iPhone

The F-35 cannot be hacked like an iPhone. The explanation is the same why Spain and Europe cannot go to war without the US.

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There was a moment, probably towards the end of the Cold War, when the concept of Western military superiority stopped being measured solely in tons of steel or number of divisions and began to depend more and more on lines of code, networks and invisible architectures. As the decades passed, that technological transformation redefined not only how war is fought, but who really has control of the tools with which war is waged. Europe is realizing that that train has missed it. The jailbreak myth. Last year we already have that the possibility of an “off” button on the American F-35 it wasn’t exactly like that. Now, the comparison launched last week by the Dutch minister when suggesting that the fighter could “break free” like an iPhone It simplifies to the absurdity what is, in reality, a combat system defined by software and armored by cryptographic architecture. The F-35 is not designed for the operator to modify its code, but only to run software authenticated by keyscontrolled supply chains and closed validation environments, which means that physically accessing the aircraft is not the same as controlling its system. It is therefore not a consumer device on which alternative applications are installed like those on a mobile phone, but rather a platform whose integrity depends on digital signaturestrusted hardware modules and a support infrastructure that validates each update before the aircraft executes it. ODIN and structural dependency. They remembered in the middle The Aviationist that the real core of the problem is not in “hacking” the plane, but in keeping it outside the American ecosystem that keeps it operational. The F-35 depends on ODINthe logistics and data network that manages maintenance, mission planning, software updates and threat files, all under the control of infrastructure and processes largely managed from the United States. Disconnecting it does not turn it off immediately, but it initiates a progressive loss of capabilities that transforms it from a fully integrated fifth-generation platform to a combat fighter that is increasingly less relevant in the face of modern threats. So yes, exactly the same as a phone that stops receiving critical patches and updates. The same European dependence. Curiously, or perhaps not so much, this logic does not end with the plane, but runs through the entire European military architecture. The Financial Times recalled this morning in a piece that tried to answer the big European questions, that the continent’s armies depend on American software, clouds and systems for secure communications, data analysis, command and control, intelligence and platform maintenance. We are talking about platforms with contracts that involve giants like Google, Microsoft or Palantir and fundamental systems such asl Lockheed Martin Aegis integrated into, for example, European ships. The European military commanders themselves they recognized in the report that an abrupt break would generate operational gaps, fragmentation and loss of effectiveness, because a good part of the digital “back-end” on which its capabilities rest is not under European sovereign control. Digital sovereignty vs reality. Now that Washington is going through a phase where the word “ally” does not fit to the profile, the political speeches that advocate accelerate technological sovereignty in defense they collide with a structural reality: replicating the entire ecosystem that supports platforms, networks, encryption, AI and cloud services is not as simple as moving servers to European soil or changing providers overnight. And it is not because data localization does not equate to real sovereignty when that same software, updates, cryptographic keys and interoperability depend on American supply chains and regulatory frameworks, and where European generals themselves warn that a hasty decoupling would put daily operations at risk. Same explanation. In the end, the F-35 can’t be hacked like an iPhone has the same explanation why Spain and Europe cannot aspire to full digital sovereignty or resort to a high-intensity war without the United States: the structural dependence of the North American technological ecosystem. In the air, that translates into a fighter whose effectiveness rests on updates, threat data and logistical support controlled from Washington. On the ground, in militaries that operate on digital infrastructures, critical software and command architectures deeply intertwined with American suppliers and standards. If you also want, it is not so much a question of political will, but rather of technical architecture: whoever controls the software, controls the capacity. Image | RawPixel In Xataka | “It’s not what we need”: Germany has just put the finishing touches on Spain’s great military dream, the European anti-F-35 is disappearing In Xataka | The Netherlands has just activated panic in Spain and the US allies: the F-35 can be “released” like an iPhone

