For the longest time, reliability used to be the stick skeptics used to beat electric vehicles. The argument was that the things were rolling laptops, full of software and accompanying bugs that would inevitably freeze, along with batteries that would degrade into uselessness. Buy one, and you were an expensive beta tester just waiting for a problem to crop up outside of warranty.
However, we’ve found that this argument has aged rather like milk. As of 2026, electric vehicles are far more reliable than they were in 2016 — and this is to be expected, as with any nascent technology, the tech improves with time. A big plus in the EV corner is that these vehicles have a fraction of the moving parts that an ICE vehicle has, so mechanical problems are also far fewer. No timing chains, no about-to-go-bad exhaust systems, no fuel injectors that get clogged. Fewer parts, fewer problems — in one example, the vehicle used to be on Consumer Reports’ “least reliable” lists and is now on the other end of the spectrum — that’s how quickly the industry has matured.
Now, we’re not claiming that EVs don’t have their problems — far from it. Many do still have frequent glitches and bugs that prevent a smooth user experience. The charging network and speeds, though improved vastly, are still not where they need to be. However, from the lens of a relatively new technology, the notion that electric vehicles are automatically unreliable is out of date.
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Ford F-150 Lightning
Just two years ago (at the time of writing), in 2024, the Ford F-150 Lightning electric truck earned itself a very undesirable spot on the Consumer Reports list of the most unreliable vehicles for that year. In 2024, the e-pickup got a miserably low Consumer Reports score of 28 points out of a total available 100 in the reliability metric.
In the 2025 overall Consumer Reports reliability survey, Ford vehicles got an overall score of 48, and the 2025 Ford F-150 Lightning got a reliability score of 45. That means that the blue oval EV pickup is about as reliable as the average Ford vehicle — which is a far cry from where it was two years ago. Readers should note that the 2026 Consumer Reports list of unreliable vehicles is out, and that the new F-150 Lightning is no longer on the list, which is a testament to the fact that stubborn-as-a-pack-mule Ford can still listen to customer and industry feedback when it wants to.
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The reason we keep returning to the 2025 model is that Ford initially slowed production, and then eventually discontinued the F-150 Lightning after 2025. However, if you act fast, you might still be able to score a new F-150 Lightning from a dealer that still has one on the lot, or get one with low miles on the used market. In 2025, the F-150 Lightning had a maximum range of around 350 usable miles, and an MSRP of $65,190 (including destination).
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Ford Mustang Mach-E
Though it carries the vaunted, historic Mustang nameplate, this thing is actually a crossover-ish SUV. Rightfully, this thing has got the purists sharpening pitchforks, but we can’t fault Ford for actually having the guts to experiment in this market. Initially revealed to the public at the end of 2019, the Mach-E SUV went on sale two short years later, as a 2021 model. A very trusted U.S. brand, J.D. Power recently released its EV ownership experience report for 2026. Historically, the Mustang Mach-E has done rather well in this comprehensive study, ranking in the top three (but never first) in 2022, 2023, and 2024. After a massive fall in rankings in 2025 (but still top ten), the Mach-E finally earned the coveted top spot for 2026.
Furthermore, the Mach-E also has insane levels of customer satisfaction, with nine out of 10 owners saying they would endorse it. For 2026, the Mustang Mach-E gets a reliability score of 74 out of a total available 100 points from the Auto Reliability Index, and 2021 models got a J.D. Power reliability score of 65, also out of a total available 100 points. The 2026 model comes with a 72 kWh battery and one motor as standard, which gives the vehicle about 264 horsepower and a range of about 250 miles. Pricing for the 2026 Mach-E begins at $37,795, on top of which a freight charge of $2,045 will be tacked on.
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Volvo EX30
The EX30 is Volvo’s spiritual successor to the XC40 Recharge, which itself was the all-electric version of the brand’s popular small SUV, the XC40. Introduced in 2023, the EX30 had some teething problems, but it appears these have been sorted out. For 2026, the EX30 gets a respectable score of 71 out of 100 in its J.D. Power review, and an above-average 63 out of 100 in the reliability metric. The crossover SUV also got 86 out of 100 points under the driving experience metric, and 67 out of 100 in the resale value metric. For 2026, a new Volvo EX30 would sell for about $40,345 as base MSRP — including a $1,395 destination fee.
It is quite pricey for a compact-sized SUV, though proponents of the Swedish brand would argue that the excellent interiors and Volvo’s legendary safety reputation are worth the price. 2026 EX30s come with a 200 kWh battery pack as standard, along with one e-motor, which gives the car a range of about 261 miles. We should warn you that there is, however, a massive recall that affects a huge number of modern EX30s, so make sure that if you’re buying one of these, the fix has been done. Specifically, the recall was about a fire hazard from the battery igniting in about 40,000 vehicles or so.
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Porsche Taycan
The Porsche Taycan is an all-electric, four-door car from Porsche that was very clearly intended to target buyers who wanted a Panamera, but electric. Now, no one should buy a Porsche vehicle expecting average or slightly above-average maintenance costs. It is a luxury vehicle with expensive parts and specialist labor, so the upkeep on this vehicle (and this entire class of vehicles) is meant for people for whom cost efficiency is not a top priority. And, famously, German vehicles tend to require exacting servicing standards to remain reliable — so when the Taycan gets out of warranty and its service contract, things can get extremely expensive extremely quickly.
However, while the car is being looked after by the dealer, and all preventative maintenance tasks are done on or before time, the Taycan is surprisingly reliable. For its part, J.D. Power gives the 2026 Taycan a driving experience score of 86, a resale score of 76, and a reliability score of 75. Overall, the 2026 Taycan gets a J.D. Power score of 81, with all figures out of a maximum 100 available points.
