Category: Tech News

Apple Reportedly Developing Premium HomeView with Robotic Arm

Apple launched the HomeView smart home hub last week. The device includes a 7-inch Liquid Retina display along with Siri AI and facial recognition. Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman now reports that Apple is developing a higher-end version of the HomeView. The upcoming model is expected to feature a larger screen and a robotic limb. Development is underway under the internal codename J595.

Premium Model Details

In the latest edition of his Power On newsletter, Gurman said Apple is working on an upgraded HomeView. The new device, internally known as J595, will reportedly carry an around 9-inch display. The current HomeView, by comparison, uses a 7-inch Liquid Retina screen. The premium version is expected to keep a similar overall design while adding the larger display and a motorised arm that allows the screen to rotate.

The existing HomeView cannot swivel. It can recognise different people and deliver personalised responses. However, users still need to stand in front of the screen or physically move the device. The new model is expected to remove this limitation. The robotic arm could rotate the display through 360 degrees and turn automatically toward the person interacting with it. The device would use voice recognition to identify speakers and adjust the screen’s orientation to face them.

Timeline and Possible Names

Gurman claims the upgraded version of the HomeView is planned for release in 2027 or 2028. Apple has not announced the official name of the higher-end model. Gurman suggests the company could call it HomeView Max, HomeView Ultra, or HomeView 360. The device is expected to sit above the current HomeView in Apple’s smart home product lineup.

Current HomeView Availability

Apple launched the existing HomeView in India earlier this month for Rs. 39,900. It is available in Silver, Starlight, Rose Pink, and Space Grey. In the United States, the device is priced at $299 (roughly Rs. 28,000). The HomeView supports facial recognition for up to six people. It runs on Apple’s A18 chip and integrates with Siri AI. The display also contains two custom full-range drivers for sound.

The reported development of a rotating HomeView indicates Apple’s continued push into more interactive smart home devices. Further official details on the J595 model have not yet been released.

Amazon Great Indian Festival 2026 Continues with Strong Haier Appliance Deals

The Amazon Great Indian Festival Sale 2026 started on October 8. One week has passed, and many attractive offers remain available. Amazon is helping shoppers save more through instant credit and debit card discounts, cashback, and exchange bonuses. Customers looking for home appliances can still find good prices on washing machines, refrigerators, geysers, and other products. Smartphones, earbuds, laptops, and smartwatches are also available with direct price cuts.

Haier Appliances See Big Price Reductions

Amazon has listed several Haier home appliances at reduced prices during the sale. These include refrigerators, washing machines, and water heaters. For example, the Haier 190L 5 Star Direct Cool Inverter Single Door Refrigerator is available for Rs. 17,490. Its listed price is Rs. 27,290, so buyers can save around Rs. 10,000. The Haier 596L 3 Star Side by Side Refrigerator has also dropped sharply. It is now priced at Rs. 66,990, down from its earlier listed price of Rs. 1,21,890.

Extra Discounts and Cashback Options

Shoppers can get additional savings on top of the sale prices. Amazon is offering a 10 percent instant discount of up to Rs. 57,750 with SBI credit and debit cards, as well as SBI credit card EMI transactions. Customers using an Amazon Pay ICICI Bank credit card can receive 5 percent cashback at checkout. Amazon Pay Later EMI users can also get 10 percent cashback. These benefits apply at the time of purchase and can further lower the final amount.

Top Haier Deals During the Sale

Several Haier products are currently listed at attractive sale prices. The figures below show the listed price and the current sale price. Bank discounts, cashback, and exchange offers are extra and can be applied at checkout.

• Haier 190L 5 Star Direct Cool Inverter Single Door Refrigerator: Rs. 27,290 down to Rs. 17,490
• Haier 6 kg 5 Star Oceanus Wave Drum Washing Machine: Rs. 22,400 down to Rs. 13,890
• Haier 596L 3 Star Side by Side Refrigerator: Rs. 1,21,890 down to Rs. 66,990
• Haier 237L 2 Star Frost Free Twin Inverter Double Door Refrigerator: Rs. 37,690 down to Rs. 25,690
• Haier Precis Pro 10 Litre 5 Star Water Geyser: Rs. 12,790 down to Rs. 6,699
• Haier Aqualis 15L 5 Star Storage Water Geyser: Rs. 19,990 down to Rs. 9,698

The Amazon Great Indian Festival Sale 2026 continues to offer useful discounts across home appliances and electronics. Shoppers interested in Haier products can still take advantage of the ongoing price cuts and bank offers while the sale lasts.

