Technology

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Commentary: Whether you stick to iPhone, switch to Pixel or even a "Qi2 Ready" phone, you won't need to discard your magnetic chargers, wallets or other accessories.

Windows 10 users who aren't upgrading to Windows 11 need to enroll in a Microsoft's Extended Security Updates program to receive critical security updates.

• Pixel 10 wireless charging problems are being reported
• The issues seem to be connected to older chargers
• So far Google hasn't had anything to say on the matter

A new phone launch often comes with some early issues attached – like random restarts on the iPhone 16 – and we're seeing reports of some Google Pixel 10 owners having problems with wireless charging on their devices.

Several of the complaints have been collected together by the team at 9to5Google, and they include issues such as slow charging, and charging that starts and then stops after a few minutes or a few seconds have passed.

You can have a read through a few of the reports yourself over on this Reddit thread, which is specifically focused on the Pixel Stand 2 that launched alongside the Pixel 6. It's hard to say just how widespread these problems are, but there are plenty of frustrated users.

The team at 9to5Google has been able to replicate some but not all of the issues being reported online, and we didn't see any problems with wireless charging during the testing we did for our Google Pixel 10 review.

New standards, new problems

Multiple Pixel 10 models seem to be affected, including the Pro (Image credit: Blue Pixl Media)

It seems these bugs can affect all of the different Pixel 10 models, including the Google Pixel 10 Pro and Google Pixel 10 Pro XL. If there is a connection between the reports, it may be that they all involve older wireless charging devices.

The Pixel 10 series brings with it a wireless charging upgrade, with support for Qi2 and a new magnetic power profile (MPP) – which means an Android experience that's a little bit like MagSafe, with magnets used to align phones and chargers.

It's possible that older charging devices aren't working properly with the new standards, which is why users aren't seeing smooth wireless charging performance – though this isn't something that Google has made any mention of.

As yet there's been no response from Google to the complaints, but we'll keep you updated if that happens. It's possible that a software fix may be able to resolve some of these issues with older wireless charging hardware.

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• Lenovo’s AI server sales exploded in 2026, yet profits remain flatlined
• Lenovo’s CSP division bleeds cash despite surging hardware demand
• Explosive AI demand reveals data center economics stacked against OEMs

The Infrastructure Solutions Group (ISG) at Lenovo has seen record-breaking revenue growth in recent quarters, particularly from AI-related servers, with its most recent financial quarter seeing it record $4.29 billion in sales, a 35.8% increase year on year.

This follows several consecutive quarters of expansion driven largely by rising demand for generative AI and high-performance computing workloads.

However despite the rapid and consecutive expansion, the group still reported an operating loss of $86 million, underscoring the difficulty of converting growth into profitability, even for huge businesses like Lenovo.

Revenues surge, profits do not

(Image credit: Nextplatform)

The graph above shows a striking gap between revenue and profit in AI infrastructure.

ISG’s annual revenue surges sharply after 2022, climbing toward nearly $20 billion by 2026, yet ISG’s annual operating income remains flat, hovering just above or below zero.

This contrast shows how even rapid revenue growth in the AI sector does not necessarily translate into meaningful profitability, as high costs continue to weigh heavily on margins.

According to The Next Platform, Lenovo generated $18.83 billion in sales and $2.77 billion in gross profits, a margin of 14.7%.

Lenovo’s CFO, Winston Cheng, said the margins would have been “north of 17%” if the Cloud Service Provider (CSP) segment were excluded.

“If gross profits were ‘north of 17 percent’ – call it 17.2 percent so it rounds down – then the non-CSP part of Lenovo had $16.42 billion in sales and around $2.82 billion in gross profits,” The Next Platform said.

Therefore, the CSP division posted a gross loss of $50 million and an operating loss of $305 million once costs are allocated proportionally.

That translates to Lenovo losing $1.00 for every $7.90 it earns from selling CSP hardware, which is largely tied to AI systems.

