Technology

• Windows has released a new business backup tool
• The tool will help organizations transition to Windows 11
• Businesses can sign up for the limited public preview

Windows Backup for Organizations has now entered public preview, offering businesses a new tool to backup Windows settings when resetting or reimaging a user’s device.

The tool works when backing up both Windows 10 and Windows 11 systems, making it even easier for businesses to transition to the latest Windows operating system - a process that many have been putting off for the past three years.

The business backup tool was first announced at Microsoft Ignite in 2024, and has now entered limited public preview.

All aboard for Windows 11

In an announcement, Microsoft said, “You can back up your organization’s Windows 10 or Windows 11 settings and restore them on a Microsoft Entra joined device. This capability helps reduce migration overhead, minimize user disruption, and strengthen device resilience against incidents.”

In order to sign up for the public preview, an organization needs to be using Microsoft Entra joined Windows 10 or Windows 11 systems, alongside an active Microsoft Intune test tenant and Microsoft Intune service administrator permissions.

As for businesses unable to upgrade to Windows 11 before Windows 10 stops receiving updates on October 14 2025, there is the option to register for the Extended Security Updates (ESU) program, which will provide additional security updates beyond the end-of-life date. Home users can also opt in to this program for $30.

Microsoft also announced a new tool designed that allows developers to have their software seek updates via Windows Update, with Microsoft stating that the tool would offer a “unified future for app updates on Windows” across applications, system components, drivers, and more.

Via BleepingComputer

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• Framer introduced four new features
• Two features are powered by generative AI
• The company wants to simplify website creation without taking away the "magic"

Website builder platform Framer has announced a new suite of features, available now to all users. The features, some of which are powered by artificial intelligence (AI), are designed to “boost productivity, enhance creativity, and remove barriers between ideas and execution”.

The new features are called Wireframer, Workshop, Vector, and Advanced Analytics. As the company explained in a press release shared with TechRadar Pro, Wireframer is a “smart layout assistant” that allows users to create custom webpage structures through prompts. Workshop, the second AI-powered feature, can build custom components while keeping the site’s style in mind (think colors, fonts, layout, and more).

Vector is a new set of graphics and icon drawing tools that should enable more users to start designing their site with Framer. Vectors can be animated and customized, exported, and combined into icon kits.

Ideas front and center

Wireframer, Workshop, and Vector are available to all users, with no Beta access needed. However the fourth feature, Advanced Analytics, is only available to enterprise customers. Advanced Analytics allows users to measure the site’s effectiveness by setting up metrics, running tests “within minutes”, and then generating comprehensive reports.

Framer believes the new features make the platform friendly for both casual web builders and professional designers. According to Koen Bok, Framer’s CEO and Founder, the new features were introduced after thorough customer feedback on “how AI can support productivity without taking away the ‘magic’ of building a site.”

“We’re simplifying the journey from concept to live site, so ideas can take center stage,” Bok added.

Most of the best website builders around, including Wix, Hostinger, and Squarespace, have already introduced Generative AI in some capacity. The new technology allows developers to “chat” to the platforms to create everything from wireframes and sitemaps to full-blown websites, including the content and the multimedia.

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• Check out our roundup of the best AI website builders on the market
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• Samsung has confirmed it will ship its next foldable phones with Android 16
• That will likely make them among the first handsets to run Android 16 out of the box
• Samsung's customizations are focused on AI, security, and convenience

Usually, Samsung’s new foldable phones launch with the previous year’s version of Android, as in the past Google had been launching new Android versions later in the year than Samsung’s phones. But that’s all changing this year.

We already know that Android 16 will roll out soon, with June looking likely, while the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 and the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 will probably launch in July. So that makes it viable for them to launch with Android 16 out of the box, but until today we weren’t certain that would happen, since Samsung still needs time to make its own software modifications.

However, the company has now confirmed that these phones will ship with Android 16, which is likely to make them among the first handsets to run Android 16 out of the box.

Android 16 on a Samsung phone (Image credit: Samsung)Faster than normal

This is slightly surprising since Samsung can often be slow to update its handsets, but the company claims this was achieved through “open communication” and “real-time feedback” with Google.

Specifically, you’ll be getting One UI 8 on the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Galaxy Z Flip 7. This is Samsung’s customized take on Android 16, and – as you might have guessed – it puts a lot of focus on AI.

