Author: Mia Bhatia

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Technology

Musk alleges India Starlink block

Elon Musk has accused unnamed “oligarchs” of blocking Starlink’s entry into India, escalating a dispute over the satellite internet company’s long-awaited commercial launch.

Musk, the chief executive of SpaceX, said on social media that “certain oligarchs” were trying to prevent Starlink from entering the Indian market to protect what he called a “monopolistic chokehold” over consumers. He did not identify any individual or company, but said the alleged obstruction was a “crime against the people of India”.

The Indian government has rejected the allegation, saying the country’s regulatory framework for satellite communications is fair and non-discriminatory. The Communications Ministry said all three licensed satellite communication operators are currently undergoing security assessments and are broadly at the same stage of the approval process.

The confrontation comes as Starlink remains close to launching its satellite broadband service in India but is still waiting for several regulatory clearances.

Starlink has spent nearly five years preparing for the Indian market. The SpaceX subsidiary has obtained a Global Mobile Personal Communication by Satellite (GMPCS) licence from the Department of Telecommunications and authorisation from the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe).

The company has also invested in local infrastructure and established 20 gateway sites with hundreds of antennas, according to Lauren Dreyer, Starlink’s vice-president of business operations. Speaking at the India Mobile Congress, Dreyer said Starlink had designed its India operations around the country’s security requirements and had put controls in place to keep Indian user data within the country.

“We stand ready to serve India,” Dreyer said, adding that the company was prepared to work with the government, telecom operators and other industry participants.

Starlink has also signed agreements with Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel, two of India’s largest telecom companies, to explore bringing its satellite internet service to customers.

The government’s response has shifted the focus from alleged commercial interference to the regulatory process itself.

The Communications Ministry said security assessment is currently underway for all three licensed satellite operators. Once the process is completed for an operator, it can move to the next stage of seeking spectrum assignment.

The three companies include Starlink, Jio Satellite Communications and Eutelsat OneWeb India Communications. The government has maintained that the same regulatory framework applies to all satellite communication providers.

Officials therefore argue that Starlink is not being singled out. The ministry described suggestions that the framework was unfair or discriminatory as “baseless and misconceived”.

Obtaining a satellite communication licence is only one part of the process for Starlink.

The company still faces security-related requirements, foreign investment approval and the final steps involved in spectrum assignment. India has placed particular emphasis on lawful interception, data localisation and the ability of authorities to control satellite services during emergencies or security situations.

These requirements are significant because Starlink operates a global network of low-Earth orbit satellites. Its satellites can transmit data between one another through inter-satellite links before routing traffic to ground stations, raising questions about how Indian authorities can monitor and control traffic originating within the country.

 

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Technology

Google unveils Nano Banana 2.1 for cheaper AI images

Google has introduced Nano Banana 2.1, a new artificial intelligence image-generation and editing model designed to make high-quality visual creation faster, more consistent and significantly cheaper.

The model, launched on October 6, builds on Google’s Nano Banana 2 and focuses on a challenge that is becoming increasingly important as AI-generated images move from experimentation into everyday business use: producing better visuals without pushing up costs.

One of the biggest changes is the pricing. Through the Gemini API, Nano Banana 2.1 is available at $0.0336 for a 1K image, $0.0504 for a 2K image and $0.0756 for a 4K image. The pricing is roughly half that of the previous Nano Banana 2 model, potentially making large-scale image generation more affordable for developers and businesses.

The lower cost could be particularly useful for companies that generate thousands of images for online stores, advertising campaigns, publishing, gaming and social media. Instead of treating AI image generation as an occasional creative tool, businesses can increasingly use it as part of regular production workflows.

Google has also focused heavily on consistency. One of the common problems with AI-generated images is that a person, product or object can change slightly every time a new image is created. Nano Banana 2.1 is designed to improve that consistency across multiple editing and generation steps.

The model can work with as many as 14 reference images, allowing users to provide more visual information about the people, products or objects they want to include. It can support up to four characters and 10 objects in a scene, giving creators greater control over complex compositions.

Text inside AI-generated images has also received attention. Earlier image models often struggled with spelling, typography, signs, labels and detailed layouts. Nano Banana 2.1 is designed to produce more accurate text and better-organised infographic-style visuals.

That improvement could make the technology more practical for marketing material, product presentations, educational graphics and social media content, where incorrect text can quickly make an otherwise impressive image unusable.

The model supports 1K, 2K and 4K image generation, giving users the option to choose quality based on their requirements and budget. Google has also addressed problems that can appear when creating extremely wide or tall images, including visual tiling artefacts.

Another important feature is the model’s ability to use information from Google Search and Image Search to improve generated visuals. This grounding capability can help the model work with current or specific visual information rather than relying entirely on its existing knowledge.

