15 – Breaking News & Latest Updates 2026
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Tech

The latest tech news about the world’s best (and sometimes worst) hardware, apps, and much more. From top companies like Google and Apple to tiny startups vying for your attention, Verge Tech has the latest in what matters in technology daily.

Jay Peters
Jay Peters
I think Google is taking a couple digs at OpenAI about Sora.

OpenAI gave up on Sora last week, but in a post about Google’s new “cost efficient” Veo 3.1 Lite AI video model, DeepMind staffer Logan Kilpatrick says that “video’s here to stay.” And in a blog post about the model, the authors discuss Google’s “commitment to making video generation more available to developers.”

Emma Roth
Emma Roth
Nothing might be the next company to get into AI glasses.

Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman says Nothing plans on launching AI smart glasses during the first half of 2027. The upcoming glasses will reportedly come with built-in cameras, microphones, and speakers, while offloading AI processing to a user’s smartphone and the cloud.

Richard Lawler
Richard Lawler
OpenAI’s big numbers: $122 billion funding round, 900 million weekly ChatGPT users.

OpenAI’s latest round of private investment has closed, with participation from Amazon, Nvidia, Softbank, and Microsoft, as well as $3 billion from individual investors, as it prepares for a potential IPO. This comes after it announced the end of its video generator Sora, and the announcement says it will focus on building a “unified superapp” with ChatGPT, Codex, browsing, and other agents all built in.

OpenAI:

ChatGPT has 6x the monthly web visits and mobile sessions than the next largest AI app, while total AI time spent is 4x the next largest AI app and 4x all others combined. Search usage has nearly tripled in a year, and our ads pilot reached more than $100 million in ARR in under six weeks.

Richard Lawler
Richard Lawler
Paul McCartney’s mysterious Reddit ban.

The musician’s account disappeared after posting pictures from his no-phones-allowed concert to r/PaulMcCartney, spurring media reports that mods had banned him. However, as 404Media points out, the subreddit’s mods say it wasn’t them, and a site admin commented with an attempt at an explanation:

Hey all! Just for clarity, that account was never banned from the site (or the subreddit) there was a technical error that made it appear to be banned from the site. This has now been resolved. Sorry for any confusion this caused or issue for the mod team here!

Emma Roth
Emma Roth
You can buy certified refurbished Pixels on Amazon now.

In addition to bringing the refurbished Pixel 8A to its online store, Google also announced that it’s listing its entire used phone lineup on Amazon, which includes the Pixel 8, Pixel 8 Pro, Pixel 7A, Pixel 7, and Pixel 7 Pro.

If you buy something from a Verge link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics statement.

Andrew Liszewski
Andrew Liszewski
Nomad now offers a Google version of its ultra-thin tracking card.

The original version of the $29 Tracking Card Air was only compatible with Apple’s Find My network. The new version instead supports Google Find Hub for the same price. It’s also still just 1.7mm thick with up to 7 months of battery life that can be extended by dropping the card onto a wireless charger.

Correction, March 31st: An earlier version of this article misstated the battery life of the card. It’s 7 months, not 7 hours.

If you buy something from a Verge link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics statement.

The Nomad Tracking Card Air sitting on a leather wallet next to an Android phone.
The Tracking Card Air is about as thin as two stacked credit cards.
Image: Nomad
Jay Peters
Jay Peters
Android 17 will let you share one-time location data with apps.

If you choose the option, you’ll be able to share your precise location until you close an app, which might be a good choice if you just need to give your location to an app to quickly check one thing.

Android 17 will also add a persistent indicator that tells you when a “non-system app” accesses your location.

A screenshot of Android 17’s one-time location sharing feature.
Image: Google
Jay Peters
Jay Peters
With iOS 27, Siri might be able to handle multiple requests in one prompt.

Apple is currently testing the feature, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. I hope it makes the cut; I think I’d use it way more than any of Siri’s long-delayed features we’re still waiting on.

Sean Hollister
Sean Hollister
When will the game developer mass layoffs end?

This time it’s at Polyarc, creator of PSVR, Meta Quest, and SteamVR darling Moss (and its sequels). Polyarc will “significantly reduce the size of the company.” We called Moss one of “the 14 best games to download for your new VR gaming headset” back in 2019.

Emma Roth
Emma Roth
Oracle is reportedly laying off thousands of workers.

The cloud giant has started notifying workers of the cuts, which are in the “thousands,” sources tell CNBC. Oracle reported employing 162,000 people as of May 2025, and has plans to raise between $45 and $50 billion this year for its AI infrastructure buildout.

Emma Roth
Emma Roth
A hacker hijacked a popular coding tool to deliver malware.

A hacker took over an account belonging to the lead maintainer of the JavaScript library, Axios, which is used to handle HTTP requests, as reported by Cybernews. Security researchers found that versions 1.14.1 and 0.30.4 contained the script for a remote access trojan capable of giving hackers access to a user’s Windows, macOS, or Linux device.

If you buy something from a Verge link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics statement.

Art schools are being torn apart by AI

Institutions are teaching creatives to utilize AI, even if some students and faculty hate the technology.

Jess Weatherbed
Andrew Webster
Andrew Webster
Some fear to start your day.

Apple TV has a big lineup of new series this year, and one of the more notable is Cape Fear, inspired by Martin Scorsese’s ‘90s film of the same name (which was itself a remake). If nothing else, the cast looks great, and you can check out the first teaser below.

The AirPods Max 2 are a great sequel, but not an ambitious one

8

Verge Score

Apple’s over-ear headphones get better sound and new features, but they’re still heavy and expensive.

John Higgins
Jess Weatherbed
Jess Weatherbed
Disney’s new Olaf robot had a meltdown.

It didn’t take long for the latest Disney Imagineering innovation to freeze up (hah) and fall backwards in front of a small crowd of children at Disneyland Paris. Even his magnetically attached carrot nose decided to “Let It Go.”

Between Jobs

With Steve Jobs in exile, Apple’s ‘90s featured some of its most lasting triumphs and weirdest failures.

Jason Snell
Thomas Ricker
Thomas Ricker
Delta signs with Amazon, not Starlink.

Now we know why Delta Airlines has been holding fast to its sluggish in-flight connectivity providers while seemingly everyone else has jumped into Elon Musk’s lap: it was holding out for Amazon Leo. Amazon’s still busy building out its satellite constellation so we’re talking 2028 before Delta can start offering the service on about 500 domestic aircraft.

Apple at 50: a visual history

Bondi Blue iMacs, block-long iPhone lines, and other moments from the company’s first 50 years.

Amelia Holowaty Krales and T.C. Sottek