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Tech Wrap July 25: iOS 26 public beta, Samsung foldables, Lava Blaze Dragon
BS Tech New Delhi
iOS 26 public beta with 'Liquid Glass' out now: How to install, who gets it
Apple has released the public beta version of iOS 26 for supported iPhone models. First introduced at WWDC 2025, this version debuts the new 'Liquid Glass' interface and introduces Apple Intelligence features such as real-time call translation and improvements across core apps like Messages, Phone, and Music. The update also includes a new Apple Games app for cross-platform play.
Samsung's latest Galaxy Z Fold 7, Z Flip 7, and Z Flip 7 FE smartphones, along with the new Galaxy Watch 8 series, are now available for purchase in India. These products can be found on Samsung's website, Amazon, Flipkart, and select offline retail stores.
Lava has introduced its new Blaze Dragon 5G smartphone in India's budget category. The phone runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 4 Gen 2 SoC and features a 6.74-inch display with a 120Hz refresh rate. In the camera department, the Blaze Dragon 5G includes a dual rear setup with a 50MP main sensor, and an 8MP front-facing camera for selfies.
Google has launched an experimental feature called Web Guide under its Search Labs program. Powered by a custom version of Gemini AI, the feature helps structure open-ended search queries into topic clusters, making it easier to explore broad or complex topics more efficiently.
Google is enhancing its Search platform in the US with new shopping tools, including adjustable price tracking, AI-powered virtual try-ons for clothes, and visual inspiration for styles and interiors. The features leverage Google's Shopping Graph to improve shopping journeys.
Amazon has expanded its Kindle portfolio with two new models: the Kindle Colorsoft and Colorsoft Kids Edition. Priced at $249.99 and $269.99 respectively, these versions retain the signature features of the original Signature Edition but aim to appeal to younger users and general consumers alike. Both are currently available only in the US.
Apple has started releasing public betas for iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS 26, and watchOS 26 following their WWDC 2025 preview. These updates feature the 'Liquid Glass' design for a more fluid interface and incorporate Apple Intelligence across apps. Users will also find a unified Apple Games app and enhanced system tools in each platform update.\
Nothing's CMF brand has officially launched the CMF Buds 2 and Buds 2 Plus earbuds in India on July 25. Although first announced in April and slated for May 5 availability, their release was delayed. The earbuds are now finally on sale after nearly three months.
Activision will release Call of Duty: Mobile Season 7, titled Phantom Current, on July 31 at 5:30 am IST. The update adds the first Gulag feature to battle royale, introduces a limited-time RC-XD car racing multiplayer mode, and brings new weapons, scorestreaks, and crossover content with Girls' Frontline, all accessible via the latest Battle Pass.
OpenAI has reportedly introduced the Agent feature on the ChatGPT Mac app for Pro, Plus, and Team subscribers. According to 9To5Mac, the Agent integrates Operator and Deep Research tools, allowing GPT-4o to perform automated, multistep tasks hands-free.
Samsung is reportedly engaging with companies like OpenAI and Perplexity AI to incorporate additional AI tools into upcoming Galaxy devices. The tech giant is exploring alternatives to expand its Galaxy AI offerings beyond just Google's Gemini.
Electronic Arts has released the first trailer for Battlefield 6, the latest in its popular game series. While no official release date has been announced, the game is already available to wishlist on Steam, Epic Games Store, PlayStation Store, and Xbox Games Store, confirming a multi-platform launch.
WhatsApp is reportedly testing a new feature that enables users to interact with Meta AI — the platform's built-in chatbot — using their voice in real time. The capability, spotted by feature tracker WABetaInfo, is apparently available to some users running the WhatsApp beta for Android version 2.25.21.21 and is expected to reach more beta testers in the coming weeks.
OpenAI is expected to launch its GPT-5 model as soon as August, according to The Verge. The next-gen system will reportedly combine multiple model capabilities, moving beyond the idea of a single AI engine to handle a broader range of tasks.
Leaked images of the upcoming Google Pixel Watch 4 suggest notable design updates, a revised charging method, and fresh colour options. The images, shared by 9To5Google, hint at what's to come in Google's latest smartwatch iteration.
Snapchat has introduced 'Home Safe,' a safety-focused feature that allows users to notify select friends or family when they arrive home. Built into Snap Map's location-sharing tools, it lets users check in after events like dates or long trips, providing reassurance to close contacts.
Tech companies now face stricter rules when supplying AI tools to the US government, following a directive from President Donald Trump aimed at curbing 'woke' content. The order mandates that AI developed for federal use align with traditional American values and steer clear of politically sensitive ideologies.
In a widely read essay later turned into a book, Nicholas Carr argued that tools like search engines have diminished people's ability to think critically or retain knowledge. While users still need to interpret search results, Carr warned that reliance on such technology could erode deeper cognitive skills.
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Nvidia's customers 'are not necessarily persuaded by the more niche applications of inference," he adds. Cloudflare's initial tests of Positron's chips were encouraging enough to convince Wee to put them into the company's data centers for more long-term tests, which are continuing. It's something that only one other chip startup's hardware has warranted, he says. 'If they do deliver the advertised metrics, we will open the spigot and allow them to deploy in much larger numbers globally," he adds. By commoditizing AI hardware, and allowing Nvidia's customers to switch to more-efficient systems, the forces of competition might bend the curve of future AI power demand, says Wee. 'There is so much FOMO right now, but eventually, I think reason will catch up with reality," he says. One truism of the history of computing is that whenever hardware engineers figure out how to do something faster or more efficiently, coders—and consumers—figure out how to use all of the new performance gains, and then some. Mark Lohmeyer is vice president of AI and computing infrastructure for Google Cloud, where he provides both Google's own custom AI chips, and Nvidia's, to Google and its cloud customers. He says that consumer and business adoption of new, more demanding AI models means that no matter how much more efficiently his team can deliver AI, there is no end in sight to growth in demand for it. Like nearly all other big AI providers, Google is making efforts to find radical new ways to produce energy to feed that AI—including both nuclear power and fusion. The bottom line: While new chips might help individual companies deliver AI more efficiently, the industry as a whole remains on track to consume ever more energy. As a recent report from Anthropic notes, that means energy production, not data centers and chips, could be the real bottleneck for future development of AI. Write to Christopher Mims at
