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Making Sense Of The Power Of Quantum Computing

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Two years ago, I spent about six months in deep discussions with IBM about its quantum computing program. They wanted key analysts to get a broader understanding of the potential impact of quantum computing and learn about its work and strategy. Many of these discussions were about drug discovery, an area I am very familiar with from my Pre-Med college focus in the late 1970s.

Previously, I had not spent much time on quantum computing research, as our work then was on AI and other developments in XR, VR, and mobile computing.

Earlier this year, I had discussions with two companies working on AI and quantum computing, and I realized I needed a much deeper understanding of this advanced technology. So I took a summer course at one of our major universities on the fundamentals of Quantum Computing and its potential impact.

From this class, I came to understand that quantum computing is a new way of building computers that uses the laws of quantum physics rather than classical electronics. It is not meant to replace your laptop or phone, but to handle a special class of problems that even the fastest supercomputers struggle to solve. For students, developers, and curious readers, understanding the basic ideas—qubits, superposition, entanglement, and today’s hardware limits—provides a foundation for following how this field will evolve over the next decade.

Classical computers deal in bits, in which each bit can only be 0 or 1 at any point in time. In quantum computers, the qubits (Quantum Bits), which are physical phenomena like ions, photons, or tiny superconducting circuits, can be in state 0, state 1, or in a “mixture” of both at the same time. It is this “mixture” that allows quantum computers to explore the “space” of possible solutions to problems much better.

One way to think about this is to conceptualize it as an on-off light switch, but with what amounts to a dimmer switch. Bits are on or off, whereas qubits can be any number of levels in between, which can be denoted in equations for calculation purposes in terms of 0 and 1. Adding many qubits together means that you have an exponential number of possible results, and this means that, on top of a small quantum computer, it would be likely to solve problems that are beyond the power of classical computers.

Superposition and Entanglement

Two concepts in quantum physics that are the building blocks of quantum computing are superposition and entanglement. In superposition, a qubit can be in many states at once, such as 0 and 1 simultaneously, until it is measured. Then it “collapses” to one state. That means it can evaluate many solutions in parallel, unlike a classical computer, which evaluates them in series.

One example our professor gave was of having a dog behind one of ten doors, and you have to pick the one it is behind. That means having to open each one separately to find the door where the dog sits.

But let’s say that the dog is somewhere behind one of 10,000 doors. In classical computing, you would have to open each one until you find the dog. But in quantum computing, it would open all 10,000 doors and make it easier to locate the dog.

Entanglement: Entanglement makes it possible for qubits to be correlated in such a way that the state of one qubit can be known when measured, regardless of whether it is in the same location or in another area. In a quantum computation, entangled qubits behave like an interdependent system rather than independent systems that can be calculated separately. Superposition and Entanglement enable quantum computation to reduce incorrect answers and increase correct ones exponentially.

The Key Uses of Quantum Computers

Quantum computers are not generally faster at everything; they are faster at specific types of problems. Factoring large numbers, which is the basis of much of modern cryptography, is one such type of problem that a quantum computer can solve much faster than a classical computer can. In this process, a quantum computer algorithm known as Shor’s algorithm can factor huge numbers much faster than classical computers can, and this poses a problem for current public-key cryptography. Because of this, efforts are underway to develop ‘post-quantum’ cryptography that will be secure in the quantum age.

Another area of immense importance is quantum system simulation. Since nature itself is governed by the laws of quantum mechanics, a quantum computer can potentially solve problems in chemistry and materials science more directly than classical computing. Quantum computing has the potential to accelerate drug development, improve battery performance, and advance materials for electronics and energy applications. Another area of potential applications of quantum computing is in optimization problems, including finding the optimal logistics path or optimal system configuration.

NISQ Era: The Limitations of Today

Quantum computers in their current state are still little more than prototypes. They operate in the NISQ regime, or Noisy Intermediate-Scale Quantum. ‘Intermediate-scale’ means that it has tens or maybe several hundred qubits, but certainly nowhere near the millions of high-quality qubits required for fault-tolerant quantum computing.
“Noise” refers to undesired interactions between the system and its environment that disturb qubits, inducing errors and decoherence of quantum information. Noise leads to the condition that NISQ computers are capable of performing only short quantum circuits—those that contain only several steps of the algorithm—before the errors overpower them. Efforts are underway to develop methods for correcting errors and hybrid quantum-classical algorithms to yield useful outputs on noisy computers.

Why it matters for the future

Quantum computing is still in its infancy, yet it holds great future potential. If large-scale quantum computers, capable of error correction, are developed, they can revolutionize areas of science that rely on complex simulations, secure communication, and intensive optimization.