The Next Platform concluded Lenovo’s ISG sold nearly $3 billion in AI systems in Q1 F2026, up 2.8X year on year and 18.7% from Q4, and its AI pipeline is estimated at above $10 billion, likely near $12 billion.

Yet, with volatile server demand, U.S.-China tensions, and thin AI/HPC margins, Lenovo’s hard work and gains have not translated into strong profits.

Lenovo’s challenges mirror those faced by other OEMs in the data center industry. Server spending has been inconsistent, and margins on AI hardware are thin, leaving most of the profits with component suppliers like TSMC and Nvidia.

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Two teams looking to build on encouraging midweek cup wins meet at Molineux.

Thomas Frank's Spurs look to continue their bright start to the season as they host the Cherries.

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Reports on upcoming Nest cams, video doorbells and more are detailing much-needed upgrades for our homes.

• These five Apple products have gone years without updates
• They include the Vision Pro, Studio Display, Mac Pro, and more
• Here's what the latest rumors are saying about the futures for each

Apple has a huge range of upcoming products in the pipeline and we'll see many of them at its big September 9 event, including new iPhones, Apple Watches and AirPods. But there are also many existing products that feel like they're stuck in limbo, sometimes going years without updates or attention.

What are these devices, and what is Apple going to do about them? If you've been patiently waiting for some new AirPods Max or a fresh Studio Display, we've rounded up the latest speculation on those increasingly dusty models (and three other notable examples) below.

While this is still just speculation – and there's always the potential for an Apple surprise – it should help give you a steer on whether to keep waiting for these seemingly forgotten products...

1. AirPods Max

(Image credit: TechRadar)

As noted by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman and his recent Power On newsletter, the AirPods Max headphones haven’t had a significant update in close to five years.

Sure, Apple gave them a USB-C port in September 2024, but that was pretty much the only change of note (aside from lossless wired audio support). Other than that, they remain as they were when they launched in 2020.

Unfortunately, Gurman doesn’t believe the AirPods Max will be upgraded any time soon. In his newsletter, he states that despite being visibly popular, the headphones are "in an odd spot commercially" where they're too popular to discontinue, but apparently not popular enough to update significantly.

As we've argued, that seems strange when an H2 chip (to put them on par with the AirPods Pro 2) could largely suffice alongside some other minor upgrades. But it seems that AirPods Max owners will have to continue waiting for an update, or switch to some of the other best over-ear headphones instead.

• Verdict: Strangely, an update still looks unlikely in the near future

2. Apple Vision Pro

(Image credit: Future)

Apple’s Vision Pro headset arrived with a huge amount of fanfare in 2023, but it’s safe to say that it’s never lived up to the hype.

A lack of compelling apps, an uncomfortably heavy weight, and an astronomical price tag have all slowed sales and made potential customers think twice before pulling the trigger. As Bloomberg journalist Mark Gurman recently said in his latest Power On newsletter, the Vision Pro risks becoming “a waste of a decade and billions of dollars for Apple.”

There are rumors that Apple is working on an updated version with a new chip, with a lighter, cheaper model following after that. Unfortunately, there are no rumored dates for either model, so an imminent update looks highly unlikely. It sounds like Apple's 'spatial computing' concept still needs a lot more time in the oven.

• Verdict: Apple is working on Vision Pro successors, but don't expect them until 2026 at the earliest

3. iMac Pro

(Image credit: Future)

The iMac Pro launched in 2017 but was officially discontinued four short years later in 2021. Yet almost since the day Apple stopped selling it, there have been rumors that it’s destined for a comeback.

So far, though, those whispers haven’t led anywhere, with the last significant rumors coming from analyst Ming-Chi Kuo just before Apple launched the Mac Studio back in 2022.

Since then, speculation has cooled, with Bloomberg's Mark Gurman writing in his Power On newsletter in 2023 that the iMac Pro “has been on and off Apple’s road map”.

