Good morning. Today I’m reading about Netflix’s bloody week, playing with Apple Music’s fun new 404 page, mourning Arc’s untimely demise, and devouring Maggie O’Farrell’s new novel, Land.
As a reminder, Inbox is the tech newsletter that goes beyond the news cycle. We cover the most important 9to5Google stories from the last couple of days along with a few highlights from around the web. We publish every Tuesday and Thursday, and if you like what you read, please subscribe.
Inbox is written by Daniel Bader. Read previous issues here, and then catch up with Ben Schoon’s excellent Weekender column published every Sunday.
⭐️ Starred
Anthropic is going public, and thanks to its S-1, we now have access to some of the mouthwatering numbers behind the IPO. In the first half of the year, the company reported $16.3 billion in revenue, up from $1.2 billion for the same period of 2025. If you’ve been following the AI phenomenon at all, you’ll know why: Anthropic’s Claude Code kicked off the AI coding boom in early 2026, causing every company from Google to OpenAI to largely pivot to the enterprise. By the summer we were talking about “token-maxxing” as Claude Fable 5.1 ate billions of tokens every day.
With a rumored valuation approaching $1.5 trillion, Anthropic’s IPO, when it does happen, will be the largest of all time, eclipsing SpaceXAI’s by billions of dollars. The interesting thing about the numbers, at least to me, is how much cash is on hand: of the $141 billion raised so far, it has over $112 billion remaining.
However, Anthropic has committed to spending hundreds of billions of dollars with Google, Amazon, Microsoft, and SpaceX for cloud infrastructure, and expects to be compute-constrained over the next year. All of the major hyperscalers, including Google, have are prioritizing their own AI workloads over competitors’, meaning that Anthropic will be on the hunt for newer and potentially less reliable providers, with data centers largely powered by natural gas to keep costs down.
The data in this prospectus are truly outrageous. Anthropic did not exist until 2021 and was largely seen as an ideological research outfit until fairly recently. The notion that it would be one of the hottest stocks of ever was laughable, but here we are.
Conversely, a viral post by Apollo chief economist Torsten Slok last week is making the argument that except for tech, AI is not moving the needle.
In a number of compelling charts, Slok outlines the fact that while the Magnificent 7 are propping up the US economy, the rest of the country’s largest businesses — the S&P 493, as he calls them — are not seeing rising profits or meaningful productivity gains.
“Despite massive investments and widespread hype around artificial intelligence,” it begins, “the technology has delivered zero financial payoff to corporate America outside of tech. There are still no signs of AI boosting productivity growth.”
Perhaps most concerning is where AI spend is concentrated: 80% of the top 1% of all AI spenders in the US are VC-backed companies, reinforcing the idea that frontier models are still the darlings of Silicon Valley more than Main Street.
Ultimately, both things can be true: the AI labs are minting money, but most other businesses haven’t seen the returns.
✉️ Inbox
- What tech is making you happy? Ben’s Weekender essay is on a topic close to my heart.
- YouTube says it’s not hiding the dislike button – this is what’s actually happening. All smoke, no fire.
- 1Password will let AI agents use your passwords without seeing them. This is the way to more secure agents.
- Spotify confirms it won’t stop Family Plan sharing verification, but it’s not a ‘crackdown’. Some people live far from their families, just saying.
- Some Galaxy S26 phones are basically paperweights while Samsung fixes a setup bug
- Google explains how to fix time zones on Android amid changes in Canada. Oh, Canada.
- YouTube removing ‘Subscriptions’ bottom bar tab on Android, iOS after nearly a decade. All hail The Homepage Algorithm.
- Google Messages rolling out Enhanced Protection mode against spam and scams. I’ll believe it when I (don’t) see it.
- Google Health 5.11 rolling out with Fitbit Air Health Guardian, improved sleep tracking, & more. This is a big release, debuting insulin and blood pressure trend data.
- This clever USB-C cable doubles as a stand for your phone [Gallery]
- Google Beam 3D meeting booths will expand access for military families. I love this so much. Well done, Google.
- Samsung reportedly slashes production plans for millions of Galaxy phones. Even Samsung’s not immune to the effects of RAMageddon.
- Google’s latest Nest Learning Thermostat is a steal with new limited-time deal. Snap this up for $220; it’s a great product.
- T-Mobile’s new plans give away YouTube Premium, Xbox Game Pass, and 14 more for free
- Oppo Find X10 Ultra is in the works, and I can’t wait to try its upgraded cameras
- Major Even Realities G2 smart glasses update adds Conversate ‘Pro Mode,’ Knowledge Base
- Instagram tests ‘Features’ long-form videos, but missing YouTube’s ad share for now. Will people release long-form content on Instagram even if they’re not paid for it? I hope not.
- Chrome 156 for Googlebook rolling out with 14 updates across sites, shortcuts, more. Googlebook’s first big update fixes a bunch of its launch issues, but we’re not close to being able to recommend these laptops.
The Fitbit Edge is good, but it’s no Air
- Fitbit Edge Review: Too much and too little at the same time
- Fitbit Edge doesn’t have Google Wallet because ‘less than 1%’ of Charge owners used it. I get this decision, particularly when component costs are so high; I rarely use my smartwatch to make payments because my phone is right there.
