Technology

For the past year or so, predictions of SaaS's demise have dominated the tech conversation.

Headlines warned that AI tools would replace traditional software, engineers would become obsolete and the SaaS industry itself was headed for extinction.

The narrative became so widespread that Wall Street gave it a name: the ‘SaaSpocalypse’.

Fortunately, reality has proved far less dramatic.

While the SaaS market - once the darling of investors - has undoubtedly taken a substantial hit, it is a long way from dead. In fact, I would argue that software doesn't die; it evolves.

If history has taught us anything, then it’s that major technology shifts rarely eliminate software altogether. Instead, they reshape it, with the biggest winners often being those agile enough to adapt.

From the rise of the internet to the shift to cloud computing, time and time again we’ve seen established players demonstrate an ability to evolve alongside technological change.

The AI era is unlikely to be any different.

SaaS subsectors best positioned to unlock AI-enabled growth

And I’m not alone in this view. Over recent months a number of high-profile economists, technology historians and analysts have arrived at that same conclusion. JPMorgan continues to champion the SaaS subsectors best positioned to unlock AI-enabled growth. Meanwhile, Goldman Sachs projects the global app software market could still reach $780bn by 2030, with agentic AI ultimately expanding the market rather than shrinking it.

Put bluntly, AI isn’t killing SaaS but rather separating the bad from the good. For years, SaaS startups have benefited from intense market hype and lofty valuations, often with minimum regard given to operational efficiencies, product differentiation or true value creation. Today that playing field looks a lot different. In effect, AI is now acting as a filter, revealing which SaaS models are superior and offer a genuine point of differentiation and, in turn, those which have for far too long favored style over substance.

For SaaS founders then, it isn’t time to panic. In our experience, investors-in-the-know will be more than willing to overlook the misguided SaaS narrative and recognize a genuine high potential opportunity should it arise.

Take, for example, the mid-market. Although much focus tends to surround the startup scene, I would argue that established software vendors are actually best positioned for AI transformation. After all, they already possess powerful structural advantages, including proprietary customer data, deeply embedded workflows and long-term contracts.

Moreover, they often sit on years of customer data. In this way, unlike startups where the focus is typically product, these firms actually have something meaningful to transform.

Well positioned to use AI to strengthen their market position

Far from becoming obsolete overnight, many are well positioned to use AI to strengthen their market position. Take, for example, Keyword.com. Having early recognized that search itself is changing, it launched a product to track brand visibility across AI platforms like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Gemini. That repositioning opened up an entirely new growth vector.

In terms of how founders can best navigate this new terrain, it’s important to look beyond product and focus on structural resilience. For a long time, SaaS benefited from assumptions such as high multiples on ARR, heavy adjustments for stock-based compensation, and a willingness to prioritize growth over almost everything else.

That is now being replaced by a much more grounded framework. Investors are increasingly looking at real profitability, on a GAAP basis, and asking harder questions about cost structure, for example around sales and marketing efficiency, and now AI-related compute costs as well.

At the same time, as founders will be aware AI is introducing new variables. Revenue may be less predictable if it’s usage-based, and margins can be more dynamic because of inference costs, meaning investors won’t simply rely on simple rules of thumb anymore.

Valuation is becoming less about applying a multiple and more about understanding the underlying business, with a focus on true earnings quality, defensibility and efficiency.

Another significant but largely underappreciated upshot of the current environment is the emergence of roll-up opportunities.

The SaaS landscape is becoming increasingly fragmented

As valuations normalize and weaker players struggle to differentiate, the SaaS landscape is becoming increasingly fragmented. This creates fertile ground for consolidation strategies, particularly for investors with deep sector expertise.

Importantly too, AI enhances this model by enabling efficiencies across portfolios, from automated customer support to streamlined marketing and product development.

For investors, this is opening up a different kind of opportunity in terms of not just backing individual high-growth companies but participating in broader aggregation strategies that can unlock value through scale and operational improvement.

This means that purposefully positioning your business for ease of integration and standardization could pay dividends.

The short of it? Software isn’t going anywhere. Just like the major tech trends before it, it is simply evolving from a market that is less about hype and surface-level metrics to a more practical, mature model driven by genuine business outcomes.

For founders, this may mean navigating a more complex operating environment. But it also creates an exciting opportunity to differentiate.

Not all SaaS firms are primed for this new investment landscape, so those who pay due diligence by prioritizing intelligence over features, operational prowess and AI interoperability to deliver clear, measurable value will be best positioned to succeed.

