Technology

• Turntable with Bluetooth streaming output
• Dual 50W wireless speakers with multiple inputs
• £299 (about £366 / AU$588) – US and Aus pricing not confirmed

If you're looking for an affordable all-in-one turntable system, MIXX may have just the thing. Its new Analog System 5 is a Bluetooth turntable with powerful wireless speakers included, and a decently low price.

The system is built around a turntable with an aluminum tonearm and an Audio-Technica AT3600L moving magnet cartridge, and it's bundled with a pair of 50W speakers.

Because it's Bluetooth, you can also stream to other speakers or to a set of Bluetooth headphones. And the speakers are also designed to be used with other inputs for maximum musical mileage.

(Image credit: MIXX) MIXX Analog System 5: key features and pricing

The belt-driven turntable plays both 33 and 45rpm records, and it also has a pitch control for extra speed adjustment – something you don't usually see in affordable all-in-ones. If the quality holds up, this really could rival the best turntables for those getting into the hobby, because it's such a simple and tempting package.

The speakers are Bluetooth and also have line-in, optical, coaxial and USB inputs. That's handy if you're short of space: the same speakers can stream from your smartphone or get audio from other sources as well as playing your vinyl records.

There are two color options here, white or black, and the UK and Ireland prices are £299 and €299 respectively. You can buy now from Amazon in the UK and Harvey Norman in Ireland, or directly from MIXX.

This record player set will also come to the US and Australia, but pricing and exact availability hasn't yet been confirmed – but we'll update you when we've got it.

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• Security researcher finds large unsecured online database belonging to Willow Pays
• The database contained plenty of sensitive customer information
• It is now locked down, but users should still be cautious

Bill payment platform Willow Pays kept a huge database full of sensitive customer information unprotected online available to anyone who knew where to look, an expert has claimed.

Researcher Jeremiah Fowler, known for hunting down misconfigured and non-password-protected databases on the internet, revealed he recently discovered a database containing more than 240,000 records.

“There were folders inside the database indicating bills, mailing lists, account inconsistencies, repayment schedules, screenshots, settings, and snapshots,” he said. “In a limited sampling of the exposed documents, I saw records that included names, email addresses, credit limits, and other internal information. One single spreadsheet document contained the details of 56,864 individuals, indicating if they were prospects, active customers, or blocked accounts.”

Missing details

Soon after, Fowler was able to attribute the database to Willow Pays, a financial service which helps users manage their bills by paying them upfront. The service allows users to repay the amount in four interest-free installments, making it easier to handle expenses. This service also supports building credit by ensuring timely repayments.

Fowler reached out to Willow Pays, which locked down the database soon after. However, the company did not reply to his emails, and did not say if it manages the database in-house, or if the job was outsourced to a third-party. Furthermore, we don’t know for how long the database remained unlocked, or if any malicious actors accessed it before Fowler did.

Misconfigured databases remain one of the most common causes of data leaks and spills on the internet. Many security researchers are warning that companies do not properly understand the shared security model of most cloud service providers these days, and that they mistakenly place too much trust on them, instead of protecting their assets themselves.

Via Website Planet

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• EA Sports FC 25's latest gameplay refresh update has been released
• Title Update 8 is "the most significant mid-season gameplay overhaul" yet
• "Major updates" to core gameplay systems have been added based on player feedback

EA has released the patch notes for EA Sports FC 25's latest gameplay refresh update.

The mid-season update, or Title Update 8, is now live across PC and console and is "the most significant mid-season gameplay overhaul we've ever made", based on player feedback, according to EA.

With this update, EA has implemented "major updates" to core gameplay systems that affect matches, like passing, shooting, goalkeeping, and defending.

It's also made gameplay "more offensively fluid" to enable more control over the ball, reduced the frequency of tacklebacks, and AI interceptions, as well as addressed issues like defenders catching up to dribblers too often.

As detailed in the lengthy patch notes, Title Update 8 has now made balance adjustments to attacking and defending, and now made them more "effective and fun".

Some of the ways this was achieved were by improving AI teammates' attacking run quality when trying to beat the offside line, increasing intelligence of attacking and supporting runs made by AI teammates, and improving the effectiveness of Inside and Advanced Forwards.

Offensive players will also find that they can now operate in attacking spaces near others better, instead of stopping their runs, and players are now able to provide quicker support when they are familiar with their roles.

The patch notes also go further into detail about the aforementioned gameplay system tweaks, which EA said were added because it wanted to "reward intelligent and quick thinking passing plays".

For example, the speed and accuracy of normal Ground Passes have now been slightly increased, along with the effectiveness of Semi Assisted Through Passes.

"While some of these changes might sound small in a vacuum, when combined with other passing changes they are designed to enable players to move the ball easier across the pitch," EA explained.

