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A profile highlights Eliezer Yudkowsky, the AI safety researcher known for warning that advanced artificial intelligence could pose existential risks to humanity. The report also touches on unrelated tech and consumer news, including upgrades to Apple's Siri and reader feedback on hospital patient portals.
A TechInsights teardown of the iPhone 18 Pro Max confirms that the US model uses Qualcomm's Snapdragon X80 modem instead of Apple's own C2 chip, which powers the device everywhere else and in the smaller iPhone 18 Pro globally. The X80 is the same modem found in last year's iPhone 17 Pro line, meaning Apple hasn't fully extended its in-house modem rollout to this specific US model.
Apple confirmed the iPhone 18 Pro Max packs a single-cell battery exceeding 20 watt-hours, triggering extra international shipping regulations for large batteries. To comply, Apple built firmware that caps the battery below 20 Wh during manufacturing and transit, only unlocking full capacity once a user activates the phone. A new 'Prepare to Ship' toggle in Settings lets owners discharge the battery back below that threshold before repairs, trade-ins, resale, or gifting.
Howard Buffett, son of Warren Buffett, is reportedly assuming a more active part in preserving the values and structure his father established at Berkshire Hathaway. The move comes as attention also turns to María Corina Machado's plans to return to Venezuela and Apple's latest iPhone and watch releases.
Apple's newest iPhone and Apple Watch models are now available for purchase in physical and online stores. A tech columnist evaluated the new devices primarily by comparing them against previous generations already owned by many consumers.
Apple's new vice president of hardware engineering, Tom Marieb, said watching people put screen protectors on iPhones bothers him because of the effort Apple puts into its display glass. He was promoting Ceramic Shield 2, the coating debuted on the iPhone 17 line and now used on the iPhone 18 Pro and the iPhone Duo foldable's outer screen, which Apple says offers triple the scratch resistance of its predecessor while remaining durable over time.
Apple's new iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max launched this week with starting prices of $1,199 and $1,299, higher than last year's $1,099 and $1,199 for the iPhone 17 Pro lineup. For consumers unwilling to pay the premium for faster chips, improved cameras, and a foldable design, there are simpler ways to make an existing iPhone feel new again.
The Quantified Scientist's Rob ter Horst compared the Apple Watch Series 12's redesigned heart rate sensor against a Polar H10 chest strap across cycling, running, and weightlifting. He found near-perfect correlation during cycling, strong results while running, and solid but slightly weaker accuracy during weightlifting, an exercise notoriously difficult for wrist sensors to track.
Apple increased the out-of-warranty battery replacement cost for the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max by $10, from $119 to $129, likely reflecting the larger battery capacities in the new models. Older iPhones, including the iPhone 6 and original SE, still qualify for the cheapest replacement at $69. Apple has not commented on the price change.
New Apple CEO John Ternus greeted customers in person at Apple's Fifth Avenue store in New York as the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max went on sale, taking selfies and signing boxes for fans who had preordered the devices. It marked his first public product launch appearance since succeeding Tim Cook, continuing Apple's tradition of CEO-attended store openings.
WIRED's testing of the Apple Watch Ultra 4 found it shares nearly all core health and safety features with the new Series 12, thanks to the same Health Sensing System and S11 chip powering both devices. The Ultra 4 retains its multiday battery, Action button, and satellite messaging as its main distinctions, but pricing stays at $799 with no new case finishes this generation.
Apple's iOS 27 update introduces more than 20 new Apple Intelligence capabilities, with the centerpiece being a ground-up rebuild of Siri powered by large language models. The revamped assistant adds broad world knowledge, awareness of personal context across apps like Messages and Calendar, on-screen understanding, task execution within apps, a dedicated Siri app with iCloud-synced conversation history, AI-assisted writing tools, upgraded Visual Intelligence, and customizable expressive voices on supported hardware.