WTF now?! #25 – Thursday 5–Wednesday 11 March 2026 This week: app stores, AI acquisitions and antitrust cases, oh my! Plus a peak at Palantir’s military contract, Katy Perry lost a trade mark dispute and La Trobe appointed an AI provost.

Well that round-up was HUGE! App stores, AI acquisitions and antitrust cases, oh my!

Google is making big worldwide changes to Google Play, Live Nation has settled with the US Department of Justice and AI companies are buying up other AI companies at gusto.

#AppStores #AI #GooglePlay #music

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Plus changes to Google Play store, music royalties, trade mark, video game pricing and more.

And it includes references to Katy Perry and Ben Affleck. Something for everyone!

#TradeMark #AppStores #KatyPerry #BenAffleck

Google Muzzles Epic's Tim Sweeney Until 2032 in Play Store Antitrust Deal Tim Sweeney has signed away his right to criticize Google until 2032, required by Epic's antitrust settlement to publicly endorse Google as procompetitive.

winbuzzer.com/2026/03/06/e...

Google Muzzles Epic’s Tim Sweeney Until 2032 in Play Store Antitrust Deal

#Google #EpicGames #Android #BigTech #TimSweeney #Antitrust #AppStores #GooglePlayStore #Gaming #GamingIndustry #Fortnite

Lilbits: Epic Loves Google now, ZTE launches a 7.5 inch phone, and Chuwi’s shady laptop processor changeup More than five years after launching an epic legal battle to challenge Google's Play Store policies, Epic Games has reached a settlement with Google that will result in Google reducing fees and making it easier for developers to offer third-party app stores and third-party billing services for Android devices. Shortly after I saw a Google blog post describing the changes…

Lilbits: Epic Loves Google now, ZTE launches a 7.5 inch phone, and Chuwi’s shady laptop processor changeup #AppStores, #Chuwi, #ChuwiCorebookX, #EpicGames, #Google, #GooglePlay, #NubiaNeo5Max, #PlayStore, #ThirdpartyAppStore, #ThirdpartyBilling

Major update: Google and Epic Games settle, leading to support for third-party app stores and reduced Play Store fees. A new era for Android developers and users! #Google #EpicGames #Android #AppStores Link: thedailytechfeed.com/google-and-e...

Google and Epic announce settlement to end app store antitrust case https://arstechni.ca #appstores #EpicGames #playstore #Google #google #Tech

Google's Mandatory Android Dev Registration Rule Faces Revolt EFF and F-Droid have led 37 organizations in demanding Google rescind its mandatory Android developer registration policy set to take effect in September 2026.

winbuzzer.com/2026/02/25/e...

Google's Android Dev Registration Faces Civil Society Revolt

#Google #Android #GooglePlay #BigTech #CyberSecurity #FreeSpeech #DigitalSovereignty #Developers #KeepAndroidOpen #Sideloading #AppStores

Louis Rossmann: "Age verification is getting out of hand" | #HowYoureGettingFucked #Technology #OperatingSystems #AppStores #ParentYourChildren
www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZon...

Explore the new wave of alternative app stores in the EU! From AltStore PAL to Epic Games Store, discover diverse apps beyond Apple's App Store. #AppStores #DigitalMarketsAct #EUApps Link: thedailytechfeed.com/eus-digital-...

Move over, Apple: Meet the alternative app stores available in the EU and elsewhere | TechCrunch A list of some of the alternative app stores iPhone users in the EU can try today. 

Move over, Apple: Meet the alternative app stores available in the EU and elsewhere #Technology #SoftwareandApps #Other #AppStores #TechNews #EURegulations

techcrunch.com/2026/02/22/move-over-app...

winbuzzer.com/2026/01/23/a...

Apple Blames EU for Setapp Store Shutdown After Closure

#Apple #EU #BigTech #Regulation #DMA #AppStores #Competition #Antitrust #EURegulations #Business #Technology #DSA #Gaming #OperatingSystems

Google and Epic Strike Secret $800M Deal Amid Antitrust Case - WinBuzzer Google and Epic Games have struck an $800 million partnership involving Unreal Engine and Android marketing, revealed during their antitrust settlement hearing.

winbuzzer.com/2026/01/23/g...

Google and Epic Strike Secret $800M Deal Amid Antitrust Case

#Google #Android #EpicGames #Fortnite #Antitrust #Legal #AppStores #BigTech #Gaming #Alphabet

Original post on mato.social

"#Apple & #Google's mobile #duopoly is held together with chewing gum, twine, and moral vacuity.
The whole facade of the duopolist's power hinges on the false claim that stores create #security.
Instead of protecting us, #appstores reward platform vendors for failure and foster centralising […]

Senators urged Apple and Google to remove X and Grok from app stores over sexual deepfakes “Turning a blind eye to X’s egregious behavior would make a mockery of your moderation practices,” three Democratic senators wrote to Apple’s and Google’s CEOs.

#ElonMusk #Grok #AI #ManipulatedImages #SexualizedImages #USSenate #Apple #Google #xAI #SenatorRonWyden #SenatorEdMarkley #SenatorBenRayLujan #AppStores

NBC News:

www.nbcnews.com/tech/interne...

Students and Big Tech are taking on Texas app store age verification law Two lawsuits have just been filed to stop the state's upcoming age verification law.

What happens when a state demands age verification for every app download? Texas faces lawsuits over its app-store age-check law. The issue spans privacy, platform control and business compliance.

