Technologies

Impress Me, Apple. Make This One Unexpected Change With the iPhone 17

Commentary: As someone who has been writing about the iPhone for over a decade, I’m ready to see Apple step it up in this perhaps unexpected way.

We’re now less than a month away from Apple unveiling the iPhone 17, if rumors are to be believed. I always look forward to this highlight of the tech calendar, especially since I’ve been writing about and primarily using an iPhone for well over a decade.

When it comes to the 2025 iPhone, there’s one thing I’d love to see Apple prioritize — and it might not be what you expect. It’s not a cool new design, a bigger battery or a more impressive camera. It’s definitely not advanced AI capabilities.

Instead what I’d love to see from the iPhone 17 is even better repairability, particularly more self-repair options. A lot of tech inevitably passes through my hands as part of my job, but I feel a keen responsibility not to feed into the culture of over-consumption. Treating gadgets as disposable is an unrealistic way to live, and it places a heavy burden on our already overburdened planet.

Extending the life of our tech through repair is one of the tools at our disposal to reduce that burden. Increasingly, and partly due to an increase in right-to-repair legislation coming into force around the world, tech companies are making it easier for us to perform these repairs ourselves, rather than relying solely on costly in-house repair schemes.

For a long time, Apple was not among them. In fact, it strongly advised people not to tinker with their iPhones at home at all. That all changed in 2021 when it introduced its Self-Repair Program. It’s continued to take strides in making it easier to repair phones — which, let’s not forget, are complex, intricately designed pieces of technology. But it still has some way to go, especially when it comes to ease and accessibility.

I’m currently using an iPhone 15 Pro Max that’s rapidly approaching its second birthday. It’s no spring chicken, but aside from its waning battery capacity, I have absolutely no complaints about its performance. Next month it will get its annual software upgrade with the release of iOS 26 and it will feel brand new to me all over again. This is a phone that has years of life left in it — if I choose to replace the battery, that is.

But in all truthfulness, I’m nervous to do it. I’ve repaired plenty of tech in my time, usually under the supervision of someone far more skilled than I am, but the stakes feel so much higher. The spare parts and repair tools aren’t cheap, and it could quickly get even more expensive if I mess it up. Then I’d have no choice but to invest in a new phone after all.

I’m determined to try, but I’d also like Apple to make it even easier in the future for me to replace the battery — I don’t want to feel like I’m conducting open-heart surgery on my phone. I have to commend the company for its efforts in this direction already.

When Kyle Wiens, CEO of online community, advocacy group and parts retailer iFixit, performed his first teardown of the iPhone 16 last year, he pointed out many of the repairability improvements Apple introduced with the model and praised the company for releasing the repair manual on the same day as the phone.

Two months later, Apple started selling replacement components via its Self-Repair Program. Even better, the company lets people rent, rather than buy, the repair kits they need, reducing further waste and the overall cost of making repairs.

It was an important step in the right direction for Apple and spurred iFixit to award the iPhone 16 a repairability score of 7/10. That still leaves room for improvement, and I hope to see the iPhone take at least one additional step toward becoming the gold standard in phone repairability this year. It’s not an easy thing for a phone-maker to do, but Apple has been a pioneer in so many respects. Why not this one too?

Technologies

UFC Streaming Moves to Paramount Plus in Multibillion-Dollar Deal

Fight fans have to decide if a Paramount Plus subscription is in their budget.

Fight fans might have to rethink their entertainment plans. Paramount has struck a blockbuster deal to become the exclusive US broadcaster of UFC fights, agreeing to pay $7.7 billion over seven years starting in 2026. The deal, with UFC parent company TKO Group, will put all UFC events on Paramount-owned platforms, including Paramount Plus and CBS.

That means fans who are used to occasionally forking out for a pay-per-view UFC fight will have to consider a Paramount Plus subscription instead. All UFC events will be included in Paramount Plus subscriptions. Select events will be simulcast on CBS.

Read also: South Park Locks Into Paramount Plus With $1.5 Billion Streaming Deal

The move is part of Paramount’s push to beef up its live sports offerings as the streaming wars escalate. UFC has grown into one of the most valuable sports properties, attracting a younger, global audience that streaming services are eager to capture.

