Key Facts

• Apple’s Big Launches: Apple unveiled the iPhone 17 lineup – including a new ultra-thin iPhone Air – featuring a 6.5-inch 120Hz display and rugged titanium design apple.com apple.com. The iPhone Air is the thinnest iPhone ever at just 5.6mm, yet packs Apple’s A19 Pro chip for pro-level performance and all-day battery life apple.com apple.com. Apple also introduced iPhone 17 Pro/Pro Max and Apple Watch Series 11 with hypertension alerts and sleep scoring, plus an Apple Watch Ultra 3 for extreme sports apple.com apple.com. All new iPhones use eSIM-only (no SIM cards) in key markets, forcing carriers to adapt to the fully digital SIM era apple.com.
• Record EV Battery Range:Mercedes-Benz achieved a stunning 749-mile (1,205 km) drive on a single charge of a prototype solid-state EV battery techradar.com techradar.com. Engineers drove an EQS test car from Stuttgart, Germany to Malmö, Sweden without recharging, arriving with ~85 miles of range left techradar.com techradar.com. The lithium-metal solid-state cells, developed with U.S. partner Factorial, offer ~25% more usable energy than standard EV packs while fitting in the same space techradar.com techradar.com. Mercedes calls it proof that next-gen solid-state batteries can obliterate “range anxiety,” edging past the previous EV distance record and bringing 800+ mile EVs into sight.
• Cyberattack on Vietnam’s Credit Data: A massive cyber breach hit Vietnam’s national credit information center (CIC), which holds personal and financial records of millions of borrowers reuters.com reuters.com. The state bank confirms hackers infiltrated the database in an apparent attempt to steal sensitive personal data reuters.com. Investigators suspect the notorious ShinyHunters hacking group, known for high-profile data thefts (Google, Microsoft, etc.) reuters.com reuters.com. While CIC says operations continue and the extent is still being assessed, analysts warn the breach could force banks to bolster cybersecurity and could expose millions of credit records reuters.com reuters.com.
• Apple Spyware Warning: Apple issued urgent warnings after uncovering four separate spyware campaigns targeting iPhone users this year techradar.com techradar.com. France’s cybersecurity agency CERT-FR confirmed that advanced mercenary spyware (e.g. Pegasus, Predator) exploited zero-click iOS vulnerabilities to hack high-profile targets like journalists, lawyers and officials techradar.com techradar.com. Apple sent threat notifications to impacted individuals in March, April, June and Sept 3, and scrambled to patch at least seven iOS zero-day flaws used in these attacks techradar.com. The company says receiving a warning means an iPhone was “likely compromised” by state-grade spyware, urging users to update devices immediately techradar.com techradar.com.
• Microsoft Scrutiny & Outages: U.S. Senator Ron Wyden blasted Microsoft for “gross cybersecurity negligence” after a ransomware attack crippled 140+ hospitals’ IT systems techradar.com techradar.com. In a letter to the FTC, Wyden cited a May attack on Ascension Healthcare in which hackers exploited outdated Windows default settings (including 1980s-era RC4 encryption still enabled in Active Directory) to breach critical servers techradar.com techradar.com. He urged an FTC probe to hold Microsoft accountable for “dangerously insecure” software defaults that allowed the hospital hack techradar.com techradar.com. Meanwhile, Microsoft scrambled to fix a major Outlook and Exchange Online outage that struck North American users on Sept 11, knocking out email access for hours theregister.com theregister.com. The company applied emergency optimizations to restore service after widespread Outlook disruptions and login errors were reported across the U.S. theregister.com theregister.com.
• EU Tech Antitrust Deal: Microsoft avoided a hefty EU antitrust fine by agreeing to unbundle Teams from its Office 365 productivity suites in Europe techcrunch.com. EU regulators had investigated Microsoft for bundling its Teams collaboration app with Office, following a 2020 complaint by rival Slack techcrunch.com techcrunch.com. To settle the case, Microsoft will for 7 years offer Office/Microsoft 365 without Teams at a lower price, letting customers add Teams only if they pay extra techcrunch.com. It also pledged to open up its APIs for interoperability with third-party workplace apps techcrunch.com techcrunch.com. Brussels accepted these concessions, closing the probe with no fine, while Microsoft avoids sanctions that could have been up to 10% of its ~$245 billion revenue techcrunch.com techcrunch.com.
• NASA Bars Chinese Nationals: In an unprecedented move amid a new US–China space race, NASA banned all Chinese citizens from its facilities, projects, and networks theguardian.com theguardian.com. The blanket ban took effect Sept 5, when Chinese contractors and researchers (even those with valid U.S. visas) found themselves suddenly locked out of NASA IT systems and meetings theguardian.com theguardian.com. NASA officials confirmed the policy, saying it’s about “ensuring the security of our work” by restricting Chinese nationals’ physical and digital access theguardian.com. The crackdown aligns with intensifying rhetoric under President Trump as China races to beat NASA back to the Moon. (NASA’s Artemis program aims for a 2027 lunar landing, while China plans to put taikonauts on the Moon by 2030) theguardian.com theguardian.com. The ban underscores growing U.S. fears of espionage and competition in space exploration theguardian.com theguardian.com.
• Emerging Tech & Biotech: The FDA under the Trump administration signaled a controversial shift to speed up drug approvals by dropping independent expert panels for most new medicines kffhealthnews.org. Top FDA officials said they “would like to get away” from convening outside advisory committees for drug reviews, arguing these expert votes aren’t always needed kffhealthnews.org. The proposal – which would upend decades of FDA practice – has raised concerns about oversight and transparency in evaluating new drugs kffhealthnews.org. In Europe, medical innovation saw a bright spot as a new device by Neurescue won approval to treat “non-shockable” cardiac arrest, a condition untreatable by defibrillators. And on the research front, scientists reported a custom gene-editing breakthrough that corrected a deadly genetic mutation in mice fiercebiotech.com, offering a glimpse of future cures if the technique translates to humans.

