The App Store Meets Its Rival

GM. The Digital Markets Act went live in Europe this week, prompting hefty regulations for Big Tech. iPhone users in the EU will now be able to download apps outside of the App Store.

Is this the beginning of the end for Apple’s shared duopoly over mobile apps?

☕ *knuckle cracks* ☕ Let’s get into it.

Today’s Specials:

• Weekend Alpha: What to Watch 👀 – Bitcoin halving coming as it breaks ATH, what it means

• New Law Challenges Big Tech In Europe 🇪🇺 

• AI Intel 🤖 : Hollywood is still as tense as ever about AI

Weekend Alpha – What To Watch 👀

Bitcoin is about to undergo another 'halving' event, Bitcoin briefly rises above $70,000 to another new all-time high, FTX and BlockFi reach a tentative settlement for up to $874 million

New Law Challenges Big Tech In Europe

Starting this week, tech companies operating in the EU have to comply with the Digital Markets Act. Tech may never be the same.

What is the Digital Markets Act?

The Digital Markets Act (DMA) was inked by the EU to regulate large online platform, ensure fair competition, and protect consumers' interests. The DMA primarily address es he market power of tech giants and aims to prevent anti-competitive behavior in digital markets.

How will this impact Big Tech?

Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Meta, Microsoft, and TikTok must undergo major changes to their operations. 

Most notably, iPhone users can now download apps from outside the Apple store, an existential threat to Apple’s shared mobile app duopoly with Google.

Other changes include:

• Transferring data from one service to another (from Apple to Google, etc)

• More integrations for non-native default phone browsers

• Forced interoperability between messaging services (like WhatsApp and iMessage)

The Impact of Third-Party App Stores

For now, there aren’t really any viable alternatives, as we are just at the beginning. But looking forward, the implications could be massive.

Last year, Apple users spent $89.3 billion in the app store. NINETY BILLION DOLLARS. Now that Apple will not have a stranglehold over its users, it opens the door for a significant shift in the entire app ecosystem.

Implications For Further Web3 Adoption

Some say the biggest roadblock to widespread web3 adoption is the lack of decentralized mobile applications. Now that iPhone users aren’t strictly locked to the App Store, new market alternatives like Solana’s Saga has a fresh opportunity to launch dApp stores with real utility.

AI Intel 🤖

• OpenAI Had to Raise Funding Because Musk ‘Reneged,’ Khosla Says (Bloomberg)

• The AI industry is pushing a nuclear power revival — partly to fuel itself (CNBC)

• Silicon Valley is pricing academics out of AI research (Washington Post)

• A.I. Is Learning What It Means to Be Alive (NYT)

• AI-generated cloud looms over Hollywood’s ‘Barbenheimer’ Oscars (FT)

Mining for Memes ⛏️

Our daily Spaces “web3 and chill” show is poppin’ on X rn. You should set a reminder and tune in for the next one tomorrow.

NFT Nick is committed to the bit if you want to be entertained

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