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Microsoft's October 13 Patch Tuesday update for Windows 11 introduced a bug that disables the Smart App Control security feature and prevents users from turning it back on through normal settings. Microsoft has acknowledged the issue and published a Registry workaround involving two new keys while it prepares an official fix.
Apple's upcoming tvOS 27.2 update introduces a 'Shuffle' option that cycles through all screen saver categories instead of restricting users to one. It also adds ASL and BSL sign language toggles in the Apple TV app's player controls for select titles, plus the ability to manually curate which Photos library content appears in Memories, Slideshows, or Portraits screen savers.
CNET has launched a new app called TechPulse to replace its existing CNET app, combining news, video and reviews from CNET alongside sister Ziff Davis brands PCMag, Mashable, ZDNET and Lifehacker. The app features a customizable, human-curated dashboard rather than an algorithm-driven feed, letting users filter content by brand or by format such as video versus text. It is available now on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.
Olo, led by founder and CEO Noah Glass, has launched a nationwide food-delivery app on iOS and Android featuring 250 restaurant brands at launch. Unlike Uber Eats and DoorDash, Olo charges restaurants no commission-driven markups, instead charging users a flat 5 percent service fee plus delivery charges, with menu prices matching in-store pricing. The app also omits sponsored listings, showing a streamlined list of nearby restaurants and past orders.
Revolut customers reported being unable to access the banking app on the morning of the outage. The company acknowledged the issue, said it had been working since it was identified to resolve it, and apologised to affected users for the inconvenience.
Revolut confirmed a service disruption affecting multiple parts of its app on Tuesday morning, including card payments, transfers, ATM withdrawals and customer support. Downdetector logged over 1,500 user reports shortly after 08:00 BST, with Revolut saying customers' money and data remain safe while it works to fix the issue. Lloyds Bank and Bank of Scotland also reported some online service issues around the same time.
WABetaInfo found code in WhatsApp's latest TestFlight build indicating the app is extending its in-app browser beyond business links to all links shared in chats. A new 'In-app browser' toggle under Settings > Chats would let users choose whether links open inside WhatsApp or their default browser, with options to clear cookies and cached data. The feature is not yet live for beta testers and has no announced rollout date.
Carson Oliver, newly promoted to vice president of the App Store, spoke with Polygon about Apple's gaming strategy following the launch of Indie Games Week, which spotlighted seven new and upcoming iPhone and iPad titles. He said more premium games have launched on the App Store this year than last, including a growing number of console and PC franchises moving to mobile.
Apple is rolling out Sound Glow, a feature that lights up the touch surface of HomePod mini and the second-generation HomePod with colors drawn from the currently playing song's album artwork. The feature requires software version 27.2, is enabled via the Home app or Apple TV Control Center, and does not work on the original HomePod.
Apple's upcoming iOS 27.2 and HomePod 27.2 software update introduces a 'Lock Controls' setting in the Home app that disables touch input on the device's top cap. The feature, spotted by leaker pdfu in a release candidate build, will work across all HomePod models, including the original 2018 version. Even with controls locked, Intercom, timers, alarms, Check In, and FaceTime calls will still respond to touch.
A developer built Yara Reads, a web-based reading app for children who have just learned phonics sounds, naming it after his six-year-old daughter. The app marks each word with dots, bars or arcs showing its phonetic breakdown, and a speaker button sounds out each part before saying the full word. It's free, requires no account, and includes a checker that verifies every story word matches sounds the child has actually learned.
A home theater enthusiast testing Samsung's Q990D soundbar found the front sound stage felt too compressed, with the center and front channels blending together. Using SmartThings app settings, they reconfigured the satellite speakers—normally used as rears—to function as front drivers, which widened the front soundstage but left the system without rear surround speakers.