It will come as no surprise that Apple is expected to be continuing its trend of releasing a Pro version of the latest iPhone. In 2024, that means we can expect an iPhone 16 Pro – and the rumor mill already has an idea of what and when to expect it.

When is the iPhone 16 Pro release date?

Forbes reports that we can expect to see the iPhone 16 Pro in the fall. Judging from the years that have come before, Apple tends to host its iPhone announcement events on one of the first Tuesdays of September. That means we can probably expect it on September 3 or September 10, in keeping with previous years.

Although that is still a few months away, there’s already a fair amount of rumors flying about what to expect from the iPhone 16 Pro, both in terms of aesthetic design and the specs beneath the casing.

iPhone 16 Pro design rumors

Multiple sources on MacRumors report that a key change between the iPhone 16 and the Pro (as well as the Max) will be the size. This will be the first significant size update that iPhones have had for several years, jumping from the iPhone 16’s 6.1 inches to 6.3 inches for the Pro. The Pro Max is believed to measure 6.9 inches, up from 6.7 inches on the iPhone 16 Max.

While the volume buttons will remain the same between the 16 and 16 Pro, Apple will reportedly add a whole new button, known currently as the Capture Button. This echoes existing designs from Samsung, Pixel, and other major smartphones. Found on the side of the iPhone next to the Power button, the Capture button will be mechanical but still respond to pressure and touch. That means it will enable users to zoom in and out by swiping on the button, adjust focus in a photo with a light touch, and activate the camera or start recording with a firm push.

Its position next to the Power button means that the 5G mmWave antenna for American users will have to move to the left side of the device, below the volume buttons.

Other than that, the Pro versions will follow the same design principles as the base versions. Apple has been leaning into the titanium frames they’re known for since the release of the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max and don’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon.

In fact, the company is making sure everyone knows what metal is in the handset with the rumoured colours that the iPhone 16 Pro will come in: Natural Titanium, White Titanium, Blue Titanium and Black Titanium.

iPhone 16 Pro spec rumors

Of course, what most Apple fans want to know is exactly what will be new in terms of functionality. Will it be worth the predictable price jump?

What is reported so far is that Apple is designing new A-series chips for the iPhone 16 Pro models, built on the latest N3E 3-nanometer node. That means the upgraded handset should offer improvements for both efficiency and performance, although there aren’t many practical details on what this could mean.

There are also whispers of Apple laying the groundwork for improved AI capabilities. With both the A18 chip and the next-generation M4 chip for Mac, the iPhone 16 Pro could be coming out at the forefront of smartphone AI capabilities.

What’s more, reliable Apple leaker Kosutami shared a look at the metal shell of what’s believed to be the iPhone 16 Pro, revealing that Apple could be shifting towards a frosted interior casing, rather than its usual glossy finish. While this casing change wouldn’t be for aesthetic purposes, being hidden by the exterior for all intents and purposes, it does mean that Apple could be putting more effort into thermal management, reducing the chance of overheating handsets.

This comes just a few weeks after Kosutami also reported that “Apple is actively working on graphene thermal system of iPhone 16 Series to solve the heating problem existing before”. If the leaker is to be believed, Apple appears to be heavily focusing on managing issues with overheating.

In addition, Kosutami reports a battery capacity of 3,355mAh. While this is only a slight improvement on the iPhone 15 Pro, this could represent as much as a 25% difference in battery life. That’s a pretty sizable difference for anyone who finds their iPhone seems to die not long after leaving the house

In previous years, camera upgrades have also represented a substantial change from base to Pro versions of iPhones. Many consumers are motivated to buy due to cosmetic changes and perceive improvements in photography, so we can likely expect some sort of new features or performance in the camera as well. However, it’s possible that box has already been ticked by the Capture button.

iPhone 16 Pro price rumors

The best measure of how much we can expect the iPhone 16 Pro to cost is comparing iPhone 15 and 15 Pro prices. Upon release, there was a $200 price increase for the Pro handset. By that marker, we can likely expect the iPhone 16 Pro to sit between $999 and $1,099 for 128GB and between $1,099 and $1,199 for 256 GB.

Featured image: Unsplash

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Artificial intelligence (AI) can help us do a lot nowadays, from brainstorming ideas or rewriting emails to creating whole artworks. One area that many people are finetuning more and more is AI character generation.

What is an AI character generator?

Just like any generative AI, an AI character generator uses prompts and machine learning to create a fresh image. Most apps use text-based prompts, taking information from the user and generating an image using that information.

Some generative AI tools will also use image-based prompts, where users upload several variations of what they want and the AI tool will combine them into a new image. This can be especially helpful to generate a stylized version of yourself, as you can add photos and ask for them to be remade in a pixel, graphic, or virtually any other style.

Best AI character generators

While all generative AI tools operate on the same principles, not all apps use the same AI algorithms. That means using different tools can result in different results, so it’s important to pick the right tool that fits your needs and preferences.

PhotoDirector

PhotoDirector’s main selling point is how easy it is to use. Available on both iOS and Android, it can turn photos of yourself into a wide range of diverse style, ranging from photorealistic to exaggerated graphic looks. You can also specify your gender expression to have results that match your identity.

Once an initial image is generated, it’s also easy to switch out details like hair color, style, and accessories to finetune the image as you please. 

