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Desktop shipments to enterprises are up 22%, accounting for 17% of enterprise PC sales, report claimsConsumers on the whole are less keen to upgrade, with just a 9% riseThe market could slow down or even contract again next yearWith the official Windows 10 end of life set for just a few months away, businesses are ramping up their purchasing of new devices in anticipation of boosting support not just for Windows 11, but for future OSs as well.The latest figures from industry analyst at Context (via The Register) illustrate a 22% year-over-year rise in desktop shipments to enterprise customers during April and May 2025, largely driven by refresh cycles and the looming end of support for Windows 10.Interestingly, it found companies have been buying many more desktops than portable devices, which ties in with industry trends across the tech sector of widespread return-to-office mandates.PC shipments rising as Windows 10 end of life nears"Their share of total PC revenues in early Q2 reached nearly 17%, the highest level in Context's two-year reporting period," Context senior analyst Marie Christine Pygott explained."This reflects both a long-overdue refresh cycle in commercial environments and the typical spike in demand ahead of major OS support deadlines."The trends broadly reflect similar changes seen by Canalys, another firm that tasks itself with monitoring device shipments, among other metrics.During the first four months of 2025, overall PC shipments were up 9% on average, with desktops up 8% compared with 10% for notebooks. Those metrics account for all PC shipments, though – not just enterprise customers.Principal Analyst Ishan Dutt explained Microsoft's decision to pull the plug from Windows 10 isn't the only influencing factor over increased sales – ongoing trade war-induced tariffs and widespread economic uncertainty has seen both customers and suppliers aim to acquire new tech before prices increase."This preemptive strategy allowed manufacturers and the channel to stock up ahead of potential cost increases, boosting sell-in shipments despite otherwise stable end-user demand," Dutt added.Windows 10 had remained highly popular for months, with many customers happy with their existing hardware and others limited from upgrading due to software and licensing restrictions. Windows 11 (43%) adoption still hasn't overtaken the number of Windows 10 installs (53%), but the gap has closed considerably in the space of a year (via Statcounter).However, looking ahead, IDC predicts contraction in the global PC market due to the stabilization brought on by widespread Windows 11 migration."Expectations of worsening macroeconomic conditions around the world and in the US characterized by upward pressures on prices and degrading consumer sentiment," IDC Worldwide PC Trackers Research VP Jean Philippe Bouchard added.You might also likeUpgrading your OS - an opportunity or a faff? We asked our readers - here's what they saidFancy an upgrade? Check out the best workstationsThe best mobile workstations and best business laptops are better for portability

Iranian authorities are pushing citizens to use a domestic messaging app to communicate with their families outside the countryA security audit found Bale Messenger wasn't safe; it lacks E2EE protection and shares sensitive users data with the app serverIran has been experiencing a near-total internet blackout since June 18, 2025, impacting citizens' ability to communicate and access informationAs Iran enters the fifth day of a near-total communication blackout, officials are reportedly encouraging citizens to turn to a domestic messaging app to stay in touch with their families outside the country.Fars News Agency – which is managed by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps – shared a tweet on Friday, June 20, saying that foreign users, as well as locals, can now use the Bale app to communicate with relatives and friends during the internet outage.There's a problem, though: security researchers have previously flagged Bale (or Baleh) Messenger as a state surveillance tool. Not only did they find that it lacked end-to-end encryption protections, but that it also has censorship and surveillance capabilities.The risks of Bale Messenger(Image credit: Future)Reportedly developed by a company with ties to the National Bank of Iran, Bale (which means Yes in Persian) is an instant messaging application that includes voice-over-IP features, a social media platform, and even banking services.Bale claims to use end-to-end encryption (E2EE) to ensure users chats remain private.According to data coming from the Iranian Minister of Communications and Information Technology, Bale had 16.5 million monthly active users as of May 2023.Considering its growing popularity, security researchers at the Open Technology Fund decided to verify the claims of Bale and two other Iranian messaging apps (Eitaa and Rubika) with a security audit. The tests were carried out in December 2023 and October 2024 and uncovered several privacy and security vulnerabilities.Do you know?