This week in tech, Meta caused a stir by ending its fact-checking programs on Facebook, Instagram, and Threads and replacing them with community-driven systems. Meanwhile, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and announced that the company will invest $3 billion in India to strengthen its AI and cloud infrastructure. CES 2025 was all about AI-powered gadgets, but Dell shocked fans by discontinuing its iconic XPS and Inspiron brands. In the smartphone space, OnePlus, Poco and Oppo launched new devices in India, while Xiaomi announced the Pad 7 tablet. In the rapidly evolving food delivery space, Blinkit launched Bistro, a 10-minute meal delivery app, and Swiggy rolled out Snacc, which offers quick snacks and drinks. Here’s a roundup of this week’s top technology articles.
Mark Zuckerberg says Apple is making him pay for ‘failed iPhone sales’
Mark Zuckerberg criticized Apple for lacking innovation, claiming the company is coasting on the iPhone’s 20-year success while overcharging developers with 30% app store fees. . On Joe Rogan’s podcast, Meta’s CEO rejects Meta’s attempt to integrate Ray-Ban’s smart glasses into iPhones under the guise of security concerns, citing AirPods’ closed connectivity and saying that Apple won’t be able to compete. It was accused of hindering the He also dismissed Apple’s $3,500 Vision Pro VR headset as inferior to Meta’s cheaper alternative and predicted Apple’s decline unless it regains its innovation edge.
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella meets Prime Minister Narendra Modi
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and discussed technology, innovation, and AI and highlighted Microsoft’s ambitious plans for India. To further support India’s digital growth, Nadella will work to strengthen the country’s cloud and AI infrastructure over the next two years, along with a commitment to train 10 million Indians in AI skills by 2030. announced a $3 billion investment.
Meta ends fact-checking on Facebook, Instagram, and Threads. Introducing “Community Notes”
Meta is changing its moderation policies and practices, as CEO Zuckerberg says the decision is influenced by changing political and social conditions and the desire for free speech. . Meta plans to end its fact-checking program with trusted partners and replace it with community-driven systems like X’s Community Notes. Changes affect Facebook, Instagram, and Threads. Zuckerberg emphasized the company’s focus on reducing mistakes, simplifying policies, and restoring freedom of expression.
CES 2025 concludes this week in Las Vegas
The year’s biggest technology show concluded this week, with companies showing off their latest and greatest technology. Lenovo had a rotating display laptop in its showcase that will also be available this year. ASUS also announced the lightest Copilot+ AI PC ever. Then Nvidia announced its new RTX 50 series GPUs. As usual, AI dominated the show floor, with showcases full of AI-powered gadgets that promised to take care of everyday tasks for you. There was also an electric spoon that could add salt flavor to the food.
Dell discontinues XPS, Inspiron, and Latitude brands
Dell is discontinuing its iconic XPS, Inspiron, and Latitude product lines, and has simplified naming with three tiers: Dell, Dell Pro, and Dell Pro Max, and subcategories such as Base, Plus, and Premium. Replace it with a system.
The change, announced at CES 2025, is in line with the tech industry’s trend of overusing terms like “Pro” and “Max,” as current models like the XPS 13 transition to names like Dell 13 Premium. There is a risk of confusion. While Dell promises a smoother experience once fully implemented, the change has drawn criticism for diluting the brand’s identity and clarity.
Swiggy and Blinkit take on a 10-minute food delivery challenge
Swiggy this week introduced Snacc, an app that delivers snacks, drinks and tiffin meals in 10-15 minutes. Meanwhile, Blinkit has also launched Bistro, a standalone app that promises to deliver preservative-free canteen-style meals in 10 minutes, and is currently piloting it at select outlets in Gurugram. Both apps aim to reinvent quick-service food delivery, with Bistro focusing on fresh, unprocessed meals and Snacc aiming for convenience with a diverse menu.
OnePlus 13, OnePlus 13R launched in India
OnePlus has launched its latest flagship series OnePlus 13 and OnePlus 13R in India. The high-end OnePlus 13 comes with a 6.82-inch 2K+ 120Hz LTPO OLED display and runs on Snapdragon 8 Elite processor. It features an impressive IP69 rating for excellent dust and water resistance. OnePlus 13 price in India starts from Rs 69,999.
OnePlus 13R features a 6.78-inch 1.5K LTPO OLED display with peak brightness of 4500 nits, is powered by a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor, and has up to 16GB RAM. It comes with a triple camera setup that includes a 50MP main sensor powered by Sony LYT-700, an 8MP ultra-wide-angle lens, and a 50MP 2x telephoto lens. The device is powered by a 6000mAh battery with 80W fast charging and is priced starting at Rs 42,999.
Poco X7 series debuts in India
Poco has announced its first smartphones of 2025 in India, Poco X7 Pro and Poco X7. Poco X7 Pro features a 6.67-inch AMOLED display with 120Hz refresh rate. It is powered by Dimensity 8400 chipset and comes with up to 12GB RAM and 512GB storage. The camera setup includes a 50MP main sensor (Sony IMX882) with OIS, an 8MP ultra-wide-angle lens, and a 20MP front camera. It is equipped with a 6,550mAh carbon silicon battery with 90W fast charging. The phone runs on HyperOS 2 based on Android 15 and has IP68 protection. Prices for the X7 Pro start from 1,000 yen. 27,999 for the 8GB/256GB version.
The standard Poco X7 has the same display specs but has Gorilla Glass Victus 2 protection and is powered by a Dimensity 7300 processor. It features triple rear cameras with 50MP main, 8MP ultrawide, and 2MP macro sensors. The device packs a 5,110mAh battery with 45W charging and is available in configurations of up to 12GB RAM and 512GB storage. Poco X7 price starts from Rs. 21,999 for the 8GB/128GB version.
Oppo launches Reno13 Pro and Reno 13 in India
Oppo has launched 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 MediaTek Dimensity 8350 processor. The Reno13 comes with 8GB RAM and up to 256GB storage, while the Pro version offers 12GB RAM and up to 512GB storage. As for cameras, both phones feature a 50MP main sensor, 8MP ultra-wide-angle lens, and 50MP front camera, with the Pro model adding a 50MP 3.5X periscope telephoto lens. The Reno13 has a 5600mAh battery while the Pro has a 5800mAh battery, and both support 80W fast charging. Both devices run Android 15 with ColorOS 15 and have IP66/68/69 ratings. Reno13 starts from Rs. 37,999 for the 8GB + 128GB version, Reno13 Pro starts at Rs. 49,999 for the 12GB+256GB model.
Xiaomi Pad 7 powered by Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3 launched in India
Xiaomi has launched the Xiaomi Pad 7 tablet in India with a 11.2-inch 3.2K LCD display with 144Hz refresh rate and Nano Texture Display option with anti-glare and anti-reflection properties. This tablet is powered by a Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3 processor with up to 12GB LPDDR5X RAM and 256GB UFS 4.0 storage. It has a 13MP rear camera and an 8MP front camera. The device runs on Xiaomi HyperOS 2 based on Android 15 and is powered by an 8850mAh battery with support for 45W fast charging. It also comes with quad speakers, an IP52 rating, and support for accessories like a floating keyboard and the Xiaomi Focus pen with 8192 pressure levels.
Xiaomi Pad 7 starts from Rs. 27,999 for the 8GB + 128GB variant, while the top-end 12GB + 256GB Nano Texture Display Edition is priced at Rs 27,999. 32,999. The tablet will be available from January 13 through Amazon.in, mi.com and Xiaomi retailers.