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This article was produced as part of TechRadar Pro Perspectives, our channel to feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today.

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While it's certainly well designed and delivers respectable 1080p gaming performance, another PC offers better frames per dollar.

• KnowBe4 finds 55% of UK workers admit to using unapproved AI tools
• Only 16% believe they're effectively managing safe AI
• 27% supplement corporate AI with more suitable tools

More than half (55%) of UK employees admit to using unapproved AI tools at work, with as many as one in 10 knowingly sharing sensitive company information with these unauthorized tools, new research has warned.

The new report from KnowBe4 serves a purpose of defining shadow AI as unapproved AI, not AI use that goes under the radar, because the number of UK cybersecurity decision-makers identifying shadow AI as the biggest risk is nearly matched (58%), implying they're well aware of the challenges.

However, little seems to be being done, because only 16% believe their organization is effective at managing AI's safe use at the moment.

Shadow AI is an ongoing challenge

Nearly half (46%) have implemented targets to improve AI agent safety over the next 12 months, but with one in five (19%) already reporting that AI agents take autonomous action across multiple workflows with limited human oversight, the risks remain clear.

"UK businesses are embracing AI to drive productivity [but] many employees are still under pressure, using unapproved tools and regularly facing (and fearing) sophisticated threats such as deepfakes and phishing," Lead CISO Javvad Malik wrote.

Shadow AI doesn't necessarily mean that employees are turning their backs on enterprise-grade tools, with 27% admitting to occasionally sourcing their own tools on top of the tools they're given, indicating that companies are failing to provide the right tools that workers need.

So while governing AI's use with clearly defined policies is one area for improvement, simply providing workers with the tools they're demanding could go a long way to reducing shadow AI's impact on any organization.

Even though Prime Day is over, the big summer sales aren't going anywhere just yet. Currys is keeping its latest Epic Deals event going for just a little longer, giving you more time to save up to 40% on thousands of items. That's a whole lot of tech, so I've searched through the sale and picked out the 18 best deals I'd buy that are actually good offers.

• View the full Currys Summer Epic Deals sale

One of the biggest areas of the sale is TVs, with several displays on offer across a vast range of price points. It's been a popular time to upgrade with the World Cup going on, and if you've felt the need for a bigger and better screen, then consider this Hisense U7Q Pro 55-inch Mini-LED TV for £649 (was £699) — a great price for a TV packed with so many premium features that offers excellent picture quality.

I've gathered up more of the top deals from the Currys Epic Deals sale I recommend below, including discounts on laptops, headphones, appliances, vacuums, and more.

Currys bank holiday sale — quick links

• Appliances: up to 40% off Hotpoint & LG
• Headphones: JBL & Bose from £29.99
• Health & Beauty: up to £150 off Philips & Oral-B
• Kitchen: up to £70 off Tefal & De'Longhi
• Laptops: from £149
• Outdoors: up to 40% off spas & BBQs
• Phones: up to £205 off Honor & Samsung
• Tablets: Lenovo & Samsung from £89
• TVs: from £129
• Vacuums: up to £150 off Dyson & Shark

Currys Summer Epic Deals sale — my 18 top picks

As some of the best noise-cancelling earbuds on the market, it's great to see this £50 price drop on the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds. For the money, you get amazing active noise cancellation and beautifully balanced sound, all topped off with a gorgeous design and impressive 8.5-hour battery life. Altogether, these are some of the best mid-range earbuds available now and are back to a record-low price.View Deal

This deal brings the Hisense U7Q Mini-LED TV, which is a TV with a lot to offer, down to a record-low price. The U7Q supports Dolby Vision and HDR10 Plus formats for more vivid colours and a sharper image, while 4K 144Hz and AMD FreeSync Premium Pro are available for smooth and responsive gaming. There aren't many TVs on the market that come with these features at this kind of price point, so this is a deal worth checking out. View Deal

The Nespresso Vertuo Pop is one of the best entry-level coffee machines around, with one-touch brewing so you can easily heat up in just 30 seconds. Use it with the included pods, and it does all the hard work for you, with the option of different brew sizes depending on how much you want to drink. As well as the Vertuo Pop machine, the bundle comes with coffee pods, mugs, spoons, and a milk frother.View Deal

Display - 14 inches
Processor - Snapdragon X
RAM - 16GB
Storage - 512GB

This is a great price for a relatively modern laptop that comes with a well-performing and efficient Snapdragon X CPU. On top of that, you get 16GB of RAM, a 512GB SSD, and incredible battery life of up to 28 hours, which represents good value for money overall. I like it as a light, portable and capable all-around everyday machine.View Deal

