Tech Turmoil: Outages, Spyware Scares & Billion‑Dollar Deals – Non‑AI Tech News (Sept 1

Key Facts

Verizon outage hits U.S. customers: A widespread Verizon wireless outage over Labor Day weekend left tens of thousands of users unable to call or text, with phones stuck in “SOS only” mode ^[1] ^[2]. Verizon blamed a “software issue” and said engineers were “working quickly to identify and solve the issue,” apologizing for the disruption ^[3].
WhatsApp patches zero‑click spyware exploit:Meta confirmed and fixed a critical WhatsApp vulnerability that let spyware infect iPhones and Macs without any user interaction ^[4] ^[5]. The flaw (CVE-2025-55177) was chained with an Apple iOS/macOS bug to launch an “extremely sophisticated attack” on targeted devices ^[6]. Fewer than 200 users got warning notifications, and experts called it an “advanced spyware campaign” requiring no clicks by victims ^[7] ^[8].
Hackers weaponize legit IT tools: Security researchers warn that threat actors are increasingly abusing trusted software in attacks. In one case, hackers installed Velociraptor – an open-source forensic tool – on victim systems to stealthily create a backdoor tunnel via Visual Studio Code ^[9]. Using such off-the-shelf IT and admin tools lets attackers “obtain a foothold” without deploying custom malware ^[10], a tactic that can precede ransomware strikes ^[11].
Whistleblower exposes Social Security data risk: A whistleblower complaint alleges a U.S. agency (the Department of Government Efficiency) uploaded the entire Social Security database – info on 300+ million Americans – to an unsecured cloud server ^[12] ^[13]. The live dataset includes names, SSNs, birthdates, and more ^[14], creating “enormous vulnerabilities” if bad actors find it ^[15]. An SSA spokesperson insisted the data is stored in a secure “walled-off” environment with no known breach ^[16].
FTC targets Gmail spam filters & foreign rules: Newly appointed FTC Chairman Andrew Ferguson warned Google that Gmail’s spam filtering may have “partisan effects,” citing claims it flags Republican fundraising emails more than Democratic ones ^[17] ^[18]. If Gmail “keeps Americans from receiving speech they expect,” it could violate consumer protection law, Ferguson said, hinting at an FTC probe ^[19]. Google denied any political bias, stressing its filters use objective signals and apply “equally to all senders, regardless of political ideology” ^[20]. Separately, Ferguson sent letters to over a dozen tech giants (Apple, Meta, Amazon, etc.) not to weaken encryption or censor content for foreign governments ^[21] ^[22]. He warned that complying with Europe’s Digital Services Act or UK online safety laws at the expense of Americans’ data security and free speech would “erode Americans’ freedoms” and could be deemed deceptive under U.S. law ^[23] ^[24].
UK porn sites see traffic plunge under age law: Britain’s new age-verification mandate for adult websites has caused Pornhub’s UK traffic to drop ~47% overnight, while rival sites that ignored the ID checks doubled or tripled their visits ^[25] ^[26]. A Washington Post analysis of 90 porn sites found all 14 that skipped the face/ID checks gained major U.K. audience boosts ^[27]. One researcher called it “a textbook illustration of the law of unintended consequences” – the law “suppresses traffic to compliant platforms while driving users” to rule-breakers, “reward[ing] the very sites that scoff at their rules” ^[28].
Samsung teases surprise gadget event:Samsung announced a sudden Unpacked event on Sept. 4 – just a day before Europe’s IFA tech expo – catching industry watchers off guard ^[29]. The virtual event timing, a week ahead of Apple’s iPhone launch, seems aimed to “steal a little bit of Apple’s thunder” ^[30]. Samsung’s invite is cryptic (showing a folding cube shape), fueling speculation that a long-rumored tri-fold smartphone or other foldable device might debut.
TikTok adds voice and photo messaging:TikTok is rolling out new DM features to make it a full-fledged messaging platform ^[31]. In the coming weeks users can send 60-second voice notes and up to 9 photos/videos at a time in direct messages and group chats ^[32] ^[33]. TikTok says voice chats, already popular on WhatsApp and Instagram, are especially embraced by Gen Z and will help keep users engaged inside TikTok’s app ^[34]. For safety, TikTok will block unknown users from sending unsolicited images and use automated filters to detect nudity in underage users’ chats ^[35] ^[36].
$1 billion US–India deep-tech alliance formed: In a rare show of cooperation, 8 top VC firms from the U.S. and India (including Accel, Blume Ventures, Premji Invest, and Celesta Capital) have united to spur India’s “deep tech” sector with over $1 billion in pledged capital ^[37]. The new India Deep Tech Investment Alliance will fund Indian startups in advanced fields like semiconductors, space, quantum tech, biotech and more over the next decade ^[38] ^[39]. Such a coordinated investment bloc is highly unusual among rival venture funds ^[40]. “This is in line with the strategic interests of both India and the U.S., focusing on critical and emerging technologies,” said Celesta managing partner Arun Kumar of the initiative ^[41]. It comes as India launches a ₹1 trillion government R&D scheme and the U.S. and India deepen tech ties despite recent trade tensions ^[42] ^[43].
Space sector’s record pace and rivalry:SpaceX closed August with its 108th launch of 2025, a Falcon 9 mission on Aug. 31 that put 28 Starlink satellites into orbit ts2.tech ts2.tech. This brings over 1,900 Starlink satellites launched this year alone ts2.tech ts2.tech, helping SpaceX’s Starlink internet service grow to 7 million users across 150+ countries ts2.tech. SpaceX says it’s building satellites at ~70 per week to meet demand ts2.tech. ESA’s JUICE probe performed a vital Venus flyby en route to Jupiter’s moons ts2.tech, and Blue Origin set Sept. 29 for the next test launch of its New Glenn heavy rocket carrying NASA’s Mars orbiters ts2.tech. Meanwhile, global space cooperation is ramping up – G20 space agency chiefs met in South Africa – even as a new US–China moon race looms. NASA’s interim chief warned that the two nations are competing to secure the moon’s “most resource-rich” areas for future bases ts2.tech.

