Technology News 13.12.2025

Secret trick to stop your iPhone from updating to iOS 26 forever

December 13, 2025, 4:24 AM EST. Want to stay on an older iPhone OS? The piece explains a method to stop iPhone updates to iOS 26 by tweaking update settings. Start by turning off Automatic Updates in Settings > General > Software Update, and disable automatic downloading of updates. To stay safe, you can leave the middle option enabled to receive Security Updates & System Files without changing the software version. Then switch to the iOS 18 beta by going back to Software Update and selecting Beta Updates to avoid seeing iOS 26 prompts. You'll still get ongoing security patches on your current version, though a future device replacement will ship with the new OS. Note apps/features may eventually require a newer iOS.

Galaxy phones lag on Google Play system updates during One UI 8 rollout

December 13, 2025, 4:20 AM EST.Galaxy devices are missing Google Play system updates, with most Galaxy phones and tablets not receiving the patch since July or August, and some newer models only on September. This lag leaves Google Play system updates components older than the rest of the security patches, potentially widening the gap against vulnerabilities. The hiccup tends to surface during major One UI 8 cycles and has historically resumed after the new year. Samsung has rolled out One UI 8 for eligible devices, so Google Play system updates could recommence soon, even as the 8.5 beta rolls out. Check availability by navigating to Settings > Security and privacy > Updates > Google Play system update.

Apple Watch Ultra 3 Deals: Trade-In Savings and Where to Buy

December 13, 2025, 3:52 AM EST. Looking to upgrade to the Apple Watch Ultra 3? It's priced at $799, with a titanium Milanese loop option for extra. This deals roundup covers trade-ins and discounts across major retailers: Apple offers trade-in credits up to $335 and 3% cash back with Apple Card; Best Buy can give up to $250 in trade-in credit plus four months of free Apple Fitness+. Amazon shows select discounts, while Verizon paves savings of up to $300 with trade-ins. Keep checking this page for fresh offers as retailers roll out deals. If you're upgrading from an older Apple Watch, a trade-in can dramatically reduce your out-of-pocket cost.

Tomb Raider Recasts Lara Croft with Gaming Veteran for Legacy of Atlantis and Catalyst

December 13, 2025, 3:38 AM EST. At The Game Awards, the Tomb Raider series announced two new entries, Legacy of Atlantis and Catalyst. The role of Lara Croft will be voiced and motion-captured by Alix Wilton Regan, taking over from Camilla Luddington, who performed Croft across the recent trilogy. The recast marks a fresh take for the iconic heroine as the duo of new titles moves forward. While details on story or gameplay are scarce, fans can expect the same core action-adventure DNA with Regan delivering a new vocal performance across the franchise.

Google Translate uses Gemini to interpret phrases, expands slang and idioms, and enhances language-learning features

December 13, 2025, 3:36 AM EST. Google Translate now uses Gemini to interpret the meaning of phrases rather than translating each word, boosting accuracy for idioms and local slang. Whether you're in live translate mode or checking a single phrase, the Gemini-powered upgrade covers over 70 languages and also expands the translation interface in search. The update pairs with new language-learning features that tailor listening and speaking exercises to your level, and track your progress with a daily streak. Pronunciation feedback becomes more frequent in training modules. Practice mode is rolling out in almost 20 countries, including Germany, India, Sweden, and Taiwan.

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang Named Financial Times' 2025 Person of the Year

December 13, 2025, 3:24 AM EST. Jensen Huang, the co-founder and CEO of Nvidia, has been named the Financial Times' 2025 Person of the Year, reflecting his role in the AI chip era. Under Huang's leadership, Nvidia soared to become one of the world's most valuable companies, driven by demand for its GPUs to train powerful AI models. The FT highlights Huang's push to scale AI infrastructure and Nvidia's chips as central to the current tech boom. Born in Taiwan and educated at Stanford, Huang co-founded Nvidia to revolutionize graphics processing, a gamble that now underpins software from major players like Google, Microsoft, and OpenAI. He calls Nvidia one of the most consequential technology companies in history.

ASUS Chromebook CM30 Detachable 2-in-1 Open-Box Deal: $159.99 (Was $329.99) | 52% Off

December 13, 2025, 3:22 AM EST. TL;DR: The ASUS Chromebook CM30 Detachable 2-in-1 is on sale as an open-box deal for $159.99 (MSRP $329.99). This versatile device switches between laptop and tablet with a garaged stylus for notes and sketches. Its 10.5-inch WUXGA touchscreen offers crisp visuals, while the magnetic detachable keyboard and stand support reading, browsing, or streaming anywhere. Powered by a MediaTek Kompanio 520 with 8GB RAM and 128GB eMMC, it handles multitasking and web apps smoothly. Built with a military-grade aluminum chassis and 30% recycled materials, it's designed to endure daily use. A 12-hour battery plus Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.3 keep you connected. Open-box status means new but may have been returned; includes essentials and a 1-year warranty. Limited-time deal.

