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  • Anduril, Blue Origin to study how to transport cargo from orbit to Earth for the Pentagon

    Anduril, Blue Origin to study how to transport cargo from orbit to Earth for the Pentagon

    Blue Origin and Anduril have landed new study contracts with the U.S. Air Force to explore how their technology, including rockets, could move military cargo around the world. The contracts under the Air Force’s Rocket Cargo program are relatively small — Blue Origin’s comes in at $1.37 million and Anduril’s at $1 million. But they could be the first steps in revolutionizing how the Pentagon transports cargo. Study contracts like these are also a strong signal as to which players will later compete for larger-dollar funding.

    Anduril’s contract is especially intriguing and suggests the defense startup is making forays into an entirely new business line.

    The two awards fall under the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory’s Rocket Experimentation for Global Agile Logistics (REGAL) program. Blue Origin did not respond to TechCrunch’s request for comment, and an Anduril spokesperson directed TechCrunch to AFRL.

    REGAL is the experimentation arm of AFRL’s larger Rocket Cargo program, which is focused on “delivery as a service” via orbital transport. The Air Force wants to procure these capabilities via service-type contracts, similar to how the DoD contracts commercial airlines. The aim of the REGAL program is to prove out commercial, reusable rockets, reentry systems, and cargo transportation systems to enable deliveries to remote or hard-to-reach theaters in less than an hour.

    While there isn’t much public information about REGAL’s scope of work or timeline, the requests for proposals that underlie the awards contain some interesting information.

    Blue Origin’s contract, according to the sparse award listing, is for an analysis of how its tech could support “point-to-point material transportation.” The listed place of performance is Merritt Island, Florida, Blue Origin’s home on the Space Coast and where it is developing the heavy-lift New Glenn rocket.

    Anduril’s design study contract, which also falls under REGAL, was awarded under a separate call for proposals called “Payload Reentry from Space Development and Demonstrations.”

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    Cutting through the jargon, the proposal implies Anduril will study how to develop a reentry container that can carry between five tons to 10 tons of payload from Earth and back. The listing, which can be viewed on SAM.gov, emphasized that the container needs to work with different rocks and the study should propose a thermal protection system. Anduril’s “payload container,” as the listing calls it, should integrate multiple government-defined payloads and work across platforms.

    Reentry is a notoriously difficult problem to solve in spaceflight. Developing materials that can survive atmospheric reentry, and a container that doesn’t completely destroy the contents involved, is a challenge. A handful of startups, like Varda Space Industries, have developed reentry capsules for in-space manufacturing, and SpaceX’s Dragon capsule brings back cargo and astronauts from the ISS. But overall, the number of vendors that can deliver this capability is limited.

    The news of the two contracts, which haven’t been reported, follows on Rocket Lab’s own REGAL contract that was announced earlier this year. That contract explicitly has a flight demonstration step, though AFRL hasn’t released other details on that award, like the amount.

    If rocket cargo services mature, the Pentagon could buy “delivery as a service,” with massive loads riding a commercial heavy rocket and returning to Earth inside a capsule for quick offload. Long-term, AFRL said the program could even include point-to-point transportation of humans.

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  • Apple Surpasses Rivals, Ascends as Global Smartphone Market Leader in Q1

    Apple Surpasses Rivals, Ascends as Global Smartphone Market Leader in Q1

    Apple Takes the Crown in Global Smartphone Shipments – Q1 2025

    Picture this: Apple, the tech titan, has rocketed to the top spot in worldwide phone shipments for the first quarter of 2025, snatching a solid 19 % of the market. That’s a tidy win over its Chinese competitors, and a huge lift for CEO Tim Cook, who seemed to need a good dose of confidence after the lukewarm iPhone 16 launch last fall.

    Why Did Apple Surprise Everyone?

    The magic wand? The humble iPhone 16e. This affordable entry‑level model hit the market in a “non‑traditional” quarter, and it worked like a charm, giving Apple the boost it needed to claim the number‑one spot.

    Key Highlights from Counterpoint Research’s Market Pulse Early Look

    • Market Share: Apple – 19 % (Q1 2025)
    • Samsung – 18 %
    • Xiaomi – 14 %
    • Vivo & Oppo – each 8 %
    • All Other Brands – 33 % combined

    While the sales figures in the U.S., Europe, and China remained either flat or dipped, Apple didn’t lose heart. The company rolled out double‑digit growth in Japan, India, the Middle East, Africa, and Southeast Asia, proving that a single model can sweep up a significant share across the globe.

    Beyond the Numbers – A Pick‑up‑Line for Tim Cook

    In a world where user expectations are more selective than ever, Apple’s quick pivot to a budget-friendly line shows that sometimes, less truly is more.

    Take a moment to applaud the fearless leadership that turned a potential setback into a triumphant story. If Apple ever fits a superhero cape into the lineup, the cape will probably read “New Launch, New Heights”—and it’s already soaring!

    The Smartphone Rollercoaster: 2024 vs. 2025

    Last Quarter’s Big Splash

    In the latest beat, global phone sales glugged up 3 % YoY. Even though rich‑country markets dipped, the downturn was nudged back by some serious bang‑in‑the‑China booth—thanks to government subsidies—plus a steady rebound in Latin America, Asia‑Pacific, and the MENA region.

