TechRadar News

• Security researchers from Cybernews found thousands of iOS apps with hardcoded secrets
• The secrets could be used in data leakage or wire fraud
• The majority of the secrets can be disregarded as low-sensitivity

Researchers from the Cybernews team have found evidence to suggest that thousands of App Store applications have left hardcoded secrets in their code, which has resulted in user's sensitive information being exposed to cybercriminals.

The researchers analyzed more than 156,000 iOS apps and discovered more than 815,000 hardcoded secrets, thousands of which were “very sensitive and could lead directly to breaches or data leaks.”

A “secret” is a broad term, and includes things like API keys, passwords, or encryption keys. Being “hardcoded” means that the developers add these things directly in the source code. The general consensus is that they do it since it’s convenient in production, and often just forget to remove the secrets once the app goes live.

Cloud info, API keys, Stripe data

The average app's code exposes 5.2 secrets, and 71% of apps leak at least one secret, Cybernews reported.

The majority of these secrets can be disregarded, they explained, since they can’t be used in criminal attacks. However, they found almost 83,000 hardcoded cloud storage endpoints, 836 of which do not require authentication and could leak more than 400TB of data. They also found 51,000 Firebase endpoints, “thousands” of which are open to outsiders, as well as thousands of exposed keys for Fabric API, Live Branch, MobApp Cretor, and others.

The biggest problem, though, were Stripe secret keys, which directly control financial transactions. “Stripe is widely used by e-commerce and even fintech companies to handle online payments,” Cybernews explained, before stating that its team found 19 Stripe secret keys.

“Many people believe that iOS apps are more secure and less likely to contain malware. However, our research shows that many apps in the ecosystem contain easily accessible hardcoded credentials. We followed the trail and found open databases with personal data and accessible infrastructure,” Aras Nazarovas, a security researcher at Cybernews, said.

“Some iOS developers just make it too easy for hackers.”

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

Via Cybernews

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Emily in Paris season 5: key information

- Officially renewed for season 5
- Filming begins in May 2025
- No official trailer released yet
- Main cast predicted to return
- Production to commence in both Paris and Rome
- No official plot synopsis revealed

Emily in Paris season 5 is set to return, but what can we expect from one of the best streaming service's hit shows?

Over four seasons, Emily has moved to Paris, worked endlessly to impress her boss Sylvie at the marketing firm, and fallen in love (more than once). She's clearly been busy, but it looks like season 5 will be her busiest period yet as she continues her new life in Rome setting up Agencie Grateau's new office.

And while we may be four seasons in, Emily in Paris is still topping Netflix charts, taking the number one spot in the Global Top 10 when it premiered in August 2024 and racking up 19.9 million views in the first four days. So, unsurprisingly, Emily in Paris returns for more.

A swift renewal after season 4's premiere on the streaming platform means we've got plenty to talk about. And while we're not-so-patiently waiting to find out what Gabriel will do next and how Emily will deal with it – and her new love, Marcello – we can tide ourselves over by delving into everything there is to know about Emily in Paris season 5.

From the show's release date and predicted cast to its plot synopsis story and rumors about what to expect, here's what we've gathered so far about Emily in Paris season 5.

Emily in Paris season 5: is there a release date?

There's no place like Rome. Emily in Paris is coming back for SEASON 5! pic.twitter.com/UL3aRa0ftuSeptember 16, 2024

Emily in Paris season 5 was officially renewed in September 2024, just days after season 4 part 2’s release. The show’s creator, Darren Star told Tudum: “We’re thrilled with the incredible response to this season of Emily in Paris and excited to return for a fifth to continue Emily’s adventures in Rome and Paris!”

And in November 2024, Variety revealed that a filming schedule had been confirmed: “Filming is due to begin in the first week of May next year (2025) with its usual key crew, ensuring the show will retain its French DNA.”

So, while we don’t have an official release date just yet, we do know that we’ll be returning to both European cities for season 5. Plus, we can certainly speculate based on last season’s release schedule as to when we could expect it.

For season 4, filming started in January 2024 and premiered laster that same year in August. If we imagine a similar gap this time, we’re looking at a possible December release date in 2025. Rome and Paris at Christmas? That sounds pretty romantic.

Emily in Paris season 5: has a trailer been released?

(Image credit: Netflix)

Given the cast and crew haven’t started filming yet, there’s no Emily in Paris season 5 trailer to share. Season 4’s trailer dropped a month before the release date, so we’re not expecting one until at least late 2025, but we’ll be sure to update here as soon as it drops.

Emily in Paris season 5: confirmed and predicted cast

Emily in Paris season 5 looks set to bring back the usual cast (Image credit: Netflix)

Potential spoilers follow for Emily in Paris season 5.

While there’s no official news of cast returning for season 5, other than Lily Collins reprising her role as Emily, we could make a pretty assured guess at who will return based on the previous seasons:

• Lily Collins as Emily Cooper
• Lucas Bravo as Gabriel
• Eugenio Franceschini as Marcello
• Ashley Park as Mindy Chen
• Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu as Sylvie Grateau
• Samuel Arnold as Julien
• Bruno Gouery as Luc
• Camille Razat as Camille
• Lucien Laviscount as Alfie

There was also the introduction of series’ newcomer Genevieve (Thalia Besson), Laurent’s daughter from a previous relationship. We saw her join Sylvie's agency in season 4 and make her move on Gabriel, vying for a piece of Emily's life.

Though she was seemingly rejected by the French chef, her return for season 5 seems incredibly likely. We’d also imagine recurring characters Laurent (Arnaud Binard), Antoine (William Abadie), and Benoît (Kevin Dias) to return.

Emily in Paris season 5: story synopsis and rumors

Will Emily get her happily ever after in Rome with Marcello? (Image credit: Netflix)

Full spoilers follow for Emily in Paris seasons 1-4 below.

It wouldn’t be Emily in Paris without Paris and although season 4 saw the marketing exec/hopeless romantic move to Rome to launch the Agencie Grateau office there (and to be with Marcello), we know that creator Darren Star has said the cast and crew will be filming in both locations for season 5. Whether that means Emily will be traveling between the two, we’ll have to wait and see.

