To cancel an iPhone update that’s still downloading, switch on Airplane Mode to cut off the connection.
To prevent the installation if it’s already downloaded, delete the update file in Settings > General > iPhone Storage.
To stop automatic updates, edit the option in Settings > General > SoftwareUpdate > Automatic Updates.
This article explains how to cancel an iPhone update before it finishes. While there’s no button to make this easy, you can do it if you know the right tricks.
Can You Cancel an iPhone Update While It’s Downloading?
There are two parts of the iOS update process where you can halt what’s happening: during the download and during the installation. That’s because the over-the-air iOS updates happen in two steps: the iPhone first downloads the update file before installing it.
There’s no button to stop a download in progress, so you must temporarily disconnect your iPhone from the internet. Follow these steps to stop the download of the update file itself, even if the download is partially complete:
Open Control Center (by swiping down from the top right corner on the iPhone X and newer, or swiping up from the bottom of the screen on earlier models).
Tap the Airplane Mode icon so that it lights up.
Close Control Center by swiping up from the bottom of the screen or tapping an empty area of the screen.
Confirm that you’ve cancelled the iPhone update by going to Settings > General > Software Update. If the Download button is lit up, the download has stopped.
You’ll probably want to change your settings for automatic downloading and installation of iOS updates before getting out of Airplane Mode. Check out the last section of this article for instructions.
How Do I Cancel an iPhone Update in Progress?
If the update file has been partially or fully downloaded to your iPhone, you can still prevent it from being installed. You can even do this if the update has started but hasn’t yet finished.
If your iOS update is in progress and you want to stop it, here’s what to do:
Go to Settings > General.
Tap iPhone Storage.
Find the iOS update file and tap it.
Tap Delete Update.
In the confirmation pop-up, tap Delete Update again.
If you haven’t already turned off Airplane Mode, do it here so you can start using the internet on your phone again.
How to Control Automatic iOS Update Downloads and Installs
You can set your iPhone to download operating system updates and install them automatically. This feature makes it easy to keep your phone up to date, but you may prefer to have more control over when those downloads and installs happen.
Follow these steps to choose your iOS update settings:
Tap Settings.
Tap General.
Tap Software Update.
Tap Automatic Updates.
On this screen, your options are:
Download iOS Updates: This controls whether updates are downloaded but not installed (that’s the next setting). Move the slider to off/white to prevent automatic downloads. It will hide the second option. However, you can keep this slider set to on/green to download files, but still control installation with the next option.
Install iOS Updates: This controls whether updates that have already been downloaded are installed automatically or manually. To manually install the updates, move this slider to off/white.
Depending on the iOS version that’s currently installed, these options might be called Automatically Install and Automatically Download.
FAQ
How do I update my iPhone?
To update your iPhone’s iOS wirelessly, launch the Settings app and tap General > Software Update. Your phone will check for and display any available iOS updates. If one is available, tap Update Now or DownloadandInstall.
Why won’t my iPhone update?
If your iPhone iOS won’t update, it may be because there isn’t an available iOS update for you to install. If you see an available update that won’t install, or if installation freezes, you may not have enough storage for the update. Try using your computer to update your iPhone. It could also be a problem with your internet connection that hinders your update.
How do I update apps on an iPhone?
To keep iPhone apps up to date, open the App Store app, tap your profile picture, and view any available app updates. Tap Update to install an update, or tap Update All to install all available updates. To have your apps automatically update, go to Settings > App Store and toggle on Automatic Downloads.
We’ve had quite the week this week, so to help you catch up on all the latest tech news, we have this handy one-stop guide to the seven biggest stories of the past seven days.
From Elmo getting hacked to ChatGPT Agent arriving on the scene, we have your firmware update for it all.
And once you’re up to speed, be sure to read our guide to the 7 new movies and TV shows to watch this weekend (July 18).
7. Marshall’s new Bluetooth speaker rocked our world
(Image credit: Future)
We’ve been testing the new Marshall Kilburn III, and our reviewer Harry Padoan had a lot of positive things to say.
“The Marshall Kilburn III plates up a delicious meal, composed of well-seasoned audio, meaty features and a beautiful presentation,” adding, “with a 50-hour battery life, you’ll barely ever need to charge it.”
Though he did also highlight some faults, which is why it was half a star off a perfect five-star score, namely that it’s pricier and maybe not as rugged as some might hope.
6. We watched Stranger Things Season 5…’s trailer
Stranger Things 5 | Official Teaser | Netflix – YouTube
Watch On
The first trailer for Stranger Things season 5 is finally here.
Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more.
And if you’ve been worried about spoilers, series co-creator Ross Duffer shared that this first trailer “pulls from every episode except 7, but it’s mostly Volume One and just barely scratches the surface.”
Season 5 is being split into three parts, and this trailer is mostly taking clips from the first drop coming on November 26, so it shouldn’t give too much of the game away.
