Consumer Tech News (Mar 30-Apr 2): Tesla, Nio, XPeng Drive EV Growth, Apple iPhone 17, Meta Ray-Ban Launches & More

Software and Semiconductors

• Microsoft Corp (NASDAQ:MSFT) is accelerating its shift toward in-house AI development with a new lineup of models designed to improve speed, efficiency, and cost across core enterprise use cases.
• Microsoft has reportedly entered an exclusivity agreement with Chevron (NYSE:CVX) and Engine No. 1.
• International Business Machines Corp. (NYSE:IBM) announced a strategic collaboration with Arm Holdings Plc (NASDAQ:ARM) to develop dual-architecture hardware for AI and data-intensive enterprise workloads.
• Advanced Micro Devices Inc. (NASDAQ:AMD) said it is positioning its processors at the core of next-generation space missions as NASA shifts toward sustained lunar and deep-space exploration.
• Intel Corp (NASDAQ:INTC) agreed to buy back Apollo Global Management, Inc'.s (NYSE:APO) 49% stake in its Ireland Fab 34 joint venture for $14.2 billion, taking full ownership of the facility.
• Applied Digital Corp (NASDAQ:APLD) amended and restructured its data center lease agreements with CoreWeave, Inc (NASDAQ:CRWV) while adding new credit support mechanisms tied to the arrangements.
• Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. Ltd. (NYSE:TSM) plans to begin equipment installation and mass production of advanced 3-nanometer chips at its second Japan facility in 2028.
• Taiwan Semiconductor secured government approval to deploy its advanced 3-nanometer process at its second semiconductor facility under construction in Kumamoto, Japan.
• Aehr Test Systems (NASDAQ:AEHR) secured a new silicon photonics customer, signaling continued demand tied to AI-driven data center expansion.
• Marvell Technology, Inc (NASDAQ:MRVL) announced a deal with Nvidia Corp (NASDAQ:NVDA) to integrate Marvell into Nvidia’s AI factory and AI-RAN ecosystem using NVLink Fusion.
• French AI startup Mistral has reportedly secured $830 million in debt financing. The funds will be used to build a data center powered by Nvidia chips.
• Nebius Group NV (NASDAQ:NBIS) plans to construct a 310 MW AI data center in Lappeenranta, Finland, with initial capacity expected in 2027.
• Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META) is reportedly planning to launch two new Ray-Ban smart glasses next week.

Smartphones & Social Media

• Apple Inc.’s (NASDAQ:AAPL) upcoming iPhone 17 lineup is off to a steady start, with early production data showing slightly higher demand than recent models as more buyers opt for pricier Pro versions, helping offset rising component costs.
• Telegram founder Pavel Durov highlighted reports that Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) had removed multiple VPN and proxy applications from its Russian App Store.

Broadline Retail, E-Commerce & Finance

• Alibaba Group Holding Ltd (NYSE:BABA) is accelerating its push into proprietary AI models as it works to monetize its growing AI portfolio and strengthen its revenue streams.
• Visa Inc. (NYSE:V) introduced six AI-powered dispute resolution tools aimed at reducing the billions of dollars lost each year to fraud and inefficient, outdated processes.

Automobile

• Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA) reported an 8.7% year-over-year increase in China-made EV sales to 85,670 units in March, marking a fifth straight month of growth. First-quarter sales rose 23.5%, accelerating from the previous quarter.
• Tesla recorded a surge in registrations across multiple European markets as the Elon Musk-led EV giant's sales improved after consistent declines.
• CEO Elon Musk has said that the automaker has officially ended production of the premium Model S and X lines.
• Ontario Premier Doug Ford has opposed potential agreements between Stellantis NV (NYSE:STLA) and China's Zhejiang Leapmotor Technology Co. Ltd., a company in which Stellantis owns a 20% stake, to manufacture electric vehicles in a Stellantis facility in Brampton, Ontario.
• Rivian Automotive Inc. (NASDAQ:RIVN) sales fell during the first quarter by over 26.5% YoY as the company sold 8,141 vehicles in Q1 2026 compared to the 11,070 units it delivered last year. During March, Rivian sold 2,925 units, an almost 1000 unit decline from the 3,910 units it sold in March 2025.
• XPeng Inc. (NYSE:XPEV) March deliveries rebounded strongly to 27,415 units, up 80% month-on-month, but remained 17% lower than a year ago. For the first quarter, the company delivered 62,682 vehicles, down 33.3% year-on-year, though still within its stated guidance range.
• WeRide Inc. (NASDAQ:WRD) and Grab Holdings Ltd. (NASDAQ:GRAB) launched Singapore’s first autonomous public ride service in Punggol, following trials with over 1,000 users and 30,000 km of driverless operations.
• WeRide launched fully driverless Robotaxi fare-charging operations in Dubai, marking a significant milestone in its partnership with Uber Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:UBER).
• Nio Inc. (NYSE:NIO)  delivered 35,486 vehicles, marking a remarkable 136.0% year-over-year increase. In the first quarter, total deliveries reached 83,465 vehicles, reflecting 98.3% year-over-year growth.
• Multiple Baidu Inc. (NASDAQ:BIDU) Apollo Go Robotaxis reportedly froze in China's Wuhan, sparking concerns about the safety of Robotaxis and autonomous vehicles around the world today.
• Palantir Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ:PLTR) announced it has renewed and expanded its partnership with Stellantis through a new five-year agreement to advance data and artificial intelligence capabilities across the automaker's operations.