In today’s Digest, we discuss Google abandoning Privacy Sandbox, Warner Bros. Discovery putting itself up for sale, and Apple striking a USD$700m deal for F1 rights.

Google abandons cookieless Chrome effort

Google has officially retired its Privacy Sandbox initiative, bringing an end to its long-standing effort to phase out third-party cookies on Chrome. The tech giant confirmed the removal of the final 10 Sandbox technologies, citing limited industry uptake. While most tools have been discontinued including IP protection, attribution reporting APIs, and private aggregation.

Google will retain a few features that gained traction, such as CHIPS (Cookies Having Independent Partitioned State), which allows cookies to be stored per website.

Warner Bros. Discovery puts itself up for sale

Warner Bros. Discovery has announced it will consider offers to sell the company, even as it proceeds with plans to split into two distinct entities. The media conglomerate revealed it had received unsolicited interest from multiple parties, prompting a broader strategic review aimed at unlocking greater shareholder value. 

According to president and CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery, David Zaslav in a statement: "After receiving interest from multiple parties, we have initiated a comprehensive review of strategic alternatives to identify the best path forward to unlock the full value of our assets." 

The announcement that Warner Bros. Discovery's acquisition offers sparked an immediate market reaction, with shares rising 8% in pre-market trading, approaching the proposed valuation. According to CNBC, other major players in the media and streaming landscape, namely Comcast and Netflix, have shown interest in acquiring parts or potentially all of Warner Bros. Discovery. 

Apple strikes $700M deal for US F1 rights

Apple has entered a five-year agreement to broadcast Formula 1 races in the US, marking a significant expansion into live sports streaming. The deal, reportedly valued at USD$700m (£518m), will see Apple take over from ESPN as the exclusive US broadcaster starting in 2026. 

The annual value of Apple’s new Formula 1 broadcasting deal is estimated at approximately USD$140m (£104m), marking a substantial rise from the USD$85m (£63m) previously paid by ESPN. This significant investment underscores Apple’s growing commitment to live sports content. 

F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali expressed confidence that Apple’s reach and cultural influence would help embed the sport more firmly in US households, likening its potential relevance to that of the NFL and NBA.