Apple was very busy when it came to AirPods announcements this week. Alongside new fourth-generation AirPods (and an ANC option) and updated AirPods Max, it's also giving attention to the AirPods Pro, with a focus on hearing health. This leans heavily on hearing loss prevention, with noise levels limited by default, and an app to measure exactly how noisy your surroundings are. Apple notes that one in three people are regularly exposed to environments that can damage hearing, even with in-ear buds like AirPods Pro and noise cancellation.
The company is now introducing a clinically-validated hearing test on your iPhone. The test taps into large-scale data studies that Apple used to develop its hearing loss features, and it only takes five minutes. It'll ask you to tap the screen when you hear a series of tones at different frequencies. Your hearing profile will also be automatically applied to audio content across music, movies and phone calls.
But Apple took it even further and has developed an over-the-counter, professional-grade hearing aid feature. It'll boost the specific kinds of sounds you need help with. It's a big move from Apple, as existing OTC hearing aids can cost between $1,000 and $1,500. The second-gen AirPods Pro are just $250 by comparison.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/headphones/apples-airpods-pro-update-turns-them-into-a-clinical-grade-hearing-aid-174919818.html?src=rss
Apple is giving every iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro model brand new chips, instead of just using last year's hardware in its cheaper phones. The company unveiled the A18 and A18 Pro chips at the iPhone 16 launch event today, and as you'd expect, they're built with Apple Intelligence in mind. The chips offers more memory and a new 16-core Neural Engine, in addition to some incremental performance boosts over older models. More so than the past few years — where you could point to new camera lenses or hardware tweaks as a reason to get the new iPhone — the chip is the key selling point for the iPhone 16 lineup.
Other than last year's iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max, older iPhones can't run Apple Intelligence features like the revamped Siri, Genmoji and integrated ChatGPT search. (Anyone who splurged for those higher end iPhones chose wisely, as there's little reason to upgrade.) AI workloads require plenty of RAM to juggle large language models, so that alone disqualifies the iPhone 15 and 15 Plus, which only had 6GB of RAM on the A16 chip (a holdover from the iPhone 14 Pro). The iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max, on the other hand, featured 8GB of RAM with the A17 Pro chip.
The A18 chip, along with thermal design optimizations, helps the iPhone 16 achieve 30 percent faster sustained gaming performance, according to Apple. And just like the A17 Pro last year, the new chip supports hardware accelerated ray tracing, which helps it deliver more realistic lighting in some titles. Apple also revealed that Honor of Kings: World will be coming to iPhones next year.
Apple's A18 Pro goes a step further than the A18, delivering up to 15 percent faster speeds than the A17 Pro, as well as 2x faster hardware-accelerated ray tracing. Notably, the A18 Pro also uses 20 percent less power than the A17 Pro. All of that hardware isn't just meant for Apple Intelligence, it also powers the complex new photography features in the iPhone 16 Pro's cameras.
Apple
Apple's older strategy of using the previous year's chips on the iPhone and iPhone Plus made sense. Those devices didn't require the demanding camera processing of the Pro models, which were entirely geared towards power users. Apple could cut manufacturing costs and still deliver a solid user experience for iPhone owners with older chips. (Even though it debuted in 2022, the A16 chip in the iPhone 15 is still very capable today.)
But now that Apple is centering the iPhone experience around Apple Intelligence, a family-wide spec bump isn't too surprising. And even if you're not excited about Apple's AI offerings (which they'll never actually call AI), it's nice to have some more RAM in the base iPhone line.
There are arguably only three sure things in life: death, taxes and a new bunch of iPhones every September. Like clockwork, Apple has revealed this year's iPhone lineup, which is anchored by the iPhone 16 and its larger sibling, the iPhone 16 Plus. Apple has made some alterations to the external design, but the company’s main focus this year is on Apple Intelligence, with the new phones designed from the ground up to support that.
There are a few notable changes to the exteriors of both devices this year. First, the rear camera array is arranged vertically on the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus with a pill-shaped bump. These lenses will now support spatial video recording — in other words, the 3D footage that you can view using a Vision Pro headset. You'll be able to take spatial photos too. There's also support for 4K video capture at 60 frames per second with Dolby Vision.