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Consumer Reports also says that the 2026 Taycan is a “serious challenger” when pitted against the ever-popular Tesla Model S. Readers who are familiar with the Taycan will be sad to learn that the wagon body style on the Taycan, called the Taycan Cross Turismo, is being phased out, but only for America, since the model will continue to be sold overseas.
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Hyundai IONIQ 6
The Hyundai Ioniq 6 — which also has a sporty “N” model available — is a four-door sedan from the Korean automaker that first went on sale in 2022. The 2025 model got a J.D. Power reliability score of 72 out of 100, and 79 out of 100 under the driving experience header. The resale score for the 2025 Ioniq 6 stood at 70 out of 100, which gave the vehicle an overall score of 73 out of 100 total available points for 2025. We do not have reliability scores for the 2026 Ioniq 6 — since the standard model has been axed for the 2026 model year, though the Ioniq N continues to be sold.
However, you might still be able to get a 2025 model as new or near-new from Hyundai dealers if you’re willing to shop around. Used models could be going for a steal, especially if you decide to trade in your current vehicle in some cases. For those who don’t know about the Ioniq 6, it is an all-electric model with a 53 kWh battery system in 2026 that feeds one electric motor, making about 149 hp of power.
These are standard figures for the 2026 model, which give the vehicle a range of 240 miles — though real-world usage, as with all EVs, will rarely hit that optimal-condition number. Still, for $37,850 as base MSRP ($1,745 as additional charges), it’s not too shabby a deal for a decently reliable and extremely good-looking daily driver vehicle.
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BMW iX
It’s easy to get tangled up when reading about a BMW model; for the unaware, the BMW iX is a midsize luxury SUV intended as the electric version of the BMW X5. In 2026, the iX comes with dual e-motors powered by a 100 kWh battery system, and has space to seat five passengers in two rows. If you’re wondering, the car has about 87 MPGe (miles per gallon equivalent), which isn’t particularly striking, but then again, it’s a luxury SUV, and efficiency is rarely a concern for buyers. What might indeed be a concern is the range, which for standard iX models is a claimed 279 miles in total.
Remember that manufacturer-claimed EV ranges are under optimal conditions, which are hard to replicate in real-world use. Even for a luxury SUV, that range might be the limiting factor for buyers. J.D. Power gives the 2026 BMW iX a score of 77 out of 100 overall, and 78 out of 100 specifically for reliability, which is really good. For those looking to score a BMW iX, you should act fast, since BMW has said it will not sell the iX in the U.S. following the 2026 model year. Once again, buyers in other markets will continue to have access to the iX even beyond 2026, since the discontinuation is only here in America. The MSRP for a 2026 iX is $75,150, with $1,175 as destination.
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Kia EV9
Kia
The Kia EV9 is the only vehicle on this list that can seat more than five people, with room for up to seven passengers across three rows of seating. With the optional captain’s chairs, total seating capacity drops to six. Power for the current 2026 model year comes from a 76.1 kWh battery that feeds a single e-motor, giving the EV9 an EPA-estimated range of 305 miles in certain high-end configurations.
The entry-level trim — which is called the “Light RWD” — drops the range to a barely usable 230 miles. J.D. Power gives the 2026 Kia EV9 an overall score of 72 out of 100, which breaks down into 67 out of 100 for reliability, 82 out of 100 for driving experience, and 77 out of 100 for resale. Another neat feature of the Kia EV9 is the fact that it is compatible with any Tesla Supercharger in the U.S., which greatly improves the charging outlook on road trips with the family, for example.
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What’s not great about the EV9 is the price, since it starts at a base MSRP of $54,900 for 2026, which is not inclusive of a pricey $1,645 destination fee that is tacked on top of the MSRP. If you’re open to looking at used models, the 2024 EV9 (which also got a J.D. Power reliability score of 70 on 100) is selling for about $30,000 on the used market as of August 2026.
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BMW i4
The BMW i4 is an all-electric, medium-sized executive sedan with sporty fastback styling and borrows heavily from the styling of its corporate cousin, the BMW M4. For 2026, the model has an 83.9-kWh battery and powers dual e-motors, giving the car a total range of 333 miles. However, this car is not what we’d call accessible to the average buyer, since it is somewhat hard to find at a dealer and is also prohibitively expensive to buy. 2026 models come with a starting sticker price of $57,900, plus a freight fee of $1,175. Slightly older models, like the ones from 2024, are selling for much cheaper — $40,000 at the time of writing — but you’d lose two years of warranty when buying those.
However, for those who want to scoop one up, you can console yourself knowing that you’re in one of the best-looking, best-performing cars on sale. If you’re wondering, J.D. Power has not rated the 2026, 2025, or 2024 models of the BMW i4, though 2023 models got 74 on 100 in reliability, and 78 on 100 overall. Furthermore, Consumer Reports says that the 2026 BMW iX will have about-average reliability, which is a pretty good outlook (even though it’s based on predictive data), considering that it’s an EV.
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Lexus RZ
Surprisingly, this list has not been dominated by Japanese vehicles (which usually top every single reliability listicle out there), since Japan has tended to lean toward hybrids rather than pure EVs. This then makes the Lexus RZ the only Japanese EV to make our list, yet it smashes all metrics by which it is measured. Consumer Reports says that the 2026 Lexus RZ will be “more reliable” than your average new vehicle, which is pretty high praise from the company. The interior of the Lexus RZ is something that we absolutely have to mention, since it looks like the inside of a futuristic spaceship.
Many of the interior controls are still via buttons, making the Lexus RZ one of the rare new car models that still use buttons and knobs aplenty. This use of buttons is (arguably) even rarer on a current-generation EV, since the manufacturers want to present the car as “futuristic” — so screens are the norm. The 2026 Lexus RZ comes with a 75 kWh battery pack and has one e-motor on the base model, with a claimed range of about 301 miles.
