The company’s operating expenses surged by $7 billion year-over-year, with capital expenditure nearing $20 billion, largely driven by new data centers and a hiring binge for AI talent.

CEO Mark Zuckerberg told investors the spending was necessary to secure long-term dominance in AI research and infrastructure. “The right thing to do is accelerate this to make sure that we have the compute we need,” he said on an earnings call.

However, the remarks did little to calm Wall Street. Meta’s stock plunged 12% by Friday’s close, reflecting growing unease about massive investments that have yet to yield tangible revenue.

Analysts say the company’s most visible AI product, Meta AI, has over a billion users—but critics argue the figure is inflated by integration into Facebook and Instagram, with limited standalone adoption.

Meta’s new Vanguard smart glasses and its Vibes video generator have also failed to impress investors looking for a clear monetization strategy.

Zuckerberg said Meta’s Superintelligence Lab is developing “frontier models with novel capabilities,” but admitted the company is still months away from unveiling new AI products.

As the AI race heats up, rivals such as Google and Nvidia continue to post strong earnings, deepening concerns that Meta’s AI push could become a costly gamble without a clear path to returns.

The post Meta Loses $200 Billion in Market Value as Investors Rebel Over Soaring AI Spending appeared first on Tech Digest News.

In a suit lodged in U.S. District Court in California, Attaullah Baig alleged that Meta employees had broad access to sensitive data such as profile pictures, group memberships, and contact lists. He also claimed the company failed to fix vulnerabilities that allowed more than 100,000 accounts to be hacked daily.

Baig said he repeatedly warned senior executives, including CEO Mark Zuckerberg, but was ignored and later fired in February 2024. “This is about holding Meta accountable and putting the interests of users first,” Baig said.

Meta dismissed the allegations. “This is a familiar playbook in which a former employee goes public with distorted claims that misrepresent the hard work of our team,” WhatsApp spokesperson Carl Woog said.

Baig’s claims come as Meta faces multiple whistleblower complaints, including accusations that its VR products expose children to harm. The lawsuit argues Meta’s actions violate a 2019 privacy settlement with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, under which it paid a record $5 billion fine.

The post Former WhatsApp Security Chief Sues Meta Over Privacy Failures appeared first on Tech Digest News.

By Abbas Badmus 

WhatsApp has officially crossed the 3 billion monthly active user mark, joining an elite group of apps to achieve the milestone, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced during the company’s Q1 2025 earnings call on Wednesday.

This achievement places the messaging app alongside its sibling platform, Facebook, as one of the few services worldwide to surpass the 3 billion user threshold.

Founded in 2009 and acquired by Meta (then Facebook) in 2014 for $19 billion, WhatsApp has seen consistent growth without relying on ads or subscription models. After hitting 2 billion monthly users in 2020, it has added another billion in just four years, reaffirming its dominance in global digital communication.

The platform’s expanding user base is playing an increasingly critical role in Meta’s broader strategy, especially as the company pivots towards artificial intelligence.

Meta Chief Financial Officer Susan Li revealed that WhatsApp has become the most active platform for Meta AI tools. “We see people engage with Meta AI from several different entry points. WhatsApp continues to see the strongest Meta AI usage across our family of apps,” she said, noting that most interactions are through one-on-one chats.

However, Zuckerberg acknowledged that U.S. adoption of WhatsApp remains comparatively low due to user reliance on default SMS apps. In response, Meta recently introduced a standalone Meta AI app tailored for American users, aiming to establish it as a go-to personal AI assistant.

“We’re in a different position in the U.S. than we are in most of the rest of the world on WhatsApp,” Zuckerberg said. “So I think that the Meta AI app as a standalone is going to be particularly important… as the main personal AI that people use.”

Beyond consumer engagement, WhatsApp is also advancing Meta’s commercial goals. The app’s business-oriented service, WhatsApp Business, significantly contributed to Meta’s $510 million in revenue from its Family of Apps in Q1. The company is now embedding AI tools into the platform, including a new dashboard that enables businesses to train Meta AI using their own data from websites and social media profiles.

Additionally, Meta is testing AI-powered chatbots for automated customer service on WhatsApp, further enhancing its value proposition to businesses.

