years

It has the last name Pro and will be updated for several years

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One of the best things about Apple is that it offers software update support for many years, which allows us to buy an old device and have it continue to be updated for many years. It happens, for example, with the iPhone 12 Promobile that is available refurbished at PcComponentes by 359 euros and that will still continue to receive updates for a few years. The price could vary. We earn commission from these links A cheaper iPhone with the surname Pro He iPhone 12 Pro It is a good mobile. It may not have the improvements and innovations that we see in the most current generations, but it is still an interesting proposal both for its format and for everything it offers. PcComponentes offers two years warranty and promises that it has impeccable performance. The mobile was launched in 2020 and you will still receive software updates; specifically will be updated until 2028. It is, therefore, ideal whether we want it as a first mobile phone or as a secondary one (for example for work). It is also quite compact with a 6.1-inch screen and comes in a configuration with 256 GB of internal storage. On the other hand, the iPhone 12 Pro incorporates the A14 chip; It’s not the latest, of course, but it still offers good performance. It is also compatible with 20W fast charging and MagSafe charging, as well as 5G networks and FaceID. ⚡ IN BRIEF: iPhone 12 Pro offer today ✅ THE BEST Software updateswhich will end in a couple of years. It is compatible with MagSafe. Two-year warranty offered by PcComponentes. ❌ THE WORST YesYour charging connector is Lightning. 💡 BUY IT IF… Are you looking for a mobile phone for work or for a more secondary use, or as your main mobile phone if you want a compact and cheap Apple device. ⛔ DON’T BUY IT IF… You are looking to get the most out of your mobile with demanding apps and games or if it is essential for you that it has artificial intelligence functions. You may also be interested 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 | Anna MartiApple In Xataka | Best iPhones. Which one to buy in 2026 and recommended models based on budget, tastes and quality-price In Xataka | Best mobile phones 2026. Which one to buy based on use and six recommended models

Eight years ago Morocco embraced Central European Time. Now you’ve decided it’s time to change.

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September 20, 2026 will be an important day in Morocco. Or rather, an important early morning. With the last blows of summer, the Maghreb country wants to apply a major change in an aspect that affects its close ties. 37 million inhabitantsbeyond your age, gender, profession or wealth: the schedule. The nation will abandon the GMT+1 to return to GMT. It may seem like a minor issue, but it has been starring for years an intense debate. In practice it also means move away (at the time level) of Europe. What has happened? That Morocco has decided that next September will mean more than just the end of summer. It will also mean goodbye to GMT+1the time that is one hour ahead of the Greenwich meridian, the same one used by peninsular Spain during winter time. The executive headed by Aziz Achanuch has decided that at the end of summer it will return to GMT. The change will be made at 02.00 on Sunday the 20th of September. What hours do you have now? At the end of the 1960s Morocco established the legal time GMT, but in the last decade it progressively adopted the use of GTM+1. That change occurred an acceleration in 2018, when it was decided to establish it definitively, eliminating the return to the GMT. At that time, Moroccans stopped having to manipulate the hands of their clocks depending on the season they were in. There was only an exception: Ramadan. During those weeks (the dates depend on the lunar calendar) the population switched to GMT time to make life more bearable in a period marked by fasting and prayer. As explains Juan Carlos Sanz in The Countrythis year the hands were moved back one hour between February 15 and March 22, which in practice advanced he iftarthe food that breaks the daily fast, and prolong the rest. العودة إلى الساعة القانونية (توقيت غرينيتش) ابتداء من متم الصيف الحالي (السيد أخنوش) pic.twitter.com/TF14b57sTE — Agence MAP (@MAP_Information) June 25, 2026 And why do they go to GMT? In words of the Government, to meet “citizens’ expectations” and “solve the problems associated with the early schedule.” The return to GMt+1 after Ramadan is supported by several government decrees, but that does not mean that it convinces Moroccans. The reason: the mismatches between the official schedule, the bands in which there is daylight and the biorhythms of the population. For example, it is said that the GMT zone prevents it from being nighttime when children go to school in winter. Is it that important? Yes. In April Watchtower public a chronicle in which he talked about how a collection of signatures against the GMT+1 had achieved the support of 300,000 people, a considerable number in a country of 37 million of people. The same medium cited a survey, carried out in 2025, in which the majority desire to establish the GMT is expressed with percentages. According to the survey, 43% of Moroccans are against GMT+1, which only convinces 28%. 40% also affirm that it is negative for their daily life. Why did they adopt it then? Because GMT+1 also has its advantages, although they may not be as noticeable in the daily routine of Moroccans. His defenders they talk of energy efficiency and competitiveness and recall a 2019 study that estimated a saving of 37.6 GWh in electricity during the winter, which resulted in fewer CO2 emissions and fuel costs. Are there more reasons? Yes. Another key reason is that the GMT improves Morocco’s synchronization with its major European economic allies, France and Spain. That Rabat joining GMT+1 meant that for a good part of the year, from october to marchthe Moroccan capital shares the same time as Madrid, Paris and Berlin. The rest of the year the difference was only one hour, like Lisbon or London. The change will mean moving Morocco away from that harmony, leaving an hour of lag in winter and two during summer. Images | Raúl Mermans García (Unsplash) and Mari Helin (Unsplash) In Xataka | For decades we changed the time to spend less. Today we know that it was not of much use

