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• KnowBe4 is warning of a new phishing campaign leveraging Google AppSheets' workflow automation
• The emails are spoofing Facebook and harvesting login credentials
• The attackers can grab session tokens, as well

Cybercriminals are abusing a legitimate Google service to bypass email protection mechanisms and deliver phishing emails straight to people’s inboxes.

Cybersecurity researchers KnowBe4, who first spotted the attacks, have warned the crooks are using Google AppSheet, a no-code application development platform for mobile and web apps, and through its workflow automation were able to send emails using the "noreply@appsheet.com" address.

The phishing emails are mimicking Facebook, and are designed to trick people into giving away their login credentials, and 2FA codes, for the social media platform.

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2FA codes and session tokens

The emails, which were sent in-bulk and on a fairly large scale, were coming from a legitimate source, successfully bypassing Microsoft and Secure Email Gateways (SEGs) that rely on domain reputation and authentication checks (SPF, DKIM, DMARC).

Furthermore, since AppSheets can generate unique IDs, each email was slightly different, which also helped bypass traditional detection systems.

The emails themselves spoofed Facebook. The crooks tried to trick victims into thinking they infringed on someone’s intellectual property, and that their accounts were due to be deleted within 24 hours.

Unless, of course, they submit an appeal through a conveniently placed “Submit an Appeal” button in the email.

Clicking on the button leads the victim to a landing page impersonating Facebook, where they can provide their login credentials and 2FA codes, which are then relayed to the attackers.

The page is hosted on Vercel which, KnowBe4 says, is a “reputable platform known for hosting modern web applications”. This further strengthens the entire campaign’s credibility.

The attack has a few additional contingencies. The first attempt at logging in returns a “wrong password” result - not because the victim typed in the wrong credential - but in order to confirm the submission.

Also, the 2FA codes that are provided are immediately submitted to Facebook and in return - the crooks grab a session token which grants them persistence even after a password change.

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The Last of Us season 3: key information

- Officially announced in April 2025
- No release date or trailer revealed yet
- Filming yet to get underway
- Most of the main cast expected to return
- One actor has surprisingly said they won't be back for season 3
- No story synopsis unveiled
- The Last of Us Part II video game offers some clues about its plot
- A fourth and final season could wrap up the story

The Last of Us season 3 is officially in the works at HBO. The incredibly popular TV adaptation was renewed for a third season in April 2025, so we'll be treated to another season of The Last of Us TV show sometime soon.

While we wait for it, there's plenty to keep you occupied. Below, I've covered what we know about The Last of Us' third season so far, including its likely cast and story specifics. I'll also offer my prediction on its launch date and discuss whether a fourth season will be needed to tell the full story depicted in The Last of Us Part II, aka the game on which seasons 2 and 3 are based.

Full spoilers follow for The Last of Us season 2 and the second entry in Naughty Dog's post-apocalyptic video game franchise, so proceed at your own risk.

The Last of Us season 3 release date: what we know

It can’t be for nothing. Season 3 is coming. #TheLastOfUs pic.twitter.com/q5HxyvK9O6April 9, 2025

As of May 2025, The Last of Us season 3 doesn't have a confirmed release date. Considering the critically-acclaimed HBO TV Original's next season hasn't started filming yet, that isn't a huge shock.

However, I wouldn't be surprised if plenty of pre-production work has already been done. Script work, location scouting, lining up a filming schedule, and many other developmental details have likely been ongoing for months. If they have, I'd be amazed if principal photography doesn't begin in earnest before 2025 ends.

What would that mean for season 3's eventual launch? I think a mid-2027 release is most likely. Season 2 made its debut just over two years after its predecessor ended, so if the series maintains that development trajectory, a June or July 2027 arrival for season 3 isn't out of the question.

The Last of Us season 3 trailer: is there one?

We're desperate to see a trailer but, unlike Abby, we won't hold anyone at gunpoint for one! (Image credit: HBO)

No. As I said, principal photography hasn't started yet, and even when it gets underway, it'll be a long time before a trailer is released. Once one is, I'll update this section.

The Last of Us season 3 rumored cast

I expect Bella Ramsey and Isabela Merced to reprise their roles as Ellie and Dina in season 3 (Image credit: Liane Hentscher/HBO)

Big spoilers immediately follow for The Last of Us season 2.

Based on how last season ended, here are the actors (and the characters they portray) I expect to see again in The Last of Us season 3:

• Bella Ramsey as Ellie
• Gabriel Luna as Tommy
• Isabela Merced as Dina
• Young Mazino as Jesse
• Kaitlyn Dever as Abby
• Danny Ramirez as Manny
• Spencer Lord as Owen
• Tati Gabrielle as Nora
• Ariela Barer as Mel
• Rutina Wesley as Maria
• Jeffrey Wright as Isaac
• Catherine O'Hara as Gail
• Robert John Burke as Seth

You might be surprised to see Mazino, Lord, and Barer's names among that contingent. After all, their characters – Jess, Owen, and Mel – died in the season 2 finale.

However, with season 3's early episodes set to jump back in time (read more about this in the story section below), this trio won't have met their demise when the Max show's third season premieres. The same can be said of Gabrielle's Nora, who'll still be alive during the period to be revisited in season 3's opening chapters.

Unless Joel similarly returns in flashback sequences, we definitely won't see Pedro Pascal again. Joel met his end in The Last of Us season 2 episode 2, and, while Pascal reprised his role in last season's sixth episode, that entry depicted the five years between the end of season 1 and the start of season 2. So, don't bet on the fan-favorite actor returning as Joel once more.

There's also the potential for other surprising omissions. Speaking to Variety, O'Hara said she's been told her character, Gail, won't appear in season 3, as it's not likely to spend much time in Jackson, Wyoming, aka the town where Ellie and many of the show's characters live. If Gail doesn't appear, other supporting characters, including Seth and Maria, may not do so, either.

As for newcomers to the series, there are a couple of key characters in The Last of Us Part II who didn't appear in season 2. I won't spoil who they are, but given their importance to the story that'll be told in season 3, you can expect cast announcements about this pair to be made in due course.

The Last of Us season 3 story speculation

Don't mind Ellie , she's just taking a quick peek at what's to come in season 3 (Image credit: Liane Hentscher/HBO)

Full spoilers immediately follow for The Last of Us season 2 and The Last of Us Part II.

The Last of Us season 3 doesn't have a story synopsis yet. However, based on how its forebear ended – read my article explaining The Last of Us season 2's ending for more on what happened – and The Last of Us Part II's story, we have a good idea of how things will pan out.

As I mention in my ending explainer, season 3 will shift into reverse gear and head back in time 72 hours to the period before and during its predecessor's finale. That's because season 2's final episode ends with a scene starring Abby, which takes place three days prior to her single-handedly storming the Seattle theater where Ellie and company are holed up in the seventh episode.

Season 2's final shot confirms we'll jump back in time in its follow-up season (Image credit: HBO)

For those who haven't played The Last of Us Part II, Abby is not only the deuteragonist of that story, but also a player-controlled character for around half of the game's total playtime. Events centered around Abby are integral to telling Part II's full story.

What does that mean for The Last of Us season 3? It'll be Abby-centric, with its opening chapters likely showing us what Abby was up to before Ellie and Dina arrive in Seattle, and then where Abby is during this three-day period.

Part II does this, so there's no reason to suspect HBO's live-action retelling won't take a similar storytelling approach. That being, showing Abby's side of the Seattle-based story, which runs parallel to Ellie and Dina's, before season 2 episode 7's shocking penultimate scene brings them together.

As for what Abby's side of the story entails, I won't spoil anything significant here. But, considering there are a lot of unanswered questions – not to mention narrative gaps that need filling in regarding Abby, her friends, the Seraphites, and the Washington Liberation Front – from season 2, its follow-up has some heavy lifting to do from a narrative standpoint.

Abby's perspective of season 2's Seattle-based events should be depicted throughout season 3 (Image credit: HBO)

Thankfully, it sounds like there'll be more time to cover all of the above. Interviewed by Collider in May, co-showrunner and executive producer Craig Mazin said: "I think there’s a decent chance that season 3 will be longer than season 2, just because the manner of that narrative and the opportunities it affords us are a little different."

Of course, that could mean one of the best Max shows' third season only has one more entry (eight) than its predecessor did (seven). Some fans were a little frustrated that season 2 was shorter than the show's debut outing, so an installment with more chapters should appease them. Season 2 included plenty of brand-new material that wasn't seen in the games, too, so season 3 could be approached in the same way and, by proxy, have a higher episode count.

Where can I watch The Last of Us' first two seasons?

If you want, you can relive Jesse's shocking death again and again on various streaming platforms (Image credit: HBO)

Depending on where you live, The Last of Us' first two seasons are available to stream on different platforms.

In the US, you can watch it on the cable network HBO as well as Max, aka one of the world's best streaming services. Those of you who aren't subscribed to the streamer should read our Max price guide to see how much it costs to sign up and our Max free trial article to learn if you can try it before you buy.

Meanwhile, UK audiences can catch it on Sky Atlantic and Now TV. Australian viewers can also tune into Max to watch both seasons, but if you're not signed up to Warner Bros. Discovery's super streamer, you can also catch it on Foxtel.

Will The Last of Us end with its third season?

We won't evoke our inner Isaac and torture people for information on whether a fourth season will be made, either! (Image credit: HBO)

It's not been officially confirmed yet, but The Last of Us season 3 isn't expected to be the final installment.

