Modern computers are often thought of as operating artificial brains. That said, they’re nowhere close to being as complex or energy-efficient as human brains. AI consumes an enormous amount of electricity, and it’s constantly demanding more as it keeps endlessly morphing and advancing.

How can our power supply catch up to a future of neural networks and digitized intelligence? Well, maybe the answer lies in merging living brain cells with a programmable electronic system.

Previous attempts to use actual neurons as the brain of a computer have run into problems. 2D neural cultures—in which the flattened neurons showed abnormal interactions and gene expression — couldn’t survive for long, and these structures were ultimately unable to replicate the connections and activity that occur in vivo.

More advanced in vitro neural networks have tried to compensate for some of those problems by mirroring the structure and function of the brain with organoids. Despite some improvements, brain organoids (clumps of stem cells engineered to turn into neurons) are inconsistent and prone to both hypoxia and necrosis.

Alternative 3D neural networks known as biological neural networks (BNNs) could still be a viable option. Such a system would ideally take the form of an in vitro model that reconstructs the brain’s networks, can be reproduced, and actually lasts. It would also feature both dense and sparse neural connections (not unlike those in the hippocampus) to prevent too much data from moving around at once.

In an effort to create a fusion of biology and machinery, researchers Tian-Ming Fu, James Sturm, and Kumar Mritunjay from Princeton University used electrodes and microscopic metal wires to create a 3D polymer mesh scaffold flexible enough for tens of thousands of living neurons to grow into a network that could operate with minimal energy.

"Understanding the brain’s network structures and working principles could help in the development of general-purpose computing with improved data and energy efficiencies, as well as provide insights into the brain’s physiology and pathology," the researchers said in a study recently published in Nature Electronics.

Fu, Sturm, and Mritunjay began this experiment to gain more insight into other lingering questions about brain function, but soon saw its potential as a biological neural network, and 3D-MIND (3D Micro-Instrumented Neural network Device) was born. Taking inspiration from origami, the researchers initially created the device in two dimensions, embedding precisely enough electronic sensors to match the soma of a neuron before folding it into 3D layers. Neurons were then integrated into the system. While this hasn’t been done with human neurons yet, rat neurons from the hippocampus—which is critical for learning and memory — were extracted and cultured on the scaffold.

Finally, the entire device was covered in a thin gel coating. Protective and practical, the coating contained proteins that would provide extra support for neurons in forming strong connections with glial cells—cells that not only hold these neural structures together, but supply nutrients, perform immune functions, regulate chemistry, produce the fatty insulation for axons known as myelin, and keep the surrounding environment clear for signaling.

Eventually, the researchers observed neurons positioning themselves and forming connections in three dimensions throughout the structure. These neurons were also stable enough to be tracked for extended periods of time, and the team managed to record growth, development, and action potentials—electrical impulses that neurons use to communicate.

The researchers admit that it will be challenging to scale this system up, but it’s definitely promising, especially when compared to current energy-guzzling AI networks.

"The interfaced system can then provide a physiologically relevant understanding of the brain’s 3D network connectivity," the team wrote. "[It has] the ability to track a 3D neural network [and] could be of use in understanding the efficiency and versatility of the brain’s computational capabilities."

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There are numerous benefits of making payments with Apple Pay. Along with making the process of checking out quick and easy, the tool is also a fairly secure payment option. However, even if you already use this form of payment, you might not be leveraging it to its full potential. There are numerous Apple Pay features you might not be using simply because you don't know about them.

Keep in mind that using Apple Pay doesn't just save you time. It can also help you keep your funds and financial information safe in various circumstances. For instance, by using Apple Pay's tap to pay capabilities, you can avoid accidentally sharing your information with gas station pump card skimmers.

That's merely one advantage of embracing this payment method. Just be aware that you'll get even more value from Apple Pay if you familiarize yourself with features you may not have used before.

Learning the status of an order you placed online can involve a few steps. You may need to access your account via the retailer's website or app, then navigate to your "recent orders" page to get the information you seek. Or, you might first have to track down an order confirmation email, then open the link or use the tracking info provided.

The process can be much simpler if you placed an order with Apple Pay. All you have to do is open Apple Wallet and tap on the three dots at the top of the screen representing the "More" option. From there, tap Orders. You should then see a list of qualifying orders you've made using Apple Pay. You can tap an order to get more details about its status. You may also have the option to tap Manage Order, which will bring you to the merchant's website, or you can tap Email This Merchant to get in touch with the retailer.

Be aware that factors like your device and operating system can affect whether certain orders get tracked. Sometimes, Apple Pay tracks orders automatically. In other instances, an order confirmation screen will feature an option to "Track with Apple Wallet." You'll have to choose this option for the order to be added to those you're tracking.

Apple Pay and Apple Wallet aren't just useful as ways of making payments. Apple Wallet and Apple Pay can also store important documents like digital versions of event tickets, boarding passes, and similar documents. How you add these passes will vary depending on their original source. For example, when you purchase an airline ticket via an app or website, once you reach the confirmation screen, you may find an option to add the pass to your Apple Wallet.

While you might already know about this feature, there are some ways to optimize it that users might overlook. For example, on an iPhone, you can go to Settings, then tap iCloud. Next, you can turn on Wallet. This will ensure all passes stored in your Apple Wallet stay updated across your devices.

In addition, via the Settings app on iPhone, you can select either Face ID and Passcode or Touch ID and Passcode. You'll be prompted to enter your passcode. Upon doing so, below where it says Allow Access When Locked, you can turn on Apple Wallet. Doing so allows you to access passes stored in Apple Wallet even when the device is otherwise locked.

These days, it's even possible to store your car keys in Apple Wallet. Naturally, of course, not every vehicle manufacturer offers a digital version of a key that can be stored on a mobile device. You may need to contact your car's manufacturer to find out if this option is available to you.

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Artificial intelligence or AI is already reshaping parts of the commercial aviation industry, and in the coming years, airlines are expected to expand AI systems across operations, pricing, customer service, and flight management as they look to cut costs, increase margins, and improve reliability, efficiency, and performance.

