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Game Reviews

List Of All-Time Best-Selling PlayStation Games Makes For Depressing Reading

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The original PlayStation hit U.S. shores 30 years ago today, helping usher in a disc-based gaming revolution that reshaped the industry. Four new consoles and lots of hardware iterations later, PlayStation is the undisputed winner in the high-end console gaming space. What were the top-selling games that helped it get there? A newly released list of the top all-time performers across all PlayStation platformers in the States tells part of the story, and it’s a pretty depressing one.

Circana gaming research director Mat Piscatella released the list of the top 20 games across PlayStation’s history in the U.S. by unit sales to commemorate the PS1’s birthday. Here they are:

  1. Grand Theft Auto V
  2. Minecraft
  3. Red Dead Redemption II
  4. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
  5. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (2019)
  6. Marvel’s Spider-Man
  7. Call of Duty: Black Ops III
  8. Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War
  9. Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
  10. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II (2022)
  11. Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
  12. Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales
  13. The Last of Us God of War (2018)
  14. God of War (2018)
  15. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
  16. Call of Duty: Black Ops
  17. Rainbow Six: Siege
  18. Call of Duty: Black Ops II
  19. Call of Duty: WWII
  20. Call of Duty: Black Ops 4

The top spots aren’t shocking. GTA 5 and Minecraft are the two best-selling game ever across any platform. Red Dead Redemption II is the fifth-best. Sony’s critically acclaimed first-party blockbusters also rank highly. And then it’s just a sea of Call of Duty. Modern Warfare, Black Ops, good ones, bad ones, it doesn’t matter, they all rank, smothering any greater sense of the breadth, variety, and whimsy of the games released on PS1, PS2, PS3, PS4, and PS5 over the years.

“Man, this list makes me sad,” Digital Foundry‘s John Linneman opined. “Most people playing games really only play the same few titles huh.” Big sigh. Much agree. Cultural PlayStation juggernauts that didn’t make the list include but are not limited to: WipeOut, Final Fantasy VII, Metal Gear Solid 2, Tekken 3, Street Fighter 4, Dark Souls, Nier: Automata, The Witcher 3, Persona 5, and Cyberpunk 2077.

Even now, annualized Call of Duty sequels remain yearly best-sellers, cannibalizing much of the remaining market for big-budget console releases. I keep waiting for the wheels to fall off the Activision military shooter machine, not because the games are terrible or I want anyone to lose their jobs but because I think we have enough Call of Duty to last us another quarter century and I bet all of those developers could make new, original stuff that’s really cool, too.



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Bitcoin bull Michael Saylor makes Bloomberg Billionaire List
GameFi Guides

Bitcoin bull Michael Saylor makes Bloomberg Billionaire List

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Michael Saylor, strategy co-founder and executive chairman, has made his first appearance on the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.

Summary

  • Michael Saylor debuts on Bloomberg Billionaires Index at $7.37B net worth.
  • His fortune grew by $1b in 2025 as Bitcoin surged near $111K levels.
  • $6.72b of Saylor’s wealth is tied to MicroStrategy stock, per Bloomberg.

Saylor joins crypto billionaire club

Saylor’s net worth has risen by $1 billion since the start of the year to $7.37 billion, ranking 491st globally.

The wealth surge coincides with Strategy’s continued Bitcoin (BTC) accumulation strategy and the cryptocurrency’s price movements throughout 2025. With 636,505 BTC as of September 2025, the firm has the most extensive corporate crypto treasury on record.

Saylor, who founded Strategy (previously known as MicroStrategy) in 1989, has $650 million in cash and $6.72 billion tied up in company stock, according to Bloomberg’s tracking methodology.

The direct correlation between his wealth and cryptocurrency markets makes him one of the most Bitcoin-exposed billionaires globally. See below.

Bloomberg Billionaires Index data

Saylor’s debut comes as Bitcoin trades around $111,000, down about 4.3% over the last 30 days.

Strategy’s first bitcoin purchase was in 2020. As of August 2025, it has accumulated 628,946 BTC — valued at roughly $76 billion — acquired at an average price of $73,288 per coin for a total investment of about $46.1 billion.

