TechRadar News

• Google Health Connect will soon support Garmin
• Mi Fitness and Runna will also be supported from June
• A few other updates are coming to Google Health Connect for developers

Google I/O always kicks off with an opening keynote, but the developer conference features big software announcements across its various talks and events – and one such reveal at Google I/O 2025 is that Google’s Health Connect will soon be compatible with Runna, Mi Fitness, and Garmin.

Google Health Connect, which launched back in 2022, is Android’s Apple Health equivalent. It allows you to easily share health metrics and fitness data across devices and between apps, while privacy controls allow you to choose what data is and isn’t shared.

Starting in June, Mi Fitness (Xiaomi’s fitness wearable app), Runna (the excellent running coach app that Strava recently acquired) and Garmin will be able to share data with Health Connect, as revealed on its Android Stage, and spotted by Android Central.

Google Health Connect can interface with many apps (Image credit: Google)

That’s not the only change coming to Health Connect. As is the case with most I/O announcements, these are app developer-focused, but there are some features we wanted to highlight.

First, Health Connect will support new medical records APIs. Users will be able to directly enter details into apps to highlight their allergies and immunizations, and apps can be designed to interface with clinics and practices to use a person’s medical records as a source for information

History reads should allow apps to more easily spot health trends over time, to keep users better informed.

These features will require app updates before they can be implemented, and will in most cases require you to grant permission for your data to be shared, but they mark a solid upgrade to Google’s Health Connect services.

They should help us squeeze more usefulness out of the best smartwatches, best smart rings, and perhaps soon (thanks to Android XR) best smart glasses that many of us are now wearing so we can monitor our health a little better.

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• Project Starline becomes Google Beam, and will be for enterprises only
• AI turns feed from six cameras into 3D video, while AI translates from supported languages
• We'll see the first HP hardware to support Google Beam at next month's InfoComm conference

After around four years of very few apparent developments, Google confirmed that its Project Starline is still going ahead at its annual developer conference, I/O, in 2025.

This time under the new and public-facing name of Beam, the concept revolves around life-like video calls that use advanced hardware, computer vision and machine learning to create 3D video conferencing experiences with no glasses or headsets needed.

Rather than gathering data from tens of cameras (it still uses six), Beam will use a state-of-the-art AI volumetric video model to convert 2D video into a realistic 3D feed.

Google's Project Starline becomes Beam

Besides six cameras, Google has confirmed that Beam will use a light field display for true depth and a sense of dimension. The AI merges the six video streams, tracking head movements and rendering the video call at 60fps. Beam can also support natural eye contact and subtle expression recognition to make the video call hyper realistic.

Being a flagship video conferencing tool, it should come as no surprise that this 3D holographic platform will get the same real-time speech translation that Meet gets, with the system able to maintain voice, tone and facial expressions for natural multilingual communication.

However, there's a big catch, and it's not the price (which is unconfirmed). It's that general consumers won't get to experience the tech unless they work for one of Google's enterprise clients. It'll launch to select customers later this year, with the first HP hardware devices being showcased at InfoComm next month.

For context, Logitech's Project Ghost, a similar pod-based system that aims to curb Zoom fatigue with a slightly less advanced 2D system, costs around $15,000-$20,000 per booth.

Google confirmed that Deloitte, Salesforce, Citadel, NEC, Hackensack Meridian Health, Duolingo and Recruit have all already registered their interest in Beam. Google Beam General Manager Andrew Nartker added: "We’re working with industry leading partners like Zoom and HP to bring Google Beam to enterprises."

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• The Ninja Luxe Café comes in two new colors: Trace Blue and Gunmetal Gray
• Trace Blue has proved particularly popular, and has already sold out
• They follow the launch of the updated Ninja Luxe Café Pro earlier this month

The Ninja Luxe Café is one of the best coffee makers we've tested in recent months, and it just got even better with two limited edition soft colorways to add a touch of class to your kitchen.

The Ninja Luxe Café is an unusual coffee maker, capable of making espresso, filter coffee, and cold-brew – and doing all three well (see our full Ninja Luxe Café review for more details). It was available in a sharp stainless steel finish when it launched last year, and now you can also pick it up in a subtle hue called Trace Blue, and a darker shade called Gunmetal Gray.

The two new colors are available in the US, but Trace Blue has proved particularly popular and is currently sold out in Ninja's online store, but Gunmetal Gray is still in stock, and you can register for email updates to be informed when Trace Blue is back.

(Image credit: SharkNinja)

These new shades follow a bigger trend for kitchen appliances in soft, muted colors rather than the usual black and silver. For example, Breville recently gave its best espresso machine, the Barista Touch Impress, a new look in shades of cream, navy, and olive green with brass accents.

Meanwhile, KitchenAid toned down its coffee makers with a creamy colorway called Porcelain White, and unveiled the Design Series Evergreen stand mixer with a matt green body and walnut wood bowl.

Tidy tamping

The designers at Ninja have been busy, and earlier this month the company unveiled a new version of the Luxe Café with a lever-operated tamping system that takes the effort and skill out of pressing ground coffee into the perfect puck.

The system also makes coffee-brewing tidier, because there's no need to move a portafilter full of loose grounds and risk spilling them on your kitchen counter.

The Ninja Luxe Café Pro is available now from Ninja for $749.99 / £699.99 (about AU$1,200).

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• Spotify has launched a new feature in its search hub called Upcoming Releases
• Users can now view and pre-save upcoming albums from two lists based on their listening history and the most pre-saved albums globally
• Upcoming Releases also provides listeners with a space to access Countdown Pages, merch, and more

Spotify is really doing its bit to prove that it’s still the best music streaming service, and its freshly-launched Upcoming Releases hub does just that. The platform has just rolled out the new feature, creating an in-app space dedicated to keeping tabs on new album releases.

Yesterday Spotify announced the feature in a blog post and, as the name suggests, it will allow you to view and pre-save recommended soon-to-be-released albums based on your personal listening habits all from one place. Additionally, you’ll also be able to view the top 10 anticipated new releases based on the number of global pre-saves.

