As Apple is expected to launch new iPhones, Apple Watch, Macs, and even a new AirPods in the second half of 2021, now serves as a good time to look back at what Apple has already released this year. Today, we want to know: which of the products the company has already released this year is your favorite so far?
The first products Apple announced in 2021 were during the Spring Loaded event, where the company unveiled the AirTag, the new Apple TV 4K, the 24-inch iMac, a new color for the iPhone 12 line, and the brand new M1 iPad Pros.
The Apple AirTag has a reasonable price point with unreasonably-priced accessories. The smart tracker uses the U1 chip, has a year-battery life, and fully integrates with the iPhone and the Find My app. AirTag is a good accessory for keychains, headphones, bags, and more
The second-generation Apple TV 4K introduces a brand new Siri Remote. With a faster processor as well, this is the perfect upgrade for those who’re waiting for a new set-top box from Apple.
After almost a decade, Apple redesigned the iMac, with a 24-inch version. With seven new colors, a new Magic Keyboard, Mouse, and Trackpad options, it has better performance than its previous model thanks to the M1 chip and a nicer 1080p FaceTime HD camera.
The iPad Pro also received a major update. Both the models have the M1 chip, 50% faster than the A12Z Bionic in the fourth-generation iPad Pro, a new Thunderbolt port, and 5G support. The 12.9-inch model received a Liquid Retina XDR display that uses mini-LED technology.
Although it’s just a color update, the iPhone 12 is now available in purple. Whether you were waiting a bit more to upgrade your iPhone, was it a new color enough to buy a new iPhone a few months before the next big update from Apple? Of course, it has the A14 chip, cameras that can shoot Night Mode, and a tweaked design that resembles the iPhone 4 and 5.
Recently, Apple also launched a new MagSafe Battery Pack for the iPhone 12. Although our video review didn’t praise the Smart Battery Case replacement for the newer iPhones, it’s still the only new MagSafe accessory launched by Apple in 2021 so far.
The company also introduced new Apple Watch bands, including new bands for Black History Month, Pride Month, and the Olympics.
It’s also important to mention Beats Studio Buds. At a lower price point than AirPods Pro, this is the first Beats earbuds with ANC and Transparency mode in a compact form-factor and great battery life, as you can see in our review here.
Which is your favorite Apple product from 2021 so far? Vote in the poll and tell us in the comment section below.
Earlier this week during Apple’s earnings call, CEO Tim Cook said that the iPad had experienced its most successful June quarter in nearly a decade. And now IDC is out with its latest worldwide shipment figures that underline Apple’s commanding lead over the tablet competition. After refreshing the iPad Air in 2020 and launching an upgraded iPad Pro earlier this year, Apple is next expected to update the iPad Mini.
IDC estimates that Apple shipped 12.9 million iPads in the second quarter. Its nearest competition is Samsung, which hit 8 million shipments. Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S7 tablets offer fantastic hardware and punchy OLED screens, but they remain hamstrung by Android’s less-than-stellar selection of tablet apps. Lenovo, which continues to release well-received Chromebooks and Chrome OS tablets, took third with 4.7M units shipped, and Amazon came in fourth with 4.3 million Fire tablet shipments.
Both PC and tablet shipments have surged over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic as people have adapted to working from home and remote education. IDC’s figures reveal that Chromebook shipments have grown 68.6 percent year over year and reached 12.3 million units shipped in the second quarter. “While this wasn’t a record quarter for Chromebooks, it wasn’t far off the prior two quarters, which shattered previous highs,” IDC wrote.
But IDC does point to a possible slowdown in sales for Chromebooks and tablets due to ongoing chip shortages and an easing of consumer demand as more people return to the workplace or classroom. Apple has said that supply constraints could be detrimental to iPad sales in the coming months, and the iPhone might be affected as well.
Google has recently been selling a combo-package of the Stadia Controller and 2020 Chromecast as a limited-time promotion. But as spotted by 9to5Google, the company has now made the pair a permanent bundle that it’s calling the “play and watch” package.
For $99.99, you get both the controller and streaming dongle. That’s a savings of $19 compared to buying both products separately. Google is also promoting the Chromecast ethernet adapter as a recommended accessory; if you want the absolute best Stadia experience, it’s probably a smart buy — and it’s a mere $9.99 ($10 off) when purchased alongside the bundle.
In an effort to clear out inventory of the old, puck-shaped Chromecast Ultra, Google is discounting its Stadia Premiere Edition bundle yet again to $79.99. I’d definitely recommend the newer Chromecast with Google TV over the older one. The streaming experience is much richer and more comprehensive on the newer device. But if you’re strictly using it as a gateway to Stadia, the $79.99 deal might be worth hopping on.
