UK lawmakers target people who play music publicly on trains from iPhone speakers, a notorious prank call from an "open iPad," and a stalking case involving an AirTag in this week's Apple Crime Blotter.


The latest in an occasional AppleInsider series, looking at the world of Apple-related crime.


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Asus has just announced its latest pre-built desktop PC, the TUF Gaming T500. While it looks like an ordinary gaming system from the outside, it happens that this system utilises Intel's 13th Gen mobile CPU, The Core i7-13620H with a desktop RTX 5060 Ti graphics card. 

Measuring 15.55 x 29.64 x 35.68 cm, the T500 can be configured with some potent components for its size. It's available with up to an Intel Core i7-13620H CPU, featuring six P-cores and eight E-cores with a maximum boost clock of 5.0GHz, providing ample processing power. Graphics are handled by up to an Nvidia GeForce RTX 5060 Ti GPU, offering strong performance for modern gaming and creative applications with support for the latest features. Memory options go up to a generous 32GB of DDR5 RAM clocked at 5200MHz (support for up to 64GB), while storage can reach up to 2TB via a speedy PCIe 4.0 SSD for fast game load times. All this is powered by an 80+ Platinum PSU with either 330W or 500W of power.

Visually, the TUF Gaming T500 embraces a mecha anime-inspired design aesthetic. Builders have a choice of side panels, with options for a translucent panel to showcase the internal components or a solid metal side panel with an “X” mesh for a more understated look. Subtle lighting on the front of the machine illuminates the front I/O panel.

True to the TUF Gaming brand, the T500 desktop meets MIL-STD durability standards. It has undergone rigorous testing against environmental stresses like drops, temperature extremes, and vibration to ensure reliability.

KitGuru says: This is a very compact system, making it ideal for student living. 

The post The new Asus TUF Gaming T500 PC pairs mobile processors with desktop graphics first appeared on KitGuru.

MSI is preparing to launch a new 4K OLED gaming monitor, potentially offering a more streamlined, value-oriented option in their OLED lineup. Named MAG 272UP X24, this 26.5-inch model features a latest-generation QD-OLED panel boasting a 240Hz maximum refresh rate.

As expected from an OLED panel, the MAG 272UP X24 offers a near-instantaneous 0.03ms response time for sharp motion, alongside a 1,500,000:1 contrast ratio. Colour performance is robust with a Delta-E value of less than 2, a 10-bit colour depth and wide colour coverage, hitting 138% sRGB, 99% DCI-P3, 98% Adobe RGB. HDR highlights can reach up to 1,000 cd/m² peak, while SDR luminance is rated at 250 cd/m². Moreover, it carries DisplayHDR True Black 400 and ClearMR 13000 certifications.

 

For gamers, the monitor supports Adaptive Sync technology to prevent screen tearing, and its HDMI 2.1 inputs mean it can handle 4K at 120 Hz with VRR from modern consoles. On-screen gaming features include an AI-supported black stabiliser and a smart crosshair overlay. There's also a handy feature to convert the display to a 24.5-inch mode for potentially higher frame rates and reduced input latency in fast-paced games.

Port selection includes two HDMI 2.1 inputs, one DisplayPort 1.4a, a headphone output, and a USB-C port that supports DisplayPort (alt. mode and 15 W of PD). It's worth noting that this model does not have a standard USB hub, suggesting a focus on core display functionality. The stand is versatile, offering tilt, swivel, pivot, and 110mm of height adjustment, plus standard 100x100mm VESA mount compatibility. The monitor incorporates MSI's OLED Care 2.0 suite of features to combat OLED burn-in, including a fanless custom heatsink and a three-year warranty.

KitGuru says: Although pricing is still unknown for Western regions, this monitor is the cheapest MSI 4K QD-OLED monitor for sale in China. Hopefully, the same will happen on this side of the globe.

The post MSI unveils its latest 4K QD-OLED gaming monitor first appeared on KitGuru.

Intel has a new hardware game bundle available. Over the next few months, those buying an 14th Gen Intel Core CPU, or an Intel Core Ultra CPU, will be eligible to claim free codes for two games – Dying Light: The Beast and Civilization VII. 

This new bundle includes a selection of games and creative tools. Gamers can get a free key for the upcoming Dying Light: The Beast, which is set to be released sometime in summer 2025. They'll also receive a key for the recently released Sid Meier's Civilization VII. On the software side, the bundle adds valuable creative tools, including Vegas Pro 365, XSplit Premium Suite, and Canvid.

Intel includes a broad range of processors in this promotion, covering recent and current generations. Eligible CPUs include models from the Core Ultra 100, Core Ultra 200 series, and the 14th Generation Core series. This covers many variants, including desktop K and T-series processors and mobile H and HX-series chips, meaning desktop and laptop users can qualify.

