In case you've been sleeping under a rock (and you might if there's a zombie apocalypse going on, I guess), Xbox's State of Decay 3 finally broke cover yesterday.

After many months of radio silence, Undead Labs has confirmed it plans to hold closed alpha tests for State of Decay 3 over the next few weeks and months, as it gears up for its expected 2027 launch landing strip.

Microsoft acquired the State of Decay IP when it purchased Undead Labs a few years ago. The studio founded by Blizzard alumni Jeff Strain built a series of cult-hit zombie apocalypse simulation experiences, but sadly left the company before State of Decay 3 could see the light of day. Strain's departure injected disruption into the game's development, I was told by sources familiar. Fast forward to 2026, and State of Decay 3 is zeroing in on launch, finally, in its final developmental stretch.

As part of the announcement, Undead Labs sat down with an exclusive interview with YouTuber Sunny Games to offer a glimpse at what players can expect from State of Decay 3, and it all sounds incredibly positive.

Studio lead Philip Holt discussed the time period for State of Decay 3, and offered some hints about the game's general setting. "State of Decay 1 took place maybe like a couple of weeks after the zombie outbreak. State of Decay 2 took place around a year or so after the zombie outbreak, although we've sort of been non-specific about the timelines there. This is when the government has fallen apart and you're really on your own. Your job is to find some other communities or survivors to ally with. State of Decay 3 goes years into the future.

So, you know, the group of survivors has now become a bit more hardened. They've seen their share of death. The zombie menace is presenting itself in a new way."

Holt said that State of Decay 1 had a "heart and soul" with its hand-crafted characters, and State of Decay 2 went deeper into systems and procedural generation. Undead Labs aims to bring the best of both worlds together for State of Decay 3, creating those harrowing zombie-apocalypse story beats while also delivering a deep, systems-driven experience.

Be sure to watch the full and rather excellent interview with Sunny Games here, but here's a general overview of some of the key points.

• The original State of Decay 3 trailer was put together back when the game was a word document.
• No zombie animals, despite them being in the trailer, sadly.
• State of Decay 3's communities have a "makeshift culture" of scavenging, crafting, and device building. You'll see less pre-manufactured weapons seen nearer the start of the outbreak.
• Combat has been a "huge focus" for the game, improved locomotion, responsiveness, accessible but with depth.
• Settlements will have "variety and character" similar to State of Decay 2, with some bases having specific in-built features like more electricity and so on.
• You won't be able to totally ignore the plague threat in State of Decay 3 and turtle up in your base, as it will grow in power if left unchecked.
• State of Decay 3 wants to "meet player expectations" for online co-op. It'll be less restrictive than State of Decay 2. One player will be able to start a game, then others can log into the game and manage the communities even when the map creator is offline.
• State of Decay 3 is server-based rather than peer-hosted. There's no limits on player movement, and "much less" player tethering in State of Decay 3 — although Undead Labs was hesitant to confirm limits. They want to do more testing on their server infrastructure before confirming.
• State of Decay 3 will retain a single player mode, owing to most players choosing to play solo in previous games. State of Decay 3 will scale up in difficulty as more players join a game.
• State of Decay 3 wants to reduce its "loveable" jank, gunning for a more polished launch experience.
• Undead Labs wants to deliver long-term post-launch support for State of Decay 3, as seen with State of Decay 2.
• The core of the State of Decay experience will remain. Undead Labs noted that player engagement actually increased when players lose characters.
• And more!

Don't sleep on State of Decay 3

Sony began its multiplatform initiative back in 2020, bringing Horizon Zero Dawn to PC and kicking off an entire porting avalanche. However, a report from March revealed that Sony is adjusting its PC release strategy, perhaps ditching single-player releases on the platform altogether. Now, some changes have been spotted on the PlayStation website that might be hinting at this being true.

The subtle changes were first spotted by Zuby_Tech on X. The page in question shows every first-party studio working under the PlayStation brand as cards, with each one having a small description. The Valkyrie Entertainment and XDEV descriptions are the ones raising some eyebrows.

Earlier, the Valkyrie description said, "A well respected studio known for producing high quality work on a range of platforms from console to PC."

This has been changed to "Providing top-tier co-development expertise to several of PlayStation Studios’ most iconic and award-winning franchises, including ASTRO BOT, Helldivers 2 and God of War." The new description has dropped the mention of PC as a platform completely.

Next, XDEV's description has changed from "Collaborating with ambitious external studios across the globe" to "Partnering with talented independent studios to publish exciting, exclusive titles for PlayStation players worldwide." While there wasn't a mention of PC earlier, the new wording focuses on exclusives for the Sony console. Here's an archive link to see the original text from just a few days ago.

Sony has yet to make any announcements about PlayStation release strategy changes. The Bloomberg report from last month said the company is making less money from PC ports than before and that it wants to protect its brand.

Another change that has been made to this studio's page is the removal of two first-party developers. These are Bluepoint Games and Dark Outlaw Games, two studios that Sony shut down earlier this year. The company is yet to make a public announcement about this closure and layoff waves, even though the website has been updated to remove them as internal PlayStation studios.

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Posted Sunday 5 April 2026 at 6:24 am AEST (my time).

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Undead Labs has been pretty silent about its next zombie survival project, State of Decay 3, since its original announcement in 2020. Now, out of the blue, the studio put forth a developer vlog that is calling up fans for upcoming playtests while also giving tiny glimpses of the highly anticipated game in action.

"Over the last few years, most of the team has been doing updates for State of Decay 2," said Brant Fitzgerald, co-creator of the franchise. "The rest of us have been creating cool [stuff] for State of Decay 3."

The playtest will give players access to an alpha version of State of Decay 3. To sign up, head to this link and log in with a Discord account. At the time of publishing this, the developer's server currently seems to be rate-limited probably due to the popularity of the playtest announcement.

"If scavenging supplies in the middle of a zombie outbreak sounds fun to you, then grab your ruck, pack some mags, and head over to our website to register for a chance to be included in the alpha," added Fitzgerald. "If you don't get contacted for this round, don't worry—we’ll keep your name on the list for other opportunities throughout the year."

Four-player cooperative play, brand-new base building and resource management systems, and plenty of combat are being promised by the developer for the alpha playtests.

From previous announcements, we know that State of Decay 3 will take place years after the first two games, with zombies being even more decayed and mutated. The virus seems to be affecting animals now as well, adding another layer to the dangerous environments and combat. Undead Labs was said to be getting assistance from other Xbox studios like Obsidian Entertainment and The Coalition too.

While a release window has not been attached to the project, a Steam store page has gone up for players to wishlist State of Decay 3. Hopefully, a release date gets shared during the upcoming Xbox Games Showcase of 2026.

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Posted Saturday 4 April 2026 at 5:52 am AEST (my time).

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The PC market has been volatile over the past few years. At least 2025 was better, with PC shipments growing 3% year-on-year in Q4 2025, reaching 18.2 million units.

The increase in PC shipments can be attributed to multiple factors, including retailers securing inventory ahead of the anticipated memory and storage supply shortage, the peak of Windows 11 commercial refreshes as users upgrade from outdated Windows 10 PCs, and holiday-season demand.

But now, the market has hit a slump again. According to research and consultancy firm Omdia, PC shipments in the US will likely decline 13% year-on-year due to these shortages. The same can also be said about PC shipments in the Asia-Pacific market.

What's worse, the price of PCs and memory is expected to skyrocket by 60%.

Omdia indicates that memory and storage costs have increased by 40–70% since 2025, prompting the firm to forecast that 60% increase in the estimate for mainstream PC memory and storage costs in Q1 2026.

But perhaps more concerningly, the storage and memory supply crisis will likely have the greatest impact on entry-level PCs. "As thinner margins and lower allocation priority constrain the low-end market, smaller vendors are especially at risk of being squeezed out of the market,” Jessop added.

Right now, memory manufacturers seem more inclined to sell RAM to gigantic AI-centric businesses because it's more profitable. If this trend continues, entry-level PCs will likely disappear from the market completely by 2028 (via Tom's Hardware).

Famously, Apple recently unveiled the MacBook Neo at $599, bucking industry trends with a few entry‑level trade‑offs. Perhaps most notably, swapping the scarcer M‑series chips for the iPhone 16’s A18 Pro processor. Additionally, the iPhone maker shipped the MacBook Neo with 8GB of RAM, keeping the entry-level cost down while reflecting the tight DRAM supply, and sparking more debate on RAM requirements in macOS vs. Windows.

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Posted Friday 3 April 2026 at 6:20 am AEST (my time).

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It's not every day your company turns 50 years old. Apple Inc. just became one of the names to hit that milestone, a year after its long-time rival (and savior) Microsoft celebrated its 50th anniversary. Many of us are interested in knowing how the Cupertino giant is celebrating such an occasion.

From posting on social media to hosting performances for a live audience, Apple is doing it all. So, here's a non-exhaustive list of what Apple is doing on its 50th birthday:

The Message

Apple CEO Tim Cook kicked off the "#Apple50" celebrations on March 12 by penning a letter, "50 Years of Thinking Different," which was published on the company's website. Cook thanked Apple's teams operating worldwide, its developer community, and millions of customers who collectively turned Apple into a wealthy giant. Cook emphasized how the idea of having technology for personal use was "radical at the time" when Apple spun out of a small garage.

