Category: Technologies

Apple is reportedly gearing up to transform the iPhone into an even larger financial hub by adding a built‑in bill‑splitting tool for group meals, travel costs, and shared payments. According to Mark Gurman, the company intends to unveil the feature at WWDC next week as part of iOS 27.

The utility will let users snap a photo of a restaurant receipt, automatically work out each person’s share—including tax and tip—assign items to the right individuals, and send payment requests via Apple Cash. It should function inside both the Wallet app and Messages, with payment approvals also possible on the Apple Watch.

Apple is quietly expanding its financial ecosystem again

The bill‑splitting tool marks another significant stride in Apple’s ongoing push to deepen the iPhone’s role in personal finance. Since the launch of Apple Pay in 2014, Apple has steadily rolled out services such as Apple Card, Apple Cash, savings accounts, and Tap to Pay for merchants.

This latest addition appears aimed squarely at younger users who increasingly handle shared expenses digitally rather than with cash or traditional banking tools.

The system reportedly works by scanning a receipt with the iPhone camera, identifying individual items, calculating tax and tip allocations, and then automatically generating payment requests. Users can settle balances through Apple Cash without needing third‑party apps.

Apple is also said to be developing custom digital pass creation inside Wallet, enabling users to generate their own event passes, gym cards, and digital credentials directly on the device.

Apple’s move also puts it in direct competition with established expense‑sharing and peer‑to‑peer payment platforms. Splitwise, one of the most popular bill‑splitting apps worldwide, has topped 10 million monthly active users and helped manage more than $90 billion in shared expenses since 2011.

Meanwhile, Venmo processes over $275 billion in annual payment volume, and Cash App reports roughly 57 million monthly active users. By embedding bill splitting into Wallet, Messages, Apple Cash, and Apple Watch, Apple aims to eliminate the need for separate apps and keep more financial activity within its ecosystem.

Apple’s biggest advantage may be integration. Unlike standalone apps, the new feature would be deeply woven into iOS, Messages, Wallet, Apple Watch, and Apple Cash simultaneously.

Why this matters

Apple appears increasingly focused on making the iPhone central to everyday financial activity. Bill splitting may seem minor compared to AI announcements or hardware launches, but such ecosystem features often boost long‑term user retention more effectively than flashy upgrades.

The move could also pressure third‑party expense‑sharing apps that currently rely on convenience as their main selling point. If Apple can make payment splitting frictionless across iPhones, many casual users may stop downloading separate apps altogether.

At the same time, Apple’s financial expansion has faced challenges. The Apple Card partnership with Goldman Sachs has struggled financially, and Apple previously shut down its buy‑now‑pay‑later offering less than a year after launch.

What happens next

Apple is expected to officially reveal the new bill‑splitting feature during WWDC alongside broader iOS 27 announcements focused heavily on AI, Siri upgrades, and Apple Intelligence. The update is also slated to include AI‑powered photo editing tools, a redesigned Siri experience, and deeper Wallet integration across Apple devices.

If the feature works smoothly, Apple may once again turn a separate app category into a built‑in iPhone capability that millions adopt simply because it’s already there.

Verum has announced the official launch of Verum Finance, a standalone financial application now available on the App Store for iPhone and iPad, marking a further expansion of the company’s growing digital ecosystem.

The new application is designed to centralize core financial functions in a single mobile interface, allowing users to manage balances, send and receive funds, use debit cards, and exchange supported balance types without relying on traditional banking workflows.

According to Verum, the platform enables users to view account activity in real time, top up balances using supported payment methods including Apple Pay, and transfer funds to other users within the Verum ecosystem using a unique Verum ID. The system also supports multi-balance management, including specialized balance categories such as precious metals.

Debit card functionality is integrated directly into the app, allowing users to issue and manage cards linked to their balances, monitor transactions, and top up cards when needed. The company also emphasizes built-in exchange tools that allow users to convert between supported balance types within the application.

Security features include Face ID authentication, passcode protection, Sign in with Apple, and privacy-oriented account controls aimed at maintaining user confidentiality and data protection.