the F-35 can be “unlocked” like an iPhone

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Since the Cold War, the United States has not only exported weapons, but also forms of control over how, when and what they are used for. For decades, that oversight was exercised through licensing, maintenance and parts supply. Today, in the era of software and network warfare, that logic has changed scale: control is no longer just in the hangar or in the contract, but embedded in the system itself. With the F-35, for the first time, that old question is no longer theoretical. The controversy. Just like has stated the Dutch defense minister, the F-35’s “computing brain,” including its cloud components, can be hacked to accept third-party software updates, much like jailbreaking an iPhone. “If, despite everything, you still want to update, I’m going to say something that I should never say, but I’ll do it anyway: you can jailbreak an F-35 like you would jailbreak an iPhone,” Gijs Tuinman said verbatim during an episode from the podcast “Boekestijn en de Wijk” by BNR Nieuwsradio. A fighter and more things. The statement by the Dutch Defense Minister that the F-35 can be “released” as a rover does not reveal so much a technical secret as a strategic discomfort that has been latent for years among the allies. The airplane is not just an aerial platform, but a deeply integrated system in a digital, logistical and doctrinal architecture designed in the United States, where software, mission data, maintenance and spare parts supply form an inseparable whole. In this context, talking about “jailbreak” does not describe a real solution, but rather the expression of a limit: the recognition that operational sovereignty over the F-35 is conditioned from its design and that any attempt to break that dependency is, in itself, a sign of political crisis more than a viable technical option. Why “releasing” an F-35 is a fear. For Washington’s allies, the fear is not that the fighter cannot be released, but rather that it could be. If it is accepted that the software can be broken, it is assumed that American control over the system is not only contractual, but structuraland that maintaining it depends on political trust between allies. The F-35 lives connected to networks as ALIS and his successor ODINwhich not only update the aircraft, but also load the mission data packages that make its combat survival possible: calculated routes, enemy defense bubbles, sensor fusion and shared tactics. “Releasing” the plane would mean cut that central arterybut also lose what makes it a decisive tool. The dilemma. For Washington, the mere possibility of an ally operating the system outside of that ecosystem poses risks of technological security and use not aligned with its interests. For their part, for the allies, the dilemma is even more uncomfortable: either they accept a permanent dependency, or they risk being left with a technically advanced fighter, but operationally amputated, without data, without support and without a future. A member of the US Air Force uses a laptop to review ALIS system maintenance data The Israeli exception. Israel is the anomaly which confirms the rule. It is the only operator that has negotiated integrate own softwareoperate largely outside of ALIS/ODIN and maintain their F-35s with industrial autonomy. This exception is not replicable for the rest because it responds to a unique strategic relationship, built over decades and based on a level of trust and alignment that does not exist with other partners. For European countries like the Netherlands, any real “liberation” would imply not only enormous technical capabilities, but assuming a head-on crash with the manufacturer and the US Government, with immediate consequences in spare parts, maintenance and logistical support. The result would be paradoxical: a freed F-35 that would quickly end up immobilized, not by a digital blockade, but by the suffocation of its supply chain. The myth of the button and the reason of Spain. This is where, indirectly, the controversy ends up agreeing with Spain in his historical skepticism about the famous off “button”. No secret switch or hidden kill switch is needed to neutralize an F-35 in the hands of an ally with whom relations are broken. Control is not in remote command, but in everyday dependence on validated software, mission data, certified maintenance and critical parts. Spain always maintained that the problem was not a magic button, but something more deep and less visible: the dependency architecture. The Dutch statements They reinforce that idea, because they implicitly admit that, although the plane can continue flying, its real military value quickly degrades if it is disconnected from the ecosystem that feeds it. A symptom of a relationship that is strained. Ultimately, talking about “jailbreak” is talking about directly from distrust. As far as is known, no country is seriously considering releasing an F-35 while the relationship with Washington works, because the system is designed to operate in a network, not in isolation. But the fact that this debate resurfaces now does not seem trivial, and reflects a geopolitical context rougherwith allies who are beginning to wonder what happens if the political umbrella folds. The F-35 remains, as even its critics acknowledge, an extraordinary fighter in its current state. But it is also proof that modern technological superiority is not bought with airplanes alone, but with a tacit acceptance of strategic dependence. And when that dependency begins to bother, the problem is no longer (only) technical: It’s political. Image | Robert SullivanUSAF In Xataka | Spain agreed with Germany and France to bypass the US. And it will end with a fleet of F-35s because of a French name In Xataka | France and Germany have agreed to give Spain the worst news: one in which the F-35 and its “button” are the winners