As April 1 broke into the dark hours of the night, Cook also shared a retro-style video on his X account, featuring Apple devices from different years.

Installations of classic Apple devices

The company put up installations of old iMacs on display at Apple Park, featuring different generations released over the years, including the candy-colored iMac G3 from 1998. Another installation shows different iPhone models, starting with the original iPhone from 2007 and all the way to the modern iPhone 17 Pro.

Special goodies for Apple employees

What's an anniversary without special edition collectibles? Apple distributed a "50 Years of Apple" T-shirt, a limited-edition poster, and an enamel pin. The poster and the t-shirt feature the same sketch-animated graphics we have seen in Apple's other marketing material.

New animation on Apple.com

Apple updated the homepage of its website to display new animations. It starts with a solid-colored rainbow that rises to reveal a sketch animation of various Apple products. Along with it is the following text:

At 50 years, it’s only natural to look back. But Apple has always looked forward, building tools and delivering experiences that enrich people’s lives. As we celebrate how far we’ve come, we’re inspired by where we’ll go — together.

Paul McCartney at work

Beatles-fame music legend Sir Paul McCartney was invited to perform exclusively at Apple Park as part of the 50th anniversary celebrations on Tuesday evening. "A songwriter, a pioneer, and one of the most influential artists of all time. I have been a lifelong fan of his music, and so have billions of people all over the planet," Tim Cook said before the start of his set.

Live performances worldwide

Last month, Apple picked different Apple Store locations to host live music performances and fashion shows. Alicia Keys performed at Apple Grand Central in New York City; meanwhile, Nia Archives and Mumford & Sons captured the stage at Apple Battersea in London. Designer Feng Chen Wang presented a special show at Apple Jing’an.

NASDAQ opening bell

Many people from Apple's senior leadership assembled at Apple Park to ring NASDAQ's opening bell in celebration of their 50th anniversary. Apple went public on December 12, 1980, and its stock trades on the NASDAQ under the ticker symbol "AAPL."

No surprises yet

Apple has already had a big launch month in March. The company hasn't made any surprise hardware announcements yet on April 1. The only thing we can settle for is that AirPods Max 2 have started shipping today and are available in retail stores. That said, there are still some hours left before calling it a day, and all we can do is wait to see what else Apple has in store for its 50th birthday.

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Posted Thursday 2 April 2026 at 12:14 pm AEST (my time).

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PC gamers who are tired of waiting for their games to “compile shaders” during some load times may want to dig into the latest beta version of the Nvidia App. Alongside new DLSS 4.5 Multi Frame Generation features, the app includes the beta rollout of a feature that allows your machine to automatically compile new shaders while it’s idle.

Nvidia’s new Auto Shader Compilation system promises to “reduc[e] the frequency of game runtime compilation after driver updates” for users running Nvidia’s GeForce Game Ready Driver 595.97 WHQL or later. When the feature is active and your machine is idle, the app will automatically start rebuilding DirectX drivers for your games so they’re all set to roll the next time they launch.

While the feature defaults to being turned off when the Nvidia App is first downloaded, users can activate it by going to the Graphics Tab > Global Settings > Shader Cache. There, they can set aside disk space for precompiled shaders and decide how many system resources the compilation process should use. App users can also manually force shader recompilation through the app rather than waiting for the machine to go idle.

Unfortunately, Nvidia warns that users will still have to generate shaders in-game after downloading a title for the first time. The Auto Shader Compiler system only generates the new shaders needed after subsequent driver updates following that first run of a new title.

Nvidia’s Auto Shader Compiler is distinct from Microsoft’s Advanced Shader Delivery system, which lets developers generate databases of precompiled shaders that can be downloaded ahead of time to align with a player’s specific system. Nvidia said earlier this month that it is “working closely with Microsoft” to add Advanced Shader Delivery support to its GeForce RTX line “later this year.”

Intel has also recently started rolling out its Precompiled Shader Delivery system while promising to integrate compatibility with Microsoft’s shader delivery system later in the year.

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Posted Thursday 2 April 2026 at 12:13 pm AEST (my time).

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We're back with another issue of our "Apple Rewind" monthly roundup series on Apple Inc., talking about all the new launches, speculations, and cool rumors you are waiting to hear. In March, Apple launched a platter of new hardware, introduced Apple Business for free, and announced WWDC 2026. Let's get started.

You can check out our previous issues of the 'Apple Rewind' monthly roundup here.

Apple turns 50 years old

Today is undoubtedly one of the biggest days in tech history, as Apple celebrates its 50th birthday. Now a multinational behemoth, Apple was founded in a car garage in Los Altos, California, by Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak, who had to sell their valued possessions to keep the ship afloat in the early days.

Apple CEO Tim Cook started celebrations a couple of weeks ago by publishing a letter, "50 Years of Thinking Different," on Apple.com. The Cupertino giant also hosted live performances featuring popular artists at various locations worldwide, including New York City, London, Paris, Shanghai, Tokyo, Vancouver, Mexico City, Washington, DC, Sydney, Bangkok, and Seoul.

Cheapest and most repairable MacBook

Apple brought a truckload of new product launches last month. The low-cost MacBook Neo is the highlight among them, as it's the cheapest MacBook in the company's lineup. It also got the title of the most repairable MacBook available right now, thanks to very little adhesive and several modular components under the hood.

The $599 laptop reportedly boosted Apple trade-ins post-launch and earned praise from industry experts. It offers Windows 11 support through Parallels Desktop, which said the MacBook Neo delivers better single-core performance than the Dell Pro 14 with the Intel Core Ultra 5 235U processor.

You can read our detailed Specs Appeal article to find out how the MacBook Neo stands against the M5 MacBook Air.

More new MacBooks

As mentioned above, Apple also refreshed the 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air with the M5 chip. Its base model now comes with double the storage, which Apple claims offers up to twice the read/write speed. What's more on the table is support for Apple's custom-designed N1 wireless chip, bringing Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6.

Apple's pricier MacBook Pros now come fitted with the M5 Pro and M5 Max chips designed using the new Fusion Architecture, which combines two dies into a single system-on-chip (SoC). MacBook Pro also got 2x faster SSD performance, complementing the performance gains from the new Apple Silicon.

iPhone 17e and new iPad Air

Apple's budget iPhone was updated with much-needed MagSafe support, A19 processor with a C1X modem, and 256GB base storage. Priced at $599, iPhone 17e still retains the single-camera system: a 48MP Fusion camera with 4K Dolby Vision. You can read our Specs Appeal post to know how the iPhone 17e compares against the iPhone 16e.

The iPad Air is now powered by the M4 chip while keeping the external design pretty much the same. Sitting in the middle of Apple's price ladder, it packs 4GB more RAM than the iPad Air M3 and features a faster 120GB/s memory bandwidth. Read our Specs Appeal article to know how iPad Air M4 compares with iPad Air M3.

That said, the budget iPad model has not been refreshed since its last update in March 2025. Meanwhile, the iPad Pro was already updated late last year with the M5 chip.

Good bye, Pro Display XDR

Apple's ultra-expensive monitor, Pro Display XDR, is now a thing of the past because Studio Display XDR has arrived to take its place. The new flagship monitor features a 27-inch 5K Mini-LED Retina display with peak HDR brightness of 2000 nits, an A19 Pro SoC, a 120Hz adaptive refresh rate, and more.

The company also launched a less expensive second-generation Studio Display with a 27-inch 5K IPS Retina display, peak brightness of 600 nits, an A19 SoC, a 60Hz refresh rate, and more. Overall, it's a minor update over the first-generation Studio Display with improved built-in speakers for "30% deeper base." But at least it stayed true to the rumors that Apple was working on two different monitors.

Apple can remove apps at any time

Apple's legal battle with the free music streaming app Musi finally ended. A California district judge dismissed Musi's complaint with prejudice and held that Apple's developer agreement allows it to remove apps from the App Store at any time "with or without cause."

Apple removed Musi from the App Store in 2024, following complaints from YouTube and other industry players. The Judge also grilled Musi's lawyers for making up facts and issued an order partly granting Apple's motion for Rule 11 sanctions against the law firm.

It's not vibin enough

It was reported that Apple took silent action against vibecoding apps (such as Replit and Vibecode) due to capabilities it cannot make peace with. Apple withheld App Store updates for these apps because they violate its rules that prevent apps from running code that changes their own functionality or that of other apps.

In other words, apps like Replit presented AI-generated apps in a web view, allowing the original app to become something else. Apple is okay as long as vibe-coded apps launch in an external browser instead of in-app view. The company also wants to remove the ability to develop vibecoded apps specifically for the App Store.

Stolen US-made spyware

It was reported that a stolen US-made spyware was repurposed to target iPhone users in war-affected regions. The original surveillance software suite, called Coruna, was developed by L3Harris's technical intelligence division, Trenchant. It was compromised by former Trenchant director, Peter Williams, who was sentenced to seven years in prison.

