An AI Accelerator is a deep learning or neural processor created specifically for inference and to improve the performance of an AI task. While Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) are the most common type, other specialized accelerators include Tensor Processing Units (TPUs), Data Processing Units (DPUs), Field-Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs), and Application-Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs).
With so many acronyms to remember (and even more accelerator types left unnamed), we will focus on GPUs because their highly parallel architecture makes them incredibly versatile for a wide range of AI workloads.
GPU accelerationGPUs are an in-demand commodity throughout the IT industry. Manufacturers like NVIDIA and AMD are powering the world's insatiable appetite for artificial intelligence and machine learning applications.
An AI GPU accelerator is responsible for making hundreds of thousands of calculations in parallel, and it's used in every facet of AI, large language models (LLMs), data analytics, and high-performance computing.
Such widespread adoption not only highlights their critical role in advancing modern technology but also explains why GPU demand continues to outpace supply. This leads us to a crucial question: Can your cloud hosting provider truly deliver the AI GPU hosting you need? Let's dive into what that really means with 5 things you need to know.
1: Pick the GPU your workload requiresThis might sound like common sense, but it’s important to understand the GPU accelerator hardware available from your hosting provider. GPUs are not created equal; they vary massively in specification and capability.
It's important to know what VRAM does, what tensor cores are, and what an NVLink interconnect does; otherwise, it's very easy to overspec and overpay for GPU resources if you don't understand exactly what's needed.
Understand your workload: Do you want to train your own AI model, use private LLMs, or perhaps need a chatbot application? Different AI tasks require different GPU specifications.
Understand data size and IO: AI models are typically trained on huge datasets, so you need a GPU that can process data at a good rate, and you need underlying storage, ideally NVMe SSDs that can keep up to prevent bottlenecks.
Consider future scalability: Ask yourself: Will your AI project grow? You need a hosting provider that can grow with you because you may need a bigger server (more memory, faster CPU) in the near future.
Get developer feedback when choosing a framework: Does the hosting environment support your preferred framework tools out of the box? Ask your devs what they want to use; popular AI frameworks include TensorFlow, PyTorch, and JAX.
2: Choose a provider with the necessary hardware platformGPUs are very important for AI workloads, but it's also important to consider the underlying hardware and ensure that it's fit for purpose. Network architecture and interconnects are critical for maximizing the performance of AI accelerators when hosted in the cloud.
Don't forget the importance of CPUs: CPUs are still critical for AI as they control the throughput of data to all aspects of the cloud platform. You need a provider that uses the latest CPU architectures, such as Intel Xeon or AMD EPYC, and examines the number and the speed of the CPU cores.
Go beyond high-speed networking: Fiber-optic connected networking is essential for AI platforms to function with low latency. There are 3 types of networking commonly deployed:
InfiniBand provides very low-latency and high-bandwidth communication between nodes (servers) containing GPUs. This is ideal for large-scale distributed AI clusters.
NVLink is NVIDIA's high-speed interconnect for direct GPU-to-GPU communication within a single server. It's needed for multi-GPU setups and is great for preventing bottlenecks.
High-Bandwidth Ethernet (e.g., 100GbE+) offers affordable performance for distributed AI and high-performance storage.
Latency: The ultimate goal is to choose the best hardware that will achieve the lowest latency. This is crucial because rapid GPU IO prevents bottlenecks and improves efficiency.
3: Embedded cloud AI ecosystemOne major benefit of GPU hosting is the fact that it's easy to integrate with existing services from a provider. Pick managed services that work for you. Popular integrations include hooking into cloud storage layers, picking managed security services, and backups.
If you are a business, server management options are a great way to ensure optimal performance and uptime, letting you focus on developing your AI application whilst the provider manages the underlying infrastructure, load balancing, MFA, Antivirus, Intrusion Prevention, and DDoS Protection behind the scenes.
4: Cost optimizationIt's essential to keep on top of your operational expenditure, especially when using GPU accelerators. Costs can spiral if you make inefficient deployment decisions, overspecify your server requirements, or leave resources running idle around the clock. Costs vary significantly, so shop around and pick a provider that offers the hardware you need for a cost that is sustainable.
Cloud GPU hosting is the way forward (unless you can afford about $40,000 for a decent-spec GPU), do not forget about all the cooling and power requirements too. Remember to optimize your instance sizing, monitor and turn off idle resources, and take advantage of multi-instance GPU capabilities, where providers essentially slice up a GPU into smaller and very affordable partitions.
5: Support, reliability, and complianceThese factors underline a provider's ability to deliver GPU hosting that meets the needs of modern business. You may run into blockers or issues that could prevent you from releasing on schedule. Having 24x7x365 support skilled in AI/ML available for when things go wrong is vital to business continuity.
Look for strong uptime guarantees and providers that back up their claims with service credits if the unexpected happens. They should also demonstrate proven redundancy capabilities, disaster recovery, and a proactive approach to monitoring to safeguard your expensive GPU operations.
Beyond that, ensure your chosen provider meets all necessary compliance standards for your industry, whether it's GDPR, HIPAA, or SOC 2. Understand where your data will reside and confirm the provider has strong security controls like encryption and proper access management in place. Finally, always clarify the shared responsibility model so you know exactly what security aspects the provider handles versus what falls to you.
Key takeawaysChoosing the right cloud GPU hosting means looking beyond just raw power. It's about picking a provider that meets your specific requirements, delivers strong, flexible server infrastructure, and offers comprehensive tools for integration.
By optimizing costs and prioritizing critical areas like expert support, reliability, and adherence to compliance standards, you ensure your operations run efficiently and without unexpected hitches.
We've featured the best cloud storage.
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
A new Quordle puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Monday's puzzle instead then click here: Quordle hints and answers for Monday, August 4 (game #1288).
Quordle was one of the original Wordle alternatives and is still going strong now more than 1,100 games later. It offers a genuine challenge, though, so read on if you need some Quordle hints today – or scroll down further for the answers.
Enjoy playing word games? You can also check out my NYT Connections today and NYT Strands today pages for hints and answers for those puzzles, while Marc's Wordle today column covers the original viral word game.
SPOILER WARNING: Information about Quordle today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.
Quordle today (game #1289) - hint #1 - VowelsHow many different vowels are in Quordle today?• The number of different vowels in Quordle today is 4*.
* Note that by vowel we mean the five standard vowels (A, E, I, O, U), not Y (which is sometimes counted as a vowel too).
Quordle today (game #1289) - hint #2 - repeated lettersDo any of today's Quordle answers contain repeated letters?• The number of Quordle answers containing a repeated letter today is 1.
Quordle today (game #1289) - hint #3 - uncommon lettersDo the letters Q, Z, X or J appear in Quordle today?• No. None of Q, Z, X or J appear among today's Quordle answers.