Meta Releases Muse Spark Open, a New Open-Weight AI Model for Coding

Meta announced a new open-weight artificial intelligence model on Thursday. The model, called Muse Spark Open, targets coding, software development, and complex multi-step tasks. It has hundreds of billions of parameters and a large context window.

Meta described Muse Spark Open as the most capable US open-weight model to date. The model has 816 billion total parameters, with 42 billion active parameters. It supports a one-million-token context window. Meta designed it for coding and agentic workloads, including long-running tasks, complex software engineering, and multi-step reasoning.

Meta partnered with Apple to bring the model to Mac Studio desktops powered by the M5 Ultra chip. Developers can run agentic AI workflows locally on these machines. Meta optimized the model using Apple’s MLX machine learning framework. This setup reduces the need for full dependence on cloud-based inference.

The system uses Apple’s unified memory architecture. Each M5 Ultra Mac Studio provides up to 512GB of memory. Two systems together offer up to 1TB of unified memory. This allows the machines to run the full model weights locally.

Muse Spark Open supports several inference engines. These include SGLang, vLLM, TensorRT-LLM, Hugging Face Transformers, MLX, and llama.cpp. The model can run on hardware from AMD, Apple, Intel, and Nvidia. Developers can also customize it with PyTorch and TorchTitan.

The model includes custom, auto-tunable Helion GPU kernels in SGLang. Meta reported up to 3.95 times kernel-level speed improvements on Nvidia and AMD GPUs. It also reported a 3 percent end-to-end speed improvement on AMD MI350 hardware.

Developers can access Muse Spark Open through API platforms such as Baseten, Fireworks AI, Groq, Modal, Nebius, OpenRouter, and Together AI. They can also download the weights from Amazon SageMaker AI, Google Cloud Model Garden, Hugging Face, and Microsoft Foundry Models.

Meta released the model under its Muse Model License. The license allows free use by developers under certain commercial terms. Meta said it conducted safety evaluations under its Superintelligence Scaling Framework and that the model meets the required release thresholds.

Xbox Unveils Compact Nano Controller for Consoles, PCs and Mobile Devices

Xbox has announced a new compact game controller called the Xbox Nano. The controller fits in a pocket and works with Xbox consoles, PCs, mobile devices and select smart TVs. It includes all 18 standard gameplay inputs in a portable design. The product will launch next month and is now available for pre-order in select regions.

Microsoft positions the Xbox Nano as an ideal choice for younger players, people with small hands and users who want an ultra-portable gamepad. The controller measures five inches and weighs just under 100 grams. Therefore, it is smaller and lighter than most smartphones.

The Nano features the same button layout as the standard Xbox wireless controller. However, it uses a more bar-like design without the protruding grips found on most gamepads. It comes with a rechargeable battery and a programmable Action Button. Users can customize this button to take screenshots or capture gameplay, among other functions.

The controller connects to Xbox Series S/X and Xbox One consoles through Microsoft’s proprietary wireless protocol. Additionally, it pairs with Windows 10/11 PCs, tablets, iOS and Android devices, as well as compatible smart TVs via Bluetooth. It includes an internal rechargeable battery and a USB Type-C port for charging. However, it does not ship with a USB Type-C cable.

The Xbox Nano controller is priced at $49.99 in the US (roughly Rs. 4,750). This price is close to the current discounted price of the standard Xbox wireless controller. It comes in a single white colour option. The controller will launch on November 4 in the US, the UK, Japan, Australia, Canada, China and a few other regions. More markets will follow later. Pre-orders are already open on the Xbox store.

Xbox has also partnered with Samsung. The partnership offers the Nano controller and two months of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate with the purchase of select Samsung smart TVs during the holiday season in the US. Users can connect the controller to the TV and play games through Xbox Cloud Gaming directly from the Xbox app. Microsoft is also working on a similar offer with Meta for the Vision Quest headset. In short, the Nano controller expands portable gaming options across multiple platforms.