Nano Banana 2.1 also supports video-to-image capabilities, opening up additional possibilities for creators who want to turn moments from video into new visual assets.

The technology is being made available through Google’s Gemini ecosystem, including Gemini, Google AI Studio and the Gemini API. Developers can access the model using the model identifier gemini-nano-banana-2.1.

Google is positioning Nano Banana 2.1 as part of a broader family of image-generation models. Nano Banana Pro remains aimed at more advanced visual tasks, while Nano Banana 2.1 focuses on balancing quality, speed and cost. A lighter version is also positioned for users who prioritise speed and lower computing requirements.

The launch comes as competition in AI image generation intensifies. Technology companies are increasingly trying to improve not just how realistic AI images look, but how reliably they can be produced at scale.

That shift is important for businesses. A creative team may want to generate multiple versions of a product advertisement, an online retailer may need different images for thousands of products, while a publisher could require illustrations in several formats. Consistency and cost can matter just as much as image quality in such cases.

Google’s latest model reflects that changing demand. The focus is moving beyond simply asking AI to “create a picture” towards giving users more control over characters, products, text, composition and editing.

The lower pricing may ultimately prove just as significant as the visual improvements. If AI-generated imagery becomes cheap enough to use routinely, it could change how companies approach design and content production.

Nano Banana 2.1 therefore represents another step in Google’s effort to make generative AI imagery more useful outside the novelty phase. Its combination of lower costs, stronger consistency, improved text rendering and broader editing capabilities could make AI-generated visuals easier to integrate into everyday creative and commercial work.

 

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Technology

Apple blocks Jack Dorsey’s Bitchat in India

Apple has removed Bitchat, the decentralised messaging app backed by Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey, from its India App Store following a government request. The move has brought renewed attention to digital privacy, internet shutdowns and the growing regulatory challenge posed by communication platforms designed to work without conventional internet networks.

Dorsey shared an Apple App Review notice on October 3 confirming the removal. According to the notice, Apple took the action after receiving a demand from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, 2000.

Apple said the app was being removed because it contained material that was considered illegal in India and did not meet its App Store requirements. The company’s TestFlight version of Bitchat has also been made unavailable for testing in India.

The development has placed Bitchat at the centre of a larger discussion about how governments should regulate communication technology that does not depend on traditional internet infrastructure.

Bitchat works differently from conventional messaging services such as WhatsApp and Telegram. It uses Bluetooth mesh networking, allowing nearby smartphones to communicate directly and relay encrypted messages from one device to another. The system can operate without mobile data, Wi-Fi or a central messaging server.

That capability has made the application particularly relevant during situations in which internet connectivity is disrupted. A group of nearby users can create a local network, with messages travelling between participating devices as long as they remain within Bluetooth range.

The technology has also attracted scrutiny from Indian authorities because of its potential use during internet shutdowns. A decentralised communication system can allow people to exchange information even when mobile internet services have been suspended, making conventional monitoring and control more difficult.

Bitchat had already come under regulatory pressure in India earlier this year. Authorities directed GitHub to remove repositories linked to the application after it gained attention during protests in Delhi. The app was reportedly used by some protesters when internet connectivity was restricted around Jantar Mantar.

The latest action comes after another round of demonstrations in Delhi. Internet services were suspended around Jantar Mantar during protests on October 2, once again highlighting the relevance of alternative communication tools that can function without regular internet access.

Bitchat’s popularity had increased significantly during the earlier protests. India reportedly accounted for the overwhelming majority of the app’s global downloads during a period in July, compared with a very small share during the previous month.

The surge demonstrated how quickly interest in decentralised messaging can grow when access to conventional communication networks becomes uncertain.

The government has raised concerns about the possibility of such technology being misused. Communication platforms that do not depend on central servers can make it harder for authorities to monitor activity or intervene when they believe communications are being used for unlawful purposes.

Digital rights groups, however, have questioned the government’s approach. The Internet Freedom Foundation has argued that blocking an entire application because of its technical architecture raises constitutional concerns. It has also called for greater transparency around the order used to restrict Bitchat.

The controversy has revived a familiar debate in India over the balance between national security and digital freedom. Authorities have a responsibility to address the misuse of technology, but civil liberties advocates argue that restrictions must be proportionate, legally justified and transparent.

The case also highlights the increasing role played by technology companies in implementing government orders. Apple operates its App Store according to the legal requirements of individual countries and can remove applications when authorities issue demands that meet its policies and legal obligations.

Bitchat’s removal is particularly significant because the application was designed around decentralisation. Unlike traditional messaging platforms, there is no central infrastructure through which every message needs to pass. That makes the service more resilient during network disruptions but also creates regulatory difficulties.

