TechRadar News

• A new rumor suggests that Xiaomi's next flagship phone could sport a 7,000mAh battery
• That could see Xiaomi almost double the battery capacity of the current-gen iPhone 16
• The Xiaomi 16 is extremely unlikely to come to the US

Another day, another futuristic specs rumor concerning a Chinese phone maker – this time, we’ve heard about a major step forward in mobile battery capacity from tech giant Xiaomi.

The folks over at Phonearena spotted a Weibo post by notable tipster Smart Pikachu, who claims the Xiaomi 16 could come equipped with a massive 7,000mAh battery, which would make the Xiaomi 16 the first phone with a battery of this capacity.

Before I dig into that, let me caveat the tip by noting this post was translated from Chinese using the translation option in Google Chrome, so this information isn't crystal clear. But the hashtag Smart Pikachu is using appears to be in reference to the Xiaomi 16, and Phonearea believes the '7' in the translated post (which I've screenshotted and posted below) references the battery size.

(Image credit: Weibo / Smart Pikachu)

We’ve only recently seen phones approach and cross the 6,000mAh mark, and the current-generation Xiaomi 15 sports a 5,240mAh battery – so 7,000mAh seems like a very ambitious target.

The Xiaomi 15 launched this year, so we’d expect the Xiaomi 16 to launch at some time in 2026 – as PhoneArena highlights, that’s the same year we expect to see the iPhone 18, Samsung Galaxy S26, and Google Pixel 11 series launching.

In fact, a 7,000mAh battery would put the Xiaomi 16 at the cutting edge of what’s even possible for a flagship smartphone – there are phones on the market with larger cells, but these are typically bulky and hefty rugged phones.

Our in-depth Xiaomi 15 review found the phone’s battery life impressive, especially for a compact-frame phone – it’s easy to see that a 33% increase up to 7,000mAh could take Xiaomi’s flagship into the highest echelons of mobile battery champs.

And though I still think 7,000mAh is a lofty target, it’s true that Android phone makers – particularly Chinese companies – have been pushing ahead at pace when it comes to battery hardware. It’s got me thinking about whether a certain Cupertino-based tech giant will be looking to catch up any time soon.

Capacity opacity

The iPhone 16 (pictured) has a smaller battery capacity than some of its rivals (Image credit: Future)

Apple is famously shy with its mobile battery capacities, instead opting to list the practical battery life of an iPhone in hours of video playback.

That’s probably for the best, as the exact figures recovered from teardowns and deconstructions after release show that iPhones rarely have batteries as large as their Android counterparts.

For example, the iPhone 16 sports a 3,561mAh battery – less than the 4,000mAh cell found in the Samsung Galaxy S25. The Google Pixel 9 is well ahead, at 4,700mAh – which is closer to the enlarged iPhone 16 Plus’ 4,674mAh cell (which is itself undersized compared to the 5,000-6,000mAh cells found in larger phones from Oppo, Samsung, and Xiaomi).

That’s not to say that iPhones don’t offer good battery life – in recent years especially Apple seems to have upped its game with software optimization and power efficiency – but iPhones are rarely considered battery beasts in the way the best Android phones are.

I’m wondering if the arrival of an Android phone – the Xiaomi 16 or indeed another model – with a 7,000mAh battery could change that. For reference, that’s almost double the capacity of the iPhone 16, a feat enabled by space-saving and efficiency-boosting silicon-carbon battery technology.

Apple has always been content to do its own thing when it comes to hardware, but I’m not sure that it would be happy to have the iPhone quite so obviously lapped by Xiaomi.

Optimistically, I’d like to see Apple a little spooked by this Xiaomi rumor – as mentioned, the iPhone 16 already gets a lot from its relatively small battery thanks to Apple’s efficient chipsets and tight software integration.

A 4,000mAh battery, or even larger, could see the iPhone living up to its strong processing performance, cameras, and software experience in the battery department.

However, with Xiaomi showing no signs of entering the US market any time soon, it’s possible Apple won’t even consider this latest rumor in its planning. Still, I’m hopeful that Apple can give the best iPhones a little more juice in generations to come.

Let us know what you think of this new Xiaomi 16 rumor, and whether you’re counting on Apple to respond with its future phones, in the comments below.

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• The Audio-Technica Hotaru is a limited-edition turntable
• Magnetically suspended floating platter that lights up
• $9,999 (about £7,582 / AU$15,762), only 1,000 made

If you loved the idea of Brian Eno's neon turntable but couldn't quite stretch to the £20,000 / $20,000 price tag, Audio-Technica has some good news for you. Its magnetically levitating, music-sensing, illuminated Hotaru turntable is half the price.

If you want one you'll need to be quick: the reservation period runs until 30 May 2025 and there are just 1,000 turntables planned for production. You'll be expected to pay in August for an October delivery.

If you'd like to see the Hotaru in all its illuminated glory, there's a fun video on Audio-Technica's website here.

Hotaru has 20 different color options that react to the music (Image credit: Audio-Technica) Audio-Technica Hotaru: key features

The Hotaru – it translates as "firefly" – has a magnetically suspended acrylic turntable whose floating structure isolates it from both internal and internal vibration.

And if it weren't visually striking enough, it also has built-in illumination with 20 different color effects and a choice of smooth gradients or more dynamic reactions to the music.

Audio-Technica promises that you'll love to listen to the Hotaru as well as look at it. It claims "shimmering highs and mids interwoven with deep, resonant bass" – as you'd hope, for $10k.

I'm not expecting us to get this in for review or for it to hit our best turntables guide, much as I'd love to test it myself; this will surely have sold out before it ever hits the streets. I certainly wouldn't blame anyone who wants to grab this cool slice of Audio-Technica history as part of they audio collection.

If you do fancy getting your hands on one, you'll need to register your interest on the Hotaru website. But if your budget is more modest, Lenco in the UK will happily sell you a light-up turntable for £169 (about $223 / AU$351).

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• Google is testing even more new features in its Messages beta app
• These include an expanded 14-line message view and new RCS message labels
• While these are still in beta testing, they could start rolling out to users this month

Over the past couple of months, Google has been doubling down on eradicating all traces of Google Assistant to make Gemini its flagship voice assistant, but amidst the organized Gemini chaos, Google has been paying a lot of attention to improving its Messages app, giving it some much-needed TLC.

It’s safe to say that the new revisions to the Google Messages app have significantly improved its UI. Its new snooze function for group chats also comes to mind, but Google is still in its beta testing era. For a while, Google was experimenting with an easier way to join group chats, following WhatsApp’s footsteps. Now, it’s testing five more features that could make up the next wave of Google Messages upgrades this month.

Although these features are in beta, there’s been no comment on whether they’ll be officially rolling out to users. With that said, we’ll be keeping an eye out for any further updates.

Google expands its 4-line text field limit

(Image credit: 9to5Google)

Just a few weeks ago, we reported on a new upgrade found in Google Messages beta indicating that Google would get better at handling lengthy text messages.

For a while, Google Messages users have been restricted to a four-line view limit when sending texts, meaning that you would need to scroll to review your entire message before sending. This is particularly frustrating when sending long URL links.