Despite this, rumors have continued that Apple could be working on an iMac with a larger display of 27in, 30in or even 32 inches. But with Apple continuing to push the combination of a Mac mini or Mac Studio with a large external display, this still looks unlikely in the near future.

• Verdict: Right now, it looks like the iMac Pro will remain in Apple's graveyard

4. Mac Pro

(Image credit: Future)

The Mac Pro is easily Apple’s most expensive computer, yet despite that – or because of it – it’s not particularly compelling right now.

That’s because its M2 Ultra chip is outperformed by several of Apple’s other chips, and it missed out on both the M4 Max and M3 Ultra chips, which are more recent than anything the Mac Pro offers.

There are claims that Apple is working on an M4 Ultra version of the Mac Pro, and it can’t come soon enough. When you pay upwards of $6,999 / £7,199 / AU$11,999 for a computer like this, you shouldn’t be getting outdated hardware. Fortunately, it looks like that won't be the case for much longer.

• Verdict: An M4 Ultra version of the Mac Pro is looking increasingly likely for the end of 2025

5. Studio Display

(Image credit: Future)

Apple’s Studio Display was designed to be a monitor for creatives who didn’t want to splash out on the $4,999 Pro Display XDR, and for a while it did a great job.

However, it hasn’t been touched since March 2022, and that’s a long time in the technology world. It means the screen is really starting to show its age among a plethora of alternative options.

Fortunately, recent speculation from MacRumors suggests that Apple is working on a Studio Display 2, and that it could come with a mini-LED backlight. That should mean deeper blacks and lots of local dimming zones for high contrast and brightness.

If you're looking to upgrade soon, though, the bad news is that this new monitor isn't likely to arrive until early 2026.

• Verdict: A Studio Display 2 is still on the cards, but rumors suggest it won't launch until early 2026

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• European banks freeze PayPal transactions after fraud system failure sparks disruption
• Merchants face delayed payments as billions in PayPal direct debits halted
• Suspicious surge forces lenders to suspend PayPal activity across Germany and Europe

European banks temporarily froze PayPal transactions worth billions after fraud system failure triggered widespread suspension of direct debits and delayed payments for online merchants and customers.

A number of German lenders, including Bayerische Landesbank, Hessische Landesbank and DZ-Bank, reportedly halted direct debits linked to the online payment platform after detecting suspicious activity.

German newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung said the total amount involved could exceed €10 billion.

"Temporary service interruption"

The issue appears to have started late last week when PayPal submitted a wave of direct debits to banks without filtering them through its fraud checks.

That led to an unusual surge in transactions that looked suspicious or potentially fraudulent.

The banks’ own systems flagged the irregularities and many decided to freeze all PayPal activity for a period.

A spokesperson for PayPal confirmed the disruption, saying, “PayPal had a temporary service interruption that impacted certain transactions from our banking partners and possibly their customers. We quickly identified the cause and are working closely with our banking partners to ensure all accounts have been updated.”

On PayPal’s help page, a bright red banner currently says: “Over the weekend, we experienced a temporary service interruption that resulted in transactions being delayed for a small number of accounts. The issue has since been resolved.”

The German Banking Industry Committee noted that irregularities were observed on Monday and that individual institutions responded accordingly.

For merchants, the freeze meant payments did not arrive on time, even though customers still held onto their money. Insiders told SZ that reconciling the affected transactions could take days.

The scale of the disruption and the temporary freeze of payments underlines the risks of failures in systems that process such a large share of online commerce.

The new problem comes shortly after PayPal was linked to the appearance of millions of stolen account details on the dark web. That case was tied to past breaches rather than a fresh attack, but it still raises questions about the safety of online accounts.

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One of the hardest 'skills' in photography is often staying motivated to keep shooting. Once you've learnt the fundamentals, how do you keep that spark of beginner enthusiasm? It can be easy to fall into a rut and stop shooting completely. That's what happened to me, so a few months ago I took the nuclear option and gave my old Fujifilm X-T3 an infrared conversion.