Telecom & Infrastructure: Major Outage Underscores Fragility

A massive Verizon outage struck U.S. wireless customers over the holiday weekend, illustrating how a single glitch can knock out critical connectivity nationwide. Starting August 30, users across many states reported their mobile service suddenly dropped, with iPhones displaying “SOS only” in lieu of signal. Verizon confirmed a “software issue” was to blame, acknowledging that many couldn’t make or receive calls for hours ^[44] ^[45]. “Our engineers are engaged and we are working quickly to identify and solve the issue,” Verizon spokesperson Karen Schulz said, adding “we know how much people rely on Verizon and apologize for any inconvenience” ^[46]. The carrier urged patience as it raced to restore service. The incident – which prompted over 20,000 outage reports on DownDetector – highlights the vulnerability of telecom networks to software bugs ^[47]. Even brief wireless downtime can disrupt businesses and 911 access for millions, raising calls for greater resilience in mobile infrastructure. Verizon has since resolved the outage and is reviewing what went wrong.

Cybersecurity & Data Privacy: Spyware, Hacker Tactics, and Data Leaks

In a stark reminder of evolving cyber threats, WhatsApp users on Apple devices fell prey to a zero-click spyware exploit that required no action by the victim. Meta revealed that a previously unknown WhatsApp bug (CVE-2025-55177) was paired with an iOS/macOS flaw (CVE-2025-43300) to silently infect targets’ iPhones and Macs ^[48]. Apple had called the iOS vulnerability part of an “extremely sophisticated attack against specific targeted individuals,” now understood to be delivered via WhatsApp ^[49]. Amnesty International’s Security Lab investigated and described it as an “advanced spyware campaign” that had been active since May, noting the attack was “zero-click,” meaning “it does not require any interaction from the victim” to compromise the device ^[50]. Once implanted, the spyware could steal data and messages from the phone ^[51]. Meta’s security team says it discovered the exploit and quietly patched WhatsApp a few weeks ago, pushing fixes to users in mid-August ^[52]. The company also sent targeted alerts to a “very small number (less than 200) of users” who were hacked ^[53]. While Meta did not publicly attribute the attack to a specific spyware vendor, the incident has echoes of past exploits by NSO Group’s Pegasus and others ^[54]. Security experts are urging all users to update WhatsApp and iOS immediately. This case underscores that even fully-patched devices can be breached by determined adversaries leveraging undisclosed 0-day flaws.