The Last of Us seasons 2 and 3 were supposed to tell the full story depicted in The Last of Us Part II. But, speaking in February, HBO TV chief Francesca Orsi indicated that HBO's adaptation of The Last of Us could run for four seasons.

In the same Collider article I linked to in this guide's plot section, Mazin also remarked that "there’s no way to complete this narrative in a third season. Hopefully, we’ll earn our keep enough to come back and finish it in a fourth". It sounds like another season could be in the offing after the show's third entry, then.

Fans will be hoping that they see Tommy again in season 3 and, potentially, a sequel season (Image credit: Liane Hentscher/HBO)

But how will Mazin and company stretch out The Last of Us Part II's story across three seasons Initially, I suspected that, if The Last of Us Part II's story was wrapped up in season 3, a fourth and final season might include plot elements that Naughty Dog may have been considering for The Last of Us Part III.

Right now, a third entry in Naughty Dog's incredibly popular video game franchise hasn't been announced. Naughty Dog president Neil Druckmann has also said fans shouldn't "bet on there being more" – i.e. the continuation of Ellie's story in another game – anytime soon.

Druckmann and his inner circle are the only ones who know if more than a story concept was ever devised for Part III. Nonetheless, if a third game isn't going to be made, there's no reason why its plot elements can't be fleshed out and depicted in HBO's TV adaptation instead.

That said, speaking on episode 457 of the Sacred Symbols podcast, Druckmann indicated that, if a fourth season is greenlit, it'll simply wrap up the story told in Part II. The potential inclusion of brand-new material set during events of that game (and, by proxy, its TV adaptation) aside, then, don't expect a possible fourth season to contain post-Part II narrative beats.

For more Max TV show-based coverage, check out our guides on House of the Dragon season 3, Peacemaker season 2, Creature Commandos season 2, and The White Lotus season 4.

• Trend Micro saw a new malware campaign on TikTok
• The videos demonstrate how to activate "premium" features in different software
• The clips were AI-generated and trick the victims into downloading infostealers

Hackers are posting AI-generated videos on TikTok to trick users into downloading infostealing malware, cybersecurity researchers Trend Micro have warned.

The premise is simple: the attackers use AI to generate numerous videos demonstrating how to easily “activate” Windows and Microsoft Office, or enable “premium features” in apps such as Spotify or CapCut.

They then share these videos on TikTok, whose algorithm makes it more likely to turn the video viral, making the success of the attack more likely.

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It uses zero-knowledge encryption and offers features like two-factor authentication, dark web monitoring, secure file storage, and breach alerts to protect against cyber threats.

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A new spin on old tricks

In the clip, a person is shown bringing up the Run program on Windows, and then executing a PowerShell command.

While in the video the command results in the activation of special features, in reality, users running the command would download a malicious script which, in turn, deploys Vidar and StealC infostealers.

These infostealers can take screenshots, steal login credentials, grab credit card data, exfiltrate cookies, cryptocurrency wallet information, 2FA codes, and more.

"This attack uses videos (possibly AI-generated) to instruct users to execute PowerShell commands, which are disguised as software activation steps. TikTok's algorithmic reach increases the likelihood of widespread exposure, with one video reaching more than half a million views," Trend Micro said.

"The videos are highly similar, with only minor differences in camera angles and the download URLs used by PowerShell to fetch the payload," the researchers added.

"These suggest that the videos were likely created through automation. The instructional voice also appears AI-generated, reinforcing the likelihood that AI tools are being used to produce these videos."

One of the videos has roughly 500,000 views, more than 20,000 likes, and more than 100 comments, making it quite successful.

Videos were being used to deliver malware in the past, too, but this new campaign is a significant departure from earlier methods.

The difference is that before, the link to the malware was shared in the video’s description, or comment, where it could still be picked up by security solutions. By delivering the bait in a video format, the attackers successfully bypass almost all security measures.

Via BleepingComputer

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It's a lot of pressure to be one of the reigning best streaming services, but that never phases Netflix. When it comes to the new Netflix titles for June 2025, there are many reasons to get excited, too.

Leading the charge is one of the best Netflix shows ever made – that being, Squid Game. All episodes of Squid Game season 3 come to Netflix on June 27, which not only marks the conclusion of the incredibly popular survival drama, but also means it's a shoo-in to be one of the most-watched shows of the month.

There are plenty of new Netflix movies up the streaming giant's sleeve as well. Indeed, it's packed a large number of classic horror movies into its line-up for the month, including The Birds (1963), and modern thrillers in Us (2019) and Barbarian (2022).

There's plenty more where that came from, so read on to see what else is launching on the platform between June 1 and June 30.

Everything new on Netflix in June 2025

Arriving on June 1

The American (movie)
Barbarian (movie)
Bee Movie (movie)
The Birds (movie)
The Blues Brothers (movie)
The Devil's Own (movie)
Dune (1984) (movie)
The Equalizer (movie)
Family Plot (movie)
Focus (movie)
Frenzy (movie)
The Great Outdoors (movie)
Hitchcock (movie)
Hop (movie)
The Legend of Zorro (movie)
The Man Who Knew Too Much (movie)
Neighbors (movie)
Now You See Me (movie)
Now You See Me 2 (movie)
The Nutty Professor (movie)
Pokémon The Series: XY (TV show)
Pokémon The Series: XY: XY: Kalos Quest (TV show)
Pokémon The Series: XY: XYZ (TV show)
Rear Window (movie)
The Theory of Everything (movie)
The Town (movie)
U-571 (movie)
Us (movie)
Vertigo (movie)

Arriving on June 3

Sara - Woman in the Shadows (Netflix original series)

Arriving on June 4

Criminal Code season 2 (Netflix original series)
Eva Lasting season 3 (Netflix original series)
Power Moves with Shaquille O'Neal (Netflix original series)

Arriving on June 5

Barracuda Queens season 2 (Netflix original series)
Ginny & Georgia season 3 (Netflix original series)
Tires season 2 (Netflix original series)

Arriving on June 6

K.O. (Netflix original movie)
Mercy For None (Netflix original series)
TYLER PERRY'S STRAW (Netflix original movie)
The Survivors (Netflix original series)

Arriving on June 7

Boys on the Side (movie)
Piece by Piece (movie)

Arriving on June 9

The Creature Cases chapter 5 (Netflix original series)

Arriving on June 10

Families Like Ours (Netflix original series)
Trainwreck: The Astroworld Tragedy (Netflix original documentary)

Arriving on June 11

Aniela (Netflix original series)
Cheers to Life (Netflix original movie)
Cocaine Air: Smugglers at 30,000 Ft. (Netflix original documentary)
Our Times (Netflix original movie)
Titan: The OceanGate Disaster (Netflix original documentary)

Arriving on June 12

The Fairly OddParents: A New Wish season 2 (TV show)
FUBAR season 2 (Netflix original series)
Plane (movie)

Arriving on June 13

Kings of Jo'Burg season 3 (Netflix original series)

Arriving on June 14

Grey's Anatomy season 21 (TV show)

Arriving on June 16

The Last Witch Hunter (movie)

Arriving in June 17

Justin Willman: Magic Lover (Netflix original comedy)
Kaulitz & Kaulitz season 2 (Netflix original series)
Scandal seasons 1-7 (TV show)
Trainwreck: Mayor of Mayhem (Netflix original documentary)

Arriving on June 18

AMERICA'S SWEETHEARTS: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders season 2 (Netflix original series)
Rosario Tijeras (Mexico) season 4 (Netflix original series)
Somebody Feed Phil season 8 (Netflix original series)
YOLANTHE (Netflix original series)

Arriving on June 19

The Waterfront (Netflix original series)

Arriving on June 20

KPop Demon Hunters (Netflix original series)
Olympo (Netflix original series)
Semi-Soeter (Netflix original movie)

Arriving on June 22

The Intern (movie)

Arriving on June 24

Steph Tolev: Filth Queen (Netflix original comedy)
Trainwreck: Poop Cruise (Netflix original documentary)

Arriving on June 25

The Ultimatum: Queer Love season 2 (Netflix original series)

Arriving on June 27

Pokémon Horizons season 2 - The Search for Laqua part 3 (Netflix original series)
Squid Game season 3 (Netflix original series)

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A cybercrime story is never far from the news. Last month M&S was the latest in a growing line of high-profile institutions to suffer from a cyber attack.

State-sanctioned practices, coupled with the growing use of AI and emerging technologies, are creating a complex cybercrime scene with a minefield of risks. It’s why the NCSC warned of a growing gap between cyber threats and defense capabilities last year, reporting a threefold increase in severe incidents compared to the year before.

With threats appearing from all angles, law enforcement agencies, financial institutions, and businesses alike are all in need of efficient tools and processes to squash these threats. And one of the answers could lie in open source intelligence (OSINT).

What is OSINT?

With criminals hiding behind fake identities and information spread over many sources, OSINT is proving to be a highly effective mechanism, mobilizing publicly available data in the fight against cybercriminals.

OSINT is the targeted collection and analysis of publicly available or licensable data to produce actionable insights.

One of the key steps to defining OSINT is recognizing how it differs from OSINF – open source information. OSINF is publicly or commercially available information located in sources such as news publications, social media, online forums and corporate registries (like Companies House). Naturally, this data can be biased and unregulated, meaning its insights are limited on their own.

