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Google Cloud outage affected 40 locations, and even CloudflareSpotify, Discord and more went down, as were some Workspace appsGoogle blamed a dodgy update for the outage, promises to "do better"A number of popular websites went offline yesterday after Google Cloud experienced a major outage which saw users unable to access the likes of Spotify, Discord and Cloudflare for some time.Impacting over 40 locations and 26 services, the outage saw systems go down at 11:46am PT on Thursday, June 12, but by 12:30pm PT, Google reported the issue was mostly resolved, except for the us-central1 (Iowa) Region.The company claimed it had identified the cause of the issue and that engineering teams were working on a recovery, but some users continued to experience issues at 12:41pm PT.Google Cloud outage takes down popular sitesAlthough Google Cloud stated the outage started at 11:46am PT, Cloudflare also experienced disruptions from 11:19am PT, blaming Google Cloud for the issues.Among the popular sites affected were Spotify, Discord, Snapchat, Character.AI, Cursor and Replit. Downdetector also shows spikes in the number of complaints from users trying to access some Google services, like Google Maps and YouTube.According to the outage tracker, some Workspace apps like Drive, Docs and Meet were also affected by the outage."We are deeply sorry for the impact to all of our users and their customers that this service disruption/outage caused. Businesses large and small trust Google Cloud with your workloads and we will do better," the company wrote in its mini incident report.The report blames an invalid automated quota update to Google Cloud's API management system for the outage, claiming almost full recovery within two hours. However, some delays to restoration continued: "Several products had moderate residual impact (e.g. backlogs) for up to an hour after the primary issue was mitigated and a small number recovering after that."A full log of the incident is available on Google Cloud's status website, and the company has promised a full report to follow.You might also likeWe've listed the best web hosting providersCheck out our roundup of the best cloud hosting providersChatGPT is down again – here's everything we know about its latest massive outage

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Z Flip 7 could both have a new version of Samsung's ProVisual EngineThis could allow for higher-quality photos, better digital zoom, and better video stabilityThe foldables have also both been certified in South Korea, suggesting they're launching soonThe Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 could arrive with a major under-the-hood upgrade that delivers improved photos and videos, based on a new leak.We've previously heard that the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 could have a new 200MP camera, but that the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 might not be in for any such upgrades, with the same camera hardware as last year tipped.However, the Z Flip 7 could still be capable of taking better photos than the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6, as both upcoming foldables might have an improved version of Samsung's ProVisual Engine AI image-processing tech.This is according to leaker @PandaFlashPro, who claims that a new version of ProVisual Engine is coming to both the Galaxy Z Flip 7 and the Galaxy Z Fold 7.This upgrade will apparently allow for better photo quality, better digital zoom quality, and better video stability. So in other words, both photos and videos could look better on these phones than on their predecessors."Confirmed"The Galaxy Z Fold 7 | Flip 7 will use Samsung’s New Generation #GalaxyAI Pro-Visual Engine, which will later be Expanded to the Galaxy S25 Series.Main improvements.Better Image OutputBetter Digital Zoom QualityVideo StabilityJune 12, 2025ProVisual Engine debuted in the Samsung Galaxy S24 series, and it’s a suite of AI tools that works in the background to improve photo and video quality – as well as powering things like Generative Edit, which lets you alter photos you’ve taken.So it’s not a new thing, but if this leak is right then the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 will get a new and improved version of the tech. However, the source adds that this upgraded version will subsequently land on the Samsung Galaxy S25 series as a software update, so you might not have to buy one of the company’s upcoming foldables to get it.Certified to launchIn other Samsung foldable news, the Galaxy Z Flip 7 and Galaxy Z Fold 7 have both been certified by SafetyKorea (as spotted by XpertPick).These certifications don’t tell us much, but it’s mandatory for phones to receive this certification before being sold in South Korea, so this both confirms that the phones are in the works, and suggests they’ll land soon, since this certification would usually happen quite close to launch.That makes sense, since based on past form we’d expect both handsets to launch in July, with one leak pointing to a July 10 announcement.You might also likeThe Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 will be the thinnest and lightest model yetThe Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 could have a huge screen with tiny bezelsThe Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 and Galaxy Z Fold 7 will launch with Android 16

