American streaming brand owned by Disney, a major player in on-demand video.
Disney has named Karandeep Anand, former CEO of Character.AI, as its first chief technology officer. He will oversee enterprise technology, infrastructure, data and AI platforms, reporting to CEO Josh D'Amaro. The move follows a rocky relationship with Character.AI and signals Disney’s renewed focus on technology to support storytelling and the company-wide One Disney initiative.
AP and FRONTLINE investigations have shown that U.S. AI models, cloud and internet providers and satellite services have been used to run industrial-scale romance and investment scams based in Southeast Asian compounds. The tools have enabled multilingual fake personas, automated replies and performance tracking; device and routing data tie much traffic to U.S.-registered firms and to Starlink connections in Myanmar.
Comcast has announced a planned separation of NBCUniversal from its core technology and telecommunications business, forming NBCUniversal as an independent media and entertainment group while Comcast retains the broadband and wireless unit. The move aims to unlock greater growth for both operations, with Sky remaining part of the broader group and a future UK investment plan in motion.
Netflix’s Enola Holmes 3 sees Millie Bobby Brown return as Enola Woods in a Malta-set mystery that trails the earlier films in energy and scale. The film keeps a smart streak but feels leaner and less essential than its predecessors, with a plot that is steady but not groundbreaking.
Disney has reorganized leadership under CEO Josh D’Amaro, integrating AI tools into streaming and signaling a broader push toward a “super app” strategy. Internal charts show reporting lines to top executives as Disney accelerates its tech and content ambitions while pursuing the potential phasing out of Hulu as a standalone service.
A week of streaming releases and new music debuts is highlighted by cross-platform titles, including a Netflix relaunch of a classic, a Peacock original, and new albums from Adam Lambert and Finn Wolfhard. AP reviews frame several releases, while HBO Max debuts The Long Walk ahead of a Stephen King adaptation.
Ofcom has found 26% of UK viewers now turn to Netflix first when choosing what to watch, narrowly ahead of the BBC on 25%, while ITV is first for 15%. YouTube viewing has surged: TV viewing of YouTube has doubled since 2022 to 19 minutes a day and total daily YouTube time is 41 minutes. Traditional broadcasters’ weekly reach has fallen to 70%.
Trump Media & Technology has unveiled Truth API, a paid low‑latency feed that will deliver real‑time posts from the platform’s top 10 accounts from Aug. 1. Executives discussed charging institutional customers up to $100,000 a month (or $60,000 on three‑year deals). Lawmakers, regulators and market participants have warned it will let traders profit from presidential posts and raise conflict‑of‑interest and market‑manipulation concerns.
Preorder promotions for Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 8, Z Fold 8 Ultra, and Z Flip 8 are flooding the market. Deals include trade-ins, carrier credits, and Amazon gift cards, with official release set for August 7, 2026 and deliveries starting mid-August as stock rolls out.
National Geographic’s Pompeii: Out of Time with Tom Hiddleston is a docuseries blending scripted drama with archival reporting. Critics praise its human focus and production values but critique Hiddleston’s hosting style and the format’s balance of entertainment with history.
Xbox reports an outage lasting about 20 hours, affecting sign-ins and game launches. CTO Scott Van Vliet apologises and says a licensing service failure caused entitlement checks to fail. Microsoft will harden dependencies and roll out a fix to prevent future disruptions, amid renewed worries about a digital-only future in gaming.
Filmmaker Sophia Maddox uncovers how a notorious killer’s shadow shapes her family. The Hulu documentary My Grandfather Charles Manson follows her journey to understand trauma, identity, and the pull of a dark lineage.
Universal has taken takedown steps after a leaked version of Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey circulated on X, with firms vowing to protect IP. The leak has not dented the film’s worldwide haul, which has surpassed $640m in two weekends and is positioned for a billion globally.
David Robert Mitchell has released The End of Oak Street, a 1982‑set sci‑fi horror that transports a suburban neighbourhood into a dinosaur‑infested prehistoric landscape. Critics have praised Anne Hathaway’s performance and the film’s technical craft, but they have criticised its uneven tone, derivative Spielberg pastiche and an undercutting finale. Reviews started publishing 12 August 2026.
Carly Simon has announced her first album in years, Comes in Waves, while revealing a Parkinson’s diagnosis and skin cancer treatment. The collection revisits defining moments of her life and career, with songs touching on love, loss and renewal. Readers are invited to explore the full context of her career and health as she moves forward.
Disney’s experiences division has posted near $10 billion in quarterly revenue, a 10% year-over-year rise, driven by strong domestic attendance and promotions across parks and a recently expanded cruise fleet. Executives say marketing and new rides are fueling demand amid macro uncertainty.
Disney has struck a first-of-its-kind pilot deal with TikTok to allow fan-made videos using Disney and Pixar IP in Disney+ Vert s, with a U.S. rollout followed by other markets. The initiative marks a shift toward creator-led content and expands Disney’s short-form strategy amid flatlining traditional box office for some titles.
The prime minister has accelerated plans to make subscription cancellations easier and to curb deceptive discounts as part of a wider cost‑of‑living package. The government is bringing these changes forward to January 2027 and is planning consultations on banning misleading “was” prices.
Apple has raised prices for Apple TV, Apple One, and related services. The increases affect monthly and annual plans, with Apple TV now at 14.99/month ($119/year) and Apple One at 21.95/month. Several rivals have also nudged prices, and Apple cites broader shifts in hardware and services pricing. The moves come as Apple emphasizes services revenue.
President Donald Trump has said NBCMeet the Press host Kristen Welker will be reported to the Federal Communications Commission for what he called a "purposeful inaccuracy" after she said his endorsements have had "mixed results" this primary season. He named FCC chair Brendan Carr and urged the commission to act; broadcasters and rights groups are litigating alleged FCC pressure.
The Independent reports that the 48-year-old New York-born actor is joining General Hospital as William Baines, joining a wave of casting changes. Debuts are set for Thursday, September 3, as the soap continues its long-running tale in Port Charles. The moves follow recent departures and recastings, including Jack Brennan’s kill-off and Ethan Lovett’s recasting.
Android 17 introduces Encrypted Client Hello (ECH) to hide destination hostnames in TLS handshakes, improving privacy. The rollout includes stricter local-network permissions and default Certificate Transparency. ECH remains imperfect, not a VPN and does not conceal all metadata.
The 78th Primetime Emmy Awards are underway with The Pitt leading drama nominations and Widow’s Bay challenging Hacks for comedy supremacy. Mariska Hargitay is hosting NBC’s telecast, with Apple TV+ debuts Pluribus and DTF St Louis among top contenders. The ceremony honors Buffy, Charlie’s Angels, and Dolly Parton while Zendaya and Harrison Ford are among notable presenters.
Streaming platforms including Disney+, Hulu, Netflix and others have raised prices again, intensifying pressure on households already paying increasingly for ad-free and bundled plans. The moves come amid ongoing industry-wide shifts toward profitability and new pricing structures.