Apple has rolled out iOS 15.1.1, and you may want to install it if your iPhone 12 or iPhone 13 has been dropping calls. The update comes with bug fixes specifically for Apple's more recent phone models, including one meant to improve their call drop performance. This release comes almost a month after the tech giant launched iOS 15.1, which enabled its long-awaited SharePlay feature. SharePlay lets you watch movies and shows or listen to music with friends on a FaceTime call. You can also send whatever you're watching on the iPhone to an Apple TV. 

While iOS 15.1.1 is a fairly minor update — unless you've been having major issues with dropped calls on your phone — iOS 15.2 is expected to bring some more significant features. As MacRumors has reported, the upcoming software will add playlist search to the Apple Music app and the capability to bulk rename tags in the Reminders app. It will also show when a game is from Apple Arcade if you search for it and will tweak the Macro mode toggle. 

iOS 15.2 is still in beta testing, but you can now get iOS 15.1.1 by going to Software Update under General in the Settings app. 

Three years after its initial announcement, Windjammers 2 doesn’t have a release date yet, but the good news is it’s coming to Xbox Game Pass. Developer Dotemu shared that tidbit of new information in a trailer it posted on Wednesday. When it finally launches, Windjammers 2 will be available on Game Pass for both PC and Xbox, and it will support online crossplay across all Xbox and PC versions of the title. That means Steam and Game Pass users will have the chance to play against one another.

The trailer also offers a look at the two final characters that will make up the game’s initial 12-person roster. There’s Jodi Costa, who fans will recognize from the 1994 original, and newcomer Sammy Ho. Both have their own set of special moves you’ll need to master to make the most of their capabilities. In addition to PC and Xbox, Dotemu will release Windjammers 2 on Nintendo Switch, Google Stadia, PlayStation 4 and PS5.

Hyundai's LA Auto Show concepts include more than just a lounge on wheels. As Autoblognotes, the company's Kia badge has unveiled the Concept EV9 as a peek at the possible "next model" in its electric vehicle lineup. The angular design language is a centerpiece, but the real highlight may be technology that, in some cases, eclipses the EV6. For one, the cockpit is dominated by a single 27-inch display that covers both driver and passenger needs — it's not as huge as the Hyperscreen in the Mercedes EQS, but it's more expansive than the EV6's dual 12-inch panels.

You can also expect solid performance with up to 300 miles of range and 350kW charging that brings the Concept EV9 from a 10 percent charge to 80 percent in 30 minutes. The Concept EV9 won't outlast a Tesla Model Y, then, but it might deliver shorter pit stops.

Kia

There are some obvious concept car touches. Apart from the yoke-like wheel, the EV9 can turn into a social hub when it's stationary. A Pause mode turns the second row into a table and swings the front row to face the back, while Enjoy Mode pivots the third row and opens the tailgate for parties and marvelling at nature. You can also expect the obligatory eco-friendly materials like recycled fishnets (flooring), reused plastic bottles (seats) and a vegan leather interior.

Kia hasn't said how closely this might resemble a production EV9, although we wouldn't be surprised if the company cuts the rotating seats, yoke and giant 22-inch wheels (among other frills) for any real-world model. The biggest question may be price. Kia sold its First Edition EV6 for $58,500, but that was a limited, maxed-out version. We'd expect Kia to offer more aggressive prices if there is a shipping EV9, although the road-ready machine could easily cost more than the Niro EV.

Following accusations of plagiarism and copycat naming schemes, Streamlabs has announced that it's removing "OBS" from the name of its popular livestreaming app. At first glance, the move is a direct response to the developers behind Open Broadcasting Software (OBS), who claimed that Streamlabs used their naming scheme against their wishes. The fast response, though, is more directly tied to criticism from top streamers like Pokimane and Hasanabi, who threatened to stop using Streamlabs's software if it didn't address the copycat concerns. 

Streamlab's apology comes across as defensive, since it's arguing that its software is also open source like OBS, one of the first tools built specifically for livestreamers. Streamlab's app, which has been praised for being well-designed and feature-rich, is also based on a fork of OBS. Despite those shared beginnings, though, Streamlabs has always been a separate project. It also offers premium services on top of its free core app, so you could argue that Streamlabs was partially fueling its business based on OBS's popularity.