Netflix has defended the streaming service's first big UI refresh in 12 yearsFans have vented their fury over the homepage layout's unnecessary changesNetflix claims people quietly prefer the updated versionNetflix has defended the platform's first major user interface (UI) redesign in 12 years – and has even claimed the majority of people prefer it to the old landing page's layout.Per The Hollywood Reporter (THR), Netflix has suggested fans actually prefer the streaming's new look compared to the old one. As THR's article reveals, Netflix says its internal data, plus the year-long beta test it conducted ahead of the new layout going live, vindicates the entertainment behemoth's decision to overhaul its service's UI.Netflix's assertion comes over a month after it revealed the biggest upgrade to its homepage in over a decade. At the time, the streaming titan confirmed the update's global roll out would begin in earnest, but stated some users would see the redesign sooner than others.Less than 24 hours after the UI refresh's grand unveiling, which took place on May 7, Netflix fans began reporting that their homepage had been updated – and a number of them weren't happy. Indeed, frustrated fans flocked to social media to say Netflix's "new design sucks" because it made it more difficult to find the type of content they like to stream.Comment from r/netflixIn the weeks since the best streaming service's layout was overhauled, more customers have been switched over to the redesigned homepage. And, surprise surprise, more people have posted online to express their fury at what they deem to be unnecessary changes. From Netflix's own sub-Reddit to other social media platforms like X/Twitter, consumers have hit out at Netflix's layout renovation.Now, though, Netflix has suggested those dissenters are just a very vocal minority. Indeed, while a company spokesperson admitted that the streaming giant knew it would face some form of backlash over the changes, the updated UI makes for a better experience. "With bigger boxes, we’re showing more information up front to help you make a better decision," they added. "Instead of seeing 20 or 30 titles at a time, now you’re seeing information at a glance."Opinion: Netflix users are simply shouting into the void – againComment from r/netflixThis isn't the first time that Netflix fans have criticized decisions made by the video-on-demand (VoD) company. Whether it's the now-annual Netflix price rises, angry users threatening to close their accounts over the removal of certain subscription tiers, the regular cancelation of fan-favorite shows like The Recruit, or Netflix's incredibly divisive decision to crack down on account sharing between households, consumers have grown increasingly exasperated with the most popular streamer around.But therein lies the problem. Despite the ire Netflix draws when it makes unpopular decisions, it's still the biggest and most-used VoD platform on the market. By the end of 2024, Netflix reported it had 301.6 million subscribers. Its closest rivals, believed to be Prime Video and Disney+, can only boast around 200 million users and 150.2 million customers, respectively. Despite fan frustration over updates like its layout refresh, then, Netflix continues to dominate the streaming landscape.Netflix is no longer publicly disclosing how many users it has, so we won't know if consumers are voting with their money and canceling their Netflix subscription in the wake of any changes made to the service.With so many new Netflix movies, plus new seasons of some of the best Netflix shows around, set to debut on the platform before the end of 2025, I can't see millions of active users hitting Netflix where it hurts – i.e. its profit margins. The only way to make its executives sit up and take notice is by closing our accounts in protest over updates like this UI overhaul. Until people vote with their wallets, Netflix will continue to do as it pleases, regardless of whether fans like it or not.Have you closed your Netflix account over its redesign? Do you actually like the overhaul? Or don't you care either way? Let me know in the comments below.You might also likeThese are the best Netflix movies to stream todayGet the definitive lowdown on Stranger Things season 5Or find out everything we know about Squid Game season 3

An NHS organisation was hit with a cyberattackThe attack occurred in May 2024 but was never publicly disclosed Attack against NHS Professionals looks to have been a failed ransomware attemptA cyberattack targeting NHS Professionals, a private company owned by the Department of Health and Social Care, resulted in the theft of its Active Directory data - however the breach was never publicly disclosed, despite the attack occurring in May 2024.A report from the The Register, quoting a Deloitte incident report, notes attackers used a compromised Citrix account to gain initial access.Once inside, attackers stole a “highly valuable ntds.dit file and engaged in further malicious activity”. The criminals moved laterally inside the organisation’s network using RDP and SMB share access, although it's not clear how they escalated their privileges up the domain admin level.Save up to 68% on identity theft protection for TechRadar readers! TechRadar editors praise Aura's upfront pricing and simplicity. Aura also includes a password manager, VPN, and antivirus to make its security solution an even more compelling deal.Preferred partner (What does this mean?)View DealA major eventNHS Professionals provides temporary staff to NHS trusts across England, and the site has over 190,000 healthcare professionals registered, as well as over 1,000 employees.Insider comments say that the attack is suspected to be tied to Scattered Spider, and looked to be an attempted ransomware attack - perhaps similar to the ransomware attacks carried out by the group earlier in 2025 targeting three huge UK retailers.The Deloitte report also cites a lack of multi-factor authentication (MFA) on domain accounts as one of the primary reasons that attackers were allowed access. Alongside this, the organisation didn’t have endpoint detection and response solutions deployed across all of its environment, meaning the criminals could move within the network undetected.