Technology

• Russia is shifting its target to the UK
• The UK is sustaining consistent cyberattacks
• Cyberattacks are aimed at creating chaos and disrupting services

Putin’s focus has taken away from the US in order to avoid antagonizing the Trump administration, reports the Times. Earlier this year, it was reported that a major Russian hacking group shifted its focus from US to UK targets, so it seems the Kremlin is now following suit.

British government sources have described a ‘surge’ in hybrid attacks since the start of 2025, including cyberattacks looking to sabotage critical infrastructure, such as previously observed mapping of undersea fiber optic cables.

Trump’s more favorable attitude towards Russia in comparison to previous administrations has pushed Russia to pivot more harshly against Britain, with UK spy chiefs warning that key facets of national infrastructure are sustaining continued attacks from Russian state-sponsored threat actors.

Sustained attacks

Russian threat actor offensives aim to create ‘sustained mayhem on British and European Streets’ says Sir Ken McCallum, director-general of MI5. Russian actors have successfully disrupted and damaged services in Ukraine, and have flexed capabilities through attacks in energy, agriculture, retail, and more - dealing demoralizing blows to the Ukrainian military and people.

A senior government official told the Times; “It’s been really evident from Russia’s recent propaganda that we’re target No 1,” the official said. “If only the British state was as powerful as they claim.”

These attacks could cause untold damage should a more powerful hit land on a UK target. For example, if a healthcare organization or energy provider was taken offline, that could have immediate and life threatening consequences.

Another Whitehall insider told the publication: “But when we say indirect, it’s not as indirect as it sounds. Russia will, for instance, create software, pass it on to a group of seriously talented 18-year-old hackers and say ‘fill your boots’.”

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• Samsung might have an all-new S Pen up its sleeve
• A company exec revealed Samsung is developing a new S Pen
• It will only return when the device is just right, and if enough people want it

The S Pen is dead, long live the S Pen? Yes, while Samsung’s stylus has skipped the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7, it might not be goodbye forever – be that a return in future generations or a return for the Z Fold 7 itself.

That’s according to comments made by Samsung’s own Kang Min-seok – its head of smartphone product planning – to Korean outlet ETNews. He explained that Samsung is “researching and developing thinner and innovative technologies for the S Pen” (machine translated from Korean).

Adding that the S Pen will potentially return “when the level of perfection increases and there is consumer demand.”

(Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future)

This could align with Samsung’s HiDeep partnership. The pair is said to be working on an S Pen which doesn’t require a digitizer or an internal battery – combining the best of both the batteryless S Pen and the digitizer-less Apple Pencil (via SamMobile).

A new stylus design could explain why Samsung removed the digitizer from its Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7. If it was hoping to have the next-gen S Pen ready for the Z Fold 7’s launch, then why would it burden its foldable with a soon-to-be-useless component?

The fact that it isn’t here yet suggests the stylus might have been delayed, or it could be that Samsung is simply holding off until its S26 Ultra launch to introduce a new S Pen to the world. However, that leaves a frustrating 6-month or so long gap for Z Fold 7 users to suffer without a stylus.

Alternatively, tying into the other aspect of Samsung’s comment, it could simply be that the S Pen wasn’t popular enough with the Z Fold line to warrant continued support. And while I’ve never felt the need to use a stylus, that seems as much Samsung’s decision as it is mine.

(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)Samsung doomed the S Pen

If commenters online are to be believed, the Z Fold 7’s tremendous faux pas is enough to kill the foldable outright, but as an avid Z Fold 6 user, I think reports of the Z Fold 7’s death are greatly exaggerated.

I never felt the need to use an S Pen, and I don’t expect I’ll miss it now.

If I ever needed to scribble notes or annotate, I could use my index finger, which was always quick and accurate enough for short annotations. Alternatively, I could type out my annotation – either in full, using swipe to type, or speech-to-text to speed things up.

Perhaps this wasn’t wholly my decision, however, because the main factor in my S Pen usage decision isn’t that I don't want to use one, it’s that I don’t own one.

The Z Fold line didn’t come with an S Pen like Samsung’s Ultra phones, meaning you had to buy the stylus separately. Moreover, you’d need to find your own storage solution for the S Pen, and according to user reviews on Samsung’s website, its official S Pen Z Fold 6 case is beyond terrible.

So if S Pen usage is low on Samsung’s foldables, I’m hardly surprised.

(Image credit: Samsung)

It’s impossible to know how popular the rumored revamped S Pen will be. While many are disappointed by the Z Fold 7’s lack of a stylus, how many of them were ever really planning to buy the foldable, and would a new and improved stylus change their decision?

I’ll never say no to a revamp, but the real change I want to see is Samsung’s next foldable dropping with the stylus in the box. That would make it a true Ultra equivalent as Samsung has promised for the Z Fold 7.

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• Sony Santa Monica's next game is reportedly the studio's "next big thing"
• Bloomberg reporter Jason Schreier responded to speculation, claiming that the studio's new game isn't a new IP, "but might feel like one"
• Schreier also claimed that the sci-fi game rumors are not true

The next game from God of War developer Sony Santa Monica reportedly won't be a new IP, "but might feel like one".

That's according to Bloomberg reporter Jason Schreier (via Eurogamer), who responded to speculation on ResetEra after initially writing about the studio's next project.