One of the better parts of the Upcoming Releases hub is that it’s very easy to find in the Spotify app. Head to the main search hub and scroll down to ‘Browse all’, and there you’ll find the brand new Upcoming Releases section next to your ‘Made For You’ hub. From there, you can pre-save upcoming albums hassle-free, and can quickly access album Countdown Pages to view the tracklist, listen to singles, check out merch, and watch clips.

(Image credit: Spotify)

Upcoming Releases marks a first for Spotify and significantly enhances the music streamer’s approach to giving fans more ways of staying in the loop with new music. Last year Spotify introduced Countdown Pages for artists which not only breathed new life into album release strategies, but gave fans a new way of engaging with the pre-release hype.

Now that Spotify has launched the Upcoming Releases hub powered by Countdown Pages, it could give the platform a leg-up for bringing you closer to new music - and I’m already warming up to it.

I like what I see, I like it a lot

Like any music obsessive, having my ear to the ground with new music releases is in my nature, however it can be quite the task when it comes to keeping tabs on new albums especially if you listen to a lot of different genres and artists like myself.

But Spotify’s Upcoming Releases hub could be the answer to all my new music questions, and I don’t think I’ve taken to a new feature this quickly since Daylists landed in 2023.

So far Upcoming Releases is limited to two different categories, ‘For you’ and ‘Top 10 countdowns’, which is the only downside to the new feature but I’m hoping this is intentional.

It would make sense for Spotify to start small and then build on the feature as users get used to it, so with that said I’d like to see Spotify add genre-specific recommendations for example ‘Most popular indie upcoming releases’, or even a section that groups soon-to-be-released albums from artists touring your local area.

I think there's a lot of room for this new feature to evolve, but it’s still early days and at the moment, I’m just excited to test the waters with it and see how often the recommendations are updated. Besides, it will save me bags of time scrolling through Metacritic’s list of new releases to find out who's bringing out new material.

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• Android TV 16 will bring a few nice changes to Google TV devices
• Eclipsa Audio support, auto viewing mode optimization, better streaming, and HDMI-CEC improvements
• No launch date as yet; different manufacturers will have different timelines

Getting a TV operating system update sometimes feels like going to a restaurant where the chef is a psychopath: your dish will come with the finest ingredients cooked to perfection but there'll be something unspeakable on top of your steak. The Android 16 update for Google TV seems a bit like that.

The update, coming to Google TV this year, will bring Android 16 to supported TVs and will include some really useful improvements. It'll also include what could be quite the irritant.

Android 16 TV apps will also be available for Android XR headsets (Image credit: Google)What to expect from the Google TV Android update

One of the most important new features is support for Eclipsa Audio, the much-anticipated rival to Dolby Atmos being promoted by Google and Samsung. It'll be coming to YouTube to begin with, and the firms hope it's going to be embraced by the wider industry as another immersive audio option.

Another useful new addition is the MediaQualityManager, which is designed to give streaming apps the ability to tweak your TV's settings. This is a system-wide equivalent to app-specific features such as Prime Video Calibrated Mode, which currently enables owners of some Sony Bravia TVs to automatically optimize their TV settings for the Prime Video show or movie they're about to watch – so it'll tweak the brightness, color temperature and motion smoothing.

Having it available in the operating system should mean more streaming apps offering a calibration option, and calibration being available on more TVs.

Google's Gemini AI assistant will be rolling out to Google TVs in the fall, enabling you to ask for movie recommendations or get information about things from your TV.

There's a visual refresh coming too, with the update delivering the latest iteration of Google's interface, called Material 3 Expressive. It's not a huge redesign but it's a clearer, more modern look.

Those are the top four, and Google says there will also be various improvements to media handling including playback speed, consistency and efficiency, and there will be improved HDMI-CEC reliability too. And it'll be bringing Google TV to Android XR, it's virtual/augmented reality platform, so app developers will be able to bring their apps to the platform effortlessly (although some, like Netflix, are likely to opt out).

The chocolate bar in the swimming pool of Android TV updates is the arrival of pop-up rating requests. You know those annoying "Rate this app" popups on your phone? Google is enabling app makers to bring them to your TV too.

There's no release date for Android TV 16 yet, and as ever with this kind of update some manufacturers are likely to roll it out more quickly than others.

As soon as we know likely launch dates we'll let you know. You can see the full list of features and changes on the Android developers website. (via FlatpanelsHD)

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• The first Skullcandy Crusher headphones made for the gym
• Sweat and water resistance, plus a nano-coating and silicone band
• Lots of bass promised, but no active noise cancellation

Skullcandy's new Crusher 540 Active headphones look like nearly perfect over-ears for the gym: they're sweat-resistant, they've got great battery life, and they promise to deliver pumping and motivational sound, too. But there's one big feature missing: active noise cancellation.

That's an odd choice for headphones when many gyms have a pretty loud soundtrack, and given the price tag – £169.99 / $199.99 (about AU$353) – that means the lack of ANC is all the more apparent; our list of the best headphones has options half the price that come with very good ANC.

That's a shame, because the rest of the specifications are very good.

He's got a serious face because his headphones don't have ANC (Image credit: Skullcandy)Skullcandy Crusher 540 Active headphones: key features

The key features here are focused more on comfort and longevity: the headphones are sweat and water resistant with a nano-coating and silicone TPU band to cope with even the heaviest workouts.

The ear cushions are made from a breathable fabric and have enhanced clamping so they'll stay in place. Skullcandy says the cups feature a "noise-isolating over-ear design" to reduce distractions even without ANC.

Sound-wise the big feature is Skullcandy's own Crusher technology, which enables you to drive the bass up to match the intensity of your activity, and there's built-in Tile finding so you won't lose them if you leave them in the locker room. Drivers are 40mm with dual bass drivers, and there's Bluetooth 5.0 with integrated controls on the headphones as well as full Skullcandy app integration – including the ability to dial back the bass if you prefer.

Battery life is 40 hours, with 10-minute rapid charging delivering four hours of playback from flat.

It all sounds great, but other great headphones at this price offer ANC, such as the Sony ULT Wear headphones or the Sennheiser Accentum Plus. It's true that Beats' gym-focused headphones, the Beats Solo 4, are a similar price and don't have ANC either – but we also slammed those for the omission.

There might be lots of people who don't want to use ANC in the gym, to keep more aware of their surroundings – but you'd want to use these headphones at other times, and wouldn't you want ANC when on public transport or in the office? There's a reason the best noise cancelling headphones are so popular.

