It’s a busy week in the tech world, so it’s no surprise that the past seven days have been full of news and leaks, with big news happening around ChatGPT, Spotify, Apple, Google, and more.
TechRadar also found time to publish two major reviews, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Marvel’s latest film, Deadpool and Wolverine, which may be a turning point in Marvel’s fortunes.
We understand that we all lead busy lives and you may not have time to tune into TechRadar all day, every day, so here’s a roundup of all the big events that happened in tech last week in case you missed them.
8. We reviewed the Galaxy Z Fold 6 – and were very impressed
The new Z Fold 6 (Image credit: Future)
The Galaxy Z Fold 6 is Samsung’s new flagship foldable smartphone due for release in 2024. While it doesn’t offer major upgrades in every area, there are noticeable improvements across the board compared to the Galaxy Z Fold 5. This is truly the best foldable smartphone Samsung has launched to date.
As always, our full Galaxy Z Fold 6 review is as comprehensive as possible: see how the foldable smartphone rates in all the areas that matter, including performance, battery life, and durability (an important consideration with a foldable phone).
7. OpenAI told me when ChatGPT’s new voice mode will be released
Introducing voice mode (Image credit: OpenAI)
ChatGPT’s new voice mode was announced with much fanfare in May, but several issues, including a spat with Scarlett Johansson, delayed its release. Now, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has said that an early test version is on track to be released sometime next week.
While ChatGPT can already converse with users, the new voice mode is meant to be a “real-time, natural conversation with an AI,” meaning it will be nearly identical to talking to a human, minus the pauses, interruptions, and all the inconsistencies of everyday conversation. That’s at least in theory, but it’s likely to be available to just a small number of Plus subscribers initially, before a full release later this year.
6. Spotify launches new “Deluxe” plan with improved sound quality
More expensive Spotify plans coming (Image credit: Shutterstock)
ChatGPT’s new voice mode is overdue, but it falls short of Spotify’s lossless audio tier, which was first teased in February 2021. More than three years later, this new ultra-premium streaming plan appears to still be in the works.
During Spotify’s latest earnings call, CEO Daniel Ek mentioned that a “Deluxe” version of Spotify with a higher price tag is coming soon, but he didn’t say when you’ll be able to sign up for it, so be prepared to wait for the upgrade.
5. We called Deadpool and Wolverine “the best Marvel movies in years.”
Stars of the show (Image courtesy of Marvel Studios)
There’s a lot of anticipation surrounding Marvel’s new Deadpool and Wolverine movie, as it teams up two of their most lucrative characters, and based on our full review of the film, fans of both franchises (and the MCU in general) should get plenty to enjoy from it.
Though the film is “overly chaotic” at times, it’s also “wonderfully brutal, highly entertaining, full of cameos, and surprisingly endearing,” though it may not completely overturn the fate of the MCU. Warning: This review contains mild spoilers.
4. New Google Nest Thermostat Spotted in New Leak
Google’s thermostat may be getting a new design (Image credit: Future)
It’s been quite some time since a new Google Nest Thermostat was announced, but a new leak suggests that another model could be on the way — and that it will bring a major overhaul to the Nest Thermostat interface we’ve grown accustomed to.
If the leak is correct, upcoming Nest thermostats could have curved glass surfaces instead of flat ones and be the first in the series to feature touchscreen controls. It also suggests that a long-overdue update to the Nest temperature sensor may be on the way.
3. CrowdStrike explains what caused the massive computer crash in 2024
It’s been a bad week for CrowdStrike (Image credit: Shutterstock/rafapress)
The Windows IT outage caused by a faulty CrowdStrike software update was one of the largest in history, and while most systems are now back up and running as normal, lessons need to be learned to prevent a similar catastrophe in the future.
CrowdStrike released its initial review of the incident this week, telling us pretty much what we already knew: ironically, a content configuration update designed to better protect computers subsequently led to a massive crash of the Windows ecosystem.
2. Apple Maps came to the web and lured us away from Google Maps
Apple Maps has finally been released on the web (Image credit: Future/Jacob Krol)
Apple Maps has finally arrived on the web, albeit in beta form, much to Google Maps’ concerns. The update will particularly benefit Windows users, making most of Apple Maps’ features easily available within a standard browser window.
On the web, Apple Maps now lets you get directions by walking or driving, switch between three map styles (standard, satellite, hybrid), find out more about businesses, and view guides to specific spots created by the Apple Maps team. There are still a lot of features missing, like Look Around, but this is a solid start.
1. OpenAI takes on Google with new AI-powered search engine
The search engine landscape is changing (Image credit: Getty Images)
There are some pretty big changes coming to how we search for information on the web. This week, Bing began prioritizing AI results on its search page, and ChatGPT developer OpenAI also debuted SearchGPT, a new search engine.
For now, you have to join a waiting list to use SearchGPT, and OpenAI calls it a “preliminary prototype.” Still, if the service catches on, it could disrupt more than 20 years of tradition about how we search the web.
