GTA 6 delay, Galaxy S25 Edge leak, Xbox price hike, iPhone 17 rumors
10 tech stories in the quickest format possible
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At this time last year, I was en route to my friends’ wedding in Iowa when I was in line for a popular but middle-of-nowhere steakhouse 18 minutes before it opened. I saw the GTA 6 “Fall 2025 release” news tip on my phone at 5:12 pm.
I immediately got out my MacBook Pro, parked myself on the pavement (still in line), and started writing the breaking news story for The Shortcut subscribers. I was able to publish a first draft two minutes before the steakhouse doors opened.
Take the popularity of the iPhone, Madden, and Call of Duty, which launch new versions annually, then force people to wait THIRTEEN years between releases. That’s Grand Theft Auto 6.
Locals in line didn’t get it, and it’s hard to describe the power of Grand Theft Auto to non-gamers. My favorite way to quantify it: Take the popularity of the iPhone, Madden, and Call of Duty, which launch new versions annually, then force people to wait THIRTEEN years between releases. That’s Grand Theft Auto 6.
It’s been 12 years since GTA 5, which has sold 210 million copies. The first GTA 6 trailer, released in December 2023, reached 93 million views on YouTube in just 24 hours, breaking a world record. It’s now at 252 million views.
GTA 6 is still going to be the biggest game of the PS5 and Xbox Series X generation. It’s just not a “Fall 2025 release” anymore, like I wrote a year ago, and, sadly, I don’t have an Iowa steak to look forward to at the end of this more sobering Substack post.
1. 🎮 GTA 6 delay: the biggest game of the decade releases on May 26, 2026
📆 The new GTA 6 release date is now May 26, 2026, not ‘Fall 2025’
🎮 It’s coming to PS5 and Xbox, but not PC or Switch 2 at this time
😅 Other game publishers had moved their release dates to avoid GTA 6
🎞️ Trailer 1 reached 93 million in 24 hours, breaking YouTube records
💰 GTA 6 may cost $100, according to analysts
🚨 I’ll track GTA 6 pre-orders & Collector’s Edition in the coming months
The GTA 6 release date is now March 26, 2026, breaking Rockstar Games’ promise to deliver the highly anticipated video game in 2025.
GTA 6 will release on PS5 and Xbox, ranging from the powerful PS5 Pro to the lower-end Xbox Series S. There’s still no word of GTA 6 on PC or Nintendo Switch 2, but everyone wants this game. The first GTA 6 trailer broke internet records.
🤔 But why the delay? GTA 6 will be a sprawling, massive game. It takes time. Also, Rockstar Games is said to be avoiding “crunch time,” aka compulsory overtime to meet a game launch deadline, reports Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier.
🏆 What it means: It’s good news for other games that tremble in GTA 6’s presence – and for Switch 2. They have breathing room. The prior 2025 release window had game publishers moving their dates out of GTA 6’s wake. Borderlands 4’s date moved up, though the devs claim it didn’t have to do with GTA 6. Sure.
📄 Note: 12 years ago, Rockstar started GTA 5 pre-orders 10 months before it released, and it did have a Collector’s Edition. I will, of course, track them for The Shortcut subscribers.
2. 📱 Galaxy S25 Edge pre-order nears as launch date reportedly leaked
📱 Samsung’s super-slim Galaxy S25 Edge phone may launch this month
📅 It’ll be revealed around May 13, a newly leaked Italian teaser suggests
🔎 We saw the Edge in January and February, but its specs remain a mystery
🤏 It’s expected to have flagship specs crammed into a 5.84 mm-thin phone
Samsung may introduce the Galaxy S25 Edge on or around May 13. That’s according to a leak posted by Evan Blass on X. In a since-removed teaser image, the caption “Beyond slim” sat alongside the date of “13 maggio 2025,” which translates from Italian to May 13, 2025.
The Shortcut has seen the Galaxy S25 Edge’s slim design a handful of times now. We first saw it at Samsung’s Unpacked event in January, got up close and personal with it at MWC 2025, then saw it leak in a hands-on video shortly afterward. We’ve also seen the S25 Edge colors that will be offered.
The exact S25 Edge dimensions remain a mystery, but the Android phone is expected to be about 5.84mm thin, much thinner than the Galaxy S25 and Galaxy S25 Ultra, but a tad thicker than Apple’s rumored iPhone 17 Air. Stay tuned.