The PSP is more than 20 years old and has no reason to move ‘Counter-Strike’. A developer has decided to try

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Those afternoons began with a simple gesture: turn on the computer and open ‘Counter Strike‘. Sometimes it happened at home and other times in an Internet cafe, still decisive in places where domestic connection was just beginning to spread. Then came the servers, network games and scenarios like de_dust2repeated until each hallway was familiar. For those of us who lived through that stage, “playing a Counter” did not just describe a video game, but a specific way to pass the time. In 2005, the PSP was beginning to make a place for itself among players when ‘Counter-Strike’ had been on the PC for years and its version 1.6 had already become a reference. Sony’s laptop belonged to that same technological culture, but never received an official delivery of the Valve title. They shared a time, an audience and many hours of playing, although their paths did not cross. More than two decades later, a developer has decided to bring them closer through a project that does not go unnoticed. The way chosen to bring Counter-Strike closer to the PSP is called OpenStrikea project that looks familiar on screen, although under that appearance something completely different works. We are not looking at Valve’s commercial game running on the laptop or a direct port of its engine, but rather a new implementation that recovers maps, rounds, shooting and combats against bots. Each user must provide the maps and textures from their own copy, while the movement, rules and rendering depend on a base created expressly for the project. Behind that base is Yifeng Wang, known as doodlewind on GitHub, a developer linked to open software, interfaces and web technologies. Its objective was to test PocketJS and Pocket3D and demonstrate that that architecture could go beyond interfaces to support a 3D game in real time. As he explained when presenting OpenStrike, he chose the PSP because its hardware does not allow it to disguise an inefficient architecture with more memory or power. If that worked there, the demonstration would be much more convincing. The first obstacle was elementary: the PSP cannot directly run a program created for the PC. Your processor uses a MIPS architecturedifferent from the one for which ‘Counter-Strike’ was compiled, and they also change the system, the libraries and the way of communicating with the graphics hardware. Copy the executable to a memory card would be like providing written instructions for another machine. You had to recompile and adapt the original code, emulate its environment or, as Wang did, build a new implementation that spoke the console language from the beginning. Once the barrier of architecture was overcome, an even tighter fight remained: making everything fit and respond in time. The PSP-1000 had 32 MB of memory, of which the programs could use 24 MB, and its processor reached 333 MHz. Everything necessary for the game to work had to coexist within that margin. Maintaining 60 images per second meant doing all that work in about 16.7 milliseconds per frame, with no room for unnecessary calculations. The solution was to prevent the PSP from calculating during the game everything that could be prepared in advance. OpenStrike incorporates the map lighting into the geometry itself, adapts the resources to the console format and takes advantage of the pre-calculated visibility information of the BSP maps to limit rendering to potentially visible areas. According to Wang’s measurements on a physical PSP, the test run on dust2 remains at 60 FPS, also during combat. It is still, however, a proof of concept without multiplayer, purchase phase or all the systems of the original game. As shown in the demo published by the projectthe crossover between ‘Counter-Strike’ and the PSP no longer belongs solely to the realm of the imaginable. OpenStrike is still far from reproducing the full game, but it delivers on the essential promise: recovering a recognizable part of that experience. That is the true scope of Wang’s work. Not to demonstrate that the laptop hid an unknown power, but rather that its limits could still become the starting point for building something new. Images | Yifeng Wang In Xataka | Microsoft wants to preserve Xbox games and has chosen an unexpected path: officially emulate them on Windows

We have been using DEET to repel mosquitoes for years. The only problem is that, done poorly, it’s their favorite food.

