Tech news digest for Wednesday, July 1, 2026

Meta Launches Cloud Business to Monetize AI Compute Power

Meta has announced a new cloud business aimed at selling its excess AI compute power, resulting in a 10% surge in its stock price. This initiative, which follows a model similar to SpaceX, is part of Meta's strategy to optimize its $145 billion investment in AI infrastructure by generating revenue from unused capacity. The new venture, named Meta Compute, is led by executives Santosh Janardhan and Daniel Gross.

• Meta's cloud initiative is designed to ease investor concerns over infrastructure spending.
• The company has committed $182.9 billion to AI infrastructure over the coming years.

Google's Gemini Spark Now Available on Mac

Google has launched Gemini Spark, its AI assistant, for Mac users, introducing new features that enhance its functionality. The assistant now integrates with popular third-party applications such as Canva, Dropbox, and Instacart, allowing for a more versatile user experience. Additionally, it can track topics in real time, making it particularly useful for monitoring sports scores and managing tasks through Google Tasks and Keep.

• Gemini Spark connects with over 40 health metrics from devices like Fitbit Air and Pixel Watch.
• The Google Health CLI can automate health trend monitoring and create custom alerts.

Humble Robotics Secures $24M for Freight Automation

Humble Robotics has emerged from stealth mode with $24 million in funding to develop a cabless electric hauler aimed at revolutionizing the freight sector. Founded by Eyal Cohen, who has over 15 years of experience in robotics and deep tech, the company is positioning itself at the forefront of a renewed interest in autonomous vehicles reminiscent of the 2016 hype cycle.

• Eyal Cohen previously worked at Otto and Pronto, enhancing his expertise in autonomous vehicles.
• The company's focus on a cabless design aims to simplify robotics in freight transport.

Karp Condemns Token-Based AI Models

Palantir CEO Alex Karp has criticized the token pricing models employed by OpenAI and Anthropic, claiming they frustrate enterprises due to rising costs. He noted a trend where businesses are shifting towards developing their own proprietary AI tools to gain better control over their data and models. Karp also highlighted the competitive threat posed by rapidly advancing Chinese AI models.

• Palantir has expanded its partnership with Nvidia to create custom AI models for U.S. government agencies.
• Many businesses are moving away from expensive token-based models to adopt Nvidia's open weight model approach.

Sony to End Physical PlayStation Discs by 2028

Sony has announced that it will cease production of physical game discs for the PlayStation starting in January 2028, shifting entirely to digital formats. This decision reflects a significant change in consumer preferences, as digital downloads accounted for 85% of full-game software sales on PS4 and PS5 in the last quarter of fiscal year 2025.

• GameStop has closed over 1,300 stores in the past two fiscal years due to declining physical game sales.
• Sony raised prices for its PlayStation 5 disc edition from $549.99 to $649.99 in April 2026.

Meta Introduces Subscription for Smart Glasses Feature

Meta has launched a new subscription service called Meta One Premium for its smart glasses, priced at $20 per month. This subscription unlocks the 'Conversation Focus' feature, allowing users to extend its usage from 3 hours to 15 hours monthly, enhancing audio quality with beam-forming mics. The feature operates on-device, eliminating the need for cloud support.

• Meta's subscription also includes premium device support specifically for AI glasses.

Fable 5 Returns to Global Access After Ban

The U.S. government has lifted export controls on Fable 5, allowing it to be available worldwide again after a two-week ban. This ban was initiated following an Amazon security finding that uncovered vulnerabilities in the AI system. In response, Anthropic is working with Amazon, Microsoft, and Google to establish a shared standard for AI jailbreaks.

• Claude Sonnet 5 has been launched with introductory rates of $2.00 for input and $10.00 for output until August 31, 2026.
• The operational pause for Fable and Mythos lasted 18 days due to a federal review prompted by Amazon researchers.

Apple TV July 2026 Content Lineup Revealed

Apple TV has announced an exciting lineup of new shows and movies set to debut in July 2026, including the highly anticipated thriller series The Savant, starring Jessica Chastain. The movie The Dink, which follows a former tennis prodigy's struggles, is scheduled for release on July 24, while the third season of Silo premieres on July 3, exploring themes of memory loss and conspiracy.

• New episodes of existing series like Cape Fear and Sugar will air throughout July.

