The Coolest New Tech Releases of October 2026

This is the opposite of a routine desk-accessories round-up. The October edit pulls together ten of the most interesting new devices available to UK shoppers now: Apple's latest Pro phone and open-ear AirPods, Google's foldable flagship and newest Pixel Watch, Meta's display glasses, a next-generation 360 camera, modular Beats headphones, a more cinematic Sonos soundbar and Sony's tiny spatial-audio microphone. It is a deliberately varied look at where consumer tech is heading next.

This guide contains affiliate links. If you buy through them, Hiinghams may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

The quick take

The phone upgrade

Apple's iPhone 18 Pro pushes mobile photography with a variable-aperture 48MP main camera, while Google's Pixel 11 Pro Fold makes the more dramatic hardware move with an eight-inch folding display.

The creator pick

DJI's Osmo 360 II is the standout action camera here, pairing 8K/60fps 360-degree capture with replaceable lenses and generous built-in storage.

The unexpected one

Sony's pocket-size ECM-AX10 brings spatial, binaural and stereo recording to a USB-C phone setup without the bulk of a conventional field recorder.

Recommendations

How to choose

Start with the experience you actually want to change. The iPhone 18 Pro and Pixel 11 Pro Fold are premium all-day devices, so compare their camera systems, software and form factors before treating either as an impulse upgrade. AirPods 5, Beats 360 and Pixel Watch 5 are easier additions, but their best features depend on the phone ecosystem you already use. Meta Ray-Ban Display is the most experimental choice and makes sense for someone who wants glanceable information in a familiar glasses shape. Creators should choose between DJI's immersive 360 capture and Sony's compact spatial-audio recording based on whether image or sound is the bigger gap. At home, Beam Ultra is the focused upgrade for a television setup where convincing surround sound matters more than adding another screen.

The best launches here feel new because they change an experience, not because they add one more minor specification. Pick the device that solves a real creative, entertainment or everyday-use problem—and let the rest stay interesting rather than becoming clutter.