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With Apple WWDC 2025 now just a couple of days away, we're seeing a rapidly increasing number of leaks around iOS 26 (the rumored new name for iOS 19) – and in the opinion of TechRadar readers, one of these rumors is much more exciting than the rest.Over 1,000 of you responded to a poll on our WhatsApp channel – which is well worth signing up to for the latest tech news and chat – to say that you were most looking forward to the visionOS-style redesign that's been predicted for the iPhone.This redesign has been leaked by Mark Gurman at Bloomberg, who is usually one of the more reliable tipsters when it comes to Apple. Apparently the iOS interface will be more transparent, more modern-looking, and more glass-y – just like visionOS.It's a visual overhaul that has been teased by Apple's own official invite for WWDC, and 43% of our respondents say it's what they're looking forward to the most when it comes to reveals we're anticipating this coming Monday.Battery life, live translation, and moreWWDC 2025 is almost here (Image credit: Apple)A lot of changes are rumored for iOS 26Here's what TechRadar readers are looking forward toEverything will be announced on MondaySecond place in our poll, with 17% of the vote, went to the rumored AI optimizations that will extend iPhone battery life. More battery life is always welcome, and apparently iOS 26 is going to make efficiency improvements based on how you use your handset.The stats show 12% of our readers are most excited about the live translation features that are said to be coming to the AirPods with the next software update, while 11% of you are most looking forward to the rumored new gaming hub that's supposedly on the way.Rounding out the poll, we have the CarPlay redesign (9%), the polls feature in Messages (5%), and the simplified Camera app (3%). None of these changes have been confirmed yet, but they've all been predicted by reliable sources.The TechRadar team will be bringing you all the announcements as they happen, and you can watch the whole event live online. The all-important keynote is getting underway at 10 am PT / 1pm ET / 6pm BST on June 9 (so 3am AEST on June 10 in Australia).You might also likeThe Phone app is set for a revamp in iOS 26Apple is changing how it names its software3 new AI features we're expecting at WWDC

Look, I love my Nintendo Switch. It’s a great little device - hell, I might not have made it through the pandemic lockdowns with my sanity intact had it not been for the lovely, calming influence of Animal Crossing: New Horizons. So it’s fair to say that I’m interested in the Switch 2, but I won’t be getting one on launch day for one very simple reason.Where’s my damn Pokémon launch title, Nintendo? With every new console generation, I sit and eagerly await the possibility that you’ve finally learned your lesson and decided to put a mainline Pokémon game in the launch lineup. And with every new console generation, I am disappointed.The closest we’ve ever come was Pokémon Dash for the Nintendo DS, which was more of a glorified tech demo for the new handheld’s dual-screen mechanics than a fully-fledged game.I’ll admit it, I’m that type of Pokémon fan who complains about how crap the modern games look and run, but then merrily presents my credit card whenever a new one comes out. Does that make me a hypocrite? Probably, but I don’t think it’s unreasonable to both love something and also wish it were better. In any case, a Pokémon launch title for the Switch 2 would have me lining up to get my hands on the new console - but as it stands, I’m just not interested.The launch title problemIf I can be frank for a moment here, the Switch 2 launch lineup is… pretty feeble, honestly. What do we have? A heap of triple-A third-party games are being re-released, but the unspectacular footage of Cyberpunk 2077 running on the new console hasn’t exactly lit a fire underneath me. Some OG Switch upgrades for an extra ten bucks - oh wow, Pokémon Scarlet and Violet doesn’t run like garbage now?Great, I’m sooo impressed. We’ve got some smaller series titles and a smattering of first-party names headlining, but arguably none of the biggest franchises. Forgive me for not being uncontrollably excited about Puyo Pop Tetris 2S.Don't get me wrong, I love me some Mario Kart, but it's not exactly an earth-shattering launch title for a new handheld. (Image credit: Nintendo)We’re getting a new Mario Kart, but no mainline Mario game. Super Mario Party Jamboree, Donkey Kong Bananza, and Pokémon Legends: Z-A are all inbound, but not for a few months - oh, and Z-A will be available on the Switch I already own, though it’ll probably look terrible.A new Zelda game is nowhere in sight, and Metroid Prime 4 is, uh… well, it’s coming, but only Samus knows when. I’d like to take a moment to remind you that it’s been eight whole years since that game was originally announced - and it's also a Switch 1 game too. Very cool, Nintendo.It’s something of a recurring theme for Nintendo, frankly. Launch lineups have rarely been impressive for the gaming giant’s consoles; almost half of the Wii launch titles were mediocre movie and TV show tie-ins, while the two biggest DS launch titles were both Nintendo 64 remakes (Mario and Rayman). To be clear, I’m not saying those remakes were bad, but come on.Why does Pokémon get snubbed?I’ve been trying to understand the logic behind Nintendo’s consistent refusal to include Pokémon - which, lest we forget, is the single biggest intellectual property on the planet, worth more than Call of Duty, Warcraft, and Grant Theft Auto combined - in the launches of its consoles. On paper, it makes zero sense.Pokemon Legends: Z-A looks like a fun spin-off jaunt - but it isn't going to be available on the Switch 2's launch day, let alone a mainline Pokémon title. (Image credit: The Pokémon Company)I have some theories. First up is that Nintendo’s hardware development team simply doesn’t have the sway with the many-headed serpent of corporations that jointly manage the Pokémon franchise (Game Freak, The Pokemon Company, Creatures Inc.) to ensure that a new title is always ready for the relevant console launch. Another theory is that Nintendo intentionally uses new Pokémon releases to bump post-launch sales of its consoles, or spaces out those third-party games to prevent attention from being split by a new Zelda or Mario title.I’d love to believe that the main reason is simply that Game Freak would rather spend a bit more time with the hardware to release a game that looks and runs great, but… well, let’s be honest, that seems unlikely. In truth, it’s probably a combination of all these factors and more, never to be properly understood by mere mortals like us.All I can really say is this: Nintendo, if you had Pokémon Tides and Gales (or whatever it’s called) to launch with the Switch 2, it would sell better. Simple as that. I’d buy it immediately; I was one of the six people who bought both a Pokémon Mini. I’m not hard to please.You might also like...Nintendo is sending 'Out of Stock' signs to retailers ahead of the Switch 2 releaseNo, you shouldn't peel off the Nintendo Switch 2 screen's protective layerTarget reveals it will have Nintendo Switch 2 stock next week