Meanwhile, hackers are increasingly “living off the land” – exploiting IT tools that already exist on target networks – to avoid detection. A report by Sophos this week detailed how unknown attackers installed Velociraptor, an open-source incident response tool, onto a company’s server and used it for nefarious ends ^[55]. In the attack, the threat actor ran Velociraptor to download and launch a hidden instance of Visual Studio Code, likely to create an encrypted tunnel back to their own systems (a stealthy command-and-control channel) ^[56]. By using a legitimate admin tool in an unexpected way, the hackers blended in with normal operations – a savvy tactic to bypass security alarms. “The use of Velociraptor signals a tactical evolution, where incident response programs are being used to obtain a foothold,” Sophos researchers said, noting the intruders didn’t need to deploy custom malware at all ^[57]. The hack didn’t stop there; the attackers also abused built-in Windows installer (msiexec) to pull down other tools like a Cloudflare remote access service and an off-the-shelf RAT (remote admin tool) ^[58]. By chaining these together, they established persistent backdoors. Security teams are being warned to monitor for legitimate tools used in odd places – e.g. an unexpected copy of Velociraptor running – as a red flag. “Organizations should treat observations of this tradecraft as a precursor to ransomware,” the Sophos report advised, since attackers often escalate to deploying file-encrypting malware after such stealthy network access ^[59]. Defenders are urged to tighten control over who can install or run IT tools internally and to maintain strict audit logs.

On the data privacy front, a shocking whistleblower revelation suggests an internal lapse may have put virtually every American’s personal data at risk. Chuck Borges, Chief Data Officer of the U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA), filed a formal complaint alleging that staff at the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) copied the entire Social Security number database and uploaded it to an unsecured cloud server in June ^[60]. According to the complaint (first reported on Aug. 26), this “live copy of the entire country’s Social Security information” was moved outside of SSA’s secure IT environment without proper safeguards ^[61]. The database allegedly contains a trove of sensitive data: not just SSNs, but names, dates of birth, citizenship status, addresses, phone numbers, and even personal details like parents’ names and race/ethnicity of applicants ^[62]. In short, everything needed for identity theft on a massive scale is sitting in a “vulnerable cloud environment” not monitored by SSA, the whistleblower warns ^[63]. The complaint calls this a glaring security failure – if malicious actors gained access, “Americans may be susceptible to widespread identity theft [and] lose vital benefits,” it reads ^[64]. The number of affected individuals is enormous: potentially over 300 million people’s data. In response, the Social Security Administration has pushed back, insisting the data is safe. An SSA spokesperson told ABC News that “SSA stores all personal data in secure environments that have robust safeguards in place,” and that the cloud system in question is a long-standing internal platform isolated from the internet ^[65]. SSA says only high-level officials have access and that there’s no evidence of any unauthorized access so far ^[66]. Nonetheless, lawmakers are now reviewing the claims, and if substantiated, this would represent one of the largest data security blunders in U.S. government history. The incident raises tough questions about internal oversight and why a complete SSA dataset was duplicated outside its secure domain in the first place. It also comes at a time of heightened focus on federal cybersecurity, after past breaches like the OPM records hack. This whistleblower’s alarming claims may prompt immediate audits and potentially a shakeup of data-handling practices at SSA and DOGE to ensure Americans’ information is locked down.

Tech Policy & Regulation: Regulators Zero In on Big Tech Practices

It’s been a whirlwind few days in tech regulation, with U.S. officials sending stark warnings to industry giants on multiple fronts – from email algorithms to global content rules – while overseas laws are already shaking up the web.

In Washington, the new FTC chairman is taking aim at Google’s Gmail filtering and other Big Tech policies.Andrew Ferguson, who became chair of the Federal Trade Commission in August, has wasted no time spotlighting a longstanding Republican grievance: that email providers might be biased against conservatives. On August 31, Ferguson sent a letter to Google CEO Sundar Pichai suggesting that Gmail’s spam filter may be unfairly flagging Republican campaign emails as junk ^[67] ^[68]. “My understanding from recent reporting is that Gmail’s spam filters routinely block messages… from Republican senders but fail to block similar messages sent by Democrats,” Ferguson wrote in the letter ^[69]. He cited a New York Post story about GOP email marketers complaining that donation links for Republican platform WinRed go to spam, whereas Democratic ActBlue emails get through ^[70] ^[71]. If true, Ferguson warned, this could constitute a deceptive practice. If Gmail’s filters “keep Americans from receiving speech they expect… the filters may harm American consumers and may violate the FTC Act,” he cautioned, even threatening “an FTC investigation and potential enforcement action.” ^[72].

