Apple releases iOS 26.4 beta 4 as new emoji arrive and encrypted RCS slips
Apple released iOS 26.4 beta 4 on March 9, making it available to both developers and
iPhone Fold Design Leaks Reveal Wide Book-Style Shape as Apple Said to Drop Flip Plan
Leaked CAD files show Apple’s foldable iPhone with a wide, book-style design and two rear cameras, replacing an earlier flip-phone concept. Reports point to a 7.8-inch inner display, 5.5-inch cover screen, and
Occidental Petroleum Debt Tender Advances as OXY Stock Slides With Oil
Occidental Petroleum’s $1.2 billion debt tender offer took effect after bond-term changes, with $843.3 million of 2031 notes and $335.2 million of
Analog Devices faces late Tuesday vote on 13 million-share stock plan ahead of annual meeting
Analog Devices shareholders have until late Tuesday to vote on adding 13 million shares to its equity incentive plan, which would raise
Eli Lilly warns some Medicare patients may pay above $50 for weight-loss drugs
Eli Lilly said some basic Medicare Part D plans may not honor the $50 monthly cap for its weight-loss drugs under the
Why Western Digital Stock Is Jumping Again as AI Spending Forecasts Climb
Western Digital shares rose 6.7% to $279.59 Tuesday, outpacing the S&P 500 after Citigroup raised its global AI capital-spending forecast to $8.9
UnitedHealth Group Faces Fresh Medicare Advantage Pressure Ahead of Barclays Investor Event
A congressional committee found seniors paid about 10% more in Medicare Part B premiums last year due to alleged overpayments to private Medicare Advantage plans, the Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday. UnitedHealth shares fell 1.4% by midmorning. The company, the largest Medicare Advantage provider, is set to address investors at a Barclays conference later in the day. UnitedHealth has denied previous allegations of aggressive billing practices.
Why Sandisk Stock Jumped 11.6% as AI Storage Demand Drew a Fresh $1,000 Call
Sandisk shares jumped 11.6% to $588.73 on Monday, outpacing Micron and Western Digital as investors bought into memory and AI-linked storage stocks.
Informa Plc presses on with £200 mln share buyback ahead of 2025 results as Gulf risks shadow outlook
Informa bought 1.363 million shares for cancellation last week as part of a 2026 buyback of at least £200 million, reducing total
Legal & General Group Plc Shares Slide Ahead of Results as £1.2 Billion Buyback Comes Into Focus
Legal & General shares fell 1.8% to 249.9 pence ahead of its March 11 full-year results, as investors focus on capital returns
Reckitt Benckiser Group plc starts £540 million share buyback after Europe warning rattles investors
Reckitt Benckiser launched a new share buyback of up to £540 million on Monday, with Deutsche Bank handling purchases through July 27.
Apple’s macOS 26.3.1 Update Gets New Urgency as Studio Displays Start Shipping
Apple lists macOS Tahoe 26.3.1 as the required version for its new Studio Display and Studio Display XDR, which go on sale Wednesday. A separate macOS 26.3.2 build is available only for the new MacBook Neo. Apple says 26.3.1 expands external display support but has not detailed bug fixes or security changes. Some older Apple-silicon Macs will run the XDR display at 60Hz instead of 120Hz.
Apple releases iOS 26.4 beta 4 as new emoji arrive and encrypted RCS slips
Apple released iOS 26.4 beta 4 on March 9, making it available to both developers and public testers, along with matching beta 4 updates for iPadOS, macOS, tvOS, visionOS, and watchOS. The build adds new emoji and renames an accessibility setting, but removes the test version of end-to-end encrypted RCS. Beta 4 is the first to support iPhone 17e and M4 iPad Air. Apple previously said encrypted RCS would ship in a later update.
iPhone Fold Design Leaks Reveal Wide Book-Style Shape as Apple Said to Drop Flip Plan
Leaked CAD files show Apple’s foldable iPhone with a wide, book-style design and two rear cameras, replacing an earlier flip-phone concept. Reports point to a 7.8-inch inner display, 5.5-inch cover screen, and Touch ID. Apple is expected to launch the device in late 2026 as part of a premium-only iPhone lineup. The design reflects a shift away from clamshells due to battery and camera constraints.
Google’s March Pixel Drop Is Here: Gemini Tasks, Circle to Search Shopping, Pixel Watch Safety Upgrades
Google’s March Pixel Drop adds Gemini AI tools for multi-step tasks on Pixel 10 phones and expands Circle to Search shopping features. The update includes a March security patch and new safety options for Pixel Watch. Scam Detection is rolling out to six more countries, while Call Notes launches in India. Google says similar Gemini features will reach Samsung’s Galaxy S26 line in the U.S. and South Korea.
