Tech News — Mar 15, 2026

Tech News — Mar 15, 2026 | Trace

The day in brief

What connected the day

8 topics

01
2 sources · 2 updates
Meta to Lay Off Up to 20% of Staff
Meta is reportedly planning to lay off up to 20% of its workforce, which translates to approximately 15,800 positions. This decision comes as the company shifts its focus from virtual reality and the Metaverse to investing heavily in artificial intelligence and data centers. The layoffs would mark the largest reduction since the company let go of 22,000 workers in late 2022 and early 2023.
- Meta employs nearly 79,000 people as of December 31, 2025.
- The company has previously laid off 11,000 jobs in November 2022 and 10,000 in March 2023.
02
1 sources · 1 updates
Rivian stock gets shocking upgrade as Iran fears raise the stakes
Rivian Automotive's stock has been upgraded by TD Cowen, which raised its price target to $20, highlighting the potential of the upcoming R2 platform. This shift comes as Rivian prepares for its first customer deliveries in the second quarter of 2026, aiming to transition from a premium niche to a more scalable segment of the electric vehicle market.
- TD Cowen upgraded Rivian to buy and raised the price target to $20.
- Rivian expects 62,000 to 67,000 vehicle deliveries in 2026, up from 42,247 in 2025.
03
1 sources · 1 updates
A Florida Trucking Company Raised $158 Million From 2,000 Investors by Promising 200% Monthly Returns – Here Is Exactly How It Worked and Why Every Small Carrier Needs to Read It
Sanjay Singh's Royal Bengal Logistics, a Florida trucking company, raised $158 million from approximately 2,000 investors by falsely claiming it was a profitable operation generating $1 million monthly. Federal investigations revealed that the company was losing money from the start, with investor funds used to pay returns to earlier investors, a classic Ponzi scheme. Singh was convicted of multiple fraud charges and sentenced to 23 years in prison, highlighting the risks of trusting seemingly legitimate investment opportunities.
- Sanjay Singh was sentenced to 23 years in prison for fraud.
- Royal Bengal Logistics raised $158 million from about 2,000 investors.
04
1 sources · 1 updates
Wiz investor unpacks Google’s $32B acquisition
Google has finalized its acquisition of cybersecurity company Wiz for $32 billion, making it the largest acquisition in the company's history and the biggest ever for a venture-backed startup. Shardul Shah from Index Ventures, Wiz's largest shareholder, highlighted the company's strategic positioning at the intersection of AI, cloud, and security as key factors in its appeal, noting the strong leadership team behind its rapid growth and innovation.
- This acquisition marks the largest venture-backed startup purchase in history.
- Wiz's founders previously created Adallom, which was also backed by Index Ventures.
05
1 sources · 1 updates
Samsung’s Galaxy Buds 4 Pro are the choice — if you have a Galaxy phone
Samsung's Galaxy Buds 4 Pro represent a solid upgrade over the previous model, offering enhanced sound quality and active noise cancellation. However, to unlock their full potential, users must pair them with a Galaxy device, limiting their appeal to a broader audience. While they perform well with Galaxy phones, users with other devices will miss out on key features.
- The Galaxy Buds 4 Pro retail for $249.99.
- They offer improved sound quality and ANC over the Buds 3.
06
1 sources · 1 updates
Apple’s Liquid Glass Interface Isn’t Going Anywhere Anytime Soon
Apple's Liquid Glass interface is set to remain in its product lineup despite recent upheavals in the company's design team. Additionally, ongoing issues with Siri have caused further delays in the rollout of the smart home hub, while iOS 27 is poised to bring new features tailored for the foldable iPhone.
- Apple's Liquid Glass interface will not be replaced in the near future.
- Siri's ongoing issues have delayed the launch of the smart home hub.
07
1 sources · 1 updates
What new Google Messages features are rolling out [March 2026]
Google Messages is rolling out a series of new features aimed at improving user experience, including a Trash folder for recovering deleted chats and real-time location sharing options. The update also introduces encrypted RCS messaging between iPhone and Android devices, enhancing privacy in cross-platform communication.
- A new Trash folder allows users to recover deleted chats for up to 30 days.
- Real-time location sharing is now available with customizable duration options.
08
1 sources · 1 updates
MacBook Neo makes the rest of Apple’s lineup a whole lot harder to justify
The introduction of the MacBook Neo at $599 has created a significant shift in Apple's laptop offerings, making it difficult to justify the higher prices of existing models like the MacBook Air, which now starts at $1099. The Neo combines premium features, such as a 500 nit display and a solid aluminum chassis, while lacking only a few elements like the force touch trackpad and Touch ID in the base model. This disruption could lead Apple to reconsider pricing and features across its product lineup.
- The MacBook Neo is priced at $599, significantly undercutting the MacBook Air.
- Compared to the MacBook Air, the Neo offers a 500 nit display and a premium build.