The launch of Verum Finance follows the company’s broader strategy of building an interconnected ecosystem of digital products. Alongside Verum Messenger, which combines secure communication tools, encrypted messaging, voice and video calls, VPN services, eSIM connectivity, AI features, anonymous email, and crypto-related functionality, the new financial app extends Verum’s positioning from communication technology into financial infrastructure.

Industry trends increasingly show demand for “all-in-one” digital environments that reduce dependency on multiple standalone apps. Verum’s approach reflects this shift by integrating communication and financial services within a unified ecosystem.

Verum Finance is now available globally for download on iPhone and iPad via the App Store.

Website: https://finance.verum.im 
App Store: https://apps.apple.com/app/verum-finance/id6774245148 
Verum Messenger: https://verum.im 

The AI PC race has mostly been about squeezing more neural processing power into thinner laptops. Asus is taking a different route. Its latest ProArt P16 and ProArt P14 creator laptops are built around Nvidia’s new RTX Spark platform, a chip package that sounds like something you’d expect to find inside a workstation. And that’s exactly the point.

The new ProArt machines are targeting creators, developers, and power users who increasingly want desktop-class AI performance without being tethered to a desk.

A creator laptop that thinks like a workstation

The biggest story here isn’t the laptops themselves. It’s the hardware inside them. NVIDIA’s RTX Spark platform combines an RTX GPU based on the Blackwell architecture with a 20-core Grace CPU, creating a package designed to handle AI workloads that would typically require a much larger machine. Asus claims users can work with enormous 3D scenes, edit ultra-high-resolution video, generate AI content locally, and even run massive language models without relying on cloud servers.

That matters because AI workflows are quickly becoming part of everyday creative work. Whether you’re generating concept art, cleaning up footage, creating visual effects, or experimenting with local AI assistants, performance is becoming just as important as battery life. The promise here is simple: fewer compromises between portability and raw compute power.

Thin, light, and surprisingly ambitious

Despite the workstation-like ambitions, Asus says both laptops are slimmer and lighter than the previous-generation ProArt models. That’s a notable achievement considering the amount of hardware packed inside. The displays are equally impressive on paper. The larger ProArt P16 features an OLED panel with a high refresh rate and variable refresh rate support, while the P14 focuses on delivering sharp visuals in a more compact form factor. Both are aimed squarely at photographers, video editors, designers, and anyone who spends their day staring at timelines and color palettes.

Asus is also leaning heavily into its broader creative ecosystem. Tools like Creator Hub, MuseTree, and StoryCube are designed to simplify AI-assisted workflows, while partnerships with popular creative software makers should help these machines feel useful from day one rather than serving as expensive tech demos. The challenge, of course, is convincing creators that they need this much AI horsepower in a laptop. But as generative AI tools continue to become part of mainstream creative software, that argument gets easier every month. For now, the new ProArt P16 and P14 look like Asus’ most ambitious creator laptops yet — thin enough to carry anywhere, but powerful enough to make many desktop PCs feel a little nervous.

E Ink and MediaTek have teamed up to bring something genuinely exciting to a product category that has seen a surge in popularity in recent years. Your next e-reader might just transcribe meetings, translate languages in real time, and finally show you colors that don’t look washed out.

The two companies announced an expanded collaboration built around MediaTek’s new generative AI e-reader chips, the MT8115 and MT8126. These support both Linux and Android, and pack a dedicated NPU that delivers up to 7.4 TOPS of AI computing performance. 

What all that technical jargon actually means for you is useful stuff like multi-speaker voice recognition, meeting transcription, and real-time translation across more than 20 languages, all processed on the device itself.

What does this mean for your reading experience?

The display improvements are just as exciting. The new chips use a 7-level high-voltage oxide TFT driving technology that speeds up how ePaper particles move on screen. That means faster page turns, cleaner transitions, less ghosting, and a noticeably smoother experience overall. 

The chipsets support screens up to 13.3 inches at 300 PPI, which is sharp enough to make text look great. For color, the chips pair with E Ink’s Gallery and Kaleido technologies to deliver better color depth and a wider color range. 

Illustrated books and educational materials are the obvious beneficiaries here, and the improvement should be meaningful compared to what color e-readers have offered so far. To date, the Kindle Scribe Colorsoft has delivered the best colors in my opinion. I cannot wait to see how far this new tech will push the color e-ink displays. 

When will you get to use this?

