Apple releases its first Background Security Improvement for macOS, iOS and iPadOS

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Apple has started providing small security updates to iOS, iPadOS and macOS devices. These are dubbed Background Security Improvements that will offer minor system updates between the larger software updates. According to the company, these are meant to “deliver lightweight security releases for components such as the Safari browser, WebKit framework stack, and other system libraries that benefit from smaller, ongoing security patches between software updates.”

These updates should download in the background, as the name implies, although the device will need to be restarted to complete the process. In practice, we found that applying a Background Security Improvement was faster than a typical software update from Apple. On an iPhone, the restart was more of a power cycle taking under a minute compared with the 5 to 10 minutes a standard update takes a device out of commission. 

The inaugural Background Security Improvement was released today with a patch for WebKit. These updates will be supported and enabled on devices running iOS 26.1, iPadOS 26.1 and macOS 26.1. Details can be reviewed under the Privacy & Security section of the Settings menu.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/apple-releases-its-first-background-security-improvement-for-macos-ios-and-ipados-214052311.html?src=rss

Apple can delist apps “with or without cause,” judge says in loss for Musi app

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Musi, a free music streaming app that had tens of millions of iPhone downloads and garnered plenty of controversy over its method of acquiring music, has lost an attempt to get back on Apple’s App Store. A federal judge dismissed Musi’s lawsuit against Apple with prejudice and sanctioned Musi’s lawyers for “mak[ing] up facts to fill the perceived gaps in Musi’s case.”

Musi built a streaming service without striking its own deals with copyright holders. It did so by playing music from YouTube, writing in its 2024 lawsuit against Apple that “the Musi app plays or displays content based on the user’s own interactions with YouTube and enhances the user experience via Musi’s proprietary technology.” Musi’s app displayed its own ads but let users remove them for a one-time fee of $5.99.

Musi claimed it complied with YouTube’s terms, but Apple removed it from the App Store in September 2024. Musi does not offer an Android app. Musi alleged that Apple delisted its app based on “unsubstantiated” intellectual property claims from YouTube and that Apple violated its own Developer Program License Agreement (DPLA) by delisting the app.

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World ID wants you to put a cryptographically unique human identity behind your AI agents

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Over the last few months, tools like OpenClaw have shown what tech-savvy AI users can do by setting a virtual cadre of automated agents on a task. But that individual convenience can be a DDOS-level pain for online service providers faced with a torrent of Sybil attack-style requests from thousands of such agents at once.

Identity startup World thinks its “proof of human” World ID technology can provide a potential solution to this problem. Today, the company launched a beta of Agent Kit, a new way for humans to prove they are directing their AI agents and for websites to limit access to AI agents working on behalf of an actual human.

If you recognize the name World, it’s probably as the organization behind WorldCoin, the Sam Altman-founded cryptocurrency outfit that launched in 2023 alongside an offer to give free WorldCoin to anyone who scanned their iris in a physical “orb”. While WorldCoin still exists (at a current value well below its early 2024 peaks), World has now pivoted to focus on World ID, which uses the same iris-scanning technology as the basis for a cryptographically secure, unique online identity token stored on your phone.

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Remedy releases its final content update for FBC: Firebreak

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What a short, strange journey it’s been for FBC: Firebreak; Remedy announced that the final update for the online multiplayer game is available today. But while this Open House update will be the end of new content, the studio said it plans to keep the game available.

“FBC: Firebreak will stay online and continue to be playable for years to come,” Remedy said. “We have done engineering work to ensure we can sustain the upkeep of the relay servers when the player volume is lower.”

Remedy has won lots of fans for creating the eerie, surreal world where its hits Control and Alan Wake are set. FBC: Firebreak, which was released last year, is also based in that universe. However, this multiplayer game took a beating in reviews, largely due to its poorly received onboarding experience and Remedy shared plans to improve the first few hours of the game. Its CEO also left the company last year and sparked a shakeup in the leadership at the studio. 