First, modern commercial aircraft generate enormous amounts of operational data through onboard sensors that monitor critical systems. Already, airlines are increasingly using AI systems to analyze that data and identify patterns associated with wear and tear or mechanical failure.

AI could help airlines shift maintenance away from reactive repairs—which usually cause ground delays because they are discovered too late—and toward predictive maintenance. We’ve all been there: Everyone boards the flight and things seem all set to go, only to have the captain come over the intercom and announce that there’s maintenance that needs to be done.

Though maintenance will still need to occur, being able to predict it better in advance could help reduce last-minute delays, which tend to be the most frustrating.

Also, many AI-driven changes on this list could benefit the passenger. However, the outlook remains uncertain when it comes to airlines using AI in its ticket pricing methods.

Airline ticket pricing has long relied on algorithms that result in different prices at different times. But, AI is expected to make pricing systems substantially more individualized, incorporating factors such as booking history, travel timing, route demand, loyalty status, and purchasing behavior to tailor fares to specific travelers.

That could mean two passengers searching for the same flight and the same time receive different ticket prices based on what the airline thinks each will pay, based on the aforementioned criteria, as well as the likelihood of purchasing upgrades, checked bags, or premium seating.

While it is easy to see how such a pricing model could benefit the airlines and their profit margins, the concept of personalized pricing raises concerns about transparency and fairness, particularly if airlines don’t reveal the exact data they are collecting and using to determine prices.

For example, if flight purchase history shows you travel at the end of every month to the same place for work (American Airlines, for example, now makes you select Business or Personal travel when booking), can they increase the price, knowing you have to go?

Lastly, Flight cancellations, weather delays, missed connections, and maintenance disruptions generate enormous customer-service demand, and we all know how that can go: Long lines at customer service desks and tortuous time listening to on-hold music on the phone.

AI might be able to help in some cases. Instead of waiting on hold for a call center representative, passengers may increasingly interact with AI assistants capable of automatically rebooking itineraries, issuing hotel or meal vouchers, translating requests across multiple languages, providing real-time updates during irregular hours, etc. The technology could prove particularly valuable during severe weather events, when airline support systems often become overwhelmed.

Faster rebooking and more proactive communication may help reduce some of the frustration traditionally associated with large-scale travel disruptions, although the reduction in human-to-human contact could create its own frustrations, as anyone who has ever called a 1-800 number and had trouble getting through to a human can understand.

Fuel remains one of the airline industry’s largest operating expenses, often accounting for roughly a quarter or more of total costs. That financial pressure, combined with growing scrutiny over aviation emissions, has made fuel efficiency a major area of AI investment.

Airlines are increasingly using AI to optimize flight routing, cruising altitudes, taxi operations, descent procedures, and aircraft loading to make small efficiency gains that could have significant effects across large fleets operating thousands of flights daily.

In theory, that could save the airlines money and perhaps reduce ticket prices, though it’s fair for consumers to be skeptical of the latter.

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The economics of space operations are unforgiving, and Canadian startup Orbit Robotics just unveiled HELIOS — a four-armed humanoid robot that ditches legs entirely for microgravity operations. This isn’t your typical terrestrial humanoid; it’s purpose-built for environments where walking becomes irrelevant, and efficiency matters most.

Cable-driven architecture prioritizes dexterity over terrestrial walking capabilities.

While Earth-bound humanoids like Boston Dynamics’ Atlas perfect their parkour routines, HELIOS takes a fundamentally different approach. You won’t find heavy torque motors or rigid actuators here. Instead, Orbit reportedly built a lightweight skeletal chassis powered by tendon-driven cables and pulleys—like a marionette designed by aerospace engineers.

The four-arm configuration isn’t just showing off. In microgravity, movement relies on grabbing handholds and surfaces rather than walking. Those extra limbs theoretically mean HELIOS can anchor itself with two arms while manipulating cargo or equipment with the other two. Motors supposedly sit near the shoulders to reduce moving mass in the limbs, while rolling-contact elbow joints promise smooth motion without the backlash that plagues traditional hinged systems.

This design philosophy directly challenges the terrestrial humanoid playbook. Companies like Agility Robotics and Sanctuary AI optimize for warehouse floors and factory lines. HELIOS optimizes for floating through space stations, where your greatest asset isn’t balance—it’s the ability to multitask while staying put.

Maintenance duties and cargo handling represent immediate deployment opportunities.

Orbit isn’t building a robot astronaut — they’re building a robotic assistant targeting specific operational inefficiencies. The company claims current crews spend significant time on maintenance tasks that could potentially be automated.

The company’s IKARUS testbed allegedly demonstrates teleoperation and imitation learning capabilities, suggesting HELIOS might learn tasks by watching human operators rather than requiring complex programming. Think of it as motion capture for space work—astronauts demonstrate procedures once, and the robot handles routine repetitions.

Industry observers suggest that humanoid platforms make sense for human-designed environments. When your workplace has racks, handrails, and hatches built for human bodies, a human-shaped robot offers more flexibility than specialized arms like the ISS’s Canadarm2 or Dextre.

The real test isn’t whether four arms work better than two — it’s whether this approach can deliver meaningful cost savings before the next generation of space stations comes online. If orbital operations become as routine as promised, even modest automation could pay for itself quickly in space’s unforgiving economics with significant benefits for workplace safety.

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AI-powered consumer agents that can independently research, compare and order products on behalf of customers are raising serious legal and privacy questions.

While AI-assisted chat advice is already relatively common in online shopping, providers are steadily expanding their agents to cover the shopping itself — all based on customer specifications, but ultimately carried out autonomously.

Amazon, for example, is moving in this direction with Alexa for Shopping (formerly Rufus). And Google recently announced at its I/O developer conference an AI agent that can not only place products from multiple platforms into a single shopping basket, but also make payments on the user's behalf.

