Feed aggregator

• Leaks from Chinese car bloggers suggest potent model is on the way
• A 2,000hp EV would eclipse the mighty SU7 Ultra’s 1,500 horsepower
• Only the Rimac Nevera R boasts more than that figure but costs millions

Alongside an increasingly competitive EV market, China is also seemingly embroiled in a power struggle, as a number of the country’s most popular manufacturers are turning towards performance stats as the latest way to convince buyers to part with their cash. And now Zeekr is rumored to be launching a new model that will set a new high bar for EV performance.

Zeeker’s 001 FR model already sits towards the top of the high performance tree, boasting some 1,300hp and the ability to rocket from a standstill to 62mph in just over two seconds. All of this for 769,000 yuan — or around $107,000 / £79,000 / AU$164,000.

The quad motor drivetrain and 100kWh battery pair up to produce scintillating performance statistics, but a number of high-profile bloggers have taken to Chinese social media to declare that an updated version is already on the way and that it is slated to develop in excess of 2,000hp.

Car News China reported that several high profile bloggers and influencers took to Weibo to declare that Zeekr is preparing an updated version, presumably to take back its high performance crown from Xiaomi, which recently introduced the 1,500hp SU7 Ultra – a vehicle that toppled Nurburgring lap times set by the world’s most famous automakers.

The Chinese automotive news outlet goes on to state that Zeekr’s new model is expected to feature revised exterior styling, numerous weight-saving measures and uprated suspension and brakes to handle such power.

Despite only being four years old, Zeekr already offers a line-up of seven vehicles in China (with around four or five in Asian and European markets), including a 001 model to suit most budgets and tastes.

These range from a luxurious long-distance cruiser to the recently-announced 001 Sport model that will be the first taste of its performance for customers outside of its domestic market.

Limited to just 250 units, the 001 Sport will accelerate from 0-62mph in under four seconds, offer bespoke sports styling and deliver 544hp, as well as 363 miles of range. It is already available to order in a number of European countries.

China is coming for the performance crown

(Image credit: Xiaomi)

It is telling that the $2.6million Rimac Nevera R is among the few electric hypercars that can better Zeeker’s proposed 2,000hp monster, as Chinese automotive manufacturers are repeatedly ripping up the rulebook.

Need more examples? Well, tech giant Xiaomi’s recently-launched SU7 Ultra managed to translate some 1,550hp to the road and still cost just $73,000 – a far cry from the $231,995 Porsche Taycan Turbo GT, which is arguably its only current competitor.

Both ends of the EV spectrum are being bludgeoned by Chinese competition at the moment, whether that’s the cheaper everyday stuff that is currently challenging Tesla’s dominance or the high-performance market that was once the reserve of Porsche, BMW, Audi and more.

Granted, those 'legacy' automakers still arguably produce the better driver's cars, but the gap is rapidly narrowing. Zeekr's recently-launched European 7X is a great example of this.

But even Zeekr made the mistake of boldly proclaiming that “competitors wouldn’t be able to build this in five years” after launching the original 001 FR, only for Xiaomi to respond and better it in under two.

The pace of progress in the Chinese EV market is staggering and, despite the recent efforts made by most western automakers, it’s difficult not to think they are still drastically lagging behind.

you might also like

• I've driven the ultra fast-charging Zeekr 7X – and it shows Chinese EVs are still better at premium design than driving experiences
• Android Auto just got a big Spotify upgrade – here's what's new
• I'm ditching Waze for in-car infotainment systems in EVs – here's why

Apple TV+ has released the first trailer for The Morning Show season 4, which confirms that the hit workplace drama will return to the streaming service on September 17. While details of the new TV show are largely kept under wraps, we know there’s been a time jump since the season 3 ending, picking up after the UBA-NBN merger was finalized.

After Bradley (Reese Witherspoon) turned herself into the FBI for concealing evidence about her brother’s actions on the January 6th insurrection, Alex (Jennifer Aniston) broke off her relationship with Paul (Jon Hamm) for having Bradley tailed in the lead-up to the season 3 finale. While their bond is strong, Alex and Bradley’s careers have never been further apart… and that sets us up for some riveting drama in season 4.

As the trailer explains, new episodes will be focused on the “truth coming out”, and that means more tension behind the camera than there is in front. Frankly, that’s exactly the type of scandal we want to see, and one new character (blink and you’ll miss her) could well be at its beating heart.

Marion Cotillard gets first look in The Morning Show season 4 trailer

Enter Oscar winner and all-around incredible talent Marion Cotillard, who’s set to play Celine Dumont in The Morning Show season 4. You can catch her 48 seconds into the trailer, seen telling Alex through a glass window, “I like to know who’s an ally and who’s a liability.”

All we know for certain is that Celine is a “savvy operator from a storied European family,” though it’s unclear if she’s friend or foe to Alex and Bradley. It almost doesn’t matter for two reasons: firstly, any bad blood is going to make amazing TV for us, and secondly, any time Cotillard is on screen is one to appreciate.

If you were to ask me, Cotillard is one of those actresses who is supposedly beloved by Hollywood, but completely underutilised. After her Best Actress Academy Award win for playing Edith Piaf in La Vie en Rose in 2008, her career-defining leading roles have been few and far between. We had Inception in 2010, 2011’s Contagion and about a million Chanel perfume commercials, but her global reign ran undeservedly cold.

The Morning Show has made a smart move with this casting, and fans are about to reap all the benefits. Beautifully toeing the line between seductive and mysterious, Cotillard’s suspense in any scene holds us in the palm of our hands. She’s as charismatic as she is aloof, all of which feeds into absolutely delicious merger drama in September. Basically, if you don’t know, get to know.

As the weeks tick by in the meantime, we’re sure to be drip-fed tasty morsels of what we can expect from The Morning Show season 4 when it drops. In the meantime, I’ll be happy with the fantasy that Cotillard’s casting could change the game for good.

You might also like

• I'm delighted Slow Horses has been renewed for season 7, but now I'm worried about the future of my favorite Apple TV+ show
• All the ways you can get an Apple TV+ free trial in 2025
• 3 new Apple TV+ shows you should stream in July 2025

It doesn't matter how large your organization is, you are at risk and sooner or later cyber criminals will try to attack you. It’s not a matter of whether your organization will face a security incident but when. That's why a robust incident response plan is crucial.

So, what elements should your incident response plan include to be truly effective?

The key components of an effective Incident Response Plan

Structure: well-structured and straightforward

Simplicity and structure are your allies when creating an incident response plan. A complicated plan will only create confusion. Use charts, bullet points, and clear language to make it easily understandable.

Utilizing templates and frameworks

Many organizations opt to use established frameworks ISO standards as templates for their plans. These frameworks offer a structured approach, providing sections and subsections that cover all essential areas, from governance to technical responses. By using a recognized framework, you not only ensure completeness but also facilitate easier communication with external parties who may be familiar with the framework.

