TechRadar News

• Elevation Labs has launched an AirTag case with a ten-year battery life
• The TimeCapsule uses AA batteries to boost your AirTags’ juice
• It also boasts IP69 protection from dust and water

Apple’s AirTags are great for finding your lost items, but their batteries don’t last forever. And while their button cells are easy enough to swap out, wouldn’t it be better if you just didn’t have to worry about changing their batteries at all?

That seems to be the motivation behind an opinion-splitting new product from Elevation Labs that promises to extend your AirTags’ battery life to a decade or more. Dubbed the TimeCapsule, the device is essentially a large case for your AirTag that boosts its battery life to ten years.

The black housing is roomy enough for two AA batteries, which offer up to 14 times the longevity of the CR2032 cell inside a regular AirTag. To use it, you just take the top half of an AirTag and attach it to the white plate inside the TimeCapsule, which is what sends the AA batteries’ power to your AirTag.

The enclosure can be screwed securely shut and is nondescript enough to not attract attention from a would-be thief. According to the TimeCapsule’s Amazon page, it also has an IP69 rating, enabling it to keep out dust and high-pressure liquids.

Size compromise

(Image credit: Elevation Labs)

You might be noticing the elephant in the room here: namely, the TimeCapsule seriously compromises the AirTag’s portability, which is one of its key selling points.

After all, it’s harder to slip a TimeCapsule into your compact flight luggage than a tiny AirTag. And attaching one to your keyring? Forget it. Sure, it’s not obnoxiously large, but it’s still much bigger than a regular AirTag.

Whether that’s a problem depends on how you intend to use it. If you want something that has better weatherproofing than Apple’s AirTag, it might be a good option. Similarly, if you’re not bothered that it takes up a little more room in your bags, you likely won’t be put off by its added bulk. But if you want a small tracker that can fit pretty much anywhere, it’s a little less viable.

The TimeCapsule costs $20 for a single pack (around £15 / AU$32), $30 for two and $40 for four. It can be bought from the Elevation Labs website or from Amazon. With an updated AirTag 2 reportedly on the way, we’ll have to see if battery life is something Apple improves, or if the TimeCapsule continues to hold its own.

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• Holiday.com covers over 200 countries, with regional and global plans available
• Data plans range from 1GB to 20GB, with options to customize plans
• ExpressVPN users can take advantage of special offers on the eSIM now

ExpressVPN has expanded its product range by launching a new eSIM for international travel.

The new holiday.com offering provides coverage in over 200 countries, including popular travel destinations such as Singapore, Australia and the United States, with plans starting from $3.50.

eSIMs eliminate the hassle of buying a physical SIM card upon arrival at your destination, with travelers able to opt for regional and global plans if they are traveling to multiple destinations. For example, the global plan offers coverage across 156 countries, starting at $13, and includes 1 GB of data valid for five days.

Are eSIMs the new way of travelling light?

"With holiday.com, you’ll have instant connectivity from the moment you step off the plane—without any adjustments or network headaches," Himmat Bains, Product Lead at ExpressVPN said.

ExpressVPN's move follows rival NordVPN's move earlier this year with its launch of Saily, emphasizing the increasing importance of privacy and security for travelers.

“Millions of people worldwide rely on ExpressVPN to keep them safe when they’re online — especially when they’re traveling. So it made sense for us to expand our product line up to help everyone travel with enhanced digital security and convenience," noted CMO of ExpressVPN, Ankit Khemka.

The traditional worries of navigating foreign SIM cards or unreliable data connection abroad are dying down thanks to eSIMs. With eSIMs, travelers find themselves more in control of their connectivity, and can also be more secure for travelers who often rely on untrusted Wi-Fi networks at airports and cafes.

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• The EU could force Apple to allow Android phones to use AirDrop and other exclusive features
• New proposals under the Digital Markets Act also highlight AirPods and Apple Watch features
• Apple has responded citing privacy concerns

A new round of EU proposals have firmly suggested that Apple make its exclusive features available to other developers and phone makers.

Under the proposals, EU residents may not need to buy an iPhone 16 for themselves to use features like AirDrop, AirPlay, and automatic audio switching.

Allowing other companies to use long-exclusive Apple features APIs would mark a significant step up in the EU’s ongoing efforts to loosen Apple’s control of the smartphone market in the region.

An API – Application Programming Interface – is a piece of software that allows two applications to communicate, forming the foundation for features like AirDrop. These exclusive elements of the Apple ecosystem have long been considered major perks of buying an iPhone.

The proposals are the latest suggestions made in relation to the Digital Markets Act, a piece of EU legislation that regulates the activity and competition of online storefronts and tech companies.

Apple has already responded with a paper titled “Interoperability December 2024”, which claims that “abuse” of the DMA could result in the loss of user privacy.

The paper says Meta has made 15 requests for wide-reaching access to Apple device technology, and suggests Apple would be unable to reject these should the latest round of DMA proposals be enforced.

As well as iPhone features, the latest round of suggestions focuses on the exclusive audio and notification features enabled on the Apple Watch and AirPods. The EU has requested that Apple allow third-party accessories the same notification systems as its own products.

As Android Authority reports, the EU has repeatedly demonstrated that it finds that Apple’s market dominance and tightly controlled ecosystem give the company an unfair advantage over the competition.

The suggestions do not seem to be immediately binding, but it is ostensibly within the EU’s purview to use the DMA to enforce them.

My analysis

Apple has previously been seemingly forced to make begrudging concessions under the DMA, such as switching to USB-C with the iPhone 15 and allowing sideloading of apps through unofficial channels – but API access feels like a step too far.

The DMA has been instrumental in puncturing the popular view of tech companies as invincible entities, and shown time and time again that even the top dogs can be compelled to change.

However, if the DMA exists to foster competition, it’s worth remembering that companies need something to compete with. Phones in particular have been on something of a performance plateau that’s only just coming to an end this year, so internal specs are rarely going to be enough to pull customers in.

Exclusive features, like AirDrop and AirPlay, give Apple something to offer. It’s great that Google is so open with Android – I make frequent use of all the interoperability features of the platform when switching between handsets for reviews – but I’m not convinced that this is a precedent Apple should be made to follow.

