Blogroll

Social media bans for kids are quickly becoming the global legislation trend of the moment.

Children under 16 are finding themselves at the center of political conversations, with countries including Australia, the UK, Canada, Brazil, Austria, and Indonesia, and more attempting to wrangle Big Tech companies' hold on young people's attention.

SEE ALSO: Australia's kid social media ban is ineffective, study suggests

Online age verification laws are taking shape by the month, with governments citing the need to address issues including child sexual exploitation, cyberbullying, self-harm, and the impact on kids' mental health, as well as "addictive" design, violent content, and porn. However, these laws have also come under severe criticism for efficiency and their impact on digital privacy and free speech.

Plus, kids are already finding ways around them.

So, where are we at, globally? Which countries have followed Australia's example and are rolling out their own social media bans? Here's the list, alphabetically, and incidentally starting with the one who started it all.

Australia

The first to do it, Australia set a global precedent in Dec. 2025 with its world-first social media ban for children under 16. The Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Act requires social media platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, X, and Snapchat to implement age verification and take "reasonable steps" to prevent kids under 16 from creating accounts. However, a July 2026 study by Australian government advisors found the ban so far ineffective.

Plus, Reddit is suing.

Austria

Following in Australia's footsteps with fewer letters, in March 2026, Austria announced a bill to ban social media use for children under 14. With a draft planned for completion by summer, Austria's legislation would also add a new compulsory subject, "Media and Democracy," to school curriculums to boost awareness of "how to recognise disinformation and radicalisation."

Brazil

Brazil's social media ban, the Digital Statute of Children and Adolescents, came into force in March 2026. The law requires kids under 16 to link their social media accounts with a legal guardian, and tech platforms must add age verification for users wanting to access adult content. It also means social media platforms must limit "features designed to artificially increase, sustain, or extend" time kids spend on the platforms, including automatically playing videos.

Canada

Canada is set to ban users under 16 from holding social media accounts, with a proposed law announced by the Canadian government on June 11, 2026. The Safe Social Media Act will enforce age verification to access online services and legally mandated safety requirements for social media platforms like TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram. But Canadian law will also apply to companies that use AI chatbots such as ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude.

Denmark

Denmark is planning a social media ban for kids under 15, announced back on Oct. 8, 2025, by the country's prime minister, Mette Frederiksen. According to the Associated Press, the law could arrive in 2026, but there's no date or details yet. Reports also suggest parents could allow their children to use social media from the age of 13.

Featured Video For You Is ChatGPT Changing the Way We Write? European Union

This is a big one. An EU-wide social media ban for kids under 13 and limited use for kids under 15 is coming. After a special EU-commissioned report and plans were revealed on July 13, the European Commission proposed the EU KIDS Act on Sept. 17, 2026, to "enhance the online safety of children." But it won't just be social media that's impacted, with video-sharing platforms, online gaming, AI chatbots or companions, and even app stores targeted by the law. Age verification will be required via the EU age verification app or third-party platforms.

If passed, all 27 member states of the EU will be included in the bill, from Austria to Sweden.

France

France is ready to approve its social media ban for kids under 15, with the government reaching a compromise on the bill on July 20, 2026. Once it's through, France will be the first European country to officially enact such a ban. According to Le Monde, the social media ban will block under-15s from creating new accounts as of Sept. 1, and in Jan. 2027, all existing accounts will come under the law.

Germany

Germany hasn't yet rolled out a social media ban, but the government is considering it.

Greece

Greece plans to ban social media for kids under 15, with Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announcing the proposed law on April 8, 2026. In a TikTok video, translated by the BBC, Mitsotakis cited sleep issues and anxiety in children caused by "the pressure to always be online," and he criticized "the addictive design of certain applications." If passed, the measure will take effect on Jan. 1, 2027, and the PM said age verification is also needed.

Indonesia

Indonesia announced it would ban social media for children under 16 on March 6, 2026. As reported by the BBC, the country's minister of communication and digital affairs, Meutya Hafid, said anyone under 16 with an account on a "high risk" online platform would see it deactivated by the end of March, naming "YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, X, Bigo Live, and Roblox."

Malaysia

Malaysia has banned social media for under-16s, with communications minister Fahmi Fadzil announcing the Online Safety Act 2025 (ONSA) in Nov. 2025. The law came into force on Jan. 1, 2026, but it really got started on June 1, 2026. As NBC News reports, requires social media companies to add age verification and to prohibit kids under 16 from creating accounts on platforms with at least 8 million users (that means YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook). The law also requires social media companies "to limit features that increase, sustain, or extend" kids' online time.

New Zealand

New Zealand's government introduced the Online Safety (Minimum Age and Child Safety Risk Assessment) Bill to parliament on Aug. 24. Announced by Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, the bill would prevent children under 16 from accessing social media platforms and AI companions, and will "put greater responsibilities" on tech companies to protect children online. The Online Safety Bill will need to be passed into law by parliament, after which platforms will have six months to comply.

Poland

Poland is looking to ban kids under 15 from social media, with Education Minister Barbara Nowacka announcing plans on Feb. 26, 2026. Yes, that would mean age verification on social media sites and big fines for companies not enforcing them.

Slovenia

Slovenia is set to ban social media access for kids under 15, with draft legislation announced by Deputy Prime Minister Matej Arčon on Feb. 5, 2026.

Spain

Spain announced plans to ban social media for children under 16 on Feb. 3, 2026, with the country's prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, promising to "protect them from the digital Wild West." The proposed bill, which still needs to be passed by parliament, will hold social media companies (including their executives) liable for "illegal or harmful content" existing on their platforms. "We will turn algorithmic manipulation and amplification of illegal content into a new criminal offence,” Sánchez said at the World Governments Summit in Dubai in February.

Thailand

Thailand hasn't announced a social media ban yet, but there's a lot of discussion about it.

Turkey

Turkey passed a bill on April 23, 2026, that blocks kids under 15 from accessing social media platforms. According to the Associated Press, which cited state media reports, the law will require age verification on social media, rapid responses by companies to "harmful" content, and expanded parental controls.

United Kingdom

The UK confirmed an impending social media ban for under-16s on June 15, 2026, following the rollout of age verification in the country in July 2025 (it's kind of working?). The government explicitly said it "plans to use the same model for a social media ban as Australia," with the intention of broadening the law to cover other platforms, including livestreaming and gaming sites.

The UK is also considering overnight curfews for teens aged 16 and 17 and blocking infinite-scroll mechanisms for kids.

This story is developing and will be updated as laws are proposed and passed.

The latest social media ban for kids? All 27 countries in the European Union.

Announced Thursday after plans revealed in July, the proposed EU KIDS Act will "enhance the online safety of children," banning kids in the EU under 15 from setting up their own accounts on social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat.

Children under 15 will be allowed "mini" social media accounts set up by a parent or guardian (with parental controls always on), but will be limited to a maximum of one hour per day. Kids under 13, however, won't be allowed social media accounts at all. The European Commission, the EU's executive body, described these measures as intended to "delay" kids' use of these platforms.

SEE ALSO: Which countries have banned social media for kids?

The bill won't just cover social media, however, with video-sharing platforms, online gaming, AI chatbots or companions, and even app stores targeted by the law. If passed, all 27 member states of the EU will be included in the bill, from Austria to Sweden, with the EU stating, "The internet does not stop at borders. Countries are adopting their own age limits and rules, which would mean a patchwork of laws: a child protected in one country and not in the next."

Like Australia's precedent-setting social media ban and subsequent moves in other countries, the EU KIDS Act will also require tech companies to "show that their services are age-appropriate and safe by design," enforcing strict rules that will limit "addictive design features" like infinite scrolling and banning minors from livestreaming.

Online platforms with 45 million or more actively monthly users in the EU will need to submit a compliance plan to the Commission. Fines for companies who don't comply could be as much as six percent of worldwide annual revenue.

Importantly, age verification will be required for online platforms via the EU age verification app or third-party platforms. Online age verification laws have become a worldwide government trend alongside these online safety acts, while coming under criticism for efficiency and their impact on digital privacy and free speech.

Featured Video For You Is ChatGPT Changing the Way We Write?

Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, said in a press statement, "Today, our children are engaging with the most sophisticated technologies ever created. Technology that was never created with their wellbeing in mind. Our KIDS Act is reversing the burden of proof — it is for platforms to show they are safe by design. And we put parents back in the driving seat, giving them the tools to help their children navigate a safer online world.”

