Elon Musk still isn't happy with Twitter's stance on bots and other fake accounts. As Bloombergreports, Musk has amended an SEC filing to claim Twitter is committing a "material breach" of merger terms by allegedly refusing to disclose enough information about bot spam and fake account data. The social network's offer to provide additional info on its testing methods for bogus accounts is both inadequate and an attempt to "obfuscate and confuse" the situation, the Tesla chief said. In other words, he's concerned Twitter is trying to hide the true scope of its bot problem.

Musk reportedly needs the data to both prepare for the Twitter acquisition and to improve his financing of the deal, according to the filing. He also maintained that he neither needs to explain his reasoning for the data nor agree to new conditions to access any info.

We've asked Twitter for comment. The company has routinely claimed that bots and fake accounts represent less than five percent of daily users, but hasn't shared significantly more detail. Musk put his purchase "temporarily on hold" in mid-May as he sought to confirm that figure.

This isn't the only obstacle Musk's bid faces. Regulators in the European Union, for instance, have warned that the entrepreneur will still have to obey local content rules regardless of his desire to loosen Twitter's policies. If Musk and Twitter remain at odds over bot data, however, the $44 billion purchase could fall apart before it's even finalized.

Autonomous ships just took a small but important step forward. Hyundai's Avikus subsidiary says it has completed the world's first autonomous navigation of a large ship across the ocean. The Prism Courage (pictured) left Freeport in the Gulf of Mexico on May 1st, and used Avikus' AI-powered HiNAS 2.0 system to steer the vessel for half of its roughly 12,427-mile journey to the Boryeong LNG Terminal in South Korea's western Chungcheong Province. The Level 2 self-steering tech was good enough to account for other ships, the weather and differing wave heights.

The autonomy spared the crew some work, of course, but it may also have helped the planet. Avikus claims HiNAS' optimal route planning improved the Prism Courage's fuel efficiency by about seven percent, and reduced emissions by five percent.

As you might have guessed, the feat didn't quite usher in an era of zero-crew shipping. The other half of the trip still required human navigation, and most of the route was in the open sea. It would have been tougher for an autonomous system to control the entire voyage, particularly in ports where docking and packed waterways would pose additional challenges.

Avikus plans to commercialize HiNAS 2.0 by the end of the year. And even if fully AI-driven shipping is nowhere on the horizon, the company hopes its Level 2 autonomy will mitigate crew shortages, improve safety and reduce the environmental impact of seaborne transportation. The firm also expects to bring this navigation to leisure boats, not just giant merchant ships. Your next pleasure ride aboard a cabin cruiser or yacht might not always require someone at the helm.

Samsung might tweak its Galaxy Watch strategy the next time around. 9to5Google and The Verge report the company's latest beta Health app listed both a Galaxy Watch 5 and, unusually, a Galaxy Watch 5 Pro. There's no mention of a Galaxy Watch 5 Classic. While the listings don't necessarily spell the end of the sporty-looking Classic design, they do suggest Samsung is rethinking its high-end smartwatch.

Just what the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro would look like isn't clear. Well-known tipster Ice Universe has hinted Samsung might drop the rotating bezel, and that the wristwear might use a light-but-strong titanium case and scratch-resistant sapphire glass. While those could add to the price, they could also give the new timepiece a more upscale look even as they improve its durability.

The Pro is expected to run Wear OS like its predecessor. Although there's no rumored release date, the Galaxy Watch 4 arrived last August. We wouldn't be shocked to see the Watch 5 family arrive in a similar timeframe. If so, the Pixel Watch might not be your only choice for a posh Google-powered smartwatch in late summer.

Coinbase isn't just freezing new hires as it grapples with a rough cryptocurrency market. Protocolsays Coinbase is now rescinding some of its already-accepted job offers. The company determined that it needed to take "more stringent measures" to slow its growth and limit expansion to the most important segments. This will improve the company's recovery from the tumultuous crypto market, Chief People Officer LJ Brock said.