Among many other adjustments and bug fixes, players can also find that the accuracy and shot speed from inside the box have been increased, while goalkeepers' handling of near-post shots has been changed after discovering they could sometimes incorrectly step away from the near post in tight angle shooting situations.

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• Asus will launch the ROG NUC 2025 this year, using Nvidia's RTX 5080 laptop GPU
• Its laptop GPU will utilize 16GB of GDDR7 VRAM
• It’s expected to have a high cost compared to the current ROG NUC 970

Nvidia's RTX 5000 series of graphics cards were officially unveiled at CES 2025 earlier this month, and while we don’t yet know when the RTX 5080 laptop GPU will start appearing in gaming laptops, Asus has confirmed one of its next-gen mini-gaming PC will be powered by Team Green's new hardware.

As reported by Edge Up Asus, the Asus ROG NUC 2025 mini gaming PC will utilize Nvidia's RTX 5080 laptop GPU alongside the Intel Core Ultra 9 (Series 2) ARL-HX processor boasting 24 cores and 24 threads. This is a build for a top-tier mini-gaming PC, which should outdo the likes of Apple's M4 Mac mini when it comes to gaming, but likely at a high cost.

The current ROG NUC comes packed with RTX 4000 series GPUs, and this year's model will step performance up to a new level - we'll be seeing benchmarks of the desktop RTX 5080 and 5090 series GPUs at the end of this month, with the laptop GPUs likely coming a short time after.

(Image credit: Edge Up/Asus) What can we expect in terms of its pricing?

I've never been a betting man, but I'm almost certain that the new Asus ROG NUC will be an expensive offering with configurations now offering up to the RTX 5080 and 64GB of DDR5 RAM - 2023's NUC 970 utilizes the RTX 4070 with a $1,399 / £1,629 starting price, so expect this year's model to be around the same figure… or even much higher.

Compared to the M4 Mac mini, the ROG NUC 2025 will excel in terms of performance, but this doesn’t mean it’s a straight knock out for the NUC. The M4 Mac mini will undoubtedly be much cheaper as it starts at $599 / £599 / AU$999, and the performance it offers at that price is hard to beat.

A more realistic comparison between Apple's Mac devices compared to the upcoming ROG NUC is the M4 MacBook Pro, especially the model that comes with the M4 Pro chip with a 14-core CPU and 20-core GPU, along with 24GB of unified memory, but of course, it isn't a mini-PC. Even with this, it would still lose out as Asus' system runs Windows 11, while the MacBook uses macOS, and Apple still has a long way to go with games on its operating system in terms of optimizations (especially at higher resolutions).

The ROG NUC will also benefit from Nvidia's new DLSS 4 Multi-Frame Generation, which will drastically improve performance across multiple games, besides the GPU's raw performance alone - so while it will be an expensive mini-PC, it will still likely be a better choice for gaming over the M4 Mac mini and the MacBook Pro.

Should you buy it though? I would say no, as it will likely be far too expensive compared to much cheaper standard-size gaming PCs that are powerful enough for smooth performance.

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• Researchers spotted hackers creating phishing pages on Google Sites
• The pages are then advertised on Google Ads
• Victims are locked out of their accounts, which are either used or sold

Cybercriminals have found a way to abuse and impersonate Google, run malicious ads on the search engine’s ad network, and steal login credentials from people looking to promote their businesses.

The warning comes from cybersecurity researchers at Malwarebytes, which warned users to be careful even when clicking on ads coming from the Google itself.

The threat actors start by creating a fake Google Ads homepage on Google Sites, the company’s website builder that also provides users with a Google URL (something like https://sites.google.com/view/sitename) - then, they create a fake ad, communicating a promotion or a new deal, and place it on the Google Ads network.

Three threat actors

"Indeed, you cannot show a URL in an ad unless your landing page (final URL) matches the same domain name. While that is a rule meant to protect abuse and impersonation, it is one that is very easy to get around," explained Jérôme Segura, Senior Director of Research at Malwarebytes.

"Looking back at the ad and the Google Sites page, we see that this malicious ad does not strictly violate the rule since sites.google.com uses the same root domains ads ads.google.com. In other words, it is allowed to show this URL in the ad, therefore making it indistinguishable from the same ad put out by Google LLC."

Victims who fall for the trick and click on the ad are redirected to a web page asking them to log in. Once they do, the phishing page collects their login credentials, unique identifiers, and cookies, and relays the data to the attackers, who then log in from a separate Google account.

The final step is to lock the victim out of their account and use it to fund additional campaigns, purchase other services, and more.

Malwarebytes believes at least three threat actors are currently deploying this tactic: a Brazilian group, an Asian-based attacker, and a group from somewhere in Eastern Europe.