Google swiftly denied any political tilt in how Gmail works. A Google spokesperson told Axios that Gmail’s spam algorithms “look at a variety of objective signals – like whether people mark a particular email as spam, or if a particular ad agency is sending a high volume of emails often marked as spam” ^[73]. Those rules are applied “equally to all senders, regardless of political ideology,” the company insisted ^[74]. In other words, if GOP fundraiser emails are getting flagged, Google implies it’s because users frequently report them, not due to any partisan intent. Google also noted that an earlier FEC (Federal Election Commission) complaint alleging Gmail bias was dismissed last year, as was a Republican National Committee lawsuit on the matter ^[75]. (Ironically, Google had even piloted a program allowing political emails to bypass spam filters, but uptake was low.) Still, with a Trump-appointed FTC chair now at the helm, the issue has new life. Ferguson’s letter gives Google 30 days to respond with information on its spam filtering practices. This sets up a potential showdown pitting claims of anti-conservative tech bias against Silicon Valley’s algorithms – a contentious topic that blends tech policy with politics. Observers say the FTC could possibly push Google to make spam filtering more “neutral” or transparent, though the legal basis for action remains untested. It’s the latest sign that U.S. regulators are scrutinizing not just Big Tech’s market power, but also how their platforms handle political content and communications.

At the same time, the FTC fired a warning shot over how U.S. tech companies respond to foreign tech regulations, especially sweeping new laws in Europe. On September 1, Chairman Ferguson announced he had sent letters to Meta, Apple, Amazon, Microsoft, Alphabet and others about not bending U.S. user protections to appease overseas rules ^[76]. He singled out the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA) – which just took effect for tech giants – and the UK’s pending Online Safety Act, saying these laws “incentivize tech companies to censor worldwide speech” or weaken encryption in the name of compliance ^[77]. Europe’s DSA, for instance, requires very large platforms to police “harmful” content, which critics say could pressure companies to take down legal speech in the U.S. to maintain one standard. And the UK is considering rules that could force encrypted messengers like WhatsApp to scan messages for abuse content (or face fines), effectively undermining end-to-end encryption. Ferguson’s message: Don’t you dare do that in America. In his letters, he reminded firms that they must still abide by U.S. law – notably, the FTC Act’s ban on deceptive practices – even when following foreign mandates ^[78]. For example, if a company promises users secure, encrypted messaging but then “adopts weaker security in response to demands from a foreign government,” that could be deemed deceptive to consumers and illegal under the FTC Act ^[79]. Likewise, he suggested that overzealous content removal at another government’s behest might violate Americans’ free expression rights (and potentially Section 5 of the FTC Act if consumers are misled about how their speech is handled). “I am concerned that [such actions] will erode Americans’ freedoms and subject them to myriad harms, such as surveillance by foreign governments,” Ferguson wrote bluntly ^[80]. This transatlantic tension puts companies in a bind: the EU and UK have tough new codes of conduct with hefty penalties, but U.S. officials are now implying that complying too much could invite stateside penalties. Tech companies will likely seek a balance – perhaps maintaining stricter standards only for EU/UK users while assuring U.S. users of unchanged privacy and speech safeguards. The FTC’s assertive stance here is virtually unprecedented – American regulators usually don’t tell companies to ignore other countries’ laws. It signals just how far the U.S.–EU divergence on tech regulation has grown. For users, the outcome could shape what Facebook, X/Twitter, YouTube, etc. allow or encrypt in different regions. This brewing conflict may need an international solution or risk putting tech firms in an impossible position of choosing which laws to follow.