Still, if the comfort and sound are good, these could be very popular – sweat-resistant over-ears aren't that common. The new Skullcandy Crusher 540 Active headphones are available worldwide from Skullcandy and the usual retailers.

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Sam Altman and Jony Ive called the announcement of io, an AI device startup purchased by OpenAI, an "extraordinary moment."

After watching the nine-minute video where the two "friends" talk about their future business endeavours in a busy San Francisco Café bustling with paid actors, I was left intrigued by the promise of "a new generation of technology that can make us our better selves," but confused by the lack of details.

Nine minutes later and anyone that watched the weird corporate romcom of Sam and Jony, has more questions than they have answers. We already knew Ive was working with Altman, yet the announcement that OpenAI is purchasing the startup for $6.5 billion makes it all feel that little bit more real.

OpenAI wants whatever io creates to be its magnum opus, and honestly, considering Ive's track record, I wouldn't be surprised in the slightest if it is. But still, I'm left more confused at the prospect of what it could be than what it won't be.

Following the reveal, the WSJ, Bloomberg, and other outlets published articles that give further insight into what io's first product could look like. I've read the piece, I've scoured past rumors and articles, and I've come up with five clues that give us an idea of what to expect from this upcoming ChatGPT-powered hardware.

Here are the top five clues that hint at what Sam and Jony could be working on.

1. An AI device like we've never seen before?

(Image credit: Humane)

It's hard to even fathom what a dedicated piece of AI hardware could look like if it's not similar to those that have come before it. Last year, we saw the market flooded with products like the Humane AI Pin and the Rabbit R1, which both failed to make an impact.

After the announcement of io, Ive spoke to Bloomberg, where he said Humane and Rabbit 'were very poor products,' he added, 'There has been an absence of new ways of thinking expressed in products.'

Following the announcement, Altman gave his OpenAI staff a preview of what's to come, and according to Bloomberg, 'The product will be capable of being fully aware of a user’s surroundings and life, will be unobtrusive, able to rest in one’s pocket or on one’s desk.'

I'm no genius, I definitely couldn't have come up with the concept of the iPhone, but to me this sounds like a Jony Ive-ification of a dedicated ChatGPT smart pin.

2. It won't be a wearable (in the traditional sense)

(Image credit: Google)

If io's first product can sit on your desk or get thrown in a pocket, then it's not going to be competing with the Apple Watches of the world. Instead, the duo told the WSJ its intent is to "wean users from screens."

It's also not a pair of glasses like the Ray-Ban Meta glasses and "Ive is skeptical about building something to wear on the body."

That doesn't really whittle it down, but it does continue to paint a picture similar to the form factor of the Humane AI Pin. I can't help but envision a small AI-powered device that can be placed anywhere, and is able to interact with a user in the same way we would interact with ChatGPT Advanced Voice Mode or Gemini Live.

Another hint Altman and Ive gave the WSJ is that the product will be "capable of being fully aware of a user’s surroundings and life," and "unobtrusive.'"Again, painting the picture of a small smart pin that you can place anywhere.

3. It will sit alongside your iPhone and Mac

The io AI device "will be a third core device a person would put on a desk after a MacBook Pro and an iPhone", according to Ive and Altman, providing an experience that's not really been possible up until this point.

In the nine-minute conversation between the two, Altman explains how we currently interact with ChatGPT. He says, "I would need to reach down into my bag, get out my laptop, open it up, launch a browser, I'd start typing, and then explain that thing, then hit enter, then I would wait for a response. That is the limit of what a laptop can do, and I think this technology [ChatGPT] deserves much better."

Now, there's likely a lot of marketing speak here, but the duo seems convinced that whatever they are working on will redefine modern technology and give us the best way to interact with the capabilities of ChatGPT.

In February I wrote about this rumored device, and I said, "I’m not totally convinced of the idea of a dedicated AI device, but if OpenAI’s product connects via Bluetooth, adding some kind of bracelet or pin that directly interacts with ChatGPT and all its power on your smartphone, then this could be the next step in the evolution of smart wearables. I’d love to be able to quickly transcribe audio directly from a ChatGPT-powered pin, for example, and then read back the information on my iPhone. The device wouldn't need a screen in this scenario, because your smartphone ultimately functions as the user interface."

Three months later, and while this quote from Ive and Altman hints at a standalone device rather than one that connects to your smartphone, I think that idea of what the user experience could be is pretty spot on. Then again, as I said above, I'm not the inventor of the iPhone, I can barely understand why the clocks change twice a year.

4. It won't be a smartphone

(Image credit: Daniel Romero / Unsplash)

OpenAI plans to ship over 100 million units of this device that Altman hopes is the beginning of a "family of devices." He sees Ive's hardware credentials at Apple as a blueprint towards creating a successful new genre of product that captures the AI hardware market.

If the previous entries hadn't made it somewhat clear, this ChatGPT-powered device will not be a smartphone. Whether that means it won't be a smartphone, yet, and io could work on a device to compete with the iPhone and Android smartphones in the future, we don't know. But the first product that comes out of this company will not try to compete with Apple's best-selling device.

5. No one knows, and that's exciting

Listen, I know the marketing video was as cheesy as it comes. I know, we've been burned by tech companies time and time again. Heck, even Apple, with its fantastic track record, was unable to ship Apple Intelligence like it promised.

That said, there's something incredibly exciting about the promise of innovation. Obviously, just because Jony Ive is working on a product doesn't confirm a good one. I'll die on a hill saying the iPhone 5C sucked.

However, you've got one of the most powerful companies in the world, which is creating, love it or hate it, the most impressive software we've ever seen, and it's teaming up with the man who designed the biggest consumer tech innovation of the 21st century.

Whether io's product itself is a success or not is anyone's guess, but the prospect of a new way of interacting with technology and AI is something that's definitely got me interested.

io's first product is expected to launch in 2026, who knows how far AI will have come by then.

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• Coros has launched a new repair program for its fitness trackers
• You can send off your device and get a replacement within a week
• You won’t receive your original device, but a refurbished product instead

Coros wearables are popular with fitness fans, but when you’re mountain-biking or trail-running there’s always a chance you’ll end up damaging even the best running watch or fitness tracker – and Coros has just announced a new repair program to get your wearable fixed, fast.

