TechRadar News

Peacemaker season 2: key information

- Releasing worldwide on August 21
- Comprises eight episodes
- First trailer unveiled in May
- Main cast all set to return
- Will also feature new and established characters in the rebooted DCU
- Plot synopsis revealed
- Addresses season 1's canonicity in the DCU
- Third season hasn't been greenlit yet

Get your dancing shoes on, because Peacemaker season 2 is just over a month away from being released. The John Cena-starring comic book TV series will launch worldwide on August 21, so you've still got time to learn more about the hit HBO Max show's return.

Indeed, this ultimate guide to all things Peacemaker will walk you through its sophomore season. You'll find more information on its first trailer, confirmed cast, story specifics, and potential impact on James Gunn and Peter Safran's rebooted DC Universe (DCU).

Full spoilers follow for Peacemaker season 1. Possible spoilers are also discussed for its follow-up.

Peacemaker season 2 release date

Counting the days until Peace on Earth. I just finished the DI & Mix on the Season Premiere yesterday and wow it’s one of my favorite things ever. DC Studios’ #Peacemaker Season 2 coming soon only on @StreamOnMax August 21. pic.twitter.com/df3yOcCsdnApril 7, 2025

Peacemaker season 2's release date was confirmed in April and it'll launch on HBO Max in nations where the streaming service is available on Thursday, August 21. It should air on Sky and Now TV in the UK, too.

This release date is in line with what Casey Bloys, HBO's TV chief, told journalists last November 2024, when he teased that the release window for Peacemaker season 2 would likely launch in August 2025.

Peacemaker season 2 trailer

Peacemaker season 2's first trailer was released publicly in May and there's quite a bit it revealed about this season's plot. Namely, that the titular metahuman will be hunted down by Rick Flag Sr – remember, Peacemaker killed Rick Flag Jr in 2021's The Suicide Squad movie – and, by way of a larger and/or multiversal Quantum Unfolding Chamber, cross over in the DCU from the now-defunct DC Extended Universe (DCEU).

The official trailer's arrival came six months after season 2's first footage was revealed by way of a 2025 HBO Max sizzle reel video. With DC Studios holding a panel for Peacemaker 2 at San Diego Comic-Con 2025, I fully expect a new trailer to drop around July 26/27, too.

Peacemaker season 2 cast

Emilia Harcourt and Chris Smith are part of season 2's cast roster (Image credit: Curtis Bonds Baker/Max)

Full spoilers follow for Peacemaker season 1.

Here's who you'll see in Peacemaker season 2:

• John Cena as Christopher Smith/Peacemaker
• Danielle Brooks as Leota Adebayo
• Freddie Stroma as Adrian Chase/Vigilante
• Jennifer Holland as Emilia Harcourt
• Steve Agee as John Economos
• Nhut Le as Judomaster
• Robert Patrick as Auggie Smith/White Dragon
• Viola Davis as Amanda Waller
• Frank Grillo as Rick Flag Sr.
• Tim Meadows as Langston Fleury
• Sol Rodriguez as Sasha Bordeaux
• Michael B. Rooker as Red St. Wild
• David Denman as TBC
• Isabela Merced as Kendra Saunders/Hawkgirl
• Nathan Fillion as Guy Gardner/Green Lantern
• Sean Gunn as Maxwell Lord

Chukwudi Iwuji’s Clemson Murn/Ik Nobe Llok, who died in season 1 episode 7, notwithstanding, the fist eight actors are all reprising their role from the series' debut season. That's in spite of Patrick's Auggie Smith also perishing last season, but he's likely returning as a ghost who, as the season 1 finale indicated, will continue to haunt his son.

On the newcomer front, the headline news is Grillo – best known for playing Brock 'Crossbones' Rumlow in the Captain America movies – will appear as Flag Sr. Grillo voiced the character's animated form in season 1 of R-rated TV series Creature Commandos, which launched on HBO Max last December and was the DCU's first project.

Peacemaker season 2 will be the third time we've seen Rick Flag Sr in the DCU (Image credit: Jessica Miglio/Max)

As we'll soon learn about in James Gunn's Superman movie, which flies into theaters on July 11, Flag Sr is the new head of ARGUS, a government organization that keeps tabs on DC Comics' various metahumans. As for why Davis' Waller isn't ARGUS chief anymore, Gunn said (via Threads) that season 2 will address this.

Other cast additions include Rodriguez (Star Trek: Picard) and Meadows (Mean Girls) as Bordeaux and Fleury, who appear to be ARGUS agents. Denman's role is yet to be publicly confirmed.

A post shared by James Gunn (@jamesgunn)

A photo posted by on

Meanwhile, Rooker is on board as an original character called Red St. Wild, who is the character in the above Instagram image. Speaking to Entertainment Weekly (EW), Gunn said he'll be the antagonist of a secondary plot involving Eagly, Peacemaker's bald eagle sidekick. Gunn's brother Sean, Merced, and Fillion will cameo as the Justice Gang, too, and interview Chris Smith for a position on their corporately-managed team.

Lastly, there are rumors (per Cinemablend) that Joel Kinnaman could return as Flag Jr. As I mentioned earlier, Smith killed him in The Suicide Squad so, if Kinnaman does return, he may do so as another apparition that Smith's guilty conscious creates. Oh, and Gunn also told EW: "There might even be one really, really, really big cameo near the end of the show", so place your bets on who that'll be.

Peacemaker season 2 story synopsis and speculation

Peacemaker season 2 is set a couple of years after its predecessor, according to DCU co-chief James Gunn (Image credit: Jessica Miglio/Max)

Full spoilers follow for Peacemaker season 1. Potential spoilers are also discussed for season 2.

Here's Peacemaker season 2's official logline: "The new season follows Christopher 'Chris Smith, aka Peacemaker, the vigilante superhero as he struggles to reconcile his past with his newfound sense of purpose while continuing to kick righteous evil-doer butt in his misguided quest for peace at any cost."

Before we dive into more potentially spoiler-filled story territory, let's address the question on every fan's mind: will Peacemaker season 2 feature a new, dance number-esque intro sequence that'll surely go viral on TikTok? In short: yes.

"I'm very happy with it," Cena told Collider. "I want to say so much more, but I’ll just say I'm very happy with it. Everyone was super enthused and also understood how important it is this time around, and I really hope that shows. I know the show is great. In my mind, the opening number is great. I hope the world agrees."

"I'll give you an exclusive," Gunn also told EW. "You get to see Eagly try to dance, so that's really something. He is not the best at it, but he tries to really join in the dance sequence at the end. He's got a little pose this time."

Langston Fleury (right) will replace Smith as this season's primary "a*****e", Gunn says (Image credit: Curtis Bonds Baker/Max)

But back to season 2's actual plot. "It essentially picks up where season 1 left off," Gunn told a fan on Threads, although he added that there’ll be "a couple of minor differences". Per EW, Gunn also said "a couple of years" have passed since last season's finale. Those "minor differences" are to be expected, especially in light of the fact that seasons 1 and 2 exist in completely different comic book universes.

Speaking to IGN, though, Gunn said of season 1's canonicity in the DCU: “The truth is almost all of Peacemaker is canon with the exception of The Justice League [who cameo at the end of season 1]. We will kind of deal with [that in season 2]". Gunn also teased (via EW) that the Quantum Unfolding Chamber, which we saw last season, "is the center of the story in Peacemaker season 2" and is likely to reveal how this series crosses over into and merges with the DCU.

Chris Smith will spend much of this chapter trying to stay out of Flag Sr's reach, too. Indeed, Flag Sr will be on a "mission of justice" to avenge his son's death. ARGUS' new chief has plenty of resources at his disposal – given his own military background, he's no slouch, either – so expect Peacemaker 2.0's story to largely center around this cat and mouse game as Flag Sr pursues the man who murdered his only child.

As for what lies in store if (or, rather, when) the pair physically and verbally clash, Grillo told Collider: “We do get into it. I’m not going to give anything away. It’s an interesting thing about Peacemaker and his perspective about my son, and what his feelings are about himself because of that. So, we did get into some tangles, but I don’t know that people are going to expect what’s to happen."

The Justice Gang won't take Smith's application to join their team seriously (Image credit: HBO Max/DC Studios)

Smith will continue to contend with other moments his own trauma-laced past, including accidentally killing his older brother, dealing with his xenophobic and uncaring father (albeit from beyond the grave), and securing peace no matter who dies in the process.

He redeemed himself somewhat by helping to put a stop to the Butterflies in season 1 – so much so that, as the DCU Chapter One show's first trailer reveals, he'll even try and join the DCU's Justice Gang, which we'll first see in 2025's Superman. It seems, though, that it'll take more than one world-saving mission to remove the 'anti' part of his anti-hero facade.

"He's basically interviewing for membership in the group," Gunn said to EW, "But, they just mock him the entire time, so he's not taken seriously. He's still considered a punchline among all of the other metahumans, so he's starting the season in a bad place. As are all of our heroes, all of the 11th Street kids – well, everybody but Vigilante, who just always seems to be okay with everything."

Freddit Stroma's scene-stealing character is back for more R-rated action in season 2 (Image credit: Jessica Miglio/Max)

Hopefully, every member of the 11th Street Kids will not only get their moment to shine in one of the best HBO Max shows' sophomore outing, but also be explored in more detail, too, especially from emotional and psychological perspectives.

"[Season 2 ] is all about the twists and turns," Gunn told EW. "It's about the surprises we find out in episode 1, 6, and 8. And it's a very, very emotional season – there's a lot of comedy like the first season, but there's also a lot of emotion in it, and it's really good."

How will Peacemaker season 2 impact the wider DCU?