The episode could have wider implications for developers working on peer-to-peer communication, encrypted messaging and decentralised technology. As governments become more concerned about communication tools that can operate outside conventional networks, applications built around privacy and resilience may face greater scrutiny.

Bitchat’s removal does not settle that debate. Instead, it brings the issue into sharper focus. The clash between government regulation and decentralised technology is likely to grow as developers create more tools capable of functioning without central servers or conventional internet access.

The Bitchat episode therefore extends beyond Jack Dorsey’s app or Apple’s App Store. It touches on internet shutdowns, digital privacy, encrypted communication, cybersecurity and freedom of expression. India’s handling of the case could become an important reference point as policymakers confront a new generation of communication technologies that are increasingly difficult to regulate through traditional methods.

 

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Technology

OpenAI brings virtual fitting to ChatGPT

Online shopping is becoming increasingly visual, and OpenAI is giving ChatGPT a new role in the buying journey. The company has introduced a virtual try-on feature that lets users see how clothes and accessories could look on them before making a purchase. Alongside it, OpenAI has launched a Favorites tool that allows shoppers to save products and return to them later.

The new features began rolling out globally on October 1 and are available across ChatGPT’s web and mobile experiences. Supported clothing and accessory listings now come with a Try On button. Users can select the option, upload or take a selfie, and generate an AI-created image showing how the chosen item might look on them.

The feature is not limited to products discovered directly through ChatGPT. Users can also upload an image of clothing or an accessory, including a screenshot taken from another website, and ask ChatGPT to show how the item could look on them. That makes the tool useful beyond traditional product search, allowing shoppers to bring items they have already found online into the conversation.

The technology is powered by OpenAI’s latest image-generation capabilities. The company says the new ChatGPT Images 2.5 model can produce more natural lighting, richer textures and more reliable responses to editing instructions, while also reducing image-generation latency. These improvements are important for virtual shopping because the usefulness of a try-on experience depends heavily on how naturally the clothing, accessories and the user are represented.

The shopping experience is also becoming more conversational. Instead of simply searching for a specific product, users can describe a style they want to create and ask ChatGPT to find pieces that match it. They can also upload an image of an outfit and ask the AI to identify similar items that are available to buy. This moves ChatGPT beyond a conventional search box and towards an AI-assisted fashion discovery tool.

OpenAI’s second major addition, Favorites, addresses another familiar problem with online shopping: keeping track of products found during multiple searches. Users can save products to their ChatGPT Library and organise them into folders, making it easier to revisit clothing, accessories and other shopping finds later. Try-on images can also remain associated with the shopping experience, giving users a reference point when comparing products.

The company is also building the feature around reusable reference photos. Once a user uploads a photo for a virtual try-on, the reference image can be saved for future use, meaning shoppers do not necessarily have to upload a new selfie each time. OpenAI says users can change or remove these reference photos through Settings → Personalization → Reference photos.

There is, however, an important limitation. A virtual try-on image is a visual preview, not a measurement tool. OpenAI warns that generated images may not exactly represent the product or the user’s appearance and do not guarantee that an item will fit or be the correct size. Shoppers are therefore advised to check the seller’s measurements, product details and return policy before completing a purchase.

That distinction matters because clothing fit depends on factors that an AI-generated image cannot reliably establish, including fabric behaviour, garment construction, body measurements and sizing differences between brands. A jacket may appear convincing in a generated image while still fitting differently in reality.

Privacy is another consideration as AI shopping becomes more personalised. Since reference photographs can be saved for future try-ons, users have controls to manage or delete those images through ChatGPT’s settings. The ability to remove stored reference photos gives users more control over the visual information being used for future shopping interactions.

OpenAI’s move comes as major technology companies increasingly use artificial intelligence to connect product discovery with visual search and shopping. Google has already explored virtual try-on, while platforms such as Pinterest have built strong positions around visual inspiration and product discovery. OpenAI is now combining similar visual capabilities with the conversational nature of ChatGPT.

The larger change is that shopping through AI is becoming less about typing a product name and receiving a list of links. Users can now describe an aesthetic, upload a photograph, compare products, visualise an outfit and save items within the same conversation. That could make the path from inspiration to purchase more interactive and personalised.

Still, the new tool is best viewed as a decision aid rather than a replacement for conventional product information. A generated image can answer the simple question of whether a style looks appealing, but shoppers will still need reliable measurements, material information, customer reviews and return policies before placing an order.

With virtual try-on and Favorites, OpenAI is extending ChatGPT further into everyday consumer decisions. The company’s latest update suggests that AI shopping is moving towards a more visual and personalised model, where the assistant does not simply help users find products but also helps them imagine, compare and organise what they may want to buy.

