- Apple’s appeal to block third-party links in the App Store has been rejected by the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals.
- The decision allows apps to include payment links without a 27% fee, lifting restrictions imposed by Apple.
- This ruling is a significant win for developers and users.
In April, Apple lost its tussle with Epic Games, after a US federal count ruled to allow third-party links in the apps without any upcharge. Apple, obviously displeased with the decision, tried to appeal their case, but it was rejected by the US appeals court, taking another loss.
Apple attempted to appeal its case at the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals, but it was rejected. The Appeals court mentioned in their decision [ PDF ] that they were “not persuaded”. It further added that blocking the current ruling wouldn’t be the right step to take after carefully considering all aspects.
Image Courtesy: viewfinder / Shutterstock
Apple spokesperson Olivia Dalton had this to say on the decision, “As we’ve said before, we strongly disagree with the district court’s opinion. Our goal is to ensure the App Store remains an incredible opportunity for developers and a safe and trusted experience for our users”.
Before the April ruling , Apple would impose a 27% fee on third-party purchases using a link within an app. This is why apps like Kindle wouldn’t include an option to buy books from the app directly. The Cupertino giant also discouraged users from making external payments, showing a warning in the App Store itself.
However, after the April 30th ruling, all these restrictions were lifted. In reaction to this, many apps like Kindle and Spotify quickly feature payment links. Even Fortnite made a comeback on the App Store. The decision didn’t sit well with Apple. With their appeal has been rejected, it will be difficult for the company to overturn the decision in their favor.
With over 4 year of experience under the belt, I cover all facets of consumer tech, from smartphones to other consumer electronics, our favorite social media apps, as well as the growing realm of AI and LLMs. As an Apps and AI writer app Beebom, I provide my expertise in all these areas, weaving stories that help you get familiar with the tech around you. But you will find me playing NYT daily puzzles in my free time.
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- Apple might streamline the operating system version number across all its devices.
- The company might change the current naming scheme to match the subsequent year of their release.
- This means, we will get iOS 26 instead of iOS 19 this year and the big change could get announced at WWDC on June 9th.
Most of us are sitting in anticipation of iOS 19, which is set to be announced at WWDC 25. However, it appears that the Cupertino company may be planning something entirely different. It’s now possible that Apple could reportedly skip iOS 19 and go with iOS 26 as a part of their new naming scheme.
According to Bloomberg , Apple is ditching the current naming scheme for a new one. Rather than increasing the version number every year, they will instead name them by year. However, they will name it after the coming year instead of the current one.
This is why we will get iOS 26 instead of 25. It’s a similar approach to car manufacturers naming their new models. Or even Samsung, which has simplified the naming scheme of their flagship Galaxy S phones. This change isn’t exclusive to iOS, but all Apple operating systems. So we may get iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS 26, and Apple TV OS 26 later this year.
With over 4 year of experience under the belt, I cover all facets of consumer tech, from smartphones to other consumer electronics, our favorite social media apps, as well as the growing realm of AI and LLMs. As an Apps and AI writer app Beebom, I provide my expertise in all these areas, weaving stories that help you get familiar with the tech around you. But you will find me playing NYT daily puzzles in my free time.
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- Apple and Google have officially confirmed their team-up for the next-gen Siri AI.
- The Cupertino Giant will be using Google’s Gemini for a more personalized Siri model as well as Apple Intelligence features.
- We can expect the next-gen Siri to come out with iOS 26.4, sometime in March or April.
Apple has officially confirmed joining forces with Google to use its Gemini AI model to power the next-generation Siri. It will offer a more personalized experience and will be coming out with the iOS 26.4 update. Apple also plans to leverage Gemini’s capabilities for other Apple Intelligence features as well, later down the line.
The Next-Gen Siri will be powered by Google’s Gemini AI
Apple officially confirmed that it will be partnering with Google in a statement to CNBC . Here’s what it stated, “After careful evaluation, we determined that Google’s technology provides the most capable foundation for Apple Foundation Models, and we’re excited about the innovative new experiences it will unlock for our users.”
Later, Google also shared a post on X confirming the tie-up, “Apple and Google have entered into a multi-year collaboration under which the next generation of Apple Foundation Models will be based on Google’s Gemini models and cloud technology. These models will help power future Apple Intelligence features, including a more personalized Siri coming this year.”
Image Credit: X/@NewsFromGoogle
Both statements clearly mention that the Cupertino Giant will be using Gemini to power its assistant Siri. This was already rumored, as Apple’s attempts to acquire Perplexity went nowhere. With Gemini, Siri will get a major AI update . It will be able to handle more nuanced conversations and provide better results. Something long-time Apple users have been asking for years.
The next-gen Siri will arrive with the iOS 26.4 update, which will launch sometime in March or April. And it is only going to be available for Apple Intelligence-supported devices .
Something else worth noting is how Google’s statement mentions that Gemini will power Apple Intelligence features. This leads us to believe that Apple could use Gemini’s multi-modal capabilities for its Writings tools , Image Playground , and Message summaries, too.
Elon Musk Not Happy With Apple and Google Tie Up
xAI CEO Elon Musk also responded to Google’s announcement post on X, sharing his thoughts on the matter by saying, “This seems like an unreasonable concentration of power for Google, given that they also have Android and Chrome.” Though we don’t expect either Apple or Google to respond to Elon, we will update the situation as it progresses.
It is worth noting that xAI is the company behind Grok, which is in hot water currently due to its inappropriate image generation fiasco , and has been getting backlash from multiple news outlets, X users, and even government authorities.
With over 4 year of experience under the belt, I cover all facets of consumer tech, from smartphones to other consumer electronics, our favorite social media apps, as well as the growing realm of AI and LLMs. As an Apps and AI writer app Beebom, I provide my expertise in all these areas, weaving stories that help you get familiar with the tech around you. But you will find me playing NYT daily puzzles in my free time.
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