Peacemaker season 2 will address how John Cena's titular character will join the DCU (Image credit: HBO Max/DC Studios)

The short answer is: I don't know. Once Peacemaker season 2 is out in full, we'll have a much better idea of how its story will affect the DCU moving forward.

For now, all Gunn has said (via EW) is "I developed it [season 2] along the way, in conjunction with the other DC projects that we're doing, so it's very much connected to Superman and it's very much connected to what comes after."

Right now, there are only three live-action projects in development at DC Studios: Supergirl (formally known as Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow), Lanterns, and Clayface. Of that trio, Lanterns is arguably the production that'll be most impacted by Peacemaker 2, especially with Fillion's Gardner set to have a role in the DCU's Green Lantern TV show.

How the other two movies or other unannounced DC Studios projects are affected remains to be seen. But, with Peacemaker season 2's launch date fast approaching, we won't have to wait much longer for answers.

For more DC Comics-based coverage, read our guides on how to watch the DC movies in order, how to watch the Superman movies in order, how to watch the Batman movies in order, and our ranking of the best Batman movies.

One night last November the traffic graphs at sports-betting firm, 1win, went vertical. Hours later the lines flattened, LEDs flicked green, ticket closed. End of story—until forensics showed that, while terabits of junk battered the perimeter, someone tip-toed off with 96 million customer records. The fireworks were loud enough that nobody heard the vault door click.

The culprit? Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks.

What was once digital vandalism—flood the pipe, claim bragging rights—has evolved into outright misdirection, hogging every console and CPU cycle while the real break-in unfolds elsewhere.

DDoS Attacks Today

Carriers that once saw two DDoS incidents a day now log hundreds, and 44% of these attacks are over in under five minutes. Blink and you miss the smoke screen—plus the burglary behind it.

Why the surge? Because a 100-gig “booter” subscription (to DDoS-for-hire services) costs less than Netflix. And because botnets ship pre-assembled: for instance, Eleven11bot drove hijacked webcams to launch record-breaking DDoS attacks, peaking at 6.5 Tb/s in February. That’s more than ten times Mirai’s original, 2016 record.

Attackers don’t show up to smash the furniture; they keep you chasing alarms while they lift the valuables—exfiltrating data, dropping ransomware, wiring in next week’s back-door.

Many teams let their guard down once the second latency graphs sag to normal, unaware they’re celebrating on the wrong lap. Stateful firewalls, last-minute ACLs (Access Control Lists), and a heroic operator attempt to handle raw volume right up to the moment an attacker overloads the very gear meant to stop them.

Picture the firewall as a nightclub bouncer armed with an exquisitely detailed guest list. Flood the door with a million party-crashers and the clipboard becomes decoration. In the chaos, the bouncer waves everyone through.

That reflex is fail-open.

Fail-open isn’t magic—it’s physics. Cram the firewall’s state table with a volumetric SYN flood and, once memory pegs, the firmware panics and slips into bypass, in a last-ditch attempt to keep links alive and traffic flowing. If the inspection daemon seg-faults under the strain, the chassis bridges traffic until it restarts. Kill the power or flap a link and the hardware relay shorts the ports together.

From the security operations center (SOC) chair, it’s eerie: logs go silent, session counters plunge, line-rate traffic barrels on, and NetFlow suddenly shows inbound RDP the policy never touched. The attacker didn’t avoid your defenses; they used them as the on-ramp.

What To Do Next

MITRE’s ATT&CK playbook spells it out: adversaries have been observed launching DDoS “to support other malicious activities, including distraction.” In other words, getting the service back up is merely Act I.

Four moves that can help your team keep the fireworks outside:

1.Baseline the who and the why, not just the how much

It’s midnight. Five thousand no-name IP-cams halfway across the globe all at once decide your Domain Name System (DNS) authoritative name-server is their new best friend. Bandwidth may not spike massively, but intent screams: cameras don’t spontaneously flood DNS.

Your detection engine should instantly flag anomalies like “Devices that typically whisper Network Time Protocol (NTP) are suddenly screaming DNS.” Layer flow data onto BGP, turning suspicious cameras into red dots on a heat map.

2.Let automation throw the first punch—under a minute, or it’s too slow

No human can out-type a terabit flood. Hand the reflex to silicon—gear that fires back before you’ve even seen the spike.

The second packets-per-second cross your threshold, edge routers should automatically shed malicious traffic or redirect it to mitigation gear, reverting when conditions stabilize.

3.Give your firewalls an airbag—let a stateless layer eat the crash

Firewalls are brilliant chess players with one fatal flaw: every new flow grabs a square on a state table, and that board is only so big. Fill it, and the box either drops everything or—worse—fails open. As a safeguard, bolt on a stateless “airbag” a hop upstream. It doesn’t care about SYNs or sequence numbers; it cares about the who and what—five thousand white-label cameras suddenly pelting your DNS server, for instance.

The second that odd waveform appears, the airbag inflates: drops the anomalous traffic on device or punts the junk to a scrubber. No sessions to track, no table to exhaust; just raw line-rate math absorbing the impact while the firewall keeps pondering the finer stuff: TLS fingerprints, strange HTTP verbs, and bots masquerading as browsers.

4.Audit the bouncers—make sure none of them silently swing the rope aside

Fail-open is a configuration choice, not a cosmic constant. Dramatically unplugging boxes mid-attack isn’t necessary; review your configurations instead. Verify each inline device explicitly states how it behaves if software crashes, links fail, or power dies. Anything set to silently bypass traffic without approval belongs at the top of tomorrow’s change list.

DDoS fireworks dazzle, but nobody robs the vault just for the spectacle. Spot the diversion, stay clear-eyed, and keep the attackers outside looking in. Next time the sky lights up, keep at least one eye on the basement door.

We've listed the best small and medium business (SMB) firewall software.

This article was produced as part of TechRadarPro's Expert Insights channel where we feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today. The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/news/submit-your-story-to-techradar-pro

The fallout from “Liberation Day” has reignited a critical conversation across Europe: how long can the EU, UK and other European nations afford to tie their digital future to American tech monopolies? For years, Europe has depended on US hyperscalers to power its infrastructure, manage its data, and now, fuel its AI ambitions. But with America’s erratic leadership casting fresh doubt over the future of Europe’s tech sector, businesses are being forced to confront the real risks of over-reliance.

New research from Civo found that 84% of UK IT leaders are concerned that geopolitical developments could threaten their ability to access and control their data. As US tech giants scramble to offer reassurances, including recent pledges from Microsoft to uphold Europe’s digital resilience, the bigger question remains: can Europe afford to deepen its dependencies on the US?

In the midst of all this doubt, Europe has a window of opportunity to reclaim its technological sovereignty and reduce its exposure to the political and commercial whims of US. tech giants. There has never been a better time to build a more balanced, competitive, and resilient digital economy - one that hands back control to businesses.

Here are five key actions Europe must take to make that vision a reality:

1. It’s time to take sovereignty seriously

According to Civo’s research, 61% of UK IT leaders say that sovereignty is s strategic priority. But while European governments have talked a good game on sovereignty, action has been inconsistent. Take the UK, for example: while outside of the EU and operating under different data and competition laws, earlier this year it unveiled its AI Opportunities Action Plan.

Within this, Starmer’s government promises to build sovereign datacenters and AI Growth Zones. Yet at the same time, the UK has courted massive investments from US. hyperscalers like Microsoft and AWS to expand their UK footprints.

This contradiction underlines the urgent need for clear policy guardrails. Sovereignty is about so much more than just data localization; it’s about ensuring full legal, operational, and technical control over the UK’s critical digital infrastructure. That means building and backing a domestic cloud and AI industry that operates under European law with shared European values.

2. Close the loopholes created by the US. CLOUD Act by avoiding it altogether

The US. CLOUD Act grants American authorities sweeping access to data held by US. hyperscalers, no matter where in the world that data is stored. This reality undermines Europe’s data protection laws, including GDPR, and puts sensitive public and private sector information at risk of unwanted foreign interventions.

Europe needs to strengthen legal frameworks that guarantee immunity from extraterritorial laws like the CLOUD Act. That means recognizing and supporting providers headquartered in Europe, fully subject to European jurisdiction, that offer complete transparency about where data is stored and who has access to it.

3. Build a sovereign AI ecosystem

The rush to adopt AI has only deepened Europe’s dependency on US. firms. Most AI models today are trained, deployed, and monetized by a small handful of US hyperscalers. As a result, European businesses feeding data into these models often have no visibility into how their information is used, stored, or commercialized. So it’s not surprising that 68% of UK IT leaders now say they will only use AI services where they have complete certainty over data ownership.

Europe must invest in an open, sovereign AI ecosystem. One that gives users full control over their data and AI workloads. By championing sovereign AI, Europe has an opportunity to empower organizations to develop innovative AI on their own terms, without surrendering control to black-box systems operated overseas.

4. Reform the economics of cloud

The European cloud market has been stifled by opaque pricing structures, restrictive egress fees, and aggressive credit lock-ins that keep customers tied to US hyperscale platforms. This has made it difficult for new entrants and challengers to compete and for customers to switch providers without facing significant financial and technical penalties.

Encouragingly, 60% of UK organizations say they are no longer reliant on a single cloud provider, showing that many are already moving towards multi-cloud and hybrid models to regain choice and control.

The public sentiment is overwhelmingly clear: Europe must establish economic policies that level the playing field. This could include mandating pricing transparency, regulating unfair egress fees, or incentivizing organizations to migrate to sovereign providers. A competitive market benefits everyone. It drives innovation, reduces costs, and gives businesses genuine choice.