 

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Technology

WhatsApp expands safety tools for teens

WhatsApp is giving parents more control over how teenagers use the messaging app, while keeping their private conversations off-limits.

The new parental controls, announced on September 30, allow parents to manage selected privacy settings, receive alerts about group activity and set limits around features such as Channels, Status and Meta AI.

The move comes as social media and messaging platforms face growing pressure to make online spaces safer for younger users. WhatsApp says its new tools are designed to give parents useful visibility without turning private conversations into something they can monitor.

What parents can see

Parents can receive notifications when their teenager joins or leaves a WhatsApp group. They can also be alerted when a group the teenager belongs to grows significantly.

However, these alerts do not show what is being discussed in the group.

Parents can also manage who can add their teenager to groups and who can see their profile picture. Certain privacy changes made by teenagers may require approval through a parent-set PIN.

The idea is to help parents understand some aspects of their child’s WhatsApp activity without giving them access to the actual content of conversations.

More control over Status and Channels

The new settings also cover WhatsApp Status and Channels.

Parents can decide which Status updates their teenager can view and who can see the teenager’s own Status updates. They can also restrict access to Channels, giving families greater control over the content teenagers encounter on the platform.

That matters as WhatsApp has expanded beyond private messaging and group conversations. Channels now allow users and organisations to distribute content to large audiences, making the app more than just a communication tool.

Meta AI gets a new setting

WhatsApp is also giving parents more control over their teenager’s use of Meta AI.

Parents can choose the standard 13+ experience or activate a Limited Content setting. The stricter option limits some Meta AI features, including incognito chat and message summaries.

The changes are part of Meta’s wider effort to build additional safeguards around AI tools used by younger people.

Private messages remain private

One of the key points of the update is that parents cannot read their teenager’s private WhatsApp messages or listen to their calls through these controls.

WhatsApp’s end-to-end encryption continues to protect personal chats and calls. The new parental tools provide information about selected account activity and allow parents to change certain settings, but they do not provide access to conversation content.

That distinction is important for families trying to balance teen safety and digital privacy.

Parents can have more visibility into how their teenagers are using WhatsApp, while teenagers retain privacy over their personal conversations.

How the controls work

Parents need to link their account with their teenager’s WhatsApp account to use the new controls. Once linked, they can choose the restrictions they want to apply and create a PIN for settings that require approval.

The features are being rolled out gradually, so they may not be available to everyone immediately. Availability can also vary by region and device.

WhatsApp says the controls are optional and can be adjusted as a teenager becomes older and more independent.

Why WhatsApp is making the change

The update reflects a broader shift in how technology companies are approaching online safety for teenagers.

Instead of simply restricting access, platforms are increasingly giving parents tools to set boundaries around groups, contacts, privacy and potentially sensitive content.

For families, that could make everyday conversations about online safety a little easier. Parents can keep an eye on important account activity without having to check every message, while teenagers can continue to use private chats without giving up their basic privacy.

WhatsApp’s latest move ultimately focuses on finding a middle ground: more parental supervision where it matters, but private conversations remain private.

 

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Technology

Google brings Fitbit Air to India

Google has launched the Fitbit Air in India, adding a new screen-free option to the country’s growing wearable technology market. Priced at ₹13,999, the fitness tracker is designed to monitor health, activity and sleep continuously without putting a display or notifications on the user’s wrist.

The Fitbit Air will be available in India from October 2 through the Google Store and selected retail partners. It comes in four colours — Obsidian, Berry, Lavender and Fog.

Unlike a smartwatch or conventional fitness band, the Fitbit Air has no screen. It is built around a small, lightweight tracker that sits inside a wearable band. Users can check their health and fitness information through the companion Google Health app on a smartphone.

The screenless design is central to Fitbit Air’s pitch. Instead of encouraging users to check notifications, messages or statistics throughout the day, the device quietly collects health data in the background. The approach is aimed at people who want continuous fitness tracking without another screen competing for their attention.

The tracker monitors several health and fitness indicators. These include continuous heart rate, resting heart rate and heart rate variability. It also supports blood oxygen saturation, or SpO2, monitoring and irregular heart rhythm notifications associated with atrial fibrillation.

Sleep tracking is another major feature. Fitbit Air can monitor sleep duration and different sleep stages, including light, deep and REM sleep. The lightweight design also makes it suitable for overnight use, allowing users to collect sleep data without wearing a larger smartwatch.

Google is also using the Fitbit Air to expand its personalised health and fitness services. The device works with the company’s Health Coach, which analyses information collected through Fitbit and provides personalised guidance based on activity, sleep, recovery and other wellness data.

