Apple opened a busy week of announcements with an updated Mac Mini and Mac Studio, alongside its latest silicon. The new M6 chip adds more cores and additional AI compute, while the Mac Studio debuts what Apple calls its most powerful chip ever, the M5 Ultra. The refreshed Mac Mini now offers M6 and M5 Pro options, though it arrives with higher prices than before.
Apple is positioning the new chips as breakthroughs in AI inference, but that framing looks more like marketing than a meaningful shift in real-world capability at this stage. The company also quietly updated its polishing cloth, which remains the same product except priced EUR 9 cheaper.
Beyond the Mac news, Apple confirmed a September launch event for its next iPhone. Notably, an iPhone 18 is not expected to appear at that event. Attention is instead turning to Apple’s rumored folding phone, and whether the foldable form factor is mature enough to meet Apple’s standards. If the company does move forward, expect a new twist on the familiar sight of raised phones blocking views at concerts, this time in unfolded form.
Meta Settlement Brings Sweeping New Rules for Teen Accounts
The Meta settlement is set to reshape how the company handles younger users. As part of the agreement, teens on Instagram and Facebook will face a range of new restrictions, some of which many adult users would arguably welcome for themselves.
The larger question is what comes next. It remains unclear whether rival platforms will be pressured to adopt similar measures, and which of these rules could realistically be written into law if lawmakers decide to act. Several terms in the settlement immediately raise First Amendment concerns, complicating any push to make them mandatory across the industry.
Meta is also planning an advertising campaign urging competitors such as TikTok and YouTube to follow its approach to teen safety, signaling that the company wants to frame the changes as an industry standard rather than a one-off legal outcome.
GTA VI, the FCC, and a Wide-Ranging Tech Roundup
The gaming spotlight is back on GTA VI, with Rockstar responding to what it described as heartbreaking leaks tied to the highly anticipated title. The response comes amid ongoing anticipation for one of the biggest game launches on the horizon.
On the policy side, FCC chairman Brendan Carr has drawn criticism from librarians across the country. The FCC has opened comments on the E-Rate program, which supports connectivity for schools and libraries, even as the program faces challenges in court.
Other developments span the broader tech landscape. Nvidia is on track to become a company generating EUR 86 billion per quarter, a milestone reflecting the scale of AI-driven demand. Fitbit is teaming up with Pokémon, Waymo is increasingly at odds with Tesla, and Panic confirmed it is passing Playdate tariff refunds along to customers.
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Image: theverge.com
