Apple jumps into Liquid Glass

PLUS: Cyber chaos at Whole Foods

Good morning, tech enthusiasts. Apple's WWDC skipped the flashy reveals—no Vision Pro demos, no major AI breakthroughs. Instead, the tech giant unveiled its first major software redesign in over a decade: Liquid Glass, spanning every major Apple device.

But as competitors race ahead in AI, the question looms: Is a glassy coat of paint enough to keep Apple's ecosystem indispensable—or is the company choosing style over substance at a critical moment?

In today’s tech rundown:

  • Apple unveils Liquid Glass at WWDC

  • Whole Foods supplier hit by cyberattack

  • Microsoft launches Xbox handheld consoles

  • Rivian’s new ebike gets the Jony Ive touch

  • Quick hits on other major news

LATEST DEVELOPMENTS

APPLE

Image source: Apple

The Rundown: Apple’s WWDC 2025 keynote on Monday may have underwhelmed on the AI front, but the tech giant debuted Liquid Glass — a new design language that reimagines the look and feel of iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, tvOS, and visionOS.

The details:

  • Inspired by VisionOS, Liquid Glass brings translucent, reflective interfaces to all of Apple’s major operating systems, with smooth animations.

  • Apple has also overhauled its naming convention: all major operating systems will now share a year-based version number—iOS 26, iPadOS 26, etc.

  • Apple also unveiled a long-awaited gaming strategy with Apple Games, a dedicated app that centralizes gaming across iPhone, iPad, and Mac.

  • Last year, Apple announced Apple Intelligence with a demo of a Siri update—Apple delayed that feature in March, with no new updates this week.

Why it matters: Reactions to Apple’s new Liquid Glass design have so far been mixed, with reviewers saying it’s both “beautiful” and “hard to read.” Wall Street, for its part, was underwhelmed by Apple’s AI unveiling, with stock down 1.2% on the day, leaving many to question if a glassy polish is enough to move the needle.

CYBERSECURITY

Image source: Ideogram/The Rundown

The Rundown: The grocery aisles are feeling the digital shockwaves: United Natural Foods (UNFI)—the distributor behind Whole Foods and thousands of U.S. stores—has been blindsided by a cyberattack, sparking disruptions that could leave shelves empty.

The details:

  • The breach has resulted in “temporary disruptions” to UNFI’s operations, most notably its ability to fulfill customer orders to over 30K supermarket locations.

  • UNFI has launched an investigation with cybersecurity experts and law enforcement to determine the nature and scope of the attack.

  • For now, the organization is employing manual processes and alternative systems to keep essential ops running while its IT infrastructure is restored.

  • Social media and reports indicate visible impacts, such as empty shelves and frustrated customers at stores heavily reliant on UNFI’s distribution network.

Why it matters: This follows a recent wave of cyberattacks targeting both U.S. and UK retailers. While UNFI has not confirmed whether the attack was ransomware or if any data was stolen, the disruption underscores the cascading effects that backend system compromises can have on essential logistics and consumer access to food.

MICROSOFT

Image source: Assus/Microsoft

The Rundown: Microsoft officially broke its long-standing absence from the handheld gaming market with two new devices—the ROG Xbox Ally and ROG Xbox Ally X—that include a new full-screen Xbox experience for handhelds.

The details:

  • Microsoft has partnered with Asus in an overhaul to the Xbox app, Game Bar, and Windows itself, specifically to compete with SteamOS.

  • Both handhelds run on Windows 11, optimized for gaming, but they still retain the ability to run PC games, productivity apps, web browsers, and more.

  • Both devices feature contoured grips, ABXY buttons, full-size analog sticks, and an assignable back button, with the Ally X featuring impulse triggers.

  • The Ally X also features the AMD Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme processor, supporting advanced AI features and top-tier gaming performance.

Why it matters: Launching this holiday season, the ROG Xbox Ally series is Microsoft’s answer to Steam Deck and Nintendo Switch 2. Featuring robust hardware, familiar Xbox controls, and deep integration with Microsoft’s ecosystem, these handhelds are designed to give Xbox fans access to their game library wherever they are.

RIVIAN

Image source: Marcus Dawes/Wikimedia Commons

The Rundown: Famed ex-Apple designer Jony Ive’s celebrated creative firm, LoveFrom, has left its mark on Rivian’s debut foray into micromobility, reportedly lending its signature design sensibility to the electric automaker’s first electric bike.

The details:

  • LoveFrom joined forces with Rivian as part of a skunkworks initiative led by Chris Yu, former chief product and technology officer at Specialized.

  • Now spun out as a startup dubbed Also, the project has evolved into a much broader vision for modular micromobility, backed by $105M in funding.

  • Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe is on Also’s board and has teased a “bike-like” device featuring two wheels, a seat, a screen, onboard computers, and a battery.

  • Ive’s firm is also reportedly helping Ferrari develop its next-gen Italian supercars — and Ive was involved in Apple’s now-defunct secret car project.

Why it matters: Ive’s LoveFrom has reportedly also had a hand in redesigning Rivian’s infotainment system and retail. The new ebike, expected to be unveiled later this year, is rumored to bear the unmistakable touch of Ive, whose influence could redefine urban mobility just as he did consumer electronics.

QUICK HITS

📰 Everything else in tech today

OpenAI said that it recently reached $10B in annual recurring revenue, a sharp increase from approximately $5B reported last year.

Amazon says it is investing $20B to build and expand data center infrastructure in Pennsylvania, marking the largest private-sector investment in the state's history.

U.S. Congress is debating a provision in Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” that would impose a 10-year moratorium on state and local regulation of AI. 

OpenAI’s ChatGPT experienced a widespread outage today, leaving users around the world unable to generate text or images, with the company initiating a fix.

Semiconductor giant Qualcomm agreed to acquire the London-listed semiconductor company Alphawave IP Group for approximately $2.4B in cash.

IonQ, a Maryland-based $10B quantum computing company, is acquiring UK startup Oxford Ionics, a spinout from Oxford University valued at $1.1B.

Chipotle CEO Scott Boatwright reportedly said that the fast-casual chain will open more than 300 locations this year thanks to AI hiring tech.

Blue Origin’s second flight of its heavy-lift New Glenn rocket has been pushed to at least mid-August, CEO Dave Limp confirmed Monday in a post on X.

Protesters in Los Angeles reportedly torched several Waymo robotaxis and Lime e-scooters amid protests against ICE.

COMMUNITY

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Rowan, Jennifer, and Joey—The Rundown’s editorial team

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