The Health Coach is designed to turn raw fitness data into more practical recommendations. Instead of simply showing how many steps a person has taken, the service aims to help users understand broader patterns and make changes to their exercise and recovery routines.

Workout tracking is another part of the experience. Fitbit Air can automatically identify and record certain activities. Google is also introducing features that use a smartphone camera to help users capture information about workouts and exercise equipment.

Battery life is one of the device’s key selling points. Google claims that Fitbit Air can last for up to seven days on a single charge. A quick five-minute charge can provide up to a day of use, making the tracker less dependent on frequent charging than many smartwatches.

The wearable uses interchangeable bands, giving users options for different activities and occasions. The Performance Loop comes with the tracker, while additional band choices include an Active Band designed for workouts and an Elevated Modern Band for everyday wear.

Indian buyers will also receive a three-month trial of Google Health Premium with the device. The premium service provides access to the complete Health Coach experience and additional personalised wellness features. Users will need to subscribe after the trial period to continue accessing those premium features.

At ₹13,999, however, Fitbit Air sits at a relatively high price point for a device that does not have a display. Its pricing could become an important consideration for Indian consumers, particularly those comparing it with conventional fitness bands, smartwatches and other screen-free health trackers.

The product enters a category that has gained attention globally through devices such as Whoop, which have popularised screen-free health and fitness tracking. Fitbit Air follows a similar concept but combines it with Google’s Fitbit ecosystem and Health Coach platform.

The difference between a smartwatch and the new Fitbit is therefore quite clear. A smartwatch puts notifications, apps, calls and health information directly on the wrist. Fitbit Air removes those functions and concentrates primarily on collecting health and fitness data.

The device can also complement a smartwatch rather than necessarily replace one. Users could wear a smartwatch during the day and switch to Fitbit Air for sleep or recovery tracking. Its smaller form factor could make continuous wear more convenient for some users.

Fitbit Air is compatible with both Android and iOS devices, giving it a wider potential audience beyond Google’s own smartphone users.

The launch comes as India’s wearable market continues to evolve. Consumers are increasingly looking for more detailed information about sleep, recovery, heart health, workouts and daily activity. At the same time, some users are becoming more conscious of the number of screens and notifications they interact with every day.

Fitbit Air attempts to address both trends with a single device. It collects detailed health information while deliberately leaving the display behind.

For Google, the launch strengthens Fitbit’s presence in India’s competitive wearable market and expands its portfolio beyond conventional smartwatches and fitness bands. For consumers, the product offers a different approach to wearable technology, focused on continuous health tracking rather than constant interaction.

The success of Fitbit Air in India will ultimately depend on how consumers weigh its screen-free design, health monitoring features, AI-powered coaching and seven-day battery life against its ₹13,999 price and subscription-based premium services.

 

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Technology

Apple Pay launches in India with Axis Bank

Apple has officially launched Apple Pay in India, bringing its contactless payment service to the country after years of anticipation. The service went live on September 30 and is initially available to customers with eligible Axis Bank-issued Visa and Mastercard credit cards. Apple Pay can be used on iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch, while Mac support is expected to arrive soon.

The India launch gives Apple users another way to make card payments without carrying a physical card or repeatedly entering card details. Users can add an eligible Axis Bank credit card to Apple Wallet and use their device to pay at participating stores, apps and websites. Apple says the service is available across thousands of merchants in India, with more expected to be added over time.

How Apple Pay Works in India

Apple Pay is designed to make contactless payments a simple tap-and-go experience. At a compatible payment terminal, iPhone users can double-click the side button or Home button, authenticate with Face ID, Touch ID or their device passcode, and hold the top of the iPhone near the contactless reader.

Apple Watch users can double-click the side button and hold the display close to the payment terminal. Once authenticated, the payment is processed through the linked card. Users do not need to enter a card PIN or OTP at checkout when using Apple Pay.

Apple Pay can also be used for purchases inside supported apps and on websites. Instead of entering card, billing and contact information each time, users can select Apple Pay at checkout and authenticate the transaction on their device.

For Axis Bank customers, the rewards and benefits associated with their eligible credit cards continue when those cards are used through Apple Pay.

Setting up Apple Pay is also straightforward. Users can open the Apple Wallet app on their iPhone, tap the plus button and follow the instructions to add an eligible Axis Bank card. The card can also be added through the latest version of the Axis Bank mobile banking app. Once the card is verified, it can be used through Apple Pay.