Quordle today (game #1289) - hint #4 - starting letters (1)Do any of today's Quordle puzzles start with the same letter?• The number of today's Quordle answers starting with the same letter is 0.
If you just want to know the answers at this stage, simply scroll down. If you're not ready yet then here's one more clue to make things a lot easier:
Quordle today (game #1289) - hint #5 - starting letters (2)What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?• R
• S
• A
• B
Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.
Quordle today (game #1289) - the answers(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)The answers to today's Quordle, game #1289, are…
I made a right mess of things today, only just escaping with a last gasp guess of BILLY – not that I had any other possibilities left.
I’d not heard of it before, but a billy is a kind of can or pot.
Daily Sequence today (game #1289) - the answers(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1289, are…
A new NYT Connections puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Monday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Connections hints and answers for Monday, August 4 (game #785).
Good morning! Let's play Connections, the NYT's clever word game that challenges you to group answers in various categories. It can be tough, so read on if you need Connections hints.
What should you do once you've finished? Why, play some more word games of course. I've also got daily Strands hints and answers and Quordle hints and answers articles if you need help for those too, while Marc's Wordle today page covers the original viral word game.
SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Connections today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.
NYT Connections today (game #786) - today's words(Image credit: New York Times)Today's NYT Connections words are…
What are some clues for today's NYT Connections groups?
Need more clues?
We're firmly in spoiler territory now, but read on if you want to know what the four theme answers are for today's NYT Connections puzzles…
NYT Connections today (game #786) - hint #2 - group answersWhat are the answers for today's NYT Connections groups?
Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.
NYT Connections today (game #786) - the answers(Image credit: New York Times)The answers to today's Connections, game #786, are…
Did you know that if you were to lay all the track of the New York SUBWAY from end to end it would reach all the way to Chicago?
I know this because today’s Connections sent me down a Wikipedia rabbit hole looking at the world’s SUBTERRANEAN TRANSIT systems.
Anyway, I digress. This was a great game for me, as I completed it in color order and it made me feel smarter than I am.
This was mainly down to getting USED TO DECORATE A SNOWMAN – giving us this group in the middle of the summer is a bit sneaky, but seeing COAL and CARROT beside each other I knew what we were looking for.
Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Monday, August 4, game #785)NYT Connections is one of several increasingly popular word games made by the New York Times. It challenges you to find groups of four items that share something in common, and each group has a different difficulty level: green is easy, yellow a little harder, blue often quite tough and purple usually very difficult.
On the plus side, you don't technically need to solve the final one, as you'll be able to answer that one by a process of elimination. What's more, you can make up to four mistakes, which gives you a little bit of breathing room.
It's a little more involved than something like Wordle, however, and there are plenty of opportunities for the game to trip you up with tricks. For instance, watch out for homophones and other word games that could disguise the answers.
It's playable for free via the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.
A new NYT Strands puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Monday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Monday, August 4 (game #519).
Strands is the NYT's latest word game after the likes of Wordle, Spelling Bee and Connections – and it's great fun. It can be difficult, though, so read on for my Strands hints.
Want more word-based fun? Then check out my NYT Connections today and Quordle today pages for hints and answers for those games, and Marc's Wordle today page for the original viral word game.
SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Strands today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.
NYT Strands today (game #520) - hint #1 - today's themeWhat is the theme of today's NYT Strands?• Today's NYT Strands theme is… We have a winner!
NYT Strands today (game #520) - hint #2 - clue wordsPlay any of these words to unlock the in-game hints system.
• Spangram has 10 letters
NYT Strands today (game #520) - hint #4 - spangram positionWhat are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?First side: left, 6th row
Last side: right, 1st row
Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.
NYT Strands today (game #520) - the answers(Image credit: New York Times)The answers to today's Strands, game #520, are…
It was possibly my LUCKY BREAK that I saw the spangram before anything else today, and immediately went in search of words associated with games of chance.
Not sure what DRAWING is in there for, but I guess numbers are drawn in lotteries and BINGO, so we’ll allow it.
Incredibly, I got SWEEPSTAKES without the S as a non-game word before I realized my error. A good job today’s search wasn’t too taxing.
Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Monday, August 4, game #519)Strands is the NYT's not-so-new-any-more word game, following Wordle and Connections. It's now a fully fledged member of the NYT's games stable that has been running for a year and which can be played on the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.
I've got a full guide to how to play NYT Strands, complete with tips for solving it, so check that out if you're struggling to beat it each day.
If you’re not including And Just Like That… season 3 in your best HBO Max shows of 2025 list, I can hardly blame you. Since its debut in 2021, the Sex and the City (SATC) sequel has had a rocky ride on screen, frequently being lambasted on social media for how it’s changed the core personalities of Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker), Charlotte (Kristen Davis) and Miranda (Cynthia Nixon). While Miranda left Steve (David Eigenberg) in the dust and transformed into a legal intern lesbian, Charlotte felt out of touch with her helicopter parenting of kids Rock (Alexa Swinton) and Lily (Cathy Ang).
I couldn’t even tell you who any of the middling replacements for Samantha (Kim Cattrall) are, with Cattrall herself making the career move of a lifetime by staying well away from this absolutely underwhelming car crash (well, all except for that excruciating season 2 finale cameo). The point is, none of our other stars come anywhere near her, but as much as we might want Samantha’s miraculous return in the season 3 finale to scold everyone for making such terrible television, it’s not going to happen.
So, what will happen, or perhaps the more important question is: what needs to happen? If you’ve been managing to stay awake while watching the HBO Max show, you’ll have noticed Carrie is slowly edging closer to the version of herself she used to be in Sex and the City. She’s easily the biggest stumbling block in And Just Like That… (ATLJ), and if we have to watch two more episodes until it’s over, she better have the best damn fictional U-turn TV has ever seen.
And Just Like That has been rough on everyone, but Carrie Bradshaw needs to come full circleSpoilers for And Just Like That… season 3 episodes 9 and 10 ahead.
If you’re a seasoned SATC watcher like me, you’ll have probably thought Carrie was the worst of the quartet in the 90s too… and you’d be right. Never taking responsibility for her own actions and feelings, and instead placing the blame anywhere else, she was too frustrating to consistently warm to (even if she was dressed immaculately). Watching her make the same mistakes over again was relatable and somewhat charming for the first few seasons, but after six seasons, two standalone movies and now three seasons of a sequel series, it all wears awfully thin.
That doesn’t mean Carrie hasn’t been through it in AJLT: she’s been through the fictional death of husband Big (Ron Galotti), the real-life death of Willie Garson, who played BFF Stanford, and she’s picked back up a tired-out situationship with Aidan (John Corbett). We’ve got to have some kind of sympathy for her, right? Wrong! For the bulk of ATLJ, Carrie’s been a burden on her friends, an even bigger burden on us, and the biggest burden of all to herself. All those years of living life in the city on screen, and she doesn’t seem to have learned a single lesson from them.