(Image credit: Kenneth Cheung/via Getty Images)Iranian authorities enforced heavy internet restrictions against popular Western apps following the country's 2022 massive protests. This has likely led to a spike in usage of Bale and other Iran-developed applications.For starters, auditors confirmed that all three apps employed different forms of client-server encryption, but none had E2EE protections enabled, despite government claims.Specifically Bale was found using "one form of encryption that could be easily reversed in the context of encrypting a user’s credit card data" according to the audit.All apps could reportedly exchange messages with each other, too, through a backend process called Message Exchange Bus (MXB), which auditors confirmed was a state-owned service.This meant that the app server "could potentially view plaintext messages due to the lack of E2EE in any of the apps".Researchers also found evidence of "unexpected transmission of private data".Crucially, when users click on URLs shared via messages, they appear to be redirected to the application’s backend server."This would effectively allow the servers to monitor which websites are viewed by users within the app," researchers explained, deeming the tactic "a mechanism for censorship and surveillance".The Bale app was also found to share users location data with the app server during authentication. What experts are sayingResearchers at the Open Technology Fund concluded their security audit by suggesting opting for more secure messaging apps that actually employ E2EE. These include Signal (which also offers anti-censorship proxy servers), Session, and Wire.Iranian Information Security Analyst and women’s rights advocate Azam Jangrevi also raised concerns following Friday's statement from the Iranian authorities.Iran's regime has cut internet access, leaving millions disconnected from loved ones abroad. Officials push the "Baleh" app,long flagged by activists as insecure and a tool for state surveillance. #InternetFreedom #Iran #war #IranIsraelConflict pic.twitter.com/3mbuTogCdsJune 20, 2025Jangrevi told TechRadar: "The app, tied to the National Bank of Iran, has raised red flags due to potential spyware embedded within its code. Key concerns include unauthorized surveillance, remote device access, and metadata collection especially targeting individuals with political or social influence."With those risks, analysts urge citizens to avoid Baleh for sensitive communication. Instead, they suggest turning to encrypted services like Signal or WhatsApp (via secure VPNs), though connection quality varies."Iran's internet blackout(Image credit: NetBlocks)Iran has been suffering a near-total internet blackout since June 18, 2025, impacting citizens' ability to communicate and access information.Internet connectivity was briefly restored on Saturday (June 21) "when residents could exchange messages with the outside world," internet watchdog NetBlocks reported, before collapsing again in the evening.The latest data from Sunday (see image above) shows that the country remains largely "offline.""At 72 hours, diminished telecoms continue to impact the public's ability to stay informed and in touch with loved ones," NetBlocks noted.It's in this context that Iranians were also asked to delete WhatsApp from their smartphones, with officials fearing the app may be used as a source of strategic information for its opponent in the current conflict.A series of government-imposed restrictions also began on June 13 and sparked a surge of VPN demand across Iran that reached peaks of over 700% increase.Authorities, however, appear to be targeting VPN usage with some of the best VPN apps now reportedly not working at all times.You might also likeIranians asked to delete WhatsApp as internet restrictions intensifyVPN demand skyrockets in Iran amid new internet restrictions across the countryAI to power China’s policing future – and VPN and Telegram users are at risk

US congressional staffers have reportedly been told that they're no longer allowed to use WhatsApp on government devices. The House of Representatives' chief administrative officer (CAO) is said to have informed workers on Monday that the app — including the mobile, desktop and web-based versions — is not permitted on House-managed devices.

"The Office of Cybersecurity has deemed WhatsApp a high risk to users due to the lack of transparency in how it protects user data, absence of stored data encryption and potential security risks involved with its use," the CAO wrote in an email, according to Axios. Microsoft Teams, Wickr, Signal (despite how easy it might be to accidentally invite a reporter to a sensitive group chat), iMessage and FaceTime were reportedly cited as acceptable alternatives, and the CAO reminded workers to be vigilant regarding potential phishing scams.

