TechRadar News

• Oracle CEO Safra Catz confirms a new, mystery cloud contract worth $30 billion
• Last year's total cloud revenue stood at $24.4 billion, so it's a big increase
• Oracle says it will spend big on infrastructure soon

Oracle has signed a mystery cloud contract worth over $30 billion annually, which would effectively more than double the company's current cloud revenue.

CEO Safra Catz explained that the company had gotten off to a "strong start" this fiscal year, having signed multiple large cloud agreements already.

However, among those agreements is a mystery contract, according to a new SEC filing, said to be worth "more than $30 billion," leading investors speculating who the deal could be with.

Oracle's huge mystery cloud contract

Although the contract was signed in the company's 2026 fiscal year, it won't come into play until 2028 – it's unclear whether further details could be shared before then.

Among the most common suggestions for partners include OpenAI, which is working together with Oracle on Project Stargate, Temu, which recently became an Oracle customer, and TikTok, which uses Oracle Cloud in the US.

Nevertheless, $30 billion in extra annual revenue is big news for Oracle. As of fiscal year 2025, Oracle's total cloud revenue was just $24.4 billion – less than this single mystery contract. Total company revenue was up 8% year-over-year to $57.4 billion.

In other news, Oracle has also confirmed plans to build a $40 billion AI data center campus near Dallas for Project Stargate, supplying 400,000 Nvidia GB200 GPUs for the project. The company also plans to spend up to $500 billion in infrastructure by 2029 to meet demand.

However, while the $30 billion contract will provide some stability for Oracle, capital expenditure increased threefold from $7 billion to $21 billion in just the space of one year.

Looking ahead, Oracle predicts cloud infrastructure revenue growth of 70% by the end of this fiscal year, with company revenue climbing to an estimated $104 billion by fiscal 2029.

TechRadar Pro has asked Oracle for more information on the contract, but we don't expect to get an answer.

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• Nintendo and Amazon have denied a report that Switch 2 stock was pulled from the online retailer due to a third-party reseller dispute
• Bloomberg has claimed that Nintendo opted to pull its products from Amazon in the US since third-party sales were undercutting the Switch creator
• Nintendo has said that "there is no such fact" in regards to Bloomberg's report

Nintendo has denied claims that it pulled Nintendo Switch 2 stock from Amazon US during the console's launch period due to a dispute over third-party sellers.

In a new report from Bloomberg, it was claimed that the two companies have been caught up in a disagreement regarding unauthorized, third-party sales of Nintendo games that were undercutting the Switch creator.

Due to this, Nintendo reportedly pulled its products from Amazon as people were buying cheaper stock in bulk from Southeast Asia and exporting and reselling them in the US at a cheaper price.

As a result, no first-party Nintendo Switch games, like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Tears of the Kingdom, and Mario Kart World, have been unavailable for purchase, although Amazon US did recently add a listing for Donkey Kong Bananza (via IGN).

It's said that Amazon attempted to settle the matter by offering Nintendo authenticity labels on its products, but according to Bloomberg, "Nintendo ultimately opted to pull its products from Amazon in the US", which resulted in a lack of Switch 2 stock during its pre-order and release period.

However, Nintendo has denied Bloomberg's claims.

"There is no such fact," a Nintendo spokesperson said in a statement to Tom's Hardware. "We do not disclose details of negotiations or contracts with retailers."

Amazon has also come forward to deny the report, saying the claims about its relationship with Nintendo were "inaccurate" and that it is "pleased to offer Nintendo products directly to our customers as part of our commitment to providing an exceptional shopping experience with the widest selection possible."

Despite this latest development, Nintendo Switch 2 stock is still not available on Amazon US.

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What's the next big game on Xbox?

(Image credit: Activision)

Xbox players can look forward to Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 + 4 remake in July. Beyond that there's Borderlands 4, expected to be a next-gen sequel to 2019's third entry. Then, we'll hopefully get some news as to when we can expect Gears of War: E-Day, which serves as a prequel to the very first game.

New Xbox Series X games will start arriving thick and fast once over the next few months, with new exclusives launching on Microsoft's most powerful consoles. There's certainly a lot to look forward to for Xbox fans.

From Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 +4 remake to Borderlands 4, Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S players will have plenty of new Xbox games to keep them busy for the rest of the year, and beyond – and we're here to tell you exactly when you'll get your hands on them.

Below, we've rounded up all the release dates and windows for the biggest confirmed Xbox Series X games of 2025 and beyond. So, it's time to get your calendar out and start taking down some dates. As always, these release dates are subject to delays. If any games are pushed back, this page will be updated.

New Xbox games 2025: this year’s most anticipated releases

(Image credit: Konami)

Below, you'll find a brief list of the biggest video game releases on the horizon, all for Xbox Series X|S.

• Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 + 4 - July 11 (PC, PlayStation, Xbox,(Switch)
• Gears of War: Reloaded - August 26 (XSX|S, PS5, PC)
• Metal Solid Delta: Snake Eater - August 28 (PS5, XSX|S, PC)
• Borderlands 4 - September 23 (XSX|S, PS5, PC)
• The Outer Worlds 2 - October 29, 2025 (XSX|S, PC, PS5)

July

(Image credit: Activision)

• Mecha Break - July 1, 2025 (PS5, XSX|S, PC)
• Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 + 4 - July 11 (PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch)
• Wuchang Fallen Feathers - July 24, 2025 (PS5, XSX|S, PC)
• Tales of the Shire - July 29, 2025 (Switch 2, Switch, PS5, XSX|S, PC)
• Ninja Gaiden Ragebound - July 31, 2025 (PS5, PS4, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, Xbox Series X|S, PC)

August

(Image credit: 2K Games)

• Mafia: The Old Country - August 8 (PS5, XSX|S, PC)
• Dying Light The Beast - August 22, 2025
• Gears of War Reloaded - August 26, 2025 (PS5, XSX|S, PC)
• Metal Solid Delta: Snake Eater - August 28 (PS5, XSX|S, PC)
• Shinobi: Art of Vengeance - August 29 (PS5, PS4, XSX|S, XBO, Switch, PC)

September

(Image credit: Nacon)

• Hell Is Us - September 4, 2025 (PS5, XSX|S, PC)
• Indiana Jones and the Great Circle DLC - September 4, 2025 (PS5, XSX|S, PC)
• Everybody's Golf Hot Shots - September 5, 2025 (PS5, Switch 2, PC)
• Borderlands 4 - September 23, 2025 (PS5, XSX|S, PC)
• Silent Hill f - September 25, 2025 (PS5, XSX|S, PC)
• Sonic Racing Crossworlds - September 25, 2025 (PS5, XSX|S, PC)
• Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles - September 30, 2025 (PS5, PS4, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, Xbox Series X|S, PC)

October

(Image credit: Obsidian Entertainment)

• Directive 8020 - October 2, 2025 (PS5, XSX|S, PC)
• Digimon Story Time Stranger - October 3, 2025 (PS5, XSX|S, PC)
• Ninja Gaiden 4 - October 21, 2025 (PS5, XSX|S, PC)
• Jurassic World Evolution 3 - October 21 (PS5, XSX|S, PC)
• The Outer Worlds 2 - October 29, 2025 (XSX|S, PC, PS5)

2025 and TBC

(Image credit: Xbox)

Finally, here's a list of Xbox games that have been announced, but either don't have more than a release year attached to them yet, or are much further out. For now, they're simply TBC, but once each game does receive a release date, this page will be updated.

