News
- Hands-on images show a visible crease on the new iPhone Duo
- It can be seen when the device is held at certain angles and in different lighting
- While Apple hasn't quite solved this common issue, its nano-texture layer significantly helps to reduce visibility
Apple finally unveiled the iPhone Duo at its ‘Surprise and Shine’ event, its first device in the foldable phone market, and from our first hands-on experiments with it I have to say, it looks rather impressive.
And yes, Apple has taken its sweet time to launch its first foldable (Samsung was ahead of the game in 2019 with the first Galaxy Fold device), but that’s likely due to Apple’s determination to solve one of the most annoying setbacks with folding phones — the display crease.
In the build-up to the iPhone Duo announcement, rumors suggested that the device’s folding display wouldn’t come with a visible crease. However, early hands-on images appear to show that Apple might not have quite got the results it was looking for.
It hasn’t even been 24 hours since the iPhone Duo was announced, and Redditors are already pointing out its partially visible crease, which you can see when the device is held at different angles and in certain lighting (see below).
Not a bad crease but the media saying there is none just doesn’t want to be canceled by Apple from r/iPhoneFoldI’m not one to be picky, but despite the matte smoothness of the folding nano-texture display — which helps to significantly reduce the visibility of the crease — there’s a clear vertical dip that runs through the centre of the iPhone Duo’s 7.6-inch screen. Apple knew this would be one of the most-asked questions, and the company has come equipped with all the answers you could need on the iPhone Duo product page.
‘iPhone Duo features a wonderfully flat and smooth inner display with custom nano-texture finish technology to reduce glare and reflections for an uninterrupted viewing experience. The optically clear adhesives let the display layers glide as the screen folds, minimising stress and creasing’.
Unfortunately, Apple hasn’t quite hit the nail on the head with overcoming one of the biggest obstacles with folding phones, but at the same time, eliminating the crease entirely is almost an impossible task. Think about it: if you’re constantly folding and unfolding the device several times a day, then this is going to have an obvious visual impact on the device over time — which is the case for all foldables.
Luckily for Apple, it appears that users aren’t entirely concerned with the slight visibility of the iPhone Duo’s crease.
Several owners of foldable phones shared on Reddit that once you’ve used a foldable for some time, the crease becomes invisible to you simply because you just get used to it being there. Others have been a bit more abrasive: ‘I'll never understand the people who make the crease a big deal,’ one user added, while another simply commented ‘I have a folding phone. The crease is a complete non-issue’. They must be a Galaxy Fold owner, surely.
@techradar ♬ Candy - Lane 8 & Quentin QuiveraCriticism aside, our first hands-on with the iPhone Duo was far from a let down. Our Editor-at-Large, Lance Ulanoff, recalls having very minimal issues with the device’s crease. From our first-look images, the crease is unidentifiable when the phone is held face-on, and the matte display helps to get rid of that annoying glare.
For its first foldable phone I have to say, Apple has done pretty much all it can for it to join the folding device market seven years behind its biggest rivals. Despite the lack of features such as Face ID and Action Button, the iPhone Duo looks like a solid beginning for Apple’s next big venture — even if I’m not the biggest fan of the name.
Elegoo is running a massive limited-time sale on 3D printers right now - but for my money, the one you want to check out is the Centauri Carbon 2 Combo for $369 (was $449). And in the UK, Elegoo's multi-color 3D printer is down to £329 (was £398).
We awarded this 3D printer 4.5 stars and a TechRadar Pro Recommends badge after putting this one through its paces in our workshop. It's easily the best budget multi-color unit you can get right now.
The enclosed CoreXY printer uses Elegoo's excellent CANVAS system to print with up to four colors, while its 350°C nozzle opens the door to a wide range of materials. You also get automatic calibration, a 256 x 256 x 256mm build volume and printing speeds of up to 500mm/s.
Today's top Elegoo 3D printer dealCentauri Carbon 2 Combo 3D Printer: was $449 now $369
Elegoo's 3D printer offers four-color printing, a 256 x 256 x 256mm build volume, 500mm/s maximum speed, 350°C nozzle, CoreXY system, automatic calibration, Wi-Fi, and enclosed chamber.
In the UK: now £329 (was £398)View Deal
Why we recommend itIn his rave 4.5-star review, our expert Alastair said the "Carbon 2 Combo impresses, offering one of the cheapest and most reliable multifilament machines on the market."
He summed it up saying: "Not only does it stand alongside some of the market leaders, but because it's able to handle engineering materials and has that fully enclosed environment, it is one of the best-value 3D printers on the market."
The CANVAS system is fantastic if you want to create more colorful models without manually changing filament during a print. Its four-color capability gives you much more freedom for making decorative models, signs, toys, and other projects.
The 350°C hardened-steel nozzle and enclosed chamber allow the Centauri Carbon 2 to work with PLA, PETG, ABS, and ASA, and Elegoo also lists support for PC, PA, and fiber-reinforced filaments.
For more options, take a look at our round up of the best 3D printers we've tested, including the Centauri Carbon 2 which we rated as the best budget multi-color device, and the best 3D printer deals we've seen this week.
Price context & historical valueElegoo has reduced the Centauri Carbon 2 Combo from $449 to $369, saving you $80, or almost 18%. That's the lowest price I've found for the four-color 3D printer, matching a previous $369 deal from June. It's also on sale in the UK for £329, down from its usual £398.
There's also a discount on the optional Centauri Series Accessory Kit. It's currently $30 instead of $59.99 in the US (£40.79 down from £67.99 in the UK) when purchased as an add-on.
Should you buy it?✅ Buy the Elegoo Centauri Carbon 2 Combo if...
You want to move beyond single-color 3D printing without spending a fortune on a multicolor setup. CANVAS provides four-color printing out of the box, while the enclosed design and high-temperature nozzle give you room to experiment with more demanding materials as your skills develop.
❌ Skip the Elegoo Centauri Carbon 2 Combo if...
You primarily produce very large models. Its 256 x 256 x 256mm build volume is ample for many projects, but bigger prints may need to be divided into multiple pieces, so a large-format printer would be a better choice.
The Catch: What to know before you buyElegoo quotes a maximum printing speed of 500mm/s, but its recommended speed is 250mm/s. I'd treat the higher figure as the printer's upper limit rather than the speed you'd expect for every model and material.
It's also a large machine. At 500 x 480 x 743mm and 19.35kg, you'll need a sizable, sturdy surface, particularly if you're used to a smaller open-frame printer.
