Weekly Tech News Roundup: Apple Lawsuit, AI Shifts, and Groundbreaking Hardware

Microsoft’s Windows 11 celebrated its fifth anniversary with 72% global adoption, while Apple faces a potential $4 billion UK class-action lawsuit over iCloud restrictions, according to recent reports.

Windows 11 Hits Five Years: 72% Adoption Rate Confirmed

Microsoft’s Windows 11 operating system reached its fifth anniversary on June 24, 2023, with 72% of global Windows PCs running the OS, according to data from Neowin. The launch, which included a controversial preview build leak, has seen steady adoption despite initial skepticism.

Microsoft extended Windows 10’s support by a year in June 2023, ensuring continued updates for legacy systems, as reported by TechCrunch.

Apple’s $4 Billion Class-Action Lawsuit in the UK

Apple is facing a potential $4 billion (£3 billion) class-action lawsuit in the UK over allegations of trapping users in iCloud by restricting rival services, according to a tribunal set for October 2028. The case, reported by Neowin, centers on accusations that Apple’s ecosystem limits user choice.

Apple has not commented on the specific claims, but the company has previously faced similar antitrust scrutiny in the EU over app store practices.

Ford Reverses AI Hiring Strategy, Rehires Engineers

Ford admitted it made a mistake by replacing human engineers with AI, stating the technology couldn’t match the expertise of experienced staff. The automaker is now rehiring engineers to improve quality and reduce recall costs, according to a statement shared by Neowin.

This shift highlights growing concerns about AI’s limitations in complex manufacturing roles, as noted in a 2023 MIT Technology Review analysis.

Starlink Expands to Mobile Networks, Plans US Launch

Elon Musk’s SpaceX is reportedly building a terrestrial mobile network to complement Starlink’s satellite coverage, aiming to offer phone plans directly to US customers. The move, reported by TechRadar, would expand Starlink’s services beyond internet connectivity.

SpaceX has not officially confirmed the plans, but the company has previously explored hybrid satellite-terrestrial solutions for global coverage.

AMD Driver Update Causes Widespread System Crashes

AMD’s 26.6.2 driver for Radeon hardware caused “yellow bang” errors and launch failures on Windows 10 systems, prompting a 26.6.3 hotfix. The issue, reported by The Verge, affected users of the RX 7000 series and highlighted the risks of rapid driver updates.

AMD emphasized that the 26.6.3 update resolved the problems, but users are advised to wait for stability before installing new drivers.

Google Catches Up with Anthropic, Restructures AI Teams

Google is reshuffling its AI coding “strike team” into a broader model-training group as it seeks to close the gap with Anthropic’s Claude AI, according to The Verge. The move comes amid talent losses at DeepMind and increased competition in the AI space.

Google’s efforts to match Anthropic’s advancements include a new AI chip, Jalapeño, developed in partnership with Broadcom, as reported by TechCrunch.

Steam Summer Sale 2026 Kicks Off with Major Discounts

The Steam Summer Sale 2026 launched on June 27, offering discounts on games, DLC, and retro titles until July 9. The event, reported by PC Gamer, includes deals on popular titles like “RollerCoaster Tycoon 3” and “Voidwrought.”

Valve also announced pricing for its Steam Machine, starting at $1,049 for the 512GB model, with storage and controller options varying across four variants.

IBM Achieves Sub-1nm Semiconductor Milestone

IBM unveiled the world’s first sub-1nm chip technology, based on a 0.7nm (7-angstrom) node, capable of packing 100 billion transistors on a fingernail-sized chip. The breakthrough, reported by The Register, could revolutionize mobile and AI hardware performance.

IBM’s research, published in Nature, marks a significant step forward in semiconductor miniaturization and energy efficiency.

OpenAI Faces US Government Restrictions on GPT-5.6

The Trump administration ordered OpenAI to limit GPT-5.6 distribution to government-approved partners, citing security concerns. The move, reported by Reuters, follows similar restrictions on previous models like GPT-5.5.

OpenAI’s GPT-5.6 Sol model, designed for complex reasoning tasks, has shown superior performance