But that could soon be a thing of the past, as 9to5Google has picked up a new beta code that reveals an expanded message composition field on the Pixel 9a that now reaches up to 14 lines.

New RCS labels

Recently, Google has been testing new in-app labels that could distinguish whether you’re sending an SMS or RCS message.

Thanks to an APK teardown from Android Authority, the labels found in beta suggest that soon you’ll be able to see which of your contacts are using RCS in Messages, adding a new RCS label to the right side of a contact’s name or number.

Unsubscribe from automated texts

This is a feature we’re quite excited to see, and we’re hoping for a wider rollout this month. A few weeks ago, an unsubscribe button was spotted at the bottom of some messages, which could give users an easier way of unsubscribing to automated texts and even the option to report spam.

When you tap this, a list of options will appear asking you for your reasons for unsubscribing, which include ‘not signed up’, ‘too many messages’, and ‘no longer interested’ as well as an option for ‘spam’. If you select one of the first three, a message reading ‘STOP’ will be sent automatically, and you’ll be successfully unsubscribed.

Read receipts gets a new look

(Image credit: 9to5Google)

Google could introduce another revamp of how you can view read receipts in the Messages app. In November 2024, Google tested a redesign of its read receipts that placed the checkmark symbols inside the message bubbles, which used to appear underneath sent messages.

In January, Google tested another small redesign introducing a new white background, which could roll out soon, and while this isn’t a major redesign, it’s effective enough to make read receipts stand out more.

Camera and gallery redesign, and sending ‘original quality’ media

We first noticed that Google Messages was prepping a new photo and video quality upgrade. In March, more users started to notice a wider availability, but it’s still not yet fully rolled out, meaning it could be one of the next new updates in the coming weeks.

Essentially, Google could be rolling out a new option that allows you to send media, such as photos and videos, in their original quality. This will give you the choice of the following two options:

‘Optimize for chat’ - sends photos and videos at a faster speed, compromising quality.

‘Original quality’ - sends photos and videos as they appear in your phone’s built-in storage.

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After months of speculation, HBO has officially announced the first cast members for Max’s Harry Potter TV series, and while a few faces have been rumoured for a while, there’s definitely some surprises.

Set to stream on Max and air on Warner’s flagship network HBO, the new series aims to reinvent the Harry Potter saga for a whole new generation. “Exploring every corner of the wizarding world, each season will bring Harry Potter and its incredible adventures to new and existing audiences” says HBO of the new show, while promising a faithful adaptation of the global smash-hit book series.

While some have argued against the necessity for a new adaptation of the books, it’s fair to say that the increasing length of the latter novels meant there was a lot omitted from the original movies.

While those films continue to be passed down the generations – attractions such as Universal’s Wizarding World and London’s WB Studio Tour continue to thrive – a long form adaptation would certainly allow for the story to expand, bringing in subplots and excised material that goes a long way in building the rich world and characters presented in the books.

Who are the new cast members?

(Image credit: HBO)

One of the things making existing fans most nervous is new actors stepping into the shoes of characters so iconically brought to life already, but judging by the first casting announcement, there’s nothing to fear, with six key roles looking to be in very safe hands.

Of those announced in the latest press release, three were already all but official. John Lightgow, starring as Hogwarts headteacher Albus Dumbledore was leaked a few months back, but confirmed today as part of the announcement.

As was Gang’s of London’s Paapa Essiedu, playing complicated Potions Professor Severus Snape, and Cornetto Trilogy star Nick Frost as loveable oversized groundskeeper Rubeus Hagrid.

More surprising were three further announcements, the most intriguing of which is Janet McTeer (currently starring in Paramount+ hit MobLand) as Professor Minerva McGonagall, a role made iconic by the late Dame Maggie Smith. Also announced were relative newcomer Luke Thallon as Professor Quirinus Quirell and comedy legend Paul Whitehouse as cantankerous caretaker Argus Filch.

Yet to be announced are the young actors who will portray the central trio of Harry, Ron and Hermione, but with 30,000 submissions to sift through as a result of an open casting call last year, it could be a while until HBO finds their new stars.

In the meantime, even the most skeptical Potter-head will struggle to disagree that the first official cast members are reason to start getting excited for the franchise’s small screen reboot on one of the best streaming services.

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• Toshiba has unveiled a new portable turntable for vinyl records
• Similar to the iconic Audio-Technica Sound Burger, it has a 10-hour battery
• Despite its portable design, we'd think twice about taking it to the beach

Bluetooth speakers are pretty much a necessity when it comes to a beach day or a summer day at the park, but have you ever wanted to flaunt your vinyl record collection in public? Well, Toshiba’s new portable turntable aims to answer that question.

Toshiba, though not renowned for producing the best turntables, has announced the Aurex AX-RP10, a new wireless vinyl record player expected to be released later this month designed for analog music fans who want to take advantage of their collection outside of their usual home audio set up. Pricing hasn’t been unveiled yet, though we can’t imagine it'll be long before that's out in the open too.

Toshiba's portable turntable comes with an arm lifter, making it easy to raise and lower the needle. There's also an auto-stop function for when the record finishes playing. (Image credit: Toshiba )

Though the Aurex AX-RP10 isn’t quite as pocket-friendly as other music playback devices (it's a lot bigger than the best digital audio players), it still packs a compact size of 160mm x 300mm that can be transported around in its dedicated storage bag. But how does it run you may ask? It’s quite simple; a built-in chargeable battery with a 10-hour battery life.

Let's be honest: Toshiba’s new portable turntable is strikingly similar to the iconic and re-released Audio Technica Sound Burger, which is a minor red flag in itself, given the original 1983 Sound Burger’s reported tendency to gradually scratch vinyl records over time (possibly not the Sound Burger's fault because I mean, if they're coming on road-trips with you, it's going to happen at some point). If this is the case for the Aurex AX-RP10 though, I worry for its longevity, and its audio quality likely won’t be enough to sway audiophiles.

Since the Aurex-RP10 lacks its own inbuilt speakers, there's a stereo mini audio jack for plugging in the best wired headphones or your more traditional sound system, but if you're out and about, the turntable’s Bluetooth connectivity means you can also hook it up to Bluetooth speakers or headphones (and invite a bit of compression).

I’m not saying ‘never’ when it comes to Toshiba’s answer to portable tangible music – I still think it would look great as part of a minimal audio setup, especially if you’re limited for space. Or perhaps you want to replicate a Pinterest-perfect image in your living space, something I’d be guilty of and I'm not sorry. But as far as its portability goes, the beach is the last place I’d take it; my vinyl collection is far too precious for sand.

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It's almost time to bid farewell to the first season of Daredevil: Born Again. The Marvel TV show's ninth and final episode will be released on Disney+ later this week and, after what happened in last week's entry, I'm sure you're keen to know when you can stream it.

Below, I'll tell you when Daredevil: Born Again season 1's next episode will be released in the US, UK, and Australia. Indeed, you'll learn about the launch date and release time for these nations in individual sections.

