(Cheng Xin/Getty Images)

Temu tumbles on US app store rankings as the fast-fashion giant pulls its Google Shopping ads

Once the top shopping app, Temu is losing some steam as it braces for a major shipping crackdown.

4/15/25 3:34PM

Temu’s check-out line is getting a lot shorter.

The viral shopping app, known for ultracheap deals on everything from furniture to faux leather jackets, has plunged in the app store charts over the past week. As of Thursday afternoon, Temu had dropped from its usual top-five ranking to 64th among free apps in Apple’s US App Store — just days after the company abruptly pulled its Google Shopping ads. Temu has become a household name, especially in the US, where over half of consumers say they’ve shopped the app at least once over the past year, a recent survey found.

The dip comes as Temu, owned by China’s PDD Holdings, faces pressure on multiple fronts. Last week, President Trump announced plans to triple small-parcel shipping fees, closing the “de minimis” loophole that let platforms like Temu and rival Shein ship tons of cheap goods to US shoppers tax-free. At the same time, Chinese imports are being slapped with new tariffs of up to 125%, even as other trading partners see relief. The pressure is on: since April 8, Temu’s paid traffic has dropped 80%, Similarweb data shows. Meanwhile, Amazon page views for its “Haul” storefront — a Temu-style platform offering a variety of products under $20 — have more than doubled in the same period.

Max Knoblauch13h

Report: OpenAI won’t pay a dime in cash for its 3-year licensing deal for Disney IP

More financial details behind the landmark deal that will grant OpenAI three years of access to Disney intellectual property are coming out, and they’re pretty surprising.

The deal will reportedly see OpenAI pay zero dollars in licensing fees, instead compensating Disney in stock warrants. It was previously reported that Disney would invest $1 billion into OpenAI as part of the agreement.

It’s very abnormal for Disney to grant anyone access to its massive IP library without a cash payment, and the entertainment juggernaut has been known to strike down even crocheted Etsy Yodas for infringing on its turf. In its fiscal year 2025, Disney booked more than $10 billion in revenue from licensing fees across merchandising, television, and theatrical distribution.

OpenAI Deal to License Disney Characters Is Entirely in Stock

Max Knoblauch12/15/25

Ford says it will take $19.5 billion in charges in a massive EV write-down

The EV business has marked a long stretch of losing for Ford, and today the automaker announced it will take $19.5 billion in charges tied, for the most part, to its EV division.

Ford said it’s launching a battery energy storage business, leveraging battery plants in Kentucky and Michigan to “provide solutions for energy infrastructure and growing data center demand.”

According to Ford, the changes will drive Ford’s electrified division to profitability by 2029. The company will stop making its electric F-150, the Lightning, and instead shift to an “extended-range electric vehicle” that includes a gas-powered generator.

The Detroit automaker also raised its adjusted earnings before interest and taxes outlook to “about $7 billion” from a range of $6 billion to $6.5 billion.

Ford’s write-down is one of the largest taken by a company as legacy automakers scale back on EVs, giving EV-only automakers a market share boost.

Max Knoblauch12/15/25

GM adds Apple Music to select new vehicles, racing to fill the gap left by CarPlay’s absence

Earlier this year, General Motors said it plans to end support for in-vehicle phone projection systems like Apple CarPlay and Android Auto on all of its vehicles (a big expansion of the move it announced for its EVs back in 2023).

Now, the automaker appears to be stocking its replacement system with native apps to fill the void. On Monday, GM announced it was rolling out Apple Music to select 2025 Chevrolet and Cadillac models.

Losing CarPlay is a sore subject for many drivers: 39% of respondents to an American Trucks survey this month said a lack of the system (or Android Auto) is a “deal-breaker” when it comes to buying a new vehicle.

Many automakers appear willing to risk alienating those potential customers in exchange for access to lucrative data. Others, including Tesla, are working to allow CarPlay to boost sagging sales, according to reporting by Bloomberg.

GM Strikes Deal to Put Apple Music in All of Its New Vehicles

Claire Yubin Oh

CART VS. GOLIATH

12/12/25

The economics of Instacart’s grocery delivery are pretty tight — AI might help, or hurt

AI proved to be a double-edged sword this week for Instacart, as the gains from a new ChatGPT integration were wiped out by an AI pricing allegation.

Instacart gift card display in Costco store, Queens, New York

Tom Jones

flight club

12/11/25

A new pass to access American Airlines’ loyalty program will set you back $5,000

AA is doubling down on perks and partnerships, as the nonflying parts of the operation have become a billion-dollar business.

Silhouettes of passengers waiting at an airport