"Cory Barlog’s game is Sony Santa Monica’s next big thing," Schreier said. "Last time I spoke to anyone about it (a month or two ago) it was going well."

After sharing this tidbit, fans went on to theorize that the game could be a new IP, which Schreier has now denied.

"I'll put it this way: it's not a new IP but it might feel like one," Schreier explained. "Maybe that's why people are confused. Please don't ask me more questions about this - if I wind up reporting more information at any point in the future it'll be in an article, not on a forum."

There's also been speculation over the years that Cory Barlog, the director of God of War, will be making a sci-fi game next at Sony Santa Monica, but Schreier claims that this isn't correct

"And that the sci-fi stuff (that people have apparently believed for years now?) is nonsense," he said.

Rumors of Sony Santa Monica developing a new IP sprang up last year, but there's no official word from the studio on what it's currently working on.

A third God of War game is also a possibility, but the studio hasn't confirmed if it plans on continuing the series after launching God of War Ragnarok in 2022.

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DCU Chapter One is officially up and running. After the release of Creature Commandos season 1 and Superman, James Gunn and Peter Safran's new-look cinematic universe has taken its first steps into the big, wide world. With both projects being well received, the DC Universe (DCU) has gotten off to a good start, too.

"But, what's coming next?", I hear you ask. Allow my expert guide to, well, guide you. Below, I've rounded up the biggest and latest news on all of the new movies and HBO Max shows that'll be part of DCU Chapter One, otherwise known as 'Gods and Monsters'. You'll learn more about any confirmed launch dates, cast details, trailer, plot specifics, and much more from this point on. So, hop to it, DC Comics aficionado!

DCU Chapter One full line-up

In January 2023, Gunn revealed the DCU Chapter One's full line-up. In total, 11 projects – five movies and six TV shows – were announced, but a few more have joined the party in the two-plus years since the initial reveal. You can read more about some of the most recent changes in my article covering six big takeaways about Gunn's latest major update on the DCU.

But I digress. Here's a quick rundown of every DCH Chapter One film and TV series that's confirmed to be in development, alongside any official release dates that have been announced:

• Peacemaker season 2 (TV show, August 21, 2025)
• Lanterns (TV show, expected early 2026 (date TBC))
• Supergirl (movie, June 26, 2026)
• Clayface (movie, September 11, 2026)
• The Authority (movie, TBC)
• The Brave and the Bold (movie, TBC)
• Booster Gold (TV show, TBC)
• Creature Commandos season 2 (TV show, TBC)
• Paradise Lost (TV show, TBC)
• Sgt Rock (movie, TBC)
• Superman sequel (movie, TBC)
• Swamp Thing (movie, TBC)
• Waller (TV show, TBC)
• Wonder Woman (movie, TBC)

DCU Chapter One: confirmed release dates and launch windowsPeacemaker season 2

Release date: August 21, 2025
Director: James Gunn
Main cast: John Cena, Danielle Brooks, Jennifer Holland, Steve Agee, Freddie Stroma, Tim Meadows, Frank Grillo, Sol Rodriguez, Michael Rooker, Robert Patrick, and Viola Davis

Although it originally existed in the now-defunct DC Extended Universe, season 2 of Peacemaker will sit under the DCU banner. Its plot will explain how the titular anti-hero crosses over into Gunn and Safran's rebooted cinematic franchise, too.

Peacemaker season 2 will launch this August and, after its first footage arrived as part of a new on HBO Max in 2025 trailer, the forthcoming season's first official teaser (see above) arrived in May. A new trailer should be released in late July, too, following its possible world premiere at this year's San Diego Comic-Con.

As well as the above actors confirmed to appear, one of the best HBO Max shows' second season will also feature the return of other season 1 characters, plus some metahumans who showed up in Superman. For more details, read my guide on what we know so far about Peacemaker season 2.

Lanterns

Lanterns is expected to be released in 2026 (Image credit: DC Studios/Max)

Release window: expected early 2026
Directors: James Hawes, Stephen Williams, Geeta Vasant Patel, and Alik Sakharov
Confirmed cast: Aaron Pierre, Kyle Chandler, Nathan Fillion, and Jason Ritter

Lanterns, a Green Lantern TV show that was officially greenlit in June 2024, is expected to arrive in early 2026. Lanterns' creative team was revealed last May, with one particular addition being a perfect fit for its crime thriller tendencies.

Principal photography began in late February 28 and was marked by the first official image of Pierre's John Stewart and Chandler's Hal Jordan (see above). Its filming midpoint was reached in June, so it could be September or October before its shooting schedule wraps.

Fillion, who appeared in Superman as another Green Lantern named Guy Gardner, will have a big supporting role. Meanwhile, Ritter, whose character identity is unknown, has confirmed he's part of the cast.

Little is known about its plot, but here's a brief synopsis, courtesy of HBO: "The series follows new recruit John Stewart and Lantern legend Hal Jordan, two intergalactic cops drawn into a dark, earth-based mystery as they investigate a murder in the American heartland."

