Category: Technology

Mobile internet users in Islamabad and several other cities faced disruptions on Thursday, with slow connectivity affecting essential online services. Many reported difficulties using WhatsApp, particularly during audio and video calls.

Residents in Islamabad and other urban centres complained of sluggish mobile internet speeds throughout the day. The disruption not only hampered regular browsing but also interfered with communication apps.

WhatsApp users were hit hardest, with audio and video calls frequently dropping. File sharing on the platform was also delayed, frustrating those who rely on it for both work and personal communication.

Despite growing complaints, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has not yet issued an official statement. This silence has left users uncertain about the cause of the disruption and when services might return to normal.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL) clarified that its network was operating normally. A PTCL spokesperson confirmed there was no fault in the company’s local network or in its submarine cables.

Motorola has unveiled a teaser for its upcoming flagship, the Moto X70 Air, positioning it as a direct competitor to Apple’s rumored iPhone Air and Samsung’s Galaxy S25 Edge.

The new device is set to launch at the end of October and is being billed as “as light as Air, even lighter and more AI.”

Motorola confirmed the Moto X70 Air will be revealed by late October through a post on Weibo. A teaser image shows the phone’s slim body and bold design, featuring a striking green frame with orange camera accents.

The marketing message suggests that the device will combine ultra-thin construction with AI-driven features, continuing Motorola’s recent focus on intelligent, user-friendly experiences.

The Moto X70 Air is expected to be one of Motorola’s thinnest phones yet, with a design that emphasizes both elegance and performance. Reports indicate it will be powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 SoC, putting it at the top of Motorola’s smartphone lineup.

This aligns with Motorola’s recent flagship efforts, such as the Razr 60 Ultra and Edge 60, both of which highlighted AI-powered software features.

Industry analysts are already viewing the Moto X70 Air as Motorola’s answer to the upcoming iPhone Air and Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge. Both competitors are reportedly working on ultra-thin designs, signaling a broader industry trend toward lightweight flagship devices.

Motorola’s bold design choices and AI positioning suggest it is aiming to capture a slice of this premium market segment.

For years, rumors of a foldable iPhone have sparked excitement and skepticism in equal measure. Once projected to arrive as early as 2020, the elusive device now looks more likely to debut in late 2026, according to multiple reports and industry insiders.

Apple’s foldable iPhone, sometimes referred to as the iPhone Fold or iPhone Flip, has faced repeated delays since speculation began in 2018. Sources including The Information, The Wall Street Journal, Ming-Chi Kuo, and Mark Gurman suggest that the design and specifications will be finalized by mid-2025, with production scheduled for late 2026.

Samsung Display president Lee Cheong recently confirmed that his company is supplying foldable OLED panels to a “North American client” for mass production in 2026, strongly hinting at Apple.

Apple has reportedly tested both clamshell-style flip phones and book-style foldable designs. More recent leaks suggest the company will favor a vertical book fold, similar to Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold series.

The hinge is expected to be a standout feature, with materials like titanium alloy and LiquidMetal under consideration. Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo claims Apple has developed a system to reduce or eliminate the crease, using metal plates to distribute bending stress.

Reports indicate the foldable iPhone will feature a 7.8-inch internal display and a 5.5-inch external screen. The device may measure around 9.5mm when folded and 4.5mm when unfolded — making it slimmer than many competitors.

For comparison, the iPhone 16 Pro Max is 8.5mm thick, while Apple’s upcoming iPhone 17 Air is rumored to slim down to as little as 5.5mm.

While exact specifications remain unclear, the foldable iPhone will likely carry Apple’s future A20 or A20 Pro chip, paired with in-house cellular and wireless components.

Unlike other iPhones, it may not support Face ID due to its thin design. Instead, Touch ID could be integrated into the power button. Reports also suggest it will carry two rear cameras and dual front-facing cameras for use in both folded and unfolded modes.

Apple is expected to tailor iOS 27, set to launch in 2026, with features designed specifically for the foldable form factor.

Spotify founder-CEO Daniel Ek will step down to become executive chairman in January, the Swedish streaming company said on Tuesday as it adopts a new co-CEO structure in its strategy to fend off rivals and shore up its profit margin.

Billionaire Ek, who built Spotify into a rare global consumer technology leader from the region, will step back from day-to-day business as the company charts out its plan to keep ahead of music offering from YouTube, Apple and Amazon.

“Ek leaves the CEO role on a high note, with big boots to fill for the incoming CEOs,” said PP Foresight analyst Paolo Pescatore. The US shares of Spotify were down about 5% after gaining 63% this year.

Ek, a prominent tech entrepreneur of Europe, will focus on capital allocation and long-term strategy as executive chairman in what the company called a European-style role.

“I will be more involved than a typical US chairman. So think of it a little bit like moving from a player to a coach,” said Ek, who has been on the company’s board since 2008.

