Durov's Code

😘 Telegram’s First Spring Update

Telegram → rolled out a major update: now you can charge strangers to message you.

Also new—paid comments, account info previews for unknown contacts, and more.

@durovs_code

🥇 Bitcoin goes federal

Trump has officially added Bitcoin → to the U.S. national reserve. The government’s 200,000 BTC stash—confiscated in criminal and civil cases—won’t be sold but will be held as a strategic asset.

@durovs_code

🦴 Finally, a way to spend that extra $20K

OpenAI → is preparing to launch specialized AI agents, with pricing rumored to reach $20,000 per month for the top-tier version designed for PhD-level research.

More "affordable" options start at $2,000 and $10,000 for knowledge workers and software developers.

@durovs_code

📱 Google is speeding things up

Android 16 is launching earlier than expected → Google confirmed the OS will roll out in June 2025 instead of the usual late summer release.

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🍏 New arrivals at Apple

Apple has unveiled the MacBook Air with the M4 chip → now cheaper than its predecessor and available in a new color.

Also announced → the new Mac Studio, powered by M4 Max and M3 Ultra, delivering major performance upgrades for professionals.

@durovs_code

🧠 Amazon enters the AI reasoning race

Amazon → is developing Nova, an AI model to rival OpenAI, Google, and Anthropic, with advanced reasoning and lower costs—already 75% cheaper than competitors. Launch expected by June.

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🤷‍♂️ Let Him Cook

Since Trump took office, U.S. tech stocks → have lost over 7% of their market value. Chipmakers have been hit the hardest, while Tesla, Alphabet, Microsoft, and Amazon also face declines.

New tariffs on Canada, Mexico, and China add further pressure.

@durovs_code

🍏 More emojis, more intelligence

Apple’s latest iOS 18.4 developer beta introduces seven new emojis, including a tired face, radish, fingerprint, harp, leafless tree, inkblot, and shovel.

The update also expands Apple Intelligence support across more languages, adds Priority Notifications, and improves CarPlay.

iOS 18.4 is expected to launch in April 2025.

@durovs_code

👩‍⚕️ Microsoft’s AI doctor’s note

Microsoft has unveiled Dragon Copilot, an AI assistant → designed to handle medical documentation and information retrieval, so doctors can spend less time on paperwork and more time with patients.

@durovs_code

😆 Sergey Brin: Less babysitting, more coding

Google co-founder Sergey Brin → urged developers to stop making "nanny products," embrace a 60-hour workweek, and push harder in the AGI race. He wants faster, simpler AI solutions and less hand-holding for users.

@durovs_code

🍏 Fresh Apple lineup incoming

Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reports → that Apple is set to unveil the M4 MacBook Air this week, followed by a new iPad Air.

Meanwhile, iPhone 16e sales are flopping, with demand dozens or even hundreds of times lower than regular iPhones at launch.

@durovs_code

🥇 Trump’s Crypto Summit

Next week, the White House will host → its first-ever crypto summit, led by Donald Trump. Industry leaders and investors will join to discuss regulatory frameworks and the future of digital assets.

@durovs_code

🦴 Telegram’s Next Update: Pay to Chat?

Telegram’s latest beta brings paid private messages, Star withdrawals, sender info for unknown contacts, more gift settings, and more.

Check out all the key features in the new update.

@durovs_code

🤐 Skype Signs Off for Good

Microsoft plans to shut down Skype in May this year, according to information found in the program’s code by data miners. The company is offering Teams as a replacement.

Since 2003, Skype was the most popular messaging and internet calling app, but starting in 2011, more modern competitors emerged, causing it to lose popularity.

@durovs_code

🧠 OpenAI Drops GPT-4.5

The model “feels more natural”, is 10x more efficient than GPT-4, but also 30x pricier per token. Now available → for Pro users ($200/month), wider rollout starts March 3.

@durovs_code

🤔 Paid Comments Coming to Telegram?

Telegram is testing a paid messaging feature in public groups linked to channels, which could allow channel admins to charge for comments under their posts.

Details are still unclear—will users pay per comment or through a subscription? No word yet on when (or if) this feature will roll out.

@durovs_code

🍏 Trump vs. Cook

Trump is pressuring Apple to drop its DEI policies, but Tim Cook → isn’t backing down, insisting that diversity and inclusion will remain central to Apple’s culture.

@durovs_code

🕌 Printing the Future of Worship

Dubai’s first 3D-printed mosque → will open in 2026, covering 2,000 sqm and accommodating 499 worshippers.

Built with concrete printing technology, the self-sustaining project is part of a broader plan to add 55 new mosques across the city.

@durovs_code

🛸 Deep Research for (Almost) Everyone

OpenAI has expanded Deep Research mode → to Plus, Team, Edu, and Enterprise users, granting 10 requests per month. Pro subscribers now get 120 requests instead of 100.

@durovs_code

⛔️ The Sound of Silence

Over 1,000 British musicians released a silent album → featuring the sounds of empty studios, concert halls, and stadiums—a vision of what AI could do to the music industry.

The protest comes as the UK government considers allowing AI companies to use copyrighted music without permission.

@durovs_code