Apple Upgrade program is coming next week with up to 36-month payment plans

According to a new report from Bloomberg, Apple is planning to launch a new device leasing program in partnership with Klarna. It will be called Apple Upgrade and will require a soft credit check. It will apparently work like a subscription, with iPhone and Apple Watch leases running for 24 months and iPad and Mac leases running for 36 months. The Apple Watch SE, the base iPad, the iPhone 16, and the MacBook Neo will be excluded from the program. You will be able to pay off the device early and upgrade early to a new model, as well as decide whether to return or keep the device at the end...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/apple_upgrade_program_is_coming_next_week_with_up_to_36month_payment_plans-news-73820.php

Xiaomi Redmi Note 15 Pro 4G review

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/redmi_note_15_pro_4g-review-2981.php

Paramount's acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery is on hold

The bidding war for Warner Bros. Discovery was won by Paramount Skydance, which forced Netflix to drop out. The deal has however been put on hold by a judge. Twelve US state attorneys general requested a temporary restraining order to block Paramount Skydance from closing the deal, and US District Judge Araceli Martinez-Olguin of the Northern District of California granted the request. The deal is now effectively on hold for the next 14 days. On August 3, the judge will hold a hearing on the state attorneys general's motion for a preliminary injunction, which would freeze the deal until...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/paramounts_acquisition_of_warner_bros_discovery_is_on_hold-news-73817.php

Apple's 20th anniversary iPhone may offer a 7-inch screen

Apple's iPhone will celebrate its 20th anniversary next year, and the company is rumored to mark the occasion with a major redesign for its iPhone Pro lineup. The upcoming models are likely to go by the iPhone 20 moniker and are said to feature an edge-to-edge quad-curved display and solid-state buttons. Well-known tipster Digital Chat Station has now claimed that Apple is testing a 6.96-inch display, which could make its way to the iPhone 20 Pro Max. Image generated using Gemini AI While that's only 0.06 inches larger than the panel on the current iPhone 17 Pro Max, the tipster...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/apples_20th_anniversary_iphone_may_offer_a_7inch_screen-news-73815.php

European Commission fines AliExpress €550 million for counterfeit goods

The European Commission has today issued a fine of €550 million against the Chinese e-commerce giant AliExpress for failing to "diligently assess and mitigate risks relating to the sale of illegal, unsafe or counterfeit products", according to the official press release. The company was found to be breaching its obligations under the EU's Digital Services Act (DSA). The DSA mandates that online platforms like AliExpress take measures to review potentially illegal products, and AliExpress apparently "overestimated the effectiveness of its system in detecting and removing illegal products"....

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/european_commission_fines_aliexpress_550_million_for_counterfeit_goods-news-73800.php

Apple Sports app adds more soccer following the World Cup

The Apple Sports app has received a new update today to version 4.2, which was published a few hours ago. With this update, the app has added support for following the Belgian Pro League, Danish Superliga, Dutch Eredivisie, Japanese J1 League, Polish Ekstraklasa, Scottish Premiership, and the Swiss Super League. The Apple Sports app So, with these additions, soccer fans old and new can keep up with the most important soccer leagues worldwide. The update also adds the ability to see formations across most soccer leagues, so it's easier to visualize the starting lineup for each...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/apple_sports_app_adds_more_soccer_following_the_world_cup-news-73801.php