There were definitely simpler, cheaper alternatives, but I justified the decision in a few ways. Firstly, my old X-T3 was gathering dust and I needed to either sell it or give it a new lease of life. Secondly, I have a bad habit of throwing money at creative blocks and couldn't justify buying any more lenses. But most importantly, I live in the UK and was summertime was on the horizon.

1/2000s at f/8, ISO 160. I soon learned that darker leading lines usually work best with infrared photography. (Image credit: Mark Wilson / Future)

Photographers often recoil from the summer like vampires because of the harsh light and ludicrously early sunrises. But this is actually the season where infrared photography shines. Sunlight is bursting with 'near-infrared' light, whose wavelengths are invisible to the human eye. Yet with the right kit, you can capture this light – and see the world in new and strange ways.

It's still early days for my infrared adventure, but I'm very glad I took the plunge – and if you're similarly looking for a refreshing vacation into the surreal, then it could be for you too...

Instant snow mode

Infrared photography is, like astrophotography, a world unto itself. You could spend days learning the theory of 'false color', 'channel swapping' and 'hot spots' without even taking a photo. I wanted to keep things simple, so I took the easiest route.

There are broadly two kinds of infrared photography and two ways to get into it. The psychedelic kind, which was big on 1960s albums covers, is 'false color'. It's called 'false' because the human eye can't see infrared light, so color is added using editing techniques – and the results can be very strange indeed.

1/1000s at f/9, ISO 160. I've shot in London's Richmond Park many times, but it was refreshing to get infrared's almost graphical take on the cycling hotspot. (Image credit: Mark Wilson / Future)

For me, pink trees and blue grass is just too big a leap into the strange, so I leaned towards black-and-white infrared photography. This still has the surreal element of glowing leaves and dark skies, but without going full Salvador Dali. Plus, as someone who doesn't typically shoot in monochrome, it gave me a bonus challenge.

So how do you start an infrared adventure? The cheaper and arguably more sensible option is to use lens filters, which you can buy from the likes of Hoya and Urth. But the downside is that these drastically cut the amount of light coming into your lens, so you usually have to use a tripod and long exposures.

This didn't really work for me, because the big appeal of infrared was the simplicity – heading out at a reasonable hour on a sunny day and shooting black-and-white. So I took the other option of converting an old camera.

1/800s at f/8, ISO 160. Complex scenes don't always work well in infrared photography, but high-contrast light helps – and the XF70-300mm lens works well with IR cameras. (Image credit: Mark Wilson / Future)

Being based in the UK, I found Protech Photographic, who converted my Fujifilm X-T3 for £300 (around $410 / AU$620).

The likes of Kolari offer a similar service in the US, though I can't vouch for the quality. The DIY route is also possible, but definitely not for the faint-hearted (or ham-fisted).

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1/640 at f/8, ISO 160. I'd like to return to Petworth Park in the UK as it's a bit of a goldmine for IR photography. (Image credit: Mark Wilson / Future)Image 2 of 5

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(Image credit: Mark Wilson / Future)What is infrared?

(Image credit: Shutterstock / petrroudny43)

Infrared has a longer wavelength than 'visible light', which is what the human eye can see. The world reflects infrared light differently, which is why trees glow and skies darken. Most IR-converted digital cameras capture 'near infrared' light, rather than the extreme end that's used by thermal cameras or night vision.

Before you get to go out and become obsessed with glowing trees, there is one final decision – what kind of IR conversion you want. These are categorized in wavelengths (measured in nanometers) and you'll need to choose the right one to match your preferred style of photography.

They start at 590nm and go up to 'full spectrum', but 720nm is often the most popular for black-and-white IR snapping because it strikes a good balance between letting through infrared light without going too extreme – so that's what I went for.