Roles and responsibilities:

Who's in Charge? An Incident Response Team (IRT), typically led by a Chief Information Security Officer (CISO), should be designated to take charge during an incident. The plan should also specify roles and responsibilities for each stakeholder, from IT personnel to legal advisors.

Budget: allocate funds wisely

Budget considerations must be part of the planning process. Allocate sufficient funds for personnel, technologies, and training. This allocation should be proportional to the organization's size and risk profile.

Small businesses might not have the same resources as larger corporations. A good incident response plan for a small business should be scaled to their specific needs, focusing on the most critical assets and functions. It should prioritize simplicity, clarity, and actionable steps that can be taken with limited cybersecurity personnel.

Challenges in implementing an Incident Response Plan and how to overcome them?

Whilst implementing an incident response plan, various challenges may arise. One example of this could be ensuring all team members are fully trained and understand their roles within the plan. Another challenge might be maintaining the plan's effectiveness over time. To overcome these challenges companies should enforce regular training sessions, continuous plan updates based on new threats and lessons learned from past incidents, and ensuring clear communication channels within the organization.

Measuring the effectiveness of an Incident Response Plan?

The effectiveness of an incident response plan can be measured through regular testing, such as tabletop exercises or live drills, to ensure team readiness. Additionally, metrics like the time to detect, respond to, and recover from incidents can provide insights into the plan's effectiveness. Continuous improvement based on these metrics and feedback from incident post-mortems is crucial for maintaining a robust incident response capability.

Detection, reporting, and identification procedures

Proactive Monitoring Systems - Your first line of defense is detecting an incident quickly. Invest in advanced monitoring systems and allocate personnel to supervise them round the clock.

Reporting and identification

Streamline reporting protocols so that incidents can be rapidly identified and acted upon. Simplicity is key here, ensuring even the least technical person can report a problem.

Communication strategies: internal and external

The importance of good PR

Public Relations (PR) and your marketing team (if you have one) play a pivotal role in managing perceptions during an incident. Transparent, timely communication can mitigate panic, control misinformation, and maintain your organization's reputation.

Internal communication flow

Internal stakeholders need to be in the loop as well. Have a plan to keep everyone from top management to the frontline workers informed.

External communication plan

Customers, partners, suppliers, and sometimes the media will require timely and accurate updates. Your plan should specify who communicates this information, how, and when. A failure to report an incident to customers can land you in hot water with regulators and impact your reputation.

Containment, eradication, and recovery guidelines

Immediate and long-term containment

After identifying an incident, containment is the first priority. Your plan should have procedures for immediate and long-term containment actions, such as isolating affected systems or updating security protocols.

Eradication and recovery

The plan must spell out how to find the root cause of an incident and eliminate it. It should also outline the steps to restore and validate system functionality for business operations to resume.

Training, exercises, and cyber insurance

Performing cyber incident exercises

Regularly scheduled simulated attack scenarios help keep your team prepared and your strategy up to date. It’s crucial for identifying gaps in your plan and rectifying them.

Some notable security testing services include penetration testing, red team testing, vulnerability assessments, and cyber security risk assessments.

The role of cyber insurance

Cyber insurance can be a lifesaver, covering costs that can range from legal fees to ransom payments. Your incident response plan should clearly state how and when to engage your cyber insurance coverage.

Dos and don'ts: best practices and pitfalls

Dos

- Train staff regularly

- Update plans frequently

- Communicate transparently

- Analyze and learn from every incident

Don'ts

- Ignore early warning signs

- Underestimate the importance of employee training

- Neglect to update stakeholders

- Fail to adapt your strategy post-incident

The role of training, simulations, and cyber insurance are also crucial. Remember, a good plan is dynamic, so always be ready to adapt and evolve. By incorporating these elements, your organization will not just be preparing for the worst-case scenario but also building a resilient and secure operational environment for the future.

We've featured the best ransomware protection.

This article was produced as part of TechRadarPro's Expert Insights channel where we feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today. The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/news/submit-your-story-to-techradar-pro

• Apple could be working on a system to update Macs while they're still boxed
• This is based on clues in the latest developer beta of macOS 26
• Such a system is already used with iPhones, though it's not clear how Apple would get this to work with Macs

Apple's Macs could leave the shelf with a fully up-to-date installation of macOS on board in the future, preventing any need for a day-one update from the buyer, if clues in the latest developer beta are any indication.

9 to 5 Mac reports that the macOS Tahoe 26 beta 3 contains the groundwork (initial references and code) for such a system, which is already in place for the iPhone.

It's called Presto and it allows boxed iPhones to be updated to the very latest version of iOS by retailers - without removing the hardware from its sealed package - if the devices need an update beyond the version of the operating system they shipped with.

This saves the customer the trouble of applying an update right out of the gate, which is incredibly convenient.

The Presto hardware itself is a rack with six bays that can have six iPhones placed within. It uses wireless technologies to switch the phones on, update them, then turn them off. (MagSafe and NFC to turn the devices on, by all accounts, and Wi-Fi to pipe the actual update through.)

Analysis: Boxing clever

(Image credit: Apple)

If Macs are going to get the benefit of having fully up-to-date software when they're taken home by the buyer, it begs the question: how is Apple going to pull this off with laptops and PCs? The system might have to work very differently for a bigger piece of hardware, and Macs don't have NFC either - so it's not clear how the sealed PC could be triggered to power on in its box (and off again afterwards).

9to5Mac suggests that maybe Apple could add NFC back to its macOS devices, or that perhaps a different mix of wireless tech could be used with Macs. Whatever the case, it's not clear how Apple would pull this off as it does with iPhones, but it may require a substantially different spin on the concept.

Furthermore, just because a potential feature is spotted in the background of beta software doesn't mean it'll ever come to fruition. That said, the presence of the code here does indicate that this is at least something Apple is seriously considering - watch this space, I guess.

You might also like...

• macOS Tahoe 26 - here's everything you need to know about all the new features
• New Windows 11 update delivers a host of new features and fixes - here are 4 things I'm looking forward to
• No, Windows 11 PCs aren't 'up to 2.3x faster' than Windows 10 devices, as Microsoft suggests – here's why that's an outlandish claim

A ransomware attack is a nightmare scenario for any organization. It’s disruptive, costly, and often deeply damaging to your reputation. How you respond in the first 24 hours can make all the difference between containment and catastrophe. In those critical moments, fast and informed action is essential. Not just to mitigate harm, but to enable recovery and identify root causes.

Whether you’re facing a live breach or want to prepare your response strategy in advance, here’s what needs to happen in the vital first 24 hours.

Step one: confirm the attack and isolate systems

The moment ransomware is suspected, the priority is to confirm what’s happened. Ransomware doesn’t always announce itself with a dramatic pop-up screen. It may begin quietly, encrypting files and spreading laterally across your network. Early signs might include inaccessible files, failed logins, or unusual outbound traffic.