Coruna exploits fundamental flaws in iOS architecture, chaining together 23 vulnerabilities to target devices. However, Apple originally patched specific flaws on iOS 17 between late 2023 and early 2024. Last month, it pushed new security updates for older devices running iOS 15 and iOS 16.

WWDC 2026 got an official date

Apple's Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) is returning this summer, from June 8 through June 12. Apple announced that the five-day event will have a virtual keynote from top Apple executives and over 100 video sessions and interactive group labs where developers and students can meet Apple engineers.

Alongside regular software updates, Apple is expected to talk about its AI enhancements, particularly its recent partnership with Google to power the upgraded Siri and other Apple Intelligence features. 50 Distinguished Winners from the Swift Students Challenge will be automatically invited to a three-day experience.

Apple Business is now in business

Apple announced Apple Business as a one-stop shop for enterprise tools for its business customers, including mobile device management (MDM), business email, brand management tools, and calendar services with support for custom domains. It consolidates multiple existing offerings, including Apple Business Manager, Apple Business Essentials, and Apple Business Connect, which will shut down once Apple Business launches on April 14 as a free service.

Apple is constantly looking for ways to crunch more cash than yesterday. It was reported that Apple could monetize Apple Maps by bringing ads to the platform, which might show up inside the app as early as this summer.

The company put an official seal on it with its recent Apple Business announcement, stating that ads in Apple Maps will be available in the US and Canada this summer. Apple Business users will be able to create ads on Maps, which will appear when you search in Maps, at the top of results based on relevance, and at the top of a new Suggested Places section in Maps.

Speaking of which, the iPhone-maker pushed a major update to App Store Connect. Developers now have over 100 new metrics to track and highly requested benchmarking tools to get more insights into their apps and games.

What's Apple's cup of tea?

While Apple teased "AI advancements" for WWDC 2026, it's easier said than done considering its recent track record. It was reported that senior Apple leadership knows the company is unlikely to become a leader in the AI race. That's why it wants to stick to what it does best: sell profitable hardware and make money from the services that run on it.

While few people are expected to pay for a Siri subscription, Apple wants to include just about the right number of AI features so people don't jump ship to Android. For one, this means opening the door to third-party AI chatbots and running them with Siri. Apple will be able to take a cut from other companies through the App Store.

Apple recently acquired the popular FCP plugin maker MotionVFX to fuel its creative dreams. MotionVFX offers a massive portfolio of plugins, motion design elements, templates, and other assets, opening the door for Apple to provide more premium content it promised to Creator Studio users.

New games on Apple Arcade

Apple Arcade refreshed its gaming catalog almost every month. Its latest addition brings the acclaimed fishing adventure DREDGE+, where you can experience a haunting maritime journey across foggy archipelagos.

Former App Store Awards-winner, Unpacking+, is a zen puzzle game about removing possessions from boxes and arranging them in a new home. My Very Hungry Caterpillar+ lets you care for your pet caterpillar, which eventually turns into a butterfly. All of these titles will arrive on April 2, Apple said.

Pumping more money

Apple has already committed $600 billion to boost manufacturing on US soil and create more jobs. Last month, the company announced another $400 million investment through 2030, partnering with Bosch, Cirrus Logic, TDK, and Qnity Electronics to manufacture materials and components in the US for Apple products sold worldwide.

AirPods Max 2 and Nike earbuds

Apple's most expensive headphones finally got an upgrade last month. AirPods Max 2 are powered by the H2 chip and feature 1.5x better Active Noise Cancellation than the first-generation. Apple has garnished them with a mix of AI features, including Adaptive Audio, Conversation Awareness, Voice Isolation, Live Translation, Loud Sound Reduction, Personalized Volume, and Siri Interactions.

Apple-owned audio company Beats by Dre partnered with Nike to launch a co-branded special edition of the PowerBeats Pro 2, featuring different logos on each earbud and a dual-tone design that combines Nike's "Volt" color with matte black on both earbuds.

Shazam gets a new power

Apple's song identification app Shazam can now work with OpenAI's generative AI chatbot, ChatGPT. When you hear a song you don't know, you can use the @Shazam command in ChatGPT or simply ask the AI to identify the current song. ChatGPT then displays a dedicated button to activate your device's microphone. The feature uses the same Shazam algorithm you find on Apple devices to process the audio and return the song name.

iOS 26 gets new features

While we are just months away from seeing the next iPhone update, Apple is busy rolling out incremental updates to the current version. Apple released iOS 26.2/iPadOS 26.2 to the public with a handful of updates to Apple Music, new emojis, and support for AirPods Max 2. A new accessibility setting reduces bright flashes when tapping on elements like buttons.

iOS 26.4 was previously believed to include the upgraded version of Siri, which is now expected at WWDC 2026. Meanwhile, Apple also released iOS 26.5 Beta 1 to developers, bringing ads in Apple Maps, Suggested Places, end-to-end encryption for RCS, and other changes.

Expensive storage

While AI is advancing at lightning speed, one unintended consequence is that consumer electronics are becoming more expensive. That's because memory chip makers have a newfound love for AI data centers, and external hard drives are among those getting affected. You'll have to pay a premium if you buy an external hard drive from Apple, and it could be more than double what it cost a few months ago.

So, these were some of the biggest updates around Apple from the month of March. There will be more issues of the Apple Rewind series in the following months. You can check out other tech updates in our 7 Days and Microsoft Weekly roundups.

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Posted Thursday 2 April 2026 at 5:28 am AEST (my time).

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The Cupertino-based technology giant is having its biggest moment on April Fools' Day. It has turned 50 years old, having endured decades of ups and downs since the day two guys, Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak, started the company in a home garage in Los Altos, California.

It's late co-founder Steve Jobs stole the show most of the time, but Apple has had too many bright minds who worked hard to turn the company into something people keep coming back to, even when it charges a premium for its products.

Try stacking your iPhone, iPad, and Mac on top of each other, and you'll realize their rounded corners align perfectly. Or how the AirPods quickly switch audio source when you put down your iPhone or iPad and start using your Mac.

While Jobs was good at marketing, Woz was the tech innovator who designed the Apple I and Apple II. The duo had to sell Jobs' Volkswagen bus and Woz's prized HP-65 calculator to pay for the earliest known green fiberglass Apple-1 prototype, the "Celebration" Board #0.

Apple got Mike Markkula as its first angel investor, who arranged funding to manufacture the Apple II and later became the second CEO of Apple. Former chief design officer Sir Jony Ive is one of the best-known faces in senior Apple leadership, known for designing many products, including the candy-colored iMac G3, iPad, and iPhone, and for playing a part in the "spaceship" Apple Park campus.

However, Tony Fadell was the one behind Apple's iconic music player, widely known as the "Father of the iPod." Fadell oversaw several generations of the iPod before leaving Apple in 2008. His team also worked on an iPod-inspired operating system for the iPhone.

There was another multi-touch implementation led by Scott Forstall that eventually turned into iOS as we know it today. However, Forstall had to leave Apple after a major Apple Maps failure that led Tim Cook to post a public apology.

Phil Schiller, the former VP of Worldwide Marketing, joined the company in 1987 and became an Apple Fellow in 2020. Schiller was behind several leading products, including the App Store, and helped WWDC transition to a virtual format.

Craig Federighi (aka Hair Force One) is another face you might have seen quite a lot in iPhone launches and WWDC keynotes. Federighi is the SVP of Software Engineering, overseeing the development of iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and other Apple operating systems.

Eddy Cue also took on additional responsibilities after Forstall's departure and has played a key role in Apple's massive services business, including the iTunes Store, Apple Music, Apple Pay, the App Store, and more.

Former COO Jeff Williams also served a 27-year tenure at Apple before retiring in 2025, and was replaced by Sabih Khan. Williams played a big role in building Apple's global supply chain and its health strategy.

The hardware engineering lead, John Ternus, is responsible for what goes inside your iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Apple Watch, and played an important role in the Apple Silicon transition. Ternus is widely seen as the next Apple CEO after Tim Cook steps down.

Apple's history is so vast that it can't be summed up in a single post. That's why numerous books, TV shows, and movies have been produced to tell the tale of the company, currently valued at around $3.7 trillion in market capitalization. Apple fans are also eager to get their hands on memorabilia, including untouched iPhones, old Apple checks, and other artifacts that get auctioned for big money.

To celebrate its 50th birthday, Apple CEO Tim Cook published a letter titled "50 Years of Thinking Different" last month and shared a video on social media today. The company also hosted live performances at several Apple Store locations worldwide.

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Posted Thursday 2 April 2026 at 5:25 am AEST (my time).

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As of today, the price of the 16GB version of the Raspberry Pi 5 is going up by $100, a price bump that’s almost as much as the original $120 price tag. Driven by the ongoing RAM shortage, Raspberry Pi is raising prices on over a dozen of its bare-bones computers, after previous increases in December and February. The increases range from $11.25 to $150.

In a blog post announcing the price increases, Raspberry Pi CEO Eben Upton reiterated that they won’t be permanent, stating, “The circumstances in which we find ourselves are challenging, but in the future they will abate. When they do, we will reverse our price increases, and until they do, we will continue to work hard to limit their impact in every way we can.”