Overall, Meta’s Q1 2025 earnings report showed robust growth. The Family of Apps—which includes Facebook, Messenger, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Threads—recorded an average of 3.43 billion daily active users, marking a 6% increase year-over-year. Ad impressions rose by 5%, while the average price per ad jumped by 10%.

The tech giant reported a total revenue of $42.31 billion for the quarter, reflecting a 16% increase compared to the same period last year.

The post WhatsApp Hits Three Billion Monthly Users Amid Meta’s Expanding AI Push appeared first on Tech Digest News.

By Kabir Abdulsalam,

Mark Zuckerberg is on a mission to move beyond smartphones and usher in the era of smart glasses. With new models, cutting-edge features, and a bold vision for the future, Meta is accelerating its push into augmented reality.

Here are 10 key facts about Meta’s plans to replace smartphones with its vision devices.

1.Meta Wants to Make Smartphones Obsolete

Mark Zuckerberg has openly stated that he believes smart glasses will replace mobile phones in the future. To make this a reality, Meta is investing heavily in AR technology, smart wearables, and AI-driven features.

2.The Supernova Project Is Bringing Multiple Smart Glasses to Market

Under the codename “Supernova,” Meta is developing different models of smart glasses for various users. These include the Supernova 2 for athletes and Hypernova, a more advanced model with a built-in display in the right lens.

3.Supernova 2 Is Designed for Athletes and Active Users

Meta’s Supernova 2 will resemble Oakley’s Sphaera sports eyewear, featuring an embedded camera, AI-powered voice commands, and built-in speakers. It’s aimed at cyclists and outdoor enthusiasts who need smart, lightweight wearables.

4.Hypernova Brings a Mini Display to Smart Glasses

Going beyond audio-based smart glasses, Hypernova will include a small screen in the right lens, capable of showing notifications, messages, and images. While it’s not full AR, it’s a big step toward interactive eyewear. However, at $1,000, it’s a luxury device compared to the $300 Ray-Ban Stories.

5.Orion: Meta’s Fully Augmented Reality Glasses

Meta’s Orion project aims to deliver true augmented reality (AR) experiences, but it won’t be cheap. The first model will require an external processing unit and a wrist-worn control device, pushing the price to a staggering $10,000.

6.Artemis: The More Affordable AR Glasses Coming in 2027

Following Orion, Meta is already working on Artemis, a next-generation AR headset expected in 2027. It will be lighter, more compact, and include smart wristband-based gesture controls to make AR interactions more seamless.

7. Meta Is Developing an Entire Ecosystem of Smart Wearables

Smart glasses aren’t the only product Meta is working on. The company has also explored a Meta smartwatch and AI-powered earbuds that could analyze the environment in real time using built-in cameras.

8. Wrist-Worn Neural Interfaces Could Replace Touchscreens

Meta is developing EMG (electromyography) wristbands, allowing users to control their smart glasses using subtle hand and finger movements. This could eliminate the need for touchscreens altogether.

9. The Ray-Ban Stories Are Just the Beginning

While Meta’s Ray-Ban Stories have seen moderate success, they’re only a stepping stone. Future versions will likely integrate AI assistants, AR overlays, and more powerful computing features, making them a serious contender to replace smartphones.

10. Will Consumers Accept Smart Glasses as a Phone Replacement?

Despite Meta’s aggressive push, the biggest challenge is user adoption. The price, comfort, and practicality of smart glasses will determine if they truly replace smartphones—or end up as another ambitious tech experiment.

The post 10 Facts About Meta’s Vision Devices to Replace Smartphones appeared first on Tech Digest News.

Facebook’s parent company, Meta, has raised the target bonus percentage for its top executives—excluding Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg—from 75 per cent to 200 percent of their base salary.

Previously, these executives were eligible for a bonus worth 75 per cent of their base salary, but under the new structure, they can now earn up to twice their salary as a bonus, depending on performance.

This change was disclosed in a corporate filing dated February 20, 2025, and seen on the US Securities and Exchange Commission website on Monday.

However, development comes after the US blue-chip company announced in January that it had reduced its workforce by about five per cent to focus on top performers.

Meta’s Compensation, Nominating & Governance Committee approved the adjustment on February 13, with the new bonus structure set to take effect for the 2025 performance per.