Across the Atlantic, the U.K.’s experiment in online age-gating is already having dramatic, and in some ways counterproductive, effects. As of early September, Britain is enforcing a strict pornography age-verification law (under the new Online Safety Act) that requires adult websites to verify users are 18+ via government ID or face scans. The result? Traffic to porn sites that complied has plummeted, while traffic to sites that ignore the law has surged. Pornhub, one of the largest sites, saw U.K. visits drop by nearly half the day after the rules kicked in, according to multiple reports ^[81]. By contrast, some unregulated platforms that chose not to put up age gateways have been “rewarded with a flood of traffic,” with one site’s U.K. audience doubling or even tripling compared to last year ^[82] ^[83]. The Washington Post analyzed data for 90 top adult sites and found 14 major sites refused to implement the age check – and all 14 saw major boosts in U.K. user numbers in August ^[84]. Many British users appear to be routing around the law – either by flocking to alternative sites or using VPNs to masquerade as non-UK users. This outcome has internet safety experts concerned. “The UK case is a textbook illustration of the law of unintended consequences,” said John Scott-Railton of Citizen Lab, warning that blocking mainstream porn sites is driving users (including teens) to sketchier corners of the internet ^[85]. Sites that comply with the age law tend to be larger, more established brands that at least have moderation and industry standards; the ones rising in their place may host far more extreme content or malware. “The more the government squeezes, the more they reward the very sites that scoff at their rules,” Scott-Railton noted, arguing that determined minors are finding it “a game” to evade the blocks ^[86]. Privacy advocates are also worried that the ID checks themselves pose risks – handing over personal data or biometric scans to third-party age verification companies could be a honeypot for leaks or abuse. British regulators say it’s too early to judge the law’s success and that protecting children is worth the trade-offs. They also point out that some other countries and U.S. states (e.g. Louisiana, Texas, Utah) are enacting similar age-check requirements for adult content. Still, the early data from the UK is prompting debate: Is age verification driving users to less safe behaviors online? If so, policymakers may need to refine their approach – perhaps by making the verification process smoother and more universal (so users don’t just site-hop), or by ramping up enforcement against the holdouts. For now, a sizable portion of UK adult content consumption appears to be shifting to the shadows, illustrating how hard it is to control the internet through legislation alone.

Consumer Tech & Electronics: New Devices and Social Features

Tech giants didn’t wait for fall to start unveiling gadgets and updates. In early September, Samsung Electronics surprised everyone by scheduling an extra Galaxy Unpacked event for September 4 – an unusual second Samsung launch in the span of weeks. The company had already held a major event in late July for its latest foldable phones, so tech watchers were puzzled (and excited) by the sudden announcement of another showcase. Notably, Sept. 4 is the day before the IFA tech expo kicks off in Berlin, and one week before Apple’s iPhone 17 launch event. “Apple isn’t the only tech company to send out launch event invitations this week… Samsung is sneaking a virtual Unpacked in on September 4th before Apple hosts its annual iPhone event the following week,” observed The Verge, suggesting Samsung wouldn’t mind siphoning a bit of media attention from Cupertino ^[87]. Samsung’s invite graphic was abstract – a cube-like shape unfolding – but it immediately ignited rumors of a new tri-fold device. Tech enthusiasts have long speculated Samsung might debut a tri-folding smartphone/tablet that folds in two places (a step beyond the current bi-fold Galaxy Z Fold). “Doesn’t it look like that cube-type shape is unfolding in more than one way? Wouldn’t IFA be a cool place to launch a tri-fold?” one tech editor mused, fanning the hype ^[88]. Other possibilities for the event include new tablets, smartwatches, or home appliances, but Samsung’s choice to hold a standalone event – rather than just use the IFA tradeshow – hints it has something significant up its sleeve. The event will stream early (5:30am ET) on Sept. 4 ^[89], and Samsung fans worldwide will be watching to see if the electronics giant can one-up its own innovations. By preempting Apple’s annual iPhone week, Samsung clearly wants to set its own narrative for “Techtember.” If a Galaxy tri-fold is unveiled, it would mark the world’s first phone of its kind, potentially kicking off a new form-factor race. Regardless, Samsung’s move underscores how the competition in consumer tech is heating up as the big year-end product season begins.