Remember that Google’s game streaming service now supports select Android TV products as well. So if you’ve got a TV running that software, all you really need to get going is Google’s controller or a compatible third-party Bluetooth gamepad.
It’s been more than eight months since Sony launched the PlayStation 5. In that time, there have been a few system software updates, but they have all been relatively minor. This week, the first major update is finally rolling out to beta testers. Without a doubt, the most noteworthy feature of the update is support for M.2 SSD devices. It wasn’t possible to expand the console’s SSD storage at launch. But as of this update, it will be possible to insert M.2 SSD drives into the PS5’s expansion slot. Of course, that isn’t the only highlight of the update, as beta testers have found.
Video game controllers are now so advanced that they need software updates of their own. The PS5’s DualSense is no exception. The issue is that the only time your PS5 gives you a chance to update your controllers is when you boot up your console. Sometimes, you might accidentally cancel the prompt when it appears. If you do, you will have to wait another 24 hours for it to reappear. It’s a bizarre system.
Thankfully, as The Verge reports, Sony appears to have ameliorated this situation in the update. In the beta 2.0 software, there is a new way to update the DualSense controller. If you navigate to Settings > Accessories > Controllers, you should see a new option called Wireless Controller Device Software. It will tell you what version of the software your controller is currently running and will allow you to initiate an update if one is available. The prompts will continue to appear as well.
Everything else in the PS5 beta 2.0 update
The PS5 interface still needs plenty of work, but the controller update setting is a good start. Another useful feature in beta 2.0 is the ability to rearrange the controls at the bottom of the screen in the control center. For whatever reason, Sony decided to make it more difficult to access the power controls on the PS5, but this should eliminate at least one of the extra steps.
Other new features include the option to turn on 3D audio for your TV speakers, separate icons for PS5 and PS4 versions of games, a trophy tracker that allows you to track up to five trophies per game, and improvements to the Library menu that should make it easier to navigate.
Sony’s PS5 beta update rolled out on Thursday, so it could be quite some time before it reaches the public. You can sign up for the PS5 system software beta program on the PlayStation website.
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The weekends are supposed to be for rest and relaxation, right? Well, we’re going to give you another reason to be excited that the weekend has finally arrived. We’ve dug through hundreds of daily deals on Saturday to come up with our 10 favorites. None of these deals will be around for very long, though. That means you need to hurry or you’re going to miss out on these deep discounts.
Here are the highlights:
Scroll through all of today’s best bargains below.
Follow @BGRDeals on Twitter to keep up with the latest and greatest deals we find around the web. Prices subject to change without notice and any coupons mentioned above may be available in limited supply.
If you like your lighting to be on the adventurous side, rest assured that Nanoleaf’s canvas light panels aren’t made to be subtle. The touch-sensitive squares are flashy and versatile, with the ability to display more than 16 million colors and a modular design that lets you place them in a variety of patterns. The bright LED panels also work with all the major smart home platforms, and can cycle through a number of preset colors or respond to sound when in “Rhythm Mode,” a feature that’s just as suited for the ambient noise outside your bedroom as your favorite record. Right now, Costco members can purchase Nanoleaf’s Canvas Light Panel smarter pack with nine panels and everything needed to get started for $50, one of the better prices we’ve seen on the intuitive lighting system.
The Razer Nari Essential is by no means a groundbreaking headset, yet, for the price, it’s an admirable entry-level model that will appease most gamers, especially on the PC side. The jet-black wireless gaming headset features an adjustable headband, a sturdy build, and support for both PC and PlayStation consoles, with THX Spatial Audio simulated surround sound available on the former. Normally $100, it’s currently available at Woot for $55, more than 45 percent off its typical list price. If Razer’s budget-friendly Nari Essential doesn’t offer what you’re looking for, however, we’ve also rounded up the best gaming headsets overall, including multiplatform models and both wired and wireless alternatives.
Good noise-cancellation can be hard to come by for $100 — just look at the Nothing Ear 1s. Fortunately, there’s the second-gen Amazon Echo Buds, a pair of true wireless earbuds that churn out satisfying sound while benefitting from improved comfort and noise cancellation over their first-gen counterpart. Amazon’s mid-range earbuds, which are now on sale for a limited time at Best Buy for $80, also feature IPX4 water and sweat resistance, and allow for hands-free voice commands via Alexa, meaning Amazon’s virtual assistant is always available at the tip of your tongue. Read our review.