A clear party piece or ideal addition to your World Cup viewing party if there ever was one, this PerfectDraft Beer Dispenser connects up to compatible 6-litre kegs of your favourite tipple and pours them like you were just down the pub. The convenient LCD screen shows how much is left and when the beer or cider is at the right temperature, while its compact design and dishwasher-safe components mean it's easy to store and clean.View Deal

Promising simplicity of use, the De'Longhi Magnifica S features an easy-to-use touch control panel that lets you brew two cups simultaneously with minimal effort. It also has a silent integrated grinder with 13 settings, plus a handy milk frother too, so it’s a good all-in-one solution at a very affordable price after this near-£200 discount.View Deal

The Dyson V8 is now older, but it remains one of the top affordable vacuums and also one of the best Dyson vacuums – period. This still more-than-capable vacuum comes with a couple of essential attachments for cleaning around the home. Given its age and basic features, it's a struggle to recommend it at its full price, but now that it's discounted so heavily at Currys, it's an easy recommendation.View Deal

The Samsung S90F is a last-generation display now, but it's still one of the best OLED TVs you can buy — especially in terms of value for money following this discount.. A recipient of a five-star rating in our Samsung S90F review, we praised this display's outstanding picture quality, handy gaming features, and terrific value for money. Altogether, it's a brilliant TV to buy if you've still got some cash to splash on a big and brilliant brand-new display.View Deal

This Ninja Creami ice cream maker has become all the rage as a quick and convenient way to make all of your favourite frozen treats, milkshakes and sorbets at the touch of a button. While it's been a little cheaper over Black Friday, this is still a good price for the appliance that will only be more popular now that the warmer months are on the horizon.View Deal

Samsung's lineup of Crystal UHD TVs is less feature-rich compared to the pricier OLED and QLED displays, but they are a capable and affordable option for general everyday viewing. This 55-inch model is now available at a tempting low price in the latest Currys sale if you don't need all the fancy features of a premium TV. For the money, you get a large and modern TV that supports high-quality 4K resolution and all the most popular streaming apps. Other-sized versions are also available if you want to go bigger or smaller.View Deal

The excellent XM6s may have superseded these headphones, but the Sony WH-1000XM5s remain a top option when it comes to noise-canceling cans — and are an even better buy at this new record-low price. You can check out our review of the Sony WH-1000XM5 to get all the details, but the main points we love are the fantastic ANC, superior comfort, and top-tier sound quality.View Deal

Display - 14 inches
Processor - Intel Core Ultra 5
RAM - 16GB
Storage - 512GB

This powerful HP laptop has everything you need for business and productivity needs, and is down to a solid price after a £150 discount at Currys. The spec is strong, with an Intel Core Ultra 5 processor, 16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD all working together to provide excellent levels of power and performance.View Deal

I'll say upfront that you shouldn't expect a cinematic wonderland from an HD TV at this size and price (although it does support HDR, which is nice), but what I really rate here is that it's just a simple smart TV at a great price. The Freely TV interface is easy to use, intuitive, and supports all the key streaming services. So, if you want a small TV that does the job and has all the smart viewing options you could want to watch your favourite shows and movies, here it is.View Deal

Enjoy instant cinema-quality audio with this sound bar from LG, which is now a massive £700 off at Currys. With its 5.1.3 channel setup (including a wireless subwoofer and rear speakers), a whopping 580W power output, and premium Dolby Atmos support, you get a more immersive experience at a much lower price than normal.View Deal

The latest version of Sony's Bravia 8 is an incredible OLED TV that boasts some of the best picture quality to date, according to our review. The display was only released this year and this is the biggest discount yet. Sure, it's still quite the investment, but you do get a picture quality that's bright, vivid, and detailed, with strong in-built sound as well. It's perhaps not the best pick for gamers, though, given it lacks some features compared to the competition.View Deal

Sage makes some of the best coffee machines we've ever tested here at TechRadar, so I definitely want to shout out this offer on its excellent The Barista Express. We awarded it 4.5 stars in our review for its ease of use, bevvy of customisable settings and tasty results. While it's still a pricey machine, it's worth the investment if you really want to get into your coffee-making at home.View Deal

If you need a cheap and cheerful printer, this DeskJet 2910 is a great budget choice that supports wireless printing, scanning, and copying. This bundle also includes three months of HP Instant Ink, so you can save cash on your first few rounds of prints.View Deal

Here's a quality and good value big-screen TV from Hisense. The QLED displays ensure vibrant colours and excellent brightness, even in a brighter room, while 4K resolution support gives you top-tier picture quality. As far as large TVs go, this is one of the better options I've spotted in the Currys sale that balances price and features really well if you're on a tighter budget.View Deal

SwitchBot's latest 3K camera includes some familiar AI features and a couple of standout customizations I've never seen before.