On the software side of consumer tech, TikTok is rapidly expanding beyond video sharing into messaging and social networking. The hugely popular short-video app (over 1 billion users) announced it is adding voice messages and photo/video attachments in direct messages, upgrading its chat capabilities to be on par with Instagram, Snapchat, and others ^[90]. The company told TechCrunch that as of Sept 1, users will be able to send voice notes up to 60 seconds long in one-on-one or group chats ^[91]. This brings TikTok in line with a trend pioneered by WhatsApp and WeChat, where audio messages have become a common way especially for younger users to communicate. In fact, TikTok cited that “particularly Gen Z” loves using voice notes as a quick, personal way to chat ^[92]. TikTok’s update also lets people share multiple images or videos in DMs – up to 9 pieces of media in a single message thread ^[93]. Previously, TikTok’s messaging was quite limited (text and TikTok videos only), so this change makes it far more versatile. Now friends can use TikTok DMs to swap photos from their camera roll or videos, not just links to TikTok clips. The goal is clearly to increase user engagement and keep conversations within TikTok, rather than having users drift to other apps for chatting. TikTok is positioning itself as not just an entertainment feed but a full social platform. To address safety, the app has built-in protections: users under 16 cannot access DMs at all, and those 16–17 have extra privacy defaults. Even for adults, TikTok said unknown users can’t send you images or videos in a first message – they would have to text you first and get a reply before media sharing is allowed ^[94]. And TikTok will use automated detection to block nude images from being sent to teens; if someone tries, the image will be filtered out and not delivered ^[95]. These measures mirror what Instagram and others do to curb unsolicited explicit content. The new features will roll out globally over the coming days, likely accompanied by a TikTok app update. This move by TikTok ups the competitive pressure on other social apps – it’s another sign that platforms are converging in features. Just as Instagram and YouTube copied TikTok’s short Reels, now TikTok is copying a page from Instagram’s messaging. For users, it means TikTok might become a one-stop-shop to watch viral videos and chat with friends, making the app even stickier.

Major Tech Deals & Investments: $1B for India’s Deep Tech Boom

In tech business news, an eye-popping alliance was announced that could supercharge innovation in India and deepen ties between Silicon Valley and South Asia. Eight leading venture capital and private equity firms from the U.S. and India have teamed up to launch a $1 billion+ fund for “deep tech” startups in India ^[96]. This coalition – called the India Deep Tech Investment Alliance – includes big-name investors like Accel, Blume Ventures, Celesta Capital, Premji Invest, and others, all agreeing to coordinate efforts and capital to back cutting-edge Indian tech companies ^[97] ^[98]. Over the next 5–10 years, each member firm will dedicate a portion of their funds specifically to Indian startups working on fundamental technologies such as semiconductors, space and aerospace, quantum computing, robotics, biotech, clean energy and more (areas that typically require more R&D and patience than quick-profit consumer apps) ^[99] ^[100].

It’s a highly unusual move – VCs normally compete to invest in hot startups, not form formal partnerships. While co-investments happen often, a named alliance with binding pledges is almost unheard of in venture finance ^[101]. The reasoning comes down to a shared recognition that India’s ecosystem has a “deep tech” funding gap. In recent years, India has produced dozens of unicorns in e-commerce, fintech, and on-demand services – but officials lament that too few startups are tackling core scientific and industrial innovation. In April, India’s Commerce Minister even chided founders for “focusing on food delivery instead of innovation,” comparing India unfavorably to China’s big bets on hardware and deep tech ^[102]. Investors responded that the issue wasn’t willpower but capital – India lacked sufficient domestic risk capital for deep tech, as most local VCs favored safer, quicker returns ^[103]. The new alliance aims to change that by unlocking long-term money for advanced tech ventures that might have been starved of funds before. “This [alliance] is in line with the strategic interests of both India and the U.S. at the governmental level, focusing on critical and emerging technologies,” said Arun Kumar, managing partner at Celesta Capital, who will chair the alliance ^[104]. Indeed, the partnership dovetails with geopolitical initiatives: Earlier this year the U.S. and Indian governments launched a program called iCET to collaborate on technologies like AI, defense, and semiconductors. The venture alliance also follows India’s approval of a massive ₹1 trillion (≈$11 billion) public R&D incentive scheme to boost innovation in areas like AI, quantum and space ^[105]. By combining government push and private capital, stakeholders hope to establish India as a global hub for deep tech.