The most recent major purchase occurred on Sept. 2, when Strategy acquired 4,048 Bitcoin at an average cost of $110,981 per coin, spending $449.25 million.

Earlier purchases in August included 3,081 BTC on Aug. 25 at $115,829 per coin for $356.87 million and 430 BTC on Aug. 18 at $119,666 each for $51.46 million.

The company also bought 155 BTC on Aug. 11 at $116,401 per coin for $18.04 million.

Strategy Bitcoin purchse data from Saylortracker

Strategy’s Bitcoin strategy has helped Saylor

Saylor’s inclusion places him among other prominent cryptocurrency billionaires on Bloomberg’s list.

Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong ranks 234th with a net worth of $12.8 billion, while Binance founder Changpeng “CZ” Zhao holds the 40th spot with $44.5 billion.

The crypto billionaire club has seen changes over time. Former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried was previously on the list before his exchange collapsed in November 2022, wiping out his fortune and leading to criminal charges.

Strategy’s aggressive accumulation strategy has made it a proxy for Bitcoin exposure among traditional investors. Yet, it was also notably left out of the S&P 500 index inclusion in August.

The company is also involved in lawsuit with investors who allege that the company misled shareholders about the risks and financial impact of its strategy.



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Sol Strategies Lands Nasdaq Approval To List Its Shares
Crypto Trends

SOL Strategies Lands Nasdaq Approval To List Its Shares

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SOL Strategies, the first Solana-native treasury company, has secured approval to list its shares on the Nasdaq under ticker STKE, according to exclusive information obtained by Blockworks. The long-anticipated U.S. debut comes after nearly a year of restructuring and regulatory navigation and could set the stage for a new era of on-chain finance going public.

From Canadian Shadows to Nasdaq Spotlight

Once buried in the Canadian markets as Cypherpunk Holdings, the firm reemerged in 2024 as SOL Strategies under ex-Valkyrie CEO Leah Wald. The passive treasury model was scrapped in favor of full-throttle validator ops on Solana, acquiring nodes from Orangefin, Cogent Crypto, and Laine, while powering branded infrastructure for Pudgy Penguins and Solana Mobile. A stark pivot from crypto treasuries still clinging to cold storage and inertia.

Its $90 million in SOL may trail the top Solana DATs—each sitting on $380M+—but limited access to U.S. markets had been a bottleneck. That’s no longer the case.

What Nasdaq Means for Solana-Native Treasuries

The listing vaults SOL Strategies into a growing class of publicly traded digital asset treasury companies (DATs) now backed by Wall Street infrastructure. According to Blockworks Research, every Solana DAT now trades on Nasdaq—except BIT Mining, which remains on the NYSE.

It’s also a warning shot: traditional treasuries without staking revenue or ecosystem ties may struggle to compete as Solana-native firms capture yield, attention, and legitimacy in public markets.

In a statement, CEO Leah Wald framed the listing as both milestone and market signal:

“Our approval to list on Nasdaq signals to both institutional and retail investors that a Solana-focused validator and treasury company can meet the same standards of transparency, resilience, and growth expected of any public company. It also demonstrates that our approach is resonating within both the Solana ecosystem and traditional capital markets.”

The firm’s 900% stock rally over the past year may speak louder than words. And with the ticker STKE now active on Nasdaq, SOL Strategies is betting that staking-first treasuries aren’t just a trend—they’re a new blueprint.

Also Read: U.S. Lawmakers Face Off on Digital Dollar: Privacy or Politics?



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Here's The Street Fighter Release Date, Cast List, And First Plot Details
Game Updates

Here’s The Street Fighter Release Date, Cast List, And First Plot Details

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In 1994, Capcom’s Street Fighter franchise hit the big screen with Jean-Claude Van Damme in the lead as Guile. While the team behind that film made the curious choice to emulate G.I. Joe instead of the arcade games it was based upon, the new Street Fighter movie is going back to the source material and taking fans back to the ’90s.