The EU KIDS Act will work within the framework of the EU's existing Digital Services Act and AI Act, the former of which has already done a number on big tech companies like Meta and Google. The proposed bill was informed by a panel of over 60 experts, who delivered a report in July 2026 detailing the need for greater protections for children online, not just on social media platforms but online gaming, messaging apps, and AI tools.

Children under 16 continue to find themselves at the centre of political conversations around social media, with countries including Australia, the UK, Canada, Brazil, New Zealand, and more aiming to reduce Big Tech companies' hold on young people's attention. For more, read Mashable's guide to the countries where social media is banned for kids.

Want more tech and digital culture news delivered to your inbox daily or sent straight to your device? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories newsletter or get Mashable push alerts.

TL;DR: The Pokémon TCG First Partner Illustration Collection Series 1 is on sale for $70.84 at Amazon, following a 10% price drop from its $78.95 list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: The Pokémon Company Pokémon TCG First Partner Illustration Collection Series 1 $70.84 at Amazon
$78.95 Save $8.11   Get Deal

Out of the three First Partner Illustration Collections that Pokémon has dropped, Series 1 is by far the most valuable (due to the highly sought Gen-1 starter SIRs). So — just like with the 30th Celebration expansion — we recommended checking out Amazon to get this surprise deal while stocks last. 

As of Sept. 17, the Pokémon TCG First Partner Illustration Collection Series 1 is $70.84 on Amazon from third-party seller Collectors Expedition, representing a 10% discount. With $8.11 off its list price of $78.95, that’s the lowest price we’ve seen since March this year. Deals like this will likely become increasingly rare, given how obscure the Series 1 stock has become since its launch. 

Series 1 is particularly geared towards anyone whose favorite starter lineups come from Kanto, Sinnoh, or Alola. Inside is one special booster containing three randomly selected trading cards from a pool of nine illustration rare-style promos, each pack covering the first partner Pokémon from those three regions. 

SEE ALSO: The Pokémon TCG 30th Celebration ETB is way under market price on Amazon — buy for under $90 (if you get an invite)

To be clear, one box won't hand you all nine promos, so completing the set means opening multiple collections or trading for the starters you don't pull.

There is more than just the promo pack inside. Series 1 includes two standard Pokémon TCG booster packs — one Mega Evolution and one Phantasmal Flames — alongside a sticker sheet featuring first partner Pokémon.

TCGplayer offers an even lower price — with listings now as low as $66.99. Meanwhile, Walmart has gone even lower at $62.91, undercutting TCGplayer’s estimated market price of $64.37 for the box. 

That said, if it’s only the promo cards you’re trying to buy (like Charmander, Bulbasaur, and Squirtle), you can pick up any single Partner Illustration Collection card right now at TCGplayer. 

3D printing and Android are typically not things that go together. The best software is available for desktop computers, and that’s where I do 99% of my modeling and printing. However, there are a small handful of 3D printing Android apps that I like to keep on my phone for various purposes.

TL;DR: The Pokémon TCG: 30th Celebration Elite Trainer Box is on sale for $83.44 at Amazon, down from its $89.99 list price — provided your invite request is accepted.

Opens in a new window Credit: The Pokémon Company Pokémon TCG 30th Celebration Elite Trainer Box $83.44 at Amazon
$89.99 Save $6.55   Pre-order Here

The Pokémon TCG’s 30th anniversary expansion finally arrives on Sept. 16, but there’s still time to get the Elite Trainer Box below list price before release. Amazon has knocked a few more dollars off its already competitive preorder price, although actually buying something still depends on getting through the retailer’s invite system. 

As of Sept. 15, the Pokémon TCG 30th Celebration Elite Trainer Box is $83.44 at Amazon, taking $6.55 off its $89.99 list price for a 7% saving. It’s shipped and sold directly by Amazon, with the retailer even applying its preorder price guarantee, which means you could save more if the price drops again during this final presale window. 

That makes today the final chance to secure the box at Amazon’s preorder rate before the 30th Celebration releases in the trading card market. This is essentially a second price drop, since its current list price matches its previous sale price after being reduced from $200+ last week, and it is far lower than its current TCGplayer market price of $168.03.

There is still no guarantee you’ll actually get one, however. Because this is a high-demand item, Amazon requires potential buyers to submit an invitation request via its "request invite" button rather than checking out normally. 

Mashable Deals Be the first to know! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Loading... Sign Me Up By signing up, you agree to receive recurring automated SMS marketing messages from Mashable Deals at the number provided. Msg and data rates may apply. Up to 2 messages/day. Reply STOP to opt out, HELP for help. Consent is not a condition of purchase. See our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Thanks for signing up!

If you are randomly selected, you’ll then get an email letting you know that you’re now able to buy Pokémon’s 30th Celebration ETB for a limited time (usually 24 hours). Amazon won’t be able to grant every request, but yours will be kept registered for the foreseeable future, so you could get an invitation after a potential restock, too. 

Inside the Elite Trainer Box are nine titular Pokémon 30th Celebration boosters, a full-art foil Nidorina promo, 16 foil Basic Energy cards, 65 sleeves, dice, a coin, dividers, a player’s guide, and a Pokémon TCG Live code. 

If your priority is just getting one of these boxes right now rather than the cheapest deal possible, Pokémon’s 30th Celebration ETBs are readily available to buy right now for $167.94 at TCGplayer — much more expensive than Amazon, but still under market price. If there are any chase cards you’re after from this special anniversary expansion, including the $1,800 Mew ex, single Pokémon 30th Celebration cards are also available to preorder at TCGplayer. 

Xteink has quickly become a popular brand for low-cost tiny eReaders. The most recent model has caused quite a stir in the community, with a lot of people upset about two specific design choices. In fact, neither of them really matters that much.

SAVE $400: As of Sept. 17, the Dreame Matrix10 Ultra robot vacuum and mop is down to its lowest-ever price of $1,399.99 at Amazon. That's $400 off for Prime members.

Opens in a new window Credit: Dreame Dreame Matrix10 Ultra Robot Vacuum $1,399.99 at Amazon
$1,799.99 Save $400   Get Deal

It's official: Amazon's October Prime Day event, Prime Big Deal Days, is returning this year on Oct. 6-7. If you're a Prime member who can't wait to shop the sale, the good news is you actually don't have to. The retailer already has some early deals live for members that are worth checking out, including a big price cut on the Dreame Matrix10 Ultra robot vacuum and mop.

As of Sept. 17, the Dreame Matrix10 Ultra has dropped from $1,799.99 to $1,399.99, saving you $400 in total and marking its lowest-ever price at the retailer. This is an exclusive Prime member price. If you're curious about becoming a member ahead of Prime Big Deal Days, check out our breakdown of how to sign up for more information.

SEE ALSO: We found 20 October Prime Day deals already live: Save on Fire tablets, Legos, Garmin, and members-only freebies

The Dreame Matrix10 Ultra, released just last year, is a premium cleaner that offers both vacuuming and mopping capabilities. It's 30,000Pa Vormax suction, and the HyperStream detangling DuoBrush helps clear dust, hair, and debris from your surfaces, while its Multi-Mop Switching Dock can auto-select the right mop for each area of your home when scrubbing the floors. This helps prevent cross-contamination to get a deeper clean.

This robot vacuum can also avoid obstacles thanks to smart OmniSight tech and can even conquer steps up to 3.15 inches with its dual retractable legs. Mashable's Leah Stodart experienced the latter with a different model and wrote that its "use case felt quite limited," but it "could be helpful if your floors have any height changes, or if you need a robot vacuum to cross sliding door tracks."

If the Dreame Matrix10 Ultra sounds like the perfect fit to help keep your home clean this fall, don't miss out on this Prime exclusive deal at Amazon.

Want to learn more about getting the best out of your tech? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories and Deals newsletters today.

SAVE $180: As of Sept 17, the Beats Studio Pro are on sale for $169.95 at Amazon. That's a 51% discount on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Beats Beats Studio Pro $169.95 at Amazon
$349.99 Save $180.04   Get Deal

Been thinking about upgrading your headphones? The Beats Studio Pro are back on sale at Amazon, with several colors included in the discount.

As of Sept. 17, they are down to $169.95, giving you 51% off the list price and a total saving of $180. Colors included in the deal are black, deep brown, sand gray, and navy.

