TechRadar News

• The EU's HLG (High Level Group) now considers VPNs among “key challenges” to investigative work.
• End-to-end encryption is also mentioned in the final report as the biggest technical challenge
• Experts are calling for restraint and consideration on the measures, fearing civilians will carry “state spyware in their pockets”

For the first time, an EU expert group has explicitly mentioned VPN services as "key challenges" to the investigative work of law enforcement agencies, alongside encrypted devices, apps, and new communications operators.

The group's final report also refers to end-to-end encryption as "the biggest technical challenge."

Known as the High-Level Group (HLG), the expert group was tasked by the EU Council in June 2023 to develop a strategic plan "on access to data for effective law enforcement."

Lawful data access by design

The HLG's first set of recommendations leaked to the public in June last year. The goal was simple – make the digital devices we use every day, from smartphones and smart homes to IoT devices and even cars, legally and technically monitorable at all times by law enforcement bodies.

Commenting on this plan, Mullvad VPN CEO Jan Jonsson told TechRadar at the time: "It would mean total surveillance and that Europe's inhabitants carry state spyware in their pockets."

The final wording of the LHG report from March 13, 2025, shows not much has changed from the original ethos. Yet, the recommendations on achieving"lawful data access by design" look more refined.

As mentioned, experts are now considering including VPN services among the key challenges to investigations.

Previously, concerns were mostly reserved for messaging apps or secure email software using encryption to scramble users' content into an unreadable form, de facto making it difficult (if not impossible) for authorities to successfully decrypt wanted information.

Law enforcement agencies from the EU, North America and Australia continue their work to gain future lawful access to private communications within the EU initiative Going Dark.We also note that VPNs are mentioned under “key challenges”.https://t.co/ktu9HlZre0March 18, 2025

Widening the target to VPN services seems to align with experts' view on metadata access as "essential for identifying suspects."

Metadata refers to data not concerning the content, such as who's sending the message, who's receiving it, at what time, and from where. VPNs work to mask IP addresses, which provide the details of our location when we access the internet.

For experts, however, EU lawmakers need to find solutions to force service providers to retain some necessary metadata for a minimum time period. Thankfully, the need for a "harmonised and consistent" legal framework for data retention is among the latest LHG suggestions.

Introducing new obligations to collect users' identifiable metadata, however, would clash with the technical infrastructure and policies of many privacy-focused services. That's especially true for no-log VPNs that, as the name suggests, never collect information that can link users with their online activities.

The security conondrum

Despite the emphasis on the need for authorities to access people's data to carry out investigations, LHG experts recognize that "this must not be at the expense of fundamental rights or the cybersecurity of systems and products."

In particular, the report highlights on more than one occasion how encryption is also essential for people's security, protecting against data theft, state-sponsored espionage, and other forms of unauthorized data access.

Did you know?

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

The aftermath of the Salt Typhoon attacks sparked an outcry from authorities for all citizens to switch to Signal-like messaging apps to improve their online security.

It remains to be seen how EU lawmakers will find a balance between the will of accessing people's data – no matter if these are encrypted – and preserving information security.

On their side, cryptographers and other tech experts have long argued that encryption either works as intended or is broken for everyone.

Commenting on the ongoing push for encryption backdoors, Proton CEO Andy Yen recently said, "Encryption is math – it either adds up or it doesn't. You're not able to create a backdoor that will preserve encryption. It is simply not possible."

You might also like

• Secure encryption and online anonymity are now at risk in Switzerland
• New EU Chat Control makes scanning encrypted chats optional – but privacy experts are still worried
• Metadata privacy matters – and this VPN promises to help

• The EU's HLG (High Level Group) now considers VPNs among “key challenges” to investigative work.
• End-to-end encryption is also mentioned in the final report as the biggest technical challenge
• Experts are calling for restraint and consideration on the measures, fearing civilians will carry “state spyware in their pockets”

For the first time, an EU expert group has explicitly mentioned VPN services as "key challenges" to the investigative work of law enforcement agencies, alongside encrypted devices, apps, and new communications operators.

The group's final report also refers to end-to-end encryption as "the biggest technical challenge."

Known as the High-Level Group (HLG), the expert group was tasked by the EU Council in June 2023 to develop a strategic plan "on access to data for effective law enforcement."

Lawful data access by design

The HLG's first set of recommendations leaked to the public in June last year. The goal was simple – make the digital devices we use every day, from smartphones and smart homes to IoT devices and even cars, legally and technically monitorable at all times by law enforcement bodies.

Commenting on this plan, Mullvad VPN CEO Jan Jonsson told TechRadar at the time: "It would mean total surveillance and that Europe's inhabitants carry state spyware in their pockets."

The final wording of the LHG report from March 13, 2025, shows not much has changed from the original ethos. Yet, the recommendations on achieving"lawful data access by design" look more refined.

As mentioned, experts are now considering including VPN services among the key challenges to investigations.

Previously, concerns were mostly reserved for messaging apps or secure email software using encryption to scramble users' content into an unreadable form, de facto making it difficult (if not impossible) for authorities to successfully decrypt wanted information.

Law enforcement agencies from the EU, North America and Australia continue their work to gain future lawful access to private communications within the EU initiative Going Dark.We also note that VPNs are mentioned under “key challenges”.https://t.co/ktu9HlZre0March 18, 2025

Widening the target to VPN services seems to align with experts' view on metadata access as "essential for identifying suspects."

Metadata refers to data not concerning the content, such as who's sending the message, who's receiving it, at what time, and from where. VPNs work to mask IP addresses, which provide the details of our location when we access the internet.

For experts, however, EU lawmakers need to find solutions to force service providers to retain some necessary metadata for a minimum time period. Thankfully, the need for a "harmonised and consistent" legal framework for data retention is among the latest LHG suggestions.

Introducing new obligations to collect users' identifiable metadata, however, would clash with the technical infrastructure and policies of many privacy-focused services. That's especially true for no-log VPNs that, as the name suggests, never collect information that can link users with their online activities.