all the changes and improvements of the latest update for iPhone and iPad

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Let’s tell you what’s new in iOS 26.3the new update with additional features for iOS 26. This is a very minor update with hardly any changes, but it prepares the ground for the great revolution that will come with iOS 26.4. In fact, what the main new features of this new version have in common is that They arrive thanks to the demands of the European Commissionwhich have pushed Apple to be less closed and favor more interactions with devices from other brands. What’s new in iOS 26.3 These are the new features and corrections that Apple has announced for this new update. They are official changes with all the new things that you will find on your iPhone after updating. RCS encryption: RCS is the technology that converts the SMS sending application of any Android and iPhone mobile into a WhatsApp, being able to send rich messages with multimedia totally free between devices of all brands. Now, Apple has added end-to-end encryption. Transfer data to Android: Apple makes it much easier to transfer your data to an Android mobile. This does not come from the goodness of his heart, but from European demands. The configuration to do so will be within Settings > General > Transfer or reset iPhone. Here you will have a new option Transfer to Androidand by clicking on it you can scan the QR of the other mobile to proceed to move photos, videos, contacts, calendars, notes and other files. Notifications on third-party watches: Another change that comes thanks to European demands. Your iPhone will now allow you to better manage notifications on watches from other brands beyond the Apple Watch. For that you will have to go to the option Notification forwarding within the notification settings. Better third-party headphone pairing: Thanks to European requirements, you will now be able to pair headphones from other brands to your iPhone just by bringing the case close to it. Come on, the same as with the AirPods. Automatic switching on third-party headphones: Apple has also had to open up the flagship feature of the AirPods. With this update, the possibility of automatic switching between devices with headphones from other brands is added. Come on, if they are connected to the iPhone and Mac, you will go from one device to another depending on which of them you are using. Better location privacy: In iOS 26.3 you can limit the location to a general area, reducing the precision with which the mobile network can know where we are. All this without affecting the quality of the calls. At the moment this is not available in Spain, and it affects only very few operators and few devices, only iPads and iPhones with Apple’s own 5G modem, and in some operators in Germany, the United Kingdom, Thailand and the United States. New wallpaper organization– Native Weather and Astronomy wallpapers are separated into different categories in the wallpaper setup settings. In Xataka Basics | iOS 26: 19 functions and some tricks to get the most out of the new operating system for your iPhone

Apple begins the reconquest of China thanks to the strong point of the iPhone 17 Pro: it is orange

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Color psychology is a tremendously studied field. Something as simple as a color can trigger feelings subconsciouslybeing the use of green color in the scenes of the villains of classic Disney one of the best examples. It also depends on our languagebut I feel such a powerful weapon, it is evident that it is used consciously in the marketing and colors of the products. And there is nothing that exemplifies it better than China’s fever for the iPhone 17 Pro. For one in particular: the orange iPhone. In short. China is a market with immense potential for companies that want to exploit it. They are simple numbersand Apple has just witnessed what happens when they hit the key. How do they count in Financial TimesIn Apple’s recent financial presentation, Tim Cook welcomed the rebound in iPhone sales in China during the fourth quarter of 2025. The last and first sections of each year are the strong points of an Apple that usually launches its new devices between September and November of each year, but in the last quarter of 2025 they have experienced something unusual: income of 26,000 million dollars, marking a growth of 38% year-on-year in China and accounting for a fifth of the company’s total income. Taking into account the continuity in terms of specifications and fierce competition with Xiaomi, Alive and one Huawei that has returned on its ownit’s… curious. But it seems that the person responsible is none other than one color. cosmic orange. It is the model we analyzed, clearly the most striking of Apple’s colors for the latest batch of iPhone and the one that is causing a stir in China. Orange is a color that distills energy, happiness and vitality. It is a warm color, and in China it also has a meaning positive related to the vitality of the crops, but also with spirituality and with the association of “orange” and “success” due to the similarity in Mandarin. And it seems like a joke, but it’s not. As we said, the colors of a device are not chosen at random, and this one has also landed on the right foot in the Asian giant. Nabila Popal, research director of the analyst group IDCnotes in the FT that “it sounds simple, but iPhone sales respond to obvious external changes in the design, which include the introduction of a garish orange color.” Viral. But it is no longer that Chinese consumers are buying the orange iPhone because it symbolizes that vitality, but because it symbolizes status. The shade of Apple’s ‘Cosmic Orange’ is very, very similar to the classic Hermès Orange, a luxury brand with which Apple itself has collaborated on some occasions (for Apple Watch straps, for example). It is something that has made the orange iPhone Pro transcend: from being a premium range phone to a luxury accessory. And of course, it is only in the most expensive model, the Pro, which increases that even more. perception to have a luxury accessory. “Choosing orange means that everyone knows that you are using the latest iPhone. It is a statement of identity,” said an influencer in one of the -many- unboxings of the orange iPhone that are seen on Chinese networks. Beyond color. Aside from the fact that color has had an impact on the sale of iPhones in China during the last period, the interesting thing is that Apple has managed to turn the tables. It has presented its strongest quarter since the first of 2022, the year in which it stood out and which has been followed by three periods of dcadence compared to national competition. Huawei, in particular, was very strong after recovering from the US veto and starting to launch high-end mobile phones again, this time with home-made chips. Apple should not be too amused about calling the orange iPhone “the Hermès iPhone,” but seeing how viral it is, it’s not like this mix of identities should be a headache in Cupertino. Now the question is whether they will start launching other devices and models in orange to try their luck in China… or if they will withdraw it, leaving the color as an exclusive to the iPhone 17. It wouldn’t be the first time. Image | Xataka In Xataka | For Apple, the price of its iPhones was sacred. Until it began to fall into the void in China