5. Build bridges, not barriers: Uniting Europe’s digital strengths without shutting out the world

Underinvestment remains one of Europe’s biggest barriers to digital progress. As Mario Draghi’s landmark report on European competitiveness makes clear, the status quo is no longer sustainable. Without coordinated action, Europe risks falling behind in the race to build productive, secure, and globally competitive digital industries.

While the EU and the UK have taken different regulatory paths, from evolving data governance frameworks in Brussels to post-Brexit policies in Westminster, both face the same challenges: underinvestment, regulatory misalignment, and a shortage of skilled talent are holding back sovereign cloud and AI projects across the continent.

The Draghi report calls for a new era of sustainable competitiveness and open strategic autonomy, one where Europe builds the foundations to compete globally while staying true to its values of fairness, resilience, and collaboration.

Digital sovereignty must be part of this vision, but it cannot be achieved in silos. It needs harmonized regulations, shared investment in skills and infrastructure, and cross-border collaboration to scale European alternatives that are open where it counts and protected where it matters.

But there are signs of progress. Initiatives like EuroStack, a growing coalition of policymakers, businesses, and researchers, are working to open the European market to support local digital industries to clear the path to achieving digital sovereignty.

Similarly, projects like Open Euro LLM are advancing open-source, GDPR-compliant AI models that align with Europe’s values, while still remaining open to international contributions and partnerships.

Sovereignty starts now

Let’s be clear: digital sovereignty does not mean closing the door on international partnerships or shutting out global innovation. As one of the world’s leading economic regions, the continent of Europe will always need to collaborate with partners around the world, but that collaboration must happen on Europe’s terms and not in ways that compromise control, economic, or geopolitical resilience.

Building genuine digital sovereignty means strengthening Europe’s digital foundations so that it can engage with the global tech ecosystem from a position of strength, not dependency. It means creating an environment where businesses have real choice, where data stays protected by local laws and values, and where European innovation isn’t at the mercy of foreign policy shifts or opaque corporate interests.

We have a chance to rebalance the market, encourage competition, and put fairness and transparency at the heart of Europe’s digital future. But that window won’t stay open forever. The time for action is now.

We've featured the best cloud storage.

This article was produced as part of TechRadarPro's Expert Insights channel where we feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today. The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/news/submit-your-story-to-techradar-pro

• IdeaLab confirms it suffered a data breach, offers identity theft protection and credit monitoring
• Recently-departed ransomware operators Hunters International took responsibility
• The decryption key were recently published

Technology startup incubator IdeaLab has confirmed suffered a cyberattack in which it lost sensitive company files.

The organization confirmed the news after an extensive investigation that took almost a year, noting in a data breach notification letter sent earlier to affected individuals the attack most likely took place on October 4 2024, when cybercriminals accessed its network and stole sensitive information on current and former employees, current and former support service contractors, and their dependents.

We don’t know exactly how many people were affected by this attack, or what the nature of the data is. IdeaLab just said the attackers took people’s names, in combination with “variable data”.

Get 55% off Incogni's Data Removal service with code TECHRADAR

Wipe your personal data off the internet with the Incogni data removal service. Stop identity thieves
and protect your privacy from unwanted spam and scam calls.View Deal

Smuggling through

Still, it offers affected individuals complimentary identity theft protection services through IDX, which includes 24 months of credit and dark web monitoring, a $1 million identity fraud loss reimbursement policy, and fully managed identity theft recovery services.

At the same time, the media reported that a ransomware operation known as Hunters International took responsibility for the attack, adding the stolen data to its leak site, likely after a failed extortion attempt.

Allegedly, the leaked archive was 262.8 GB in size, and contained 137,000 files. Interestingly enough, earlier today Hunters International announced it was disbanding, apologized for the inconvenience caused, and shared decryption keys for all of its victims. It’s safe to assume IdeaLab is included in this list, as well.

The motive behind the shutdown remains in the domain of speculation, with multiple security outfits believing the group was simply rebranding in order to hide its tracks from law enforcement and cut ties with previous affiliates.

Researchers from Recorded Future, Group-IB, and many others, have pointed out that Hunters International recently launched a parallel operation called World Leaks, that does not deploy encryptors and just focuses on extortion.

Via BleepingComputer

You might also like

• Hacked Tata Technologies data leaked by ransomware gang
• Take a look at our guide to the best authenticator app
• We've rounded up the best password managers

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 Friday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Friday, July 4 (game #488).

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

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Every second counts

NYT Strands today (game #489) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• PERSON
• HOME
• ROOT
• SHAKE
• SWOON
• MATE

NYT Strands today (game #489) - hint #3 - spangram lettersHow many letters are in today's spangram?

• Spangram has 11 letters

NYT Strands today (game #489) - hint #4 - spangram positionWhat are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

First side: left, 4th row

Last side: right, 6th row

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

NYT Strands today (game #489) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #489, are…

• CLOCK
• WATCH
• CHRONOMETER
• HOURGLASS
• SUNDIAL
• SPANGRAM: TIMEKEEPERS

• My rating: Hard
• My score: 1 hint

My first thought when I saw the theme “every second counts” was the TV show The Bear, as that phrase has appeared many times across all four seasons.

However, I soon realized that was very niche and we were actually looking for a much more literal interpretation.

Suffering a bad case of letter blindness, I took a hint after finding dozens of words that we weren’t looking for. CLOCK unlocked the rest of the board in a matter of minutes.

Until this puzzle, I didn’t actually realize what a CHRONOMETER was, I just thought it was a posh wristwatch. But the main thing this search got me thinking about is how we build our entire life around time, but we have so few TIMEKEEPERS – as evidenced by the fact that this search includes SUNDIAL and HOURGLASS. It’s almost as if we haven’t got enough time to invent new ways to keep time. 

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

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Friday, July 4, game #488)

• BURGERS
• SALAD
• COLESLAW
• BRATS
• BEANS
• WATERMELON
• SPANGRAM: BARBECUE

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.

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 Friday's puzzle instead then click here: Quordle hints and answers for Friday, July 4 (game #1257).

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 #1258) - hint #1 - VowelsHow many different vowels are in Quordle today?

• The number of different vowels in Quordle today is 4*.

* 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 #1258) - hint #2 - repeated lettersDo any of today's Quordle answers contain repeated letters?

• The number of Quordle answers containing a repeated letter today is 0.

Quordle today (game #1258) - 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 #1258) - 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 #1258) - hint #5 - starting letters (2)What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• H

• S

• D

• T

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

Quordle today (game #1258) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1258, are…

• HAVEN
• SNAKE
• DREAM
• TORUS

Unlike Scrabble, where you put down an invented word on the off-chance that it could be in the dictionary, Quordle lets you enter as many fake words as you like before you hit on a real one.

That was the case for me today with TORUS, which looks like a bad spelling of Taurus but is (I just found out) a geometric shape like a donut.

Maybe my school geometry lessons were not all they should have been, but I can always appreciate a donut. Mmmmm, donuts…

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

Daily Sequence today (game #1258) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1258, are…

• OUTGO
• CRUSH
• SHIED
• BLUER

Quordle answers: The past 20

• 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
• 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

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 Friday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Connections hints and answers for Friday, July 4 (game #754).

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 #755) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• SHORT
• PINE
• FOLD
• LAUNDRY
• LONG
• BUCKET
• BURN
• STING
• TO-DO
• SCHEME
• STIR
• RACKET
• BEAT
• ITCH
• HUSTLE
• BLEND

NYT Connections today (game #755) - hint #1 - group hints

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

• YELLOW: Scams
• GREEN: Mix it up
• BLUE: Can’t live without you
• PURPLE: Jot it down

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 #755) - hint #2 - group answers

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

• YELLOW: CON GAME 
• GREEN: COMBINE, AS BAKING INGREDIENTS 
• BLUE: YEARN 
• PURPLE: KINDS OF LISTS 

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

NYT Connections today (game #755) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #755, are…

• YELLOW: CON GAME HUSTLE, RACKET, SCHEME, STING
• GREEN: COMBINE, AS BAKING INGREDIENTS BEAT, BLEND, FOLD, STIR
• BLUE: YEARN BURN, ITCH, LONG, PINE
• PURPLE: KINDS OF LISTS BUCKET, LAUNDRY, SHORT, TO-DO

• My rating: Easy
• My score: 2 mistakes

I’m classifying today’s Connections as easy, but I still struggled with it.

The purple group should have been simple, aside from the fact that there are many KINDS OF LISTS and I included two wrong ones – BURN and LONG – before I found the correct quartet.

I am a serial writer of TO-DO lists, none of which I ever complete. I saw a video recently where some terrifying life optimizer was saying that people like me should write two lists – their regular long to-do list, then another list with the three most important things from the to-do list.

It makes sense to me but I'll never remember to do it – I’ll have to put it on my BUCKET list. 

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

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Friday, July 4, game #754)

• YELLOW: PARTS OF A WHEEL HUB, RIM, SPOKE, TIRE
• GREEN: MILITARY CLOTHING DESCRIPTORS CAMO, DRAB, FATIGUE, KHAKI
• BLUE: USED IN VENTILATION DUCT, EXHAUST, HOSE, PIPE
• PURPLE: FAIL TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF, AS AN OPPORTUNITY BLOW, LOSE, MISS, WASTE

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.

After last week's TV show-heavy streaming list, it's time for their big-screen cousins to take the spotlight.

Four big new movies have graced some of the world's best streaming services ahead of this weekend (July 4 to 6), so it'll be an Independence Day to remember for film fans in the UD. We've rounded out this week's streaming recommendations list with a couple of TV series and a sports event – yep, we cover those from time to time! – so there's plenty to watch at home over the next few days. – Tom Power, senior entertainment reporter

The Old Guard 2 (Netflix)

One of the best Netflix movies from an action viewpoint finally has a follow-up. The long-awaited The Old Guard 2 has arrived on Netflix to take us on a brand new high-octane mission.

