May 31 Tech news roundup: Mozilla ends support Pocket and Fakespot, Arc Browser has been discontinued, Apple wants to rename its operating systems

Mozilla to shut down Pocket and Fakespot

Mozilla has announced that it is shutting down two of its cloud services: Pocket and Fakespot. Read it Later, Inc, which created Pocket, was acquired by Mozilla in 2017. Pocket was integrated in Firefox, but was never really popular.

Unsurprisingly, Mozilla has shut down Pocket, new users can no longer download the apps for iOS, Android, and macOS, and the website itself is inaccessible. Users are advised to export their data before October 8, 2025. Mozilla says that all Pocket user data will be deleted automatically on the said date. Subscribers will start receiving automatic refunds soon. Fakespot, a service that Mozilla acquired in 2023, to check the authenticity of online reviews, is also being shuttered. The website, mobile apps, and browser extensions, will be shut down on July 1, 2025. But, Firefox’s built-in Review Checker will stop working on June 10, 2025.

Mozilla says the decision to discontinue these services will aid it in allocating resources to make Firefox better.

AMD says that 8GB GPUs are still in demand

PC Games are becoming more graphics intensive, the need for Ray Tracing support as a minimum requirement is already a thing. The recently release, DOOM: The Dark Ages, is a notable example. These requirements highlighted something important, the vast majority of gamers do not have a graphics card that supports Ray Tracing, and are thus unable to play games that require RT mandatorily.

However, it also appears that most gamers still play in 1080p. This was revealed in a recent Steam Hardware Survey, which recorded 55.27% of gamers play on 1080p resolution. Only about 35% of gamers play on higher resolutions like 2K or 4K. AMD’s Chief Architect, Frank Azor, says that the most popular games do not require a high amount of video memory, especially those that fall into the esports category. Gamers who prefer such titles require less VRAM than high-end titles demand. This is also the reason why AMD continues to make 8GB GPUs, in a world where 12GB and 16GB may seem to be gaining popularity. The main reason why these are popular is that they are affordable, and as long as there is a need for budget gaming, AMD will cater to those needs by offering graphics cards with 8GB of VRAM.

Arc Browser has been killed in favor of an AI-powered browser called Dia

The Browser Company has announced that it has discontinued Arc Browser. Arc was designed to offer unique features like Spaces, Live Folders, Calendar Preview. However, these features were barely used by people, and this is according to Josh Miller, the CEO of The Browser Company. Miller announced the discontinuation of Arc Browser in a Letter to Arc members.

Arc Browser faced too many hurdles, not everyone wants to switch browsers, users may require specific features or extensions that may not be available in other browsers. But, Arc’s main problem was that it had a learning curve, and its interface didn’t make things any easier, these factors could have made users uncomfortable, and they could have gone back to their old browser. It’s easier to continue using an app that has a familiar interface, and features.

That’s precisely what The Browser Company is working on, a new browser that is simpler, faster, and without the bloat. The browser is called Dia, and will incorporate AI-powered features. Fans of Arc were disappointed that their favorite browser was being discontinued, and not being open sourced, or maintained by the community. They also criticized the need for an AI-powered browser.

Apple may rename its operating systems

iOS 18 is the latest version of Apple’s mobile operating system, but the next iteration that is set to release later this year may be called iOS 26. In what seems like an odd move, Apple wants to rename all of its operating systems to reflect the year, actually it’s the upcoming year, not the current one.

Experts have pointed out that this seems similar to what Samsung does with its flagship phones, like the Galaxy S25 series, which is named on the year it was launched, 2025. So, why is Apple doing this? When you look at the latest versions of its software, it’s a mess. iOS 18, iPadOS 18, macOS 15, tvOS 18, watchOS 11, visionOS 2, do sound confusing. However, iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS 26, and so on, does indicate whether the operating system was launched recently. This could help users understand the Apple ecosystem better.

But, users have pointed out that the names of Apple’s devices are more confusing; iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, iPhone 16 Pro Max, and the iPhone 16e. Well, they are not wrong. Apple is expected to announce the new names of its operating systems during WWDC 25, which has been scheduled for June 9.

WhatsApp for iPad released

WhatsApp is now available as a native app for iPadOS. Meta says that the version for iPads was a much-requested one. While that’s good, the app itself has one flaw, it is not a standalone client. You will need to link it to your WhatsApp account by using your smartphone, and the devices need to be nearby. This is similar to how WhatsApp Web works.

That said, up to 32 people can participate in video and audio calls. The app supports both cameras on the tablet. WhatsApp for iPad has been optimized to support iPadOS features such as Stage Manager, Split View, Slide Over, and supports Apple Magic Keyboard and Apple Pencil. It is worth noting that Stage Manager is only available on some iPads. As expected, the app comes with Meta AI. WhatsApp is compatible with iPads that run on iPadOS 15.1 or later.

Microsoft’s Xbox handheld may not be releasing this year

Fans who were expecting Microsoft to launch its first handheld console may be disappointed to know that the company has temporarily shelved the plan. The Redmond company wants to focus its developer teams on optimizing the gaming experience on third-party handhelds that will carry the Xbox branding. One such device is the upcoming ASUS ROG Ally 2, which is codenamed Project Kennan.

As for its first-party console, Microsoft still wants to make one, the plans have not been cancelled. Windows 11 on handhelds aren’t a new thing, the original ROG Ally, as well as the Lenovo Legion Go run on the operating system. Even the latest Lenovo Legion Go S does run on Windows 11, but reviews of the console have been critical of its performance. A recent video by YouTuber, Dave2D, highlighted that the Legion Go S performs remarkably well on SteamOS. Valve had recently extended SteamOS support for non Steam Deck devices, and this could provide some serious competition to Windows 11 handhelds.