The security conondrum

Despite the emphasis on the need for authorities to access people's data to carry out investigations, LHG experts recognize that "this must not be at the expense of fundamental rights or the cybersecurity of systems and products."

In particular, the report highlights on more than one occasion how encryption is also essential for people's security, protecting against data theft, state-sponsored espionage, and other forms of unauthorized data access.

Did you know?

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

The aftermath of the Salt Typhoon attacks sparked an outcry from authorities for all citizens to switch to Signal-like messaging apps to improve their online security.

It remains to be seen how EU lawmakers will find a balance between the will of accessing people's data – no matter if these are encrypted – and preserving information security.

On their side, cryptographers and other tech experts have long argued that encryption either works as intended or is broken for everyone.

Commenting on the ongoing push for encryption backdoors, Proton CEO Andy Yen recently said, "Encryption is math – it either adds up or it doesn't. You're not able to create a backdoor that will preserve encryption. It is simply not possible."

You might also like

• Secure encryption and online anonymity are now at risk in Switzerland
• New EU Chat Control makes scanning encrypted chats optional – but privacy experts are still worried
• Metadata privacy matters – and this VPN promises to help

• Report warns legacy systems are a barrier to AI adoption
• Almost a third of central UK government systems are end-of-life
• These systems also present serious cybersecurity risks

The UK’s public spending watchdog has released a report outlining barriers to AI adoption, and cites “out–of–date legacy IT systems” as a contributing factor, as well as poor quality data, and data sharing obstacles.

The Department’s recommendations come as part of the UK Government’s plans to “unleash AI” with a plan to inject the tech into all corners of British industry with a £14 billion private sector investment.

The Committee of Public Accounts estimates as much as 28% of central government systems are “end-of-life” products that can no longer be updated, receive support from suppliers, or are no longer cost effective.

A matter of urgency

These legacy systems are of high priority for the Department of Science and Technology (DSIT), not just so AI can be used more widely, but because out-of-date tech can cause serious cybersecurity vulnerabilities.

But, DSIT warns there “is no magic bullet” and that hardware will take time and effort to replace and fix, even admitting it needs “to get a better grip on the issue”. Of the 72 “red-rated” legacy systems that are highest risk, 21 still lack remediation funding, so there is a long way to go.

“The Government has said it wants to mainline AI into the veins of the nation, but our report raises questions over whether the public sector is ready for such a procedure,” says Committee Chair Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown MP.

“The ambition to harness the potential of one of the most significant technological developments of modern times is of course to be welcomed. Unfortunately, those familiar with our Committee’s past scrutiny of the Government’s frankly sclerotic digital architecture will know that any promises of sudden transformation are for the birds.”

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• Tackling the UK's cybersecurity skills shortage
• Many schools still don’t have basic cybersecurity measures, research reveals

• Report warns legacy systems are a barrier to AI adoption
• Almost a third of central UK government systems are end-of-life
• These systems also present serious cybersecurity risks

The UK’s public spending watchdog has released a report outlining barriers to AI adoption, and cites “out–of–date legacy IT systems” as a contributing factor, as well as poor quality data, and data sharing obstacles.

The Department’s recommendations come as part of the UK Government’s plans to “unleash AI” with a plan to inject the tech into all corners of British industry with a £14 billion private sector investment.

The Committee of Public Accounts estimates as much as 28% of central government systems are “end-of-life” products that can no longer be updated, receive support from suppliers, or are no longer cost effective.

A matter of urgency

These legacy systems are of high priority for the Department of Science and Technology (DSIT), not just so AI can be used more widely, but because out-of-date tech can cause serious cybersecurity vulnerabilities.

But, DSIT warns there “is no magic bullet” and that hardware will take time and effort to replace and fix, even admitting it needs “to get a better grip on the issue”. Of the 72 “red-rated” legacy systems that are highest risk, 21 still lack remediation funding, so there is a long way to go.

“The Government has said it wants to mainline AI into the veins of the nation, but our report raises questions over whether the public sector is ready for such a procedure,” says Committee Chair Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown MP.

“The ambition to harness the potential of one of the most significant technological developments of modern times is of course to be welcomed. Unfortunately, those familiar with our Committee’s past scrutiny of the Government’s frankly sclerotic digital architecture will know that any promises of sudden transformation are for the birds.”

You might also like

• Take a look at our picks for the best AI tools around
• Tackling the UK's cybersecurity skills shortage
• Many schools still don’t have basic cybersecurity measures, research reveals

• Intel's rumored high-end Battlemage GPUs have been canceled according to a reliable leaker
• Its 'BMG-G31' die was rumored to have a 256-bit memory bus with 32 Xe cores
• We could still see high-end offerings with the upcoming Celestial Arc lineup

While Intel's Battlemage Arc B580 and B570 GPUs have provided great and affordable mid-range options for PC gamers, Team Blue is yet to make a high-end GPU to compete with Nvidia (since AMD is also focusing primarily on the mid-range space going forward). Unfortunately, it now looks like the wait will continue.

According to a reputable leaker, Jaykihn0 on X, Intel's supposed high-end Battlemage GPU plans were cut short in Q3 of 2024: in other words, Xe2-based GPUs reportedly featuring up to 24GB of VRAM have been canceled. The 'BMG-G31' die supposedly had a 256-bit memory bus with 32 Xe cores and at least 16GB of GDDR6 VRAM.

Any hopes of a strong high-end alternative to Nvidia's RTX GPUs are seemingly slimmer than ever, as both AMD and Intel continue to target affordable options for consumers.

While Jaykihn0 suggests there are currently no updates on the upcoming Celestial discrete GPU lineup, it's certainly not over for Intel potentially delving into the high-end market. Celestial GPUs are rumored to use Xe3P architecture, which could involve some high-end GPUs and improved features like XeSS Frame Generation - however, it's not yet clear when they will be ready for consumers.