To potentially soften the blow of the price hikes, Raspberry Pi also announced a new version of the Raspberry Pi 4 with 3GB of RAM available starting today, priced at $83.75. Raspberry Pi models with 4GB or more of memory have been impacted the most by memory price surges. Upton also notes that it’s not an April Fools’ stunt, adding, “Notwithstanding today’s date, our new computer is as real as the rest of our products.”

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Posted Thursday 2 April 2026 at 5:24 am AEST (my time).

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Back in April 2025, OpenAI announced that it had secured $40 billion in funding, the largest private fundraising round for a tech company ever. Today, exactly a year later, OpenAI announced that it has raised $122 billion in committed funding at a post-money valuation of $852 billion. For comparison, OpenAI's primary competitor, Anthropic, announced a $30B Series G at a $380B post‑money valuation in February this year.

OpenAI mentioned that it is growing at a rapid pace and highlighted a few numbers to back it. For example, OpenAI became the fastest technology platform to reach 10 million users, the fastest to 100 million users, and claims that it will soon become the fastest to reach 1 billion weekly active users. Additionally, ChatGPT generated a billion dollars in revenue within a year of launching, and it was generating $1B per quarter by the end of 2024. Now, OpenAI is generating $2B in revenue per month. OpenAI mentioned that enterprise revenue contributes over 40% of its revenue, and it is expected to reach 50% by the end of 2026.

OpenAI's $122 billion funding round saw participation from various companies; find the details below:

• The round was anchored by Amazon, NVIDIA, SoftBank, and Microsoft.
• SoftBank co-led the round alongside a16z, D. E. Shaw Ventures, MGX, and TPG.
• The following global institutions also participated in the round: Altimeter, Appaloosa LP, ARK Invest, affiliated funds of BlackRock, Blackstone, Coatue, D1 Capital Partners, Dragoneer, Fidelity Management & Research Company, Goanna Capital, Insight Partners, The Paragon Group, Sands Capital, Sequoia Capital, Sound Ventures, Temasek, Thrive Capital, UC Investments (University of California CIO Office), and Winslow Capital.
• For the first time, OpenAI also raised over $3 billion from retail investors through bank channels.
• OpenAI mentioned that it will be included in several exchange-traded funds managed by ARK Invest, allowing other investors to be part of OpenAI.

OpenAI believes in the following flywheel:

More compute drives more intelligent models. More intelligent models drive better products. Better products drive faster adoption, more revenue, and more cashflow.

OpenAI will be using these newly raised funds to develop AI infrastructure to support research and development, while also making the developed products and services accessible to billions of users worldwide.

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Posted Wednesday 1 April 2026 at 4:17 pm AEST (my time).

News posts: 2023 5,800+ | 2024 5,700+ | 2025 5,700+ | 2026 (to end of March) 1,297

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Someone is celebrating a birthday tomorrow—it’s Gmail. The iconic email service debuted 22 years ago on April 1, forever altering what people expected from free email. But 22 years is a long time, and the username you chose when you finally got your hands on an invite in 2004 may not have stood the test of time. Starting today, Google will let US-based users ditch an old username without creating a new account.

Google started testing this option some months ago, both in the US and internationally. Today, the name change feature is rolling out widely in the US. You can check for the option on this account page to get started (you’ll have to log in). Some of the accounts we’ve checked already have the option, but it could take a while for it to appear for everyone.

Over the years, many users have abandoned old Gmail addresses because the handle is too personal or their names have changed. Now, you don’t have to abandon anything. When the option appears, you’ll be able to change the username portion of your email (the part before @gmail) to anything you desire. However, Google says you can only change your address once every 12 months. The company hasn’t explained why you’re limited to one change per year, but it may be a measure to combat spam.

The email and other data in your account remain untouched when you migrate to a new username, and you will continue to receive mail destined for your original address. You can also log in to your account using either username. Some Google products and third-party services that access Google data will continue to display your original email, but the new username becomes your primary Google account identifier. If you don’t want to see that old handle anywhere, the only option is still to create a totally new account.

Change your Google Account username in a few simple steps

Google also notes that the old username remains attached to your account as an alternate, and you can switch back to it at any time. It’s unclear if this is a one-time process or if you can switch back and forth at will. Likewise, Google has not explained what happens if you end up with multiple alternate addresses over time. Google says you can’t delete your new addresses, so it’s possible you could have a whole gaggle of Gmail aliases.

While the process should be smooth for most users, the complexity of Google’s account ecosystem means there are some caveats. If you use a Chromebook, for example, changing your username requires you to log out and back in to the machine. Google also recommends backing up your local files first. Chrome Remote Desktop connections will stop working, too, forcing you to delete connected machines and add them again under your new address. Most other issues should be short-lived and will clear up after a few hours or a device restart.

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Posted Wednesday 1 April 2026 at 6:14 am AEST (my time).

News posts: 2023 5,800+ | 2024 5,700+ | 2025 5,700+ | 2026 (to end of March) 1,297

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If you've been reading Neowin for any length of time, you know that we're big proponents of World Backup Day, which is celebrated on the 31st of March. According to estimates, the world is expected to generate 120 zettabytes of data this year and 181 zettabytes of data in 2025. With just under 8.3 billion people on the planet, each person is generating, on average, over 100 megabytes of data per day, or 36.5 gigabytes per year of new information. It'd be shame to lose that data to a broken phone or a fire destroying a computer.

The World Backup Day website defines a backup as, "a copy of all your important files." While true, that's a bit simplistic. Most experts agree that backups should follow the 3-2-1 rule, which means you should have three copies of your data on two different mediums, with (at least) one copy kept offsite. That means if you have your data on your phone, you should have at least one copy in a cloud service, like Google Photos, or on a NAS server somewhere outside of your house.

For my backup strategy, I copy all data (photos from my phone via Synology Photos which auto backup all folders of phones and tablets, and documents from my PCs (via SyncFolder), etc) to a Synology NAS device, and finally to two Cloud backups on OneDrive and Google Drive.

My esteemed colleague, Chris White goes a couple of steps further, backing up to a second NAS device pulling files so that if someone compromises my PC and wipes my SMB-mounted filesystem as well, I still have the copy that is inaccessible. In addition, he uses Crashplan to keep a copy of the data offsite in case of a fire or theft in his house. Finally, once a year he'll take a couple of hard drives to the in-laws, who live a few hundred miles away, although this really only protects historical data. It may be a little overkill for some, but it's a cheap insurance policy in his mind.

And remember: RAID is not a backup! It's considered redundancy, which is helpful, but it doesn't follow the 3-2-1 rule we discussed earlier.

Consider using automated tools, such as the BeeStation or setup a backup service on a NAS device and have their photos sent to the system automatically.

Of course World Backup Day is about more than just backing up data: It's also "a day to talk about the enormous task of preserving our increasingly digital heritage and cultural works for future generations." Think about your old 8mm film, or your MiniDV tapes that can only be read via FireWire, or your thesis paper you wrote using Word Perfect 5.1 on DOS, and come up with a plan to modernize the information so that future generations will be able to admire it, instead of simply finding a 5.25" plastic square, shrugging, and throwing it in the garbage.

How do you backup your data? In addition, do you have any old media that you should think about modernizing? Share your process with others so that we can help everyone make good choices when it comes to keeping their data safe!

Image Source: AI-generated via Microsoft Copilot

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Posted Wednesday 1 April 2026 at 6:05 am AEST (my time).

News posts: 2023 5,800+ | 2024 5,700+ | 2025 5,700+ | 2026 (to end of March) 1,297

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Microsoft hasn't officially announced it yet, but new Surface PCs are on the way this spring. Our Senior Editor Zac Bowden teased that fact, and my mind has been abuzz with wish list items for the Surface family.

In the last edition of the Windows Wrap, I discussed four steps Microsoft needs to take to save the Surface brand. I also explained last week why right now is a terrible time to buy a Surface PC.

The poll in the latter of those pieces asked people which hypothetical new Surface device would excite them the most, and I'm sad to see the Surface Pro X come in last place.

The Surface Pro X was ahead of its time. Thin, light, and powered by an ARM64 processor, it sounds like a dream device for 2026. But the Surface Pro X line ended in 2023 when Microsoft combined the Surface Pro X and the traditional Surface Pro.

Back then, Bowden argued that "The Surface Pro 9 5G is a Surface Pro X without the sex appeal." He couldn't be more right. Merging the Surface Pro lines robbed us of one of the best Surface designs ever.

We need a Surface Pro X with Snapdragon X

In January, Nvidia revealed that it is working on more upgrades to its AI-powered upscaling and rendering tech DLSS. These included Dynamic Multi Frame Generation and a 6X Multi Frame Generation mode. Today, the company is bringing the new tech to users via a beta update to the Nvidia app, which also includes other under-the-hood changes and improvements to DLSS.

The biggest changes of this update are the new override options that Nvidia app users are receiving.

Up first is the Dynamic Multi Frame Generation Override. Described as an "automatic transmission" for RTX 50 series GPUs, this system will attempt to change the frame generation multiplier depending on the current workload. Interestingly, this can be adjusted to on a per-game basis while also selecting a target FPS and the maximum multiplier it can apply.