When AI-controlled software agents act independently on behalf of individuals or companies — making decisions and even processing purchases and payments — it raises a host of questions. Chief among them: is it actually legal?

Even though the first pilot schemes for fully autonomous AI shopping, including payment, are currently limited to the US, so-called agentic commerce is likely already legally permissible in many countries. However legal experts say there are many unresolved and legally complex questions around liability, contract law, consumer protection and payments.

One thing is clear: the more rights and autonomy AI assistants are given when shopping, the more problematic their use becomes. Critics are therefore calling for decisions to always remain with the human.

Experts at German tech magazine C't experts identify three risk areas around AI shopping agents:

1. Unresolved legal questions
   Who is liable if the AI orders the wrong product or falls for a fraudulent shop?
2. Technology vulnerable to manipulation
   Particularly problematic are the extensive permissions that agents require — such as access to emails, payment systems, calendars or online storage. If those permissions are too broad, a compromised agent could cause significant harm through unwanted purchases, or follow hidden buying instructions on manipulated websites such as fake shops.
3. Data protection problems
   To function effectively, AI agents require extensive information about preferences, context and purchase history.
   This is difficult to reconcile with GDPR principles such as data minimisation, transparency and purpose limitation. Retailers could also use the data to build psychological user profiles and exploit them for price discrimination.
   Consumers should remain sceptical of AI shopping assistants and follow these principles, c't advises:
   • Always confirm purchases manually.
   • Never grant full access to bank accounts.
   • Set spending limits.

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A new study from Monash Business School has revealed that professional advisors feel offended when clients use AI to get a second opinion on their recommendations.

The research, published in Computers in Human Behaviour, found professionals become less motivated to work with clients who consult AI tools. This effect persists even when the client only uses AI for background information, or as a complementary resource rather than a replacement.

"Advisors view AI as substantially inferior to themselves; thus, being placed in the same category as an AI system feels insulting and signals disrespect, undermining advisors' willingness to engage," Associate Professor Gerri Spassova, the lead author, said.

Imagine spending an hour helping a client plan a complex trip, carefully mapping out flights, hotels, and itineraries — only for that client to take your recommendations and book everything through an AI chatbot instead.

Researchers found professionals who lost business to an AI were far less willing to work with that client again in the future.

Clients who consult AI may be seen as less competent and less warm by the advisors they approach for help.

When clients defer to AI, it prompts advisors to question the value of their own human contribution, and this may get worse as AI gets better.

Many advisors take offense at this, and it is the major reason why they pull back from clients who consult AI.

"One can only speculate," Associate Professor Spassova said. "My intuition is that the situation will not get much better. Firstly, because professional advisors’ jobs are on the line.

"Also, as AI gets better, it may threaten our sense of worth and self-regard, and so when clients defer to AI, it would prompt advisors to question the value of their human contribution."

The study suggests for new client advisor relationships, people should not disclose that they consulted AI before the meeting.

A long history of working together might weaken the negative reaction, but even then, the advisor may still feel cheated.

This applies to doctors, lawyers, and other professionals whose expertise clients might fact-check with AI tools.

A doctor who spent years training does not want to be second-guessed by a patient who spent five minutes on ChatGPT.

AI tools usually give a general overview of a situation and are very likely to make mistakes.

Its judgment is highly dependent on the amount of information you supply, and if you are not detailed enough, its response can be misleading.

Also, AI gives responses to questions based on the way it is asked, and users can easily influence an AI tool to tell them what they want to hear.

Considering these nuances, it would be unfair to judge a professional with years of study and experience based on an uncertain tool.

There is absolutely no need to throw it in the face of a professional that you have consulted AI because it creates a sense of "lack of trust".

Until professional norms adjust to the presence of AI, clients would be wise to keep their fact checking private or risk damaging professional relationships.

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AI has arrived, and writing lyrics and composing music will never be the same.

Countless generations of musicians who created things manually would roll over in their graves at the idea of conjuring strings, piano, woodwinds, brass and percussion out of thin air, not to mention the human voice as a timeless vehicle of inspired sound. Music has been a human endeavor – until now.

New tools are blowing older ones out of the water. One such catalyst is called Suno – and it is, frankly, amazing.

Plug in your written lyrics. Write a quick prompt: minor or major key, rhythm, vocal techniques, and press "Create" and a fully formed song springs instantly out of the ether, with the voice of a singer who never lived. Or, don’t write your own lyrics, just tell Suno what you want the song to be about, and the lyrics will just appear, cadenced and scanned perfectly, in verse/chorus form, like the work of an impassioned genie from Tin Pan Alley.

It’s almost, some would say, too easy, but it’s inspired by a real vision of a new world that works differently than what we had in the first quarter of the twenty-first century.

"Some of the most fun I’ve ever had was making music with my friends," Michael Shulman, the creator of Suno, said, detailing how an early version of the app on Discord came out of his realization of how universal music is as a human language.

"Every single person in the world is creative," he said. "Every single person finds enjoyment and fulfillment from making things, and being creative. Everybody loves music."

Suno, he said, is about playing with music, not just playing music. He mentioned early jam sessions in a co-founder’s basement as another part of the impetus for the model that eventually got made.

"They were bad at the beginning," he said, of Suno’s fledgling compositions. "You needed really forgiving ears to really call it music."

But, he noted, people were willing to pay for it, and the thing took off.

Ultimately, Shulman said, most users are just regular people, although the pros are also paying attention.

"We increasingly find that huge numbers of professionals also use the product," he said, citing buy-in from producers as well as songwriters.

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Apple’s AI plan may soon put a little money back into customers’ pockets. Some iPhone owners in the United States could receive payouts of up to US$ 95 after Apple agreed to settle a US$ 250 million class-action lawsuit tied to its heavily promoted Siri AI features.

The lawsuit accused Apple of advertising advanced artificial intelligence capabilities that were not available when certain iPhones reached consumers. Plaintiffs argued the company sold buyers on a smarter Siri experience that remained delayed long after launch.

The proposed settlement still requires approval from a federal judge before payments can go out.