- IBM and NASA launch open source AI model to help further lunar research
- Researchers will be able to better analyze petabytes of Moon data from last five decades
- IBM and NASA also release dataset for public usage and analysis
IBM has launched a new open source AI model it hopes will help spur on NASA researchers in their push to get humanity back to the Moon.
The new NASA-IBM Lunar Foundation model, available on Hugging Face, will allow researchers to analyze decades of lunar observation data, and identify geological features that are critical to understand for NASA as it looks to build a sustained human presence on the Moon.
The model has been trained by IBM and NASA researchers on a huge, multimodal NASA dataset, which will also be released alongside the model, providing wider access to the latest advanced AI systems in a bid to push on wider progress in lunar exploration.
To the Moon (and beyond)At its most obvious level, the model will allow a much easier way for researchers to study petabytes of data gathered on the Moon's surface for potentially hazardous locations such as ice deposits or craters.
Currently, scientists often rely on manual analysis or low-resolution, task-specific AI models, which can be not only computationally demanding, but also often lack the accuracy needed for detailed geographic analysis.
The new release will now mean that instead of needing to build a new AI model for every potential issue, scientists can now adapt a single foundation model to investigate a range of lunar geologic features.
The model has already proved useful, identifying craters and volcanic features far more accurately (see below) and significantly reducing errors in locating potential ice deposits.
(Image credit: IBM)IBM, which has worked with NASA for over five decades, including on the Apollo missions, believes the model could help future astronauts navigate safely and even find essential resources, as well as helping scientists better understand the Moon's geological history.
“Uncovering the mysteries of the Moon requires an ability to learn from an extraordinary volume of scientific data,” said Juan Bernabe-Moreno, Director of IBM Research Europe, UK and Ireland.
“The NASA-IBM Lunar Foundation Model gives scientists a foundation to explore the Moon at scale, connecting observations across instruments, revealing patterns that are difficult to see in isolation, and providing an open platform the global research community can build on.”
The release of the dataset will mark the first time a unified, publicly-available cache has been made available and ready for machine learning. It brings together over 30 spatially aligned layers from nine instruments across four missions, including tens of thousands of images and maps showing unique geophysical properties of the lunar surface from NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) and NASA’s GRAIL mission.
Identifying lunar ice deposits could be particularly vital, as the presence of both water and oxygen will be crucial to establishing a human base on the Moon, and even creating rocket fuel for future Mars missions.
Scanning the Moon's volcanic features, known as Iregular Mare Patches, can allow scientists to better understand the Moon's volcanic history and thermal evolution, as well as helping identify potential sites for landing and other surface operations.
Finally, studying the Moon's craters can offer a wealth of information on its history, including the age of different terrains, their geology, and even the chemical composition of the early lunar interior - as well as again helping to identify safe landing sites without hazards such as steep slopes and boulders.
- New Incogni research has found that the privacy preferences of Americans don't really align with what they say
- Many of those with 'nothing to hide' will happily snoop on the phones of their family members and partners
- But those same people tend to get twitchy when handing over their phone to strangers, or their data to the government
A new survey by Incogni has found almost half of Americans say they have ‘nothing to hide’ when it comes to their privacy, but almost immediately change their perspective when it comes to strangers looking at their phone - or sharing their private messages with the federal government.
Even when offered substantial sums of money, many of those with nothing to hide still wouldn’t hand over their devices, and their personal habits such as covering cameras or installing privacy screens show a level of contradiction in what they say, and how they behave.
Of those surveyed as part of Incogni’s research, Gen Z were the most likely to say they had nothing to hide at 57%, whereas just 26% of Baby Boomers offered the same response.
Americans don't want strangers or the government accessing their phones(Image credit: Incogni)As it turns out, those who fell into the 45% of respondents who said they had nothing to hide were more likely to snoop on other people's devices. In fact, when polled on whether they looked at other people’s devices in public, people with nothing to hide were double as likely (42%) to snoop compared to their something to hide counterparts (27%).
(Image credit: Incogni)Those with nothing to hide were also more likely to look through the phones of their partners and family members without permission. In fact, 41% who fell into this category admitted to snooping on their partners phones, and 35% had looked through their family members' phones.
(Image credit: Incogni)Despite claiming to have nothing to hide, 39% still covered their cameras with tape, stickers, or sliding covers - especially those of Gen Z. Over a quarter of respondents also said that they deliberately obscure their personal information when signing up to online services with fake names, false dates of birth, and masked emails.
But the most interesting data comes from paying for privacy. 41% of those who said they have nothing to hide would pay more for a product if it was better for their privacy. But when offered money in return for handing over their phone to a stranger, 60% of respondents refused any amount of money. 20% said it would take an amount of $1 million or more, and just 6% offered access for $100 or less.
When breaking these numbers down by group, 58% of those with nothing to hide would not let a stranger access their unlocked phone for any amount of money.
Even when offered three months of their salary, just 26% of respondents would hand over their SMS, chat-app, and email messages with law enforcement. This number drops to 25% with Big Tech companies, 24% for local government, and a staggering 21% for the federal government.
(Image credit: Incogni)Incogni theorizes that those who said they have nothing to hide may be equating privacy with secretiveness and secretiveness with guilt. It may also be true that many people fail to see how their seemingly innocent data, such as an email address or phone number, should be kept private.
As numerous data breaches have shown, the leaking of such information can lead to phishing emails, scams, and general harassment or doxxing. Incogni says that people fail to see why this information should stay private, especially in an era when social media and the websites we use hoover up as much information as possible to be sold to advertisers and third-parties.
“The findings suggest that the “nothing to hide” argument may therefore say less about how much people actually value privacy than about how difficult it is to see the consequences of losing it,” the report concludes.
The new Asus Zenbook 14 is designed to be an ultra portable device with a mid-range price that doesn’t compromise on performance.
True to other models in the line, the finish of the Zenbook 14 is different to the usual fare at this kind of price point, with its soft texture and uncommon colorways that are far more vibrant than many.
More impressive, though, is the Zenbook 14’s build, which blends strength and lightness in a way very few can match. Compared to other 14-inch laptops, this has to be one of the best laptop constructions around in terms of portability.
However, it’s not quite as thin as you might expect, and the thick feet underneath only add to the bulk. What’s more, although most of the unit is remarkably sturdy, the keyboard has a tendency to flex while typing on it, which is a little disconcerting.
(Image credit: Future)As you might expect for a laptop this portable, the Zenbook 14 isn’t loaded with interfaces, but those included are wisely chosen. You get one USB-A and two USB-C ports — the latter of which support power delivery and display signals — as well as an HDMI output and a headset jack.
