Pew Research: 30 Percent of U.S. Teens Use Chatbots Daily

Roughly 20 percent of U.S. teens surveyed say they were on TikTok and YouTube “almost constantly” in 2025, with YouTube distinguishing itself for use “by nearly all teens,” according to a new Pew Research study. Ninety percent of teens surveyed say they’ve used YouTube, followed by TikTok and Instagram, with at least 60 percent claiming usage, with Snapchat landing at about 55 percent. Chatbot use is at about 64 percent among respondents, with about 30 percent of teens saying they use companionable AI answer engines daily, led by OpenAI’s ChatGPT (59 percent). Continue reading Pew Research: 30 Percent of U.S. Teens Use Chatbots Daily

Samsung’s 2026 Galaxy Z TriFold Screen Opens to 10 Inches

Samsung has unveiled the Galaxy Z TriFold, which unfolds twice to present a seamless 10-inch screen suitable for mobile productivity and cinematic viewing. Measuring just 3.9 mm at its thinnest point, it’s a fairly heavy lift for a smartphone at 0.68 pounds (about the same as a can of soup) and measures 6.26 inches high by 2.9 inches wide and a mere half-inch thick when folded. That’s much lighter than a laptop, and provides an extra inch of height and two inches of width to a tablet of that weight, making it a viable option for business travelers. The device is expected to be available in Korea next week, starting at $2,450 for 16GB RAM/512GB storage, followed by launches in additional markets in 2026. Continue reading Samsung’s 2026 Galaxy Z TriFold Screen Opens to 10 Inches

Sony’s Latest Quarter Beats Estimates Led by Music, Imaging

Sony Group reported a strong quarter ending September 30, with its semiconductor unit reaching an operating profit of nearly $900 million, up almost 50 percent year-over-year as the company’s most profitable segment for the quarter. The music group was another bright spot, with sales up 21 percent to $3.51 billion, and operating income a healthy $749 million. Consumer electronics and gaming were softer sectors. But overall revenue of $20.14 billion far surpassed the expected $19.36 billion, prompting Sony to raise its forecast by 3 percent. The company also announced a repurchase plan for $648 million worth of stock. Continue reading Sony’s Latest Quarter Beats Estimates Led by Music, Imaging

Apple Reports a Strong Quarter Propelled by iPhone 17 Sales

Apple had its first $100 billion quarter thanks to the new iPhone 17 series and a strong performance by services, up 15 percent from 2024. Revenue for fiscal Q4, ended September 27, totaled $102.5 billion, up 8 percent year-over-year. Profit surged 86 percent to $27.5 billion (due mainly to a 2024 tax hit). Q4 results capped a record fiscal year with revenue of $416 billion. Sales of the iPhone 17s brought in $49 billion for the three months. The company sold 100 million more units than last year during the same period despite “supply constraints” on some 2025 models. Design changes drove iPhone sales up 6 percent from Q4 of last year. Continue reading Apple Reports a Strong Quarter Propelled by iPhone 17 Sales

Amazon: ‘Help Me Decide’ Uses AI to Help Shoppers Choose

Amazon wants to save customers time shopping by helping them reach an informed decision more quickly using AI. The new “Help Me Decide” feature aims to pair people with the right product “with the tap of a button” that produces “one clear recommendation.” This includes an explanation of why the product is right for you “based on your specific needs and preferences,” ascertained via analysis of your browsing history. If you’ve been perusing similar products but haven’t yet purchased, the “Help Me Decide” button will appear at the top of the product detail page. It can also be accessed by tapping “Keep shopping for” on the homepage if you want to pick up where you left off in a previous browsing session. Continue reading Amazon: ‘Help Me Decide’ Uses AI to Help Shoppers Choose

Netflix Shutters Mobile Game Studio as Part of Strategy Shift

Netflix has shuttered its Boss Fight Entertainment, the game studio best known for developing the mobile “Squid Game:  Unleashed” multiplayer action game based on the streamer’s hit series franchise. The title went to number one on the charts in 26 countries, according to Boss Fight co-founder and CEO David Rippy, who posted a farewell on LinkedIn. The unit also developed “Netflix Stories,” described as “an interactive visual novel platform” based on Netflix shows “Virgin River,” “Emily in Paris” and “Selling Sunset.” Netflix reportedly plans to continue offering the Boss Fight titles even as it de-emphasizes mobile games. Continue reading Netflix Shutters Mobile Game Studio as Part of Strategy Shift

Meta AI Wants to Parse Your Camera Roll to Suggest Styling

For those who may be too busy to look through their smartphone’s camera rolls, Meta Platforms has debuted a new Facebook feature that will parse collections for you, then recommend “fun” edits and collages to make the content more shareable. The feature could also offer ideas such as recaps and birthday themes. Available to users in the U.S. and Canada, to leverage this new AI-powered feature, one must opt-in, and it can be turned off at any time. Once a suggestion is reviewed, the user can then determine whether they want to share it and with whom. Then it’s just a one-click share through Facebook or Messenger. Continue reading Meta AI Wants to Parse Your Camera Roll to Suggest Styling

