News
- Apple is paying out $95 million to settle a Siri class-action lawsuit
- If you think you're eligible, you need to submit a claim by the end of July 2
- Apple has denied all wrongdoing in settling the case
Back in January, Apple agreed to settle a class-action lawsuit related to its Siri voice assistant. The case saw some Apple device owners claim that Siri had disclosed their private conversations to advertisers, following "unintended Siri activations".
Apple denied all wrongdoing and agreed to settle the case to "avoid additional litigation" (more on that below). But the result of the 'Lopez vs Apple Inc' suit means that, if you owned and used an Apple device between September 17, 2014 and December 31, 2024, you could be due a small slice of the payout. You'll need to be quick, though – the deadline is today, July 2.
Those who are eligible could be a line for a maximum payout of $100 (that's $20 per device, for up to five Siri devices). Not exactly a lottery jackpot, but worth investigating if you think you've been affected by unintentionally activating Siri during a private conversation during that period.
As The Verge reports, many of those affected will have received an email titled “Lopez Voice Assistant Class Action Settlement" (from the address 'info@lopezvoiceassistantsettlement.com'). Despite sounding like spam, this is a genuine email containing details like your 'claimant identification code' and more.
But even if you didn't receive this, you can also submit a claim. Here's a quick breakdown of what happened, how Apple's responded and how to file a claim if you think you've been affected...
What happened?The lawsuit's plaintiffs alleged that "confidential or private communications" were "obtained by Apple and/or shared with third parties as a result of an unintended Siri activation". According to the suit's homepage, that took place sometime between 17 September, 2014 and 31 December, 2024.
But how? Apple has always maintained that iPhones don't 'listen' to their owners, aside from when wake words like 'Hey, Siri' are used. Well, the key is that phrase "unintended Siri activation".
The plaintiffs say that Siri not only tuned into private conversations by mistake – perhaps by mishearing a wake word – but also used that information to subsequently trigger ads.
(Image credit: Shutterstock / DedMityay)Again, Apple denies that this is possible, stating that "Siri data has never been used to build marketing profiles and it has never been sold to anyone for any purpose".
Nevertheless, as Reuters reported, two plaintiffs claimed that their mentions on Air Jordan sneakers and Olive Garden restaurants later resulted in them getting ads for those products, while another plaintiff claimed they got ads for a brand name surgical treatment after talking about it with their doctor.
What did Apple say?Despite agreeing to pay $95 million to settle the Siri lawsuit, Apple was pretty bullish in its response – and admitted no wrongdoing, despite settling the suit.
Apple told us that "Siri data has never been used to build marketing profiles and it has never been sold to anyone for any purpose,” adding that collected data is only used to improve the virtual assistant.
(Image credit: Shutterstock / Tada Images)In a separate statement, it added: "Apple settled this case to avoid additional litigation so we can move forward from concerns about third-party grading that we already addressed in 2019. We use Siri data to improve Siri, and we are constantly developing technologies to make Siri even more private."
That's fairly emphatic then, but the settlement means that potentially millions of Apple device owners could be eligible for a claim – here's how to check to see if you're one of them.
How to claim(Image credit: Lopez v Apple Inc)If you think you're eligible for a payout in the 'Lopez v Apple Inc' lawsuit, you'll need to use the official claim form and submit it by the end of July 2, 2025.
You'll need to meet some pretty specific criteria in order to be eligible for a payout. That criteria is below and the claim form asks you to confirm all of the below under oath:
- between September 17, 2014 and December 31, 2024 you bought or owned a Siri device in the United States, and enabled Siri on that device
- you experienced an "unintended Siri activation" in that period
- that unintended Siri activation took place "during a conversation intended to be confidential and private"
You can make claims for up to five Siri devices – these can include iPhones, iPads, Apple Watches, MacBooks, iMacs, HomePods, the iPod touch, or Apple TVs.
As mentioned above, many of those who are potentially eligible will have received an email titled "Lopez Voice Assistant Class Action Settlement". But you don't necessarily need to have received that email to make a claim – if not, just click "New Claim" in the claim form and enter your details from there.
You might also likeNow that the PS5 Pro is in the hands of gamers everywhere, the list of PS5 Pro enhanced games continues to grow. Around launch, Sony detailed 50+ titles that have dedicated modes that make use of everything the upgraded console has to offer. Since then we've even put together a best PS5 Pro games list, highlighting the ten top titles that are enhanced on the new console.
Now that the PS5 Pro is out, and we've finalized our PS5 Pro review, there's a lot to love about Sony's most powerful console. Thanks to the PS5 Pro specs, it's no surprise that games such as Marvel's Spider-Man 2 look and feel better than ever, leveraging AI-driven upscaling and improved raytracing. Now that the dust has settled on the PS5 Pro launch, we’ve even been able to spend time with many of the upgraded games, and feel confident offering some recommendations on the PS5 Pro games to play first.
Before you seek out where to buy a PS5 Pro, however, you'll want to know what games have received upgrades, which is where we come in. In this article, we'll cover every PS5 Pro game confirmed so far, including a look at what's set to change in each title. As more games are unveiled in the future, we'll be sure to update this list.
Update (July 2, 2025): Added details on Death Stranding 2, which is out now, featuring PS5 Pro enhancements.
