ISSUE #009 · 17 OCTOBER 2026
Europe’s carmakers are debating the future of the 2035 emissions rules, Microsoft is looking towards its next Xbox, and a new electric hatchback is heading for UK showrooms. It has been a busy week for the decisions that shape what we drive and the technology we use.
Apple has unveiled a new Apple TV and smart-home devices, while the Xbox app is approaching a deadline on some older Samsung televisions. On screen, Greta Gerwig’s Narnia has provided a first look at the world before the wardrobe.
Max Verstappen won in Singapore, but Kimi Antonelli strengthened his championship lead. Formula 1’s longer-term future is also up for debate, with the FIA president pressing for the return of V8 engines.
And for households sharing Microsoft 365, this week’s Editor’s Pick tackles a change worth checking before the next renewal: a move from individual OneDrive allowances to a 2TB family pool.
EV & Technology
EU 2035 Car Rules: France and Germany Back Changes With UK Factories in Focus
France and Germany have agreed a joint position on the EU’s 2035 car emissions rules, seeking more flexibility for manufacturers than the existing legislation allows.
Their proposal would set a 90% reduction in average new-car CO₂ emissions, rather than the current 100% target, without requiring manufacturers to offset the remaining 10%. That could leave more room for some combustion-engine models alongside electric cars.
British factories feature in the negotiations too. France and Germany are willing to consider UK participation in future ‘Made in EU’ automotive measures, subject to trade-policy conditions.
None of this is law yet. Other EU institutions must still agree to any change, so manufacturers cannot treat the compromise as a settled 2035 rulebook.
Leapmotor B03 Confirmed for UK in 2027 With 242-Mile Range
The small-electric-car market will have another contender in early 2027, when Leapmotor plans to bring the five-door B03 to Britain.
Its 53kWh LFP battery is rated for up to 242 miles on the WLTP cycle. Leapmotor also quotes 133kW peak rapid charging and a 21-minute 10–80% charge under suitable conditions — useful figures to compare, though not promises of what every driver will achieve.
The missing piece is the UK price. That will help determine whether the B03 can make a compelling case against the Renault 5 and the next wave of compact EVs.
Gaming
Xbox Project Helix: What Microsoft’s Next Console Means for Series X|S Owners
Microsoft has confirmed that Project Helix, its next-generation Xbox, is being designed to play both Xbox console and PC games. Developer alpha hardware is planned for 2027, but there is still no launch date or UK price.
For Series X|S owners, the bigger concern is what happens to their existing games. Microsoft has a strong backwards-compatibility record, but it has not explained exactly how Helix will handle discs, digital libraries and different PC storefronts.
A new generation is exciting. Finding out whether the collection you have already paid for will carry forward is rather more important than a headline performance figure.
Xbox Labs: Microsoft Explores AI-Assisted Game Ports and Modding
Xbox Labs is taking a different approach to the future of games: instead of announcing a new product, Microsoft is setting up a team to investigate experimental ways of making games run and evolve.
The examples range from PC games adapted for Apple Silicon to browser-based projects using WebAssembly and WebGPU. The work could eventually offer developers new tools and give older titles another lease of life.
There is no consumer launch date or promised list of newly supported games. Right now, Xbox Labs is a research effort, not a service players can download.
Home Entertainment
Apple TV 4K (2026), HomeView and HomePod Mini 2: UK Prices and What’s New
Apple’s new TV and smart-home products put Siri, connected devices and living-room audio at the centre of its latest hardware refresh.
The fourth-generation Apple TV 4K brings an A19 processor, built-in microphones for hands-free Siri and the option of surround sound through four compatible HomePod speakers.
HomeView adds a seven-inch smart-home touchscreen, while HomePod mini 2 joins the speaker range. The more useful question for existing Apple TV owners is which features require new hardware and which will arrive through software.
Xbox App Support Ends on 2020 Samsung TVs on 3 November — What Owners Can Do
Playing Xbox games directly through a Samsung TV is convenient — until the app that makes it possible loses support.
A Microsoft customer notice reported by technology publications says the Xbox app will no longer be supported on affected 2020 Samsung TVs from 3 November. Xbox’s public compatibility page has not yet been updated to reflect that notice, so owners should check their precise model.