5. Fitbit went down with sync and login issues
(Image credit: Future)
Fitbit users were left high and dry this week, as a huge spike in Downdetector reports heralded a big outage for Fitbit’s mobile app and web API, leaving Fitbit users unable to sync their devices. When the Fitbit Help Center steps were followed, users ended up locked out of their accounts.
Fortunately, Google soon resolved the issue and reached out to us to confirm that a fix was in progress. However, it’s not worked for everyone: there is still what seems to be a relatively small percentage of users who are left high and dry, unable to effectively use their devices. S
ome of them have reached out to us via email, while others have taken to Reddit to voice their displeasure and warn other users. One poor Reddit poster has even seemingly lost all their data since 2018!
4. Elmo got hacked and taught us a lesson
(Image credit: Getty Images)
The Twitter account for the lovable fuzzy red Muppet was hacked this week and proceeded to spew several deeply offensive posts onto the platform.
Arguments aside that those kinds of posts are maybe more at home on Elon Musk’s rendition of the social media platform than Elmo’s usual messages of love and hugs, the hack reminded us why two-factor authentication is so important.
It’s not a completely foolproof solution, but it can make it significantly less likely your account will get taken over.
3. ChatGPT Agent entered the game
(Image credit: OpenAI)
Sam Altman, OpenAI CEO, has just announced the latest addition to ChatGPT. It’s called ChatGPT Agent, and it’s designed to perform tasks for you, no matter how complicated. If you can do it online, then ChatGPT Agent can get it done.
The entire concept is a unified agent that can handle the legwork, make informed decisions about which websites to use, and navigate the web independently. Think about things like planning a wedding, booking your car in for a service, making an app to solve a problem, or planning and booking a holiday. ChatGPT Agent can do it all, and you can even watch it work if you want to.
If you’re a Plus, Teams, or Pro user, then you can click ‘Agent’ right from the tools drop-down menu to use the new tool. The Agent uses its own virtual computer to perform its tasks, starting by setting up its desktop environment, and then proceeds to understand the prompt you’ve given it and gather the necessary information. It will sometimes ask for more information or a clarifying question.
2. We went bananas for Donkey Kong
(Image credit: Nintendo)
While interest at its announcement was somewhat tepid, it turns out Donkey Kong Bananza is the greatest Nintendo Switch 2 title to date, according to Dashiell Wood, one of our expert game reviewers.
That’s because the title “harnesses the powerful Nintendo Switch 2 hardware to offer a gigantic, open-ended world with dazzling destruction that lets you bash, smash, and crash through practically anything.”
1. Google set a date for its Pixel phone drop
(Image credit: Twelve South)
The eagerly anticipated Mage by Google product launch event will happen on August 20 at 10am PT / 1pm ET / 6pm BST / 3am AEST, and it looks to be a product-packed event.
We’re expecting not only the Pixel 10 phone line (so the Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro, and Pixel 10 Pro XL), but a new Pixel 10 Pro Fold, which now has a tough act to follow given the 4.2mm-thick Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7. At least they’ll both be running Android 16.
A new, possibly redesigned, Pixel Watch 4 is also expected, but we don’t have many details for no,w so we’ll have to wait a little longer to have an idea what Google has up its sleeve.
Ace Hardware has Weber 28″ 3-Burner Propane Griddle (Black, 43310201) for $279. Choose free store pickup where stock permits.
Note: Availability for pickup may vary by location.
Thanks to Community Member jtrink for finding this deal.
Features:
3-burner system generates 36,000 BTUs for fast, even, edge-to-edge heat reaching over 500°F , perfect for cooking a salmon filet or a batch of burgers
Out-of-the-way corner grease chute and high-capacity, front-access grease tray prevents spills and splatter, making cleanup a snap
Durable, aluminized steel cookbox construction prevents corrosion and supports longevity of the grill
2 sturdy side tables provide 410 sq.in. of workspace for prepping and serving, while 4 hooks keep spatulas and other tools handy
Easy-slide hard cover makes in-use storage simple and protects griddle from the elements between cooks
Large sturdy wheels make moving your griddle across the patio or yard a breeze
28 in. of left-to-right cooking space with 3-burner design means you can control temperatures and cook an entire meal at once,keeping cooked food warm while other foods finish: so, everything can be served at the same time
Batman might be heading to Arrakis. Robert Pattinson is eyeing a role in Dune 3.
Per Deadline, no formal offer has been extended to Pattinson. However, there is “strong interest” in Pattinson joining the cast. If Pattinson does sign on for Dune 3, it will be a “significant role” for The Batman actor.
Denis Villeneuve returns to write and direct Dune 3, based on Frank Herbert’s 1969 novel Dune: Messiah. Villeneuve is reportedly putting the final touches on the script, with filming expected to begin this summer.