Of course, the main story for Emily has always been about love, alongside being excellent at her job. While we’ve seen her relationship with chef Gabriel flourish and wither throughout the course of Emily in Paris, it seemed pretty final in season 4 when Gabriel ended things. Never one to falter, Emily found a new love with Italian beau, Marcello, and moved to Rome to start a new life – with a little push from Sylvie.

Speaking to Good Morning America about her new love’s role in season 5, Lily said: “Marcello is a whole other adventure that we want for Emily because we ultimately want Emily to be able to have a better work/life balance. We want to have Emily be able to smile without condition. We want to see her beyond her vacay mode. And he comes at the perfect time.”

Emily once again finds herself in a love triangle (Image credit: Neflix)

But it’s not necessarily over with Gabriel, at least not for him, as he had a sudden realization in the season 4 finale that he’d made a huge mistake. Something Emily is yet to learn about. So, while Emily has been confused between lovers before, it looks like season 5 is set to put her new love Marcello against her old flame Gabriel. But that also doesn’t mean past loves won’t also return.

In conversation with Deadline, creator Darren Star said when asked whether Camille and Alfie are out of the picture: “Not necessarily. I mean, people come and go out of people’s lives in shows for a period of time, but it doesn’t mean that they’re off the table.”

Season 4 was also split into two parts for the first time in Emily in Paris history. Though there’s no talk of whether this will happen again, Star did say to Deadline that when it comes to episode length: “I feel like as the show series continues, there’s just more story to tell for more characters so the episodes are getting a little longer.”

Emily in Paris season 5 looks set to expand on Mindy's story (Image credit: Netflix)

There’s certainly more stories to tell, especially when it comes to Mindy and her missed Eurovision experience and growing singing career. There’s Genevieve and her endeavor to compete with Emily in both their personal and professional lives. And there’s Slyvie’s endeavor to grow Agencie Grateau across two major European cities.

When it comes to love though, Star told Forbes: “I don’t think there’s much of a story once happily-ever-after happens. These are very passionate relationships and strong characters and what keeps me engaged is finding those obstacles that feel truly emotional.” So, Emily in Paris season 5 looks set to bring back the passion and love of previous seasons – this time across both Paris and Rome.

Will there be more seasons of Emily in Paris?

Is this the end for Emily in Paris? (Image credit: Netflix)

We’re not sure, but it seems unlikely. While season 3 and 4 were part of a two-season renewal, season 5 hasn’t been. But, when asked whether season 4 would be the final chapter, Star told Deadline: “I definitely think the show has a life beyond next season. It’s not necessarily conceived as a final chapter. I think like every other show, it’s a rich ensemble.

There’s no end in sight until everybody feels like it’s time to end. And I don’t think this show is limited by a number of seasons, I think it’s limited by everybody’s enthusiasm and excitement about doing it…”

Of course we know that season 4 wasn’t the final chapter. But if the viewing figures and passion for the show continues, it’d be hard to see why Emily in Paris would finish, but ultimately it’s up to Netflix to decide.

For more Netflix-based coverage, read our guides on 3 Body Problem season 2, Stranger Things season 5, Arcane season 2, and One Piece season 2.

• The new Philips Roku TV was $1,299; now it's $999
• Any size you want as long as it's 65 inches
• Impressive spec including 4K 120Hz gaming on all HDMIs

As we reported earlier this month, Philips has launched a brand new OLED TV with Roku built-in. It's an impressive specification, but we felt that at $1,299 it was a little overpriced compared to our recommended buy, the LG B4. But it's just been given a huge price cut at Sam's Club, bringing it down to just $999.

A 65-inch, gamer-friendly 4K OLED for under $1,000? Now we're talking.

It's only available in one size, 65 inches, but at just $999 this is an exceptionally low price for a TV of this size and spec. It's gamer-friendly with 4K 120Hz on all four HDMIs, it's got Roku's excellent smart TV interface – we haven't tested it, but this price undercuts the LG B4 a lot.View Deal

Why the Philips Roku OLED is tempting at under $1K

(Image credit: Roku)

Let's start with the Roku bit. We think that Roku has one of the best smart TV interfaces out there, and it's particularly nice on an OLED. That means you get the familiar Roku City backdrop and access to the best streaming services including Disney+, Max, and Netflix, among countless others. and you also get tons of free stuff thanks to Roku's free channels.

Not only that, but you can also control Roku smart home products if you've already invested in the Roku smart home ecosystem.

With the hardware, you're looking at 4K 120Hz across all four HDMI ports – unusual for any of the best gaming TVs at this combination of size and price, let alone an OLED – with AMD FreeSync Premium, Dolby Vision IQ and "room-filling sound" from the built-in and Atmos-supporting 2.1 speaker system. And you get a Roku Voice Remote too.

We suspect that the Philips OLED uses the same panel as the LG B4 (but we don't know this for sure), and this price cut means it's now cheaper than the LG: Sam's Club and similar big names are selling that one for $1,196.

So the Philips Roku OLED TV is a very, very tempting deal indeed. We haven't tested it yet, to be clear – we would guess that the image processing will be weaker than the LG B4, but OLED's perfect black tones should be present and correct, and it's cheaper than any of the best OLED TVs at the same size, and it's hard to argue with that.

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When it comes to Samsung’s March Madness TV bundle, the term 'wall space' loses all meaning. Its crazy ‘Buzzer Beater Bundle’ deal packs eight ‘premium Samsung TVs’ ideal for curating the ultimate sport viewing set up - because one TV simply isn’t enough. Samsung’s bundle deal arrives just in time for the NNCA’s March Madness tournament starting on March 18, so it’s perfect if you take college basketball very seriously and have the budget to splurge, of course.

Samsung’s first-ever March Madness TV bundle is designed with dedicated sports fans in mind, ensuring that you can catch every single match, foul call, and dunk without having to compromise screen size and quality. As far as we know, the bundle is available in the US only for purchase between March 12 and March 22, and Samsung has gone into greater detail about its first-of-its-kind offer in a newsroom post, stating the following;

“Mega sports fans are often caught juggling split-screens or multiple devices to catch every moment of basketball action each March. Now, Samsung Electronics America is here to help with the first-ever Buzzer Beater Bundle. The limited-time TV offer delivers the ultimate home entertainment setup for college basketball fans – featuring eight premium Samsung TVs ranging from 55-to-98 inches of screen sizes in one package.”

