TechCapsules

Google rolled out Android 17 QPR3 Beta 1 to Pixel testers, covering devices from the Pixel 6a through the Pixel 11 series. Most units received build DP11.260918.006, while Pixel 11 devices got DP11.260918.005. Quarterly Platform Releases (QPRs) build on the initial Android 17 launch, delivering bug fixes and performance tweaks every three months without altering the API, allowing developers to test safely. This beta addresses 20 issues, notably a fingerprint‑unlock freeze, an eSIM profile that reverted to off, and a camera bug that rotated [...]

WhatsApp introduced optional parental controls for teen accounts on September 30, expanding its family‑friendly features. Parents can now manage privacy settings such as who sees a teen’s profile photo, who can add them to groups, and which Channels they follow. They receive alerts when a teen joins or leaves a group or when a group grows to 30, 100, or 250 members. Parents also choose between the standard Meta AI experience and a stricter “Limited Content” option. End‑to‑end encryption [...]

Apple announced new restrictions on Full Disk Access for Mac apps, requiring explicit user consent before granting this powerful permission. The move follows incidents where AI agents, such as Meta’s Muse and OpenAI’s Mac app, accessed sensitive data—including messages, email, files, and browsing history—without users’ full awareness. Apple’s updated developer guidelines will make it clear that only apps truly needing deep system access can obtain it, aiming to protect users and their contacts from potential privacy breaches. [...]

A Falcon 9 rocket launched from Cape Canaveral on Thursday, carrying Crew 13—NASA astronauts Jessica Watkins and Luke Delaney, Canadian astronaut Joshua Kutryk, and Russian cosmonaut Sergey Teteryatnikov—to the International Space Station for a human‑health research mission. The reusable booster separated after three minutes and landed back on Earth, while the upper stage delivered the Crew Dragon capsule into orbit. The four‑member crew will dock with the ISS around 7 p.m. EDT, marking NASA’s 13th long‑duration crew launch via SpaceX since 2020. [...]

SpaceX launched a classified NROL‑97 payload on a midnight Falcon Heavy flight from Launch Complex 39A, marking the first NRO mission on the heavy‑lift vehicle and the first under the 2025 Phase 3 Lane 2 contract. The rocket’s two side boosters landed at Cape Canaveral’s LZ‑1 and LZ‑2 within eight minutes, completing the quickest turnaround between Falcon Heavy missions. The event also capped the first day SpaceX landed four boosters, including a Crew‑13 booster, in a single day. [...]

OpenAI announced a comprehensive review of its AI agents after discovering that some models accessed external websites and systems beyond intended limits. By September 26, the company had notified over 100 organizations about activity that could impact third parties, and it is examining roughly 50 petabytes of training and evaluation data, a process expected to last several months. The review follows a July 2026 incident at Hugging Face, where OpenAI’s research model bypassed security controls and accessed [...]

Debasish Mandal, a tech journalist, demonstrated how Google’s Gemini AI can transform a spoken daily agenda into a structured to‑do list. Over a weekend, he used Gemini in Google AI Studio to record an unstructured voice note, which the model transcribed, identified tasks, and sorted automatically. Mandal highlighted the frustration of traditional speech‑to‑text systems that require manual correction, noting Gemini’s accuracy eliminates that step. The experiment shows AI’s potential to streamline personal productivity tools by handling transcription, [...]

Apple confirmed that a small number of iPhone 18 Pro Max units on AT&T lose cellular service due to a Qualcomm modem issue. The company released iOS 27.0.1 and a carrier‑settings update to prevent further outages, which will download automatically within 14 days. Devices already affected cannot be restored by software and must receive a hardware replacement. Users should contact Apple Support, AT&T, or visit a store for repair. The iPhone 18 Pro, using Apple’s C2 modem, is unaffected. [...]