Once confirmed, isolate affected systems from the network immediately. Time is of the essence—ransomware often seeks to maximize damage by spreading across shared drives and cloud platforms. Disconnecting devices, disabling Wi-Fi and VPNs, and blocking access at the firewall level are essential measures to prevent further infection.

Having a cybersecurity team on standby allows for experts to provide step-by-step guidance in real time, helping you make the right moves to contain the threat without destroying forensic evidence. Panic can lead to mistakes. Having a calm, expert-led approach ensures you stay focused and strategic.

Step two: notify internal stakeholders and assemble your response team

Ransomware response is not just an IT issue—it’s a business-wide challenge. Once containment is underway, inform key internal stakeholders, including executive leadership, legal, compliance, and communications teams. Appoint a central response lead, ideally from your crisis management team, who can coordinate efforts and make key decisions quickly.

If you’ve already established an incident response plan, now is the time to activate it.

Step three: secure backups and avoid engaging attackers

It may be tempting to click the ransom note or initiate contact with attackers to understand their demands. This is strongly advised against.

Not only does it carry legal and ethical risks, but it may compromise your recovery options or make you more vulnerable to secondary attacks. Instead, secure all backups and logs. Identify when the attack began, which systems are affected, and what data may be at risk. This information will be crucial for both remediation and regulatory reporting.

Having an expert partner will improve this process, by providing rapid forensic support to help assess the impact by identifying indicators of compromise (IOCs), tracing the attack vector, and determining the attacker’s dwell time. This information can also help you understand if data exfiltration occurred—an increasingly common element of modern ransomware.

Step four: report the incident and consider legal obligations

Depending on your industry and location, you may have regulatory or legal requirements to report a ransomware incident. This could include notifying the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), your industry regulator, or affected third parties.

It’s important not to delay these conversations. Having clear documentation and technical insights to back up your reporting will help this process run smoothly.

Step five: begin recovery with expert guidance

Once the ransomware is contained and systems are stabilized, it’s time to begin recovery. This involves more than just restoring files from backup. You must ensure the attacker’s access is removed, vulnerabilities are patched, and your environment is safe to bring back online.

This is where a trusted partner makes all the difference. Incident response specialists will work alongside IT and cyber teams to validate clean systems, conduct a secure restoration, and put new protections in place. Your business shouldn’t just bounce back, it should come back stronger.

Why speed and expertise matter

The damage caused by ransomware isn’t just financial—it’s operational, reputational, and often long-lasting. The quicker and more effectively you respond, the more you reduce the long-term impact.

Cyber security firms offer different ways to ensure organizations are ready to face ransomware. This includes emergency incident response, where teams can rapidly deploy to help take control, contain the threat, and recover operations. Whether remote or on-site. Another option is to hold an incident response retainer, this is designed for preparedness. Retainer services give you guaranteed access to expert responders when you need them most. With predefined SLAs, threat intelligence, and environment familiarity, these tools can help businesses respond faster and more effectively.

Prepare now, respond better later

The first 24 hours of a ransomware attack are often chaotic - but they don’t have to be. With the right preparation and expert support, you can act swiftly, reduce damage, and return to normal operations with confidence. When minutes matter, experience is your strongest defense.

We've featured the best encryption software.

This article was produced as part of TechRadarPro's Expert Insights channel where we feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today. The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/news/submit-your-story-to-techradar-pro

• A mishap in ServiceNow access control lists meant users could be granted access, without meeting all the conditions
• New controls were added to mitigate the risk
• Users are advised to review their tables and ACLs

A flaw in ServiceNow could have allowed threat actors to exfiltrate sensitive data from other user’s tables without them ever knowing, security experts have warned.

The flaw, tracked as CVE-2025-3648 and given a severity score of 8.2/10 (high), was dubbed “Count(er) Strike”, and was spotted by security researchers Varonis.

According to Varonis, the bug stems from faulty Access Control Lists (ACLs), used to restrict access to data within the tables. Apparently, each ACL evaluates four conditions when deciding whether or not a user should be granted access to certain resources. To gain access to a resource, all resources need to be satisfied, but if a resource is protected with multiple ACLs, the tool reverts to a previously used “allow if” condition.

Updating the systems

This means that if the user satisfied just one ACL, they would be given (sometimes full) access.

"Each resource or table in ServiceNow can have numerous ACLs, each defining different conditions for access," Varonis said in its report.

"However, if a user passes just one ACL, they gain access to the resource, even if other ACLs might not grant access. If there is no ACL present for the resource, access will default to the default access property which is set to deny in most cases."

According to BleepingComputer, the bug has since been squashed, as ServiceNow introduced a number of new features, including a “Deny Unless ACL”.

This one requires users to pass all ACLs before being granted access. All ServiceNow users are advised to manually review their tables and modify ACs to ensure they are not being overly permissive.

ServiceNow is a cloud-based platform that helps organizations automate and manage IT services, workflows, and business processes, and boasts more than 8,400 companies, including the majority of Fortune 500 businesses.

Via BleepingComputer

You might also like

• Intel still vulnerable to Spectre data-leak vulnerabilities, researchers say
• Take a look at our guide to the best authenticator app
• We've rounded up the best password managers

Looking for a different day?

A new NYT Strands puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Thursday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Thursday, July 10 (game #494).

Strands is the NYT's latest word game after the likes of Wordle, Spelling Bee and Connections – and it's great fun. It can be difficult, though, so read on for my Strands hints.

Want more word-based fun? Then check out my NYT Connections today and Quordle today pages for hints and answers for those games, and Marc's Wordle today page for the original viral word game.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Strands today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

NYT Strands today (game #495) - hint #1 - today's themeWhat is the theme of today's NYT Strands?

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… It could be verse

NYT Strands today (game #495) - hint #2 - clue words

Play any of these words to unlock the in-game hints system.

• SMILE
• PILE
• RACE
• LACE
• CHIP
• SLIP

NYT Strands today (game #495) - hint #3 - spangram lettersHow many letters are in today's spangram?

• Spangram has 6 letters

NYT Strands today (game #495) - hint #4 - spangram positionWhat are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

First side: left, 5th row

Last side: right, 5th row

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

NYT Strands today (game #495) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #495, are…

• SONNET
• LIMERICK
• EPIC
• ELEGY
• HAIKU
• BALLAD
• ACROSTIC
• SPANGRAM: POETRY

• My rating: Hard
• My score: 2 hints

So, even though I saw the word SONNET really quickly, I struggled with the rest of today’s word search and needed a couple of hints to get me home.

Anyway, I think I may have been distracted by the number of rhyming non-game words on the board (I couldn’t resist) and the incredibly short spangram – it’s been quite a while since we’ve had a minimal six-letter snake.

Despite being only eight letters left, ACROSTIC still took me a while to get as it was a new word to me – it’s a poem where the first letter of each line forms a word. Kind of like a puzzle within a poem.

How did you do today? Let me know in the comments below.

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Thursday, July 10, game #494)

• DROWSY
• SPENT
• WEARY
• FATIGUED
• TIRED
• KNACKERED
• SPANGRAM: SLEEPYHEAD

What is NYT Strands?

