Bluesky on Thursday quietly opened the doors to those who want to become verified on its social networking service. In a post published by the Bluesky Safety account, the company announced that βnotable and authenticβ accounts can now apply for verification through a new online form. Plus, organizations can request to become a Trusted Verifier [β¦]
With Starter Sets, Surf is simplifying the process of building those custom feeds, personalizing them, and even publishing them off-platform, if you choose.
Spotify says its ability to direct its customers to external payment links in its iOS app has already had a positive impact on sales. In a newly filed amicus brief in support of Epic Games in its ongoing legal battle with Apple over external payments on the App Store, Spotify claims its internal data indicates [β¦]
Google is rolling out a series of upgrades to its Play Store to help Android app developers better market their software and services to consumers. Among the highlights are new tools for managing subscription apps, topic pages that let users explore a specific subject on the Play Store, a new feature that allows people to [β¦]
Android Studio, the integrated development environment (IDE) for Android app developers, is getting an AI upgrade, Google announced at its developer conference, Google I/O 2025, on Tuesday. In addition to the rollout of the latest Gemini 2.5 Pro model, Android Studio is gaining a new βagentic AIβ capability called Journeys and will soon introduce an [β¦]
Googleβs AI Mode, the experimental Google Search feature that lets users ask complex, multi-part questions via an AI interface, will roll out to everyone in the U.S. starting this week, the company announced at its annual developer conference, Google I/O 2025, on Tuesday. The feature builds on Googleβs existing AI-powered search experience, AI Overviews, which [β¦]
A federal judge is asking Apple to approve Fortniteβs submission on the U.S. App Store or return to court to explain the legal basis as to why it has not done so. In a new filing, U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers confirms the court has received Epic Gamesβ latest motion, where it demands that [β¦]
Creator platformΒ Patreon has to modify its app to comply with Appleβs guidelines after a recent update allowed U.S. users to make purchases via the web. The company says that its own web-based checkout option is now the default for U.S. fans, but it has to update its app so that this checkout option opens in [β¦]
Epic Games claims that Apple is blocking its Fortnite app from the U.S. and EU App Stores. After winning a decisive victory for app developers in a legal battle with Apple, forcing the tech giant to allow external payments in its U.S. App Store without charging commission, Epic Games attempted to resubmit Fortnite to the [β¦]
Apple says the warning messages now appearing next to EU App Store listings that use third-party payment systems are not actually new. According to a number of recent reports, Apple added a warning with a red exclamation mark next to apps that it found were not using its own βprivate and secure payment system.β The [β¦]
Instagram Threads is taking on Linktree and other βlink-in-bioβ solutions by introducing a way for creators to use their Threads profile to share links to their other interests and online presences. At launch, the feature will support adding up to five links to a bio, which can connect visitors to the creatorβs blog, newsletter, website, [β¦]
YouTube announced a range of initiatives designed to attract more TV ad dollars to its platform at Brandcast, its annual Upfront event for advertisers. Notably, the Google-owned video service is expanding its relationship with the NFL and plans to exclusively stream the NFLβs first Friday game of the 2025-2026 season. Itβs also preparing to pilot [β¦]
Netflix is adding more livestreaming content, the company announced at its Upfront presentation on Wednesday. The service, which now reaches over 94 million global monthly active users, has been steadily introducing live TV to its audience with sports content from WWE wrestling, comedy, and awards shows, and other special events (some of which definitely didnβt [β¦]
Pinterest has now publicly apologized for the wave of moderation issues that have swept across the social network over the past few weeks, leading to account bans and Pin removals that users said were unwarranted. In posts published to social media on Tuesday, the company took responsibility for the issue, saying that an βinternal errorβ [β¦]
Android users will have more ways to find their devices and other items, Google announced on Tuesday during the Android Show, a week before Google I/O 2025. The company says its Find My Device feature, which allows Android users to locate lost phones and other devices, will become known as βFind Hubβ as it rolls [β¦]
During the Android Show leading up to Google I/O, Google on Tuesday offered a brief update on the adoption of the RCS (Rich Communication Services) protocol, an upgrade to SMS that offers high-resolution photos and videos, typing indicators, read receipts, improved group chat, and more. The company shared that the messaging standard now supports over [β¦]
Apple Music is introducing a new βaudio wellnessβ collection of songs called Sound Therapy. Designed in partnership with Universal Music Group (UMG), the feature combines songs that subscribers already know with other sound waves that promote focusing, relaxing, and sleeping. Songs may include auditory beats or colored noise, sound waves where the intensity varies at [β¦]
AllTrails, the hiking and biking companion that was named 2023βs iPhone App of the Year, is launching a new premium membership called βPeakβ that includes an upgraded feature set. This $80-per-year subscription will introduce AI tools to build custom routes and provide real-time trail condition forecasts, trail traffic heatmaps, and a feature that lets you [β¦]