This week we introduced the completely new and different (well, not that different) TechRadar Awards, but there was a lot more going on in the world of technology.
Samsung announced that its next Unpacked event will take place in just over a week and it’s teasing a big foldable announcement. However, based on his usual schedule, we’d be more surprised if he didn’t have any foldables to display this year.
Before you catch up on this week’s tech news, why not test yourself with the seven biggest tech stories from the past week to see how good your memory is? Take the quiz below or scroll to see the week’s biggest tech news… (and see if you can the best ICYMI quiz from last week when you’re done here).
7. The TechRadar Awards are back for 2026
The TechRadar Awards are returning in 2026 and we’re making a radical change: we’ll be holding two consecutive awards series this year! Introducing the TechRadar Product of the Year Awards and the TechRadar Readers’ Choice Awards. In the past, we combined readers’ votes on which products should win with the opinions of our expert judges to determine an overall winner. But now we are going to divide those two elements into two different prizes.
Product of the Year awards will be chosen solely by our editors and writers, based on their experience using the products. However, the Readers’ Choice Awards will give all the power to you, our readers: you’ll be able to vote on a shortlist of the most popular and highest-rated releases of the year, and the winner will be 100% decided by those votes.
We accept nominations for products you would like to see shortlisted and anyone can nominate something, so make sure the products you love most have a chance!
Read the full story: Introducing TechRadar’s Readers’ Choice Awards and our Product of the Year Awards
6. ChatGPT launched its “smartest voice model ever created”
This week, OpenAI delivered an update to ChatGPT’s voice mode for all users thanks to the release of two new models. The smaller GPT-Live-1 mini 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 interrupted when you pause while speaking, and be smarter, as there previously seemed to be a knowledge gap between the written and spoken ChatGPT models.
To avoid that last part, GPT-Live-1 actually delegates tasks to ChatGPT-5.5 and then returns with a response.
There are also awesome new simultaneous translation tools that will translate what you hear live and what you say as you say it.
You can also give the chatbot a name to facilitate conversation, although OpenAI’s preferred option is “Chat”, which allows you to make your dreams of being a Twitch streamer come true.
Read the full story: GPT-Live-1 offers you more natural conversations without interruptions
5. Nokia debuted a retro phone with AI
This week, Nokia’s parent company HMD unveiled a quartet of retro-style phones with an anachronistic addition: a big AI button.
They still offer a full set of legacy features: if you miss the 3.5mm headphone jack, a microSD for added storage capacity and (on three of the models) an FM radio, you’ll find them here; only you will also have a small digital assistant.
Details are scarce, although it looks like this won’t be at the level of Gemini. Instead, the AI is mainly there to help with on-device tasks, like setting alarms, opening the camera, and creating reminders. However, the biggest problem is that the AI assistant is only free for 180 days; After that, it costs $3.99 (around £3 / AU$5.75) a year if you’re in the EU and $2.99 (around £2.25 / AU$4.30) a year everywhere else.
Oh!
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 spectacular budget watch (despite the Premium name). A great fitness tracker that costs just $169 / £169 / AU$239 and features features you’d usually get on watches costing twice as much, like full-colour maps and a sapphire crystal display.
Its metrics were accurate during testing, and it looks great, too. It’s the budget watch to get, perhaps even ahead of popular options 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 is more than just looks
3. We took more than 1000 photographs with the Sony RX10 V
Sony surprised the camera community and us this week when it revived its best-in-class bridge camera series with the launch of the new RX10 V. The Mark V superzoom arrived nine years after the now discontinued Cyber-shot RX10 IV, with the same versatile 24-600mm F2.4-4 lens and 1-inch 20-megapixel stacked sensor, but with a welcome redesign and the latest processor and autofocus from Sony.
We had already tested the all-in-one camera before its announcement, taking over 1,000 photos during a school sports day, a bird photography trip, macro garden life, and more, and we were completely won over, even if we were less impressed by the higher asking price. That said, the RX10 IV still took the crown for the best bridge camera currently available and, with its predecessor being a rare second-hand find, we expect the latest model to be a really popular camera.
Read the full story: Here’s how Sony’s amazing new superzoom performed
2. Google Pixel 11 has a release date
Samsung isn’t the only tech giant preparing to launch flagship phones soon: this week, Google announced that its Pixels will be updated next month.
The “next generation Pixel” will be unveiled on August 12, just three weeks after Samsung’s Unpacked event. Google didn’t mention any specific models, but we expect to see a Pixel 11 (with stylish ‘Pixel Glow’ lights for notifications), plus 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. That wouldn’t be much of a surprise in these fun ‘RAMpocalypse’ days, but the long-awaited arrival of the Pixel Watch 5 could at least help lighten the mood.
Read the full story: Google sets the launch of the Pixel 11 for August 12
1. Samsung set a date for Galaxy Unpacked
After months of rumors, as well as one or two official teasers, Samsung has finally officially made its upcoming Galaxy Unpacked event official. Pencils on July 22, 2026 at 9am ET / 6am PT / 2pm BST (11pm AEDT) for Samsung’s second Unpacked event of the year. Following tradition, we expect the next-generation Galaxy Z Fold and Galaxy Z Flip, as well as one or two accessories.
They probably won’t just be successors to the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Galaxy Z Flip 7. Samsung’s invite for the event shows “A New Shape Unfolds,” probably hinting that a shorter, wider, more passport-like foldable is on the way. The video invitation also features a printed ticket in a way that gives more clues to the new design, as it simply doesn’t align with the current Fold or Flip.
So why introduce a new foldable phone design in so many generations? Well, Samsung likely wants to get ahead of Apple’s rumored entry into the category, which, according to leaks, will adopt a similar form factor. For Samsung, it’s also about expanding its foldable product line, and if we’re lucky, maybe we’ll see more diverse pricing too.
We don’t have to wait long now. TechRadar will be present 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 Shape Unfolds’ Could Be the Biggest Clue Yet About What to Expect