FacePlay

FacePlay is a more artistic app, turning photos into artistic images from throughout time. From classical paintings to colourful anime or superhero portraits, any image can be transformed using the in-app tools.

The app also has a video function, which is more of a rarity in these sorts of apps. You can turn videos into cartoons, ready to share via messaging or on social media.

Dawn AI

While the first two options on this list work largely from image prompts, Dawn AI offers functionality for both text-to-image and image-to-image prompts. That means you don’t even need to have an original image to transform; you can simply write what you want to see and let the generative AI tool do the work.

There is also a range of AI styles to choose from, if you’re stuck for inspiration – as well as a library of prompts that’s expanding all the time. As well as being adept at creating characters, Dawn AI can also generate scenery, animals, and buildings.

Picsart

Standing out from the crowd of solo AI avatar tools, Picsart can generate fresh styles for couple or group pictures. While this applies to humans, there are plenty of examples of cartoon-style pet pictures with their owners, making it possibly the most adorable use of an AI tool yet.

With more than one million AI images generated every day, Picsart has one of the largest user bases on this list.

starryai

With starryai, the focus is on creativity and artistic expression, with the option to generate character avatars from images, text, and even emoji prompts. Unlimited prompts will cost you but you can try out a limited number of AI features and up to five characters on the free-to-use plan initially.

If you upgrade, more options to tweak AI images means that perfecting the avatar quickly becomes easier.

Fotor

Known for its photo-editing software, Fotor also has a generative AI app that’s ideal for character avatars. The text-to-image software has impressive accuracy, meaning you can rely on it to understand your initial prompt and learn fast when you correct it.

The built-in photo editing tools mean you can easily remove the background to create a quick PNG or edit other images to create collages, blended artworks, and more.

Artbreeder

Artbreeder prides itself on its collaborative tools. While it’s a web-based AI character generator rather than a mobile app, it has some of the best mixing and combining tools of any generative AI software. That means you can mix and match facial features, hairstyles, and clothing to create wholly new characters.

Character Generator

Character Generator does what it says on the tin – and it does it well. Developed by Adobe, this app’s USP is the ability to create 3D characters, ideal for use in games, movies, and other media. The emphasis is on photorealistic characters, complete with realistic facial expressions and clothing. There is also a wide variety of different body types, skin tones, and clothing styles, to finetune your avatars as closely as you can.

Lensa AI

Lensa AI is targeted towards influencers and promises to deliver a different result for everyone. It also offers guidance on the prompts you put in to help you get the results you’re looking for.

Once generated, you can touch up your images, add accessories or colors, remove objects, and make various other edits. It’s worth noting that the app does use your photos to train its AI, although it won’t save a record of them or share them with anyone else.

Featured image: Ideogram

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The billion-dollar industry that is Formula 1 often exhibits some of the latest developments in tech, but one aspect of the Williams team is behind the times.

Williams Racing welcomed a new team principal in January 2023 in the form of James Vowles, formerly the motorsport strategy director at Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team under Toto Wolff. Vowles is now heading into his second season as team principal in 2024 and has been vocal about making changes at the Formula 1 team, which finished seventh out of ten teams in the Constructors Championship in 2023.

Building a Formula 1 car one Excel sheet at a time

One area in particular was “a joke” according to Vowles, speaking to The Race in a recent interview. The team was managing more than 20,000 car parts using an Excel spreadsheet, a system that Vowles described as “impossible to navigate and impossible to update”.

“When you start tracking now hundreds of thousands of components through your organization moving around, an Excel spreadsheet is useless,” Vowles continued. “Once you start putting that level of complexity in which is where modern Formula 1 is, the Excel spreadsheet falls over, and humans fall over. And that’s exactly where we are.

“There is more structure and system in our processes now. But they are nowhere near good enough. Nowhere near.”

Vowles relayed how he saw Williams engineers physically looking around the factory for certain parts, rather than being able to quickly search for the data and location of necessary pieces of kit. Coming from the efficiency and regulated world of Mercedes, it’s easy to see why organization was one of the first areas that Vowles vowed to update.

The Excel spreadsheet has since been transferred to a digital system but it reportedly caused a lot of upheaval for the team in 2023, happening at the same time as the car’s “technology base” was also updated. Vowles hopes that the new systems in place for 2024 will set the team up for smarter working.

If you want to try out your own skills at managing a Formula 1 team, read all about F1 Manager 2024 and when it’s on the way.

Featured image: Williams Racing

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The Department of Justice has filed a landmark lawsuit against Apple, accusing the tech company of monopolizing the smartphone market and “throttling competition”.

The US Department of Justice (DoJ) filed the lawsuit on March 21 in New Jersey, alleging that the tech giant used its control of the iPhone to limit competitors and consumer options. This is illegal in the United States and has, according to the lawsuit, resulted in blocking the growth of new apps and smartphones on the market.

Specifically, the lawsuit states that Apple used “a series of shapeshifting rules” in a bid to “thwart innovation” and “throttle” competitors. Some of the steps taken by the company allegedly include blocking competitor apps, suppressing mobile cloud streaming services, limiting third-party digital wallets, and “diminishing the functionality” of non-Apple smartwatches.

In a public statement, Attorney General Merrick Garland said the company “undermines apps, products, and services that would otherwise make users less reliant on the iPhone… and lower costs for consumers and developers”. He added that Apple had “maintained its monopoly, not simply by staying ahead of the competition on the merits, but by violating federal antitrust laws”.

