Technology

• Discussions, ongoing since 2023, progressed when Italy’s Prime Minister met Trump
• A five-year contract is on the cards for SpaceX, worth $1.6 billion
• Political elements of the proposal have been criticized

According to a new report by Bloomberg, Italy is in negotiations to commission secure telecomms for its government from SpaceX, making this the largest project of its kind.

Discussions are said to be ongoing; if agreed upon, SpaceX could win a five-year contract to provide the Italian government with telecommunication services.

Unnamed sources familiar with the matter stated that the country’s Intelligence Services and Defense Ministry have already expressed approval for the deal.

SpaceX could supply the Italian government

The deal, believed to be worth €1.5 billion ($1.6 billion), would see SpaceX provide telephone and internet service encryption for the government, but discussions had previously been put on hold until the country’s Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, visited upcoming US President Donald Trump in Florida over the weekend. Discussions have been ongoing since mid-2023, however some have expressed concerns about how a deal with Musk’s SpaceX could be detrimental to Italian competition.

Under the deal, the Italian military operating in the Mediterranean would also benefit from the encrypted services. Direct-to-cell satellite services are also on the cards, which would provide an important backup when terrorist attacks and natural disasters render cellular connections unusable.

However, the relationship between Meloni, Trump and Musk has been criticized on a global scale. The SpaceX leader’s substantial political contributions and alliances could give him extensive access to the White House and global leaders, harming both politics and market competition.

Should such a deal go ahead, it wouldn’t be the first time that Italy and the US have worked together. Last year, Telecom Italia SpA sold its landline network to KKR & Co, a US private equity company.

The Italian government has explored other options, including building its own satellite constellation and using IRIS, a secure satellite constellation developed by the European Union to support European sovereignty, however SpaceX’s costs are believed to be favorable.

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With nearly a third of companies now falling victim to cyber-attacks, organizations know they need to invest in adequate defenses. But they don’t always have a big budget to do this. The good news is there are several options for businesses that need to be efficient and make the most of what they already have. Here, we consider how businesses can guard against the risk of cybersecurity threats without breaking the bank.

Maximizing cyber security ROI

Creating a robust cyber strategy for the unique needs of your business is vital to ensure you are focusing your attention on what’s most significant. You should start by identifying the purpose and goals of your organization.

For example, if you are a food manufacturer, your purpose may be to supply supermarkets with pre-packaged sandwiches, and your goal is to produce 200,000 packages per day. If that processing facility was to go offline for one day due to an attack, what would be the impact of failing to produce those sandwiches be? This might include a revenue loss of £100,000 per day, reputational damage, legal fees and the potential for retailers to exercise contract break clauses.

By imagining your worst day, you can start to get a clearer picture of what systems are critical to business operations and what downtime you can afford. This will help you to identify where investment and resources are most needed.

Protecting your key assets

The next step is to understand if the defenses you have in place currently can adequately protect critical systems, networks and data. To really put this to the test, consider using an internal or external security team to attack those systems then record what happens. You’ll want to know:

• How you identified the attacks?
• What contained or eradicated the attacks?
• What was the response / aftermath?

This exercise can reveal your strengths and weaknesses, when it comes to the technologies, people and processes you have in place to protect the business.

Technologies – Learnings from these types of exercises nearly always reveals ways to optimize existing tools and technologies and operate more efficiently. For example, you may discover you have duplicate tools and there is an opportunity to cancel contracts and reinvest. In addition, there may be underutilized native security settings you could be taking greater advantage of – such as a built-in email filter to protect against spam and phishing emails.

You may find software updates and patches are not up-to-date. This is easy win to prevent vulnerabilities as many of these can be automated, such as with the best patch management software. It may also be that configuration improvements can help fill any gaps or weaknesses you may have identified.

People – Implementing measures that encourages staff to adopt a ‘zero trust’ mindset will help to minimizes the chance of an attack being successful. There are several low-cost activities businesses can take to create this strong security culture.

Much like you would review the tools and technologies in your organization, it is well worth spending time to review what skills exist within the security and IT teams, as well as the wider business. Are there opportunities to spread knowledge and cross train staff? Knowhow can be shared in many ways. This may be through lunch and learn events or more formal training and simulations. This does not need to be expensive. There are also a number of free resources available including Dracoeye which can be used by teams to search and identify any security threats.

