GoKawiil
Tech News
Apple has reached a settlement in a class-action lawsuit accusing it of overstating the AI features available on certain iPhone models sold in 2024 and 2025. Under the deal, eligible customers who purchased affected devices can claim a payment of up to $95, though there is a limited window to file a claim.
Bloomberg reports that Wall Street investors are increasingly worried the AI industry's financial structure is a precarious 'house of cards,' built on massive capital expenditures and debt tied to data center buildouts. Analysts note AI-related spending now accounts for roughly half of US GDP growth, meaning any slowdown could trigger a financial shock comparable to the dot-com crash.
Acer chairperson Jason Chen said PC prices will keep rising 5-20% through late 2025, plateau in early 2027, then start falling as memory chip supplies normalize sooner than manufacturers claim. He pushed back on suppliers like SK hynix and Adata, who warn shortages could persist until 2030 or beyond, arguing these companies are inflating fears to protect profit margins.
Apple's iPhone 18 Pro Max ships with a battery-firmware lock that caps capacity below the 20Wh threshold that triggers international shipping restrictions on single-cell batteries. Once a customer activates the phone for the first time, the lock lifts automatically, restoring the battery to its full rated capacity of roughly 21-22Wh depending on the model. A 'Prepare to Ship' setting can reimpose the cap, limiting charging to 80 percent over 14 days, for anyone sending the device in for repair or resale.
Apple has built a 'Prepare to Ship' firmware feature into the iPhone 18 Pro Max that temporarily caps its battery below the 20Wh transport limit enforced in the US, EU and other regions. Once the device is activated by a customer, the cap lifts and the phone's full 5,391mAh capacity becomes available. The same toggle can be re-enabled manually when shipping a device for repair, trade-in or resale.
A new adaptation of the 'Resident Evil' franchise directed by Zach Cregger has released, prompting an open discussion among viewers about its quality. Reactions appear divided, with some praising the take and others expressing disappointment.
Noctua has revealed that its NF-A4x10 5V PWM fan is being used inside the CAIM1, a compact 4K60 camera built to generate cryptographic proof that its footage is genuine and unaltered by AI. Because the device simultaneously handles high-bitrate video capture and cryptographic proof generation within a tightly enclosed shell, its processors run hot enough to need active cooling to avoid throttling.
OpenAI, Anthropic and other leading AI labs are promoting costly independent safety evaluations and a slower pace of frontier model releases. Some investors and analysts argue this push, while addressing genuine safety concerns, could function as a barrier that only well-funded labs can afford to clear.
Valve's Steam Frame VR headset, previously expected in early 2026, has shipped now starting at $1,059. The Verge's review found it fun for both VR and flatscreen gaming but noted ongoing instability and bugs, echoing the rocky launch of the original Steam Deck.
Insta360 is rolling out a new feature called Spatial Capture on September 28 for owners of its X6, X5, and X4 Air cameras. The tool lets users upload a video clip of up to two minutes to the cloud, where 3D Gaussian Splatting technology converts it into a navigable 3D environment within one to two hours.
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.
On The Verge's Decoder podcast, former DOJ antitrust chief Jonathan Kanter discussed AI companies' requests for antitrust exemptions to jointly coordinate on safety, amid growing alarm from researchers at Anthropic and Google DeepMind who have quit citing unheeded safety risks. Kanter, who led major antitrust actions against Google, Apple, and Ticketmaster under Biden, weighed in on whether such exemptions represent legitimate safety collaboration or a bid for regulatory capture and cartel-like behavior.