TechRadar News

• Sales of Cybertruck have consistently underperformed original forecasts
• Media outlets have placed it among the biggest automotive flops in decades
• Tesla could be planning a smaller electric pick-up to soften the blow

Tesla originally predicted it would sell around 250,000 Cybertrucks every year, with Elon Musk going on to state that the number could increase to 500,000. The reality has been much harsher, with just 20,000 angular, electric trucks sold each year.

There are so many reasons why the vehicle has proven to be a commercial misfire, ranging from Musk’s involvement in politics to the myriad build quality and recall issues Cybertruck has suffered. Not to mention the fact that it looks the way it does.

However, Business Insider reports that Tesla’s VP of vehicle engineering, Lars Moravy, discussed the possibility of developing a smaller pick-up during a recent interview. "We've definitely been churning in the design studio about what we might do to serve that need for sure,” he revealed.

It is not 100 per cent clear whether Moravy is talking about a smaller version of the Cybertruck, or a more practical, entirely new small pick-up that is likely in response to the recent launch of Slate Auto — the Amazon-backed business founded by Jeff Bezos.

After all, completely ripping up the design of the original Cybertruck and changing most of its defining features would, effectively, be admission that Musk was wrong all along – something that is very unlikely to happen.

Secondly, Moravy also mentions the smaller pick-up in the same breath as the Robotaxi, suggesting that goods and items need to be autonomously hauled around as much as people.

A pick-up for the people

(Image credit: Slate Auto)

Tesla has been resting on its laurels of late, stalling a number of potential new vehicle lunches that could add further revenue streams and dig the company out of a hole.

A more affordable, $25,000 Tesla was hyped as being the next great hope, while the long overdue Roadster has been kicked around for so long, many of the original investors have lost all trust and interest in the project.

If a smaller Tesla pick-up is to be successful it needs to do all of the things that the Cybertruck can’t – namely, be more affordable and practical to use for everyday tasks, rather than a flashy lifestyle extension.

The pick-up truck market is enormous in North America, but it is also growing rapidly in Asia-Pacific and the BRICS countries. Research by IMARC Group suggests that the market with reach $260 billion by 2033.

The simple fact is, many individuals, families and business use the utilitarian vehicle for both business and pleasure. So, firstly, Tesla’s smaller pick-up will have to be able to perform, haul larger loads and prove reliable over rough ground. The almost invincible Toyota Hilux is testament to this philosophy.

Secondly, it will also have to be efficient, offering the sort of practical range that can handle daily journeys and charge rapidly when the larger road trips are required. Forget monstrous battery packs, 800V electrical architecture and rapid charging should take care of the bigger trips.

While technology has always been part of Tesla’s DNA, it’s not anywhere near as important here.

Harnessing the company’s excellent infotainment system and seamless charging experience will prove a huge selling point, but the company won’t really have to worry about passenger screens, flashy light displays and other such trivial trickery. At the end of the day, a pick-up is a workhorse. Leave the lifestyle stuff to Rivian and keep the costs down.

Finally, Tesla needs to bury the ego and start making cars for the people again. It needs to convince the general public that an electric pick-up truck is a solid investment, dispelling range and EV anxiety in the same way it almost single-handedly converted a large chunk of the car-buying community to electric with the Model S back in 2012.

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• Several new rumors point to significant spec bumps for the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra
• The next-gen Samsung flagship could get 60W charging, a thinner design, better cameras, and more
• The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra has not been announced, and we don't expect any confirmation either way for these rumors until next year

It seems hard to believe, but it’s been almost half a year since the launch of the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra. Since launch, Samsung’s latest top-end handset has continued to impress, holding spots in our lists of the best phones, best camera phones, best Android phones, and more.

Now, a handful of new rumors point to some major upgrades for the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra, which could make the best Samsung Galaxy phone even more impressive.

Faster charging

(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

The first suggests the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra could launch with an increased maximum charging speed of 60W – for reference, the Galaxy S25 Ultra charges at 45W.

That’s according to user erenyilmaz075 on X, who managed to find references to 60W charging in what appears to be the Galaxy S26 Ultra’s unreleased firmware.

Compared to its western contemporaries, the Galaxy S25 Ultra actually charges pretty quickly – we previously reported the iPhone 16 Pro Max had been recorded as drawing 28W during testing by ChargerLAB, while the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL is rated at 45W also.

However, many Android phones now offer very fast charging speeds. OnePlus and Oppo phones benefit from the proprietary SuperVOOC technology, for example, which typically offers speeds of around 80W.

With the Galaxy S26 Ultra expected to inherit the same 5000mAh cell from the Galaxy S25 Ultra, I think a bump in power draw will be a worthwhile and valuable addition that should cut charging times significantly.

A thinner frame

(Image credit: Peter Hoffmann)

Samsung recently launched the Galaxy Z Fold 7, the latest in its line of foldable phones – and it’s clear just by looking at the new handset that Samsung invested heavily in a new thinner design for its most expensive phone.

Another rumor suggests that the Galaxy S26 Ultra could be next in line for a slimmed-down redesign.

In a post to X (formerly Twitter), notable tipster UniverseIce (formerly known as Ice Universe, and now using the display name PhoneArt) said the Galaxy S26 Ultra would come in at “7.x mm”, down from 8.2mm on the Galaxy S25 Ultra. That could imply a reduction of 0.3mm up to 1.2mm.

UniverseIce also shared a render of the Galaxy S26 Ultra which shows the largest three cameras contained in a Galaxy Z Fold 7-style housing, likely because the main body of the phone would be too thin to fit the cameras.

This is what we currently know about the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra:The body will become even thinner at 7.x mm, with slightly increased width and height, while weighing a few grams less6.9-inch display featuring CoE depolarizer technology + third-generation anti-reflective… pic.twitter.com/Jp0M8RtQ9mJuly 28, 2025

A new chipset

(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

The Galaxy S26 Ultra is expected to launch with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 chipset, which is as yet unannounced but will likely be the most powerful chipset available for Android users when it launches.

This could mark a split between the Galaxy S26 Ultra and regular Galaxy S26 and Galaxy S26 Plus, both of which are expected to launch with Samsung’s own Exynos 2600 chipset.

This was suggested following a firmware deep dive by SamMobile, and backed up by further comments from UniverseIce.

OneUI 8.5

(Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future)

OneUI 7 launched with the Samsung Galaxy S25 series, the Galaxy S25 Ultra amongst them – but One UI 8 is already here, having launched with the new Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Galaxy Z Flip 7 folding phones.

According to another report from SamMobile, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra will instead launch with One UI 8.5, an updated version of Samsung’s current-gen software.

This should allow Samsung to release the Galaxy S26 Ultra with some new features without committing to a full version update.

Given the rollout of One UI 7 was staggered across multiple months, Samsung may also be keen to avoid surrounding news of the Galaxy S26 series’ launch with news of a slow software release.

Upgraded cameras

(Image credit: Future / Roland Moore-Colyer)

As we’ve previously reported, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra is tipped to get some upgrades to its camera system.

UniverseIce has again suggested that the main sensor will get a larger aperture, and that the 3x telephoto camera will get a larger sensor. The tipster also hinted at a larger aperture for the 5x telephoto camera.

The upgrade cycle for the Galaxy S series has felt pretty incremental in recent years – but if these rumors hold true the Galaxy S26 Ultra could be a much bigger upgrade than we had expected. Let us know what you want to see from Samsung’s next high-end flagship in the comments below.

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• There are scattered reports of Windows 10 PCs being offered a Windows 11 upgrade
• That's despite the fact that these devices don't meet the Windows 11 hardware requirements
• This has happened in the past, too, and it looks like it's a recurring bug – and not an offer you want to take up

There are scattered reports of Windows 10 PCs being offered an upgrade to Windows 11 even though they don't meet the requirements of the newer operating system.

German tech blog Born City brings us this news (via Neowin), with the author of the post describing an incident with their Dell Latitude 7490.

That laptop is running Windows 10 22H2, and keeps being offered an upgrade to Windows 11 every few months, even though it isn't compatible with the latter OS, and the author says they're having to repeatedly dismiss the upgrade prompt.

On top of this, a reader contacted Born City, explaining that their Lenovo IdeaPad, also using version 22H2 of Windows 10, was offered a Windows 11 upgrade despite having TPM 2.0 switched off in the BIOS (this is a hard-and-fast requirement for running Windows 11).

This annoyed the reader, seeing as they had specifically turned off this TPM functionality to avoid getting prompted about an upgrade.

Furthermore, the report points out previous incidents earlier this year, where an IT admin at a company contacted Born City complaining that multiple PCs had been automatically upgraded to Windows 11 24H2 (from Windows 10 22H2) without their knowledge, bypassing all the usual update procedures in place for these business machines.

(Image credit: Future / Jeremy Laird)What's going on here?

The author of the article asks if any other readers have encountered these offers of Windows 11 upgrades that have been piped through to PCs that shouldn't be getting them. Notably, there are no responses saying that other people have, and scouring the usual online forums, I can't find other recent reports of this kind of behavior (on the likes of Reddit, for example).

So, my conclusion at this point is that these are very much scattered incidents, but what's interesting is that they aren't happening for the first time.

In my digging around on Reddit, I found reports from early in 2023, reminding me of a very similar incident whereby Windows 10 devices were offered an upgrade to Windows 11.