Claim your items by August 15th, 2025, and use the provided codes by September 15th, 2025. You can learn more about the bundle on its website.

KitGuru says: Are you planning an upgrade in the near future? 

The post Intel launches new game bundle featuring Dying Light: The Beast and Civ 7 first appeared on KitGuru.

Apple has now approved an update to the Spotify app on the App Store that includes direct links for purchasing and price information, after it was required to do so by a court ruling on April 30.


"There is more work to do," said Spotify spokesperson Jeanne Moran in a statement provided to CNBC, "but today represents a significant milestone for developers and entrepreneurs everywhere who want to build [apps] and compete on a more level playing field."

By adding a direct link to the company's own store into its app, Spotify and other developers can avoid having to pay Apple a 30 percent commission on in-app purchases. Judge Rogers ruled in 2021 that Apple could not force developers to use only App Store links.


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The latest episode of the podcast features the musings of J. Hellstrom, background art by J. Hellstrom, and several segments written - in large part - by J. Hellstrom.  In a way,…

💾

Apple will be bringing back a battery-case accessory for its planned iPhone 17 Air to help give the super-slim model all-day battery life.

Apple reportedly plans to shake up its iPhone release schedule starting with the iPhone 18, with only the flagship Pro models rumored to arrive in 2026.


Since 2019 and the iPhone 11 Pro, Apple has launched its Pro iPhone models alongside the regular models. That annual event each September or October was accompanied by an occasional mid-cycle update, or the sporadic release of an iPhone SE, but now Apple is reportedly going to change to a twice-yearly launch.

According to The Information, three unnamed sources in the supply chain claim that Apple will stagger iPhone releases into a fall and a spring pattern from 2026. There is no further specific detail about the change, but the sources say the more expensive models will launch first.


Rumor Score: 🤔 Possible


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A new AiO LCS from Corsair has surfaced, the Corsair Nautilus 360 RS.  It is designed to be easy to use and install, so it would be a good choice for someone…

The world has a password problem that is getting worse by the second.  With hordes of apps now requiring you to create a unique account to access them, with a unique password…

Apple is bringing in Anthropic's Claude AI to help its engineers code faster, marking a quiet but telling shift in its approach to artificial intelligence.


Apple has long resisted leaning on outside help for core technologies, preferring to build its tools in-house. But that wall is starting to crack. The company is now partnering with Anthropic to integrate its Claude Sonnet model into an upgraded version of Xcode, Apple's software development platform.


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While it'll probably look very familiar, the iPhone 17 is set to bring some performance increases and new features. Here's everything the rumor mill thinks is coming in the fall of 2025.


In September 2025, Apple is expected to introduce a radically redesigned iPhone lineup. The iPhone 17 Pro is widely believed to feature a new rear "camera bar" design, and rumors suggest an ultra-thin iPhone 17 Air will replace the Plus model for 2025.

The standard iPhone 17, however, won't benefit from the same visual treatment. Based on alleged leaked CAD files and dummy units, the base model iPhone 17 will be virtually indistinguishable from its predecessor, the iPhone 16. Apple has already made test units of the iPhone 17, and the device is reportedly moving toward mass production.


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Apple iPhone 16e (starts at $699, as reviewed $899) The iPhone 16e is Apple’s new entry-level smartphone. It’s a great phone that’s simply too expensive, considering it lacks an ultrawide camera and high refresh-rate display. Clean, simple design Beautiful display Nice cameras Excellent speakers Solid performance Good battery...

Apple's 2025 15-inch MacBook Air equipped with the M4 chip has dropped to $1,049 as retailers compete for your business in a May price war.


The 15-inch M4 MacBook Air (2025) features a 10-core GPU, with the standard model also equipped with 16GB of unified memory and a 256GB SSD. Apple resellers B&H and Amazon are both discounting the standard spec in all four colorways to $1,049, the lowest price in 30 days and a 13% markdown off MSRP.

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Both by getting an exemption, and by toiling for seven years to diversify its iPhone manufacturing efforts outside of China, the $900 million estimate of tariff impacts in the third quarter is paltry compared to what it could have been, and is for other companies.


An unusual part of Apple's latest earnings call was when Cook broke off from recounting the quarter in question, and instead offered what he called color on the future. Really he was speaking about tariffs, which were introduced in Q2 but sufficiently anticipated in Q1 that it had an impact on Apple sales.

Cook had already said that Apple used a "build ahead" approach, to get more imports done before the tariff announcement for the third quarter. While he didn't comment on the unexpectedly higher severity of Trump's tariffs, he said that Apple estimates that "the tariffs will add $900 million to our costs for the third fiscal quarter."