Alternatively, the development of quantum computers is itself causing paradigms to shift in areas of algorithms and education. In any case, the first step that students and professionals can usefully take, at least for now, is to gain some literacy in the underlying concepts: what qubits are, and what superposition and entanglement mean, and why noise and error correction are such important considerations. And such literacy will prepare people, both to employ the quantum toolkit when it matures and to think critically about claims and potential in what promises to be an ever more important field of science and world-class technological applications.



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Galaxy TriFold Revealed, OnePlus 15’s American Adventure, Pixel 10a Pricing

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December 6, 2025

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Taking a look back at this week’s news and headlines across the Android world, including the Galaxy Z TriFold arrives, Galaxy S26 Ultra specs, the new Exynos promise, Pixel 10a pricing, Nubia Fold details, OnePlus 15 heads to America, and Google’s QPR2 source code released.

Android Circuit is here to remind you of a few of the many discussions around Android in the last seven days. You can also read my weekly digest of Apple news here on Forbes.

The Galaxy’s Number Is Now Three

Samsung has launched the highly anticipated Galaxy Z TriFold, a foldable device with three screen elements and two hinges to offer a pocketable phone and a tablet screen that is significantly less square than other foldable devices in the South Korean company’s portfolio. It’s a technical marvel, but it may not be the best seller some in the community are looking for:

“It will be available more widely, but no date has yet been attached. “Samsung Electronics will launch the ‘Galaxy Z Trifold’ in Korea on the 12th and then launch it sequentially to global markets such as China, Taiwan, Singapore, the United Arab Emirates, and the United States,” Samsung said in a newsroom post. No exact date yet, then, though I’d be astonished if it was before 2026.”

The Galaxy S26 Comparison

What will be a best seller, all being well, will be the Galaxy S26 family. With specifications widely available, albeit unconfirmed by Samsung, it’s possible to compare the upcoming S26 devices with the current S25 models. As the flagship, the Galaxy 26 Ultra has the most scrutiny:

“Samsung is switching to a new 6.9-inch M14 AMOLED panel, although it probably will not get much brighter. European users will likely only get 12GB RAM, compared with 16GB in other regions such as China. At least Samsung fans around the world will probably get to enjoy the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 instead of the Exynos 2600.”

Here Comes The Exynos

Samsung has confirmed its flagship Exynos 2600 chipset. This will draw direct comparison to Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite 5 chipset, which is currently debuting in premium handsets across the Android space. The Samsung community has generally preferred Snapdragon over Exynos, at least on the top-tier Galaxy Ultra handsets. The S26 Ultra is still expected to ship in the first quarter of 2026 with a Snapdragon chipset, but Exynos could dominate the other handsets in the S26 family. Sammobile’s Asif Shak has more:

“A teaser video of the Exynos 2600 was just published by Samsung on its YouTube channel. In the video, the company says, “In silence, we listened,” hinting at controversies around performance and overheating issues associated with some previous Exynos chips. It is the South Korean firm’s indirect way of saying it understands the criticism around its chips and that it intends to improve upon their shortcomings.”

The Pixel 10a Price Conundrum

Google’s next smartphone is expected to be the Pixel 10a, which will bring the latest AI-focused hardware and smartphone technology to the mid-range. It’s expected to remain at $499, but there are still questions that need to be addressed.I took a closer look at these earlier this week.

“A more interesting question on the price will be around the pricing in the Google Store. The Pixel 9a has been discounted by $100 in the US store for a long time before the Pixel Black Friday offers. There’s every chance that the discount stays in place for Christmas. Will this forever discount carry on into the new year? What happens when the Pixel 10a arrives? Does the Pixel 9a remain discounted, and does the Pixel 10a lock in at $499 for the summer? Or does the continued use of older silicon see the 9a quietly removed from the portfolio, leaving the Pixel 10a as he sole ‘A-class’ on sale as a new handset?”

Nubia Fold Details Published

The first folding smartphone from Nubia has been confirmed by Japanese network Y!mobile. The Nubia Fold has appeared on its website, with a list price of 178,560 yen ($1,145). Given the specs, this is a very competitive offer, especially if this Fold gets a global release. GSM Arena has collected the specs, including the all-important display.

“The nubia Fold features an 8-inch main display with 2,480 x 2,200px resolution and a 6.5-inch cover screen with 2,748 x 1,172px resolution. Both panels offer 120Hz refresh rates, and the main panel supports split view modes for certain apps…

America Is Ready For The OnePlus 15

Following its global release, those looking for the OnePlus 15 in the United States were left in limbo. Without FCC certification, the device cannot go on sale, and with the government shutdown, no certification could be issued. Well, that hurdle has now passed. As GSMArena notes, the FCC is back in business, the certification has been issued, and the OnePlus 15’s US adventure is set to continue.

