Blue Origin rocket explodes on launchpad, Samsung Galaxy Z Fold Wide leaked
A Blue Origin rocket has exploded in a fireball during a late-night launchpad test – shaking nearby homes. Officials say no one was injured and that there is no threat to the public following the “anomaly” at Cape Canaveral in Florida, with Blue Origin founder Jeff Bezos admitting it was a “very rough day”. Mr Bezos said it was too early to know the cause of the explosion, but insisted “we’re already working to find it”. The incident, which occurred around 9pm ET on Thursday (2am UK time on Friday), is a huge setback in the company’s ambitions to narrow the gap with Elon Musk‘s SpaceX. Sky News
For the first time, BMW will use humanoid robots for car manufacturing in Europe. Two robots, made by Hexagon Robotics, are planned to work in production from the summer. They’re currently in a test deployment at the Leipzig factory. “This will be the future of automotive production,” says Michael Nikolaides, head of process management and digitalisation at BMW. Robot arms and other automation have been used by the car industry for decades. BBC
Samsung’s rumored wide-screen foldable smartphone, widely referred to as the Galaxy Z Fold Wide, is expected to debut in July. The device has already surfaced in multiple leaks, revealing its design and key specifications. Now, a hands-on video showcasing a dummy unit of the Galaxy Z Fold Wide has appeared online, courtesy of Sonny Dickson.
In the leaked video, the alleged Samsung foldable dummy is shown in a white finish. While dummy units may not perfectly reflect the actual product, the device appears slim. GSM Arena
The OnePlus 16 is expected to launch in Q4 2026 as the company’s next flagship smartphone. OnePlus has yet to confirm official details about the OnePlus 16. However, new leaks have surfaced, revealing a few alleged specifications of the device. The OnePlus 16 was previously tipped to feature a display with up to a 240Hz refresh rate. According to Smart Pikachu on Weibo, the device is more likely to feature a 185Hz refresh rate than a 240Hz refresh rate. The new leak also suggests narrow display bezels and a 200MP periscope telephoto camera with 3X optical zoom. Notebook Check
An AI facial recognition tool that aims to detect adult migrants posing as children will be deployed at the UK’s borders next year. A software company has been awarded a contract to develop and test the technology, which will estimate a person’s age by analysing photographs of them taken at the border. The Home Office says the technology will make it easier to identify adult migrants “attempting to game the system”, after initial testing indicated “promising performance and accuracy”. BBC
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 has been officially unveiled by Microsoft, with Infinity Ward taking the reins for a new franchise entry for Switch 2, PS5, Series X/S and PC, set in a future conflict between North and South Korea. The game is split between a campaign mode featuring Captain Price and new character Private Park, the DMZ multiplayer extraction shooter mode (now with dynamic weather), and traditional multiplayer. Thankfully, an Activision representative confirmed to us that the campaign is a single-player only experience, following the widely-panned “built for co-op” campaign in Black Ops 7. Digital Foundry
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