Apple unveiled its Apple Intelligence platform during the iPhone 16 launch cycle in 2024. The company promoted a new generation of Siri features alongside the iPhone 16 lineup and select iPhone 15 Pro models.

Apple positioned the AI upgrades as a major selling point. The company promised a more personalized Siri assistant with stronger contextual awareness and deeper app integration. But consumers alleged those features failed to appear when the devices launched.

The lawsuit, initially filed by California resident Peter Landsheft in March 2025, claimed Apple misled buyers through aggressive AI-focused marketing campaigns. Additional plaintiffs later joined the case in federal court in San Francisco. According to court filings, the complaint said Apple "deceived millions of consumers into spending hundreds of dollars on a phone they did not need, based on features that do not exist."

The filing also stated Apple was caught off-guard by consumer demand for the Siri AI tools. Buyers reportedly became frustrated after learning the features would arrive later than expected. Apple still has not fully delivered the Siri overhaul nearly two years after first promoting the upgrades.

Apple denied the allegations in the lawsuit and maintained it acted properly. In a statement reported by USA TODAY, Apple said it resolved the case in an effort to continue "delivering the most innovative products and services to our users."

The company also issued another statement cited by the Associated Press. Apple said, "Apple has reached a settlement to resolve claims related to the availability of two additional features." The statement continued, "We resolved this matter to stay focused on doing what we do best, delivering the most innovative products and services to our users."

Court documents showed Apple defended its broader AI rollout during settlement discussions. The company said it already launched more than 20 Apple Intelligence features and plans to release more Siri-related AI tools through future software updates. Both parties filed the proposed settlement agreement on May 5. A federal judge will review the deal during a hearing scheduled for June.

If approved, the settlement will cover consumers in the United States who purchased eligible devices between 10 June 2024, and 29 March 2025. Eligible devices include the iPhone 16, iPhone 16e, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, iPhone 16 Pro Max, iPhone 15 Pro, and iPhone 15 Pro Max.

Consumers could receive at least US$ 25 for each eligible device. The payout may increase to as much as US$ 95 depending on the number of approved claims and other factors. Court filings said eligible customers will receive notifications by email or standard mail with instructions for filing claims through a settlement website.

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Over the past month, A.I. detection has been at the center of a series of controversies: Hachette pulled the horror novel "Shy Girl" by Mia Ballard after detectors flagged it as substantially A.I.-generated.

The New York Times cut ties with a freelance book critic who admitted that an A.I. editing tool had regurgitated passages from a Guardian article into his draft. The Atlantic reported that a "Modern Love" column had been flagged as more than 60 percent A.I.-generated.

In certain corners of social media, A.I.-detector screenshots are shared like mug shots, and pile-ons have the grim energy of public stonings.

This may all seem understandable—people want to know if what they’re reading was generated by a bot, and some argue they deserve to know. However, such controversy narrows the issue of A.I.’s steady encroachment to one of process, rather than impact.

Drawing a red line around using chatbots to generate prose may make it easier to ignore the way that the technology may be shaping writing before one even types a single word. And a culture of callouts, scandals, and fear may prevent media and publishing from wrestling with much thornier questions of authorship.

At the center of many of these controversies is a company called Pangram, whose CEO, Max Spero, has become the go-to authority when A.I. authorship disputes erupt. On Twitter/X, where Spero calls himself a "slop janitor," a user flagged a Guardian sports journalist’s writing as A.I.-generated. The publication responded that this was "the same style he’s used for 11 years writing for the Guardian, long before LLMs existed. The allegation is preposterous."

Spero quote-tweeted the exchange with a Pangram time-series analysis of 871 articles by the journalist: "It’s clear that he is increasingly relying on AI. In two weeks in February he churned out nine articles classified by Pangram as fully AI-generated. Receipts below."

Or take Pangram’s appearance in the Shy Girl cancellation. Readers on Reddit and YouTube had been flagging the horror novel as suspiciously A.I. for months, but then Spero ran the full manuscript and posted the result (78 percent A.I.-generated). Hachette pulled the book the day the Times piece ran. A story in the Atlantic soon followed. Spero was on LinkedIn, urging publishers to "strictly moderat[e] AI generated content" and "draft and enforce robust AI-use policy."

A pattern emerges: The crowd suspects a problem, then Pangram validates the suspicion, stokes the mob, and sells the solution. The impulse to dismiss all this as a detector company drumming up business runs into an issue—Pangram actually works way better than you might think. Brian Jabarian, a University of Chicago economist who conducted a rigorous independent evaluation of A.I. detectors, told me flatly, "This narrative that we shouldn’t use A.I. detection doesn’t seem to hold anymore."

Jabarian’s preprint, co-authored with Alex Imas and with no disclosed financial ties to the company, tested the tool across nearly 2,000 passages and found near-zero false-positive and false-negative rates on medium-to-long texts, the length of a typical op-ed or a verbose Amazon review.

Independent benchmarks confirm that Pangram outperforms every other detector tested and is robust against "humanizers," or software designed to smuggle A.I. text past detectors. So when Spero posts a time-series chart of hundreds of articles showing when a journalist’s output started sounding fishily like ChatGPT, I am inclined to believe it. That A.I. detection is finally catching up is, on balance, a Good Thing. A.I.-generated articles already far outnumber human ones. Social media is flooded with low-effort slop. According to Pangram’s own research, a fifth of peer reviews submitted to the A.I. research conference ICLR are fully A.I.-generated, and 9 percent of American newspapers contain undisclosed bot use. In this A.I.-powered asphyxiation of the information ecosystem, Spero has positioned himself on social media as a folk hero hauling in the oxygen tanks. You can tag his company’s bot on Twitter/X, and it will tell you whether a post is A.I. On Spero’s social media to-do list: a "slop hunter of the week leaderboard."

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Apple may be joining the smart glasses market a little bit late, but it could be covering all its bases with up to four potential styles for its upcoming product. According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, Apple could launch some or all of the four styles it's currently testing for its smart glasses.