In addition to training, organizations need to focus on creating a culture where staff are encouraged to report suspicious activity without fear of “getting it wrong.” To aid this, consider using a dedicated portal where staff can share any issues and where anything immediately dangerous can be escalated. The worst scenario is where staff are too afraid to say anything. You want people to feel they are in an environment where they can speak up without fear or repercussion.

Processes – Finally, it’s important to look at the processes and solutions you have in place if the worst should happen. This is all about planning. It’s about knowing how each part of the business will keep functioning until a clean-up can be carried out. Do you understand what your legal obligations are in terms of informing customers? Depending on the nature of the breach, you may also need to inform authorities, such as the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) if based in the UK. Staff will always feel better if they know there is a playbook and a plan for each scenario.

By following these steps, businesses can make more of what they have and identify opportunities to redistribute budgets and make immediate savings. The biggest victory however is having an effective cyber strategy that the businesses is confident in. This will vastly reduce the risk of financial and reputable damage and allow the business to continue to deliver on its goals.

We've rated the best Zero Trust Network Access Solutions.

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

The Lymow One is a robotic lawn mower that's designed specifically for tackling large, complex lawns. In fact, its makers promise this rugged lawn bot has "unparalleled terrain adaptability" and can cover five times as much lawn as competitor models (specifically, 0.23 acres per hour, or up to 1.73 acres each day).

Most lawnbots have wheels, but this guy comes with tracks like a tank, for improved speed and stability. It can clear obstacles up to two inches in height and traverse inclines of up to 45 degrees, even if said incline is wet and slippery.

This bot is currently showing at CES 2025, following a successful Kickstarter campaign from a relatively new brand. It has piqued my interest specifically because founder and CEO Wangshu Gao used to run the R&D department at SharkNinja and also previously co-founded Narwal. That means he has experience with some of the best robot vacuums around, and while it's not exactly the same thing, it seems he's brought plenty of expertise from that related market into creating the Lymow One.

(Image credit: Lymow)

For starters, special attention has been paid to navigation; like many newer lawnbots, it doesn't require boundary wires. There are a few ways robot lawn mowers can navigate, but Lymow's approach combines satellite positioning with vSLAM technology. The latter is designed to take over when trees, roofs or walls block the satellite view, and is one of the navigation methods used by robot vacuums. You can edit the bot's maps to great mowing zones and no-go areas.

Another feature more common to robot vacuums is intelligent object avoidance; here powered by a combination of image-based semantic recognition and depth-sensing. Essentially, it's designed to identify obstacles and use that information to react appropriately. So if it senses a nearby obstacle like a sprinkler or a hedgehog, it will give it a wide berth, but if it comes across a decomposing apple or pine cone, it'll be able to mulch it up for you (you use the app to set what you want it to do with natural debris like this).

The mower has an effective cutting width of 16 inches / 40.6cm – making it an efficient way to cover large spaces – as well as an adjustable cutting height range of 1.2 to 4 inches. The floating mowing deck follows the wheels, to ensure the lawn ends up even when the ground is not.

Cutting-edge tech

Rather than traditional lateral scissor blades the Lymow One has two mulching blades; the kind of which you'd find in a regular manual mower. These spin at 6,000RPM to handle any type of grass – wet, dry, dense – as well as pulverizing things like fallen fruit or small branches (if you've asked it to).

Those blades are paired with a powerful fan that blasts the fine cuttings out evenly and at high speed (if you're unfamiliar, this is basically how most robot lawn mowers work, to avoid the issue of leaving you with piles of grass cuttings to empty).

(Image credit: Lymow)

"Most robotic mowers today are built for small yards, but many US homes have large, complex lawns. As a result, these mowers often serve as a supplement rather than a true replacement for traditional mowers," says CEO Wangshu Gao. "With Lymow One, we're taking a different approach. Our product is designed to fully replace traditional mowers, delivering superior automated lawn care."

The Lymow One is slated for delivery in April 2025, priced at $2,999.

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• Oukitel's third smartphone set to launch at CES is the WP300 Pro
• It is a rugged smartphone that claims to be modular
• One of its modules is a powerful LED light and the other an earphone that can transform into a smartwatch

The best rugged smartphones are designed to withstand extreme conditions and hostile environments, making them ideal for users who work in industries such as construction, mining, and outdoor exploration, as well as adventurers who need a device that can handle tough activities.

These phones are built with reinforced frames, durable materials, and shock-resistant components. While the most exciting thing about them is often their ability to endure punishment, some models also include features like high-capacity batteries, enhanced GPS functionality, and even thermal imaging or night vision cameras.

