Microsoft and Amazon’s market rally fuels renewed optimism in tech; meanwhile, rumours suggest Apple may increase iPhone 17 prices amidst rising costs, as WhatsApp and other platforms introduce new features.
After a bruising first half of the year for parts of the technology sector, the mood has shifted sharply. According to Bloomberg, Microsoft and Amazon have regained investor favour after strong quarterly results showing faster AI-related growth, with both companies adding a combined $1.3 trillion in market value in just seven trading sessions after their late-July earnings releases. That rebound has helped steady the Nasdaq 100 after weeks of concern that heavy artificial intelligence spending was draining free cash flow at the biggest groups.
Against that backdrop, attention has turned to Apple, where a leaker cited by Digital Trends has claimed the company could lift iPhone 17 prices as soon as 10 August, before the iPhone 18 launch in September. Apple has not confirmed any change, so the claim remains speculative, but it has already fed into wider concern that handset pricing may continue to rise as component and platform costs increase.
WhatsApp, by contrast, is adding a feature aimed at making group chats more useful. In a blog post, the company said users can now type @All to alert everyone in a group at once, which is meant to help surface urgent messages even in muted chats. The feature works differently in larger groups: in chats with more than 32 members, only admins can use the tag. WhatsApp is also rolling out usernames, according to MacRumors, allowing people to communicate without sharing phone numbers.
Other platform changes are also moving into view. TechCrunch reported that X will replace its Revenue Sharing programme with Original Content Rewards from 8 September, while continuing to require Premium subscriptions, 500 verified followers and 500,000 verified impressions over 90 days. Separately, Digital Trends said the European Union is expanding its IRIS satellite network to 348 units, with first launches planned for 2029, as part of an effort to reduce dependence on providers such as Starlink. Microsoft Edge is also preparing to end support for older Manifest V2 extensions, including the original uBlock Origin, as the browser completes its transition to Manifest V3 by the end of 2026.
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