Meta's Threads platform has been flooded with posts using nearly identical wording, in which users claim they and their spouses work at major companies like PepsiCo, JPMorgan, Fidelity, or IBM before pivoting to promote investment advice or opportunities. The repetitive phrasing across accounts suggests coordinated or automated activity rather than genuine personal testimonials.
Apple did not ship the iPhone Duo's official wallpapers with iOS 27, but the artwork has now appeared inside the iPhone Simulator bundled with the newly released Xcode 27.1 beta. That means users can extract all four dune-and-mountain wallpapers—two light mode and two dark mode—designed for Apple's upcoming foldable iPhone.
South Korea's Personal Information Protection Commission has enacted rules allowing fines of up to 10% of a company's annual revenue for major data leaks caused by intent or gross negligence, up from the previous 3% cap. The new rules, effective Friday, apply when 10 million or more people's data is exposed, and also require firms to notify users within 72 hours even if a breach is only suspected. The heightened penalty targets repeat offenders within three years or firms that ignore corrective orders and are subsequently breached.
ESPN, set to air its first Super Bowl in 2027, has begun planning ways to use Disney's broad portfolio of characters and franchises to draw in a wider television audience. Preparations reportedly started almost immediately after the conclusion of the 2026 Super Bowl, with executives exploring cross-promotional tie-ins tied to Disney's intellectual property.
CNET's daily puzzle guide published hints and the solution for the Sept. 19 Wordle, puzzle number 1,918. The word, WAKEN, has no repeated letters, contains two vowels, starts with W and ends with N. The previous day's answer, Sept. 18, was SNOWY.
A growing cluster of leaks—including a partner slide detailing launch timing and platform specs, ASRock Z990 motherboards appearing in a shipping database, and SiSoftware listings for an HP EliteBook X with an unnamed Intel chip—point to Intel's next-generation Nova Lake processors nearing release. Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan has said the lineup will arrive in the second half of 2026, and executive Robert Hallock has called it one of the company's most important launches ever.
Google's Snapseed photo editor is rolling out several new features to beta testers, including support for custom look-up tables (LUTs), Depth/Portrait Blur alongside the previously spotted Motion Blur, and a way to save personal edit configurations as reusable Looks. The update also introduces a Community Looks repository, where users can browse and share preset combinations created by other Snapseed users.
An advertising firm ran a test challenging consumers to distinguish AI-generated ads from human-made ones in a side-by-side lineup. The results showed that 83% of participants were unable to correctly identify which ad was AI-generated.
Control Resonant is Remedy Entertainment's sequel to 2019's Control, following Dylan Faden as he tries to redeem himself after the Hiss overrun Manhattan and threaten the wider world. The game retains Remedy's signature strange, character-driven narrative but shifts to a broader, open-world structure centered on protagonist Dylan working with field leader Zoe.
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.
Google's September Pixel Drop brought Android 17 QPR1 to Pixel phones this week, adding minor features alongside a wave of user complaints about new bugs. Reported issues span performance slowdowns, connectivity failures, display glitches, and unexpected UI behavior, though it's unclear how widespread the problems actually are.
The European Commission unveiled the EU Kids Act, a proposal that would ban social media accounts for children under 13, mandate age verification, and force companies like Meta, Google, YouTube and Roblox to prove their platforms are safely designed. President Ursula von der Leyen said the law shifts the burden of proof onto platforms and gives parents more control over children's online experiences. The measure still needs to go through debate and a vote before becoming law.