LT Weekly: Jul 3, 2026

Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning

• Anthropic annc’d Claude Sonnet 5, its most agentic Sonnet model yet, designed for planning, tool use, coding, reasoning, and autonomous task execution. Sonnet 5 delivers performance close to Opus 4.8 at lower cost, improves safety by reducing hallucinations, sycophancy, and misuse risks, and includes default cyber safeguards. It is available across Claude plans and APIs, w/ introductory pricing of $2 per mn input tokens and $10 per mn output tokens through Aug 31, 2026. (Anthropic)

• Apple CEO Tim Cook held a virtual meeting with EU tech chief Henna Virkkunen in an effort to resolve a dispute over Siri AI’s delayed EU launch. Apple says the Digital Markets Act prevented approval of its proposed “Trusted System Agent” framework and an 18‑month transition plan, while EU officials argue the DMA does not block new products. The talks were described as constructive, signaling both sides remain engaged in finding a path forward for Siri AI in Europe. (9to5Mac)

• Bank of England Deputy Governor Sarah Breeden said firms using AI for autonomous trading may eventually need “kill switches” or guardrails to prevent market disruption if systems fail. Speaking at an ECB conference, she warned AI could increase volatility during periods of stress through herding behaviour, as models react similarly to prompts. The BoE, Bundesbank and BIS are studying risks and possible safeguards for financial mkts. (Financial Times)

• OpenAI cut AI inference costs by ~50%, reducing the compute expense of generating ChatGPT and API responses. The Co is pursuing broader cost cuts, including its Jun. 2026 Jalapeño inference chip w/ Broadcom and a Batch API offering a 50% discount for non-real-time workloads. It also highlights quantization, caching and Mixture-of-Experts tech, noting inference spending could reach billions annually as usage grows. (Crypto Briefing)

• Research by Ramp and Revelio Labs covering 21,559 US firms found heavy AI adopters hired faster than peers. Cos spending ~$33.67 per employee on AI increased headcount 10.2% over 2 yrs, while low-intensity adopters spending ~$2.78 saw little change. Entry-level staffing at heavy adopters rose 12%, challenging fears that AI will eliminate junior jobs. Researchers noted the sample focused on tech-forward, white-collar firms and long-term impacts remain uncertain. (Yahoo Finance)

• Anthropic annc’d Claude Science, an AI workbench for researchers that uses existing Claude models rather than a new science-specific model. The platform connects to 60+ scientific databases, supports specialized assistants, fact-checking, reproducible code, and on-premises deployment. Anthropic is betting on workflow-focused AI svs to win scientific users, competing against OpenAI’s GPT-Rosalind and Google DeepMind’s science offerings. (TechCrunch)

• Google annc’d that Gemini’s personalized Nano Banana-powered AI image generation is now free for eligible US users, expanding beyond paid Plus, Pro and Ultra tiers. The feature uses Personal Intelligence, drawing on connected Google apps such as Gmail, Photos, YouTube and Search to create images based on user preferences and, if permitted, photos. The opt-in tool can be disabled, and follows broader Gemini feature expansions and growth to 750mn+ monthly active users. (TechCrunch)

• Amazon is expanding its AI partnership w/ Anthropic, making an immediate $5bn investment and offering up to $20bn more tied to commercial milestones. Combined w/ prior funding, Amazon’s total commitment could reach $33bn. In return, Anthropic plans to spend over $100bn on AWS infrastructure over the next decade, securing up to 5 gigawatts of compute capacity using Amazon’s Trainium and Graviton chips. (Crypto Briefing)

• DeepSeek annc’d DSpark, an MIT-licensed framework that speeds LLM inference by using semi-autoregressive drafting and confidence-scheduled verification. Applied to DeepSeek-V4 models, it delivered 51%-52% throughput gains and 57%-85% faster token generation in production tests. DeepSeek also released DeepSpec, a training/evaluation toolkit, enabling developers to adapt the approach to other open-weight models and improve AI serving efficiency. (VentureBeat)

• China’s tech workers are increasingly concerned that AI could replace their jobs as firms adapt to the new tech era. Rumours that Meituan might cut up to half of its product roles, though denied by the Co, intensified fears across the sector. Employees say “optimisation,” long used as a euphemism for lay-offs, now carries a new meaning tied to AI-driven workforce reductions. Similar staff cuts have reportedly affected firms including Baidu and Xiaomi. (South China Morning Post)