At the time of writing, the 2026 RZ only had one outstanding recall from the NHTSA, related to a potential ECU failure. It’s also worth mentioning that J.D. Power has never rated the Lexus RZ since its release in 2023, which is why we can’t give you any scores for the same.
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Tesla Model 3
One of the first electric vehicles — arguably the first, in fact — that really became popular was the Tesla Model 3. It is one of the oldest nameplates on our list, having been on sale since 2017 — which, for those counting, is almost a decade. Unsurprisingly, many kinks in the design and software have been worked out by now, which means that the Model 3 for 2026 is one of the most reliable electric vehicles on the market.
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The Model 3 nabbed the top spot in the J.D. Power EV ownership study that we quoted at the beginning of this article for 2026, which is quite impressive. Tesla also has one of the best charging infrastructure networks in the U.S. for EVs, which is a big plus in the Model 3’s favor. J.D. Power gives the Tesla Model 3 a resale value of 77 on 100, a driving experience value of 92 on 100, and a reliability value of 92 on 100.
When combined, these figures give the Model 3 an overall score of 82 on 100 from J.D. Power. Pricing for the 2026 Model 3 begins with a base window sticker of $36,990, and a destination charge of $1,390 added to the MSRP. This generation comes with a 69.5 kWh battery and a single electric motor, giving the five-seater a range of about 321 miles.
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Tesla Model Y
The Tesla Model Y is the company’s crossover SUV, and if you think it looks similar to the Model 3 that we just looked at, that’s because it is. The Model Y is actually based on the Tesla Model 3, and the two variants share many parts. For 2026, the Model Y comes with a similarly sized 60 kWh battery pack and one e-motor, making about 295 hp. All things put together, the Model Y is supposed to get a total driving range of about 321 miles, which is the same as that of the Model 3 from above.
The price is, naturally, higher for the Model Y, with the 2026 model selling for $61,990 as base MSRP, plus $1,390 for destination charge. J.D. Power gave the 2026 Model Y an overall score of 81, a driving experience score of 87, a resale score of 80, and a reliability score of 78 — all values out of 100. Consumer Reports says that the Tesla Model Y would be “much more reliable” compared to the average new vehicle on sale.
It’s worth mentioning that many of the Consumer Reports scores that we list are based on predictive modeling of past units — which we feel is fine, since there usually aren’t many mechanical differences between intra-generational models that we’ve listed. Furthermore, many models that we’ve listed are first-gen ones that will only get more reliable with time.
Newly minted RaaS crew breaks in through using internet-facing kit via known Fortinet flaws, then steals and scrambles data
US cyber agencies are warning critical infrastructure operators to patch their internet-facing kit after Gunra ransomware affiliates were spotted exploiting known vulnerabilities to break into networks.
Gunra first surfaced in 2025 and has wasted little time expanding. CISA, the FBI, NSA, Secret Service, and partner agencies in the US and South Korea say it now operates as ransomware-as-a-service, with affiliates attacking organizations worldwide.
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Targets have included healthcare, financial services, government, professional services, nonprofits, and other critical infrastructure organizations.
The attackers have exploited CVE-2024-55591 and CVE-2025-24472, authentication bypass flaws in Fortinet’s FortiOS and FortiProxy, to gain administrative access through internet-facing appliances.
Once inside, Gunra affiliates follow the now-familiar double-extortion playbook: steal data, encrypt systems, and demand payment for a decryptor and a promise not to publish the haul.
Negotiations take place through a Tor-based portal, according to the advisory, with victims typically given between five and seven days to cough up before their stolen data is published.
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“Gunra is another variant in the ongoing trend of ransomware attacks causing disruption and harm to US and international organizations,” said Chris Butera, CISA’s acting executive assistant director for cybersecurity.
Trend Micro first observed Gunra in April 2025, initially targeting Windows systems and borrowing elements from the Conti ransomware operation. The security shop later uncovered a Linux variant, broadening the range of systems its operators could scramble.
That Linux version can run as many as 100 encryption threads in parallel and supports partial encryption, allowing attackers to specify how much of individual files should be encrypted. It can also store RSA-encrypted keys in separate keystore files.
Trend Micro has seen Gunra activity in Turkey, Taiwan, the US, and South Korea. The gang’s own leak site casts the net wider, claiming victims in Brazil, Japan, and Canada as well, including manufacturers, healthcare providers, IT companies, and law firms.
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The agencies are urging potential targets to patch known exploited vulnerabilities in internet-facing systems, secure VPN gateways and RDP access with multifactor authentication, segment networks, and maintain offline, immutable backups to make life harder for attackers who get through the front door. ®
alternative_right shares a report from 404 Media: Robotics companies promise that video-camera-toting security robots can deter and detect crime. But many companies are rethinking the approach after a trail of canceled contracts and questions about whether the artificial intelligence-powered bots are meeting the needs of businesses and local governments. Proof News found evidence of at least 21 security robot deployments since 2015. We contacted contract holders and combed news articles and determined that at least 13 of those programs have ended. Silicon Valley-based Knightscope secured the most security robot contracts, according to Proof’s analysis, and also suffered the bulk of cancellations.
For example, New York City’s then-Mayor Eric Adams installed a Knightscope robot on the overnight shift at the Times Square subway station, but the program was scrapped when the pilot expired in 2024. City leaders did not respond to Proof News’ questions about why the robot wasn’t renewed. By the end of its assignment, it was reportedly gathering dust in an empty storefront. Outside Columbus, Ohio, the city of Dublin pulled the plug on a Knightscope robot in May, ending its two-year pilot program after less than 10 months. The city enlisted the robot, dubbed DubBot, to patrol a downtown park, but city spokeswoman Robyn Gray said it “did not fully meet our operational needs,” and failed to identify any criminal incidents or lead to any tickets or arrests.