Legendary Entertainment has shared the first details about the Street Fighter reboot, which will be set in 1993. Unlike the previous live-action Street Fighter movies–including Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li–the focus will fall on Ryu (Andrew Koji) and Ken Masters (Noah Centineo), two fighters who have become estranged from each other. However, Chun-Li (Callina Liang) reunites the pair when she recruits them for the World Warrior Tournament. The synopsis also teases the “deadly conspiracy” behind the battle royale, which will almost certainly lead back to the franchise’s primary villain, M. Bison.

As part of the announcement, Legendary revealed that Street Fighter will hit theaters on October 16, 2026. It’s the first film in a three-year distribution deal with Paramount Pictures. But it doesn’t affect Legendary’s Minecraft and Godzilla x Kong sequels, both of which remain with Warner Bros. under the terms of previously signed deals.

Legendary also shared the complete cast for Street Fighter, including two current WWE wrestlers: Cody Rhodes and Joe “Roman Reigns” Anoa’i, who will portray Guile and Akuma, respectively. The rest of the performers are listed below.

  • David Dastmalchian as M. Bison
  • Andrew Schulz as Dan Hibiki
  • Eric André as Don Sauvage
  • Vidyut Jammwal as Dhalsim
  • Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson as Balrog
  • Jason Momoa as Blanka
  • Orville Peck as Vega
  • Olivier Richters as Zangief
  • Hirooki Goto as E. Honda
  • Rayna Vallandingham as Juli
  • Alexander Volkanovski as Joe
  • Kyle Mooney as Marvin
  • Mel Jarnson as Cammy

Kitao Sakurai is directing the film, which is already in production. A gallery of the cast in the style of Street Fighter 2’s selection screen can be found below.



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Product Reviews

Is your iPhone eligible for the update? Check this list

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In a little under a week, Apple’s iPhone 17 event — which the company has themed “awe dropping” — will be here. It’s confirmed for Tuesday, September 9. If all goes according to plan, we should also get to download iOS 26 and iPad 26 about a week after the event. Coming with the OS 26es are huge upgrades to your iPhone and iPad’s operating systems. You’ve heard of Liquid Glass, right? It’s like the better-executed version of the Windows Vista design motif and definitely one of the cooler features coming this fall. We spent two weeks test-driving it — you can check out our detailed hands-on iOS 26 preview, or you can try it out yourself by downloading and installing the newly released public beta 6. That software is a more stable iteration of the separate developer version, which recently hit the beta 9 waypoint, and offers a few more flashy features not yet available in the public version. (While the public beta is open to everyone and quite stable, always remember there’s a degree of risk involved with beta software.) Additionally, there are credible reports that iOS 26 could bring a new live translation feature to AirPods, too. Not sure if you want to upgrade your smartphone or tablet this year? No worries, we’ll help you find out if your devices will be able to run iOS 26.

While Apple didn’t nix any iPhones from its eligibility list last year, that’s not the case for 2025 — a few models are getting cut this time. All iPhone 8 models and the iPhone X were the last to get the boot in 2023, and this year the 2018 models are getting left behind. If you have an ineligible device, you won’t be able to download iOS 26 when it becomes available this fall.

We’ll get to the bottom of which iPhones and iPads will support iOS 26 and iPadOS 26 this year. To see what’s coming with the latest OSes, check out everything announced at Apple’s WWDC June 9 event. One thing you shouldn’t immediately expect is Apple’s updated version of Siri, though the company is reportedly working on a ‘stripped-down’ AI chatbot to compete with ChatGPT.

These three iOS 18 iPhones won’t be compatible with iOS 26

Unlike last year, several iPhone models won’t be eligible to download the newest iOS when it makes its debut in September. This trio of models first released in 2018 won’t be coming to the iOS 26 party:

iPhones compatible with iOS 26

While we don’t yet know the new iPhones Apple will be dropping next month — though there are iPhone 17 rumors — we do know, per Apple’s site, that the phones listed below will be compatible with iOS 26. Basically, if you have an iPhone that was announced in 2019 or later, you’re in the clear:

  • iPhone SE (second generation or later)

iPads compatible with iPadOS 26

The iPads listed below, and any iPads released later this year, are eligible to download iPadOS 26.

