This week set the stage for a potential three-way battle among tech heavyweights Apple, Google, and Samsung. Google confirmed the Pixel 10a will launch on Feb.18, while rumours point to Apple unveiling the iPhone 17e the very next day. Both announcements could overshadow Samsung's Galaxy S26 lineup, expected roughly a week later. The next few weeks will show which brand draws the most eyeballs.
On the AI front, xAI Introduced Grok Imagine 1.0, ChatGPT was down in the U.S., even as ‘SaaSpocalypse' saw IT stocks plunging after Anthropic released open-source plugins in Claude Cowork.
xAI Introduces Grok Imagine 1.0
xAI launched Grok Imagine 1.0, its largest advancement in AI-generated video and audio. The update enables 10-second videos at 720p resolution with markedly better audio quality. xAI noted that the Imagine tool has generated 1.245 billion videos over the past 30 days.
ChatGPT Outage In US
ChatGPT suffered a short outage on Feb. 3, primarily affecting users in the U.S. OpenAI reported elevated error rates on its status page, with users facing issues loading the service or starting new conversations.
Microsoft Xbox Game Pass February Lineup
Microsoft announced the Xbox Game Pass February 2026 Wave 1 lineup, featuring major releases such as High on Life 2, Madden NFL 26, and Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora. According to Xbox Wire, Final Fantasy II and Like A Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii became available on Feb. 3 across Game Pass Ultimate, Premium and PC Game Pass.
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra Spotted On Geekbench
The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra surfaced on Geekbench, confirming that its global version runs on Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset with 12GB of RAM. It scored 3,601 in single-core and 10,686 in multi-core benchmarks. The Galaxy S26 lineup is expected to launch on Feb. 25.
Samsung Teases Galaxy S26 Series Camera Upgrades
Samsung released three teaser videos previewing the Galaxy S26 series' camera improvements, emphasising stronger zoom capabilities and enhanced low-light video recording.
Google Announces Pixel 10a Launch Date In Teaser
Google revealed the Pixel 10a's launch date via a YouTube teaser, confirming that the device will be unveiled on Feb. 18. The video shows the device in a blue-purple finish, equipped with a horizontal pill-shaped camera housing featuring dual lenses and a separate flash.
‘SaaSpocalypse' After Anthropic Releases Claude Cowork Plugins
The tech sector faced what has been dubbed a “SaaSpocalypse” on Feb. 3, when $285 billion vanished from market capitalisations. The trigger was Anthropic's release of 11 open-source plugins for Claude Cowork, which create “digital employees” for functions in legal, finance, sales, and customer support, raising concerns about the future of traditional staffing and billing models in the tech sector.
Samsung Galaxy A07 5G Launched
Samsung launched the Galaxy A07 5G in India as a budget-friendly 5G option focused on online entertainment, content creation, and sustained performance with data security. It includes the MediaTek Dimensity 6300 processor, a 50MP main camera, a 6.7-inch display, and a 6,000mAh battery for extended daily use.
Apple iPhone 17e Launch Tipped
Apple's iPhone 17e appears poised for release soon, with industry reports targeting Feb. 19 — one year after the iPhone 16e arrived. Sources like Macworld suggest Apple will opt for a straightforward press release announcement rather than a full event, consistent with the prior model's approach.
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