However, that’s slowly started to change. Just before breaking up with Aidan (finally) and striking up a sexy new attraction to Duncan (Jonathan Clarke), we see Miranda confront Carrie about her evasive defences after Charlotte’s house party in season 3 episode 9. Miranda points out the amount of continued distrust between Carrie and Aidan, and for a split second, AJLT becomes the closest thing we’ve ever seen to a true SATC revival. Finally cutting ties with what isn’t serving her is the healthiest move Carrie has made in years, but can she sustain it?
Here’s my pitch for the AJLT season 3 ending. Miranda stays with Joy (Dolly Wells) and continues to build a healthy relationship (nothing wrong with these two, so live and let live). Harry’s (Evan Handler) prostate cancer is cleared, leaving Charlotte space to thrive as the good friend and mother we know her to be, and the others… well, they can do whatever they like as we won’t be paying attention.
But Carrie needs to dump any and all men, work on herself in the therapeutic ways she’d always dismissed in SATC, and actually start to be a good person. We can’t bow out in good conscience if she still remains a threat to New York City’s female friendships, and there will truly be no evolution in her character if she leaves in an even worse state than when she started. In the most dramatic case, the best thing for Carrie would be to get out of New York completely, which could mean moving back to England with Duncan. Frankly, I don’t care where in the world she ends up, both Carrie and AJLT need to not be insufferable the first time ever in its final moments. I know it’s hard, but pretty please?
You might also likeThe US is now the ransomware capital of the world. The majority of the attacks are targeting US organizations, and in the last year, the number of attacks has dramatically spiked. These are the conclusions echoed in the 2025 Ransomware Report, published by cybersecurity experts Zscaler ThreatLabz.
Using proprietary data, as well as samples and information collected from the wider internet, Zscaler’s researchers determined that 50% of all ransomware attacks in the last year happened in the United States, “significantly outpacing” Canada (5%) and the UK (4%).
Even when you combine all the attacks reported across the top 15 most-targeted countries, there are fewer than 3,671 that were reported in the US.
Stealing without encryptingThe number of attacks is also increasing. Year-on-year, it is up by 146% in the US, with manufacturing (1,063), technology (922), and healthcare (672) being the most-targeted industries, mostly for the potential for operational disruption, the sensitive of the stolen data, and the risk of regulatory pressure and reputational damage. Companies in the oil and gas sector saw a “staggering” increase in ransomware attacks - 900% year-on-year.
Zscaler also said that ransomware actors are increasingly abandoning the encryption part of the attack, and are focusing solely on data theft. In the last year, 10 of the biggest ransomware groups exfiltrated 238 TB of data, up 92% from last year’s 123 TB.
Right now, the biggest names in the ransomware space are RansomHub (833 victims), Akira (520), and Clop (488), but the number of threat actors is also rising. In the last year alone, the researchers identified 34 newly active ransomware families, bringing the total number up to 425.
Ransomware “flourishes” in environments with fragmented security, limited visibility, implicit trust, and outdated legacy architectures, Zscaler stresses, urging businesses to mitigate these threats by adopting a cloud-native, AI-driven, zero-trust architecture.
You might also likeIt's almost time to return to Nevermore Academy. The second season of Wednesday, Netflix's massively popular TV take on The Addams Family franchise, is just a couple of days from making its debut. So, you'll want to know when Netflix's most-watched English language TV Original will return to a screen near you.
Below, I'll tell you when Wednesday season 2 will be released worldwide. Towards the end of this article, I'll also explain why the supernatural mystery series' next entry won't arrive in full on launch day and give you a full rundown of its complete release schedule.
So, throw on your favorite black ensemble, and get ready to get kooky and snap your fingers, and let's dive in together.
What is the release date and launch time for Wednesday season 2?Airhorns at the ready, everyone – Wednesday Addams' TV show returns this, well, Wednesday (Image credit: Netflix)Shocking no-one, Wednesday season 2 will be released on its weekday namesake. Indeed, one of the best Netflix shows' next semester at Nevermore will begin on Wednesday, August 6. It'll land on that date worldwide, too, so US viewers won't be able to watch it a day earlier on the world's best streaming service.
As for when new episodes of the Jenna Ortega-starring TV show will air, they'll roll out simultaneously across the world, albeit at different times. To find out when they'll drop where you live, check out the below list (NB: if your country isn't included, compare the 12am PT time slot to your time zone to determine when they'll be released where you live):
Wednesday season 2 volume 1 will comprise four episodes. They'll all drop on August 6, too, so you won't have to wait for new chapters to arrive every week.
As for why season 2 isn't launching in full: Netflix has made a point of releasing its biggest TV hits in two or three parts. Indeed, the most recent seasons of Stranger Things, Bridgerton, Cobra Kai, Emily in Paris, The Sandman, and Outer Banks have been split into various volumes.
In fact, Squid Game is the only one of its most popular TV Originals that didn't launch in two parts (you can make the argument that seasons 2 and 3 were two halves of the same installment, though). It's not a total surprise, then, that Wednesday is getting the same treatment as many of its peers.
When will Wednesday season 2 volume 2 launch on Netflix?We'll see much more of The Addams Family in Wednesday's latest season (Image credit: Netflix)The wait for Wednesday season 2's final four episodes might feel like a long one, but it won't be. That's because season 2 part 2 will launch on Netflix on Wednesday, September 3.
That quartet won't be the hit show's final episodes, either. On July 23, Netflix confirmed Wednesday season 3 had been greenlit. Prepare yourself for more murder-mystery adventures with the eponymous albeit reluctant hero in the future, then.
For more on the Tim Burton-directed series' return, check out our dedicated guide on Wednesday season 2 and read the section below for further coverage.
You might also likeApple has alluded to wanting to increase spending on artificial intelligence and data centers to catch up with rivals after early Apple Intelligence features have left users wanting more in the shadow of Microsoft and Google systems.
CEO Tim Cook expressed an interest in acquiring larger AI companies after the company bought out seven smaller companies in 2025, marking a shift from the iPhone maker's typical strategy of low-key acquisitions.
The news came as Apple announced its third-quarter financial results, revealing a 10% year-over-year quarterly revenue of $94.0 billion.
Apple plans to invest more in Apple IntelligenceSpeaking about double-digit growth across iPhone, Mac, and Services, Cook said: "We were excited to introduce a beautiful new software design that extends across all of our platforms, and we announced even more great Apple Intelligence features."
The company has fallen behind the likes of Microsoft and Google, who are spending around $85-100 billion annually on AI and data centers. Currently, Apple mostly relies on third-party data centers and has built a handful of AI tools in house, however users have been left facing disappointing launches and delays.
All of this could be about to change if Bloomberg reporting suggesting that Apple could buy Perplexity turns out to be true.
Speaking about data center spend on the earnings call, CFO Kevan Parekh explained: "It's not going to be exponential growth, but it is going to grow substantially."
