Technology news from 07/2026

Alphabet reportedly building 'Frozen v2' chip to run Gemini more efficiently

Alphabet reportedly building 'Frozen v2' chip to run Gemini more efficiently

21 Jul 2026 · Technology · News18

Google parent Alphabet is reportedly developing a new chip, codenamed 'Frozen v2,' to run its Gemini models more efficiently, The Information reported. Citing anonymous sources, it said the chip could be six to ten times more power-efficient than Google's current AI chips and may launch in 2028. Google neither confirmed nor denied the report. Rivals OpenAI and Anthropic are pursuing custom chips.

Lumio founders expect TV prices in India to rise within six months

Lumio founders expect TV prices in India to rise within six months

20 Jul 2026 · Technology · Hindustan Times

Lumio co-founder Raghu Reddy told Hindustan Times that the chip shortage that has already lifted smartphone and laptop prices will push Indian television prices up over the next six months, and that every brand including his own will be affected. Co-founder Kailash Sankarnarayanan described the company's focus on content discovery, including a WhatsApp-linked assistant tested across nine Indian languages.

Motorola Edge 70 Pro Plus review finds strong hardware, weaker software

Motorola Edge 70 Pro Plus review finds strong hardware, weaker software

20 Jul 2026 · Technology · Hindustan Times

After a month of daily use, a Hindustan Times reviewer rated the Rs 47,999 Edge 70 Pro Plus highly on its quad-curved AMOLED screen, ergonomics and a 6500mAh battery that charges fully in 53 minutes at 90W. The Dimensity 8500 outpaced a rival on benchmarks. Criticism centred on Hello UI polish, unreliable Moto AI transcription and inconsistent camera white balance.

AWS billing fault showed customers charges in the billions

AWS billing fault showed customers charges in the billions

20 Jul 2026 · Technology · News18

Amazon Web Services users worldwide were alarmed this week when estimated charges appeared in the billions, with one engineer posting a screenshot showing $1.5 trillion. A Delhi customer who usually pays $1.28 a month saw $10.9 billion; a UK charity worker saw $7.8 billion. Amazon blamed unit pricing in its estimation subsystem, disabled it, and said actual bills were unaffected.

Google sets August 12 Pixel 11 launch as colour leaks circulate

Google sets August 12 Pixel 11 launch as colour leaks circulate

20 Jul 2026 · Technology · Hindustan Times

Google has confirmed it will unveil the Pixel 11 line at its Made by Google event in New York on August 12, spanning the Pixel 11, 11 Pro, 11 Pro XL and 11 Pro Fold. It has also teased a 'Pixel Glow' light strip. Separately, early Amazon listings spotted by 9to5Google leaked possible colours such as Midnight, Fuchsia and Moss, though these remain unconfirmed.

Moonshot AI's Kimi K3 could be a 'DeepSeek moment', analyst says

Moonshot AI's Kimi K3 could be a 'DeepSeek moment', analyst says

20 Jul 2026 · Technology · Hindustan Times

Chinese startup Moonshot AI's new Kimi K3 model could mark a 'DeepSeek moment,' Morningstar analyst Malik Ahmed Khan wrote. He called the leap bullish for the AI ecosystem but warned it pressures hardware and infrastructure firms by matching top-tier performance at lower cost. Morningstar cautioned against claiming near-parity with American frontier models, noting open-weight systems have gamed benchmarks to inflate results.

Motorola Edge 70 Max goes on sale in India from Rs 54,999

Motorola Edge 70 Max goes on sale in India from Rs 54,999

20 Jul 2026 · Technology · News18

Motorola's Edge 70 Max reached Indian shelves a week after launch, priced at Rs 54,999 for 8GB/256GB and Rs 59,999 for 12GB, sold via Flipkart. Introductory offers cut Rs 5,000 through a bank discount or exchange bonus. The fifth model in the Edge 70 line runs a Snapdragon 8 Gen 5, a 6.8-inch 144Hz AMOLED screen and a 7,100mAh battery.

