Septembar 2025. – Stranica 3

Digital Reality: How the Online World Shapes the Attention of a New Generation

In our daily lives where online services are constantly present, the issue of focus is becoming increasingly relevant. It is difficult to remain fully present when digital distractions are just a tap away. As a result, a person’s ability to focus without interruption gradually weakens.

Many individuals, including teenagers and students, notice how difficult it is to resist the constant need to check their smart devices. One student admits that his mobile device often interferes with his duties, while a freshman notes that the device distracts her during exam preparation.

Technological progress, although useful, also has a negative effect on the ability to complete tasks without interruption. According to data, the average smartphone use exceeds more than half of the working day. Experts’ recommendations include more radical measures – such as completely turning off the device in order to achieve optimal results.

An academic from the University of Sarajevo warns of a new type of insecurity caused by the constant online presence of others. This is a phenomenon where users feel anxious because they feel they are being left out of interesting events they follow on the networks. A research project she conducted with a colleague from Poland found that a certain percentage of adolescents show pronounced signs of psychological pressure due to the aforementioned phenomenon.

Additional studies indicate a growing emotional exhaustion due to the overwhelming number of messages, news and announcements. This phenomenon is increasingly defined in academic circles as digital content overload, which causes many people to feel anxious and unable to select relevant information.

Apple enters the world of foldable phones: A new turn in the mobile industry

The Cupertino tech giant is finally getting closer to launching a foldable device. After years of speculation and secretive developments, internal testing of a foldable model is reportedly underway. According to information from Asia, this specimen has entered a serious testing phase, which should last until the end of next year.

The device could be introduced alongside the series that will debut in 2026. Given Apple's reputation, expectations are high, and the prototype is reportedly filled with innovations that aim to raise the bar in this category. The focus is on sophisticated design, durability and user experience, which suggests a departure from current industry norms.

Notable features include a nearly bezel-less display, an advanced camera located under the display, a new unlocking system, and premium materials such as titanium and liquid metal in the foldable hinge. The entire concept appears significantly thinner and more elegant compared to the competition, while at the same time promising strength and fluid bending.

Interestingly, there was a parallel halt in the development of a tablet with a similar design. Analysts cite manufacturing challenges and declining interest as the main reasons for the decision. Instead, the company is focusing on the mobile segment as an entry point into the category.

Compared to brands that already have experience with such devices, Apple's late entry can be interpreted as a cautious but wise strategy. Learning from the problems of other manufacturers, they aim to avoid mistakes and offer a stable, technologically mature solution that could redefine the luxury phone category.

Revolution in electronics: 3D-printed melting boards for a sustainable future

Imagine electronics that disappear after use, with virtually no waste. Scientists at the University of Maryland have developed innovative 3D-printed electronic boards that dissolve in water, opening up new possibilities for rapid prototyping and easier recycling.

The research team, led by Huaishu Peng, used polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), a synthetic polymer that dissolves in water, as the base material for the boards. They created the wiring by injecting an alloy of gallium and indium into specially designed channels, while the electronic components were placed by hand and fixed with a polymer adhesive. After drying at 60°C, the boards were ready to use.

As a proof of concept, functional devices such as a Bluetooth speaker, a fidget toy, and a robotic gripper were created. While small amounts of water do not harm the devices, after 36 hours in water at room temperature, the boards completely dissolved. The team was able to recover almost all of the polyvinyl alcohol and most of the metals, indicating great potential for sustainable recycling and reuse of the material.

Experts point out that printed circuit boards are a major source of electronic waste, and traditional recycling methods are often inefficient. According to a 2022 United Nations report, Asia produced 600,000 tons of discarded circuit boards, but recycled only 17%, while Europe and North America had significantly better results, with 61% and 44% of circuit boards recycled, respectively.

This technology brings a new perspective: 3D printers allow anyone to quickly create temporary electronic circuits that are easily dissolved after use. Researchers are also considering the use of waterproof housings to extend the life of the devices.

Peng points out that this approach can greatly reduce the time it takes to produce prototypes. Instead of weeks of processes in factories, new circuits can be printed in 30 minutes, and if they don’t work, they can be melted down and the materials reused.

This innovation promises to significantly reduce electronic waste and is open to collaboration with manufacturers for mass production in the future.