Pattinson is currently filming Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey. Last month, Pattinson starred in Bong Joon Ho’s Mickey 17. Pattinson’s upcoming films include Lynne Ramsay’s Die, My Love, a thriller with Jennifer Lawrence, and Kristoffer Borgli’s The Drama, an A24 romantic dramedy with Zendaya.
Pattinson will also reprise his role as Bruce Wayne in the long-awaited sequel to Matt Reeves’ The Batman. The Batman 2 is expected to begin filming at the end of this year and be released in theaters on October 1, 2027.
Warner Bros. Pictures
Dune 3 marks the final chapter for Villeneuve in Herbert’s sci-fi universe. Dune3 should see the return of Timothée Chalamet as Paul Atreides, Zendaya as Chani, Florence Pugh as Princess Irulan, Jason Momoa as Duncan Idaho, and many more actors from the first two movies.
So far, Villeneuve has directed 2021’s Dune and 2024’s Dune: Part Two. The movies have combined to win eight Oscars and gross over $1.1 billion worldwide.
Warner Bros. has not officially announced the release date for Dune 3. However, the studio has a Villeneuve event film with Legendary Pictures on the calendar for December 2026. If filming begins this summer, expect Dune 3 to take that release date.
We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.
GameSir Super Nova: one-minute review
(Image credit: Future)
The GameSir Super Nova is a controller compatible with PC, mobile, and Nintendo Switch, and features Hall effect technology for enhanced precision and longevity from its thumbsticks.
It emulates the very familiar Xbox design, although the various colorways and RGB lighting add a little more vibrancy, especially the Whipped Pink variant. It also has a different D-pad, opting for the four-point approach.
In the hands, the Super Nova feels solid and well-made; in fact, it belies its modest price tag and rivals some of the best PC controllers in terms of build quality. It also features a magnetic faceplate, allowing for easy access to the swappable face buttons, designed to match whatever platform you’re playing on.
The buttons are satisfyingly damped and have very little play to them, sitting tightly in place yet still being easy to use. The same is true of the analog sticks, as there’s hardly any play in them at all. They are finished in a harder material than you might find on other controllers, but I still found them comfortable. However, the two optional back buttons are considerably less damped, and my fingers didn’t quite land in the optimal place for triggering them.
The Super Nova can be tweaked using the ‘M’ (multifunction) button on the front, which allows you to adjust aspects such as stick deadzone and RGB lighting, among others. But many more tweaks can be made using GameSir Connect, the brand’s peripheral tool on PC. Here you’ll find more options than I think I’ve ever seen offered in controller software, so everybody’s preferences should be catered for here.
There are curve profiles and actuation settings for the triggers and sticks, numerous button remapping options, and even an option to set motion controls to always on, allowing you to substitute them with analog stick or even mouse inputs.
To game with, the Super Nova puts in an admirable performance. The buttons are responsive, while the Hall effect technology in the sticks and triggers offer precise movements, although I did find the triggers a little too light to actuate, which did take some getting used to. I didn’t find the D-pad quite so amenable either, as I had to press more towards its center to get a consistent response, which isn’t ideal from an ergonomic standpoint.
Connectivity was good for the most part during my time with the Super Nova, as I managed to connect to multiple platforms via both Bluetooth and the 2.4GHz USB dongle. However, there were occasions when it failed to reconnect to the Nintendo Switch, with the controller failing to wake the console from its sleep. Switching between various devices isn’t the snappiest, either, although not many are lightning quick in this regard.
After several days of use the Super Nova was still going strong, although the lack of a battery readout, either on board or in the software, is a glaring omission; the only indicator is the flashing red RGB when it dips below 15%. GameSir did tell me that it should last about 15 hours, though, which is towards the lower end of the spectrum compared to its rivals.
For the price, though, the Super Nova offers great value for money, considering its performance and platform support, not to mention the incredible level of customization provided by Connect. The D-pad and some minor connectivity issues are drawbacks, but this is still a worthy choice for your next gamepad.
GameSir Super Nova review: Price and availability
$44.99 / £49.99 / AU$89
Available now in two colorways
Cheaper than rivals
The GameSir Super Nova costs $44.99 / £49.99 / AU$89 and is available now in two colorways: Nightfall Blue and Whipped Pink. It comes with a 2.4GHz USB dongle, as well as a charging base and USB cable. Other face plates in a variety of colors are also available from GameSir.
When it’s on sale, the official Xbox Wireless Controller, one of the best Xbox controllers and best PC controllers, can be found for a little less than the Super Nova. While it’s a great all-round performer, it pales in comparison to the Super Nova in terms of features and customization options. It also lacks a rechargeable battery as standard.
If you’re after a gamepad with even more tweakability than the Super Nova, then the PDP Victrix Pro BFG, one of the best PS5 controllers and best controllers for Call of Duty, is a fine pick. This controller has a fully modular setup, allowing you to replace the face buttons, D-pad, and sticks depending on your preferences, as well as myriad customization options via the Victrix Control Hub App. However, it’s considerably more expensive than the Super Nova.
