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Tech News
An operator of a social livestreaming platform argues that metrics like watch time and views, which built the largest social media products, measure consumption rather than genuine social connection. The piece contrasts a user who passively watches 100 videos in an hour with one who spends that hour interacting with a single person, arguing the latter is more truly social despite weaker numbers.
Beehiiv has increased its subscription prices, with the Lite plan now starting at $139 per month for up to 10,000 subscribers, up from $109. The Pro plan has also risen to $239 monthly from $219. Despite offering a free tier for creators with fewer than 2,500 subscribers, the price hike has led some users to express frustration on social media, citing concerns over profitability and platform features.
Apple has released a Final Cut Camera update that supports the iPhone 18 Pro's variable aperture and redesigned camera controls, including easier access to ISO and white balance settings. Final Cut Pro and Motion now allow editing of depth of field and focus points for footage shot on the new phone, and Apple also pushed updates across Pages, Keynote, Numbers, Freeform and Pixelmator Pro.
OpenAI unveiled updates at its Dev Day event that let developers build dedicated in-app experiences within ChatGPT using plugin extensions, giving third-party tools a spot in the sidebar and interactive panels including file viewers. The company also introduced a Plugin Creator tool, a redesigned submission process for its plugin directory, improved plugin ranking and recommendations, and support for the proposed MCP Events specification to trigger automations from connected apps.
Apple released Final Cut Camera version 2.4, adding a redesigned interface with easier access to settings. The update also brings support for iPhone 18 Pro's variable aperture (f/1.48 to f/4), including shutter priority, aperture priority and manual modes, plus Cinematic mode effects in ProRes and Apple Log. The app requires an Apple Creator Studio subscription priced at $12.99 monthly or $129 annually.
At its Made on YouTube event, the company unveiled updates to its 2025 creator dashboard, adding an AI 'agent' that scans a creator's back catalog for videos gaining new relevance and suggests updated titles or thumbnails. The tool can also generate sponsor pitches using channel demographic data, and creators can now get AI feedback on thumbnails or have the system auto-generate them, alongside a dynamic thumbnail A/B testing feature that assigns different images to different audience segments.
OpenAI has hired three former Patreon executives, including co-founder and CTO Sam Yam, product head Drew Rowny, and engineering head Shannon Ma. Yam announced on X that he will lead a new Creator Product effort at OpenAI, teasing early access to new tools for creators ahead of OpenAI's DevDay event on September 29th.
At the Fast Company Innovation Festival, OnlyFans CEO Kelly Blair described plans to broaden the platform's offerings well beyond the adult content it is best known for, including moves into streaming and financial services for creators. She noted that OnlyFans has paid out $30 billion to creators over the past decade, and pointed to a shifting mix of who is earning on the platform.
Executives from Whalar Group's The Lighthouse, Pie, and Peach & Lily convened to discuss how influencer marketing is evolving beyond traditional sponsored posts. The panel addressed how brands should select creators, structure longer-term partnerships, and produce content that feels genuine rather than promotional.
OnlyFans CEO Keily Blair is positioning the platform as a tool for creators, entrepreneurs and professionals to build direct, paid relationships with audiences rather than relying on third-party social platforms. In a recent conversation, she argued that owning an audience directly, rather than borrowing reach from other networks, represents a new model for personal branding.
Fox Entertainment has created Fox Creator Studios, a new division aimed at partnering with online content creators to develop shows and franchises. The initiative is led by Billy Parks under CEO Rob Wade, with creator Christina Richardson of C. Rich Media cited as an example of the talent Fox hopes to work with.
Roblox announced 'Roblox Everywhere,' a plan to let creators release their games as standalone apps on mobile, PC, and consoles while Roblox still handles the engine and backend. The move comes as Roblox's creator earnings hit $1.7 billion, with the top 10 creators averaging $65 million each even as the median creator earned only about $1,500. Roblox also confirmed cross-play will remain on by default, keeping standalone games tied into its main network.