A widespread disruption hit several major digital platforms on Tuesday evening after Cloudflare experienced a technical issue that resulted in global service failures. The outage restricted access to platforms such as X, ChatGPT, Spotify and gaming services, with many users encountering 500 errors and repeated “try again in a few minutes” prompts.

Users report widespread 500 errors as services struggle

According to the company, a surge in unusual traffic caused errors across Cloudflare’s network, affecting traffic routed through its systems. The Cloudflare Dashboard and API also malfunctioned, and several platforms dependent on Cloudflare struggled to load. Even outage-tracking website Downdetector was impacted.

The internet infrastructure firm had planned maintenance at data centres in Tahiti, Los Angeles, Atlanta and Santiago in Chile, though there is no clarity yet on whether the scheduled activities contributed to the disruption.

Services begin to recover as investigation continues

By late evening, access to multiple websites was gradually restored. Cloudflare confirmed that engineers were working to stabilise services while investigating the cause of the traffic spike.

Cloudflare said the unusual surge led to errors across its network. “We do not yet know the cause of the spike in unusual traffic… We are all hands on deck to make sure all traffic is served without errors,” the company noted in a status message.

Past outages bring attention to web infrastructure dependency

This is not the first time the company’s systems have faced problems. In previous years, outages in 2019 and 2022 had disrupted thousands of websites globally.

The latest incident comes just weeks after cloud service disruptions at other major providers, underlining the growing impact of internet infrastructure failures on global businesses and public services.

Organisations such as New Jersey Transit and credit rating platform Moody’s also reported interruptions due to the Cloudflare issue. Shares of the company were down in pre-market trading following the outage.

OpenAI announced that its subscription service, ChatGPT Go, will be available free of cost for one year to users in India who register between November 4 and the end of a limited-time promotional period. The initiative coincides with the company’s first-ever DevDay Exchange event in Bengaluru.

Designed to enhance access to advanced AI features

Launched in India in August, ChatGPT Go was created in response to user feedback seeking affordable access to advanced AI tools. The plan offers higher message limits, image generation capabilities, and file uploads — features previously limited to premium tiers.

According to OpenAI, the number of paid ChatGPT subscribers in India doubled within the first month of ChatGPT Go’s introduction. Following this strong adoption, the company has expanded the service to nearly 90 countries.

Boost to India’s growing AI ecosystem

OpenAI highlighted that millions of Indians, including developers, students, and professionals, use ChatGPT daily. The company described the offer as part of its “India-first” commitment, supporting the IndiaAI Mission and reinforcing the country’s growing momentum in artificial intelligence as it prepares to host the AI Impact Summit next year.

Existing ChatGPT Go subscribers in India will also benefit from the free 12-month promotion.

Nick Turley, OpenAI’s Vice President and Head of ChatGPT, said the initiative is inspired by the creativity and enthusiasm of Indian users. “Ahead of our first DevDay Exchange event in India, we’re making ChatGPT Go freely available for a year to help more people across India easily access and benefit from advanced AI,” he added.

Apple has officially launched its much-awaited iPhone 17 series in India, introducing four models – iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Air, iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max. The series comes with advanced features, multiple storage variants, and a starting price of Rs 82,900. Pre-bookings will open from 12 September, while sales begin on 19 September.

iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Air price in India

The standard iPhone 17 is priced at Rs 82,900 for the 256GB base variant. Meanwhile, the iPhone 17 Air, designed with a slimmer and more premium look, starts at Rs 1,19,900.

Key features of iPhone 17

• Display: 6.3-inch Super Retina XDR OLED, 120Hz ProMotion, up to 3000 nits brightness with Ceramic Shield 2 protection.
  
• Camera: Dual 48MP setup (Fusion main + Ultra Wide) with 2X telephoto capability, along with a new Centre Stage front camera.
  
• Performance: Powered by the A19 chipset, runs on iOS 26, 40% faster than iPhone 16.
  
• Battery: Up to 8 hours longer backup compared to its predecessor.
  

iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max price in India

The premium segment begins with iPhone 17 Pro priced at Rs 1,34,900, while the iPhone 17 Pro Max starts at Rs 1,49,900. The top-end Pro Max with the highest storage option goes up to Rs 2,29,900. These models are available in Cosmic Orange, Deep Blue, and Silver colours.

Key features of Pro models

• Display: iPhone 17 Pro with 6.3-inch and Pro Max with 6.9-inch Super Retina XDR OLED, both featuring 120Hz refresh rate and 3000 nits brightness.
  
• Chipset: New A19 Pro with Vapour Chamber Cooling for heavy usage.
  
• Camera: Triple 48MP system including an advanced telephoto lens with 8X optical zoom and 40X digital zoom, plus an 18MP front camera.
  
• Battery & Charging: Best-ever battery backup on Pro Max, with USB-C fast charging – 50% charge in just 20 minutes.
  

Why the iPhone 17 series stands out

The new iPhones not only bring improved design and performance but also integrate Apple Intelligence AI features for messaging, calls and visual tools.

Offers and EMI options

• No-cost EMI: Available for up to 6 months.
  
• Cashback: ICICI Bank users can avail up to Rs 5,000 instant cashback.
• For instance, buying the iPhone 17 Pro Max (Rs 1,49,900) on a 6-month no-cost EMI plan brings effective savings of Rs 11,525, including cashback and EMI benefits.