Google has rolled out a “Mark as Read” feature for Gmail notifications on Android, letting users quickly mark emails as read without opening them. While it may have a limited impact for those who manage their inbox meticulously, it helps others track read and unread messages efficiently. Users can still open the full email if more details are needed. Additionally, Gmail on iOS now shows sender avatars, making it easier to identify important senders and prioritise messages at a glance.
WhatsApp is testing a new “Connected peripherals” feature on iOS that lets users see devices automatically linked to their account. Rolling out with the iOS beta version 25.37.10.71 via TestFlight, the feature appears in the Linked Devices menu and currently supports the Apple Watch. It shows device details and last activity, improving transparency around message syncing. The feature is available to some beta testers and has also appeared on the stable iOS app, indicating a wider test rollout.
OpenAI may soon add a Skills feature to ChatGPT, allowing users to save reusable instructions as shortcuts. Spotted after its rollout in Codex, Skills could reduce repetitive prompting and speed up workflows. The company has not officially confirmed the feature, so details remain tentative.
OpenAI has detailed how prompt injection attacks continue to pose a security challenge for AI browsers like ChatGPT Atlas. To counter this, the company has developed an AI-powered attacker that simulates real-world exploits during training. OpenAI said the approach helps identify weaknesses faster, while acknowledging that prompt injections require continuous mitigation rather than a permanent fix.
Spotify has identified and disabled various user accounts from its platform that were involved in scraping music files from its platform, according to a report. The music streaming service made the move after Anna's Archive, an open-source library, highlighted in a blog post that it had discovered a way to scrape Spotify at scale. As a result of this, the group said it has managed to scrape about 86 million music files, representing nearly 99.6 percent of Spotify's streams, of a total file size of a little under 300TB.
OpenAI announced the Your Year in Review feature for ChatGPT on Tuesday. Inspired by Spotify Wrapped, it is a personalised year-in-review experience for the app, which highlights the recurring themes from the conversations users have had with the artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot throughout the year. The feature is currently limited to select markets and only in the English language, but accessible to all ChatGPT users irrespective of their subscription tiers.
OpenAI has rolled out a new personalisation feature for ChatGPT called Characteristics. It lets users fine-tune traits like warmth, enthusiasm, use of lists, and emojis without affecting the chatbot’s core abilities. The controls sit alongside existing personality presets, giving users more say in how ChatGPT sounds during everyday conversations.
Perplexity sent an email to Airtel users on Monday, asking them to add card information to continue to keep the free trial of its Pro plan.
A US lawsuit against OpenAI has intensified, with a lawyer calling ChatGPT’s personalisation “particularly dangerous.” The case links the chatbot to reinforcing paranoia before a murder-suicide. OpenAI is accused of withholding key chat records while saying it is improving how ChatGPT responds to signs of mental distress.
In a recent interview, Instagram head Adam Mosseri outlined where the platform may be headed in the coming years, with the aim of taking on short-form content platforms like TikTok and YouTube. The official hinted at deeper investments in long-form videos, premium content, and new technologies that could change how people interact with the app beyond their phones.
Adobe and Runway have announced a multi-year partnership that brings Runway’s latest AI video models to Adobe Firefly ahead of other platforms. Adobe will also act as Runway’s preferred creativity API partner. Firefly users will get early access to new models, starting with Gen-4.5, while both companies plan to co-develop new AI video tools for professional creators.
A WhatsApp 'GhostPairing' account takeover scam has been uncovered that abuses the app’s device-linking feature. Attackers trick users into linking to a malicious device by posing as trusted contacts and using fake Facebook-style links. Victims unknowingly approve a pairing code, granting attackers full WhatsApp Web access without password theft or SIM swaps. First seen in Czechia, the scam spreads through contacts and groups. Users are advised to check linked devices, stay cautious of pairing requests, and enable two-step verification.
YouTube has permanently banned two channels for posting misleading AI-generated movie trailers. One of them, Screen Culture from India, and Georgia-based KH Studio were accused of using synthetic visuals to pass off fake trailers as real. After earlier ad suspensions and repeat policy violations, YouTube removed both channels, citing deceptive content and failure to properly disclose AI-generated material.
