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Sure, we've seen millions poured into lobbying and other means of influence during every presidency, but the last two years set a whole new bar. Business leaders, including those from almost every Big Tech company, stepped over themselves to prove fealty to Donald Trump's second administration. It's easy to see why: Their kowtowing was meant to secure regulatory favors, gain tax and tariff advantages and avoid Trump's ire. Ultimately, it was all in the service of appeasing their shareholders. Why else would Apple CEO Tim Cook, someone who typically cultivates a progressive image, hand deliver a gold plaque to the President of the United States?
Before we leave 2025 behind, it's worth documenting the many ways tech companies and leaders debased themselves for political favor with the Trump administration.
Alphabet (Google)Google dropped diversity recruitment goals in February, following Trump's executive orders dismantling DEI programs in the federal government. Google also changed its AI principles to allow AI in weapons and surveillance, a move that is in line with the relaxed artificial intelligence regulation the Trump administration would later adopt for its
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Last year, Meta announced that it was opening up its VR operating system to other headset makers, starting with ASUS and Lenovo. Now, it seems that Meta is pumping the brakes on the effort and those third-party Horizon OS headsets might never actually launch.
The company has "paused" the program, Road to VR reported. Meta confirmed the move in a statement to Engadget, saying that it's instead focusing on "building the world-class first-party hardware and software needed to advance the VR market." ASUS and Lenovo didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. Both companies have said little about the headsets since they were first announced in 2024. ASUS' was going to be a "performance gaming" headset under its Republic of Gamers (ROG) brand, while Lenovo's was intended to be a mixed reality device focused on "productivity, learning and entertainment" experiences
The shift isn't entirely surprising. Meta Connect was very light on virtual reality news this year as smart glasses have become a central focus for the company. Earlier this month, Bloomberg reported that Meta was planning significant cuts to the teams working on virtual reality and Horizon Worlds. The company said at the time it was "shifting some of our investment from Metaverse toward AI glasses and wearables given the momentum there."
Still, Meta is seemingly leaving the door open for third-party VR headsets in the future. "We're committed to this for the long term an
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 Apple and Amazon are facing a new UK opt-out class action seeking more than £900 million ($1.2 billion) over claims that the companies struck an unlawful deal that pushed independent Apple and Beats sellers off Amazon and kept prices higher for consumers.
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