Apple prices its Siri screen, UPI's fee waits for Diwali, and AI chats go up for sale
Apple's $299 HomeView lands with no India date, NPCI defers the UPI merchant fee, a Spotify fix for borrowed playlists, why quick commerce owes you expiry dates, and Character.AI's bankruptcy.
- Long Press · Daily Five14 Oct 202601 / 05
commentaryApple's $299 smart home screen is really a Siri test
Apple announced HomeView on October 13: a 7-inch smart home screen for $299, shipping November 13 in the US. It also raised prices across the room, with HomePod mini 2 at $149 (up $50) and the new Apple TV 4K at $299 (up $100). There's no India price or date yet, though the Siri AI beta on Apple TV does work in India in English. The hardware is the easy part. Whether HomeView is worth it depends entirely on Siri doing what you ask from across a noisy kitchen.
The questionHow much is Apple's HomeView and is it launching in India?
In one lineApple announced HomeView on October 13, 2026 at $299, with US pre-orders open now and shipping on November 13. Apple hasn't given an India price or date. It's a 7-inch hub built around the new Siri, so wait for real-world reviews before buying.
The problem
Apple has been missing from the kitchen counter for years while Amazon and Google sold cheap smart displays, and Siri has been the weak link in every Apple home product.
What changed
At its Welcome Home event, Apple launched HomeView at $299 with a 7-inch screen, a domed speaker base, recognition for up to six household members and the new Siri, per MacRumors. HomePod mini 2 lands October 30 at $149 and the Apple TV 4K ships November 13 at $299, according to Tom's Guide.
The catch
Nobody outside Apple has lived with the new Siri yet, the wall-mount version costs more once you add a mount, and every device in the lineup got pricier, which will hurt more when rupee prices arrive.
What it means for you
If you're on Android or only half in the Apple world, skip it. If you're all-Apple, wait for the first reviews of Siri before pre-ordering, and try the free Siri beta on an existing Apple TV first.
Questions people ask
What else did Apple launch at its Welcome Home event in October 2026?
Apple also announced HomePod mini 2 at $149, which is $50 more than the original and goes on sale October 30, and a new Apple TV 4K at $299, up $100, shipping November 13. LG and Schneider Electric accessories in the Apple Home Collection follow in December.
Does the new Siri on Apple TV work in India?
Yes, according to Tom's Guide's event coverage, the Siri AI beta on Apple TV is available at launch in India in English. It runs on Apple TV 4K second generation and later, so you don't need the 2026 box to try it. Hindi support wasn't mentioned.
Do you need an iPhone to use Apple HomeView's Siri features?
Yes. Apple says HomeView's Siri features need an Apple Intelligence-compatible iPhone or iPad, and household recognition pulls personal info from nearby Apple Intelligence iPhones on the same Wi-Fi. It recognises up to six people and gives each a personal Home Screen, so it suits all-Apple homes best.
SourcesMacRumors ↗Tom's Guide ↗
- Long Press · Daily Five14 Oct 202602 / 05
newsIndiaUPI merchant fee gets a Diwali reprieve, not a cancellation
NPCI has deferred the UPI merchant discount rate, which was set to start on October 15, until after Diwali, Inc42 reported on October 13. The proposed fee is 0.4% on select shop payments above Rs 2,000, capped at Rs 300. Calling it a festive-season breather is fair. Calling it a U-turn isn't, because the committee says a new date will be notified, and merchants should plan for it rather than hope it quietly goes away.
The questionIs the UPI MDR charge starting on October 15, 2026?
In one lineNo. On October 13, 2026, NPCI's UPI steering committee deferred the merchant discount rate on select shop payments, due October 15, until after Diwali. A new date will be notified. Person-to-person UPI payments stay free, so this mainly affects merchants.
The problem
UPI has run on zero merchant fees for years, which made it universal but left banks and payment apps footing the bill for the rails.
What changed
NPCI's UPI and Services Steering Committee pushed the MDR on eligible P2M payments past Diwali, keeping the festive season in mind, per Inc42. The rate stays at 0.4% above Rs 2,000 with a Rs 300 cap, and the new start date will be announced separately.