  • iPad Pro 12.9‑inch (3rd generation and later)

  • iPad Pro 11‑inch (1st generation and later)

  • iPad Air (3rd generation and later, including M2 and M3)

  • iPad (8th generation and later, including A16)

  • iPad mini (5th generation and later, including A17 Pro)

What if I don’t want to buy a new iPhone?

If you want to continue using your older iPhone that isn’t supported by iOS 26, that’s fine. However, you’ll miss out on security updates which could potentially put your phone at risk for malware and other threats. Additionally, some apps may stop working if they require a certain version of iOS or later. And of course, you won’t be able to access the latest features iOS 26 offers.

When will iOS 26 become available?

Apple usually rolls out its latest iOS in mid-September, just a few days before the new iPhones hit store shelves. Last year, it released iOS 18 on Monday, Sept. 16. If it follows suit this year, we should have access to the new operating system on Tuesday, Sept. 16 — exactly one week after the event.

Expect a confirmation of the release date at the iPhone 17 event on September 9.

iOS 26 features we’re excited about

Liquid Glass design: Your home screen is getting revamped with new app icons, including dark mode and all-clear options. You’ll also notice buttons with a new floating design. Liquid Glass was designed to make all of Apple’s OSes more cohesive.

Phone app redesign: You’ll finally be able to scroll through contacts, recent calls and voicemail messages all on one screen. It also comes with a new feature called Hold Assist that’ll notify you when an agent comes to the phone so you can avoid the elevator music.

Live Translate: iOS 26 is bringing the ability to have a conversation via phone call or text message with someone who speaks another language. Live Translate will translate your conversation in real time.

Polls feature: Coming to group messages in the Messages app, chat members will be able to create polls. This can help prevent the unwanted 30+ messages when it comes to deciding which restaurant you’re meeting at this weekend.

New lock screen options: More customizable iPhone lock screen options are coming with iOS 26, including a cooler clock, 3D wallpaper effects, more widgets and better focus mode options.

Snooze longer (or shorter): Say goodbye to the 9-minute snooze setting in your alarms (if you want). You’ll soon have the option to change your snooze time from one to 15 minutes.

Fresh Camera app design: You’ll find the Camera app is simpler to navigate in iOS 26, with all the buttons and menus located in convenient spots. That means less swiping, more photo taking. Plus, there’s a new feature that tells you if your lens is too dirty.



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Which iPhones Can Run iOS26? Check Out the Full List of Compatible Devices
Gaming Gear

Which iPhones Can Run iOS26? Check Out the Full List of Compatible Devices

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iOS26 is almost here. The most recent version of Apple’s mobile operating system will be released later this year for iPhone, delivering new features and a new look. That doesn’t mean you have to wait though. The public beta of iOS26 is available for download now, you just need a phone capable of running it.

iOS 26 brings a new translucent “Liquid Glass” look, the latest on-device Apple Intelligence perks (real-time translation and a smarter Visual Intelligence search), and phone and text upgrades like built-in call screening and in-chat polls.

Not everyone will get a chance to test out the new software. iOS 26 requires, at the very least, Apple’s A13 Bionic chip, so some older devices will get left behind. Not sure where your phone stands? Check the full compatibility list below before you try to download iOS 26.

Don’t miss any of our unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add CNET as a preferred Google source on Chrome.

Every iPhone that will get iOS 26

The phones left off this year’s list are the iPhone XS, XS Max and XR.

When the iPhone 17 is released later this year, it will come loaded with iOS 26.

Apple/CNET

Heads-up: Apple Intelligence isn’t for everyone

While all of the models above can install iOS 26, Apple Intelligence requires beefier hardware. Features such as Genmoji, Image Playground and the new Visual Intelligence search only work on:

  • iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max
  • iPhone 16 models

If you’re on an older device, you’ll still get all the design changes and everyday updates, but nothing involving Apple Intelligence.

Not sure which iPhone you own?

