Technology

• Proton has joined a US lawsuit against Apple over anti-competitive practices
• The suit seeks both changes in the App Store ecosystem and monetary damages
• On April 30, 2025, a US judge found Apple guilty of violating the 2021 Epic Games case federal injunction over illegal monopoly

Swiss privacy firm Proton has sued Apple over anti-competitive practices that, the company warns, undermine freedom and democracy, hurt privacy-first companies, and lead to a worse user experience.

The provider behind one of the best VPN, secure email, encrypted calendar, and password manager services, Proton, has joined an existing class-action lawsuit in the US against Apple on Monday, June 30, 2025.

The suit, filed in the US District Court for the Northern District of California, seeks changes in the App Store ecosystem as well as monetary damages. The latter, Proton said, will be donated to organizations fighting for democracy and human rights via the nonprofit behind the company, Proton Foundation.

Why Proton is suing Apple

"Apple’s monopoly control of software distribution on iOS devices presents a myriad of problems for consumers, businesses, and society as a whole," wrote Proton in a blog post.

"Anti-monopoly laws exist because the power gifted by monopoly status inevitably leads to abuse. In the case of oligarchic tech giants, these abuses have wide implications for society, and it’s vital to the future of the internet that they be addressed now."

Specifically, Proton claims that Apple's policies favor a surveillance capitalism model that hurts privacy and privacy-first companies.

Apple not only requires all developers to pay an annual fee to be in the App Store, but it also takes a 30% cut from all subscription payments made through iOS apps.

On April 30, Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers found this behavior to violate her federal injunction over illegal monopoly issued in 2021 in the Epic Games case.

The Big Tech giant was indeed supposed to halt anti-competitive practices by giving third-party developers more power to redirect users to cheaper non-Apple payment options.

On that occasion, Proton's Founder and CEO, Andy Yen, said that the company could lower its pricing by up to 30% if Apple were finally forced to remove its tax on the App Store.

In response to the recent court ruling in the US against Apple's illegal in-app purchase monopoly, @ProtonPrivacy will finally be allowed to let iOS users purchase subscriptions outside of the app store. No Apple tax means we will lower prices for users by up to 30%.May 1, 2025

Proton also warns that Apple's total control of the App Store endangers app distribution across different markets.

"Apple argues this control is necessary for security reasons. But the reality is that this has made Apple the single point of failure for free speech and a tool of dictatorships," said the provider.

In 2024 alone, for example, Apple has removed at least 60 VPN apps from Russia's App Store at the request of authorities, for a total of nearly 100 applications unavailable in Apple's market in Russia.

We are seeking to permanently end anti-competitive behavior on the App Store

Proton

Researchers at AppleCensorship also found a staggering 11,026 unavailable apps in China's App Store, which affect sensitive categories like virtual private network (VPN) – ProtonVPN included – other privacy software (like ProtonMail, Signal, and DuckDuckGo), news apps, social media, and even dating applications.

Proton also accuses Apple of "intentionally crippling third-party apps that compete with Apple services," ultimately delivering Apple users a worse internet experience.

For example, Apple allegedly prevents users from using the Proton Calendar app as a default option, Proton said, despite this interoperability being available for email services.

What's next?

As mentioned earlier, Proton has joined an existing lawsuit that was filed on May 23 against Apple by a group representing Korean app developers.

Yet, the lawsuit isn't just about money. The decision to join this legal action against such a tech behemoth, Proton said, stems from the commitment to improve the state of the internet by changing Apple App Store policies once and for all.

"We are seeking to permanently end anti-competitive behavior on the App Store, and we are joining this lawsuit to ensure that any future settlement enforces real changes to Apple’s practices and policies to benefit all consumers, developers, and competition, and not just cosmetic changes," said Proton.

We approached Apple for comments, but we're still waiting for a response at the time of publication.

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Looking for a different day?

A new Quordle puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Wednesday's puzzle instead then click here: Quordle hints and answers for Wednesday, July 2 (game #1255).

Quordle was one of the original Wordle alternatives and is still going strong now more than 1,100 games later. It offers a genuine challenge, though, so read on if you need some Quordle hints today – or scroll down further for the answers.

Enjoy playing word games? You can also check out my NYT Connections today and NYT Strands today pages for hints and answers for those puzzles, while Marc's Wordle today column covers the original viral word game.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about Quordle today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

Quordle today (game #1256) - hint #1 - VowelsHow many different vowels are in Quordle today?

• The number of different vowels in Quordle today is 3*.

* Note that by vowel we mean the five standard vowels (A, E, I, O, U), not Y (which is sometimes counted as a vowel too).

Quordle today (game #1256) - hint #2 - repeated lettersDo any of today's Quordle answers contain repeated letters?

• The number of Quordle answers containing a repeated letter today is 1.

Quordle today (game #1256) - hint #3 - uncommon lettersDo the letters Q, Z, X or J appear in Quordle today?

• Yes. One of Q, Z, X or J appears among today's Quordle answers.

Quordle today (game #1256) - hint #4 - starting letters (1)Do any of today's Quordle puzzles start with the same letter?

• The number of today's Quordle answers starting with the same letter is 2.

If you just want to know the answers at this stage, simply scroll down. If you're not ready yet then here's one more clue to make things a lot easier:

Quordle today (game #1256) - hint #5 - starting letters (2)What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• D

• E

• G

• E

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

Quordle today (game #1256) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1256, are…

• DANCE
• EYING
• GLAZE
• EGRET

I only just completed Qourdle today, after making two rookie errors.

I failed to check before typing out “glade” and ignored that the letter D had already been ruled out for this word. And then I gambled on a double letter with “greet”. Still, both mistakes led me to the correct answers, so I’m not too disappointed in myself.

How did you do today? Let me know in the comments below.

Daily Sequence today (game #1256) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1256, are…

• ZEBRA
• MINCE
• STOOP
• TOWEL

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1255, Wednesday, 2 July: INANE, SCOUR, ELITE, ULCER
• Quordle #1254, Tuesday, 1 July: REBAR, YEARN, FORTH, CROWD
• Quordle #1253, Monday, 30 June: INGOT, INFER, TAPIR, CLUED
• Quordle #1252, Sunday, 29 June: MIRTH, APTLY, SCRUB, SMACK
• Quordle #1251, Saturday, 28 June: AWOKE, SMOKY, DEVIL, SWING
• Quordle #1250, Friday, 27 June: SPEAK, EAGLE, AVERT, SUING
• Quordle #1249, Thursday, 26 June: SLUMP, REBUS, GUAVA, MONEY
• Quordle #1248, Wednesday, 25 June: SOGGY, CLASH, MODEM, SQUAD
• Quordle #1247, Tuesday, 24 June: QUALM, SQUIB, AXIAL, FLACK
• Quordle #1246, Monday, 23 June: PIXEL, FJORD, STEAL, EXIST
• Quordle #1245, Sunday, 22 June: WREST, CRAZE, PAPAL, SCION
• Quordle #1244, Saturday, 21 June: BUDDY, GROUT, BEGIN, MADAM
• Quordle #1243, Friday, 20 June: BRAID, DULLY, HASTE, LURID
• Quordle #1242, Thursday, 19 June: BRUSH, ISLET, FRUIT, PRIVY
• Quordle #1241, Wednesday, 18 June: MEDIA, SHARK, GUPPY, MOURN
• Quordle #1240, Tuesday, 17 June: LEAPT, PRISM, ADMIN, WHINE
• Quordle #1239, Monday, 16 June: RETRY, SCALD, DINGO, FEIGN
• Quordle #1238, Sunday, 15 June: SHOCK, STEIN, BROIL, COVEN
• Quordle #1237, Saturday, 14 June: STICK, FERRY, THESE, IONIC
• Quordle #1236, Friday, 13 June: REPEL, LARGE, SNIDE, CARRY

Looking for a different day?

