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Directive 8020 will feature "real-time threats" that will ramp up players' fearCreative director, Will Doyle, says the game's Turning Point narrative system will allow players to explore the story's branching outcomesDoyle explains that these two changes to the Dark Pictures formula are "critical" to how players interact with the storySupermassive Games has introduced two "critical" changes to Directive 8020 that will affect how players interact with the game's branching narrative.Speaking in an interview with TechRadar Gaming during Summer Game Fest, Directive 8020's creative director, Will Doyle, explained that the team has switched up the survival horror aspect for the next Dark Pictures anthology entry by implementing "real-time threats"."There are two big things that have fundamentally changed what this game is," Doyle said. "One of them is the real-time threats, the effect that that's had on changing the control system, and the fear that it puts into you when you're playing it really, really gets your heart pounding."The Until Dawn creators have also changed how players make important story choices by introducing something called the Turning Point system. This mechanic allows players to rewind at certain points in the narrative, which Doyle says will allow players to explore different outcomes, unlike in any other Dark Pictures entry."The other is the turning point system and the ability to explore our branching story. Because for me, that's kind of two critical aspects of what we've done," he said."We're a narrative game, and you've got a new system that lets you explore the narrative in a fun way, and we are a game that lets you move around and have action in it, and we've pushed that forward as well."Directive 8020 is the fifth entry in the eight-planned Dark Pictures series and arrives on October 2 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and PC.In the game, a colony ship called the Cassiopeia has crash-landed on the planet Tau Ceti f in the middle of an expedition to save Earth. The crew soon discovers they aren't alone and must survive being hunted by an alien organism capable of mimicking its prey.You might also like...Best horror games: the scariest titles to play in 2025Xbox Games Showcase 2025: everything revealed from Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 and Persona 4 remake to a new handheldAfter seeing Resident Evil Requiem in action, I'm convinced it'll be another groundbreaking entry in the horror series

As we head closer and closer to summer (for those of us in the northern hemisphere at least), the best streaming services are reviving their libraries in order to keep you away from nature and sunlight, safely ensconced on your couch. Which, considering allergies and heat, is a worthy tactic that I shall be adhering to. And it's not hard to see why with everything due to hit streaming in June 2025.But, as the cost of streaming rises along with… well, the cost of everything, it's a good idea to contemplate which services you absolutely have to keep for the upcoming month versus those you can probably go without for June.Luckily, this month sees one of my favorite reliable hubs knock out a bunch of titles I simply cannot ignore – I’m talking about Hulu (a lot of the same titles of which will arrive on Disney+ internationally) – and one of my other favorites offer up so few, I'm happy to let it go for the month. Here's my take.Why I'm keeping my Hulu subscription in JuneI can't wait to get back into this heated kitchen. (Image credit: FX)I love Hulu. It's one of my favorite streamers because of its deals with several major TV networks– NBC, ABC and Fox– which allows you to get the latest episodes of shows either the day-of, or the day after they originally air. While that's been essential for my addiction to 9-1-1 and The Rookie, this month however, I've got eyes for one show only.Yep, The Bear season 4 debuts June 25. This award-winning drama continues to stoke curiosity, and based on a lil' detail in the teaser trailer it looks like this could be the last outing for Carmy and the crew. Whether that's the case, I'll be ready to chomp down on whatever they're serving up!If you're looking for movies then two of my favorite franchises are coming to the platform. Anyone who knows me knows I love the Alien series– yes, I ranked them even though it was one of the most difficult things I've ever done – so I'm delighted that all nine of the movies will be available as part of everything new on Hulu in June in the US (those in the UK or Australia can catch these on Disney+ instead).Alien: Earth isn't coming out until August but the entire Alien franchise is streaming on Hulu in the US. (Image credit: FX)2024's Alien: Romulus dropped on Hulu and Disney+ a while back but now you can binge the entire xenomorph legacy in one go, which also includes both Alien vs. Predator films. Are they good? Not particularly. Do they fit into the chronology? Not particularly. But they attempt to unite two of the bloodiest franchises into a PG-13 film so honestly, worthwhile watching for that alone.Now is a great time to revisit all of the films, as FX is bringing the xenos to the small screen with Alien: Earth, which makes its way onto Hulu on August 12. Of course, there's also the new Predator: Killer of Killers to enjoy, too.Keeping that horror vibe, Scream 2022 slashes its way onto Hulu June 8 – unfortunately, it's only streaming on the Channel 4 app in the UK and isn't available in Australia. This requel ought to get audiences prepared for next year's Scream 7, which is one of my most anticipated horror films of 2026.On the newer end of things the latest Steven Soderbergh outing, Presence, is slated for a June 3 arrival on Hulu in the US and Disney+ internationally, and I'm very excited to check this out. Its critical reception has wavered depending on the viewer; some people hoped for a flat-out horror and others wanted a drama, and judging on the reviews, it sounds like a mashup of the two.Why I'm canceling HBO Max in June The Last of Us season 2 has ended on HBO Max. (Image credit: Liane Hentscher/HBO)If you’ve gathered by now, I tend to keep streamers that have at least two things I’m excited to watch – movies or TV series. Aside from the service finally reverting back to its old name of HBO Max – which is exciting to me but I'm going to need a little more to go on – Max simply doesn’t carry any fresh offerings I have to watch in June. Granted, there are exceptions to my preferences as Max offers a ton of great shows. With The Last Of Us season 2 all wrapped up, there isn't much to necessitate my subscription, BUT, if you are a fan of The Gilded Age, I expect you'll want to keep Max as season 3 drops later in the month.You might also like4 new Disney+ TV shows I can't wait to stream in June 20255 new Hulu movies with over 90% on Rotten Tomatoes to stream3 new Max movies to stream in June 2025

