Apple updated its App Store rules Friday to allow emulators for retro console games globally with an option for downloading titles.
Apple’s update will probably encourage some of those developers to bring their emulators to the App Store.
With Apple having to tweak App Store rules because of regulations, these kinds of games would provide another revenue stream for the company.
Plus, it updated App Store rules at that time to support in-app purchases for mini-games and AI chatbots.
“Apps may offer certain software that is not embedded in the binary, specifically HTML5 mini apps and mini-games, streaming games, chatbots, and plug-ins.
Instagram is working on a feature that would allow you to let others put a ‘Spin’ on your ReelInstagram is working on a “Spins” feature for Reels, its short-form video TikTok clone, the company confirmed to TechCrunch.
The feature, which was first spotted by reverse engineer Alessandro Paluzzi, would allow other users to swap out the text or audio in your Reels.
The feature could be used as a way for users to start trends by creating templates that other people can then put their own creative spin on.
#Instagram keeps working on “Spins” for #Reels 👀 ℹ️ Allow people to swap out text or audio in your Reel.
If released, the new feature would give Reels users and viewers access to a functionality that isn’t available on TikTok.
Apple will allow iOS developers located in the European Union to distribute apps from the web, rather then via its App Store.
“Web Distribution, available in a software update later this spring, will let authorized developers distribute their iOS apps to EU users directly from a website the developer owns and operates,” it writes.
iOS users will also need to approve the developer installing apps from their site via their iPhone Settings.
Apple’s initial proposal for DMA compliance did not allow web based distribution for apps.
While its current attempt to force EU users to consent to tracking is being challenged via GDPR and consumer protection complaints.
Turnitin laid off staff earlier this year, after CEO forecast AI would allow it to cut headcountPeople worry that advances in AI will lead to job losses, but rarely does a company’s CEO openly admit that AI will help to reduce their headcount.
TechCrunch learned that Turnitin laid off around 15 people earlier this year, as part of broader organizational changes.
Klarna recently announced that its AI Assistant can do the job of 700 workers, shocking the industry.
(Klarna later clarified that the customer service workers the AI was replacing were hired from outsourcing firms, not direct employees.)
Turnitin confirmed its layoffs in a statement to TechCrunch, but not the headcount:
Opera revealed today that it will launch a new AI-powered browser built on its own engine for iOS in Europe.
The changes will allow developers to offer browsers that are not based on the WebKit browser engine.
Opera says the changes will allow it to provide iPhone users with an AI-powered alternative to Safari.
Last year, Opera introduced its “Aria” browser AI and redesigned its flagship desktop browser and called it Opera One, which will also be the name of the new iOS browser.
At the time, Opera said the new browser has elements that will make it ready for a “generative AI-based future.”
In an unannounced update to its usage policy, OpenAI has opened the door to military applications of its technologies.
While the policy previously prohibited use of its products for the purposes of “military and warfare,” that language has now disappeared, and OpenAI did not deny that it was now open to military uses.
Unannounced changes to policy wording happen fairly frequently in tech as the products they govern the use of evolve and change, and OpenAI is clearly no different.
It’s a substantive, consequential change of policy, not a restatement of the same policy.
Even a strict “no military” policy has to stop after a few removes.
Threads’ roadmap for integrations with the fediverse, aka the network of decentralized apps that includes Twitter/X rival Mastodon and others, has been revealed.
In the meeting, which Coates characterized as a “good faith” effort by the Instagram team, the roadmap for Threads’ fediverse integration was laid out, starting with a December launch of a feature within the Threads app that would allow their posts to become visible to Mastodon clients.
Meta did, in fact, start testing ActivityPub integration in December, allowing Threads posts to appear on Mastodon.
In addition, this rule would potentially come into play when a user banned from Meta’s platform moved their content to another Mastodon server.
Other questions remained unresolved at this time — like whether Threads would surface third-party Mastodon content in its algorithmic feed, whether it would ultimately allow for algorithmic choice, whether Mastodon content would be made to appear visually differentiated from Threads’ content in some way, and more.
Google announced today that the company plans to support more real-money games (RMG) on the Play Store this year by allowing more types of games in the category following local laws.
Google started working on including real money gaming apps on the Play Store in 2021.
Last year, it started a pilot in India to allow fantasy sports and Rummy apps on the local Play Store.
In 2020, Google pulled Paytm’s app from the Play Store because the app included newly introduced fantasy sports elements.
After that developers will be able to publish their real-money gaming apps on the Play Store beyond fantasy sports categories.
Apple has started experimenting a feature on the App Store that allows developers to offer “contingent pricing” for subscriptions.
That means developers can club subscriptions for two apps at a discounted price.
While the feature is in the test phase, Apple said developers can promote this discount on off-platform marketing channels, according to 9to5Mac.
DMA asks app distribution platforms such as Apple’s App Store and Google’s Play Store to allow users to install apps through alternative ways.
Apple’s marketing language on this feature indicates that the App Store can handle complex processing of payments and subscriptions even when multiple apps and developers are involved.
