Smartphone-maker Huawei has undoubtedly been one of the biggest losers in the US Government’s recent trade war with China, and in the wake of new restrictions the Chinese company has now reportedly reduced new-handset orders from its manufacturing partner Foxconn.
The communications giant was recently added to the United States’ “Entity List”, a move that has effectively stopped Huawei from doing business with any of its US-based associates, and which has significant implications for both the software and hardware used its future smartphones.
Various chipset manufacturers (such as Intel and Qualcomm) have ceased all dealings with Huawei, but perhaps more significantly, the phone-maker also won’t be allowed to implement critical parts of the Android mobile OS that require access to Google-run services – which includes the likes of YouTube, Gmail and the Google Play Store, which is used to install and verify apps and games.
With the Chinese tech giant’s ongoing issues, it’s perhaps unsurprising that it has been reassessing its goal of becoming the world’s leading smartphone manufacturer by 2020.
Production reduction
A new report from the South China Morning Post (SCMP), citing people familiar with the matter, has stated that Taiwanese manufacturer Foxconn has “stopped several production lines for Huawei phones in recent days”.
The timing of the change strongly suggests this reduction is a response to the ongoing US trade ban controversy, although the South China Morning Post has conceded that “it is not clear whether the decreased production is temporary or part of a longer-term cut” and that “smartphone manufacturers have flexibility built in their production schedule”.
According to the SCMP however, the president of Honor (a smartphone manufacturer under Huawei) stated at a media briefing in Shanghai that, “as the new situation has emerged, it is too early to say whether we are able to achieve the goal”.
It’s unclear how severely the trade bans will affect Huawei in the long term, and it has stated it has long had plans in place to deal with such a ban – including stockpiling US hardware and even developing its own alternative to the Android mobile OS.
Nearly all applicants for US visas will have to submit their social media details under newly adopted rules.
The State Department regulations say people will have to submit social media names and five years’ worth of email addresses and phone numbers.
When proposed last year, authorities estimated the proposal would affect 14.7 million people annually.
Certain diplomatic and official visa applicants will be exempt from the stringent new measures.
However, people travelling to the US to work or to study will have to hand over their information.
“We are constantly working to find mechanisms to improve our screening processes to protect US citizens, while supporting legitimate travel to the United States,” the department reportedly said.
Previously, only applicants who needed additional vetting – such as people who had been to parts of the world controlled by terrorist groups – would need to hand over this data.
But now applicants will have to give up their account names on a list of social media platforms, and also volunteer the details of their accounts on any sites not listed.
The Trump administration first proposed the rules in March 2018.
At the time, the American Civil Liberties Union – a civil rights group – said there is “no evidence that such social media monitoring is effective or fair”, and said it would cause people to self-censor themselves online.
US President Donald Trump made cracking down on immigration a key plank of his election campaign in 2016.
He called for “extreme vetting” of immigrants before and during his time in office.
On Friday Mr Trump vowed to impose gradually rising tariffs on Mexico unless the country curbed illegal immigration at the US southern border.
There’s no denying that 5G is kind of a big deal. Partially launched in the UK (depending on your network and location), it means faster speeds when on the move and lower latency so things like streaming video just got better.
With a more reliable connection, you’ll be able to enjoy higher quality video calls, download content while on the train, and even stream gaming sessions from your phone.
It’s likely that 5G connections will be 100 times faster than a standard 4G connection. That’s not all either as, in theory, it’ll all be far faster than many home broadband connections too, with 5G estimated to hit average speeds of 80-100Mbps.
So, what could it mean for changing the mobile landscape? Well, quite a lot. It could mean downloading a boxset within seconds while on your commute, and it could also mean more reliable conference calls, with no latency slowing down responses between you and your boss.
All that is only possible with the right network though, and there’s quite the battle right now between major UK networks to see who comes out on top in the race to 5G. Let’s take a look at where each of the main networks are right now.
The largest mobile phone network in the UK, EE has nearly 30 million customers, and it’s clearly keen to maintain that foothold via the rise of 5G. It’s the first network to launch a 5G network and is therefore immediately appealing to anyone keen to be ahead of the rest. However, your mileage will vary massively depending on where you live.
The service is only currently available in limited parts of Belfast, Birmingham, Cardiff, Edinburgh, London, and Manchester. If you live in one of those cities, it’s the network you need to be with. Plans are afoot to expand that number to 16 by the end of the year, including Bristol, Coventry, Glasgow, Hull, Leeds, Leicester, Liverpool, Newcastle, Nottingham and Sheffield.
The network currently offers four 5G launch devices to choose from. There’s the OnePlus 7 Pro 5G, Samsung Galaxy S10 5G, OPPO Reno 5G, and LG V50 ThinQ. In addition, EE is keen to embrace the idea of mobile broadband taking over from fixed-line broadband with the 5GEE Home Router and 5GEE WiFi in the pipeline. For now, interested customers can register their interest.
EE did a pretty good job in the past with 4G and spreading it across the country, so it makes sense that the firm would be doing similar with 5G.
The third largest mobile network, Vodafone is second out of the gate with 5G and has a fairly strong plan. Set to launch its 5G network on July 3, the service will be available in seven locations from day one – London, Glasgow, Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham, Cardiff, and Bristol.
Another 12 locations are planned by the end of the year, including Birkenhead, Blackpool, Bournemouth, Guildford, Newbury, Portsmouth, Plymouth, Reading, Southampton, Stoke-on-Trent, Warrington and Wolverhampton.
However, Vodafone only has two 5G devices available for launch. There’s the Samsung Galaxy S10 5G that’s also available at EE, along with the Xiaomi Mi MIX 3 5G.
That’s slim pickings for anyone keen to find the perfect smartphone for them. There’s also the Vodafone 5G GigaCube, a wireless router that aims to bring 5G into the home but, much like EE, that’s a ‘register interest’ kind of deal for now.
