Group-IB researchers found that the Chinese-speaking threat group GoldFactory has been abusing Google's Work Profile feature to clone victims' banking apps into isolated, hidden environments where fraud-detection tools can't reach. The campaign, powered by the Gigabud Android Trojan and a cloning tool called Vwork, compromised roughly 1,469 devices and 1,281 logins in Indonesia between February and July, causing nearly $1 million in losses.
The September 10, 2026 episode of 9to5Mac Daily covers two major Apple stories: the rollout of AirPods 5 and reports of upcoming iPhone price increases. The podcast, sponsored by Stuff and iMazing, is available across major podcast platforms and includes a paid tier with ad-free and bonus content.
The National Science Foundation announced plans to restructure its funding model, moving away from its traditional practice of soliciting proposals shaped by the scientific community toward a 'portfolio-based' system blending investigator-driven research with agency-directed initiatives tied to White House priorities. The change was outlined in a September 10 letter from acting director Brian Stone, though specifics on the new directed programs were not disclosed. NSF staff, speaking anonymously, worry the shift will further erode funding for curiosity-driven basic research that has defined the agency since 1950.
A survey of 4,262 UK adults by the Policy Institute at King's College London and Sense about Science found that 63% of respondents trust scientists highly, while only 5% expressed strong distrust. Regression analysis showed that feeling scientists are 'on their side' and perceiving them as open and transparent mattered more to respondents than judgments of scientific expertise or general benevolence toward society.
A Nature Briefing Chat episode examines the widely taught story about the Bunsen burner's origins and finds the popular version doesn't hold up to scrutiny. The discussion revisits the historical record to clarify who actually contributed to the device's development and how the myth took hold.
A preprint analyzing nearly 900 recipients of NIH K career-development awards found that successful early-career researchers typically had a median of three mentors, with some reporting as many as 15. These mentors served distinct functions: research mentors mainly helped with publications and grant writing, while other mentors provided professional introductions, skill-building, or emotional support.
Chinese pharmaceutical companies, once known mainly for producing cheap generic medicines, are now developing original obesity and weight-loss drugs aimed at competing with Western blockbusters like Ozempic and Wegovy. Several firms are advancing candidates through clinical trials and striking licensing deals with major international drugmakers.
OpenAI has privately pressed members of Congress for guidance on whether AI labs could legally coordinate to slow the pace of frontier AI development without violating antitrust law. The inquiry follows a blog post from chief scientist Jakub Pachocki calling for industry-wide coordination on safety, including voluntary slowdowns until shared safety standards emerge. Legal experts warn that such coordination could be seen as restricting output under the Sherman Antitrust Act, creating uncertainty that discourages collaboration.
Dutch companies LeydenJar and Powall are not manufacturing complete batteries but specializing in critical components, such as battery anodes, aiming to secure a strategic foothold in the global battery supply chain. LeydenJar's Christian Rood likens this approach to ASML's dominance in semiconductor equipment, where being indispensable in one production step grants outsized influence over an entire industry.
Apple's Audio Intelligence suite on the Watch Series 12 introduces Live Rewind, which captures the last 15 seconds of nearby audio via a double-press of the Digital Crown, transcribes it on a paired iPhone, and discards the raw audio. A companion feature, Siri Recap, generates AI-written summaries of conversations heard throughout the day. Apple says an audible chime and on-screen animation alert people nearby, but does not obtain explicit consent from every speaker captured.
Apple introduced the AirPods 5 with a wireless charging case at its recent event, pricing them roughly $30 below the ANC-equipped AirPods 4. Hands-on impressions suggest the newer earbuds outperform their predecessor across the board despite the lower cost.
Special Master Judge Jose Linares has paused his own earlier order requiring the DOJ to hand over records from 14 federal agencies to Apple, while District Judge Julien Neals reviews the government's appeal of that ruling. Apple wants the documents to show how agencies weigh privacy and security in smartphone purchasing decisions, arguing this supports its defense that certain contested practices are legitimate safeguards rather than anticompetitive conduct.
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