Apple just announced that nearly every iOS app will automatically publish the Vision Pro store by default, which the company says will give early adopters access to “hundreds of thousands of iPad and iPhone apps.” This will be in addition to whatever actual Vision Pro apps launch on the official store.

Most apps can easily run on Vision Pro, but you won’t get a full futuristic experience. Instead, you’ll see what you’d normally see on your phone or tablet, just blown up via a fake screen in front of you. Apple says that “app experiences can easily extend to Apple Vision Pro from day one — with no additional work required.”

This is slightly underwhelming when you consider the usual apps, like Facebook, but actually provides some real benefits. This means, for instance, that every streaming app will automatically be available at launch, so you can watch whatever you want on the headset’s virtual screen. Incidentally, the screen can occupy a relative width of 100 feet, so those lightsaber battles on Ahsoka will really pop. Marry that with the comfort-forward lightweight design and you’ve got yourself one heck of an entertainment machine, and that’s before uniquely-made streaming apps begin showing up.

On the developer side, there’s a forthcoming visionOS beta launching this fall so devs can test their apps to make sure they work. Additionally, this toolset will allow developers to make adjustments to maximize integration with the headset. It’ll also let you know if your app isn’t eligible for some reason, though most will be.

Now onto the why of this. The Apple Vision Pro is set to be a niche product for at least the first generation, due to the exorbitant price tag and limited use case scenarios, so exclusive apps could be scarce at launch. This allows Apple to sort of inflate the Vision Pro app store numbers to entice consumers. It could also pressure some of the larger developers out there, like Meta, to push through features exclusive to the headset. No matter the reason, one of the primary clarion calls whenever any new technology is announced is a cry for backwards compatibility, and well, this’ll do it.

For the uninitiated, the Apple Vision Pro is the company’s forthcoming mixed-reality headset. It boasts eye-tracking, so you can control apps via minute ocular movements, and an OLED screen on the exterior to display a digital recreation of your eyeballs for others to interact with. It’ll cost a whopping $3,500 when it launches next year, which is equatable to purchasing seven Meta Quest 3 VR headsets.

Apple’s latest fall iPhone event — “Wonderlust” — is nearly here. Four new iPhones and a couple of Apple Watch models are expected to take center stage when the company showcases its latest products. USB-C should be in the spotlight as Apple changes its charging ports in response to new EU regulations. Although nothing is set in stone until Tim Cook takes the stage on Tuesday, we’ve gathered the most probable leaks and rumors ahead of Apple’s September 12 event.

iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro

No matter what else Tim Cook and company reveal, new iPhones are practically guaranteed to dominate the day’s headlines. We can expect a high-end iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max, along with a standard iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus. There was an earlier report that Apple may rebrand the Pro Max model as “iPhone 15 Ultra” this year, but it isn’t clear if that’s still on the table.

First, screen sizes will likely stand pat. That means 6.1-inch displays for the iPhone 15 and 15 Pro and 6.7-inch screens for the iPhone 15 Plus and iPhone 15 Pro Max (or “Ultra”). ProMotion, Apple’s branding for 120Hz variable refresh rate displays, will almost certainly remain exclusive to the top-tier models.

Cherlynn Low / Engadget

A change many foresee is Lightning cables becoming obsolete. Over a decade has passed since switching from 30-pin connectors to Lightning, and European regulations are forcing Apple to swap ports again — this time to USB-C. “Obviously, we’ll have to comply” with the EU’s requirements, Apple VP Greg Joswiak confirmed in an interview with the WSJ last year. Although Apple could wait for next year’s iPhone launch to make the EU’s deadline, leaks and well-sourced insiders indicate almost unanimously that this year’s iPhone 15 will be the one to kick off the USB-C iPhone era.

However, connected Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo predicts only the higher-end iPhone models will see faster USB-C data transfer speeds. Kuo believes only the two pro models will support “at least USB 3.2 or Thunderbolt 3” high-speed wired connections, while the two standard models (iPhone 15 / 15 Plus) would use slower USB 2.0 speeds, the same as Lightning. At least some new models could also support faster (35W) charging speeds, although (predictably, some might say) you could need a proprietary Apple-made adapter to power up at those rates.

Dynamic Island, the display cutout that Apple launched on the iPhone 14 Pro / Pro Max, is expected to carry over to all four models in 2023. A replacement for the “notch” on older full-screen iPhones, Dynamic Island is a floating black pill-shaped section just below the top of the screen. It not only masks the phone’s front camera and Face ID sensor, but it can also flash alerts, animations and shortcuts for tasks like driving directions, timers or music. Apple design VP Alan Dye tidily summarized that Dynamic Island can “display alerts, notifications, and ongoing operations in real-time without seeing the boundary between hardware and software.”

Cherlynn Low / Engadget

Stainless steel may go the way of the Lightning port, as the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max are rumored to switch to titanium frames. The material upgrade could make the new pro lineup “stronger, lighter and more premium,” as Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman described in July. He said the titanium used in high-end Apple Watch models was “a test for bringing that material to its highest-volume device.” Although the phones are expected to keep the same frosted glass back, their corners could be more rounded than in previous models. In addition, Apple may drop the lineup’s gold hue for a “titan gray” colorway.

Thinner bezels are expected to accompany the pro series’ titanium frame. Apple is reportedly developing the iPhone 15 Pro / Pro Max displays with a process called low-injection pressure over-molding, or “LIPO.” First used in Apple Watch Series 7 manufacturing, Gurman reported that the technology could reduce the pro series’ bezels to 1.5 mm, down from the 2.2 mm ones found in current models.