Gartner report claims companies are reversing or toning down their strategies for AI customer serviceAlmost all companies will keep human agents in their teamsExperts call for a hybrid approach, with AI and humansA growing amount of of companies are abandoning plans to drastically reduce human customer service roles in the next two years due to technical, operational and cost-related challenges, research has claimed.A new Gartner report found a staggering majority (95%) plan to retain human agents as a result, acknowledging AI's current limitations in handling complex or nuanced customer interactions.The report also confirmed customers prefer human interactions and support, with only 7% trusting AI most for issue resolution. Three in five (62%) also worry that AI will make it harder to reach a human if they need more detailed support.Companies still plan on using human customer service agentsGartner's analysts emphasized that AI cannot fully replace humans in the field just yet, citing poor user experiences and unexpected costs from failed AI implementations.So far, projects expecting GenAI to solve all customer issues have largely fallen short of expectations, and the idea of a fully human-less contact center is neither feasible nor desirable at this stage."Human touch remains irreplaceable in many interactions, and organizations must balance technology with human empathy and understanding," Senior Director Analyst Kathy Ross explained."A hybrid approach, where AI and human agents work in tandem, is the most effective strategy for delivering exceptional customer experiences."However, separate IBM research revealed UK businesses are still bidding big on AI – four in five (83%) execs expect agentic AI to improve efficiency, with UK businesses allocating an average of 15% of their IT budgets to AI.A similar number of execs (84%) also expect AI to automate repetitive tasks at above-human speeds by next year.All of this in mind, even IBM admits that some challenges remain, especially surrounding data quality (49%), trust (46%) and skills shortages (42%).IBM Consulting VP for AI Integration Services, Francesco Brenna, explained how AI isn't a plug-and-play, solve-all tool to fix all business problems: "This isn’t about plugging an agent into an existing process and hoping for the best. It means re-architecting how the process is executed, redesigning the user experience, orchestrating agents end-to-end, and integrating the right data to provide context, memory, and intelligence throughout."You might also likeWe've listed the best AI tools and best AI writersIt might be time to upgrade to the best customer database softwareCustomer service hasn’t changed, but how we handle it has, Zendesk EMEA CTO says

