TechCapsules

Google released Gemini 4 “Argon,” a state‑of‑the‑art AI model, after months of development. The model is currently limited to a trusted cyber‑defender group while undergoing testing, with a broader rollout planned soon. Gemini 4 outperforms its predecessor Gemini 3 Pro and rivals GPT‑6 Astra and Claude Opus 5.5 in benchmarks, offering a 1‑million‑token output limit and enhanced agentic and cybersecurity capabilities. Internal reports suggest coding performance may lag in real‑world use, and pricing will rise to match [...]

Apple unveiled the iPhone 18 Pro during its fall 2026 event, skipping a new base model and instead introducing the Pro, Pro Max, and the upcoming iPhone Duo. The 256‑GB black variant features a vapor‑cooled A20 Pro chip, a 48‑MP Fusion main camera, and a 6.3‑inch display identical to the 17 Pro. Design changes include a new Action Button, under‑screen IR camera relocated to the top‑left corner, and a 25‑W MagSafe charging area. The device supports USB‑C, LiDAR, and [...]

SatLeo Labs, an Ahmedabad‑based startup, is launching its first commercial thermal payload, TAPAS‑1, aboard SpaceX’s Transporter‑18 Falcon 9 from Vandenberg on October 1. The satellite will use thermal infrared sensing to measure land‑surface temperature continuously, day and night, addressing gaps in current high‑resolution, frequent temperature data. TAPAS‑1 is part of SatLeo’s full‑stack commercial thermal intelligence platform, combining hardware, data processing, and AI to deliver actionable insights for agriculture, urban planning, utilities, and insurance. The launch marks India’s [...]

Spotify founder Daniel Ek’s startup Neko Health secured $700 million to develop a consumer body‑scan platform aimed at preventative health. The company competes with rivals such as Midjourney and Function Health, all seeking to embed body scanning into mainstream healthcare. TechCrunch’s Equity podcast features investor Farooq Abbasi discussing Neko’s strategy, funding dynamics, and the broader market potential for body‑scanning technology. The episode highlights investor enthusiasm and the challenges of integrating new diagnostics into existing medical systems. [...]

Meta announced that from 1 October, Indian businesses using the WhatsApp Business Platform will be charged for service replies, a category previously free. Each business phone number receives 1,000 free service messages per month; additional delivered messages cost Rs 0.115 each. The change also applies to utility messages, authentication messages, and marketing messages, all priced at Rs 0.115 (except marketing at Rs 0.8631). Businesses must add a payment method by 30 September or risk losing service‑message capability. The new fee structure affects [...]

OpenAI announced it had identified and halted a coordinated distillation campaign that began on July 1, 2026, aimed at extracting protected reasoning from its models. The activity, linked to individuals tied to Beijing‑based Moonshot AI, involved over 4,000 users and peaked with 16,000 requests on July 24‑25. OpenAI disrupted the operation on July 28, banned the accounts, and added new safeguards to block future extraction attempts. The incident underscores the growing threat of adversarial distillation in AI systems.

Cybersecurity firm Jamf uncovered a counterfeit Zoom installer targeting macOS users. The malicious disk image masquerades as a legitimate Zoom setup, complete with an application icon and an alias to Applications. Its background image instructs users to bypass Gatekeeper by opening System Settings, selecting “Open Anyway,” and entering an administrator password. Once executed, the installer installs Zoom and an infostealer that exfiltrates data every eight seconds to the attacker’s server. The tactic exploits users’ willingness to follow [...]

FedEx has placed an order for 2,000 electric trucks from California‑based startup Harbinger, expanding the carrier’s push toward a zero‑emission fleet. The deal arrives amid a resurgence of interest in electric trucks as fuel prices surge, even though the U.S. market suffered a sharp decline after the federal EV tax credit expired in September 2022. Industry observers note that while consumer EV adoption is expected to rebound, domestic vehicle production faces challenges, prompting manufacturers such as GM [...]