Valve, Intel, and Apple face scrutiny over pricing, layoffs, and device management policies

Recent market analysis indicates that Valve’s Steam Deck has experienced an 82% decline in weekly sales following a significant price increase, resulting in an estimated $6 million weekly revenue loss. Concurrently, Intel has initiated another round of layoffs within its data center division, despite the company reporting strong financial performance and rising stock prices. In the European Union, the Court of Justice has ruled that VPNs are lawful technical tools, clarifying that providers are not liable for copyright infringement committed by users. Meanwhile, Apple has patched a vulnerability in its "Hide My Email" feature that exposed user addresses for over a year. Additionally, reports suggest Apple is preparing to launch a Klarna-based leasing program called "Apple Upgrade," with iOS 27 code revealing a "Restricted Mode" that limits device functionality if payments are missed. Finally, Samsung has discontinued its long-standing pre-order promotion that offered double storage at no extra cost for new Galaxy smartphones.

Steam Deck weekly sales dropped from 11,000–18,000 units to 1,500–3,000 units following a price hike. Intel is laying off employees in its data center group despite the division's profitability and rising stock value.

The Court of Justice of the European Union ruled that VPN providers are not liable for copyright infringement. Apple patched a vulnerability in its "Hide My Email" service that had been exposing user email addresses for a year.

iOS 27 code indicates that Apple may restrict device functionality if users miss payments under a new leasing program. Samsung has ended its pre-order promotion that provided free storage upgrades for new smartphone customers.