In a bid to meet the spiraling energy demands of advanced AI models, Oracle is set to build a data center powered by three small modular nuclear reactors.
Larry Ellison, Oracle's co-founder and chairman, revealed this ambitious plan during a recent earnings call transcribed by The Motley Fool.
The proposed nuclear-powered data center aims to produce over one gigawatt of energy, sufficient to meet the substantial processing needs of Oracle's upcoming projects, including efforts to create a supercomputer more powerful than xAI’s new supercluster, Colossus.
Building permits for three nuclear reactors
“Today, Oracle has 162 cloud data centers, live and under construction throughout the world. The largest of these data centers is 800 megawatts, and it will contain acres of Nvidia GPU clusters able to train the world's largest AI models," Ellison noted.
"That's what's required to stay competitive in the race to build one, just one, of the most powerful artificial neural networks in the world. Soon Oracle will begin construction of data centers that are more than a gigawatt. Building giant data centers with ultra-high bandwidth RDMA networks and huge 32,000-node Nvidia GPU clusters is something that Oracle has proven to be very good at. It's the reason we're doing so well in the AI training business,” said Ellison.
Ellison went on to explain the rising costs of AI development, saying, “This race goes on forever, to build a better and better neural network. And the cost of that training gets to be astronomical. When I talk about building gigawatt or multi-gigawatt data centers… the entry price for a real frontier model from someone who wants to compete in that area is around $100 billion. Let me repeat, around $100 billion.”
Ellison highlighted the complexity and scale of the projects Oracle has under development, saying, “We're in the middle of designing a data center that's north of a gigawatt. We found the location and the power source. We've looked at it, they've already got building permits for three nuclear reactors. These are the small modular nuclear reactors to power the data center. This is how crazy it's getting.” Oracle's chairman remained tight-lipped about the exact location and timeline for the project.
Small modular reactors (SMRs) have recently been gaining traction as a viable power source for large-scale data centers. Notebookcheck notes that currently, there are only a few operational SMRs around the world, notably in Japan, China, and Russia. NuScale Power, an Oregon-based company, secured certification for the first SMR in the US last year, and it's likely that Oracle will utilize this cutting-edge technology.
Microsoft is currently testing Xbox 360-style friend requests on Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and Xbox One.
Microsoft announced the news via its official Xbox X / Twitter account which stated it plans to reintroduce the older friend request system. Screenshots accompanying the post-show that there will be a menu within the 'People' tab that shows friend requests you've both sent and received. Players will also have the option to adjust friend requests via their privacy settings or turn the feature off entirely should they prefer.
We’re re-introducing friend requests! You will be able to send, accept, or delete friend requests, in addition to following or being followed by others. We are testing with Xbox Insiders now and look forward to sharing more later this year on a full rollout. pic.twitter.com/dQCNEtGBtkSeptember 11, 2024
The accompanying Xbox Wire post explains that this friend request system is currently being tested within the Xbox Insider program for Alpha Skip-Ahead users specifically, and Xbox expects to share more information on a full rollout of the feature sometime this year.
For those potentially worried about losing their friends lists when the update is made, Xbox reassures in a follow-up post that: "your existing mutual friends will update automatically with this change once we roll it out. You'll stay friends with people who had also added you as a friend previously and continue following anyone who hadn't."
Xbox confirms that the follower system will still remain in place and work as it always has. However, friend requests will act as a "two-way, invite-approved relationship," thus giving players a lot more control over their Xbox mutuals. I can imagine many disabling the follower features entirely in favor of a more tried-and-true friend request system.
Businesses are struggling with unpredictable cloud bills. Managing cloud computing expenses is a growing concern, especially with an increasing reliance on digital infrastructure.
According to Gartner, spending on public cloud services is expected to increase by 20% in 2024, and with most organizations spending more on cloud storage than they budget for, cloud costs could rapidly become an unmanageable expenditure for many.
So, how can organizations navigate these rising costs without compromising on the cloud services they need?
The hidden costs of the cloud are catching companies by surprise
The first step is identifying the hidden costs of the cloud and areas where overspending is occurring. Businesses have been ambushed by unexpected cloud costs with subscription models. This leads to inconsistent monthly costs. The advantages of the cloud, like scalable IT infrastructure, can be a double-edged sword when considering costs and waste. At the same time, many of the largest providers of cloud infrastructure applications and services are increasing storage and cloud hosting fees as inflation takes hold.
Also, with many businesses operating in a multi-cloud environment without a comprehensive tool to show costs from across the entire cloud platform, they can’t track resources such as a usage-level breakdown. It’s easy to over-provision resources in the cloud, leading to wasted spend. Costs often overrun, and without full visibility, companies fail to pinpoint the exact cause.
If businesses don’t have full visibility of their cloud usage, they’ll never know exactly where they are overspending or if they are paying for services they didn't know existed. It’s also much harder for organizations to experiment and innovate with the latest cloud technology if they don’t fully know what they are using in the first place.
Cloud cost management and cloud optimization can help to minimize expenses and maximize the value derived from cloud investments. It's crucial to identify a predictable cloud vendor who can help with optimizing workloads. Greater transparency across the cloud infrastructure is essential, as is investment into tools that can help provide much-needed visibility when monitoring costs and protecting the cloud.
