Technology Desk | Future Soch

Apple reportedly plans higher prices for iPhone 18 Pro series

August 24, 2026 by Technology Desk

CUPERTINO, Calif: Apple is expected to raise prices for its upcoming iPhone 18 Pro lineup, with the new flagship models potentially costing about $100 more than their predecessors, according to a Bloomberg report.

Apple is expected to unveil the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max and its first foldable iPhone in September. The new flagship devices are reportedly set to be more expensive than last year’s Pro models.

Apple did not raise the prices of its iPhone 17 lineup last year, but the company is now reportedly considering a pricing strategy similar to those adopted by other smartphone manufacturers.

The potential increase is aimed at offsetting higher component costs, including rising prices for RAM and other chips, according to the report.

If the reported $100 increase is implemented, the iPhone 18 Pro could start at $1,199, compared with $1,099 for the previous model. The final pricing has not yet been confirmed.

Apple is also not expected to launch the standard iPhone 18 and iPhone 18 Air alongside the Pro models this year. Various reports and leaks suggest those models could be introduced in early 2027.

Chinese humanoid robot breaks Usain Bolt’s 100-meter record

August 22, 2026 by Technology Desk

A Chinese humanoid robot has reportedly surpassed the 100-meter world record set by Jamaican sprint legend Usain Bolt, Chinese media reported.

The humanoid robot, named Lightning and developed by a Chinese company, completed the 100-meter distance in 9.32 seconds, beating Bolt’s official world record of 9.58 seconds.

Lightning reached a top speed of 14.5 meters per second during a preparatory competition for the second World Humanoid Robot Games, which began Saturday.

Bolt set the 100-meter world record of 9.58 seconds in 2009, recording an average speed of about 10.44 meters per second.

The robot’s reported time, however, comes from a robotics competition rather than a recognized human athletics event, meaning it does not alter the official human 100-meter world record.

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg buys Irish castle estate

August 21, 2026 by Technology Desk

DUBLIN, Ireland: Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has purchased a 19th-century castle in Ireland along with about 440 acres of surrounding land, according to reports.

Zuckerberg reportedly paid between $23 million and $35 million for Strancally Castle and its estate, with the property’s reported value reaching more than 9.7 billion Pakistani rupees at the higher estimate.

A company spokesperson said Zuckerberg and his family planned to maintain the historic property and spend time in Ireland, where Meta operates its international headquarters.

Located along a river and surrounded by extensive greenery, the castle reportedly features at least 11 bedrooms, four tower rooms, a library, dining room and drawing room, according to a 2001 media report.

Zuckerberg bought the property from an investor who had lived there with his family for about 25 years.

Meta’s international headquarters is in Dublin, and the company opened a data center there in 2017. The facility is reportedly about 20 minutes from Zuckerberg’s newly acquired estate.

The purchase is not Zuckerberg’s first major property acquisition this year. He previously bought a home in Miami reportedly valued at $170 million.

Google brings Gemini AI features to Chrome on Android devices

August 20, 2026 by Technology Desk

CALIFORNIA: Google has begun rolling out Gemini artificial intelligence features to its Chrome browser on Android devices, bringing several AI-powered tools to mobile users.

Google said in a blog post that the new features are initially being introduced to users in the United States. The tools were previously available on the desktop version of Chrome and are now being expanded to mobile devices.

The company said the new features are designed to turn Chrome into a more capable digital assistant, allowing users to interact with web content and perform a range of tasks directly through the browser.

One of the features allows Gemini to generate AI summaries of webpages and answer users’ questions about the content. Google is also integrating services including Gmail, Google Keep and Google Calendar into Chrome.

Another feature will give users direct access to Google’s Nano Banana image-generation tool within Chrome. Users will be able to create new artwork or turn text from webpages into images, as well as edit images.

Google is also introducing an Auto Browse feature, an AI agent designed to handle more complex tasks on the web. The feature, however, will be limited to subscribers of Google AI Pro and AI Ultra plans.

The rollout marks another step by Google to bring Gemini-powered tools into everyday mobile browsing and make Chrome more interactive and AI-driven.

China unveils humanoid robot that can run faster than Usain Bolt

August 19, 2026 by Technology Desk

BEIJING: A Chinese robotics company has developed a humanoid robot that it says can run faster than Jamaican sprint legend Usain Bolt.

The robot, named Superman, was developed by Chinese robotics company Unitree Robotics and is equipped with artificial intelligence technology. A video of the robot was shared on X, showcasing its running capabilities.

According to the company, the robot was developed about three months ago and can jump up to 2 meters and run at a speed of 12.66 meters per second.

The claimed speed is faster than Bolt’s average speed during his world-record 100-meter sprint in 2009. Bolt completed the race in 9.58 seconds, equivalent to an average speed of about 10.44 meters per second.

