Articles by Rowan Davies, Editorial Associate

‘Social media should be treated like tobacco’: health experts say the internet is just as bad as smoking for under-16s as UK government edges closer to introducing ban

By Rowan Davies Published 26 May 26

Social media use has been compared to smoking by medical professionals as the UK government enters the final stages of its ban consultation.

‘Spotify Connect destroys Apple Music at this specific thing’: Apple Music fans still can’t believe the platform is behind on continuity features — but that’s not the only thing that’s getting under their skin

By Rowan Davies Published 26 May 26

Apple Music users are still waiting for a playback continuity feature that matches Spotify Connect.

‘I think it’s a genuinely brilliant and exciting time for music right now’: Founder of streaming start-up Cantilever wants to put album-listening back on the map — this is how he got his start, and why there’s a ‘particular time and place’ for algorithms

By Rowan Davies Published 24 May 26

Cantilever is a new music platform that avoids algorithms and focuses on intentional-listening and music journalism.

Spotify will now reserve concert tickets for artists' biggest fans — the service is standing against Ticketmaster battles and scalpers by launching its own ticket priority system so you can automatically benefit if you really love a musician

By Rowan Davies Published 21 May 26

Spotify wants to take down ticket scalpers, and it's launching a new system that gives top fans the chance to score first-priority tickets.

Spotify's huge new podcast makeover means you can now ask in-depth questions about the episodes you’re listening to, which sounds great — but the new 'generated' Personal Podcast feature will be more controversial…

By Rowan Davies Published 21 May 26

More new features are coming to Spotify's podcasts, including a search tool that dives deeper into your favorite episodes and a Personal Podcast generator.

Big changes are coming to Android Auto — these are the music apps in line for a major redesign

By Rowan Davies Published 20 May 26

Google is giving music platform developers more flexibility in designing apps for the in-car experience.

Spotify’s Listening Stats just had an overdue glow-up, and it’s added more value to one of the platform’s most underrated tools — here's what's new, including a social feature that lets you spy on your friends’ streaming habits

By Rowan Davies Published 20 May 26

Spotify updated its Listening Stats tool without telling anyone, and it's packed with a new range of insightful data.

Amazon could be upgrading its next generation of Kindles with replaceable batteries for users — but is it enough to make up for ending support for its older but widely-used e-readers?

By Rowan Davies Published 19 May 26

Amazon could be upgrading its next lineup of Kindles with replaceable batteries, making it easier for users to repair their own devices.

YouTube is rolling out its ‘industry-first’ likeness detection tool to all channel owners, and not just big content creators — but you’ll need to share your government-issued ID if you want the added layer of protection

By Rowan Davies Published 19 May 26

YouTube's likeness detection tool is rolling out to all channel owners, but you need to submit a government-issued ID to get started.

Smartphones showing the Apple Music home page

I’ve switched back to Apple Music temporarily, and I forgot how much I loved this underrated feature for new music discovery — and I think I prefer it to Discover Weekly

By Rowan Davies Published 17 May 26

Discovery Station has become one of my new favorite tools to discover new artists and genres in Apple Music.

YouTube is turning its TV app into a one-stop shopping platform — here’s how its new Buy with Google Pay tool allows you to buy products from advertisers in ‘just two clicks’

By Rowan Davies Published 14 May 26

YouTube's new Buy with Google Pay feature allows you to buy products without leaving your TV's YouTube app.

The Ticketmaster website on a laptop arranged in San Francisco

Ticketmaster president says queue placements aren’t randomized despite previous claims, but it’s still not giving us music fans the explanation we deserve

By Rowan Davies Published 14 May 26

The president of Ticketmaster says the company doesn't randomize queue positions, and he's dug the live music giant into a massive hole.

Two smartphones showing visual cars from Spotify's new Party of the Years experience

Spotify’s new Wrapped-style feature crashed under demand — but users were even more disappointed by the results

By Rowan Davies Published 13 May 26

Spotify crashed and users couldn't access its new Party of the Year(s) feature, but they were still left underwhelmed with it anyway.