Instagram will shut its standalone Threads messaging app by the end of the year. Following reports of the potential shutdown last week, the company confirmed it was moving forward with the decision in a statement to TechCrunch.

“We’re now focusing our efforts on enhancing how you connect with close friends on Instagram, and deprecating the Threads app,” a spokesperson for Instagram told the outlet. “We’re bringing the fun and unique features we had on Threads to the main Instagram app, and continuing to build ways people can better connect with their close friends on Instagram.”

Instagram will start notifying users of the impending sunset on November 23rd. The notification will direct those individuals to use the company’s mainline app to continue chatting with their friends. When Instagram discontinues support for Threads, it will remove the software from the App Store and Google Play. It will also log users out of the experience.

It’s not a surprise to see Threads join the Meta (formerly Facebook) graveyard. Despite some interesting features and the fact it’s been around since 2019, it never attracted a dedicated user base. What’s more, Meta’s messaging ambitions have evolved significantly since the app’s debut. In 2020, it started unifying Instagram and Facebook Messenger, allowing users on the two platforms to message one another. At that point, there wasn’t much of purpose to Threads.

Hyundai is joining the ranks of automakers envisioning self-driving cars as living rooms. The brand has revealed its previously-teased "Seven" concept EV, and it's built for an era when you might only occasionally take the helm. The SUV centers on a lounge-like interior where the driver's control stick retracts in autonomous mode, letting them and their passengers socialize thanks to two swivelling chairs and an L-shaped chaise. There's even a mini fridge, shoe refreshers and a panoramic screen that offers entertainment or ambiance.

The Seven's designers also took greater advantage of the liberties an electric vehicle offers. In addition to using the flat floor for a lounge, Hyundai pushed the wheelbase to a lengthy 10.5 feet without increasing the overall size. You'll also find a low leading hood edge and a "streamlined" roof. EVs live or die on aerodynamics, and the company promised an aerodynamically "pure" body despite the SUV profile.

This is also clearly a pandemic-era concept. The airflow system borrows from airliners with horizontal and vertical modes that reduce cross-contamination and otherwise protect hygiene. You'll find UVC lights that sterilize the environment once passengers leave, including storage.

And yes, this is actually a moving car. Hyundai is hoping for a range over 300 miles, and offers 350kW charging that brings the Seven from a 10 percent charge to 80 percent in roughly 20 minutes.

Hyundai makes it very clear this is a concept you won't buy. It does serve as a preview of a future electric SUV, though, so you can expect a more conservative take that joins the Ioniq 5 in the company's expanding EV lineup. Consider the Seven a preview of both short- and long-term goals.

The long and messy development of the controversial Six Days in Fallujah is set to last for at least another year. Publisher Victura has confirmed the first-person shooter will be delayed until the last quarter of 2022. Previously, it targeted a 2021 launch window.

Victura and Highwire Games, which counts former Destiny and Halo developers among its team, announced in February that they are reviving the game. Six Days in Fallujahfirst emerged in 2009, but following a backlash, publisher Konami backed out and developer Atomic Games wasn't able to secure funding to finish the game. The studio shut down in 2011 and the project, then a third-person shooter, was shelved.

The game features true stories shared by dozens of marines, soldiers and Iraqi civilians who were involved in Second Battle of Fallujah in Iraq in November 2004. Missions take place from the perspective of a person who was there, and they'll provide narration about what happened, from their point of view.

As was the case the first time around, critics rallied against Six Days in Fallujah. The Council on American-Islamic Relations, a prominent Muslim advocacy group in the US, urged Sony, Microsoft and Valve to block it from their gaming platforms.

Victura CEO Peter Tamte, formerly of Atomic and Destiny studio Bungie, was widely denounced for suggesting the game would not make a political statement regarding why American soldiers were in Fallujah. The publisher later clarified that "we understand the events recreated in Six Days in Fallujah are inseparable from politics."