Back at the time, Microsoft told us: "These ineligible devices did not meet the minimum requirements to run Window 11. Devices that experienced this issue were not able to complete the upgrade installation process." This was, in fact, a bug that was fixed on the same day.

There are also historic reports of Windows 10 users receiving the Windows 11 upgrade despite having switched off TPM 2.0 (in order to avoid the newer OS, as was the case with the Born City reader mentioned above).

What does all this mean? In my book – and this is just my opinion – this looks to be a recurring bug with Windows 10 (as was previously the case, and seemingly one with a very limited impact this time).

And it's not like there's any shortage of glitches that keep making a comeback with Microsoft's desktop OS – just look at the persisting installation failures with Windows updates across the years.

There are theories around that this could be Microsoft somehow forcing Windows 11 upgrades to help with adoption numbers of the newer operating system, which have spiked recently, which is only to be expected with Windows 10 End of Life now drawing ever closer.

Granted, these theorists could have a point in terms of updates being forced with PCs that have actively tried to avoid them – as in deliberately turning off TPM 2.0, when it's supported on the device – but I remain skeptical even then.

Neowin points out that a recent stealth update for both Windows 10 and 11, which can force-upgrade PCs to a newer version, may have something to do with all this, and that again is a possibility.

Still, I feel this is buggy behavior, even if that's true – Microsoft would surely never intentionally push an upgrade to unsupported hardware. And if the rules have changed regarding Windows 11 compatibility somehow, it would be very remiss of Microsoft not to point this out.

(Image credit: Microsoft)What should you do if you encounter an upgrade prompt on an unsupported PC?

So, the question you may have is this point is: what should you do if, by chance, you're offered a Windows 11 upgrade when your Windows 10 PC doesn't meet the system requirements of the newer platform?

The simple answer here is: don't take that upgrade. For starters, the update may fail (especially given that it's possibly being offered in error), as was the case with previous instances of this happening. And even if it was to succeed, there's no telling if things might go awry with your Windows 11 installation in the future.

Just like a fudged upgrade to avoid the requirement of having TPM 2.0 – which can be done – the recommendation remains not to take this route.

If you're worried about the impending death of Windows 10, remember that even though support is going to be officially ending in October 2025, you can now sign up for free updates for another year (all you need to do is sync PC settings to OneDrive, which isn't a big deal I don't think – though your opinion might vary).

That'll give you plenty of breathing space – until October 2026 – to work out what you're going to do, but I really don't think trying to run Windows 11 on an officially unsupported PC is a good idea. Not, at least until Microsoft clarifies that Windows 11's system requirements have somehow been changed, if that's indeed true (and as mentioned I very much doubt it), or of that happens in the future – and I don't see that in my crystal ball, either.

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• Meta is internally testing AI-assisted interviews for developers
• It's a closer reflection of real-world developer environments
• Much of Meta's code will soon be AI-written

Meta is reportedly testing AI-enabled coding interviews in which it will allow candidates to use AI tools.

For the time being, it looks like the company could be recruiting internal employees as volunteers for mock interviews to help it develop the shape and format of them, with the initiative revealed via internal communications and verified by 404 Media.

The reality is AI assistants and agents now form part of most workers' workflows – especially developers – so permitting them within the interview stage more closely reflects the real worker environment.

Meta could allow interviewees to use AI tools

"Meta is developing a new type of coding interview in which candidates have access to an AI assistant," the post reads.

"This is more representative of the developer environment that our future employees will work in, and also makes LLM-based cheating less effective."

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg already believes AI could eventually write most of Meta's app and AI code, ultimately ending up as mid-level engineers as soon as this year and freeing up humans to focus on more creative tasks. It's a similar story with Microsoft and Google – two companies that claim around one-third of new code is AI-generated.

However, Meta's approach to AI-assisted interviews marks a different direction to other companies in the space. Anthropic currently bans AI use during interviews, presumably seeking genuine worker talent that can be further enhanced by AI.

The benefit of AI-generated code is that it can be produced far more quickly than human-generated code, however its accuracy relies heavily on the quality of the prompts and thorough reviewing is crucial.

"We're obviously focused on using AI to help engineers with their day-to-day work, so it should be no surprise that we're testing how to provide these tools to applicants during interviews," a Meta spokesperson added.

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• A new report predicts the foldable iPhone will be priced at $1,999
• That’s lower than previous estimates, but would still make it the costliest iPhone ever
• A crease-free screen will be a key selling point, the report claims

Apple will launch its foldable iPhone in September 2026 alongside the iPhone 18, and it will be the most expensive iPhone yet with a price tag of $1,999 in the US, according to new report.

Apple’s upcoming foldable is one of the biggest open secrets in the phone industry right now, yet there’s still a fair amount of uncertainty surrounding its release date and price.

Now a report from JP Morgan has revealed what is said to be the company’s target price for the device, which has been dubbed the iPhone Fold.

In a note to clients seen by CNBC, JP Morgan analyst Samik Chatterjee wrote that Apple is targeting a US price of $1,999 for the device. That’s far above the current price of the iPhone 16 Pro Max – Apple’s most expensive iPhone right now, and one of its best – which will set you back a minimum of $1,119.

It’s also a lot more than you’ll pay for a MacBook Pro, which starts at $1,599.

Chatterjee’s prediction falls within the range of prices that have recently been rumored for the iPhone Fold. We’ve seen $1,800 suggested at the low end, while the upper estimate currently sits at around $2,500. For comparison, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 also starts at $1,999, putting it in similarly pricey territory.

Elsewhere in his report, Chatterjee predicts that upgrades to this year’s iPhone 17 lineup will be “fairly limited.” That broadly chimes with what we've heard elsewhere, although recent rumors have predicted a significant camera upgrade for the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max.

Paying a premium

(Image credit: Future)

As for what customers will get for their money, Chatterjee says the iPhone Fold will have one key advantage over its rivals: a crease-free display. This has been rumored before, and Samsung is also reportedly working on this for its own 2026 foldable.

Chatterjee believes the iPhone Fold will come with a 7.8-inch inner display and a 5.5-inch outer screen. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 has an 8-inch internal screen and a 6.5-inch outer display.

In terms of millions of units sold, Chatterjee reckons the iPhone Fold will hit the “low teens” in this area by 2027, with that figure rising to the mid-40s by 2029. If correct, that’s a sizable chunk of sales – perhaps indicating that the iPhone Fold’s premium pricing won’t be such a barrier to take-up after all.

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• The Pixel 10 could support MagSafe-style charging
• This comes from a freshly-leaked image of the phone
• Google may also launch some 'Pixelsnap' accessories

We're all set for the grand unveiling of the Google Pixel 10 series on Wednesday, August 20, and the leaks are continuing. The latest unofficial batch of images posted to the web confirm an earlier rumor: MagSafe for Android is coming.

These images are from veteran tipster Evan Blass, and as well as showing the Pixel 10 from a variety of angles, we can also see a charging puck connected to the back of one of the phones – as if magnetically snapped in place.

That apparently confirms that the Pixel 10 handsets are going to support the Qi2 wireless charging standard, including support for magnets that keep a charger in place. Some previous Android phones, such as the Samsung Galaxy S25, have adopted Qi2 but without the magnetic snapping part of it.

Of course Apple's own MagSafe tech has led the way here, adding that extra magnetic touch to wireless charging that means chargers can snap into place. We can expect a variety of third-party Android accessories to appear now too.

As previously rumored

pic.twitter.com/SeZIS2PMkHJuly 29, 2025

This isn't the first time we've heard this rumor, and there were whispers of it back in June. Apparently Google is readying some accessories with 'Pixelsnap' branding, which will presumably work a lot like MagSafe chargers do for the iPhone.

Whether or not this tech will make it to other Android phones remains to be seen, but it looks likely. We know that Samsung is certainly thinking about it, but we haven't seen it on any phones yet – including the newly launched Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7.

While MagSafe-style charging is certainly beneficial and convenient for phone users, it does mean magnets need to be embedded into the actual handsets, which can add to the bulk and the cost of these devices.

We'll have to wait and see what Google says about this new technology when the phones are launched. We've previously seen a bunch of leaked renders of the phones, along with the Pixel Watch 4 and Pixel Buds 2a that should be launching at the same time.

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If you were paying attention to the end of The Summer I Turned Pretty season 3 episode 4, you’ll have noticed Conrad’s parting voiceover, saying “What have I done?” In case you missed it, the hit Prime Video show has set us up for a full episode from Conrad’s point of view (POV) next week, and it’s going to be a tough one to sit through. Why? Just look at the unhinged level of chaos that’s unfolded over the last few weeks.

We’re only four episodes into the show’s final season, and it isn’t wasting any time dishing out the dirt. The first two episodes kicked off with Jeremiah (Gavin Casalegno) not managing to graduate on time, then proposing haphazardly to Belly (Lola Tung) without a ring, but has also cheated on her in the interim… twice. Steven (Sean Kaufman) woke up from a coma after being in a car accident on exactly the same day Jeremiah chose to propose, naturally. In episode 3, we saw Conrad (Christopher Briney) find out the engagement news at his own mother’s memorial ceremony.

In short, it’s a tough time to be Conrad, and things aren’t going to get any easier. There’s a big chance we’re about to see what’s happening – or what’s about to happen – from his perspective in The Summer I Turned Pretty in season 3 episode 5, and I’m not sure the fandom is going to survive it.