The Open House update will add some new in-game content, but the more interesting changes seem aimed at making FBC: Firebreak more accessible. The base price has been dropped to $20, and the game has added a feature called Friend’s Pass that will allow people who don’t own the game to accept match invites from players who do own it.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/remedy-releases-its-final-content-update-for-fbc-firebreak-212000463.html?src=rss

Spotify rolls out ‘bit-perfect’ playback in Windows app

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Spotify is introducing a way for subscribers to get bit-perfect playback of songs if they listen on Windows. The company’s newly announced “Exclusive Mode” gives the music streaming app complete control of audio processing on your PC so you can listen to songs exactly as they were mastered.

“Without Exclusive Mode turned on, your computer may alter audio before it reaches your DAC by resampling it, mixing other system sounds in, and changing the volume,” Spotify writes. With the mode enabled, all other sounds from your computer are disabled so Spotify can deliver the highest quality and most accurate version of a song possible. Exclusive Mode will help maintain fidelity while you’re playing a song, but to make sure you’re not losing quality anywhere else in the chain, you’ll still want to listen with wired headphones connected to a DAC or digital-to-analog converter, and opt to use Spotify’s lossless streaming option.

Exclusive Mode is only available on Windows for now, but Spotify says it’ll come to the macOS version of the Spotify app “in a future release.” Provided you’re a Spotify Premium subscriber, enabling the feature is fairly simple:

  1. Open Spotify.

  2. Click on Settings.

  3. Scroll down to Playback.

  4. Toggle Exclusive Mode to “On” under the Output section.

Spotify launched its Lossless streaming option as a perk for Premium subscribers in September 2025. The company was rumored to be working on the feature as far back as 2017 and even formally announced it as Spotify HiFi in 2021, opening up the possibility it could be a more expensive add-on to a normal subscription. Now both lossless audio and “bit-perfect” playback are included as part of the same $13 per month you pay for a Premium subscription.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/music/spotify-rolls-out-bit-perfect-playback-in-windows-app-211036176.html?src=rss

Aces Of Thunder’s Menus No Longer Require VR Controllers

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The combat flight simulator Aces Of Thunder has added support for using mouse & keyboard or standard controllers for interacting with menus, no longer requiring VR controllers.

Aces of Thunder launched as a hybrid title last month with VR and flatscreen support. We reviewed the game in February, saying it “offers one of the most thrilling venues for combat VR gaming has to offer” despite finding it lacking in some features and customization.

Aces of Thunder Review: A Visceral & Thrilling VR Combat Flight Sim
Aces of Thunder, available on Steam and PlayStation VR2, is a thrilling callback to the classic combat flight sims of yesteryear.
UploadVRRichie Shoemaker

Following in the footsteps of other flight sims like Microsoft Flight Simulator, the game already allows players to do the actual plane flight without VR controllers. Now developer Gaijin Entertainment has extended functionality to let VR players navigate the menus with mouse and key inputs, gamepad interfaces, and other standard controllers.

This is welcome news for players who prefer to play their flight games with a full HOTAS (hand on throttle-and-stick) setup and dispense with the motion controllers altogether. Previously, the VR controllers were required to navigate menus, which was a frustrating experience.

Gaijin says it released the feature early for players and is aware of existing issues already, but the model already works in “most scenarios.” Any issues or suggestions are encouraged to be submitted through Gaijin’s reporting service.

Aces of Thunder is available now on Steam and PlayStation VR2 for $29.99.

Space Control, A Comedic Sci-Fi Job Simulator, Launches On April Fool’s Day

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The irreverent job simulator inspired by cartoons like Futurama and Rick & Morty bas a delightfully foolish release date.

MoonMonster Studios has announced that Space Control will release on Meta Quest and PC VR via Steam on April 1 (April Fool’s Day). The interstellar job simulator / ridiculous cartoon comedy features a stacked cast of voice talent, a slapstick story, and plenty of raunchy humor.

