This week in tech, Meta stirred controversy by ending its fact-checking program on Facebook, Instagram, and Threads, replacing it with a community-driven system. Meanwhile, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella met Prime Minister Narendra Modi, announcing a $3 billion investment in India to strengthen AI and cloud infrastructure. At CES 2025, AI-powered gadgets stole the show, while Dell shocked fans by retiring its iconic XPS and Inspiron brands. On the smartphone front, OnePlus, Poco, and Oppo launched new devices in India, and Xiaomi introduced the Pad 7 tablet. In the fast-evolving food delivery space, Blinkit launched Bistro, a 10-minute meal delivery app, while Swiggy rolled out Snacc for quick snacks and beverages. Here’s a roundup of this week’s top tech stories.
Mark Zuckerberg criticized Apple for lacking innovation, claiming the company is coasting on the iPhone’s 20-year-old success while overcharging developers with its 30% app store fee. Speaking on Joe Rogan’s podcast, the Meta CEO accused Apple of blocking competition, citing AirPods’ closed connectivity and rejecting Meta’s attempts to integrate Ray-Ban smart glasses with iPhones under the guise of security concerns. He also dismissed Apple’s $3,500 Vision Pro VR headset as inferior to Meta’s cheaper alternatives, predicting Apple’s decline unless they regain their innovative edge.
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella met Prime Minister Narendra Modi to discuss technology, innovation, and AI, highlighting Microsoft’s ambitious plans for India. Nadella announced a $3 billion investment over the next two years to boost the country’s cloud and AI infrastructure, alongside a commitment to train 10 million Indians in AI skills by 2030, further supporting India’s digital growth.
Meta is changing its moderation policies and practices, as CEO Zuckerberg says the decision is influenced by shifting political and social landscapes and a desire for free speech.Ending its fact-checking program with trusted partners, Meta will replace it with a community-driven system like X’s Community Notes. Changes will affect Facebook, Instagram, and Threads. Zuckerberg emphasized the company’s focus on reducing mistakes, simplifying policies, and restoring free expression.
The year’s biggest tech show ended this week, with companies showing off their latest and greatest tech. Lenovo had a rollable display laptop on the showcase, which is also going on sale this year. Asus also announced its lightest ever Copilot+ AI PC. Then, Nvidia announced the new RTX 50 series GPUs. AI, as usual, ruled the show floor, with plenty of AI-powered gadgets on showcase, promising to the the mundane tasks for you. There was also an electric spoon that could add the taste of salt in the food.
Dell is retiring its iconic XPS, Inspiron, Latitude, and other product lines, replacing them with a simplified naming scheme featuring three tiers: Dell, Dell Pro, and Dell Pro Max, with subcategories like Base, Plus, and Premium.
This shift, announced at CES 2025, aligns with the tech industry’s trend of overusing terms like “Pro” and “Max,” risking confusion as current models like the XPS 13 transition to names like Dell 13 Premium. While Dell promises a smoother experience once fully adopted, the changes are drawing criticism for diluting brand identity and clarity.
Swiggy, this week, introduced Snacc, a 10-15 minute delivery app for snacks, beverages, and tiffin meals. Meanwhile, Blinkit also launched Bistro, a standalone app promising to deliver preservative-free, canteen-style meals in 10 minutes, currently piloting in select Gurugram locations. Both apps aim to reshape quick-service food delivery, with Bistro focusing on fresh, non-processed meals and Snacc targeting convenience with a diverse menu.
OnePlus has launched its latest flagship series in India with the OnePlus 13 and OnePlus 13R. The higher-end OnePlus 13 comes equipped with a 6.82-inch 2K+ 120Hz LTPO OLED display and runs on the Snapdragon 8 Elite processor. What sets it apart is its IP69 rating for superior dust and water resistance. The OnePlus 13 is priced starting at Rs 69,999 in India.
The OnePlus 13R features a 6.78-inch 1.5K LTPO OLED display with 4500 nits peak brightness and is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor, offering up to 16GB RAM. It comes with a triple camera setup including a 50MP main sensor with Sony LYT-700, an 8MP ultra-wide, and a 50MP 2x telephoto lens. The device packs a 6000mAh battery with 80W fast charging and starts at Rs 42,999.
Poco has introduced its first smartphones of 2025 in India – the Poco X7 Pro and Poco X7. The Poco X7 Pro features a 6.67-inch AMOLED display with 120Hz refresh rate. It is powered by the Dimensity 8400 chipset and comes with up to 12GB RAM and 512GB storage. The camera setup includes a 50MP main sensor with OIS (Sony IMX882), an 8MP ultra-wide lens, and a 20MP front camera. It packs a 6,550mAh carbon silicon battery with 90W fast charging. The phone runs on HyperOS 2 based on Android 15 and features IP68 protection. The X7 Pro starts at Rs. 27,999 for the 8GB/256GB variant.
The standard Poco X7 comes with the same display specifications but with Gorilla Glass Victus 2 protection and is powered by the Dimensity 7300 processor. It features a triple rear camera with 50MP main, 8MP ultra-wide, and 2MP macro sensors. The device houses a 5,110mAh battery with 45W charging and is available in configurations up to 12GB RAM and 512GB storage. The Poco X7 is priced starting at Rs. 21,999 for the 8GB/128GB variant.
Oppo has launched the Reno13 and Reno13 Pro smartphones in India. The Reno13 features a 6.59-inch 1.5K flat OLED display with 120Hz refresh rate, while the Pro model sports a larger 6.83-inch curved display. Both phones are powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 8350 processor. The Reno13 comes with 8GB RAM and up to 256GB storage, while the Pro variant offers 12GB RAM and up to 512GB storage. For cameras, both phones feature a 50MP main sensor, 8MP ultra-wide lens, and 50MP front camera, with the Pro model adding a 50MP 3.5X periscope telephoto lens. The Reno13 packs a 5600mAh battery while the Pro has a 5800mAh battery, both supporting 80W fast charging. Both devices run Android 15 with ColorOS 15 and feature IP66/68/69 ratings. The Reno13 starts at Rs. 37,999 for the 8GB + 128GB variant, while the Reno13 Pro starts at Rs. 49,999 for the 12GB + 256GB model.
Xiaomi has launched the Xiaomi Pad 7 tablet in India with an 11.2-inch 3.2K LCD display featuring a 144Hz refresh rate and Nano Texture Display option for anti-glare and anti-reflective properties. The tablet is powered by the Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3 processor and comes with up to 12GB LPDDR5X RAM and 256GB UFS 4.0 storage. It features a 13MP rear camera and an 8MP front camera. The device runs on Android 15-based Xiaomi HyperOS 2 and packs an 8850mAh battery with 45W fast charging support. It also comes with quad speakers, IP52 rating, and support for accessories like a floating keyboard and Xiaomi Focus pen with 8192 pressure levels.
The Xiaomi Pad 7 starts at Rs. 27,999 for the 8GB + 128GB variant, with the top 12GB + 256GB Nano Texture Display Edition priced at Rs. 32,999. The tablet will be available from January 13th through Amazon.in, mi.com, and Xiaomi retail stores.
