Thursday, February 20, 2025

GoPro unveils a much cheaper 360-degree camera, but it’s not the all-new Max 2 that we’ve been waiting for

  • GoPro refreshes the Max 360-degree camera with modest hardware updates
  • New 360 modes added to GoPro's Quik app, including object tracking
  • A big price drop lowers the list price to $349.99 / £349.99 / AU$599.95

GoPro has announced a 360-degree camera, but it's not the Max 2 that we've been waiting years for. No, it's a refreshed Max with a couple of hardware tweaks – and a very welcome price drop.

The new camera has an upgraded mounting system for compatibility with all 1/4-20 tripod mounts, plus GoPro's latest Enduro battery for improved battery life – and that all that's new. However, the 'new' Max comes with a sizable price drop, with a new list price of $349.99 / £349.99 / AU$599.95.

It has the same image-making skills as the original Max, including 5.6K video from its twin lenses with complete 360-degree coverage. However, GoPro has improved its Quik app for the Max with new 360-degree features, including a neat-looking AI-powered object tracking that keeps your selected subject in the center of the action.

We haven't tried the new modes in the app yet, but 360-degree video edits can be a time sink, so any smart features that simplify the process are welcome.

Refreshing a five-year-old camera with minor hardware tweaks, amid the backdrop of a much delayed successor, feels like a puzzling decision on the part of GoPro. So what are we to make of the Max relaunch?

Image of the rear of a GoPro Max 360-degree action camera, including its screen

The original Max was launch in 2020 and is long overdue a successor if GoPro is to challenge new market leader Insta360. (Image credit: TechRadar)

Will we ever see the GoPro Max 2?

The biggest news here is the price drop compared to the original Max – a drop of around a third. GoPro's hand was forced here, because its dated Max camera previously cost the same as the superior-in-every-way Insta360 X4 – the best 360-degree camera available with powerful features including 8K video.

We're keen to give the improved Quik app a spin – in addition to smart object tracking, it also offers keyframing to set precise views, CameraFX for cinematic camera movements, smooth auto transitions between clips, edits to single clips, and a frame-grab tool for exporting stills from your video clips. Combined, these new skills could provide an Insta360-beating editing experience.

However, refreshing the Max only serves to heighten the question – where is the Max 2? It's been delayed time and again, and we're wondering if it will ever materialize.

I'm still hoping that we'll see GoPro's all-new and improved 360-degree camera in 2025 – and at this point it will need to be a big upgrade, with 8K video and more in order to effectively rival Insta360's X4. The leading action camera maker typically saves its most exciting launches for September, so that could be a realistic scenario – we'll be sure to share any Max 2 updates as and when we get them.

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How to Do Fartlek Runs (and Seven Different Kinds to Try)

Fartleks are a well-known and popular running workout—or at least they’re something runners talk about all the time. But how many of us have gone out and said “I’m doing a fartlek today” and actually followed through with it? The original idea is that the workout is unstructured (the name means “speed play”) so it’s hard to plan one. Here’s what you need to know about fartleks, and some guidelines to setting yourself up for a fun and productive one.

What counts as a fartlek run? 

“Fartlek” comes from a Swedish term meaning “speed play,” and it’s usually described as something you just go out and do for funsies. You choose a landmark—say, a mailbox up ahead—and decide to run faster until you get to it. Then you slow down again. 

Most runners and coaches would agree on that description, but when you try to nail down a definition of the fartlek run, things start to fall apart. If you run fast for one minute and slow for four, is that a fartlek, or just a time-based interval? Can you run fartleks at a specific pace, or just off vibes? I even saw one post on Reddit that claimed it’s not a real farlek if you know how long you’ll be running each segment—you need a coach to blow a whistle when you least expect it. 

Still, these are some commonalities among the descriptions I’ve read, and we can use them to guide us: 

  • A fartlek run includes short segments of faster and slower running.

  • The slower running is still running, usually around your easy pace. So this isn’t a sprint-and-walk situation, more like jog-and-surge. (If you need to walk those recoveries, keep your pace strong and powerful.) 

  • Precise paces and times are not required.

  • The faster segments should be short, and the easy segments should be longer.

  • Your cues to speed up and slow down may come from your environment, your training partners, your whims, or a loose plan you had when you set out.

  • A fartlek run should feel harder than an easy run.

Why run a fartlek? 

The benefits of fartlek runs will depend on how you do them. Some fartleks are basically a threshold run, some end up being long runs with some marathon-pace work in the middle, and some are just standard speedwork with a different name. These will all have different benefits. If a coach or written program tells you to do a “fartlek run,” make sure to get clarification on what that’s supposed to mean. 

Here are some of the reasons commonly given for including fartlek runs in a program: 

  • If the runner chooses their own intervals, it can be fun and playful, sort of a mental break from structured training. 

  • Since there are no strict pace targets, it can serve as a transition between easy running and introducing more structured speedwork (for example, as you finish your off-season and start training for a race).

  • The variety in the run can make it a little less boring than a standard threshold or long run.

  • You can’t compare your times or paces to what you’ve done previously, since every fartlek is different. This can help if you get anxious about whether you’re “improving” enough. 

Examples of fartlek runs you can try today

So we have some guidelines, and we know when and why we might try a fartlek run. With that, you can pretty much put together your own version—but I’d like to give a few examples to start you off. There are no wrong answers, so feel free to add your own!

For any of these, plan to start and end your run with at least five to 10 minutes of easy jogging (or however you like to warm up and cool down). 

The music fartlek

You’ll need a good playlist for this one. (Fortunately, we have a guide from our resident spinning instructor on how to craft a great one.) When the song is slow, jog easy. When the chorus picks up the energy a bit, you can too. And if it hits a big, emotional bridge—you know what to do. 

You can also do this same idea song by song. Alternate chill songs with higher energy ones, and match that energy to your running speed. Remember, it’s a fartlek, so you can always skip or repeat a song as you see fit.

The hill fartlek

Do you have a route with some little hills or challenging parts here and there? Jog easy, but when you hit one of those special spots, put on a little extra speed and surge up that hill. Or, if the hills are too steep for that to be realistic, choose flat straightaways or downhills where you can really open it up and get your legs moving. 

The lightpole fartlek

This one is good for some distance-based guidelines if you run in a place with lightpoles, mailboxes, or some similar repetitive structure. Starting at one pole, run fast until you hit the next one, then jog easy until you pass two or three more. 