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DEET is one of the ingredients most used in mosquito repellents. That makes us think that, as its name suggests, it repels these insects. He doesn’t like it. However, according to a new study published by Virginia Tech scientists, under certain circumstances, that same substance could become an attractant for mosquitoes. These circumstances, basically, are what occur when we apply repellents without reading the label. Today is a good day to start reading it. From repellent to attractant. These scientists they saw DEET generally repels mosquitoes. However, when they smell it while feeding, it can be associated with a reward. Something like what happened with Pavlov’s dog. When I heard the bell that was normally associated with mealtime, I would start to salivate. If mosquitoes smell DEET while feeding on blood, the next time they smell it they will associate it with food. And of course, they love that. A painful experiment. The experiments that were carried out for the publication of this study consisted of two phases. First, mosquitoes of the species Aedes aegypty in a cage connected to two bottles, one with clean air and one with DEET. Inside the cage there was a feeder with blood, from which they could have fed in two circumstances. First, with access only to the clean air vial and then with the DEET vial open, since the second vial was opened while they were feeding. In the second phase of the experiment, one of the researchers put his two arms into the cage, one with DEET and one without, and waited to see the behavior of the mosquitoes. Those who had blood-fed only with clean air went only to the arm without DEET. However, those who ate under the influence of DEET they preferred the arm with the repellent. just a little. In reality, the repellent effect of DEET is a reality. At adequate doses, it continues to repel mosquitoes. What has been seen in this study is that it becomes an attractive when they smell it in the background while feeding. Therefore, the problem is allowing them to feed while they smell it. A person who has too little, either because they have not applied enough repellent or because they applied it a long time ago, may not adequately repel the insect. It reaches your skin and feeds on your blood, while smelling a remnant. This remnant generates the aforementioned reward effect and, then, little by little you may stop disliking it. If every time we smelled the garbage they gave us 10,000 euros, would we still find it unpleasant? The importance of reading the label. Not all mosquito repellents have the same concentration of DEET. Therefore, you do not always have to apply the same amount or reapply at the same time. It is important to read the label, because if we use too little repellent or do not reapply it when necessary, we can generate the effect that was seen in the study. It’s not entirely clear. It should be noted that all this is not safe. This was seen in laboratory experiments. For now, it cannot be known if in reality, with DEET included in commercial repellents and mosquitoes flying freely, the same will happen. Furthermore, in the experiment the mosquitoes began to smell the DEET while they were already feeding whereas in real conditions the smell would be there from the beginning. More studies will have to be done, perhaps again with painful consequences for researchers and volunteers. Meanwhile, when in doubt, remember to read the labels carefully. Oh really. Images | NIAID In Xataka | Mosquitoes attack me in summer and I tried these TikTok tricks to get rid of them

Your body has been regulating temperature on its own for thousands of years. Until the air conditioning arrived and told him “calm down, I’ll take care of it” (it doesn’t turn out well)

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Air conditioning is our best friend in summer. However, just as we are not attached 24/7 to our best friends, We shouldn’t do it with the air conditioning either.. With your friend it is not good because you would run out of gossip to tell him, but with air conditioning the problem is that it can be dangerous for your health. And for your pocket, logically. Thermoregulator, what for? As explained in an article by Meteoredone of the biggest problems with overusing air conditioning is that our natural thermoregulation system becomes a little lazy. Human beings are homeothermic animals. This means that we remain at a stable temperature, around 36.5ºC, regardless of whether it is 0ºC or 42ºC outside. To do this, we have mechanisms such as sweating in the heat or shivering in the cold. However, we usually make these adaptations with natural temperature fluctuations. If we spend the day at 19ºC air conditioning, when we go outside, our body will have a harder time adapting as it normally would. It is something that also seen during sleep. Thanks to circadian rhythms, our body temperature drops little by little during the night to help us fall asleep. However, if we lower it artificially and suddenly, it will be much more difficult for us to rest. dry mucous membranes. Air conditioning not only lowers the temperature. It also dries out the air. And if the air dries out, so do our mucous membranes. We have all noticed that dry nose and throat feeling when we spend a lot of time with the air conditioning. In fact, it is especially noticeable at night. The big problem with this is that one of our protective barriers against the entry of respiratory pathogens is precisely the humidity of the mucous membranes, which allows the movement of structures, called cilia, that keep viruses and bacteria at bay. The cold does not cause colds, it is a widespread myth. Viruses are what cause colds, so if there is none in the environment we will not get sick. However, if the cold of the air conditioning has dried out our mucous membranes and there is a virus lurking around, it will be much more difficult for us to defend ourselves. Muscle pain. When we spend a lot of time under air conditioning, our muscles cool down and tend to shrink to better generate and retain heat, so it is common for us to hurt. No more than 12 ºC difference. Logically, air conditioning is necessary. However, we should neither abuse it nor put it too cold. As explained to EFE Health Dr. Sandra Dorado, coordinator of the area of ​​Respiratory Diseases of Occupational and Environmental Origin (EROM) of the Spanish Society of Pulmonology and Thoracic Surgery (SEPAR), more than 12 ºC of difference when moving from one room to another is already considered unhealthy. We must try not to exceed this difference and, if possible, acclimatize before going out suddenly. Furthermore, it is important clean air conditioning filters regularly. This will prevent asthma problems and respiratory infections from breathing poor quality air. That being said, keep using the air conditioning, just like you would hang out with your best friend. But allow time without seeing each other for gossip to arise between you, and when you are together, treat it well. Image | Magnificent In Xataka | These days I’m having a hard time falling asleep because of the heat. But put this device on and sleep soundly