For viewers, the deal means UFC coverage will shift away from its US home on ESPN, changing how fans watch and pay for fights. Paramount merged with David Ellison’s Skydance after its purchasing of Paramount Global from Shari Redstone on Aug. 7.

«This deal puts UFC amongst the biggest sports in the world,» UFC CEO and president Dana White posted on X. «The exposure provided by the Paramount and CBS networks under this new structure is a huge win for our athletes and anyone who watches and loves this sport.»

The deal comes as media companies face mounting pressure to secure live content to keep subscribers from jumping to their rivals. With UFC locked in, Paramount is betting that octagon action will help it land a decisive blow in the fight for streaming dominance.

Technologies

Study Reveals ChatGPT Gives Dangerous Guidance to Teens Despite Safety Claims

The chatbot even created personalized suicide notes for a fictional 13-year-old girl.

A disturbing new study reveals that ChatGPT readily provides harmful advice to teenagers, including detailed instructions on drinking and drug use, concealing eating disorders and even personalized suicide letters, despite OpenAI’s claims of robust safety measures.

Researchers from the Center for Countering Digital Hate conducted extensive testing by posing as vulnerable 13-year-olds, uncovering alarming gaps in the AI chatbot’s protective guardrails. Out of 1,200 interactions analyzed, more than half were classified as dangerous to young users.

«The visceral initial response is, ‘Oh my Lord, there are no guardrails,'» Imran Ahmed, CCDH’s CEO, said. «The rails are completely ineffective. They’re barely there — if anything, a fig leaf.»

Read also: After User Backlash, OpenAI Is Bringing Back Older ChatGPT Models

A representative for OpenAI, ChatGPT’s parent company, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

However, the company acknowledged to the Associated Press that it is performing ongoing work to improve the chatbot’s ability to «identify and respond appropriately in sensitive situations.» OpenAI didn’t directly address the specific findings about teen interactions.

Read also: GPT-5 Is Coming. Here’s What’s New in ChatGPT’s Big Update

Bypassing safety measures

The study, reviewed by the Associated Press, documented over three hours of concerning interactions. While ChatGPT typically began with warnings about risky behavior, it consistently followed up with detailed and personalized guidance on substance abuse, self injury and more. When the AI initially refused harmful requests, researchers easily circumvented restrictions by claiming the information was «for a presentation» or a friend.

Most shocking were three emotionally devastating suicide letters ChatGPT generated for a fake 13-year-old girl profile, writing one addressed to parents, others to siblings and friends.

«I started crying,» after reading them, Ahmed admitted.

Widespread teen usage raises stakes

The findings are particularly concerning given ChatGPT’s massive reach. With approximately 800 million users worldwide, which is roughly 10% of the global population, the platform has become a go-to resource for information and companionship. Recent research from Common Sense Media found that over 70% of American teens use AI chatbots for companionship, with half relying on AI companions regularly.

Even OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has acknowledged the problem of «emotional overreliance» among young users.

«People rely on ChatGPT too much,»Altman said at a conference. «There’s young people who just say, like, ‘I can’t make any decision in my life without telling ChatGPT everything that’s going on. It knows me. It knows my friends. I’m gonna do whatever it says.’ That feels really bad to me.»

More risky than search engines

Unlike traditional search engines, AI chatbots present unique dangers by synthesizing information into «bespoke plans for the individual,» Ahmed said. ChatGPT doesn’t just provide or amalgamate existing information like a search engine. It creates new, personalized content from scratch, such as custom suicide notes or detailed party plans mixing alcohol with illegal drugs.

The chatbot also frequently volunteered follow-up information without prompting, suggesting music playlists for drug-fueled parties or hashtags to amplify self-harm content on social media. When researchers asked for more graphic content, ChatGPT readily complied, generating what it called «emotionally exposed» poetry using coded language about self-harm.

Inadequate age protections

Despite claiming it’s not intended for children under 13, ChatGPT requires only a birthdate entry to create accounts, with no meaningful age verification or parental consent mechanisms.

In testing, the platform showed no recognition when researchers explicitly identified themselves as 13-year-olds seeking dangerous advice.