Via BleepingComputer

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The end is nigh for TikTok...or is it? The ultra-popular social media platform stands on the precipice of a US ban that would wipe it from app stores and quickly make it inoperable on iPhones and Androids. 150 million users could lose access to audiences around the world and five million TikTok businesses could vaporize in an instant.

But it's not that cut and dried. Last-minute saviors could arise, even in the form of those who first sought to banish the Chinese-owned app.

A little background here before we dive into the minute-by-minute machinations that hold TikTok's future in the balance.

TikTok is a nearly decade-old social media platform that, in the US, started its life as Music.ly and was primarily a lip-syncing app (people made videos dancing and lip-syncing to their favorite pop songs). The app was bought by ByteDance, a Chinese software company, which quickly combined it with its own social media app and renamed it TikTok (in China, the app is called Douyin).

Not many people initially knew or cared about TikTok besides the teens who had previously used Music.ly. The Pandemic changed all that, though, as families were forced indoors and, with little else to do, turned to TikTok as both a creative outlet and digital community builder. The app's popularity exploded, and it became a cultural phenomenon.

It was also around this time that US relations with China soured, and concerns about cyber espionage grew. A Chinese-owned app in the hands of virtually every American suddenly seemed like a very bad idea. At issue was the Chinese government's open access to all technology and data of any company operating within its borders.

Then President Donald Trump signed an executive order in 2020 to ban TikTok in the US. The company responded by moving all data and operations related to the US version of the app inside the US. Oracle would host the data, and US-based employees would manage virtually everything else.

That was not enough, though, and eventually, President Joe Biden signed a law setting a timeline to force TikTok to sell by January 19, 2025, or be banned in the US.

Now, the final hours are winding down, but here's where things get interesting. We're about to give you the latest on TikTok's fate in the US. Stick with this live blog for all the breaking developments.

Biden as rescuer?

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Because TikTok's ban is set to take effect on January 19th, the final day of President Joe Biden's term and a day before President Trump takes office, there's been some confusion (and maybe concern) about which US leader would have the final say.

Trump has recently signaled he might be in favor of keeping TikTok alive in the US. Biden hasn't said much recently about the issue, but now his administration is signaling, if not a change of heart, an interest in a slightly different ban scenario.

According to a report on NBC News, Biden's office might no longer want TikTok to go dark on the 19th. There may be an interest in deferring the final decision to Trump when he takes office.

The report, however, then all but scuttles that hope, quoting one official who told them, "We are not considering deferring enforcement...Statutorily, we don’t believe we have the authority to do that."

In other words, no one knows what's going to happen on Sunday.

#TikTokRefugees

(Image credit: Future)

TikTok refugees are already planting flags on what they think are safer shores. Many have joined RedNote, another Chinese app that shares many of TikTok's features, but adds in Chinese language controls and content for good measure.

I wrote about the phenomenon here and have since counseled many that, while this app looks like fun, it has even less chance of surviving than TikTok. As a true Chinese app, it has none of TikTok's US data protections. The same goes for Lemon8, which is also owned by TikTok but does not necessarily run in the US.

For the moment, TikTokers seems reluctant to move over to US-based options like Instagram Reels or YouTube Shorts. They may soon have no choice, though.

Things we can't control

I've spent the past few weeks trying to get someone at TikTok to go on the record about what's about to happen and how the US-based team is preparing. No one is ready to talk.

I did, however, attend a TikTok cocktail party after a TikTok 5th annual What's Next Trend Report session at CES 2025. As I hobnobbed with various TikTok execs, they all expressed the same mood: this is beyond our control. They were cheerful, weirdly positive, and focused on the future, as uncertain as it is.

Most like to focus on the current and continuing positive impact Tiktok has had on countless businesses, from startups to long-established ones. They have plans for them and are still building tools to support them.

As Sofia Hernandez, Global Head of Business Marketing for TikTok said in a release, "In 2024, we saw brands push creative limits, lean into trends, and connect with their communities in powerful ways, but 2025 is set to take it even further.”

I wonder if any are sending frantic notes to ByteDance headquarters begging them to sell the company (ByteDance has always said it has no interest in a sale) but none of that anxiety was in evidence that evening. They're just doing what they can now and will react to the changes if and when they come.

Kind of like the 150 million US-based TikTok users

A Beast enters the arena

(Image credit: Future)

YouTube showman and over-caffeinated philanthropist Mr. Beast (real name James Stephen Donaldson) has produced several TikToks this week saying that he is buying TikTok. The YouTuber is well known for stunts and this may simply be another one.

As I noted earlier ByteDance has never put the platform up for sale but Donaldson appears undaunted.