We’ve been using sunscreen for thousands of years, even though we didn’t know we needed it at first.

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Nowadays We are quite aware of the importance of sunscreen. In the past they were not so clear about it, but they used it anyway. Normally, substances were used to lighten the skin or prevent it from darkening, since dark skin was associated with the lower classes of society. The upper classes did not want to appear from the lower classes and some people from the lower classes did not want to be noticed, so all kinds of concoctions were devised aimed at maintaining their whitish complexion. Over time, and with all the knowledge we have today, some scientists have dedicated themselves to analyzing those formulas and the truth is that, although some were anything but healthy, others were safe and even effective. Does that mean we should use them today? Logically not. We have much better studied options. But for the times in which they were developed, some were not bad at all. When it was worth it with the melanin itself. The first humans they lived in Africaso their skin was prepared to be intensely exposed to solar radiation, thanks to very high levels of melanin. Over time, as he Homo sapiens It was distributed to other parts of the world, so much melanin was no longer necessary, so the skin became lighter. The problem is that less solar radiation does not mean any, so little by little people found themselves having to look for a replacement for the melanin they had lost. They didn’t know why they needed it, but they were looking for it. The Egyptians and their cosmetics manufacturing skills. In ancient Egypt, cosmetics played a very important role. Makeup and creams and oils were used to moisturize the skin, improve physical appearance or as a status symbol. Even some cosmetic products had religious and ritual purposes. For all this, it is not strange that among the Egyptians there were great formulators. Many of their mixtures were useless, but some did have interesting and understandable applications with the science we know today. In this last drawer is found sunscreen based on jasmine, rice and lupine (the plant from which lupins are obtained). The goal of this mixture was to keep the skin as white as possible. They did not know that solar radiation can be harmful. However, they were protecting themselves from them, since today we know that rice bran absorbs ultraviolet light, jasmine helps repair DNA, and lupine lightens the skin. They weren’t just protecting themselves. They also repaired any damage that may have already occurred and kept the skin clearer. From the Greeks to the Romans. The Greeks used olive oil to protect yourself from the sun and, above all, to care for your skin after exposure. Although they were not aware of the magnitude of the problem, they did see that the skin was suffering from sun exposure, so they made their own aftersun. Today we know that olive oil has an SPF of 8. Too low, but better than later options and certainly better than not wearing anything at all. As for the Romans, They were among the first to use zinc oxide to prevent their skin from darkening. This substance is still used today as a physical filter in many sunscreens, so they aimed their shot very well. They were also used in India and China. Beware of lead. In Japan, white skin was a clear symbol of status and female beauty. For this reason, women smeared themselves with lead powder. It was also used by European women in the 16th and 17th centuries, usually mixed with water and vinegar, in a mixture known as venetian ceruse. In both cases, it was used because, being a thick, white powder, it gave them a mask effect that imitated the appearance of a very white complexion. Therefore, there was no protection at all. On the contrary, since lead It is highly toxic. The first sunscreens. In 1801, the chemist Johan Wilhem Ritter discovered UV radiation, although its harmful effects on the skin were not known until 1820, when a doctor named Sir Everard Home determined that these radiations, coming from the Sun, are harmful and that the skin itself defends itself through pigmentation. As a result of this last discovery, an attempt was made to make sunscreen with tannins, such as those of red grapes. However, the dark effect it left on the skin was not very well received. Over time, different options were tested, including zinc oxide from the Romans. Nowadays we know much better about the effects of the sun and sunscreen. In the end, many of these formulas from ancient civilizations were not so wrong. Nowadays we know the effects of this and other physical filters, as well as chemical ones, which do not create a barrier on the skin, but rather absorb radiation. All of them, deep down, are the result of thousands of years of curiosity and research. Because it’s true that the first humans to make sunscreen weren’t even making it for the right reason. But the fact is that, for whatever reason, they did it. We have instinctively protected ourselves forever. That a tanned footballer Don’t make us go back to the past. Images | Magnificent In Xataka | Science warns of the dangerous success of anti-suncream hoaxes on TikTok: “Despite being a minority, this content is influential”