SpaceX launches new resupply mission for International Space Station

SpaceX successfully launched a new resupply mission to the International Space Station (ISS). The Dragon cargo capsule carried more than 5,000 pounds of supplies, including food, equipment, and science experiments necessary for the crew to work and live in orbit.

The launch took place from Cape Canaveral, Florida, and marks the 33rd mission under NASA's long-term Commercial Resupply Services (CRS-33) contract with SpaceX.

Autonomous capsule and Falcon 9 return
The Dragon spacecraft, known for its autonomous navigation and reentry capabilities, is a key component in ISS logistics. The Falcon 9 rocket that carried the capsule into space consisted of a reusable first stage — which, eight and a half minutes after launch, successfully landed on SpaceX's unmanned platform in the Atlantic Ocean. This was the seventh flight and landing of the same rocket stage, demonstrating the success of SpaceX's reusability concept.

Boosting the ISS Orbit
In addition to delivering supplies, Dragon will also perform an important task – boosting the ISS orbit. Due to the constant drag of rarefied air at an altitude of about 400 kilometers above Earth, the station descends over time, so such corrections are crucial to maintaining its stability and safety.

A future for the station without Russia?
Concerns about the future of the ISS have been further highlighted by the possibility that Russia could leave the program by 2028. In response, NASA has hired SpaceX and Northrop Grumman to help keep the station operational until at least 2030 or even 2031.

Missions like CRS-33 are crucial to ensuring the continuity of scientific research in space and maintaining humanity's presence in low Earth orbit.

Amazon begins launching satellites to compete with Starlink

After more than a year of delays, Amazon recently successfully launched the first satellites for its space network via its Kuiper satellite. The ambitious project involves sending a total of 3,236 devices into low-Earth orbit, with the goal of providing broadband internet worldwide. The first 27 satellites were launched from Florida, officially starting the development of a constellation that will compete with the already established Starlink, the space internet system of Elon Musk’s SpaceX.

The project is estimated to be worth $10 billion, and the services will be available to end users, companies and government institutions. Although the launch of the first satellites was delayed by more than a year, Amazon plans to make internet connectivity available by the end of this year.

The company is under pressure from the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC), which is demanding that half of its planned fleet of over 1,600 satellites be deployed in orbit by mid-2026. Amazon is likely to request an extension of that deadline, while United Launch Alliance (ULA), which is in charge of the launch, plans to send up to five batches of Kuiper satellites this year.

Although SpaceX has so far launched more than 8,000 Starlink satellites into orbit and serves customers in 125 countries, Amazon believes its technological edge in cloud computing and consumer products gives Kuiper a competitive advantage. Founder Jeff Bezos believes that there is enough space for more successful players in this sector, noting that the systems will also play a significant role in defense applications.

Amazon has secured a record 83 rocket launch contracts with several companies, including its own company Blue Origin, making it the launch industry's largest deal to date.

China leads growth in global semiconductor equipment market despite US sanctions

China was the main driver of growth in the global semiconductor equipment sector in 2023 and 2024, thanks to large investments by Chinese companies that rushed to buy machinery to avoid running out of stock due to US sanctions. According to data from the TechInsights platform, China bought equipment worth $41 billion last year, which gave it a 40% share of the global market.

However, Chinese consumption is expected to decline slightly in 2025 to about $38 billion, with a share of 20%. US sanctions, introduced in 2020, have limited the export of advanced technologies to China, which has given Beijing an additional incentive to develop domestic production and reduce its dependence on foreign suppliers. Chinese companies such as SiCarrier are working intensively to expand their range of production equipment, trying to catch up with global leaders.

Although Chinese manufacturers have significantly increased their share, from 5.1% in 2020 to 11.3% last year, they still cannot compete with the most advanced technologies, especially in the field of lithography systems for chip production below seven nanometers. The main manufacturer of such machines, the Dutch ASML, has suspended deliveries of the most sophisticated EUV systems to China under US pressure.

Chinese companies currently use less advanced DUV lithography technologies, and the only Chinese lithography machine manufacturer, Shanghai Micro Electronics Equipment Group (SMEE), offers systems for chip production at 90 nanometers, which lags behind global standards. Nevertheless, Chinese toolmakers for other parts of the manufacturing process, such as cleaning and deposition, have made significant progress, with companies such as Naura and AMEC recording strong growth and strengthening domestic production.