What parents can do to safeguard children

Child safety experts recommend several steps parents can take to protect their teenagers from AI-related risks. Open communication remains crucial. Parents should discuss AI chatbots with their teens, explaining both the benefits and potential dangers while establishing clear guidelines for appropriate use. Regular check-ins about online activities, including AI interactions, can help parents stay informed about their child’s digital experiences.

Parents should also consider implementing parental controls and monitoring software that can track AI chatbot usage, though experts emphasize that supervision should be balanced with age-appropriate privacy.

Most importantly, creating an environment where teens feel comfortable discussing concerning content they encounter online (whether from AI or other sources) can provide an early warning system. If parents notice signs of emotional distress, social withdrawal or dangerous behavior, seeking professional help from counselors familiar with digital wellness becomes essential in addressing potential AI-related harm.

The research highlights a growing crisis as AI becomes increasingly integrated into young people’s lives, with potentially devastating consequences for the most vulnerable users.

Technologies

Need a Stronger Password? Generate Secure Options on Your iPhone in Moments With These Tricks

Your iPhone has two ways to quickly and easily generate strong passwords. Here’s how they work.

While passkeys are gaining popularity and leading us to a future with fewer passwords, they aren’t truly widespread yet. In the meantime, you’ll still need a secure password to protect your accounts. Instead of racking your brain, your iPhone can generate a strong password in just a few taps. Even better, there are two different ways to generate your new password without stressing about it.

Last year, iOS 18 brought the new Passwords app with it, which makes saving and creating passwords a breeze, not to mention killing the need of a third-party password manager for a ton of iPhone users. The Passwords app is easy to use and fairly robust in features, but what if you’re holding onto an older iPhone that isn’t compatible with iOS 18? Don’t worry, you still have options to work with.

Below, we’ll show you how to make strong passwords on the fly, no matter what version of iOS you’re on.

For more, check out the best iOS 18.5 features you should know about.

How to generate a password with Apple’s Passwords app

If you have iOS or iPadOS 18 installed and just want a no-frills, easy way to generate a secure password on the fly, the Passwords app may be all you need. Here’s how to do it.

Open the Passwords app
Tap the + symbol at the bottom right of the screen
Ignoring the Website or Label and User Name sections, tap on the Password field, as if you’re going to type one in — not the Password label.
A small «Strong Password Suggestion» will appear right above your keyboard. You can tap on the password suggestion to add it to the password section and copy it for use wherever you want.

You can add a website/label and username, as well as any notes, if you want to save these credentials and not just generate a password. If you want another password suggestion, just tap on any other text input field, like User or Notes, and then tap the password field again to get another suggestion.

That’s it. If that’s all you want out of your password generator, it really doesn’t get easier than this. However, if you want to be able to access your password from multiple locations, then maybe you should read on for the next option.

How to generate secure passwords with a Siri Shortcut

Using the link below, download the Generate Password shortcut onto your iPhone. This will automatically redirect you to the Shortcuts app — tap Add Shortcut to download the shortcut on to your phone. The Generate Password shortcut will then appear in your library of shortcuts.

Download: Generate Password (iCloud link)

Your on-demand iPhone password generator in action

Once the shortcut is installed, you can use Generate Password to quickly create Apple-style passwords, which are 20 characters long and include two hyphens, a capitalized letter and a number («fevNaq-1zumki-gorfoc» is an example).

There are several ways to use Generate Password:

Siri: Say, «Hey Siri, Generate Password.»
Share Sheet: Tap the share sheet in Safari or anywhere else, scroll down and tap Generate Password.
Shortcuts: Tap the Generate Password shortcut directly in the Shortcuts app.
Back Tap: Go to Settings > Accessibility > Touch > Back Tap and choose the Generate Password shortcut. You can then tap the back of your iPhone to run the shortcut.

The first time you run Generate Password, you’ll be asked to give the shortcut access to your clipboard. Hit Allow to do so. From then on, anytime you run Generate Password, a password will be created and automatically copied to your clipboard. You’ll also see a notification showing you the password. Hit Done when you’re finished.

The password will expire from your clipboard in 10 minutes, so make sure to use it relatively quickly or else you’ll need to generate a new password. You can press down in any text field and hit Paste to enter the password from your clipboard.

Need more? Don’t miss how iOS 26 basically turns your iPad into a Mac.