The Coros Repair Service will offer repairs with the aim of getting you back in action as quickly as possible. To that end, Coros says “users can send in a damaged device, pay a nominal repair fee, and receive a refurbished replacement within a week.”

The repairs will cover a variety of issues that you might face with your wearable, including replacing broken displays, buttons, and digital dials. Battery replacements are also covered, Coros says.

The repair fees involved vary depending on the product being repaired and what needs fixing. The cheapest option is to get a replacement battery for the Pace 3 or Pace Pro smartwatches, which costs $59. The most expensive repair is for the screen, dial or button on the Vertix 2S, which will set you back $119.

How does the repair process work?

(Image credit: Future)

To get started with a repair you’ll need to go to coros.com/repairs, then fill out your device details and submit a request using the online form. You’ll then be sent an email with a prepaid return label, after which you’ll need to select your device on the Coros website, pay the repair fee, then ship the defective product to the company.

Coros says that once it has received your faulty device, it will send you a refurbished replacement, which comes with a one-year warranty. Interestingly, that means your original device will not be returned to you – it will instead be refurbished and be made available for other users to purchase. In its place, you’ll be given an already-repaired device from Coros’s refurbished stock.

Coros says it's taking this approach in order to get you up and running sooner than would be possible if your original device was repaired and sent back to you, which could take up to 30 days.

The company also says that shipping products in bulk to its repair factory is more affordable and sustainable than sending each device individually, which presumably would happen if you were to get your original device back.

So, this new repair program could be helpful if you want to get back in action as soon as possible. Any fitness tracker can break, but if minimizing downtime is important to you, Coros’s program might be worth considering.

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• 75% of UK public sector orgs use GenAI compared with 64% globally
• Defense, healthcare and security sectors use it the most
• Orgs are on the lookout for Chief Data and AI Officers

According to new research from Capgemini, Britain could actually be leading the AI adoption wave among European governments, with 75% of public sector organizations in the UK exploring or actively working with GenAI.

However, the same number of UK public sector orgs are also worried about generative AI's environmental impacts, with even more worried about data security and data sovereignty (78% each) and almost as many constrained by costs (68%).

Still, despite remaining apprehension, the UK is 11 percentage points ahead of the global average, where 64% of public sector organizations are exploring or using GenAI.

UK public sector is leading in GenAI adoption

Although the UK is currently ahead, it doesn't mean that the trend won't be challenged in the near future. As many as nine in 10 global public sector orgs plan to explore, pilot or implement agentic AI in the next two to three years.

With agentic AI marking the AI of tomorrow, Capgemini explored where today's AI, generative AI, is impacting most. Defense agencies (82%), healthcare (75%) and security sectors (70%) were among the highest adopters.

However, with such strict data privacy and security measures in place across the public sector, organizations are struggling to refine their own AI and are instead being forced to use off-the-shelf solutions. Only one-fifth (21%) say they have the necessary data to train and fine-tune AI models.

Moreover, just 12% feel very mature in activating data, and even fewer (7%) report maturity in data and AI skills. Capgemini Public Sector Global Industry Leader Marc Reinhardt summarized: "With rising citizen demands and stretched resources, public sector organizations recognize the ways in which AI can help them do more with less."

Looking ahead, 24% plan to appoint a Chief Data Officer and 41% plan to introduce a Chief AI Officer, on top of the 64% and 27% (respectively) that already have, bringing the number of public sector orgs with CDOs and CAIOs up to 88% and 68%.

Highlighting the importance of "the right data infrastructure," Reinhardt added: "Looking ahead, governments can be more agile and effective as AI augments the work of government employees to source information, conduct policy analysis, make decisions, and answer citizen queries."

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• Renders of the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic have been spotted
• They combine Classic and Ultra aesthetics
• The upcoming watch should arrive sometime in July

With just a couple of months to go until the expected launch of the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8, some freshly leaked renders of the Classic version of the smartwatch have emerged online, showing the return of the device's rotating bezel.

These renders come from well-known tipster @OnLeaks and SammyGuru, and are based on schematic information leaked from the supply chain. We get to see the watch from all angles, and it looks like a stylish, polished gadget.

This particular tipster has a strong track record when it comes to revealing device designs ahead of time, but bear in mind that this is still just a leak – we won't know the final design of the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic until Samsung makes it official.

We didn't get a Classic model last year, but the upcoming watch looks to be combining elements from the Galaxy Watch 6 Classic from 2023 and the Galaxy Watch Ultra, which made its debut in 2024.

Rumored dimensions

It seems we're getting a slightly squircle-shaped frame, as on the Galaxy Watch Ultra, though here it looks to be a little more rounded. It might actually be that the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic takes the place of the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 this year.

Then there's that rotating bezel, which is always present on the Classic model, and which makes operating the watch easier. In recent years we've had Classic models every other year, so we're due another in 2025.

This same leak mentions a 1.5-inch display, and dimensions of "roughly" 46 x 46.5 x 14.2mm – which actually sound rather precise. The indications are that this will be the only size available when it comes to the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic.

If Samsung sticks to the same schedule it followed in 2024 we'll see this watch unveiled at an Unpacked launch event sometime in July, alongside the Galaxy Watch 8, the Galaxy Z Fold 7, the Galaxy Z Flip 7, and perhaps the tri-fold Samsung Galaxy G Fold.

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• Ricoh confirms GR IV is in development and 'autumn 2025' launch
• A variation with highlight diffusion filter will follow in 'winter 2025'
• The compacts will pack a newly designed lens, sensor and processor

Ricoh has announced the development of the Ricoh GR IV, the next generation of one of the best compact cameras. As a longtime GR IIIx user, I couldn't be more excited for what's in store.

We've been speculating for months if not years about when and if a GR IV would be unveiled. Along the way, leaks have given us false hope as further iterations of the GR III have been launched instead, such as the GR III HDF.

Now, finally, we know (roughly) when the GR IV will launch – a press release says we can expect the GR IV in "autumn 2025", while a niche highlight diffusion filter (HDF) version is set to follow in "winter 2025". There's no word yet on an 'x' iteration.

In the build-up to those launches the GR III will be discontinued, although production of the GR IIIx is set to continue for now.