@mrbeast

♬ original sound - MrBeast A special guest

TikTok CEO Shou Chew (Image credit: Bryan van der Beek/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Guess who's coming to President-elect Trump's inauguration on January 20? TikTok CEO Shou Chew has an invite, that's at least according to sources speaking to NBC News.

If Chew attends the ceremony and festivities, he'll also likely have some sit-down talks with Trump about the future of the platform. Chew's arrival a day after the ban takes effect might be problematic but then there is a chance that President Joe Biden might issue an exec order stay of execution as he's walking out the White House doors.

It's a lot of moving pieces and it's still unclear what Trump's invite means and how he really views TikTok. He may still demand a sale to a US company but just give TikTok more time to do it.

Senator Markey has other ideas

The most remarkable thing about the looming TikTok ban is its almost universal support across the political spectrum. This appeared to be the only thing Democrats and Republicans agreed on, plus it had the full support of the White House.

In these sharply divided times (at least in the US), no one agrees about anything – except of course about the "dangers" of TikTok.

There is, however, an almost lone voice of dissent. Massachusetts Senator Ed Markey has been a staunch Tiktok defender and a relatively new on-platform creator. Yesterday, Se. Markey introduced the "Extend the TikTok Deadline Act" in the Senate. No telling if the bill will go anywhere but you've gotta love the guy for flying into the wind.

@senmarkey

♬ Love You So - The King Khan & BBQ Show Leave it to...Trump?

Incoming President Donald Trump (Image credit: Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Incoming US President Donald Trump has already made his newfound adoration for TikTok clear but now we have evidence that he wants to take an active role in saving the platform.

According to the BBC One of Trump's top advisors, Congressman Mike Waltz, says Trump will step in if the US Supreme Court decides to uphold the ban (we're still awaiting its decision).

Trump's actions will hinge on a clause in the law that allows TikTok a 90-day extension if they've made significant progress in a sale. That determination may be up to Trump who could on Monday after he's inaugurated make that a priority.

That action, though, will come after the ban takes effect. Does TikTok just hold tight and flout the ban for 24 hours or so and wait for Trump to make the save? Third-party partners might not be comfortable with that. They don't want to end up paying fines, after all.

Again...so many questions.

A different kind of doom-scroll

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

I don't know about the rest of you but my TikTok usage has skyrocketed in recent days. I think I'm subconsciously trying to consume all of it before it's gone.

This means I am seeing every single goodbye. The angry ones (a lot), the funny ones (a close second), and the heartbreaking sad ones. People crying, wondering if they can rebuild the community elsewhere.

When I talk about TikTok disappearing, a common refrain is, "So what, people will just go elsewhere and soon forget TikTok ever existed." They're only partially correct. It is easy to join Instagram and post Reels, or do the same with YouTube Shorts, but community and audience building takes considerable effort and time, sometimes years.

I think back to when Vine (the 6-second video platform bought by Twitter) shut down. It was devastating and, yes, many former Viners ended up on TikTok but it took years for it to feel like a true – and even better – replacement.

If and when TikTok goes dark in the US, there will be a period of mourning. So allow me these last scrolls; I want to have something to remember TikTok by.

On brand

(Image credit: Future)

If you can't keep making TikToks (eventually) you make hay, and by hay, I mean a bit of marketing magic. I noticed at least one savvy brand jumping into the TikTok ban fray with a short but clever take.

Wendy's, the fast food burger chain, hopped on X (formerly Twitter) with a brief post about the state of two tech franchises.

"Can’t believe we’re getting TikTok ban before gta 6," posted Wendy's referring to both the impending ban and our very long wait for Grand Theft Auto 6.

According to the latest reports, the fast-paced open-world game won't arrive until much later this year. That's 12 years after the last edition. That long wait is what makes Wendy's tweet so, so funny.

I'll be keeping an eye on the socials to see what other brands do.

Can’t believe we’re getting TikTok ban before gta 6January 16, 2025

Tell us how you really feel, Tom

(Image credit: Future)

That Senator Markey Act seeking to save TikTok I mentioned earlier was swiftly blocked late Thursday afternoon by another legislator, Senator Tom Cotton, who called TikTok a "Chinese Communist spy app that addicts our kids, harvests their data, targets them with harmful and manipulative content and spreads communist propaganda."

Clearly Cotton is no fan (though it also sounds like he's never been on the app). He added this denouement which more else less sealed the fate of Markey's bill: "Let me be crystal clear, there will be no extensions, no concessions, and no compromises for TikTok"

Republican Senator Tom Cotton blocking an attempt by Senator Ed Markey to extend the deadline for TikTok: Let me be crystal clear, there will be no extensions, no concessions, and no compromises for TikTok pic.twitter.com/XzLPfH755jJanuary 16, 2025

What if we don't collect?

