software

The first job was lucrative and went well, but a pension was preferable to rolling projects

ON CALL Happy System Administrator Appreciation Day, dear reader! And happy Friday, too, as it heralds both the end of the working week and the day on which The Reg delivers another edition of On Call, the reader-contributed column in which we share your stories of support jobs that twisted, tanked, or turned out terrifically.

This week, meet a reader we’ll Regomize as “Roger” who told us he spent decades providing application support for a UK-based software biz.

In 2015, Roger’s company ended support for legacy products and assumed users would decommission their systems. The company advised them to preserve their old documents and invoices on paper or in durable file formats, just to be safe.

Roger retired in 2021, and a year later heard that a large US-based corporation had acquired his former employer. “They immediately modernized the business by making the entire European support team redundant,” Roger told On Call.

He therefore put his old job out of his mind and settled into life as a pensioner.

And then, a few months ago, the American company contacted Roger.

“They had a customer in Germany who had used our software in the past, lost their paper archive, but still had their digital archives,” he told On Call.

“Every single backup disk was still there and contained every byte of raw data with military precision. What they did not contain were the few insignificant items required to turn those bytes back into documents.”

Which was awkward because the customer was undergoing a tax audit and needed every last document to prove its affairs were in order.

The American company asked if Roger could restore the documents – for a daily fee roughly equal to one month’s pension.

Those sums meant Roger was sure he could help – and proved it by remembering that backups of the application in question produced raw ASCII data that could be converted into human-readable documents with a print server running on bespoke software.

Roger found all the relevant code, got it running, and converted the ASCII files into PDFs.

“Twenty years after last using the software, I still remembered the installation procedure,” he told On Call. “Apparently retirement affects one’s recollection of obscure print server parameters less than where one left one’s reading glasses.”

Once he converted all the files, Roger assumed the job was done.

Then came news that the auditors had refused to accept the data for 2013.

“Apparently a large number of invoices for that year existed in the documents I had provided, but were missing in the accounts data. The expression ‘large-scale tax fraud’ began appearing with uncomfortable frequency.”

Roger rescued the situation by realizing that someone had imported one year’s archives twice, doubling the number of invoices and confusing the taxman.

“I had to charge them another day to discover their error,” Roger told On Call.

One of the younger people on the project casually mentioned several other archives were preserved using the same techniques, suggesting there was plenty more work for Roger to do.

“At that point I decided that retirement was still preferable to returning to full-time employment,” he told On Call.

This story has a bittersweet ending, because Roger told us that as he worked on the project, he realized the income would complicate his own tax affairs. He therefore donated his fees to the care home where he lives.

“That was very positively received by the home’s management,” he told On Call.

Have you been hauled out of retirement to support ancient tech? If so, make one more mouse click here to send On Call and email and share your story. ®

Why it matters: The video game industry has seen a historic wave of layoffs in recent years, with thousands of workers impacted in the last few weeks alone. To support some of the developers affected, indie game storefront itch.io is collaborating with an industry union to sell a collection of over 100 heavily discounted games.

The Game Industry Hardship Fund bundle is live on itch.io through August 13. The collection currently includes more than 100 indie titles, along with a few soundtracks, assets, and other materials, all for just $10.

All proceeds go toward the Game Industry Hardship Fund, which the United Videogame Workers union has promoted amid repeated massive rounds of layoffs throughout the industry. US and Canada-based developers can add more games to the bundle, so it will likely keep growing over the next couple of weeks. Customers can download any games added after their purchase at no additional cost.

The bundle mostly consists of small indie titles, but it also includes a few gems with positive Steam ratings. Examples include A Short Hike (MSRP: $8), Dungeon Bodega Simulator ($10), Eldritch ($15), Neon Struct ($18), Holedown ($10), and more.

Although games purchased through the bundle do not activate on Steam, downloads via the itch app or website are DRM-free. Many of the included titles also natively support macOS and Linux, and items from bundles appear in a separate tab on itch.io’s library section.