The evolution of blackface in the age of AI | NPR Code Switch

December 13, 2025, 3:20 AM EST. With AI image and video generators making hyper-realistic clips easier to create, this piece examines how AI-driven portrayals of Black people range from stereotypical to demeaning. It features writer Zeba Blay discussing how these videos may erode society's willingness to take real-world Black experiences seriously. The interview sheds light on the rise of AI influencers who depict Black individuals in problematic ways and explores ethics, media literacy, and safeguards as technology reshapes representation.

Apple launches iOS 26.2, iPadOS 26.2, macOS 26.2 and more across devices

December 13, 2025, 2:32 AM EST. Apple has rolled out major updates to its core operating systems, delivering iOS 26.2, iPadOS 26.2, macOS 26.2, watchOS 26.2, and visionOS 26.2 to compatible devices. The spotlight is on iOS 26.2, which Apple says adds enhancements to Apple Music, Podcasts, and Games, along with bug fixes and security improvements. The updates also bring improvements across iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, and visionOS, focusing on stability and performance. If automatic updates are on, devices may already be updated; otherwise, you can manually update by going to Settings > General > Software Update. The release emphasizes smoother app experiences, privacy protections, and new developer APIs to support upcoming apps and features.

Samsung One UI 8.5 adds dynamic PIN screen colors; hands-on preview for Galaxy S23 Ultra

December 13, 2025, 2:28 AM EST. Samsung is testing One UI 8.5 for the Galaxy S23 Ultra, confirmed by a software-server listing and a hands-on video from SamMobile. The preview reveals a customizable Quick Panel, refreshed stock apps, and a redesigned Settings menu. Notable tweaks include improvements to DeX and Camera, plus a cleaner Pro (Photo) and Pro Video interface. Single Take returns in this beta, while Photo Assist adds a history function to revert edits. The build also shows a PIN screen that fills with dynamic colors, hinting at a more vibrant lock-screen experience. Some features aren't ready yet-text-prompt editing, Call Assistant, and AI experiments like AI Weather/Health Assist-and several AI tools such as Now Brief are still missing in this early build.

YouTube TV Watch Screen Gets Redesign: New Description Button and Easier Navigation

December 13, 2025, 2:02 AM EST. Google's YouTube TV app just got a redesigned watch screen with a new layout that moves video titles to the top and replaces them with a Description button. This makes video metadata, comments, and creator details easier to access through the new control. The interface now groups controls into three sections below the timeline: left (Channel, Description, Subscribe), center (Previous, Play/Pause, Next), right (Like, Dislike, Comment, Save, Closed Captions, Settings). You can upgrade by enabling automatic updates; if not, update via your TV's app store. The rollout is ongoing, so you may see the change soon on compatible devices like Fire TV Stick and LG webOS TVs.

Ranked: Global AI Competitiveness by Country

December 13, 2025, 2:00 AM EST. The United States tops global AI competitiveness by a wide margin, with China and India close behind, according to Stanford's Global AI Vibrancy Tool. The ranking blends R&D output with economic strength, policy engagement, and public awareness of AI across 42 indicators in eight pillars, from research and investment to governance and infrastructure. Notable: Singapore and the UAE outrank many larger economies relative to size, underscoring how national strategies-such as Singapore's regulatory sandbox and Spain's public-sector AI adoption-can accelerate progress. The tool helps identify where innovation concentrates and where policy shifts can close gaps.

Google Removes AI-Generated Disney Character Clips After Disney Cease-and-Desist

December 13, 2025, 1:56 AM EST. Google has removed dozens of AI-generated videos depicting Disney-owned characters after a cease-and-desist from the studio. Disney flagged the YouTube links and demanded immediate removal for characters including Mickey Mouse, Deadpool, and figures from Star Wars and The Simpsons, many created with Google's Veo tool. The links now redirect to a notice stating this video is no longer available due to a copyright claim by Disney. Google says it will continue to work with Disney and notes it uses public data to train its AI, with copyright controls like Content ID. Disney is pushing safeguards to prevent generating Disney characters and to stop using Disney characters to train AI models. Separately, Disney announced talks to license 200 characters to OpenAI for its Sora platform.

David Harbour Reveals Total War: Warhammer 40,000 at The Game Awards

December 13, 2025, 1:48 AM EST. At The Game Awards, the Total War series revealed its leap into the grimdark future with Total War: Warhammer 40,000. David Harbour-best known from Stranger Things-announced the game and will appear in it. The trailer highlights battles across a Warhammer 40K universe, with four confirmed playable factions: Space Marines, Astra Militarum, Orks, and Aeldari. Players will also be able to forge their own army, shaping heraldry, iconography, and arcane wargear to craft a unique warpath. For the first time, the RTS will launch on PC and also on PS5 and Xbox Series X/S. The reveal adds to a slate of Game Awards announcements and dovetails with other Warhammer RTS coverage.

