TechCapsules

Xbox has reportedly secured Hideo Kojima’s action‑espionage title Physint for a budget far below the $400 million figure previously cited by Sony. Christopher Dring of The Game Business first reported the $400 million estimate, but later clarified that Microsoft’s negotiated amount is “quite a bit less,” with Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier noting it is “significantly less.” Windows Central’s Jez Corden added that Xbox is paying only a fraction of the original figure. The deal also includes movie and TV licensing rights [...]

Microsoft’s Copilot+ branding was removed from its laptops, yet the company’s AI assistant continues to thrive. Nicolas Bustamante, an AI division employee, noted that Copilot remains popular among businesses, citing strong adoption rates. He recalled that before his involvement, only a handful of users were known, but now the tool is widely embraced. The decision to drop the Copilot+ label reflects a strategic shift, while internal feedback underscores the product’s growing relevance and user satisfaction. [...]

Apple is developing a new Vision Pro successor, code‑named N224, after shelving the earlier Vision Air (N100). Bloomberg reports the device could launch between late 2028 and early 2029, potentially offering a lighter, all‑in‑one design or an external puck similar to Meta’s VR glasses. Apple is experimenting with materials—plastic, titanium, and other metals—to reduce weight while maintaining performance. The new headset may feature an A‑series chip capable of running visionOS without active cooling, positioning it as a [...]

Apple’s internal “development graveyard” – a repository of abandoned prototypes – illustrates the company’s disciplined approach to product development, exemplified by the Vision Pro headset. While analysts criticize Apple for not accelerating a lighter, cheaper version after a 28‑month gap between the M2 and M5 chips, the firm reportedly rejected several design iterations to preserve its fidelity standards. Bloomberg’s “Power On” newsletter notes that Apple maintains dozens of active projects, from rollable OLED displays to drones, yet only [...]

Google’s Project Suncatcher will launch its first “MVP” satellite on October 1, 2026 aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rideshare from Vandenberg. The 4‑kilogram payload carries four custom Trillium TPU AI chips, solar panels delivering about one kilowatt, and is designed for a dawn‑dusk, sun‑synchronous low‑Earth orbit lasting roughly a year. The chips can compute for only 15 minutes before pausing to dissipate heat, making the test a proof‑of‑concept for space‑based AI compute. Google accelerated the launch from early 2027, underscoring the [...]

SpaceX received its final regulatory approval on Saturday when the Federal Aviation Administration granted a launch license for Starship Flight 14. The mission is slated for liftoff Monday, September 28, from Pad 2 at Starbase, Texas, with a 75‑minute window opening at 7:15 a.m. Central time. Flight 14 will carry 26 next‑generation Starlink V3 satellites on Ship 41 and perform an orbital profile, completing roughly six orbits at 275 km before a Pacific splashdown west of Chile, while the Super Heavy booster returns to [...]

Apple’s iOS 27 introduces a dedicated paste shortcut that appears in the top row of the on‑screen keyboard whenever a user copies text, a URL, or an image. The feature eliminates the previous multi‑tap process of opening a context menu after switching apps. A smart suggestion bar shows a preview—either a short snippet of text or a thumbnail of the copied media—so users can confirm the content before tapping paste. The shortcut works across iPhone apps but, according [...]

At the Indo‑Russian Space Roundtable during BRICS 2026, Anil Prakash, Director General of the Space Industries Association of India, urged a shift from government‑to‑government to industry‑to‑industry collaboration between India and Russia. Representing an ecosystem of roughly 700 companies, including 400 startups, Prakash highlighted the need to integrate India’s expanding private space sector into existing bilateral ties. He called for shared launch capabilities, technology protection frameworks, co‑development, manufacturing, skilling, and disaster‑management cooperation, stressing that trust already exists and [...]