Gurman reported Apple is testing out a large rectangular frame that's comparable to Ray-Ban Wayfarers, a slimmer rectangular design like the glasses that Apple CEO Tim Cook wears, a larger oval or circular frame and a smaller oval or circle option. Apple is also working on a range of colors, including black, ocean blue and light brown, according to Bloomberg.

Internally code-named N50 for now, Apple's upcoming smart glasses will compete directly with the second-gen Ray-Ban Meta model. While similar, Apple might be differentiating its design with "vertically oriented oval lenses with surrounding lights," according to the report.

Like Meta's smart glasses, Apple's upcoming product will capture photos and videos, but is meant to better sync with an iPhone, allowing users to take advantage of Apple's ecosystem for editing, sharing, phone calls, notifications, music and even its voice assistant, according to Gurman. The release of Apple's smart glasses could even coincide with the upcoming improved Siri that should arrive with iOS 27.

Gurman reported that Apple could reveal its smart glasses as soon as the end of 2026 or early 2027, followed by an official release sometime in 2027. As for the competition, Meta released its latest model that's better suited for prescription lenses and offers a more customizable fit.

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A couple of weeks after Apple released iOS 26.4 to iPhone users, the company is now making iOS 26.4.1 available. With this version, Apple is fixing an annoying bug that was preventing users from syncing iCloud data, including apps like Apple Passwords.

While Apple has been vague about this software update, 9to5Mac discovered a thread on the Apple Developer Forums that reveals iOS 26.4.1 fixes the iCloud Sync issue.

This thread was created after iOS 26.4 was released. One developer said that making changes to a document on a Mac didn't trigger the same file on the iPhone to be updated. After this complaint, one Apple Worldwide Developer Relations suggested fixing the issue through macOS, as the app might have failed to export data to CloudKit. However, as more users reported the same issue, Apple started taking the reports very seriously, which led to this update.

With iOS 26.4.1, the same Apple employee posted in the threads asking whether these users could update to iOS 26.4.1 to see if the problem was resolved. Replies from users report that everything works perfectly now.

If you're running iOS 26.5 beta 1, you don't need to worry about this iCloud Sync bug as long as you've installed the latest revised version. While Apple is still in the early days of the new iOS 26.5 beta cycle, it has seeded a new version of the first beta to address the iCloud app sync issue.

While we wait for Apple to announce the new Siri powered by a Google Gemini model, iOS 26.5 looks like a small update. So far, it's adding end-to-end encryption for RCS and setting up ads on Apple Maps in the U.S. and Canada, allowing businesses to place ads in search results and a new "Suggested Places" section in the app.

Last but not least, Apple is working to offer forward notifications on third-party smartwatches in Europe in accordance with the Digital Markets Act legislation. With this update, Apple will also expand answering notifications, Live Activities, and AirPods-like pairing to third-party smartwatches and headphones.

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Tech giant Apple is planning to close the doors on three retail locations in June, including the first store to win a unionized staff.

The employees of the Apple store in Towson, Maryland, north of Baltimore, voted to unionize with the International Association of Machinists & Aerospace Workers (IAM) in 2022. The union is organized with the Coalition of Organized Retail Employees (CORE).

A second Apple store in Oklahoma City voted to unionize shortly after Townson's historic action. Despite the forward momentum, other Apple unionization efforts have petered out under mounting pressure from the company, CNBC reports.

Towson employees were notified of the closure in a recent staff call. The group ratified its first contract with Apple in 2024, set to expire in 2027. According to union representatives, Apple has said they are prevented from relocating employees under the union's Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), but encouraged them to apply for other open positions. Apple employees at the two other locations set to close — Apple North County, in Escondido, California, and Apple Trumbull in Trumbull, Connecticut — will be moved to nearby stores.

IAM said Apple's claims about its inability to relocate employees at the Maryland store are false, and alleges the closure is "a cynical attempt to bust the union."

Apple says "declining conditions" in local shopping corridors, including the departure of retailers from the Townson Town Center mall, and a shift away from mall locations, prompted the closures.

In a statement following the announcement, IAM representatives wrote: "The IAM Union is outraged by Apple's decision to close its Towson, Md., store — the first unionized U.S. Apple retail location — and abandon both its workers and a community that relies on it for critical services and its unique access to public transit."

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Apple was able to do something remarkable with the iPhone 17 prices last year. Despite increases in manufacturing costs and overall inflation, Apple didn't raise iPhone prices.

The standard iPhone 17 starts at US$ 799, the same price as its predecessors, while featuring double the storage for the price point and specifications comparable to the iPhone 17 Pro. The iPhone 17 Pro Max also launched at the same price as its predecessor, US$ 1,199.

Apple made some changes to the iPhone price structure, though. The US$ 999 iPhone Air replaced the US$ 899 iPhone 16 Plus, although the ultra-thin handset also featured double the storage.

The iPhone 17 Pro started at US$ 1,099 instead of US$ 999, but that was the same price as the 256 GB iPhone 16 Pro. That said, the iPhone is still an expensive device in the U.S. That's why carriers like T-Mobile run promotions that offer subscribers free iPhone 17 models, of course, with its terms and conditions.

But the iPhone is even more expensive abroad, with India being one of the countries where the iPhone 17 series is significantly more expensive than in the U.S.

For instance, iPhone 17 is priced at 82,900 INR (US$ 876) vs. $799. iPhone Air is quoted at 119,900 INR (US$ 1,267) vs. $999. iPhone 17 Pro is priced at 134,900 INR (US$ 1,426) vs. $1,099, while iPhone 17 Pro Max is being sold at 149,900 INR (US$ 1,584) vs. $1,199.

There is one pricing caveat for the base iPhone. Apple applies a US$ 30 connectivity discount to the regular iPhone 17 price in the U.S. That's been the case for years for non-Pro devices. Apple used the same US$ 799 price in previous years with this distinction. Buying an unlocked iPhone 17 from Apple without connecting it to a carrier costs $829 instead of $799.