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B&H's world-class creative expo returns to New York City — and best of all, it's free to attend.


B&H has been committed to supporting audio and visual artists since 1973. In 2023, it held its first Bild Expo to celebrate its 50th anniversary.

Now, Bild Expo returns for its second year, inviting creatives to connect across both skill levels and industries.


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The ASUS ROG Maximus Z890 Hero is dripping with features and an edgy, head-turning design, but for once the fault lays not with the board or manufacturer, but with the lack of attractive CPU options, although as usual this high-end ASUS board is still prohibitively expensive for most.

Just days after rumours suggesting AMD might be reconsidering or even cancelling the 8GB variant of their upcoming Radeon RX 9060 XT desktop graphics card, a new report refutes those claims. According to this new report, citing reputable sources close to AMD board partners, the 8GB RX 9060 XT is, in fact, still very much on schedule.

According to Benchlife (via VideoCardz), the initial rumour about the 8GB model's potential cancellation stemmed from the poor market and review reception of Nvidia's competing RTX 5060 Ti 8GB. As seen by various media outlets and independent reviewers, that card struggled with VRAM limitations in some modern titles.

Countering this, Benchlife's sources reportedly indicate that the 8GB RX 9060 XT variant is not only still planned, but production is already underway. However, while the variant itself isn't cancelled, the report does claim that the 8GB version of the RX 9060 XT may not get a traditional rollout to the wider DIY PC market and may end up being reserved for OEMs and system integrators.

KitGuru says: With games nowadays demanding more and more VRAM, we would like to see the industry push for more 12GB+ GPUs, particularly in the £200 to £400 market segment. 

The post New report suggests AMD RX 9060 XT with 8GB memory is still planned for release first appeared on KitGuru.

Evil Dead: The Game only just came out in 2022 but this week, the game mysteriously began disappearing from store fronts. At this point, the game is no longer available to purchase on Steam, PlayStation and Xbox. Now, publisher and developer, Saber Interactive, has spoken out. 

Saber Interactive did not comment on the game's removal earlier this week when fans first found the game missing from the PSN, Epic Games and Steam Stores. Now with the game's delisting completed, Saber has finally confirmed that yes, the game is going away.

Here is Saber Interactive's full statement on the matter (via VGC):

“We can confirm we’ve begun the process of removing the game from digital storefronts. Anyone who has purchased the game will still be able to play it as we plan to keep our servers online for everyone. We want to extend a sincere thank you to our community, to those who have been part of the game from the very beginning, and those who have recently joined us. We appreciate all of your support.”

Typically when a game is going to be delisted, developers will give fans a heads up, leaving the door open for last-minute purchases before a game disappears for good. Saber unfortunately did not take that approach here, keeping its licensing details secret until the very end.

KitGuru Says: The handling of this has been abysmal, but it wouldn't be the first time that Saber Interactive has failed to communicate with its audience effectively. 

The post Saber Interactive confirms Evil Dead: The Game is being removed from sale first appeared on KitGuru.

KitGuru was first introduced to the Lian Li Lancool 217 at CES this year and our first impressions were excellent. Happily the time has now come for a full review of this chassis which is landing at £110 here in the UK. Is it just another airflow-focused case in an already crowded market, or has Lian Li managed to deliver something special? We find out today.

Specification:

• Motherboard support: SSI-EEB, E-ATX up to 280mm wide, ATX, Micro-ATX, Mini-ITX.
• Power supply support: ATX, SFX-L, SFX.
• Expansion slots: 7.
• Included fans: 2x 170mm 1,550rpm front intake, 1x 140mm 1,800rpm rear exhaust, 2x 120mm 1,900rpm on PSU shroud.
• Fan mounts: 2x 170mm front, 3x 120mm/2x 140mm roof, 1x 120mm/140mm rear, 3x 120mm on PSU shroud.
• Radiator mounts: 360mm/280mm roof.
• 5.25-inch optical drive bays: None.
• Internal drive bays: 2x 3.5-inch, 3x 2.5-inch.
• Front I/O ports: 2x USB 3.0 Type-A, 1x USB 3.1 Type-C, audio.
• Dimensions: 503mm H x 482mm D x 238mm W.

Testing

To put this case through its cooling paces we will be using a test system consisting of an AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D processor, Radeon RX 9070 XT graphics card and an SSD. This system allows us to produce a substantial amount of heat and effectively test the Lian Li Lancool 217's cooling capabilities.