Furthermore, I’m inclined to believe Apple’s concern for user privacy. The company previously faced down the FBI in order to protect the integrity of its ecosystem, and I’m always pleasantly surprised by privacy features when using my iPad, MacBook, or on the rare occasions I use an iPhone.

Apple has received its fair share of criticism over the years, some earned, some not. But one thing the company has done is work hard to create a singular vision and sense of flow through its ecosystem. If the company is forced to offer its prized exclusive features publicly, I’ll wonder how long it’ll take before we see Android phones with Apple logos printed on the back.

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• Microsoft is strongly pushing for a passwordless future
• Passkeys don't need to be remembered, and are more secure
• Redmond details its journey in the passkey journey

Passwords are no longer good enough, Microsoft has said, as it signals a shift towards easier to use and more secure alternatives.

“At Microsoft, we block 7,000 attacks on passwords per second—almost double from a year ago. At the same time, we’ve seen adversary-in-the-middle phishing attacks increase by 146% year over year,” the company said in a new blog post.

“Fortunately, we’ve never had a better solution to these pervasive attacks: passkeys.”

It's time to get on board with passkeys

Passkeys are a more secure alternative to passwords as their private encryption key is only stored on a local device, such as your phone, and not on leaky servers that are liable being attacked. Passkeys also don’t need to be entered into a website - just verifying your identity using a biometric authenticator app that scans your face or a fingerprint will grant you entry to your account.

This also makes them phishing resistant, as an attacker would not only need your personal device to log in, but also your physical form to pass authentication. As an additional bonus, you don’t have to worry about forgetting a passkey, as it isn’t stored in your brain and doesn’t need to be written down or stored in a password manager.

Over the past year, Microsoft has stepped up the rollout of passkeys to its platforms, with passkey support being added to Xbox, Microsoft 365, and Microsoft Copilot in May 2024.

The slow rollout allowed users to become familiar with the option of signing in with a passkey or, as it is displayed on the login page, “face, fingerprint, or PIN,” which users were more familiar with.

Following this, Microsoft began “nudging” users into adopting passkeys at important points in the user experience, such as at account creation, after signing in, and when resetting passwords.

Experiments with messaging were also run, with Microsoft discovering that saying passkeys are “more secure” and “faster” saw a click through rate of 24% and 27% respectively. Additionally, Microsoft did not let users completely opt out of passkey usage by having the button say “Skip for now.”

The Microsoft passwordless sign-in experience (Image credit: Microsoft)

Microsoft then moved on to removing friction from the sign in experience by defaulting to passkey authentication if it was available as a login method, removing the need for users to remember passwords and type them in.

As for the future, Microsoft is aiming to eventually phase out passwords, and introduce a totally passwordless login experience using phishing-resistant credentials only.

However, there is still a long way to go until then, including introducing passkeys as the default, phasing out passwords, and then stopping password support altogether - so get ready for a passwordless future.

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• Meta reportedly making Ray-Ban glasses with a display
• Tipped to land in 2025
• Won't be Orion, but Meta's next step to consumer AR specs

While the consumer version of its impressive Meta Orion AR glasses prototype isn’t due to land any time soon, we might get a taste of what’s to come from the AR revolution next year as reports suggest we’ll get new Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses next year which incorporate “single small in-lens screen.”

That’s per the Wall Street Journal who says “a person familiar with the project” suggested that the Ray-Ban update is due in 2025, and that it could launch alongside the sensor wristband that early testers have used to control Orion.

The report added that while Meta wouldn’t confirm if this heads-up-display feature would be coming, a viewfinder that could show basic information like notifications was a much-requested feature according to Alex Himel, Meta’s vice president of wearables.

We should take rumors with a pinch of salt, but the display-equipped Meta Ray-Bans were previously teased back in 2023 by a leak from The Verge which revealed Meta’s internal roadmap – a roadmap which pegged 2025 as the release year for these glasses.

This is also a good sign for people wanting to get their hands on Orion, as that same leaked roadmap said full-on AR smart specs would drop in 2027. Assuming Meta is on track with Orion that means we could be wearing them in only two years, which feels almost too soon for the AR revolution.

As for when we might see the display packing Ray-Bans, sometime in September or October is most likely given Meta’s typical release schedule; it usually likes to showcase new hardware at Meta Connect which lands in that slot nearing the end of the year. It could always mix things up in 2025, but expect to be waiting a few more months for this improved smart glasses if they are indeed on the way.

Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses come with a variety of frames, lenses and colors. (Image credit: Meta) A display upgrade, or battery downgrade?

Meta’s Ray-Ban smart glasses have been one of the best – if not the best – gadget of the year for me. Technically they landed in 2023, but their Meta AI upgrade which only landed this year took them from interesting novelty to easily the best AI wearable out there, and an easy option to include in our best smart glasses guide.

AR functionality, even something basic such as a single HUD, would vastly improve their usefulness. And if the upgrade can come without a price increase – admittedly unlikely – or at least not a massive one, and maintain the stylish design of the current model, then I could see these upgraded specs easily supplanting everything else out there.

My only concern would be battery life. The current glasses only have a four-ish hour maximum based on usage, and a display (even a simple small one) could eat into that. Though Meta would be aware of this and may have designed new and improved batteries to ensure your glasses don’t switch off after two minutes, and at least if they do run out of charge you can always rely on them as a pair of stylish specs.

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• Sony has acquired new shares in FromSoftware owner Kadokawa, making it the company's largest shareholder
• Sony now owns 10% of shares, including the shares previously acquired in February 2021
• The two companies also plan to discuss new initiatives, such as ways to adapt Kadokawa IP in movies, TV shows, co-produce anime, and expand its games

Sony has announced it is now the majority shareholder of FromSoftware owner Kadokawa.

A new press release was shared today, December 19, to confirm that Sony and Kadokawa have officially signed a "strategic capital and business alliance agreement" after Sony acquired 12,054,100 new Kadokawa shares for approximately 50 billion yen, around $318.6 million / £252 million.

With the new shares, Sony is currently Kadokawa's largest shareholder, now holding approximately 10% of its shares, including the shares Sony acquired in February 2021.