SEE ALSO: The 13 best headphones of 2026: We tested the top contenders from Sony, Apple, Bose, and Beats

These headphones are ideal for both audio input and output, thanks to their voice-focused microphones that help reduce background noise. They also support lossless audio over USB-C and come with three sound profiles (Beats Signature, Entertainment, and Conversation), so you can tweak how your music sounds. You also get adaptive Active Noise Canceling and Transparency modes, making it easy to either tune out your surroundings or stay aware of what's happening around you.

Battery life is solid, with Beats saying you'll get up to 40 hours on a full charge. And if you're running low, a quick 10-minute Fast Fuel charge can give you up to four hours of playback.

This is a limited-time deal at Amazon, so don't miss out.

It's been two years since Rachael "Raygun" Gunn went viral at the 2024 Olympics for Breaking performance. Gunn described the reaction — which was a combination of jokes and hate at the time, online and off — as "pretty devastating", but in the Tonight Show interview above she describes the whole experience as "surreal".

Speaking to host Jimmy Fallon — who ran a skit about Raygun at the time — Gunn responds to various theories the internet had about her qualification and performance at the time, before speaking about her Netflix documentary Untold Raygun: Breaking Badly and sharing a spoon of Vegemite with a less than enthusiastic Fallon.

Want more of the best of late night? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories newsletter.

Want more film and TV news and reviews delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for Mashable’s Top Stories newsletter or get Mashable push alerts.

SAVE $30: As of Sept. 17, the Apple Pencil Pro is on sale for $99 at Amazon. That's a 23% discount on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple Pencil Pro $99 at Amazon
$129 Save $30   Get Deal

The Apple Pencil Pro is a great way to get the most out of your iPad. It has a handful of useful features you won't find in other Apple Pencil editions, including squeeze controls, haptic feedback, and Find My support. And as of Sept. 17, it's on sale at Amazon for $30 off the list price. This brings the cost down to $99.

This Apple Pencil is designed to do a lot. You can use it for drawing, sketching, note-taking, or even as an easy way to mark up documents. It has plenty of tools, including tilt and pressure sensitivity and low latency. Squeeze and barrel roll gestures let you access these tools easily and even change brushes and adjust strokes. Haptic feedback also lets you feel shapes snap into place, giving you a real-life feel. Apple Pencil hover also lets you preview your mark before making it.

The Pro doesn't require cables or a complicated setup. It attaches magnetically to your iPad for wireless pairing and charging. And you can now use Find My to locate it if it goes missing.

Apple says this stylus is compatible with the iPad Pro 11-inch and 13-inch (M4 and M5), iPad Air 11-inch and 13-inch (M2, M3, and M4), and iPad mini (A17 Pro).

Get this deal on the Apple Pencil Pro at Amazon now.

SAVE $50: As of Sept. 17, the RayNeo Air 3s Pro glasses are on sale for $249 at Amazon. Claim the discount by clipping the on-page coupon.

Opens in a new window Credit: RayNeo RayNeo Air 3s Pro $249 at Amazon
$299 Save $50   Get Deal

The RayNeo Air 3s Pro are smart glasses with a built-in display, letting you watch movies, play games, and browse content on a giant virtual screen without needing a TV or monitor. And right now, they're on sale at Amazon for less.

As of Sept. 17, Amazon has added a $50-off coupon to the listing. Just tick the orange coupon box below the price, and the discount will be applied at checkout. The price will magically drop from $299 to $249.

These smart AR glasses have 1,200-nit-to-eye brightness, HueView 2.0, a 5.5th-generation tandem Micro-OLED display, and 98% DCI-P3. That's a lot of stats to say that the display quality is seriously impressive.

They create a 201-inch virtual screen when viewed from 6m away, with six viewing modes for watching movies, gaming, and using apps. For longer viewing sessions, the glasses have TÜV SÜD Low Blue Light and Flicker-Free certifications, 3,840Hz high-frequency PWM dimming, and 20 levels of brightness control to keep your eyes comfortable.

If you're nearsighted or have astigmatism, these RayNeo glasses come with a prescription lens sample that you can take to a local optician to have compatible lenses made and fitted.

Get this deal on the RayNeo Air 3s Pro glasses at Amazon now.

SAVE $450: As of Sept. 17, the Apple iPad Air 11-inch (M2) is on sale for $799 at Amazon. That's a 36% discount on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple iPad Air 11-inch (M2) $799 at Amazon
$1,249 Save $450   Get Deal

The end of summer marks the beginning of a new season. Nope, not fall. We're talking about sales season.

In the lead-up to Christmas, several retail events, including Prime Day and Black Friday, offer savings on everything from new tech to household essentials. And the next big event on the calendar is Amazon's Big Deal Days, scheduled for early October. But early deals have already started popping up, like this latest price drop on the Apple iPad Air 11-inch (M2).

SEE ALSO: Amazon just cut the preorder price on the new Apple Watch Ultra 4 — save over $10

Normally priced at $1,249, this Apple iPad is now $799. That's a savings of $450, plus the best-ever price for this device according to camelcamelcamel. This price is for the 1TB option, and all colorways are included in the discount.

This iPad Air has an 11-inch Liquid Retina display and the M2 chip, delivering smooth performance and great graphics quality. The display supports P3 wide color, True Tone, and ultralow reflectivity, so everything will be bright and colorful.

It has a 12MP Ultra Wide front camera, with Center Stage, making it ideal for work calls and FaceTime chats. It also has a 12MP Wide rear camera that can record in 4K, so you can snap high-quality photos and videos.

Get this iPad deal from Amazon now.

TL;DR: Watch Celtic vs. Ferencváros in the Europa League for free on CazéTV. Access this free livestream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The Europa League isn't necessarily where Celtic would like to be. They have a greater chance of reaching the latter stages of this competition compared to the Champions League, but their dramatic exit at the hands of LASK would still have hurt.

Now Celtic look to bounce back and start their Europa League campaign with three points at home.

If you're interested in watching Celtic vs. Ferencváros in the Europa League from anywhere in the world, we've got all the information you need.

When is Celtic vs. Ferencváros?

Celtic vs. Ferencváros in the Europa League kicks off at 3 p.m. ET on Sept. 17. This fixture takes place at Celtic Park.

How to watch Celtic vs. Ferencváros for free

Celtic vs. Ferencváros in the Europa League is available to live stream for free on CazéTV.

CazéTV is geo-restricted to Brazil, but anyone can secure access with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Brazil, meaning you can live stream Celtic vs. Ferencváros for free from anywhere in the world.

Live stream Celtic vs. Ferencváros for free by following these simple steps:

1. Sign up for a streaming-friendly VPN (we recommend ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in Brazil

4. Visit CazéTV

5. Watch Celtic vs. Ferencváros for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.99 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but they do tend to offer generous money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch Celtic vs. Ferencváros without committing your cash. This is obviously not a long-term strategy, but it gives you enough time to stream this fixture (plus Premier League action) before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for Europa League?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on CazéTV, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries, including Brazil

• Easy-to-use app available on all major devices, including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection speeds free from throttling

• Up to 10 simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and usually offers a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99.

Live stream Celtic vs. Ferencváros for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

Resident Evil has gotten a bloody new reboot, adapting Capcom's popular horror game franchise for the big screen once more. This time, however, they're doing it a little differently.

Directed by Zach Cregger (Barbarian, Weapons), who co-wrote the film alongside Shay Hatten (John Wick: Chapter 4, Army of the Dead, Ballerina), the new Resident Evil shifts focus away from gunslinging action heroes such as Leon S. Kennedy and Jill Valentine. Instead, it takes a look at an ordinary person caught up in the horrific events that take place in Raccoon City.

SEE ALSO: 'Resident Evil' teaser is just as gory as you'd expect

Here's answers to everything you may want to know before you see Resident Evil, from whether there's a post-credit scene to whether the dog dies.

What's the plot of Resident Evil?

Resident Evil follows a medical courier named Bryan (Austin Abrams), who has been tasked with making a delivery to Raccoon City General Hospital. Unfortunately, Raccoon City is having a few issues on this particular night, to put it extremely mildly. As such, what should be an ordinary courier job quickly turns into a terrifying fight — or rather, flee — for survival.

If you want more specifics about exactly what you're in for, think zombies, crossed with monstrous eldritch abominations, crossed with body horror. Basically, Bryan is in for a phenomenally bad night.

Is Resident Evil (2026) connected to Resident Evil (2002)?