The game spans three wildly varied episodes in which the player must work through different jobs set in an absurdly corporate space station. You’ll work off your debt, survive and strive alongside your alien colleagues, and find your rightful place on the torturous corporate ladder.

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We previewed Space Control in February, and while the game’s sense of humor missed the mark for me, I did feel the game “shows genuine promise.” Adding that “[Space Control’s] interactive design is strong and its environments are lovingly crafted and richly detailed. Its cast has potential to become genuinely endearing over time.”

Space Control will be available on Meta Quest and SteamVR in just a couple of weeks.

VR Mech Combat Game Iron Rebellion Announces PvE Expansion

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The PvP mech combat game Iron Rebellion is bringing a long awaited feature soon.

Iron Rebellion has had a PvE mode on its roadmap since its Early Access days. The Foundation Update in December 2025 laid the groundwork for future PvE with an overhaul of the game’s AI. Now after adding new game modes, expanding the lobby size two different times, and leaving Early Access, Black Beach Studio has announced the official PvE expansion, titled Faction Wars.

Iron Rebellion Might Be The Mechs Best Thing To MechWarrior In VR
Iron Rebellion counters lightweight content with strong VR design, delivering a versatile multiplayer mech game.
UploadVRRichie Shoemaker

Black Beach says the PvE mode will be an extended universe building on the foundation laid in PvP that “goes beyond individual matches and creates a space where players fight for control over worlds and conquer the stars.” PvE has been a long requested feature by the game’s community in Iron Rebellion’s Discord. At the time of this article, Faction Wars is expected sometime in 2026. Black Beach’s announcement says more details will come later this year.

Iron Rebellion is available on Quest and Steam for $24.99.

Quest Users Hit Record High In 2025 & More Than 100 Apps Made Over $1 Million

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Meta says the number of active Quest users hit an all-time-high in 2025, and more than 100 store apps made over $1 million gross revenue.

“The rumors of the death of VR have been greatly exaggerated”, Meta’s Director of Games Chris Pruett declared at GDC 2026.

Of course, Pruett’s declaration comes two months after Meta shut down three of its acquired VR game studios, conducted significant layoffs at a fourth, and canceled the Batman: Arkham Shadow sequel. But while the company has confirmed this as a strategy shift, it’s making clear that it’s far from giving up on VR, and that the idea that VR is in decline is false.

2025 In Review

In a session at the conference, Pruett provided six key points when recapping how 2025 went for the Quest platform and ecosystem:

  • Record Usage: “Quest usage has been growing year over year, and in 2025 we hit our all-time highest numbers of unique users ever in our history.”
  • Store Revenue: Pruett says Horizon Store revenue was “up very slightly year over year” compared to 2024, but cites an analyst study to note that overall games industry growth was 1%, and points out that 2024 was a new headset year while 2025 was not.
  • Revenue Type Split: paid app sales remain the “largest revenue driver”, Pruett claims, but in-app-payments grew 10%.
  • Success Stories: Pruett says over 100 titles on Meta’s store generated over $1 million in gross revenue in 2025. He claims the types of games which generated this $1+ million revenue were “diverse”, giving these 3 examples:
    • UG, a free-to-play Early Access title popular with teenagers.
    • Hard Bullet, a $20 physics-based sandbox shooter that first launched on PC VR, before being ported to Quest 3.
    • The Thrill Of The Fight 2, a $20 boxing simulator.
  • Horizon+: Passing 1 million subscribers, Pruett says Meta’s Horizon+ subscription program paid out almost $20 million to participating developers in 2025.
  • Oculus Publishing: Pushing back on the perception that it’s no longer funding VR titles, Pruett says his games publishing arm “helped ship over 140 games, and have more shipping this year”.

Quest User Cohorts

In guidance to developers, Pruett suggested that as VR has become increasingly mainstream, distinct Quest user “cohorts” have emerged, each with “their own play patterns, tastes, and interests”.

