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Ricoh GR IV prototype now on display to the public in the company's GR Space showroom in TokyoRicoh has already confirmed GR IV is on course for an 'autumn 2025' launchA variation with highlight diffusion filter will follow in 'winter 2025'I’ve been keenly waiting for a first look at the upcoming Ricoh GR IV – but now that it’s happened, I can’t help but feel a little underwhelmed. Disappointed, even.The long awaited replacement for the excellent Ricoh GR III (which will be discontinued), the GR IV is set to be the next flagship model in Ricoh’s iconic range of premium digital point-and-shoots.The GR series has gained something of a cult classic status among photographers, prized for their pocketable size, unassuming design and use of large sensors. They're ideal for street photography and holiday snapshots alike, so the release of a new model is always something of an event for photo enthusiasts.And now a prototype of the Ricoh GR IV is on display at GR Space, the company’s Tokyo camera and photography showroom, allowing curious members of the public to come and take a look (but not have a hands-on experience – this is just an exterior prototype, so not functional).A tilting LCD and integrated flash would vastly improve the GR series – but it doesn't look like either are coming to the GR IV. (Image credit: Future)It should be an exciting time for a Ricoh fan like me, but I’m finding the lack of changes over the GR III a bit concerning. The design, for instance, is nigh-on identical to the GR III. I would have loved to have a seen a built-in flash and a tilting LCD screen, but the prototype doesn’t have either.I also want improvements to autofocus, and to the ruggedness of the camera – and these things are looking doubtful too. Although I will caution that, with this being a prototype, things could change between now and the autumn 2025 release date.GRIV pic.twitter.com/YF0HsV8HW0May 31, 2025Reasons to be cheerful?On the plus side, it will come with a higher resolution sensor, new lens, better image stabilization, some control tweaks and refinements such as a plus / minus switch and a D-pad in place of a control wheel, 53GB of built-in memory (as well as a microSD card slot - not SD) and improvements to the way in which images are shared, all of which are nice – if not as transformational as I was hoping for.Instead, it appears that the GR IV is going to be a small upgrade. There’s nothing wrong with that per se, and users upgrading from older GR models or buying their first ever GR camera are probably going to be in for a treat. People who own a GR III or GR IIIx, on the other hand, might find few compelling reasons to make the upgrade.All that being said, I can’t wait to give the camera a real-world test to find out the most important thing: how it performs in the field. Rest assured TechRadar will be getting hold of a review sample as soon as Ricoh is able to loan one to us.You might also likeCamera rumors for 2025: new gear we're expecting soon from DJI, Sony, Canon and moreRicoh GR IV: 5 things I want to seeThe best compact camera for 2025: top pocket choices to take anywhere

The next version of Apple’s desktop operating system for its Macs, to take the baton from macOS 15 Sequioa next year, will apparently be macOS Tahoe.According to Mark Gurman’s newsletter for Bloomberg – a leaker who’s already flagged an apparent change in numbering, predicting this will be macOS 26, not 16 – Lake Tahoe is seemingly the next place that Apple will name its product after.Cue a bunch of jokes drawing similarities between the next macOS and the hulking Chevrolet Tahoe, and tongue-in-cheek comments about how the operating system is bound to be bloated and slow.As ever, this is still a rumor, so we shouldn’t get carried away with the idea – though Gurman is one of the more prolific and reliable Apple leakers, for sure.At any rate, whatever the next incarnation of macOS is actually called, when is it out, and what can you expect from it?Let’s dive into those details and touch on a few of the rumored key features to watch out for in macOS 16, or indeed macOS 26 – Tahoe – ahead of Apple’s big revelations about the operating system at WWDC 25 soon.macOS 16: release date(Image credit: Apple)macOS Tahoe hasn’t been officially revealed or talked about yet, but we're expecting to see it announced at WWDC 2025, which kicks off on June 9.A potential release date also hasn't been aired. However, Apple typically deploys its new version of macOS in September or October, so we can likely expect the refreshed desktop OS to roll out to Macs around that time.macOS 16: Rumored new features(Image credit: Shutterstock)1. An all-new lookIf you’ve been getting a bit bored with the look of macOS, which hasn’t changed much as this decade has rolled onwards, here’s some potentially good news – one of the major changes rumored for Tahoe is a revamped look.While not much in the way of detail has been provided, the rumor that the interface is due for a big overhaul again comes from Mark Gurman. In theory, this is part of a plan to align the design language and appearance of Apple’s software across iOS, macOS, and iPadOS (as well as other platforms).So, it’ll be of even greater benefit to those with multiple Apple devices to have similar-looking icons or menus (and more besides, no doubt).(Image credit: Apple)2. Accessibility features in spadesApple recently announced a raft of new accessibility functionality across its various devices including Macs, and some of these will surely debut in macOS Tahoe.That includes Personal Voice, which can capture the voice of someone who is losing their ability to talk, and Magnifier for Mac. The latter leverages your iPhone (or a USB camera) to be able to zoom in to, say, a distant whiteboard, and present the writing on the board to the user on their Mac’s screen – seriously nifty stuff for those who are vision-impaired.In a similar vein, Accessibility Reader can take images of book pages and show them on the Mac display, allowing for zooming, or changing fonts or colors to make things clearer.(Image credit: Future)3. Wi-Fi timesaverThis is a feature that’s coming with iOS 19, according to Gurman, but logically it must also apply to macOS Tahoe (and other Apple platforms besides), because it’s all about unifying public Wi-Fi logins across multiple Apple devices for convenience.As it stands, when you’re in a hotel, gym, or other place with public Wi-Fi, you may have to fill out a form before you can connect to the network and go online. Doing this on multiple devices is even more of a pain, but with this new feature, you’ll only have to complete said form once, and all your other Apple devices will automatically use those details.So, for example, tackle the form on your MacBook, and you’ll also be good to go on your iPhone and iPad – neat.You might also like...What to expect from Apple Macs in 2025Can’t upgrade to Windows 11? This Linux project wants to save your old PC from the scrapheap when Windows 10 support endsiOS 19: new features, a new design, and everything you need to know