Dua Lipa at the Vanity Fair Oscars 2026 party, and the Samsung S95B OLED 4K TV

Dua Lipa brands Samsung ‘dismissive and callous’ as she sues the tech giant for $15m for using her photo on TV packaging without her permission

By Rowan Davies last updated 12 May 26

Singer Dua Lipa claims Samsung used her image for its TV boxes without her consent, and is suing the consumer tech giant for $15 million.

Spotify’s new mobile experience is like a supercharged Wrapped, taking you through your entire music history since your first stream — here’s everything it offers

By Rowan Davies Published 12 May 26

Your Party of the Year(s) is Spotify's latest experience that takes you on a nostalgic trip back in time over your music history.

Smartphones showing different parts of the Prime Video mobile app

Prime Video is copying Netflix with its own vertical video feed for movies and shows — but the TikTokification of streaming platforms isn’t what movie buffs are asking for

By Rowan Davies Published 11 May 26

Prime Video is rolling out its new Clips vertical video feed for mobile, following Netflix and Disney+.

ICYMI: the week's 7 biggest tech stories from Apple's iPhone AI payout to Google's all-new Fitbit

By Hamish Hector Published 9 May 26

Here's the biggest tech news from Apple, Nintendo, Google, and more for May 9, 2026.

The Huawei Watch Kids X1 next to an app tracking heart rate

Huawei has unveiled two new kids’ wearables to add to its lineup of smartwatches — the Watch Kids X1 Series — and they could prove to be serious competition for the Garmin Bounce 2 and Fitbit Ace LTE

By Rowan Davies Published 8 May 26

Huawei has announced its new Watch Kids X1 series, and they both come jam-packed with handy child safety features.

Disney CEO Josh D’Amaro wants to merge Disney+ into a ‘super app’, but it’s not as thrilling as you’d think — instead you’ll be forced to see ads pushing theme parks and cruise lines, and who really wants that?

By Rowan Davies Published 8 May 26

Disney CEO Josh D'Amaro wants to merge Disney+ with Disneyland Resort and Disney Cruise Line Navigator apps.

Two smartphones showing lyrics in Spotify and Apple Music

I didn’t know you could do this hack in Spotify lyrics until now, and I’m truly astonished — but it’s only available to Android users, leaving us iOS minions on the back-burner

By Rowan Davies Published 7 May 26

A user on Reddit has revealed you can zoom in on lyrics in Spotify, but it's only available on Android.

A close up of a smartphone with Spotify AI DJ

You asked, and Spotify listened — this popular Spotify feature is finally rolling out to new markets after years of begging the music platform

By Rowan Davies Published 7 May 26

After a slow rollout, Spotify is finally expanding AI DJ to Austria, France, Germany, and more.

Three smartphones showing the revamped Vine app

Vine is coming back, and it’s being relaunched by the guy who killed it — say hello to Jack Dorsey’s Divine, a TikTok and Instagram Stories rival with a ferocious ambition to end AI slop

By Rowan Davies Published 6 May 26

Jack Dorsey is relaunching Vine as Divine nearly 10 years after he killed it.

Google Nest Cam (battery) mounted outside to a wall

Google Home is rolling out its spring update, and your Nest camera app is about to get some handy improvements — and there are more automation capabilities on the way

By Rowan Davies Published 6 May 26

Google Home is rolling out its monster spring update, which packs huge upgrades for the Nest cam app and automations.

‘I thought I was going mad’: Disney+ subscribers think the service removes Dolby Atmos from shows at certain times, even if you've paid for Premium — they think it's to reduce server stress at 'peak' times, but the streaming giant has yet to confirm

By Rowan Davies Published 5 May 26

Disney+ subscribers have spotted changes in Dolby Atmos availability based on the time of day, believing its due to peak streaming times.

2 Comments

The Xteink X4 ereader clipped to the back of an iPhone

This viral ereader has come out of nowhere, and bookworms can’t get enough of it — but it ‘could ring alarm bells’ for Amazon as it surpasses the Kindle Colorsoft on the retailer’s charts

By Rowan Davies Published 5 May 26

The Xteink X4 ereader is the latest social media tech obsession, and it's emerging as a serious Kindle rival.

Rowan Davies

Articles by: Rowan Davies

Useful links