Portronics brings a 150W 5.1 home theatre set to India at Rs 5,999

Portronics brings a 150W 5.1 home theatre set to India at Rs 5,999

20 Jul 2026 · Technology · News18

Portronics has launched the Pure Sound Pro X2 in India, a 150W 5.1-channel system pairing a soundbar with two satellite speakers and a wired subwoofer. It offers Bluetooth 5.4, HDMI ARC, optical, USB and AUX inputs, plus four EQ presets and a remote. The launch price is Rs 5,999 against an MRP of Rs 9,999, sold through Amazon and Flipkart.

Ten held in Delhi after US tip-offs traced abuse material to phones

Ten held in Delhi after US tip-offs traced abuse material to phones

20 Jul 2026 · Technology · News18

Delhi's Central district police registered 10 FIRs and arrested 10 men aged 25 to 30 between July 13 and 18 under the POCSO and IT Acts for storing and circulating child sexual abuse material. The leads came from the US-run NCMEC CyberTipline, fed by Google's hash-matching and AI detection. Seized devices are with forensics and further arrests are expected.

Google and Apple resist EU push to open phones to rival AI assistants

Google and Apple resist EU push to open phones to rival AI assistants

20 Jul 2026 · Technology · News18

Under the Digital Markets Act, the European Commission is ordering Google to open 11 Android features to competing AI assistants, most of them in Android 18 by August 2027, and to share anonymised Search ranking and query data with rivals by January 2027. Google warns of security gaps, while Apple has delayed Siri AI in the EU for iOS 27.

CERT-In flags high-risk flaws in Windows, Office and Azure

CERT-In flags high-risk flaws in Windows, Office and Azure

19 Jul 2026 · Technology · News18

India's cybersecurity agency CERT-In has issued a high-severity advisory covering multiple Microsoft products, including Windows, Office applications such as Word and Excel, and Azure. The agency warned the vulnerabilities could let attackers execute code remotely or escalate privileges on affected systems, and urged users and administrators to apply the available security updates promptly.

Hyderabad-born engineer Uday Ruddaraju named OpenAI's compute chief

Hyderabad-born engineer Uday Ruddaraju named OpenAI's compute chief

19 Jul 2026 · Technology · News18

Uday Ruddaraju, a computer engineer born in Hyderabad, has been appointed Chief Technology Officer for Compute at OpenAI. He studied at CBIT before building a career across major technology firms including Amazon Web Services, eBay, Robinhood and xAI. The role places him in charge of the infrastructure underpinning OpenAI's models.

Apple Music raises prices in India; individual plan now Rs 139

Apple Music raises prices in India; individual plan now Rs 139

19 Jul 2026 · Technology · News18

Apple has increased Apple Music subscription prices in India, the United States, the United Kingdom and Europe, citing higher music licensing costs. In India the individual plan now starts at Rs 139 a month. The rise brings the streaming service in line with broader industry pricing as licensing expenses climb across markets.

OnePlus Nord CE6 review: strong battery and performance, weaker camera

OnePlus Nord CE6 review: strong battery and performance, weaker camera

19 Jul 2026 · Technology · Hindustan Times

The OnePlus Nord CE6 delivers on battery life, everyday performance and entertainment, standing out among mid-range smartphones on those counts. The camera is where it falls short, leaving photography-focused buyers wanting more. For users prioritising endurance and smooth day-to-day use over imaging, the handset makes a compelling case in its price bracket.

iPhone 18 Pro Max tipped for variable aperture camera

iPhone 18 Pro Max tipped for variable aperture camera

19 Jul 2026 · Technology · News18

Apple's iPhone 18 Pro Max is expected to receive its most significant camera upgrade yet, with reports pointing to a variable aperture main lens paired with a new Sony sensor. The change should improve low-light photography and give finer control over depth of field, while the remaining cameras are tipped to stay largely unchanged.

Explained: what India's Semicon 2.0 is designed to deliver

Explained: what India's Semicon 2.0 is designed to deliver

19 Jul 2026 · Technology · The Hindu

India's second-phase semiconductor programme sets out to broaden the domestic chip ecosystem beyond the initial round of fabrication projects. The plan differs from phase one in scope and incentive structure, and is paired with a Mobile Phone Manufacturing Scheme, as New Delhi pushes to build deeper electronics manufacturing capacity at home.