The Zenbook 14 performs competently at everyday tasks. It can handle basic productivity and browsing, as well as 4K streaming. It struggles with even light gaming, but that isn’t too surprising given its lack of a dedicated GPU.
Fortunately, the Zenbook 14 remains composed even when undertaking heavy workloads. The fans are audible in such circumstances, but they’re certainly more hushed than many other examples. Temperatures also remain impressively cool, with only a few hotspots appearing — and mercifully these steer clear of commonly touchable surfaces.
The 1920 x 1200p resolution is sharp enough for its 14-inch real estate, while the OLED technology provides the vividness and contrast you’d expect. Reflections are visible at times, but the maximum brightness level should keep them from disrupting your viewing experience too much.
One of the main drawbacks of the Zenbook 14, though, is its battery life. It lasted just over 12 hours when I played a movie on a loop, which is short compared to many of its competitors. In fact, the Zenbook A14, a similar machine to the 14 in many ways, more than doubled this time when I ran the same test.
What’s more, the A14 is similarly priced to the 14, so all things considered it offers the better value. The 14 is the better the choice if you want a slightly more solid body, but in all other regards, the A14 would be the better choice.
(Image credit: Future)Asus Zenbook 14 (2026) review: Price & availability- Starts from £799.99 (about $1,080 / AU$1,500)
- Preorders open now (ships September)
- Some rivals offer better value
The Zenbook 14 starts from £799.99 (about $1,080 / AU$1,500) and is available to preorder now, with shipments expected early to late September. Availability in the US and Australia is yet to be confirmed, but we'll update this section once it has.
The base model gets a Qualcomm Snapdragon X1 CPU, 16GB of RAM, and a 50Wh battery. More powerful AMD Ryzen AI 7 and Intel Core Ultra 9 models, both with 70Wh batteries, can also be preordered for £1,399.99 and £1,499.99 respectively. These two also get backlit keyboards, but the Snapdragon model doesn’t. Each model has three colorways to choose from: Zabriskie Beige, Arctic Blue, and Komodo Coral.
This is a reasonable price considering its spec. However, the already available Asus Zenbook A14 is slightly cheaper, yet has superior battery life and a marginally lighter build. Then there’s the HP OmniBook 7, which we’ve seen in recent sales with a similar price, and is a fantastic all-rounder that’s hard to beat at this point in the market.
Asus Zenbook 14 (2026) review: SpecsBase configuration
Mid configuration
Max configuration
Price
£799.99 (about $1,080 / AU$1,500)
£1,399.99 (about $1,900 / AU$2,600)
£1,499.99 (about $2,030 / AU$2,800)
CPU
Snapdragon X (X1-26-100) (up to 2.97GHz, 8 Cores)
AMD Ryzen AI 7 345 (up to 4.6GHz, 6 Cores)
Intel Core Ultra 9 Processor 386H (up to 4.9GHz, 16 cores)
GPU
Qualcomm Adreno (integrated)
AMD Radeon (integrated)
Intel Graphics (integrated)
RAM
16GB LPDDR5X
16GB LPDDR5X
16GB LPDDR5X
Storage
512GB M.2 NVMe PCIe 4.0 SSD
512GB M.2 NVMe PCIe 4.0 SSD
512GB M.2 NVMe PCIe 4.0 SSD
Display
14-inch WUXGA 3K (1920 x 1200) OLED, 16:10, 60Hz
14-inch WUXGA 3K (1920 x 1200) OLED, 16:10, 60Hz
14-inch WUXGA 3K (1920 x 1200) OLED, 16:10, 60Hz
Ports and Connectivity
2x USB-C (3.2 Gen 2, display / power delivery support, 10Gbps) 1x USB-A (3.2 Gen 2, 5Gbps), 1x HDMI 2.1, 1x 3.5mm Combo Audio Jack; Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3
2x USB-C (1x 4.0 Gen 3 40Gbps, 1x 3.2 Gen 2 10Gbps, display / power delivery support) 1x USB-A (3.2 Gen 2, 5Gbps), 1x HDMI 2.1, 1x 3.5mm Combo Audio Jack; Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.4
2x USB-C (1x 4.0 Gen 3 40Gbps, 1x 3.2 Gen 2 10Gbps, display / power delivery support) 1x USB-A (3.2 Gen 2, 5Gbps), 1x HDMI 2.1, 1x 3.5mm Combo Audio Jack; Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.4
Battery
50Wh
70Wh
70Wh
Dimensions
12.3 x 8.5 x 0.7 inches / 311 x 216 x 17mm
12.3 x 8.5 x 0.7 inches / 311 x 216 x 17mm
12.3 x 8.5 x 0.7 inches / 311 x 216 x 17mm
Weight
2.43lbs / 1.10kg
2.65lbs / 1.20kg
2.65lbs / 1.20kg
(Image credit: Future)Asus Zenbook 14 (2026) review: Design- Light and strong body
- Unique finish
- Reasonable port selection
The unique Ceraluminum body certainly sets the Zenbook 14 apart, as do the bright colorways. The beige finish of my review unit was more interesting than the usual monochromatic shades we’ve grown accustomed to, looking softer and more inviting as a result. This was further aided by the rounded corners and the odd texture of the material, which has a slight graininess that’s comfortable in the hand.
One of the major selling points of the Zenbook 14’s construction is its lightness. It weighs around 2.5 pounds (just over a kilogram), which is impressive for a 14-inch laptop. However, it’s not quite as thin as you might expect, with a bit more unexpected bulk at the rear. The two long bars that run underneath, acting as feet, don’t help matters, either.
(Image credit: Future)However, some may view this a worthy sacrifice for the unit’s surprising solidity. Both the base and the lid have very little flex to them. It feels slightly sturdier than the A14 I reviewed previously, although that model is slightly lighter at 2.16 lbs / 0.98kg.
There is, though, one weak point to the Zenbook 14’s build, and unfortunately that’s the keyboard. Hammering away on the keys often depresses the whole board, which can be quite annoying and doesn't inspire much confidence. There’s also no backlighting, which is an omission I always lament.
On the plus side, there are a reasonable number of ports on the Zenbook 14. There’s one USB-A port on the right-hand side of the unit, which is the only port on this side. On the left, you’ll find two USB-C ports (both of which support external display signals and power delivery), an HDMI port, and a headset jack.