Test System:

• Processor: AMD Ryzen 9 9950X 3D
• CPU Cooler: Lian Li Hydroshift LCD 360 Fanless + 3x Uni Fan TL Wireless 120
• Motherboard: ASRock X870E Taichi
• Memory: 32GB G.Skill Trident Z5 Neo RGB DDR5-6000
• Graphics card: PowerColor Red Devil RX 9070 XT 16GB
• Power supply: Seasonic Focus GX-1000 Gold
• SSD: Crucial T700 M.2 NVMe
• OS: Windows 11

Cooling Performance Overview

The Lian Li Lancool 217 does a good job and our advice would be to run the fans low and slow to keep noise levels to a minimum. You certainly can turn them up and slightly help the cooling but the noise levels rapidly get unbearable.

Closing Thoughts

The Lancool 217 continues Lian Li's habit of getting pretty much everything correct while avoiding errors with a product that caters for a mass market at a very acceptable price. Clearly some PC builders would prefer glass on four sides to mesh, while others want stacks of ARGB lighting bling, and no doubt those people will be disappointed by the Lancool 217.

On the other hand we are confident a large swathe of the buying public wants a spacious case that is populated with high quality fans and which flows air with ease. The fact the UK price is lower than the US dollar price adds to our delight and makes it even easier for us to strongly recommend this case for your next PC build.

You can buy the Lian Li Lancool 217 for £109.99 from Scan (from May 5th) HERE.

Pros:

• Immaculate quality of components and white finish.
• Impressive emphasis on cable management and neatness.
• PWM and ARGB fan hub is included.
• Accessories include rails to swap the 170mm fans for 120mm or 140mm.
• Good air flow.
• Supports E-ATX and SSI-EEB motherboards.

Cons:

• Top panel can easily come loose when you move your PC
• Front panel IO is down low and awkward if your PC is on the floor.

KitGuru says: The Lian Li Lancool 217 is packed with goodness.

The post Lian Li Lancool 217 Review first appeared on KitGuru.

Since seeing the trailer in December 2023, fans around the world have been eagerly awaiting the release date for GTA 6. Today, Rockstar finally made that announcement, pushing the game out of 2025 and landing on a May 2026 launch date. While this news is being celebrated around the industry, it has made some investors skittish. 

At the time of writing, since dropping the news that GTA 6 has been delayed, Take-Two shares have dropped by just shy of 7 percent. In a statement published on the Take-Two Investor Relations website, CEO, Strauss Zelnick, backed the decision to delay the game, adding that leadership is confident in Rockstar's ability to deliver a hit when GTA 6 does release next year.

“We support fully Rockstar Games taking additional time to realize their creative vision for Grand Theft Auto VI, which promises to bea groundbreaking, blockbuster entertainment experience that exceeds audience expectations. While we take the movement of our titles seriously and appreciate the vast and deep global anticipation for Grand Theft Auto VI, we remain steadfast in our commitment to excellence.”

While GTA 6 is not coming out this year, Take-Two still has a very strong line-up ahead for 2025, including the likes of Borderlands 4 and Mafia: The Old Country.

KitGuru Says: Some investors are going to be very upset with themselves when May 2026 rolls around, as GTA 6 projects to be the biggest video game launch in history. 

The post Take-Two investors spooked by GTA 6 delay, CEO releases statement first appeared on KitGuru.

It has been a while since Valve's new multiplayer game, Deadlock, made headlines. That changed this week thanks to the discovery of a secret new build of the game – one that looks to be much closer to a 1.0 launch build. 

When the masses learned about Valve's secret Deadlock alpha last summer, it didn't take long for Valve to open the floodgates, inviting hundreds of thousands of testers to try out the game. It turns out that there is a secret build not shared to all Deadlock alpha testers.

The new build was revealed by Deathy, a prominent Deadlock livestreamer who accidentally launched the wrong version of the game on Steam. The original livestream was deleted, as was the VOD version of the stream, but eagle-eyed gamers were quick to save screenshots.

The new build of Deadlock includes a much larger roster of playable characters, as well as redesigned versions of heroes already announced for the game. In general, it looks to be a much more polished version of the game, indicating that despite the public alpha, Valve has continued to work away on the game in secret.

With this new build now discovered, it seems that Valve will be making new announcements around Deadlock in the coming months.

KitGuru Says: Deadlock had its viral moment in 2024 but we still have no idea when the game will come out. With this new build of the game surfacing, it would seem that official announcements from Valve are now imminent. 

The post Valve has a secret Deadlock build circulating amongst streamers first appeared on KitGuru.

G.Skill is bringing ultra high-speed and high-capacity DDR5 memory kits to AMD Ryzen based systems. The new G.Skill DDR5-8400 128GB kit is available starting this month, packing high-performance DDR5 ICs from SK-Hynix. 

The new DDR5-8400 128GB (2x 64GB) RAM kit was tested and validated on a system using an Asus ROG Crosshair X870E APEX motherboard, paired with an AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D CPU. This speed is achieved via the high-performance SK-Hynix ICs, allowing G.Skill to crank the speeds higher on larger capacity modules.