Adopting a holistic approach to cloud management
In complex, hybrid cloud environments, businesses are often unsure where outsized cloud costs are coming from. They often find that they’re paying for outdated resources or unnecessary storage.
With a more holistic approach, businesses gain a greater understanding of their requirements and the associated costs. Not only does this eliminate waste, but it also helps organizations be more strategic about their requirements. But this approach is not solely concerned with cutting costs – it’s about aligning cloud expenses with an organization’s business objectives. The goal is to strike a balance between cost efficiency and maximizing the benefits of cloud technology for the overall business.
Tools of the trade
The need for scalable and budget-friendly cloud resources is unprecedented. However, businesses also need to invest in tools that help manage these resources and ensure the cloud is cost-efficient.
Understand your workloads, implement load balancing, and continuously review and adjust to reduce the cloud costs. Cloud spend tools that support cloud cost management across various cloud platforms give businesses a unified view of their spending and are the most beneficial to businesses.
Businesses should also look for tools that offer in-depth cost analysis and customizable reports to identify cost drivers, detect anomalies, and track spending trends over time. Reports in native tools, for instance, sometimes don’t track the resources level usage or user-level breakdown to identify who or what resource attributed to the cost overrun. Most public cloud platforms offer discounts if you pay in advance, but the cost overruns and limitations often neutralize the discounts you receive. Instead, to leverage cost saving opportunities, businesses should identify and invest in tools that can set budgets and cost forecasting capabilities, help anticipate future expenses and proactively plan.
How AI can help
A Wasabi report shows that 49% of CIOs expect AI and ML adoption to create challenges for the cloud due to AI and ML’s substantial use of data.
However, AI could also be a significant asset when considering cloud costs. There’s potential for the technology to bring greater financial governance to the cloud, namely through its ability to detect unexpected spikes or irregularities in cloud expenses by analyzing large amounts of data. AI could also play a crucial role in identifying cybersecurity threats and helping businesses keep up with the technology landscape.
Staying ahead of cloud costs
Access to scalable, budget friendly cloud resources is more important to businesses than ever before.
The rise of AI and ML has driven a new demand for cloud space, and research shows that IT leaders anticipate cloud costs will surpass budget allocations.
In this environment, adopting a holistic approach can help businesses keep an eye across the whole cloud landscape to quickly identify rising–and unnecessary–costs. Cloud spend tools, along with leveraging tech such as GenAI, will also play a significant role. Businesses can also foster a culture of cost awareness, which helps keep costs under control and ensures cloud investments deliver maximum value. Ultimately, cost management for cloud resources is an ongoing journey.
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
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The majority of organizations in the UK are not confident they would be able to withstand a cyberattack at all, new research has claimed. ...
The majority of organizations in the UK are not confident they would be able to withstand a cyberattack at all, new research has claimed.
A report from TeamViewer based on answers from 500 business leaders in Australia, Canada, Japan, Germany, the UK, and the US found one of the problems leading to a vulnerable outlook is poor connectivity.
In fact, global organizations with gaps in connectivity are more likely to be held back by differences between departments (30%) and the inability to show the ROI of tech connectivity (27%). Furthermore, those with excellent connectivity are most likely to be held back by worries of cybersecurity (24%). Also, just a quarter (25%) of businesses in the UK believe they are the leaders in their sector when it comes to cybersecurity performance.
In data we trust
Besides poor connectivity, businesses are also distrustful towards internal data, mostly due to “multiple versions of the truth within the company”, based on different data sets (37%), and conflicting data management practices (34%). Ultimately, in 31% of cases, there is simply too much unreliable hardware.
Organizations of different sizes have varying levels of trust, too, driven mostly by data literacy. Among smaller companies (those generating up to $50 million a year in revenue) data literacy is present at roughly 40% of the workforce. Among larger enterprises ($10 billion in annual revenue or more), data literacy sits at 21%.
While confidence in cybersecurity is low, the number of (successful) cyberattacks is growing every year. Currently, cybercrime is one of the biggest worries for many organizations, with global losses reaching $12.5 billion in 2023, according to the FBI, and Statista. The year before, losses were roughly $10 billion.
With the iPhone 16 series now here, the next major smartphone launch we’re expecting is that of the Samsung Galaxy S25 line, and while that probably won’t arrive until January, a new render has provided what is potentially our first close look at the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, specifically.
Android Headlines and leaker @OnLeaks have crafted renders of the supposed design of the upcoming flagship, and while this isn’t the first time we’ve seen unofficial Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra renders, it is the first time we’ve seen the phone from quite so many angles.
In any case, these new renders – one of which you can see below – show a phone that largely looks similar to the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, but with more rounded corners.
(Image credit: Android Headlines / @OnLeaks)
These renders also show all four sides of the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra as being flat, while the left and right edges of the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra are slightly curved.
Note, however, that some details of these renders might be slightly wrong, as leaker @UniverseIce posted on X claiming that the texture on the camera housing might differ from this, as it’s apparently based on speculation, and that the bezels in these renders are too big. They also supplied an edited version of one of the renders to show the smaller bezels they’re expecting, which you can see below.