In the meantime, Intel's Xe3 architecture will be used for the upcoming Panther Lake processors, likely including mobile processors for ultrabooks and handhelds. There's plenty to look forward to on Team Blue's end, especially after the success of its current Battlemage GPUs, and processors like the Core Ultra 7 258V.

(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler) We seriously need any high-end competition we can get from Intel

If it wasn't clear enough already, the GPU market is in dire need of a helping hand: scalping, price inflation, and low availability are at an all-time high, and the only way I can see this changing is if consumers don't acquiesce to purchasing overpriced GPUs. However, most importantly, we need more high-end GPUs that aren't from Nvidia.

Team Green's Blackwell GPU lineup is the only product range that includes true high-end options this generation, and it's not a surprise that there's hardly any stock for Founders Edition cards, considering their popularity and demand.

While AMD's mid-range Radeon RX 9070 XT comes at an incredible $599/£569, there are no reference cards, which means consumers must rely on AIB partner cards sold by retailers - which are currently charging over $200 more than MSRP. Don't believe me? Just have a look at Best Buy.

With this in mind, Intel is potentially the only one in the market that could offer high-end alternatives in the near future: I'll admit it's hard to suggest any of these GPUs would beat Nvidia's RTX 5090, but PC gamers need all the industry competition we can get.

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• Intel makes its XeSS 2 upscaling tech easier to add to games - here's why that's good news for PC gamers with tight budgets
• Motherboard sizes explained: which should you buy in 2025?

• Intel's rumored high-end Battlemage GPUs have been canceled according to a reliable leaker
• Its 'BMG-G31' die was rumored to have a 256-bit memory bus with 32 Xe cores
• We could still see high-end offerings with the upcoming Celestial Arc lineup

While Intel's Battlemage Arc B580 and B570 GPUs have provided great and affordable mid-range options for PC gamers, Team Blue is yet to make a high-end GPU to compete with Nvidia (since AMD is also focusing primarily on the mid-range space going forward). Unfortunately, it now looks like the wait will continue.

According to a reputable leaker, Jaykihn0 on X, Intel's supposed high-end Battlemage GPU plans were cut short in Q3 of 2024: in other words, Xe2-based GPUs reportedly featuring up to 24GB of VRAM have been canceled. The 'BMG-G31' die supposedly had a 256-bit memory bus with 32 Xe cores and at least 16GB of GDDR6 VRAM.

Any hopes of a strong high-end alternative to Nvidia's RTX GPUs are seemingly slimmer than ever, as both AMD and Intel continue to target affordable options for consumers.

While Jaykihn0 suggests there are currently no updates on the upcoming Celestial discrete GPU lineup, it's certainly not over for Intel potentially delving into the high-end market. Celestial GPUs are rumored to use Xe3P architecture, which could involve some high-end GPUs and improved features like XeSS Frame Generation - however, it's not yet clear when they will be ready for consumers.

In the meantime, Intel's Xe3 architecture will be used for the upcoming Panther Lake processors, likely including mobile processors for ultrabooks and handhelds. There's plenty to look forward to on Team Blue's end, especially after the success of its current Battlemage GPUs, and processors like the Core Ultra 7 258V.

(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler) We seriously need any high-end competition we can get from Intel

If it wasn't clear enough already, the GPU market is in dire need of a helping hand: scalping, price inflation, and low availability are at an all-time high, and the only way I can see this changing is if consumers don't acquiesce to purchasing overpriced GPUs. However, most importantly, we need more high-end GPUs that aren't from Nvidia.

Team Green's Blackwell GPU lineup is the only product range that includes true high-end options this generation, and it's not a surprise that there's hardly any stock for Founders Edition cards, considering their popularity and demand.

While AMD's mid-range Radeon RX 9070 XT comes at an incredible $599/£569, there are no reference cards, which means consumers must rely on AIB partner cards sold by retailers - which are currently charging over $200 more than MSRP. Don't believe me? Just have a look at Best Buy.

With this in mind, Intel is potentially the only one in the market that could offer high-end alternatives in the near future: I'll admit it's hard to suggest any of these GPUs would beat Nvidia's RTX 5090, but PC gamers need all the industry competition we can get.

You may also like...

• Intel Arc B580 vs Nvidia RTX 4060: Which mainstream GPU is right for you?
• Intel makes its XeSS 2 upscaling tech easier to add to games - here's why that's good news for PC gamers with tight budgets
• Motherboard sizes explained: which should you buy in 2025?

• The latest Metroid Prime 4: Beyond trailer appeared at yesterday's Nintendo Direct
• The trailer introduces psychic abilities for Samus as well as a new suit upgrade
• The game is still on track for a '2025' release window

We got a fresh trailer for Metroid Prime 4: Beyond at the latest Nintendo Direct presentation, and I think it's shaping up to be a worthy follow-up to the original Prime trilogy.

In the latest trailer, protagonist Samus Aran lands on a strange planet called Viewros, inhabited by hostile alien creatures as well as a race that seems versed in psychic powers. Said powers are also bestowed unto Samus, allowing her to interact with the environment and combat enemies in various new ways.

We see Samus use her new psychic abilities to transport orbs into mechanisms to power devices and open doors. But more importantly (and awesomely), she can use these powers to slow time and manually guide her beam shots through enemies. Does it look overpowered? Sure, but perhaps not on the level Hypermode was in Metroid Prime 3: Corruption.

These psychic abilities seem like they'll be the primary gimmick in Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, following Prime 3's Phazon power and Prime 2's light and dark mechanics. We only really got a brief glimpse of them in the trailer, so I'm hoping they'll be useful for more than just opening doors and entering a bullet-time-esque state.

Enjoying the Viewros

One thing that's clear, though, is that Metroid Prime 4: Beyond appears to be pushing the Switch hardware to its limits. Environments are looking gorgeous with impressive detail and glorious skyboxes. It does look to be holding a pretty steady 60fps too, which has been a crucial performance factor in all Prime games to date.

