Information Technology

Sabrina Ortiz/ZDNETZDNET’s Key takeaways:Apple Intelligence will be upgraded with GPT-5. GPT-5 is OpenAI’s recently launched most capable model.Users will be able to access GPT-5 in iOS 26, iPadOS 26, and macOS 26. OpenAI released GPT-5 on Thursday, saying it’s the company’s most capable, smartest, and fastest model to date. While everyone, including free users, can access the model for free today via ChatGPT, Apple device users will be able to try it out even more easily. Apple’s first foray into the AI race was the launch of Apple Intelligence in 2024. Taking its time to enter the AI space, the company took a different approach from competitors, forgoing the release of its own AI models and choosing to use OpenAI’s instead via an integration with ChatGPT. Soon, that integration will use GPT-5. Also: 3 Apple Intelligence features that would convince me to ditch Gemini and ChatGPTApple confirmed to me that the iOS 26, iPadOS 26, and MacOS 26 operating systems, which are slated to launch in the fall, will be accompanied by GPT-5. Currently, with the existing ChatGPT integration, Apple users have the option to send Siri queries to ChatGPT instead if they’re better suited for the chatbot’s capabilities. Other integrations are ChatGPT with Writing Tools, which uses the chatbot to compose text or images in different areas of the interface, and ChatGPT with Visual Intelligence, which leverages ChatGPT’s multimodal capabilities to give users insights into their surroundings. Because of the update, all of the aforementioned functionalities should give users better answers. For example, at launch, OpenAI claimed GPT-5 is its most capable writing collaborator, which should improve users’ output when using Writing Tools to compose emails, texts, and more. The model is also more accurate than any previous reasoning model and has fewer hallucinations. GPT-5’s responses are 45% less likely to contain a factual error than GPT-4o with web search enabled on anonymized prompts, according to OpenAI. Also: This free GPT-5 feature is flying under the radar – but it’s a game changer for meGPT-5’s biggest appeal is that it is a unified model that combines a smart model for most queries with a deeper reasoning model for harder problems. Then it uses a real router feature that allows GPT-5 to understand which model to use automatically based on the conversation, complexity of the prompt, and more. This allows users to take advantage of the best OpenAI’s models have to offer in terms of quality and speed. Now, Apple users should be able to experience the same thing natively, which should, in theory, improve the Apple Intelligence experience as a whole. Do I think it will make a big change? No, only because I don’t know many Apple users who rely on ChatGPT integrations very often. However, it is nice knowing that even when you do reach for the features once in a while, they will be reportedly state of the art. I am more excited about the many iOS 26 AI features that have been announced and are slated to be released. While less flashy, they are bound to improve the user experience. Some favorites include the Visual Intelligence expansion to the iPhone screen, real-time translation on FaceTime and Messages, and AutoMix in Apple Music.Also: I used Perplexity to make a restaurant reservation – now I’m wondering if Google is holding us backIf you can’t wait to get started with GPT-5 and want to try it out for yourself, you can do so simply by visiting the ChatGPT website or app and signing in to your account. If you don’t have one, creating one is easy — just use Google, Microsoft, Apple, or even your phone number. Once you’re signed in, the model picker will automatically be set to GPT-5.  Artificial Intelligence More

Liz Leyden/Getty Images ZDNET’s key takeaways With Ubuntu Pro, Canonical’s OpenJDK build includes 12 years of support. ‘Chiseled’ builds are faster, more secure than other OpenJDK builds.  Canonical is aligning Ubuntu’s and OpenJDK’s release cadences. Canonical, the company behind Ubuntu Linux, has announced the introduction of its own certified OpenJDK builds. With 90% of Fortune […] More