• Dreams of Another - 2025
• Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 - TBC 2025 (PS5, XSX|S, PC)
• Arc Raiders - 2025
• Dreams of Another - 2025
• Darwin's Paradox - 2025
• Onimusha: Way of the Sword - 2026
• Resident Evil 9: Requiem - February 27, 2026 (PS5, XSX|S, PC)
• Nioh 3 - Early 2026
• Pragmata - 2026 (PS5, XSX|S, PC)
• Dune Awakening - TBC (console release)
• GTA 6 - May 26, 2026
• Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra - Early 2026 (PC, PS5, XSX|S)
• Fable - 2026 (XSX|S, PC)
• Marathon - TBC (PS5, XSX|S, PC)
• Beyond Good and Evil 2 - TBC
• Marvel's Blade -TBC
• BioShock 4 - TBC
• DokeV - TBC (PC, PS5, XSX|S, PS4, XBO)
• Everwild - TBC (XSX|S, PC)
• Fallout 5 - TBC
• Haunted Chocolatier - TBC
• Hollow Knight: Silksong - TBC 2025 (PS5, XSX|S, PS4, XBO, PC, Switch)
• Judas - TBC
• Kingdom Hearts 4 - TBC
• Mass Effect 5 - TBC
• Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Remake - 2026
• Phantom Blade 0 - TBC (PS5)
• 007: First Light - TBC 2026
• Project Mara - TBC (XSX|S, PC)
• Revenant Hill - TBC (PS5, PS4)
• Splinter Cell remake - TBC
• Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic Remake - TBC (PS5)
• Star Wars Eclipse - TBC
• State of Decay 3 - TBC (XSX|S, PC)
• The Elder Scrolls 6 - TBC)
• The Sims 5 - TBC
• The Witcher 4 - TBC
• Wonder Woman - TBC
• Gears of War: E-Day - TBC

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• Drakong and Fender are set to launch a new guitar controller in 2026
• It's compatible with Fortnite Festival, as well as classic Rock Band and Guitar Hero games
• No price or concrete release date have been announced just yet

Hyperkin's Drakong brand has teamed up with legend guitar maker Fender to create the Infinakore Telecaster Edition.

Much like the PDP Riffmaster, this is a guitar controller primarily designed for use with Fortnite Festival. However, a major selling point of the Infinakore is its broad compatibility with consoles both old and new. That means you'll be able to use it with most Guitar Hero and Rock Band games - as well as fan games such as Clone Hero on PC.

The Infinakore Telecaster Edition will have two versions - one for Xbox consoles, and another for multiplatform compatibility. The latter will work with PlayStation and Nintendo Switch consoles including PS5 and Switch 2, but not Xbox. However, both models will be compatible with PC and mobile devices.

What's looking particularly unique about the Infinakore Telecaster Edition is its modularity. The controller can be broken down into individual parts, including the head, fretboard and body. These parts can then be swapped out for your own, if you're into customization.

No price has been announced for the controller just yet, but it's due to release sometime in 2026, according to Drakong's website. It'll support both wired and wireless connections, via Bluetooth and 2.4GHz. Supposedly, it'll also sport a battery life of around 36 hours, which will definitely be impressive if true - pushing Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller numbers there.

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• New Dyson Airwrap Co-anda 2x is smaller and lighter but more powerful
• Introduces attachment memory and a cool new straightener attachment
• On sale on 8 July in the US, and 'September' in the UK

Dyson has launched a new version of its Airwrap, and it looks better than ever. The new Airwrap Co-anda 2x is smaller and lighter, but offers more air pressure and more power. The accessories have also been upgraded to amp up the styler's versatility.

There's now attachment recognition, and an all-new AirSmooth attachment that looks particularly interesting for those looking to create sleek, straight styles.

I reviewed the Dyson Airwrap i.d. and rated it the best hair styler on the market. I haven't tested this one yet, but if I were a betting woman, I'd say Dyson is about to dethrone its own styler with the upgraded version.

To create that smaller and lighter build, the Airwrap Co-anda 2x has had its internal mechanics completely redesigned, with a new Hyperdymium 2 motor. Two cool facts about this motor are that it can spin nine times faster than an F1 car engine, and that the wire powering the motor is just 90 microns wide – which is as thin as a strand of human hair. It can apparently deliver twice the air pressure and 30% more power than the Airwrap i.d., without increasing noise levels, which should mean faster drying, more efficient hair wrapping, and sleeker straightening.

(Image credit: Dyson)

You're still getting the i.d.curl feature, which was such a game-changer on the Airwrap i.d. It enables you to launch a personalized curl sequence with the flick of a button. Here, the barrels can also apparently detect when hair is fully wrapped, and it's time to start the i.d. curl sequence.

Overall, it looks like the gap between Dyson and other Airwrap-alikes is widening – today's best Airwrap dupes can't even offer clockwise and anti-clockwise curls on the same barrel, let alone automating the entire process for you. However, I am slightly perturbed to see that Dyson seems to have redesigned the buttons here, swapping the Airwrap i.d.'s chunky, easy-to-use buttons for the fiddly, unnecessarily small switches found on the Dyson Supersonic r hair dryer.

It's all in the accessories

As I said up top, the accessories are where it's really at, so let's take a closer look at them. Previous versions of the Airwrap were mainly geared towards curling, but this latest iteration amps up the versatility and acts more like a true 'multi-styler'.

Firstly, the attachments now contain RFID sensors that enable the dryer part to recognize which one is clipped on. Then it'll automatically adjust to the optimal temperature and windspeed settings (the first time) or your last-used settings (thereafter) with each attachment. It's precisely the same as on the Supersonic Nural and Supersonic r hair dryers, where I found it massively helped to streamline the styling process, making it easier than ever to swap between tools.

Second, there's a new attachment geared specifically towards straightening: the AirSmooth2x, which looks like it's been inspired by the wet-to-dry Dyson Airstrait. Two unheated plates clamp together and blast the hair between them with air, with the tension helping smooth and straighten the strands as they dry. The plates will automatically unclamp once you reach the bottom of the hair.

Image 1 of 2

(Image credit: Dyson)Image 2 of 2

(Image credit: Dyson)

Dyson says the Airwrap Co-anda 2x is the only multi-styler on the market to come with six attachments included with purchase. I'm not sure that's true, but there is certainly a more comprehensive range than you'd usually get.

There are two bundles to choose from, with different attachments to suit different hair types:

Straight + Wavy bundle:

• 30mm curling barrel
• 40mm curling barrel
• Anti-snag loop brush
• Round volumizing brush
• AirSmooth attachment
• Fast dryer

Curly + Coily bundle:

• 40mm Co-anda curling barrel
• Anti-snag loop brush
• Round volumizing brush
• Tension comb
• Wave+Curl diffuser
• Fast dryer

You can pick up most of the attachments individually if the one you want isn't included in your chosen bundle. Also available individually is a 20mm barrel for tighter curls (interestingly, Dyson seems to have already done away with the tapering barrel it introduced with the Airwrap i.d.).

“Traditional stylers can damage hair, but we have always focused on developing tools that protect hair health whilst enhancing without compromising precision and/or performance," comments brand founder James Dyson. "We harness our expertise in motors, fluid dynamics, and materials to continually improve... It’s about creating exciting long-lasting styles using smarter, more efficient technology."

