“You understand that it is someone’s private life you are looking at, but at the same time you are just expected to carry out the work,” an anonymous Sama employee reportedly said.

Meta confirms use of data annotators

In statements shared with the BBC on Wednesday, Meta confirmed that it “sometimes” shares content that users share with the Meta AI generative AI chatbot with contractors to review with “the purpose of improving people’s experience, as many other companies do.”

“This data is first filtered to protect people’s privacy,” the statement said, pointing to, as an example, blurring out faces in images.

Meta’s privacy policy for wearables says that photos and videos taken with its smart glasses are sent to Meta “when you turn on cloud processing on your AI Glasses, interact with the Meta AI service on your AI Glasses, or upload your media to certain services provided by Meta (i.e., Facebook or Instagram). You can change your choices about cloud processing of your Media at any time in Settings.”

The policy also says that video and audio from livestreams recorded with Ray-Ban Metas are sent to Meta, as are text transcripts and voice recordings created by Meta’s chatbot.

“We use machine learning and trained reviewers to process this data to improve, troubleshoot, and train our products. We share that information with third-party vendors and service providers to improve our products. You can access and delete recordings and related transcripts in the Meta AI App,” the policy says.

Meta’s broader privacy policy for the Meta AI chatbot adds: “In some cases, Meta will review your interactions with AIs, including the content of your conversations with or messages to AIs, and this review may be automated or manual (human).”

https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2026/03/workers-report-watching-ray-ban-meta-shot-footage-of-people-using-the-bathroom/

Based on over 20,000 reports, Amazon appears to be experiencing an outage.

According to Downdetector, reports of problems started increasing at 1:41 pm ET today. By 2:26 pm, ET, Downdetector received 18,320 reports of problems with Amazon’s website. The number of complaints peaked at 3:32 pm ET at 20,804.

As of this writing, Amazon hasn’t confirmed any specific problems. However, an Amazon support account on X said at 3:02 pm ET today that “some customers may be experiencing issues” and that Amazon is working “to resolve the issue.”

Per Downdetector, 50 percent of reported problems happened at checkout, while 21 percent of outage reports came from mobile app users, and 17 percent of complaints pointed to problems with Amazon’s product pages.

Ars Technica can confirm that some product pages fail to load properly or at all, and that the Amazon homepage sometimes fails to load.

Update 3/5/2026 7:57 p.m. ET: As of  4:10 p.m. ET, reports of problem started declining on Downdetector and were down significantly by 5:55 p.m. ET. 

https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2026/03/amazon-appears-to-be-down-with-over-20000-reported-problems/

Google is in the midst of rewriting the rules for mobile applications, spurred by ongoing legal cases and an apparent desire to clamp down on perceived security weaknesses. Late last year, Google and Epic concocted a settlement that would end the long-running antitrust dispute that stemmed from Fortnite fees. The sides have now announced an updated version of the agreement with new changes aimed at placating US courts and putting this whole mess in the rearview mirror. The gist is that Android will get more app stores, and developers will pay lower fees.

A US court ruled against Google in the case in 2023, and the remedies announced in 2024 threatened to upend Google’s Play Store model. It tried unsuccessfully to have the verdict reversed, but then Epic came to the rescue. In late 2025, the companies announced a settlement that skipped many of the court’s orders.

Epic leadership professed interest in leveling the playing field for all developers on Android’s platform. But US District Judge James Donato expressed skepticism of the settlement in January, noting that it may be a “sweetheart deal” that benefited Epic more than other developers. The specifics of the arrangement were not fully disclosed, but it included lower Play Store fees, cross-licensing, attorneys’ fees, and other partnership offers.

It’s starting to look like both companies want to wrap up this case. For Epic, this all started as a way to avoid paying Google a 30 percent cut of Fortnite purchases—the game has been banned from the Play Store this whole time. Google, meanwhile, is in the midst of a major change to Android app distribution with its developer verification program. After all these years, the end is in sight. So the new settlement includes more explicit limits on Play Store fees and resurrects one of Donato’s more far-reaching remedies.

Google’s “new era” of apps

Representatives for Epic and Google have both expressed enthusiastic support for the newly announced settlement, which is subject to Judge Donato’s approval. The parties say the agreement will resolve their dispute globally, not only in the US.

