FlashFeed

Full text

For a company that prides itself on delivering polished, functioning hardware and software, Apple dropped the ball with its original AI-powered Clean Up tool.

Not only did this Apple Intelligence feature arrive almost a year after similar tools from Samsung and Google, but by all accounts, it was objectively worse at removing unwanted objects in images than those big-name rivals. We tested Clean Up against Galaxy AI last year , and found that the former “comes incredibly short of the mark when Samsung’s offering is capable of truly achieving what it sets out to do.” Ouch.

But Apple has promised to make things right in iOS 27. At WWDC 2026 , the company announced that Clean Up will be faster and more capable in your iPhone’s next software update — and so I put that claim to the test by comparing Clean Up as it exists in iOS 26 against Clean Up as it exists in the iOS 27 developer beta (if you’re keen to try an early version of iOS 27 for yourself, here’s how to download the iOS 27 developer beta ).

Before we dive into the image comparisons, an important note: Clean Up is better in iOS 27 because it’s capable of engaging Apple’s powerful Foundation models when needed. Say, for instance, you want to remove an obstruction from your face; your iPhone will employ a ‘High Quality’ version of Clean Up that taps into Apple’s own Private Cloud Compute servers to access these Foundation models. But it doesn’t do this all the time.

For small touch-up jobs, your iPhone employs a ‘Fast’ version of Clean Up that uses Apple's on-device AI models to complete your request, just as it does in iOS 26 (albeit not under this 'Fast' banner). This version is (surprise!) faster than the ‘High Quality’ alternative, but it's also not as effective at removing objects.

In iOS 27, your iPhone defaults to using an ‘Auto’ version of Clean Up that switches between ‘High Quality’ and ‘Fast’ depending on the edit request you’re making, but you can force your iPhone to use one or the other by selecting your chosen mode in a drop-down menu.

The new Clean Up options in iOS 27 (Image credit: Future) For this comparison, I stuck to ‘Auto’ to test how well my iPhone recognizes when (and when not) to use the more power-intensive ‘High Quality’ version of Clean Up — and because most people will use Clean Up in this default ‘Auto’ mode. I also wanted to see whether ‘Fast’ in iOS 27 — which my iPhone surely used for a few of the photos below — is more effective than it is in iOS 26.

I've added a separate section for comparing ‘Fast’ and ‘High Quality’ results in iOS 27, which is the starkest example of how much Apple's Clean Up tool has been improved.

And, of course, my results are based on the iOS 27 developer beta, not the finished version of iOS 27. There's every chance that Clean Up will be improved further once iOS 27 proper arrives later this year.

Photo comparisons

Original image Future / Axel Metz Future / Axel Metz Future / Axel Metz In this first example, iOS 26 leaves behind an unnatural smear in place of the dog, while iOS 27 adds a more detailed, natural-looking replacement. The latter looks more like a bush than grass — and the end of the dog's tail is still visible in both examples — but iOS 27 delivers the better overall result.

Original image Future / Axel Metz Clean Up in iOS 26 Future / Axel Metz Clean Up in iOS 27 Future / Axel Metz iOS 26 actually delivers the better result here, leaving behind a slightly less visible L-shape than iOS 27. I suspect this is an example of that 'Fast' version of Clean Up in action, and that if I manually selected 'High Quality', the iOS 27 version would be superior (see the 'Fast' vs 'High Quality' comparison at the bottom of the page to see what I mean). This comparison also proves that 'Fast' in iOS 27 doesn't always deliver superior results to Clean Up in iOS 26 (at least as far as the developer beta goes).

Original image Future / Axel Metz Clean Up in iOS 26 Future / Axel Metz Clean Up in iOS 27 Future / Axel Metz Again, I'd say iOS 26 delivers the better result in this example — focus on the llama's erased head in both photos to see what I mean.

Original image Future / Axel Metz Clean Up in iOS 26 Future / Axel Metz Clean Up in iOS 27 Future / Axel Metz Original image Future / Axel Metz Clean Up in iOS 26 Future / Axel Metz Clean Up in iOS 27 Future / Axel Metz This is the first example in which I'm convinced my iOS 27-enabled iPhone switched from 'Fast' to 'High Quality'. When asking Clean Up to remove the long strands of hair over my left eye, the iOS 26 version completely botches the job, adding random ugly smears and not actually removing anything. The iOS 27 version, meanwhile, serves up a genuinely impressive result. It's not completely devoid of fakery, but it's certainly the more usable of the two results.

Original image Future / Axel Metz Clean Up in iOS 26 Future / Axel Metz Clean Up in iOS 27 Future / Axel Metz Now you see him, now you don't. At first glance, both iOS 26 and iOS 27 appear to do a similarly OK job at removing Bad Bunny from the roof of La Casita, but if you look closely, iOS 26 doesn't recognize that there are stairs behind him. The iOS 27 result isn't that much better, but it's the objectively superior of the two.

Original image Future / Axel Metz Clean Up in iOS 26 Future / Axel Metz Clean Up in iOS 27 Future / Axel Metz Another slim win for iOS 27 here. Neither version of Clean Up completely removes the dog's shadow, but iOS 27 makes a slightly better go of it than iOS 26.