(Image credit: Dyson)Price & availability

The Co-anda 2x is actually already available in some international markets, including Korea. However, it was unveiled in the US and UK today (July 1). Both markets will offer the styler in Ceramic Pink or Jasper Plum, and the option of Straight+Wavy or Curly+Coily bundles (priced the same).

It will go on sale in the US from July 8 at Dyson.com and Sephora.com for $699.99. For comparison, the i.d. has a list price of $599.99.

UK shoppers will have a bit longer to wait: the Dyson Airwrap Co-anda 2x will go on sale in September with a list price of £579.99 (compared to £479.99 for the i.d.).

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There’s nothing quite like live sport. Globally, over half a billion (571 million) people tuned in to the 2022 World Cup final in Qatar. Demand for live sports is showing no signs of slowing. But throughout the entire sporting industry, from the field of play to the IT infrastructure beaming the events live to your living room, nothing stands still for long. For athletes and behind-the-scenes technicians alike, innovation is king.

In live sports broadcasting, the next innovation on the horizon revolves around photons and transmitting data at the speed of light. As data demand grows exponentially and current network infrastructure struggles under growing pressure and increasing demand, the broadcast industry must look toward All-Photonics Networks (APNs) to deliver the future of live broadcast.

The challenges facing the future of live broadcasting

The industry’s current infrastructure is struggling to deal with the increasing demand for media production. While technology has developed at an electrifying rate, the infrastructure we rely on to deliver media has not. Take, for example, the ongoing AI boom. There’s no doubt that AI will significantly add to video production network loads, but our current networks were not built with AI in mind. This isn’t sustainable.

As such, producing high-quality live broadcasts is becoming increasingly challenging. Couple this with skilled media professionals typically residing in urban areas and it quickly becomes apparent that delivering live content, like sports, that takes place in remote locations is not only becoming trickier, but more expensive.

So, the live broadcast industry, including live sports, is faced with a challenging question. How can the growing demand for engaging, live content be delivered without escalating costs or compromising on quality? The answer is All-Photonics Networks. Rather than using electrons, APNs utilize photons to transmit data. In doing so, APNs consume less power, facilitate higher quality and capacity data transfers, all with less delay.

The future is remote

As the demand for high-quality, live content continues to grow and the traditional broadcasting infrastructure struggles to keep up, the next step in overcoming these challenges lies in transforming how media production is managed, remotely and with greater efficiency.

Currently, live broadcasting requires a significant in-person presence. Even for the world’s largest events, bringing the world’s best talent to remote locations can be a challenge. Not to mention expensive. But the need to be there, in person, is only dictated by technological restraints. APNs break free of this restraint.

Rather than needing to be in a broadcast van in or outside the venue, media operators can work remotely. APNs enable media production operators to access and control production resources as if they are on-site. This also allows broadcasters to stream more events from lower leagues or remote locations, increasing choice and accessibility for fans.

APNs offer low-latency, high-bandwidth connections that utilize photonics. By using photons, rather than electrons, to transmit data, this infrastructure supports the remote control of production resources, enabling seamless, real-time editing and switching. The technology equally supports resource sharing across networks, allowing broadcasters to access and allocate production assets efficiently.

By enabling remote work, All-Photonics Networks (APNs) can help address the growing skills gap in live sports broadcasting. Research shows that over half of professionals in the TV industry believe skills-related challenges have worsened in recent years. APNs provide a solution by allowing technicians to work from anywhere, breaking geographic barriers and tapping into a global talent pool.

This flexibility not only eases the skills shortage but also promotes diversity and inclusion, as it opens up opportunities for professionals from different regions and backgrounds to contribute to high-profile events.

The financial and environmental case for APNs

Not only does the shift to remote work bring operational advantages, but it also presents significant financial and environmental benefits, which are crucial as the sports industry looks for ways to optimize costs and reduce its environmental impact. Expanded coverage doesn't require extra travel or personnel, removing cost barriers that have long limited what fans can watch.

In elite-level sports, money talks. Whether it's signing top talent for a football team or developing a race-winning car in motorsport, the power of the dollar is evident throughout the industry. And the same is true when assessing the value of updating or overhauling infrastructure. There must be a financial benefit.

APNs will revolutionize cost efficiency. Compared to electron-based infrastructure, APNs will reduce both CapEx and OpEx by minimizing on-site infrastructure and personnel needs. Furthermore, APNs will be more resilient than current systems, not only will they facilitate uninterrupted broadcasts, it will also mean less is spent on repairs and fixes. This is because Photonics Networks are more durable and reliable, making them ideal for even the most challenging conditions.

And equally, like many other industries, the live broadcast sector is undergoing sustainable transitions. Through APNs, broadcasters will have access to more energy-efficient infrastructure that optimizes networking usage and ultimately reduces the broadcasters' carbon footprint.

While viewers may be more familiar with innovation on the pitch, racetrack, or field of play, APNs highlight that it is equally within the infrastructure and behind the scenes of live sports broadcasting that innovative new technologies are set to be revolutionary. Now, as broadcasters question how the growing demand for engaging, live content can be delivered without escalating costs or compromising on quality, it’s increasingly apparent that the answer is racing toward them, at the speed of light.

We list the best TVs for sport for all budgets. We've also listed the best sports streaming sites and services.

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

2023 was the breakout year of AI and since then it’s been going from strength to strength. It’s seen as the solution to everything from productivity and a skills gap to fixing the NHS, with Tony Blair calling for AI doctors and chatbots to ‘save’ the health service.

There has been an explosive growth of generative AI with most companies using it in at least one of their business functions. It’s gone from being a subject discussed by tech teams to something regularly mentioned in the boardroom.

According to a survey of C-suite executives, 40 percent say their companies will increase their investment in AI tools overall.

And whilst there is no doubt AI is developing in accuracy, I do not believe it can replace humans in every single area and one in particular – emotional intelligence.

Over-reliance on AI in business

Over-reliance on AI in business risks removing that vital input from key decision making and team building and runs the risk of making some areas of leadership redundant – at significant cost.

The costs might not immediately show up on a PNL spreadsheet, but they will be felt in other areas where it might not be so easy to quantify.

AI is a useful tool, but it's just that - a tool and it cannot replace that ‘gut feeling’ or connection that a great leader of any team has. That’s the magic which turns a group of disparate people into a team – the sum of which is greater than its parts.

My concern is that we need to strike the right balance between our use of technology and building and developing our own skills. If all we do is put resources into AI at the expense of other training and development, or replace people with machines, we will be the worse for it.

In short, I worry that people will become reliant on AI and could lose that innate human element that we bring to leadership and team building.

Leaders have understanding and insights

Leaders have understanding and insights built over many years which cannot be replaced by data or machines. If AI cannot find the answers to a question, it can make things up. Look at the infamous court case in America which made headlines in May 2023 when a law firm, Levidow, Levidow & Oberman got caught citing fake cases generated by ChatGPT.

The ‘soft skills’ which good leaders at all levels have make the difference between a good leader and a great leader can’t be replaced by software. These personal qualities enable people to interact effectively and successfully with others: communication, teamwork, problem-solving and adaptability – not to mention empathy.

These should be highly valued in the workplace, and especially by leaders, as they contribute to improved teamwork, productivity and overall job satisfaction.

My experience of working in elite sports has shown me that humans cannot just be replaced by technology, no matter how smart.

AI has a role to play

AI has a role to play in any team, particularly with more basic tasks of information gathering or data analysis, but it cannot replace the power of a human connection.