“Apple creates barriers that make it extremely difficult and expensive for both users and developers to venture outside the Apple ecosystem,” Mr Garland added.

How has Apple responded to the lawsuit filing?

Apple has stated it will fight the lawsuit and denies the claims outright. A spokesman for the company, Fred Sainz, told US media that the lawsuit was “wrong on the facts and the law” and that Apple would “vigorously defend against it”, as reported by the BBC.

“The lawsuit threatens who we are and the principles that set Apple products apart in fiercely competitive markets,” Mr Sainz said. “If successful, it would hinder our ability to create the kind of technology people expect from Apple.”

This marks the third time Apple has been sued by the justice department since 2009 and comes after Apple recently faced a $2 billion lawsuit in the UK and a $539 million fine in the EU following an antitrust probe.

Featured image: Ideogram

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Some users have claimed to see YouTube TV’s Multiview feature on iOS devices, suggesting it could soon roll out officially to iPhones and iPads.

The Multiview option is already available on smart TVs and some TV stick options, offering a dynamic immersive way to watch multiple videos at once. It’s predominantly geared towards sports fans, with the option to watch multiple games at once during the high season.

On the YouTube TV subreddit, some users reported that they could already see the Multiview feature on their smartphones. Indeed, one person even shared a video of themselves playing four different basketball games at once via ESPN’s streaming.

YouTube’s Multiview functionality remains unclear

According to a comment from a company representative on Reddit, this is not an official limited rollout. The official comment told users that the feature is coming in a path that will be available for iOS users simultaneously.

Seemingly, the function can be accessed via the app’s Home tab but only for select games and users at the moment. It doesn’t appear to have all of the same features as the smart TV version, without the ability to show sports scores alongside a stream, as one example.

In order to access the Multiview function, you’ll need to have YouTube version 8.11 installed. There’s no official word on when the feature will formally roll out, so keep checking your app to see if you might be able to access it already.

While at the moment it appears to be limited to iOS, an Android version is reportedly in the works within “the coming months”, according to the same representative on Reddit. One user writing in the comments claims to have received a notification after opening the YouTube app on their Android informing them of Multiview, only for the feature not to be there when they clicked on to the app.

Other upcoming features include possible picture-in-picture options in Europe and more advanced labeling for realistic AI content.

Featured image: YouTube

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Epic Games has revealed more details about its plans to launch its own Epic Games Store app marketplace.

After finally announcing that it would bring the Epic Games Store back to iOS in Europe after a long battle, Epic Games has now shared more details about its plans to launch its own app marketplace for iPhones in the EU. The company has stated that it will take a 12% cut of all sales, a far smaller cut than Apple and Google’s respective takings of up to 30% on the App Store and Play Store.

This comes after Apple has been forced to relinquish its anti-steering rules in the US following a long legal battle with Epic Games. Nonetheless, Apple said it would still charge a commission on purchases made through alternative payment platforms, taking 12% for developers who are members of the App Store Small Business Program and 27% for everyone else.

In a new brief published today, Meta, Microsoft, X, and Match Group have now jointly added their voices to Epic Games’ long-standing criticisms of Apple.

Epic Games Store plans for Europe

Speaking at the Game Developers Conference (GDC) on March 20, as reported by 9To5Mac, Epic Games revealed that it plans to launch the Epic Games Store for both iPhone and Android in the EU by the end of the year. The terms for developers will remain the same between the US and the EU, with a 12% commission on all sales through the Epic Games Store and a 100% revenue share for the developer for the first six months.

As well as third-party partners, the app marketplace will feature Epic’s own made-for-purpose content, including its most popular title, Fortnite.

“The Epic Games Store has an 88/12 revenue split for developers who distribute paid-for apps on PC and Mac and that will continue on mobile platforms,” explained an Epic Games spokesperson. “Developers do not pay Epic anything to distribute free apps. If developers offer in-app purchases, they can choose to either use our payment processing system with the 88/12 revenue share or use a third-party payment processor and keep 100% of that revenue, just like they do today.”

Featured image: Epic Games

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Solana has surpassed Ethereum to get to the number one smart-contract blockchain as ranked by trading volume.

According to data from DeFiLlama, reported by Fortune on March 21, the volume of tokens trading on Solana-based decentralized exchanges (DEXs) climbed by 67% to reach $21.3 billion over seven days. In comparison, volume on Ethereum-based equivalent exchanges rose by just 3% to just $19.4 billion, leaving a $1.9 billion.

The number of daily active addresses on Solana has also risen dramatically, climbing from 400,000 to 600,000 between January and February and hitting roughly 1.25 million on Tuesday.

Solana and meme-based surges

The recent surge is believed to be connected to early frenzies around SOL-based meme coins dogwifwhat (WIF), bonk (BONK), book of meme (BOME), MAGA (TRUMP), and slerf (SLERF). On March 13, 2,300 Solana meme coins were minted in just one hour, while stablecoins on Solana reached a multiyear high of $2.80 billion.

The trend of presales, where tokens are sold before officially launching, has likely been a huge help to Solana as well. This means that buyers are parting ways with their funds in exchange for a set number of tokens later on, once the official launch has taken place. Fortune estimates that over $100 million worth of tokens were sent as part of various memecoin presales over the weekend, mainly on the Solana blockchain. As a result, those presales have enabled the platform to supplant Ethereum in terms of trading volume.