Supergirl

Milly Alocck will play Kara Zor-El/Supergirl in the Kryptonian's first solo film in 40-plus years (Image credit: James Gunn/Twitter)

Release date: June 26, 2026
Director: Craig Gillespie
Confirmed cast: Milly Alcock, Matthias Schoenaerts, Eve Ridley, and Jason Momoa

Supergirl, which was originally called Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow until James Gunn confirmed its name change in June, will be the first solo big-screen outing for Superman’s cousin since the Helen Slater-starring 1984 movie.

House of the Dragon alumnus Milly Alcock will star as the titular hero, with that confirmation coming days after Gunn whittled down his Supergirl cast list to two stars in January 2024.

Krypto will co-star after appearing in Superman, while 3 Body Problem's Eve Ridley will play Ruthye Marye Knoll. Momoa will play Lobo, a fan-favorite immortal mercenary in DC Comics and Schoenarts is on board as primary villain Krem. The Hollywood Reporter (THR) also suggests David Krumholtz and Emily Beecham have been cast as Kara's Kryptonian parents.

For more on the next DCU Chapter One movie to be released, read my guide on everything we know so far about Supergirl.

Clayface

A Clayface movie is in development and should be released in late 2026 (Image credit: DC Comics)

Release date: September 11, 2026
Director: James Watkins
Confirmed cast: Tom Rhys Harries

Billed as a low-budget horror film – THR claims it'll have a $40 million budget – Clayface has been written by horror auteur Mike Flanagan. It'll be directed by Speak No Evil's James Watkins and an unlikely star in Tom Rhys Harries has been cast in the titular role.

Filming is rumored to begin in August (per The Wall Street Journal) on a film centered around one of Batman's many iconic villains. No plot details have been divulged but, speaking to ComicBook.com, Flanagan says it's been inspired by one of Batman: The Animated Series' best episodes.

DCU Chapter One: movies in developmentThe Authority

DC Comics describe The Authority as the anti-Justice League (Image credit: DC Comics)

Release date: TBC
Director: TBC
Expected cast: Maria Gabriela de Faría

DCU Chapter One is still expected to introduce The Authority, a lesser known team of antiheroes who feel right up Gunn’s street. However, at a DCU press event in February, Gunn said progress is slow on this one, adding: "(It’s) the one that got messed with through all of the other things that were happening. The script had a harder time coming along". It's possible, then, that this movie might not get made.

If it is, it'll be based on Warren Ellis and Bryan Hitch's comic series (released via DC’s Wildstorm imprint) and focus on the eponymous group who are prepared to use any means necessary to save the day. De Faría should feature as Angela Spica/The Engineer following her appearance in Superman, but no-one else has been cast.

The Brave and the Bold

The Brave and the Bold's Robin won't be the easiest Boy Wonder to live with (Image credit: DC Studios)

Release date: TBC
Director: Andy Muschietti
Cast: TBC

Based on Grant Morrison’s popular graphic novel namesake, The Brave and the Bold's movie adaptation – one of TechRadar's most anticipated DCU Chapter One projects – will see Bruce Wayne teaming up with his violent and narcissistic son Damian, a teen raised by assassins who goes on to become Bat-sidekick Robin.

The Flash’s Andy Muschietti will direct it and, while a writer has been found, Gunn reportedly doesn't want to publicly name them due to the intense media spotlight that'll be shone on them. However, Gunn recently said that he thinks "he has a way in" on the movie's script and that Gunn himself is actively involved in shaping its story (per Total Film).

Swamp Thing

The Swamp Thing comics have previously been adapted into movies, a cartoon, and a short-lived 2019 TV show (Image credit: DC Comics)

Release date: TBC
Director: TBC
Cast: TBC

The brainchild of Wolverine creator Len Wein, Swamp Thing's comic series tells the story of brilliant scientist Alec Holland, who finds his consciousness merged with a bog after an attack on his research facility.

This new take on the character is still being written by James Mangold (Logan, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny). However, Safran has said "the ball is really in his [Mangold's] court" about whether he wants to continue working on it.

Sgt Rock

Sgt. Rock has been put on the backburner at DC Studios (Image credit: DC Studios/Max)

Release date: TBC
Director: TBC
Cast: TBC

After making his DCU debut in Creature Commandos episode 3, Sergeant Rock was reportedly getting a standalone movie.

Call Me By Your Name's Luca Guadagnino was set to direct it and Challengers' Justin Kuritzkes was said to be penning its screenplay. Colin Farrell wa reportedly in talks to star (via THR), too.

“What we love about Sgt Rock is the opportunity to tell a story about heroism and conflict in compelling and unique way," Safran said the February press event. "Justin really wrote a wonderful screenplay and that’s what catapulted that project to the forefront."

Since then, confusion has reigned over Sgt Rock's status amid contrasting reports about whether it'll be made. Neither Gunn or Safran have publicly said if it's still in active development so, unless we're told otherwise, we'll assume it is.

Superman 2

Gunn is already planning a follow-up to this year's Superman, but it won't be a direct sequel (Image credit: Warner Bros. Pictures)

Release date: TBC
Director: TBC
Likely cast: David Corenswet

A follow-up to Gunn's Superman movie is already being worked on by the DC Studios co-chief. However, Gunn has regularly hinted that it won't be a direct sequel, including on Threads in late July.

