Today, the European Union ordered Google to give its AI rivals greater access to Android, the open-source operating system that powers billions of devices worldwide. The demand is hardly surprising. It may look like a defeat on paper for Google, which has spent years resisting exactly this kind of access, but it is a regulatory win. It’s also a sign that Google may have outmaneuvered Apple by playing Brussels’ regulatory game far more shrewdly.
Technology
A wheeled robot may beat humanoids into your home
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A new wheeled robot could help people at home before many humanoid robots are ready for everyday use. That is the big idea behind Hello Robot’s Stretch 4. While many companies are developing human-shaped robots that walk, balance and try to act like us, Stretch 4 takes a different route. It rolls.
That may sound less exciting at first. However, inside a real home, wheels may make more sense than legs. Homes have rugs, cords, pets, narrow hallways, tight corners and furniture that always seems to get in the way.
A robot that can move carefully through that mess and reach for useful objects could become more helpful than one that looks impressive in a social media video.
HOME ROBOT AUTOMATES HOUSEHOLD CHORES LIKE ROSIE FROM ‘THE JETSONS’
Stretch 4 uses a lifting column and extendable arm to reach objects at different heights around a home or workplace. (Hello Robot)
Stretch 4 focuses on safe movement, reaching and practical assistance in homes and workplaces. That could make it one of the more realistic ways to build a robot that actually helps people where they live.
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What is Hello Robot’s Stretch 4?
Stretch 4 is a mobile robot designed to help indoors. It looks more like a slim rolling assistant than a humanoid robot. That design choice is intentional. The robot has a wheeled base, a lifting column and an arm that can reach for objects. It is built with tools for mapping, navigation, self-charging and VLM grasping demos.
Hello Robot presents Stretch 4 as calibrated, portable and deployable. However, its technical sheet also says it is currently intended for research, development and laboratory use. Researchers and enterprise customers can buy it now. The company also plans home pilot deployments. That real-home testing is important. A staged demo can look great online. A hallway with a rug, a laundry basket and a dog is a much better test.
HUMANOID ROBOTS ARE GETTING SMALLER, SAFER AND CLOSER
Why this wheeled home robot skips legs
Humanoid robots get plenty of attention because they look familiar. They also make it easy to imagine a machine moving through your home like a person. However, legs add risk and complexity.
A bipedal robot has to balance. It has to manage many moving parts. It also has to avoid falling near people, furniture and pets. Stretch 4 takes a simpler route. It uses wheels.
That choice makes sense for many homes, especially homes adapted for people with mobility challenges. If someone already uses a wheelchair, the home may already work well for a robot that rolls. So the question becomes pretty simple. Why make a robot walk if rolling works better?
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How Stretch 4 moves through tight spaces
One of the biggest upgrades in Stretch 4 is its omnidirectional base. That means it can move in any direction without turning first. That could make a big difference in tight rooms.
Think about a robot trying to move near a bed, chair, kitchen island or wheelchair. A machine that can slide sideways may be easier to control. It may also be safer to position.
Hello Robot spent months developing this new base. The company used newer omnidirectional wheel technology that came from powered wheelchairs. That connection fits the mission. A home assistive robot should borrow from designs that already help people move.
THE NEW ROBOT THAT COULD MAKE CHORES A THING OF THE PAST
Why Stretch 4 uses stronger sensors
Stretch 4 also gets a more advanced sensor setup. Earlier versions had a smaller moving head. Stretch 4 now uses lidar and cameras with a wider field of view. It also has a wrist-mounted depth camera to help with reaching and grabbing. Those sensors help the robot understand what is around it. They also help it avoid obstacles and handle objects with more care.
Hello Robot appears to be choosing richer data over a cheaper camera-only setup. That could help the robot work more safely in homes, where things change constantly. A cord may cross the floor. A rug may bunch up. A threshold may get in the way. A useful home robot needs to see enough to react.
Stretch 4’s sensor-packed head helps the robot see its surroundings as it navigates tight indoor spaces. (Hello Robot)
Why human control still plays a role
Stretch 4 includes autonomous features, but Hello Robot keeps a human involved. That can mean direct control. It can also mean a person supervises while the robot handles certain actions on its own. That approach feels realistic for home care.
