Morning Brief

1. Alibaba launches HappyHorse 1.0 video generation model
2. WeChat warns of “755” spoofed scam calls
3. JBL releases two new audio products
4. CHERRY unveils MX 8.3 Pro mechanical keyboard
5. Microsoft internally launches the Windows K2 project to optimize the Windows 11 experience
6. LincPlus introduces new NAS product LincStation E1
7. Apple launches a 12-month installment annual subscription plan
8. GitHub Copilot will fully shift to a usage-based pricing model
9. News Worth a Quick Look

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Alibaba launches HappyHorse 1.0 video generation model

On April 27, Alibaba announced that its video generation model HappyHorse 1.0 has entered limited rollout testing. According to Alibaba, HappyHorse 1.0 is open for testing to professional creators, enterprise clients, and general users. Professional creators and enterprise users can register via the official HappyHorse website and the Alibaba Cloud Bailian platform, while general users can access it through the “HappyHorse” entry at the bottom of the homepage in the latest version of the Qwen App.

In terms of features, HappyHorse 1.0 supports text-to-video, image-to-video, multi-shot storytelling, multi-aspect-ratio adaptation, and video super-resolution output. Alibaba states that the model can generate videos up to 15 seconds in length and supports multilingual content creation, including Cantonese, English, French, and Korean. In terms of pricing, the official HappyHorse website lists 720P video generation at 0.9 RMB per second, while the same capability in the Qwen App is priced as low as 0.44 RMB per second. Source

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WeChat warns of “755” spoofed scam calls

On April 27, WeChat issued an official notice warning that scammers have recently used number spoofing tools to impersonate “Tencent Customer Service” or “WeChat Security Center” when calling overseas users.

According to the notice, scammers may accurately state users’ names and overseas phone numbers during calls to gain trust, then threaten users by claiming that their WeChat accounts will be suspended, inducing them to report to the police. The scammers may then offer to “assist” by transferring the call to a fake “police hotline,” where they further request bank account details and verification codes to complete the fraud. In other cases, scammers may use claims such as “linked违规 public accounts” or “suspected illegal fundraising” to deceive users.

WeChat emphasized that such spoofed calls usually begin with “755,” which differs from the official customer service number “0755.” The company clarified that its hotline has never proactively made international outbound calls and will not notify users of account violations via phone. All such information is communicated only through in-app system notifications or penalty alerts. WeChat also stated that it will never request sensitive personal information or assist in transferring calls to law enforcement agencies.

WeChat advises users to hang up immediately upon receiving such calls and avoid providing any information to prevent falling victim to fraud. Source

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JBL releases two new audio products

On April 27, JBL announced two new audio products: the LIVE 780NC over-ear headphones and the BandBox Solo speaker.

The LIVE 780NC headphones come in five color options and feature an ergonomic silicone headband and metal hinge structure. They are equipped with 40mm dynamic drivers, support spatial audio and Adaptive Noise Cancelling 2.0, include a six-microphone array, and support Bluetooth 6.0. In terms of battery life, they can last up to 80 hours with noise cancellation turned off. The headphones will go on sale on April 28 at a price of 1,399 RMB.

The BandBox Solo speaker is designed for practice and creative scenarios. It features JBL sound tuning, a built-in tuner and metronome, and integrated effects, allowing one-touch sound adjustments without the need for pedals. It also supports wired headphone connections for practice and USB-C direct recording, along with AI-powered track separation and app-based smart controls. The battery life is approximately 6 hours, and the product is priced at 2,199 RMB. Source

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CHERRY unveils MX 8.3 Pro mechanical keyboard

On April 27, CHERRY launched the MX 8.3 Pro mechanical keyboard, positioned as a high-end product focusing on build quality and performance, priced at 2,299 RMB.

The keyboard adopts an orange-and-black color scheme and continues with an 80% TKL layout. It is equipped with the new-generation MX Lumina Brown switches and supports tri-mode connectivity, including Bluetooth, wired, and 2.4GHz. In USB-C wired mode, it supports up to an 8kHz polling rate, while the 2.4GHz mode supports up to 4kHz polling.

In terms of battery life, the MX 8.3 Pro features a built-in 5000mAh battery, with an official claim of up to 1400 hours of usage, and supports advanced SOCD key functionality.

Regarding structure and materials, the MX 8.3 Pro uses a CNC-machined aluminum chassis. The front features a full-color LCD control screen and an X-shaped multifunction knob. Internally, it adopts a gasket structure, consisting of an FR4 gold-plated positioning plate, Poron foam, IXPE switch pads, PET acoustic pads, a hot-swappable PCB, switch socket foam, and bottom sound-dampening foam. It also comes with double-shot PBT keycaps with a fine matte finish. Source

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Microsoft internally launches the Windows K2 project to optimize the Windows 11 experience

Microsoft Windows chief Pavan Davuluri stated at an internal briefing in March this year that Microsoft will optimize the system based on user feedback, aiming to make Windows 11 “the most stable operating system in the world.”

According to reports, Microsoft has internally launched an initiative called the “Windows K2” plan. The project was initiated in the second half of 2025 and focuses on addressing user concerns about bloated AI features and declining system reliability. The K2 plan revolves around three core pillars: Performance, Craft (code quality), and Reliability, continuously improving system performance through Windows Insider feedback, telemetry data, and user research.

In addition, the plan introduces “Community” as a fourth pillar. Microsoft stated it will rebuild the Windows enthusiast ecosystem, including bringing back offline Windows Insider events and encouraging development teams to respond more actively to user feedback on social media.

