Gadget Trends In 2026
As AI matures from something basic into something super useful, it’s opened up so many possibilities that it’s tough to keep up with advancements in the tech world. It’s certainly powering many of the changes we expect to come this year. But there’s more great gadgets and tech trends that are propelled by general advancements and a new way of thinking, as we enter this era of electronics.
From smarter glasses to dumb phones, here’s a round up of the main trends we’re likely to see this year.
Smart glasses will break into the mainstream
If you don’t know anyone who wears smart glasses yet, chances are you will in 2026. After a long, slow start (who remembers Google Glass?), not only has the range of glasses exploded, but the price has dropped, making the affordable on the high street.
The leader in the field, the Ray-Ban Meta glasses, now start from £299. These sunnies are straight out of an action movie: you can talk to it to find out answers in real time, it offers live translation, it can give you information on what you’re looking at, you can take photos or videos, call people, text other people, and listen to music with it – all while looking very trendy in Ray Ban wayfarers.
Even better, next year will see the release of the next generation, Meta Ray-Ban Display, which is expected to have an in-built screen.
More privacy
Privacy has long been a key priority for consumers, and now, companies are responding in earnest. For smartphone capabilities without unintentional data harvesting, try the MC03 phone by Punkt, which gives owners complete control over their data. Going one step further, ‘dumb phones’ bring it back to basics by only being able to make calls and receive texts, and now there’s a handful on the market – try out the Light Phone III for starters.
As AI embeds in our daily lives, expect to see more choices over privacy. Upcoming Motorola and Lenovo phones include AI features, but they’re aiming to become more usercentric by doing their job without sending data to the cloud. It’s all run locally, which is great for privacy and responsiveness, and something we’ll see more of in gadgets this year.
Creaseless foldable phones
Practical in size and sleek in look, foldable and flip phones are a small but expanding segment of the phone market. 2026 might change that. At the recent Consumer Electronics Show (the annual Las Vegas event in which brands show off their most innovative tech in development) Samsung demoed its creaseless OLED display. This feature – which phone makers have been racing each other to achieve – means that the phone can be unfolded to give double the screen size with no visible crease in the middle, which makes it much better
for gaming or watching TV and movies. Rumours suggest the first Apple iPhone Fold (speculated for release in autumn) will also feature this technology.
Inevitably, this breakthrough will bring foldable phones closer to the mainstream, though many find the four-figure price too prohibitive.
Next generation AI hardware
For systems that are ‘smart’, we sure find frequent stumbling blocks with Alexa, Siri and their pals. This year it looks set to change, as AI models like ChatGPT and Google Gemini plug in to smart appliances around the home, bringing us ever closer to having a useful second brain to help us with our mundane tasks.
Expect to have AI on hand to get stuff done, with the likes of the Pebble Index’s Smart Ring or Switchbot AI Mind Clip, which record, summarise or transcribe conversations, to intelligent speakers like Echo (which is powered by Alexa+) and Anker’s Soundcore Work (which uses Lenovo’s Qira assistant).
Better batteries
Reliable batteries underpin gadget use, and this year will see changes in this area. There was a time not so long ago when portable battery chargers were a must-have accessory. But the tide is turning – we’re finding them heavy to carry around, easy to lose or forget, and the odd fire they’ve started makes them trickier to travel with on a plane (ironic as the main time you’ll need it is when travelling). So it’s handy that alternatives are popping up.
‘Solid state batteries’ are expected to be the next generation, replacing lithium batteries. These are safer, can keep more energy in the same space, and tolerate faster charging. They’re yet to hit the mass market – but expect plenty of developments in this area in 2026. Similarly, Singaporean tech company Flint are currently in production with a rechargeable ‘paper battery’ that’s thin, flexible, and non-explosive. Made from a combination of zinc and manganese, it also avoids lithium and cobalt mining, which is great news for ethical consumers.
Meanwhile, the speed of Qi wireless charging is catching up with wired charging, making it more plausible that many more wireless charging points will be set up for phones when we’re out and about. That’s a precursor to the first wireless power transfer (WPT) system that’s set to transmit power through the air, which is currently in development in Japan. Futuristic stuff!
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