Strands is the NYT's not-so-new-any-more word game, following Wordle and Connections. It's now a fully fledged member of the NYT's games stable that has been running for a year and which can be played on the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.

I've got a full guide to how to play NYT Strands, complete with tips for solving it, so check that out if you're struggling to beat it each day.

Looking for a different day?

A new Quordle puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Thursday's puzzle instead then click here: Quordle hints and answers for Thursday, July 10 (game #1263).

Quordle was one of the original Wordle alternatives and is still going strong now more than 1,100 games later. It offers a genuine challenge, though, so read on if you need some Quordle hints today – or scroll down further for the answers.

Enjoy playing word games? You can also check out my NYT Connections today and NYT Strands today pages for hints and answers for those puzzles, while Marc's Wordle today column covers the original viral word game.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about Quordle today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

Quordle today (game #1264) - hint #1 - VowelsHow many different vowels are in Quordle today?

• The number of different vowels in Quordle today is 4*.

* Note that by vowel we mean the five standard vowels (A, E, I, O, U), not Y (which is sometimes counted as a vowel too).

Quordle today (game #1264) - hint #2 - repeated lettersDo any of today's Quordle answers contain repeated letters?

• The number of Quordle answers containing a repeated letter today is 2.

Quordle today (game #1264) - hint #3 - uncommon lettersDo the letters Q, Z, X or J appear in Quordle today?

• No. None of Q, Z, X or J appear among today's Quordle answers.

Quordle today (game #1264) - hint #4 - starting letters (1)Do any of today's Quordle puzzles start with the same letter?

• The number of today's Quordle answers starting with the same letter is 0.

If you just want to know the answers at this stage, simply scroll down. If you're not ready yet then here's one more clue to make things a lot easier:

Quordle today (game #1264) - hint #5 - starting letters (2)What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• L

• D

• F

• G

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

Quordle today (game #1264) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1264, are…

• LAPEL
• DRAIN
• FROND
• GROSS

LAPEL took me ages to get. It would have been quicker if I’d have guessed label instead of babel, but that’s the only thing I could have done differently.

Lapel will forever remind me of a London menswear shop that closed down many years ago called Le Pel, home to classy Italian shirts and jumpers and some very questionable French grammar.

How did you do today? Let me know in the comments below.

Daily Sequence today (game #1264) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1264, are…

• MELEE
• SHOCK
• PURSE
• PENNE

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1263, Thursday, 10 July: CROSS, WHEEL, UNDID, PENCE
• Quordle #1262, Wednesday, 9 July: SHIRE, SIXTH, SINGE, IMAGE
• Quordle #1261, Tuesday, 8 July: PLIED, PRANK, GAWKY, OXIDE
• Quordle #1260, Monday, 7 July: DROLL, TRUCE, TWIRL, SINCE
• Quordle #1259, Sunday, 6 July: AMPLY, SPAWN, EXTOL, RIDGE
• Quordle #1258, Saturday, 5 July: HAVEN, SNAKE, DREAM, TORUS
• Quordle #1257, Friday, 4 July: FAVOR, SKUNK, GAWKY, FLUFF
• Quordle #1256, Thursday, 3 July: DANCE, EYING, GLAZE, EGRET
• Quordle #1255, Wednesday, 2 July: INANE, SCOUR, ELITE, ULCER
• Quordle #1254, Tuesday, 1 July: REBAR, YEARN, FORTH, CROWD
• Quordle #1253, Monday, 30 June: INGOT, INFER, TAPIR, CLUED
• Quordle #1252, Sunday, 29 June: MIRTH, APTLY, SCRUB, SMACK
• Quordle #1251, Saturday, 28 June: AWOKE, SMOKY, DEVIL, SWING
• Quordle #1250, Friday, 27 June: SPEAK, EAGLE, AVERT, SUING
• Quordle #1249, Thursday, 26 June: SLUMP, REBUS, GUAVA, MONEY
• Quordle #1248, Wednesday, 25 June: SOGGY, CLASH, MODEM, SQUAD
• Quordle #1247, Tuesday, 24 June: QUALM, SQUIB, AXIAL, FLACK
• Quordle #1246, Monday, 23 June: PIXEL, FJORD, STEAL, EXIST
• Quordle #1245, Sunday, 22 June: WREST, CRAZE, PAPAL, SCION

Looking for a different day?

A new NYT Connections puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Thursday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Connections hints and answers for Thursday, July 10 (game #760).

Good morning! Let's play Connections, the NYT's clever word game that challenges you to group answers in various categories. It can be tough, so read on if you need Connections hints.

What should you do once you've finished? Why, play some more word games of course. I've also got daily Strands hints and answers and Quordle hints and answers articles if you need help for those too, while Marc's Wordle today page covers the original viral word game.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Connections today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

NYT Connections today (game #761) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• UBER
• SWAN
• LOVE
• VIAL
• GOOSE
• GOOGLE
• FOWL
• ZOOM
• YAHOO
• SIREN
• MIEN
• DODO
• PHOTOSHOP
• FOLK
• GOOF
• OFFAL

NYT Connections today (game #761) - hint #1 - group hints

What are some clues for today's NYT Connections groups?

• YELLOW: Brands used as words
• GREEN: Daft types
• BLUE: Just add lyrics 
• PURPLE: Sounds like a bad person

Need more clues?

We're firmly in spoiler territory now, but read on if you want to know what the four theme answers are for today's NYT Connections puzzles…

NYT Connections today (game #761) - hint #2 - group answers

What are the answers for today's NYT Connections groups?

• YELLOW: COMPANIES THAT HAVE BECOME VERBS
• GREEN: SILLY PERSON
• BLUE: KINDS OF SONGS 
• PURPLE: HOMOPHONES OF SYNONYMS FOR "DESPICABLE" 

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

NYT Connections today (game #761) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #761, are…

• YELLOW: COMPANIES THAT HAVE BECOME VERBS GOOGLE, PHOTOSHOP, UBER, ZOOM
• GREEN: SILLY PERSON DODO, GOOF, GOOSE, YAHOO
• BLUE: KINDS OF SONGS FOLK, LOVE, SIREN, SWAN
• PURPLE: HOMOPHONES OF SYNONYMS FOR "DESPICABLE" FOWL, MIEN, OFFAL, VIAL

• My rating: Hard
• My score: Fail

I made my first mistake trying to connect four birds, with DODO, SWAN, GOOSE, and FOWL. 

Then a miracle happened and I actually cracked a homophone group – something that I usually suffer Connections blindness with.

My victory laps were short-lived, however, as I floundered on the rocks making groups of four groups and getting one away three times. If only I stopped to think about it instead of hoping to get lucky.

How did you do today? Let me know in the comments below.

