In remote production environments, footage often has to be stored locally and physically carried to post for transfer, processing, and archive.

Taara Lightbridge creates a high-capacity wireless bridge between those locations, allowing production teams to move data in real time across sites without laying an inch of cable.

Cintegral, a production technology specialist working with leading studios and streaming platforms such as Disney, Netflix, and Amazon Studios, has been validating Taara Lightbridge as part of the new ST 2110 Fiber over the Air offering.

According to Cintegral, it seamlessly enables real-time streaming of high-resolution 4K JPEGXS and 8K RAW data between on location and production crews elsewhere on site, helping Directors, DOPs, DITs, Dailies, Editors, VFX, Broadcasters, and technical teams collaborate during a shoot rather than waiting until each shoot day has wrapped.

Taara will co-exhibit at the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) Show 2026 alongside Cintegral, Cree8, and Lumen, demonstrating how wireless optical connectivity can support real-time media and entertainment production workflows.

At the show, Taara and its partners will run a live Taara Lightbridge link from a nearby hotel rooftop into the exhibition booth, giving attendees a real-world look at how high-bandwidth, low-latency, light-based connectivity can be deployed quickly in environments where traditional infrastructure is difficult, slow, or impractical to extend.

“You shouldn’t have to dig or lay miles of fiber just to tell a great story. With Taara, we aren’t building networks – we’re beaming them. We’re giving production teams the power to deploy fiber-class connectivity out of thin air, exactly when and where the shoot demands it,” said Mahesh Krishnaswamy, Founder and CEO of Taara.

The collaboration with Cintegral marks an important step in Taara’s commercial story, showing how wireless optical connectivity can move beyond traditional telecom use cases and into enterprise environments with intense demands for throughput, mobility, and real-time collaboration.

In this case, the focus is on media production, where teams increasingly need to move large volumes of high-resolution video between locations quickly and reliably, without waiting for fixed-line buildouts or relying on physically transporting storage media.

“Our goal with ST 2110 Fiber-over-Air is to bring high-performance production workflows to any environment, without being limited by location,” said Dane Brehm, CEO, at Cintegral. “What Taara’s technology enables us to do is extend that capability to places where connectivity would normally be a bottleneck, allowing real-time collaboration between crews, directors, and editors on set.”

The collaboration builds on momentum from the 2026 HPA Tech Retreat, widely regarded as a forum for leaders across media technology, engineering, and content creation to explore emerging technologies and trends.

At the event, Cintegral showcased Taara Lightbridge and generated early interest in the use of wireless optical connectivity for advanced production workflows.

Taara Lightbridge is designed to deliver fiber-like speeds through the air using narrow beams of light, creating links that can be installed quickly and without the trenching, spectrum licensing, or long lead times associated with conventional infrastructure.

The NAB showcase will give attendees a practical demonstration of how that model can support demanding enterprise workflows in the field, including private wireless and production environments where performance and deployment speed are both critical.

The GSMA has already expressed interest in developing a formal case study around the deployment model, underscoring the relevance of wireless optical connectivity in private network environments where bandwidth, flexibility, and total cost of deployment are becoming key differentiators.

The NAB Show 2026 runs April 18-22 at the Las Vegas Convention Center, with exhibits open April 19-22. Visitors attending the event will be able to see the live demonstration at Booth W3101 in the West Hall.

The planned layoffs, which will affect less than 1% of the company’s workforce, had already been set in motion before Josh D’Amaro stepped in as chief executive in March.

As of the end of the 2025 financial year, The Walt Disney Company employed about 231,000 people.

Inside the company, the changes are tied to an internal restructuring known as Project Imagine. Asad Ayaz, who took on a bigger role earlier this year, is leading the initiative to bring Disney’s marketing teams under a single structure.

The aim is to reduce expenses and simplify how campaigns are run across its film, television, streaming and parks businesses.

This is one of the first major operational steps under D’Amaro’s leadership. He has told staff he wants the business to function as “one Disney”, with closer links between its divisions.

The cuts come at a time when the film and television industry is facing some challenges. Box office earnings have not fully recovered, traditional TV audiences are still falling, and streaming platforms are yet to deliver the level of profit many expected.

Other studios, including Sony Pictures Entertainment which recently said it would reduce its workforce as part of its own restructuring plans, are making similar moves.

Disney has been here before, in the years following Bob Iger’s return, the company cut thousands of jobs as it scaled back spending and reviewed its content strategy.

At the time, Iger said Disney had been producing too many shows and films in its bid to keep pace with streaming competition.

Its theme parks business still brings in strong revenue, but the company has warned of pressure on international travel to its US locations.