Chinese manufacturer Oukitel is launching three rugged smartphones at CES 2025, all of which have something unique to offer. The WP100 Titan features a massive 33Ah battery, a camping light, and a DLP projector, while the WP200 Pro and WP300 Pro introduce a module system allowing users to expand its capabilities.

Earphone or camping light?

The WP300 Pro is described as the world's first modular rugged phone. By this, Oukitel means it has a recess in the back of the phone into which you can drop one of two modules.

The first is a detachable Bluetooth earphone (which the WP200 Pro also includes) that you can use for listening to music, taking phone calls, and more. This earphone has a color LCD screen that can display the time and other information and can be dropped into a wristband to be worn like a watch. The second module is a detachable camping light, which is far brighter than a standard smartphone flashlight. Oukitel may be planning to introduce additional modules in the future to expand the phone's capabilities, but for now, it is keeping any plans under wraps.

The WP300 Pro has a 6.8-inch Full HD+ screen with a 120Hz refresh rate, and boasts a 16,000mAh battery. It’s powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 7050 SoC, backed by 12GB of RAM and 512GB of internal storage, expandable up to 2TB via microSD.

We expect the WP300 Pro to go on sale around the same time as the WP200 Pro, which should be in Q1 2025. More details, including pricing and global availability, will be revealed at CES in the coming days.

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• Samsung 2025 TVs feature new-gen 'Glare Free' tech
• Glare Free 2.0 better retains black depth and shadow detail
• Will feature in flagship OLED, and 8K and 4K mini-LED TVs

The Samsung S95D was our choice for the year’s best TV in the TechRadar Choice Awards 2024. It’s an incredible TV, and one that overcomes one of the biggest problems that's long plagued OLED TVs: screen reflections from lamps and other light sources overloading their relatively dim fullscreen brightness levels.

Samsung solved that issue using a new OLED Glare Free screen in the S95D, and next it's using the tech to combat screen reflections in its flagship 2025 OLED, the Samsung S95F. But the Glare Free tech going into that model isn’t the same as what was used in the S95D. Instead, it’s a second-generation version that fixes the biggest problem with last year’s flagship Samsung OLED TV: elevated black levels when viewing in bright rooms.

I first noticed the black level issue when I did a hands-on test of the S95D in early 2024, but it wasn’t until I compared premium Samsung and LG OLED TVs side-by-side, that it became clear it was more of a problem than I initially thought. That comparison was part of a demo set up by LG at the CEDIA Expo 2024 trade show that showed the different anti-reflection measures used by the Samsung S95D and the LG G4. When a lamp was positioned in front of both TVs, the Samsung completely diffused the reflection, basically eliminating it. The G4 in contrast, showed near mirror-like reflections.

But while Samsung’s screen was superior in dealing with reflections, blacks on the S95D appeared more of a dark gray compared to the LG OLED, which accurately rendered deep blacks and shadows. This was in bright lighting conditions of course; when the lights in the demo room were dimmed, both TVs proved equally adept at displaying deep black.

The Samsung S95D (at right) shows fewer screen reflections than the LG G4 (at left), but has a comparatively elevated black level – an issue Samsung's Glare Free 2.0 tech fixes. (Image credit: Future) Glare Free 2.0 is here

The second generation of OLED Glare Free being introduced in the Samsung S95F, which the company is showing at CES 2025, fixes the situation by “enhancing black expression” along with rejecting glare. I first saw a demo of the new screen tech at Samsung’s headquarters in South Korea, and was impressed with how effective it was in giving TV viewers the best of both worlds – there was a clearly deeper and more realistic black tone, while still removing the distracting reflections.

Image 1 of 5

(Image credit: Future)

This gallery of photos of the Samsung S95F at CEs 2025 shows how it handles reflections of the show floor lights at different angles.

Image 2 of 5

(Image credit: Future)Image 3 of 5

(Image credit: Future)Image 4 of 5

(Image credit: Future)Image 5 of 5

(Image credit: Future)

Many buyers of premium OLED TVs are movie fans who typically dim the lights when viewing, so Samsung’s Glare Free tech may in some ways be a solution in search of a problem. But then again, the Samsung S95D was the brightest OLED TV TechRadar tested in 2024, with peak brightness measurements that nearly matched some of the best mini-LED TVs we’ve reviewed. That factor along with Glare Free makes it a good option for daytime sports viewing, which is normally better handled by mini-LED models.