(Image credit: Samsung)

For a bundle deal worth over $16,000, Samsung has slashed its price tag by 30% now costing $10,307.42, meaning that you’ll save over $5000 on some of the best Samsung TVs in its range. If you’re a sports enthusiast or are just really into your AV, this may be a tempting offer, and if you decide to go all out with Samsung’s (slightly absurd) bundle deal you’ll be getting eight superior displays including;

One 98″ Class Crystal UHD 4K TV (DU9000)
One 65″ Class Samsung Neo QLED 8K TV (QN900D)
Three 65″ Class Samsung Neo QLED 4K TVs (QN85D)
Three 55″ Class Samsung QLED 4K TVs (Q70D)

It goes to show that sports fans really take their favorite games very seriously, and are actively looking for ways to optimize their viewing experiences. If there’s one person who knows this it’s Lydia Cho, Head of Product, Home Electronics at Samsung who has shared her view as both a company executive and sports fan, “We often see fans creating their own DIY dual-screen setups to stream the tournaments, and take it from me as a huge LA sports fan – two TVs isn’t always enough!”

How much are you prepared to fork over for an at-home courtside experience?

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• UK PM is set to announce new digital reforms to the civil service
• AI could replace some workers in new digital 'mantra'
• New jobs will be created while cutting underperformers

UK Prime Minister Sir Kier Starmer has said that some civil servants could be replaced by AI as the PM is set to announce a new digital mantra.

The mantra states that “No person’s substantive time should be spent on a task where digital or AI can do it better, quicker, and to the same high quality and standard.”

In a speech to be given today, Starmer will announce that over £45 billion could be saved by introducing new digital tools and reforms to Whitehall - before even introducing any AI to the service.

More tech to be introduced

The PM will also announce the creation of 2,000 tech apprenticeship positions, and reductions in regulations and the involvement of some ‘quangos’ - quasi-non-governmental-organizations - which are typically government funded bodies with some devolved power, which Starmer claims have created a “cottage industry of checkers and blockers slowing down delivery for working people.”

Unions have voiced some skepticism about the Prime Minister’s plans, with Mike Clancy, general secretary of the Prospect union, stating, “Civil servants are not hostile to reforms, but these must be undertaken in partnership with staff and unions.”

“I urge everyone in government to avoid the incendiary rhetoric and tactics we are seeing in the United States, and to be clear that reforms are about enhancing not undermining the civil service,” Clancy continued.

Civil servants have faced years of productivity-related accusations. The Prime Minister sent a letter to millions of civil servants earlier this week that said, “Each one of you must be enabled to re-focus on your core purpose, away from the things that hamper your day to day work, delivering excellent, high-performing public services that improve people's lives.”

The letter, pitched as part of the Prime Minister’s plans to improve performance while cutting staff numbers, continued, “We know many of you feel shackled by bureaucracy, frustrated by inefficiency and unable to harness new technology. Your talent has been constrained for too long.”

Via The Guardian

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• Chromecast HD and 4K are getting Android 14
• The update is mostly security patches and bug fixes
• It's probably time to buy the Google TV Streamer

It hasn't been a great week so far for Chromecast and Chromecast Audio users: the 2015 versions of both devices have been suffering from what appears to be a server problem that won't let users Cast audio and video to them. So it's nice to report some good news. Google is now rolling out the Android 14 update for Chromecast with Google TV devices.

As Android Police reports, Google discontinued the Chromecast line-up in 2024 in favor of the new Google TV Streamer. But Google did promise that while the older devices can't match the new Streamer in terms of hardware capability (the Streamer is also a Thread hub for smart homes), it still intended to bring them the Android 14 update.

What does the Android 14 Update bring to Chromecasts?

Don't expect a massively different experience when you install the update: almost all of the changes are under the hood. The main reason to want this upgrade is to plug any security holes that could leave your device vulnerable to villains.

The updates vary in size depending on your device – the download is between 743 and 809MB – and it ups the operating system from Android 12 to Android 14. The update includes the January 2025 security patch and the usual changes for "system stability and improvements". It also adds support for the Google TV Streamer remote control's Find My Remote feature and button customization.

This could be the last update for the 4K version, which is expected to stop getting security updates from September 2025; the HD Chromecast will get another two years of updates until its end of life in 2027.

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The Steam Spring Sale 2025 event is almost here, promising to offer some great discounts for games, ranging from the biggest AAA blockbusters to hidden gems from independent developers. Regardless of what kind of games you like to play, there's likely to be some significant savings for you to pick up, so you'll want to know exactly where the sale goes live in your time zone.

In terms of what to expect from the Steam Spring Sale 2025 event, well, I'm hoping for some discounts for some games I missed out on last year, like Metaphor ReFantazio, and the Silent Hill 2 remake. In fact, I'm expecting to see discounts on at least a few of the titles featured on our best Steam games list, and hopefully some surprises as well.

Here are the Steam Spring Sale 2025 start times for your timezone, info on how long the event lasts, what games have been confirmed so far, and some hopes and predictions for games I'd like to see get a discount. As we draw closer to the event, this page will be updated with any new details. For now, here's what you need to know.

Steam Spring Sale 2025 start time for your timezone

(Image credit: Microsoft / Valve)

The Steam Spring Sale 2025 event begins at 1PM ET / 10AM PT / 5PM GMT on March 13 and runs until March 20 at the same time. This is when the store page will go live, allowing you to browse the sales at your leisure. Until then, the full list of games that'll be discounted is sadly hidden, but you'll find our hopes and predictions below.

Steam Spring Sale 2025 confirmed games

(Image credit: Arrowhead Game Studios)

Thanks to a teaser video for the Steam Spring Sale 2025 event (which you can check out below), we know some of the games that are set to receive discounts. The headline titles include Helldivers 2, Balatro, Nine Sols, and Outer Wilds (purely based on it being my absolute favorite game of all time). Here's the full list of confirmed games so far:

• The Long Dark
• Sifu
• Ballionaire
• Balatro
• Witchfire
• Helldivers 2
• Escape Simulator
• The Isle
• Earth Defense Force 6
• ATLYSS
• Unrailed 2: Back on Track
• Nine Sols
• Outer Wilds
• Airborne Empire
• Animal Well
• Life Is Strange: Double Exposure

Steam Spring Sale 2025 predictions - what games do we think will be cheaper?