Conrad’s POV is coming in The Summer I Turned Pretty season 3 episode 5, and it’s going to break us

Conrad (Christopher Briney) in The Summer I Turned Pretty. (Image credit: Amazon Prime Video)

Here’s what we know from The Summer I Turned Pretty in season 3 episode 4. We’ve seen Conrad comforting Belly while she cries and then saying yes to being best man, giving his blessing through gritted teeth. He bakes for her birthday, which he’s remembered off of his own back and staying at his cousins to make her feel more comfortable. In the meantime, Jeremiah left Belly in tears to board a flight to Cabo, which is exactly the same flight Conrad canceled in order to stay by her side.

Even with your eyes closed, there’s no question about who’s coming out on top in this ill-fated love triangle. Well, everyone except for Belly can see this. It’s a rite of teenage passage to make some terrible decisions that could potentially derail your entire life, but dragging Conrad through the emotional mud as collateral damage only gets more difficult to watch as time goes on. But could his POV moment mark a turning point in the Prime Video hit?

CONRAD'S POV NEXT WEEK WE SHOULD ALL BE VERY AFRIAD #TheSummerITurnedPretty pic.twitter.com/BQQipRwGOFJuly 30, 2025

We’re either going to see the build-up to episodes 3 and 4 from Conrad’s eyes, or follow the immediate fallout from episode 4 instead. Conrad’s always had a mountain ahead of him to climb when it comes to his feelings, but dump all of this on his plate and that mountain’s just got a lot bigger. I cannot stand how badly he’s being treated by just about everyone else on the show, and that doesn’t seem likely to stop.

However, a switch in perspective could be a means to an end. We’re assuming that season 3 ends with Belly and Conrad riding off into the sunset, which means a hefty bit of emotional baggage needs to be worked through over the next seven episodes. In order for that to be convincing, the turning point has to be huge in order to make a profound enough difference to everyone involved. Seeing events from Conrad’s POV while he comes to terms with Belly and Jeremiah marrying is just the right kind of straw to break the camel’s back.

Conrad’s going to cry, I’m going to cry and I’d bet good money that you’re going to cry too. The Summer I Turned Pretty season 3 episode 4 was possibly the most brutal of the bunch yet, but if it means starting down the path to getting Conrad the justice he deserves, I’m ready to rip my heart open even more by watching him struggling first-hand.

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• Users on Reddit have spotted a new feature on the Spotify mobile app that allows you to remove the Create button
• While users are more than happy to see it gone, the feature is only available to a handful of users
• Spotify has been quiet, so we've done our own little Reddit investigation to get to the bottom of it

When Spotify added the Create button to the in-app navigation bar, it was very poorly received and music fans begged to have it removed, mainly because it messes up muscle memory. Now, it appears as though Spotify is listening to those complaints.

A few weeks back, Android Authority reported that Spotify could be releasing a new toggle setting that would allow you to remove the Create button from the navigation bar at the bottom of the screen. This was initially speculation, but now a number of users have shared images on Reddit showing a new toggle under the ‘Display preferences’ header in Spotify’s settings. Not everyone has access to it yet though – myself included.

While Spotify hasn’t made an official announcement, the online discourse suggests that the music streaming service could be rolling it out gradually since a handful of users already have access. However, despite the absence of the new feature in my app, the Create button has disappeared from my interface (see below). This was confusing, so I took to Reddit to see what others had to say.

In my Spotify app, the Create button has been moved back to the top right corner, but there's no sign of the new toggle feature in settings (Image credit: Future)Is this the end for one of Spotify’s most annoying features?

What do we know so far? Well, despite Spotify being silent on the matter, evidence on Reddit reveals that this feature is slowly joining the settings ecosystem for some Spotify users. The post below reveals this, which shows the new feature sitting in the ‘Content and display’ section in settings under ‘Display preferences’.

Comment from r/truespotify

But why would Spotify remove the Create button from my app without giving me access to the disable toggle? From the responses I’ve received, it suggests that a new Spotify update could be on the way.

Right now I’m using version 9.0.64, which the App Store says is the most recent. While this is the case for a lot of people here at TechRadar, most of the people on the team are still seeing the Create button in the navigation bar, which isn’t the case for me. With that said, one user with the feature shared on Reddit that they’re using version 9.0.64.608 – meaning that Spotify could be testing different versions of the app before deciding to go ahead with a roll out.

If you’re still waiting to get access to the new feature, I’ve been advised to wait another day or two before expecting its arrival, so for now, that’s what I’m rolling with. In the meantime, we've reached out to Spotify for confirmation and will update this story if we hear back.

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• Free VPNs are among the most downloaded apps in UK app store
• A surge in downloads follows the introduction of an age verification law
• Users could be putting their privacy at risk with less reputable free VPNs

VPNs are now among the most downloaded apps in UK app stores following the implementation of age verification. As of July 25, 2025, the UK’s new law requires sites hosting content deemed for adults to carry out age verification checks.

Internet users in the UK must prove they’re over 18 using verification methods including facial age estimation – sharing a selfie or video – or uploading a form of ID. The new law also impacts social media platforms including Reddit, X, and Bluesky.

Age verification comes as the government looks to protect minors from harmful content, as per the Online Safety Act. Some of the best VPN apps are now topping the Apple App Store and Google Play Store as users look to bypass age checks.

(Image credit: Future)Free VPNs dominate Apple's UK App Store

At the time of writing, Proton VPN leads the top free apps on the UK’s Apple App Store. The Swiss VPN provider reported a 1,800% increase in signups in the weekend following the new law’s implementation.

(Image credit: Proton)

NordVPN, VPN - Super Unlimited Proxy, and Free VPN by Free VPN.org also make the top five most downloaded free apps in the UK.

The rise in VPN downloads comes despite Ofcom, the UK’s internet regulator, discouraging the use of VPNs to bypass verification. It told the BBC it would be illegal for platforms to promote VPNs as a means to get around age checks.

At the time of writing, over 420,000 people have signed a petition to repeal the Online Safety Act, with many concerned about the privacy risks that age verification carries.

The importance of choosing a reputable VPN

Ofcom’s assurances that “strong age checks can be done effectively, safely, and in a way that protects [user] privacy” may not be enough to ease concerns amid recent high-profile data breaches.

A VPN, or Virtual Private Network, is a privacy tool that encrypts your internet traffic, allowing you to browse privately. By connecting to a VPN server, you can secure your connection to the verification provider, reducing the risk of issues should they be victims of a data breach.

The trouble with some free VPNs being among those most downloaded by UK app store users is that these apps may log excessive data, identifying users and putting privacy at risk. They may also lack essential security features – such as strong encryption – that help keep user data safe.

Proton VPN Free, from privacy-first company Proton, being the most downloaded free VPN app, suggests that UK internet users are, at least, putting privacy first in their quest for access. It's among the best free VPNs, offering Swiss privacy and top security features for no cost.

UK internet users looking to browse the internet privately also have the option of paid VPN providers, some of which offer free trials. Most have money-back guarantees of at least 30 days, making it possible to try their services risk-free and request a refund if unsatisfied.

Right now, the best paid VPN is NordVPN. It has some of the fastest speeds around, rock-solid security, and a bunch of added features that make your everyday easier. Plus, TechRadar readers can exclusively claim up to $50 in Amazon gift vouchers and 4 months free when they sign up.

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- 76% off 2-year NordVPN plans
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NordVPN comes with unlimited access to its global network of over 7,400 servers in over 120 countries around the world.

Plus, we've tested all of its protocols at unblocking popular streaming services, and it's a top performer, no matter the region you choose.View Deal

• Mario Kart World version 1.2.0 is here
• It adds a new way to track progress in Free Roam
• It also nerfs NPC opponents and the Boomerang item

The latest patch for Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive Mario Kart World is here, and it's a big one.

Update 1.2.0 is available now and there's plenty to be excited about. First and foremost, completionists will surely appreciate the new way to tell when they've hoovered up all the collectibles in free roam mode.

Now, when you have collected all of the P Switches, ? Panels, or Peach Medallions, the color of the on-screen numbers will change to denote that there are none left. This should make it a lot easier to keep track of what you need to scoop up for 100% completion.

The update also nerfs the Boomerang item, reducing its homing capabilities which should come as a relief if you've been repeatedly hit by it during races like I have. Non-playable character (NPC) opponents have also been made a little weaker outside of Battle mode, which will hopefully make races a little more manageable.

Other big changes include the ability to select a 'Mushrooms only' item rule in VS Races, or view the replays of downloaded time trial ghost data.

The update also includes a large number of fixes, addressing issues in both online and single-player modes.

You can view the full patch notes, as released by Nintendo, below:

• In the “VS Race” of “Single Player”, added “No COM” to the COM rules.
• In the “VS Race” of “Single Player” and “Multiplayer”, added “Mushrooms only” to the item rules.
• You can now choose “View Replay” after downloading ghost data in “Time Trials”.
• You can now choose whom to watch when spectating in “Knockout Tour” and “Balloon Battle” in “Online Play”, “Wireless Play”, and “LAN Play”.
• You can now see the waiting time until the next race or battle starts in “Online Play”, “Wireless Play”, and “LAN Play”.
• When using CameraPlay in “Multiplayer” and “Online Play”, the game will now remember the camera cursor position and size until the player closes the game.
  • If you change the number of people playing, the cursor position and size will return to their original settings.
• On the “Free Roam” map, when you gather all of the P Switches, ? Panels, and Peach Medallions, the colors of the various numbers will now change.
• Made COM weaker in everything other than “Battle”.
• Made homing of Boomerang weaker.
• Decreased the probability of getting a Triple Dash Mushroom in the low position, whenever the item rules in a race are anything other than “Frantic”.
• Changed it so order of getting ? Block is higher than in the past, whenever the item rules in a race are anything other than “Frantic”.
• Made it so there is a wheel spinning animation if the player presses the A button (acceleration) too early when starting a race while driving.
  • Player will not lose speed even when spinning wheels.
• Increased the frequency of lap-type courses appearing in the selection when choosing the next course in “VS Race” and wireless races.

