Technology

Apple sets Sept. 9 date for next iPhone launch event

Aug 26 (Reuters) - ⁠Apple will host its next ⁠launch event on September 9, senior ‌executive Greg Joswiak said in a post on X, with the company expected ​to unveil its newest ⁠iPhone series and ⁠potentially its long-awaited foldable phone at the ⁠event.

Technology

Factbox-What Meta agreed to in US teen safety settlement

Aug 26 (Reuters) - Meta will pay up ⁠to $18 billion to resolve claims by U.S. states that Facebook and Instagram are designed ⁠to keep young users hooked, ending one of the highest-profile tests of allegations ‌that social media companies harm children.

Technology

Meta reaches $18 billion of settlements over children's social media addiction

Aug 26 (Reuters) - Meta Platforms agreed to make ⁠major changes to Facebook and Instagram and pay up to $18 billion to resolve claims by most U.S. states that it designed those platforms to addict children and misled consumers about their safety.

Technology

Robot Olympics ends with humanoid's 8.64-second 100m, nearly a second faster than Bolt

BEIJING, Aug 26 (Reuters) - A Chinese ⁠humanoid robot on Wednesday ran the 100 metres in 8.64 seconds, ⁠almost a second faster than Jamaican Usain Bolt's human world-record time, ‌at the close of a five-day competition featuring robotic athletes, viral stumbles and industrial tests.

Technology

Meta reaches $16.68 billion settlement over social media case

Aug 26 (Reuters) - Meta Platforms agreed to pay a maximum $16.68 ⁠billion as part of a settlement to resolve claims brought by states across the United States that the company designed Facebook and Instagram ⁠to addict children, misled consumers about their safety, and improperly collected personal data of children who used its platforms, court papers show.

Technology

Cryptocurrency chief facing extradition from UK to US on fraud charges

LONDON, Aug 26 (Reuters) - The British-based ⁠chief executive of a cryptocurrency company who is wanted in the United ⁠States on charges of wire fraud and market manipulation faces being sent ‌to the U.S. to stand trial after he lost his fight against extradition last week.

Technology

Vanguard strikes deal for fintech platform Altruist

Aug 26 (Reuters) - Vanguard ⁠Group said on Wednesday it would acquire ⁠fintech platform Altruist, giving the asset manager greater ‌access to independent financial advisers and expanding its wealth-management capabilities.

Technology

Meta reaches $16.68 billion settlement over social media harms to children

Aug 26 (Reuters) - Meta Platforms agreed ⁠to pay a maximum $16.68 billion and make major changes to Facebook and Instagram to resolve claims by states across the U.S. ⁠that the company designed those platforms to addict children, misled consumers about their safety and improperly collected children's personal ‌data.

Technology

Momentum, leveraged trading keep software stocks on roller coaster

Aug 26 (Reuters) - U.S. software shares have been ⁠on a roller coaster and more wild rides likely lie ahead, thanks to AI-driven uncertainty and the rise of trading strategies that investors say are accentuating the swings ⁠in popular technology sectors.

Technology

Boston Scientific hit by cyberattack, global operations affected

Aug 26 (Reuters) - Boston ⁠Scientific said on Wednesday that a cybersecurity incident ⁠had disrupted global operations, including some information systems ‌used to process and ship customer orders.

Social media

Report: Meta and US states discuss settlement in landmark social media trial

Social media giant Meta has been in discussions with multiple US states to settle a major child privacy and consumer protection case out of court, Bloomberg News reported on Aug 25.

Driverless vehicle

Waymo announces European expansion with robotaxis in Munich in 2027

Waymo is planning to launch a driverless taxi service in Munich by the end of 2027, making Germany the first EU country where the Google sister company will operate.

Robotics

A Chinese humanoid robot sets a new 100-metre sprint record at Beijing Games

A Chinese humanoid robot set a new 100-metre sprint record of 8.86 seconds in Beijing on Aug 25, beating its robot competitors – and the fastest recorded human time.

Video games

Fave or flop? A guide to gauging video game success

The video game industry is notoriously tight-lipped about its numbers, filled with members-only metrics like wishlists, pre-orders and player numbers, so it can be hard to know which games have actually proven popular and turned a profit.

Technology

CD Projekt RED to launch remastered version of 'The Witcher 3' ahead of new expansion

(Corrects typographical error in the ⁠name of the level design lead in paragraph 8)

AI

By opening a model, a Chinese AI lab may test the world’s cybersecurity

In July, an unreleased OpenAI model went rogue and demonstrated remarkable hacking abilities. This week, a lab called Z.ai will release a similarly powerful system to everyone.

Technology

Apple unveils new Mac Mini, Mac Studio with major chip upgrades

Apple Inc announced upgraded Mac mini and Mac Studio desktop computers, giving the in-demand machines major processor upgrades.

Social media

Instagram chief admits touting teen safety tool while omitting it was barely used

Adam Mosseri, who oversees Instagram at Meta, admitted in a California court on Aug 25 that he touted newly launched safety tools for teens without disclosing low adoption rates from early testing several years ago.

Video games

'Final Fantasy', 'The Witcher' in spotlight at Europe gaming bash

Europe's biggest video games show, Gamescom, opened on Aug 25 with the spotlight on two hit series, Final Fantasy and The Witcher.

Social media

Brazilian data protection regulator fines TikTok's owner nearly US$30mil over safety of minors

Brazil's data protection regulator on Aug 25 fined TikTok parent company ByteDance more than 153mil reais (nearly US$30mil/RM120.7mil) because of alleged failures in the handling of personal data of children and teenagers.