He pointed to three distinct types developers should be aware of:

  • Teens, the “most active audience using Quest”, where discovery of content happens outside the headset, such as on Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok. These platforms are an absolutely vital marketing channel, Pruett says.
  • VR Elites, the early adopter gamers who Meta says “drove much of the ecosystem in the Quest 2 era”. Pruett says this group is “spending less than they used to”, and suggests that this is due to wider macroeconomic factors. I suspect some UploadVR readers will push back on that suggestion.
  • Mainstream Adults, a very small group today who “purchase VR as a TV replacement first, then discover that it can also play video games”. According to Pruett, this group loves Horizon+ and prefers to play games seated with hand tracking, rather than controllers.

As Teens Become Adults

Looking into the future of the platform, Pruett suggested that “the teens of today are the core gamers of tomorrow, probably”.

As those teens age and are “exposed to more sophisticated media, such as R-rated movies and more challenging books”, their taste in VR games should also mature, Pruett believes, while their core interest in virtual reality as a technology and gaming platform will remain.

“My conjecture, and it is only conjecture, is that sophistication, polish, and production quality become more important to young audiences as they age up. Their interest in social, unpredictable, co-op and competitive online multiplayer games with serendipitous physics and lore they can explore outside of the game is likely to remain, but their expectations for polish and quality are, I suspect, going to go up.”

If Pruett’s conjecture pans out, that would be good news for VR enthusiasts hoping for more traditional hardcore gaming to return as the primary focus for the VR content space – though as Pruett notes, it is only conjecture.

Finance Bros To Tech Bros: Don’t Mess With My Bloomberg Terminal

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An anonymous reader quotes a report from the Wall Street Journal: A battle of insults and threats has broken out between the tech world and Wall Street. What’s got everyone so worked up? The same thing that starts most fights: business software. A series of social-media posts went viral in recent days with claims that AI has created a worthy — and way cheaper — alternative to the Bloomberg terminal, a computer system that is like oxygen to professional investors. Now “Bloomberg is cooked,” some posters argued as they heralded the arrival of a newly released AI tool from startup Perplexity. […]

The finance bros who worship at the altar of Bloomberg have declared war on the tech evangelists who have put all their faith in AI. To suggest that the terminal is replaceable is “laughable,” said Jason Lemire, who jumped into the conversation on LinkedIn. (Ironically or not, his post also included an AI-generated image of churchgoers praying to the Bloomberg terminal). “It seems quite obvious to me that those propagating that post are either just looking for easy engagement and/or have never worked in a serious financial institution,” he wrote. […] Morgan Linton, the co-founder and CTO of AI startup Bold Metrics and an avid Perplexity Computer user, said it’s rare for a single AI prompt to generate anything close to what Bloomberg does. That said, he added that tools like this can lay “a really good foundation for a financial application. And that really has not been possible before.”

Others aren’t so sure. Michael Terry, an institutional investment manager who used the terminal for more than 30 years, said he used a prompt circulating online to try to vibe code a Bloomberg replica on Anthropic’s Claude. “It was laughable at best, horrific at worst,” he said. Shevelenko acknowledged there are some aspects of the terminal that can’t be replicated with vibe coding, including some of Bloomberg’s proprietary data inputs. The live chat network, which includes 350,000 financial professionals in 184 countries, would also be hard to re-create, as well as the terminal’s data security, reliability and robust support system. “I love Bloomberg. And I know most people that use Bloomberg are very, very loyal and extremely happy,” said Lemire. His message to the techies? “There’s nothing that you can vibe code in a weekend or even like over the course of a year that’s going to come anywhere close.”


Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Nowhere Fast Episode 65 – Jeremy Rae – The Milk Bag King

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The latest episode of Nowhere Fast: A Virtual Bike Racing Podcast welcomes Jeremy Rae to the show, and the conversation quickly proves that when you mix bike racing, internet culture, and Canadian dairy logistics, things are going to get weird in the best possible way.