    Enter 2025: A Mixed‑Bag Beginning

    • Emerging markets kept dancing, pacing up with better economic vibes.
    • Meanwhile, the mature territories (North America, Europe, China) began feeling like the phones on a long‑time “see‑you‑later” run‑away routine.

    Insights from Counterpoint’s Senior Analyst

    Senior Research Analyst Ankit Malhotra was quick to say:

    • January sales in China were on fire—the subsidies acted like a sparkling confetti shower.
    • Hot‑new releases such as Samsung’s S25 and Apple’s iPhone 16e kept the sales buzz alive.
    • However, economic jitters and trade‑war tensions crept in by the quarter’s close, turning the groove into a wobble.

    Malhotra keeps a keen eye on policy changes and currently projects a YoY dip for 2025—even though Q1 showed a brief pop.

    Counterpoint’s Forecast

    Looking forward, Counterpoint warns that the global smartphone market is likely to slow down this year. Macro‑economic hurdles and looming tariffs are poised to put a drag on consumer appetite across most regions.

  • Stephen Fry trending online for comments on J.K. Rowling: ‘She seems to be a lost cause’

    Stephen Fry trending online for comments on J.K. Rowling: ‘She seems to be a lost cause’

    Stephen Fry is trending online because the celebrate actor, author, and Harry Potter audiobook narrator reportedly said that J.K. Rowling has been “radicalised by TERFs” and is now “a lost cause” in the transgender rights debate.

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    Renowned British actor, author and broadcaster Stephen Fry has labelled Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling a “lost cause” and stated that she has been “radicalised by TERFs” – the acronym that stands for “trans-exclusionary radical feminist”.  
    The term is used by transgender activists against gender critics like Rowling, who has dedicated much of her online presence to defending her views while expressing transphobic views.

    During the recording of the podcast The Show People, Fry, who previously narrated all seven Harry Potter audiobooks, said: “She has been radicalised I fear and it maybe she has been radicalised by TERFs, but also by the vitriol that is thrown at her.” 
    As reported by The Daily Mail, Fry continued: “It is unhelpful and only hardens her and will only continue to harden her I am afraid. I am not saying that she not be called out when she says things that are really cruel, wrong and mocking. She seems to be a lost cause for us.” 
    “I am sorry because I always liked her company,” he added. “I found her charming, funny and interesting and then this thing happened, and it completely altered the way she talks and engages with the world now.” 
    He continued by saying that Rowling’s “contemptuous” comments “add to a terribly distressing time for trans people.” Stephen Fry - pictured at Newport Beach Film Festival in London - Thursday 13 February 2025Stephen Fry – pictured at Newport Beach Film Festival in London – Thursday 13 February 2025
    AP Photo

    Stephen Fry spoke in the aftermath of the UK Supreme Court ruling in April that determined that ‘woman’ meant a biological female and not gender. 
    Lord Hodge said the five Supreme Court justices had unanimously decided that “the terms woman and sex in the Equality Act refer to a biological woman and biological sex.” 
    Many expressed fears that the ruling could put trans and non-binary people in danger. Stonewall’s chief executive Simon Blake said that the ruling “will be incredibly worrying for the trans community and all of us who support them.” 
    Meanwhile, Rowling celebrated the ruling by posting a picture of herself smoking a cigar on her yacht. 

    Fry’s recent comments have been met with a torrent of bile online…  

    … as well as some support, highlighting quite how divisive the issue remains.  

    Fry is not the only former Harry Potter star to speak out and criticise Rowling’s continued hateful rhetoric. Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint have all spoken out against her controversial views.  
    Last year, Radcliffe told The Atlantic that Rowling’s views “make me really sad”, adding: “Because I do look at the person that I met, the times that we met, and the books that she wrote, and the world that she created, and all of that is to me so deeply empathic.” 
    Watson expressed her support, stating: “Trans people are who they say they are and deserve to live their lives without being constantly questioned or told they aren’t who they say they are.” 
    Meanwhile Rupert Grint said: “I firmly stand with the trans community… Trans women are women. Trans men are men. We should all be entitled to live with love and without judgment.” 
    Rowling previously said that she wouldn’t forgive the Harry Potter stars who have criticised her views. “Celebs who cosied up to a movement intent on eroding women’s hard-won rights and who used their platforms to cheer on the transitioning of minors can save their apologies for traumatised detransitioners and vulnerable women reliant on single sex spaces,” she wrote on X. 
    Earlier this year, Rowling reignited tensions with the actors by taking an indirect jab at Radcliffe, Watson and Grint. In March, she was asked: “What actor/actress instantly ruins a movie for you?” 
    Rowling replied: “Three guesses. Sorry, but that was irresistible.”  

    By contrast, Tom Felton, who played Draco Malfoy in the franchise, said he remains “grateful” to Rowling.  
    “I’m not really that attuned,” said Felton. “The only thing I always remind myself is that I’ve been lucky enough to travel the world. Here I am in New York. And I have not seen anything bring the world together more than Potter, and she’s responsible for that. So I’m incredibly grateful.” 
    His comments sparked a wave of differing reactions – some applauded him for what they called a “classy response,” while others condemned his words as “atrocious,” “spineless,” and “disappointing.”