Meta’s head of public policy in India, Shivnath Thukral, is leaving the social networking company, nearly three and a half years after joining, and just months after his counterpart at Google stepped down.Thukral spent over seven and a half years at Meta and took over as public policy lead for the South Asian market — the company’s largest user base — in November 2022, after his predecessor Rajiv Aggarwal left. “Having helped build some of the systems and processes, I do feel it is a good time to let the e ...

YouTube released a report on Tuesday that shows just how influential the creator economy has become.YouTube says that its creative ecosystem contributed over $55 billion to the US GDP and supported more than 490,000 full-time jobs, according to research by Oxford Economics. When YouTube talks about its creative ecosystem, it’s not just talking about creators. This includes anyone who works with YouTube creators (video editors, assistants, publicists), as well as people who work for creator-oriented compani ...

Core Viewpoint - Apple celebrated its app developers during the WWDC 2025 keynote but failed to address the challenges faced by the developer community in recent years, raising questions about trust and support from the company [4][5][26]. Developer Relations - Apple has faced significant scrutiny and legal challenges regarding its App Store practices, which have strained relationships with developers [5][15]. - The company has not effectively communicated improvements or support for developers, missing an opportunity to acknowledge the difficulties they have encountered [19][26]. AI Integration and Features - Apple has delayed the launch of its AI-powered Siri, which was initially showcased at the previous WWDC, indicating ongoing challenges in delivering promised technology advancements [6]. - The company introduced some AI features, such as integrating OpenAI technology into its apps, but did not announce partnerships with other AI providers, despite speculation [12][14]. App Store Commissions and Policies - Apple recently lost a legal battle that requires it to allow developers to use alternative payment methods, which could impact its revenue model [15]. - The keynote did not address the controversial App Store commissions or any potential reductions, leaving developers uncertain about the future of in-app payment systems [18][20]. Developer Experience and Tools - Apple launched a standalone Games app but focused on consumer benefits rather than how it could support mobile developers [16]. - The company made some improvements to its developer tools, but these were perceived as temporary solutions rather than substantial support for developers [14][19]. Market Dynamics and Future Outlook - Apple subtly updated its App Review Guidelines, indicating a preference for maintaining its App Store as the primary marketplace, which may limit developers' options [20]. - The initial developer beta of iOS 26 suggests that Apple is prioritizing its own revenue generation through increased advertising opportunities for developers [21][23].

In Brief Meta plans to unveil a new AI research lab dedicated to “superintelligence” as the company works to compete in the AI race, according to several reports.Meta has tapped Scale AI founder and CEO Alexandr Wang to join the new lab, The New York Times reports. Meta has been in talks to invest billions into Scale AI as part of a deal that would bring Scale AI employees to Meta. Meta has also been poaching lead researchers from OpenAI and Google, per the Times.  The new lab comes as Meta CEO Mark Zucker ...

Apple said it’s bringing Visual Intelligence, its AI-powered image analysis tech, to the iPhone screen in iOS 26. Visual Intelligence will now make it easier and faster to do more with the content on your iPhone, Apple says, and it works automatically with any app. For example, if you open a social media app and see a gray jacket, you can use Visual Intelligence — which can be accessed by pressing the same button you use to take a screenshot — to do an image search for the jacket in Google Search and other ...

Core Insights - Apple has introduced a new dedicated gaming app aimed at centralizing gaming experiences across its devices [1][2] - The app features social functionalities, including a "Play Together" tab for tracking friends' activities and a "Challenges" feature for competitive play [1][2] Summary by Sections App Features - The Games app will function as a launcher for games, allowing users to track achievements and view leaderboards [1] - It includes five tabs: Home, Arcade, Play Together, Library, and Search [2] - The app will link to the App Store's games section and promote Apple Arcade, which is priced at $6.99 per month [2] Developer Integration - The Challenges feature is built on Game Center leaderboards, enabling single-player games to become competitive among friends [2] Availability - The new Games app is expected to be preinstalled on iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple TV later this year [2]

Apple is introducing Live Translation, powered by Apple Intelligence, for Messages, FaceTime, and Phone calls. “Live translation can translate conversation on the fly,” Leslie Ikemoto, Apple’s director of input experience, said Monday during the WWDC event. The translation feature is “enabled by Apple Built models that run entirely on your device so your personal conversations stay personal.” In Messages, Live Translation will automatically translate text for you as you type and deliver it in your preferre ...

Core Points - Apple announced a new naming convention for its operating systems, using the year in the name instead of version numbers [1] - The new naming system aims to enhance clarity and consistency across all platforms, aligning with competitors like Samsung and Microsoft [2] - The announcement includes a significant design overhaul featuring a "Liquid Glass" interface, marking the most notable redesign since iOS 7 [3]

As cable television continues to experience stagnation, with the trend of cord-cutting growing stronger each year, Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) is adapting to the evolving media landscape by separating its streaming and cable operations. This landmark decision aims to maximize the potential of both businesses, according to WBD. The company announced Monday its plan to split into two publicly traded entities: The Streaming & Studios division, which will include Warner Bros. Television, Motion Picture Group, ...

A security researcher has discovered a bug that could be exploited to reveal the private recovery phone number of almost any Google account without alerting its owner, potentially exposing users to privacy and security risks. Google confirmed to TechCrunch that it fixed the bug after the researcher alerted the company in April.  The independent researcher, who goes by the handle brutecat and blogged their findings, told TechCrunch that they could obtain the recovery phone number of a Google account by expl ...