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
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
HMD’s Barbie Phone, the novelty device for Y2K-nostalgic hot pink aficionados, finally has pricing and release info. The Mattel-sanctioned champion of tardy movie tie-ins launches in October — only 15 months after Greta Gerwig’s movie hit theaters! — for $129.
The handset is the creation of Human Mobile Devices (HMD), which currently owns the branding rights to Nokia phones. Rather than a smartphone replacement, the Barbie Phone is a retro-styled flip phone (positively Nokida-esque) with a T9 keyboard and no third-party apps in sight. The company pitches it as “the perfect tool to live your best life and take a vacation from your smartphone.”
You won’t find any social media apps, but the phone still makes calls and sends texts. When powering the handset up, you’ll be greeted by a “Hi Barbie” voice before you fire up Malibu Snake for a tribute to OG mobile gaming. Its keypad (in “Barbie pink,” of course) has hidden designs like palm trees, hearts and flamingos that light up in the dark. Because why the hell not?!
HMD
The Barbie Phone has a 5MP camera with a flash that “delivers authentic Y2K style images.” It ships with two alternate covers in addition to the standard one. The two plates include one honoring “the brightly colored swirls of the 1992’s iconic Totally Hair Barbie doll” and another with a shooting-heart design.
Also in the box is a pastel-beaded phone strap that you can adorn with charms like a tiny roller skate or a “Barbie doll-sized ice cream.” You’ll also get sparkly stick-on gems and retro vintage Barbie stickers (including flowers, flamingos and rainbows) to decorate the phone to your heart’s content. It even has a pink USB-C charger.
Naturally, the phone has a Barbie-themed user interface (described as “achingly easy to navigate”), themed wallpapers and app icons. Since HMD is branding the handset as a vacation from smartphone hell, it even includes a digital well-being app.
The Barbie Phone will be available on October 1 for $129. It will ship unlocked and ready to activate on AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon networks. You can pre-order it from HMD’s website beginning on September 23.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/the-retro-barbie-flip-phone-arrives-in-october-only-15-months-after-the-movie-230136984.html?src=rss
The latest incarnation of Amazon's Echo Spot is back on sale. The smart alarm clock has dropped from $80 to $55. The device was available for $45 during an introductory/Prime Day sale in July, but this is the lowest that the Echo Spot has dipped to since then.
The new model has a sharper display and better sound compared with the original one, Amazon claims (the company canned the first Echo Spot in 2019, two years after its debut). The front face of the new Echo Spot is split almost in half with a display up top and speaker at the bottom. Unlike the original model, there's no camera in this one, which is a welcome move. It always seemed odd for Amazon to include one in something many people use as a bedside device.
The Echo Spot has Alexa integration, of course. You can use the voice assistant to play music, control smart home devices and create a routine for waking up. The display can show you information such as the title of the song that's playing, weather details and, naturally, the time of day.
There are a couple of other Echo devices on sale at the moment, including the Echo Show 5. The 2023 model is a third off at $60. It's one of our favorite Alexa-powered smart displays, and it can work as an alarm clock too (the tap-to-snooze feature is very handy for those desiring a few more minutes of shut-eye). The Echo Show 5 does have a built-in camera, but there's a physical shutter you can use to block it.
Meanwhile, an Echo Dot can be yours for $30. That's 20 bucks off the regular price. This is our pick for the best smart speaker that costs under $50, so the value for money is even better thanks to this sale.
It's time — pun not intended — for some new Google Pixel products. The company's launch event, Made By Google, is showcasing the new Google Pixel Watch 3 and the next generation of Pixel phones and earbuds. This third-generation smartwatch is all about performance and adds a range of new capabilities to help you track your progress, plan and take care of yourself.
Before we get into each of those features, it's worth pointing out one of the most obvious changes Google has introduced: adding a 45mm model. The first two generations of the Google Pixel Watch only offered a 41mm option, and this addition puts the Pixel Watch 3 in line with the Apple Watch's options. Samsung's Galaxy Watch 7 also has two options: the 40mm and 44mm.
Compared to the second-gen model, Google also shrank the smartwatch's bezel by 16 percent, giving the 41mm an extra 10 percent of active screen area. The display is also two times brighter, offering up to 2000 nits of brightness. Plus, the watch lasts for 24 hours with the always-on display or 36 hours in battery-saver mode (it automatically switches to this when you're down to 15 percent). Google also claims the 41mm Pixel Watch 3 charges 20 percent faster than its predecessor.