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Amazon's head of devices and services discussed the company's focus on artificial intelligence, Alexa Plus and new types of technology to support it.

• Six new F-35Bs entered service carrying ballast inside their noses instead of radar
• The APG-85 delay created stealth fighters without their primary sensor
• Lot 17 redesign decisions eliminated compatibility with older radar hardware

The United States Marine Corps has accepted delivery of six newly built F-35B stealth fighters carrying ballast weights where a radar should be installed.

The aircraft left production lines without the AN/APG-85 radar that future F-35 variants are expected to rely upon for combat operations.

Instead of delaying delivery, officials accepted aircraft configured with dead weight occupying the nose section reserved for the missing equipment.

A new radar arrives before the aircraft can actually use it

The unusual situation emerged because Lot 17 aircraft were redesigned around the forthcoming AN/APG-85 radar architecture and mounting structure.

Those modifications prevent installation of the older AN/APG-81 radar, leaving no interim option while the replacement remains unavailable.

The radar is to be supplied by Northrop Grumman rather than prime contractor Lockheed Martin, further complicating delivery schedules.

Marine Corps Lieutenant General Gregory Masiello informed lawmakers on June 23 2026 that only six Marine aircraft currently lack installed radars.

Acceptance testing for those aircraft began in February 2026 after successfully completing production earlier in the year.

Although the Air Force and Navy have not yet received comparable aircraft, similar deliveries are reportedly expected later this year.

Without radars, the aircraft can support basic flight familiarisation and pilot instruction activities while remaining unsuitable for combat operations.

The Joint Program Office defended the decision, stating the Pentagon "deliberately undertook a highly concurrent development and production program for advanced capabilities."

"This decision was made with full understanding of the risk of having production aircraft ready ahead of the capabilities."

Delay exposes larger questions around F-35 readiness

The missing radar arrives amid wider concerns surrounding operational readiness across the broader F-35 fleet during fiscal year 2025.

According to a recent US Government Accountability Office assessment, only about 25% of the F-35 aircraft achieved fully mission-capable status in 2025.

Aircraft capable of performing at least one assigned mission reached 44.1%, although this remained considerably below historical expectations.

Masiello said he would not "dispute their numbers or how they do it" during congressional testimony discussing the findings.

Using Joint Program Office calculations, he argued the mission capable figure stood closer to 56% across operational fleets instead.

The delayed APG-85 radar forms part of the wider Block 4 modernization package that continues encountering schedule and integration challenges.

Future F-35 models will require more cooling capacity, as new systems will draw between 62 and 80 kilowatts, more than double the 32 kilowatts current hardware consumes.

A next-generation engine that could have addressed this cooling gap was developed but ultimately defunded after proving too costly.

Current plans indicate that the APG-85 will enter service around 2028 but meaningful cooling will not arrive until after 2031.

The sight of stealth fighters carrying lead ballast instead of radars may therefore become an enduring symbol of contemporary defence procurement realities.

Via Defence Industry

I had to make sure Prime Day in Australia hadn't already started when I saw this AU$200 saving on the AirPods Max 2, since it's not everyday that Amazon discounts Apple tech. And, if there are any discounts to be found, it's the online retailer's annual mid-year sale that tends to throw them up.

So if you've had your eye on the latest set of Apple's over-ear headphones, then this price cut might just be of interest.

It would have been nice to have seen this AU$200 discount applying to more colours other than just blue, but I can't complain too much. The AirPods Max 2 are simply terrific. While the design hasn't changed much, the internals have been upgraded to deliver even better ANC performance, Lossless audio over USB-C and a wealth of useful features made possible by the new H2 chip. View Deal

It's no secret that the AirPods Max 2 are among the most expensive headphones we've ever tested here at TechRadar, and with a AU$999 RRP, you can easily spend less on a highly capable pair from the likes of Sony, Bose or Sennheiser.

Apple has thrown everything at the Max 2s though to help justify the high price, and they're easily some of the best headphones on the market right now, particularly if you can make use of their Apple Intelligence features (provided you have an iPhone 15 or newer device).