Yadea is forging ahead with a number of sodium-ion powered two-wheelersSodium will play a key role in China’s wider battery swap systemsThe country is already pushing mass production of the technologyThe presence of sodium in batteries is nothing new, as the first documented use of it dates back to the 1960s, when the Ford Motor Company considered using them for very early EVs.But last year, Chinese automaker JAC (a joint venture with Volkswagen in China) produced the world’s first sodium-ion battery production car in the Hua Xianzi (it roughly translates to 'Flower Fairy'), which uses a tiny 25kWh sodium-ion battery that can travel up to 155 miles on a single charge.While not exactly a global sales success, the technology has found a place among China’s booming microcar economy and, perhaps more important still, its rampant demand for diminutive two-wheeled scooters.In somewhere like Shenzhen, a megacity with a population of some 17.8 million people, the humble scooter is one of the most popular forms of transport, with over 55 million sold in 2023 alone, and Yadea is among the most popular brands.The global leader in electric two-wheelers has released three sodium-ion powered electric scooters to date, according to the BBC, with plans in the pipeline to offer a lot more.These battery packs are constructed in a similar way to their lithium-ion counterparts, but transfer sodium ions between electrodes during charging and discharging, rather than other rare earth materials.Currently, lead-acid batteries continue to dominate the electric scooter landscape, as the technology is cheap and produced on a mass scale, but the demand for sodium-ion units is gradually increasing.By 2030, 15% of China's electric scooters will be powered by them, compared to 0.04% in 2023, according to an analysis by the Shenzhen-based Starting Point Research Institute, which assesses China's battery industry.Analysis: sodium-ion reaches well beyond transport(Image credit: Yadea)Electric two-wheel manufacturer Yadea is also building out one of the most robust electric scooter charging networks in China, with plans to install more than 1,000 fast-charging pillars that have been specifically designed for sodium-ion batteries this year in Hangzhou, which would enable commuters to find a station every 2km (1.2 miles).It is also pushing forward with a massive battery swap program in Shenzen, with an aim of 20,000 swapping stations this year, which allow riders to replace a spent battery for a fully-charged unit in around 30 seconds. This number will grow to 50,000 by 2027.Right now, sodium-ion batteries are still very much in ascendance, as the price, and demand for lithium-ion units, has dropped since its all-time high post-pandemic.A relatively low energy density (some pitch sodium-ion batteries as being 30% less energy dense than lithium-ion counterparts) has also put off the major automotive players, all of whom are constantly looking for the lightest, most energy dense options on the market.But China’s vision for salty batteries goes well beyond transport, with the BBC reporting that it is already on track for mass-scale sodium-based energy storage solutions, which help balance the grid and store excess energy from renewable sources when not in use – all without competing with the auto industry and its voracious appetite for lithium.you might also likeForget foldable phones – LG's 'stretchable' in-car display can grow physical buttons when you need them, and I can't stop watching itHarman’s new in-car tech could give you Waze-like alerts – without the need for human helpersHonda launches its first-ever production electric motorbike, but I'll be skipping it for these 3 reasons

Milan Kovac, who leads Tesla's Optimus humanoid robotics program, is leaving the automaker. In a post on X, Milan talked about how he joined Tesla as an engineer for the core Autopilot team in 2016 and how he started leading the Optimus group in 2022. He explained that he's leaving his position, because he's "been far away from home for too long and will need to spend more time with family abroad." Kovac stressed that it was the only reason he's leaving and that his support for Elon Musk and the Tesla team was "ironclad," perhaps insinuating that his decision had nothing to do with Musk's politics or recent fallout with the president.

Tesla first announced that it was working on a humanoid robot in 2021, though it wasn't able to debut an actual prototype until a year a later in 2022. Musk said back then Optimus will be able to move at 5 mph and carry loads up to 45 pounds. He also said that he expects it to sell for $20,000 each when built at volume and claimed that the machines can give the company a $25 trillion market cap. Since then, Tesla has demonstrated Optimus' ability to handle an egg, cook meals, fold the laundry and throw the trash. The robot doesn't have a solid release date yet. Musk said back in April that the robot's production had been affected by China's export restrictions of rare earth magnets, so it's most likely not going to be anytime soon.

Bloomberg, which reported Kovac's departure first, said he's leaving the company immediately. Ashok Elluswamy, who's leading the company's Autopilot group, is taking over his responsibilities. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/the-head-of-teslas-optimus-humanoid-robot-program-leaves-the-company-120015282.html?src=rss