Now for the fun bits. The Google Pixel Watch 3 will have a new readiness and cardio load tracking guide. It should let you know how hard your heart is working, indicating if you should slow down on a workout. Google also says it will let you know when to recover and when to dive into a challenging workout. The readiness score is more personalized, making a recommendation based on factors like your sleep and resting heart rate. If you get Fitbit Premium, the watch will provide AI-powered recommendations on achieving your fitness goals.
It also brings a new “loss of pulse detection” feature that Google says is the first of its kind.Despite being slightly awkwardly worded, “loss of pulse detection” does basically what it describes. Using the Pixel Watch 3’s heart rate and other sensors, it’ll notice if the wearer has a pulse. Since the device is sampling your pulse at the rate of once every second, which is one of the most frequent in the mainstream smartwatch space, it’ll notice quite quickly if your heart’s stopped. Then, it’ll look for other signs like whether you’re still moving, and whether it’s still on your wrist.
With all this data, the Pixel Watch will determine whether you’re having a “loss of pulse event” like cardiac arrest, respiratory or circulatory failure, overdose or poisoning. When it identifies loss of pulse, it will check in with you and call emergency services if you don’t respond. At launch, Google said this will be available in various countries in Europe and that it’s “working with regulatory bodies to make the feature available in more countries."
The Google Pixel Watch 3 also has some home-based features, providing Nest Cam and Doorbell notifications, access to live view, and two-way talk. The watch can also act as a remote, letting you pause, change the volume or flip to a new channel on Google TV. If you have a Pixel phone, then your watch can control its camera, record a memo and access Google Maps.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/wearables/the-pixel-watch-3-comes-in-a-bigger-size-and-tells-you-when-you-should-rest-170058534.html?src=rss
Apple released its second-gen AirPods Pro in 2022, but they're still the newest model on the market. At the time, we gave them an 88 in our review thanks to solid noise cancellation and stellar transparency mode — courtesy of their H2 chip. They're also our choice of 2024's best wireless earbuds for an iPhone, with simple touch controls, hands-free Siri and easy switching between Apple devices. Plus, they offer up to six hours of battery life with ANC on and up to 30 hours with the charging case.
Externally, the AirPods Pro also have some perks worth mentioning. Each purchase comes with four silicone tips, ranging from extra small to large. The earbuds and the charging case are IP54 dust, sweat and water resistant, so you can use them while exercising outdoors all summer.
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This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/prime-day-is-over-but-apples-airpods-pro-are-still-cheaper-than-ever-124025085.html?src=rss
Google's Pixel Watch 2 has a couple of interesting new features designed to help you manage your stress levels. If they sound like something you'd want to try, you can grab the smartwatch from Amazon at its lowest price yet, thanks to this year's Amazon Prime Day deals.
The Pixel Watch 2 WiFi version is currently on sale for $270, $17 lower than its previous all-time low and $80 less than its full retail price of $350. Google designed this model's aluminum case to be lighter than its predecessor's and equipped it with a more powerful, power-efficient processor that should also prolong its battery life.
We praised the watch for its design, with its round shiny case, in our review. However, we did note that its crown sticks out more than we'd like, which makes it easy to trigger when you bend your hand backwards. In the health-related features department, Google gave the model a more advanced sensor to track your heart rate that's capable of giving you more accurate readings while exercising. The watch can also notify you to start (or stop) tracking certain activities, such as walking, running, rowing, outdoor biking and more, so you can have a more complete picture of your physical activities for the day.
Pixel Watch 2's new stress and body response sensors work by monitoring the changes in your sweat levels and your heart rate to determine how stressed you are. If the watch does determine that you're stressed, it'll notify you and ask you to log your feelings or to start a walk. The system didn't always work perfectly in our tests, but it's a welcome addition that could be improved in future updates.
Your Prime Day Shopping Guide: See all of our Prime Day coverage. Shop the best Prime Day deals on Yahoo Life. Follow Engadget for Prime Day tech deals. Hear from Autoblog’s experts on the best Amazon Prime Day deals for your car, garage, and home, and find Prime Day sales to shop on AOL, handpicked just for you.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/google-pixel-watch-2-is-down-to-its-lowest-price-yet-in-this-prime-day-deal-130600110.html?src=rss
After weeks of sporadic deals, Amazon Prime Day is finally here, and there are great savings across categories. Take Anker's MagGo Power Bank, our choice for the best MagSafe-compatible power bank on the market. Right now, the device is down to $63 from $90 — a 30 percent deal that brings it to just a few dollars off its all-time low price.
