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Japan Times
4 hours ago
- Japan Times
The U.S. Navy is building a drone fleet to take on China. It's not going well.
During a U.S. naval test off the California coast last month, which was designed to showcase the Pentagon's top autonomous drone boats, one vessel stalled unexpectedly. As officials scrambled to fix a software glitch, another drone vessel smashed into the idling boat's starboard side, vaulted over the deck, and crashed back into the water — an incident captured in videos. The previously unreported episode, which involved two vessels built by U.S. defense tech rivals Saronic and BlackSea Technologies, is one of a series of recent setbacks in the Pentagon's push to build a fleet of autonomous vessels, according to a dozen people familiar with the program. Weeks earlier, during a separate Navy test, the captain of a support boat was thrown into the water after another autonomous BlackSea vessel it was towing suddenly accelerated, capsizing the support boat, according to four people familiar with the matter. The captain was rescued and declined medical attention. The incident was first reported by Defense Scoop. Both incidents stemmed from a combination of software failures and human error, including breakdowns in communication between onboard systems and external autonomous software, according to a person with direct knowledge of the matter, who requested anonymity to share sensitive information. The Navy, Saronic and BlackSea declined to comment on the incidents. The videos showing the drone crash were verified by two sources, the landscape matching terrain imagery, the GARC-096 name ID and structure of the boat matching file imagery of Global Autonomous Reconnaissance Craft (GARC). U.S. military leaders, seeing the outsized impact of maritime drones in the Ukraine war, have repeatedly said they need autonomous swarms of aerial and maritime drones to hinder a potential advance by China across the Taiwan Strait. Taiwan itself has begun acquiring its own maritime drones. A U.S. Navy drone vessel maneuvers during an exercise in Charleston, South Carolina, in April. | U.S. Air Force / via REUTERS The drones being developed in Ukraine, which often look like speedboats without seats, and are capable of carrying weapons, explosives and surveillance equipment, are primarily remote-controlled and cost close to $250,000 — making them optimal for kamikaze missions that have effectively neutralized Russia's Black Sea Fleet. The U.S., meanwhile, is aiming to build an autonomous naval fleet that can move in swarms and without human command — a more ambitious task at a higher price point; as much as a few million dollars per speedboat. The recent test failures highlight the challenges facing the Navy's effort to deploy the nascent technologies, said Bryan Clark, an autonomous warfare expert at the Hudson Institute. It will need to adapt its "tactics as it better understands what the systems can do and what they can't do." But the Navy's problems go beyond getting the boats to work: its autonomous maritime drone acquisition unit has also been rocked by the firing of its top admiral, and a top Pentagon official voiced concerns about the program in a candid meeting with Navy brass last month. Since the most recent incident, the Pentagon's Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), which had acquired technology for the tests, has indefinitely paused a contract — valued close to $20 million — with L3Harris, one of the companies providing autonomous software used to control some of the vessels, according to two people familiar with the matter. The Pentagon did not respond to questions about the cause of the accidents or the L3Harris contract being paused, which has not been previously reported. A Pentagon spokesperson said it conducted drone tests as part of a "competitive and iterative approach, between operators and industry." U.S. Navy drone vessels operate at Naval Base Coronado in San Diego, in May last year. | U.S. Navy / via REUTERS L3Harris declined to comment on the contract and directed questions to the DIU. The DIU declined to comment. "L3Harris stands behind the safety, integrity and capability of our autonomy command-and-control product," said Toby Magsig, who oversees L3Harris' autonomous software products. Rise of the sea drones To accelerate its drone effort, the Pentagon in 2023 launched the $1 billion Replicator program, through which branches like the U.S. Navy and the DIU planned to acquire thousands of aerial and maritime drones, along with the software to control them. The first systems from this program are due to be announced this month. The Navy has committed at least $160 million to BlackSea, which is producing dozens of its Global Autonomous Reconnaissance Craft boats a month, according to procurement records. Saronic, which was recently valued at $4 billion in a funding round backed by Andreessen Horowitz and 8VC, makes the competitive sea drone Corsair, but is yet to announce a major contract. Federal procurement records show the company has generated at least $20 million from prototype agreements. "These systems will play a critical role in the future of naval warfare by extending fleet reach, improving situational awareness, and increasing combat effectiveness," acting chief of naval operations Jim Kilby said during a