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Thursday, July 10, game #760)

• YELLOW: PARTS OF A WHEEL HUB, RIM, SPOKE, TIRE
• GREEN: MILITARY CLOTHING DESCRIPTORS CAMO, DRAB, FATIGUE, KHAKI
• BLUE: USED IN VENTILATION DUCT, EXHAUST, HOSE, PIPE
• PURPLE: FAIL TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF, AS AN OPPORTUNITY BLOW, LOSE, MISS, WASTE

What is NYT Connections?

NYT Connections is one of several increasingly popular word games made by the New York Times. It challenges you to find groups of four items that share something in common, and each group has a different difficulty level: green is easy, yellow a little harder, blue often quite tough and purple usually very difficult.

On the plus side, you don't technically need to solve the final one, as you'll be able to answer that one by a process of elimination. What's more, you can make up to four mistakes, which gives you a little bit of breathing room.

It's a little more involved than something like Wordle, however, and there are plenty of opportunities for the game to trip you up with tricks. For instance, watch out for homophones and other word games that could disguise the answers.

It's playable for free via the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.

• Garmin has added support for Google Maps on its wearables
• This gives you turn-by-turn directions on your wrist
• The update lets you find your way without using your phone

When you’re out enjoying the great outdoors, the last thing you want to do is ruin your experience by constantly having to check your phone for directions. That’s doubly true when you’re running or cycling, where a distraction like a phone could be a real nuisance.

If you have a Garmin wearable, though, you won’t need to worry about that, as Garmin has just added Google Maps to its fitness tracker app store. The idea is you’ll get turn-by-turn directions on your wrist, enabling you to keep your phone in your pocket or your bag.

It’s compatible with popular models like Garmin’s Venu 3, Vivoactive 5 and Fenix 8 smartwatches, among many others (you can find the full list of compatible models at the end of this article).

In a press release, Susan Lyman, Vice President of Consumer Sales and Marketing at Garmin, said “Whether exploring a new city, mapping out a run or casually cycling with friends, the Google Maps app in the Connect IQ store will keep users going in the right direction.”

They added: “The turn-by-turn notifications will be a game changer for those who want to stay hands-free and keep their phone in their pocket.”

Quick directions on your wrist

(Image credit: Breslavtsev Oleg / Shutterstock)

Garmin says this will benefit both pedestrians and fitness fans. For walkers, your Garmin wearable will vibrate gently as you approach a turn. If you tap the app, it’ll show you the next three turns.

If you want to go for a run or bike ride, you can still measure your fitness metrics while getting directions from Google Maps. Once you’re done, you can sync your activity data from Garmin Connect to third-party Android health and fitness apps using Google Health Connect.

Garmin is not the first company to implement a feature like this, but it’s a welcome addition regardless. My Apple Watch offers similar functionality through the Apple Maps app, and it’s perfect for when I need to get directions without pulling up my phone every time. I find that it’s ideal not only when I’m out on a run, but also for those times when I’m in a busy city and want to keep my phone safely stowed.

If Garmin’s latest update sounds like something you’d use, you can download the Google Maps app from the Garmin Connect IQ Store, where it's available for free.

The full list: the Garmin watches getting turn-by-turn Google Maps directions

• Approach S50
• Approach S70 (42mm)
• Approach S70 (47mm)
• D2 Mach 1
• D2 Mach 1 Pro
• Descent G2
• Enduro 2
• Enduro 3
• epix (Gen 2), quatix 7 – Sapphire Edition
• epix Pro (42mm)
• epix Pro (47mm), quatix® 7 Pro
• epix Pro (51mm)
• fēnix 7, quatix 7, fēnix 7– Sapphire Dual Power Edition
• fēnix 7 Pro, fēnix 7 Pro – Solar Edition, fēnix 7 Pro – Sapphire Solar Edition, fēnix 7 Pro– Sapphire Dual Power Edition
• fēnix 7 Pro – Solar Edition (No Wi-Fi)
• fēnix 7S, fēnix 7S– Solar Edition, fēnix 7S– Sapphire Solar Edition
• fēnix 7S Pro, fēnix 7S Pro– Sapphire Solar Edition, fēnix 7S Pro– Sapphire Dual Power Edition
• fēnix 7X, fēnix 7X - Solar Edition, fēnix 7X– Sapphire Solar Edition, quatix 7X – Solar Edition
• fēnix 7X Pro, fēnix 7X Pro– Sapphire Solar Edition, fēnix 7X Pro– Sapphire Dual Power Edition
• fēnix 8 AMOLED (43mm)
• fēnix 8 AMOLED (47mm/51mm), quatix 8 AMOLED (47mm/51mm), tactix 8 AMOLED (47mm/51mm)
• fēnix 8 Solar (47mm), fēnix 8 Dual Power (47mm)
• fēnix 8 Solar (51mm), fēnix 8 Dual Power (51mm), tactix 8 Solar (51mm)
• fēnix E
• Forerunner 165
• Forerunner 165 Music
• Forerunner 265
• Forerunner 265S
• Forerunner 570 - 42mm
• Forerunner 570 - 47mm
• Forerunner 955 Dual Power
• Forerunner 965
• Forerunner 970
• MARQ (Gen 2), MARQ Carbon Collection, MARQ Adventurer (Gen 2) - Damascus Steel Edition
• MARQ Commander (Gen 2) – Carbon Edition
• MARQ Aviator (Gen 2)
• tactix 7, tactix 7 – Pro Ballistics Edition, tactix 7 – Pro Edition
• tactix 7 – AMOLED Edition
• tactix 8 – 47 mm, AMOLED, tactix 8 – 51 mm, AMOLED
• tactix 8 – 51 mm, Solar, tactix 8 – 51 mm, Solar, Elite
• Venu 3
• Venu 3S
• Venu X1
• vívoactive 5
• vívoactive 6

You might also like

• The best Garmin watch 2025: Multisport watches for every outdoor pursuit
• Google announces surprise health upgrades for your Garmin watch
• I choose Apple Maps over Google Maps every time for this single reason

• AMD finds four flaws, separately low in severity, but powerful when combined
• Together, they can be abused in information disclosure attacks
• The list of affected devices is rather extensive, so be on your guard

AMD has discovered several security vulnerabilities affecting many of its chips can be chained together to create a concerning hack which could result in information disclosure.

The four vulnerabilities are tracked as CVE-2024-36349 (3.8), CVE-2024-36348 (3.8), CVE-2024-36357 (5.6), and CVE-2024-36350 (5.6). Together, they can be used in a so-called Transient Scheduler Attack (TSA), a side-channel, or timing-based attack that likely exploits transient scheduling decisions made by the CPU scheduler to leak information.

Since this is a side-channel attack that results in information disclosure, it is similar to the infamous Meltdown and Spectre flaws which dominated the security scene for months.

Updating the systems

Separately, the vulnerabilities were given relatively low severity scores, since the devices need to be compromised in advance, either by physical presence, or through malware, before they can be leveraged.

Furthermore, the TSA would need to be executed many times before any meaningful data could be extracted.