Anker's MagGo Power Bank was one of the earliest Qi2-certified devices on the market, and this early 2024 model is impressive, to say the least. The 10,000mAh and 15W capacities provide you with fast wireless charging. The power bank can bring an iPhone 15 from near-dead to half-charged in just 45 minutes — a feat some of our other top contenders have taken twice as long to do.
The MagGo power bank is also good for one full charge and then another to about 70 percent. The device charges with a USB-C port and includes a USB-C to USB-C cable with purchase. Other perks of this Anker power bank include a kickstand, which allows you to watch videos or play games while the phone charges. It also has a digital display that shows its remaining battery percentage, both when you're charging it and when it's charging your phone.
The Anker MagGo Power Bank works with iOS and Android phones, but the latter's lack of Qi2-compatibility means Android devices will charge slower than an iPhone 12 or above.
Your Prime Day Shopping Guide: See all of our Prime Day coverage. Shop the best Prime Day deals on Yahoo Life. Follow Engadget for Prime Day tech deals. Hear from Autoblog’s experts on the best Amazon Prime Day deals for your car, garage, and home, and find Prime Day sales to shop on AOL, handpicked just for you.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/our-favorite-anker-magsafe-power-bank-is-30-percent-off-for-prime-day-111016323.html?src=rss
The NFC Forum, the non-profit org made up of big tech companies promoting the NFC standard, envisions a future wherein one tap is all you need for multiple actions at once. With a single tap, for instance, you could pay for your purchase, get points on your rewards account and receive a digital receipt on your phone. The organization released a document that can give you an overview of what the NFC multi-purpose tap capability is and how it can potentially be used.
It explains that the multi-purpose tap "leverages the capability of NFC devices to allow both reading and writing of data across a connection." That enables several actions, which typically requires multiple stages, to be accomplished at one time. If you're buying alcohol, tapping to pay for it would also verify your identity and your age. You could also get a product's sustainability information, including ways its packaging can be recycled, on your phone the moment you pay for it.
For public transit, the technology could ensure you're getting charged the correct fare, taxes and concessions every time. If the ride you're taking requires a ticket that you'll need to show a conductor, operators will be able to automatically issue you an e-ticket when you pay with the new multi-purpose tap experience.
As The Verge notes, the capability does raise some privacy concerns, seeing as it automates everything, including identity verification. In addition, it will allow companies to trigger targeted marketing communications that you'll then get straight on your smartphone. Multi-purpose tap is still in its very early stages at the moment, though, and the NFC Forum is seeking contributions as it looks at market use cases for the technolog. The organization — which includes Apple, Google and Huawei, among other tech companies and manufacturers — still has to conduct tests to make sure the NFC technology is working as intended, as well, and to define standards to "enable mass market delivery."
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/nfc-forum-wants-to-bundle-age-verification-and-payment-receipts-in-tap-to-pay-043046883.html?src=rss
It's a great day because our favorite smartwatch for 2024 is back on sale. That's right, the 41mm Apple Watch Series 9 is currently down to $299 from $399 — a 25 percent discount. The only catch is that the deal is available on just the (Product) RED model. However, you can get the small to medium or medium to large size wrist options.
The Apple Watch Series 9 is a fantastic option for anyone who wants a reliable, multi-faceted smartwatch. It scored a 92 in our review thanks to new features like Double Tap and Raise To Speak. Double Tap works when you bring your index finger and thumb (on the same side as the watch) together twice. This action lets you answer calls or reply with your voice, among other functions. Raise To Speak enables you to activate Siri by bringing your wrist up — plus, Siri is now on-device, meaning you can use it while offline. The Series 9 also has up to 18 hours of battery life (36 in low power mode), blood oxygen and ECG apps and up to 2000 nits on its display.
If you're looking for something with even more oomph, then check out the Apple Watch Ultra 2. The top-of-the-line model is currently on sale for $719, down from $799 — a 10 percent discount. Sure, it's still a much bigger chunk of money, but you can decide if it's worth features like 36 hours of battery life (72 in low power mode), a 49mm case size and up to 3000 nits on the display.