This is the Galaxy S25 Ultra in my eyes, the smallest symmetrical bezel in the history of smart phones. pic.twitter.com/Fhn3TuHlihSeptember 11, 2024
A smaller phone with a new camera
The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra in titanium grey(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)
In any case, Android Headlines and @OnLeaks also supplied some specs to go with their renders, claiming that the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra will weigh just 219g, making it lighter than both the 232g Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra and the 227g iPhone 16 Pro Max.
It will also apparently have the same 6.8-inch screen size as the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra but be a marginally smaller phone, at 162.8 x 77.6 x 8.2mm rather than 162.3 x 79 x 8.6mm.
This latest leak also suggests that the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra will have a Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 chipset, a 5,000mAh battery (just like last year), and a largely similar selection of cameras to before, including a 200MP main sensor, a 50MP 5x telephoto, and a 10MP 3x telephoto, along with a new 50MP ultra-wide.
Whether this will all prove accurate remains to be seen, but @OnLeaks does have a great track record for leaks, so these are among the more credible Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra leaks we’ve heard so far.
Amazon Web Services (AWS) has revealed plans to invest £8 billion into the construction, operation, and maintenance of data centres across the UK over the next five years.
The project is expected to contribute £14 billion to UK GDP before 2028, and support more than 14,000 jobs within the data centre supply chain, including construction, engineering, and telecoms.
AWS has spent £3 billion in development in the UK since 2020 to meet the growing demand from customers. This has supported an average of 6,000 full time jobs at local business level. The total impact of cloud computing services in the UK accounted for over £42 billion in 2023 - over 1.6% of GDP.
Digital economy
Surveys suggest that cloud computing services have saved small businesses money and allowed them to compete with larger companies by giving them access to the same technologies.
Tanuja Randery, Vice President and Managing Director, Europe, Middle East & Africa (EMEA) at AWS, said: “The next few years could be among the most pivotal for the UK’s digital and economic future, as organisations of all sizes across the country increasingly embrace technologies like cloud computing and AI to help them accelerate innovation, increase productivity, and compete on the global stage.“
The cloud infrastructure market is dominated by three major firms; AWS, Microsoft, and Google. In 2023, an investigation into the supply of public cloud infrastructure services in the UK indicated that AWS may have engaged in anti-competitive behaviours which could have disadvantaged UK customers and businesses.
It’s not clear how this new investment will affect the UK market - but the final decision is expected in April 2025.
Ahead of the launch of the iPhone 16 series, one thing we heard rumored was that all four models would have 8GB of RAM, and – while Apple never reveals RAM amounts in its phones – it seems that claim was probably right.
MacRumors – with assistance from @iSWUpdates – claims to have found mention of 8GB of RAM for all four models in the latest version of Xcode 16 (an Apple tool for developers).
That would be a 2GB boost for the iPhone 16 and the iPhone 16 Plus, but it would mean that the iPhone 16 Pro and the iPhone 16 Pro Max have the same amount of RAM as their predecessors.
An issue for AI
The iPhone 16 Pro Max(Image credit: Apple)
That latter point is slightly disappointing, especially since Apple Intelligence is likely to need quite a lot of RAM – especially for the stuff that’s handled on device. For comparison, the Google Pixel 9 line comes with between 12GB and 16GB of RAM to help handle all of the many AI features on those phones.
Of course, we still can’t quite take this leak as a confirmation that every iPhone 16 model has 8GB of RAM. We’ll have to wait for teardowns for that, but we’d say it’s very likely accurate.
For one thing, Xcode files have accurately revealed RAM amounts in previous iPhone models, and for another, it makes sense that the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus at least would have 8GB, since the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus don’t support Apple Intelligence, and that’s likely at least in part because they only have 6GB of RAM.
That again though shows how important plenty of RAM probably is for Apple’s AI, so it will be interesting to see whether the Pro models feel less than Pro when carrying out AI tasks.
With the announcement of a PS5 Pro being on most folks' bingo cards for this year, it seemed likely that we were going to get official confirmation sooner rather than later. Especially with the rumor mill hitting a fever pitch.
And with Sony just yesterday announcing a PlayStation 5 Technical Presentation to be aired today (September 10) at 8am PDT / 11am EDT / 4pm BST, it seemed like we were finally going to be able to put the rumors to bed. But then again, there's always room for it to be something else, right?
Well, no, actually. As spotted by Wario64 on X / Twitter, it looks like today's technical presentation will indeed focus on the PS5 Pro. A screenshot of an unlisted video displays the title 'PS5 Pro' with the technical presentation's teaser as the video itself. You can still check the link out, but the video has since been renamed to 'PlayStation 5 Technical Presentation - September 10' as was likely intended in the first place.
an unlisted YouTube video confirms it's PS5 Pro (duh) https://t.co/TkuEPocXcW https://t.co/aCh54rS5xP pic.twitter.com/E8R50AZf1NSeptember 9, 2024
It's not the first sign of the PS5 Pro trying to breach containment before its official reveal. The mid-gen refresh was seemingly accidentally revealed (or potentially even deliberately teased) in the promotional material for PlayStation's 30th anniversary celebrations. Looking at the image here, you can spot what appears to be a new-look PS5 wedged between the PlayStation logo and the '3'.