The tech giant said the move aims to “motivate its executive officers to focus on company priorities and to reward them for company results and achievements.”

Under the revised plan, payouts will be determined by multiplying each executive’s eligible earnings by their target bonus percentage and a company performance factor set by the CNGC, according to the filing.

The committee said the increase follows a market analysis showing that Meta’s executive pay lagged behind industry peers.

“On February 13, 2025, the CNGC approved an increase in the target bonus percentage under the Bonus Plan for each of the company’s named executive officers (other than its Chief Executive Officer (the ‘CEO’)) from 75 per cent of each such named executive officer’s base salary to 200 per cent of each named executive officer’s base salary, effective beginning with the 2025 annual performance period under the Bonus Plan,” the filing stated.

Before the adjustment, the company’s named executive officers had total target cash compensation “at or below the 15th percentile” of executives in comparable roles at benchmarked companies.

The increase moves their compensation closer to “approximately the 50th percentile,” it added.

“In approving this increase, the CNGC considered that the target total cash compensation for the named executive officers (other than the CEO) was at or below the 15th percentile of the target total cash compensation of executives holding similar positions at the peer group of companies that the company benchmarks against for executive compensation purposes,” the filing said.

The post Meta Increases Executive Bonus Target to 200% appeared first on Tech Digest News.

Meta, the parent company of social media giants Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram, has unveiled its plans to extend its AI service to seven Sub-Saharan African countries. This expansion includes Nigeria and Ghana, as well as South Africa, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Malawi.

The move aims to enhance connectivity and productivity for millions of Africans, providing them with tools to unleash their creativity and expressiveness. Meta’s AI assistant, available in English, will be integrated across Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Messenger platforms.

According to Meta, users can seamlessly utilize the AI assistant within feeds, chats, searches, and other functionalities without leaving the app they are using.

Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, expressed the company’s ambition to develop the world’s leading AI, asserting that Meta AI stands as the most intelligent assistant available for free use.

To bolster the capabilities of Meta AI, the company has incorporated real-time knowledge from Google and Bing into its responses.

Additionally, Meta has introduced the Llama 3 AI model, along with unique creation features such as photo animation and rapid image generation.

Zuckerberg emphasized the significance of these advancements in fostering creativity and interaction among users. These features, initially unveiled at the 2023 Meta Connect event, are now accessible to a wider audience, enabling individuals worldwide to engage with Meta AI in novel ways.

Meta’s expansion of its AI service underscores its commitment to innovation and accessibility, signaling a new era of enhanced connectivity and productivity for users across Sub-Saharan Africa and beyond.

The post Meta Expands AI Service to Seven Sub-Saharan African Countries appeared first on Tech Digest News.

TikTok, the popular short-form video hosting service owned by ByteDance, is gearing up to challenge Mark Zuckerberg’s Instagram with the launch of a new app called TikTok Notes. In an email notification sent to users, TikTok revealed its plans to introduce a dedicated platform for photo posts.

The notification, which has been popping up for users in recent days, informed them that their previous photo posts would be automatically shared on TikTok Notes.

However, users have the option to opt out if they choose not to have their image posts transferred to the new app.

TikTok described TikTok Notes as a space designed for users to share their creativity through photos and text, emphasizing a commitment to empowering its community.

Despite the announcement, the company has not specified an exact release date for the new app.With this move, TikTok is poised to directly compete with Instagram, which has long been a dominant player in the photo-sharing space.

As the battle for users’ attention continues to intensify, it remains to be seen how TikTok Notes will differentiate itself and attract a loyal user base.

The post TikTok Announces Launch of New Photo-Sharing App to Rival Instagram appeared first on Tech Digest News.

Social media platform, Meta (Facebook) has revealed plans to unveil verification process for businesses on WhatsApp.

Speaking at a virtual media briefing, embargoed till yesterday, Meta’s Vice President, Business Messaging, Nikila Srinivasan, said the firm would soon begin to make it possible for businesses to receive verification from Meta, which users know they are chatting with the right business.

It noted that to become Meta verified, businesses must demonstrate authenticity to Meta in return receive a verified badge, enhanced account support, and impersonation protection.