Jeremy joins the hosts to talk about his background in cycling and how he became a recognizable personality in the online racing scene. What starts as a fairly normal chat about racing quickly drifts into the unique culture surrounding virtual cycling: the personalities, the community drama, and the strange little traditions that develop when thousands of riders spend their winters staring at avatars pedaling through digital volcanoes.

The episode also dives into Jeremy’s infamous “Milk Bag King” nickname, a very Canadian piece of lore that sparks a surprisingly deep conversation about regional quirks, cultural oddities, and how random inside jokes can take on a life of their own within the cycling community.

As always, the Nowhere Fast crew mixes genuine cycling insight with the kind of chaotic humor that tends to happen when people who spend hours on indoor trainers start telling stories. The discussion jumps between racing tactics, community personalities, and the absurd moments that make virtual racing culture uniquely entertaining.

If you enjoy the intersection of Zwift racing, internet cycling culture, and the occasional completely unhinged tangent, this episode with Jeremy Rae is a fun listen and a reminder that the virtual peloton is as much about the people as it is about the watts.

About the Podcast

Nowhere Fast is a member of the Wide Angle Podium network. To support this podcast, head to wideanglepodium.com to become a member and support stories that lead you to question everything you thought you knew about indoor bike racing.

To keep up to date on all our real coverage of fake bike racing, subscribe via Apple Podcasts or Spotify. 

Best Buy’s Spring Sale Is Live, Ahead of Amazon’s ‘Big Spring Sale’

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We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication.

Best Buy has joined the battle against Amazon’s Big Spring Sale, the spring version of Prime Day, with the Best Buy Tech Fest sale in full swing. Below, I’ve rounded up all the key details, as well as highlighted some of the best offers you can already find.

How long is Best Buy’s Tech Fest sale?

Best Buy’s spring sale is a week-long sale that started Monday, March 16, and continues through Sunday, March 22. There will be a Deal of the Day throughout the sale— they have this during non-sale times, too, but the deals will be a bit better than usual this week.

Do you need to be a member to shop for Best Buy’s Tech Fest Sale?

While you don’t need a Best Buy membership to shop Tech Fest deals, members can get better savings. It is free to sign up for a My Best Buy membership, which will give you free shipping, but if you join one of its paid subscriptions (My Best Buy Plus for $49.99 per year or My Best Buy Total for $179.99 per year), you’ll get faster free shipping, exclusive prices and deals, an extended 60-day return window on most products, and access to select sales. Paid members will also earn extra rewards.

What deals can I expect during the Best Buy’s Tech Fest sale?

  • Apple deals: You can find deals on Macs, iPads, iPhones, Apple Watches, AirPods, and other Apple products with big discounts. The M4 MacBook Air is $1,099 (originally $1,199).

  • Appliances: LG, Whirlpool, Kitchen Aid, and other major appliances are going up to 40% off.

  • Cameras: Sony, Kodak, Canon, and other cameras are going up to $1,000 off.

  • Gaming: You can shop for major consoles like the PS5, Switch games, accessories, and more deals starting from $14.99.

  • Headphones: You can get AirPods, Shokz, Google Pixels, Beats, and other brands, going up to $160 off.

  • Laptops: There are HP, Lenovo, ASUS, Dell, and other laptops starting from $119.

  • Phones: There are both Apple and Android phones going up to $250 off, including Samsung, Apple & Google.

  • Smartwatches: You can find Garmins, Fitbits, Apple Watches, Samsungs, and others going up to $250 off.

  • Soundbars and speakers: You can get portable speakers, smart speakers, and soundbars from Sonos, JBL, Samsung, and others, going up to $1,000.

  • TVs: You can find TVs of all sizes and prices from Samsung, TCL, LG, Insignia, and other brands starting from $69.99.

What other retailers are competing with Tech Fest?

The main sale is Amazon’s Big Spring Sale, which will start next week. Target’s Circle Deal Days runs March 25–31. Walmart’s sale hasn’t been announced yet, but it will likely come out with a sale announcement soon, too.