[…] Seeking a new path forward in the security industry, Knightscope CEO William Santana Li said the company is forging a new model, combining its robots and AI-powered software with another key ingredient: human security guards. Knightscope announced it purchased Event Risk LLC, a national security guard firm, earlier this year. Knightscope has incurred net losses since inception in 2013, according to its most recent quarterly filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, and is $273 million in debt. Knightscope hopes its pivot to incorporate people will give it a greater share of the physical security market — which the company believes is worth an estimated $230 billion annually. Li declined to answer questions about the disbanded programs, but said in an email, “Technology cannot do everything — and neither can people — but the combination can be very powerful.”
Bumble is officially giving up on the rule that made it, well, Bumble.
The dating app announced Tuesday that anyone in a match can now send the first message, ending the women-message-first requirement that has been one of the company’s defining features for more than a decade.
Bumble is also giving matches 72 hours to respond, up from 24, in an effort to take some of the pressure out of coming up with a response in a short time frame. The longer window gives people more flexibility to reply, rather than feeling like they need to check the app constantly or risk a match disappearing.
The change marks a pretty significant shift for Bumble, which built its brand around putting women in control of heterosexual dating conversations. When the app launched in 2014, Bumble was positioned as the more considerate alternative to Tinder, with women deciding whether a conversation would begin and, ideally, avoiding some of the unsolicited messages and general weirdness that had become synonymous with dating apps.
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Bumble founder and CEO Whitney Wolfe Herd framed the new update as an evolution rather than a retreat from the company’s original mission.
“While women making the first move was a radical idea, being women-first was never about prescribing just one way to connect. It was about designing an experience with women’s needs in mind to create better outcomes for everyone,” Herd said in a statement.
And, apparently, plenty of women are ready for this change. According to Bumble’s survey data, 66% of women surveyed said they prefer men to send the first message, with many saying it would make dating feel less stressful. Additionally, more than half of members surveyed said the longer response window improved their experience.
“Today, our community is asking for more flexibility, less pressure, and more opportunities to create real, meaningful connections, and that is what this new experience provides. This evolution isn’t a departure from our founding vision, but the realization of it,” Herd added.
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The change also isn’t coming completely out of nowhere. Bumble began loosening its original rules in 2024 with “Opening Moves,” a feature that allowed women to set a question on their profile that a man could answer.
The change also arrives as Bumble tries to turn around a business that has been struggling to regain its footing. The company’s second-quarter earnings report last week showed revenue dropping 15.2% year over year to $210.5 million, while the company expects its number of paying customers to decline in the third quarter.
Over the past several quarters, Bumble has tried to address a broader slowdown in online dating, as the industry wrestles with user fatigue, an increasingly crowded market, and the reality that swiping through hundreds of profiles isn’t necessarily anyone’s idea of a great time. The company recently revealed it’s exploring a swipe-free future, along with more in-person events and AI features to garner more traction, especially among Gen Z users.
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Technology is always moving forward, and for the most part, it’s making our lives easier. Every once in a while, though, an invention comes along that basically changes the way we interact with the world around us. QR codes are a perfect example. They’ve become so deeply woven into our everyday lives that we barely even think about them anymore. Everyone has a smartphone anyway, so if you have some information you want to get across efficiently, just place a QR code in an accessible location and have everyone scan it with their phones.
The iPhone’s camera app automatically recognizes QR codes and lets you open links, join Wi-Fi networks, and perform other actions with a single tap. The default camera app on many Android smartphones lets you do the same. You could also use a dedicated QR scanner app or fire up Google Lens to handle the job. But what about when someone sends you a QR code digitally? How do you scan a QR code that’s on your phone’s screen using the same device? Well, both Apple and Google have thought of that too.
On an iPhone, save the image of the QR code to your photo library. Launch the Photos app, expand the image, tap and hold the QR code, and select the action that appears, such as “Open in Safari” for a website link. If you’re using Android, launch the Google Photos app, select the image, swipe up to reveal more options, tap “Search,” and then tap the highlighted QR code to reveal its contents.
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Your photo app can do more than scan QR codes
Adnan Ahmed/SlashGear
Both Google Photos and the Photos app that comes with Apple devices have evolved over the years to do much more than simply store your media files. Being able to scan a QR code that’s already in your photo library can come in handy. For instance, when you point your phone at a QR code, the camera app usually takes a second or two to recognize it. Plus, if you move the QR code out of the frame, the shortcut to open its link quickly disappears. In such cases, quickly grabbing a picture and accessing the QR code through the Photos app later can prove to be much more convenient.
If an image contains text, you can quickly copy it as well. On iPhone, all it takes is a long tap on the text area in an image, and you’ll see the selection handles pop up alongside a context menu where you can copy or share the selected text. Google Photos lets you do the same when you swipe up and tap the “Copy text” option.
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Though it’s become incredibly convenient to do so, you should be careful about scanning unknown QR codes. While QR codes themselves are harmless, they can direct you to malicious websites or phishing pages designed to steal your personal information.
There have been rumblings for a while that America’s richest and most annoying white supremacist, Elon Musk, really wants to get into the wireless phone business. His lobbyists have been making noise in support for broader phone unlocking rules, and there’ve been several IPO-fluffing press leaks over the last few months indicating they’re keen on building a Starlink phone.
They’ve also leaked word to Semafor, likely in part to boost Musk’s sagging and disastrous IPO, that Musk’s companies are on the hunt for spectrum allowing them to offer wireless phone service in more dense, urban markets (since Starlink LEO satellite lacks the capacity for that):
“SpaceX, which is trying to fill a hole in its airwaves crucial for a full-service wireless network, has been hunting for spectrum that works well in cities and dense areas, according to people familiar with the matter. The company is considering buying competitors to acquire the spectrum or competing at a government auction set for next year, the people said.”
There have been some rumblings that Musk Corp could try to acquire T-Mobile, which they’re already partnering with on a hybrid LEO satellite and cellular phone offering that lets you use Starlink in remote areas for calls and cellular when in more dense locations.