Beginner fun

So why bother with all of this? I've found infrared to be the spark I needed to get me shooting again and thinking about snapping in new ways. For me, it’s been like discovering a new guitar tuning – it doesn’t instantly make you ‘better’ in any way, but it does (quite literally) help you see something familiar in a new light.

Infrared naturally comes with its own pitfalls and learning curve. When I first looked through my viewfinder – using Fuji’s monochrome film simulation to preview the final image – everything looked incredible. It was like waking up to fresh snow, except snow rarely looks as good in photos as it does in real life.

1/800s at f/9, ISO 160. Having a darker anchor point definitely helps with infrared photos on bright days. (Image credit: Mark Wilson / Future)

I took reams of bad shots of glowing trees (an effect called ‘halation’) before I started to understand infrared’s strengths.

Good black-and-white photography comes from understanding luminosity and contrast, and infrared flips the world upside down. Bright skies turn black, and tree foliage glows. It takes a while to lock your eye in, but that’s part of the fun. It gives you a taste of that beginner joy again.

Once I'd got going, my other question was simply – what is the actual point of infrared photography? That's taken a bit longer to work out. There’s nothing wrong with taking surreal, pretty photos for the sake of it, but my best images came when I started to see scenes that worked with infrared's strengths – and that was helpful in a few particular cases.

Embrace the weirdness

I’d been looking to shoot a photogenic group of petrified oak trees in Essex, England which date back to around the year 900. The place definitely has an eerie atmosphere that apparently inspired the Martian landing scene in The War of the Worlds.

Shooting in early summer wasn't ideal, but this is where infrared can help – and it's also a good match for scenes that already have an otherworldly look. If your subject is dark and striking, then bright foliage can help support it and also bring out the 'personalities' of trees, if that doesn't sound too new age.

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1/500s at f/10, ISO 160. This is another scene I'd like to return to in different light, although the ancient trees are understandably protected now so a zoom lens like the XF70-300mm is a must. (Image credit: Mark Wilson / Future)Image 2 of 7

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Once I'd photographed almost every tree in south England, I found that infrared can also work in urban scenes too. Two places I wanted to try were London's Canary Wharf (a financial district that feels a bit like The Truman Show) and the Wimbledon tennis championships.

Because glass blocks most near-infrared light, any windows in your infrared scenes tend to go dark or black. That can be helpful if you're trying to capture intimidating skyscrapers in a financial capital, and also helps to strip out clutter and distractions.

Most windows turn black in infrared photography because glass absorbs or reflects the light, which can make buildings look more intimidating. (Image credit: Mark Wilson / Future)

The other benefit of urban IR snapping is that it helps tease out the strangeness of places that are a bit too man-made. The classic combo is bright foliage next to dark windows or water, but some materials reflect infrared light in surprising ways – and that can help add a slightly sci-fi look, if that's what you're going for.

Another fun side quest is finding pops of vegetation to highlight certain parts of a cityscape. I still haven't found my perfect combo of light and skyline, but even a backlit scene can like the one below (not traditionally great for infrared) can benefit from its slightly dreamy feel.

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1/3200s at f/5.6, ISO 160. Backlit scenes don't typically work well in infrared as the style thrives on high contrast, but you can get a slightly dreamy feel. (Image credit: Mark Wilson / Future)Image 2 of 4

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I also saw the Wimbledon tennis championships as a good infrared challenge because I've never been particularly happy with the 'normal' shots I've taken there. It's hard to avoid falling into the strawberries-and-cream clichés, as it's such a bright and cheery place. But does Wimbledon have a dark side?

Okay, 'dark' is a bit strong, but for some players (as this year's women's final showed), the place probably feels pretty intimidating – and as a punter it feels like there are large sections of the grounds that are cordoned off for a special few. Infrared can even make anything look creepy with the right light, but it was fun to tease out a side of Wimbledon I hadn't previously captured.

