Tech news digest for Tuesday, June 23, 2026

Meta unveils new smart glasses starting at $299

Meta has launched its latest smart glasses, now branded as Meta Glasses, priced at $299, which is $80 less than their previous models. Developed in partnership with EssilorLuxottica, these glasses feature a 12MP camera and support video recording at 1080p/60fps or 3k/30fps. The new models also include enhanced AI capabilities, such as support for 14 additional languages and pedestrian navigation.

• The Meta Glasses are available in three styles and come in standard and large sizes.
• Meta's market share in smart glasses is estimated at over 80%, with millions sold since their launch in 2021.

Google’s online dominance is showing signs of cracking in AI era

Google's dominance in online search is showing signs of vulnerability as competition from AI-driven services intensifies. Despite controlling 90% of the search market and experiencing a stock price increase of over 100% in the past year, the company faces challenges as users increasingly prefer AI alternatives. DuckDuckGo has reported a surge in installs, while Microsoft's Bing has reached 1 billion users. Additionally, Google has lost two key AI researchers to rival firms, raising concerns about its ability to retain talent and innovate in the evolving landscape of search technology.

• DuckDuckGo's installs surged by up to 75% following Google's I/O announcement.
• Google's search traffic has declined by over 1% in the past month.

HaloBraid raises $7M from Seven Seven Six to end the six-hour hair salon appointment

HaloBraid, a robotics startup founded by Yinka Ogunbiyi, has raised $7 million in a seed round led by Seven Seven Six to develop a device that automates hair braiding, aiming to reduce the lengthy salon appointments that can last up to 12 hours. The device allows stylists to begin the braiding process before handing it off to the machine, which can complete the braid in seconds. Ogunbiyi's research revealed that 95% of 2,000 surveyed individuals would opt for braiding more frequently if it were quicker, highlighting a significant market opportunity for the startup.

• The startup's seed round was led by Alexis Ohanian's firm, Seven Seven Six, alongside AlleyCorp and Bling Capital.
• HaloBraid plans to use the funding for product development, manufacturing, and salon partnerships.

The Fitbit Air takes a smarter approach to the AI health dumpster fire

The Google Fitbit Air, retailing for $99, represents a significant advancement in AI-compatible health tracking. It features a long battery life and lightweight design, making it comfortable for daily wear. The device integrates an AI health coach that provides personalized health insights based on user data, although it requires substantial input from users to function effectively. With the ability to track various health metrics, including heart rate variability and sleep stages, the Fitbit Air aims to enhance user engagement in personal health management.

• The Fitbit Air is priced at $99 and boasts a battery life lasting weeks.
• The AI health coach has been beta-tested by nearly 500,000 users since October 2025.

tvOS 27 beta code references Siri AI for HomePod, Apple TV

The tvOS 27 beta code has unveiled references to Siri AI integration for the upcoming Apple TV 4K and HomePod, which are expected to launch this fall after delays attributed to Siri AI development. This new Siri experience, powered by Apple Intelligence, is specifically noted in the HomePod setup process within the beta code. Although Apple did not mention these devices during the WWDC announcement, the recent findings suggest that the company is actively preparing for the rollout of these features, which are not available on current models.

• Siri AI integration was delayed due to development issues, pushing back the product release.
• The underlying software for Apple TV and HomePod is expected to be rebranded as homeOS.

ByteDance's Seedance 2.5 breaks the 30-second barrier for AI video generation

ByteDance has announced the launch of Seedance 2.5, a new AI video generation model set to debut in early July, during the Volcano Engine's FORCE conference. This model is capable of creating single video clips up to 30 seconds long without the need for post-stitching, incorporating scene changes and tempo shifts. Additionally, it can process up to 50 inputs simultaneously, including reference images and audio, enhancing its utility for complex film scenes. Users will also have the ability to edit generated videos while preserving the original visual style.

• Seedance 2.0 now supports 4K resolution with 10-bit color depth.
• Doubao 2.1 Pro, a new language model, costs 80% less than Claude Opus 4.6.

Microsoft Expands Azure Kubernetes Service with Bare Metal, Fleet Management and AI Infrastructure

At Microsoft Build 2026, the company introduced major enhancements to Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS), positioning it as a key platform for AI applications. Notable updates include AKS on Bare Metal, which provides direct hardware access for improved performance in AI workloads, and Azure Kubernetes Fleet Manager for centralized management across hybrid and multi-cloud environments. Additionally, the general availability of Managed System Node Pools and Azure Container Linux aims to simplify operations, allowing teams to focus more on AI model development rather than cluster management.