One of several problems for Musk is his highly-fraudulent IPO is cratering, adding additional financial pressure to the mix. Massive acquisitions, which you’d probably need to do this effectively, are costly, debt-riddled, notoriously time-consuming and resource intensive.
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SpaceX’s IPO promised that Starlink would quickly jump from 10 million current subscribers to 300 million or more in very short order. That’s pretty much impossible with just Starlink (despite some delusional numbers being tossed around by Jason Calacanis and friends). Even if you acquired T-Mobile (142.6 million subscribers) it would take years and a ton of good luck to get anywhere close.
Telecom is also a massively cash-intensive business to jump into. Spectrum, tower leases, backhaul is all annoying, complicated, pricey, and time consuming to get right. Assuming 100% competency you’d be talking years before any sort of meaningful traction, by which time they could be facing less Musk-friendly regulators at the FCC.
Companies like AT&T, Verizon, and Comcast also just inherently loathe competition, and can be quite formidable when they join forces to box out any new competitors. The highway of telecom history is littered with corpses of folks who believed they could break through the monopolistic, government-coddled logjam (Dish Network being just the latest). As is the highway of very deep-pocketed companies trying to offer their own smartphones (Amazon, Facebook, Microsoft).
You’ve also got other companies like Amazon considering similar phone networks. Musk’s companies, especially Starlink, also are notorious for refusing to have competent customer service, something they’d need to excel at to disrupt cellular and gain fast market share. And this is all while Musk continues to show signs of massive instability as he dedicates the majority of his time to being a bizarre and unhinged egomaniacal racist on his personal propaganda website.
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Though Musk does have some things in his favor. Like an army of cultists who’ll praise his barely available and expensive phone service no matter how clumsy or half-completed any network build is. People in the extended Roganverse already think the costly and congested Starlink network is akin to magic, and the marketing hype surrounding a Musk phone would be utterly deafening.
That doesn’t naturally equate to success in competently challenging some of America’s biggest and most politically powerful monopolies in brick-and-mortar reality, though.
The latest iOS 27 developer beta includes code referring to multiple iPhone models, including six that are believed to be as-yet unannounced ones like the iPhone Fold.
Back in December 2025, code in iOS 26 featured references to more than a dozen unreleased Apple products, ranging from iPhones to Macs and an AirTag. Now similar references in iOS 27 expressly point to six models of iPhone that Apple has yet to launch.
The references are all to internal codenames rather than either product names or device identifiers. Based on previous reports, however, the six models together with their codenames appear to be:
V62: iPhone Air 2
V63: iPhone 18 Pro
V64: iPhone 18 Pro Max
V67: iPhone 18
V68: iPhone Fold
V69: iPhone 18e
The references were all included in a iOS 27 code relating to battery usage. The same section also featured references to multiple existing iPhone models.
Each one of the codenames has been reported before, and ascribed to particular iPhone models. However, according to Macworld, which first spotted the code references, there has never before been a complete iPhone 18 lineup listed like this.
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Six in the works, four coming soon
It definitely implies that Apple has six iPhone models in the works. What it doesn’t and cannot imply is when or really even if any of them will launch.
The presence of these code references in the beta definitely does not mean that this is a list of what Apple will announce in September 2026.
At present, the strongest rumors about that September 2026 launch are that it will be solely for the Pro models of the iPhone. If correct, that means the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, and it’s also repeatedly reported that the iPhone Fold will be unveiled then.
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That would account for three of the six references found in the code. Apple is expected to launch the remainder of the iPhone 18 range in spring 2027.
If so, that would surely mean the iPhone 18, but it may also mean an updated iPhone Air, plus the lower-cost iPhone 18e.
KRAFTON India is bringing CarryMinati into BATTLEGROUNDS MOBILE INDIA (BGMI) with a new in-game collaboration. Unlike a regular cameo, CarryMinati will appear as a fully playable character. This is the first time an Indian content creator has entered BGMI in this form. The collaboration will be available between August 15 and September 13, 2026, as part of the BGMI 4.5 season. NotYourType (NYT) has designed the complete in-game collection for the collaboration. It features a character, Boss, outfits, weapon skins, vehicles, cards, and several other items.CarryMinati Arrives in BGMI With a New WOW Map and Boss Battle.
CarryMinati Arrives in BGMI With a New WOW Map and Boss Battle
BGMI provides gamers with two different ways to experience CarryMinati’s collaboration. The first method is playing with CarryMinati WOW Map, where gamers face intense 2v2 battles with their friends. Gamers engage in close-range fights using shotguns and try to avoid traps available on the map. It reflects CarryMinati’s energetic and exciting persona. The other way for gamers to get engaged in this collaboration is by facing CarryMinati Boss in Classic mode on maps like Erangel and Livik. Players receive CarryMinati Tokens by defeating CarryMinati Boss and winning certain Play and Win challenges.
The BGMI x CarryMinati Collection follows a unique frost-and-flame theme throughout its different items. NotYourType designed the complete collection around this visual style. The CarryMinati Set offers a streetwear look with royal-inspired elements. Meanwhile, the Cryo King Set features frozen armor, a crown, and golden detailing. Players can also get the Cryo Blast Grenade with its blue-and-gold appearance, and the Cryo Core Backpack adds phoenix wings to an ice-and-gold design.
The collection also includes the premium CarryMinati Card Collection for fans and collectors. Players can use the CarryMinati Emote during matches, which features a challenge-style animation. The CarryMinati Voice Pack brings his voice and signature style into the game. Players also get the NotYourType Voice Pack and CarryMinati Recall Tower Voice. The CarryMinati WOW Map further adds to the collaboration’s in-game content.