• Anthropic PBC received US approval to restore limited access to its Mythos 5 AI model after addressing Trump administration concerns over potential national security risks. In a letter seen by Bloomberg News, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said the Co had worked w/ the US government to mitigate risks tied to the “Covered Models” and made significant progress. As a result, Mythos 5 may be released to certain trusted partners. (Bloomberg)

• Google has limited Meta’s access to Gemini AI models after Meta requested more computing capacity than could be supplied. The restriction, communicated around Mar., disrupted and delayed some internal AI projects and prompted staff to use AI tokens more efficiently. Other clients were also affected, though less severely. (Reuters)

Audio/Music/Podcast

• Tidal annc’d a new AI music policy effective July 15 requiring labels on music wholly or substantially created using AI. Fully AI-generated tracks will not receive royalties, and content tied to fraudulent activity, including artist impersonation or listener deception, will be banned. Tidal said the move addresses a surge in AI submissions, aims to protect artists and rightsholders, and will expand as AI-detection methods improve. (Variety)

Cable/Pay-TV/Wireless

• T-Mobile is moving customers on older 3G/4G-era plans to newer 5G plans, saying the change will unlock better network performance, video streaming, hotspot allowances and international calling benefits. Some users will pay ~+$4 per line, while a large portion will see no increase. The Co said retired plans cannot be restored and the shift will simplify ~1,100 billing codes to fewer than 100, helping speed new features and future 5G Advanced capabilities. (Fierce Network)

• Dish DBS, the satellite pay-TV unit of EchoStar, is preparing to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy as soon as Tuesday, according to people familiar w/ the matter. The filing would support a restructuring agreement previously reached w/ major bondholders of the Dish Network unit. EchoStar, which also owns Dish TV and Boost Mobile, has been facing a $25bn debt load and yrs of subscriber declines. (The Wall Street Journal)

Capital Market Updates

• Bending Spoons, owner of Vimeo and AOL, priced its US IPO above range at $29/share, raising $1. 68bn and valuing the Co at ~ $18.4bn. The Italian software Co and existing holders sold ~58mn shares in one of Europe’s largest stock mkts debuts. CEO Luca Ferrari said the firm combines private-equity style acquisitions w/ tech development, having bought brands including Evernote, WeTransfer, Vimeo, Brightcove, Meetup and AOL. (Reuters)

• Q2 2026 delivered the highest number of venture-backed startup exits valued at $1bn+ since 2021, according to Crunchbase. SpaceX led the surge, completing the largest venture-backed exit ever, raising ~$75bn in its IPO and reaching a $2.1tn first-day market cap. Other major exits included SpaceX’s $60bn acquisition of Cursor, Cerebras Systems’ $5.55bn IPO, and Quantinuum’s $1.7bn debut. (Crunchbase)

• Japan’s IPO mkts hit a 15-yr low in H1 2026, w/ just 18 listings, the fewest since 2011, raising only $917mn, according to Dealogic. Even as the Nikkei 225 rose about a third this yr, activity remained weak. Bankers said volatility and limited AI-, data-centre- and semiconductor-linked start-ups may delay recovery, though activity could improve later this yr and next yr. (Financial Times)

Cloud/DataCenters/IT Infrastructure

• ByteDance is accelerating its Brazil expansion w/ a massive data center project in Ceara state, expected to become TikTok owner’s largest such complex outside China. The project is estimated at 200bn reais ($39bn), starting w/ 200MW of computing capacity and potentially reaching 1GW. Brazil’s renewable energy base and global cable links support its AI ambitions, though policy, trade, infrastructure and local opposition remain key risks. (Yahoo Finance)

• Digital Realty agreed to buy Blackstone’s stakes in three Northern Virginia data centers for $3. 5bn, paying $1.2bn cash and $2.3bn in shares. The deal increases Digital Realty’s ownership of two 96-megawatt facilities in Manassas and one in Sterling. The assets are valued at $7.8bn including debt and planned capex. The Co said the transaction should boost core FFO/share in 2027-2028 as development is completed and rents begin. (Reuters

Crypto/Blockchain/web3/NFTs

• A consortium backed by BlackRock, Google and Coinbase said Tuesday it is launching Open USD, a new dollar-backed stablecoin. The stablecoin is expected to be offered later this yr on Base, the Coinbase-affiliated blockchain, as well as on Solana and other networks. The initiative has drawn broad industry support, w/ ~140 cos signing up to use Open USD, including payments firms Visa, Stripe and Mastercard. (The Wall Street Journal)