Meanwhile, Corenswet has said he knows Gunn is working on another project that he'll appear in, but doesn't know what it is. Considering everything else that Gunn has on his plate, expect it to be a while before we find out anything official.

Wonder Woman

A standalone Wonder Woman movie is in the works at DC Studios (Image credit: DC Comics)

Release date: TBC
Director: TBC
Cast: TBC

After Gunn sparked excitement about Wonder Woman's DCU debut in mid-May, the DC Studios co-head confirmed a Diana Prince-led DCU film was in early development one month later. Fans already think that one Star Wars actor is the clear choice to play her, too.

It's unclear how this flick will impact Paradise Lost, the previously announced DCU TV series that'll be based on Prince's home island of Themyscira (more on this in the below section). Like Superman 2, we await more details from Messrs Gunn and Safran.

DCU Chapter One: TV shows in developmentCreature Commandos season 2

Some of the pictured characters will return in the show's sophomore season (Image credit: Max/DC Studios)

Release date: TBC
Director: TBC
Cast: TBC

Following this show's season 1 debut in late 2024, Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) renewed the DCU's first animated show for a second season. Showrunner Dean Lorey has confirmed work is already underway on its next installment as well (per Collider).

While we wait for more on the series' return, remind yourself what happened in last season's final episode via my Creature Commandos season 1 ending explained piece. Then, get the full lowdown on its follow-up by reading my Creature Commandos season 2 hub.

Waller

Viola Davis' Amanda Waller, one of the few survivors of the old DCEU, is getting her own TV show (Image credit: DC Comics)

Release date: TBC
Director: TBC
Confirmed cast: Viola Davis

An Amanda Waller standalone series was expected to be Gunn's next project after Peacemaker season 2 (per Threads). However, speaking at February's press event, Gunn said of its development: "We’ve taken a couple of cracks at it but still haven’t been able to land [it]. Waller has been a bumpy road". As of mid-June, Gunn said (via Threads) that it's still in development.

Once a breakthrough his achieved, Davis will headline this live-action Peacemaker spin-off on HBO Max, aka one of the world's best streaming services. In a 2024 post on Threads, Gunn confirmed events in Peacemaker season 2 will directly lead into Waller, too.

Paradise Lost

Paradise Lost is set on Themyscira, Wonder Woman's idyllic island home (Image credit: DC Comics)

Release date: TBC
Director: TBC
Cast: TBC

Paradise Lost will go back to Wonder Woman’s idyllic island home for some political in-fighting. "It’s going to be a Game of Thrones-ish story about Themyscira, the home of the Amazons and the birthplace of Wonder Woman," Safran teased in January 2023. "This drama is really about the political intrigue behind this society of all women."

In February, Gunn revealed work was continuing on this DCU Chapter One production, but a writer still hadn't been found, so this series is still a while away. Considering a Wonder Woman film is also in the works now, it's unclear whether this project will ever see the light of day.

Booster Gold

Booster Gold is coming back from the future to headline his own DCU TV show (Image credit: DC Studios)

Release date: TBC
Director: TBC
Cast: TBC

If your first thought was "...who???", you’re not alone. Booster Gold, aka Michael Jon Carter, is arguably the most unlikely superhero on the 'Gods and Monsters' roster but, if you’ve seen any of Gunn’s previous output, you’ll understand why this lesser known comic book appealed to his sensibilities.

For the uninitiated: it’s the story of a guy – read: loser – from the future who comes back in time to the present and uses basic future tech to convince everyone he’s a superhero. Or, as Gunn puts it: "It's the superhero story of imposter syndrome".

Like many DCU Chapter One projects, there are very few details about it. Speaking at February's press event, Safran admitted a showrunner had been found, but they ultimately walked away from the project. However, it is "moving forward with somebody else", Safran added, so development hasn't officially stalled.

For more DC-based coverage, read our guides on how to watch the DC movies in order, how to watch the Batman movies in order, and how to watch the Superman movies in order. Then, see if you agree with our ranking of the best Batman movies.

For fans of high-fidelity audio, Spotify HiFi could be the Holy Grail. After unveiling its plans for lossless, CD-quality audio in 2021, audiophiles around the world have been patiently waiting for Spotify to bridge that gap to competitor services like Tidal and Apple Music. Though it's still one of our best music streaming services, Spotify has yet to deliver its highly anticipated HiFi tier. It's been almost five years, but we are closer to the release of Spotify HiFi than ever before.

When it comes to the hi-res audio game, Apple and Amazon are leaps and bounds ahead of Spotify. Since 2021 subscribers of both services have been able to reap the benefits of lossless audio quality at no extra cost, so what's gone wrong with Spotify? It's a question we're still asking ourselves to this day, but recently Spotify has been dropping more hints about its HiFi tier which we can now point to a late 2025 release date.

(Image credit: Spotify / Apple)

Unfortunately, even when Spotify HiFi does drop, we have reason to believe that it will only be available in “select markets” to start. And while Spotify hasn’t said exactly how much the service will cost just yet, we're confident that the Spotify HiFi tier will cost more than the current standard premium subscription which sits at $11.99/ £11.99/ AU$13.99 - and there’s no guarantee that every song in the entire Spotify catalog will have a HiFi version available.

In spite of this very clear downside, we have good reason to believe that Spotify HiFi songs will be available to save and download to your devices for offline listening, which means you should be able to take your new lossless music library with you anywhere.