The more premium the iPhone model, the more expensive it is to purchase in India compared to the U.S. Buyers will pay over US$ 300 more for the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max in India, even though Apple manufactures many iPhone models in the country. However, that's not because Apple chooses to set higher prices in specific markets. Other factors impact international prices, including the currency exchange rate, local taxes, and import costs.

First, it's important to note that the iPhone prices that Apple advertises in India include tax, whereas the U.S. prices do not. The Goods and Services Tax (GST) rate for mobile devices is 18 percent, which partly explains the higher price tag. Also, some smartphone parts used in iPhone assembly in India may be subject to import tariffs, though last year, the Indian government removed some duties. Finally, there's Apple's need to protect iPhone pricing against foreign exchange fluctuations. A weaker rupee may lead to higher iPhone prices in the region.

India has been assembling iPhones for years, with Apple steadily increasing the number of models made in the country and the production volume. The most recent data shows that India assembles all iPhone 17 variants and the iPhone 16 models Apple still sells.

Volume increased from 36 million in 2024 to 55 million in 2025, as Apple has tried to reduce its reliance on China. That's about 25 percent of the number of iPhones Apple manufactures each year. However, not all iPhone components are manufactured in India, and some may be subject to import duties that could impact the manufacturing cost. Also, Apple isn't likely to offer preferential pricing to India just because it manufactured the handset in the region.

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For more than a 10 years, rumors have swirled around a potential foldable iPhone, and a new rumor suggests that it's finally a reality.

Apple is finally expected to launch the iPhone Fold this fall, alongside the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, or potentially in early winter. According to tipster Instant Digital (translated via Weibo), the long-time Apple manufacturing partner Foxconn just started production of the iPhone Fold.

Specifically, they said the Fold has begun trial production. This step in the manufacturing process is an initial test in which a batch of devices is developed under real or near-real conditions.

This means that most, if not all, of the specifications for the Fold have been finalized, and Apple employees should begin receiving test units for marketing and testing.

Looking ahead, why is this important?

Those of you tracking the iPhone Fold should expect to see more leaks and photos of working iPhone Folds start appearing in the next few weeks. Traditionally, trial production runs often lead to all kinds of device leaks as phones make their way into employees' hands.

It also means that we should start getting more specific information about the Fold and what Apple is including with the phone. Apple runs a tighter ship than most companies, but even the biggest phone maker is plagued by internal leaks.

The iPhone Fold was rumored to launch alongside the iPhone 18 Pro models, but recent rumors suggest Apple will hold a separate launch event in December.

Analysts have suggested that the iPhone Fold could debut at around US$ 2,000, the same price Samsung charges for the Galaxy Z Fold 7. With reports that the Apple foldable will upend the folding phone market.

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Despite owning its own mobile operating system, Google occasionally releases new apps on iPhone before Android.

The latest one is called Google AI Edge Eloquent, which is available as a free download on iPhone. The "AI" in the name makes Google's decision somewhat puzzling, considering that Google currently has an advantage over Apple when it comes to AI tools available to users on mobile devices.

Gemini outperforms Siri, and Google's Pixel phones often offer exclusive AI features before other Android phones. But rather than pushing Google AI Edge Eloquent to Pixel 10 phones before other Android devices, Google quietly launched the app in Apple's App Store.

Google AI Edge Eloquent turns dictation into polished text, and it's an app that might change how people write. Google positions it as a "premium AI voice dictation without subscription" app. Eloquent lets you dictate your thoughts to your iPhone, just like other dictation apps available on the device.

However, rather than just printing the raw text, complete with your speech patterns, including pauses and the "uhms" and "ahs" that are part of regular speech, Eloquent uses on-device AI to process the text into various formats, cleaning up your dictations and turning it into "clean, accurate prose," as Google explains in Eloquent's App Store listing.

Eloquent can be used to turn voice memos into copy, whether it's messages, emails, or longer text. The AI doesn't generate text following a prompt; it just transforms your raw output into the text you may have written with a keyboard. The process can be faster than writing on the iPhone or editing voice notes taken with other apps. Eloquent could also be a solution for taking notes in a meeting or class, though Google doesn't mention these uses.

While Google uses AI to process the text, Google AI Edge Eloquent doesn't process data in the cloud via Gemini, unless you want more advanced text generation features. Instead, Google uses its Gemma AI architecture, which processes data on the device. That means all your voice notes recorded with Eloquent will stay private. Google says in the App Store description that Google AI Edge Eloquent is designed to offer "uncompromising privacy," adding that "your audio, confidential conversations, and personal data never leave your device." For added peace of mind, the app lets users turn off cloud mode, the feature that would allow more advanced text editing.

Eloquent also lets users add their own vocabulary to the app to personalize the text output. Google explains on the app's website that Eloquent can connect to Workspace data like Gmail to extract more unique words, but that feature is optional. The App Store description also notes that the app has been optimized to work on older iPhones rather than requiring the newest hardware. You'll need iOS 16 or later to use Google AI Edge Eloquent.

Other than the absence of an Android version, which Google teases on its website, Eloquent doesn't have many limitations. It only supports English, though the model may transcribe words in other languages. It's not available in select European markets, including the U.K., Switzerland, and the European Union, as Google is dealing with regulatory approval issues in those countries.

Also, the app lacks keyboard support, but you can copy the text and edit it in other apps. That said, Google doesn't impose any usage limits on Eloquent, meaning users won't have to pay attention to how much text they've created with Eloquent within a given period.

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With last month’s launch of the MacBook Pro M5 Pro and M5 Max, Apple has completed the transition of its macOS laptops to the latest Apple Silicon chipsets, which began in October 2025. And as the M5 Pro and M5 Max models reach the Apple Store shelves, another Apple Store space opens up for the vanilla M5 model.

The MacBook Pro M5 is now available in Apple’s Refurbished store.

Keen Cupertino watchers will have been expecting this move at the six-month mark in the MacBook Pro's life cycle. Tim Cook has not disappointed them, and with a regularity that matches the annual iPhone release date, the MacBook Pro M5 listings have appeared.