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra Goes on Sale Worldwide as Privacy Display Drives Early Orders
Samsung began global sales of its Galaxy S26 Ultra, with the model making up over 70% of pre-orders worldwide and 80% in the U.S. Pre-order volume for the S26 line rose nearly 25% from last year. The Ultra starts at $1,299.99 and features a 6.9-inch display, 200MP camera, and built-in Privacy Display. Samsung kept Ultra prices steady despite raising costs on other models as memory-chip prices climb.
Technology News 11.03.2026
LIVETechnology news rolling coverageStarted: March 11, 2026, 12:00 AM EDTUpdated: March 11, 2026, 7:44 AM EDT
CSL Limited Breaks Ground on $1.5 Billion Illinois Plant as Turnaround Pressure Builds
CSL Limited has begun a $1.5 billion expansion of its Kankakee, Illinois, manufacturing site, aiming to add at least 300 jobs and boost plasma-derived therapy output by 2031. The move follows an 81% drop in first-half profit and recent leadership changes. CSL also repurchased 62,472 shares for about A$9.1 million on March 10. Shares closed at A$144.56 Tuesday, up 1.65% but near a 52-week low.
South32 Ltd Looks to Bypass China for Arizona Zinc as Hermosa Nears U.S. Approval
South32 plans to send zinc from its $2.16 billion Hermosa mine in Arizona to North American smelters, not China, after a key U.S. Forest Service draft approval on March 6. The company signed a non-binding letter of intent with Teck Resources to supply its British Columbia smelter. The federal review runs through April 20, with a final decision expected in July. South32 says Hermosa could produce up to five critical minerals.
Telstra Group Limited warns Australia map rules could cut 1 million sq km from coverage claims
Telstra warned Australia’s draft mobile coverage-map standard would mark areas used by 1.5 million customers a month as having no service, forcing it to remove about 1 million square km from its maps. The Australian Communications and Media Authority must finalize the rules by March 31, with implementation set for June 30. The ACCC supports stricter mapping, citing unreliable current maps and risks for consumers. Optus and TPG also weighed in on the proposed -115 dBm signal threshold.
Suncorp Pushes Ahead With Buyback After Storm-Hit Half, Sets A$14.32 DRP Price
Suncorp Group bought back 1.19 million shares for A$17.17 million on Tuesday and set its interim dividend reinvestment price at A$14.32 per share. The insurer has now spent about A$223.9 million on buybacks, with A$176.1 million left to reach its A$400 million target for fiscal 2026. First-half cash earnings fell 67% after severe weather pushed natural-hazard costs to A$1.319 billion.
Pro Medicus Ltd locks in A$40 million U.S. renewals as MedStar adds heart-imaging tools
Pro Medicus’ U.S. unit renewed two imaging software contracts totaling at least A$40 million, including a five-year, A$31 million extension with MedStar Health that adds heart-imaging tools, and a separate A$9 million deal with Zwanger-Pesiri. Both contracts were signed at higher per-transaction fees and expand the company’s presence in the U.S. market.
Northern Star Resources Ltd shares rebound with gold rally, but guidance cuts still loom
Northern Star Resources rose 2.6% Tuesday as Australian gold stocks rebounded, with the gold index up 2.5% and the ASX 200 gaining 1.6%. The miner is still trading below January levels after cutting FY26 production guidance and raising cost forecasts due to operational issues. Spot gold climbed 1.9% to $5,231.79 an ounce. S&P Dow Jones Indices will add Northern Star to the S&P/ASX 20 on March 23.
NASA satellite crash today: Van Allen Probe A heads for Earth years earlier than expected
NASA's retired Van Allen Probe A was expected to re-enter Earth's atmosphere Tuesday evening, with debris possibly surviving the descent, according to the U.S. Space Force. NASA estimated a 1 in 4,200 chance of harm to people. The probe is returning years ahead of schedule due to increased atmospheric drag from solar activity. The exact timing and location of re-entry remain uncertain.
Wesfarmers Limited’s Bunnings Expands Auto Range With 500 New Products in Fresh Growth Push
Bunnings will add 500 automotive products and expand floor space for the category by 30% across Australia and New Zealand, raising its in-store range to over 1,200 items. The move intensifies competition with specialist auto retailers as Wesfarmers seeks to maintain growth amid uneven consumer spending. Wesfarmers shares rose 1.47% to A$75.46 on Tuesday. Bunnings generated A$10.7 billion in revenue in the half-year to December 31.
Santos Limited greenlights $357 million Moomba Central Optimisation project to cut costs, extend Cooper Basin gas output
Santos Limited and Beach Energy approved a $357 million investment to overhaul the Moomba gas hub in South Australia’s Cooper Basin, replacing seven compressor stations with a single electric-driven facility. Santos expects over $600 million in savings and a 40,000-tonne annual cut in Scope 1 emissions. The project’s economics partly depend on finalising a gas supply deal with South Australia. Completion is targeted in three years.
