ICYMI: The 7 Biggest Tech Stories of the Week, From Galaxy S25 Ultra Leaks to Spotify Wrapped 2024
You may have taken advantage of the best Black Friday deals last week, and as a result missed some of the most important tech stories the TechRadar team has reported on – but this round-up is here to fix that.
Despite all the crazy holiday sales, it’s been another hectic week in the world of technology. We’ve had the biggest Spotify Wrapped 2024 tease yet, we’ve seen more leaks of the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, and we’ve had Apple’s best apps of 2024.
Beyond these stories, there’s plenty more to discover, so sit back and let us be your guide to all the major tech events of the past seven days. Once you’re done, you can also check out the best new movies and shows to stream this weekend.
7. B&O unveiled its stunning new wireless earbuds
We love a pair of high-quality wireless earbuds here at TechRadar, and Bang & Olufsen’s new Beoplay Eleven certainly fits the bill: inspired by jewelry, these earbuds and their accompanying case apparently look really good, even before you get to the audio quality .
Although we haven’t heard them ourselves yet, you get active noise cancellation here, plus eight hours of battery life and IP57 waterproofing. They’re yours for $499 / £429 / €499 / AU$910, and they’re on sale from December 17 – click through below for all the details.
6. Windows Recall launched – and encountered teething problems
Windows Recall is still off to a rocky start: the upcoming AI-powered feature is designed to record your computer activities, making it easier to retrace your steps and retrieve old information, but some users suspect it might be a little too intrusive.
After previously being discontinued due to privacy concerns, this feature has now been retested but encountered a series of frustrating bugs. Microsoft’s advice, if you can believe it, is to turn off your computer and then turn it back on.
5. Arcane creators vowed to learn from Netflix’s ‘rushed’ second season
Fans weren’t too happy with the way the second season turned out Arcane ended on Netflix, but show co-creator Christian Linke has told TechRadar that he “understands and respects” the complaints in an exclusive interview – and that lessons will be learned.
In other words, don’t expect the same mistakes to be made across different ones Arcane follow-up projects that are now in development. Linke also gave us a lot of insight into the production process of a show like this, which has recently ranked as one of the best shows on Netflix.
4. OpenAI Sora was leaked by protesters
You may remember that the OpenAI Sora video generator was teased by ChatGPT maker earlier this year. The tool was announced in February amid a wave of hype, but only select makers were invited to test the software. As we approach the end of the year, it is still not open to the public.
That changed briefly this week, when a group of disgruntled Sora testers made the tool available to everyone – before the leak was patched by OpenAI. Those behind the leak are reportedly angry about their work being used for free and OpenAI’s positive PR spin. Expect to see many more battles like this in 2025.
3. Apple revealed its favorite apps of 2024
When it comes to choosing the best iPhone apps of 2024, Apple knows what it’s talking about – so we recommend checking out the newly announced top picks (below). You might find one or two (or more) apps on the list that are worth a place on your own home screen.
We’ve got apps and games for the iPad, Mac and Apple Watch here, as well as selections for the iPhone, and the categories include everything from video editing and AI-enhanced music production to planning vacations and tracking your daily jog. It’s an excellent list.
2. Spotify Wrapped 2024 is now ‘around the corner’
Brace yourself for Spotify Wrapped 2024, because Spotify itself says this year’s recap is now “right around the corner” – so you (and everyone else) should see the annual look back at your music streaming year in the Spotify apps in the coming days . .
We don’t know yet what will be included in Spotify Wrapped 2024, but it will undoubtedly include the usual round-up of the artists, albums and songs you’ve listened to most over the past twelve months. Continue to update and refresh your Spotify app over the next week to ensure Wrapped lands safely.
1. The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra leaked widely
If you don’t want any spoilers about the expected January launch of the Samsung Galaxy S25 series, look away now: the latest batch of leaks around the phone have given us a very good look at the Ultra model, including the more rounded corners and improved cameras.
Add to that more leaked photos and specs resulting from a regulatory certification process, and we’ll likely know everything there is to know about this phone before it’s revealed. It is likely that One UI 7, based on Android 15, will also be fully released in January.