While Vodafone may offer more locations that have a 5G network, they’re already a little behind EE when it comes to how you use it. Still, that won’t matter for people in slightly smaller cities that are desperate for 5G as soon as possible.
The second largest mobile network in the UK, O2 isn’t exactly forthcoming about its 5G plans. Simply announcing that its 5G network will launch in 2019, the network has plans for four cities to have 5G available through its service.
Those places comprise the capitals of the UK – London, Cardiff, Edinburgh, and Belfast. No other details have been released regarding other city rollouts in the future.
There’s also the issue that potentially, O2 will only offer one launch device, which looks likely to be the Samsung Galaxy S10 5G. An announcement was made in May that O2 would also stock the Huawei Mate 20 X 5G but given recent issues with Huawei, this could end up changing. If you don’t want a Samsung handset, O2’s 5G coverage isn’t going to be for you.
O2 isn’t exactly looking appealing to early adopters, but then it does still offer an impressive 99% population coverage with 4G (and has recently improved its rural coverage) so it’s a safe infrastructure to fall back on when you’re not in a 5G area. If you know you’re going to regularly travel to areas without a 5G network, O2 is a decent option, even if it’s a little slow on the 5G uptake.
EE will be bringing 5G to Glastonbury Festival. (Image credit: EE)
If you thought O2’s plans were a little vague, that’s nothing compared to Three’s plans. Firmly behind in the race to 5G supremacy, the firm has merely confirmed its 5G network launch in 2019 and named one city that will benefit – London.
The Huawei Mate 20 X 5G has been mentioned as a possible launch device, but that’s it, and it seems unlikely to come to fruition.
Keen to embrace 5G as quickly as possible? In that case, it’s best to give Three a miss. Its vagueness is far from appealing and the network is well and truly last in the race.
The winner
EE is currently miles ahead of the competition. First to launch a 5G network, it also offers the most 5G compatible devices. Plus, it’s available right now rather than requiring you to wait till later in the year.
Its coverage plans aren’t quite as extensive yet as Vodafone’s, but if you’re looking to pick a 5G network right now (and you live in a relevant city), you can’t really go wrong with EE.
With such plans in place, it’s about time that O2 and Three shake things up and actually release some concrete details so potential 5G adopters actually know where to go next for their super fast speed fix.
5G Uncovered, in association with Samsung, brings you everything you need to know about the next wave of connectivity – not just how fast it’s going to be, but in just how many ways it’s going to change your life. Our 5G Uncovered hub is carefully curated to show everything there is to know about the next generation of connection.
The iOS 13 beta release date is today, June 3, according to expectations at the Apple keynote, and we’re on the ground reporting live with the anticipated features list.
It’s a big software push to change your iPhone and iPad, including iOS 13 Dark Mode. This long-rumored feature, if truly coming this year, will force bright white menus to go black and dark gray, a benefit for your eyes at night.
iOS 13 is also due to offer a home screen redesign – but we suspect it’ll be reserved for the iPad in 2019, then come to a bigger iPhone in 2020. New wallpaper debuts at Apple’s WWDC 2019 every year, and today’s keynote should be no different.
iOS 13 iPad features should make good on Apple’s claim that the iPad is a computer. It may act as a second screen more Macs and allow stackable app windows. iOS 13 mouse support is rumored, but as we’ll explain below, it may be a mere tease.
Here is a comprehensive iOS 13 features list ahead of the beta announcement. It’s shaping up to be only good news for Apple’s sluggish iPhone sales, especially with the iPhone 11 not expected to dramatically change form later in 2019.
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We’re here at WWDC, where iOS 13 and other Apple software is expected to be announced. (Image credit: TechRadar)
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Reporting on iOS 13 live today
You’re going to see this page change in the next 24 hours – a lot. We’re reporting on iOS 13 live from San Jose, California, where Apple’s WWDC keynote is taking place.
As Apple confirms each new iOS 13 feature, we’ll update in real-time, detailing all of the important changes coming to your iPhone and iPad (and iPod Touch 7th gen).
Don’t be fooled. Today may mark the the launch of the less-important iOS 12.4, likely to make way for the Apple Card. But stand by for iOS 13 news, that will overshadow everything else announced today, except maybe the expected Mac Pro 2019.
Today, the iOS 13 release date starts with a beta
Today, Monday, June 3: iOS 13 beta 1 and first look at WWDC 2019
Around June 25: iOS 13 public beta may launch for adventurous testers
Early September 2019: iOS 13 Golden Master (final dev beta)
Mid-September 2019: iOS 13 likely to launch with new 2019 iPhones
We have mapped out an iOS 13 beta timeline, from beta 1 to the final version of the software, and it all begins with a first look at the update today, Monday, June 3. We had this date pinned down months ago, long before we got our WWDC invite.
We went as far as to make a graphic for the iOS 13 release schedule:
Image credit: TechRadar
1. iOS 13 developer beta: The first iOS 13 beta will likely arrive at the WWDC keynote today, but it’s going to be restricted to paid Apple developers at first. You should probably wait for the public beta, which is always more stable, or upgrade to the beta on a non-primary device.
2. iOS 13 public beta: This is Apple’s way of testing features on a larger scale, and that may happen toward the end of June – last year the iOS public beta release date was June 25. It’s typically a more refined version of the iOS developer beta, although it can still be rough and never includes all of the features implemented in the final version of the software.
3. iOS 13 golden master: This will be the final version of the iOS 13 software one week early, meant for developers and public beta testers. At this point it’s very stable and gives app makers seven days to adapt to the final software.