Unlike previous articles of this nature, you won't find a full release schedule for the series. As I stated earlier, this is the last installment of season 1 of The Man Without Fear's standalone adventure. But, fret not, because Daredevil: Born Again season 2 is already in production – hopefully, it'll be out sometime in 2026.

For now, here's when you can catch Born Again episode 9 on one of the world's best streaming services.

When is Daredevil: Born Again episode 9 going to be released in the US?

"I know when my show's ninth episode will be out on Disney+, Dex" (Image credit: Marvel Studios/Disney+)

The season 1 finale of Daredevil: Born Again will debut on Disney+ in the US on Tuesday, April 15 at 6pm PT / 9pm ET.

Every episode of the Marvel Phase 5 TV series has been released at this time on Tuesday evenings stateside. So, it's no great surprise that the ninth and final entry of this season will do so as well.

What time can I watch the season 1 finale of Daredevil: Born Again in the UK?

Vanessa and Wilson Fisk will be waltzing their way into season 2 after this season's finale (Image credit: Marvel Studios/Disney+)

Marvel fans on the other side of the Atlantic can stream Daredevil: Born Again episode 9 on Disney+ UK on Wednesday, April 16 at 2am BST.

Unlike your US counterparts, one of the best Disney+ shows' last few installments have aired at a different time than before. That's because the clocks went forward on March 30. So, just as you did with episodes 7 and 8, you'll have to wait an extra hour to catch season 1's last entry.

When can I stream Daredevil: Born Again season 1's final episode in Australia?

Will Heather and Matt still be together after this week's chapter? (Image credit: Marvel Studios/Disney+)

The season 1 finale on Daredevil's standalone Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) show will premiere on Disney+ in Australia on Wednesday, April 16 at 11am AEST.

Until the series' eighth episode aired last week (April 9), new chapters had been available at 12pm AEDT. With the clocks going back on April 6, though, fans Down Under have been able to watch new installments 60 minutes earlier than before.

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• Fan-powered electric hypercar proves it is the king of downforce
• Record-shattering EV eats F1 cars for breakfast
• It costs $1million if you fancy racing once yourself

The McMurtry Spéirling might not be on your automotive radar, and that’s perfectly fine. It’s a very odd name for an electric hypercar, for starters, and it also costs around / $1million / £1million if you want to privately own one.

But the name is very much worth remembering, because the McMurtry Spéirling Pure has become the first vehicle to prove it can drive upside-down. That's thanks to its gravity-defying fan technology, which creates enough downforce to not only obliterate various racing circuit records, but also dance on the ceiling... well, drive on the ceiling.

In a video released by the company, badass co-founder and Managing Director of McMurtry Automotive, Thomas Yates, took to the wheel of a Spéirling Pure, casually drove it onto a specially-designed rig and then set the ‘Downforce-on-Demand” system to its most ferocious setting.

In this mode, the numerous fans mounted underneath the diminutive Batmobile-a-like spin at 23,000 rpm, creating a vacuum and the equivalent of 2,000kg of downforce, effectively glueing the vehicle to whatever surface it is standing on.

The clever rig then slowly rotates 180-degrees so the featherweight vehicle effortlessly hangs upside down, before Yates – clearly showing off a bit – drives forward a couple of feet at slow speed.

Although a clever party trick to spread the Spéirling name virally around the world, this potent fan technology has real-world benefits in creating ludicrous amounts of downforce that keep the vehicle positively glue to any circuit brave enough to host it.

So far, the 1,000hp, 1.2-tonne electric racer has smashed the closed-wheel track record at the Hockenheim circuit in Germany, a staggering 14.1 seconds faster than the Mercedes-AMG One, despite running at 75% power and 75% downforce.

It also set a record time up the famous hill at Goodwood in 2022, as well as beating the record set by Fernando Alonso’s 2004 Renault F1 Car around Top Gear’s test circuit – a record that stood for 21 years.

An impressive toy or a serious science lesson?

(Image credit: McMurtry)

As you have probably guessed, the McMurtry Spéirling isn’t currently road legal and most officially sanctioned racing bodies won’t allow it to compete, seeing as it is more ground-level jet fighter than it is racing car.

However, progress is all about coming at problems from a different angle, and this fan-based road rocket does just that – embarrassing all modern supercars with its unrelenting downforce and even challenging the F1 technology we deem to be the absolute cutting-edge in terms of performance.

But perhaps more importantly, it is the ultimate halo vehicle for electric propulsion, making an old-school fire-spitting petrol engine look decidedly dinosaur age by comparison.

Ground-breaking cars like this, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N, which showcased synthesized hot hatch thrills, as well as vehicles like the upcoming Renault 5 Turbo 3E, are important for a collective rewiring of our brains and push the notion that EVs don’t have to be boring to even greater levels.

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• Experts warn Tycoon2FA has gotten new obfuscation and evasion upgrades
• The platform is used to bypass MFA on Google and Microsoft accounts
• It is hugely popular among cybercriminals

Tycoon2FA, an infamous phishing-as-a-service (PhaaS) platform, has been greatly improved, becoming even more difficult to spot and eliminate, experts have warned.

Cybersecurity researchers Trustwave said they have spotted three new upgrades to the PhaaS platform, best known for its ability to bypass multi-factor protection (MFA) on Microsoft and Google accounts.

It operates as an adversary-in-the-middle (AiTM) attack, intercepting login credentials and session cookies to gain unauthorized access to user accounts, even those secured with MFA. It was also upgraded numerous times in the past, with its operators being mostly focused on obfuscation and evasion.

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(R)evolution

Now, Trustwave says Tycoon2FA uses invisible Unicode characters to hide binary data within JavaScript from human eyes, evading manual and static pattern-matching analysis.

Then, it switched from Cloudflare Turnstile to a self-hosted CAPTCHA rendered via HTML canvas with randomized elements, reportedly to bypass fingerprinting and flagging by domain reputation systems.

Finally, it now includes anti-debugging JavaScript code that detects browser automation tools and blocks some analytics tools.

These changes aren’t revolutionary, or particularly new in the PhaaS ecosystem, Trustwave stresses. However, when combined, they make detection and analysis a lot more difficult.

Tycoon 2FA was first spotted in mid-2023, but with the start of 2024, it’s gotten a major upgrade, with the tool using roughly 1,100 domains, and is being used in “thousands” of phishing attacks.

The platform is sold on underground forums, with prices starting at $120 for 10 days of access, making it accessible to a wide range of cybercriminals.

Some researchers claim the platform is very popular in the underground community. Apparently, between August 2023 (when it first launched) and March 2024, the Bitcoin wallet linked to the operation raked in more than $400,000 worth of cryptos at the time.

Via BleepingComputer

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• Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has confirmed $5.1 billion in IT savings
• They will be realized by terminating contracts with Accenture and others
• DOGE has now enabled the DOD to save nearly $6 billion, Hegseth says`

$5.1 billion in IT contracts have been canceled by the Department of Defense (DOD) under the guidance of Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), new evidence has shown.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth signed a memorandum detailing the cancellations, which mostly consisted of “consulting and other non-essential services.”