Google has added a new video verification tool to Gemini that helps users check whether a clip was created or edited using Google’s AI models. Users can upload a video and ask Gemini to analyse it for SynthID watermarks. The feature follows a similar image tool launched last month and aims to make it easier to spot AI-generated or edited videos.
Instagram on Friday announced a limit for content discovery on its platform. It is enforcing a restriction on the number of hashtags that can be attached to a Reel or post. As per the Meta-owned social media giant, fewer and targeted hashtags can help creators much more in content discovery and performance, as opposed to spamming posts with generic and many hashtags. This move is aimed at preventing misuse of the functionality.
Adobe has upgraded Firefly with new AI models and editing tools, while also offering a limited-time perk for paid users. Until January 15, Firefly Pro and Premium subscribers can generate unlimited AI images and videos. New additions include text-based video editing, better camera control, and support for third-party models like Runway, Topaz, and Black Forest Labs, giving creators more flexibility and control.
Truecaller launched a free Voicemail feature for Android users in India. This offers instant transcription, and messages are stored directly on the device. It also offers smart call categorisation, spam filtering, adjustable playback speed and AI-powered voicemail transcription in 12 Indian languages. Truecaller users can set up unlimited voicemail in their Truecaller app for free in a few seconds.
OpenAI has opened ChatGPT app integrations to third-party developers, allowing them to submit apps for review and list them directly inside the chatbot. Once approved, these apps let ChatGPT’s AI agent perform tasks across services like shopping, design, or travel. The move reinforces OpenAI’s push to evolve ChatGPT beyond a chatbot and closer to an operating system.
Apple confirmed that more ads will appear in App Store search results starting next year, helping advertisers increase their opportunities to drive downloads from search results. The brand confirmed that Advertisers and developers won’t need to make any changes to their campaigns to avail new positions. Currently, the App Store displays only one ad at the top of search results.
Google Pay has introduced Flex, a UPI-powered, digital co-branded credit card built on the RuPay network, debuting with the Google Pay Flex Axis Bank Credit Card. Users can apply within the app, earn instant rewards, and manage payments and repayments directly in Google Pay. The launch is aimed at increasing everyday credit access in India.
Amazon Pay has introduced the new biometric authentication feature for UPI transactions. However, the company will only allow users to make payments of up to Rs. 5,000 using the new feature. The tech giant claims that people will no longer have to enter their UPI pins to complete a transaction, as they can directly validate them using their fingerprint and facial biometrics. In the past, companies like Navi UPI, Samsung Wallet, and NPCI have also introduced this feature.
Instagram for TV app was launched by Amazon in collaboration with Meta on Tuesday. Currently available in the US, the app can be downloaded via the Amazon AppStore. However, only select Fire TV devices support the new Instagram for TV app. It allows users to watch, like, and share Reels from their TVs. Moreover, multiple accounts can be logged in, allowing individuals to view short-form content based on their interests.
OpenAI has rolled out a revamped ChatGPT Images experience, powered by a new GPT Image 1.5 model. The upgrade brings faster image generation, better instruction-following and more precise edits, with OpenAI claiming speeds up to four times faster. A new dedicated Images space also makes it easier to create and refine visuals, and the feature is available to free users as well.
OpenAI wants to push ChatGPT beyond an app and turn it into a full operating system. The company’s new Head of App Platform, Glen Coates, has confirmed this direction, pointing to ChatGPT’s growing role as an interface that connects apps, agents and services. With hardware plans already in motion, OpenAI appears to be laying the groundwork for an AI-first operating system.
SBI YONO 2.0 was launched in India on Monday by the State Bank of India (SBI). The new platform integrates the financial institution's mobile banking app and its internet banking portal into a single backend architecture, allowing it to share resources while offering seamless switching between the two. Additionally, it also has enhanced security features and simpler KYC and e-KYC processes. This comes nearly eight years after the launch of YONO, SBI's first banking platform.
Apple Fitness+ was launched in India on Monday. The health and wellness subscription service from the Cupertino-based tech giant is said to help users with their workouts. Subscribers can get access to trainer-guided workout videos, track their workout real-time metrics, and earn rewards for goal accomplishments — all through the Apple Fitness app.
Amazon has introduced an AI feature called Ask this Book to the Kindle app on iOS. It lets readers ask questions about their current or past books and get spoiler-free answers. Users can query plot points, characters or highlighted passages without breaking their reading flow. The feature is currently limited to English books in the US, with Android and Kindle device support planned for next year.