GameSir Super Nova review: specs
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Price
$44.99 / £49.99 / AU$89
Dimensions
6.1 x 4.2 x 2.3in / 156 x 106 x 59mm
Weight
9.3oz (263g)
Compatibility
PC, Nintendo Switch, Android and iOS
Connection type
Wireless (Bluetooth, 2.4GHz USB dongle), wired (USB-C)
Battery life
15 hours
Software
GameSir Connect, GameSir mobile app
(Image credit: Future)
GameSir Super Nova review: design and features
Typical Xbox controller design
Well made
Incredibly in-depth software
The Super Nova is heavily inspired by the Xbox controller in terms of its form, with its substantial grips and asymmetrical analog sticks mirroring Microsoft’s official gamepad. The D-pad is a point of departure, though, as it harks back to older generations with its four-prong design, rather than a more modern circular hat. There’s also some RGB lighting, although this is quite subtle, confined to just two thin bars running around either grip.
In the hand, the Super Nova feels weighty without being onerous, and the overall construction seems solid. The removable, magnetic faceplate feels premium, as do the rubberized handles, which provide enough grip while maintaining good levels of comfort.
This high standard extends to the face buttons, as they feel smooth to the touch and are damped nicely. There’s very little wobble to them, as with some other controllers, which is especially impressive given they can be swapped around to align with the Nintendo Switch layout (hence the removable faceplate). The analog sticks are similarly solid, and although their material is a little harder than on many other sticks, I still found they offered enough grip.
The triggers are somewhat shallower than on some other controllers. Each has its own lock slider, situated on the back of the Super Nova, which shortens their travel considerably – useful when playing shooters and other games requiring rapid taps.
The two back buttons aren’t damped, and therefore feel less tactile. Also, I found they extended too far outwards, meaning my fingers failed to fall naturally on their end points for the best leverage.
These back buttons can be programmed using the M button at the bottom of the Super Nova – a button that can also be used to make other adjustments on the fly by pressing in conjunction with other buttons. You can change the RGB lighting, vibration intensity, and stick deadzone this way, as well as toggle the Turbo and Hair Trigger modes. These M button adjustments are responsive and provide feedback when changes are made, via flashes of the RGB lighting or small rumbles.
Other customizations can be made in the GameSir mobile app, although this is very limited. Thankfully, the Super Nova also works with GameSir Connect, the company’s peripheral software on PC. This facilitates many tweaks in addition to those accessible via the M button.
Connect provides remapping (including the option to assign multiple inputs to a single button), as well as multiple curve profiles for the sticks and the triggers. There are also various motion control settings, including an option to set which axes are active, as well as an option to turn on motion controls permanently. When this is activated, you can set motion controls to replace the input of either stick or even mouse movements. I was also pleased to see always-on motion controls work when using the Super Nova with the Switch, meaning you can use motion controls in place of the analog sticks with any Switch game.
There are plenty more tweaking options besides those I’ve already mentioned, and I struggle to think of any that are missing here. Connect is also stable for the most part, and the UI is clear and easy to use, although it’s a shame there are no explanations or visual feedback for some of the more advanced settings. What’s more, there doesn’t appear to be any way to save multiple profiles.
(Image credit: Future)
GameSir Super Nova review: performance
Satisfying and precise
Not the best D-pad
Some minor connectivity issues
The overall performance of the Super Nova is very good. The face buttons are responsive and a joy to use, thanks to their aforementioned dampening. However, while the same is true of the D-pad, I found this less satisfying to use.
When playing Tekken 8, for instance, a rapid series of inputs, especially rolls between adjacent directions, can be uncomfortable and unresponsive, especially towards the outer edges of each direction. I found that actually keeping my thumb towards the center of the d-pad improved matters, but was less ergonomic.
Both the triggers and the sticks on the Super Nova employ Hall effect technology, which is also used in some of the best gaming keyboards, and is often claimed to improve precision as well as longevity.
I found the sticks provided a good level of accuracy when playing Goldeneye 64 on the Switch, while modulating the throttle and brake with the triggers in Art of Rally was a smooth experience. However, the triggers don’t offer quite as much resistance as those on some other controllers, resulting in a more sensitive response and requiring a finer touch than usual.
Motion controls also performed well on the Nintendo Switch, providing accurate inputs as I found while aiming bows in Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, even rivaling some of the best Nintendo Switch controllers in this regard.
Connectivity is generally good, with the Super Nova connecting easily to PC via the 2.4GHz dongle, and just as easily via Bluetooth to my Android phone. Connecting via both wireless methods to the Nintendo Switch was also relatively straightforward, although there were occasions when I couldn’t wake the console from sleep with the controller.