Instagram and Facebook hit by outage across India and abroad

Instagram and Facebook hit by outage across India and abroad

19 Jul 2026 · Technology · News18

Users in India, the United States and other markets reported disruptions across Instagram and Facebook, with problems loading feeds, logging in and sending messages. Parent company Meta had not explained the cause of the failure, leaving the scale and duration of the outage unclear as complaints mounted on tracking services.

Zepto users report app and website outage

Zepto users report app and website outage

19 Jul 2026 · Technology · Livemint

Quick-commerce platform Zepto appeared to suffer an outage on Sunday, with users reporting problems on both its app and website. Complaints logged on tracking service Downdetector pointed to disruptions in placing orders and loading the service, though the company had not issued an explanation for the failure.

Meta outage hits users across Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Pune

Meta outage hits users across Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Pune

19 Jul 2026 · Technology · Livemint

Thousands of users reported being unable to load Instagram and Facebook, with many saying no posts appeared after refreshing their feeds. Others hit error messages logging into Facebook's desktop site. Outage tracker Downdetector recorded concentrated complaints from New Delhi, Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Pune, Kolkata and other Indian cities.

Intel expands Google Cloud tie-up to run Gemini across operations

Intel expands Google Cloud tie-up to run Gemini across operations

19 Jul 2026 · Technology · News18

Intel is widening its partnership with Google Cloud, deploying Gemini Enterprise AI across engineering, supply chain and corporate functions. The chipmaker also intends to lean on cloud infrastructure for semiconductor development work, embedding the technology into internal processes rather than confining it to customer-facing products.

Pixel 11a specs leak ahead of Made by Google event

Pixel 11a specs leak ahead of Made by Google event

19 Jul 2026 · Technology · Livemint

A leak has surfaced detailing key specifications of Google's Pixel 11a before the Made by Google event. The handset is tipped to carry a Tensor G6 processor, a 120Hz display and 8GB of RAM, positioning the mid-range device as a modest but meaningful step up from its predecessor.

Apple expands vapour chamber cooling to foldable iPhone

Apple expands vapour chamber cooling to foldable iPhone

19 Jul 2026 · Technology · News18

Apple has increased orders for vapour chamber components destined for its foldable and 20th-anniversary iPhone models. The move suggests wider adoption of advanced cooling across future premium devices, helping sustain performance under heavy workloads as processors and displays draw more power in thinner enclosures.

Premium Android tablets now rival the iPad Pro at lower cost

Premium Android tablets now rival the iPad Pro at lower cost

19 Jul 2026 · Technology · Hindustan Times

The iPad Pro remains among the most capable tablets available, but its price puts it beyond many buyers. Android alternatives have improved sharply, with flagship models combining fast processors, high-resolution screens, AI features, stylus support, desktop-style multitasking and long battery life. Many also work with keyboard accessories, making them viable for productivity, creative work and note-taking.

When buying an SSD beats paying for cloud storage in 2026

When buying an SSD beats paying for cloud storage in 2026

19 Jul 2026 · Technology · Hindustan Times

Cloud storage remains convenient, letting users move photos, videos and documents between devices without managing hardware. But the economics have shifted in 2026: SSD prices have fallen while subscription tiers have risen sharply, with a standard 1TB cloud plan now costing upwards of Rs 2,000. An SSD carries an upfront cost but no recurring fee.

Eric Trump-backed startup pushes armed humanoid robots for combat

Eric Trump-backed startup pushes armed humanoid robots for combat

18 Jul 2026 · Technology · News18

San Francisco robotics startup Foundation Future Industries has openly targeted battlefield deployment, breaking from the technology industry's customary non-weaponisation pledges. Backed by Eric Trump, who serves as investor and chief strategy adviser, the company has confirmed plans to equip its fleet of bipedal humanoid robots with lethal capabilities — a marked escalation in the autonomous weapons race.

Google connects Canva, Instacart and YouTube Music to AI Mode

Google connects Canva, Instacart and YouTube Music to AI Mode

18 Jul 2026 · Technology · News18

Google has begun integrating third-party apps into AI Mode in Search, extending it beyond answering questions. The initial rollout covers Canva, Instacart and YouTube Music and is limited to users in the United States, letting them link accounts and complete tasks such as building playlists or adding groceries to a cart directly within AI Mode.