MediaTek’s new chips are expected to debut in next-generation tablets from Linfiny, an E Ink subsidiary. Both companies will also be showing off the technology at Computex 2026 in Taipei later this year, so we should get a clearer picture of real-world performance soon.

If the results live up to the promises, e-readers are about to become a lot more capable and a lot harder to ignore.

The handheld gaming arena evolves quickly, which is why a newly surfaced Asus listing feels a bit underwhelming on paper. The listing hints that Asus is gearing up to launch another ROG Ally device, but rather than introducing a sweeping redesign, it appears the company may simply be updating the internals. The leak points to an AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme processor at its core, indicating a mid‑cycle refresh instead of a full‑blown successor.

That isn’t necessarily a negative development. The Ryzen Z2 Extreme is projected to be a solid chip for portable gaming. The issue is that handheld gamers are increasingly seeking more than just a CPU bump.

A familiar formula with a new silicon

The listing reveals little beyond the processor. Crucial specs such as screen technology, battery size, RAM, storage configurations, and even the final chassis design remain hidden. This opens the door for speculation, but it also makes the device feel less thrilling than some enthusiasts might have hoped. If the leak is accurate, Asus seems to be following the path many laptop manufacturers take: refresh the silicon, keep most hardware unchanged, and extend the model’s lifespan.

For owners of the current ROG Ally, that may not be enough motivation to upgrade. The more intriguing rumor concerns what the new handheld does not include. Earlier chatter suggested Asus might experiment with Intel’s Arc‑based gaming silicon, yet the company appears to be sticking with AMD once again.

The display could make or break it

If Asus wants this refresh to stand out, the screen is its biggest opportunity. The handheld market has shifted considerably since the original ROG Ally debuted. The Steam Deck OLED raised the bar for visual quality, and larger‑screen devices are becoming more common. An OLED panel or a larger 8‑inch display would instantly make the new handheld more attractive.

Unfortunately, early clues hint that this may not happen. If the product identifier references are correct, Asus could be keeping the 7‑inch display for a second generation. That’s where disappointment may lie. A faster processor is always welcome, but gamers notice the screen every second they use a handheld. Delivering another LCD‑based 7‑inch model with only incremental upgrades could feel like a modest spec bump in a market that has already moved forward. One thing is clear: a new ROG Ally is on the horizon – whether it feels genuinely new is another question.

Apple’s long‑awaited AI overhaul appears to be finally taking shape, with the company gearing up to embed Siri more deeply into its ecosystem than ever before. According to a fresh report by Mark Gurman, Apple is building a major Siri refresh that will sync AI conversations across devices via iCloud, turning the assistant into a persistent, interconnected AI service inside Apple’s tightly‑controlled environment.

The redesign is said to be part of Apple’s broader iOS 27 and iOS 28 roadmap, positioning Siri to take on rivals such as Google Gemini and ChatGPT. Rather than remaining a simple voice tool, Siri is expected to evolve into a conversational AI assistant that can keep a unified chat history across iPhones, iPads, Macs and other Apple hardware.

Apple wants Siri to become the centre of its AI ecosystem

Bloomberg reports that Apple is internally testing a completely overhauled Siri interface that mirrors modern AI chatbot apps. The new experience is said to feature a dedicated chat‑style UI, persistent conversation history, and cloud sync powered by iCloud.

This would let users start an AI conversation on one Apple device and pick it up seamlessly on another. Apple is positioning this capability as a key differentiator for its AI strategy, leaning on the ecosystem advantage instead of competing solely on raw model performance.

The report also indicates that Siri is being woven more tightly into Apple’s software platforms in upcoming releases of iOS, iPadOS and macOS. Internally, Apple is already preparing iOS 28 features while work continues on iOS 27.

The AI‑focused Siri upgrade has reportedly encountered several delays over the past two years, partly because Apple has struggled to modernize Siri’s underlying architecture quickly enough. Gurman notes that other Apple AI projects, including AI‑powered AirPods and smart‑home devices, have also been slowed by the Siri redevelopment bottleneck.

At the same time, Apple is gearing up for a broader hardware push centered on AI experiences. Bloomberg says the company is developing smart glasses to compete with Meta’s Ray‑Ban smart glasses, with Siri expected to play a major role in those devices as well.