Whether this is an issue with the gamepad or the console itself is hard to determine, but it’s a point worth mentioning all the same. Switching between various devices isn’t the quickest either, although many multiplatform controllers aren’t much quicker.
The battery life of the Super Nova is hard to determine, since there’s no indicator other than the RGB lighting flashing red when it dips below 15%. This means I can’t say how much battery life remained after my several days of testing, other than that it was above 15%. What’s more, GameSir doesn’t even provide an estimated battery life, although when I reached out to the company for a figure, it replied that it should last about 15 hours, which isn’t particularly impressive compared to the competition.
(Image credit: Future)
Should I buy the GameSir Super Nova?
Buy it if…
Don’t buy it if…
GameSir Super Nova review: Also consider
If you’re after more wireless controllers, then take a look at some of these alternatives to the GameSir Super Nova.
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Row 0 – Cell 0
GameSir Super Nova
Xbox Wireless Controller
PDP Victrix Pro BFG
Price
$44.99 / £49.99 / AU$89
$59 / £54 / AU$74
$179 / £179 / AU$269
Dimensions
6.1 x 4.2 x 2.3in / 156 x 106 x 59mm
5.9 x 4.1 x 2.4in / 150 x 105 x 60mm
6.3 x 4.1 x 2.4in / 160 X 105 X 60mm
Weight
9.3oz (263g)
8.5 oz (241g)
10.5 Oz (298g)
Compatibility
PC, Switch, mobile
Xbox, PC
Playstation 5, Playstation 4, PC
Connection type
Wireless (2.4GHz), wired (USB A-to-C)
Wireless (Bluetooth), wired (USB A-to-C)
Wireless (2.4GHz), wired (USB A-to-C)
Battery life
15 hours
40 hours
20 hours
Software
GameSir Connect
Xbox Accessories app
Victrix Control Hub App
How I tested the GameSir Super Nova
Tested for several days
Played various games on various platforms
Plentiful gamepad experience
I tested the Super Nova for several days, during which time I used it on PC, Nintendo Switch, and an Android phone. I used both the 2.4GHz dongle and Bluetooth where I could.
I played a variety of games to test the various aspects of the Super Nova’s performance. I played Tekken 8 to test the responsiveness and ergonomics of the face buttons and D-pad, Art of Rally to test the precision of the triggers, Goldeneye 64 on Switch Online to test stick aiming, and Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom to test the motion controls and more general performance.
I have been gaming for decades, and during that time have experienced many different controllers. I have also reviewed a number of them, including other Hall effect and GameSir models.
Samsung has announced a big update to its SmartThings platform. The update adds some health with sleep, but also keeps Samsung up to date with Matter compatability.
The main improvements include better sleep environment control, smarter automation routines, easier communication at home, support for more devices, and upgraded Matter standard compatibility. One of the most interesting changes in this update is the connection between SmartThings and Samsung Health. By using sleep data from compatible Galaxy devices, SmartThings will try to help optimize users’ sleep conditions.
The new connection will only work with certain Samsung devices, like smartphones, Galaxy Watches (4/5/6/7), Galaxy Watch Ultra, Galaxy Fit3, and the Galaxy Ring. Samsung Health gives detailed reports about sleep environments on Galaxy phones running One UI 7.0 or later, and Samsung Health version 6.29 or later. If you’ve bought a Samsung device in recent years, you should be okay with using this feature.
These reports look at things like temperature, humidity, carbon dioxide levels, and light from connected devices and sensors. They give a summary of how well you slept the night before and suggest ways to improve. That seems basic, but it doesn’t stop there. SmartThings can now automatically adjust your sleep setup based on when you go to bed and wake up. For example, you can set routines that turn off lights and the TV when you fall asleep and open curtains or play music when you wake up.
That’s pretty cool, and would be a great way to connect your smart home to your device. Keep in mind that this feature might not be available in all countries.
The update also makes SmartThings routines much more powerful. Users now have more options, including the ability to set schedules that repeat weekly, monthly, or yearly. This means you can automate actions for different situations, like changing smart light colors for special events.
Another cool addition is support for Samsung TV Plus in routines on 2025 Samsung TV models. This lets you include TV habits in your smart home routines, like having the news turned on automatically in the morning or switching to a favorite channel at a set time. I can see that as being spooky, because even if you’re in the room, having the TV turned on by itself would be scary. As long as you know your routine, it should be fine.
The update adds a new broadcasting feature to help with communication at home. This lets users send voice messages through the SmartThings app to any SmartThings-connected speakers in the house. It’s a quick way to share messages with family members, even if they’re in different rooms. It’s like having a walkie talkie as long as there’s a speaker in your room.
Another major improvement is the expansion of Calm Onboarding. This feature, first introduced in late 2023 for Samsung products bought through official stores, makes setting up devices easier by linking everything from purchase to delivery to app setup. Now, Calm Onboarding also works with compatible third-party smart home devices, making the connection process smoother.