Each alliance member will still invest through their own funds, but they’ll coordinate to avoid duplication and to ensure a steady flow of capital into chosen sectors. The firms also pledged to provide mentorship and market access to startups – for example, helping Indian deep tech companies enter U.S. markets and vice versa ^[106] ^[107]. The timing is interesting, as it comes amid some U.S.–India trade friction (the U.S. recently imposed tariffs on Indian goods over Russia oil purchases, stirring tensions) ^[108]. Yet both nations acknowledge a mutual interest in tech collaboration to counterbalance China’s tech rise. By pooling over a billion dollars, this alliance instantly becomes a major player in India’s startup scene. It’s expected to back dozens of early-stage companies that work on things like next-gen battery storage, chip design, satellite tech, medical devices, etc. For Indian entrepreneurs in these areas, who often struggled to raise money domestically, this is a huge opportunity. The alliance sends a strong signal that patient capital is now available for high-impact, high-tech ideas in India. If successful, it could produce homegrown breakthroughs and even challenge Silicon Valley in some domains. At minimum, it will strengthen cross-border ties – several U.S. VCs involved noted that innovations in India can find big markets in America and vice versa ^[109]. All told, it’s a bold experiment in collaborative investing that could serve as a model for other regions or sectors (some compare it to how the semiconductor industry got consortia support). The coming years will tell whether this unprecedented VC club can turn a billion dollars into the next DeepMind or SpaceX – made in India.

Space & Aerospace: Launch Frenzy, New Milestones, and a Lunar Space Race

The first days of September saw major developments in space technology, from rapid-fire rocket launches to international jockeying over the Moon.

SpaceX continues to redraw the record books for launch cadence. On August 31, Elon Musk’s company lofted yet another batch of 28 Starlink internet satellites into low Earth orbit – notably, its 9th launch in the month of August and the 108th flight of 2025 ts2.tech. This puts SpaceX on track to far exceed its previous annual launch totals. In 2023, they had 61 orbital launches; in 2024, 98 launches. Now, with four months still left in 2025, hitting 150+ launches this year seems within reach. The Aug. 31 mission (from Cape Canaveral) also pushed the total Starlink satellites launched in 2025 past 1,900 units ts2.tech ts2.tech – an astonishing deployment rate that’s roughly on par with the entire size of some rival satellite constellations. Thanks to this growth, SpaceX announced Starlink now serves 7 million+ subscribers globally across over 150 countries ts2.tech. That’s up from 4 million a year ago, a sign of surging demand for satellite broadband as new markets (including airplanes and RVs) come online. To meet the pace, SpaceX’s assembly lines are cranking out around 70 satellites per week, according to a senior Starlink production director ts2.tech. The company achieved other milestones in August as well: it re-used a Falcon 9 booster for a record 30th flight, and notched its 400th rocket booster landing – feats that underscore how routine (and cost-saving) reusable rocketry has become for them ts2.tech. SpaceX’s relentless tempo is leaving competitors in the dust and even straining government regulators and airspace, but so far they are clearing logistical hurdles. If all goes well, SpaceX could double the number of operational satellites in orbit within a couple years, further solidifying its two-thirds share of all active satellites ts2.tech. The Starlink megaconstellation is already changing internet access in remote areas, though astronomers worry about night sky impacts.

Across the Atlantic, Europe celebrated a crucial space maneuver: on August 31, the European Space Agency’s JUICE (Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer) spacecraft successfully performed a gravity assist flyby of Venus ts2.tech. This slingshot was needed to adjust JUICE’s trajectory for its long journey to Jupiter’s moons Ganymede, Callisto, and Europa. The probe passed about 400,000 km from Venus, gaining speed and altering its course. ESA officials confirmed the flyby went as planned – a relief, since a previous JUICE attempt at an Earth flyby in August had a tiny hiccup (a sensor issue, later resolved). JUICE is due to reach Jupiter in 2031 and will then orbit its icy moons to study their subsurface oceans – but to get there it must perform multiple flybys (of Earth and Venus) to pick up enough velocity. This Venus assist was the second of those, and mission controllers celebrated it as another step on JUICE’s 6.6 billion-km odyssey ts2.tech. Notably, during the flyby, JUICE’s instruments were turned off to avoid sun-facing damage (Venus’s proximity to the Sun means high radiation), so no new Venus science came of it. But the spacecraft did measure some plasma and magnetic field data. With this behind them, the JUICE team looks ahead to a critical series of flybys of Earth and the Moon in 2029, which will give the final push toward Jupiter. Amid all the near-term commercial space excitement, JUICE is a reminder of the ambitious science missions quietly trekking outward, aiming to answer whether those icy moons could harbor life.