A new NYT Connections puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Wednesday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Connections hints and answers for Wednesday, July 2 (game #752).

Good morning! Let's play Connections, the NYT's clever word game that challenges you to group answers in various categories. It can be tough, so read on if you need Connections hints.

What should you do once you've finished? Why, play some more word games of course. I've also got daily Strands hints and answers and Quordle hints and answers articles if you need help for those too, while Marc's Wordle today page covers the original viral word game.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Connections today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

NYT Connections today (game #753) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• CONTACT
• NUMBER
• EXCHANGE
• INSURANCE
• ARRIVAL
• COLLEGE
• MARKET
• POSITION
• ALMANAC
• FLIGHT
• DEALINGS
• TEAM
• GATE
• TAN
• DESTINATION
• INTERACTION

NYT Connections today (game #753) - hint #1 - group hints

What are some clues for today's NYT Connections groups?

• YELLOW: Communicating
• GREEN: Crucial at the terminal
• BLUE: Player information
• PURPLE: Preceded by a profession that rhymes with “llama”

Need more clues?

We're firmly in spoiler territory now, but read on if you want to know what the four theme answers are for today's NYT Connections puzzles…

NYT Connections today (game #753) - hint #2 - group answers

What are the answers for today's NYT Connections groups?

• YELLOW: CORRESPONDENCE 
• GREEN: AIRPORT BOARD INFO 
• BLUE: PRO ATHLETE DATA 
• PURPLE: FARMERS' THINGS 

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

NYT Connections today (game #753) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #753, are…

• YELLOW: CORRESPONDENCE CONTACT, DEALINGS, EXCHANGE, INTERACTION
• GREEN: AIRPORT BOARD INFO ARRIVAL, DESTINATION, FLIGHT, GATE
• BLUE: PRO ATHLETE DATA COLLEGE, NUMBER, POSITION, TEAM
• PURPLE: FARMERS' THINGS ALMANAC, INSURANCE, MARKET, TAN

• My rating: Hard
• My score: 3 mistakes

My first two mistakes came trying to put together AIRPORT BOARD INFO including POSITION and then NUMBER instead of ARRIVAL. It seems obvious now, of course, but the word “time” after “arrival” would have helped.

Next, I struggled to see what was left from the eight remaining words and landed at PRO ATHLETE DATA through some fortunate shuffling. 

I had never heard of several of these FARMERS’ THINGS before, but can see now why a farmer’s TAN could be a unique thing, as it indicates someone who works outside a great deal. 

How did you do today? Let me know in the comments below.

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Wednesday, July 2, game #752)

• YELLOW: KNOCKOFF BOOTLEG, COPY, FAKE, REPLICA
• BLUE: WORDS AFTER "T-" MOBILE, PAIN, REX, SHIRT
• GREEN: ASSOCIATED WITH FREUD DREAMS, ID, OEDIPUS, SLIP
• PURPLE: STARTING WITH HIGH SCHOOL/COLLEGE ABBREVIATIONS FRESHWATER, JUNIPER, SENECA, SOPHOCLES

What is NYT Connections?

NYT Connections is one of several increasingly popular word games made by the New York Times. It challenges you to find groups of four items that share something in common, and each group has a different difficulty level: green is easy, yellow a little harder, blue often quite tough and purple usually very difficult.

On the plus side, you don't technically need to solve the final one, as you'll be able to answer that one by a process of elimination. What's more, you can make up to four mistakes, which gives you a little bit of breathing room.

It's a little more involved than something like Wordle, however, and there are plenty of opportunities for the game to trip you up with tricks. For instance, watch out for homophones and other word games that could disguise the answers.

It's playable for free via the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.

Looking for a different day?

A new NYT Strands puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Wednesday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Wednesday, July 2 (game #486).

Strands is the NYT's latest word game after the likes of Wordle, Spelling Bee and Connections – and it's great fun. It can be difficult, though, so read on for my Strands hints.

Want more word-based fun? Then check out my NYT Connections today and Quordle today pages for hints and answers for those games, and Marc's Wordle today page for the original viral word game.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Strands today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

NYT Strands today (game #487) - hint #1 - today's themeWhat is the theme of today's NYT Strands?

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… ... Beyond vanilla

NYT Strands today (game #487) - hint #2 - clue words

Play any of these words to unlock the in-game hints system.

• MARCH
• BROWN
• BORE
• STRETCH
• SCOTCH
• CROWN

NYT Strands today (game #487) - hint #3 - spangram lettersHow many letters are in today's spangram?

• Spangram has 8 letters

NYT Strands today (game #487) - hint #4 - spangram positionWhat are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

First side: bottom, 3rd column

Last side: top, 4th column

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

NYT Strands today (game #487) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #487, are…

• CHERRY
• COFFEE
• BUTTERSCOTCH
• BROWNIE
• PISTACHIO
• SPANGRAM: ICE CREAM

• My rating: Tricky
• My score: 1 hint

In many ways this was my perfect Strands game. It was tricky, but not too tricky. The spangram was of a standard, acceptable length. There were no disputable words. 

Most of all, it made me think about my favorite treat for a few minutes.

I forget that I’m lactose intolerant when it comes to ICE CREAM (in case anyone wants an argument, my theory is that every human is lactose intolerant) and especially when it comes to PISTACHIO ice cream.

I’d been under the impression that it was a relatively rare flavor, but here it is rubbing shoulders with the other top alternatives to the ice cream flavor mafia of vanilla, strawberry and chocolate. The Salted Caramel team are going to be really annoyed they didn’t make into this puzzle.

How did you do today? Let me know in the comments below.

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Wednesday, July 2, game #486)

• FEATHER
• TWIG
• WOOL
• GRASS
• LEAF
• FLUFF
• MOSS
• SPANGRAM: NESTING MATERIAL

What is NYT Strands?

Strands is the NYT's not-so-new-any-more word game, following Wordle and Connections. It's now a fully fledged member of the NYT's games stable that has been running for a year and which can be played on the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.

I've got a full guide to how to play NYT Strands, complete with tips for solving it, so check that out if you're struggling to beat it each day.