As Musk’s unit suggests, the DOD also claims to have enhanced efficiency by removing unnecessary steps and duplication, allowing it to allocate cash to other core areas of the agency’s scope, such as “better health care for our warfighters and their families.”

DOD terminates $5.1 billion in IT contracts

The terminated contracts include “$1.8 billion in consulting contracts the Defense Health Agency awarded to various private sector firms, a $1.4 billion enterprise cloud IT services contract awarded to a software reseller, and a $500 million Navy contract for business process consulting.”

Affected companies include Accenture, Deloitte, and Booz Allen.

Hegseth also noted a $500 million contract awarded to the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency for IT help desk services was "completely duplicative" of services the Defense Information Systems Agency already provides.

The DOD also terminated 11 contracts related to diversity, equity and inclusion, climate change, and COVID-19.

Although the savings only account for a touch over half a percent of the DOD’s $883.7 billion budget, Musk’s goal to iron out unnecessary spending is at least commendable.

However critics have argued there are more factors to consider than simply how much a contract is costing, urging the government to agree on contracts that meet its requirements with more efficiency and to implement performance metrics.

More broadly for the DOD, this latest announcement follows from the recently confirmed $580 million cut to certain programs, contracts and grants, bringing the running total to nearly $6 billion in savings enabled by the DOGE.

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The evolution of artificial intelligence (AI) continues to push boundaries, captivating the collective imagination of industries and societies alike. Today, the conversation is expanding beyond generative AI (Gen AI) into agentic AI and artificial general intelligence (AGI).

These advancements promise significant yet complex shifts in business dynamics, organizational structures, innovation processes, and workforce management. As we stand at the threshold of these transformative changes, our focus must remain clear: responsible and human-centered progress.

Reimagining organizational structures

The implications of agentic AI and AGI for organizations are profound. The rise of AI agents will disrupt hierarchical workflows, paving the way for more dynamic and decentralized operational models. In this new paradigm, Chief Knowledge Officers (CKOs) and other roles central to knowledge engineering will become pivotal. These roles ensure that knowledge, not just data, is used effectively, aligning the capabilities of intelligent systems with business strategy.

EY teams have embraced this shift, leveraging AI as a catalyst for redefining how work is structured and executed. The aim has been to develop a flexible, multi-model approach that exemplifies AI’s potential to create positive outcomes when adapted to a variety of business functions. This is not a one-size-fits-all journey; it is an ongoing process of refining options through real-world applications, where EY is often ‘Client Zero’, and learnings from our internal use cases help set the standard for client transformations.

The transformational promise of AGI

Unlike task-specific AI, AGI aspires to surpass human cognitive abilities across a variety of functions. It represents a leap from automated assistance to deep, strategic collaboration. While today’s AI can parse complex data sets and generate creative solutions, AGI could operate as a strategic partner, driving decisions and sparking innovation in ways that exceed the human thought process.

This advancement will challenge traditional enterprise models, shifting from workflow-driven operations to goal-oriented strategies. The essence of business will no longer be confined to what processes can achieve but will be reframed around outcomes that align with strategic objectives. Such transformation requires robust ethical frameworks and adaptive governance that keep human oversight at its core.

Innovation and workforce adaptation

The workforce of the future will need to evolve alongside these technological advances. We have already seen a shift from traditional data science roles to knowledge engineers, AI governance experts, and AI ethics specialists. These roles are becoming essential as AI evolves from a support tool to an integral component of strategic business planning.

Upskilling and reskilling initiatives are more important than ever. AI’s integration into the workplace should not be seen in isolation but as a catalyst for broader workforce transformation. The shift to objective-driven technology requires that businesses equip their employees with new capabilities and build their confidence. At EY, research and experience have shown that embedding human-centric support systems and properly prioritizing human factors can significantly raise the success rate of transformation programs.

Gen AI has already started democratizing skillsets, enabling more individuals to access roles that were previously restricted to highly specialized workers. For instance, AI can simplify complex programming tasks, opening pathways for mid-skilled professionals to contribute at a higher level. This democratization fosters inclusivity and helps bridge the productivity gap across various sectors.

Aligning AGI with societal and ethical values

One fundamental principle I champion at EY is that AI must enhance human capabilities. This belief extends to AGI. While the promise of AGI brings excitement, it also raises valid concerns around confidence, transparency, and control. The lessons learned from current AI deployments underline the importance of robust ethical frameworks, regulatory compliance, and proactive dialogue among industry, governments, and technology developers.

The EU AI Act exemplifies the kind of forward-thinking regulation needed to ensure these technologies develop in a way that aligns with societal values. At EY, a commitment to aligning AI deployment with stringent ethical and operational standards has set a precedent for responsible AI use. As AGI approaches, maintaining these guardrails becomes even more critical. AI must operate with transparency and accountability, building and reinforcing the confidence human beings feel toward the technology we use.

Preparing for AGI’s disruptive potential

If we manage AGI’s development responsibly, it has the potential to revolutionize the enterprise, not as a mere tool but as a collaborative partner. The strategic potential of AGI lies in its capability to autonomously achieve business outcomes, shifting the enterprise focus from process optimization to holistic, outcome-driven strategies. However, this transformation will only be as successful as our commitment to embedding human-centric, ethical practices into the core of AGI’s deployment.

I believe AGI’s introduction will also drive the creation of new roles, including those focused on AI governance, policy, and ethics. The current wave of regulatory discussions is a positive indicator that we are moving toward a global standard for safe and effective AI governance. This evolution, coupled with the emergence of specialized roles and innovative approaches, will help organizations navigate the complexities of integrating AGI while maintaining ethical and operational integrity.

The future is collaborative

In the grand scheme of technological evolution, we are on the brink of an era that promises to redefine industries and reshape society. Agentic AI and AGI will play transformative roles, and their impact on businesses and the workforce will be monumental. Yet, the focus must always return to ensuring that these technologies serve to elevate human potential and align with our shared values.

Our guiding principle is surely clear: AI must be human-centered, and this philosophy will be the cornerstone as we step into the AGI future. This approach is not just ethically sound—it’s essential for building confidence, driving innovation, and ensuring that AI’s profound capabilities are harnessed to benefit businesses and societies alike.

The views reflected in this article are the views of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the global EY organization or its member firms.

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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

Cyberattacks on public institutions are becoming more frequent and sophisticated, and with our reliance on technology, the stakes have never been higher. According to the UK Government’s Cyber Security Breaches Survey 2024, half of businesses (50%) and around a third of charities (32%) experienced cyber breaches or attacks last year. Given the scale of these attacks, it is no surprise that government bodies, which hold vast amounts of highly sensitive data, are also attractive targets.

Cybercriminals can exploit vulnerabilities in public sector IT systems and processes to target them with phishing scams, distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks, ransomware and more. Sensitive data including personal records, financial details, and classified intelligence are valuable to cybercriminals, making public institutions prime targets for data theft and ransomware.

In addition to this, geopolitical tensions mean that attacks aimed at disrupting the availability of critical systems are also commonplace. For instance, the attack on the British Library in October 2023, which impacted digital services for months and had an estimated direct cost of £600,000 is just one example of how damaging these incidents can be.