PS5 Pro games list - confirmed PS5 Pro-enhanced titles(Image credit: Guerrilla Games)Given that there are now over 100 PS5 Pro enhanced games, and with each developer handling things slightly differently, the list below represents just a small slice of the headline games that have received beefy PS5 Pro updates since launch:
- 007: First Light - enhanced for PlayStation 5 Pro, using PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution (PSSR) and having optimized performance, with the game playable at 60 FPS in Quality Mode. Coming in 2026.
- Alan Wake 2 - Performance Mode now offers 4K at the same fidelity as the base PS5's Quality Mode. The PS5 Pro Quality Mode however, will target raytracing. As confirmed in this blog post.
- Assassin’s Creed: Shadows - exhibist an enhanced ray-traced global illumination technology. Improved fidelity thanks to expanded GPU capabilities, and leveraging of PSSR. As per the PS Blog.
- Death Stranding 2 - higher visual fidelity in Performance Mode. You can read our thoughts on the upgrades here: Death Stranding 2: On the Beach sold me on the PS5 Pro
- Demon’s Souls - 4K image-like quality at 60 frames per second.
- Dragon’s Dogma 2 - benefits from the power of the PS5 Pro, PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution (PSSR) and new ray tracing technology, allowing improved framerates.
- Dragon Age: The Veilguard - The game’s Fidelity and Performance modes both see improvements on the hardware, including improved resolution in 30FPS Fidelity and 60FPS Performance modes.
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 - enhanced on PlayStation 5 Pro
- Doom: The Dark Ages - enhanced on PS5 Pro. details not given.
- Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth - The new Enhanced Mode* developed especially for PS5 Pro combines the characteristics of the existing Performance Mode and Graphics Mode to offer players a new visual experience.
- F1 24 - F1 24 is upgrading its Quality mode to add new ray tracing effects that shined particularly on rain-soaked courses and made the tracks feel more realistic and immersive. As per the PS Blog.
- Gran Turismo 7 - now able to support ray tracing during races, which was previously impossible. This allows not only for car surfaces to show full reflections of other cars, but also for a car to reflect its own parts, greatly enhancing realism and immersion throughout the whole game.
- Hogwarts Legacy - Players are able to experience crisper, richer, higher resolution graphics, leveraging PSSR on all visual modes.
- Horizon Forbidden West - you can now enjoy a visual quality that matches or surpasses the Quality mode on the regular PlayStation 5, but now at 60 FPS – double the framerate.
- Indiana Jones and the Great Circle - experience next-level realism and image clarity with native 4K resolution and advanced ray tracing.
- Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 - Spider-Man 2 finds a new default Performance Pro mode, which marries the crisp 4K resolution and ray tracing features of Fidelity mode with the speedy 60 frames per second of Performance mode.
- Marvel's Spider-Man 2 - PSSR technology allows for the trees and the lush vegetation of the game’s iconic jungle terrain to become more vivid, and enhances the sense of realism of infiltrating through a natural environment
- Monster Hunter Wilds - Resolution Mode for full Ray Tracing at 4K and 30FPS. Performance Mode allows for uncapped frame rate. Balanced Mode with some Ray Tracing at 40FPS on 120Hz monitors
- Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart - new default Performance Pro mode, which marries the crisp 4K resolution and ray tracing features of Fidelity mode with the speedy 60 frames per second of Performance mode.
- Marvel's Spider-Man Remastered - new default Performance Pro mode, which marries the crisp 4K resolution and ray tracing features of Fidelity mode with the speedy 60 frames per second of Performance mode.
- Marvel's Spider-Man Miles Morales - new default Performance Pro mode, which marries the crisp 4K resolution and ray tracing features of Fidelity mode with the speedy 60 frames per second of Performance mode.
- Resident Evil 4 Remake - the game runs at a higher framerate, making the dynamic action even more intense. Resident Evil 4 also uses the power of PS5 Pro for ultra-high-resolution technology, painting vividly realistic imagery brimming with detailed environments and more natural and beautiful visual effects than ever before.
- Resident Evil Village - added 120fps gameplay to provide the best possible user experience on PS5 Pro.
- Returnal - new resolution offering a boost of up to 2.5x
- Star Wars Jedi: Survivor - In Quality Mode, the game offers its highest-ever console resolution at 2160p. At the same time, Performance Mode continues to deliver a solid 60 fps—but now with higher resolutions and the added visual depth of ray tracing for reflections and ambient occlusion.
- Stellar Blade - 4K resolution at 50fps or more, with smoother gameplay, and you’ll notice an improvement in grain and detail in the game in PSSR upscale mode. Plus, the HFR (high framerate) option is supported, allowing you to enjoy a fluid gaming experience at 80 fps (120hz display support required).
- The Crew Motorfest - more objects on-screen – decals, vegetation, crowds – all running at 60fps.
- The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered - PS5 Pro Enhanced
- The First Descendant - expanding the ray tracing feature by leveraging PS5 Pro’s superior GPU performance and enhanced ray tracing architecture.
- The Last of Us Part I - new PS5 Pro-specific enhanced rendering mode that takes advantage of improved graphics processing, rendering 1440p, then upscaling to 4K via PSSR super resolution. This mode maintains the 60 fps target, offering an ideal balance of framerate and resolution.
- The Last of Us Part II Remastered - new PS5 Pro-specific enhanced rendering mode that takes advantage of improved graphics processing, rendering 1440p, then upscaling to 4K via PSSR super resolution. This mode maintains the 60 fps target, offering an ideal balance of framerate and resolution.
- Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 - Upscaled resolution of 2160p. Target performance of 60FPS, unlocked with VRR enabled. Leverages PSSR upscaling technology.
- Lies of P - "Quality Mode benefits from more than a 30 percent increase in FPS, delivering smoother, more fluid gameplay. Additionally, Performance Mode now supports full native 4K resolution, allowing players to enjoy stunning visuals without sacrificing responsiveness," - Lies of P director Jiwon Choi in an interview with Eurogamer.
- Lords of the Fallen - the PS5 Pro enhanced version of the action role-playing game (RPG) allows players to experience a "40% increase in pixel density over the base PlayStation 5 console, resulting in a sharper image and finer details. Read the full details here.
- Zenless Zone Zero - native 4K resolution and 60 FPS simultaneously with the average frame rate increasing by nearly ten frames. Update arrives December 18, 2024.
And now, a highlight of the major titles that have received a PS5 Pro patch, as previously confirmed on the PS Blog ahead of the PS5 Pro launch.
- Alan Wake 2
- Albatroz
- Apex Legends
- Arma Reforger
- Assassin’s Creed Mirage
- Assassin's Creed Shadows
- Baldur’s Gate 3
- Black Myth: Wukong
- Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- EA Sports College Football 25
- Dead Island 2
- Dead Rising Deluxe Remastered
- Demon’s Souls
- Diablo IV
- Dragon Age: The Veilguard
- Dragon’s Dogma 2
- Dying Light 2 Reloaded Edition
- Dynasty Warriors: Origins
- EA Sports FC 25
- Enlisted
- F1 24
- Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
- Fortnite
- God of War Ragnarök
- Hogwarts Legacy
- Horizon Forbidden West
- Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered
- Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
- Kayak VR: Mirage
- Kingdom Come Deliverance 2
- Lies of P
- Lords of the Fallen
- Madden NFL 25
- Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered
- Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales
- Marvel’s Spider-Man 2
- Monster Hunter Wilds
- Naraka: Bladepoint
- NBA2K 25
- Ninja Gaiden 2 Black
- No Man’s Sky
- Palworld
- Paladin’s Passage
- Path of Exile 2
- Planet Coaster 2
- Professional Spirits Baseball 2024-2025
- Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
- Resident Evil 4
- Resident Evil Village
- Rise of the Ronin
- Rogue Flight
- Slitterhead
- Star Wars: Jedi Survivor
- Star Wars: Outlaws
- Stellar Blade
- Test Drive Unlimited: Solar Crown
- The Callisto Protocol
- The Crew Motorfest
- The Finals
- The First Descendant
- The Last of Us Part I
- The Last of Us Part II Remastered
- UFC 25
- UFL
- Until Dawn
- War Thunder
- Warframe
- Warhammer 40,000 Darktide
- World of Warships: Legend
- Zenless Zone Zero
- Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii
The games above have received dedicated PS5 Pro versions, and are even be labeled separately to indicate as such. There's also a whole host of PS4 and PS5 games that'll benefit from what Sony is calling PS5 Pro Game Boost (as per the PS Blog):
"With the PS5 Pro version of the Game Boost feature, you can enjoy faster and smoother frame rates in some of the PS4 and PS5 console’s greatest games."
This is said to apply to at least 8,500 PS4 and PS5 titles, so there are plenty of changes and upgrades on the way to the games you already own if you do choose to pick up a PS5 Pro. In addition, PS5 Pro will significantly enhance PSVR 2 games according to Mark Cerny.
PS5 Pro enhanced games - what's the difference?As part of the initial PS5 Pro technical presentation, we saw a few games running on the new hardware, highlighting the differences relative to the base PS5 console. Each enhanced game benefits from the new specs in different ways, but they all pull from the improvements below:
- Upgraded GPU with 67% more compute units and 28% faster memory; resulting in 45% faster rendering
- Advanced ray-tracing
- AI-driven upscaling known as PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution (PSSR)
- 2TB SSD
- PS5 Pro Game Boost
- Optional disc-drive
- VRR and 8K gaming support
In our PS5 Pro review, we came to the conclusion that the main attraction is really “the convergence of graphical fidelity and performance with games now able to tap into the PS5 Pro’s hardware and features to shine in both ways - at the same time”. This boosted graphical fidelity is, more often than not, on par with the Quality Modes of the base PS5, but with a much smoother experience thanks to 60FPS or higher. This best of both worlds approach is really going to be the key difference moving forward, though it’s likely that we’ll see developers experiment further with higher end graphical settings that focus on ray tracing, or make use of the hardware’s new AI-boosted upscaling.
Speaking on ray tracing, there have been significant advancements for many of the games now enhanced by the PS5 Pro. In our PS5 Pro review, we were impressed by the ray tracing across the board, noting that “you can now enjoy some of the best ray-tracing PS5 has to offer in a performance mode, targeting 60 frames per second, which is truly special in games like Marvel’s Spider-Man 2.” So far, we’re looking at games that have already come out as well, so moving forward we’re excited to see what the PS5 Pro’s ray tracing capabilities can achieve as games get bigger and better looking across the board.
PS5 Pro review: The TechRadar Gaming verdict(Image credit: Future)Our Managing Editor, Rob Dwiar, spent some time with the PS5 Pro pre-launch, and gave his verdict in the TechRadar Gaming PS5 Pro review. He concludes that the PS5 Pro “is a superb console and now the best PlayStation 5 machine available. The advancements are glorious and bring a new level of immersion and beauty to games, while also boosting performance levels to offer fluid and smooth frame rates and very high levels of image fidelity - at the same time - offering a clear advancement over the base PS5, and will be perfect for those enthusiasts yearning for more from the camps of fidelity and performance.”
