iOS 26 Update Brings AirPod Functionality to Address Significant Problem
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iOS 26 brings numerous enhancements for Apple devices, including the long-anticipated feature that allows control of AirPods audio through CarPlay.
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iOS 26 brings numerous enhancements for Apple devices, including the long-anticipated feature that allows control of AirPods audio through CarPlay.
This week in technology updates, numerous significant stories have surfaced, attracting the focus of both enthusiasts and industry observers.
To begin with, excitement for Google’s forthcoming Pixel 10 series has surged with a barrage of leaks disclosing possible features and designs. Noteworthy insider Evan Blass released images and videos that display the Pixel 10 and Pixel 10 Pro, emphasizing fresh color options and design modifications. Additionally, the Pixel 10 Pro Fold is rumored to have a slimmer bezel, allowing for increased screen real estate. Furthermore, the Pixel 10 Pro XL is anticipated to feature a 6.8-inch Super Actua display and superior wireless charging capabilities.
In the world of music streaming, Spotify has revealed a price hike for its Premium Individual plan, impacting users throughout Europe, Latin America, Africa, and the Asia-Pacific territories. The cost will elevate by one dollar, a step Spotify claims is essential for ongoing innovation of its services.
Google’s Pixel Watch 4 has also been a topic of leaks, with insights pointing to new color variations and a revamped charging dock. The watch is predicted to retain its hallmark circular design while implementing a side-mounted charging mechanism.
Meta has introduced two prototype virtual reality headsets, “Tiramisu” and “Boba 3,” at the SIGGRAPH 2025 conference. These prototypes aspire to elevate the VR experience with ultra-realistic imagery and an expansive field of view.
In closing, Samsung is preparing to unveil the Galaxy S25 FE in September, with indications of a starting cost under 1 million won (~$720). The device is set to deliver flagship features at a more budget-friendly price.
These narratives underscore the dynamic and continually changing landscape of the tech industry, with companies relentlessly striving to redefine innovation and enhance consumer experiences.
Read More**Android Central Verdict: Oakley Meta HSTN Smart Glasses**
The Oakley Meta HSTN smart glasses signify a notable advancement from the Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses launched two years prior. These eyewear devices feature cutting-edge Meta AI capabilities, a more robust charging case, and provide up to 70% enhanced battery longevity. They also highlight improved video recording stabilization at 1080p, presented in a fashionable new aesthetic with various lens selections. Although they have an IP54 rating, they are not designed for water exposure. While the battery performance has increased, users can anticipate merely an additional hour on a full charge in comparison to the Ray-Ban Metas when utilized extensively.
**Pros:**
– Trendy design with a range of color choices.
– Option for prescription lenses and various tints.
– Superb video stabilization at 1080p.
– Effortless integration of Meta AI.
– Dependable historical update support from Meta.
– Handy charging case equipped with a bigger battery than Ray-Ban Metas.
**Cons:**
– Fit might not be as snug as Ray-Ban Metas during specific activities.
– Battery longevity continues to be a limitation.
– Restricted water and dust protection.
– Comparatively elevated price tag.
**Conclusion:**
The Oakley Meta HSTN smart glasses represent a praiseworthy enhancement over their predecessors, providing better functionality and design. Nevertheless, prospective buyers should evaluate the advantages against the elevated price and reflect on their individual requirements and usage situations.
**Portal App For Mac Aligns Your Workflow With Nature’s Cadence**
Portal for Mac is an exceptional application on the App Store, designed by indie developers at Portal Labs. It improves well-being during work, browsing, or leisure. The app changes your wallpaper with vibrant landscapes and spatial audio, immersing you in the splendor of nature. Recently, Portal unveiled its most ambitious feature to date—Circadian Flow. This functionality syncs with your local time, providing curated scenes that mirror the natural light and sounds of the day, with the goal of restoring the natural rhythm that affects sleep, energy, and mood.
Version 1.6 of Portal also includes numerous updates:
– **Favorite Playlists:** Users can build a flow of their preferred portals.
– **Audio Balancing:** Ensures consistent volume across various portals for seamless transitions.
– **Serene Nature Collection:** New portals shot in Iceland, highlighting rare instances of tranquility.
Portal for Mac is accessible on the Mac App Store with a 7-day free trial. It presents subscription choices at $69.99 per year, $12.99 per month, or a lifetime subscription for $299.99, granting full access to both Mac and iOS versions.
Read More**OpenAI Unveils GPT-5: A New Chapter for ChatGPT**
OpenAI has formally launched GPT-5, the newest version of its ChatGPT model, signifying a major leap in AI technology. The rollout commenced yesterday, making the model accessible to both paying and free users, a shift from earlier launches that favored premium customers. However, at this time, GPT-5 is solely available on the iPhone version of ChatGPT, while Mac and web users continue to use GPT-4o.
Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, recognized the complexities involved in the rollout on social platforms, mentioning that the shift to GPT-5 has led to a doubling of API traffic within the initial 24 hours. A prominent feature of GPT-5 is its “autoswitcher” element, designed to improve user experience by automatically choosing the most suitable model for a specific query. This integrated model aims to streamline interactions, removing the necessity for users to manually alternate between various modes for rapid responses, reasoning, and coding tasks.
User input has significantly influenced the enhancements in GPT-5. OpenAI intends to provide increased transparency regarding which model is being employed for specific requests, in addition to granting users the choice of their desired model. This is especially crucial as the unified model is anticipated to enhance performance, contingent upon the autoswitcher operating effectively.
Moreover, OpenAI has opted to reinstate access to GPT-4o for Plus customers, who subscribe for $20 monthly, despite having previously restricted it to Pro users at $200 per month. While GPT-4o will eventually be phased out, no detailed timeline has been specified. Altman has also stated that Plus customers will experience a doubling of their GPT-5 usage limit as the rollout advances.
In related developments, Apple is poised to enhance its ChatGPT integration within Apple Intelligence to leverage GPT-5, beginning with iOS 26. OpenAI has additionally introduced two open-weight models, including one that is compatible with Apple silicon Macs, and has unveiled initiatives to foster healthier utilization of ChatGPT.
As the rollout progresses, users can anticipate additional updates and improvements to the ChatGPT experience, underscoring OpenAI’s dedication to enhancing AI accessibility and functionality.
Read MoreA recent research paper from Apple outlines a method that enhances the speed of large language model responses while maintaining output quality. Here are the specifics.
## The technical details
Typically, LLMs formulate text one token at a time. This process is slow, as each iteration relies on all preceding ones to maintain coherence and correctness in output.
For instance, if the model is constructing a sentence such as “The cat is black,” it forecasts each token sequentially. After producing “The cat is,” it evaluates everything generated thus far (along with the user’s input and insights gained during training) to assess the likelihood of each possible subsequent token in its lexicon. This is known as autoregression.
In this case, it might evaluate choices like black, tall, sleeping, grumpy, fluffy, skinny, purring, white, tired, playing, missing, meowing, cold, etc., then select the one that best corresponds to the context.
## What Apple accomplished
In the research [Your LLM Knows the Future: Uncovering Its Multi-Token Prediction Potential](https://arxiv.org/abs/2507.11851), Apple’s team discovered that while these models are typically trained to predict only the next token, they still possess valuable information pertaining to several forthcoming tokens.
Building on this insight, they created a “multi-token prediction” (MTP) framework that enables the model to generate multiple tokens simultaneously.
If this feels reminiscent of the [diffusion model study](https://9to5mac.com/2025/07/04/apple-just-released-a-weirdly-interesting-coding-language-model/) we discussed a few weeks back, you’re not mistaken. Although the training methodologies and underlying technologies are distinct, both strategies aim to accelerate inference and reach outcomes more swiftly than the one-token-at-a-time method.
In this particular investigation, researchers integrated special “mask” tokens into prompts, which serve as placeholders for the forthcoming words.
For example, “The cat is ” could be completed as “very fluffy” in one single step. While generating output, the model anticipates multiple upcoming words simultaneously, with each word being promptly checked against what traditional autoregressive decoding would have yielded. If a prediction fails the verification, it defaults back to the standard one-at-a-time method. Overall, this guarantees enhanced speed without compromising accuracy.
During tests with the open-source Tulu3-8B model, Apple trained it to speculate on 8 additional tokens and noted average speed improvements of 2–3× across general tasks such as Q&A and chat, and up to 5× in more predictable areas like coding and mathematics. These enhancements were achieved with “no degradation in generation quality, thanks to a straightforward yet efficient technique we name gated LoRA adaptation.”
You can access the complete paper on
Read More### iPhone 17 Pro Roundup: What to Expect
In a recent video, Jon Prosser has returned to talk about the much-anticipated iPhone 17 Pro, following a legal conflict with Apple regarding purported leaks of iOS 26 information. Despite the ongoing litigation, Prosser’s insights and renders continue to draw the interest of tech aficionados, offering a look at what Apple might present.
#### Overview of Leaks and Speculations
As the tech world eagerly awaits Apple’s official announcement, numerous aspects about the iPhone 17 Pro and the iPhone 17 Air have emerged online. These leaks have originated from several sources, constructing a thorough picture of the forthcoming devices. While Apple keeps quiet, the plethora of information from other channels has ignited speculation and enthusiasm.
#### Design and Features
Prosser’s latest video presents appealing renders of the iPhone 17 Pro, emphasizing anticipated design features and elements. Although specific details remain conjectural, key features expected include enhancements in camera technology, better battery longevity, and potentially new color variants. The design is likely to retain the sleek aesthetics that Apple is recognized for, while incorporating subtle adjustments that improve user experience.
