Dataconomy

OpenAI plans to stagger the release of its new AI model, ChatGPT 5.6, beginning with government-approved customers, according to a memo from CEO Sam Altman.

Apple is reportedly set to skip the M6 Pro and Max chips, instead transitioning directly to the M7 chip, according to Mark Gurman at Bloomberg. The M7 chips, expected to launch in the first half of 2027, will focus on enhancing on-device AI processing, marking a shift in Apple’s silicon strategy. This development would be the first time Apple offers only a base version of its silicon without Pro or Max variations. Following the M7, Apple may introduce M7 Max and Pro chips by the end of 2027.

Sony announced significant layoffs at Bungie, primarily affecting the team behind the Destiny franchise. The company reported that a “significant number” of employees were impacted, although the exact figure remains undisclosed. The layoffs also affected some developers working on the upcoming title Marathon. Bungie studio head Justin Truman confirmed his resignation as part of these changes.

IBM has announced the creation of the world’s first sub-1 nanometer (nm) chip, utilizing its new “nanostack” architecture. This advancement allowed IBM to fabricate a functioning 7 angstrom (0.7 nm) chip, marking a significant enhancement over its existing 2 nm design. The new chip boasts twice the transistor density of IBM’s previous 2 nm model, with nearly 100 billion transistors packed into a chip the size of a human fingernail.

Apple has raised prices for a range of MacBook and iPad models following CEO Tim Cook’s warning about ongoing supply chain pressures. The entry-level MacBook Neo’s price increased by $100, from $599 to $699. The price of the 13-inch MacBook Air with 512GB storage has risen from $1,099 to $1,299, marking a $200 increase. Additionally, the price of a 1TB M5 MacBook Pro has escalated to £1,999, an increase of $300. The basic model of the iPad now costs $449, a $100 hike from its previous price of $349.

Google will open the Play Store to outside billing on June 30 and will lower its commission from 30 percent to 10 percent on the same day. Developers in the US, UK, and Europe will be permitted to offer alternative payment options starting June 30, part of a settlement agreement with Epic Games announced in March. The new billing choice program will be accessible to all developers worldwide.

Nothing will launch its Phone 4b, the first entry-level device in its B series, on July 7 at 6 AM Eastern time. The company has been teasing the phone on X with illustrations and animations, indicating it closely resembles the Phone 4a released earlier this year. The Phone 4b will feature the Nothing glyph bar, which will now have five panels of light instead of seven. This vertical rear-panel lighting interface allows users to assign specific lighting patterns for different notifications.

Xbox is testing support for longer gamertags for Insiders in the Alpha Skip-Ahead ring, allowing users to create gamertags of up to 15 characters. This change reverts to a previous limit lifted due to player requests for more flexibility in choosing usernames. Gamertags must remain unique; if a desired gamertag is not unique, it will be limited to 12 characters. The company will continue to support gamertags with non-Latin characters at the 12-character limit.

A new regulatory center of gravity On July 1, 2025, the EU’s Anti-Money Laundering Authority (AMLA) formally began operations from its Frankfurt headquarters, marking the most significant structural shift in European financial crime oversight in a generation. By the end of December 2025, the European Banking Authority had transferred its AML mandate to the new agency.

Facebook announced on Wednesday that it is reimagining its Creator Studio tool as a stand-alone AI companion app aimed at helping creators grow their audiences on the platform. This move seeks to retain creators’ engagement amid increasing competition from TikTok and YouTube. The initiative also targets the reduction of reliance on third-party tools like ChatGPT for brainstorming content ideas and performance analysis.