The robot stands 5 feet 7 inches tall. Unitree said the machine demonstrates the potential to push beyond the physical limits associated with human performance.

However, the robot’s speed records have not yet been independently verified. Unitree said its performance could improve further in the coming months.

The robot is scheduled to be publicly unveiled on Aug. 19, when the company plans to offer its shares for sale. It will also be demonstrated during the World Robot Conference from Aug. 19 to 23.

Unitree’s robots won four gold medals at competitions last year, and the company is now expected to showcase further advances in humanoid robotics with Superman.

US states take Meta to court over harmful effects of social media on children

August 18, 2026 by Technology Desk

SAN FRANCISCO: Twenty-nine US states have taken Meta to court over allegations that the company designed Facebook and Instagram features in ways that encourage addictive use and could harm children and teenagers.

The trial began Tuesday in federal court in California and is expected to last six to eight weeks. Attorneys general from California, Colorado, New Jersey and Kentucky are leading the states’ legal team.

The states filed the lawsuit in October 2023, accusing Meta of violating federal and state laws by collecting data from children under 13 without parental consent.

States seek up to $200 billion in penalties

The 233-page complaint alleges that Meta knowingly declined to disable features that could be harmful to young users because of its focus on generating profits.

The states are seeking as much as $200 billion in penalties, an amount roughly equivalent to Meta’s annual revenue in 2025. They are also asking the court to require changes to the design of Meta’s platforms to make them safer for children.

State attorneys argue that Meta developed features intended to keep users spending more time on its platforms, with children and teenagers particularly vulnerable to their effects.

A jury is expected to hear testimony from Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Instagram chief Adam Mosseri and former Meta employee Arturo Béjar, who has publicly raised concerns about the company’s practices.

Meta rejects allegations

Meta has rejected the allegations, arguing that the lawsuit is driven by the states’ efforts to obtain billions of dollars rather than by facts or applicable law.

The company said the allegations were unfounded and that the financial demands were inappropriate, adding that the states’ lawyers lacked sufficient evidence to support their claims.

The trial comes after a New Mexico court last week ordered Meta to pay $567 million in a separate case involving allegations that the company harmed children’s mental health and failed to adequately protect young users.

A similar lawsuit is also pending in Tennessee.

Geoffrey Hinton warns AI could put millions out of work

August 17, 2026 by Technology Desk

TORONTO: Artificial intelligence could cause widespread job losses and leave millions of people unemployed, according to computer scientist Geoffrey Hinton, widely regarded as one of the pioneers and “godfathers” of AI.

Hinton, a professor at the University of Toronto and winner of the 2024 Nobel Prize in Physics for work related to machine learning, has warned that companies could increasingly turn to AI systems to perform tasks currently handled by human workers at lower costs.

Speaking at Georgetown University, Hinton said companies were investing heavily in AI infrastructure, including data centers and computer chips, to accelerate automation. He said businesses would seek returns on those investments by developing and selling AI systems capable of replacing human labor.

Hinton said the pursuit of profits could ultimately encourage companies to replace employees with AI tools. Although AI would create new jobs, he said the number of positions created could be smaller than the number of jobs lost.

He acknowledged that predicting the long-term impact of AI is extremely difficult because no one knows what the technology will look like a decade from now.

Hinton has repeatedly warned about the potential dangers of advanced AI. He has previously estimated that there is a 10% to 20% chance that AI could eventually contribute to the extinction of humanity, while stressing that the risks need to be openly discussed.

He has also warned that AI systems could become more intelligent than humans within the next two decades. Hinton has described the prospect as frightening, comparing current AI development to a three-year-old child that could grow rapidly.

Hinton’s concerns come as other technology leaders make similarly significant predictions about AI and employment. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang has said AI could affect almost every profession and shorten working hours, while Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has suggested that humans could gradually become unnecessary for many tasks. Elon Musk has predicted that most people may not need to work within the next 20 years.

Hinton’s research helped establish the foundations of modern machine learning, enabling computers to perform tasks associated with human intelligence. However, he has become increasingly vocal about the need to make AI safer.

He left Google in 2023, saying he was concerned that the technology could be misused by malicious actors to harm people.

Hinton has compared the potential impact of AI with the Industrial Revolution. He said machines had already surpassed humans in physical strength, while AI could similarly begin replacing aspects of human intelligence.

Asked what life might look like in 10 or 20 years, Hinton said much would depend on how political systems respond to the technology.

He also acknowledged that AI could have major positive effects, particularly in medicine, and could improve productivity across almost every industry. However, he said the rapid development of the technology should be approached with greater caution.