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Spin and Exchange Event Brings More Rewards
The event gives BGMI players different ways to earn and redeem CarryMinati-themed rewards. Players can earn CarryMinati Tokens by defeating the Boss and completing selected Play & Win challenges. They can spend these tokens in the CarryMinati Exchange Event for various rewards. Players can also use 20, 30, and 50 UC Discount Vouchers on the CarryMinati Spin. Each voucher supports up to five redemptions per user. The collaboration combines gameplay, a playable character, voice content, and exclusive collectibles in one experience.
If you want to upskill in finance but are fiscally conscious, consider one of these free or inexpensive programmes.
Nowadays you don’t have to spend a lot of money to upskill in new or established areas of interest. Improved internet access has enabled education to move online for a vast majority of people and it is an efficient, cost effective and convenient way to upskill with your career in mind.
SiliconRepublic.com has pulled together a list of some of the courses students and professionals looking to get ahead should consider. So, if you are interested then keep reading and who knows, a financial skills programme could be exactly what takes your career to the next level.
Alison
Educational platform and Stone River eLearning, are running a free course perfect for newbies or those looking to brush up on their foundational knowledge. The Basics of Financial Technology course covers the evolution of fintech, the features, its application, the challenges, risk management and compliance requirements. There will be an assessment at the end of the programme with the option to purchase a certificate of completion, provided you pass the course.
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CFTE
The Centre for Finance, Technology and Entrepreneurship is running a Fintech Masterclass which aims for ‘excellence in the new era of finance’. By the end of the course students will have an understanding of the history of fintech, the wider ecosystem, the challenges of traditional banking methods, the modernisation of the space and the overall infrastructure. Learners will earn a shareable badge of completion issued by CFTE. The course suggests engaging for around 15 minutes a day and takes around two hours. There are three different ways to participate, the free modules, a fee-based specialised programme and a fee-based enterprise programme.
Great Learning
Edtech Great Learning has a similar programme designed with newbies in mind. The beginner level Introduction to Fintech course will teach students about the fundamentals of fintech, including digital payments, robo-advisors, online banking and AI in finance. The course can be engaged with in your own time, takes around 2 and a half hours to complete and offers a paid for certificate at the end. Additional free courses include a Business Finance Foundations module, the more novel ChatGPT for Finance programme and an Analytics in Finance option.
LinkedIn Learning
Though it isn’t free, LinkedIn Learning does regularly advertise free for a month subscriptions and partially reduced courses. Available financial infrastructure and fintech programmes include, Introduction to Fintech, AI in Fintech Essential Training, Using ChatGPT and Generative AI in Fintech, Blockchain Basics and Data in Fintech versus Finance, among others. Each course has its own requirements, learning objectives and methods, so make sure to do your research and find the programme best suited to your educational goals.
Udemy
While it also isn’t free, educational resource Udemy has a relatively affordable Digital Banking Masterclass and Introduction to Fintech course available. The programme offers unique and in depth knowledge from a senior product manager who works in digital banking for one of the World’s top 100 banks. Students will learn about the foundations of the industry, digital banking, systems architecture, the future of bank branches, system flows and fintech, among other topics. There are more than 10 hours of on-demand video, assignments, downloadable resources, accessibility on mobile and TV, closed captions and a certificate of completion at the end of the course.
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When Focal and Naim announced support for another high-resolution streaming service this week, my first reaction was probably the same as that of a lot of North American audiophiles: What exactly is Presto Music?
I spend an unreasonable amount of time using TIDAL and Qobuz, reviewing network amplifiers and streamers, and wondering why some streaming apps can locate a recording in four seconds while others behave as though you’ve requested the Dead Sea Scrolls. My Bubie could probably find those faster; they’re in the dining room, third drawer down, behind the Chanukah cards from 1983. Somehow, Presto Music had still managed to stay off my radar.
That might be about to change. Focal and Naim have added native Presto Music integration to supported streaming products, giving owners access to a service built specifically around classical music, jazz and audiophile recordings. Presto currently advertises more than 200,000 albums, over 34,000 hi-res releases, more than 70,000 digital booklets and playback up to 24-bit/192kHz.
Those numbers are interesting, but they are not the real reason this announcement deserves attention. Naim already supports the major streaming platforms and has spent years developing one of the better software ecosystems in high-end audio.
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Why would Naim bother adding a comparatively obscure British streaming service unless it believed its customers might actually care?
Related Reviews:
What Exactly Is Presto Music?
Presto isn’t a startup that appeared last Tuesday with a logo, an AI recommendation engine and $40 million in venture capital. The company began as a record shop in Royal Leamington Spa, England, in 1986 and eventually developed into a major online retailer specializing in classical and jazz recordings, downloads, sheet music and related products. Its streaming service launched in 2023.
That history helps explain the service.
Spotify, Apple Music and TIDAL are built around enormous catalogs and broad mainstream discovery. Presto concentrates on classical music and jazz, where metadata can matter just as much as the album title. Classical listeners frequently care about the composer, orchestra, conductor, soloist, label, recording date and specific performance, while jazz collectors can be equally particular about personnel, session dates and mastering.
Presto leans heavily into that kind of information, along with reviews, curated editorial content and digital booklets. More than 70,000 albums include booklets, which should immediately make sense to anyone who spent decades buying CDs and actually read the liner notes instead of using the jewel case as a coaster.
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Presto Isn’t Trying to Beat TIDAL at Being TIDAL
Presto’s catalog is much smaller than TIDAL or Qobuz, and pretending otherwise would miss the point.
TIDAL offers a massive mainstream catalog, hi-res FLAC and Dolby Atmos, while Qobuz combines more than 100 million tracks with extensive hi-res content, editorial material and broad hardware integration. For someone whose listening jumps from Miles Davis to Radiohead, Mahler and Black Sabbath before lunch, either service remains a far more comprehensive single-subscription option.
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Presto’s argument is different: be exceptionally good at classical and jazz rather than merely having them buried inside a gigantic catalog.