As it stands, Disney has not publicly commented on the latest round of expected layoffs.

This follows reports that CEO Sam Altman declared a “code red” inside the company in early December, halting side projects and pulling teams into a faster development sprint. 

The urgency was linked to Google’s latest innovations, which had placed Gemini 3 at the top of key performance rankings across reasoning, coding and multimodal tasks.

OpenAI says GPT-5.2 brings stronger general intelligence, better coding results, and far longer context handling. The company believes these improvements will help users complete more demanding work, particularly tasks that involve spreadsheets, complex documents, and project-heavy workflows. 

Interestingly, the new model stretches to handle up to a million tokens, a big difference from the previous model.

Google has been keen to highlight what Gemini 3 is capable of across text, audio, images and video, and analysts say its tight integration with Workspace and Android gives it an advantage with corporate users. 

Even with that, Altman played down the internal panic when he spoke on CNBC, saying: “Gemini 3 has had less of an impact on our metrics than we feared.” Google has not responded to requests for comment.

OpenAI is rolling out GPT-5.2 in three versions: Instant for quick responses, Thinking for slower but more reasoned answers, and Pro for enterprise-level performance. Paid ChatGPT users will receive them first. The company also states it will continue to support GPT-5.1, GPT-5 and GPT-4.1 on its API, giving developers more flexibility.

Away from the technical competition, OpenAI is also moving into entertainment. Disney has confirmed a $1 billion investment in the company and will allow its Sora video generator to use characters and worlds from Star Wars, Pixar and Marvel. 

This is one of the largest licensing deals yet between Hollywood and an AI firm, and it sets up OpenAI as a direct partner in digital content production. Microsoft, still OpenAI’s biggest backer with about $13 billion committed since 2019, continues to host the company’s models on Azure.

Industry forecasts show spending on cloud-based AI services is expected to rise sharply, with Gartner estimating it will exceed $723 billion next year. Many companies are already relying on GPT models for coding assistance, document processing and data insights. According to OpenAI, enterprise usage has climbed roughly 40% in the past year.

However, regulators in the US and Europe are examining safety standards, competition risks and copyright issues, with Disney’s licensing deal likely to draw even closer attention.

Find out lessons on how to help your business survive through tough times learning from successful companies like Apple, Dominio’s Pizza and Netflix,:

Domino’s Pizza:

Domino’s Pizza, a multinational pizza restaurant chain, faced harsh criticism from customers between 2007 and 2009, leading to a decline in sales and a fall in the company’s stock for two consecutive years. Many customers viewed Domino’s Pizza as an inferior choice compared to competitors.

In 2009, Domino realized they could not continue like this, as they could be out of business in no time if this continued. To address this problem, the company launched the “Pizza Turnaround” campaign, where the company publicly acknowledged its flaws while emphasizing the brand commitment to improvement; they introduced an improved pizza recipe.

The company did not stop at that as they leveraged technology to make the customer experience seamless from ordering to delivery.

This campaign led to a turnaround in customer experience, leading to a surge in sales and it successfully reinvented itself through a bold turnaround strategy

Lessons:

• Leverage customer feedback: Companies should address and improve their products or services based on customer feedback to rebuild trust and relevance.
• Prioritize quality and transparency: Companies should be transparent about their flaws and strengths because customers know even without saying, so why try to cover it up. Companies should prioritize quality at all times.

Apple:

Apple, the maker of the iPhone and one of the largest companies in the world today, was once in a dire state and almost filed for bankruptcy.

In the 1990s, Apple nearly declared bankruptcy as the company’s losses continued to mount, driven by leadership challenges, high product prices without any unique features, and increased competition. It launched several failed products including the Newton PDA and the Macintosh Performa Series.

In 1997, Steve Jobs, the co-founder of Apple, returned to the company as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) to save the company from bankruptcy.

With his return to the company, he charted a new future for the company. Jobs introduced new products like iMac, that were designed to appeal to a wider range of consumers.

He leveraged the internet and also shifted the company’s focus from hardware to software, recognizing that the company’s strength lies in developing innovative software products.

Job’s efforts yielded results as the company’s financial situation gradually improved. The introduction of the iPhone in 2007 further solidified the company following the iPhone’s tremendous success.

Lessons:

• Simplify offerings and focus on areas of strength: Businesses should concentrate on areas where the company excels to give customers the best.
• Evaluate your product or service: If your business is struggling and you are finding it hard to concentrate on a single problem based on diversified offerings, evaluate and eliminate underperforming offerings.
• Prioritize customer experience: Create products and services that delight customers and solve real problems.