4. The official iOS 13 release date: We’ll get the new iOS 13 software in its final, stable form about one week after the next iPhone launch event, what we’re calling iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Max and iPhone 11 XR at the moment. The date? Probably mid-September (last year it was September 17).
iOS 13 compatibility list
iOS 13 may shed support the oldest still-supported devices: iPhone 5S, iPad Air and iPad mini 2
Compatibility would then go as far back as iPhone 6, iPhone 7 Plus, and iPad Air 2
The A8 chipset, in the newly launched iPad Touch 7th gen, might be the base line for most devices (iPad mini 3 excluded)
One rumor says iPhone 6, iPhone 6S, iPad Air 2, and even the iPhone SE will be axed from the iOS 13 compatibility list, but we think that’s a stretch
Apple just served us a strong hint of which devices with be iOS 13 compatible and which will not when it launched a new iPod Touch 7th generation last week.
The working theory has been that the iOS 13 compatibility list will shed the iPhone 5S, iPad Air and iPad mini 2, the oldest devices that are compatible with the last iOS update. If true, iOS 13 would still work with iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, and iPad Air 2.
Which devices will iOS 13 be compatible with? (Image credit: Apple)
All of these devices have an A8 chipset (A8X for the iPad Air 2) so the base line would be an A8 chipset or newer to upgrade to iOS 13. This happens to be the chip in the HomePod and Apple TV 4th generation, so it brings everything into line very neatly.
Okay, there’s one outlier we hope stays up-to-date: the iPad mini 3, which has an older A7 chipset (the iPad mini 2 was updated with iOS 12, after all). Of course, it’s in Apple’s best interest that you upgrade your hardware, like the iPad mini 4. Hangers-ons don’t help the company’s bottom line, so nothing is truly safe.
There’s a rumor that iOS 13 compatibility list cuts will go even further, axing support for the iPhone 6, iPhone 6S, iPad Air 2, and even the iPhone SE. The benefit? Cutting the SE would leave Apple and third-party app developers with fewer screen sizes to deal with when programming for iOS – although the smaller iPod 7th gen dismisses that theory.
One thing’s for sure: whatever happens, don’t expect Apple to make an official announcement at WWDC 2019 if the iPhone 5S isn’t compatible with iOS 13. The iOS 13 compatible phones will just show up on a slide, or they won’t. Also, remember that not every iOS 13 feature will come to all devices on that list. Some new ideas may require the TrueDepth camera, a rear dual-lens system, or 3D Touch.
Almost a sure thing: iOS 13 Dark Mode confirmed
Overdue Dark Mode has been tipped multiple times for iOS 13
We saw macOS get a system-wide Dark Mode in 2018
Shortcut to black-and-dark-gray UI to live in Control Center
iOS 13 is where we’re going to see Dark Mode, according to multiple leaks about the forthcoming iPhone and iPad software update. It’s finally going to launch this time.
Image credit: 9to5mac
The reason we think iOS 13 Dark Mode is a sure thing for 2019 is thanks to this very real-looking screenshot (above) that shows three menus suited up in a dark theme.
It’ll turn white-and-light-gray interfaces to a black-and-dark-gray UI, which should be a nice thing to see at nighttime. With Night Sight, TrueTone and now Dark Mode on a growing number of devices, Apple is being very kind to our eyes.
Best of all, this iOS 13 feature should also help your phone if it has an OLED display. The iPhone X, iPhone XS, and iPhone XS Max has OLED screens that (essentially) turn off the pixels when display true black, thus consuming less power.
New wallpaper for iOS 13
Monday’s keynote is expected to pave the way for fresh iOS 13 wallpaper, as we’ve seen from past iOS updates every year at WWDC. 2019 should be no different.
Watch this space for new iOS 13 wallpaper (Image credit: TechRadar)
Even though haven’t been any credible leaks regarding this year’s official wallpaper, Apple could use it as a chance to better exhibit iOS 13 Dark Mode. We’ll throw the first images up here when we do see it on stage. Watch this space.
iOS 13 home screen redesign
The tiled home screen design hasn’t changed since 2007
This redesign was supposedly pushed back from iOS 12
Could include glanceable information like the 5-day forecast
iOS 13 may bring the first-ever major changes to the iOS home screen, and it’s long overdue. We’ve had this app tile layout since the first iPhone launched in 2007. It works, sure, but it’s become increasingly stale in 2019.
So far, Bloomberg mentions the iOS 13 feature is coming to the iPad only. Running with that, it’s our hunch that if Apple introduces a bigger iPhone display in 2020, the larger model may get the redesigned home screen (sort of like some iOS software features were exclusive to Plus models for years).
We envision this supposedly iPad-specific iOS 13 change to take parts of the Today screen (the leftmost widget-like screen) and tie them into the home screen.
This grid is boring. Bring on glanceable information with iOS 13 (Image credit: TechRadar)
Being able to peek at snippets of information – the 5-day weather forecast, your next calendar appointment, and the latest Apple News headlines – would be a welcome addition to the unchanged iOS app grid.
When talking up Apple Watch face complications, the team behind it used the words ‘glanceable information’ a lot. That would be a natural fit for the iOS 13 home screen. We’re just a bit disappointed that the rumors so far don’t extend to the iPhone.
iOS 13 to bring new app designs and features
Apple may throw a fresh coat of paint on existing apps and offer a few new features to make them worth re-visiting if you put them in an ‘Unused’ folder.
The iOS 13 Reminders app stands out the most, using what looks like a triage system of four color-coded categories. This leak claims the breakdown is ‘done today, all tasks, scheduled tasks, and flagged tasks.’
Here’s one app redesign. The Reminders app is going to get four new categories with iOS 13 (Image credit: 9to5Mac)
But a new screenshot leak shows categories of Today, Scheduled, All and Flagged. We’ll know for sure when Apple announces iOS 13 today.
The same report says Apple Health will have a new home screen, monitor hearing health and track menstrual cycles. The iOS 13 Find My app is said to be a union of of Find My Friends and Find My iPhone.
iMessage may act more like WhatsApp with profile custom pictures and nicknames, Mail may get more filters and blocking features, and Apple Home is getting into the smart home category with security cameras integration.