Still, while revealing the PS5 Pro announcement before the technical presentation was undoubtedly a flub, Sony might welcome the distraction considering it quietly bumped up the price of its DualSense Wireless Controller by $5 / £5 over at PlayStation Direct and other retailers.
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If you’ve been playing Star Wars Outlaws, then chances are that you’ve already been frustrated by its overly punishing stealth sections. Being spotted by an enemy will cause your current mission to instantly fail, often sending you right back to the start of an area and erasing minutes of progress at a time.
It can be incredibly annoying but, luckily, developer Ubisoft Massive seems to agree and intends to fix the problem. Speaking in a recent interview with our sister site GamesRadar+, the game’s creative director Julian Gerighty said that the punishing difficulty “is a mistake, and [...] something that we’re going to work on improving.”
As for what this could mean, he clarifies that: "I don't think it means removing the fail state completely, but I do think there are millions of low hanging fruits where we can make it so much more enjoyable and understandable."
Many of the worst offenders are located right at the start of Star Wars Outlaws, in the opening world of Mirogana, which doesn’t make for a very good first impression when you’ve just installed the sprawling open-world game. Thankfully, it appears as though players won’t have to wait long for a fix.
“We just don't want it to feel unfair. And today, I think it feels unfair. And believe it or not, this wasn't our intention. This is more of something that crept in in the last week or so, and that we're correcting already for a patch that's coming out maybe in 10 days,” Gerighty explained.
This will be great news for anyone thinking of picking up the game, or those eager to get started on a second playthrough.
Although we flagged these frustrating stealth sections as one point of friction, Managing Editor Rob Dwiar was otherwise very impressed with everything that the title brings to to the table in our Star Wars Outlaws review. He praised its impressively authentic world, which is filled with breathtaking landscapes and movie-accurate details that are sure to be a treat for any long-time series fans.
We’re now just hours away from the launch of the iPhone 16 line – you can follow the build-up at our iPhone 16 event live blog – with Apple set to unveil these phones later today (September 9). The leaks haven’t stopped rolling in even at this late hour, and the latest contains several pieces of potentially good news.
In a post on X, reputable leaker Mark Gurman (via 9to5Mac) claimed that the iPhone 16 Pro’s starting price isn’t likely to be raised above the $999 of the iPhone 15 Pro. He didn’t talk about pricing for other regions, but for reference the current model starts at £999 / AU$1,849 in the UK and Australia, so it might be that Apple sticks with those prices too.
We weren’t specifically expecting a price rise prior to this leak, but we certainly hadn’t ruled one out either, so it’s encouraging to hear that Apple’s most expensive new phone after the iPhone 16 Pro Max might not come with a price hike.
I expect the touch sensitive camera button to be on all iPhone 16 models tomorrow. The slimmer bezels on the Pro line are noticeable, as are battery life improvements. I don’t expect the Pro entry price to be raised from $999. Big focus will be on AI & A18 chip across the board.September 9, 2024
Gurman also claimed that we'll see noticeable battery life improvements for the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max, and that their bezels will be noticeably smaller than on the current models.
Echoing reports we've heard repeatedly from other sources, Gurman also said that all four iPhone 16 models will probably gain the widely rumored Capture button, for controlling the camera, and that Apple’s focus at the launch event will be AI and the new A18 chipset.
We'll find out very soon
While we should take all of the above with a pinch of salt, Mark Gurman has a superb track record for Apple leaks, and most of this is in line with things we’ve heard previously anyway.
We’ll know for sure soon enough, as Apple’s iPhone 16 launch starts at 10am PT / 1pm ET / 6pm BST, which is 3am on September 10 for those in the AEST time zone.
As Oasis almost sang, if you're looking for a cute portable speaker with Auracast compatibility, you gotta Miniroll with it. The new Ultimate Ears Miniroll is a go-anywhere portable Bluetooth 5.3 speaker from one of the best-known audio brands, and unlike an Oasis ticket, it's not going to treble in price when you try to buy it.
The key selling point here is the small size and light weight: it weighs less than a pound (it's 279g, just under 9oz) and it's just 48 x 122 x 105mm high, long and wide, which makes it smaller than the vast majority of the options in our guide to the best Bluetooth speakers. It has a couple of hooks on the back that can attach it easily to your hiking gear, your clothing or anything else of a suitable size, including rods with diameters from 20mm to 35mm.
The speaker's small dimensions means there's room for just one active speaker, a 45.6mm full-range dynamic driver, but it's teamed with a passive radiator to boost the low end for a bit of extra bass. But the most important feature may be this speaker's sociability, because it's made with multi-speaker sound in mind.
Ultimate Ears Miniroll: key features, availability and pricing
The most interesting bit of tech here is what Ultimate Ears calls PartyUp with Auracast. It's a way of connecting multiple speakers together over Bluetooth, and here it enables you to connect an unlimited number of Miniroll speakers together – handy if you have multiple Minirolls or if your friends do. And with a promised 12 hours of playback between charges it's long-lasting enough for a day at the beach, a hike in the woods or just a day under the duvet.
The Miniroll is drop-proof to 1.2 meters and it uses more recycled materials than before: it's made from 100% post-consumer recycled plastic and at least 40% recycled plastic parts.