Now we know why your favorite fast food now costs more than ever before.

Netflix has a bonkers new anime movie that has proven to be a smash hit, as critics and audiences across the globe race to stream the viral animation.

Since dropping on June 20, KPop Demon Hunters has shot to the top of the streamer's charts, becoming the number one most-watched movie worldwide. The new Netflix movie has also topped the charts in a variety of countries and is sitting comfortably in the top 10 everywhere that one of the best streaming services is available.

It’s hardly surprising considering critics are rating it among the best Netflix movies currently streaming, with the film earning a 97% rating on Rotten Tomatoes from the critics.

From directors Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans and produced by Spider-Verse stable Sony Pictures Animation, the film tells the story of fictional K-pop girl group Huntr/x and their battle with rival boy band the Saja Boys, who are secretly demons, naturally.

The band, consisting of Rumi (Arden Cho), Mira (May Hong), and Zoey (Ji-young Yoo) may spend much of their time selling out stadiums, but unbeknownst to their legions of fans, the trio are also part of an ancient order of badass demon hunters who use their singing voices – and great big swords – to maintain a barrier between our world and that of the demons known as the Honmoon. However, when one band member begins to lose their voice as a result of a dark secret, the Honmoon begins to weaken as an ancient evil plots to conquer our world.

Since its release, the film has become a viral sensation, not only due to the eye-popping animation and bonkers demon slaying action, but also the music, which as you can imagine, consists of K-pop banger after K-pop banger.

"I’ve always thought of K-pop as the most theatrical genre of pop” says the film’s executive music producer Ian Eisendrath, “and so I was just instantly excited by the possibilities of what could happen in a narrative context with the K-pop songs [and] incorporating actual, hit-making K-pop artists. I just felt like everything was really set up to be a special musical and narrative experience.”

To ensure the film felt authentic to its K-pop world, Kang and Appelhans enlisted the services of some of the genres biggest producers including Teddy Park, Lindgren, Stephen Kirk and Jenna Andrews, who between them have produced tracks for the likes of Blackpink, BTS, TWICE and Together X Tomorrow.

The film boasts a whole heap of original K-pop style songs that both perfectly fit the action on screen and will get stuck in your head for days afterwards, with at least a couple likely to feature on your Spotify Wrapped come December.

What are the critics saying about KPop Demon Hunters?

(Image credit: Netflix)

As you’d expect from such a high Rotten Tomatoes score, critics are loving KPop Demon Hunters, with redditor 'Common Sense Media' saying: “What's not to like about an animated superhero tale set against the world of K-pop music?” while Mashable praised the writing, stating “What makes KPop Demon Hunters so effective isn’t just that it nails the aesthetic; it gets the emotions right.”

'InSession Film', meanwhile, warn that the film may just make you a fan of the musical genre: “Kang and Appelhans’ film more than deserves your attention, and could act as a gateway to the incredible, highly imaginative world of KPop. You may never be the same after the credits roll.”

The lively animation has also received plenty of acclaim, with Screen Rant calling the film “stunning” while Decider applauded the “striking visuals”.

What's the subscriber's verdict?

Subscribers have been equally vocal in their praise, with the flick boasting a very respectable 89% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes.

On Reddit, one user said “I love it so freaking much,” calling it their “all time favourite movie of 2025” while another said “It was amazing. Great animation, I loved most of the songs, and the vibe was off the charts.”

The music, in particular, has been a hit with audiences as Redditors praise the "absolutely phenomenal” songs, calling them “catchy” tracks which "absolutely banged.”

A few detractors have shared their thoughts on plot aspects they wish were further developed, however, with one user saying “I kinda wished the demons had been more complex" while another said “I wish they would have explained Rumi’s parents more.”

Comment from r/netflix

By all accounts, it seems Sony Pictures Animation have once again delivered an instant classic, so if you’re in the mood for a bonkers, uplifting movie that will leave you toe tapping for days afterwards, head over to Netflix and stream KPop Demon Hunters right now.

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Sony aired a State of Play event in June, meaning we may not be getting one for a little while. Still, there's sure to be more of them by the end of the year, and thankfully we do know there will be a bespoke presentation for an upcoming PS5 exclusive at some point this month.

Since the series of shows began in 2019, Sony has used the State of Play presentations to reveal big-hitting games and details such as the initial reveal of Saros, debut gameplay footage for Death Stranding 2, and more. So, it's always worth tuning in to the State of Play live streams if you want to be alerted to any big announcements for new PS5 games.

Following the release of the PS5 Pro console, all eyes have turned back to the next State of Play - a new console will need new games to play on it, after all, even if it is a mid-gen refresh machine. Here's what we know.

When is the next Sony State of Play?

(Image credit: Kojima Productions)

There's no info on when to expect the next Sony State of Play, and considering we just had one on June 4, we could be waiting a while. The good news is that there's a Ghost of Yotei-focused gameplay showcase to enjoy in July. Whether this is an actual branded State of Play remains to be seen, but it'll be the next PlayStation-led look at an upcoming game for sure.

What was revealed at the last Sony State of Play?

(Image credit: IO Interactive)

The last Sony State of Play event aired June 4, 2025. We covered the State of Play event live, where we saw 007 First Light for the first time. elsewhere, Baby Steps got a release date, and Nioh 3 was announced. Here's everything that was shown:

• Lumines Arise, PS5, PSVR 2
• Pragmata, 2026
• Romeo is a Dead Man, 2026
• Silent Hill f, , September 25, 2025
• Bloodstained: The Scarlet Engagement, 2026
• Digimon Story Time Stranger, October 3 2025
• Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles, September 30, 2025
• Baby Steps, September 8, 2025
• Hirogami, September 3, 2025
• Everybody’s Golf Hot Shots, September 5 2025
• Ninja Gaiden Ragebound, July 31 2025
• Cairn, November 5, 2025 (demo available today)
• Mortal Kombat Legacy Kollection, 2025
• Project Defiant fight stick
• Metal Gear Solid Delta, August 28 2025
• Nioh 3, early 2026 (demo available today)
• Thief VR: Legacy of Shadow, PSVR 2
• Tides of Tomorrow, Feb 24, 2026
• Astro Bot free DLC later this month + the Astro Bot DualSense returning
• Sea and Remnants, 2026
• Sword of the Sea, August 19
• 007 First Light, 2026
• Ghost of Yotei, gameplay demonstration coming in July
• Marvel Tokon Fighting Souls, coming to PS5 and PC in 2026

What can we expect from the next Sony State of Play?

(Image credit: Sucker Punch)

We just had a State of Play event focusing on 007 First Light, Sword and the Sea, as well as a bunch of other announcements. That means we'll be waiting a while for the next one, though I'd expect to see more on Marathon, Ghost of Yōtei, and perhaps even Saros, the next game from Returnal developer Housemarque that's due in 2026. We'll have to wait and see.