Where Apple Pay Can Be Used

Apple Pay’s initial rollout covers a range of physical stores, online platforms and apps. Apple says participating merchants include Apple Store locations, Blinkit, Chaayos, Comet, Croma, Interflora, Ixigo, Le15 Patisserie, Reliance brands, Tata 1mg and Zomato, among others.

The company has also partnered with payment service providers including Cashfree, JusPay, Mswipe, Paytm, PayU, Pine Labs, Razorpay and Worldline to extend Apple Pay across their merchant networks. More merchants and apps are expected to join the network as the rollout expands.

Apple Pay can also be used internationally at compatible NFC contactless terminals. This means eligible Indian users travelling abroad can use the service wherever their card and Apple Pay are supported.

At launch, however, the service has a limited banking and card-network footprint in India. Only eligible Axis Bank Visa and Mastercard credit cards are supported. India’s domestic RuPay cards are not part of the initial rollout, and Apple has not yet announced broader bank support. The company is expected to expand the service to additional banks and cards over time.

The limited initial rollout is notable because India has a highly developed digital payments ecosystem dominated by UPI. Apple Pay’s India offering is currently focused on card-based payments, rather than UPI transactions. Users therefore cannot use Apple Pay to make a direct UPI payment from a bank account through the service at launch.

Security and Privacy

Security and privacy are central to Apple’s Apple Pay model. The company says the actual card number is not stored on the device or on Apple’s servers and is not shared with merchants during a transaction.

Instead, Apple Pay creates a unique Device Account Number for the card. This number is encrypted and stored in the device’s Secure Element, a dedicated security component designed to protect payment information. Each payment is also authenticated on the user’s device.

Apple Pay is now available across more than 90 countries and regions, with more than 11,000 bank and network partners globally, according to the company. Its entry into India adds one of the world’s largest digital payments markets to that network.

The initial Axis Bank-only rollout is relatively narrow, but the addition of more banks, cards, merchants and apps could determine how widely Apple Pay is adopted in India’s competitive digital payments market.

 

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Leaders

MongoDB CEO CJ Desai moves to Meta

Meta has made a significant leadership hire as it steps up its push into enterprise artificial intelligence, appointing MongoDB President and CEO Chirantan “CJ” Desai as its Chief Enterprise Platform Officer.

Desai has stepped down from MongoDB with immediate effect to join Meta, where he will report directly to CEO Mark Zuckerberg. His new mandate is to build and lead Meta Enterprise Platform, a newly created business aimed at bringing the company’s AI models, agents and developer tools to businesses.

The move puts an experienced enterprise technology executive at the centre of Meta’s effort to turn its growing AI capabilities into products that companies can use to build applications, automate work and serve customers.

Zuckerberg described Meta Enterprise Platform as the “next major pillar” of the company’s business. The platform will initially bring together technologies including the Muse AI agent, Meta Business Agent, Muse API and Muse Code for businesses and developers.

Desai’s appointment comes less than a year after he became MongoDB’s CEO. He took over the database software company’s top job from Dev Ittycheria in November 2025, making his move to Meta a relatively early change in his tenure.

MongoDB moved quickly to manage the leadership transition. Its board appointed Ittycheria as interim President and CEO, effective immediately, while beginning a search for a permanent successor. The company has also retained an executive search firm to support the process.

The company said its business outlook remains unchanged and reaffirmed the guidance it issued on September 1. MongoDB is also holding its Investor Day on September 29, where its leadership team is expected to discuss its longer-term strategy, market opportunities and product development.

The leadership change triggered an immediate reaction in MongoDB shares. The stock fell sharply after Desai’s departure was announced, with Reuters reporting an 18% decline in morning trading.

The market reaction reflects the importance investors place on leadership continuity, particularly at technology companies competing in rapidly changing AI and cloud markets.

Desai brings a long enterprise-software career to Meta. Before joining MongoDB, he was President of Product and Engineering at Cloudflare. Earlier, he spent nearly eight years at ServiceNow, eventually becoming President and Chief Operating Officer. His career has also included leadership roles at Oracle, Symantec and EMC.

His background covers several areas that are central to Meta’s new enterprise strategy, including software platforms, infrastructure, AI, security, product development and business applications.

That experience is particularly relevant to Meta’s latest ambition. The company has historically generated the bulk of its revenue from advertising across Facebook, Instagram and its other platforms. Its enterprise AI push represents an effort to take its technology directly to corporate customers and developers.

Meta says its enterprise platform will use the company’s existing strengths in AI models, agents, infrastructure and its relationships with businesses. The company already works with millions of advertisers and hundreds of millions of businesses across its platforms.

Desai said AI will reshape how organisations innovate, grow, serve customers and run their operations. He said Meta’s goal is to turn its AI technology into products and services that companies can deploy within their own businesses, with security and privacy built into its enterprise products.