“Haul ass” triggers

I love this idea, which came from an old Reddit comment. The redditor says: “I learned about fartlek runs in the US Army, and still to this day I have certain spots in my routes that I consider ‘haul ass’ segments. I also have a rule that if certain songs come up in my play list when set to shuffle, that's sprint mode or skip the song.”

This is like a speedwork version of the “run until” challenge. The “haul ass” segments could be a favorite hill or straightaway, as we discussed above, but you could come up with more creative options as well. Here are a few: If you pass a picnic with a boom box blasting, run faster for as long as it’s in earshot. If you see a cute dog or a cool-looking bird, run faster for 30 seconds. And of course, every park runner’s favorite, “pass that person in front of me.” They don’t have to know you think it’s a race. 

The partner fartlek

This one is like the “pick a mailbox” type of fartlek, but the catch is that you and your running buddy get to take turns. This can be playful, vicious, or anything in between, depending on how you and your buddy get along. (He made me run a real long one? OK, I’ll make him sprint up this hill!)

Time-based fartleks

Some will say these aren’t true fartleks, but sorry—plenty of people run time-based intervals with loose pace targets and call them fartleks. Here are a few I’ve seen: 

  • 1 minute fast/4 minutes easy

  • Pyramid up and down: 1 minute fast, 1 minute easy, then 2 of each, 3 of each, then 2, then 1. Jog easy for a bit before starting the next pyramid.

  • Descending only: 5 minutes fast, 5 easy, then 4, 3, 2, and 1.

The treadmill fartlek

I’m now realizing that some of my ways to make the treadmill less boring are, in fact, fartleks. My favorite is the simple rule to “change something every quarter-mile.” That could mean an increase in speed, or a decrease in speed. A little bump to the incline. Maybe I just try to get this last quarter-mile over with as fast as possible. 

Again, make up your own rules. You could do time-based intervals as above, or choose triggers like sprinting for 30 seconds whenever a number 7 comes up on any of the readouts in front of you. 



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Wednesday, February 19, 2025

Wicked conjures up a March streaming release date on Peacock, and I'm sad that I won't be able to watch it before the 2025 Oscars

  • Wicked Part One has finally conjured up a streaming release date on Peacock
  • The Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande-starring musical movie will arrive on March 21
  • That means fans of the hit film won't be able to watch it at home before the 2025 Oscars

Get ready to sing your lungs out, everyone, because Wicked has finally landed a streaming release date.

That's right, Universal Pictures' hit film adaptation of the beloved Broadway musical of the same name is set to be released on Peacock in the US next month. Indeed, it'll make its streaming debut on the NBCUniversal-owned service on Friday, March 21. At the time of this article's publication, that's just over a month from now.

That's the good news. The bad news is that Wicked – or, to give its full title, Wicked: Part One – won't be available to watch at home before this year's Academy Awards ceremony. The 2025 Oscars are set to take place on Sunday, March 3, meaning almost three weeks will have passed before one of 2024's best movies is released on one of the world's best streaming services. If you were hoping to catch the multi-Oscar contender before the glitziest event of the year, then, you're bound to be disappointed.

In some ways, it makes sense that Wicked wouldn't be available to stream on Peacock before the 97th Academy Awards take place. Wicked has been nominated for 10 Oscars following its November 2024 theatrical debut, and I'd be very surprised if its cast and crew don't walk away with a few gongs on the night. There'll be more than a few fans who'll want to check it out on Peacock if (or, rather, when) it's won an award or four. That said, the timing of its streaming debut is a bit strange. Interest in Wicked is likely to be at its highest in the week before and after the 2025 Oscars. To me, then, it would be more logical for it to be released on Peacock on February 24 or March 4.

Anyway, if you're interested in watching any of this year's Best Picture Oscar nominees from the comfort of your own home, check out our guide on where to stream The Substance, Conclave, Anora, The Brutalist, and Wicked's other Academy Award competitors.

Where can I stream Wicked in the UK and Australia?

Elphaba and Glinda standing back to back in a press image for Wicked Part One

UK and Australian viewers will need to rent or buy Wicked from a digital store if they want to stream it (Image credit: Universal Pictures)

Unfortunately, there's no word on when Wicked will be available to stream for 'free' – that is, by way of owning a subscription to a streaming platform – on British or Australian shores. The only way you can currently watch it at home is by renting or buying it from online retailers, such as Amazon, Apple TV, Microsoft, and Sky.

If you're planning on doing so, you'll need to be quick. The Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande-starring movie won't be around for much longer on Amazon and Sky in the UK. As of this article's publication, it's leaving these platforms in three days so, if you're reading this after February 22, you'll be out of luck. Australian audiences only have five days to rent or buy it on Amazon down under, too, so you've got until February 24 to see what all of the fuss is about.

Thankfully, it seems that the Apple and Microsoft stores will still allow you to purchase Wicked permanently or temporarily. Anyone who wants to belt out 'Defying Gravity' from their couch between now and March 3, then, will be able to do so. Just don't be surprised if you get a knock at the door from your slightly annoyed neighbor if you do!

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Here's How the iPhone 16e Compares to the iPhone 16

On Wednesday, Apple refreshed its budget iPhone line. However, this isn't the iPhone SE 4; it's the iPhone 16e. It's the first time in a while Apple has added a letter to its current iPhone series (like the iPhone 6S or iPhone 5c), which might have you wondering: Should I buy the iPhone 16, or the iPhone 16E?

The TL;DR: The iPhone 16e is remarkably similar to the iPhone 16. For most people, this is likely the iPhone to buy, and comes with enough of what you're looking for in the iPhone/iOS experience—especially when you consider the money you save. However, in order to make this iPhone more affordable than its other devices, Apple did have to cut some corners. I doubt many of these decisions will be dealbreakers for people looking to buy an iPhone without spending a ton, but there are some key differences hidden underneath the surface of these two sibling devices.

Display

Whether you buy an iPhone 16 or iPhone 16E, you're going to get a 6.1-inch "Super Retina XDR" display. What that really means is you'll be using a bright, colorful, high-res OLED display that's exactly the same size between both phones.

However, while both iPhones have the same sized 6.1-inch display, the 16e's doesn't get quite as bright. Apple says it typically reaches 800 nits of brightness, and 1200 nits for HDR content. The 16's display, on the other hand, reaches 1000 nits of brightness normally, 1600 nits for HDR content, and 2,000 nits when outdoors. The 16's is also a bit higher res, with a resolution of 2556 x 1179 versus the 16e's 2532 x 1170, but both displays are 460 ppi.

