Microsoft’s declining Xbox business and future hardware plans, a federal injunction blocking Texas’ app store age verification law, and Apple’s new iOS 26.3 interoperability features alongside recent regulatory fines.

2025 was the year Xbox died
https://www.engadget.com/gaming/xbox/2025-was-the-year-xbox-died-130000467.html

Judge blocks Texas app store age verification law | The Verge
https://www.theverge.com/news/849752/texas-app-store-accountability-act-age-verification-injunction

Apple fined $116 million over app privacy prompts | The Verge
https://www.theverge.com/news/849528/apple-italy-antitrust-fine-att-app-privacy

US bans new foreign drone models in a blow to Chinese giant DJI
https://www.cnn.com/2025/12/23/business/us-ban-foreign-drones-dji-intl-hnk

iOS 26.3: New features for your iPhone - 9to5Mac
https://9to5mac.com/2025/12/23/ios-26-3-new-features-for-iphone/

OpenAI’s launch of its “Your Year with ChatGPT” feature, Instacart halting AI-driven price experiments after investigations and regulatory scrutiny, and the death of Respawn Entertainment co-founder Vince Zampella in a car crash. We break down the key details and implications of each story.

ChatGPT launches a year-end review like Spotify Wrapped | TechCrunch
https://techcrunch.com/2025/12/22/chatgpt-launches-a-year-end-review-like-spotify-wrapped/

Instacart scraps AI pricing tests that made some products more expensive
https://www.wsj.com/business/retail/instacart-ending-all-item-price-tests-on-its-platform-3c97d68d?st=LP28v5&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink

Call of Duty, Titanfall developer Vince Zampella has died at age 55 | The Verge
https://www.theverge.com/news/849297/vince-zampella-dies-call-of-duty-titanfall-respawn-battlefield

Apple warns employees not to leave the U.S. amid return delays - 9to5Mac
https://9to5mac.com/2025/12/22/apple-cautions-certain-employees-not-to-leave-the-us/

Instagram long-form videos and full control of your feed may happen
https://9to5mac.com/2025/12/22/instagram-long-form-videos-and-full-control-of-your-feed-may-be-on-the-cards/

Netflix’s acquisition of Ready Player Me for cross-game avatars, BMX’s release of SolidSafe semi-solid state power banks, and the launch of the Matter-compatible Aqara Hub M200. 

Netflix is acquiring an avatar company as it moves into party games
https://www.theverge.com/news/848252/netflix-avatar-company-ready-player-me-acquisition

Semi-solid state MagSafe power banks arrive from the founder of Hyper
https://www.theverge.com/news/847925/bmx-hyper-semi-solid-state-power-banks

Aqara Hub M200 Matter support and HomeKit features explained
https://9to5mac.com/2025/12/19/aqara-hub-m200/

Apple might be requiring iPhone users to install iOS 26 for security fixes - 9to5Mac
https://9to5mac.com/2025/12/19/ios-26-2-iios-18-7-3-update-options-security/

macOS Tahoe users report persistent screen flickering issues - 9to5Mac
https://9to5mac.com/2025/12/19/macos-tahoe-users-report-persistent-screen-flickering-issues/

Amazon’s launch of Alexa.com for desktop use, Netflix hiring Elle Duncan as its first live sports host, and OpenAI adding pinned chats to ChatGPT. We also touch on Apple Maps removing Flyover tours and upcoming changes to App Store search ads.

YouTube Shuts Down Channels Using AI To Create Fake Movie Trailers
https://deadline.com/2025/12/youtube-terminates-screen-culture-kh-studio-fake-ai-trailer-1236652506/

With new Alexa website, Amazon consumer AI vision finally comes together
https://www.geekwire.com/2025/with-new-alexa-website-amazons-consumer-ai-vision-finally-comes-together-and-its-actually-useful/

Netflix Hires ESPN Anchor Elle Duncan as First Sports On-Air Host
https://variety.com/2025/tv/news/netflix-hires-espn-elle-duncan-sports-anchor-1236611794/

Apple Quietly Discontinued Flyover City Tours in Apple Maps - MacRumors
https://www.macrumors.com/2025/12/18/apple-maps-flyover-tours-discontinued/

App Store Search Results to Show More Ads Next Year, Says Apple - MacRumors
https://www.macrumors.com/2025/12/18/app-store-search-results-more-ads-2026/

The Academy shifts the Oscars to YouTube starting in 2029, ending ABC’s broadcast run. Google debuts Gemini 3 Flash, a faster, lower-cost AI model. Amazon Ads research reveals how U.S. personal care shoppers interact with brands across multiple touchpoints.

Oscars Bolts from ABC to YouTube Starting in 2029
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/oscars-bolt-from-abc-to-youtube-starting-in-2029-1236453188/

Google announces Gemini 3 Flash, rolling out to Gemini app
https://9to5google.com/2025/12/17/gemini-3-flash-launch/

Warner Bros. wants its shareholders to reject Paramount’s latest offer | The Verge
https://www.theverge.com/entertainment/846425/warner-bros-discovery-board-rejection-paramount-skydance-hostile-bid

Amazon AI chief Rohit Prasad leaving; Infrastructure exec Peter DeSantis to lead unified AI group
https://www.geekwire.com/2025/amazon-ai-chief-rohit-prasad-leaving-infrastructure-exec-peter-desantis-to-lead-unified-ai-group/

iOS 26.3: New features for your iPhone - 9to5Mac
https://9to5mac.com/2025/12/17/ios-26-3-new-features-for-iphone/

OpenAI’s new ChatGPT image generation and Apple Music integration, Amazon Ads research on U.S. personal care shopping behavior, and leaks pointing to a new Apple iMac Pro with the M5 Max chip. We break down the key developments in AI tools, consumer trends, and upcoming Apple hardware.

