Battlefield 6 Smashes Franchise Records with 7M+ Sales in Three Days EA reports that Battlefield 6 sold over 7 million copies in its first three days, making it the biggest launch in the franchise's history. Players logged more than 172 million online matches over the holiday weekend, and the game racked up 15 million hours watched on streaming platforms. The game launched on October 10 for PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S. Its early performance notably outpaces Battlefield 2042, which reportedly sold about 4.2 million copies in its first week. Season 1 content for Battlefield 6 is scheduled to arrive on October 28. Sales: 7M+ copies sold in 3 days Matches: 172M+ online matches during the holiday weekend Streams: 15M hours watched across streaming services The launch news arrived days…

Apple and NBCUniversal Launch Discounted Apple TV+ + Peacock Bundle Apple and NBCUniversal have officially announced a new streaming partnership: Apple TV+ and Peacock will be offered together as a discounted combined subscription. The move aims to attract new subscribers and broaden each service's reach by packaging content from both platforms at a lower combined price. This bundle pairs Apple’s original programming and platform features with Peacock’s library of network TV, movies, and sports content. While the companies confirmed the tie-up, specific pricing, regional availability, and launch dates may vary by market and will be detailed in official rollout communications. What’s included: Access to Apple TV+ content and Peacock’s catalog under a single, discounted subscription (exact tiers TBD). Why it matters: Bundles can reduce churn, simplify billing for consumers, and…

Apple TV+ and Peacock launch a $15/month bundle (with ads) Apple TV+ and Peacock are teaming up to offer a combined subscription that starts at $15 per month with ads, giving subscribers access to originals from both services plus Peacock’s network and cable catalog. The deal goes live on October 20 and represents a notable saving compared with subscribing to each service separately. Key details: The bundle price with ads: $15/month. Ad-free bundle price: $20/month (note: standalone Peacock ad-free is $17/month). Apple TV+ current standalone price: $13/month. Peacock’s base plan starts at $11/month, so the $15 bundle is roughly a $9 monthly saving compared to subscribing to both individually. Apple One subscribers receive a 35% discount on Peacock Premium Plus plans. Why this matters: Bundles can simplify billing and reduce…

SwitchBot adds affordable combined motion & presence sensor SwitchBot has reportedly launched a new combined motion and presence sensor that brings presence-detection features down to the roughly €30 price point previously occupied by basic motion detectors. This marks another step in a trend where presence sensors increasingly replace classic motion-only devices in smart homes. The new sensor appears to bundle traditional passive motion detection with an additional presence detection capability, offering more context-aware automation without a large price premium. That means rooms can detect not just movement but whether someone is present, enabling smarter lighting, HVAC, and security responses. Price tier: ~€30 (comparable to older motion-only sensors) Functionality: Motion + presence detection Implication: More affordable, context-aware home automation Technical implementations of presence detection vary (BLE/Wi‑Fi device presence, radar/infrared improvements, or…

Snap adds in-lens shopping and new AR features ahead of Specs launch Snap used its Lens Fest event to preview features for its first consumer-ready AR glasses, called "Specs," due next year. The headline: Snap will enable direct purchases inside AR lenses through a new set of developer tools named Commerce Kit. That could let users buy digital goods or unlock premium features without leaving the AR experience. Commerce Kit will allow "select developers to accept payments directly inside lenses," enabling a new monetization path for Snap's AR ecosystem. Snap has already rewarded lens creators through its Lens Creator program; in-lens commerce aims to expand that into ongoing revenue for creators and developers. Beyond payments, Snap previewed several capabilities expected to ship on Specs, including a standalone Spotlight experience, a…

Amazon renames the Fire TV lineup — the Fire TV Stick 4K Max emerges as the smart pick Amazon recently updated the names and pricing for its Fire TV streaming devices. The new lineup now lists five models: the $35 Fire TV Stick HD, $40 Fire TV Stick 4K Select, $50 Fire TV Stick 4K Plus, $60 Fire TV Stick 4K Max, and the $140 Fire TV Cube. The reshuffle has left several mid-tier options that differ by small, sometimes confusing features. Here’s a quick breakdown of what each model offers and the practical differences to watch for: Fire TV Stick HD ($35) — 1080p streaming, best budget pick for older sets or basic upgrades. Fire TV Stick 4K Select ($40) — entry 4K option but lacks Dolby Vision and…

Twitch launches live shopping with e.l.f. Cosmetics, powered by Amazon Ads Twitch is rolling out a native live-shopping feature that lets viewers purchase products without leaving the stream. Announced at TwitchCon, the initial rollout is a partnership with e.l.f. Cosmetics and is powered by Amazon Ads. The shoppable element appears on e.l.f.'s Twitch presence, e.l.f.YOU!, letting viewers buy products as they discover them in-stream. Key points: Purchases happen inline—viewers stay on the stream rather than being redirected to another page. The first partner is e.l.f. Cosmetics, which has been active on Twitch since 2020 and often collaborates with gaming creators. The shopping tech is powered by Amazon Ads, signaling deeper commerce integrations across Amazon-owned services. This move follows a broader industry trend toward embedded commerce in social platforms—TikTok launched TikTok…

Spotify and Major Labels Unite on "Artist-First" AI Music Products Spotify announced a partnership with the major record labels—Sony, Universal and Warner—alongside digital-rights group Merlin and French label Believe to develop "artist-first" AI music products. The companies say the goal is to create AI features that empower artists and songwriters with upfront agreements, fair compensation and clear choices about participation. The move follows Spotify's recent efforts to remove unauthorized AI-generated content from its platform. The company framed the partnerships as a way to ensure AI-driven innovation in music happens with rights, consent and compensation rather than elsewhere without artist protections. Partnerships: Work with labels, distributors and publishers to shape AI tools. Choice: Artists must be able to opt in or out of AI uses of their work. Fair compensation: Upfront…

Spotify, Labels Partner on 'Artist-First' AI Music — What We Know Spotify announced a partnership with major music stakeholders — Sony, Universal, Warner, digital rights group Merlin and France's Believe — to develop "artist-first" AI music products. The move aims to build AI tools that prioritize artist choice, compensation and fan connections, but Spotify's public post focuses more on principles than specifics. This initiative follows Spotify's recent pledge to clean up the influx of low-quality, unauthorized AI-generated music on its platform. Company leadership framed the partnership as a way for the music industry to lead AI-driven innovation rather than having it happen "elsewhere, without rights, consent or compensation." Spotify says current AI tools aren’t built to power artists’ careers, which will shape the partners’ approach. Confirmed partners: Sony, Universal, Warner,…

Will Apple Release New Apple TV and HomePod mini After Recent Launches? Apple recently rolled out refreshed iPad Pro models, a smaller MacBook Pro and the Vision Pro — but that might not be the finish line for the year. Reports suggest Apple could still update its home devices, with the Apple TV set-top box and the HomePod mini topping the list of likely candidates. Key points to know: After a wave of high-profile product launches, attention has turned to Apple’s home ecosystem: Apple TV and HomePod mini. Both products are logical refresh targets — Apple TV for updated streaming and gaming features, and HomePod mini for smart-home and Siri improvements. No official Apple announcement has confirmed new models yet; current reports are based on industry rumors and analyst speculation.…