(Image credit: Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

NBC News is now reporting that the Biden Administration's plan is to not collect fines when the TikTok ban officially goes into effect on January 19.

This means that while the ban will be real, there will be no penalties to any third party for, say, hosting the app on their platform. Apple's App Store could keep hosting it without worry. Oracle could keep hosting the data without concern.

If this happens, it leaves time for incoming President Trump to make a new executive order that either gives TikTok an extension or maybe rescinds the whole thing.

None of this is confirmed by White House officials or TikTok. In fact, since ByteDance might still react to the ban going through by pulling its app from US services, Biden's possible actions might not matter.

There's also the question of the Supreme Court ruling on whether or not the ban violates TikTok's First Amendment rights. The lack of a penalty would make that potentially moot.

As usual, nothing is certain and the clock is still tick-tocking.

@nbcnews

♬ original sound - nbcnews RedNote continues to have its moment

(Image credit: RedNote / Future)

In the midst of all the TikTok uncertainty – we're still waiting for the US Supreme Court's decision on whether to uphold the ban – RedNote continues to be the epicenter of a strange cultural moment.

I've downloaded the app and its Trending tab is naturally all about Chinese and American influencers seeing the lighter side of looming ban, and largely mocking its motivations. So-called 'TikTok refugees' are greeted by Chinese language lessons and the inevitable reaction videos.

Many US users are openly saying they're on RedNote out of spite and that their government's interventions are worthy of trolling. RedNote is definitely an 'interesting' place right now, but from what I've seen there's no way it'll become a TikTok replacement.

The latest noises from the Trump camp suggest they'll be using the law's 90-day extension clause (triggered if ByteDance shows it's moving towards a sale) to prevent TikTok from going dark on January 19. Whether or not that's actually possible is something we'll hopefully find out soon...

Justices could rule at 10AM ET

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Today’s the day or sort of the day. It’s the US Supreme Court’s last chance to rule on the TikTok ban. The social media company’s chances with the justices were never good. Its First Amendment argument was thin, at best.

Even so, this should be the day if the judges plan to rule. The word could come as early as 10AM ET, and there are now signs that they will do just that. Once the Justices deliver the expected ruling against ByteDance and TikTok, it's back to options B and C for the platform.

The most likely path forward for TikTok is the Biden Administration’s apparent plan to act like the ban is not in effect and not penalize anyone, including ByteDance. 

ByteDance, though, may still pull the app from the App Store until a ban is officially rescinded. And it’s not clear that will ever happen.

The Supreme Court has signaled that it will rule on the TikTok ban at 10 a.m. ET today pic.twitter.com/lBCkWpa1O1January 17, 2025

• The Google Home app will soon support the Nest Protect smoke alarm
• You will be able to receive alerts and adjust settings through Google Home
• Google Home is also getting better support for Matter-enabled smart locks

The Google Home app is getting a major update that will add support for the Nest Protect smoke alarm and carbon monoxide detector. It will also improve support for Matter-enabled smart locks, allowing you to use more of their functions through Google Home.

The Nest Protect launched in 2013, shortly before Google acquired Nest, and until now owners of the smart smoke detector have only been able to use it via the Nest mobile app. Now that's all changing, and as The Verge explains, you will soon be able to receive detection alerts, run safety and sound checks, and tweak options through Google Home instead.

Google has been gradually encouraging users to move away from the Nest app for a long time, and last year it gave Google Home a much-needed overhaul to make the switch easier. The tweaks included changing the interface so that certain key features associated with smart thermostats are no longer hidden behind icons, making it less streamlined but more intuitive to use.

The update arrived just before Google launched the Nest Learning Thermostat 4th Gen, but it wasn't exclusively for owners of the new hardware. People using older Nest thermostats also noticed the changes intended to nudge them towards Google Home.

Features unlocked

Google Home is also getting improved support for Matter-enabled smart locks. Many of the best smart locks now support Matter, but using an app that's not the manufacturer's own can mean missing out on some important features. Following the update, options like the ability to set one-time passcodes for visitors will be available from within Google Home.

Android users who are enrolled in Google's Public Preview program will be first to receive the smart lock update. To join, open the Google Home app, go to the Settings menu, and select Public Preview under General. Tap 'Request invite' and you will receive an invitation to install a beta version of the app. You can leave the program at any time.

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• Threat actors accessed PowerSchool student information system and stole data on students and teachers in December 2024
• Multiple companies confirmed all data, covering as long as they had used PowerSchool, was taken
• The data was allegedly deleted by the hackers

The recent cyberattack on education technology software firm PowerSchool appears to be a lot worse than initially thought, as multiple companies came forward to say that all of their data was stolen in the incident.