If you buy a compatible device from Samsung’s official website, you’ll get updates about your purchase and delivery in the SmartThings app, along with step-by-step setup instructions. This is starting in Korea first, with plans to bring it to other regions where the marketplace is available.
Lastly, the update adds Matter 1.4 compatibility. This new version of Matter supports more energy-saving devices, like water heaters, heat pumps, solar power systems, battery storage, and switches. This adds to the already supported devices, such as lights, thermostats, switches, air conditioners, air purifiers, fans, and door locks.
It’s great to keep things working with the Matter environment, which is quickly becoming the standard for smart home devices. This should be rolled out to Samsung devices over time.
The sandworms of Arrakis might have found a new plaything. Robert Pattinson, fresh off his turn in Bong Joon Ho’s cloning film Mickey 17, may be joining the cast of the final entry in Denis Villeneuve’s Dune trilogy.
Deadline reports that Pattinson is a high priority for Legendary to join the cast of the film, although no formal offer for any role, undisclosed or otherwise, has been made yet. Villeneuve’s script for the film, an adaptation of the events of Dune Messiah, is still being finalized, but should Pattinson take on a role, it’s set to be one of the few major additions to the Dune series’ already expansive casts.
Dune 3 was originally meant to be much further away in Villeneuve’s plans after the release of Dune: Part Two last year, but the director changed tack and decided to dive into making the sequel his next major project last year. “I was really moved by the way Part Two was received by cinephiles around the world, and I felt an appetite and a desire to see more and a responsibility to finish that story,” Villeneuve said in an interview with Collider last February, explaining the reasoning behind why Messiah would now be coming sooner rather than later.
While that’s good for Dune fans, if Pattinson does board the film, it may be less good news for DC fans anxiously awaiting any update on The Batman Part 2. Dune 3 is expected to begin filming this summer, after Pattinson has wrapped his current filming on Chris Nolan’s adaptation of The Odyssey.
Forward momentum on The Batman Part 2 has stalled since it was announced shortly after Pattinson’s debut as Bruce Wayne in 2022’s The Batman. It’s since been delayed multiple times, with it currently holding an estimated October 1, 2027 release. That gives Pattinson plenty of time for some interstellar travel before he’s due back in Gotham, but that’s probably no small comfort to Batman fans hoping their movie stays on track.
Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.
The computer is professionally upgraded and customized. The manufacturer box will be opened by our professional engineers for customizing and testing. Factory defects and blemishes are significantly reduced by our in-depth inspection and testing. We offer a 12-month warranty, please feel free to contact us if you need any support from our team.
Processor Model Intel Core Ultra 7-155H
# of Cores 16 # of Performance-cores 6
# of Efficient-cores 8 Total Threads 22
Max Turbo Frequency Up to 4.8 GHz
Efficient-core Max Turbo Frequency 3.8 GHz
Graphics Intel Arc Graphics
Display 14 inch WUXGA (1920 x 1200) Display
Interface 1 x USB-A 2 x Thunderbolt 4 1 x HDMI 1 x Headphone/Microphone combo
Connectivity Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth
Operating System Windows 11 Pro
Others Dimensions:12.29 x 8.66 x 0.59 in Weight (approximate): 2.82 lbs
Exceptional Performance – Zenbook 14 OLED, Intel Evo-certified, ensures top-tier performance. Powered by Ultra 7-155H with integrated NPU AI engine, handle tasks swiftly, even with AI-based applications, for efficient work Intel Arc Graphics – Elevate gaming and content creation with Intel Arc iGPU’s built-in graphics acceleration and ray tracing hardware. Experience stunning visuals and high-speed performance Immersive Entertainment – ASUS Lumina OLED brings brilliance with its vibrant display, 1920 x 1200 resolution, 500nits HDR peak brightness, and 100% DCI-P3 color gamut. Enjoy seamless viewing with an 87% screen-to-body ratio 2.82lbs light – Enjoy unparalleled mobility with a stylish, featherweight, metal construction, boasting a flawless finish for a seamlessly tactile encounter Multiple Ports Available – Connect your laptop with other devices. 1x USB Type-A, 2x Thunderbolt 4, 1x HDMI, 1x Headphone/microphone combo
With time continuing to tick down until President Trump’s higher tariffs take effect after midnight, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt doubled down on the idea that products like iPhones could realistically shift to US manufacturing, claiming that “if Apple didn’t think the United States could do it they probably wouldn’t have put up that big chunk of change,” citing its recently announced $500 billion US investment plan.
The only problem is that, other than at least one analyst’s explanation of the investment as “in line with what one might expect the company to be spending anyway,” Steve Jobs and Tim Cook have already explained the reasons that they don’t think it’s possible.
