Welcome to the Tech Mem Right Home for Friday, January 26, 2024. I'm Brian McCullough today.

Apple has announced major changes to the App Store in the EU, alternative app marketplaces, but does the new core technology

fee mean it's still a shell game. Also in Europe, alternative default browsers and for everyone

game streaming apps are now permissible. Also, cheaper GPT from Open AI and is crews in trouble with the feds.

Here's what you miss today in the world of tech.

Okay, it's happened people.

Apple has finally cracked open its App Store.

Not completely, but this is the biggest overhaul of the App Store we've seen literally

ever.

Let me summarize the headlines and then dive quick into each detail.

First, Apple announced support for alternative app marketplaces in the EU charging a

zero percent commission and a 50 cent core technology fee per install per account annually.

We knew that was coming.

They had to get ahead of the DMA changes in the EU.

Second, Apple plans to allow third-party default browsers and web engines, including

Chrome in the EU with iOS17.4, prompting users on the first launch of

Safari.

Now, again, Apple won't offer these App Store updates, quote, outside of the EU because this is

not the safest system for our users, end quote, and highlights, quote, new threats the DMA introduces but I believe this part is

global Apple will also begin allowing game streaming apps and services worldwide

meaning Xbox Cloud streaming

NVIDIA G-Force Now and others will be able to offer full apps. Let's start with the

...