Google Pixel 10 Launches with Gemini AI, Pro Zoom

Google has unveiled its Pixel 10 smartphone lineup, putting advanced Gemini AI at the heart of the devices. The new Tensor G5 chip, made by TSMC, powers features like Magic Cue, which delivers context-aware information across apps, and Camera Coach, guiding users on photo framing and lighting. The Pro models debut Pro Res Zoom, using generative AI to sharpen distant images up to 100x.

Prices start at $799, with Pro versions bundled with a year of Google’s $19-a-month AI Pro subscription. Alongside, Google launched the Pixel Watch 4, with AI health coaching and emergency satellite SOS.

Analysts say this is Google’s biggest hardware refresh yet, positioning Pixel as the leader in on-device AI and pushing the mobile ecosystem toward more agentic, app-integrated experiences.

UK Drops iCloud Backdoor Demand on Apple

Apple will no longer be forced to provide UK authorities with a backdoor to American users’ iCloud data. The UK had initially ordered Apple in January to disable its advanced encryption for cloud-stored data to access global user information, potentially including communications and backups.

The Director of U.S. National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard said the mandate was dropped “to ensure Americans’ private data remains private,” though it’s unclear if the change applies to users from other countries. US President Donald Trump was reportedly involved in discussions.

Apple has long emphasized privacy as a core feature of its devices, and the UK’s Investigatory Powers Act had made it illegal for companies to disclose such government orders. Apple previously disabled Advanced Data Protection (ADP) for iCloud in the UK in February; whether it will be restored is still unknown.

Meta Faces Claims Over Ads, iPhone Privacy

Meta has been accused of inflating ad performance by nearly 20% and secretly bypassing Apple’s iPhone privacy rules, according to evidence at a London tribunal — the Financial Times reported. A former product manager says Meta misled advertisers about its “Shops Ads” results, while also tracking user activity across websites without consent, despite Apple’s 2021 crackdown through App Tracking Transparency. The claims suggest Meta leaned on these ads to recover billions lost when iPhone users blocked tracking — highlighting how Apple’s privacy move reshaped mobile advertising economics. A full hearing is set for next year, keeping pressure on Meta’s credibility.

Fintechs Launch Mobile Services, Lex Says Margins Tight

In the UK, digital bank Monzo and even football club Millwall are joining a wave of companies launching their own mobile phone services. They’ll operate as virtual network providers, buying capacity from big carriers like EE and reselling it to customers. The push has accelerated because traditional operators, under financial pressure, are offering cheaper wholesale deals, while e-sims make switching easier — according to the Financial Times Lex Column. Analysts say cost-of-living pressures are also driving demand, with 1.5 million Britons signing up to low-cost mobile providers last year. For fintechs like Monzo, Revolut and Klarna, the move could bring steady extra revenue by tapping their existing customer bases. But insiders warn margins are thinner than forecasts suggest, Lex says. And poor network performance could risk damaging the brands these companies have spent years building.

White House Goes TikTok as Deadline Looms

The White House has officially joined TikTok, even as a federal law still requires the app’s sale or ban over national security concerns.

President Donald Trump, who once vowed to ban TikTok back in 2020, has since softened his stance – crediting the platform with helping him win young voters in last year’s election. His personal account has over 15 million followers, compared to just a few thousand for the new White House handle.

TikTok counts 170 million US users, and parent company ByteDance is still negotiating with Washington as a September deadline looms to find a non-Chinese buyer. Analysts say the White House’s move signals the app’s growing role as a must-have channel in US politics and mobile engagement, despite its unresolved future.

OpenAI Tops $500B in $6B Share Deal

OpenAI is in talks to sell $6 billion in employee shares to investors, valuing the company at a staggering $500 billion, making it the world’s most valuable private tech company. The news broke amid a surge in demand for mobile and cloud AI tools, as apps and services race to integrate advanced AI into smartphones and tablets. OpenAI’s valuation has soared from $157 billion last fall, reflecting massive investor appetite and the competitive pressure from Google, Microsoft, and other AI leaders. The deal could accelerate mobile adoption of AI-powered apps, with developers leveraging ChatGPT’s engine in messaging, productivity, and creative tools. SoftBank and Thrive Capital are among potential buyers, while Elon Musk’s xAI challenges the company’s restructuring in court. Mobile users can expect smarter, faster AI features rolling into apps sooner than expected.

SoftBank-Intel Deal Speeds Up U.S. Chips

U.S. AI and mobile devices could get a boost as SoftBank invests $2 billion in Intel, strengthening chip supply for faster apps, smarter AI, and cloud services. The move comes amid U.S. government support under the Chips and Science Act, aiming to secure domestic semiconductor capacity. Intel, facing heavy losses, will now link with SoftBank’s AI and Arm holdings, powering data-center projects like Stargate and accelerating AI infrastructure for phones and cloud computing. With these combined investments, the future of AI-powered apps and mobile experiences in America looks faster and smarter than ever.

Private Credit Fuels AI Boom, UBS Warns of Overheat

Private credit lenders are fueling a surge in artificial intelligence investment, but UBS warns the boom could overheat. Tech companies have borrowed roughly $450 billion in private debt by early 2025, with loans from business development companies nearly doubling to $150 billion. This capital rush is driving massive AI expansion, from Meta’s Louisiana data center to Microsoft, Amazon, and OpenAI’s multi-billion-dollar projects. Analysts caution that non-bank lenders are increasingly exposed, with deferred interest payments hitting levels not seen since 2020. While investors pour more money into private credit, the rapid growth carries rising financial risks. The AI boom is accelerating—but UBS says it could get too hot to handle.

OpenAI Eyes Cloud Role: From Chatbots to Backbone

OpenAI may soon move beyond chatbots and into AI infrastructure-as-a-service. CFO Sarah Friar told Bloomberg that the company is considering renting out its massive future data centers, much like Amazon did with cloud computing. That could offset OpenAI’s own staggering costs, with CEO Sam Altman warning the firm may spend trillions on chips and facilities in the not-so-distant future. OpenAI already partners with Microsoft, Oracle, and SoftBank, but banks and private equity are now lining up to finance its build-out. The vision: not just powering ChatGPT, but becoming the backbone for AI inside every app, device, and smartphone — a new layer in the mobile ecosystem’s cloud wars.