The cost of the smart home is going up
… The push toward subscription models is part of a wider shift in the smart home — the hope that AI’s new capabilities may finally provide a sustainable revenue stream for smart home companies. …
Search
Xbox and PlayStation have to prove they’re worth their new price tags
… But they at least seem to signal that a bigger, positive shift is coming. …
Writers are fleeing the Substack Tax
… Unlike some of its biggest rivals, Substack takes a 10 percent cut of total subscription revenue. That tax may not seem substantial at first, but it quickly adds up as creators gain subscribers and begin charging more for their subscriptions. …
Netflix may have finally figured out games
… But there was no consistency, and the strategy shifted constantly. …
You’re about to feel the AI money squeeze
… Over the past few years, most top AI labs have introduced new subscription tiers to court power users. OpenAI and Anthropic shifted their pricing plans for enterprise. …
Inside Microsoft’s wave of executive departures
… A day after lowering prices of its Game Pass Ultimate subscription, Microsoft is now teasing some type of Game Pass partnership with Discord. …
Apple
… In theory, this means you could get a subscription with a reduced annual fee but without having to pay for the full subscription in one go. The new type of subscriptions are available on iOS 26.4, iPadOS 26.4, macOS Tahoe 26.4, tvOS 26.4, and visionOS 26.4 or newer, Apple says . …
Tim Cook was an innovator — just not the Jobs kind
… Tim Cook saw Apple through a decade of unprecedented growth, but the vibes started shifting in recent years. …
Mobile
… The hit DualShot Recorder app just switched from an increasingly rare one-time fee to a subscription-based model. The app’s developer — also a notable squirrel video creator — says he made the change to “support the long-term sustainability of the business.” Subscriptions come for us all, I guess. …
Gadgets
… Sure, it’s still pricey for an automated waste bin, but at least buying it outright lets you skip the subscription. …