Through this new capital and business alliance, the PlayStation owner said that it and Kadokawa "intend to further strengthen our collaboration to maximize both companies' IP value globally" as well as "facilitate wider and deeper collaboration, such as potential joint investments in the content field, joint discovery of new creators, and joint promotion of further media mixes of both companies' IP."

The two companies also plan to discuss new initiatives for collaboration, including ways to adapt Kadokawa's IP into live-action films and TV dramas globally, co-produce anime works, expand Kadokawa anime works through Sony, and further expand the company's games.

"We are very pleased to conclude this capital and business alliance agreement with Sony," said Takeshi Natsuno, Kadokawa's chief executive officer. "This alliance is expected to not only further strengthen our IP creation capabilities, but also increase our IP media mix options with Sony's support for global expansion, allowing us to deliver our IP to more users around the world.

"We are confident that this will greatly contribute to maximizing the value of our IP and increasing our corporate value in the mid- to long-term. We intend to do our utmost to ensure that our collaborative efforts with Sony produce great results in the global market."

Reports that Sony was looking to acquire the Japanese publishing company and owner of the Elden Ring developer surfaced last month, but it wasn't until last week that Sony confirmed it had "made an initial statement of intent".

Sony's president, COO, and CFO Hiroki Totoki also commented on the new shares acquisition, saying: "Through this capital and business alliance, we will become the largest shareholder of Kadokawa, which consistently creates a wide variety of IP, including publications and books, such as light novels and comics, as well as games and anime.

"By combining Kadokawa's extensive IP and IP creation ecosystem with the strengths of Sony, which has promoted the global expansion of a wide range of entertainment, including anime and games, we plan to work closely together to realize Kadokawa's 'Global Media Mix' strategy, aimed at maximizing the value of its IP, and Sony's long-term vision, 'Creative Entertainment Vision.'"

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• A new video featuring Mark Cerny has been released
• He provides some interesting insight into the PS5 Pro's tech
• This includes a breakdown of its ray tracing features

A new technical seminar featuring PlayStation 5 Pro lead console architect Mark Cerny has been posted to the official PlayStation YouTube channel. It provides some interesting new insights into the hardware that powers the PS5 Pro, including an explanation of what “advanced ray tracing” actually means.

The video is quite technical and begins with Cerny outlining what Sony is hoping to achieve with the PS5 Pro. He says that each new generation of consoles targets “broad improvements” and “significant new capabilities” that allow for a “tremendous step up in what the player experiences”. Mid-generation refreshes like the PS5 Pro, in contrast, are much more “tightly focused” and generally hone in on a few key areas like the GPU.

When developing the PS5 Pro, Cerny states that the focus was to create minimal extra work for developers while still offering games that play “noticeably better”.

Cerny also details some of the technical improvements in the PS5 Pro. While not entirely new information, it does provide a useful recap.

He explains that the 16GB of GGDR6 RAM found in the console is 28% faster than PS5, with over 1GB more memory available to games in order to help with PSSR, ray tracing, and increased rendering resolution. The PS5 Pro also features 2GB of slower DDR5 RAM for the operating system.

He goes on to address some common misconceptions, specifically regarding the power of the PS5 Pro’s GPU. He states that the GPU runs at 16.7 TFLOPs, debunking an earlier myth that it actually ran at a massive 33.5 TFLOPs. He reaffirms the claim that, overall, developers can expect to achieve a 45% increase in rendering speed which he calls “a huge improvement.”

We also get some insight into what the PS5 Pro’s advanced ray tracing entails in technical terms. He states that one of the “top priorities” of PS5 Pro development was “finding ways to accelerate” the computation of ray tracing. This was achieved through a combination of GPU improvements combined and new RDNA features in collaboration with AMD.

He estimates that calculation of rays now occurs at roughly “double or triple the speed of PS5”. He also explains a new acceleration structure and stack management in hardware. Put simply, the new acceleration structure interprets data regarding simulated geometry in order to work out where rays hit objects via an intersection engine. Objects are divided into “boxes”, which make it easier for the engine to work out which ones will be affected by rays.

Every time a box is intersected by a ray, it reduces in size to narrow down exactly what needs to be simulated. Compared to the PS5, the PS5 Pro encodes boxes in larger groups with an intersection engine that is twice as fast - massively increasing ray tracing performance.

The stack management in hardware then addresses the issue of divergence - which occurs when certain pixels being processed require different actions to others, generally increasing the time needed to render them. This impacts ray tracing performance, as there are lots of possible ways for a ray to be interpreted when it comes to curved or bumpy surfaces.

While the base PS5 uses a complex stack management system to accommodate for this, on PS5 Pro, stack management is in the console’s hardware - simplifying the process which “further increases the speed of execution”. This, in addition to a few other changes, leads to significantly more consistent ray tracing performance, helping games look and run better.

Although I certainly wouldn't recommend it to more casual players, you can check out the rest of the technical seminar for even more information.

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• Google’s browser and search engine are used by most consumers
• Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella speaks out amid ongoing investigations
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Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella has claimed Google makes more money off its Windows operating system than Microsoft does itself.

In a recent video interview with BG2Pod, Nadella hinted at Windows’ openness and support for interoperability, noting that competitor AI tools, like Google’s Gemini, OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Anthropic’s Claude, are all available to use on the operating system.

In other words, Windows users aren’t locked into using Microsoft’s Copilot suite.

Google can thank Windows for some revenue

Google doesn’t make its money by selling Micorosft’s operating system, though. Instead, its pervasion of the platform and of many computers in general has helped the company to secure multiple revenue streams.

The company’s hold over the search market and related advertising streams means that most Windows users give back to Google in more ways than just one.

Its Chrome, browser accounts for two in three (66%) desktop browser sessions across all platforms (via Statcounter). Take away Safari’s 9% market share, taking out a portion of Mac devices, and Chrome’s dominance becomes even more apparent.

Even when users choose to use a different browser, Google remains a firm favorite when it comes to search, accounting for 85% of all instances. Microsoft’s Bing only takes a 3% market share. Separate research from Cloudflare’s Year in Review report suggested that Google’s market share is closer to 88%.

The timeliness of Nadella’s comments can’t be ignored, as his company faces ongoing regulatory scrutiny for anticompetitive business practices. Even Google has had a stab at the company, trying to disband its deal with ChatGPT-maker OpenAI, a company that has received billions of dollars in Redmond support.