This isn’t the first time that Solana has experienced a meme-based surge. Its price neared $100 at the end of last year following a frenzy of meme coin activity. At the time, trading volumes and network fees surpassed Ethereum for the first time, paving the way for Solana to take its place as the top smart-contract blockchain by trading volume today.

It’s not all been wins for Solana, however. Just a few days before, Slerf’s creator accidentally destroyed more than $10 million of tokens before the launch even took place. Nonetheless, it didn’t stop Slerf from shooting to a market capitalization of $500 million within just a few hours, before falling again.

Featured image: Ideogram

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The first patient to receive a brain chip from Elon Musk’s Neuralink has put it to the test in an online chess game.

Elon Musk announced in January of this year that the first patient had received their brain chip from his company, Neuralink. Although the patient wasn’t first identified, he has now been named as 29-year-old Noland Arbaugh.

After later updating that Arbaugh had made a good recovery and could already use the chip to move a computer mouse, a video has now been released by Neuralink proving this. The nine-minute clip shows Arbaugh moving a computer mouse across a screen using only his thoughts, enabling him to play chess and turn off the laptop’s music.

https://t.co/OMIeGGjYtG

— Neuralink (@neuralink) March 20, 2024

Arbaugh himself is paralyzed below the shoulders following a diving accident. The goal of the chip is to allow users with disabilities to use technology to communicate using only their thoughts.

“Imagine if Stephen Hawking could communicate faster than a speed typist or auctioneer,” explained Musk during the launch. “That is the goal.”

How does the Neuralink chip work?

In the video, Arbaugh talks about the process of having the chip implanted, describing the surgery as “super easy” in the short clip shared on X.

“I literally was released from the hospital a day later. I have no cognitive impairments,” he continued.

When showing what he’s able to do using the chip, Arbaugh emphasized the impact it’s had on his life, saying: “I love playing chess and this is just one of the things that y’all have enabled me to do.”

Arbaugh also shared some of the process of getting to this point, implying that he has worked with Neuralink to differentiate between what he refers to as imagined movements and attempted movements. While Arbaugh automatically started off trying to use attempted movements, over time it became instinctive to use imagined movements, which is how the chip works. He likened the action to using the Force from Star Wars on the cursor. You can try out a version of the process for yourself on Neuralink’s website.

Featured image: Neuralink

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It’s no secret that cookies track everything we do online but, from the end of 2023, it became easier to see just how far your data travels.

In November 2023, IAB Europe (a non-profit association that represents undertakings in the digital advertising and marketing sector in Europe) updated its Transparency and Consent Framework (TCF) to include the provision that website pop-ups should show how many partners’ data is shared on their first page. This minor change went unnoticed by many, although you might have spotted that more websites also now offer a ‘reject all’ option on cookie pop-ups that appear when you enter a website.

The consequence of this change is that it got a lot easier to see where websites are sharing user data. In a report published on March 20, WIRED has undertaken an analysis of the top 10,000 most popular websites, learning that data is being shared with more than 1,000 companies. Many websites have hundreds of partnerships with external firms.

The site with the most partners is quiz and puzzle website JetPunk, with 1,809 companies it could share personal information with, such as browsing behavior or identifying information. Other websites topping the list include publisher Dotdash Meredith (the company behind investopedia.com, people.com, and allrecipes.com), news sites The Daily Mail, Reuters, ESPN, and BuzzFeed, internet speed monitoring firm Speedtest.net, and online medical publisher WebMD.

It’s worth noting that these websites are likely not actively sharing data directly. Many use a third-party tracker and the tracker company then shares the data it collects with other customers.

How to protect your data online

The data shared with these partners might not seem like a big deal, but if you do want to better protect yourself online, it’s wise to read the pop-ups you’re automatically clicking away. Most websites will offer a ‘reject all’ option or the ability to specify what data is shared.

Using privacy-focused browsers like Firefox and Duck Duck Go, plug-ins to boost your data protection, and browsing in incognito mode can help you to protect how far your data travels. For businesses, this data protection checklist can help you safeguard both corporate and consumer information.

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The PlayStation 5 has been out since 2020, meaning it’s been a fairly long while since Sony gamers have had anything truly new to try. There have been cosmetic and slightly varied iterations since then, but what people are really waiting for is the PlayStation 6.

It’s worth noting that actual details are low on the ground for the PS6, but there are some speculated ideas and estimated facts that can be shared for now. It could all change when we get a full reveal from Sony but, for now, here’s what we know about the unconfirmed console.

When will the PS6 be released?

Sony has been reliable in releasing a new console every few years. While there hasn’t been direct confirmation that the PlayStation 6 is coming, it would be a massive surprise for Sony to simply walk away from its major console – and the rumor mill has been churning out indications that there is indeed a PlayStation 6 on the way.

The main question is when. Sony has a pretty regular release schedule for releasing new PlayStation iterations ever since the release of the PlayStation 3. Releases tend to come later on in the year at Sony so, whatever year the PS6 shows its face, it will likely be the last few months of the calendar. A Sony executive confirmed that the company prefers to stick to tried-and-tested schedules while speaking to Lifewire. So far, that’s something to go on at least.

Generally speaking, the cycle for a new console is between seven and ten years. However, this has sped up in recent years, with Sony already planning ahead and securing the trademarks for new versions up until the PlayStation 10 – another indication that a PS6 should be on its way.

