A court injunction demands Apple, Google, and Microsoft remove a “forbidden” app off thousands of users phones, reports claim Verizon is launching its own app store, which they have flat out denied & we acknowledge the sunset of a PC classic.

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Verizon denies plan to launch its own Android app store (update) | The Verge

Verizon is going to launch its own app store in an effort to compete with the Google Play Store on Android devices, claims a report from The Information. The new store will be available globally and is the result of a partnership with other carriers and hardware makers, says the report. In 2010, Verizon Wireless launched a similar app store for Android and BlackBerry smartphones in the US, but it shuttered it in January 2013. The Information says the discussions for a new app store are still in an early stage, and there is not a concrete date for when it would launch.

However, Recode received a statement from Verizon saying that the carrier had no plans to offer a new app store. “We have no plans to do that,” Verizon spokeswoman Debra Lewis said. “Been there. Done that.” Amir Efrati from _The Information _tweeted the following in response: “I and @theinformation stand by this report 100%.” Efrait also said that “Verizon’s comment is misleading.”

The Information claims that this new effort is a response to recent cutbacks from Google in revenue sharing with carriers and hardware makers for apps sold through the Google Play Store. Verizon would be stemming future losses with its own app store, as revenues from app store sales are expected to grow significantly over the next few years. The report says that Verizon would also use data like location, time of day, and social indicators to recommend apps to users.

Brazil Court Issues Injunction Against Secret And Calls For App To Be Remotely Wiped | TechCrunch

A court in Brazil has ruled (via UOL) that Apple and Google must remove Secret, the anonymous social networking app, from their mobile software stores — and also from user devices where it’s already installed. The court has issued a preliminary injunction in the case, pending the results of a final ruling, as a result of a complaints by users harmed by rumors spread via the app, who said that the app was used to share an “intimate photo” of him, which included personal identifying information including his full name and telephone number.

The injunction actually goes so far as to require that the companies remotely wipe the app from existing devices. That’s a tall order, of course, but the court has also applied a fine of around $9,000 per day following a 10-day grace period in case the rules haven’t been followed.

Uber Opens Its API With 11 Launch Partners, Including OpenTable, TripAdvisor, and United Airlines | TechCrunch

Today, the company is announcing its API will become available to app developers, with 11 launch partners already signed up.

For Uber, the introduction of its API is designed to increase reach and get it in front of lots of new potential users. The company is in 150 cities and nearly 50 countries around the world, but there are untold number of users who might not have tried its service. Showing up in other apps that those users already have installed is a simple way to introduce them to getting an Uber on-demand.

While it’s trying to appeal to as many app developers as possible, to start Uber is launching with 11 API partners that have already committed to introducing Uber to their users. Those apps include Expensify, Hinge, Hyatt Hotels & Resorts, Momento, OpenTable, Starbucks, Tempo, Time Out, TripAdvisor, TripCase, and United Airlines.

Samsung’s first Nook tablet arrives at Barnes & Noble today for $179 | The Verge

Samsung is becoming Barnes & Noble’s first partner to create a Nook-branded tablet today with the unveiling and release of the Galaxy Tab 4 Nook. The name is a mouthful, but it basically means that the tablet is a rebranded version of Samsung’s existing Galaxy Tab 4 tablet — part of its low-end line — that’s now been customized with some Nook software. The tablet has a 7-inch, 1280 x 800 display and will sell for $179.

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Blizzard Not Expecting Major World Of Warcraft Growth

In a recent interview with MCV, World of Warcraft lead designer Tom Chilton admitted that Blizzard isn’t expecting to see the MMORPG grow like it did prior to the Cataclysm release. That’s likely because the subscription numbers have been on a steady decline since 4Q 2010

As of Q2 2014, World of Warcraft had 6.8 million subscribers. The upcoming fifth expansion pack, Warlords of Draenor, is expected to bring some players back. Previously, Blizzard indicated that it’s not unusual to see customers cancel their subscription until a new expansion arrives. Once that’s consumed, they will cancel again and wait for new content.

Last week, Blizzard announced that the upcoming Warlords of Draenor will be released on November 13, 2014.