Talk Fuse

    Software

    Software encompasses the digital tools, applications and systems that power modern life, from the artificial intelligence models reshaping how we work and create to the open-source projects offering alternatives to established platforms. This section covers developments across the full software landscape, including advances in machine learning, developer tools and infrastructure, cybersecurity concerns, and the underlying technologies that connect our digital world.

    The software industry is experiencing rapid evolution driven by artificial intelligence. Major technology companies are integrating new capabilities into widely-used applications, from interactive diagrams in chatbots to local file access in AI assistants. Simultaneously, developers continue building open-source alternatives to commercial software, whilst internet infrastructure providers work to expand the ecosystem of domain names and digital resources available online.

    Software developments matter to readers because they directly shape how we interact with technology daily, influence the tools available to businesses and creators, and raise important questions about security, privacy and competition in the digital economy. Whether through new features in familiar applications, emerging cybersecurity risks, or funding trends affecting startup innovation, software news determines how technology evolves and who benefits from it.

    • How to split bills and customize passes in Apple Wallet with iOS 27 Update

      Apple’s forthcoming iOS 27 update will let iPhone users split restaurant bills using Visual Intelligence, the camera-based tool that can read an itemised receipt and automatically send Apple Cash requests to fellow diners. Rather than dividing a bill evenly, the feature identifies individual items so each person can be charged for what they actually ordered,…

    • European Commission examines Oracle’s licensing practices following SAP inquiry

      The European Commission is reportedly examining Oracle’s software licensing practices, potentially laying the groundwork for a formal investigation similar to the one it recently concluded against SAP. According to MLex, the Commission has begun seeking third-party views on Oracle’s approach, though it has stressed that no formal probe has yet been opened. The move matters…

    • Jaguar Land Rover confirms plan to cut 4,000 jobs over two years

      Jaguar Land Rover has confirmed plans to cut around 4,000 jobs globally over the next two years, as Britain’s largest carmaker seeks to save £1.7bn amid tough trading conditions, Donald Trump’s tariffs and the fallout from last year’s damaging cyber-attack. The Tata-owned firm employs 44,000 people worldwide, including 34,000 in the UK, and the announcement…

    • Sexy Fire Emblem-Inspired Game Food Devils Officially Claims November Release

      Studio Daimon has confirmed that its strategy RPG Food Devils will launch on 5 November, according to an exclusive reveal from Polygon as part of its 2026 Fall Preview coverage. The game blends grid-based tactical combat in the style of Fire Emblem with restaurant management and dating-sim elements, casting players as a chef who must…

    • Every Samsung Galaxy Phone Comes With This Unique Add-On

      Samsung’s Galaxy phones include a lesser-known feature called the Edge Panel, a customisable shortcut bar that gives users quick access to favourite apps, contacts and tools without navigating through menus. Unlike Google’s Pixel devices, which highlight standout features like the Now Playing song-recognition widget, Samsung’s Edge Panel is often overlooked or forgotten by owners despite…

    • Grindr pays £26m to settle UK lawsuit over allegedly sharing users’ HIV status

      Grindr has agreed to pay £26m to settle a UK High Court lawsuit brought by around 12,000 users who alleged the dating app shared highly sensitive personal data, including in some cases their HIV status, with advertising companies without proper consent. The case, filed in April 2024 by London law firm Austen Hays over alleged…

    • Whispering Complaints Into Your Phone May Be the Future of Customer Feedback

      A startup called Voicebox is betting that voice notes, rather than emails or hold-queue phone calls, will become the preferred way for customers to give feedback. Users scan a QR code or tap an NFC chip in a shop or venue, speak their thoughts aloud, and the message is automatically transcribed and analysed for sentiment…

    • UK’s biggest private hospital firm Spire agrees £1bn takeover by hedge fund

      Spire Healthcare, the UK’s largest private hospital operator, has agreed to a £1bn takeover by Toscafund Asset Management, an investor group led by hedge fund manager Martin Hughes, nicknamed “the Rottweiler” for his aggressive business style. The deal, offering 250p a share and valuing the firm at £1.03bn, ends a lengthy strategic review process and…

    • Who, Me? Techie sent to fix Nobel Prize winner’s PC almost set it on fire

      A Register “Who, Me?” column recounts a reader’s early-1990s mishap while working as a PC support technician for professors at his university’s graduate school, one of whom later won a Nobel Prize. Sent to fix a faulty mouse on an IBM PC running an Intel 286 processor, he plugged the replacement into a physically identical…

    • Pixel 11 review: Google sets the bar for standard flagship phones

      The Guardian’s review of Google’s Pixel 11 finds it continues to set the benchmark for standard flagship smartphones, offering long battery life, a faster chip, useful AI features and strong cameras that keep it ahead of Android rivals. The base model retains the design and build quality of its predecessors while improving on performance and…