Slashdot

News for nerds, stuff that matters

Google Ends Its 30% App Store Fee, Welcomes Third-Party App Stores

Google is eliminating its traditional 30% Play Store fee and introducing lower commissions, while at the same time allowing alternative billing systems and making it easier for third-party app stores to operate on Android. The changes stem largely from Google's settlement with Epic Games. Engadget reports: The biggest change is to how Google will collect fees from developers publishing apps on Android. Rather than take its standard 30 percent cut of in-app purchases through the Play Store, Google is lowering its cut to 20 percent, and in some cases 15 percent for new installs of apps from developers participating in its new App Experience program or updated Google Play Games Level Up program. Those changes extend to subscriptions, too, where the company's cut is lowering to 10 percent. For Google's billing system, the company says developers in the UK, US, or European Economic Area (EEA) will now be charged a five percent fee and "a market-specific rate" in other regions. Of course, for anyone trying to avoid those fees, using alternatives to Google's billing system is getting easier.

Google says that developers will be able to offer alternative billing systems alongside its own or "guide users outside of their app to their own websites for purchases." [...] Epic is ultimately interested in getting people to use the mobile version of its Epic Games Store, and Google's announcement also includes details on how third-party app stores can come to Android. Third-party app stores will be able to apply to the company's new "Registered App Stores" program to see if they meet "certain quality and safety benchmarks." If they do, they'll be able to take advantage of a streamlined installation interface in Android. Participating in the program is optional, and users will still be able to sideload alternative app stores that aren't part of the program, but Google clearly has a preference. [...]

Google says that its updated fee structure will come to the EEA, the UK and the US by June 30, Australia by September 30, Korea and Japan by December 31 and the entire world by September 30, 2027. Meanwhile, the company's updated Google Play Games Level Up program and new App Experience program will launch in the EEA, the UK, the US and Australia on September 30, before hitting the remaining regions alongside the updated fee structure. For any developers interested in offering their own app store, Google says it'll launch its Registered App Stores program "with a version of a major Android release" before the end of the year. According to the company, the program will be available in other regions first before it comes to the US.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Zeker tweehonderd doden bij nieuwe mijnramp Congo

Door zware regenval is dinsdag opnieuw een deel van de coltanmijn Rubaya ingestort. Net als bij een vergelijkbare ramp eind januari vielen er zeker tweehonderd doden.

Distressed

Greg Adams Photography posted a photo:

Distressed

Amnesty Candle in the Wells Cathedral, England.

I added a distressed overlay to represent the state of the world right now.

14706 20260303_174030 The whole rose with raiindrops

iain.davidson100 has added a photo to the pool:

14706 20260303_174030 The whole rose with raiindrops

Hey, budge over buddy

ntomlin124 has added a photo to the pool:

Hey, budge over buddy

Bumblebees on an Indian Blanket flower.

14705 20260228_090602 Chestnut and flower

iain.davidson100 has added a photo to the pool:

14705 20260228_090602 Chestnut and flower

The Guardian

Latest news, sport, business, comment, analysis and reviews from the Guardian, the world's leading liberal voice

Tasmanian salmon farms blocked from using antibiotic florfenicol after detection in wild fish 10km away

Regulator suspends permit due to ‘unacceptable risk’ antibiotic poses to other species in move welcomed by environmental campaigners

Australia’s veterinary medicines regulator has suspended the use of florfenicol in salmon in Tasmania because of the “unacceptable risk” the antibiotic poses to other species.

The Bob Brown Foundation said the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority’s (APVMA) decision was an “indictment of the industrial fish farm companies and their complete disregard for the marine environment”.

Continue reading...

US may not have capacity to take down full barrage of Iranian drones, officials warn

Chair of joint chiefs of staff and others in classified meeting said Iran is trying to get US to spend its munitions

Top military officials told lawmakers in a closed door briefing on Tuesday that they may not be able to shoot down every Iranian drone being launched against US military installations and assets in retaliatory attacks, according to two people familiar with the matter.

The officials, led by the chair of the joint chiefs of staff, Gen Dan Caine, said Iran has been deploying thousands of one-way attack drones and while they have capacity to take down the vast majority but not all of the barrage.

Continue reading...

BBC to call for permanent charter and end of political appointments to board

Corporation proposes sweeping changes intended to protect its independence and shore up its future

The BBC is to call for an end to political appointments to its board as part of sweeping changes designed to protect its independence.

The corporation will also demand that its royal charter be put on a permanent footing in an attempt to end the existential threat posed by having to negotiate with ministers over its future every 10 years.

Continue reading...

Rotterdam - FediMeteo (@rotterdam@nl.fedimeteo.com)

Weer voor de stad Rotterdam Deze bot wordt beheerd door het FediMeteo-project. Voor informatie en contact kunt u de pagina https://fedimeteo.com raadplegen.

Weer voor Rotterdam 🌕 - 05-03-2026 01:15 CET...