"In graphically intense scenarios, it ‘upshifts’ and increases frame generation to bridge performance dips, ensuring your high-refresh display remains buttery smooth," explains Nvidia. "Conversely, as the workload lightens, it seamlessly shifts the multiplier down to only compute what’s needed."

Next, DLSS Frame Generation is now raising the maximum multiplier to 6X, generating five additional frames for every natively rendered frame. This is also exclusive to RTX 50 series GPUs.

"The shift from 4X to 6X Multi Frame Generation increases 4K frame rates in path-traced titles by up to 35%," adds the company. "And by combining our new, highly efficient Frame Generation model with NVIDIA Reflex’s low latency technology, DLSS 4.5 Multi Frame Generation can generate these additional frames with minimal impact to responsiveness."

Meanwhile, the update also has a new DLSS Frame Generation model for RTX 50 and RTX 40 series GPUs that should work better with on-screen user interface elements. This is only on supported games, however, which are Battlefield 6, Borderlands 4, Dragon Age: The Veilguard, EA SPORTS F1 25, God of War Ragnarök, Hogwarts Legacy, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, Monster Hunter Wilds, Star Wars Outlaws, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered, and The Outer Worlds 2.

Nvidia graphics users, with supported hardware, can try out the new features by opting into the Nvidia app's beta via the About page in its Settings. The company said that beta users will need to be on the GeForce Game Ready 595.79 driver or later to use the features.

As DLSS 4.5 continues to get updates, Nvidia is also preparing the launch of DLSS 5. While the announcement wasn't received well by many, the technology is still slated to launch sometime this fall.

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Posted Wednesday 1 April 2026 at 6:00 am AEST (my time).

News posts: 2023 5,800+ | 2024 5,700+ | 2025 5,700+ | 2026 (to end of March) 1,297

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Back in January, we reported that Meta was working on a major shift to paid features for Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp. The plan involved offering extra perks like anonymous story viewing and follower tracking on Instagram, advanced group moderation on Facebook, and custom business tools on WhatsApp.

Now, Meta has confirmed that it has started a subscription service called Instagram Plus in a few countries. The new service offers users "advanced controls" and "exclusive features" for a monthly fee. For instance, in Mexico, the subscription costs MX$39.00 (~ $2.20 USD) per month.

Based on publicly available screenshots, the countries where Instagram is running this test include Mexico, Japan, and the Philippines. When you pay for Plus, you get things like the ability to create multiple story audiences, which lets you segment your followers beyond the single "Close Friends" list. Subscribers also receive story rewatch insights, a feature that shows who has viewed your story more than once.

Other perks include the ability to search your story viewer list for specific people instead of scrolling endlessly. You can also preview stories before they go live, extend your story's expiry from 24 to 48 hours, and "spotlight" one of your stories to push it to the front of your followers' feeds. Finally, the subscription lets you send animated "super hearts" to other people's stories.

While there are no official reasons for why Meta is pushing so hard on subscriptions, one can take a guess at the financial pressures. Apple's App Tracking Transparency (ATT) framework cost Meta an estimated $10 billion in revenue in its first year alone by limiting its ability to track users for ads.

Let's also not forget that advertising revenue is volatile and can dip during economic downturns. Recurring payments from power users create a predictable revenue stream, the kind that Wall Street investors love. A user becomes a guaranteed $120 a year if, for example, a subscription costs $9.99 per month.

Speaking of social media subscriptions, Snapchat recently launched "Creator Subscriptions". This feature allows individual creators to offer paid fan clubs to their followers, complete with exclusive content, priority replies in their inbox, and an ad-free viewing experience for that creator's stories.

Creators get to keep about 60% of the revenue from these subscriptions. The remaining 40% covers the standard 30% "app store tax" from Apple and Google, as well as Snap's platform maintenance costs.

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Posted Tuesday 31 March 2026 at 11:53 am AEST (my time).

News posts: 2023 5,800+ | 2024 5,700+ | 2025 5,700+ | 2026 (to end of February) 854

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Gamers Nexus (2.6m subscribers)

March 31, 2026

Video length: 34m 55s

In hardware news this week, we talk about the AMD 9950X3D2 announcement, Intel's new Arc GPUs, NVIDIA's obsession with war, and fun, lighthearted topics, like YouTube losing a lawsuit.

00:00 - Recap for the Week

02:28 - AMD 9950X3D2 Announced

06:17 - Intel on a Tear with Arc GPUs

07:58 - NVIDIA's Always-On Facial Recognition Tech

16:10 - NVIDIA wants YOU

24:57 - Chuwi Laptop Scam

28:54 - Meta and YouTube Lose Lawsuit

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Posted Tuesday 31 March 2026 at 5:14 am AEST (my time).

News posts: 2023 5,800+ | 2024 5,700+ | 2025 5,700+ | 2026 (to end of February) 854

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Too many lines of code to analyze, armies of AI assistants to wrangle, and lengthy prompts to draft are among the laments by hard-core AI adopters.

Consultants at Boston Consulting Group (BCG) have dubbed the phenomenon "AI brain fry," a state of mental exhaustion stemming "from the excessive use or supervision of artificial intelligence tools, pushed beyond our cognitive limits."

The rise of AI agents that tend to computer tasks on demand has put users in the position of managing smart, fast digital workers rather than having to grind through jobs themselves.

"It's a brand-new kind of cognitive load," said Ben Wigler, co-founder of the start-up LoveMind AI. "You have to really babysit these models."

People experiencing AI burnout are not casually dabbling with the technology -- They are creating legions of agents that need to be constantly managed, according to Tim Norton, founder of the AI integration consultancy nouvreLabs.

"That's what's causing the burnout," Norton wrote in an X post.

However, BCG and others do not see it as a case of AI causing people to get burned out on their jobs.

A BCG study of 1,488 professionals in the United States actually found a decline in burnout rates when AI took over repetitive work tasks.

Coding vigilance

For now, "brain fry" is primarily a bane for software developers given that AI agents have excelled quickly at writing computer code.

"The cruel irony is that AI-generated code requires more careful review than human-written code," software engineer Siddhant Khare wrote in a blog post.

"It is very scary to commit to hundreds of lines of AI-written code because there is a risk of security flaws or simply not understanding the entire codebase," added Adam Mackintosh, a programmer for a Canadian company.

And if AI agents are not kept on course by a human, they could misunderstand an instruction and wander down an errant processing path, resulting in a business paying for wasted computing power.

'Irritable'

Wigler noted that the promise of hitting goals fast with AI tempts tech start-up teams already prone to long workdays to lose track of time and stay on the job even deeper into the night.

"There is a unique kind of reward hacking that can go on when you have productivity at the scale that encourages even later hours," Wigler said.

Mackintosh recalled spending 15 consecutive hours fine-tuning around 25,000 lines of code in an application.

"At the end, I felt like I couldn't code anymore," he recalled.

"I could tell my dopamine was shot because I was irritable and didn't want to answer basic questions about my day."

A musician and teacher who asked to remain anonymous spoke of struggling to put his brain "on pause", instead spending evenings experimenting with AI.

Nonetheless, everyone interviewed for this story expressed overall positive views of AI despite the downsides.

BCG recommends in a recently published study that company leaders establish clear limits regarding employee use and supervision of AI.

However, "That self-care piece is not really an America workplace value," Wigler said.

"So, I am very skeptical as to whether or not its going to be healthy or even high quality in the long term."

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Recently we reviewed Intel's new desktop chips, the Core Ultra 200S Plus. We thought it was the company's best chip in recent times and as such it received a 10 out of 10 rating from us for the value it is offering. You can check out our full review in this dedicated article here.

The performance of the processors, we thought, was particularly impressive given that they are based on the Arrow Lake Refresh design, which clearly is a decent improvement over the original Arrow Lake, despite being a refresh, as we saw some pretty decent gains on occasions. You can go check out the review we linked above to see what we are talking about.

The previous flagship, the Core Ultra 9 285K, and the new Core Ultra 270K Plus, are very similar in spec in terms of core configuration, both of them having 24 cores (8 P-cores +16 E-cores), and 24 threads (if you recall, Intel dropped hyperthreading on its P-cores with Lunar Lake back in 2024.

Clock speeds are also fairly close, though Intel has made multiple key changes under the hood related to clock frequencies, which have netted in the improvement. Intel informed us in the reviewers' guide that the Die-to-Die (D2D) frequency was up 900 MHz to 3.0 GHz from 2.1 GHz; and the NGU (next gen uncore) System Agent SoC fabric frequency was up 400 MHz also to 3.0 GHz, up from 2.6 GHz.

We also had Intel's recommended 200S Boost on in the BIOS which took the NGU clock speed on our sample to 3.2 GHz. This was expected behaviour, though the D2D frequency, which was also supposed to see a 200 MHz increase, did not see any bump. Also the memory speed did not go up to 8000 MT/s from 7200 MT/s.

Aside from these, Intel also devised a new tool to improve the performance of the new CPUs, especially under Windows. The company says its new Intel Binary Optimzation tool is its "first-of-its-kind binary optimization IP that can streamline any x86-based workload to behave more like an “Intel x86” optimized workload." The company has touted it as the only tool in current market that can perform real-time IPC enhancement.

