Apple was the main hero of this week’s tech news; however, the tech industry is more than an annual iPhone release. Catch up on the top news stories in just 4 minutes.
From TVs that are watching us and AI that can dance and combat
An LG OLED smart TV captures audio from our phone’s microphone for targeted ads
On Monday, Gamers Nexus’ investigation shared its results about LG smart TVs sweeping local networks, mapping unrelated hardware (smartphones’ audio and when the screen is off), and gathering IP addresses and names of neighboring Wi-Fi networks. The data is then fed into LG Ad Solutions to display products we “need” to buy right now. LG didn’t comment on this, but the Gamers Nexus team recommends disconnecting the LG TV from the internet and using external streaming devices instead. More about the investigation here.
Homes are becoming smarter, and people are becoming lazier: New Kata Mini to control your smart home
SwitchBot presented its Kata Friends Noa and Niko companions last year, whose main function was to be cute. It talks, displays emotions, moves around, and learns from the owner’s behavior, so it may know when you are in a good mood or in a bad mood.
This year, these AI pets got their younger Mini version that looks like a keychain plushie but can control SwitchBot smart home products. It can turn lights on and off, open and close the shades, and that’s it. If you feel you need a companion to do that stuff, SwitchBot has a solution. Check out the video.
Existential risk to humanity: UN rights are calling for action
On Monday, UN rights chief Volker Turk discussed AI, warning that it is a real threat to humanity and calling on AI companies to give “cast-iron” guarantees for more secure AI “before it’s too late.”
While not mentioning directly what threats he is referring to, in his speech, he highlighted the “dangerous agent-training behaviors.” According to Turk, countries and companies developing AI should agree on “red lines” that AI must not cross. More about the speech on Reuters.
On top of this news, we had a new thread on X. The ex AI researcher at OpenAI, Jacob Coxon, who has just resigned from Anthropic, warned everyone that AI could kill all humans in the next decade.
This is the fourth warning about AI risks in three weeks. I think everyone remembers Skynet, or am I being too dramatic?
IFA 2026, the world’s largest tech event, wrapped up this week, and there were some cool things to discuss
Over 1900 brands made product announcements and demos, from innovative smart home gear to gadgets. The highlight of the event was AI in appliances, robots, computers, and gadgets.
From the most iconic products captured were Oukitel’s solar-charged laptop, 10 brand-new products from Dyson, BleeqUp’s UV-protective AI sports glasses with a three-level tilt camera, Ucloudlink’s Petpogo PetPhone, Miele’s AI-powered dishwasher, and many other crazy things. Check out more on the CNET overview.
Google is spending $15 billion to buy nuclear power from Finland
Alphabet’s Google is planning to invest €13 billion in AI infrastructure, which will become its first nuclear power contract outside the US. And this is so far the biggest deal in Europe. The 22-year purchase agreement includes 50% of the energy output from one of the Finnish nuclear plants.
This agreement grants Google access to large amounts of low-carbon energy for its data centers. This investment and the upcoming infrastructure development will support 7.000 jobs in Finland. Read more about the news here.
Apple event 2026: new devices and new iOS 27
This week’s most anticipated news was the Apple event where the new CEO, John Ternus, presented the new iPhone 18, AirPods 5, Apple Watch Series 12, and, icing on the cake, the iPhone Duo, a new foldable device. The price of the iPhone 18 Pro Max will be $100 higher than past years’ models (thanks to a global increase in RAM prices), and the foldable Duo starts at $1,999.
During the 80-minute event, John Ternus presented the new features of iOS 27 and Apple Intelligence and the expected changes in the new version.
By the way, during the event, Apple’s stock price went down. Surprise, surprise! Check the CNBC overview.
2026 as the year of foldable: New devices from Xiaomi and Huawei in line with Apple Duo
Can we already note that all brands already have their flagship foldables: Samsung, Motorola, Xiaomi, Huawei, Apple? These solutions are crazy. I can’t say much about how practical they are, but Huawei’s new Mate XT2 series, which doesn’t simply fold; it folds out twice, turning into a tablet, is huge. The price for the top version of the smartphone/tablet is $3,725, promising greater computing power for this not-so-affordable price.
As for Xiaomi, they announced their new 18 Fold, a passport-sized device that is lighter and slimmer than Apple’s. The top version price is $2,100. Read the full article on NBC News.
Chinese robots don’t dance anymore; they lead urban warfare, or they will in the future
Humanoids, robot dogs, and unmanned vehicles are continuously tested in different settings and scenarios to see the rules of engagement, the weapons they use, and how they handle combat situations. China’s booming robotics industry is giving the military plenty of technology to experiment with, although the robots still have some serious limits, including battery life and reliability. Apparently, robot soldiers are no longer just science fiction.
Read more about the news here.
Major data breach and 150 million driver’s licenses stolen
One of the biggest ID verification services, IDScan, reported a data breach that caused 150 million driver’s license numbers to be stolen. The information includes names, license numbers, passport or ID numbers, and photos. The dark web already gives access to this information.
The Pentagon announced that they were aware of the suspected breach and that the FBI is already investigating the case. In turn, IDScan notified affected users about the breach but didn’t comment on the incident. More on TechCrunch.
Elon Musk’s Boring Company just raised $3 billion to dig even more tunnels
The tunneling startup has raised $3 billion in a Series D round, pushing its valuation to $23 billion. The round was led by investors from the United Arab Emirates, which is already working with the company on the Dubai Loop project. The new funding will help The Boring Company expand its underground transportation projects in Dubai, Las Vegas, and Nashville, while growing its engineering and operations teams. The main philosophy and goal of the company is to move people underground to solve the world’s traffic problems. Apparently, when traffic gets bad enough, the only way forward is down. Here is an overview of the news.