Ready to make the leap to lossless? Here's everything we know about Spotify HiFi.

Spotify HiFi release date rumors

After five years since Spotify unveiled its plans to introduce lossless audio to enhance music listening for its subscribers, a recent Bloomberg ($/£) report says that Spotify HiFi is tipped to launch in late 2025 and will be called Spotify Music Pro. Not only will this new subscription tier give you the long-awaited lossless audio you've been waiting for, but will include additional benefits such as remixing tools (including some AI-powered features for mashing tracks together), and even special offers on live music and concert tickets.

The latest update comes from tech expert Chris Messina, who found several references to "Lossless" with a capital L in the latest code for the Spotify desktop app. These point to promotional messages inside the app – "The best way to listen in Lossless is with Spotify Connect" – and alerts such as "we're sorry, this track isn't in Lossless yet" or "Looks like your internet connection is having a hard time supporting Lossless right now."

Prior to these findings, Spotify's Open House event in May saw the company implying that it's currently looking at ways to improve the music streaming experience for 'superfans'. In addition to admitting it made mistakes with Wrapped 2024, CEO Daniel Ek had the following to say:

“What more things can we do like Fans First that scales, and that provides a great experience for the artist, and provides a great experience for the consumer?", adding "I do agree that the need – the creator need or the artist need – exists. And the consumer need is there too. The question is just how do you create a great experience?”.

Spotify HiFi was expected to arrive in 2021, and one of the first leaks we came across was back then when a user on Reddit shared a video seemingly pointing to the HiFi onboarding process - but that was five years ago. Back in March, Spotify ran into a number of bug issues including one that showed ads to Premium subscribers, and while we can't directly connect this to the rollout of Spotify HiFi it's definitely raised our suspicions about what Spotify has going on behind-the-scenes.

We’re aware of some issues with the app right now and are checking them out! We'll keep you posted here: https://t.co/lOcqE1o9OeMarch 6, 2025

In a 2021 blog post, Spotify stated the following; "Beginning later this year, Premium subscribers in select markets will be able to upgrade their sound quality to Spotify HiFi and listen to their favorite songs the way artists intended,". Initially, Spotify CEO Daniel Ek claimed that the delay in adding Spotify HiFi has largely come down to licensing issues.

Aside from licensing rights, the Spotify HiFi delay can be attributed to its undivided attention to its social features such as Spotify Wrapped, and its mission to bring more AI integrations to its user experience; its AI DJ feature and generative Daylist feature (one which I frequent regularly) are two of its most popular AI tools. Recently, we reported on Spotify's plans to 'double down' on music in 2025 which we believe could go down one of two paths; either the long-awaited HiFi tier or more AI advancements.

Spotify's AI generated 'Daylist' feature was introduced in September 2023. (Image credit: Spotify)

It's also worth focusing on that select markets bit as it means we won’t see Spotify HiFi going live in every territory at the same time. Previously, when Spotify has rolled out new features it usually starts with the US and Europe, but now that the service is available in more than 180 markets, it’s hard to say which will be among the first to get the new service.

The other issue you’ll run into regarding Spotify HiFi’s release date – whenever it is eventually announced – is that it’s unlikely that every Spotify Connect device will get the upgrade at the same time – which means some speakers like, say, the Sonos One and PS5 might get it long before your slightly older AV receiver.

Spotify HiFi price predictions

According to the recent Bloomberg report, if the rumors of Spotify Music Pro are true then it could cost you an additional $5 a month on top of its $12 Premium plan. This means that it could be a 50% price rise, presumably costing an additional £6 in the UK and AU$7 in Australia.

Previously, we had reason to believe that Spotify HiFi would launch as a brand new subscription tier but the new rumors point to our past guesses that Spotify HiFi would be a new Music Pro feature, as well as a $5 add-on for the Premium Plan. Spotify Premium currently stands at a monthly cost of $11.99/ £11.99/ AU$13.99 therefore if the $5 add-on rumors are true, we'd venture a guess that Spotify HiFi could cost between $14.99 and $19.99 which feels like a safe bet.

Speaking of new add-ons, recently a leaked image on X (see below) shows text in the Spotify iOS beta app saying "Explore plans and get more from your Premium experience with add-ons". While we don't know what these add-ons will consist of, they would give credibility to the Bloomberg rumors and mark a big change in Spotify's subscription tier system.

Spotify is working on add-ons!A recent beta of Spotify for iOS mentions "Explore plans and get more from your Premium experience with add-ons" and "'Browse add-ons" pic.twitter.com/nllQtB4xl6April 28, 2025

What’s also influencing our previous guesses is the competition: a Tidal subscription will run you $19.99 per month, while Hi-Res Audio streaming services like Qobuz and Deezer cost $14.99 and $11.99 per month. Amazon Music Unlimited and Apple Music are a bit cheaper and now include lossless streaming options, and it's possible Spotify HiFi could be around the same price if it ever launches.

On the prices front, The Financial Times ($/£) recently dropped a report hinting at an upcoming price hike. According to it's coverage Spotify will be increasing the cost of an individual subscription by €1 (about $1/£1) as soon as June, but this will only apply to subscribers in Europe and Latin American countries, and not those in the US who received a price hike just last year.