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Shooting the Wimbledon tennis championships in infrared gave me some different shots to my previous visits, and it helps that everyone dresses in white. (Image credit: Mark Wilson / Future)Image 2 of 7

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Unfortunately, I realized too late that the end of a day, when most people have stumbled out of Wimbledon in a champagne-induced daze, is ideal for infrared. You don't always have to shoot around midday – a low sun casting deep shadows also creates the contrast that's great for black-and-white, so I'll definitely return to make more of that.

Glass ceiling

I'm still learning the infrared ropes, but if you're looking to try it out there are a few important things I've learned over the past few months.

One is lenses. Not all lenses play nicely with IR-converted cameras, as the coatings, materials and glass can interact differently with infrared light – which can create the dreaded 'hot spots' (bright circles in the middle of your photos). I found Rob Shea's crowd-sourced guide to X-mount lenses to be a helpful starting point, and he also has guides for Canon and Nikon.

I mostly used Fujifilm's Monochrome film simulation on my X-T3 to get a preview of black-and-white shots in the field, while shooting in raw for editing. (Image credit: Mark Wilson / Future)

I also asked Fujifilm for some guidance. It told me that its internal tests found the XF18-135mm and XF50-140mm to be great performers among its zooms, while for primes the XF30mm macro, XF50mm f/1, XF35mm f/2 and XF50mm f/2 are all highly rated (and I can vouch for the latter two). Older lenses are often best it seems, as the newer XF33mm f/1.4 gave me bright hot spots.

What about editing? The benefit of shooting black-and-white infrared photos is that this is a whole lot simpler than color. My converted Fujifilm camera came with a custom white balance already set, so I just shot in Fuji's monochrome film simulation to give me an idea of the final shot. Because you're often out in the middle of the day, it's very much a fun, point-and-shoot experience – just what I was looking for.

1/640 at f/5.6, ISO 160. Simple scenes with bright foliage and a black sky are ideal for infrared photography. (Image credit: Mark Wilson / Future)

I then just used Lightroom Classic to edit the raw files, though any of the best photo editors will do. Those raw files will look a muddy brown to start with, so it's then just a case of applying a profile to bring out the infrared goodness. I found Adobe's built-in B&W ones (go to Profile > Browse) generally did the trick, with B&W 01-04 usually being a good starting point.

One thing I have struggled with is pushing my edits harder towards infrared's natural sense of drama. I usually go for natural, subtle edits, but infrared raw files are crying out for a strong blast of contrast with deep blacks and bright highlights. If you're too careful, shots can end up with a flat, 'grey soup' look, so that's something I'm looking to improve. I'd also like to embrace infrared's abstract potential a lot more.

What is infrared good for?

After a few months with my IR-converted X-T3, and many mistakes, I've started to get a taste for what works best with infrared photography.

One lesson is that simplicity is everything. Choosing an uncluttered scene with a strong anchor is a good idea for all types of photography, but it's essential for infrared photos – otherwise that glowing scene that looked great in your viewfinder will look like post-snow slush.

1/400s at f/8, ISO 160. I tried this tribute to Bill Brandt's classic shot of the Cuckmere River in the UK, which instead has a white river surrounded by a black landscape. Rivers make good subjects as, like windows and the sea, they go dark in infrared. (Image credit: Mark Wilson / Future)

I also found that thinking about depth is even more important than usual. Again, using leading lines and layers is nothing new, but many shots that would have typically worked in standard color just fell flat in infrared.

Infrared is also at its most fun when it amplifies a subject or feeling that's already in a scene, rather than just flicking on the 'surreal' switch for the sake of it. In my never-ending quest for scenes that work, I took a trip to the Seven Sisters cliffs on England’s south coast. It ticks a lot of boxes – bright, white cliffs next to a black sea – and while definitely a photographic cliché, was a fun place to shoot.

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The white cliffs at Seven Sisters in the UK are an obvious subject for infrared, so I couldn't resist popping down to its popular postcard scenes. (Image credit: Mark Wilson / Future)Image 2 of 4

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Fortunately, a random patch of mist – not something you typically get in the middle of the day – came in to add some extra drama and I found that ethereal scenes are IR's bread and butter.