Original image Future / Axel Metz Clean Up in iOS 26 Future / Axel Metz Clean Up in iOS 27 Future / Axel Metz In this example, the iOS 27 result is the much better of the two. Not only does iOS 26 leave behind a smeary cloud, but it also adds a random shape and (badly) generates an extra helping of mountain in the background. None of these mistakes are visible in the iOS 27 result.

Original image Future / Axel Metz Clean Up in iOS 26 Future / Axel Metz Clean Up in iOS 27 Future / Axel Metz iOS 27 wins again here, but not by much. The dark splodges left behind in the iOS 26 result are a tad more visible than those in the iOS 27 result, and I'd be more comfortable passing the latter off as reality.

Original image Future / Axel Metz Clean Up in iOS 26 Future / Axel Metz Clean Up in iOS 27 Future / Axel Metz This is probably the most challenging request of the bunch. I'm sitting on a backless bench while pedalling a piece of urban gym equipment, and I asked Clean Up to remove me, but keep everything else intact. iOS 26 fails miserably, and while iOS 27 doesn't totally succeed either — it leaves my right foot behind and removes the end of the bench entirely — it does do a better job of replacing what it removes with real-looking imagery.

Fast vs High Quality in iOS 27

Here's an example of the different results you can achieve by manually selecting the 'Fast' and 'High Quality' versions of Clean Up in iOS 27.

Original image Future / Axel Metz 'Fast' version of Clean Up in iOS 27 Future / Axel Metz 'High quality' version of Clean Up in iOS 27 Future / Axel Metz As you can see, the difference is huge . The 'Fast' result is a total mess, while the 'High Quality' result is genuinely real-looking. The latter isn't perfect — it's changed the menu art, for instance, and reduced the menu count from two to one — but I suspect that's because a portion of the menu was caught in the circle I drew around the coffee cup (and for that reason, I hope Apple reduces the thickness of the Clean Up line when iOS 27 releases in full later this year).

First impressions

In all but three of the comparisons, the iOS 27 developer beta version of Clean Up delivered the better result; however, it's clear that, when your iPhone opts for the 'Fast' version of the feature, the gulf in quality is not dramatic. In fact, in some examples, the iOS 26 result is better — so it's probably best to think of 'Fast' Clean Up and iOS 26 Clean Up as the same tool.

It's a different story for the 'High Quality' version of Clean Up in the iOS 27 developer beta, which delivered vastly superior results to Clean Up in iOS 26 when my iPhone auto-selected that option, or when I manually enabled it (as in the coffee cup example).

This proves beyond doubt that Apple has improved Clean Up in iOS 27 as it exists right now — but unless users manually select this 'High Quality' option (or always request complex edits that trigger its automatic use), the difference in Clean Up's capabilities may not be all that noticeable.

Again, though, I've been careful to specify that these iOS 27 results are from the developer beta — Apple will likely further tweak Clean Up between now and iOS 27's September release, so I expect the tool to get even better.

Full text

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 , in my humble opinion, deserves the laurels it got—it's a gorgeous, inventive, personality-filled romp with an ending that rips your heart out and stomps it into a pulp fine enough for use in paint. But I'd hesitate to call it 'perfect', mostly because I don't believe in perfection as a concept, but also because there were a few moments where it lost me—like those freaking mimes . Hate those guys.

Anyway, in a recent interview with the YouTube channel Konbini , creative director Guillaume Broche says that—among a lot of other inspirations—he was inspired by games with clear and glaring imperfections, jokingly referencing the infamous Devil May Cry scene where Dante screams: "I should've been the one to fill your dark soul with light!"

"I think these games are really endearing," says Broche. "You see their flaws and think to yourself, 'yeah, it's lame, but I don't care. It's part of the character's flaws, and that's what makes them'. You're not looking for a perfect game. A perfect game is boring anyway."

As a matter of fact, Broche has a theory of perfection that games with a bit of jank are better than games that try to cover them up: "Games that try to be perfect, that try to fix all their flaws—they're usually just really boring."

Generally speaking, I couldn't agree more—neither could my colleagues, who are often ardent defenders of eurojank : "My theory is that it's just like people. People who try to be perfect are boring because they have no personality. Whereas people who embrace their slightly weird side—in the end, are the interesting ones."

As far as the purposeful jank that made it into Clair Obscur, Broche brings up its intentionally-obnoxious minigames: "We knew when we were making them: it was going to be unbearable, people were going to lose it, but it's part of the fun. We thought it was funny. And, well, it's imperfect, but whatever—we're putting it in.

"With Clair Obscur, there are plenty of design decisions that are fundamentally flawed. What we heard a lot before we released the game was: You're making a game that mixes the challenging aspects of an action game—with dodging and parrying—with turn-based gameplay. No-one's going to like it."

I liked it quite a lot, but I'm both an RPG-lover and a parry fanatic , so Clair Obscur was so deeply designed for me it felt almost targeted. Still, Broche admits, "fundamentally there are a lot of design decisions [in Clair Obscur] that, from an outside or business perspective, make no sense at all."