Hardware & Consumer Electronics

Apple’s Device Deluge: Apple dominated tech headlines with a slate of product launches on September 9, now rolling out to consumers. The new iPhone 17 family introduced Apple’s fastest chips and a surprise new model dubbed “iPhone Air.” Belying its name, the iPhone Air sports a spacious 6.5-inch Super Retina XDR display (120Hz ProMotion) yet is just 5.6 mm thick – Apple’s thinnest phone ever apple.com apple.com. Its high-strength titanium alloy frame and Ceramic Shield 2 glass make it more durable than any prior iPhone apple.com apple.com. Inside, the iPhone Air packs the A19 Pro processor alongside new coprocessors (N1 and C1X) for communications and sensing apple.com. Apple touts “all-day battery life” thanks to efficiency gains – a feat given the device’s ultra-slim profile apple.com apple.com. The Air’s camera system includes a 48 MP main lens and an innovative 18 MP front “Center Stage” selfie camera that can auto-frame group shots apple.com. Apple’s marketing chief John Ternus said holding the impossibly light iPhone Air “feels like you’re holding the future,” calling it a “brand-new member of the iPhone family” that nonetheless delivers pro-tier performance and cameras apple.com.

Apple’s flagship iPhone 17 and 17 Pro/Pro Max models also debuted with enhancements. The 6.3-inch iPhone 17 features a refined design with slimmer bezels and introduces Ceramic Shield 2 glass for 3× better scratch resistance and reduced glare apple.com apple.com. Powered by the 3nm A19 chip, the iPhone 17’s CPU is 1.5× faster than the A15 (iPhone 13 era) and the 5-core GPU over 2× faster, enabling console-quality graphics and even on-device generative AI tasks (via built-in neural accelerators) apple.com apple.com. Apple also built a new N1 wireless chip into the iPhone 17, adding support for Wi‑Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and Thread for smart-home connectivity apple.com. Notably, all the new iPhones have fully embraced eSIM – Apple is eliminating physical SIM card trays in many regions. An eSIM-only iPhone 17 (and Air) will be sold in the U.S., Canada, most of Europe, the Gulf, China’s territories like Guam, and more apple.com. Apple says over 500 carriers now support eSIM worldwide, and it’s pushing the tech for security (no removable SIM) and convenience when traveling apple.com. This move will pressure global telecom providers to ramp up eSIM support, as Apple leads the industry away from the traditional SIM card apple.com.

On the wearable side, Apple introduced Watch Series 11 with a focus on health. The new watch gained hypertension monitoring, alerting wearers if sensor data suggests high blood pressure over a 30-day period apple.com apple.com. The feature, developed with large-scale clinical data, uses subtle changes in the optical heart sensor readings to detect hypertension signs (pending final FDA approval) apple.com apple.com. It adds to Apple Watch’s growing health toolkit, which already includes ECG, blood oxygen, irregular heart rhythm and even sleep apnea alerts apple.com. Series 11 also debuts a Sleep Score metric that gives users a 100-point rating of their sleep quality each morning, distilled from overnight sensor data and validated against medical guidelines apple.com apple.com. Beyond health, Apple Watch Series 11 offers a brighter, more scratch-resistant display (Ion-X glass 2× tougher) and finally 5G connectivity, while still managing 24 hours of battery life on a charge apple.com apple.com. The high-end Apple Watch Ultra 3 was also announced, targeting adventurers with improved dive depth rating and a new Alpine sport band, but the more mainstream Series 11 and budget-friendly Watch SE 3 (updated with an Always-On display) are expected to drive volumes.

Lossless Audio & AirPods: An interesting postscript to Apple’s event is what wasn’t said on stage: Apple quietly included a new wireless tech in iPhone 17 and AirPods Pro 3 to finally enable lossless, high-fidelity audio. Tech reporters have since discovered support for something called “SPR AVS” (Spatial Relay Audio-Visual Sync) in the iPhone 17/AirPods Pro 3 firmware techradar.com techradar.com. This proprietary protocol operates via Apple’s new N1 chip and offers much higher bandwidth and lower latency than Bluetooth – enough for “true lossless” music streaming to wireless earbuds techradar.com techradar.com. Early reports describe SPR AVS as Apple’s bid to replace Bluetooth for media: it can deliver 24-bit Apple Lossless Audio (ALAC) with zero compression, and latency low enough for real-time applications like AR/VR, gaming, and Live Translation in Apple’s Vision Pro ecosystem techradar.com techradar.com. Apple did not yet activate this feature for Apple Music, likely because it’s focusing initially on multi-device sync (e.g. keeping audio perfectly in phase between an iPhone, AirPods, and Vision Pro headset) techradar.com techradar.com. Nonetheless, the hardware is in place for a future “Hi-Fi mode” for AirPods. In parallel, Spotify appears poised to finally launch its long-delayed HiFi tier: code leaks show Spotify’s app referencing 24-bit lossless streaming options, suggesting the market for high-quality audio is heating up techradar.com.

Other Gadget News: In photography, Nikon drew attention with the launch of the Nikon ZR, a compact full-frame mirrorless camera aimed at video creators. While already praised for its balance of image quality and size, TechRadar highlighted a clever third-party add-on: SmallRig released an accessory grip that turns the ZR into an “ultimate run-and-gun” rig with extra controls and battery life techradar.com. Dyson made waves in home tech by unveiling a new 2-in-1 vacuum-mop combo device – but reviewers were quick to note that it still hasn’t solved the perennial problem of wet floors left after mopping techradar.com. On the gaming front, Nintendo hosted a Direct showcase that confirmed long-rumored details of its next-gen Switch 2 console. Nintendo is embracing both nostalgia and novelty: it surprised fans by announcing that the Virtual Boy – its infamously ill-fated 1995 VR console – will make a comeback as a Switch 2 accessory techradar.com. Details are sparse, but it appears the Switch 2 will support a modernized headset inspired by the Virtual Boy, marking Nintendo’s renewed foray into stereoscopic 3D gaming. Additionally, Nintendo revealed titles in development for the upcoming Switch 2, including Mario Tennis Fever and Yoshi and the Mysterious Book, plus enhanced ports of classics like Super Mario Galaxy 1+2 techradar.com. The Switch 2 itself (which some insiders say is already in users’ hands in limited release) reportedly features backwards compatibility with original Switch games and improvements like a 1080p OLED display – though at least one leak claims the display is underwhelming compared to newer handheld PCs techradar.com techradar.com. With Nintendo’s teasers and Apple’s launches, the consumer tech world had plenty for enthusiasts to chew on – all without a single generative AI chatbot in sight.