visit to BlackSea's facility in June. Navy turmoil Since returning to office, U.S. President Donald Trump has made fielding swarms of drones a top military priority. Trump's "Big Beautiful Bill' passed last month included almost $5 billion for maritime autonomous systems. But, so far, the Navy's approach has faced skepticism under the new administration. In April, the Navy's key drone boat procurement unit — known as Program Executive Office Unmanned and Small Combatants (PEO USC) — touted a successful demonstration of the software used to control BlackSea's vessels in a post on LinkedIn, hailing it as "a major step forward in advancing #maritime autonomy." A patrol vessel conducts operations with a drone boat during a military exercise in the Baltic Sea in June. | U.S. Navy / via REUTERS In response, Colin Carroll, then-chief of staff to Deputy Secretary of Defense Steven Feinberg, suggested the program was duplicating other efforts within the Pentagon. "I have a feeling that there are changes in this program's future,' he replied to the LinkedIn post. Carroll, who is no longer with the Pentagon, declined to comment further. The PEO USC was recently placed under review, according to four people familiar with the matter, due to a series of setbacks, and could be restructured or shut down. This comes two months after the Navy said it had sacked the unit's leader, Rear Adm. Kevin Smith, due to a loss of confidence in his leadership after the Naval Inspector General substantiated a complaint against him. Reporters were unable to contact Smith. During a meeting last month, Feinberg grilled Navy officials about their autonomous vessel capabilities, including those being fielded by the PEO USC, according to three people briefed on the meeting. Feinberg was unimpressed by some of the capabilities being acquired by the Navy and questioned whether they were cost-effective, the people said. A Pentagon spokesperson said, "we're not going to comment on private internal meetings" and directed questions about PEO USC to the Navy. The Navy declined to comment on the meeting or the acquisition unit being put under review. Spokesperson Timothy Hawkins said the PEO USC stands by its mission, including its role as acquisition authority for the maintenance and modernization of unmanned maritime systems. The turmoil comes as shipbuilders and software providers are angling to secure even larger autonomous maritime projects, such as unmanned submarines and cargo-carrying ships. Last week, the PEO USC started accepting proposals for the Modular Attack Surface Craft, to acquire medium and large vessels capable of carrying containers, surveillance equipment, and conducting strikes. T.X. Hammes, an autonomous weapons expert and Atlantic Council fellow, said the Navy is in uncharted waters, trying to overhaul decades of tradition at high speed. "You've got a system that's used to building big things, taking years to make a decision, and now suddenly you're asking them to move fast," he said.
Khaleej Times
20 hours ago
- Khaleej Times
The US Navy is building a drone fleet to take on China; it's not going well
During a US naval test off the California coast last month, which was designed to showcase the Pentagon's top autonomous drone boats, one vessel stalled unexpectedly. As officials scrambled to fix a software glitch, another drone vessel smashed into the idling boat's starboard side, vaulted over the deck, and crashed back into the water – an incident captured in videos obtained by Reuters. The previously unreported episode, which involved two vessels built by US defence tech rivals Saronic and BlackSea Technologies, is one of a series of recent setbacks in the Pentagon's push to build a fleet of autonomous vessels, according to a dozen people familiar with the program. Weeks earlier, during a separate Navy test, the captain of a support boat was thrown into the water after another autonomous BlackSea vessel it was towing suddenly accelerated, capsizing the support boat, according to four people familiar with the matter. The captain was rescued and declined medical attention. The incident was first reported by Defense Scoop. Both incidents stemmed from a combination of software failures and human error, including breakdowns in communication between onboard systems and external autonomous software, according to a person with direct knowledge of the matter, who requested anonymity to share sensitive information. The Navy, Saronic and BlackSea declined to comment on the incidents. U.S. military leaders, seeing the outsized impact of maritime drones in the Ukraine war, have repeatedly said they need autonomous swarms of aerial and maritime drones to hinder a potential advance by China across the Taiwan Strait. Taiwan itself has begun acquiring its own maritime drones. The drones being developed in Ukraine, which often look like speedboats without seats, and are capable of carrying weapons, explosives and surveillance equipment, are primarily remote-controlled and cost close to $250,000 – making them optimal for kamikaze missions that have effectively neutralized Russia's Black Sea Fleet. The US, meanwhile, is aiming to build an autonomous naval fleet that can move in swarms and without human command – a more ambitious task at a higher price point; as much as a few million dollars per speedboat. The recent test failures highlight the