TECHNOLOGY
Apple gives Creator Studio its own Instagram presence as it pushes the bundle as a brand
Apple has launched a dedicated Instagram account for Apple Creator Studio, signalling an effort to position the new creative bundle as a standalone brand. The move follows a private launch event in Los Angeles and suggests Apple wants to build a community and identity around its creative apps.
TECHNOLOGY
Meta heads to trial in New Mexico over claims Facebook and Instagram exposed children to sexual exploitation
The lawsuit, brought by the state’s Attorney General after an undercover investigation, accuses the company of prioritising profit over child safety. Meta has strongly denied the claims, calling them misleading and legally flawed.
TECHNOLOGY
EFF pressures Apple, Google, and Meta to expand end-to-end encryption with new ‘Encrypt It Already’ campaign
The Electronic Frontier Foundation has launched a new campaign calling on major technology companies, including Apple, Google, and Meta, to expand end-to-end encryption and make privacy-protective settings the default.
TECHNOLOGY
This site turns Apple’s longest-running bugs into a scoreboard of wasted human life
A new satirical website called Bugs Apple Loves catalogues Apple’s most stubborn software issues and presents them as a scoreboard estimating how many collective human hours they have wasted. Using deliberately exaggerated maths and sharp copywriting, the project pokes fun at bugs that many users feel have lingered for years without meaningful fixes.
TECHNOLOGY
Apple now relies heavily on Anthropic for AI work, claims report
Bloomberg journalist Mark Gurman says Apple is deeply reliant on Anthropic for its internal AI development, with custom versions of Claude running on Apple’s own servers. The comments shed new light on why Apple explored an Anthropic partnership before finalising its lower-cost AI deal with Google.
TECHNOLOGY
Instagram is working on a way to let users leave someone else’s Close Friends list
Instagram is developing a feature that would allow users to remove themselves from another person’s Close Friends list. The tool is still in early development, but it could address a long-standing limitation of the feature and bring Instagram closer in line with rivals like Snapchat.
TECHNOLOGY
Sam Altman admits OpenAI misjudged GPT-5.2’s writing quality in internal town hall
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has acknowledged that the company made a mistake with GPT-5.2 by deprioritising writing quality in favour of technical capabilities. Speaking during a recent internal town hall, Altman said user feedback made it clear that the model’s writing feels harder to read and less natural than GPT-4.5, and promised improvements in future GPT-5.x releases.
TECHNOLOGY
Apple’s AI brain drain continues as more researchers and a senior Siri executive exit for rivals
Apple has lost several more artificial intelligence researchers and a senior Siri executive in recent weeks, according to a new report. The departures add to mounting concerns around talent retention inside Apple’s AI organisation, particularly as rivals like Google and Meta accelerate their own AI ambitions.
TECHNOLOGY
Android 16 reaches 7.5% adoption as Google updates platform distribution figures
Google’s latest Android distribution data shows Android 16 running on 7.5% of active devices. The figures reflect a noticeable reshuffle compared to the previous update, with Android 15 now leading overall usage and older versions continuing to fade from the list.
TECHNOLOGY
Spotify adds group chats, aiming to bring WhatsApp-style conversations to music sharing
Spotify has begun rolling out group chats, allowing users to share podcasts, playlists, and audiobooks with up to 10 people. The feature builds on Spotify’s existing messaging tools and reflects the company’s ongoing push to make its streaming platform more social.
TECHNOLOGY
Microsoft CFO memo highlights GitHub Copilot SDK push and record AI infrastructure spending
Microsoft CFO Amy Hood has shared an internal memo with employees following the company’s latest earnings, highlighting strong financial performance, massive AI-driven cloud growth, and strategic investments. The note specifically calls out the GitHub Copilot SDK and the debut of the Maia 200 AI chip as key signals of Microsoft’s direction in AI software and hardware.
TECHNOLOGY
Nvidia says Shield TV is here to stay, and a new model is still on the table
Nvidia has reaffirmed its long-term commitment to the Shield TV platform, promising continued software updates and ongoing production. While there are no confirmed plans for new hardware, the company says future Shield TV models are still a possibility if the right idea comes together.