Software, Services & Telecom

Microsoft’s Cloud Stumble: It was a challenging week for Microsoft’s cloud services. On Sept 11, a major outage of Outlook and Exchange Online left a swath of users across North America unable to send or receive email for much of the day theregister.com theregister.com. Microsoft’s status updates acknowledged “a portion of infrastructure in North America” was down, preventing mailbox access via any method theregister.com theregister.com. Frustrated workers noticed Office apps hanging when trying to log in, and Downdetector showed a spike of reports for Outlook and Microsoft 365 connectivity issues theregister.com theregister.com. Microsoft engineers spent hours combing through telemetry to identify the cause. Eventually they applied “optimization” fixes to the affected Exchange mailbox servers, which gradually restored stability theregister.com. By late Thursday, Microsoft reported service was largely normalized, narrowly averting what one tech outlet wryly called “the blissful release of freedom from Teams invites and spam emails” had the outage persisted theregister.com. The outage follows several other Microsoft 365 disruptions in recent months, including an 11-hour Outlook downtime in July due to a bad software update theregister.com. It underscores the dependence on Microsoft’s cloud – and the chaos when it hiccups.

Teams Unbundled in EU: In a win for competition regulators, Microsoft agreed to unbundle its Teams collaboration app from Office 365 in Europe to resolve an EU antitrust investigation techcrunch.com. For years, Microsoft tied Teams (its Slack-like chat and videoconference tool) into Office at no additional cost – a move Slack complained was anticompetitive in 2020 techcrunch.com techcrunch.com. Following a lengthy probe, the European Commission announced it has accepted Microsoft’s binding commitments: starting Oct 1, Microsoft will sell Microsoft 365 and Office 365 suites without Teams, at lower prices (approximately a 50% price cut for the version without Teams) techcrunch.com techcrunch.com. Customers can optionally pay more to get Teams bundled. Microsoft also pledged to improve interoperability, allowing rival work apps to integrate with Office – including letting third-party apps access Office/Outlook APIs and enabling easy export of data from Teams to other services techcrunch.com techcrunch.com. These concessions will last at least 5 years (API/data portability) to 7 years (Office without Teams availability) techcrunch.com techcrunch.com. The deal lets Microsoft avoid multibillion-euro fines, and EU officials claimed victory for forcing “a big compromise from Big Tech” without a court battle techcrunch.com techcrunch.com. Notably, Microsoft is extending the unbundling globally as well – offering the discounted Office-without-Teams option worldwide, not just in Europe techcrunch.com. The outcome may set a precedent, as regulators scrutinize bundling in other domains (some in Brussels likened it to ensuring a level field for any integrated cloud service). For Microsoft, voluntarily untying Teams (which now boasts 300 million users) shows the company’s pragmatism in heading off antitrust headaches.

Telco Shifts – eSIM & 6G: Apple’s embrace of eSIM-only phones this cycle is sending ripples through the telecom world. Starting with U.S. iPhones last year and now expanding globally, Apple’s eSIM push means carriers in many countries must step up consumer eSIM support (QR code activations, eSIM apps, etc.). For instance, the new eSIM-only iPhone 17 models will launch not just in the U.S. but also in major markets like Canada, Europe, the Middle East and parts of Asia apple.com. While eSIM technology has existed for years, Apple’s clout is effectively “killing the SIM card” for high-end devices techradar.com. Some telecom providers are anxious about how eSIM simplifies switching carriers – potentially increasing churn – but most are playing along. In the long run, fully digital SIM provisioning could reduce carriers’ costs (no more physical SIM distribution) and enable more flexible dual-line or short-term plans for consumers. Telcos in Europe are also eyeing network self-reliance: Nokia just opened a massive 55,000 m² “smart factory” campus in Oulu, Finland to design and build 5G and 6G radio equipment domestically rcrwireless.com rcrwireless.com. Touted as “the world’s most advanced hub” for wireless network R&D, the campus will host 3,000 staff and produce cellular base stations with near zero emissions (all renewable energy, 100% waste recycling) rcrwireless.com rcrwireless.com. The site, inaugurated by Finland’s president, underscores Europe’s push to develop next-gen 6G infrastructure on its own soil – a strategic move to avoid overreliance on foreign (often Chinese) vendors for critical telecom gear. With 6G research ramping up (aiming for ~2030 rollouts), Nokia’s investment signals that the “race to 6G” is not just about patents and standards, but also about manufacturing leadership in the AI-driven, ultra-fast networks of the future rcrwireless.com.

Spotify and Streaming: After years of promises, Spotify HiFi may finally be imminent. App sleuths found code referencing a new high-fidelity tier with lossless 24-bit audio streams techradar.com. Spotify itself teased “Spotify HiFi” back in early 2021 but delayed it indefinitely, even as competitors Apple Music and Amazon Music added CD-quality and hi-res lossless streaming at no extra cost. Now, strings hidden in Spotify’s app suggest a launch of the hi-fi option is near, likely as a premium upsell. Leaked screenshots (which briefly surfaced on Reddit) showed a “24-bit Lossless” logo in the playback UI and messaging that “the best way to listen in lossless is on devices with Spotify Connect” techradar.com. This indicates Spotify HiFi might stream at 16-bit/44.1 kHz or higher and could require compatible gear. If it rolls out, audiophiles with high-end DACs or speakers – or future AirPods that support SPR AVS – will finally get the audio quality they’ve been craving on Spotify.