The Ultimate Ears Miniroll is available in four colors (depending on regional availability) – Gentle Black, Majestic Blue, Revive Grey and Calming Pink – from today, 9 September. The price is $79.99 / £69.99 / AU$119.99, and that means it has stiff competition in the apparently-growing 'speakers you can hang off your bag' market from the excellent JBL Clip 5, which costs around the same. We look forward to putting them head to head!
We’re now just days away from the September 9 launch of the iPhone 16 series, and these are sure to be very expensive phones. But if you’re a member of the iPhone Upgrade Program, then you could get one for ‘free’.
Obviously, almost nothing in life is free, and certainly not smartphones, but at the very least you might not need to spend more than you already are.
Below, we’ll explain exactly what the iPhone Upgrade Program is, how it works, and whether you can use it to get an iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, or iPhone 16 Pro Max without spending a single extra cent.
What is the iPhone Upgrade Program?
The iPhone Upgrade Program is a contract, much like if you bought an iPhone from a carrier, but this is offered directly by Apple.
You simply choose your iPhone and pay it off over either 20 months (in the UK) or 24 months (in the US) with 0% interest – though if you’re a UK customer there’s additionally a £69 upfront cost.
But once you’ve made 11 payments (in the UK) or 12 payments (in the US) you have the option to upgrade to a new iPhone. If you choose to do that, you just trade in your current iPhone with Apple, and start the program again with your new one.
If you choose not to upgrade, you can simply continue paying off your current iPhone and then keep it at the end.
(Image credit: Apple)
Which countries have the iPhone Upgrade Program?
The iPhone upgrade program is available in both the US and the UK, as well as China.
However, the specifics of it – such as the costs and the program duration – vary slightly from place to place. So, where things differ, we’ve noted the different terms in the US and the UK.
What iPhones can you upgrade to as part of the program?
Currently, you can only get iPhone 15 models through the iPhone Upgrade Program. That includes the iPhone 15 itself, the iPhone 15 Plus, the iPhone 15 Pro, and the iPhone 15 Pro Max. So, if you want an older or lower-end model, then this program isn’t for you.
Once the iPhone 16 line launches, we’d expect the iPhone 15 line to be replaced here by the iPhone 16, the iPhone 16 Plus, the iPhone 16 Pro, and the iPhone 16 Pro Max. So, yes, you should be able to get Apple’s so-new-they-haven’t-even-been-announced-yet iPhones on the Upgrade Program.
Of course, the monthly cost you’ll pay will depend on the model and its storage capacity. We don’t know the iPhone 16 line pricing yet, but as an example, the iPhone 15 costs from $39.50 / £42.95 per month on this program, while the iPhone 15 Pro Max starts at $58.25 / £65.45 per month.
The iPhone 15 Plus(Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)
Can you pre-order an iPhone 16 through the iPhone Upgrade Program?
iPhone 16 pre-orders haven’t opened yet, but when they do – which, based on past form, we predict will happen on Friday, September 13 – it’s very likely that you will be able to pre-order one of Apple's new phones through the iPhone Upgrade Program, as you could do so for previous models.
What else do you get with the iPhone Upgrade Program?
As well as the option of a new iPhone, you also get AppleCare+ as part of the iPhone Upgrade Program.
This provides accidental damage protection – meaning you can get your iPhone repaired for free (other than an excess) an unlimited number of times if it’s damaged accidentally.
AppleCare+ also gives you a battery service, access to an 'Express Replacement Service', and 24/7 priority access to Apple experts.
You can also optionally add theft and loss protection, though this costs extra.
(Image credit: Apple)
How do you enroll in the iPhone Upgrade Program?
In the US, you can sign up for the iPhone Upgrade Program online, in an Apple Store, or via the Apple Store app. In the UK, you can only sign up at a physical Apple Store, though there is the option to reserve an iPhone online for pickup at a store, and then enroll when you collect it.
Other things to note about the iPhone Upgrade Program
When you get a new iPhone through the iPhone Upgrade Program, you can connect it to your existing carrier with no changes to the plan you have with them – your contract is just with Apple, not with a network carrier.
Apple will carry out a credit check when you apply for the iPhone Upgrade Program, so, depending on your credit rating, there’s a chance you’ll be refused.
Also, while you have to pay a certain amount before you’re eligible to upgrade, you can upgrade early by paying the remaining required balance at the time of the upgrade.
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The first tri-foldable phone is almost here, and we've got another look at it: the Huawei Mate XT officially launches this coming Tuesday, but images and storage options have already been posted online by Huawei.
You can head to the Huawei store now to see the Mate XT in a red finish with gold accents. The site now lets you reserve the phone in China, and the storage options are listed as either 512GB or 1TB, which both come with 16GB of memory.
Huawei previously posted the same image on social media, and noted tipster Evan Blass has also shared the picture of the phone with a different dark gray color. It looks as though these are the two colors that buyers can choose between.
Unfortunately, it looks as though the Mate XT won't be available outside of China – not least because Huawei devices are still banned in the US. The rest of us are going to have to wait to get our hands on a tri-folding phone.
Another fold
Huawei has history with foldables(Image credit: Future)
The addition of an extra fold to the standard foldable form factor adds an extra engineering challenge for Huawei, but it also means part of the main display can double up and be used as the outer display when the device is folded.