TECHNOLOGY
Google’s Project Genie opens the door to AI-generated playable worlds
Google has started rolling out Project Genie, an experimental feature powered by its Genie 3 world model, to AI Ultra subscribers in the US. The tool lets users generate short, playable, photorealistic worlds from text descriptions, highlighting Google DeepMind’s broader push towards general-purpose world models for AGI research.
TECHNOLOGY
Google quietly kills the Nest Hub app grid, years after launching it
Google has effectively phased out the app-style interface on Nest Hub smart displays. What began as a convenience feature in 2021 has now almost entirely vanished, with only a handful of services still visible. The change appears gradual rather than sudden, but it signals yet another simplification of Google’s smart display experience.
TECHNOLOGY
Apple quietly adds carrier-level location privacy shield to new iPhones and iPads
Apple has rolled out a new security feature on select iPhones and iPads that reduces the precision of location data shared with mobile carriers. The change aims to limit exposure to surveillance by law enforcement, hackers, and intelligence actors, while leaving app-level location sharing and emergency services unaffected.
TECHNOLOGY
Microsoft says its Maia AI chip will not replace Nvidia or AMD as cloud demand keeps rising
Microsoft has started deploying its first in-house AI chip, Maia 200, but CEO Satya Nadella says the company will continue buying AI hardware from Nvidia and AMD. Despite strong performance claims, Microsoft sees custom silicon as a complement rather than a replacement as AI demand and supply constraints persist.
TECHNOLOGY
Sora’s momentum fades as OpenAI’s video app struggles to sustain early hype
OpenAI’s Sora app burst onto the App Store charts after launch, but new data shows declining downloads and consumer spending as interest cools. Increased competition, tighter copyright controls, and fading novelty appear to be weighing on the AI video platform’s growth.
TECHNOLOGY
Jensen Huang says Nvidia’s H200 sales to China now depend on Beijing’s approval
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang has confirmed that US approval for selling the H200 AI chip to China is in place, but exports are still pending a decision from Beijing. While Huang described the H200 as beneficial for both US technology leadership and the Chinese AI market, uncertainty remains over whether Chinese firms will be able to convert conditional clearances into firm orders.
TECHNOLOGY
Apple updates App Store pricing and developer payouts in nine markets after tax changes
Apple has announced changes to App Store pricing and developer proceeds across nine countries, citing updated tax regulations and exchange rate adjustments. The revisions take effect immediately, with additional pricing changes scheduled for Mauritius later in February.
TECHNOLOGY
AirTag’s Precision Finding now works on Apple Watch and setup is not where you expect
Apple has expanded AirTag’s Precision Finding feature to the Apple Watch with AirTag 2, allowing users to locate lost items directly from their wrist. While the feature is powerful and convenient, setting it up is not as intuitive as expected and requires a quick detour through Control Center.
TECHNOLOGY
Galaxy S26 pricing leak suggests Samsung will charge more for the base model but cut the Ultra’s price
Fresh dealer data suggests Samsung will raise prices for parts of the Galaxy S26 lineup, driven largely by rising memory costs. However, the Galaxy S26 Ultra could launch at a lower price than its predecessor, creating an unusual pricing structure across the range.
TECHNOLOGY
Microsoft shares slide as OpenAI exposure and Azure capacity worries overshadow earnings beat
Microsoft shares fell sharply after hours following its latest earnings, as investors focused on slowing Azure growth, rising infrastructure costs, and the company’s deepening reliance on OpenAI. The sell-off came despite Microsoft beating Wall Street expectations and reporting strong headline financials.
TECHNOLOGY
NotebookLM mobile apps gain Video Overviews and deeper infographic controls
Google is expanding NotebookLM’s capabilities on Android and iOS with Video Overviews support and more granular controls for Infographics. The update also hints at upcoming slide deck customisation options that are not yet fully live.
TECHNOLOGY
Pixelmator Pro finally arrives on iPad, but only through Apple’s Creator Studio
The new app is deeply optimised for touch and Apple Pencil, but access is limited to Apple Creator Studio subscribers rather than a standalone purchase.