The biggest difference you'll notice, besides how these displays look outdoors, is at the top of the screen. The iPhone 16 has Apple's Dynamic Island, which, aside from housing the Face ID camera, also sports digital widgets for different functions on your iPhone. The 16e, on the other hand, has a traditional notch, the same one you'd find on the iPhone 14. If you're used to the notch, it's going to be the same experience here, but you do miss out of the two key perks of the Dynamic Island: those widgets, and the small bump in screen real estate that comes with shrinking this cutout.

Performance

Both iPhones are running the A18 chip, which is Apple latest iPhone SoC. On the 16e, that gets you a six-core CPU, four-core GPU, and 16-core Neural Engine. That's about the same on the 16, except it gets an extra GPU core. You won't notice that extra core in many simple tasks, but it likely will help during intensive gameplay sessions, as well as for longevity. It's a minor bump, however, and likely not something to base a purchase decision on.

The A18 chip means the iPhone 16e is compatible with Apple Intelligence, which the third-generation iPhone SE (as well as iPhones as new as the iPhone 15) are not. That's a perk if you're really into AI features, but if you're the kind to disable them immediately, you might not care for it.

Camera

Flip the 16 and 16e around, and you'll notice a big difference right away: The 16e only has one camera, while the 16 has two.

That solo camera on the 16e is quite similar to the 16's main shooter: They're both 26mm 48MP "fusion" lenses, with an aperture of ƒ/1.6. The 16e's has optical image stabilization, while the 16's has "sensor‑shift" optical image stabilization, which can offer a quicker stabilization. The 16e has "Hybrid Focus Pixels" while the 16 has "100% Focus Pixels:" That means all the pixels in the iPhone 16 are used to focus the image, while only some are used on the 16e. Both cameras offer "super-high-resolution" photos, in both 24MP and 48MP options. Both cameras also support 12MP "2x telephoto" zoom at 52mm.

You also get a number of perks on both iPhones: 10x digital zoom, night mode, portrait mode, etc. Based on paper specs, you'll probably achieve similar results between both of these cameras. However, what you're missing on the 16e is the 12MP ultra-wide lens. If you're going to pick one camera, you'll want the main shooter, but it is nice to have the ultra-wide for those times it's difficult to get your entire subject in frame at once.

The iPhone 16 also comes with some video perks over the iPhone 16e, including 4K Dolby Vision cinematic mode, 2.8K Dolby Vision Action mode, Spatial video recording, QuickTake video for 4K Dolby Vision at 60 fps, and Macro video recording. But to be clear, you can shoot normal 4K Dolby Vision video on both iPhones.

On the front, you get the same 12MP selfie camera with an aperture of ƒ/1.9. Where the 16 wins here is in its extra Portrait mode controls and "latest generation" Photographic Styles, but for most selfies and FaceTime calls, there won't be much difference.

Buttons

If you're coming from an older iPhone, you might be surprised to see the omission of a ringer switch. In its place is the Action button, just as you'd find on the iPhone 16. While the Action button can still flip your iPhone to silent mode, you can also assign a different function for it instead. Perhaps you'd rather the Action button launch the camera, your flashlight, or a Shortcut, which opens up the possibilities.

However, the iPhone 16 does come with a button the 16e does not: Camera Control. As the name suggests, this button gives you added controls over your iPhone's camera, including the ability to launch the camera from the button, snap photos, or zoom.

Cellular and battery

The iPhone 16e is Apple's first iPhone to ship with a proprietary cellular modem, which the company calls C1. All other iPhones use modems from Qualcomm. You probably won't notice any network gains from Apple's own C1 modem, but there is one benefit: battery life.

Apple says the 16e has the "best battery life ever on a 6.1-inch iPhone." According to the company's stats, that translates to up to 26 hours of video playback, 21 hours of streaming video, and 90 hours of audio playback. Compare that to the iPhone 16, which achieves up to 22 hours of video playback, 18 hours of streaming video, and 80 hours of audio playback. That said, you won't be charging the iPhone 16e with MagSafe, as the device isn't compatible with Apple's magnetic charging standard. If you don't have any MagSafe products already, you won't notice this omission, but if you do, it might be a frustrating downgrade.

Colors

The iPhone 16e only comes in two colors: Black or White. The 16, on the other hand, Black, White, Pink, Teal, or Ultramarine (purple). It's an interesting choice, but considering how most people slap a case on their iPhones as soon as they buy it, the color probably doesn't matter as much here.

Smaller features

There are a number of smaller features here that are exactly the same: The 16e and 16 both have USB-C, which means you can finally ditch your Lightning cables (unless you still have Lightning accessories).

You can also treat both the same around water, since the 16 and 16e are rated IP68 water and dust resistant. That means the phones can handle submersion in six meters of water for up to 30 minutes.

Both the 16 and the 16e come in three storage sizes: 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB. They're quite similar in size and weight, too. iPhone 16e is 5.78 x 2.82 x 0.31 inches, and weighs 5.88 ounces, while the iPhone 16 is 5.81 x 2.82 x 0.31 inches and weighs six ounces.

Price

Objectively, the iPhone 16 is a better iPhone than the 16e, since it's essentially a 16e, just with a bunch of added perks (minus the extra battery life, that is). However, the price is what is supposed to make the 16e the bargain here. The iPhone 16 starts at $799, which, while cheaper than the $999 iPhone 16 Pro, is still quite expensive.

The 16e is indeed less expensive, but it isn't cheap. It starts at $599 for the 128GB model. The iPhone SE 3, on the other hand, launched at $429, which itself was $30 more expensive than the iPhone SE 2 before it. "Budget" iPhone clearly means something different now.

Everything is pricey these days, which needs to be taken into consideration here. Yesterday, you could buy an iPhone 16 for $800. Soon, you can pre-order most of the 16's best features in the 16e for $600. If you can live without the brighter screen, the Camera Control button, the ultra-wide camera, and the extra photography controls, that's $200 well saved. Plus, you won't need to run to find a charger as frequently as you would with the iPhone 16.

Pre-orders for the 16e start Feb. 21. The iPhone will be available starting Feb. 28.



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Tuesday, February 18, 2025

Fortnite: Lawless gets first trailer highlighting the new season's battle pass roster and the chaos of Crime City

  • The first teaser trailer for Fortnite Chapter 6 Season 2: Lawless has been released
  • The next season will take place in Crime City and will feature a train heist
  • Characters like Bill Dill, Midas, Sub-Zero, and more will be featured in the Battle Pass

Epic Games has released the first trailer for Fortnite Chapter 6 Season 2: Lawless ahead of its launch this week.