In late December 2024, an unidentified threat actor used stolen credentials to access its PowerSchool Student Information System (SIS) platform. From there, they were able to use the “export data manager" customer support tool to exfiltrate “Students” and “Teachers” database tables to a CSV file, which was then stolen.

The information grabbed in this attack included names, and postal addresses, and in some districts, the threat actors also obtained Social Security numbers (SSN), personally identifiable information (PII), medical information, and grades.

No ransomware

While PowerSchool didn’t want to say how many schools were affected by the attack, TechCrunch reached out to some, and got confirmation the incident was pretty destructive.

Two unnamed sources at affected school districts told the publication the hackers were able to access, "troves of personal data belonging to both current and former students and teachers."

One company said the miscreants stole all historical student and teacher data, while another added that demographic data for all teachers and students, both active and historical, were grabbed.

Besides these two organizations, who wanted to remain anonymous, others also publicly spoke about the incident, it was further explained. Menlo Park City School District also confirmed historical data theft, Rancho Santa Fe School District filed a data breach notice, and RootED Solutions (edtech consulting company from Boston) said the PowerSchool breach also affects school districts who no longer use the service, but did at some point.

PowerSchool said while this wasn’t a ransomware attack, it still paid the attackers to have the data wiped.

Via TechCrunch

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• Apple has been granted a patent for a new technology that may enable in-display Face ID
• The process described removes tiny parts of the display to allow infrared passthrough
• This tracks with years-old rumors of the feature launching with the iPhone 17

Apple has been granted a patent for a new technology that may finally enable the long-rumored embedding of an under-display Face ID system in the iPhone, perhaps as soon as the iPhone 17 series.

The patent details a new possible workaround to the issue of getting infrared light – which Face ID uses to scan and verify your face – through the pixels beneath the glass of a phone screen.

Essentially, Apple’s latest idea is to remove only a piece of each individual pixel affected, called a subpixel. Subpixels display either red, green, or blue light, which combine to form one of millions of colors at viewing distance.

The patent maintains that, in theory, there should be no difference in the final image with selected subpixels removed, as the removed subpixels will be aligned with neighboring subpixels of the same color.

The document also notes that parts of the touch-sensitive mesh could be removed to allow for better infrared passthrough, and that these would be too small to affect touch responsiveness.

Though it’s best to not draw conclusions until we see this technology implemented, it seems as though Apple is looking to develop a more granular version of the technology that Samsung uses in the under-display selfie camera of the Galaxy Z Fold 6 – removing only the necessary components of the display to allow light to pass through.

This doesn’t imply that an under-display camera will come to the iPhone any time soon, mind. Rumors of an iPhone with in-display Face ID have been circulating since at least 2021, and we previously heard that an under-display selfie snapper wouldn't be arriving until the iPhone 19.

More promisingly, though, we reported on rumors that the technology could launch with the iPhone 17 in March 2023.

In any case, we’d generally expect a feature like this to come to the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max before making it to the baseline iPhones with later generations. But the implementation of the new Camera Control button on every new iPhone in 2024 shows that Apple isn’t totally averse to feature parity across its smartphone lineup.

Keeping up the momentum

We'd typically expect a major new feature like in-display Face ID to come to the Pro iPhones first (iPhone 16 Pro pictured). (Image credit: Karen Freeman / Future)

As our iPhone 16 review details, the latest baseline model from Apple marked the greatest step forward between generations in the iPhone’s recent history, and is the most Pro-feeling vanilla flagship Apple has ever produced.

Meanwhile, the upper tier of Apple’s smartphone lineup – the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max – saw substantial, noticeable improvements to performance and design in 2024, as the company unified the lineup around Apple Intelligence (which is, somehow, still rolling out).

Apple is often lambasted for its small yearly revisions, but I'd struggle to call the company unoriginal after two straight years of huge upgrades.

This is all to say that Apple has a choice when it comes to the iPhone 17: keep up the momentum, or let things sit as they are for another few generations. I’m hopeful that this patent suggests Apple is keen to keep improving its mobile experience at pace, leaving smaller incremental steps like the one between the iPhone 13 and iPhone 14 firmly in the past.

I’d certainly be impressed to see such a complex and original technology integrated with the display, so long as it was done well – Apple is often lambasted for its small yearly revisions, but I'd struggle to call the company unoriginal after two straight years of huge upgrades.

Face ID is the main reason iPhones have the pill-shaped Dynamic Island, which, while still relatively svelte and decently useful, is now one of the largest cutouts seen on a flagship phone – most manufacturers opt for a simple punch-hole selfie camera.

Of course, Apple’s competitors aren’t using infrared-based facial recognition, so there’s less to fit at the top of the display, but there's still a striking visual difference between the black dot left by the selfie cameras of the Samsung Galaxy S24 and Google Pixel 9, and the blacked-out bar that is the Dynamic Island.