Apple
Apple is doing something else interesting with the camera array in the iPhone 16. One camera seems to combine a 48MP main lens with a 2x telephoto lens in what's called a "Fusion camera." The other is a 12MP Ultra Wide camera. This now has an f/2.2 aperture, which is an improvement on the previous f/2.4 aperture. As such, that means that Apple will offer a macro mode for the base iPhone models for the first time, so folks who don't opt for an iPhone 16 Pro or Pro Max should be able to take better close-up photos.
Second, the Action button that debuted on last year's Pro models has arrived on the lower-end models. This button, which replaces the mute switch, is customizable. You might set it up to activate the flashlight or a Voice Memos recording. It can trigger Shortcuts and, starting in iOS 18, you can use it to adjust a Control Center setting. You can set up the Action button to have different functions at different times of day.
Third, there's another new Camera Control button that's dedicated to capturing photos and videos, so you won't have to tap your display, press one of the volume buttons or use a remote trigger to take a snap or a recording. Clicking the button opens the Camera app. The touch-sensitive button works in a similar fashion to the capture button on a DSLR camera — lightly press to focus on a subject, then fully press to take a photo. You can hold it down to start recording a video.
You'll be able to adjust camera settings (such as the zoom) by sliding your finger back and forth on the touch-sensitive button. This could well be a game-changer for iPhone-focused photographers.
The Camera Control button also works with a new Google Lens-style visual intelligence feature that's coming to the iPhone 16 later this year. For instance, you an point your phone at a new restaurant, click the Camera Control and find out details about the menu and opening hours.
Apple
The other key upgrades are on the interior. Apple says there's a new thermal system made from 100 percent recycled aluminum to replace the copper one from previous devices. That should help reduce overheating and improve temperature regulation – Apple says you’ll get 30 percent higher sustained performance while gaming. In addition, there’s support for hardware-accelerated ray-tracing, which is said to deliver five times higher frame rates than with software-accelerated ray-tracing.
Some games that were previously only supported on the iPhone 15 Pro (at least in terms of phones) will be available on iPhone 16. Those include Assassin's Creed Mirage and several Resident Eviltitles.
Apple Intelligence will be powered by the all-new A18 chipset. It has a CPU that's up to 30 percent faster than the one found in the iPhone 15, and a GPU that's up to 40 percent faster. There's an upgraded neural engine that is said to be up to two times faster for machine learning. As expected, Apple Intelligence features will start rolling out in the US in English in October, before expanding to some other countries in December and other languages in 2025.
As part of the Apple Intelligence shift, a new Siri experience is coming into play. This isn't a huge surprise as it was part of the iOS 18 preview when we got our first look at WWDC in June. Not only does Apple claim that Siri will have deeper understanding of language and users' personal context, the voice assistant will have a new glowing interface. That's what the iPhone event's "It's Glowtime" tagline is based on. However, it may be several more months before Apple fully rolls out all of Siri's upgrades.
The iPhone 16 is built with aerospace-grade aluminum and is available in some new colors, including ultramarine, teal and pink to go with white and black. It’s built for greater durability too. Apple says it’s water- and dust-resistant, and has a new glass-ceramic screen that’s said to be 50 percent tougher than the one of the iPhone 15 and twice as strong as "any other smartphone." Much like the Apple Watch lineup, the screen can be as dark as 1 nit or as bright as 2,000 nits. The screen sizes remain the same at 6.1 inches for the iPhone 16 and 6.7 inches for the iPhone 16 Plus.
Apple claims there's a bigger battery in the iPhone 16 as well, which is always welcome to hear. The company claims it will work in concert with the A18 and the power efficiency features of iOS 18 to deliver longer battery life. Apple says the iPhone 16 will deliver up to 22 hours of local video playback, 18 hours of streaming video and 80 hours of audio playback on a single charge.
Apple
On the safety front, you'll be able to share live videos if you need to use the Emergency SOS function. Messages via satellite and other messaging features are coming to the US and Canada, while Emergency SOS and Find My via satellite are available in 18 countries, including the US.
Elsewhere, Apple is bringing Wi-Fi 7 to the base models for the first time this year. That's a nice upgrade — as long as you have a compatible router, of course. That should help future-proof the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus to a degree as well.
