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After stumbling out of the starting gate in Big Tech’s pivotal race to capitalize on artificial intelligence, Apple tried to regain its footing Monday during an annual developers conference that focused mostly on incremental advances and cosmetic changes in its technology.The presummer rite, which attracted thousands of developers from nearly 60 countries to Apple’s Silicon Valley headquarters, subdued compared with the feverish anticipation that surrounded the event in the last two years.Apple highlighted plans for more AI tools designed to simplify people’s lives and make its products even more intuitive. It also provided an early glimpse at the biggest redesign of its iPhone software in a decade. In doing so, Apple executives refrained from issuing bold promises of breakthroughs that punctuated recent conferences, prompting CFRA analyst Angelo Zino to deride the event as a “dud” in a research note. More AI, but what about Siri? In 2023, Apple unveiled a mixed-reality headset that has been little more than a niche product, and last year WWDC trumpeted its first major foray into the AI craze with an array of new features highlighted by the promise of a smarter and more versatile version of its virtual assistant, Siri a goal that has yet to be realized.“This work needed more time to reach our high-quality bar,” Craig Federighi, Apple’s top software executive, said Monday at the outset of the conference. The company didn’t provide a precise timetable for when Siri’s AI upgrade will be finished but indicated it won’t happen until next year at the earliest.“The silence surrounding Siri was deafening,” said Forrester Research analyst Dipanjan Chatterjee said. “No amount of text corrections or cute emojis can fill the yawning void of an intuitive, interactive AI experience that we know Siri will be capable of when ready. We just don’t know when that will happen. The end of the Siri runway is coming up fast, and Apple needs to lift off.” Is Apple, with its ‘liquid glass,’ still a trendsetter? The showcase unfolded amid nagging questions about whether Apple has lost some of the mystique and innovative drive that has made it a tech trendsetter during its nearly 50-year history.Instead of making a big splash as it did with the Vision Pro headset and its AI suite, Apple took a mostly low-key approach that emphasized its effort to spruce up the look of its software with a new design called “Liquid Glass” while also unveiling a new hub for its video games and new features like a “Workout Buddy” to help manage physical fitness.Apple executives promised to make its software more compatible with the increasingly sophisticated computer chips that have been powering its products while also making it easier to toggle between the iPhone, iPad, and Mac.“Our product experience has become even more seamless and enjoyable,” Apple CEO Tim Cook told the crowd as the 90-minute showcase wrapped up.IDC analyst Francisco Jeronimo said Apple seemed to be largely using Monday’s conference to demonstrate the company still has a blueprint for success in AI, even if it’s going to take longer to realize the vision that was presented a year ago.“This year’s event was not about disruptive innovation, but rather careful calibration, platform refinement and developer enablement positioning itself for future moves rather than unveiling game-changing technologies,” Jeronimo said. Apple’s next operating system will be iOS 26 Besides redesigning its software. Apple will switch to a method that automakers have used to telegraph their latest car models by linking them to the year after they first arrive at dealerships. That means the next version of the iPhone operating system due out this autumn will be known as iOS 26 instead of iOS 19 as it would be under the previous naming approach that has been used since the device’s 2007 debut.The iOS 26 upgrade is expected to be released in September around the same time Apple traditionally rolls out the next iPhone models. Playing catchup in AI Apple opened the proceedings with a short video clip featuring Federighi speeding around a track in a Formula 1 race car. Although it was meant to promote the June 27 release of the Apple film, “F1” starring Brad Pitt, the segment could also be viewed as an unintentional analogy to the company’s attempt to catch up to the rest of the pack in AI technology.While some of the new AI tricks compatible with the latest iPhones began rolling out late last year as part of free software updates, the delays in a souped-up Siri became so glaring that the chastened company stopped promoting it in its marketing campaigns earlier this year.While Apple has been struggling to make AI that meets its standards, the gap separating it from other tech powerhouses is widening. Google keeps packing more AI into its Pixel smartphone lineup while introducing more of the technology into its search engine to dramatically change the way it works. Samsung, Apple’s biggest smartphone rival, is also leaning heavily into AI. Meanwhile, ChatGPT recently struck a deal that will bring former Apple design guru Jony Ive into the fold to work on a new device expected to compete against the iPhone. Regulatory and trade challenges Besides grappling with innovation challenges, Apple also faces regulatory threats that could siphon away billions of dollars in revenue that help finance its research and development. A federal judge is currently weighing whether proposed countermeasures to Google’s illegal monopoly in search should include a ban on long-running deals worth $20 billion annually to Apple while another federal judge recently banned the company from collecting commissions on in-app transactions processed outside its once-exclusive payment system.On top of all that, Apple has been caught in the crosshairs of President Donald Trump’s trade war with China, a key manufacturing hub for the Cupertino, California, company. Cook successfully persuaded Trump to exempt the iPhone from tariffs during the president’s first administration, but he has had less success during Trump’s second term, which seems more determined to prod Apple to make its products in the U.S.The multidimensional gauntlet facing Apple is spooking investors, causing the company’s stock price to plunge by 20% so far this year a decline that has erased about $750 billion in shareholder wealth. After beginning the year as the most valuable company in the world, Apple now ranks third behind longtime rival Microsoft, another AI leader, and AI chipmaker Nvidia.Apple’s shares closed down by more than 1% on Monday an early indication the company’s latest announcements didn’t inspire investors. Michael Liedtke, AP Technology Writer
