Navarro, has accused the EU of using 'lawfare' against big US tech companies, describing the use of regulations against American companies such as Apple and Meta as part of a barrage of 'non-tariff weapons' used for by foreign states against the US. Henna Virkkunen, the European Commission vice-president responsible for tech sovereignty, said in April that the EU will not rip up its tech rules in an attempt to agree a trade deal with the US. In January Mark Zuckerberg, the chief executive of the Facebook owner Meta, accused the EU of 'institutionalising censorship' via its digital rules. Sign up to Business Today Get set for the working day – we'll point you to all the business news and analysis you need every morning after newsletter promotion Trump has set a 9 July deadline to seal a trade deal with the bloc – with the threat of imposing a 50% tariff on EU imports into the US if agreement is not reached. Tom Smith, a competition lawyer at Geradin Partners and a former legal director at the UK's Competition and Markets Authority, said Apple 'fundamentally hates' attempts to change its app store. 'The blunt truth is that it is worth spending a few million on legal fees in order to disrupt and delay the development of a more open app ecosystem, which is a market that is worth many billions a year to Apple,' he said. The European Commission has been approached for comment.