IPC stands for Instructions per Cycle, if you are not familiar. In simple terms it is the amount of work or processing a compute device like a CPU can do, and with Intel Binary Optimization Tool (let's call it IBOT for short), the company claims up to 20% performance improvement.

In Intel's own words, IBOT works similarly to GPU shader replacement, such that a "known function call with sub-optimal performance is substituted on-the-fly with a more performant option that better fits the underlying architectural capabilities." The tool helps minimize or at least reduce performance penalties like cache misses, branch mispredictions, frontend stalls, and such.

If you are wondering how Intel determines these optimal binaries and libraries, it does so using HWPGO or hardware profile guided optimization. HWPGO leverages hardware performance monitoring counters (PMCs) available on modern Intel CPUs. PMCs are part of the processor's Performance Monitoring Unit (PMU) and are essentially specialized hardware registers embedded within CPUs.

Compared to software PGO, Intel says that its HWPGO greatly reduces runtime overhead without any binary perturbation and the source code remains unaltered. Intel says that IBOT is secure too as it operates at the user mode level (Ring 3) only, with no direct access to hardware.

To see the effects of Intel IBOT, we ran tests on compatible games with the feature enabled and then disabled.

Test system

• Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus (Amazon)
• GIGABYTE Z890 AORUS ELITE WIFI7 ICE (BIOS F19) (Amazon|Newegg)
• Corsair RM1000x SHIFT (Amazon|Newegg)
• ARCTIC Liquid Freezer III Pro 360 A-RGB (White) AIO (Amazon|Newegg)
• Thermal Grizzly KryoSheet - 44x37 (Amazon|Newegg)
• 2x 16GB G.Skill Trident Z5 RGB (7200 MT/s in XMP) (Amazon|Newegg)
• TEAMGROUP MP44Q 4TB NVMe (PCIe 4.0) (Amazon|Newegg)
• NVIDIA RTX 5090 Founders Edition
• Windows 11 25H2 Professional Build 26200.7623 (Neowin Deals)
  • NVIDIA driver 595.79

We tested CPU-bound settings to minimize the effect of the GPU and maximize the load on the processor as much as possible. Certain graphics settings which are known to impact the CPU were kept enabled.

First we have 2018's Shadow of the Tomb Raider based on the Foundation Engine. The good news is that we saw immediate improvement as we saw a 7.5% gain in the averages. The bad news is that this was the only instance we saw a clear advantage with IBOT enabled.

In Cyberpunk 2077 next, based on CDPR' in-house RED engine, there is a tie. Although technically we did see higher averages with IBOT flipped on, the margin is too narrow to call a win, or loss, for either.

Hitman 3 is made on Glacier engine and here, IBOT shows a very slight advantage. Still it is in the margin of error category as the split saw just a 1.2% advantage with binary optimization working.

Finally in Far Cry 6, we saw the most unfavourable result in our test as we lost some performance, though the framerates are so high that users are unlikely to notice the difference. There was a 2% regression in our test with Binary Optimzation Tool ON.

What's good about this though is that users are not really leaving too much performance on the table without IBOT, at least according to our testing. Keep in mind that this is a first-generation product and it will likely improve from here, so next time we test it, there may be bigger improvements.

Intel has summarized several of the benefits of the new IBOT feature in the graphic below.

This is currently an opt-in technology since it is very new, which means a user will have to explicitly enable the Binary Optimization Tool. It is currently part of the Intel Platform Performance Package (IPPP) and works via the APO or Application Optimization interface that has an "Advanced" mode. When this Advanced mode is selected, it lets users toggle IBOT on. As you can see in the image above, there are individual toggles for the supported games.

Whether or not you want to keep it enabled will depend on the title you are playing as we saw varying outcomes. The big positive is that there were no hiccups that we noticed like crashes or freezes, which is a plus point considering it's a brand new tech.

As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

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Posted Monday 30 March 2026 at 11:47 am AEST (my time).

News posts: 2023 5,800+ | 2024 5,700+ | 2025 5,700+ | 2026 (to end of February) 854

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After the launch of ChatGPT in 2022, many companies shifted to an AI-focused strategy, pouring billions of dollars into AI initiatives and centering their efforts around it. However, this approach didn’t work out well for all firms, and some have learned the hard way that they need to return to the basics. One of those companies is Apple.

As reported by Mark Gurman in this week’s Power On newsletter, Apple’s leadership is fully aware of its shortcomings in the AI market and acknowledges that the company is unlikely to become a leader in the AI race. Instead, Apple is adopting a new approach inspired by its past. Gurman says Apple’s new strategy, which will be unveiled at the Worldwide Developers Conference on June 8, is “selling highly profitable hardware and making money off the services that run on it.”

Apple is aware that few users may be willing to pay for a Siri subscription. Instead, the iPhone maker aims to embed just enough AI features into its hardware to prevent users from switching to Android, while opening the gates of Siri and Apple Intelligence to third-party services. “This approach leverages Apple’s hardware, makes its products more customizable and keeps the company in control of its ecosystem,” Bloomberg added.

The iOS 27 Extensions feature plays a key role in Apple’s new strategy. The feature allows users to install their preferred third-party AI chatbots and run them within Siri. Gurman says the feature will have a dedicated section in the App Store, enabling Apple to generate revenue through its 30% commission. At the same time, Apple is moving forward with revamping Siri by partnering with Google and using Gemini technology to bring more in-house AI capabilities to its users.

In short, Apple knows it’s not going to catch up with Google, OpenAI, and Meta in the AI race. So, it is sticking to its core strength, which is selling hardware, while maintaining control over its ecosystem and taking a cut from third-party AI apps and extensions on the App Store. This may seem like a solid strategy, but it remains to be seen how it will play out.

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Posted Monday 30 March 2026 at 5:29 am AEST (my time).

News posts: 2023 5,800+ | 2024 5,700+ | 2025 5,700+ | 2026 (to end of February) 854

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Paul's Hardware (1.54m subscribers)

March 29, 2026

Video length: 12m 01s

0:00 Welcome to Paul’s Tech News - March 29, 2026

1:52 AMD Spoils Intel’s Launch with 9950X3D2; Intel kills 290K Plus

4:06 CPU Deals Going Crazy Right Now

5:45 Intel Launches Arrow Lake Refresh Core Ultra 250K / 270K Plus CPUs

TECH BRIEFS

7:52 AMD Joins Intel in Raising PC CPU Prices by Up to 15 percent

9:09 Intel launches Arc Pro B70 at $949 with 32GB GDDR6 memory

10:11 FCC Bans All New Routers Not Made in America

11:12 New video on my LEGO Channel!

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Posted Sunday 29 March 2026 at 6:19 pm AEST (my time).

News posts: 2023 5,800+ | 2024 5,700+ | 2025 5,700+ | 2026 (to end of February) 854

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This week's news recap is here with interesting Windows stories from Microsoft veterans, new Game Pass tiers, reviews, botched non-security updates with new features, various deals, gaming news, and more.

Quick links:

1. Windows 10 and 11
2. Windows Insider Program
3. Updates are available
4. Reviews are in
5. Gaming news

Windows 11 and Windows 10

Here, we talk about everything happening around Microsoft's latest operating system in the Stable channel and preview builds: new features, removed features, controversies, bugs, interesting findings, and more. And, of course, you may find a word or two about older versions.

This week, Microsoft released KB5079391, this month's non-security update for Windows 11 version 24H2 and 25H2. As usual, this optional release contains new features and various improvements across the operating system, including support for 1000Hz+ refresh rate monitors and more. However, shortly after, Microsoft pulled the update to investigate installation errors. Now, the only optional update available is KB5085518, the latest out-of-band update that addresses sign in issues in various Microsoft apps.

There are also new recovery updates for Windows 11.

Speaking of errors, a new report was published with details about stability issues in enterprise environments. According to it, Windows is giving business much more headaches than macOS, with Microsoft's operating system being more prone to crashes, hangs, and shutdowns compared to its Apple-made counterpart.

To finish this week's Windows section, here is a new piece of Windows trivia coming from Raymond Chen, a veteran Microsoft engineer. In his blog, Raymond shared a story about Windows 95 preventing system chaos from external installers by quietly restoring system files when buggy installers were messing with critical components. There is also an interesting story from a former Microsoft executive on why Windows GUI strategy has been such a mess all these years.

Also, check out this beautiful recreation of the original Windows 10 wallpaper but with a Windows 11 logo.

Windows Insider Program

Unfortunately, Microsoft had nothing to share for Windows Insiders this week. It appears that the promised Windows 11 fixes are taking a bit longer to materialize in preview builds.

Updates are available

This section covers software, firmware, and other notable updates (released and coming soon) delivering new features, security fixes, improvements, patches, and more from Microsoft and third parties.

PowerToys received a minor update to version 0.98.1. It addressed various bugs in Command Palette, the ability to adjust window transparency with dedicated shortcuts in Always on Top, some tweaks to Keyboard Shortcut Manager, and more.