There have been seven previous live-action Resident Evil films, starting with 2002's Resident Evil starring Milla Jovovich. Fortunately, you don't have to have seen any of these movies to understand and enjoy 2026's Resident Evil. Aside from them all being based on the video game franchise, there is absolutely no connection between the older films and the new reboot.

Do I need to have played the Resident Evil games or watched the previous films?

Resident Evil works well as a standalone film, requiring no prior knowledge of previous movies or the horror game series on which it's based. It does include a few nods to its video game origins, particularly in how some scenes are shot, but you won't miss anything if you aren't familiar with the franchise.

The film does a good job of giving you all the information you need by itself, so you don't need to do any homework. In fact, you might even have a better time appreciating Resident Evil on its own rather than attempting to spot familiar elements.

What you do need to know is whether you can stomach graphic, gruesome body horror, and a gauntlet of terrible things happening.

Featured Video For You Say More: Danny Boyle reveals the tech and origins of '28 Years Later's most shocking moments Does Resident Evil have a post-credit scene?

Resident Evil seems like the perfect candidate for a post-credit scene. The movie is a reboot of a popular film series, based on a beloved video game franchise. A post-credit scene seems like the perfect place to slip in a reference to some of the franchise's beloved characters or extensive lore — or even hint at potential for a sequel.

Despite this, Resident Evil viewers don't have to worry about sticking around at the end of the film. Once the credits start rolling, that's it. Resident Evil doesn't have any extra end credit scenes or stingers, as much as fans might want one.

My kid loves the Resident Evil games. Should I take them to see it?

Whether you should take your child to see Resident Evil is technically up to you as their caregiver. However, the film is rated R in the US as it has strong bloody violence and gore. There's also some understandable swearing, though it pales in comparison to the extremely graphic body horror.

In sum, though it's based on a video game, Resident Evil is solidly and unrepentantly Not Child Friendly. Children under 17 won't be able to get in to see Resident Evil without an adult.

If that sounds like too much for your young child but they've already played the Resident Evil games, this might be an opportunity to review the content they consume. While some gaming can be good for kids, not all video games are appropriate for children.

Do any animals die in Resident Evil?

Unfortunately, yes. There is a dog that does meet an unfortunate end.

Do any children die in Resident Evil?

Yes, and it is graphic.

Do any babies die in Resident Evil?

Absolutely. This is not a feel-good movie.

Are there strobing lights in Resident Evil?

Yes, there are some flashing lights in Resident Evil. If this is an issue for you, you may want to be particularly vigilant during two scenes (mild spoilers ahead). 

The first is early on, when Bryan is dealing with an overturned police car. The scene is lit with flashing red and blue, though it's fortunately relatively mild. The second flashing scene is much later in the film, and more intense. This occurs as soon as he's made his way to the upper floors of a high rise building.

When does Resident Evil come out?

Resident Evil arrives in theatres on Sept. 18.

Want more film and TV news and reviews delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for Mashable’s Top Stories newsletter or get Mashable push alerts.

Recently, Danielle Berwick's three elementary school-age kids playfully fought over who could use the phone to call a friend first. Teacher assignments for the school year had just come out and each child (ages 10, 8, and 6) wanted to know if they'd landed in a class with their buddies. 

Luckily for Berwick, they weren't jockeying to use her smartphone. Instead, they wanted the Tin Can phone, a Wi-Fi enabled "landline" that's grown in popularity over the last year. 

"It was really fun watching that," Berwick told Mashable of her kids' rush to phone a friend. "It kind of took me back to my childhood."

SEE ALSO: The landline phone is making a comeback and your brain will thank you

The Tin Can payoff isn't about nostalgia, Berwick said. The screen-free device has helped her kids develop phone, communication, and conversation skills. It's also given them freedom to make their own plans. Now Berwick, who lives in Michigan, isn't playing secretary by scheduling her kids' playdates, which she loves. Berwick also sees the Tin Can as a way to delay giving her kids a smart watch or phone; she's worried about their exposure to social media, among other things.

Still, bringing a Tin Can into the household can still feel intimidating for parents who aren't sure whether the $100 device will become a fixture in their child's lives or another item cluttering their kitchen counter.  

On-the-fence parents should know one thing about making a Tin Can work for their family: tapping into an existing community of Tin Can users, or making one of your own, is the key to success. 

Tips for making the Tin Can catch on in your network

When it comes to the Tin Can, this may not be as hard as it seems. 

The company notched its highest-ever sales in August, according to co-founder and CEO Chet Kittleson. Users placed 2 million outbound calls per week in August, suggesting that kids are ringing each other up, even when summer typically leads to lower call volume for the company. 

Tin Can Communities: How one mom got hundreds of families onboard

Tin Can also introduced its Communities program earlier this year, which gives larger groups the option to make discounted bulk orders. That's how Berwick's family got their Tin Can. 

Prior to the summer, she'd seen Instagram ads for the product and shared it with her friends. But when no one else committed to purchasing one, she didn't either. 

Then, an end-of-school year conversation amongst parents about the harms of social media prompted discussion about safer alternatives for communication, including the Tin Can. 

Berwick, president of her children's parent-teacher association, reached out to Tin Can about participating in its Communities program. She then got permission to include a link about it in a summertime school newsletter. Hundreds of parents have since signed up to get a Tin Can. 

"It kind of grew like wildfire," Berwick said. 

Starting small with the Tin Can

But adopting a Tin Can doesn't have to be a major group project. 

Mom-of-four Killian Mandel, who is based in Missouri, started out small last Christmas by gifting a phone to her kids, knowing that their cousins would also receive one as a present. 

Of course, they weren't alone. A pre-order and holiday surge led to temporary service outages that Mandel said Tin Can handled well. (The company said it's now fulfilling orders in three business days.) 

Once the phone was operational and her kids (11, 9, 7, and 4) learned phone skills and etiquette, like how to hold the receiver and how to answer a call, they were regularly making phone calls. Even Mandel's youngest rang her cousins using a speed dial option. 

Eventually, Mandel also approached her children's parent-teacher organization to gauge interest in the Communities program. Within 10 days of advertising it, 48 parents signed up to buy a Tin Can. 

Tin Can "Connectors"

Some networks, like schools and sports teams, have created directories so kids can find each other easily. Meanwhile, the company is developing a directory feature to reduce the busywork for parents. 

The only catch is that phone numbers must be approved and added via the Tin Can app before a phone can receive a call from that number.  

Kittleson said empowering "connectors" like Berwick and Mandel is a key strategy for Tin Can. When these parents take the lead in their family, school, or neighborhood, other parents no longer feel like they're making a risky purchase that may go to waste. Instead, other parents join with them — and they can take advantage of discounts, simplified shipping options, and unique features for Community program participants.  

Kittleson said he's seen this effect across the U.S., in small towns and wealthy urban areas. 

Tin Can Pros and Cons

Challenges do come up, of course. Berwick's oldest child is interested in the Tin Can, but some of their friends have phones, while others don't. Meanwhile, Mandel's oldest is less interested than their young siblings because their peers are largely messaging each other on smartphones or watches. 

Additionally, since the Tin Can operates through home Wi-Fi, any connectivity issues can also affect the phone and call quality. When Mashable tested the phone at home, we occasionally experienced echoes and couldn't make or receive calls thanks to a temperamental internet connection. The company recently released an update to improve echoey calls.

Yet, when the Tin Can becomes a part of a family's life, it can be transformational, Berwick and Mandel said. In short, it revives an aspect of childhood socialization and independence nearly driven extinct by the way technology reorganized life around a smartphone. 

"We actually see families embrace Tin Can as their home phone because it lets them foster connection without the distraction of apps or algorithms," Kittleson said, "and there's a huge benefit to that for both kids and parents."

Exoplanet hunters scouring space for worlds around other stars have found the youngest planet on record. 

This Jupiter-size planet, about 450 light-years away from Earth, is less than 1 million years old. That's much younger than the previous record holders — four worlds tied at about 5 million years old each. 

Astronomers confirmed this detection by reviewing NASA-funded archives from the W.M. Keck Observatory's coronagraph, an instrument that blocks a star's light to reveal faint objects hiding in its glare.

When they looked at the Hawaiian telescope's observations from 2018 and 2020, they saw what two other major observatories had already spotted: a baby, still snuggled up in its nest of gas, dust, rock, and icy bits. The world is called Elias 2-24 b.

"The galaxy churns out new stars and planets continuously," said Lucas Cieza, a professor at the Instituto de Estudios Astrofísicos in Chile, in a statement, "but there is a large gap in what most telescopes can detect. We are mostly blind to these baby planets right now."