And Finally…

Google has released the source code for its latest Android update, feeding it back into the open-source community. Given the two-month delay in the release of Android 16’s QPR1, the community is taking the almost immediate release of QPR2 as a positive sign.

“Given that context, some developers worried Google might repeat that strategy and withhold Android 16 QPR2’s source code for an unspecified time. Thankfully, that hasn’t happened. Google started uploading Android 16 QPR2’s source code almost immediately after releasing the update. This suggests the previous delay was indeed tied to the mid-cycle Pixel Drop, and that today’s update — while not officially labeled a Pixel Drop — is one in all but name.

Android Circuit rounds up the news from the Android world every weekend here on Forbes. Don’t forget to follow me so you don’t miss any coverage in the future, and of course, read the sister column in Apple Loop! Last week’s Android Circuit can be found here, and if you have any news and links you’d like to see featured in Android Circuit, get in touch!



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iPhone 17 Pro Display Issues, Apple’s Satellite Upgrades, Four New MacBook Pro Models

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December 6, 2025

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Taking a look back at this week’s news and headlines from across the Apple world, including iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 sales success, balancing iOS 18 and iOS 26, four new MacBooks, Apple Satellite upgrades, moving to Meta, and the Christmas Tree lights are turned on.

Apple Loop is here to remind you of a few of the many discussions around Apple in the last seven days. You can also read my weekly digest of Android news here on Forbes.

An iPhone 17 Pro Display Warning

Apple’s new cover on the iPhone 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max displays has increased the protection on offer. Ceramic Shield 2 also increases scratch resistance and reduces reflections. Yet its interaction with some screen protectors reduces the anti-reflection technology, which requires direct contact with air. An iPhone 17 study by Astropad has taken a closer look at the impact of a screen protector. Forbes contributor David Phelan looks at the options you have:

“[the report] goes on to say that some screen protectors, when placed on top of Ceramic Shield 2, doubled the amount of reflectivity on the display. An anti-reflective coating is desirable, so this result is not.

“The study promotes Astropad’s Fresh Coat solution as a way or reducing reflectivity, though you could argue that it might be an even better solution to not put any protector on at all, if Apple’s claims of less scratchability prove correct — and they haven’t been widely disproved yet”

Apple Reaps iPhone 17 Rewards

The success of the iPhone 17 in global markets is having a positive effect on the iPhone market. New research from IDC suggests that Apple is on course to grow sales by more than six percent, in large part due to the vanilla iPhone’s adoption by the Chinese market. Juli Clover takes a closer look at the numbers:

“Total 2025 shipments are forecast to grow 6.1 percent year over year due to iPhone 17 demand and increased sales in China, a major market for Apple. Overall worldwide smartphone shipments across Android and iOS are forecast to grow 1.5 percent, primarily because of the success of the iPhone.”

The Balance Between iOS 18 and iOS 26

Since the launch of the iPhone 17 and iOS 26, Apple has been supporting iOS 18 for older incompatible iPhones and for users who are not yet ready — for whatever reason — to upgrade their phones. While the updated versions of iOS 18 are still available, the UI has been reconfigured to highlight iOS 26 and minimze the visibility of iOS 18.

“…the iPhone’s Software Update screen now features iOS 26.1 prominently, while iOS 18.7.2 has been demoted to ‘alternate version’ status. Users may now see a badge on the Settings app indicating the new update is available, but it won’t be installed without direct user action. For major OS upgrades, users need to manually install the new version even when they have ‘Automatic updates’ turned on.:

Three New MacBooks Before One Big Boss

This week saw a rush of details around Apple’s plans for the MacBook. While the M5 chipset has made a soft debut, 2026 should see more variants going on sale throughout the year. These will include a low-cost MacBook that will likely compete with Chromebooks, an update to the MacBook Air and the introduction of an M5 Pro MacBook Pro model. As for the fourth model…

“The biggest update arrives later in the year. Both Kuo and Gurman say Apple is working on a redesigned MacBook Pro with M6 chips and OLED displays. These machines are expected to bring some of the most dramatic changes in years, including …OLED panels with deeper blacks, higher contrast, and better power efficiency …Touch-screen support while keeping the full keyboard and trackpad.”

The Benfits And Cost Of Apple Satellite

Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman has revealed Apple’s plans for satellite connectivity, including navigation in Apple Maps, support for sending photos in Messages, and an API to allow developers to offer satellite connectivity. The question now is who pays for the services?

“Today, Apple’s satellite connectivity features are available for free. For more advanced capabilities in the future, Apple reportedly plans to let customers pay satellite carriers for features directly. Apple could also create a paid option for extended connectivity with a company like SpaceX. Gurman added that there have been discussions in the company about offering its own satellite service, but concerns that Apple shouldn’t act like a carrier have stifled that possibility.”