Apple’s iOS 26 update introduced a new Liquid Glass designThere are also lots of little changes to be found in the software upgradeHere are five of the most useful smaller iOS 26 changesIf you watched Apple’s WWDC 2025 event earlier this week, the Liquid Glass redesign is probably the thing that leapt out the most to you. But despite the understandable airtime it got, it’s far from the most significant change to Apple’s iPhone operating system.The iOS 26 update is packed with useful tweaks and changes that do far more than a visual overhaul ever could. We've covered the big ones in our iOS 26 roundup, but with the developer beta now out in the wild, some smaller quality-of-life changes have emerged.Here, we’ve gathered five of those smaller, unheralded features that we think we will impact you much more than the Apple's Liquid Glass redesign...1. Banish spam voicemails(Image credit: Apple)Spam is the bane of any phone user, and sometimes it feels like there’s very little you can actually do about it. But Apple is hoping to change that in iOS 26, as it’s giving you the ability to report spam voicemails from your iPhone.The feature is simple to use. If you get a voicemail left by an unknown number, you just need to tap into the message and you’ll see a “Report Spam” button. Pick that and it’s sent to Apple (likely to help improve its detection, although Apple hasn’t confirmed that yet).You can then report the voicemail as spam and keep it on your device, or report it and delete it forever. Combined with iOS 26’s Call Screening feature, this will hopefully help you deal with unwanted calls and messages a little more easily.2. Upgraded boarding passes(Image credit: Apple)Apple’s Wallet app has been able to store boarding passes for a while, and it’s a useful way to quickly present your travel info in an airport without needing to print anything on paper. In iOS 26, though, boarding passes just became a whole lot more capable.With the update, virtual boarding passes can now give you directions to your terminal and help you find your luggage if it’s been paired with an AirTag or other tracker.Boarding passes now offer Live Activities, too, and these show flight progress, arrival gate number, baggage claim info, and much more.3. Custom your snooze timers(Image credit: Future / Apple)Sometimes, you just need a little extra sleep in the mornings. If your iPhone alarm goes off, you’ve long had the option to snooze it in iOS, but that function has always given you exactly nine minutes more to doze – nothing more, nothing less.In iOS 26, you can customize the snooze duration to your needs, with options ranging from one to 15 minutes. That should give you plenty of flexibility to get a little extra kip on your own terms.4. Apple Intelligence in Shortcuts(Image credit: Apple)Shortcuts is already one of the smartest apps on your iPhone, and it’s just had another boost in iOS 26 thanks to deep integration with Apple Intelligence, Apple’s artificial intelligence (AI) platform.You can now incorporate AI directly into your workflows, with options like comparing two input documents, generating an image, or using Visual Intelligence.There’s an option to tap into Apple’s on-device processing, use the company’s Private Cloud Compute, or hand off to ChatGPT. And there are a bunch of pre-made shortcuts that showcase some of Apple Intelligence’s abilities, too.5. Apple Music Lock Screen animations(Image credit: Apple)When you’re playing music from the Apple Music app on your iPhone, iOS 26 will present a new visual treat on your Lock Screen. By default, you’ll see the track’s album art, but if it has an animated version, a quick tap on it will start the animation on your display.This effect requires the album or single to have an animated cover in the first place, and not all tracks come with this functionality. You’ll also need to do it in Apple Music, as it doesn’t work with Spotify. Still, it’s a neat bit of visual flair to go along with your favorite music.You might also likeWWDC 2025 as it happened: all the iOS 26, MacOS Tahoe, and iPadOS news, with live video from Apple ParkOoh, shiny! I hate myself for being so excited about Liquid Glass in iOS 26iOS 26 is official – here are the 5 biggest new features coming to your iPhone

