9 Oct 2025

Tech: Phone plan transparency, 'open web' in decline, and more

From Nine To Noon, 11:05 am on 9 October 2025
Logo of the Microsoft Corporation at the headquarters of Microsoft Germany GmbH in Rheinauhafen. Koln, July 24th, 2020 | usage worldwide (Photo by Christoph Hardt/Geisler-Fotopres / Geisler-Fotopress / dpa Picture-Alliance via AFP)

Microsoft's about to end support for Windows 10 - but is Windows 11 any better? Photo: CHRISTOPH HARDT/GEISLER-FOTOPRES

Technology journalist Bill Bennett joins Kathryn to discuss Commerce Commission research which shows how difficult it is to get good information to help buy a phone plan.

Google says "the open web is in rapid decline" - it was referring to web advertising, but Bill says the days of internet sites being freely accessible through a standard web browser without a login or app appear to have passed.

And Windows 10 support is ending next week. Millions of people are unhappy about being forced to upgrade.

Bill Bennett is an Auckland-based technology journalist