Amazon.com Inc. remains a global tech and retail platform; recent moves touch on pricing, robotics in warehouses, and AI-integrated services.
Prime Day has activated deep discounts across pet tech and at-home devices. A tested Petlibro Granary Smart Camera Feeder leads the pack with a 35% drop to an all-time low, offering scheduled meals plus real-time monitoring. Braun IPL devices feature notable price cuts, while other Prime Day banners push laser hair removal and bird-watching tech with strong app integrations. The write-up summarises standout models and what readers can expect in the deals window.
Prologis has made an all-share approach worth 925p a Segro share, valuing Segro at about 3.6bn. Segro’s board has rejected the bid as “a long way short” of value, arguing the US bid undervalues the business. Shares have rallied on the news, while broader property stocks are buoyed by falling gilt yields and hopes of cheaper financing.
The USPS is moving to allow concealable firearms to be mailed domestically under safeguards similar to rifles and shotguns. Democratic attorneys general in about two dozen states are opposing the plan, arguing it undermines state gun laws and enables access for people not legally permitted to possess firearms.
Iranian state media say Tehran plans to impose licensing fees on global tech giants for use and maintenance of seabed Internet cables in the Strait of Hormuz, potentially extending control over repair work and data flow. Experts warn the legal basis is weak, while observers note the move could pressure firms and disrupt connectivity.
The Labor Department has reported that initial unemployment claims have risen to 215,000, with the four-week moving average at 209,000. Despite the uptick, the pace of layoffs remains in a historically low range, and payrolls have cooled compared with the post-pandemic peak. Ongoing inflation pressures and a war-driven energy shock are shaping hiring dynamics.
Meta has expanded its AI agent capabilities, introducing Meta Business Agent across WhatsApp, Messenger and Instagram. The tools are designed for customer inquiries, product recommendations and appointment bookings, bundled within a Meta One subscription tier. The move positions Meta to monetize AI beyond advertising amid growing competition in AI agents.
Waymo has launched Waymo Premier, a $29.99-per-month membership offering priority pickups, up to five free cancellations monthly, and 10% Waymo Cash back for trips. The program is initially invite-only in San Francisco, Los Angeles and Phoenix, with plans to broaden to additional cities as it presses expansion and pursues higher-value riders.
Tech CEOs including Anthropic's Dario Amodei, OpenAI's Sam Altman and DeepMind's Demis Hassabis have met with G7 leaders at a closed lunch in Évian to press the U.S. to lead an international coalition on frontier-AI rules and structured access. The meeting has followed U.S. export controls that forced Anthropic to cut global access to its newest models.
The G7 has agreed to assess frontier AI risks and explore a trusted partners scheme to give non-U.S. access to advanced models while safeguarding security. Leaders warn that access can be blocked and stress the need for international governance and sovereign computing power.
SpaceX has launched a $20 billion senior unsecured bond offering to refinance a bridge loan and fund its evolving AI infrastructure, including Starship and Starlink expansions. The notes follow SpaceX’s record IPO and come as major tech firms tap debt markets to support AI investments.
China's LineShine has been named the world's fastest supercomputer on the TOP500 list, marking its debut at the top. The system runs entirely on CPUs and achieves 2.198 exaflops, surpassing El Capitan in the US. Analysts say the result signals recognition of China’s chip-design efforts, though AI workloads and list methodology cloud the claim.
Zoox has unveiled interior and interface improvements to its bidirectional robotaxi as it eyes a wider rollout later this year, including a lighter interior, new seating, larger cupholders, improved touchscreens, and two-way audio for riders and first responders. Production is planned at the Hayward facility with up to 100 vehicles weekly pending regulatory approval.
Agility Robotics is merging with Churchill Capital XI to value the company at $2.5 billion, making it the first publicly traded US firm focused on humanoids. Digit, its bipedal robot, is already deployed in multiple sites, with next‑gen Digit v5 in development. The SPAC deal aims to scale production and expand deployments amid strong investor backing from Amazon, Nvidia and Foxconn.
Apple has raised prices for multiple Mac and iPad models, citing an "unprecedented" surge in memory and storage costs driven by the AI data‑centre buildout. The company has said it can no longer absorb component increases; the moves have already knocked Apple shares lower and prompted similar price actions from console makers and other device vendors.