Tech News — May 24, 2026

Tech News — May 24, 2026 | Trace

The day in brief

What connected the day

9 topics

01
1 sources · 1 updates
On Trails is a wandering tale that blends hiking, science, and history
In On Trails: An Exploration, Robert Moor delves into the multifaceted significance of trails, weaving personal hiking experiences with broader themes such as colonialism and technology. The book starts with Moor's journey on the Appalachian Trail and expands into discussions about ant trails and the historical implications of various pathways, showcasing his ability to blend humor, philosophy, and poetic prose seamlessly.
- Moor's book, On Trails, connects hiking with broader themes like colonialism and technology.
- The narrative shifts from personal hiking experiences to discussions on ant trails and fiber optics.
02
1 sources · 1 updates
Report: watchOS 27 to improve heart-rate tracking; AI health coach may not debut at launch
Apple is enhancing heart-rate tracking capabilities in watchOS 27, focusing on stability and performance improvements rather than major new features. Meanwhile, the anticipated AI health coach, Project Mulberry, has faced delays and may not debut until later in the iOS 27 release cycle, as Apple seeks to refine its offering to compete with existing health subscriptions.
- Apple's AI health coach, Project Mulberry, faces further delays in its rollout.
- The watchOS 27 update will prioritize stability and performance enhancements.
03
1 sources · 1 updates
Apple’s latest MacBook Air is $200 off in both sizes for Memorial Day
Apple's latest MacBook Air is now available at a $200 discount for Memorial Day, with the 13-inch model priced at $899.99 and the 15-inch model at $1,099.99. Both models feature the M5 chip, making them ideal for everyday tasks and offering impressive performance, including double the base storage compared to earlier versions.
- The 13-inch MacBook Air with M5 chip is now $899.99, down from $1,099.99.
- The 15-inch model is available for $1,099.99 at Amazon, also $200 off.
04
1 sources · 1 updates
Apple Intelligence image models to boast ‘major’ visual upgrades in iOS 27: report
Apple is set to enhance its image generation models in iOS 27, significantly improving the visual quality of Genmoji and Image Playground. The updates will include new features that suggest Genmoji based on users' photo libraries, alongside the introduction of support for third-party AI models in Image Playground, moving beyond just OpenAI's ChatGPT. These enhancements aim to address the previously criticized low fidelity of Apple's image generation tools since their debut in iOS 18.2.
- Apple's image models will see a significant quality improvement in iOS 27.
- The updated Genmoji will suggest options based on users' photo libraries.
05
1 sources · 1 updates
ByteDance study finds that asking LMMs questions beats making it transcribe text for long document training
A new study from ByteDance and HKUST reveals that training multimodal AI models, like the MMProLong, is more effective when using question-answer pairs rather than traditional text transcription. This approach allows the model to better navigate long documents, outperforming larger competitors while maintaining stability at high input lengths.
- The MMProLong model outperforms larger competitors with only 128,000 tokens.
- Question-answer training improves long-document performance by requiring models to locate relevant passages.
06
1 sources · 1 updates
I tried Amazon’s Bee wearable and am both intrigued and slightly creeped out
Amazon's Bee wearable, acquired last year, functions as an AI personal assistant that records and summarizes conversations, providing organizational support. While it shows promise in professional settings, its extensive data collection and privacy implications raise concerns for personal use, making it a double-edged sword for potential users.
- Bee requires extensive mobile permissions, including access to location and health data.
- The wearable can summarize conversations but struggles with accurate transcription.
07
1 sources · 1 updates
The Surprising Science Behind Google Searches
In a recent Bloomberg segment, Simon Rogers, Google's Data Editor, shared insights from his new book, 'What We Ask Google: A Surprisingly Hopeful History of Humankind.' He explores how the data generated from Google searches reflects not only individual curiosity but also broader societal trends, revealing a hopeful narrative about human inquiry.
- Simon Rogers' book explores the history of human inquiries to Google.
- The discussion highlights how search trends reflect societal changes.
08
1 sources · 1 updates
iOS 27 could offer native integration with Google Cast and other streaming protocols
Apple is reportedly working on integrating third-party streaming protocols, including Google Cast, into iOS 27, potentially replacing AirPlay as the default option. This move is in response to the European Union's Digital Markets Act, which may limit the feature's availability to the EU, allowing users to select alternative streaming solutions for their devices.
- Apple is developing support for third-party streaming protocols in iOS 27.
- This feature is likely limited to users in the European Union.
09
1 sources · 1 updates
Anthropic may keep supplying Claude to the NSA despite being flagged as a supply chain risk by the Pentagon
Despite being labeled a supply chain risk by the Pentagon, Anthropic is set to continue supplying its AI model, Claude, to the NSA. This decision, approved by White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, comes as intelligence agencies face a shortage of Nvidia's latest chips necessary for running models from competitors like OpenAI. The new contract includes a clause that prohibits the model from processing data related to Americans, aiming to mitigate previous concerns.
- The Pentagon has classified Anthropic as a supply chain threat.
- A new contract includes a clause preventing the model from processing Americans' data.