(Image credit: ATLUS)

While Valve is yet to reveal the full list of what games will be discounted during the Steam Spring Sale 2025, there are a few titles that I'm hoping to see. Generally, the Steam Spring sale features sales on big games from the previous year. In 2024, I missed out on Metaphor Re:Fantazio, so would love the opportunity to pick it up this time around. Similarly, while I enjoyed Diablo 4 a lot back in 2023, I never found the time for the Vessel of Hatred DLC. Others on the TechRadar Gaming team praised its new Spiritborn class, so I'd certainly love to see it pop up in the upcoming sales.

Over on the indie side, it'd be great to see Neva offered up at a cheaper price, mostly because it's brilliant and I want more people to show it some love. Similarly, Thank Goodness You're Here! is one that'd be a great pick for the Steam Spring Sale. It's the funniest game I've ever played, and more people should play it. For Steam Deck players, it'd be great to see discounts on some of the games on our best Steam Deck games list, such as Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree and God of War.

Steam Spring Sale 2025 FAQ When does the Spring Sale 2025 event end?

The Steam Spring Sale 2025 event ends on Thursday, March 20 at 1PM ET / 10AM PT / 5PM GMT.

What time of the year does Steam have the best sales?

Steam sales tend to have the biggest gaming discounts during the Summer sale and Winter sale events. That's not to say that the Spring and Fall events don't also have great sales, but we do tend to see larger price cuts during the Summer and Winter periods.

What games will be on Steam Spring Sale 2025?

So far, we know that The Long Dark, Sifu, Ballionaire, Balatro, Witchfire, Helldivers 2, Escape Simulator, The Isle, Earth Defense Force 6, ATLYSS, Unrailed 2: Back on Track, Nine Sols, Outer Wilds, Airborne Empire, Animal Well, and Life Is Strange: Double Exposure will be on sale.

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• Someone got three classic shooters running on a smartwatch
• Reddit images reveal an Android wearable running Doom, Quake, and Half-Life
• It looks like they used Xash3D, and even the touchscreen controls work

A triumphant Redditor has successfully managed to get Doom, Quake, and Half-Life running on a smartwatch.

Just weeks after we revealed how another Redditor installed a PSP emulator on their smartwatch so they could play GTA and God of War, a post in the Valve Reddit from u/Ramsey_Doo is going viral in recognition of a similar technical achievement.

"Half Life on smart watch. Finally," they commented nonchalantly. A trio of images and one gif reveals Half-Life running on the nondescript smartwatch, replete with working touch controls.

"Does it run Doom though?", one user replied, to which Damsey_Doo confirmed they'd successfully run Doom, Quake, and then Half-Life all on the same device.

Half-Life comes to the smartwatch valve from r/valve/comments/1j92crr/half_life_on_smart_watch_finally

While Damsey_Doo hasn't confirmed exactly how they accomplished this marvel of retro gaming engineering, speculative comments indicate the most likely method was Xash3D, a game engine that provides compatibility with Half-Life Engine while extending its lifespan.

The original Half-Life game dates back to 1998, when the best smartwatch you could buy was the Seiko Ruputer, a Japanese offering dubbed the world's first smartwatch that also went by the name of the OnHandPC.

It had a 102 x 64 pixel monochrome LCD display, a 36MHz (yes, megahertz) processor, and a joystick.

I've not been able to identify the watch used from the images, but the mad scientist responsible confirms that it's not an Apple Watch, which makes sense given the hack used to get this running in the first place.

This feat is just as impressive as the aforementioned PSP emulator, which used Bugjaeger to sideload APKs, successfully enabling 60fps GTA on a Samsung Galaxy Watch 5, as well as God of War and Forza Horizon 4 via Steam Link.

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• Another iPhone 17 Pro Max image leak has appeared
• It shows off the expected redesign of the handset
• The iPhone 17 phones are predicted to arrive in September

It looks increasingly likely that the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are going to get a significant redesign, compared to the phones that they're replacing, and a new leak gives us another look at the refreshed chassis of the larger model.

Prolific tipster @MajinBuOfficial has shared an image of what look like metal molds ready to be used to manufacture the upcoming handset – and we also get the caption "iPhone 17 Pro Max is ready" alongside the picture.

We can see the large triple-lens rear camera in the top-left corner of the rear casing, and a cut-out to allow magnetic MagSafe connections for charging. The size of the camera protrusion reflects the larger camera bar that's expected to be on show.

Let's hope that the larger camera bar, and the extra space the cameras are taking up, means better quality photos and videos. Apple usually adds some year-on-year upgrades in terms of the iPhone cameras, and another bump would be welcome.

The rumors so far

iPhone 17 Pro Max is ready pic.twitter.com/jFb9L4b1BHMarch 12, 2025

We don't get much more from this leak besides another look at the rear casing design, and the update that the phone is "ready" – presumably that means for mass production, because the expected launch date of September 2025 is now fast approaching.

There have already been plenty of leaks and rumors swirling around these phones. Aside from the Pro and Pro Max redesign, we should also see faster chipsets inside these handsets, and of course a final version of the yet-to-be-announced iOS 19 on board.

Features such as reverse wireless charging have also been rumored, as well as a bump up to 12GB of RAM for the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max – perhaps to deal with some extra Apple Intelligence smarts coming down the line.

There will apparently be less that's new and exciting when it comes to the standard iPhone 17, though we are expecting a new model in the shape of the iPhone 17 Air – a super-slim model that's being tipped to take over from the iPhone 16 Plus.

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• Apple’s iOS 18.4 beta lets users change their default mapping app
• The new feature is only available to people based in the EU
• iOS 18.4 is in beta but should launch fully by early April

Apple is known for keeping a tight grip on its operating systems, but that resolve has been tested by the European Union (EU) in recent years. Now, Apple is being forced to concede another point and allow its users to change their default mapping app on iOS.