Apple's big 2025 software reveal is nearly upon us. On June 9, the Worldwide Developers' Conference (WWDC) keynote will showcase the changes coming with its 2025 software. That includes — deep breath — iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, tvOS and visionOS.

Leaks suggest this year will be a biggie. In addition to the requisite Craig Federighi gags and a California-themed name for the latest macOS update, expect a significant visual overhaul — one of Apple's biggest ever — and (shocker) new Apple Intelligence features.

Visual redesign

The company is reportedly set to unveil a platform-wide visual overhaul. The revamp is said to be a dramatic change, drawing inspiration from Apple's mixed reality headset.

Apple

According to Front Page Tech's Jon Prosser, that may even include (nearly) round icons on the home screen and in Control Center. He also noted subtler changes, like a redesigned tab view within apps and the search box in Messages being moved to the bottom of the screen.

One of Apple's core goals with the new software is to unify the design language of its operating systems. The idea is to make it less visually jarring to hop between devices. If executed well, jumping from iPhone to iPad to Mac (and so on) will feel like touring different flavors of the same OS.

Apple's last big macOS makeover was with 2020's Big Sur. For the iPhone's software, you have to go all the way back to 2013. That's when iOS 7 kicked skeuomorphic design to the curb, replacing it with a flat, minimalistic look. Minus some iterative changes, it's still the UI you see today.

A new naming scheme

Along with the big visual refresh, Apple is also rumored to be changing how it names its operating systems. Instead of having random version numbers at the end, the company is apparently planning to unify the names by year — so iOS 19 would become iOS 26, as it'll be Apple's platform for the coming year. The same goes for all of Apple's other software, so we're looking at iPadOS 26, macOS 26 and so forth.

Of course, it goes without saying that macOS should still get a California-themed name; hopefully Apple won't be throwing that tradition in the bin just yet. It'll stick around, according to Bloomberg: the current rumor is that the next version of macOS will be named Tahoe.

The iPad goes to work

Nathan Ingraham for Engadget

Could 2025 be the year the iPad Pro starts to feel… Pro? The high-end versions of Apple's tablet have been more than capable on a hardware level for generations. (Especially when they switched to M-series chips.) But the software has held it back. That's presumably because the company doesn't want to cannibalize Mac sales. After all, if the iPad Pro can truly replace a laptop, then fewer people would buy both.

The bad news for those wanting a full-on Mac experience: The iPad won't switch to macOS. The good news: iPadOS may get much more Mac-like. This year's update will reportedly focus on productivity, featuring improved multitasking and app window management.