This latest overclock achievement showcases G.Skill's continued pursuit for high speeds. The company has continually raised the bar for high-speed RAM in the past and G.Skill has not slowed down at all during the DDR5 era.

Just recently, G.Skill memory was used to set the world record for DDR5 overclock speeds and with the annual OC World Cup taking place at Computex, we may see more world records broken in just a few weeks.

KitGuru Says: How fast is the RAM in your system? 

The post G.Skill unveils 128GB DDR5-8400 kits for AMD Ryzen systems first appeared on KitGuru.

The era of the Lian Li Lancool 216 is over. This year, Lian Li is introducing the Lancool 217, a direct successor featuring design and aesthetic tweaks to suit new PC builds. 

The new LANCOOL 217 is available in Dark Walnut or Light Beech colour options, with real wood accents a touch of warmth to the colour scheme. The chassis is designed with thermal performance in mind, with five pre-installed fans out of the box, including two unique 170mm fans in the front of the case, bringing in fresh air to cool all of your components.

You can find the full specs for the Lian Li LANCOOL 217 below:

Model	LANCOOL 217
Case Type	Tower Chassis
Dimensions	(D) 482 x (W) 238 x (H) 503mm
Color	Black / White
Material	Steel 4.0mm tempered glass Wood
Motherboard Support	SSI-EEB (max. 330mm wide) E-ATX (max. 280mm wide)/ ATX / Micro-ATX / Mini-ITX
Back Connect Motherboard	ATX / Micro-ATX
Expansion Slot	7
Storage	Behind MB Tray: 2 x 2.5″ SSD or 1 x 2.5” SSD(When using Back-connect Micro-ATX motherboard) 2 x Hard Drive Cage: Each cage support 1 x 3.5″ HDD + 1 x 2.5″ SSD + ( 1 x 3.5″ HDD or 1 x 2.5″ SSD) PSU Cover: 1 x 2.5” SSD
GPU Length Clearance	380mm(Max)
CPU Cooler Height Clearance	180mm (Max.)
PSU	Standard: ATX (Under 220mm) Rotated: ATX (Under 180mm)
Fan Support	Front: 170mm x 2 (pre-installed) or 140mm x 3 or 120mm x 3 Top: 120mm x 3 or 140mm x 2 Above PSU Shroud: 120mm x 3 (2 x pre-installed) Or Under PSU Shroud: 120mm x 2 Rear: 140mm x 1 (pre-installed) or 120mm x 1
Radiator Support	(Top) 360 / 280 / 240
I/O PORTS	USB 3.0 x 2 USB 3.2 Gen2x2 20G Type C x 1 Audio x 1 Power Button x 2
Dust Filters	Front x 1 Bottom x 1
Fan Hub	ARGB/FAN Hub with 6 x PWM Fan Headers and 4 x 5V ARGB Headers x 4

The Lian Li Lancool 217 will be available priced at $119.99 for the Dark Walnut version, or $124.99 for the Light Beech version. We have one in house at the KitGuru labs, so expect a review soon.

KitGuru Says: Are you planning a new PC build for 2025? Are you considering a Lian Li case? 

The post Lian Li’s Lancool 217 arrives in Dark Walnut and Light Beech colours first appeared on KitGuru.

Intel's latest generation of Arc graphics cards, codenamed Battlemage, might soon receive a new entry. The G31 GPU has been the subject of numerous rumours, with some suggesting that Intel had either abandoned or significantly changed its plans since late 2024. However, new information sourced from leaked shipping manifests contradicts those cancellation whispers.

According to the shipping manifest found by Haze, the hardware labelled ‘Battlemage G31' or ‘BGM-31' is still being transported between Intel labs. Specifically, shipments from late March were reportedly sent to Intel Vietnam, the facility previously responsible for producing Intel's Limited Edition (reference) Arc cards like the B580 and B570. This could hint that Intel is working on a new Limited Edition design for an upcoming Battlemage desktop GPU based on the G31 die.

Despite this apparent confirmation of ongoing development, the exact release timing for G31 remains unknown.

In addition to the BMG G31 GPU, there are rumours of an Arc GPU with 24GB of VRAM. It's unclear if this GPU is targeting gamers or professionals, but the sheer amount of VRAM suggests the latter.

KitGuru says: Do you think Intel will still launch a higher-end Battlemage GPU? If so, how would it compare with AMD and Nvidia graphics cards?

The post Shipping manifest reveals Intel Arc Battlemage G31 GPU first appeared on KitGuru.

Intel's next-generation mobile platform, Panther Lake, is officially confirmed to launch this year. While Intel has reiterated a 2025 debut multiple times, they haven't specified the exact scope of this initial rollout, and new reports suggest it might be quite narrow.