Apple CEO John Ternus Discusses iPhone Duo and AI Strategy

Apple recently underwent a leadership shake-up. John Ternus took over from Tim Cook as Chief Executive Officer. Shortly after taking the reins, Ternus took to the stage during the company’s September event. He unveiled the first-ever foldable iPhone, dubbed the iPhone Duo.

In a recent interview, the CEO spoke about Apple’s approach to product design. He also discussed the development of its first foldable iPhone and its evolving artificial intelligence strategy.

Ternus on iPhone Duo and Apple’s AI Approach

In an interview with TIME for its Best Inventions of 2026 issue, Ternus said Apple’s work on foldable devices began much earlier than the launch of the iPhone Duo. In 2011, he and five other Apple engineers reportedly filed a patent application. It explored foldable electronic devices, including the batteries and circuit boards such products would require. Ternus said he believed flexible OLED displays would eventually become possible. However, Apple still had to overcome several engineering challenges before turning the concept into a commercial product.

Reflecting on foldable smartphones from other manufacturers during the 2010s, the Apple CEO said, “The other examples in the world felt kind of cheap and crappy.”

Richard Dinh, Vice President of Product Design at Apple, told TIME that Ternus encouraged the team to keep pushing for a better solution. Dinh reportedly recalled asking whether they should use a surface material similar to those found on rival foldables, despite concerns about its shortcomings. Ternus reportedly told him to continue until he knew the design was right. This gave the team confidence to explore alternatives. As a result, the iPhone Duo uses a custom polymer surface with a nanotexture finish. It is built over a hinge containing more than 100 precision components.

The Apple CEO also addressed Apple’s AI strategy, including its decision to use Google’s Gemini to help power the new Siri AI experience. When asked about Apple’s reliance on technology developed by another company, Ternus said there was no requirement for Apple to build every component of its products itself. Instead, he said, the company focuses on areas where it can offer a differentiated experience.

Ternus argued that Siri AI’s advantage comes from its access to information across a user’s device, with permission. “Everything in your life is on your phone,” he told TIME. The Apple CEO added that Siri could use this context to help people find information and complete tasks in ways other assistants might not.

Ternus also spoke about the pressure of his first major iPhone launch as CEO. During the iPhone Duo’s public unveiling in September, viewers noticed his hands shaking while he demonstrated the device during a livestreamed interaction with creator IShowSpeed. Ternus attributed it to a lack of sleep and the excitement of launch day. He said he was running on adrenaline, caffeine, and anticipation.

WhatsApp Adds Guest Calling for People Without Accounts

WhatsApp announced new calling features on Wednesday. The update makes it easier to connect with people who do not use the messaging platform. The Meta-owned app removed the requirement for every participant to have a WhatsApp account. Users can now invite guests to audio and video calls through a shared link. The feature maintains the same end-to-end encryption as normal WhatsApp calls.

Guest calls are free and have no time limits. The feature supports one-on-one and group calls with up to 32 participants, including guests. To start a guest call, WhatsApp users navigate to the Calls tab, tap the + icon, create a call link, and share it. Guests open the link in a computer browser, enter their name, and request to join. Only people with a WhatsApp account can create call links.

Hosts retain control over access. Guests enter a waiting room until the host approves their entry. Hosts can remove guests at any time. Guest participants cannot see other participants’ phone numbers, send messages, or directly add more people to the call.

Once admitted, guests can use several in-call tools. These include computer screen sharing, emoji reactions such as a thumbs-up or heart, and the option to raise a hand to speak. WhatsApp said these features can help during remote collaboration, classes, and discussions.

The company also plans to introduce calendar integrations later this year. Users will then create WhatsApp call links directly from Google Calendar or Outlook by installing the relevant plugin and connecting their account. People invited through these calendar events will be able to join whether or not they have a WhatsApp account.

The guest calling feature follows a series of calling improvements WhatsApp introduced in July. Those updates included audio and video calling directly through WhatsApp Web, call transfer between devices, a waiting room option for calls that require approval, QuickHD for high-definition video at the start of a call, and noise suppression to reduce background sounds. The new guest option further expands how people can join WhatsApp calls.