Overall, China is rapidly strengthening its semiconductor equipment industry, but still faces challenges in achieving technological self-sufficiency at the highest level, while global trade and technology relations remain dynamic and subject to change.

Thales, Foxconn and Radiall plan to build advanced semiconductor factory in France

Three major industry players – France’s Thales Group, connector maker Radiall and Taiwanese giant Foxconn – have started talks to jointly build an advanced microchip assembly and testing facility in France. The project focuses on outsourced semiconductor assembly and testing (OSAT) services, a crucial final step in the chip manufacturing chain.

In this process, chips previously manufactured in wafer form are cut, assembled into assemblies and rigorously tested to ensure quality and reliability. As chips become smaller and more complex, this stage is becoming crucial for the efficiency and safety of the final products, which is why more and more manufacturers are looking to external partners for finishing.

The planned factory would have a capacity of over 100 million microchip assemblies (SiP – system-in-package) per year by 2031, significantly strengthening Europe’s position in the global semiconductor industry. Although the specific location has not yet been confirmed, the total investment is expected to exceed 250 million euros.

Thales points out that the goal of the project is to encourage other European industrial players to get involved, which would further accelerate the development of the local technological infrastructure. The new facility also represents an important step towards the strategic goal of the European Union – strengthening technological autonomy in relation to the USA, China and other world powers.

Support for such initiatives has already been announced by the European Investment Bank, whose president Nadia Calviño is planning a new fund for AI and chips worth 70 billion euros by 2027. The EU's long-term goal is to attract as much as 250 billion euros of investment in key technologies and thereby ensure the competitiveness of European industry in the coming decades.

Amazon's Zoox enters the robotaxi race – competition with Waymo and Tesla heats up

The race for dominance in autonomous transportation is entering a new phase. Google’s Waymo has already expanded its service to several US cities, and Elon Musk has announced the launch of Tesla’s pilot program in Austin, with the ambition of beating the competition with a cheaper solution. Later this year, Amazon will also enter the scene, with its own platform Zoox, which will bring an entirely new vehicle built exclusively for autonomous driving.

Zoox is designed as a futuristic minibus without a steering wheel, pedals or mirrors. The interior offers face-to-face seating, and the vehicle has identical front and rear sides, allowing it to drive in both directions without turning. Currently limited to a speed of 72 km/h, Zoox can operate for up to 16 hours on a single charge and is designed to remain in service for at least five years, or 100,000 miles.

Commercial service is launching in Las Vegas, after 11 years of development and billions of dollars in investment. Other cities like San Francisco, Austin, Miami, Los Angeles and Atlanta follow. Unlike competitors that adapt existing vehicles, Zoox was developed from the ground up as a robot taxi, which the company hopes to achieve an advantage in user experience and service reliability.

The factory in Hayward, California currently leaves one vehicle per day, with a planned increase in capacity to up to 10,000 vehicles per year. The components come from Germany and Italy, and the assembly combines the work of humans and robots. The company aims to produce up to three vehicles per hour in one shift next year.

Zoox is currently testing driverless vehicles on public roads, but does not yet have a license to charge for rides in California, falling behind Waymo, which already offers the service. However, executives believe that the combination of unique design, long service life and the ability to make numerous trips per day will create a sustainable and profitable next-generation transportation model.

Amazon accelerates automation: DeepFleet and a new generation of robots are changing logistics

Amazon has unveiled a new AI called DeepFleet, developed to optimize the movement of robotic systems within its logistics centers. The technology delivers about 10% greater efficiency, enabling faster order processing, reduced operating costs and lower energy consumption, with the aim of improving the entire supply chain.

Scott Dresser from Amazon Robotics said that the team is focused on addressing real challenges in the industry. Automation, he says, is not only speeding up deliveries, but also redefining the way goods are handled in large warehouses around the world.

With the new technology, Amazon is strengthening its position as the world's leading operator of mobile robotics, currently operating a fleet of more than a million robots in over 300 facilities. Among the new systems are Hercules, capable of lifting loads of up to 540 kg, Pegasus, responsible for packages, and Proteus, the first fully autonomous system that collaborates with people without a physical barrier.