However, Apple's cautious approach has proven valuable in terms of the company's environmental impact, where other companies have seen significant impacts from rapid data center expansion. In its 2024 Environmental Progress Report, the company highlighted its own proprietary server designs, which have boosted energy efficiency and reduced water consumption – they've also been powered by renewable energy since 2018.
You might also likeIt’s pretty much common knowledge by this point that Siri is lacking compared to rival assistants and artificial intelligence (AI) tools like ChatGPT. But according to a new report, Apple might be about to inject it with some much-needed power that could potentially transform it into a true force in AI.
In the latest edition of his Power On newsletter, Bloomberg journalist Mark Gurman claims that Apple is essentially building its own ChatGPT rival that would bring chatbot capabilities to Siri.
The company has reportedly created its own 'Answers, Knowledge and Information' team to do this – and if it works, it could fix one of the biggest gripes I have with Siri. Too often, I ask Siri a question, only for it to bring up a search engine results page and cheerily respond with “Here’s what I found on the web.”
Other times, it’ll suggest handing over to ChatGPT instead of answering the question itself. For example, just try asking Siri a relatively simple question – “what is the most common type of tree in North America?”, for instance – and it’ll ask if you want to enlist ChatGPT for this task.
Both outcomes highlight how incapable Siri is compared to AI tools like ChatGPT. It’s like Siri is hoisting the white flag. “I don’t know what the answer is, but maybe you can find it yourself?” seems to be the message it’s conveying.
(Image credit: Shutterstock)And there’s another aspect to this. Whereas ChatGPT can actually find the answer for me, Siri’s response is the equivalent of those sarcastic “let me Google that for you” web pages that rudely hint at your own stupidity for not simply searching for the answer yourself. That’s never a good look for a personal assistant like Siri.
But the bigger problem is that handing off to Google or ChatGPT doesn’t actually solve the problem I wanted a solution for in the first place, and it misses the entire reason why people ask Siri questions in the first place.
People ask Siri because they want answers, not because they want to do the heavy lifting themselves. If the outcome I’m looking for is a Google search results page, I could have opened Safari and done that myself. I wanted an answer, not more hunting around.
And that’s the key difference between tools like ChatGPT and Siri right now: ChatGPT provides answers, while Siri does not. Even when Siri ropes ChatGPT into the situation, it’s an extra step compared to Siri just giving you the result you wanted. Whatever the question, Siri is rarely the answer.
A shot in the arm(Image credit: Apple)Hopefully, Apple adding these “answer” capabilities to Siri could be the shot in the arm its virtual assistant desperately needs. That prospect is certainly more exciting to me than some of the other delayed Siri features, like its ability to work within apps or understand your personal context.
While those features are interesting and might grab the headlines, I don’t see myself using them very often. They’re more complex and specialized, whereas asking Siri a simple question is a much more common occurrence for me and, I suspect, the majority of Apple users.
Still, questions remain over how Apple will transform Siri into a proper answer engine. How will the company train Siri to be able to answer more questions? Will Siri simply search online for results, or will it be able to rely on stored knowledge? How will Siri be trained in a way that aligns with Apple’s much-vaunted privacy principles? And will it take away traffic from third-party websites, withering the web in the way ChatGPT and Google’s own AI overviews are threatening to do?
And then there’s the question of when Siri’s chatbot update will arrive. Apple is reportedly targeting a spring 2026 launch date for its next-generation Siri features, but that hasn’t previously included any mention of a chatbot, which could take a long time to develop. With AI developments moving at breakneck speed, will a Siri-based chatbot be able to keep up with its rivals?
Those questions will be answered in due course, but in the meantime, I’m looking forward to a more capable (and, frankly, less useless) virtual assistant. If Apple can offer these features in a way that respects your privacy and doesn’t rip off the world’s online content, then I won’t mind if Siri is a little less capable than ChatGPT. As long as it’s more capable than it is right now.
After all, the whole point of using an AI helper for search is to get actual answers, not a list of results that I could have searched for myself. If Apple can pull it off, this could be the upgrade Siri has been in dire need of for years.
You might also likeA South Korean tech YouTuber has taken on the challenge of unfolding and folding the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 200,000 times, putting Samsung’s latest flagship foldable through an extreme durability test.
YouTube channel Tech It is, at the time of writing, still streaming the experimental test, marking interesting developments as they go.
At 6,000 fold-unfold cycles, the phone suffered a reboot error, possibly overwhelmed by the constant switching between its folded and unfolded states.
At 46,000 cycles, the hinge began to creak – not encouraging at such a low number of folds, but keep in mind that this test is the furthest possible thing from everyday use.
At 75,000 cycles, text overlaid on the screen says an “unidentified liquid” began to leak from the hinge. Again, this is intriguing, but shouldn’t be cause for alarm unless you also plan to put your Galaxy Z Fold 7 through several thousand folds consecutively.
At the time of writing, the livestream has been running for nine hours, with just over 137,000 fold-unfold cycles registered. That suggests an average pace of around 4 cycles per second, though the current pace seems to have slowed to around 2.5 cycles per second.
At their current pace, and at the time of publishing, Tech It will complete their mission in around seven hours.
Should you pay attention to durability tests?The Galaxy Z Fold 7 is more durable than its predecessor on paper, but that's a hard claim to accurately test. (Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future)As we previously reported, Samsung claims the Galaxy Z Fold 7 can withstand 500,000 folds – assuming you unfold your phone 50 times a day, that’s around 27 years of daily usage.
However, there’s no truly useful way to put this claim to the test – it’s not practical, or sensible, for the everyday user to count and log each time they unfold their phone.
Here at TechRadar, we don’t test for durability – though phone makers are always improving the resilience and longevity of their devices, there’s simply no objective way to test most durability claims.
Even quantifiable limits, like the 500,000 fold promise made by Samsung, can rely on a number of factors like temperature, frequency of use, or manufacturing inconsistencies.
Still, there is some value in tests like this – in the latest infamous bend test from YouTuber Jerry Rig Everything, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 refused to break in half – that's about as blunt a measurement as you could possibly take, but still noteworthy for a hinged device.
So while these tests are fun and eye-catching, be sure to check out our guides to the best folding phones and the best Samsung phones to find out how these handsets perform in real-world usage.
You might also likeFrom new episodes of The Summer I Turned Pretty season 3 to the premiere of Amazon Originals like The Pickup (pictured above), Prime Video has a stacked list of new titles being added throughout the month.
August's lineup is slightly smaller then everything new on Prime Video in July, but there are notably more Amazon Originals to look out for, including two sporting docuseries Built in Birmingham: Brady & the Blues and Taurasi, the spy thriller Butterfly, the animated series Sausage Party: Foodtopia and the romantic drama The Map That Leads to You.