- Samsung’s new Fitbit competitor just leaked [Video]
- Google’s new Metal Mesh Fitbit Air band is more versatile than you think
🤝 Cc: C. Scott Brown
Welcome to Cc:, where I ask interesting people in the community about what’s making them happy both inside and outside the world of tech. This week, I’m speaking with C. Scott Brown, a video creator at Android Authority and on his own channel.
Who are you?
C. Scott Brown
What do you do for work?
I’m a video creator at Android Authority and on my solo channel, C. Scott Brown (clever name, I know).
What do you do for fun?
I enjoy cycling and hiking quite a bit. I spend a lot of time with my partner watching movies, too, as we’re both big film buffs.
What is your relationship like with technology these days?
Technology has always been a huge part of my life. I really love it. I love when a piece of technology makes my life better/easier, even if only in a small way. I genuinely believe that technology is what moves humanity forward.
What are three apps you can’t live without and why?
The Homey app is so important to me because my entire smart home runs through my Homey Pro, and I don’t even know what my life would look like without it. I’m also addicted to Reddit, and the Relay app is my way of accessing it, so I open it about 400 times a day. Finally, the Tautulli app keeps me hooked into what’s going on with my Plex server, so I check that a lot each day, too.
What is a gadget that you love right now?
I just got done reviewing the Fitbit Edge. I really like the Edge, but while reviewing it, I had to set my Pixel Watch 5 aside for the week. Now that the Edge review is done, I am very, very happy to have my Pixel Watch 5 back!
How does AI fit into your life right now?
I use AI to solve many practical problems in my life. Being a video creator involves a lot of small, mind-numbing tasks, and AI helps me do them faster or, in some cases, remove them entirely from my plate. However, I will never use AI to take over any creative aspects of my job. That’s the fun stuff!
What’s a book you recently read and loved?
The YouTube Formula by Derral Eves. I’m still learning so much about YouTube and how to improve my videos, and this book has been very helpful. I just wish it was written a bit better (sorry, Derral).
What’s an album (or two) you recently listened to and loved?
My two favorite albums of 2026 so far are Get Mean by Boy Harsher and Fantasia by Slift. I love the minimalist simplicity of Boy Harsher’s music. They’ve locked into a vibe and just beat it into the ground. They’re like the AC/DC of synthwave. Meanwhile, Slift is such an amazing band, and it’s so refreshing to hear loud rock music that isn’t overproduced, radio-friendly, or trying to fit into a modern scene. Fantasia is just guitars cranked up to 11, screaming vocals, pounding drums, and everything else I’ve ever loved about loud music.
What’s a TV show you recently watched and loved?
I mean, the only answer in 2026 is Widow’s Bay. It’s literally perfect. Perfect cast, perfect storylines, funny when it needs to be, just enough scares, terrific drama…there’s nothing to dislike about it.
What’s a movie you recently watched and loved?
Everyone Is Lying to You for Money was a banger. It was preaching to the choir for me because I’ve always known crypto was a giant sham, but even if we set that aside, the film was immensely enjoyable and way funnier than I expected.
What’s a game you recently played and loved?
Dungeons of Hinterberg was one of my recent discoveries. It was like Persona meets Zelda with a millennial going through an existential crisis. It sounds awful when I write it out like that, but I thought it was terrific!
What’s something offline you do every day that brings you joy?
Drink a cup of tea. Or three or four cups. It is the simplest and most effective way to make me happy.
➡️ FWD:
Here’s a less cheerful follow-up to last week’s foldable excitement: some iPhone Duo owners are reporting cracked inner screens. Teardowns have raised possible explanations involving pressure from the hinge mechanism, which JerryRigEverything tries to prove in his latest video.
Apple has now acknowledged the issue is affecting “a small number” of units and says owners should contact AppleCare for a replacement. Still, however small the number, it’s likely to tarnish Apple’s big launch in some way, and it certainly won’t help dispel the belief that foldables are just too fragile for the mainstream.
- Samsung reiterates that Galaxy Z Fold 8 is a hit, and that iPhone Duo puts a spotlight on it
- Pixelated 122: Seven years late, same foldable problems
- Someone built iPhone Duo’s tent mode for Android foldables, but made it even better
- iPhone Duo’s software restricts an already-small display; Galaxy Z Fold 8 doesn’t
🗑️ Trash
Google has updated its privacy policy to allow for the possibility of using Gmail and Photos data to personalize ads. Anyone who’s enabled Gemini’s Personal Intelligence feature (and if you want it to be useful, you should be) now agrees to allow Google to “access data from other Google services you use, such as Google Photos and Workspace apps, in order to provide you with a more personalized experience, subject to the policies and settings of the accessing service.”
I’m not surprised about this change; anonymized Gmail and Photos data is like crack for advertisers, and Google has finally found a way to justify utilizing it. Yes, if a service is free, then you’re the product, but Google is also asking you to pay a lot of money for Gemini, so the bargain doesn’t feel as fair anymore.
Like what you just read? Subscribe to Inbox today and get it in your email every Tuesday and Thursday morning. Got feedback? Send us an email.
You can also support us by becoming a 9to5Google Pro member, starting at just $5/month. You get bonus podcast episodes, access to our members-only Discord server, and lots more.
Thanks for reading, and have a great day. I’ll talk to you on Thursday.
—Daniel
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
Comments