It's not that Apple hasn't inched the iPad's software in that direction. It incrementally did so with Stage Manager in iPadOS 16. The year before, it added the multitasking menu at the top of app windows. But for many, those tweaks fell far short of the full-on productivity overhaul they craved. Will it be enough this time? Bloomberg's Mark Gurman thinks it will "likely go far enough" for most power users. (Is that a "Hallelujah!" I hear?)

Apple Intelligence

Apple

Even if leaks hadn't already suggested as much, this one would be a no-brainer. After all, AI has been every tech company's obsession since ChatGPT took the world by storm over two years ago. Expect a healthy portion of the keynote to be devoted to Apple's AI advances. These will reportedly include improvements to existing features and a few new ones.

Siri

Remember when Apple promised a more personalized Siri at last year's conference? The one that many wished would come ahead of the visual overhaul? Well, we're still waiting on that. The last official update we heard was in March, when the company told Daring Fireball, "It's going to take us longer than we thought." (Oops!) Apple expects the new Siri features to arrive "in the coming year," a clear-as-mud description if ever there was one.

A report from The Information last month hinted that the upgraded Siri was nowhere near ready. The 2024 demo, where Siri condensed minutes of multi-app planning into mere seconds, reportedly came as a surprise to team members working on Siri. (Never an encouraging sign.)

Apple

Separate reporting this month from Bloomberg sheds a bit more light, adding that we probably won't hear much about those Siri upgrades at WWDC 2025. The publication described those updates as being months away from shipping. The company is also reportedly separating its Apple Intelligence and Siri marketing. The logic behind this is that users are so fed up with Apple's assistant that it's hurting Apple's AI push.

The company's 2024 presentation was undoubtedly impressive. It showed a more context-sensitive Siri that better understands what you're doing. It pulled info from various apps and spliced them together in a seamless flow. It recorded a specific type of video in a third-party app. It shared a meeting summary via email with a teammate. And it found missing information the user remembered reading... somewhere. It even controlled system settings and explained them when needed.

The bottom line: If or when Apple pulls off what it promised last year, that's big news for Siri. But don't hold your breath for it to show up at WWDC 2025.

According to Bloomberg, the Siri updates we do see will be much subtler. These would include adding the option to use Gemini instead of ChatGPT with the assistant.

AI battery management

Apple

Another iOS 19 scoop points to an Apple Intelligence feature that's easy to get behind. A new AI-powered battery management mode will reportedly analyze how you use your phone. It can then use that to make power-saving adjustments on the fly. If it works well, that could be pretty nifty.

It may also be a key ingredient to a new device: the "iPhone Air." Whatever Apple calls it, the rumored ultra-slim handset is expected to join Apple's lineup this year. Without this feature, the phone's smaller battery might struggle to make it through a typical day. (According to Gurman, it would last several hours less than Apple's other iPhones.) But with the AI battery feature activated, the svelte iPhone could become more practical.

Will we see this slim-jim iPhone at WWDC? Well, let's say you have as good a chance of Valve randomly showing up to announce Half Life 3 at Apple's conference. First, the svelte handset is expected to be part of the iPhone 17 lineup, which typically arrives around September. Second, Apple hasn't unveiled a new iPhone at WWDC since Steve Jobs showed off the iPhone 4 in 2010. So, in short, nope.

Virtual health coach

Apple

Apple is reportedly working on a virtual health coach. Allegedly codenamed Project Mulberry, the AI feature would pair a refreshed Health app with an AI-powered coach. Bloomberg says the feature would, to some degree, give you advice you'd usually seek from a doctor.

The virtual coach would collect data from your Apple devices and use AI to provide personalized health advice, chatbot-style. Apple is reportedly training the AI agent with data from company physicians. Meanwhile, outside experts would shoot educational videos.

In March, Bloomberg's Gurman said the virtual coach could arrive as early as iOS 19.4, which wouldn't likely come until early to mid-2026. But a quick aside in a report this month from Gurman and Drake Bennett mentioned that it could be a point of focus at WWDC.

A new gaming app

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman is predicting that Apple will introduce a centralized, pre-installed app for gaming on the Mac, iPad, iPhone and Apple TV. It'll include some of the features in the long-neglected Game Center service like leaderboards and matchmaking and pair them with a dedicated game launcher and editorial content including recommendations —including a push towards the Apple Arcade service.

Hair Force One

Apple

It wouldn't be an Apple keynote without some wacky Craig Federighi hijinks. Last year, Apple's software lead strapped on a hair-shaped helmet and skydived into Apple Park. At previous events, he showed off his parkour skills, summoned an iPad like he's a Jedi and jammed out on a three-necked guitar.

