After the AppStore: And Google should open its app store

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

October 8, 2024

Google needs to revamp its app store to give more options for Android users to transact through third-party apps directly. The decision comes against the background of the precedent set by the war between Epic Games – the creator of Fortnite – and Apple.

KEY FACTS

Federal Judge Jaime Donato ruled that Google must open its app store to competitors and give Android users more choice when downloading them.
In practice, this means that Google has to change the way it manages Google Play in the next three years.
The company cannot force developers to use Google Play’s billing system while allowing them to notify their users of alternative payment methods.
The court ordered Epic Games and Google to establish a three-person technical committee to implement and monitor the court order.
The order will take effect from November 1.
Following the decision, Alphabet shares closed down 2.5%, currently trading at $164.39.
In response to the decision, Google said it would file an appeal, arguing that the changes would “undermine Android’s ability to compete with Apple’s iOS.”
Epic Games described the decision as “big news”. The creator of Fortnite plans to launch its own store on Google Play in 2025.

IMPORTANT QUOTE

“Ultimately, while these changes likely satisfy Epic Games’ requirements, they will have a number of unintended consequences that will harm American consumers, developers, and device manufacturers,” Google said.

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KEY STORY

US-based developer Epic Games’ Fortnite is a game backed by the world’s largest game studio, the Chinese company Tencent. The game launched in 2017 and became an instant hit, attracting the interest of millions of players across the globe.

However, in August 2020, Apple and Google removed Fortnite from their app stores because Epic Games violated their policy with its Epic Games Store payment service, which allows in-game purchases. The saga sparked a series of lawsuits.

However, under the Digital Markets Act that came into effect in March, Apple and Google had to allow Epic Games to operate freely. In August, Fortnite became available again for iPhone users in the EU.

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Only 1% Of Cyprus Farms Use Precision Farming Technologies

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

July 24, 2026

Cyprus remains one of the European Union’s least digitised agricultural economies, with just 1% of farms using precision farming technologies in 2023, according to Eurostat.

The findings come as the EU continues to encourage the adoption of digital tools aimed at improving agricultural productivity, efficiency and sustainability.

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Internet Access Expands, But Digital Uptake Lags

Internet access has improved across the bloc, although adoption remains uneven. Eurostat found that 43% of EU farms had internet access in 2023, with northern and central European countries leading the way.

Denmark, Germany, Slovakia, Latvia, the Czech Republic and Austria all reported internet access rates above 90%.

Greater connectivity, however, has not translated into widespread digital adoption. Farm management information systems, which help farmers manage day-to-day operations, were used by only about 11% of EU farms. France was a notable exception, with around 60% of farms using the technology.

Precision Farming Concentrated In Larger Operations

Robotics adoption also remained relatively limited, with only about 7% of EU farms using robotic technologies. Overall, around 18% of farms with utilised agricultural area employed at least one precision farming technology or practice in 2023.

These included robotics for plant protection, band spraying, variable-rate application, precision crop monitoring and soil analysis. Despite representing fewer than one in five farms, these holdings accounted for around 44% of the EU’s utilised agricultural area.

The figures suggest that precision farming remains concentrated among larger agricultural businesses, where investment in digital technologies is typically easier to support.

Cyprus Lags Behind EU Leaders

Luxembourg, Finland and Estonia recorded the highest shares of utilised agricultural area managed by farms using precision farming technologies, each exceeding 75%.

At the other end of the ranking, Cyprus recorded just 1%, while Greece and Romania reported between 10% and 15%. The results indicate that Cyprus remains at an early stage of digital adoption in agriculture, even as precision farming becomes more widespread across parts of the European Union.

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