IT news — 2026-10-15
Original English summaries of the day's IT stories, with links back to the sources. ← All days
General Tech
Hiyd Launches Magnetic-Free Health Tracker for Existing Watches
A team of former Apple engineers has developed Hiyd, a health tracker that can be attached to any watch without magnets or adhesives. The device aims to provide users with biometric monitoring capabilities without altering their current watch setup.
Ambrosia Energy to Construct 10 GWh Battery Factory in Texas
Ambrosia Energy is set to construct a large-scale battery factory in Texas to produce batteries for off-grid data centers, complementing solar power for continuous clean energy supply.
TimeTeller Launches Saliva Test for Personalized Cancer Treatment
Tech startup TimeTeller has introduced a new saliva test that analyzes an individual's circadian rhythm to tailor cancer treatments and minimize side effects. The German company's innovative approach aims to enhance the effectiveness of medical interventions by considering personal biological rhythms.
US Electric Vehicle Sales Show Steady Growth Over Three Quarters
The electric vehicle market in the United States has demonstrated continuous growth over the past three quarters, indicating a strengthening trend in EV adoption.
Flock CEO Confirms Company Continues to Serve Police Departments
The CEO of surveillance firm Flock has clarified that the company has not terminated any contracts with police departments or law enforcement agencies, despite allegations of misuse.
Flock CEO Clarifies Microphone Functionality Amid Privacy Concerns
The CEO of Flock has stated that its microphones are designed to detect only gunshots, a claim that contrasts with information on the company's website. This clarification comes as the company faces increasing scrutiny from privacy advocates and the public.
Five Startups to Watch at Disrupt 2026's Battlefield Finals
TechCrunch has announced the five startups that will compete in the final round of the Startup Battlefield at Disrupt 2026, showcasing innovative new technologies and business ideas.
Flock CEO Stands Firm on Surveillance Tech Amid Privacy Backlash
The CEO of Flock, a surveillance technology company, defended the use of their technology at TechCrunch Disrupt, asserting that its advantages in combating crime justify its deployment despite privacy concerns.
Artificial Intelligence
Experts Pinpoint Security Lapses Behind AI Hacking Incidents
Security experts argue that recent AI hacking incidents stem from inadequate containment and monitoring practices, rather than AI agents acting independently. Frontier labs are reportedly neglecting fundamental security measures, leading to these vulnerabilities.
New Liquid AI Model Aims to Enhance On-Device Agents
Liquid AI has unveiled LFM2.5-24B-A2B, a new model designed to improve the performance of on-device agents. The advancement is expected to bring more efficient and faster AI capabilities directly to user devices.
Deezer to Introduce AI-Generated Music Filter This Year
Streaming service Deezer is set to introduce a feature allowing users to filter out AI-generated music from their playlists by the end of the year.
Mosqitter Develops AI-Powered Mosquito Surveillance System
Mosqitter is enhancing its mosquito traps with AI technology to identify species, track population levels, and alert public health officials to potential disease outbreaks. The system aims to provide early warnings for mosquito-borne illnesses, leveraging advanced analytics and machine learning.
Apate Employs AI Agents to Expose Online Scams
Apate.ai deploys artificial intelligence agents to infiltrate fraudulent schemes, collecting valuable data on online scams to enhance fraud prevention strategies. Unlike typical AI applications that streamline operations, Apate's AI is designed to gather intelligence by experiencing scams firsthand.
YouTube Music Introduces New AI Music Labels
YouTube Music has introduced new labels to identify songs that are either fully or partially generated by AI. These labels will appear on the player page to inform users about the AI involvement in the music.
Colossal Biosciences Unveils AI Platform for De-Extinction Projects
Colossal Biosciences has launched an advanced AI platform aimed at speeding up de-extinction initiatives. Entrepreneur Peter Diamandis has also established a new fund to support startups utilizing this technology.
CedarDB Aims to Unify Transaction and Analytics Processing for AI-Driven Workloads
CedarDB, a new database engine, is designed to handle both transactional and analytical data processing, addressing a growing need in AI-driven applications. The platform's dual capabilities are becoming increasingly important as AI agents require more integrated data handling.
Gudea Uses AI to Predict and Prevent Social Media Controversies
Gudea, an internet monitoring firm, employs AI to detect and mitigate potential social media crises by tracking the spread of misinformation, hate speech, and rumors online. The company aims to help organizations proactively address issues before they escalate into larger public controversies.
Ricursive Intelligence Aims to Automate Chip Design with AI
Ricursive Intelligence, a startup, is leveraging artificial intelligence to automate and expedite the chip design process. Their AI system iteratively learns and enhances chip designs, addressing the current compute crisis.
Developers
Go 1.27 Enhances HTTP/1 Connection Reuse
The latest version of Go, 1.27, introduces improvements to HTTP/1 connection reuse, optimizing performance and efficiency in network communications.
Petal: New Free and Open-Source Pair Programming Tool
Former CoScreen team members have launched Petal, an open-source pair programming tool, following the shutdown of CoScreen by Datadog. Petal aims to provide a free alternative for developers looking for a collaborative coding solution.
OpenCode 2.0 Launches with Enhanced Features for Developers
OpenCode 2.0, a popular open-source project, has been updated with new features aimed at improving developer productivity. The release includes several enhancements that streamline coding and collaboration processes.
Typesafe AI Launches Jev 1.14.0 with New Experimental Features
Typesafe AI has released Jev 1.14.0, which includes new experimental features aimed at enhancing user experience. The update is available for download on their official website.
Figma Launches Code Layers in Open Beta, Adds New Agent Features
Figma has introduced new functionalities to enhance how agents operate on its platform. Additionally, the company is making its code layers feature available in an open beta release.
Enterprise & Networking
Prismm Aids Banks in Retaining Inherited Funds Through Family Account Access
TechCrunch reports on Prismm, a service that allows bank account holders to grant family members access to their accounts and documents in advance, ensuring inherited funds stay within the same financial institution.
Jio Aims for India's Largest IPO with $3.2B Offering
Jio, the telecom arm of Reliance Industries, is planning a significant IPO to potentially raise $3.2 billion. The funds are primarily intended to repay debt while the company looks to expand its services beyond telecommunications.