Special attention is drawn to Vulcan, a robot that independently manages warehouse shelves and is capable of working up to 20 hours a day. This step forward shows the growing confidence in the capabilities of automation, but also a shift towards the long-term replacement of certain physical processes in logistics.

Although the level of autonomy is increasing, Amazon says that technology does not replace people, but complements them. As CEO Andy Jassy confirms the long-term vision of robotic delivery, the company is seeing an increase in hiring in technical roles – in Louisiana alone, the number of engineering and maintenance positions is up 30%.

Nvidia at the gates of the Chinese market: H20 chips back in the game after a signal from Washington

Nvidia is facing a major turnaround – after months of hiatus, the company expects to soon be able to export its H20 AI processors to China again. The US regulatory hurdles that blocked shipments in April were a direct blow to the company, which had previously been forced to adapt its products to meet strict export restrictions.

The US government then notified Nvidia that special permits were required to resume sales, temporarily halting the sale of the chips. The H20 was designed to address the previous restrictions, but new regulations have put it out of business again – at least for a while. Now the situation is changing: Nvidia claims it has received assurances that a permit could be granted soon.

Jensen Huang, the company’s CEO, has been actively communicating with the US administration, warning that regulatory measures are undermining the US’s global competitiveness in advanced technologies. In May, he admitted that China’s share of its revenue had been halved precisely because of the restrictions, but a meeting with President Trump reportedly brought about a positive change.

A joint trade agreement between the US and China, which includes the easing of mutual restrictions, has opened the door for business to resume. In parallel, information appeared that Nvidia is developing an additional model for the Chinese market, which would be less sophisticated, but in accordance with the current rules on the export of advanced technology.

Experts such as Futurum Group's Ray Wang point out that the reactivation of the H20 chips – along with the launch of new regulatory-compliant versions – could significantly boost Nvidia's business growth in the coming quarters. This turn was not expected by many, but it could have far-reaching consequences for the dynamics of the global AI market.

Intel under new leadership reduces workforce and cuts costs to stay competitive

Intel has begun a major reorganization to adapt to market changes and technological competition. New CEO Lip-Bu Tan has introduced a series of measures that include a 15 percent reduction in the total number of employees and additional layoffs. The goal of these moves is to create a more flexible and efficient corporate structure that can respond to the challenges of the modern market.

According to the latest reports, the company plans to keep only 75,000 employees in its primary organization by the end of 2025, excluding subsidiaries such as Mobileye. This rationalization of the workforce also includes the termination of several projects in Europe and the slowdown of investments in new chip production in the United States, in order to align costs with the real needs of the market.

Despite a net loss of almost three billion dollars in the last quarter, stock market investors have shown some confidence – the value of the shares has increased, and the market is reacting positively to the strategic changes that Tan is introducing. Although the numbers are negative, investors clearly recognize the company's long-term intention to regain its position in the industry.

One of the key reasons for Intel's decline was its slow response to two major technology trends – mobile platforms and artificial intelligence. Competitors, especially Nvidia, have taken advantage of the vacuum and taken the lead, reaching historic highs in market value. At the same time, Intel has been forced to restructure its business to stay relevant.

The mass layoffs are not an isolated incident. A number of large companies, including Microsoft and Meta, have also reduced their workforces this year. But for Intel, these changes mean much more than cutting costs – they represent an attempt to restore its former leadership position and catch up with global technology trends that are increasingly shaping the semiconductor market.

Meta is losing AI talent despite billions and aggressive hiring

Once a leader in recruiting top AI talent, Meta now faces serious retention challenges. Many of the engineers and researchers who once formed the backbone of its research team have left the company to start their own projects or join competitors like OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google. Companies like Mistral, Perplexity, and Fireworks AI all grew out of Meta’s former lab.

Despite high bids and efforts to rehire its staff, Meta has struggled to maintain its reputation as a desirable employer among the most sought-after talent. According to industry sources, the market now sees the company more as a backup option than a major player. Even offers worth hundreds of millions of dollars — spread over multi-year contracts — are often rejected, as talent prefers environments with greater impact and long-term potential.

Data shows that other AI companies like Anthropic and DeepMind have significantly better retention records. By comparison, Meta has a retention rate of just 64 percent, the lowest among the leading players in the field. These statistics further confirm that competitors not only successfully attract, but also retain the most important resource in the development of advanced technology – people.