(Image credit: Future)Asus Zenbook 14 (2026) review: Performance- Fast everyday performance
- Vivid but reflective display
- Good for typing
3DMark: Night Raid: 16,506; Fire Strike: 3,644; Steel Nomad: 224; Solar Bay: 6,135; Solar Bay Unlimited: 6,132; Solar Bay Extreme: 624; Solar Bay Extreme Unlimited: 625
Geekbench 6.5: Multicore: 10,701; Single-core: 2,145
Cinebench R23: Multi Core: 7,403; Cinebench R24: Single Core: 58; Multi Core: 435
Crossmark: Overall: 1,118; Productivity: 1,047; Creativity: 1,188; Responsiveness: 1,132
Passmark Overall: 2,989.3; CPU: 12,886; 2D Graphics: 330.3; 3D Graphics: 1,848.8; Memory: 2,338.2; Disk: 37,339.4
BlackMagicDisk: Read: 3,832MB/s; Write: 2,810MB/s
HandBrake 4K to 1080p: 37.6fps
Battery Life (TechRadar movie test): 12 hours and 15 minutes
For everyday tasking, the Zenbook 14 is a solid performer. The Snapdragon X1 chip in my review unit was fast and smooth when conducting basic productivity workloads such as word processing. It also handled multi-tab browsing and 4K streaming with plenty of composure as well.
Sadly, but somewhat expectedly, the Zenbook 14 isn't ideal for a spot of light gaming. It struggled to run Cyberpunk 2077 even on the lowest preset, blighted by rough visuals and debilitating slow downs during chaotic scenes. The A14 I tested previously, equipped with a Snapdragon X2 Elite chip, was able to handle low presets better, although it still wasn’t a flawlessly smooth experience.
Some fan noise is evident when the Zenbook 14 is under stress, but this isn’t too distracting. For such a compact laptop, the Zenbook 14 also does well to keep temperatures from soaring. I only noticed portions above the keyboard and underneath getting hot, while the commonly touchable surfaces, such as the keyboard, only became lukewarm at most.
(Image credit: Future)The 1200p OLED display is crisp and sharp, with plenty of contrast and vividness. It can show reflections a little too readily, especially when deep blacks are displayed. Mostly, though, the high brightness levels do well to keep reflections at bay.
Despite that aforementioned flexing of the keyboard, the Zenbook 14 is still good for typing. It may feel a little harsh due to the lack of dampening, but the keycaps are comfortable and well spaced, while their low profile and short travel make them feel snappy and easy to glide over.
Complementing the keyboard is the super smooth touchpad that allows for easy swipes and gesturing. It’s not very large, but it maximizes its real estate commendably by extending from almost the bottom edge of the unit to the bottom of the space bar, which makes navigation less of a chore than it otherwise would be.
(Image credit: Future)Asus Zenbook 14 (2026) review: Battery life- Middling longevity compared to rivals
- Zenbook A14 massively outlasts it
- Quick to charge
The battery life of the Zenbook 14 isn’t particularly impressive. When I played a movie on a continuous loop unplugged, its 50Wh battery lasted 12 hours and 15 minutes. While this is quite long, it falls short of quite a few of its rivals.
For context, the A14 has a 70Wh battery, and the difference shows, as that laptop lasted over 28 hours in the same test, one of the best results we’ve seen. And if you’re looking for another enduring 14-inch laptop, the HP OmniBook 7 posted a time of 26 hours. Fortunately, the Zenbook 14 is at least quick to charge, just around two hours to fully top up.
Should I buy the Asus Zenbook 14 (2026)?ScorecardAttributes
Notes
Rating
Value
Similarly priced rivals are better all-round propositions.
3 / 5
Design
The construction is unique, super light, and high in quality, but the flexing keyboard is a small shame.
4.5 / 5
Performance
Great for everyday tasking, but don't expect more beyond that. It remains remarkably cool and quiet at all times, though.
4 / 5
Battery Life
The Zenbook 14 can last a while, but it’s disappointingly short lived compared to rivals. It’s quick to charge, though.
3.5 / 5
Final Score
The Zenbook 14 is a capable and highly portable laptop, but when rivals occupying same price point are better all-rounders, they might make more sense.
3.5 / 5
Buy it if…You want something portable
You won’t find many 14-inch laptops more portable than the Zenbook 14, thanks to its compact dimensions and light footprint.
You want a unique design
You won’t find many constructions like this, either: it’s solid with a soft-touch finish and has some interesting colorways to boot.
You want a stable keyboard
While the 14 is great to type with, the keyboard flexing as you do so might irk some users.
You want the best battery life
The Zenbook 14’s battery life isn’t anything special, while the A14’s is.
Asus Zenbook A14
The A14 is very closely matched to the 14, but it has a much better battery life — the best in class, in fact — and despite having a very similar Ceraluminum construction, it’s ever so slightly lighter (0.98KG as opposed to 1.10KG). It’s similarly priced, too, so might be the better pick of the two. Read our full Asus Zenbook A14 review.
HP OmniBook 7
The OmniBook 7 is a terrific laptop across the board. Its battery life is much longer than Zenbook 14’s, although it can’t quite match the endurance of the aforementioned A14. Its list price is quite steep, but we’ve seen it with significant discounts, bringing it more in line with the Zenbook 14. Read our full HP OmniBook 7 review.
- Tested for a few days
- Used for a variety of tasks and benchmarks
- Extensive laptop reviewing experience
I tested the Zenbook 14 for a few days, during which time I used it for all manner of tasks, from basic productivity and general browsing to 4K streaming and gaming.
I also ran our series of benchmark tests for laptops, designed to assess every aspect of performance. I ran a movie on a loop to test the battery life, too.
I’ve been using laptops for decades, and have reviewed a large number of them, ranging from small budget offerings to large gaming monsters.
- First reviewed: September 2026
- Read more about how we test
- Matt Mullenweg accuses Automattic board of conspiring against him
- Former CEO is now in a period of paid leave
- His role at WordPress.org is currently unaffected
Automattic CEO and founder Matt Mullenweg has been placed on a paid leave of absence by the company's board, but while this is currently being seen as a temporary measure, Automattic has not publicly stated how long the leave will last.
The reason for the board's decision remains unclear, but TechCrunch reports that some employees were "ecstatic" or "relieved" at the decision.
However, Mullenweg is clearly unhappy with the decision, alleging that the board gave him 50 minutes' notice before the meeting and insufficient time to seek legal counsel.
Automattic CEO Matt Mullenweg on paid absenceMullenweg remains a member of Automattic's board, but claimed in a company-wide Slack message seen by TechCrunch that CFO Mark Davies had "conspired" with board members Ann Dunwoody, Toni Schneider and Sue Decker to remove him temporarily. Mullenweg, a board member, voted against the change but was, of course, outvoted. Davies has been appointed interim CEO in the meantime.