A Fortnite Superman skin is set to be added next month, based on the new version as featured in James Gunn's Superman. Interestingly, players can actually unlock the skin now, though there will still be additional cosmetics to get once the pass goes live for everyone.What's new in Fortnite?(Image credit: Epic Games)Fortnite just launched its newest season. We're now at the beginning of Chapter 6 Season 3, titled Fortnite Super. This major update added Superman, Robin, and other Heroes to the game, alongside a whole host of super-powered items and weapons. You can now unlock three new map locations, with Utopia City being a real highlight. Elsewhere, Fortnite OG just got its newest season.Now that a brand new season of Fortnite has launched, there's a completely fresh map to try out, and the addition of a superhero ranking system. There are ranks to rise through in each match, giving you access to progressively more powerful gear. We've got a couple of months until the next season of Fortnite arrives, but there's plenty to keep us busy until then.Here's everything you need to know about the Fortnite Superman skin, including when it's coming to the game and details on how to unlock it early. As new info is revealed closer to launch, we'll be sure to update this page.Fortnite Superman release date(Image credit: Epic Games)Fortnite's Superman skin will release on July 11, 2025. This can be seen in the in-game calendar that's on the main menu screen before loading into a match. Battle Pass owners can unlock Superman and additional Superman items by completing Quests starting July 11. The Super Battle Pass is available to progress in now until August 8, 2025.The best place to keep up on specific updates closer to the launch of the new season is the Fortnite Status Twitter account. We'll be sure to keep this page up to date as well.How to unlock the Fortnite Superman skin early(Image credit: Epic Games)You can actually unlock the main Superman Fortnite skin early by purchasing the Premium Battle Pass. This grants access to the Battle Pass, 25 levels, as well as the skin. This costs 2800 V-Bucks and instantly unlocks Superman. This is the same skin as you'll get on July 11, though there will be additional cosmetics to earn via Quests once the pass is live.Epic usually details the rewards associated with bonus skins like Superman, closer to their launch date. On release, the Superman skin will have five additional rewards to earn, with five more being added a week after. This is how bonus skins have worked for quite a while, so hopefully Superman follows suit. If anything changes, we'll be sure to update this page.You Might Also Like...Our picks for the best free games to play right nowFortnite Chapter 4 reviewNintendo Switch 2 review-in-progress

