Spotify has expanded its parent-managed accounts feature to users on its free tier. Previously, this parental control option was exclusively available to paid subscribers. The move allows more families to access account management tools regardless of their subscription status. This expansion broadens Spotify's reach in offering safer, supervised listening experiences for younger users.
India has unveiled a major two-pronged investment initiative aimed at strengthening its domestic electronics industry. The plan includes a $6.5 billion program dedicated to expanding smartphone manufacturing capacity. Alongside this, New Delhi is committing $13.3 billion toward developing a semiconductor ecosystem within the country. The combined effort signals India's ambition to reduce global dependence on China across critical electronics supply chains.
US authorities have unsealed a 2024 indictment charging three Russian nationals along with two web hosting entities. The defendants are accused of operating so-called bulletproof hosting services, which shielded hackers from law enforcement detection. These services allegedly enabled cybercriminals to carry out attacks that collectively netted $62 million from victims. Prosecutors contend that the accused directly profited from facilitating this criminal activity.
A new company called Ode has launched with backing from Anthropic and Blackstone, focusing on embedding engineers directly within enterprises to accelerate AI adoption. The venture reflects a growing belief among major AI investors that the next major value in AI lies in implementation rather than model development. Ode's model involves placing forward-deployed engineers inside client organizations to help integrate AI solutions into business operations. The launch signals a strategic shift in how leading AI players view enterprise opportunity, prioritizing hands-on deployment over foundational technology.
AI voice startup Rime has secured $24 million in a Series A funding round to expand its enterprise customer call services. The company currently processes over 100 million calls per month across multiple client organizations. The fresh capital is expected to help Rime grow its infrastructure and broaden its reach in the enterprise communications market. The funding marks a significant milestone for the startup as demand for automated call-handling solutions continues to rise among large businesses.
A new app called Reelful uses artificial intelligence to transform users' existing camera roll photos and videos into short-form social media content. The tool is aimed at people who want to produce social content but struggle with the complexity or time demands of conventional video editing software. By automating the editing process, Reelful lowers the barrier to entry for casual content creators. The app targets the growing demand for short-form video across platforms without requiring technical editing skills.
PointlessQuest is a massively multiplayer online game built for the Playdate, an unconventional handheld console rarely associated with the MMO genre. The game was created as a side project by designer Gareth Williams, making it a passion project rather than a commercial endeavor. On its launch day, the game reached a peak of only 15 concurrent players, a far cry from World of Warcraft's peak of 12 million subscribers. Despite its tiny scale, the game has attracted a dedicated group of players who are actively progressing through its early content together.
Motorola has introduced the Edge 70 Max, a flagship smartphone aimed at power-heavy use cases such as gaming and video streaming. The device becomes the first Android phone to support full 25W Qi2 wireless charging since Google's Pixel 10 Pro XL, surpassing rival models like the Pixel 10 and HMD Skyline, which are limited to 15W magnetic wireless charging. The Edge 70 Max is equipped with a large 7100mAh silicon-carbon battery, significantly bigger than the 5200mAh cell found in the Pixel 10 Pro XL. The phone also supports rapid wired charging, reinforcing its focus on battery performance and endurance.
Indian AI coding startup Emergent has achieved unicorn status following a $130 million Series C funding round. The company has reached an annualized revenue run rate of $120 million, signaling strong commercial traction. Emergent now counts over 200,000 paying customers, reflecting rapid adoption of its AI-powered coding tools. The funding round marks a significant milestone for the Indian AI startup ecosystem.
Internet pioneer Vint Cerf, co-creator of the foundational TCP/IP protocol, is working on a new initiative to bring AI agents onto the open internet. His effort focuses on establishing a standard for identifying and recognizing AI agents operating in the wild. The project aims to create a framework that could govern how autonomous AI systems present and authenticate themselves online. This work reflects growing concern in the tech community about the need for clear protocols as AI agents become more prevalent across the web.
Realta Fusion is repurposing a former Oscar Mayer hot dog factory in Wisconsin into a fusion power research and development facility. The site will serve as one of America's newest hubs dedicated to advancing fusion energy technology. The company chose the existing industrial building as a practical base for its reactor development work. The move reflects a growing trend of fusion startups establishing dedicated research infrastructure across the United States.
Home Depot is upgrading its iconic 12-foot skeleton decoration, known as Skelly, ahead of the 2026 Halloween season. The new version borrows technology from the smaller 6.5-foot Ultra Skelly, allowing users to speak through the skeleton's moving mouth via a mobile app. The updated Skelly also expands its LCD eye animations from 8 to 20 different options. It will be available online starting the day after the announcement for $379, with in-store availability coming later in the summer alongside a new range of Halloween characters.
"I pretty much, at that point in time, gave up on being an astronaut."
"The ISS radiators are expensive and heavy. We're focused on making them cheap and light."
Israeli identity management startup Oak has officially emerged from stealth mode with $60 million in seed funding. The company was cofounded by senior entrepreneur Shai Morag. Oak aims to address growing identity management challenges that are being intensified by the rise of AI agents. The startup's launch signals increasing investor interest in securing AI-driven systems and the identities they operate under.
A high-profile Tyrannosaurus rex fossil auction held by Sotheby's has drawn criticism from the scientific community. Researchers and paleontologists are concerned that wealthy private buyers are increasingly outcompeting museums for significant fossil specimens. When fossils are sold to private collectors, scientists often lose access to them for study and research. This growing trend of commercializing rare paleontological finds is seen as a threat to the integrity and progress of fossil science.
A former SpaceX engineer has secured $65 million in funding to overhaul wire harness manufacturing for the aerospace industry. Wire harnesses, which bundle electrical wiring in rockets, missiles, and satellites, have largely relied on outdated Cold War-era production methods. The startup aims to bring modern technology and processes to this critical but long-neglected component of aerospace hardware. The fundraise signals growing investor interest in modernizing legacy aerospace manufacturing supply chains.
Samsung has announced a new flexible display technology called Flex Titanium, designed to be slimmer, more durable, and less prone to creasing than current foldable screens. The company says the innovation draws on lessons learned across seven generations of foldable devices. Flex Titanium is set to debut with the upcoming Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra. Because Samsung Display is a longstanding Apple supplier, the technology could also appear in Apple's rumored foldable iPhone expected later this year.
Neko Health, a preventive health startup co-founded by Spotify CEO Daniel Ek, is expanding to the United States following a $700 million fundraising round backed by celebrities, entrepreneurs, and investment firms. The company plans to open its first US clinic in New York City this year, with broader national expansion to follow. Neko operates private clinics that use AI and custom medical equipment to perform full-body scans and blood tests. The scans are designed to proactively detect conditions such as skin cancer, heart disease, and diabetes at an early stage. The company's stated mission is early disease detection and helping people live longer, healthier lives.
Sony dropped several hints about the future of PlayStation during an investor business meeting Q&A on June 5th. The remarks, made ahead of Sony's announcement ending physical disc support, are being interpreted as signals of a significant shift in console direction. Industry observers suggest the clues point toward the PS6 incorporating handheld functionality. The hints come as both Sony and Microsoft navigate a turbulent transition period marked by rising costs and studio cuts. The broader gaming industry is under pressure as both companies prepare for their next console generations.
