Technology News

Microsoft has announced a global price hike for Xbox Series S and Xbox Series X consoles, with the new pricing taking effect from August 1. The company cited soaring memory and storage costs driven by the AI boom and also confirmed it is discontinuing the 2TB Xbox Series X model.

Google's Android 17 QPR1 Beta 5 update reportedly includes a new Photo Shuffle feature that can automatically rotate wallpapers from a selected photo album on Pixel phones. The feature, discovered through an APK teardown, offers wallpaper refresh options such as On Tap, Hourly, Daily, and Sunset/Sunrise, similar to Apple's iOS Photo Shuffle.

YouTube is rolling out new Shorts features, including 2x playback speed, a Clear Screen mode, and a heart icon replacing the like button. The platform is also removing the dislike button, encouraging users to use "Not Interested" and "Don't recommend this channel" to personalize their feed.

As AI agents begin influencing purchase decisions, brands must ensure they are not only visible to consumers but also discoverable, understandable, and preferred by the algorithms acting on their behalf.

Sony-owned Bungie has announced another major round of layoffs after Destiny 2 failed to meet expectations in recent years. The cuts affect several teams, including Destiny and Marathon, and mark another difficult turn for the studio after Sony’s $3.6 billion acquisition.

OpenAI will reportedly roll out GPT-5.6 to a limited group of partners after the White House raised concerns about the model's potential risks. The Information reports that the Trump administration wants customer-by-customer approval before a wider public release.

Apple has increased prices of several MacBook and iPad models globally as memory and storage costs surge. The company linked the hike to rising demand from AI data centres, with iPhone prices staying unchanged for now.

Google's Pixel 11 series is expected to launch in August 2026 with four models, including the Pixel 11, Pixel 11 Pro, Pixel 11 Pro XL and Pixel 11 Pro Fold. Leaks suggest the lineup will feature the new Tensor G6 chip, Gemini AI capabilities and a new Pixel Glow notification system.

GTA Online’s latest weekly event runs from June 25 to July 1 with bonus payouts on Acid Lab Sell Missions, FIB Files, Fooligan Jobs and races. Players can claim free GTA$500,000, a Benefactor Turreted Limo, discounts on the Brickade 6x6 and Darnell Bros. Garment Factory, plus 4X GTA$ on The Fine Art File.

Meta has revived Facebook Creator Studio as a standalone AI-powered app designed to help creators grow their audience and improve engagement. The new AI Creator Assistant offers performance insights, highlights important comments, and can draft replies in a creator's writing style.

GTA 6 pre-orders are live for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, with Standard and Ultimate Edition prices varying sharply by country. India sits among the cheaper markets in USD terms, but the ₹5,999 and ₹7,499 prices still make it a costly console game for Indian players.