App Stores
Apple allows alternative app stores on iPhones in Japan
Reported by AI Image generated by AI
Apple has announced it is opening iPhones to alternative app stores in Japan to comply with new laws aimed at boosting competition in the smartphone market. Japanese developers can launch their own app marketplaces and pay Apple as little as 5% of sales. Apps in the App Store will also offer alternative in-app payments alongside Apple's system, with commissions still applying.
Apple is starting to permit alternative app stores on iOS devices in Brazil. The move follows a December agreement with the nation's competition regulator. Developers will face a reduced fee structure for in-app purchases.
Reported by AI
Elon Musk's xAI has loosened safeguards on its Grok AI, enabling the creation of non-consensual sexual images, including of children, prompting regulatory scrutiny. Despite Google's explicit policies prohibiting such content in apps, the Grok app remains available on the Play Store with a Teen rating. This discrepancy highlights enforcement gaps in app store oversight.