The appointment also comes as enterprise AI becomes an increasingly important market for technology companies. Businesses are looking beyond chatbots towards AI agents, coding assistants, automated workflows and tools that can be integrated into existing software systems.

Meta has already been moving in that direction. Its Meta Business Agent is designed to help businesses interact with customers through platforms including WhatsApp, Messenger and Instagram, while its Muse tools are aimed at expanding the role of AI agents and developers.

Desai’s arrival gives Meta an executive with experience selling and scaling enterprise technology at several major software companies. His challenge now is to turn that experience into a new business for a company whose core strength has traditionally been consumer technology and digital advertising.

At MongoDB, meanwhile, Ittycheria returns to a company he led for 11 years, from 2014 to 2025. During his tenure, MongoDB grew from roughly $35 million in annual revenue to more than $2.3 billion, according to the company.

The board has described the business as strong and said Ittycheria’s familiarity with MongoDB, its employees and customers will help ensure continuity while the search for a permanent CEO continues.

The leadership changes at both companies highlight how quickly the AI boom is reshaping the technology industry. For Meta, Desai’s appointment signals that enterprise AI is becoming a central part of its next phase. For MongoDB, the immediate priority is maintaining momentum while it searches for its next permanent leader.

 

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Technology

Nothing launches Headphone 1 Pro

Nothing has launched its latest premium wireless headphones, the Headphone (1) Pro, with a focus on better sound, stronger noise cancellation and longer battery life. The new model builds on the company’s first over-ear headphones but brings a more advanced audio setup and several upgrades aimed at premium headphone buyers.

The Nothing Headphone (1) Pro was unveiled on September 29 at a starting price of $399 in the US. That makes it $100 more expensive than the original Headphone (1), which debuted at $299. The new headphones are offered in black and white. Nothing has listed the product on its India website, although the company has not yet announced an official India price or local sale date.

The biggest upgrade comes in the audio department. Unlike the original Headphone (1), which uses a single driver in each earcup, the Pro version features three drivers per side. The setup combines a 40mm dynamic driver for low frequencies, a precision dynamic driver for the midrange and an xMEMS driver for higher frequencies.

Nothing says the combination is designed to deliver deeper bass, clearer vocals and greater detail across different types of music. The headphones support frequencies from 20Hz to 40kHz and come with Hi-Res Audio certification.

The company has also worked with Metropolis Studios in London to tune the headphones. This partnership is aimed at giving users a more refined listening experience, while a physical Flat EQ switch allows listeners to move towards a more neutral sound profile.

Users can choose from different sound modes, including Standard, Live House, Club and Concert Hall. The headphones also support Dynamic Spatial Audio with head tracking, which adjusts the soundstage as the listener moves their head. This is designed to create a more immersive experience while watching compatible content or listening to music.

Noise cancellation is another major focus of the Headphone (1) Pro. The headphones use 10 microphones and offer adaptive active noise cancellation of up to 46dB, according to Nothing. The system monitors surrounding sounds and adjusts noise cancellation automatically.

A Transparency mode is also available for users who need to remain aware of their surroundings. Nothing has separately worked on call quality, using a four-microphone setup designed to make voices clearer when taking calls in busy environments.

Battery life is one of the strongest features of the new headphones. Nothing claims up to 68 hours of playback with ANC switched off and up to 30 hours with active noise cancellation enabled. A five-minute quick charge can provide up to four hours of playback when ANC is off.

The headphones come with a 1,060mAh battery and charge through USB-C. The company has also retained a wired audio option through a 3.5mm connection.

Connectivity has received an upgrade as well. The Headphone (1) Pro supports Bluetooth 6.1, along with AAC, SBC and LDAC codecs. Users can connect two devices simultaneously, making it easier to switch between a smartphone and laptop.

USB-C audio is supported at up to 24-bit/192kHz, giving users the option of high-resolution wired playback. The headphones also support Google Fast Pair, Microsoft Swift Pair and Auracast, which allows compatible audio to be broadcast to multiple devices.

The design continues Nothing’s transparent and minimalist approach but comes with a more premium construction. The Headphone (1) Pro uses aluminium, titanium and scratch-resistant glass. Nothing has also increased the headband padding and adjusted the fit for longer listening sessions.

The headphones weigh 327 grams and carry an IP52 rating, offering limited protection against dust and water. A hard-shell carrying case is included with the product.

Nothing has also retained physical controls instead of depending entirely on touch gestures. A volume roller can be used for playback and volume adjustments, while a paddle allows users to skip tracks and manage calls. A dedicated button can be customised through the Nothing X app.

