Curator-turned-publisher Pantaloon has rolled out a subscription service tailored for enthusiasts of independent video games. Dubbed The Playbill, the platform functions similarly to Xbox Game Pass but centres exclusively on experimental, “bold and bizarre” titles, backed by a strict zero-tolerance policy for generative AI. Read: Apple iPhone Duo launches in South Africa for up to…
SpaceXSI, the entity recently rebranded from SpaceXAI following CEO Elon Musk’s alignment with President Donald Trump’s shift toward using the term “super intelligence”, has unveiled a unified membership model called the X Subscription. The consolidated service packages the company’s flagship artificial intelligence tools, developer platforms, and social media features into a single multi-tiered offering. Read:…
Merchant West’s Shane van der Merwe For most of business history, buying technology meant owning it. Capital was set aside, servers and laptops were hauled into the building alongside the software licences, and the business then sweated those assets for as long as it practically could. In the age of AI, that logic is starting…
Apple is increasing the monthly cost of its Apple Music streaming service for South African subscribers. Local customers received email notifications regarding the adjusted pricing structure, which is set to take effect on 27 August 2026. Read: Cape Town approves the Equinix 170MW data centre The price adjustments across tiers are as follows: Individual Plan:…
Google is significantly lowering the financial barrier to its consumer artificial intelligence ecosystem by restructuring its entry-level subscription tier. The Google AI Plus plan will now cost $5 per month, down from its original launch price of $8 per month, according to an announcement by Vikas Kansal, Google’s Product Lead for Gemini AI Subscriptions. To…
Following a brief phase of unannounced public testing, Meta has officially launched a premium, subscription-based ecosystem across its core social platforms: Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp. Operating under the newly established Meta One brand, a unified division built to manage the company’s experimental monthly payment structures, these “Plus” tiers introduce exclusive analytics, advanced messaging capabilities, and…
Meta Platforms is testing a paid consumer subscription tier for WhatsApp, a significant pivot for a messaging service that has defined its global dominance through a strictly free-to-use model. Read: Bandwidth Blog & Smile 90.4FM Tech Tuesday: Apple smart glasses! The new offering, titled WhatsApp Plus, was first spotted in recent Android beta builds and…
Adobe’s head office in San Jose, California The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) — the UK equivalent of South Africa’s Competition Commission — has launched a formal investigation into Adobe over concerns that early cancellation fees on its subscription plans may breach consumer protection law. The investigation will examine whether terms attached to Adobe’s “annual…
Tesla will discontinue the option to purchase its Full Self-Driving (FSD) package for a one-time $8,000 fee, transitioning the feature to a strictly subscription-based model after February 14. CEO Elon Musk announced the update on X, though he did not specify if the current pricing – presently $99 per month or $999 annually – will…
ICASA wants to extend its almost decade-long focus on the state of competition in subscription TV broadcasting services. It’s another bumper week on National Treasury’s eTenders Portal, with almost 700 new opportunities advertised. The ICT sector, however, will have to be content with looking to a handful of public sector organisations for this week’s most…