However, Google isn’t immune from similar allegations, and its own deal with Apple to be Safari’s default search engine hasn’t gone unnoticed by regulators. In 2021 alone, it reportedly paid $26 billion to Apple to keep that position (via Windows Central).

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• Two Creature Commandos stars have opened up on episode 4's big plot twists
• Maria Bakalova has teased how a surprising Ilana reveal will keep viewers guessing right up to the show's finale
• Sean Gunn explains how he approached Weasel's soul-crushing backstory from a voice acting perspective

Creature Commandos episode 4 marks the official midpoint of the Max show – and it might be the most eye-opening chapter of the R-rated animated series yet.

Based on its seemingly innocent title 'Chasing Squirrels', Creature Commandos' latest entry doesn't appear to be particularly shocking on the surface. Looks, though, can be deceiving, and episode 4 proves how true that statement can be with two big plot twists that few will have seen coming.

Major spoilers immediately follow for 'Chasing Squirrels'. Don't scroll past this point if you haven't watched the DC Cinematic Universe (DCU) show's latest episode yet.

A Pokolistani plan for world domination

Princess Ilana seemingly has ambitions on ruling the world with an iron fist (Image credit: DC Studios/Max)

The first surprise turn of events centers on Princess Ilana of Pokolistan. As I explained in another Creature Commandos episode 4 exclusive – one based around the apparent debut of the DCU's Justice League – it seems Pokolistan's de facto ruler isn't as innocent as she's letting on. Indeed, when the series' supposed main villain Circe shows ARGUS chief Amanda Waller a potential vision of the future, it's a premonition that revolves around Ilana and Pokolistan autocratically ruling the Earth.

Later in the episode, Waller drafts in Doctor Ilana MacPherson, a university professor who specializes in Themyscira, aka Circe's place of birth and one of three big references that Creature Commandos includes to tease Wonder Woman's eventual DCU debut. As MacPherson explains, Circe is a clairvoyant, which means she isn't able to imagine potential future scenarios on the spot. That, then, must mean Circe is telling the truth about Ilana and Pokolistan.

Well, this is a future that nobody wants, eh? (Image credit: DC Studios/Max)

Or is she? Speaking to TechRadar ahead of episode 4's release, Maria Bakalova, who voices Ilana, suggested there'll be more twists and turns before Creature Commandos' final chapter, which will keep viewers on their toes and ensure they won't know whether they can trust Ilana, MacPherson, or Circe.

"It's an interesting reveal," Bakalova said with a smile when I quizzed on episode 4's plot twist. "It's done in such a gentle way that it makes you think 'is it real, or is Circe lying?'. You don't know who you can trust out of Circe or Ilana. I'm really happy that the show is built in a way that keeps that tension throughout, so you can't tell if Ilana is as good as Rick Flag Sr thinks she is, or if she's actually the bad guy in all of this. You're never completely convinced."

Weasel's tragic tale

Weasel's backstory is fleshed out in Creature Commandos' fourth chapter (Image credit: DC Studios/Max)

As I alluded to, there's another big story-based moment in one of the best Max shows' fourth episode, and it's one focused squarely on Weasel.

Weasel's backstory has been referenced throughout Creature Commandos, with different characters mentioning that he was accused of killing 27 children. That's the reason why he was incarcerated in Belle Reve Correctional Center in the first place.

Or so we were led to believe. In an emotionally devastating flashback sequence, which intersects the DCU Chapter One series' present day storyline, we learn Weasel actually tried to save a bunch of kids when a fire breaks out at their school. He fails to do so, however, because he's shot and captured by law enforcers who mistake Weasel for causing the blaze and, in their eyes, attempting to steal the children in order to eat them.

I'm not going to lie, I got choked up watching this scene (Image credit: DC Studios/Max)

DC Studios' co-head James Gunn previously described episode 4's harrowing trip down memory lane as one of the saddest things he's ever written. True though that may be, such scenes require performers – among other things, such as its musical score – to effectively communicate how much a gut-punch these moments are. So, how did Sean Gunn, James' brother and the voice actor responsible for playing Weasel, convey such anguish with a character who can't talk?

"As an actor, sometimes you don't have the tools to make something work," Sean Gunn told me ahead of episode 4's release. "When I'm playing Weasel, all I've got are squeaks, grunts, and growls.

You don't know who you can trust out of Circe or Ilana

Mara Bakalova, Creature Commandos voice actor

"But, James and I talked a lot about how Weasel is like a big dog, and anyone who has a dog knows that they're incredibly emotional creatures who can experience joy, pain, sadness, all those kind of things. So, that's what I'm trying to get to the heart of when recording Weasel. That was really interesting because, in [2021 DCEU movie] The Suicide Squad, he was such an afterthought who was viewed as a goofball and just some form of comic relief. To be able to take that character and have to do something with him that has some real emotional resonance, that was very challenging for me, but I really loved doing it."

Want to read more exclusive Creature Commandos articles? Check out other articles I've written about the adult animated show below. Oh, and be sure to check in later for my coverage of the trailer for James Gunn's Superman movie.

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• Apple has reportedly abandoned plans for an iPhone subscription service
• This was originally rumored to be launching in 2022, but apparently faced numerous setbacks
• A similar service is already offered in the form of the iPhone Upgrade Program

We’ve been hearing talk of an iPhone subscription service since 2022, but now this rumored service – which would allow you to get new iPhones on a subscription – has apparently been abandoned by Apple before it could even launch.

This is according to Mark Gurman, writing for Bloomberg (via 9to5Mac) and citing “people familiar with the matter”. Gurman claims this decision is “part of a broader shift in how Apple approaches payment services.”

As a reminder, this iPhone subscription service would reportedly have let you pay a monthly fee, and then be able to swap your iPhone for a new one every year. But you likely wouldn’t ever have owned the iPhone – you’d have to return it to get a new one, and probably also have to return it if you canceled the subscription, so you’d essentially be leasing it rather than paying it off over time.

While this service may have proven useful for some buyers, this claim that Apple has abandoned the idea isn’t entirely surprising.

