Chips
• Key takeaways • Global semiconductor shortages and constrained fab capacity risk pushing consumer electronics prices up to 20%. • Demand from automotive, AI and 5G devices is tightening supply for key nodes used in phones, laptops and TVs. • Firms are responding with long-term contracts, redesigns to older process nodes and accelerated fab
Software
* Key Takeaways: * ReactOS synced its MSVCRT implementation with Wine 10.0, marking a major step toward Windows NT6 (NT 6.0) compatibility. * The rebase reduced API test failures by about 29.6% (roughly 7,574 of 25,517 failures). * Work is tracked in ReactOS GitHub merge request #8204 and was
Gadgets
* Apple has reportedly cut production of the Vision Pro headset after weak consumer demand. * Market intelligence shows Vision Pro marketing fell more than 95% last year, and IDC estimates roughly 45,000 units sold in the last quarter. * High price, limited apps and comfort issues are cited as key barriers;
AI
* Key Takeaways: * Adam Mosseri says AI content is becoming ubiquitous and may soon outnumber real photography on Instagram. * He argues platforms should focus on fingerprinting authentic media (cryptographic signing at capture) rather than chasing increasingly convincing fakes. * Mosseri warns watermarking and detection will weaken as generative AI improves, and urges
Gadgets
• Key Takeaways: * Samsung’s first trifold, the Galaxy Z TriFold, starts at roughly $2,500. * The device has two folds and two internal screens, available first in South Korea and coming to the US. * Reviewers say it’s pricier than other foldables and shows usability and polish problems. What the
AR/VR
* Apple has scaled back production and reduced marketing for its Vision Pro headset after weaker-than-expected early demand. * The mixed‑reality device, introduced at WWDC and priced at $3,499, faces a narrow early market because of cost and use‑case limitations. * The move signals a short‑term course correction but
Startups
* Space Forge has activated a microwave-sized ‘factory’ in low Earth orbit and run its furnace to about 1,000°C, producing glowing plasma images beamed back to mission control in Cardiff. * The company says in-space conditions can yield semiconductors up to 4,000× purer than Earth-made equivalents, improving electronics from
AI
* Instagram head Adam Mosseri warns AI-generated “infinite synthetic content” makes photos and videos unreliable. * Mosseri says platforms must add labels, creator verification and credibility signals while improving tools for original creators. * He expects a long shift from default visual trust to starting with skepticism and paying attention to who shares
Games
* Patch goes live January 1, 2026 at 09:00 UTC with no server downtime. * Chrono-Rush event runs Jan 1–16, 2026: earn unlimited Chrono Tokens to catch up on the Luxury Battle Pass. * New store bundles (Lady Loki, Human Torch Jack of Hearts, emotes) available Jan 2; Van Dyne and
Gadgets
* Apple will launch a foldable iPhone and iPhone 18 Pro models in September 2026, powered by a new A20 chip built on a 2nm node. * An early-2026 iPhone 17e offers a refreshed, lower-cost entry with design tweaks and possible MagSafe compatibility. * A20 may use WL‑MCM packaging for tighter RAM
AI
* Key takeaways: * Analysts and models are calling Apple an “AI outlier,” assigning a $315 price target for 2026 based on services momentum and AI initiatives. * Apple’s services business (App Store, iCloud, Apple Music, subscriptions) is expected to offset slowing hardware unit growth and support higher margins. * The company’s
Gadgets
• A17 Pro may power the next Apple TV 4K, boosting CPU, GPU and Neural Engine performance. • Apple could increase RAM to 8GB to support Apple Intelligence and smoother multitasking. • Apple’s N1 wireless modem might bring Wi‑Fi 7, Bluetooth 6 and enhanced Thread connectivity. • New hardware could unlock advanced