Fixed Issues:

• Fixed an issue where the rate fluctuations were sometimes displayed incorrectly in wireless races.
• Fixed an issue where the vehicle would stay floating in air when jumping off a half pipe.
• Fixed an issue where, when a player crashes while gliding and uses Bullet Bill, they go out of the course.
• Fixed an issue where, if a player quits a Rewind in the location where they were wall riding, the driver’s posture would not return to what it was before.
• Fixed an issue where the item that was displayed in the item slot would turn into something else when using it.
• Fixed an issue where in “Online Play”, the player would not dash even when getting on a Dash Panel.
• Fixed an issue where the points in a team race in “Wireless Play” would display incorrectly.
• Fixed an issue where sometimes controls were inoperable on the menu screen after the player was retired in “Balloon Battle” in “Wireless Play”.
• Fixed an issue where a Peach Medallion would sometimes disappear when doing Rewind in “Free Roam”.
• Fixed an issue where sometimes controls were inoperable when the player pointed the cursor at their own character or course and pressed A on the “Free Roam” map.
• Fixed an issue where sometimes controls were inoperable when the player quit a mission in “Free Roam” right before entering a pipe.
• Fixed an issue where the player would slip through some drift ice around “Sky-High Sundae”.
• Fixed an issue where the player would get caught on the outside of a handrail on the left and right sides right after the start of “Airship Fortress”.
• Fixed an issue where the player would get caught on the fence and not be able to move forward in “Bowser's Castle”.
• Fixed an issue where, when the player used a Bullet Bill in “Bowser's Castle”, they would not be able to glide and fell into the abyss.
• Fixed an issue where the player would go out of the course when using a Mega Mushroom on the last turn of “Whistlestop Summit”.
• Fixed an issue where the player could not get out of the location where they fell from a railroad when “Smart Steering” is on in “Whistlestop Summit”.
• Fixed an issue where the player would slip through the ground at a ramp near the goal at “Choco Mountain”.
• Fixed an issue where the player would get caught on a block when using a Bullet Bill on the road that enters “Choco Mountain”.
• Fixed an issue where the player would get caught on a plank of wood laid on the road when throwing a green shell on the road between “DK Spaceport” and “Whistlestop Summit”.
• Fixed an issue where the last place would be sometimes incorrect in the wireless races of “Dino Dino Jungle”.
• Fixed an issue where the player would get caught on the back of a leaf when using a Bullet Bill in “Acorn Heights”.
• Fixed an issue where the player would not be able to slip through a vase that is placed on the road in “Shy Guy Bazaar”, when using a Boo.
• Fixed an issue where the player would slip through the ceiling in “Dry Bones Burnout”.
• Fixed an issue where the player would sometimes hit a fence when throwing a red shell on the first turn in “Moo Moo Meadows”.
• Fixed an issue where one part of the effects that take place for the bridge transforming when heading toward “Rainbow Road” did not display.
• Fixed an issue where the player would slip through the ground on the road between ”Starview Peak” and “Sky-High Sundae”.
• Fixed an issue where some of the item boxes would not have appeared in “Wario Shipyard”.
• Fixed an issue where the player would slip through the bottom of a rock near the goal of ”Wario Shipyard”.
• Fixed an issue where the player would go out of the course when using a Mega Mushroom on a turn inside “Wario Stadium”.
• Fixed an issue where the player gets caught on a tree in the middle of a shortcut if they have “Smart Steering” on when heading from “Starview Peak” to “Dandelion Depths” in “Ice Rally” of “Knockout Tour”.
• Several other issues have been addressed to improve the gameplay experience.

Mario Kart World is available now for Nintendo Switch 2. It is offered either separately as a physical release or digital download, or as part of a bundle with the console.

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• Orange warns customers of an ongoing cyberattack
• The attack forced it to isolate parts of its network
• This isolation could cause disruptions, it warned

Orange Group, one of the world’s leading telecom operators, has warned about a cyberattack that disrupted some of its services.

In a statement, the French telecom giant said on July 25, it detected a cyberattack on one of its information systems. Moving in to mitigate the threat, the company was forced to “isolate” potentially affected services, causing disruption to different management services and platforms.

Both business customers, as well as “a few” consumer services, primarily located in France, could experience temporary service disruptions or be completely offline for some users, Orange said. “Our dedicated teams are actively engaged in informing and assisting the affected customers.”

Salt Typhoon

The company said it identified and is currently implementing solutions that will allow it to gradually restore the affected services. At press time, most of the services should already be back up and running.

While there was no talk of the threat actors, how they broke in, or what their motives were, Orange did say that there was no evidence suggesting any data exfiltration or tampering. However, it still lodged a formal complaint with the regulators and filed notices with relevant authorities.

“For obvious security reasons, Orange will not provide further comments,” Orange concluded.

Being critical infrastructure, telecommunications organizations are constantly at the crosshairs of different hacking groups and state-sponsored cybercriminals.

Salt Typhoon, a Chinese state-sponsored group and a part of the wider “typhoon” collective of hackers, has been targeting telecoms for some time, striking some of the world’s biggest and most popular brands.

The goal is to remain hidden inside the network, in case tensions between China and the US over Taiwan escalate into a full-blown war. In that case, the groups are tasked with disrupting services, eavesdropping on vital communications, and exfiltrating sensitive information.

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• Magnitude 8.8 earthquake strikes off Russia's east coast
• The epicenter is near two local subsea cables, which remain operational
• The Pacific is filled with other cables, but they could be safe from disruptions

After the sixth-largest quake in recorded history struck off the eastern coast of Russia, experts have been quick to reassure that critical subsea cables used for internet and data transfer remain secure.

Rated to magnitude 8.8, tsunami warnings are now being shared across the whole North Pacific region, including Japan and America's West Coast, with waves already arriving in Hawaii, and Japanese low-lying coastal towns being urged to evacuate.

However, so far there have been no effects on critical infrastructure, with subsea cables remaining in tact.

Russian earthquake didn't prompt internet outages

So far, no outages have been reported by communication facilities, cloud computing services or chipmaking plants, with the likes of AWS, Azure and Google Cloud still operating normally.

Russia’s Rostelecom has not reported any disruptions to its subsea cable connecting Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky with Anadyr, despite its location near to the quake site.

The 10-point Polar Express subsea cable that's currently under construction, also connecting Russian locations and also located near the earthquake's epicenter, doesn't look to have been disrupted, though the quake could cause delays to the project.

Although no other cables transit near the epicenter, the Pacific is filled with major subsea cable networks, including Google's Topaz and Jupiter, which is part-owned by AWS and Meta.

Still, subsea cables are generally buries in trenches for the first few kilometres offshore. Once they're exposed on the ocean floor, they're deep enough not to be majorly affected by tsunami water columns. The biggest risk is earthquake-triggered submarine landslides which threaten to break cables, as seen when nine Asia-Pacific cables snapped in the 2006 magnitude 7.0 Taiwan earthquake.

Hyperscalers also make use of multiple Availability Zones, meaning that even if Russia's earthquake were to affect one area, traffic could be rerouted within hours.

Via The Register

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• Developers are less likely to trust AI-generated output than they were last year, report claims
• Only 2.5% of experienced developers highly trust AI output
• AI is great at helping new developers learn to code

As developers become more accustomed to AI tools in their workflows, it's becoming increasingly clear that they don't always trust its output, new research has claimed.

The latest developer survey from Stack Overflow has revealed although AI adoption is up to 84% from 76% in 2024, ther has also been a huge jump in the number of developers who don't trust AI-generated results, up from 31% in 2024 to 46% in 2025.

On the flip side, only 3.1% highly trust AI results – a sentiment that's more common among beginners (6.1%) than it is among experienced devs (2.5%).

Developers aren't sure about AI, still

Currently, as many as 78.5% of developers use AI on an infrequent basis, such as monthly, and this is consistent across all experience levels according to the study.

Despite the lack of trust, it's clear that developers see artificial intelligence as a useful starting point, with as many as three in five viewing AI tools favorably compared with just one in five who see it unfavorably (and a further one in five who are indifferent).

But that's all it is at the moment – a starting point. Three-quarters admitted that they'd still ask a human when they don't trust AI answers, with 58% preferring to ask humans when they don't fully understand something and a similar number seeking human help for ethical and security concerns.

"AI is a powerful tool, but it has significant risks of misinformation or can lack complexity or relevance," Stack Overflow CEO Prashanth Chandrasekar explained.

While its use cases in the development cycle may be more limited, artificial intelligence is proving to be useful in other areas – 44% use it to learn to code (up from 37% last year), and 36% use it for work or advancement.

"By providing a trusted human intelligence layer in the age of AI, we believe the tech enthusiasts of today can play a larger role in adding value to build the AI technologies and products of tomorrow," Chandrasekar added.