India's smartphone market hits a six-year low for the June quarter

India's smartphone market hits a six-year low for the June quarter

18 Jul 2026 · Technology · News18

India's smartphone shipments fell 10 percent year on year in the second quarter of 2026, the steepest June-quarter decline in six years, according to Counterpoint Research. Rising memory and component costs pushed device prices up, weakening budget and mid-range demand and lengthening replacement cycles. Memory prices have risen nearly fourfold since September 2025.

Telangana police crack down on Telugu film piracy

Telangana police crack down on Telugu film piracy

18 Jul 2026 · Technology · The Hindu

A memorandum of understanding between the Telugu Film Chamber of Commerce and the Telangana Cyber Security Bureau has enabled a systematic crackdown on film piracy. The effort has produced key arrests and shielded new Telugu releases from widespread online leaks during their crucial opening weekends.

Dual inverter or single inverter AC: which cuts more power use

Dual inverter or single inverter AC: which cuts more power use

18 Jul 2026 · Technology · News18

Choosing an inverter air conditioner now involves more than tonnage and star rating. Dual and single inverter units differ in compressor technology, cooling efficiency, noise and long-term running costs. Dual inverter models promise faster cooling and lower consumption, while single inverter versions offer dependable performance at a lower purchase price.

Pixel 11a codename surfaces in Google's Phone app beta

Pixel 11a codename surfaces in Google's Phone app beta

18 Jul 2026 · Technology · News18

A codename linked to the Pixel 11a, 'Formosan', has appeared in a beta build of Google's Phone app, suggesting development of the next affordable Pixel is already underway. The reference was reportedly found in version 230.0.946661649 alongside codenames tied to devices expected to form the flagship Pixel 11 series. Google has not announced the handset.

Asus returns to India's tablet market with OLED-equipped Pad T3201

Asus returns to India's tablet market with OLED-equipped Pad T3201

18 Jul 2026 · Technology · News18

Asus will launch the Pad T3201 in India on August 6, marking its return to the conventional Android tablet market after a long absence. The tablet carries a 12.2-inch dual-layer OLED display, a MediaTek Dimensity 8300 processor and a 9,000mAh battery with fast charging. It runs Android 16 and ships with a protective folio case.

Meta in early talks to lease computing power to Anthropic

Meta in early talks to lease computing power to Anthropic

18 Jul 2026 · Technology · The Hindu

Meta could lease computing capacity to Anthropic under a potential deal reported to be worth around $10 billion. The discussions remain at an initial stage and no agreement has been confirmed by the companies involved.

Oppo Enco Air5 review: capable earbuds in a crowded segment

Oppo Enco Air5 review: capable earbuds in a crowded segment

18 Jul 2026 · Technology · Hindustan Times

At Rs 3,299 the Oppo Enco Air5 enters one of the most competitive segments in wireless earbuds, where active noise cancellation, multipoint connectivity, long battery life and companion apps are now standard. It covers those bases on paper and supports Google Fast Pair and Microsoft Swift Pair, performing solidly across music, calls and device switching.

OnePlus N6x teased for India on Amazon microsite

OnePlus N6x teased for India on Amazon microsite

18 Jul 2026 · Technology · News18

OnePlus is preparing to widen its N series in India with the N6x, after a dedicated Amazon India microsite went live carrying a 'Coming Soon' message. The teaser confirms the name and impending arrival and indicates Amazon will be a sales channel, though launch date, price, design and specifications remain undisclosed.

Samsung patent shows a Z Flip-style phone with a 360-degree hinge

Samsung patent shows a Z Flip-style phone with a 360-degree hinge

18 Jul 2026 · Technology · News18

A Samsung patent describes a clamshell smartphone that can fold both inward and outward using a 360-degree hinge. The illustrated device resembles the Galaxy Z Flip series but adds curved display sections across the exterior, with the flexible main screen protected when closed. Such concepts frequently never reach commercial production in their patented form.