Though we're still in the era of iOS 18, the next big update – which rather than iOS 19 is instead called iOS 26 – has been unveiled at WWDC 2025.As such, we now know what to expect, and for the intrepid among you, it's even possible to download a beta version of the software and try it out for yourself.That might be tempting too, because as well as a new name, iOS 26 also sports a whole new look, among numerous new and improved features.Below, you'll find everything you need to know about this software update, including all its major features and when it will start rolling out.Cut to the chaseWhat is it? The next major update to the iPhone’s operating systemWhen is it out? Announced on June 9, probably rolling out in SeptemberWho will get it? All models from the iPhone 11 onwards will be compatibleiOS 26: release date(Image credit: Apple)iOS 26 was announced at WWDC 2025 on June 9, and it's available in beta now. If you'd like to grab it yourself, we've got a guide covering how to download the iOS 26 developer beta.However, the finished version probably won't launch until September 2025, where it's likely to land alongside the expected iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, and possible iPhone 17 Air.Still, since it has been announced we already know what to expect, so read on to learn all about iOS 26.iOS 26: compatibilityThe iPhone XS doesn't support iOS 26 While iOS 26 isn't out yet, we do know the full list of phones that are compatible with iOS 26.In short, if you have a model in the iPhone 11 series or later or an iPhone SE (2020) or later, then you'll be able to download iOS 26.That means almost every phone that can get iOS 18 will also be able to get iOS 26, with the exception being the iPhone XS, the iPhone XS Max, and the iPhone XR.iOS 26: a new design(Image credit: Apple)While there are lots of new features in iOS 26, the biggest change is to the look of the operating system, with Apple having given it a complete revamp.This is the largest redesign to the iPhone software experience since iOS 7 launched alongside the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c, so it's a massive change, and it's focused around a digital 'material' called Liquid Glass.What this means in practice is a lot of rounded and transparent elements inspired by visionOS, along with a new clear theme, which you can optionally choose instead of light or dark.This should freshen up the interface, and a version of this new style is also being applied to most of Apple's other operating systems, so there will be more unity across devices.iOS 26: new features (Image credit: Apple)iOS 26 includes a slew of useful new features, ranging from overhauled apps to Apple Intelligence improvements, details of which you'll find below.A new camera app(Image credit: Apple)iOS 26 features a redesigned camera app, which streamlines the photo and video modes to make them easier to use.When you launch the app, the only options you'll see below the shutter button are 'Photo' and 'Video', rather than the large number of options that are present in iOS 18. Then, once you select one of those you can view other related options with a swipe to the left or right.Other menus within the camera have also been reorganized to make them clearer and more intuitive, so navigating the camera app should be a lot slicker with iOS 26.Apple Intelligence improvements(Image credit: Apple)Siri still hasn't got the ChatGPT-like overhaul we're waiting for, but iOS 26 does include some Apple Intelligence improvements.There's Live Translation, which will translate text and audio across the phone app, Messages, and FaceTime, and Visual Intelligence has been upgraded to allow you to get help with anything on your screen.The Shortcuts app has also been improved, with a new set of Shortcuts available that have been enabled by Apple Intelligence, and Genmoji and Image Playground now allow you to combine emoji, Genmoji, and descriptions, for all-new creations.Apple Games(Image credit: Apple)Apple Games is a new app that takes the place of Game Center, but unlike Game Center you can manually launch this, and you'll be able to find and start games from within it.You'll also find leaderboards here, and be able to track achievements, and the same app is coming to macOS, adding to the sense of unity between these operating systems.An overhauled Phone appCall Screening in iOS 26 (Image credit: Apple)The Phone app has also had a lot of attention in iOS 26, with this now having a simpler layout that puts Favorites, Recents, and Voicemail all on one screen.More excitingly though, it also now has a Call Screening feature which lets you hear what a call is about before deciding whether to pick up. There's also Hold Assist, which will notify you when you're no longer on hold.Battery boosts(Image credit: Future)Your phone's battery life could also be improved with iOS 26, as a new Adaptive Power mode will make changes in the background to reduce battery drain at the cost of things like screen brightness and performance, so this will be useful when your battery is running low.There's also a new charging time estimate, which will predict how long it will take for your battery to charge, and you'll see more in depth battery stats in the battery section of the Settings app.Better flight features(Image credit: Apple)Frequent flyers should appreciate iOS 26, as Apple has made it so that if you've got a boarding pass saved in Wallet, you'll be able to see related Live Activities, providing real-time updates on the flight.This improved boarding pass experience also provides shortcuts to mapping to the airport, and to Find My for luggage tracking.Other small updatesApple Maps in iOS 26 (Image credit: Apple)As well as the large new features above, there are also some smaller features in iOS 26.These include lyrics translation and pronunciation tools in Apple Music, a new Visited Places screen in Apple Maps, the option to pay in installments for in-store purchases made with Apple Pay, alerts when your phone's camera lenses are dirty, and additional Background Sound options.iOS 26 will also filter messages from unknown senders so they don't clog up your inbox, and you can create polls in the Messages apps.Plus, CarPlay also has a new design and features – such as a Tapback tool in Messages – as part of iOS 26.You might also likeBest iPhone: which Apple smartphone reigns supreme?5 smaller but super-helpful iOS 26 tricks you may have missedWWDC 2025 as it happened: all the iOS 26, MacOS Tahoe, and iPadOS news, with live video from Apple Park