I have already written about the upgrades I hope to see in the Ricoh GR IV, and now the press release has teased a few things that we can look forward to.

I loved the Ricoh GR IIIx concept so much that I personally forked out for one instead of upgrading to the latest iPhone, and I can't wait to see what improvements are made in the overdue next-gen model. (Image credit: Future)How big an upgrade will the Ricoh GR IV be?

Ricoh says the "GR IV inherits the basic GR-series concept, while also incorporating totally new components, including a newly designed lens, a new image sensor and a new imaging engine, to further upgrade image quality.

"It also features more advanced communications functions and is compatible with a new application designed for smart devices to improve operability and functionality."

Those improvements could indeed make the GR IV, in Ricoh's words, "the ultimate snapshot camera in the history of the GR series"; but as an actual user of the GR IIIx there are some less headline-worthy upgrades that I'd also like to see.

Image quality from the GR III series is already stellar, but I hope we see some design improvements, particularly better build quality, a built-in flash and, provided the truly compact dimensions remain, a tilt LCD screen.

Performance-wise, the GR IV needs better autofocus, and the mention of a new processor and sensor gives me hope that'll be the case.

Ricoh says GR IV prototypes will be showcased at the GR Space showrooms in Tokyo, Beijing, and Shanghai from May 31. That should give us further clues as to any design changes, including the new lens.

The Ricoh GR IV is a camera I've been looking forward to for a long time, and with premium compacts particularly popular right now it can't come soon enough, and is set to be one of 2025's most popular cameras.

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• Signal has a new option for its Windows 11 app to block Recall
• The developer had to fudge a way of preventing screenshots of the messaging app being taken
• Unfortunately this has side-effects such as interfering with screen reading tools, but Signal says Microsoft has left it no choice

Signal, a messaging app that majors in security and privacy (and has been in the limelight recently), has introduced a measure to defend content sent via the platform from the prying eyes of Microsoft’s Recall feature.

In case you forgot – unlikely, I know – Recall is the controversial feature for Copilot+ PCs that provides an AI-powered deep search in Windows 11. It does this by taking regular screen grabs of the activity on your PC, and you can see where the conflict comes in if the feature screenshots messages sent via a privacy-focused app like Signal.

As a counter to this, Signal announced in a blog post (picked up by The Verge) that it’s introducing a new ‘screen security’ setting for its Windows 11 app, and this will be turned on by default for users of the desktop OS. This functionality is rolling out now.

What the developer has done here is activate a DRM flag on the Signal app window as a fudge to stop Recall from capturing screenshots. It’s using that workaround because Microsoft failed to offer “granular settings for app developers that would enable Signal to easily protect privacy” with Recall, the blog post observes.

Signal notes: “We are enabling an extra layer of protection by default on Windows 11 in order to help maintain the security of Signal Desktop on that platform even though it introduces some usability trade-offs. Microsoft has simply given us no other option.”

What’s the usability trade-off? Blocking screenshots from every angle using this DRM fudge means legitimate use of screen grabbing is ruled out, and also some screen reading tools (like Narrator in Windows 11) or other accessibility features may not work properly. So, that’s far from ideal, but Signal argues that Microsoft has left it no choice.

Analysis: Clear Signal

(Image credit: Signal)

This does seem to be an important part of the equation that’s missing with Recall. Famously, Microsoft pulled the feature after it was first revealed a year ago, and took it back to the drawing board, tightening up security and privacy in numerous ways. But that was a case of fixing and smoothing over weaknesses, rather than strengthening measures – Recall was launched way too early, and without enough thought, worryingly.

And still after all that time, there are software developers out there like the maker of Signal pointing out a basic flaw in Recall that Microsoft should have addressed at this point.

Remember that this doesn’t apply to you if you don’t have a Copilot+ PC, though, as only those devices get Recall (it requires a beefy NPU for locally accelerating AI workloads to ensure the feature works smoothly enough).

While the new setting is enabled by default for Signal in Windows 11, you can turn it off by going to Signal Settings > Privacy > Screen security (you’ll be warned that you’re about to disable the ability).

It’ll certainly be worth watching this space going forward, and I’m hoping Microsoft will implement a proper way to let developers control how Recall interacts with their apps, as this only makes sense – particularly for privacy-related software.

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• Google Cloud operates across 42 regions and 127 zones, supported by 33 subsea cables
• The US government trusts Google Cloud Air-Gapped with top-secret information
• Europe has a number of local tools, and Germany is next

Amid ongoing US-China tensions over tech dominance, Google has recognized that some countries are concerned about the US' tech dominance, thus it has announced some updates to its sovereign cloud services to ensure optimal privacy.

In a blog post, Google Cloud President of Customer Experience Hayete Gallot boasted that the company now has more than 42 cloud regions, 127 zones, 202 network edge locations and 33 subsea cable investments supporting its global cloud services.

Once niche and limited to highly regulated sectors like defense and intelligence, sovereignty is now a mainstream concern for many sectors and most governments, and Google has responded with a handful of updates.

Google upgrades its sovereign cloud portfolio for customers

Key to the announcement is Google Cloud's air-gapped cloud service, which operates as a standalone cloud with no external network connectivity requirements. It's designed specially for sectors with strict data residency and security, and is build on open-source components which Google believes can enhance resilience and therefore business continuity.

The company even got authorization to store US government Top Secret and Secret-level data on Google Cloud Air-Gapped in 2024 – a sign of its strong privacy credentials.

The second of Google's three key announcements, Google Cloud Dedicated, is a partner-operated regional platform that meets local sovereignty standards. The company already partnered with Thales in 2021 to make its first-ever Trusted Cloud by S3NS for Europe, but now it's confirmed it'll be targeting Germany next.

Finally, Google Cloud Data Boundary gives users further control over where their data is stored and processed, with enhanced protection via external key management and confidential computing. For example, Workspace users can select to restrict processing to the US or EU, while also choosing local data storage countries.

A Mandiant-backed tool called User Data Shield is being added to this to ensure the ongoing verification of sovereignty postures.

Gallot expressed a commitment to "empowering organizations globally to navigate the complex landscape of digital sovereignty with confidence," while also noting how advanced security measure like a zero-trust posture, post-quantum cryptography and AI-powered defenses form part of the broader strategy.

