ICYMI: the week’s 7 biggest tech stories from Samsung Unpacked to YouTube Music’s AI radio to free Prime Day games
Here’s your firmware update for July 13, 2024
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
This week, we had two major phone reveals at opposite ends of the price spectrum, with Galaxy Unpacked revealing premium foldables and CMF by Nothing’s showcase giving us a new cheap and cheerful (yet surprisingly well specced) smartphone.
We also saw otherSamsunggadgets, got aGoogleand Samsung XR tease (again), and were promised big Prime Day deals, including three free PC games.
We’ve covered these top stories and more in this in case you missed it round-up, so let’s get you caught up to speed on the week’s biggest tech news stories.
7. We Flipped out at Samsung Unpacked
The long-awaitedGalaxy Ringmay have earned top billing at this week’sSamsung Galaxy Unpackedshowcase, but two new entries in Samsung’s foldable lineup – namely theGalaxy Z Fold 6andGalaxy Z Flip 6– proved just as popular with the attending Paris crowd.
Admittedly, this year’s upgrades are more iterative than ground-breaking, but they could still be enough to rank the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Galaxy Z Flip 6 among thebest foldable phonesof 2024. The former device gets a sharper design and a brighter screen than its predecessor, while theGalaxy Z Flip 6brings a new 50MP camera and a bigger battery. Both new foldables get a faster Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset and plenty of durability improvements, too.
We’ve currently have the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Galaxy Z Flip 6 in our testing labs, but for an early verdict on each new device, check our our hands-onSamsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 reviewand hands-onSamsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 review.
6. Samsung Unpacked was something you had to Watch
The biggest news in wearables is that Samsung finally dropped its Galaxy Ring, the Galaxy Watch 7, and its new, flagship Galaxy Watch Ultra.
Get the best Black Friday deals direct to your inbox, plus news, reviews, and more.
Sign up to be the first to know about unmissable Black Friday deals on top tech, plus get all your favorite TechRadar content.
The hotly-anticipatedSamsung Galaxy Ring, Samsung’s first foray into a new wearables category, looks like a small, discreet fitness tracker that’s really packing some smarts thanks to the Samsung Health app, and unlike some of its competitors, it doesn’t come with a subscription.
TheSamsung Galaxy Watch Ultrais Samsung’sApple WatchUltra rival: a rough-and-tumble smartwatch with a titanium body and extended battery life. Finally,Samsung Galaxy Watch 7is a sleek smartwatch that barely deviates from the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6’s design. You can read all our opinions on the new devices by clicking on the links above.
5. Samsung and Google talked AI updates, and teased XR
Continuing 2024’s hottest tech trend, Samsung made AI a central part of its Unpacked presentation, even bringing a Google exec on stage to explain how Gemini would make Samsung (and other Android devices) forces to be reckoned with.
This includes a new Sketch to Image feature that allows the device to turn your rough drawings into more artistic-looking pictures as a standalone image or as a new element in an existing photo. TheZ Flip 6 even has a unique live-translation featurethat shows translated text on its inner and outer displays so you and the person you’re conversing with can understand each other without you constantly turning your phone screen around.
Right at the end of this segment, however, we got another tease of Samsung and Google XR collab (a catchall for VR, AR, and MR) with Samsung President and Head of the Mobile Experience (MX) business TM Roh saying the “new XR platform coming this year.” We didn’t get an exact date, but all eyes are on the Samsung Developer’s Conference (SDC), which is scheduled for October 3, 2024, as the venue for an announcement where we might finally see theSamsung XR/VR headset.
4. CMF by Nothing gave us some cheap but cheerful new tech
Nothing’s sub-brand CMF (which stands for Color, Material, Finish) is known for combining good design with some tempting price tags. And it did so again this week with a trio of new launches: the Phone 1, Buds Pro 2, and Watch Pro 2.
All three bring something new to their respective table, whether it’s the Phone 1’s removable back covers, the Buds Pro 2’s fancy case with a built-in dial, or the Watch Pro 2’s lowly $69 / £69 / AU$119 price tag.