Why this matters

Apple has lagged behind rivals like Google, OpenAI and Microsoft in delivering consumer‑facing AI products. While competitors have aggressively embedded generative AI into search, productivity apps and smartphones, Siri has begun to feel outdated compared with newer AI assistants.

Apple’s approach appears to differ, however. Instead of launching a standalone chatbot platform, the company seems focused on deeply integrating AI into its hardware ecosystem and user workflows. This could make Siri more valuable for existing Apple users, especially if chat syncing works smoothly across devices. However, it also reinforces Apple’s famously closed ecosystem, where the best experiences are often limited to users fully invested in Apple hardware.

What happens next

Apple is expected to reveal more of its AI plans at upcoming WWDC events, though Bloomberg suggests the most ambitious Siri upgrades may not fully materialize until iOS 28. The company is also reportedly working on future AI‑powered hardware, including smart glasses, refreshed HomePods and updated Apple TV models that could rely heavily on the new Siri platform.

For now, Apple’s challenge is becoming clearer: the company no longer just needs to improve Siri—it must convince users that its AI offering is worth the wait after years of falling behind competitors that are already moving at full speed.

Apple’s smart‑home hardware lineup may finally receive a refresh after a period of relative quiet. A new report from Mark Gurman indicates that Apple is gearing up to launch updated versions of both the Apple TV set‑top box and the HomePod mini, with the roll‑out slated for later this fall.

The timing is significant because Apple’s home‑focused devices have largely stayed the same while competitors such as Amazon and Google have aggressively expanded their smart‑home ecosystems with AI‑driven assistants and connected gadgets. Apple now seems ready to reposition its home offerings around the next‑generation Siri and Apple Intelligence strategy.

Apple’s smart‑home push is finally moving again

According to Bloomberg, the new Apple TV hardware is essentially finished and nearly ready for shipment. Gurman notes that Apple originally intended to launch the refreshed device earlier, but delays tied to Siri and Apple Intelligence pushed the schedule further into 2026.

The upgraded Apple TV is not expected to feature dramatic external hardware changes, but internal improvements are said to be far more substantial. Apple is reportedly concentrating heavily on AI readiness, adding support for newer Siri capabilities and Apple Intelligence functions that the current Apple TV hardware cannot fully accommodate.

One of the key upgrades is expected to be a newer chip that replaces the aging A15 processor that currently powers the Apple TV 4K. Gurman points out that the existing model is beginning to feel slower compared with newer Apple hardware, making a refresh increasingly necessary.

The HomePod mini is also said to be receiving an update, although Apple appears to be taking a more conservative approach with the smaller smart speaker. Bloomberg reports that the primary change will involve adding support for Apple’s upgraded Siri and AI features via a newer wireless chip.

Apple’s broader smart‑home ambitions appear to extend beyond these two devices. Gurman says the company is still working on a delayed smart‑home hub that will include a display and facial‑recognition capabilities, along with deeper AI integration across Apple’s ecosystem.

The firm is also reportedly preparing AI‑powered smart glasses and future Siri upgrades designed to act more like modern conversational AI assistants rather than traditional voice‑command systems.

Why this matters

Apple’s smart‑home ecosystem has increasingly seemed stagnant compared with rivals. While Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant have evolved into broader AI‑driven platforms, Apple’s Siri and HomePod products have struggled to keep pace.

The new Apple TV and HomePod mini appear to represent Apple’s attempt to rebuild its smart‑home strategy around AI rather than merely issuing incremental hardware tweaks. For users already invested in Apple’s ecosystem, the upgrades could be important because many forthcoming Siri and Apple Intelligence features may depend on newer chips and updated hardware.

What happens next

Apple is expected to reveal more about its AI roadmap during WWDC and later software announcements tied to iOS 27 and iOS 28. If Bloomberg’s report proves accurate, the refreshed Apple TV and HomePod mini could launch sometime this fall alongside Apple’s broader AI‑focused software rollout.

The bigger challenge for Apple, however, may not simply be releasing new hardware. The company will need to convince users that Siri and Apple Intelligence are finally capable of competing in a smart‑home market that has already moved far ahead during Apple’s years of delay.