With the Mate X and the Mate X2, Huawei has previously produced two different types of standard book-style foldables: one folding inward and one folding outward. That technical know-how has no doubt been useful in creating the Mate XT.
We've also previously seen a teaser video for the Huawei Mate XT, which offers a brief look at the phone in use. We're still waiting for some key details about the phone, including the main screen size and the chipset that's being used inside.
All should be revealed on Tuesday, September 10: everything gets started at 2.30pm China time, which means it'll be 11.30pm PT on September 9, and 2.30am ET / 7.30am BST / 4.30pm AEST on September 10.
It's available in 85-inch and 98-inch sizes, and both were on display. Even without worrying about the price (which I have to assume will be high) it's clear that I won't be getting either of these giant TVs to fit in my modest living room, but it makes me excited to see the tech inside them coming to TCL's regular TV range… though also proved to be a reminder of just how good the company's current TVs are.
The X11H is capable of 6,500 nits of brightness according to TCL, and bear in mind that around 3,000 nits is most you get from the more standard-priced mini-LED TVs that appear in our guide to the best TVs – and that's still for the more premium ones.
Super-high brightness isn't really a benefit if all the light is leaking from bright areas into dark areas, so the X11H has over 10,000 dimming zones in the 85-inch model, and over 14,000 in the 98-inch model.
Seeing this combination of brightness and light control in action is pretty mesmerizing. Colors are so intense without falling over the line to over-saturation, and the the dark parts of the screen were inky black with no obvious bleeding from the light areas at all.
(Image credit: Future)
Now, a trade show floor isn't the best place to get a look at the nuances of light control, I readily admit, so I'd love to get the TV in our dark testing room, but I was still impressed at the level of contrast I saw there, because TCL's demo footage wasn't afraid to lean into having small bold areas surrounding by darkness.
Still, I kind of assumed the level of contrast would be good, so the colors were the element that really jumped out at me. The thing about ultra-bright TVs isn't that they don't necessarily make HDR movies any better – in fact, with these very bright TVs, we always recommend using Movie or Filmmaker modes that usually drop the brightness, because it tends to help with accuracy.
But big brightness and big colors are fantastic for recreating the real world, which is a very bright place. It's fantastic watching sports matches or nature documentaries filmed in ultra-detailed 4K on a screen with brightness that makes them look closer to real life – the advantage of the brightness is the flexibility, rather than wanting everything to be bright by default.
(Image credit: Future)
However, I mentioned before that something I picked up on is the comparison to TCL highest-end TV for regular people in Europe this year: the TCL C855. I could see the X11H and the C855 right next to each other at 85 inches, and while that comparison showed what the extra tech of the X11H can do, what I took away even more strongly is just how good the C855 is – not a surprise if you've read our glowing TCL C855 review.
(Being a European trade show, the US-focused TCL QM851G wasn't on show to compare with.)
The 85-inch C855's handling of local dimming didn't seem meaningfully different from the X11H's – the C855 does still have over 2,000 dimming zones, after all.
TCL has a great demo of what a different backlighting technology makes to the LEDs that underlie the picture, to add nuance to the images.(Image credit: Future)
I could see a much clearer jump in color strength on the X11H from the C855, thanks largely to the extra brightness most likely, but even then it kind of served as a reminder that the C855 still looked fantastic and is likely to be a fraction of the price of the X11H – especially since the C855 will drop in price over time, and the X11H won't arrive until later. Plus… well, the C855 is available in more realistic sizes for most people.
As with most high-end AV tech, there's definitely a case of diminishing returns as you spend more and more, but the X11H still made a really strong case for what you get from taking TV tech to the extreme.
We gave the TCL X11H one of our Best of IFA 2024 awards, thanks to this beautiful demonstration of color and contrast – take a look at our other favorite tech from the show too.
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Apple's next event is happening this coming Monday, September 9, and we should see the grand unveiling of the iPhone 16 series at the ...
Apple's next event is happening this coming Monday, September 9, and we should see the grand unveiling of the iPhone 16 series at the show. While we count down the days, we've heard a couple of new rumors about what to expect from the Pro models.
First up, the analysts at TrendForce (via MacRumors) reckon that both the iPhone 16 Pro and the iPhone 16 Pro Max are going to start at 256GB of storage this year – which would be a bump for the smaller phone.
While the iPhone 15 Pro Max starts at 256GB, the iPhone 15 Pro is available with 128GB of storage. It seems Apple is now ditching that lowest storage option, so both of these handsets will be available with 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB of built-in storage.
This isn't the first leak to suggest the 128GB storage option on the Pro model will be dropped, but we'll have to wait and see how it affects pricing – it may well mean the starting price of the iPhone 16 Pro is higher than its predecessor ($999 / £999 / AU$1,849).
Video capture
The iPhone 15 Pro Max(Image credit: Future)
Our second iPhone 16 Pro rumor of the day concerns video recording. Sources speaking to 9to5Mac say the Pro and Pro Max will be capable of capturing content in 4K resolution at 120 frames per second – up from 60 frames per second on the current models.
In addition, Apple has apparently been testing out 8K video recording on the iPhone 16 Pro and the iPhone 16 Pro Max. However, 9to5Mac says it's not clear whether this capability will be enabled, and it might be saved for the iPhone 17 in 2025.
