Microsoft unveiled new artificial intelligence (AI) features with the introduction of Copilot+ PCs at last month’s Microsoft Surface and AI event. However, one feature, dubbed Recall, faced user backlash once it was added in the preview to let users test the feature. Many users took to social media to express concerns about its privacy and lack of an opt-in mechanism. Now, the tech giant has addressed the concerns by introducing three new security features to help users trust the AI-powered feature that enables visual tracking of user history.

Microsoft Recall gets three new features

In a Windows blog post, the company acknowledged the criticism from users and highlighted the changes it was making. The post stated, “We have heard a clear signal that we can make it easier for people to choose to enable Recall on their Copilot+ PC and improve privacy and security safeguards. With that in mind we are announcing updates that will go into effect before Recall (preview) ships to customers on June 18.”

There are three changes in total. First, Recall will be completely opt-in. The setup process of the feature shows a screen where users can disable it. Further, the feature will remain off by default, so the only way to turn it on is by proactively going through the setup process.

Next, Microsoft is integrating Windows Hello, the security feature that requires biometric information or a PIN code to allow the user access to the device, with Recall. Now, to enable the feature, users must enable and set up Windows Hello. Additionally, the tech giant said the device will require a “proof of presence” to view the timeline and search in Recall.

Finally, the Windows maker is adding encryption to Recall to make it harder for bad actors to access the data. The first layer of encryption comes from Windows Hello and apart from that, it is also encrypting the search index database of Recall’s snapshots so they cannot be accessed by a hacker.

What is the Recall feature

Announced on May 20, Recall is an AI-powered search history tracking functionality for the entire device. It takes periodic screenshots of the PC and via computer vision, it can answer user queries. Users can ask the AI about a specific task done on a certain day or show the highlight of a day and Recall will be quickly able to share the information.

Even at launch, Microsoft had added some security features to make the invasive nature of the feature more palatable to users. The snapshots taken by Recall were stored locally and were locked for every user account on the PC. Once Recall is activated, users are also sent persistent notifications to remind them that the feature is taking screenshots periodically. Users were also given the choice to disable the feature for certain apps.

Further, Recall did not take snapshots of digital rights managed content or InPrivate browsing, which is supported in some PCs. Users are also given control over the screenshots that are being saved. The feature can be paused or filtered, and users can manually delete snapshots. Additionally, the feature is also protected by Copilot+ PCs’ chip-to-cloud security technology, Microsoft Pluton security processor based on Zero Trust principles.

Despite these features, many netizens complained that the snapshots were not encrypted and that the lack of an opt-in mechanism made the feature feel forced. Microsoft has now addressed all of these concerns.

Bluesky recently announced that it does not train its generative artificial intelligence (AI) models on user data. The social media platform also highlighted the areas where it uses AI tools and claimed that none of the models have been trained on the public and private posts made by users. The statement was released after several creators and users raised concerns about the platform’s privacy policy around AI. Notably, Bluesky recently crossed the 17 million registered users mark after one million users joined the platform in a single day last week.

Bluesky Says It Does Not Train AI on User Posts

In a post on the platform, Bluesky announced its stance on AI and user data. “We do not use any of your content to train generative AI, and have no intention of doing so,” the post said, adding that it was issued after several artists and creators on the platform raised concerns over the platform’s AI policy.

In a separate post, Bluesky also listed the areas where it uses generative AI tools. The company uses AI internally to assist in content moderation system, which is a common practice for social media platforms. Additionally, it also uses AI in its Discover algorithmic feed, through which the platform suggests posts to users based on their activity on the platform.

The Verge reported that while the company might not be using user data to train AI models, third-party firms can still crawl the platform and scrape the data to train their models. Company spokesperson Emily Liu told the publication that Bluesky’s robots.txt files do not stop outside companies from crawling its website for data.

However, the spokesperson highlighted that the issue is currently a topic of discussion within the team and Bluesky is trying to figure out how to ensure that outside organisations respect user consent on the platform.

Notably, on Sunday, Bluesky revealed that one million new users joined the social media platform in a single day. It also highlighted that the platform crossed the milestone of 17 million registered users.