I have to give a shoutout to the soundtrack, too, which is definitely capturing that feeling of isolation the Prime games have always been excellent at. Combat music is also wild and chaotic, creating an intentionally jarring sensation when you're pulled out of smelling the roses and into hectic battle.

Lastly, the trailer ends with a glimpse at one of Samus's new suit upgrades. Her Varia suit takes on a sleek red and black aesthetic with purple accents. It's a very striking look, but it's unclear what abilities this suit will enable for her. Presumably, it'll help bolster her new psychic powers or provide ways to better traverse through dangerous environments.

Still no solid release date for Metroid Prime 4: Beyond as of yet, though. But the trailer confirms the game is still on track for a 2025 release. Hopefully, it'll end up being a launch title for Nintendo Switch 2 as many are speculating.

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• Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream is a sequel to my favorite 3DS game, and I think it's already packing the charm that inZOI lacks
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• Nintendo reveals the new Virtual Game Card feature, an easier way to manage your digital Switch games

• The latest Metroid Prime 4: Beyond trailer appeared at yesterday's Nintendo Direct
• The trailer introduces psychic abilities for Samus as well as a new suit upgrade
• The game is still on track for a '2025' release window

We got a fresh trailer for Metroid Prime 4: Beyond at the latest Nintendo Direct presentation, and I think it's shaping up to be a worthy follow-up to the original Prime trilogy.

In the latest trailer, protagonist Samus Aran lands on a strange planet called Viewros, inhabited by hostile alien creatures as well as a race that seems versed in psychic powers. Said powers are also bestowed unto Samus, allowing her to interact with the environment and combat enemies in various new ways.

We see Samus use her new psychic abilities to transport orbs into mechanisms to power devices and open doors. But more importantly (and awesomely), she can use these powers to slow time and manually guide her beam shots through enemies. Does it look overpowered? Sure, but perhaps not on the level Hypermode was in Metroid Prime 3: Corruption.

These psychic abilities seem like they'll be the primary gimmick in Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, following Prime 3's Phazon power and Prime 2's light and dark mechanics. We only really got a brief glimpse of them in the trailer, so I'm hoping they'll be useful for more than just opening doors and entering a bullet-time-esque state.

Enjoying the Viewros

One thing that's clear, though, is that Metroid Prime 4: Beyond appears to be pushing the Switch hardware to its limits. Environments are looking gorgeous with impressive detail and glorious skyboxes. It does look to be holding a pretty steady 60fps too, which has been a crucial performance factor in all Prime games to date.

I have to give a shoutout to the soundtrack, too, which is definitely capturing that feeling of isolation the Prime games have always been excellent at. Combat music is also wild and chaotic, creating an intentionally jarring sensation when you're pulled out of smelling the roses and into hectic battle.

Lastly, the trailer ends with a glimpse at one of Samus's new suit upgrades. Her Varia suit takes on a sleek red and black aesthetic with purple accents. It's a very striking look, but it's unclear what abilities this suit will enable for her. Presumably, it'll help bolster her new psychic powers or provide ways to better traverse through dangerous environments.

Still no solid release date for Metroid Prime 4: Beyond as of yet, though. But the trailer confirms the game is still on track for a 2025 release. Hopefully, it'll end up being a launch title for Nintendo Switch 2 as many are speculating.

You might also like...

• Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream is a sequel to my favorite 3DS game, and I think it's already packing the charm that inZOI lacks
• Nintendo's new app gave us another look at the Switch 2, and there's something different with the Joy-Con
• Nintendo reveals the new Virtual Game Card feature, an easier way to manage your digital Switch games

• Dolby Atmos is coming to Bose and Burmester premium Porsche systems
• Also onboard: Alexa support and a new App Center
• New hardware delivers improved responsiveness

Porsche's in-car entertainment is going to get even better in this year's models, thanks to a significant upgrade that brings Dolby Atmos to the 911, Taycan, Panamera and Cayenne model series.

That's not the only new feature either. There's also Amazon Alexa plus an expanded Porsche Connect package, and the system itself should be even smoother in everyday operation.

Porsche is also introducing a new App Center, which we first saw in the all-electric Macan.

2025-year Porsche 911, Taycan, Panamera and Cayenne models will get the App Center that made its debut in the Macan EV. (Image credit: Porsche) What's new in 2025 model Porsches

Porsche calls its infotainment system Porsche Communication Management, or PCM for short (yes, a little confusing for those of us into hi-res audio and Pulse-Code Modulation, but we press on). The new model year brings upgraded hardware, and it comes with ten years of Porsche Connect "to ensure a reliable digital user experience."

One of the big changes is the App Center, which works in much the same way as the familiar phone and tablet app stores. Depending on the market (not all app makers offer their products globally), you'll be able to add apps for streaming music and podcasts, apps for weather forecasts and news, and even gaming and karaoke apps. Porsche says that there will also be smart home apps enabling you to control your home when you're on the road.

Another big upgrade is the addition of Alexa to the existing Porsche Voice Pilot. You'll be able to activate it with the Alexa trigger word, with a button or with one of the PCM icons. Alexa will be available in the United States, United Kingdom, Ireland, Austria, Germany, France, Italy, Spain and Canada.

And then there's Dolby Atmos. For the first time, cars with the premium and high-end audio systems from Bose and Burmester will have Dolby Atmos, and will be compatible with Atmos-capable apps from the App Center. Being dropped right into the middle of an album as I drive a Porsche? Yes please.

The upgraded PCM will be in vehicles distributed from June 2025, and those vehicles can be ordered now.

You might also like

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• Tesla sales are plummeting as used prices crash
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• Dolby Atmos is coming to Bose and Burmester premium Porsche systems
• Also onboard: Alexa support and a new App Center
• New hardware delivers improved responsiveness

Porsche's in-car entertainment is going to get even better in this year's models, thanks to a significant upgrade that brings Dolby Atmos to the 911, Taycan, Panamera and Cayenne model series.

That's not the only new feature either. There's also Amazon Alexa plus an expanded Porsche Connect package, and the system itself should be even smoother in everyday operation.