OpenAI’s ChatGPT Updated to Make Images Better and Faster - Bloomberg
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-12-16/openai-s-chatgpt-updated-to-make-images-better-and-faster

Instagram is putting Reels on your TV | The Verge
https://www.theverge.com/news/845124/instagram-reels-tv-app

My Favorite Murder and The Breakfast Club podcasts are ditching YouTube for Netflix | The Verge
https://www.theverge.com/news/845307/netflix-iheartmedia-video-podcasts

Apple Music is coming to ChatGPT, OpenAI announces - 9to5Mac
https://9to5mac.com/2025/12/16/apple-music-is-coming-to-chatgpt-openai-announces/

New M5 iMac model aimed at pro users might be coming, per leak - 9to5Mac
https://9to5mac.com/2025/12/16/new-m5-imac-model-aimed-at-pro-users-might-be-coming-per-leak/

Notion’s $300 million employee share sale at an $11 billion valuation, Google’s plan to shut down its Dark Web Report tool in early 2026, and the Trump administration’s launch of the U.S. Tech Force to recruit 1,000 tech workers for federal agencies. We break down the key details and timelines for each development.

Notion Kicks Off Employee Share Sale At $11 Billion Valuation As AI Accelerates Its Growth
http://www.forbes.com/sites/annatong/2025/12/15/notion-kicks-off-employee-share-sale-at-11-billion-valuation-as-ai-accelerates-its-growth/

Google shutting down Dark web report tool after barely a year
https://9to5google.com/2025/12/15/google-dark-web-report-shutting-down/

Trump is recruiting Big Tech workers for the government | The Verge
https://www.theverge.com/news/844804/trump-tech-force-usds-apple-google-microsoft

Tesla robotaxis spotted on public roads without safety monitors | The Verge
https://www.theverge.com/news/844616/tesla-robotaxis-spotted-on-public-roads-without-safety-monitors

Merriam-Webster’s 2025 word of the year is ‘slop’ | The Verge
https://www.theverge.com/news/844640/merriam-webster-ai-slop-word-of-the-year-2025

Apple releases first iOS 26.3 beta for iPhone - 9to5Mac
https://9to5mac.com/2025/12/15/apple-releases-first-ios-26-3-beta-for-iphone/

World’s new encrypted chat and crypto payments, Google Translate’s live speech-to-speech translation rollout, Apple releases 26.2 for all platforms, and YouTube’s redesigned watch screen for TVs.

World launches its super app, including crypto pay and encrypted chat features | TechCrunch
https://techcrunch.com/2025/12/11/world-launches-its-super-app-including-crypto-pay-and-encrypted-chat-features/

Google Translate brings real-time speech translations to any headphones | The Verge
https://www.theverge.com/news/843483/google-translate-live-speech-translations-headphones

YouTube made its video player easier to navigate on TVs | The Verge
https://www.theverge.com/news/843412/youtube-watch-screen-tv-app-update

Apple releases iOS 26.2 with Liquid Glass tweaks, CarPlay changes, more [Release notes] - 9to5Mac
https://9to5mac.com/2025/12/12/apple-releases-ios-26-2-with-liquid-glass-tweaks-carplay-changes-much-more/

iOS 26.4 and iOS 27 Features Revealed in New Leak - MacRumors
https://www.macrumors.com/2025/12/12/alleged-ios-26-4-and-ios-27-features/

The Biggest Sports Movie of the Year Is Now Streaming on Apple TV - MacRumors
https://www.macrumors.com/2025/12/12/f1-the-movie-streaming-apple-tv/

Disney’s $1 billion partnership with OpenAI to bring Sora AI videos and ChatGPT Images to fans, the release of GPT‑5.2 with new tiers and capabilities, and Google’s experimental Disco browser with GenTabs. 

The Walt Disney Company and OpenAI reach landmark agreement to  bring beloved characters from across Disney’s brands to Sora | OpenAI
https://openai.com/index/disney-sora-agreement/

Disney accuses Google of ‘massive’ copyright infringement following deal with OpenAI | The Verge
https://www.theverge.com/news/842573/disney-google-copyright-infringement-cease-and-desist

OpenAI Launches GPT-5.2 as It Navigates ‘Code Red’ | WIRED
https://www.wired.com/story/openai-gpt-launch-gemini-code-red/

Google Disco is an experimental new browser based on AI ‘GenTabs’ | The Verge
https://www.theverge.com/tech/842000/google-disco-browser-ai-experiment

Rivian is building its own powerful AI chips for autonomous driving | The Verge
https://www.theverge.com/news/842213/rivian-ai-autonomous-chip-specs

OpenAI’s report on the cybersecurity capabilities of its GPT-5 models, Apple CEO Tim Cook’s opposition to the App Store Accountability Act in meetings with U.S. lawmakers, and Reddit’s limited launch of gray checkmark verified profiles.

New OpenAI models likely to pose high cybersecurity risk
https://www.axios.com/2025/12/10/openai-new-models-cybersecurity-risks

Reddit is testing verification | The Verge
https://www.theverge.com/news/841879/reddit-verification-test

OpenAI hires Slack’s CEO as its chief revenue officer | The Verge
https://www.theverge.com/news/841540/openai-slack-ceo-denise-dresser-chief-revenue-officer

Tim Cook meets lawmakers in effort to shift App Store age proposal - 9to5Mac
https://9to5mac.com/2025/12/10/tim-cook-meets-lawmakers-in-effort-to-halt-app-store-age-proposal/

Instagram now lets you take control of your feed (somewhat) - 9to5Mac
https://9to5mac.com/2025/12/10/instagram-now-lets-you-take-control-of-your-feed-somewhat/