In other streaming news, X (Twitter) announced tests of audio and video calls directly via the X app, as owner Elon Musk pushes to transform X into an “everything app.” Musk confirmed that the X app will offer call functionality without needing phone numbers, working on iOS, Android, and computers – effectively turning X’s DM platform into a VoIP service. While not directly AI-related, it shows the continued blurring of lines between social networks and telecom services. And speaking of blurred lines: Meta’s connectivity arm is partnering with carriers on trials of an advanced traffic routing protocol to make the internet faster (this came out of the Telecom Infra Project conference). The protocol uses real-time congestion data to reroute packets on the fly, purportedly improving latency by 30% for videoconferencing traffic – a boon as remote work continues. Overall, while AI dominated many tech conversations this year, the past two days highlight that connectivity and software reliability remain just as crucial, from keeping email running to delivering your favorite song in pristine quality.

Cybersecurity & Privacy

Credit Bureau Breach – Millions at Risk: A significant data breach in Vietnam underscored the global scope of cyber threats. On Sept 12, Vietnam’s government revealed that hackers infiltrated the National Credit Information Center (CIC) – a central credit bureau under the State Bank that holds personal financial data on basically every Vietnamese borrower reuters.com. The attack was likely a targeted data theft operation, according to the initial investigation reuters.com. Vietnam’s cybersecurity agency said unauthorized access was detected with signs of data exfiltration, though the full extent is still being determined reuters.com reuters.com. In a confidential memo to banks (seen by Reuters), CIC pointed to the ShinyHunters group as the prime suspect reuters.com. ShinyHunters is a notorious ring that has breached companies worldwide (they famously leaked millions of user records from firms like Tokopedia and Pixlr, and have sold stolen data from Microsoft’s private GitHub repos) reuters.com. If confirmed, this marks one of ShinyHunters’ biggest hauls – potentially exposing sensitive info on Vietnam’s entire banking population, including loan records, credit scores, and card data. The CIC emphasized that its systems remain operational despite the intrusion and that no service outages occurred reuters.com. However, cybersecurity experts warn that even partial leakage of credit records (names, national IDs, debts, repayment history) could fuel identity theft and fraud attempts. JPMorgan analysts cautioned that banks may face higher costs to strengthen defenses and reassure customers, “barring a widespread impact or further incidents” reuters.com. The incident also highlights Vietnam’s growing attractiveness to hackers – a Viettel telecom report noted the country accounted for 12% of global leaked accounts last year reuters.com. Vietnam’s leak of 14.5 million accounts in 2024 ranked among the world’s highest reuters.com. The government has vowed to tighten data protection, but this breach could become a case study in the dangers of centralized credit databases without world-class security measures.

Mercenary Spyware & Apple Alerts: The clandestine world of spyware-for-hire reared its head again, prompting Apple to issue a rare public warning. By Sept 12, Apple confirmed it had alerted users in four separate waves in 2025 about highly sophisticated spyware attacks hitting iPhones techradar.com techradar.com. France’s CERT-FR cyber agency published details, revealing that commercial spyware tools like NSO Group’s Pegasus and Cytrox’s Predator were employed in these campaigns techradar.com. These tools leverage zero-day iOS exploits – including zero-click flaws that infect a device without any user tap – to steal data or eavesdrop techradar.com techradar.com. The targets, per CERT-FR, were “high-profile individuals” spanning journalists, lawyers, activists, opposition politicians, and senior officials techradar.com. In short, people of interest to nation-states. Apple’s Security Response Team has been racing to plug the holes: at least seven iOS zero-day vulnerabilities tied to these spyware attacks have been patched this year techradar.com. Apple now delivers rapid security patches via iOS updates and urges all users to install them. Importantly, Apple’s alerts mean a device was likely already compromised – Apple only notifies users after confirming a breach of their iCloud or iPhone by state-sponsored spyware techradar.com. Since notifying the latest batch of victims on Sept 3, Apple reiterated calls for stricter regulation of the “mercenary spyware industry.” The company is also suing NSO Group in U.S. court and funding research into spyware detection. Governments around the world are grappling with the fallout of these tools: just this week the U.K.’s Cyber Watchdog placed Pegasus on an “emerging threats” watchlist after evidence that activists and lawyers in London were targeted. The takeaway for users is sobering: even without doing anything (zero-click), one’s phone can be silently owned by malware if it’s valuable enough. Keeping devices updated and using Apple’s Lockdown Mode (for those at high risk) are among the few defenses.

Meta Accounts Hijacked via Browser Extensions: Business users of Facebook/Instagram were warned of a crafty new hacking scheme involving malicious browser extensions. Researchers at Bitdefender uncovered two ongoing campaigns by Vietnamese-speaking threat actors that spread fake Chrome/Edge extensions to steal Meta business account credentials techradar.com techradar.com. Posing as tools like “SocialMetrics Pro” that promise enhanced analytics or a verified badge, the extensions were promoted via malvertising – booby-trapped ads and tutorial sites that trick users into installing them techradar.com techradar.com. Once installed, the malware extension quietly grabs the victim’s Facebook session cookies and account tokens, then sends them off to the attackers via Telegram bots techradar.com. This allows the hackers to remotely hijack the victim’s Facebook Business account (bypassing 2FA since they have the session). Bitdefender observed at least 37 Facebook ads circulating with links to the fake extension techradar.com techradar.com. The goal? Steal verified business accounts (with good ad credit and reputation) and then sell or abuse them for malvertising – running scam ads from a legit-looking account techradar.com techradar.com. Essentially, the attackers commoditize access to corporate social media: an underground buyer can purchase the hijacked account to push crypto scams or malware links via Facebook ads, flying under the radar until the real owner notices. Facebook’s parent Meta is working to takedown the malicious ads and sites. In the meantime, experts advise admins to be extremely cautious of any browser extension related to social media – especially ones pitched via unsolicited ads. Keeping a clean browser (or using separate profiles for work) can help reduce the risk. This incident is a reminder that not all threats come through OS vulnerabilities; some walk right in through the front door of user behavior and clever social engineering.

