Consumer Tech News (Mar 10-Mar 14): Manus AI Creating Hype, Tesla Eyes Affordable Version Model Y In China & More

The escalating trade tensions between the U.S. and its key trading partners are creating fresh concerns for the automotive industry.

Goldman Sachs analyst warns tariffs pose a significant downside earnings risk for U.S. automakers and industrial tech companies, with potential reductions in vehicle production and rising costs for imported parts.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on Wednesday that it is starting the process to reverse dozens of Biden administration rules, including vehicle emissions standards.

The Federal Trade Commission requested a delay in its trial against Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN), citing resource constraints due to recent cuts by the Department of Government Efficiency.

U.S. President Donald Trump has indicated that Meta Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ:META) could invest up to $60 billion in the United States by the end of the year.

Earnings

SentinelOne Inc. (NYSE:S) reported fourth-quarter revenue of $225.5 million, beating the consensus estimate of $222.25 million and adjusted earnings of four cents per share, beating estimates of one cent per share.

UiPath, Inc. reported fourth-quarter earnings of nine cents per share, which beat the analyst consensus estimate of three cents and revenue of $424 million missed the consensus estimate of $425.36 million.

Blink Charging (NASDAQ:BLNK) reported fourth-quarter losses of 15 cents per share, which beat the consensus for losses of 17 cents, and revenue of $30.18 million missed the analyst consensus estimate of $30.52 million.

Rubrik (NYSE:RBRK) reported fourth-quarter losses of 61 cents per share, which beat the analyst consensus estimate for losses of 80 cents and revenue of $258.1 million beat the analyst consensus estimate of $233.1 million.

Technology

Tech billionaire and venture capitalist Peter Thiel is considering writing a book about ancient prophecies, the Antichrist, and Armageddon—and he believes we're ignoring what may be the most dangerous threat of all: the rise of global authoritarianism disguised as peace.

NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA) teamed up with Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) to introduce neural shading support in the Microsoft DirectX preview for April.

Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) is eyeing the production of an affordable version of its popular Model Y in Shanghai. The company plans to commercialize in 2026 at its Shanghai Gigafactory for its China market.

SpaceX's Crew-10 astronaut launch for NASA was postponed due to a hydraulics glitch. The Elon Musk-led rocket manufacturing company has rescheduled the mission for Friday, March 14.

Alphabet Inc.’s (NASDAQ:GOOG) Google is doubling down with a possible $115 million acquisition of eye-tracking startup AdHawk Microsystems.

Meta won an emergency legal ruling to block the promotion of a memoir written by a former high-ranking employee who claims the company ignored sexual harassment complaints and quietly built censorship tools for China.

Gaming

Nintendo Co., Ltd. (OTC:NTDOY) went all out for MAR10 Day this year, unveiling a packed celebration full of game discounts, travel sweepstakes, and more.

Smartphones

Apple Inc.’s (NASDAQ:AAPL) services chief Eddy Cue shared insights into Apple TV+’s selective content strategy while praising the global success of "Severance,” calling it one of the most culturally impactful shows of recent years.

Apple is preparing for what Mark Gurman described as "one of the most dramatic software overhauls" in the iPhone maker's history, with iOS 19 set to transform the smartphone's interface later in 2025.

On March 11, Nothing will begin shipping its new Phone (3a) series, offering premium features under $500—but with a few trade-offs that budget buyers should consider.

Samsung Electronics Co. (OTC:SSNLF) has reassured fans that the beloved S Pen isn’t going away, even though its absence from major product announcements stirred some doubts.

Artificial Intelligence

As China’s AI race accelerates, the viral autonomous agent Manus AI has partnered with Alibaba Group Holding Ltd’s (NYSE:BABA) Qwen team to develop a localized version tailored for Chinese users.

China’s Manus AI is being hyped as the next big leap in agentic AI—maybe even a “DeepSeek moment”—but early testers say the platform might be more sizzle than substance.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman spoke candidly at a private Morgan Stanley event, revealing what he believes investors are still underestimating about artificial intelligence.