Brock added that the firm would extend its hiring freeze for as long as necessary, and that the pause included "backfills" (that is, replacements) for all but the most essential roles. Coinbase is creating a talent hub to help place affected candidates and workers, and has promised to use its severance policy to soften the blow.

The company has reeled from a mix of volatile crypto prices and optimistic hiring. In its first quarter, Coinbase saw its revenue fall 27 percent year-to-year, and by half from the previous three months. Combine that with higher expenses from a 2021 hiring spree and Coinbase was faced with a $430 million loss even before a crypto price plunge earlier in May. Its stock value has also tumbled by 75 percent in the past six months.

This isn't the only well-known technology company slowing down. Meta, Uber and others are also limiting hires and trimming costs amid market uncertainty. However, Coinbase's moves are tied to the very nature of the tech it depends on — its business might only stabilize when crypto does.

NASA might not have to lean on Russia again to ferry astronauts to the International Space Station. Ars Technicanotes the agency has bought five extra crewed ISS flights from SpaceX, or enough to maintain "uninterrupted" US staffing aboard the station until its expected 2030 demise. While NASA still intends to use Boeing's Starliner, the new SpaceX missions will be necessary to fulfill plans for alternating between the two companies once both are an option.

The extra flights could be used as soon as 2026. They'll help with redundancy and keep the ISS operating safely if any problems prevent Boeing or SpaceX from launching in a timely fashion, NASA said. At present, SpaceX is the only private company certified to fly astronauts. Boeing isn't expected to fly its first operational mission until 2023.

This might not deprive Boeing of more chances to fly astronauts to the ISS. If NASA doesn't order more flights, however, the company will have missed its big chance to one-up SpaceX. The current arrangement provides a total of 14 Crew Dragon missions versus just six Starliner trips — the aerospace giant will have lost a large chunk of its potential business to a relative newcomer.

Hopes are riding high for WWDC 2022. Rumors are Apple may deliver huge upgrades to its operating systems. Moreover, the company is nearing the end of a roughly two-year transition to ARM chips, and many anticipate there will be some long-awaited upgrades to the Mac. Throw in murmurs of a mixed reality headset and the June 6th keynote could prove to be one of the most memorable in recent years. Here’s what to expect when executives take to the virtual stage.

iOS 16 and iPadOS 16

David Imel for Engadget

Apple’s iPhone and iPad software updates are often the centerpieces of WWDC, but this year they may be more important than usual. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman recently claimed that iOS 16 and iPadOS 16 will represent “fairly significant” upgrades that touch on many aspects of the interface.

Key apps, such as Health and Messages, as well as notifications should see improvements. We may also see Android-style car crash detection that automatically dials an emergency number. More importantly, iOS 16 could also deliver the first meaningful changes to the lock screen in years. Gurman hinted at “major enhancements” that could include wallpapers with widget-style functionality. However, rumored always-on display features might be limited to the future iPhone 14 Pro.

The OS updates may also refine multitasking, particularly for iPad users. Code sleuth Steve Troughton-Smith noticed that the WebKit team recently added hooks for an iOS “multitasking mode” that allows for freely resizable windows. While we wouldn’t count on a full Mac-like experience with iPadOS 16, Apple’s tablets may become more useful for heavy-duty computing.

The likely release schedule is predictable, at least. Apple has historically offered its first developer previews of iOS and iPadOS around WWDC, and public previews a few weeks later. The finished software tends to arrive in September alongside new iPhone and iPad hardware. We’d expect iOS 16 and iPadOS 16 to follow a similar pattern.

MacBook Air M2

Jon Prosser x Renders by Ian

Macs started moving to Apple’s in-house silicon a year and a half ago. While the processing power has held up, there’s no question that early M1-based systems like the MacBook Air are starting to feel outdated as x86-powered Windows PCs catch up or surge ahead. Thankfully, you might just see a refresh at WWDC. Gurman previously said Apple was testing nine or more Macs, and planned to launch a redesigned MacBook Air using the M2 at the conference.