European Privacy Battle – “Chat Control” Law: A major showdown is looming in the EU over privacy vs. child safety online, and momentum shifted noticeably on Sept 12. The proposed EU Child Sexual Abuse Regulation – derided by critics as “Chat Control” – would require all messaging services to scan users’ private messages, chats, and files for illegal content (CSAM) using automated tools, even on end-to-end encrypted apps techradar.com techradar.com. As EU interior ministers met to discuss the law, Germany and Luxembourg announced their opposition, joining a growing bloc of at least 8 countries against client-side scanning mandates techradar.com techradar.com. Privacy advocates cheered this, since passage requires a qualified majority of EU states. Slovenia also reportedly moved from undecided to opposed, leaving only a few (France, Italy, etc.) strongly in favor techradar.com. At the same time, the VPN industry weighed in: the VPN Trust Initiative (a coalition of top VPN providers) issued a public plea labeling Chat Control “a major step backwards for privacy” techradar.com techradar.com. They warned EU lawmakers that undermining encryption (even via on-device scanning) creates vulnerabilities that “expose everyone to greater risks,” and urged them to reject any regulation that introduces encryption backdoors or client-side surveillance techradar.com techradar.com. VPN providers noted that once such scanning infrastructure exists, it could be repurposed to spy on dissidents or journalists – an unacceptable trade-off techradar.com. Despite the pushback, as of now 15 EU countries (a slight majority) still support the CSAM scanning law in some form techradar.com. The EU’s goal is to finalize a position by October, so the clock is ticking. Tech companies like WhatsApp, Signal, and Proton have threatened to pull services from Europe if forced to weaken encryption. This week’s developments make it plausible the law could be amended or even derailed. The issue pits child protection agencies (who argue new powers are needed to catch abusers on encrypted platforms) against a broad coalition of cybersecurity experts, privacy regulators, and now even national governments who see the proposal as incompatible with fundamental rights and cyber-secure practices techradar.com techradar.com. It’s a high-stakes debate over whether “scanning everyone’s messages” can ever be justified – one that Europe must settle soon.

Ransomware and Critical Infrastructure: Ransomware criminals continue to threaten critical services. In the U.S., new details emerged about an August ransomware attack on Prospect Medical Holdings, which forced 16 hospitals and 166 clinics (across four states) offline for days. This week, Senator Ron Wyden pointed to that attack in his letter lambasting Microsoft’s lax security practices in healthcare techradar.com techradar.com. The attackers reportedly got in through a common vector: an employee web search led to a malicious link, installing malware on a contractor’s laptop techradar.com. From there, they exploited Windows network settings (“Kerberoasting” attacks that crack weak Kerberos passwords hashed with old RC4 encryption) to move laterally and gain domain admin access across hospital systems techradar.com. Wyden argues that Microsoft’s failure to disable outdated protocols like RC4 by default in enterprise Windows enabled the hack and subsequent ransomware deployment techradar.com techradar.com. The accusation is serious – essentially that Microsoft’s backward-compatibility and poor defaults directly contributed to a healthcare crisis. He noted Microsoft still hasn’t issued a fix or proactive customer alert about the RC4 Kerberos weakness, months after the breach techradar.com. Microsoft’s response (to TechRadar) was that RC4 accounts for <0.1% of its traffic and is discouraged in docs, but that turning it off entirely “would break many customer systems,” so a gradual phase-out is planned techradar.com. The company says it’s “engaged with the Senator’s office” on the issue techradar.com. This back-and-forth highlights a broader tension: businesses running decades-old protocols for the sake of legacy support vs. the urgent need to harden networks as ransomware crews exploit any crack. As of now, the FTC hasn’t said if it will investigate Microsoft, but Wyden’s push adds pressure on big software vendors to prioritize security updates – even if it inconveniences some customers. For hospitals and critical infrastructure, the stakes couldn’t be higher: as Wyden put it, without swift action, Microsoft’s laissez-faire security “poses a serious national security threat and makes additional hacks inevitable.” techradar.com techradar.com

Space & Science

NASA’s New Security Rules: A striking policy change at NASA reflects the growing geopolitical rivalry in space. NASA confirmed that as of early September it has barred all Chinese nationals from working or collaborating on any NASA projects – even those legally in the U.S. on work or student visas theguardian.com theguardian.com. This encompasses physical access to NASA facilities as well as cyber access to NASA networks and data theguardian.com. In practice, Chinese researchers who had been contributing to NASA-funded studies (often as contractors or university students) found themselves abruptly locked out of IT systems and meetings on Sept 5 theguardian.com theguardian.com. NASA’s press secretary Bethany Stevens said the agency took this internal action to ensure the security of NASA’s work, suggesting concerns about espionage or technology transfer theguardian.com. Historically, NASA has already been barred by U.S. law (the Wolf Amendment) from direct cooperation with China’s space agency, but Chinese nationals have worked at NASA centers in individual capacities. This blanket ban is unprecedented. It comes as President Trump’s administration amps up anti-China rhetoric and emphasizes beating China in the new race to the Moon theguardian.com. NASA’s acting Administrator, speaking coincidentally on Sept 11, stated: “We’re in a second space race… The Chinese want to get to the moon before us. That’s not going to happen.” theguardian.com. China has indeed been rapidly advancing: it put astronauts on its own space station, plans a crewed Moon landing by 2030, and is even aiming to return Mars samples by 2031 – potentially ahead of NASA theguardian.com theguardian.com. NASA’s Artemis III mission, which aims to put Americans back on the Moon (including the first woman on the Moon), is officially slated for late 2025, but most expect it to slip to 2026 or 2027. The NASA China-ban underscores Washington’s worry that China could catch up or surpass in key areas. It also raises ethical issues: science thrives on openness and global talent, and suddenly excluding an entire nationality (even students who have lived in the U.S. for years) has sparked criticism from some researchers. The Guardian reports the ban was first revealed by Bloomberg and has since been confirmed, marking yet another decoupling between the U.S. and China – this time in space research.

