The global smartphone market just had a bit of a shake-up, and this time, it’s Apple sitting comfortably at the top. Yep, iPhones have officially taken the crown in early 2026, while Google’s Pixel lineup is quietly pulling off one of its best growth runs yet.

iPhones take the top spot (for the first time ever in Q1)

According to the latest data from Counterpoint Research, Apple grabbed the No.1 spot globally in Q1 2026, marking the first time it has ever led the market in a first quarter. The company held around 21% market share, edging past Samsung’s 20%, even as the overall smartphone market actually declined by 6% year-on-year.

What’s driving that, you ask? A mix of strong demand for the iPhone 17 series, aggressive trade-in offers, and solid performance in key markets like India and Asia-Pacific. Meanwhile, Samsung slipped slightly due to delayed launches and weaker entry-level demand, showing that even the biggest players aren’t immune to market slowdowns right now.

Pixel’s quiet growth is the real plot twist

While Apple grabbing headlines isn’t shocking, Google’s Pixel story is where things get interesting. The Pixel lineup reportedly saw around 14% year-on-year growth, even as most of the industry struggled. That growth is being attributed to Google doubling down on things it does best: AI features, computational photography, and a clean software experience. Add to that the launch of newer models like the Pixel 10a also helped push those numbers up.

It’s still not challenging the top three just yet, but it doesn’t need to. Pixel’s strategy seems less about dominating volumes and more about steadily carving out a loyal, premium niche. And in a market that’s shrinking overall, that kind of growth stands out. While Apple is busy winning the crown, Pixel is quietly proving it might be one of the most interesting players to watch next.

Starting next month, UK shoppers can order the Honda Super-N for less than £20,000 ($26,910). This cool electric vehicle pays homage to a famous 1980s Honda model and injects some joy back into daily travels. Honda constructed the Super-N on a lightweight architecture derived from their popular kei cars in Japan, where it was initially known as the Super-One. The end result is a low-slung car that’s easy to drive in traffic, feels agile, and saves money without compromising any of the necessities.

The exterior design is similar to the original City Turbo II, but with some interesting modifications. It has a broad track and hefty wheel arches, giving the vehicle a sturdy, planted feel. Larger bumpers and cute small side vents give visual appeal and, more significantly, aerodynamic flair. You can choose from a variety of colors, including a two-tone roof in gloss black and some amusing body graphics. Fifteen-inch wheels with Yokohama tires fit the arches perfectly, resulting in some very sharp handling on UK roads.

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A 29.6kg battery pack lays flat beneath the floor, helping to reduce the center of gravity and keeping the Super-N stable as you corner. The end result is a total weight of just over 1,097 kilograms, making it one of the lightest electric vehicles on the market in Europe right now, and you can really feel the difference while you’re driving, as the car changes direction quickly and there’s almost no body roll when you take a turn.

In everyday driving, you get a respectable 47 kilowatts/63 horsepower. However, using the BOOST button increases the output to 70 kilowatts / 94 horsepower. In addition, the system includes a nifty simulated 7-speed transmission that shifts smoothly and even emits authentic engine noises via Active Sound Control. Honda has fine-tuned the suspension and chassis to provide a smooth ride over bumps while remaining extremely responsive when necessary. According to official tests, you can anticipate to go up to 199 miles in the city or approximately 128 miles on a mixed road.

Inside, it’s all about simplicity, with plenty of physical buttons and no messing with menus. The seats feature wonderful extra side support for prolonged trips, as well as a striking blue accent reminiscent of the original Turbo model. The ambient lighting is also a wonderful touch, with a cool blue for normal use and a deep purple when you push the boost button. And, of course, Honda’s Magic Seats design allows the back seats to easily fold, slide, and get out of the way. Storage compartments, a handy glovebox, and all of the other necessities are also included.

Charging the Super-N is as simple as it gets, with a standard connection that fits most household wall outlets and public charging points without the need for any extra adapters. Honda has adopted a prudent approach to development, paying special attention to what constitutes the usual daily routine for owners, such as the daily commute and a few errands around town, which is where most people spend their time. The little battery they’ve chosen keeps weight and price low, while still providing adequate range for a full week of average use before requiring a battery recharge.

For the time being, the Honda Super-N will only be available in the United Kingdom, so if you live anywhere else, you’ll have to either wait patiently or hunt elsewhere for one. At this price point, it naturally competes with other tiny electric choices on the market, but what distinguishes it is its ability to pack a playful personality into its lightweight body, resulting in a very enjoyable driving experience. Orders will open soon, and the first cars will be delivered in July, at which point we should anticipate news to spread about how much pleasure can be packed into such a small box.
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An international law enforcement action led by the U.K.’s National Crime Agency (NCA) has identified over 20,000 victims of cryptocurrency fraud across Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Dubbed “Operation Atlantic,” this joint action took place last month, and it involved the NCA, the U.S. Secret Service, the Ontario Provincial Police, the Ontario Securities Commission, and multiple private industry partners.

