ICYMI: the 7 biggest tech stories of the week, from the Samsung Galaxy S26 series to Apple's 'big week'
It's been another busy, busy week in tech
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You've landed on our regular, once-a-week, ICYMI (In Case You Missed It) round-up – a place where you can get comfortable, settle down, and have a read through the most significant tech stories that happened since this time last week.
There's been lots happening this week — as there always is — with Samsung's big Galaxy Unpacked showcase the obvious highlight. We saw three new Galaxy S26 handsets, some new wireless earbuds, and lots of AI, and you can read all the details below.
If you're not into Samsung gadgets, we've also got news on a useful Spotify playlist upgrade, a notable OLED TV first, and a tease from Apple about a series of announcements next week — which will no doubt feature in our next ICYMI collection.
7. We saw a promising, world-first OLED TV
A new series of panels from LG should mean that OLED TVs get cheaper overall – from every manufacturer – and we've been casting our eyes over the new Panasonic Z86C. At the time of writing, it's the only TV with one of LG's new panels fitted to it, and while we don't yet have pricing, we are able to share our first impressions with you.
Through demos that included space stations, galaxies, and nebulae (spot the theme), the Panasonic Z86C was definitely able to hold its own in terms of inky blacks and vivid colors. However, we also noticed some minor issues with this world-first television, which we're hoping Panasonic might be able to sort out before it actually goes on sale.
- Read the full story: I saw the first OLED TV with LG's new-gen cheaper panel, and it looks like a nice upgrade — but here's the fine print
6. Spotify got a neat new playlists trick
Spotify doesn't seem to be slowing down when it comes to adding new features inside its apps, and there's now a Smart Reorder tool for you to make use of — as long as you're a Premium subscriber. It takes an existing playlist, then rearranges it based on the beats-per-minute (BPM) of each track, for a more consistent flow from start to finish.
What you should be left with is a playlist structured in a way where every song blends neatly into the next, whether you're in the role of DJ for other people or just listening privately. We've got all the details on how Smart Reorder works, how you can find it in the app, and how it fits alongside the other playlist editing features offered by Spotify.
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- Read the full story: Spotify's new Smart Reorder tool gives one of its best features a handy upgrade — and it's already saving me hours of tweaking
5. We crowned 'the best TV show of 2026 so far'
The TechRadar team is more than ready for the second season of Paradise, now streaming on Hulu or Disney+ (depending on where in the world you live). The apocalypse has happened, the survivors are surviving, and the new episodes that have now dropped take the show along new and unexpected turns that you're unlikely to see coming.
In our season two review (which doesn't contain any major spoilers for what's ahead), we praise the narrative energy, the performances of the cast, and the set pieces that pile up — and award the season 4.5 stars out of 5. This could be the best TV show of the year up to this point, so if you haven't yet dived into the Paradise universe, add it to your queue.
- Read the full story: 'Make way for the best TV show of 2026 so far' — Paradise season 2 on Hulu continues to knock an apocalyptic nightmare out of the park
4. Garmin watches got a big software boost
We know that Garmin makes some of the best smartwatches in the business, and it also does a fine job of keeping them updated with new features. The latest to arrive is the Garmin Fitness Coach, now appearing inside the Garmin Connect app and on select smartwatches too, ready to help you in improving your strength and general fitness.
The Fitness Coach has been much anticipated in recent months, and expands the structured plans you can access beyond running and cycling – and as with the previous plans, each of the new options can be adapted to suit your own requirements. There are also some more minor but still welcome upgrades to gear tracking rolling out.
- Read the full story: Huge Garmin update alert! Garmin Fitness Coach arrives in-app and on-watch — and one of my favorite features just got a big boost too
3. We tried the new Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro
Before we get to the flagship smartphones that Samsung unveiled earlier this week, we need to talk about the Galaxy Buds 4 and Galaxy Buds 4 Pro wireless earbuds that were also unveiled. We've already spent some hands-on time with both pairs of earbuds, and while they mostly make a great first impression, there are some niggling issues as well.
These earbuds go on sale at the start of next month, so if you're thinking about spending your hard-earned cash on them, read through our hands-on thoughts first. The Galaxy Buds 4 will set you back $197 / £159 / AU$299, while the Pro versions are retailing for $249 / £219 / AU$399 (similar to the AirPods Pro 3), so you can choose according to your budget.
- Read the full story: Hands on: 'I'm loving the audio and design upgrades, but one huge problem remains' — after using Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro for one week, there's still an issue
2. Apple teased a 'big week ahead' for launches
If you're an Apple fan, you're in for a treat next week: we're expecting multiple product launches across multiple days, and Apple CEO Tim Cook has upped the anticipation levels on social media, promising a "big week ahead" for the company. We're most likely looking at a selection of new MacBooks and new iPads, and the debut of the iPhone 17e.
What we do know for sure is that Apple has an event of some description in the calendar for Wednesday, March 4, where some of this new hardware should be getting shown off. We will of course be covering all of the announcements as and when they happen, so keep checking TechRadar for the full details of whatever Apple is treating us to next.
- Read the full story: Tim Cook teases 'a big week ahead' and it might just be the arrival of the low-cost MacBook
1.The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra landed with a killer feature
As far as tech headlines of the week go, none was bigger than the launch of the Samsung Galaxy S26, led by the premium Ultra model. We've already spent some time checking out the Galaxy S26 Ultra in person, and it comes with a genuinely innovative Privacy Display option that stops other people around you from seeing what you're doing on the screen.
It's a feature that may well be adopted by other phone models going forward. We shouldn't forget the Galaxy S26 and the Galaxy S26 Plus, which also had upgrades worthy of talking about (mostly AI-related, surprising no one). It's the first major smartphone launch of 2026, and now it's over to Apple and Google to see what they've got in return.
- Read the full story: I went hands-on with the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra — and it has one killer feature even Apple may want to steal

Dave is a freelance tech journalist who has been writing about gadgets, apps and the web for more than two decades. Based out of Stockport, England, on TechRadar you'll find him covering news, features and reviews, particularly for phones, tablets and wearables. Working to ensure our breaking news coverage is the best in the business over weekends, David also has bylines at Gizmodo, T3, PopSci and a few other places besides, as well as being many years editing the likes of PC Explorer and The Hardware Handbook.
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