For years Russia accustomed its citizens to a distant war. Thousands of gas stations have just broken that illusion

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Since the war between Russia and Ukraine began, the majority of Russians have been able to experience the war almost as background news, without much impact on their daily lives. However, that distance has been broken. And the fact is that queues of cars that stretch for hours, and even days, at thousands of gas stations in the country are forcing millions of people to feel, for the first time in such a direct way, the real cost of the conflict. What is happening. Ukraine has escalated since May their drone attacks against Russian refineriesand the result is a fuel crisis not seen since the last years of the Soviet Union. According to calculations According to the Financial Times, the shortage already directly affects some 50 million Russians, around 35% of the population. Almost 50 regions had imposed some type of restriction on gasoline sales by the end of June, and several of them have rationed the supply according to the vehicle’s license plate, alternating between even and odd days. Strain. Images circulating on social networks show waits of up to 36 hours in some areas, such as Chita, in the Transbaikalia region, according to collect Deutsche Welle. According to the media, there are those who spend the night in the car so as not to miss their turn, and some have even begun to sell their place in line for sums of up to 35,000 rubles (about 400 euros), according to testimonies cited by the same media. The tension has led to fights between drivers, and some regional authorities have had to improvise desperate measures, such as that of a Siberian governor who ordered hot food to be distributed to those waiting in line, while in the south of the country Cossacks with their traditional fur hats have been used to maintain order at gas stations, according to they claim from FT. Attacks. The origin of the problem lies in the pace and precision of Ukraine’s attacks. On July 6, a drone reached the Omsk refinery, the largest in the country, located 2,500 kilometers from the border, which gives an idea of ​​the reach that kyiv has gained. According to the Ukrainian General Staff, aforementioned By Kyiv Post, the attacks have already disabled 42.7% of Russia’s projected refining capacity, and a Bloomberg analysis places 24 of the country’s 34 large refineries that have been hit in about a hundred days. Consulting firm Energy Aspects estimates that Russian crude oil processing has fallen to its lowest level in 21 years. Despair. Moscow has chosen to downplay the crisis in public. Putin himself acknowledged on Sunday that there are “some shortcomings,” although he insisted that they are not “critical.” Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak attributed the queues to panic buying and speculation, not a structural supply problem, according to collect DW. However, the Kremlin itself has had to take measures that contradict this discourse, as it has banned exports of gasoline, diesel and kerosene, and has skyrocketed its fuel imports from Belarus, which in June were 141 times higher than a year earlier, according to share the Financial Times. The front also notices it. The shortage has even reached Russian troops deployed in Ukraine. And according to share Kyiv Post, some soldiers have seen their fuel supply reduced to just 20 liters per vehicle per day, when before they received what they needed to carry out their missions. In fact, a soldier stationed in the Zaporizhia sector claimed that his unit has gone from 20 liters to between 10 and 15, which forces them to travel up to 11 kilometers on foot to get water and supplies. Other soldiers say they buy gasoline from local residents at prices between 200 and 300 rubles per liter, well above the official price, according to share the middle. The impact is also noticeable beyond the gas stations, from taxi drivers raising fares, regional airlines warning of price increases, to even Russians who, in rural areas, are buying draft horses or bicycles as an alternative to the car, according to collect DW. Cover image | Reuters and Alexander Melekhov In Xataka | The men who closed the new Chernobyl hole: “Destiny gave us an opportunity to test ourselves to the limit”

China had been chasing “black gold” for years. Now it has started to turn it into something much bigger