According to Meng (via VideoCardz), only a single Panther Lake variant is set to arrive this year, with remaining versions pushed back to 2026. This configuration is rumoured to feature 4 P-cores and 8 E-cores but will not include low-power cores. Instead, it's said to come equipped with four Xe 3 graphics cores. The platform is predicted to have a 45W TDP, indicating a significantly higher power envelope compared to Lunar Lake's typical 17W-28W range.

This rumoured variant lacking low-power E-cores hasn't been mentioned in previous reports, suggesting it's a new configuration developed more recently. Without the low-power E-cores, this configuration is likely aimed at gaming laptops, where a powerful integrated GPU is less important. Meanwhile, the other Panther Lake variants expected to be released later are likely targeting premium laptops without discrete graphics.

Panther Lake succeeds Lunar Lake in Intel's roadmap, although it won't feature the same memory-on-package design due to associated costs.

KitGuru says: What are your expectations for Intel Panther Lake? 

The post First Intel Panther Lake CPUs could come in 2025, more models to come in 2026 first appeared on KitGuru.

Apple's App Store has been around for 17 years, and there's a rich history and a wealth of apps to discover. Here's what you need to know, and how to get started with it.


While the iPhone first hit the market in June 2007, the iOS App Store was not released until July 10, 2008. At launch, it featured 500 applications, which included landmark titles for the time like Bejewled and social media apps like FaceBook and MySpace Mobile.

Apple would later launch the Mac App Store, with it first surfacing on January 6, 2011, as part of a free Mac OS X 10.6.6 update.


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As Apple again earns more in a quarter than predicted, it's also been hit by a punishing legal ruling. There are also new iPhone 17 dummies, and a "portable" Mac mini, all on the AppleInsider Podcast.


Apple did reveal that it's earned more in the last quarter than expected, though Tim Cook is a little inconsistent over whether there was any affect from how buyers then expected tariffs that were due to be a little steep. He also did not say directly that the tariffs turned out to be calamitously high, but he has predicted a $900 million cost to the company in the next quarter.

While that's more money than you earn in a dozen lifetimes, it's not going to put Apple out of business. Nor will the firm be finished after it took its near total victory over Epic Games and this week found a new way to lose anyway.


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Apple's Tim Cook attended President Trump's gathering of business CEOs via satellite, and committed the company to working with the administration.


Cook has continued his political handling of Trump that's previously included conversations and meetings, which led to the president granting Apple a tariff exemption, despite then immediately denying that he had. This time, Cook appeared by satellite at a publicity meeting between Trump and around 20 business leaders, on April 30, 2025, according to Fox Business.

After apologizing that he couldn't be present in person, Cook repeated his regular remark that, "Apple could only have been created in the United States."


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We've been waiting months for Rockstar to give an update on GTA 6. The game was officially announced last year, with a record-breaking trailer garnering hundreds of millions of views. At the time, Rockstar has a 2025 release window in mind, but today's announcement has pushed GTA 6 to 2026. 

Grand Theft Auto VI is no longer releasing this year but Rockstar has narrowed down a date – May 26th 2026. In a statement, Rockstar thanked fans for their patience and said that the delay would aid in achieving “the level of quality” fans expect from a Rockstar game.

Here is Rockstar's statement in full:

“We are very sorry that this is later than you expected. The interest and excitement surrounding a new Grand Theft Auto has been truly humbling for our entire team. We want to thank you for your support and your patience as we work to finish the game. With every game we have released, the goal has always been to try and exceed your expectations, and Grand Theft Auto VI is no exception. We hope you understand that we need this extra time to deliver at the level of quality you expect and deserve.”

The GTA 6 release date has been a hot topic of debate recently. As Rockstar announced a 2025 release window for the game, many publishers have been holding off on announcing release dates for their own games. Now with the GTA 6 release date confirmed, we can expect to see a flurry of release date announcements as we head towards Summer Game Fest in June.

KitGuru Says: GTA 6 is coming to consoles in May. Hopefully by this time next year, we'll start to hear rumblings about the PC version. 

The post Rockstar delays GTA 6, announces May 2026 release date first appeared on KitGuru.

Each month, those who are subscribed to Amazon Prime are able to acquire a wide range of ‘free’ games as part of the company’s Prime Gaming initiative. Over the course of May, subscribers will be able to claim 22 different titles, including but not limited to LEGO Star Wars; Wolfenstein II; Saints Row and more.