There is no reason to replace an otherwise working television just to keep playing. An Xbox connected by HDMI will still work, and certain Fire TV devices offer another route to cloud gaming.
Check the model number and supported-device list before spending money: not every Samsung TV or Fire TV Stick is compatible.
Movies & TV
Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew Trailer Reveals the World Before the Wardrobe
The first trailer for Greta Gerwig’s Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew begins in an eerie world of woods, magical rings and doors to places nobody has visited before.
Digory and Polly lead the journey through a story set before The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, with Daniel Craig, Emma Mackey and Meryl Streep among the cast.
The film is due in cinemas on 12 February 2027 before reaching Netflix on 2 April. That theatrical window gives Gerwig’s version of Narnia room to make its first impression on a big screen.
Motorsport
Verstappen Wins Singapore GP as Antonelli Extends F1 Title Lead
Max Verstappen turned Sprint victory and pole position into a Singapore Grand Prix win, leading the 62-lap race at Marina Bay from start to finish.
Charles Leclerc followed him home, 7.335 seconds behind, with Kimi Antonelli third. The Mercedes driver gained ground in the title race even as Red Bull took the headlines for outright pace.
Ferrari had the pace to challenge for two podium places, but Lewis Hamilton missed the opportunity to pit during a Virtual Safety Car and eventually finished sixth.
With the United States Grand Prix approaching, Singapore has left Verstappen celebrating and Antonelli closer to the championship.
F1 Targets 2030 V8 Engine Return as FIA President Outlines Major Changes
Formula 1’s new hybrid regulations are barely a season old, but the FIA president already wants to discuss what might replace them.
Mohammed Ben Sulayem is pushing for V8 engines as early as 2030, along with lighter cars and sharply lower development costs. He has also made clear that the soundtrack matters to him.
The rulebook has not been approved, however. Engine manufacturers would need agreement on the technical details and enough time to develop the new power units.
A V8 return would be a dramatic change so soon after the latest hybrid overhaul. For now, 2030 is an ambition, not a confirmed switch.
Editor’s Pick
Microsoft 365 Family Storage Cut to 2TB Shared — What UK Subscribers Need to Know
If several people in your home use OneDrive, the storage that comes with Microsoft 365 Family or Premium deserves a closer look.
Under the older arrangement, six people could each have a separate 1TB allowance — up to 6TB across the household. The new model pools the capacity instead.
New Family and Premium subscriptions now include 2TB shared between as many as six members. Each person’s files stay private, even though the storage limit is combined.
Some households will appreciate being able to use another member’s spare capacity. Others, especially those backing up phones and storing years of photos or video, could run out of room sooner.
Microsoft’s detailed support guidance currently says existing Family and Premium subscribers move across when they renew on or after 2 May 2027, although another UK support page has also listed 1 April. Customers should check the date in their own renewal notice rather than assume the pages agree.
Before making any changes, it is worth opening your Microsoft account’s storage overview and checking how much space everyone is actually using.
Why it’s our Editor’s Pick
Cloud storage rarely demands attention when everything is working. That changes quickly when a phone stops backing up photographs or a computer can no longer synchronise important files.
The reduction from a possible 6TB across six accounts to 2TB shared will affect households differently, but it deserves a deliberate check before renewal — especially where several people rely on the same subscription.
Why we picked it: this is the sort of subscription change that can easily slip past until it causes a real problem. Knowing what is changing now gives families time to review their storage and avoid an unpleasant surprise.
Coming Up
The next Formula 1 stop is Austin on 25 October, where Kimi Antonelli could secure the Drivers’ Championship if the results fall his way. The Austin title permutations show what he still needs.
In endurance racing, Alex Quinn makes his Peugeot Hypercar debut at the 6 Hours of Barcelona on Sunday 18 October.
Next week also brings more developments in EVs, Xbox, home entertainment and streaming. We’ll give space to the news that deserves it — and to the reviews and guides that are still worth reading once the headlines have moved on.
That’s it for Issue #009. Thanks for reading — see you next Saturday.
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