We’re happy to announce that it’s officially Friday. Here’s something to really think about: Apple announced a new accessibility feature in its upcoming iOS 18 that will allow people to control their iPhones and iPads by simply using their eyes. Soon, you may be on a flight or in a crowded coffee shop and see everyone just staring very intensely at their phones instead of clicking away with their thumbs. Things are about to get weird.

In other news… video game emulators take over the App Store, Gen Z may be lucky in money, and the sports streaming super-streamer debuts its name.

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• YouTube – It Ends With Us

• X (Twitter) – Megalopolis

• Google – Bridgerton

• Reddit – Shogun

• TikTok – “i still think about you” - Sweet Boy

• Spotify – “Go Home” - Lucius, Marcus Mumford 

.GAMING.

Video game emulators come to Apple

The Future. Thanks to the rise of video game emulators, your iPhone is now a Game Boy, Nintendo 64, and even a full arcade all wrapped into one. What a time to be alive. As more users discover the old-school joy of emulators, it may spark a new trend around modifying classic games with creator-specific Easter eggs in the hope that the remixes can go viral.

Arcade OS
In the wake of antitrust pressure, Apple is allowing video game emulators — software that “allows games designed for old devices to run on new ones,” per Axios — on its App Store.

And gamers are excited.

• The most popular emulator, Delta, which allows users to play games made for the Game Boy and SNES, racked up millions of downloads over the past month.

• And more are already gaining steam, including RetroArch (an emulator of consoles like the Nintendo DS and Game Boy Advance) and PPSSPP (an emulator for the PSP).

• The emulators appeal to older gamers who want to play the titles of their youth, hardcore video game preservationists, and younger gamers curious about the classics.

Why did Apple ban emulators for so long? Other than having its own dedicated Arcade-game subscription, the tech giant didn’t want to platform software that isn’t technically legal — emulators aren’t illegal, but downloading game files (dubbed “ROMs”) that they didn’t pay for is.

Also, emulators allow for what are called “ROM hacks,” which are when programmers tweak the code of games to remix or personalize them — a hobby that’s inspired some to turn to professional game design. But that, of course, has some inherent copyright issues baked in.

54.9% of you voted Yes in yesterday’s poll: Do you have a Disney+ subscription?

“Only have it because I get the Disney bundle free through my cell phone provider. I wouldn’t subscribe to it otherwise.”

“Though I tend to watch more Hulu programming with a bundle.”

“If you have children, grandchildren, or visiting children, Disney always comes through with quality content for all age groups.”

.A WORD FROM OUR FRIENDS AT NICE NEWS.

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Sure, there’s a lot going on in the world right now, but there’s also good stuff happening, too.

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Media, Music, & Entertainment

• The sports mashup super-streaming service from Disney-Fox-Warner Bros. Discovery has officially settled on a name: Venu Sports. We’re getting major Hulu vibes. [Read More]

• The Toronto Film Festival plans to launch an official film market to rival the Cannes Film Market and the Berlin Film Market, which would kick off in 2026. [Read More]

• Activision announced a new gaming studio called “Elsewhere Entertainment” focused on “creating a new narrative-based and genre-defining AAA franchise.” [Read More]

Fashion & E-Commerce

• The House of Representatives overwhelmingly voted in favor of the Transparency in Charges for Key Events Ticketing (TICKET) Act, which would overhaul the concert ticketing industry. Your move, Senate. [Read More]

• Nike debuted the Metamorph Poncho, which can convert from a rain jacket into a small tent. [Read More]

• Hugo Boss has tapped David Beckham to help design new formal and casual menswear lines. [Read More]

Tech, Web3, & AI

• Google is launching a Sora competitor called “Veo” and is recruiting filmmakers and creators to test it out. [Read More]

• AT&T has struck a deal with AST SpaceMobile to turn any of the carrier’s phones into satellite phones. [Read More]

• Microsoft has asked 700 to 800 China-based employees to consider relocating to the US, Ireland, Australia, or New Zealand as tension heats up between Washington and Beijing. [Read More]

Creator Economy

• TikTok is testing upping its video runtimes to 60 minutes as it continues its march on YouTube’s turf. [Read More]

• Threads is testing its own version of TweetDeck, the popular multiple-feed posting feature that Musk put behind a paywall when he purchased Twitter. Threads’ version would be free. [Read More]

• Creator Typical Gamer (real name Andre Rebelo) started a gaming company, JOGO, that will develop games specifically for Fortnite using Epic’s Unreal Engine. [Read More]

.WORK.

Gen Z may have a promising work future after all

The Future. A report from the Economic Policy Institute found that Gen Z may actually be okay when it comes to career and earnings prospects despite the economic upheaval of the past few years. However, with housing costs, student debt, and health-related costs hitting record highs, the generation may still conduct their job searches and financial planning for the foreseeable future as if they have it as bad as millennials did after the Great Recession.

Career cycle
EPI’s study found that the job market for new grads is stronger now than it was before the pandemic.

• 65.2% of them are employed (a higher percentage than in February 2020), while unemployment has bounced back 2.5 times faster than millennials after the 2008-2009 Great Recession (3.3 years compared to 8.5 years).

• They’ve also had the best inflation-adjusted wage growth of any generation in 30 years, spurred on by minimum wage increases and multiple labor actions.

• And 83% of employers plan to increase their hiring of new graduates, per the National Association of Colleges and Employers.

Why are things so much better overall for Gen Z coming out of COVID than millennials coming out of the Great Recession? According to the report, you have governmental fiscal relief, recovery packages, and unemployment insurance to thank for people not sinking into financial crisis.

While the data may be good, though, the vibes are still bad.

.A WORD FROM OUR FRIENDS AT NIKE.

Have you heard about Nike’s clearance sale?

Refresh your athletic wardrobe with Nike at unbeatable clearance prices, up to 40% off.

• Read: Noland Arbaugh, Neuralink’s first human patient, talks to Bloomberg about how the brain implant that allows him to control tech with his thoughts has changed his life.

• Listen: WSJ digs into how EV startup Fisker failed to take off as a true Tesla competitor… or, potentially, even a viable company.

• Watch: Vox breaks down why prices are always fluctuating… and why some inflation is sometimes good for the economy.

Silicon Valley’s favorite game: who feels more human?

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