Business Articles

Apple Upgrade is now live in the US. Users can now use the service to lease an iPhone, Mac, Apple Watch, or iPad for a monthly fee for a set term. At the end of the term, users can return the device they've leased and upgrade to something new. Framework apparently hates this system.

Former Nintendo of America employees Kit Ellis and Krysta Yang praised the integrity of leaders including Satoru Iwata and Shuntaro Furukawa, as well as the company’s emphasis on job security. However, they criticized Nintendo’s demanding pace, poor work-life balance, limited opportunities for advancement, and repetitive roles.

Apple has replaced the iPhone Upgrade Program with Apple Upgrade, a new US leasing service for iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch. The Klarna-backed program offers flexible lease terms, upgrade options, and lower monthly payments starting at $11.99.

Anthropic's Claude AI assistant has come under renewed scrutiny after users discovered that some publicly shared conversations were appearing in Google search results. The incident has reignited concerns over how AI platforms communicate the extent of privacy and security of AI generated content.

Moonshot AI has released its Kimi K3 AI model weights for free. The 2.8T parameter model gives businesses, researchers, and AI enthusiasts access to a leading-edge AI model that eliminates the need to pay costly API fees that other top-ranked AI models require.

CXMT's entry was hailed by many in the gaming and server community as a savior and a stabilizing force in a market reeling from rising memory costs. It may prove to be neither of those things if current prices are a clue about its intentions.

European car buyers are increasingly going electric. BEVs and PHEVs now command a combined market share of more than 30%, surpassing gasoline- and diesel-only vehicles. Tesla and Chinese automakers such as BYD and Leapmotor are leading the surge, while German carmakers continue to lose significant market share.

LG has turned E Ink's Spectra 6 e-paper panel into a digital signage solution. Thanks to a large battery, the device can operate without an external power supply for weeks or even months. It runs webOS.

(Update: Zhan X is likely EliteBook X in China) The HP ZBook X 16 G2ig has been launched in China. It's available with Intel Panther Lake processors, with all SKUs featuring Nvidia RTX professional graphics. This sleek laptop also has 128GB RAM support and starts at CNY 12,999, which converts to about $1,920.

Lenovo offers its high-end business laptop ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 14 with IPS as well as OLED panels. This does not only change the image quality, but also battery runtimes, the thickness of the chassis as well as the weight. This is a bit of an issue, because the differences are not small.

Elon Musk is not the only one developing advanced humanoid robots for mass production. EV giant BYD is reportedly preparing to unveil its own bipedal AI robot. Called Xiao Di, the humanoid robot is expected to make its public debut in August and could soon serve as a sales assistant, presenting EVs at the Tesla rival's dealerships.

The new processor is largely a rebrand of last year's Ryzen AI 9 HX Pro 370 with no significant gains when it comes to CPU, GPU, or NPU performance.

The Lenovo Legion 5 has many attributes of a good gaming laptop, but also a good work laptop. However, one aspect of this device keeps it from ranking higher for a work device.

Ahead of the possible battery-powered Starlink Mini 2, SpaceX has dropped the price of the current Mini kit to its lowest ever. Not only that, but the dish is available on a cheap payment plan.

Apple is launching a new hardware subscription model for the iPhone, Apple Watch, iPad, and more. Kepler_L2 thinks that we can see the same model debut for the next-gen Xbox Project Helix and the Sony PlayStation 6.

Microsoft’s gaming systems experienced their best month for console sales in 2026. U.S. Circana data for June provides a glimpse at how consumers responded to the comeback for Xbox exclusive games. Buyers may also have acted before the August Series X|S price increase takes effect.

Garmin has announced not just one, but two acquisitions. Both platforms bring athletes and fitness trainers together and are funded by paid subscriptions, so these acquisitions could signal an expansion of Garmin Connect+.

Nvidia’s new Synthetic Video Detector helps media organizations identify AI-generated footage in real time, achieving up to 94% accuracy in internal testing, essentially helping solve a problem it has played a huge role in enabling.

The top-selling PlayStation Store titles demand more than $60. With the $100 GTA 6 Ultimate Edition ranking first, buyers are finding bonus content too tempting. Digital games are more profitable for publishers than PS5 discs, and Deluxe versions are particularly cost-effective.

The DRAM crisis is leading to disputes between memory and smartphone manufacturers. Oppo and Vivo are reported to have rejected Samsung’s latest price increase, while Xiaomi expects to be able to purchase memory at lower prices again before the end of the year.

A sobering forecast for market leader Samsung: Apple's expected entry into the foldable smartphone market is set to put significant pressure on the South Korean company. According to new market projections, Apple's first foldable iPhone could capture a 25% market share in 2026 in its very first year on sale. Samsung is expected to remain the market leader with its upcoming Galaxy Z8 series, but its lead is projected to shrink dramatically.

New sales data won’t cause Sony to second-guess reducing PS5 disc production in 2028. Including numbers after its announcement, U.S. buyers are not rallying to save physical games. Objectors hope to disrupt PlayStation marketing until the company reverses course.

Xpeng plans to begin the international rollout of its new AI-powered Next Generation Pilot (NGP) driver assistance system as early as 2027. The Chinese EV maker has now demonstrated the technology under real-world conditions in Munich's city traffic, showcasing its vision for the future of autonomous driving. Despite the advanced capabilities, it remains a Level 2 driver assistance system, meaning the driver must stay attentive at all times and retain full control of the vehicle.