5G in Pakistan 2026: Spectrum Auction, Rollout Plan and What Actually Changes

August 16, 2026August 15, 2026 by Technology Desk

5G network towers with digital connectivity graphic - 5G in Pakistan spectrum auction and rollout 2026

5G in Pakistan moved from promise to paperwork on 10 March 2026, when the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority closed a spectrum auction that raised $507 million. It was the country’s largest spectrum sale and the moment Pakistan stopped being, in the government’s own words, “spectrum-starved.”

What that means for the person holding a phone in Lahore or Quetta is a more complicated question. Here is what was actually sold, what has been promised, and what will realistically determine whether 5G improves your daily experience.

What the 5G spectrum auction actually delivered

The PTA offered 597 MHz of spectrum and sold 480 MHz — a strong result, but short of a clean sweep. The breakdown by band:

700 MHz — 2 of 3 lots sold
2300 MHz — all 5 lots sold
2600 MHz — all 19 lots sold
3500 MHz — 22 of 28 lots sold

That split matters more than the headline figure. The 700 MHz band is the low-frequency workhorse: signals travel far and penetrate walls, which is what delivers coverage in rural districts and inside buildings. The 3500 MHz band is the opposite — high capacity, short reach, ideal for dense urban areas. The fact that a third of the 700 MHz lots and six of the 3500 MHz lots went unsold tells you operators were disciplined about price.

PTA Chairman Hafeez Ur Rehman called the auction “a historic and joyous milestone” for Pakistan. IT Minister Shaza Fatima framed the significance in comparative terms: “With the 600 MHz spectrum now available, Pakistan moves from being spectrum-starved to meeting regional benchmarks.”

A second allocation stage followed on 12 March 2026 to assign specific frequency lots to each winning operator within the bands they had secured.

Where 5G will launch first

The IT Minister indicated that 5G services would launch initially in Islamabad and the provincial capitals — so Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar, Quetta and Islamabad before anywhere else. No firm nationwide launch date has been published.

This is the normal pattern worldwide and not a Pakistan-specific shortcoming. Operators deploy where subscriber density makes the economics work, then expand outward. What it does mean is that anyone outside a major city should treat 5G marketing as a future promise rather than a current service.

Why spectrum alone will not fix Pakistani mobile internet

Spectrum is the licence to transmit. It is not the network. Three constraints will decide how much of that $507 million translates into speed you can feel.

1. Fibre backhaul

Every 5G tower needs a high-capacity fixed connection behind it. A 5G radio hanging off a microwave link with limited throughput will not deliver 5G speeds regardless of how much spectrum it holds. Pakistan’s tower-fiberisation rate remains well below the levels seen in markets with mature 5G, and this is the most frequently cited bottleneck by industry analysts.

2. Capital expenditure in rupee terms

Operators earn revenue in rupees and buy equipment in dollars. Radio units, core network upgrades and fibre are all imported. That asymmetry has squeezed telecom capex for years and is the practical reason rollout timelines slip.

3. Handset affordability

A 5G network is only useful to people holding 5G handsets. The share of 5G-capable devices in Pakistan’s installed base is still a minority, and taxes and duties on imported phones keep entry-level 5G models above what many households will spend. Adoption will therefore trail coverage by a meaningful margin.

These constraints are the same ones we identified in our analysis of Pakistan’s digital economy in 2026 — connectivity, payments and the growth test ahead.

What 5G realistically changes

Setting aside the marketing, the credible near-term gains are these:

Congestion relief. The most immediate benefit is not peak speed but capacity. Offloading traffic onto new spectrum should reduce the evening slowdowns familiar to users in dense urban areas — an improvement 4G users will notice too.
Fixed wireless access. In neighbourhoods where laying fibre to homes is slow or uneconomic, 5G can substitute for a home broadband line. This is arguably 5G’s strongest commercial case in Pakistan.
Lower latency for real-time services. Relevant to cloud gaming, video calls and remote work — the freelancing economy in particular.
Enterprise and industrial use. Private networks for ports, mining and manufacturing, where the 3500 MHz band is well suited.

What it will not do on its own is close the rural connectivity gap. That requires the unsold 700 MHz lots to find buyers and sustained fibre investment in the districts.

Frequently asked questions

Is 5G available in Pakistan right now?

The spectrum was auctioned in March 2026 and allocated shortly after. Commercial launch has been indicated for Islamabad and the provincial capitals first, but no confirmed nationwide availability date has been published. Check directly with your operator for your specific area rather than relying on general announcements.

Will I need a new SIM for 5G?

Generally no — modern 4G LTE SIMs support 5G. What you do need is a 5G-capable handset and coverage in your area. If your SIM is several years old, your operator can confirm compatibility.

How much did Pakistan raise, exactly?

$507 million, per the PTA. Some outlets reported approximately $510 million; the difference reflects rounding and exchange-rate timing rather than a dispute over the result.