The Game Industry Hardship Fund aims to support the thousands of employees laid off over the past several years amid the industry’s pandemic-era overinvestment. The bundle page cites reports claiming that 33% of the industry’s workers have experienced job losses in the past two years.

Publishers have announced layoffs impacting thousands this summer alone. France’s video game union, the Syndicat des travailleurs et travailleuses du jeu vidéo, announced a strike after more than 1,000 workers lost their jobs. Bungie also recently eliminated roughly 400 positions after pivoting away from Destiny 2.

Ubisoft laid off 51 workers at its Barcelona studio shortly after the massively successful launch of Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced, a game the office helped develop, and MindsEye developer Build A Rocket Boy recently faced protests from laid-off workers in the UK while flying in fans for playtesting.

Most notably, Microsoft recently eliminated 1,600 positions, with another 1,600 employees set to be laid off over the course of this year. In a bid to “reset” Xbox, the company let go of five studios and began reorganizing its gaming business. That move has already prompted further layoffs at the now-independent Double Fine.

The writing is on the wall, so CodeWeavers is removing its reliance on Rosetta 2. A very early test version of Apple Silicon-native Crossover is now available for testing.

Cross-platform app compatibility tool CrossOver was designed to work on Intel Macs and could only work on newer M-series models thanks to Apple’s Rosetta 2 translation layer. Apple put developers on notice in June 2025, warning them that they would need to build apps designed without needing Rosetta 2 before 2027’s big macOS software update.

Since then, the developers of CrossOver have been working to get ready for the big transition. It announced in June 2026 that CrossOver 27 would ditch support for Intel Macs and transition fully to Apple Silicon.

Now, CodeWeavers has announced the availability of a preview version of CrossOver 27, complete with Apple Silicon support.

Very much a preview

Simplifying a complex issue, Apple Silicon uses ARM64 architecture. CodeWeavers has been working on an ARM64-native version of CrossOver for some time.

Wine, the compatibility layer that allows Windows apps to run on Macs, is core to CrossOver and began work to transition to ARM64 in January 2023.

There have been various milestones since that date, culminating in the release of this preview version of CrossOver.

However, while the preview can be downloaded and used on Apple Silicon Macs today, there are some caveats to keep in mind. CodeWeavers warns that the current very early preview has three big, known limitations.

• No D3DMetal in this build. Direct3D 12 support coming soon.
• Many game launchers do not function at all.
• No way to convert existing bottles to ARM64: you will need to create new bottles for testing.

Thankfully, all three limitations are expected to be resolved before CrossOver 27 launches. It’s currently penciled in for a release in early 2027.

If you’re still using an Intel Mac, the good news is that CrossOver 26 will continue to work even after CrossOver 27 is released. But Apple’s upcoming macOS Golden Gate update will not support Intel Macs, giving Intel owners yet another reason to upgrade to a new model.

• Startup replaces Nvidia GPUs with custom Arm-powered AI processing hardware
• Prometheus packs up to 128TB of unified LPDDR6 memory onboard
• New server promises 1,000× more memory available per processor

Majestic Labs, a startup founded in 2023 by former Google and Meta engineers, has unveiled a server built to rival Nvidia‘s GPU and HBM combination.

The Tel Aviv-based company argues that pairing costly graphics processors with high-bandwidth memory has become a fundamentally memory-bound and dead-end approach for AI inference.

Morgan Stanley has pared its Apple price target from $364 to $360 after slowing Services growth and higher memory costs weakened its earnings outlook, despite strong demand for the company’s products.

The investment bank kept its Overweight rating on Apple, but analyst Erik Woodring said two of the three factors that usually support the stock are under pressure. Morgan Stanley identified those factors as the iPhone, Services, and gross margins.

The iPhone remains the strongest part of Morgan Stanley’s report, seen by AppleInsider. Services growth and margins now appear weaker than the firm expected, however, prompting it to reduce its fiscal 2027 earnings estimate from $10.39 to $10 per share.