• Anyscale on Azure, a managed Ray service, is now available for orchestrating distributed AI workloads.

Valve confirms it’s working with Intel and Nvidia on SteamOS for more GPUs

Valve is actively working with Intel and Nvidia to expand SteamOS compatibility for more GPUs, as confirmed by both companies. The recent SteamOS 3.8 update introduces initial firmware for Intel handhelds and controller support for devices like the MSI Claw 8 AI Plus. YouTuber ETA Prime reported a successful beta experience with SteamOS on this device, noting that while not perfect, it functions well. Intel is also developing drivers for SteamOS but has not provided a timeline for support on its Panther Lake architecture, while Nvidia collaboration is ongoing but not expected to yield results this year.

New Apple TV comedy sees injured tennis star grudgingly embrace pickleball

Apple TV's upcoming comedy film, The Dink, set to premiere on July 24, 2026, follows the journey of Dusty Boyd, a washed-up tennis prodigy played by Jake Johnson. After injuring himself and losing the ability to play tennis, Dusty reluctantly turns to pickleball, a sport he initially despises. The film explores his struggles for his father's approval and his battle against his past athletic failures, featuring a strong supporting cast including Mary Steenburgen and Ed Harris, with Ben Stiller both producing and appearing as Dusty's doctor.

• The Dink premieres on July 24, 2026, exclusively on Apple TV.
• The plot centers on a former tennis star who must adapt to pickleball after an injury.

OpenAI says new GPT-5.5-Cyber outperforms Anthropic's Mythos on cybersecurity benchmark

OpenAI has officially launched GPT-5.5-Cyber, a specialized cybersecurity model that surpasses Anthropic's Mythos on several benchmarks, including achieving an 85.6% score on CyberGym. This release is part of the expanded Daybreak cybersecurity initiative, which now features an updated Codex Security plugin capable of automating the entire vulnerability management process, from discovery to patch generation. OpenAI is collaborating with over 25 security companies and various governments to enhance its cybersecurity offerings, addressing the critical need for effective patching solutions in the industry.

• The Codex Security plugin has scanned over 30 million commits and flagged 500,000 findings.
• OpenAI's Daybreak Cyber Partner Program includes over 25 security firms like Cisco and IBM.

SpaceX drops more than 3% following $400 billion selloff

SpaceX shares dropped over 3% in premarket trading on Tuesday, following a substantial $400 billion selloff on Monday that saw the stock plummet 16%. This decline came after a record-breaking IPO on June 12, where SpaceX briefly surpassed Amazon and Microsoft in market capitalization. The stock had already seen declines of 3.6% and 5% in the days leading up to Monday's drop. As of the close on Monday, SpaceX's market cap stood at $2 trillion, with the company also announcing a senior unsecured notes offering and reporting $100.8 billion in cash and cash equivalents as of June 19.

• The company secured a major computing power agreement with open-source AI startup Reflection.

With Starfall, SpaceX eyes an edge in global cargo delivery from orbit

SpaceX is set to launch its new Starfall reentry vehicle aboard a Falcon 9 rocket to test its capability for global cargo delivery from low-Earth orbit. The saucer-shaped pod, developed in secrecy, aims to enable rapid point-to-point delivery of goods, particularly for commercial in-space manufacturing. The first demonstration mission will occur on Tuesday morning, with Starfall targeting a parachute-assisted splashdown in the Pacific Ocean after two orbits. The vehicle, weighing approximately 4,600 pounds, can carry a payload of about 2,200 pounds, making it a versatile option for cargo transport compared to the larger Crew Dragon spacecraft.

How a $4 billion Indian startup won Meta's backing but lost its founder to WhatsApp

Indian fintech startup Cred has secured $900 million in a funding round led by Meta, achieving a valuation exceeding $4 billion. This investment will help Cred enhance its growth and leadership in the market, though Meta will not have access to its customer data. Kunal Shah, the founder and CEO of Cred, is transitioning to a leadership role at WhatsApp, replacing Will Cathcart. Cred, which rewards affluent Indians for managing credit card payments, currently processes over 40% of such transactions in the country and claims to have reached its first profitable quarter.

• Miten Sampat will serve as interim CEO while the board seeks a permanent replacement.
• Cred claims to have achieved its first profitable quarter despite previous losses.