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• A new round of leaks regarding the next Xbox console have hit the internet
• The new console will reportedly outpace PS5 Pro and target native 4K 120fps performance
• It could arrive as soon as late 2026 to early 2027

Microsoft may be going all-in on its next-generation Xbox console, and it might be launching sooner than you think.

As reported by Notebookcheck, a new round of leaks from Moore's Law Is Dead suggest that the next Xbox console could greatly outpace the PS5 Pro in terms of performance and visual fidelity.

The new system, codenamed Magnus, will allegedly have AMD's RDNA 5 GPU and Zen 6 CPU. According to Moore's Law, graphical capabilities here would roughly be the equivalent of an Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080 card. The system will reportedly capable of targeting native 120fps performance at 4K resolution. We might also expect improved ray tracing capabilities.

As for launch window, Moore's Law suggests a late 2026 - 2027 release time. That's a bit earlier than I'd have expected, given the seven-to-eight-year gap found with more recent console generations. It may also suggest that once again, you probably shouldn't expect a massive PS1 to PS2-esque technological leap.

It's also been reported that the next Xbox console will rely on AMD's FSR upscaling tech. So unlike PS5 Pro's PSSR (PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution), Microsoft potentially isn't looking at developing its own AI upscaling solution.

Backwards compatibility also seems likely, meaning current-generation Xbox players should be able to carry over their game libraries to the new console without issues. Though part of this hinges on whether or not the next Xbox will feature a disc drive, or if Microsoft is opting to go fully discless as we've recently seen evidence of with the Xbox Series X Digital Edition.

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PlayStation Plus free games change at the start of every month, and coming in at no extra cost to PS Plus members, these free games are a great way to expand your library on the cheap or pick up and try games that you might not have thought about initially.

More often than not, you'll have three games to try out with each month's drop - which covers both PS5 and PS4 (so you're still set if you haven't jumped into the latest generation yet) - though sometimes we see some curveballs in the form of one or two fewer or more games. And we're also likely to see more PSVR games be thrown into the PS Plus free game mixer too.

If you are a subscriber and don't make the most of the free games on offer from month to month, it's worth making it a habit to start claiming them when you can since they'll always be available to you as long as your subscription is live. Since the best PS5 games can set you back a pretty penny, this is a great way to make the most of your console without having to fork out new releases every month.

The new line-up for August 2025 includes an excellent Souls-like action game, and an absolute gem of a survival MMO. Read on for the full lineup.

PS Plus Free Games for August 2025

(Image credit: Bohemia Interactive)

Lies of P | PS5, PS4
This macabre Soulslike draws its inspiration from an unlikely source: The Adventures of Pinocchio. In this grim reimagining of Carlo Collodi’s treasured tale, Pinocchio is trying to find the mysterious Mr. Geppetto. His journey takes him to Krat, a Belle Époque-inspired city whose humanity has been lost to madness and killer puppets. Pinocchio must battle for survival using a range of weapons and swappable Legion Arms with special abilities. He will also encounter non-hostile characters, but you will have to help him lie to fulfil his dream of becoming human. You can read our Lies of P review to see what we thought of it.

Day Z | PS4
DayZ is a hardcore survival game where up to 60 players must strive to endure a post-apocalyptic world populated by frenzied infected and other survivors. DayZ includes the original iconic map of Chernarus and Livonia – the dense 163 km2 map which lets players experience the hardcore survival hit in a whole new environment. With no checkpoints or saves, when you die, you lose everything and have to start over.

My Hero One’s Justice 2 | PS4
My Hero One’s Justice 2, the over-the-top follow-up to the smash hit 3D arena fighter My Hero One’s Justice, makes its heroic debut! Make full use of characters’ Quirks as you clash head-to-head in epic battles across huge arenas!

All games available August 5.

PlayStation Plus free games: 2025 archive

(Image credit: Sony)

Below, you'll find the PS Plus offerings for the last six months or so. Use these to see what you've missed, and to predict the kinds of games that might be available in the future.

PS Plus free games for July 2025

(Image credit: Don't Nod)

Diablo 4 | PS5, PS4
Diablo IV is the next-gen action RPG experience with endless evil to slaughter, countless abilities to master, nightmarish Dungeons and legendary loot. Embark on the campaign solo or with friends (2 player local or up to 4 players online), meeting memorable characters throughout a beautifully dark open world and a gripping story. Dive into an expansive End Game where players can meet in towns to trade, team up to battle larger-than-life World Bosses, unlock robust character and loot customization, and uncover tons more action-packed activities to explore with cross-play and cross-progression on all available platforms.

The King of Fighters XV | PS5, PS4
Since its debut in 1994, the KoF fighting game series has featured iconic characters and a unique battle system. Now the most epic dream match in KOF history is about to begin! Inheriting the series’ traditional 3-on-3 team battle setup, KoF XV features 39 characters (mixing classic fighters, revived combatants and new warriors), a new combat system and rollback netcode to reduce lag in online matches. There are also a variety of battle options that allow you to choose how you want to play. The PlayStation Plus launch also includes the “Classic Leona” DLC costume, letting you change Leona’s costume to her KoF ‘96 look.

Jusant | PS5
Jusant is an action-puzzle climbing game and a meditative journey to the top of a tall tower. Challenge yourself at your own pace, explore different paths, and unravel the secrets from a bygone civilization. Master your climbing tools and watch your stamina meter to successfully navigate this mysterious and changing tower. As you go higher and hone your skills, you’ll have to figure out how best to use the tools at your disposal to get to where you want to go. Explore alternative paths to find clues about what happened here.

Available July 1 until August 4.

PS Plus free games for June 2025

(Image credit: Team Reptile)

NBA 2K25 | PS4, PS5
Stack wins, raise banners and make history in NBA 2K25. Command every court with authenticity and realism Powered by ProPLAY, giving you ultimate control over how you compete. Play anywhere, as you define your legacy in MyCAREER, MyTEAM, MyNBA and The W. Express your personality with an extensive array of customization options and explore an all-new City, where opportunity awaits behind every door.

Alone in the Dark | PS5
Alone in the Dark is an atmospheric reimagining of 1992’s ground-breaking survival horror of the same name. In 1920s America, Emily Hartwood recruits private detective Edward Carnby to aid in the search for her missing uncle. Their hunt leads them to Derceto Manor, a home for the mentally fatigued in the gothic American South that hides a dark secret. Play as either Edward or Emily as they explore Derceto and discover horrors that defy explanation. You’ll have to brave the shadows, solve environmental puzzles and survive chilling encounters with murderous creatures if you’re ever going to make it through this nightmare.

Bomb Rush Cyberfunk | PS4, PS5
Start your own cypher and dance, paint graffiti, collect beats, combo your tricks and face off with the cops to stake your claim to the sprawling metropolis of New Amsterdam. In this action-adventure platformer, Red is a graffiti writer who lost his head and instead has a cyberhead. In search of his roots he joins the Bomb Rush Crew, Tryce and Bel, who are aiming to go All City. Together they slowly discover who it was that cut off his head and how deep Red’s human side is linked to the graffiti world.

All three games will be available to PlayStation Plus members on June 3 until June 30.

Destiny 2: The Final Shape | PS4, PS5 (REQUIRES BASE GAME)
The Final Shape looms – a nightmarish calcification of reality into the Witness’s twisted design. Embark on a perilous journey into the heart of the Traveler, rally the Vanguard, and end the War of Light and Darkness. This Destiny 2 expansion* includes the new story campaign, new Prismatic subclass, three new Supers, a new destination and new weapons and armor to collect.

PS Plus free games for May 2025

(Image credit: Playstack)

Ark: Survival Ascended | PS5
Are you ready to form a tribe, tame and breed hundreds of species of dinosaurs and other primeval creatures, explore, craft, build, and fight your way to the top of the food-chain? Your new world awaits in this survival sim, reimagined from the ground-up with Unreal Engine 5, with high-end graphic features, advanced physics systems and quality of life revamps in every area. Ark: Survival Ascended includes access to all of Ark’s worlds, including Scorched Earth, Aberration, Extinction, Ark Genesis Part 1, Ark Genesis Part 2, and more. The game supports public online multiplayer for up to 70 players, private-session multiplayer for up to 8 players, and local split-screen for 2 players.

Balatro | PS5, PS4
In this poker-inspired roguelike deck builder, it’s all creating powerful synergies and winning big. Play illegal poker hands, discover game-changing jokers and trigger outrageous combos in this roguelike strategy experience. Combine valid poker hands with unique joker cards in order to create varied synergies and builds. Earn enough chips to beat devious blinds, all while uncovering hidden bonus hands and decks as you progress. You’re going to need every edge you can get in order to reach the boss blind, beat the final ante and secure victory.

Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun | PS5, PS4
Load up your Boltgun and plunge into battle headfirst! Experience a perfect blend of Warhammer 40,000, classic, frenetic FPS gameplay and the stylish visuals of your favourite 90’s retro shooters. Play a battle-hardened Space Marine on a perilous mission across the galaxy, as they battle against the Chaos Space Marines and daemons of Chaos. In glorious boomer shooter style, unleash your devastating Space Marine arsenal as you blast through an explosion of sprites, pixels and blood. Run, jump and charge across huge levels to shoot, shred and slice the worst heretics across the galaxy!

Available May 6 until June 2.