While not "new in box", these refurbished MacBook Pro models have been put through a full service by Apple and come with the same warranty as you would with a brand new laptop. They are also eligible for the same level of AppleCare+ as those new laptops.

It’s worth noting that, as a refurbished product line, availability cannot be guaranteed. With laptops available in various colours and different memory and storage configurations, you may need to wait for a specific model, and be prepared to buy as quickly as possible when stock is available.

Apple’s typical discount for refurbished hardware is fifteen percent, and that remains the case with the various M5 models. The base model with 16 GB of memory and 512 GB of storage is US$ 1,359, a $240 discount over an equivalent-specced new model.

The MacBook Pro that ships with the vanilla M-series remains a curate’s egg of a laptop. Those looking for power and performance will gravitate towards the recently released M5 Pro and M5 Max variants, while consumers will find the MacBook Air can meet the vast majority of their needs.

Yet there remains a pull of the "Pro" name, and Apple has ensured there is a specification gap that can bring consumers to this base model, such as a brighter screen, an SD card reader, and more I/O ports. Now add the discount on top of this, and the MacBook Pro M5 becomes a tempting purchase.

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When Apple first introduced live wallpapers a few years ago, the feature became a hit with many users. The functionality was long missing from iPhones, and its introduction felt like a much-needed addition.

Live wallpapers brought static images to life with a long press. However, if you've tried setting live wallpapers on newer iPhones or iOS versions, you might have noticed the feature is missing. That's because Apple removed live wallpapers from iPhones.

Although the removal didn't make sense to many users, it appears to have been done to streamline lock screen customizations. Since the Apple Watch already utilized the same long-press gesture for customizations that the iPhone used for live wallpapers, Apple phased out the latter for a unified experience. So while it may feel like Apple quietly got rid of a great feature, there's a lot more to the story, and it plays a critical role in the overall user experience.

Apple's decision to move away from live wallpapers in iOS 16 didn't happen in isolation. It was a calculated move. Instead of retaining live wallpapers — which was a pretty limited feature – Apple prioritized a customizable lock screen.

Now when you long-press the lock screen on newer iOS versions (from iOS 16 onwards), it opens up a wide array of customization options, including changing the wallpaper, setting up Photo Shuffle, adding and removing widgets, and more. Live wallpapers, in contrast, didn't offer any of that.

When Apple decided to introduce lock screen customizations, it had two options: either to come up with a new gesture that would trigger it or remove live wallpapers.

The first option came with a major downside. It could have ended up confusing users. Besides that, it would have been different from the approach Apple adopted for its smartwatch lineup, where the long-press gesture triggers the customization screen. Consider that not everyone was using live wallpapers, and, to Apple, it made sense to remove the feature from iPhones in favor of a more streamlined, user-centric lock screen experience.

While live wallpapers are no longer an option, that doesn't mean lock screen animations are entirely gone. Apple still offers ways to make your lock screen feel dynamic, although it's a little different than before. For instance, you can still find natively available dynamic wallpapers on your iPhone.

Long-presses or taps don't change the appearance or add effects, but in some cases, moving your phone adds subtle effects. Spatial Scenes is another feature you can try. It too adds similar effects, making a photo appear 3D when you move your device. There's also Photo Shuffle, where you can pick a set of photos that change as you use your iPhone. You can configure them to auto-shuffle after a fixed period or when you tap the screen.

So, even though live wallpapers are no longer supported on iPhone, you can still achieve similar results with other native features and functionalities, and some quick iPhone tricks. While it won't be the same experience, it's as close as you can get given Apple's tighter control over iOS.

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Tech giant Google is preparing an important overhaul of Android’s app installation system, aiming to curb malware threats without fully closing off sideloading.

The changes, expected to roll out in September, introduce a stricter framework that shifts Android closer to a controlled environment while still preserving limited flexibility for advanced users.

At the core of the update is a new trust model. Android devices will prioritize apps distributed by verified developers, even when those apps come from outside the Play Store.

Google plans to require developers to confirm their identity, register cryptographic signing credentials, and pay a small fee before distributing apps independently.

The company frames the move as a security upgrade rather than a content crackdown. The goal is to ensure that users can reliably identify who built an app. Google does not plan to screen apps during registration.

Instead, it focuses on accountability. If a verified developer distributes harmful software, they risk losing access to the system.

This marks a notable shift in Android’s philosophy. For years, sideloading stood as a defining feature of the platform, allowing users to install apps from virtually any source.

The new approach introduces friction into that process, especially for developers who operate outside Google’s ecosystem.

Independent developers may feel the impact first. The added steps increase the effort required to distribute apps without Play Store involvement.

While the fee remains modest, the identity verification requirement could discourage hobbyists or smaller teams that prefer anonymity or minimal oversight.

Critics argue this could gradually centralize control under Google’s ecosystem. Even without direct content moderation, the verification layer changes how freely apps can circulate outside official channels.

Google acknowledges the tension and has built an alternative route for advanced users. However, this bypass option is neither obvious nor quick to activate.

The override sits deep within Developer Options, a menu that typical users rarely access.

Even after enabling the relevant setting, Android introduces multiple safeguards. Users must confirm intent, authenticate their device access, and restart the system before proceeding further.

A mandatory 24-hour delay follows. This waiting period prevents immediate installation of unverified apps, even after all settings are enabled. Google designed this delay to counter social engineering attacks, where scammers pressure users into urgent actions.

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Apple had never built anything so complex. However, many believed it was at a crossroads.

"We were like, people are only going to carry one device. They're going to have a cell phone with music, or they’re going to have an Apple product with music and communications," said Tony Fadell, the former Apple executive who co-created the iPod and helped lead the iPhone’s early development. "And it was like, 'Okay, what are we going to make?'"

Fadell and other Apple executives watched as Motorola and Samsung released new cellphones with built-in MP3 players. They questioned whether the iPod’s days were numbered.