Kerry Wan/ZDNETZDNET’s key takeawaysiOS 26 introduces a new gesture behavior to the iPhone camera switcher.This shift in app navigation has caused frustration among pros and casual users.On the latest dev beta, Apple has added a toggle to revert the behavior to the original.While many would say that the public development of iOS 26 has been rocky, one recent feature, introduced in the latest developer beta, has given me renewed faith in Apple.When the company first launched the iOS 26 beta, most people were drawn to the polarizing Liquid Glass design language. The revamped camera app UI came in second, but something was clearly off about it: Navigating the various camera modes was needlessly changed.Also: Five iOS 26 features I already can’t live without – and how to access themCamera buffs noticed it immediately, followed by regular consumers, including myself — muscle memory will do that to you. When gliding left or right, the different modes would pan in the same direction. Why it’s a problemThis is a departure — a complete 180, if you will — from Apple’s traditional interface physics, where widgets, text, and other elements would move counter-directionally, as if you were dragging them away. This has been the case since the early versions of iOS, whether you were scrolling through a web page or a carousel.Also: Update to iOS 26? We tested the public beta on our iPhones – these features are a big dealBeyond going against your instincts, this gesture change introduces the problem of blocking pertinent information on the screen. As you’re scrolling between camera modes, your finger naturally covers where and what you’re scrolling to. You can see things in motion below.[embedded content]The fixIn response to this issue, Apple has added a new setting for the camera app that allows you to revert the scroll direction to how it was in iOS 18. This is only accessible in the latest developer beta, and can be found at the bottom of the Camera settings page under Mode Switching.Also: Best iPhone 2025: I tested the top models and found the best options for youWith it toggled on, scrolling between camera modes will feel like how it’s supposed to. Should Apple want to make the software transition period less disruptive for users, especially once new iPhones launch in September, it would be even wiser to set the original gesture behavior as the default and allow users to toggle it off instead. Hopefully that’s not asking for too much.Get the morning’s top stories in your inbox each day with our Tech Today newsletter. More

panithan pholpanichrassamee ZDNET’s key takeaways: Google Finance is getting an AI upgrade, including a chatbot. The upgrade comes with a live news feed, plus other features. It will roll out to US users in the coming weeks. You’ll soon be able to ask Google Finance all your money questions via a new AI chatbot, the […] More

SOPA Images / Contributor / Getty Images ZDNET’s key takeaways AT&T’s $177 million settlement is for data breaches in 2019 and 2024. Claim up to $5,000 (first breach) and $2,500 (Snowflake hack), or both. File claim by Nov. 18, 2025, either online or by mail. If you’re a current or former AT&T customer, here’s some […] More

Maria Diaz/ZDNETWith the adoption of remote and hybrid working, having a reliable internet connection at home is imperative — not just for one device, but for several. If you have a family, maybe even dozens. So what’s better, one single access point, or a mesh network spread about the home?The answer depends on how your home and office are set up and what kind of connection you need. Wi-Fi routers are so good these days that a single access point is often the most straightforward solution. But if you have a larger home or your office is located far away from your router, a mesh network could be a game-changer, boosting the signal no matter where you are.  Also: The best VPN routers of 2025If you’re not sure of the difference, that’s okay, too. Let’s examine both types of connection and consider their pros and cons to determine which one is best for you. What is a traditional Wi-Fi router?A traditional router acts as a central hub for internet connectivity. The router acquires the connection from your internet service provider (ISP), and then allows other devices around the home to connect to it, either via Wi-Fi, or by simply plugging in an Ethernet cable. Typically, routers are password-protected so only your household can connect to it.  You should buy a traditional Wi-Fi router if… More

Kyle Kucharski/ZDNETChoosing the right laptop can feel overwhelming — even for someone like me who’s lived and breathed laptops for years. You get all these options, configurations, and feature lists that it’s impossible not to know up from down. So, to make things easier for you, I’ll be breaking down laptops and their essentials using three broad usage categories: school, work, and gaming.Also: The best laptops you can buy: Expert testedMost laptops fall into one of these buckets, and while there is some crossover regarding hardware, each type is designed with a specific purpose in mind. Below, I walk through what defines each category, highlighting key features to look out for and providing example products along the way.Keep in mind, this advice is based on my own experience and expertise. Ultimately, the best laptop is the one that fits your needs best.How to pick a laptop for school More

These days, it feels like AI and machine learning algorithms are being stuffed into every device, whether it makes sense to do so or not. And with almost every major brand announcing that AI will be a standard feature in new releases going forward, you may be looking for a way to opt out or avoid it entirely. Thankfully, there are still plenty of options on the market for phones that don’t force AI as an integral feature; you can even find a few “dumb” phones if you’re thinking of a total digital detox.Also: The best phones we’ve tested this yearWhat is the best phone without AI features right now?Almost every major brand still offers older phones that either allow you to opt out of or remove AI features, or that simply don’t support AI at all. The Apple iPhone 15 More