One thing that is immediately surprising when taking the PS5 Pro out of the box is its size and weight relative to the base model, especially the one that launched with a disc drive back in 2020. The PS5 Pro is much lighter than you’d expect, and its sleek design and black vented sides really stand out alongside the all white of the PS5’s faceplates. Under the hood, you now get 2TB of storage as standard, meaning that you can hold more games on your hard drive without having to swap things out for new releases.
While the technical upgrades and visual changes are indeed exciting, it’s also vital to point out the price jump between the base PS5 and the PS5 Pro. For $699.99 / £699.99 / AU$1,199, you do not get a disc drive, or even a vertical stand, something that really represents a sting in the tail for an otherwise enticing mid-generation upgrade. Our review concludes that “If you’ve a keen eye for detail, are a PlayStation fanatic who wants to be at the bleeding edge of the brand’s console and wants the most performant PlayStation console going, or you’re a graphics obsessive who wants the best experience going, or are a PS5 user with a new 120Hz-capable gaming TV or PS5 monitor, then the gaming experiences provided by the PS5 Pro are going to be very tempting indeed. For everyone else, it’s just going to be too expensive.”
You can read more on the differences between the Pro and the base PS5 in our PS5 Pro vs PS5 article.
PS5 Pro games: FAQsWill new games be PS5 Pro-enhanced?While we'll have to wait and see what upcoming PS5 games like Ghost of Yōtei do with the new PS5 Pro technology, it's highly likely that first-party games will offer some form of PS5 Pro version. This was how things worked with the PS4 Pro, so expect there to be boosts to upcoming games like Marvel's Wolverine, and Saros. In terms of third-party, PS5 Pro enhancements will come on a case by case basis. Some games will lean into the PS5 Pro's features, even offering separate PS5 Pro-labelled versions, while others may focus on a more general PS5 offering.
How much does the PS5 Pro cost?The PS5 Pro launched on November 7, 2024, and currently retails for $699.99 / £699.99 / AU$1,999.95. This is a significant step up from the base console, especially when you consider that you won't get a disc drive or a vertical stand with it.
What games are the TechRadar Gaming looking forward to on PS5 Pro?Now that the PS5 Pro is out, we’ve spent some time with the currently available list of enhanced games. Looking ahead, Borderlands 4 and Ghost of Yōtei will most likely show off the next level of PS5 Pro enhancements, especially the latter, which is being developed by Sony first party studio Sucker Punch. Beyond that, we've just had news of 007: First Light's PS5 Pro support, arriving in 2026.
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The first time I heard The Velvet Sundown’s album Dust and Silence on Spotify, I thought to myself, hmm, that’s not too bad. It hits a lot of the notes I look for in music I can listen to in the background while I work: acoustic guitar, nice vocals, chill beats, and a mellow 60s psychedelic vibe. There’s only one problem: this band might not exist.
The Velvet Sundown is suspected of being an entirely AI-generated band. Despite posting pictures of its band members on its Instagram and X.com accounts, the pictures look very fake. In fact, they look exactly like they were created by AI.
It’s very hard to prove definitively if the band is fake, but the evidence mounts up: The pictures look fake, there’s no evidence that the band members really exist, and the music sounds like it could have been generated in an AI music tool, like Suno.
Famous YouTube musician Rick Beato even released an episode about the band, breaking down its songs into individual tracks to see if he could tell if it was AI-generated. His opinion? Yes, it is.
Upcoming tourThe band’s account on X.com is adamant that the band is real and makes its own music, even promising an upcoming live tour! A post from the band says, “This is our music, written in long, sweaty nights in a cramped bungalow in California with real instruments, real minds, and real soul. Every chord, every lyric, every mistake — HUMAN.”
I’ve reached out to the band, and they’ve emailed me back, saying they’re happy to answer questions, except that as soon as I suggest a video interview, they immediately ghost me. It feels like whoever is behind The Velvet Sundown is very much trolling the rest of us for publicity by pretending to be a real band, and as this article shows, it’s working.
Yesterday, The Velvet Sundown had 470,000 monthly listens on Spotify. When I look at its page today, they have gone up to 634,000. That’s a lot of revenue being diverted away from real bands who actually made their own music and towards a band whose music is created by AI from being trained on other people’s material, usually without attribution.
Dust and Silence from The Velvet Sundown, playing on Apple Music. (Image credit: The Velvet Sundown)Apple and SpotifyWhat’s interesting is that both Apple and Spotify are happily streaming the band’s music while not flagging it as AI. Don’t we, the paying punters, deserve to know if the band we are listening to is fake?
In fact, The Velvet Sundown is one of a number of recent ‘bands’ that have exposed a massive loophole in the big music streaming services like Apple, Spotify, and Amazon Music: They have absolutely no requirement that AI music be flagged as AI-generated.
Interestingly, the smaller-sized streaming service Deezer does, and it has used its own technology to identify The Velvet Sundown’s music as AI-generated, and it flags it as such.
Deezer flags Dust and Silence as "Ai-generated content". (Image credit: Deezer)The Velvet Sundown isn’t the only band suspected of being AI-generated (other suspected bands include Stellar Cruise and The Luna Lounge), but we’re only at the start of this problem. Music streaming services are about to be overrun by AI-generated content, and they need to act fast.