So far, many Halo fans have been enjoying the Halo Infinite multiplayer technical preview. However, it's been confirmed that campaign content was mistakenly included in the beta's files, leading to spoilers making their way online.
343 Industries' Joseph Staten stated that there were a "small number" of Halo Infinite campaign files unintentionally left in the tech preview build. He confirmed that they do include spoilers.
"Leaks like this are painful for the dev team and can ruin the campaign experience for everyone," says Staten in a tweet. "So please, keep you eyes peeled for spoilers and don't spread them if you see them."
In addition to spoilers, uploading any of the data-mined to places like YouTube could have adverse effects on your channel. Halo community director Brian Jarrard warned that doing so could result in a takedown notice and lead to receiving strikes.
"If you have already posted content, we recommend removing it from your channel proactively," recommends Jarrard.
IMPORTANT: Please don't post data-mined content to your channels! You run a very real risk of getting a takedown notice, which could result in a strike on certain platforms. If you have already posted content, we recommend removing it from your channel proactively.
If you're lucky enough to get an invitation to the technical test, you also have to install the beta client. Players in the beta have also already started competing for high scores in the Academy.
Halo Infinite is set to release holiday 2021 for Xbox One, Xbox Series, and PC. The multiplayer will be free-to-play when it launches.
Twitter is holding a competition in hopes that hackers and researchers will be able to identify biases in its image cropping algorithm — and it’s going to be handing out cash prizes to winning teams (via Engadget). Twitter is hoping that giving teams access to its code and image cropping model will let them find ways that the algorithm could be harmful (such as it cropping in a way that stereotypes or erases the image’s subject).
Those competing will have to submit a description of their findings, and a dataset that can be run through the algorithm to demonstrate the issue. Twitter will then assign points based on what kind of harms are found, how much it could potentially affect people, and more.
The winning team will be awarded $3,500, and there are separate $1,000 prizes for the most innovative and most generalizable findings. That amount has caused a bit of a stir on Twitter, with a few users saying it should have an extra zero. For context, Twitter’s normal bug bounty program would pay you $2,940 if you found a bug that let you perform actions for someone else (like retweeting a tweet or image) using cross-site scripting. Finding an OAuth issue that lets you take over someone’s Twitter account would net you $7,700.
Twitter has done its own research into its image-cropping algorithm before — in May, it published a paper investigating how the algorithm was biased, after accusations that its previews crops were racist. Twitter’s mostly done away with algorithmically cropping previews since then, but it’s still used on desktop and a good cropping algorithm is a handy thing for a company like Twitter to have.
Opening up a competition lets Twitter get feedback from a much broader range of perspectives. For example, the Twitter team held a space to discuss the competition during which a team member mentioned getting questions about caste-based biases in the algorithm, something that may not be noticeable to software developers in California.
It’s also not just subconscious algorithmic bias Twitter is looking for. The rubric has point values for both intentional and unintentional harms. Twitter defines unintentional harms as crops that could result from a “well-intentioned” user posting a regular image on the platform, whereas intentional harms are problematic cropping behaviors that could be exploited by someone posting maliciously designed images.
Twitter says in its announcement blog that the competition is separate from its bug bounty program — if you submit a report about algorithmic biases to Twitter outside of the competition, the company says your report will be closed and marked as not applicable. If you’re interested in joining, you can head over to the competition’s HackerOne page to see the rules, criteria, and more. Submissions are open until August 6th at 11:59PM PT, and the winners of the challenge will be announced at the Def Con AI Village on August 9th.
UPDATE: A previous version of this story referred to the image of the foldable phone seen in an image below as a leaked image of the upcoming Galaxy Z Fold 3. That does not seem to be the case. The image shows the Galaxy Z Fold 2. We regret this error.
Because of the pandemic, the 2020 Tokyo Olympics were postponed to this year and in the convoluted way that things get done these days, the games are taking place now but are still being called the 2020 Olympics. All 17,00 Olympic and Paralympic athletes competing in Tokyo are receiving a free limited-edition version of the Samsung Galaxy S21 5G. These models feature a stunning blue body with either the Olympic rings on the back or the three agitos that make up the symbol of the Paralympics.
Besides leaving Tokyo with a lifetime full of memories, maybe a medal or two, and a Galaxy S21 5G, the athletes in Tokyo are invited to visit the Galaxy Athlete Lounge at Olympic and Paralympic Village. There, the athletes can design a customized case for their free phones with stickers inspired by the 2020 games. They can also collect exclusive Olympic and Paralympic pins.