Parents will take heart if Apple’s Screen Time app expands parental controls to limit who kids can and cannot contact at certain times, while Apple Books is said to be including a progress tracker and reward system as you (or your kids) finish books.
iOS 13 iPad mouse support… kind of
Big iPad changes: iOS 9, iOS 11… iOS 13 is next?
iOS 12 iPad Mouse support is the most popular rumor
Mouse support is already an accessibility feature, but we have doubts about is going further than that at this time
When we talk about Apple rumors, we often talk about patterns, and here’s one concerning iOS 13 iPad features: every two years we get meaningful iPad software changes: iOS 11 nearly two years ago, and iOS 9 two years before that.
iOS 13 mouse support for the iPad is the first thing everyone wants to know about, and it seems entirely possible it could come to the update but as an accessibility feature, according to Steve Troughton-Smith.
You can see in this video (above) that iOS actually already supports a mouse via USB-C and other joysticks.
Will mouse support become a full-blown feature when iOS 13 lands? That remains to be seen (and we have some serious doubts, sorry), but if Apple wants to position the iPad as a true productivity replacement for laptop owners, this is almost certainly a requirement… eventually.
iOS 13 external hard drive support
The iPad Pro may get wider USB-C external storage compatibility
Importing photos from drives and SD cards to bypass Photos app
The iPad may get external help in two ways when iOS 13 launches. First, iOS 13 could soon give you more access to external hard drives and DSLRs you plug into to the iPad Pro USB-C port. Right now, every photo and video requires importing through the Camera Roll instead of directly to something like Lightroom, says 9to5mac.
iOS 13 will reportedly let you skip the Photos camera roll and import straight to apps like Lightroom when using an external hard drive plugged into the iPad Pro USB-C port (Image credit: Apple)
We’d like to see external storage support go even further, allowing us to transfer all sorts of files between a hard drive and iPad. It’d allow the iPad Pro to become more productivity-friendly device, as would the long-rumored multi-user support. iPads, after all, are often shared among family members.
iPad as a external Mac monitor
Luna Display and Duet have enables iPads to be a Mac’s second display
But Apple could make performance buttery smooth with iOS 13
Second, iPads running iOS 13 could acts as a second monitor for Macs. It sounds sort of like the idea behind third-party apps Luna Display and Duet, but baked into Apple’s software and lag-free.
Could iOS 13 enable an iPad Pro to act as a second screen for a MacBook, like third-party developer Luna Display does? That’s the current credible rumor (Image credit: Luna display)
Apple may see a boost in iPad sales for people who feel like the iPad is sometimes a useful tool, but are so productivity focused that they really need a MacBook. An iPad with iOS 13 may be a great standalone device for their light usage and acts a companion to a MacBook for when a second screen is needed.
Native iOS 13 swipe keyboard
Type words by gliding your fingers across the keyboards in iOS 13
SwiftKey and Gboard do this, but do iOS users know about them?
Apple’s default gesture keyboard could be a lot more popular
Apple may be making a native swipe keyboard for iOS 13, one that sounds similar to the popular SwiftKey app on iPhones (seen below five iOS generations ago).
iOS 13 a native swipe keyboard, like this SwiftKey example
This would mean sliding your finger across a keyboard to spell out words could be done without lifting a finger. With larger screens, this has become a big perk.
iOS keyboard extensions like Google’s Gboard and Fleksy already offering this glide typing option, but a lot more people may discover and use the functionality if it were built into the default keyboard.
New undo gesture in iOS 13
iOS 13 won’t force you to shake your iPhone to undo your last action
Keyboard swiping gesture, three fingers left (undo) or right (redo)
Violently shaking your iPhone or iPad to undo a mistake like it’s an Etch A Sketch may become a thing of the past, as Apple is tipped to add a new undo gesture.
It’s a three-finger tap on the keyboard that requires you to then slide to the left or the right, according to 9to5mac – the left to undo and the right to redo an action. We’re hoping that skate-to-undo doesn’t fully go away, as it’s sometimes destressing to take making a mistake out on our iPhone.
iOS 13 to fix intrusive volume controls
The age-old volume HUD to finally get smaller and out of the way
This is going to be the smallest, but maybe most valued iOS 13 change, only because we’ve dealt with it for years: the volume HUD is going to be less obtrusive.
iOS 13 could do what Google did with Android Pie last year, by shifting the volume controls to the side or perhaps in the notch ‘ear’.
Even Apple know that the volume controls are annoying when they block the screen for a few seconds every time you want to adjust the volume using the side buttons. We could see it living up the top corner of the phone (the left notch ‘ear’) where it sometimes appears when playing multimedia.
iOS 13, codename “Yukon” – and beyond
iOS 13 (codenamed “Yukon”) will follow iOS 12’s footsteps in increasing speed for older devices and ironing out bugs, as per Bloomberg. The interface will get tweaked with new animations when multitasking or closing apps.
Potentially more exciting: the same report claims Apple is already at work on iOS 14 (codenamed “Azul”), which sources predict will support 5G network speeds and new AR functionality. We don’t expect iPhone 11, which is expected to launch with iOS 13 in its final form, to have 5G capability.
Four new Animoji and many more emoji
4 Animoji: Apple to roll out cow, mouse, octopus and emoji face
230 new emoji and changes: disabilities, yawning and waffles
A handful of new Animoji could be added as part of iOS 13, with a rumor suggesting that a cow, mouse, octopus and emoji face are all being added.
There are currently 24 Animoji is Apple’s iOS 12.2 roster, so the iOS 13 update would bring the total number to 28 in addition to customizable Memoji avatars.
We’ve also reported on 230 new and changed emojis that could come to iOS 13, with disabilities getting the spotlight, along with a yawning emoji and waffles.
