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BYD is going after the Land Rover Defender in the UK with the new B5 – a premium plug-in hybrid 4×4 with competitive off-road stats and supercar levels of power. Launched in China last year as the Bao 5, the Defender 110 rival is one of three models from BYD’s new SUV sub-brand Fangchengbao but it is likely to be badged Denza in the UK and positioned as a sibling to that premium brand’s Z9 GT shooting brake – also headed to the UK. Denza was founded in 2010 as a joint venture between BYD and Mercedes-Benz but is wholly owned by the Chinese firm. Autocar
The first batch of tech awards 2025 have just been handed out and it’s good news for Samsung. The Korean technology giant has just been handed “Best Phone” by the expert team at T3, with the Galaxy S25 Ultra grabbing this coveted trophy. That’s probably no surprise with this latest Android phone featuring a an improved design, bigger screen, impressive camera, fast performance and an S Pen which tucks neatly inside its titanium shell. Express
The EU now requires smartphone makers to include easy to read labels that indicate battery life and longevity, an IP rating, plus drop resistance and repairability scores for each new model. Those are great for consumers and, as it turns out, great for leaks – above is the label for the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7. The Z Fold7 will have a 4,400mAh battery, the same as its predecessor. The exact capacity is not on the label, but the expected battery life on a single charge is – 40 hours and 28 minutes. Additionally, the battery is rated for 2,000 charge cycles (while retaining at least 80% of its original capacity). GSM Arena
A band called The Velvet Sundown has had its tracks played hundreds of thousands of times on Spotify since appearing several weeks ago – without anyone knowing for sure what it is. The band has a verified page on the music streaming platform, with more than 850,000 monthly listeners. However, none of the four named musicians in the band have given any interviews or appear to have individual social media accounts, and there are no records of any live performances. It has prompted accusations that they and their music are artificial intelligence (AI) generated – something the band denies, on social media. BBC
Travelling with tech can be a whole lot of fun, and the best devices can make your experience on the move drastically better. Still, you have to stay on your toes – and keep a careful eye on the horizon in case a device comes along that could improve your setup. The Butterfly is a clamshell-like device that opens to reveal its two charging points. One is a simple magnetic 15W charger for your phone or any earbuds that have wireless charging. The other side holds a flip-up Apple Watch charger. T3.com
Ministers are closely watching a court case in which Vodafone is alleged to have “unjustly enriched” itself at the expense of franchise operators, and have raised the prospect of a regulatory crackdown on the sector. The small business minister, Gareth Thomas, has said he will “track very carefully” a £120m legal claim brought against Vodafone last year by a group of 62 of about 150 franchise operators. They allege that drastic cuts to commission rates on selling Vodafone products in the group’s high street stores caused many of them to run up huge personal debts. The Guardian
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