India’s Solar Mission & Space Diplomacy: In more uplifting space news, India’s Aditya-L1 spacecraft, launched on Sept 2, completed critical maneuvers this week as it heads toward the Sun–Earth L1 point. Aditya-L1 is India’s first solar observatory mission, tasked with studying solar winds and flares. On Sept 12, ISRO (India’s space agency) confirmed Aditya performed a trans-Lagrange insertion burn, putting it in a trajectory toward the L1 Lagrange point about 1.5 million km from Earth. This follows India’s historic Moon landing last month (Chandrayaan-3). Riding high on that success, ISRO also announced a partnership with NASA: the two will cooperate on a joint mission to the International Space Station in 2024 and are discussing training Indian astronauts at NASA’s Johnson Space Center. Back to Aditya-L1 – once at L1, it will orbit that point and continuously observe the Sun without Earth’s shadow interfering. Its seven instruments will image the solar corona, measure solar wind plasma, and detect solar magnetic fluctuations, aiming to answer questions about coronal heating and predict space weather events that can affect Earth’s satellites and power grids. If all goes well, Aditya-L1 will reach its observation orbit by mid-January 2026. India’s rapid progress in space – Moon, Sun, and upcoming human spaceflight – is cementing its status as a major spacefaring nation and a desirable partner in international space projects.

Rocket Launch Roundup: Over Sept 12–13, a few notable rocket launches took place. SpaceX conducted its 50th Falcon 9 launch of the year, lofting another batch of Starlink internet satellites from California. This launch used a Falcon 9 booster on its 17th flight, tying SpaceX’s reuse record. The booster successfully landed again on a droneship, underscoring SpaceX’s cadence (the company is on track to hit 100 launches in 2025). Rocket Lab, however, had to scrub a launch of its Electron rocket from New Zealand on Sept 13 due to high upper-level winds; they will retry in a few days. On the international front, Arianespace announced that the inaugural flight of its new Ariane 6 heavy-lift rocket – initially expected by end of 2023 – is delayed to 2024, with CEO affirming final tests are ongoing in Kourou. This means Europe currently has no way to launch its own satellites (since Ariane 5 was retired in 2023), relying on SpaceX and others in the interim. The delay adds pressure as competitors like SpaceX’s Starship and Blue Origin’s New Glenn inch closer to debut.

Finally, scientists used the James Webb Space Telescope to reveal the most detailed spectrum yet of exoplanet K2-18 b – and found tantalizing signs of dimethyl sulfide (DMS), a chemical that on Earth is only produced by life (e.g. by phytoplankton) techradar.com. They also confirmed this sub-Neptune exoplanet has abundant methane and CO₂ in its atmosphere, hinting at an ocean beneath a hydrogen-rich sky. Cautious optimism: Webb’s data is preliminary and DMS is not confirmed yet, but it marks the first potential biomarker detected on a planet in its star’s habitable zone. If future observations validate it, K2-18 b (120 light years away) could become a prime candidate in the search for extraterrestrial life. It’s a reminder that even as policy and competition dominate space news, the cosmos still holds awe-inspiring mysteries – and we now have the tools to probe them like never before.

Automotive & Transportation

EV Battery Breakthrough – 749 Miles on One Charge: “The end of range anxiety?” That’s how one headline described Mercedes-Benz’s solid-state battery feat this week techradar.com. Mercedes engineers retrofitted a prototype lithium metal solid-state battery into an EQS electric sedan and embarked on a long-distance road trip – Stuttgart, Germany to Malmö, Sweden – without recharging techradar.com techradar.com. The journey, over highways and across a ferry, totaled 749 miles (1,206 km), all on a single charge techradar.com techradar.com. Upon arrival, the car still had around 15% battery left (~85 miles more range) techradar.com. This ever-so-slightly beats Mercedes’ own previous record (the Vision EQXX concept did 747 miles last year) techradar.com. Crucially, the test used a near-production vehicle with only “light modifications”. The breakthrough battery cells were developed by Factorial Energy (a Massachusetts startup in which Mercedes invested) and engineered into a full pack by Mercedes-AMG’s F1 technology division techradar.com. Despite being similar in weight and volume to the stock EQS battery, the solid-state pack delivered 25% greater usable energy thanks to improved chemistry and the elimination of some heavy support components techradar.com techradar.com. Passive air cooling (rather than liquid cooling) was sufficient due to the cell efficiency, further saving weight techradar.com.

Solid-state batteries replace the liquid electrolyte in conventional lithium-ion cells with a solid electrolyte, allowing for higher energy density and improved safety (less fire risk) – though they’ve been plagued by short lifespans and high costs in labs. Mercedes’ test suggests those hurdles are being overcome. The company hasn’t given a timeline for market deployment, but experts speculate a version of this battery could appear in high-end Mercedes EVs by late this decade. Mercedes’ CEO Ola Källenius said this achievement “proves the potential of solid-state technology in real-world driving”, stressing that the car encountered traffic, hills, and typical highway speeds, and even accounted for heating and AC needs during the trip techradar.com. In fact, Mercedes used its advanced Electric Intelligence route-planning software to optimize the drive – factoring in elevation changes, temperature, and traffic to maximize range techradar.com. The successful run is also a publicity win: Mercedes is keen to be seen at the forefront of EV innovation, especially as startups (and Tesla) tout next-gen batteries. Notably, Chinese EV makers are also racing here: Huawei claims its prototype semi-solid battery can achieve 1,800 miles per charge and recharge in <5 minutes, though with scant details to back that bold claim techradar.com. For now, Mercedes holds the real-world crown. One auto analyst mused that if you can drive 750+ miles between charges, “range anxiety” becomes almost a non-issue, shifting the EV conversation to charging speed and infrastructure. Indeed, the solid-state EQS took quite a long time to recharge after the marathon (solid batteries can be slower to charge currently). But research is ongoing to boost charge rates. All told, the Mercedes demo shows an electric future where cars might travel as far on one fill-up as today’s gasoline vehicles – a future that suddenly feels within reach.

