LOS ANGELES: Snap Inc., the company behind the Snapchat platform, has announced a significant policy shift regarding its popular Memories feature, eliminating the unlimited free storage option that has been available to users since 2016. Under the new terms, users will now be restricted to a maximum of 5GB of free storage for their saved photos and videos. While Snap asserts that the vast majority of its user base consumes significantly less than this amount, the decision has been met with considerable backlash, as it places a paywall on highly personal digital archives that were previously free. Critics also fear…
Author: Raja Zahid Khanzada
DUBLIN: WhatsApp, the world’s leading messaging platform, has begun rolling out a new feature designed to streamline user interaction, allowing individuals to initiate a chat with just a single tap directly from the status viewers list. The move significantly accelerates the speed of spontaneous communication on the platform. Now, when a user views a status update, a dedicated chat button will appear next to their name. This crucial shortcut makes it possible to message the viewer instantly without exiting the status screen. Previously, the process required users to navigate away from the status view, find the contacts in the chats…
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s newly enacted National Artificial Intelligence (AI) Policy is positioned as a critical driver for future economic growth, with projections suggesting it could boost the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by 7 to 12% and generate close to one million new jobs by 2030. The optimistic assessment was shared by Dr. Anil Salman, Chair of the government’s AI Policy Committee, at a major policy seminar. Policy Vision and Scope Speaking at a seminar organized by the Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (PIDE), Dr. Salman characterized the policy as bold, ethical, and transformative, emphasizing its inclusive vision aimed at driving…
GLOBAL WEATHER WATCH: The first Supermoon of 2025 is scheduled to grace the skies on October 7, promising a spectacular celestial display for stargazers across the globe. During this event, the full moon will reach the closest point to Earth in its orbit, causing it to appear an impressive 14% larger and 30% brighter than an average full moon. Known scientifically as a perigee syzygy, the phenomenon is commonly called a Supermoon. This occurrence takes place when the moon’s elliptical orbit brings it into unusually close proximity to our planet. This year’s October Supermoon will be approximately 224,599 miles from…
SAN FRANCISCO: OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT, is set to introduce critical new controls within its AI video-generating tool, Sora, that will allow content rights holders to dictate how their characters are used. The move is a direct response to mounting pressure over intellectual property rights, with the company also planning to share revenue with those who permit such AI-driven creation. The announcement came from Chief Executive Sam Altman on his blog on Friday, where he stated that the artificial intelligence firm will provide rights holders with “more granular control over generation of characters.” Altman confirmed that options for copyright…
ISLAMABAD: Meta has announced the rollout of the Instagram Map feature in Pakistan, offering users a new, interactive means to discover localized content and enhance social connection. The launch emphasizes the platform’s commitment to user control by incorporating strong privacy safeguards as a core component of the experience. The latest feature, announced on October 4th, is directly accessible at the top of users’ Direct Message (DM) inboxes. The new functionality allows Pakistanis to share their location and explore Stories, Reels, Posts, and Notes with location tags. This makes it easier to find out what friends and favourite creators are sharing…
SEOUL: Samsung’s next flagship smartphone, the Galaxy S26 Ultra, is rumoured to arrive with a potentially game-changing feature designed to address rising concerns over digital privacy. A new leak offers an unprecedented look into how the so-called “Privacy Display” could function, giving users granular control over screen visibility in public and crowded environments. Speculation regarding Samsung’s Privacy Display has circulated for months, but thanks to a fresh user interface (UI) leak, its implementation may be clearer than ever. The feature, initially spotted by the user @achultra on X (formerly Twitter), was found embedded within a teardown of the upcoming One…
TURIN, ITALY: Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon, has made a sweeping prediction, asserting that millions of people will be living in space within the next two decades, according to the Financial Times. The statement was delivered during a rare public appearance at Italian Tech Week in Turin on Friday. Speaking with John Elkann, heir to Italy’s powerful Agnelli family, Bezos outlined a future where space habitation is largely a matter of choice. He specified that robots would handle manual labour, allowing humans to live comfortable lives while large AI data centres operate above. The comment is viewed by many…
LOS ANGELES: Singer-songwriter Charlie Puth has offered an intriguing preview of his upcoming music, suggesting the new material will provide answers to “a lot of question marks” surrounding his life and artistic journey. The new release will mark his first significant body of work since the 2022 album, CHARLIE. Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter in a recent interview, the ‘Left and Right’ artist explained that his current creative endeavours are deeply intertwined with his personal evolution. “I’m excited about music in general,” he shared, confirming his intent to release new work “soon,” though he declined to specify a date. The…
LOS ANGELES: Two of Hollywood’s most acclaimed actors, Anne Hathaway and Adam Driver, are set to collaborate for the first time on the silver screen in the war drama ’Alone at Dawn.’ The film, which will be directed by veteran filmmaker Ron Howard for Amazon MGM, is based on the extraordinary true story of an American Air Force hero and the fight for his recognition. Alone at Dawn is inspired by the life of Air Force Combat Controller John Chapman (to be played by Driver) and an intelligence officer (Hathaway) who tirelessly advocated for him to receive the Medal of…
