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Gadgets

Phones, wearables, home tech and broadband: the kit you actually use, minus the launch-day gloss.

iPhone Duo UK pre-orders: £1,999 for Apple's first fold

Apple's folding iPhone Duo opens for UK pre-order at 1pm on 16 October and goes on sale on 23 October from £1,999. Touch ID, eSIM only, no telephoto, and a crease Apple says you'll barely see.

No, Windows 10 updates don't end on 13 October

Some UK blogs say Windows 10 home users lose security updates on 13 October 2026. They don't: Microsoft extended consumer ESU to 12 October 2027. Here's how to enrol, and what that date really means.

BT rescues TalkTalk. Competition takes the hit

BT has bought TalkTalk out of administration, keeping 2.5 million customers connected. Ministers have ordered a public-interest review, with the CMA due to report by 19 October.

Heat pump grants work, mostly. Tariffs do the rest

A government evaluation says the Boiler Upgrade Scheme led to 36,508 heat pumps that wouldn't otherwise exist. But only 42% of owners saw bills fall, and tariffs made the difference.

iOS 27 is out. The new Siri isn't, quite

iOS 27 brings a rebuilt Siri that UK iPhones can use and EU ones can't, but only via a waitlist, in English and on newer phones. And Apple may have another OS coming for the home.

Sky's 1.6Gbps broadband: fast, late and not for all

Sky has launched 1.6Gbps full-fibre broadband on Openreach's network from £38 a month. It's a big jump for Sky customers, but rivals got there first and most homes won't notice the difference.

Cheap green loans for solar and heat pumps are nearly here

The Warm Homes Loan Scheme puts £300m behind cheaper loans for solar, batteries and heat pumps across the UK. The rules are out and the price cap is rising. What's missing is a lender you can actually borrow from.

Samsung's battery chips: safety fix or repair lock?

Samsung is reported to be adding authentication chips to Galaxy A batteries to spot fakes. It's pitched as safety, but UK owners have no phone right-to-repair law to fall back on.

iPhone Handoff is here. Most UK networks aren't

iOS 27's iPhone Handoff lets two iPhones share one number. EE is the only UK network to sign up, with no date or price, while AT&T in the US has said no for now.

The iPhone 18 Pro has a Face ID bug. A fix is coming

Some iPhone 18 Pro owners have found that a failed Face ID scan can make the phone freeze and restart. Apple says it's a software bug and a fix is due next week. Here's what UK buyers should know.