OSINT is the product of collecting, combining and analyzing OSINF. It produces actionable intelligence and can draw out insights that are not always apparent in the raw data. Given the number of internet users has doubled over the past ten years, there has never been such a volume and range of this data – and therefore never more of an opportunity to get insights out of OSINT.

Who uses it?

While traditionally employed by government intelligence agencies, the use of OSINT has spread to other public sector bodies, financial institutions, large corporates and media outlets to derive insights not available through other sources of intelligence.

For banks and corporates, for example, regulations like the EU’s sixth anti-money laundering directive (part of its AML package) or its corporate sustainability due diligence directive require institutions to conduct robust due diligence on their customers and supply chains. This is to protect the market against risks such as unknowingly engaging with people who are facilitating money laundering or potential business partners who have adverse human rights and environmental impacts.

OSINT helps to cast a light on these hidden risks and identify connections between companies or people, making it an ideal tool for fighting complex, network-based crimes. It can play a lead role in use cases such as anti-money laundering and organized crime investigations.

So, whether investigators are reviewing publicly available social media content to learn more about a sanctioned entity’s assets or finding connections to possible shell companies in corporate records, this open source data can be harnessed to provide critical intelligence to crime fighters.

Unmasking criminals: How OSINT tackles cybercrime

Of course one of the main objectives of criminals is to remain undetected. And from fake profiles to the dark web (more on that soon), the internet has provided cybercriminals with a variety of ways to act anonymously and mask their identities. So, OSINT for cybercrime is all about finding the real-world identities behind the perpetrators. But how can it help to unmask criminals?

OSINT offers major benefits to investigating cybercrime by giving investigators the means to uncover insights not available anywhere else. For example, by analyzing where the same usernames are used across the web, investigators can begin to draw connections to a suspect’s real-world identity.

Cybercriminals operate in the online world, so OSINT is perfectly suited to fighting them. Sources such as internet forums and publicly available social media accounts are exactly the places where bad actors may have scattered breadcrumbs concerning their identity or operational activities.

Then there is the dark web. This is a key gateway for criminals, and therefore a key data source for investigators. Criminals talk more freely about their activities there, whether they are sharing personal data from cyberattacks or describing their techniques. But as the dark web involves using another browser, it isn’t easily accessible through normal web browsing techniques and accessing it can be an extremely risky process.

OSINT platforms can provide a secure ecosystem for investigators to tap into dark web resources, as well as improving security when reviewing publicly available social media and other web sources. By being able to uncover leaked data or messages on dark web forums in a safer environment, investigators can understand the nature of stolen information or start to map out criminal networks. And by assessing correlations between forum posts, profile images and metadata across dark and surface web, they may ultimately find real-world identities behind criminals.

Crucially, this can provide organizations with insights to prevent future attacks and plug security gaps.

OSINT: A fearsome defender

Nearly every crime has a financial motivation in some manner. Cybercrime facilitates different forms of crime such as fraud and money laundering, but these are distinctions that criminals do not make. Consequently, the organizations using OSINT to fight back against cybercrime are also playing their part in dismantling systems that fund broader criminal activity.

More cybercrime stories will hit the news this year, adding to the multitude of threats presented by cybercriminals. It will be more critical than ever that investigators have the right tools to understand the huge volumes of unstructured data available online - and use it to identify and disrupt criminal networks.

OSINT lets investigators take full advantage of publicly available data and turn it against cybercriminals. Whether it’s government agencies investigating serious and organized crime or banks adhering to compliance requirements, the technique allows investigators to use a wide range of publicly available sources – including the dark web – to connect the dots and unmask the real-world identities of cybercriminals.

We've featured the best online cybersecurity course.

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

I’ve worked in SEO for over a decade, and I can say with confidence: ecommerce brands have never had it tougher than they do right now when it comes to organic visibility.

Not because SEO is dying, but because the SERP (Search Engine Results Page) is undergoing a major transformation, whether we like it or not.

In 2024, we’ve seen a major shift in how search works. AI Overviews, Shopping Ads, and rich Google SERP features are no longer just experimental additions, they’re dominating the search experience, particularly on mobile.

Recent data from AccuRanker confirms what many in the industry have felt for months: ecommerce click-through rates (CTR) for organic results are nosediving, especially for high-intent transactional keywords.

The good news?

There’s still a path forward, but it requires e-commerce brands to rethink their approach to SEO completely.

In this article, I’ll break down what’s happening to organic traffic, why traditional SEO tactics are losing ground, and four ways ecommerce brands can adapt to stay visible and competitive.

The data: CTRs are down, especially on mobile

AccuRanker’s latest white paper examined how organic listings perform across various devices and user intents. The findings were stark:

1. CTR for transactional keywords is down across the board, with mobile suffering the biggest drops.

2. Even in the absence of paid ads, rich SERP features, such as “Popular Styles,” “Shop the Look,” image carousels, and AI Overviews, dominate the top of the page.

3. On mobile, organic CTRs are up to 50% lower than desktop for the same keywords.

In short, ranking #1 still has huge value, it just doesn’t guarantee the same volume of clicks it once did.

The rise of zero-click search, where users get answers directly within Google's interface, means that even top-performing organic listings are seeing reduced traffic, not because SEO is ineffective, but because more users are engaging with SERP features before ever scrolling.

Why e-commerce SEO is under pressure

1. AI overviews are reducing the need to click

Google’s AI Overviews, which have now rolled out globally, are designed to answer user queries instantly, often pulling product suggestions from the Google Shopping Graph or summarizing content from multiple sources.

For informational or top-of-funnel searches (e.g., “best hiking boots for wet weather”), this used to be prime SEO real estate. Brands would publish buying guides or product roundups and earn high CTRs.

Now?

AI Overviews often display product suggestions directly in the search result, removing the need to visit a third-party site entirely.

2. Google Shopping is consuming the SERP

Google Shopping Ads and organic Shopping features are everywhere, even when you don’t pay for them.

SERP features like:

• Shop the Look
• Popular Stores
• Popular Styles
• Image Product Carousels

...are now appearing even when no paid Shopping Ads are present. They pull directly from merchant feeds and product schemas, providing Google with a visually rich, shoppable experience and reducing the likelihood that users will need to visit traditional listings.

This means traditional organic category and product pages are often buried below these features, especially on mobile, where screen real estate is limited.

3. SERP features create more competition for attention

Google’s obsession with rich features means your listing isn’t just competing with other brands; you’re competing with Google itself.

Here’s a rough example of what now appears above most organic ecommerce listings:

• Google Shopping Ads
• “Popular Stores” carousel
• AI Overview summary
• “Shop the Look” grid
• “People Also Ask” box
• Image product packs
• Youtube videos

Each one reduces the chance of a user clicking through to your site, even if you’re sitting at position #1.

What can e-commerce brands do about it?

So, how do you fight back when Google keeps pushing your organic listings further down the page?

Here are four core strategies we’re implementing with ecommerce clients right now that are helping them remain visible and competitive in an AI-dominated SERP:

1. Leverage digital PR to boost brand recognition and CTR

With organic visibility declining, brand recognition is more important than ever.

When users see your name in a cluttered SERP, familiarity can be the difference between a scroll and a click. And that’s where Digital PR comes in.

Digital PR isn’t just about backlinks, it’s about building authority and visibility across trusted publications and media outlets. These mentions not only enhance your brand strength but also increase brand recall when users encounter your listing in search results.

Action steps:

- Secure top-tier backlinks and mentions in industry publications.

- Promote branded content on platforms your audience trusts.

- Ensure that when your site does appear in search, users recognize and trust the brand enough to click.

2. Build digital authority outside of Google

This is the era of Digital Authority PR, where it’s not just about where you rank, but where else you show up that influences both human behavior and algorithmic trust.

Google’s AI Overviews and LLM-powered tools, such as Gemini, Chatgpt, and Perplexity, rely heavily on high-authority, frequently cited web content to generate responses. That includes trusted blogs, media outlets, and other widely referenced sources that are publicly accessible.

Brands that appear in well-cited articles, contribute expert commentary, or are mentioned on platforms with crawlable transcripts, like YouTube videos with descriptions, Reddit threads, or podcast blogs, increase their chances of being referenced by AI tools in the future.

If your brand is absent from these ecosystems, you may not show up in AI-generated responses, even if you rank well in traditional search.

Action steps:

- Get featured on niche podcasts, relevant YouTube channels, and Reddit threads.

- Contribute expert commentary to high-authority blogs and newsletters.

- Create thought leadership content that answers key audience questions, content that LLMs might pull into future AI Overviews.

3. Optimize for SERP features — not just rankings

It’s no longer enough to optimize for keywords. You need to optimize for the features Google is displaying.

That means treating your product feed and structured data with the same care you give your on-page SEO.

Action steps:

- Keep your Google Merchant Centre feed up to date. Product titles, descriptions, availability, pricing, reviews, and images all influence whether you appear in organic Shopping features.

- Implement a comprehensive product schema, including price, availability, reviews, and brand information.

- Use the FAQ schema carefully; it’s less likely to impact AI Overviews now, but still useful for People Also Ask boxes.

- Ensure your site loads quickly, looks clean on mobile devices, and features rich media (e.g., lifestyle product photos).

Optimizing for these SERP features gives you multiple entry points into the search experience, not just the traditional 10 blue links.

4. Shift from lead capture to demand generation

With fewer clicks available, you can’t just wait for users to search and find you; you need to create demand.

