Here are the abridged summaries of the week's top seven tech tales, ranging from GPT-5's rocky introduction to Sonos' imminent price increase:
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In the world of technology and entertainment, there's always something new and exciting happening. Let's take a look at some recent developments.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day Prepares for Summer 2026 Release
The upcoming American superhero film, Spider-Man: Brand New Day, is set to hit theatres on July 31, 2026. This is the 38th Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) film and the fourth MCU Spider-Man movie starring Tom Holland as Peter Parker/Spider-Man. The film is co-produced by Columbia Pictures and Marvel Studios, and distributed by Sony Pictures Releasing.
Directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, who directed Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, the movie features a screenplay by Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers, who also wrote previous MCU Spider-Man films. The filming started in August 2025, with location shooting in Glasgow, Scotland, and soundstage work at Pinewood Studios in England.
Key cast members include Tom Holland, Zendaya, Jacob Batalon, Sadie Sink, Liza Colón-Zayas, Jon Bernthal, Mark Ruffalo, and Michael Mando. The movie is expected to focus on more localized crime threats and character development, with villains like Kingpin or Mr. Negative and possible involvement of the Savage Hulk.
Sonos Faces Tariff-Related Price Hike
Sonos, the popular multi-room speaker manufacturer, announced that it will be increasing the prices of its speakers due to US tariffs. The company makes its tech in Vietnam and Malaysia, facing 20% and 19% tariffs respectively. The exact increase in speaker prices and the timing of the price hike are yet to be announced.
Harman Kardon's Enchant Series Offers Competition
The Enchant series by Harman Kardon features multi-room playback and app-based control, similar to Sonos soundbars and speakers. The Enchant series soundbars support Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, beyond the Sonos Arc Ultra, and have an HDMI pass-through input for external devices like Xbox Series X or PS5 consoles. These features could potentially provide a compelling alternative to the Sonos multi-room ecosystem.
Samsung's Galaxy Buds 3 FE Leaked and Tested
Samsung accidentally leaked its Galaxy Buds 3 FE, and testers have since put the new earbuds through extreme durability tests. The Galaxy Buds 3 FE will be available in two colours: white and very dark gray. However, the exact price of the Galaxy Buds 3 FE is yet to be announced.
OpenAI's GPT-5: More Reliable and Better at Maths and Coding
OpenAI launched GPT-5, the latest version of the digital brain which powers ChatGPT. GPT-5 is said to be more reliable and better at maths and coding than its predecessor. However, some users have criticized GPT-5 for giving shorter answers with less personality. OpenAI warned of potential hiccups and capacity crunches ahead of GPT-5's launch.
Microsoft Executive Predicts Voice and AI as Primary Interaction in 2030
A Microsoft executive shared his vision of Windows in 2030, predicting that voice and AI will be the primary means of interaction with computers, with keyboards and mice no longer being used for interaction.
Practical Webslinging in Spider-Man: Brand New Day
In the upcoming Spider-Man: Brand New Day, practical webslinging will be used, marking a departure from the CGI webs used in previous films. A new Spider-Man suit was revealed by Tom Holland early in production, indicating a fresh visual direction for the character.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day Villain Speculation
Mister Negative might be the principal villain in Spider-Man: Brand New Day. However, official story details remain undisclosed.
Samsung Z Flip 7 Survives Extreme Durability Tests
The Samsung Z Flip 7 has survived extreme durability tests, including setting fire to the phone screens and attempting to snap the phone in half.
[1] MCU Database: Spider-Man: Brand New Day [2] Comic Book Resources: Spider-Man: Brand New Day Villain Rumours [3] IGN: Spider-Man: Brand New Day Suit Revealed [4] The Verge: Samsung Z Flip 7 Durability Tests [5] Screen Rant: Spider-Man: Brand New Day Directors, Writers, and Cast
- In the world of technology, Sonos' multi-room speakers are facing a price hike due to US tariffs, while Harman Kardon's Enchant series offers competition with its features that surpass Sonos' offerings, such as Dolby Atmos and DTS:X support.
- For data-and-cloud-computing enthusiasts, OpenAI's latest digital brain, GPT-5, is said to be more reliable and better at maths and coding than its predecessor, although some users find the answers shorter with less personality.
- In the realm of artificial-intelligence and computing, Microsoft predicts that voice and AI will be the primary means of interaction with computers by 2030, replacing traditional methods like keyboards and mice.
- As for entertainment technology, the upcoming Spider-Man: Brand New Day film is expected to bring a refreshing visual direction with practical webslinging replacing CGI webs used in previous films, and the villain speculation points towards Mister Negative as the principal antagonist.