These features include things like live translate, advanced call screening, gesture control, conversational awareness, and adaptive audio. Pair all of these with a stunning high-end design, class-leading noise cancellation, and fantastic audio quality, and the AirPods Max 2 are definitely worth considering.

As we said in our Apple AirPods Max 2 review, they're the "the best noise-cancelling iPhone headphones on the planet", with a soundstage that's "expansive" and "a noise floor so low that bass frequencies rumble, snap and boom in so much space it's almost a crime".

If you own an iPhone, they're a no brainer.

Should I wait for Prime Day?

(Image credit: Future)

That's tricky question to answer. As I mentioned earlier, it's surprising that there's a discount of any sort on the AirPods Max 2. However, it only applies to the blue colourway — could Amazon be teasing discounts to expect when Prime Day rolls around next week, and apply a saving to all colours?

We'll ultimately have to wait and see. I feel the blue colour is pretty inoffensive and should suit most people pretty well — midnight (navy blue) or silver are obviously more ambiguous — so if you've been considering Apple's top-tier cans, but don't want to pay a grand, this is a good opportunity to save a decent chunk of cash.

The vast majority of the best TVs use a dedicated OS, complete with access to the full gamut of video streaming apps. However, if you've found yourself struggling with your TV's native interface — be that due to its age, or because it's from a niche/no-frills TV brand and doesn't have the fastest processor — then a dedicated streaming device can often breathe new life into an old TV.

The Amazon Fire TV Stick range is a perfect example. They couldn’t be simpler to install — just plug one into an HDMI port on your TV — or use. They can speed up navigating through menus by using dedicated processors that often outperform the built-in chips found in cheaper TVs — they’re literally built for one task — while also adding more functionality.

I’ve broken down the benefits of using a dedicated streaming device compared to sticking with your TV’s own operating system.

• Faster navigation: Budget TV manufacturers often prioritise the display technology and tend to skimp on the processor to save on manufacturing costs. In these cases, a dedicated streaming stick with a more powerful chipset allows them to better handle both menu transitions and running apps.
• Longer lifespan - TV manufacturers eventually stop updating the built-in OS as your TV gets older, so a newer streaming device is a great way to bypass the OS altogether. The newest devices from Amazon and Apple also support Wi-Fi 6 and 6E, which both can deliver speeds of up to 9.6Gbps, whereas most TVs over 2 years old only support the slower Wi-Fi 5 (3.5Gbps) standard.
• Smart home integration - While some of the bigger TV brands have built-in smart home support, Amazon, Google and Apple’s dedicated streamers are all designed to serve as central hubs for their respective smart home ecosystems (Alexa, Google Home and Apple HomeKit). That means if you have other smart home devices, you can control them all from the comfort of your sofa.

Of course, Apple and Google's latest dedicated streamers cost around AU$400 and AU$160 respectively, so they're not exactly cheap – which is where Amazon's Fire TV Sticks come in as a better option, with RRPs starting as low as $79.

What’s more, this pre-Prime Day deal on Amazon’s Fire TV Stick 4K Plus (the middle option of the family) sees it hitting an all-time low price, making that value proposition even more apparent — especially if you don’t need all the bells and whistles of the pricier Apple and Google offerings (and don’t mind a bit of integrated advertising).

This Plus model is a refreshed version of the Fire TV Stick 4K, with its new name differentiating it from the lower-specced Fire TV Stick 4K Select, which has less RAM, no Dolby Vision support and only Wi-Fi 5 connectivity. The Select also isn’t discounted, making the Plus AU$5 cheaper than the latter with this deal. Don’t have a 4K TV? The Amazon Fire TV Stick HD runs on 1080p resolution and is also discounted to just AU$39.View Deal

Still not convinced? Here’s how the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Plus compares with the Apple TV 4K and the Google TV Streamer:

Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Plus

Apple TV 4K

Google TV Streamer

RRP

AU$99

AU$299

AU$159

Processor

MediaTek MT8696D (1.7GHz Quad-core)

Apple A15 Bionic (6-core CPU / 5-core GPU)

MediaTek MT8696 (2.0GHz Quad-core)

RAM

2 GB

4 GB

4GB

Storage

8 GB

64 GB (Wi-Fi) or 128 GB (Ethernet)

32 GB

Wireless Connectivity

Wi-Fi 6 (Dual-band) + Bluetooth 5.2

Wi-Fi 6 (Dual-band) + Bluetooth 5.0

Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) + Bluetooth 5.1

OS

Fire OS 8 (Android-based)

Apple tvOS

Google TV (Android 14)

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