Will 5G make my bill more expensive?

Operators in most markets have introduced 5G on existing data plans rather than charging a separate premium, using it to defend market share. Pakistani pricing has not been finalised publicly. Given the capex pressures described above, expect 5G to be bundled into higher-tier packages rather than offered free across the board.

Figures sourced from Pakistan Telecommunication Authority announcements and reporting by Geo News, Profit by Pakistan Today and TechJuice. Statements by PTA Chairman Hafeez Ur Rehman and IT Minister Shaza Fatima are quoted as reported. Last updated 15 August 2026.

Also on FutureSoch: Europe’s heatwave power crunch and the lesson for Pakistan · Gulf jobs for Pakistanis 2026

WhatsApp introduces AI feature to help detect scams

August 14, 2026 by Technology Desk

WhatsApp is introducing a new artificial intelligence-powered feature designed to help users identify potentially fraudulent chats and protect themselves from scams.

According to a report, the scam detection feature will use on-device AI to flag suspicious conversations while maintaining the protection provided by end-to-end encryption.

The feature works by downloading a machine-learning model directly onto the user’s smartphone. The model analyzes messages from people whose phone numbers are not saved in the user’s contacts and assesses the language and pattern of the conversation for signs of potential fraud.

If a conversation is identified as potentially suspicious, WhatsApp will display a warning to the user. The warning will not be visible to the other person involved in the chat.

Users can then choose to block or report the sender, continue the conversation or mark the chat as trusted. Once a conversation is marked as trusted, WhatsApp will stop displaying scam alerts for that chat.

The company said the AI model has been trained to identify fraudulent activity.

Meta also said the feature would not compromise users’ privacy because the AI model operates on their devices and the company would not have access to their messages.

Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) in 2026: How to Rank in AI Search

August 13, 2026 by Technology Desk

Answer Engine Optimization and AI search visibility in 2026 — AI search is changing discovery, but Google’s official guidance says the foundation remains useful, original and technically accessible content.

Answer Engine Optimization, or AEO, is one of 2026’s fastest-rising digital marketing terms—but many of the promised “AI ranking hacks” are misleading. Google’s new guidance for generative AI search says established SEO fundamentals still apply to AI Overviews and AI Mode. There is no secret file, special schema or ideal article length that guarantees a citation.

What is Answer Engine Optimization?

AEO describes efforts to make content easy for search engines and AI-powered answer systems to discover, understand and cite. You may also see the term Generative Engine Optimization, or GEO. Google treats this work as part of SEO rather than a separate ranking system.

AI search systems can use retrieval-augmented generation to find fresh web pages and ground a response in sources. They may also use “query fan-out,” running several related searches to answer a complex question. That creates opportunities for pages that cover a useful subtopic well, even if they do not rank first for the user’s exact wording.

What actually improves visibility in AI search?

Publish non-commodity information. Original reporting, first-hand tests, local data and expert explanations offer more value than a generic summary.
Answer the main question early. Give readers a clear response, then explain evidence, limitations and next steps.
Use descriptive headings. Organise the page around the questions and decisions a real reader has.
Support claims with primary sources. Link directly to official data, research, filings or documentation.
Add relevant original visuals. Useful images, charts and video can help in multimodal search when they have descriptive context and alt text.
Keep the page crawlable and fast. Important content should load reliably on mobile and be accessible to search engines.

AEO myths Google says you can ignore

“You need an llms.txt file for Google.” Google says it does not use the file for generative AI visibility.
“Every paragraph must be a tiny chunk.” There is no required chunk size or perfect word count.
“Special AI schema guarantees citations.” No special structured data is required for AI Overviews or AI Mode.
“Create hundreds of keyword variations.” Scaled low-value pages can violate spam policies and waste crawl resources.
“Buy mentions to influence AI.” Inauthentic mentions are vulnerable to quality and spam systems.

A practical AEO checklist for publishers

Start with one high-intent query. Write a direct summary, add a comparison table or checklist where it helps, identify the source of every important number, include the publication and update date, and make the author and editorial responsibility clear. Add internal links to deeper coverage instead of repeating the same background in every story.

Then check technical basics: the page returns a successful status, is not blocked by robots rules, has a unique title and description, uses a canonical URL and renders the main text without requiring a user action. Structured data should match what readers can actually see.

How to measure AI search performance

Track organic clicks, engaged time, branded searches and conversions—not just reported “AI mentions.” Google’s guidance points website owners to Search Console, including its generative AI performance reporting where available. Compare pages by topic and intent, and update content when facts or product features change.

The bottom line

AEO is a useful label for a real change in search behaviour, but it is not a replacement for SEO. The durable strategy is to publish information that deserves to be cited: original, clear, well sourced, visually supported and easy for both people and search systems to access.