Tech Wrap Feb 24: iQOO 15R launch, iOS 26.4 dev beta 2, Xiaomi Pad 8
iQOO 15R launched in India. Apple releases iOS 26.4 developer beta 2. Xiaomi Pad 8 to launch in India on Feb 28. Ubisoft making new Assassin's Creed and Farcry games. Claude Code Security
BS Tech New Delhi iQOO has unveiled the 15R smartphone, marking the debut of an ‘R’ variant in its flagship portfolio. Equipped with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 processor, the iQOO 15R features a 6.59-inch 1.5K AMOLED panel supporting HDR10+ and a 144Hz refresh rate. It houses a 7,600mAh battery and operates on Android 16-based OriginOS 6.
Apple has issued the iOS 26.4 developer beta 2 update for supported iPhones, introducing a blend of new additions and subtle interface refinements. As per 9To5Mac, the update broadens RCS encryption testing and brings new accessibility settings. It also delivers small visual adjustments to built-in apps such as the App Store and Games.
Xiaomi has confirmed that the Xiaomi Pad 8 will debut in India on February 28. Prior to the launch, the company disclosed several key specifications of the tablet. According to its official website, the device will run on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 chipset. Xiaomi claims it will be its slimmest and most powerful tablet to date. The Pad 8 was previously introduced in China in September with the same processor.
Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot has reportedly stated that multiple Assassin’s Creed and Far Cry titles are currently being developed. In an interview with Variety, Guillemot said that Ubisoft’s newly formed Vantage Studios, which oversees three of its biggest franchises, is working on fresh entries in Assassin’s Creed, Far Cry, and Rainbow Six. Several Assassin’s Creed projects will include both single-player and multiplayer formats.
Artificial Intelligence firm Anthropic has introduced Claude Code Security, a new feature built into its AI coding assistant, Claude Code. Released earlier this month, the tool is designed to help developers and security teams identify vulnerabilities directly within codebases by using large language models to assess software behaviour instead of relying solely on pattern-based scans.
A vulnerability in DJI’s Romo robotic vacuum reportedly enabled remote access to thousands of units globally. The Verge reported that the issue surfaced when a developer attempted to operate his own vacuum using a PS5 controller. When his custom-built app connected to DJI’s servers, nearly 7,000 vacuums across multiple countries responded, allowing potential remote control beyond his own device.
OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman has dismissed assertions that artificial intelligence is significantly increasing water consumption, while conceding that its expanding energy demands pose a genuine challenge as AI adoption grows worldwide. Speaking to The Indian Express during the AI Impact Summit in India, Altman described claims about water usage per AI query as “completely untrue” and rooted in outdated data centre cooling assumptions.
US-based artificial intelligence company Anthropic has alleged that three prominent AI developers in China conducted extensive “distillation” efforts to improperly extract outputs from its Claude models, characterising the activity as a coordinated move to strengthen competing AI systems.
 "Tech Wrap Feb 24: iQOO 15R launch, iOS 26.4 dev beta 2, Xiaomi Pad 8")