“For businesses interested in signing up, Meta Verified will come with additional premium features including the ability to create a custom WhatsApp page that is easily discoverable via a web search, and multi-device support so multiple employees can respond to customers.

We’ll begin testing Meta Verified soon with small businesses using the WhatsApp Business app before introducing it to businesses on the WhatsApp Business Platform in the future,” Srinivasan stated.

Checks showed that WhatsApp is available across 180 countries including Nigeria, accessible in over 20 different languages. While there were about 50 million WhatsApp Business app users in 2020, the number of global consumers and companies using WhatsApp Business was estimated to surpass 1.2 billion users as of 2021.

Just like verification for creators, Meta Verified for Businesses benefits include a badge, better reach and impersonation protection. The company is offering the same badge to businesses as the one offered to creators, so there is no differentiation.

The Meta VP also announced the launching of Flows, a feature that will allow businesses can offer the full range of their services without the user leaving the chat.

“With flows, businesses will be able to provide rich menus and customizable forms that support different needs. We’ll make Flows available to businesses around the world using the WhatsApp Business Platform in the coming weeks,” Srinivasan stated.

The Mark Zuckerberg-led company said Meta Verified for Business will start rolling out to select markets in the next few weeks.

The post Meta introduces new features for WhatsApp Business owners appeared first on Tech Digest News.

TECHDIGEST – WhatsApp, the popular instant messaging platform, has revealed an innovative update allowing users to form groups on the platform without needing to assign them a name.

Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of Meta, shared this development via his Facebook page and Meta’s Instagram channel on Wednesday.

This new feature will be especially beneficial for users looking to create groups quickly or those who haven’t decided on a topic yet.

However, unlike the standard WhatsApp groups that can accommodate up to 1,024 members, these unnamed groups will have a cap of six participants, as confirmed by the messaging app.

These groups will be given dynamic names based on the members included in the group, according to the company’s statement.

The group name will appear differently for each participant, based on how they’ve stored contacts on their phone. For instance, if you’re part of an unnamed group with contacts that haven’t been saved, your phone number will be visible in the group’s name.

READ ALSO: Somalia Bans TikTok, Telegram 

This feature seems to target friends and family who are already familiar with each other, given the dynamic naming based on phone contacts.In recent times, WhatsApp has been progressively releasing updates to enhance the app’s functionality and user base.

Just last week, they unveiled a new feature enabling users to send high-definition (HD) quality images, resulting in significantly improved visual clarity and detail.

Zuckerberg offered users a choice: they can continue sending photos using the traditional method, or they can opt for the new HD feature to ensure a superior level of visual excellence.

He mentioned that users can access these updates by downloading the latest version of the messaging app.Prior to this, WhatsApp also introduced the ability to edit sent messages and to hide one’s online status.

Additionally, WhatsApp has disclosed that it’s currently conducting tests on AI-powered sticker generators.

The post WhatsApp Introduces Unnamed Group Feature for Swift Creation appeared first on Tech Digest News.

TECHDIGEST – In a groundbreaking move, WhatsApp, the ubiquitous messaging app, is set to revolutionize the way users share photos on its platform.The forthcoming update promises to elevate the visual experience by introducing high-definition (HD) photo sharing.

Users will soon have the option to transmit images in stunning HD quality, ensuring an unprecedented level of clarity and detail.Meta’s CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, announced this exciting development in a Facebook post.

Users will be presented with a choice: they can continue using the conventional photo sharing method or embrace the new HD feature for superior visual excellence.To access these enhancements, users simply need to download the latest version of the messaging app.

While not every image will achieve pristine clarity, a slight reduction in detail due to compression might affect some photos.

However, users can rest assured that the overall visual experience will see a substantial improvement.Furthermore, WhatsApp is actively working on extending the HD quality upgrade to videos in the near future.

This advancement brings great news for individuals who delight in sharing cherished moments with friends and family.

GSM Arena’s report highlights the positive impact this will have on enhancing those shared memories.WhatsApp has been on an innovation spree in recent months, introducing a host of exciting features and choices. This includes the initiation of AI-powered sticker generator tests, the ability to edit sent messages, and the option to conceal one’s online status.

The post WhatsApp Revolutionizes Photo Sharing with High-Definition Quality appeared first on Tech Digest News.