Available as a staggered release throughout the month, May’s Prime Gaming offerings range from massive franchises to obscure indie games, with the following titles being added:

Available Now

• STAR WARS Galactic Battlegrounds Saga [GOG]
• LEGO Star Wars — The Complete Saga [GOG]
• Styx: Master of Shadows [GOG]
• The Invisible Hand [Prime]

Arriving on the 8th of May

• Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus Digital Deluxe Edition [Microsoft Store]
• Amnesia: Rebirth [EGS]
• Hypnospace Outlaw [GOG]
• Doors — Paradox [EGS]

 

Available on the 15th

• Saints Row: Gat out of Hell [GOG]
• ENDLESS Legend Definitive Edition [Prime]
• Golf with Your Friends [GOG]
• Legacy of Kain: Blood Omen 2 [GOG]
• Mail Time [GOG]

Dropping on the 22nd

• FATE [GOG]
• Thief 2: The Metal Age [GOG]
• Everdream Valley [Prime]
• Chessarama [EGS]
• The Lost Ashford Ring [Legacy Games Code]

29th of May

• Samurai Bringer [Prime]
• Trinity Fusion [Prime]
• Masterplan Tycoon [Prime]
• Liberté [EGS]

Though it would be preferable that more games be given away through Steam, having almost two dozen new games to play is certainly not worth complaining about – especially as a decent number of them are GOG codes.

KitGuru says: Are you subscribed to Amazon Prime? Do you like the current system or would you rather they offer fewer-but-higher-quality games? Which title are you most looking forward to playing? Let us know down below.

The post May’s free Amazon Prime Gaming titles begin rolling out first appeared on KitGuru.

2025 has been pretty good for Xbox Game Pass so far, with the service seeing a number of major day-one additions including the highly-anticipated Oblivion Remaster and GOTY contender Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. Given that they are both GP titles, it’s not surprising to see that a majority of players so far have utilised the service. Interestingly, Game Pass players have also put significantly less time into these titles compared to other platforms.

As reported by Ampere Analytics (via TheGameBusiness) the recent influx of day-one Game Pass releases seems to be sparking the interest of its subscribers.

According to the report, so far, 47% of all Oblivion players did so through Game Pass (PC and Xbox) with 45% of Clair Obscur players also using the service. The second biggest ‘platform’ for the GOTY contender was PlayStation, with 30% of the Clair Obscur market – followed by Steam with 25%.

When it came to Oblivion meanwhile, the stats are reversed somewhat, with second place going to Steam with 34% of the market; and 3rd place being PlayStation at 19%.

Interestingly, it seems those who purchased the game had more of an incentive to play though it, as Game Pass subscribers have put far less time into both titles compared to the other platforms.

For Oblivion, Game Pass subscribers have so far played for 2.2 hours on average. This represents just over half the time of the other consoles, with PlayStation at 3.8 hours and Steam with 3.6.

Offering similar results, Clair Obscur also saw roughly double the playtime on non-Game Pass platforms, with 4.4 hours on average for both Steam and PlayStation – compared to just 2.2 hours on Game Pass.

Of course, Game Pass is positioned as the Netflix of games, and so it perhaps makes sense that subscribers are putting in roughly as much time into each title as they would a standard film. It will be interesting to see how these figures evolve as more people get the chance to check out either of these two games.

KitGuru says: Have you been playing either of these titles? Which platform are you using? How many hours have you put into these games so far? Let us know down below.

The post Half of all Oblivion players are on Game Pass – despite much lower playtime first appeared on KitGuru.

A couple days ago Nintendo released one of the biggest firmware updates the Nintendo Switch has seen in its 8 years on the market – adding a ton of welcome additions while preparing the system for the upcoming Switch 2. Though a solid update overall, a number of users have encountered major issues while trying to install the patch – causing some systems to be bricked.

Earlier this week we reported on update 20.0.0 for the Nintendo Switch, preparing it for the upcoming Switch 2 by adding the likes of Game Chat; digital game keys and more. Unfortunately, the update has not been without its issues, with some users reporting that their systems have been bricked following the update – showcasing the error code ‘2206-1015’.

Fortunately, Nintendo is already aware of the issue, taking to Twitter to write: “We are currently receiving inquiries from some customers about the occurrence of ‘Error Code: 2206-1015’ after updating to Nintendo Switch system version 20.0.0. We are currently investigating how to deal with this issue. We apologize for the inconvenience, and ask that you wait for further information.”

While certainly a massive issue, it appears to be far from a permanent problem. Hopefully Nintendo will be able to resolve this through a simple over-the-air update – or at the very worst a USB-based installation.

KitGuru says: Have you updated your Switch? Did it brick your console? What do you think of the new digital game card menu? Let us know down below.

The post Nintendo warns that recent Switch update may brick your device first appeared on KitGuru.

Forza Horizon 5 remains one of the few games today which publicly lists just how many players have tried the game out at any given time. Right ahead of the game’s launch on PS5, Horizon 5 was confirmed to have surpassed 45 million total players. Since the arrival of the game to PS5 mere days ago however, player counts have risen by almost 1 million.