That said, Samsung also highlights security and “convenient, intuitive tools” like allowing you to connect to Bluetooth audio devices effortlessly by scanning a QR code.

Of course, you won’t have to buy one of Samsung’s upcoming foldables to get Android 16 and One UI 8 – the company has already launched a One UI 8 beta on the Samsung Galaxy S25 series, so those devices will also probably get access to the finished version of this software soon after it’s available.

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• Surfshark has just launched a new 7-day free trial for new users
• The provider previously offered a 30-day money-back guarantee as its 'trial' offering
• Surfshark is now one of the few VPN providers offering a free trial option

If you are looking for a new VPN service but don't want to invest the money blindly, good news – Surfshark now offers a 7-day free trial to all new users.

Until now, you could find out if Surfshark was the right service for you only after subscribing – risk-free, though, thanks to its 30-day money-back guarantee policy. Now, while this policy remains in place, you can try the service for a whole week without putting your hands on your wallet.

One of the best VPN services out there, according to TechRadar's latest testing, Surfshark is now among the very few providers that offer new users a free trial option.

Surfshark – 7-day free trial
Try out all that Surfshark has to offer for 7 days on up to three different devices at once, completely free of charge. You can expect a host of security and privacy features, great streaming unblocking results, and fast connection speeds. If, after that, you decide to subscribe, you'll even be able to use the VPN service across unlimited devices simultaneously. No worry too much, though, as you'll still be able to change your mind thanks to its 30-day money-back guarantee.View Deal

Why use Surfshark 7-day free trial

A virtual private network (VPN) is a crucial tool nowadays to boost your online experience as it allows you to enjoy a more private and secure internet, while enabling you to unlock otherwise geo-restricted content, among other things.

Yet, not all VPN services are made equal. That's why we found the opportunity to test premium services without committing to a paid subscription very advantageous.

As mentioned earlier, Surfshark isn't the only VPN with a free trial on the market – but it's perhaps the best option out there.

For instance, CyberGhost offers some shorter free trial options for new subscribers depending on the device they use – 24 hours for Windows and Mac users, 3 days on Android, and 7 days on iOS devices. Private Internet Access also offers a 7-day free trial, but only for Android and iOS users who activate it via the official app stores. NordVPN does something similar, but only for new Android subscribers.

By contrast, any new users can enjoy Surfshark's 7-day free trial – no matter the device they use – and they can do so directly from the provider's official websites. Even better, Surfshark's free trial can be active on three devices at once.

TechRadar needs you! We want to know what you think about the world of VPNs. Whether you're a novice or a VPN pro, we want to hear your thoughts. Don't worry, though, your responses are completely anonymous, and it takes less than five minutes to complete!

To take part, click the link below: https://futurenet.questionpro.eu/tr-vpn

How to use Surfshark 7-day free trial

Taking advantage of Surfshark's new 7-day free trial couldn't be easier.

You start by choosing the plan that best works for you between Surfshark Starter (which also includes its Alternative ID and CleanWeb services), Surfshark One (which also adds the provider's antivirus, Alert ID, and search engine tools), and Surfshark One+ (which includes all of the above plus the data removal service Incogni).

To do so, you'll have to enter your email address and payment details "to confirm you’re a first-time user," the provider explains on its dedicated page.

The next step is to create an account by filling in the login credentials.

Once you do that, you can download, install, and start using Surfshark for a week free of charge.

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• A Chinese telecomms certification has revealed a pair of new Samsung devices set to launch in July
• As previously rumored, it looks like we're getting the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 and the Watch 8 Classic
• There is no mention of a Galaxy Watch Ultra 2, indicating it may not be coming this year

Samsung's Galaxy Watch line is expected to get another update in the coming months at this year's Samsung Galaxy Unpacked summer showcase. According to a recent report, it looks like there will only be two models making their debut: the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 and a Galaxy Watch 8 Classic.

The Samsung Galaxy Watch Classic series takes the standard Galaxy Watch line and adds a dive watch-style rotating bezel, which also serves as a way to engage with the watch's UI outside of the buttons and touch screens.

As spotted by XpertPick, the Chinese telecomms certification board CMIIT has passed two devices labeled SM-L3350 and SM-L5050, believed to be the Watch 8 and Watch 8 Classic. It appears they'll both launch in July 2025—around the time of Samsung's Galaxy Unpacked event.