"We disagree with the House Chief Administrative Officer’s characterization in the strongest possible terms," Meta spokesperson Andy Stone wrote on X. "We know members and their staffs regularly use WhatsApp and we look forward to ensuring members of the House can join their Senate counterparts in doing so officially. Messages on WhatsApp are end-to-end encrypted by default, meaning only the recipients and not even WhatsApp can see them. This is a higher level of security than most of the apps on the CAO’s approved list that do not offer that protection."

The step follows limitations on congressional staffers' use of other apps (including generative AI ones) that the CAO has deemed to be risky. Those include ChatGPT, TikTok, DeepSeek (which some states and federal departments have also banned from government devices) and Microsoft Copilot.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/us-house-reportedly-bans-whatsapp-on-government-devices-161557444.html?src=rss

Samsung India to launch 'core' Galaxy Buds on June 27An Amazon India listing spilled the beans on the release dateBut it's unclear whether the US will get them on Friday – or anyone elseSamsung's marketing strategy for its Galaxy Buds Core and/or Galaxy Buds 3 FE (which would bypass any Buds 2 FE variant entirely, despite being the first and only successors to the Galaxy Buds FE) has been somewhat… eccentric.And now, instead of two sets of earbuds, just one has been teased by Samsung's Indian arm – but not by the tech giant's US or UK subdivisions.And although Samsung India's post on X (below) doesn't expressly state 'Here are the Galaxy Buds Core, ladies n gents!' the tagline 'Let the music move you to the core' is fairly telling… and if you click through to an Amazon listing, you also get to know that sales start on June 27 for buyers based in India.Brace yourself! The music is about to hit harder. Feel every note, every drop, every beat – louder, clearer, deeper. Dropping soon!Notify me: https://t.co/65SB0Nqwuz#Samsung pic.twitter.com/0Vm7DIvJR6June 21, 2025Will the US / UK and Australia also get the Galaxy Buds Core on June 27? Short answer: it's impossible to say – again, this particular release (or pair of releases) from Samsung has been rather hard to follow.Less than two weeks ago, two unannounced sets of Samsung Galaxy earbuds were revealed in an APK teardown of the latest Galaxy Buds Controller app (Wear OS version, v1.0.08.38 – thank you for your hard work there, Android Authority) and neither of them was the expected Buds 2 FE.Back in April though, Galaxy Buds Core certification filings were spotted in the US (FCC) and India (BIS) as the successors to the Buds FE – so perhaps it's best to think of the lineup thus: the Buds Core take the spot of the Buds 2 FE, and the Buds 3 FE occupy a place, er, after that.And we're not done: as spotted by Android Authority, the team over at Gadgets360 spotted a Buds Core listing on Samsung’s official UAE website, which does suggest a global rollout on June 27, even if the US is being fashionably late to the launch party.Samsung's Galaxy Buds series hasn't seen a new product since the stemmed Galaxy Buds 3 Pro, which arrived in summer 2024 (although they did get some much-needed updates in March 2025). So, it's high time for some fresh iterations – and in case you haven't spotted it, the Buds 3 Pro are heavily discounted right now, which often signals products that are about to be superseded.What's the main upgrade we can expect over the Buds FE? Some have suggested Wi-Fi support (I'll believe it when I see it) but I think we can definitely expect an uptick in stamina. The original Buds FE boasted a relatively humble 6 hours with ANC on and I'm sure Samsung is looking to level that up to stay relevant, even in the $99 / £99 space.Anyway, not long to wait now…You may also likeSee our pick of the best budget earbudsAnd here's our guide to the best noise-cancelling earbudsEveryone needs 5 pairs of headphones – these are the ones to buy

