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News from IT and Telegram world. Advertising // adv@kod.ae Editor-in-chief // editors@kod.ae ! The project is not managed by Pavel Durov
🎧 Curious rumors...
Apple is expected to unveil five new AirPods features at the upcoming WWDC. Here’s what’s known so far →
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🍏 Fatality
A U.S. appeals court has rejected Apple’s request to delay App Store → rule changes, clearing the way for companies like Epic and Spotify to add external payment links.
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😽 The Cockatoo Strikes Back
Australia’s first homegrown rocket launch was halted after its payload fairings unexpectedly fell off → possibly due to a power surge caused by a cockatoo pulling on ground cables.
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😘 Telegram just got an upgrade
The first summer update is here → and it’s packed with new messaging tools.
Users can now message channels privately, trim voice notes before sending, share high-res photos, browse topics with new tabs, and more.
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👍 Where have we seen this before?
WhatsApp is preparing to roll out usernames → a feature currently in development and spotted in the latest iOS beta.
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😏 A knife in Telegram’s back?
Elon Musk’s X just rolled out its new messenger, XChat, in beta — and social media is already calling it a Telegram rival.
The new tool → promises end-to-end encryption, vanishing messages, and voice calls to anyone without needing their phone number.
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😀 AI, but make it manual
Turns out Builder.ai’s → “AI assistant” Natasha was just hundreds of Indian developers writing code by hand.
The bankrupt UK startup had raised hundreds of millions — including from Microsoft — despite media calling out the lie as far back as 2019.
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⚡️ Telegram raises $1.7B through new bonds
Telegram has successfully raised $1.7 billion by issuing new convertible bonds — $955M of which will be used to buy back 2021 bonds nearing maturity in 2026.
💘 The 5-year bonds offer a 9% annual yield and can convert into shares with a 20% discount if Telegram goes public.
💘 Bloomberg reports an additional $745M in fresh investment.
💘 According to Pavel Durov, strong demand for the messenger allowed Telegram to expand the offering beyond the initial $1.5B target.
💘 The funds will enable Telegram to repay its remaining 2021 bonds, which mature at the end of 2026.
Durov calls investor interest “phenomenal” and predicts a strong financial future for Telegram. The new bonds mature in June 2030.
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📱 iOS 26 drops this year
Apple is rolling out a major update across all platforms → iOS, macOS, watchOS and more will jump to version 26 for a unified lineup.
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🍏 Game Center 2.0
Apple is launching a new gaming app this year → with leaderboards, achievements, and a stronger push for Arcade. It’s set to replace the rarely-used Game Center.
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⚡️ Telegram has announced a partnership with Grok
Founder Pavel Durov says xAI’s chatbot will be deeply integrated into Telegram.
We’ve listed all the new features rolling out this summer — check them out at the link.
💘 https://durovscode.com/telegram-announces-year-long-partnership-with-grok-ai-whats-changing
⚡️ New Telegram Features for Android
Telegram is preparing a major update packed with useful new tools — spotted in the latest beta version for Android.
💘 You’ll soon be able to trim voice messages before sending. Just swipe up while recording and hit Pause — you’ll get the familiar playback interface, plus the option to shorten the clip.
💘 Like on macOS beta, channel admins on Android now have access to “suggestions” settings — essentially, a private chat where users can submit posts to the channel. Users will also be able to see whether their suggestion was read.
💘 Telegram is also adding a photo quality selector before sending: choose between SD (compressed) or HD (high quality) for more control over image resolution.
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⚡️ New Record
Anonymous Telegram numbers are now selling for a minimum of $2,000 — a record high since they first appeared.
💘 This price applies exclusively to “clean” +888 numbers that haven’t been flagged or restricted by the platform.
💘 These numbers start at 673 TON (around $2,013).
💘 Numbers marked as previously used in violation of Telegram’s rules go for roughly $100 less (starting from 639 TON).
💘 Prices for anonymous numbers in USD have been steadily climbing since early March.
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🤔 Not Your Average Fan Site
The CIA reportedly used a Star Wars fan site → as a covert communication tool for overseas agents.
Investigators found that the site was linked to known CIA infrastructure and part of a broader network of disguised platforms.
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❤️ This weekend in #TECH
💘 Vietnam has officially blocked Telegram, citing the platform’s failure to cooperate in criminal investigations.
💘 Trump’s proposed 25% tariff on iPhones may also hit Samsung and other phone makers — and he’s planning a 50% tariff on EU imports for good measure.