Apple promised they would be happy by sweeping the iPhone in China. Until Huawei made things clear

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For years, the iPhone was the best-selling mobile phone in China despite the efforts of Asian manufacturers. Xiaomi, Huawei, OPPO and Vivo were fighting to create a product at their level (or even superior in some key aspects, such as the camera), achieving privileged positions in a ranking in which Apple used to dominate. It’s not like that anymore. Again, king. Huawei has been in first place in shipments within its country for more than two years. This past 2025, despite having lost 1.9% in annual growth, it is still slightly above the iPhone company. Specifically, 16.4% market share compared to Apple’s 16.2%. Apple grows 4% year-on-year, an increase motivated by the great commercial reception of the new family iPhone 17. In fact, Apple has already surpassed Samsung and has become the first manufacturer worldwide, despite being the second in China. Yes, but. Although Huawei is reigning with an iron fistthe data is not enough to assert that this will continue to be the case next 2026. There has never been such a fierce fight between the main Chinese manufacturers. Huawei: 16.4% market share. Apple: 16.2% market share. Vivo: 16.2% market share. Xiaomi: 15.4% market share. OPPO: 15.2% market share. Minimal differences in quota that will translate into a constant dance of positions during 2026. There is a clear message here: Huawei has not been able to be stopped in its native country. The Huawei case. Vivo, Xiaomi and OPPO maintain a close relationship with Qualcomm, the giant in charge of providing the best high-end Android devices with the most powerful chips on the market. Meanwhile, Huawei has had to adapt to playing with more restrictions than the rest: has had to develop together with SMIC their own processors He had to create a software ecosystem completely independent of Android Almost completely redesign your supply chain Make an even more ambitious bet on your domestic market, where life without Google is the norm The surprise. For years, we have seen Chinese mobile phones as great high-end proposals, but with some important disadvantages compared to Western rivals (fewer years of support, mediocre video recording, “crazy” specs without any sense of assembly…). This has been changing for a while now.. Today (saving the subjectivity of which software we like more or less), Chinese mobile phones are the most ambitious hardware proposal overall. They have the best batteries on the market, by far. On a photographic level, they are beginning to move dangerously far from Apple, Google and Samsung. The hardware set usually far exceeds what we see in the rest of its rivals. Chinese brands are very focused on their expansion throughout Europe, and it shows. not so fast. The Asian market is a great mirror in which to see how the fight between large technology companies progresses, but its particularities are still there. On a global level, at least currently, Apple and Samsung seem practically unreachable. Only Xiaomi, with a 13% share worldwide (compared to Apple’s 20% and Samsung’s 19%), plays in the double-digit league. Vivo and OPPO, with a share of 8%, have not moved their position since 2023. By 2026, consultancies like Counterpoint expect a year of moderation and a poor growth forecast. The global price crisis in DRAM/NAND memories will force an imminent price increase. Whoever manages to contain the dam will win this year. Image | Xataka In Xataka | Chinese mobile phones conquered the market by dividing into a thousand different brands. Now they are doing just the opposite.

There is a material on which the future of the iPhone and AI depends. And almost everything is manufactured by the same Japanese company.