Netflix Will Offer Party Games via Its TV Service for First Time

As part of an initiative to broaden its reach beyond TV shows and film, Netflix is adding party games to its programming lineup with a push beyond mobile. The streaming giant is offering diversions like “Pictionary” and “Boggle” to enhance fun for family and friends through the holiday season. “We’re creating a completely new way to play games — one that’s as easy as streaming a show on a Friday night,” Netflix explains, adding that all you’ll need to experience the gaming action is “Netflix and your phone.” Other games include “LEGO Party!,” “Tetris Time Warp,” “and a fresh take on the social deduction genre ‘Party Crashers: Fool Your Friends.’” Continue reading Netflix Will Offer Party Games via Its TV Service for First Time

Adobe’s Pro Quality Premiere Video Editor Is Free for iPhones

Adobe is bringing a free “pro quality” version of Premiere to iPhone, so YouTubers, filmmakers, music video editors, commercial producers and other creators can edit video on the fly. While tools like ByteDance’s CapCut and Meta’s Edits have become popular for mobile, Adobe’s move marks a major productivity step for those aspiring to more than social video, particularly through integration with the entire Adobe tools ecosystem. The Adobe Premiere mobile app features what Adobe promises are “studio-quality audio enhancements, perfectly timed AI sound effects, precision editing on a multi-track timeline, AI content generation and more.” Continue reading Adobe’s Pro Quality Premiere Video Editor Is Free for iPhones

Amazon Teams with NBA, FanDuel to Offer AI Stats, Features

Amazon is bringing new levels of immersion and interactivity to the NBA on Prime, with features including opt-in personalized bet tracking with FanDuel, customizable Multiview, and AI-powered Key Moments and Rapid Recap. Tipping off on its 11-year agreement with the NBA on October 24, viewers will experience “personalization, engagement and broadcast quality with a comprehensive suite of interactive features and AI-powered enhancements,” according to Amazon. The NBA is also teaming with AWS and harnessing AI to bring live stats and in-depth analytics to fans during games. AWS becomes the official cloud partner of the NBA, WNBA, and others via the multiyear partnership. Continue reading Amazon Teams with NBA, FanDuel to Offer AI Stats, Features

Apple Creates an AI Chatbot to Help Train the Next-Gen Siri

Apple has reportedly developed a ChatGPT-like iPhone app for internal use in testing its AI overhaul of Siri. Apple’s AI unit is using the app to assess new features for its famous conversational assistant, putting it through its paces for tasks like sifting through personal data, including documents, audio and emails, and performing actions including photo and video editing, according to reports. Called Veritas, Latin for “truth,” the developmental software is garnering attention as a pivotal tool in Siri’s highly anticipated AI makeover, expected to make its public debut next year. Continue reading Apple Creates an AI Chatbot to Help Train the Next-Gen Siri

Google Launches Conversational ‘Search Live’ for U.S. Mobile

Google has launched its Gemini-powered AI search tool Search Live in the United States. The mobile integration for iOS and Android can look at the world through your phone’s camera and respond to questions conversationally, in real time, while also offering helpful Web links for a deeper dive. “Just open the Google app and tap the new Live icon under the search bar,” Google explains. Camera sharing will be activated by default and the app also accepts video input. If you’re already pointing your camera with Google Lens, you can select the Live option at the bottom of the screen. Continue reading Google Launches Conversational ‘Search Live’ for U.S. Mobile

Apple Introduces Major Security Upgrade to Its iPhone 17 Line

Apple is touting a major security upgrade for its recently unveiled iPhone 17 devices, which come with always-on protection called Memory Integrity Enforcement (MIE) aimed at making it more difficult to get spyware onto the four new models. The result of five years of research and development, MIE leverages both Apple silicon and iOS software. The company is calling the results “the most significant upgrade to memory safety in the history of consumer operating systems.” The upgrade targets “mercenary spyware,” the origins of which are “vastly more complex than regular cybercriminal activity and consumer malware.” Continue reading Apple Introduces Major Security Upgrade to Its iPhone 17 Line

Apple Unveils New iPhone 17 Line, Watches and AirPods Pro

During its latest live-streamed event yesterday, Apple debuted new product models, including the iPhone 17 Air, the company’s first ultra-slim smartphone. Made of titanium, it’s priced at $1,000. The entry level of the group, the iPhone 17, costs the same as the iPhone 16, at $800, with an improved display and double the storage (256GB). Fully loaded, the iPhone 17 Pro Max is the company’s most expensive phone ever at $2,000 with 2TB of storage and a 6.9-inch OLED screen. All four models come with a 48MP rear camera, while the new A19 Pro chipset powers the 17 Pro, Pro Max and Air. Apple also unveiled a new collection of smartwatches and the AirPods Pro 3. Continue reading Apple Unveils New iPhone 17 Line, Watches and AirPods Pro

Samsung Unveils Galaxy S25 FE Smartphone and S11 Tablets

Following the reveal of its new foldable phones, Samsung hosted a second Galaxy Unpacked summer event to unveil its Galaxy S25 FE smartphone and Galaxy Tab S11 and Tab S11 Ultra tablets. Equipped with Samsung’s latest One UI 8 user interface, the Galaxy S25 FE features multimodal Galaxy AI capabilities including Generative Edit and Instant Slow-mo and a 12MP front-facing camera powered by the ProVisual Engine for enhanced selfies. The Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra is billed as “the thinnest Galaxy Tab to date.” Both new tablets also boast multimodal AI capabilities with Galaxy AI. Continue reading Samsung Unveils Galaxy S25 FE Smartphone and S11 Tablets