💘 A leaked database with 184M logins from Apple, Google, and others was found online — one of the largest password breaches to date.
💘 A French court has denied Pavel Durov permission to attend the Oslo Freedom Forum, citing legal restrictions tied to his ongoing case in Paris.
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👍 A Solid Opportunity
Telegram is about to launch a series of contests for Android developers, according to an announcement in the official Telegram Contests channel.
Winners could land a spot on the Telegram team — with potential earnings of up to $1M per year before taxes.
Further details haven’t been disclosed yet.
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🛸 Another WhatsApp update
WhatsApp is working on a new feature that lets users build their own AI chatbot → directly in the app.
The tool will allow full customization of tone, personality, and avatar for a more personalized experience.
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🧠 Total Life Domination
OpenAI plans to turn ChatGPT into a super assistant → that knows you, understands your priorities, and helps with virtually any task — across apps, email, voice, and more.
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😾 TikTok tracks the TikToks
TikTok has officially launched TikTok for Artists → a dashboard that lets musicians and their teams track how songs perform on the app, promote upcoming releases, and see who’s actually listening. Now live in 30+ countries, including the UAE.
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😄 Yumms!
French modder zukaingame played Super Mario Bros. using a Big Mac and chicken nuggets as a functioning controller.
He connected the burger and nuggets to a circuit board and used them as buttons.
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❤️ This weekend in #TECH
💘 Microsoft is giving Notepad a Markdown glow-up.
💘 Hugging Face introduced two open-source humanoid robots — the full-size HopeJR and the desktop Reachy Mini.
💘 Apple’s upcoming WWDC might be underwhelming for AI fans. The real innovations are expected in 2026 — if Apple can catch up by then.
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🦴 Trump’s tariffs temporarily reinstated
A U.S. appeals court → has paused a lower court’s decision that struck down Trump-era tariffs, allowing them to remain in effect while the case proceeds.
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✈️ Crypto takes off
Air Arabia becomes the first Middle Eastern airline → to accept crypto payments. Customers can now book flights using AE Coin — a dirham-pegged stablecoin.
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😽 Court Blocks Trump’s Tariff Orders
A U.S. trade court has struck down Trump’s tariffs on 185 countries, ruling he overreached. No real “emergency” → just a trade imbalance in disguise.
Trump’s team filed an appeal within minutes.
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⛔️ Not Quite a Deal Yet
Just hours after Telegram announced its year-long partnership with Grok, Elon Musk weighed in: "No deal has been signed."
Pavel Durov responded, confirming that while the agreement is in place “in principle,” the formalities are still pending.
Pavel Durov had earlier stated that xAI’s chatbot would be deeply integrated into Telegram this summer.
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🤔 Suggestions = Full-Fledged Chats in Telegram Channels
One of the most anticipated upcoming Telegram features is channel suggestions — which will soon act as a full chat between users and channels, as uncovered by the Durov’s Code team.
💘 This feature gives readers a direct line to channel admins — especially for anonymous channels that previously relied on bots or secondary accounts for communication.
💘 Channels will be able to charge users to send suggestions, opening a new revenue stream through Telegram Stars.
💘 Creators will receive 85% of the fee per suggestion, with the minimum price set at just 1 Star.
💘 Submissions can also be made free, depending on the channel’s settings.
💘 Users will be able to see whether their message was read, and submit not just text — but also media, stickers, GIFs, and more
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🤡 Innovation?
WhatsApp has finally released a dedicated app for iPad — complete with core functionality for Apple tablets.
Telegram responded instantly with a meme: "What YEAR is it?"
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😎 GPT for Everyone
The UAE is set to become the first country in the world where ChatGPT Plus will be available to all residents — for free.
This move is a cornerstone of Stargate UAE, a sweeping initiative to build the world’s largest AI campus outside the U.S. in Abu Dhabi. Powered by 5 gigawatts of compute, the site will become a regional hub for AI innovation — with the capacity to serve nearly half the planet.
More on how the UAE is turning AI ambition into infrastructure →
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🧠 Gabe vs. Elon
Gabe Newell is building a brain chip → to rival Neuralink. His startup Starfish plans to launch a simpler, low-power implant by late 2025 — designed to treat conditions like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
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🤡 Biting the Apple
Donald Trump has warned Apple → to move iPhone production to the U.S. — or face a 25% tariff on every device sold in the country.
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