I don’t want to be sending whatever meagre cents that music streams generate these days to a band that doesn't exist when there are plenty of struggling artists who need genuine support. Perhaps this whole mess will lead Apple and Spotify to rethink their policies on flagging AI music and take a leaf out of Deezer’s book, because I think it should be their responsibility to tell us, their paying customers, if the music we are listening to is AI-generated or not.
Whether they are real or not, after the success of The Velvet Sundown, an absolute deluge of AI music will be on the way now that people have realized it’s an easy way to generate revenue, and Apple and Spotify do not flag it as such. And the next generation of AI bands will probably be a bit cleverer about hiding the fact that they are AI-generated.
We’ve reached out to both Apple and Spotify for comment on AI music on their streaming platforms and will update this article if we receive any.
You might also like- Windows 10 PCs are getting an update stealthily installed
- The under-the-radar arrival of KB5001716 may confuse some folks
- This patch is deployed to versions of Windows which are about to run out of support, and it'll nudge you to make a move to keep your PC secure
Windows 10 PCs are getting an update stealthily piped to them, and some folks may be confused as to what it is.
The good news is that it's nothing to worry about as such – although the update is a bit of an oddity, and it does herald the end of Windows 10 (I'll come back to why momentarily).
Neowin noticed the arrival of the patch labelled KB5001716, and observed that this is an upgrade that Microsoft deploys ahead of 'force-installing' a new feature update.
That's somewhat dramatic phrasing for KB5001716 being pushed to Windows versions which are about to run out of support – hence the users will indeed need to upgrade soon, or they'll be left without security updates (and potentially open to vulnerabilities that could be exploited as a result).
So technically, the comment about a forced installation is true, but only because the upgrade is a necessary move to ensure the safety of the host PC.
Here's what Microsoft tells us about this patch: "After this update is installed, Windows may periodically display a notification informing you of problems that may prevent Windows Update from keeping your device up-to-date and protected against current threats. For example, you may see a notification informing you that your device is currently running a version of Windows that has reached the end of its support lifecycle."
In this case, the update is being quietly installed on PCs running the latest version of Windows 10, which is 22H2, as well as 21H2 – the latter is already out of support, mind you. (As is Windows 11 21H2, which Microsoft also lists as receiving this patch currently, rather oddly).
Analysis: the beginning of the end(Image credit: Microsoft)What this really represents is Microsoft preparing the ground for the end of Windows 10, which happens in October of this year. With this patch now being installed on all Windows 10 PCs, as noted, those machines will receive periodic notifications warning that the operating system is about to run out of support (and security updates).
Microsoft is keeping something of a tight rein on those nudges (which will doubtless mention upgrading to Windows 11), though. The company notes that they "will respect full screen, game, quiet time and focus assist modes" meaning that they won't be overly intrusive. And hopefully they won't be too regular, either.
So, if you've been worried about the appearance of this update, there's no need to fret. It's not a big deal, although that said, it is in some respects, in terms of the fuse effectively being lit for the final countdown with Windows 10.
There are only three months left to go before the End of Life of the older OS now, and so there is some urgency to act. If you can't upgrade to Windows 11 due to falling short of the system requirements, you need to be thinking about alternatives (or getting an extra year of support).
I think it would really help if Microsoft was clearer about what this update is. In fact, KB5001716 is rolled out to PCs every time a support deadline for a version of Windows is imminent. Indeed, in the past, we have seen reports of this patch failing to install because it's already present on the system.
Strictly speaking, that shouldn't happen – due to the patch only being pushed out to versions of Windows that are at death's door, as noted – but if it does somehow, the solution is simple. Uninstall the existing copy of KB5001716 in Windows Update, and the new one should then patch successfully. Otherwise, it'll keep repeatedly failing, which will doubtless get tiresome quite swiftly.
Overall, this is a somewhat odd approach from Microsoft for managing dying Windows versions. It's not surprising that KB5001716 can cause some confusion, in terms of the stealthy, and repeated (over the years), installation of this 'update for Windows Update' as the company bills it.
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- NordVPN has been recognized for its ability to detect and block phishing websites
- NordVPN’s Threat Protection Pro blocked 90% of phishing websites in the test
- Threat Protection Pro is available for NordVPN Plus, Complete, and Ultra subscribers
NordVPN’s phishing protection has been again certified by AV-Comparatives, further cementing its status as the best VPN on the market today. This adds to the growing evidence of the effectiveness of NordVPN’s anti-malware tool, Threat Protection Pro.
AV-Comparatives, an independent testing lab, had already recognized Threat Protection Pro’s ability to detect and block phishing websites in 2024. A repeat result in 2025 sees NordVPN awarded an anti-phishing certification for the second year running.
Threat Protection Pro detected 90% of phishing URLs in AV-Comparatives comprehensive testing, well ahead of the 85% minimum required to earn the anti-phishing certification. The news means that NordVPN is still the only VPN with certified phishing protection.
How Threat Protection protects you from phishing sitesThreat Protection Pro is available only on Windows and MacOS devices (Image credit: Future)Introduced to NordVPN’s feature lineup in June 2024, Threat Protection Pro helps NordVPN users avoid not only phishing attempts, but a variety of other online dangers including tracking, malware, ads, and scams.
"Phishing websites are one of the biggest threats to internet users worldwide. They steal personal data, login credentials, and financial information from unsuspecting users," said Product Director at Threat Protection, Dominickas Virbickas. "We put our greatest effort into protecting our customers from the consequences caused by these sites."