Looking at recent releases like the PS4 and PS5, it took both of them five years after development to see the light of day. If we take the same rough timeline and apply it to the PS6, we could work out a potential release date. 

This can be done thanks to a 2021 job listing that seemed to suggest Sony was looking for a team to head up the development of the PS6, thanks to the line “contributing to identifying and developing the technology portfolio of future PlayStation platform”. After doing the maths, that would suggest a release date in the latter half of 2026. This would put it roughly six years after the release of the PS5 in November 2020. Realistically, we’ll likely see the release of the PlayStation 5 Pro before the PS6.

How much will the PlayStation 6 cost?

Once again, we can only really look back at Sony’s history to get an idea of how much the PlayStation 6 could cost. The PS5 launched at $399 in 2020, while its Slim version came in at an eye-watering $499.99 in 2023. With Sony increasing the price by $100 for an updated version with three years between the releases, another three years until the predicted release of the PS6 in 2026 could see another $100 price hike,

It’s entirely possible that the PlayStation 6 could cost as much as $600 for its base version, especially considering that we don’t yet know what new features could be included in the console.

What’s new with the PlayStation 6?

Speaking of new features, there are some rumored details about what to expect, all of which are as yet unconfirmed. There are always new specs put in and out of development and the PS6 could easily change a lot from what Sony has right now to what we see upon its release.

To start off, although all modern PlayStations naturally have wireless connections via Bluetooth and WiFi, it’s believed that the PS6 could come with its own built-in wireless. This would allow it to charge accessories like your phone, VR headsets, headphones, controllers, and so on.

It’s no secret that VR is increasingly becoming the future of gaming, so some sort of VR integration is a must for the PlayStation at some point – so why not for the PS6. At the moment, gamers rely on external headsets and consoles but this could be a prime opportunity for Sony to combine motion controllers and headsets into the console box. If so, this could result in an even bigger price hike than we speculated about above.

In terms of looks, we’d also expect a UI and console update. Considering, the PlayStation 6 will need to endure for at least half a decade (until we get the PS7), we should get a new and improved UI that can stand the test of time, as well as the expected PlayStation Store update that tends to happen with the release of a new console.

Elsewhere in aesthetics, we’ve already seen Sony experiment with slimming down the PS5 with its Slim version, with rumours of beefing up again for the PlayStation 5 Pro. Trends in hardware highlight that many consumers want a more lightweight alternative. After all, a large case isn’t needed for large amounts of storage or power anymore, so it’s likely that Sony will follow the trending preference if it can.

There is also some speculation that Sony could continue the digital-only journey that began with the PS5 Slim Digital, a version of the console that doesn’t have disc compatibility. That means you no longer need to own physical copies of a game but will have all your games stored virtually.

This is a cause for both excitement and concern, depending on where you stand on the physical media debate. What is worth noting is that relying on digital libraries only works when providers maintain those games. If you want to rely on a back library of old games from previous consoles, it’s possible that companies like Sony will eventually delete or remove compatibility. After all, the company doesn’t have a loving relationship with physical media. If you have the actual disc, you can still access the content on other consoles – but no joy if it’s digital only.

Tom’s Guide has also speculated that we could see new game series hubs, a more and more common call from fans. : Playing a series in order is an unnecessary headache. Many gamers want Sony to make it easier for players to buy a full series of games from the same franchise – or at least provide a way to see similar games in a cohesive list, in the era of remakes that we’re living in at the moment.

In a world increasingly driven by AI, there are also rumours that we could see greater AI integration. That means the possibility of AI-enhanced NPCs and gaming scripts that can literally adapt to your choices in ways that gaming companies have only just started experimenting with. The capabilities of what consoles can support will illuminate what games can include moving forward.

Featured image: Unsplash

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Fans are slamming Star Wars: Battlefront Classic Collection on the very first day of its launch because of bugs, glitches, and server issues on multiplayer.

Following its launch on March 14, Star Wars: Battlefront Classic Collection faces negative responses from players, thanks to numerous bugs and evidence of a severe lack of preparation for its online multiplayer services. Available to play on Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation, and Xbox, the game includes both the original Star Wars: Battlefront and its sequel, Star Wars: Battlefront 2, from 2004 and 2005, respectively, as well as all bonus content released for each. The combined efforts of two popular classics drew much attention– and quickly turned to criticism.

Players are reporting numerous bugs across all platforms, prompting many to seek refunds, reports Eurogamer on March 14. Limited servers have also posed issues to many players, once again across multiple platforms.

Server issues impacted Star Wars Battlefront gameplay from the off

Early reports from users indicated that there were only three servers for Battlefront 2 on PC, each able to support 64 players, meaning a total of 192 players could join at one time. Given that Steam reported 9,232 players at a given moment, joining the dots suggests that hundreds, if not thousands, of players could not join servers.

Players on other platforms reported similar issues of being unable to join multiplayer matches or create their own servers.

Other bugs outside the server included the game crashing entirely or missing cutscenes. After less than one day on Steam, the reviews as of March 14 are deemed ‘Mostly Negative,’ with 1,972 reviews listed already.

This isn’t the first time that game developer Aspyr has had similar snags. When re-releasing Tomb Raider 1-3 Remastered, players on the Epic Games Store got to play with a “development build with incomplete assets.” At the same time, Aspyr ended up getting hit with a class-action lawsuit after canceling the Restored Content DLC for Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic 2 on Switch.