Spotify HiFi audio quality

So, just how good will Spotify HiFi's lossless audio be? It will supposedly sound, at the very least, as good as a CD does – and maybe a bit better.

According to Spotify, Spotify HiFi will stream CD-quality lossless audio to your devices. Ideally, those devices will be connected to a network and capable of using Spotify Connect, otherwise, you’ll have to pipe it over Bluetooth which will likely diminish the quality.

In the absence of Spotify HiFi, you can amend your audio streaming quality in your account settings to add somewhat of an improvement to your listening experience. Just go to your Spotify settings, and tap 'Audio Quality'.

(Image credit: Future)

That’s a heck of a lot better than Spotify's current offering of 320kbps, and will likely bring the service's potential audio quality up to par with Tidal, Deezer, and maybe even Apple’s Digital Masters. Speaking of Apple Digital Masters, there’s always a chance that Spotify might also go above and beyond hi-fi with 96kHz / 24-bit audio, but we’re not holding our breath.

So what does that all mean? In a very practical sense, lossless audio formats have more details and data than their lossy counterparts. That means hearing new details in songs you’ve never heard before that otherwise might’ve been cut out when the data was compressed. It should also sound a bit wider and more immersive, though, a lot of it will depend on which headphones or speakers you use, too.

Spotify HiFi song catalog 

The murkiest detail of all for Spotify HiFi is how many – and which – songs from Spotify’s more than 100 million-song catalog will be included. The safest assumption we can make is that it won't support every song in Spotify's vast catalog, but millions of them should be.

Among those will likely be top hits from major record labels which already distribute the files to other services, while some music from smaller labels and older legacy titles likely won’t make the cut. We’ll keep our ears to the ground for more details on which songs will make the cut, but for now, it’s probably best to keep your CD collection right where it is until new details emerge.

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• The leaked chats could have a devastating affect on victims

It’s hard to imagine a more mortifyingly embarrassing scenario than your own private flirty chats being exposed online, except, perhaps, being caught sending these messages off for analysis by an AI app.

Researchers at Cybernews have discovered a breach at "FlirtAI - Get Rizz & Dates" (yes, that is really what it’s called) which has leaked over 160,000 chat screenshots from users through an unprotected cloud storage bucket.

Users of this app feed screenshots of their private conversations into the application to get tailored responses designed to help the user flirt or escalate the conversation.

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More than just embarrassing

Unsurprisingly, but worryingly nonetheless, this app seems to have been primarily used by teenagers.

Because of the configuration of the app, those primarily at risk are not those who have sent the chats in, but the person they’re talking to - presumably other teenagers who are completely unaware that their conversation has been leaked, and probably unaware that this app even exists.

Whilst we’ve seen more dangerous personal data leaked by other AI chatbots like SSNs and financial information, the nature of this chatbot and its user base represents a different kind of harm.

As an adult, I’m not sure how well I’d cope with my private chats being exposed online, so for an already vulnerable teenager this could be devastating.

“The fact that teenagers used this app may increase the severity of a potential data breach as data from minors is considered more sensitive, and could be subject to more restrictions regarding potential data uses and collection and processing practices," Cybernews researchers confirmed.

The app does state that users are “only allowed to upload a screenshot when you have obtained the necessary approvals from all users/humans and their information mentioned in the screenshot”.

But, since this would negate the point of the chatbot, it seems pretty unlikely that this is followed.

Those exposed in this breach could be at a heightened risk of social engineering attacks like phishing or, given that the app encourages users to share their target's dating profile, there could be a risk of impersonation attacks.

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• Meta's first multi-gigawatt AI datacenter cluster, Prometheus, will go live next year
• Hyperion will follow, with plans to scale it up to a staggering 5GW
• Company revenue is strong, but Capex rises

Meta's CEO Mark Zuckerberg has confirmed plans to build several multi-gigawatt AI datacenter clusters to fuel our growing and insatiable demand for artificial intelligence, with the first cluster, Prometheus, set to go online in 2026.

Another cluster, Hyperion, will follow, with Meta planning to scale this one up to 5 gigawatts over the course of several years.

More so-called titan clusters are also in the works, with the CEO sharing a visualization in a Facebook post showing how Hyperion covers the equivalent of most of Manhattan.

Meta will build massive, miles-long datacenter clusters

Boasting about the company's progress, Zuckerberg shared: "SemiAnalysis just reported that Meta is on track to be the first lab to bring a 1GW+ supercluster online."

The Facebook post summarizes how Meta will combine massive compute power and elite talent to advance superintelligence, backed by hundreds of billions of dollars in compute infrastructure investments. Meta's new Superintelligence Labs promise to have the highest compute per researcher in the industry.

Despite consistent growth, with last year's revenue hitting $165 billion, Meta's spending spree in the world of enhanced intelligence continues. The company's 2025 capital expenditure was raised to an estimated $64-$72 billion, but investors seem to be slightly more cautious about when these massive AI investments will become profitable.

With competition heating up against OpenAI, Google, Microsoft, and Amazon – among others – Meta aims to bring the first gigawatt-plus AI cluster online with next year's Prometheus.

