GoKawiil
Tech News
Apple's iOS 27 update brings a major Apple Intelligence overhaul, including a much-improved Siri, but some newer iPhones now need up to 14GB of free storage for full AI functionality, compared to 8GB previously. This higher requirement applies specifically to iPhone 17 Pro, Pro Max, Air, Duo, and 18 Pro models, while other iPhones still only need 8GB.
The Second Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that U.S. border agents may search travelers' electronic devices without any individualized suspicion, rejecting arguments for a warrant requirement. The decision came in United States v. Alisigwe, a case in which prosecutors used evidence from two warrantless cellphone searches conducted at the border. The Knight First Amendment Institute and the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press had filed a brief urging the court to require warrants, citing First and Fourth Amendment concerns.
A new wave of screenless wearable devices is gaining popularity as alternatives to mainstream smartwatches like the Apple Watch, Galaxy Watch, and Pixel Watch. These minimalist gadgets focus on health tracking without a display, appealing to users who want fitness and biometric data without the distractions of a screen.
The US International Trade Commission has launched a Section 337 investigation into Apple, Samsung, and Google following a complaint from BoomCloud 360, a California audio tech firm. BoomCloud 360 alleges the three companies' spatial audio features infringe three of its patents covering gain adjustment, speaker asymmetry compensation, and crosstalk correction.
Snapdrop is a browser-based tool that lets people send files directly between nearby devices without creating an account or installing software. The service works via local network connections, and on Chrome it may briefly request microphone access to help detect nearby devices, though no audio is recorded or transmitted.
Motorola posted a cryptic teaser on X showing close-ups of various materials alongside the tagline 'A new perspective is coming' and the date September 22, 2026. Signs point to this being the reveal of the Signature 27, a follow-up to the Motorola Signature phone launched in January, since a sign-up page using the same tagline already exists.
Zimperium zLabs identified a new Android malware family, RatHat, spread via malvertising, SMS and phishing sites offering APK downloads outside Google Play. It abuses Accessibility permissions and enables Developer Options and Wireless Debugging to gain shell-level control, installing companion agents that maintain persistence, log keystrokes, and steal banking or crypto credentials through fake overlays. Researchers link the operation to Chinese-speaking actors based on Chinese-language prompts found in its AI automation engine.
Reuters reports that SK Hynix, which supplies Apple with RAM and flash memory, is discussing a deal with Intel to produce chips at Intel's planned Ohio facility, potentially leasing part of the site. This would mark the first time the South Korean company manufactures memory chips on US soil, though sources say details remain unclear and nothing has been finalized.
A group called stegan0gram removed a Flock roadside camera and dissected its Android storage, finding an encryption key inside the 'media' partition that unlocked another partition holding all recorded files. That data included about 1.6 million images and 27,321 short video clips gathered over 21 days, capturing roughly 50,200 vehicles and 11 people.
Travel planning app Tripsy released version 3.10, adding a Smart Import tool that converts links, PDFs, screenshots, emails, and social media posts into trip itineraries, plus an on-device AI feature called Smart Insights that extracts details like baggage rules and cancellation policies. The update also brings support for iOS 27's extra-large widget and deeper Siri integration allowing restaurant recommendations to be added directly to the app.
Google has launched early access to a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server for Google Home, enabling AI agents such as Claude, ChatGPT, Hermes, OpenClaw and Google Antigravity to interact with connected smart home devices. Through natural language, users can review camera summaries, monitor activity, control devices, and build custom dashboards, after linking their agent via a Google Cloud project and granting permissions.
Nothing CEO Carl Pei has responded to speculation that the upcoming Phone 4b is actually a rebranded CMF device rather than a genuine Nothing product. Pei clarified that the Phone 4b is instead a direct successor to the Phone 3a Lite, positioning it within Nothing's existing budget lineup rather than its sister sub-brand CMF.