Hotstar and JioCinema Merge to Form JioHotstar

Hotstar and JioCinema have merged into JioHotstar, combining content from Disney, Warner Bros, among others. The new platform targets over 500 million users with content in 19 languages. The merger, following Reliance and Disney’s venture, consolidates India’s streaming market, offering various subscription plans and sports rights.

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Sachin Bansal Steps Down from CEO Role at Navi, Will Serve as Executive Chairman

Sachin Bansal resigns as CEO of Navi Technologies and Navi Finserv, appointing Rajiv Naresh and Abhishek Dwivedi as CEOs respectively. Bansal will serve as Executive Chairman. The move follows RBI’s temporary lending halt, aimed at focusing on long-term growth. Both new CEOs were part of Navi’s founding team.

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TikTok Restored on US App Stores

TikTok, CapCut, and Lemon8 are back on U.S. app stores after a ban delay. President Trump extended ByteDance’s deadline to sell TikTok’s U.S. operations, suggesting a U.S. ownership stake as an alternative. This follows legal actions and national security concerns over ByteDance’s Chinese origins.

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Apple Explores Robotics: From Humanoids to Pixar Lamps

Apple is exploring robotics, investigating humanoid and non-humanoid designs, with an emphasis on user interaction over appearance. Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo views this as early-stage work, with mass production not expected before 2028. Apple’s research includes non-anthropomorphic robots like a Pixar lamp, targeting smart home applications, amidst industry challenges in hiring and tech.

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Bhavish Aggarwal of Ola Unveils Krutrim AI Lab and Launches Open-Source Krutrim-2 Model

Bhavish Aggarwal announced the Krutrim AI Lab, focusing on India-specific AI. New models like Krutrim-2, Chitrarth-1, and Dhwani-1 were released for better language support. Ola committed Rs. 2,000 crores, aiming for Rs. 10,000 crores by next year. Partnerships with Nvidia for AI infrastructure were also highlighted.

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Shantanu Naidu, Ratan Tata’s Trusted Protégé, Rises To A Strategic Position At Tata Motors

Shantanu Naidu, former aide and close confidant of Ratan Tata, has been appointed General Manager and Head of Strategic Initiatives at Tata Motors. Naidu shared an emotional LinkedIn post recalling childhood memories of his father working at the same plant. The 2018 Tata protégé gained attention for their unique bond, collaborative projects like stray dog safety innovations, and founding elderly-care startup Goodfellows. His promotion follows Tata’s 2024 demise, whom Naidu tributed as “my dear lighthouse.”

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Google Staff Express Layoff Fears, Urge Company Action with Petition

Over 1,250 Google employees from the U.S. and Canada signed a petition titled ‘Googlers for Job Security’ demanding better severance terms and job stability. The petition, addressed to CEO Sundar Pichai, criticizes ongoing layoffs, poor performance reviews, and lack of buyout options, highlighting the impact on work quality and morale. It seeks a response within two weeks.

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Elon Musk’s X Teams Up with Visa for Debut of First Digital Wallet

Elon Musk’s X is partnering with Visa to launch the “X Money Account” for real-time payments, aiming to make X an “everything app.” The service will allow digital wallets and P2P transfers linked to debit cards, with plans for future expansion. This move aligns with Musk’s long-term vision of creating a multifunctional platform like WeChat.

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ISRO Achieves Milestone with 100th Mission, Launches NVS-02 for NavIC

India’s ISRO launched its 100th mission with GSLV-F15, deploying the NVS-02 navigation satellite from Sriharikota. This mission enhances the NavIC system, now with five satellites, improving regional navigation accuracy. Union Minister Jitendra Singh celebrated this as a historic achievement, highlighting the journey from ISRO’s inception to its current success under PM Modi’s leadership.

Read more on DDNews.

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