Apparent DJI Mini 5 Pro prototype spotted and snapped by mountain bikerSerial leaker says trusted source has signalled 7 August 2025 launch dateNew ultralight drone will reportedly come with LiDAR sensorsDrone lovers, prepare for lift-off: the release of the long-rumored DJI Mavic 5 Pro could be imminent, according to one serial leaker.The replacement for the DJI Mini 4 Pro, which we rate as the best-in-class ultralight drone, is due to get its official launch on 7 August 2025, if serial drone blogger Jesper Ellens is to believed. Writing at DroneXL, Ellens reports that a (reliable) contact has messaged him sharing the date. He also says that, while he usually prefers to wait for more corroboration before posting a rumor like this, this source has never been wrong before.If true, the date is a mere seven weeks away – weeks in which we expect further news and rumors about the DJI Mini 5 Pro will trickle out. We also suspect we’ll get more photos of the drone in the wild – such as one new captured by a Chinese mountain biker who claims he simply came across a prototype of the drone in a park.The image was shared by another serial drone leaker, @MauroTandoi, and while it’s of pretty poor quality, it appears to show a small folding drone with larger front-facing sensors (see below).#djimini5pro #dji #mini5pro pic.twitter.com/4RCeZC82adJune 20, 2025This fits in well with early rumors about the Mini 5 Pro from last year; back in December 2024, Jesper Ellens (yes, we did say he was a serial leaker) claimed it would come with LiDAR sensors, as well as vented motors.LiDAR, which would greatly enhance the drone’s obstacle avoidance system, particularly in low light conditions, has recently started appearing on higher end DJI drones such as the DJI Air 3S and DJI Mavic 4 Pro, so we would not at all be surprised to see it on an upcoming DJI Mini 5 Pro.Vented motors, meanwhile, could result in stronger flight performance: higher air speed, better wind resistance and even longer battery life.Other upgrades to come?The DJI Mini 4 Pro weighs under 250g, a key part of its appeal that we strongly expect the DJI Mini 5 Pro to retain – regardless of any upgrades DJI has implemented. (Image credit: DJI)LiDAR and vented motor upgrades alone might well be enough to convince people to upgrade to the Mini 5 Pro from a Mini 4 Pro, but we have also heard speculation about a larger 1-inch sensor for the camera (the Mini 4 Pro has a 1/1.3-inch sensor), which could really get people excited – especially if DJI keeps the weight under the all-important 250g mark.In the UK, EU and USA, drones of 250g and above are subject to more rules, regulations and restrictions, so ultralight models such as DJI’s Mini range fulfil an important role – provided they keep their total take-off weight under that figure.Stay tuned for more DJI Mini 5 rumors in the coming weeks.You might also likeCamera rumors for 2025: new gear we're expecting soon from DJI, Sony, Canon and moreDJI Mini 5 beginner drone image leaked – here are 5 potentially major upgrades to expectThe best DJI drones you can buy right now

Insurance giant AFLAC confirms it has been hit with a cyberattackThe attack looks to have been by notorious Scattered Spider groupIncreasingly infamous group targeted multiple UK retailers earlier in 2025AFLAC (American Family Life Assurance Company), has confirmed in a statement it has suffered a cyber ‘incident’ in which hackers intruded into its network.AFLAC, the largest supplemental insurance provider in the US, says it was able to stop the intrusion ‘within hours’ and systems were not affected by ransomware.Whilst AFLAC hasn’t confirmed the source of the breach or who was behind it, the breach exhibits all the signs of a Scattered Spider attack.Save up to 68% on identity theft protection for TechRadar readers! TechRadar editors praise Aura's upfront pricing and simplicity. Aura also includes a password manager, VPN, and antivirus to make its security solution an even more compelling deal.Preferred partner (What does this mean?)View DealA wider campaignThe name Scattered Spider will sound familiar to lots of readers, especially given that the group is allegedly behind major and disruptive breaches of UK retailers Marks and Spencer and Co-op, as well as luxury department store Harrods.Google recently warned the group was aiming its sights on US firms, and urged the US insurance sector to be on high alert for social engineering and credential stuffing attacks.Insurance companies are particularly at risk as they hold vast amounts of personal data and turn huge profits which can be exploited for ransom.“This attack, like many insurance companies are currently experiencing, was caused by a sophisticated cybercrime group. This was part of a cybercrime campaign against the insurance industry,” AFLAC’s statement stated.“The potentially impacted files contain claims information, health information, social security numbers, and/or other personal information, related to customers, beneficiaries, employees, agents, and other individuals in our U.S. business. We remain committed to caring for and supporting our customers.”Anyone who uses any services hit by this group (or affected by any data breach) should be very wary of any unexpected communications, looking out for social engineering attacks, and should check out the best identity theft protection software to keep safe.AFLAC is also offering 24 months of free credit monitoring and identity theft protection services for customers who contact their hotline following the breach.Via BleepingComputerYou might also likeTake a look at our picks for the best malware removal software aroundCheck out our choice for best antivirus softwareM&S and Co-op hacks publicly defined as a single attack - and could cost more than £400 million