Just a day away from getting our first look at Grand Theft Auto 6, a leak has surfaced that claims to show footage from the upcoming game. As per GTABase.com on Twitter, TikTok account ‘azzarossi’ posted a video showing a quick panoramic view and scale of the alleged location GTA 6 is based in — a fictionalised version of Miami aka Vice City. The video also shows a Pißwasser billboard, an in-game beer brand that’s been ever-present in GTA games. While the account has since gone private, there is no way to verify whether the footage is real. The important landmarks, however, match with the massive data leak from last year, which exposed over 90 in-development clips into the wild.

The same TikTok user also posted a picture of himself alongside Aaron Garbut, head of development and co-studio head at Rockstar North, leading to speculation that the leaker could be the Rockstar Games employee’s son. While there’s still no evidence of the publisher taking down videos for copyright infringement, it’s kind of startling how the “my dad works at Rockstar/ Xbox/ PlayStation” meme turned out to be real for once. If true, the leaker has certainly got his father into big trouble at the studio for some online likes, despite having privated their account near-instantaneously. The last time the publisher dealt with leaks, an unnamed 17-year-old was reportedly arrested for hacking and being part of the group that claimed credit for the Uber leaks. Rockstar hasn’t released any statement regarding the leaks and now would also be a good time to block keywords on social media to avoid spoilers.

Meanwhile, the company is prepared to debut the first trailer for the next GTA game on Tuesday, December 5 at 7:30pm IST in India/ 9am ET in the US. While the internet is eagerly waiting for GTA 6, Rockstar has not revealed an official title for the game yet, so it could very well be a spin-off with a subtitle instead of being a numbered sequel. A countdown video is also now live on YouTube. There’s no word on a release window, but a May earnings report from Rockstar’s parent company Take-Two Interactive hints at a window within the 2025 fiscal year, which opens as early as April next year. Ambitions are quite high at the studio, which is said to be introducing its first playable Latina female protagonist and also increasing the number of enterable indoor locations for better immersion. There are reportedly two leads though, a crime couple that has been likened to the real-life Bonnie and Clyde, who went around robbing banks and stores during the Great Depression in America.

People online also tried matching the leaked clip with the real Miami City and found stark similarities between the two. Ahead of the GTA 6 trailer launch, Rockstar has altered its logo and got rid of its ‘Social Club’ branding, though its online multiplayer component still functions the same. Furthermore, the studio is launching its remastered Grand Theft Auto trilogy on Netflix on December 14, available to all subscribers and featuring graphical and mechanical upgrades.

Grand Theft Auto 6 will probably launch on the current-gen PS5 and Xbox Series S/X first, before heading to PC — as seen with previous Rockstar entries.

Android 16 will be released in the first half of 2025, according to details shared by Google. Unlike the latest version of the company’s operating system that was rolled out to Pixel phones in October, Google will launch its next major Android version earlier next year, followed by a minor release by the end of the year. As a result, the company will have more frequent Android software development kit (SDK) releases, as part of ongoing efforts to brings new features to users, while improving app stability.

Google Effectively Confirms Android 16 Release Timeline

In a post on the Android Developers Blog, the company says that it will have a major release in Q2 2025 (instead of the typical Q3 launch window), followed by a minor release in the fourth quarter. Google says the decision was made to “better align with the schedule of device launches” that would enable Android 16 to be rolled out to eligible devices at a faster rate.

Android 16 will be released in Q2 2025
Photo Credit: Google Developers Blog

The major SDK release in Q2 2025 will include behaviour changes (that affect how apps function on Android) as well as APIs and features, according to Google. This is when Android 16 is expected to be released as the company only introduces a major SDK release with a new version of Android.

After Android 16 is rolled out, Google will roll out incremental updates in Q3 2025, followed by a second, minor Android 16 SDK release in Q4 2025. Google says that this release will include new APIs and features, but it will not introduce new behaviour changes that have an impact on apps.

Developers and enthusiasts might be able to test out Android 16 soon, as the company has teased the arrival of the first developer preview. This is not surprising, as there are about five months before the company is expected to launch Android 16.

Earlier this year, Google unveiled the Pixel 9 series that arrived with the one-year-old Android 14 out-of-the-box. The company’s smartphones received the update to Android 15 two months later, on October 15. The earlier Android 16 release timeline should ensure that the Pixel 10 series will be running the latest version of Google’s operating system in 2025.

