iWorld
Pocket FM surpasses 100 million downloads on Google Play Store
Mumbai: Audio Series platform Pocket FM has announced today that it has surpassed the remarkable milestone of 100 million downloads on the Google Play Store, strengthening its presence as a top player in the digital entertainment landscape. This achievement comes as a testament to Pocket FM’s commitment to providing high-quality audio content to millions of listeners worldwide in the form of audio series, a category innovated and nurtured by them.
Since its launch in 2018, Pocket FM has quickly become a favourite among netizens seeking a diverse range of entertainment that can be accessible anytime and anywhere. The platform offers a variety of genres and languages, making it appealing to its listener community.
As the demand for audio content continues to surge, Pocket FM has been at the forefront of innovation, offering a diverse range of content catering to various interests and age groups. The platform’s user-friendly interface, seamless streaming experience, and high-quality content have resonated with users across the world. Moreover, Pocket FM has continuously invested in developing and curating a robust library of engaging and entertaining audio content.
Speaking about this significant milestone, Pocket FM co-founder and CTO Prateek Dixit, expressed his gratitude to its listener community, content creators, and the entire Pocket FM team. “We are thrilled to have surpassed 100 million downloads on the Google Play Store. This achievement is a testament to our team’s hard work and dedication, as well as the immense support from our listeners. We are grateful to every person who has joined the Pocket FM community and made it a part of their daily audio entertainment experience.”
Dixit further emphasised the company’s commitment to providing rich and diverse content to its listeners. “Pocket FM is dedicated to continuously enhancing its content library and offering a wide range of audio entertainment options. We believe in giving our listeners a platform where they can explore and indulge in a new entertaining experience with every click.”
As a leading audio entertainment platform, Pocket FM has played a significant role in reshaping the global audio entertainment landscape with its audio series, serialised fiction audio storytelling form similar to TV series. With its massive listener base and continuous growth, Pocket FM is set to redefine how people consume entertainment in the digital age.
iWorld
Meta plans 8,000 layoffs in new AI-led restructuring wave
First phase from May 20 may cut 10 per cent workforce amid AI pivot.
MUMBAI: At Meta, the future may be artificial but the cuts are very real. The social media giant is reportedly preparing a fresh round of layoffs, with an initial wave expected to impact around 8,000 employees as it doubles down on its artificial intelligence ambitions. According to a Reuters report, the first phase of job cuts is slated to begin on May 20, targeting roughly 10 per cent of Meta’s global workforce. With nearly 79,000 employees on its rolls as of December 31, the move marks one of the company’s most significant workforce reductions in recent years.
And this may only be the beginning. Sources indicate that additional layoffs are being planned for the second half of the year, although the scale and timing remain fluid, likely to be shaped by how Meta’s AI capabilities evolve in the coming months. Earlier reports had suggested that total cuts in 2026 could reach 20 per cent or more of its workforce.
The restructuring comes as chief executive Mark Zuckerberg continues to steer the company towards an AI-first operating model, committing hundreds of billions of dollars to the transition. Internally, this shift is already visible: teams within Reality Labs have been reorganised, engineers have been moved into a newly formed Applied AI unit, and a Meta Small Business division has been created to align with broader structural changes.
The trend is hardly isolated. Across the tech sector, companies are trimming headcount while investing aggressively in automation. Amazon, for instance, has reportedly cut around 30,000 corporate roles nearly 10 per cent of its white-collar workforce citing efficiency gains driven by AI. Data from Layoffs.fyi shows over 73,000 tech employees have already lost jobs this year, compared with 153,000 in all of 2024.
For Meta, the move echoes its earlier “year of efficiency” in 2022–23, when about 21,000 roles were eliminated amid slowing growth and market pressures. This time, however, the backdrop is different. The company is financially stronger, generating over $200 billion in revenue and $60 billion in profit last year, with shares up 3.68 per cent year-to-date though still below last summer’s peak.
That contrast underlines the shift underway. These layoffs are less about survival and more about reinvention. As Meta restructures itself around AI from autonomous coding agents to advanced machine learning systems, the question is no longer whether the company will change, but how many roles will be left unchanged when it does.