Pre-orders for the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus open on Friday, and they will be available on September 20. Pricing starts at $799 for the iPhone 16 and $899 for the iPhone 16 Plus, each of which have 128GB of storage at the base level. They'll also be available with 256GB or 512GB of storage.
Catch up on all the news from Apple’s iPhone 16 event right here!
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/apples-iphone-16-gets-a-camera-button-action-button-and-the-a18-chip-174756253.html?src=rss
After nearly four years, Apple finally delivered an update to its most premium headphones. But instead of a new generation of AirPods Max, the company simply refreshed the existing over-ear headphones with USB-C support and a handful of new colors.
With the same $549 price tag, the updated AirPods Max will maintain their status as Apple’s most expensive AirPods, though the updates are mainly cosmetic. The over-ear headphones will now be available in five new colors: midnight, blue, purple, orange and starlight. Apple is also ditching the lightning connector for a USB-C port, much like it did with its Beats Studio Pro headphones. The lightly refreshed headphones go on sale September 20 and are available for pre-order now.
But anyone hoping for more significant upgrades will likely be disappointed. The latest AirPods Max will have the exact same design, with Apple’s “breathable knit mesh” band, stainless steel frame and memory foam cups. The company also didn't upgrade its chip from the H1, or add any new audio features to the almost four-year-old headphones. That may be because Apple is saving a bigger update for 2025. Bloombergreported that Apple has an AirPods Max upgrade planned for the end of next year.
Those looking for upgraded audio, however, will find some major improvements elsewhere in the AirPods lineup. Apple introduced two new versions of its standard, non-pro buds with the AirPods 4. The in-ear buds come with the H2 chip, support "adaptive audio" features, and an option for active noise cancellation.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/headphones/apple-refreshes-its-airpods-max-with-new-colors-and-usb-c-174330979.html?src=rss
Apple’s annual iPhone event sure brought the fire on the handset side of things, but the company also announced two new AirPod models to join the ever-growing lineup. There's the standard AirPods 4 and a slightly more high-tech AirPods 4 with ANC.
The biggest news is perhaps the addition of USB-C to the charging cases. This finally brings the AirPods in line with the rest of the world and, most importantly, newer iPhone and iPad releases. The AirPods 4 earbuds should also fit better, thanks to some design refinements.
Both versions of the earbuds also include the H2 chip, allowing for an improvement in sound quality. There's even personalized spatial audio, voice isolation and gesture-based Siri controls. You can nod your head, for instance, to make certain adjustments. All told, these buds should get 30 hours of battery life.
Apple
AirPods 4 with ANC may look identical to the standard model, but there’s an advanced feature set. This includes active noise cancellation, which isn't always a given with earbuds, and wireless charging. Both models are available to preorder right now, with shipments going out on September 20. The fourth-gen AirPods cost $129 and the AirPods 4 with ANC costs $179.
The company also announced a refresh of the AirPods Max over-ear headphones, after four long years of waiting. The latest model boasts USB-C charging (yay) and comes in new colors, like black, blue, purple and orange. The company did not announce a refresh of the AirPods Pro earbuds, and its long overdue.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/headphones/airpods-4-have-a-new-design-and-an-anc-upgrade-option-173900817.html?src=rss
Apple is bringing sleep apnea detection to some Watch models as it tries to position its wearable as a one stop shop for all things health. At the iPhone 16 launch event, the company announced the new Watch Series 10, highlighting the new feature. If you wear your watch to bed, you’ll get an alert pushed to your phone in the morning if it detects disturbances in your breathing. You will also be urged to visit your clinician, and can show them Watch data. All of this information will be collated in the Health app on iPhone.
Rather than using oxygen saturation, which would be the logical approach, Apple says it’s using motion tracking. This is likely tied to Apple’s longstanding patent row with Masimo that has seen the company hurriedly offer workarounds for its blood oxygenation sensor. Your Apple Watch will look for “small movements at the wrist” that are indicative of “interruptions to normal respiratory patterns during sleep.” The company added its work has been validated by a sleep study of “unprecedented” size.