The next season will take players to Crime City, "where the hustle never stops," and with the new cinematic trailer, we finally got a chance to see the location in all its chaotic glory, alongside a bunch of new characters who will be featured in the upcoming Battle Pass.

It also seems rumors about this chapter featuring another heist are true, as the video kicks off with Big Dill, a playable pickle, robbing a bank while his song 'Runamok' plays throughout the trailer.

"Ransack Fletcher Kane’s banks, pull off a train heist and make an explosive getaway in Battle Royale Chapter 6 Season 2: Lawless," the description confirms.

The trailer soon devolves into mayhem as the bag of gold bars Dill robbed gets handed from one character to the other until it eventually lands in the hands of a mob boss wolfman, who appears to be the antagonist of the season.

We also got our first look at Midas' new look, a returning character who first appeared in Chapter 2 Season 1, and some gameplay within Crime City as players cause trouble with what appears to be a new laser weapon.

Epic Games just confirmed that Mortal Kombat's Sub-Zero will be featured in the new Battle Pass, making him the franchise's first character to be added to the game. Sub-Zero's abilities haven't been detailed just yet, but the trailer did offer a glimpse at his ice powers.

Fortnite Chapter 6 Season 2: Lawless is scheduled to begin on February 21, 2025.

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The Apple Watch Series 7 Is $250 Right Now

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication.

If you like the idea of running errands or going for a jog without lugging your phone around, the Apple Watch Series 7 (GPS + Cellular) is down to $249.99 on Woot. That’s a $500 discount on its original $749 price tag, but the deal is only live for two days or until it sells out.

If you’re an Amazon Prime member, you get free standard shipping, while others will have to pay $6 (keep in mind that Woot won’t ship to Alaska, Hawaii, PO boxes, or APO addresses).

Now, if you’re wondering why you should care about the cellular version over the regular GPS model, it's because it doesn’t need to be tethered to your iPhone to have a connection. You can take calls, reply to messages, stream Apple Music, and use Apple Pay without having your phone nearby. That’s especially useful if you like to run without your phone or leave it behind while at the gym.

PCMag called the Series 7 the “Best Smartwatch of the Year 2021” and gave it an Editor's Choice award when it launched, thanks to its larger display (meaning bigger buttons, a full QWERTY keyboard for texting, and an easier-to-read interface) and fast charging capabilities, going from 0 to 80% in about 45 minutes (helpful if you use sleep tracking and don’t want to take it off for long). Of course, it's a couple of years old at this point (the Series 10 is the most recent generation), but the Series 7 is still a solid option if you don't care about having the absolutely newest tech available.

The Series 7 also comes with an IP6X and WR50 rating, offering strong dust resistance for outdoor workouts and water resistance up to 50 meters (so you can wear it in the shower or take it poolside without worry). Additionally, this model comes with Apple’s limited one-year hardware warranty, which is a nice safety net.

Like other Apple Watches, the Series 7 has a full set of health features including heart rate monitoring, ECG, blood oxygen tracking, always-on altimeter, and sleep tracking, among others. It also keeps an eye on your well-being, notifying you if it detects potentially harmful noise levels or irregular heart rhythms, plus fall detection—automatically dialing for help if you take a hard fall and don’t respond. That said, its battery life is around 18 hours, so you’ll need to charge it regularly, which isn’t great, but that’s the Apple Watch standard. If you want something that lasts multiple days, the Ultra models are better, but they cost a lot more.



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Why the Apple TV App Is Better on Android Than iPhone

After five long years, Apple TV has made it to Android phones and tablets, bringing a polished and Apple-like interface to every Android device out there. You can finally binge-watch Severance on your Samsung smartphone (as you very much should), and if you're like me, you might actually prefer it there than on iPhone.

The Apple TV app for Android, it turns out, is a stripped down version of the TV app from iPhone and iPad, not including content from partner streaming services or the ability to buy or rent movies. But it's this stripped down approach that actually makes the Android app better than the iPhone counterpart, at least in my opinion. In the language of Dieter Rams, "good design is as little design as possible".

When you open the Apple TV app on Android, the Apple TV+ tab is the default option, showing your Apple TV+ queue and top TV shows and movies right up top. The only other content option is Apple's MLS sports streaming add-on, which gets its own distinct tab, too.

On the iPhone and iPad, meanwhile, the TV app is actually much bigger than just Apple TV+. It carries subscription add-ons for different services like Disney+, Prime Video, Starz, Hulu, Peacock, and more. Plus, you can also use the app to rent or buy movies. This means that when you open the Apple TV app, you might be greeted by a banner for a new movie you've been wanting to see, thinking it's been added to Apple TV+ for free. However, clicking in will greet you with a big buy button, instead.

Because Apple TV's interface is incredibly simple and there's no sections dividing up services (save for Apple's own), that can get confusing fast.

Downloading TV shows on Apple TV app on Android.
Credit: Khamosh Pathak

Compare that to Android, where the Apple TV app still carries the same design language, same polished interface, and the same minimal media player, but just feels better to use because there are no distractions and no hoops to jump through.

On the iPhone or iPad app, I've come to dread the extra step of navigating to the dedicated Apple TV+ tab before I look for streaming content. On Android, that's already the default. Android also has a dedicated Downloads tab, while on the iOS and iPadOS app, you first have to switch to the Library tab to see your Downloads. Everything takes an extra step on the iPhone app.

I sincerely hope that Apple is inspired by this feedback and works on making the iPhone app simpler, but given the nature of the product and all the things that the app does, it might be better to make the Apple TV+ app a separate entity by itself, kind of like the Apple TV app on Android.

The Apple TV app on Android comes with a one-week free trial for Apple TV+, and then it's the same $9.99/month subscription as elsewhere. While the app is quite feature-rich, it does lack the Cast feature, so you can't just stream content to a TV via your Android smartphone. Aside from that, though, everything I need is here, including my watch list, offline downloads and picture-in-picture.



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Monday, February 17, 2025

Hell freezes, pigs fly: Rumor has it that Intel could merge with AMD's former foundry in potential multi-billion deal

  • GlobalFoundries was spun off when AMD decided to go fabless 16 years ago
  • Thomas Caulfield’s leadership made GloFo profitable; now rumors link him to Intel
  • A merger could help Intel, but regulatory hurdles might block the deal

GlobalFoundries (GloFlo) was founded in March 2009 when a struggling AMD spun off its manufacturing division to go fabless, a move designed to help it survive in the highly competitive semiconductor industry.