SEE ALSO: Scientists say if Venus ever had a moon like ours, it was doomed

Researchers went back to the archives because of some unsettled business. Two major Chilean telescopes, the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array and the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope, had seen what looked like an empty ring of space around the distant Elias 2-24 star, along with a faint point of light in that "empty" band. 

When those observations occurred a decade ago, astronomers were doubtful. Leading planet-formation theories estimate that it takes about 5 million years to make a Jupiter-size planet, and even longer for worlds farther out from their stars. Elias 2-24 b defies those predictions, orbiting its star 10 times farther than Jupiter circles the sun. 

An ALMA observatory radio image of Elias 2-24, a young star surrounded by dust and gas that might be forming stars, taken in 2016. Credit: Lucas A. Cieza, et al. / DOI 10.3847/2041-8213/aa9b7b

But baby Elias 2-24 b behaved like a planet and was in the right place, said Andrea Bernardi, a doctoral student at the Universidad Diego Portales in Chile, who led the study. It sits in a gap created precisely because a massive body is plowing gas and dust out of its way as it orbits. The study results appear in The Astrophysical Journal Letters.

Confirmation of Elias 2-24 b means current planet formation models for planet formation are lacking some key factors, the researchers said. 

Since astronomers can't watch a planet's entire life from beginning to end, they piece together planetary life cycles by studying many worlds at different stages. The problem is scientists have less information than they'd like about baby planets because they're intrinsically hard to observe: Newborn worlds are swaddled in dust that blocks telescopes from seeing them. 

Want more science and tech news delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for Mashable's Light Speed newsletter or get Mashable push alerts today.

New telescopes like NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, should make these detections easier. Roman launched on Aug. 30 and is en route to the second sun‑Earth Lagrange point, or L2, the same million-mile-away destination where the James Webb Space Telescope orbits. After calibration, Roman will release its first images around Jan. 2027.

Exoplanets are so dim compared to their stars they might as well be invisible. Almost all exoplanet discoveries so far rely on indirect techniques. But as technology for directly photographing planets improves, astronomers have hope that we'll eventually be able to snap pictures of Earth-size worlds in the warmth of their stars. 

Roman boasts a coronagraph far more advanced than those on Hubble, Webb, and ground‑based telescopes, said Vanessa Bailey, NASA's coronagraph scientist for the telescope. She hopes the instrument will be able to take images of worlds as small and faint as our own Jupiter — a challenging feat since the exoplanets other coronagraphs have managed to capture are bigger and brighter. 

"What astronomers can do today with coronagraph instruments is see planets that are maybe 1 million times fainter than their stars," Bailey told Mashable. "What we're doing with the Roman coronagraph is hopefully getting to 10 million to 100 million times fainter, maybe even a little bit more in the best‑case scenario."

Dating apps are in a weird place right now.

Culturally, people are starting to hate them. Whether out of personal distaste or for safety and privacy, more people want to return to the real world to find connections. But dating apps are still big business. Match Group reported net income of $613.5 million in 2025, up from $551.3 million in 2024 but down from $651.5 million in 2023. (Match Group owns Tinder, Hinge, and a slew of other dating apps.) So, despite the complaints, they're still making money, and a lot of it.

SEE ALSO: Gen Z has a new dating app profile rule, apparently

And the ecosystem is getting increasingly niche. There's an app for conservatives. For leftists. Farmers. Christians. Christian Farmers. The rich. The famous. People who like movies. Double daters. Freaks who use 4chan. And now, entering the field as of last week, the dating app for people who read.

Hearing that a dating app for readers now exists is, at this point, not novel. But what piqued my interest is that the app was being developed by Co-Star, the astrology app. Now that's novel. Beyond that, with the backing of the Co-Star brand and ecosystem, it commands interest among young adults who like astrology and are considered popular and fashionable, i.e., socialite New Yorkers and Brooklyn-based culture writers.

Readme is a book reader's dating app, and its mission is to match people spiritually, much like the classic "meet cute" at the bookstore. And maybe, just maybe, spark relationships where they don't have to expose their (male) partners for being illiterate.

It's a book-series-sized task from the Co-Star creators. However, from my brief experience with the app, I found it to be ambitious but not well-crafted enough to justify waiting for the next installment.

Getting started with Readme

Setting up an account is no different than any other app.

Needed an excuse to show off the fits. Credit: Chance Townsend / Readme screenshot

Users fill out their name, age, gender, dating preference, and what they're looking for. One of the app's two big hooks is that your queue of potential matches is built or can be filtered around your friends and people that are associated within two or three degrees of them. Kinda like old-school Hinge or Tinder's short-lived Friends of Friends feature.

Within the app, one of the filters lets you see only your friends, your friends' friends, or your friends' friends' friends. It's interesting in theory, in that Readme wants to replicate those meet-cute type moments that you read about in books. Not in practice, though, because none of my friends are on the app or know it exists. It just launched, after all. But maybe this is my sign to start hosting more parties.

The other big hook is the quiz that "uses psycholinguistics to explore the hidden links between how you read and how you relate," according to the app. It's 25 questions, with the bulk asking you to pick which of two quotes you like or dislike the least. After you pick, it reveals which author it was.

What does your language preference say about you? Credit: Chance Townsend / Readme screenshot

For example, some of the authors I got were Henry Miller, Robert Frost, Casey McQuiston (of Red, White, & Royal Blue fame), and Jonathan Safran Foer. The latter was personally embarassing cause I really, really dislike Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close, as a book and a movie.

Between the quotes are questions about your political beliefs, communication style, and the genres of books you like to read. The latter was particularly irritating because much of the copy in the app has millennial-esque snark that tries to be "smashpunk" but is just grating. I like reading historical non-fiction, and the closest option to that was "straight up facts." Another genre option was "the writing on the wall," which is so eye-rolling. Obviously, these are my own personal misgivings, but Readme somehow tries too hard not to be like the other apps, yet also wants you to know it's cool, hip, and too irony-pilled to be authentic.

God forbid I like historical non-fiction. Credit: Chance Townsend / Readme screenshot

At the end of the day, language like that is fine, but seeing "communism will win" and "nostalgic for Barack Obama" as options under "political beliefs" did get a laugh out of me.

Something not included in the questionnaire, or seemingly anywhere on Readme, is astrological signs. Nowhere to put my birthdate, time, and place. So if you're looking for astrological compatability, Readme isn't it. (Yet?)

After the questionnaire, you get a report on what your language preferences "reveal about who you are and how you love."

I got "Former Gifted Child" because I prefer metonymy over metaphor. The app's way of telling me I lack imagination. "You rely on structures and systems to make sense of the world," the app tells me. I wouldn't say it's wrong, because my parents always believed I was a precocious kid. Turns out I had ADHD the whole time, so maybe the app was onto something.

Book quiz kind of ate, no lie. Credit: Chance Townsend / Readme screenshot

The report also details How I Love and What You Need. Overall, the report is neat but a bit basic if you remove the flowery language. I like the book recommendations it gave me, and it even gave me some questions I should ask on a first date. Per my ReadMe report, I'm a lover boy at heart and need someone who's not as rigid.

"You need someone who finds the social script so uninteresting that they haven't bothered reading it, and don't know or care whether they're following or breaking it," my report read. Sometimes it's hard to tell whether the copy was written by a millennial ad executive or by ChatGPT's poor interpretation of one.

Using the Readme app

So now that the setup is done, what's the actual app like? It's....fine. It's definitely a dating app. You click the heart to like and the minus sign to dislike. At the bottom of every profile, you'll see a similarity score based on their quiz answers and choices. And that's it, honestly.

The big glaring issue here is that Readme just doesn't have the juice yet.

Immediately upon getting to the app proper, my recommended likes all live in New York. I live in Chicago. There's no filter or setting for distance. The only settings you can change are age, gender, and mutuals. For me, the app is a nonstarter. Not that it can't be successful, but I live in the third-largest city in the U.S., and Readme's algorithm is only showing me people who don't live in my city. Maybe it should've had a limited launch in Brooklyn first, gotten some hype, and then rolled out to other major cities.

I swiped right on between 70 and 80 profiles in my selected age range (24-32) before running out of people to see. None of them was based in Chicago. I saw accounts from Vermont, New Jersey, Denver, San Francisco, and even Tokyo. But not one in 70+ swipes lived in Chicago or set their location as Chicago.