“Our cybersecurity systems and future mitigation ensured no disruption to our services, and we found that no data or other information was compromised, despite the attempt,” a National Health Service Professionals spokesperson confirmed."We worked quickly and closely with key partners NHS England and the Department of Health and Social Care, and the Information Commissioner's Office, to investigate this incident.”"NHS Professionals is committed to the highest standards of cyber security and complies with the strict requirements around information governance. We continue to remain vigilant as per our security policies and procedures."You might also likeTake a look at our picks for the best malware removal software aroundCheck out our choice for best antivirus softwareFBI warns Play ransomware hackers have hit nearly a thousand US firms

Gemini will suggest your next action in PDFs as well as summarize contentThe experience works in the PDF preview and doesn't require a new tabBusiness and personal accounts with Gemini can use itGoogle is expanding the usefulness of Gemini by using the AI assistant to summarize PDF content in Google Drive, but it looks to be far more proactive than simply generating summaries.With clickable action suggestions, users will be able to perform actions like draft a sample proposal or list interview questions based on a resume, making the tool far more powerful for busy workers.The improvement follows the previous rollout of Gemini within PDFs for Google Drive, making it far easier to interact with Gemini and take the next step with content in PDFs.Gemini unlocks even more insights and actions in PDFs(Image credit: Google Workspace)"PDF summary cards save you time by giving you the gist of your files and help you get started using Gemini faster by surfacing relevant clickable action options," Google explained in Workspace Updates blog post.The best part is that Gemini is now available in more than 20 languages, so users won't just be limited to English content.Users need to have smart features and personalization turned on. When a PDF document is opened, a generative AI summary will appear in a pop-up much like comments in other Google Drive apps. In the same window, a series of action recommendations will be provided to take further steps.At the same time, Google has announced a slicker and quicker UI – whereas PDFs used to open in a new tab to enable Gemini integration, the AI assistant will now work within the preview window without needing to open a new tab.Gradual rollout has already started, but it could take some users up to two weeks to get the update.Thankfully, the feature isn't just limited to business users – personal accounts with the AI add-on are also eligible - specifically, Business Standard and Plus, Enterprise Standard and Plus, the Gemini Education or Gemini Education Premium add-on, and Google AI Pro and Ultra.You might also likeWe've listed the best PDF editors around todayCheck out the best AI tools and best AI writersStop the presses - Gemini and Google Sheets may have finally solved one of the most annoying spreadsheet quirks

Earlier this year, the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) provisional ruling concluded that the cloud storage market, as it stands, is fundamentally anti-competitive. At the heart of this issue lies the dominance of the three hyperscalers – Amazon Web Services (AWS), Google Cloud, and Microsoft Azure. The three tech giants have maintained a firm hold over the industry for years, leveraging their market power to impose hefty data access fees and locking in customers.Most recently, AWS escalated the dispute by accusing Microsoft of employing anti-competitive tactics. Google quickly threw its weight behind AWS’s claims, citing instances where customers had opted for Microsoft Azure not out of preference, but because of restrictive licensing conditions.According to Google, without regulatory intervention, Microsoft could establish a near-monopoly in the UK cloud sector within the next five years. In response, Microsoft defended its practices, asserting that its pricing model is both fair and necessary to safeguard its intellectual property.While the hyperscalers wage their cloud storage war, UK businesses are locked into an imbalanced system that does not have their best interest at heart – with limited choice and costs that only increase.Transparency is vital One of the key anti-competitive practices that the CMA has identified is the unfair use of egress fees, which are charges imposed when businesses move their data out of a cloud provider’s network. While businesses should own their own data and be able to access and move it freely, they are prohibited from doing so without incurring fees.These fees can add up to be a significant cost for businesses. Wasabi’s research has found in Europe 47% of cloud storage costs stem from data retrieval, with the actual stored capacity making up the remainder. The impact is not just financial - 55% of European organizations saying that egress or other data access fees (API calls and data outflows) associated with moving their data out of a public cloud environment have delayed IT or business initiatives.This practice does not provide customers with clear, predictable pricing. Often, they later discover hidden fees and end up paying more than expected and budgeted