• US President Donald Trump reported more than $1. 4bn in crypto-related income in a mandatory financial disclosure, including $635mn in royalties from Celebration Coins, linked to the $TRUMP meme coin, and over $500mn from crypto firm World Liberty Financial. His total disclosed income for the yr exceeded $2.2bn. The White House said Trump’s biz are held in a trust managed by his sons and denied any conflict of interest, citing support for making the US a crypto hub. (BBC)

• Crypto firms have spent $189mn to influence 2026 US midterm elections, exceeding the $170mn deployed in 2024 and accounting for over one-third of all corporate political funding so far. Fairshake, a pro-crypto super PAC, received $82mn. Public Citizen said crypto, AI, big tech and online betting interests have spent $294mn combined as the industry pushes for favorable legislation after recent policy gains in Washington. (Reuters)

• Robinhood Mkts cont’d its crypto push by annc’ing new products and expansion plans. In Europe, it will offer more perpetual futures tied to currencies, commodities and major ETFs. The Co is rolling out updated tokenized stocks that trade 24/7 and can be used as collateral, plus Robinhood Earn, a decentralized lending product offering estimated annual interest of 7% on dollar-backed stablecoins. (The Wall Street Journal)

• The UK Financial Conduct Authority annc’d sweeping crypto rules effective Oct next yr, requiring firms to hold capital against risky assets, conduct annual stress tests and prove resilience to market shocks. The framework extends oversight across trading, asset custody, consumer protection and risk management. (The Guardian)

eCommerce/Social Commerce/Retail

• France’s parliament passed legislation targeting ultrafast fashion retailers such as Shein and marketplaces including Temu. The law would impose fines on firms that sell large volumes of low-price clothing, part of efforts to reduce the environmental impact of cheap, high-volume apparel. It also seeks to curb the influence of these retailers, which have gained market share in France and increased pressure on traditional retailers. (The Wall Street Journal)

• Nike reported fiscal Q4 earnings and rev above expectations, posting adj EPS of $0. 20 on $10.97bn rev versus forecasts of $0.13 and $10.86bn. Net income rose to $1.07bn, helped by an expected $986mn tariff refund that boosted gross margin. North America rev grew 3%, while Greater China sales fell 12% to $1.30bn. CEO Elliott Hill said Nike remains committed to restoring growth in China as its broader turnaround cont’d. (CNBC)
• Amazon’s four-day Prime Day sale helped drive total US online spending to $26. 4bn, slightly above Adobe’s $26.3bn estimate. Spending across retailers rose 9.3% vs. last yr as Walmart and Target ran overlapping promotions. Electronics and apparel saw the deepest discounts at ~24%. Buy-now-pay-later accounted for 6.6% of orders. Numerator said average household spending on Amazon was $143, down 8.3% from last yr’s event, while Amazon said it was pleased w/ customer response. (MSN)

• GameStop said it will cont’d pursuing its unsolicited cash-and-stock bid for eBay valued at ~$56bn, despite eBay rejecting the proposal. CEO Ryan Cohen has argued a combined Co could better compete w/ Amazon and said he would lead the merged biz. GameStop signaled more details on strategy and operations are forthcoming and forecast fiscal 2026 adj EBITDA above $600mn, up from $345.4mn in fiscal 2025, helping lift shares in after-hours trading. (Reuters)

FinTech/InsurTech/Payments

• A Swedish court ordered Google to pay Klarna-owned PriceRunner ~14. 3bn Swedish crowns ($1.5bn; $1.97bn incl. interest) in antitrust damages, ruling that Google unfairly favored its own shopping svs in search results. The award, the largest in a Swedish competition case, was below the ~78bn crowns sought. Google said it disagrees w/ the decision and is reviewing legal options, while Klarna expects a lengthy appeal process. (Reuters)

Handheld Devices & Accessories/Connected Home

• Xiaomi, Oppo and Vivo have again lowered 2026 smartphone shipment targets as rising costs and unprecedented component shortages pressure the sector. Several Chinese handset makers informed suppliers of revised plans, w/ some outlooks reduced by up to 30%. The cuts reflect continuing strain on production and demand expectations, prompting brands to scale back forecasts for the yr. (Nikkei Asia)

Last Mile Transportation/Delivery

• Uber Technologies dismissed two leaders at its AI data-labeling biz, a division the Co has highlighted as a key growth driver. Naga Kasu, senior director of engineering, and Pankaj Kamat, director of product at Uber AI Solutions, recently left the Co, according to a person familiar w/ the matter. An Uber spokesperson confirmed the departures. The changes shake up the nascent AI-focused unit as Uber continues to develop the biz. (Bloomberg)

