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Apple Original Films, in collaboration with Warner Bros., achieved an impressive $10 million in preview earnings this week with their Formula One movie featuring Brad Pitt. Directed by Joseph Kosinski and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, this film marks a significant milestone as Apple’s first major theatrical release. It surpassed preview grosses of notable Apple films like Ridley Scott’s *Napoleon* ($3 million) and Martin Scorsese’s *Killers of the Flower Moon* ($2.6 million).

Notably, it also outperformed the previews of *Ford v Ferrari*, which garnered $2.1 million in previews. Breaking down the figures, the Formula One film raked in $7 million from showings that began at 3 PM and an additional $3 million from earlier IMAX previews. With strong early results, projections indicate a potential opening weekend gross of over $50 million.

Warner Bros. contributed 50 percent toward the film’s global print and advertising expenditure. The production budget has been cited as $200 million, although some sources suggest it might be as high as $300 million. Regardless, the film is expected to earn approximately $115 million globally at its opening.

The audience score stands at an impressive 97%, with 84% of critics labeling it as “certified fresh.” On the other hand, the preview earnings for *M3GAN 2.0* were notably lower than those of the original, which earned $2.75 million. The sequel will be hard-pressed to reach $20 million this weekend, having grossed $1.5 million in previews.

Critics have given mixed reviews, with a 59% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, indicating a decline in enthusiasm for the franchise’s gimmick. The movie, which reportedly cost $25 million to produce before marketing, is being positioned as counterprogramming for the summer box office. In additional box office news, *Lilo & Stitch* is set to surpass the $400 million mark this weekend, becoming the second film to achieve this milestone this year, following the success of *A Minecraft Movie*.

John Gruber highlights the significant implications of Apple’s recent decision to send a promotional push notification for *F1 The Movie* through the Wallet app. This action, he argues, undermines the trust users place in Apple Wallet, a platform intended for secure management of sensitive personal information. In a world where companies cannot directly insert advertisements into physical wallets, Apple’s foray into advertisement through its digital Wallet is particularly concerning. Users expect privacy and security in a tool that handles their finances, identification, and keys.

The message is clear: if Apple wants to encourage users to transition their lives from analog wallets to the digital Apple Wallet, it must maintain a strict no-ad policy. This is crucial since they are essentially competing with the privacy associated with a traditional wallet. Moreover, the annoyance factor of ads aside, there’s a deeper issue at play. Many users could misinterpret this promotional content as a sign that Apple Wallet is actively surveilling their purchasing behaviors and interests.

For example, if a user recently purchased tickets for a movie using Apple Wallet and subsequently received an ad for *F1*, it could lead to paranoia over privacy and tracking. Such a leap in logic can diminish user confidence in the platform. Gruber emphasizes that the release of this ad jeopardizes the hard work put in by other Apple teams to ensure user privacy. While he is generally reluctant to call for job terminations, he believes that the decision to authorize this promotional notification was misguided and warrants serious reconsideration.

Overall, he calls for a recommitment to the principles of privacy and security that Apple Wallet was designed to uphold.

Apple recently sent out a push notification to select iPhone users promoting a limited-time discount on movie tickets offered by Fandango for Apple’s upcoming film, “F1: The Movie.” This notification, which came through the Wallet app, has sparked significant backlash among users. Many iPhone users expressed their frustration on platforms such as MacRumors Forums, Reddit, and X. Complaints centered around the intrusive nature of receiving what they perceived as advertisement notifications.

One user remarked, “Apple is now just sending me ads to my screen, something I hate with an absolute passion and disable across the board.” The discontent is particularly strong regarding the Wallet app since it serves as a crucial tool for managing personal finances, making the complete disabling of notifications impractical. Moreover, critics argue that Apple appears to be violating its own guidelines, which state that push notifications should not be employed for promotional purposes unless users have explicitly consented to receive them. This guideline emphasizes that users should have a clear method of opting out of such messages, which many believe was overlooked in this instance. While Apple has been actively promoting “F1: The Movie,” scheduled for release in theaters on June 25 in Europe and June 27 in the U.S. and Canada, the response from users suggests that the company may have crossed a line.