GloFo eventually became a key player in the foundry business, with a global manufacturing footprint across the US, Europe, and Asia, focusing on specialty chips rather than competing at the leading edge. Under the leadership of Thomas Caulfield, who became CEO in 2018, GlobalFoundries pursued a strategy that led it to become the third-largest semiconductor foundry by revenue, and a public listing in 2021.

However, speculation is currently brewing that Caulfield could be set to become the next CEO of AMD’s long time chip rival, Intel. As reported by eeNews Europe, the rumors began following an unexpected leadership change at GlobalFoundries. Caulfield is set to move from CEO to executive chairman, with Tim Breen, who has also been at the company since 2018, taking over as CEO. This shift has led observers to question whether Caulfield may be preparing for a leadership role at Intel, which has been without a permanent CEO since Pat Gelsinger’s departure in December 2024.

Regulatory hurdles

Caulfield has extensive experience in semiconductor manufacturing but has not led a product company like Intel. This has fueled suggestions that instead of simply taking over as CEO, he could oversee a merger between Intel and GloFo. In such a scenario, eeNews Europe suggests that Caulfield would become executive chair of the combined entity, with Michelle Johnston Holthaus leading Intel’s product business and Breen integrating GlobalFoundries into Intel Foundry.

A merger would definitely benefit both parties. While AMD has seen its fortunes soar in recent times, intel has been struggling. Joining forces with GlobalFoundries could allow the merged company to offer a broader range of manufacturing capabilities.

Adding further fuel to the rumor mill, eeNews Europe reports that observers on a Reddit stream noted a recent purchase of 8,913,000 Intel shares at $19.29. This unusual transaction occurred two days before GlobalFoundries announced its leadership changes, drawing comparisons to the $172 million stock incentive given to Gelsinger when he became Intel’s CEO in 2021.

Any potential merger would of course face regulatory hurdles, particularly in China, which previously blocked Intel’s attempt to acquire Tower Semiconductor. If approval proves difficult, eeNews Europe suggests Intel could appoint Caulfield as CEO while maintaining close ties with GlobalFoundries.

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DeepSeek blocked from app stores in South Korea

  • South Korea privacy watchdog has temporarily halted downloads of DeepSeek
  • DeepSeek is working with authorities to get compliant
  • Latest in a series of privacy concerns raised about AI chatbots

South Korea’s Personal Information Protection Commission (PIPC) has temporarily halted new downloads of Chinese-owned AI chatbot DeepSeek.

Reports from TechCrunch confirm the app is still up and running for those who have already installed it, and that the decision won’t affect usage of the app - but new downloads will be halted until the Chinese firm complies with Korean privacy laws.

South Korea isn’t the first to ban new downloads of the chatbot, with the model disappearing from the Italian App store and Google Play Store in late January 2025 after the country’s data watchdog filed a privacy complaint and asked for information on how DeepSeek handles users’ personal information.

Recurring concerns

DeepSeek has since appointed a local representative to work with authorities in South Korea, but the data protection agency has said it ‘strongly advises’ current users to refrain from entering personal data into DeepSeek until a final decision is made - here’s everything we know so far.

The restriction is temporary whilst the PIPC assesses the use and storage of data by DeepSeek, but the agency confirms the model will be available for download once it is compliant.

The PIPC found DeepSeek had transferred the data of South Korean users to ByteDance - TikTok’s parent company. TikTok, as many will remember well - was briefly banned in the US over privacy and security concerns.

DeepSeek isn’t the first AI model to come under scrutiny for privacy concerns. The nature of Large Language Models is a bit of a privacy minefield since they scrape every corner of the internet for data to train their models - without the consent of the owners/authors/creators of the media they use.

Further than this though, OpenAI has never asked people for permission to use their data, and it’s not possible for a person to get confirmation of what data has been used or stored - or for it to be deleted. This contradicts an important facet of GDPR laws, which protect the right to be forgotten and should guarantee individuals the ability to have their personal data erased upon request.

As the new kid on the block, DeepSeek is in the spotlight for a number of reasons - and there have been legitimate concerns about how the platform collects and stores your personal information like your email address, name, and date of birth, as well as the data you enter into the chatbot, and the technical information of the device you’re using, like IP address, OS, etc.

Using AI safely

So is DeepSeek safe to use? And can it be used whilst maintaining your privacy? Well there are things you can do to mitigate the risks.

As with all LLMs, if you’re concerned about data privacy, using AI is probably not a good idea. LLMs scrape data from the internet without permission, and will use your interactions to add to the pool of data the model is trained with, and that’s not something you can opt out of, DeepSeek included.

If you’re in South Korea or Italy and still want to download DeepSeek, even the best VPN services will need a little extra help - as they don’t spoof your App store location, so you’ll need to download it from elsewhere. This is something we usually advise against, as it can be a really easy way to be tricked into downloading malware - so do so with caution.

In terms of the cybersecurity risks, there have been reports DeepSeek is ‘incredibly vulnerable’ to attacks, and failed to block any harmful prompts when tested, severely underperforming against its rivals.

You should be wary when using these chatbots - especially on a company device or if you work in an industry that has national security connections - there’s a reason both Australian and Indian government departments have blocked the use of DeepSeek from work devices.

A general rule is that users should be especially careful with the information you give to a chatbot. Don’t enter your health information, financial data, or anything that you wouldn’t want a third party to know. Monitor your accounts for any suspicious activity regularly, and flag anything you see as soon as you see it.

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Sunday, February 16, 2025

Want a Blu-ray writer and a 13th-generation Intel Core CPU in your laptop? There's only one place on Earth for it

  • Dynabook and NEC defy industry trends by bringing back optical drives
  • Dynabook T series uses both Blu-ray Disc drive and DVD Super Multi-Drive
  • NEC Lavie N16 opts for only DVD Super Multi-Drive

In somewhat surprising news, Dynabook has released its T series (originally in Japanese), with 13th-generation Intel processors, while NEC has introduced the Lavie N16 (also in Japanese), featuring a mix of AMD Ryzen 7 and Intel 12th-generation processors.

The startling part is that these business laptops, from the Year of Our Lord 2025, contain built-in optical drives. bucking the trend of manufacturers prioritising lightweight portability over physical media playback.

Dynabook T series

Dynabook T Series

(Image credit: Mynavi)

All Dynabook T series laptops feature a 16-inch display with a 16:10 aspect ratio and a resolution of 1920×1200 pixels.

