ICYMI: the week's 7 biggest tech stories, from Meta smart glasses leaks to Superman's dog and ChatGPT on WhatsApp
The year is coming to a close but we have time for at least one more ICYMI round-up to catch you up on the most important tech announcements before the holidays, and more importantly, CES 2025 land.
This week we saw leaks galore for the Samsung Galaxy S25, Nintendo Switch 2, and new Ray-Ban smart glasses, as well as getting a trailer for Superman which introduced us to a very good boy in Krypto.
You can't watch Superman yet, but if you've caught up on the week's news and are looking for something to fill your downtime, then check out our picks for the seven new movies and TV shows to stream this weekend.
7. Panasonic brought back the point-and-shoot camera
One thing we didn't have on the 2024 bingo card was a new point-and-shoot camera, even though it's a trending market this year. So it was surprising when Panasonic announced the Lumix ZS99 / TZ99 (it's called the former in the US and the latter elsewhere), which will be available from February 2025.
The pocketable snapper packs a Leica lens with a whopping 30x optical zoom – a 24-720mm range that's way more versatile than your smartphone, and which can be doubled digitally to 60x using Panasonic's iZoom feature. It shoots 20.3MP photos and 4K video, supported by Panasonic's 5-axis image stabilization for sharp shots. That all sounds fab, but it's actually 10-year-old tech borrowed from the Lumix ZS80 / TZ80 it replaces, and the newer model is arguably a downgrade because the EVF (electronic viewfinder) has been removed.
So why the new model? It's got USB-C charging, meaning the green light to stay on the shelves come 2025 when the EU's Common Charger Directive comes into force. So it's not so much a comeback for the point-and-shoot camera, but a case of keeping it alive… just.
- Read more: Panasonic launches new Lumix out of the blue
6. The Nintendo Switch 2 got leaked… again… twice
We only just talked about the Nintendo Switch 2 leaking in last week's ICYMI round-up, but it's happened again, with the upcoming console being shown off not once but twice more.
When announcing its new Killswitch 2 case for the incoming hardware, Dbrand seemingly showed it off with a 3D render of the handheld inside, which its CEO says is based on a "3D scan of the real hardware".
Then we apparently got another look at the hardware thanks to YouTube channel NerdNest publishing a video that showcases what appears to be a dummy model of the Switch 2, which they apparently got from a third-party accessory manufacturer, iVoler.
We're still yet to see the Nintendo Switch 2 for real, but the leaks do seem to suggest that those of you wishing for a major redesign will be sorely disappointed. Maybe this will be one of those occasions where we'd have been better off being in the dark beforehand.
5. The Samsung Galaxy S25 also leaked left, right, and center
Leaks are commonplace in the consumer tech industry, but someone at Samsung clearly left the tap on, as this week we were treated to numerous design, spec, and release date revelations surrounding the upcoming Galaxy S25 series.
We were already pretty certain that the rumored Galaxy S25 would be announced on January 22, and that date was all but confirmed on Wednesday by a leaked launch event poster, which teased the imminent release of four (yes, four) Galaxy phones.
Even more recently, a renowned leaker shared an image of a Spigen case for the Galaxy S25 Ultra, and with Spigen being a major brand, it’s likely that these design details are as accurate as they come.
4. A Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses sequel was teased
The Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses are good, but they could be better, and a leak from this week suggests that Meta is gearing up to give the specs their most requested upgrade in 2025: a display.
That’s according to the Wall Street Journal, which says “a person familiar with the project” suggested that the Ray-Bans would get a “single small in-lens screen” to give users a small HUD that will save them from always needing to take their phone out of their pocket.
It won’t be as feature-packed as the consumer version of the Meta Orion AR glasses prototype which wowed us this year, but it’s a step in the right direction and adds credence to a rumor that suggests Orion will arrive in 2027 – which is a lot closer than it seems.
3. DC showed us a Superman trailer, and a very good boy
2024 isn’t over yet, but next year is already shaping up to be a huge one for a host of new movies, including James Gunn’s Superman film.
It’s still seven months away from being released, but the DCU Chapter One movie’s first trailer was revealed this week – and, we don’t know about you, but we’re utterly obsessed with Superman’s best friend in Krypto the Superdog, who stole the show upon the teaser’s reveal. Indeed, he already seems like he’ll be a very good – albeit mischievous – boy, so roll on July 11, 2025, we say!
Read more: I'm utterly obsessed with the DCU's take on Krypto the Superdog
2. ChatGPT came to WhatsApp as part of a 12-day-long event
OpenAI surprised everybody this week by announcing, as part of its ‘12 Days of OpenAI’, that we can now text ChatGPT via WhatsApp. You just need to add ChatGPT as a contact in WhatsApp – its number is 1-800-CHATGPT – and you can text it just as you would any other WhatsApp contact. If you’re outside the US then make sure you add it as a US phone number, and it will still work.
Using WhatsApp for ChatGPT is perfect for quick interactions like asking ChatGPT if there are any good food locations nearby or what you should visit while you’re in town. And if texting doesn’t float your boat then (provided you have a US number) you can call ChatGPT on the phone and talk to it using Voice mode. You get 15 minutes of conversation a month on a free account, but longer if you’re a ChatGPT Plus subscriber.
- Read more: You can now message ChatGPT on WhatsApp
1. Google revealed its Sora-beating AI video generator
Just last week, OpenAI fully launched Sora, its much-anticipated AI video generator. Well, Google has already revealed an update to its video generation tool and Veo 2 might be the best we’ve seen yet.
Google’s Veo AI video generator update adds huge improvements like 4K resolution output and a focus on “an improved understanding of real-world physics and the nuances of human movement and expression," which helps improve its detail and realism overall.
Veo 2 has launched as part of Google Labs, and you can join a waitlist to access the AI video generator as long as you’re over 18 and based in the US. Google is set to roll out the AI model in 2025, and as soon as we get our hands on it we’ll be sure to pit it against Sora to see which AI tool comes out on top.
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