The change is due to arrive in the iOS 18.4 update, which is currently available as a beta. However, there’s a big catch: the new feature will only be available to users in the EU, meaning anyone in the US and around the world will miss out for now.

If you are located in the EU and have the latest iOS 18.4 beta, you can make the adjustment by opening the Settings app and going to Apps > Default Apps > Navigation. There, you will be able to change you default map app from Apple Maps to Google Maps, Waze, or something else.

It’s not all bad for US users, though, as Apple has made a slight allowance here. If you’re based in the US, the iOS 18.4 beta lets you change the default translation app in iOS. This can be found in Settings > Apps > Default Apps > Translation. This feature is also available to users in the EU and worldwide.

Apple vs the EU

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

The past couple of years have seen the EU force Apple to make changes to its operating systems and open them up more to competition. Apple must now allow sideloading and alternative app stores on its systems, for example – something that seemed impossible just a few years ago.

Enabling users to change their default mapping app is just the latest instance of this scrap between Apple and the EU. It comes in response to the EU’s Digital Markets Act and was originally revealed in an Apple document in fall 2024. Now, it’s come into effect.

For now, the only way to change your default map app – aside from being based in the EU – is to have downloaded the iOS 18.4 beta. The full version of iOS 18.4 is expected to launch in April, according to an Apple press release.

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• Inzoi system requirements have been revealed
• The upcoming life simulation game will need quite a beefy PC
• This will be bad news for those who currently play The Sims 4 on older machines

I've got some bad news if you play The Sims 4 on an older laptop or PC and were planning to dive into the world of Inzoi when it launches for PC in early access later this month

Developer Inzoi Studio has outlined the system requirements for the upcoming life simulation game and, in brief, you're going to need a pretty beefy gaming PC to play it.

(Image credit: Krafton)

At a minimum, you need an Intel i5-10400 or AMD Ryzen 5 3600 CPU in addition to an Nvidia RTX 2060 or AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT GPU with 6GB of VRAM. This is on top of 12GB RAM.

In contrast, EA states that The Sims 4 will run on a PC with a substantially more modest CPU on par with the ancient Intel Core I3-3220 or AMD Ryzen 3 1200. You also need a GPU with just 128MB of VRAM and support for Pixel Shader 3.0 - which means basically any card or integrated graphics solution released in the last decade should be okay.

You only need 4GB of RAM too, so even those on more budget-oriented laptops are able to play relatively smoothly.

Inzoi Studio considers 'Medium' PC specs to be an Intel Core i7-11700 or AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D CPU, an Nvidia RTX 3060 or AMD Radeon RX 6600 GPU (both with 8GB of VRAM), and 16GB of RAM. Right now, you can find gaming laptops equivalent to this spec for roughly $800 / £700 on Amazon.

Things become much more expensive if you're targeting the 'Recommended' specs, however. You're going to need an Intel i7-12700K or AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D CPU, an RTX 3070 (8GB) or AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT (16GB) GPU, and 16GB of RAM. These are the kind of components that you would generally find in a $1,200+ / £1,000+ gaming desktop.

For 'High' settings, you're going to need an Intel i7-14700K or AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D CPU, Nvidia RTX 3080 (16GB) or AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX (24GB) GPU and a massive 32GB of RAM.

This game seems to be seriously demanding, given its focus on simulation and high fidelity, impressively realistic graphics. Interestingly, the developer has prepared multiple optimal presets targeting every set of specs alongside a video showing how each looks.

There are eight presets to choose from, with options for either better performance or better graphics. Every single one relies on Nvidia DLSS Super Resolution, AMD FSR 3, or XeSS upscaling to some degree, which could indicate that the developer was unable to get things running smoothly at a native resolution.

It's also worth bearing in mind that an internet connection is required to play.

Inzoi enters PC early access on March 28, with a full PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S release coming at a later date.

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• Samsung is expected to unveil the Galaxy Z Fold 7 at a July launch event
• A new leak claims the company also has a surprise audio product
• It's reportedly a set of bone-conduction headphones

A new report claims that the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 launch will take place in July, accompanied by the unveiling of a surprise new audio product: bone-conduction headphones.

The news comes from famed (and usually reliable) leaker Ice Universe on Chinese social-networking site Weibo, who says, "Sources revealed that Samsung Electronics' MX division will release bone conduction headphones at the Samsung Fold 7 launch event in July."

It sounds like Samsung is coming after the best bone-conduction headphones on the market, offering a new audio solution that's sure to be popular with runners and cyclists who love the lightweight, unobtrusive design of bone-conduction headphones, and the added safety they bring by allowing you to stay attuned to your surroundings.

The leak, first spotted by Android Authority, goes on to claim that the headphones are codenamed project "able", and will feature an "open wireless stereo (OWS) that transmits sound from around the ear instead of plugging the earphones into the ear."

Samsung is launching... something

As exciting as this leak is for runners, cyclists, and others, the second part of the leak muddies the water somewhat. OWS headphones generally refers to headphones that pump sound into your ear via air conduction, while bone-conduction headphones use vibrations to transmit the audio through your skull.

The upshot is the same, though: you get good audio quality while your ear canals remain free and open to listen out for hazards while you're out and about, one of the key reasons they're so popular with outdoor athletes.

There may be a language barrier here, or some confusion about the technology. Or perhaps Samsung has cooked up some exciting headphones that use a combination of bone conduction and air conduction.

Either way, if Ice Universe is correct these headphones will launch in July alongside the Galaxy Z Fold 7, and would differ from the existing Galaxy Buds lineup, which you can find in our round-up the best earbuds.

Whether Samsung's first attempt will be enough to knock off the likes of Shokz off their perch when it comes to exercise headphones remains to be seen, but we're excited to find out.

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• The hit Paramount+ show Landman has been renewed for season 2.
• The Taylor Sheridan series received the most-watched global premiere and finale of any series in the history of Paramount+.
• The series stars Billy Bob Thornton and tells the story of the 21st century Texas oil boom in the Permian Basin.

Taylor Sheridan's creative reign over Paramount+ is set to continue as Landman has been renewed for a second season.