challenges facing the Navy's effort to deploy the nascent technologies, said Bryan Clark, an autonomous warfare expert at the Hudson Institute. It will need to adapt its "tactics as it better understands what the systems can do and what they can't do." But the Navy's problems go beyond getting the boats to work: its autonomous maritime drone acquisition unit has also been rocked by the firing of its top admiral, and a top Pentagon official voiced concerns about the program in a candid meeting with Navy brass last month, Reuters found. Since the most recent incident, the Pentagon's Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), which had acquired technology for the tests, has indefinitely paused a contract – valued close to $20 million – with L3Harris, one of the companies providing autonomous software used to control some of the vessels, according to two people familiar with the matter. The Pentagon did not respond to questions about the cause of the accidents or the L3Harris contract being paused, which has not been previously reported. A Pentagon spokesperson said it conducted drone tests as part of a "competitive and iterative approach, between operators and industry." L3Harris declined to comment on the contract and directed questions to the DIU. The DIU declined to comment. "L3Harris stands behind the safety, integrity and capability of our autonomy command-and-control product," said Toby Magsig, who oversees L3Harris' autonomous software products. RISE OF SEA DRONES To accelerate its drone effort, the Pentagon in 2023 launched the $1 billion Replicator program, through which branches like the U.S. Navy and the DIU planned to acquire thousands of aerial and maritime drones, along with the software to control them. The first systems from this program are due to be announced this month. The Navy has committed at least $160 million to BlackSea, which is producing dozens of its Global Autonomous Reconnaissance Craft boats a month, according to procurement records. Saronic, which was recently valued at $4 billion in a funding round backed by Andreessen Horowitz and 8VC, makes the competitive sea drone Corsair, but is yet to announce a major contract. Federal procurement records show the company has generated at least $20 million from prototype agreements. "These systems will play a critical role in the future of naval warfare by extending fleet reach, improving situational awareness, and increasing combat effectiveness," acting chief of naval operations Jim Kilby said during a visit to BlackSea's facility in June. NAVY TURMOIL Since returning to office, President Donald Trump has made fielding swarms of drones a top military priority. Trump's 'Big Beautiful Bill' passed last month included almost $5 billion for maritime autonomous systems. But, so far, the Navy's approach has faced skepticism under the new administration. In April, the Navy's key drone boat procurement unit – known as Program Executive Office Unmanned and Small Combatants (PEO USC) – touted a successful demonstration of the software used to control BlackSea's vessels in a post on LinkedIn, hailing it as "a major step forward in advancing #maritime autonomy." In response, Colin Carrol, then-chief of staff to Deputy Secretary of Defense Steven Feinberg, suggested the program was duplicating other efforts within the Pentagon. 'I have a feeling that there are changes in this program's future,' he replied to the LinkedIn post. Carrol, who is no longer with the Pentagon, declined to comment further. The PEO USC was recently placed under review, according to four people familiar with the matter, due to a series of setbacks, and could be restructured or shut down. This comes two months after the Navy said it had sacked the unit's leader, Rear Admiral Kevin Smith, due to a loss of confidence in his leadership after the Naval Inspector General substantiated a complaint against him. Reuters was unable to contact Smith. During a meeting last month, Feinberg grilled Navy officials about their autonomous vessel capabilities, including those being fielded by the PEO USC, according to three people briefed on the meeting. Feinberg was unimpressed by some of the capabilities being acquired by the Navy and questioned whether they were cost-effective, the people said. A Pentagon spokesperson said, "we're not going to comment on private internal meetings" and directed questions about PEO USC to the Navy. The Navy declined to comment on the meeting or the acquisition unit being put under review. Spokesperson Timothy Hawkins said the PEO USC stands by its mission, including its role as acquisition authority for the maintenance and modernization of unmanned maritime systems. The turmoil comes as shipbuilders and software providers are angling to secure even larger autonomous maritime projects, such as unmanned submarines and cargo-carrying ships. Last week, the PEO USC started accepting proposals for the Modular Attack Surface Craft, to acquire medium and large vessels capable of carrying containers, surveillance equipment, and conducting strikes. T.X. Hammes, an autonomous weapons expert and Atlantic Council fellow, said the Navy is in uncharted waters, trying to overhaul decades of tradition at high speed. "You've got a system that's used to building big things, taking years to make a decision, and now suddenly you're asking them to move fast," he said.