This involves building awareness through paid social, influencer marketing, and content campaigns that encourage users to search for your brand directly or convert through other channels.

Action steps:

- Use paid social media to promote new product launches and seasonal offers.

- Partner with creators and influencers to drive awareness.

- Nurture audiences through email and remarketing to bring them back, even if the initial discovery wasn’t from Google.

SEO is no longer the sole driver of e-commerce growth. It's part of a larger demand generation ecosystem.

The AI search shift is just beginning

Currently, Google dominates the search market, but the rise of AI-powered tools is reshaping the playing field.

While SparkToro data shows that tools like Chatgpt haven’t yet displaced Google for consumer searches, we’re seeing early signs that users are increasingly relying on AI tools for discovery and research, particularly for complex or multi-step decisions.

That means now is the time to future-proof your presence. By showing up in trusted places, publications, podcasts, and social conversations, you increase your brand’s visibility in LLM training data and improve your odds of inclusion in AI-generated content.

The brands that adapt early will build long-term authority that can’t be gamed or reverse-engineered overnight.

Final Thoughts: SEO Isn’t Dead — But the Playbook Is

Yes, e-commerce click-through rates are declining, and yes, organic rankings don’t deliver what they used to.

But this isn’t the end of SEO. It’s a sign that SEO needs to evolve.

The brands winning today are doing more than optimizing their websites. They’re building authority, showing up in high-trust ecosystems, and future-proofing their visibility for an AI-driven future.

SEO in 2025 isn’t just about where you rank. It’s about where you’re recognized.

We've featured the best online marketing service.

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

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 Monday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Monday, May 26 (game #449).

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

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… A strange new world

NYT Strands today (game #450) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• DAYS
• MALE
• HAND
• DINNER
• LATER
• PAGES

NYT Strands today (game #450) - hint #3 - spangram lettersHow many letters are in today's spangram?

• Spangram has 14 letters

NYT Strands today (game #450) - hint #4 - spangram positionWhat are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

First side: left, 1st row

Last side: right, 5th row

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

NYT Strands today (game #450) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #450, are…

• FARM
• GAMES
• ANIMAL
• TALE
• HUNGER
• HANDMAIDS
• SPANGRAM: DYSTOPIAN NOVEL

• My rating: Moderate
• My score: Perfect

Today we were looking for three pairs of words that made up the titles of DYSTOPIAN NOVELS (Animal Farm, Hunger Games, and Handmaid’s Tale) – not that I realized this initially.

It wasn’t until I got ANIMAL and connected it to FARM that the penny dropped. Before then I wasn’t sure what the theme “a strange new world” meant.

A dystopian novel is defined as a story set in a fictional society or world often characterized by an oppressive regime and governmental or religious control after a collapse of some sort.

As is the case with all three of today’s choices, they also reflect the time in which they were written and carry warnings about possible futures when we’ll be too busy trying to survive to pass the time on word puzzles.

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

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Monday, May 26, game #449)

• HANDSHAKE
• SALUTE
• SHRUG
• KOWTOW
• NAMASTE
• CURTSEY
• SPANGRAM: GESTURES

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 Monday's puzzle instead then click here: Quordle hints and answers for Monday, May 26 (game #1218).

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 #1219) - hint #1 - VowelsHow many different vowels are in Quordle today?

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

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

Quordle today (game #1219) - hint #2 - repeated lettersDo any of today's Quordle answers contain repeated letters?

• The number of Quordle answers containing a repeated letter today is 3.

Quordle today (game #1219) - 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 #1219) - hint #4 - starting letters (1)Do any of today's Quordle puzzles start with the same letter?

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

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

Quordle today (game #1219) - hint #5 - starting letters (2)What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• T

• R

• P

• R

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

Quordle today (game #1219) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1219, are…

• TWEET
• RANGE
• POPPY
• RADAR

A really difficult round for me today, with the letters falling awkwardly. It was probably the longest I’ve taken to complete Quordle this year. My first two correct words – RANGE and RADAR – were easy; the last two far from it.

I deduced that one of them at least must have a double letter, but it took me a long while to get POPPY – one of just 20 five-letter words that have three of the same letter.

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

Daily Sequence today (game #1219) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1219, are…

• BEGET
• FLOWN
• GLARE
• FOCAL

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1218, Monday, 26 May: BLEAT, HOWDY, ASIDE, SCOOP
• Quordle #1217, Sunday, 25 May: OCEAN, AMBER, PIPER, GLEAN
• Quordle #1216, Saturday, 24 May: HUSKY, HEIST, FOGGY, POLAR
• Quordle #1215, Friday, 23 May: SHIRE, GIANT, AWAIT, CAPER
• Quordle #1214, Thursday, 22 May: LOSE, GLOVE, STINT, EXCEL
• Quordle #1213, Wednesday, 21 May: NOVEL, CHOSE, DIRTY, DONUT
• Quordle #1212, Tuesday, 20 May: DECOY, SHAKE, MAPLE, PURER
• Quordle #1211, Monday, 19 May: LINK, HANDY, DITCH, WAIVE
• Quordle #1210, Sunday, 18 May: QUACK, ROACH, PURGE, DOWNY
• Quordle #1209, Saturday, 17 May: STRIP, RANGE, UNITE, GEESE
• Quordle #1208, Friday, 16 May: SHEEP, SNUCK, DRIFT, BREAK
• Quordle #1207, Thursday, 15 May: PAINT, CROUP, PEDAL, FLUKE
• Quordle #1206, Wednesday, 14 May: FAVOR, METER, PICKY, MAKER
• Quordle #1205, Tuesday, 13 May: SCENT, AGAPE, POLAR, YEARN
• Quordle #1204, Monday, 12 May: ROYAL, ARGUE, BUNCH, READY
• Quordle #1203, Sunday, 11 May: QUASH, MUNCH, ALTER, UNDUE
• Quordle #1202, Saturday, 10 May: RELIC, BADGE, CHAMP, SATIN
• Quordle #1201, Friday, 9 May: MINUS, CRIME, NOSEY, SLAIN
• Quordle #1200, Thursday, 8 May: ELUDE, GREET, POPPY, ELITE
• Quordle #1199, Wednesday, 7 May: QUOTH, TRUNK, BESET, NAIVE

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 Monday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Connections hints and answers for Monday, May 26 (game #715).

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 #716) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• CAROUSEL
• CANDELABRA
• COASTER
• CLOCK
• SLIDE
• GATE
• RECORD
• TEACUP
• BEAST
• PICK
• LOUNGE
• PANCAKE
• STRUM
• FRISBEE
• BEND
• FOOD COURT

NYT Connections today (game #716) - hint #1 - group hints

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

• YELLOW: Circular
• GREEN: As seen at LAX
• BLUE: Ways to play with six strings 
• PURPLE: Be Our Guest

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 #716) - hint #2 - group answers

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

• YELLOW: ROUND FLAT THINGS 
• GREEN: AIRPORT FEATURES 
• BLUE: GUITAR PLAYING TECHNIQUES 
• PURPLE: WHAT CHARACTERS WERE TRANSFORMED INTO IN "BEAUTY AND THE BEAST" 

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

NYT Connections today (game #716) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #716, are…

• YELLOW: ROUND FLAT THINGS COASTER, FRISBEE, PANCAKE, RECORD
• GREEN: AIRPORT FEATURES CAROUSEL, FOOD COURT, GATE, LOUNGE
• BLUE: GUITAR PLAYING TECHNIQUES BEND, PICK, SLIDE, STRUM
• PURPLE: WHAT CHARACTERS WERE TRANSFORMED INTO IN "BEAUTY AND THE BEAST" BEAST, CANDELABRA, CLOCK, TEACUP

• My rating: Moderate
• My score: 1 mistake

You could argue that a FRISBEE isn’t strictly flat, unlike the other three ROUND FLAT THINGS, but it’s close enough and this yellow was an easy spot, before I had to do some thinking.

My mistake came in putting together a group of fairground rides – SLIDE, CAROUSEL, TEACUP and BEAST. Of these, BEAST was the one that didn’t feel right – so I began thinking of other things that it could mean and after dismissing Mr as the link landed on Beauty & The Beast and some of the other characters in the fairytale.

STRUM, SLIDE and PICK both felt like they had something to do with guitars but I took a risk with BEND, having completely overlooked the much more obvious AIRPORT FEATURES.

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

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Monday, May 26, game #715)

• YELLOW: ITEMS IN A LINEN CLOSET PILLOWCASE, SHEET, TOWEL, WASHCLOTH
• GREEN: DIAMETRIC COUNTER, OPPOSITE, POLAR, REVERSE
• BLUE: LINGERIE GARTER, HOSE, SLIP, TEDDY
• PURPLE: CARD GAMES WITH FIRST LETTER CHANGED DIN, FRIDGE, GUMMY, JOKER

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.

• Nation-state hackers are abusing a Commvault zero-day to target SaaS companies
• CISA is warning users to patch their systems
• A large-scale campaign is currently ongoing, it was said

The US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) is warning the recent breach at Commvault could put many Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) providers at risk.

In a recently published security advisory, the agency said the attack is being monitored, and urged Commvault’s customers to mitigate possible risks.

Commvault's flagship product, Metallic. is a cloud-based SaaS data protection platform that provides secure backup and recovery for Microsoft 365, endpoints, VMs, databases, and other workloads. It is all hosted on Microsoft Azure, and CISA says unnamed threat actors “may have accessed client secrets for Commvault’s (Metallic) Microsoft 365 backup SaaS solution.”