3. 📈 Xbox prices hiked so significantly that Nintendo Switch 2 looks cheap
📈 Xbox consoles, games, and accessories are seeing a significant price increase
💰💰 The 2TB Xbox Series X now costs $729.99, up $130
💰 The 1TB model has risen to $599.99, a $100 increase
💿 Microsoft’s digital and physical games will cost $80 this holiday
❎ Xbox Game Pass subscription prices are unaffected for now
🎮 Xbox controllers and headsets are also impacted, but Microsoft emphasized it will still offer value and flexibility for players
Xbox Series X and Series S consoles, accessories, and games are increasing in price worldwide this holiday season. Microsoft said it will "adjust the pricing of some of our new first-party games starting this holiday season to $79.99".
The Xbox price increase means the 2TB Xbox Series X will cost more than Sony's PS5 Pro at $729.99, an increase of $130. The Xbox Series X 1TB, which launched at $499.99, will now cost $599.99 – a $100 increase.
4. 🍎 iPhone 17 specs: the 5 biggest upgrades we’re expecting so far
📱 Apple is rumored to release the iPhone 17 later this year
👀 The phone will resemble the iPhone 16, according to reports
🦾 While upgrades won’t be massive, there will be improvements in key areas
✋ Here are the FIVE biggest upgrades to look forward to in September
Apple isn’t going to reinvent the smartphone when the iPhone 17 comes out later this year. However, it could offer some enticing upgrades compared to the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Plus that we reviewed.
While the rumored iPhone 17 Air will get an ultra-thin design and the iPhone 17 Pro a fresh set of cameras, the regular iPhone 17 is said to be more of a spec bump than anything else. It’ll keep the same design we saw on the iPhone 16 with its minimal camera bump, aluminum build, and array of buttons, while adding new features that’ll improve the core experience.
Continue reading Max’s iPhone 17 predictions:
5. 🚨 Nintendo Switch 2 pre-order this week: how to get an invite
🎮 The Shortcut is tracking the next Nintendo Switch 2 pre-order at US retailers
📆 On May 8, My Nintendo Store will send invites to qualified Nintendo fans
🏬 US stores have put canceled Switch 2 orders back on sale at random times
👀 We detected Walmart’s surprise Switch 2 pre-order restock on Saturday
🚨 Priority Alerts: The Shortcut subscribers get 1:1 help in our Substack Chat
🔔 Turn on notifications for Matt Swider on X to get alerts
The surprise Nintendo Switch 2 pre-order at Walmart on Saturday, April 26, was the last time reservations for the new console were in stock in the United States. However, it won’t be the last time to order the Switch 2 before its June 5 release date.
Refreshing Walmart’s Switch 2 Mario Kart World bundle, along with our reliable restock alerts, proved to be the two-step tactic that helped thousands of The Shortcut subscribers finally order Nintendo’s elusive system. It proved easy to get if you saw our priority Substack Chat alert, or our subsequent email and X posts.
On May 8, Nintendo will send loyal fans an invitation to buy the Nintendo Switch 2 console, launch games, and Switch 2 accessories. But you’ll need to qualify.
Nintendo Switch 2 pre-order qualifications prior to April 2:
A Nintendo Switch Online membership for at least 12 months
A minimum of 50 hours of total gameplay logged on your Switch 1
Opted into sharing gameplay data with Nintendo in the privacy settings
You must be 18 years old or older, per Nintendo’s rules
📄 Note 1: This non-transferable invite to buy the Switch 2 will be valid for 72 hours and will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis, according to Nintendo.
📄 Note 2: You need to be the primary account holder, so the lead account in a Nintendo Switch Online Family Plan (the one paying) is the only account eligible (unless someone in the family previously had NSO for 12 months on their own at a prior time).
6. 💳 Visa is testing AI that automatically shops for you
💳 Visa is testing AI that executes desired shopping purchases
🧠 AI agents are the next step in AI, beyond simply curating results
🛍️ Want to book (not just find) a flight at a specific price drop or pre-order a Nintendo Switch 2 before it sells out?
🔐 AI agents would work within thresholds and use the same verification and tokenization protections as current credit cards
🏦 14,000 bank partners worldwide could work with Visa to ensure its AI ambitions are secure, Visa’s Mark Nelsen told The Shortcut
🤖 AI agents could handle as much as 20% of all e-commerce tasks in a year
What if your AI assistant doesn’t just recommend a flight for an upcoming trip, but pays for it on your behalf?
With your consent, Visa partners like OpenAI could work with AI agents to research, select, and even buy that flight for you. You could even set parameters, such as a price threshold (if the fare drops below, say, $400, you’re all in), plus no stopovers or redeyes.
Until now, AI agents have been able to curate personalized recommendations for products and services, but they stop short in transacting with merchants.
