Google’s new Android verification flow adds a 24-hour wait for apps from unverified developers as broader identity checks approach.

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Apple sent a new wave of mercenary spyware threat notifications to targeted users in 110 countries, while making the warnings more visible on iPhones. The alerts signal suspected targeting, not confirmed compromise, and Apple is urging affected users to verify the warning, consider Lockdown Mode, and seek expert help.

The post Apple Warns Users in 110 Countries of Mercenary Spyware as iPhone Alerts Get Harder to Miss appeared first on TechRepublic.

Google’s tap-to-share Quick Share feature is coming to the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Fold 8 Ultra, adding a faster proximity-based sharing option for personal and managed devices.

The post Galaxy Z Fold 8 Is Getting Android’s New Tap-to-Share Quick Share Feature appeared first on TechRepublic.

Samsung’s August 2026 Galaxy update fixes 56 Android and One UI security flaws, including critical vulnerabilities and clipboard access risks.

The post Samsung’s August Update Patches 56 Security Vulnerabilities Across Galaxy Devices appeared first on TechRepublic.

The OnePlus Nord 6 will receive six years of security updates but only four generations of Android upgrades. Here’s how that split could affect app compatibility, device management, and long-term purchasing decisions.

The post OnePlus Nord 6 Gets Six Years of Security Updates, Four Android Upgrades appeared first on TechRepublic.

Apple is warning iPhone users about FaceTime scams. Learn how the fraud works, what Apple recommends, and how to report suspicious calls.

The post Apple Warns Millions of iPhone Users: FaceTime Scams Are Spreading appeared first on TechRepublic.

DuckDuckGo’s web browser, often referred to as the DuckDuckGo Privacy Browser, can now block video ads, including in-video ads on YouTube.

The post DuckDuckGo Now Blocks Most Video Ads on Windows, Mac, iPhone appeared first on TechRepublic.

Apple is releasing some iPhone security fixes earlier as AI raises concerns about faster cyberattacks and shorter patch windows.

The post iPhone Security Fixes May Arrive Sooner as AI Speeds Up Threats appeared first on TechRepublic.

Leaked Tata files reportedly show possible iPhone 18 Pro design details, factory images, and supplier records ahead of Apple’s expected September launch.

The post iPhone 18 Leak: Apple’s Next Pro Design May Have Appeared Online appeared first on TechRepublic.

Researchers disclosed usbliter8, a SecureROM exploit affecting older Apple devices that can bypass boot protections with physical access.

The post New Apple Exploit Exposes Millions of iPhones Worldwide, No Software Fix Available appeared first on TechRepublic.

Android 17 is rolling out to supported Pixel devices first, while non-Pixel users and IT teams face separate OEM timelines, beta programs, and app-testing considerations.

The post Android 17 Is Live on Pixel, but Samsung and Other Android Users Still Have to Wait appeared first on TechRepublic.

Google’s June 2026 Android system updates add WhatsApp backup controls, Play Protect checks, passkey portability, and Play Store AI search.

The post Google Adds New Android Controls for WhatsApp Backups, Password Transfers appeared first on TechRepublic.

The long-running series in which readers answer other readers’ questions on subjects ranging from trivial flights of fancy to profound scientific and philosophical concepts

• This week’s question: Is ‘ripen at home’ fruit the supermarkets’ idea of a joke?

I’ve been struggling to get my head around the idea that a passkey, which can be a pin on your phone, or facial recognition, can be safer than using a complicated password and two-factor authentication.

I get that having something unique to your device, not stored on a company’s server, is unphishable and less hackable by cybercrims, but what if your phone is nicked and someone guesses the password? And what if you lose your phone?

Despite being a vast repository of personal information, smartphones used to have little by way of security. That has thankfully changed, but companies like Cellebrite offer law enforcement tools that can bypass security on some devices. The company keeps the specifics quiet, but an anonymous individual recently logged in to a Cellebrite briefing and came away with a list of which of Google's Pixel phones are vulnerable to Cellebrite phone hacking.

This person, who goes by the handle rogueFed, posted screenshots from the recent Microsoft Teams meeting to the GrapheneOS forums (spotted by 404 Media). GrapheneOS is an Android-based operating system that can be installed on select phones, including Pixels. It ships with enhanced security features and no Google services. Because of its popularity among the security-conscious, Cellebrite apparently felt the need to include it in its matrix of Pixel phone support.

The screenshot includes data on the Pixel 6, Pixel 7, Pixel 8, and Pixel 9 family. It does not list the Pixel 10 series, which launched just a few months ago. The phone support is split up into three different conditions: before first unlock, after first unlock, and unlocked. The before first unlock (BFU) state means the phone has not been unlocked since restarting, so all data is encrypted. This is traditionally the most secure state for a phone. In the after first unlock (AFU) state, data extraction is easier. And naturally, an unlocked phone is open season on your data.

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A silent update rolling out to virtually all Android devices will make your phone more secure, and all you have to do is not touch it for a few days. The new feature implements auto-restart of a locked device, which will make your personal data harder to extract. It's coming as part of a Google Play Services update, though, so there's nothing you can do to speed along the process.

Google is preparing to release a new update to Play Services (v25.14), which brings a raft of tweaks and improvements. First spotted by 9to5Google, the update was officially released on April 14, but as with all Play Services updates, it could take a week or more to reach all devices. When 25.14 arrives, Android devices will see a few minor improvements, including prettier settings screens, improved connection with cars and watches, and content previews when using Quick Share.

Most importantly, Play Services 25.14 adds a feature that Google describes thusly: "With this feature, your device automatically restarts if locked for 3 consecutive days."

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Gathering data used to be a fringe pursuit of Silicon Valley nerds. Now we’re all at it, recording everything from menstrual cycles and mobility to toothbrushing and time spent in daylight. Is this just narcissism redesigned for the big tech age?

I first heard about my friend Adam’s curious new habit in a busy pub. He said he’d been doing it for over a year, but had never spoken to anyone about it before. He had a furtive look around, then took out his phone and showed me the product of his burning obsession: a spreadsheet.

This was not a record of his annual tax return or numbers he was crunching for work (Adam is a data scientist). Instead, it was a spreadsheet recording the minutiae of his life, with dozens of columns tracking every element of his daily routine. It all started, he told me, because of a recurring argument with his boyfriend. His partner didn’t think they spent enough time together, but Adam thought that they did. There was only one way to settle this, he decided: cold, hard data. So he began keeping a note of the days they saw each other and the days they didn’t.