As usual, these titles will be joined by a bumper crop of licensed movies from the Hollywood vaults, including 80s classics such as Raging Bull and Sixteen Candles, and various live sporting matches from the New York Yankees, WNBA, and more. Read on for the full list of everything new on one of the best streaming services.
Everything new on Prime Video in August 2025Arriving August 1
30 Rock seasons 1–7 (2006) – TV show
A Guy Thing (2003) – movie
Big Fat Liar (2002) – movie
Blow Out (1981) – movie
Built in Birmingham: Brady & the Blues (2025) – TV show
Cape Fear (1991) – movie
Conan the Barbarian (1982) – TV show
Conan the Destroyer (1984) – TV show
Death Becomes Her (1992) – movie
Death Race (2008) – movie
Death Race (Unrated) (2008) – movie
Duck, You Sucker! A Fistful of Dynamite (1972) – movie
Hazlo como hombre (2017) – movie
Hercules (2014) – movie
Howard the Duck (1986) – movie
King Solomon's Mines (1985) – movie
Lady Chatterley's Lover (2022) – movie
Lone Survivor (2013) – movie
Love Actually (2003) – movie
Maid in Manhattan (2002) – movie
Mermaids (1990) – movie
Miami Vice (2006) – movie
Mr. Mom (1983) – movie
Navy SEALS (1990) – movie
Only the Brave (2017) – movie
Out of Time (2003) – movie
Over the Top (1987) – movie
Overboard (2018) – movie
Pulp Fiction (1994) – movie
Raging Bull (1980) – movie
Ranchlands season 1 (2019) – TV show
Red Dragon (2002) – movie
Sixteen Candles (1984) – movie
Sleepover (2004) – movie
Something New (2006) – movie
Stigmata (1999) – movie
The Alamo (2004) – movie
The Battle of Britain (1969) – movie
The Return of the Living Dead (1985) – movie
The Strangers (2008) – movie
Transformers (2007) – movie
Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011) – movie
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009) – movie
Uptown Girls (2003) – movie
Walking Tall (2004) – movie
Walking Tall: The Payback (2007) – movie
Wrath of Man (2021) – movie
Yours, Mine and Ours (1968) – movie
August 2
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (2024) – movie
August 6
My Dead Boyfriend (2016) – movie
The Pickup (2025) – movie
The Summer I turned Pretty season 3 episode 5 (2025) – TV show
August 7
Taurasi (2025) – TV show
August 11
Father Stu (2022) – movie
August 13
Butterfly season 1 (2025) – TV show
Run the Tide (2016) – movie
Sausage Party: Foodtopia season 2 (2025) – TV show
The Summer I Turned Pretty season 3 episode 6 (2025) – TV show
August 15
Betty la Fea: La Historia Continúa season 2 (2025) – TV show
The Siege at Thorn High (2025) – movie
August 16
Creed (2015) – movie
August 18
Homefront (2013) – movie
August 20
Pocket Listing (2016) – movie
The Map That Leads to You (2025) – movie
The Summer I Turned Pretty season 3 episode 7 (2025) – TV show
August 21
Thursday Night Football (2025) – TV show
August 22
The Intern (2015) – movie
Wolf Man (2025) – movie
August 25
Upload season 4 (2025) – TV show
August 27
The Summer I Turned Pretty season 3 episode 6 (2025) – TV show
The Terminal List: Dark Wolf (2025) – TV show
August 29
Last Breath (2025) – movie
August 30
Hannibal season 1–3 (2013) – TV show
You might also likeMicrosoft's Windows 11 is on the verge of receiving significant updates leading into 2026, specifically for gamers with its new Xbox PC app 'full-screen experience'. However, it appears as though Valve's Linux-based operating system is gradually taking the lead as the better operating system for gaming.
As reported by TweakTown, Steam's July 2025 Hardware & Software survey results suggests gamers are switching to Valve's SteamOS from Microsoft's Windows 11, with a 0.32% growth in Linux market share – while the market share for Windows 11 fell by 0.44%.
TweakTown highlights that Linux's 2.89% operating system market share equates to around four million players out of Steam's 132 million users, so the growth is fairly significant. It may also be a huge indication of how popular handheld gaming has become since Valve introduced its Steam Deck back in 2022, if a majority of these results stem from handheld gamers.
It's quite clear that Valve's SteamOS still has a long way to go in terms of its user count compared to Windows 11, but the Linux operating system has arguably already surpassed Windows in terms of game performance, accessibility, and features.
It's also worth noting that both Valve and Microsoft have pledged commitments to improve their respective operating systems. The former plans to expand SteamOS's compatibility with other handhelds and desktop PCs, while Microsoft is bringing a 'full-screen experience' to handhelds, debuting on the ROG Xbox Ally.
Analysis: I doubt the new Xbox PC app 'full-screen experience' will check the SteamOS momentum(Image credit: Future)As I've stated previously, it's very hard for me to see how Microsoft's upcoming Xbox PC app experience will shift me away from SteamOS, because the latter has simply won me over (at least with handhelds).
I won't say Microsoft doesn't stand a chance, and I'm certainly going to be checking it out once it's available – but I think the stage is already set for Valve to take the lead when it comes to PC gaming.
The tools at my disposal while using Bazzite (a SteamOS clone) are great for UI customization, and perhaps most importantly, improved game performance with Decky Framegen and Decky Lossless Scaling, all via Decky Loader.
Sure, there are certainly equivalent tools on Windows 11, but navigation and tinkering on this operating system, especially with a handheld, is something I don't want to deal with anymore. That's why this 'full-screen experience' sounds promising, as it sounds like an equivalent to SteamOS's game mode.
Microsoft's new efforts to improve gaming on its operating system are very welcome and appreciated, and I think it will attract many gamers once it launches with the ROG Xbox Ally – but overall, I suspect it won't check SteamOS's momentum.
You might also like...More than 11,000 Android devices were recently infected by a new variant of the PlayPraetor remote access trojan (RAT).
This is according to cybersecurity researchers Cleafy, who said that there is an ongoing, aggressive campaign to distribute the malware to as many devices as possible. So far, the RAT creates more than 2,000 new infections every week, targeting mostly devices in Portugal, Spain, France, Morocco, Peru, and Hong Kong.
PlayPraetor is apparently a Chinese piece of malware, The Hacker News reports. Citing previous research, the publication claims there are “thousands” of fake Google Play Store download pages, advertised through Meta Ads and SMS messages, in an attempt to reach as big of an audience as it can. So far, the researchers spotted five distinct variants of PlayPraetor, among which is one called Phantom, and a variant called Phish.
Hundreds of spoofed appsThose that end up installing the malware can expect to lose their banking credentials, have their clipboard tracked, and their keystrokes/taps logged. At the moment, PlayPreator can impersonate more than 200 banking apps and cryptocurrency wallets, as it delivers an overlay that steals the login credentials.