This is the full-circle solution Visa is aiming to provide.
7. 💻 Microsoft teases new Surface with Copilot+ coming tomorrow
👀 Microsoft has posted a teaser to social media, hinting at a new Surface device
💻 The image confirms it’ll be a Copilot+ PC, which isn’t surprising
🧑💻 We’ve heard rumors that the company could release budget-friendly Surface devices with ARM-based chips
📅 The announcement is set to take place almost two weeks before Microsoft Build
Microsoft is teasing a new Surface device, or at least that’s what it seems like. The company has posted an image to its Surface social media accounts, hinting at the date of May 6 and sharing that “Something new is coming.”
The date is almost two weeks before the beginning of Microsoft Build, the company’s big developer conference, which could mean we won’t get a lot of Surface news at the show. Instead, we could get it all tomorrow.
It’s unclear what Microsoft might have up its sleeve. We’ve heard rumors that the company is working on cheaper ARM-based Surface devices, complete with compact designs and low prices around $800-$900. Windows Central has previously reported that the devices will be powered by the lower-end Snapdragon X processor, a chip that still delivers on performance but isn’t quite as powerful as something like the Snapdragon X Elite, found in laptops like the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x.
8. ⏻ Buy a Switch 2 Pro Controller to avoid this compatibility issue
😴 The Switch 1 Pro Controller cannot wake the Switch 2 from sleep, requiring manual intervention or a compatible controller
😢 Classic controllers (N64, Sega Genesis, etc) won’t wake Switch 2 either
🆚 The Switch 2 Pro Controller offers faster charging, improved HD Rumble, and additional features like custom rear grip buttons and a headphone jack
🕹️ It doesn’t include Hall Effect analog sticks, but Nintendo promises it’s been redesigned with durable "smooth-gliding sticks”
The Nintendo Switch 2 supports most existing Switch accessories, which is helpful for those looking to save a few extra bucks after purchasing the console.
However, you might have convinced yourself that your regular ol' Switch Pro Controller will work fine on the Switch 2. And in many respects, it will, despite this annoying issue.
Nintendo's website says you cannot exit sleep mode using the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller and original Joy-Con controllers. That's a deal breaker for me, as I plan to use the Switch 2 in docked mode fairly often.
👎 This means you'll have to get up and press the power button manually while the Switch 2 is in the dock. Or, you'll need the right Joy-Con 2 controller nearby to wake up the system that way.
9. 🛜 LG QNED9M is the most affordable wireless 4K TV starting at $1,799
📣 LG reveals pre-order pricing for its Mini LED TVs, the QNED9M & QNED92
🛜 LG QNED9M is the most affordable wireless TV, starting at $1,799
📶 LG’s Zero Connect Box lets you wirelessly connect consoles, Blu-Ray players and more
📺 The wired LG QNED92A is available for pre-order at the same prices
LG has announced pricing and launched pre-orders for two of its latest QNED TVs (aka Mini LED TVs), the LG QNED9M and QNED92.
The LG QNED9M is the brand’s new flagship Mini LED TV, featuring a wireless Zero Connect Box that was previously exclusive to LG’s M-series OLED evo TVs since 2023. What’s even more impressive is its $1,799 starting price, which makes it the most affordable wireless TV yet.
Wireless connectivity has become available on more TVs this year than ever before. Samsung has added a Wireless One Connect Box to its flagship 8K TV, the Samsung QN990F Neo QLED, and the Samsung Frame Pro, priced at $3,299 and $2,199, respectively. LG’s wireless OLED TV, the LG M5 OLED evo hasn’t had its price revealed yet, but we anticipate it will be $4,299 or more.
10. 🤖 Gemini AI will work with Siri by end of year, says Google
🤖 Google is working with Apple on integrating Gemini into Siri
✅ Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai confirmed the negotiations during a trial
🗣️ It would allow you to ask Siri questions and utilize Gemini AI for responses, similar to ChatGPT
⏳ It’ll also help buy Apple time to sort things out with Apple Intelligence
📅 The integration could be released by the end of the year
There’s a huge antitrust trial happening between the United States and Google as we speak, and during it, we’ve gotten a few insights into how Google operates and what it’s working on. One of the more interesting snippets of info lately? Gemini on iPhone.
It seems that Google is currently working on a deal with Apple to integrate Gemini with Siri, the same way ChatGPT does now. Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai confirmed the negotiations during the trial, responding with “Correct” after DOJ lawyer Veronica Onyema asked whether Google had any such plans. It could be a big deal for iPhone users in the future, and a way to buy Apple time to work on Apple Intelligence.
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