Fees

Amazon's Ring is raising the price of its cheapest Basic subscription, following similar bumps by Google and others, the company said in a FAQ seen by The Verge. As of March 11, it's going from $4 to $5 per month (or $40 to $50 dollars a year), an increase of 25 percent.The last time Ring raised its Basic plan rate in June of 2022 (from $3 to $4 per month), it also added a few features like additional cloud storage, larger bulk videos downloads and the ability to receive exclusive discounts on future Ring product. This…

Facebook owner Meta announced on Wednesday it would challenge in court an EU demand for fees under a content moderation law.The European Commission last year put Meta's Facebook and Instagram on a list of "very large" online platforms that face tougher rules under the new Digital Services Act (DSA). Companies on the list must pay fees to the commission, the EU's executive arm, to bankroll enforcement of the DSA. Meta supported the DSA's aims and had introduced measures to comply, "but we disagree with the methodology…

If there’s one thing most Americans can agree on, it’s that airlines have gotten way too comfortable charging extra for things that were once considered basic amenities. Junk fees run rampant in the industry. Everything from luggage, to itinerary changes, to how fast you can check in can now potentially carry an additional charge. So when President Joe Biden’s administration proposed eliminating seat selection fees for families with children, you’d think self-declared pro-family Republicans might not take issue.…

Pocketpair are currently spending £380k a month in server fees following the huge success of Palworld. Palworld launched in Early Access last month and, according to developers Pocketpair, has seen over 19million people play the game. However, this has resulted in massive server fees, with Pocketpair CEO Takuro Mizobe taking to social media to joke that the game’s success could “bankrupt” the studio. He also shared an invoice for £380k for server fees, which are up 359 per cent this month. あれ、ひょっとしてサーバー代で倒産する？…

Photo by Vincent Rivaud on Pexels.com Parisians have voted to triple the parking costs for SUVs – including heavier electric ones and hybrids. This Sunday, the city held a referendum, with Parisians voting 56.6% in favor of increased parking fees. While the narrow, traffic-clogged streets of Paris seem a better fit for the likes of the nimble Twingo, city officials say that the number of SUVs in the city has increased by 60% over the last four years. SUVs account for 15% of the 1.15…

In January, Samsung unveiled its upcoming generation of Galaxy smartphones and devices, which will incorporate new AI-powered features. But it could come with a cost, as a note on the Galaxy S24 Ultra’s product page indicates that “Galaxy AI features by Samsung will be provided for free until the end of 2025 on supported Samsung Galaxy devices.” That brings up a big question: Should Galaxy owners anticipate that they’ll need to pay extra or recurring fees to use Galaxy AI features starting in 2026? Fast Company reached…

DoorDash customers in NYC will notice a new fee tacked onto their bill when they purchase food for delivery through the app. The company has started charging users $2 more for deliveries in NYC as a response to the city's new minimum wage law, a spokesperson has confirmed to Business Insider. It warned users back in December that the new minimum pay rate, which it called "ill-conceived" and "extreme," will have "significant consequences for everyone" who uses its platform and will "force to raise fees for orders." Other…

Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney is none too pleased with Apple’s new App Store rules, dubbing them once again a case of “malicious compliance” and filled with “junk fees.” As reported earlier this week, Apple today announced it will charge fees on “sideloaded” apps in the EU — that is, apps and games downloaded from outside its own App Store, like those Epic plans to offer. Apple’s new rules, which go into effect in the EU as part of the tech giant’s compliance with the bloc’s Digital Markets Act (DMA), target larger…

Apple plans to add new fees and restrictions when it starts allowing third-party software downloads outside its App Store, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday.The news comes months after the European Union enforced the Digital Markets Act (DMA) to target the market clout of big technology companies and make it easier for people to move between competing services. All Big Tech firms must comply with the DMA by March 7. The WSJ report said Apple's plan, which would only apply in Europe, will allow users to…

Image: Maria Diaz/ZDNETThe European Union's Digital Markets Act (DMA) requires Apple to make even more changes to how it does things. The company is being forced to allow sideloading apps, though apparently it still plans to charge fees and review these apps. The DMA aims to reduce major tech companies' control over digital markets and  to increase competition. As part of DMA compliance, Apple plans to announce the ability to sideload apps on iOS, which it will allow in Europe effective with iOS 17.4. No word yet on…