Asked by New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman about US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick’s comments over the weekend that the tariffs would lead to things like “the army of millions and millions of human beings screwing in little screws to make iPhones” coming to the US, Leavitt said of Trump that “absolutely he we have the labor we have the workforce we have the resources to do it.”
Walter Isaacson’s biography, Steve Jobs, clearly describes meetings between Jobs and then-president Barack Obama in 2010 and 2011, where Jobs explained that the problem is that America lacks the 30,000 properly trained engineers needed to support a factory workforce rivaling the 700,000 workers employed in China:
Apple had 700,000 factory workers employed in China, he said, and that was because it needed 30,000 engineers on-site to support those workers. ‘You can’t find that many in America to hire,’ he said.
Tim Cook has been just as blunt, describing the issue in 2017 at Fortune Magazine’s Global Forum event.
…the truth is China stopped being the low labor costscountry many years ago and that is not the reason to come to China from a supply point of view. The reason is because of the skill and the, the quantity of skill in one location, and the type of skill. It is like the products we do require really advanced tooling and the precision that you have to have in tooling and working with the materials that we do are state-of-the-art, and the tooling skill is very deep here. You know in, in the US, you could have a meeting of tooling engineers, and I’m not sure we could fill the room — in China you could fill multiple football fields.
The only way you’d lose this thing in a parking lot is if that parking lot was at a GMC dealer. And even then…
Andrew Krok/CNET
“My name is Hummer, King of Kings; Look on my Works, ye Mighty, and despair!”
Like
Brain-breaking hustle
Beefcake aesthetics
Super Cruise
Don’t like
Many poor-quality materials
Leaky noises aplenty
Generally obscene
The GMC Hummer EV isn’t here to be practical. It’s a moonshot vehicle, an aspirational purchase that seeks to convince internal combustion, bro-truck holdouts that the cars of the future can be “badass,” too. But after a week behind the wheel of this brodozer, even with all the whiz-bang tech tucked away in here, the Hummer EV still feels like a relic of the past, desperately fighting against the tide while trying to fit into a more eco-conscious future where it probably shouldn’t exist at all.
I’ll start with the parts that I think GM got right — as “right” as a 9,000-pound electric truck can get, at least. While I prefer the silhouette of the upcoming SUV variant to this pickup-truck body, I will say that the Hummer EV looks every bit the beast that it is. The boxy fender flares comprise nearly half of the real estate on each side. It’s imposingly large in every dimension. The giant running light with “HUMMER” etched into it makes the vehicle’s presence known well before it blots out the sun for smaller vehicles as it passes by. It’s extremely in-your-face.
GMC rolled out its biggest, most powerful Hummer EV first, and it practically breaks physics when experienced. Two motors at the rear axle combine with one on the front axle to produce a net 1,000 horsepower and somewhere north of 1,000 pound-feet of torque. (I am not parroting GMC’s practically duplicitous use of five-digit at-the-wheel torque figures.) Even though the Hummer EV weighs as much as 1.5 GMC Sierra heavy-duty pickups, it’ll reach 60 mph in right about 3 seconds, which is supercar territory. It doesn’t make sense — and it’s even harder to parse this reality when you’re focused on keeping this rocket-powered aircraft carrier pointed straight — but it’s impressive that something can actually do this, especially repeatedly.
Another high point in the Hummer EV comes from GM tech that’s been kicking around for a while already. Super Cruise can control the vehicle’s driving, steering and braking on certain pre-mapped stretches of highway across the US, and it’s truly the best hands-free system on sale today. It feels no different in the Hummer EV; even with its Brobdingnagian footprint, Super Cruise keeps the car smack-dab in the center of its lane, whether the road is curvy or straight. It’ll even change lanes on its own now, and it does so with an impressive smoothness. It does an amazing job reducing the tedium of longer drives, and there were very few times when the system requested that I step in and handle a specific portion of road.
Enlarge Image
I’m a big fan of being able to run CarPlay on just a portion of the screen while native apps stay active.
Andrew Krok/CNET
The rest of the Hummer EV’s cabin tech isn’t too shabby, either. Rising from the center of the dashboard is a 13.4-inch touchscreen running the latest iteration of GM’s corporate infotainment system. It offers wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, in addition to a whole bunch of integrated Google apps, including Maps. Epic Games’ Unreal Engine handles the graphics, and they’re damned good. The display is large enough to offer split-screen functionality, including the ability to run Google Maps alongside whatever smartphone mirroring is running. The 12.3-inch digital gauge display also offers some slick aesthetics, and it’s easy to customize using the steering wheel controls.
That’s it, though. Those are all the new tricks that this old dog knows. And once the veneer of physics-defying entrail rearrangement fades, all that’s left is a mediocre electric truck with the curb weight of a dying star. The Hummer EV becomes a bit of a Bummer EV, if you will.
Enlarge Image
The whole front face of the steering wheel is rubber, which doesn’t exactly feel premium.
