Tech News Digest: Tuesday, 21 April 2026
Apple announces a new CEO, Amazon strikes a $100bn AI deal, and robots outrun humans on the track.
Today in tech, we’re seeing a seismic shift at the top of Apple and a staggering billion-dollar dance between two AI giants. From robots outpacing humans on the track to the end of an era for Fire Stick enthusiasts, there is plenty to catch up on this Tuesday.
John Ternus to succeed Tim Cook as Apple CEO
Tim Cook is officially stepping down, handing the reins of the world’s most valuable tech company to hardware chief John Ternus this September. This marks the end of one of the most successful CEO runs in history, and Ternus now faces the daunting task of leading Apple through an increasingly AI-dominated landscape.
Amazon and Anthropic strike a massive $100bn cloud deal
Amazon is investing a further $5 billion into AI firm Anthropic, which has committed to spending a whopping $100 billion on Amazon Web Services (AWS) in return. It is a classic circular deal that highlights the astronomical costs required to keep the leading AI models running and evolving.
AI music now accounts for 44% of daily uploads on Deezer
Streaming platform Deezer has revealed that nearly half of the music uploaded to its service daily is now AI-generated, though human-made tracks still dominate actual listening figures. This surge in automated content is creating a challenge for the industry as platforms struggle to filter out fraudulent streams and low-quality ‘slop’.
Robots smash human records at Beijing half-marathon
In a literal display of machines overtaking humans, robots have set a new record at the Beijing half-marathon, significantly beating the fastest human times. The achievement shows just how rapidly bipedal robotics and battery efficiency are advancing, moving from experimental labs to record-breaking athletic performance.
Amazon to block sideloading on future Fire Sticks
Amazon has confirmed it will no longer support sideloading on upcoming Fire Stick models, a move that will likely frustrate power users who use the devices for third-party apps. This represents a significant shift towards a ‘walled garden’ approach for one of the UK’s most popular streaming gadgets.
We’ll be back tomorrow with more updates on the fast-moving world of tech.