Best cozy games : Relaxed gaming

Best anime games : Animation-inspired

Best JRPGs : Classics and beyond

Best cyberpunk games : Techno futures

Best gacha games : Freemium fanatics

Full text

PARIS — European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde said she could leave her post before the end of her term to take part in France’s 2027 presidential election.

Asked in an interview with French daily Les Echos published Thursday if she could step down early to “play a role” in the vote next year, the former French economy minister said it was “possible.”

“A European voice must be heard in the presidential debate,” she said.

Lagarde did not say what role she would seek if she returned to French politics, however. And she added that whatever decision she takes would depend on the stability of the European economy.

“Given that we are once again going through a turbulent period, I believe the captain of the ECB ship must stay on board,” she told Les Echos.

Lagarde’s term leading the ECB runs until October 2027, about six months after the presidential contest. Speculation about her future has been rife since the Financial Times reported in February that she was planning to leave early to allow French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz to help pick her successor.

The 70-year-old European central bank chief told the Wall Street Journal a few days later that she planned to see out her term.

In her interview with Les Echos, Lagarde said that if she were to resign, it would be to debate Euroskeptic voices, such as those of the far-right National Rally.

“If it looked like there were prospects of a diminished French role in Europe, I think it’s important to explain why that would be a painful path for our country and our citizens,” she said.

Opinion polls suggest that Marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella are the current favorites in the presidential race. But the National Rally cannot finalize its candidate until after Tuesday , when an appeals court delivers its verdict on an embezzlement case that knocked Le Pen out of the election.

Marion Solletty contributed reporting.

Full text

Forget BBQs, I'm all about outdoor pizzas this year. If you want to hop on the homemade pizza bandwagon (welcome, there's plenty of space!), then now's a good time to get yourself set up with a pizza oven. Making your own pizzas is fun and satisfying, and the results are so much more delicious than oven pizzas or takeaway. If you're short on time or not especially gifted in the kitchen, it's pretty easy to find premade dough base balls that you can just roll out and add toppings to (this is my preferred method).

When picking a pizza oven, your main decision will be the type of fuel you want it to run on. Most modern pizza ovens — including the one I have at home — run on gas , which is speedy, convenient, and easy to control by just adjusting a dial. Another option is to opt for wood , which gives that delicious smokey smell and taste (although your pizzas won't be cooking for very long, so the impact won't be massive), but requires more effort to control the temperature.

There are a few ' multi-fuel ' pizza ovens that can be used with either wood or gas. Alternatively, you could opt for an electric pizza oven. These are ultra-convenient, easy to control and versatile too. However, they tend not to get as hot as the other options, and you lose that authentic experience and charred flavor.

Below, I've rounded up some of our favorite pizza ovens. If you want to see how these options compare, hop to the bottom of the page for a specs comparison table .

Gas pizza ovens

I tend to think of gas pizza ovens as a 'happy medium' option. They can reach scorching temperatures, so you'll get those authentic charred edges, but are reliable to use and it's easy to adjust the heat up or down.

You won't get the 'smokey' wood-fired flavor — however, given your pizza's only going to be in there for a couple of minutes max, the difference isn't going to be nearly as noticeable as, for instance, using a gas versus charcoal BBQ.

Ooni

Koda 16 Gas Pizza Oven

Ooni

Koda 12 Gas Pizza Oven

ZANUSSI

ZGPO1PC Gas Powered Pizza Oven

Gozney

Arc XL

Read our full review

Pros

Larger pizzas

More stable temperatures

Digital thermometer

Cons

Not portable

No door for fast heat up

No wood-fire option

Jamie Oliver by Tefal

Outdoor Gas Pizza Oven, Rotating Stone

Wood fired pizza ovens

Wood fired pizza ovens run on pellets. Like gas options, they can get super-hot, but controlling the temperatures is trickier — it requires adjusting the vents and adding fuel. You'll also need to deal with the ash leftover afterwards. However, you will get the delicious smokey smell, and a more traditional cooking experience.

GEORGE FOREMAN

Outdoor 12-inch Wood Pellet Pizza Oven

George Foreman

Outdoor 16-inch Wood Pellet Pizza Oven

Zanussi

ZPO1BPC Outdoor 12-inch Wood Pellet Portable Pizza Oven

Electric pizza ovens

An electric pizza oven won't give you that unique cooking experience; instead, it'll be a lot more like using an air fryer or regular oven. They also tend not to have a lower maximum temperature, so it's trickier to achieve those crispy bases and charred edges. However, what you lose in authenticity you gain in convenience — you can control temperatures precisely, and the results are very predictable.

Ninja

Artisan Electric Outdoor Pizza Oven & Air Fryer MO201UK

Ooni

Volt 2 Electric Pizza Oven

Ninja

Woodfire 8-In-1 Electric Outdoor Oven, Pizza Oven & Smoker

Multi-fuel pizza ovens

Ooni

Karu 2 Multi Fuel Portable Outdoor Pizza Oven

Gozney

Dome (gen 2) Multi Fuel Outdoor Pizza Oven

Pizza oven specs compared