8 – Breaking News & Latest Updates 2026
Skip to main content

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.

Jennifer Pattison Tuohy
Jennifer Pattison Tuohy
Apple Intelligence in Apple Home will require the $10-a-month iCloud Plus plan.

As spotted by MacRumors, to get the new AI-powered camera features — text descriptions, searchable camera clips, and noteworthy clips — you’ll need Apple’s 2TB plan or higher.

HomeKit Secure Video has always required the base iCloud plan for recording, but now you may need to upgrade to get these smarter alerts. I’ve been testing them in the beta, and they’re a big improvement.

Stevie Bonifield
Stevie Bonifield
Bethesda’s union will hold a “Save Our Devs” march to protest Xbox layoffs.

Game Developer reports the OneBGS union is holding the rally in support of laid off developers on July 15th at ZeniMax offices in Rockville, Austin, Dallas, and Montreal, as the union announced in an email to members:

“Microsoft and ZeniMax leadership have made the devastating decision to slash over 440 positions across BGS, ZOS, id, ZWU(QA) and ZeniMax corporate (including CTO and CSUR). Because we organized and certified our unions, we have hard-won legal rights and protections that non-unionized studios simply do not have. The company wants us to accept this as a done deal and quietly disappear. We won’t let that happen. Our next steps are to mobilize. We need every single member visible and unified.”

I spent a week using the Trump phone — it sucks

3

Verge Score

The T1 is a marketing stunt, not a serious phone.

Dominic Preston
Emma Roth
Emma Roth
TikTok aims to catch more accounts posting AI spam.

The platform is testing improvements to its spam detection system to help identify accounts posting AI-generated spam related to politics, current events, financial advice, medical information, and other topics that could “pose a risk to public trust or well-being.”

TikTok is also joining the C2PA Steering Committee.

Jay Peters
Jay Peters
YouTube’s TV turn continues.

As YouTube starts to look more and more like TV, the company now lets Partner Program creators make playlists that function as “shows,” which offer a “polished TV experience for your series.” YouTube has been working on them for a while.

Emma Roth
Emma Roth
Patreon is working with Cloudflare to squash AI crawlers.

In a post on Instagram, Patreon CEO Jack Conte says the move will prevent AI crawlers from training on creators’ work. Last year, Cloudflare began blocking AI crawlers by default and recently announced plans to give publishers more granular control of the kinds of scrapers they allow in.

Andrew Liszewski
Andrew Liszewski
Watch 1X’s NEO robot try out a new pair of dexterous hands.

For a robot to effectively help with chores it needs to be able to interact with an environment designed for human hands. So 1X has developed a new pair of artificial hands for its $20,000 NEO Home Robot featuring 25 degrees of freedom in the fingers, palms, and thumbs allowing them to skillfully complete tasks like assembling Lego.

Jacob Kastrenakes
Jacob Kastrenakes
Today’s Vergecast: Time to believe the quantum computing hype?

Quantum computing hype is everywhere. Trump says we’ll have one by 2028, Microsoft by 2029. IBM is investing billions. Is it really happening? Science journalist Sophia Chen joins us to discuss her article, “What is a quantum computer good for? Absolutely nothing — yet,” and break down what’s real and what’s hype in the quantum computing race.

Emma Roth
Emma Roth
A Madison Square Garden database labeled “LGBTQIA” celebrities.

That’s according to a report from Wired, which viewed a leaked database from the surveillance-heavy New York City venue that tracked celebrities’ race, gender identity, and sexual orientation. The list also assigned some stars a low to high “risk” level, with some labeled as “DO NOT HOST.”

Andrew Liszewski
Andrew Liszewski
The Weather Channel’s retro experience is expanding to its mobile apps.

A few months ago The Weather Channel launched a website recreating the channel as it appeared during the heyday of cable TV in the ‘80s and ‘90s with simple graphics and a smooth jazz soundtrack. That same nostalgic experience is now available in The Weather Channel’s iOS and Android mobile apps.

1/2Image: The Weather Channel
Emma Roth
Emma Roth
Meta reportedly plans to start manufacturing its new AI chip in September.

The chip, codenamed “Iris,” will join the growing lineup of Meta Training and Inference Accelerators (MTIA), according to a report from Reuters. Meta previously announced plans to ship a new in-house chip every six months, helping to decrease its reliance on Nvidia and AMD.

Andrew Liszewski
Andrew Liszewski
Jsaux confirms it’s still making front screen accessories for Valve’s Steam Machine.