OpenAI has reportedly confirmed the tentative release timeline of ChatGPT’s adult mode. According to a report, the company’s CEO of Applications, Fidji Simo, revealed that adult-exclusive features in the artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot could arrive by the first quarter of 2025. However, the rollout is dependent on whether the AI giant can ready its age verification system in time.
OpenAI and Disney have signed a three-year deal that lets Sora and ChatGPT generate short AI-made videos and images featuring more than 200 Disney, Marvel, Pixar and Star Wars characters. Users will be able to create clips with icons such as Mickey Mouse, Ariel, Simba, Iron Man and Darth Vader, although actor likenesses and original voices are not included. Disney will also invest $1 billion in OpenAI and use its APIs to build new products and Disney+ features.
A week after the code red declaration, OpenAI has released its second update for the GPT-5 series, dubbed GPT-5.2. This family of AI models targets the enterprise workers with major upgrade to “economically valuable tasks.” The improvements are across the board, and the company also claims that in certain benchmarks, it outperformed Google’s Gemini 3 Pro, which caused the code red in the first place.
WhatsApp announced a slew of new features for its app on Thursday ahead of the holiday season. According to the Meta-owned instant messaging platform, its new Missed Call Messages feature is a replacement for traditional voicemail and is designed to make it easier to catch up with loved ones. Image creation with Meta AI is also said to have received upgrades, including the ability to animate images into short videos and improved generation quality.
Adobe has added ChatGPT app support for Photoshop, Express and Acrobat, allowing users to edit images, create designs and work with PDFs directly inside the chatbot. Available on web, desktop and iOS for all tiers. The integration uses secure connectors and authentication. Users can make Photoshop edits via text prompts, generate or modify Express designs, and perform Acrobat tasks such as extracting tables or compressing PDFs, without opening the standalone apps.
Instagram has announced a new 'Your Algorithm' tool powered by AI. With this new feature, the Meta-owned company is aiming to provide more personalised recommendations for users. This new feature will appear in the top right corner of Reels with an icon that looks like two lines with hearts. It is available in the US from today and will roll out for more users soon.
Spotify on Wednesday announced a new feature that provides users with more control over the streaming service’s algorithm. Dubbed Prompted Playlist, it is currently rolling out in beta to select global markets. As per the company, users can describe what they want to hear and set rules for the personalised playlists. Prompted Playlist is claimed to tap into the user’s Spotify listening history from day one, and they can fine-tune the results by editing the prompt or begin again with a new one.
Instagram has added new features for the Edits app. The video editing app gets new Templates, Storyboards, along new customisation options. It also gets new iOS lock screen widgets. The new Templates on Edits are currently available in select countries. The video editing app now also allows users to add public reels to their videos. The platform also allows users to add a secondary colour to customise the background or outline of the text.
WhatsApp started rolling out ads in WhatsApp Status and Channels. Several users have spotted the ads on WhatsApp, but these ads do not appear in private chats. The company is displaying a pop-up message on the platform informing users that they will begin seeing ads on the app. Personal messages, calls, and statuses are claimed to remain end-to-end encrypted. WhatsApp states that the ads are shown to a user based on the location of the user, language, Channels they follow, and content they engage with.
OpenAI has rolled out personalities in ChatGPT to Indian users. On Wednesday, many users were greeted with a pop-up message on the home page of the chatbot’s web interface, letting them know that they can now select from eight different personality types to tailor the responses of ChatGPT.
Facebook, the social media platform, is bringing a new update for its phone app, the company announced on Tuesday. With the update, the app interface will be redesigned to offer a “simpler and more immersive” experience. Soon, users will start seeing the content in the search section in a grid layout. Moreover, when a user is posting multiple images, the app will also show the photos in a grid form. The Home, Reels, Friends, Marketplace, Notifications, and Profile tabs will now be placed at the bottom of the screen, similar to Instagram.
Google Photos is receiving several new features for creating and editing videos, the company announced on Tuesday. Among the myriad of changes is a new functionality that allows users to create a highlight reel featuring multiple photos and video clips in the Photos app. The tech giant is also rolling out a redesigned video editor for both Android and iOS platforms, featuring a universal timeline and support for features like multi-clip editing.