For those with an appreciation for tech specs, seeing the Face ID system disappear underneath the iPhone’s display would be an impressive technical feat, similar in magnitude to the first under-display fingerprint scanners.

Whether or not under-display Face ID makes it to consumers with the iPhone 17 series, a later generation, or not at all, depends on whether Apple intends to implement its new patent. If you’re not keen on waiting, be sure to check out our list of the best iPhones to get the rundown on the latest and greatest Apple handsets.

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• Tournament Rematch: Unreal Tournament Remixed arrives on January 24
• It features 27 remixed songs from the Unreal Tournament soundtrack
• You can exclusively listen to three tracks early below

Unreal Tournament still remains one of the most iconic and impactful first-person shooter (FPS) games over 25 years since it was first released. Now, its original composers Alexander Brandon, Michiel Van Den Bos, Peter Hajba, Andrew Sega, and Dan Gardopée are coming back to score an all-new remix album that puts a fresh spin on its classic soundtrack.

Tournament Rematch: Unreal Tournament Remixed arrives on January 24 and will be available via major music services including Spotify, Tidal, YouTube Music, and Apple Music. Hailing from boutique game soundtrack record label Materia Collective, physical vinyl and cassette versions are also up for pre-order now.

With just over a week to go before the launch, we’ve been given exclusive access to three upcoming tracks - including a remix of the game’s legendary Title theme. You can listen to each of them below.

Our first track is ‘Title’, which reimagines the Unreal Tournament Title theme. “This is, along with the main menu, considered the main theme of Unreal Tournament and even showed up with some arrangement in the Unreal Tournament episode of Secret Level on Amazon Prime,” says composer Alexander Brandon.

“It is used while the great voice of Lani Minella sets the stage for the players of the world of Unreal Tournament."

There’s also ‘Forgone Destruction’, which first accompanied the beloved multiplayer map Facing Worlds. “This track by Michiel Van Den Bos was part of one of the most popular maps in Unreal Tournament: Facing Worlds,” explains Brandon. “Two towers connected by land bridges floating in space. Incredibly atmospheric and memorable."

Our third and final track is the frantic ‘Go Down’ which was part of the cramped Deck 16 deathmatch map. Brandon describes it as “one of the most famous tracks that has been remixed in later Unreal Tournament sequels” and attributes its popularity to the fact that Deck 16 was “probably one of the most close quarters and fast-paced maps that players just kept coming back to!"

If you're interested in the other tunes included, you can see the full tracklist below (and, yes, there are two versions of the track 'Go Down' - it's not a mistake!).

1. Title
2. Menu
3. Skyward Fire
4. Foregone Destruction
5. Go Down
6. Go Down
7. Colossus
8. Super Fist
9. Mechanism 8
10. Skyward Fire
11. Razorback
12. Enigma
13. Botpack#9
14. Three Wheels Turning
15. Kharismatraon
16. Underworld II
17. Phantom
18. Lock
19. Ending / Hall of Champions
20. Mission Landing
21. Run
22. Organic
23. Into the Darkness
24. Botpack#10
25. Fire Breather
26. The Course
27. Mechanism

Unreal tournament may be old, but it still very much holds up today. It’s currently not available via any modern PC storefront, though publisher Epic Games has given its blessing to various fan projects that maintain freeware releases of Unreal Gold, Unreal Tournament, and Unreal 2: The Awakening.

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• A new report claims AirPods with heart-rate monitoring are coming
• 'Sensors to measure other health data' are also predicted
• Ultra 3 watch and new Series models could also offer high blood pressure detection

A January 12 report claims Apple could be much closer to delivering pulse readings in AirPods, something that has been predicted by tipsters and analysts alike since early 2022.

The tidbit (and it really is a tidbit) in Mark Gurman's latest Power On missive states: "Apple is planning a revamped health app – as well as an AI-based coaching service – and added capabilities for AirPods. That includes heart-rate monitoring and sensors to measure other health data."

Gurman also claims that Apple's unannounced Ultra 3 watch and new Series models will likely offer high blood pressure detection. However, despite affirming that Ultra 3 "will get satellite connectivity and 5G RedCap network access" as Apple works with partner Globalstar Inc. to boost its satellite service, it's not wholly clear how these extra health features will be implemented – in either AirPods or Apple's smartwatch lineup. Our guess (and it is just an educated guess) is that Apple might seek to hone the accuracy of blood pressure readings from the Ultra 3 with encrypted, cloud-based analysis, but it's a working hypothesis.