We do know that there's an in-depth gameplay showcase for Ghost of Yotei that'll air at some point in July. This will likely only include information on Ghost of Yotei, but it's possible we'll hear about the next proper showcase afterwards.

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• Cloudflare is introducing a way to charge AI web scrapers
• Content creators can protect their sites from unwanted scrapers
• Specific crawlers can be granted free access, charged, or blocked

Online creators often have very little control over the types of crawlers that can access their content, but Cloudflare may have a solution.

The company has revived HTTP response code 402 as a neat way to block or charge AI crawlers to access your site in a new feature it calls ‘pay per crawl’.

The best part is, it’s not a block or charge all control - users will be able to allow specific crawlers to access their site for free, charge others for access, and block the ones you don’t want trawling your content.

Charging AI crawlers for access

HTTP response code 402, otherwise known as the 402 Payment Required status code, indicates to crawlers payment is needed to access the content. As a result, the crawler can either respond with intent to pay, or is blocked from accessing the content.

As an added bonus, content creators with a block on their site can effectively ‘tell’ AI crawlers that they are open to potential payments in the future.

(Image credit: Cloudflare)

For those thinking that someone could simply spoof a crawler that has access to the site, Cloudflare is one step ahead. An authentic crawler will use the ‘signature-agent’, ‘signature-input’, and ‘signature’ headers to authenticate themselves with Cloudflare.

Cloudflare will then compare a public key from a Ed25519 key pair that is stored in a hosted directory with the URL of the key directory and user agent information that is registered with Cloudflare, thus allowing the authentic crawler through and blocking any spoofed crawlers.

(Image credit: Cloudflare)

Crawlers will also be able to crawl the web with a set budget for accessing protected sites using the ‘crawler-exact-price’ header to accept the proposed price listed by the ‘crawler-price’ header on the desired site, or preemptively use the ‘crawler-max-price’ when accessing a site which will grant access if the price is equal to or less than the crawler’s budget.

Cloudflare also has some theories for the potential of pay per crawl in the future. An AI agent can be given a budget to crawl the web when responding to a prompt, allowing the user to access high-quality and relevant content when entering a prompt.

Pay per crawl is currently only available in private beta, but interested parties can reach out to Cloudflare via the link at the bottom of the blog.

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• US PC shipments were up 15% in Q1 2025 compared with 9% globally
• Consumers aren't aware of Windows 10 EOS, or just don't want to upgrade
• Businesses are preparing for Windows 10 EOS, but 2025 PC market growth could be low

New data from industry analysts Canalys has revealed PC vendors are stockpiling inventory in anticipation of higher tariffs from the Trump administration, but they're not selling enough to clear their stock.

A sizeable 15% surge in PC shipments was observed in the US during the first three months of 2025, however this also aligned with an excess in inventory, with consumers far less likely to renew their devices this year compared with businesses.

The market outlook aligns with suspicions of higher tariffs, with US PC shipments expected to only grow 2% in 2025 despite strong first-quarter growth.

US vendors are preparing for higher prices

According to the data, inflation from broader tariffs and general economic uncertainty is seeing consumers hold onto their devices for longer than usual.

Canalys expects consumer PS shipments to decline 4% this year, compared with the 8% increase in PC shipments to businesses, largely driven by October's end-of-support date for Windows 10.

Research Director Ishan Dutt explained: "Although PCs currently remain exempt, broader tariffs impacting key spending categories have already resulted in inflationary pressure."

Furthermore, the hype around AI PCs appears to have tamed. High prices, a lack of clear value and confusing messaging is preventing many buyers from hopping on the bandwagon as AI PCs remain in their first generation.

Canalys Research Manager Kieren Jessop explained that poor battery life, slow performance or hardware failures tend to push consumers towards updates , indicating that the Windows 10 deadline may not be as much of a motivation to consumers as it is to businesses.

A March 2025 poll suggested that 14% of customers are now aware of Windows 10 deprecation, and a further 21% don't plan on upgrading as a result.

In the meantime, US stockpiling continues to distort PC shipment figures on a global scale, with Q1 2025 global PC shipments up 9%. Dutt summarised: "This preemptive strategy allowed manufacturers and the channel to stock up ahead of potential cost increases, boosting sell-in shipments despite otherwise stable end-user demand."

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• Ironheart finally introduces a villain to the MCU that Marvel fans have waited years for
• Its producers admit he might not have appeared in the Disney+ show
• Only one actor was considered for the role

Ironheart has granted Marvel fans' long-held wish to introduce a much-discussed villain to the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) – but the wait might have been even longer if its story had gone in another direction.

Ahead of the Disney+ show's debut in late June, I sat down with producers Zoie Nagelhout and Sev Ohanian to chat about the Marvel TV Original. As you can imagine, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to ask them about that grand unveiling in the series' finale.

Full spoilers immediately follow for Ironheart episode 6, aka 'The Past is the Past'. Don't scroll past this point if you haven't seen it yet!

Ironheart finally introduces Mephisto, played by Sacha Baron Cohen, to the MCU (Image credit: Marvel Studios/Disney+)

Yep, Mephisto, whose MCU debut has been a hot topic of discussion since the airing of WandaVision, the first Marvel TV show to be released on Disney+ in January 2021, has finally made his way into Marvel's cinematic juggernaut. Borat and The Trial of the Chicago 7 actor Sacha Baron Cohen is the star behind this demonic entity. For a crash course on this demonstrably evil character, let me point you in the direction of Ironheart ending explained piece.

Now, long-time Marvel comic book readers might wonder why Mephisto makes his long-overdue MCU arrival in Ironheart. After all, Parker Robbins, aka The Hood, who is the Marvel Phase 5 TV show's primary antagonist, acquires his supernatural abilities from Dormammu, the Big Bad of 2016's Doctor Strange, in Marvel literature. Dormammu is even referenced in episodes 4 and 5, ie before Mephisto's grand reveal, which suggests this cosmic entity is pulling The Hood's strings from the shadows.

In Ironheart, though, Mephisto is responsible for gifting these powers to Robbins by way of a dark magic-infused hooded cloak. So, why didn't the show's creative team adapt The Hood's origins story ad verbatim from the comics?

"We knew there needed to be someone behind Parker's powers," Nagelhout told me, "And we did play around with a couple of ideas. As you know, in the comics, Dormammu has pretty heavy ties to Parker.

"But, we ultimately started looking towards what made the most thematic sense," Nagelhout said of Ironheart's antagonist-based bait-and-switch. "Which villain actually offered this show the same sort of payoff that we were building to? For us, it was Mephisto. It was this concept of ambition versus what it would cost you in order to achieve everything you want in life, and Mephisto fit that beautifully."

Comment from r/marvelstudios

As for why Cohen, who was reportedly cast as Mephisto way back in October 2022, was the right individual to tackle such an extremely powerful being, Nagelhout added: "To be honest, Sacha was the only person we really could envision.