Bugs, regulations, and competition

This subscription service was once thought to be launching with the iPhone 14 (Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)

For one thing, this service had already reportedly faced numerous delays and issues. Initial reports suggested the service would launch around the time of the iPhone 14, but Gurman claims that issues, such as software bugs and regulatory concerns, held it back.

Gurman speculates that the idea was ultimately abandoned due to the fact that it would have been in competition with – and potentially upset – Apple’s wireless carrier partners, as well as due to stricter rules by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

Arguably though it’s not a service that’s even that needed, since Apple already offers an iPhone Upgrade Program. This allows you to pay off your iPhone in monthly instalments, and to optionally upgrade to a new model before you’ve finished paying it off if you trade your old one in.

So the end result would likely be similar for buyers, except with the iPhone Upgrade Program you can ultimately pay off and own the phone, which seemingly wouldn’t be the case with this rumored subscription service.

Of course, since Apple itself never announced this iPhone subscription service we’d take all of this information about it with a pinch of salt – it may never have been planned at all, or it may still be in the works, and exactly how it might work could differ from what we’ve heard too.

But Gurman has a superb track record for Apple information, so we’re inclined to believe that it was once planned, and now isn’t.

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In today’s hyper-connected world, data has become the lifeblood of modern businesses. Whether you’re a small e-ecommerce shop or a large multinational corporation, your success often hinges on how effectively you can harness data to make smart, informed decisions. From understanding customer behavior to optimizing marketing campaigns, data-driven decision-making is no longer a luxury — it’s a necessity.

As organizations increasingly recognize the power of data, the demand for sophisticated tools to manage this invaluable resource is surging. The customer relationship management (CRM) software market is booming — and it doesn’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon. Fortune Business Insights predicts the global market will nearly double in size, reaching $157 billion by 2030, up from $71 billion in 2023.

However, as businesses strive to become more data-centric, many find themselves facing a confusing challenge. How do you navigate the vast sea of tech tools designed to manage and leverage customer data? Two of the most prominent solutions are Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems and Customer Data Platforms (CDPs). But here’s where the dilemma kicks in: while both seem to offer powerful ways to manage customer data, they serve very different purposes.

So, which one is right for your business? Is there a way to combine their strengths? In this article, we’ll break down the key differences between CDPs and CRMs, explore their unique functions, and help you make an informed decision on which tool — or combination of tools — best fits your needs.

What is a CRM?

At its core, CRM software is like your business’s personal assistant for keeping track of customer relationships. Think of it as a centralized hub where every interaction with a customer is neatly organized, so nothing falls through the cracks — whether it's a potential sale, an important email, or a customer service request.

The main function of a CRM is to help businesses manage and optimize the relationships they have with their customers. It keeps track of who your customers are, how and when you’ve interacted with them, and where they are in the sales process. For sales teams, it's the ultimate tool for turning a lead into a loyal customer. For customer service teams, it's all about ensuring the customer feels heard and valued.

Typical features of a CRM

Here are some of the key features that make CRM systems invaluable for modern businesses:

Contact and lead management: At a glance, you can see every customer or lead’s detailed information and history, from phone numbers and emails to their last conversation with your team.

Sales tracking and forecasting: CRMs help you see where every prospect is in the sales funnel, making it easier to forecast revenue and plan your next move.

Customer interaction history: CRMs keep a record of all interactions, so anyone in your team can pick up where things left off.

Task and project management: You can set tasks, assign responsibilities, and track progress on customer-related projects, so no one drops the ball.

When should you choose a CRM?

A CRM is best suited for companies that prioritize sales, customer service, and relationship management. It helps teams keep track of who their customers are, how and when they’ve interacted, and what actions need to be taken to move those relationships forward.

What is a CDP?

A CDP is the ultimate tool for businesses that need to make sense of the growing mountain of customer data coming from multiple sources. Unlike a CRM, which focuses on managing interactions and relationships, a CDP’s main job is to collect and unify scattered data — from website activity to email interactions — into one comprehensive view. In today’s digital world, where customers interact with brands across many channels, a CDP helps marketers connect the dots and truly understand who their customers are.

At its heart, a CDP gathers and organizes customer data from various sources to create unified profiles that paint a complete picture of each individual. This data can come from your website, mobile app, email marketing campaigns, social media, or even in-store purchases. The magic of a CDP lies in its ability to combine all these touchpoints into one clean, actionable profile that can be used to drive personalized marketing at scale. It’s a powerhouse for any business that wants to truly understand its customers and tailor experiences to their preferences and behaviors.

Typical Features of a CDP

The true power of a CDP lies in its ability to bring together all the fragmented pieces of customer data and turn them into something actionable. Here’s a closer look at the key features that make a CDP so effective:

Centralized data from various channels: Whether it’s website clicks, social media engagement, or email open rates, a CDP pulls data from all available touchpoints into one place.

Unified customer profiles: By aggregating data, a CDP builds detailed profiles for each customer, helping you understand their behaviors, preferences, and buying habits.

Advanced segmentation for personalized marketing: With rich data at your fingertips, a CDP allows you to segment your audience based on a variety of factors, enabling hyper-targeted campaigns that feel personal and relevant.

Integration with marketing tools: CDPs don’t just collect data — they integrate with your existing marketing tools, like email platforms and ad networks, to help you deliver seamless, data-driven campaigns.

When should you choose a CDP?

A CDP is the right choice for businesses that want to harness the full potential of customer data to fuel personalized marketing efforts. If your organization is looking to create a unified view of customer interactions across channels and use that data to drive hyper-targeted campaigns, then a CDP is the way to go.

Can you use both a CRM and CDP?

In an ideal world, many businesses would benefit from using both a CDP and a CRM system. While a CRM excels at tracking customer interactions and managing relationships, a CDP specializes in aggregating and unifying customer data from multiple sources. Together, they provide a 360-degree view of the customer journey, enabling businesses to make data-driven decisions that can improve both sales and marketing efforts.

However, budget constraints can often make this impractical. Ultimately, the choice between a CDP and a CRM comes down to your business needs and budget. While having both can provide a comprehensive view of your customers, focusing on one solution doesn't mean you're at a disadvantage. By understanding your primary goals and maximizing the features of your chosen platform, you can effectively manage customer relationships and drive growth — even on a limited budget. If you can, plan for future investments in both systems as your business grows, but for now, choose wisely based on your immediate needs.