Files, one of our favorite file managers for Windows 11, also received a small update. Version4.0.37 added improved context menus, new compression tools, better scrolling, and various fixes.

Microsoft is working on several improvements for Teams. On mobile, the service is getting a new Catch up feature that lets users quickly swipe through missed messages, chats, threads, and other information. Catch up for Teams on mobile is expected to arrive in April. Also, Microsoft is getting rid of annoying CAPTCHAs for Teams meetings, replacing the system with a seamless bot detection mechanism.

OneDrive, another productivity service from Microsoft, is getting more AI. Microsoft has released AI Restyle to OneDrive Photos, allowing users to reimagine their images in various styles. If you want to slopify your photos a bit, feel free to try it now on iOS, Android, or the web. Keep in mind that the feature is locked behind the Microsoft 365 Premium subscription.

This week brought a couple of browser updates. Starting with Vivaldi, which received a big update last week, developers released version 7.9 to mobile users on iOS and Android. It introduced double-decker Tab Stacks, DeX improvements, and more. Also, Mozilla released Firefox 149, a big update with built-in VPN, native Split View, and other improvements.

Finally, if you use SwiftKey on iOS or Android, make sure you have connected your Microsoft Account to it if you want to continue sync your typing data across devices. On March 31, 2026, Microsoft will retire SwiftKey accounts and delete all their data. Only those who migrated to Microsoft Accounts will be able to retain their information.

Here are other updates and releases you may find interesting:

• Windows Kerberos hardening may cause authentication issues for some PCs next month

• Microsoft retires endpoint sensitive data alerting in Defender today

• Microsoft releases TypeScript 6.0, the last version built on JavaScript

• Microsoft is changing a Windows kernel policy that's been around for decades

• Microsoft's new Entra ID feature fixes a huge MFA limitation

• Microsoft forced to retract a major Exchange Online update as it breaks Outlook email

• Latest feature in New Outlook may finally make you ditch Outlook Classic

• Microsoft updates Visual Studio Code with new themes and adjustable AI reasoning

   

Here are the latest drivers and firmware updates released this week:

• NVIDIA 596.02 hotfix with patches for stutters in Arknights: Endfield.
• NVIDIA 595.97 WHQL with texture fixes in Halo Infinite, stability issues in Hitman: World of Assassination, and more.
• Intel Wi-Fi and Bluetooth drivers 24.30.1 with improved connectivity and important changes for PCs with the AX200 network card.

Reviews are in

Here is the hardware and software we reviewed this week

Steven Parker reviewed the PNY GeForce RTX 5080 Slim OC, a dual-slot graphics card that manages to deliver high-end performance in a compact form factor without sacrificing performance or temperatures. Our testing showed that this GPU could be the next best thing after the RTX 5080 Founders Edition.

Also, we took for a spin a pair of Hollyland cameras, the Lyra and a VenusLiv Air. These cameras offer fantastic image quality at decent price. If you need a good webcam without breaking the bank, the Lyra will get the job done for you, while the VenusLiv Air is a more serious streaming machine for those who want more natural look with fantastic depth of field and streaming capabilities.

Finally, check out our review of the new Intel Core Ultra 7 270K / 5 250K Plus processors, which offer tremendous performance for the price.

On the gaming side

Learn about upcoming game releases, Xbox rumors, new hardware, software updates, freebies, deals, discounts, and more.

Microsoft is reportedly preparing a new Game Pass tier. News emerged this week about TRITON, a codename for the upcoming tier, which only offers first-party games from Xbox Game Studios. Microsoft has not confirmed anything, so details about TRITON, its price, and other terms remain unknown.

GSC Game World announced a massive story expansion for S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2, offering gamers a new parallels story that runs alongside the original campaign. Cost of Hope will allow you to explore two long-awaited regions that have been cut off for years and that every stalker in the Zone has dreamt of reaching: Iron Forest and the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant.

Forza Horizon 6 is coming in less than two months, and if you plan to play it on PC, now is the time to check if your rig can handle the upcoming racing game. Playground Games published hardware requirements, revealing that even modest PCs will be able to play the game comfortably. Of course, if you want 4K and ray tracing, get ready to step up your hardware game, particularly RAM.

Finally, check out this week's Weekend PC Game Deals where you will find the latest double giveaway from Epic Games and a massive list of various titles that you can now purchase with big discounts.

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Posted Sunday 29 March 2026 at 5:42 am AEST (my time).

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Microsoft has ramped up its efforts in the generative AI space over the past few years, especially after making its first investment in OpenAI back in 2019. While AI seems like the hot thing in tech right now, it's unclear whether the software giant's deep integration of Copilot across its tech stack is actually paying off.

And now, a new report by Bloomberg suggests Microsoft could be facing its worst quarter since the 2008 financial crisis if it continues blowing money on AI that isn't meeting investor expectations for returns.

For context, Microsoft’s stock fell 25% in Q1 FY26, putting the company on track for its steepest quarterly loss since the 27% drop in late 2008. But it isn't budging. Microsoft is doubling down on AI, with plans to invest about $146 billion in infrastructure in 2026, which is approximately twice last year’s $88 billion.

Earlier this year, Microsoft announced its financial earnings report for FY26 Q2, reporting $81.3 billion in revenue (up 17% YoY) and $38.3 billion in operating income (up 21% YoY). While these numbers might seem impressive, investors have raised concerns about the software giant's spending on data centers and AI infrastructure.

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella indicated that the company's AI spending is actually paying off, further revealing that Copilot's daily user base has grown “nearly 3x year-over-year.” However, only 3.3% of Microsoft 365 and Office 365 users who interact with Copilot actually pay for it.

The tech giant could be setting itself up for failure with its heavy investment in AI, as investor interest is waning, and they become hesitant to commit funds to Microsoft’s exorbitant AI initiatives.

Some have openly voiced concerns that AI startups like OpenAI and Anthropic are developing agents that could one day replace established productivity suites such as Microsoft 365.

Speaking to Bloomberg, Jonathan Cofsky of Janus Henderson suggested that "rather than paying Microsoft, more customers may choose to go directly to AI vendors."

Is Microsoft playing the long game in AI?

While Microsoft's exorbitant spending on AI isn't exactly paying off right now, Wall Street analysts are seemingly optimistic that the company's strategy will pay off in the long-term.

Jake Seltz, a portfolio manager at Allspring Global Investments, indicated:

“I think the stock has a lot of long-term value. Its AI strategy will ultimately be vindicated, and I think it is largely insulated from the biggest AI disruption fears. In the meantime, those concerns are creating an opportunity, especially if you’re willing to have some patience.”

Interestingly, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella recently indicated that AI must prove its worth in the real world, or big tech could lose public support and social permission to burn electricity unless it offers something useful.

Right now, the tech giant is seemingly reevaluating its AI strategy, well, at least in its offerings like Windows 11, by reducing where Copilot and AI experiences appear, like those integrations found in Notepad and Paint.

Do you think Microsoft's heavy investment in AI will eventually pay off? Share your thoughts with me in the comments.

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Posted Sunday 29 March 2026 at 5:41 am AEST (my time).

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On Tuesday morning, everything was business as usual at OpenAI. By the end of the day, the company had announced that it would scrap its video-generation app, Sora, and reverse plans for video generation inside ChatGPT; it would wind down a $1 billion Disney deal; it would shuffle the role of a high-level executive; and it would raise an additional $10 billion from investors, adding up to more than $120 billion total for its latest funding round.

OpenAI is now in a frenzy to turn a profit, or at least lose less money. Since its launch, Sora seems to have taken up a massive amount of compute without the financial return to justify it. Industry sources told The Verge that it’s been lagging behind competing video-generation models. But despite its short life, it’s leaving behind a legacy of eroded trust in judging what’s real.

As OpenAI faces questions from investors and hot competition from Anthropic and Google, executives seem to agree that a change in direction is warranted. “We cannot miss this moment because we are distracted by side quests,” Fidji Simo, OpenAI’s CEO of AGI deployment (after being moved from her role as CEO of applications), reportedly told staff recently. “We really have to nail productivity in general and particularly productivity on the business front.” That means backing off projects like Sora, as well as reportedly deprioritizing the “adult mode” sexting capabilities it had been exploring for ChatGPT.

Sora was already struggling to compete in the cutthroat AI video generation industry, according to Trevor Harries-Jones, board member at the Render Network Foundation, a nonprofit that allows creators to explore and compare AI-generated video on its platform.

“The state of innovation and the plethora of choice means there’s just little to no moat and it’s very simple to switch between,” Harries-Jones told The Verge. “If your model is not the top at any one thing, it’s very hard to get mass usership.”

Harries-Jones said that he would guess OpenAI’s decision is due to the “staggering” rate of innovation in the video-generation part of the AI industry and steep competition from companies including Google and Kling.

“For us, there wasn’t anything that they were winning, in terms of one of the use cases,” Harries-Jones said, so Sora didn’t have an obvious edge. “It had fallen off from really a very strong start, to be eclipsed by some of the other competitive players in the space.” He also said that the announcement of Sora and the marketing videos seemed “groundbreaking” but that there was a “gap” between the buzzy demo videos and the actual launch. “As with all these, the devil is in the details on the cost, the timeframe that can be generated, and more,” he said.

