MacRumors

Apple today updated its Apple Store app with a new "For You" tab that offers access to order status, devices, accessory recommendations, services, reservations, and product tips, all in one simple to access place.

There's also a feature that's designed to allow you to compare a new iPhone you're considering purchasing with your existing ‌iPhone‌ so you can see the difference at a glance.

The updated ‌Apple Store‌ app, which lets Apple customers make purchases, view orders, find accessories, and more, can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]

Qualcomm today shared its third quarter earnings report and hinted that Apple's upcoming 5G iPhones could be delayed, according to Reuters. Qualcomm said its fourth quarter projections might be impacted by the "delay of a global 5G flagship phone launch."

From Qualcomm CFO Akash Palkhiwala, who referred to the delay as "slight":

"We're seeing a partial impact from the delay of a flagship phone launch. And so what we've seen is a slight delay that pushes some of the units out from the September quarter to the December quarter for us."

The fourth quarter covers July, August, and September, and September is typically the month when Apple launches new smartphones. Given the release timelines of other smartphones and Apple's size, it's unlikely that Qualcomm is referring to a different smartphone launch, even though Qualcomm declined to name Apple or the iPhone.

Apple is using Qualcomm's 5G chips in its ‌iPhone‌ 12 lineup, and all models are expected to support 5G technology. There have been multiple rumors indicating Apple's ‌iPhone‌ launch will be delayed this year due to the ongoing global health crisis and restrictions on travel.

So far, rumors have indicated that iPhones could be delayed by about a month, which suggests a launch in October rather than September. It's not clear if all iPhones will be delayed, or if some models will come out in September while others launch in October or later.

Apple is still likely to unveil the new iPhones in September as it usually does, launching the devices later in the year. There is precedent for a launch that's uncoupled from an announcement. In 2018, Apple debuted the ‌iPhone‌ XS, XS Max, and XR, with the two more expensive iPhones launching in September and the XR coming later in October.

We're expecting a total of four iPhones in 5.4, 6.1, and 6.7-inch sizes in 2020, with more details available in our iPhone 12 roundup.

Apple CEO Tim Cook was, as expected, questioned about Apple's App Store policies during today's antitrust hearing with the U.S. House Judiciary Antitrust Subcommittee. Cook primarily stuck to the talking points provided in his opening statement [PDF], but he did have some extra color to add.

Cook was specifically questioned about email app "Hey" from Basecamp, which was at the center of a huge controversy earlier this year after Apple approved the app and then threatened to remove it from the ‌App Store‌ because Hey was skirting Apple's in-app purchase rules.

At issue was the fact that the "Hey" app was non-functional for customers unless they subscribed to the $99 per year Hey email service outside of the ‌App Store‌. Hey did not want to give Apple a 30 percent cut of profits, while Apple claimed that it did not want an app that "doesn't work" on the ‌App Store‌. Hey at the time opened to a blank screen asking users to log in.

When asked about the inconsistency over the approval of the app and the subsequent controversy, Cook didn't have much to say other than pointing out that the issue was resolved and that the ‌App Store‌ provides a lot of value for developers.

Hey is in the App Store today and we're happy that they're there. I believe they have a version of their product for free so they're not paying anything on that. I would also say that the 15 or 30 percent is for lots of different services, compilers, programming languages, APIs, etc. [...]

It's an economic miracle that the App Store allows a person in their basement to start a company and serve 170 countries in the world. I believe it's the highest job creator in the last decade.

Cook went on to explain that Apple does sometimes make mistakes given the volume of apps that are examined each week. "I'm sure we made errors," said Cook. "We get 100,000 apps submitted a week and there are 1.7 million apps in the ‌App Store‌."

Cook was asked if Apple's 15 to 30 percent cut that it takes from apps squeezes out the next generation of App makers and whether it's unjust, and Cook said no.

No, I don't think so. There are a lot of apps on the store and a lot of people are making a very good living.

There were questions on whether Apple was "extracting" commissions from apps that have had to change their business models in response to the pandemic like Airbnb and ClassPass, (as outlined here) and whether this was pandemic profiteering.

Cook said Apple would "never do that." He went on to explain that if something has moved to a digital service that does not follow the ‌App Store‌ rules, that it does need to go through the ‌App Store‌. "In the cases I'm aware of, we're working with the developers," he said.

As for educational apps, Cook said that Apple will not make efforts to monetize apps that students adopt as they transition to learning digitally.