Weer voor Rotterdam 🌕 - 05-03-2026 01:15 CET

In één oogopslag:
• 9.6°C · Helder 🌕 | Min 7.8°C / Max 17.0°C

Verwachting voor vandaag:
• Min 7.8°C, Max 17.0°C (Licht bewolkt) 🌤️, 🧭 1019.4 hPa ↘️ -3.1 hPa/24h, Windsnelheid: 13.3 km/u (3.7 m/s), richting: ↖ 131°

Uurlijkse voorspelling voor de komende 12 uur:

02:00: 9.2°C (Helder) 🌕, 🧭 1022.5 hPa ➡️ 0.0 hPa/1h, Windsnelheid: 9.0 km/u (2.5 m/s), richting: ← 108°
03:00: 8.9°C (Helder) 🌕, 🧭 1022.1 hPa ➡️ 0.0 hPa/1h, Windsnelheid: 9.4 km/u (2.6 m/s), richting: ↖ 122°
04:00: 8.8°C (Helder) 🌕, 🧭 1021.5 hPa ↘️ -0.6 hPa/1h, Windsnelheid: 8.6 km/u (2.4 m/s), richting: ↖ 127°
05:00: 8.2°C (Helder) 🌕, 🧭 1021.0 hPa ↘️ -0.5 hPa/1h, Windsnelheid: 8.6 km/u (2.4 m/s), richting: ↖ 118°
06:00: 7.8°C (Helder) 🌕, 🧭 1020.8 hPa ➡️ 0.0 hPa/1h, Windsnelheid: 10.8 km/u (3.0 m/s), richting: ↖ 121°
07:00: 8.1°C (Helder) 🌕, 🧭 1020.5 hPa ➡️ 0.0 hPa/1h, Windsnelheid: 11.2 km/u (3.1 m/s), richting: ↖ 126°
08:00: 8.4°C (Zonnig) ☀️, 🧭 1020.3 hPa ➡️ 0.0 hPa/1h, Windsnelheid: 11.2 km/u (3.1 m/s), richting: ↖ 128°
09:00: 9.6°C (Zonnig) ☀️, 🧭 1020.4 hPa ➡️ 0.0 hPa/1h, Windsnelheid: 11.5 km/u (3.2 m/s), richting: ↖ 129°
10:00: 11.2°C (Zonnig) ☀️, 🧭 1020.5 hPa ➡️ 0.0 hPa/1h, Windsnelheid: 13.3 km/u (3.7 m/s), richting: ↖ 143°
11:00: 12.6°C (Zonnig) ☀️, 🧭 1020.2 hPa ➡️ 0.0 hPa/1h, Windsnelheid: 13.3 km/u (3.7 m/s), richting: ↖ 147°
12:00: 14.1°C (Zonnig) ☀️, 🧭 1019.8 hPa ➡️ 0.0 hPa/1h, Windsnelheid: 10.8 km/u (3.0 m/s), richting: ↖ 151°
13:00: 15.4°C (Zonnig) ☀️, 🧭 1019.5 hPa ➡️ 0.0 hPa/1h, Windsnelheid: 9.4 km/u (2.6 m/s), richting: ↖ 143°

Voorspelling voor de komende dagen:

vrijdag 06 maart: Min 9.2°C, Max 18.3°C (Bewolkt) ☁️, 🧭 1021.2 hPa ↗️ +1.8 hPa/24h, Windsnelheid: 9.7 km/u (2.7 m/s), richting: ↑ 174°
zaterdag 07 maart: Min 7.1°C, Max 16.4°C (Mist) 🌫️, 🧭 1024.4 hPa ↗️ +3.2 hPa/24h, Windsnelheid: 9.8 km/u (2.7 m/s), richting: ↙ 37°
zondag 08 maart: Min 6.3°C, Max 16.5°C (Bewolkt) ☁️, 🧭 1020.9 hPa ↘️ -3.5 hPa/24h, Windsnelheid: 9.1 km/u (2.5 m/s), richting: ← 109°
maandag 09 maart: Min 7.6°C, Max 16.8°C (Lichte motregen) 🌦️, Neerslag 0.9 mm, Kans op neerslag 6%, 🧭 1017.9 hPa ↘️ -3.0 hPa/24h, Windsnelheid: 9.5 km/u (2.6 m/s), richting: ↑ 194°
dinsdag 10 maart: Min 6.7°C, Max 15.2°C (Lichte motregen) 🌦️, Neerslag 0.3 mm, Kans op neerslag 12%, 🧭 1018.3 hPa ➡️ 0.0 hPa/24h, Windsnelheid: 9.9 km/u (2.8 m/s), richting: ↗ 210°
woensdag 11 maart: Min 7.1°C, Max 13.4°C (Bewolkt) ☁️, Kans op neerslag 8%, 🧭 1017.1 hPa ↘️ -1.2 hPa/24h, Windsnelheid: 19.3 km/u (5.4 m/s), richting: ↗ 224°

Details:
• 🌡️ Huidige temperatuur (om 01:15): 9.6°C (Helder)
• 🤚 Gevoelstemperatuur: 7.1°C (-2.5°C)
• 💨 Windsnelheid: 9.7 km/u (2.7 m/s), richting: ← 109°
• 🌬️ Windstoten: 16.2 km/h (4.5 m/s)
• 💧 Luchtvochtigheid: 86%
• 🧭 Luchtdruk: 1022.5 hPa ↘️ -1.0 hPa/3h
• 👁️ Zichtbaarheid: 50.0 km
• ☀️ UV-index: 0.0
• 🌅 Zonsopgang: 07:18 · 🌇 Zonsondergang: 18:28

Luchtkwaliteit:
• AQI: 83 🟡 (Matig)
• PM2.5: 44.8 μg/m³
• PM10: 51.8 μg/m³

Gegevens geleverd door Open-Meteo