In case you were wondering, Samsung first offered a special phone for the Olympics back in 1988 (obviously it was not a smartphone). All Olympic athletes have received a phone since Sochi 2014 and all Paraolympic performers have been the recipient of a free handset since PyeongChang in 2018.
At left, the Limited Edition Olympic Galaxy S21 5G with the Paralympic model at right
If you can't make it to Tokyo because you're not an athlete, a member of the media, or a Samsung executive, you can take a look at the virtual Samsung Media Center by tapping on this link. Go inside the Media Center and you can visit the Galaxy Showroom and see what appears to be an image of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3.
The Galaxy Z Fold 2 appears in the virtual Samsung Media Center
The manufacturer's Senior Vice President and Head of Global Marketing Team of Mobile Communications Business, Stephanie Choi, said, "Samsung will continue to support the Olympic and Paralympic movements and connect fans with the Games just as we have for over 30 years. For Tokyo 2020, we will provide athletes and fans opportunities to connect and experience the excitement of the Games through our innovative mobile technologies, such as the latest Galaxy device with its 5G capabilities."
Some of the athletes have already expressed their feelings about Samsung's involvement in the games. Take U.K. skateboarder Sky Brown who stated, "I’m so proud to be part of Team Galaxy for Tokyo 2020. I travel to competitions all over the world, and I take my Samsung phone everywhere so I can stay connected to family and friends wherever I am. I hope to inspire other kids who watch me skate at The Games to decide they can be an Olympian, too."
At Google I/O 2021, Google announced that it would be partnering with Samsung to breathe life back into a platform that hadn’t seen any notable updates in the longest time – Wear OS. Samsung then announced that all future smartwatches launched by the brand would run Wear OS instead of their proprietary Tizen OS which is found on their previous and current-gen smartwatches. This is a big move since users will now get the app support and ecosystem of Android and Wear OS along with the performance, stability, and battery life gains from Samsung’s expertise with Tizen on the Galaxy Watch.
The first product of this partnership between Google and Samsung is all set to be unveiled on August 11, 2021, at Samsung’s Unpacked event. Samsung confirmed that they’re launching the new generation of their foldable phones – Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Galaxy Z Flip 3 early next month and if leaks and rumors are anything to go by, this event will also have a segment for the new Galaxy Watch 4 as well as the Galaxy Buds 2.
If you’re excited about the new wearable from Samsung, here’s everything that we know about it so far and what you can expect from the watch.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 4: Release Date
The Galaxy Watch 4 is expected to launch at Samsung’s Unpacked event on August 11, 2021. Of course, the major highlight of the show is going to be the Galaxy Z Fold 3, Samsung’s third-gen foldable flagship, followed by the Galaxy Z Flip 3 for all the clamshell fans out there. While there’s no official confirmation about the Galaxy Watch 4 launching alongside the two foldables, there are numerous leaks from accurate sources like Evan Blass or @evleaks which claim that Samsung will launch the Galaxy Watch 4. Even the Galaxy Buds 2 are expected to launch with these devices.
Evan also showed off a GIF that reveals how the Galaxy Watch 4 is supposedly going to look like from all angles.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 4: Variants and Pricing
While there were expectations of just a single variant of the Galaxy Watch initially, there seems to be another variant of the Galaxy Watch 4 that may exist called the Galaxy Watch 4 Classic. This means that there could be two different versions of the Galaxy Watch 4 that you can expect to be launched:
Galaxy Watch 4
Galaxy Watch 4 Classic
It’s possible that the regular Galaxy Watch 4 is a replacement for the Galaxy Watch Active 2 and the Classic version is a successor to the Galaxy Watch 3. We’ll get better clarity on this pretty soon but at this point, it’s safe to say that you can expect more than one wearable to launch.
In terms of size, the Galaxy Watch 4 might come in two variants – 42mm and 44mm. The Galaxy Watch 4 Classic is expected to come in two sizes as well – 44mm and 46mm. Users can pick the one that best suits the size and nature of their wrists.
As far as pricing is concerned, we don’t have any concrete information yet but just a couple of weeks back, the Galaxy Watch 4 was spotted on Amazon Canada and the listing mentioned a price of CAD 309.85 for the 42mm variant, which translates to about $249 in the US. Meanwhile, the 44mm Classic variant was listed for CAD 427.73 or approximately $350. There’s no way to tell if the listing prices were accurate, so take this with a pinch of salt.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 4: Design
As mentioned earlier, the watch is expected to come in two variants – a standard version and a Classic version. While the renders of both watches look similar at first glance, there would be some subtle differences between the two watches not just in terms of features or specs but even in terms of design. Both watches are expected to come with IP68 water resistance.
