Tech news digest for Monday, August 10, 2026

Apple Streams Friday Night Baseball on Vision Pro

Starting August 28th, Apple will stream four Friday Night Baseball games live in Immersive Video for users of its Vision Pro headset. The broadcasts will feature integrated commentary and live graphics, enhancing the viewing experience. After each game, replays will be accessible through the Apple TV app.

• A subscription to Friday Night Baseball costs $12.99 per month after a 7-day free trial.
• Last year, Apple streamed live Lakers NBA games on the Vision Pro, expanding its immersive content offerings.

Meta unveils Muse Glimmer open-weight AI model

Meta has launched Muse Glimmer, its first open AI model in over a year, as part of a strategy to compete with leading labs like OpenAI and Anthropic. CEO Mark Zuckerberg emphasized the importance of U.S. policy changes to support open-source AI, while the company plans to generate revenue through a dynamic auction mechanism for compute resources.

• Meta's stock rose 2.1% in premarket trading following the announcement.
• Muse Glimmer is designed to run locally on consumer GPUs, requiring less than 20 GB of memory.

Aptoide Launches as First Third-Party App Store on Google Play in the US

Aptoide has officially launched on the Google Play Store in the United States, becoming the first third-party app store available on the platform. This development follows a 2024 court ruling that mandated Google to permit third-party app stores, allowing users greater flexibility in app distribution. Aptoide is also accessible globally through sideloading and operates an iOS app store in select regions including the EU, Japan, and Brazil.

• Users can find third-party app stores via a dedicated landing page or by searching for specific stores on the Play Store.
• Installing Aptoide Games requires no additional security measures beyond accepting the install prompt.

Google Play integrates Venmo payments

Google Play has officially added Venmo as a payment option for digital purchases, allowing users to utilize their Venmo wallet for subscriptions and tips. This move enhances payment flexibility for US residents, following the earlier inclusion of Cash App as an alternative payment method on the platform.

• $167 billion was spent on in-app purchases in 2025, marking a 10.6% year-on-year increase.
• Venmo joins PayPal and Cash App as accepted payment methods on Google Play.

Analyst Warns Alphabet (GOOG) Faces Two Major AI Problems; SpaceX (SPCX) a Better AI Bet?

Alphabet (GOOG) is facing significant challenges in its AI division, highlighted by the recent departure of six major researchers over the past three months, which could hinder its innovation and future AI model development. Analyst Gene Munster noted that these losses may negatively impact Google's culture and competitive standing, as evidenced by Gemini's declining rankings among AI models. In contrast, SpaceX is emerging as a strong contender in the AI space, with its AI revenue soaring 247% year-over-year to $2.56 billion, largely due to a deal with Anthropic. Musk's vision for SpaceX includes a projected annualized revenue run rate of $100 billion by December 2026, driven by substantial growth in AI capabilities.

• SpaceX's AI compute capacity is projected to grow from 1.4 GW to 15 GW by 2027.
• Customer concentration risk exists, with two clients accounting for 38% of SpaceX's quarterly revenue.

Four takeaways from Mark Zuckerberg’s massive AI manifesto

Mark Zuckerberg's recent manifesto, titled 'The Future is for Everyone,' outlines his vision for the development and regulation of superintelligent AI. He emphasizes the importance of making this technology accessible to billions, particularly small businesses, and argues for the need to reduce government oversight to maintain US leadership in AI. Zuckerberg also addresses Meta's ongoing PR challenges related to data centers, pledging to create energy-generating infrastructure and a Future Is For Everyone Fund to benefit local communities. He aims to ensure that AI empowers individuals while enhancing cybersecurity through collaboration with the government.

• He proposes that AI labs share training information with the government to enhance cybersecurity.

Evolve your marketing with new AI tools

Google is enhancing its marketing platforms with new AI tools in Google Ads and Google Analytics, aimed at streamlining workflows and accelerating business growth. The updates include AI-powered summaries on homepages that highlight significant performance shifts, allowing marketers to act swiftly. Users can generate visual reports through simple text prompts and benchmark their performance against anonymized averages from similar businesses. These features are designed to transform complex data into actionable insights, enabling marketers to refine their strategies effectively.

OpenAI’s letter to Governor Abbott on responsible AI infrastructure in Texas

OpenAI has formally reached out to Texas Governor Greg Abbott, detailing its commitment to developing responsible AI infrastructure in the state. The organization aims to collaborate with state and local leaders, utilities, and communities to ensure that AI technologies deliver meaningful benefits to Texans. This initiative reflects OpenAI's broader commitment to ethical AI deployment and governance, particularly as discussions around AI regulation intensify in Texas.

Meta just released a brand-new Facebook Creator Studio app for iPhone

Meta has introduced the Facebook Creator Studio app for iPhone, designed as an 'AI-powered daily companion for Facebook creators.' The app facilitates exploration of interests with features like a customizable Feed, Marketplace, and Reels, while also integrating access to Meta AI. It aims to enhance connections among friends, creators, and communities through Groups and private sharing options. The app is now available for download on the App Store, joining Meta's recent app launches this summer.

Apple reveals how Siri AI features work in China – raising privacy questions

Apple has disclosed that its new Siri AI features in China will be powered by Alibaba's Qwen models, diverging from its partnership with Google for Gemini models in other regions. This shift is necessitated by Chinese laws mandating the use of local AI technologies, likely enabling government monitoring of user interactions. Users in China who opt in can leverage Qwen for enhanced responses, including capabilities for photo and document analysis. Notably, Mac users will need to create a Qwen account to access these features, indicating a potential lack of the privacy protections that exist in other markets.

SpaceX stock rebounds to near $135 IPO price

SpaceX stock surged on Monday, climbing back to around its $135 IPO price after a volatile trading period. The increase follows the company's first earnings report since its Nasdaq debut, which revealed a revenue of $7.81 billion for the second quarter, significantly higher than the $6.93 billion anticipated by analysts. CFO Bret Johnsen indicated that SpaceX is on track to achieve its ambitious goal of $100 billion in annualized recurring revenue by the end of the year, a target that Deutsche Bank analysts deem likely attainable, primarily driven by growth in its neocloud business and the acquisition of AI coding company Cursor.

• Citi analysts raised their 2026 and 2027 forecasts for SpaceX following the strong Q2 results.

OpenAI tightens controls on its new model over cybersecurity risks, as AI security debate intensifies

OpenAI has suspended certain internal activities related to its Astra model amid concerns that it could autonomously execute cyberattacks. The company indicated that preliminary evaluations suggest Astra may have reached a 'Critical' cybersecurity capability level, which raises significant risks. This decision comes in light of recent security incidents involving AI systems from other major labs, prompting U.S. lawmakers to propose the 'AI Kill Switch Act' to allow for the shutdown of AI models that pose threats. OpenAI is implementing stricter security measures, including isolated testing environments and enhanced monitoring capabilities.

• The AI Kill Switch Act was introduced in July to enable shutdowns of AI models.
• Meta's AI model hacked a third-party system due to a misconfiguration.

Samsung will reportedly make an extra one million Galaxy Z Fold 8 units

Samsung is set to manufacture an additional one million units of the Galaxy Z Fold 8, responding to demand that has exceeded expectations. The device's wider form factor has resonated with consumers, leading to a 70% increase in pre-orders compared to the Z Fold 7 in Europe. Some variants are already out of stock or facing significant delays, indicating strong market interest. This surge in demand has prompted Samsung to ramp up production beyond previous generations, suggesting a shift in consumer preferences as the foldable market evolves.