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An almost invisible fiber can end up supporting part of a gigantic wind blade, forming part of the main loading structures of a metro train or protecting several satellites during the ascent of a rocket. That is what we have seen with the carbon fiber: a material that seems modest when we look at it as a simple filament, but that takes on another dimension when thousands of strands become a piece capable of reducing weight without giving up high resistance. Behind these products there is not only advanced chemistry, but a technology that China has been trying to industrialize for decades with its own means. The change is not that the country has now discovered this material, but that it is managing to take it far beyond the laboratory. For years, some of its research centers managed to obtain advanced fibers, but China continued to encounter difficulties to industrialize certain grades with the required stability, uniformity and scale. That barrier began to break with new production lines and today the expansion covers the entire chain, from the precursor to the composite materials and finished parts. That is the real leap: converting a technology pursued for decades into an industry capable of feeding other sectors. To understand why all this matters, it’s worth first looking at what’s inside that black coil. Carbon fiber is not a sheet or a solid piece, but a set of extremely fine filaments grouped in bundles. When we read 3K, 12K or 48K, we talk about of 3,000, 12,000 or 48,000 filaments per bundle. Afterwards, these threads are normally combined with a resin to form a composite: the fiber provides strength and rigidity in the chosen directions, while the matrix holds the whole together, protects it and transmits the forces. From filament to the development of a key industry The advantage appears when we relate its performance to weight. A structure made of a carbon fiber composite can offer high resistance and rigidity using less mass than certain metallic solutions, something that can translate into lower consumption, more autonomy, greater payload or larger components. The Airbus A350 incorporates CFRP in 53% of its structurewhile composite materials represent around 50% of the primary structure of the Boeing 787measured by weight. But it is not a universal solution: the material is still expensive and requires complex processes, while composite structures can suffer internal damage that is difficult to detect and repair. To find the origin of this advance we have to go back several decades. China was researching carbon fiber since the sixties and seventiesbut the obstacle was not only to produce it once, but to repeat the result within a factory. In 2005, the Shanxi Institute of Coal Chemistry received a national mission to industrialize a fiber equivalent to aerospace T300. Three years later, on June 30, 2008, a line in Yangzhou produced the first stable roll of aerospace fiber with performance equivalent to the T300. Since that advance, China has been developing higher performance fibers, first with references equivalent to T700 and T800 and later with T1000. In Datong, a line with about 200 tons per year capacity had completed in November 2025 verification of continuous operation. Numbers, however, can fool us if we read them as a simple ladder. T300, T700, T800 or T1000 come from commercial names developed by Toray and are used as references for certain performances, but they do not form a universal international classification nor do they alone summarize the quality, reliability or final use of the material. The magnitude of the change can also be measured in tons. According to the ATA world reportChina concentrated in 2025 an operational capacity of 171,080 tons annuallys, 52.5% of the 326,080 counted worldwide. The data places the country in the lead by scale, but it does not mean that it produced exactly that percentage or that it dominated all segments. In other words, available capacity does not equate to effective manufacturing, and an industrial fiber intended for wind blades does not require the same controls, intermediate materials and certifications as a product prepared to be incorporated into an airplane. In 2025, China had an operating capacity of 171,080 tons per year, 52.5% of those recorded worldwide. What is truly relevant begins when we stop counting reels and observe everything that happens before and after. To obtain the fiber, the precursor must be prepared, oxidized and carbonized; Then come the fabrics, the prepregs, the compounds and the shaping of the pieces. In Jilin, this sequence already coexists within the same industrial hub. Provincial authorities speak of 190,000 tons of precursor capacity, 70,000 of fiber and 50,000 of composites, in addition to pultrusion, machining and product manufacturing lines. That chain already ends in objects that we can identify. In Jilin, 230 lines make structural plates for wind blades, and the company says its products are used in 95% of the blades on the Chinese market. The CETROVO train entered commercial service in Qingdao in January 2025 with carbon compounds in main load elementswhile the fairings manufactured by Tianjin Aisida had contributed, according to local authorities, to 46 commercial launches that reached orbit until June 2026. On a global scale, the material is also used in hydrogen tanks and systems intended to reinforce bridges. China already leads the way in added capacity, and domestic manufacturers such as Jilin Chemical Fiber and Zhongfu Shenying are expanding their capacity and offering higher-performance fibers. Compared to them, the Japanese company Toray maintains a leading position due to its catalogue, its international presence and its industrial integration; The American Hexcel stands out especially in the aerospace market, while the Japanese Teijin and Mitsubishi Chemical continue to be relevant technological players. What China is building is not just more fiber: it is the ecosystem that allows it to become an industry. Images | Lawless Capture | Vong Vathanak In Xataka | “We chose the wrong technology”: Jensen Huang returns to Japan to acknowledge his debt to Sega 30 years … Read more