On your iPhone, go to Settings > General > About and look at Model Name. If your phone isn’t on the compatibility list, it will keep receiving iOS 25 security patches for a while, but you won’t see any of iOS 26’s new features.



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BTC risks deeper slide to $100K. (GoranH/Pixabay)
Crypto Trends

Binance Becomes First Centralized Exchange to List Trump-Linked WLFI Token

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Binance is the first crypto exchange to list World Liberty Financial (WLFI), the Trump-family-linked decentralized finance (DeFI) project, with trading set to begin Monday afternoon UTC time, according to a recent announcement.

Deposits are already live, while withdrawals are scheduled to begin Tuesday. Binance will apply its “seed tag” designation, a label reserved for innovative but high-risk tokens.

Until now, WLFI tokens were non-transferable by design, a compliance-driven restriction meant to keep the presale tokens from being freely traded, and Binance’s listing marks the shift to allowing transfers and opening markets on a centralized exchange for the first time.

Following the Binance announcement, South Korean exchange Upbit also said it will list WLFI.

On Binance, to access WLFI trading, users must complete quizzes acknowledging heightened volatility and risk disclosures. The token will launch on three blockchains simultaneously: Ethereum, Binance Smart Chain, and Solana.

WLFI futures launched last week on the Hyperliquid decentralized exchange, where traders rushed to short the token, driving its implied valuation down to $24 billion from $44 billion within hours.

The debut on Binance provides the first spot market for WLFI itself, marking a turning point from its non-transferable token phase to full tradability.

Eric Trump and Binance founder Changpeng ‘CZ’ Zhao both recently spoke at BTC Asia in Hong Kong.



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Binance, other exchanges list WLFI token as trading begins
GameFi Guides

Binance, other exchanges list WLFI token as trading begins

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World Liberty Financial’s WLFI token officially begins trading today, Sept. 1, with Binance and several other major exchanges listing the asset as its token unlock kicks in.

Summary

  • Binance and multiple exchanges launch WLFI spot trading as its first token unlock goes live.
  • 20% of presale allocations released via Lockbox, with future releases subject to community votes.
  • WLFI’s stablecoin expands to Solana with $2.2B market cap and ecosystem integrations.

Binance announced on Sept.1 that WLFI spot trading will open at 13:00 UTC with WLFI/USDT and WLFI/USDC pairs. Deposits opened earlier in the day, while withdrawals will follow on Sept. 2. The launch expands WLFI access beyond its pre-market futures, which had been live on Binance and Hyperliquid (HYPE) since late August.

Bybit, OKX, KuCoin, Gate.io, MEXC, Bitget, BingX, and HTX are also listing WLFI, ensuring broad coverage across centralized exchanges. Futures products, first introduced last month, gave traders early exposure, with WLFI pricing near $0.27 ahead of today’s debut.

WLFI token unlock and governance

The exchange listings coincide with WLFI’s first unlock event. Early backers from presale rounds at $0.015 and $0.05 can now claim 20% of their allocations, equal to about 5% of the 100 billion total supply. The remaining 80% will be released over time through governance votes.

A smart contract system known as the Lockbox, audited by Cyfrin, manages the distribution. The feature launched on Aug. 25, giving token holders a week to prepare for trading. Investors must activate their Lockbox to access unlocked allocations.

A key component of WLFI’s design is community control. Token holders have a say in project funding, unlock schedules, and Treasury decisions. In July, more than 99% of voters approved making WLFI tradable, transitioning it from a governance-only token to a fully liquid asset on Ethereum (ETH).

USD1 expands to Solana

Alongside WLFI’s debut, World Liberty Financial also announced that its stablecoin, USD1, is now live on Solana (SOL). Pegged 1:1 to the U.S. dollar, USD1 has already reached a $2.2 billion market cap in under 90 days, making it one of the fastest-growing stablecoins.

USD1 is now live on Solana – where capital markets finally move at internet speed.

USD1 is a stablecoin redeemable on a 1:1 basis for the U.S. Dollar, built for speed and control, running on a fast and scalable financial layer in DeFi.