“This provided the threat actors with unauthorized access to Commvault’s customers’ M365 environments that have application secrets stored by Commvault.”

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State-sponsored attackers

At the same time, Commvault published a blog post in which it said that Microsoft reached out to warn about an ongoing state-sponsored cyberattack.

The company confirmed a “handful of customers” were targeted through a zero-day vulnerability tracked as CVE-2025-3928, an unspecified flaw in Commvault Web Server that can be exploited by a remote, authenticated attacker.

CISA added it to its catalog of known exploited vulnerabilities (KEV) on April 28, giving Federal Civilian Executive Branch (FCEB) agencies a three-week deadline to patch things up. The bug was fixed in versions 11.36.46, 11.32.89, 11.28.141, and 11.20.217 for Windows and Linux platforms.

“CISA believes the threat activity may be part of a larger campaign targeting various SaaS companies’ cloud applications with default configurations and elevated permissions,” the agency added in the advisory.

The agency has also made a list of mitigations that companies should follow to minimize the chances of getting struck. These include monitoring Entra audit logs, reviewing Microsoft logs, reviewing the list of Application Registrations and Service Principles in Entra, and more. The entire list can be found on this link.

Via The Register

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• Dell reveals new technology aimed at boosting cooling
• eRDHx promises more effective cooling for systems
• Technology can lower cooling costs and reduce reliance on ineffective services

As demand for AI continues unabated across the world, serious questions are being asked around the environmental effect the technology is having on the world around us.

Dell is doing its bit with the launch of a new system it says can lead to lower cooling costs and reliance on expensive or ineffective current services.

At the company's Dell Technologies World 2025 event, it revealed Dell PowerCool Enclosed Rear Door Heat Exchanger (eRDHx), its alternative to standard rear door heat exchangers, which promises to redefine cooling systems as we know them.

Better cooling all round

Dell says the technology behind the new system is an industry-first, and can capture 100% of IT heat generated with its self-contained airflow system, meaning it eRDHx can reduce cooling energy costs by up to 60% compared to currently available solutions.

This includes saving costs and removing reliance on expensive chillers, as the eRDHx can operate with water temperatures warmer than traditional solutions (between 32 and 36 degrees Celsius).

This also means customers can deploy far more racks of dense compute without increasing power consumption, helping maximize their data center capacity.

The system can also help spot leaks or issues due to advanced detection systems, real-time thermal monitoring, and can work with the Dell Integrated Rack Controller service for unified management of all rack-level components.

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• AMD Threadripper Pro 9995WX dominates paper specs, but pricing will determine its true market impact
• Threadripper 9000 chips retain platform compatibility, easing the upgrade path for AMD users
• Real-world gains depend on workload, but AMD’s benchmarks show serious multi-core firepower

AMD has officially launched its Zen 5-based Ryzen Threadripper Pro 9000 WX-series, headlined by the powerful 9995WX with 96 cores and 192 threads.

Built on the updated "Shamida Peak" architecture, the flagship chip delivers performance gains over its predecessor and claims a 2.2x lead in rendering workloads compared to Intel’s fastest Xeon W chip.

With features including 384MB of L3 cache, AVX-512 support, 128 PCIe 5.0 lanes, and DDR5-6400 memory compatibility, AMD is positioning it as a top-tier solution for professionals in content creation, simulation, and AI.

Architecture and compatibility offer some familiarity

The specs alone suggest it could power the fastest PC currently available. That said, the new Threadripper 9000 series retains many elements from the previous Threadripper Pro 7995WX.

While clock speeds have increased slightly, now peaking at 5.4 GHz, up about 6%, thermal design power remains the same at 350W.

The chips continue to use the sTR5 socket and are supported on existing WR90 and TRX50 platforms with a BIOS update, making the upgrade path relatively simple.

Coolers compatible with previous Threadripper models are also supported, which is useful for users looking to upgrade with minimal disruption.

AMD shared internal benchmarks showing up to 245% performance gains over Intel’s Xeon W9-3595X in tasks like LLM inference and 3D design.

These results, while promising, should be viewed with caution, as vendor-supplied figures often rely on favorable workloads and testing conditions.

Complicating the appeal of the 9995WX is the presence of AMD’s own EPYC 9655P. Also built on Zen 5 with 96 cores, it shares many architectural traits but is priced much lower, $6,234.99 on retail sites like Newegg.

While Threadripper is optimized for single-socket workstations, the EPYC line may offer better scalability and value for users who don’t need workstation-specific firmware.

For those chasing the fastest laptop or desktop build, the question becomes one of return on investment. The Threadripper Pro 9995WX might top benchmarks, but the EPYC 9655P could be the more practical choice.

While AMD hasn't confirmed official pricing, the 9995WX is expected to retail above $13,000, based on its 22% performance uplift over the 7995WX, which currently sells for $10,940.99.

Via Tomshardware

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A brand new Hulu list has just dropped and there's a rich handful of eye-catching titles on the horizon for one of the best streaming services for June 2025.

As we usually see each month, the first day of Hulu's calendar is movies galore which includes seven movies from the Alien universe (as in, the one with xenomorphs in). But one of the most-anticipated titles is the return of one of the best Hulu shows, The Bear, which comes back for season four on June 25.

The titles above are definitely my stand-outs for this month, but that's not to say I'm not excited to see other movies make it into Hulu's library. From horror titles Scream (2022) and Presence (2024), to comedies The Heat (2013) and Borat (2006), Hulu packs something for everyone.

Everything new on Hulu in June 2025

Arriving on June 1

Adam (movie)
Alien (movie)
Alien 3 (movie)
Alien Resurrection (movie)
Alien vs. Predator (movie)
Alien: Covenant (movie)
Aliens (movie)
Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem (movie)
Beasts Of The Southern Wild (movie)
Before Midnight (movie)
Betsy's Wedding (movie)
Beverly Hills Ninja (movie)
Big Eden (movie)
Big Fish (movie)
The Big Hit (movie)
Big Mommas: Like Father, Like Son (movie)
Blue Jasmine (movie)
Boy Meets Girl (movie)
Breakin' All the Rules (movie)
The Bronze (movie)
Bubble Boy (movie)
Bugsy (movie)
Cedar Rapids (movie)
The Chronicles Of Narnia: The Voyage Of The Dawn Treader (movie)
Cold Pursuit (movie)
Cyrus (movie)
Daddy Day Care (movie)
Death on the Nile (movie)
Deja Vu (movie)
Delivery Man (movie)
Dude, Where's My Car? (movie)
Edge of Tomorrow (movie)
Elena Undone (movie)
Freddy Got Fingered (movie)
The Girl Next Door (movie)
Grown Ups (movie)
Grown Ups 2 (movie)
Happy Gilmore (movie)
The Heat (movie)
Hitchcock (movie)
Hurricane Bianca (movie)
Idiocracy (movie)
Independence Day (movie)
The Joy Luck Club (movie)
Just Go With It (movie)
Kung Fu Panda 3 (movie)
Let's Be Cops (movie)
Loving Annabelle (movie)
Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again! (movie)
Mamma Mia! (movie)
The Mask (movie)
Me And Earl And The Dying Girl (movie)
Mirrors (movie)
The Namesake (movie)
A Perfect Ending (movie)
Pineapple Express (movie)
Predator (movie)
The Predator (movie)
Predator 2 (movie)
Predators (movie)
Pride + Prejudice + Zombies (movie)
Prometheus (movie)
Reno 911! Miami: The Movie (movie)
Sordid Lives (movie)
28 Weeks Later (movie)
The War of the Roses (movie)
We're The Millers (movie)
Working Girl (movie)
You Don't Mess With The Zohan (movie)

Arriving on June 3

I've Somehow Gotten Stronger When I Improved My Farm-Related Skills season 1 (TV show)
Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid season 1 (TV show)
The Quiz With Balls season 2 (TV show)
So I'm a Spider, So What? season 1 (TV show)
Wise Man's Grandchild season 1 (TV show)
Yuri on Ice season 1 (TV show)
Presence (movie)

Arriving on June 4

The Great House Revival season 5 (TV show)

Arriving on June 5

National Anthem (movie)

Arriving on June 6

Not Her First Rodeo season 1 (TV show)
Predator: Killer of Killers (movie)
Borat: Cultural Learnings Of America For Make Benefit Glorious Nation (movie)
Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo (movie)
Hot Shots! (movie)
Hot Shots! Part Deux (movie)
Shallow Hal (movie)
The Ringer (movie)

Arriving on June 7

Gypsy's Revenge season 1 (TV show)
I (Almost) Got Away With It season 3 (TV show)
Kids Baking Championship season 12 (TV show)
Murder in the Heartland season 1 (TV show)
Naked and Afraid: Last One Standing season 1 (TV show)
Sister Wives season 12 (TV show)

Arriving on June 8

Scream (movie)

Arriving on June 9

Beyblade X season 1B (TV show)

Arriving on June 10

Call Her Alex (TV show)
And Then We Danced (movie)
Clifford the Big Red Dog (movie)

Arriving on June 11

The Snake (TV show)
Gran Turismo (movie)

Arriving on June 12

The 1% Club season 2 (TV show)

Arriving on June 13

Atsuko Okatsuka: Father (comedy special)
Absolution (movie)

Arriving on June 14

90 Day Fiance season 5 (TV show)
90 Day Fiance UK season 2 (TV show)
Guy's Grocery Games seasons 32 & 33 (TV show)
I'd Kill For You season 3 (TV show)
Joel McHale: Live from Pyongyang (comedy special)

Arriving on June 16

My Happy Ending season 1 (TV show)
Black Christmas (movie)

Arriving on June 17

SALLY (documentary)
Skincare (movie)

Arriving on June 19

The Quiet Ones (movie)

Arriving on June 20

The Bravest Knight season 2B (TV show)
Out Come the Wolves (movie)

Arriving on June 23

Barbara Walters Tell Me Everything (documentary)
Helck season 1 (TV show)
My Instant Death Ability is Overpowered season 1 (TV show)
My Isekai Life season 1 (TV show)
Survive (movie)

Arriving on June 25

The Bear season 4 (TV show)

Arriving on June 27

F*ck Marry Kill (movie)

Arriving on June 29

The Bachelor seasons 27 & 28 (TV show)

Arriving on June 30

Boonie Bears: Time Twist (movie)
Texas True Crime season 5 (TV show)
The Actor (movie)

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• Socket found 60 malicious NPM packages
• The malware spoofed legitimate packages
• It was capable of exfiltrating sensitive data

Cybersecurity researchers Socket have warned of multiple malicious packages hosted on NPM, stealing sensitive user data and relaying it to the attackers.