Threat Protection Pro is available with NordVPN Plus, Complete, and Ultra subscription plans. Subscribers to the Basic tier won’t have access to Threat Protection Pro and its independently certified phishing protection but do benefit from Threat Protection.
Not to be confused with Threat Protection Pro, Threat Protection is a DNS filter capable of blocking ads and malicious domains. In contrast, Threat Protection Pro works at the URL and Javascript level and, unlike Threat Protection, doesn’t require you to be connected to a NordVPN server to benefit from its protection.
NordVPN is still the only VPN with certified phishing protection
This isn’t the first time NordVPN’s Threat Protection Pro anti-malware tool has been recognized by AV-Comparatives.
In 2024, it ranked as the third-best software for avoiding online shopping scams out of 35 competitors, emerging as a top tool for avoiding online shopping scams.
Two more independent audits further confirmed NordVPN's blocking capabilities. Experts at AV-Test awarded NordVPN as the winner among five recognized VPN providers. During testing from West Coast Labs (WCL), NordVPN scored a hugely impressive 99.8% malware protection rate.
What else you can do to prevent phishing attacksThreat Protection Pro has been proven to offer a solid line of defence against increasingly sophisticated phishing attacks. However, there are still some things you can do to further reduce your risk of falling victim:
- Think before you click. Tell-tale signs of phishing attempts include poor spelling or grammar. Scare tactics are also common in an effort to prompt you into action. When in doubt, re-read messages and carefully check the sender’s contact information.
- Enable two-factor authentication. Make use of two-factor authentication (2FA) which adds an extra layer of security to your online accounts. It requires you to provide an additional method of authentication to log in, such as a code sent to your phone.
- Check for HTTPS. Get in the habit of checking URLs in your browser’s address bar. When you do this, check for HTTPS and confirm the domain is correct. Some URL changes can be difficult to detect such as a number “1” instead of the letter “l”.
- Keep devices and software up-to-date. Phishing attacks may look to exploit unpatched vulnerabilities. Keeping your devices and software updated via official sources helps close off these vulnerabilities.
- Verify the source. Phishing often relies on impersonation with messages designed to look like they’ve come from someone you trust. If at all suspicious, you should avoid clicking or replying and instead contact the person or organization via official channels to verify the message’s authenticity.
- Microsoft pulls the plug on its Startups program in favour of a new scheme
- From July 2025, startups will need to join a two-track system
- For the most credits, startups will need a referral
Microsoft has pulled the plug on a popular program designed to support startups by offering them up to $150,000 in Azure credits, according to a new memo posted on 27 June, 2025, but it's not gone forever.
Instead, the company is making changes to the program – Microsoft will continue to support startups, but this time via a two-track system that gets its support from investors as well as the company itself.
Microsoft stressed existing activated credits remain valid until they expire, however new applicants will be guided down the two-track system, which came info effect on July 1.
Microsoft for Startups program undergoes a big shiftThe new program will first consist of an investor-backed track – arguably the most valuable to startups.
It consists of $100,000+ in Azure credits, but requires a referral from an affiliated investor, such as accelerators, venture capitalists and universities. Eligible startups can also unlock additional benefits based on program engagement and their investor.
Dedicated support channels, co-marketing initiatives and tailored resources are also available.
Secondly is the self-service track, which is open to startups with no investor backing that are new to Azure. Up to $5,000 in Azure credits are available, comprising $1,000 that are available for 90 days upon signup and a further $4,000 that remain available for 180 days after business verification.
However, there is no dedicated support on this track – it's self-serve only.
The abrupt change could cause disruption to many startups who may have already budgeted based on the previous $150,000 credit availability, with most startups unlikely to refocus their strategies given the short notice period.
It's unclear how the changes could affect Microsoft's model, too, with Google offering up to $200,000 in credits (or $350,000 for eligible AI startups) and AWS offering up to $100,000 and an additional $30,000 for startups using AWS Trainium or Inferentia.
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- Ironheart's producers have teased what's next for Riri Williams in the MCU
- The Disney+ show's finale is full of unresolved story threads
- They also discussed whether she'll ever get her comic-accurate super-suit
Two members of Ironheart's producing team have teased what's next for the titular hero in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).
With the Disney+ show having come to a close on July 1 or 2 (depending on where you live), the fates of many of its characters are left up in the air. That, coupled with the Marvel TV series' finale also being littered with unresolved plot threads, indicates that Riri Williams' MCU journey is far from over.
However, the eponymous character's MCU future is uncertain. Despite being positively received by critics – read my Ironheart review if you haven't yet – ahead of its late June launch, fan reception to Ironheart has, as evidenced by its 53% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, been mixed at best.
On other review aggregation websites, the final Marvel Phase 5 project has even been the subject of a vicious review-bombing campaign, and has been labeled "woke" due to its black female lead and diverse supporting cast. It's unclear when – or even whether – we'll see Dominique Thorne's flawed hero again.
Ironheart's creative team can't say where she'll appear next. However, producer Zoie Nagelhout told me that the show's cliff-hanger ending – read more in my Ironheart ending explained article – was devised to allow Marvel Studios to pick up Riri's story whenever it's most convenient to do so.
Where do you think Riri Williams will appear next? (Image credit: Marvel Studios/Disney+)"When we tell stories in the MCU, it's always the intention that there'll be more stories to tell," Nagelhout said. "Our job was to tell the best version of this series and, in doing so, leave the door open for future storytelling.