In our review of The Old Guard, we noted that its hokey-but-entertaining premise about a team of immortal warriors who've protected the world for centuries made for great page-turning comics, but didn't exactly translate to the small screen. This was made up for by an incredible lead performance from Charlize Theron, who has returned for the sequel alongside some new characters to fight a mysterious threat.

Despite the original movie becoming an instant hit, early reviews don't look as favorable for the sequel – although it seems everyone agrees that Theron's action sequences are a highlight of one of July's new Netflix movies. – Amelia Schwanke, senior entertainment editor

• Watch The Old Guard 2 on Netflix

Sinners (Max)

Good news, the incredible Sinners is now streaming on Max. Sorry, though, UK fans, you'll have to wait a bit longer for its streaming debut.

A shoo-in for our best Max movies list, Sinners not only holds an impressive 97% Rotten Tomatoes critical score, but it's been celebrated worldwide by everyday audiences, too. Ryan Coogler, known for his work on the two Black Panther movies and Ironheart for Marvel, has created something really special here.

The supernatural horror period piece follows twin criminal twin brothers (both played brilliantly by Michael B. Jordan) who return to their hometown and are confronted by a supernatural evil. It's an absolute must watch and is a real contender for horror movie of the year. – Lucy Buglass, senior entertainment writer

• Watch Sinners on Max

Heads of State (Prime Video)

If Idris Elba isn’t going to be in a James Bond movie, at least he can be UK Prime Minister. He’s quite literally going head-to-head with John Cena’s US president Will Derringer in one of July's new Prime Video movies in Heads of State, too. Well, until they're forced to work together when Air Force One is shot down in enemy territory.

Based on Amazon’s previous track record with Prime Video Movie Originals, expectations for Heads of State were so low that we didn't expect it to be a shoo-in for our best Prime Video movies list, but it’s blown them away. It’s stupid, but fun stupid, and there’s a natural chemistry between our leading men that’s sorely lacking in other 2025 releases. Clearly everyone involved is having a lovely time, so why shouldn’t we? – Jasmine Valentine, streaming staff writer

• Watch Heads of State on Prime Video

The Sandman season 2 (Netflix)

I was really looking forward to season 2 of The Sandman until numerous allegations were made against Neil Gaiman, aka the author behind the original graphic novel series it's based on.

Considering how good The Sandman season 1 was, it's a crying shame that the high-fantasy series' reputation has been tarnished by the man who created its literary namesake. It might have booked a spot in this week's streaming guide, but I I won't be tuning in to watch The Sandman season 2 and I suspect many others won't on principle, either.

Still, if you plan on watching the final season of one of the best Netflix shows (well, it was until Gaiman-gate, anyway), its first six episodes are out now. Five more chapters will arrive on July 24 to bring Netflix's live-action adaptation to a close. – TP

• Watch The Sandman season 2 on Netflix

On Becoming a Guinea Fowl (Max)

A24 has a habit of releasing bangers that fly under the radar, including Earth Mama and All Dirt Road Taste of Salt. Tipped as one to watch at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival, On Becoming a Guinea Fowl, one of three new A24 movies landing on Max in July, is next in line. Set in Zambia, the black comedy follows Shula, who finds her uncle’s dead body in the middle of the road late at night.

Finding the funny in something deadly serious, On Becoming a Guinea Fowl explores timely social issues in an expressive and meaningful way. The classic predator versus prey analogy is at its core, framed through impeccable visuals and an astute story. If you’re wanting to watch global cinema that still feels accessible, one of July's new Max movies is the perfect choice. – JV

• Watch On Becoming a Guinea Fowl on Max

Attack on London: Hunting the 7/7 Bombers (Netflix)

Netflix has shone a light on numerous tragic incidents recently, including the surprisingly well made OceanGate documentary and the eye opening Grenfell Uncovered. Now, they're focusing on the 7/7 bombings, which occurred almost 20 years ago.

Told from multiple perspectives, this docuseries relives the moment four bombs exploded in London killing 52 people and injuring more than 700, and the weeks-long search for those responsible. Viewers will see archive footage and exclusive interviews with survivors, family members, investigators, intelligence services, and those closest to the events. A harrowing behind-the-scenes glimpse into one of the deadliest moments in recent British history. – Lucy Buglass, senior entertainment writer

• Watch Attack on London: Hunting the 7/7 Bombers on Netflix

Wimbledon 2025 (BBC/ESPN/9Now)

It's time to crack out the Pimms, strawberries, and cream! The Wimbledon Championships 2025 is officially underway, marking the 138th anniversary of the sporting tournament.

If you didn't manage to get a ticket to the prestigious sporting event, don't worry because you'll be able to stream all the matches from The All England Lawn Tennis Club between now and July 13.

The best part about streaming the matches is that you'll also get to see in-depth coverage of the tournament, including live commentary and player interviews. Sure, you've missed five days worth of matches, but there are still many more to watch! – AS

• Watch Wimbledon 2025 on ESPN (USA), BBC iPlayer (UK), and 9Now (Australia)

For more streaming suggestions, read our guides on the best Netflix shows, best Disney+ movies, best Prime Video shows, and best Hulu movies.

• Apple previously toyed with the idea of launching its own public cloud powered by M-series chips
• M-series chips already form the underpinnings of Private Cloud Compute and more
• Project ACDC's leader left in 2023 and the project's future is uncertain

Apple previously considered launching its own cloud services to compete with key hyperscaler alternatives like Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud, but has apparently pulled the idea.

A report by The Information notes the initiative was said to have been known as Project ACDC (Apple Chips in Data Centers), and would have given developers access to Apple's proprietary M-series chips.

Apple reportedly targeted offering a cheaper and more efficient alternative to traditional cloud platforms that use Intel or GPU-heavy servers by replacing them with its own M-series chips, which are known for their computing efficiency and strong AI inferencing capabilities.

Apple reportedly wanted to launch an AWS rival

Apple already uses its M-series chips applications beyond its Mac and iPad range – it started testing its chips in data centers with the launch of Private Cloud Compute (PCC), which handles complex AI queries when on-device processing power isn't sufficient.

Other Apple services, like Siri, Photos and Music, also got access to M-series chips to improve performance across things like search.

It could even be possible that these efforts could underpin the much-needed upgraded version of Siri.

With potential plans to launch the service to developers via its Developer Relations team, rather than creating a new sales team, Project ACDC would largely be an Apple-focused initiative, enabling developers to design iOS and macOS apps directly on Apple's chips, reducing dependency on expensive GPUs.

Michael Abbott, the exec previously behind Project ACDC, left the company in 2023, but discussions reportedly continued into at least early 2024. The project's future remains uncertain.

However, Apple has previously indicated a desire to grow services revenue, and Project ACDC could certainly align with that.

It could also help Apple cut costs on its own development, with the company reportedly spending $7 billion annually on third-party cloud services (via Apple Insider).

You might also like

• These are the best laptops for programming
• Fancy your own M-series chip? Here's our roundup of the best Macs
• Devs are considering quitting en masse because of embarrassing legacy tech, survey finds

• Microsoft will end operations in Pakistan 25 years after it moved there
• Political and financial instability join tech barriers as motivations to pull out of Pakistan
• Neighboring India is set to receive $3 billion in Microsoft investments over the next two years

After reducing its headcount and operations to the bare minimum, Microsoft has now fully pulled out of Pakistan, 25 years after it opened up in the country.

The news was revealed via a LinkedIn post by Jawwad Rehman, the founding head of Microsoft Pakistan, without a formal public announcement from the company itself.

However the move was all but confirmed already, with full operations shut down in Pakistan and only a liaison office with around five employees remaining.

Microsoft shuts shop in Pakistan after 25 years

Although it's believed service and customer agreements will remain unaffected through partners and regional offices, Microsoft ultimately had to pul out over economic instability, political volatility and tech barriers.

"This is more than a corporate exit. It’s a sobering signal of the environment our country has created.. one where even global giants like Microsoft find it unsustainable to stay," Rehman wrote on LinkedIn.

Unstable currency, barriers to importing tech hardware, frequent political regime changes, unstable governance, internet shutdowns, content blocks and difficulty moving funds and tools across borders are among the long list of factors likely to have influenced Microsoft's decision.

In a separate post, Rehman asked the Honourable Minister of IT and the Government of Pakistan to "actively engage Microsoft’s regional and global leadership" so that the company can maintain a presence within Pakistan.

Neighboring India has emerged as a key destination for tech investment in South Asia, with Microsoft announcing plans to invest $3 billion into the country over a two-year span earlier this year.

"India is rapidly becoming a leader in AI innovation, unlocking new opportunity across the country," CEO Satya Nadella wrote.

The news comes just a few months after Microsoft also revealed plans to end its joint-venture operations in China.

You might also like

• Cut costs by migrating to the best free office software
• These are the best productivity tools and best online collaboration tools
• Microsoft is struggling to sell Copilot to corporations - because their employees want ChatGPT instead

• The MSI Claw A8 is now available for pre-order in China
• It has an official price of 6,999 RMB without subsidy, which is roughly $970
• It's expected to launch this July in China, and potentially the same in other regions

MSI announced its latest handheld gaming PC at CES 2025 without any word on release date or pricing, so official details have been a long time coming – but it looks like we may finally have our answer.

As reported by VideoCardz, the MSI Claw A8 is now available for pre-order in China, with a confirmed launch this July. Its official price (according to its China pre-order listing) is 6,999 RMB, which is roughly $970 (including tax), making it even more costly than its MSI Claw 8 AI+ predecessor.

There's also a subsidized price at 5,949 RMB (around $737), thanks to the Chinese government offering a 15% subsidy on some products, but this likely won't be relevant for other regions.

