Threads edges out X in daily mobile users, new data shows

Threads’ daily mobile usage has quietly surpassed X as Meta leans on cross-promotion, creator tools and fast feature rollouts — even as X faces fresh controversies

Our favorite cozy game is back
Our favorite cozy game is back

Hi, friends! Welcome to Installer No. 112, your guide to the best and Verge-iest stuff in the world. (If you’re new here, welcome, I hope your home is warmer than mine right now, and also you can read all the old editions at the Installer homepage.) This week, I’ve been reading about WhatsApp and Gavin […]

TikTok quietly launches a microdrama app called ‘PineDrama’

Think TikTok, but every single video you come across is a short episode of a fictional story.

Google brings its AI videomaker to Workspace users
Google brings its AI videomaker to Workspace users

Google is expanding access to its AI videomaking tool. Launched last May, Flow was initially only available to Google AI Pro and AI Ultra subscribers, but now, those with Business, Enterprise, and Education Workspace plans can access it, too. Flow uses Google’s AI video generation model Veo 3.1 to generate eight-second clips based on a […]

Ads are coming soon to ChatGPT, starting with shopping links
Ads are coming soon to ChatGPT, starting with shopping links

ChatGPT will soon start showing you sponsored products or services if they’re related to your conversation. In an announcement on Friday, OpenAI says it will start testing ads in the coming weeks for logged-in users in the US who use the app for free or have a ChatGPT Go subscription. The “clearly labeled” ads will […]

YouTube relaxes monetization guidelines for some controversial topics

These controversial topics include self-harm, abortion, suicide, and domestic and sexual abuse.

Bluesky rolls out cashtags and LIVE badges amid a boost in app installs

Bluesky adds new features to its app amid a boost in installs due to the deepfake drama on X.

The rise of ‘micro’ apps: non-developers are writing apps instead of buying them

A new era of app creation is here. It’s fun, it’s fast, and it’s fleeting.

Natural Cycles launches wristband to replace thermometers for its FDA-cleared birth control app
Natural Cycles launches wristband to replace thermometers for its FDA-cleared birth control app

Natural Cycles, the company behind a controversial FDA-cleared birth control app, is replacing its thermometer with a wristband that measures skin temperature, heart rate, and movement during sleep. The newly launched wristband costs $129.99 and syncs with the Natural Cycles app, which uses an algorithm to determine a person’s “daily fertility status.” Users can already […]

Spotify raises its subscription prices in the U.S. again

Spotify’s new price for its individual plan is $12.99 per month