Star Wars gamers are not having the best time of it at the moment, between this and the fact that a first-person shooter based on The Mandalorian was canceled at the end of last month.

Featured image: StarWars.com

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Video game company Gameloft has announced plans to release a Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game.

Bringing together survival, life simulation and action RPG into one game for both PC and consoles, the unnamed Dungeons & Dragons project is the result of a new license between Gameloft and Wizards of the Coast, the IP-holder and a division of Hasbro. It will be set in the mythical Forgotten Realms within the DnD universe.

Players will be able to play through an adventure story backed with plenty of lore from the franchise, with real-time survival elements that promise “a unique campaign of resilience, camaraderie, and danger at nearly every turn”.

No release date has yet been announced for the game, which is still in its early stages – so early in fact that Gameloft Montreal has also announced several job positions opening for the new game.

“We are honored to partner with Wizards of the Coast to deliver a completely new experience in the Dungeons & Dragons universe,” said Lee Kaburis, Executive Producer at Gameloft Montreal, in a press release announcing the new game. “We are all big fans of D&D and are already hard at work bringing our concept to life, including growing our team, and we look forward to sharing more details in the future.”

Dungeons & Dragons video games are on the rise

This isn’t the first instance of such a game, with Hasbro currently working with several different partners to develop video games based on the iconic franchise. The massive success of fantasy games like Baldur’s Gate 3 and Elden Ring in the last couple of years has only encouraged those efforts.

For example, Starbreeze, the studio behind The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay, Payday 2 and Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons, announced it was working on a DnD game that’s described as a co-op live service game. A separate VR game from Resolution Games was announced as recently as January 2024.

Several other DnD video game projects have been announced in the last few years but, at the same time, Hasbro also cancelled five DnD video games last year. That means it’s currently unclear which projects are still in active development.

However, Comicbook reported on March 14 that Hasbro CEO Chris Cocks  stated in a recent investor call that the company expected to continue to grow DnD’s video game presence over the next five years.

Featured image: Gameloft

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After Apple Vision Pro’s initial release in the United States, Apple now appears to be preparing to launch in nine other countries.

Apple Vision Pro currently only supports English (US) and Emoji as languages but a closer look at the code that underpins the technology by MacRumors suggests that preparations are underway for 12 new languages coming soon.

Apple plans for a wider Vision Pro launch

This is a vital step to bringing the Vision Pro to new countries. The code appears to demonstrate that Apple is planning to add support for the following languages:

• Cantonese, Traditional
• Chinese, Simplified
• English (Australia)
• English (Canada)
• English (Japan)
• English (Singapore)
• English (UK)
• French (Canada)
• French (France)
• German (Germany)
• Japanese
• Korean

Judging from these languages, the code seems to hint that Apple will launch the Vision Pro in Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, and the United Kingdom, as well as possibly Hong Kong and Taiwan.

However, it’s worth noting that this is speculation for now and Apple hasn’t confirmed where it plans to launch the VR headset next. It could easily be that support for wider languages is planned but the device will still only be sold in the United States – although this seems less likely with the inclusion of regional dialects like English (Australia), English (Canada), English (Japan), English (Singapore), and English (UK).

Apple has openly stated that it plans to bring the Vision Pro to more countries later in 2024 but without defining exactly when or where. This comes after the VR product got largely glowing reviews from critics, despite an admittedly slow start during the pre-order phase.

Despite being an impressive product for people who get their hands on it, the high price might be getting in the way of people wanting to try it out, especially considering the steep production cost for the headset.

Featured image: Apple

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The FTSE-100 gambling group that owns Ladbrokes, Entain, has begun to prepare a sale of PartyPoker, in an effort to stall activist investors.

Entain has hired bankers to prepare a sale of PartyPoker as part of its attempts to revive its core operations, reports Sky News on March 12. Advisers from Oakvale Capital are reportedly working on the prospective sale of the online poker business, according to company insiders. The deal is expected to go for roughly £150 million ($192 million).

That’s quite the drop from the £5 billion valuation that PartyPoker’s then-parent company PartyGaming got when it first floated in London in 2005. However, the last 19 years have seen the online poker service lose a huge swathe of its customers.

PartyPoker is considered non-core to Entain’s business, as it also owns British-based Ladbrokes, Coral, and a stake in major US betting company BetMGM, which recently made a push into the UK market. The planned sale comes after Entain has endured pressure and criticism from activist investors that have built up strong positions on its share register.

The company parted ways with former CEO Jette Nygaard-Andersen last year and is now headed up by interim chief executive Stella David. Shares in Entain were trading at around 758p on Friday morning, down from 739p on Tuesday morning.

What are activist investors?

Activist investors refer to those engaging in a form of activism where shareholders use equity stakes in a corporation to put pressure on its management. In the case of Entain, these investors are using the methods to express their concern about Entain’s poor performance in its core markets, particularly as regulators have recently tightened regulation on the online gambling industry.

These investors have also voiced grievances with management’s costly deals, which could account for why the sale of PartyPoker is now on the table. No official reason has yet been stated as to why Entain is considering and reportedly preparing for the sale of the online poker company.

Featured image: Entain

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Wearable ring Oura has introduced new pregnancy features in a bid to help pregnant people understand the changes their bodies go through.