Here is how a theoretical attack would occur: A CPU expects load instructions to complete rather quickly. However, if there is a condition that prevents them from doing so, a “false completion” happens. Since the load didn’t complete, the data from the load is forwarded to dependent operations, affecting the timing of the instructions the CPU executes - something the attackers can observe.

The worst-case scenario is AMD chips leaking OS kernel information - but other applications or VMs could leak data as well.

A patch is already available, and AMD advised system admins to update to the latest Windows versions as soon as possible.

Those who are unable to install the patch quickly can implement a workaround involving a VERW instruction, but AMD has advised against it since it could reduce the performance of the system. In any case, the details about the mitigation can be found here.

The full list of all affected chips, including EPYC, Ryzen, Instinct, Ahtlon, and others, can be found in AMD’s advisory.

Via The Register

You might also like

• Intel still vulnerable to Spectre data-leak vulnerabilities, researchers say
• Intel and AMD chips are under attack from a new generation of Spectre threats
• We've rounded up the best password managers

DOGE recently gained high-level access to a database that controls government payments and loans to farmers and ranchers across the U.S.

(Image credit: Christian Blaza for NPR)

One of the most innovative, if least understood updates in Samsung's new Galaxy Watch 8 is the new antioxidant index metric, which uses Samsung's latest BioActive sensor. Unlike sensors that look under the skin for, say, blood oxygenation or heartbeats, these new yellow, blue, and violet sensors focus on the surface and measure your level of antioxidants.

According to Samsung executives who walked us through Galaxy Watch 8's latest health capabilities shortly after unveiling the new wearables at Samsung Galaxy Unpacked on July 9, measuring antioxidant levels on the skin relates directly, though not immediately, to your eating and drinking habits. Certain foods, for instance, like fruits and vegetables, might raise the antioxidant levels in your skin. Having higher antioxidant levels might help stave off illness.

We were shown what looked like a direct correlation between, for instance, drinking alcohol during the holidays and how that might lower antioxidant levels. These levels, by the way, are represented in a chart you can read on your Samsung Health app.

Even if you put the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 on when it's available on July 25, and have a healthy salad instead of a burger and fries, the watch may not immediately read any differences. Antioxidant readings appear somewhat cumulative on the skin and might take a week to show up.

There's also the matter of how you use the new Galaxy Watch 8 sensors.

Now, ironically, it seems, Samsung worked hard to reengineer the Galaxy Watch 8 and its band attachment system to bring the watch closer to your skin. My sense is that these watch backs sit on your wrists, so I'm not sure how much closer they can get, and the executives didn't entirely explain that.

Even so, for this newest sensor, it doesn't matter. The only way to read your antioxidant levels with the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 is to take it off your wrist and press your thumb against the BioActive sensor on the back of it.

(Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future)

We asked why the sensors couldn't read the antioxidant levels on the wrist, and it turned out to be a fairly obvious answer.

"We tried a lot with the measurement on the wrist, but there is – we really want to measure from skin, not the blood. Here [indicates wrist], there are many capillaries."

Essentially, a wrist measurement would be looking at (or confused by) the blood in those capillaries and not reading the skin. When you press with your thumb, you actually push away all the blood, so the sensors read the antioxidant levels in the skin more easily.

When I asked why the thumb and not other fingers, it turns out it could be done with your other fingers, but doing the reading with a thumb is just more comfortable.

While this makes perfect sense, this sensor might get used less than others because it's not a passive reading. Instead, it's more like ECG, in which you have to sit still and put a finger on the top button for 20 seconds or so. You actively choose to take this reading, plus you must take off the watch to do so.

Samsung acknowledged there's no notification telling you to occasionally take an antioxidant reading, which means this could end up being a little-used health metric.

Having those antioxidant readings could be useful for understanding your overall wellness as it relates to eating habits, but the other hurdle is remembering what you ingested and when, and few enjoy keeping a diary of their food intake.

I suggested that the upcoming Project Moohan Glasses (a joint XR project between Samsung and Google) might assist here, actively seeing and tracking everything you eat. The Samsung Exec said it's a good idea.

You might also like

• Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2025 as it happened – the new Z Fold 7, Z Flip 7 and Galaxy Watch 8 are here
• Hands on: I just tested the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8, and it’s thinner, brighter and tougher than ever
• Hands on: The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 captures the essence of Ultra in a ludicrously thin device, and I still can't believe it

• Microsoft will donate $4 billion in cash over five years to upskill today's youth
• AI and cloud skills are lacking, and much of the global workforce needs to adapt
• Teachers are also getting support to help them integrate AI into the classroom

Microsoft has announced a pledge to donate $4 billion in cash over the course of five years to help K-12 schools, community and technical colleges, and nonprofits expand the use of, and training initiative to support, AI and cloud technology.

In a blog post, Microsoft outlined how it wants to support 20 million people by upskilling them with AI tools to support future working environments, starting at a young age.

"This represents our next chapter for corporate philanthropy and our non-commercial business model," President Brad Smith explained in the post.

Microsoft grant scheme to support future workers

As part of the scheme, Microsoft will be collaborating with governments to help launch its Elevate Academy to provide AI training right from foundation levels to more advanced skillsets.

The company will also work with OpenAI, Anthropic and the American Federation of Teachers to create the National Academy for AI Instruction, investing $23 million over five years to train 400,000 teachers in AI skills to help them integrate the tech into classrooms.

"We believe some of the most important work ahead isn’t just building smarter machines – it’s ensuring those machines help people thrive," Smith added.

The company cited WEF research stating that two-fifths (59%) of the global workforce will need new digital skills by the end of the decade. A separate study highlighted by Microsoft also revealed that three-quarters of the global youth lack the right skills for the AI economy.

Despite laying off thousands of workers in the post-pandemic years, driven largely by AI-induced productivity gains, Microsoft's President stressed the importance of human workers in the future.

"This is the work ahead – not just building the next generation of AI but building the next generation of opportunity," Smith concluded.

You might also like

• "AI will leave a lot of white-collar people behind" - Ford CEO latest to claim AI will wipe out millions of jobs
• These are the best AI writers you can use today
• Prepare for the future with the best online learning platforms

• The next State of Play broadcast airs tonight and is dedicated entirely to Ghost of Yōtei
• The livestream will begin at 2 PM PT / 5 PM ET / 11 PM CEST / 10 PM BST and will be 20 minutes long
• Sucker Punch studios has confirmed that it will cover the game's story as well as offer a gameplay deep dive

Sony's next State of Play airs tonight, and this special broadcast will be dedicated entirely to Ghost of Yōtei.

The Ghost of Yōtei State of Play is scheduled to begin on July 10 at 2 PM PT / 5 PM ET / 11 PM CEST / 10 PM BST, can be watched on PlayStation’s Twitch and YouTube channels, and is confirmed to be 20 minutes long.

Hosted by Sucker Punch’s creative directors, Jason Connell and Nate Fox, the livestream will offer a first look at the gameplay since the game's announcement.