"The idea came from Angela Barnes, who directed that episode as well. As soon as we imagined him as the character, we couldn't unsee it. We're very lucky that he agreed to come on board, because he brought a really fun, scary, interesting version of this character to life that I don't know if anyone else could have done."

What did you make of Mephisto's long-awaited MCU debut? And did you enjoy Cohen's portrayal? Let me know in the comments.

All six episodes of Ironheart are out now on Disney+, aka one of the world's best streaming services. For more Ironheart coverage, check out the section below, too.

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The series moves to Edgbaston as the hosts look to build on thrilling first encounter victory.

There's a lot to like, as long as you have the right head size.

That great deal on an amazing vacation may not actually be so amazing.

The iPhone 16 line landed a while back now, so unsurprisingly there are numerous iPhone 17 leaks at this point – some of which emerged even before the launch of Apple’s latest phones.

As such – even though we’re not expecting the iPhone 17 and its siblings to launch before September 2025 – we already have some idea of what to expect from these phones. That includes camera upgrades, yet another new button, better screens, and even an entire new model.

Below then, you’ll find full details of all the credible leaks and rumors we’ve heard so far, and we’ll be updating this article whenever we hear anything new.

Latest news

Loads of iPhone 17 Air specs just leaked.

Cut to the chase

• What is it? The next flagship iPhone
• When is it out? Probably September 2025
• How much will it cost? Likely upwards of $799 / £799 / AU$1,399

A predictable release date

The iPhone 16 (Image credit: Future)

• Likely to be announced in the first half of September
• Could start at upwards of $799 / £799 / AU$1,399

There aren’t many iPhone 17 release date rumors yet, but we don’t really need any, as Apple tends to follow a highly predictable pattern.

As such, based on past form we predict that the iPhone 17 will be announced in the first half of September 2025. Typically Apple announces the device on a Tuesday or Wednesday, but the company broke with that pattern for the iPhone 16 and used a Monday, so we aren’t totally confident of the exact day.

That said, Apple more often uses the second week of the month, so it could be announced sometime between Monday, September 8, and Friday, September 12, with September 8, 9, or 10 being most likely based on the weekdays Apple usually goes with.

In any case, the phones will likely then go up for pre-order on the Friday of their announcement week (meaning probably Friday September 12 or failing that September 5 if our guesses are right), and then ship on the following Friday, which would probably be September 19 but could be September 12. While those are all just predictions for now, one source has unsurprisingly pointed to a September launch for the iPhone 17 series.

As for the price, most of the leaks there so far are for a new model possibly dubbed the iPhone 17 Slim or iPhone 17 Air (more on which below), but a report suggests this slimmer iPhone 17 model could have a starting price of $1,299 (about £1,000 / AU$1,950).

We would however take that with a pinch of salt, as that would be a higher price than the current top iPhone, and some other leaks suggest this would be positioned more in the middle of the pack.

Indeed, more recently we've heard that the iPhone 17 Air could cost less than the iPhone 17 Pro, with the latest leak pointing to a starting price of $899 for the iPhone 17 Air, which would see it match the iPhone 16 Plus. That's a claim we've now heard multiple times. Whatever it costs though, it's predicted that the iPhone 17 Air might not be a massive hit.

In any case, we can look at previous pricing for possible starting prices of the other models. The iPhone 16 then starts at $799 / £799 / AU$1,399, the iPhone 16 Plus starts at $899 / £899 / AU$1,599, the iPhone 16 Pro starts at $999 / £999 / AU$1,799, and the iPhone 16 Pro Max starts at $1,199 / £1,199 / AU$2,149, so successors to these models are likely to cost at least this much.

However, the one iPhone 17 pricing leak we have heard suggests they might cost more, and with President Trump threatening 25% tariffs on Apple, there's a growing chance the prices could increase.

Can you trust these rumors?

The claim that the iPhone 17 Air could have the same price as the iPhone 16 Plus is believable, though with potential tariffs it's hard to be sure. In any case, the release date for all these phones will very likely be in September.

A new model

We might not get a successor to the iPhone 16 Plus (Image credit: Future)

• An iPhone 17 Air rather than a Plus model
• Also expect an iPhone 17, an iPhone 17 Pro, and an iPhone 17 Pro Max

You won’t be surprised to hear that we’re expecting an iPhone 17, an iPhone 17 Pro, and an iPhone 17 Pro Max, but what about the iPhone 17 Plus? Well, while that’s a possibility, several leaks have suggested that there might be a slimmer and more expensive iPhone 17 Air or iPhone 17 Slim instead.

However, a reputable analyst predicts that the iPhone 17 Air won't be any more popular than the company's Plus and mini models.

There’s also an outside chance that we’ll see an iPhone 17 Ultra, either instead of or as well as the iPhone 17 Pro Max. This would be an ultra-premium model that would sit at the top of the line. But that’s seeming less likely, as it’s not something that’s been leaked much recently, though claims of an Ultra model still occasionally emerge.

Claims of an iPhone 17 Air though have arrived with more frequency, and from a number of reputable sources, so there’s every chance we could see a super-slim iPhone in 2025.

In fact, the latest leaks point to the iPhone 17 Air measuring even thinner than the competition, namely the recently-announced Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge, at a possible thickness of just 5.44mm. That's even thinner than an unfolded Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7.

What's more, the iPhone 17 Air is tipped to get Apple's new C1 modem, revealed with the iPhone 16e, unlike the base model iPhone 17.

Can you trust these rumors?

Numerous reputable sources have pointed to an iPhone 17 Air or iPhone 17 Slim, so we'd think this is likely to make an appearance, though what it will actually be called is less clear, and we wouldn't count on seeing an iPhone 17 Ultra.

A new button

The iPhone 16 Pro (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

• A 120Hz screen for all four models
• A new button in place of the Action and volume buttons
• A new display technology for the Pro models

One of the more intriguing iPhone 17 design leaks we've heard is that the iPhone 17 Pro and possibly other models could have another new button – this time a single button that would replace the Action button and both volume keys.

Details of this possible button are limited, but it’s easy to imagine it could work like the Camera Control key, allowing you to swipe to change the volume, and press it to launch an app or feature of your choice. Perhaps it would even accept both light and strong presses to launch different things.

Apple has actually experimented with unified solid-state volume buttons in the past, including on an iPhone 14 Pro prototype, so it's possible the idea is being resurrected for the iPhone 17 series.

And in a less likely leak, we’ve heard that Apple could equip some or all iPhone 17 models with under-display Face ID.

One other source has leaked three possible iPhone 17 Pro colors, namely Dark Green Titanium, Teal Titanium, and Green Titanium. Apparently only one of these will be used if any, and of these it's the Teal Titanium they suspect is most likely to be used. That's the middle shade in the leaked image below. That said, we suspect all three of these are brighter than Apple would opt for.

(Image credit: Majin Bu)

Indeed, they can't seem to make up their mind as to which new color or colors we might see, as they've more recently claimed Sky Blue is the most likely new iPhone 17 Pro shade, and also previously pointed to Titanium Blue or Titanium Purple shades.