It’s no secret that wearables have made health monitoring an everyday habit for many, from smart watches to smart earrings – and now it can help people stay informed throughout pregnancy too. On Tuesday, March 12, Oura Ring launched Pregnancy Insights, with data and in-app education to walk people through each trimester. It was developed by a team of scientists, led by Neta Gotlieb, PhD, women’s health product manager and clinical research scientist at Oura.

“Pregnancy is one of the most physiologically significant events in many members’ lives,” Dr. Gotlieb said. “Our goal with this feature is to equip our pregnant members to better know their bodies and take care of their health accordingly. And we’re just getting started — we’ll continue to iterate and develop this feature based on our members’ input.”

What pregnancy features does Oura Ring offer?

Oura Ring users can turn on Pregnancy Insights in the new Women’s Health settings in the menu at the top left of the home screen or opt-in after tagging a positive test in their tracking.

From then on, users can track their gestational age (meaning how far along they are in their pregnancies) and get weekly updates on physiological changes they can expect. For example, people can expect to see their resting heart rate spike after conception, and then drop off. Levels of restless sleep while pregnant can also be compared to those of other expectant people.

Pregnancy Insights also offers in-app content on topics related to bearing a child, based on population-level data and peer-reviewed research. These are general trends and user data may deviate from the patterns you see in the Pregnancy Insights content.

“Although we can characterize the physiological pattern for most pregnancies, every person and every pregnancy is unique and deviations or fluctuations are not necessarily a negative sign,” Dr. Gotlieb explains. “If you have questions about your individual pregnancy, it’s best to speak with your OB-GYN.”

Oura also states that minor fluctuations are normal and advises users to monitor long-term trends using the data provided by the wearable ring.

Featured image: Oura Ring

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As US lawmakers approve a bill that could see TikTok banned, China warns that such a ban would “come back to bite” America.

March 13 saw the House of Representatives voting on a bill that could result in TikTok being banned in the US within six months, unless the Chinese-owned app severs its ties with China. The US is the country with the largest TikTok audience by far as it stands, with almost 150 million users engaging with the popular social video platform – a substantial audience that the company, Bytedance, will not want to lose.

Concern around TikTok from US officials has been a long-standing issue, with fears around data protection and child safety on the app at the forefront. However, Bytedance has always defended the app’s safety regulations.

What happens next with the TikTok bill?

The bill, under the official name of the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, passed the House of Representatives with bipartisan support. It will now head to the Senate and, if it has enough support there, go on to President Joe Biden in the White House to sign it into law.

Before the House of Representatives vote, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin maintains that the US has “never found evidence that TikTok threatens national security.”

“This kind of bullying behavior that cannot win in fair competition disrupts companies’ normal business activity, damages the confidence of international investors in the investment environment, and damages the normal international economic and trade order,” Mr Wang stated.

“In the end, this will inevitably come back to bite the United States itself.”

Ironically, as with other global social media platforms, TikTok is banned in China. Chinese users can access a similar app called Douyin, however, only available in China and subject to monitoring and censorship by the government.

Featured image: Ideogram

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After an open beta last year, Warner Bros.’ MultiVersus has an official release date for the free-to-play game.

Warner Bros.-owned Player First Games has announced that MultiVersus will return in full from May 28, 2024. Spanning multiple franchises (and not the only one of its kind making the news recently), the fighter game has been developed using Unreal Engine 5, headed up by director Tony Huynh.

Player First Games plans to share more specific details ahead of MultiVersus’ May release, but it’s confirmed to be accessible via Steam and the Epic Games Store on PlayStation 5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, and PC.

“The team has heard your feedback, we’ve learned a lot from our open beta,” Huynh said in a video announcement. “From day one, we set out to make a game that not only packs a punch but makes a mark on the game genre we love.”

What’s new in MultiVersus after the open beta?

Those ‘learnings’ mean that the game will undergo a few changes in pursuit of “an improved gameplay experience.” This includes a new Player-versus-Environment complete with its own rewards, new fighters joining the multi-IP library, and new stages based on “reimagined universes and environments.”

Player First Games pulled the game offline after the beta to make those changes. After racking up 20 million players by September 2023, there has been a 10 million player increase since August. It was the most played game on Steam for several weeks, and therefore, pulling the game entirely didn’t go down well with many players.

Now, however, the game is on its way back, and if last year’s promises are to be believed, “all progress and previously earned or purchased content will carry over.”

New threads for launch. What ya think? #MultiVersus pic.twitter.com/BgqIJV5yKZ

— MultiVersus (@multiversus) March 11, 2024

Featured image: Warner Bros. Games

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The FBI and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) are working with gaming community platforms to track ‘extremist content’.”

Thanks to a new government report from the US Government Accountability Office (GAO), it’s been revealed that the FBI and the DHS are working with gaming companies like Roblox, Discord, Reddit, and others. These platforms share the ability for members to interact with one another and create group chats or discussion threads at will.

“The FBI and DHS have some tools for sharing information with and receiving information from social media and gaming companies on threats related to domestic terrorism,” reads the report. “But neither agency has developed strategies and goals related to such information-sharing efforts.”

The GAO recommended in January 2024 that the two organizations develop stronger strategies in this area as part of wider efforts to counter ‘violent extremism.’ While gaming companies often have mechanisms to track and prevent extremism within their communities, the GAO reports recommend that this should also lie with national security agencies.