USD1 brings stability. Solana brings… pic.twitter.com/FTNw3ChLCn

— WLFI (@worldlibertyfi) September 1, 2025

The Solana launch includes integrations with Bonk (BONK) for token launches, Kamino Finance for lending and borrowing, and Raydium (RAY) for trading liquidity. With USD1 joining other stablecoins, Solana now has $11.9 billion in circulating stablecoins.

Political and regulatory backdrop

WLFI has attracted attention outside of the cryptocurrency markets due to its ties to the Trump family. Potential conflicts of interest have drawn criticism, particularly in the wake of the GENIUS Act’s passage, which shapes the framework for digital assets in the United States.

While exchange support provides WLFI with instant liquidity, its political connections add uncertainty to its regulatory outlook.





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European Union technical background
Gaming Gear

Chat Control: The list of countries opposing the law grows, but support remains strong

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  • Opposition against the controversial child sexual abuse (CSAM) scanning bill is growing ahead of a crucial meeting on September 12
  • The Danish version of the so-called Chat Control bill could be adopted as early as October 2025 if an agreement is found
  • Experts are concerned about the negative impact the bill will have on citizens’ communications privacy and security

Opposition against the controversial child sexual abuse (CSAM) scanning bill is growing among EU state members, just days away from a crucial meeting.

On September 12, the EU Council is expected to share its final positions on the Danish version of the so-called Chat Control. The proposal, which has attracted strong criticism so far, aims to introduce new obligations for all messaging services operating in Europe to scan users’ chats, even if they’re encrypted.

Both the Czech Republic and Belgium have now reportedly passed from being undecided to opposing the proposed law, according to the latest data, with the latter deeming the bill as “a monster that invades your privacy and cannot be tamed.” They add to Austria, the Netherlands, and Poland in criticising the proposal’s mandatory detection and encryption provisions.


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The list of supporters is still much longer, though, counting 15 member states at the time of writing. These include crucial countries like France, alongside Italy, Spain, Sweden, Lithuania, Cyprus, Latvia, and Ireland.

Crucially, French MEPs said they could “basically support” the draft, a source with knowledge of the matter told TechRadar. While Germany, another decisive vote to either block or back the bill, may be considering abstaining from taking a position. This is something that will weaken the Danish mandate, “even if the Presidency gets the required votes to pass,” explains TechRadar’s source.

What’s at stake for European’s encrypted communications?

(Image credit: Getty Images)

First unveiled in 2022, the Chat Control proposal has never been so close to becoming law, with a vote set to take place on October 14, 2025, and the majority of EU member states currently being its supporters.

On a more practical level, this means that the EU could be scanning your chats by October 2025 – no matter if they are encrypted.

The major point of contention, in fact, is the provisions around encryption, which is the technology responsible for keeping our communications private and secure. The likes of WhatsApp, Signal, ProtonMail, and even the best VPN apps all use encryption to scramble the content of users’ messages into an unreadable form and prevent unauthorized access.

If the Danish Chat Control text passes, all the multimedia files and URLs you sent via WhatsApp and similar services would have to be mandatorily scanned in the lookout for CSAM materials. Crucially, government and military accounts will be exempt from the scanning.

While the proposal mentions that cybersecurity and encryption should be “protected in a comprehensive way,” a wealth of experts, including tech developers, cryptographers, and digital rights advocates, have been warning that, as it’s intended, mandatory scanning cannot be done without weakening encryption protections. This will also make everyone de facto more vulnerable to cyberattacks.

At the time of writing, only seven countries remain undecided, namely Estonia, Finland, Germany, Greece, Luxembourg, Romania, and Slovenia.

If you’re worried about this proposal and wish to put pressure on your country’s MEPs, this website helps you do so within a few clicks.