The true cost of cyberattacks: more than just money

The financial impact of cyberattacks on government bodies can be staggering. In 2023, UK organizations spent an average of £1,100 per cyberattack, but for public institutions, the costs can be far greater. The 2025 NAO report on Government Cyber Resilience highlights how these attacks not only disrupt essential services but also lead to huge multifaceted costs including initial response, regulatory fines, recovery, litigation, and in some cases, ransom payments.

The financial impact isn’t the only problem. Cyberattacks also erode public trust which can prove to also be costly, especially in today's volatile political climate. When government agencies fail to protect personal data or ensure services continue running smoothly, confidence in public institutions undoubtedly takes a hit.

Rebuilding that trust can take years, and in the meantime, the British public may become wary of engaging with digital government services. This would ultimately make public services less efficient and more costly to run.

Outdated systems, outdated defenses and the cyber skills gap

One of the biggest challenges in tackling cyber threats in the UK is the cybersecurity skills shortage. The UK Government’s Cyber Security Skills in the UK Labour Market 2024 report found that nearly half (44%) of businesses have skills gaps in basic technical areas. Public institutions, which often work within tight budgets, can struggle to attract and retain cybersecurity professionals, leaving them vulnerable to attacks.

At the same time, many government bodies are still relying on outdated IT systems. The same 2025 NAO report found that 228 legacy systems that lack security patches are still in use across government agencies, with 53% (120 systems) having no fully funded plan for replacement or upgrades.

Many of these systems operate on outdated software that no longer receives security updates, making them easy targets for hackers. While replacing these systems is costly and complex, failing to do so only increases the risk of future cyber incidents.

Bridging the gap

Tackling these cybersecurity challenges requires investment, but being proactive is far more cost-effective long-term than constantly firefighting cyber breaches. Another key priority is improving incident response capabilities.

Cyberattacks are not just a possibility but an inevitability, and government agencies must be equipped to detect and rapidly respond to threats. Investing in advanced monitoring systems, real-time threat intelligence sharing, and dedicated incident response teams can significantly reduce the impact of cyberattacks, ensuring that disruptions are minimized, and services can quickly recover.

Increasing government funding and strategic planning for cybersecurity is also crucial. Cybersecurity cannot be treated as an afterthought, it must be a core component of government budgets and long-term strategy. Allocating sufficient resources for risk assessments, cybersecurity training, and continuous upgrades to IT infrastructure will ensure that public services remain secure and resilient against evolving threats.

Addressing the cyber skills gap is another fundamental aspect of strengthening the cybersecurity of UK Public Services. The shortage of skilled professionals means many public sector organizations lack the expertise needed to defend against and recover from cyberattacks.

The government must take action to attract and retain cybersecurity professionals by offering competitive salaries, investing in robust training programs, and promoting cybersecurity careers within the public sector. Additionally, upskilling existing employees with cybersecurity training can help build a more resilient internal security workforce, reducing the reliance on external expertise.

Securing the UK’s public services

The increasing threat of cyberattacks on UK public services cannot be ignored. With financial losses increasing, public trust on the line, and outdated IT systems creating massive vulnerabilities, there is an urgent need for action. By modernizing IT infrastructure, strengthening incident response, increasing funding, and addressing the cyber skills gap, the UK government can safeguard public services against cyber threats.

Failing to act now will only lead to greater costs, more disruptions, and an even more vulnerable public sector. Therefore, cybersecurity must be a top priority to protect public services, data, and finances from an ever-growing digital threat.

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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

Another week, another OpenAI announcement. Just last week the company announced ChatGPT would get a major memory upgrade, and now CEO, Sam Altman, is hinting at more upgrades coming this week.

On X (formerly Twitter), Altman wrote last night, "We've got a lot of good stuff for you this coming week! Kicking it off tomorrow."

Well, tomorrow has arrived, and we're very excited to see what the world's leading AI company has up its sleeve.

We're not sure when to expect the first announcement, but we'll be live blogging throughout the next week as OpenAI showcases what it's been working on. Could we finally see the next major ChatGPT AI model?

Good afternoon everyone, TechRadar's Senior AI Writer, John-Anthony Disotto, here to take you through the next few hours in the lead up to OpenAI's first announcement of the week.

Will we see something exciting today? Time will tell.

Let's get started by looking at what Sam Altman said on X yesterday. The OpenAI CEO hinted at a big week for the company, and it's all "kicking off" today!

we've got a lot of good stuff for you this coming week!kicking it off tomorrow.April 13, 2025

• Windows 11 24H2’s April patch is causing some odd bugs
• There are multiple problems with Windows Hello logins
• The update is also completely failing to install for some people

Windows 11 24H2’s latest patch is causing some trouble with failures to install (once again) and also Windows Hello is ending up broken in some cases.

Let’s start with the bug in Windows Hello, which is the feature that allows for secure logins to your PC (via facial recognition using a webcam, or other methods besides).

Windows Latest reports that some users have found that the cumulative update for April 2025 (known as KB5055523) is affecting those who use Windows Hello for facial recognition with a privacy shutter over the webcam.

How does a facial login even work with a privacy shutter obscuring the camera? Well, it works just fine because the tech leverages an infrared sensor on the camera which can function through a physical shutter (a plastic slider that more privacy conscious folks use to rule out any danger of them being spied on through the webcam).

The problem is that the April update appears to mess with the infrared sensor so login no longer works unless you open that privacy shutter – which is hardly ideal.

Windows Latest found the issue present on an HP Spectre laptop, also highlighting a report from a Windows 11 user who has been affected by this bug and tells us: “I’ve reproduced the issue several times, with several clean installs. The webcam we’re using is the Logitech Brio 4k, with the latest firmware and drivers, which is compatible with Windows Hello.”

There are other reports on Reddit, too, such as this one: “Just wanted to see if anyone else is experiencing issues with Windows Hello face recognition since the latest update (KB5055523). Before, I had the camera (Brio 4K) covered and it would work fine. Now, I have to remove the privacy cover for it to recognize me. It doesn’t seem to be able to unlock with the infrared camera alone now.”

There are a number of replies from folks echoing that they have the same bug affecting their logins. The only solution is seemingly to uninstall the April update (which strongly suggests this is a problem caused by this latest patch from Microsoft).

That said, Windows Latest does offer a possible solution, which is achieved by heading into Device Manager (just type that in the Windows search box, and click on it). In there, you need to click on the little arrow next to where it says ‘Cameras’ and then you might see two cameras listed – the IR (infrared) camera and RGB/color (normal) camera. Right click on the latter and disable it, but leave the infrared camera on. Now, if you go and set up Windows Hello again, it may work correctly.

Windows Latest doesn’t guarantee this, though, and says this will only do the trick for some Windows 11 users. If you’re desperate for a fix, you can give this a whirl, as you could be waiting a while for the official solution from Microsoft. Just don’t forget that you will, of course, have to reenable the main (RGB) camera after any fix is applied.

Interestingly, in the official patch notes for the April update, Microsoft does flag a problem with Windows Hello – but not this one. Rather, this is a separate issue, albeit one that shouldn’t affect those running Windows 11 Home.