Say what you will about "Hair Force One." Federighi knows how to sell a sight gag. (With maybe just a teensy bit of help from Apple's visual effects artists.)

Betas and release dates

Following Apple's typical schedule, you can expect the first developer betas to arrive after the conference ends. (Likely the same day!) Public betas would follow early this summer. And you can expect the final versions of iOS 19, iPadOS 19, macOS 16 and so on to arrive alongside new iPhones this fall.

What not to expect at WWDC

While Apple's developer conference will be jam-packed if they serve up even a fraction of the expectations above, there are a few things we can pretty confidently take off the board, too.

With the possible exception of the Mac Pro, nearly all of Apple's hardware lines have either just finished an upgrade cycle (consumer Macs, most iPads) or are going to get updated in the fall as usual (iPhone, Apple Watch). As such, we're not expecting any major hardware announcements. Apple has talked about the Mac Pro at past WWDC events, but that computer is updated so infrequently that it's hard to say with any confidence that we'll see any changes. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/apple-wwdc-2025-what-we-expect-including-new-ios-software-updates-macos-ai-and-more-210051784.html?src=rss

Report claims one in three firms don't trust US Big Tech to handle their data correctlyCivo finds three in five are focused on improving data sovereigntyTariff-induced cost fluctuations are also concerning UK IT leadersMore than three in five UK IT leaders say the country's government should stop using US cloud services due to security and economic risks, with many citing ongoing trade war-induced tariffs as a core concern.A new report from Civo claims a similar amount (61%) of British IT leaders also cite data sovereignty as a strategic priority going forward, with a broader trend of data privacy emerging not just among cloud adoption but also relating to the use of artificial intelligence.Today, nearly half (45%) are actively considering repatriating from the cloud as they turn back to environments that they have more control over.Cloud security and cost worriesWith EU and UK data protection regulations offering improved compliance and transparency, two-fifths of IT leaders say they're more likely to move away from US providers.During a time when three of the world's leading hyperscalers (Amazon, Microsoft and Google) account for around two-thirds of the cloud market, Civo's report claims only one-third (36.6%) trust Big Tech AI providers to handle their data, with data sovereignty ranking second to price as an influencing factor for the decision to move away from Big Tech."People are more alert than ever to just how valuable their data is, and it’s been astonishing how quickly cloud repatriation and sovereignty have become leading strategic considerations for IT leaders," said Civo CEO Mark Boost."US providers are failing to meet [the] demand" for greater visibility over data storage and usage, Boost added, noting Europe leads the way in terms of sovereignty initiatives, urging the "UK to match the energy" of its continental counterparts.You might also likeMicrosoft completes EU cloud sovereignty project, letting Europe-based cloud customers store and process data in the EUWe've listed the best cloud computing providers you could considerThese are the best cloud storage and best cloud backup tools

Stig Asmussen, the game industry veteran who directed God of War III and Star Wars Jedi: Survivor and Fallen Order, is developing a single-player action-adventure game set in the world of Dungeons & Dragons in partnership with publisher Wizards of the Coast.

This will be the first project for Asmussen's studio Giant Skull since its founding in late 2023. In a press release sent to Engadget, the studio shared it is "dedicated to building gameplay-driven, story-immersed action-adventure games." The new project will be built on the Unreal 5 engine and is currently in development for PC, with console details coming at a later date. No specific release dates, renderings or game content has been shared as of yet, making it unlikely this game will be out before 2026.

John Hight, president of Wizards of the Coast (the owners of the iconic tabletop RPG), said "Stig and the team at Giant Skull are exactly the type of exceptionally talented creators we want to work with and I’m so happy to be reuniting with him on this new project.” Stig Asmussen shared that the studio's goal is to "craft a rich new Dungeons & Dragons universe filled with immersive storytelling, heroic combat and exhilarating traversal that players will fully embrace."

This new project comes as Wizards of the Coast moves on from its deal with developer Larian Studios, the team behind the widely-acclaimed Baldur's Gate 3. The Hasbro-owned publisher has a slew of games in the pipeline in partnership with various game studios in the United States and Canada. These include the sci-fi RPG Exodus, which is being developed by Archetype Entertainment, and Atomic Arcade’s Snake Eyes, which is based on the G.I. Joe.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/a-single-player-dungeons-dragons-game-is-in-development-172635380.html?src=rss