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• Apple has marked the iPhone 7 Plus and iPhone 8 as ‘vintage’
• This means there are fewer repair options should you need them
• The next step is to declare them ‘obsolete,’ but that’s not happened yet

If you’re still rocking an iPhone 7 Plus or an iPhone 8, we’ve got some bad news: Apple has just added them to its list of “vintage” products, meaning your repair options have just become a little more limited.

Apple declares a product to be vintage when the company stopped selling it more than five but less than seven years ago. Apple does this from time to time with older devices – after all, it can’t offer ongoing support for every device it's ever produced on an indefinite basis. But the news will still come as a disappointment to anyone still using one of these phones.

What does this mean in practice? Well, when Apple classifies a product as 'vintage', it cuts back on the support it will offer to owners. In theory, you’ll still be able to get one of these products repaired by Apple or an Apple Authorized Service Provider (AASP), but it depends on whether the parts are still available. If they aren’t, you won’t be able to get genuine components when it’s time to repair your phone.

After a product has been classed as vintage, the next step is for Apple to label it 'obsolete', and this usually occurs when more than seven years have passed since Apple last offered the device for sale. The iPhone 7 Plus and iPhone 8 were discontinued in 2019 and 2020, respectively, which means you’ve still got another year or two until they're classed as obsolete.

Old-school charm

(Image credit: Future)

Launched in 2016, the iPhone 7 Plus was the larger version of the iPhone 7, and it came with water and dust resistance, a solid-state Home button, new color options, and revised antenna bands. It also controversially marked the removal of the 3.5mm headphone jack once and for all.

The iPhone 8, meanwhile, was released in 2017 and came with wireless charging, True Tone technology, a better chip, and improved cameras. It launched alongside the iPhone X, which was the first all-screen iPhone and consigned the Home button to history.

This is the second time in recent months that Apple has added devices to its vintage products list. In mid-April, the iPhone 6S was marked as vintage, alongside the 2018 Mac mini. Don’t be surprised to see further products added to Apple’s list over the next year.

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• Sony is shutting down its PlayStation Stars loyalty program after three years
• The program will no longer accept new members, but current members have until July 23 to earn Digital Collectibles, Points, and level up their status
• Sony says "this version" of the PlayStation Stars will fully end on November 2, 2026

Sony has announced that it's shutting down its PlayStation Stars loyalty program after three years.

In a new PlayStation Blog post, the company confirmed that PlayStation Stars will be closing down and will no longer accept new members as of today.

Those who choose to cancel their membership won't be able to rejoin and will lose all earned Points.

"Since launching the program, we’ve learned a lot from evaluating the types of activities our players respond best to, and as a company, we are always evolving with player and industry trends," Sony said.

"Through this evaluation, we have decided to refocus our efforts and will be winding down the current version of PlayStation Stars. We will continue to evaluate our key findings from this program, and are looking into ways to build upon these learnings."

Although the rewards program is shutting down, members can still earn Digital Collectibles, Points, and level up their status until July 23, 2025 at 7:59AM PDT / 3:59PM BST / 11:59PM JST.

After this date, no new PlayStation Stars Campaigns will be available, or additional rewards or status benefits to earn.

Sony said that "this version" of PlayStation Stars will fully end on November 2, 2026, but it's unclear if the company is planning on releasing another version of the loyalty program.

It also said that current PlayStation Stars members can continue to redeem Points as long as their Points don’t expire before that date, and that members can still access their Digital Collectibles, even after these changes go into effect.

The program was made available for PS5 and PS4 in 2022 and rewards players with earnable loyalty points that can be redeemed for various digital goodies after completing various challenges, like unlocking a specific trophy or playing a game on your system.

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• gTLDs enhance brand identity, trust, engagement, SEO and control over online presence
• 53% of businesses want to stand out from competitors – gTLDs can help
• Some marketers didn't know they could register gTLDs

New research from ICANN has revealed that generic top-level domains (gTLDs) have been likened to digital storefronts, noting that unique online addresses are becoming critical for branding and customer engagement.

ICANN's global survey of more than 2,000 marketers from 14 global markets found that gTLDs like .microsoft or .brazil offer untapped branding and operational opportunities.

The study also found that brands can enhance their identity, improve trust and control their online presence more effectively when using a gTLD.

Businesses are missing out on generic TLD benefits

An overwhelming majority (92%) of the marketers surveyed agreed that gTLDs offer benefits, including enhanced brand differentiation/identity (46%), improved customer trust and engagement (45%), better control over online presence (44%) and improved SEO (44%).

Although gTLDs might be new additions to companies' roadmaps, they can also form part of existing strategies. For example, 53% noted wanting to stand out from competitors as a top priority in the next 12 months. One in two (52%) also noted wanting to attract and engage the right audience, while a similar number (47%) declared keeping up with digital trends to be a top priority.

However, as with any change in technology, some are finding that there are certain hurdles preventing them from going all-in on gTLDs, including high costs (31%), a lack of knowledge (27%) and insufficient time, unclear ROI or security concerns (24% each).

ICANN also observed misconceptions, with 16% of marketers believing gTLDs were government-only and 9% thinking they were part of trade agreements.

With gTLDs offering a transformational opportunity for brands willing to spend the time setting them up, ICANN is urging brands to start preparing now in order to arm themselves with the knowledge and power.

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• The Retro Classics collection is now available on Xbox, PC, and supported smart TVs
• It's come by way of a partnership between Xbox, Antstream Arcade, and Activision
• Over 50 games are available now, with more than 100 expected to arrive eventually

Xbox has partnered with classic game service Antstream Arcade to bring Xbox Game Pass subscribers the new Retro Classics collection.

Microsoft announced the partnership via an official Xbox Wire post, which is described as "a collaboration between Xbox and Antstream Arcade, available to play for Game Pass members globally."

The service is available now and only requires the standard Xbox Game Pass subscription - Ultimate is not necessary. The Retro Classics collection is a separate app, available on Xbox Series X|S, PC, and can also be streamed via supported Samsung and LG smart TVs, Amazon Fire TV devices and Meta Quest VR headsets.