AirPods didn't do it first, so they'll have to do it best…

The idea of earbuds that can take your ticker isn't new, but it's certainly proved elusive. Back in June 2022, the Honor Earbuds 3 Pro initially boasted the ability to take your temperature but didn't get the desired medical backing in the EU and UK to support the perk. Then in July of that same year, after much speculation over the then-unreleased top-tier Apple AirPods support (or lack thereof) for temperature sensing and perhaps a heart-rate monitor, neither did the September 2022 flagship AirPods which we now call the AirPods Pro 2.

It's possible that Apple simply didn't get around to adding heart-rate monitoring in AirPods Pro 2. The feature appeared in the first Apple Watch, but of course, that wearable sits on your wrist (an ideal spot for such readings) while AirPods are much smaller and only have so much room for sensors. But it's not that it can't be done in earbuds. In fact, the humble Anker Soundcore Liberty 4 I tried shortly after the furor surrounding the Honor/Apple temperature-sensor race (released in early October 2022 and to very little fanfare) were the first buds to come bearing a proper ticker-taker – but the feature was worded as "stress monitoring", rather than an out-and-out reading of your pulse.

Why label it so? Probably because (not to get too dramatic here, but) a pulse is a life-or-death issue. The existence of a heartbeat in humans is a sure sign of life – and its regularity and strength a key health indicator. Governing health bodies are likely taking this matter as seriously as it deserves, and unless a method that ensures reliable accuracy is found, it'll be tough for earbuds to gain full approval as heart-rate monitoring devices in certain markets. Take Apple's Hearing Aid Feature for example: the US gets the full-fat version thanks to FDA approval; the UK currently only supports AirPods Pro 2's hearing tests rather than the full complement.

It's a clever idea from Anker to make it about stress and still offer the feature, with our heart at the helm. Obviously, our pulse increases when we're stressed because the brain releases hormones (hello adrenaline; hi cortisol) to make our hearts beat faster, to prepare us to run from a perceived threat.

Finding the best way to our hearts

(Image credit: Apple)

Interestingly, Google is working with a different solution to offer heart-rate tracking in future earbuds, called audioplethysmography (or APG, because that really does need to be shortened). It works by sending a “low-intensity ultrasound probing signal” through the speakers, which then bounces around in the ear canal. The echoes sent back are received by onboard feedback microphones, which crucially are influenced by “tiny ear canal skin displacement and heartbeat vibrations” to monitor your heart rate – but since we reported on this in October 2023 and it hasn't yet made it to market, that's no quick fix either.

Of course, plenty of the best smartwatches can take your heart rate, so putting it into your earbuds may seem a trifling issue. But as mentioned earlier, watch sits very close to your pulse to provide a reading and is typically more of an investment than a set of earbuds. Our pick of the bunch, the Apple Watch Ultra 2, comes in at $799 / £799 / AU$1,399.

Meanwhile, AirPods Pro 3's big bet this year is health-tracking, but if this as-yet-unannounced iteration arrives with a price tag similar to AirPods Pro 2's $249 / £249 / AU$399, and with a heart-rate monitor, customers may seek to get the health answers they want without handing over quite so much cash to Apple. And so, while I truly hope it does happen, I'm glad the powers that be are seemingly treading with caution.

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• CyberNews researchers have discovered a huge data leak
• The dataset contained the information of over 24 million customersIt likely belonged to hotel chain Honotel

A leaked dataset which contained over 24 million hotel records has been discovered by CyberNews researchers, which included names, emails, phone numbers, and detailed stay information like arrival time, number of guests, and price paid.

There are strong indications that the dataset belongs to Honotel Group, a French hospitality investment and management firm.

The data specifically mentions ‘SITE HONOTEL’, researchers confirmed, as well as booking platforms such as Booking.com - suggesting the leaked database might be part of Honotel’s booking management system.

Guests at risk

Researchers discovered the suspected Honotel leak on October 4, 2024, and the leak was closed by October 7 2024, so the organization at least acted quickly once the disclosure notice had been sent.

It’s not clear how long the data was available, or if threat actors discovered or stole anything, but the information was discovered on an unprotected Elasticsearch server and Kibana interface.

This puts both the customer and the company at risk. For the customer, the risk when Personally Identifiable Information (PII) is compromised is the risk of fraud and identity theft, as malicious actors can use the data to take out loans, bank accounts, or even to develop social engineering attacks against the victims.

For the company, much like the FTC fines, European firms face GDPR regulations which could see penalties of up to 4% of a company’s global annual revenue if best security practices are not put in place to protect PII.

This comes not long after major incidents led the FTC to order the Marriott and Starwood hotel chains to implement more robust security measures after 344 million customers were left exposed in a massive data breach. Marriott systems were exposed for up to four years, earning the firm a $52 million penalty from the FTC in 2024.

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