We've listed the best CRM for startups.

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

• Reversing Labs and Assaraf discover campaign targeting software and web3 devs
• Multiple packages were hiding weaponized code that deploys stage-two malware
• The malicious intent was very difficult to spot

Software developers, especially those working on web3 and cryptocurrency projects, are being targeted in a brand new software supply chain attack, experts have claimed.

Security researcher Amit Assaraf published a new blog post outlining how he had observed dozens of malicious Visual Studio Code extensions on the VSCode marketplace designed to download well-hidden second-stage payloads from shady domains (some in Russia).

A similar report was recently published by cybersecurity researchers Reversing Labs, who said that the campaign most likely started in October 2024.

Heavily obfuscated files

"Throughout October 2024, the RL research team saw a new wave of malicious VSCode extensions containing downloader functionality — all part of the same campaign," the researchers said. "The community was first notified of this campaign taking place in early October, and since then, the team has been steadfast in tracking it."

The packages are designed for tools like Zoom, Solidity (a programming language for smart contracts on Ethereum, among others), and more. Similar packages were found on NPM, as well.

While both Reversing Labs and Assaraf did not analyze the second-stage payload, BleepingComputer says it is a “heavily obfuscated Windows CMD file” that launches a hidden PowerShell command. Its goal is to decrypt AES-encrypted strings in additional CMD files, to drop further payloads, including malware that gets flagged by just 27 out of 71 antivirus engines.

While the number of compromised endpoints is difficult to determine, Assaraf says it’s most likely in the thousands. He added that the attack was very difficult to spot, since the packages check all the right boxes:

“Looking closely, you can see it has several great indicators for it being real, the high number of installs, the official Zoom Github repo, the positive reviews. Going into the publisher page we continue to get positive reinforcements,” he said. “The domain name looks great, it has the official support email, it has all the official socials, everything checks out.”

The only thing developers can do is exert care when downloading software packages. “Don’t trust - verify” is the usual mantra, especially within the cryptocurrency community.

Via BleepingComputer

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• Visually, it's unlike any robot movie you've ever seen
• Based on Simon Stålenhag's dystopian novel
• Coming to Netflix in March 2025

We've been excited about The Electric State for a while now: Netflix's big-budget sci-fi movie, directed by the Russo Brothers, has got a very distinct look, a classic dystopian setup and a great cast too. First-look images were shared back in October and now there's a trailer to get everyone a little more stoked.

I love the visuals here, and the robots really remind me of the brilliant videogame NieR: Automata. And given the Russo's track record with the Marvel Cinematic Universe, there's lots here to look forward to what could be one of the best Netflix movies.

What we know about The Electric State

The Electric State is based on the graphic novel by Simon Stålenhag, which takes place in an alternate reality version of 1997. There, a teenage girl and her robot pal traverse the southwest US after technology goes bad – not quite Terminator bad, but pretty close.

According to Netflix: "Set in an alternate, retro-futuristic version of the 1990s, [Millie Bobby] Brown stars as Michelle, an orphaned teenager navigating life in a society where sentient robots resembling cartoons and mascots, who once served peacefully among humans, now live in exile following a failed uprising."

It continues: "Everything Michelle thinks she knows about the world is upended one night when she’s visited by Cosmo, a sweet, mysterious robot who appears to be controlled by Christopher – Michelle’s genius younger brother whom she thought was dead."

With a cast and voice cast that also includes Ke Huy Quan (Loki), Jason Alexander, Woody Norman, Giancarlo Esposito (The Mandalorian), and Stanley Tucci (Citadel). Woody Harrelson (Zombieland), Brian Cox (Succession), Jenny Slate (It Ends With Us), Hank Azaria (The Simpsons), Colman Domingo (Sing Sing), and Alan Tudyk (Star Wars: Rogue One) this has the potential to be pretty great. We'll find out for sure when it premieres on one of the best streaming services on 14 March 2025.

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• US Government is reportedly considering a ban on TP-Link devices
• TP-Link supplies 65% of home routers in the US
• The routers were targeted in a series of cyberattacks earlier in 2024

The US Government is considering an all-out ban on TP-Link devices, despite the company's routers supplying roughly 65% of US homes and small businesses.

A report from the Wall Street Journal noted officials are citing national security concerns as the cause of the potential ban after the Chinese-made routers were ‘bombarded’ with malware and botnet threats earlier in 2024.

Known vulnerabilities in TP-Link devices allowed hackers to infect them with malware and compromise the machines, most commonly using Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks.

TP-Link security risk?

Looking forward, the departments of Defense, Justice, and Commerce could issue a ban on the sale of the routers in the coming months, especially considering this decision will likely rest with incoming President Trump, who has signaled strong intentions to take a tough stance on China.

In 2019, TP-Link supplied only 20% of home routers, but now over 300 US internet service providers currently issue TP-Link as the default internet router for home plans, and this number is growing rapidly. The devices are typically cheaper than competitors, often by over half, making them an incredibly popular choice.

The routers aren’t just for home use either, with federal agencies such as NASA and the DEA using the brand, which could leave them exposed to Chinese state sponsored attacks, although US officials have not yet disclosed any evidence that TP-Link has allowed or assisted in these botnet attacks.

It’s not uncommon for routers to have vulnerabilities, but the concerns reportedly come from TP-Link’s refusal to engage with security researchers. The company insists it has taken action to address known vulnerabilities and assess potential security risks, a spokesperson confirmed.

“We welcome any opportunities to engage with the U.S. government to demonstrate that our security practices are fully in line with industry security standards, and to demonstrate our ongoing commitment to the U.S. market, U.S. consumers, and addressing U.S. national security risks,” a TP-Link spokesperson said.

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• 87% of IT professionals agree there is a lack of gender diversity
• Three in four businesses struggle to hire and keep the right talent
• More women in tech would contribute to more than just inclusivity

New research from ISACA has confirmed that a troubling outlook for the IT industry remains – gender diversity remains a key challenge for the sector, and according to the research, not enough companies are doing enough to solve it.

Nine in 10 (87%) IT professionals surveyed for the report agree there is a notable lack of gender diversity within the sector, but not even half (41%) of companies have programs dedicated to hiring more women in tech.