Two years ago, Europe did everything possible to stop the Chinese car. Spain has become your best gateway

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“Honorary registration.” That was the note that Pedro Sánchez gave to the Chinese car that he had briefly tested during his visit to the Asian country in September 2024. The statement did not go unnoticed because while Europe tried to stop China’s entry into the European automobile market by all means, Spain distanced itself from this strategy. That declaration, however, had begun to take shape much earlier. In July, Europe had already activated what are known as “compensatory duties” to Chinese cars. It was a temporary measure before it was firmly decided whether to apply it or not duty to the companies, their amount and how they would be carried out. In October, the decision was made definitively and at the end of the month tariffs began to be charged to all Chinese electric cars. The fees that each brand must pay are specific for each of them depending, in the eyes of the European Union, on how many subsidies they have received from the Chinese Government and how much they have collaborated with European investigations. At first, Spain defended the lifting of tariffs against these vehicles, but as the months passed, little by little, its position changed. In April 2024, Chery had announced that it was purchasing the Nissan plant in Barcelona to produce Omoda and Jaecoo cars there. Along the way, Ebro was reborn, At the moment they are Chinese cars although the name is Spanish. The movement could have been key to eroding the Spanish position. The second push came from the Chinese Government: tariffs on Spanish pork. The threat of putting obstacles in a market that Spain dominates paid off. During the September visit, Pedro Sánchez already pointed out that “we need to reconsider our position”in relation to tariffs. And he stressed that “we do not need another war, in this case a trade war,” in words collected by The Country. Spain went from voting in favor of tariffs in 2023 to abstaining in the 2024 vote. A movement that said more about positioning itself against them than about granting with its silence. Two years later, Spain is the preferred gateway for Chinese manufacturers to reach Europe. Spain, land of Chinese cars At the beginning of October 2024, Chery announced a delay in car production in Barcelona. If Spain was missing a message to opt in favor of lifting tariffs on Chinese cars, there it was. Agencies like Reuters They began to point out that the Chinese State was pressuring its manufacturers to withdraw their investments from where the trade barrier against the country had been supported. Europe intended attract investments with tariffs and for months we thought that it could be such a big barrier that China would not be interested in bringing its manufacturing here. But little by little, in a constant trickle, Chinese investments have arrived. And Spain has done business with it. Since 2024, Chery has invested in Spain, taking over a factory that had been almost completely stopped for years. Now the latest news is that Geely and Ford have reached an agreement to produce cars at the Almussafes plant in Valencia. The American company maintained its facilities at half throttle but starting in 2028, up to four different cars should leave through its doors. Along the way, Geely and Renault, which own Horse, decided that the development and production of their combustion engines would leave the Valladolid plant. Stellantis and CATL reached an agreement to build a battery plant in Zaragoza and feed the automobile conglomerate’s small electric cars. As a consequence, Stellantis will also produce Leapmotor cars on Spanish soil. Besides, SAIC has announced an investment in Galicia to produce MG cars there. As is the case with Barcelona, ​​this last plant will nourish the market for cars assembled at destination through kits but will serve to give some life to the industrial environment from the north of Spain. At the same time, Spanish ports have been consolidated as a perfect space to unload Chinese cars in their previous distribution step through Europe. Spain has several advantages over its competitors. We are a powerhouse in car manufacturing. This had the counterpart that with an electric car that requires fewer employees, thousands of layoffs have swept over the Spanish labor market. But we also have a qualified workforce and facilities already built to do this work. This is a value for those companies that are looking for already installed facilities to produce as soon as possible, even if it is through kits. But in addition, we are also a country with more competitive production costs than other countries north of the Pyrenees because our salaries are cheaper but the price of energy is also less expensive. This positions us as a very interesting space. to produce small cars that offer narrower profit margins. And if those were few incentives, Spain is buying many Chinese cars. With a proposal to offer more equipment and technology than rivals for the same price or even less, Chinese cars have gained many followers. So far this year, the MG ZS and the BYD Atto 2 They are already two of the 10 best-selling cars in our country. Last year was a year of consolidation for Omoda and Jaecoo and an opportunity for MG and BYD to continue gaining ground. Without tariffs on cars with combustion engines, five of the 10 best-selling plug-in hybrid cars in Spain are already Chinese. The reception has been so great that Geely is also looking for its own niche. GWM announced a few weeks ago his arrival in Spain. Changan (which is the origin of Mazda electric cars) already operates in our country. Zeekr will try to make a raid in the field of premium electric and plug-in hybrid cars. BYD’s Denza has also recently arrived. In three years, Spain has gone from supporting tariffs on Chinese electric cars to completely embracing its cars. He has done it in a complicated game of balance but the fact is … Read more