Microsoft explains: “We’re aware of an edge case of Windows Hello issue affecting devices with specific security features enabled … Users might observe a Windows Hello Message saying ‘Something happened and your PIN isn't available. Click to set up your PIN again’ or ‘Sorry something went wrong with face setup.’”

Microsoft provides instructions on what to do if you encounter this particular problem via its April patch notes (under known issues).

However, this bug only affects those using System Guard Secure Launch (or Dynamic Root of Trust for Measurement), which is only supported on Windows 11 Pro (or enterprise editions). So as noted, if you’re on Windows 11 Home, you shouldn’t run into this hiccup.

(Image credit: Shutterstock / Khosro) Installation blues

Windows Latest also picked up a second major problem, namely installation failures (which are nothing new). These seem to be happening again with the April 2025 update, with the usual meaningless error messages accompanying an unsuccessful attempt (hexadecimal stop errors such as ‘0x80070306’).

The tech site notes that it has verified reports of the update failing to install in this way, or its progress getting stuck at either 20% or 70% in some cases, never actually completing. Windows Latest informs us that Microsoft is seemingly investigating these installation failures.

There are other reports of this kind of problem on Microsoft’s Answers.com help forum (and some possible suggestions of solutions from a customer service rep, some of which have reportedly worked for some, but not for others). In the case of the original poster of this thread, the update was repeatedly failing to install and showing as ‘pending restart’ which is an odd twist in the tale.

Overall, then, there’s some degree of weirdness going on here, as the Windows Hello failures are rather odd, as are some of these installation glitches. Am I surprised at that, though? No, because Windows 11 24H2 has produced some very off-the-wall bugs (and general bizarreness besides) since it first came into being late last year.

If you’re in the mood for some highlights of the more extreme oddities that have been inflicted on us by version 24H2, read on…

(Image credit: Microsoft) 3 of the weirdest Windows 11 bugs

1. Language swap goes completely off the rails

Some of the most peculiar bugs I’ve ever seen have surfaced in Windows 11, and particularly in the 24H2 update.

One of my favorites – if that’s the right word (it probably isn’t if you were affected by this problem) – is the spanner in the works somewhere deep in Windows 11 that caused the operating system to be displayed as a mix of two different languages. This happened when some users changed the language in Windows 11 from one choice to another, after which a good deal of the operating system’s menus and text remained in the original language. Confusing? No doubt. How did it even happen? I haven’t got a clue.

2. Baffling deletion of Copilot

Last month, Microsoft managed a real doozy by allowing a bug through that actually ditched Copilot. Yes, in a time where the software giant is trying desperately to promote its AI assistant and rally support, last month’s patch uninstalled the Copilot app for some Windows 11 users. That was highly embarrassing for Microsoft, especially as some folks felt it was the first Windows bug they were pleased to be hit with.

3. See more – or less – of File Explorer

A really memorable one for me was late last year when Windows 11 24H2 was beset by a problem whereby a menu in File Explorer (the folders on your desktop) flew off the top of the screen. Yes, the ‘See more’ menu offering more options to interact with files went past the border of the screen, so most of it wasn’t visible – you saw less of it, ironically. And that meant you couldn’t use those non-visible options.

Again, how did Microsoft break a major part of the Windows 11 interface in such a fundamentally crude way? Your guess is as good as mine, but I suspect the transition to a new underlying platform for Windows 11 24H2 had something to do with it. (This bug has only just been fixed, by the way, and that happened with this most recent April update).

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• Google revealed prototype AR glasses at TED
• Those glasses are apparently being made by Samsung under Android XR
• The AR glasses are reportedly set to release in 2026

The Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses have been a wild success for Meta, and it appears that Samsung and Apple have taken notice as the duo plans to launch their own Android XR and Apple XR glasses.

We got our first peek at the Android XR glasses last week during a TED talk hosted by Google's head of augmented reality and extended reality, Shahram Izadi.

The specs are a significantly smaller package than the Project Moohan Android XR headset Google and Samsung are collaborating on (via Axios) – and you can see the headset behind him on a shelf to get some sense of the size difference.

In the surprise demo, Izadi used the glasses to perform a few tasks including live translation from Farsi to English, scanning a book using its in-built cameras, and helping them find their keys using a feature called ‘Memory.’ They also pack in a display so the wearer can receive information visually, not just via audio cues.

(Image credit: Jason Redmond / TED)

Now The Korea Economic Daily is claiming this prototype is Samsung-made under the duo’s existing Android XR partnership – and it’s slated to launch next year.

While leaks should be taken with a pinch of salt we’ve heard plenty of reports that Meta plans to launch its Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses with a display later this year, so it’s not out of the question that an Android XR device could follow soon after.

What’s more, given how impressive the prototype seems to be already – being able to perform a slew of tasks in a sleek package – it again seems likely that Google and Samsung aren’t far from having a consumer-ready product. I just hope they aren’t as pricey as Meta’s glasses are rumored to be.

What's Apple up to?

(Image credit: Apple)

Apple is also keen to create lightweight AR specs, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman (behind a paywall). According to people familiar with Apple's AR plans "It’s the only thing he’s really spending his time on from a product development standpoint.”

Though according to Gurman, Apple’s glasses might still be a few years away.

Because true AR glasses aren't yet achievable in Apple's mind (according to people in the know) it apparently first wants to focus on equipping its Apple Watch and AirPods with AI cameras to achieve some of the functionality of the Ray-Ban Meta AI glasses we have today.

Given Apple’s struggles with AI on the iPhone 16 it makes sense that it wouldn’t currently want to focus on AI smart glasses, though it does feel it could be late to the glasses party considering how soon Samsung, Google and Meta are expected to be launching specs.

As with all leaks and speculation we’ll have to wait and see what Apple has up its sleeve, but it could benefit from the same advantage Google will – one that Meta lacks.

The smartphone synergy strategy

The most striking part of Google’s prototype is the XR device looks an awful lot slimmer than other prototype AR glasses we’ve seen – such as the Meta Orion AR specs and Snap’s 5th-gen Spectacles developer kit. That’s because it is apparently leveraging Google’s biggest advantage: an Android phone according to Izadi.

He explained, "These glasses work with your phone, streaming back and forth, allowing the glasses to be very lightweight and access all of your phone apps."

Because they lack their own phone brands to rely on, Meta and Snap would ideally want users to rely solely on their own standalone platform – one which they have complete control over to introduce the apps and experiences they most want to build. Control they don’t have when merely piggybacking off Android via phone apps.

Google, seeing as it runs the Android ecosystem, likely isn’t keen for people to abandon its phones quite yet.

Snap's spectacles are cool, but bulky (Image credit: Future)

So its glasses are instead designed to leverage the processors in your phone rather than a sophisticated chipset built into the glasses themselves (though we suspect they still have a little onboard processing power for simple display and camera operations).

This allows Google to remove some of the bulk a beefy chipset requires – such as sophisticated cooling and a bigger battery – to create a slimmer end product without sacrificing overall performance (at least in theory).

