Here are the top trending news from the world of technology and AI. News that every tech enthusiast should keep a tab on.
1)
Telegram now offers third party verification and refined search filters
Telegram has rolled out first major update of 2025 by adding a new third party verification system. This new system allows the authorized and already verified organizations to verify accounts and chats. This is different from the existing verification system meant for public figures and organizations, which typically uses a blue checkmark. Instead, the new verified account will show a unique icon next to their names. Individuals and organizations that want to verify others must already have an official bot verified by Telegram. Separately, Telegram has also introduced new search filters like private chats, group chats and channels. These search filters will help users to locate specific conversations or content within the app.
2)
Tesla’s car sales slipped for the first time ever in a single calendar year
Elon Musk’s Tesla has ended 2024 on a rather bleak note. The company reported its first-ever annual decline in vehicle deliveries as it announced the delivery numbers for 2024. Tesla delivered total 1.79 million vehicles in 2024, which is a 1.1% decrease from the 1.81 million vehicles delivered in 2023. In the fourth quarter alone, Tesla delivered 495,570 vehicles, falling short of analyst expectations of around 505,000 vehicles. The decline has been attributed to increased competition in the electric vehicle market and a slowdown in the overall demand. The company is especially facing a tough competition in China, where China’s domestic player BYD is giving Tesla a run for the money.
3)
Apple settles Siri privacy suit for $95 million
Apple has agreed to shell out $95 million to settle a class action lawsuit regarding privacy violations related to its Siri voice assistant. This settlement comes after damaging allegations that Siri recorded users’ conversations without consent, particularly when the “Hey Siri” feature was unintentionally activated. The lawsuit, which was filed in 2019, accused Apple of sharing the conversation with several third-party companies, which used it for targeted advertising. Members of the class action, estimated to be in the tens of millions, may receive up to $20 per Siri-enabled device. But the actual payout could be less due to legal fees and other expenses associated with the settlement.
4)
Spotify launches its partner program for podcast hosts
Spotify has officially unveiled its Spotify Partner Program, which aims to empower podcast hosts by providing monetization opportunities. This program is now available to creators in the U.S., U.K., Canada, and Australia. Creators can earn from two primary sources, ad revenue and premium video revenue. In ad revenue, podcast host will receive a 50% share of the revenue generated from ads played during their episodes, whether streamed on Spotify or other platforms. On other hand, for creators who publish video podcasts, they can earn based on streams from Spotify Premium subscribers, without dynamic ads interrupting their content.