Siri improvements
According to one source, Siri could be upgraded for iOS 13, making it better able to understand you than it is currently.
The claims are a bit vague, but Siri improvements of some kind are always likely.
More iOS 13 news to come
iOS 13 beta launch today so as the Apple WWDC 2019 keynote kicks off we’ll continue to update this page with even more information about which features are confirmed and which don’t make the cut.
Just remember, the final version of iOS 13, likely in September with an iPhone 11 launch event, could include additional hardware-specific features, adding to the change list.
On the next page, we explore features we’d like to see from iOS 13, or another Apple software update down the line.
The goal of every athlete is not just to win, but to continually grow faster and stronger, so that they may keep on winning in the future. But this isn’t just the case in sports. As we speak, every player in the mobile industry is gearing up for their biggest competition yet: the launch of 5G.
5G will, of course, be a lot faster and stronger than the 4G we’re used to – just as it was an improvement on the 3G that came before it. The improvements are pretty mind-boggling; speeds could conceivably be up to 100 times faster than 4G, but this is only one benefit of the new standard.
The other is in terms of latency – the time it takes for your device to communicate with the network.
To demonstrate what this means, the US network Verizon and infrastructure provider Ericsson put together a rather clever demonstration: they gave two American football players VR headsets and mounted cameras on top.
They then sent the video from the cameras over 5G back to the 5G base station, and then from the base station back to the VR headsets – so they would still see what their eyes would naturally, but it would be sent over 5G first.
The result? It turns out that 5G is so quick, it’s possible to throw and catch a football even with images being transmitted to a base station and back, while still maintaining millisecond precision.
Faster connectivity for fans
This clever demo, however, is not the only thing that 5G and sports have in common. In fact, 5G looks set to transform the entire sports viewing experience.
First, let’s look at stadiums and arenas. The most annoying thing that can happen at large events is the mobile networks not working, because thousands of people are all in the same place and are trying to connect to the same mobile antenna.
The good news is that with 5G, this should become a thing of the past as the next-gen mobile network won’t just support a denser number of connected devices, but has also been designed to support millimeter wave frequencies, which mean venues will be able to place more, highly directional 5G equipment to ensure everyone can maintain a decent connection.
Having everyone connected in their seats is not just convenient for social media platforms like Facebook as this sort of connectivity could also be used to offer attendees access to action replays from multiple angles – making up for the one thing that TV can do better than being at the game in person.
On a more practical level, 5G could also end the nightmare of queuing for ages at the bar at half time, as ordering drinks and snacks from our seats using our phones could become the norm.
Even more ambitiously, we may not be too far away from 5G-powered augmented reality according to Verizon– we may soon be able to hold up our phones and have the players name and stats float above them as they run around the pitch. The line between FIFA on your Playstation 4 and real life is going to get a little blurry.
Barcelona’s Camp Nou stadium is the first to have a dedicated 5G network. (Image credit: Tukewood Media)
Slice that network
Viewing away from the stadium could also improve with 5G. Most obviously, the increased bandwidth and reduced latency should put an end to buffering, even when you’re trying to catch the game while on the bus, but its reliability could go far beyond this thanks to a controversial new technology that’s baked into the 5G standard called network slicing.
At the moment, when you use the internet, all traffic is treated equally – whether you’re sending emails, doing some important work, or rotting your brain watching TikToks.
Network slicing, however, could enable phone networks to pick and choose what gets priority, and syphon off slices of the available bandwidth for particular favored services.
Most obviously this will help the emergency services, but it is surely inevitable that as phone networks compete to win over customers, reliable, slice-off access to live sports will prove and attractive proposition. So we can hopefully expect no buffering whatsoever.
The benefits of 5G and network slicing go beyond the immediate consumer proposition too. In fact, 5G could make it easier for TV networks to film and broadcast games – meaning there could be plenty more sporting content to watch, even if your team is in the lower leagues.
How? As SportsPro reports, BT Sport and EE carried out an intriguing trial, sending a team to film a football match between non-League UK football titans Braintree Town and Bromley FC.
What made it unique wasn’t the diminutive stature of the teams playing, but the fact that all of the pictures were not edited and produced from the stadium as in traditional football broadcasts.
Instead, pictures were sent back over 5G to BT Sports’ headquarters in London, where a production team was able to turn the raw images into a TV show. If the production team can all stay in one place, it means they can produce multiple broadcasts on the same day – or even at the same time.
In other words, 5G could massively reduce the number of people needed to make live sports broadcasts happen – which could, in turn, result in more sport to watch; perfect if you support a smaller sports team.
But there is one last twist: in a world of 5G ubiquity, will people actually want to watch more football, or other traditional sports? The challenge from 5G is that it might make another type of sport more attractive: esports.
Esports have experienced huge growth over recent years thanks to social media and services like Twitch popularizing the players and the clans. According to one estimate, last year 400m people watched esport content – a number that is expected only to continue rising, with stars like Ninja and the “FaZe” clan commanding millions of dollars in sponsorship and advertising revenue just as easily as the biggest footballers do.
With 5G, broadcasting and watching esports is going to be even easier. No longer will there be any constraints on where we can watch from – so don’t be surprised if we start to see players broadcast from their mobile devices, rather than from their bedrooms.
5G Uncovered, in association with Samsung, brings you everything you need to know about the next wave of connectivity – not just how fast it’s going to be, but in just how many ways it’s going to change your life. Our 5G Uncovered hub is carefully curated to show everything there is to know about the next generation of connection.
The end-of-financial-year sales in Australia are here and, as always, there’s be a massive list of bargains to check out, and plenty of tech that’s selling for cheap.
During this time, retailers are often trying to get rid of aging stock they’ve accumulated over the year, or trying to reach sales targets. This is good news for the consumer, with substantial discounts available on a range of products – from cars to home appliances and pretty much everything else in between.