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More than 100 years ago two Japanese textile companies called Fukushima Boseki Co., Ltd., and Katakura Seishi Iwashiro Bosekisho they joined forces to become Nitto Boseki Co. Ltd, also known as Nittobo. A century later we have encountered a giant on which a critical material for the future of our chips depends: glass fabric. Technological glass artisans. The Japanese company was the first in industrially producing carbon fiber. They did it in 1938, almost right at the same time as Owens Corning Fiber Glass in the US. Later, in 1969, they developed the “crystal fabric” or “glass cloth” (glass cloth), a material that began to be used in printed circuits Hello, T-glass. That material evolved and in 1984 they launched their T-glass, an even more specialized glass fabric that began to be used as a substrate in chips of all types. This material is different from the common fiberglass like that used in surfboards or in insulation solutions. Thus, it has a very low coefficient of thermal expansion, which ensures its good performance even when the chips are operating at maximum performance. Japan, we have a problem. As indicated on Nikkeiexperts warn that the lack of this material has become a major obstacle to chip manufacturing and the advancement of AI in 2026. Nittobo is practically the only company in the world capable of manufacturing this glass with the necessary quality. Its glass fabric is extremely thin, bubble-free and heat-resistant, which has made it a fundamental part of chips such as those used in iPhones. Apple, in fact, was one of the first major technology companies to reach an agreement with Nittobo to use this material. Everyone loves Nittobo. The good performance of this material has now made companies like NVIDIA, Google or Amazon also demand T-glass for their chips, and that has generated a worrying competition due to inventory that is quickly depleted and it is not clear that it can cope with demand. Apple asks for help. The situation is so tense that Apple has sent some managers to Japan and has even asked the Japanese government to intervene to ensure supplies from Nittobo. Once again the objective is to guarantee the launch of its key products, and at Nikkei they point directly to the expected foldable iPhone. The fiberglass fabric is a critical layer on the chip substrate and ensures that everything works perfectly even under heavy workloads. Source: Nikkei. Capacity will grow, but not immediately. At Nittobo they know very well what the situation is like, but they can’t do anything to remedy it, at least in the short term. A company executive quoted in Nikkei indicates that “if we do not have additional capacity, it means that we do not have additional capacity no matter how much pressure is put on Nittobo. The way I see it, the situation will only improve significantly when Nittobo’s production increase becomes a reality in the second half of 2027.” Looking for alternatives. Apple and Qualcomm are looking for plans B, and their initiatives to find new suppliers in China or Taiwan are already underway. However, the demand for the quality of this type of material is very high: an error in the quality of the glass of the chip substrate cannot be repaired, and would ruin entire batches of components. AI causes chaos again. We already saw it with memories: the AI ​​industry needs immense quantities of DRAM and NAND memory chips, and that has now meant that the rest of the world is suffering from a huge rise in prices. The same thing is happening with this glass fabric: AI chip manufacturers have an exaggerated demand for this material, which harms the rest of the “traditional” chip manufacturers and, therefore, the users. bad business. And as happens with memories, in the end the material is sold to the highest bidder, which are usually companies like NVIDIA that have exceptional profit margins. That leaves consumer electronics manufacturers in a vulnerable position and with declining sales forecasts. Nittobo does not want to saturate the market. And as happened with the memory market, Nittobo does not want to oversize its business in the face of this demand and prefers to be cautious. Japanese suppliers already suffered losses from overstocks in 2022, so they are now reluctant to expand their factories aggressively. It is precisely the same speech that Micron made, which already suffered from excess inventory after the pandemic: although they could now manufacture more memory chips, for them that means risking history repeating itself. In Xataka | A thousand-year-old mystery allowed us to put nanotechnology into modern screens. Today the discovery has a Nobel Prize

This is one of the most complete controls with which you can turn your iPhone or Android mobile into a portable console