Apple’s upcoming Pro‑level iPhone may debut one of the most substantial camera overhauls the company has delivered in years. However, new analyst data cited by Forbes suggests the upgrade could also push manufacturing expenses up considerably, sparking fresh concerns about whether future iPhone prices might climb even higher.

The latest leak focuses on the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, which are expected to launch a variable‑aperture camera system. Supply‑chain analyst Ming‑Chi Kuo estimates that the new camera module could cost Apple roughly 50 % more than the hardware currently installed in its Pro devices.

While that figure may not seem dramatic at first glance, camera systems have become one of the costliest and most critical components in modern flagship phones.

**A camera upgrade Apple has been chasing for years**

Rumors about variable‑aperture technology have circulated for several iPhone generations, and recent reports indicate the feature has finally entered production for the iPhone 18 Pro line‑up. Unlike today’s Pro models, which rely on a fixed‑aperture lens, the new design would let the lens physically adjust the amount of light reaching the sensor. In practice, this translates to better exposure control, greater flexibility in low‑light situations, and potentially more natural background blur without depending entirely on software processing.

Apple has largely leaned on computational photography to boost image quality, but a variable aperture would represent a more traditional hardware improvement, similar to features already seen on some high‑end Android smartphones.

According to Kuo, the new lens assembly is significantly pricier than the seven‑element plastic lens system Apple currently uses. Chinese supplier Sunny Optical is expected to manufacture a large portion of the upgraded component.

**Why it matters**

The larger narrative may not be the camera itself, but what it could signal for future iPhone pricing. Apple has so far avoided major price hikes on its flagships despite rising memory costs, more advanced chips, and increasing production expenses. Yet reports indicate the iPhone 18 Pro series is stacking several costly upgrades at once – the new camera tech, next‑gen silicon, and added connectivity features.

This has fueled speculation that Apple might eventually have to pass some of those costs onto consumers.

Online reactions are already mixed. Some users view variable aperture as a genuine photography breakthrough, while others argue that most everyday users may never notice enough of a difference to justify a higher price tag.

**What’s next**

Apple is slated to unveil the iPhone 18 Pro lineup in late 2026, with some reports suggesting the devices could arrive alongside the company’s first foldable iPhone.

For now, it remains uncertain whether the higher camera costs will directly translate into retail price increases. Historically, Apple has absorbed component cost rises to keep pricing stable, especially in highly competitive markets.

Nevertheless, if the leaks prove accurate, the iPhone 18 Pro could become a litmus test for how much consumers are willing to pay for advanced camera hardware. Apple clearly believes superior photography remains a key driver for upgrades, but the question is whether buyers will feel the same when the improvements come with a heftier price tag.

Questionable referee decisions have become a recurring source of frustration for the NBA, especially during the playoffs when every possession is dissected online within seconds. The league now appears ready to lean heavily on artificial intelligence in an effort to lessen controversial calls and calm the growing fan anger over inconsistent officiating.

According to recent remarks from Adam Silver, the NBA is actively investigating how AI can enhance officiating, replay analysis, and in‑game decision‑making. The conversation comes as criticism of referees has intensified league‑wide, with social‑media clips and slow‑motion replays instantly exposing missed whistles to millions of viewers.

The NBA wants AI to assist officials rather than replace them

Speaking about the future of officiating, Silver suggested that AI could eventually help pinpoint incorrect calls in real time and support referees during games, rather than fully supplant human officials. The league sees artificial intelligence as a tool to boost consistency, cut human error, and deliver more accurate calls under pressure.

The NBA already relies heavily on technology through replay centers, player‑tracking systems, and advanced analytics. However, AI integration would push this further by potentially analyzing movement patterns, contact, positioning, and foul situations instantly during live play.

One of the league’s biggest concerns appears to be maintaining trust in officiating. Referee criticism has exploded in recent years as fans increasingly accuse officials of inconsistency, bias, or simply missing obvious calls during critical moments. The rise of sports betting has also intensified scrutiny around officiating decisions, since controversial calls can directly affect wagers alongside game outcomes.

Silver acknowledged that officiating remains one of the most difficult parts of professional basketball because referees must make split‑second decisions while tracking ten players moving at extreme speed. AI, according to the NBA’s thinking, could act as an additional layer of support capable of processing far more visual information simultaneously than a human crew.