We're proud of what we've done in education. We're serving that market in a significant way. We will work with people who move from a physical to virtual world because of the pandemic.

When asked about limiting copy cat apps and whether those rules apply to Apple, Cook said that he was not familiar with what was being asked, but Apple is subjected to the same rules as other app developers. The Congressman questioning him, Joe Neguse, said that Apple's ‌App Store‌ rules allow Apple to use any data collected by developers to create clone apps while also preventing these kind of apps from developers.

Cook said that he was not familiar with that, and that he'd follow up with the Congressman's office. He did, however, say that Apple would "never steal somebody's IP."

Cook's full testimony can be watched on YouTube as the U.S. House Judiciary Antitrust Subcommittee livestreamed the proceedings.

Apple in early 2019 removed or restricted many popular screen time and parental control apps on the App Store due to their use of Mobile Device Management, or MDM, which the company said put user security and privacy at risk.

During today's antitrust hearing with the U.S. House Judiciary Antitrust Subcommittee, Cook was questioned about Apple's decision to remove the parental control apps, which came after the release of Apple's own Screen Time feature.

Cook said what Apple has said multiple times before, that the apps that used Mobile Device Management to allow parents to limit kids access to their devices placed data at risk. "We were worried about the safety of kids," Cook said.

Cook's statement was similar to what Apple said when the apps were removed: "These apps were using an enterprise technology that provided them access to kids' highly sensitive personal data. We do not think it is O.K. for any apps to help data companies track or optimize advertising of kids."

The Congresswoman questioning Cook asked about a specific app from the Saudi Arabian government that also used MDM, but Cook said he was not familiar with the app and that he would have to provide more data at a later date. When questioned about whether Apple applies different rules to different app developers, Cook once again said that rules are applied to all developers equally.

Cook was asked about the timing of the removal of the parental control apps, given that Screen Time had launched not too long before, a question that Cook largely skirted. He was asked why Phil Schiller had referred customers complaining about the removal of parental control apps to Screen Time, but Cook referenced the more than 30 parental control apps in the ‌App Store‌ and said there is "vibrant competition" in the parental control space in the ‌App Store‌.

When pressed on whether Apple has the power to exclude apps from the ‌App Store‌ or remove competing apps, Cook returned to what he said during his opening statement, that there's a "wide gate" for the ‌App Store‌, referring to the fact that there are more than 1.7 million apps available. "It's an economic miracle," said Cook. "We want to get every app we can on the ‌App Store‌."

In tandem with the questioning on parental control apps, Cook was asked why, in 2010, Apple used the ‌App Store‌ to push publisher Random House into participating in the iBookstore, which Random House had declined to do. In a cited document, Apple iTunes chief Eddy Cue at the time emailed Steve Jobs that he "prevented an app from Random House from going live in the ‌App Store‌," because Apple was aiming to get Random House to agree to an overall deal. Cook in response said there are "many reasons" an app might not make it through the approval process. "It might not work properly," he said.

Apple's 2019 decision to limit parental control apps led the developers of those apps to call for a public API that would allow them to access the same features that are available in Screen Time after the MDM options were restricted, which Apple declined to provide.

Mobile Device Management, which the apps used, is a feature that is specifically designed for enterprise users to manage company-owned devices. Apple's position is that the use of MDM by consumer-focused apps has privacy and security concerns that have been referenced in App Store guidelines since 2017.

Rather than providing an API, Apple ultimately decided to allow parental control app developers to use Mobile Device Management for their apps, with stricter privacy controls that prevent them from selling, using, or disclosing data to third parties. Apps must also submit an MDM capability request that evaluates how an app will use MDM to prevent abuse and to ensure no data is shared. MDM requests are re-evaluated each year.

Apple is facing another probe on its iPhone "throttling" practices, this time from Arizona attorney general Mark Brnovich, reports Reuters.

The probe, which may also involve Texas, has been ongoing since October 2018 and is attempting to determine whether Apple's deliberate slowing of older iPhones "violated deceptive trade practice laws."

Last week, reports suggested that Texas was involved in an investigation aiming to determine whether Apple deceived customers, though no other information was available at the time. It's likely that the probe in Arizona is linked to the Texas report, with both states looking into Apple's 2017 ‌iPhone‌ slowdown practices.

As many MacRumors readers know, Apple in iOS 10.2.1 (which was released in early 2017) introduced a performance management system designed to eliminate unexpected shutdowns by throttling the maximum performance of iPhones with chemically aged batteries.