The new Air could represent the first big rethink of the thin-and-light portable since the Retina Display model arrived in 2018. As Jon Prosser and others have claimed, it’ll supposedly have a more squared-off design reminiscent of last year’s 24-inch iMac, and come in multiple bright colors with a white keyboard. It’s not clear if the camera notch will carry over from the 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro, but there’s a chance you’ll see a MagSafe power connection and more Thunderbolt ports. Sorry, the SD card reader and HDMI port from the newer Pros might not make the cut.

As for the M2? Don’t expect a giant leap in performance. The new system-on-chip is still believed to use eight CPU cores, and would bump up the GPU from a maximum of eight cores to 10. Any other speed boosts are more likely to come from minor architectural changes. The new MacBook Air may be more competitive with its 2022-era rivals, but you probably won’t feel much regret if you bought the M1 model.

If a new MacBook Air does premiere at WWDC, there’s no guarantee it will ship in a timely fashion. Apple’s supply chain (like many others) has been affected by COVID-19 shutdowns in China.

MacOS 13, tvOS 16 and watchOS 9

Cherlynn Low/Engadget

As important as iOS and iPadOS may be, there are indications Apple’s other platforms are in line for overhauls.

Bloomberg’s Gurman has hinted that watchOS 9 may receive some of the largest changes. You could see a low power mode that extends battery life without limiting you to basic timekeeping (as with the existing power reserve mode). More recently, the reporter claimed the new Apple Watch software will have tangible navigation improvements You might also see more robust health tracking that brings more running stats, better sleep tracking and a “burden” feature that detects how long you’re in a state of atrial fibrillation.

Other platforms might not see equally sweeping changes. MacOS 13 will supposedly include a revamped System Preferences pane more in sync with iOS’ settings, not to mention some redesigned default apps. Apple TV owners, meanwhile, should anticipate more (if unspecified) smart home features.

Wildcards: Mixed reality headset and more Macs

JOSH EDELSON/AFP via Getty Images

There’s a mounting volume of hype surrounding Apple’s long-rumored AR/VR headset, but we wouldn’t bet on a WWDC debut. Although the company appears to be registering trademarks and otherwise gearing up for an introduction, Gurman and analyst Ming-Chi Kuo have both voiced doubts. The technology doesn’t appear ready for a public debut; late 2022 or 2023 appears more likely. We wouldn’t rule out a brief peek to help developers prepare apps, but that seems doubtful without more evidence.

Likewise, we wouldn’t anticipate computers beyond the MacBook Air. Despite those rumors of Apple testing nine M2-based Macs, there haven’t been signs of imminent releases for most of them. An ARM-based Mac Pro still looks distant, and Gurman doesn’t expect any other M2-based refreshes until later in 2022. With that said, be prepared for surprises — Apple launched the M1 with three Macs.

You likely won’t see other consumer hardware. WWDC is still a developer-first gathering, and Apple typically reserves new iPhones, Watches and most other mainstream devices for the fall. The hardware that does surface is either aimed at professional content creators (such as the Mac Pro previewed in 2019) or meant to familiarize developers with new technologies (like 2020’s M1-based testbeds). If the MacBook Air M2 arrives on June 6th, it will represent an exception to a normally firm rule.

Sony has finally revealed key details for PlayStation VR2's marquee title. The company, Guerilla Games and Firesprite have shared the first gameplay trailer for Horizon Call of the Mountain along with details of the story. You play Ryas, a disgraced Shadow Carja Warrior who seeks freedom and redemption by tackling a new threat to the tribe. As you might guess, the gameplay revolves around VR-friendly exploration and combat. You'll scale mountains using climbing picks, take down rogue machines with your bow and craft new gear.

While the trailer doesn't offer too many spoilers, the developers made clear that Call of the Mountain has tangential links to the main Horizon narrative. You'll run into Aloy and other familiar characters alongside new ones. This is also clearly a technological showcase for the PSVR2 headset. Besides the lush visuals, you can show off the experience in a "River Ride" segment practically tailor-made for spectators watching your TV.