Speaking about the company's most recent quarterly report, Zuckerberg wrote: "AI continues to transform everything we do." He highlighted five key areas of long-term investment and opportunity: improved advertising, more engaging experiences, business messaging, Meta AI, and AI devices.

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Screen mass production is supposed to begin in the fourth quarter of this year, so the foldable iPhone can go on sale in 2026.

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 Tuesday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Connections hints and answers for Tuesday, July 15 (game #765).

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 #766) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• QUAD
• CORNER
• TREE
• HAMMY
• LAMB
• LIBRARY
• DELT
• SURROUND
• OVERDONE
• TRAP
• THE
• BET
• CAMP
• DORM
• DRAMATIC
• CAFETERIA

NYT Connections today (game #766) - hint #1 - group hints

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

• YELLOW: School grounds
• GREEN: Theatrical show off
• BLUE: Hunted down
• PURPLE: Ancient alphabet

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 #766) - hint #2 - group answers

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

• YELLOW: PARTS OF A COLLEGE CAMPUS
• GREEN: EXAGGERATED, AS A PERFORMANCE
• BLUE: CLOSE IN ON
• PURPLE: STARTS OF GREEK LETTERS

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

NYT Connections today (game #766) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #766, are…

• YELLOW: PARTS OF A COLLEGE CAMPUS CAFETERIA, DORM, LIBRARY, QUAD
• GREEN: EXAGGERATED, AS A PERFORMANCE CAMP, DRAMATIC, HAMMY, OVERDONE
• BLUE: CLOSE IN ON CORNER, SURROUND, TRAP, TREE
• PURPLE: STARTS OF GREEK LETTERS BET, DELT, LAMB, THE

• My rating: Hard
• My score: Perfect

Although I didn’t make any mistakes I’m classifying this as tricky because I only made a clear run down to luck.

DRAMATIC and CAMP behavior is something I really enjoy and recognizing that some people might associate it with being HAMMY and OVERDONE I quickly put together the green group – EXAGERATED, AS A PERFORMANCE.

I came close to placing TREE in the group that became PARTS OF A COLLEGE CAMPUS before swapping it for CAFETERIA.

The last eight letters were a baffling bunch, so I decided to put THE and BET to one side and concentrate on what was left. CORNER, SURROUND and TRAP all seemed to describe catching someone, but I struggled to find the fourth and just added TREE to make up the numbers. I’m still not sure how it’s relevant to CLOSE IN ON.

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Tuesday, July 15 game #765)

• YELLOW: GYMNASTICS APPARATUS BARS, BEAM, RINGS, VAULT
• GREEN: FORCE TO LEAVE BOOT, BOUNCE, EJECT, REMOVE
• BLUE: HORROR MOVIES FROM 2022 NOPE, PEARL, SCREAM, SMILE
• PURPLE: HORSE__ FEATHERS, PLAY, POWER, SHOE

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 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 Tuesday's puzzle instead then click here: Quordle hints and answers for Tuesday, July 15 (game #1268).

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 #1269) - hint #1 - VowelsHow many different vowels are in Quordle today?

• The number of different vowels in Quordle today is 5*.

* 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 #1269) - 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 #1269) - hint #3 - uncommon lettersDo the letters Q, Z, X or J appear in Quordle today?

• No. None of Q, Z, X or J appear among today's Quordle answers.

Quordle today (game #1269) - 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 0.

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 #1269) - hint #5 - starting letters (2)What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• U

• N

• R

• B

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

Quordle today (game #1269) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1269, are…

• UNCLE
• NADIR
• REMIT
• BROOM

My starter words gave me an anagram to solve for my first word – REMIT – and answering that gave me two more. It was until BROOM that I had to do some thinking.

With no other vowels I took a gamble that the word would contain the far more common double-O rather than a single-O, although I was all set to guess groom before realizing I’d already used the G.

Daily Sequence today (game #1269) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1269, are…

• BAWDY
• INCUR
• FISHY
• TENET

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1268, Tuesday, 15 July: VILLA, FLECK, TIGER, CRANE
• Quordle #1267, Monday, 14 July: SURGE, PIZZA, PAPER, POPPY
• Quordle #1266, Sunday, 13 July: KAYAK, DECRY, RUDDY, HATER
• Quordle #1265, Saturday, 12 July: WREAK, NANNY, CLASP, STAIN
• Quordle #1264, Friday, 11 July: LAPEL, DRAIN, FROND, GROSS
• Quordle #1263, Thursday, 10 July: CROSS, WHEEL, UNDID, PENCE
• Quordle #1262, Wednesday, 9 July: SHIRE, SIXTH, SINGE, IMAGE
• Quordle #1261, Tuesday, 8 July: PLIED, PRANK, GAWKY, OXIDE
• Quordle #1260, Monday, 7 July: DROLL, TRUCE, TWIRL, SINCE
• Quordle #1259, Sunday, 6 July: AMPLY, SPAWN, EXTOL, RIDGE
• Quordle #1258, Saturday, 5 July: HAVEN, SNAKE, DREAM, TORUS
• Quordle #1257, Friday, 4 July: FAVOR, SKUNK, GAWKY, FLUFF
• Quordle #1256, Thursday, 3 July: DANCE, EYING, GLAZE, EGRET
• 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

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 Tuesday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Tuesday, July 15 (game #499).