Apple did not disclose how its power management system worked, leading to customer outrage when it was discovered ‌iPhone‌ performance was being downgraded. Apple said that this was to make sure that the ‌iPhone‌ lasted as long as possible, even as the battery failed.

After it was discovered that Apple was limiting ‌iPhone‌ performance, Apple apologized and ultimately launched a battery replacement program that saw the company offering replacement batteries for older devices for $29. Replacing a failing battery successfully resolves the problem that leads to shutdowns, which is why power was limited by Apple in the first place.

In addition to offering low-cost battery replacements for a year, Apple has also agreed to pay up to $500 million to settle a class action lawsuit over the issue.

Apple's performance management system is now disabled by default and it turns on only if an ‌iPhone‌ suffers an unexpected shutdown. Even then, it can be disabled, and Apple also provides much more detailed information on battery health so customers can opt for a replacement when necessary.

Apple CEO Tim Cook is today testifying in an antitrust hearing with the U.S. House Judiciary Antitrust Subcommittee, where he was questioned about Apple's App Store policies.

Cook was hit with complaints from developers that the committee has spoken to. Apple was accused of making its ‌App Store‌ rules unavailable to developers, arbitrarily enforcing those rules, changing them at will, enforcing rules that benefit Apple, and discriminating between smaller and larger app developers.

In response, Cook claimed that Apple treats all developers the same, with open and transparent rules. "We care deeply about privacy and quality. We look at every app, but the rules apply evenly to everyone." Cook said that some developers are not favored over others and that Apple examines all apps, small or large.

Cook was questioned about reduced commission rates for apps like Amazon Prime, which Cook said are available to "anyone meeting the conditions." The Congressman questioning Cook went on to ask whether Apple uses data collected from the ‌App Store‌ to decide whether it would be profitable for Apple to develop a competing app, a question that Cook skirted.

Cook was then asked what was stopping Apple from potentially raising its ‌App Store‌ commissions and fees, something that Apple has never done. Cook said that there's competition to attract developers just like there's competition to attract customers, likening the battle for developers to a "street fight for marketshare."

There's competition for developers just like there's a competition for customers. And so competition for developers, they can write their apps for Android, or Windows, or Xbox, or PlayStation. We have fierce competition at the developer side and the customer side. Essentially, it's so competitive I'd describe it as a street fight for market share in the smartphone business.

Cook also said that Apple does not retaliate or bully app developers who do not agree to Apple's ‌App Store‌ rules. "It's strongly against company culture," said Cook.

The antitrust hearing is ongoing, and can be watched live over on YouTube. The antitrust subcommittee is also questioning Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Google/Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai, and Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos. Most of the questions so far have been for Pichai and Zuckerberg, but we'll share additional details on anything else notable Cook has to say.

Apple CEO Tim Cook is today participating in an antitrust hearing with the U.S. House Judiciary Antitrust Subcommittee alongside Alphabet/Google CEO Sundar Pichai, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, and Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg.

The hearing was supposed to kick off at 12:00 p.m. Eastern Time or 9:00 a.m. Pacific Time, but it was delayed for a half hour to an hour. It can be watched live through the YouTube stream above.

Cook is expected to be grilled about Apple's App Store policies in regard to app rejection and competition, disputes with the FBI over encryption and law enforcement access to locked devices, Apple's relationship with China, and its ‌App Store‌ fees and subscription policies.

Cook was initially reluctant to participate in the hearing because he does not believe Apple should be grouped with Facebook, Amazon, and Google as an antitrust violator, but he was not able to avoid testifying after a threat of a subpoena from subcommittee chairman David Cicilline, who publicly criticized Apple's ‌App Store‌ fees.

Over the course of the last month, Cook has been preparing for the hearing, and Apple last week commissioned a third-party study on the ‌App Store‌ that found ‌App Store‌ fees to be in line with those charged by other digital marketplaces, which Cook is likely to cite. Cook's opening statement was shared yesterday, and can be read here.

We'll share highlights from the antitrust hearing covering what Cook has to say, but those interested in a complete picture of what happens at the hearing can watch live.

Mac OS 8 is now available as an app for macOS, Windows, and Linux, reports The Verge.

Slack developer Felix Rieseberg has transformed Mac OS 8 into a single downloadable app for modern macOS, Windows, and Linux devices. Having previously transformed Windows 95 into an app in 2018, Rieseberg turned his attention to transforming an entire 1991 Macintosh Quadra with Mac OS 8.1 into a single Electron app.

