2026-07-18 14:28:14
The European Commission today formally ordered Google to give third-party AI services the same access to Android device features that Gemini has. Europe's Digital Markets Act requires software makers like Apple and Google to grant equal interoperability to third-party apps and services, and the EC is enforcing it.
DMA interoperability rules are why Siri AI won't be available in the European Union when iOS 27 launches. While Apple tried to work out an agreement with regulators before launching Siri AI in Europe, Google did the opposite. Instead of asking, Google just launched Gemini integration on Android and opted to deal with the consequences afterward. Google's strategy gives Android users in Europe full Gemini access while it works on compliance with the DMA.
The European Commission is giving Google a full year to implement changes that will meet the Digital Markets Act requirements, and that's before any legal appeals Google might make.
The European Commission is making many of the same demands of Google that it made of Apple. Google must allow AI apps to access 11 features, such as:
2026-07-18 14:28:14
WhatsApp has started rolling out its new username feature, reports WABetaInfo. Some users who reserved their username have started receiving a notification that their username is active, and that they can now use it to send and receive messages to other users without revealing their phone number.
When someone creates a username, WhatsApp will notify people who already have an active chat with that person. WhatsApp has no directory of usernames to browse, and no username discovery suggestions, so people will need to know a WhatsApp user's exact username to send a message.
2026-07-18 14:28:14
Apple has reportedly sent legal letters to dozens of former Apple employees now working at OpenAI, telling them to preserve potentially relevant documents and communications as it continues to pursue its trade secret lawsuit against the AI company.
The Financial Times ($) reports that Apple has targeted around 40 former employees with legal preservation letters, acting on its belief that the alleged misappropriation of confidential information may extend beyond the individuals named in its original complaint.
The development follows Apple's lawsuit filed last week against OpenAI, in which the company alleges a coordinated effort to obtain confidential information relating to its hardware engineering and product development.
Apple claims OpenAI recruited key engineers, including former Apple executives Tang Tan and Chang Liu, and benefited from proprietary designs, manufacturing processes, and other trade secrets. Tan is OpenAI's Chief Hardware Officer and a 24-year Apple veteran who led product design, while Liu is on the hardware team at OpenAI after working as a senior system electrical engineer at Apple.
The complaint says that more than 400 former Apple employees now work at OpenAI and suggests that the alleged misconduct is broader than a few isolated actions by individual employees. OpenAI has denied the allegations, saying in a statement to Bloomberg this week that it is "not aware of any evidence that this complaint has merit."
Apple has requested an injunction requiring OpenAI to cease using any Apple information during the development of OpenAI's AI hardware device. Apple is also seeking damages and suing Tan and Liu for breach of contract for violating their employment agreements. The company believes the evidence uncovered so far may represent only the "tip of the iceberg," according to its lawsuit.
2026-07-18 14:28:14
Since iOS 26, a malfunctioning iPhone has been able to boot itself into Recovery Assistant, with no Mac or PC required. However, you could only get there if your device failed to start up and dropped into recovery on its own.
In iOS 27, currently in beta, Apple has removed that limitation, and you can now manually boot into a Mac-style recovery screen whenever you like.
The new recovery mode lets you troubleshoot, update, or erase your device without necessarily plugging it into anything. It can connect automatically to a known Wi-Fi network, and it shows your battery percentage in the corner of the screen. Here's how to access it.
2026-07-18 14:28:14
Apple's Car Keys feature appears to be coming to TANK vehicles made by Chinese maker Great Wall Motor (GWM), based on code changes discovered by MacRumors in Apple's Wallet app backend.
GWM Tank is a dedicated off-road luxury SUV brand produced by the Chinese automaker.
Car Keys allows an iPhone or Apple Watch with NFC capabilities to unlock a vehicle through the Wallet app. A digital version of a car key is stored in Wallet, and unlocking can be done simply by holding an Apple Watch or iPhone near a compatible vehicle's NFC reader.
What can be done with Car Keys may vary by car manufacturer, but at a minimum, Car Keys can be used to unlock your car, lock your car, and start your car, which are the features available with a physical key.
Apple introduced Car Keys in 2022, and car manufacturers like BMW, Rivian, Kia, and Hyundai have all implemented support for Car Keys. Apple maintains a full list of vehicles that support Car Keys on its CarPlay model availability webpage.
2026-07-18 14:28:14
Popular password management app 1Password today added Claude support, which means AI service Claude can access credentials stored in 1Password for completing browser tasks.
With the integration, Claude can use 1Password logins and one-time codes without the actual password being exposed to Claude. Passwords never reach Claude's context, memory, or Anthropic's systems.
When Claude wants to sign in to a website, 1Password shows the user which credential Claude wants access to and why. After the user approves the request, 1Password adds the credential directly to the page. Access is limited to the current task and ends when the task has been completed. The 1Password team says that after a password is autofilled, the app checks to make sure secrets were not exposed on the page.
Credit cards and identities in 1Password are not supported at the current time, so Claude's access is limited to logins and one-time codes.
The 1Password browser extension is also being updated with Agentic Mode, which gives users control over browser-based AI agents. When an AI agent takes over, the 1Password extension locks down so passwords are not exposed. The password interface is hidden, and the agent can use logins and one-time codes only when the user gives approval. Agentic Mode works to protect passwords from AI agents even if the integration is not set up.
1Password for Claude is available for Mac, and 1Password business, family, and individual plan subscribers can use it. A Pro, Max, Team, or Enterprise Claude plan is required. 1Password has a help document with detailed information on how to set it up.
Claude can use 1Password logins across sites where Claude in Chrome can complete actions. The 1Password desktop app and browser extension are required, as are the Claude desktop app and the Claude in Chrome browser extension.