for. This has a negative impact for businesses of all sizes, hindering financial planning. It can be especially disastrous for small businesses with limited financial flexibility to absorb hidden costs.Unexpected costs and their impact are bad enough but another tactic raising competition concerns is the bundling of essential services—such as storage and compute—with proprietary offerings like voice recognition, analytics, and blockchain tools.Vendors often require customers to purchase storage alongside these supplementary services, limiting flexibility. This approach reinforces the "walled garden" ecosystems built by hyperscalers, making it increasingly difficult for customers to mix and match best-of-breed solutions from different providers.Creating an open and level playing fieldTransparent and predictable pricing is a cornerstone of good business practice across the UK economy, yet the cloud market continues to fall short of this standard. For organizations making decisions about cloud data and services, understanding the full cost upfront is essential. Without clear pricing structures, businesses are left navigating uncertainty, undermining their ability to plan effectively and make informed decisions about their data.Cloud pricing should also be predictable, and easy to understand. Businesses need to confidently know what their cloud bill will look like at the end of each billing cycle. To support this, cloud providers should provide customers with cost estimation and monitoring tools, so they can accurately forecast costs over daily, monthly, or annual periods. Capabilities like real-time dashboards, consolidated spend reporting, and automated alerts for unusual usage patterns can support businesses in maintaining control and track of cloud costs.These tools empower organizations to optimize their data strategies—ensuring data is stored and accessed efficiently, where and when it’s needed, and at a cost that aligns with business goals. Ultimately, this level of transparency fosters smarter decision-making and reduces financial risk.Building a better cloud for Britain’s future As scrutiny from regulators intensifies, the spotlight on the hyperscalers is only set to grow. These providers face a pivotal choice: proactively embrace reforms that foster competition and pricing transparency, or risk regulatory measures being imposed that are designed to force change.Current practices such as egress fees, restrictive licensing, and deliberately opaque pricing structures are incompatible with the needs of modern UK businesses. These tactics entrench vendor lock-in and limit customers’ ability to choose solutions that align with their needs and goals.The UK has made significant strides in nurturing a world-class tech ecosystem - one built on innovation, agility, and ambition. To continue this, a competitive UK cloud sector is essential as it provides the utility on which technologies such as Generative AI are built on. Creating a fairer market will support businesses in adopting the best tools for their needs, drive growth, create new jobs and support the broader economic scene.We've featured the best cloud document storage.This article was produced as part of TechRadarPro's Expert Insights channel where we feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today. The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/news/submit-your-story-to-techradar-pro

Android earthquake alerts are expanding to Wear OSThe feature is supported on phones in 98 countriesIt's included in the latest Google Play services updateFor several years now, Android phones have been able to warn you about an imminent earthquake, so you've got a few minutes to prepare yourself and those around you – and the feature is finally expanding to Wear OS smartwatches as well.As per the June 2025 release notes for Google Play services (via Android Authority), you'll now receive "alerts on Wear when an earthquake is expected to cause shaking". Google Play services is a separate update to Android, and should be applied to your phone and wearable automatically in the coming days.It makes earthquake warnings much more useful for Wear OS owners, especially those who like to leave their phones in pockets and bags (or who have watches with cellular connections, and leave their phones behind completely).Google hasn't said anything else officially about the new feature, but presumably every smartwatch currently getting Wear OS updates is going to be eligible to get the early earthquake warning functionality as well.How it worksHow earthquake alerts appear on Android phones (Image credit: Google)We don't know exactly how this will look on the best Android watches, but we know how it works on phones. Google gets its data from seismic sensor reports, as well as anonymous accelerometer measurements from billions of Android phones.Expected earthquakes with a magnitude of 4.5 or greater trigger an alert: you'll be given the estimated magnitude and the distance to the epicenter, which pop up on screen, and you can tap on the alert for more information.If significant shaking is expected, the alert will ignore any volume and Do Not Disturb settings on your phone, and play a loud sound. You'll be given advice on screen about how to best protect yourself against the coming quake.The Android Earthquake Alerts System is currently active in 98 different countries around the world, and you can check the list here. On Pixel phones, the alerts settings can be found under Safety and emergency in Settings.You might also likeHere's everything we know so far about Wear OS 6These are the best Android phones you can buyGemini is going to make its way to your Android watch