An example of what you might see in a Readme profile. Credit: Chance Townsend / Readme screenshot

I guess on the positive side, unlike the big power players like Hinge and Tinder, you do have unlimited likes. It'll be interesting to see if that'll be the case as the app gets more attention — venture capital and vibes can only subsidize an app for so long. Maybe then the dating pool will keep me invested enough not to be on the app when the bill comes due.

To be frank, having a cis hetero male perspective on the dating app for readers probably doesn't give one a sense of what the dating pool is like. Statistically, people don't read that much in general, but women read far more often than men. According to a Pew Research Center study conducted in Oct. 2025, "women are more likely than men to say they've read a book in the past 12 months."

One can extrapolate from the many cultural reasons why women read more than men. I imagine the main appeal of an app like Readme for women is that avid reading can be seen as a sign of intelligence, empathy, and curiosity. With the rise of dudebro, Barstool conservatism in young men, an online dating app that, to an extent, filters one from an embarrassing partner, is appealing.

All of that said, this is from my perspective as a 28-year-old Black man living in Chicago. The aesthetic leanings of Readme's dating pool are what you'd expect from an app that markets itself as a zine-style, indie sleaze, Y2K vintage fashion store you'd find in the more affluent parts of Brooklyn. In short, it's very white. Which is not bad, and I don't mean to imply that there aren't women of color on the app, but as it's been researched before, dating apps' algorithms are not kind to Black women, or people of color in general.

It's a shame because its style and interface are easy to get acclimated with, but beyond the mutuals feature and the quiz, it doesn't really do enough to stand out. If anything, what sets Readme apart from the crowd of hyper-niche dating apps is that it knows and markets itself exactly towards the audience it wants.

That's fine, but it'd be interesting to see whether it can expand beyond that — if it even wants to.

While the iPhone Duo was the standout product during Apple's September event, the second biggest news was the camera additions to the iPhone 18 Pro lineup.

For the first time ever, the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max include a genuine variable aperture. It's paired with a new set of manual controls, upgraded video features, the new A20 Pro chip, and a fresh approach to photo authenticity, making this arguably the most substantial camera overhaul Apple has shipped in years.

It's also a meaningful shift in what Apple wants the iPhone to be. Case in point, Apple's launch event kicked off with different cinematic scenes shot on the iPhone 18 Pro. Between the adjustable aperture, manual shutter speed, manual focus, and a live histogram, the iPhone 18 Pro is basically an entry-level DSLR that can call and text your friends.

That said, it's worth watching how long Apple sticks with the hardware. Variable aperture isn't new to smartphones broadly; Samsung shipped a version of it with the Galaxy S9 and S10, before quietly dropping the feature entirely.

So, whether the feature is here to stay or not, here's a closer look at everything that's new with the iPhone 18 Pro cameras. We should also note that Mashable's Stan Schroeder has been testing the new camera tools for his iPhone 18 Pro Max review, and you can see plenty of test photos in his full review.

Variable aperture The new physical variable aperture uses laser-cut components thinner than a human hair. Credit: Apple

The headline feature is a 48MP main camera built around a physically adjustable aperture, something iPhones have never had before. In cameras, an aperture is the opening in a lens through which light passes to hit the camera sensor. A wider opening lets in more light (better for dim rooms or night shots) and blurs the background more; a narrower opening lets in less light but keeps more of the scene in sharp focus, which is useful outdoors or in group photos where you want everyone's face crisp.

The standard for most smartphone cameras has been a fixed aperture of a single size (the iPhone 17 Pro, for example, had a ƒ/1.78 fixed aperture). Apple says the aperture on the 18 Pro and Pro Max uses six hair-thin, laser-cut blades that can be physically adjusted between four aperture settings, automatically widening or narrowing depending on the lighting and depth of field a shot calls for.

Apple says the change improves low-light photos and produces crisper background detail in group shots, while giving photographers a level of manual control that wasn't previously available on the phone. That's definitely true, but as Schroeder noted in his review, these types of "Pro" settings will be overkill for the average user: "That doesn’t mean the regular user won't benefit, but I do bet that the majority of people will try out the manual aperture setting once and then leave it on auto."

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

As previously stated, variable aperture settings have existed before, but they don't stick around for long. The biggest reason is durability and production. It's a lot of delicate moving hardware to cram into a device that regularly gets dropped, tossed in bags, and generally treated worse than a dedicated camera ever would be. Even current-generation stabilization systems can behave unpredictably after a hard enough drop, so a mechanical aperture introduces a new point of failure.

The Galaxy S27 was rumored to be getting its own variable aperture system as recently as eight months ago. However, reports in August suggest Samsung scrapped those plans because they made the phone bulkier and were expensive to add for what Samsung deemed to be "minor image-quality gains."

Whether Apple's engineering proves more durable than Samsung's, or whether variable aperture quietly disappears from the iPhone lineup a generation or two from now, remains an open question.

Pro manual controls for photographers

For people who like to fine-tune their shots rather than let the phone decide everything, there's a new "Pro controls" panel baked right into the Camera app.

It surfaces the aperture setting mentioned above, plus shutter speed (how long the sensor is exposed to light — faster freezes motion, slower creates blur or lets in more light) and white balance (a color correction that keeps whites looking white instead of tinted orange under indoor lighting or blue in shade).

See that graph in the left corner. Credit: Apple / Mashable screenshot

There's also a histogram, which is a small graph that plots how exposed an image is. It looks technical, but the practical use is simple: if the graph is bunched up on the left, your photo's probably too dark; bunched on the right, it's probably blown out and too bright.

In his review for Mashable, Schroeder wrote:

I welcome the ability to set the white balance manually; automatic white balance often gets it wrong (not just on the iPhone; on standalone cameras too), resulting in photos that look too cold or too warm. The aperture setting can be used to create certain cool effects, but it’s not something I’ll use regularly, and the same goes for most of the other new settings.

Smarter tracking, sharper video

Apple has reworked what it calls the "computational imaging pipeline" to produce cleaner, more detailed images. It's a neat, low-key upgrade, as smartphone photos are normally heavily processed by algorithms (merging multiple exposures, reducing noise, sharpening detail) rather than being raw, untouched captures.

Photographic Styles, the tool that lets you set a consistent color/mood preset across your photos, now also includes texture and grain controls. On the video side, Cinematic effects can now be applied after the fact to footage shot at up to 60 frames per second; time-lapse videos support 4K and Dolby Vision HDR; and Audio Mix's algorithms have been updated to produce cleaner-sounding voices and isolate background music more effectively.

There's also a new AI-powered smart focus system designed to lock onto and track a single moving subject through a frame, which should help with shooting kids, pets, or anything else that won't stay still.

SEE ALSO: Apple iPhone Duo hands-on: I barely noticed the crease Apple Reference Image

Perhaps the most unusual and frighteningly needed addition is Apple Reference Image, a new authenticity feature built around the Main camera's redesigned sensor.

Credit: Apple / Mashable screenshot

When a photo is taken in the new "Reference" capture mode, the sensor's data is cryptographically signed and processed through Apple's Private Cloud Compute into an unalterable reference version of the image. In short, it's a digital negative.

That reference photo sits alongside the normal shot in the Photos app, which can be compared with the final image to check whether it's been edited. Combined with image metadata and upcoming support for the SynthID watermarking standard, which flags AI-generated or AI-edited images.

Apple is positioning the feature as a way for photojournalists and everyday users alike to verify that a photo is what it claims to be, at a moment when AI-edited and AI-generated images are becoming harder to distinguish from real ones.

Better low-light photography

In our testing, it's clear that the new iPhone definitely does take better photographs at night and in low-light conditions, but you may have to update your settings to fully appreciate the difference. (Pro tip: Ironically, you may need to manually disable Night Mode to take better photos at night.)

Left: The iPhone 18 Pro Max took a sharper, less noisy image. Credit: Stan Schroeder / Mashable Right: The iPhone 17 Pro Max did a oood job, but when you turn off Night Mode, the differences are obvious. Credit: Stan Schroeder/Mashable

Schroeder wrote, "In my camera testing, I was often getting better results on my iPhone 17 Pro Max. But that’s because its Night Mode automatically fired for 3 seconds, whereas the 18 Pro Max only needed 1 second, precisely because the sensor was getting more light. When I manually disabled Night Mode, the results were clearly better on the iPhone 18 Pro Max, with far more details and an overall sharper photo with less noise."

New AI photo editing tools Credit: Apple

Technically, this isn't a camera update, but rather a software update. Still, it's an important upgrade that can help you create better photos.