Apnea detection is also coming to both the Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2, and Apple says it expects the FDA and other regulatory agencies to give their blessings in the coming days. It says the feature will be available in more than 150 countries and regions later this month. The feature had been rumored for a while but there were hints suggesting Apple had struggled to make its workaround as effective as required. Samsung, meanwhile, already has FDA approval for a similar feature on the Galaxy Watch.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/wearables/apple-brings-sleep-apnea-detection-to-the-watch-series-10-172316987.html?src=rss
2024 might just be Google’s year – for its Pixel-branded hardware, at least. After impressing us with the Pixel 9 phones, the company is ready to release the Pixel Watch 3. Spoiler alert: It continues the trend of this year’s Pixel hardware feeling more mature and ready to take on the competition than ever. With the introduction of a new larger size and serious battery life improvements, the Pixel Watch 3 feels like a smartwatch worthy of the Fitbit and Google partnership. There are still some quirks the company has to iron out, but for now, the Pixel Watch 3 feels like the final evolution of a Pokémon that is ready to battle the big beasts from Samsung and Apple.
Editor's note: At the time this review was first published, Apple had just begun its "It's Glowtime" event, where it's expected to unveil new versions of its smartwatch. Our review of the Pixel Watch 3 was largely conducted in comparison to the latest available model — the Series 9, and was also scored as such. We updated this piece on September 10 to include more details on Wear OS, navigation and the Pixel Watch 3's companion apps. None of that experience affects our score for the device.
The Pixel Watch 3’s design: A new size
One of the biggest developments with the Pixel Watch 3 is the fact that Google has finally introduced a larger size. The previous 41mm size lives on, but it’s now joined by a 45mm one, which is nice for people who always felt the original was just a little too dainty. You’ll also be able to see more on the bigger screen, though the 41mm variant also has a bit more real estate since Google managed to shave the bezels down a tad (16 percent, to be exact).
My colleague Sam Rutherford tested the 45mm model for us, and his exact words were, “It’s SOOO much nicer to have the big one.” Sam adds that this is “the size I wanted all along,” and it’s nice to see my bigger-wristed peers get considered at last.
Fans of a more conventional-looking timepiece will appreciate that the Pixel Watch’s face is circular like it’s always been. Compared to the Pixel Watch 2, this year’s smartwatch doesn’t look noticeably different. It has shiny edges and, in the right light, the crown on the right side sparkles.
Some of my more stylish reviewer friends paired their Pixel Watch 3 with a stainless steel mesh band, making it look right at home as part of their designer-decked outfit. I used the basic silicon sport band that came with my review sample, which I loved because I got the lovely pink color this year that goes with some new pants and bags I recently acquired. I remain an ardent fan of Google’s soft elastic loop straps that make putting the watch on super easy. They’re available in more colors and patterns this year, which is always nice. Sam goes as far as to call this “the best-looking mainstream smartwatch,” and, depending on our definition of “mainstream,” I’d have to agree.
I still wish the company was able to reduce the size of the knob just a bit, or at least make it jut out less. It still pushes into the back of my hand whenever I do a pushup or a plank, unless I turn the watch to the inside of my wrist first. Though you’d also get this issue with the Apple Watch Ultra and the Galaxy Watch Ultra, it’s not as prominent on the regular Apple Watch and I have a bit more space before accidentally triggering my Series 9.
I also found the Pixel Watch 3 a little too thick. The Apple Watch Series 9 is 10.7mm (0.42 inches) tall, while Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 7 is even thinner at 9.7mm. Google’s smartwatch is the chunkiest at 12.3mm, and at these sizes, every millimeter feels like a lot.
Cherlynn Low for Engadget
The Pixel Watch 3’s display: Bigger, brighter, dimmer and slower
Every fraction of an inch also feels outsized when we’re talking about displays that are just 41mm and 45mm (the screens themselves are actually 32.2mm and 36.2mm respectively). In comparison, the Pixel Watch 2’s panel was just 30.5mm. While I didn’t feel like I gained a ton comparing my 41mm Pixel Watch 3 to its predecessor, I certainly saw a lot more on the 45mm model’s screen. Some of that is obvious — a larger display has more room for content or bigger fonts. But the improvements in readability cannot be understated, especially for anyone that needed something more legible.
