Christen da Costa

Japan joins the US and EU in rejecting DABUS inventor status, leaving legislative reform as the only path forward For anyone hoping a machine might someday collect patent royalties, Tokyo has delivered its answer. Japan’s Supreme Court Second Petty Bench dismissed Dr. Stephen Thaler’s final appeal, cementing what three levels of courts and the Japan Patent Office already decided: under Japanese law, only a natural person can be named as an inventor.

Conflicting supplier reports show Apple targeting anywhere from 3 million to 10 million units for its late 2026 debut foldable The $1,199 Pro Max already strains most budgets. Now picture a checkout screen reading $2,500 — for a phone that folds. According to reporting from Nikkei Asia, cited by T3 and 9to5Mac, Apple has told suppliers to prepare roughly 10 million foldable iPhone Ultra units ahead of an expected late 2026 launch. That number sounds bullish.