The app, titled "macintosh.js," is written entirely in JavaScript, and uses a virtual machine to emulate a Macintosh Quadra 900 with a Motorola CPU that Apple used before its transition to IBM's PowerPC architecture. The project has not been approved by Apple and is provided for educational purposes only.

The macintosh.js app includes a number of apps and games from a 1997 MacWorld demo CD, and includes Photoshop 3, Premiere 4, Illustrator 5.5, StuffIt Expander, and Apple’s Web Page Construction Kit. The app can also run classic games such as Duke Nukem 3D, Civilization II, Dungeons & Dragons, Namely, Oregon Trail, Alley 19 Bowling, and Damage Incorporated. Although Internet Explorer and Netscape are preinstalled, Rieseberg says the versions are so old that "you wouldn't be able to open even Google."

Originally released in 1997, Mac OS 8 represented a significant overhaul of classic Mac OS software, and integrated many of the technologies developed for Apple's cancelled Copland OS. Mired by delays, missed deadlines, and dysfunctional management, Copland was never commercially released and is regarded as one of the biggest IT project failures in history. Mac OS 8 was the remnant of Copland OS, and is credited with helping to modernize Mac OS while Apple developed Mac OS X.

Hobbyists have set about making classic versions of macOS available on modern devices in the past, such as the Internet Archive's collection of classic Macintosh software that can be emulated in a browser.

Instagram is offering financial incentives to prominent TikTok users in an attempt to persuade them to use Instagram's upcoming "Reels" feature, reports The Wall Street Journal.

Instagram is seeking to kickstart its new Reels service by making lucrative offers to popular TikTok creators with millions of followers. Set to launch next month, Reels is Instagram's answer to TikTok's short-form video clips.

Incentive payments for some are reported to be in the "hundreds of thousands of dollars," with the highest payouts for creators who commit to posting their videos exclusively to Reels. For creators who refuse to post exclusively to Reels, Instagram has asked that they post their videos to Reels before posting them to other platforms. Popular TikTok creators have been known to be the subject of payments from large companies to use specific songs, wear branded clothing, and promote products in their videos, in order to reach large audiences.

Instagram has "approached a diverse range of creators about Reels in several of the countries where it's currently being tested," a company spokesperson said. "We remain committed to investing in both our creators and their experience." Instagram is offering to cover the costs of producing their videos, and has reportedly used nondisclosure agreements to dissuade creators from sharing the terms of the potential deals.

Last week, TikTok announced a $200 million fund to counter Instagram's push, intended to help creators on the platform to "realize additional earnings that help reward the care and dedication they put into creatively connecting with an audience that's inspired by their ideas."

Following the announcement of Reels earlier this month, news of financial incentives for creators is confirmation that Instagram is gearing up to directly compete with TikTok. In April, YouTube announced "Shorts," a new service that will also replicate the short video format to compete with TikTok.

TikTok, owned by parent company ByteDance, has faced increasing global scrutiny in recent weeks over security and privacy concerns related to its Chinese roots.

Reels is scheduled to launch in the U.S. and several other countries next month, with numerous "exclusive posts" from prominent creators.

WhatsApp appears to be testing the ability to use the same user account on multiple devices.

According to WABetaInfo, the latest version of the WhatsApp beta for Android includes hints that WhatsApp is testing the possibility for up to four devices, including additional Mac computers.

The tipster adds that WhatsApp could also eventually let users send verification codes to log into their account on an additional phone, although it's not clear how this would work from a security perspective.

As it stands, WhatsApp requires a phone number to link to an iPhone, and while it's possible to use that device to link to one desktop app or the web, you can't use the same account on another phone without transferring the number – so if you lose your number, you lose your WhatsApp account.

That could soon be about to change though, based on screenshots shared by WABetaInfo, which show that the Linked Devices interface being tested is similar to the way users currently link their account to WhatsApp for Web.

Currently the feature is hidden in the beta, so no one can use it. Whether or not it gets revealed in a future beta or eventually makes it to a public release on ‌iPhone‌ is another matter, and it could be the case that WhatsApp decides after testing that it isn't feasible.

That said, WhatsApp developers have been working hard on new features under the hood recently. Earlier this month, WhatsApp began rolling out a number of new features across its mobile, web, and desktop variants, including a QR code scanning option for contacts and a new Dark mode theme that extends to computers.