The archive

What moved

Yahoo Finance Tech

Rivian stock gets shocking upgrade as Iran fears raise the stakes

Rivian stock upgraded as R2 launch approaches.

Read source

Yahoo Finance Tech

A Florida Trucking Company Raised $158 Million From 2,000 Investors by Promising 200% Monthly Returns – Here Is Exactly How It Worked and Why Every Small Carrier Needs to Read It

Florida trucking scheme defrauded investors of $158 million.

Read source

Tech news digest for Sunday, March 15, 2026

The tech day has moved on.

What connected the day

Meta to Lay Off Up to 20% of Staff

Rivian stock gets shocking upgrade as Iran fears raise the stakes

A Florida Trucking Company Raised $158 Million From 2,000 Investors by Promising 200% Monthly Returns – Here Is Exactly How It Worked and Why Every Small Carrier Needs to Read It

Wiz investor unpacks Google’s $32B acquisition

Samsung’s Galaxy Buds 4 Pro are the choice — if you have a Galaxy phone

Apple’s Liquid Glass Interface Isn’t Going Anywhere Anytime Soon

What new Google Messages features are rolling out [March 2026]

MacBook Neo makes the rest of Apple’s lineup a whole lot harder to justify

What moved

Rivian stock gets shocking upgrade as Iran fears raise the stakes

A Florida Trucking Company Raised $158 Million From 2,000 Investors by Promising 200% Monthly Returns – Here Is Exactly How It Worked and Why Every Small Carrier Needs to Read It

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AI Czar David Sacks wants Trump to ‘get out’ of Iran

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AI companies want to harvest improv actors’ skills to train AI on human emotion

36-year-old moved from Chicago to Spain, works 16 hours a week and is semi-retired: 'You get one life. Live it right'

Price caps, taking the stairs, and short-sleeved shirts: How countries are coping with the Iran war energy shock

EXCLUSIVE: Silver's Wild Swings Haven't Broken The Bull Market, Says Texas Precious Metals CEO

Wiz investor unpacks Google’s $32B acquisition

Rivian’s RJ Scaringe thinks we’re doing robots all wrong

F-35 Software Upgrades ‘Stagnated’ as Jets Fly Iran Missions

Apple’s Liquid Glass Interface Isn’t Going Anywhere Anytime Soon

Samsung’s Galaxy Buds 4 Pro are the choice — if you have a Galaxy phone

The MacBook Neo is ‘the most repairable MacBook’ in years, according to iFixit

iOS 27 likely won’t include any major changes to Liquid Glass: report

An engineering thesis disguised as a coupe: A history of the Honda Prelude

Is the US Jobs Market Starting to Crack? Steven Rattner on Tariffs, AI and Stagflation

US Army announces contract with Anduril worth up to $20B

What new Google Messages features are rolling out [March 2026]

Indie App Spotlight: ‘Kiosk 27’ makes your iPhone camera feel like film

Staff complain that xAI is flailing because of constant upheaval

MacBook Neo makes the rest of Apple’s lineup a whole lot harder to justify

Nvidia's GTC will mark an AI chip pivot. Here's why the CPU is taking center stage

Gemini screen automation for Android apps has free, AI Pro usage limits

Figuring out why AIs get flummoxed by some games