Fully autonomous home robots still face a tough road. Homes are personal, unpredictable and often cluttered. People also need time to trust a machine that works near them every day. With Stretch 4, a person can stay involved. That could make early home use safer and more practical.
Who Stretch 4 could help first
Stretch 4 may have its strongest early impact with people who have severe mobility impairments. That is where a home assistive robot could offer real value. Picking up a dropped item can become a big deal when someone has limited movement. The same goes for moving an object across a room or reaching something on a shelf. Small tasks can affect independence.
Hello Robot has worked with Henry Evans, who is paralyzed and cannot speak. Evans uses a computer to control robots and has tested assistive robots in his home for years. His view cuts through the hype. For someone who cannot walk, a robot with legs may offer little benefit. A stable wheeled robot may do the job better.
Why safety could decide the home robot race
Safety may decide which robots actually make it into our homes. A robot in a factory works in a controlled space. A robot in your home works near people, pets, furniture and medical equipment. That raises the stakes.
Stretch 4 includes safety features such as force limiting, collision avoidance, tilt avoidance and a dedicated runstop button. A humanoid robot faces a harder problem. If it loses balance or stops suddenly, it could fall. That creates a real concern around older adults, caregivers and people who cannot move quickly.
That risk may explain why a less flashy robot could reach homes sooner. A robot that helps safely beats a robot that looks cool on video.
How much does Stretch 4 cost?
Stretch 4 costs $29,950. That is a lot of money, especially if you are thinking about it as something for the average home. However, this version is not aimed at everyday folks just yet.
Hello Robot says Stretch 4 is currently only certified for laboratory and research use while the company works toward additional certifications. The company also notes that some purchases may be restricted under the DoD 1260H designation, depending on the use of certain government funds.
For now, Stretch 4 is more likely to appeal to researchers, care organizations and pilot programs that want to test what a wheeled robot can actually do.
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Those early deployments could help Hello Robot improve the system before a future version reaches our homes.
What this means to you
The first truly helpful home robot may look nothing like an actual person. It may roll into the room. It may use one arm. It may look more like a tool than a character from a cartoon. That could all be a good thing.
A home assistive robot should help with real tasks. It should move safely, reach carefully and work in the spaces people already use.
For families caring for someone with limited mobility, that could become meaningful. A robot that helps someone grab an item or complete a simple task could support more independence at home.
For the rest of us, Stretch 4 is a reminder that the first useful home robot may not be the one that looks the most human. It may be the one that can safely help with the small tasks that make daily life easier.
Kurt’s key takeaways
Stretch 4’s wheeled base and low-reaching arm show why rolling robots may work well in real homes. (Hello Robot)
Stretch 4 will not win a robot beauty contest. It will not walk through your house like a person. It will not look like the humanoid robots taking over social media feeds. Yet it may be closer to what you actually need. Hello Robot seems focused on a more grounded goal: build a robot that can help safely inside real homes. That may sound less exciting than a humanoid helper. However, it could mean far more to someone who needs daily help. And if Stretch 4 proves itself in homes, humanoid robot companies may have to answer a tougher question.
Would you rather have a robot that looks human or one that can safely help you at home? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com
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In one of two decisions handed down on Thursday, the European Commission — the EU’s executive arm and the principal enforcer of the bloc’s competition rules — said Google must give rival AI assistants the same kind of system features and data access it grants Google’s Gemini. The order stems from Europe’s Digital Markets Act (DMA), which requires dominant platforms designated as “gatekeepers” to give competitors access to certain systems and data comparable to what is available to their own services.
Crucially, Google has until July 2027 to make those changes, giving it roughly a year to continue expanding Gemini, negotiate technical details with the EU, and shape how its rivals will eventually plug into Android. The company could also challenge the decision in court, though it has not commented publicly whether it plans to do so and declined to comment on the record when The Verge inquired.
While Google has made it clear it would rather not open its systems at all — arguing it risks compromising users’ safety, security, and privacy — that yearlong runway compounds an already significant advantage. Gemini is already deeply integrated into Android and often ships preinstalled as the default AI assistant on many devices, giving Google more time to strengthen its position before rivals like OpenAI and Anthropic gain comparable levels of access.