The series is available in four configurations: T5/Y, T6/Y, T7/Y, and T9/Y. That's a careful distinction; Dynabook T9/Y model includes a Blu-ray Disc drive, while the other models come with a DVD Super Multi-Drive.

The T9/Y and T7/Y models are powered by the Intel Core i7-1360P and i7-1355U processors, respectively, and are equipped with dual cooling fans.

Meanwhile, the T6/Y and T5/Y models feature the Intel Core i3-1305U and i5-1335U processors, respectively, relying on a single cooling fan.

The T series supports 16GB or 32GB of RAM and offers storage options ranging from 256GB to 1TB SSD, with the option to upgrade memory via a dedicated access door on the bottom panel.

The T series includes three USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A ports, one Thunderbolt 4 (USB4 Type-C) port, an HDMI output, a wired LAN port, and a microphone/audio jack. It also supports Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3.

The T series starts at approximately 160,000 yen (about $1,046) for the T5/Y model, with the top-tier T9/Y priced at around 280,000 yen (about $1,830).

NEC Lavie N16

NEC Lavie N16

(Image credit: Mynavi)

The Lavie N16, meanwhile, is available in three configurations: the N1675/JA, N1655/JA, and N1635/JA series. All models feature a 16-inch WUXGA IPS LCD with a 16:10 aspect ratio and a resolution of 1920×1200 pixels. Crucially, all contain a DVD Super Multi-Drive.

The top-tier N1675/JA model is powered by an AMD Ryzen 7 7735U processor with a 512GB SSD. The mid-range N1655/JA and base N1635/JA models come with Intel Core i5-1235U and Intel Core i3-1215U processors, respectively, while both have large SSDs of 256GB.

The Lavie N16 includes a USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C port, two USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A ports, an HDMI output, a wired LAN port, a microphone/audio jack, and Wi-Fi 6E.

Pricing for Lavie N16 configurations range from 154,800 yen (about $1,013) up to 184,800 yen (about $1,209).

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Spotify HiFi: release date rumors, price predictions, and everything we know so far

For fans of high-fidelity audio, Spotify HiFi could be the Holy Grail. After unveiling its plans for lossless, CD-quality audio in 2021, audiophiles around the world have been patiently waiting for Spotify to bridge that gap to competitor services like Tidal and Apple Music. Though we still regard it as one of the best music streaming services, Spotify has yet to deliver its highly anticipated HiFi tier - and it's been almost five years.

When it comes to the hi-res audio game, Apple and Amazon are leaps and bounds ahead of Spotify. Since 2021 subscribers of both services have been able to reap the benefits of lossless audio quality at no extra cost, so what's gone wrong with Spotify? It's a question we're still asking ourselves to this day, though the more Spotify unveils about its new plans for new tiered subscriptions, the closer we get to having our hands on its lossless audio.

An iPhone on a red background showing the Spotify app being updated in the App Store.

(Image credit: Spotify / Apple)

Unfortunately, even when Spotify HiFi does drop, we have reason to believe that it will only be available in “select markets” to start. And while Spotify hasn’t said exactly how much the service will cost just yet, we're confident that the Spotify HiFi tier will cost more than the current standard premium subscription which sits at $11.99/ £11.99/ AU$13.99 - and there’s no guarantee that every song in the entire Spotify catalog will have a HiFi version available.

In spite of this very clear downside, we have good reason to believe that Spotify HiFi songs will be available to save and download to your devices for offline listening, which means you should be able to take your new lossless music library with you anywhere.

Ready to make the leap to lossless? Here's everything we know about Spotify HiFi.

Spotify HiFi release date rumors

To cut a long story short, we don't have a specific date we can point to. It's been five years since Spotify unveiled its plans to introduce lossless audio to enhance music listening for its subscribers, which was expected to arrive in 2021. One of the first leaks we came across was back in 2021, when a user on Reddit shared a video with the caption 'Here's a sneak peek at the upcoming HiFi onboarding process from modifying the app', and appears to give prospective HiFi users a backstage tour of the service:

Here's a sneak peek at the upcoming HiFi onboarding process from modifying the app from r/truespotify

Despite sharing this in its Five Things to Know About Spotify HiFi blog post, and confirming that it would be available as an upgrade to Premium, there's still been no addition of HiFi audio.

In 2021 Spotify stated the following; "Beginning later this year, Premium subscribers in select markets will be able to upgrade their sound quality to Spotify HiFi and listen to their favorite songs the way artists intended,". However we've been waiting quite a while for another official update, and now that we've reached 2025, we really have no idea when Spotify HiFi will finally release. Even Spotify CEO Daniel Ek isn't certain, claiming that the delay in adding Spotify HiFi largely comes down to licensing issues.

Aside from licensing rights, the Spotify HiFi delay can be attributed to its undivided attention to its social features such as Spotify Wrapped, and its mission to bring more AI integrations to its user experience; its jarring AI DJ feature and generative Daylist feature (one which I frequent regularly) are two of its most popular AI tools. Recently, we reported on Spotify's plans to 'double down' on music in 2025 which we believe could go down one of two paths; either the long-awaited HiFi tier or more AI advancements.

A screenshot of Spotify's daylist playlists

Spotify's AI generated 'Daylist' feature was introduced in September 2023. (Image credit: Spotify)

It's also worth focusing on that select markets bit as it means we won’t see Spotify HiFi going live in every territory at the same time. Previously, when Spotify has rolled out new features it usually starts with the US and Europe, but now that the service is available in more than 180 markets, it’s hard to say which will be among the first to get the new service.

The other issue you’ll run into regarding Spotify HiFi’s release date – whenever it is eventually announced – is that it’s unlikely that every Spotify Connect device will get the upgrade at the same time – which means some speakers like, say, the Sonos One and PS5 might get it long before your slightly older AV receiver.

Spotify HiFi price predictions

As of right now, there’s no set price for Spotify HiFi so, for now, all we can do is speculate. We had reason to believe that Spotify HiFi would be introduced as a brand new subscription tier, but we've since learned that it may no longer be a standalone tier, nor a new Music Pro feature, but it could be a $5 add-on for the Premium Plan. Spotify Premium currently stands at a monthly cost of $11.99/ £11.99/ AU$13.99 therefore if the $5 add-on rumors are true, we'd venture a guess that Spotify HiFi could cost between $14.99 and $19.99 which feels like a safe bet.