In iOS 27, users now have new tools at their disposal when editing in Photos, including new clean-up tools, the ability to extend a photo, and spatial reframing. The latter tool is the most interesting, as it lets you change the angle of a photograph after it's been taken.

Preorder the new Apple products

Alongside the iPhone 18 Pro and Duo, Apple also released new AirPods and Apple Watches. Except for the iPhone Duo, all of these devices are available for preorder now.

Apple iPhone 18 Pro, 256GB Save up to $1,200 at T-Mobile
  Pre-order Here at T-Mobile Pre-order Here at AT&T Wireless Pre-order Here at Walmart iPhone 18 Pro Max, 256GB Save up to $1,200 at T-Mobile
  Pre-order Here at T-Mobile Pre-order Here at Apple.com Pre-order Here at Walmart Apple AirPods 5 (wireless charging) $149 at Amazon
  Pre-order Here at Amazon Pre-order Here at Walmart Pre-order Here at Target Apple Watch Series 12 (GPS, 42mm) $399 at Amazon
  Pre-order Here at Amazon Pre-order Here at Best Buy Pre-order Here at Walmart

TL;DR: Get lifetime access to six AI courses covering ChatGPT, Claude, AI fundamentals, and more for $29.99 (reg. $174).

Opens in a new window Credit: The 2026 Complete Claude AI The 2026 Complete Claude AI, Claude Code, Claude Cowork & ChatGPT Training Bundle $29.99
$174 Save $144.01   Get Deal

AI tools can do a lot more than generate a quick email or rewrite a sentence, but figuring out what to actually do with them can take some work. The 2026 Complete Claude AI, Claude Code, Claude Cowork & ChatGPT Training Bundle brings six courses together to cover both practical applications and the fundamentals behind today’s popular AI tools. It’s available right now for $29.99 (reg. $174).

This bundle includes 16 hours of instruction covering ChatGPT 5, Claude AI, Claude Code, Claude Cowork, and large language model fundamentals. The ChatGPT masterclass focuses on getting more useful results from prompts, while the Claude courses explore practical ways to use Anthropic’s tools for professional tasks.

There’s also a Claude Code course geared toward Agile and project management professionals, plus a Claude Cowork course covering no-code ways to connect Claude with other applications. The LLM fundamentals course takes a step back from the individual products to explain how large language models work, which can be useful if you want to understand the technology as well.

Someone new to generative AI can start with the fundamentals, while marketers, developers, and other professionals can find courses focused on specific tools. A bonus course on AI product manager skills is included, too.

The courses are taught by Paul Ashun, a software project consultant whose experience includes work with companies such as the BBC, General Electric, and Oracle. The courses offer lifetime access and certificates of completion, and you can work through the material on desktop or mobile. One detail worth remembering: the purchase code must be redeemed within 30 days.

The 2026 Complete Claude AI, Claude Code, Claude Cowork & ChatGPT Training Bundle is $29.99 (reg. $174) for lifetime access.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Looking for something great to watch at home? Streaming subscribers are spoiled for choice between Hulu, Netflix, HBO Max, Disney+, Apple TV, Prime Video, Shudder, Paramount+, Peacock, and more. And that's before you even look at the vast libraries of movies and television programs within each streamer!

SEE ALSO: 2026 fall TV preview: Every show you should know about

Don't be overwhelmed or waste an hour scrolling through your services to determine what to watch. We've got your back, whatever your mood. Mashable offers watch guides for all of the above, broken down by genre: comedy, thriller, horror, documentary, and animation, among others. But if you're seeking something brand new (or just new to streaming), we've got you covered there, too.

15. Route 187

Tyler Perry-produced crime drama Route 187 premieres this week on Paramount+. The four-part miniseries transports viewers to the struggling fictional city of South Winslow, where a violent crime on a city bus shakes the community to its core. When journalist Mason James (Christopher Livingston) begins to investigate the tragedy, he uncovers a darker truth about South Winslow and the many disappearances that have plagued the town. — Belen Edwards, Entertainment Reporter

Starring: Chris Livingston, Taiv Lee, Elijah Collins, Tonia Jackson, Rico Ball, Lawrence Robinson, Rona Dana, Cuyle Carvin, and Javen Lewis

How to watch: Route 187 is now streaming on Paramount+.

14. Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story

Following controversial representations of killers like Jeffrey Dahmer and Ed Gein, Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan's Netflix series Monster takes on another notorious true crime figure: Lizzie Borden. In 1893, in Fall River, Massachusetts, Borden was tried and acquitted of the murder of her father and stepmother. The case has been pored over for more than 100 years, now drawing in 21st century armchair detectives riding the modern true crime wave.

For Monster, Murphy rallies go-to faces: Feud: Capote vs. The Swans' Ella Beatty portrays Borden, The Ed Gein Story's Vicky Krieps plays the Borden's housemaid Bridget Sullivan, The Beauty's Rebecca Hall and previous Monster star Charlie Hunnam play Borden's parents, American Horror Story's Billie Lourd is Borden's sister Emma, and Murphy mainstay Sarah Paulson will make an appearance. And we're sure the internet will have thoughts. — Shannon Connellan, Senior Editor

Starring: Ella Beatty, Vicky Krieps, Rebecca Hall, Charlie Hunnam, Sarah Paulson, Billie Lourd, Joey Pollari, Jessica Barden

How to watch: Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story is now streaming on Netflix.

13. MobLand Season 2

Guy Ritchie is a busy man, with second seasons of his crime capers The Gentlemen and MobLand landing in September. The latter, which hits Paramount+ on Friday, sees the return of Helen Mirren and Pierce Brosnan as Irish crime family heads Maeve and Conrad Harrigan, with Tom Hardy as their fixer Harry da Souza. Set in London, the crime drama will see the Harrigans' turf threatened as their enemies close in and seek vengeance. — S.C.

Starring: Tom Hardy, Helen Mirren, Pierce Brosnan, Paddy Considine, Joanne Froggatt, Lara Pulver, Anson Boon, Mandeep Dhillon, Jasmine Jobson, Teddie Allen, Emmett J. Scanlan, Johnny Flynn, Ophelia Lovibond, Janet McTeer, and Toby Jones

How to watch: MobLand Season 2 will premiere on Paramount+ Sept. 18, with new episodes streaming weekly on Fridays.

12. Stranger Things: Tales from '85 Season 2

Stranger Things may be over for good, but its animated spin-off Stranger Things: Tales from '85 is back for Season 2 this week. Taking place in the gap between Seasons 2 and 3 of the main series, Season 2 introduces a new mystery for the Hawkins Investigators Club to solve, including ghosts, strange blue flowers, and a threat that may be immune to Eleven's (voiced by Brooklyn Davey Norstedt) psychic powers.

If Season 2 is anything like Season 1, it will be a fun, beautifully animated adventure. However, it will also be continued proof of Netflix's attempt to milk the Stranger Things franchise, leading to more questions about the main series than any satisfying answers of its own. — B.E.

Starring: Brooklyn Davey Norstedt, Luca Diaz, Jolie Hoang-Rappaport, Elisha "EJ" Williams, Braxton Quinney, Benjamin Plessala, and Odessa A'zion

How to watch: Stranger Things: Tales from '85 Season 2 is now streaming on Netflix.

11. Golden Axe

Fresh off his two Emmy wins, Matthew Rhys is back on TV this week in Golden Axe, based on the Sega video game. Rhys voices warrior Gilius Thunderhead, who, along with companions Ax Battler (voiced by Liam McIntyre) and Tyris Flare (voiced by Lisa Gilroy), fights to save the land of Yuria from the villainous Death Adder. When inexperienced adventurer Hampton Squib (voiced by Danny Pudi) joins their ranks, the trio's quest gets even more complicated. Goofy animated fun ensues. — B.E.

Starring: Matthew Rhys, Liam McIntyre, Lisa Gilroy, Danny Pudi, and Carl Tart

How to watch: Golden Axe is now streaming on Paramount+.

10. Outlander: Blood of my Blood Season 2

Turns out fighting for love across time is a family thing in the Outlander universe, if those mystical standing stones have anything to say about it. Prequel Outlander: Blood of My Blood introduced us to the parents of series protagonists Claire (Caitríona Balfe) and Jamie (Sam Heughan) in two different time periods. Jamie's parents Ellen (Harriet Slater) and Brian (Jamie Roy) met in the 18th century Scottish Highlands, while Claire's parents Julia (Hermione Corfield) and Henry (Jeremy Irvine) met in England during World War I. And in the second season, with time-traveling and war afoot in both periods, things get even more dramatic. — S.C.