Macro Updates

• US job openings rose 9,000 to 7. 594mn in May, a two-yr high and above forecasts, signaling steady labor demand. However, hiring fell for a second straight month to 5.17mn, while layoffs increased, especially in healthcare and social assistance. Consumer views of the labor market weakened, w/ more Americans saying jobs were hard to get. Economists said conditions remain broadly stable, keeping the Fed focused on inflation. (Reuters)

• South Korea’s exports jumped 70. 9% y/y to $102.25bn in Jun, the fastest growth since 1978 and above forecasts, driven by an AI-fueled chip boom. Semiconductor exports surged 199.5% to $44.8bn, while computer sales rose 308.8%. Shipments to China climbed 92.1% and to the U.S. 78.6%. Imports increased 30.1% to $66.1bn, helping generate a record monthly trade surplus of $36.15bn and a H1 surplus of $138.3bn. (Reuters)

• Kevin Warsh said there would be “no changes” to Federal Reserve independence and pledged a firm focus on inflation and price stability. Speaking at an ECB conference in Sintra, the new Fed chair said the central bank would stay committed to its 2% inflation target and remain independent despite possible White House pressure to cut rates. (Financial Times)

• Consumer spending rose 0. 7% in May while inflation accelerated to a three-yr high, according to BEA data. The PCE index increased 0.4% for the month and 4.1% annually, while core PCE reached 3.4%. Personal and disposable income also rose 0.7%, signaling economic resilience despite weak consumer sentiment. The Atlanta Fed projects Q2 GDP growth of 2.5%. Traders now see an 80% chance the Fed raises rates by at least 0.25% before the end of 2026. (Retail Dive)

Metaverse/AR & VR

• Meta is imposing new “rate limits” on its AI smart glasses, effectively creating a soft paywall. Conversation Focus, a feature that amplifies a speaker’s voice in noisy settings, will be capped at three hours per month unless users pay $19.99 for Meta One Premium; subscribers get 15 hours. (The Verge)

Regulatory

• Google warned proposed EU Digital Markets Act rules could create privacy and security risks by requiring Android to allow rival AI assistants system-level access and by forcing Google to share anonymized search data w/ competitors. Google argues bad actors could exploit AI integrations and that search data may be re-identified through “linkage attacks.” The European Commission is weighing these concerns against efforts to curb Google’s dominance, w/ a final decision expected on Jul 27th (Ars Technica)

• The US Supreme Court agreed to hear Apple’s appeal of a contempt ruling tied to Epic Games’ antitrust lawsuit over App Store practices. A judge found Apple violated a 2021 injunction requiring developers be allowed to direct users to non-Apple payment options. Epic argues Apple’s later 27% commission and restrictions defied the order. The Court will review whether Apple can be held in contempt for breaching the injunction’s spirit rather than an explicit provision. (Reuters)

• The US Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that people have a reasonable expectation of privacy in cellphone location data, requiring law enforcement to obtain a search warrant for geofence requests to tech Cos such as Google. The court said users do not voluntarily share such data under the third-party doctrine. The decision limits broad “reverse” searches, requires probable cause, and sends the Chatrie case back to an appeals court for further review. (TechCrunch)
• The Supreme Court, in a 5-4 ruling, rejected President Trump’s bid to remove Federal Reserve Gov Lisa Cook while her challenge proceeds, reaffirming the Fed’s insulation from presidential control. Chief Justice Roberts said allowing removal at any time without notice or judicial review could undermine the central bank’s policy independence. In a separate 6-3 FTC case, the court expanded presidential authority to fire officials at other independent agencies. (The Wall Street Journal)

Satellite/Space

• SpaceX annc’d discounted Starlink svs in Memphis, offering internet plans for $27. 50-$65 per month, about half the standard $55-$130 rates, w/ no upfront hardware costs and sharable discounts. The move comes amid backlash tied to xAI data centers in Memphis and Southaven over pollution concerns. DOJ recently defended xAI in an NAACP lawsuit, while the Co agreed to resume a recycled wastewater plant project supporting Colossus operations and the TVA. (Yahoo Finance)

• Rocket Lab annc’d a definitive deal to acquire Iridium in a cash-and-stock transaction valuing the Co at ~$8.0 bn. The combination unites Rocket Lab’s launch and satellite manufacturing capabilities w/ Iridium’s global communications network, L-band spectrum, and 2.55mn+ subscribers. Management said the merger creates a vertically integrated space biz, expands recurring rev, and supports next-generation satellite svs. (Rocket Lab)

