In partnership with
Welcome back to The Shift Tech. Let’s get straight to what matters in Tech this week…
Today we have:
🔐 Cloudflare is preparing websites for the quantum computing era
📱 This $199 kids phone wants children looking at the world, not a feed
🎧 Bose is bringing wired earbuds back with noise cancellation
👨💻 Quick Hits
🔐 Cloudflare is preparing websites for the quantum computing era
Cloudflare plans to begin issuing quantum-safe TLS certificates in Q1 2027, aiming to protect the encryption and authentication system used by millions of websites before powerful quantum computers become a practical threat.
The Shift:
Quantum-Safe Certificates Are Coming - Cloudflare will offer hybrid certificates combining traditional TLS with Merkle Tree Certificates, free for both paying and non-paying customers. It is acquiring a trusted certificate root from GlobalSign to support the rollout.
Merkle Trees Keep It Practical - Simply replacing today’s cryptography with quantum-resistant signatures could make TLS handshakes roughly 40x larger. The Merkle Tree approach keeps handshake data around 40KB, close to current levels.
Certificate Logging Gets Built In - Instead of signing and transmitting long certificate chains, authorities can sign a single tree head representing millions of certificates, with lightweight proofs showing where individual certificates belong.
The Web Needs a Bigger Upgrade - Moving WebPKI to quantum-safe cryptography requires coordination across browsers, operating systems, certificate authorities and internet infrastructure. Cloudflare says certificates are not being issued yet, with the first rollout expected in Q1 2027.
Cloudflare’s approach is designed to make that transition possible without dramatically increasing the bandwidth and computation required every time a secure website loads.
Together with Morning Brew
Sound familiar?
Over 4 million people have had the same lightbulb moment.
Morning Brew is a free daily newsletter that breaks down what's happening in business, finance, and tech — clearly, quickly, and with enough personality to make it the best email in your inbox.
No yelling. No filler. Just the news, finally making sense.
📱 This $199 kids phone wants children looking at the world, not a feed
Freckle is taking preorders for a smartphone built specifically for kids ages 7 to 13, combining calling, navigation, payments, and AI with deliberate limits on the parts of smartphones designed to keep users scrolling.
The Shift:
No Social Media or Open Web - Freckle runs ClayOS, with no open app store, unrestricted browser, social media or addictive video apps. Its 3.1-inch screen focuses on essential tools instead.
Built to Get Kids Outside - Parents can create Quests, such as photographing different flowers or bugs, while kids can use AI to identify objects, navigate with maps, and communicate with nearby Freckle users.
Parents Keep the Controls - Calls, texts, and video chats are limited to parent-approved contacts. Parents can manage available tools, monitor location, and use Freckle Pay to set spending limits and allowances.
$199 Plus Cellular - Freckle costs $199, with a $25 reservation deposit and a December 2026 shipping target. One month of Freckle Wireless is included, followed by a $25 monthly plan with 2GB of data.
Freckle is trying to occupy the space between a smartwatch and a full smartphone: enough technology for independence, navigation, communication and learning, without handing a seven-year-old the entire internet.
🎧 Bose is bringing wired earbuds back with noise cancellation
Bose is returning to wired earbuds with a $99 USB-C pair, combining the simplicity of a cable with active noise cancellation, lossless audio and no battery or Bluetooth pairing to worry about.
The Shift:
ANC Without Charging - Four microphones power active noise cancellation with Quiet, Aware and ANC Off modes, drawing power directly from the connected phone instead of an internal battery.
Lossless Over USB-C - The earbuds deliver fixed 24-bit/48kHz lossless audio with near-zero latency, while a three-button inline remote controls calls, playback, and volume.
Built for Everyday Use - An IPX4 rating protects against splashes, while interchangeable silicone tips and stabilizing wings provide a more secure fit.
Shipping October 15 - Preorders are open through Bose and Best Buy for $99, with black, white, and limited-edition mint options available.
Bose is taking a modern swing at the wired-earbud comeback: ANC and lossless audio without pairing, batteries, or a charging case. It arrives as wired headphones are finding renewed interest, particularly among younger listeners who want something simpler than another device that needs charging.
Together with MarketBeat
The AI IPO Rush Is Coming
OpenAI and Anthropic could bring a new wave of AI attention to the public markets. But investors don’t have to wait for the IPOs.
MarketBeat’s 7 AI Stocks to Buy Now report reveals 7 publicly traded companies positioned to benefit from the next phase of AI investment.
👩💻Quick Shifts
📱 Vivo’s X Fold 6 is going global with a 6.51-inch cover screen, 8.02-inch foldable display, 200MP main camera, 6,900mAh battery and MediaTek Dimensity 9500 processor.
💾 Micron’s DRAM revenue surged 343% year over year to a record $39.8 billion, while data center revenue hit $18 billion and quarterly NAND revenue jumped 526% to $14.1 billion.
🛰️ The Pentagon says Project Meridian will explore technologies for future U.S. military operations across domains from underground to cislunar space, with Elon Musk, Palmer Luckey and Newt Gingrich reportedly set to co-direct the initiative.
👓 Amazon’s delivery smart glasses will reportedly capture thousands of images during a driver’s shift, uploading them to its AI platform. Amazon plans to deploy 20,000 more pairs by the end of 2027.
🚁 DoorDash revealed the purpose-built aircraft for DoorDash Air, using six slow-spinning propellers for drone deliveries and reportedly producing noise comparable to a passing car at cruising altitude.
That’s all for today. See you next edition as we track down and get you all that matters in Tech!
If you loved this edition, let us know how much:
How good and useful was today's edition
Forward it to your pal to give them a daily dose of the shift so they can 👇