Al Arabiya
21 hours ago
- Al Arabiya
US Navy is building a drone fleet to defeat China, but it's not going well
During a US naval test off the California coast last month, which was designed to showcase the Pentagon's top autonomous drone boats, one vessel stalled unexpectedly. As officials scrambled to fix a software glitch, another drone vessel smashed into the idling boat's starboard side, vaulted over the deck, and crashed back into the water – an incident captured in videos obtained by Reuters. The previously unreported episode, which involved two vessels built by US defense tech rivals Saronic and BlackSea Technologies, is one of a series of recent setbacks in the Pentagon's push to build a fleet of autonomous vessels, according to a dozen people familiar with the program. Weeks earlier, during a separate Navy test, the captain of a support boat was thrown into the water after another autonomous BlackSea vessel it was towing suddenly accelerated, capsizing the support boat, according to four people familiar with the matter. The captain was rescued and declined medical attention. The incident was first reported by Defense Scoop. Both incidents stemmed from a combination of software failures and human error, including breakdowns in communication between onboard systems and external autonomous software, according to a person with direct knowledge of the matter, who requested anonymity to share sensitive information. The Navy, Saronic and BlackSea declined to comment on the incidents. US military leaders, seeing the outsized impact of maritime drones in the Ukraine war, have repeatedly said they need autonomous swarms of aerial and maritime drones to hinder a potential advance by China across the Taiwan Strait. Taiwan itself has begun acquiring its own maritime drones. The drones being developed in Ukraine, which often look like speedboats without seats, and are capable of carrying weapons, explosives and surveillance equipment, are primarily remote-controlled and cost close to $250,000 – making them optimal for kamikaze missions that have effectively neutralized Russia's Black Sea Fleet. The US, meanwhile, is aiming to build an autonomous naval fleet that can move in swarms and without human command – a more ambitious task at a higher price point; as much as a few million dollars per speedboat. The recent test failures highlight the challenges facing the Navy's effort to deploy the nascent technologies, said Bryan Clark, an autonomous warfare expert at the Hudson Institute. It will need to adapt its 'tactics as it better understands what the systems can do and what they can't do.' But the Navy's problems go beyond getting the boats to work: its autonomous maritime drone acquisition unit has also been rocked by the firing of its top admiral, and a top Pentagon official voiced concerns about the program in a candid meeting with Navy brass last month, Reuters found. Since the most recent incident, the Pentagon's Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), which had acquired technology for the tests, has indefinitely paused a contract – valued close to $20 million – with L3Harris, one of the companies providing autonomous software used to control some of the vessels, according to two people familiar with the matter. The Pentagon did not respond to questions about the cause of the accidents or the L3Harris contract being paused, which has not been previously reported. A Pentagon spokesperson said it conducted drone tests as part of a 'competitive and iterative approach, between operators and industry.' L3Harris declined to comment on the contract and directed questions to the DIU. The DIU declined to comment. 'L3Harris stands behind the safety, integrity and capability of our autonomy command-and-control product,' said Toby Magsig, who oversees L3Harris' autonomous software products. Rise of sea drones To accelerate its drone effort, the Pentagon in 2023 launched the $1 billion Replicator program, through which branches like the US Navy and the DIU planned to acquire thousands of aerial and maritime drones, along with the software to control them. The first systems from this program are due to be announced this month. The Navy has committed at least $160 million to BlackSea, which is producing dozens of its Global Autonomous Reconnaissance Craft boats a month, according to procurement records. Saronic, which was recently valued at $4 billion in a funding round backed by Andreessen Horowitz and 8VC, makes the competitive sea drone Corsair, but is yet to announce a major contract. Federal procurement records show the company has generated at least $20 million from prototype agreements. 'These systems will play a critical role in the future of naval warfare by extending fleet reach, improving situational awareness, and increasing combat effectiveness,' acting chief of naval operations Jim Kilby said during a visit to BlackSea's facility in June. Navy turmoil Since returning to office, President Donald Trump has made fielding swarms of drones a top military priority. Trump's 'Big Beautiful Bill' passed last month included almost $5 billion for maritime autonomous systems. But, so far, the Navy's approach has faced skepticism under the new administration. In April, the Navy's key drone boat procurement unit – known as Program Executive Office Unmanned and Small Combatants (PEO USC) – touted a successful demonstration of the software used to control BlackSea's vessels in a post on LinkedIn, hailing it as 'a major step forward in advancing #maritime autonomy.' In response, Colin Carrol, then-chief of staff to Deputy Secretary of Defense Steven Feinberg, suggested the program was duplicating other efforts within the Pentagon. 