Besides pretending to be actual apps, the malware is also distributed through fake Progressive Web Apps (PWA), as well as WebView-based apps. The latter was observed in the Phish variant while Phantom, for example, exploits accessibility services to obtain persistent access.
This variant also grants the attackers the ability to conduct on-device fraud and is apparently operated by two affiliates who control almost two-thirds of the botnet (around 4,500 endpoints).
To defend against such attacks, the best course of action is to be careful when downloading apps, and only go for those listed on official repositories such as the Play Store. Even there, users should only go for apps developed by well-established brands, which have thousands of downloads and positive reviews.
Via The Hacker News
You might also likeTurtle Beach's competitive gaming accessory brand Victrix has revealed the successor to one of its best controllers.
The Turtle Beach Victrix Pro BFG Reloaded is an overhauled version of the popular Victrix Pro BFG, already one of of the best PS5 controllers today. It retains all the modular functionality of the original but boasts an enhanced design with an improved fightpad module designed for a better claw grip.
It also comes with Hall effect thumbsticks and triggers right out of the box, two major upgrades that should improve precision and help reduce wear over the years.
In addition to the PlayStation variant, an Xbox version will also be available. Both come in either black or white colorways, and cost $209.99 / £179.99.
Although the controller is out now in the UK, it's currently exclusively available to attendees of EVO 2025 in the US. It's up for pre-order on the Turtle Beach website, though, for a wider September 28 release.
The Victrix Pro BFG stands apart from most controllers thanks to its unique modularity. It can be customized and tweaked via a range of interchangeable components, such as alternate d-pads, thumbstick caps, and gates.
It also boasts a range of high-end features, including remappable rear buttons, a hair-trigger mode, and a robust companion app.
You might also like...It’s looking increasingly likely that the iPhone 17 series will cost more than previous models, because while we haven't seen many price leaks yet, most of the ones we have seen point in that direction – including the latest one.
According to leaker @Jukanlosreve, the iPhone 17 series will cost roughly $50 (around £40 / AU$75) more than the iPhone 16 series.
If that's the case, the starting price of the iPhone 17 would be around $850 / £850 / AU$1,475, the starting price of the iPhone 17 Pro would be roughly $1,050 / £1,050 / AU$1,875, and the starting price of the iPhone 17 Pro Max would be approximately $1,250 / £1,250 / AU$2,225.
A Brief Note on iPhone 17 Series Price IncreaseA few days ago, Jefferies analysts revealed in their note that the iPhone 17 series could see a $50 price increase.Additionally, WSJ reported last May that Apple was considering raising prices for the iPhone 17 series.Apple's…August 4, 2025
We’re also expecting an iPhone 17 Air, and this has previously been said to cost around the same as the iPhone 16 Plus, which would mean $899 / £899 / AU$1,599, though possibly around $50 / £40 / AU$75 more if this latest price leak is right.
In any case, this $50 increase claim echoes a recent report from Jefferies analyst Edison Lee (via @DeItaone), who claimed that all models except the standard iPhone 17 would see this increase.
@Jukanlosreve for their part claims to have reached this figure through modeling how tariffs, “the weak dollar effect”, and Apple’s own efforts to reduce the cost of components will impact the price.
A full selection of shadesPotential price rises are never fun, but in more positive news, leaked photos of potentially every iPhone 17 series shade have emerged.
Which model and color will you choose this year? pic.twitter.com/AtDFutgSX0August 3, 2025
Shared by leaker Majin Bu, these show the iPhone 17 in black, white, pink, blue, and green shades, the iPhone 17 Air in black, white, blue, and a pale yellow, and the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max in black, white, blue, gray, and brown.
These colors largely match what we saw in another recent iPhone 17 colors leak, but the green and gray shades weren’t included there, and the color that looks brown here appeared more orange in that leak – so there’s still plenty of uncertainty around exactly which colors will be on offer.
We should know exactly what will be on offer fairly soon though, as the iPhone 17 series is likely to launch in the first half of September, so around a month from now.
You might also likeThere is a growing trend in client-side attacks, as cybercriminals are increasingly exploiting mobile browsers to bypass traditional security controls.
This is according to the latest “Client-Side Attack Report Q2 2025”, published by security researchers c/side. A “client-side” attack is a type of security breach that occurs on the user’s device (typically on their browser or mobile app), rather than on the server.
Based on extensive research of the market (compromised domains, autonomous crawling, AI-driven script analysis, and behavioral review of third-party JavaScript dependencies), the report says cybercriminals are injecting malicious code into service workers and the Progressive Web App (PWA) logic of popular WordPress themes.
Weaker sandboxingOnce a mobile user visits an infected site, the browser viewport is hijacked using a full-screen iframe. The victim is then lured into installing a fake PWA, often disguised as an adult-themed APK or a crypto app, hosted on rotating subdomains.
Primarily, the apps are designed to persist on the device beyond the browser session and act as a long-term foothold. However, they can also steal login credentials (by spoofing login pages or browser prompts), intercept cryptocurrency wallet interactions, and drain assets by injecting malicious scripts. In some cases, the apps can hijack session tokens, as well.
The criminals are using different techniques to evade detection, including fingerprinting and cloaking techniques that prevent the payload from being triggered in sandboxed environments, or by automated scanners.
The mobile platform is being increasingly targeted because web browsers have weaker sandboxing and limited runtime visibility, which makes them more vulnerable and susceptible to attacks. At the same time, c/side says users are more likely to trust full-screen prompts, or install suggested apps, without suspecting anything.
To mitigate the risk, there are things both developers and end-users can do, c/side says. Devs and site operators should monitor and secure third-party scripts, since these are a common delivery mechanism for malicious payloads. C/side also advocates for real-time visibility into what scripts are executing in the browser, rather than relying solely on server-side protections.
Users, on the other hand, should be careful when installing Progressive Web Apps from unfamiliar sources, and should be skeptical of unexpected login flows, particularly those that seem to come from Google.
You might also likeA new round of potential PlayStation 6 leaks has come to light, this time from YouTuber and leaker Moore's Law Is Dead.
As reported by Wccftech, MLID has shared details of an AMD presentation from 2023, which allegedly contains an overview of specifications for the upcoming PlayStation 6 (codenamed Orion).
Judging by the leaked specs, it seems that PlayStation 6 will be less of a revolution and more of a refinement. It's targeting lower power consumption than the base PS5, and while it reportedly has fewer compute units than the PS5 Pro, it should be able to run faster.
PlayStation 6 is also expected to feature AMD's next-generation RDNA 5 architecture. In theory, this should deliver increased performance over the PS5 Pro. The presentation also suggests a higher overall bandwidth threshold than PS5 Pro, via GDDR7. PS6's bandwidth could reach anywhere between 640-768GB/s, an increase over the Pro's 576GB/s.