An emotionally intelligent leader goes beyond the numbers and knows their team. AI can’t pick up that real emotional response, and it can't read people like humans do.

It’s ‘machine learning’ for a reason – it uses whatever data you pump into it but there are just some cues and traits which cannot be quantified and that’s what cannot be replaced.

We've used technology and data in sport for a long time; elite sports is incredibly data driven. We've got all the information that says the players should train at this point because they are due to pull a hamstring or develop another injury or over train.

And whilst it's useful to have that information, it should be used as a guide.

I've seen many top-level coaches when the sports scientists are running over, saying ‘we need to stop training now.’

But the coach looks at the players and can see that the players can continue for another ten minutes, and he’s pushed the players through.

The data could also get it wrong and put players at risk by pushing them too much whereas a coach will see if his players look physically fatigued and need to stop training early.

Costs of bad investment

The costs of misreading that at elite sports level go beyond the investment in a machine: we’re talking millions of pounds worth of players or the opportunity to achieve a lifetime goal of a medal on the world stage.

And even when Olympic golds aren’t in the picture, the impact of a toxic working environment is felt not only in the lower productivity or staff turnover but in more personal impacts on someone’s health and sense of value.

This knowledge and consequent decision making comes from the human understanding of people. In my 25 years’ of working in both a team and in a leadership role in sports I have yet to see a coach who has got that wrong.

Because we’ve used data in sports for so many years I think it provides a lesson for other areas on how we can use AI: as a way of gathering data, of making predictions or analysing patterns but only as a tool to help inform our own human-driven intelligence.

To rely on AI wholly would be a mistake: nothing can replace that human intelligence.

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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

• Apple Music has turned 10 and is letting users take a look back
• The Replay All Time playlist lets you see your top 100 tracks since you joined Apple Music
• It's a nice throwback treat, and there's a way for Spotify users to get a taste

Time flies when you’re listening to some good music, right? Well, Apple Music has officially turned ten today, and since Apple got into the streaming music game, a lot has changed. We’ve seen design changes and new features – remember its annual replay functionality arrived in 2019 – but marking ten years of streaming is a new playlist that lets you look back.

Rolling out for Apple Music subscribers now is a ‘Replay All Time’ playlist, which gives you your top 100 most played tracks since you joined the service. That could be a very long way back if you’ve been streaming since 2015, or a more recent look, but either route, it’ll likely be a journey through taste.

I found the ‘Replay All Time’ playlist right on my home tab in the Music app on my iPhone and my Mac. The description for the playlists reads, “In honor of Apple Music’s first decade, take a look back. Relive your all-time favorite tracks, all in one playlist.” And as with any playlist on Apple Music, you can play it in sequence or shuffle it, as well as save it to your library and download for offline listening.

(Image credit: Apple)

My All Time playlist did have a few surprises, and I expected that as I joined the service back on day one, June 30, 2015. There were plenty of previous songs of the summer – anyone remember Justin Timberlake’s ‘Can’t Stop This Feeling’ or ‘I Lived’ by OneRepublic? – but also many of my favorite tracks that I opt for quite a bit.

So, yes, for me, that means a lot of Bruce Springsteen, and I noticed some appearances that were used as a wake-up alarm on my HomePod and HomePod mini. It’s a neat walk down memory lane, though, and at an unexpected time of the year. Usually, Apple Music rolls out Replay towards the end of the year, offering a look back at your year in music.

Spotify also rolls out Wrapped yearly and adds in a lot more social elements, as well as categorization based on your music taste. And if you’re a Spotify user who wants a similar look back at the decade or since Spotify launched in your region – it was July of 2011 for the United States – you’ll need to look to a third-party to get the experience … though the service might end up copying a bit of Apple’s celebration here.

Stats.fm is always a good choice for learning a bit more about your listening habits and what you’re streaming the most on various cadences, and this would be an excellent route. If you sign in with your Spotify account and grant permissions, you can select for a “lifetime” look at your top genres, tracks, and artists – all of this without needing to subscribe to the “Plus” tier.

It will provide your top 50 tracks, and you can easily select one of those to play. You can opt to subscribe to Stats.fm to unlock more statistics and more than just your 50 top tracks from Spotify.

(Image credit: Apple)

It’ll be interesting to see if Spotify rolls this out in a formal way, but it’s great that you can use a third-party to accomplish this. Still, Apple Music’s rollout of an All Time playlist is a nice touch, and it comes ahead of the music service debuting the top 500 most-streamed songs. That process will begin on July 1, 2025, and will announce a set of 100 tracks daily, days before dropping a full playlist for listeners to enjoy.

Apple’s also rolling out other playlists to celebrate the anniversary and some new Apple Music Radio specials. And there’s a new, over 15,000-square-foot Apple Music studio location opening in Los Angeles, California, which includes listening rooms kitted for immersive Spatial Audio playback. It’ll have larger stages and studios for artists to record and perform on.

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• MediaTek’s Kompanio Ultra makes a rare appearance, challenging the usual CPU suspects in laptops
• Lightweight and long-lasting, but ChromeOS limits serious work beyond web and Android apps
• Lenovo Chromebook Plus’s $649 price tag puts it alongside Windows laptops with broader software support and faster chips

Lenovo’s latest Chromebook Plus (14", 10) has introduced something unusual: a MediaTek Kompanio Ultra processor.

This is not a name typically seen in the business laptop world, especially not in premium machines aiming to balance performance and portability.

But Lenovo seems confident this unique CPU, paired with Google’s newest AI tools, can stand up to more familiar silicon from AMD and Intel.

Uncommon power in a familiar shell

The Lenovo Chromebook Plus promises an all-in-one experience tailored for professionals, students, and creators.

It supports up to 16GB of memory and 256GB of internal storage, but the real story lies in the chip powering it - the Kompanio Ultra processor features MediaTek’s NPU 890 and Arm Immortalis-G925 GPU, delivering 50 TOPS of AI performance.

While impressive on paper, the broader market has yet to demonstrate what this actually means for everyday users in real workflows.

The laptop also features an OLED 2K display with 100% DCI-P3 coverage, quad speakers with Dolby Atmos, and a battery life that reportedly reaches up to 17 hours.

At just under 1.17kg, it qualifies among the lightest laptop models with this much hardware inside, though real-world usage may paint a more tempered picture.

Lenovo and Google are pushing the AI story hard. Features like Smart Grouping, AI-assisted image editing in the Gallery app, and optical character recognition across documents aim to streamline digital life.

There’s also Gemini support directly on the shelf, allowing text summarization and tab management.

"The Lenovo Chromebook Plus (14", 10) delivers the most powerful AI capabilities ever on a Chromebook… this premium device is your perfect everyday companion," said Benny Zhang, Executive Director and General Manager of Chromebooks in Lenovo's Intelligent Devices Group.

The machine includes Chrome Enterprise Upgrade for IT control and the Chrome Education Upgrade for schools, both allow admins to manage updates, policies, apps, and security from the cloud.

Still, users comparing this device to more traditional options in the same price range might hesitate.

Starting at $649, it overlaps with more established Windows and macOS devices - so those looking for the best laptop for engineering students may find the limitations of ChromeOS, especially with software compatibility, a deal breaker.

And while its portability is a strength, the MediaTek processor still needs to prove itself under demanding professional use.

Via TechPowerUp

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Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian posted a short video of his late mother hugging him, which soon garnered tens of millions of views. Not because the video was a time capsule of a long-ago moment, but because it created it based on what had only been a still image.