Apple reported fiscal third-quarter revenue of $109.4 billion on July 30, up 16% from the previous year. iPhone revenue reached a June-quarter record of $54.3 billion, while Mac revenue climbed 29%.

The company also told analysts that its active installed base and number of customers upgrading devices reached records. Morgan Stanley said the results could indicate that replacement cycles are beginning to shorten after several years of customers holding onto devices for longer.

Services growth is falling below 10%

Apple’s Services business generated $30.7 billion during the quarter, up 12% from 2025. Morgan Stanley said the growth rate missed its 14.6% consensus forecast.

The firm expects Services growth to slow to about 9.5% in the September quarter, which would mark the first result below 10% since the June 2023 quarter. Foreign exchange accounts for much of the slowdown, but Morgan Stanley also pointed to weaker App Store performance.

According to the report, Apple cited softer mobile gaming activity, uneven game-release schedules, litigation, and changes to App Store business models in some countries. Management also referred to broader changes in consumer engagement without blaming the weakness on a single factor.

Services gross margin fell from 76.7% in the March quarter to 75.6% in the June quarter. Morgan Stanley said the decline supports its view that the App Store is no longer outperforming the rest of the Services business.

Apple’s Services business generated $30.7 billion during the quarter, up 12% from 2025.

The slowdown makes future price increases and the launch of Apple’s upgraded Siri more important to the investment case. Morgan Stanley said Apple described internal and developer feedback as overwhelmingly positive, but the company is still evaluating the feature’s computing costs and revenue potential.

Apple also suggested that heavier Siri use could create opportunities for higher-tier iCloud+ subscriptions. Morgan Stanley said it hasn’t yet seen a clear measurable boost from AI in either product demand or Services revenue.

Memory costs squeeze Apple’s margins

Apple guided for a September-quarter gross margin between 47% and 48%. Morgan Stanley estimates that tariff refunds contribute about one percentage point, leaving an underlying midpoint of roughly 46.5%.

Morgan Stanley’s estimated underlying gross margin of 46.5% would be about 1.5 percentage points lower than Apple’s June-quarter gross margin. The firm said Apple’s gross margin has historically remained flat or increased by as much as half a percentage point during the same seasonal transition.

Management told analysts that higher memory costs would account for more than the entire sequential decline. Savings on other components and a more profitable sales mix weren’t enough to offset the increase.

Morgan Stanley expects future iPhone price increases and shipments of a foldable iPhone assumed in its model to provide some relief in the December quarter. Neither has been announced by Apple, and the larger question is whether memory inflation will delay a sustained margin recovery into fiscal 2027.

The firm’s revised $360 target is based on projected calendar 2027 earnings of $10.30 per share and an unchanged multiple of about 35 times earnings.

Demand is strong, but supply is tight

Apple management also acknowledged constraints affecting advanced 3-nanometer chip production for the iPhone, Mac, and iPad during the September quarter. Morgan Stanley said the problem reflects demand exceeding Apple’s earlier forecasts more than a supplier failing to execute.

Apple’s outlook implies that iPhone revenue will grow in the mid-teens percentage range year over year during the quarter.

Apple also said its supply chain has less flexibility than usual to respond. Channel inventory was lean at the end of the June quarter, and Morgan Stanley expects it to remain tight through September.

Apple’s outlook implies that iPhone revenue will grow in the mid-teens percentage range year over year during the quarter. Morgan Stanley believes growth could have been stronger without the component constraints.

The firm’s supply-chain checks also indicate that Apple hasn’t reduced its production plans for the second half of calendar 2026. Morgan Stanley interprets that as a sign Apple still expects customers to upgrade when its next iPhones arrive, even if higher prices test demand.

Despite its near-term concerns, Morgan Stanley remains positive about Apple’s longer-term prospects. The firm pointed to the company’s growing installed base, strong cash generation, faster product launches, and potential expansion in AI, health, payments, cloud services, and the home.