Samsung’s Glare Free 2.0 tech is no longer just for the company’s flagship OLED – it will also appear in its new flagship 8K and 4K mini-LED TVs for 2025, the Samsung QN990F and the Samsung QN90F. That means buyers of premium Samsung TVs will be able to safely watch movies or play games without having to worry about screen reflections and reduced contrast and shadow detail in bright and dark environments alike.

With pressure in the TV market from not only LG, but relative newcomers such as TCL and Hisense, Glare Free 2.0 is a distinguishing feature – and one I'm sure Samsung is hoping will give it a leg up on its competition. I can't wait to give it a serious test to see it holds up in tests, because it looks incredibly promising so far.

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• Halliday smart glasses include a tiny screen and AI.
• They're supposedly proactive.
• The display is incredibly small – but might not appear that way to your eye.

One of the hottest trends at CES 2025 is wearables, and if we zoom in a bit, we'll see that the biggest part of that trend is all the new smart glasses. Joining that collection but with a decided twist is Halliday, new "proactive AI eyewear" that seeks to augment your reality with at-a-glance information.

CES 2025

TechRadar will be extensively covering this year's CES, and will bring you all of the big announcements as they happen. Head over to our CES 2025 news page for the latest stories and our hands-on verdicts on everything from 8K TVs and foldable displays to new phones, laptops, smart home gadgets, and the latest in AI.

And don’t forget to follow us on TikTok and WhatsApp for the latest from the CES show floor!

Halliday – named for a key character in Ready, Player One – are 35-gram smart wearable eyeglasses that have the benefit of looking almost exactly like traditional eyewear. However, hidden inside the classic-looking glasses is a fair amount of technology, including an unusual Digi Window microdisplay.

Integrated displays are nothing new in the realm of augmented reality eyewear, but Halliday's approach is a bit unusual. Where Snap Spectacles and Meta Orion smart glasses employ waveguide technology to paint large portions of the eyeglass lenses with semi-translucent imagery, Halliday uses one of the tiniest displays I have ever seen and does absolutely nothing to the wearable's lenses.

(Image credit: Halliday)

Developed by Gygeslabs, the Digi Window looks like a tiny, pea-sized display positioned along the upper right side of the frame. In images shared with TechRadar, it appears to be adjustable, letting the wearer move it slightly to better position the DigiWindow for each wearer.

It is a tiny screen that looks like a 3.5-inch monochrome display up close to your eye. Yes, that's about the same size as the original iPhone. The utility of a tiny screen that must glance up to see is unclear.

(Image credit: Halliday)

The real benefit here, though, may come from combining the Digi Window with AI-powered information that comes not from Halliday Smart Glasses but from the Halliday AI app running on your Android or iPhone.

Not only can you query the Halliday AI agent, but it can, with your permission, proactively listen to conversations through a microphone located in the glasses, even jumping in with answers to "complex questions" during a meeting.

There are speakers for listening to music, conducting calls, and, if you choose, chatting with the Halliday AI. Of course, that's not necessary if you just want to read the information on the green-on-black text readout in that tiny Digi Window display.

Other Halliday smart Glasses features include:

• Meeting summarization
• Notifications
• Teleprompter mode (no more hand-written notes!)
• Voice translation
• Turn-by-turn navigation
• Note-taking

In addition to voice control, the frames and app work with a custom control ring that responds to taps and swipes but not gestures alone.

According to Halliday, the frame, which comes in a somewhat iconic black or tortoise, lasts eight hours on a charge. They'll accommodate prescription and clear lenses and should start shipping sometime in the first quarter of this year.

Pricing is set at $489.99 in the United States and will be priced similarly in other global markets.

(Image credit: Halliday)

While I applaud Halliday's unconventional approach, a virtual 3.5-inch screen might be a tough sell in a world where full field-of-view augmented reality is expected from Meta, Snap, and others in the next 24 months.

Putting the tiny display on the frame and out of direct view lowers the possibility of an obstructed view and anyone noticing the imagery, but it also means you'll have to at least glance up to see the information. It reminds me of Google Glass, which placed a prismatic lens just above eye level. Every photo of me using Google Glass depicts me looking up.

Of course, I'll reserve judgment until I get a chance to try out the Halliday Smart Glasses for myself.

