HeyWhatsNew: Saudi Arabia Buys Pokémon Go and Meta Is Rolling Out Community Notes
Hey there Heyuppers, welcome back to another week of everything exciting in tech, gaming, and more. Let’s take a look at the top headlines in the week beginning 10/03/2025.
Sony's Game-Changing RGB LED TV Could Rival OLED
Sony is shaking up the TV game with its cutting-edge RGB LED technology, joining Hisense and Samsung in redefining LED displays. Unlike traditional mini-LEDs that rely on white backlights, Sony’s RGB LEDs generate red, green, and blue light at the source, creating richer colors, higher brightness, and better blooming control. At a private demo in Tokyo, Sony wowed journalists by revealing how its RGB LEDs can produce images directly from the backlight, proving their potential to challenge even high-end OLEDs.
With mass production set to begin this year, Sony aims to bring this tech to homes by 2026, making high-performance large-screen TVs more accessible. Sony’s RGB innovation could deliver an unbeatable balance of size, brightness, and affordability. If all goes as planned, this could be the biggest leap in LED TV technology in years.
Saudi Arabia Buys Pokémon Go in Billion-Dollar Gaming Expansion
Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, PIF, is set to buy Niantic’s gaming division for $3.5 billion, adding Pokémon Go to its expanding gaming portfolio. Already invested in major gaming companies like Nintendo and EA, PIF’s move strengthens its foothold in esports following its acquisition of Scopely and hosting of the 2024 Esports World Cup. Critics argue this is part of a broader “sportswashing” strategy to distract from human rights concerns, but Niantic’s CEO insists the deal will ensure long-term support for its games.
EU iPhone Users Get More App Freedom as Alternative Stores Launch
The EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA) has opened the doors to alternative app stores, allowing iPhone users to explore new marketplaces beyond Apple’s App Store. These stores follow a notarization process to ensure security but operate with their own rules for app approval, support, and refunds. Developers launching these stores must comply with Apple’s new DMA business terms, including a €0.50 Core Technology Fee per first annual install. Despite these hurdles, several companies have embraced the change, offering users more choices in how they discover and download apps.
Among the standout alternatives, AltStore PAL allows users to add and access self-hosted apps, while Setapp Mobile offers a curated subscription-based app selection free from ads and in-app purchases. Epic Games Store brings back Fortnite and other games after its long battle with Apple, while Aptoide provides an open-source app marketplace. Meanwhile, Mobivention caters to businesses with internal-use apps, and Skich introduces a Tinder-like swiping interface for app discovery. With these new options, EU iPhone users now have more freedom than ever in how they access and enjoy their favorite apps.
Meta Tests Community Notes on Facebook, Instagram, and Threads in Major Fact-Checking Shift
Meta is launching a test of its X-style Community Notes on Facebook, Instagram, and Threads in the US starting March 18. This crowdsourced fact-checking system will use X’s open-source rating algorithm, ensuring notes are only published when contributors with diverse viewpoints agree. Initially, notes won’t be public as Meta fine-tunes the system, and contributors will be gradually added. Notes will be capped at 500 characters, require a source link, and remain anonymous to prevent bias. While Meta will keep third-party fact-checking outside the US, it plans to expand Community Notes globally over time.
SoftBank and OpenAI to Build One of Japan’s Largest AI Data Centers
SoftBank plans to convert a former Sharp LCD plant in Osaka into a massive AI data center in collaboration with OpenAI. The facility, set to launch in 2026 with a 150-megawatt power capacity, will support AI agent operations tailored for businesses in Japan. SoftBank is reportedly investing around 100 billion yen ($677 million) to acquire the site, with total investment possibly reaching 1 trillion yen ($6.77 billion). The initiative aims to commercialize OpenAI's technology, training models on client data to deliver customized AI solutions.
That’s a wrap for this week, Heyuppers! We hope you enjoyed diving into the latest tech trends and breaking news with us. Stay tuned for next week’s edition.
