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 Apple today released a firmware update for the AirPods Pro 3. The latest firmware has a version number of 8B34, up from the previous version 8B30.
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Insta360, a company most known for its action cameras, has released two new AI-powered 4K webcams, the Link 2 Pro and Link 2C Pro, aimed at creators, educators and remote professionals. The company's goal with these models is "a webcam experience that looks and sounds remarkably close to a professional camera and microphone setup."
Both models use a larger 1/1.3-inch sensor with dual native ISO for improved low-light performance over the previous generation, and both support HDR. Insta360 says the audio on both models leverages beamforming technology as well as AI noise canceling to help voices sound clearer in noisy environments. Users can choose from four pickup modes designed for different sound sources like "Focus" that isolates a single voice or "Wide" if there are multiple speakers.
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New year, new phone design? If you're pondering a thin phone to replace your current slab, here's how the top two compare.
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Commentary: If you want a new iPhone within the next year, buy the iPhone 17. The iPhone 18 is still too far away, and we don't know enough about it to warrant waiting.
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As we expected, Meta has begun laying off more than 1,000 employees from its Reality Labs division, which focused on virtual reality and metaverse products, Bloomberg reports. The company will refocus on developing wearables, like its recent batch of AI-powered Ray-Ban smart glasses, according to a memo from CTO Andrew Bosworth.
The news isn't too surprising. Reality Labs has lost more than $70 billion since the beginning of 2021, and while Meta has done a solid job of delivering desirable consumer VR headsets and smart glasses, that business hasn't been nearly profitable enough to justify the cost. And of course, Mark Zuckerberg's huge gamble on the metaverse, which involved renaming the company from Facebook to Meta in 2021, has gone nowhere.
According to Bloomberg, Meta's metaverse plans will now focus on mobile devices, which could mean a combination of its future wearables as well as existing mobile apps. "With the larger potential user base and the fastest growth rate today, we are shifting teams and resources almost exclusively to mobile to continue to accelerate adoption there," Bosworth wrote in a memo to staff this morning.
Meta isn't dumping its VR headset plans entirely, but according to Bosworth the VR divion will "operate as a leaner, flatter organization with a more focused road map to maximize long-term sustainability." Basically, don't expect a Quest 3 follow-up anytime soon.
This article originally a
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 Starting with the iOS 26.3 beta, Apple appears to be laying the groundwork for carriers to be able to support end-to-end encryption (E2EE) for RCS messages, and that news should actually have even bigger implications for the Messages app on the iPhone.
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The upcoming iPhone update could also make it easy to switch from iPhone to an Android device.
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Motorola's new phone could be the Galaxy S26 Plus rival that Samsung didn't see coming.
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 Apple appears close to supporting end-to-end encryption (E2EE) for RCS messages, almost a year after the GSM Association said it was working to implement the privacy feature for messages sent between Android and iPhone devices.
Je viens de vérifier les carrier bundles d'iOS 26.3 bêta 2, et Apple a ajouté un nouveau paramètre permettant aux opérateurs d'activer le chiffrement pour le RCS
Pour le moment, aucun opérateur ne l'a encore activé
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Apple and Google have confirmed that Gemini's models power the new version of Siri and other generative AI features. CNBC broke the news, but Apple and Google soon followed up with a lengthy joint statement. Here's part of it: "Apple determined that Google's Al technology provides the most capable foundation for Apple Foundation Models… Apple Intelligence will continue to run on Apple devices and Private Cloud Compute, while maintaining Apple's industry-leading privacy standards."
In June, it was reported that Apple was considering partnerships with OpenAI and Anthropic for Siri (the voice assistant can currently tap ChatGPT for certain queries as part of Apple Intelligence). Two months later, Google emerged as a contender. Another report suggested Apple might build the new Siri using a custom version of Gemini — and that it would pay Google around $1 billion a year for the privilege. However, no official deal numbers were shared.
It's also notable that current iPhones have direct access to OpenAI's ChatGPT. But how long for?
— Mat Smith
The other big stories this morning
Engadget Podcast: Best of CES 2026 and a chat with Pebble's founder
Meta closes 550,000 accounts to comply with Australia's kids social media ban
The best winter tech to get y
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 Apple today announced that 2025 was a "record-breaking year" for many of its services, including the App Store, Apple Music, Apple TV, and Apple Podcasts.
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Tweaking these settings can deliver storage space on your iPhone without deleting photos or videos.
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 Apple emerged as the global smartphone market leader in 2025, capturing a 20% market share with 10% year-over-year shipment growth - the highest among the top five brands, according to data released today by Counterpoint Research.
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The annual CES tech event kicks off this week, with all kinds of companies showing off new products that are going to launch throughout 2026. Unsurprisingly, AI is the theme of this year's show, and almost everything you can think of is getting an artificial intelligence upgrade.
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