The iPod was Apple’s biggest product at the time. By April 2004, the iPod was outselling the Mac and growing by more than 900% from the year before.

So Apple got to work making its biggest success obsolete. To this day – the company’s 50th anniversary – Apple has never made a more consequential decision.

Apple had never made a product as complicated as the iPhone, which meant figuring out how to make components work together in ways they hadn’t before, Fadell said.

Rubén Caballero, Apple’s vice president of engineering from 2005 until 2019, recalls working long nights and weekends in the roughly two and a half years leading up to the first iPhone’s launch.

"I slept, many times, under my desk," he said.

Among the biggest uncertainties was the interface. While touch screens existed long before the iPhone, Apple refined the technology and built software that worked smoothly enough to convince consumers it was worth ditching physical buttons. That took hundreds of people within Apple laboring over technical details like the screen’s lamination and moisture rejection, according to a former Apple engineering leader.

The first iteration looked like an iPod that could make phone calls, according to Fadell, Caballero and Andy Grignon, a former Apple senior manager who worked on the first iPhone. It even had the iPod’s click wheel.

"So we tried to make iPod plus phones, and those were failures," said Fadell. "Because the click wheel wouldn’t allow us to text, wouldn’t allow us to dial a phone number."

But hardware was just one side of the story.

"Every app had to be rewritten from scratch," said Grignon. "You had now introduced a new way to interact with these apps with your fingers. Nothing was stable from the ground up, and so when it crashed, you’re like, 'What, how?'"

The iPod’s success kickstarted Apple’s shift into portable consumer electronics in the early 2000s. Before the iPod, much of the company’s product lineup consisted of laptops and desktops.

That transition required Apple to essentially start from scratch, working with new suppliers and manufacturers while building new teams. The company simply didn’t have the technology to build a device like the iPod, recalls Fadell.

The iPod’s success taught Apple a thing or two about staying ahead of the competition – a vital lesson in the highly competitive smartphone race ahead.

Fadell said he pushed for a new iPod launch in time for Christmas every year , which helped set the tone for the iPhone’s launch cycle.

The former senior member of Apple’s engineering team described the "relentless grind" of pushing out iPods.

The popularity of devices like the T-Mobile Sidekick and BlackBerry 5810 in the early 2000s signaled that consumers wanted their phones to do more than make calls, text and snap photos. They wanted to take their online lives with them.

But entering the phone business was a daunting task back then, even for Apple. Nokia and Motorola ruled the market. Carriers held tight control over marketing and distribution. And at US$ 500, the first iPhone was significantly more expensive than your average phone.

"If you talk to pretty much anybody, you’ll find that there’s a common theme of: 'Did you know the phone was going to be as big of a deal as it is?' And the answer is none of us did," said Grignon, who said the phone was expected to be a "higher-tier luxury product."

The former senior engineering manager described those within Apple as being “pretty surprised” by the market’s reaction to the first model.

Today, the iPhone is among the world’s most popular smartphones, and there are more than 2.5 billion Apple devices in use globally. It’s fundamentally reshaped culture, as CNN’s Bill Weir explores in "50 Years of Apple," a special report for "The Whole Story" with Anderson Cooper premiering on 4 April.

Even Grignon is surprised at how ubiquitous the iPhone has become.

"My son, right now he’s about to graduate high school, and he cannot get through his morning routine without his phone," he said.

That success has spawned an entire ecosystem of products like the Apple Watch and AirPods, all hinging on the iPhone’s popularity. It’s the device that will likely define Apple’s legacy in the long term, says Caballero.

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According to the article of Interesting Engineering, the United States is currently using an AI to streamline the nuclear regulatory process. The Department of Energy used AI mapping to convert a safety analysis document required under DOE’s authorization pathway for advanced reactor demonstrations into U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) licensing documents for commercial deployment.

The DOE revealed that this accomplishment shows the role AI can play in improving the efficiency and accuracy of nuclear technology licensing, and could one day help to accelerate timelines for the commercial deployment of advanced nuclear reactors.

"Now is the time to move boldly on AI-accelerated nuclear energy deployment," said Rian Bahran, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Reactors.

"This partnership, combined with the President’s orders, represents more than incremental 'uplift' improvements. It has the potential to transform how industry prepares its regulatory submissions and deploys nuclear energy while upholding the highest standards of safety and compliance."

Everstar’s Gordian AI solution, built on the Microsoft Azure platform, was recently used to convert the Preliminary Documented Safety Analysis for DOE’s National Reactor Innovation Center’s (NRIC) Generic High Temperature Gas Reactor (HTGR) into sections equivalent to an NRC license application, according to a press release.

The DOE revealed that the final 208-page document took one day to generate. Typically, the process takes a team of people between four and six weeks to complete the same task. The AI tool also comprehensively identified missing or incomplete information needed to successfully complete an NRC application.

Gordian was engineered for nuclear-grade technical work and is equipped with physics and engineering tools, as well as the ability to understand and integrate data through semantic ontology mapping, to ensure that the final output is computed and verified, not inferred, according to the DOE.

"Nuclear is poised to solve today’s critical energy challenges," said Kevin Kong, CEO and Founder of Everstar. "We’re excited to partner with INL to meet the moment, working together to accelerate regulatory review and commercialization."

The DOE also revealed that Gordian’s output was subsequently evaluated by an expert for accuracy, missing information, consistency, as well as grammar and structure to ensure that its results were correct and adhered to rigorous professional standards. The output was found to demonstrate quality, rigor, and depth, as well as the tool’s ability to identify and qualify its own gaps in data knowledge.

"Our collaborations with DOE, INL and across the industry are demonstrating how we can effectively bring secure, scalable AI technologies to solve key energy challenges and achieve the broader national and economic security goals envisioned by the Department’s Genesis Mission," said Carmen Krueger, Corporate Vice President, US Federal, Microsoft.

The DOE also highlighted that currently, the nuclear licensing process involves multiple rounds of manual document reviews and minor clerical adjustments, which can take years to complete.

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