We Are So Cooked

OpenAI's Sora app has achieved massive success and valuation despite concerns about deepfakes, while Google's new sideloading policy and controversial app removals by Apple and Google spark user anger and debate.

• OpenAI’s Sora app leads app store charts, raising deepfake concerns amidst a $500 billion valuation.

• Google's new developer verification policy will transform Android sideloading, limiting third-party app distribution.

• Apple and Google removed controversial ICE tracking apps, citing safety concerns despite user backlash.

OpenAI's Sora app quickly became the top app on Apple's US App Store, demonstrating its popularity despite its invite-only nature and sparking debate about 'slop' content and deepfakes; this success follows OpenAI's staggering $500 billion valuation. Concurrently, Google is implementing new developer verification for Android sideloading, limiting third-party app reach and data collection, while Apple and Google controversially removed immigration enforcement tracking apps like IceBlock and Red Dot, citing safety and abuse risks.

OpenAI's Sora Success

• 00:00:15 OpenAI's Sora app quickly rose to the number one spot on Apple's US App Store, featuring exclusive access to Sora 2, its latest video generation model. Despite being invite-only and launched only in the US and Canada, it garnered 56,000 downloads on its first day, surpassing Google's Gemini and OpenAI's ChatGPT. The app's ability to generate 'wild content,' including deepfakes of CEO Sam Altman, has led some to question the proliferation of 'slop,' even as OpenAI's valuation reached $500 billion, making it the world's most valuable private company.

Android Sideloading Changes

• 00:01:31 Google announced changes to Android sideloading, requiring developer verification for apps outside the Google Play Store, sparking concerns among users about choice limitation. While Google claims this measure protects users and not restricts choice, free developer accounts for teachers and hobbyists will likely have device download limits. This policy grants Google more control over the reach of third-party apps and enables them to collect data from those creating developer accounts, effectively transforming sideloading into a potentially more restrictive process.

App Store Removals

• 00:02:30 Apple removed the 'IceBlock' immigration enforcement tracking app from its app store, citing safety risks after pressure from the US Attorney General, Pam Bondi. Google followed suit by removing a similar app, 'Red Dot,' from its Play Store, stating these apps pose a 'high risk of abuse' and describing ICE as a 'vulnerable group.' However, the owner of IceBlock, Joshua Allen, plans to contest Apple's decision, comparing his app's functionality to widely used speed trap trackers in navigation applications.

Cybertruck Safety & Nvidia Fix

• 00:04:19 Tesla is facing a wrongful death lawsuit after two college students died in a Cybertruck crash, with families alleging faulty door designs prevented escape from a battery fire. Rear passengers reportedly could not find the manual door releases, which require lifting a rubber mat and pulling a cord. Separately, Agua Computer introduced 'Ampanel,' a $95 tool designed to proactively balance power load across Nvidia's 16-pin GPU power connectors, potentially solving the issue of connector meltdowns, a problem Nvidia itself had not addressed directly.