Google Expands Play Store with AI App Creation and Personalized Discovery Tools

Google announced an expansion of Google Play Store capabilities on Tuesday. Users can now create and run their own Android apps using AI tools and natural language prompts. The feature removes the need for a developer account. The company is also introducing new ways to discover apps and games through AI-powered recommendations. Users can additionally access Play Store content inside Gemini.

Support for Vibe-Coded Apps

In a blog post, Google said users can now vibe-code apps and run them privately on their phones. This means they can build custom Android apps with Google AI Studio and install them through Google Play. These privately created apps stay separate from the public Play Store catalogue. Google will soon let users share their apps with friends and family. Those who want to publish publicly must switch to a professional developer account. Their apps will then go through the same Trust and Safety reviews and quality checks as other submissions.

Users need only a standard account to access the feature. They do not have to register as developers. The capability is rolling out in select markets, including the US, for users aged 18 and above.

AI Discovery Features

Google is adding new AI-powered discovery tools. Ask Play can now compare apps and highlight key differences along with user sentiment. Play in Gemini brings apps, games, and developer content from the Play Store into Gemini conversations. The company is also expanding the Play Store experience across devices. Vehicles with Google built-in will receive an adaptable storefront on the vehicle display. Play Store on XR devices can now offer a 3D browsing experience.

Gaming Updates

For gamers, Google introduced Game Finder. The tool uses information about games and player preferences to recommend titles based on individual tastes rather than popularity alone. Its Gamer DNA feature analyses how users play and the preferences they share. Players can refine suggestions by specifying games, genres, and mechanics. Game Finder is rolling out in English to users in the US.

Google also added Game Playlists, which let players curate collections of games. Other updates include Sprints, which are 48-hour challenges for groups of two to five players. Sidekick, an in-game overlay on select devices, now supports recording 30-second Playbacks. The Play Store is expanding its PC gaming catalogue with titles such as Dave the Diver and Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun. Upcoming games include REPLACED, Chosen by Odin, and Over the Hill.

For families, Google is adding an option for parents to share a child’s age range, or their own, directly with apps through Family Link. The updates aim to make app creation easier and discovery more personalised across the Play Store.

Microsoft Unveils Maia 300 as Its Primary AI Inference Chip

Microsoft has introduced the Maia 300, its third-generation AI inference chip. The company first entered the custom silicon space with an AI inference chip in 2023. In January 2026, it launched the Maia 200, which runs OpenAI models and Microsoft’s own MAI models. The Maia 200 already supports production workloads, including Copilot, and is designed for next-generation MAI models. The new Maia 300 brings further gains in efficiency and is set to become Microsoft’s main AI inference platform.

Azure Maia Programme Expansion

Microsoft announced the update in a press release on Monday. The company is expanding its Azure Maia programme and increasing its use of in-house silicon for AI inference. The Maia 200 is already deployed in select markets across the US, Europe, and Australia. It delivers up to 1.7 times more tokens per watt than comparable systems. The chip currently powers AI features in Microsoft Teams, Copilot, and Cowork. It runs both OpenAI models and Microsoft’s MAI models. Support for GitHub Copilot and Microsoft Foundry is planned by the end of the year.

Maia 300 Specifications and Performance

The Maia 300 is claimed to deliver 40 percent more tokens per megawatt than comparable GPU-based inference systems. It will serve as Microsoft’s primary AI inference platform and will power the company’s in-house AI products and services. The chip is optimised for long-context, memory-intensive, and decode-heavy workloads. It balances compute, memory bandwidth, networking, and power efficiency at cloud scale.

The Maia 300 uses a software-defined dataflow architecture with AI-assisted kernel optimisation for efficient data movement. It offers higher HBM bandwidth per watt through eight HBM4 stacks, providing 18TB/s of peak memory bandwidth within a 950W TDP. The chip is built on TSMC’s N2P process node. It features 288GB of HBM capacity, a two-tier Ethernet scale-up with AI Transport, and a pod size of 96 Maia chips per rack.