"I won’t be able to make the [meeting] tomorrow. @Mark Davies has conspired with @Ann Dunwoody, @Toni, and @Sue Decker behind my back and they voted to put me on a paid leave of absence," he said.
"Matt remains the leader of the WordPress project and I remain Executive Director of WordPress. Our teams, priorities, and work continue as planned," WordPress.org executive director Mary Hubbard wrote. WordPress.com (an Automattic product) runs on WordPress.org.
While the reasons have not been publicly shared, Mullenweg hasn't been short of the odd high-profile incident in recent years. He accused WP Engine of profiting from the WordPress ecosystem, which resulted in WP Engine suing Automattic and Mullenweg.
He also offered insiders who disagreed with his direction an exit package worth either six months' pay or $30,000, mounting internal tensions.
"Matt Mullenweg is currently on leave from Automattic," a company spokesperson told us in a statement. "Mark Davies, Automattic’s CFO, will lead the company as interim CEO. The Board has full confidence in Mark's leadership and in the team's ability to execute against the company's priorities."
Amongst all the hype over Apple’s first-ever foldable smartphone, the iPhone Duo, which was announced at the company’s ‘Surprise and Shine’ event, Apple (rather quietly) also revealed when Mac users can get the latest version of its desktop operating system, macOS 27 Golden Gate: September 14.
While pretty much all of the attention was focused on the foldable, the launch of macOS 27 is noteworthy for anyone with a modern Mac or MacBook, as this free upgrade brings some tasty new features, while also addressing some of the less popular changes that came with its predecessor, macOS 26 Tahoe.
If you have a compatible Mac, then you should be prompted to download and install macOS 27 Golden Gate once September 14 rolls around. However, if you have a Mac from before 2020 that doesn’t run on Apple Silicon (so any Intel-powered Macs), then you won’t be able to get the update.
For reference, here are all the Mac models that are compatible with macOS 27 Golden Gate:
- MacBook Air M1 or later
- MacBook Pro M1 or later
- MacBook Pro 13-inch M1 2020 or later
- MacBook Pro 14-inch M1 Pro 2021 or later
- MacBook Pro 16-inch M1 Pro 2021 or later
- MacBook Neo
- iMac M1 2020 or later
- Mac mini M1 2020 or later
- Mac Studio 2022 and later
Apple recently announced new M5 and M6-powered Mac mini and Mac Studio products, and they'll likely launch with macOS 27 preinstalled when they start shipping on September 22.
(Image credit: Apple)Fixing past mistakesThe main focus of macOS 27, as with Apple’s other operating updates such as iOS 27, and seemingly every piece of new software these days, is AI.
The upcoming macOS 27 upgrade paves the way for Siri AI integration – the long-awaited improvements to Apple’s virtual assistant that should make it more useful. When launched, Siri AI should be able to have two way conversations with you and execute multi-step tasks quickly and easily, which could make using your Mac a lot more convenient. It will be able to interact with apps such as Calendar to complete tasks such as creating events and reminders.
AI is also coming to macOS Spotlight to make finding things on your device better, and Visual Intelligence can be brought up to get information about what’s on your screen. Other AI features, such as Image Playground, are getting improvements as well.
If you’re not a fan of AI, then macOS 27 should still have plenty of reasons to download and install. One reason that will hopefully please a lot of people is that macOS 27 Golden Gate makes tweaks to some of macOS 26 Tahoe’s most controversial changes, especially when it comes to the polarizing Liquid Glass interface. The new macOS will allow you to adjust transparency effects to make using your device more comfortable, and during the beta testing process, it was one of the things our contributor Alex Blake was particularly thankful for. I’m sure he’s not the only one.
When Apple announced macOS 27 at WWDC 2026 earlier this year, it promised lots of performance improvements, especially when it comes to how responsive the operating system feels. This alone should make macOS 27 worth installing on September 14.
If you have an older Mac and feeling left out, make sure you check out our guide on the best Macs and MacBooks, which can help you find a new macOS 27-ready Mac that suits your needs and budget.
I'll be honest: my first reaction to the Insta360 Luna Pro wasn't really about the camera itself — more its price tag. At $599.99/£599.99/AU$859.99, it sits close enough to the flagship Luna Ultra model (at least in the USA and UK) that I've been wondering whether Insta360 has left itself room for a proper budget option in this range. The Pro doesn't offer a significant saving over the Ultra, which I suspect will drive many buyers into opting for the latter simply because it features a second lens for a similar price.
That's not a knock on the Luna Pro itself, though, because it handles its actual job — smooth, hands-free footage you don't have to think about — with real aplomb. Popping the touchscreen module free from the body and using it as a standalone remote is a neat trick, and it's just as handy here as it was on the Ultra. Tracking is another standout feature for me: click the joystick once, or tap a subject on screen, and the Luna Pro locks on and stays locked on, whether I was walking, gesturing or just generally being difficult to follow. But all that is also available on the Luna Ultra.
With just a single lens, the Pro misses out on the second 3x telephoto camera that the flagship Luna Ultra has (Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)I did come away with a couple of gripes concerning the Pro (both of which, incidently, one could also level at the Ultra). The little wire tripod tucked into the handle is more fiddly than useful once you're off a flat surface. Battery life also isn't quite what Insta360 claims — you can expect closer to 90 minutes than the quoted 240 (for 1080p) if you're shooting 8K with the screen switched on.
Photos are also an afterthought here — they're soft and low on contrast, and in most cases a smartphone will do a better job. Video is a much stronger story, particularly once you dip below the headline 8K resolution into the more practical 4K modes, and vertical shooters will get unexpected bragging rights over owners of the Ultra thanks to the Pro's sharper 9:16 footage. The fact that the Pro has just the one lens does affect things, of course: push the digital zoom past 2x and the drop-off in detail becomes obvious immediately.
So where does that leave the Luna Pro? As a piece of hardware, it's a likeable and very capable little camera that does almost everything I wanted it to. As a purchase decision, it's a trickier sell than Insta360 probably intended, sitting just a little too close to its more versatile sibling for comfort.
Insta360 Luna Pro: Price and release date- Launched on September 10, 2026, priced at $599.99 / £599.99 / AU$859.99
- Only one bundle available at launch
- Costs $170 / £50 / AU$370 less than the flagship Luna Ultra
At $599.99 / £599.99 / AU$859.99, the Luna Pro undercuts Insta360's flagship Luna Ultra ($769.99 / £649 / AU$1,229.99) by a relatively modest margin, especially in the UK, where the difference works out to less than £50, or $170 in the US. That's a narrower gap than I was expecting, given the Pro features only one lens while the Ultra has two, and it puts the newer camera in a slightly awkward position; it's not quite the budget-friendly alternative you might expect a single-lens model to be (like the DJI Osmo Pocket 4 is).