There's still no release date for the game, although that's not surprising when Sony has yet to narrow down launch timing for the PSVR2 itself.

You won't have to wait to get some fresh Horizon content, at least. Guerilla has released a major update for Horizon Forbidden West that adds New Game+ and Ultra Hard modes for players who felt the existing difficulty levels weren't enough of a challenge. You'll also see better antialiasing for visuals in Performance mode on PS5 and PS4 Pro, and tinkerers will be happy to know they can both reassign their skill points and customize their outfits to look like anything they already own.

More technical upgrades are coming, too. Guerilla has teased a patch with variable refresh rate support for compatible TVs, not to mention a 40 frames per second mode that might split the difference between graphical beauty and smooth frame rates. The studio is still determined to keep Forbidden West relevant, then, even if its attention has shifted more toward VR.

It's almost time to tune into what could be one of Sony's most important streaming events this year. The company is airing its PlayStation VR2-focused State of Play event today (June 2nd) at 6PM Eastern, and you watch live through YouTube (below) as well as through Twitch.

The company will offer peeks at several PSVR2 games, some of which might be the 20 "major" titles promised for launch. You can also expect other third-party game introductions as well as unspecified "updates." While we wouldn't count on many huge revelations, this State of Play might represent the first real look at the PS5-oriented headset's game selection beyond a handful of brief announcements. You could get a better sense of whether or not PSVR2 will be worth the investment.

Another food app has been caught sharing location data without asking. As CBC Newsreports, Canadian privacy authorities have determined that restaurant chain Tim Hortons collected "granular" location data through its mobile app without valid consent between May 2019 and August 2020. The coffee-and-donut giant was supposed to be using positional info from its partner Radar Labs for targeted ads, but the app was gathering locations as frequently as every few minutes, whether or not the app was open — even if you'd explicitly limited that collection through settings.

Investigators also found that there weren't enough contractual protections for the personal data Radar processed. The clauses were "vague and permissive" enough that Radar could have used sensitive content for its own purposes, according to the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada. While Radar would have needed to anonymize the data, officials said the contract still wasn't strong enough to adequately protect users' data.

The investigation came soon after Financial Post journalist James McLeod wrote a story revealing the extent of Tim Hortons' location-gathering practices. The app checked McLeod's location over 2,700 times in less than five months, including when he traveled to Morocco. The piece prompted multiple class action lawsuits.

The privacy offices noted that Tim Hortons' real-world data use was "very limited," and that restaurant operator TDL Group agreed to delete relevant data alongside its partners. The company also agreed to create a privacy management program that kept its apps from violating privacy laws. In a statement, Tim Hortons told the CBC that it had "strengthened" its privacy team.

Even so, the findings highlight the concerns about potential app data abuse. While Tim Hortons isn't known to have misused info, other companies have put data on sale and otherwise lost control. Those compromises can lead to unwanted advertising and, in extreme cases, probes into your personal life. British Columbia privacy commissioner Michael McEvoy saw this latest investigation as proof stronger oversight was necessary, and it wouldn't be surprising if Canada and other countries took action.

BioWare has finally shared more than the briefest of teases for its next Dragon Age game. The studio has revealed that the future title will be named Dragon Age: Dreadwolf, and that it will revolve around its enigmatic namesake character. The Dread Wolf, also known as Solas, is rumored to be an ancient elven god and could be a traitor, a hero for his people or something in between.

More details for Dreadwolf are coming later in the year, BioWare added. The company still hasn't committed to a release date, but it emphasized that the new Dragon Age game wouldn't arrive in 2022.

Word of the new Dragon Age first emerged in December 2020, but little has been mentioned since. There may have been a sharp change in direction, however. Reports emerged that BioWare and EA scrapped plans to make Dreadwolf a Destiny 2-style "live service" game in favor of a more conventional single-player experience. If so, this isn't shocking — BioWare's online-only Anthemfloundered, while Respawn's multiplayer-free Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order was a hit that prompted a sequel. The long development time might be necessary to rework the game and deliver the follow-up series fans are expecting.