In terms of performance optimization, Microsoft is benchmarking against SteamOS for gaming performance¹, aiming to adjust the system’s underlying architecture over the next one to two years to achieve similar results. Meanwhile, internal teams will gradually migrate to the WinUI 3 framework to improve native UI performance, and rebuild components such as the Start menu, Run dialog, and Control Panel, adding more customization options like UI scaling and menu hiding. Source

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LincPlus introduces new NAS product LincStation E1

On April 27, LincPlus, a sub-brand of Techvision, announced the launch of its new ARM-based NAS product, LincStation E1.

The device adopts a 2+2 hybrid storage design, offering two 3.5”/2.5” SATA drive bays and two M.2 2280 NVMe SSD slots. In terms of hardware, the LincStation E1 is powered by a processor featuring 4× Cortex-A55 cores (2.0GHz) and a Mali-G52 GPU, supporting 4K video decoding, and comes with a memory configuration of 4GB DDR4 + 64GB eMMC.

On the software side, the device runs the self-developed LincOS operating system and supports interoperability with Android, iOS, and Windows devices.

For external I/O, the LincStation E1 includes one USB-A 5Gbps port, two USB-A 480Mbps ports, one 1GbE RJ45 port, and one HDMI 2.1 TMDS port, along with a wireless card supporting both 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands. Source

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Apple launches a 12-month installment annual subscription plan

Today, Apple announced a new subscription model for the App Store, allowing developers to offer monthly payments with a 12-month commitment.

According to Apple, this subscription format allows users to pay monthly while committing to a full 12-month period, enabling developers to break down annual subscriptions into lower-barrier monthly payments. The feature is currently available for configuration in App Store Connect and can be tested via Xcode, but has not yet been officially rolled out to users in the App Store.

Regarding payment mechanics, Apple stated that users can cancel subscriptions at any time, but cancellation only prevents auto-renewal after the current cycle; payments within the committed period must still be completed. Users can view completed and remaining payments in their Apple Account, and the system will send reminders via email and push notifications for upcoming charges.

Apple noted that this feature is expected to launch alongside iOS 26.5 and corresponding system updates next month, and will be available for devices running iOS 26.4 and above. However, the subscription model will not initially be available in the United States and Singapore, with reasons and future rollout timelines yet to be announced. Source

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GitHub Copilot will fully shift to a usage-based pricing model

GitHub announced that all Copilot plans will no longer use the “Premium Request” (PRU) counting model, and will instead allocate a certain number of GitHub AI Credits per subscription each month, with paid users able to purchase additional credits. Usage will be calculated based on token consumption, including input, output, and cached tokens, with specific rates aligned to the public API pricing of each model.

GitHub stated that Copilot has evolved from an in-editor assistant into an agentic platform capable of executing long-running, multi-step autonomous coding sessions and traversing entire repositories using the latest models. The existing PRU-based pricing is no longer sustainable, and shifting to usage-based billing will help maintain long-term service reliability while reducing restrictions for heavy users.

Following this change, base subscription prices for GitHub Copilot will remain unchanged, and Copilot Pro plans will include equivalent monthly AI Credits. Code completion and Next Edit Suggestions will continue to be included in all plans without consuming AI Credits. Copilot code review features, however, will consume both AI Credits and GitHub Actions runtime.

For existing annual subscribers, GitHub will provide transition arrangements. Users with annual Pro or Pro+ plans will continue under the original request-based pricing terms until their subscription expires. However, starting June 1, model multipliers will increase significantly. After expiration, users will be automatically moved to Copilot Free, with the option to upgrade to a monthly paid plan or convert the remaining value of their annual plan into credits on a prorated basis. Source

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News Worth a Quick Look

• Recently, data miner Billbil-kun revealed that Microsoft plans to introduce a new subscription tier called “Starter Edition” for Xbox Game Pass. This plan will offer 10 hours of Xbox cloud gaming per month, along with in-game perks and access to a library of over 50 games, playable across consoles, PC, and other devices. However, the Starter Edition will not support online multiplayer, making it the only tier in the current Xbox Game Pass lineup without multiplayer functionality. The report suggests it may launch in mid-May this year, though pricing and full benefits have yet to be officially announced. Source

• On April 27, Sony announced price increases for the PlayStation 5 series and related accessories across Southeast Asian markets including Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Vietnam, effective May 1. Indonesia will see the largest increase, with the PS Portal priced at 5,199,000 IDR, up 44.5% from 3,599,000 IDR. The PS5 and PS5 Digital Edition will be priced at 11,399,000 IDR and 9,999,000 IDR respectively. In Singapore, the PS5 will be priced at 849 SGD, with the Digital Edition and PS5 Pro at 764 SGD and 1,167 SGD respectively, and the PS Portal at 347 SGD. Sony stated that the price adjustments are due to global economic pressures. Source
• According to a report by 9to5Google on April 26, citing informed sources, the upcoming update will cover all Google Workspace apps. The new icon design will align with Google’s gradient “G” logo and products such as Gemini, Google Photos, and Google Maps, reinforcing AI-related visual identity. The updated icons will no longer be restricted to Google’s four standard colors, instead adopting more distinctive color schemes and shapes to address user concerns about the lack of recognizability in previous designs. Source

1. Editor’s note: Compared to Windows 11, which runs games natively, games on SteamOS generally rely on the Proton compatibility layer. After optimization, performance loss in complex scenarios is typically around 10% to 20% at most. ↩︎