It’s also the best time to get your own finances in order. At this time of year, you’ll find plenty of discounted products that are also tax deductible. So not only will you be able to snag a great bargain during Australia’s annual EOFY sales, but also get back in the form of tax returns.
While it might be fun to visit brick-and-mortar stores to browse everything on sale, shopping online is more efficient – it can take the weight off your feet, literally, and give you more time and energy to trawl through the numerous storefronts to find the best bargains.
Alternatively, you can let us do the hard work by just keeping this page bookmarked and checking back periodically in the lead up to June 30. The Australian TechRadar team will be constantly updating this page with all the best tax-time deals.
If the previous year is anything to go by, some of the offers we share here will actually end before June 30, so check in frequently if you want to score the best EOFY bargains – and try not to leave it until the last minute!
Last year, our sister site Getprice also listed a plethora of EOFY deals in a variety of categories, not just tech. It will happen again in 2019, and we’ll let you know where to find them.
Best EOFY 2019 deals and bargains
The merry month of June is here and we’d suggest you snag a bargain early as, chances are, something you’re after might go out of stock, especially if it’s a hot product.
Not only have we listed the best tech bargains here, we’ve divvied up the page into sections, which you can access via the top navigation bar, so you can find something you’re looking for quickly.
This is a great price for this 15-inch beast, boasting a powerful CPU, plenty of system memory alongside a GTX 1070 graphics card to take care of your gaming needs and a heck of a lot of storage. View Deal
Razer Blade Pro 17 | i7 / 32GB / 512GB SSD / GTX 1080 | $4,356 (was $5,808; save $1,452)
UPDATE (3/6/19): This is currently listed as out of stock, but keep checking back in case it gets restocked.
Another excellent bargain from Amazon on a seriously powerful gaming laptop, this time on a 17-incher with some serious grunt. In fact, we’d recommend you get a wriggle on with this one if it’s something you’re after as we’re sure this won’t last long.
However, if you’re on a budget, there’s a slightly less powerful option featuring 16GB of RAM, GTX 1060 graphics and a 2TB HDD for $1,949.25, down from $2,599.View Deal
Apple iPad (2018, 9.7-inch, 32GB Wi-Fi + Cellular) | $542 with shipping (was $669; save $127)
It’s not often you see discounts on Apple products unless you’re shopping on eBay. So take advantage of the EOFY sale on the auction site and score 20% off this Rose Gold version of the 32GB 9.7-inch iPad. It’s the latest model and with shipping saves you just under $130. Just be sure to use the code PEOFY at checkout.View Deal
This 15-inch clamshell comes with some decent specs but without the usual four-figure price tag. There’s 35% off this machine at the moment, bringing the price down an affordable $974. View Deal
With plenty of system memory and a graphics chip, there’s a bit of grunt to take care of some gaming. But what makes this a good deal is the 40% off Dell is currently offering on the device, saving you $800.View Deal
This is one of the bigger discounts on Dell’s site this week, with this 15-inch convertible with some impressive specs dropping in price by 40% and saving you well over $1,000 in the bargain. View Deal
You won’t find a Dell XPS machine with a discount of more than 15% off, and that hasn’t changed for the EOFY sale period. Despite that this makes the latest iteration of the XPS 13, with a powerful CPU, goodly amount of memory and a superb amount of storage, a decent bargain.View Deal
If your work doesn’t require too much processing power, this is a great bargain. This 14-inch work horse is currently 45% off at Lenovo, promising a decent amount of battery life and a Full HD screen.View Deal
When you get a 14-inch laptop that weighs as light as this one yet is tough as nails, it’s always worth considering it as a good work machine. The bargain becomes even more appealing with 40% shaved off the price tag too, making this X1 Carbon device quite affordable.View Deal
This 14-inch 2-in-1 is lightweight, promises speed, boasts an all-day battery life and a Full HD touchscreen, all at half the original cost. To avail the discount, though, be sure to use the code EOFY at checkout. This offer ends June 6.View Deal
For an ultra-portable 2-in-1 option with plenty of oomph, this 13-inch Yoga 730 is an excellent bargain, considering it ships with the Lenovo Active Pen 2. A powerful processor, 16GB of RAM and plenty of solid-state storage adds to the appeal, along with the 27% discount.View Deal
This is a highlight deal for us, considering the price tag Samsung slapped onto its affordable S10 handset was almost $1,200. So if you’re after a brand new Android smartphone, this is one of the best bargains you’ll get at this time, with the offer available on all three colour options. But hurry as we don’t think this will last very long.View Deal
Looking for a phone that takes amazing photos? The Google Pixel 3 will surely fill that need. Becextech has an excellent deal on the 64GB black model that brings the price down from $1,514 to just $944 – that’s a saving of 38%!View Deal
One of the more premium true wireless headphones, these Sony ‘buds, available in black and in white on Amazon, are as close to half price as they’re going to get. They’re one of the few headphones you can take with you to the beach or the pool – they’re dustproof, waterproof and salt-proof.View Deal
If you’re not comfortable wearing cans but still want to shut the world out, Sony has in-ear options that are currently 15% off on Amazon. The C600N wireless ‘buds feature a neckband design and digital noise cancellation via One Push ANC. These headphones are available in blue, black and silver.View Deal
Bose is one of the more popular manufacturers of audio gear and their first true wireless ‘buds have made their mark with the consumer. So if you’re after a pair of these, then VideoPro can save you over $60, giving you a chance to go five hours on a single charge and Bose’s promise of great sound.View Deal
B&O usually have premium price tags on their luxurious products, so when you find one that’s got a reasonable cost, you’ll be well advised to consider it if you’re a fan of the brand. That makes this $195 Bluetooth speaker a good buy from VideoPro.View Deal
This was B&W’s first wireless headset and although it’s a few years old, it’s still comes with the company’s trademark audio quality. It also means it’s cheaper to buy now, and an additional 25% off from David Jones makes this Bluetooth headset a lot more affordable.View Deal
While most major retailers are selling the PS4 Pro at full price, or close to it, Amazon has dropped its price. This is the lowest the PS4 Pro console has gone in a while, so if you prefer Sony’s ecosystem, then this is your chance to save $61 on the console itself.View Deal
This is as much for adults as it is for kids – Nintendo’s creative cardboard pieces are all about teaching you how technology works. They’re fun and innovative peripherals for the Nintendo Switch and are currently heavily discounted on Amazon. However, stock is limited, so get in quick, but Amazon does say there’s more on the way.
