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Chinese Users Stick With OpenAI Despite Premium Pricing

GPT-5.6's three-tier efficiency strategy draws praise from mainland developers accessing the service through VPNs, even as domestic models undercut on cost

By Wei Zhang·Jul 14, 2026·5 min read
AI

Google Embeds Calibration Into Quantum Error Correction

A new technique allows superconducting quantum processors to continuously tune themselves during computation, solving a drift problem that t…

Arjun S. Mehta ·   · 5m
Startups

Film Social Network Letterboxd Draws Streaming Giants in $250 Million Sale Talks

Netflix, Sony Pictures, and Paramount are circling the movie-focused platform as its user base surges to 30 million, raising questions about…

Mei-Lin Tan ·   · 4m
AI

Meta Pulls AI Tool That Let Anyone Create Deepfakes of Public Instagram Accounts

The company's Muse Image feature lasted less than a week after Hollywood agencies and labor unions raised alarms over non-consensual use of …

Priya Nair ·   · 5m
AI

Beijing's Booster Recovery Narrows SpaceX's Launch Economics Lead

A state-owned Chinese aerospace firm has landed an orbital rocket on a ship, signaling the end of SpaceX's near-monopoly on cost-cutting reu…

Wei Zhang ·   · 5m
Policy

FCC Approves Satellite That Beams Sunlight to Earth, Astronomers Push Back

Reflect Orbital's demo won spectrum clearance despite warnings about sky brightness and safety risks, exposing a gap in US space regulation.…

Daniel R. Whitfield ·   · 5m
AI

OpenAI Consolidates Browser Into ChatGPT Desktop and Chrome Plugin

The discontinuation of Atlas marks a strategic pivot, not a retreat - browsing capabilities now live inside the company's core products…

Daniel R. Whitfield ·   · 5m
Policy

US Regulators Move Against Companies Allegedly Circumventing DJI Equipment Ban

The FCC has issued fines and compliance demands to eight firms suspected of acting as intermediaries for the Chinese manufacturer's restrict…

Marcus Halloran ·   · 5m
Products

Netflix Eyes 24/7 Live Channels as Engagement Slips

The streaming giant is testing linear programming and bundle deals to counter declining viewership between seasons and shrinking market shar…

Mei-Lin Tan ·   · 6m
Startups

SK Hynix Pulls $26.5 Billion in Record U.S. Listing as Washington Eyes Korean Fab Capacity

The memory chipmaker's debut eclipsed Alibaba's 2014 record, while Commerce officials press Seoul's semiconductor giants to manufacture stat…

Mei-Lin Tan ·   · 4m
Startups

Shopping Startup Faces Allegations Over Affiliate Commission Practices

Phia, co-founded by Phoebe Gates, is accused of using cookie stuffing techniques to claim unearned affiliate revenue, raising questions abou…

Mei-Lin Tan ·   · 4m
Products

Five Gadgets That Define the Current Hardware Arms Race

From gaming consoles to smart rings, recent hardware releases reveal where the industry is winning and where it still stumbles.…

Daniel R. Whitfield ·   · 5m
Startups

Shein Moves Closer to Hong Kong Listing After Regulatory Green Light

The fast-fashion giant has cleared a critical regulatory hurdle in its latest attempt to go public, years after shelving plans in New York a…

Wei Zhang ·   · 4m
Policy

Uber Wants Every Robotaxi to Share Its App - and Waymo Won't Play Along

A Washington, D.C. autonomy bill has exposed the ride-hailing giant's plan to mandate hybrid human-robot networks, putting its largest AV pa…

Arjun S. Mehta ·   · 6m
AI

Google Folds Gemini Into Waze as Voice Reporting Shifts to Conversational AI

The navigation app is moving beyond scripted commands, letting drivers describe hazards and search destinations naturally while moving…

Arjun S. Mehta ·   · 6m
Policy

The EU Weighs Sweeping Age Restrictions on Social Platforms

A new expert report documents four to six hours of daily screen time among European children, prompting Commission president von der Leyen t…

Mei-Lin Tan ·   · 5m
Products

Apple's Siri AI Upgrade Redefines What a Watch Can Do

watchOS 27 transforms a decade-old assistant into something users might actually want to engage with daily, signaling a broader shift in how…

Daniel R. Whitfield ·   · 4m
Policy

Twelve States Challenge $110 Billion Paramount-WBD Deal After Federal Approval

A coalition of state attorneys general argues the entertainment merger would reduce competition in film distribution and cable licensing, se…

Marcus Halloran ·   · 5m
Policy

LA Pulls the Plug on Flock's License Plate Cameras Over Data Sharing Disputes

The nation's second-largest police force walked away from automated surveillance after failing to secure guarantees on who controls collecte…

Marcus Halloran ·   · 7m
Policy

Apple Accuses OpenAI of Exploiting Access Bug to Lift Trade Secrets

A Friday lawsuit alleges the ChatGPT maker conspired with ex-Apple engineers to circumvent security controls and fast-track competing AI har…

Daniel R. Whitfield ·   · 6m
Startups

OnePlus Set to Withdraw From US and Europe After Years of Market Uncertainty

The Chinese smartphone maker's impending exit would close a chapter that began with challenger-brand energy in 2014, leaving American Androi…

Arjun S. Mehta ·   · 7m
Products

Waze Bets on Gemini and Motorcycle Riders to Sharpen Its Navigation Edge

Google's navigation app is rolling out AI-driven route suggestions, conversational reporting, and a two-wheeler mode across seven countries …

Arjun S. Mehta ·   · 5m
Products

Waze Adds Motorcycle Navigation and Voice Controls That Talk Less

Google's crowdsourced navigation platform deploys Gemini-powered voice search and mode tailored for two-wheeled hazards across seven markets…

Arjun S. Mehta ·   · 4m
Policy

Europe Considers Reversing the Burden of Proof on Youth Social Media Safety

Brussels is exploring age-gated access and requiring platforms to demonstrate their products are safe before minors can use them - a shift f…

Sofia M. Reyes ·   · 4m
Startups

SK Hynix Sheds 15% in Seoul After Record Nasdaq Listing

The memory chipmaker's sharp retreat signals investor anxiety over whether AI-driven demand has reached its ceiling…

Mei-Lin Tan ·   · 5m