Microsoft’s latest chip strengthens its push toward custom silicon for large-scale AI inference. The Maia 300 is positioned to handle growing production demands across its AI services.

Amazon Great Indian Festival 2026: Flagship Smartphones Drop Below Launch Prices

The Amazon Great Indian Festival 2026 sale began on October 8. It offers discounts across major smartphone categories. Shoppers looking for a flagship handset can now find many premium models from Apple, Samsung, Vivo, iQOO and Xiaomi priced well below their original launch prices. In addition, the platform provides bank discounts, coupon offers and exchange benefits. Buyers can also trade in older devices for extra savings.

Top Deals on Premium and Flagship Smartphones

Many brands have raised smartphone prices in recent months. However, the ongoing Amazon Great Indian Festival Sale 2026 creates a strong opportunity to buy a new flagship at a lower price. For example, the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra is listed at Rs. 84,999, down from its original price of Rs. 1,29,999. This non-foldable flagship runs on the Snapdragon 8 Elite processor and features a 200-megapixel quad-camera setup. As a result, it delivers strong performance and versatile photography at a reduced cost.

Meanwhile, the iPhone 16 is available for Rs. 72,249 during the sale. It comes with Apple’s A18 chip and includes Apple Intelligence features. Furthermore, shoppers can increase their savings by applying instant bank discounts through select credit cards. SBI card users, in particular, can get up to a 10 percent discount. In addition, buyers can choose up to 12 months of No Cost EMI. Amazon’s exchange programme also lets users trade in older phones for further price cuts. Some listings include coupon discounts, and Prime members receive special offers.

Here is a roundup of the top flagship smartphone deals available in the Amazon Great Indian Festival 2026:

Model	Original Price	Sale Price
iPhone 17e	Rs. 79,900	Rs. 70,900
iPhone 16	Rs. 89,900	Rs. 72,249
Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra 5G	Rs. 1,29,999	Rs. 84,999
iQOO 15	Rs. 85,999	Rs. 76,999
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7	Rs. 1,74,999	Rs. 1,29,999
Vivo X300 FE 5G	Rs. 1,09,999	Rs. 80,999
Xiaomi 17	Rs. 1,19,999	Rs. 68,999

Overall, the sale combines lower listed prices with bank offers, coupons, exchange benefits and Prime discounts. Therefore, interested buyers should check the final price at checkout, including any applicable coupons and card offers, before placing an order. Prices and availability can change during the sale period.

Amazon Great Indian Festival 2026 Cuts Prices on Premium Refrigerators

Amazon launched the Great Indian Festival 2026 ahead of Dussehra and Diwali.
Premium refrigerators from brands such as LG and Samsung carry price cuts of up to 55 percent.
Shoppers can combine these festive drops with additional savings.
Eligible SBI credit and debit cards offer up to 10 percent instant discounts.
Coupon savings, exchange bonuses for old appliances, and no-cost EMI further lower the final cost.

Large-capacity models with 3-star energy ratings appear at reduced prices.
Capacities range from 520 litres to 655 litres.
The Samsung 653L 3 Star refrigerator (RS76CG8003B1HL) is listed at Rs. 81,990.
Its earlier price stood at Rs. 1,21,000, creating a difference of Rs. 39,010.

The Haier 520L 3 Star Lumiere refrigerator (HRB-600MP) costs Rs. 83,790 during the sale.
This price is down from Rs. 1,43,200.
Buyers save Rs. 59,410 based on the listed figures.

Other options include the Godrej 600L 3 Star model at Rs. 66,490, down from Rs. 1,18,490.
The Haier Smart Choice 598 L 3 Star is available for Rs. 75,990, compared with Rs. 1,35,790.
The LG 655 L 3 Star refrigerator is listed at Rs. 72,990, against an earlier price of Rs. 1,22,899.

Before ordering, shoppers can check exchange offers and coupon-based discounts.
SBI credit card EMI transactions provide up to a 10 percent instant discount.
Amazon Pay ICICI Bank credit card users can receive up to a 5 percent discount.

These deals give buyers clear choices among high-capacity refrigerators.
Comparing prices and specifications across listings helps secure the best available offer while the sale remains active.