Apple could leverage a similar smartphone-to-glasses relationship with its own AR specs, though Meta and Snap’s third-party approach has one advantage in that they are system agnostic. You can use which smartphone you want, or you might not even need a smartphone at all.

Hopefully Google’s symbiotic relationship between its glasses and phones results in smart specs that aren’t as pricey as its competitors, as they don’t need to pack in as many components. For example, Meta’s rumored upcoming XR glasses with a screen are expected to cost as much as $1,400 (£1,100 / AU$2,200).

For now we'll need to wait and see, but Google and Samsung's smart specs look promising, and if they are set to launch next year 2026 can't come soon enough.

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• Security researcher finds more than 30 unlisted Google Chrome extensions
• Cumulatively they have more than four million users
• They are potentially hazardous, with a variety of security risks

A cybersecurity researcher from Secure Annex recently discovered more than 30 unlisted browser extensions that put more than four million of its users at different security risks.

In a detailed analysis, researcher John Tuckner explained software developers will sometimes unlist their extensions if they’re not operating properly.

However, he also suggested that malicious actors might unlist them to make it harder for security teams to detect and flag them. After all, these hidden tools cannot easily be found via search engines, or public directories.

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Flagging for malicious behavior

“Many companies provide their software through unlisted extensions because it makes it harder for any normal user to find the extension and then hit a wall when it isn’t functional,” he said. “It has also been known as a way to target users to install a malicious extension while being really hard to detect by security teams.”

Some of the extensions Tuckner found, like "Fire Shield Extension Protection," request excessively broad permissions. These permissions include access to users' web traffic, stored cookies, and even browser tabs, which opens the doors to the misuse of potentially sensitive data.

“While the management API is requested, so is access to many more permissions that provide the ability to interact with web traffic on all URLs, access cookie storage, manage browser tabs, and execute scripts!,” Tuckner explained.

Secure Annex's analysis flagged these extensions for potentially malicious behavior, such as accessing stored cookies, or matching signatures associated with known malware. The researcher suggested users remove these unlisted extensions, since their hidden and overly intrusive nature creates unnecessary vulnerabilities.

Fortunately, Tuckner did not find any extensions stealing login credentials or payment information.

However, he stressed that this level of obfuscation for software that can be remotely controlled could mean it can be used as an infostealer. “That is ultimately the problem and threat these extensions pose when they can be controlled remotely.”

We have reached out to Google for comment.

Via Ars Technica

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• The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 has been spotted on Geekbench
• The listing reveals Android 16, which could make this one of the first phones with that software
• There's also mention of 12GB of RAM and a Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 will probably launch in July, and one sign that it’s approaching is that it has been spotted on a benchmarking site – revealing some details about the phone in the process.

Leaker Tarun Vats (via Phone Arena) has found a Geekbench listing for the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7, and it mentions Android 16 – which, if the phone does launch in July, would mean it’s likely to be one of the first handsets running Android 16.

That’s pretty speedy for Samsung, considering the company still hasn’t got Android 15 running on most of its phones, but it’s something we’ve heard about more than once, so there’s a good chance Android 16 (with Samsung’s One UI 8 overlay) really will be available on the Galaxy Z Fold 7 at launch.

Galaxy Z Fold7 spotted running Android 16 with One UI 8 on GeekBench!!OpenCL-Score: 18143Build Version: F966USQUOAYD7 pic.twitter.com/2QGU1udttxApril 12, 2025

A faster chipset but no increase in RAM

This benchmark also mentions 12GB of RAM, which is the same amount as you’ll find in the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6. So it would be nice to see Samsung increase this, but given that the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra also has 12GB we didn’t really expect to see more than that here.

Finally, it has a motherboard that’s listed as “sun”, which is the codename for the Snapdragon 8 Elite, so that’s probably the chipset this phone will use.

That’s good but unsurprising news – good because that’s the most powerful chipset currently available to Android phones. Unsurprising because the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 used the previous generation of this chipset (the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3).

Both that RAM amount and chipset have also previously been leaked, so there aren’t really any surprises here, but this is just one more piece of evidence suggesting that these are the specs we’ll get.

We’ll probably find out for sure in July, but stay tuned to TechRadar in the meantime for any additional leaks and rumors.

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• Laboratory Services Cooperative confirmed suffering a data breach in October 2024
• An investigation uncovered that the crooks stole sensitive data
• The information has not yet surfaced on the dark web

Laboratory Services Cooperative (LSC), a significant US-based laboratory for healthcare providers, has revealed it suffered a data breach and lost some member information.

In a press release published on its, LSC said it identified “suspicious activity” within its network on October 27, 2024. It notified the police and brought in third-party cybersecurity experts to analyze the incident and assess its effects.

The investigation concluded in February 2025, and showed that “certain LSC patient and worker-related data might be affected.”

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Payment info stolen

According to BleepingComputer, roughly 1.6 million people are affected. The stolen data has not yet leaked online, and no one claimed responsibility just yet.

The data stolen varies from case to case, LSC says, adding that it may include contact details (names, addresses, phone numbers, emails), as well as medical and clinical information (date(s) of service, diagnoses, treatment, medical record number, lab results, patient/accession number, provider name, treatment location, and related-care details), health insurance information (plan name, plan type, insurance companies, and member/group ID numbers), and most worrisome - billing claims and payment data.

The data could also include claim numbers, billing details, bank account details (bank name, account number, routing number), billing codes, payment card details, balance details, and similar banking and financial information.

Furthermore, crooks may have taken people’s Social Security numbers, driver’s license or state ID numbers, passport numbers, dates of birth, demographic data, student ID numbers, and other forms of government identifiers.

“For LSC workers, the information involved may also include details about their dependents or beneficiaries if that information was provided to LSC,” the press release reads.

LSC acts as a cooperative, meaning it's owned and governed by its member physicians and clinics. The breach mostly affects people who did tests through some Planned Parenthood centers that use LSC for their testing, it was said.

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• The Wheel of Time's cast hope that they'll return for a fourth season
• Amazon hasn't renewed the high fantasy series for another installment yet
• The Prime Video show's best-rated season indicates that it should be, though

The Wheel of Time's cast aren't sure if Amazon will continue to weave its incredibly dense source material into a fourth season.

Speaking to TechRadar before the show's third season began airing in mid-March, Josha Stradowski and Daniel Henney revealed they hadn't heard if the high fantasy series would be renewed again. It's possible, then, that The Wheel of Time's third season could mark the end of the road for Prime Video's TV adaptation.

However, Stradowski and Henney, who play Rand al'Thor and Lan Mandragoran, are holding out hope for some good news once the Amazon TV Original's latest chapter ends. And, with season 3's final episode due to be released this Thursday (April 17), there's a chance that a season 4 announcement could be made in the hours or days after its arrival on one of the world's best streaming services.

"We don't know much," Henney told me when I asked if anyone had informed them about the show's renewal. We're just hopeful and have all of our fingers crossed.

Season 3's trippy fourth episode was the Prime Video Original's best entry yet (Image credit: Amazon MGM Studios)

"Season three is something we're incredibly proud of," Henney continued. "Watching it back, I couldn't be happier with how it turned out. I'm sure Josha will agree that this is The Wheel of Time we set out to make."