Whether it's during my time testing TVs at TechRadar or back in my AV retail days, one aspect of TVs I like to explore thoroughly is the smart TV platform, also known as the Operating System (OS).The best TVs not only deliver great picture and sound quality (although great TV sound is a bit rarer), but they also make the viewing experience smooth, responsive and user-friendly.Over the past few years, LG’s webOS smart TV platform has delivered the best user experience. In comparison, other smart TV platforms such as Google TV, Roku, and Fire TV all come up short, and the same has been true of Samsung’s own Tizen smart TV platform – until now.In our recent reviews of the Samsung S95F and 65-inch Samsung S90F OLED TVs, and the Samsung QN90F mini-LED TV, the Tizen smart TV platform scored four and a half out of five stars in the smart TV category. Previously, the maximum I would give Tizen was four stars.What has changed in the latest version that makes it so much better?The best features The Samsung Gaming Hub (pictured on the Samsung S95F) is one of Tizen's best features (Image credit: Future)One of the best features in Samsung’s Tizen interface is the Gaming Hub. A portal dedicated to all things gaming, the Gaming Hub features a wide range of cloud-based apps such as Xbox, Nvidia GeForce Now and Luna. It also has access to recommended Twitch streams and can detect your console when it's connected, working as a launch page. Gaming Hub is one of the major reasons why Samsung TVs always feature in our list of the best gaming TVs.A more recent Tizen addition that seems to be inspired by LG’s webOS is the quick menu. Previously, accessing the settings on Samsung TVs was a long-winded process, but with the new quick menu overlay, accessing picture and sound modes, and the brightness setting is incredibly easy. Tizen 9.0 (the 2025 version) also remembers your most recent and frequently accessed settings and puts them at the top of the quick menu – useful if you regularly change one setting (I found I changed Dynamic Tone Mapping often while in Filmmaker Mode).Samsung's new quick menu screen overlay gives you easy access to some settings (Image credit: Future)The Tizen homescreen is split into three sections: For You, Live and Apps. For You now hosts more AI-based recommendations based on your viewing history, and I found these to be largely accurate. Samsung has also introduced profiles, where individual recommendations can be made for each user – another feature found in LG’s webOS platform that was first introduced in 2024.Samsung TVs have a mode (called Art on LED, QLED and mini-LED sets, Ambient on OLED sets) where pictures can be displayed instead of showing a blank screen when in standby mode. There’s also a new subscription-based Art Store option that lets you “stream” paintings from famous museums, a feature that was previously limited to Samsung The Frame TVs.Finally, Tizen provides access to not only the best streaming services but also thousands of hours of free TV shows and movies via its Samsung TV Plus hub, which is similar to the LG Channels feature on LG TVs.Searching for settingsSome more advanced settings are unfortunately hidden away and can be tricky to find (Image credit: Future)Tizen 9.0 may be the best version of Samsung’s smart TV platform I’ve used so far, but it’s still not perfect. One common criticism in TechRadar’s recent Samsung TV reviews involves the difficulty in accessing certain settings.Although the quick menu mentioned above is a welcome feature, some settings are buried under a layer of menus, making them hard to find. For example, something as basic as Noise Reduction is found by going to Settings>All Settings> Picture Settings>Picture Clarity Settings>Noise Reduction, and this process involves scrolling down through multiple menus.This deep nesting of settings makes life difficult for those who like to experiment with their TVs. And