Unfortunately, infrared cameras also aren't particularly flexible if you want to also take a traditional street photo, so you may need to rock two cameras on some trips.

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Mist isn't so common in the middle of the day in the UK, which is the ideal time for infrared snapping, but it can help simplify a scene even more. (Image credit: Mark Wilson / Future)Image 2 of 2

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But once my initial wave of infrared obsession had subsided – and it does come in waves – my main lesson was to stop looking for big, theatrical scenes and to try to find ones that suit infrared's ability to make the everyday look a bit weird and Hitchcock-like.

1/800s at f/8, ISO 160. A random phone box in a lavender field felt like a good match for infrared's naturally surreal look. (Image credit: Mark Wilson / Future)

For example, I found the phone box in the lavender field above, which I probably wouldn't have shot with a normal camera – yet it felt like it benefited from IR's surreal touch.

A break from the old

There are countless photography projects that can help you rediscover your snapping spark, many of which are less expensive than giving your camera an infrared conversion.

But if, like me, you have an older camera that's been gathering dust and isn't your main body, then an IR conversion can be a good way to breathe new life into it – and your photography.

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1/800s at f/7.1, ISO 160. Humans turn a ghostly white in infrared, but some animals look closer to normal. (Image credit: Mark Wilson / Future)Image 2 of 3

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(Image credit: Mark Wilson / Future)

Now that autumn is coming around again in the UK, I can feel the lure of 'normal' photography coming back again. There's also a good chance that, in a few years, I'll look back at my infrared experiments and wonder what I was thinking.

But I also feel rejuvenated by my vacation from the usual worries about 'accuracy', color theory and pesky tripods. A quote I recently saw from Outkast's André 3000 summed it up for me, when he told Rolling Stone about his recent musical experiments: "I'd rather go amateur interesting than master boring".

It's been to fun to hit the reset switch and be a complete beginner again, and that's made the cost of converting my camera feel like something of a bargain.

Do you have an infrared camera or been tempted to give it a go? Let us know in the comments below.

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Sea moss gummies are a popular supplement, but do the benefits outweigh the risks?

The west London rivals face off at Stamford Bridge.

While it doesn't come as a surprise, the drama has been fully kicking off in Outlander: Blood of My Blood. Without giving too much away, episode 5 of the Starz show followed Julia (Hermione Corfield) losing her carefully assembled allies after the spilling of secrets, Henry's (Jeremy Irvine) little hope that he has left starting to slip away, and Ellen (Harriet Slater) and Brian (Jamie Roy) having a lovely time celebrating Beltane. Lucky for some.

We've still got no idea how, or if, the original Outlander cast are going to directly cross-over with Outlander: Blood of My Blood (though it is technically possible), and with another five episodes still to go, we can't rule anything out. But when I had a chance to ask Irvine and Corfield exactly what that might be, surprises are coming much sooner than we first thought.

Next week's episode 6 is going to be a particularly challenging one – both for us watching and when the cast initially filmed it. Outlander: Blood of My Blood fans should particularly keep an eye on on Julia, who's about to have "one of her biggest episodes."

Julia has her most challenging moment yet in Outlander: Blood of My Blood episode 6

The full cast of Outlander: Blood of My Blood. (Image credit: Starz)

"That was a big one for us. We both sort of hit rock bottom," Irvine tells me, gesturing to Corfield, "You really had a tough one."

"I did. She goes through a lot of that episode," she replies. Corfield had previously explained to Collider, “Episode 6, for me, was one of my biggest episodes, I would say. It's quite contained. That was a real acting exercise. After I finished that week of filming, because I think we just did it all in one week, because it's basically one massive scene, I got to the end of that week, and I went, ‘Oh, I feel like I've really left it all on the floor.’