@techradar

♬ original sound - TechRadar You might also like

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• Three new OLED TV series announced: S95F, S90F, and S85F
• New 165Hz display support for PC gaming
• New OLED Glare Free 2.0 tech with better shadow depth

Samsung announced its new family of OLED TVs today at CES 2025. The lineup includes three series with screen sizes ranging from 42 up to 83 inches and includes a range of new features powered by AI tech. Pricing and availability for the new TVs have not yet been announced, but we expect to receive that info in the coming weeks.

The Samsung S95D, one of the best TVs of 2024, was named TV of the Year in the TechRadar Choice awards. Consequently, we have high expectations for its successor, the Samsung S95F, and Samsung’s announcement includes a menu of features that make a case for it to be one of 2025’s best OLED TVs.

New features that are generally being introduced to top-tier Samsung TVs for 2025 include AI Upscaling Pro, which was previously available only on the company’s 8K models; Samsung’s Auto HDR Remastering Pro feature now encompasses both AI-based color enhancement and depth-based stereoscopy enhancement; and a hassle-free AI search feature uses a separate on-screen window that can be triggered using a new AI button on the remote control that replaces the previous Search button.

Yet another big change for 2025 is the availability of the Samsung Art Store portal, a feature previously limited to Samsung The Frame TVs that lets you access artworks from world-class museums such as New York’s The Met and MOMA to display on the TV’s screen.

Samsung S95F

(Image credit: Samsung)

Samsung S95F series TVs are the company’s flagship OLED models and are available in 55-, 65-, 77-, and 83-inch screen sizes – the latter of which is a new option for 2025. These feature an Infinity One “floating screen” design and OLED Glare Free 2.0 tech, which improves on the original Glare Free tech in the Samsung S95D by increasing black depth and detail in bright lighting while eliminating screen glare. The original version worked amazingly for stopping reflections being distracting, but it also raised the light levels of the image, so black tones became more gray, and some detail in light ares could be crushed. The new version aims to reduce this.

In this image, you can see that even with a blue reflection on the left and a yellow reflection at the top, the overall black tones stay deep. (Image credit: Future)

The S95F series uses the new NQ4 AI Gen 3 processor, which increases the neural network count over the processor in last year’s S95D from 20 to 128. Samsung is claiming a 30% increase in brightness for the S95F series, which is a notable boost over last year’s already very bright flagship Samsung OLEDs. Another picture quality enhancing feature on the S95F series is AI Gamma, which automatically adapts picture gamma in bright lighting conditions to bring out shadow detail that would otherwise be obscured.

S95F series TVs will get a gaming boost with 165Hz display support for PC gaming, along with FreeSync Premium Pro. They also feature a built-in 4.2.2-channel 70W speaker system with OTS+ and up-firing speakers.

Samsung S90F and S85F

(Image credit: Future)

Samsung’s midrange OLED offering for 2025 is the Samsung S90F series, which will be available in 42-, 48-, 55-, 65-, 77-, and 83-inch screen sizes. According to Samsung, the 55-inch and above models will feature a QD-OLED display panel, and the 42- and 48-inch models will use a W-OLED panel (ie, the same kind used in LG's OLED TVs, rather than Samsung's own different tech).

Samsung is claiming 1,300 nits brightness for the new S90F models – a notable boost over previous models. Otherwise, the S90F series features the same NQ4 AI Gen 3 processor from the S95F series that provides AI-based 4K upscaling and motion enhancement. Gaming features include support for a 144Hz refresh rate and FreeSync Premium.

The Samsung S85F series will be available in 55-, 65-, 77-, and 83-inch screen sizes, and will be the most affordable option from Samsung's OLED range. These TVs feature an NQ4 AI Gen 2 processor and 2.0-channel 20W built-in speakers with OTS Lite – we'll bring you more details as we receive them!

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• Samsung's Ballie robot is back at CES 2025.
• It has an identical design to the one shown in 2024, with new 'Vision AI' features.
• Samsung says Ballie will launch in the first half of 2025 with support for English, Spanish, and Korean for an unknown price.

If you’ve been wondering where Samsung’s cheerful yellow AI robot companion has been, we finally know the answer. Ballie, Samsung’s robot, which was first unveiled back in 2020 and then was relaunched last year in 2024 with a boatload of AI, will be arriving in 2025, specifically the first half.

Ballie is still bright yellow with wheels to move around your house, a boatload of sensors, and a projector to let it play games, cast answers to queries, and even project films on various surfaces. And I got the chance – along with TechRadar Managing Editor, Lifestyle Josephine Watson – to check out Ballie firsthand and see it go through a few motions.