The data comes from more than 7,700 tech professionals globally, highlighting the scale and extent of the challenge.

We need more women in tech

The report adds three in four (74%) businesses worldwide struggle to attract and retain talented professionals. They recognize they need broader pools of candidates and more robust talent pipelines to fill roles and plug skills gaps, yet they’re still not taking sufficient steps to hire more women.

Moreover, the lack of women in tech is making it even more inaccessible for women – two in five (43%) women say that a lack of female role models in IT is a critical factor. Only one in five (21%) men see this as an issue.

Furthermore, here we are just days away from 2025 and we’re still talking about pay inequality; 42% of women agree that this contributes to underrepresentation.

Speaking about the inclusivity and diversity benefits associated with encouraging and supporting more women in tech, ISACA Chief Membership Officer Julia Kanouse commented: “More needs to be done to increase the representation of women in the IT and technology sector – and more needs to be done to welcome their leadership and influence.”

Setting out a series of New Year’s Resolutions, the survey’s respondents are urging businesses to provide mentors or role models (52%), support more networking events for women in tech (42%) and hire more female tech processors (31%).

"Having a workforce of people with different backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives to bring to the table is not only the right thing to do – it’s also a business imperative that makes an organization more innovative and it’s work that much more efficient and effective," noted ISACA's SheLeadsTech initiative UK and Europe lead, Sarah Orton.

"Progress has been made – but the sector has more work to do, and ISACA is supporting this important work.”

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• Lead architect of the PS5 and PS5 Pro, Mark Cerny, has announced a new collaboration between Sony and AMD codenamed 'Amethyst'
• The first goal is to create "a more ideal architecture for machine learning", as well as develop a high quality set of CNNs for game graphics
• Cerny said this collaboration is "multi-year" but we shouldn't "expect a massive hardware announcement immediately coming out of this"

PlayStation console architect Mark Cerny has announced a new collaboration between Sony and AMD codenamed 'Amethyst' to develop machine learning technology across various devices.

Mark Cerny, lead architect of the PS5 and PS5 Pro, presented a technical seminar yesterday, offering a deep dive into the mid-generation console and its new PSSR (PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution) technology.

During the presentation, Cerny also revealed that Sony is furthering its current partnership with AMD - which already collaborates on the PS5 and PS5 Pro's GPUs - to develop machine learning in games in a new project called 'Amethyst'.

"With Amethyst, we’ve started on another long journey and are combining our expertise with two goals in mind," Mark Cerny said.

"The first goal is a more ideal architecture for machine learning. Something capable of generalized processing of neural networks but particularly good at the lightweight CNNs needed for game graphics and something focused around achieving that Holy Grail of fully-fused networks."

Cerny explained that the second goal is to develop "in parallel, a set of high quality CNNs for game graphics" to will help further graphical capability.

"Both SIE and AMD will independently have the ability to draw from this collection of network architectures and training strategies, and these components should be key in increasing the richness of game graphics as well as enabling more extensive use of ray tracing and path tracing," he said.

Cerny also spoke to Digital Foundry in a Q&A following the presentation to discuss more about the AMD collaboration. The developer said that it's a "deep collaboration" that's "multi-year", but that we shouldn't "expect a massive hardware announcement immediately coming out of this".

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• Supposedly leaked renders show the front of both the Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus and Ultra
• The designs appear similar to the S24 line, but with curvier corners on the Ultra
• This leak lines up exactly with previous leaked images

You can tell we’re getting close to the launch of the Samsung Galaxy S25 series, as there are seemingly new leaks about these phones every single day. Indeed, today’s leak takes the form of some renders showing the front of the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra and Galaxy S25 Plus.

Shared by Evan Blass – a leaker with a superb track record – these images don’t really show anything new, but they provide yet more evidence that Samsung will be changing the design of the Ultra by giving the new model curvier corners than the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra.

That said, the corners are still less curvy in these images than those of the Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus, presumably so that it will still be easy to distinguish Samsung’s top phone from the rest of the S25 line.

The Galaxy S25 Plus (left) and the S25 Ultra (right) (Image credit: Evan Blass)

Corners aside, you can see in these images that the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra unsurprisingly has slightly smaller bezels than the S25 Plus. In fact, we’d recently heard that the Galaxy S25 Ultra might have the smallest bezels of any phone.

You can also see that both phones have a single-lens punch-hole camera at the top-center of the screen, which is in line with their predecessors.

Similar from the back, too

Sadly, we can’t see the back of the phones here, but previous leaks – including photos of the Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus and renders of the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra – have shown us their rear panels. Going by those, these phones look a lot like their predecessors from the back, albeit with darker rings around the camera lenses.

So, we’re not expecting drastic design changes, but of course the Samsung Galaxy S25 colors probably will differ from those of the Samsung Galaxy S24 series, and bigger changes are expected on the inside – including the likely presence of a top-end Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset.

The Samsung Galaxy S25, Galaxy S25 Plus, and Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra are all widely rumored to be launching on January 22, so we should know exactly what they have to offer soon.

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• The OnePlus Open 2 could have a huge 5,900mAh battery
• Improved performance and waterproofing are also tipped
• We should see the phone show up in early 2025

Having loved the OnePlus Open, we're ready and waiting for the OnePlus Open 2 to be revealed in the first few months of 2025 – and the latest leak around the foldable has raised the anticipation level up a few more notches.

According to well-known tipster @chunvn8888, the OnePlus Open 2 is going to come with some key hardware upgrades. Those upgrades include a 5,900mAh battery (up from 4,805mAh in the first model), which would be the biggest battery in a foldable to date.

That's not all: the handset is set to come with IPX9 waterproofing – taking this foldable phone from "splash resistant" with the 2023 model to truly waterproof for the 2025 edition – and the top-end Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset from Qualcomm.

The phone will apparently be led by a 50MP camera on the rear, with the same 3x optical zoom as previously. The cameras on the back are said to be arranged in a W shape, so it seems something of a redesign is on the way as well.