"Beyond sharing more about Atsu’s quest for vengeance, we’re excited to show off her new weapons, new ways to personalize your journey at the edge of Japan, new special modes, and much more," Sucker Punch said in a PlayStation Blog post.

That's a lot to cover in 20 minutes, but I'm mainly hoping for a deeper look into the game's narrative. Earlier this year, Ubisoft launched Assassin's Creed Shadows, and since the first trailer for Ghost of Yōtei dropped, it's been difficult not to immediately compare the two games.

Admittedly, we don't know much about Ghost of Yōtei's story, only that the game follows protagonist Atsu as she hunts down a band of outlaws that murdered her family when she was younger.

It's very similar to Naoe's quest for revenge in Shadows, and if Sucker Punch studios wants to stand out among the best games of 2025, they'll need to deliver something that will subvert expectations.

Ghost of Yōtei launches on October 2 for PS5. Ghost of Yōtei pre-orders are now live.

You might also like...

• Best PS5 games 2025 - the top 26 PlayStation 5 titles to play right now
• I’ve spent 40 hours exploring Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, and it’s an incredible sequel that builds upon its unique predecessor to become a masterpiece
• Naughty Dog's latest update for The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered lets you play the story in a chronological order but I think this risks blunting the emotional impact of the whole narrative

The iPhone 17 Pro probably won’t land until September 2025, but this being a high-profile handset we’re already hearing leaks and rumors about it – along with the rest of the iPhone 17 series.

The Pro will likely slot in just below the iPhone 17 Pro Max, and just above the iPhone 17 and perhaps the rumored iPhone 17 Air or iPhone 17 Slim.

And while we don’t know loads about it yet, early rumors suggest the iPhone 17 Pro will have a new button, new cameras, and a new chipset, making this a potentially major and exciting upgrade. Below, you’ll find everything we’ve heard about the iPhone 17 Pro so far.

Latest news

iPhone 17 Pro chipset and RAM details have leaked again.View Deal

Cut to the chase

• What is it? The next smaller Pro iPhone
• When is it out? Probably September 2025
• How much will it cost? Likely upwards of $999 / £999 / AU$1,849

Expect it in September

The iPhone 16 Pro (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

• Likely to land in September of 2025
• Will probably cost at least $999 / £999 / AU$1,849

We haven’t heard many iPhone 17 Pro release date leaks yet, but based on Apple’s usual patterns we can say that it will probably be announced in the first or second week of September, and indeed the one leak we have heard points to a September launch for the iPhone 17 Pro.

More specifically, it will probably be announced on the Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday of the first or second week of September. Apple more often goes for the second week of September, leaving the most likely announcement dates as September 8, September 9, or September 10.

Pre-orders then typically open on the Friday of the announcement week, which would mean September 12, and the iPhone 17 Pro will most likely ship the following Friday, which would be September 19.

But it’s possible the various stages of the launch will happen a week earlier, or that Apple will break with its usual patterns.

There aren’t yet many iPhone 17 Pro price leaks either, but the iPhone 16 Pro starts at $999 / £999 / AU$1,849, and the one iPhone 17 Pro price leak we've heard so far suggests it might cost more than that. Given that President Trump is currently threatening Apple with tariffs, a price rise looks likely.

Can you trust these rumors?

So far there aren't any release date leaks or many price leaks, but based on past form we're almost certain that the iPhone 17 Pro will be announced in September, and from what we're hearing so far it could well have a price rise.

A new button and a new color

The iPhone 16 Pro (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

• Might include a new button and a new camera design
• Expect the same screen size but possibly upgrades to the tech
• Could have an aluminum frame

The biggest iPhone 17 Pro design leak we’ve heard so far is that the volume buttons and the Action button might all be replaced by a single new key that can do the job of all those things. Exactly how it would do all those things is uncertain, but it may well have a similar design to the Camera Control button, meaning it can register different strength presses as well as swipes, and respond in different ways to each.

It's worth noting that Apple has previously made iPhone prototypes with unified volume buttons, including an iPhone 14 Pro prototype. The buttons here were solid-state rather than mechanical, and it's not clear whether the iPhone 17 Pro's implementation would be mechanical or not, if it even happens, but it could look something like this anyway.

The iPhone 17 Pro will probably also be available in at least one new shade, with one leak suggesting Apple is considering using one of the three colors pictured below. From left to right these are Dark Green Titanium, Teal Titanium, and Green Titanium, and the source says Teal Titanium is the most likely to get used.

(Image credit: Majin Bu)

However, the same source has more recently said that a Sky Blue shade is the most likely, and has also previously put forward Titanium Blue or Titanium Purple as possibilities.

We’ve also heard that the iPhone 17 Pro might use a “more complex” aluminum design, rather than the titanium of its predecessor.

Another leak has since shed more light on this aluminum design, saying that the iPhone 17 Pro will have an aluminum frame and that the top half of the back will also be aluminum, with the bottom half remaining glass so wireless charging will work. The report adds that it will also have a larger rectangular camera bump than the iPhone 16 Pro.

A leaked image supposedly showing an iPhone 17 series frame lines up with this leak, and points to a Pixel 9-like camera design. You can see this below.

(Image credit: @Jukanlosreve)

However, we've elsewhere heard a counter to this, with another source saying the iPhone 17 Pro will use titanium, not aluminum.

We've also heard the possibility of a different but still new iPhone 17 Pro camera design, as you can see in the image below. But this comes from a source with a mixed track record, so we're not convinced.

(Image credit: Front Page Tech / @asherdipps‬)

This iPhone 17 Pro Max render got given a redo by its creator that paints the odd design in a new light. But it doesn't tell us any more about why Apple would go for such a design; Cupertino tends not to mix up iPhone design unless it facilitates a new feature or hardware.

Still, ever more leaks are showing off this design, including some iPhone 17 dummy units, and some that show an iPhone 17 Pro dummy unit alongside the iPhone 16 Pro, so it's looking likely, which is seemingly a disappointment to many Apple fans.

It's also a design that Google has poked fun at, for being somewhat similar to the Pixel line's appearance.

That said, more recent leaked iPhone 17 Pro dummy unit photos show a much more polished version of this design than those early leaks. So it might not look so bad after all.

In any case, there's also a small chance the iPhone 17 Pro could have a smaller Dynamic Island by hiding Face ID components under the screen. We've heard talk of a smaller Dynamic Island more than once now, but another source claims the Dynamic Island won't be changing.

We've also elsewhere heard that the iPhone 17 Pro won't have a two-tone design, with the camera and back apparently set to be the same color, and that from the front not much will be changing. You can see how this might look in a single-color iPhone 17 Pro render.

One smaller design change we might see is the presence of curvier sides than the iPhone 16 Pro has, though so far only one source has mentioned this.

And while we don't yet know how thick the iPhone 17 Pro will be, it certainly looks a lot thicker than the iPhone 17 Air in a leaked image.