What’s also influencing that guess is the competition: a Tidal subscription will run you $19.99 per month, while Hi-Res Audio streaming services like Qobuz and Deezer cost $14.99 and $11.99 per month. Amazon Music Unlimited and Apple Music are a bit cheaper and now include lossless streaming options, and it's possible Spotify HiFi could be around the same price if it ever launches.

Spotify HiFi audio quality

So, just how good will Spotify HiFi's lossless audio be? It will supposedly sound, at the very least, as good as a CD does – and maybe a bit better.

According to Spotify, Spotify HiFi will stream CD-quality lossless audio to your devices. Ideally, those devices will be connected to a network and capable of using Spotify Connect, otherwise, you’ll have to pipe it over Bluetooth which will likely diminish the quality.

In the absence of Spotify HiFi, you can amend your audio streaming quality in your account settings to add somewhat of an improvement to your listening experience. Just go to your Spotify settings, and tap 'Audio Quality'.

Screen shots o Spotify's audio quality settings

(Image credit: Future)

That’s a heck of a lot better than Spotify's current offering of 320kbps, and will likely bring the service's potential audio quality up to par with Tidal, Deezer, and maybe even Apple’s Digital Masters. Speaking of Apple Digital Masters, there’s always a chance that Spotify might also go above and beyond hi-fi with 96kHz / 24-bit audio, but we’re not holding our breath.

So what does that all mean? In a very practical sense, lossless audio formats have more details and data than their lossy counterparts. That means hearing new details in songs you’ve never heard before that otherwise might’ve been cut out when the data was compressed. It should also sound a bit wider and more immersive, though, a lot of it will depend on which headphones or speakers you use, too.

Spotify HiFi song catalog 

The murkiest detail of all for Spotify HiFi is how many – and which – songs from Spotify’s more than 100 million-song catalog will be included. The safest assumption we can make is that it won't support every song in Spotify's vast catalog, but millions of them should be.

Among those will likely be top hits from major record labels which already distribute the files to other services, while some music from smaller labels and older legacy titles likely won’t make the cut. We’ll keep our ears to the ground for more details on which songs will make the cut, but for now, it’s probably best to keep your CD collection right where it is until new details emerge.

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Hundreds of the world's largest hard disk drive have mysteriously gone on sale online as refurbished model - should you buy them?

  • Need massive storage? Seagate’s Exos 28TB HDD is the current king
  • Recertified models are popping up cheap - but they’re not exactly fresh out the box
  • Some might’ve worked hard in crypto farms before, so check before you buy!

If you’re looking for a high-capacity hard drive, Seagate’s Exos range will definitely appeal to you. The largest internal drive you can buy in retail right now is Seagate's Exos 28TB HDD - when launched in 2024 it overtook the previous record holder, the Western Digital Gold, which maxes out at 24TB.

Seagate doesn’t disclose pricing for the Exos 28TB HDD, but we’ve noticed refurbished versions of the drive on sale for a fraction of what you might expect to pay. This isn’t the first time these cheaper CMR drives have appeared online, and the same warnings we issued about buying them before apply now.

The drives that you’ll find online at the likes of Amazon ($379.99), ServerPartDeals ($364.99), eBay in the UK (£578), as well as other third-party retailers, are all recertified models. That means they are either previously used or customer returns that have been inspected, tested, and restored to full working condition by either Seagate or an authorized third party. In other words, they aren’t brand new, but they have been verified to meet functional standards.

Linked to the Chia scandal?

In the case of Seagate's recertified Exos 28TB, it means you’re getting a tested and refurbished enterprise-grade HDD at a significant discount, but with potentially lower warranty coverage. The drives we’ve found on sale have “Factory Recertified” printed on them, so you know what you’re getting, and (depending on where you buy from) they could come with up to a two-year warranty. That’s interesting, as Seagate does offer an official data sheet for the recertified Exos 28TB drive, which states it only offers a limited six-month warranty.

There’s no question the recertified drives available to buy are attractively priced, and they should be absolutely fine, but if reliability is your top priority, you might be better off picking up a brand-new unit.

Quite where all these recertified drives have come from is something of a mystery, but it wouldn’t surprise us if at least some – if not most – of them originated in China.

Heise.de recently reported a number of its readers had purchased Seagate drives that were supposedly new but had, in fact, been used previously - potentially for thousands of hours. Further digging suggested at least some of the drives originated from Chinese cryptocurrency mining farms that used them to mine Chia several years ago. We’re not suggesting that the recertified Exos 28TB drives have been used for crypto mining, but it’s always a possibility.

When drives are refurbished and factory-certified by Seagate, the Field Accessible Reliability Metrics (FARM) usage time is reset to zero. Heise.de reports that some readers with recertified drives discovered their purchases had been used for at least 15,000 hours, which, as Tom’s Hardware points out, suggests “that these drives were used, refurbished by Seagate, used again, and then resold as freshly refurbished models.”

If you do decide to buy one of the recertified Exos 28TB HDDs, make sure you buy from a reputable reseller, even if it means paying a little extra.

Towards the end of January 2025, Seagate added the 36TB Exos M model to its growing family of data center hard disk drives, making it the largest HDD currently available, albeit not one that you'll be able to buy (for now). Seagate's CEO, Dave Mosley, also revealed at the time that the company had successfully trialed platter capacities of over 6TB, meaning 60TB drives could be on the horizon.

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More details of Spotify's new Music Pro plan have leaked – including the price

  • Spotify Music Pro is tipped to launch later in 2025
  • Remixing tools and concert ticket access could feature
  • The main draw will be lossless audio quality

It was back in February 2021 – four years ago – when Spotify HiFi was first announced, and we're still waiting for it to appear. Now a new report suggests a full launch could happen before the end of the year, while answering some outstanding questions about the service.

According to Bloomberg, the subscription will be called Spotify Music Pro, and will cost you an extra $6 on top of the $12-per-month Premium plan. That's a 50% hike, so would presumably cost an additional £6 in the UK and AU$7 in Australia.

As well as higher-quality audio – teased many times over the years – that extra cash will apparently get you access to bonus remixing tools (including some AI-powered features for mashing tracks together) and deals on concert tickets.

The "people familiar with the matter" who Bloomberg has spoken to say that Spotify execs think committed music fans will pay more for their subscription – potentially giving the streaming service some valuable additional revenue.

A long time coming

The Apple Music app icon against a red background on an iPhone.