Disney:

Disney is a global entertainment company known for innovation, creativity, and commercial success. Its reputation was built on creating iconic animated films and theme parks.

However, in the early 2000s, it encountered several challenges that threatened its growth. Its hand-drawn animated films like Treasure Planet and Home on the Range failed to resonate with the audience. It faced increased competition from other entertainment companies.

To reclaim its dominance, Disney acquired key companies through strategic acquisitions to revitalize its content portfolio.

It embraced technology, through the launch of DISNEY+ in 2019, bringing together its vast contents under a single streaming platform and also revitalizing its theme parks.

Lessons:

• Invest in strategic acquisitions: Businesses can diversify their offerings and secure market leadership by acquiring complementary businesses.
• Diversify your revenue streams: Businesses should learn to diversify their revenue and not rely on a single revenue stream in a competitive market.

Netflix:

Netflix, founded in 1997, began as a DVD rental by mail service company. Differentiating itself from competitors, it removed the late fees for its customers and introduced a subscription-based model, which allows unlimited DVD rentals without due dates or late fees.

Anticipating the impending obsolescence of physical media and the digital shift, Netflix launched its streaming service in 2007, allowing subscribers to watch content online. Recognizing the importance of exclusive content, Netflix produced its original content currently watched by millions of people worldwide.

With the company’s strategic move and early identification of consumer preferences, the company currently boasts over 30 million subscribers in over 190 countries.

Lessons:

• Embracing Technology: Businesses should embrace technology and not continue using obsolete strategies just because that is what they are known for. Netflix transitioned from a DVD rental service to an online movie streaming service based on consumers changing preferences.
• Adapt to Industry Trends: Businesses should be flexible enough to pivot quickly when they see opportunities to fill in the gaps where competitors are lagging.

Unexpected economic downturns or changes in customer preference do not necessarily mean the end of a business.

The ability to adapt, innovate, and adopt strategies that meet customers’ needs are key determinants in a business’s success.

Whether through embracing technology or leveraging customer feedback, these strategies from successful companies can help struggling businesses regain their stand.

Disney, known for its entertainment technology, aims to be one of the first companies to integrate Newton into its next-generation robotic characters. Among them are the BDX droids, inspired by Star Wars, which are expected to debut at various Disney theme parks next year. 

A live demonstration of one of these droids took place during Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang’s keynote at GTC 2025, where the robot waddled onto the stage.

The Newton engine aims to bridge a challenge in robotics—the difference between simulated environments and real-world physics. Robots usually find it difficult with tasks requiring fine motor skills or adaptability to unpredictable surroundings. 

Newton seeks to change that by providing a physics simulation tool that allows developers to program robots to interact with soft and deformable objects, such as food, fabric, and sand.

Kyle Laughlin, senior vice president of Walt Disney Imagineering, said, “The BDX droids are just the beginning. We’re committed to bringing more characters to life in ways the world hasn’t seen before, and this collaboration with Disney Research, Nvidia, and Google DeepMind is a key part of that vision.”

Nvidia intends to release an open-source version of Newton later this year, allowing developers worldwide to contribute to its evolution. The engine is designed to work seamlessly with Google DeepMind’s MuJoCo, a physics simulator already widely used in robotics research. 

With MuJoCo’s ability to model multi-joint movements and contact-rich environments, the addition of Newton is expected to improve robotic control and precision.

DeepMind’s involvement brings another layer of advancement to the project. Its recent launch of MuJoCo-Warp—a version of the simulator optimised for Nvidia’s GPU acceleration—has demonstrated speed improvements of over 70x for humanoid robot simulations and a 100x boost for in-hand manipulation tasks. By integrating this technology into Newton, Nvidia aims to enhance performance while maintaining high levels of adaptability.

Beyond its applications in entertainment, Newton has the potential to bolster industries that rely on robotics, including manufacturing, healthcare, and logistics. The physics engine is built on Nvidia Warp, a CUDA-based acceleration library that allows developers to create highly efficient, real-time simulations. 

It is also designed with extensibility in mind, meaning it can evolve alongside advancements in robotics technology.

With Disney’s involvement, theme park attractions can go beyond pre-programmed animatronics to feature robots capable of responding dynamically to guests. Meanwhile, Google DeepMind’s investment in robotics development shows that Newton could become a foundational tool for training and deploying robots across various industries.

Jensen Huang’s keynote did not stop at Newton. He also introduced Groot N1, a foundational model designed to improve humanoid robots’ ability to interpret and navigate their surroundings. Alongside this, Nvidia unveiled its upcoming AI chip roadmap, featuring the next-generation Blackwell Ultra and Rubin architectures, and introduced a new category of “personal AI computers.”