And yes, it is still undeniably cute, and thanks to wheels, it will effortlessly glide over flat surfaces; this latest demo was on a soft wood surface in a pre-mapped space. It still boasts a front projector, which is a Full HD triple-laser projector and should deliver quality close to the Premiere 5. Further, it’s the world's first switchable lens projector, allowing it to project content both near and far.

(Image credit: Future/Jacob Krol)

Why is that important? Well, in this demonstration, we saw it list options on the floor in front of you, but it can also cast content like directions to the Sphere from Caeser’s Palace, or project a movie onto the wall.

It’s voice-activated thanks to four built-in far-field microphones and responds to "Hey Ballie". It gets its sight from two cameras – a 2K camera on the rear and a 4K camera on the front – as well as sensors including LiDAR and a Time of Flight (ToF) sensor. Our hope is that learning from Samsung's slightly wobbly Samsung Bespoke Jet Bot Combo AI performance have factored in.

Samsung promises a launch in 2025, specifically in the first half of the year, with English, Spanish, and Korean support. The company did not, however, provide any hints at pricing, exact features or specifications, or even confirmed launch regions.

Like saying "Hey Google" on an Android smartphone or asking for Siri on a HomePod, Ballie is a fully responsive voice-activated robot. It’s still being billed as an AI robot companion that can glide around your home and essentially be at your beck and call. As you might suspect, it’s set to integrate with other devices, including the ability to control them. I’d guess this is enabled via SmartThings, but in this demo, Ballie was asked to turn on a connected light and a monitor feature in a gaming setup.

We also saw Ballie provide a list of things to do in Las Vegas, suggesting the fountains at the Bellagio and the Sphere; it could understand a more conversational response and then gave us more info on the Sphere. When first asked, and Ballie was directly in front of the user, it projected the list on the floor; then it opted to cast a larger view with more details on the Sphere, including images, on the wall.

Seemingly, it will automatically decide where to cast content, but you can be more specific and even ask for a larger screen when streaming a movie – it might even switch the surface it’s casting on.

As far as Ballie’s interesting road to launch, we asked Samsung’s Head of Product, Home Entertainment, Lydia Cho.

“We really wanted to perfect this, making sure it came to market at the right time, with the right features, and the right concept. So that’s why the process took a bit longer, but I think it’s really the right time with us launching VisionAI,” explained Cho. She also called out that the new AI suite, which is also launching on Samsung’s latest TVs, is all about personalization and customization.

Noting that this device can be personalized to your lifestyle and is squarely focused on perfecting the interaction, Cho says: “We just think it’s the perfect companion for you to meet all your needs", before noting it can tell you the weather, where you want to go, your dietary needs, a child’s homework assignment, and even your schedule.

(Image credit: Future/Jacob Krol)

Even so, there is still a road to market for Ballie, and it will be interesting to see the final feature set, tech specs, Samsung’s pitch to consumers, and how well it performs in real-world use. We still haven’t been able to truly direct Ballie or see it outside of a test space, but it’s clear that robots are a sector that isn’t leaving. Ballie, with its cheerful yellow paint job, is certainly less scary or unassuming than Telsa’s humanoid bot or Boston Dynamics robot dog, and with Amazon's Astro in a perpetual invite-only status, there's room for market domination, should Samsung play its cards right.

Remember, this is the day before CES even starts, and Samsung showed this off before its official press conference at its First Look event, typically reserved for new home entertainment. It’s clear that Ballie is central to the mission, and you bet we’re trying to get a more formal hands-on.

(Image credit: Future)

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Ballie, a little robotic smart home ball that made waves last year, is actually becoming a real product.

The company also added matte screens, and an Art Store, to its higher-end QLED TVs this year.

The company also unveiled two concepts: a Holographic TV and a MicroLED mirror display that analyzes your face.

• 8K and 4K Neo QLED mini-LED TVs from 43 inches to 115 inches
• Awesome Glare Free tech featured in Samsung’s top mini-LED TVs
• A wireless 8K 120Hz connection box in the top-end model

Samsung has announced its new Neo QLED TV range at CES 2025. The 2025 lineup includes two 8K models and three series of 4K models with screen sizes ranging from 43 inches to 115 inches. According to the company, all TVs represent “a new era of Samsung AI,” with enhancements ranging from 4K and 8K upscaling to AI-based content search.

