😎 Google lets you pick the News

Google has rolled out its “preferred sources” feature, letting users customize → the “top stories” section in Search by prioritizing their favorite news outlets.

For now, the option is available only in the US and India.

@durovs_code

🍏 No “must have” for you

Apple has responded to Elon Musk’s accusations → of favoritism in the App Store, stating that “The App Store is designed to be fair and free of bias.”

@durovs_code

🧠 From chatbots to brain chips

Reports suggest Sam Altman is working on Merge Labs, a new brain–computer interface startup → that could become a major competitor to Elon Musk’s Neuralink.

@durovs_code

🛸 We back

After criticism of its new model, OpenAI has restored the option to select previous models → in ChatGPT.

Plus users can now choose between three GPT-5 modes: Auto, Fast, and Thinking, or switch back to GPT-4o, GPT-4.1, and o3.

@durovs_code

🤗 HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Today, Telegram celebrates its 12th anniversary! Every new year for the messenger marks a new chapter.

The events of the past year, including the prosecution of Pavel Durov by French authorities and attempts by Western European governments to interfere in elections via Telegram, prove just one thing:

💘 The messenger and its founder remain committed to their values, staunchly defending everyone’s right to privacy and freedom of speech.

As part of today’s celebration, Durov expressed hope that Telegram will continue to follow the advice of his father:

💘 Lead by example, setting trends for the messaging world. Be a positive force, bringing joy to our users. Prioritize conscience, staying true to our principles.

One could say that a billion users can’t be wrong. Durov’s Code hopes Telegram never lets them down. Here’s to your continued success!

@durovs_code

⚡️ Gifts are coming

Pavel Durov has promised to release several limited-edition gift collections within the hour:

💘 Durov’s Sunglasses

💘 Resistance Dog

💘 Sandcastle

💘 Surfboard

💘 Pink Flamingo

@durovs_code

⚡️ Crazy Numbers

The Durov’s Sunglasses and Resistance Dog gifts, 5,000 and 20,000 units respectively, sold out in just 15 seconds. Prices were set at 30,000 stars for Durov’s Sunglasses and 5,000 stars for Resistance Dog.

Pavel Durov shared these stats.

💘 According to him, these gifts, available only to Premium subscribers, came with purchase limits.

💘 No more than 3 Durov’s Sunglasses per user and no more than 5 Resistance Dogs.

Durov also noted that sales of the six new limited-edition gift collections brought in over $11 million for Telegram.

@durovs_code

😄 Chips on the Table

The Trump administration is in talks → with Intel about acquiring a government stake to accelerate domestic chip production.

The move is tied to Intel’s planned flagship factory in Ohio, set to become the largest semiconductor plant in the world.

@durovs_code

🧠 Side hustle

OpenAI is considering ads → for ChatGPT, according to head Nick Turley, who says any move would be careful and deliberate.

As a reminder, Elon Musk recently announced a new advertising format for Grok.

@durovs_code

❤️ This weekend in #TECH

💘 Apple Watch Series 12 is expected to debut in 2026 with a major redesign and new health-monitoring features.

💘 OpenAI promised to make GPT-5 warmer and friendlier after backlash over its overly formal tone.

💘 A developer revealed he had to adjust his sleep schedule to work around Claude Pro’s token limits.

@durovs_code

💅 Collectibles, but actually usable

Web3 is finally going mainstream on Telegram with anonymous numbers, NFT usernames, gifts, and limited stickers.

💘 What’s driving the success of TON’s utility NFTs?

💘 How are they reshaping digital collectibles?

💘 And why is Telegram the perfect platform for this shift?

Andrew D, CEO of @DOGS and CPO of @sticker_bot, shared → his take with Durov’s Code

@durovs_code

🛸 Encrypted… eventually

OpenAI is considering adding encryption to ChatGPT, starting with temporary chats that aren’t saved in user history. Sam Altman confirmed the plan → but admitted there’s no clear timeline yet.

@durovs_code

🍏 Budget glow-up

It has been revealed what design the upcoming iPhone 17e → will take. Reports say it is expected to feature a Dynamic Island, a 48 MP camera, and MagSafe support.

@durovs_code

😎 Life just got easier

Microsoft Excel has started testing an AI-powered Copilot that can automatically fill spreadsheet cells.

The feature → is currently available to Windows and Mac users in the Beta Channel with a Microsoft 365 Copilot license.

@durovs_code

🦴 AI to the rescue

WhatsApp is testing a new AI-powered “Writing Help” tool → that can refine your messages in different styles, from professional to playful. The feature is currently available only in beta via TestFlight.

@durovs_code

😆 You can’t be serious

In China, a company is building a humanoid robot → designed to carry and deliver human babies. It’s expected to cost about $14,000, with a commercial rollout planned for 2026.

@durovs_code

🤐 Sharing is caring

Hundreds of thousands of Grok conversations have been indexed → online after users hit the “share” button.

Many ended up on Google and Bing search results without their knowledge or consent.

@durovs_code

🦴 Google’s big day out

Google held its Made by Google 2025 showcase, featuring:

💘 Pixel smartphones
💘 Pixel Buds 2a
💘 Pixel Watch 4
💘 Fresh AI software tricks

We’ve rounded up → the highlights and all the details. Full breakdown in our article.

@durovs_code