Back in the U.S., Blue Origin – Jeff Bezos’s space venture – is gearing up for a pivotal test flight of its heavy-lift New Glenn rocket. The company confirmed it is targeting September 29 for New Glenn’s second launch, which will carry NASA’s ESCAPADE mission – twin small satellites headed to Mars to study the Red Planet’s magnetosphere ts2.tech. This is a bold choice for only a second flight: it implies NASA has enough confidence in Blue Origin to entrust an interplanetary science payload to a rocket that’s flown just once. New Glenn’s inaugural launch back in January 2025 reached orbit successfully, but the booster missed recovery (it landed hard and was lost) ts2.tech. For flight #2, Blue Origin will again attempt to land the enormous 7-meter-wide first stage on an ocean platform ts2.tech. New Glenn is analogous to SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy – a partially reusable rocket meant to carry large payloads and perhaps astronauts in the future. A success in late September would be a milestone for Blue Origin’s orbital ambitions, which lag SpaceX by many years. It’s also notable because ESCAPADE will be the first Mars mission launched by a commercial (non-United Launch Alliance) rocket. If New Glenn nails the launch and landing, it could officially open for business with both government and commercial satellite clients eagerly awaiting more options in the heavy-lift market. However, Blue Origin isn’t without struggles: its New Shepard suborbital rocket remains grounded after a 2022 failure, and some rumors suggest New Glenn’s schedule is slipping. All eyes will be on that Sept. 29 window to see if Bezos’s giant can deliver the goods – and stick the landing.

On the international front, space agencies and private firms worldwide are accelerating their activities, underscoring a new era of competition and cooperation beyond Earth. In early September, space agency chiefs from the G20 countries met in South Africa for the Space Economy Leaders Meeting (SELM6), where they discussed using space to drive sustainable development and economic growth globally ts2.tech. It’s part of an initiative under India’s G20 presidency to foster more collaboration in areas like satellite communications, Earth observation for climate, and space tourism frameworks. Several bilateral agreements were inked around the same time – e.g. Nigeria signed an MoU with Brazil on space research – highlighting that space tech is a growing diplomatic focus even for emerging economies ts2.tech.

Yet, against this collaborative backdrop, a 21st-century space race is undeniably brewing between the U.S. and China. At an August 30 conference, NASA’s interim Administrator Sean Duffy bluntly warned that “we [the U.S.] are in a new race for the Moon” – not for prestige as in the 1960s, but for the Moon’s resources and strategic locations ts2.tech. He noted that certain regions at the lunar south pole (where ice deposits exist in permanent shadowed craters) will be crucial for future bases, as water ice can be harvested for fuel and life support. “It’s about securing the most resource-rich part of the moon,” Duffy emphasized, cautioning that China is actively vying for the same spots ts2.tech. China has its Chang’e missions and a planned International Lunar Research Station in the 2030s, and has been prospecting polar areas with orbiters. The U.S. aims to return astronauts to the Moon by 2025 via Artemis 3 and eventually set up Artemis Base Camp near the south pole. Both nations have also floated timelines for crewed Mars missions, but the Moon is the nearer-term focus. NASA officials and military leaders have grown increasingly vocal that Chinese lunar ambitions could potentially lead to exclusion zones or conflicts if not proactively addressed. Of course, China rejects talk of a “space race,” saying it seeks peaceful exploration. Nonetheless, NASA is rallying allies (through the Artemis Accords) to ensure a U.S.-led norm-setting presence on the Moon. Duffy’s remarks show that geopolitical competition is extending beyond Earth’s orbit – and that the next few years will be critical as these space superpowers test lunar landers, build orbiting stations (NASA with Gateway, China with its ILRS plans), and perhaps stake claims to ice-rich craters. It’s a dynamic reminiscent of the Cold War Apollo era, but this time with many more players (including commercial ones) and much more at stake in terms of creating an off-world economy.

From connectivity nightmares on Earth to new horizons in space, the start of September 2025 has been anything but quiet in the tech world. While AI might dominate headlines most days, this roundup shows that plenty of non-AI innovation and intrigue is unfolding – whether it’s keeping our phones online, safeguarding our data, building the next generation of hardware and rockets, or navigating the complex rules that govern technology in society. Each of these developments – outages, exploits, laws, product launches, investments, and missions – is a reminder that the tech landscape is vast and fast-moving. And as this week proved, you ignore the “non-AI” side of tech news at your peril, because it’s shaping the future just as much as any algorithm.

How Israeli technology became one of the world’s most feared spyware | Al Jazeera World