Andrew Krok/CNET
As interesting as the Hummer EV’s cabin can look, going beyond a glance reveals some extremely middling material. Yes, I know the Hummer EV is a pickup that can be an open-air vehicle (more on its T-tops later), and thus some degree of durability is required in the cabin. But man, everything just feels so cheap. The dashboard and center console are made of cold, rock-hard plastic that feels like it was cribbed from a rental-spec Chevy Equinox. The use of leather pretty much stops and starts at the seats and steering wheel. What looks like leather on the door panels and center armrest is actually a unique rubberized material that, while it carries some interesting looks, again feels unworthy of a $100,000 price tag. Hell, when I open up the armrest to access the cubby, I’m met with more hard plastic and exposed bolts. On something that costs Range Rover money. Yeesh.
More than a few corners feel cut on the Hummer EV, even in its most expensive Edition 1 guise. The headlight and wiper stalks lack illumination, as do the physical switches that handle climate-control duties on the center touchscreen, so if you haven’t committed all that switchgear to memory, good luck trying to use it at night. Thanks to issues with its vertical windows, GM couldn’t get auto-up windows to work, so they just weren’t included — and yet, Ford’s supplier seems to build them just fine for the Bronco’s equally steep windows.
Enlarge Image
Find me a human being who can actually palm this shifter comfortably. It’s like GMC accidentally scaled up the lever’s CAD diagram to 125% and forgot to fix it.
Andrew Krok/CNET
There are some strange ergonomics at play in the Hummer’s cabin, too. The shifter is twice as large as it needs to be, and my admittedly lanky hands still have a hard time gripping it comfortably. The rear glass is at the perfect angle to constantly reflect the infotainment screen in the rearview mirror at night, obstructing visibility. The passenger side mirror is weirdly zoomed in, presumably because it’s located two states away from the driver, which makes precision parking and lane changes more perilous than necessary.
Ride quality is good, but not great. I wouldn’t fault you for thinking that something with the mass of an office complex and thick, off-road-ready tires would absorb everything short of an earthquake. And while the Hummer EV’s standard air suspension does soak up a good number of pavement inconsistencies, something about the ride still feels flinty in execution, like there’s some inherent performance-oriented stiffness built in where it maybe shouldn’t be. Those tires do generate a good bit of road noise, as well, but thankfully that’s drowned out by the constant hiss of air sneaking through the T-tops and the sound of the wind slamming against the steep rakes of the windshield and mirrors. This is not a quiet car.
Enlarge Image
The roof panels’ tinting does a good job of keeping the sun at bay, but there’s no fixing all that wind noise at highway speeds.
Andrew Krok/CNET
Perhaps GM’s greatest achievement in this entire exercise is that the company managed to build an electric vehicle that is extravagantly inefficient. While its battery is rated for a solid 329 miles per charge, it requires over 200 kilowatt-hours of capacity to do so, or about twice what most cars with big batteries have. Over my week with the Hummer EV, wintry weather did its best to kneecap that range, and I ended up seeing only about 230 miles until I had to seek out some juice. That comes out to a little over 1.1 kilowatt-hours per mile, about one-third the efficiency of a Hyundai Ioniq 5 tested in equally chilly weather.
Blissfully, the Hummer EV’s Ultium platform means it can accept the fastest charges currently offered. Plug this thing into a 350-kilowatt DC fast charger and it will do its best to hoover up every electron as fast as possible, which is good, seeing as how I’m basically charging two “normal” EVs back-to-back.
It’s all so damn wasteful. I just keep thinking about how the battery pack in one of these could instead be used to put not one, but two Equinox or Blazer EVs on the road. As most other automakers — including primary competitor Ford — focus on rolling out affordable electric vehicles that people need more than want, GM is over here throwing two batteries’ worth of rare metals into six-figure moonshots for the chronically insecure.
Enlarge Image
Branding appeared quite important during the Hummer EV development cycle, since it’s everywhere. But at the same time, exactly how can this vehicle be mistaken for anything but a Hummer?
Andrew Krok/CNET
I could forgive some of the Hummer EV’s warts if it didn’t cost $110,295 including $1,595 in destination charges. And yes, there are lesser-equipped, lower-range Hummer EVs coming down the pipeline, which will carry more palatable price tags that better suit its interior quality. But my tester is sitting here asking for Range Rover or Mercedes EQS money, where you can still get oodles of propulsion, but you also get a cabin that doesn’t feel like a minimum viable product. When that’s considered, it doesn’t feel like a good use of that much money. Hell, you could buy two Ford F-150 Lightning Pro electric trucks for that price. Two!
The GMC Hummer EV is proof that electrification won’t change too much about our lives. There will still be room on our roads for something that is unnecessarily large and wasteful, something that looks like it could be for work purposes but decidedly is not, as is the American car-buying tradition. Being big and dumb for no good reason will not go gently into that good night, even though it probably should.