PS Plus free games for April 2025

(Image credit: Gun Interactive/Sumo Digital)

The Texas Chain Saw Massacre | PS5, PS4
Take on the role of one of the notorious Slaughter family, or their victims, in The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, a third-person asymmetrical horror experience based on the groundbreaking and iconic 1974 horror film. As a victim you must use your wits and stealth to stay out of the Family’s reach and find the tools you need to lead to your eventual freedom. Slaughter Family players must seek out, track down, and stop their guests from escaping. Players of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre can finally find out if they have what it takes to survive.

RoboCop: Rogue City | PS5
Become the legendary part man, part machine, all cop hero and bring justice to the dangerous, crime-ridden streets of Old Detroit. With your powerful Auto-9 or one of a range of weapons available, eradicate criminals throughout this explosive first-person adventure. Your cyborg strength and cybernetic abilities can be upgraded as you progress, to make you an even more formidable law enforcement officer.

Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth – Hacker’s Memory | PS4
After being accused of a crime he didn’t commit, Keisuke Amazawa has no choice but to dive into the Digital World and investigate to prove his innocence. Even if that means joining a group of hackers and helping them to solve the troubles threatening this mysterious universe. Discover the mysterious backstory to the events that happened in Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth as you dive into a deeper and darker adventure, at crossroads between real and digital and experience the perfect mix between Adventure, Raising and Battle with over 320 Digimon to discover.

PS Plus free games for March 2025

(Image credit: Sega)

Dragon Age: The Veilguard | PS5
Unite the Veilguard and defy the gods in this immersive single-player RPG where you become the leader others believe in. When a pair of corrupt ancient gods break free from centuries of darkness, the vibrant land of Thedas needs someone they can count on.Rise as Rook, Dragon Age’s newest hero. Be who you want to be and play how you want to play as you fight back and lead your team of seven companions, each with their own rich story. Together you will become The Veilguard.

Sonic Colors: Ultimate | PS4
The evil Dr. Eggman has built an interstellar amusement park – but he’s powering it with a captured alien race called “Wisps.” Use Sonic’s speed to free the Wisps and gain their amazing powers as you explore six unique worlds, filled with hurdles to overcome. Now with stunning upscaled visuals, additional features, a new game mode and enhanced gameplay – it’s the Ultimate Sonic Colors experience.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Cowabunga Collection | PS4, PS5
13 classic Konami TMNT games are assembled in one incredible package! Experience 13 immensely popular and influential TMNT games in a totally radical collection from Konami. These retro nostalgia trips come with a range of new quality-of-life features, including online play for certain games and local couch play, the ability to save anytime and rewind, button mapping, unique development art & sketches, historic TMNT media content and more!

PS Plus free games for February 2025

(Image credit: Squanch Games)

Payday 3 | PS5
First up is Payday 3, the latest heist co-op shooter that sees players teaming up to pull off epic bank robberies. Expect stealth and action-packed shootouts in equal measure, as you and your squad slowly take on harder and harder jobs, with rewards increasing along with the risk.

High on Life | PS4, PS5
Fresh out of high school with no job and no ambition, you’ve really got nothing going for you until an alien cartel that wants to get high off humanity invades Earth. Now, you and a team of charismatic talking guns must answer the hero’s call and become the deadliest intergalactic bounty hunter the cosmos has ever seen. Travel to a variety of biomes and locations across the cosmos, go up against the nefarious Garmantuous and his gang of goons, collect loot, meet unique characters, and more, in the latest comedy adventure from Squanch Games.

Pac-Man World Re-Pac | PS4, PS5
In this 2004 remake of the original PlayStation platformer, with improved UI, fine-tuned mechanics and updated visuals, Pac-Man arrives home on his birthday to find the Ghosts have kidnapped Pac-Man’s family & friends and ruined his party. Off to the rescue, Pac-Man sets out to Ghost Island. Dodge Ghosts, solve environmental puzzles, rescue the Pac-Fam, and more in this platforming adventure. Play a collection of 3D mazes in Maze mode, clear Quest mode to unlock the original Pac-Man game in Original mode.

PS Plus free games for January 2025

(Image credit: PlayStation)

Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League | PS5
Take down The Justice League yourself in single-player or team up with friends in multiplayer co-op in this genre-defying, action-adventure third-person shooter from Rocksteady Studios, creators of the critically acclaimed Batman: Arkham series. Featuring an original narrative set within an expansive open-world city of Metropolis, the game puts the four DC Super-Villains on a collision course with an invading alien force and DC Super Heroes who are now laser-focused on destroying the city they once vowed to protect.

Need for Speed Hot Pursuit Remastered | PS4
Feel the thrill of the chase and the rush of escape in Need for Speed Hot Pursuit. Unleash a savage sense of speed both as an outlaw and a cop in the world’s hottest high-performance cars. Outsmart the heat or take down lawbreakers with the tactical weaponry at your disposal in a heart-pumping, socially competitive racing experience. Updated with enhanced visuals, cross-platform multiplayer – including the asynchronous competition powered by Autolog – plus all additional DLC content, this is the ultimate edition of Criterion Games’ critically acclaimed Need for Speed debut. It’s time to reignite the pursuit.

The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe | PS4, PS5
The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe is an expanded re-imagining of the critically acclaimed, award winning indie game The Stanley Parable from 2013. Everything that was in the original Stanley Parable is here, preserved just like it was back in 2013. But The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe also dramatically expands the world of the original game with new content, new choices, and new secrets to uncover. The labyrinth has just gotten bigger. In addition, the game has been visually upgraded to reflect modern technology while faithfully preserving the tone of the original game. Accessibility features have also been added to the game, including localization of in-world text, colorblind options, and content warnings. And just as before, the impeccable voicework of Kevan Brighting will accompany you every step of the way.

PlayStation Plus free games - Subscription prices

In order to get every batch of PlayStation Plus free games you'll need to have an active PS Plus subscription. This can be an Essential (the basic level), the mid-tier Extra subscription, or the top-end Premium subscription, as all will get you the monthly free games. If you're keen to jump in or want to check the latest prices for adding to your existing subscription of want to upgrade, then we've got the latest and lowest prices below.

PlayStation Plus free games - FAQsAre there free games on PS Plus?

Yes! As we've stated here on our dedicated PlayStation Plus free games page, each month a handful of games are available to PS Plus members and, as long as your subscription is live and active, then they are yours to keep and play!

Can I play free PS Plus games without a subscription?

Sadly, no, PlayStation Plus free games are only available to run and play for those with an active subscription. That means that if you acquired some games one month when your sub was active, but then let it lapse, those games would become unavailable.

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Hardly a week goes by without a breakthrough in LLMs (large language models). They're cheaper to train and getting smarter, so why bother with their little sibling SLMs (small language models)?

For any developer team serious about delivering practical AI, it all comes down to focus and fit. LLMs are great for general, non-domain-specific tasks, but when AI needs to be truly useful in a business context, an SLM, or even a federation of SLMs supporting an LLM, is often the smarter choice.

Why? Because, as top reasoning engines show, using a general-purpose AI for a focused or numeric task is often overkill, and introduces risk. For example, DeepSeek R1 uses a “mixture of experts” setup with 671 billion parameters, but only up to 37 billion activate per query.

Because it knows it needs to operate with only a subset of those billions of parameters active at any given time, and it’s much more efficient to instead break problems down and use selective use of smaller components when it spots, say, a user question that needs some mathematical sub-routines, and not all of its encoded “brain power.”

It’s easy to see how much more useful the results become when you stop assuming one LLM can do it all. A smarter approach is to deploy different SLMs to analyze specific areas of your business, such as finance, operations, logistics, and then feed their focused outputs into a more general model that synthesizes the findings into a single, coherent response.

When you think about it, this model of coordination is deeply human. Our brains don’t fire up every region at once; we activate specific areas for language, memory, motor function, and more. It’s a modular, connected form of reasoning that mirrors how we solve problems in the real world. A physicist might stumble outside their domain, while a generalist can offer broader but less precise insights. Likewise, AI systems that recognize boundaries of expertise and delegate tasks accordingly can tackle far more complex problems than even the smartest standalone LLM.

SLMs v LLMs

To test the case for SLMs, just try asking ChatGPT, or any general-purpose LLM, about your AWS infrastructure. Since LLMs are notoriously imprecise with numbers, even a basic question like “how many servers do we have?” will likely produce a guess or hallucination, not a reliable answer.

A better approach would chain together an SLM trained to generate accurate database queries, retrieve the exact data, and then pass that to an LLM to explain the result in natural language. For predictive tasks, classical statistical models often still outperform neural networks — and in those cases, an SLM could be used to optimize the model’s parameters, with an LLM summarizing and contextualizing the results.

SLMs aren’t just cheaper — they’re often more capable in niche domains. Take Microsoft’s Phi-2, a small model trained on high-quality math and coding data. Because of its focused, domain-specific training, it famously outperformed much larger models in its area of expertise.

Until (or unless) we reach true AGI, no single model will be great at everything. But an SLM trained for a specific task often outperforms a generalist. Give it the right context, and it delivers peak performance — simple as that.

Granularity matters. You don’t need an AI that knows who won the World Cup in 1930; you need one that understands how your company mixes paint, builds networks, or schedules deliveries. Domain focus is what makes AI useful in the real world.