Google didn’t simply enlarge the Pixel Watch’s panels — it upgraded them. These watches feature the company’s Actua displays that debuted on the Pixel 8 phones last year, which means they can get as bright as 2,000 nits or as low as 1 nit.
That latter made a huge difference when I was in a theater watching Alien: Romulus. While I had to turn on Theater mode on my Apple Watch Series 9 to prevent its screen from scorching my retina during the show, the Pixel Watch 3 automatically dropped to the lowest brightness and remained readable without bothering me or fellow cinemagoers.
The Pixel Watch 3’s screen is also capable of a variable refresh rate of between 1Hz and 60Hz, so it can deliver smooth animations when, say, you’re watching the live feed from your Nest camera. But when you’re not doing anything, the system can drop down to a battery-friendlier 1Hz. This isn’t something I really noticed in my daily use, but I’ll tease right now that it probably has a significant impact on battery life.
Cherlynn Low for Engadget
The Pixel Watch 3 as a health and fitness tracker
I was probably the most impressed by the Pixel Watch 3 as a health and fitness tracker. It does a lot of things that competing products like the Apple Watch and Galaxy Watch do, like automatically detect certain workouts, prompt you to move if you’ve been idle for too long and keep tabs on your pulse and calorie burn as you’re exercising. But importantly, it does some of those things a lot better than its rivals.
As someone who likes to track every single walk I take, no matter how short the distance, I found the Pixel Watch 3 a dream. It consistently caught on that I had been out for a stroll, usually prompting me to log a workout once I hit the ten-minute mark. This also worked well on the many Citi bike rides I reluctantly took in New York City, and the Pixel Watch 3’s GPS tracking matched the Lyft app’s log every time. Only twice in about a dozen walks and bike rides did the Apple Watch Series 9 I was also wearing record these activities, probably because it has a higher threshold of about 20 minutes of activity to hit before it would register something.
Of course, the Galaxy Ring was the best at this, logging every little walk I took even if it was a mere quarter-mile journey that took just five to seven minutes. But that’s a completely different gadget that served a different purpose, so I won’t mention it much more in this piece.
With the Pixel Watch 3, Google introduced a few new features around running and cardio activities. You can now create custom running workouts, with specific segments for sprinting and resting. I found this very easy to use, and had no trouble setting up a short session with a 5-minute warmup, one-minute sprint, one-minute rest, a repeat of the run and rest segments, followed by a 5-minute cooldown. (I know, that’s the best running workout ever, very productive and demure.)
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For the sprint segments, I had the choice of setting targets for pace, heart rate, distance or duration. When I eventually got into those windows when I was on the treadmill, it was clear I had overestimated my ability to hit an 8-minute mile speed, even for just a minute. I had pushed the treadmill to the 8 mph speed setting and was still getting alerts from the Pixel Watch 3 to hurry it up. I could barely guess what number I needed to be at to meet the mark that the watch helpfully displayed on a spectrum on the left of the screen.
This is certainly not a tool for running newbies, who would be better served with some of the coaching tools in Fitbit Premium (or an app like Couch To 5K). But for runners with cadence and speed goals or those who only want to go fast enough to be in a fat-burning heart rate zone, this would be a useful tool. I liked letting the watch tell me when to run for my life and when I could catch my breath, but otherwise as a casual runner I was less impressed and more intrigued by its potential. Digging into the data was fun and insightful, and I have a general sense of what I could do better if I wanted to improve.
When I was back to my regularly scheduled training program, I used both the Apple Watch Series 9 and the Pixel Watch 3 in my F45 HIIT, cardio and weight-training classes. During every session, both watches were never more than a beat or two from each other when it came to stats like my heart rate, cardio zone and calories burned. At the end of each workout, both devices delivered recaps on my performance, and I have a slight preference for how Apple lays out the information. I appreciate that Google congratulates and encourages me for having completed a workout, but its little celebratory graphic at the top just takes up space. I also like that the words on Apple’s interface are slightly easier to read.