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Apple has unveiled iOS 26, its new operating system for the iPhone. The new software brings many changes and advancements with it, including an all-new transparent design language called Liquid Glass, which allows background colors of content on your iPhones screen to show through interface elements like buttons and toolbars. iOS 26 is also introducing other useful features, including major improvements to the way the iPhone handles phone calls, a dedicated gaming app, enhancements to its artificial intelligence offerings, updates to Messages and Maps, and more. However, while Apple has now showcased iOS 26, not everyone can get their hands on it yet. Some can download iOS 26 today, while others will need to wait until later in the summeror into the fall. Heres when and how you can download iOS 26. iOS 26 developer beta: download it now Apple unveiled iOS 26 at its annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) on Monday, June 9. That day, the company made what is known as the iOS 26 Developer Beta immediately available for download onto iPhones. However, as the developer beta moniker suggests, this version of iOS 26, which is now available, is only accessible to registered Apple developers. The good news is that anyone can register for the Apple Developer Program (membership costs $99 per year). But unless youre an actual developer, its best to stay clear of the iOS 26 Developer Beta. The reason for this is that developer betas are notoriously buggy. In fact, one of the primary purposes of a beta program is to allow users to identify and report bugs, enabling Apple to fix them before the software is released to the general public. And some bugs can be nastyleading to lost data or even damaged devices. Thats why, unless you are an actual developer making apps for iOS, its best to steer clear of the iOS 26 Developer Beta. iOS 26 public beta: download it in July The good news is you dont have to be a developer to beta test iOS 26. Apple also offers a public Apple Beta Software Program that allows anyone who signs up for it to get early access to beta software, including iOS 26. This iOS 26 beta, released through the Apple Beta Software Program, is colloquially known as the iOS 26 Public Beta. This beta is generally safer to use than the Developer Beta, but Apple releases it after it has had the chance to fix some of the critical bugs that developers report finding in the Developer Beta. That bad news about the iOS 26 Public Beta is that Apple wont release it to the public until July. The public beta is also updated a few weeks later than the Developer Beta, which means developers get any beta improvements first, while public beta testers will have to wait a while longer (again, this is primarily done to protect public beta testers from any critical bugs). Anyone can sign up for the Apple Beta Software Program for free, which will then enable you to install the iOS 26 Public Beta when Apple releases it next month. iOS 26 general release: download it in September If putting potentially buggy software on your phone doesnt appeal to you, then youll want to wait for what is referred to as the iOS 26 general release. This is the finished version of iOS 26.0 that Apple will release to iPhone owners everywhere in the fall. The general release is a thoroughly tested piece of software that has (at least in theory) all of the critical bugs fixed and most of the minor bugs, too. Its the safest version of iOS 26 to put on your iPhone and is the release that Apple considers the finished version. Apple has historically made the general release of the latest iOS available for download in September, and we expect Apple to continue that trend this year.
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For eight years running, World Changing Ideas has celebrated the people and companies working to make the world safer, cleaner, more sustainable, and more equitable. It’s no small featbut it’s inspiring to see the progress these groups are making and the impact that their projects are already having. This year’s World Changing Ideas Awards recognizes 100 projects around the world that are pursuing innovation for good. To get there requires an editorial team that spends months poring over applications, vetting projects, and ultimately telling the stories that bring these projects to life. Here is a behind-the-scenes look at how we make it happen. METHODOLOGY More than 1,500 applications were submitted to the World Changing Ideas Awards 2025. A team of staff editors and writers, alongside trusted freelancers, assessed each application based on our criteria, which include: IMPACT We look for projects that have created (or are trying to create) substantive, positive change in the world. We want the impact to be something that can improve lives, society, or the environmentnot just business bottom lines. DESIGN We think about this both conceptually and physically. We look for projects that have well-thought-out plans for how theyll create their impactand how they will avoid potential negative externalities. Functionality and aesthetics are also important when we evaluate applications. SCALABILITY Projects may be small right now, but do they have the potential to grow and bring the change to more people? We look for ideas that have the ability to change the world. This can mean projects that create enormous change for a small number of people, as well as projects that will create small but substantive change for an enormous number of people. Either