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

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Tech accessories

NYT Strands today (game #500) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• STAKE
• LION
• PEST
• COAT
• STANDARDS
• SHARE

NYT Strands today (game #500) - hint #3 - spangram lettersHow many letters are in today's spangram?

• Spangram has 6 letters

NYT Strands today (game #500) - hint #4 - spangram positionWhat are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

First side: left, 4th row

Last side: right, 5th row

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

NYT Strands today (game #500) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #500, are…

• CASE
• SPEAKER
• STAND
• STYLUS
• CHARGER
• KEYBOARD
• FOLIO
• SPANGRAM: TABLET

• My rating: Easy
• My score: Perfect

Today’s Strands could not have been more TechRadar-friendly – considering how much we love tech accessories and write about the many different brands of TABLET.

Even for the less tech savvy, this search wasn’t much of a stretch and didn’t include any of the usual twists and turns, just a little bit of right-to-left thinking.

You will have to forgive me for putting “standards” in the hint words list, even though it includes STAND. It’s rare that you can find a nine-letter-long non-game word, so I couldn’t resist.

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Tuesday, July 15, game #499)

• GAMES
  MUSIC
• RIDES
• LIVESTOCK
• VENDORS
• PRIZES
• SPANGRAM: COUNTY FAIRS

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.

• Google TV interface is evolution, not revolution
• Most changes to the UI are subtle and modernizing
• Advertising on the For You page is not so subtle

Google TV's interface is evolving, and not everyone is happy. The expansion of its Material 3 Expressive design is continuing apace with the goal of making everything feel cleaner and more modern, but some devices are apparently showing really big ads on their revised homescreens.

Let's start with the positives. As Android Police reports, there's a new version of the Google TV app with the excitingly descriptive version of 4.39.3356.780959673.5, and it's delivered some noticeable improvements to key parts of the Google TV interface.

(Image credit: BarfingMonkey / Reddit)What's new in Google TV

Some of the changes are quite subtle, such as the marginally larger banner area at the top of each detail page. The names of TV shows and movies have been moved slightly and center-aligned, and buttons have been made flatter. There are fewer rounded rectangles and more lozenge-shaped buttons, while image previews are now less sharp-edged.

So far it's evolutionary rather than revolutionary, but it's making Google TV more consistent with the wider Android world. And even relatively minor changes make everything feel a lot fresher, a bit like a deliciously refreshing can of Coca-Cola. Mmmm mmmm mmmm!

Don't worry, that's not product placement: it's me segueing into the negatives of Google's user interface evolution. As some Redditors are reporting on r/AndroidTV, they're seeing really big ads on the For You page for the likes of Coca-Cola, and those ads are being greeted with exactly the amount of delight you'd expect from a forum that frequently describes the best ad-blocking techniques.

Okay, believe me now?!!! from r/AndroidTV

Big homescreen ads aren't unique to Google TV, of course, and neither is increasing the amount of ads smart TV users are exposed to. In a lot of cases, though, it's been confined previously to at least showing you sponsored TV shows and movies. Coca-Cola feels a little less natural, even if they have put Kylo Ren in it.

But at least Google TV gives you the option to use a third-party launcher instead of the Google one, so if you object to seeing ever more ads on hardware you paid for then you can swap to something else – people on that Reddit thread suggest Projectivy.

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• Binarly spotted multiple flaws in UEFI firmware built by AMI
• AMI released fixes months ago, so users should update now
• Many Gigabyte motherboards reached EOF and thus won't be patched

UEFI firmware on dozens of Gigabyte motherboards is vulnerable to a handful of flaws which theoretically allow threat actors to deploy bootkits on compromised devices, establish stubborn persistence and execute additional malicious code remotely, experts have warned.

Security researchers Binarly recently discovered four vulnerabilities in UEFI firmware developed by American Megatrends Inc. (AMI). All four have a high severity score (8.2/10), and can lead to privilege escalation, malware installation, and other potentially destructive outcomes. They are tracked as CVE-2025-7026, CVE-2025-7027, CVE-2025-7028, and CVE-2025-7028.

Binarly reported its findings to Carnegie Mellon CERT/CC in mid-April 2025, resulting in AMI acknowledging the findings and releasing a patch in mid-June. The patch was pushed to OEMs privately, but apparently Gigabyte did not implement it at the time.

Hundreds of motherboard models affected

There are apparently more than 240 motherboard models that are impacted by these flaws.

Many won’t be patched at all because they have reached end of life, and as such, are no longer supported by Gigabyte. Instead, users worried about the vulnerabilities should upgrade their hardware to newer, supported versions.

Products from other OEMs are also said to be affected by these flaws, but until a patch is applied, their names will not be publicized.

UEFI firmware is low-level code that runs beneath the operating system, and whose job is to initialize the hardware (CPU, memory, storage), and then hand off control to the OS. When this code has flaws, threat actors can exploit them to install so-called “bootkits”, stealthy malware that loads at boot time, before the OS.

Because they run in privileged environments, bootkits can evade antivirus tools, and even survive OS reinstalls and disk replacements. This makes them highly persistent and dangerous, especially in high-security environments. The good news is that exploiting these vulnerabilities often requires admin access, which is not that easily obtainable.

Via BleepingComputer

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