This week Apple launched new AirPods, Alexa+ landed in the UK and we got our first Spider-Man: A Whole New Day trailer – and much more you need to know.
To keep up with the biggest stories we’ve covered this week, we’ve got this handy ICYMI catch-up. Scroll down for excerpts from each story, along with links to find the full article and a deeper dive.
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7. Amazon Alexa+ has hit the UK
Look on it
Just over a year after its US debut, Alexa+ has arrived in the UK – and she’s got more than just a British accent. The AI-powered virtual assistant connects to services and news sources used by people in the UK (including TechRadar), and its chatty new personality uses particularly British turns of phrase (including calling users “mate” when they complain about the previous night’s football score).
Beneath the surface, Alexa+ is designed to function as an “ambient” assistant that’s there when you need it and fades into the background when you don’t. You can give it instructions using natural language rather than phrasing commands in a specific way, and it can follow multiple commands at once. It’s now rolling out in Early Access to owners of the latest Amazon Echo speakers and displays, and will be available on older Alexa-enabled devices later.
6. Spider-Man took action
Look on it
The day has finally arrived: we received the first trailer for Spider-Man: Brand New Day, and it’s full of details about what awaits Peter Parker in the next film.
We see him still living with the consequences of No way home, which ended with the whole world forgetting who he is – including his best friend and his girlfriend. Clearly struggling with some things mentally, Peter sets out to be the best Spider-Man he can be – taking on a whole bunch of bad guys, including facing the Hand, it seems – but something is also messing with his powers and causing him to mutate in some way.
We haven’t yet gotten a glimpse of who Sadie Sink plays in this film, but with the focus on mutants, could this be some sort of X-Men setup?
This week, Meta announced that on June 15, its Horizon Worlds metaverse would become mobile-exclusive, meaning VR players would no longer be able to enjoy (or be subjected to, as was the case for many) the platform’s many VR worlds. But then he reversed course… sort of.
In an Instagram AMA, Meta CTO Andrew Bosworth revealed that instead of shutting down Horizon Worlds in VR entirely, Meta would keep existing spaces alive – VR players simply wouldn’t get anything new.
While it’s not the biggest story for many, it’s a serious change for Meta, who even changed his name to launch into the Metaverse – a dream that now feels like it’s not far from completely going to bed.
4. We reviewed the Nothing Phone (4a)
A gorgeous design, a bright 6.8-inch display and an impressive mid-range chipset with a simplified operating system, the latest Nothing Phone is simply a delight in many ways.
Admittedly, the camera isn’t quite up to par with some premium handsets, with the 50MP main sensor not capturing the image performance you’d expect from your competitors.
That aside, using this phone is just fun in a way so few phones are these days, and at $499 / £499 / AU$949 for its cheapest model, this phone won’t break the bank either – proving it’s affordable doesn’t necessarily mean bland.
3. Samsung’s Trifold could have been discontinued
Earlier this week, it was revealed that Samsung may discontinue its Galaxy Z TriFold phone launched just three months ago. Early reports indicated that sales would stop first in South Korea, after a final restock, and then in the United States.
There are a few reasons for this, but it’s apparently due to the industry’s manufacturing costs for the device, which is why the Galaxy Z TriFold cost a whopping $2,899. Additionally, Samsung never intended the device to be aimed at the average consumer and simply needed to show the innovative lengths the company was capable of going to.
However, this doesn’t tell us that the Galaxy Z TriFold series is being completely discontinued, as recent reports suggest that the company is developing a sequel.
2. Apple has finally launched AirPods Max 2
AirPods Max 2 are finally – finally! – here. It’s been just over five years since the original launched, and although Apple upgraded them to USB-C instead of Lightning, several new AirPods Pro models have emerged in that time.
The AirPods Max 2 are pretty much exactly what we might have guessed: they’re powered by Apple’s H2 chip, which means a ton of smart new features; they have a claimed 1.5x improvement in active noise cancellation; and they feature a new “high dynamic range amplifier” for “cleaner” sound.
Two things that haven’t changed? The battery life of 20 hours below average and the design. The latter has become a modern icon, so that’s understandable, but it’s a shame Apple hasn’t slimmed them down either. Still, AirPods Max are loved for their detailed, natural sound, so if that’s been improved further, they might be worth the still-high price of $549.
1. Nvidia DLSS 5 drove gamers crazy
It’s been a rough week for Nvidia since unveiling DLSS 5 at GDC 2026, which caused a massive backlash from gamers and online game developers. Indeed, DLSS 5 does not continue the trend of scaling the tool as it has always done with previous iterations; instead, it effectively changes the appearance of environments and, more importantly, character models to literally appear realistic, thanks to generative AI.
Essentially, DLSS 5 uses “content-driven generative AI” according to Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, after he fired back at gamers, saying “they’re completely wrong” about the use of DLSS 5 in upcoming games. Popular game publishers and studios such as Capcom have already signed on and supported the use of DLSS 5 in current and future games once the feature was released this fall, without informing their game developers.
It may be too late for Nvidia to hit the reset button on DLSS 5, but its hand could be forced if gamers and developers continue to oppose the use of generative AI in games.