In a blog post, Socket said it identified 60 packages on NPM, which were uploaded from May 12 onward, using three separate accounts. The packages contained a post-install script that runs during ‘npm install’ and exfiltrates hostnames, internal IP addresses, user home directories, current working directories, usernames, and system DNS servers.

The script also checks for hostnames related to cloud providers, and reverse DNS strings, to make sure it’s not running in a sandbox.

While theoretically possible, Socket said the packages did not deliver additional malware, or escalate privileges. Also, no persistence mechanisms were spotted, either.

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A new spin on old tricks

Apparently, this was a typical typosquatting attack.

The names of the packages were similar to other, legitimate ones, such as “flipper-plugins”, “react-xterm2”, or “hermes-inspector-msggen”. Based on the names, the researchers surmised that the attackers targeted CI/CD pipelines.

Before being pulled from the repository, the packages were downloaded roughly 3,000 times.

The complete list of the 60 malicious packages can be found on this link. Those who have downloaded any of these are advised to remove them immediately and then run a full system scan. They should also rotate key credentials and activate 2FA where possible.

Socket discovered a separate campaign, also on NPM, and also employing the typosquatting technique. This one, however, distributes eight malicious packages that can delete files, corrupt data, and brick entire systems. They’ve been present on NPM for roughly two years, it was said, and during this time, they managed to amass 6,200 downloads.

Platforms such as NPM or PyPI are constantly targeted by cybercriminals who use it to try and compromise software developers working on open-source projects.

Via BleepingComputer

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• Big changes are coming to watchOS and tvOS
• They'll apparently match updates to iOS and macOS
• Expect an official unveiling on June 9, at WWDC

We now know Apple's Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) for 2025 is getting underway on Monday, June 9, and now we've got more of an idea about the software updates likely to be announced at the showcase this year.

According to Mark Gurman at Bloomberg, Apple is going to introduce a major interface refresh for watchOS 12 and tvOS 19 – as well as iOS 19 and macOS 16 – which is partly inspired by the look of the visionOS software on the Apple Vision Pro.

While iOS 19 and macOS 16 are likely to attract more of the headlines, Gurman already told us back in March that these operating systems were getting an overhaul in terms of their design. Now Apple Watches and Apple TVs have been added to the list.

The new look for Apple's software is apparently known as 'Solarium' internally, referencing those glass rooms that let in lots of sunlight, and it's said to be "slicker and more modern" in terms of its appearance than the current software.

A 'widely felt' overhaul

WWDC 2025 is on the way (Image credit: Apple)

We don't get much in the way of detail here, and Gurman hasn't provided any screenshots of what the software interface updates might look like, but it's fair to say that the visionOS platform does have a clean and elegant look that works well.

Even if the Apple Vision Pro hasn't exactly been breaking any sales records, its software is intuitive and user-friendly, and apparently Apple is keen to extend the look across all of its other devices throughout the rest of the year.

The company usually sticks to the same schedule every 12 months: a grand unveiling at WWDC, followed by several months of beta testing before the software is pushed out to everyone (usually in September for iOS and watchOS).

"While iOS 7 in 2013 was the biggest-ever visual change to the iPhone's software, the latest overhaul will be much more widely felt," says Gurman. We will of course be bringing you all the big announcements and news from WWDC as it happens next month.

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If you'd told me at the start of 2025 that a Seth Rogen comedy about a movie studio would be the best thing I'd seen halfway through the year, I wouldn’t have believed you.

The Studio on Apple TV+ is a sharp, inventive workplace comedy co-created by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg. On paper, it follows Matt Remick (Seth Rogen) as a new studio head who struggles to balance his love for film with actually doing his job.

I say “on paper” because it's more than that. It's a light-hearted satire of Hollywood that touches on its politically correct (and not-so-correct) practices, the human follies capable of ruining movies and the impact studios have on artists.

It's special in other ways, too. One episode depicts Matt on a film set where the director, under severe time constraints, tries to capture a one-shot at sunset – while the episode itself is a single shot. Or another one that's portrayed like a '40s crime noir as he and his right-hand man Sal (Ike Barenholtz) have to find missing film.

Indeed, The Studio highlights Apple's ongoing commitment to producing high-caliber content. While many other platforms are spraying content like tommy guns and hoping something sticks, Apple is a precise sniper that (usually) hits its target.

Last year, Apple TV+ beat Netflix and Prime Video for our Streaming Service of the Year award and it's continuing to prove its dominance in 2025.

Quality over quantity

(Image credit: Apple)

There's a big reason that Apple flies under the radar.

According to JustWatch, in the USA Paramount+ has 1,325 titles, Disney+ has 2,057, Netflix offers 7,270 and Prime Video boasts an industry-leading 24,184 – more than 20,000 movies and almost 3,000 TV shows (though this number may be boosted by rentable movies and inclusions from other platforms).

Apple TV+ has just 286.

This makes it hard to recommend it as a primary service. It won't let you watch 10 Things I Hate About You for the 17th time, the 30th spin-off of Real Housewives or every Seinfeld episode while you eat dinner.

I don't want to bad-talk other services too much. Just this year Disney+ and Max have added new seasons of great shows like Andor, The Last of Us and The White Lotus, while Prime and Netflix added new series in Narrow Road to the Deep North series and Adolescence.

But they're diamonds in the rough. Where other services spend billions on diverse libraries, Apple spends hundreds of millions on making sure its original content is elite.

And, if you're yet to subscribe to Apple TV+ (or haven't explored it since Ted Lasso), there's such an incredible wealth of content to discover. With shows like Black Bird, Shrinking, Maters of the Air, Bad Monkey, Slow Horses, Dickinson, Bad Sisters and a whole lot more, it could be your primary service – at least for a few months out of every year.

Still, despite it's quality, Apple TV+ offers a small content library. But, it makes up for that in a key way.

Better and cheaper with no ads

(Image credit: Apple TV Plus)

One time I casually mentioned in our guide to the best streaming services that Apple TV+ is the best-value streaming service on the market. My colleague questioned this by asking, "Isn't Prime Video… free?"

In a sense, that's true. Prime Video is a free inclusion with a $14.99 / £8.99 / AU$9.99 Amazon Prime subscription. That's with ads now, mind you – you now have to pay $2.99 / £2.99 / AU$2.99 to go ad free.

If you're a regular Amazon shopper, that value is hard to beat. But Prime Video also doesn’t have the nicest user experience.

Let's take a quick glance at the Prime Video app – and it’s a similar setup across many operating systems. There's the Featured Originals and Exclusives section at the top, followed by Subscriptions You Might Like featuring Apple TV+, MGM+, Bein Sports and many others. Then there's New Release movies for rent or purchase and Top TV Shows, many of which aren't even available on Prime.

It’s comparatively overwhelming and cluttered, which is the main reason I hardly ever use it… unless I'm watching a specific series like The Boys, Invincible or something new from The Inspired Unemployed boys.

Meanwhile, Apple TV+ offers a clean, intuitive UI. Items are easy to find, and its library is easy to explore. And – bonus – there's not thousands of titles to sift through. The store is also clearly separated from subscription-inclusive content.

And it does all this at a price that beats every other service (except perhaps Prime Video, depending on where in the world you live) out of the water.

How much cheaper is it?

(Image credit: Apple TV +)

An Apple TV+ subscription costs just $9.99 / £8.99 / AU$12.99 with no ads – competing with many competitors’ cheapest ad-based tiers, as you can see below.

Service

US Price

UK Price

AU Price

Netflix

$7.99

£5.99

AU$7.99

Disney+

$9.99

£4.99

Not available

HBO Max

$9.99

Not available

AU$11.99

The price discrepancy becomes even more stark when you look at the prices of a premium subscription from the services above.

Service

US Price

UK Price

AU Price

Netflix (Premium)

$24.99

£18.99

AU$25.99

Disney+ (Premium)

$19.99

£12.99

AU$20.99

HBO Max (Premium)

$20.99

Not available

AU$21.99

And that’s my argument for how its smaller library is offset by access to superior drama, thriller and comedy series at a compelling price point.