Insta360 Luna Pro specsInsta360 Luna Pro specs:Type:
Compact video camera
Lens:
20mm, f/1.8 (35mm equivalent)
Sensors:
1-inch CMOS
Video:
8K up to 30p / 4K up to 120p / FHD up to 240p
Photo:
9MP JPEG & RAW / 37MP UltraPhoto mode / panorama
LCD:
2-inch OLED, detachable
Memory:
47GB internal, 1x micro SD (up to 2TB)
Battery
1,550mAh, rated up to 4 hours of 1080p
Dimensions
2.08 x 6.13 x 1.51in / 52.78 x 155.7 x 38.47mm
Weight:
7.6oz / 215g (Cosmic Black), 7.7oz / 218g (Stellar White)
Insta360 Luna Pro: Design- Effectively a single-lens version of the Luna Ultra
- Clever detachable touchscreen module, complete with its own built-in mic
- A rubber cap replaces the Ultra's bulky protective case
Strip away the second lens and the Luna Pro is basically the Luna Ultra all over again. The dimensions and weight between the two cameras are barely different (the Pro is about half an inch shorter and 20g lighter than its dual-lens sibling), so if you've read my colleague Tim Coleman's take on the Ultra's design, most of the same applies here too: the Pro, like the Ultra, has a stick-like, gimbal-topped body that sits comfortably in the hand, with the option to extend the included handle for a more secure grip.
Its signature design feature is unchanged, too: the entire touchscreen-and-controls module pops free, working as a standalone remote with a 20m range and its own built-in microphone. It's just as useful here for solo shooting as it is on the Ultra.
Future | Sam KieldsenFuture | Sam KieldsenFuture | Sam KieldsenFuture | Sam KieldsenFuture | Sam KieldsenOne design compromise that did stand out to me during my time with the camera is the thin wire tripod that extends from the handle base — another thing carried over from the Ultra. On a genuinely flat surface, like a tabletop, it holds the Luna Pro upright well enough, but it offers little stability on uneven ground, and it's fiddly to pull out in the first place. Thankfully there's a standard tripod thread on the base too, so a proper mini tripod is only ever a few twists away.
The included protective case is also more basic than the Ultra's: it's just a rubber cap over the lens and gimbal, which trades some protection for a slimmer profile and much easier removal and replacement.
Insta360 Luna Pro: Performance- Dual-chip setup (4nm flagship chip plus dedicated imaging chip)
- Sticky, reliable subject tracking, and smooth stabilization whether shooting horizon-level or FPV-style
- Video up to 8K 30fps or 4K 120fps in 16:9 mode, 4K 30fps in 9:16
The Insta360 Luna Pro pairs the same 1-inch sensor and 20mm-equivalent f/1.8 lens found on the Ultra's main camera with a leaner dual-chip setup — a 4nm flagship chip and a dedicated imaging chip. The Ultra has three chips.
On paper that sounds like a step down, but in practice I rarely found the Luna Pro underpowered or sluggish. Subject tracking is a particular highlight: a single joystick click will pick out people and animals automatically, or you can tap a subject on the touchscreen and even adjust its position within the frame, which is useful if you don't want it to be dead center. It's sticky and dependable throughout. Stabilization is equally impressive, delivering smooth, level footage on the move, with the option to switch to a more dynamic FPV-style movement if you want it.
(Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)Insta360 rates the 1,550mAh battery at 240 minutes, but that figure is sneakily based on 1080p 24fps recording with the screen and Wi-Fi both switched off, which isn't how most people will use this camera. Shooting 8K at 30fps with the screen active, a much more realistic scenario, drained the battery in around 90 minutes during testing. That's still a respectable battery life in my book, so I'm not sure why Insta360 saw fit to base its claims on an underpowered setting.
The camera runs a little warm under sustained use of its more demanding modes like 4K120fps and 8K30fps in particular, but during my testing, it took more than 75 minutes of continuous 8K recording before it shut itself down. What I'd consider normal use never triggered any overheating issues.
The four microphones (three on the main body, one on the detachable module) handle audio reasonably well, and 32-bit recording is on offer for anyone editing seriously. Still, anyone prioritizing audio quality should consider buying an Insta360 Mic Air or Mic Pro, both of which pair directly and add proper wind protection and noise cancellation.
Future | Sam KieldsenFuture | Sam KieldsenFuture | Sam KieldsenFuture | Sam KieldsenMoving on to image quality, and photos are the camera's weak point: detail and contrast are both underwhelming, and it's not a device worth buying for stills alone. Frankly, in most cases you'd be better off using your smartphone for snaps than pulling out the Pro.
Video is a different story: footage looks clean and sharp in good lighting, across Standard, Dolby Vision and I-Log color profiles, though the 120Mbps maximum bitrate (shared with the Ultra) seems quite modest. 8K is the headline spec, of course, but I think 4K is a much more practical everyday choice thanks to its smaller files, greater range of frame rate options (up to 120fps), and the fact it still offers plenty of detail.
Slow motion goes up to 4x at 4K (120fps) or 8x in 1080p (240fps) and, surprisingly, vertical shooters get a genuine edge over the Ultra here: 4K30fps in 9:16 (built from 6K oversampling) versus the Ultra's ceiling of just 3K. One thing to note about vertical footage though: while the Ultra can hit 60fps in that mode, the Pro tops out at 30fps.
The digital zoom is the clearest trade-off for losing that second lens, and the Pro lacks the reach of its pricier cousin. Up to 2x magnification, Insta360's "lossless zoom" claim holds up in practice, but push it further and the digital crop shows, with softer detail and muddier edges.
Should I buy the Insta360 Luna Pro?Buy it if...You want excellent tracking and stabilization
Whether it's a single joystick click or tapping a subject on the touchscreen, the Luna Pro locks onto people and pets reliably, and its gimbal keeps footage impressively smooth in both horizon-level and FPV-style modes.
You shoot a lot of vertical content
Its 4K30fps 9:16 mode, built from 6K oversampling, is sharper than anything the pricier Luna Ultra can manage in that orientation.
You can stretch to the Luna Ultra
With a relatively small amount separating the two, the Ultra's second lens and true 6x lossless zoom could be worth the step up.