The settlement affirms that developers in the Play Store will be able to steer users to other forms of payment. This is what got Fortnite pulled from the Play Store (and Apple App Store) back in 2020. When developers choose to use Google’s billing platform, they’ll pay lower fees as well.

https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2026/03/google-and-epic-look-to-bury-the-hatchet-with-new-app-store-settlement/

MacBook Air-ish

The MacBook Neo sticks closely to the design language Apple has been using for recent MacBook Airs and Pros.

Andrew Cunningham

The MacBook Neo sticks closely to the design language Apple has been using for recent MacBook Airs and Pros. Andrew Cunningham

The words “MacBook Neo” don’t appear anywhere on the outside of the machine.

Andrew Cunningham

The words “MacBook Neo” don’t appear anywhere on the outside of the machine. Andrew Cunningham

The MacBook Neo sticks closely to the design language Apple has been using for recent MacBook Airs and Pros. Andrew Cunningham

The words “MacBook Neo” don’t appear anywhere on the outside of the machine. Andrew Cunningham

I had assumed, based on Apple’s history with its lower-end iPads and iPhones, that Apple would essentially reuse the design of the old M1 MacBook Air for this new MacBook. The Neo does share quite a few things in common with that older design, including a 13-inch notchless display, a 2.7 lb weight, and a lack of MagSafe connector. But this is actually a new design after all, one that’s more in line with the current Pro and Air iterations.

The Neo is a flat rectangular slab of aluminum with softly rounded edges, more like the current Airs and Pros than the wedge-shaped design of the old M1 Air (also like modern Airs, the words “MacBook Neo” appear nowhere on the exterior of the computer—the name only exists in stores and in software).

The low-end iPad can feel a bit cheap or hollow, partly because of the small gap between the front glass and the non-laminated LCD display underneath. But holding and interacting with the Neo feels substantially the same as interacting with an Air. It is, however, slightly thicker—an even 0.5 inches, up from 0.44 inches for the M4 Air.

The non-backlit keyboard is a bit of a bummer, although Apple has tried to keep it legible by shifting from white-on-black keycaps to darker legends on a lighter background. But the typing feel is similar to the Air, and we’re told the scissor switches have the same amount of key travel as the switches in the Air keyboards.

The keyboard and trackpad are mostly standard Apple fare, but the trackpad doesn’t support Force Touch haptics and feels a bit less solid than the Airs and Pros.

Andrew Cunningham

The keyboard and trackpad are mostly standard Apple fare, but the trackpad doesn’t support Force Touch haptics and feels a bit less solid than the Airs and Pros. Andrew Cunningham

Two USB-C ports, two different sets of capabilities. At least the headphone jack (pictured next to one of the two side-firing speakers) is still present and accounted for.

Andrew Cunningham

Two USB-C ports, two different sets of capabilities. At least the headphone jack (pictured next to one of the two side-firing speakers) is still present and accounted for. Andrew Cunningham

The keyboard and trackpad are mostly standard Apple fare, but the trackpad doesn’t support Force Touch haptics and feels a bit less solid than the Airs and Pros. Andrew Cunningham

Two USB-C ports, two different sets of capabilities. At least the headphone jack (pictured next to one of the two side-firing speakers) is still present and accounted for. Andrew Cunningham

The multi-touch trackpad is a little weirder. It looks a lot like Apple’s other trackpads, but it actually has a physical clicking mechanism rather than the haptic feedback Apple has used in its laptop trackpads and Magic Trackpads for years. That means there’s no Force Click functionality and no controls for adjusting the firmness or noisiness of the clicking sensation.

https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2026/03/macbook-neo-hands-on-apple-build-quality-at-a-substantially-lower-price/

Google also consistently delivers new features via the quarterly Pixel Drops, and while a lot of that is AI, there are some useful tools and security features, too. Google doesn’t promise all phones will get the same attention in Pixel Drops, but you should see new additions for at least a few years.

Pixel camera on a budget

Google isn’t pushing the envelope with the Pixel 10a, and in some ways, the camera experience is why it can get away with that. There’s no other $500 phone with a comparable camera experience, and that’s not because the Pixel 10a is light-years ahead in hardware. The phone has fairly modest sensors in that new, flatter module, but Google’s image processing is just that good.

The Pixel camera experience is a big selling point.

