Fortnite-maker Epic Games says it is laying off more than 1,000 employees, citing a fall in engagement with its popular online game. In a note to staff on Tuesday, Epic’s chief executive Tim Sweeney apologised for the cuts – attributing them to a “downturn” in Fortnite engagement beginning in 2025. He said this had left it “spending significantly more than we’re making” and needing to “make major cuts to keep the company funded”. It comes after the company recently hiked the price of Fortnite’s in-game currency V-Bucks to “help pay the bills” amid increased operating costs. BBC
The amount of AI-generated child sexual abuse material found online rose by 14% last year, with the majority of videos showing the most extreme type of content, according to a safety watchdog. The Internet Watch Foundation said it identified 8,029 AI-made images and videos of realistic child sexual abuse material (CSAM) in 2025. It added that there had been a more than 260-fold increase in videos. The IWF said 65% of the 3,443 videos were classified as category A, the term for the most severe material under UK law. Guardian
Apple has just announced when its annual Worldwide Developers Conference is taking place in 2026: June 8-12. Traditionally, on the first day Apple has its big keynote during which it introduces the next versions of its operating systems. So, on June 8, Apple will most likely unveil iOS 27, iPadOS 27, macOS 27, and so on. Of course, as usual, these new OS versions are only expected to come out during the fall.
From June 8 all the way up to their release, they will be in beta for both developers and the general public. Since Apple introduced a big redesign last year, it’s now expected to refine the Liquid Glass look, and not revamp it entirely. GSM Arena
Sennheiser‘s headphone division could soon have a new owner. Its current owner – Swiss hearing care company Sonova – wants to sell Sennheiser’s headphone division and instead focus on its core business of hearing aids and cochlear implants, Heise online reports. Sennheiser has a rich history in audio. For over 80 years, it has been making audio devices like headphones, microphones and soundbars. Highlights include the world’s first open-backed headphones and the HD 25 which set the standard for pro headphones. WhatHiFi
Apple Inc. is preparing to introduce advertising in its Maps app, part of a broader push to generate more money from services. An announcement could come as early as this month, according to people with knowledge of the matter. The system will operate similarly to advertising in Google Maps, allowing retailers and brands to bid for ad slots against search queries, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the plans are private. Bloomberg
Mike Lynch’s estate has been ordered to pay the US technology company Hewlett Packard £920m, two years after the British tech tycoon’s death on his superyacht. A High Court judge said HP was owed the sum as compensation for the fraudulent sale of Lynch’s software company, Autonomy, 15 years ago. The figure would bankrupt Lynch’s estate. The entrepreneur, who was known as “Britain’s Bill Gates”, died along with his teenage daughter Hannah and five other victims on his Bayesian superyacht off the coast of Sicily in 2024. Telegraph