There's also another mention of the rumored new Capture button here, for taking photos and videos. This is set to be made available to third-party apps as well as the default Camera app, so you won't have to use Apple's own app to make use of it.
From what we're heard so far, it sounds as though the iPhone 16 Pro and the iPhone 16 Pro Max are going to have an identical triple-camera setup on the back, which wasn't the case with the 2023 equivalents. We'll find out for sure on Monday.
It's been another packed week of tech news – and if you've missed any of the major stories that we've covered over the last week, this catch up guide will bring you right up to speed.
We've got stories about new devices from GoPro, reMarkable and DJI, as well as the latest rumors about a new Nintendo Switch, a PlayStation 5 Pro console from Sony, and the iPhone 16 series and Apple Watch updates that should be unveiled this coming Monday.
The TechRadar team has also been on the ground at the major IFA 2024 tech show in Berlin, Germany, so we've got reports on the latest processors, laptops, and other hardware that's been unveiled. There's a lot to catch up on, so let's get started.
10. We reviewed another excellent reMarkable E Ink tablet
The new reMarkable Paper Pro(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)
We've long loved reMarkable tablets for reading, writing, and scribbling, and its new model might be the best one yet. The reMarkable Paper Pro adds color to the screen for the first time on a reMarkable tablet, giving you another reason to invest in one for capturing your ideas and musings and keeping them organized.
Our US Mobiles Editor Phil Berne has put together an in-depth review of the reMarkable Paper Pro, covering all of its strengths (that color display and a reading light) and its weaknesses (the software is still lacking in some areas). Not everyone needs this type of gadget, but for a certain set of people the reMarkable tablets can be hugely useful – albeit for a pricey $579 / £559 / AU$929.
You wait ages for a new GoPro camera to come along, and then as if by magic another one arrives at the same time. As well as launching the flagship Hero 13 Black action camera this week, GoPro also introduced the smaller, simpler, and more affordable Hero model. It's the first time we've seen a more compact model with 4K video recording capabilities, and you might find it suits your needs (and your budget) better than the headline-grabbing main model.
We've got all the details you need to know about both of these cameras, including specs, pricing, and availability. When it comes to the flagship model, while the GoPro Hero 13 Black isn't a huge upgrade over its immediate predecessor, it does introduce a new magnetic mounting system and a bigger battery to keep the camera going for longer.
Bluetooth is getting better(Image credit: Bluetooth SIG)
A new Bluetooth standard might not be quite as exciting as a new iPhone or a new Surface laptop, but what is exciting is the impact it's going to have on devices when it gets included in some actual hardware: the upgrade to Bluetooth 6.0 will make it faster and more efficient than ever, and that means less of a drain on the battery life of your gadgets.
The most important improvement here is Channel Sounding, which essentially means two devices connected via Bluetooth will be able to measure the distance between them down to a single centimeter. That should mean you never have to spend time hunting down the back of the couch for a lost remote control (assuming it supports Bluetooth 6.0 of course).
7. DJI unveiled its smallest and lightest 4K drone ever
The DJI Neo(Image credit: DJI)
Another device launched this week was the DJI Neo, which is the smallest and lightest 4K drone that DJI has ever made. Add in a very reasonable price tag of $199 / £169 / AU$299, and it's an appealing option for anyone who doesn't need the bells and whistles of the bigger and more advanced models, but who does need a camera that can fly around.
The DJI Neo is able to take off from the palm of your hand, can be controlled through an app on your phone, supports six automated flight modes, and can be told to track specified subjects as it flies, thanks to its on-board AI smarts. There's enough storage on the drone to pack in 40 minutes of video taken at the highest resolution, too.
6. The Nintendo Switch 2 launch appeared to move closer
The Nintendo Switch(Image credit: Shutterstock / Wachiwit)
The Nintendo Switch has had a good run since its launch in 2017, and has proved to be an incredibly popular handheld gaming hit – but that doesn't mean we're not excited about the prospect of a Nintendo Switch 2.
The new console has been rumored for years, but the launch finally appears to be approaching: an analyst report this week has suggested the handheld is now in mass production, with a launch possible in early 2025.
The new console will apparently offer backward compatibility, so you're still going to be able to play all your existing games, and no doubt there will be upgrades in terms of the internal spec and the display to tempt gamers into a purchase. We're hoping to hear something official about the Switch 2 later this month, so watch this space.
5. We gave our verdict on the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold
The Pixel 9 Pro Fold(Image credit: Future)
Google's latest foldable was revealed a few weeks ago, and our US Mobiles Editor Phil Berne (who's had a particular busy week) has now given his verdict on it in our Google Pixel Fold 9 Pro review.
We suggest you read the full thing if you're considering shelling out for it, but the tldr is: the device is bigger and better than its predecessor, but it's not necessarily a phone that's going to appeal to everyone.
Of course the $1,799 / £1,799 / AU $2,699 asking price is a big consideration here, but if you do have the budget for the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold, then you get a lot back in return. The foldable boasts an 8-inch main display that really shines, has the latest Google Tensor G4 processor under the hood, and offers a triple-lens main camera for photos and videos. And it's also thin. Like, really, really thin.