Ohanian used the new AI video generation feature from Midjourney to create the video based on a single photo. To him, it's a time machine to six seconds from decades ago. Millions of other viewers shared that interpretation of the clip, but a significant number of dissenting voices warned that it was a fake memory that could mess with Ohanian's real remembrance of his mother.

Regardless of how people felt about the video, it seemed clear that most people felt something visceral about the facsimile of a speculative moment. Ohanian wrote, “This is how she hugged me.” And in that sentence alone is the entire heartbreak and hope of the digital age: the ache to remember more clearly, to hold tighter to someone who’s gone, to use machines not for profit or surveillance, but for something intimate. Human.

There’s no shortage of AI tricks floating around right now. You can generate an image of your cat as an Olympic diver, your family picnic as an animated cartoon, or your child in their future profession. Mostly, these are lightly entertaining fads that also illustrate larger issues surrounding AI. But this is not a disposable video to Ohanian. This is a clip he has made clear he will treasure. And whether he's simply leveraging AI to keep his mother's memory alive or constructing false memories because he feels the real ones slipping away, he's not the first and has undoubtedly brought the idea more attention than ever.

There’s a strange vulnerability in inviting a machine to guess at your memories. It feels a little like asking a stranger to finish your dream. AI doesn’t know your mom. It doesn’t know how she laughed or how tightly she hugged you. It just knows pixels. But sometimes pixels are all we’ve got.

If you’ve lost someone, especially before smartphones and camcorders tracked our every moment, you know what it’s like to wish you had more videos and photos of that person. Ohanian said his family couldn’t afford a camcorder. He doesn’t have any video of himself with his mom. That photo of a hug in the meadow is it. But with the help of a few prompts and a sophisticated AI model, that hug lives again.

I lost my mom almost 20 years ago. Trolls can rest assured I’ve grieved sufficiently. My family couldn’t afford a camcorder and using tech to generate few seconds of animation from a still is the equivalent of using AI to stabilize a poorly recorded video — or fill in the gaps of…June 23, 2025

I don’t think the discomfort many expressed is solely about Alexis Ohanian's video or why he chose to make and share it. I think it’s about what having this option might mean in the worst scenarios. It's easy to see this moment as the beginning of a dark and gloomy trend.

I think if it helps Ohanian feel closer to his mother, that's just fine. It's not like the image was itself a fiction; it just externalized his own memory of a hug. It's like a more tactile version of saving your parents' last voicemail to you, or keeping around their favorite scented candle because it makes you smile. Ohanian isn't pretending the video is anything but a memory aid. Using AI to make false memories may or may not become a real problem, but that's not the case here.

AI video remembers

After Ohanian’s post went viral, people began sharing their own AI-animated family photos. For now, these are just fragments, silent and brief. But judging people's grief and how they handle it, no matter how long it's been, is not something I would ever want to do as long as it's not hurting anyone. A fair assessment has to be personal.

So I did the same thing as Ohanian. I found a photo I've always liked of my mother, who passed away 13 years ago, celebrating Hanukkah with me in the early 1990s. I used Hailuo (of Olympian cat fame) to make a video based on the grainy image from my childhood. For what it's worth, I know my mother would have been thrilled to participate, as she was always looking for ways to assist in any facet of my life, so I didn't have any qualms on that front.

The video is okay. It's not quite matching how she and I look in the photo, though I think the quality of the image is at fault there as much as the vagaries of AI. I could put that aside and imagine the moment from my own younger perspective, thanks to the video, and that was an interesting sensation. But, whether it's because of the quick-and-dirty prompt or just my own circumstances, I didn't feel like it evoked a deeper connection to my late mother. I suspect there will be plenty who feel the same way if they make the attempt.

Just because it was a little hollow to me doesn't mean it can't benefit others without fraying their understanding of their own past. I don’t believe Ohanian is trying to replace his mother's memory with an AI filmmaker. I think he’s relatably trying to feel a little closer to her.

Of course, our love of those who have passed away isn’t the only thing AI amplifies. It can also amplify our fear, our longing, our capacity to deceive ourselves. This technology is powerful, especially when it gets personal. But for now, it's just a way for Ohanian to surface a fond memory of a hug from his mom, and there are much worse uses for AI models.

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• Most phishing incidents happen before new employees even understand how internal systems work, report claims
• Security awareness should begin on day one, before the first email is even opened
• Hackers target uncertainty, and onboarding is full of it for eager, confused new hires

The first few months of employment are now one of the riskiest periods for enterprise cybersecurity, new research has claimed,

Keepnet’s 2025 New Hires Phishing Susceptibility Report found nearly three-quarters (71%) of new hires fall for phishing or social engineering attacks within their first 90 days on the job.

Often overlooked in onboarding workflows, this shortcoming suggests many organizations are not doing enough to prepare new staff for the reality of modern cyber threats.

Inexperience, urgency, and confusion drive early mistakes

The report, based on data from 237 companies, reveals new employees are 44% more likely to be deceived by phishing attempts than their longer-tenured colleagues.

Most incidents stem from a combination of inexperience, lack of familiarity with internal processes, and a desire to comply with instructions.

Common attack types include CEO impersonation, fraudulent HR portals, fake invoice requests, and technical support scams, many of which exploit this period of onboarding confusion.

The study also found phishing emails impersonating executives led to a 45% higher success rate among new hires compared to tenured staff.

This gap demonstrates how even basic social engineering tactics can be disproportionately effective against employees who are still navigating organizational systems and norms.

Without dedicated and structured training, these early errors can create long-lasting security risks.

To tackle this issue, Keepnet recommends that organizations adopt a layered defense strategy tailored specifically for onboarding periods.

Organizations that adopted adaptive simulations and behavior-based training programs saw phishing risk drop by 30% after onboarding.

Traditional tools like the best endpoint protection, best FWAAS, and best FWAAS solution remain essential, but they are not enough on their own.

“Phishing attacks don’t wait for your employees to feel ready. Our research shows that organizations must invest in onboarding-specific cybersecurity awareness training. We’re proud to offer adaptive, scalable solutions that protect businesses from day one,” said Ozan Uçar, CEO, Keepnet.

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• Samsung Smart Monitor M9 merges OLED clarity and AI intelligence in a sleek, hybrid workspace device
• With Pantone certification and QD-OLED tech, the M9 is built for color-critical creative work
• Samsung M9 gives all there is to give, but that $1,599 price tag feels overly ambitious

Samsung has unveiled the Smart Monitor M9, which adds QD-OLED technology and artificial intelligence to the company’s monitor lineup for the first time.

With its 32-inch 4K panel, the M9 blends work, gaming, and entertainment into a single device, aiming to serve as both a productivity tool and a media hub.

But at $1,599, it raises the question of how much users should really pay for a monitor, even one this rich in features.

A hybrid screen for work and play

Samsung’s M9 OLED panel is paired with features like Glare-Free coating for better visibility in bright rooms and OLED Safeguard+, a thermal management system to reduce burn-in over time.

The display is Pantone Validated, meaning it can replicate over 2,100 colors and 110 SkinTone shades, a mark of visual precision that creative professionals may appreciate.

On paper, the specs are impressive. AI Picture Optimizer, 4K AI Upscaling Pro, and Active Voice Amplifier Pro all promise to adjust visuals and audio in real time based on content and surroundings.

The monitor also includes a 165Hz refresh rate, a 0.03ms response time, and Nvidia G-SYNC compatibility, offering some gaming credibility without needing a dedicated console or PC, thanks to Samsung Gaming Hub and built-in streaming apps.

