Welcome to this week’s tech roundup from itzine.ru and the Forgeeks Telegram channel. Here’s the scoop: Apple pulled the Max messenger from the App Store citing sanctions, Kaspersky revealed a prototype smartphone running its own OS, and Wildberries rolled out a proprietary messenger app-for now, just for employees. Dive in for all the details and subscribe to ForGeeks on Telegram.
Apple removes Max messenger from App Store over sanctions
On the evening of June 3rd, Max messenger vanished from App Store search results, and its direct link started returning errors. Apple confirmed the app’s removal, attributing it to compliance with sanctions-but didn’t specify which list or jurisdiction applies.
Russian media estimate this affects over 20 million iOS users of Max. The blow is tougher for iPhone users than Android ones, since there’s no alternative app store on iOS. Android users can still install Max through Russia’s RuStore or APK files. Rostelecom expects this will push more users toward Android and Aurora OS-based devices.
Kaspersky unveils smartphone prototype running own operating system
Cybersecurity firm Kaspersky just showcased a smartphone prototype that runs neither Android nor iOS, but a mobile variant of their proprietary KasperskyOS – previously developed for industrial and network systems. The device’s hardware is entirely Russian-made and designed to prevent hacking with a secured web stack.
The phone isn’t available for purchase-only limited pilot projects through Kaspersky’s Russian office, numbering in the dozens, are underway. Commercial launch dates remain undisclosed. Russia has tried ”sovereign” smartphones before-Aurora, TaigaPhone, Fplus, Aquarius-but none moved beyond corporate or government sectors. The key question: will Kaspersky’s effort make it to mass production and certification?
Russian Post resumes package deliveries from the US for first time since 2022
Russian Post has restored its US-to-Russia parcel shipping route by routing shipments through third countries. The first batch of packages has already arrived. Before the 2022 suspension, mail imports from the US exceeded 50 tons monthly, with demand never waning but moving to forwarding services based in the US.
Since early May, Russian Post reduced tracking detail, showing only start and delivery statuses for some international shipments. For multi-country transit routes, this is inconvenient-especially when shipping electronics. The real test for the reopened route will come this fall during seasonal sales.
Yandex Music adds text-based mood requests to My Wave feature
Yandex Music users in Russia and Belarus can now type requests like ”music for focus” or ”relax after work” into the app. Its AI assistant Lumen interprets the text and feeds it into recommendation algorithms that tailor playlists based on listening history, time of day, and device.
Spotify introduced a similar AI playlist feature back in early 2024, so Yandex is catching up. Competition in Russia’s streaming market now hinges less on catalog size and more on how well services personalize. Text-based mood input is a smart way to stand out.
Russian cosmonauts spend six hours on spacewalk and orbit Earth four times
On May 27, cosmonauts Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and Sergey Mikaev completed a six-hour spacewalk outside the ISS, installing equipment for the ”Sun-terahertz” experiment, removing samples for the ”Screen-M” program, and retrieving a container from the ”Biorisk” project. The outing went 40 minutes longer than planned. Inside, crew member Andrey Fedyaev operated the European robotic arm ERA to assist them.
After the spacewalk, Kud-Sverchkov shared stunning photos of Earth’s Red Sea coastline and the lit-up cities of Saudi Arabia taken from outside the station.
Wildberries launches internal messenger for employees
Tatyana Kim announced Wildberries’ new internal team communication tool, following their merger with Russ. Details on features, public launch timeline, or monetization remain under wraps. Launching outside Russia is possible but currently unspecified.
Kim emphasized that the crowded messaging app space demands something genuinely new. Wildberries’ advantage is its ecosystem: tens of thousands of employees, courier network, and Russ advertising infrastructure. If the pilot succeeds, this messenger could evolve beyond internal use into a platform for sellers and partners, instead of a standalone app.
ChatGPT hits one billion monthly active users in three years
Since its November 2022 launch, ChatGPT has scaled from zero to 1 billion monthly active users-a milestone unmatched by any app before it. ChatGPT has expanded into a multi-modal interface, adding image generation, voice features, and search capabilities.
Rivals like Anthropic’s Claude are growing faster percentage-wise-Claude reached 56 million MAU in Q2 2026 with about 640% annual growth, compared to 62% for ChatGPT. Claude users have also cut time spent on ChatGPT by 5%, signaling the race is shifting from reach to engagement. Both companies are prepping for IPOs; Anthropic has confidentially filed, while OpenAI may follow imminently.
VTB launches contactless payments on iPhones using Bluetooth
VTB Bank debuted ”Volna,” a payment technology using Bluetooth Low Energy instead of NFC-which Apple hasn’t opened up to Russian banks. Users link a Mir card in the VTB app, enable Bluetooth, and just tap their iPhone to a terminal. No internet needed, and cashback rewards remain.
Currently, it’s supported only on some of VTB’s own terminals. Wider adoption depends on how quickly NSPK and other banks upgrade their networks. If scaled, Russian iPhone users would finally get a native contactless payment method since 2022, avoiding QR codes or stickers.
Microsoft announces Majorana 2 quantum chip with improved qubit stability
Microsoft’s new quantum processor swaps aluminum for lead and uses indium arsenide for its semiconductor, boosting average qubit lifetimes to 20 seconds, with some reaching one minute. This resilience shields against ”cosmic disturbances” that typically destabilize qubits.
Thanks to this advance, Microsoft halved its timeline for building a practical quantum computer, targeting 2029. During its Build conference, Microsoft also launched Discovery, a scientific AI agent used in the chip’s development. The scientific community has yet to publicly respond to the Majorana 2 claims.
Blizzard releases first StarCraft 2 patch in six years
After halting new expansions in 2020 and promising only balance tweaks when needed, Blizzard rolled out patch 5.0.16, which reduced starting workers from 12 to 8, adjusted units across all three races, and fixed numerous bugs in a largely dormant StarCraft 2. Fans kept it short and sweet: ”StarCraft 3.”
No new full StarCraft sequel is officially announced yet, but rumors hint Blizzard may reveal a third-person shooter set in the franchise at BlizzCon 2026 this September.