Initially, the Retro Classics library houses over 50 retro Activision games. These include Pitfall, Dragster, Grand Prix, Kaboom!, Enduro and many more. Games also have their own sets of achievements, leaderboard challenges, and save state support - not unlike the main Antstream Arcade service.

"This initiative is a step in our commitment to game preservation and backwards compatibility, allowing players to experience many timeless games on modern devices," the Xbox Wire post reads.

Furthermore, the Retro Classics collection is set to expand over time. The post claims that the launch "is just the beginning." Eventually, the service is set to grow to well over 100 playable titles. If you don't have the cash for some of the best retro games consoles, then this could be a more affordable solution.

It's a pretty smart way to leverage a suite of classic games now made available to Microsoft via its Activision Blizzard buyout, and one I didn't really see coming. The Antstream Arcade service itself is something I've personally gotten some enjoyment out of, and it's cool to see a similar service make its way to Xbox Game Pass members on both console and PC.

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• The Samsung Galaxy S26 could have a new main camera
• However, it might still be 50MP
• It's possible the Galaxy S26 Edge and Plus will also get new camera sensors

The Samsung Galaxy S25 has the same main camera sensor as the Samsung Galaxy S24, so while this camera performs reasonably well, it’s really due an upgrade with the Samsung Galaxy S26. Thankfully, an upgrade is what we might get.

According to GalaxyClub, the Samsung Galaxy S26 will have a new 50MP sensor. Now, that’s no change in megapixels, but the site claims that “as far as we understand” it will be a new model in Samsung’s ISOCELL GN series, and possibly one that hasn’t been announced yet. That would be in place of the 50MP ISOCELL GN3 in the Samsung Galaxy S25.

While there’s no mention here of the Samsung Galaxy S26 Plus, we’d expect that would also have this new sensor since the Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus has the same sensor as the base S25. That’s assuming there is a Galaxy S26 Plus at all, as some reports claim Samsung is considering ditching this model in favor of a Samsung Galaxy S26 Edge.

Samsung or Sony?

Speaking of the S26 Edge, leaker @Jukanlosreve has claimed that both this and the base Samsung Galaxy S26 will use a 50MP Sony sensor. So that’s slightly at odds with the claim above, as while both leaks point to a new 50MP sensor for the Galaxy S26, there’s disagreement on the brand.

BIG: * NEXT YEAR'S S26 VANILLA AND EDGE MODELS WILL FEATURE A 50MP 1.0UM SENSOR FROM SONY.May 22, 2025

Still, it seems likely then that the sensor will be changing, even if we’re not sure what to. Equipping the Samsung Galaxy S26 Edge with a 50MP sensor would seem an odd choice though, since the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge has a 200MP one. Fewer megapixels doesn’t necessarily mean a reduction in quality, but it might not look great from a marketing perspective.

We’d take all of this with a pinch of salt anyway, as the Samsung Galaxy S26 series probably won’t land until early 2026.

We have started hearing quite a few things about these phones though, with earlier leaks pointing to bigger batteries across the whole S26 series, while the base model could have an Exynos 2600 chipset in some regions, and the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra could get a new lens and a variable aperture.

So it sounds like there could be quite a lot of upgrades coming to Samsung’s flagship phone series.

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Speed is no longer a luxury for businesses, it's a necessity. Whether shopping online, streaming content or using business apps, users expect instant and seamless experiences. Simultaneously, companies face increasing pressures to innovate, scale, and remain secure against ever-intelligent threats, all without breaking the bank.

As the internet and technology stacks evolve and grow increasingly complex, legacy IT infrastructures have struggled to keep up, resulting in poor user experience, security vulnerabilities and runaway spending. Many businesses are now turning to a modern edge architecture that seamlessly integrates in their stack and way of working, allowing for faster innovation, easier pivots and instant deployments. Here are four reasons why modern production systems need an edge architecture to match.

Being slow is unacceptable

Today’s audiences expect engaging and immersive content, and are more impatient than ever with low tolerance for low quality resolution. Viewers expect content to play instantly, every time.

Adding to the challenge of making your experiences instant every time, content is rarely consumed where it’s created, and geographical distances will introduce unavoidable latency. The more popular you are, the broader your geographical reach and the more global demand for instant playback.

Without a proper architectural strategy, a system broadcasting breaking news, viral content, or a game-winning moment in the United Kingdom will have Australian viewers waiting for data – an issue compounded by network congestion, routing inefficiencies, and the occasional ship’s anchor.

While the issue is as old as the Internet, edge computing solves the inherent delay using points of presence (POPs) placed strategically across the globe. At any given time, POPs can cache and deliver content from the server nearest the consumer, ensuring they receive content with the smallest possible delay. Latency is drastically reduced, page load times are accelerated, and consumers will experience improved performance for applications, streaming services, and websites.

Success shouldn’t break your budget

On the surface, using two or more hyperscaler zones as a way to build a geographically distributed application seems straightforward – and this is valuable for disaster recovery purposes. However, to do this in a way that simulates a true edge system with dozens of locations is not feasible when you consider cloud costs and engineering resources. Moreover, it distracts from your innovation efforts with your core business.

Modern distributed edge systems are more capable, flexible, and affordable than ever. They provide proven, robust performance with global coverage, enabling fast, personalized, and secure computing. Equipped to give developers the tools they need for instant scale and custom computing, these systems have evolved from traditional CDN use cases into highly customizable, API-friendly platforms that can integrate with a wide range of demanding applications. And you won’t need to spend tens of millions on physical infrastructure and operational talent to leverage them.

By using distributed datacenters, content owners and online businesses can optimize performance without extensive hyperscaler investments. Edge systems also help reduce cloud bandwidth costs by caching frequently accessed content closer to end users, minimizing egress traffic. This not only lowers operational expenses but also ensures an infrastructure that can deliver at scale when your business has the most successful days of its existence.

Your users require privacy and security

Users today are savvier than ever regarding their data privacy and security. With a new paradigm of regulatory requirements like GDPR, businesses must be prepared to simultaneously meet these requirements while also delivering the experience their customers expect within budget.

It is essential for companies that deal with sensitive data to leverage modern architectural design to separate public and private information without interrupting the user experience. One possible way to do this is to organize the data into separate API responses or services into static, cacheable data (financial market trends, news, product information) and personalized, non-cacheable data (account balances, user-specific notifications).