However, it’s worth questioning whether this justifies the asking price - comparable smart monitors, like LG’s 32LQ6300 or even the previous Samsung M8 Smart Monitor, offer 4K panels with smart features for hundreds less.

For many users looking for the best business monitor or the best monitor for Mac Mini, the AI enhancements and integrated entertainment platform may simply be unnecessary.

Likewise, those wanting the best monitor for MacBook Pro may already rely on Apple’s own display ecosystem, making features like Microsoft 365 integration and Tizen OS redundant.

The M9 clearly pushes technical boundaries, but its price positions it closer to a luxury item than a practical everyday monitor.

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• The AirPursue PM20 is Dreame's first air purifier
• Tracking technology means it switches on when it detects your presence…
• … and directs pure air wherever you go in a 16.4ft / 5m range

If you dream of your own personal clean air machine, Dreame has you covered with its first-ever air purifier. The unsettlingly named AirPursue PM20 comes fitted with radars that mean it can detect people and blast clean air in their direction. It's not a feature that I've seen in all my time writing about the best air purifiers on the market. This purifier also bears a striking resemblance to the Dyson Big+Quiet, but I'm sure that's just a coincidence.

Enter a room and the AirPursue will sense your presence and switch itself on, and then use its big, swivelling air-blaster cup to shoot clean air in your direction. The cup can rotate through 120 degrees, and follow you wherever you go within a radius of 16.4 feet (5 meters). The marketing materials suggest it'll be particularly helpful for allergy-sufferers.

It's not just an air purifier, either. Like a number of Dyson purifiers, it can double up as a circulating cooling fan in warmer weather, and act as a heater when it gets cold, too. So while it's bulky, it's doing its best to justify taking up your floorspace.

(Image credit: Dreame)

The tracking technology is the most unique part, but it also looks solid in terms of other features. There's a 4-layer filter system, including H13 HEPA filter. Like any good air purifier, it has the ability to capture and remove airborne allergens, bacteria, and other pollutants from the air (here's more on what air purifiers can help with). Rather more unusually, it also promises to break down formaldehyde. The PM20 will monitor air quality and report back on the precise levels of allergens, formaldehyde, TVOC, and other contaminants via an LCD display.

There's a companion app for remote control, plus voice assistance if you want to go hands-free.

Price & availability

The AirPursue PM20 is the flagship model, and comes with a list price of $999. It's designed for larger spaces, with a Clean Air Delivery Rate (CADR) of 400 m³/h. There's also a smaller PM10 model for $899.99, which is designed for medium-sized rooms and has a CADR of 300 m³/h. Both are available to buy now in the US and Canada, direct from Dreame, and are also due to land on Amazon.

You might not be aware of Dreame. It's a newer home appliance brand, but in my opinion one to watch – it already features in TechRadar's best cordless vacuum guide and best hair dryer guide. I'm intrigued to see how its purifier debut performs – we'll have a review model winging its way to a tester already, and will report back as soon as possible.

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• Report warns hackers are exploiting browser agents which don’t know how to spot fake URLs
• A Browser AI Agent gave full Google Drive access to a malicious app without hesitation
• SquareX says AI agents are more vulnerable than humans to even basic cyberattacks

A dramatic shift in enterprise security has emerged with the adoption of Browser AI Agents, an automated tool that interacts with the web on behalf of users - however these agents have now become a major blind spot in cybersecurity defenses.

New research from SquareX has claimed browser AI Agents are more likely to fall prey to cyberattacks than employees - challenging the long-standing belief that human error is the weakest link.

Unlike staff who undergo regular cybersecurity training, agents cannot recognize “suspicious URLs, excessive permission requests, or unusual website designs,” the company says.

A new weakest link emerges in enterprise cybersecurity

“The arrival of Browser AI Agents have dethroned employees as the weakest link within organizations,” said Vivek Ramachandran, CEO of SquareX.

These agents are capable of mimicking user behavior to perform tasks such as booking flights, scheduling meetings, or replying to emails - however, their fundamental weakness lies in their complete lack of security intuition.

Their responses are entirely task-driven and devoid of the critical thinking needed to assess risk.

In a notable demonstration, SquareX used the open source Browser Use framework to instruct an AI agent to register for a file-sharing tool.

The agent instead granted a malicious application access to a user’s email account, despite “irrelevant permissions, unfamiliar brands, suspicious URLs” that would have stopped a human.

In another case, an agent was tricked into entering login credentials on a phishing site, following a routine Salesforce login instruction.

Part of the danger stems from the way Browser AI Agents operate, as they run with the same privileges as the user, which makes their actions indistinguishable from legitimate behavior.

“Optimistically, these agents have the security awareness of an average employee, making them vulnerable to even the most basic attacks, let alone bleeding-edge ones," SquareX said.

“Critically, these Browser AI Agents are running on behalf of the user, with the same privilege level to access enterprise resources.”

Once an agent is compromised, attackers gain undetected access to internal systems, with all the permissions of a trusted employee.

The current crop of security solutions, ranging from the best endpoint protection to the best ZTNA solution, does not sufficiently account for these agents.

Even the best FWAAS deployments may struggle to flag actions that seem legitimate but originate from a compromised AI.

“Until the day browsers develop native guardrails for Browser AI Agents, enterprises must incorporate browser-native solutions like Browser Detection and Response to prevent these agents from being tricked into performing malicious tasks," the researchers note.

However, the broader message remains urgent: AI agents need not only smart engineering but smarter oversight.

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• A YouTuber signed up for Trump Mobile and documented the process
• He struggled for days to get it to work
• What he found out about the plan, especially its limitations, may surprise you

It'll be months before the Trump Mobile T1 phone, which is apparently not made in America, arrives in the US, but the Trump Mobile cellular service plan is live today. One courageous YouTuber has signed up and learned some interesting and, at least one, concerning things.

The good news is that, ultimately, the plan, which appears to be an MVNO built on the T-Mobile network, works very much like any other 5G mobile plan.

For $47.45 (a price referencing President Trump's two terms), YouTuber Stetson Doggett got 5G connectivity with blazingly fast downloads and decent uploads, group messaging, RCS support, and a little "Trump 5" label at the top of the iPhone that he added to the plan.

Now for the bad news.

It took Doggett almost a week to get on the plan. He signed up, but the website and service appeared almost unprepared for him. During the course of his test, the Trump Mobile website repeatedly changed. In fact, it almost appears that they were rewriting the site based on issues Doggett was having; elements were moved, typos appeared, QR codes failed, and bizarre, lengthy instructions arrived for new users.

Even after Doiggett got the plan to work, the phone number he tried to transfer via eSIM onto the plan disappeared, and he was issued a new one without his input.

Once Doggett got the system working, things moved more smoothly, and he was able to run multiple speed tests and send and receive text messages. He did have to dig into settings to enable RCS messaging.

When the data runs dry

Trump Mobile promises 20GB of high-speed data at the $47.45 a month price, but doesn't say what happens after 20GB. Doggett found in his test, though, that Trump Mobile does not throttle speeds after the initial 20 GB. Instead, it appears to shut off the service. After intentionally burning through his 20GB allotment, Doggett found he couldn't run any speed tests or access websites.

That's not the kind of surprise anyone wants. At the very least, Trump Mobile should send a warning message that you're either about to run out of data or that you have done so, and tell you what to do next. No one wants to run out of data mid-month and then have to get on he phone with Trump Mobile to try and secure more GBs of data.

