A Department of Homeland Security procurement notice reveals plans to buy Boston Dynamics' Spot quadruped robots and accessories for between $1 million and $2 million. The robots would be used by ICE for inspection, situational awareness, and hazard assessment in risky or hard-to-access environments before officers enter. A DHS official confirmed to NBC News that the robots would not be used for apprehending people or making arrests.
According to a Bloomberg report, Apple may break from its usual pattern of releasing all new iPhones together, instead launching standard iPhone 18 models next spring while saving the Pro, Pro Max and a rumored foldable iPhone Ultra for a September debut. The new phones are also said to feature smaller dynamic islands and variable-aperture cameras.
The New York Knicks' championship season this year is being cited as a case study in effective teamwork, with observers noting that the team's success stemmed from more than individual talent. Commentators point to the squad's internal dynamics as a model that extends beyond sports into business management.
Hyundai CEO José Muñoz said the automaker intends to use its existing dealer network to sell robots like Boston Dynamics' Atlas humanoid and Spot quadruped, alongside cars. Hyundai Capital, the company's auto financing arm, is also exploring ways to offer financing for these costly machines. Hyundai plans a factory to produce 30,000 Atlas units annually by 2028, with deployment starting at its Georgia plant.
Apple has confirmed a product event for September 9 at 10 a.m. PT, themed 'Surprise and shine,' where it plans to reveal the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and its first-ever foldable iPhone, reportedly called iPhone Ultra. Notably absent this year is a standard iPhone model, with Apple said to be shifting that release to spring 2027 alongside the iPhone 18e and Air 2.
A leak spotted by MacRumors analyst Aaron Perris shows feature flags indicating Google's YouTube and YouTube Music apps are being prepared for Apple's Liquid Glass design language on iOS. The same flags reportedly hint at support for iOS Live Activities, which could let YouTube TV display real-time content like sports scores via the Dynamic Island.
Robotics startup Generalist has raised nearly $200 million more in an extension of its Series B round led by 8VC, pushing its valuation to $3 billion and total round funding to $600 million. The company, founded in 2024 by ex-Google DeepMind and Boston Dynamics engineers, builds AI foundation models meant to control multiple types of robots, with its Gen 1.5 model reportedly learning new tasks from short video clips.
Apple has pushed out the seventh developer beta of iOS 27, available now via Settings for those enrolled in the Apple Developer Program. This build is expected to correspond to public beta 5, with the finished software rolling out to all users next month. The update centers on Siri AI, a rebuilt assistant using new Apple Foundation Models and expanded Apple Intelligence features across the system.