way, we look for projects that can scale to serve the entire market they’re targeting. INGENUITY We evaluate projects that range from conceptual to just launched to fully operational. But no matter what stage the idea is in, we judge it on whether it’s bold, new, and innovative. The best entries offer a path-breaking solution to an important problem. World Changing Ideas taps the collective knowledge of our editors, reporters, and outside writers, says Morgan Clendaniel, Fast Company‘s digital executive editor. We use these writers’ deep understanding of AI, urban design, climate tech, and transportation to create this curated list of the projects delivering the most impact and ingenuity in their sectors.” Each winner is chosen after multiple rounds of judging and conversations about a project’s role in the current needs and challenges of this moment. This monthslong process ensures that every project chosen to receive a World Changing Idea award is representative of the best work in its field. Meet the team Writers: Maria Jose Gutierrez Chavez, Yasmin Gagne, Steven Melendez, Adele Peters, David Salazar, Grace Snelling, Kristin Toussaint, Talib Visram Judges: Jeff Beer, Elissaveta M. Brandon, Morgan Clendaniel, Shalene Gupta, Jessica Hullinger, Veronica Irwin, Lily McDonald, Steven Melendez, Jocelyn Mintz, April Mokwa, Alex Pasternack, Adele Peters, Clint Rainey, Aimee Rawlins, Danielle Renwick, David Salazar, Elizabeth Segran, Grace Snelling, Eric Sullivan, Kristin Toussaint, Talib Visram Editor: Aimee Rawlins Copy Editors: Joanne Camas, Charissa Jones Coordinator: Shealon Calkins Design/Photo: Alice Alves, Jeanne Graves, Heda Hokschirr, Haewon Kye, Eric Perry, Sandra Riao, Daniel Salo, Maja Saphir, Mike Schnaidt, Amy Wong Development: Bryan Cuellar, Cayleigh Parrish
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Last June, conservative activist Robby Starbuck launched a campaign targeting woke companies, threatening boycotts unless they renounced their policies on diversity, equity, and inclusion. Through the end of 2024, many companies buckled, including Tractor Supply Co., John Deere, Harley-Davidson, and Walmart. The movements momentum continued to grow after the November election, claiming McDonalds, Target, Amazon, Meta, PBS, and others. Then the anti-DEI mob ran into Ron Vachris, a guy who started at Costco as a forklift driver more than 40 years ago and rose to become the CEO in 2024. In January, the National Center for Public Policy Research submitted an anti-DEI proposal at Costcos annual shareholder meeting. On January 23, Vachris and the companys board of directors unanimously recommended that shareholders reject the proposal, and more than 98% of shareholders did just that. Three days later, 19 Republican state attorneys general sent Vachris a letter demanding Costco end its DEI policies. Vachris and Costco didnt budge, which is why Fast Company is recognizing him as the inaugural recipient of the World Changing Ideas Visionary of the Year. Vachris declined to talk to Fast Company. (Who can blame him? The last thing he needs is to look like hes taking a victory lap.) Vachriss actions, says David Glasgow, a DEI expert at NYU Law School, provided a good example for other organizations that are feeling a lot of fear and anxiety right now. Studies from McKinsey, MIT, and others confirm the long-term financial benefits for companies with strong DEI policies. They tend to have teams that are more creative. Workers tend to be happier. Theres less attrition and turnover when you have a focus on inclusion, says Northwestern Universitys Alvin Tillery. Costco retains workers at a higher rate than its competitors, and employees earn a median annual wage of $47,000 (compared with about $27,000 at Walmart). Vachris, a prime example to shelf-stocking employees that Costco rewards top performers, may also inspire other leaders to stand up for their principles.
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When Adebayo Alonge and Amy Kao launched RxAll in 2016, the Yale business school classmates were focused on helping reduce counterfeit medications in the supply chain of African countries. RxAlls flagship RxScanner uses AI and light spectroscopy to spot counterfeit pills, helping pharmacies and regulators improve safety. As the scanner picked up adoption, Kao and Alonge identified additional ways to secure supply chains. Those now include everything from drug procurementhelping to connect pharmacies and hospitals with companies whose products routinely test as high qualityto demand prediction via a point-of-sale platform, and even financing for independent pharmacies to ensure they can maintain product supplies. Alonge says that 95% of African pharmacies are independently owned and still operate with handwritten records. The friction really is around understanding what products are low quality, understanding what products are in demand, and getting access to the financing to purchase [quality] products and put them on the shelf, he says, noting that RxAll uses a pharmacys POS dataand aggregated data across regionsto help predict demand. In the past year, RxAll has seen its network of pharmacies more than double, reaching 5,000-plus locations, largely in Nigeria, Kenya, and Uganda. Meanwhile, the RxScanner has helped remove 1.3 million counterfeit medications from the supply chain. RxAll is also working with regulators and governments to identify bogus pharmaceuticals and even plan public outreach around illnesses based on what medication is in demand. Last year, the company forged five partnerships with government agencies, including Nigerias National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control. The goal, Kao says, is to enable these public partners to take a more proactive approach and address counterfeiting and drug safety before tainted products get to patients. Ideally, we work ourselves out of a job, she says. Explore the full list of Fast Companys World Changing Ideas, 100 inspiring projects that are making the world more accessible, equitable, and sustainable for everyone.
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