These new ad placements are designed to extend the way users already interact with businesses on Snapchat, offering advertisers more opportunities to engage with the platform’s community.

Sponsored Snaps will allow businesses to deliver full-screen vertical video ads directly to users’ inboxes. Users must opt-in to open these Snaps, and they have the option to reply by sending a message to the advertiser or using a call-to-action link to explore more.

The Sponsored Snaps are visually distinct from regular Snaps and will disappear if left unopened. Unlike other Snaps, they won’t trigger a push notification, ensuring a more user-friendly experience.

Promoted Places will highlight sponsored locations on the Snap Map, encouraging users to discover nearby businesses. As part of the feature, certain locations will be marked as “Top Picks,” based on visitation trends within the Snapchat community.

According to Snapchat, marking a location as a “Top Pick” can result in a 17.6% increase in visits among frequent users. Promoted Places aims to help businesses measure and drive foot traffic to their physical locations.

Snapchat is eager to gather feedback on these new features and plans to iterate and evolve them based on user input.

The company is also exploring future integrations, such as CRM systems and AI chatbot support, to enhance customer engagement through the Snapchat Sponsored Snaps, as well as new possibilities for enabling customer loyalty through the Snap Map.

The breach, attributed to an anonymous group known as Nullbulge, includes discussions on advertising strategies, technological developments, and hiring processes. 

The Wall Street Journal confirmed these details after reviewing the leaked files.

Nullbulge, identifying itself as a hacktivist group, announced the leak through a post and various social media platforms. 

The group claims to have accessed the data via a compromised Disney employee’s computer, managing to download and package 1.1 terabytes of files and chat messages from approximately 10,000 Slack channels within the company. 

They issued a call to the public to explore the leaked content, stating, “Want to see what goes on behind the doors? Go grab it.”

The stolen data includes a range of sensitive information such as login credentials, source code, images, and details about unreleased projects. 

Discussions about software development, recruitment, website maintenance, and employee programs dating back to at least 2019 were part of the leaked content. 

Again, Eurogamer reported that the leak has started revealing details about forthcoming gaming collaborations and unannounced video game sequels.

In its communications, Nullbulge stated the motivation for targeting Disney was to highlight issues concerning artists’ rights and compensation. 

Nullbulge criticised Disney’s handling of artist contracts, its approach to artificial intelligence (AI), and what was described as a disregard for consumers. 

The group mentioned issues about the impact of generative AI on creative professionals, an issue that has enhanced unionisation actions and strikes within the industry. 

This comes with talks of Disney using AI in production credits for the “Secret Invasion” series on Disney Plus and its ongoing exploration of AI applications across its entertainment operations.

Disney has confirmed the breach and stated that it is investigating the matter. 

On Monday, the tech company continued its phenomenal share price growth, tripling in value in under four years, according to The Guardian report.

A pandemic-era surge in tech stocks has driven the major tech companies to new highs, pulling US stock markets with them.

Apple became the world’s first trillion dollar company in August 2018, passed $2tn in 2020 and hit its new high as trading began after the holidays and its shares passed $182.80 a piece before dipping lower to end the day valued at over $2.9tn.

Apple alone is now more valuable than the combined values of Boeing, Coca-Cola, Disney, Exxon-Mobil, McDonald’s, Netflix and Walmart. Its shares have risen 38% since the beginning of 2021, one of the largest gains on the Dow Jones industrial average stock market index.

The company released its last quarterly earnings in October and made a profit of $20.6bn over the previous three months despite suffering from Covid-related supply chain issues.

It is unlikely to remain the only $3tn company as analysts expect Microsoft will also hit the mark later this year.

Apple thinks ahead

In the other report, an anonymous tipster hinted that Apple has advised major U.S. carriers to prepare for the launch of eSIM -only smartphones by September 2022.

The tipster shared a seemingly legitimate document outlining the timeframe for this initiative, although the document does not specifically mention Apple or the iPhone.

As part of the transition, some U.S. carriers will allegedly start offering select iPhone 13 models without a nano-SIM card in the box in the second quarter of 2022.

iPhone 13 models sold at Apple Stores or on Apple.com already lack a nano-SIM card in the box, with users typically able to activate a cellular plan via eSIM by turning on the iPhone, connecting to a Wi-Fi network, and following the on-screen instructions.

Given the alleged September 2022 deadline, it is possible that Apple might remove the physical SIM card slot starting with some iPhone 14 models, rather than some iPhone 15 models as originally rumored, but nothing is definitive at this point.