'I have a feeling that there are changes in this program's future,' he replied to the LinkedIn post. Carrol, who is no longer with the Pentagon, declined to comment further. The PEO USC was recently placed under review, according to four people familiar with the matter, due to a series of setbacks, and could be restructured or shut down. This comes two months after the Navy said it had sacked the unit's leader, Rear Admiral Kevin Smith, due to a loss of confidence in his leadership after the Naval Inspector General substantiated a complaint against him. Reuters was unable to contact Smith. During a meeting last month, Feinberg grilled Navy officials about their autonomous vessel capabilities, including those being fielded by the PEO USC, according to three people briefed on the meeting. Feinberg was unimpressed by some of the capabilities being acquired by the Navy and questioned whether they were cost-effective, the people said. A Pentagon spokesperson said, 'we're not going to comment on private internal meetings' and directed questions about PEO USC to the Navy. The Navy declined to comment on the meeting or the acquisition unit being put under review. Spokesperson Timothy Hawkins said the PEO USC stands by its mission, including its role as acquisition authority for the maintenance and modernization of unmanned maritime systems. The turmoil comes as shipbuilders and software providers are angling to secure even larger autonomous maritime projects, such as unmanned submarines and cargo-carrying ships. Last week, the PEO USC started accepting proposals for the Modular Attack Surface Craft, to acquire medium and large vessels capable of carrying containers, surveillance equipment, and conducting strikes. T.X. Hammes, an autonomous weapons expert and Atlantic Council fellow, said the Navy is in uncharted waters, trying to overhaul decades of tradition at high speed. 'You've got a system that's used to building big things, taking years to make a decision, and now suddenly you're asking them to move fast,' he said.
Phone Arena
05-08-2025
- Phone Arena
I was charging my OnePlus 13 all wrong, and it was degrading my battery — here's what you need to know
- My OnePlus 13 , randomly Fair enough. I mean, I have this option enabled, alongside other cool battery-adjacent features, such as 'silent charging'. But what is this 'battery limitation' thing? Essentially, when the phone gets fully charged, it will stop charging until the battery falls back to 95%, even if it remains plugged in. This is a beneficial feature, because it helps keep the battery's health in check, instead of overcharging and overheating it. This is especially useful for users like me, who charge their phones overnight. But here's the twist: I was getting this notification randomly throughout the day. Sometimes I would get it an hour or two after I had gotten up, and other times, late in the afternoon. At those times, my phone was not plugged in and charging, which made the notification not only pointless, but fascinatingly weird. After I did a bit of digging, I found out that I may be facing one of the following issues: A temporary software glitch, caused by stuck cache or a faulty update A dirty USB-C input port (or charger) An issue with the phone's battery capacity A hardware issue, which meant I had to replace the phone And since I severely dislike that last option, I opted to go through all the rest first, like any other rational human being would. After a quick inspection, my USB port and charger seemed just fine, but I cleaned them out with a cotton swab and canned air just in case (while being careful not to leave any unwanted bits in there). However, testing each potential fix one at a time would've taken forever, so I carried on with the next steps. I uninstalled some apps I had forgotten about, made sure that everything was up-to-date, then deep cleaned my OnePlus 13 's cache and deleted all empty folders. After a quick restart, I was certain that if this was some sort of temporary glitch, I had taken care of it. Last on the list was the battery capacity. To cross this one off the list, I had to drain the battery of the phone and recharge it as best I could. Then I remembered that OnePlus was one of the brands that had proprietary cable tech for a reason. So I dug deeper. The cable conspiracy exists, and it's good for you(r phone) Image by PhoneArena As it turns out, using a genuine OnePlus-branded cable when charging your OnePlus phone is essential. A legitimate brick is also recommended, but not mandatory if you're someone like me. But I wasn't using either of those. When I bought my OnePlus 13 , directly from OnePlus, I could pick a charging brick as a free bonus, but they were all out of those. I had to pick something else, and quick if I wanted to catch the discount I was aiming for. I had already decided that I needed a new charging brick, but after comparing prices, I settled (hah!) for one from Verbatim. Why? Well, this thing has four ports: One USB type-A port with 30W output Two USB type-C port with 100W One USB type-C port with 65W And if you're a techie, you already know why this is good. This would allow me to charge or power several of my smart-things all at once, while complying with their power demand. Given that the price difference between this and the official