#AppStores #AgeVerification #Regulation #BusinessTech #ConsumerPrivacy

Google insists sideloading on Android will survive, but doubts remain for independent app stores Google says sideloading will remain on Android under new developer verification rules, but concerns persist for indie app stores.

Is Android still open source? Google says sideloading is "fundamental" to Android and important for app stores, mobile devs & business strategy alike. Do you agree?

#Android #MobileDev #AppStores #BusinessTech

Students and Big Tech are taking on Texas app store age verification law Two lawsuits have just been filed to stop the state's upcoming age verification law.

What happens when a state demands age verification for every app download? Texas faces lawsuits over its app-store age-check law. The issue spans privacy, platform control and business compliance.

mashable.com/article/laws...

#AppStores #AgeVerification #Regulation #BusinessTech #ConsumerPrivacy

Google insists sideloading on Android will survive, but doubts remain for independent app stores Google says sideloading will remain on Android under new developer verification rules, but concerns persist for indie app stores.

"Is Android still open source? Google says sideloading is "fundamental" to Android and important for app stores, mobile devs & business strategy alike. Do you agree?

www.androidauthority.com/google-sidel...

#Android #MobileDev #AppStores #BusinessTech

Students and Big Tech are taking on Texas app store age verification law Two lawsuits have just been filed to stop the state's upcoming age verification law.

What happens when a state demands age verification for every app download? Texas faces lawsuits over its app-store age-check law. The issue spans privacy, platform control and business compliance.

#AppStores #AgeVerification #Regulation #BusinessTech #ConsumerPrivacy

Students and Big Tech are taking on Texas app store age verification law Two lawsuits have just been filed to stop the state's upcoming age verification law.

What happens when a state demands age verification for every app download? Texas faces lawsuits over its app-store age-check law. The issue spans privacy, platform control and business compliance.

#AppStores #AgeVerification #Regulation #BusinessTech #ConsumerPrivacy
https://mashable.com/article/la

Students and Big Tech are taking on Texas app store age verification law Students and Big Tech are taking on Texas app store age verification law

What happens when a state demands age verification for every app download? Texas faces lawsuits over its app-store age-check law. The issue spans privacy, platform control and business compliance.

#AppStores #AgeVerification #Regulation #BusinessTech #ConsumerPrivacy
https://mashable.com/article/la

Students and Big Tech are taking on Texas app store age verification law Students and Big Tech are taking on Texas app store age verification law

What happens when a state demands age verification for every app download? Texas faces lawsuits over its app-store age-check law. The issue spans privacy, platform control and business compliance.

#AppStores #AgeVerification #Regulation #BusinessTech #ConsumerPrivacy
https://mashable.com/article/la

Japan’s new competition law compels Apple to support third-party app stores and new payment freedoms SAN FRANCISCO — Apple has introduced sweeping policy adjustments in Japan as part of efforts to comply with the country’s newly implemented competition law, officially enabling iPhones to support third-party app stores and offering developers greater autonomy than ever before. The new legal framework allows Japanese developers to create independent app marketplaces that operate natively […]

Japan’s new competition law compels Apple to support third-party app stores and new payment freedoms #Apple #Japan #CompetitionLaw #AppStores #DeveloperFreedom

Is Android still open source? Google says sideloading is “fundamental” to Android and important for app stores, mobile devs & business strategy alike. Do you agree?

#Android #MobileDev #AppStores #BusinessTech

www.theregister.com/2025/10/29/keep_android_...

Google insists sideloading on Android will survive, but doubts remain for independent app stores Google says sideloading will remain on Android under new developer verification rules, but concerns persist for indie app stores.

Is Android still open source? Google says sideloading is "fundamental" to Android and important for app stores, mobile devs & business strategy alike. Do you agree?

#Android #MobileDev #AppStores #BusinessTech

Google insists sideloading on Android will survive, but doubts remain for independent app stores Google says sideloading will remain on Android under new developer verification rules, but concerns persist for indie app stores.

Is Android still open source? Google says sideloading is "fundamental" to Android and important for app stores, mobile devs & business strategy alike. Do you agree?

#Android #MobileDev #AppStores #BusinessTech zurl.co/Aoux8

👀 Das muß verbreitet werden. Was hinter dieser Headline steckt, das sollten möglichst viele lesen. Das sprengt Dimensionen!

#scammer #finanzbetrug gekaperte #Apps in #Appstores #OrganisierteKriminalität #GlobalesNetzwerk #China

http://archive.today

www.spiegel.de/netzw...

Our #new #Audio #Game AudioRoids is now live on the #AppStores
This Game is #designed for #blind people. Get it on 👾👉 apps.apple.com/de/app/audio...

play.google.com/store/apps/d...

@indiedevbot.bsky.social @gameinformer.com @gibiz.bsky.social @indiedevday.bsky.social @indiegamesooc.bsky.social

No Kings, No Monopolies: How App Store Gatekeepers Enable Authoritarianism | TechPolicy.Press Meher Sethi discusses how the app-store duopoly enables government pressure, including censorship of apps like ICEBlock, and poses growing risks to democracy.

Federal pressure on Apple and Google enabled the removal of community‑protection apps tracking ICE activity, advancing a new phase of digital repression. #Trump #DHS #ICE #DigitalRepression #AppStores #CivilRights #Immigration #TheTechPress

#china #bluedapp #finkapp #finka #blued #lgbtq #lgbt #queer #gay #bi #trans #webapp #standstrong #loveislove #unlockedapp #user #member #jointoday #userexperience #laws #appstores #android #apple #appstore