Even after the earlier recommendation, the GAO report highlights that the two agencies have further to go.

“The FBI and DHS have been taking steps to engage with social media and gaming companies to share information on threats related to domestic violent extremism,” the conclusion reads. “However, the FBI and DHS have not developed goals and strategies related to these information-sharing efforts.

“By establishing program goals and strategies, the FBI and DHS can help ensure that the mechanisms align with and serve the agencies’ overall missions.”

What counts as extremist content?

Within the report, the impact of ‘violent extremism’ in gaming communities is highlighted, reading: “Domestic violent extremists have used online platforms to recruit followers, plan and rally support for in-person actions, and disseminate materials that contribute to radicalization and mobilization to violence, among other purposes.”

Both the FBI and the DHS have teams dedicated to tracking activities of both “lone offenders and small groups of individuals” who the report states are “often radicalized online and “motivated by a mix of ideological, socio-political, and personal grievances.” The GAO reports describes such circumstances as “one of the most significant terrorism threats.”

In essence, it seems the national security agencies are looking for anyone with radicalized views on any topic that could expand into violence, either online or in real life.

Featured image: Pexels

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Ready Player One author Ernest Cline is heading up his latest project, a multiverse game that involves Web3.

The product of game studios Walker Labs and Readyverse (of which Cline is one of the co-founders), the game is called Open and has been revealed in the form of a short trailer. It’s unclear whether the clip is of actual gameplay or more to give a flavor of the style, but it depicts a silver-haired person walking through a grungy warehouse. They get to an old computer screen that reads, ‘Are you ready?’ before it lights up in a colorful, gas-like portal.

Complete with “nostalgia-infused biomes”

The game is described as an “immersive multiverse filled with nostalgia-infused biomes featuring characters and cultural legends across iconic franchises.” So far, Rock Paper Shotgun reports that the only IPs confirmed amongst those “iconic franchises” are Reebok, the DeLorean car, and Ready Player One.

The idea of incorporating content and characters from multiple franchises in one game is not all that new. Indeed, Fortnite has been doing it since 2018, the first time it teamed up with the MCU in its season 4 collaboration. Since then, Fortnite has a seemingly endlessly expanding library of collaborations that spawn skins, builds, and weapons pulled from dozens of other IPs — even expanding to ancient topics like the Greek Gods.

What is relatively unusual, however, is that Open is described as involving Web3 in some way, a new version of the web that involves decentralization, blockchain technologies, and token-based economics. The main appeal for many tends to be its decentralized nature, meaning individuals can identify themselves without a governing authentication system.

How to try out the game for yourself

While there’s no release date yet confirmed for Open, you can already sign up to the waitlist if it sounds up your street. Otherwise, the details for the upcoming game are thin on the ground, with a website dotted with stars on an all-black background.

Featured image: Walker Labs / Readyverse

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The showdown between Apple and Epic Games has started up once again with the news that the iPhone maker has terminated the game developer’s account.

The first few months of 2024 have been littered with gauntlets being thrown down between two long-feuding giants, Fortnite developer Epic Games and tech giant Apple. Starting with Epic Games CEO Time Sweeney accusing Apple of acting in a “devious” manner in January, this was then followed by a tenuous truce when Epic Games returned to iOS, at least in some regions.

Now, however, the relationship has taken a turn for the worse as Epic Games shares that Apple has terminated its developer account. This reverses the return of Epic Games to Apple devices in the EU.

According to the game developer, Apple’s lawyers sent a letter stating Epic Games Sweden’s developer account would be terminated in a move that Epic describes as a “serious violation of the DMA” in a company blog post.

“In terminating Epic’s developer account, Apple is taking out one of the largest potential competitors to the Apple App Store,” reads the article. “They are undermining our ability to be a viable competitor and they are showing other developers what happens when you try to compete with Apple or are critical of their unfair practices.

“If Apple maintains its power to kick a third party marketplace off iOS at its sole discretion, no reasonable developer would be willing to utilize a third party app store, because they could be permanently separated from their audience at any time.”

Why did Apple terminate Epic Games’ account?

According to Epic, Apple stated the reason for the terminated account was because the game developer publicly criticized its proposed DMA compliance plan, citing this X post from this thread written by CEO Tim Sweeney.

“Apple is retaliating against Epic for speaking out against Apple’s unfair and illegal practices, just as they’ve done to other developers time and time again,” wrote Epic.

In response to Epic’s blog post, Apple shared the following statement with Tech Crunch:

“Epic’s egregious breach of its contractual obligations to Apple led courts to determine that Apple has the right to terminate ‘any or all of Epic Games’ wholly owned subsidiaries, affiliates, and/or other entities under Epic Games’ control at any time and at Apple’s sole discretion.’ In light of Epic’s past and ongoing behavior, Apple chose to exercise that right.

“The company also told us its right to terminate Epic’s account is based on the September 2021 judgment which resulted from Epic’s litigation against Apple. This judgment stated that “Apple has the contractual right to terminate its DPLA with any or all of Epic Games’ wholly owned subsidiaries, affiliates, and/or other entities under Epic Games’ control at any time and at Apple’s sole discretion.”

Apple went on to add that Epic Games Sweden entered into the Apple Developer Progam License Agreement via a click-through agreement, therefore not requiring any executive review by Apple at the time.

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