• The Trump administration has discussed a potential SpaceX stock donation to children’s savings vehicles known as Trump Accounts, expected to launch next week. SpaceX has not confirmed participation. Treasury is rolling out the program w/ BNY Mellon and Robinhood (Semafor)

• Starlink became the largest ISP in rural New Zealand, surpassing 85,000 subs after 46% growth and accounting for more than a quarter of rural broadband connections. The LEO satellite provider attracted 54% of users moving off copper, helped by ~180 Mbit/s download speeds and 35ms latency. Regulators said satellite tech is reshaping rural connectivity, though rural users still pay about NZ$13 more per month than urban customers. (Light Reading)

Social/Digital Media

• Meta annc’d that CMO Alex Schultz will become its first Chief Data Officer, a new role centered on AI analytics. Schultz said he will help reshape how the Co learns and makes decisions in the AI era by improving data foundations across AI-powered analytics, experimentation, research and decision-making. Speaking to Axio, he highlighted building a semantic data layer as a top priority for the next six months. Denise Moreno succeeds him as CMO. (MediaPost)

• WhatsApp has begun rolling out username reservations worldwide, letting users claim unique names before the feature launches later in 2026. Usernames will allow people to message others, join groups, and interact w/ biz accounts without revealing phone numbers, adding privacy controls. Meta is offering a claims process for creators, small biz, and organizations to match existing Instagram or Facebook handles. No username directory will exist, and optional username keys can restrict first-time contact. (9to5Mac)

• Australia’s government annc’d it has doubled the maximum penalty for social media Cos that fail to comply w/ its under‑16 social media ban, raising fines from 49. 5mn AUD to 99mn AUD (~$68mn). PM Anthony Albanese said big tech is not doing enough to meet the law. Despite >5mn youth accounts being removed or restricted since Dec., studies suggest many teens still access social media. (Engadget)

Software

• Microsoft plans to annc’d thousands of job cuts in coming days, affecting sales, consulting and some Xbox roles, according to people familiar w/ the matter. The reductions are expected to impact less than 2.5% of its 220,000-person workforce, smaller than last yr’s layoffs. The move reflects ongoing cost-control efforts as the Co increases AI spending; some affected staff may be offered new roles immediately. (Business Insider)

• South Korea’s KFTC alleged Google abused its dominant Android app-store position, saying its Games/Google Velocity Program (“Project Hug”) tied financial support to developers launching games on Google Play on terms at least as favorable as rivals. Regulators said the practice affected 14.16tn won (~$9.1bn) in rev and reduced competition, including for OneStore. Google denied wrongdoing; penalties could reach 6% of affected rev. (Reuters)

• Britain’s CMA proposed rules requiring Apple and Google to let app developers direct users to alternative payment methods outside their app stores, aiming to lower fees and boost competition. The regulator is also considering opening Apple’s NFC tech to support rival iOS payment and wallet svs. Google said recent Play Store changes already allow steering, while Apple warned the move could increase security and fraud risks. (Reuters)

Sports/Sports Betting

• NPR reported Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg explored acquiring prediction-market leader Kalshi in 2025, but talks stalled amid disagreements and possible legal/ethical concerns. Meta has since cont’d development of Arena, a standalone prediction-market app using AI-generated questions and “play money” rather than real-money bets. (NPR)

• NBC Sports reported standout golf viewership as the Travelers Championship and KPMG Women’s PGA Championship delivered their best TV ratings in more than two decades. The Travelers final round averaged 4.2mn viewers across NBC and Peacock, the event’s strongest final-round audience in 24 yrs, peaking at 5.6mn viewers. The KPMG final round drew 1.4mn viewers, its highest audience in 21 yrs despite weather delays. (AOL)

Tech Hardware

• Apple is in talks to buy memory chips from Chinese suppliers ChangXin Memory Technologies (CXMT) and Yangtze Memory Technologies (YMTC) for devices sold in China, aiming to ease a global memory shortage that has driven price hikes across its products. CEO Tim Cook has appealed to Trump administration officials to limit political fallout. Both Cos are on a Pentagon blacklist, and any deal could trigger opposition from US national security hawks. (Bloomberg)