As the first handheld to use AMD's Ryzen Z2 Extreme processor (if it releases before the ROG Xbox Ally), it's expected to outperform most handhelds like the Asus ROG Ally X, Lenovo Legion Go, and the Nintendo Switch 2. However, if the converted price is accurate for its retail price when it becomes available in the US and other regions, some prospective buyers could be put off.

The MSI Claw 8 AI+, the Claw A8's predecessor, is already an expensive handheld; it can be argued that it backs up its pricing with great gaming performance, but that doesn't change the fact that it prices out most gamers.

The Claw A8 potentially having a higher price would suggest the Z2 Extreme is the more powerful chip than the Claw 8 AI+'s Core Ultra 258V – but it's hard to see it selling well if it's pushing even closer to a $1,000 price point.

Analysis: Don't muck this up please, MSI...

(Image credit: MSI)

While nothing is confirmed for other regions just yet, I'd say it's highly likely that the purported price based on its Chinese listing (or somewhere within that ballpark) is accurate.

It's hard to believe that the Claw A8 will be significantly cheaper than the Claw 8 AI+, especially if the Ryzen Z2 Extreme turns out to be the better option for performance. It would have been unreasonable to expect a major price shift, then, but that doesn't mean the pricing won't affects its appeal.

If it's pricier than the handheld that's already difficult to buy (since the Claw 8 AI+ is scarce), then we can forget about it truly challenging other handhelds and the Switch 2.

The MSI Claw 8 AI+ is already pushing it with its $899 / £899 / AU$1,799 price tag, and it's worse with price rises due to tariffs. I have no doubts that it will be one of the best handhelds on the market in terms of performance, but I can't say I'm not worried about the impression its cost will leave on consumers...

You might also like...

• Nintendo Switch 2 owners, beware – some owners are reporting worrisome overheating problems
• The Switch 2's value has just been diminished significantly due to its poor display - and it's another reason you should opt for a handheld gaming PC
• Don't expect any good Prime Day Nintendo Switch 2 deals – here are the 3 handheld gaming PCs I recommend instead, and the deals to look for

• A new search ability is rolling out for the Copilot app
• It gives Windows 11 and 10 users an AI-powered search, offering natural language queries
• Copilot can also peek inside files and find relevant info you need, saving you the legwork

Windows 11 is getting a new ability for Copilot to help you find files on your PC, and quickly glean info from those files, should you want to.

Windows Latest reports that the extended search powers facilitated by AI, which were previously in testing (a few months ago) with Windows 11, are now rolling out to all users (including those on Windows 10 too).

The folk at Windows Latest have already got the new functionality for the Copilot app and tested it out, being generally impressed by the feature.

It allows the user to fire up a local search of the PC – although there are limitations on the locations covered (I'll come back to that) – within the Copilot app simply by typing a natural language query. For example: "Find my resume for that job application I made last year."

Clearly, it's nice to have the ability to search just by asking a question like this, rather than trying to use Windows search itself and (attempting to) figure out the best query – after all, who can remember exact file names, especially with older files?

Analysis: A commendably useful feature... with some caveats

(Image credit: Windows Latest / Microsoft)

Windows Latest observes that this Copilot search is fast, as it's a local search – which also includes any synced files in OneDrive – and leverages Windows search itself. In other words, there's no waiting for the Copilot app to send data to the cloud, or wait for a reply from Microsoft's servers – everything is happening on the device, and so it's pretty nippy.

The search provided is also better than a basic Windows 11 search - even though this is still how the query is ultimately being resolved - as you can use natural language as noted. Indeed, this is a kind of makeshift alternative to the nifty AI-supercharged search in Windows 11 which is offered with Copilot+ PCs - and I'm glad to see it, because most of us don't have one of those devices (I certainly don't).

On top of this, the Copilot app search also lets you surface info from files you're hunting out without even opening them. So, if you're searching for a document file full of recipes, and you want a particular recipe for a curry, say, you can ask for exactly that - and the AI will extract it from the document there and then.

This Copilot-powered search also lets you sidestep some of the bugs with the standard Windows 11 search functionality (even though it still leverages the latter to get results).

Okay, so it all sounds good overall - but not everything is sweet smelling roses. There's a notable thorn in that the scope of the search is limited to commonly used files (meaning obscure file formats may not show up). Furthermore, by default the locations covered by this AI search are limited to your essential personal folders (such as Documents and Downloads). You can, however, expand that reach and grant Copilot access to further folders if you wish.

The thornier issue still for many, though, will be privacy. It's important to note that this search capability is turned off by default, which is good, and frankly necessary, given that there are plenty of people out there who are very much against Copilot 'nosing around in their files'.

It's also worth noting that there's not just a toggle to turn on the local file search ability for Copilot, but also a separate slider to allow the AI to read your files. The latter is obviously needed for Copilot to surface material from within a file (like the aforementioned curry recipe), so if you want to perform that trick, you'll obviously need to let Copilot 'nose around' in your stuff.

If you don't want the AI to have that kind of access, you can still use the feature, but leave this second slider alone and it won't look in your files (but you'll only get the basic search in the Copilot app).

There will still be plenty of doubters around this kind of feature, mind, but as long as it's off by default, it isn't going to be a problem - you can take it or leave it. If this functionality sounds useful to you, then you can go ahead and enable it - with the rollout now apparently underway, it should hopefully be turning up on all Windows 11 and 10 PCs before too long.

You might also like...

• No, Windows 11 PCs aren't 'up to 2.3x faster' than Windows 10 devices, as Microsoft suggests – here's why that's an outlandish claim
• macOS Tahoe 26: here's everything you need to know about all the new features
• Can’t upgrade to Windows 11? This Linux project wants to save your old PC from the scrapheap when Windows 10 support ends

• Ford CEO Jim Farley believes half of white-collar jobs will be lost to AI
• Amazon, Anthropic, Fiverr and other companies all agree
• Unsurprisingly, OpenAI and Nvidia think we're overreacting

Ford CEO Jim Farley has stated he believes "literally half" of all white-collar jobs in the US could be lost to artificial intelligence (via TechSpot).

Speaking at the Aspen Ideas Festival, Farley stated, “Artificial intelligence is going to replace literally half of all white-collar workers in the US...AI will leave a lot of white-collar people behind.”

This of course comes from the automaker responsible for revolutionizing the manufacturing process, and aligns with similar expressions shared by other influential execs.

Will AI take my job?

Despite widespread warnings from business leaders and analysts globally, AI's real effects on the human workforce are yet to be fully determined – countering this common view, many believe AI might simply redefine roles, removing some and creating others.

AI is certainly on track to replace some roles at Amazon, with its CEO Andy Jassy recently stating many positions will become redundant due to advancements in generative AI.

However, Jassy did note that new STEM-related roles could be created, marking a shift rather than a total wipeout.

Dario Amodei, CEO of AI giant Anthropic, also predicted that around half of entry-level white-collar jobs could be at risk, leading to unemployment rates 10-20% higher within five years.

Micha Kaufman, CEO of Fiverr, which has its eyes on the freelancer community, suggested that programmers, designers and lawyers could be at risk, while JPMorgan Chase expects headcount to drop by about 10% due to AI adoption.

Then, there are the companies that have halted hiring efforts altogether. It is believed that Apple's hiring freeze continues since it was first revealed in 2022, with Spotify CEO Tobi Lütke pausing recruitment to assess whether AI can do the job first.

It's not all doom and gloom, though, with ChatGPT-maker OpenAI's COO, Brad Lightcap, saying there's been little evidence so far of widespread entry-level job loss from AI. Lightcap believes the impact will be slower and more limited than some of the above views, with Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang calling them "overly alarmist."

You might also like

• Prepare for the future with the best online learning platforms
• These are the best job sites and best recruitment platforms if you're looking for a change
• AI might end up creating more jobs than it ends - and these jobs in particular should be safest

• More support options for Pixel 6a owners have been revealed
• You can get a $100 payment or $150 in Google Store credit
• Google has set up a website where you can make your claim

The long-running Google Pixel 6a battery saga continues, and Google has now provided details of how owners of the 2022 handset can claim up to $150 (about £110 / AU$230) back from the company – money that could be put towards a new phone.

If you're just getting up to speed with this story, Google is in the process of rolling out a mandatory update for some Pixel 6a phones that could be in danger of overheating. In recent weeks there have been multiple reports of these handsets catching fire, which is obviously something Google doesn't want to see continue.

The update will "reduce battery capacity and charging performance" according to Google, and will show up as part of Android 16. Only some Pixel 6a phones are affected and in danger of overheating though – Google hasn't provided too many details about this, but you can check if your device will be included via Google's website.

Now 9to5Google has uncovered some extra details. Affected Pixel 6a owners will get three options: a free battery replacement for their phone, $100 (about £75 / AU$155) in cash, or $150 (about £110 / AU$230) in Google Store credit.

How to claim

Some Pixel 6a owners have been given a voucher towards a Pixel 9a (Image credit: Future)

The battery replacement option presumably means the battery limits put in place by Android 16 will be removed again – though you'll have to do without your phone for a few days while Google takes care of the repair job.

Whatever option you prefer, you can head here to choose it. You'll need to provide your email address and the IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) number of your phone to prove your eligibility – you can find your handset's IMEI number by heading to About phone from Settings.

I can't work through the steps on Google's site because I don't have a Pixel 6a IMEI number to use, but the screenshots grabbed by 9to5Google show that Payoneer will be used to deliver the cash compensation. If you're outside the US, the $100 or $150 figures will be converted into your local currency.

Interestingly, 9to5Google reports that some users have been sent vouchers for $125 (about £90 / AU$190) to put towards a Google Pixel 9a (retail price $499 / £499 / AU$849), so check your inbox – though these vouchers apparently can't be used with the $150 credit.

