This week we revealed the all-new TechRadar Awards, all different – well, not so different – but there’s a lot more happening in the tech world.
Samsung announced that its next Unpacked event will take place in just over a week and made a big announcement about foldables. However, based on its usual schedule, we’d be more surprised if there weren’t any foldables to show off this year.
Before you catch up on this week’s tech news, why not test yourself on the seven biggest tech news stories from last week to see how good your memory is? Take the quiz below or scroll down to find out the biggest tech news stories of the week… (and see if you can best ICYMI quiz from last week when you’re done here).
7. The TechRadar Awards return for 2026
The TechRadar Awards are back in 2026, and we’re making a big change: we’re hosting two back-to-back award series this year! We present the TechRadar Product of the Year Awards and the TechRadar Readers’ Choice Awards. In the past, we combined reader votes on which products should win with the opinions of our expert judges to determine the overall winner. But now we divide these two elements into two different rewards.
The Product of the Year awards will be chosen solely by our writers and editors, based on their experience using the products. The Readers’ Choice Awards, however, will give all the power to you, our readers: you’ll be able to vote on a shortlist of the year’s most popular and highest-rated releases, and the winner will be decided 100% by those votes.
We’re accepting nominations for products you’d like to see shortlisted, and anyone can nominate something – so make sure the products you like most have a chance!
Read the full story: Introducing TechRadar’s Readers’ Choice Awards and our Product of the Year Awards
6. ChatGPT rolled out its “smartest voice model ever”
This week, OpenAI delivered an upgrade to ChatGPT’s voice mode for all users with the rollout of two new models. The smaller mini GPT-Live-1 model will be the default for free users, while paid users will get the full GPT-Live-1 model.
GPT-Live-1 promises to sound more natural, be less disruptive when you pause while speaking, and be more intelligent – as there previously seemed to be a knowledge gap between written and spoken ChatGPT models.
To get around that last part, GPT-Live-1 actually delegates tasks to ChatGPT-5.5 and then comes back with a response.
There are also awesome new simultaneous translation tools that will translate what you hear live and what you say as you speak.
You can also give the chatbot a name to make conversation easier, although OpenAI’s choice is “Chat”, allowing you to live out your dreams of becoming a Twitch streamer.
Read the full story: GPT-Live-1 gives you more natural conversations without interruption
5. Nokia launched a retro phone with AI
This week, Nokia parent company HMD launched a quartet of retro-style phones with one anachronistic addition: a big old AI button.
They still offer a full suite of legacy features – if you’re missing the 3.5mm headphone jack, a microSD for greater storage capacity and (on three of the models) an FM radio, you’ll find them here – it’s just that you’ll also have a little digital assistant.
Details are slim, although it looks like it won’t quite be Gemini-level. Instead, the AI is primarily there to facilitate on-device tasks such as setting alarms, opening the camera, and creating reminders. The biggest problem, however, is that the AI assistant is only free for 180 days – after that it costs $3.99 (around £3 / AU$5.75) per year if you’re in the EU and $2.99 (around £2.25 / AU$4.30) per year everywhere else.
Yeah !
Read the full story: Nokia’s new retro-style feature phones have AI buttons for some reason
4. The Amazfit Active 3 Premium impressed us
The Amazfit Active 3 Premium is the follow-up to last year’s five-star Amazfit Active 2, and it’s another knockout of a budget watch (despite the Premium name). A great fitness tracker costing just $169 / £169 / AU$239, it has features you normally get on watches twice as expensive, such as color maps and a sapphire crystal display.
Its metrics were accurate in testing and it looks great to boot. It’s the budget watch to get – perhaps even compared to popular choices like the Apple Watch SE 3 or the Garmin Forerunner 70. It’s a real win for Amazfit, which has quietly spent the last few years improving its Zepp app ecosystem and creating well-priced fitness trackers for every category.
Read the full story: Amazfit’s latest premium offering isn’t just about looks
3. We took over 1,000 photos with the Sony RX10 V
Sony surprised the camera community and us this week by relaunching its best bridge camera series, with the launch of the new RX10 V. The superzoom Mark V arrived nine years after the now-discontinued Cyber-shot RX10 IV, with the same versatile 24-600mm F2.4-4 lens and 20-megapixel 1-inch stacked sensor, but with a welcome redesign and Sony’s latest processor and autofocus.
We’d already tested the all-in-one camera before its announcement, taking more than 1,000 photos during a school sports day, a bird photography trip, macro life in a garden and more, and were completely won over, although we were less impressed by the higher asking price. That being said, the RX10 IV has still taken the crown for best bridge camera available today, and since its predecessor is a rare used find, we expect the latest model to be a popular camera indeed.
Read the full story: This is how Sony’s new surprise superzoom performed
2. Google Pixel 11 has a launch date
Samsung isn’t the only tech giant gearing up to launch flagship phones soon: this week, Google announced that its Pixels will be refreshed next month.
The “next generation Pixel” will be revealed on August 12, just three weeks after Samsung’s Unpacked event. Google hasn’t mentioned any specific models, but we expect to see a Pixel 11 (with fancy “Pixel Glow” lights for notifications), as well as new Pro models and a Pixel 11 Pro Fold.
Unfortunately, we’re also likely to see higher prices across the board, according to recent rumors. It wouldn’t be a huge surprise in these fun days of “RAMpocalypse,” but the expected arrival of the Pixel Watch 5 could at least help lighten the mood.
Read the full story: Google sets Pixel 11 launch for August 12
1. Samsung has set a date for Galaxy Unpacked
After months of rumors, as well as an official tease or two, Samsung has finally made its next Galaxy Unpacked event official. Pencil on July 22, 2026, at 9am ET / 6am PT / 2pm BST (11pm AEDT) for Samsung’s second Unpacked event of the year. True to tradition, we’re expecting the next-generation Galaxy Z Fold and Galaxy Z Flip, along with an accessory or two.
It probably won’t just be the successors to the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Galaxy Z Flip 7. Samsung’s invitation to the event teases “A new shape is revealed,” likely hinting that a shorter, wider (more passport-like) foldable is on the way. The video invite also features a ticket printed in a shape that hints at the new design, as it simply doesn’t match the current Fold or Flip.
So why introduce a new foldable phone design across so many generations? Well, it’s likely that Samsung wants to get ahead of Apple’s rumored entry into the category, which leaks say will adopt a similar form factor. For Samsung, it’s also about expanding its foldable product lineup, and if we’re lucky, we may see more diverse price points as well.
We don’t have long to wait. TechRadar will be on the ground at Galaxy Unpacked in London, UK, and as usual Samsung will be live streaming the event while we live blog it.
Read the full story: ‘A New Form Unveils’ Might Be the Biggest Clue to What to Expect