while Samsung provides a wide range of picture settings for viewers to customize the picture, Samsung could have made these easier to access.Final thoughts(Image credit: Future)Tizen may not be a perfect smart TV platform, but for years, it was trailing behind LG’s webOS. Although webOS is still my top pick for a smart TV platform, it’s great to see just how much Tizen has improved in this latest version.For Samsung TV owners with an older version of Tizen, fear not: Samsung’s commitment to seven years of software updates for older models gives your old TV extended life. And having tested this latest version, I can say that Tizen 9.0 is the best one yet.You might also likeThe Samsung S95F OLED TV just became the first TV I've tested to hit this picture quality milestoneGlare-Free vs anti-reflection: This is how Samsung and LG's flagship OLED TV screens fared when I tested themI tested Samsung’s next-gen OLED TV matte screen with our 3 darkest 4K Blu-ray movies - here's what I found

There's a new show at the top of the Netflix streaming charts, and whether you'll love it or not depends very much on whether you like shows such as Virgin River, Yellowstone or Dawson's Creek.The Waterfront – Kevin Williamson's (Scream) new family crime drama – is according to The Guardian "Dawson's Creek for grown-ups". The Hollywood Reporter has described it as "Ozark meets Bloodline (with a bit of Virgin River)", while The Daily Beast says that "perhaps Yellowstone fans will be excited to watch that show’s vibe CW-ified and ported over to Netflix. Everyone else can just keep fishing for something better".So we're clearly in love it or hate it territory – it's 64% score from the critics and 71% rating (at the time of writing) from audiences on Rotten Tomatoes confirms that. But for those who love it, The Waterfront is lots of fun.What are the critics saying about The Waterfront?The show centers the Buckley family – Holt McCallany and Maria Bello – who've built a fishing empire in their home town, only to have it taken away from them piece by piece as patriarch Harlan (McCallany) recovers from two heart attacks.According to TIME: "it’s a slow-burn Southern gothic tale rich with betrayal and moral ambiguity, but beneath the genre trappings lies a deeper current of meaning... the series stands as a meditation on loyalty, legacy, and the weight of unfinished business."The aforementioned Guardian review begs to differ, saying happily that: "It is escapist summer nonsense with – God, I hope – no pretensions to being otherwise. Dive into the adult creek and wallow in nostalgia as the waves of absurdity sweep towards shore."Variety agrees – it's "the Netflix equivalent of a beach read, but it’s highly entertaining" – and The San Jose Mercury News reckons that the show "is a keeper because of the outrageous behavior of its morally compromised characters." Meanwhile, New York magazine says "there’s nothing quite like sensational, just-this-side-of-campy organized crime to buoy you through the sticky, grimy days of summer."So, it's big daft summer fun? Not so fast! The haters are here and they've got some hating to do about why it's not one of the best Netflix shows, starting with IndieWire who says that "Netflix's sludgy family crime drama is a shallow reflection of better shows".The grade here is a grudging D+ because, IndieWire's Ben Travers says, "it's all vibes and no soul... Nothing that’s heard has to mean anything, it just has to sound like it does. Nothing that happens has to evoke any real emotions, it just has to remind you of shows that did. Even if you haven’t seen Ozark or Yellowstone – heck, even if The Waterfront is the first series you’ve ever seen – there’s no mistaking a sinking ship."The Independent wasn't exactly raving either. "It is hard to imagine that anyone at Netflix thinks The Waterfront is going to be a classic, or even a particular hit. Instead, it is television played about as safe as it comes."It's "unconvincing", says The Hollywood Reporter. "This isn’t necessarily a good show, but it’s a serviceable attempt to reproduce the sort of accessible, young-skewing soap opera The CW and The WB used to make, with a solidly above-average cast."The Waterfront is streaming now on Netflix.You may also likeNetflix’s wild new crime documentary is ‘like a spinoff of Narcos’ – here’s what people are sayingNetflix’s best thriller of 2025? This new show has 100% on Rotten Tomatoes and is a nail-biterThis Gerard Butler ‘popcorn thriller’ movie has become a high flyer on Netflix’s most-watched list, and it’s a great action flick