At the same time, the league does not appear interested in removing referees entirely. Instead, AI would likely function more as an intelligent assistant integrated into replay systems, game reviews, and real‑time officiating support.

Why this matters

The NBA’s interest in AI reflects a much broader trend happening across professional sports. Leagues worldwide are increasingly experimenting with technology to reduce controversy and improve fairness.

Tennis already uses automated line‑calling systems, football leagues are heavily dependent on VAR, and baseball continues to expand automated strike‑zone testing. Basketball may now be heading toward its own AI‑assisted officiating era.

For fans, the appeal is obvious. Fewer missed calls could mean fewer games overshadowed by officiating controversies rather than actual basketball. However, the idea is also controversial. Many fans already complain that replay reviews slow games down too much. Introducing AI into officiating could create concerns around over‑analysis, delays, or removing the human element that has always existed in sports.

What happens next

The NBA is still in the early stages of exploring how AI could fit into officiating workflows, and there is currently no timeline for full implementation. Still, the league’s direction is becoming increasingly clear. As AI tools improve, the NBA appears determined to use technology more aggressively to protect the credibility of officiating and reduce fan frustration.

Whether AI can actually solve the referee problem is another question entirely. But for a league constantly battling viral outrage over bad calls, even partial improvements may be enough to justify the experiment.

Snapchat already contains a myriad of tiny icons that can be surprisingly tricky to interpret. From streaks and emojis to badges, scores, Best Friends, and—if you’re a Snapchat Plus subscriber—a miniature solar system indicating your rank in someone’s closest‑friends list.

What is the Friend Solar System?

The feature, officially named Friend Solar System but commonly referred to as Snapchat Planets, converts your standing in a friend’s Snapchat orbit into a planetary symbol. Ranging from Mercury to Neptune, each “planet” reflects how close you are to that person.

Snapchat Planets explained

When the Friend Solar System is turned on, Snapchat visualises a friend’s Best Friends list as a solar system, with that friend acting as the sun and you as one of the orbiting planets.

In plain language, the planet you see indicates your rank on that friend’s Best Friends list: Mercury means you’re their top Snapchat contact, Venus is second, Earth is third, and so forth.

To view it, open a user’s Friendship Profile and tap the Best Friends or Friends badge outlined with a gold ring. Snapchat will then display which planet you occupy in their system. Remember, the planet you see reflects your position in *their* system only; it doesn’t automatically mirror your own ranking of them.

Order and meaning of the planets

The lineup follows our real solar system, excluding Pluto. Mercury is the innermost, Neptune the outermost.

• Mercury
• Venus
• Earth
• Mars
• Jupiter
• Saturn
• Uranus
• Neptune

So, if you tap a badge and see Earth, you’re third in that friend’s Snapchat hierarchy. Spotting Neptune means you’re still within their top eight, just farther out.

Best Friends vs. Friends badges

Snapchat Planets can appear via two different badges: Best Friends and Friends. A Best Friends badge indicates mutual inclusion in each other’s closest‑friends circles. In contrast, a Friends badge shows you’re in their Solar System, but the relationship may not be reciprocated in the same way.

Either badge will reveal your planet as long as you have Snapchat Plus and the feature is active.

How to check your Snapchat Planet

1. Open Snapchat.
2. Navigate to a friend’s Friendship Profile.
3. Locate a Best Friends or Friends badge with a gold ring.
4. Tap the badge.
5. Snapchat will display the planet you occupy in that friend’s Solar System.

If no badge appears, it usually means you lack Snapchat Plus, the Friend Solar System isn’t enabled, or you’re not listed in that person’s visible ranking.

Activating Snapchat Planets

First, you need a Snapchat Plus subscription. Prices differ by region and plan; the most reliable way to see the current cost is within the Snapchat app or on Snapchat’s subscription page. Some regions also offer multiple Plus‑related plans.

After subscribing, you may still have to enable Friend Solar System manually:

1. Open Snapchat and go to your profile.
2. Tap your Snapchat Plus membership card or banner.
3. Enter the Snapchat Plus feature‑management screen.
4. Locate “Solar System” or “Friend Solar System”.
5. Switch it on.