As for the screen, the iPhone 17 Pro might have a 6.3-inch display, just like the iPhone 16 Pro, but it could be more anti-reflective than the current display, as well as being more scratch resistant. That said, a more recent leak suggests Apple has abandoned plans for a scratch resistant and anti-reflective coating.

We've also heard that the iPhone 17 Pro's screen could use a new technology that makes it more power efficient, durable, and overall better performing.

Can you trust these rumors?

We fully expect the iPhone 17 Pro to have a 6.3-inch screen, since Apple only recently upped the display size with the iPhone 16 Pro. Surprisingly, the new camera design is also looking likely, since lots of sources have said this is happening. The other design and display leaks so far are worth taking with a pinch of salt though, as not many sources have weighed in.

Two upgraded cameras

The iPhone 16 Pro (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

• A 48MP telephoto upgrade is likely
• It could also have a new 24MP front-facing camera
• The main sensor could be smaller

The main camera upgrade coming to the iPhone 17 Pro could be a 48MP telephoto camera, up from 12MP on the iPhone 16 Pro. This 48MP telephoto camera has been mentioned in several iPhone 17 Pro camera leaks, including from reputable iPhone leakers, so this may well happen.

Most leaks suggest it will still offer the same level of zoom – namely 5x optical zoom, but one source differs, saying that the iPhone 17 Pro will instead offer 3.5x zoom, but will still be capable of 'lossless' 5x and even 7x by cropping into the image.

The other significant camera upgrade we could see is a 24MP front-facing camera, up from 12MP on the current model.

As for the main and ultra-wide cameras, leaks so far suggest they’ll stick at 48MP like on the current model. However, one source suggests that oddly the main sensor could be smaller on the iPhone 17 Pro, which might make it a downgrade.

We've also heard that the iPhone 17 Pro might be capable of 8K video recording, which would be up from the 4K of current Pro models.

And while less likely there’s also talk that the iPhone 17 Pro could have a mechanical aperture, meaning you’d be able to change the aperture and therefore also the depth of field.

Finally, we've also heard that Apple might be testing a 200MP camera, but while this could be used on a future iPhone it probably won't be included on the iPhone 17 Pro.

Can you trust these rumors? 

So many sources have talked about a 48MP telephoto camera that this upgrade seems likely. We haven't heard as much about the other cameras though, including the rumored 24MP selfie snapper upgrade, so we're less sure of those specs. We also wouldn't count on the phone having a mechanical aperture, as that seems a bit niche for how much work it might involve.

The most powerful iPhone chipset yet

The iPhone 16 Pro (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

• A top-end A19 Pro chipset
• Either 8GB or 12GB of RAM

One thing we can be very confident about is that the iPhone 17 Pro will have a new chipset, one that will most likely be called the A19 Pro.

Not only is an A19 Pro chipset an obvious upgrade, but it has also been mentioned by multiple sources.

Beyond that, there’s a chance that the iPhone 17 Pro will get 12GB of RAM, which is something we've heard more than once, and would be an increase on the 8GB in the iPhone 16 Pro.

However while multiple leaks have pointed to 12GB, some others suggest that only the iPhone 17 Pro Max will get this upgrade.

The iPhone 17 Pro might however get a vapor chamber, which could help it avoid overheating and could also boost performance. We've heard this vapor chamber claim from multiple sources now, so it's looking likely.

And as for the battery, Apple is reportedly considering using a thinner and lighter motherboard, which could free up additional space for a larger battery than in the current model. We've also heard that the iPhone 17 Pro could offer reverse wireless charging.

Finally, for software we expect the iPhone 17 Pro to run iOS 26, and this is now out in beta form, so we know all about it. The headline change is a whole new look to the interface, but many apps have also been streamlined, a new Apple Games app has been added, and there are improvements to Apple Intelligence.

Can you trust these rumors? 

One of the few things we're almost certain of is that the iPhone 17 Pro will have a new chipset, since that's a standard yearly upgrade for Apple's phones. We hope it will also get a RAM upgrade, but so far it's unclear whether it will or not.

You might also like

• Best iPhone: which Apple smartphone reigns supreme?
• iPhone 16 Pro review: pocket-sized brilliance and no concessions
• iPhone 17 Pro Max: latest news, rumors, and everything we’ve heard so far

Marvel should be worried.

Gain back your storage space with minimal agony over what you need to delete forever.

Commentary: This real-life horror story debuted last week as -- no joke -- the No. 2 movie on the platform.

• IKEA's new NattBadd Bluetooth speaker is available in three color options
• It has Spotify Tap and multi-speaker pairing, and costs $49.99 / £29
• IKEA has also announced a lamp with an integrated speaker

IKEA has launched a cute Bluetooth speaker in three color options: black, pink and yellow. It's designed to match your home decor and it's very small: just 7 inches tall and a little under five inches wide.

The speaker, called Nattbadd (below), is designed to look like an old radio and has two particularly useful features: Spotify Tap for instant listening, and the ability to pair multiples together to fill your home with sound.

(Image credit: IKEA)

Spotify Tap is a handy shortcut (typically found on headphones) that lets you resume a listening session where you left off, just by tapping the device. Thanks to the Nattbadd's very low price price tag – $49.99 in the US and £29 in the UK – buying multiple speakers shouldn't break the bank, either.

This isn't the only new speaker from IKEA either. It's also announced the brilliantly-named Blomprakt (below), a lamp with an integrated speaker and an intriguing design: its top is off-center and tilted to give directional light. That'll be launching in October 2025, but pricing unfortunately hasn't been confirmed just yet.

The two new speakers are just the start of a big smart home push from IKEA, with whole bunch of other Matter-compatible products incoming, too.

IKEA goes all-out on Matter

(Image credit: IKEA)

The new speakers are part of a renewed smart home push that IKEA's making, and in January 2026 the retailer says it will launch over 20 new smart home products.

Significantly, they'll all be compatible with Matter, the smart home standard – and that means you'll be able to use them not just with IKEA's own smart home hubs such as the Matter-compatible Dirigera, but with many other Matter controllers from third parties.

As Range Manager David Granath explains, "our goal is to make the smart home easy to use, easy to understand and within reach for the many." Matter's simplicity and wide compatibility is a key part of that, and IKEA's whole-hearted support of the standard is likely to help make it much more popular.

IKEA will also launch a collaboration with the Swedish designer Tekla Severin, aka Teklan, in January. The homeware giant previously announced the Teklan series in January, but said the full range wouldn't launch until "early 2026". Well, it's now been a bit more specific about that, but it's a shame they won't land in time for Christmas stockings.

Still, the Nattbadd is available from IKEA now, and we're be looking to try it out soon to see how it compares to the surprisingly good Vappeby Bluetooth speaker (which is even cheaper at $15 / £12 / AU$22).

You might also like

• IKEA refreshes super-cheap Bluetooth speaker that we love, as part of a plan to 'reimagine' tech
• Ikea's smart lights now offer one of Philips Hue's most compelling features
• The best Bluetooth speakers for all budgets, all tested by our experts