Google’s strategy of shipping first and negotiating with regulators later stands in stark contrast to Apple’s. When Apple announced its long-awaited Siri AI assistant last month, it made a big point of saying the feature would not launch in Europe because of the DMA.
As with Android, the Commission said Apple would need to give third-party assistants comparable access to key systems, features, and data to those of Siri AI. Apple argued that doing so “would be irresponsible” and create unacceptable privacy and security risks. The company said it asked the Commission for 18 months to build a compliant version and introduce the required interoperability on a “gradually rolling” basis. The Commission rejected that proposal.
Apple still has no public timeline for when, or even whether, it plans to bring Siri AI to the EU and did not respond to The Verge’s request for comment. Google, meanwhile, just secured the very grace period for Gemini that Apple wanted for Siri AI: time to comply with the DMA while its AI assistant stays on the market.
The contrast may partly reflect where each company’s AI assistant stood when the DMA began shaping product decisions. Gemini has been the central pillar of Google’s AI strategy for years and has been widely distributed across the company’s product ecosystem, giving Google a strong incentive to stay in the market and figure out compliance with any laws later. Apple, meanwhile, unveiled its new Siri AI very recently and chose to withhold it from the EU, despite having had years to anticipate the DMA’s requirements during the product’s design.
Apple also chose to turn Siri AI’s absence into a political weapon, evidently hoping the court of public opinion would find in its favor and pressure Brussels to relax interoperability requirements. It did so publicly and repeatedly, taking the unusual step of dedicating part of its WWDC 2026 keynote to explaining why Siri AI won’t be coming to Europe, publishing a pointed blog post titled “Due to DMA, Siri AI delayed in EU for iOS 27 and iPadOS 27,” and holding media briefings on the issue. It relayed news that China was missing out on Siri AI through a one-sentence footnote. All of this served to cast Brussels, not Apple’s product choices, as the reason for the delay.
It’s also possible that the split is less significant behind the scenes than it appears in public. Google and Apple both vehemently oppose the DMA’s interoperability demands, framing them as threats to privacy, security, and product integrity. The two companies have also worked together on integrating Gemini into Apple’s AI products, including Siri AI, making it plausible that they have remained in contact while exploring different ways to fight the same set of restrictions.
For now, though, the difference is stark. Google has a year to bring Android into compliance while continuing to expand Gemini. Brussels denied Apple this kind of runway, and who knows when Siri AI will reach the EU.
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A medical emergency behind the wheel is terrifying because every second suddenly feels bigger. You are trying to stay calm, stay safe and get help before things spiral.
That is why John Brandt’s story is getting so much attention. His Tesla Model Y helped keep him moving during a heart attack, while his son used the Tesla app to reroute the car to a nearby emergency room.
The bigger takeaway isn’t that your car can replace 911. It cannot. The lesson is that connected-car settings, trusted app access and emergency contacts should be ready before you ever need them.
BEFORE YOU CONNECT ANOTHER SMART TV, TABLET OR PHONE, LOCK IT DOWN
A Tesla Model Y helped keep John Brandt moving toward help after chest pain hit during an early morning highway drive. (Tesla)
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How a Tesla Model Y helped during a medical emergency
Brandt said he was driving from Atlanta to Birmingham on I-20 around 4 a.m. when severe chest pain made it unsafe for him to keep driving on his own. His Model Y had Full Self-Driving Supervised enabled, which helped keep the car on course while he called his son, Jack.
Jack then acted from his own phone. Because he was an authorized driver on his father’s Tesla account, he could send a new destination to the vehicle through the Tesla app. He found Tanner Medical Center in Carrollton, Georgia and rerouted the car there.
He also called ahead, so emergency room staff knew a possible heart attack patient was coming. Brandt later said doctors found three blocked arteries and told him the fast reroute likely saved his life.
Brandt credited his family, the hospital team and Tesla’s technology for helping him survive. His experience also shows why trusted access should be set up before a crisis starts.
Why the Tesla FSD medical emergency feels so personal
This story hits home because it sounds like something that could happen to any of us. You may be driving to help a parent. You may be on a highway before sunrise. You may think you feel heartburn or stress until the pain gets worse.
Most of us think about car safety in terms of brakes, airbags and tires. However, this story shows that app access, navigation settings and trusted contacts can also play a role in a crisis. That does not mean your car becomes a paramedic. It means your connected vehicle can give your family more ways to help if something goes wrong.