The same source has since said that the standard iPhone 17 could come in a purple or green shade.

In another leak, we've heard that all four iPhone 17 models could have an aluminum frame, which would be a change for the Pro models, as the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max use more premium titanium.

So that seems an odd shift, and the report adds that in the case of the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max the top half of the back will also be aluminum, with the bottom half sticking as glass, and the camera bump being larger than on current models.

However, another leak has since refuted this, saying the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max will stick with titanium frames.

Since then, we've heard that the iPhone 17 series could use the frame pictured below, which could make for a Pixel 9-like design, and somewhat lines up with the leak above mentioning an aluminum top half and a larger camera bump.

(Image credit: @Jukanlosreve)

We've seen a similar design in iPhone 17 series dummy units, and yet another source has also similarly claimed that the iPhone 17 Pro (and probably the other models) will have the design shown below.

(Image credit: Front Page Tech / @asherdipps‬)

This source has also shared the possible design of the iPhone 17 Air, as you can see below.

It has a very slim build but a quite large camera block considering there's just one lens on the back. So we'd take it with a pinch of salt, though it does line up with another iPhone 17 Air design leak.

The same source has also claimed that the standard iPhone 17 will have the same camera design as the iPhone 16, so that model might not get this new camera bar.

Image 1 of 2

(Image credit: Front Page Tech / ‪@Zellzoi‬)Image 2 of 2

(Image credit: Front Page Tech / ‪@Zellzoi‬)

Other leakers have since backed up these claims, with multiple sets of iPhone 17 dummy units being leaked, showing similar designs, which we've seen numerous times now, and it's a design that people don't seem keen on so far. In fact, Google has even made fun of it.

However, more recent iPhone 17 Pro dummy unit photos show a far more refined version of this design, and one that should be easier to like.

Some smaller design changes could be planned too, with one source suggesting that some or all iPhone 17 models will have curvier sides than their predecessors.

We’ve also elsewhere heard that the iPhone 17 Pro Max could have a narrower Dynamic Island than the current model, and that conflicting with one of the leaks above it will have a titanium frame, while the other models will apparently have a “more complex” aluminum shell, which may be a reference the the half metal, half glass rear leaked above. Multiple sources have now pointed to a smaller Dynamic Island, though one source says the Dynamic Island will stay the same.

Another source has similarly said that the front of the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max will look similar to the iPhone 16 Pro, meaning that the Dynamic Island probably won't be smaller. And they added that while the rear cameras will be redesigned, there won't be a two-tone color scheme. We've since seen how this single-color iPhone 17 Pro design might look.

One of these sources also claimed that the iPhone 17 will have a 6.1-inch screen, the iPhone 17 Air a 6.6-inch one, the iPhone 17 Pro will have a 6.3-inch display, and the iPhone 17 Pro Max will have a 6.9-inch one. So that’s the same sizes as the iPhone 16 line, albeit the rumored new Air model could have a slightly smaller screen than the Plus model it might replace.

That said, a case maker has suggested the iPhone 17 could instead have a 6.3-inch screen like the Pro model.

There’s also some disagreement on the iPhone 17 Air’s screen size, with leaker Ross Young claiming it will be slightly smaller at 6.55 inches, while @UniverseIce says to expect a 6.65-inch screen, and another source points to a 6.7-inch 2796 x 1290 one.

Also on the subject of the iPhone 17 Air, one report suggests it won't be as slim as Apple hoped, with the company originally aiming for around a 6mm thickness but apparently failing to achieve that, as it needs more space for the battery.

That said, we've elsewhere heard that the iPhone 17 Air will be just 5.44mm thick, while another leak similarly says the iPhone 17 Air will in fact be 5mm to 6mm thick, but that thanks to this it won't have space for a SIM card slot (so it will be eSIM only). More recently, an iPhone 17 Air leaks has split the difference and pointed to a 5.5mm thickness.

This report adds that the iPhone 17 Air will also only have one earpiece speaker, rather than two as is the case on other iPhones, and that it will have a “large, centered camera bump” housing just one lens.

This lack of a SIM card slot and only one speaker claim is something we've now heard multiple times.

We've also now seen an image showing how slim the iPhone 17 Air might be in comparison to the iPhone 17 Pro, and it certainly looks very thin there.

Another leak shows an iPhone 17 Air dummy unit (which is apparently 5.65mm thick) next to an iPhone 17 Pro Max dummy unit (which is 163.04 x 77.59 x 8.75mm) and an iPhone 17 one (which is 149.62 x 71.46 x 7.96mm). And again, the Air looks exceptionally slim.

You can see this slim design again in photos showing an iPhone 17 Air dummy unit next to an iPhone 16 Plus, though it's notable how far the Air's camera sticks out.

We've also heard that all four iPhone 17 models could have a 120Hz refresh rate and an always-on display. In fact, several sources have echoed this, saying that the base iPhone 17 will join its Pro siblings in having a 120Hz refresh rate and and always-on screen. We've heard this as recently as March 2025, with reputable leaker Mark Gurman saying as much.

So this wouldn’t be an upgrade for the Pro models, but it would be for the standard iPhone 17, and for the iPhone 17 Air if we get such a phone. That said, in June 2025 we heard that while the base iPhone 17 and the iPhone 17 Air would have 120Hz refresh rates, these wouldn't be ProMotion screens, meaning they wouldn't have a variable refresh rate and probably wouldn't support always-on display.

Speaking of all the iPhone 17 models, a rumor has them all tipped to use Samsung's M14 OLED display, which features on the iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max.

However, the Pro models could still get a screen upgrade, with one source claiming that their displays will use a new technology that "improves battery efficiency, maximizes display durability, and enhances overall performance compared to existing display technologies.”

Finally, we’ve heard that the iPhone 17 line’s screens might use a type of glass that’s tougher to scratch and cuts down on reflections, but a more recent leak suggests this display upgrade has been scrapped.

Can you trust these rumors?

Apple bringing 120Hz screens to all four models is long overdue, so we certainly hope that's true, and it has been tipped enough that for now we'd say it's likely.

The talk of a new button is something we're less sure about, just because only one source has mentioned it so far, and they have a mixed track record.

We're also unsure about claims that all four models will have an aluminum frame, as that would seem like a downgrade for the Pro units. And the rumored changes to the camera design also seem questionable, but enough sources have mentioned this that it's certainly possible.

More megapixels

The iPhone 16 Pro Max (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

• A new 48MP telephoto camera for the Pro models
• New 24MP selfie cameras for all models

The iPhone 17 line could include several significant camera upgrades, including a new 24MP front-facing camera for every iPhone 17 model, up from 12MP on the current phones. It’s a claim this source (Jeff Pu) has made multiple times, most recently in March of 2025.

The same source also points to a 48MP telephoto camera for the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max, up from 12MP currently. We’ve also heard analyst Ming-Chi Kuo say similar, though they weren’t sure whether both Pro models would get this, or if only the iPhone 17 Pro Max would get a 48MP telephoto camera.