Two years later, where is the Samsung Galaxy Ring?

by

It’s been two years since Samsung introduced the Galaxy Ringits first and highly anticipated smart ring, the one that We were crowding together to photograph at a Mobile World Congress and that promised to create a whole new category of health wearables. Two years later, I came to London to Samsung Unpacked and, in addition to the new foldables, they have also announced new watches, the Galaxy Watch9 and the Galaxy Watch Ultra2, but There is no trace of the Galaxy Ring. In the demo area there were many devices, most of them newly announced, but there were also others already known such as the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro or the original Galaxy Watch Ultra, but the Galaxy Ring was not exposed. There was a table decorated with motifs related to sports and health, so I thought maybe they had it there, but it wasn’t there either. I asked several Samsung officials and they told me that they had not brought it, but that the ring was still selling as always. Before continuing, we remind you that the members of Xataka Xtra can access discounts, benefits and exclusive opportunities in the Samsung online storein addition to exclusive raffles, a private Discord server and a growing catalog of discounts and advantages on digital services. You can join the community for only 30 euros per year. No renewal in sight Samsung renews its smart watches every year, but this has not been the case with the ring. It doesn’t have to be a bad thing, perhaps it is simply a category of device with fewer “showy” functionalities and does not lend itself as much to following an annual renewal cycle. However, they are two years without no comment on a possible renewal and the most striking thing: if we go to the Samsung press room, we see that the last article published about the Galaxy Ring It dates back to January 2025 and is about a Samsung Health update. What was once Samsung’s most anticipated product is today relegated to the background. The smart rings market The answer to the absence of the Galaxy Ring may lie in the smart ring market itself. According to Fortune Business Insightsthe global market was valued at $416.9 million in 2025 and is expected to reach $518.9 million this year. It sounds good on paper, but if we put it in perspective we talk about a category that remains tiny within wearables. The IDC data they make it even clearer. The firm predicts that in 2026 407.6 million wearables will be shipped, of which 159.7 million will be smart watches, 40.2 million bracelets, 13.6 million smart glasses and only 4.9 million will be rings like the Galaxy Ring. The difference in scale is enormous and even smart glasses triple the number of rings. The category is growing, but from such a small base that this growth is barely noticeable in the absolute figures of the sector. One of the reasons that works against this category is the price. The Galaxy Ring costs 449 euros, more expensive than some of its watches, but having much fewer features. It is clear that miniaturization is paid for, but for the consumer it continues to offer more of a watch or bracelet than a ring. A very small party to which Samsung arrived late On that tiny piece of land, Samsung has to compete with a brand that was already very established in the sector. We are talking about Oura, which according to Omdia data At the beginning of 2025 it had 74% of the market, followed by Ultrahuman and Samsung with 9% each. The smart ring market is a small niche and already conquered by a brand that had years of advantage specializing only in this. Oura launched its first ring in 2018 and has since released four more versions. Of course, it has not followed a cycle of annual renewals, but rather the update schedule is more irregular. In 2018 two models, three years later they launched the Oura Ring Gen3in 2024 came the Oura Ring 4 and this year, in May, they presented the Oura Ring 5. Does it make sense to renew? As we said, a ring has fewer flashy features and does not lend itself to introducing too many changes, after all it is a ring. Samsung could make it thinner and more discreet without sacrificing battery if it opted for silicon-carbon, a technology that allows creating denser batteries in less space, but beyond that there is not much room for major improvements. Samsung is not the only brand that has left smart rings a bit aside. Amazfit also introduced the Helium Ring in 2024 and has not updated it again. For its part, Honor also announced that it would launch a ring But today we continue to wait for it. Samsung is not alone in this, but it is true that it is a giant company, with a lot of muscle, that We are used to setting the pace for entire categorieslike folding ones or smartwatches, which is why the absence of the Galaxy Ring is striking. Perhaps the problem is that we assume that the logic of “renew every year and make noise” applies to any product in your catalog, but it really doesn’t make sense in smart rings. Time will tell if they continue betting on this category or if they end up diluting their wearable offering. Images | Xataka In Xataka | Best smart rings 2026. Which one to buy based on use and six recommended models

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