Amazon Prime Video scraps AI-powered TV show recaps after 'Fallout' fallout

December 13, 2025, 1:46 AM EST. Prime Video has halted its AI-powered TV show recap feature amid backlash and policy concerns tied to AI in entertainment. The move follows internal reviews triggered by the Fallout-related controversy, with executives evaluating whether automated recaps meet brand safety, accuracy, and copyright standards. The pause signals a broader industry reassessment of AI-generated content in streaming, as platforms weigh user experience against ethical and legal risks, and consider alternatives like human-curated recaps or hybrid approaches.

Newsom defends California AI rules amid Trump's order; LA recovery progress and Williamson case

December 13, 2025, 1:28 AM EST. California Governor Gavin Newsom met fire victims and recovery workers in the Southland, noting progress with 2,193 permits. He contrasted this with Maui and Paradise losses, stressing personal impact despite aggregate gains. He cited 27 executive orders and argued that AI regulation should not be weaponized by politics. In response to President Trump's executive order restricting state AI rules, Newsom touted California's SB53 and the nation's first AI frontier model regulation as a model for others, defending states' rights. The interview touched on his former Chief of Staff Dana Williamson facing federal charges; Newsom urged waiting for independent facts. Williamson has pleaded not guilty and was placed on leave over a year ago.

AI glasses race heats up as Google, Samsung, and Apple push AI-powered wearables in the post-smartphone era

December 13, 2025, 1:20 AM EST. As smartphone growth slows, AI-powered smart glasses emerge as the next platform, with Google and Samsung reentering the field and Apple reportedly developing a lightweight wearable. Apple's Apple Glass could skip displays initially, focusing on a slim form with AI-driven functions, while a future version may offer a head-up display with transparent lenses and real-time visual intelligence. Google is teaming with Samsung and brands like Gentle Monster and Warby Parker to embed its Gemini AI into glasses, starting with an audio-based model and voice controls, then a display-enabled variant. Meta still dominates the market via Ray-Ban, but industry watchers expect broader use cases in healthcare, education, remote work, and AR shopping as AI weaves into daily life.

Amazon Offers Free Exclusive Outfit for Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis via Account Linking

December 13, 2025, 1:18 AM EST. Amazon Games is offering a cosmetic bonus for Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis. Fans who link their Xbox or PlayStation Network account to an Amazon Games ID can claim the Exclusive Mediterranean Wetsuit Outfit when the game launches in 2026. The outfit is cosmetics only, but the perk ties into the showy marketing around the title. The offer was highlighted in official posts from both the Xbox and PSN blogs. The trailer and coverage also tease Lara's look rendered in Unreal Engine 5. It's a simple incentive to sign in early, with data concerns noted by critics. Read on for more on the Tomb Raider announcements and upcoming release window, and share your thoughts in the comments.

Trump's Chip-Export Reversal-A Potential Own Goal for U.S. AI Dominance

December 13, 2025, 1:16 AM EST. Trump's latest Truth Social post proposes loosening restrictions on selling highly advanced semiconductors to China, a move critics warn could hand the AI and tech race to its rival. The piece traces how the United States remains ahead in AI largely thanks to a few firms like Nvidia that produce cutting-edge chips, and recalls the Oct. 2022 policy to curb exports aimed at protecting national security and military applications. Industry observers say export controls are a major hurdle, citing DeepSeek's experience-its model benefited from chip access and from a loophole closed only in 2023. If the policy shifts, the balance between economic and military advantages could tilt in favor of China and against American preeminence.

Amazon Pulls AI Recap of Fallout After Inaccuracies Spark Backlash

December 13, 2025, 1:14 AM EST. Amazon pulled a controversial AI-generated recap of Fallout season 1 from Prime Video after viewers flagged widespread inaccuracies. The clip, created by Amazon's AI recap feature, claimed incorrect plot points-notably the 2077 setting vs. the video's claimed 1950s flashbacks-and even invented a climactic alliance between Ghoul and Lucy MacLean. The move follows heavy social-media backlash on X/Twitter and Reddit, and echoes another recent stumble: an AI English dub beta for Banana Fish, Vinland Saga, and No Game No Life that drew ire from subscribers and voice actors. Amazon reportedly rolled back the English-dub AI beta while keeping the Spanish dub, and studios like Kadokawa denied advance approval. The incident underscores ongoing questions about reliability and impact of AI-generated content in entertainment.