The second generation Echo smart speaker is currently retailing for $149 a pop but if you’re keen on a multi-room setup, this is a good time to snag a pair with a $99 saving to boot – a cool bargain if you’re keen on inviting Alexa into your smart home.View Deal
If you don’t have the shelf space for an Echo speaker, then perhaps something as diminutive as the Echo Spot might be a good option for you. Not only do you get an Alexa-powered speaker, you also get a small display for video calls, monitoring security footage from connected cameras, set alarms and much more. View Deal
For 4K TVs on a budget, you can’t get past Soniq. And with Amazon offering discounts on already affordable Soniq tellies, it’s quite the no-brainer for the budget-conscious. This 65-inch UHD TV comes with Chromecast built-in so you can easily stream directly from your handheld device.View Deal
Enhance the sound of your TV by setting up this easy-to-install soundbar from Sony. And it’s affordable too. This 2ch soundbar supports USB and Bluetooth playback as well, and is currently $100 off on Amazon.View Deal
This no-frills turntable gives you an easy way to convert your vinyls into MP3 files via USB so you can listen digitally when you’re not at home. It’s also quite affordable but is cheaper still on Amazon with a saving of over $100 to be had.View Deal
This sound bar is easy to set up and has been designed for sound clarity so you don’t miss a word. It’s also a lot more affordable than other Bose sound bars, but it’s cheaper still on Microsoft’s online store.View Deal
Cameras
Nikon D750 (body only) | $1,979 (was $2,399; save $420)
This is one of the best mid-range DSRLs you can buy. In fact, there are rumours of a D760 coming in some time but details are vague. But you shouldn’t wait if you’re looking for a good snapper as the D750 is going for real cheap at Camera Warehouse.View Deal
You’re most likely not going to find this kit anywhere for this price, considering the 70-300mm zoom lens alone costs about $399. So put it altogether in a neat package as Amazon has done and you can now save yourself about $500. That makes this dual lens kit half price, perfect for anyone starting off on their photography journey!View Deal
It’s the latest wearable from Samsung and it’s way more than just a fitness tracker. This smartwatch is smaller than any of the previous Samsung models and looks absolutely stunning on the wrist as well. So head to eBay, apply the code PEOFY at checkout and save yourself some money, even when paying for shipping.View Deal
As part of Amazon’s mid-year sale, there’s a decent discount on the Razer Blade 15, sporting an 8th-gen Core i7 processor and an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q graphics chip. To boot, it’s Australian stock, so you won’t need to worry about power cables, adaptors and warranties.View Deal
EOFY sale: What to expect in 2019
The end-of-financial-year sales are one of Australia’s most popular big sales. While the discounts may not be comparable to Black Friday bargains, there’s always plenty of savings to be had, especially if you ensure you the items you pick up are tax deductible.
So, what kind of tech can you find during EOFY sales Down Under? Plenty. From computers to gaming gear, the best flagship smartphones to personal audio. To get an idea of what to expect in 2019, let’s take a look at what was on offer last year.
Gaming: Last year saw some great discounts on console bundles. With some blockbuster games just waiting to be played, you can expect to see them bundled along with either the PlayStation consoles or the Xbox One.
If, however, you’re more interested in the Nintendo Switch, you won’t be disappointed. Last year, the Switch dropped down to $378 during the EOFY sale – that’s not quite the cheapest price we’ve seen, but with rumours of a new Switch being announced soon, we’re anticipating the current model will be substantially discounted again this year. But stay sharp, as this popular console gets gobbled up real quick.
Laptops and PCs: There will be plenty of computing gear on sale during the EOFY sales. Manufacturers like Microsoft, Lenovo, Dell and HP will host their own sales on their sites, but you’ll also be able to grab laptops and desktop PCs from major retailers as well. You can expect to see average discounts of about 15% to 20%. You’ll even be able to snag bargains on accessories as well, with printers, keyboards, SSDs and external hard drives all going on sale during this time.
Smartphones and tablets: The latest flagship handsets from the major phone makers all generally carry a hefty price tag. So if you’ve held off on buying a new phone, the EOFY sales might be a great time to score an upgrade without having to pay full retail price. Samsung’s latest Galaxy handsets and Apple’s iPhone XS and XR flagships could well be available for less, as could older models. Great budget handsets will likely get a trim to their prices as well.
It will also be a great time to save on tablets, especially the premium Samsung models of you prefer Android devices. And while Apple hasn’t previously offered any direct EOFY discounts, third-party stockists will potentially offer 10% off on select iPad models.
Home entertainment and personal audio: There were plenty of TVs, soundbars and speakers on sale during the last couple of EOFY sales, and we don’t expect that trend to change any time soon. And with some excellent 4K UHD smart TVs already seeing price drops outside of big sales, we’re looking forward to seeing how much more affordable they’ll be during the 2019 tax-time sale.
It’s not just home entertainment setups that you’ll be able to save on but portable Bluetooth speakers and the best wireless headphones as well. The premium audio products retail for about $500 a pop, but there’s a good chance you’ll see them drop well below the $400 mark. Whether the prices will match the 2018 Black Friday offers (where Sony and Bose noise cancelling headphones dropped to about $320) remains to be seen.
