Stay connected as we bring you the latest updates on innovations and trends in the tech industry. From TikTok’s Whee App to Netflix House and more, we have you covered on the week’s major headlines. Read on for what’s buzzing across the World Wide Web.
Netflix House Retail Destinations Announced
Netflix has revealed details about its upcoming permanent retail locations, set to open in 2025 in Dallas, Texas, and King of Prussia, Pennsylvania. Located in the Galleria Dallas and King of Prussia Mall, these venues will occupy over 100,000 square feet each, repurposing former department store spaces. The sites will feature immersive experiences, unique food and drink offerings, and striking sculptures and murals of popular Netflix characters. This initiative aims to create engaging physical spaces for fans, echoing the nostalgic appeal of Stranger Things’ Starcourt Mall.
New AI Company Focused on Safety
Ilya Sutskever, OpenAI’s co-founder and former chief scientist, has launched Safe Superintelligence Inc. (SSI), a startup dedicated to creating a safe and powerful AI system. SSI aims to balance safety and capabilities, avoiding the external pressures faced by larger companies. Co-founded by Daniel Gross and Daniel Levy, SSI focuses solely on developing safe superintelligence. Sutskever, who left OpenAI amid concerns over safety priorities, emphasizes that SSI’s business model ensures progress without short-term commercial pressures.
Apple Shifts Focus to Cheaper Vision Headset
Apple is reportedly halting development of a new high-end Vision headset due to slowing sales of the Vision Pro, according to The Information. Instead, Apple is working on reducing component costs for the existing model and developing a more affordable version, codenamed N109, targeting a release by the end of 2025. The new headset aims to retain the high-res displays but will be lighter and cost between $1,500 and $2,500. Despite these changes, Apple continues to support the Vision Pro with international releases and new features.
Snapchat’s Upcoming AR AI Model
Snapchat previewed its upcoming on-device AI model that transforms surroundings using augmented reality (AR). This model allows creators to turn text prompts into custom lenses, enabling dynamic real-time transformations. Users will see lenses using this model in the coming months, while creators can start making them by year’s end. Additionally, new AI tools in Lens Studio will simplify creating custom AR effects, including face transformations and 3D asset generation. This follows Snapchat’s recent AI innovations like AI-generated snaps and a ChatGPT-powered chatbot .
Nvidia Becomes World’s Most Valuable Company
Nvidia has surpassed Microsoft and Apple to become the world’s most valuable company, driven by its key role in generative AI technology. At the close of trading on Tuesday, Nvidia’s market cap reached $3.335 trillion, with shares priced at $135.58. This significant rise, up 160% in 2024, follows Nvidia’s recent earnings report and upcoming release of the Blackwell GPU architecture. CEO Jensen Huang announced the high-cost Blackwell units, priced at $30,000 to $40,000 each, with plans for new AI chips annually.
TikTok Launches New Photo-Sharing App Whee
TikTok has introduced Whee, a new photo-sharing app designed for sharing photos with close friends, similar to Instagram. Whee allows users to capture and share real-life moments privately, emphasizing authenticity. Currently available on Android in over a dozen countries (excluding the US), the Whee app features a photo viewfinder, friend messaging, and a feed for sharing with close friends. This launch follows TikTok’s previous image-sharing app, TikTok Notes. TikTok and ByteDance have not commented further on the release of Whee.