The standard Galaxy Watch in this generation is expected to have a 1.19-inch circular dial with an OLED display just like all Samsung Watches from the past few years. Samsung is expected to launch the watch in multiple color variants to appeal to a larger audience. They might also introduce funky and colorful options apart from the usual black and white to attract a younger audience as well. The Galaxy Watch 4 might come with an aluminum chassis and a touch-capacitive bezel surrounding the display, just like the Galaxy Watch Active.
The Classic edition, on the other hand, is expected to be a slightly more premium smartwatch with a stainless steel body flanked by two buttons on the right edge, something that can be seen in the renders of the standard variant as well. Unlike the touch-capacitive bezel on the normal version, the Galaxy Watch 4 Classis is rumored to get a rotating bezel around the circular dial. This has been a marquee feature on the Galaxy Watch series and is quite reminiscent of some mechanical watches.
Specifications and Features
A recent report from SamMobile suggested that the new Galaxy Watch could feature the best hardware that we’ve ever seen on a smartwatch. This can be attributed to the new Exynos W920 chipset that is supposedly going to be used on the Galaxy Watch 4. The new chipset can apparently achieve up to 1.25 times faster processing speeds and 8.8 times better graphics performance compared to the Exynos 9110 found on previous Galaxy Watches.
The Galaxy Watch series will reportedly have 16GB of internal storage and 1.5GB of RAM which is comparatively higher than what’s found on some other watches. The higher RAM will allow smoother operation of the watch especially given that Wear OS is a heavier platform compared to Tizen. The increased internal storage will allow users to install more apps and games on the watch since the library of apps on the Play Store is much larger.
If we have to mention some new features that are expected, Max Weinbach, a renowned tipster claimed that the Galaxy Watch Active 4 would come with a BIA sensor which stands for Bio-electrical Impedance Analysis. This would allow for body composition readings, something that’s usually seen on body scales. The Galaxy Watch 4 might allow users to track the water content, fat levels, muscle mass, etc. in their body which will be a huge benefit for fitness enthusiasts.
There were some rumors about Blood Glucose monitoring coming to the Galaxy Watch 4 series, but more recent reports say that it might not be happening this year. We’ll have to wait to see if it actually makes its way and Samsung one-ups Apple. Blood pressure monitoring, SpO2 monitoring, and ECG are features that we might see in the Galaxy Watch 4.
Battery life is another thing to look out for on the Galaxy Watch 4. Wear OS has traditionally been terrible with battery consumption whereas previous Galaxy Watches have faired quite well due to the fact that Tizen wasn’t as power-hungry. It would be interesting to see what improvements Samsung has made to Wear OS to make sure it doesn’t drain the watch by evening.
Software: OneUI Watch
The biggest highlight of the new Galaxy Watch is going to be the software the watch will run on. As mentioned earlier, Samsung is going to be using a build of WearOS combined with their own set of features that Tizen and Samsung, in general, have been known for. At MWC recently, Samsung announced that it’s going to be calling this platform OneUI Watch to maintain the branding uniformity with their custom UI on Android.
OneUI Watch will aim to provide a consistent user experience and look with other Galaxy devices. There are some features that Samsung showed off that make using the watch easier. Auto app installation will install the Wear OS version of any app that you install on your phone, provided it’s available. The Settings menu on OneUI Watch looks similar to what we see on OneUI on Samsung’s phones.
The biggest advantage of OneUI Watch being based on Wear OS would be that users will now have access to the Google Play Store to download their favorite apps and games. The collection of apps on the Play Store and the number of developers making apps for Wear OS are much higher compared to Samsung’s own Tizen app store. Even in terms of customization and watch faces, users will now have a larger variety to choose from.
A recent leak from SamMobile shows the user interface of OneUI Watch supposedly running on the Galaxy Watch 4 and the Galaxy Watch 4 Classic.
By these clips, you can probably figure out that the Galaxy Watch 4 Classic goes for a traditional, mechanical watch look with subdued colors and icons. The watch faces also look a lot more formal than the ones you can see on the regular Galaxy Watch 4.
This is everything we know about the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 so far. We’re less than two weeks away from the launch and all the speculations will turn into confirmed information on the 11th of August. Are you excited about the Galaxy Watch 4? This seems like the best Android smartwatch in a while going by the leaks and rumors, and it’s finally looking like the Apple Watch could have a worthy competitor on the Android side of things.