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Its standard streaming plan is currently $10.99 per month, while Streaming Plus costs $14.99 and adds discounts on purchases from Presto’s retail business. Both offer the same streaming catalog and audio quality up to 24-bit/192kHz.
The question isn’t whether Presto has more music than Qobuz. It doesn’t. The better question is whether a smaller, more focused service can offer classical and jazz listeners a better experience.
That is a much more credible fight.
Presto Music App on smartphone
It Also Pays Differently
Presto has another unusual distinction: its royalty model.
The company uses what it calls a pay-per-second system rather than treating every stream as an equivalent unit. That matters particularly with classical music, where a single movement can run for 20 or 30 minutes while a pop album might divide the same listening time among numerous tracks.
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Presto argues that paying according to listening time avoids penalizing longer works simply because they generate fewer individual track plays. There are important caveats: comparisons with competing services rely partly on industry estimates, and payments still initially go to labels and rights holders before reaching individual performers.
Even so, the logic is easy to understand. A 28-minute symphonic movement shouldn’t be commercially disadvantaged simply because somebody else released 11 songs during the same amount of listening time.
Naim Uniti Nova Power Edition
Why Would Naim Bother?
This is the part that interests me most.
Naim does not need another streaming logo to make its spec sheets look fuller. Streaming integration has been central to the company for years, from the Uniti Atom and Uniti Nova through newer products such as the CI-Uniti 102. Focal, meanwhile, has increasingly moved the same ecosystem into products such as the Mu-so Hekla.
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We’ve reviewed enough Naim hardware to know that its customers are not generally buying these products because they were the cheapest boxes on the shelf at Costco.
The decision to integrate Presto therefore feels more meaningful than another routine service announcement. There is an obvious overlap between the people spending real money on Naim hardware and listeners who care about recording provenance, mastering quality, metadata, liner notes and finding a particular performance rather than asking an algorithm to “play some classical.”
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That doesn’t mean every Naim owner spends Sunday morning comparing Karajan and Klemperer recordings while drinking Rooibos from a Salisbury-approved mug. But the demographic overlap isn’t exactly difficult to see.
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Naim already has access to the big streaming platforms. Adding Presto suggests that the company believes specialist streaming services can have real value when they understand their audience better than the giants do.
How Does It Work?
There is an important technical distinction here.
Focal and Naim have not announced a separate “Presto Connect” protocol equivalent to TIDAL Connect or Qobuz Connect. Instead, Presto is integrated directly into the Focal & Naim ecosystem. Users update the Focal & Naim app and compatible product firmware, sign into Presto, and stream directly through supported hardware.
That still provides the important benefit: the streamer receives the service directly rather than relying on Bluetooth or another compromised workaround.
Naim isn’t the first high-end manufacturer to embrace Presto. Eversolo already supports the service, while its integration with BluOS opens it to compatible products from Bluesound, NAD, PSB, DALI, Monitor Audio, Cyrus, Roksan and others. Audirvāna also supports Presto on the software side.
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What makes the Focal and Naim announcement interesting is that another major audiophile ecosystem has now decided this specialist classical and jazz service deserves native support. Presto isn’t suddenly arriving because Naim discovered it; it has been quietly building a legitimate hardware footprint while a lot of North American audiophiles still have no idea what it is
There is, however, a firmware wrinkle.
Newer Naim platforms have begun receiving the required updates, but some Uniti and Classic streamers are still waiting for firmware 3.13 as of August 9, 2026. First-generation Naim streamers are excluded from Presto support entirely.
So if your Uniti refuses to display Presto this morning, repeatedly rebooting it while questioning British engineering probably isn’t going to help. The update may simply not be available for your model yet.
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Is This Really a Threat to Qobuz?
Not exactly.
Qobuz remains the most obvious comparison because both companies emphasize high-resolution audio, editorial content and listeners who care about sound quality. Qobuz, however, offers a vastly broader catalog and much deeper support across the hi-fi industry.
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Presto’s advantage is specialization.
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Its classical orientation, jazz focus, digital booklets and more granular metadata give it a distinct identity. There is also something increasingly refreshing about opening a music service that doesn’t immediately attempt to convince you that whatever went viral twelve minutes ago while someone made a sandwich should become the center of your listening universe.
Whether that’s enough to persuade an existing Qobuz subscriber to pay for a second service is the more interesting question.
We’re Going to Find Out
eCoustics has covered Naim and Focal extensively, and we have reviews of the Focal Mu-so Hekla and Naim CI-Uniti 102 coming this month. That gives us an obvious opportunity to do more than repeat the announcement.
We’re going to try Presto on the hardware.
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How good is the search function when you’re looking for a specific classical recording? How deep is the jazz catalog? Do the digital booklets materially improve the experience? How reliable is hi-res playback through the Focal & Naim platform? And if you’re already paying for TIDAL or Qobuz, is there enough here to justify another subscription?
Because streaming subscriptions are starting to resemble cable television packages. Everybody promised us freedom from bundles, and somehow we ended up paying six companies every month again.
At least this one comes with Mahler.
The Bottom Line
Presto Music isn’t going to replace Spotify, Apple Music, TIDAL or Qobuz for most listeners, and its smaller catalog makes that fairly obvious. What it offers instead is specialization: classical and jazz, hi-res playback, meaningful metadata, extensive digital booklets, human editorial curation and a royalty model designed around the realities of longer musical works.
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The more significant part of this story may be Naim’s decision to integrate it. Naim already supports the major players; it didn’t need Presto simply to make the feature list longer. Adding it suggests that specialist streaming services may have a legitimate place alongside the giants when they understand their audience well enough.
Presto Music has been streaming since 2023. A lot of us are only noticing it now.