With all that in mind, PlayStation 6 - at least according to this presentation - is expected to boast roughly equivalent performance to the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4080 graphics processing unit. It should also retain backwards compatibility with PS5 and PS4 games, and could cost around $499. The console is expected to ship sometime in late 2027 or early 2028.
Overall, while these leaked specs don't necessarily point to a dramatic upgrade over PS5 Pro, it's looking like PlayStation 6 will still be a decent and more energy-efficient improvement. The fact that it may also cost $200 less than the PS5 Pro definitely has my wallet breathing a little easier, as well.
The PS6 sounds like a similar beast to the next Xbox console, which MLID also leaked specs for recently. The difference here is that Microsoft may be targeting much higher graphical fidelity and performance with an ambitious goal of hitting 120fps at 4K resolution.
As ever, take all these leaks with a pinch of salt. At this early stage, specs such as this should be treated as estimated targets, rather than an outright confirmation of internals and performance.
You might also like...- Filming began in July
- Teaser trailer reveals cast and location
- Six of the show's main characters confirmed to return
- New cast members also announced
- Season 4 focuses on the AFC Richmond women's team
- Cast contracts hint at a possible new three-season arc
Ted Lasso season 4 is officially back filming. It may seem like surprising news given how season 3 ended, but the story is far from over for one of the best Apple TV+ shows. While Ted returned to the States, his football coaching journey won't be ending there as there's seemingly a whole new direction that Ted and his team are ready to explore.
From its very first season, the series became a global hit for the streaming service, thanks to an exceptional cast and uplifting charm of the endlessly optimistic yet inexperienced coach, Ted Lasso. Here’s everything you need to know about Ted Lasso season 4 from release date prediction, confirmed cast, plot rumors and more.
Spoilers for seasons 1-3 of Ted Lasso to follow. Potential spoilers for Ted Lasso season 4.
Ted Lasso season 4 release date speculationApple TV+ isn't letting its biggest hitter go that easy after it confirmed on March 14 that Ted Lasso season 4 was officially in development.
And there's even better news as it's now been revealed that filming for season 4 is officially underway, commending in late July as the Ted Lasso main cast reunited in an Apple TV+ season 4 teaser.
In the clip, Jason Sudeikis (Ted Lasso), Hannah Waddingham (Rebecca Welton), Juno Temple (Keeley Jones) and Jeremy Swift (Leslie Higgins) are all seen gathering round a restaurant table in Kansas City – a far cry from the show's usual location, Richmond.
So, if I was to make a Ted Lasso season 4 release date prediction, I'd imagine it'll be mid- to late-2026.
Ted Lasso season 4 trailer: is there one?A Ted Lasso season 4 full trailer is a while away (Image credit: Apple TV Plus)Given Ted Lasso season 4 only began filming in July, there’s certainly no full trailer available to watch yet.
While there's the brief teaser trailer that confirmed production, it only saw four of the cast sat around a table. For a full trailer, I'm sure it'll arrive in 2026. When it does, I'll update this section here. So, be sure to check back!
Ted Lasso season 4 confirmed castHannah Waddingham reprises her role alongside other big names (Image credit: Apple TV Plus)Full spoilers follow for Ted Lasso season 3.
When it comes to Ted Lasso season 4 cast, a report from Deadline reveals the confirmed cast, both old and new, revealed so far:
For the six confirmed returning cast, it's believed they have three-year pacts which, Deadline says, ties in with "speculation that Sudeikis has a new three-season arc in mind for Ted Lasso's new chapter".
For now, the new cast members, reportedly all series regulars joining the show, have roles yet to be confirmed. But, as reported by Deadline, it's believed some of the new cast "are expected to play players for the AFC Richmond women's soccer team at the center of Ted Lasso's new arc".
It's not clear whether the rest of the Ted Lasso cast will be returning, although Nick Mohammed (Nathan Shelley), in an official post on X (formerly Twitter) shared a video apologizing for having to move his upcoming tour dates, saying: “I know there’ll be speculation as to why you’ve moved these dates [...] I’ll be honest, it is for some filming.” With the hashtag, Ted Lasso.
But, one cast member that we're sure won't be returning is AFC Richmond's top player, Jamie Tartt (Phil Dunster).
According to Puck News' Matthew Belloni, he's not expected to return due to scheduling conflicts. Clarifying: "To be clear, I mean as a series regular. Maybe he pops in for a guest spot or two."
Finally, you'll also notice Ted's son, Henry, has had an actor change. Previously Gus Turner in seasons 1-3, Feely has been cast in what Deadline believes to be due to the "required soccer proficiency" for the role.
Ted Lasso season 4 potential plot synopsis and rumorsA new direction for Ted Lasso season 4 (Image credit: Apple TV Plus)Major spoilers follow for Ted Lasso seasons 1-3. Potential spoilers for Ted Lasso season 4.
The biggest question over Ted Lasso season 4 is what it'll look like with Ted returning back to the States? Or, whether season 4 could be a spin-off, following Rebecca, Roy, and Leslie, given that they're all confirmed to return? Roy, as newly-appointed manager of AFC Richmond, could certainly be an option.
But, as we see Ted, Rebecca, Keeley and Leslie reunite in Kansas City in the teaser trailer, it seems it could be an entirely new story altogether. And, as per season 4's official logline (reported in Deadline): "Ted returns to Richmond, taking on his biggest challenge yet: coaching a second division women's football team.
"Throughout the course of the season, Ted and the team learn to leap before they look, taking chances they never thought they would."
This all ties into casting news with new characters joining to play the players of the AFC Richmond women's team.
And there's also been rumors about whether Ted Lasso will begin a new three-season arc, supported by the news that the main cast have confirmed three-year pacts.
When asked by Consequence about the possibility of a planned three-season arc, executive producer Brendan Hunt, aka Coach Beard, said: “Yes. Another arc is possible after this, for sure. We have always seen it as some kind of three-beat thing.
"Originally those three beats were more going to be modeled on what [the British] The Office did, you know, six eps, a special, boom, we’re done. We’ve certainly expanded those beats, but it does not mean that the whole kit and caboodle is getting chucked."
Nick Mohammed's Nate is surely going to be part of AFC Richmond's backroom team (Image credit: Apple TV Plus)In season 3, we also watched as Nate struggled to find his feet at his new job at West Ham, suddenly returning to AFC Richmond with a lower-level job by the season's end.
While he was abrasive towards Ted in the seasons up to this moment, his return to the club was met with Ted’s decision to leave and head back to Kansas. Though Nate was showing a different side to his character with several panic attacks over season 3 alluding to a deeper meaning, the path wasn't followed any further. For Nate, there's definitely potential for more.
The AFC Richmond players have more to say (Image credit: Apple TV Plus)While the men's team for AFC Richmond were keen to impress in the Premier League in season 3, the focus now turns to the women's team. No huge surprise given the conversations between Rebecca and Keeley towards the end of the season. But, it seems, Keeley got her wish.