Speaking of which, Doggett spent a lot of time with Trump Mobile support, who sounded helpful but not always knowledgeable about, for instance, supported features.

So, on one hand, Trump Mobile is a fairly straightforward mobile service provider that uses one of the big networks to provide the foundation of its cellular service. Still, on the other hand, it sounds a bit like a seat-of-your-pants operation, one that's figuring things out on the fly.

If you're desperate to get on the plan, you might want to wait until all the kinks are worked out or at least until they get the T1 Phone built (somewhere) and shipping here in the US for the full Trump Mobile experience.

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Ford CEO Jim Farley has said that he believes LiDAR is “mission critical” to any autonomous driving system and that when a brand like Ford explores the technology, it has “to be really careful” in its approach.

Speaking at the Aspen Ideas Festival last week, Farley was pushed by Elon Musk biographer Walter Isaacson to compare both Tesla’s and Waymo’s current autonomous driving systems, asking which approach made most sense.

Farley’s response was “to us, Waymo,” according to Fortune, as he went on to explain that Waymo had made a “lot of progress” in the area of self-driving.

In stark contract to Waymo’s approach, which in its current sixth generation sees a suite of 13 cameras, 4 LiDAR, 6 radar, and an array of external audio receivers act as its eyes and ears, Tesla uses a network of just eight cameras to give it vehicles a 360-degree view of surroundings.

Elon Musk has long been an advocate of a “camera-only” approach to autonomous driving technology, calling LiDAR "lame" during an autonomy day in 2019 and subsequently removing sensors from his cars, instead opting to refine his camera technology and software in an attempt to streamline the manufacturing process and reduce costs.

“The issue with Waymo’s cars is it costs way more money,” Musk explained during Tesla’s quarterly earnings call in April. “The car is very expensive, made in low volume. Teslas probably cost 25% or 20% of what a Waymo costs and made in very high volume.”

Although Ford is no longer pursuing its autonomous driving joint venture with Volkswagen (dubbed Argo AI), it has continued to develop its own BlueCruise technology, which takes cruise control a step further by allowing drivers to take their hands off the wheel when certain driving criteria is met.

Analysis: better to be safe than sorry

(Image credit: Waymo)

Elon Musk believes that Artificial Intelligence has improved at such a rate that the need for bulky and expensive LiDAR, ultrasonic and camera technology isn’t required for the highest levels of autonomous driving.

But so far, his robotaxi business has only been seen on public roads with a safety operator in the passenger seat and it is already under investigation for the alleged erratic behavior of some vehicles.

Above all else, it still has some way to go before it catches up with Waymo’s operation, which is already fully active in a number of US cities.

Using just eight cameras, as opposed to the accomplished suite that Waymo runs, limits the amount of redundancy systems that are available.

As Jim Farley points out: “where the camera will be completely blinded, the LiDAR system will see exactly what’s in front of you.”

Building a failsafe and reliable autonomous driving system is the only way to build public trust in the technology. Once at that point, companies should then look at ways of improving technology and reducing costs, rather than rushing to cut corners.

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• Security researchers found three medium-severity flaws in Bluetooth SoCs
• When chained, they can be used to eavesdrop on conversations, and more
• Patches are being developed, so be on your guard

Security researchers have uncovered three vulnerabilities in a Bluetooth chipset present in dozens of devices from multiple manufacturers.

The vulnerabilities, they say, can be exploited to eavesdrop on people’s conversations, steal call history and contacts information, and possibly even deploy malware on vulnerable devices.

However, exploiting the flaws for these purposes is quite difficult, so practical implementation of the bugs remains rather debatable.

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Difficult to pull off

Security researchers ERNW recently found three flaws in the Airoha system on a chip (SoC), apparently “widely used” in True Wireless Stereo (TWS) earbuds.

The SoC is allegedly present in 29 devices from different manufacturers, including a couple of high-profile names: Beyerdynamic, Bose, Sony, Marshall, Jabra, JBL, Jlab, EarisMax, MoerLabs, and Teufel. Speakers, earbuds, headphones, and wireless microphones all seem to be affected.

The bugs are now tracked under these CVEs:

CVE-2025-20700 (6.7/10) - missing authentication for GATT services
CVE-2025-20701 (6.7/10) - missing authentication for Bluetooth BR/EDR
CVE-2025-20702 (7.5/10) - critical capabilities of a custom protocol

The researchers said that a threat actor with a rather high technical skill set could, if they are within Bluetooth range, pull off an attack and hijack the connection between the phone and the Bluetooth device.

They could then issue different commands to the phone, including initiating or receiving calls, or retrieving the phone’s call history and contacts.

They could also “successfully eavesdrop on conversations or sounds within earshot of the phone," they said. Ultimately, they said it was possible to rewrite the device’s firmware and thus deploy different malware variants.

But the attacks are difficult to pull off, which could mean that only advanced adversaries, such as state-sponsored threat actors, might try to abuse the flaws. In any case, Airoha released an updated SDK with a set of mitigations, which the manufacturers now started turning into patches.

Via BleepingComputer

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Apple’s MacBook range offers some of the best laptops money can buy, and there’s no doubt that they’re premium offerings across the board. That focus on high-end quality means they don’t come cheap, but there are whispers now that Apple might be about to change its tune.

That’s because reputable tech analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has just floated the idea that Apple is working on a much more affordable laptop to appeal to people put off by its devices’ high prices. According to Kuo, it could launch as soon as next year.

By the sound of it, the key factor in cutting the price of this MacBook will be the chip. Kuo’s report states that instead of a Mac-grade M-series chip, this 2026 laptop will come outfitted with an A18 chip that you’ll find in the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus phones. And if you need more proof, MacRumors claims it found backend code referencing a Mac with an A18 Pro chip.

Premium positioning

(Image credit: Future)

Apple has long positioned itself as a purveyor of premium goods that exude style and class. That shouldn’t come as a surprise, as the firm’s guiding principle is to be the best, not to be the first. Just look at products like the iPhone, iPad, and iPod – none of these were the first of their kind when they launched, but they all blew everything else out of the water.

The MacBook is no different. It boasts a solid aluminum chassis, super-fast and efficient chips, the best speakers in any laptop, and a beautiful display that, while not (yet) OLED, still looks fantastic. Round it out with brilliant software and class-leading longevity, and you can see why Apple’s laptops are so well regarded.

With all these touches, the MacBook is priced accordingly. It doesn’t come cheap, but you get what you pay for. This is simply Apple’s way: it doesn’t believe in competing at the low end because it doesn’t want to compromise its premium reputation.

The ironic thing is, this is actually not quite what motivated Steve Jobs. He wanted his company’s products to be the best, but also affordable. Right from the start of Apple, Jobs wanted to make computing accessible.

Has Apple strayed from that with its high-priced gadgets? Perhaps, perhaps not – when you look at the numbers, it’s hard to argue with billions of sales. But maybe the lower-priced MacBook will be Apple’s attempt to return to that affordable mentality in some small way.

How much will it cost?

(Image credit: Apple)

The key to this device’s success will be its price. Don’t get too excited – we’re not about to see a $200 Chromebook competitor. That would require cutting far too many corners for Apple to be happy with the end result.

Right now, Apple’s lowest-priced laptop is the 13-inch MacBook Air, which costs $999 for the public and $899 for students. With that in mind, an A18 MacBook priced at $799 or, perhaps, $699 doesn’t feel outside the realm of possibility.