Credit: Ryan Whitwam

In 2026, Google’s budget Pixel still sports a 48 MP primary wide-angle camera, paired with a 13 MP ultrawide. There is no telephoto lens on the back, and the front-facing selfie shooter is also 13 MP. Of these cameras, only the primary lens has optical stabilization. Photos taken with all the cameras are sharp, with bright colors and consistent lighting.

Google’s image processing does a superb job of bringing out details in bright and dim areas of a frame, and Night Sight is great for situations where there just isn’t enough light for other phones to take a good photo. In middling light, the Pixel 10a maintains fast enough shutter speeds to capture movement, something both Samsung and Apple often struggle with.

Outdoor overcast.

Ryan Whitwam

Outdoor overcast. Ryan Whitwam

Bright light, fast movement.

Ryan Whitwam

Bright light, fast movement. Ryan Whitwam

Night sight.

Ryan Whitwam

Night sight. Ryan Whitwam

Bright light, fast movement. Ryan Whitwam

Night sight. Ryan Whitwam

Ultrawide.

Ryan Whitwam

Medium indoor light.

Ryan Whitwam

Outdoors overcast.

Ryan Whitwam

Bright indoor light.

Ryan Whitwam

Outdoors overcast.

Ryan Whitwam

Night sight.

Ryan Whitwam

Bright indoor light.

Ryan Whitwam

Pixel phones don’t have as many camera settings as a Samsung or OnePlus phone does—in fact, the 10a doesn’t even get as many manual controls as the flagship Pixels—but they’re great at quick snapshots. Within a couple of seconds, you can pop open the Pixel camera and shoot a photo that’s detailed and well-exposed without waiting on autofocus or fiddling with settings. So you’ll capture more moments with a Pixel than with other phones, which might not nail the focus or lighting even if you take a whole batch of photos with different settings.

https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2026/03/the-sidegrade/

The second die is where the two chips differ; the M5 Pro gets up to 20 GPU cores, a single media encoding/decoding engine, and a memory controller with up to 307 GB/s of bandwidth. The M5 Max gets up to 40 GPU cores, a pair of media encoding/decoding engines, and a memory controller that provides up to 614 GB/s of memory bandwidth (note that everything in the GPU die seems to be doubled, implying that Apple is, in fact, sticking two M5 Pro GPUs together to make one M5 Max GPU).

Apple’s spec sheets now list three distinct types of CPU cores: “super” cores, performance cores, and efficiency cores.

Credit: Apple

Apple is also introducing a third distinct type of CPU core beyond the typical “performance cores” and “efficiency cores” that were included in older M-series processors.

At the top, you have “super cores,” which is Apple’s new M5-era branding for what it used to call “performance cores.” This change is retroactive and also applies to the regular M5; Apple’s spec sheet for the M5 MacBook Pro used to refer to the big cores as “performance cores” but now calls them “super cores.”

At the bottom of the hierarchy, you still have “efficiency cores” that are tuned for low power usage. The M5 still uses six efficiency cores, and unlike the super cores, they haven’t been rebranded since yesterday. These cores do help with multi-core performance, but they prioritize lower power usage and lower temperatures first, since they need to fit in fanless devices like the iPad Pro and MacBook Air.

And now, in the middle, we have a new type of “performance core” used exclusively in the M5 Pro and M5 Max.

These are, in fact, a new, third type of CPU core design, distinct from both the super cores and the M5’s efficiency cores. They apparently use designs similar to the super cores but prioritize multi-threaded performance rather than fast single-core performance. Apple’s approach with the new performance cores sounds similar to the one AMD uses in its laptop silicon: it has larger Zen 4 and Zen 5 CPU cores, optimized for peak clock speeds and higher power usage, and smaller Zen 4c and Zen 5c cores that support the same capabilities but run slower and are optimized to use less die space.

https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2026/03/m5-pro-and-m5-max-are-surprisingly-big-departures-from-older-apple-silicon/

Increasing the starting price of the MacBook Air, incidentally, leaves even more room in Apple’s lineup for the new, cheaper MacBook that the company is said to be planning. If Apple is planning to launch this cheaper MacBook this week, the announcement will likely come tomorrow.

https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2026/03/new-macbook-airs-come-with-m5-double-the-storage-and-higher-starting-prices/

Apple updated its low-end MacBook Pro with the Apple M5 chip back in October, but the higher-end 14-inch and 16-inch Pros stuck with the M4 Pro and M4 Max chips. This morning, Apple circled back and updated the rest of the lineup, adding the M5 Pro and M5 Max to the higher-end machines and bumping the base storage—the M5 Pro now comes with 1TB of storage by default, while M5 Max chips come with 2TB of storage by default. The internal storage is said to be “up to 2x faster” than the previous-generation Pros. Apple is also bumping the base storage for the M5 MacBook Pro from 512GB to 1TB.

