Tech News Digest: Friday, 26 June 2026

Today in tech, the AI arms race has hit a political speed bump while our favourite gadgets are becoming notably more expensive. From the death of the traditional email inbox to the eye-watering cost of next-gen gaming, there is plenty to unpack this Friday.

OpenAI hits the brakes on GPT 5.6

In a significant shift for the industry, OpenAI is reportedly restricting the release of its latest model, GPT 5.6, following safety concerns raised by the White House. Instead of a wide public rollout, the new tech will only be available to a select group of partners, suggesting that the era of 'move fast and break things' in AI is being replaced by heavy government oversight.

Paid users are jumping ship from ChatGPT to Claude

While OpenAI still holds the crown for total market share, new data shows that consumers who actually pay for AI are increasingly choosing Anthropic’s Claude over ChatGPT. For those of us using these tools for complex coding or nuanced writing, Claude’s performance is clearly winning over the power-user community here in the UK and abroad.

Your next upgrade just got pricier as Apple and Xbox hike costs

If you were planning to treat yourself to a new Mac or console, you might need to check your budget again. Both Apple and Xbox have announced price increases, blaming the skyrocketing cost of memory and storage which has reportedly more than doubled recently. It is a frustrating blow for gadget fans, especially as these costs are being passed directly onto the consumer.

Notion kills its email app in favour of AI agents

In a bold move for productivity fans, Notion is discontinuing its traditional email inbox to focus entirely on its AI agent offerings. The company says users are increasingly handing over the reins of their communication to AI, signalling a future where we might never actually 'write' an email ourselves ever again.

GTA VI set to break the standard game price ceiling

The most anticipated game of the decade, Grand Theft Auto VI, is expected to launch with a price tag significantly higher than the usual AAA titles. While it might sting the wallet, industry experts suggest this could be a turning point for the gaming industry as development costs for these massive digital worlds continue to spiral.

Have a brilliant weekend and try not to let the rising cost of tech get you down!