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The Pixel Watch 3 also delivers a new stat called “Cardio load,” which can be used in tandem with your daily readiness score to help you train at a level that’s suitable for your energy expenditure. If you’ve already done a lot that week, you might get a high Cardio Load number, which could mean a lower target the next day, depending on how well you’ve recovered. The latter figure is determined primarily by your sleep, and you’ll only start seeing your readiness scores after having worn the Pixel Watch 3 to sleep on at least seven nights.
I am a fussy sleeper and wearing anything on my wrist keeps me awake, and I wasn’t able to test the Pixel Watch 3’s sleep-tracking or readiness scores. But Sam has been wearing his 45mm model to bed and in his experience the Pixel Watch 3 remains as accurate a sleep tracker as its predecessors.
Daily readiness is a feature that used to be limited to Fitbit Premium subscribers, and it’s now available for free to all Pixel Watch owners, which is nice. Like the cardio load number, this score is not something I can easily evaluate. Not only is it a somewhat nebulous idea (how should I go about counting my cardio load during a HIIT session, for example), its utility is also dubious.
Cherlynn Low for Engadget
I’m not saying this is a bad feature, particularly since I haven’t spent much time with it. I have used other sleep trackers in the past that would assign sleep scores and similar readiness results. The most I’ve ever done with that data is try to get a day off when I was told I had an awful night’s sleep. And that didn’t even work in my favor since none of my managers ever cared about that type of info.
I like the idea of balancing activity and recovery, and applaud Google for making a more concerted effort to encourage that with the Pixel Watch 3. This is one of those features that’s up to the user to make the most of, and is highly subjective, depending on each person’s thirst for data and validation.
Another metric that’s notoriously difficult to verify and do anything with is stress-tracking. On multiple occasions during my testing, the Pixel Watch 3 buzzed and told me it detected “potential signs of stress or excitement,” along with the time it noted that reaction. These alerts typically came in ten minutes after the fact, by which point whatever was exciting or stressing me out was usually over. One time, I remembered to look at the clock after I was agitated by a bad driver in an extremely congested lane going into the Holland Tunnel. Ten minutes later, I was greeted by the Pixel Watch 3, saying it noticed my frustration, exactly when I checked the time earlier.
Cherlynn Low for Engadget
I was impressed by the accuracy of the observation, but otherwise didn’t quite know what to do with the information. The alerts were vaguely worded (probably deliberately so), and you have the option of logging your mood or starting a mindful activity in the moment. It’s not always easy to remember why I was annoyed or excited ten minutes ago, so I ended up either guessing or simply shrugging. Even if Google were to tally up the number of times I had these reactions, I have to wonder if having emotional reactions might just be a normal part of life. There is something useful to be observed here, I’m sure, but I’m not certain that this feature is fully baked just yet.
One more thing that Google brought with the Pixel Watch 3 is “loss of pulse detection” — a feature that is supposed to sense when the wearer has a heart beat. If you’re having a cardiac arrest or respiratory failure, the device can check if you’re responsive and ping emergency contacts if necessary. Thankfully, I didn’t have a cardiac anomaly during the two weeks I’ve had the Pixel Watch 3, and never had a chance to test this feature out. But I can also say that it hasn’t been triggered inaccurately or accidentally so far.
In use — Wear OS 5 still needs some work
If you’re already familiar with Wear OS, the latest version of the software won’t feel foreign. Swiping up, down or sideways will still bring up notifications, settings and tiles. Pressing the crown will pull up all apps, where you’ll find icons laid out in a grid not unlike that on watchOS.
There are a few new features on the Pixel Watch 3 that other Wear OS watches like the Galaxy Watch won’t have. For one, the Fitbit-powered morning briefing is supposed to appear every day with details on your readiness and cardio load scores and targets. But Sam and I both wish it was more obvious. Instead of just appearing when you first put the watch on every day, you’ll just see a small icon at the bottom of the home screen. It would even be preferable if the briefing showed up at the top of the notifications list each morning. This isn’t a major gripe though, seeing as neither Apple nor Samsung surface this data either.
Wear OS could also use some tweaking. Sam wishes basic functions like timers and stopwatches were easier to get to, though personally I don’t mind relying on asking the Assistant for those tasks. And though many of the available watch faces are nice, Sam wishes there were more options, as “nothing really stood out.”