With a new team, new season arc and new characters all joining for Ted Lasso season 4, the shift is officially happening. And Jason Sudeikis told the New Heights podcast: "It's exciting, and I mean, it's daunting, you know? Because we told the story we wanted to tell. But there's more there and it is a neat group of people to work with."
Ted Lasso: will there be more seasons?With a whole new team, Ted looks set for more seasons (Image credit: Apple TV Plus)With Ted Lasso season 4 officially in production, all the signs are positive for more seasons to come. The biggest hint though is Deadline's report revealing that the confirmed returning main cast members have signed up for a three-year pact. For this, I think there's every possibility we're looking at a new three-season arc.
Season 4 will turn its focus to the AFC Richmond women's team and since the men's team got a glorious three-season story, there's hopes that the women's team will follow suit. But, there's currently no official plans for season 5 and beyond.
Speaking to Jimmy Kimmel though, Brett Goldstein shared his thoughts about the show's future: "I think we'd love to do it forever, but I think there's a limit..."
While season 3 felt like an end for the show, it wasn't. So, there's hopes for more when we've already been given an extra lifeline.
For more Apple TV Plus show-related coverage, read our guides on Slow Horses season 5, Presumed Innocent season 2, Severance season 3, and the best Apple TV+ movies worth streaming today.
We're likely some five months away from the launch of the Galaxy S26 series, if Samsung sticks to its usual schedule in 2026, and the latest leak around these devices concerns a useful-sounding upgrade to contactless payments.
According to South Korean outlet ETNews (via SamMobile), Samsung is going to improve the Near Field Communication (NFC) tech in its next flagships – the protocol that powers in-person payments on all modern-day smartphones.
Samsung is planning to add a new NFC antenna right at the top of the phone, the report suggests, to go with the one next to the rear camera. That should mean that when you tap to pay, there's much less of a chance of missing the mark.
It would also put the Galaxy series on a par with recent iPhones, including the iPhone 16. Apple's handsets already have this kind of setup in place, and indeed Apple owns several patents for the tech, which Samsung has only just been able to work around.
No connection worriesNFC payments continue to grow in numberThis may seem like a rather minor upgrade compared to components like chipsets, batteries, and cameras, but with contactless payments becoming more popular across the world it's certainly going to be a welcome improvement.
Mobile payments on current Samsung phones work fine, most of the time, but the positioning of the single NFC antenna can mean a connection sometimes isn't registered – which should no longer be the case with the Galaxy S26.
Of course this isn't official yet, until Samsung announces it. Other upgrades we've heard rumored for the Galaxy S26 series include boosts to charging speeds and camera quality, while the Edge model might fully replace the Plus model next year.
Samsung recently unveiled its latest flagship foldable handsets, and these may point towards stylings and features for the Galaxy S26 – check out our Galaxy Z Fold 7 review and Galaxy Z Flip 7 review for more details of those phones.
You might also likeIt sounds like science fiction: “Could AI run for president?” But as someone who’s spent decades building software systems that prevent failure in high-stakes environments, I believe we’re approaching a moment when this question won’t sound ridiculous—it will sound inevitable.
By 2032, AI tools won’t just be answering our questions or drafting our emails. It will be deeply embedded in the systems that shape our lives: our healthcare, our education, our justice systems—and yes, even our governance. I’m not saying we’ll elect a robot to office. But I am saying that an AI might be the most impartial, consistent, and evidence-driven decision-maker in the room.
Let me explain.
What Software Taught Me About Broken SystemsBuilding software that anticipates failure taught me to look beyond surface-level issues and ask what’s really driving breakdowns—whether in code or in government. That’s what data and AI do best: find meaning in complexity.
Around 2019, I began to notice a deeply unsettling pattern—one that had nothing to do with code. Public trust in governments was collapsing. Democracies were paralyzed by short-term incentives, disinformation, and gridlock. Meanwhile, leadership decisions were increasingly detached from facts, drowning in emotion and noise.
I found myself asking the kind of question that gets you strange looks at dinner parties: What if AI could help us govern better than we govern ourselves?
AI Isn’t Perfect—But Neither Are WeWhen people talk about AI, they usually split into two camps: utopians who believe it will save us, and doomsayers who fear it will destroy us. But I’ve worked closely with AI systems. I know what they can do—and what they can’t.
AI doesn’t have desires. It doesn’t seek power. It doesn’t fear losing elections or gaining popularity. It doesn’t lie to protect its ego.
That’s not just a limitation. It’s also a strength.
Humans bring empathy, values, and creativity—but also bias, ego, and self-interest. AI, when designed ethically and transparently, brings clarity, consistency, and impartiality. It can help us make data-driven decisions that aren’t held hostage by emotion or lobbyists.
The realization hit me hard: for decades I’ve used technology to reduce failure in software. Couldn’t we use the same thinking to reduce failure in leadership?
What Changed My ThinkingI started imagining a governance model where AI doesn’t replace politicians—but augments them. A system where AI:
- Flags inconsistencies in laws.
- Predicts the impact of policy across different demographics.
- Helps allocate resources more equitably.
- Identifies disinformation in real time.
In short, AI wouldn’t run the world. It would help us run it better.
That’s why I coined the term AICracy—a system where AI assists governance with transparency and ethical guardrails, proposing evidence-based ideas for human leaders to shape, debate, and vote on. It’s not automation of politics. It’s optimization of decision-making.
What I’ve Learned—and What You Can Take AwayOver the years, I’ve come to believe that AI won’t undermine leadership—it will elevate it, if we let it. Here are a few principles I live by:
1) AI is only as good as the humans guiding it
Like steel, AI can build bridges or swords. It’s up to us to embed values, ethics, and context into the system.
2) Don’t see AI as a competitor—see it as an amplifier
It won’t replace human intuition. But it can scale clarity and reduce noise in overwhelmed systems.
3) Fairness is a systems challenge, not just a moral one
AI can analyze patterns of inequality and help us intervene—if we’re bold enough to use it.
4) AI can’t make moral decisions—but it can support more moral systems
Human oversight is critical. The goal isn’t to escape responsibility, but to deepen it—with better tools.
Where It’s All HeadedOut of curiosity, I recently asked ChatGPT and Gemini how they envision themselves evolving by 2032. Their answers startled me—not because they were outlandish, but because they aligned with what I already suspected:
By then, AI will be more transparent, accountable, and aligned with human values. It will help governments, companies, and communities reason across massive complexity in real time. It won’t just provide answers—it will become a collaborator in solving society’s hardest problems.
The question won’t be “Can AI govern?”
It will be: “Why would we keep governing without it?”
We’re not electing an AI president—yet. But by 2032, we may trust one to help us decide how to govern better. That, to me, is not far-fetched. It’s necessary.
We list the best AI chatbot for business.
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