Spotify remains the clear market leader with nearly 700 million monthly users and more than 100 million tracks, far ahead of Apple Music’s roughly 90 million subscribers.

But it faces competition from YouTube Music’s vast video-integrated catalogue and Amazon Music’s Prime-linked offerings, which give rivals distinct advantages in certain markets.

Despite Spotify’s dominance, pressure on profit margins have persisted as artists push for higher payouts and the ad-supported tier expands.

Global revenue from recorded music rose 4.8% to $29.6 billion in 2024. Streaming exceeded $20 billion for the first time and subscription streaming accounted for more than half of it, according to IFPI’s Global Music Report.

Founded in 2006, Stockholm-based Spotify helped transform a music industry that had been shrinking for years due to piracy and falling CD sales. Its US debut in 2011 came as industry revenue had slumped.

Still, the company reported its first annual profit only in 2024, after a slew of price increases and cost-cutting efforts.

Billionaire Ek is often cited as a champion of Europe’s ability to produce companies that can compete with US and Asian tech giants.

Gustav Soderstrom, currently chief product and technology officer, oversees global tech strategy and product development, while Alex Norstrom, as chief business officer, manages subscriber and advertising businesses along with music, podcast and audiobook operations.

They will report to Ek who also serves on the board. The three executives have worked together for a decade and a half.

“Norstrom is deeply interested in knowledge about product, and I’m very interested in business,” Soderstrom said. “So we run this as a single team.

Several high-profile firms such as Oracle and Netflix have adopted a co-CEO model to better manage their operations as they become more complex and globally diversified.

OpenAI has unveiled Sora 2, its next-generation AI video and audio model, alongside a new social media app called Sora, which functions much like TikTok.

The app, now available on iOS in the U.S. and Canada, lets users generate and share short AI videos featuring themselves and friends.

The launch marks a major upgrade from last year’s original Sora model. According to OpenAI, Sora 2 produces videos that follow the laws of physics more closely, creating more realistic results.

For instance, earlier AI models would sometimes distort objects or bend reality to fit a prompt — such as teleporting a basketball into the hoop after a missed shot. In contrast, Sora 2 ensures the ball rebounds naturally off the backboard.

OpenAI has shared early demonstrations of Sora 2 showing lifelike beach volleyball matches, skateboard tricks, gymnastics routines, and even diving board cannonballs.

Alongside the model, OpenAI has introduced Sora, a linked iOS app with a TikTok-like video feed. The platform lets users upload themselves into AI-generated clips through a feature called “cameos.”

To enable this, users must first record a one-time video and audio sample for identity verification. Once approved, they can insert their likeness into different scenarios — and even grant friends permission to feature them in multi-person AI videos.

OpenAI is turning ChatGPT into more than just an AI assistant. With a new feature called Instant Checkout, users can now purchase products directly from their chats, making the shopping process faster and more seamless.

According to OpenAI, over 700 million people use ChatGPT to handle everyday tasks, generating more than 2.5 billion prompts daily. Many of these prompts already involve product recommendations, so Instant Checkout is designed to take the next step—enabling direct purchases inside the app.

The system has been developed in partnership with Stripe, Etsy, and Shopify, giving users access to a secure and reliable way to buy items.

Instant Checkout operates on the Agentic Commerce Protocol, which streamlines shopping in a few steps:

• Users search for and select a product.
• By pressing “Buy”, they confirm payment and shipping details.
• ChatGPT then calculates taxes and shipping costs, presenting final totals before purchase.
• Payments are processed securely through Stripe, with only the necessary information shared with merchants.
• Merchants can accept or decline the order, while buyers remain in full control to back out at any stage.

OpenAI emphasizes that data sharing will remain minimal, limited to what merchants require to process the order. Payment tokens are securely generated, and transactions are encrypted.

This ensures that users can enjoy the convenience of one-click shopping without compromising privacy or control.

Currently, the rollout of Instant Checkout is limited to select platforms and merchants. However, as more companies adopt AI-powered commerce, availability is expected to grow.

There’s also speculation that OpenAI may expand the feature into ChatGPT Pulse, allowing the AI to recommend products based on chat history. Competitors like Google Gemini could soon follow with similar integrations.

If you’ve ever wondered whether a YouTube Premium subscription is worth the monthly fee, the platform has just sweetened the deal with five new features now rolling out to more users worldwide.

According to an update on the official YouTube Help forum (via 9to5Google), these upgrades were previously limited to experiments or specific devices but are now expanding across Android, iOS, web, smart TVs, and consoles.

Premium users can now crank up playback speed to 4x, double the maximum 2x speed available to regular users. This feature is live on Android, iOS, and the web.

Music lovers will appreciate the jump to 256kbps audio quality on videos officially tagged as music tracks. While this level of quality has long been available on YouTube Music, it’s now extending to YouTube for Android and iOS.