The launch comes as Nothing expands its presence in the premium audio market. The company has also announced BTS member V as its global brand ambassador, with the singer featuring in the campaign for the new headphones.

At $399, the Headphone (1) Pro enters a competitive segment that includes established premium audio brands. Nothing is banking on its distinctive design, triple-driver architecture, adaptive ANC and long battery life to stand out.

For Indian consumers, the key details are still pending. The product is visible on Nothing’s India website, but official Indian pricing and availability have not yet been confirmed. Until then, the US price gives an indication of where the new Headphone (1) Pro sits in Nothing’s growing premium audio portfolio.

 

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Technology

Google adds voice, avatars to Gemini

Google is making its Gemini artificial intelligence platform more conversational with new voice and avatar capabilities that allow AI-generated characters to speak, express themselves and interact with users in real time.

The latest rollout includes Gemini 3.8 Flash TTS, Gemini 3.8 Flash-Lite TTS and Gemini 3.8 Live with Live Avatar. Together, the updates expand Gemini beyond text and give developers new ways to build voice-based and visual AI experiences.

The new technology is aimed at making interactions with artificial intelligence sound and feel more natural. Instead of simply converting written text into speech, Google’s latest models can control the style and delivery of a voice, generate conversations between multiple speakers and, in some cases, reproduce a voice from a short recording.

The most notable addition to Google’s text-to-speech technology is voice cloning.

Gemini 3.8 Flash TTS can create a synthetic version of a person’s voice using a short audio sample. Reports on the rollout say the system can clone a voice from about 30 seconds of recorded speech.

Developers can also describe the voice they want through natural-language instructions. They can specify characteristics such as the speaker’s style, tone, accent or role, allowing them to create voices suited to different applications.

The technology could be used for digital assistants, audiobooks, games, video content and virtual characters. A company, for example, could create a branded AI assistant with a consistent voice, while content creators could generate narration without recording every line themselves.

Google has also designed the models to produce more expressive speech. The AI can adjust elements such as tone, pacing and delivery, helping conversations sound less robotic.

Gemini’s new text-to-speech capabilities are not limited to individual sentences.

The models can generate dialogue involving multiple speakers, allowing developers to create AI conversations with different voices. This could make the technology useful for podcasts, educational content, interactive stories and other applications where dialogue is central.

The system is also designed to handle conversational flow more naturally. Rather than producing isolated audio clips, developers can use the technology to create a complete exchange between AI-generated speakers.

Google is offering Gemini 3.8 Flash-Lite TTS as a lighter option for applications that need speech generation at scale. This could benefit developers building voice agents and services that need to produce large amounts of audio.

The new models are being made available through Google’s developer tools, including Google AI Studio and the Gemini API.

Google is also changing how its conversational AI looks.

With Gemini 3.8 Live with Live Avatar, users can interact with an animated AI character that speaks and responds during a live conversation.

The avatar can synchronise its mouth movements with generated speech and use facial expressions while responding. This creates a visual layer on top of Gemini’s existing conversational abilities.

The system is designed for near real-time interaction, allowing users to communicate with an AI character rather than simply receiving a text or audio response.

Google is initially focusing Live Avatar on enterprise applications. Businesses could use the technology for customer support, digital guides, training, product demonstrations and interactive kiosks.

Companies can select existing avatars or create their own digital characters with specific appearances and voices. The technology can be integrated into websites, mobile applications and other interactive experiences.

The ability to create realistic voices and faces also raises concerns around synthetic media and identity.

Voice cloning can make it difficult to distinguish between genuine recordings and AI-generated audio, particularly when a person’s voice is reproduced from a short sample.

Google says its AI systems include safeguards designed to address these risks. The company is also using SynthID, its watermarking technology for identifying AI-generated content, with the Live Avatar system.

The safeguards are particularly relevant as AI-generated voices and faces become increasingly realistic and accessible to developers.

The latest updates show Google’s broader push to make Gemini a multimodal AI platform.

The company’s AI assistant has already expanded beyond text to work with images, audio and other forms of information. The latest developments focus on making the output itself more natural, particularly when Gemini is used for conversation.

The new text-to-speech models give developers greater control over how an AI system sounds. Live Avatar adds another layer by giving that system a face and visible expressions.

For consumers, the technology could eventually lead to more natural digital assistants and interactive AI characters. For businesses, it opens up applications in customer service, training, entertainment and digital communication.

Google’s latest Gemini rollout therefore focuses not only on what artificial intelligence can say, but also on how it speaks, how it sounds and how it appears while communicating.

With voice cloning, expressive speech and animated avatars now part of the Gemini ecosystem, Google is pushing conversational AI closer to a more human-style interaction while continuing to build safeguards around increasingly realistic synthetic media.