Tech news digest for Friday, July 10, 2026

Meta Faces EU Fines Over Addictive Features

The European Union has ordered Meta to redesign its platforms, Facebook and Instagram, due to findings that their features promote addictive behaviors, particularly among minors. This ruling follows a previous violation regarding children's access to these platforms and could result in fines of up to $12 billion if Meta fails to comply.

• Meta is currently facing $1.4 trillion in penalties from four U.S. states over similar claims regarding platform design.
• The EU Commission criticized Meta for insufficient measures to protect minors from excessive use of its platforms.

OpenAI Ends ChatGPT Atlas, Focuses on Desktop Integration

OpenAI has officially discontinued its ChatGPT Atlas browser after just eight months, opting to integrate its features into the ChatGPT desktop app. This shift aims to enhance the app's capabilities, allowing it to perform tasks in the background across various applications.

• Atlas joins other unsuccessful OpenAI products, including plugins and the ChatGPT Agent.
• The new Chrome extension for ChatGPT will enable integration with Chromium-based browsers, broadening its accessibility.

iOS 27 Transforms Fitness Tracking for iPhone and AirPods

Apple's latest update, iOS 27, introduces GymKit to the iPhone and AirPods Pro 3, allowing users to track workouts without needing an Apple Watch. By tapping their iPhone to compatible gym equipment, users can receive real-time metrics such as distance and calories burned, enhancing their fitness experience.

• iOS 27 enables users to log workouts directly on their iPhone, with a recent treadmill session recording 0.66 miles, 65 active calories, and an average heart rate of 115 BPM.
• The Walkie-Talkie app will be removed from the Apple Watch in the upcoming watchOS 27 update due to reliability concerns, despite its popularity among some users.

Air taxi company Beta wraps first test flights in U.S. government's pilot program

Beta Technologies announced the completion of its first test flights under the U.S. government's electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) pilot program, which aims to advance the development of flying taxis. The flights, which transported manufactured organs for United Therapeutics between Maryland and Virginia, covered a distance of approximately 275 nautical miles. Beta, backed by Amazon, is involved in seven of the eight testing programs initiated by the FAA and the Department of Transportation, with CEO Kyle Clark stating that these successful missions pave the way for routine medical applications through electric flight at lower costs nationwide. The company anticipates certification for its eVTOL aircraft by 2028, while a conventional takeoff and landing model is expected to be certified by 2027.

How FreightCar America (RAIL) Is Building Multi-Year Revenue Visibility With $300 Million in New Railcar Orders

FreightCar America Inc. (NASDAQ:RAIL) has secured a significant multi-year order for 1,900 railcars from a key customer, with deliveries scheduled through 2028. This announcement, made on July 6, comes as the company reported second-quarter orders totaling approximately 3,000 railcars, valued at around $300 million. The demand for these railcars spans all core market segments, indicating robust interest and providing the company with enhanced revenue visibility and backlog strength.

Netflix is turning into YouTube

Netflix has expanded its content offerings to include not just shows and movies, but also video games, live sports, podcasts, and now YouTube videos. This diversification appears frenetic and possibly desperate as the company positions itself against sleep as its primary competitor. In the latest episode of The Vergecast, hosts David and Nilay discuss whether Netflix's ongoing transformation into a YouTube-like platform makes strategic sense, especially considering the failures of previous competitors in this space.

• The company's strategy reflects a shift to compete against sleep as its primary rival.
• Meta's smart glasses strategy is also discussed, highlighting privacy concerns and feature invasions.

Netflix among many companies showing interest in acquiring Letterboxd: report

Letterboxd, the popular movie tracking and social media app, is exploring a potential sale, attracting interest from several major companies including Netflix, Sony Pictures, and Paramount. According to a report by Matt Belloni at Puck, initial meetings have begun as part of the sales process, with bankers suggesting a valuation of $250 million for the platform. This marks a significant increase from its previous valuation of $50 million when Tiny, a Canadian holding company, acquired a 60% stake in 2023. Despite concerns over its revenue, Letterboxd is recognized as a unique success in the digital media space.

• Other interested parties include Sony Pictures, Paramount, and private equity firms like TPG and RedBird.

Disable auto-play and infinite scroll or risk massive fines, EU tells Meta

The European Union is intensifying scrutiny on Meta, demanding the company disable addictive features such as autoplay and infinite scroll on Facebook and Instagram, or face fines of up to 6% of its global annual turnover. The European Commission's preliminary findings indicate that Meta has not adequately assessed the risks these features pose to users' physical and mental health, particularly for minors. Meta has the opportunity to dispute these claims but has already expressed disagreement, citing its efforts to protect teens through initiatives like Teen Accounts. However, the EU has criticized these measures as ineffective in addressing the inherent risks of addiction.

• The EU's investigation found Meta's design contributes to unhealthy habits among users, especially minors.
• A trial against Meta in the U.S. could result in penalties up to $1.4 trillion.