Despite the black cloud hanging over the game, Victura and Highwire are forging ahead. They plan to almost double the size of the development team. “It became clear that recreating these true stories at a high quality was going to require more people, capital and time than we had,” Tamte said. “Doubling our team is just one of many things we’re doing to make sure Six Days in Fallujah brings new kinds of tactical and emotional depth to military shooters.”

After building hype for several years, Fisker says it’s nearly ready to bring its OceanSUV to market. At the Los Angeles motor show, the automaker unveiled a production-intent variant of the all-electric vehicle and said it planned to begin pilot production this week at a Magna-Steyr facility in Austria. According to Fisker, full-scale manufacturing will start a year from now, with deliveries following shortly thereafter.

As previously announced, the Ocean will start at $37,499 in the US before federal- and state-level subsidies. Fisker will offer the SUV in two additional trims. It will sell the Ocean Ultra for $49,999 and the Ocean Extreme for $68,999. The base-level Sport model features a single 275 horsepower motor capable of accelerating the car from zero to 60 miles per hour in 6.6 seconds. Meanwhile, the dual-motor Ultra model features a total output of 540 horsepower, allowing it to accelerate from zero to 60 miles per hour in 3.9 seconds. The slightly more powerful Extreme can complete that feat in 3.6 seconds thanks to its 550 horsepower powertrain.

Fisker has yet to share the exact battery capacities of each model but estimates the Sport trim will have the ability to go 250 miles on a single charge. On the top end, the Extreme variant will feature a 350-mile range. The Extreme model will also come with a solar roof that Fisker says can add up to 2000 miles of range. Inside the cabin, the Ocean has an all-vegan interior made from recycled fishing nets, old t-shirts and renewed rubber. Another nifty addition is a 17.1-inch touchscreen display that can rotate between portrait and landscape orientations.

With a year before the Ocean starts making its way to consumers, there’s still a long wait before the SUV arrives. However, once it does arrive, the Ocean will be available for sale globally.

After offering free mental health exercises at the beginning of the pandemic, Headspace has announced that it's opening up its service for free to a particularly vulnerable group for mental stressors: teens. The company's new Headspace for Teens initiative is fairly straightforward: Kids between 13 and 18 will be able to access a selection of exercises — including things to help you reduce stress, focus on being mindful and sleep better — at no charge. The only requirement is that they sign up to be members of the youth-focused non-profits Bring Change to Mind or Peer Health Exchange. Headspace says it also plans to extend the free offering throughout the world as it partners with more non-profits.

“Through our research, we see that teens today are under a great deal of stress and experience high levels of anxiety due to the demands of school, their jobs, extracurriculars, social life, and a general uncertainty about their futures,” Alice Nathoo, Head of Social Impact at Headspace, said in a statement. “Even though many teens have an awareness of and vocabulary for mental health issues, this doesn't always translate to action."

Headspace for Teens follows a similar program focused on bringing mental health support to educators. To reach a more general audience, the company also created three shows for Netflix, including an interactive entry similar to Black Mirror: Bandersnatch.

Given just how anxiety-inducing the world can be these days, it makes sense for Headspace to give people a taste of the benefits from meditation, de-stressing and solid sleep habits. It's no replacement for a therapist — as we've explored in our guide to finding at-home mental health support during the pandemic — but Headspace's offerings still have the potential to help many people.

You no longer have to live in the US to try Spotify's paid podcast subscriptions. Spotify and Anchor are rolling out Podcast Subscriptions to 33 new markets over the next week. A total of 29 markets have access as of today (November 17th), including the UK, Australia and Hong Kong. Listeners in Austria, Canada, France and Germany will have to wait until November 22nd.

The system remains the same. Podcasters can charge extra to unlock special or ad-free episodes, offer early access and otherwise offer perks to listeners willing to pay. Producers keep all the revenue aside from basic transaction fees until 2023, with Spotify taking a five percent cut afterward.

This was arguably overdue. Apple added paid subscriptions to its Podcasts app in May, and made them available in 170 countries and regions. Spotify was effectively handing customers to Apple in those areas where it didn't have a paid option. While it's not yet clear that these paid memberships represent a large revenue stream, Spotify might not have wanted to take any chances.