And leaker @UniverseIce has also said that the Pro models will have a trio of 48MP cameras, meaning an upgrade for the telephoto but not – at least in terms of megapixels – for the main or ultra-wide cameras. Mark Gurman (who has a great track record for Apple information) has also made this 48MP telephoto camera claim.

We've heard mention of a trio of 48MP cameras from another source too, but they also claim that oddly the main camera on the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max will have a smaller sensor than on the 16 Pro series, which sounds like a downgrade.

And one source has claimed that as well as a new 48MP sensor, the the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max will offer 3.5x optical zoom, rather than the 5x of the current models. However, they would reportedly still offer lossless zoom at 5x and 7x by cropping the image.

We've also heard that the iPhone 17 Pro models could offer 8K video recording.

Elsewhere, another leak says the standard iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Air won't have a 5x telephoto camera. This isn't really surprising but it is disappointing. In fact, the iPhone 17 Air might just have one rear camera, with another source claiming the iPhone 17 Air will have a 48MP main camera and a 12MP front-facing one. Multiple sources have now pointed to the iPhone 17 Air having just a single 48MP camera on the back.

Intriguingly, we’ve heard that Apple might be planning a camera with a mechanical aperture for at least one phone in the iPhone 17 series. This would allow you to adjust the size of the aperture, and therefore the depth of field.

And finally, Apple is reportedly testing a 200MP camera, though if this is ever used we'd expect it won't be until a later iPhone model.

Can you trust these rumors?

The front-facing and telephoto cameras seem obvious upgrade choices in the iPhone 17 line, as their megapixel counts are noticeably lower than some of the other cameras. So there's a good chance those leaks will prove accurate.

A boost in power

The iPhone 16 Pro Max (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

• A powerful new A19 Pro chipset
• Up to 12GB of RAM

One leak suggests that – unsurprisingly – the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max will have a new A19 Pro chipset, and that the other models will have either an A18 or A19 chipset. The same source also says to expect 12GB of RAM in the Pro models, up from 8GB currently, but that the standard iPhone 17 and the iPhone 17 Slim will only have 8GB. They've now made this claim multiple times, so they seem confident of it.

Another source has echoed this, saying to expect an A19 Pro chipset and 12GB of RAM in the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max. This chipset will reportedly be built on a new 3-nanometer manufacturing process, which could mean a big jump in performance.

Elsewhere we've heard that the iPhone 17 Air could have 12GB of RAM too, along with an A19 – but not A19 Pro – chipset.

That said, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo claims that only the iPhone 17 Pro Max will get 12GB of RAM, with the others stuck at 8GB, and that the Pro Max will also have an upgraded cooling system, and exclusively have “enhanced on-device AI capabilities.”

Kuo also claims that the iPhone 17 line could use a lighter and thinner motherboard, which would leave room for other components or a larger battery. And speaking of the battery, the iPhone 17 Air might have a high-density cell, giving it comparable life to current iPhones. We've also heard that the iPhone 17 Air might support MagSafe, and that it might support a battery case accessory, which could make up for any stamina shortfalls.

There’s also an outside chance that some or all iPhone 17 models could include under-display Touch ID, giving you a fingerprint sensor as well as Face ID, but we doubt that.

We've also heard that Apple might equip the iPhone 17 series with a vapor chamber to help keep these phones cool, though there's disagreement on whether all four models or just the iPhone 17 Pro series would get a vapor chamber.

Finally on the hardware front, the iPhone 17 Air might use Apple's in-house 5G modem, but this reportedly doesn't perform as well as the Qualcomm modems the company currently uses – and we've heard that the base model iPhone 17 could even miss out on Apple's C1 modem.

As for software, we expect these phones to run iOS 26 out of the box, and while this software isn't finished yet, it has been announced. So we know it includes a new 'Liquid Glass' appearance, and overhauls to many apps, such as the Phone and Camera apps. It also features improvements to Apple Intelligence, a new Apple Games app, and more.

Can you trust these rumors?

New chipsets are sure to make an appearance, and we'd expect at least some models would get boosted to 12GB of RAM, especially as this could help with AI.

We'd be quite surprised though if Touch ID makes a return, even in under-display form.

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• HPE pushes Morpheus as VMware virtualization costs rise under Broadcom
• Socket-based pricing offers cost predictability for high-core system deployments
• Morpheus aims to compete but VMware remains deeply rooted in enterprise

Hewlett Packard Enterprise has looked to address growing rumblings from its customers about rising VMware licensing fees following Broadcom’s acquisition of the virtualization company in 2023.

HPE is actively responding to these concerns, especially from those seeing major increases in virtualization costs, by pushing its Morpheus platform at its recent HPE Discover 2025 event.

HPE acquired Morpheus in 2024 and has since worked to develop it into a viable option for companies looking to reduce or end their reliance on VMware.

A choice of editions

Morpheus is being integrated into HPE’s broader Private Cloud offerings, with two editions available to suit different needs.

The VM Essentials edition is geared toward smaller environments and supports management of local KVM clusters and VMware clusters through vCenter.

This edition has a much lower entry cost, priced around $600 per socket, and unlike Broadcom’s per-core licensing, which some say penalizes scale, HPE’s per-socket model remains fixed regardless of hardware configuration.

This could appeal to those with high-core-count systems and help organizations better keep on top of their infrastructure costs.

For more advanced deployments, there’s Morpheus Enterprise. This includes profiling and cost calculator tools to help compare cloud and on-prem options. This version is priced at about $2,500 per socket.

HPE’s goal appears to be giving customers a clearer path away from VMware, starting small and scaling up.

Whether that’s enough to make a dent in VMware’s deep entrenchment across enterprise environments remains to be seen, but HPE is clearly making the case.

ServeTheHome's Patrick Kennedy writes, “We know many folks are struggling with virtualization licensing costs. It seems like HPE sees the need. It was actually neat to see that HPE is aggressively trying to move customers off of VMware and the Morpheus booth was certainly busy today. For folks who are still looking for solutions, this might be one to look into especially if you are a HPE shop.”

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Likeable brand Nothing has unveiled a set of striking over-ear headphones and if, like me, you're ready to fully embrace cans that aren't trying hard to look like the Sony WH-1000XM4 (and, by association, like every other set of headphones on the market), you'll probably be fully on board with these.

Might it appear as if I've got two cassette tapes lashed around my head – two, ahem, head cleaners, if you're old enough to get the gag? Quite possibly. Do I mind? Not one jot thank you very much; know me, know that I have a lot of love for the resurgence of the humble cassette format.

Anyway, I've worn them for a week now and sadly, owing to various time constraints, I wasn't able to compile TechRadar's full Nothing Headphone (1) review. However, I do share my colleague Matt Bolton's verdict and of course, that doesn't mean I have no further thoughts… the first being that the design here is a rare delight for the money.