Apple unveiled macOS Sequoia as the latest version of its desktop operating system for Mac computers, at WWDC 2024 on Monday. The update to macOS Sonoma will be rolled out to eligible Mac models later this year with support for new features including iPhone Mirroring, a dedicated Passwords app that works on the company’s devices as well as Windows computers. Meanwhile, Apple’s Safari browser is gaining the ability to automatically summarise web pages, using machine learning technology. The macOS 15 update will roll out to eligible Mac computers later this year.

macOS Sequoia to Introduce iPhone Mirroring 

With macOS Sequoia, Apple is adding support for iPhone Mirroring, which will allow users to access their smartphone wirelessly, directly from the computer’s screen. The feature will work even when the smartphone is away, and while the screen is locked, according to the company. Apple also says that notifications from an iPhone will be mirrored onto macOS Sequoia, and users can interact with them to open the app and interact with it without picking up their smartphone.

Apple Intelligence on macOS Sequoia will only be available on Apple Silicon Macs
Photo Credit: Apple

New Apple Intelligence-Powered Features Coming to macOS Sequoia

Apple Intelligence, the company’s on-device artificial intelligence system powered by the Neural Engine, will also enable new features on compatible Mac computers later this year. This includes a more powerful Siri that can take actions inside apps, proofreading and rewriting for text in supported apps, and image generation via Image Playground. Apple’s Photos app is also getting AI upgrades, including the ability to generate videos from photos with prompts.

macOS Sequoia Will Finally Introduce Window Tiling Support

The upcoming macOS Sequoia update will finally render third party window tiling managers like Magnet and BetterSnapTool obsolete with native support for the same functionality, nearly 25 years after the release of the first version of Apple’s desktop operating system. Meanwhile, the Messages app will add support for emoji and sticker Tapback reactions, just like on iOS 18.

Photos App Improvements on macOS Sequoia

Apple is also upgrading the Photos app on macOS Sequoia with support for displaying Collections based on specific themes, while allowing users to access improved search results — including content inside videos. The Apple Notes app will also transcribe audio and summarise notes using Apple Intelligence.

The company has also announced many new features enabled by Apple Intelligence — such as Image Playground, text proofreading and rephrasing, and summary generation — that will be available only on Mac models that are running on Apple Silicon. This limits support to computers with M1, M2, or M3 chips. Both on-device Apple Intelligence and the Private Cloud Compute feature are designed to protect user privacy while enabling AI features on the eligible devices, according to the company.

Huawei Mate 70 series is all set to hit the Chinese market next week. Huawei, via its official Weibo handle, has confirmed the arrival of the new Mate 70 series smartphones. The company has started accepting pre-reservations for the handsets. Huawei is yet to confirm the models in the new lineup, but the pre-order listing suggests that the series will include three models — Huawei Mate 70, Mate 70 Pro, and Mate 70 Pro+. All three models will pack up to 16GB RAM and 1TB storage. Additionally, a tipster has leaked the key specifications of the trio and Mate 70 RS Ultimate Edition.

Huawei Mate 70 Series Is Coming Soon

The Huawei Mate 70 series will be introduced at a launch event in China on November 26 at 2.30pm local time (12:00pm IST). Huawei has shared a poster on the Chinese microblogging platform, revealing the design and rear camera module of a Huawei Mate 70 series phone, presumably the Mate 70 Pro. It has a circular camera module housing three sensors and an LED flash. One of the cameras appears to have a periscope lens.

Through Vmall, Huawei has started accepting pre-reservations for the Huawei Mate 70, Mate 70 Pro, and Mate 70 Pro+. The vanilla model and Mate 70 Pro are listed in Hyacinth Purple, Snow White, Spruce Green and Obsidian Black (translated from Chinese) colours. They will be available in 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB storage configurations with 12GB RAM as standard.

The Huawei Mate 70 Pro+ is listed in Feather White, Flying Blue, Gold and Silver Brocade, and Ink Black shades. It is confirmed to be available in 16GB+512GB and 16GB+1TB RAM and storage configurations.

Additionally, a Chinese tipster has suggested the camera and charging details of the Mate 70, Mate 70 Pro, Mate 70 Pro+, and the Mate 70 RS Ultimate edition on Weibo. As per the leak, all phones except the vanilla model feature ToF face unlock and a side-mounted fingerprint sensor. All models are said to carry 13-megapixel front cameras.