You might also like

• The Google Pixel 10 Pro series might barely be an upgrade
• These are the best Pixel phones you can buy
• As a Samsung Galaxy owner, I'm jealous of the Pixel 9 Pro

The still rumored iPhone 17 Pro Max will almost certainly be one of the biggest and best phones of 2025, headlining the iPhone 17 line – which will also probably include the iPhone 17 itself, the iPhone 17 Pro, and a new iPhone 17 Air or iPhone 17 Slim model.

That final phone may steal much of the attention, but it’s the iPhone 17 Pro Max that will probably have the most impressive specs.

And while we’re not expecting it to land until September, leaks and rumors are already emerging – all of which you’ll find below.

Latest news

The iPhone 17 Pro Max could have a massive battery.View Deal

Cut to the chase

• What is it? The next top-end iPhone
• When is it out? Probably September 2025
• How much will it cost? Likely upwards of $1,199 / £1,199 / AU$2,149

Look out for it in September

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

• Likely to launch in the first half of September
• Will probably cost at least $1,199 / £1,199 / AU$2,149

The iPhone 17 Pro Max – along with the rest of the iPhone 17 series – will probably be announced in September of 2025.

One source has specifically pointed to a September launch for the iPhone 17 line, and Apple almost without exception launches its new phones in the first half of September, so we can be quite confident of that much.

Prior to the iPhone 16 series Apple also usually announced the phones on a Tuesday or Wednesday, but with the iPhone 16 it went with a Monday instead, so we can’t be quite as confident of the exact day as in previous years.

Still, the second week of September is the most likely based on past form, meaning likely Monday September 8, Tuesday September 9, or Wednesday September 10. The Thursday or Friday is also possible, but those aren’t days we usually see Apple go for.

Either way, pre-orders for the iPhone 17 Pro Max will most likely start on the Friday of the announcement week, so our best guess for that is Friday, September 12 – though a week earlier on Friday, September 5 is also possible. And the phone will likely ship on the following Friday – meaning probably September 19 but possibly September 12.

We haven’t heard much about the iPhone 17 Pro Max price either, but reportedly Apple is considering raising the price from the iPhone 16 Pro Max. That seems ever more likely given the ongoing threat of tariffs.

For reference, the iPhone 16 Pro Max starts at $1,199 / £1,199 / AU$2,149, so it’s likely that the iPhone 17 Pro Max will cost at least that much.

Can you trust these rumors?

So far there aren't any release date leaks yet, so it's all just educated guesses, but we'd be surprised if this phone wasn't announced in September. We also wouldn't be surprised if it cost more than the iPhone 16 Pro Max.

One button replacing three

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

• Could combine the volume and Action buttons into one key
• Might have a new camera design
• Likely to once again have a 6.9-inch screen

So far we’ve heard of several possible design changes, including that the iPhone 17 Pro Max might gain a new button – or perhaps more accurately lose some buttons, as one report suggests it will have a single key that replaces the two volume buttons and the Action button.

Details on this button are light, but if it emerges, we’d imagine it might sport a similar design to the Camera Control key, so you can swipe across it to change the volume, or press it to trigger a custom action.

You can also get some idea of how it might look in an iPhone 14 Pro prototype, which includes a unified volume button (though this only combines two buttons into one, not three). According to various leaks, Apple has been working on versions of this idea for a long time, but it remains to be seen whether this sort of change will actually appear on the iPhone 17 Pro Max.

Another big design leak suggests that the iPhone 17 Pro Max will have an aluminum frame rather than titanium, and that the top half of the back will also be aluminum (rather than glass), with the bottom half still being glass. The same source claims that the camera bump will be larger this time too.

We've also seen an image of how this might look, thanks to a leaked iPhone 17 series frame, pictured below, which has a Pixel 9-like camera cut-out.

(Image credit: @Jukanlosreve)

On the other hand though another source has said the iPhone 17 Pro Max will stick with titanium, which seems more likely.

And we've seen another possible new iPhone 17 Pro Max camera design, as you can see in the image of an iPhone 17 Pro below. You can see a similar design in some iPhone 17 Pro Max metal molds and iPhone 17 dummy units that have leaked, and it's a design that the internet isn't impressed by, and that Google has taken to teasing.

(Image credit: Front Page Tech / @asherdipps‬)

That said, more recent leaked dummy units of the iPhone 17 Pro show a version of this design that looks far better and more polished.

However, another source suggests that contrary to the picture above, the iPhone 17 Pro Max won't have a two-tone color scheme. They add though that the camera layout will have major changes, and that not much is changing on the front of the phone. We've since seen how a single-color iPhone 17 Pro might look.

We've also heard that at least some iPhone 17 models might have curvier edges than the iPhone 16 series, which could make them more comfortable to hold.

Also on the design front, one source claims that the iPhone 17 Pro Max will be available in one of the three colors pictured below. These, from left to right, are apparently dubbed Dark Green Titanium, Teal Titanium, and Green Titanium. And apparently all three are being considered, but only one would be used if any, with the source speculating that Teal Titanium is the most likely.

(Image credit: Majin Bu)

However, it seems Apple may have moved away from these shades, as this source has more recently said that Sky Blue is the most likely option, with Titanium Blue and Titanium Purple also in contention.

Interestingly, the iPhone 17 Pro Max might be thicker than its predecessor, coming in at 163.04 x 77.59 x 8.75mm according to one leak, which also shows how a dummy unit compares to the far thinner iPhone 17 Air.

We’ve also heard that Apple could hide the Face ID components under the screen in the iPhone 17 Pro Max, which might allow for a smaller Dynamic Island, and Apple now even has a patent for a technology that could enable this.

That said, a smaller Dynamic Island could instead be achieved through using a new ‘metalens’ technology for the iPhone 17 Pro Max’s proximity sensor, which is a claim we've heard more than once. Then again, another source claims the Dynamic Island won't be shrunk after all.

The source of the metalens claim also says that unsurprisingly the iPhone 17 Pro Max will have a titanium frame, just like the iPhone 16 Pro Max.

The same source also says to once again expect a 6.9-inch screen, and we’ve elsewhere heard that the iPhone 17 Pro Max’s display might use a type of glass that’s less reflective and more resistant to scratches. On the other hand, a more recent leak suggests the iPhone 17 Pro Max won't get this display upgrade after all.

Additionally, the iPhone 17 Pro Max's screen might use a new technology that makes it more power efficient and durable.

Can you trust these rumors?

So far only one source has mentioned a new button, so we'd take this with a pinch of salt, especially as the Action button is a recent addition, so it would be strange to remove it already.

We're also slightly skeptical of the phone switching from titanium to aluminum, as that could be seen as a downgrade.

Changes to the camera design are possible, but this would be a big switch for Apple so we'll reserve judgment until more leaks emerge.

A smaller Dynamic Island is possible too, and has leaked multiple times, but it's more likely to be achieved through a new proximity sensor design than under-display Face ID.

A new telephoto camera

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

• Could have a new 48MP telephoto camera
• The front-facing camera might be boosted to 24MP
• The main sensor might be downgraded

We’ve heard quite consistent tips about the iPhone 17 Pro Max’s cameras, with the most exciting claim being that the telephoto will have a new 48MP sensor, up from 12MP on the current model. We’ve heard this claim of a 48MP telephoto camera for the iPhone 17 Pro Max from multiple sources, including reputable leaker Mark Gurman, so this is very likely accurate.

However, this snapper may offer just 3.5x optical zoom rather than the 5x optical zoom of its predecessor, according to one source, though with 5x and 7x 'lossless' zoom possible through cropping.

This might also be the only rear camera that’s getting a significant upgrade – meaning 48MP main and ultra-wide cameras could make a return.

The front-facing camera might also be improved though, with one of the same sources saying the iPhone 17 Pro Max will have a 24MP selfie camera, up from 12MP currently.

We've also heard that the iPhone 17 Pro Max might be able to record video in up to 8K quality, up from 4K on the current model.

And in more surprising news, one source has claimed that the iPhone 17 Pro Max could have a mechanical aperture, allowing you to adjust the aperture, changing the depth of field in the process.

It might not all be upgrades though, as we've elsewhere heard that the main sensor on the iPhone 17 Pro Max could be smaller than on the iPhone 16 Pro Max.

Finally, we've heard that Apple might be testing a 200MP sensor, though there's no indication that this would be included on the iPhone 16 Pro Max. More likely it would arrive on a later model.

Can you trust these rumors? 

Numerous sources have mentioned a 48MP telephoto camera, so that much is very likely. The 24MP selfie camera hasn't been leaked as much, so we'd take that with a pinch of salt, but the claim comes from a credible source.

As for a mechanical aperture, we're skeptical of this, as it sounds like a major yet niche upgrade, but it's always possible. We're also not currently convinced that Apple would reduce the main sensor size.

A powerful chipset and loads of RAM

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

• A powerful A19 Pro chipset
• 12GB of RAM

The iPhone 17 Pro Max will almost certainly have an A19 Pro chipset – after all, the current model has an A18 Pro. Multiple sources have mentioned an A19 Pro chipset, and they’ve also said that the iPhone 17 Pro Max will have 12GB of RAM, up from 8GB in the current model.

That could be a major boon to its AI capabilities, and we've heard this 12GB claim numerous times. Though there’s some debate over whether both iPhone 17 Pro models will get 12GB of RAM or whether this RAM upgrade will just be for the Pro Max.

We've also heard that Apple could add a vapor chamber to the iPhone 17 Pro Max, helping it stay cool and perform better. A second source has also now said to expect a vapor chamber in the iPhone 17 Pro Max.