Fortescue Ltd Completes Alta Copper Deal, Deepening Peru Copper Bet
Fortescue Ltd has acquired all remaining shares of Alta Copper for C$1.40 each, valuing the Peru-focused copper developer at about C$139 million. Alta shares will be delisted from Toronto, Lima, and OTCQX exchanges. Fortescue’s Cañariaco copper project in Peru is not expected to start production until next decade. The company posted a 23% rise in first-half profit to $1.91 billion in February.
Macquarie hires former Ares executive Eli Appelbaum for EMEA lending push as private credit strains deepen
Macquarie Group has hired Eli Appelbaum from Ares Management to lead its EMEA lending and asset finance business as it expands private credit operations in the region. The firm recently funded AI infrastructure projects, including a €117 million commitment to Polarise’s Munich data center. Macquarie reported less than £50 million exposure to the collapsed UK lender Market Financial Solutions. Industry defaults and fund withdrawals have increased.
ANZ Group Holdings to Reopen Chinchilla Branch as Pressure Builds on Big Banks to Keep Regional Services
ANZ Group will reopen its Chinchilla branch in regional Queensland in the second half of 2026, following the closure of the town’s Suncorp Bank agency on May 29. The move comes after ANZ’s A$4.9 billion purchase of Suncorp Bank and amid government restrictions on regional branch closures until July 2027. ANZ said it will support Suncorp customers during the transition.
NASA Satellite Crash Alert: Van Allen Probe A Set for Earth Re-Entry With Low Risk to People
NASA said its defunct Van Allen Probe A satellite, weighing 1,323 pounds, is expected to re-enter Earth’s atmosphere around 7:45 p.m. EDT Tuesday, with some debris likely to survive. Officials say there is no targeted landing area and the exact timing remains uncertain. The mission ended in 2019, years earlier than planned, after increased solar activity accelerated the craft’s descent. NASA maintains the risk to the public is low.
Westpac Banking Corporation Sees Consumer Sentiment Lift, but Late-Week Drop Sets Up RBA Test
Australian consumer sentiment rose 1.2% in March, but late survey responses showed a sharp drop as Middle East tensions escalated, Westpac said Tuesday. The Westpac-Melbourne Institute index reached 91.6, while a rival ANZ-Roy Morgan measure fell to 73.4, its lowest since July 2023. Westpac reported A$1.9 billion in unaudited December quarter profit, but flagged housing supply and inflation as ongoing concerns.
National Australia Bank Survey Shows Australian Business Confidence Turns Negative After RBA Hike
Australian business confidence fell to -1 in February, its first negative reading in 11 months, according to NAB’s monthly survey, while business conditions stayed at +7 and sales rose. The decline followed the Reserve Bank of Australia’s Feb. 3 rate hike to 3.85%. NAB’s first-quarter cash earnings climbed 16% to A$2.02 billion as business banking volumes increased. Inflation pressures persisted, with purchase and labour costs up 1.5% for the quarter.
Woodside Energy Launches Trion Drilling Campaign, Testing Mexico Oil Bet Amid CEO Search
Woodside Energy has begun drilling at the $7.2 billion Trion oil field with Pemex, targeting first oil in 2028. The campaign will drill 24 wells tied to a floating production unit, with capacity for 100,000 barrels per day. The Deepwater Thalassa drillship entered Mexican waters on March 5. Woodside owns 60% of Trion and approved the project in 2023.
Commonwealth Bank of Australia Says Wage Growth Held at 3.1% Ahead of RBA Rate Call
Commonwealth Bank of Australia reported internal wage growth steady at 3.1% for the year to February and about 21,000 jobs added last month. The Reserve Bank meets March 16-17, with markets pricing a 50% chance of another rate hike after February’s increase to 3.85%. Major banks have already passed on higher rates to home-loan customers. CBA’s data shows stable wages despite a tight labor market.
BHP Group Ltd Succession Spotlight Sharpens as Geraldine Slattery Emerges in Twin CEO Race
BHP Australia President Geraldine Slattery is under consideration to succeed BHP CEO Mike Henry and is also a contender for the top job at Woodside Energy, according to reports from The Australian and Reuters. Woodside is interviewing candidates and plans to name a CEO in early 2026. BHP has not commented on succession. The miner’s next production update is set for April 22.
ConocoPhillips Shares Slide as Oil Plunges 11%, Putting 2026 Cash Plan in Focus
ConocoPhillips shares dropped 2.5% to $114.16 Tuesday after Brent and U.S. crude prices plunged over 11%, their steepest one-day fall since 2022. The company kept its 2026 production target steady and is aiming for $1 billion in cost cuts this year. ConocoPhillips is also exploring a $2 billion Permian Basin asset sale after closing $3.2 billion in sales last year.