"Where that'll go and when is above our pay grade. Really, only {Marvel President] Kevin Feige knows, but it certainly was our task to leave those options open. There are storylines in the comics that would be fun to dip into, but we also think that letting these characters organically reappear where it makes the most sense is the Marvel way."
Riri Williams' newest super-suit in the MCU isn't the same one she famously wears in the comics (Image credit: Marvel Comics)And what are the chances of Riri Williams finally designing the iconic pink and black armored suit she famously sports in Marvel Comics? Nagelhout's fellow producer Sev Ohanian wouldn't confirm if that would ever happen, but he teased such a possibility arising if Williams sticks around in the MCU for the long haul.
"Some of the best Marvel characters don't necessarily get their most iconic suits right out the gate, right?" he told me ."Many of the Avengers have eventually got theirs [in the MCU].
"But, for us, landing on the core element of who Riri is, she doesn't have the resources that someone like Tony Stark had," he added. "She has to make do with what she can find, scrap, and steal. All of those things land on the piece of material that means the most to her [the red and black muscle car that Riri's late stepdad owned]. That's the closest to her heart and, being what it was, using to make her suit at the end of this season was a good opportunity. As far as whether we'll ever get to see that suit, I certainly hope so."
Do you want to see Riri Williams again in the MCU? Would you like her to get her pink and black suit sometime soon, too? Let me know in the comments.
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- LG will test a new OLED production method for its TV panels
- Potentially brighter, more efficient OLED TVs with less risk of burn-in
- Likely to appear in niche sectors such as in-car displays first
Some time ago we reported on a new kind of TV tech called eLEAP that could solve the long-running problems with the best OLED TVs – and three years since it was announced, it looks like LG could end up putting it into production.
It's known as eLEAP, and it's an alternative way of manufacturing OLED panels. When it was announced in 2022, its focus was on small phone screens. But LG Display is looking at the tech for significantly larger displays, and that means it could be – oh yes – one giant eLEAP for TV technology.
eLEAP promises brighter, more colorful OLEDs and could potentially banish or at least significantly reduce burn-in (Image credit: JDI)Why eLEAP could transform TVsConventional OLED panels are made with fine metal masks, which are thin metal plates with lots of tiny holes in them. Those masks ensure that organic material is deposited on the display substrate with pixel-perfect precision to ensure that each pixel lights up uniformly without overlapping or being poorly aligned.
eLEAP does things differently. Instead of fine metal masks it uses a lithography process to create the OLED pixels. And according to trade site The Elec, LG Display already has the appropriate equipment to trial eLEAP in its OLED facility in Paju, South Korea – and it's looking to test on TV-sized panels. Samsung Display is also reportedly testing the technology.
This is a trial, not the beginning of production: LG Display and Samsung Display may still decide not to go ahead with the tech. But it does have the potential to transform OLED manufacturing: the promise of eLEAP is that it'll offer far better efficiency for the OLED pixels, because the light-emitting area is more than doubled compared to a pixel of the same size made using the fine metal mask technique.
That means they're much more energy efficient, so you could have higher brightness without increasing power use – or use less power at the same brightness. That energy efficiency also means less heat generation – and heat is a key cause of OLED burn-in, so there'd be little danger of the higher brightness causing a burn-in problem.
There is also the potential for eLEAP to be more efficient to actually produce, which would mean cheaper OLED panels, which may mean cheaper TVs – or, at least, maybe mid-range OLEDs such as the LG C5 could finally get significantly brighter without becoming as expensive as the flagship LG G5.
However, even if the trials are successful it's likely to be some time before we'll see the tech in our TVs: according to The Elec the short-term use case is in "niche OLED panels, such as those 20-inch to 30-inch in size or those used in vehicles." However, the fact that LG is testing it in panels of TV size at all is great news for its potential use in the future for better home entertainment.
You might also like- Kelly Benefits confirms thousands of users affected in breach
- Victims are offered free ID theft protection and credit monitoring
- The organization urges users to remain vigilant
Insurance group Kelly Benefits has confirmed suffering a cyberattack in which it lost sensitive information on more than half a million customers.
In a data breach notification published on its website, the company said “suspicious activity” on its network prompted it to bring in third-party forensic specialists for an investigation - and the results showed a threat actor breaching the network between December 12 - 17, 2024, stealing “certain files”.
By early March 2025, Kelly Benefits determined that it lost people’s full names, Social Security numbers, tax ID numbers, dates of birth, medical information, health insurance information, and financial account information. The combination of the data stolen varies from person to person.
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As is usual in these scenarios, the company also filed a new form with the Office of the Maine Attorney General, stating exactly 553,660 individuals were affected by the attack.
Kelly Benefits provides integrated employee benefits administration, payroll processing, insurance brokerage, and HR services.
Its payroll division alone serves north of 2,000 employers, processing around two million paychecks and issuing more than 100,000 W‑2s forms annually. For benefits, it counts more than 10,000 corporate clients, and covers more than 8,000 individuals.
Among the companies using its services (and as such, being affected by the attack) are United Healthcare, OneAmerica Financial Partners, and Humana Insurance ACE.
The organization did not say who the threat actors were, or what they were looking to achieve. At press time, no groups claimed responsibility for this attack, and the data is yet to leak anywhere on the dark web. In the meantime, Kelly Benefits urged its customers to remain vigilant, and be wary of potential phishing attacks, identity theft, or fraud.