This way, public data can be cached while private data is kept secure and private. It also conforms to the trends in mobile app development, where API-first architectures naturally separate user-specific calls from general data. All of this is instantly configurable and programmable with a modern edge partner.

Beyond privacy expectations, for industries facing piracy threats and account takeover risks, edge computing systems offer distributed and high-performance countermeasures. A modern threat model requires a security portfolio that is intelligent, adaptable and cost-effective. An edge-based solution localizes enforcement so that platforms can detect and prevent unauthorized access in real-time. And since performance is optimized, users benefit.

Decoupling data, taking advantage of edge programmability, and incorporating dynamic caching mechanisms allow businesses to increase security, improve performance, and lighten the load on their infrastructure without affecting the user experience. Your architecture strategy should tightly integrate each of these perspectives.

Focus on reliability

Even if your site or applications are fast, within budget, and manage your user’s privacy and security perfectly, it’s all for nothing if your uptime flakes or your team is constantly paged out of bed to fight midnight incidents. Thankfully, the same edge strategies can give your business layers of resiliency through intelligent caching, layered origin protection, and instant system scalability.

Don’t let the biggest and most successful days for your business turn into catastrophes due to a lack of architectural planning and the wrong edge partner. Plan ahead and choose the most flexible, cost-effective, secure, and resilient partner to plan for your long-term success.

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This article was produced as part of TechRadarPro's Expert Insights channel where we feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today. The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/news/submit-your-story-to-techradar-pro

In March, AWS announced the general availability of its new multi-agent capabilities, bringing the technology into the hands of businesses across almost every industry. Until now, organizations have mostly relied on single-agent AI systems, which handle individual tasks but often struggle with complex workflows.

These systems can also break down when businesses encounter unexpected scenarios outside their traditional data pipelines. Google also recently announced ADK (Agent Development Kit) for developing multi-agent systems and A2A (Agent to Agent) protocol for agents to communicate with each other, signaling a broader industry shift toward collaborative AI frameworks.

The general availability of multi-agent systems changes the game for startups. Instead of a single AI managing tasks in isolation, these systems feature robust and manageable networks of independent agents working collaboratively to divide skills, optimize workflows and adapt to shifting challenges. Unlike single-agent models, multi-agent systems operate with a division of labor, assigning specialized roles to each agent for greater efficiency.

They can process dynamic and unseen scenarios without requiring pre-coded instructions, and since the systems exist in software, they can be easily developed and continuously improved.

Let's explore how startups can leverage multi-agent systems and ensure seamless integration alongside human teams.

Unlocking value for startups

Startups can leverage multi-agent systems across several critical business functions, beginning with research and analysis. These systems excel at data gathering, web searches, and report generation through the process of retrieving, organizing and dynamically refining information.

This allows systems to streamline complex research workflows, enabling startups to operate more efficiently and make informed decisions at scale. Meanwhile, in sales processes, multi-agent systems improve efficiency by automating lead qualification, outreach and follow-ups. AI-driven sales development representatives (AI SDRs) can automate these repetitive tasks, reducing the need for manual intervention while enabling teams to focus on strategic engagement.

Many startups may also need to extract structured data from unstructured sources. For example, multi-agent systems automate web scraping and adjust to website format changes in real time, eliminating the need for continuous manual maintenance.

Unlike traditional data pipelines that require constant debugging, multi-agent systems autonomously manage tasks, reducing the need for large development teams. This is particularly useful for startups as they can ensure up-to-date data without expanding technical teams too quickly.

How businesses can implement multi-agent systems

Startups seeking to gain outsized results by leveraging these systems can do so through two impactful approaches.

One option is purchasing existing solutions to replace complex data flows and human-driven processes. This is the most cost-effective choice for many startups, as they can automate and replace complex sales pipelines and make data workflows more robust, reducing reliance on humans for repetitive tasks.

But for startups with unique operational needs, developing a multi-agent system in-house is ideal. Traditional systems require coding for every possible scenario – a rigid and time-consuming approach that is prone to human error. Multi-agent systems, in contrast, are tailored for all possible scenarios and dynamically adapt to complexities, making them a more flexible and scalable alternative.

Regardless of whether startups buy or build, multi-agent systems provide a game-changing opportunity to streamline operations, reduce manual workloads and improve scalability.

Overcoming challenges in AI integration

Despite its advantages, integrating multi-agent systems comes with certain challenges. Decision-making by agents within the multi-agent system isn’t always transparent since the systems often rely on large language models (LLMs) that have billions of parameters. This makes it challenging to diagnose failures, especially when a system works in one case but fails in another.

Additionally, multi-agent systems deal with dynamic, unstructured data, meaning they must validate AI-generated outputs across various input sources - from websites to documents, scanned documents and chat and meeting transcripts. This makes it a greater challenge to balance robustness to changes and accuracy. Beyond this, multi-agent systems face difficulties in maintaining effectiveness and require monitoring and updates in response to input source changes, which often break traditional scraping methods.

Startups can overcome these challenges by embracing new tools, such as LangFuse, LangSmith, HoneyHive and Phoenix, which are designed to enhance monitoring, debugging, and testing in multi-agent environments. Equally important is fostering a workplace culture that embraces AI agents as collaborators, not replacements. Startups should ensure buy-in across stakeholders and educate employees on the value of AI augmentation to allow a smooth adoption.

Transparency is also key. Founders must be open with staff about how multi-agent systems will be used to ensure a smooth collaboration between human and AI coworkers.

Achieving outsized results

The AI field is moving fast, making it difficult for experts, let alone everyday users, to keep up to date with each new model or tool that is released. Some small teams may therefore see multi-agent systems as unattainable.

However, the startups that successfully implement them into their workstreams – whether by purchasing or building custom solutions – will gain a competitive edge. Multi-agent systems bridge the gap between AI and human collaboration that can’t be achieved with traditional single-agent systems.

For startups focused on growth, multi-agent systems are the best tool in their arsenal to compete with incumbents who might be stuck with an outdated tech stack. The ability to streamline operations, reduce manual workload, and scale intelligently makes multi-agent systems an invaluable tool in achieving outsized results.

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This article was produced as part of TechRadarPro's Expert Insights channel where we feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today. The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/news/submit-your-story-to-techradar-pro