This week, Black Friday month officially kicked off, and we reviewed the brand new Samsung Galaxy XR headset.
To catch up on both of these stories and plenty more, scroll down to read our quick-fire catch-up of the week’s seven biggest tech news stories.
7. Black Friday month began
We’re still a few weeks away from Black Friday proper (this year it’s set for November 28), but that hasn’t stopped major stores from launching major deals as part of their early Black Friday sales.
We’re seeing major discounts from a wide variety of brands, including Samsung, Ninja, Hisense, and more, across a variety of retailers in the US and UK – with some discounts being seriously impressive, considering it’s not yet Black Friday proper.
We’ve been covering Black Friday deals for years, and these early deals are well worth your time – while some items will get cheaper as November 28th approaches, many won’t – and others still might actually go up in price. So don’t be afraid to browse the early sales and grab a pre-Black Friday deal while you can.
6. Google Maps got a big Gemini upgrade
If you regularly use Google Maps while driving, this week brought some positive news – the app is getting a Gemini brain transplant that should make it a much better navigational copilot.
Some of the improvements include much more natural voice assistance (for example, being able to ask follow-up questions about the parking at your destination), better turning directions (like “turn right after the Thai Siam Restaurant”), and a new Gemini-powered version of Google Lens inside the Google Maps app.
On the downside, most of these features will initially be US-only. Still, the improved Gemini voice assistance is rolling out on Android and iOS in all regions where the AI assistant is available. Expect to start chatting to it “in the coming weeks”.
5. IKEA launched 21 smart home gadgets
IKEA isn’t messing around when it comes to smart home tech, it seems, as it just dropped 21 new products to choose from across smart lights, smart sensors, and smart controls.
This includes the KAJPLATS series lights with 11 different bulb types, the MYGGSPRAY motion sensor, ALPSTUGA air quality sensor, and the GRILLPLATS smart plug, among others (as with all IKEA’s offerings, we love the names).
Best of all, these gadgets are Matter compatible, so you can easily sync them with your existing smart home setup.
4. Spotify dropped Wrapped-lite
Earlier this week, Spotify rolled out a new in-app listening stats tab that offers fresh insights into your weekly listening habits – and it’s a great way to get us ready for Wrapped season.
As well as being able to view your top artists and songs in real time, you’ll also find new playlists based on what you’ve been listening to recently. Spotify has also shared that each week you’ll receive a ‘special highlight’, which could be anything from a milestone to a new discovery to a unique fact about your personal listening habits.
Spotify has shared that not only are listening stats designed to show what you’ve been streaming the most, but they also aim to bring you closer to the music you already love.
Listening stats are now rolling out to Free and Premium users in over 60 global markets and will update every 24 hours, offering new recommendations based on your listening behavior.
3. Grand Theft Auto was delayed again
Feeling déjà vu? You might be because Rockstar just announced that the next installment in the Grand Theft Auto franchise, GTA VI, has been delayed until November 19, 2026 – almost exactly 6 months later than its previous release date of May 26, 2026.
In a statement, Rockstar Games said, “We are sorry for adding additional time to what we realize has been a long wait, but these extra months will allow us to finish the game with the level of polish you have come to expect and deserve.”
The game is still set to land on the PS5 and Xbox Series X (and Series S) generation of consoles, but if any more delays happen, Rockstar might need to ready a PS6 launch.
2. DJI hit out at its looming US drone ban
The clock is ticking on a DJI drone ban – and ahead of the crucial cut-off day on December 23, the FCC (Federal Communications Commission) has now given itself the power to ban gadgets that it thinks present a security risk retroactively.
This means that, in theory, not only could new DJI products be banned in the US from 2026, but the FCC could also go back and remove older gadgets from sale, too. The Chinese drone giant, understandably, isn’t happy, calling for an extension of the decision and suggesting that “due process, fairness, and transparency” aren’t being applied.
Unfortunately for drone fans in the US, it’s looking increasingly like a Huawei-style situation for DJI – but owners of existing drones will at least be able to keep and use them, for now.
1. We spent a week with Samsung’s Galaxy XR
We’ve tried the Samsung Galaxy XR headset, and it’s an impressive multimodal AI spatial computer which is much cheaper than the competition (aka the Apple Vision Pro), though at this early stage, we aren’t sure it quite does enough to stand out.
According to Lance Ulanoff, “The Samsung Galaxy XR delivers moments of beauty and inspiration, but it’s also stuffed full of disappointment, from the sound of fans on your face to imprecision of gestures to a total lack of ‘wow’ apps and experiences.”
Our hope is that Samsung’s headset will improve over time, but for now, it only earns three-and-a-half stars.
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hamish.hector@futurenet.com (Hamish Hector)
