Aptoide, a Portuguese company that identifies itself as the world's third-largest Android app store, has filed a federal antitrust lawsuit in San Francisco accusing Google of maintaining an illegal monopoly over Android app distribution and in-app payments. The suit seeks injunctive relief and treble damages under U.S. antitrust law. Aptoide argues that despite offering developers lower commissions and users cheaper pricing, Google's conduct systematically blocks smaller rivals from gaining meaningful distribution. The company claims Google restricts access to popular apps and steers developers toward the Play Store and its billing infrastructure. The filing arrives after meaningful judicial movement on this front. A U.S. jury found against Google in Epic Games' suit in December 2023, and the Northern District of California ordered structural remedies in October 2024, including allowing third-party stores on the Play Store and banning exclusive developer agreements. A proposed Google-Epic settlement in November 2025 added capped alternative billing fees of 9% or 20%. Aptoide's decision to sue separately signals that smaller platform operators view those remedies as insufficient to break Google's practical control. The case will test whether court-ordered reforms from the Epic litigation have materially opened Android distribution or simply adjusted terms at the margin.
Apple has raised MacBook and iPad prices in India by 20% to 42%, citing a sharp surge in memory chip costs driven by AI data centre demand. Micron, the leading memory supplier, reported 86% gross margins, confirming that supply pressures have fundamentally shifted component pricing across the consumer electronics
India's central government will take a 1-2% stake in AI unicorn Sarvam once its $300 million funding round closes, converting compute subsidies provided under the IndiaAI Mission into equity. The move sets a precedent for how the government accounts for public support given to homegrown AI startups.
Apple announced iOS 27 at WWDC 2026, featuring a redesigned Siri as a standalone app with chat history, apps launching up to 30 percent faster, and a refined Liquid Glass interface. A developer preview is live now, with public release expected around September 2026.
Apple's WWDC 2026 keynote unveiled a fully redesigned Siri and confirmed iOS 27 alongside updates for iPadOS, visionOS, watchOS, and macOS. The Siri overhaul is the most strategically significant move, targeting a competitive gap with Google and Microsoft in AI assistants.
