US Appeals Court Overturns "Click-to-Cancel" Rule, HBO Max Rebrands, and Gmail's New Subscription Feature

"Click-to-Cancel" Rule Struck Down

• ⚖️ A U.S. Appeals Court has vacated the click-to-cancel rule, which required companies to make service cancellations as easy as sign-ups.
• 🏛️ The Federal Trade Commission rule, set to take effect July 14th, was overturned by the US Court of Appeals for the ETH Circuit due to procedural deficiencies in the FTC's rulemaking process.

Streaming Service Rebranding and Updates

• 🎬 Warner Brothers has officially reverted its streaming service branding back to HBO Max, a change that is now live across its website and apps.
• 🔄 Existing apps will update automatically, unlike the previous 2023 Max rollout, and this rebrand occurs amidst Warner Brothers' ongoing split into two separate companies.
• 📧 Gmail's new "Manage Subscriptions" feature is now available globally on the web and in select countries on mobile, allowing users to easily control and unsubscribe from unwanted email newsletters.

Tech Industry and AI Developments

• 👓 Meta has acquired a minority stake in EssilorLuxottica, the maker of Ray-Ban smart glasses, investing around $3.51 billion amidst growing demand for AI-powered wearables.
• ⚡ America's largest power grid, PJM Interconnection, is facing severe strain from data center and AI chatbot electricity consumption, projecting significant bill surges this summer and experiencing an 800% price jump at its annual capacity auction.
• 🍎 Apple CEO Tim Cook will now directly oversee the company's design team, taking over from COO Jeff Williams, as Apple prepares to launch a new universal liquid glass design language across its devices.
• 🧑‍💻 Zoom has released a standalone app for Meta Quest headsets, enabling users to join and host meetings in VR using their Meta Avatars, expanding its AI avatar strategy.
• 💬 Microsoft has introduced threaded conversations to its Teams communication app in public preview, allowing users to follow specific threads and bring important updates into the main conversation.
• 🏎️ Apple is reportedly in negotiations to acquire U.S. Formula 1 broadcasting rights from ESPN, potentially expanding its sports broadcasting portfolio.