OnePlus charger wasn't that big, I opted for this one for the sake of convenience. But there was a true reason for me to consider the official OnePlus brick. It enables phones like the OnePlus 13 to do one hell of a trick: 100W SuperVOOC fast-charging. Even if your OnePlus phone supports 100W charging, you won't be able to take advantage of it unless you have an official OnePlus charging brick, specifically labeled to support 100W charging. I typically charge my devices overnight, so this isn't really something I'm super-interested in, which is why I decided to go for the other charger. This way, it could power my smart lamp while providing charging for my phone and my smartwatch too. This setup even leaves me with one port to spare, which makes it perfect for travelling, as this way my wife won't need to pack her charger at all. While she won't need to pack her cable, I'll have to pack mine (the right one). See, OnePlus cables have a special chip inside, which helps to communicate the correct charging speed between the charging brick and the phone. Many people refer to this as a 'handshake'. And in the case of SuperVOOC charging, for example, that even means two handshakes: one between the 100W-enabled charger and the official cable, then another between the cable and the compatible phone. This is what I had been doing wrong all along: I was using a third-party, off-brand, but high quality cable. I really liked it, because it was braided, long and had this neat little screen which told me the exact power that was going through it. And you know us tech nerds: we love our screens. But I'm going ahead of myself. Before charging, I'll have to drain this beast of its battery. Silicon-carbon batteries are heftier than you might think Image by PhoneArena Listen, your mileage will vary here. Our own Vic found the OnePlus 13 's battery to be lacking when compared to other modern flagships, but that's because he's much more of a power user than I am. As such, depending on your own habits, things might be different for you. But in my case, the OnePlus 13 is a two-day phone in 99% of cases, and a 3-day one in 30% of them. I am absolutely comfortable with going on a two-day trip with 70% of battery on this phone, without packing a charger. That being said, I am a lite user: I prefer doing things not on my phone, I'm not big on social media and I don't spend too much time on mobile games nowadays. So yes: mileage may vary. But draining this phone from 80% to 0% was hard . When I realized what I had to do, I immediately pumped up the brightness, turned on all possible toggles like Location, Bluetooth and even the flashlight. I then set a 3 hour, 4K video of the aurora borealis to play and left the phone. Two hours later, it had lost only 18% of battery. I had to step it up. I don't play games as much, but I know some heavy hitters: Diablo Immortal and Final Fantasy VII Ever Crisis. I waited for updates (on max brightness still), then spent a bit of time in both games. Shockingly, Final Fantasy managed to knock down a notable chunk of my battery for the 40 minutes I took to complete my dailies (which I hadn't done since I got the phone, funnily enough), but I just couldn't take it anymore. I felt like I was wasting my time. So I amped it up to the max: I downloaded 3D Mark's ultimate benchmark test and ran it. And boy, does that baby drain battery (carbon or otherwise). It took one and a half runs before my battery hit 1%. And that is the exact moment when I saw something, which I didn't even know existed: OnePlus's mandatory extreme battery saver. This phone really doesn't want to leave you hanging, and I appreciate that. In this mode, I was limited to only using basic apps. If an app required internet access – I had to confirm that I wanted that. Ultimately, the best I could do was run a timer and a stopwatch while keeping the brightness at max levels, and the flashlight on. It took 52 minutes before the phone finally gave up and turned off. All I could do at this point was salute it. I left it to cool down a bit, because it was running quite hot at this point. Half an hour later, I was ready to charge. But wait – oh, no! – I can't do that. The cable that the phone came with is USB-A to USB-C. I have such a port on my charger, but that would leave me without a light. Furthermore: the port would be in the wrong wattage, which would mean I would be charging the battery wrong yet again, and that's the very thing I was trying to avoid in the first place. The nightmare that is shopping for OnePlus cables Image by PhoneArena I have to start with the real question here: why am I even getting a USB-A to USB-C cable with my phone in 2025? I thought we had all agreed that the new standard is C to C. I can't be the only one who has upgraded their charging stuff to match this new requirement. As a PC user, it was especially annoying, because it meant changing my power outlets and swapping out to a box which can provide a USB-C port to begin with. For a moment there, I felt like I was suffering the Mandela Effect, because I could've sworn that I've seen OnePlus 13 unboxing videos and reviews where the phone came with a charger and a USB-C to USB-C cable. The missing brick, in my case, was easy enough to explain: it was a freebie that I couldn't take advantage of, so I assumed that all of these folks had done that in my stead. But after checking around, I wasn't remembering things wrong: the phone does ship with a USB-C to USB-C cable. In some regions. Here's the