Sora’s user struggles may be reflected in download numbers from Sensor Tower, a market intelligence firm. Seema Shah, the firm’s VP of insights, told The Verge that Sora was “one of the fastest-growing apps when it first launched” but that it “really dropped off” after a couple of months, potentially due to competition from Google and other companies. Sora started off strong in October with about 4.8 million worldwide downloads and 6.1 million in November, followed by a sharp drop-off in December (3.2 million) and in the following months: 2.1 million in January, 1.4 million in February, and just 1.1 million month-to-date for March.

“What’s most notable about it is dropping off while they’re expanding into new markets — that should be driving growth,” Shah said, adding, “You should’ve seen an uptick in that. Even if nobody else in the US downloaded it again, there should be some growth, presumably.”

Video generation burned up a lot of expensive computational power at a time when OpenAI desperately needed it. In October at the company’s annual DevDay event, OpenAI executives repeatedly expressed the need to generate more revenue and concerns about how compute constraints could block OpenAI from scaling. “Obviously someday, we have to be very profitable,” OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said at the time, mentioning that the company was in a phase of “investing aggressively.”

That same day, company president Greg Brockman told reporters, “Asking, ‘How much compute do you want?’ is a little bit like asking, ‘How much of the workforce do you want?’ The answer is you can always get more out of more.” OpenAI also teased ads within ChatGPT Pulse at the time, which famously turned into ads throughout ChatGPT last month.

The revenue push is further frustrated with the loss of the Disney deal. Last year, the entertainment giant promised a $1 billion equity investment in OpenAI with the option for Disney to buy additional equity, and it also stipulated that Disney become a “major customer” of OpenAI, using the company’s products to build new products for Disney+ and the rest of the company, plus making ChatGPT available to employees. The deal also allowed Sora to feature AI-generated videos of hundreds of Disney, Pixar, Star Wars, and Marvel characters, of which a selection would be available to stream on Disney+ itself. Then, reportedly less than an hour after OpenAI and Disney were working together on a Sora-related project, Disney was blindsided by plans to discontinue the app.

The rapid cancellation of the OpenAI-Disney partnership — just over three months into a three-year licensing agreement — seemed to cause the most public surprise. While some online chatter suggested it demonstrates a larger failure of AI in entertainment, Dave Davis, chief content officer at Protege, which licenses audio and visual content to AI companies for model training, said that it was clear that Disney is very much still open to licensing agreements with other companies working on video-generation AI. That could eventually mean partnering with companies like Google, Runway, Luma, Moonvalley, Kling, or Seedance.

“We see a lot of momentum in licensing,” Davis said, adding that for well-known companies like Disney, it’s typically a strategic play to inspire fan interaction in new ways. “The Disney-OpenAI deal was one sign of that. I think it’s great that in the exit announcement, Disney made it clear that they are wide open for business to continue character licensing with other parties.”

The Sora shutdown news came one day after OpenAI published a blog post about how to use Sora safely, saying the company was continuing to “strengthen Sora’s guardrails” and introduce stricter protections for videos featuring kids and teens. OpenAI had also reportedly planned, earlier in the month, to integrate Sora’s video-generation capabilities into ChatGPT itself, before scrapping that strategy.

“We’ve decided to discontinue Sora in the consumer app and API,” OpenAI spokesperson Kayla Wood told The Verge in a statement, pointing to an X post promising more information on timelines for winding down the app and API soon. “As we focus and compute demand grows, the Sora research team continues to focus on world simulation research to advance robotics that will help people solve real-world, physical tasks.”

OpenAI also said that it needs to focus its existing compute on its AI agent goals, and that Sora was a step toward the goal of better world simulation research, particularly robotics. Fittingly, the original Sora wind-down announcement post was edited, possibly to lay the groundwork for OpenAI’s continued work on world simulation AI, which may very well use the AI model behind Sora to further its work.

As OpenAI works to shift its focus from a flurry of moneymaking efforts — like forays into social media, new browsers, new subscription tiers, new advertising plans, and new government contracts — and expand its resource output into coding and enterprise tools, it’ll be competing even more directly with Anthropic. Its rival has built up a reputation for a clear enterprise focus and is leading the market, at least by many accounts, on coding tools.

Sam Gregory, executive director at Witness, a nonprofit fighting against deceptive AI and deepfakes, says he’s not sorry about the loss of a tool to generate “AI slop.” But he is incensed that “in the absence of real money, real investment, real will,” things only seem to change for business reasons, not real harm.

“Sora launched with a splash in terms of this ability to create hyper-realistic content… what angers me actually is what they normalized in the period of six months, a set of things that I think have really long-lasting implications,” Gregory said. “They normalized a world in which in multiple seconds people are really uncertain about what they are seeing in their timelines both when it matters and when it doesn’t matter… whether it’s casual comedy… or conflict footage from Iran.” He added, “The consequences will reverberate even if the app is gone.”

Altman’s statement in October that the company was “investing aggressively” now seems to have turned into aggressively attempting to appease the company’s own investors, especially as OpenAI reportedly plans to IPO as soon as this year. As billions of dollars continue to pour into the AI industry, investors are beginning to take a closer look at whether they’re getting a return and which parts of the industry may be a bubble.

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Posted Sunday 29 March 2026 at 5:40 am AEST (my time).

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Cloud Imperium Games has released its second major content update of 2026 for Star Citizen. With it, the crowd-funded game has reached Alpha version 4.7, with the update being named Welcome to the Rock. The update is carrying a new type of mission for players to tackle, a whole new inventory management system, the ability to craft via the Item Fabricator, and the RSI Aurora Mk II as the latest ship.

Starting with the new mission type, Operation Breaker Station is a new location in Nyx that players can tackle to restore deserted mining stations. This is described as a difficult endeavor that might be more catered towards crews than just solo players.

"Players will need to fight their way through various NPCs and creatures as well as engaging with puzzles and hazards during the course of restoring the station’s mining capabilities," says the studio, describing the new activity. "QV Breaker stations are assigned as part of exclusive or shared missions. Players can choose to pay more for exclusive access or pay a smaller fee for a potentially more contested mission location."

Meanwhile, the inventory system has been completely overhauled to reduce most of the friction. It's now a two-panel layout that divides between personal items and the looting pool. Any nearby inventories will also be detected and appear in this inventory panel for easy looting. Moving and equipping items easily with a drag-and-drop system, as well as search and filter functionality, are here too.

Another big feature is crafting, which is finally being added to the sci-fi sandbox. This is possible via the new Item Fabricator placeable station that players can use to create items using resources and blueprints. The quality of the output item will depend on the material quality.

"Players begin with a small set of default blueprints already on their account. Additional blueprints can be earned as mission rewards and will appear in the Fabricator once obtained," explains the studio. "Missions have been set up with their own blueprint pools allowing blueprints uniquely designated to specific missions."

The Star Citizen Alpha 4.7: Welcome to the Rock update is now available for all backers in the Live channel. Find the complete changelog here. The crowdfunded title is fast approaching the one billion dollars raised mark, with less than $50 million to go in the official tracker.

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Posted Saturday 28 March 2026 at 12:24 pm AEST (my time).

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Last year, Microsoft made some big changes to its popular Xbox Game Pass subscription services. Apart from transforming the plans to Essential, Premium, and Ultimate tiers, it also introduced a 50% price hike for the most valuable subscription that offers day-one game releases. While the service has remained stable since then, there may be some internal testing going on for a new type of Game Pass subscription codenamed TRITON.

This was discovered by X user redphx (via Windows Central), who tends to keep an eye on the Microsoft Store and Xbox back ends for unannounced changes. This is also the mind behind the Better xCloud open-source tool that aims to improve the Xbox cloud gaming experience on browsers.

It was earlier in March that redphx had noticed the TRITON codename, but today, another tidbit about the possible new tier surfaced from the same user, revealing that it only includes games from Xbox Game Studios. The currently found games related to TRITON are the following:

• DOOM Eternal
• Dishonored 2
• Fable Anniversary
• Fallout 4
• Fallout 76
• Gears 5
• Halo 5
• Halo Wars 2
• Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice
• Ori and the Blind Forest
• State Of Decay 2
• The Elder Scrolls Online

It's unclear if this is just a preliminary list of games for a future expansion or a simple backend test run of something. The leaked games list is also sporting rather old games that released on or prior to 2020. The oldest game in the bunch is Fable Anniversary from 2014, while Doom Eternal landed in 2020.

Outside of Halo 5, all these titles work across Xbox consoles and PC as well. If this is indeed a first-party games-only Game Pass tier, Microsoft could also take some ideas from EA and introduce it as a new option on rival services like Steam.

With Phil Spencer and Sarah Bond exiting and Asha Sharma taking over as Microsoft Gaming CEO recently, it won't be too surprising to hear that changes may be incoming to Xbox Game Pass tiers going forward. There have been rumors of an ad-supported version of Game Pass being considered by Microsoft too, and TRITON could be related to that.

As always, take leaks with a grain of salt until something official materializes out of Microsoft.

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Posted Saturday 28 March 2026 at 12:23 pm AEST (my time).

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