Starring: Harriet Slater, Jamie Roy, Hermione Corfield, Jeremy Irvine

How to watch: Outlander: Blood of my Blood Season 2 is streaming on Starz Sept. 18.

9. Trespasses

Set during the Troubles, the decades-long bloody civil conflict between nationalists and unionists in Northern Ireland, Trespasses finds a love story.

Adapted by Bad Sisters writer Ailbhe Keoga from Louise Kennedy's 2023 novel, the film is set in 1975 just outside Belfast. Here, Catholic schoolteacher Cushla (Furious' Lola Petticrew) works the odd shift in a pub owned by her family, including her mother (Gillian Anderson). Here, she meets Protestant barrister Michael (Tom Cullen), a married man, and the pair are drawn to one another amidst a backdrop of political unrest and violence. Directed by Dawn Shadforth (Adult Material, Mood), the film was first released on Channel 4 in the UK, and now hits the U.S. via PBS. — S.C.

Starring: Lola Petticrew, Gillian Anderson, Tom Cullen, Martin McCann, Oisín Thompson, Emily Taaffe, Barry Ward, Lisa Dwyer Hogg, Lorcan Cranitch, Frank Blake, Gary Lydon, and Lalor Roddy

How to watch: Trespasses is streaming on PBS platforms Sept. 20.

8. Dimension 20: Toylight

Dropout's Dimension 20 returns this fall, with its Intrepid Heroes back for a new adventure that's sure to knock the stuffing out of fans. This actual play series translates the game mechanics of Dungeons and Dragons into a variety of imaginative worlds, which has made Dimension 20 a wildly popular anthology series, delving into fantasy, sci-fi, horror, and more.

For Toylight, Game Master Brennan Lee Mulligan leads his players into a tough terrain that only looks like child's play. When a little girl is dying of consumption, darkness threatens to snuff out the Toylight that is her imagination. Coming to her defense against vicious dust bunnies are a band of toys made up of a hobby horse, a kewpie doll, a tin soldier, a porcelain doll, a one-eyed lion plushie, and a stuffed rabbit. While this is a comedy show, the trailer has us thinking the collision of a childlike setup could be studded with gutting drama. Are we talking Crown of Candy-level tragedy? We'll have to tune in each week to find out!* — Kristy Puchko, Entertainment Editor

Starring: Brennan Lee Mulligan, Emily Axford, Ally Beardsley, Brian Murphy, Zac Oyama, Siobhan Thompson, and Lou Wilson

How to watch: Dimension 20: Toylight is now streaming on Dropout, with new episodes every Wednesday.

Featured Video For You From Vine to Dropout: How Demi Adejuyigbe Has Shaped Their Career 7. It Ends

In one of the more perplexing horror hypotheticals of the year, It Ends turns a simple road trip into a neverending, terrifying loop. Alexander Ullom's directorial debut sees childhood friends James (Phinehas Yoon), Day (Akira Jackson), and Fisher (Noah Toth) finishing college and driving with their friend Tyler (Mitchell Cole) into their next adventure. But the road has other plans.

As Mashable Entertainment Editor Kristy Puchko notes in her review, the film's premise is far deeper than it seems, offering "a reflection on Gen Z's existential dread." Prepare to hard-relate while watching through your hands. — S.C.

Starring: Akira Jackson, Phinehas Yoon, Mitchell Cole, Noah Toth

How to watch: It Ends is now available to rent or purchase on digital.

6. Tony

Dominic Sessa takes Anthony Bourdain fans into the lauded memoir pages of Kitchen Confidential with Matt Johnson's Tony. Covering the chef's young adulthood and the defining summer he spent washing dishes in Provincetown, Massachusetts, the film's specificity lets Sessa dig into 19-year-old Bourdain's unapologetic energy. While the film doesn't quite harness the future icon's pure love for food and cooking beyond a solid lobster thermidor moment (he's more concerned with writing and crushing), that responsibility lies with other characters, namely Antonio Banderas as his brilliant mentor, Chef José Vatel, and Leo Woodall as sleazy cook Sal.

However, Tony really does channel the raw, unglamorous nature of working in a kitchen for 16-hour shifts, day after day, and Sessa is nothing short of brilliant as the young Bourdain. What results is a compelling coming-of-age window into the early life of the late legend, where glimmers of a gritty, rebellious, fame-filled future are merely that. — S.C

Starring: Dominic Sessa, Antonio Banderas, Leo Woodall, Emilia Jones, Stavros Halkias, Dagmara Domińczyk, Rich Sommer

How to watch: Tony is available to rent or purchase on digital.

5. The Traitors: New Blood

Who's ready for some more murrrrderrrr? This fall, the U.S. gets their second season of The Traitors this year, but there's a catch. In The Traitors: New Blood, absolutely none of the contestants are celebrities. Like in most other Traitors franchises, these contestants are all civilians, which means we're in for a new dynamic in the castle. But even as the cast makeup changes, one thing will surely stay the same: Alan Cumming's impeccable hosting.* — B.E.

Starring: Alan Cumming

How to watch: The Traitors: New Blood premieres Sept. 17 at 8 p.m. ET on NBC, with episodes streaming the next day on Peacock.

4. Slow Horses Season 6

Slow Horses returns to Apple TV for an anticipated sixth season — and everyone's on the run. The Emmy-winning adaptation of Mick Herron’s spy novels throws you back into MI5, where the agents of Slough House sport targets on their backs. This season, Jack Lowden returns as agent River Cartwright, who'll need to solve this bloody mystery before every last Slow Horse turns up dead. — S.C.

Starring: Gary Oldman, Jack Lowden, Kristin Scott Thomas, Saskia Reeves, Rosalind Eleazar

How to watch: Slow Horses Season 6 is now streaming on Apple TV, with new episodes every Wednesday.

3. Goody Goody

Pregnancy and childbirth horror films are a subgenre not for the faint-hearted, and Goody Goody promises to rattle you. Directed and written by Raymond Creamer, the Shudder film sees a home birth in a cabin in the woods surrounded by a blizzard and thrust into deeply sinister territory. As Goody (Samantha Robinson) prepares in her natural birthing pool, supported by her husband Jayson (Colby Hollman), midwife Sarah (Colleen Foy) suspects her doula skills might not match the strange happenings afoot. — S.C.

Starring: Samantha Robinson, Zoe Renee, Colby Hollman, Colleen Foy

How to watch: Goody Goody is streaming on Shudder Sept. 18.

2. Best of the Best

Not already obsessed with Bollywood fusion dance? Prepare to be. Maitreyi Ramakrishnan tears it up in Lena Khan's Best of the Best, which promises to join the likes of Step Up, Honey, and Bring It On in your competitive dance movie marathon lineup.

The Never Have I Ever star leads alongside Disclosure Day's Priyanka Kedia, playing best friends Maya and Anjali. Newly arrived at UCLA, the pair try out for the Bollywood fusion crew, whose eyes are on the U.S. championship. The film also stars Hasan Minhaj as a college professor; Minhaj co-wrote Best of the Best with fellow Patriot Act alum Prashanth Venkataramanujam. — S.C.

Starring: Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, Priyanka Kedia, Hasan Minhaj, Chaneil Kular, Ankur Rathee, Shreya Navile, Nico Greetham, Lilly Singh, Janina Gavankar, and Kavi Ramachandran

How to watch: Best of the Best is streaming on Netflix Sept. 18.

Best of streaming this week: Youth

From Catastrophe to Bad Sisters, Sharon Horgan has consistently delivered memorable comedies populated with flawed characters you'll want to follow until the end. She looks to continue that streak in HBO's Youth, her second series with them after 2016's Divorce. While that show examined the lengthy process of divorce, Youth explores what comes after. Horgan plays Alex, a divorcée balancing the search for sex and love with the demands of parenthood, caring for her own ailing parents, and her career as a literary agent. Like the rest of Horgan's work, expect Youth to be as sharp and vulnerable as it is funny.* — B.E.

Starring: Sharon Horgan, Aran Murphy, Sharlene Whyte, Robbie Gee, and Rupert Friend

How to watch: The first two episodes of Youth premiere Sept. 20 at 10 p.m. ET on HBO and HBO Max, with new episodes every Sunday.

(*) denotes a blurb came from a prior list.