Landman is another rural American drama by Sheridan that's become a huge hit on Paramount+ and even broke records on one of the best streaming services. According to Paramount, Landman had the most-watched global premiere and finale of any series in the history of Paramount+. This fact may be unsurprising to many given Sheridan's history of creating engrossing television with the likes of neo-Western behemoth Yellowstone, Tulsa King, and Special Ops: Lioness under his belt.

Chris McCarthy, president and CEO of Showtime/MTV Entertainment Studios and Paramount Media Networks, told Variety: "Landman was one of the biggest shows of the year because of Taylor Sheridan’s unique ability to tap into the cultural zeitgeist, harnessing the neo-Western themes of rugged individualism, ambition and working-class struggles set against contemporary debates around energy, climate change and economic growth.

"The series has helped drive Paramount+ to new heights as the #2 SVOD in the US for Original hours watched in Q4, alongside our other hit series Tulsa King, The Agency, Lioness and Dexter: Original Sin.”

What is Landman about?

Thanks to Sheridan, Paramount+ has become the home of neo-Western dramas. Landman is an explosive melodrama that's just another addition to Sheridan's acclaimed works that rank among the best Paramount+ shows.

Landman is based on the podcast Boomtown, which is hosted by the show's co-creator Christian Wallace and focuses on the 21st century Texas oil boom in the Permian Basin. In Landman, Billy Bob Thornton stars as Tommy Norris, the overseer of an oil-drilling operation, a role which nabbed him a Golden Globe nomination for best actor in a drama series.

The official synopsis for Landman reads: "Set in the proverbial boomtowns of West Texas, Landman is a modern-day tale of fortune-seeking in the world of oil rigs. Based on the notable 11-part podcast Boomtown from Imperative Entertainment and Texas Monthly, the series is an upstairs/downstairs story of roughnecks and wildcat billionaires fueling a boom so big, it's reshaping our climate, our economy and our geopolitics."

Landman features a star-studded cast alongside Thornton, including Demi Moore (The Substance), John Hamm (Mad Men), Michael Peña (Ant-Man), Andy Garcia (The Godfather Part III), and Ali Larter (Final Destination).

If you enjoyed Landman, check out these three Taylor Sheridan series next, plus another gritty drama with 100% on Rotten Tomatoes.

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• The Galaxy Z Fold 7 could get a 200MP primary camera upgrade
• It's a jump from the 50MP primary camera in the Galaxy Z Fold 6
• The phone should launch alongside the Galaxy Z Flip 7 in July

If the rumors are right, we'll see the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 and the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 make an appearance within the next few months – and a fresh leak suggests the latter phone is set for a significant camera upgrade.

According to Galaxy Club (via Android Police), the book-style foldable is going to come with a 200MP primary camera on the back as part of a triple-lens rear camera setup, with the other cameras being a 12MP ultra-wide and a 10MP telephoto.

That 200MP primary camera is apparently going to be borrowed from the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, and would be a major bump over the 50MP primary camera in the current model – see our Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 review for the details.

The cameras on the Z Fold series haven't been upgraded much in recent years, and even though it seems that only one of them is getting upgraded this time around, we'll take it – better-quality photo and video capture is always welcome.

What else do (we think) we know?

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 had a 50MP primary camera (Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future)

There's been no shortage of leaks and rumors around the Galaxy Z Fold 7 so far, and the Galaxy Club report repeats another one alongside the camera upgrade prediction: the foldable is said to be launching in July, like its predecessor.

If the rumors are to be believed, the RAM and storage specs aren't going to change on the new model. However, the processor should get upgraded to the latest and greatest Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset from Qualcomm, as used in the Galaxy S25 series.

Based on leaked renders we've seen, the foldable is going to be slimmer this time around – perhaps with the ultra-thin Oppo Find N5 in mind – and it's also being tipped to get larger displays (the main screen on the current model is 7.6 inches, corner to corner).

And what of the Samsung tri-fold? Samsung has already teased the introduction of a foldable with an extra fold in it, although we're not sure when it's going to launch or what it'll be called, and it may well get a mention at the Galaxy Z Fold 7 launch event in July.

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It’s been 35 years since the first ever documented ransomware attack. Known as the AIDS Trojan, it was released via floppy disk in 1989, long before most people even had a personal computer. However, since then, not only have PCs become ubiquitous in people’s homes around the world, but the volume and variety of cyber-attacks have also grown exponentially, turning cybercrime into a trillion-dollar industry.

Fortunately, cybersecurity experts haven’t stood idly by as the cybercrime industry has exploded. Cybersecurity tools and techniques have also grown and evolved at an incredible pace, enabling individuals, businesses, and nation-states to build robust countermeasures and defenses against the onslaught they face on the digital battleground.

Cybercrime continues to grow at an alarming rate

Since the very first deployment of the AIDS Trojan, the number of cyber-attacks taking place every day has risen at an alarming rate. In its 2024 Digital Defence report, Microsoft stated that its customers now face around 600 million cyberattacks daily, ranging from small-scale attacks carried out by rogue individuals to huge multi-target attacks conducted by state-sponsored attackers.

Organized ransomware groups are also on the rise, with specialist companies actively tracking 73 groups on the dark web in 2025, compared to just 46 groups last year, representing a 56% increase YoY.

The rise of AI-powered cyber attacks

The type of attacks taking place continue to evolve at a rapid rate too, as criminals quickly harness emerging technologies to open new attack vectors and methods. A great example is the arrival of commercial generative AI tools, which have enabled even low-level cyber criminals to start performing much higher-level attacks than were previously possible.

A recent assessment by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) stated that all types of cyber threat actors – state and non-state, skilled and less skilled – are already using AI to varying degrees. In particular, the technology is ‘providing capability uplift in reconnaissance and social engineering, almost certainly making both more effective, efficient and harder to detect’. The 2024-2025 Hacker Powered Security Report found that almost half (48%) of security leaders now view generative AI as one of the most significant risks facing their organizations today.