breakdown: In North America and India, the OnePlus 13 comes with a 100W SuperVOOC brick and a C-to-C cable comes with a 100W SuperVOOC brick and a C-to-C cable In West Europe, the phone comes only with a USB-A to USB-C cable (for the record, I'm not living in this region, yet here we are) In the rest of the EU, the phone comes with a C-to-C cable, but a 65W charger This is incredibly confusing and weird. I'm not Tim Cook or anywhere near his level: I have no idea what black magic is behind things like supply-chains. But I believe that we can all agree that this is as anti-consumer as it gets. Ultimately, I found out that my Microsoft Surface tablet's charger can give me 65W of power over USB-A, so I settled (wah-wah) on using this method. But I can't bring this massive charger everywhere with me, and I certainly can't replace the one on my nightstand with it. If I wanted to charge my OnePlus 13 properly, I had to spend more, and get the right type of cable. First I stumbled upon this really cute dongle, which was exactly what I was looking for: an officially licensed USB-A to USB-C converter. And after getting my order cancelled from three different retailers, I got the message: it wasn't just out of stock, it was out of production. On OnePlus' official store, the only option for me to get a USB-C to USB-C cable was as part of a bundle with a SuperVOOC-enabled brick. But as previously established: I don't really need such a brick. I could make use of it, but the bundle was quite costly, and the Verbatim brick wasn't in any way cheap. I was after a quick, easy and cheap-ish solution to a problem, which I didn't even know I had. And let me tell you a bit about that: if charging the OnePlus 13 with its own proprietary cable was this important, why did the phone fail to tell me about that? Yes, there is a tooltip under the SuperVOOC charging option in the menu, which lets you know that you need an official brick and cable to take advantage of it, but that's not the full story. You need the right cable to ensure that your OnePlus 13 isn't getting overcharged in any other scenario, which could lead to battery degradation over time. OnePlus, if your team is reading this: a tooltip would be handy here. But I digress. After a lot more digging, I found a few other genuine OnePlus-branded C-toC cables, but those got me even more confused. See, those were from an era, when OnePlus phones were still using Warp Charging. Do you know if there is any difference between Warp and SuperVOOC? Yeah, me neither – and I work here . Ultimately, after checking with some people online, the products turned out to be identical, as is the technology within. 'Warp' was rebranded to 'SuperVOOC' as part of the Oppo acquisition, as an attempt to further integrate the brands (very consumer friendly again, might I add). But there's another twist: even if I use a legitimate OnePlus cable with a 100W charger, I won't be able to reach beyond 85W in terms of speed, because only SuperVOOC-enabled bricks allow for 100W fast-charging. I know that all these options are confusing: don't worry, we'll review the entire thing down the line. The important thing is that I decided that 85W is good enough for me, so I got a genuine OnePlus-branded Warp Charging C-to-C cable for about $15, and moved on. One night later, I unplugged my OnePlus 13 . It was waiting for me: turned on and everything. Wasn't warm, felt fine: so far, so good. Then I was shocked. It might be annoying, but it works Image by PhoneArena I don't use my phone much in the morning, especially if it's a work day. Typically, this means that I lose about 5% of battery passively from 9AM to 11AM. Around that time, I stop working to make myself a second cup of espresso, all the while I check my phone out of habit. After charging my OnePlus 13 with a genuine OnePlus cable, about the time I picked up to check my phone while waiting for my coffee, my phone was still at 100%. And I can't make this up. It's a day just like any other, so I didn't use it or ignore it more than I use to. Typically, toward the end of a usual day, I'm at between 75% and 85% of battery. I checked my battery right now as I'm writing this, and I'm at 91%. Yes, I did my dailies in the one game that I play, I scrolled a bit of Instagram, I messaged my family: the typical stuff. The only thing missing was listening to music while working out, but that's because I'm still yet to do that today. But I doubt that would drain more than another 2-3%. And that's still a difference. Is it a big deal? Not really. Is it notable enough? For sure. Because if not for anything else, I am now certain that I am not damaging a core component in a device, which I use daily, and have grown to love. Here's what you need to know about charging the OnePlus 13: Always use a genuine cable from OnePlus: Unless you want to damage the phone's battery, use OnePlus-branded cables. Topping up via third-party ones from time to time, or when travelling, won't be a deal-breaker. But you should focus on using genuine ones regularly, because that ensures that the right required amount of power is going in your phone. If you're okay with 65W or 85W charging, you can use any compatible charger, just make sure it's manufactured by a legitimate company – but use it with a cable from OnePlus. Unless you want to damage the phone's battery, use OnePlus-branded cables. Topping up via third-party ones from time to time, or when travelling, won't be a deal-breaker. But you should focus on using genuine