Porsche is also introducing a new App Center, which we first saw in the all-electric Macan.

2025-year Porsche 911, Taycan, Panamera and Cayenne models will get the App Center that made its debut in the Macan EV. (Image credit: Porsche) What's new in 2025 model Porsches

Porsche calls its infotainment system Porsche Communication Management, or PCM for short (yes, a little confusing for those of us into hi-res audio and Pulse-Code Modulation, but we press on). The new model year brings upgraded hardware, and it comes with ten years of Porsche Connect "to ensure a reliable digital user experience."

One of the big changes is the App Center, which works in much the same way as the familiar phone and tablet app stores. Depending on the market (not all app makers offer their products globally), you'll be able to add apps for streaming music and podcasts, apps for weather forecasts and news, and even gaming and karaoke apps. Porsche says that there will also be smart home apps enabling you to control your home when you're on the road.

Another big upgrade is the addition of Alexa to the existing Porsche Voice Pilot. You'll be able to activate it with the Alexa trigger word, with a button or with one of the PCM icons. Alexa will be available in the United States, United Kingdom, Ireland, Austria, Germany, France, Italy, Spain and Canada.

And then there's Dolby Atmos. For the first time, cars with the premium and high-end audio systems from Bose and Burmester will have Dolby Atmos, and will be compatible with Atmos-capable apps from the App Center. Being dropped right into the middle of an album as I drive a Porsche? Yes please.

The upgraded PCM will be in vehicles distributed from June 2025, and those vehicles can be ordered now.

You might also like

• Apple promised CarPlay 2 in 2024. Where is it?
• Tesla sales are plummeting as used prices crash
• BYD's latest EVs can add 249 miles of charge in just 5 minutes

• We've got more details on the One UI 7 rollout
• The Galaxy S23 update should appear around April 17
• Dates may vary depending on your location

Up until now it's been a bit of a guessing game as to when One UI 7 (Samsung's version of Android 15) would make its way to Galaxy devices beyond the Samsung Galaxy S25 series – but Samsung has now given us some clarity on the matter.

The last we heard, One UI 7 was scheduled to start rolling out on Monday, April 7 – with the Samsung Galaxy S24 phones, plus the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and the Galaxy Z Flip 6, all first in line (those were the flagship phones Samsung launched in 2024).

Now, courtesy of Samsung Czechia (via SamMobile), it seems we can expect the software update to appear on the Samsung Galaxy S24 FE, the Samsung Galaxy S23 phones, the Galaxy Z Fold 5, and the Galaxy Z Flip 5 from Thursday, April 17.

The press release (put through Google Translate) also says that the Galaxy S23 FE and the Galaxy S22 series will get One UI 7 in the "coming weeks", while the Galaxy Tab S10 series rollout is due in "mid-April", with Galaxy Tab S9 updates appearing a week later. Galaxy Tab S8 devices should start seeing the software at the end of April.

A long time coming

The Samsung Galaxy S24 is next in line for One UI 7 (Image credit: Future | Roland Moore-Colyer)

There are a few caveats to bear in mind here: the update in the Czech Republic doesn't actually start until Thursday, April 10, so other rollout dates across the globe might vary. What's more, as far as we can tell, Samsung's press releases from its other international news rooms aren't as specific when it comes to dates.

Still, it gives us a more specific idea of when these software updates are going to start appearing – and it would be unusual for Samsung to push out the upgrades for these older devices in the Czech Republic and nowhere else.

It's been quite a journey to get to this point, with plenty of delays and beta releases along the way, and it's a reminder that if you want Android updates before anyone else, you need one of the best Pixel phones – the Pixel 9 phones got Android 15 in October 2024.

Among the new features in One UI 7 are the Now Bar, for bringing important real-time updates to the lock screen, and the Now Brief, an AI-powered summary of your day – though Samsung hasn't confirmed if all the One UI 7 features will make it to all devices.

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• We've got more details on the One UI 7 rollout
• The Galaxy S23 update should appear around April 17
• Dates may vary depending on your location

Up until now it's been a bit of a guessing game as to when One UI 7 (Samsung's version of Android 15) would make its way to Galaxy devices beyond the Samsung Galaxy S25 series – but Samsung has now given us some clarity on the matter.

The last we heard, One UI 7 was scheduled to start rolling out on Monday, April 7 – with the Samsung Galaxy S24 phones, plus the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and the Galaxy Z Flip 6, all first in line (those were the flagship phones Samsung launched in 2024).

Now, courtesy of Samsung Czechia (via SamMobile), it seems we can expect the software update to appear on the Samsung Galaxy S24 FE, the Samsung Galaxy S23 phones, the Galaxy Z Fold 5, and the Galaxy Z Flip 5 from Thursday, April 17.

The press release (put through Google Translate) also says that the Galaxy S23 FE and the Galaxy S22 series will get One UI 7 in the "coming weeks", while the Galaxy Tab S10 series rollout is due in "mid-April", with Galaxy Tab S9 updates appearing a week later. Galaxy Tab S8 devices should start seeing the software at the end of April.

A long time coming

The Samsung Galaxy S24 is next in line for One UI 7 (Image credit: Future | Roland Moore-Colyer)

There are a few caveats to bear in mind here: the update in the Czech Republic doesn't actually start until Thursday, April 10, so other rollout dates across the globe might vary. What's more, as far as we can tell, Samsung's press releases from its other international news rooms aren't as specific when it comes to dates.

Still, it gives us a more specific idea of when these software updates are going to start appearing – and it would be unusual for Samsung to push out the upgrades for these older devices in the Czech Republic and nowhere else.

It's been quite a journey to get to this point, with plenty of delays and beta releases along the way, and it's a reminder that if you want Android updates before anyone else, you need one of the best Pixel phones – the Pixel 9 phones got Android 15 in October 2024.

Among the new features in One UI 7 are the Now Bar, for bringing important real-time updates to the lock screen, and the Now Brief, an AI-powered summary of your day – though Samsung hasn't confirmed if all the One UI 7 features will make it to all devices.

