Strange shift in iPhone contract prices in South Africa
iPhone contract prices in South Africa have increased faster than cash prices over the past decade, reversing the typical relationship where contracts are cheaper. Contract purchases now cost significantly more than upfront payments, with the pricing gap widening substantially since the early 2010s.
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Early bird pricing for TechCrunch Founder Summit 2026 expires in two days, offering up to $190 in savings. The event attracts over 1,000 founders and investors and registration closes June 26 at 11:59 p.m. PT.
Trump admin proposes axing brake-pedal requirement for AVs in a boost for Tesla
The Trump administration proposed eliminating the mandatory brake pedal requirement for fully autonomous vehicles in a change affecting vehicles designed to operate without human control. The Department of Transportation made this proposal to potentially support Tesla's driverless vehicle development plans.
New effort will get genome sequences for entire Endangered Species list
Colossal Biosciences will generate complete genome sequences for all species on the U.S. Endangered Species List while collecting and preserving tissue samples from each organism. The biobanking initiative will create a comprehensive genetic database alongside physical specimens for future research and conservation efforts.
Amazon pours another $13B into India's AI and cloud infrastructure
Amazon is investing an additional $13 billion into India's AI and cloud infrastructure, including datacenter expansions in Mumbai and Hyderabad. This brings the company's total five-year commitment for India operations to $48 billion.
Adobe acquires image and video enhancement tool maker Topaz Labs
Adobe is acquiring Topaz Labs, a developer of AI-powered image and video enhancement software. The Topaz tools will be integrated into Adobe's Creative Cloud applications including Photoshop and Premiere Pro.
Capitec leaving South African banking giants behind
Capitec is growing faster than South Africa's established banks, widening the gap between the digital-first challenger and traditional lenders. The bank has achieved superior expansion rates compared to legacy competitors, though specific growth percentages are not detailed in the available information.
European Commission lines up Amazon and Microsoft for cloud gatekeeper status
Amazon and Microsoft have been designated as cloud gatekeepers under the European Union's Digital Markets Act, facing restrictions on business practices including interoperability and data portability requirements. The designation imposes strict obligations on companies controlling critical digital infrastructure in the cloud computing sector.
South Africa’s most powerful computer ranked 36th in the world
South Africa's Cassava supercomputer in Cape Town ranks 36th globally and is the most powerful on the African continent. The facility operates at world-class computational speeds for processing complex research and data applications.
Collabora releases CODE 26.04 as rivalry between FOSS cloudy office suites heats up
Collabora released CODE 26.04 with Markdown support and improved formula error handling in its cloud-based office suite. The update includes integrated AI capabilities that are disabled by default.
IBM claims major chip breakthrough
IBM has created chip technology with features smaller than one nanometre, potentially enabling faster computing and lower energy consumption. The company claims this represents the world's first achievement of sub-nanometre semiconductor manufacturing.
4 shares that helped Vestact outperform the market and grow its assets under management to R13.9 billion
Vestact's investment fund reached R13.9 billion in assets by concentrating on US technology stocks that outperformed the broader market. Four specific tech shares drove the model portfolio's outperformance, though the article does not name them.
ZTE builds a TCO-optimal AI factory to fuel token economy
ZTE constructed an AI factory using OEX architecture SuperPODs and multi-dimensional co-design to optimize tokens per second while reducing total cost of ownership for scaled inference. The system prioritizes maximizing token throughput and minimizing expenses associated with large-scale AI inference operations.
How to make the most of the winter holidays without leaving home
Petrol prices increased R1.43 per litre on June 3, with further rises expected when fuel levy relief expires in July. Motorists facing reduced travel budgets during winter holidays may need to prioritize destinations or adjust vacation plans around fuel costs.
WhatsApp eyes its next act: a global superapp
Meta hired Indian fintech founder Abhishek Nayar to lead WhatsApp's expansion into payments and commerce across all markets. WhatsApp is transitioning from a messaging-only platform toward a comprehensive super-app model similar to WeChat and Alipay.
When the AI costs more than the coder
AI coding tools could reach cost parity with developer salaries within four years, with South Africa potentially hitting this threshold sooner due to lower local wages. The analysis suggests that as subscription and infrastructure costs accumulate, enterprises may find AI coding assistance approaching the expense of hiring human programmers directly.
Datatec CEO lifts hedge ceiling as shares surge
Datatec's CEO raised a 2.4-million-share hedging collar ceiling as the stock price increased. The adjustment permits executives greater upside participation while preserving downside protection on their holdings.
Kaspersky’s blueprint for industrial cyber resilience
Kaspersky released guidance for building security operations centers in factories and plants that covers staffing, technology, and processes. The blueprint addresses cyber attack protection for industrial systems across multiple operational layers.