Technology News

Tecno Camon 50 Pro, Tecno Camon 50 spotted on Google Play Console listing, key specs revealed

The Tecno Camon 50 series could launch soon, as both handsets in the lineup have now been spotted on various certification platforms. Moreover, both devices are tipped to run Android 16, with Tecno’s HiOS skin on top.

Data Centre tax holiday to benefit Indian players, GPU infra big way: Yotta CEO Gupta

Additionally, Gupta also pointed out that the use case of foreign cloud providers serving global demand from India shall increase significantly.

OPINION | Budget 2026 signals India’s shift to strategic, tech-led growth 

Budget 2026 is ultimately a statement of confidence, one that envisions India as a global hub for data infrastructure, manufacturing competitiveness, and semiconductor innovation

Budget eases tax rules for contract manufacturers, to help Apple scale up

The iPhone maker had pushed for the change, warning that I-T rules could undermine its India expansion. The decision mitigates two major pain points, margin pressure and capital constraints for equipment, say experts

Budget's AVGC labs proposal a 'landmark step', will expand creative talent pool, top executives say

In Budget 2026, FM Nirmala Sitharaman proposed to support IICT in setting up AVGC Content Creator labs with an outlay of Rs 250 crore

Payment industry disappointed with Rs 2,000 crore budget subsidy for UPI and RuPay debit card

The UPI transaction value growth has already dropped to 13 percent even though volume growth remains robust at around 28 percent

OPINION | Budget expands semiconductor focus from being fab-centric to full value chain

The expanded scope is critical if India is to transition from being a participant to a structural player in the global semiconductor ecosystem 

RedMagic 11 Air launches globally with Snapdragon 8 Elite SoC, 7,000 mAh battery: Price, specs, and more

Nubia has launched the RedMagic 11 Air in global markets following its recent China debut. The smartphone features a thin transparent body and is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, coupled with a large 7,000 mAh battery

ECMS boost to drive 35% smartphone value addition, to fortify global supply chains, say electronics manufacturers

Industry leaders believe the expanded ECMS support could fast-track India’s shift from assembly-led growth to a more integrated, value-driven electronics manufacturing base.

Budget 2026: Data Protection Board budget under jumps 5x to Rs 10 crore

On November 14, the IT ministry announced setting up of four-member Data Protection Board

Dedicated rare earth corridors will help in reducing strategic dependencies: IN-SPACe chairman Pawan Kr Goenka

On February 1, Finance Minister Nirmala announced the creation of dedicated rare earth corridors across four mineral-rich states.

How Sitharaman's Budget 2026 is powering India's AI ambitions: Key points

Sitharaman said the government is seeking to meet the 'aspirations of youthful India' with these new measures

World’s best-selling smartphone in 2025: Why the iPhone 16 still makes sense after iPhone 17 launch

The iPhone 16 is the world’s best-selling smartphone in 2025. Here’s why it still makes sense to buy the iPhone 16 even after the launch of the iPhone 17.

Union Budget 2026 sets record for AI focus as FM Sitharaman mentions tech eleven times

The budget also introduces Bharat-VISTAAR (Virtually Integrated System to Access Agricultural Resources), described as a multilingual AI tool aimed at improving linguistic accessibility across the country.

Elon Musk’s xAI is hiring award-winning writers to train its AI chatbot Grok

Elon Musk’s AI company xAI is hiring award-winning writers to train its chatbot Grok. The job listing has drawn attention for its high requirements and pay range.

Budget to accelerate execution, deepen value addition for electronics and semiconductor sector: IESA

The measures announced in the Budget will go a long way in establishing India as a globally competitive and trusted hub for electronics and semiconductor manufacturing, it said

Budget 2026: DoS, ISRO allocation rise to Rs 13,706 crore in FY27, space sciences see sharp jump

The increase in budget outlay includes expenditure on ISRO’s rocket and satellite projects, infrastructure at key centres and so on

Livpure Lotier AIOT review: Thoughtful design, familiar reliability

After using the Livpure Lotier AIOT daily, this review looks at its design, water quality, app features, price, and whether a smart purifier can truly match the long-term reliability of a decade-old RO system.