On a more positive note, the iOS 26 beta introduces an “Offers & Promotions” toggle in the Wallet app, allowing users to opt in or out. However, it is concerning that push notifications were sent to users on the older iOS 18 without their explicit consent, leading to disappointment among some iPhone users regarding Apple’s approach.

Apple executives are reportedly exploring the possibility of acquiring Perplexity AI, a notable player in the AI startup sector known for its AI-powered web search capabilities. Discussions have involved key figures such as mergers and acquisitions chief Adrian Perica and services head Eddy Cue.

According to Mark Gurman from Bloomberg, these talks are still in their infancy and may not necessarily lead to a formal offer. While Apple has not commented on the matter, Perplexity has stated it is unaware of any current or future merger discussions.

The decision on whether Apple will pursue this acquisition may be influenced by the ongoing antitrust trial against Google. This trial could potentially undermine Apple’s lucrative arrangement with Google, which designates them as the default search engine on Apple devices.

Currently, this deal generates approximately $20 billion annually for Apple. Considering Perplexity’s latest funding round valued the company at around $14 billion, an acquisition would mark a historic financial move for Apple, surpassing its previous purchase of Beats for $3 billion.

An alternative to the acquisition might involve a partnership between Apple and Perplexity, where Apple integrates Perplexity’s AI search features into its Safari browser and Siri. The two companies have held several discussions on this front.

However, complicating matters, Perplexity is reportedly nearing a significant agreement with Samsung, which would implement its AI features in Samsung smartphones, potentially impacting any future collaboration with Apple. As Apple navigates these talks, the tech landscape remains highly dynamic, with the outcomes of these discussions likely to shape both Apple’s AI strategy and its competitive positioning in the market.

Apple is encountering increasing opposition from automobile manufacturers regarding CarPlay Ultra, the latest iteration of its CarPlay software system. This upgraded system, which was introduced recently, is intended to provide a more integrated dashboard experience in vehicles. A recent report from the Financial Times indicates that several major automotive brands are reconsidering their previous commitments to embrace this new dashboard technology. Notably, German luxury brands Mercedes-Benz and Audi, along with Volvo, Polestar, and Renault, have distanced themselves from CarPlay Ultra.

This marks a significant shift from Apple’s 2022 announcement, which had initially highlighted 14 automakers, including those now retracting their support as partners for the upcoming software. CarPlay Ultra aims to revolutionize the automotive user experience by controlling the entire dashboard. This system integrates vehicle information—such as temperature, speed, and fuel level—with iPhone applications, offering what Apple describes as “a unified and consistent experience across all the driver’s screens.” However, leading brands like Mercedes-Benz have previously shown hesitance about relinquishing control of dashboard operations to Apple.

Other premium brands echo these concerns, focusing on the importance of maintaining their individual software experiences and revenue channels from in-car services. A Renault executive was quoted expressing frustration with Apple’s attempts to dominate vehicle systems, stating, “Don’t try to invade our own systems.” While some manufacturers like Jaguar Land Rover are still assessing the CarPlay Ultra, others such as Ford and Nissan have not publicly shared their plans regarding its implementation. Interestingly, BMW has indicated that it plans to integrate standard Apple CarPlay into its new models, but will not adopt CarPlay Ultra.

Meanwhile, Audi has stated its intention to prioritize a customized digital experience for drivers, opting out of the ultra version. Despite these setbacks, Apple maintains that it is actively collaborating with automotive partners to implement CarPlay Ultra, assuring that more car manufacturers will join soon. The company emphasizes the value of integrating the capabilities of iPhone with the automotive experience, while acknowledging that this process requires time.