Consider recent acclaimed shows such as Adolescence, Baby Reindeer, and Beef from Netflix, or Shōgun and The Bear on Disney+, alongside the best shows on HBO Max. These are as good as TV gets, but such standouts are few and far between on most platforms – with perhaps the exception of HBO.

While Apple might not reach those highs with every new show, it certainly tries to be consistent with the quality it provides.

Even some of the worst series on Apple TV+ by IMDB rating – like Before, Prime Target, Government Cheese and Sunny – still have a maintain a level of quality that is too often absent from other services.

The flip side is that its smaller library is a big reason that its subscriber numbers are dwarfed by its competitors (according to FlixPatrol). And, while many of the best streaming services have recently become profitable (per Forbes), Apple TV+ is not.

However, given Apple is worth almost three trillion dollars – and Netflix is worth $500 billion – it can afford not to be. Which is good for its existing subscribers because, as well as a generally higher quality production, Apple's budget is most noticeable through its casts.

It's a star-led league

(Image credit: Apple TV Plus)

If The Studio was made by any other service, would it have worked? Probably, but I don’t think so.

We pondered back in 2020 – when Scorsese decided to sign with Apple over Netflix and other services – whether Scorsese signed simply because Apple has more cash to burn on a single director. It certainly has more cash to flash, but that's not the only reason that it attracts top-tier talent now.

It was a landmark occasion for Apple TV+ when CODA won the Academy Award for Best Picture at the Oscars in 2022. It proved that streaming services could go toe-to-toe with "real" movies if they tried.

It seems clear that people see Apple working with people like Scorsese, Tom Hanks and Ridley Scott – creating films like Killers of the Flower Moon – and want to get involved, even with projects they wouldn't usually. Just look at the highly-anticipated F1 starring Brad Pitt.

(Image credit: Apple TV+)

That's why I don't think any other service could get Martin Scorsese to have his heart broken in The Studio when he realizes his new movie (Kool-Aid, based on the Jonestown Massacre) has been bought by Matt Remick and will never see the light of day.

Similarly in Brian Cranston's performance as the completely unhinged and unforgettable Griffin Mill (in one of his best roles ever) for what must be 30 minutes of screentime across 10 episodes.

All you have to do is look at HBO's The Franchise, which, in a similar way to The Studio, follows the crew of a movie franchise fighting, which was promptly cancelled after one mediocre season.

Masters of the Air stars Austin Butler, Presumed Innocent is led by Jake Gyllenhaal and Gary Oldman heads Slow Horses. Then there's Cate Blanchett's fantastic performance in Disclaimer and one of my favorite Colin Farrell roles is as a brilliant private investigator in Sugar. There's no chance I'd have watched Wolfs or The Instigators if they weren't led by Casey Affleck, Matt Damon, Brad Pitt and George Clooney.

Admittedly Apple TV+ isn't for everyone, but I think its very best shows are. So while it might not be a service you subscribe to forever, the value you'll get in a short amount of time with Apple TV+ is undeniable.

And The Studio should be reason #1 that you check it out. All 10 episodes are out and bingeable, so you can watch it and cancel, only coming back to watch season two.

While you're subscribed, make sure you at least give the following series a chance: Pachinko, Bad Sisters, Silo, For All Mankind, Black Bird, Dark Matter and Trying.

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• More Google Pixel 10 leaks emerge
• Colors and wallpapers have appeared online
• The phones should launch in August

We've already seen the Google Pixel 10 being filmed for an advert on the streets of Canada, but the leaks aren't stopping: we now have unofficial information about some of the color options and wallpapers the flagship phone will bring with it.

According to tipster Mystic Leaks (via 9to5Google), the standard Pixel 10 will be available in Obsidian (black), Blue, Iris (purple), and Limoncello (yellow-ish) shades. Limoncello could be similar to the Lemongrass option we saw with the Google Pixel 7 in 2022.

As for the Pixel 10 Pro and the Pixel 10 Pro XL, the colors listed here are Obsidian (black), Green, Sterling (Gray), and Porcelain (white-ish). We've only got the names though, and there are no images showing what these colors actually look like.

The Pixel 9 offers Obsidian (black), Peony (pink), Wintergreen (green-ish), and Porcelain (white-ish). The Pro and Pro XL models come in Obsidian (black), Porcelain (white-ish), Rose Quartz (pink), and Hazel (gray).

Pixel 10 wallpapers

The Google Pixel 9 Pro XL (Image credit: Peter Hoffmann)

From the same source, we've got a host of high-resolution Pixel 10 wallpapers, and the team at Android Authority has collected them all together in a bundle, so you can install them on your current phone if you'd like to.

There are a lot of swirls and shapes and gradients here, and everything is very abstract. The colors of the backdrops also match the leaked colors of the phones, and each image has both a dark and a light option to match Android's visual modes.

We haven't heard too much about the Google Pixel 10 so far, apart from what was spotted at the recent promotional shoot, but it is expected to show up sometime in August – perhaps with a display upgrade and a significant speed boost.

Before then, Android 16 should begin to make its way out to the masses. The software is bringing with it numerous improvements, and is going to introduce a significant visual overhaul known as Material 3 Expressive.

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• Marks & Spencer suffered a cyber-incident in April 2025
• Reports claimed the attack was the work of ScatteredSpider
• Tata Consultancy Services is investigating if the attack came from its network

Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), an Indian IT company and part of the massive Tata Group conglomerate, is currently investigating whether the recent cyberattack on Marks & Spencer (M&S) originated from its infrastructure.

In late April 2025, M&S confirmed suffering a “cyber incident” which affected its stores and resulted in changes to store operations.

Later reports said the company had to take some of its systems and processes offline, and was forced to disable contactless and Click and Collect services in stores, since the incident was, in fact, a ransomware attack. Online orders were also halted. The disruption persisted for weeks, M&S’ market capitalization dropped by £1 billion, and customer data was allegedly stolen by the actors.

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Targeting Tata

It had been reported the group known as Scattered Spider was behind the ordeal

Now, BBC News reports TCS, which has been servicing M&S for more than a decade, is investigating whether it was the stepping stone to the attack. Right now, both parties are staying silent, but the investigation should wrap up before June 2025.

TCS is part of the large Indian conglomerate Tata Group, which counts more than 100 companies across a wide range of industries. As such, it is a major target for all sorts of cybercriminals, and roughly two years ago, Hive Ransomware struck Tata Power, India’s largest integrated power company. Early this year, Tata Technologies, a global engineering services provider was also attacked.

The attack is reportedly the work of Scattered Spider, a ransomware organization usually targeting UK retailers, financial institutions, technology firms, and entertainment/gambling organizations. The group is not as tightly-knit as organizations such as LockBit or Cl0p.

It is relatively loose, and operates within a larger hacking community known as “the Com”. Its members engage in all kinds of attacks, from social engineering and SIM swapping, to ransomware.

We have reached out to TCS for comment and will update the article if we hear back.

Via BBC

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In today's digital economy, the ability to handle explosive growth without performance ramifications isn't just a technical consideration, it's now a business imperative. So when success arrives, systems must be ready.

Throughout my career advising technology and business leaders, I've witnessed a recurring scenario: a company experiences unexpected success - perhaps they had a successful viral marketing campaign, or suddenly face market interest, or even a random rapid uptick in customer adoption - only to have this triumph transform into a technical crisis as systems falter under the load and stress.

What should be a celebratory moment instead becomes an emergency. Performance levels considerably dip. Customer experience suffers. And the very success that should propel the business forward becomes its biggest operational challenge.

This phenomenon isn't limited to startups and it isn’t necessarily new. Established enterprises frequently encounter these issues during product launches, seasonal peaks, or when entering new markets. Black Friday becomes a nightmare for fresh retailers. The root cause is rarely insufficient hardware or lack of technical talent. More often than not it is that the architectural foundations weren't designed for rapid, unpredictable scaling.

Why traditional approaches can fail

Conventional technology stacks typically perform well under predictable, linear growth conditions. However, real-world business expansion is rarely so simple. Life and business comes in surges, spikes, and sometimes happens overnight.

Traditional databases particularly struggle with these dynamics. When transaction volumes multiply, these systems often hit performance bottlenecks that can't be resolved by simply adding more hardware and their scalability is limited by the biggest available box. Connection limits are reached, query performance deteriorates, and the costs for digital infrastructure climb without delivering proportional benefits.

This is a particular headache that many players in the cryptocurrency space face, where market volatility can trigger 5x transaction volume increases within a matter of minutes. Platforms built on rigid architectures simply cannot adapt quickly enough, leading to trading halts or poor functionality precisely when users need reliability most.

Similarly problematic are monolithic architectures, which are geared for initial speed-to-market rather than long-term flexibility. These approaches might launch quickly, but they rarely support sustainable hypergrowth.

Building from the ground up

Forward-thinking companies are increasingly adopting architectures specifically designed for unpredictable scaling patterns. At the core of this approach is the need for horizontal scalability. This is the ability to expand capacity by adding instances rather than continuously upgrading to larger, more expensive IT infrastructure. In short, flexibility and adaptability is prioritized.

One cryptocurrency exchange that we've worked with demonstrates this principle effectively. By implementing a distributed database architecture, they maintain sub-millisecond response times even during market volatility. So if a run on a certain coin dramatically leads to substantial trading volume fluctuations and customer demand, their platform can automatically scale to handle this without any impacts to the overall service offering.