How organizations are fighting back with ethical hacking

In the face of such a hostile cyber landscape, many organizations are unsure how to go about keeping their data safe, particularly those with only small internal security teams and limited resources. Fortunately, there’s an incredible community of specialist security researchers that organizations can work with to augment internal efforts and ensure robust measures are in place. In fact, a growing number of businesses have started to engage with independent security researchers to vigorously test their applications, networks and other systems for vulnerabilities before they can be exploited by criminals.

These professionals use a variety of techniques to carry out their work, many of which mirror the very methods used by criminal actors. However, the difference is that security researchers use them solely within a legal and pre-agreed/authorized context rather than a malicious one. Some examples of methods used include automated and manual vulnerability scanning to detect known weaknesses, penetration testing to simulate real-world attacks, and meticulous code reviews to spot vulnerabilities and programming errors.

They may also further leverage fuzzing techniques to test software with random inputs and employ reverse engineering to dissect software's inner workings and uncover hidden vulnerabilities. In particular, demand for penetration testing has risen significantly in recent months, with a 67% increase over the past year. These tests uncover an average of 12 vulnerabilities per engagement, with 16% classified as high or critical, demonstrating just how effective they can be in detecting critical vulnerabilities.

AI also presents significant opportunities to cyber professionals

While Generative AI is seen as a top threat by security leaders, it also presents exciting opportunities for cybersecurity professionals. Just as threat actors are learning how to use AI to enhance their attack capabilities, security researchers are also leveraging AI tools and techniques to aid their defense strategies. It has already become a significant tool for writing code and proactively uncovering vulnerabilities that would otherwise be missed. In fact, according to the recent Security Report, nearly 10% of security researchers now specialize in AI to meet the growing demand for AI testing engagements.

Government support remains vital

Of course, all cybersecurity strategies are only as strong as their weakest link, which is why government support remains critical to overall success. National and international regulations, such as the Data Protection Act 2018 and the more recent General Data Protection Regulation, remain amongst the most important factors in ensuring all organizations follow strict data protection principles and are held to account in the event of a breach.

Governments and state agencies have begun enhancing their collaborative efforts to combat the cross-border operations of ransomware and cybercriminal gangs. Additionally, they are implementing vulnerability reward programs to encourage responsible reporting of security vulnerabilities, which helps to reduce the overall threat landscape. That being said, any legislation must tread a fine line between upholding standards and not hindering business productivity, otherwise, the willingness for organizations to remain compliant starts to diminish, negatively impacting all involved.

The cybersecurity landscape is more hostile than ever before, with organized criminal groups quick to utilize emerging technologies like Generative AI for malicious purposes. Fortunately, security researchers leading the fightback are also highly adept at harnessing these technologies alongside tried and trusted methods to ensure robust protections remain in place. Modern cybersecurity is a team effort, and it is only by working together that businesses can maintain the upper hand in this ongoing game of cat and mouse.

We've made a list of the best identity management software.

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

• Assassin's Creed Shadows will be playable on Steam Deck at launch, Ubisoft has confirmed
• The publisher revealed that it's currently awaiting the level of classification from Valve
• Ubisoft previously stated that the game wouldn't be available on the handheld because it was below the minimum specs for PC

Ubisoft has confirmed Assassin's Creed Shadows will support Steam Deck at launch.

In February, the publisher shared a lengthy Q&A where it answered a number of questions about Shadows, its PC and console features, as well as whether the game would be available on Steam Deck.

"At launch, the game will not be compatible with Steam Deck, due to the fact it is below our minimum specs for PC," it said at the time.

However, one week before the game's launch, Ubisoft has now announced in a new X / Twitter post that its next Assassin's Creed game will be playable on Valve's handheld.

"Many of you have been asking about Steam Deck. We are happy to say that we are supporting Steam Deck at launch and are currently awaiting the level of classification from Valve. More info to come soon."

Many of you have been asking about Steam Deck. We are happy to say that we are supporting Steam Deck at launch and are currently awaiting the level of classification from Valve. More info to come soon.March 12, 2025

Valve typically grades new and upcoming games based on Steam Deck's compatibility classifications, so we won't know just yet if Shadows will be fully Verified at launch.

After being delayed once again in early January, Assassin's Creed Shadows is now set to launch on March 20, 2025, for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and PC.

Last month, it was reported that the game had leaked ahead of time after some players were able to get hold of early copies. Some footage and screenshots were shared online and Ubisoft later responded to the situation, saying that any footage shared online is not representative of the final product.

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• Windows 11 23H2 has a weird bug that causes printers connected via USB to print random characters upon power-up
• This bug occurs specifically with 23H2 KB5050092, a preview update
• Windows 11 24H2 still has several issues

Microsoft's Windows 11 24H2 update has been the source of many problems for PC users, with a list of puzzling bugs - but 24H2 isn't the only version of Windows 11 to suffer from strange issues, as a specific 23H2 update has some of its own. And, it's pretty funny if you ask me.

As reported by our friends at PC Gamer, Windows 11 23H2 update KB5050092 is causing printers connected by USB to churn out pages of random characters due to a strange bug. You might think an easy solution is to disconnect your USB printer until you need to use it again… but it's not that simple.

Microsoft confirms that the issue mostly occurs when powering on your printer or reconnecting it to your device after being disconnected - so, it isn't exactly an easy fix if you can't take control of the printer before it starts spilling out gibberish. While annoying (and a little spooky), it's certainly a lot less of an issue than Windows 24H2's litany of problems, some of which are still being discovered by users before being officially listed among the known issues.

Unless you're using a printer (specifically a USB printer), you can probably stick with 23H2 without running into system-breaking bugs that have left hardware components with worse performance in some cases.

(Image credit: Microsoft) Yeah, I'm still sticking with Windows 11 23H2 thanks...

The chances of a feature update for Windows 11 (or any operating system) not coming with a list of issues are very low, but the 24H2 update is one of the worst I've seen and I'll gladly stay away for now.

As a gamer, running into strange bugs like frequent Bluetooth connection errors (which still haven't been resolved) and game incompatibility - particularly Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed which forced the devs' hand to push a game update - rolling back to 23H2 has been great so far.

It also doesn't help that Nvidia's recent Game Ready Drivers have caused issues for gamers - a combination of 24H2 and GPU driver fails are problems you really don't want, especially when you could be locked out of your PC.