There's still no word on the iPad app that was rumored to be in development over 16 months ago, but it's possible we could see one in the not too distant future if WhatsApp manages to get its multi-device support off the ground.

Spotify Premium subscribers can now simultaneously listen to music playlists and podcasts with their friends, wherever they are in the world.

The new feature is the latest evolution of Spotify's Group Session beta, which launched back in May and allowed Premium users in the "same space" to share and control music together in real time. Spotify's newsroom post explains:

In our latest innovation, we're taking Group Session one step further with brand-new functionality that allows Spotify Premium users around the world to tune into the same playlist or podcast simultaneously. So no matter the distance—whether six feet apart or a thousand miles away—you and the members of your squad can now each listen to the same content at the same time on your own devices (as well as control playback).

Groups of two to five people can use the new feature at once by sharing a "join" link shared via messaging apps or over social media.

All you have to do is click or tap the Connect menu in the bottom-left corner of the play screen and scroll down to "Start a group Session." There you should find the invite link to share with your guests, or they can scan the Spotify code to join the session.

From there, both host and guests can pause, play, skip, and select tracks on the queue as well as add in choices of their own using the standard controls. If one person makes a change, it will immediately be reflected on all participant devices.

Spotify says that while Group Session is still in beta, it's committed to evolving and improving the experience over time.

Apple's iPhone was the fastest-growing smartphone brand in China in the second quarter, according to data published by Counterpoint Research.

Bouncing back from the decline in the market in Q1 following the global health crisis, Apple grew 32% year on year thanks to the continued popularity of its ‌iPhone‌ 11 lineup and heavy discounting at an annual shopping festival that Apple doesn't usually participate in.

This year's new ‌iPhone‌ SE also entered into the top three best-selling iPhones in the quarter, mirroring the more affordable device's performance in the United States in the same quarter.

Apple's reversal of fortunes in China are particularly impressive given that it saw an almost 60 percent slump in iPhone sales in February compared to the previous year, shifting fewer than 500,000 handsets across the country.

The surge in ‌iPhone‌ sales in Q2 comes amid a 17% year-on-year decline in overall smartphone sales in China. In addition, one third of total smartphone sales during the quarter were 5G devices, which is the highest adoption of 5G in the world and bodes well for Apple's 5G "‌iPhone‌ 12" lineup, expected this fall.

Apple has officially announced the opening of its Apple Central World store on Friday with a press release that includes several new images of the interior of the building.

Apple Central World is nestled in the heart of Ratchaprasong, Bangkok's iconic intersection, and it joins Apple's existing store in Thailand, Apple Iconsiam, which opened in November 2018.

Apple Central World’s distinctive architecture is brought to life with the first-ever all-glass design, housed under a cantilevered Tree Canopy roof. Once inside, customers can travel between two levels via a spiral staircase that wraps around a timber core, or riding a unique cylindrical elevator clad in mirror-polished stainless steel. Guests can enter from the ground or upper level, which provides a direct connection to the Skytrain and the city’s largest shopping center. The outdoor plaza offers a place for the community to gather, with benches and large Terminalia trees surrounding the space.

Apple Central World opens Friday, July 31 at 10 a.m. ICT in Bangkok, and more than 130 new team members speaking 17 languages will be in attendance to welcome customers.

Apple says the new store will open with the same health and safety measures seen across all Apple Store locations for both employees and visitors, including a mask requirement, temperature checks, and social distancing.

Apple notes that visits to Apple Central World on Friday will be by appointment only. Customers can visit apple.com/th/centralworld to choose from available times, and each non-transferable reservation admits one person.

As Apple CEO Tim Cook prepares to speak in front of the U.S. House Judiciary Antitrust Subcommittee tomorrow, his opening statement has been made available. [PDF]

Cook will say that Apple does "not have a dominant market share" in any market where it does business, and that consumers have many other choices when it comes to smartphones. "As much as we believe the iPhone provides the best user experience, we know it is far from the only choice available to consumers," reads Cook's testimony.

The smartphone market is fiercely competitive and companies like Samsung, LG, Huawei, and Google have built very successful smartphone businesses offering different approaches.

Apple does not have a dominant market share in any market where we do business. That is not just true for iPhone; it is true for any product category.

Cook will "make no concession on the facts" and plans to dispute claims that Apple is anti-competitive. Apple's App Store, Cook says has opened the "gate wider" for developers and the fees that are charged provide access to Apple APIs and other benefits.

I am here today because scrutiny is reasonable and appropriate. We approach this process with respect and humility. But we make no concession on the facts.