The Huawei Mate 70 is tipped to feature a quad camera setup comprising a 50-megapixel main sensor, a 12-megapixel periscope telephoto lens, a 40-megapixel ultrawide sensor, and a 16-megapixel infrared lens. It could offer 66W fast charging support

The Mate 70 Pro and Mate 70 Pro+ are tipped to support 100W fast charging Their camera setup is said to include a 50-megapixel main sensor, a 50-megapixel periscope telephoto lens, a 40-megapixel wide-angle sensor, and a 16-megapixel infrared lens.

The Huawei Mate 70 RS Ultimate could get a 50-megapixel main sensor, a 50-megapixel periscope telephoto lens, a 40-megapixel wide-angle sensor, and a 16-megapixel infrared lens at the rear. It is likely to support 100W fast charging.

GTA 6 trailer has been officially released. The trailer was initially scheduled to go live on December 5 at 9am ET (7:30pm IST). However, it was released 15 hours ahead of schedule following a leak. Grand Theft Auto 5 was introduced in September 2013. Therefore, the anticipation surrounding the GTA 6 trailer, after 10 years of the game’s last release, was already soaring. The leak and thereby the preponed release of the game’s trailer has sent enthusiasts into a frenzy. The launch timeline and compatible platforms for GTA 6 were also officially announced.

A now-suspended account on X leaked the GTA 6 trailer. Rockstar Games, the developer was quick to respond and uploaded the official trailer on YouTube. In a post on X, Rockstar wrote, “Our trailer has leaked so please watch the real thing on YouTube” and embedded the trailer alongside. Within four hours of its release, the trailer had garnered more than 29 million views on the video sharing platform.

The trailer shows that GTA 6 is set in Vice City, a fictionalised version of Miami. We are then introduced to the female protagonist named Lucia, who we initially see behind bars and later follow around as she goes around the city in Bonnie and Clyde-inspiring adventures. We also catch glimpses of classic GTA elements, like fast cars, guns, money, and more.

In a press release, Rockstar Games confirmed that Grand Theft Auto 6 will be released in 2025 on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series S/X. An exact release date will likely be announced closer to the launch. The company noted in the release that Grand Theft Auto 5 has sold over 190 million units to date.

The GTA 6 trailer launch was preceded by multiple online leaks previously. The map of the location of GTA 6, Vice City was shared online, reportedly by a Rockstar Games employee’s son. The fictionalised version of Miami was shown in a panoramic view and scale in the leak.

Asus ROG Phone 9 series is confirmed to launch in select global markets on November 19. Key features of the lineup have been teased officially. Meanwhile, new details about the upcoming handsets and an image of the design have surfaced online. The company has yet to reveal the number of handsets in the lineup or their monikers. It is expected to include a base and a Pro variant, succeeding the preceding Asus ROG Phone 8 and Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro.

Asus ROG Phone 9 Design

The Asus ROG Phone 9 design was leaked in a Weibo post shared by tipster Digital Chat Station (translated from Chinese). The phone is seen in black and white colour options, with a rear camera module design similar to the existing ROG Phone 8. The company logo appears in the middle of the rear panel and mini LEDs are seen towards the bottom.

Asus ROG Phone 9 leaked design
Photo Credit: Weibo/ Digital Chat Station

Asus ROG Phone 9 Features

The tipster suggested in his post that the Asus ROG Phone 9 will get a 185Hz LTPO flat display. It is tipped to come with an IP68-rated build for dust and water resistance and an upgraded AniMe Vision feature. The phone will reportedly get AI features as well.

Asus ROG Phone 9 series is confirmed to get the Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, AI-backed cameras and AniMe Vision support. Previous leaks suggested that the base version will support 16GB of LPDDR5X RAM and 512GB of UFS 4.0 onboard storage. The phone could be backed by a 5,800mAh battery with 65W wired charging support. The phone is expected to ship with Android 15-based ROG UI.

The Asus ROG Phone 9 model is tipped to sport a 6.78-inch full-HD+ (1,080×2,400 pixels) Samsung Flexible LTPO AMOLED screen with 2,500 nits peak brightness, Gorilla Glass Victus protection, always-on-display, and HDR10 support. For security, it is expected to include an in-display fingerprint sensor.

For optics, the Asus ROG Phone 9 is expected to include a triple rear camera setup, including a 1/1.56-inch 50-megapixel Sony Lytia 700 primary sensor, a 13-megapixel ultra-wide shooter, and a 5-megapixel macro camera.