The report follows previous news that generation eight of the Samsung Galaxy Watch line could bring back the Classic form factor. Classics tend to appear every other year –we got a Watch 4 Classic and a Watch 6 Classic, so it's likely we'll get a Watch 8 Classic too.

However, the absence of a Watch Ultra 2 certification suggests we're not getting a Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra follow-up this year.

Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 not coming this year?

While the lack of a Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 certification is a surprise, the rumor mill suggests that the standard and Classic watches are expected to get a similar squircle-style chassis that would at least mean it's there in spirit.

The certification conflicts with previous rumors that made the rounds in April, suggesting that a new Ultra model would be revealed in July.

Away from the Ultra-specific news, as well as the rotating bezel, the Watch 8 and Watch 8 Classic are expected to get Google's Gemini AI assistant on-wrist. Google's upcoming Wear OS 6 release will bring Gemini to more wearables, including new Samsung devices.

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• Microsoft has a grand vision of Windows Update delivering updates for all software installed on the PC
• This is mainly aimed at the business world to begin with, but there’s no reason why consumers won’t eventually benefit as well
• Developers will need to be persuaded to hook up their apps to Microsoft’s new unified delivery platform, though

Microsoft plans to have Windows 11 itself handle all software updates via the Windows Update system, or that appears to be the idea for the future.

The Verge spotted a Microsoft blog post that outlined a vision of the “unified future for app updates on Windows,” as penned by product manager Angie Chen.

While this is a post on the IT Pro blog, and as such it’s targeted at IT admins and organizations, as Microsoft pushes forward in this direction, there’s no reason why consumers won’t benefit from this too.

This is surely the plan, even if it isn’t mentioned explicitly, as the post announces that a private preview of the new system is now kicking off, which any app developer can join to start getting their software ready for Microsoft’s brave new world of updates.

As it stands now, Windows Update provides relevant updates for the operating system itself (of course) and related frameworks, as well as drivers sometimes. When it comes to individual apps – or suites of software – you are reliant on the developer to deliver these through their own mechanisms.

Microsoft wants to change this by introducing a “Windows-native update orchestration platform” that allows any app developer to make use of Windows Update to deliver patches for their software alongside regular Windows 11 updates.

As Microsoft explains, there are several benefits to working in this way, not the least of which is that it keeps things simple and streamlined to get all your updates from one source.

Additionally, you’ll be able to view a history of all updates across your entire PC via the update history in the Windows 11 Settings app. Furthermore, developers will be able to use the operating system’s powers in terms of deciding when to apply updates, such as obeying the user's or admin’s time windows for updating, for example.

Analysis: A sensible path forward

(Image credit: Future/Jacob Krol)

All this makes some sense, and the convenience of combining all updates under one hub managed by Windows itself is surely taking a step forward.

After all, with updates reliant on the delivery methods of individual software developers, it can be easy to fall behind, especially if the update mechanism is tucked away somewhere and doesn’t happen automatically. Or indeed, if you don’t run a piece of software for ages, it could be hanging around in the background in a miserably unpatched state.

With Windows Update handling all this, you’d be on top of your software updates consistently, at least in theory. That said, cynics might be quick to pounce on the reliability of Windows Update.

Failed installations of updates are not exactly uncommon and are reported with some regularity. However, remember that these are updates for Windows 11 itself – more complex, knotty OS upgrades – and small app updates are unlikely to suffer any such wrinkles. And whether they do, or not, will presumably be down to the devs anyway, to a large extent.

It’s worth noting that you do get updates piped through to Windows apps automatically with software installed via the Microsoft Store, but of course, far from every developer wants to use that store.

Worried about app support, and some software being left out? Every base should be covered, with support for all common app types (not just Microsoft’s own creations, such as MSIX apps), as outlined in the blog post.

However, there could still be a catch here, namely that it’s up to software developers to use Microsoft’s new platform. And nothing is forcing them to hook up to the system, so will they bother?

That’s the multi-million-dollar question, but from my perspective, it all seems a sensible enough idea. While this may be a plan targeting the business world initially, I can envision a broader move towards this model of Windows updates for all kinds of app developers eventually. And as more make the leap, others could be persuaded to follow…

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