As for the battery, reportedly the iPhone 17 Pro Max could have a thinner and lighter motherboard than the current model, which in turn might leave space for a larger battery. More recently we've heard that the phone may indeed have a larger battery, with a leak suggesting the iPhone 17 Pro Max will have a 5,000mAh battery, and we've also heard that it could offer reverse wireless charging.

For software, we're almost certain the iPhone 17 Pro Max will run iOS 26, and this software has now been announced, so we know it includes an overhauled design, streamlined app layouts, new Apple Intelligence features, and a new Apple Games app, among other things. In short, it's a major update.

Can you trust these rumors? 

The iPhone 17 Pro Max will almost certainly have an A19 Pro chipset based on past form, and we'd say an increase to 12GB of RAM is very believable too, since it could help with AI.

You might also like

• Best iPhone: which Apple smartphone reigns supreme?
• iPhone 16 Pro Max review: a beautiful, intelligent beast
• iPhone 17: latest news and rumors for every expected model

Slow Horses season 5: key information

- Will arrive on September 24
- Teaser trailer revealed after season 4 finale
- Main cast set to return
- Plot to follow Mick Herron’s ‘London Rules’ novel
- Already renewed for season 6 and 7
- Potential Slough House spin-off in the works

Slow Horses season 5 will arrive on Apple TV+ on September 24. In true Slow Horses fashion though, the gritty spy thriller hasn't made us wait too long between seasons.

And it appears there's plenty more action-packed scenes, gripping drama, and incredible acting on the way as Jackson Lamb and his Slough House team make their return.

Adapted from the books by Mick Herron, there's a lot more plot to unravel and a lot more seasons to do it over with the renewal of season 6 and 7 already locked in. For now, here’s everything we know about Slow Horses season 5 so far including release date, trailer, plot, confirmed cast and more.

Potential spoilers follow for Slow Horses seasons 1 to 4.

Slow Horses season 5 release date

A post shared by Apple TV (@appletv)

A photo posted by on

Apple TV+ has confirmed a release date for Slow Horses season 5 – and it's September 24. Not only that, but the first two episodes will be premiering at the same time with the season consisting of six episodes.

No doubt this news will come as a huge relief for fans of one of the best Apple TV+ shows after Apple TV+ renewed Slow Horses for a fifth season back in January 2024. But, the wait is almost over.

Slow Horses season 5 trailer: is there one?

The teaser trailer for Slow Horses season 5 isn't available on YouTube (Image credit: Apple TV Plus)

In what appears to be establishing itself as a Slow Horses tradition, there was a season 5 teaser trailer shared at the end of the season 4 finale.

In less than a minute, someone tries to kill Roddy, a terrorist plot threatens London, and once again, the police turn to Lamb to help them predict the next move.

Plus, an unknown killing, although if Slow Horses’ history is anything to go by, it could be anyone – no cast member is safe. We’ll get into more about what the teaser trailer alludes to when it comes to plot below, and we'll update here as soon as we have a full trailer to share.

Slow Horses season 5 confirmed cast

Nick Mohammed will guest star in Slow Horses season 5 (Image credit: Apple TV Plus)

Full spoilers follow for Slow Horses season 4.

Thanks to an announcement by Apple TV+ combined with the teaser and first look images, here’s the confirmed cast for Slow Horses season 5:

• Gary Oldman as Jackson Lamb
• Jack Lowden as River Cartwright
• Kristin Scott Thomas as Diana Taverner
• Saskia Reeves as Catherine Standish
• Christopher Chung as Roddy Ho
• Aimee-Ffion Edwards as Shirley Dander
• Rosalind Eleazar as Louisa Guy
• Ruth Bradley as Emma Flyte
• James Callis as Claude Whelan
• Tom Brooke as J.K. Coe
• Hugo Weaving as Frank Harkness
• Joanna Scanlan as Moira Tergorian
• Jonathan Pryce as David Cartwright
• Nick Mohammed as TBC
• Hiba Bennani as TBC

Though Hugo Weaving's character, Frank Harkness, was not seen in the trailer, Digital Spy confirmed his return back in November 2024, while also suggesting Joanna Scanlan (Moira Tregorian) is expected to reprise her role, too. Though, no official word yet.

With no sign of Naomi Wirthner (Molly Doran) or Samuel West (Peter Judd) in the season 4 finale teaser and the Apple TV+ announcement, it's not clear whether they'll be returning for season 5.

Slow Horses season 5 potential plot synopsis and rumors

Slow Horses season 5 will be adapted from 'London Rules' (Image credit: Apple TV Plus)

Major spoilers follow for Slow Horses seasons 1 through 4.

Slow Horses season 5 is confirmed to be an adaptation of Mick Herron’s ‘London Rules’ novel, the sequel to ‘Spook Street’ which acted as the basis for season 4.

To get a strong look at the possible plot for season 5 then, here’s the book’s official synopsis: “Regent's Park's First Desk, Claude Whelan, is learning this the hard way.

"Tasked with protecting a beleaguered prime minister, he's facing attack from all directions himself: from the showboating MP who orchestrated the Brexit vote, and now has his sights set on Number Ten; from the showboat's wife, a tabloid columnist, who's crucifying Whelan in print; and especially from his own deputy, Lady Di Taverner, who's alert for Claude's every stumble. Meanwhile, the country's being rocked by an apparently random string of terror attacks, and someone's trying to kill Roddy Ho."

Over at Slough House, the crew are struggling with personal problems: repressed grief, various addictions, retail paralysis, and the nagging suspicion that their newest colleague is a psychopath.

But collectively, they're about to rediscover their greatest strength - that of making a bad situation much, much worse. It's a good job Jackson Lamb knows the rules. Because those things aren't going to break themselves.”

The team at Slough House get another chance at redemption (Image credit: Apple TV Plus)

From the season 5 trailer, we know that much of the show will stay true to the book. We also catch a glimpse of most of the main cast to confirm their return to Slough House, and there's an awkward kiss between River and Louisa that we're keen to unpack.

And in the official Apple TV+ announcement, there's even more insight into what will be unfolding this time round: "In season five of Slow Horses, everyone is suspicious when resident tech nerd Roddy Ho has a glamorous new girlfriend.

"When a series of increasingly bizarre events occur across the city, it falls to the Slow Horses to work out how everything is connected. After all, Lamb knows that in the world of espionage, the London Rules – cover your back – always apply".

Following suit with the previous seasons, Slow Horses always runs for six episodes with the plot spanning the events of two or three days. It appears with season 5, they’ll be sticking to this tried-and-tested method, as Smith spoke to Collider: “You feel if you stretch it beyond that — I mean, you can invent — I worry it would feel like padding, and it would take you away from what is great about the books. So, six, I think, is the magic number.”

Roddy finds himself with a glamorous new girlfriend (Image credit: Apple TV Plus)

In season 4, River met his biological father, Jack (Hugo Weaving), which only looked to strengthen his relationship with Lamb. But what about more from Frank? Well, the man himself spoke to Forbes, further confirming a reappearance: "You probably know that Frank is in one of the other books, and so the assumption is at the end of this season, and certainly to anyone who had read the books, is that Frank will be coming back.”

He adds: "Frank gets to play his Get Out of Jail Free card, which he has had all along because he knows that MI5 and David Cartwright tried to set him up. He knows he's got that, so he can say that fabulous line, 'I'll get the next train.' He can be that sort of a character because he actually is a survivor and excellently slippery."

Though, in an exclusive chat with Radio Times, showrunner Will Smith said there's one part of the book that won't feature: "In season 5, the challenge we had with that was Mick does a brilliant thing at the beginning where there's an attack, and he writes it, and you think you're somewhere in the Middle East, and then you reveal it’s Derbyshire, and that is brilliant. We cannot do that in the show."

But with confirmation of 'London Rules' and teaser trailer as a starting point, it's fair to say the core plot is etched out. But, for those who haven't read the books, and with the unique additions of the cast & crew, Slow Horses will undoubtedly bring twists and turns that you won't see coming.

Will Slow Horses get more seasons on Apple TV+?

Who's that calling? It's Slow Horses seasons 6 and 7 (Image credit: Apple TV Plus)

Slow Horses has already been renewed for season 6 and 7, so yes there’s most definitely more to come.

As reported by Deadline, season 6 will be based on Mick Herron’s ‘Joe Country’ and ‘Slough House’ which are the sixth and seventh books in the series. Revealing: “In season 6, the spies head out on the run as Diana Taverner embroils them all in a fatally high-stakes game of retaliation and revenge.”

And it appears Gary Oldman has already finished filming his parts in season 6. During an interview with Deadline in February, when asked about the next, next season, he said: "I wrapped about two weeks ago." Though he said some of the other cast were still working.

While season 6 will take its plot from two novels, that leaves only one behind in the series. Well, that is until September, when Herron's ninth book 'Clown Town' is released.

And, according to Deadline, season 7 will "begin shooting in the UK in late September or early October".

In conversation with Gary Oldman, he added: "That is truly the wonderful gift that keeps on giving. I just adore the hell out of it, and the people. It is just such a wonderful thing really to be part of".

Furthermore, Smith adds that there’s interest from his perspective in a spin-off, “I do think, though, there’s a great book he wrote, the last book that came out, which is in the Slough House universe, and Slow Horses do come into it, which is called The Secret Hours. That could be a movie or a more limited number just because of the nature of that story.”

For more Apple TV+ coverage, read our guides on Ted Lasso season 4, Foundation season 3, Presumed Innocent season 2, and Silo season 3.

• Dying Light developer Techland has seemingly canceled two titles
• It's uncertain which games are affected
• The studio has confirmed that no jobs have been cut

Dying Light developer Techland has reportedly canceled two upcoming projects.