After beginning with 500 apps, today the App Store hosts more than 1.7 million--only 60 of which are Apple software. Clearly if Apple is a gatekeeper, what we have done is open the gate wider. We want to get every app we can on the Store, not keep them off.

As for high ‌App Store‌ commissions, Cook will argue that Apple's 15 to 30 percent cut is competitive with alternatives, and that Apple offers a better option than what was available for software developers prior to when the ‌App Store‌ launched in 2008.

App Store developers set prices for their apps and never pay for "shelf space." Apple continuously improves, and provides every developer with cutting-edge tools like compilers, programming languages, operating systems, frameworks, and more than 150,000 essential software building blocks called APIs. These are not only powerful, but so simple to use that students in elementary schools can and do make apps.

The App Store guidelines ensure a high-quality, reliable, and secure user experience. They are transparent and applied equally to developers of all sizes and in all categories. They are not set in stone. Rather, they have changed as the world has changed, and we work with developers to apply them fairly.

Cook plans to explain that Apple has not raised commissions or added fees since the ‌App Store‌ debuted, and has, in fact, reduced fees for subscriptions and added exemptions for certain app categories.

For the vast majority of apps on the App Store, developers keep 100% of the money they make. The only apps that are subject to a commission are those where the developer acquires a customer on an Apple device and where the features or services would be experienced and consumed on an Apple device.

Apple's commissions are comparable to or lower than commissions charged by the majority of our competitors. And they are vastly lower than the 50 to 70 percent software developers paid to distribute their work before we launched the App Store.

The antitrust hearing will kick off tomorrow at 12:00 p.m. Eastern Time, with a live stream to be provided. It will also feature testimony from Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, and Google/Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai. Cook's full statement can be read here.

Apple is sold out of the $1,300 LG UltraFine 5K Display, which is listed as "Currently Unavailable" from the online Apple Store and is unavailable for pickup from Apple retail stores.

The LG UltraFine 5K Display is not available for purchase in the United States, the UK, Canada, and Brazil, as noted by 9to5Mac. Prior to when the monitor was listed as unavailable, there were long shipping times after purchase, which suggests there could be possible supply issues.

If supply issues are indeed at fault (and supply problems have also caused long shipping times for other Apple products like the iMac), the display's unavailability is likely to be temporary. Apple has not provided details on whether the monitor is temporarily sold out or no longer being sold, however.

Last May, the 5K LG UltraFine Display was also listed as unavailable from the ‌Apple Store‌ prior to a refresh in late July 2019, which is the model that was purchasable up until recently. Apple is continuing to offer the Pro Display XDR, but that is a much more expensive display option at $5,000. The 4K LG UltraFine model is also available for purchase.

The Thunderbolt 3 LG UltraFine 5K Display offers a 5120 x 2880 resolution with 14.7 million pixels and P3 wide color gamut, plus built-in stereo speakers, a camera, a microphone, and an adjustable stand at a $1,300 price point.

Future movies from Universal Pictures will come to online platforms like iTunes and Apple TV just 17 days after a theatrical release following a deal between Universal and AMC Theaters, reports The Wall Street Journal.

Under the terms of the deal, the theatrical window for new movies will be shortened to 17 days from the current 75 days, so viewers will be able to watch new titles online as soon as 2.5 weeks after they first appear in theaters.

During the pandemic, Universal had been experimenting with offering movies online while they're still in theaters, which AMC was not happy with. Universal's digital release of "Trolls World Tour" in the early months of the coronavirus was a success, earning more than $100 million in three weeks, and spurring the company to further experiment with digital releases.

Movie theaters have been closed, but AMC said that if Universal released new movies direct to digital platforms, it would not show new Universal releases. With the new 17-day theatrical release window, however, the dispute between the two companies has been settled.

According to The Wall Street Journal, this deal for shorter theatrical releases between AMC and Universal Pictures could put pressure on rivals of both companies to establish similar online release timelines.

AMC Chief Executive Adam Aron said that AMC will have an opportunity to generate additional revenue by offering new Universal films on its AMC Theaters on Demand platform. New Universal titles will also be released on digital platforms like ‌Apple TV‌ and Amazon.

While theaters are shut down due to the coronavirus, movie studios have been delaying releases. "Tenet," "The Quiet Place 2," "Mulan," and countless other titles have seen continual delays. Some other movies have been released directly online, which more studios may be forced to do if the movie theater shutdowns continue.