ARTICLES

The UK’s Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has banned a series of adverts from cryptocurrency platform Coinbase on grounds they implied digital assets could help address the cost-of-living crisis. The regulator found that the messaging trivialised the risks of investing in high-volatility crypto products . The banned campaign included a satirical two-minute video and posters displayed in high-footfall transport hubs. These used humour and comparisons to everyday financial

The UK government has launched a national programme providing free artificial intelligence training to every adult. The initiative aims to equip up to 10 million workers with practical AI skills by 2030, addressing both technological disruption and evolving labour market demands. Courses are accessible online and designed to fit into busy schedules, with some taking under 20 minutes to complete. They focus on skills that are increasingly relevant at work, from drafting text a

Sony has filed a new patent that hints at a bold rethink of how game controllers could work in the future, focusing on adaptability, accessibility and personal customisation. The patent describes a buttonless adaptive controller that replaces traditional physical buttons with touch sensitive surfaces, allowing players to define their own control layouts. According to the patent documentation, the controller would use advanced touch and pressure sensing technology to detect ta

Alphabet-backed and long viewed as the most methodical player in autonomous driving, the company now plans to expand into more than a dozen new cities this year, including London and Tokyo. The funding round, led by Dragoneer Investment Group, DST Global and Sequoia Capital, values Waymo at $126 billion, according to the company. Alphabet supported the raise and retained its position as majority investor. Additional backing came from Andreessen Horowitz and Mubadala Capital,

Adobe has confirmed it will shut down Adobe Animate, its 2D animation software, as part of a strategic shift towards artificial intelligence-centred products. The company updated its support site and emailed customers to say Adobe Animate will be discontinued on 1 March 2026 . Enterprise customers will receive technical support until 1 March 2029 , while all other customers will retain support through March 2027. Users reacted with frustration and disbelief. Many said they re

Consumer demand for pioneering hardware endures. Samsung's Galaxy Z TriFold, priced at $2,899 for the 512GB variant, sold out online in the United States within minutes of its launch on Samsung's website. The debut offered no initial trade-in incentives, yet orders flooded in immediately. The triple-folding smartphone expands to a 10-inch main display, functioning as a genuine phone-tablet hybrid suited to multitasking, content creation and immersive media, drawing early adop

Swimmers concerned about water quality will soon be able to check the health of rivers before entering the water. A new AI-driven network of sensors aims to provide live pollution data across the UK’s rivers and waterways, translating complex environmental signals into clear guidance on whether conditions are safe to swim in or suitable for children. The plan calls for thousands of miniature sensors to be installed nationwide by 2030. These devices will collect data directly

Airports are turning to artificial intelligence as global passenger numbers climb and pressure mounts on infrastructure. With air traffic forecast to reach 10.2 billion passengers in 2026, up 3.9 percent year on year, operators are investing heavily in technology to improve efficiency without eroding the passenger experience. Data from Airports Council International shows airports leaning on AI to absorb rising demand. Rather than expanding terminals alone, executives are rew

Apple plans to demonstrate a significantly enhanced Siri in the second half of February 2026, leveraging Google's Gemini AI models through a multiyear partnership announced in January. The collaboration integrates Gemini's advanced capabilities into Apple's foundational models, delivering a more personalised, context-aware assistant while maintaining core privacy protections such as on-device processing and Private Cloud Compute. This step accelerates Siri's evolution after e

ChatGPT Isn’t the Only Chatbot Pulling Answers From Elon Musk’s Grokipedia ChatGPT now cites Grokipedia, Elon Musk’s AI-generated alternative to Wikipedia. Other major platforms follow suit. Google’s AI Overviews, AI Mode, and Gemini reference it. So do tools from Perplexity and Microsoft. The pattern signals a broader shift in how generative AI systems source information—and it raises sharp questions about accuracy as Musk pushes to redefine accepted knowledge. Launched in l

OpenAI is preparing to retire several existing ChatGPT models as it shifts focus towards its next generation of systems, widely expected to fall under the GPT-5 label. The move signals a push to simplify its product lineup as expectations around performance, reliability and capability continue to rise. ChatGPT-4o points to the strategy behind the change. By combining speed, multimodal features and lower operating costs, it reduces the need for multiple overlapping models. Mai

Independent testing shows that NordVPN’s security software blocked 92% of phishing emails, underlining how modern cyber threats increasingly target people rather than systems. Phishing succeeds because it exploits trust, turning routine email behaviour into a potential point of failure. These attacks have become more convincing, often imitating colleagues, well-known brands or internal company messages. With AI improving the quality of fraudulent emails, relying on users to s

Speculation surrounding Apple’s long rumoured foldable iPhone has intensified following new reports suggesting the device is progressing through advanced development stages. If accurate, it would mark Apple’s first entry into the foldable smartphone market, a segment that has attracted both curiosity and caution from consumers. According to industry sources, Apple has been focusing on durability, hinge design, and crease reduction, areas where early foldable devices from othe

Google has announced an extension to the deadline for Fitbit users to migrate their accounts to Google Accounts, offering customers additional time to complete the transition. The new deadline is set for May 19, 2026, replacing the previously announced cut-off date. The migration is part of Google’s ongoing integration of Fitbit services following its acquisition of the company. Once completed, users will access Fitbit features using a single Google login, allowing deeper int

The handheld gaming market continues to expand with the introduction of the Ayaneo Pocket S Mini, a compact device designed primarily for fans of classic console gaming. Ayaneo, a company already known for its premium handheld PCs, is positioning the Pocket S Mini as a more focused product that prioritises portability and retro performance over raw power. What sets the Pocket S Mini apart is its screen aspect ratio, which closely matches that of older gaming systems. This des

India's government has handed Apple a decisive policy advantage by eliminating a persistent tax barrier that previously slowed the ramp-up of iPhone assembly in the country. Announced as part of the 2026-27 Union Budget presented on 1 February, the reform allows foreign enterprises to supply capital goods, machinery, equipment or tooling to Indian contract manufacturers in customs-bonded, export-oriented zones for five years without generating taxable income in India. The exe

Amazon has confirmed it will cut 16,000 jobs worldwide, hours after an internal email detailing the redundancies was accidentally sent to staff. The message, later withdrawn, revealed layoffs across the US, Canada and Costa Rica as part of efforts to streamline the business. The email, seen by the BBC, described the cuts as a move to “strengthen the company.” It was cancelled shortly after being shared, but early the following day Amazon formally announced the job losses, say

Apple closed last year with its strongest iPhone sales on record, driven by demand for the new iPhone 17 range, even as other parts of the business struggled to keep pace. The company said iPhone sales surged in the final three months of the year, helping push overall revenue up 16 percent to $144bn £82.5bn, the fastest growth Apple has recorded since 2021. The gains were fuelled by strong performance across multiple regions. Apple reported a sharp jump in sales in China alon

Meta, the company behind Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, is preparing to dramatically ramp up its spending on artificial intelligence, signalling just how central AI has become to its future plans. The tech giant said it expects to invest up to £97bn in AI during 2026, almost double what it spent the previous year. Most of the money will go into building data centres, expanding computing power and developing more advanced AI systems. Chief executive Mark Zuckerberg has desc

SpaceX has applied for approval to launch up to 1 million satellites  into orbit, an unprecedented request that far exceeds existing constellations. According to the filings, the plan would place satellites primarily in sun-synchronous orbits to maximise solar power availability. An application of this scale raises deep questions about orbital traffic management, space debris, and the long-term sustainability of near-Earth orbits. Astronomers and industry professionals alike