The catch
There's no date yet, and Inc42 says it isn't the January 1, 2027 date floated earlier, so merchants are planning blind.
What it means for you
As a customer, nothing changes and paying friends stays free. If you run a shop, use the extra weeks to check whether your turnover falls under any exemption, and don't start adding UPI surcharges at the counter.
Questions people ask
How much is the proposed UPI MDR on merchant payments?
The plan was a 0.4% merchant discount rate on eligible person-to-merchant UPI payments above Rs 2,000, capped at Rs 300 per transaction, according to Inc42. The charge falls on the merchant's side. The committee was also reportedly weighing an exemption for businesses with turnover up to Rs 40 lakh a year.
Will customers pay extra for UPI payments at shops after Diwali?
The proposed MDR is a charge on the merchant's side of the transaction, not a customer fee, so a counter surcharge isn't part of NPCI's plan. If a shop adds one, ask why. Payments to friends and family stay free regardless of the deferral, and no new date has been set yet.
SourcesInc42 ↗
- Long Press · Daily Five14 Oct 202603 / 05
tipStop one playlist from wrecking your Spotify recommendations
Spotify lets you exclude any playlist or track from your taste profile: open it, tap the three dots and pick Exclude from your taste profile. This is the fix for the shared kids' playlist, the sleep-sounds loop or the workout mix your partner plays on your account. It takes up to 48 hours to settle, and those streams drop out of Wrapped too, which some of us will appreciate.
The questionHow do I stop a playlist from affecting my Spotify recommendations?
In one lineOpen the playlist in Spotify, tap the three-dot menu and choose Exclude from your taste profile. It also works on single tracks. Spotify says changes take up to 48 hours, and Discover Weekly may only update the following week.
The problem
One heavily played playlist that isn't really your taste, like nursery rhymes, white noise or a party mix, can skew Discover Weekly and Daily Mixes for weeks.
What changed
Spotify's support page describes the option: playlist or track, three-dot menu, Exclude from your taste profile, on iPhone, Android and desktop.
The catch
It only works for playlists and tracks, not artists or albums, and the same songs played from Liked Songs still count.
What it means for you
Exclude the two or three playlists other people play on your account, then give it a week before judging your recommendations.
Questions people ask
Does excluding a Spotify playlist from my taste profile affect Wrapped?
Yes. Spotify's support page says streams from excluded playlists or tracks are left out of Wrapped data points such as top artists and top songs, though your total listening time still counts. So the kids' playlist or sleep sounds won't end up as your top artist in December.
Can I exclude an artist or album from my Spotify taste profile?
No. Spotify only lets you exclude playlists or individual tracks, not artists or albums. Songs you play from somewhere else, such as Liked Songs, still count. To undo an exclusion, open the same menu and choose the Include option.
SourcesSpotify Support ↗
- Long Press · Daily Five14 Oct 202604 / 05
hot takeIndiaQuick commerce apps owe you the expiry date before you pay
FSSAI is considering rules that would make Blinkit, Zepto and Swiggy Instamart show the manufacturing date, expiry date and batch number on a listing before you buy, Inc42 reported on October 13. This should have been rule one of 10-minute delivery. A line that says shelf life is six months tells you nothing about the packet sitting in a dark store right now, and you only find out what you got once it's on your doormat.
The questionWill Blinkit, Zepto and Instamart have to show expiry dates in India?
In one linePossibly. On October 13, 2026, Inc42 reported FSSAI is considering e-commerce rules that would make quick commerce apps show manufacturing date, expiry date and batch number on listings before purchase. It's a proposal, not a rule yet, and it should become one.
The problem
Quick commerce apps routinely show shelf life instead of the actual expiry or batch details, so you buy food blind and check the date after it arrives.
What changed
FSSAI is weighing e-commerce regulations covering quick commerce and cloud kitchens, including expiry, manufacturing date and batch disclosure on listings, per Inc42. CEO Rajit Punhani said prosecutions involving e-commerce firms are up at least five- to sixfold in a year.
The catch
It's still under consideration with no timeline, and the industry has already pushed back on other FSSAI labelling notices in court.