Unlike Apple’s other announcements this week, though, these upgrades also come with increases to their starting prices; the 14-inch MacBook Pro with an M5 Pro chip now starts at $2,199 instead of $1,999, and the 16-inch model with an M5 Pro chip starts at $2,699 instead of $2,499. The M5 MacBook Pro now starts at $1,699, up from $1,599. Granted, you’re getting double the storage of those old base models, but you no longer have the option to pay less if you don’t need 1TB of space.

The M5 Pro and M5 Max look like fairly major updates from the M4 Pro and M4 Max. Both use an 18-core CPU with six higher-performing cores and 12 lower-performing cores, but Apple is changing how it talks about each kind of core. The high-performance cores are now called “super cores,” a change that Apple says will retroactively apply to the high-performance cores in the basic Apple M5. The M5 has four of them, and M5 Pro and M5 Max have six.

Apple says the 12 other CPU cores in the M5 Pro and M5 Max are an “all-new performance core that is optimized to deliver greater power-efficient, multithreaded performance for pro workloads.” These appear to be different from the efficiency cores used in M5 and older Apple chips. Apple didn’t make direct generation-over-generation performance comparisons, but it did say that M5 Pro and M5 Max “deliver up to 2.5x higher multithreaded performance than M1 Pro and M1 Max.”

https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2026/03/apple-intros-m5-pro-and-max-macbook-pros-and-its-first-new-monitors-in-years/

This version of the Apple M4 is slightly cut down compared to the version that ships in Macs or that came with the M4 iPad Pro. It has only 8 CPU cores—3 high-performance cores and 5 efficiency cores, down from a maximum of  and 4 and 6. It also uses 9 GPU cores instead of 10, and there isn’t an Air variant with 16GB of RAM. A 16GB RAM configuration was available for M4 iPad Pros with 1TB or 2TB of storage. The cellular versions also pick up Apple’s in-house Apple C1X modem, plus the Apple N1 chip for Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity.

Otherwise, very little has changed about the new iPad Air. It still comes in four relatively muted color options (space gray, blue, purple, and a pale gold “starlight”), still uses a regular 60 Hz LCD display rather than an OLED or ProMotion screen, still uses a power button-mounted TouchID sensor rather than FaceID, and still includes a single-lens 12MP rear camera with no flash. Apple continues to not offer its nano-texture display coating for the Air, either—that’s reserved exclusively for higher-end iPad Pro configurations.

https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2026/03/apple-keeps-the-ipad-air-fresh-with-m4-chip-upgrade-and-12gb-of-ram/

The iPhone 17e will support MagSafe, which was notably absent from the 16e.

Credit: Apple

The 17e comes in three color options: black, white, and a pastel pink. It still includes a USB-C port, a notched display rather than a Dynamic Island, an Action Button, a 6.1-inch 60 Hz OLED display without ProMotion or always-on support, and a single 48 megapixel rear camera (which is still capable of taking 2x telephoto images by cropping a 24 MP chunk out of the middle of the image sensor).

The biggest problem with the iPhone 17e is still that it’s just $200 cheaper than the iPhone 17, which is an exceptionally strong version of Apple’s default phone. That $200 gets you a better main camera, a wide-angle lens, a slightly larger 6.3-inch display with ProMotion support and a Dynamic Island, and marginally faster graphics performance. But the 17e’s 256GB storage upgrade and the new chip do make it more appealing than the $699 iPhone 16, which also lacks a ProMotion display and only has 128GB of storage.

The new phone is part of a string of announcements that Apple is planning in the run-up to a “special experience” event on Wednesday morning. The company also announced a new iPad Air with an M4 chip today and is also widely expected to debut a new low-end iPad and a new MacBook that’s substantially cheaper than the MacBook Air.

https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2026/03/apples-new-iphone-17e-has-an-a19-chip-magsafe-and-256gb-of-storage-for-599/