Truecaller has introduced a new Family Protection feature that lets users create groups of up to five people to manage spam-blocking and safety settings collectively. A designated Family Admin can adjust protection levels, manage blocklists and, on Android, even receive scam-call alerts and end calls remotely. The feature is rolling out in select countries now and will reach India in early 2026, with extra tools available via a Premium Family plan.
Google has denied reports that it plans to introduce ads in Gemini, calling the claims “uninformed” and “inaccurate.” The clarification came after a report suggested ads could appear in the chatbot by 2026. Google’s ads chief said there are no plans to change the current ad-free experience in the Gemini app. Speculation grew amid broader industry moves toward monetising AI tools, including tests at OpenAI.
Apple Fitness+ will be available in India later this month, the company announced on Monday. It is the Cupertino-based tech giant’s health and wellness subscription service that helps users with their workouts by providing access to trainer-guided workout videos, tracking real-time metrics, and earning rewards for goal accomplishments — all with just their iPhone. Following its latest expansion, Apple Fitness+ will be available in a total of 49 countries and regions around the world.
Elon Musk says xAI will release Grok 4.20 within three to four weeks, marking one of the company’s fastest model updates. The unreleased version has reportedly been tested on the Alpha Arena platform, where it outperformed models like GPT-5.1 and Gemini 3 Pro by delivering a 12 percent profit in a stock-trading simulation. The update is expected to bring stronger reasoning and faster real-world data processing.
The Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) has issued an advisory regarding multiple vulnerabilities affecting two popular Chromium-based web browsers — Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge. The latest bulletin, published on Monday, has flagged the discovered vulnerabilities as high risk that could potentially allow threat actors to exploit the security flaws and remotely execute arbitrary code on the affected systems.
OpenAI officials have dismissed claims of ads appearing on paid tiers of ChatGPT. The controversy initially stemmed from screenshots shared by users on social media recently, highlighting ads appearing below prompt responses in an unrelated conversation. This happened even if they were enrolled in a paid subscription to the AI chatbot. Following the backlash, an OpenAI official claimed that what users saw on social media was either “not ads or not real”.
Samsung has joined hands with fast delivery platform Instamart to enable instant delivery of its Galaxy range of products. This service will be available across key Indian cities. This allows customers to order select Galaxy smartphones, tablets, wearables, and accessories via Instamart and receive them at their doorstep within minutes. Instamart already offer quick delivery of Asus laptops and Apple, Samsung, OnePlus, and Redmi smartphones in select locations.
Google’s NotebookLM app now includes a built-in camera on Android and iOS, letting users capture photos of handwritten notes, whiteboards or printed documents and add them as sources. Users can also upload images directly from their gallery. The update expands input options beyond text, PDFs and audio, making it easier to digitise analogue material for AI summarisation and study tools.
Apple’s FaceTime and Snapchat, the disappearing videos and photos platform, will not allow users to make voice and video calls in Russia, according to a report. The services of the two platforms have reportedly been blocked by the country's Federal Service for Supervision of Communications, Information Technology and Mass Media, Roskomnadzor. In a statement to the Russian government-owned news platform in 2022, the watchdog stated that Snapchat is being used for organising and conducting terrorist activities in the country.
Anthropic has launched Interviewer, a Claude-powered AI tool that carries out large-scale interviews to study how professionals across jobs use AI. In an initial round of 1,250 interviews, most participants said AI saves time and supports work, while some raised concerns about job roles, control and data security. The system mixes automated interviews with human-reviewed analysis.
Apple on Thursday released the list of its 2025 App Store Award winners, recognising 17 apps and games of the year across the iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, and Apple TV categories, for their design, innovation, user experience and cultural impact. AI planner and to-do app Tiimo emerged as the best app on iPhone in 2025, while The Pokemon Company’s Pokemon TCG Pocket has been awarded the iPhone Game of the Year title. Other winners included HBO Max, Strava, Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition, StoryGraph, and more.
Netflix is reportedly preparing to sell Spry Fox back to its original founders, according to a new report. The studio, acquired in 2022, is said to return to independent status as Netflix shifts its gaming strategy. Spry Fox will continue developing Spirit Crossing, with Netflix still publishing the 2025 mobile release while the studio seeks other platform partners. Possible layoffs and funding needs may remain concerns for Spry Fox.