Samsung sets generally rank among the best TVs, and the new Neo QLED models look ready to carry on that tradition. AI Upscaling Pro, a feature previously limited to the company’s 8K TVs, will now be available on 4K models. An Auto HDR Remastering Pro feature uses AI to dynamically enhance color, while Real Depth Enhancer Pro analyzes image depth to create something that feels less 2D.

The Glare Free tech used by last year’s Samsung S95D OLED TV to effectively eliminate screen glare has been ported over to Samsung’s top 8K and 4K mini-LED models, the QN990F and QN90F, which should really make them ideal candidates for our list of the best TVs for sports. Those same models get a gaming boost with 165Hz support for PC gaming, and up to 4K 240Hz on the QN990F. A new Wireless One Connect Box will also debut with the QN990F in 2025, allowing for wireless 8K 120Hz transmission to the TV from up to 10m away.

Most Samsung TVs in 2025, the Neo QLED lineup included, will now be able to access the Samsung Art Store portal. This is a feature that was previously limited to Samsung The Frame TVs, and it lets viewers display artworks from world-class museums such as New York’s The Met and Paris' The Louvre on the TV’s screen.

On the Dolby Atmos soundbars front, a new “convertible” 3.1.2-channel model, the QS700F, can be used for either tabletop or wall-mount installations, with the soundbar automatically detecting the installation orientation. The new flagship Q990F soundbar system features a new, ultra-compact subwoofer design that uses dual eight-inch active drivers to reduce vibration, and Samsung’s Q-Symphony tech is being expanded to more models and now supports wireless connection from a TV to up to three separate devices.

Samsung QN900F 8K TV (Image credit: Samsung) 8K Neo QLED: Samsung QN990F and QN900F

The QN990F is Samsung’s top 8K TV for 2025 and will be available in 65- to 98-inch screen sizes. This model features the company’s new NQ8 AI Gen3 processor and has a Glare-Free screen coating to eliminate reflections. It uses the new 8K wireless One Connect Box for a wireless connection from sources, with support for 8K 120Hz at up to 10 meters. Samsung says the QN900F is capable of up to 2,000 nits of peak brightness – a level 8K TVs have trouble reaching due to their small pixel pitch, but that Samsung has compensated for with a new backlight structure.

That backlight is supported by a new metal frame design for the QN990F, which also makes space for a robust 6.2.4-channel built-in speakers with 90W of power, and Object Tracking Sound (OTS) Pro processing to make the position of sounds match the action on-screen. For gaming, the QN990F supports both 8K at 165Hz and 4K at 240Hz.

The QN900F series is available in 65-, 75-, and 85-inch sizes and features Samsung’s NQ8 AI Gen2 processor. An Ultra Viewing Angle feature improves off-axis picture quality and there’s a 4.2.2-channel built-in speaker system with 70W of power and OTS+ processing. The QN900F series supports up to 8K 120Hz input for gaming.

4K Neo QLED: QN90F, QN80F, QN70F

Samsung’s 4K mini-LED TV lineup is led by the QN90F series, which is available in 43- to 115-inch screen sizes. Like the 8K QN990F, the QN90F series features a Glare-Free screen and 165Hz support. An Ultra Viewing Angle feature improves off-axis picture quality and a bezel-free screen gives the QN90F a “floating” effect. Audio on the QN90F series is provided by 4.2.2-channel built-in speakers with 60W of power and OTS+ processing.

The QN80F series is available in 50- to 100-inch screen sizes. It has many of the same picture processing features as QN90F series TVs and has 4.0 channel speakers powered by 30W with OTS Lite and Active Voice Amplifier Pro.

Rounding out the lineup, Samsung has a new entry-level QN70F series mini-LED TV, which will be available in 55-, 65-, 75-, and 85-inch screen sizes.

(Image credit: Samsung) 2025 Samsung soundbars

Samsung’s new soundbar lineup is led by the Q990F, an 11.1.4-channel system with support for Dolby Atmos and DTS:X. The Q990F features a new compact subwoofer with dual 8-inch active drivers in an opposing configuration to eliminate vibration. Unlike the subs that typically come with soundbars, it has a cube-like design similar to offerings from hi-fi brands. Other features include HDMI 2.1 inputs with 4K 120Hz pass-through, Samsung SmartThings Hub built-in, and Roon Ready certification.