Apple shares closed at $333.43 on July 30, leaving room for near-term upside in Morgan Stanley’s view. The firm expects the stock to remain under pressure until new iPhones, the upgraded Siri, regulatory approvals, or stronger earnings estimates give investors another reason to buy.

Some phones chase every new feature and leave most people behind. This one stays close to the ground and works through ordinary hours without complaint. Motorola built the Moto G Play (2024) around a clear idea: give people a large screen, a battery that lasts, and a camera that handles daylight without drama, all for $99.99 (was $150).

Sapphire Blue plastic wraps around the entire phone, and the edges bend just enough to fit comfortably in the palm of your hand. The matte texture effectively resists fingerprints, which are typically a major issue on lower-cost phones by lunchtime. The phone weighs 185 grams and is only 8.5mm thick, so it doesn’t seem fragile or heavy. If you’re caught in an unexpected deluge, a water-repellent coating will silently safeguard your phone from damage. The side-mounted fingerprint scanner lies nicely under the power button, and you’ll become used to unlocking the phone in a day or two because it’s so fast. A 3.5mm headphone port is prominently displayed on top, and the dual speakers perform admirably in terms of clarity, even at modest volumes.

Sale

Motorola Moto G Play LTE | Unlocked | Made for US 4/64GB | 50MP Camera | Sapphire Blue

• Blazing-fast Qualcomm performance. Get the speed you need for great entertainment with a Snapdragon 680 processor and 4GB**** of RAM.
• Fluid display + immersive stereo sound. Bring your entertainment to life with an ultrawide 6.5″ 90Hz* HD+ display plus stereo speakers, Dolby Atmos…
• 50MP*** Quad Pixel camera. Capture sharper, more vibrant photos day or night with 4x the light sensitivity.

The large 6.5-inch LCD panel dominates the majority of the frontage, and with a resolution of 1600 by 720 pixels, text stays accessible for messaging, maps, and even viewing video on the go, all without requiring excessive power consumption. The 90 Hertz refresh rate also means that ordinary scrolling and light animation run smoothly, which is a nice feature at this price point. It’s not extremely bright, peaking at roughly 500 nits, which is adequate for indoor rooms and shaded outdoor areas. On a side note, the screen is covered by Gorilla Glass 3, which has proven its durability after months of being thrown around in pockets and bags.

The dependable Snapdragon 680 chip, along with 4GB of memory, is under the hood (a somewhat dated expression, but I hope you get the point). Everyday chores like as checking email, surfing social media, and playing casual games go smoothly and quickly. Standard storage is a fair 64GB, and there’s a dedicated microSD slot that can accommodate up to a 1TB card if you need more.

The single fifty-megapixel rear camera is combined with a respectable f/1.8 lens and phase-detect focus; in excellent light, the photographs are clear and colorful, with a reasonable amount of information. Pixel binning, which combines data to produce slightly more impressive 12-megapixel images by default, is also available. However, low light is a very different issue. As one might expect, detail fades and noise seeps in. To put it bluntly, the front eight megapixel camera is a bit of a compromise, but it does a good job of handling video calls and selfies as long as the subject keeps steady and the lighting is pretty even. For both cameras, the maximum video recording resolution is 1080p at 30 frames per second.

The battery life is quite excellent at 5000 milliamp-hours, which should last most people a full day with some charge remaining. Lighter users may even get a second day out of it. Fifteen watt charging is also present and accurate; with a compatible adapter, the battery will charge itself in a few hours. The phone comes with Android 13, and unless you’re on one of those low-cost carriers, you should expect at least one significant update to Android 14. Security patches will be available for a limited time after that, but Motorola has done its best to keep things neat and tidy, including some essential features like family space restrictions and basic privacy measures. Some carrier versions include a few extra apps that you can safely disable, but overall it’s a pleasant, clean experience.