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• Music can now be organized and discovered by record label
• Browse the winners of prestigious awards and critics' picks
• Hi-Res Audio where available, in both Labels and Awards

One of the things I really hate about music streaming is the algorithm, which tends to play me things that sound really quite a lot like the things I've played. That's fine for background music, but it's not great for finding really amazing new artists and their albums. So I'm really intrigued by Qobuz's new features, which focus on specific record labels and award winners.

Some labels are legendary: think Stax or Blue Note, Motown or Deutsche Grammophon, Def Jam or Warp. And now Qobuz enables you to find more music from the label of the artist you're currently listening to, as well as the labels of your favourites.

The results will depend very much on the label, of course. but there are real gems in those catalogs.

Let's say you're listening to Aphex Twin (good choice, by the way). Qobuz now makes it easy to find more Warp Records artists: Squarepusher and Broadcast, Thom Yorke with Mark Pritchard, Boards of Canada and 48 more pages of electronic awesomeness.

Prefer something a bit more soulful? Stax has Melissa Etheridge, Isaac Hayes, Otis Redding, Rufus Thomas, Albert King... you get the idea.

Award-winning music discovery

(Image credit: Qobuz)

The second new feature, Award pages, is really interesting too. Qobuz has put together a list of various awards and their winners, and the awards featured include some very prestigious ones as well as Qobuz's own favorites.

For example, you can browse Gramophone Award winners to discover some truly exceptional classical recordings, or you can focus on the winners of Pitchfork's best new music awards: Beyoncé, Kendrick, Charli XCX, FKA Twigs, Bad Bunny, Vampire Weekend, Father John Misty.... there are 22 pages for this award alone.

I love this: it's a big bunch of musical rabbit holes to lose yourself in, and I think it's a really good fit for Qobuz's target audience. It's long marked itself as the streaming service for serious music fans and audiophiles, and browsing these collections is almost as much fun as going crate-digging for new LPs – oh, and while I'm on this, don't forget that Record Store Day is coming, on April 12.

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• The best music streaming services compared

• Music can now be organized and discovered by record label
• Browse the winners of prestigious awards and critics' picks
• Hi-Res Audio where available, in both Labels and Awards

One of the things I really hate about music streaming is the algorithm, which tends to play me things that sound really quite a lot like the things I've played. That's fine for background music, but it's not great for finding really amazing new artists and their albums. So I'm really intrigued by Qobuz's new features, which focus on specific record labels and award winners.

Some labels are legendary: think Stax or Blue Note, Motown or Deutsche Grammophon, Def Jam or Warp. And now Qobuz enables you to find more music from the label of the artist you're currently listening to, as well as the labels of your favourites.

The results will depend very much on the label, of course. but there are real gems in those catalogs.

Let's say you're listening to Aphex Twin (good choice, by the way). Qobuz now makes it easy to find more Warp Records artists: Squarepusher and Broadcast, Thom Yorke with Mark Pritchard, Boards of Canada and 48 more pages of electronic awesomeness.

Prefer something a bit more soulful? Stax has Melissa Etheridge, Isaac Hayes, Otis Redding, Rufus Thomas, Albert King... you get the idea.

Award-winning music discovery

(Image credit: Qobuz)

The second new feature, Award pages, is really interesting too. Qobuz has put together a list of various awards and their winners, and the awards featured include some very prestigious ones as well as Qobuz's own favorites.

For example, you can browse Gramophone Award winners to discover some truly exceptional classical recordings, or you can focus on the winners of Pitchfork's best new music awards: Beyoncé, Kendrick, Charli XCX, FKA Twigs, Bad Bunny, Vampire Weekend, Father John Misty.... there are 22 pages for this award alone.

I love this: it's a big bunch of musical rabbit holes to lose yourself in, and I think it's a really good fit for Qobuz's target audience. It's long marked itself as the streaming service for serious music fans and audiophiles, and browsing these collections is almost as much fun as going crate-digging for new LPs – oh, and while I'm on this, don't forget that Record Store Day is coming, on April 12.

You might also like

• Qobuz reveals how much it pays per stream, and I want more of this transparency
• Qobuz proves once again it's the hi-res music lovers' choice with DSD downloads
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• OpenAI limits free tier of ChatGPT to 3 images a day
• Sam Altman says "Our GPUs are melting"
• Limitation should be on a temporary basis

Amid the growing controversy over its AI mimicking the artistic style of Studio Ghibli, OpenAI is being forced to limit how many images ChatGPT can produce on the free tier to 3 a day because it's proving too popular.

In a recent tweet on X, Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, said “It's super fun seeing people love images in ChatGPT, but our GPUs are melting. We are going to temporarily introduce some rate limits while we work on making it more efficient. Hopefully won't be long! ChatGPT free tier will get 3 generations per day soon.”

it's super fun seeing people love images in chatgpt.but our GPUs are melting.we are going to temporarily introduce some rate limits while we work on making it more efficient. hopefully won't be long!chatgpt free tier will get 3 generations per day soon.March 27, 2025

ChatGPT’s new image generation capabilities are clearly a step up in the development of AI image generation, proving superior in our tests to DALL-E 3, which is the model previously used by ChatGPT, and also what it will still default to once you’ve run out of generations in the new model.

In his X-thread Sam Altman also goes on to say that “(also, we are refusing some generations that should be allowed; we are fixing these as fast we can.)”

This could explain the frustrations I’ve been experiencing getting ChatGPT to produce text in images.

An image generated using ChatGPT's new image-generation abilities. (Image credit: OpenAI) ChatGPT rollout delays

It’s quite possible that you don’t have access to ChatGPT’s image creation tools quite yet anyway. While ChatGPT Plus and Pro users all seem to have access, not all free-tier users do.

On March 26 Altman tweeted that rollout to the free tier was going to be delayed: “Images in ChatGPT are way more popular than we expected (and we had pretty high expectations). Rollout to our free tier is, unfortunately, going to be delayed for a while.”