Solawave Neck & Chest Rejuvenating Mask for $349: While this mask is fairly comfortable, it can take a little finagling to secure around your neck. It is easy to use, but I didn’t see results on any of my neck lines. The rechargeable battery also doesn’t last long, and I charge this neck mask more often than the LED face masks I use. It’s also harder to tell when it dies on you since it’s around your neck rather than on your face. —Nena Farrell
Avoid These
Megelin Duo-Lux Laser & LED Light Therapy Mask for $799: My biggest issue with this mask is the unpleasant chemical odor. It reminded me of formaldehyde, and because the silicone sits against your face without a mouth opening, the smell is impossible to ignore and left me feeling a bit dizzy. For me, that alone is enough to make it hard to recommend, especially considering it costs about $450 more than my top pick. Also, I found plenty of customer complaints on Reddit that weren’t reflected in the reviews on the company’s site.
LED Esthetics Glotech Minis for $229: Skip these, especially if your skin is reactive. At first glance, these Glotech Minis look like they’re designed to target your under-eyes, but they can technically be used anywhere: chin, smile lines, even above your brows. They emit red and yellow light and promise visible results after four weeks of daily nine-minute sessions. In theory, they’re meant to be a convenient, travel-friendly LED option. In practice, they’re more trouble than they’re worth. The patches rely on adhesive stickers to stay in place, which is a total nightmare for anyone with sensitive skin. My eczema flared after one use, and peeling them off only made it worse. Even beyond that, the fit is awkward. The MemoryContour design doesn’t really hug your face, so you’ll likely find yourself pressing down or lying still just to keep them from sliding off. It’s a clever concept with poor execution.
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Pro by Déesse Pro for $1,700: This is a hard-shell LED mask with six treatment modes and four light wavelengths. The lights are intensely bright; even with the included tanning-bed-style goggles, I had to keep my eyes shut. It requires a power outlet, and the cord is short, so don’t expect to be walking around. It’s not particularly comfortable, either. At $1,700, it’s one of the priciest options out there, and it doesn’t even come with a display stand or storage case.
Unfortunately, not everyone will see results from red- or blue-light therapy, and this might contribute to the suspicion around these skin-care devices and whether they work. You won’t know until you try, though you should talk to your dermatologist to see what they recommend based on your skin type. Be sure to also correctly implement it into your routine (more on this below).
I also recommend checking that the device you’re considering is FDA-cleared. FDA clearance means the FDA has cleared the device for marketing and that it’s safe to use. Brands go through a 510(k) or Premarket Notification process to get clearance. You can check the database to see which devices are FDA-cleared. Note that it’s not the same as FDA approval, which is a higher standard that requires more testing and research.
Topical retinoids, like over-the-counter retinol and prescription tretinoin, can also treat wrinkles and texture by slowing the breakdown of collagen and increasing skin cell turnover. Both retinol and LED devices typically take several months to show results, but retinoids come with more side effects, such as increased breakouts and sometimes flaky, burning skin.
What Are the Benefits of Each Wavelength?
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Research shows that certain light can have benefits for skin rejuvenation. Red-light therapy commonly uses wavelengths in the 630- to 660-nanometer range, with the lowest effective wavelength around 600 nanometers. It can penetrate the dermis and boost collagen production, according to Abigail Waldman, clinical director of the Mohs and Dermatologic Surgery Center at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. (Collagen and elastin are proteins produced by fibroblast cells in the middle layer of the skin, under your epidermis.)
Near-infrared red lights are commonly between 800 and 1,400 nanometers. These penetrate deeper into the skin and are used mostly for healing and reducing inflammation. A study funded by NASA discovered that high-intensity red and near-infrared light significantly sped up healing in oxygen-deprived wounds in rats and boosted the proliferation of skin, bone, and muscle cells from mice and rats. NASA also supplied LED devices to the US Navy to treat training injuries. Those who used the LEDs had a 40 percent improvement in musculoskeletal injuries and 50 percent faster laceration healing over the control group.
Blue light, on the other hand, is typically 405 to 420 nm to penetrate the epidermis (the top layer of skin) and kill acne-causing bacteria. “It also reportedly helps to regulate oil production and reduce inflammation, leading to clearer skin,” says Shoshana Marmon, a board-certified dermatologist and assistant professor of dermatology at New York Medical College.
There are other lesser-known LED lights, such as green, yellow, and purple; but red and blue LEDs are the ones most backed by clinical trials.
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What Is Irradiance and What Number Should I Look For?
Irradiance, in a red-light mask, measures how much power output reaches a certain area of skin per second, measured in milliwatts per square centimeters (mW/cm²). Most effective LED face masks range somewhere between 20 and 60 mW/cm². Higher irradiance doesn’t necessarily make for a more effective treatment, but when shopping for an LED mask, I’d look for one within this range.
How Do I Use an LED Face Mask?
Follow the directions for the specific device you’re using, but in general, you’ll want to wash and dry your face and use the mask before applying any skin-care products. LED therapy devices should have a set treatment time, usually between three and 10 minutes. Use it for the full time unless it feels uncomfortable. After, apply your normal skin-care products, focusing on hydration (serums and moisturizers), especially if you’re prone to dryness. Do not use these masks longer than indicated in their directions.
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While you can use red-light therapy and retinoids in your skin-care routine, Waldman doesn’t recommend using them simultaneously, as it can increase the chance of irritation. She also notes that while there’s no reason to believe red light could be harmful if you’re pregnant or breastfeeding, there isn’t much research involving pregnant people, so you should consult your physician first.
How Often Should I Use an LED Face Mask?
LED light therapy face masks don’t work for everyone, but consistency is crucial if you want to try it. Follow manufacturer guidelines for best use, but most dermatologists recommend using an LED face mask three to five times per week for up to 12 weeks to see results.
Abigail Waldman, MD, FAAD, medical director of the Mohs and Dermatologic Surgery Center at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts.
Shoshana Marmon, MD, PhD, board-certified dermatologist and assistant professor of dermatology at New York Medical College in Valhalla, New York.
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