Zuckerberg's attempt to revitalize the AI division includes bringing in influential names from the sector. Among them are Alexandr Wang, the former head of Scale AI, and Nat Friedman, an investor focused on advanced technologies. Also, Meta has attracted researchers from rival companies, often with lavish financial packages that sometimes reach up to $300 million over several years — though the company claims those numbers are exaggerated.

Despite everything, there is a prevailing impression within the industry that Meta is spending huge capital on attracting talent without a clear long-term strategy. Critics compare it to America's NFL team, known for overpaying average players, while those really key to progress choose work environments that offer more than just a paycheck — vision, stability and a sense of purpose.

Nvidia and AMD will pay the US 15% of revenue from AI chips sold in China

American technology companies Nvidia and AMD have reached an agreement with the US government under which they will hand over 15% of the revenue generated from the sale of their AI chips in the Chinese market. This financial commitment has secured them permission to continue exporting to China, despite previous bans and geopolitical tensions.

As part of the agreement, Nvidia will cede a portion of the revenue from sales of the H20 model to the US administration, while AMD will do the same for the MI308 chip. Both products were specifically developed to meet strict regulations that were introduced in 2023 by the then Biden administration, concerned about the potential military application of AI technology in China.

Although the US authorities have not yet announced specific plans for the use of the collected funds, analysts point out that this agreement sets a precedent in the relations between technology giants and the state. Susannah Streeter of Hargreaves Lansdown commented that this is another case of leading corporations agreeing to unusual conditions in order to maintain access to key international markets.

Nvidia has already felt the effects of previous restrictions – its first-quarter revenue fell by $2.5 billion, due in part to the blockade of H20 chips in China. Despite the loss, the company believes that adopting a new business model is profitable given the potential of the Chinese market, which continues to develop rapidly in the artificial intelligence sector.

Interestingly, US authorities just last week began issuing export licenses for Nvidia chips again, marking a change in the new leadership’s approach to technology exchanges with China. At the same time, the Trump administration is increasing pressure on corporations to keep more production and investment within the US, which shows how much trade rules have become part of a broader political strategy.

OpenAI enters Europe with powerful data center in Norway

OpenAI has announced the opening of its first European data center, which will be located in northern Norway, in the Kvandal region, not far from Narvik. The project is called Stargate, and it will be implemented by the British company Nscale in cooperation with the Norwegian partner Aker, specialized in energy infrastructure. Both companies are investing equally in the project, which will use exclusively renewable energy sources.

The new center will be one of the largest in Europe, with an initial capacity of 230 megawatts. Already in the first phase, it is expected to use 100,000 NVIDIA GPUs, which are crucial for the development of artificial intelligence. In the first phase, a power of 20 megawatts is planned, with an investment of two billion dollars – one billion from each investor.

The region where the center is being built was chosen for its natural resources and stable conditions – it has abundant hydropower, low consumption and limited transmission capacity, which enables efficient infrastructure management. OpenAI will take over processing capacities from this facility, while technical performance will be managed by Nscale and Aker.

The Stargate project was already launched at the beginning of the year in the USA, where it was conceived as a global AI initiative with the support of partners such as Oracle, SoftBank and MGX from the UAE. The plan is to invest up to $500 billion over the next four years in a global network of advanced AI infrastructure.

The new initiative comes at a time when the European Union is strongly promoting the concept of sovereign artificial intelligence, which encourages local data processing and the placement of AI systems within European borders. Nvidia and OpenAI have already adapted their strategies to align with these guidelines, and are supported by European leaders in the AI sector such as the French company Mistral.

India takes the lead in smartphone shipments to the US HEADLINE

The second quarter of 2025 saw a remarkable increase in the share of devices assembled in India exported to the US market – as much as 44 percent of all smartphone imports came from the country, compared to just 13 percent in the same period last year. The main actor in this change is Apple, which has significantly accelerated the relocation of some iPhone production outside of China.

The new structure of global production

According to an analysis by the research firm Canalys, India has surpassed China for the first time as the leading exporter of smartphones to the US market. This change marks a broader reorientation of the supply chain, driven by increasing political pressures and tariff barriers. In the same period, the total volume of devices exported from India increased by as much as 240 percent.