"And I think that settled me into it. Because I think when you have something that's got a real rich acting exercise piece, then I think once you've done it, you feel such satisfaction and you're like, ‘Woohoo, I've done it.’”

Irvine continues in our conversation, "It's rare to see Hermione looking tired, but at the end of that week was a different story. The scenes that tough, they're often the ones that we enjoy the most. You get to do proper acting."

What on earth any of this means for the next episode of Outlander: Blood of My Blood remains to be seen. We've seen Henry and Julia both be pushed to the brink individually, but with their blossoming love built on such strong foundations (I'm still not over the love letters), it feels unlikely that the pair will split.

However, it's entirely possible. We know Claire (Caitriona Balfe) has already been born by this point in time, and that's prompted a slew of fan theories that may actually have some weight to them.

Popular theories currently include meeting Claire’s parents in Outlander season 8, which wrapped filming in September 2024, Julia’s baby (not Claire) being somebody we’ve already met in the main show, and Jamie’s dad Brian being more closely linked to the pair than we’ve been led to believe.

Will we see any of these in episode 6? Unlikely, but I bet Julia's unspoken challenges leads us directly into the drama of season 2.

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• Opposition against the controversial child sexual abuse (CSAM) scanning bill is growing ahead of a crucial meeting on September 12
• The Danish version of the so-called Chat Control bill could be adopted as early as October 2025 if an agreement is found
• Experts are concerned about the negative impact the bill will have on citizens' communications privacy and security

Opposition against the controversial child sexual abuse (CSAM) scanning bill is growing among EU state members, just days away from a crucial meeting.

On September 12, the EU Council is expected to share its final positions on the Danish version of the so-called Chat Control. The proposal, which has attracted strong criticism so far, aims to introduce new obligations for all messaging services operating in Europe to scan users' chats, even if they're encrypted.

Both the Czech Republic and Belgium have now reportedly passed from being undecided to opposing the proposed law, according to the latest data, with the latter deeming the bill as "a monster that invades your privacy and cannot be tamed." They add to Austria, the Netherlands, and Poland in criticising the proposal's mandatory detection and encryption provisions.

The list of supporters is still much longer, though, counting 15 member states at the time of writing. These include crucial countries like France, alongside Italy, Spain, Sweden, Lithuania, Cyprus, Latvia, and Ireland.

Crucially, French MEPs said they could "basically support" the draft, a source with knowledge of the matter told TechRadar. While Germany, another decisive vote to either block or back the bill, may be considering abstaining from taking a position. This is something that will weaken the Danish mandate, "even if the Presidency gets the required votes to pass," explains TechRadar's source.

What's at stake for European's encrypted communications?

(Image credit: Getty Images)

First unveiled in 2022, the Chat Control proposal has never been so close to becoming law, with a vote set to take place on October 14, 2025, and the majority of EU member states currently being its supporters.

On a more practical level, this means that the EU could be scanning your chats by October 2025 – no matter if they are encrypted.

The major point of contention, in fact, is the provisions around encryption, which is the technology responsible for keeping our communications private and secure. The likes of WhatsApp, Signal, ProtonMail, and even the best VPN apps all use encryption to scramble the content of users' messages into an unreadable form and prevent unauthorized access.

If the Danish Chat Control text passes, all the multimedia files and URLs you sent via WhatsApp and similar services would have to be mandatorily scanned in the lookout for CSAM materials. Crucially, government and military accounts will be exempt from the scanning.

While the proposal mentions that cybersecurity and encryption should be "protected in a comprehensive way," a wealth of experts, including tech developers, cryptographers, and digital rights advocates, have been warning that, as it's intended, mandatory scanning cannot be done without weakening encryption protections. This will also make everyone de facto more vulnerable to cyberattacks.

At the time of writing, only seven countries remain undecided, namely Estonia, Finland, Germany, Greece, Luxembourg, Romania, and Slovenia.

If you're worried about this proposal and wish to put pressure on your country's MEPs, this website helps you do so within a few clicks.

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