Affected individuals are offered 12 months of free credit monitoring and identity theft protection services through IDX.
Via BleepingComputer
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- ExpressVPN adds a new "Themes" feature to its mobile apps for visual customization
- Dark Mode is now available to all iOS users for the first time
- The update follows May's major revamp of ExpressVPN's mobile apps
ExpressVPN has unveiled a new Themes feature for its mobile apps to give users more flexibility in how the interface looks and feels.
Most notably, one of the best VPN providers on the market has finally brought full support for the "much anticipated" Dark Mode to iOS devices, too.
The update, which follows May's revamp of ExpressVPN's mobile apps, reflects a subtle shift in how VPN providers approach design – moving beyond pure function to meet user expectations around comfort and customization, without compromising the core privacy experience.
More than just cosmeticDark Mode has been a consistent request among ExpressVPN's mobile users, offering a more comfortable viewing experience and potential battery savings for phones with OLED screens.
The company says it wanted to take the time to roll this out properly across platforms, ensuring a seamless visual experience that doesn't compromise usability.
For iOS users, the introduction of Dark Mode marks a notable milestone, closing a feature gap that had persisted compared to Android.
You can now find Dark Mode under the new Twilight mode in the Appearance tab within the Account Settings.
The update adds five Themes modes for both iOS and Android devices (Image credit: ExpressVPN)Beyond Twilight, the new Themes interface also includes Sand, Midnight, Sky, and System Default modes. Like with Dark mode, you can pick your favorite one by heading to the Appearance tab in your mobile app's Account Settings and customize your app.
Despite seeming like a small change, interface customization matters especially for apps like virtual private networks (VPN) that are opened multiple times a day.
Commenting on this point, ExpressVPN's Chief Information Officer, Shay Peretz said: "Security and style can – and should – go hand in hand. We remain committed to both, with privacy continuing to be our top priority."
As mentioned earlier, the introduction of Themes follows May's revamp of ExpressVPN's mobile apps, which included improvements like a brand-new speed test tool, design and usability upgrades, a server location map, and more.
What this means for ExpressVPN usersThe rollout may not be headline-making in the traditional sense, but it underscores a subtle shift: even among security-focused apps, user experience is no longer secondary.
With VPN usage becoming more mainstream, particularly on mobile, updates like Themes help bridge the gap between function and form.
Whether you're switching servers, checking your connection, or leaving the app running in the background, a comfortable, customizable interface makes those daily interactions feel smoother. And for users who've been waiting for Dark Mode on iOS, the wait is finally over.
You might also like- A new rumor suggests Apple could move the logo on the iPhone 17 Pro
- The logo could move down to make space for the new camera bar and to align with the MagSafe magnet ring
- While a minor change, this could give some insight into Apple's priorities
Apple could be making a change to an iconic iPhone design element with the release of the rumored iPhone 17 Pro.
According to new rumors from somewhat reliable tipster Majin Bu (via GSMArena), Apple could move its logo to a lower position on the rear panel of the iPhone 17 Pro.
The possible change has been corroborated in an X (formerly Twitter) post from Apple tipster Sonny Dickson, who posited that the move could align the logo with the phone’s ring of MagSafe magnets.
You may be thinking that a logo moving a few centimeters isn’t a huge story on its own – and in all fairness, you’d be right. This alone isn’t too big of a deal.
However, I think this latest design rumor has the potential to say a lot about where Apple’s priorities lie when it comes to the next generation of iPhone.
Aesthetic alterationsThis mock-up, shared by tipster Majin Bu, shows the iPhone 17 Pro with a lower Apple logo. (Image credit: Majin Bu)This logo tipoff is the latest in a pretty long list of redesign rumors concerning the iPhone 17 lineup, specifically the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max.
In fact, it seems to me that the strongest and most repeated rumors surrounding the next Pro-level iPhones have concerned the design and aesthetics of the supposedly-upcoming handsets.
As we previously reported, the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are rumored to get a Google Pixel-like camera bar, a wild departure from the function-led design philosophy of previous generations. Several separate rumors have given us a look at CAD mock-ups and dummy units that seem to confirm the changed design.
Though we have heard of a possible higher-resolution telephoto camera, as well as murmurs of a unified volume and Action button and under-display Face ID, it seems like we could be in for a lighter year when it comes to new iPhone hardware features.
Considered change, or cover up?It's possible a better telephoto camera could be the only real upgrade to this year's Pro iPhone. (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)All of this brings new context to the supposed new logo placement – what was previously a pretty innocuous design update begins to look like meddling for the sake of finding something to change.
And while all of this is based on rumors at the moment, if Apple were to launch the iPhone 17 Pro with only iterative or less-impactful hardware improvements, then these design shakeups would start to look like an effort to draw attention elsewhere.
It wasn’t too long ago that Apple faced considerable backlash for launching the iPhone 14 in a very similar state to the iPhone 13 – Cupertino would be wise to avoid a similar situation this year.
With all that said, it’s also possible that Apple is simply looking to refresh the visual identity of its next-gen handsets, to match the new look of the Liquid Glass design language coming with iOS 26.
So, while the shifting of an Apple logo by a few centimeters might not seem the biggest story, it’s worth keeping an eye on these small changes as we get closer to the expected September launch date of the iPhone 17 series. Be sure to let us know what you think of this rumored change in the comments below.
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