Budget 2026: Semiconductor push deepens as Centre doubles outlay to Rs 8,000 crore

Upcoming ISM 2.0 has received Rs 1,000 crore and the modernisation of Semiconductor Laboratory in Mohali has received Rs 900 crore in allocation in the Budget

Budget raised MeitY allocation to Rs 21,633 crore, focus on AI, semiconductors

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced the next phase of the chip strategy, with the launch of India Semiconductor Mission 2.0

Union Budget 2026: Nirmala Sitharaman announces Rs 2,000 crore UPI and RuPay subsidy

To promote the adoption of digital payments, the government mandated that UPI transactions remain free for users, and in return, it will compensate payment firms for the costs they bear to facilitate them

Foreign cloud providers using local data centres to get tax holiday till 2047, FM announces in Budget

To qualify, such companies must route services for Indian customers through an Indian reseller entity, ensuring that India not only becomes a global hub for cloud infrastructure.

Realme Buds Air 8 review: Solid bass, serviceable ANC

India’s sub-Rs 4,000 TWS segment is crowded, but the realme Buds Air 8 focuses on ANC, multi-device connectivity, and battery life. I used it as my daily driver across calls, commutes, workouts, and music—here are my final thoughts.

Budget 2026: ECMS outlay hike to power higher local value in smartphones, says Dixon’s Sunil Vachani

Dixon Technologies (India)'s Subsidiaries, Kunshan Q Tech Microelectronics (India) and Dixon Electroconnect have been granted approval by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Government of India under the Electronics Component Manufacturing Scheme (ECMS) on 2 January 2026, for manufacturing of Camera Module Sub-assembly and Optical Transceiver-SFP, respectively.

Govt proposes setting up of content creator labs, Budget 2026 sets aside Rs 250 crore for talent development in AVGC

It has also allocated Rs 35 crore for National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) and National Centre of Excellence for Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming and Comics - Extended Reality (NCoE AVGC-XR). The allocation is up from Rs 17 crore in Budget 2025-26.

Finance Minister announces launch of Khelo India Mission in Budget 2026

The proposed Khelo India Mission will include the systematic development of coaches and support staff, integration of sports science and technology, and promotion of competitions and leagues to build a strong sports culture.

Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra design and specs leaks ahead of the launch

Leaks suggest the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra will feature a flat 6.9-inch display, updated camera layout, Snapdragon chipset, Android 16 software, and S Pen support ahead of its expected February launch.

Budget 2026 proposes to setup high-powered committee to recommend measures on services sector

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman added that this measure will make India a global leader in services with a 10% global share by 2047.

Budget 2026: FM unveils ISM 2.0, raises electronics components outlay to Rs 40,000 crore 

The Finance Minister highlighted the strong response to the electronics components manufacturing scheme, launched in April 2025 with an outlay of Rs 22,919 crore. The scheme has already attracted investment commitments at nearly double its original targets, reflecting rising investor confidence in India’s electronics manufacturing ecosystem.

Budget 2026: Cutting-edge technologies, including AI, can serve as growth multipliers, says Finance Minister

Sitharaman said new technologies are enhancing production but at the same time, increasing demand for water and energy sharply

Budget 2026: Govt announces ISM 2.0, boosts electronics component manufacturing scheme to Rs 40,000 crore

The announcements come amid growing global competition for semiconductor investments and as India positions itself as an alternative manufacturing hub in the wake of supply chain disruptions and geopolitical uncertainties.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Delhi man in critical condition after following AI advice on preventive HIV drugs

A Delhi man is in critical condition after taking HIV preventive drugs based on AI advice, leading to a rare and serious drug reaction, doctors say.

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.

AI agents now have their own social network called Moltbook and they are already gossiping about humans

AI agents now have their own social network called Moltbook, where they are chatting, venting, and gossiping about humans while people watch from the sidelines.

Say “Hey Siri, Lumos” and your iPhone’s torch will turn on instantly

Say “Hey Siri, Lumos” and your iPhone’s torch turns on instantly. We tried this simple voice command, explained why it works, and what Lumos actually means.

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.

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.

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.

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.

AI agents' social network: What is Moltbook? Artificial intelligence gets its own chatroom

A new platform called Moltbook which enables AI assistants to interact independently, has exploded to nearly 147,000 agents in just 72 hours, raising questions about autonomous AI behavior

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.

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.

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.