And for mid-sized operations, SLMs are much more cost-effective. They require fewer GPUs, consume less power, and offer better ROI. That also makes them more accessible to smaller teams, who can afford to train and run models tailored to their needs.

Best to be flexible

So, is the case closed? Just pick an SLM and enjoy guaranteed ROI from enterprise AI? Not quite.

The real challenge is getting your supply chain, or any domain-specific data, into the model in a usable, reliable way. Both LLMs and SLMs rely on transformer architectures that are typically trained in large batches. They’re not naturally suited to continuous updates.

To keep an SLM relevant and accurate, you still need to feed it fresh, contextual data. That’s where graph technology comes in. A well-structured knowledge graph can act as a live tutor, constantly grounding the model in updated, trustworthy information.

This combination, SLM plus knowledge graph, is proving particularly powerful in high-stakes domains. It delivers faster, more precise, and more cost-efficient outputs than a standalone LLM.

Add to this the growing adoption of Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG), especially in graph-enabled setups (GraphRAG), and you have a game-changer. By bridging structured and unstructured data and injecting just-in-time context, this architecture makes AI genuinely enterprise-ready.

GraphRAG also boosts reasoning by continuously retrieving relevant, real-world information, instead of relying on static or outdated data. The result? Sharper, more contextual responses that elevate tasks like query-focused summarization (QFS) and enable SLMs to operate with greater precision and adaptability.

In short, if we want AI systems that truly address real business challenges, rather than echo back what they think we want to hear, the future isn’t about building ever-bigger LLMs. For many enterprise scenarios, a hybrid SLM/GraphRAG model may be the real path forward for GenAI.

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This article was produced as part of TechRadarPro's Expert Insights channel where we feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today. The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/news/submit-your-story-to-techradar-pro

PCIe NVMe (Peripheral Component Interconnect Express Non-Volatile Memory Express) SSDs represent a major advancement in data storage because of the speed and efficiency they deliver along with a direct connection to the CPU.

A quick comparison with older technologies like SATA SSDs or traditional HDDs, shows that improved read/write speeds allow tasks like booting an OS, launching applications, file transfers and large data processing to take place much faster. But there is another inherent advantage because NVMe is designed for flash memory and allows parallel I/O operations which drastically reduces latency, ensuring smoother performance for high-end applications or any task that requires real-time data access.

There are now multiple generations of PCIe NVMe SSDs available which can make choosing the most suitable solution challenging. The best approach is to look at the needs of the organization and align these with the different options. In this article, we will explore the differences between Gen 3, Gen 4 and the new Gen 5 SSD’s, to determine what can be expected from each one, and what an upgrade will deliver in terms of benefits.

Unpacking the different PCIe generations

PCIe is the interface standard that allows SSDs to connect to the motherboard. With every new generation of PCIe there is an improvement in bandwidth and speed. NVMe is a communication interface and driver that has been designed specifically for high-speed data transfer between the computer's solid-state drive (SSD) and its processor, leveraging the PCIe interface.

Looking at Gen 3, Gen 4 and Gen 5 SSD’s in terms of maximum bandwidth, maximum read speed and the applications for which they are most suitable, we can see clearly how they stack up:

PCIe Gen 3: This offers a maximum bandwidth of 16GB/s across 16 lanes, with up to 3,500MB/s sequential read speeds on NVMe SSDs. This generation is ideal for general computing needs.

PCIe Gen 4: This generation doubled the bandwidth of Gen 3 to 32GB/s across 16 lanes, enabling SSDs to reach sequential read speeds of over 7,000MB/s. For users who need support for PC and console gaming, or for content creation.

PCIe Gen 5: Once again this doubles the bandwidth, offering up to 64GB/s across 16 lanes. Gen 5 SSDs have set outstanding new standards in when it comes to achieving sequential read speeds exceeding 14,000MB/s. The newest generation is designed for high-performance workloads and PC gaming.

It’s important to note that theoretical speeds are calculated without external factors such as NAND speed, controller limitations and optimization for real world efficiency and cooling.

Each generational leap offers not just marginal improvements, but foundational shifts in data transfer rates, capacity, and interactions with modern CPUs and software. On top of this is continually improved efficiency, which further benefits high-performance workloads, or intensive compute activity such as gaming.

The PCIe NVMe adoption landscape

Most computers are still using Gen 3 or even SATA SSDs, which are common in older systems and budget builds. Adopting Gen 4 over Gen 3 provides the kind of performance boost that matters amongst users whose needs are specific and demanding, such as content creators, and professionals working with large amounts of data.

Gen 5 is much newer to the market and is currently more expensive but is sought after by users with data-intensive tasks. Gen 5 SSDs are suitable for supporting 8K video editing, top-end gaming and large-scale simulations, but with the rapid growth of AI, sales are being further boosted. Because they more than double the read and write speeds of Gen 4, they are being widely used for AI model training.

One of the advantages of PCIe Gen 5 is that it provides futureproofing. Users are investing in a technology that will remain relevant for many years, as software and hardware continue to demand higher performance. Even if there are some applications and hardware that are unable to utilize Gen 5 just yet, it is backwards compatible.

Is PCIe Gen 5 needed for gaming on PlayStation 5 or Xbox series X?

We are often asked this question, and it applies to other gaming systems too. PCIe Gen 5 SSDs are the best on the market, but that doesn’t mean that all users need them right now. The Sony PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X are designed to support Gen 4 SSDs with a heatsink. A Gen 4 NVMe SSD with heatsink, will be more than capable of providing the speed required to optimize load times and gameplay performance on these games consoles.

For most gamers and everyday users, Gen 4 SSDs strike an ideal mix of speed and cost-effectiveness. Unless a user is tackling high-end tasks that require top-tier performance, Gen 4 drives are more than capable of handling the demands.

Generational standard improvements

Any upgrade needs careful consideration, and practical matters such as motherboard compatibility and thermal management needs are important. PCIe NVMe SSDs have evolved rapidly, and each new generation has raised the bar for speed and efficiency, but the first question should be, what do I need this for?

PCIe Gen 3 is a reliable choice for everyday computing, and Gen 4 steps up with noticeably faster performance; while at the top of the spectrum, PCIe Gen 5 delivers cutting-edge speeds for power users. Cost versus performance gain and long-term efficiency are key factors to add into the decision mix when upgrading or investing in this storage technology.

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This article was produced as part of TechRadarPro's Expert Insights channel where we feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today. The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/news/submit-your-story-to-techradar-pro

Ransomware has become a defining cybersecurity threat, increasing in scale, sophistication, and cost. In the UK alone, recent months have seen a wave of high-profile incidents disrupting everything from retail and logistics to public services – with consequences that reach far beyond the IT department.

Take the case of Marks & Spencer. A major breach in April 2025 exposed customer data, triggered widespread operational disruption, and is already slated to have cost the company £300 million – apart from the billion pounds or more the incident has wiped from the retailer’s stock market value.

At Co-op, a ransomware-linked outage halted critical systems. The Legal Aid Agency suffered a breach of sensitive legal and financial records. Meanwhile, even Harrods and logistics firm Peter Green Chilled weren’t spared. These are not isolated events - they’re signals of a broader shift.

The UK retail industry alone lost over £2.2 billion to shoplifting last year, according to the British Retail Consortium. And while theft may be an age-old problem, ransomware has become its digital cousin - often just as costly, but far harder to trace and recover from.

As businesses count the cost of downtime, data loss, and reputational fallout, one thing is clear: ransomware isn’t just a cybersecurity issue. It’s a business issue. In a digital world, ransomware has become nothing more than the cost of doing business online, just as shoplifting is to its bricks-and-mortar equivalent.

Realistically, the best cybersecurity efforts are more deterrent than panacea these days. And besides ensuring they do the necessary to secure the perimeter, the most logical thing for organizations to focus on is how to recover from the inevitable cyberattack - this, however, is a stumbling block for many businesses.

It now takes organizations an average of five weeks to fully recover from a cyberattack. In sectors where every hour offline can cost hundreds of thousands of pounds, that rate of loss is simply no longer sustainable. Yet, many still over-index on prevention, when it’s recovery speed, not perimeter defense, that ultimately defines the business impact of an attack. The question is no longer if you’ll be targeted, but how fast you can bounce back.

The reality of recovery: why time is the new risk factor

The longer data recovery takes, the more damage is done, and yet 72% of organizations take more than a week to restore operations after an attack. Manufacturing and healthcare average over six weeks.

These delays are not merely inconvenient. According to ITIC’s 2024 Hourly Cost of Downtime Report, more than 90% of mid-size and large enterprises say one hour of downtime now costs more than £220,000. Recovery timelines that stretch into days or weeks can translate into millions in lost revenue, disrupted services, and long-term damage to brand trust and shareholder confidence.

What hybrid cloud really means and why it matters

Hybrid cloud storage combines the performance of on-premises systems with the scalability and durability of the cloud. For instance, in hybrid cloud models, data can be cached locally for fast access, and every change can be stored in immutable cloud object storage in real time.

This architecture supports AI-readiness, multi-site collaboration, and petabyte-scale growth – but critically, it also bakes in ransomware resilience. Where traditional file servers and backups can be encrypted or deleted, hybrid cloud platforms maintain a centralized, tamper-proof record of every file version, stored securely and out of reach from attackers.

It’s why hybrid cloud storage is no longer a fringe technology – it’s becoming the standard for modern IT resilience.