New York City educators and industry leaders gathered at Google’s offices to shape the future of AI in classrooms.

At a recent AI summit in New York City, Google, the New York Jobs CEO Council, and Urban Assembly convened 150 educators and industry leaders to discuss preparing students for future careers. Participants engaged in hands-on sessions, including aiEDU's 'Vibe Coding' and Google's 'Meet LEA', to explore how tools like Google AI mode and NotebookLM can enhance AI literacy. A key theme was the importance of human skills—such as adaptability and collaboration—as technology continues to evolve. Attendees stressed the necessity of maintaining privacy and equitable access while integrating AI into education, asserting that innovation must happen collaboratively with schools.

• NYC Public Schools' Chief Jane Martínez Dowling participated in a fireside chat.

Apple TV teases major new sci-fi series: Neuromancer

Apple TV has unveiled a teaser for its upcoming sci-fi series, Neuromancer, based on William Gibson's influential 1984 novel. The show centers around Case, a skilled hacker, and his partner Molly, a lethal assassin, as they navigate a world of digital espionage and corporate intrigue. This adaptation was first announced in early 2024, and the series is anticipated to premiere in fall 2026. With existing hits like Silo and Foundation, Apple TV continues to strengthen its position in the sci-fi genre.

• The series features a super-hacker named Case and an assassin named Molly.

You’re paying for 80+ iPhone and iPad games through Netflix, here’s the full catalog

Netflix subscribers can access a substantial library of over 80 mobile games on iPhone and iPad, included in all subscription tiers, even the Standard with ads plan priced at $8.99/month. This offering eliminates ads and in-app purchases, enhancing the gaming experience. Notable features include the Netflix Game Controller app, which allows users to play TV games using their mobile devices, and the Netflix Playground app, designed for younger audiences. Exclusive titles such as Netflix Puzzled and Netflix Stories further enrich the catalog, which can be accessed by logging in with a Netflix account after downloading the games from the App Store.

Tech bull Ives initiates SpaceX with Outperform rating, $190 price target

Dan Ives of Wedbush has initiated coverage of SpaceX with an Outperform rating and a price target of $190, reflecting a 12% upside from its recent trading price of $171. Ives identifies SpaceX as a significant player in the hyperscaler market, leveraging its strengths in launch, connectivity, and AI. The Starlink satellite broadband unit, with approximately 12 million subscribers and an average revenue per user of $66, serves as the company's primary profit driver. Meanwhile, SpaceX's launch operations, which conducted about 170 missions in 2025, support its broader business strategy, while its AI-compute division is expected to generate substantial revenue through contracts with major tech companies.

• The company completed about 170 missions in 2025, transporting 2,213 metric tons to orbit.
• The stock is set to join the Nasdaq-100 index on July 7, potentially attracting $4.3 billion in investments.

Samsung Messages shuts down in favor of Google Messages sometime this month

Samsung Messages, the long-standing SMS app for Galaxy phones, is scheduled to shut down sometime in July 2026, as confirmed by the company earlier this year. This decision follows a gradual shift towards Google Messages, which became the default texting app on Galaxy devices in 2022. Samsung ceased pre-installing its own messaging app on US devices in 2024 and encouraged users to adopt Google Messages. Although there was a brief resurgence for Samsung Messages in 2025, including RCS support, the company has ultimately decided to discontinue it, with the exact end-of-service date still pending.

• Users cited layout and features as reasons for reluctance to switch to Google Messages.

OpenAI paper reveals three GPT-5.6 Pro models, breaking with single top-tier strategy

OpenAI's recent paper introduces a significant shift in its GPT-5.6 Pro offerings, unveiling three distinct models: Luna Pro, Terra Pro, and Sol Pro. This marks the first time Pro has diverged from a single top-tier model structure, allowing users to select options based on speed, throughput, or maximum reasoning power. In benchmark tests, Sol Pro achieved a 31.5% pass rate, outperforming both its standard counterpart and the best non-GPT model, Claude Opus 4.8. The paper does not confirm whether these models will be integrated into ChatGPT, nor does it disclose token usage for the Pro models.

• Sol Pro achieves a 31.5% pass rate, outperforming other models.
• Luna Pro's pass rate is 23.6%, while Terra Pro's is 28.5%.