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If you usually play a lot on mobile and you are tired of doing it through the touch screen, having a good mobile controller is the best option. He Razer Kishi V3 It is one of the most popular and works for both iPhone and Android. Razer Kishi V3 – USB-C haptic gaming controller for iPhones and Android smartphones The price could vary. We earn commission from these links A very complete controller that offers a complete gaming experience on mobile This Razer Kishi V3 mobile controller is, without a doubt, perfect for playing with your mobile as if you were playing on a portable console. This is thanks to your full size controller designwhich allows you to comfortably play games on your mobile for hours. Offers mobile ergonomics iPhone and Android and features full-size TMR joysticks with interchangeable covers. In addition, you can perfect your aim with the anti-slip control levers high precision, superior to Hall effect designs. It also features dual mouse click rear buttons and pincer grip top buttons. Plus, thanks to Razer Neus Game Launcher, you can discover thousands of games for iOS and Android and save your games. The best thing about this controller is that it is Plug & Play typeso you just have to plug it in and start using it, without having to download any software. You may also be interested Utilify RGB Gaming Mobile Cooler with 2 Modes The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Logitech G G435 LIGHTSPEED The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Some of the links in this article are affiliated and may provide a benefit to Xataka. In case of non-availability, offers may vary. Images | Razer In Xataka | Best controllers to play on the computer. Which one to buy and 10 recommended PC gaming controllers for all budgets In Xataka | The best mobile phones, we have tested them and here are their analyzes

all the changes and improvements of the latest update for iPhone and iPad

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Let’s tell you what’s new in iOS 26.2the new update with additional features for iOS 26. This is an update with which one of the main novelties of the AirPods finally arrives in Europe, which allows real-time updating. In addition to this, the update adds some new functions to applications created by Apple itself for iOS such as Apple Music or Games, and fixes some small problems. A new security step is also added for AirDrop. What’s new in iOS 26.2 These are the new features and corrections that Apple has announced for this new update. They are official changes with all the new things that you will find on your iPhone after updating. Real-time translation with AirPods: Being one of this year’s new features for AirPods, real-time translation comes to users in the European Union. If someone is near you speaking another language, your AirPods will translate it into your language. Works for AirPods 4 and AirPods Pro 2 models and up. More Liquid Glass Customization: On the lock screen you have a new option that allows you to increase or decrease the opacity of Liquid Glass. Improvements in reminder alarms: Reminder alarms help you prioritize urgent tasks, you can snooze them, and they are also made compatible with live activities. Verification codes in AirDrop: You can add additional verification codes to AirDrop content with unknown contacts. When you send something to a stranger, the other person will have to write the code that appears on the screen. Lyrics on Apple Music: When you download songs, the lyrics will also be downloaded, so you can also view them offline. Apple Music Playlists: Favorite song playlists appear in the “Top Picks” section of the home tab. Podcast Improvements: The links to the podcasts mentioned will allow you to consult and follow them directly from the player. Come on, if an episode you are listening to refers to another, you can go to them. Filters in Games Library: The app Games It now has a filter to search for titles by category, size and other parameters. Game Challenge Improvements: In the app Gameschallenge scores are updated in real time. And when someone else takes first place, it’s shown to you in an in-game notification. Improved compatibility in Games: In the app Gamescompatibility with connected controllers, such as Backbone or Razer, is improved. Home configuration improvements: When you buy a package with several accessories, you can link them in the Home app with the same configuration code. Accessibility improvements: The flash notification feature in accessibility settings now allows you to set your phone’s screen to flash when you receive a notification. Freeform improvements: Freeform tables can now contain text, images, documents, and drawings. Its cells will automatically adjust to the size of the content you put in them. Apple Music Troubleshooting: Fixed an issue where pre-release albums in your library could not be played at the time they were released. Privacy Troubleshooting: Fixed an issue where a privacy and security setting would incorrectly appear as managed by an organization. In Xataka Basics | iOS 26: 19 functions and some tricks to get the most out of the new operating system for your iPhone