The rumors so far

OPPO/OnePlus foldable will have a big comeback sometime during Q1/2025, and ofc global release is guaranteed. It will pack the biggest battery size for a foldable (5900mAh) in one of the slimmist form on market , IPX9 debut, 50MP W shape IMX882 3x tele, 8 Elite SoC.December 19, 2024

This new information lines up pretty well with the OnePlus Open 2 rumors we've heard so far, though a previous leak put the battery size at a mere 5,700mAh. That leak said the new phone would be slimmer than its predecessor too, which is backed up by @chunvn8888.

The latest tip also mentions a launch window of Q1 2025 – so January, February, or March. Again, that's something we've heard before, so it's looking increasingly likely that the foldable will break cover before we're too far through next year.

In our OnePlus Open review, we described it as the first foldable we'd seen that didn't compromise on anything – though since then the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold have arrived to give OnePlus some new competition.

It certainly sounds as though the OnePlus Open 2 is going to be a major upgrade on the first model, and the kind of phone that's going to find a place in our best foldables list. As soon as anything is made official, we'll let you know.

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• Samsung OLED model numbers for 2025 may have leaked
• It reveals sizes as well as names
• Models are moving from D to F and we don't know why

It's quite common for new tech to leak when it's submitted to regulatory bodies for approval: the databases of those bodies are typically open to the public, and that means eagle-eyed tech watchers can often find new model numbers and other details well in advance of any official launch. And it looks like three Samsung smart TVs have just arrived on one of those databases with a surprising change.

According to DisplaySpecifications (via Notebookcheck), there are references to multiple new Samsung OLED TVs in the South Korean regulatory database with a product code ending in F, rather than the D used for 2024 TVs: the S85F, the S90F and the S95F. And that raises an interesting question: what happened to the E TVs?

What the F?

The current crop of Samsung TVs have model designation D, such as the Samsung S90D OLED. But according to the records in the database, Samsung is skipping E altogether. We have no idea why.

The original actually report suggests that the S85F TV may use QD-OLED panels in some cases, but we'd be surprised if that’s the case: the S85 models are usually W-OLED to keep them affordable and we'd be amazed if that changes in 2025

We're expecting the S90F to continue to use a mix of QD-OLED and W-OLED in different sizes in 2025, based on the sizes listed here.

According to the report, you can expect the S85F series to come in 55, 65, 77 and 83 inches in the US and from 55 to 77 inches in Europe.

The S90F will come in sizes from 48 to 83 inches in the US and the same in Europe; and the S95F series will range from 55 to 83 inches in the US and Europe. If you've been following the sizes of the Samsung S95D, you might note that the 83-inch size is new here, and since Samsung doesn't mix QD-OLED and W-OLED panels in this model, it suggests that the leak of an 83-inch QD-OLED last month from Samsung's own parts database is going to result in a new size of elite TV.

There's no information about these TVs beyond the surprise name jump and the sizes, but we're expecting to see the new models unveiled at CES 2025. Samsung's had a great run among the best OLED TVs, so we're excited to see the new models.

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• Creature Commandos episode 4 showed off the DCU's Justice League for the first time
• DC Comics' most iconic superteam, though, don't appear in the manner you'd expect
• Showrunner Dean Lorey says fans "shouldn't infer" anything from the brief scene, either

Creature Commandos episode 4 has handed us a first look at the DC Cinematic Universe's (DCU) Justice League, but not in the way many would've predicted

I didn't expect the Max series' fourth episode, titled 'Chasing Squirrels', to mark the supergroup's debut in James Gunn and Peter Safran's rebooted DC Universe, but here we are. Well, I'm using the word 'debut' pretty liberally here, because they only show up in the briefest of scenes that showrunner Dean Lorey says you and I "shouldn't infer" anything from said sequence.

Full spoilers immediately follow for Creature Commandos' fourth chapter, so turn back now if you haven't streamed it yet.

Well, this is an inauspicious debut for the Justice League in the DCU... (Image credit: DC Studios/Max)

As I said, the scene in question isn't a full introduction to the DCU's Justice League. Seven minutes into 'Chasing Squirrels', ARGUS chief Amanda Waller is shown a vision of the future by Circe, the series' apparent villain-in-chief and who's one of three big teases in Creature Commandos that predate Wonder Woman's DCU debut.

But I'm getting off track. Circe, who was captured by the eponymous team in one of the best Max shows' fourth entry, attempts to tell Waller, Rick Flag Sr., and John Economos that Princess Ilana and Pokolistan, the nation she rules over, aren't what they seem. In a bid to convince them further, Circe says she can use her clairvoyant abilities on Waller to show her a vision of a potential future where Ilana and Pokolistan tyranically rule over the world.

Let's hope David Corenswet's Man of Steel fares far better in today's (December 19) Superman movie trailer reveal... (Image credit: DC Studios/Max)

It's here where the Justice League appear – kind of, anyway. You see, as part of Waller's vision, we see the Justice League, plus numerous other DC heroes and antiheroes, crucified, impaled on spears, or lying dead on a skull-littered ground. Among those depicted in this sequence are DC's iconic trifecta of superheroes, aka Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman.

They aren't the only ones, though. I also spotted Robin, Peacemaker, Supergirl, one of the Green Lantern Corps, Hawkgirl, Vigilante, and what appears to be a comics-accurate Aquaman (complete with blonder hair) among the dead. Let me know if you picked out anyone else, such as The Flash, Cyborg, and Martian Manhunter.

What did you do, Ilana!? (Image credit: DC Studios/Max)

There are plenty of questions raised by Circe's premonition. How powerful is the country of Pokolistan if it's able to not only conquer the world, but also defeat so many metahumans? Is this a future that will happen or may only do so if Task Force M doesn't stop Ilana? And is there anything we should read into the Justice League and their fellow heroes' deaths in this DCU Chapter One project? Unfortunately, if you came here looking for answers to the above and any other queries you have, Lorey can only provide one answer, but it's a pretty categorical one all the same.

"That scene is specific to the story [of Creature Commandos]," Lorey replied when I asked him if it sets up future scenarios in the DCU. "It's not really meant to infer anything but, you know, it was meant to do what it does, which is show a very dark vision of the world if something isn't done to prevent it. But, no, I would say fans shouldn't infer anything about the Justice League [from that]."

Consider that case closed, then! For more of my Creature Commandos and wider DCU coverage, check out the section below.

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