I used both the Pixel Watch 3 and the Apple Watch Series 9 to navigate to a brewery in Red Hook, and the two devices fared similarly. I will say that Apple’s GPS seemed more responsive, pinging me earlier than Google’s to take upcoming turns. It even alerted me when I was basically at the entrance to the bar, whereas the Pixel Watch didn’t seem to realize I was at my destination even after I was seated inside the establishment.
Finally, an area you’ll be spending a lot of time as a Pixel Watch 3 wearer is the Fitbit app on your phone. And the Watch app as well. Neither of these have changed much, and they’re clean and easy to use. I feel like there’s a lot of blank space that makes the interface feel sparse, and could possibly be put to better use and improve readability. But, again, that’s not at all a complaint and, as it is, the app functions fine.
The Pixel Watch 3’s battery life: Huge improvement
The Pixel Watch 3’s biggest win is arguably its battery life. Google managed to prolong its runtime by quite a lot, ostensibly by doing a few things. First, the Actua displays’ ability to drop to 1Hz when a high refresh rate is unnecessary probably helped conserve some battery. Wear OS 5 might actually be more power-efficient as well and combined with the watch’s dual-chip architecture there were some gains made. Throw in the new auto bedtime mode that turns off notifications and the Always On Display when you’re asleep, and you’ve got a watch that finally lasts well into the morning after a full day and night.
According to Sam, the auto bedtime mode is effective, and “the screen has stayed off for me reliably every night.” To be clear, even in auto bedtime mode, the Pixel Watch 3 will still track your sleep, so you’re not sacrificing precious data in exchange for battery life. It’s also nice to not have to panic about putting the device on its charger the second you wake up.
Both Sam and I found our review units typically lasted at least a day and a half, with the 45mm version staying around a few hours longer in general. My 41mm model was neck and neck with my Apple Watch Series 9, with both wearables hitting about 15 percent at about 11pm after a day out. This number depends on how much you’ve actively used the Pixel Watch 3, of course. A day of numerous Citi bike rides tracked later and my unit was down to 30 percent the next morning, and though the Apple Watch had a bit more juice that same period, it barely logged any of the activity.
If you’re in a pinch, you should be able to squeeze a couple of hours more juice when you turn on Battery Saver mode. According to Google, you should be able to get 24 hours of use on a Pixel Watch 3, and the power-saving mode should extend that to 36 hours, by disabling the Always On Display and limiting background app activity.
One of the best improvements to the Pixel Watch 3 is its charging speed. The 41mm Pixel Watch 3 has basically the same size battery as its predecessor, but as it charges 20 percent faster, it’ll get to 100 percent in 15 minutes less time than before. That’s even if you place it on last year’s charger, meaning the tweaks happened on the watch itself, not on the charging cradle.
Cherlynn Low for Engadget
Wrap-up
It only took three generations. But for the first time, the Pixel Watch feels ready to unseat Samsung’s Galaxy Watch as the best smartwatch for non-Apple users. Those on iPhones will probably find it easier to continue to stay in their ecosystems, but if you’re looking for an Android answer to the Apple Watch, the Pixel Watch 3 might be it. People who own Samsung devices will likely benefit from the integrations with Galaxy phones, of course. So part of the Pixel Watch’s success here has to do with whether people have already bought into Google’s brand
Which brings me to what this means for Google’s greater hardware plans. One of the main reasons it’s hard to leave Apple for Android has been the former’s seamless vertical integration. Features like AirDrop and AirPlay make inter-device interaction so easy that there’s no good substitute elsewhere. Then there’s the RCS vs iMessage, green-bubble-blue-bubble stigma that locks people into iPhones, keeping many from switching.
Getting the Pixel Watch 3 to a point that’s as good as an Apple Watch is a major step towards vertical product integration parity, and could give Google a better shot at gaining and retaining new users. A lot of this will have to do with awareness and marketing, sure, but at the very least, Google finally has a solid smartwatch with which to start.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/wearables/pixel-watch-3-review-google-finally-got-it-right-especially-with-the-battery-life-170005758.html?src=rss
Today, on the franchise's 10th anniversary, Bungie has released its roadmapDestiny 2. Buckle up, as we have quite some ground to cover.