After first teasing them last November, months before the Steam Machine was released, Jsaux has shared updated designs for its screen-equipped front plates for the console. Pricing and availability haven’t been announced, but the accessory will come in three versions with E Ink, color E Ink, or dot matrix displays.

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

Three versions of Jsaux’s screen equipped front plates for Valve’s Steam Machine.
Image: Jsaux
Terrence O'Brien
Terrence O'Brien
Chrome for Android is getting an actual back button.

Until now, the Android version of Chrome has relied on the swipe gesture to go back a page. But Chrome 150 ditches the info button from the top-right menu and adds an actual back button in its place. The update is rolling out now through the Play Store.

Andrew Liszewski
Andrew Liszewski
Lego’s new 1,252-piece set lets you peek inside NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope

Lego included a replica of the telescope with its Space Shuttle Discovery set that launched in 2021, but this new 15-inch long Hubble replica is much larger and far more detailed. Inside you’ll find mirrors and gyroscopes, while outside are adjustable solar arrays and antennas. It launches on August 1st for $139.99.

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

1/5Image: Lego
Schlage’s Sense Pro unlocks the door so I don’t have to

8

Verge Score

The $399 smart lock ditches keys for ultra-wideband hands-free unlocking. It’s magical, but it’s Apple-only for now.

Jennifer Pattison Tuohy
Andrew Liszewski
Andrew Liszewski
Nvidia’s latest cards aren’t affected by the RAM crisis.

The company is celebrating the history of its GeForce graphics cards through a collection of new trading cards highlighting classic hardware, demos, and games. The GeForce Trading Cards: Series 1 packs will be given away for free at “upcoming live events” and as part of community giveaways.

Cameron Faulkner
Cameron Faulkner
Alienware’s 34-inch Penta Tandem QD-OLED is less expensive than I feared.

$799.99 is how much Alienware’s AW3426DW costs at Dell’s site. It’s the successor to its original 34-inch curved 1440p QD-OLED gaming monitor from 2022 that debuted at $1,299.99. The new model has a Penta Tandem QD-OLED panel to make text look sharper and less aliased, plus other improvements (but the same 110 pixels per inch).

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

Image: Dell
Comcast is breaking up with NBCU. Why did it ever buy it in the first place?
Play

Business Insider’s Peter Kafka on the Comcast split, and why the dream of content plus pipes keeps failing.

Nilay Patel
If you criticize ICE online, agents might just show up at your house

DHS is accusing people of ‘doxing’ federal agents — and, a new lawsuit claims, trying to chill dissenting speech.

Gaby Del Valle
Terrence O'Brien
Terrence O'Brien
Judge says it’s “for our citizenry to decide at the ballot box” if Musk’s SEC settlement is fair.

Judge Sparkle Sooknanan approved the $1.5 million pocket-change settlement with the Fed over his violation of disclosure rules in connection with the purchase of Twitter. She said she had limited authority:

“Whether the Executive Branch (through the SEC) has done enough to hold Mr. Musk ⁠to account for his alleged violation is, like many other issues, for our citizenry to decide at the ballot box.”

Stevie Bonifield
Stevie Bonifield
Adidas is releasing less than 200 pairs of its latest 3D printed shoe.

Adidas says the $250 BB.01 is the “world’s first 3D printed basketball shoe” and the first shoe it’s launching from its Project R.A.P. platform, following last year’s 3D-printed Climacool. Getting them will be tough — only 169 pairs will be available in a limited drop starting July 10th.

The Adidas BB.01 sneaker in front of a blue and white background
Image: Adidas
Terrence O'Brien
Terrence O'Brien
Sonos laid off some of its veteran product and design executives.

Once a cutting-edge audio brand, Sonos has lost a lot of its luster. Last month, the company cut three percent of its staff, which we now know included several veteran execs.

The cuts include Dana Krieger, a vice president of design who worked as Sonos for 12 years, according to people with knowledge of the matter. Also leaving are Kate Wojogbe, a top user experience executive who was with the company for nearly 10 years, and Scott Fink, a 15-year veteran who helped spearhead the company’s home theater work…

Jay Peters
Jay Peters
Could this X feature actually be useful?

According to Elon Musk, the platform will be releasing a new feature for Community Notes that sends you a DM if “a post you interacted with is corrected.” I can see the potential utility, though you’re putting trust in the Community Note actually being correct. It’s also unclear when this may launch.