Windows 11 23H2's printer bug is strange (and also quite funny), and while it can be annoying it’s nowhere near enough of a dealbreaker to warrant going back to 24H2. I'm just hoping that Microsoft can get its latest feature update into good shape soon.

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• Hunters International have added Tata Technologies files to its leak site
• The files include Excel sheets, presentations, and more
• The ransomware group tried selling the archives a few weeks ago

Hunters International, the ransomware operator behind the attacks on the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC), US Marshals Service, and others, has leaked some of the data it stole from Tata Technologies earlier this year.

Reporters from TechCrunch have reportedly seen the information being posted on the groups dark web data leak site.

In total, Hunters International is leaking 1.4TB of Tata Technologies data, which include personal details on current and former employees, and confidential information such as purchase orders. In total, more than 730,000 documents (Excel spreadsheets, PowerPoint presentations, PDF files, and similar) are being leaked.

Selling the data

The company suffered a ransomware attack in February this year. The incident crippled parts of its IT operation, forcing the firm to temporarily suspend some IT services. It wasn’t known at the time who the attackers were.

This isn’t the first ransomware incident the firm has suffered, as Tata Technologies is part of the huge Indian conglomerate Tata Group - which boasts over 100 companies across a range of industries - so is a pretty attractive target for hackers.

Back in October 2022, Tata Power reported a ransomware attack, whilst Tata Steel fell victim in 2021 to a gang dubbed REvil, and Tata Teleservices was reportedly targeted in 2023 - illustrating just how often the firm is hit.

A few weeks ago, news broke that Hunters International was selling the dataset on the dark web for an undisclosed sum of money.

Via TechCrunch

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• New benchmarks show the Ryzen 9 9950X3D runs better on Windows 10
• The chip's performance is stronger in many of today's demanding games
• Windows 11 seems to struggle particularly when VBS is enabled

According to benchmarks circulating online, AMD's self-described "world's best processor for gamers and creators," the Ryzen 9 9950X3D, appears to run faster on Windows 10 than Windows 11.

Spotted by Neowin, testing was conducted by YouTube benchmarker Tech YES City, which found that the 9950X3D performed better on Windows 10 than on Windows 11 for gaming, especially when the operating system's virtualization-based security (VBS) was enabled.

This is most evident with CPU-bound titles featuring the lowest possible graphical settings, such as CS2 in 1080p. Valve's latest shooter averages 745fps on Windows 10 but just 729fps on Windows 11; it drops to 710fps with VBS enabled. While we're only talking about a 2.1% performance difference here, it's curious that it's happening at all, as parity would at least be expected between the two operating systems.

It's a similar story with Fortnite at its lowest settings in 1080p. The Ryzen 9 9950X3D achieves 591fps on Windows 10 but just 541fps on Windows 11 and loses a further 41 frames with VBS enabled for a loss of 9.2%. It may not seem like too big a deal, but these are competitive games where every frame matters, and if there's a slight lead in using Windows 10 over Windows 11, this could be problematic at the top level.

Tech YES City's testing also alleges that Marvel Rivals, Baldur's Gate 3, and Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 have similar performance differences when running on Windows 10 compared to Windows 11, urging people to disable VBS for best performance. Considering the processor's MSRP, you're going to want to get every penny's worth of power out of this chip, which doesn't seem to play as nicely with the latest operating system compared to the previous version.

Strangest of all is the fact that things did not improve with a custom-tuned version of Windows 11 24H2, which still fell behind what a basic fresh install of Windows 10 could do. It's concerning, given the fact that Windows 10 will be discontinued on October 14, 2025, as security updates will cease, and Windows 11 will be the only option. It may only be a claimed minor lead, but it's disappointing news, considering the bold claims around the CPU.

A discrepency for one of AMD's best processors ever

The Ryzen 9950X3D was released yesterday, March 12, 2025, with a retail price of $699 / £699 / AU$1,349 as an enthusiast-class processor, as the second-generation AM5 chipset to utilize AMD's 3D V-cache. We praised it with a 4.5-star review, citing it was "the best there is" out of the current line of V-cache-enabled CPUs.

In our performance testing, we found that the Ryzen 9950X3D delivers almost best-in-class gaming performance, excelling far beyond the standard 9950X by quite a margin, but losing out (in averages) when compared to the AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D, which we said "might be better value for gamers". This could be a result of only eight of 16 cores having access to the 3D V-cache (split between two pools of 96MB and 32MB for 128MB total) against the 96MB of the 9800X3D.

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• Intel’s new CEO, Lip-Bu Tan, will step into office on March 18
• The company must make “calculated risks” to catch up
• Interim CEOs will revert to their original positions

Three months after Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger announced that he’d be stepping down after a near-four-year stint, the chipmaker has confirmed its new leader.

In an email to workers, Lip-Bu Tan revealed himself to be the company’s new leader, detailing his aim to restore the company’s “world-class” status by focusing on both product development and foundry services.

Tan will take post on March 18, 2025, but he’s already previously served on Intel’s board – something he gave up due to strategic disagreements, says Reuters.

Lip-Bu Tan will serve as Intel’s new CEO

Tan promises an “engineering-focused” Intel and remains committed to innovation. “Intel’s innovation has been at the heart of so many world-changing breakthroughs along the way,” he said.

He continued: “I believe we have a truly unique opportunity to remake our company at one of the most pivotal moments in its history. That’s not to say it will be easy. It won’t be. But I am joining because I believe with every fiber of my being that we have what it takes to win.”

At $89.2 billion, Intel’s market cap lags far behind key rivals like AMD ($163.6 billion) and Nvidia ($2.83 trillion). Lip-Bu said the company must take “calculated risks to disrupt and leapfrog” in areas of the business that are behind the competition.

Analysts are clearly happy with the new leadership, with shares shooting up 12% following the announcement to $23.21.

Tan’s background includes a 12-year stint as Cadence Design Systems CEO between 2009 and 2021, where he delivered a stock price increase of more than 3,200%.

With the appointment of a new CEO, interim CEOs Michelle Johnston Holthaus and Dave Zinsner will step back into CEO of Intel Products and company CFO respectively.

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