You need all-day battery life
Insta360's four-hour battery claims are based on using 1080p at 24fps, so if you're an 8K or 4K shooter, the real-world figure is a lot less.
DJI Osmo Pocket 4
If you're not tied to the Insta360 ecosystem, DJI's Osmo Pocket 4 remains the benchmark single-lens compact vlogging camera. It lacks the Luna Pro's detachable touchscreen module (though there is an optional controller available), but its tracking and color science have been refined over several generations, and it's a joy to use.
Read our in-depth DJI Osmo Pocket 4 review
Insta360 Luna Ultra
Insta360's flagship costs a little more than the Luna Pro, but justifies it with a second, 60mm-equivalent telephoto lens offering 6x lossless zoom, and a third processing chip for extra power. It's a little larger and heavier, and caps vertical video at a lower 3K, but I think the added versatility makes it worth the modest premium for many creators.
Read our in-depth Insta360 Luna Ultra review
How I tested the Insta360 Luna Pro(Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)- Insta360 sent me the Luna Pro's basic box bundle ahead of launch
- I shot footage and photos at all available resolutions, and tested the slow motion and PureVideo special shooting modes
- I tested battery life and thermal management by running the camera continuously
I was sent a Luna Pro sample ahead of the launch day, allowing me time to test the Luna Pro over a few days. I shot a mix of horizontal, vertical and slow motion video across its available resolutions and color profiles, and put its subject tracking and stabilization through everyday use. I also took photos in and outdoors, in both JPEG and DNG format. I ran the camera's battery down twice to test its battery life, and tested its thermal performance too, to see how real-world use compares to Insta360's claims.
- First reviewed: September 2026
- Read more about how we test
- Bitdefender finds Google Play Early Access platform could give malicious apps an easy breeding ground
- User reviews and ratings are not publicly displayed, removing the ability for users to evaluate if an app is legitimate
- Games, casinos, and utility apps are being loaded with malicious packages and downloaded thousands of times
Google has unveiled an Early Access program for the Play Store, allowing developers to list early-access apps for testing and feedback.
While great for smaller apps looking to weed out any wrinkles in their apps, Early Access also offers a lucrative way for malicious actors to lure users into downloading apps that look legitimate, but can hide malicious packages inside.
However, new research from Bitdefender notes the fact that the Early Access program hides public reviews and ratings could lead to an app ecosystem filled with scams, fake casinos, and malware-laden packages masquerading as legitimate software.
Early Access is filled with dangerous appsWhen looking for apps on the normal Play Store, one of the first things users are greeted with is an app’s rating. For fake or malicious apps, users can quickly evaluate whether or not to download the app thanks to the star rating and user reviews. While there is the potential for nefarious developers to fake reviews and ratings there is at least some ability to check if an app is legitimate.
But the Early Access system does away with public user ratings and reviews entirely. There is effectively no way for users who fall victim to a fake app to publicly warn other users not to download the app.
Add to this equation that ability for developers to show off their apps through sponsored Facebook and TikTok videos, offering outrageous rewards or using deepfakes of celebrities to entice users to install their apps.
This is especially true for fake gambling apps. Bitdefender has spotted numerous adverts for casino apps using deepfakes of well known celebrities such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Jason Statham, and Andrew Tate. These apps actively push users into the Google Play Early Access store, or direct to the apps website.
(Image credit: Bitdefender)Other listings mimic well-known apps, adding financial incentives for downloading such as doubling the money you invest every time you complete a task or overcome an obstacle. Other apps take advantage of the hype for upcoming game releases, such as Grand Theft Auto V and VI. These apps often use screenshots from the actual games in order to appear legitimate.
When detected as illegitimate, these scam apps will often be deleted before being replaced by exact copies that perform the same malicious functions. Some illegitimate apps have been downloaded thousands of times, Bitdefender said, but many remain available on the Google Play Early Access store.
But the scam apps aren’t limited to games and casino apps. Bitdefender also saw numerous apps offering utility functions such as QR code scanners or PDF readers. In some circumstances, the exact same apps were listed multiple times by different developers - likely to expand the reach and maximize the number of downloads.
Bitdefender notes that Google Play’s reputation relies on users being able to trust the apps they are downloading, but the Early Access program removes almost every way users can detect a malicious app before installing.
- Fable associate game director Will Kennedy says the game's combat system will be "faithful" to the classic RPG series
- However, Playground Games wanted to make the game "approachable" for modern audiences
- Kennedy says the game's "Style-weaving combat" offers more "breadth and depth" to achieve that
Fable's "style-weaving" combat system is designed for a modern audience, while remaining faithful to the classic role-playing game (RPG) series, according to Playground Games.
That's according to associate game director Will Kennedy during a Q&A session at Gamescom 2026, where he discussed the game's humor and how that has also been woven into the battle system by allowing players to turn enemies into chickens.
Speaking more about the design intention behind what Playground Games calls "style-weaving combat," which lets players mix and match different weapons and spells, Kennedy said the team wanted to balance what long-time fans of the series are familiar with, while making combat approachable for new players.
"When we're talking about being faithful to the classic franchise, we thought about how there was an approachability to combat there, and we knew that we wanted to be able to capture some of that for our game as well," Kennedy said. "But at the same time, we're making a game for gaming today."
He added, "We wanted there to be breadth and depth to it, so we landed on wanting to have style-weaving combat. We wanted to be able to move from move to move really smoothly and easily, and that combined with the level expression that you've got."
Kennedy explained that players can customize every element of their loadout, including ranged and melee weapons, and the four spell slots, which can be upgraded, and "by the time you play the game for even a little bit of time, you have a really broad, deep, rich suite of options to choose from."
"But being able to move so freely between the moves, and it feeling so responsive and so satisfying, is something we're really proud of," Kennedy continued, "because I think we've landed somewhere that is still approachable but has that depth that we want and so therefore is faithful but works in gaming today as well for players, which is sometimes to be proud of."
Fable is set to launch on February 23, 2027, for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Series S, and PC.
Kennedy also confirmed that Fable's main storyline will take up to 20 hours to beat, but the game's life systems are "limitless."
I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve played the original Final Fantasy 7, and the thought of soaring through the skies aboard the airship Highwind with Midgar, Junon, the Gold Saucer, and Wutai scrolling past below in this level of detail always felt like an impossible dream. Now I’m watching it unfold in front of me in Final Fantasy 7 Revelation — and it’s glorious.
I cruise around for far longer than is even necessary, just soaking it all in. It’s a moment that finally fully realises what we expected when Square Enix first announced that it would be remaking the iconic 1997 RPG.
