Mobile Apps

New York – September 19, 2026 -- iPhone users who installed the iOS 27 beta and want out now have two options: Apple's official recovery-mode restore, which wipes the device entirely, or a third-party downgrade tool that claims to preserve personal data during the process.

Apple's own method erases everything on the phone

To remove iOS 27 through Apple's official channel, users must first back up their device while still on iOS 26, since an iOS 27 backup cannot be restored onto iOS 26. The process requires disabling Find My iPhone, connecting the device to a PC or Mac, entering Recovery Mode by pressing Volume Up, then Volume Down, then holding the Side Button, and using iTunes or Finder to restore the device. This wipes all data on the iPhone.

Los Angeles -- September 19, 2026 -- A 17-year-old UCLA student has launched a platform designed to help college students trade seats in full classes instead of waiting on waitlists. Joseph Borna built ClassSwap after struggling to get into required courses during his own coursework at UCLA.

Students list the class they have and the class they want

On ClassSwap, users post the course or section they currently hold alongside the one they are trying to enter. The platform then attempts to connect students with matching, compatible needs. Users can also set alerts to watch specific classes and get notified when a relevant opening appears.

"I kept thinking that there are students all over campus trying to solve the exact same problem separately," Borna said. "There should be one place where they can actually find each other."

New York – September 18, 2026 -- Giggles, the fast-growing social video app, has relaunched with a ground-up redesign that swaps its old trading mechanics for a new points system called Aura and a set of collectible "trend cards."

Aura replaces trading with a simple rewards system

Users earn Aura by participating on the app and spend it on interactions and creator rewards. Aura carries no cash value, marking a clear departure from the trading economy the app was previously known for. Trend cards, meanwhile, are digital collectibles earned with Aura that mark viral moments and celebrate creators, memes, and content that define the platform.

The app remains focused on short-form video across five categories

Giggles still functions as a short-form video platform where users create, watch, and share content across comedy, food, sports, music, and memes.

Miami – September 18, 2026 -- ChatOn, an AI chatbot app with 100 million downloads, has launched a fact-checking feature that lets users verify claims, articles, and AI-generated text on the spot.

Users paste a claim and get a verdict with sources

To use the tool, people paste in a claim, article snippet, or AI-generated text, and ChatOn returns a verdict along with supporting sources and the reasoning behind its decision. The system compares multiple sources and assesses their reliability before flagging fabricated statistics, misattributed quotes, or manipulated stories.

A survey exposed how often AI gets facts wrong

ChatOn built the feature after a prior survey found that 39% of Americans verify AI-generated information using Google or other sources. The same study found 36% of Americans have encountered outdated information from AI tools, and 19% have run into made-up sources or references.

Los Angeles – September 17, 2026 -- KidsTopia, an AI-powered kids platform, has earned the kidSAFE SAFE CERTIFIED Seal, a global child online safety designation awarded after a review of its chat, reporting, and AI safety practices.

The service is operated by Inculab plus, a company spun off from LG U+. KidsTopia had previously held the lower-tier kidSAFE LISTED Seal before advancing to the SAFE CERTIFIED designation.

KidsTopia operates in 11 countries including the US, Japan, and Korea

The edutainment platform lets children play, learn, explore virtual spaces, and interact with AI characters. It is currently available in 11 countries, including Korea, the United States, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Singapore.

Boston – September 17, 2026 -- Menu-Order AI has launched Daily GLP-1 Habits, a feature that lets users log meals, macros, steps and behavior changes tied to GLP-1 weight-loss medications, expanding the app beyond its original restaurant-menu tool.

The feature was built with Founding Medical Advisor Dr. Leigh-Anne Dale and arrives as federal GLP-1 coverage expands. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services opened its Medicare GLP-1 Bridge on July 1, 2026, giving eligible Medicare Part D beneficiaries access to certain GLP-1 drugs, alongside its BALANCE model pairing medication access with lifestyle support for Medicaid recipients. In December 2025, the World Health Organization issued its first global guideline on GLP-1 therapies, recommending the drugs be paired with diet, physical activity and structured behavioral support.

Los Angeles – September 17, 2026 -- Kaiju No. 8 THE GAME, the mobile and PC title co-produced by Akatsuki Games, TOHO, and Production I.G, added a new playable character today as part of its first-anniversary celebration.

A new five-star fighter joins the roster on September 14

The character, called [Unorthodox Pursuit] Suited, wields a Hammer-type weapon and draws power from a creature identified in the game's lore as Dimensional Identified Kaiju A. According to the character's in-game backstory, she wears a prosthetic eye made from the Kaiju's cells, which has also altered her hair color and placed strain on her body -- effects she reportedly embraces despite the risks. A matching five-star Hammer weapon, HM-Spolcyc, launches alongside her.

Players get a login bonus tied to a new anime episode

To mark the release of the second episode of the tie-in short anime "Narumi's Week at Work,

New York – September 17, 2026 -- Zocdoc launched a new marketing campaign called "Ready to be Seen?" on September 14, aimed at making it easier for patients to book appointments with doctors who actually fit their needs.

Nearly half of patients dread finding a doctor

A recent Zocdoc survey found that 42% of patients say booking a doctor feels like finding a needle in a haystack, while 48% say they dread the process altogether.

Getting an appointment isn't enough for most patients

The same survey found 71% of patients say finding the right doctor matters as much as getting an appointment quickly, and 50% wish providers took more time to understand them. Notably, 71% say they're more likely to be honest with a doctor when they feel understood.

Hong Kong – September 16, 2026 -- Cheerble has launched Wickedbone Air, an app-controlled dog toy priced at an introductory $59.99, now available at cheerble.com after pre-orders opened September 7, 2026.

Owners steer the toy in real time through a virtual joystick

The toy offers two play modes. In Drive Mode, owners use the Cheerble App's virtual joystick to guide the toy's movement live, adjusting direction as their dog chases it. Auto Mode relies on built-in movement patterns and touch responses so the toy can play on its own while owners supervise nearby. Built-in sound effects add an audio cue during play, and a separate Find Device feature triggers a sound through the app to help owners locate the toy if it ends up under furniture.

Dubai – September 15, 2026 -- Bybit, the world's second-largest crypto exchange by trading volume, has officially launched Bybit AI, a conversational assistant built into its app that lets users trade, manage accounts, and get customer support through a single chat interface.

Users type requests in plain language and Bybit AI executes the action

Instead of navigating separate menus and dashboards for tasks like checking a wallet balance, placing a trade, or filing a support ticket, users describe what they want and the assistant carries out the request directly within the chat.