Brandt’s experience raises a question every driver should consider: If you suddenly could not manage the trip alone, would someone you trust know how to step in and help?
How Tesla owners can prepare for a medical emergency
If you own a Tesla, start with trusted driver access. Add someone you trust completely, such as a spouse, adult child or close family member. Tesla lets owners add drivers through the Tesla app. Once added, that person may be able to access key vehicle features from their own phone.
Choose carefully. A trusted driver may be able to see your vehicle location and use important app controls. That access can help in an emergency, but it also deserves serious thought.
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Next, show that person how to send a destination to your Tesla. Do not make this something they figure out during a crisis. Sit in the parked car and test it together.
Have them send a familiar destination to the vehicle. Make sure you both understand what appears on the screen. Then talk through what they should do if you ever call and say something is wrong.
Also save useful locations in your navigation system. Add home, work and hospitals you would likely use. If you often drive between two cities, look at hospitals along that route before you need them.
Why Full Self-Driving Supervised isn’t an emergency plan
Tesla calls the system Full Self-Driving Supervised for a reason. The driver still needs to pay attention and stay ready to take over at any time. Brandt’s experience shows how the technology and app connectivity helped during one frightening emergency. But a Tesla cannot replace 911, an ambulance or a trained medical team.
If you feel chest pain, shortness of breath, nausea, lightheadedness or pain in your arm, back or jaw, treat it as an emergency. Pull over safely if you can. Call 911 immediately. Emergency responders can start care on the way to the hospital and alert the ER before you arrive.
The car’s connected navigation features allowed Brandt’s son to reroute the vehicle to the nearest emergency room from his own phone. (Tesla)
Your car may help your family find you or send a destination. Still, it should never delay a medical call.
How to prepare any connected car for an emergency
You do not need a Tesla to learn from this story. Many newer vehicles have connected apps, navigation tools, roadside assistance buttons or emergency calling features. First, remember this: your car should never replace 911. If you are having a medical emergency, pull over safely if you can and call for help immediately. These steps are about giving your family extra ways to help, not replacing emergency responders.
1) Check your vehicle app access
Open your automaker’s app and review what it can do. Look for vehicle location, shared driver access, remote lock controls, roadside assistance and navigation features. Then make sure your trusted contact can use the app if your car allows it. If the app requires a login, two-factor code or owner approval, handle that now. Also check app access after you get a new phone. Permissions can change when you upgrade. Also, because vehicle apps can show location and control certain car features, use a strong unique password, store it in a password manager and turn on two-factor authentication (2FA) if available. Only give app access to someone you fully trust.
2) Turn on location and alert permissions
Make sure your vehicle app can use location services when needed. Also allow important notifications from the app so you do not miss alerts about your car. Ask your trusted contact to check the same settings on their phone. If they cannot see your vehicle, receive alerts or open the app quickly, they may not be able to help during a crisis.
3) Test sending a destination to your car
Some vehicles let you send a destination from your phone to the dashboard. Others do not. Find out now. Sit in your parked car and send a destination from your phone. Then ask your trusted contact to try it if they have authorized access. This quick test can prevent confusion later. It also shows you what your car will display when a new destination arrives.
4) Learn what your SOS button really does
Many vehicles have an SOS button, emergency assistance button or roadside help button. Do not assume they all work the same way. Check your owner’s manual or automaker app. Find out whether the button calls 911, a private call center or roadside assistance. Also learn whether the system shares your vehicle location. That detail can be critical if you cannot explain where you are.
5) Set up phone emergency features
Your phone may help even more than your car. Add emergency contacts, fill out your Medical ID or emergency information and make sure your family can reach you even when Do Not Disturb is on. Apple says iPhone emergency contacts can receive a text and your location after an emergency call, while Samsung lets Galaxy owners add emergency contacts, medical info and SOS sharing from Safety and emergency settings.
On iPhone
- Open the Health app.
- Tap your profile picture in the top-right corner.
- Tap Medical ID .
- Scroll down and under each section in red, tap Edit or Add .
- Add important details, such as medical conditions, allergies, medications and blood type.
- Scroll to Emergency Contacts and tap Add Emergency Contact .