The archive

What moved

The Verge

On Trails is a wandering tale that blends hiking, science, and history

Robert Moor's book explores the significance of trails in life.

Read source

The Verge

Apple’s latest MacBook Air is $200 off in both sizes for Memorial Day

Apple's MacBook Air sees significant Memorial Day discounts.

Read source

Tech news digest for Sunday, May 24, 2026

The tech day has moved on.

What connected the day

On Trails is a wandering tale that blends hiking, science, and history

Report: watchOS 27 to improve heart-rate tracking; AI health coach may not debut at launch

Apple’s latest MacBook Air is $200 off in both sizes for Memorial Day

Apple Intelligence image models to boast ‘major’ visual upgrades in iOS 27: report

ByteDance study finds that asking LMMs questions beats making it transcribe text for long document training

I tried Amazon’s Bee wearable and am both intrigued and slightly creeped out

The Surprising Science Behind Google Searches

iOS 27 could offer native integration with Google Cast and other streaming protocols

Anthropic may keep supplying Claude to the NSA despite being flagged as a supply chain risk by the Pentagon

What moved

On Trails is a wandering tale that blends hiking, science, and history

Apple’s latest MacBook Air is $200 off in both sizes for Memorial Day

You've seen the record. See the live version.

New Fed Chair Kevin Warsh suggests he may take an Alan Greenspan-style approach at the central bank

You've seen the record. See the live version.

Trump says Iran negotiations proceeding in 'orderly and constructive manner;' warns against rushing

ByteDance study finds that asking LMMs questions beats making it transcribe text for long document training

Deepmind's Hassabis sees humanity "in the foothills of the singularity" while LeCun says current AI isn't intelligent

Report: watchOS 27 to improve heart-rate tracking; AI health coach may not debut at launch

Apple Intelligence image models to boast ‘major’ visual upgrades in iOS 27: report

Report: iOS 27 to revamp the AirPods settings UI

Why you shouldn't leave model selection on default in Copilot, Gemini and other AI tools

The Middle East war is testing the Gulf's ambitions to become an AI hub

TechCrunch Mobility: Robotaxi reality check

The Surprising Science Behind Google Searches

How New Mega-Cap IPO's Will Reshape the Markets

Apple’s Watch and Health Efforts Need Reboot to Rival New Wearables

I tried Amazon’s Bee wearable and am both intrigued and slightly creeped out

The Dreamie alarm clock got me to stop using my phone in bed

Hackers are learning to exploit chatbot ‘personalities’

The tech day has moved on.

What connected the day

On Trails is a wandering tale that blends hiking, science, and history

Report: watchOS 27 to improve heart-rate tracking; AI health coach may not debut at launch

Apple’s latest MacBook Air is $200 off in both sizes for Memorial Day

Apple Intelligence image models to boast ‘major’ visual upgrades in iOS 27: report

ByteDance study finds that asking LMMs questions beats making it transcribe text for long document training

I tried Amazon’s Bee wearable and am both intrigued and slightly creeped out

The Surprising Science Behind Google Searches

iOS 27 could offer native integration with Google Cast and other streaming protocols

Anthropic may keep supplying Claude to the NSA despite being flagged as a supply chain risk by the Pentagon

What moved

On Trails is a wandering tale that blends hiking, science, and history

Apple’s latest MacBook Air is $200 off in both sizes for Memorial Day

You've seen the record. See the live version.

New Fed Chair Kevin Warsh suggests he may take an Alan Greenspan-style approach at the central bank

You've seen the record. See the live version.

Trump says Iran negotiations proceeding in 'orderly and constructive manner;' warns against rushing

ByteDance study finds that asking LMMs questions beats making it transcribe text for long document training

Deepmind's Hassabis sees humanity "in the foothills of the singularity" while LeCun says current AI isn't intelligent

Report: watchOS 27 to improve heart-rate tracking; AI health coach may not debut at launch

Apple Intelligence image models to boast ‘major’ visual upgrades in iOS 27: report

Report: iOS 27 to revamp the AirPods settings UI

Why you shouldn't leave model selection on default in Copilot, Gemini and other AI tools

The Middle East war is testing the Gulf's ambitions to become an AI hub

TechCrunch Mobility: Robotaxi reality check

The Surprising Science Behind Google Searches

How New Mega-Cap IPO's Will Reshape the Markets

Apple’s Watch and Health Efforts Need Reboot to Rival New Wearables

I tried Amazon’s Bee wearable and am both intrigued and slightly creeped out

The Dreamie alarm clock got me to stop using my phone in bed

Hackers are learning to exploit chatbot &#8216;personalities&#8217;

Hackers are learning to exploit chatbot ‘personalities’