Hybrid cloud’s secret weapon: file versioning and immutability

Ransomware attacks typically encrypt critical data and demand payment. More aggressive attackers now double down, leaking or selling sensitive data to increase leverage. But if your organization can roll back files to their clean state before the attack – in minutes – the threat loses its sting.

This ‘point-in-time’ recovery isn’t theoretical. A growing number of organizations are entrusting their file data to platforms that capture continuous, immutable snapshots, allowing them to restore affected files instantly. Some enterprises are now recovering in minutes, not weeks.

Legacy backup processes, with their reliance on daily or weekly windows, can’t keep pace with modern threats. That’s why many organizations are moving to continuous file versioning, with snapshot intervals as short as five minutes – enabling near-instant recovery, eliminating ransom payments, and removing the need for days of manual restoration.

IT teams no longer need to rebuild entire environments; they simply select a clean point in time and restore affected files with just a few clicks.

Recovery starts with readiness – and the right tools

Recovery speed matters, but containment is just as important. Modern hybrid cloud platforms often include built-in ransomware detection, monitoring for abnormal file activity, quarantining threats, and enabling surgical recovery.

It’s not surprising, then, that hybrid cloud users are 29% more likely to recover within a week than their non-hybrid peers. More importantly, they can isolate and restore only the affected regions or datasets – avoiding full outages and business-wide shutdowns.

But the technology alone isn’t enough. IT teams must be equipped with the right tools, processes, and authority to act fast when it matters. Hoping they’ll manage with legacy backups and wishful thinking is no longer tenable, and risks turning a contained incident into a company-wide crisis.

As one IT leader recently shared, having successfully restored operations after an attack: “The recovery was so fast, the conversation shifted entirely. It was no longer about recovering data – it was about cleaning affected endpoints and containing disruption.” In other words, recovery becomes a coordination exercise, not a catastrophe.

Cyber resilience gaps and how hybrid cloud bridges them

Despite ongoing modernization efforts, many organizations still face critical gaps in their ransomware response:

• Data security and privacy concerns are significant barriers to adopting new technologies
• There’s a stark lack of in-house skills to manage and secure transitions, and
• Organizations themselves admit their data isn’t backed up, immutable, or easily recoverable

That’s a dangerous trio, and one that increases the risk of prolonged, expensive downtime.

Hybrid cloud platforms help close these gaps. They automate protection, centralize file versioning, and simplify recovery, even for lean IT teams. With immutable cloud snapshots and integrated monitoring, organizations can move from reactive crisis management to confident, controlled recovery.

Resilience is the real differentiator

Ransomware is now a fact of life – as inevitable as death and taxes, as the saying goes. And it’s becoming more targeted, more professional, and more destructive. The UK has already seen the consequences this year.

Hybrid cloud storage offers a practical and proven way to reduce both the risk and the impact of an attack. It turns recovery into a competitive differentiator – the difference between days of downtime and business as usual.

And let’s be honest: whether you’re protecting customer data or the availability of Percy Pigs, you can’t afford to get recovery wrong.

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This article was produced as part of TechRadarPro's Expert Insights channel where we feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today. The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/news/submit-your-story-to-techradar-pro

In today’s hybrid workplaces, productivity is often mistaken for busyness. It sounds like clacking keyboards, looks like back-to-back video calls, and pings endlessly with notifications. But most of the time, these are just indications of activity, not achievement, and the pressure to be constantly visible has quietly overtaken the drive to be effective and productive.

But real work isn’t always ‘observable’. Some of the most valuable thinking happens away from the keyboard, in deep focus and genuine creative collaboration. If we want to drive better outcomes for both people and businesses, it’s time to shift our benchmark from hours logged to energy invested.

This isn’t a call for a new metric to be tracked and reported. It’s a mindset shift. It asks leaders to look inwardly, to examine where their teams’ energy is going and then consider whether it’s moving them forward as a company, or just simply keeping things in motion.

The rise of performative productivity

In many modern workplaces, especially where employees work remotely, it’s easy to confuse motion with progress. When people aren’t physically present, they often feel as though they the need to show they're working in other ways, such as being constantly available, joining every meeting or sending a steady stream of updates.

This creates a culture of performative productivity, where time and visible activity become substitutes for effectiveness. As a result, teams can end up trapped in a cycle of reactive work: attending unnecessary calls, replying to messages, jumping between tasks – all while struggling to find time to fit in the work that is truly impactful.

This constant context-switching can be both inefficient and mentally exhausting. It splits attention and reduces creative thinking and also obscures a deeper problem: we’ve designed systems that reward visibility instead of outcomes.

The irony is that some of the most impactful work is delivered quietly. It happens in moments of uninterrupted concentration and problem-solving that doesn’t always show on a calendar. If we continue to equate productivity with presence, we’ll risk overlooking the contributions that are actually driving long-term value.

The better benchmark for efficient work

Rather than counting hours, business leaders should be considering energy as a way of thinking about how work gets done. Working out which tasks require deep focus, which generate momentum and which ones are draining effort without creating any real outcome.

Looking at productivity through the lens of energy provides a more human, realistic perspective, and it considers that not every hour is equal. For example, an hour spent in concentrated thinking or constructive collaboration can be so much more valuable than three spent juggling distractions. It puts the emphasis back on quality of attention, outcomes and of the overall working experience.

Ultimately, employees don’t need another performance metric to hit. In reality, it’s about organizational awareness, where companies can assess whether they’re creating the right conditions for valuable work, and whether their systems and tools are enabling focus, or interrupting it.

When we prioritize energy, we’re more likely to invest in what really matters. This could be a case of rethinking meeting culture or simplifying processes. It also sends a message to employees that their business values their judgment and contribution, rather than just their availability.

Smarter systems and faster tools

Technology’s role is to make work more efficient, but if used incorrectly it often adds complexity. Endless notifications, multiple platforms to navigate and constant availability have created a noisy digital environment that negatively impacts energy rather than saving it.

The next generation of workplace technology, particularly artificial intelligence, should be an opportunity to reverse that trend. But the value will be in making space for better thinking, rather than just expecting faster output. Tools that summarize meetings or help prioritize tasks based on importance can be used to improve clarity and focus so there’s more time to work on less mundane tasks.

When time is spent on how technology is being used, it can reduce distractions and protect time for the work that really matters. But this requires a shift in how we adopt and design these systems, so that we’re moving away from a focus on volume and speed, and towards usefulness, clarity and wellbeing.

Ultimately the challenge is not in measuring energy, but more so respecting it, so that workflows, teams and tools are built around how people work best, not how fast they can respond. When that’s done, companies can reduce digital noise as well as create a space for better ideas, stronger collaboration and meaningful progress.

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This article was produced as part of TechRadarPro's Expert Insights channel where we feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today. The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/news/submit-your-story-to-techradar-pro

• China’s cloud rescue plan aims to sell leftover CPU power from idle government data centers
• Despite massive investment, many Chinese data centers run at only 20 to 30 percent capacity
• Old CPUs cost money even when idle, China wants to monetize them before they expire

China is shifting its approach to managing excess data center capacity by proposing a new nationwide system to redistribute surplus computing power.

Following a three-year boom in infrastructure development, many local government-backed data centers now face low utilization and high operating costs.

As data centers get older and fewer new customers need their services, the Chinese government aims to revive the sector’s viability through a coordinated national cloud service that would unify computing resources across regions.

A coordinated response to growing inefficiencies

The proposal, driven by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), involves building a network that allows surplus CPU power from underused data centers to be pooled and sold.

According to Chen Yili of the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology, “everything will be handed over to our cloud to perform unified organization, orchestration, and scheduling capabilities.”

The goal is to deliver standardized interconnection of public computing power nationwide by 2028.

The glut emerged from the “Eastern Data, Western Computing” initiative, which encouraged building data centers in less populated, energy-rich western regions to serve the more developed eastern economic zones.

But many centers, despite housing some of the fastest CPUs, now sit idle, and this is a serious concern because data center hardware has a definite lifespan.

Also, CPUs and their related components are costly to acquire and can become outdated quickly, making unused infrastructure a financial liability.

Data centers are expensive to operate, and cooling systems, electricity, and maintenance consume major resources.

So when high-performance workstation CPUs are left underutilized, they still incur ongoing expenses, which is very bad for business.

Utilization rates reportedly hover between 20% and 30%, undermining both economic and energy efficiency.

Over 100 projects have been canceled in the last 18 months, a stark contrast to just 11 in 2023.

Despite the setbacks, state investment remains substantial. Government procurement reached 24.7 billion yuan ($3.4 billion) in 2024 alone, and another 12.4 billion yuan has already been allocated in 2025.

The National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) has stepped in to impose stricter controls.

New projects must meet specific utilization thresholds and secure purchase agreements before approval.

Also, local governments are now barred from launching small-scale computing infrastructure without a clear economic justification.

On the technical front, integrating CPUs from various manufacturers, including Nvidia and Huawei’s Ascend chips, into a unified national cloud poses a serious hurdle.

Differences in hardware and software architecture make standardization difficult, and the government's original target of 20-millisecond latency for real-time applications like financial services remains unmet in many remote facilities.

That said, Chen envisions a seamless experience where users can “specify their requirements, such as the amount of computing power and network capacity needed,” without concerning themselves with the underlying chip architecture.

Whether this vision can be realized depends on resolving the infrastructure mismatches and overcoming the technical limitations currently fragmenting China's computing power landscape.

Via Reuters

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