Apple To Meta Moves

One of Apple’s longest-tenured executives is leaving the company to join Meta. Alan Dye has been the head of Apple’s user interface design team for ten years. Meta’s move is seen as a precursor to designing and releasing new hardware, and will start work as Chief Design Officer on Dec. 31. Apple confirmed the move in a statement provided to Bloomberg News:

“Steve Lemay has played a key role in the design of every major Apple interface since 1999,” Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook said in the statement. “He has always set an extraordinarily high bar for excellence and embodies Apple’s culture of collaboration and creativity.”

And Finally…

The annual Christmas Tree reveal at Apple’s offices in Battersea, South London. Previously, Apple turned to noted designers and artists. This year twenty-four designs by the public are in rotation until Christmas Eve:

“Apple’s annual holiday projections go live at 5 p.m. U.K. time on Thursday, Dec. 4. These projections light up the 330-feet chimneys and washtowers of the Battersea Power Station in south London, Apple’s U.K. HQ. This year, for the first time, members of the public could submit their designs: Apple has just revealed the winners, and they look great.””

Apple Loop brings you seven days worth of highlights every weekend here on Forbes. Don’t forget to follow me so you don’t miss any coverage in the future. Last week’s Apple Loop can be read here, or this week’s edition of Loop’s sister column, Android Circuit, is also available on Forbes.



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Antigravity A1 Is A New Drone With New Tricks

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13 hours ago

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December 5, 2025

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Over the past two years DJI and Insta360 — two tech giants which have respectively dominated the drone and 360 camera field — have increasingly ventured into the other brand’s territory. After years of making similar performing smartphone gimbals and small action cameras, DJI launched its first ever 360 camera a couple months ago, and now Insta360 is introducing a drone under its new sub-brand Antigravity.

The A1 weighs 249g, just under the 250g standard set by many countries that would require registration. This means you can bring this drone into countries and fly it without hassle. In fact, during my testing period I brought the A1 to Vietnam, Thailand, Hong Kong and Indonesia without being stopped at the airport. While the Antigravity A1 may look like a typical DJI consumer drone at first glance, it has a fundamentally different approach to documenting the skies, which also alters how the pilot controls the drone. This is a good thing, because DJI’s consumer drones are already near flawless, so Antigravity’s new drone going in a new direction is a fresh take.

The A1 differs from any other drone on the market because it shoots 360-degree videos, just like parent company Insta360’s X series of cameras. In fact, the lens on the A1 are almost the same as the lens on the Insta360 X5: a pair of 1/1.28-inch lenses that each shoot 180-degree field-of-view videos, and with some clever software stitching, the two footage produces a single 360-degree video that covers the entire canvas.

Once the A1 is in the air, the pilot will be able to see an entire 360-degree view of the sky from the headset, which resembles a VR headset or Apple Vision Pro.

Piloting the drone is done via a remote control made up of various dials, buttons and triggers, and is designed to be operated with one hand. The user can navigate the drone using the dials on the controller, or simply by moving and pointing the remote controller, as it has a built-in gyroscope. So in other words, if you want to turn left, you can either rotate the dial left, or simply point the controller left.

The footage captured by the drone is in 8k resolution, but you have to remember this is 8k resolution spread across an entire 360-degree canvas, so footage looks clean, but not “razor sharp” like an 8K television footage would look. When the drone is airborne, the goggles show me the entire 360 view, and I have to either move my head, or spin the drone, to see my entire surroundings. I can also look up and down. The experience feels like an immersive VR video, but showing me real-time footage from the drone.

As someone who’s afraid of heights, the first time I looked down from the drone’s perspective gave me a scare, because it looked and felt so real.

You can see actual video footage from the drone in the video below. You can see the experience can be quite immersive.

A major advantage of having a 360 camera instead of the conventional regular camera on a DJI drone is that the A1 captures everything in one go, so you don’t have to worry about framing, or missing a scene. For example, if I am shooting a skateboarder or a mountain biker with a DJI drone, I may have to do a retake if the first flight didn’t frame and capture the person correctly. Maybe I flew the drone too low and the framing cropped off part of the subject’s face, or maybe the drone was too high and didn’t record the landing. But with the A1, since it captures everything, there would be no such worries.

Of course, one disadvantage of the A1 is that a 360 camera has so many pixels to cover that videos aren’t going to be quite as sharp as a dedicated conventional camera with a narrower field-of-view.

The Antigravity A1, being a flagship drone with excellent 360 cameras, doesn’t come cheap. The cheapest option is the standard bundle which retails for $1,600, and there are higher tier bundles (with more accessories) that go for around $1,700 or $1,800. But this is the price of premium flagship drones, and at least the A1 can claim to be able to capture footage no other drone can do.



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