Another Samsung soundbar highlight for 2025 is the QS700F, a 3.1.2-channel with a “convertible design” that allows for on-wall or tabletop installation. A built-in gyro sensor automatically detects the soundbar’s orientation and configures its output for proper delivery of Dolby Atmos height effects. The QS700F also features a compact subwoofer with a 6.5-inch driver and supports Q-Symphony for an enhanced presentation with compatible Samsung TVs.

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(Image credit: Future)

We’re covering all of the latest CES news from the show as it happens. Stick with us for the big stories on everything from 8K TVs and foldable displays to new phones, laptops, smart home gadgets, and the latest in AI.

And don’t forget to follow us on TikTok for the latest from the CES show floor!

• The Frame Pro with it's Neo QLED screen joins the exisitng Frame TV.
• It still looks like a Frame TV, but the Frame Pro gets a 'Wireless One Connect Box."
• Samsung's also bringing the Art Store to select Neo QLED and QLED TVs.

While 2024 brought a new category of Samsung’s Frame – a smart speaker dubbed the Music Frame – 2025 is ushering in an entirely new Frame TV. Alongside the standard, Frame TV will be The Frame Pro, with its QLED display finished in a reflection-blocking matte finish, which Samsung revealed at its First Look event on the eve of the 2025 Consumer Electronics Show.

It’ll likely cost quite a pretty penny over the standard Frame TV, but for that price, it should significantly step up the picture quality thanks to a Neo QLED display and a new magic trick of sorts courtesy of a wireless One Connect box.

(Image credit: Future)

We’re covering all of the latest CES news from the show as it happens. Stick with us for the big stories on everything from 8K TVs and foldable displays to new phones, laptops, smart home gadgets, and the latest in AI.

And don’t forget to follow us on TikTok for the latest from the CES show floor!

So, let’s start with the picture quality. Frame TV has a QLED display, but Frame Pro kicks things up a notch with mini LEDs in Samsung’s Neo QLED technology package. This should result in higher peak brightness and starker, darker contrast points, making art look even more realistic when used in conjunction with the matte, anti-reflective finish.

The Frame Pro is seemingly designed to be the main event, as Samsung will offer it in 65-inch, 75-inch, and 85-inch sizes. Those wanting a smaller Frame TV will need to opt for the standard and a QLED display.

(Image credit: Samsung)

If you’ve ever wanted to game properly on your Frame TV, the Frame Pro answers the call, as it ups the refresh rate to 144Hz. It’ll also sport Tizen’s smart gaming interface, which allows you to adjust the ratio, frame rate, and even other customizations. However, if you’re interested in The Frame, we’d assume you’re most interested in the Art Store, which is still in full effect.

As with the original, you’ll still wrap your favorite works by Katsushika Hokusai or Vincent van Gogh in a frame on The Frame Pro. While Samsung has confirmed the sizing for the Frame Pro (65-, 75-, 85-inch) and the Frame TV (43-, 50-, 55-, and 65-inch), we're waiting to see if the frame bezels will be identical or at least with the same attachment mechanism.

(Image credit: Samsung)

One thing that is clear, though, is The Frame Pro will only need power, and you’ll plug all your other input devices – be it an Apple TV 4K, PlayStation 5 Pro, Xbox Series X, or Sonos Arc Ultra – into a One Connect Box that can be stored elsewhere. The wireless box will beam your content to the Frame Pro without lag or latency.

This way, you can wall mount the Frame Pro, which looks like a true work of art, on your wall, and you can hide the cables and other devices elsewhere. As someone with a standard Frame TV – well, Disney 100 Edition of the Frame TV – I’m keen to test this side by side and see just how much better the picture is and if the effect of showing art without reflection is better than on the original Frame TV.

As far as The Frame TV in 2025, it’ll likely be very similar to the 2024 Frame TV with a solid picture and that all-important anti-reflection, matte coating. It is getting one improvement, though, and that's a jump to an adaptive 144Hz refresh rate. Considering the Frame Pro is arriving in 65-, 75-, and 85-inch sizes, the Frame TV will only come in 43-, 50-, 55-, and 65-inch sizes in 2025.

Another key change for Samsung this year is that the Art Store – where you can purchase and subscribe to works of art to showcase on your TV – is expanding to non-Frame TVs. This means that if you get a QLED or Neo QLED, you can browse, select a mat if you desire, and set works of art on your TV.

The collection currently includes over 3,000 pieces from artists around the world. It costs $4.99 monthly or $49.99 annually and works across TVs.

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