The Polish studio, which is a subsidiary of Chinese technology giant Tencent, posted record losses of $37.3 million / £27.4 million in 2024 according to Polish business site Puls Biznesu. This followed losses of $25 million / £18.3 million in 2023.

The losses are attributed to the "decisions to discontinue further work on two projects" though it is currently unclear exactly what this means. We do know that Techland was working on an open-world fantasy action RPG with some former The Witcher 3 developers, leading to speculation that the project may have been canned.

In a statement provided to GamesRadar regarding the news a Techland representative said that "game development is never a straight line, and sometimes fresh approaches are necessary to make great games."

Interestingly, the reported cancelations seem to have not led to any layoffs. "What's important here is that none of the reported changes have resulted in staff reductions," the statement continued. "Developers were moved to other projects and are working on a number of games in our pipeline."

Right now the studio is gearing up for the launch of Dying Light: The Beast. The next entry in the zombie-slaying series, The Beast sees the return of original Dying Light protagonist Kyle Crane as a super-powered mutant.

It's set to release on August 22 for PC, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and Xbox One.

You might also like...

• I've seen Dying Light: The Beast in action and it looks incredible - it's also free for Dying Light 2 Stay Human Ultimate Edition owners
• In Dying Light: The Beast, one of my arrows sent a guard flying twenty metres as I got to grips with a monstrous new Kyle Crane - and now I can’t wait to get stuck in again
• Romero Games has lost funding for its next, unannounced game, with one staffer claiming the 'whole studio' has been laid off due to Microsoft cuts

• The iPhone 17 Pro Max could have a 5,000mAh battery
• That would make it over 300mAh higher capacity than the iPhone 16 Pro Max's
• This could be one of the main spec upgrades on this phone

We’ve heard quite a lot about the iPhone 17 Pro Max at this point, but surprisingly one of the biggest potential upgrades has only just leaked.

According to leaker Setsuna Digital (via GSMArena), the iPhone 17 Pro Max could have a 5,000mAh battery, and while that’s a common capacity for Android phones, it’s far higher than we’ve so far seen from an iPhone.

The iPhone 16 Pro Max has the biggest battery Apple has so far put in a phone, but it’s still only 4,685mAh. So if this leak is correct, the iPhone 17 Pro Max will have an extra 315mAh to play with.

Boosting the battery to 5,000mAh would finally make Apple’s battery specs more comparable with Android phones, and would likely mean the actual life of the iPhone 17 Pro Max is far greater than most Android handsets, as iPhones tend to be very power-efficient.

The iPhone 16 Pro Max (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)A bigger boost than usual

So that’s all good news, though we’d take this with a pinch of salt, as while the source of this tip has a solid track record we haven’t heard this from anyone else yet, and that would be a slightly bigger battery jump than we tend to see from Apple.

But if the iPhone 17 Pro Max really does have a 5,000mAh battery then that could make for one of the most exciting upgrades on a phone that so far doesn’t sound like it will be a vast improvement on the iPhone 16 Pro Max.

Going by current leaks, the main change could be to the design – though the chipset and some of the cameras will probably also be improved. So a boost in battery life could help this phone feel like more of an upgrade than it might otherwise.

And while this leak only talks about the iPhone 17 Pro Max, if it really is getting a big battery boost then there’s a fair chance the other iPhone 17 models will too. We should find out in September, as that’s probably when Apple will unveil these new handsets.

You might also like

• iPhone 17 Air leaked specs suggest it's likely to beat the S25 Edge in one key way – and lose out in another
• The foldable iPhone’s cameras might leave it trailing behind the Galaxy Z Fold 7
• The iPhone 17 Pro’s rumored camera bar looks much better than before in new dummy unit photos

• Pilou Asbaek has outlined what fans can expect from his villain in Foundation season 3
• The Mule is an incredibly powerful antagonist who threatens Empire and The Foundation
• The series newcomer has also revealed why it's so fun to play villainous characters

Foundation season 3 will introduce the show's most terrifying villain yet in The Mule – and actor Pilou Asbaek has teased what viewers can expect from his take on the fan-favorite antagonist.

Speaking to TechRadar ahead of Foundation's return on July 11, Asbaek revealed that his version of the character will be something of a departure from how he's depicted in Isaac Asimov's original book series.

In Asimov's best-selling novels, The Mule is a weedy individual who proves looks can be deceiving. Indeed, The Mule is one of the most powerful Mentalics – humans who possess incredibly potent psychic abilities – to ever live in Asimov's fictional universe. Due to his weak appearance, he's constantly underestimated by his foes, which allows him to conquer vast swathes of the galaxy before The Imperium or The Foundation can muster a response to the growing threat he poses.

The Mule retains his telepathic superpowers in Apple's live-action adaptation. But, as Foundation season 3's official trailer revealed, he's a far more physically imposing character than in the books.

The Mule is the most dangerous antagonist we've seen in Foundation so far (Image credit: Apple TV+)

"He needs to be a big, immediate threat to Empire and The Foundation," Asbaek told me of the decision to make The Mule taller and more muscular in the Apple TV+ space opera. "So, he's physically different. He's a pretty big, wide guy who's also more roguish, brutish, and impolite than he's described in Asimov's brilliant books."

The Mule's altered build is less of a surprise when you think back to last season. As I covered in my Foundation season 2 ending explained piece, The Mule makes a brief cameo before the finale's end credits sequence rolls. The unhinged villain, who was played in that scene by Mikael Persbrandt before he was replaced by Asbaek as part of a season 3 cast shake-up, was similarly tall in stature. So, there's some continuity between Persbrandt and Asbaek's iterations of the character from a physical perspective.

Nevertheless, Asbaek is well aware that some long-time fans of Asimov's literary works might take exception to how The Mule is depicted in one of the best Apple TV+ shows. Perhaps unsurprisingly, he's already prepared himself for any potential backlash.

"I've done a few adaptations – Ghost in the Shell and Game of Thrones (GoT), for example – so I've been down that path," he mused. "I know that some people will like it [my take on The Mule] and some won't, but it's my job to make the best possible version in collaboration with the creative team.

"I didn't know Mikael had done it, but I knew of the show and what I wanted to bring to the character," he added. "It's the same thing as someone doing an adaptation of a Shakespearean play. We've seen a million different versions of Hamlet, so this is just my interpretation of The Mule."

As for how The Mule differs from GoT's Euron Greyjoy, the unlikeable and power-hungry character that Asbaek played in one of the best HBO Max shows, or any other villain he's played, Asbaek said: "He's probably the most human one I've ever played. He's got the biggest storyline I've had with playing a villain, but he's also the most chaotic, tortured soul of of them all. I'm not going to spoil it, but I can say you'll get a sense of why [that's the case].

"At the end of the day, he's just a little boy who wants to be loved," Asbaek continued. "I was very inspired by French novel 'The Little Prince'. That's also the reason why he [The Mule] wears a red coat, because I wanted to look like the Little Prince, who comes to our world because he wants to know what it is to be human and have emotions. That's the only thing that The Mule doesn't have. He's one of a kind and, throughout this season, you'll find out what happens when he doesn't get what he wants."

Are you excited to see Asbaek as The Mule? Let me know in the comments. And, before the sci-fi epic's next installment arrives, read my Foundation season 3 review to see if it's better than its predecessors.

You might also like

• 'We're the last to find out': Foundation stars don't know if it'll return for season 4 – but they haven't given up hope for the Apple TV+ show's renewal
• Prime Video users, rejoice! Save big on Apple TV+ and watch these 4 shows with 85% or higher Rotten Tomatoes scores using this Amazon add-on deal
• These are the best Apple TV+ movies to watch today

• Hunters International struck many private and public entities, including Tata and Telecom Namibia
• The group says it is disbanding "in light of recent events"
• It even released decryption keys for their victims

A major ransomware operation has announced a complete shutdown and the public release of decryption keys - however, some are skeptical that this is the last we’ve seen of this particular group.

The operators, known as Hunters International, published a short announcement on their dark web site, notifying their followers, affiliates, and the wider cybercriminal community, that they will no longer operate.

“After careful consideration and in light of recent developments, we have decided to close the Hunters International project,” the announcement reads. “This decision was not made lightly, and we recognize the impact it has on the organizations we have interacted with.”

Get 55% off Incogni's Data Removal service with code TECHRADAR

Wipe your personal data off the internet with the Incogni data removal service. Stop identity thieves
and protect your privacy from unwanted spam and scam calls.View Deal

Callback phishing

While the group mentions “recent developments”, it doesn’t elaborate, so we don’t know if this means they were seized by law enforcement, or they simply extorted enough money to call it quits.

TechCrunch, on the other hand, believes there could be a third option - a smoke-and-mirrors effort to throw the police off. Discussing the matter with threat intelligence analyst from Recorded Future, Allan Liska, TechCrunch learned the group might be rebranding to World Leaks.

“I think this is more of a ‘cutting of ties’ with the old infrastructure,” Liska told the publication. This wouldn’t be the first group that rebranded to try and hide their tracks.

After the Colonial Pipeline attack, DarkSide, rebranded into BlackMatter, and later Alphv/BlackCat, and REvil (Sodinokibi) was preceded by GandCrab.

As for releasing decryption keys, while commendable, it doesn’t mean much for the attackers, Liska argues. These are mostly older victims who had no intention of paying anyway, so for the group - nothing was lost.

“As far as releasing decryption keys, at this point they aren’t likely to make any money from any Hunters’ victims who are still out there, so they probably see it as a gesture that doesn’t really cost them anything,” Liska concluded.

You might also like

• America is the top source of spam, and it’s getting worse thanks to growing data center infrastructure
• Take a look at our guide to the best authenticator app
• We've rounded up the best password managers