With their bright orange accents and respectable spec sheets, they’re likely to trouble a few of our budget-focused buying guides, such as thebest budget wireless earbudsand thebest cheap smartwatches. Look out for some full reviews very soon.
3. YouTube Music brought the AI game to Spotify by trialling AI radio
AI isn’t just for bizarre artwork and giving your CV a glow-up, you know. It’s also capable of making radio stations – and doesn’t Google-ownedYouTubeMusic know it? Shortly after introducing a"you hum it, we’ll play it" audio recognition system, the lesser-known streaming service is nowtesting an AI playlist feature that will create a custom, personalized radio stationjust for you. Once – or if – the feature rolls out to your account, you’ll see a new card in your Home feed that reads: “Ask for music any way you like” (cue us singing, “Any way you want itthat’sthe way you need it” directly into our phones).
Anyway, a chat window opens, allowing you to enter a prompt by typing or talking. The app suggests example prompts such as “epic soundtracks,” “catchy pop choruses,” and even “surprise me.”
So far, the new feature doesn’t appear to be testing widely, but YouTube Music’s now twofold AI experiments could become important and defining features in its fight to become one of thebest music streaming servicesgoing.
2. Amazon promised free Prime Day goodies
Amazon Prime Day dealsare fast approaching, and while early deals we’ve seen so far can help you save onSony headphones,OLED TVs, andsmartwatchesis there a better discount that 100%-off? (Well I guess 200%-off, meaning they pay you, but I mean a discount you’ll actually see)
That’s right, Prime members are getting some free goodies on July 16 in the form of three PC games:Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League,Chivalry 2, andRise of the Tomb Raider: 20 Year Celebration(which includes the Season Pass DLC).
We knowKill the Justice Leagueis a terrible game (we gave it two-stars in our review), but with it costing you nothing and its next Mrs. Freeze expansion coming very soon this could be the perfect time to jump in? That or just playRise of the Tomb Raider, as that’s a cracking game.
1. Meta dropped a terrible Quest 3 deal
Speaking of deals, we can’t not talk about this terrible offer Meta launched for its 512GBMeta Quest 3, because despite Meta saying you’ll “end up spending less than you would if you purchased each item individually,” that’s not true.
This week, Meta launched a buy now pay later scheme, which lets eligible US-based customers pick up a Meta Quest 3 headset, a 24-month subscription toMeta Quest+, and a 24-month Meta Warranty Plus, and pay for it in 24 monthly installments. The 128GB Meta Quest 3 bundle costs $24.99 monthly and will save you money overall (costing $599.76 instead of $659.96). However, the 512GB bundle would come to $839.76 instead of just $819.96, which you’d pay for everything on its own.
Meta hasn’t responded to our request for comment, but we think the issue comes from how it calculates the cost of a 24-month Meta Quest+ membership. Because you’re locked into the two years with the scheme, we think it’s fair to compare the cost to two one-year subscriptions at $59.99 each (or $119.98 all-in), whereas Meta calculates it using the $7.99 monthly cost (or $191.76).
You should always think hard before agreeing to a buy now, pay later scheme, as you can’t change your mind later. This is another reminder to double-check that it’s actually a good deal before you commit to one.
Hamish is a Senior Staff Writer for TechRadar and you’ll see his name appearing on articles across nearly every topic on the site from smart home deals to speaker reviews to graphics card news and everything in between. He uses his broad range of knowledge to help explain the latest gadgets and if they’re a must-buy or a fad fueled by hype. Though his specialty is writing about everything going on in the world of virtual reality and augmented reality.
Another reason to avoid edge-lit 4K TVs: they may fail faster than others, according to this report
Google TV will require more RAM for future upgrades – which might leave older TVs and streaming boxes behind
Lego will let you build Sir Ernest Shackleton’s iconic lost ship, the Endurance, in its next Icons set