The handy Jump Ahead feature, which lets you skip directly to the most-watched sections of a video, is expanding beyond mobile and desktop. It’s now arriving on smart TVs and gaming consoles too.

Offline viewing gets an upgrade with Smart Downloads for Shorts. The app automatically downloads recommended short clips so you always have something to watch—even without internet. This is now rolling out to all iPhone users after testing on iOS and availability on Android.

Russian resellers unveiled Apple’s new iPhone 17 in stores on Saturday, as major retailer Restore: reported a sharp rise in pre-ordering this year.

Strong demand for Apple smartphones offers a sign that consumer demand for popular products has yet to falter in line with a wider economic slowdown in Russia. The country has seen 20-year-high interest rates and a budget deficit of over four trillion roubles this year.

The iPhones’ popularity in Russia has endured Apple halting sales in 2022 and suspending services like Apple Pay in the wake of Western sanctions over the invasion of Ukraine. In Russia, the phones also command higher prices than in Western markets.

“This year we have 66% more pre-orders than last year,” said Lyudmila Semushina, PR director for Inventive Retail Group, which owns tech retailer Restore:.

“There is a huge fan base that will never exchange iPhone for anything else,” Semushina said in the Restore: branch at Afimall City, located in the futuristic Moscow International Business Centre amidst some of Europe’s tallest skyscrapers.

The US tech giant rolled out the iPhone 17 range globally this week, introducing a new design, updated cameras, and the new Air model.

“It is worth thinking about switching from my current phone to the iPhone Air. This is a major update,” said customer Oleg Kochetkov, adding that Russians are increasingly using iPhones for FaceTime after the government restricted WhatsApp and Telegram call services.

“There are a lot of new features that attract me. First of all, the cameras,” tech blogger Sergei Yepikhin told Reuters.

Yepikhin said he was considering switching to an iPhone Pro from Android. Android devices are easier to use in Russia, he said, adding that he hopes local firms will develop solutions for smoother iPhone usage.

Russia’s Sber and T-Bank recently launched contactless payment services to bypass the Apple Pay ban.

The new Apple products displayed in Restore: on Saturday were for browsing only, with customers able to place pre-orders for delivery in the coming days.

“There is always a small shortage of new iPhones [in the beginning],” Restore:’s Semushina said.

She added that the retailer’s supply chain is “quite stable,” but that the additional logistics costs of so-called ‘parallel imports’ have impacted shelf prices.

Microsoft said on Friday it is raising the prices of its Xbox gaming consoles in the US for a second time this year, as the cloud giant’s video game division grapples with tariff-induced cost pressures, strong competition and uncertain spending.

The price increases, which Microsoft attributes to “changes in the macroeconomic environment,” will apply to its current generation of hardware, with the one-terabyte Series S set to cost around $450 and the high-end Series X around $650 when the changes go into effect on October 3.

The special edition two-terabyte Galaxy Black Series X will now retail for nearly $800.

Xbox previously raised console prices in May in several markets including the United States, Europe, Australia and the UK, as US President Donald Trump’s tariffs on imports from manufacturing hubs like China threaten to raise the cost of hardware and compress margins.

Paired with the May increases, the Xbox Series X has seen a $150 price hike within six months, potentially leading gamers to curb budgets amid higher inflation levels.

“This price increase is less about opportunism or even the cost of software development. Instead, it is the result of tariff increases and rising costs in the supply chain. Hardware is being repriced to absorb new trade pressures,” said Joost van Dreunen, games professor at NYU Stern School of Business.

Xbox rival Sony also raised the prices of its PlayStation 5 consoles in the US by around $50 last month. Sony’s most expensive PS5 Pro retails for $749.99.

Apple has officially announced the AirPods Pro 3, its most advanced wireless earbuds yet, promising upgrades in sound quality, noise cancellation, comfort, and smart features that go beyond music.

While the AirPods Pro 3 stick with Apple’s H2 chip, they introduce a new multiport acoustic architecture with inward-facing microphones and improved airflow control.

This revamp delivers deeper bass, wider soundstage, and clearer vocals, enhanced by Apple’s custom-built driver and amplifier. Combined with Bluetooth 5.3, the Pro 3 aim to rival industry leaders in audio fidelity.

Apple is taking aim at Bose with claims of the “world’s best in-ear ANC.” The Pro 3 feature upgraded microphones, a better acoustic seal, and advanced computational audio that reportedly cancels twice as much noise as the Pro 2.

For passive isolation, Apple has added five new eartip sizes, each made of soft foam fused with silicone. These offer a snug fit even before ANC kicks in, making the Pro 3 a strong contender against Bose in daily environments.

The earbuds now provide up to eight hours of playback with ANC, and 10 hours in Transparency mode when used as a hearing aid.

However, total listening time with the case has dropped from 30 hours (Pro 2) to 24 hours. Apple’s reasoning: the Pro 3 earbuds last longer on a single charge, so the case may be needed less often.