HeyWhatsNew: Apple Unveils New Devices and Xbox Lets You Play Games on the Go
Hi Heyuppers! Ready for another exciting week? Let’s check out the biggest stories in tech, gaming, and innovation beginning 10/09/2025.
Apple Introduces iPhone Air, iPhone 17 Lineup, and Upgraded Watches
Apple’s big September event brought plenty of shiny new updates, headlined by the iPhone Air—a super-thin, titanium-built model that’s light enough to feel like it disappears in your hand. It joins the new iPhone 17, 17 Pro, and 17 Pro Max, with bigger batteries, brighter colors, and up to 2 terabytes of storage for those who never delete a photo. Apple also refreshed its AirPods Pro with live translation and heart-rate tracking, and rolled out three new Apple Watches, including the Series 11 with blood pressure monitoring, the SE 3 with an always-on display, and the Ultra 3 with satellite connectivity and a huge 42-hour battery.
Health and fitness were a big focus, with new tools to track sleep, spot high blood pressure, and even predict ovulation. And while Apple is keeping prices steady despite tariff pressures, the real question is whether this wave of updates, especially the eye-catching iPhone Air, will bring back that “wow” factor fans have been waiting for. Everything Apple announced lands on shelves starting September 19.
Amazon Music Introduces “Weekly Vibe” Personalized Playlists
Amazon Music has launched a new feature called Weekly Vibe, now available to U.S. users on iOS and Android. The service creates AI-powered playlists every Monday, tailored to individual listening habits and evolving “musical moods.” Each playlist arrives with a unique title, description, and genre focus, offering a mix of familiar tracks and fresh recommendations. Users can also share their Weekly Vibe with friends, post it on social platforms, or save it to their library for later listening.
Weekly Vibe expands Amazon Music’s portfolio of AI-driven tools. These include Maestro, a playlist generator that responds to prompts or emojis, and Explore, which highlights key tracks from favorite artists while suggesting similar performers. With these features, Amazon Music is aiming to make music discovery more dynamic, personalized, and seamless for listeners.
Anthropic to Pay $1.5bn to Settle AI Copyright Lawsuit
AI company Anthropic has agreed to pay $1.5bn to authors who said the firm used their work without permission to train its Claude chatbot. The deal, awaiting court approval, would be the largest copyright settlement in history. The lawsuit, filed by best-selling writers like Andrea Bartz, Charles Graeber, and Kirk Wallace Johnson, claimed Anthropic relied on pirated books to build its multi-billion-dollar AI business. While a judge previously ruled that AI training from books is mostly legal, Anthropic still faced trial over the use of pirated material.
Lawyers say the settlement is a milestone for the AI industry, showing creators can be fairly compensated when their work helps train AI systems. Experts suggest it could also encourage closer collaboration between AI developers and human authors, ensuring technology grows ethically while rewarding original creators. Anthropic described the move as a way to resolve “legacy claims” while continuing to focus on building safe, useful AI tools.
Xbox Cloud Gaming Hits the Road with LG Partnership
Xbox is taking gaming to the backseat with its new partnership with LG. Soon, passengers in select internet-connected cars—including models like the Kia EV3, EV5, EV6, and the new Sportage—will be able to play Xbox games via the cloud while on the move. Titles like Gears of War Reloaded, Black Ops 7, The Outer Worlds 2, and Forza Horizon 5 will be playable directly through LG’s webOS Automotive Content Platform, letting gamers turn even a charging stop into playtime.
This move expands Xbox Cloud Gaming beyond mobile devices, PCs, and TVs, giving players more ways to enjoy their favorite games wherever they are. Microsoft says the goal is to offer gamers greater choice and flexibility, proving that gaming is no longer confined to your console at home. Backseat battles and racing adventures are officially coming to the road.
Microsoft Offers Free Windows 10 Security Updates for a Year, With a Catch
If you’re not ready to upgrade to Windows 11, Microsoft is giving Windows 10 users a way to keep their systems secure for another year for free. Normally, extended security updates cost $30, but you can get the no-cost option by turning on cloud backup and linking it to a OneDrive account. This is great news for the millions still using Windows 10, which accounts for over 53% of Windows installs as of May 2025.
However, there is a small catch. OneDrive’s free tier gives you 5GB of storage, which may not be enough for some backups. If you need more space, a 100GB plan costs $2 per month, which is still cheaper than paying $30 for extended security updates. Either way, this gives Windows 10 users a simple way to stay protected while they decide whether to move to Windows 11.
That's all the news we've got for you, Heyuppers! Stay tuned, because we’ll be back with more stories next week.
