Here are today’s 4 verified tech & science stories, covering Tech & Apps and Fitness & Health Tech.
Table of Contents
Every item below links to its original source.
The TLDR
- Tech & Apps: Airbnb bans demanding checkout chores
- Fitness & Health Tech: Garmin reopens its developer API program with a free tier
Tech & Apps
Airbnb bans demanding checkout chores
Airbnb has updated its house rules policy so hosts can no longer require guests to “complete tasks that require significant effort” before checkout, such as washing dishes or taking out the trash. The change applies to reservations booked on or after November 20, and was also reported by Engadget. It’s a win for travelers tired of leaving a rental feeling like they just worked a shift.
Fortnite returns to Apple’s Australian App Store after court ruling
An Australian federal judge has ordered Apple to open the iPhone to competition, ruling the company must allow third-party app stores, alternative in-app payment methods, and outside purchase links without the usual Apple fees, according to 9to5Mac. Epic’s apps had to be readmitted to the Australian store immediately, and Engadget confirms Fortnite is already back there. Apple says it will appeal, and the court gave it until March 1, 2027 to comply.
Xbox wants to charge by the hour to stream games you already own
Microsoft is introducing pay-as-you-go cloud streaming pricing of 24 to 40 cents per hour, according to Ars Technica, and those time-based charges come on top of whatever you already paid for the games themselves. It’s a notable shift for anyone who assumed owning a game meant streaming it for free.
Fitness & Health Tech
Garmin reopens its developer API program with a free tier
Garmin has reopened and overhauled its Connect developer API program after closing it to new applicants for about seven months, according to DC Rainmaker. A new three-tier system gives hobbyists instant, free access to their own activity data, lets small startups serve up to 1,000 users for free, and charges negotiated fees only for larger enterprise platforms. If you’re pairing a Garmin with a walking app that turns steps into a real workout, this move should mean more third-party apps can plug into your data over time.
Explore more: walking app that turns steps into a real workout, AI trip planners, streaming costs compared to cable.
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Photo: Dllu / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.