Equally important is the adoption of cloud-native design patterns - be it deployed on a public cloud, private cloud or just on premises. Microservices, containerization, and orchestration tools all allow businesses to scale cloud computing components independently and recover quickly from failures or setbacks. This modularity essentially supports innovation without compromising stability.

Data model flexibility also plays a crucial role. When another trading platform needed to quickly add new cryptocurrencies to their exchange, their flexible schema approach allowed them to introduce new assets without database migrations or downtime. Understandably, this is a critical advantage in the fast-moving digital asset space.

What does this mean for technology leaders?

For executives preparing their organizations for potential hypergrowth, four priorities consistently make the difference. Firstly, they must design for horizontal scaling from day one. Systems should be built to scale outwardly, but not only in an upward direction. This approach will provide long-term resilience and cost efficiency, something that becomes increasingly valuable as businesses grow and develop.

Secondly, leaders should look to embrace automation. The past two decades have shown how manual processes rarely manage to scale well. Investing in automated provisioning, deployment, and monitoring will not only reduce errors, it allows engineering talent to focus on innovation rather than firefighting issues.

On top of this, they have to stress test beyond their expected peaks. Many systems fail because they're only tested to their current limits. Rigorous testing at 5-10x anticipated peak loads helps identify bottlenecks before they have the chance to impact customers.

Lastly, every leader seeking out hypergrowth must outline architectural efficiency as a key boardroom focus. What I mean here is that scaling isn't purely around performance. It’s as much about financial sustainability, meaning everything from granular resource management to efficient data architecture can help maintain steady growth.

The competitive edge of scalability

In markets where digital experience defines success, scalability is no longer just a technical consideration, it has to be a strategic business capability.

The most successful organizations recognize this. Technology foundations either enable or constrain their ability to capitalize on opportunities and markets. Thinking of recent conversations I’ve had with cryptocurrency executives, when markets surge with interest, exchanges with truly scalable architectures will be the ones that welcome new customers seamlessly. Competitors not following this approach will be forced to implement emergency registration freezes or they risk crumbling altogether.

Ultimately, scaling isn't just about handling growth. It's about being prepared for success, whenever and however that arrives. The question isn't whether your business will face a scaling challenge, but whether you'll be ready when opportunity presents itself.

We've compiled a list of the best cloud databases.

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

As the proud owner of an iPhone 15 for almost two years, I've had no issues with the handset since I bought it. It runs perfectly for my needs – music, YouTube, texting and aimless doomscrolling social media – and seamlessly integrates with my other Apple devices.

Other than its Pro siblings and a handful of Android competitors, the iPhone 15 was top of the line when I bought it. I’d just been paid, so I plonked down AU$1,499 ($799 / £799) to purchase it outright to replace my broken iPhone 12 Mini.

(That’s a purchase I cringe at after experiencing the value on offer from the best cheap phones, but I digress…)

The iPhone 16 marked a larger upgrade over its predecessor than usual thanks to the addition of Apple Intelligence – even if its launch has been less than smooth, with many parts of the promised Siri upgrade still up in the air.

Still, the iPhone 15 is an excellent smartphone in 2025, which is why it caught my eye when I found it for AU$1,077 here in Australia where I'm based (which converts to around $692 / £519). There's similarly enticing deals abroad, too – like in the US, where it's just $100 when switching to T-Mobile.

(Image credit: Zachariah Kelly / TechRadar)

However, in February, Apple threw a curveball at the iPhone 15 when it introduced another option for Cupertino loyalists looking to save on an upgrade when it launched the iPhone 16e for $599 / £599 / AU$999.

Like the iPhone 5c and the three iPhone SE models, this new ‘budget’ Apple handset has made small concessions to keep the price down, while still allowing buyers to purchase a truly new iPhone that can access the latest iOS features. The iPhone 16e is arguably even more enticing than its SE forebears, as it offers the power to handle Apple Intelligence.

This creates an interesting conundrum – if I needed a new phone and didn't want to splurge on the iPhone 16, which device is the better choice: the iPhone 15, or iPhone 16e?

TechRadar has an entire iPhone 16e vs iPhone 15 comparison article based on this question and it concludes that, for most people, it's worth spending a little extra and go for the older iPhone 15.

But after spending a week with the iPhone 16e, I disagree.

Better battery, baby

(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

For many smartphone buyers, camera quality is key – but for me, battery life is far more important and the iPhone 16e dominates the iPhone 15 in this category.

While Apple doesn't disclose exact battery capacity, third-party reporting shows that the iPhone 16e has a 3,961mAh battery compared to the iPhone 15's 3,349mAh.

It's not just that larger size that makes the 16e longer lasting either. The iPhone 16e's C1 cellular chip – which is exclusive to the device – processes power more efficiently, resulting in a significantly improved stamina.

This was very noticeable in my time with it. Granted, my iPhone 15's battery capacity is slightly degraded down to 91% these days, but I limit its overnight charging to stop at 85%. As a result, after about three hours of listening, watching, scrolling and texting, my iPhone 15's often sitting at less than 30% by 9:30am.

It's 3:30pm as I write this, and with the same battery settings and general screen-on time, the iPhone 16e I'm currently using is sitting at 44%.

My experience seems to fully back up Apple’s own claims, with the brand boasting that the iPhone 16e offers 26 hours of video playback – 15% better than the iPhone 16's 22 hours and a 23% increase over the iPhone 15.

Apple Intelligence is already pretty smart, actually

Having fun creating AI-generated images in Apple's Playground app (Image credit: Future/Jacob Krol)

We're still waiting for AI Siri – and Apple might have to let users swap Siri for another default voice assistant party alternatives – I was surprised by how much I enjoyed Apple Intelligence on the iPhone 16e, a set of features the iPhone 15 lacks.

Visual Intelligence is helpful, letting you quickly search for or ask ChatGPT about any object you take a photo of. And the Clean Up feature is useful for removing photo bombers or objects from any given image, like Samsung's similar Object Remover tool as found on newest Galaxy devices.

And, while I rarely used them, I appreciated the (mostly) constructive AI-generated message replies and smarter phrasing suggestions. Highlighting your written text opens an array of AI-powered options by clicking the Apple Intelligence logo (or 'Writing Tools'). In any app it can proofread or rewrite your text to sound more friendly, professional or concise.

Image 1 of 3

Visual Intelligence analyzing potato chips (Image credit: Future)Image 2 of 3

Using Apple Intelligence to create a Genmoji of a dragon holding a hot dog (Image credit: Future)Image 3 of 3

Using AI to editing and proofread text messages (Image credit: Future / Max Delaney)

Moreover, and especially helpful when writing up notes, is its ability to format text into key points, a list or a table. You also have the option to compose text with ChatGPT.

However, I think my favorite thing about Apple Intelligence is the ability to create my own emojis. Called Genmojis, it lets you turn anything – like my own face and other regularly found faces in my camera roll, or a highland cow surrounded by flowers – into an emoji or sticker.

As someone who uses emojis quite sparingly, I'm now a Genmoji-making dynamo. While the AI tools and features of the iPhone 16 family are far from revolutionary, they're both fun and generally useful. It's a small but significant advantage for the iPhone 16e over the iPhone 15.

Bring the action

(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

The last little feature that I think puts the 16e above the 15 is the Action Button. It, like Apple Intelligence, is exclusive to the iPhone 15 Pro, Pro Max and the iPhone 16 series.

This handy little button replaces the mute/silent switch from older iPhones. There's nothing revolutionary here: all it does is offer shortcuts for commonly used features like Silent Mode, Focus, Camera, Visual Intelligence, Torch and any other app, like Instagram.

Personally, I didn't find myself using any of those preset options, and instead set the Action Button to control my Do Not Disturb mode.

It's such a small difference – after all, unlocking the device, bringing up the Control Center and activating Focus is hardly a laborious task. However, it's a small quality-of-life change that I thoroughly appreciated – letting me turn it on without even directly looking at my phone.

Winner by a split decision

The two phones are nearly identical apart from the camera array (Image credit: Future / Max Delaney)

The iPhone 16e vs iPhone 15 contest is by no means a knockout by the newer model. There are two main reasons that the older iPhone may be the better choice for some people: display and camera.

The iPhone 16e only has a single 48MP Fusion camera, while the iPhone 15 pairs a 48MP main camera with a 12MP ultrawide lens that's equally useful for grand nature shots and trying to fit the whole family into one photo. More importantly, the 16e's single lens means you can't take silly up-close photos of your friends or dog with the 0.5x zoom.

The 15 also has a (small) lead on the 16e in terms of display, as the latter reverts back to the iPhone 14’s notched display rather than the Dynamic Island found on subsequent devices. Personally, I don't mind it, but for some users it could be the reason to spend a little more for the iPhone 15. The latter’s display is brighter and (slightly) higher res too – 1179 x 2556 with a max brightness of 2,000 nits compared to the 16e's 1170 x 2532 and 1,200 nits.

MagSafe charging is also missing from the iPhone 16e. It was rumored this was to make room for the C1 chip, but that has since been denied by Apple according to Macworld. The 16e can still wirelessly charge, but it lacks the magnet.

I'd never much required MagSafe until I recently purchased a magnetic power bank – which is now all but useless with the iPhone 16e. And users who have a magnetic car mount will probably sorely miss this functionality.

The iPhone 15 still has a place, then, and it's a wonderful purchase if you can get it for close to the same price as the iPhone 16e.

It's still ultimately more expensive than its new sibling, though – and unless you really need a telephoto lens, I think the iPhone 16e is the budget iPhone to have.

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