In going to the main menu on Forza Horizon 5, it can be seen exactly just how many people have signed-in / registered to play the game (a requirement before gaining full access).

As mentioned, in the lead up to its launch on PS5, the total player count rested at just over 45 million (45,125,376 players to be exact).

Since then, as reported by ResetEra user ‘Theorry’ the total number of players has increased to 45,984,734 players – an increase of around 850,000 players.

Of course, during this time, Forza Horizon 5 would have seen new Xbox and PC players also and so the exact figure for PS5 players is not quite set in stone.

Still, it is interesting to see some early stats for how the game is likely performing on PS5. It will be curious to see whether Microsoft releases any concrete sales figures at some point.

KitGuru says: Have you picked up Forza Horizon 5 on PS5? What do you think so far? Are you more of an arcade or sim-cade racer? Let us know down below.

The post Forza Horizon 5 sees nearly 1 million new players since PS5 launch first appeared on KitGuru.

After a judge ordered Apple to remove all barriers to links and external purchases, the company has updated its guidelines to reflect the ruling while it appeals.


It's been a rough 24 hours for Apple, as earnings results were second-guessed by analysts and Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers ruled that Apple's external purchase rules were a willful violation of an injunction. Epic Games has also been doing rounds celebrating the ruling, coaching others on how to bypass Apple's commission.

The new guidelines were first discovered by 9to5Mac, highlighting the updated language around external payments and links. Apple promised it would comply with the order while it appeals.


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Despite calling Apple's Q2 earnings solid, which did beat Wall Street expectations, some analysts are suggesting customers rushing to beat tariffs helped keep numbers up in uncertain conditions.


Apple CEO Tim Cook got ahead of its earnings with a statement to CNBC suggesting that it didn't see a significant pull-forward in demand in Q2 2025. The company beat Wall Street estimates with $95.4 billion in revenue.

Some analysts, however, aren't buying that narrative from Apple. Each report viewed by AppleInsider insists that pull-forward demand caused by panic buying before the extreme tariffs in April buoyed the quarter.


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Apple CEO Tim Cook says the company avoided any early financial impact of the expected tariffs during Q1 2025 — but he predicts a $900 million hit in its next quarter.


Apple's latest earnings call covered the quarter ending March 31, 2025, which was before Trump announced his tariff plan and sent technology stocks collapsing. The quarter was also one in which Apple launched multiple significant products, from the updated Mac Studio and MacBook Air, to the brand-new iPhone 16e.

Consequently, the results reported in the call show the benefits of the product launches, and none of the figures were affected by the tariffs. However, in reports ahead of the call, Cook did comment on the question of whether panic buying had set in among consumers, prior to the tariff announcement.


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Apple CEO Tim Cook revealed that half of iPhones are coming from India, everything else from Vietnam, and the bare minimum from China when shipping to the United States.


There have been a lot of questions around how Apple will deal with the Trump administration's extreme tariffs, and there are finally some answers — at least for the short term. Since China has been hit with 125% tariffs, Apple will maneuver around this by minimizing products going from China to the United States.

According to Apple CEO Tim Cook, in response to an analyst question on the Q2 earnings call, devices delivered to the United States will originate primarily from Vietnam except for iPhones. Half of iPhone shipments will come from India, while the other half will continue to come from China.


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Apple has reported the fiscal results for the second quarter of 2025, with the financials revealing Apple may have benefited a little but perhaps not as much as expected from consumer tariff fears, earning $95.4 billion in the quarter.


Following the blockbuster Q1 quarter and the benefits of holiday sales to Apple's bottom line, Q2 is usually a fair bit lower in comparison. However, at Apple's scale, the figures are still very important to the company.

In the second quarter, Apple's revenue of $95.4 billion is up 5% year-on-year from the $90.75 billion reported in Q2 2024. This is also above the Wall Street Consensus, which believed Apple would haul in $94.42 billion as an average.


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With escalating U.S. tariffs on Chinese imports and mounting supply chain pressures, Tim Cook has made it clear that Apple is intensifying its manufacturing shift to India to sustain its iPhone supply.


Foxconn, Apple's largest assembly partner, plans to double iPhone production in India by the end of 2025, aiming to produce 25-30 million units, up from approximately 12 million in 2024. Tata Electronics has also commenced operations at new facilities, including one in Hosur, Tamil Nadu, supporting increased output of older iPhone models.

"If you look at the quarter that we're now inif you look at the US, over half of the U.S. sales of iPhone come from India," Apple CEO Tim Cook said in a May 1 interview with CNBC, highlighting the scale of Apple's India manufacturing shift.


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