Bungie will now release two expansions a year instead of only one. These expansions won’t be as large, but the team promises to make them interesting. They’ve already begun testing “non-linear campaigns, exploration experiences similar to the Dreaming City or Metroidvanias, and even more unusual formats like roguelikes or survival shooters.” Plus, they want to bring back the feeling of mystery older campaign storylines had.
Bungie
Since the expansion model has changed, so will the seasonal model. There will now be four major updates each year, one released every three months. Two of the major updates will coincide with the release of the biannual expansions. These updates contain various activities, weekly events, features and most importantly, rewards. Other changes include reworking the UI (the Director) and reward model, along with improving the Challenge Customization system.
Starting in Summer 2025, players can experience the first expansion of the year (right now it's been codenamed Apollo). Unlike older content, this expansion is a nonlinear adventure that lets you step into the boots of different characters at different times. The developers promise that the story will flow smoothly despite the nonlinearity. Other than the assumption that it will go live about six months after Apollo, there are no details yet on the second upcoming expansion (which they're calling Behemoth internally), so you’ll have to stay tuned for future updates.
These plans are ambitious, so let's hope Bungie can pull them off. Destiny 2's current expansion, The Final Shape, was delayed — a decision that was preceded a month earlier by layoffs at the studio.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/heres-bungies-roadmap-for-destiny-2-163138384.html?src=rss
We likely won't have to wait much longer to get all the official details on the PlayStation 5 Pro. Sony has announced a PlayStation 5 Technical Presentation that it will stream at 11AM ET on September 10 on the PlayStation YouTube channel.
All indications point toward this being the official unveiling of the PS5 Pro. Mark Cerny, the lead architect of the PS5, will host the stream, which will focus on the "PS5 and innovations in gaming technology." This comes just a few days after Sony teased a redesigned PS5 in an image that lines up with various PS5 Pro leaks. It was also expected that the company would unveil the PS5 Pro in mid-September ahead of the holiday shopping season.
Add all that up, plus a tagline that reads "The Journey Continues" in a teaser video, and it's pretty clear what's in store. For what it's worth, Cerny detailed the PS5's specs from behind a lectern in a 2020 livestream (Sony had to pivot from a planned Game Developers Conference talk after COVID-19 took hold).
The PS5 Pro rumor mill suggests that the mid-cycle refresh will deliver improved and consistent frame rates at 4K resolution as well as an 8K performance mode in supported games. Game rendering is said to be 45 percent faster than on the standard PS5, while the Pro's ray-tracing capabilities are reportedly two to three times faster.
Tune in tomorrow for a PlayStation 5 Technical Presentation hosted by Mark Cerny
Update, September 10 2024, 9:05AM ET: This story has been updated with a link to the PlayStation livestream.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstation/sony-looks-set-to-announce-the-ps5-pro-today-in-a-strangely-short-livestream-152342331.html?src=rss
The black version of Apple’s latest Magic Mouse accessory is just $85 via Amazon, which is a discount of $15. This is nearly a record low price, as this colorway rarely goes on sale.
This is a wireless Bluetooth mouse specifically made for Apple products like Mac desktops and iPads. If you’ve ever owned an iMac or even a Mac tower, you know the drill. It’s a good mouse. It pairs quickly and gets the job done. No muss and no fuss.
There’s a multi-touch surface that allows for gestural controls like swiping and scrolling, which is pretty cool. The mouse also boasts an optimized foot design for better gliding across surfaces. This isn’t one of those older models powered by AA batteries. There’s an internal battery pack that lasts around a month before requiring a trip to the USB-C port for a charge. To that end, it ships with a fairly high-end woven USB-C cable.
That leads me to the one major caveat with Apple’s Magic Mouse. Though the mouse doesn’t have to charge often, this process is kind of annoying. The port is on the underside of the accessory, so you can’t use it while charging. It just turns into a useless, upside-down brick. Maybe whoever finalized the port placement was a nepotism hire.
As for requirements, you need a Bluetooth-enabled Mac with OS X 10.11 or later or an iPad with iPadOS 13.4 or later. For those who don’t care about colorways, the original white model is not on sale, but it is cheaper at just $68.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/apples-black-magic-mouse-drops-to-85-in-a-rare-deal-151352919.html?src=rss