Since the product has been under embargo until very recently, I've not been able to wear the Headphone (1) in public. But believe me, I cannot wait to do that. The transparent accents on the ear cups catch reflections and the light quite beautifully and there's a quirky, otherworldy-but-the-90s aesthetic to them. They remind me of Björk's 1997 All is Full of Love video – why wouldn't I want that?

(Image credit: Future)Nothing ventured, Nothing gained

So they look delightfully oddball, and you love to see it. They're also comfortable – for me, anyway, and I do wear glasses at work these days (see "old enough", above).

Furthermore, the Nothing X companion app is a joy. It's clean, it's stylish, it's easy to follow and it puts things like noise cancellation and head-tracked streaming-service agnostic spatial audio up front and center, exactly where you want those perks. Honestly, I love the app.

So where does it start to go wrong? My one minor gripe with the design is to do with the volume roller on the right ear cup. Don't get me wrong, I adore it; why has no other brand implemented anything even close, except for the Fairphone Fairbuds XL and Marshall Monitor III ANC, although both were different in that they were bijou joystick-style dials, rather than a roller?

No, my issue is the piped-in sound you hear when you use it. I know it's supposed to mimic a rotary watch bezel, but it's such a sweet, treble-centric whirr and so close to my delicate ear that it sets my teeth on edge (and there's no way to turn it off). In fact, even the power on buttons are a little sweet for my liking.

(Image credit: Future)Much ado about Nothing?

You're probably thinking: come on, this issue feels small-fry and you've already said you love the design, what's the big problem? And you'd be right: I think the bare bones here are truly exciting. Nothing goes its own way and I'm all for it. I've championed the Nothing Ear (a), the firm's triumphant third stab at earbuds, for over a year now.

The thing is, there's one key area where the Heaphone (1) don't quite pass muster at the level. Sonically, I pitted them against my trusty Cambridge Audio Melomania P100, and the circumaural soundstage of the P100 betters the Nothing option – something you hear straight away.

Nothing has gone to great lengths to tell us about the "custom 40 mm dynamic driver, built with high-linearity suspension and an 8.9 mm PU surround that moves air more freely than conventional PET materials" alongside a "nickel-plated diaphragm, including rim and dome".

Then, enter hi-fi giant KEF, which provided the rigorous tuning and testing of the headphones. And I think perhaps therein lies the rub. Nobody is challenging KEF's formidable audio chops, but maybe (just maybe) a modicum of function has had to be lost in the name of a finessed form?

KEF is a master of its trade, and clearly the intention here is serious, integrated, neutral and layered hi-fi sound. And this is very much on the way to being achieved – in fact, in acoustic mixes and with spatial audio deployed, I found admirable separation and insight. Sonically, they are not bad.

It's just that I've reviewed every set of Nothing earbuds to date, and I know the sound Carl Pei's company and its collaborative effort is capable of achieving, given a fresh iteration. The result here is a set of headphones that while relatively detailed, come off a little dynamically lean.

(Image credit: Future)If at first you don't succeed… 

Perhaps if the Headphone (1) release hadn't been so rigidly tied to the simultaneous unveiling of the Nothing Phone (3)? Perhaps if Nothing's design language hadn't been of such paramount importance, there may have been leeway to eke a little more out of the svelte drivers nestled in their much-adorned ear cups? I'm speculating – I am.

But I'm also urging Nothing and KEF to work more on this partnership, because this product as an inaugural effort is beautiful to me, and the sound is well on its way.

I listened to D'Angelo's Brown Sugar (I decided to give my Apple Music Replay All Time playlist a spin; a trip back to 2016 I'm not sure I needed) and while the vocals do dart out from shadowy corners in the mix, it's an all-together more immersive, dynamically agile listen when played through the cheaper Cambridge Audio rival.

Again, I want to urge Nothing to keep working on these. I truly admire the release of the Nothing Headphone (1) when most smartphone-centric firms are sticking to cheaper earbuds propositions alongside handsets. Case in point: Samsung, a heavy-hitter that hasn't launched a set of actual headphones in nearly 10 years, following mixed reviews for the 2014 Level Over and 2016 Level On.

In 2025, Nothing's got something here that could blow everything else away, and while the sound is not perfect yet, the design and feature-set is too good to shelve. Very few manufacturers ace a set of headphones at the very first time of asking, and to say that I eagerly await for the release of the Headphone (2) is an understatement.

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• Techland has discussed how the narrative is shaping up in Dying Light: The Beast
• The developer is doing away with branching choices
• This is in an effort to create a starting point for the series' future

Developer Techland will be stepping away from player-driven narrative choices for the upcoming Dying Light: The Beast. But it seems like there's going to be a very good reason for that, at least in relation to the game's returning protagonist - Kyle Crane.

In an interview with GamesRadar, Dying Light franchise director Tymon Smektała explained: "We wanted this to be a canon entry into the series. We're looking back at what happened to Kyle Crane in the first game, and we want to tell the next chapter of the story."

"One thing that Dying Light: The Beast does is hint at the future of the series," he adds. "We really wanted to make sure that at the end of the game, Kyle Crane is where we want him to be, so that's why we decided to back down from the narrative choices of Dying Light 2."

Furthermore, it's likely that Techland is looking to shape the future of the Dying Light franchise with what happens at the conclusion of The Beast.

While he didn't drop any juicy story hints, Smektała told TechRadar Gaming: "We definitely have, I would say, some Marvel [style] post-credit scenes that hint at some things that are going to happen in the future."

Smektała also provided further context on the decision to move away from branching narrative choices, adding: "If we would have given the players agency in terms of how they want to shape the story, then it will be harder for us to have Kyle where we want him to be at the end of the game.

"So this is a very canonical Kyle story that answers everything that happens to him before and after the events of Dying Light."

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• There will be a free Nintendo Switch 2 upgrade for Shadow Labyrinth
• The game will run at 4K 60fps on the Nintendo Switch 2
• It's available to pre-order now

Upcoming strange Pac-Man game Shadow Labyrinth will run at 4K 60 frames per second (fps) on Nintendo Switch 2 in docked mode thanks to a free Nintendo Switch 2 Edition Upgrade Pack.

This was revealed as part of the most recent trailer for the game, which gave us a decent look at the Nintendo Switch 2 version in action. It also presented some side-by-side footage showing the Nintendo Switch version too, which seems to be running at a noticeably lower frame rate and resolution.

Both the Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2 versions of the game are up for pre-order via the eShop, where they both cost $29.99 / £24.99. The Nintendo Switch 2 Edition Upgrade Pack is also available to pre-order and is completely free.

Shadow Labyrinth was first revealed at The Game Awards 2024, with a subsequent appearance in the Nintendo Switch 2 Direct. A darker take on Pac-Man, the game is a 2D metroidvania adventure in which the protagonist Swordsman No. 8 explores a sinister maze accompanied by the familiar yellow Puck.

It features plenty of combat and traversal, but also a few elements directly inspired by the classic arcade Pac-Man gameplay. It's set to launch on July 18 this year and is coming to PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and Series S in addition to Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2.

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