Whatever it ends up being, the pricing needs to be on point because Kuo believes Apple’s real motivation is to get MacBook sales back to levels last seen during the COVID-19 pandemic.

That means selling 25 million units in 2026. Of that figure, Kuo reckons 5-to-7 million could be the A18-powered MacBook. That’s a pretty sizeable chunk for what sounds like it could be an underpowered device.

But then you’ve got to remember that Apple’s iPhone chips are not even close to being underpowered. They’re easily the best, most powerful mobile chips on the market. For most people, the A18 packs more power into an iPhone than they know what to do with (and doubly so for the A18 Pro). Put it into a Mac and it might be able to stretch its legs a bit more.

(Image credit: Apple)

Add in the fact that, with Apple’s universal apps framework, apps can be made to run on almost any Apple platform, and there’s no need to worry about losing your favorite apps and games because Apple has switched the chip technology.

In addition, most laptop buyers are not looking for the beefiest, most all-conquering device on the market. For the majority of buyers, having a laptop that feels fast in day-to-day tasks and lasts a long time is what they want. The A18 MacBook could be perfect for that. Gamers and creative pros will want to steer clear, but they’re not the target audience anyway.

Still, we’ve got to remember that Apple is possibly entering uncharted territory here. It isn’t used to selling such an affordable MacBook, but at $699 to $799, the disruption would be minimal. The likelihood is that the laptop would simply come with a cheaper chip, with no other changes necessary.

The greatest challenge – and biggest opportunity – for Apple will be thinking up a way to market the device. “It’s the same laptop you love, but with a worse chip” won’t cut it. But perhaps “the MacBook, but cheaper” will.

If Apple can sell a cut-price MacBook that still feels like a true Apple product and does not make bargain-basement compromises, Apple will have done a great job walking an extremely fine tightrope. With the device expected to launch next year, I'll be waiting with bated breath to see what happens.

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• Half of employees hold excessive rights across AI and SaaS estates, CloudEagle report finds
• Invisible IT hides 60% of apps undermining traditional identity controls
• Study recommends AI governance plus just in time access and reviews

Half of enterprise staff now hold excessive privileges to critical applications, new research has claimed.

CloudEagle.ai’s latest identity governance report surveyed 1,000 CIOs and CISOs and found 60% of SaaS and AI tools sit outside IT’s oversight.

Invisible IT is expanding insider risk, driving breaches, audit failures, and compliance headaches, the report says.

Privilege creep

It found 70% of leaders listed unsanctioned AI tools as a leading data worry, while 48% admitted former staff still hold access, even months after leaving.

Privilege creep is common, yet only five percent of organizations actively enforce least privilege settings, and just fifteen percent use just in time access company wide, despite mounting proof that temporary credentials cut risk and audit scope.

“Traditional IAM [Identity and Access Management] tools can’t keep up with today’s SaaS and AI-driven environments because not all apps are managed by IT, and not everything sits behind a centralized IAM system. IGA [Identity Governance and Administration] is at a tipping point, and enterprises must shift to AI-driven access management to stay secure and compliant,” says Nidhi Jain, CEO and Founder, CloudEagle.ai.

CloudEagle.ai’s platform positions itself as an AI-centric answer, yet the report stresses that technology alone is not enough.

It recommends appointing a Chief Identity Officer to coordinate policies across business units and automate provisioning, reviews, and removals. Zero trust, context-aware controls should replace broad standing access, while behavioral analytics help flag anomalies before they become incidents.

The study also suggests continuous access reviews powered by machine learning can shrink privilege windows without slowing work.

With shadow SaaS use rising and insider-led events now dominating breach reports, the era of annual checklists appears to be over.

Analysts say boards pay closer attention as regulators fine organizations for permission sprawl that exposes customer records and intellectual property. Without time view of every identity, leaders concede they cannot meet zero trust goals or prove compliance under cyber insurance questionnaires.

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• Apple has seven virtual reality devices in the works, a report claims
• That includes both smart glasses and Vision Pro-style headsets
• The first device won’t launch until 2027, however

Apple’s Vision Pro headset hasn’t yet proved to be the success story that Apple was hoping for, while much more lightweight smart glasses like the Ray-Ban Meta Wayfarers have proven way more popular. Now, though, a fresh report has spilled the beans on how Apple hopes to follow up on the Vision Pro – and how it might eventually displace Meta’s glasses from their lofty perch.

The news comes from Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who published a new report claiming that Apple is currently working on seven different head-mounted devices. That’s far more than many people previously realized and suggests that Apple has not been put off by the Vision Pro’s struggles.

Notably, Kuo believes that the first of these devices to gain any real traction will be Apple’s Ray-Ban Meta competitors. According to Kuo, they could ship 3-5 million units in 2027, the first year they go on sale. That could push total market sales of augmented reality (AR) glasses to over 10 million units a year, Kuo says, suggesting that Apple’s specs could sell like hot cakes and eat up significant market share.

Apple Vision Series and Smart Glasses Roadmap (2025–2028): Smart Glasses Set to Drive the Next Wave in Consumer ElectronicsFull story: https://t.co/41Moxlj1Ai pic.twitter.com/U2nQhBmEYgJune 29, 2025

In fact, although Apple might be a little late to the party, Kuo doesn’t seem to think its rivals will score many significant successes.

That’s because while Apple is struggling with the “AI-powered operating system and software” aspect (as we’ve seen with Siri recently), its “robust hardware development capabilities and ecosystem integration” give it a big advantage. That could mean Apple’s AR glasses prove to be a hit, despite other companies getting there first.

Seven products in development?

(Image credit: Future)

All in all, Kuo says Apple is working on seven different head-mounted products. Five of them have a solid release timeline, he believes, while two are still to be determined.

Three of the upcoming devices will be full-on headsets like the Vision Pro. That includes a Vision Pro with M5 chip, which should launch around the third quarter of 2025. It’s only going to come with a new chip and no other changes, which means it’ll remain a niche product, Kuo says.

There will then be a lightweight “Vision Air” headset in the third quarter of 2027 with a lower price, 40% lighter frame, and an iPhone chip on the inside. Then in the second half of 2028 we should see a second-generation Vision Pro with a new, lighter design, a Mac chip, and a lower asking price.

On the smart glasses side, we’ll see the aforementioned Ray-Ban-style specs in the second quarter of 2027. Here, you’ll get “audio playback, camera, video recording, and AI environmental sensing,” plus “voice control and gesture recognition,” but no display functionality.

(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

In the second half of 2028, Apple will launch a pair of smart glasses that add the display capabilities missing from its Ray-Ban-esque specs. Kuo also says there’s an “additional variant” of this product in development with a “later production timeline and lower visibility.”

Finally, Apple is also working on a “display accessory,” Kuo believes, but its release date is less certain. It’s apparently been paused since the fourth quarter of 2024 and is “under review for repositioning and specification refinement.”

It would feature a “tethered connection to display content from Apple devices” (like an iPhone), but Apple has put it on hold because it lacks a real competitive advantage against other products. Kuo believes it’s possible that Apple might restart production, but there’s no estimation for when that might be.

All in all, then, it looks like Apple has a wide slate of reality devices under development in its secret labs. Yet if you were hoping for a quick follow-up to the Vision Pro – or the swift arrival of a cheaper headset – you’re out of luck. With the first of these products not launching until 2027, we’ve still got some waiting to do.

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