- Choose a trusted contact and select their relationship to you.
- Turn on Show When Locked and Share During Emergency Call if those options appear.
- Tap
To make sure key people can reach you, go to Settings → Focus → Do Not Disturb → People and allow calls or notifications from your trusted contacts. You can also open a contact, tap Edit , choose Ringtone or Text Tone and turn on Emergency Bypass . Emergency Bypass can allow that person’s calls or texts to come through even when Focus settings would normally silence them.
On Samsung Galaxy
Settings may vary depending on your Android’s manufacturer
- Open Settings
- Tap Safety and emergency
- Tap Medical info
- Add important details, such as medical conditions, allergies, medications and blood type
- Tap Save
- Go back to Safety and emergency
- Tap Emergency contacts
- Tap Add emergency contact or Add member
- Choose your trusted contacts and tap Done
- Turn on Show on Lock screen if available
- Go back to Safety and emergency and tap Emergency SOS to review how your phone calls for help and whether it sends SOS messages to emergency contacts
On Galaxy phones, also check Settings → Safety and emergency → Emergency Location Service and turn it on if available. This can help share your location with emergency responders in supported regions.
To let important calls through Do Not Disturb, go to Settings → Notifications → Do not disturb → Calls and messages or Allowed during Do not disturb , then allow favorite contacts or selected contacts. Favorite contacts can be allowed through while Do Not Disturb is on.
6) Keep a written backup in the car
Technology can fail. Phones lose battery. Apps can lock you out. Keep a small emergency card in your wallet or glove box. Include emergency contacts, allergies, medications and your preferred hospital. If you have a heart condition or another medical concern, ask your doctor what details should be listed.
7) Review access every few months
Trusted access should not be set once and forgotten. Remove anyone who no longer needs access to your vehicle app. Add someone new if your family situation changes. Also update emergency contacts after a move, phone change or major health update.
Kurt’s key takeaways
John Brandt’s story is scary because it could happen to anyone. His Tesla helped, but the real lesson is preparation. If your car has an app, know what it can do before an emergency. Add a trusted family member, test the navigation tools and make sure your phone’s emergency features are filled out. A car should never replace calling 911. However, the right setup can give your family one more way to help when every second counts.
If your car were involved in an emergency, would your family know what to do? Let us know by writing to us at CyberGuy.com.
The story is a reminder to set up trusted app access and emergency features before you ever need them. (Tesla)
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Skullcandy announced a new version of its Crusher wireless headphones today featuring a few of Bose’s audio technologies including its QuietControl ANC and head-tracking spatial audio. The Crusher headphone line differentiates itself from the competition through the use of both full-range and dedicated bass drivers in each ear cup to boost deeper frequencies. Skullcandy admits that approach can result in a loss of audio quality when the bass is heavily boosted, but its new Crusher 1080 ANC are meant to address and improve that with Bose’s help.
Available starting today for $279.99 in black, candy, primer, and cement color options, the new Crusher 1080 ANC feature redesigned drivers with a stiffer diaphragm material resulting in enhanced clarity and detail with less distortion at higher volume. As with previous models in the Crusher line, the bass boosting is entirely adjustable using Skullcandy’s mobile app or the on-headphone controls that now include a more prominent dial on the outside.
The Crusher 1080 ANC will be the first non-Bose headphones to feature that company’s TrueSpatial audio technology with head tracking that works whether you’re stationary or out for a run and its WaveForm audio engine that “keeps audio full, balanced, and smooth.” Skullcandy’s latest will also offer industry-leading noise cancellation with Bose’s six microphone QuietControl ANC tech that adapts as sounds around you get louder or quieter. The Crusher 1080ANC even features Bose’s SpeechClarity that reduces noise so your voice comes through clearly during a call, but they’re not the first third-party headphones to offer it.
Battery life is estimated to be up to 60 hours with ANC turned off, or 50 hours with it on, while a 10-minute rapid charge will keep the Crusher 1080 ANC going for up to four hours if they die. There’s multipoint pairing for connecting and switching between multiple devices, auto reconnect and wear detection that pauses music when you take the headphones off, and a design that folds flat for easier storage. The Crusher 1080 ANC supports Bluetooth 5.3 with LE Audio, low latency audio, and Auracast.
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