SpaceX IPO: Why the Buzz Around a Record-Breaking Plan to Go Public

December 13, 2025, 1:12 AM EST.SpaceX is weighing the largest IPO in history, potentially widening the investor pool to include individuals and giving current shareholders a clearer path to liquidity. The deal could raise more than $30B and push the company's valuation to $1.5 trillion, far beyond private rounds. The move comes as the space sector, valued in the hundreds of billions and projected to grow by 2035, accelerates around Starship and Starlink, plus AI-driven data centers. Analysts say a public market listing would improve liquidity and enable acquisitions, though it also magnifies Elon Musk's influence, given his roles at SpaceX, Tesla, and xAI. With milestones ahead, the IPO adds momentum to a crowded space economy.

Apple patches two WebKit flaws exploited in the wild; Chrome patch linked

December 13, 2025, 12:56 AM EST. Apple released security updates across iOS, iPadOS, macOS, tvOS, watchOS, visionOS, and Safari to fix two WebKit flaws actively exploited in the wild. CVE-2025-14174 (memory corruption) and CVE-2025-43529 (use-after-free) could allow arbitrary code execution when processing malicious content. CVE-2025-14174 is the same flaw Google patched in Chrome, described as an out-of-bounds access in the ANGLE library. Apple credited SEAR and TAG for the discovery. The vulnerabilities likely fueled targeted mercenary spyware attacks, given their impact on iOS and iPadOS browsers. Updates include iOS/iPadOS 26.2, macOS Tahoe 26.2, tvOS 26.2, watchOS 26.2, visionOS 26.2, and Safari 26.2, plus older iOS 18.7.3/iPadOS 18.7.3 for older devices. A total of nine zero-days patched in 2025.

Hot Google Pixel 10 Series Deals Extend Across All Models on Amazon

December 13, 2025, 12:42 AM EST. Amazon is discounting every Google Pixel 10 family device: Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro, and Pixel 10 Pro XL. The Pixel 10 (6.3", Tensor G5) offers 12GB RAM, 50MP main camera, OLED 120Hz display, and a 4,970mAh battery. The Pixel 10 Pro packs a compact 6.3" body, 16GB RAM, LTPO OLED 2,856×1,280 screen, triple camera (50MP/48MP/48MP) and a 4,870mAh cell, plus seven years of updates. The Pixel 10 Pro XL increases to a 6.8" LTPO OLED, 16GB RAM, UFS 4.0, battery over 5,000mAh, and the top camera suite. Discounts apply to all color variants while supplies last, via Amazon.

Google Weather breaks on Wear OS for Pixel Watch and Galaxy Watch

December 13, 2025, 12:40 AM EST. Google Weather on Wear OS is failing across devices, including the original Pixel Watch and Galaxy Watch. After Google stopped offering Weather for new Wear OS 6 devices, users who already had the app could keep it, but a current bug now prevents any device from downloading data. Opening Google Weather shows a perpetual 'Loading…' followed by 'Can't download weather data,' with the Retry button looping. The issue also affects related tiles like Forecast, Sun, and UV Index, showing 'Loading weather' and 'Couldn't retrieve your location.' Google has acknowledged the problem; it's likely a server-side bug rather than a deprecation. A fix may require a server update. In the meantime, users can use third-party apps such as AccuWeather or Gemini for weather data.

China mulls $70B domestic chip fabrication investment, largest government semiconductor push

December 13, 2025, 12:26 AM EST. China is weighing an additional $70 billion for its domestic chip industry, on top of the existing Big Fund III, with candidates such as Huawei and Cambricon reportedly in the running. If enacted, the investment would be the largest government semiconductor expenditure worldwide and could accelerate domestic fabrication and design to compete with Nvidia and other U.S. firms. It aligns with President Xi Jinping's call for a whole-nation approach to chip sovereignty and defense competitiveness, as authorities seek to reduce reliance on overseas suppliers. While subsidies and mandates have nudged greater domestic usage-such as 50% domestically produced chips in data centers-top performers still outpace China. The plan could close the gap, but questions remain about deployment, yields, and how funds would be allocated, especially as geopolitical dynamics influence the sector.

Starlink narrowly avoids collision with Chinese Kinetica 1 payload; SpaceX calls for better orbital coordination

December 13, 2025, 12:24 AM EST. SpaceX says a Starlink internet satellite came within about 200 meters of a Chinese Kinetica 1 payload launched Tuesday from Jiuquan. The near-miss at ~560 km highlights the growing need for orbit-awareness and better satellite coordination, as the number of objects in orbit climbs from about 3,400 in 2020 to roughly 13,000 today. CAS Space, the Kinetica 1 launcher, says it used a ground-based system to avoid known debris and will provide details. SpaceX operates around 9,300 Starlink satellites, with more than 3,000 launched this year, and conducts tens of thousands of avoidance maneuvers annually. SpaceX notes that many operators don't share trajectory data, underscoring the risk of a collision in an increasingly crowded space.

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