Technology News
Latest technology news and updates
Total: 1446
Apple Lowers App Store Fees in China After Talks with Regulators
Apple will lower App Store commissions in mainland China from 30% to 25% on paid apps and in‑app purchases, and from 15% to 12% for qualifying small developers and mini‑apps, effective 15 March 2026. The adjustment follows talks with Chinese regulators and requires no new developer consent, reflecting Apple’s effort to accommodate regulatory concerns while preserving its business model in China.
Google’s Groundsource: AI that Turns Public Clues into Historical Disaster Maps — and Raises New Questions
Google has introduced Groundsource, an AI method that converts public information into structured historical disaster records, initially targeting urban flash floods. The tool could improve risk modelling and preparedness in data‑poor settings but raises concerns about coverage bias, data quality and governance.
China’s Robam Debuts ‘AI Cooking Glasses’ at AWE — A Smart‑kitchen Play with Bigger Ambitions
Robam introduced AI cooking glasses at AWE 2026 powered by its vertical culinary model “Shishen,” signalling appliance makers’ shift into AI‑driven services. The device exemplifies trends toward domain‑specific AI and connected kitchen ecosystems, while raising practical, privacy and regulatory questions that will shape adoption.
Midea’s MevoX Pushes Smart Homes from Remote Control to Cognitive Spaces
Midea unveiled MevoX, a self‑evolving home intelligence agent, and pledged over RMB 60 billion to AI and embodied intelligence over three years. The company is targeting two persistent technical gaps—reasoning (inference) and memory—to move smart homes from device control to proactive, context‑aware spaces, while signalling a strategic pivot from hardware sales to platform and service revenue.
BMW Backs Away from Level‑3 Autonomy in China — A Tactical Retreat, Not a Surrender
BMW has postponed plans to introduce Level‑3 autonomous driving in China, citing unresolved technical, regulatory and reputational risks. The move highlights the gap between prototype capability and safe, scalable deployment, and reshapes competitive dynamics between cautious incumbents and aggressive local challengers.
Leyard Tests MicroLED Optical Modules with CAS as a Low‑Power Alternative for AI Data Links
Leyard has supplied MicroLED optical module prototypes to the Chinese Academy of Sciences as part of a research collaboration exploring low‑power co‑packaged optics for AI data links. The technology promises steep energy savings relative to copper but remains at an early, uncertain validation stage with significant manufacturing and integration challenges.
China’s Commercial Launch Calendar Tightens as State and Private Reusable Rockets Gear Up for 2026
China has set first‑flight windows for two reusable rockets in 2026: the state-backed CZ‑12B in the first half of the year and private SQX‑3 by year‑end. Both programmes aim to lower launch costs and increase cadence to meet demand from large low‑Earth‑orbit constellations, but technical risks — especially stage recovery — remain a key hurdle.
Tencent’s SkillHub Sparks Dispute with OpenClaw Founder Over Scraping and Sustainablity Costs
OpenClaw’s founder accused Tencent of scraping skills from ClawHub into the company’s new SkillHub, saying the activity raised his server costs and amounted to appropriation without support. Tencent replied that SkillHub is a localized mirror that credits ClawHub, cited launch-week traffic figures and said its team includes upstream contributors and potential sponsors.
Chasing Deals, Becoming Prey: How 'Freebies' Become Scams on China’s Platforms
Small deals sold on Chinese second‑hand and social platforms have morphed into a vector for organised fraud, leaving bargain hunters and honest merchants exposed. Platforms are improving in‑flight risk controls, but gaps in verification, off‑platform diversion and profit incentives for resellers mean the market remains vulnerable.
The New ‘Compute Tax’: How OpenClaw Turns AI FOMO into Consumer Spending
OpenClaw has turned the high cost of compute into an accessible but potentially expensive consumer product, fueling token spending driven more by fear of missing out than by clear productivity gains. While big tech treats compute as a long-term strategic play, ordinary users are discovering that using powerful AI can be costlier and less useful than expected, creating new revenue streams for cloud vendors and service providers.
From Baidu Intern to HKEX Giant: How MiniMax Overtook Its Mentor in Four Years
Yan Junjie, a former Baidu intern and veteran SenseTime researcher, founded MiniMax in 2021 and transformed it into an AI company that briefly surpassed Baidu’s market value on the Hong Kong exchange. Backed by major investors and a fast‑growing product suite, MiniMax’s rise highlights China’s rapid AI startup ecosystem growth and the geopolitical and governance challenges that accompany global expansion.
China’s ‘Cyber Lobster’ Craze: How Open-Source AI Agents Spawned an Installation Economy — and New Security Headaches
Tencent’s promotion of OpenClaw — an open‑source AI agent users can run on their PCs — has sparked a consumer craze in China, spawning a small market for paid installation and uninstall services and triggering security warnings from national authorities. The episode highlights a broader industry pivot toward proactive, vertically specialised AI agents, even as practical utility for ordinary users and deployment security remain contested.