Aaron Sorkin is set to write and direct a sequel to The Social Network, with Jeremy Strong reportedly the top choice to portray Mark Zuckerberg, replacing Jesse Eisenberg. The new film, titled The Social Network Part II, will explore the Facebook Files, a Wall Street Journal series uncovering harms caused by Meta's platforms through leaked documents. Mikey Madison and Jeremy Allen White are also considered for key roles, with White possibly portraying journalist Jeff Horwitz and Madison as whistleblower Frances Haugen. No formal offers have been made to the actors yet. The original Social Network premiered in 2010.
After winning an appeals court case, Epic CEO Tim Sweeney announced that the Epic Games Store for Android will be available again on the Google Play Store. This development follows a 2023 jury verdict that found Google's app store and payment system violated monopoly laws, a decision Google plans to appeal. The move will simplify access to Fortnite and other Epic games on Android devices, eliminating the need for sideloading or preloading deals. The Ninth Circuit has lifted a stay on the injunction requiring Google to allow third-party app stores, potentially opening the door for other competitors. Epic's Android store retains cross-platform game status and has introduced features like weekly free games. Google expressed concerns over user safety and innovation as it continues to appeal the ruling.
The Nintendo Switch 2 is making significant progress in reducing the delay for third-party game releases, a common issue with previous Nintendo consoles. Earlier Switch models often saw late or no releases of popular multiplatform games. Although the recent Nintendo Direct Partner Showcase lacked anticipated heavy-hitters like Hades 2 or FromSoftware's The Duskbloods, it provided valuable insights into upcoming games from second- and third-party developers. This marks a positive shift in Nintendo's collaboration with external developers and promises a better lineup for Switch 2 owners.
DJI has confirmed that it will not officially sell the 8K Osmo 360 camera in the United States, a first for its non-drone products. Despite the product having a page on DJI's US website, the Osmo 360 is currently only available through third-party retailers B&H and Adorama, who are accepting pre-orders for the camera, its Adventure Combo, and a wide range of accessories. DJI has not provided a clear explanation for skipping the US market with the Osmo 360 and has no timeline for its official availability. The Mavic 4 Pro drone faces similar distribution issues, being listed as temporarily out of stock at these retailers.
Reddit is leveraging its vast amount of user-generated data and strategic partnerships with AI companies like OpenAI and Google to enhance its search functionality. CEO Steve Huffman highlighted that Reddit is focusing its resources on transforming into a go-to search engine, aiming to convert the hundreds of millions of weekly visitors seeking advice into active search users. The platform's core search sees over 70 million weekly active unique users, while Reddit Answers, its AI-powered search tool launched in December, has grown from 1 million to 6 million weekly users this year. Reddit plans to expand Reddit Answers globally, integrate it deeper into the search experience, and make search a central feature across the site. This initiative may also serve as a strategic move to mitigate potential traffic losses from Google, which is increasingly providing AI-generated answers rather than linking to external sites. Celebrating its 20th anniversary, Reddit emphasizes its commitment to AI and community-driven content as it evolves in the changing internet landscape.
The Google Pixel Tablet with 256GB storage is currently available at Best Buy for $309, a $190 discount off the regular price of $499. This deal, which excludes the speaker dock, is available for today only or until supplies last. The 11-inch tablet, released in 2023, offers a sharp LCD display, four speakers, an 8MP webcam optimized for landscape video calls, and integrates with an optional speaker dock for enhanced audio. Although Google’s future tablet plans are uncertain, this sale presents a rare opportunity to get a solid-performing Android tablet with double the storage capacity at a lower price than the 128GB model. Note that Google promises three years of software updates and five years of security patches from 2023, less than the support period of newer Pixel phones.
Apple CEO Tim Cook announced that the company is open to mergers and acquisitions to enhance its AI capabilities amid a significant increase in AI investment. Following the release of Apple's impressive third-quarter earnings, which saw a 10% revenue growth to $94 billion, Cook highlighted Apple's efforts to integrate AI across its devices, platforms, and overall operations. Despite lagging behind competitors and facing challenges like delayed Siri upgrades, Apple is exploring partnerships with AI leaders like OpenAI and Anthropic and considering acquisitions such as the AI search startup Perplexity. Alongside AI developments, Apple's core businesses, including iPhone and services, continue to show robust growth. However, potential challenges remain due to tariffs and geopolitical tensions affecting production costs and supply chains. The company is also preparing for the upcoming launch of the iPhone 17 and iOS 26, which will introduce new design features.
Apple CEO Tim Cook revealed that tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump could increase Apple's costs by $1.1 billion in the September quarter. Apple has already incurred $800 million in tariffs during the June quarter, mostly related to China under the IEEPA tariffs. These tariffs affect all Apple devices manufactured mainly in China, India, and Vietnam. Most iPhones sold in the US are made in India, while Macs, iPads, and Apple Watches are primarily produced in Vietnam. Trump has warned of higher tariffs if Apple does not relocate some production to the US. Despite tariff challenges, Apple's revenue rose 10% to $94 billion in Q2, with strong iPhone and Mac sales.
Ever curious about what influential figures listen to on Spotify? Thanks to profile searches and a new collection called Panama Playlists, revealing the music tastes of politicians, journalists, and tech leaders, one can now explore such data. This collection, published anonymously, includes listening habits of notable individuals like OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, US Attorney General Pam Bondi, and comedian Seth Meyers. Five featured individuals confirmed their data's accuracy to The Verge.
Google has introduced a significant update to its AI Mode within Search, aimed at enhancing study and research capabilities for users. The update allows users to upload images to AI Mode on desktop, enabling them to inquire about the content, such as solving homework problems or identifying plants. This feature builds on the earlier launch of AI Mode in the US, which offers web search, summarization, and conversational follow-up questions. Additionally, Google is testing real-time camera sharing on mobile in the US, allowing users to ask questions by pointing their camera at objects. Improvements to Lens in Chrome include a new 'Ask Google about this page' option for generating AI Overviews. Future updates will enable PDF uploads and integration with Google Drive, while Canvas, a workspace for refining writing and creating content, will be available soon in AI Mode for US desktop users via Search Labs experiments.