"Yeah, we're confident [that a fourth season will be greenlit]," Stradowski added.

"When I was reading the book series, it wasn't until book four [The Shadow Rising, which season three is based on] that I thought 'Wow, okay, now I understand why so many copies have been sold'. I feel like season three is where we found our form, so we've all got our fingers firmly crossed."

May the Light protect you

Poring over the viewership data for season 3 like... (Image credit: Amazon MGM Studios)

It's hard to determine if one of the best Prime Video shows (in my view, anyway) will get a fourth outing.

For starters, Amazon rarely reveals official viewing figures for any of its new movies or shows. On the off-chance that it does, it's usually to boast about the millions of people who tuned in to watch the premiere of a new TV Original or the debut of any of the new Prime Video movies it develops in-house.

The best information we have from a viewership perspective, then, is from third-party sources, such as audience engagement experts Nielsen. Companies like this are our best bet at understanding how The Wheel of Time season 3 performed, albeit with a couple of caveats.

Indeed, Nielsen's weekly viewing figures only take a project's US audience into consideration. Additionally, their data is based around the number of minutes viewed, which can somewhat skew the figures when trying to work out how many people actually watched the show.

The tapestry of Episode 7. pic.twitter.com/g8UBcloijWApril 13, 2025

All of that said, Nielsen hasn't released any numbers for season 3 yet. The audience aggregation firm releases figures one month behind where we're at in the calendar. For example, the latest weekly Top 10 information comprises viewership data for the week running March 10 to 16. At the time of publication (April 14), that's around 30 days ago.

With The Wheel of Time's third season not debuting until March 13, it'll be a few more days before we find out how well its three-episode premiere performed. That'll give a clearer picture as to whether a fourth season will be greenlit.

There is hope that Amazon's TV retelling of Robert Jordan's best-selling novels will get another installment, though. Based on its Rotten Tomatoes score, season 3 is the highest-rated entry yet, with general audiences (82%) and critics (97%) loving what they've seen. Compared to season 2 (80% and 86%) and season 1 (61% and 81%), this season is by far the best since the show made its debut in August 2021.

I was similarly effusive in my praise for this chapter, too. In my review of The Wheel of Time season 3, I called it "a spellbinding return to form for Prime Video's fantasy TV underdog". Based on this season's seven episodes to date, which I really enjoyed, I'd be gutted if it's canceled just as it's starting to get really interesting, too.

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• Garmin begins its beta update cycle for the Garmin Instinct 3
• Among 30 updates are eight new features
• Those features include rucking, Passcodes, and Garmin Connect+

Garmin is beginning to roll out updates for the new Garmin Instinct 3. The updates, currently in beta, include 22 minor changes, fixes, updates, and eight new features, including support for the new Garmin Connect+ premium service.

The Garmin Instinct 3's new features, currently only available to members of Garmin's public beta program as Beta Version 9.07, will roll out to all watches once testing is complete. While there are 30 updates in total, the eight significant new features are listed below:

• Garmin Connect+ support
• Rucking workout profile
• Pack weight option added to the Rucking profile
• Passcode support
• Breathing Variations
• Daily Suggested Workouts added to Workout app for Solar/Instinct E
• Morning report animations
• Extra locations in Weather widget

The rest of the changes are fixes to various bugs and preventing potential crashes. Of the eight significant changes above, Passcode is a big one, allowing you to lock your watch for added security, and Rucking is a great workout profile for those looking to make their hikes more challenging by adding a weighted backpack. The Pack Weight functionality is a nice touch, allowing you to granularly track your improvements by weight in addition to distance.

We previously reported on Garmin adding Rucking, and were mildly surprised it didn't come as part of the Instinct 3 at launch, as this chunky watch is tailor-made for rough trails. However, it may simply not have been ready, or the Pack Weight functionality may have created additional complications when designing the workout profile.

(Image credit: Garmin)

However, support for Garmin Connect+, Garmin's new premium subscription service, is likely to have a somewhat mixed reception, to say the least, while the other features are expected to be welcome changes for Instinct 3 owners. If you were following the premium tier's launch, you'll know Garmin Connect+ was met with enormous backlash, as we reported after spending two days fielding reader comments and emails.

Users' main concerns are with the relatively basic and unhelpful AI advisor service, Active Intelligence, and the risk of future new features being placed behind the GC+ paywall. Users feel strongly about having to fork over additional monthly charges to get the most from Garmin, even after buying an expensive watch.

However, fortunately, there has been no mention of any of the new features listed above being locked behind Garmin Connect+, which is great news for ruckers and those interested in protecting their watches with a passcode.

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• Newly uncovered Geekbench benchmarks suggest the rumored Motorola Razr Plus could best the Galaxy Z Flip 7 specs-wise
• The new Razr Plus could sport the Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset and 16GB of RAM
• The Galaxy Z Flip 7 in turn may only get 12GB of RAM, and either the Snapdragon 8 Elite or Exynos 2500 chipset.

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 hasn’t even been confirmed by Samsung yet, but it already seems like a powerful rival is on the way in the form of the rumored 2025 Motorola Razr Plus.

According to newly uncovered Geekbench benchmark reports, this year’s rumored Motorola Razr Plus model comes equipped with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, the Adreno 830 GPU, and an impressive 16GB of RAM.

The Geekbench report – spotted by Xpertpick – also suggests the phone will run an Android 15-based operating system, most likely a version of Motorola’s Hello UI Android wrapper.

Those specs – while still unconfirmed – could give the also unannounced Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 a run for its money. As we previously reported, the Galaxy Z Flip 7 could come with either a Snapdragon 8 Elite or Samsung’s own Exynos 2500 chipset.

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 is our pick for the best flip phone currently available (Image credit: Samsung)

The Snapdragon 8 Elite would be a safe bet to match or exceed the same chipset found in the Razr Plus – it’s typical for Samsung phones to come with special “for Galaxy” versions of Qualcomm chipsets.

However, a Galaxy Z Flip 7 equipped with the Exynos 2500 chipset wouldn’t have such a certain edge over the Razr Plus – issues with Samsung’s Exynos chipset platform are well documented, and have prevented the tech giant from fitting its flagship phones with its own chipsets for the past few years.

That’s not to mention that the Galaxy Z Flip 7 is expected to launch with 12GB of RAM to the Razr Plus’ rumored 16GB – that difference could give the Razr Plus an edge for multitasking and on-device AI processing.

Additionally, the current gen Motorola Razr Plus starts at $1,000 / £1,000 / AU$1,700, while the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 starts at $1,099 / £1,049 / AU$1,799. Assuming neither phone sees a price hike with their next iteration, that’ll be another win for the Razr Plus.

As PhoneArena notes, Motorola is expected to release the new Razr lineup, which will launch as the Razr 60 lineup outside of the US, on April 24 – so we don’t have too long to wait to find out the actual specs of this new foldable.

Until then, the above is effectively entirely based on rumors – still, it’s always nice to hear of phone makers challenging Samsung in the foldable space. Let us know if you’re looking forward to either of these phones in the comments below.

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