HeyWhatsNew: LG Pushes Back on Smart TV Spying Claims, and Wrath of the Lich King Returns to WoW
Welcome back, Heyuppers! We’re kicking off another weekly roundup with the latest stories from tech, gaming, and innovation. Here’s what’s been happening since 14/09/2026.
LG Says Its Smart TVs Aren’t Spying on You
LG is pushing back after researchers raised concerns about how its smart TVs handle user data. Gamers Nexus, Level1Techs, and independent security researchers reported that LG TVs were logging and uploading data, with one test showing a TV keeping logs of conversations in the room after its AI assistant appeared to have stopped listening. LG says its TVs do not continuously record or transmit conversations and that wake-word detection happens locally on the device.
The company also defended features such as Automatic Content Recognition (ACR), voice recognition, and interest-based advertising, saying they are optional and turned off by default. LG says ACR identifies what you are watching through audio fingerprinting rather than collecting screenshots, videos, or recordings. Still, some questions remain unanswered, including how much data LG collects, who it shares that data with, and whether its privacy settings make these choices clear enough to users.
Apple’s First Foldable iPhone Is Here
Apple has officially entered the foldable phone market with the iPhone Duo, its first foldable device. The phone opens to a 7.6-inch Retina display and has a 5.4-inch outer screen, with a wider design aimed at giving users more space for videos and apps. Apple has also added a nanotexture finish designed to make the screen crease less visible, while the hinge uses grade 5 aluminum and more than 100 components. Inside, the Duo runs on the new A20 Pro chip, while iOS 27 supports features such as split-screen apps and using the phone while it is half folded.
The iPhone Duo also comes with two 48MP rear cameras, Touch ID instead of Face ID, and up to 44 hours of video playback when using the outer display. Apple says Apple Pencil support will arrive later this year. The phone starts at $1,999 for 256GB, with preorders opening October 16 ahead of its October 23 release. Apple is arriving relatively late to foldables, with companies such as Samsung and Xiaomi already offering wide-format models, but Counterpoint estimates the Duo could capture up to 25% of the foldable market by the end of 2026.
AI’s Future Sparks a Growing Divide in Silicon Valley
Concerns about the risks of advanced AI are growing among people working in the industry. Former Anthropic researcher Jacob Coxon recently resigned and warned that increasingly powerful AI systems could become dangerous. Other researchers have raised similar concerns, and Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei has called for AI development to slow down and for stronger global rules. Some tech leaders disagree. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang has dismissed claims that AI could end humanity, while others believe some of the warnings go too far.
Governments are now getting involved in the debate. Anthropic recently said it stopped people from trying to use its AI for bioweapon development and cyber-espionage. In the US, Senator Bernie Sanders is supporting a temporary pause on the development of advanced AI, while President Donald Trump has said he is more concerned about the US staying ahead of China. The debate now centers on how quickly AI should develop and what rules should be put in place as the technology becomes more powerful.
Wrath of the Lich King Returns to WoW in 2027
Blizzard is bringing Wrath of the Lich King back to World of Warcraft with a new Remix event planned for summer 2027. Originally released in 2008, the expansion took players to Northrend, introduced the Death Knight class, and raised the level cap to 80. This will be the third WoW Remix event, following Mists of Pandaria and Legion.
Blizzard has shared very few details about the new event so far. There is no exact release date or information about its rewards, progression, raids, or other gameplay changes, although the company has teased that players will be able to “embrace the power of the Scourge.” Previous Remix events have let players revisit older expansions with faster progression, new effects, and collectible rewards. The event will also arrive before The Last Titan, which will take players back to Northrend again in summer 2027.
Genshin Impact Developer Wins AI Voice Cloning Case
Genshin Impact developer miHoYo has won a legal case against an AI company that copied the voices of 63 characters from the game. A Shanghai court ordered the unnamed AI voice provider to pay 750,000 yuan, around $112,000, after it used the voices to create and sell voice packs. The service allowed users to change their voices into those of Genshin Impact characters in real time, while miHoYo also accused the company of using character artwork and animations in its advertising.
The AI company argued that its models simply responded to audio provided by users, but voice analysis found the cloned voices were almost identical to the originals. The company also admitted that its model had been trained using a minute of copied character audio. The court ruled that Genshin Impact character designs are protected by copyright and that their distinctive voices had also become recognizable parts of the characters, ordering the company to stop and pay damages.
That’s it for this week, Heyuppers! We’ll keep an eye on what’s happening while you enjoy the week ahead. See you next time.