Garmin has revealed the Garmin Venu X1, a surprise new premium smartwatchIt costs a hefty $799.99 / £679.99 / AU$1,499Its 2-inch square display is bigger than the Apple Watch Ultra 2 – but it's said to last up to eight days instead of the Apple Watch's 36 hoursSurprise! Garmin has revealed the Garmin Venu X1, an "ultrathin" smartwatch with a massive 2-inch AMOLED display and up to eight days of battery life.The Garmin Venu X1 looks set to be an Apple Watch Ultra 2 competitor, with its massive square AMOLED screen (bigger than the Ultra's 1.9-inch offering) set to showcase full-color maps to ensure you can navigate adventures with ease, custom watch faces and what appears to be a redesigned interface.An on-board speaker and microphone allows you to take calls on-wrist while connected to your phone, and use simple voice commands such as 'set a timer' or 'start a running activity' even while offline.It's also packing 32GB of internal memory, presumably for on-watch music, and Garmin's updated Elevate v5 heart rate sensor, most recently used on the Garmin Forerunner 570 and 970. It's got Garmin's LED flashlight onboard, a titanium backing, and scratch-proof Sapphire Glass coating the display.This is certainly a watch ready for the great outdoors, while incorporating lifestyle elements such as those voice commands and more font sizes, which makes notifications much easier to receive and navigate on that giant screen.The Garmin Venu series has always aimed to straddle the line between a 'true' smartwatch extension for your phone and Garmin's classic dedicated fitness companion, and has done so admirably in the past: the Garmin Venu 3 was ranked 'best for most people' in our best Garmin watches list for 2025. This new thinner Venu X1 appears to follow that brief, with its square watch face inevitably drawing comparisons to Apple like the Venu Sq before it.As you might expect from a premium GPS watch from Garmin, the Garmin Venu X1 doesn't come cheap, costing $799.99 / £679.99 / AU$1,499. Perhaps not entirely coincidentally, this is right around the Apple Watch Ultra 2's price point.It's available now in two colors, Black and Moss, and includes Garmin's 24mm ComfortFit nylon band.You might also like...Whoops! A Garmin Index Sleep Monitor video was reportedly just leaked – by GarminThe Polar Grit X2 is luring us away from the Garmin Instinct 3Garmin Index Sleep Monitor: Everything we know so far

As part of new updates to its parental controls announced at WWDC 25, Apple has introduced a new feature that requires kids to get permission to text new numbers. That's among other new child safety settings including more granular age-based app ratings that will be introduced to the new iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS Tahoe 26, watchOS 26, visionOS 26, and tvOS 26 operating systems coming this fall, Apple announced.

The new feature called Communication Limits (part of Child Accounts) gives parents the ability to manage their kids communications across Messages, FaceTime, calling and iCloud contacts. Children must send a request to their parents when they want to contact a new phone number and parents can then give approval with a single tape in Messages. Developers can include the new function in third-party apps using Apple's PermissionKit framework.

Apple

Another new child-friendly feature is more granular age-based ratings for apps to help parents decide which are safe for their kids to use. By the end of 2025, those will expand to five categories including three for adolescents: 13+, 16+ and 18+. When parents set app content restrictions, apps that exceed those will not appear on the App Store — though kids can request exemptions if the Ask to Buy setting is enabled.

Apple already employs safety features like web content filters and app restrictions for kids under 13, but it will now enforce "similar age-appropriate" protections for teens between 13 and 17. The company will also let parents give apps a child's age range without disclosing their exact date of birth. Finally, the Communication Safety tool has been expanded to intervene when it detects nudity in FaceTime video calls and it will blur out nudity in Shared Albums in Photos.

Apple's changes follow in the heels of new age-verification laws enacted in Texas, Utah and and other states. Google, for one, opposed the Utah bill, but Meta and other app makers have called for legislation that would require app stores to get parental approval before their teens download any app — effectively offloading the responsibility to Apple, Google and others.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/apples-ios-26-requires-kids-to-get-parental-permission-to-text-new-numbers-120049197.html?src=rss