Other services, including Apple Music, already offer hi-res audio (Image credit: Brett Jordan / Unsplash)

As per the report, Spotify is exploring a variety of options for its Music Pro plan, and will test a number of them during 2025. The full experience is apparently going to roll out in phases, so subscribers won't necessarily get everything right away.

That fits with the leaks and rumors we've seen since 2021: it sounds as though Spotify isn't really sure what to offer or for how much. We've even seen multiple names for the subscription plan, including Spotify Supremium.

The Music Pro name did in fact show up last year, when it was spotted hidden away in Spotify app code. Another feature that got a reference was playlist filtering, which may well be part of the package when it finally does appear.

We've also previously heard that the new service would be available as an add-on to Premium, rather than something completely separate. Spotify has promised to "double down" on music in 2025, so let's hope the new tier is included in that plan.

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Saturday, February 15, 2025

This tiny NAS device fits in the palm of your hand and can take up to 32TB of sweet SSD storage

  • X86-P6 Pocket is a palm-sized NAS with up to 32TB of storage
  • It supports four SSD slots and up to 32GB of DDR5 memory
  • There's also flexible storage options and network connectivity

In recent years, mini PCs have evolved into compact yet powerful computing solutions, with some models now small enough to fit in the palm of your hand.

One such device is the X86-P6 Pocket, a network-attached storage (NAS) system measuring just 100 x 100 x 58.5mm. Despite that small footprint, it supports up to four M.2 2280 SSDs, allowing for a total storage capacity of 32TB.

Though this sounds great, performance is limited by the Intel Twin Lake processor, which has only nine PCIe 3.0 lanes, which means using all four SSD slots restricts speeds to PCIe 3.0 x1 per drive, whereas opting for a single SSD enables PCIe 3.0 x4 speeds.

Processing power and memory options

The X86-P6 Pocket NAS is available with either an Intel N150 or a Core 3 N355 processor and supports up to 32GB of DDR5-4800 memory via a single SODIMM slot.

For connectivity, the system includes two 2.5 GbE LAN ports (Intel i226-V), two USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A ports with 10 Gbps speeds, and two HDMI 2.0 outputs. It also features an M.2 B-Key slot that supports WiFi 6 or WiFi 7 modules, along with Bluetooth.

To manage heat, the NAS' compact design has an aluminum radiator and an active cooling system with a fan beneath the mainboard. The top cover also has screw holes, allowing for an additional fan install.

The barebones model with an Intel N150 processor is priced at around $200, while the Core 3 N355 version costs approximately $315. Users can choose a pre-configured model with storage and memory or opt to install on their own.

Via Liliputing

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Apple’s big AI upgrade for Siri could be delayed – and if it doesn’t arrive in iOS 18.4, I’m afraid people will start losing patience

  • A report claims that Apple has stumbled with Siri’s big AI rollout
  • The company is apparently facing ‘engineering problems’ and bugs
  • Ironing all this out may mean the revamped Siri doesn’t make the seemingly intended cut for iOS 18.4

Apple is reportedly struggling with its much-awaited major revamp of Siri and may have to push back the upgrade until iOS 18.5 in May.

That's according to seasoned Apple watcher Mark Gurman of Bloomberg, who claims "engineering problems and software bugs" may further delay the overhaul, which was set to give the assistant more far-reaching AI powers driven by Apple Intelligence.

If you cast your mind back to WWDC 2024, Apple revealed a huge AI upgrade for Siri, some of which came into play last year, but other more complex abilities are still in the works.

Citing "people with knowledge of the matter", Gurman reports that this functionality is proving more difficult to implement than expected and that some of these in-depth features are apparently not working consistently enough. That includes some of the more impressive powers demonstrated by Apple previously, such as having Siri scour across emails and text messages to find a relative’s flight and lunch reservation plans, to pick a specific example highlighted by Gurman.

More broadly, Gurman’s sources paint a picture of Apple’s engineers “racing” to finish these AI features. The original plan was supposedly to launch the upgraded Siri in iOS 18.4 – an update rumored for April 2025 (the beta should be imminent, in fact) – but now, that might be pushed back to May (in iOS 18.5 seemingly), or even later.

Some, or all, of these heavyweight AI powers for Siri might be held back, so we could potentially see a smattering of new abilities in iOS 18.4 – but it’s sounding very up in the air still, especially considering this is a relatively close timeframe now.

Gurman also theorizes that another option for Apple could be to include the new AI features for Siri in iOS 18.4, but switched off by default – presumably a ‘use at your own risk’ kind of scenario. Apple might then choose to fully enable them (by default) in the next release of iOS, when any final gremlins are ironed out, presumably.

One way or another, it sounds like Siri getting fully upgraded with all the AI features Apple promised is looking a shakier prospect in the nearer-term – assuming Gurman's sources are accurate, of course.

(Image credit: Future)

Analysis: Apple device owners are running thin on patience

What are these AI powers, you might be wondering? To recap on the WWDC reveal, they include some major pieces of the puzzle to really power up Siri, including awareness of what’s on the screen of the device (to use this info in context, when interacting with the user), and deeper integration with apps to facilitate better control over this software.

A more personal experience and a whole bunch of new tricks should be possible, including the ability described by Gurman above pertaining to the relative’s reservation plans.

The problem is that some Apple fans are increasingly eager to actually try out some of the compelling features for Siri that were demonstrated by Apple the best part of a year ago now. Just in the past week, we've written about how the iOS 18.4 beta promises to include the Siri upgrade we've been waiting for and that iOS 18.4 could be the biggest iPhone upgrade ever.

So far, we’ve been treated to a smart new interface for the assistant, and those ChatGPT chops, but there’s nothing that heralds the arrival of the all-new, much more powerful AI that we were promised by Apple at its big developer conference last year.

The danger is that if iOS 18.4 turns up, and Siri is again left standing still on the AI front, people will start to lose patience here. And not only that, but a sluggish deployment of these AI features will reinforce the impression of Apple as lagging behind the rest of the tech industry in the artificial intelligence field.

To be fair to Apple, when it revealed Siri’s new AI functionality at WWDC last year, for the more complex features, the company didn’t promise anything in terms of delivery beyond a rollout over the course of 2025.

That tentativeness may itself have been a hint that Apple wasn’t confident in a delivery timeframe, and realized the complexity of actually implementing all this stuff so it works well.

As ever, this is just chatter from the rumor mill, so take it with some skepticism, although Gurman is certainly one of the more reliable journalists out there when it comes to insider info from Apple. We'll presumably find out soon, with a new iPhone tipped for release next week and possibly some iOS news around the same time.

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