📱 No delays

Apple’s first foldable iPhone is expected to debut in September — despite recent rumors about serious production issues.

What we know so far:

↖️ https://durovscode.com/apple-foldable-iphone-september-launch

🍏 Still deciding

Apple is testing a smaller Dynamic Island → for iPhone 18 Pro by moving some Face ID components under the display. The company is reportedly still deciding between two design options.

@durovs_code

💅 You but AI

YouTube is rolling out AI avatars for Shorts that can look and sound like you.

Users can create → a photorealistic version of themselves and generate videos using prompts.

@durovs_code

🤡 End-to-end… or not?

Pavel Durov called WhatsApp encryption “the biggest consumer fraud in history,” saying it misleads billions of users.

💘 The Telegram founder’s statement follows a class-action lawsuit against Meta filed in the U.S.

💘 According to the complaint, Meta employees, Accenture staff, and possibly other third parties may have accessed messages through a backdoor in WhatsApp’s source code.

💘 Plaintiffs claim the backdoor allowed staff to “circumvent the encryption in order to view users’ private messages.”

💘 While the access was reportedly used to review flagged messages, the lawsuit alleges employees had “broad access to users’ messages,” including conversations unrelated to complaints.

@durovs_code

🧠 Now a cheaper Pro

OpenAI has launched a new ChatGPT Pro subscription → for $100 per month, alongside the existing $200 plan.

@durovs_code

😘 Internet for everyone

South Korea has introduced universal basic mobile internet access, meaning users will stay online even after exceeding their data limits.

How it works and why the country introduced it:

💘 https://durovscode.com/south-korea-universal-mobile-internet-access

❤️ This weekend in #TECH

💘 Pavel Durov said Telegram Secret Chats are safer after reports that deleted Signal messages were accessed through push notifications.

💘 WhatsApp responded to Durov, defending its encryption and criticizing Telegram’s approach to security and usability.

💘 The Netherlands is preparing citizens for possible internet shutdown.

💘 Apple is developing smart glasses without a built-in display.

@durovs_code

🤐 Windows not so national anymore

France plans → to move government systems from Windows to Linux and has ordered ministries to prepare plans to phase out non-European software by autumn 2026.

@durovs_code

😾 New messenger

X is preparing to launch a standalone messaging app, XChat, for iOS — with a release scheduled for April 17.

What to expect:

💘 https://durovscode.com/elon-musk-xchat-messaging-app

😄 Delegation level Zuckerberg

Mark Zuckerberg is working on an AI clone → of himself. The avatar is expected to handle internal meetings and communicate with thousands of employees.

@durovs_code

🤐 Cleanup by Apple

Apple removed → Pages, Numbers, and Keynote from the Mac App Store. Only the new versions from the Creator Studio bundle are now available to download.

@durovs_code

🛸 Robot on AliExpress in one click

Unitree plans → to bring its R1 humanoid robot to international markets. The price isn’t exactly small — $4,370.

@durovs_code

🚘 Road trip just got complicated

A Chinese automaker has patented a toilet built прямо into a car seat.

How it works:

↖️ https://durovscode.com/aito-seres-car-seat-toilet-patent

🤔 Show me your ID

Anthropic has introduced → identity checks for “a few use cases” in Claude. Some users are already being asked to verify their identity during chats.

@durovs_code

❤️ This weekend in #TECH

💘 iPhone 18 Pro may debut in a new “Dark Cherry” color.

💘 Elon Musk has proposed government payments for people who lose their jobs due to AI.

💘 Telegram is preparing bot-resistant polls, restricting voting by subscription time and user location.

@durovs_code

😻 Work on pause

A number of complaints about ChatGPT have been coming in from around the world over the past hour, according to data from downdetector.com →

Users are unable to log in, access the website, or encounter errors when attempting to initiate a conversation with ChatGPT. In some cases, according to complaints, the service is responding to requests with a bid delay.

@durovs_code

😏 Durov: Macron’s France is losing legitimacy

Pavel Durov has criticised the political system under Emmanuel Macron, arguing that prosecutors and judicial police are not independent:

↖️ https://durovscode.com/pavel-durov-macron-france-judicial-independence-criticism

🍏 Time to say goodbye

Tim Cook is leaving the CEO role at Apple after 15 years in charge. His role will be taken over by John Ternus → on 1 September.

He previously led hardware engineering, overseeing products including iPhone, Mac, Apple Watch and AirPods, and played a role in Apple’s transition to its own silicon.

@durovs_code

😄 Refund season

The US has begun returning money collected → from Trump-era tariffs after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled them unlawful.

@durovs_code

☕️ So this is “Plus”

WhatsApp has started testing a paid subscription for Android users. For €2.49/month, users get exclusive ringtones, stickers, app customisation and more.

What else is included:

↖️ https://durovscode.com/whatsapp-tests-paid-subscription-for-android-users