Tesla & Wireless Charging: In a surprising pivot, Tesla quietly shelved its plans for wireless EV charging, according to industry reports techradar.com. Tesla had been exploring inductive charging pads that could charge a car parked over them (no cable needed). But this week it confirmed it is not pursuing the tech for now, without giving reasons. This leaves an opening for others: Porsche announced it will offer a wireless charging system for its upcoming EVs (likely the electric Cayenne), claiming the title of first to market. Porsche’s system, developed with Witricity, uses a floor pad and vehicle receiver to charge at around 11 kW – not as fast as wired DC supercharging but convenient for home garages. Tesla’s retreat may simply be prioritization (focusing on scaling its wired Supercharger network and the Cybertruck launch). Yet some speculate Tesla hit technical roadblocks or efficiency issues. Wireless pads waste ~10–20% of energy as heat, and alignment is tricky. For now, EV owners eager to ditch cables might be looking at luxury German options rather than Tesla.

New EVs and Concepts:BMW unveiled an early look at its next-gen iX3 electric SUV, promising 500 miles of range per charge from advanced batteries. The new iX3 (part of BMW’s “Neue Klasse” EV platform) features a slick design and improved aerodynamics. However, some analysts tempered the excitement: one noted that 500 miles is impressive but expected in 2025, and they wanted to see more innovation in BMW’s first Neue Klasse model techradar.com. Still, BMW’s direction is clear – it’s moving past converted gas models to EVs with dedicated platforms. Over at Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), the company disclosed that a recent hack of its systems may have been more serious than initially thought, with some customer data possibly stolen techradar.com. JLR had been hit by ransomware earlier in the year and said it “backtracked” on earlier assurances, now warning customers as a precaution. It’s another example of carmakers being targeted by cybercriminals for both IP and personal data.

In the self-driving realm, U.S. regulators (NHTSA) opened a probe into GM’s Cruise after some of its robotaxis were involved in puzzling incidents, including one where a Cruise car reportedly impeded an ambulance. This comes just after California allowed Cruise and Waymo to expand robotaxi services – so the pressure is on to prove safety and reliability. And in Europe, Mercedes became the first automaker certified for Level 3 self-driving in the UK, meaning its Drive Pilot system can take full control on certain highways at low speeds, with legal approval for the driver to not pay attention (though they must be ready to take over). It’s limited (under 40 mph on specific stretches), but significant as a legal milestone in autonomous driving.

Transportation Infrastructure: Big picture, countries are investing in future transport tech. Japan began testing a new maglev train prototype that could eventually hit 500 km/h (310 mph), aiming to connect Tokyo and Nagoya in 40 minutes by 2030. And in the U.S., California’s governor announced a $3.2 billion plan to add electric truck charging stations along key freight corridors and to pilot “hydrogen hubs” for fuel-cell trucks, accelerating the decarbonization of trucking. Amid these advancements, traditional concerns still lurk – for example, a global shortage of automotive-grade chips has resurfaced, with Toyota and VW reporting minor production cuts this week due to semiconductor supply issues. It seems even as cars become rolling computers, they remain subject to the same chip bottlenecks as other gadgets.

Biotech & Health Technology

FDA Nixes Expert Panels: A significant policy shift is underway at the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) that could transform how drugs get approved – and it’s stirring debate in the medical community. Under the Trump administration’s directives to cut red tape, FDA leaders stated they plan to sharply curtail the use of outside expert advisory committees when reviewing new drug applications kffhealthnews.org. For decades, the FDA has convened independent panels of physicians, scientists, and patient representatives to vet many novel drugs and vote on recommendations (especially when evidence is debatable). These advisory committee (“adcom”) meetings increase transparency and lend credibility to approvals. However, FDA’s current top drug official, Dr. Patrizia Cavazzoni, said the agency “would like to get away from assembling panels of experts for individual drugs” because she doesn’t think they’re always needed kffhealthnews.org. Instead, the FDA believes its in-house scientists can often make the call without outside input – potentially speeding up approvals by months. This stance was reported by KFF Health News on Sept 12 and has since been confirmed in FDA meeting minutes. The context is that under Trump’s agenda, the FDA is under pressure to streamline approvals and not let what one might call “bureaucratic formalities” delay patient access. Indeed, in some recent cases (e.g. Alzheimer’s drug Leqembi), the FDA approved drugs without an adcom or against an adcom’s negative vote, raising questions about the panels’ influence. Critics of the change – including former FDA advisors and public interest groups – warn that bypassing expert panels could erode trust and lead to more controversial approvals. They point out advisory committees often flag safety issues or demand more evidence; without them, the FDA might be more prone to “yes” decisions influenced by industry. It’s worth noting the FDA isn’t eliminating all committees; it may still use them for sweeping policy questions or highly novel therapies. But if this policy proceeds, routine adcoms for drugs (especially in areas like oncology, where they were common) might become rare. We’ll see tension here: speed vs. scrutiny in drug approvals. The FDA move also highlights how much leadership and philosophy can change under different administrations – a reminder that science and regulation are not immune to politics.