What it means for you
Until it's mandatory, check the printed date at the door and report short-dated items in the app with a photo. If you want this to happen, that complaint trail is what regulators count.
Questions people ask
What else is FSSAI considering for quick commerce and cloud kitchens?
According to Inc42, FSSAI is also looking at making platforms accountable for misleading manufacturer claims, requiring cloud kitchens to disclose photographs and addresses, and tightening checks on dark store storage, including frozen products. It has started inspecting dark stores and cloud kitchens, but no timeline for the rules has been given.
What should I do if a quick commerce order arrives close to expiry?
Check the printed date when the order arrives and raise it in the app straight away, with a photo of the label. Platforms often show shelf life rather than the actual expiry date, so the packet itself is your only proof. FSSAI says e-commerce prosecutions have risen five- to sixfold in a year.
SourcesInc42 ↗
- Long Press · Daily Five14 Oct 202605 / 05
hot takeYour AI companion chats are now sitting in a bankruptcy sale
Character.AI filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, announced October 12, and Disney is the opening bidder at $20 million for a licence to some of its IP and assets. Two years ago Google paid $2.7 billion for a licence to the same company's technology. The number that matters to users isn't either of those. It's the silence on what happens to years of very personal chats when a companion app's assets go up for sale.
The questionIs Character.AI shutting down after filing for bankruptcy?
In one lineNot yet. Character.AI filed for Chapter 11 in the US, announced October 12, 2026, with Disney bidding $20 million for a licence to some of its IP and assets. The app stays up during the sale but could shut if no buyer runs it. What happens to user chats is unclear.
The problem
Millions of people have told companion chatbots things they wouldn't tell friends, on apps whose business model was never clear.
What changed
Character Technologies filed for Chapter 11 with estimated assets and liabilities of $50 million to $100 million, and Disney agreed to a $20 million starting bid for a non-exclusive licence to certain IP, per Reuters. The service stays up during the sale but could shut down if no buyer agrees to run it, TechStartups reported.
The catch
The filings as reported don't say whether user data is part of the assets, so the worst case isn't confirmed. It isn't ruled out either.
What it means for you
Treat every companion bot like a company that could be sold tomorrow, because this one is. If you used Character.AI, delete what you wouldn't want in someone else's hands.
Questions people ask
Who is buying Character.AI's assets and for how much?
Disney is the opening bidder at $20 million for a non-exclusive, perpetual licence to certain Character.AI intellectual property and other assets, per Reuters and TechStartups. Rival bids are allowed, the deal needs court approval, and the sale is expected to close by late November or early December 2026.
What happens to my Character.AI chats after the bankruptcy?
Nobody has said. Reports describe the assets only as certain intellectual property and other assets, without stating whether user data is included. If you've shared things you'd regret, delete those chats or your account now rather than waiting for the sale terms to come out.
SourcesReuters ↗TechStartups ↗
Taps
Quick hits. One line each, for when a long press is too much.
- IndiaNewsBytes ↗
Wipro reports Q2 FY27 results on October 15 after market hours
NewsBytes says guidance was a flat $2.574-2.627 billion, with shares down 38% this year. The weakest of the big four needs a good number.
- IndiaInc42 ↗
Adani and Jabil sign MoU for a 50:50 AI server-making venture in India
It's non-binding, per Inc42, covering AI racks, servers, storage, networking and cooling for Indian data centres and export. No investment figure yet.
- IndiaInc42 ↗
RDI Fund picks 19 fund managers to deploy Rs 7,131 crore into deeptech
Blume and Speciale Invest are in the first cohort, per Inc42. Patient government money is exactly what hardware startups lack.
- GlobalGoogle Blog ↗
Google's Fitbit Edge costs $179.99 and has a replaceable battery
On shelves October 27 with GPS and up to seven days of battery, says Google. No India date yet, and some health alerts need a subscription.
- GlobalMeta Newsroom ↗
Meta launches Muse Wonder models aimed at agentic work
Meta calls them its most capable yet but published no benchmark scores in the announcement. Wait for independent tests.