This week was a surprisingly big week in the world of technology.
Apple launched several new M5-powered machines across its lineup, Samsung announced its headset launch date, and Windows 10 was laid to rest.
To catch up on all this and more, scroll down for quickfire recaps of the week’s seven biggest tech news stories and links to the full articles if you need to know more.
7. Windows 10 support has officially ended
The guillotine officially came down on Windows 10 this week. On October 14, the operating system used by millions entered its End of Life phase, meaning it will no longer receive features, bug fixes or security patches.
Is that the end of the story? Absolutely not. The decision has been hugely controversial, with many criticizing the security implications given that many are unable to upgrade to Windows 11 (or don’t want to buy a new machine).
Still, if you’re in that boat, you’ve got a few options – from signing up for free Extended Updates to turning your Windows 10 laptop into a Chromebook or trying a stripped-down version of Windows 11. Alternatively, you can also read our full guide below on Microsoft’s latest Windows clangers.
6. Windows 11 got more AI powers
The same week it killed Windows 10, Microsoft brought some new features to Windows 11, and of course they’re all related to AI and Copilot.
Interestingly, these updates are not exclusive to Copilot+ PCs. Instead, Microsoft promises a “new wave of updates that turn every Windows 11 PC into an AI PC – with Copilot at the center of it all”.
The big change is a new voice control. If you sign up, just say “Hey Copilot” (and definitely not “Hey Cortana”) and you can start issuing commands when the Copilot microphone appears on your screen. Say “goodbye” or close the panel to end the conversation.
There is also the global rollout of Copilot Vision, which until now has only been available in the US. It analyzes the contents of your screen to help guide you on how to accomplish the task you set out to do, and offers troubleshooting if something has gone wrong.
5. The Pokémon series mega evolved
This world-renowned franchise has received accusations of being out of date in recent years and being lost in the 3D era – but those accusations can be put to bed after the debut of Pokémon Legends: ZA.
We had the chance to review the game ahead of its launch and thought it was fantastic. The new combat mechanics feel closer to the anime than the series has ever done, the exploration is fantastic – even if Lumiose can start to feel a bit cramped after many hours – and the story is perhaps the most engaging we’ve ever had – with hints of the excellent Gamecube duo of XD: Madness of Darkness and Colosseum.
That’s not to say it’s perfect – the combat is a bit clunky at times, and it’s not always the most challenging – but Legends: ZA proves that sometimes you can reinvent the wheel to make something that’s brilliantly fresh, yet familiar.
4. Samsung set an XR release date
This week, Samsung announced that it will unveil its XR headset to consumers running Android XR on October 21 at an event titled World Wide Open.
While we don’t know the full specs of this headset, Samsung has been showing off the Moohan, the precursor to its upcoming headset, for some time now, and our demos with the headset have been generally positive.
If an Android XR headset piques your interest, you can register to buy the headset now and get a little bonus for your faith – $100 credit towards other Samsung gear after you complete your purchase.
That’s not a bad bonus if you end up buying the headset, but it also suggests that the Moohan won’t be the cheapest option at launch if Samsung is offering $100 for free.
3. We’ve reviewed the Xbox handheld
The Asus ROG Xbox Ally X (and its non-X siblings) finally launched, and we’ve been testing it to see if this so-called Xbox handheld can rekindle our interest after Xbox’s latest Game Pass SNAFU.
After giving it a whirl, our review found that it’s not quite a portable version of the Xbox console; instead, it’s an impressive Windows 11-powered gaming handheld. While it doesn’t quite solve all of Windows 11’s handheld problems, it does boast some innovative hardware and software choices that feel like a big step in the right direction.
As our review said, “While it’s probably the best premium handheld on the market, due to the high price and the feeling that the Asus ROG Xbox Ally X still doesn’t offer a truly console-like experience, this is a niche product in an increasingly competitive space, and the Xbox tie-in won’t quite be enough to make it stand out.”
2. The new MacBook Pro started Apple’s M5 era
It wasn’t much of a shock to those who had been following the rumors, but this week Apple updated its 14-inch MacBook Pro with a powerful new M5 chip.
That was good news for anyone who has been waiting to update their creaky old Pro machine. But fans of the larger 16-inch model will have to struggle a little longer – the more powerful M5 Pro and Max chips aren’t quite ready, it seems.
Still, with a new chip, faster SSD storage and the same reliable design as before, the M5 MacBook Pro might just be the safe bet creatives have been waiting for.
1. Apple debuted an M5 iPad
As many expected, Apple rolled out its most advanced and fastest Apple Silicon, the M5 chip, and as it did with the M4, a recipient of this faster SoC is Apple’s powerful and ultra-thin iPad Pro.
The difference this time is the intense focus on artificial intelligence and how the faster Neural Engine and neural accelerators in each GPU core will drive generative AI operations, mostly through support for local operation of third-party models.
Aside from the big brain change, there doesn’t appear to be any other changes to the iPad Pro 11 or 13-inch models. Even the prices are the same, which is perhaps the best news.