As we've said in our testing, even on the Plus tier, ChatGPT is already very slow when it comes to generating images, and when the rollout to the free tier is complete we would expect it to be even slower. The move to limit the free tier to 3 images on a temporary basis, while understandable, will inevitably lead to people feeling frustrated with the company.

Have you been able to sample ChatGPT's new image creation abilities yet? Let us know what you think in the comments below.

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• OpenAI limits free tier of ChatGPT to 3 images a day
• Sam Altman says "Our GPUs are melting"
• Limitation should be on a temporary basis

Amid the growing controversy over its AI mimicking the artistic style of Studio Ghibli, OpenAI is being forced to limit how many images ChatGPT can produce on the free tier to 3 a day because it's proving too popular.

In a recent tweet on X, Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, said “It's super fun seeing people love images in ChatGPT, but our GPUs are melting. We are going to temporarily introduce some rate limits while we work on making it more efficient. Hopefully won't be long! ChatGPT free tier will get 3 generations per day soon.”

it's super fun seeing people love images in chatgpt.but our GPUs are melting.we are going to temporarily introduce some rate limits while we work on making it more efficient. hopefully won't be long!chatgpt free tier will get 3 generations per day soon.March 27, 2025

ChatGPT’s new image generation capabilities are clearly a step up in the development of AI image generation, proving superior in our tests to DALL-E 3, which is the model previously used by ChatGPT, and also what it will still default to once you’ve run out of generations in the new model.

In his X-thread Sam Altman also goes on to say that “(also, we are refusing some generations that should be allowed; we are fixing these as fast we can.)”

This could explain the frustrations I’ve been experiencing getting ChatGPT to produce text in images.

An image generated using ChatGPT's new image-generation abilities. (Image credit: OpenAI) ChatGPT rollout delays

It’s quite possible that you don’t have access to ChatGPT’s image creation tools quite yet anyway. While ChatGPT Plus and Pro users all seem to have access, not all free-tier users do.

On March 26 Altman tweeted that rollout to the free tier was going to be delayed: “Images in ChatGPT are way more popular than we expected (and we had pretty high expectations). Rollout to our free tier is, unfortunately, going to be delayed for a while.”

As we've said in our testing, even on the Plus tier, ChatGPT is already very slow when it comes to generating images, and when the rollout to the free tier is complete we would expect it to be even slower. The move to limit the free tier to 3 images on a temporary basis, while understandable, will inevitably lead to people feeling frustrated with the company.

Have you been able to sample ChatGPT's new image creation abilities yet? Let us know what you think in the comments below.

You may also like

• ChatGPT 4o image generation is so good we will never be able to trust iPhone renders again
• ChatGPT 4o just got better, although I’m yet to notice a difference
• OpenAI unveiled image generation for 4o – here's everything you need to know about the ChatGPT upgrade

• Google Workspace solves a major slide-building woe
• Google Slides now lets users select and resize objects together
• Will also make it easier to select specific items on slides with many overlapping objects

Making sure your presentation slides are as striking as they should be is set to get a lot easier, thanks to a tiny but crucial update from Google Workspace.

The office software suite has upgraded its Slides platform with a tweak that will allow users to resize multiple objects all at once, at the same scale - while also (hopefully) keeping everything clear and visible.

The change should mean an end to the frustration of trying to tweak your slides just how you like them, but finding out that resizing just a single item throws everything off, and you then need to do everything manually.

Google Slides resizing

"This update helps you spend less time getting objects to fit on a slide with proportional scaling," a typically brief and blunt Google Workspace Updates blog post announcing the change noted.

Users will simply need to drag a selection box over the items they want resized, with the ability to select multiple objects or images at once.

"Resizing your selection will now scale everything proportionally and maintain visual clarity," the company says, with fonts, borders, shadows and all other attributes all scaling seamlessly.

Google Workspace is also making it easier to select specific items on slides which may contain many overlapping objects.

Users will now see an outline appear when hovering over an object, making it easier to select objects that are layered.

The new features will only work in edit mode, not while being presented, and object selection can be scaled up and down by the user.

The updates are rolling out now, and are available to all Google Workspace customers, Workspace Individual Subscribers, and users with personal Google accounts.

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• Google Workspace solves a major slide-building woe
• Google Slides now lets users select and resize objects together
• Will also make it easier to select specific items on slides with many overlapping objects

Making sure your presentation slides are as striking as they should be is set to get a lot easier, thanks to a tiny but crucial update from Google Workspace.

The office software suite has upgraded its Slides platform with a tweak that will allow users to resize multiple objects all at once, at the same scale - while also (hopefully) keeping everything clear and visible.

The change should mean an end to the frustration of trying to tweak your slides just how you like them, but finding out that resizing just a single item throws everything off, and you then need to do everything manually.

Google Slides resizing

"This update helps you spend less time getting objects to fit on a slide with proportional scaling," a typically brief and blunt Google Workspace Updates blog post announcing the change noted.

Users will simply need to drag a selection box over the items they want resized, with the ability to select multiple objects or images at once.

"Resizing your selection will now scale everything proportionally and maintain visual clarity," the company says, with fonts, borders, shadows and all other attributes all scaling seamlessly.

Google Workspace is also making it easier to select specific items on slides which may contain many overlapping objects.

Users will now see an outline appear when hovering over an object, making it easier to select objects that are layered.

The new features will only work in edit mode, not while being presented, and object selection can be scaled up and down by the user.

The updates are rolling out now, and are available to all Google Workspace customers, Workspace Individual Subscribers, and users with personal Google accounts.

You might also like

• Microsoft Teams is finally adding a tiny but crucial feature I honestly can't believe it never had
• We've rounded up the best productivity tools around right now
• At last — one of the most annoying Google Docs, Sheets and Slides sections is getting a lot simpler to use

• Garmin recently announced a new premium subscription
• Angry customers have wasted no time expressing their displeasure
• Thousands have taken to Reddit in support of boycotting the service

Just hours after Garmin announced a brand new Premium subscription service, angry customers in the thousands have taken to Reddit to express their displeasure over the move.