ones regularly, because that ensures that the right required amount of power is going in your phone. If you're okay with 65W or 85W charging, you can use any compatible charger, just make sure it's manufactured by a legitimate company – but use it with a cable from OnePlus. SuperVOOC requires the full kit: If you want to take advantage of SuperVOOC fast-charging — and I don't blame you if you do, it's awesome — you must use a OnePlus branded set of a SuperVOOC-enabled, 100W charging brick and cable. Just the one or the other won't work: you need that double-handshake action. Keep in mind: some OnePlus phones can still use SuperVOOC, but at 85W or 120W, so make sure to take that into consideration. From what I can tell, even if your charger is 120W-compatible, you can still use SuperVOOC at 85W if that is all your phone supports. So, you can go lower, but obviously — not higher. If you want to take advantage of SuperVOOC fast-charging — and I don't blame you if you do, it's awesome — you must use a OnePlus branded set of a SuperVOOC-enabled, 100W charging brick and cable. Just the one or the other won't work: you need that double-handshake action. Keep in mind: some OnePlus phones can still use SuperVOOC, but at 85W or 120W, so make sure to take that into consideration. From what I can tell, even if your charger is 120W-compatible, you can still use SuperVOOC at 85W if that is all your phone supports. So, you can go lower, but obviously — not higher. The Warp is your friend: When it comes to OnePlus cables: don't worry about Warp charging and SuperVOOC marketing terms. They are the same thing. Warp-era cables are notably cheaper, at least where I shopped from, so maybe that can help you out to save a buck. There are some weird claims online that USB-A to USB-C cables can top up your phone faster, but that is nonsense, don't fall for it. When it comes to OnePlus cables: don't worry about Warp charging and SuperVOOC marketing terms. They are the same thing. Warp-era cables are notably cheaper, at least where I shopped from, so maybe that can help you out to save a buck. There are some weird claims online that USB-A to USB-C cables can top up your phone faster, but that is nonsense, don't fall for it. Don't repeat my mistakes: Research before you buy. Depending on where you live, if you buy a OnePlus 13 , it may come with a charger, but it may also come with a cable you're not prepared for. This piece of advice extends beyond the brand: some phones don't have proprietary charging tech, but others do. I can think of at least one great resource online, where you can check (wink-wink, forums here). I'll admit: I thought it was all marketing gimmicks to make me buy first party chargers and cables. Nowadays, this is a common tactic, which we're so accustomed to, that it's become harder to judge when someone is being genuine about such claims. But I also have a bit of blame to put on OnePlus: in all of my months of experience with the OnePlus 13 , the phone never bothered to tell me that it's not happy about the way it's being charged. I would've liked to know, I think you'd like to know such things too. And I can't believe what I'm saying, but there's a punchline to all of this. I got that weird notification again, so despite the entire journey described above, my core issue remains unresolved. It was one heck of a learning opportunity, but I'm happy to have shared it with you. So, after all that, I'm almost right back where I started: with a fantastic, now properly-charged phone… That sends me ghost notifications. If any of you have leads for me – I'll be haunting the comments in the next couple of days.
CTV News
11-07-2025
- Automotive
- CTV News
Polestar EVs still show back-up camera issues after recalls: U.S. agency
A Polestar electric vehicle is at the New York International Auto Show in New York on Saturday, March 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey) A software glitch affecting the back-up cameras on thousands of North American Polestar EVs may still be a problem even after an update by the manufacturer, the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says. The issue was previously identified by Transport Canada in Polestar 2 models from 2021 to 2025, as well as 2025 Polestar 3 SUVs. According to recall notices dated from June 2024 up to this May and affecting more than 14,000 vehicles in all, the on-board screens could display the wrong camera view, or no view at all, failing to satisfy Canadian automotive regulations and increasing the risk of a crash. At the time of the recall notices, Transport Canada noted that Volvo, a partnered company of Polestar, would notify owners by mail and deploy a 'wireless over-the-air software update' to resolve the issue. Owners could also bring their car to a dealership to have the update applied manually. Similar recalls were announced in the United States for more than 30,000 Polestar 2s and 3s, also noting the software update. According to NHTSA records, the U.S. agency began receiving additional consumer complaints about some models in June, including for vehicles that had already received the updates. 'Rear-view cameras were nevertheless continuing to fail in the same manner that they had previously,' a notice published Wednesday reads, adding that Polestar acknowledged to the NHTSA that an April software update 'did not correct the original issue.' The U.S. agency says it has re-opened its recall query for the affected models. has reached out to Transport Canada for comment.