the incredible secrecy with which the first iPhone was manufactured

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What was it like working on the iPhone original? The question has surely been on the mind of every technology enthusiast: after all, we are talking about one of the greatest advances in technological consumption of the 21st century. And it is one that has an answer. It was given by Terry LambertApple engineer, a few years ago on Quora. Lambert was part of ‘Project Purple’, a top secret project in which it was only possible to work if one accepted not only endless days, but also an environment in which secrecy was absolute. So much so that Lambert had to sign a confidentiality agreement (NDA) not only to guarantee that he would not tell anything about that project: he signed it to be able to know the name of the key project. That was just the first of obsessive security measures who managed to protect that secret until the end. Lambert was responsible for about 6% (in number of lines) of the core code of OS The first thing he said is that when he was offered to work on that project, they took him to an area of ​​the headquarters where everyone dressed in black: that in itself was an unmistakable sign that something top secret was being worked on. Working blind, almost literally In fact, Lambert joked that if you wanted to create a cute Apple Halloween costume, all you had to do was put on a black sheet, cut out a couple of holes for the eyes, and go “secret project“. During that project he never saw the iPhone for which he was programming and debugging code: “I could only see the machine that did the remote debugging, not the actual device, but it was obviously a system based on ARM architecture.” After signing the NDA that allowed him to know the code name of the project – and of course he couldn’t discuss anything with anyone, including his family – he would end up working on something that he wasn’t even sure what it was, especially since Apple maintained completely independent groups in which they worked on small objectives that They did not allow us to know what they were working on on the whole. Another thing Apple does is give different code names for different groups. Or what is the same: you could be working on the same project as another person or group without knowing it. Neither debate it nor comment on it. Another engineer named Jerry Wang who also answered that question on Quora indicated how in fact he, who also worked on the documentation of that device and worked with the operators that launched the iPhone in the United States, did not know the project as ‘Project Purple’, but as ‘M68’. From that moment on he had access to a “secret laboratory” that was inside the main laboratory. Only a select few had access to that secret lab, but “you never got to see the design of the product, because when you’re doing that initial work, it’s all Plexiglas prototypes.” A curious detail: Lambert confessed how the cables used to “talk” to those pre-production units were, indeed, purple. In Xataka | In 2007, Steve Jobs went on stage with an iPhone that barely worked: he was saved by a script that did not allow even a detour Image | Xataka

Smart glasses find their “iPhone moment” in China. The key to your success: payments

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In China, AI glasses allow you to pay by looking at a QR code and giving a voice command. Alibaba itself launched its Quark for $268, integrated with Alipay for payments and Taobao for purchases. Xiaomi presented its glasses with AI in June and they became the third best selling in the world in the first half of 2025, despite being available for only one week. The Chinese market for smart glasses is growing exponentially in the second half of the year, according to a study by BigOne Lab. Why is it important. After more than a decade of unfulfilled promises, smart glasses have finally found their reason for being. And it is something as prosaic as paying without taking your cell phone out of your pocket. AND It’s working in China like nothing else has before. in this sector. From the adoption for payments, the rest of the value proposition is built. The context. China’s digital infrastructure, where even the elderly use their smartphone for everything, facilitates adoption. QR codes are in all shops and Meta does not operate in China without a VPN, which has left the field clear for local companies to experiment without direct competition. Yes, but. The price is determining. Chinese glasses cost between 200 and 300 dollars, a price not too high. Xiaomi, RayNeo, Thunderobot, Kopin, Baidu and Alibaba compete in the Chinese domestic market. The payment functionality does not require very sophisticated screens or complex optics. All you need is a basic camera, voice recognition and connection to the payments ecosystem. This makes production much cheaper. The big question. Will we see something similar in Europe with Bizum? Mobile payments here are less ubiquitous than in China, but Bizum has achieved enormous penetration in Spain. If businesses adopted Bizum QR codes, as some already do, smart glasses could find their practical use here as well. The European ecosystem has advantages: stricter privacy regulation, greater consumer trust in traditional banking systems, and a population accustomed to incremental innovations. But it doesn’t have the density of QR codes that makes China the perfect terrain for this experiment. Between the lines. Chinese companies are not just developing hardware. They are creating the use case that justifies wearing smart glasses all day, and instead of looking for something spectacular and complex, they have found something much simpler and everyday: not having to take your phone out of your pocket. Rokid boasts that its glasses are not tied to a single generative AI model: they work with OpenAI, Llama, Gemini and Grok. They also offer simultaneous translation into English while someone speaks in Chinese. But none of that matters as much as the payment feature. And now what. Meta dominates the global market with a 73% share in the first half of 2025, according to Counterpoint. His success with Ray-Ban Meta This is explained by a design that is almost indistinguishable from normal glasses. In addition, Western manufacturers maintain advantages in chips. But Chinese companies have obvious advantages: many brands and models, rapid iteration, and the ability to adapt quickly to market changes. In Xataka | The POCO F8 Pro and F8 Ultra are a great change of direction for the brand. We spoke with POCO to find out what awaits us now Featured image | Xiaomi

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