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Gaming Gear

Apple’s new iOS 26 public beta 5 is here, but is your iPhone eligible for the update? Check this list

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In just a few days, the Apple iPhone 17 event will be here — the “awe dropping” event is officially confirmed for Tuesday, September 9. If Apple follows its past schedule, that could mean we’ll get to download iOS 26 and iPad 26 exactly one week after the event. Coming with the OS 26es are huge upgrades to your iPhone and iPad’s operating systems. You’ve heard of Liquid Glass, right? It’s like the better-executed version of Windows Vista and definitely one of the cooler features coming this fall. We spent two weeks test-driving it — you can check out our detailed hands-on iOS 26 preview, or you can try it out yourself by downloading and installing the public beta 5. That software is a more stable iteration of the separate developer version, which recently hit the beta 8 waypoint, and offers a few more flashy features not yet available in the public version. (While the public beta is open to everyone and quite stable, always remember there’s a degree of risk involved with beta software.) Additionally, there are credible reports that iOS 26 could bring a new live translation feature to AirPods, too. Not sure if you want to upgrade your smartphone or tablet this year? No worries, we’ll help you find out if your devices will be able to run iOS 26.

While Apple didn’t nix any iPhones from its eligibility list last year, that’s not the case for 2025 — a few models are getting cut this time. All iPhone 8 models and the iPhone X were the last to get the boot in 2023, and this year the 2018 models are getting left behind. If you have an ineligible device, you won’t be able to download iOS 26 when it becomes available this fall.

We’ll get to the bottom of which iPhones and iPads will support iOS 26 and iPadOS 26 this year. To see what’s coming with the latest OSes, check out everything announced at Apple’s WWDC June 9 event. One thing you shouldn’t immediately expect is Apple’s updated version of Siri, though the company is reportedly working on a ‘stripped-down’ AI chatbot to compete with ChatGPT.

These three iPhones won’t be compatible with iOS 26

Unlike last year, several iPhone models won’t be eligible to download the newest iOS when it makes its debut in September. This trio of models first released in 2018 won’t be coming to the iOS 26 party:

iPhones compatible with iOS 26

While we don’t yet know the new iPhones Apple will be dropping next month — though there are iPhone 17 rumors — we do know, per Apple’s site, that the phones listed below will be compatible with iOS 26. Basically, if you have an iPhone that was announced in 2019 or later, you’re in the clear:

  • iPhone SE (second generation or later)

iPads compatible with iPadOS 26

The iPads listed below, and any iPads released later this year, are eligible to download iPadOS 26.

  • iPad Pro 12.9‑inch (3rd generation and later)

  • iPad Pro 11‑inch (1st generation and later)

  • iPad Air (3rd generation and later, including M2 and M3)

  • iPad (8th generation and later, including A16)

  • iPad mini (5th generation and later, including A17 Pro)

What if I don’t want to buy a new iPhone?

If you want to continue using your older iPhone that isn’t supported by iOS 26, that’s fine. However, you’ll miss out on security updates which could potentially put your phone at risk for malware and other threats. Additionally, some apps may stop working if they require a certain version of iOS or later. And of course, you won’t be able to access the latest features iOS 26 offers.

When will iOS 26 become available?

Apple usually rolls out its latest iOS in mid-September, just a few days before the new iPhones hit store shelves. Last year, it released iOS 18 on Monday, Sept. 16. If it follows suit this year, we should have access to the new operating system on Tuesday, Sept. 16 — exactly one week after the event.

Expect a confirmation of the release date at the iPhone 17 event on September 9.

iOS 26 features we’re excited about

Liquid Glass design: Your home screen is getting revamped with new app icons, including dark mode and all-clear options. You’ll also notice buttons with a new floating design. Liquid Glass was designed to make all of Apple’s OSes more cohesive.

Phone app redesign: You’ll finally be able to scroll through contacts, recent calls and voicemail messages all on one screen. It also comes with a new feature called Hold Assist that’ll notify you when an agent comes to the phone so you can avoid the elevator music.

Live Translate: iOS 26 is bringing the ability to have a conversation via phone call or text message with someone who speaks another language. Live Translate will translate your conversation in real time.

Polls feature: Coming to group messages in the Messages app, chat members will be able to create polls. This can help prevent the unwanted 30+ messages when it comes to deciding which restaurant you’re meeting at this weekend.



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