😏 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

😆 Regulators are curious again

The UK’s Ofcom has launched an investigation → into Telegram over suspected distribution of illegal content.

@durovs_code

☕️ Who are you, John Ternus?

From 1 September 2026, John Ternus will take over as CEO of Apple. He has been with the company since 2001.

Ternus led the transition to Apple Silicon, helped phase out the problematic butterfly keyboard, and ultimately killed the Touch Bar.

What we know so far, and what the industry expects:

↖️ https://durovscode.com/john-ternus-who-is-apples-new-ceo

🧠 Everything’s private, apparently

WhatsApp is testing AI summaries → for unread messages with so-called “private processing.” The feature generates one overview across chats while keeping user data confidential.

@durovs_code

🤐 Deleted means deleted (now?)

Apple has released a security update fixing a bug that could allow notifications marked for deletion to remain stored on the device.

Pavel Durov previously commented on the issue, noting Telegram’s approach avoids this entirely.

↖️ https://durovscode.com/apple-ios-bug-signal-deleted-messages-notifications

💻 MacBook Neo rival

Intel has shown a lightweight laptop concept → powered by a new Wildcat Lake chip.

It features an aluminium chassis and a keyboard that closely resembles a MacBook’s.

@durovs_code

🧠 GPT-5.5 is here

OpenAI has introduced GPT-5.5. According to the company, the model understands tasks faster and can complete much of the work on its own.

It is available → to Plus, Pro, Business and Enterprise users in ChatGPT and Codex, with GPT-5.5 Pro limited to Pro, Business and Enterprise tiers.

@durovs_code

🛸 50% AI, soon

The United Arab Emirates plans → to shift 50% of government operations and services to AI agents within two years. Authorities say AI will act as an “executive partner,” while humans remain in oversight roles.

@durovs_code

🤐 Go play outside, maybe

Turkey has passed a law banning social media use for children under 15.

What platforms, large services and gaming companies will now be required to do:

↖️ https://durovscode.com/turkey-social-media-ban-under-15

❤️ This weekend in #TECH

💘 Elon Musk has launched the XChat messenger for iOS users.

💘 Telegram's iOS beta version 12.6.4 introduces new tools for content moderation and AI personalisation.

💘 Elon Musk is launching his own financial service, X Money, with a US rollout by the end of April.

@durovs_code

📱 Pocket-sized OpenAI

OpenAI is developing its own smartphone. Instead of traditional apps, the device will run on AI agents that handle tasks for the user.

What's known about the phone:

↖️ https://durovscode.com/openai-smartphone-ai-agents

🤐 Claude went rogue on production

Claude deleted the entire database of a car rental startup and completely paralysed its operations. The post has gained more than 6 million views on X.

The Opus 4.6 AI agent had foolishly been given an API token with full access to external infrastructure, where the backups were also stored.

↖️ https://durovscode.com/cursor-claude-opus-deleted-production-database

🕹 Welcome back, Steam Controller

Valve has announced → the Steam Controller, launching May 4 for $99.

The gamepad works across PC, Steam Deck, Steam Machine, and the Steam Frame VR headset.

@durovs_code