Cameras: The EOFY sales are also a great time for photographers – beginners, pros or hobbyists – to grab the latest gear. Last year saw plenty of cameras go on sale: from compacts to DSLRs and action cams, and this year will be no different. There are now plenty of full-frame mirrorless cameras that are trying to outdo each other in terms of features and performance, so don’t be surprised if you see the Canon EOS R snappers or Nikon’s Z series cameras drop in price. Keep an eye out of lens kits as well, as you’ll be able to save a tad more.
While the tech itself will be discounted, you’ll also find SD cards, camera bags, tripods and other accessories going for less.
Smart home devices: These nifty voice-activated products have been flooding the market – from internet-connected lights to smart security systems, and the speakers to control them all. Amazon discounted its Echo range of smart speakers last year and we’re quite sure that will happen again, along with the other smart devices the e-commerce giant stocks, like Philips Hue smart lights. You’ll also find plenty of retailers offering discounts on Google’s range of smart speakers as well.
Home appliances: If you’re looking to renovate your home, the EOFY sales will help you save plenty on the new appliances you’ll need. You can expect to see bargains on not just Dyson vacuum cleaners, but also fridges, dishwashers, washing machines and plenty more.
WWDC 2019 is so close that one can practically imagine what iOS 13 will bring – but while we might see some new hardware this year (the Mac Pro 2019 could make an appearance) we’re not going to see an iPhone SE2.
In fact, we’re never going to see the much-vaunted sequel to Apple’s surprise hit of 2016, the phone that brought back the right amount of nostalgia and fused it with cutting-edge technology. It was known as the iPhone Special Edition and it looks like Apple is leaving that as an exclusive moniker for the phone.
The iPhone SE2 will never happen for one simple reason: we’re past the point of smaller smartphones, and the SE is synonymous with being compact… which is sad, as no matter how hard a brand tries to push ever-increasing screen sizes, there’s always going to be a market for that.
That smaller, four-inch screen represented something that so many smartphone users still desire: a phone that fits comfortably in the palm of your hand. Something that you can interact with easily with a single set of digits, one that doesn’t see you using your nose to hit the right hand side of the screen when you’re holding something in your other palm.
A phone that could be used with one hand appealed to a specific set of smartphone users: those that didn’t really want one. Those that realized that to be unconnected on the go meant to be behind society’s curve, and realized the iPhone was generally regarded as one of the easiest handsets to use. The SE was one of the cheapest to go for, so became a no-brainer for many.
The modern smartphone is becoming less about the hardware and more about what users can do with it. It’s a device for more in-depth applications, platforms that need a larger screen area to allow users to see the improved and more detailed functionality offered.
Younger smartphone users are increasingly drawn to the bigger screen sizes, allowing them to devour more online media, enjoy YouTube videos in greater clarity and edit their own social media presence to a more refined degree.
An all-screen, but smaller, phone could appear, but that would raise the cost significantly in terms of the improved display and the need to create a perfectly-balanced phone.
The all-screen SE (possibly called the XE) would have to cram in cutting-edge components to take advantage of all the new tricks iOS brings, and making sure the cost stays palatable enough to be within reach of those that would like an iPhone but don’t want to pay exorbitant amounts for it.
So after years of making bigger screens, we’re back to smaller screens? Can’t wait for a 2019 #AppleEvent to be like pic.twitter.com/DY0h88fDzcMarch 21, 2016
When it comes to considering a successor to the iPhone SE, there’s also the issue of the much-missed feature that would never appear on a new budget model: the headphone jack.
Apple will never launch another compact smartphone in the vein of the iPhone SE, so even if it were to come out with a phone that was aimed at those that wanted a cheaper iPhone, one that used older designs, it would likely be something based on the iPhone 7’s shape or later.
The headphone jack still offers real convenience for users, even if Bluetooth connections are far slicker. [Image credit: TechRadar]
Given the iPhone SE was the last new smartphone from Apple to pack the headphone jack, a new SE without the port would feel even further removed from the original, a separate line that merely shares the name (were the iPhone SE2 to actually appear.
So what might be coming?
Given all the above, you might be confused as to why recent rumors have tipped an iPhone SE2 for 2020… or even WWDC 2019.
While we’re not expecting to see any phone hardware at Apple’s developer conference, that doesn’t mean we’re never going to get a new, stripped-down version of the iPhone.
It’s perfectly feasible that Barclays analyst Blayne Curtis’ predictions of a lower-cost iPhone, one shorn of elements like 3D Touch, could appear in the near future. It would most likely be based on the older designs, those of the iPhone 7 and 8, to protect price but still offer a large enough screen size for modern app use.
We’ll likely see this in 2020, but given a different name than SE – like the iPhone 5C’s colorful ‘natural successor’ was named the iPhone XR, Apple will likely want to create a new proposition rather than encourage natural comparisons.
Apple rarely launches big changes to its hardware at WWDC, and this year we’re mostly expecting to see big upgrades to iOS alongside the launch of macOS 10.15 and the retooling of iTunes to split into different apps.
Our best guess at the announcement of this lower-cost phone would be either alongside the new iPhone launch in September, or perhaps even at its own event (in the same vein as the iPhone SE, which landed at a special launch in March 2016).
What’s almost certain is that Apple won’t be taking a phone design that’s nearly seven years old and packing it with new technology – the angular, industrial design might have come back with the new iPad Pro, but for Apple to apply the same language to a new iPhone, even a reboot, seems too much of a stretch at this stage.
So if you’re hankering after an iPhone SE2, one that looks and feels the same as your older model, we’d suggest trying to make peace with a slightly larger handset and the benefits that brings, or soldiering on with an aging device – because it seams that special edition looks set to remain the only such thing Apple will ever make.