4. Intel came roaring back with its Lunar Lake chips
Lunar Lake laptops are coming(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)
Intel faces fierce competition in the chipset business these days, but its new Lunar Lake processors look to have enough about them to take on AMD and Qualcomm: the chips, unveiled in full at the IFA 2024 expo in Berlin this week, bring with them significant performance boosts, on-board AI, and improved efficiency for better battery life.
The TechRadar team has been on the ground reporting from IFA 2024 this week, and has put together a deep dive into everything the Intel Lunar Lake (or Core Ultra 200) series has to offer consumers. The processors are going to start showing up in laptops from the likes of Asus and Lenovo later this month, and look likely to prompt a wave of upgrades.
Rumors around a PS5 Pro console have been swirling for some time now, and it seems that Sony itself might have revealed the look of the hardware in artwork that it's put together for the 30th anniversary of the PlayStation. One of the consoles shown faintly in the background of the artwork matches up with previously leaked images of the PS5 Pro.
If this is indeed the PlayStation 5 Pro we're looking at, it would seem it's going to be similar in size to the PS5 Slim that launched last year. As the speculation increases, we wouldn't bet against the new model being announced before the end of 2024, though there's still lots we don't know about the sort of specs and features the PS5 Pro is going to offer.
2. We got even more excited about Apple's Glowtime event
The Apple event invite(Image credit: Future/Jacob Krol)
New Apple hardware isn't far off now, and we're expecting to see iPhones, Apple Watches and AirPods at Apple's big launch event on Monday – though we're still not sure why the tagline for it is "it's Glowtime" (the smart money is on a connection to Siri, but we'll see). Everything gets underway at 10am PT / 1pm ET / 6pm BST on Monday (which is 3am AEST on Tuesday).
TechRadar will be the best place to read about all the announcements as Apple makes them, and we've got you covered for pre-event coverage as well: find out more about everything we think we're going to see, and pore over all the rumors and leaks that have surfaced in the run up to the event. Even by Apple's standards, this should be some show.
We've been at IFA 2024 this week(Image credit: Future)
The TechRadar team has been busy at the IFA 2024 show in Berlin, taking in all the new gadgets and gizmos launched by the likes of Asus, Intel, Honor, TCL, Technics, DJI, LG, and many more – just about every big name in electronics shows up at IFA, and as is usually the case, there has been a host of new hardware devices to get up to speed with.
It's our job to pick out the best tech from the crowd, and to that end our reporters have pulled together their best of IFA 2024 list: it covers everything from phones and TVs to smart rings and miniature robots, and is evidence that the industry is in very good health. We're already looking forward to what might be on show at IFA 2025 next September.
I’m not a complex man, despite the claims of my therapist (the one that lives in my head); I like things to be simple and sleek. I’m a plain dark tee kinda guy. I don’t like beers that pretend to be liquid chocolate or mango. And I think Space Gray is the best iPhone color.
Maybe I’m just 187cm of lack-of-imagination. Or I have such a vision for aesthetics that I find a white room ambrosia for my eyes. But something about this tipped colorway is rubbing me up the wrong way.
I’ve seen it touted as a bronze color – which I’m not against, as I’m currently taking the rather lovely Christopher Ward C63 Dune bronze watch for a spin. But that’s made of actual bronze and is developing a patina, mellowing from a slightly too yellow hue to a warm brown.
So there’s no scope for an bronze-ish Desert Titanium iPhone 16 Pro to develop a patina, meaning one could be saddled with a phone that doggedly holds onto a color tone that’s not the buttery yellow of caramel or the warm glow of gold (for what it’s worth I think gold iPhones have should have no place on this planet), but rather something sickly in between.
There are four colors in total in the iPhone 16 Pro Lineup: white, black, gold and gray.The desert titanium color is kind of dark gold, similar to the old purple color, relatively discreet and deep pic.twitter.com/uDiNiBI4IzAugust 18, 2024
Bothersome bronze
Also bronze is the color of losers; don’t @ me.
It’s basically the runner-up medal, which to me feels like a bigger sting than just getting a ribbon or certificate saying you took part. Bronze says you tried hard but still missed the loftier podium positions. And as a one-time British bronze medalist in a 200 meters freestyle swimming race, I know the feeling of having such metal on my person.
The only exception is the bronze on the aforementioned watch. And even then that feels a little try-hard with its desire to age at speed.
So yeah, I’m really not convinced by the idea of a Desert Titanium iPhone 16 Pro. I will reserve the right to change my mind if I see the phone in person, because I’m flighty like that. And there’s more than enough scope for this rumored shade to not actually see the light of day.
Outside of Desert Titanium, the rest of the tipped iPhone 16 Pro colors seem more pleasing to my eye, with gray, white and Space Black shades to be expected; still no Space Gray though, much to my chagrin.
Of course, with the next Apple event set for September 9 – check out our guide on how to watch the iPhone 16 launch event live – we’ll soon see what iPhone 16 which rumors turn out to have been accurate and which were complete tosh. And TechRadar will be over in Cupertino to cover the ‘It’s Glowtime’ event live, so I’ll be keen to see what my colleagues Lance Ulanoff and Jacob Krol make of the new iPhone 16 colors in general.
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