“The NCA hosted law enforcement agencies at their London HQ and through real time intelligence sharing, technical capabilities and victim outreach, multiple fraud networks were disrupted across the world,” the NCA said. “City of London Police, Financial Conduct Authority and other international law enforcement bodies also joined the weeklong action.”

The investigators have also frozen more than $12 million in suspected criminal proceeds obtained through “approval phishing” attacks, in which scammers trick victims into granting them access to their cryptocurrency wallets, typically via investment scams. They also identified more than $45 million in stolen cryptocurrency connected to fraud schemes worldwide.

Officials said the public-private partnership model used in Operation Atlantic will be a core element of the U.K. government’s recently announced Fraud Strategy, which connects industry data and law enforcement expertise to enable fraud prevention.

“Operation Atlantic is a powerful example of what is possible when international agencies and private industry work side by side,” added Miles Bonfield, NCA Deputy Director of Investigations.

“This intensive action has led to the safeguarding of thousands of victims in the UK and overseas, stopped criminals in their tracks and helped save others from losing their funds.”

The NCA added that, together with law enforcement and private-sector partners, it will continue to analyze intelligence gathered during this joint action to support other victims and pursue potential criminal activity.

Since January 2024, the FBI has also identified more than 8,000 victims of cryptocurrency investment fraud (also known as pig butchering) with support from the U.S. Secret Service, as part of Operation Level Up. The FBI said that roughly 77% of those victims were unaware they were being scammed and that the estimated savings to victims is $511,511,288.

In its 2025 Internet Crime Report, the FBI said it received 61,559 complaints of cryptocurrency investment fraud last year, linked to $7.228 billion in losses and representing a massive 48% increase in complaints and a 25% increase in losses from 2024.

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Scientists from MIT’s Media Lab have developed extremely thin strands that wrap and unravel at the flip of an electric switch. They strikingly resemble your own muscles. When grouped together, they can generate significant force and movement, all while remaining completely silent and hidden.

Each electrofluidic muscle fiber is only 2 millimeters thick and weighs roughly 2 grams. Inside, there’s a little self-contained loop of highly unique liquid and a tiny pump the size of a toothpick. When you run some electricity through the pump, the liquid zooms ahead without any of the rotating elements or big storage tanks you’d expect. On one side, the liquid accumulates and shortens the fiber, while on the other, it is sucked out and the fiber extends out, similar to how your biceps and triceps work together to bend your elbow.

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Before turning on the electricity, the engineers kept everything steady and supplied gentle ongoing pressure to the entire system. Just that simple method prevents the development of microscopic air bubbles, allows the pump to operate at greater voltages, and allows the fiber to contract far more than it would otherwise. As a result, they can now achieve a 20% contraction in roughly a third of a second and generate 50 watts of power per kilogram, which is comparable to human skeletal muscle.

Bundles of these fibers scale up quickly, with one configuration lifting and moving 4 kilograms, or 200 times its own weight, and stretching out around 30 millimeters. Another one, with several more pumps working simultaneously, elevates a lever arm at 180 millimeters per second and flings small items around in less than a tenth of a second. Woven into a cloth sleeve, the same fibers bend a robotic arm 40 degrees while remaining soft enough to allow for a friendly handshake.

Photo credit: Ozgun Kilic Afsar
Traditional motors in robots have large heavy cylinders near each joint, forcing designers to add a slew of gears and other connections that add bulk and make it difficult to achieve the fine movement required. However, these fibers may be stretched the whole length of a limb or an article of clothing, distributing weight evenly and allowing the structure to bend and twist in all the correct places. Everything remains sealed inside, allowing you to operate the device without the noise or mess of compressors and dangling hoses. This makes all types of wearing exoskeletons much more practical, and a sleeve knitted from the fibers allows you to lift huge objects without feeling stiff or being driven insane by incessant whirring. Prosthetic arms can achieve motion that is far more natural, quiet, and obedient.

Photo credit: Gabriele Pupillo, Ozgun Kilic Afsar
Ozgun Kilic Afsar, the project’s lead student who also worked with academics from Politecnico di Bari and MIT’s Media Lab, points out that previous fluid-powered systems all required large, heavy support equipment that was difficult to transport or wear. The new fibers address this by putting all of the necessary components directly inside the strand. Vito Cacucciolo, one of the team’s professors, observes that these fibers allow engineers to distribute actuators throughout a robot rather than grouping them all at the joints.
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The Last of Us is an institution of modern media – Naughty Dog’s post-apocalyptic zombie shooter escaped the confines of its PS3 game case almost immediately after its initial release in 2013, and has since spanned live events, comic books, remasters, a full-on sequel, and even a TV series on HBO.

When a franchise becomes this popular, not to mention this critically acclaimed, it can be a little surprising to find that there are people who haven’t engaged with it. Until recently, one of those people was a good friend of mine – let’s call him Ralph, because that’s his name – who, despite having The Last of Us Part 1 installed on his PS5, had never really got into it.