Life-Saving Device Approved: On a positive note in medical tech, a novel device to treat a usually fatal form of cardiac arrest just earned its first regulatory approval. Danish startup Neurescue announced on Sept 12 that its intelligent aortic occlusion device received a CE Mark in Europe for use in non-shockable cardiac arrest. When a patient’s heart stops and the rhythm is “non-shockable” (meaning defibrillators won’t help, e.g. in asystole or pulseless electrical activity), survival rates are near zero. Neurescue’s device is essentially a high-tech balloon catheter: it’s inserted into a major artery and temporarily blocks blood flow to the lower body, thereby redirecting blood to the heart and brain. The device uses sensors and an algorithm to optimize how long and how much to occlude, providing what’s called “controlled pressure CPR” internally. Clinical studies in Europe showed improved vital organ perfusion, buying time for doctors to treat the underlying cause of arrest. With CE approval, the Neurescue system can now be marketed across Europe – potentially the first new major innovation in CPR in decades. The company is also working with the FDA for U.S. clearance. If widely adopted, EMS and hospitals could deploy the device in tough cardiac arrest cases, hopefully increasing the currently dismal 5-10% survival rates from cardiac arrest. Experts caution it’s not a magic bullet, but as one ER doctor said, “any incremental benefit in non-shockable arrest would be huge, because right now we save almost no one in that category.” This is a big milestone in the intersection of medtech and emergency medicine.

Gene Editing Breakthrough: In biotechnology research, scientists at Rice University and collaborators announced a breakthrough using CRISPR-based gene editing to cure a lethal genetic disease – in animal models for now. The team developed a custom gene editor to fix a single mutation that causes a deadly metabolic disorder in infants (specifically, a urea cycle disorder). Results published Sept 11 showed that treated mice had the mutated gene corrected in enough of their liver cells to restore normal metabolic function, and they survived symptom-free fiercebiotech.com. The key innovation was a tailor-made base-editing enzyme that targets the mutant DNA sequence very precisely, minimizing off-target edits. Unlike traditional CRISPR which cuts DNA, this base editor chemically converts a single DNA letter to another, fixing the point mutation without making a double-strand break. After a single injection of a viral vector carrying the editor, about 60% of liver cells in newborn mice were corrected – sufficient to cure the disease in mice. While mouse cures don’t guarantee human success, this demonstrates the potential of next-gen gene editing to tackle inherited diseases once deemed incurable. The researchers noted that if translated to humans, this could be delivered soon after birth to rescue babies who otherwise would not survive or would need a liver transplant. It’s part of a broader renaissance in gene therapy: similar approaches are being explored for sickle cell disease, muscular dystrophy, and more. The usual caveats apply – years of further testing, safety checks, and clinical trials will be needed. But it’s a shining example of biotech innovation offering real hope for genetic conditions.

Pharma & Market Moves: In the business of biotech, there were a couple notable developments around Sept 12. Pharma giant Eli Lilly is reportedly reconsidering its investment in a major UK biotech incubator in London fiercebiotech.com. Lilly had planned a £30 million center to nurture UK startups, but with shifting economic climates and perhaps more attractive incentives in the US (post-IRA act), it might scale back or relocate that effort. This comes on the heels of AstraZeneca pausing a £250 million factory investment in England as well fiercebiotech.com, citing high costs – a worrying sign for Britain’s life-science sector amid post-Brexit challenges.

Meanwhile, Novo Nordisk (flush with cash from its Ozempic/Wegovy success in obesity) made workplace news by ordering all employees back to the office at least three days a week starting January fiercebiotech.com – a bellwether as big pharma navigates hybrid work. And the frenetic field of weight-loss drugs saw another twist: Pfizer announced disappointing trial results for its oral GLP-1 pill, causing it to dial back some obesity drug plans – which in turn sent Novo and Lilly shares even higher, as their injection-based therapies maintain dominance.

In regulatory news beyond the FDA, the U.S. DEA said it might finally move to ease rules on cannabis research by allowing more universities to study marijuana and even considering reclassification from Schedule I, responding to HHS’s recent recommendation. This could accelerate medical cannabis development if it happens.

Lastly, a fascinating intersection of biotech and tech: Isomorphic Labs, an AI-driven drug discovery startup owned by Google’s Alphabet, gave an update on its mission to “solve drug discovery.” At a London event on Sept 12, CEO Demis Hassabis said they are using AlphaFold’s protein-folding AI plus other models to design new medicines for “all of disease space.” While technically AI-related (excluded from our main scope), it underscores how AI is being leveraged in biotech – but notably, Hassabis tempered expectations, noting drug development is still a years-long process and their first compounds are only now entering preclinical testing fortune.com finance.yahoo.com. The takeaway is that even with cutting-edge AI, biology doesn’t yield quick wins easily – a theme echoed in a Fortune piece analyzing why many AI drug startups have struggled to deliver actual drugs despite over $18 billion invested in the niche fortune.com finance.yahoo.com. In short, the synergy of biotech and tech is promising, but patience is key.

From sweeping changes in drug policy to cutting-edge cures in labs, the biotech sector in the past 48 hours showed both its accelerating innovation and the need for careful governance. And notably, these stories all revolve around human expertise, physical science, and policy – a reminder that even outside the AI hype, transformative things are happening in technology across the board.

Sources: Major news outlets and official reports, including Apple Newsroom apple.com apple.com, Reuters reuters.com reuters.com, TechRadar techradar.com techradar.com, The Register theregister.com theregister.com, TechCrunch techcrunch.com techcrunch.com, The Guardian theguardian.com theguardian.com, and Fierce Biotech/Fierce Pharma kffhealthnews.org, among others. All information is sourced from reputable journalism and official statements over Sept 12–13, 2025. Each development is cited inline above with reference to its source for further reading. apple.com reuters.com techradar.com techradar.com theregister.com theregister.com techcrunch.com techcrunch.com theguardian.com theguardian.com kffhealthnews.org