This journey has been a long one: from the restricted but well-focused part one of Remake, through the expansive and a little more erratic part two in Rebirth, and now this monumental finale to cap off the trilogy.
(Image credit: Square Enix)After a quick introduction to the cast for this demo section that takes place at the start of Chapter 4, I’m given the controls of the Highwind. I’m told the next destination for Yuffie, Barret, Red XIII, as well as playable newcomers Cid and Vincent, is Wutai. But I don’t need to go there right now. And I choose not to.
I zoom over to see what’s changed at the Costa Del Sol: this world’s happening holiday resort and lively town. How do I make my final approach? Not by landing the airship, but by parachuting off the edge, watching the terrain and the town grow larger as I approach the ground. It’s an impressive feat that this is possible, with such huge freedom given to how and where I land.
When I reach the Costa Del Sol, it is, effectively, exactly as it was in the previous entry. Folks are soaking up the sunshine in swimwear, popping to the bar to pick up a drink, and enjoying all sorts of entertainment by the seaside. The detail and density still impress and define the approach that Square Enix has taken with the trilogy as a whole. It’s bigger, bolder, flashier, expanded, and extended. There’s just more to everything.
I step out into the outskirts of the party playground, and I’m immediately hit by how Square Enix has taken this approach in other areas of the game. Sometimes, I feel, for the worse.
(Image credit: Square Enix)The demo was not afraid to impress upon me the sheer number of side activities that are going to be available in Final Fantasy 7 Revelation. Photo hunts, monster hunts, the Queen’s Blood card game, environment investigations — all of these and more popped up as soon as I landed in a new location or were added as I explored. With an AI assistant, MAI, also trying to explain them all, it almost overwhelmed me.
I get why we played this section of the game, but hot-dropping into a location while completely fresh to the game and getting barraged by all of these notifications instilled in me equal levels of excitement and dread. Yeah, there’s going to be a heck of a lot to do in Revelation if you want it, but I don’t know how much of it is going to be compelling.
(Image credit: Square Enix)What does still shine, though, is the combat. Zipping over to Wutai for a change of scenery, I ran into several monsters on the path to the village, and my muscle memory from the dozens of hours I sunk into Remake and Rebirth started to come back.
Cid and Vincent both seem like excellent new additions to the roster. I gravitated more toward the vampiric ex-Turk after a couple of battles, enjoying the rhythm of how he’s played. Effectively, you build up attacks over time, before eventually being able to unleash his ferocious Galian Beast mode to deal more devastating damage. Even against unthreatening monsters, he was very satisfying to play.
What I didn’t get to explore too much was the new FITS mechanic, which gives your characters more focus by taking on a specific class. I could see how these roles help you refine your party and add another layer to the already strong combat system. For example, Barrett could be set as a Knight in some impressive, shiny, and slightly absurd mech armor, elevating his job as a defender and protector.
Intrigued by both the new characters and mechanics, I found myself seeking more combat, so my journey through Wutai was full of distractions, including accidentally wandering into a boss monster that was about 40 levels above me and destroyed me in a matter of seconds. One of the many, many, many side activities in the region that I’ll no doubt have to return to in the full game, if I don’t get burnt out by them again.
(Image credit: Square Enix)And then, even with those doubts in my mind, I did find myself in awe of Revelation again just as quickly after seeing the scale and glow-up given to Wutai village. The pagodas and the familiar Turtle's Paradise bar have gone from half-memories of pixelated and blocky buildings to stunning and expressive environments that I could never have imagined.
Overall, there was just so much that it felt impossible to wrap my head around even half of it in just the short 60 minutes I had to play Final Fantasy 7 Revelation. I’ve barely had a chance to mention all the new pieces of equipment you have to navigate the world and interact with it.
What I want to make clear, though, is that all of these features haven’t put me off the game at all. It might not have settled some of the worries I had after tiring of the deluge of mostly throwaway content in Rebirth, but I left wanting more time with Revelation.
More time cruising through the clouds of the Highwind, more time testing how easy it is to jump out from pretty much anywhere on the overworld map, and more time digging into the combat system with new characters and how the FITS system mixes it up. And that’s before we see what direction Square Enix takes the story after the controversial ending to the previous entry.
Whatever happens, I have the feeling that Final Fantasy 7 Revelation is going to be a huge game when it launches on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and Series S, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC on April 8, 2027.
- Grass Valley police ended its contract with Flock and removed its cameras
- They later found that Flock had reinstalled the devices
- This was allegedly due to one of Flock’s automated systems
Flock is not exactly the most popular company in the world right now, with its automated license plate recognition (ALPR) devices attracting protests, vandalism and canceled contracts with cities across the US. And it’s managed to invite even more negative headlines thanks to its reaction after one city had had enough of its cameras.
According to Fox40, the police force of Grass Valley, California, decided to end its contract with Flock and remove all of the company’s cameras in mid-August. Yet the authorities have since discovered that Flock took it upon itself to reinstall many of the cameras in the following weeks.
Grass Valley Police Chief Alexander Gammelgard had previously written a public letter to the town’s community explaining that the force’s contract with Flock had been canceled due to data privacy concerns, claiming that “Hundreds of thousands of California agency queries were being performed against our data.”
Despite the police’s actions, the force subsequently found that Flock had reinstalled and serviced some of the devices without permission from the city or the police force.
For its part, Flock told Fox40 that it reinstated the cameras because Grass Valley authorities had removed them before the cancelation process had been completed. This triggered Flock’s “automated maintenance system” to create work orders and send repair crews to put the cameras back in place. But whatever the cause, it’s not a good look for Flock.
Switching to Axon(Image credit: Shutterstock)The Grass Valley controversy is not the only piece of bad news to have hit Flock recently. As pressure mounts on local governments to shelf the contentious cameras, they are apparently increasingly turning to rival products that might generate less negative news coverage.
One such beneficiary of Flock’s woes is Axon, whose devices are allegedly being deployed around the US. A report from 404 Media (via Newsweek) notes that cities from California to New York State have opted for Axon products over those from Flock, with some stating that they made the move because Axon met their public safety requirements while also protecting user privacy.
While that might help these authorities avoid some of the storm surrounding Flock, it evidently does not mean that they are moving away from ALPR technology altogether — which itself has become a lightning rod for opposition, whether it involves Flock or not.
As the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has put it, “Simply replacing Flock surveillance with another company’s surveillance won’t necessarily solve any of the privacy and other civil liberties problems posed by this mass surveillance technology.” Time will tell what sort of reaction the switch to Axon will therefore create among members of the public.