With a nearly 100 Wh battery, an Intel Core Ultra 9 processor, and a price of under $900, the GeekBook M16 offers plenty of features at an attractive price. Our review highlights where the 16-inch laptop excels, what its weaknesses are, and why its battery life, in particular, stands out.

GameStop CEO Ryan Cohen dismissed Sony’s planned 2028 exit from PlayStation disc production as irrelevant, noting that software now accounts for less than 12% of the retailer’s business. The company is increasingly relying on collectibles, retro hardware and resale products, a strategy Cohen says helped deliver record operating earnings in the first quarter of 2026.

The PlayStation Store is finally embracing local pricing in Latin America. Yet, the Sony marketplace will use higher-than-average exchange rates for digital games. Consequently, the GTA 6 pre-order price for the physical boxed version could be more affordable.

Trump Media will soon charge Wall Street firms up to $100,000 a month for millisecond-faster access to Truth Social posts via a new Truth API launching August 1, 2026, targeted towards algorithmic trading desks.

The Take-Two boss told shareholders that the planned GTA 6 release date is still November 19th. Even though the Rockstar title may produce record sales, GTA Online remains extremely profitable. GTA 6 pre-order estimates or a third trailer could appear before or during the August 7th earnings call.

Apple has raised iPhone prices in Japan by 8% to 11% across several models, likely in response to the yen’s sharp depreciation. The move follows recent Mac and iPad price increases but is not expected to extend to other markets unless Apple announces broader changes.

Official OnePlus blog posts now confirm it will end new product launches in Europe and North America, reaffirming continued investment in India and detailing a voluntary shift from OxygenOS to ColorOS for eligible existing devices.

OnePlus' exit from Europe and the U.S. is official, and OxygenOS is also being phased out. Existing OnePlus smartphones will still receive the software updates that have already been announced, but they will be switched over to ColorOS.

Global smartphone shipments have just recorded their weakest second-quarter showing since 2013, as memory shortages drive up prices and weaken demand for budget devices. Analysts expect component constraints and higher retail prices to weigh on the market through the rest of the year.

Prices for upcoming Xbox and PlayStation hardware may be more affordable than anticipated. One analysis believes that RAM costs will improve in time for the Project Helix and PS6 release dates. The new gaming systems will be vital to turn around the decline in console sales.

US electric vehicle sales are rebounding as gasoline prices soar to nearly $5 per gallon, though demand remains below last year’s levels. California is bolstering the recovery with rebates of up to $3,500 for eligible first-time EV buyers, including smaller incentives for qualifying used vehicles.

New York City will introduce “Click-to-Cancel” protections on October 1, requiring businesses to simplify subscription cancellations, disclose recurring-payment terms and outline all hidden fees upfront.

For photographers and videographers, an SD card reader is an essential feature. For most business users, however, it is no longer a deciding factor when buying a laptop. Using the Schenker Connect 15 as an example, we take a look at the transfer speeds you can typically expect from integrated card readers today and whether they are still fast enough for users who actually depend on them.

Global smartphone shipments dropped by 11% in the second quarter of 2026. Smartphone memory prices have surged as chip makers increasingly prioritize the lucrative AI data-center segment. Samsung and Apple are both handling the crisis remarkably well. By contrast, their Chinese competitors are heading downhill fast.

Following criticism of the AI’s eavesdropping capabilities, Microsoft is adding a toggle switch to Teams meetings. Organizers and presenters can now turn Copilot, Facilitator, and Recap on and off in the middle of a conversation. The rollout is underway, with widespread availability planned by the end of July. There’s still a catch when it comes to transcription.

The new Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 7 combines a lighter 14-inch chassis with good business performance. Our review unit is equipped with an AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 450 processor, 64 GB RAM as well as a matte IPS touchscreen.

Microsoft once again only offers ARM versions of its Surface devices for private customers, while business customers have access to much more powerful hardware, 5G modules and additional display options.

Nio’s European expansion is faltering, with just 45 vehicles shipped across eight markets in February 2026 and only 15 registered in Germany during the first half of the year. High battery-swapping infrastructure costs, outdated models, import duties and stronger competition have forced the Chinese EV maker to scale back its once-ambitious regional strategy.

OpenAI has made GPT-5.6 generally available, in three tiers: Sol, Terra and Luna. Since July 9, the model has been usable in ChatGPT, in Codex, through the API and in GitHub Copilot, with Sol in ChatGPT from the Plus plan. The limited preview for select partners was the earlier stage; broad access is now here.

Global PC shipments fell nearly 5% in Q2 2026, ending nine consecutive quarters of growth. Apple bucked the trend with higher shipments and market share, while IDC warned that further declines and industry consolidation are likely.

The global renewable energy market recently surpassed $10 trillion in value. Strong revenue growth, market outperformance and higher profit margins suggest clean energy is becoming a mainstream investment driven by both climate goals and energy security.

Memory and training are controlled separately, and deleting a chat does not erase saved facts. Here's how to control what ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude store and use for training while protecting customer and company data.

The first ThinkPads with Intel's more affordable Wildcat Lake series are here. For that purpose, Lenovo updates the Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen 8 and Lenovo ThinkPad E16 Gen 4 with the new Intel Core 3 series CPUs.

Update: Lenovo statement | Up until now, SSDs for laptops have been mostly made by well known names from the US, Korea or Japan, like Samsung, Kioxia or Western Digital. In the midst of the RAM and SSD crisis, a new player has appeared: Notebokcheck has tested a YMTC SSD, which powers a Lenovo ThinkBook 14 laptop.