• South Korea unveiled AI-focused megaprojects to bolster its semiconductor sector. Samsung Electronics and SK hynix pledged 800tn won (~$519bn) to build a southwestern chip complex, while SK Group, GS Group and Naver plan 550tn won for AI data centers targeting 18.4GW capacity by 2035. The govt aims to expand chip production, packaging, AI infrastructure and physical AI, while promoting balanced regional development across Korea. (The Korea Times)

• Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez criticized Apple after the Co raised some MacBook and iPad prices by $200+, citing a memory-chip shortage tied to growing AI data-center demand. She argued Congress should pursue antitrust action, break up oversized tech firms, and strengthen consumer protections. AOC also warned that AI-driven data-center expansion could raise electronics and energy costs, spur layoffs, and threaten jobs. (New York Post)

• Jefferies says memory prices could jump 40–50% QoQ in Q3 2026 and another 30–40% in Q4 as global supply shortages persist and AI-driven demand remains strong. Prices are projected to rise 40–45% YoY in 2027, w/ meaningful relief not expected until 2028 when 15–20% new capacity comes online. Long-term supply deals may tighten availability for PCs, laptops, consoles and smartphones, keeping costs elevated across the tech industry. (Wccftech)

Video Games/Interactive Entertainment

• Xbox is cutting contracts w/ external vendors as part of broader cost-saving efforts ahead of expected mass layoffs and a reorganization. Contractors tied to Xbox’s Jun. showcase were told their roles were removed from next fiscal-yr budgets. Sources said Compulsion Games, Double Fine and Ninja Theory are involved in sale or buyout discussions, while staff across Activision Blizzard, ZeniMax and unionized teams face uncertainty. (Kotaku)

• Sony Interactive Entertainment annc’d that physical disc production for all new games releasing on PlayStation consoles will end in Jan 2028, reflecting a shift in consumer demand from physical media to digital purchases. Games released before Jan 2028 in disc format will not be affected. Future titles will be available digitally through PlayStation Store and retailers, while Sony says it will cont’d investing in access, choice, and innovation for players. (PlayStation Blog)

• Sony annc’d plans to shut down the PlayStation Store on PS3 and PS Vita. PS3 store access will end in select mkts, including Mexico, Honduras and Nicaragua, starting in Aug., w/ additional Latin American and Middle Eastern countries following later in 2026. A global shutdown for both consoles is set for Jul. 2027. Users will no longer buy new content afterward but can cont’d downloading previously purchased games for the foreseeable future. (The Verge)
• Microsoft is internally testing a Disc2Digital feature for Xbox that lets owners convert eligible Xbox One and Series X physical game discs into digital entitlements tied to the disc. Users could access benefits such as Xbox Cloud Gaming and Play Anywhere where supported. The feature preserves disc use but transfers entitlement w/ the disc, and may be key if future Xbox hardware launches without a disc drive. (The Verge)

• Sony said it does not intend to sell PS6 hardware at “significant losses,” signaling the next-gen console is unlikely to be heavily subsidized despite industry practice of recouping profits through game sales and subscriptions. Rising CPU, GPU and RAM costs have already driven PS5 price increases outside Japan. Sony said sales remain on track and demand has held up, but growing component costs could make PS6 pricing a major challenge ahead of its expected 2027 window. (Kotaku)

Video Streaming

• Roku cont’d expanding The Roku Channel in Jun 2026 by adding 12 free ad-supported live channels across adventure, lifestyle, history, anime and sports categories. New offerings include Extreme Living, All-Out Alaska, History Untold, Anime X, HiDive, FIFA Plus Women, Sports Illustrated and more. The additions strengthen Roku’s free TV lineup, giving viewers 24/7 access to outdoor, documentary, talk-show and sports programming without subscriptions (Cord Cutters News)

• NBCUniversal annc’d a pact making Starz available as an add-on subscription for select Peacock users at $11. 99/month. The bundle gives subscribers access to franchises including Outlander and Power on Peacock’s premium tiers. NBCU said the deal expands customer choice and engagement, while Starz said bundling helps broaden distribution. (The Hollywood Reporter)

• Australia’s ACCC sued Amazon, alleging unfair contract terms tied to ads introduced on Prime Video. The regulator said more than 1mn annual subscribers were affected between Nov. 2023 and Aug. 2025 after Amazon required customers to pay an extra monthly fee to keep the streaming svs ad-free. ACCC said ~850,000 prepaid subscribers received a downgraded, ad-supported svs during their term unless they paid more. Amazon said it is reviewing the case and cooperated w/ the investigation. (BBC)