#### Legal Context
The backdrop of Prosser’s video is overshadowed by his ongoing legal struggle with Apple. The lawsuit revolves around claims of leaking confidential information from an employee’s iPhone. While mentioning the lawsuit in his material may not be advisable from a legal perspective, it adds an intriguing dimension to the narrative surrounding the iPhone 17 Pro.
#### Conclusion
As the launch date for the iPhone 17 Pro nears, the excitement continues to escalate. Jon Prosser’s insights, despite the surrounding controversy, deliver valuable information for those eager to discover more about Apple’s upcoming flagship device. With a multitude of leaks and speculations, the tech community is ready for what seems to be another revolutionary release from Apple.
Read Morethe BBC’s article prompted me to ponder one main question while reading: Why does this matter to me?
The rationale behind questioning the significance of this competition stems from the fact that tech firms have traditionally utilized chess as a benchmark for evaluating the capabilities and advancements of machine learning models. This practice has been so prevalent that today’s chess engines typically outmatch human players. However, chess does not equate to real-world scenarios.
With the abundance of news articles highlighting the advancements in AI, it may seem somewhat odd for me to sit here and criticize the reality that Grok was defeated by OpenAI in chess. Although it’s easy to interpret Elon Musk’s post on X regarding the result as just his usual self-promoting commentary, his insights on Grok’s chess performance being merely a byproduct are indeed quite accurate.
**Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan Responds to Resignation Demands Amid Controversy**
In a recent development, President Donald Trump has publicly called for the resignation of Intel’s CEO, Lip-Bu Tan, pointing to accusations of “deeply conflicted” relationships with China. In reaction, Tan has decisively affirmed his commitment to his role, addressing the issues raised concerning his previous connections.
**Background on Lip-Bu Tan**
Prior to his role at Intel, Tan held the position of CEO at Cadence Design Systems, a firm that recently encountered legal troubles, including a guilty plea linked to the sale of chip-design products to a Chinese military university. Additionally, a Reuters investigation uncovered that Tan had invested in several Chinese tech companies, some with ties to the People’s Liberation Army. These findings have led to scrutiny from Republican Senators, who have voiced concerns regarding his ability to lead Intel and have recommended that the board explore alternative leadership options.
**Tan’s Reaction to the Charges**
In a letter to Intel employees, which was subsequently made public, Tan responded to what he referred to as “misinformation” about his past connections with China. He highlighted his enduring allegiance to the United States, stating, “The United States has been my home for more than 40 years. I love this country and am profoundly grateful for the opportunities it has given me.” He reassured staff that he has consistently followed the highest legal and ethical standards throughout his professional life.
Amid increasing pressure, Intel’s board has shown its support for Tan, who is currently in talks with the White House to clarify the situation. He reaffirmed his alignment with the President’s objectives of bolstering U.S. national and economic security.
**Market Reaction**
In the wake of Trump’s remarks, Intel’s stock saw a 3% decline, with subsequent fluctuations resulting in a closing rise of 0.9%. Nonetheless, the shares remain considerably lower than the peak reached after Tan’s appointment as CEO.
**Conclusion**
As the situation unfolds, Lip-Bu Tan’s future at Intel is still in limbo. His dedication to the company and the U.S. economy is evident, yet the ongoing examination by political figures and the public could affect the board’s decision-making in the weeks ahead.
Read More**The Distinctive Severance Mural in Los Angeles**
Los Angeles is recognized for its lively entertainment culture, and recently, it has incorporated a remarkable artwork into its scenery: a large mural honoring the Apple TV+ series “Severance.” This mural, named “The Exalted Victory of Cold Harbor,” has swiftly emerged as a significant landmark, attracting interest from both residents and tourists.
### The Mural’s Position and Development
Located near an Apple TV+ advertisement on Melrose Avenue, the mural was finalized at the close of July 2023. Bystanders documented the finishing touches of the artwork, sharing their experiences on social media. Apple has subsequently released official images of the mural, including a selfie by Adam Scott, the lead actor of “Severance,” which has further enhanced its prominence.
### Collaborative Artistry
The mural’s creation featured a group of skilled artists who worked tirelessly to transform the idea into reality. Their endeavors were captured on social media, highlighting the detailed procedure of painting such a sizable piece. The mural not only acts as a marketing asset for the show but also stands as a testament to the creativity and talent of the participating artists.
### Severance on Apple TV+
“Severance,” which has received widespread praise, is currently available for streaming on Apple TV+ for its initial two seasons. The series has enthralled viewers with its distinctive premise and narrative, making the mural an appropriate homage to its success. Fans of the series are invited to visit the mural and share their opinions, contributing to the ongoing dialogue about the show and its influence.
### Conclusion
The Severance mural in Los Angeles transcends being a mere promotional instrument; it celebrates art and entertainment, enriching the city’s cultural landscape. As it continues to capture attention, it encourages viewers to engage with the series in a new and visually impressive manner. Whether you’re a “Severance” fan or an art lover, this mural is an essential landmark in LA.
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