China on the decline, Vietnam on the rise

China's share of mobile device shipments to the US fell from a dominant 61 to just 25 percent, while Vietnam took the lead with a share of 30 percent. Tech giants, including Apple, are increasingly moving final assembly steps to alternative countries to reduce exposure to geopolitical risks.

Apple Leads Manufacturing Transition

The US iPhone maker has announced plans to shift up to a quarter of its production to India in the coming years. While US political leaders have called for the relocation of manufacturing facilities to the US, experts warn that this would drastically increase the cost of the devices themselves. Other brands such as Samsung and Motorola are also considering expanding production in India, but at a much slower pace.

Challenges of a New Manufacturing Base

While more companies are setting up operations in India, experts point out that efficiency and capacity are still lower compared to Chinese factories. Apple has already started assembling the iPhone 16 Pro in India, but it still uses sophisticated infrastructure from China for its high-end devices. iPhone shipments to the US market fell by 11 percent, highlighting the complexity of this transition and the need for careful planning.

Starlink brings internet to the most remote villages in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Bosnia and Herzegovina, along with neighboring Serbia and Montenegro, could soon gain access to a modern satellite connection system offered by the company “Starlink”, owned by a well-known technology entrepreneur. According to media reports, an agreement on legal steps to enable the arrival of this service was reached in April, during a meeting between the Minister of Communications and a high-ranking representative of the company in the US capital.

The network that enables this type of wireless access uses several thousand flying devices that orbit the planet in an organized structure. The introduction of such technology to the domestic market, according to experts in the field of digital forensics and communication systems, could have a profound impact on the development of infrastructure, the stability of institutions and the progress of the economy.

This advanced method of connection provides the opportunity for remote areas, mountainous regions and villages that have never had a permanent network connection to receive a reliable signal. This would enable a more even inclusion of all citizens in the modern technological world. However, the question arises as to what response the existing domestic companies operating on the market can offer when it comes to the arrival of a system that does not require local support.

A professor who follows this topic warns that it is urgently necessary to harmonize legal norms and security strategies in order to preserve control over the flow of information. It is recommended to adopt clear rules that would oblige foreign suppliers to cooperate with domestic institutions, without jeopardizing the rights of users to open access to content.

Finally, at a time when the protection of the digital space has become a key element of state stability, the presence of technology that operates beyond the reach of local mechanisms carries risks. Such systems could be used for covert activities, the dissemination of false information or the organization of illegal actions. In crisis circumstances, the possibility of certain communications escaping supervision can make it difficult for the competent authorities to act and lead to serious consequences for the security of society.

Huawei Kunpeng 930: New server chip that emphasizes technological and strategic independence

Huawei introduced the latest server processor Kunpeng 930, developed for demanding tasks in modern data centers. The chip is made on TSMC's advanced 5nm manufacturing process, which brings almost double the performance compared to the previous generation. Although it still lags behind the latest Intel Xeon and AMD EPYC processors in terms of raw power, the Kunpeng 930 represents a big step forward in Huawei's strategy of developing its own hardware.

Technically speaking, Kunpeng 930 brings impressive specifications. The processor is based on the Mount TaiShan architecture and has a total of 80 cores, organized into ten clusters per CPU die, with two cores per cluster. Each die has as much as 91 MB of L3 cache memory and support for 2 MB of L2 cache per core, which enables high performance in processing large amounts of data. Interestingly, the CPU uses TSMC's N5 process, while the I/O core is assumed to use SMIC's 14nm process.

Physically, the chip measures 77.5 x 58 mm and runs on a dual-socket motherboard, making it suitable for configurations that require high scalability. Although it is not yet at the top of the market, the Kunpeng 930 confirms that Huawei is seriously investing in the development of its own processors, with the aim of reducing dependence on Western suppliers and switching to its own technological infrastructure.

In addition to this hardware breakthrough, Huawei also announced new software features. Their Petal Maps application now offers support for offline navigation, which further expands functionality and user accessibility – especially in regions with limited internet access.

The Kunpeng 930 is therefore not only a technical advance, but also an important strategic move. With this chip, Huawei clearly demonstrates its ambition to build a self-sustaining technological future, independent of global geopolitical challenges. Although challenges remain, the path towards greater independence is becoming increasingly visible.

Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra brings back “camera island” – a blend of nostalgia and innovation

Samsung is preparing for a major design change with its upcoming flagship model – the Galaxy S26 Ultra. According to information coming from the Korean portal Newsis, the new model will abandon the current design with individual, protruding lenses and return to the concept of “island with cameras”, which was last seen on the popular Galaxy S21 Ultra. This move marks an interesting combination of the past and the future.

The reason for returning to the old design solution lies in technical requirements. New and more advanced camera sensors, larger in size, require additional space inside the case. The “island” design allows for better organization of cameras and internal components, which is key to integrating larger hardware without compromising on the thinness of the device.

It is precisely this paradox – larger cameras in a thinner case – that Samsung plans to solve with a smart engineering approach. By consolidating the cameras into a single module, better space utilization is achieved, which makes it possible to reduce the overall thickness of the phone. Thus, this design return actually brings a functional advantage, and not just an aesthetic change.

Along with the redesign, significant improvements in photo quality are also expected. Although the main sensor will remain 200 MP, it will get a wider aperture (f/1.4), which will result in better performance in low light conditions. An even more important upgrade is coming for the 3x telephoto camera, which should jump from 10 MP to even 50 MP, bringing noticeably better quality when zooming.

All in all, the Galaxy S26 Ultra could be the most exciting model in the series in recent years. The combination of retro design and modern technology shows how Samsung is strategically responding to the competition while bringing innovations that offer users better photos and a more stylish device.

New Instagram map sparks backlash: Users call it a privacy threat

Instagram recently introduced a new option that allows users to share their real-time location with friends via an interactive map. Although Meta, the parent company of Instagram and Facebook, claims that the feature is designed to allow users to better connect with people and places near them, public reactions have been stormy and mostly negative.

The new Instagram map works so that a user can choose to share their last active location with the people they follow. It is important to note that this option is turned off by default and must be manually activated in the settings. However, many users on social media have expressed concern, stating that the feature can be misused and poses a security risk.

Social networks have been flooded with comments from users who think location sharing is “dangerous” and unnecessary. One X (formerly Twitter) user wrote: “The Instagram map is a burglar's dream. Turn off your location. Don't let the world know where you are or when your house is empty.” Others have expressed concerns about the possibility of stalking, tracking, or privacy violations, even among acquaintances.

Meta has tried to allay concerns by claiming that users have full control over this feature—they can choose who they share their location with (close friends only, selected contacts, or no one), and parents who use supervision for their child’s accounts will be notified if their child turns on the feature. It’s also possible to hide your location from specific places or individuals.

Finally, even if you don’t share your location, you can still use the map to view public content tied to specific locations. While the goal of this feature is similar to what other apps like Snapchat offer, user reviews indicate that the boundaries of privacy are increasingly being pushed, and for many, it’s becoming unacceptable. To disable this feature, go to: Settings > Activity > Story, Live, and Location > Instagram Map Location Sharing > No One.

WhatsApp introduces guest chats: Correspondence without an account will soon be possible

WhatsApp is preparing a significant new feature – the “guest chats” feature that will allow correspondence with people who do not have a WhatsApp account. Communication will be initiated via a special link that the user can share, and the recipient will be able to access the conversation without having to install the application or register. This could be a big change in the way we communicate via one of the most popular messaging platforms.

However, the feature is limited exclusively to private one-on-one conversations. Group chats, sending photos, videos, voice messages, and audio and video calls – all of this will not be available to guests. Guest users will, apparently, communicate exclusively via WhatsApp Web, where a temporary, encrypted channel for correspondence will be created.

According to information from the WABetaInfo portal, the feature is still in the development phase and is currently not available to beta testers. However, it is expected that conversations will continue to rely on the well-known WhatsApp end-to-end encryption, which maintains a high level of security even for users without an account.

It’s important to note that this is not the same as interoperability with other apps – guest chats remain entirely within the WhatsApp ecosystem. Meta hopes this move will attract new users who haven’t used the app before, and the guest experience can serve as a first step towards a full migration to WhatsApp.

Whether the feature’s limitations will prevent wider adoption or whether its simplicity will be the reason for its success – only time will tell. This option is sure to further shape the way we use digital communication tools.