Tech news · Evening brief
30 July 2026 · Later-day developments
Window: roughly midday through evening 30 July 2026 (Asia/Kathmandu). Distinct from any prior briefs; prioritises same-day earnings, policy and product items.
Key items
- Microsoft Q4 results and Azure milestone. Microsoft reported $90B quarterly revenue (+18% YoY) and net income $35.8B (+31%). Azure and other cloud services grew 43% YoY; Azure revenue crossed $100B for the full fiscal year for the first time. Microsoft 365 Copilot reached 30 million paid seats. Capex guidance remained elevated for AI infrastructure. (Microsoft earnings release / company statements, 29–30 July.)
- Meta Q2: strong revenue, higher AI capex floor. Meta reported $60.8B revenue (+28% YoY). Operating income and net income declined amid legal and severance costs. Full-year 2026 AI-related capital expenditure range narrowed upward to $130–145B. Future lease obligations for AI data centres rose sharply. (Meta earnings, 29–30 July.)
- EU opens bidding for seven AI gigafactories. The European Commission formally launched the call for proposals for AI Gigafactories, backed by €10B ($11.4B) public funding and aiming to unlock ~€30B total with private investment. Bidding closes November 2026; awards expected July 2027. (European Commission / Associated Press, 30 July.)
- Samsung sees memory-chip shortage lasting into 2028. The world’s largest memory maker expects supply constraints to worsen through 2027–2028 as data-centre demand continues; it is signing long-term supply deals. Memory profits remain record while smartphone and appliance segments felt cost pressure. (Company commentary / WSJ / CNBC reporting, 30 July.)
- xAI sues over US state law on AI “nudification”. Elon Musk’s xAI filed suit against a US state over the first-in-the-nation law banning AI tools that generate non-consensual intimate imagery, challenging the statute’s scope and enforcement. (Court filing / CNBC TV18 coverage, 30 July.)
- Anthropic responds to Claude chat-leak reports. After reports of Claude conversations appearing in Google search results, Anthropic issued guidance on how users can secure chats and clarified product behaviour around indexing. (Anthropic statement / reporting, 30 July.)
- Google Pay adds Gemini spending assistant (India-focused coverage). Google Pay’s new Gemini-powered features help analyse spending, explain SIPs and taxes in plain language for users in supported markets. (Company / CNBC TV18, 30 July.)
Primary sources preferred (company earnings releases, European Commission announcements). Secondary reporting from Associated Press, CNBC, WSJ used for context. Items chosen for same-day or late-29-to-30 developments and do not repeat the 29 July AM brief. Checked 30 July 2026 ~19:00 Asia/Kathmandu.