As we reported earlier this week, Garmin Connect+ is a new subscription tier for Garmin users. Priced at $6.99 / £6.99 / AU$12 or $69.99 / £69.99 / AU$120 annually, it gives users AI insights into their training, a performance dashboard, a Live Activity feature, expanded LiveTrack, and more.

Garmin stressed to us that "The Garmin Connect app is a free, personalized experience, and that’s not going away," evidently keen to get ahead of user backlash. Sadly, it doesn't seem to have worked.

A post on the Garmin subreddit with over 6,000 upvotes and a plethora of angry comments has taken over the forum, as customers respond to the news.

"To everyone who cares about the future of Garmin customer service: DO NOT SIGN UP," the original poster wrote. "We need to take a firm stand to stop this totally detrimental trend of subscriptions everywhere. We are already paying hundreds for watches that only last a few years because batteries are not replaceable."

The furious post calls on users to "Unite to fight for our customers' right to software as a service for a thousand dollar watch," and to stand up against the change that will "reduce the usability and ownership of our products in the future."

Garmin users unanimous in subscription fury DO NOT sign up for Garmin Connect+. Unite to fight for our customers' right to software as a service for a thousand dollar watch. This is a slippery slope and will reduce the usability and ownership of our products in the future. Profits will increase and more and more will get behind paywalls! from r/Garmin

"Never paying for the subscription," one commenter said, "but it is going to make me rethink my future watch purchases," they continued. "I could justify the Garmin expense when I knew I was getting all the features with the watch, but we all know what happens to a service once a paid tier is introduced."

"Looks like Coros is back on the menu, boys," one disgruntled user said. "Of course I am not paying for that s***," another calmy added.

Other users have encouraged submitting feedback to Garmin via its ideas page. Unanimous is a strong word, but I'm yet to see a single positive comment or reaction to the move.

It's not just the reaction to a general subscription that users seem upset about, but the value of the specific features on offer. "I signed up for the free trial and I don't see any value in it. I was kinda hoping I could get rid of Stava premium but nope," one said.

Garmin must have anticipated some user backlash, announcing a subscription to a previously free software platform is always risky business, but I'm not sure it could have fathomed such a fervent outcry.

The problem, in one sense, is context. Garmin users have endured a mass outage this year that saw devices unusable for 24 hours or more. More recently, Garmin users have raised concerns that expensive and powerful devices are being left behind by a fragmented approach to rolling out software and new features.

We've reached out to the company for comment on the furore around the announcement and will update this story accordingly. Also, stay tuned to TechRadar for an open forum where users can share their thoughts. A total walkback seems unlikely, but Garmin might be pressed to do something given the current situation.

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• Garmin recently announced a new premium subscription
• Angry customers have wasted no time expressing their displeasure
• Thousands have taken to Reddit in support of boycotting the service

Just hours after Garmin announced a brand new Premium subscription service, angry customers in the thousands have taken to Reddit to express their displeasure over the move.

As we reported earlier this week, Garmin Connect+ is a new subscription tier for Garmin users. Priced at $6.99 / £6.99 / AU$12 or $69.99 / £69.99 / AU$120 annually, it gives users AI insights into their training, a performance dashboard, a Live Activity feature, expanded LiveTrack, and more.

Garmin stressed to us that "The Garmin Connect app is a free, personalized experience, and that’s not going away," evidently keen to get ahead of user backlash. Sadly, it doesn't seem to have worked.

A post on the Garmin subreddit with over 6,000 upvotes and a plethora of angry comments has taken over the forum, as customers respond to the news.

"To everyone who cares about the future of Garmin customer service: DO NOT SIGN UP," the original poster wrote. "We need to take a firm stand to stop this totally detrimental trend of subscriptions everywhere. We are already paying hundreds for watches that only last a few years because batteries are not replaceable."

The furious post calls on users to "Unite to fight for our customers' right to software as a service for a thousand dollar watch," and to stand up against the change that will "reduce the usability and ownership of our products in the future."

Garmin users unanimous in subscription fury DO NOT sign up for Garmin Connect+. Unite to fight for our customers' right to software as a service for a thousand dollar watch. This is a slippery slope and will reduce the usability and ownership of our products in the future. Profits will increase and more and more will get behind paywalls! from r/Garmin

"Never paying for the subscription," one commenter said, "but it is going to make me rethink my future watch purchases," they continued. "I could justify the Garmin expense when I knew I was getting all the features with the watch, but we all know what happens to a service once a paid tier is introduced."

"Looks like Coros is back on the menu, boys," one disgruntled user said. "Of course I am not paying for that s***," another calmy added.

Other users have encouraged submitting feedback to Garmin via its ideas page. Unanimous is a strong word, but I'm yet to see a single positive comment or reaction to the move.

It's not just the reaction to a general subscription that users seem upset about, but the value of the specific features on offer. "I signed up for the free trial and I don't see any value in it. I was kinda hoping I could get rid of Stava premium but nope," one said.

Garmin must have anticipated some user backlash, announcing a subscription to a previously free software platform is always risky business, but I'm not sure it could have fathomed such a fervent outcry.

The problem, in one sense, is context. Garmin users have endured a mass outage this year that saw devices unusable for 24 hours or more. More recently, Garmin users have raised concerns that expensive and powerful devices are being left behind by a fragmented approach to rolling out software and new features.

We've reached out to the company for comment on the furore around the announcement and will update this story accordingly. Also, stay tuned to TechRadar for an open forum where users can share their thoughts. A total walkback seems unlikely, but Garmin might be pressed to do something given the current situation.

You may also like

• Garmin adds premium Garmin Connect+ tier with AI features – but promises your free experience ‘is not going away’
• I love my Garmin watch, but there's one health feature I've always wished it had
• I gave up my Garmin for an old-school digital Casio watch for a week: here's what happened to my running