The iPhone 15 Pro series could also have an Action Button like on the Apple Watch Ultra. The customizable toggle would replace the mute switch on the upper-left side of the pro-tier iPhones. Possible uses for the Action Button (based on code uncovered in iOS 17) include launching the camera, lighting the phone’s flashlight, activating Focus, opening accessibility features or standing pat with the standard mute function. Sources indicated Apple initially wanted to swap in haptic solid-state ones for the iPhone’s physical volume and power buttons, but the company reportedly canceled the feature after encountering “unresolved technical issues before mass production.” So expect standard volume and power / sleep buttons.

Apple

The most likely camera upgrade is a new periscope lens exclusive to the iPhone 15 Pro Max (or Ultra). It would use a prism to bend or fold light captured by the sensor, leading to an optical zoom of 5x to 6x without making the phone beefier. The iPhone 14 Pro series supports up to 3x optical zoom.

One of the surest bets about a new flagship iPhone’s features is a faster, next-generation chip. The iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max are rumored to use a 3nm chip, likely called the A17 Bionic. It would provide performance boosts (and maybe longer battery life). Meanwhile, the iPhone 15 / 15 Plus pair is rumored to repeat what the company did in 2022: recycling last year’s high-end chip. That means the iPhone 15 / 15 Plus would use the A16 Bionic, found in the iPhone 14 Pro.

If recent years are any indication, the new iPhones would be available for pre-order the Friday after the event, with shipments and general availability kicking off a week later. Although this year’s models may be more expensive.

Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra

This could be a minor year for Apple Watch updates. The primary hardware change in the Apple Watch Series 9 is rumored to be an S9 chip, marking the product’s first real processor upgrade since 2020. Gurman reported that the S9 will be based on the A15 chip that debuted in Apple’s iPhone 13 (2021) lineup. The S9’s full details aren’t known, but it’s rumored to move from a 7nm manufacturing process to a denser and more efficient 5nm or 4nm one. Expect performance boosts and (perhaps) longer battery life.

Reports suggest the new Apple Watch will otherwise be a largely ho-hum update, with Gurman saying this year’s model won’t offer any significant design changes or new features. A pink color option and Bluetooth 5.3 support are possible changes for the new model. Regardless, watchOS 10 — arguably the biggest software update in the wearable’s history — will likely stand as the biggest advancement for the Apple Watch in 2023.

Cherlynn Low / Engadget

As for the Apple Watch Ultra, it’s also expected to receive an incremental 2nd-generation update. In addition to the S9 chip, a new Apple Watch Ultra could add a black titanium case. The current model ships in a “natural” color, expected to return alongside the darker option.

AirPods

Ken Pillonel

You probably want to keep your AirPods expectations in check, as Apple’s march away from Lightning and towards USB-C will likely be the only headphone upgrades at this event. The company will reportedly launch “new” versions of the current AirPods models, with charging cases that use USB-C instead of Lightning serving as the only difference.

Rumored changes to the AirPods lineup down the road include body-temperature sensors, accessibility features for people with hearing disabilities and a potential price drop for the entry-level model. But we won’t likely see any of that on Tuesday.

Software

Apple

You can expect the event to bring more details about Apple’s first big 2023 software updates: iOS 17, watchOS 10 and (possibly) iPadOS 17. Apple announced the operating systems at WWDC 2023, and their final versions should become available to the public sometime between the event and the iPhone 15 launch. Following recent years’ patterns, macOS Sonoma will likely launch in October — with iPadOS 17 joining if it isn’t included alongside iOS 17. A potential October event could consist of new iMac, MacBook Air and 13-inch MacBook Pro models running the M3 chip.

iOS 17 includes a new StandBy mode, voicemail transcriptions, FaceTime video voicemails, contact posters, NameDrop and new in-line predictive text suggestions (among other additions). Meanwhile, watchOS 10 is arguably the platform’s most significant update since the wearable’s 2015 launch. The new software changes the Apple Watch’s fundamental control scheme: The side button now activates Control Center (instead of recent apps or the dock), and twisting the watch’s Digital Crown from the watch face scrolls through a customizable stack of glanceable widgets.

You can read more about the upcoming software in Engadget’s previews of iOS 17, iPadOS 17 and watchOS 10 coverage.

Researchers at Northwestern University developed a bioelectric implant that can detect temperature fluctuations that typically happen right before a body rejects an organ transplant. The sensor is smaller than a fingernail, and a mere 220 micrometers thick.

This new sensor technology is thin enough to sit directly on a kidney's fibrous layer — called the renal capsule — which surrounds and protects the organ. The device works by continuously monitoring changes to blood flow and temperature. The built-in thermometer can sense increases as minuscule as 0.004 degrees Celsius. Once an irregularity is detected, the sensor, which contains a micro coin cell battery for power, uses Bluetooth to alert a patient or physician via a smartphone or tablet. Any increase typically signals inflammation which is a potential sign of transplant rejection.

After any surgery that involves an organ transplant, the risk of rejection is high. The sensor was developed specifically for kidney transplants but it could also work for other organs, including the liver and lungs. Kidney transplants in the US are on the rise and are usually recommended for people who will not be able to live without dialysis. The American Kidney Fund cites that an acute rejection of a kidney transplant one month after surgery happens in about five to twenty percent of patients that go under.

That’s why it is critical to detect transplant rejection, which occurs when your body's immune system treats the new organ like a foreign object and attacks it. If a healthcare provider detects signs of rejection early enough, medical intervention can preserve the new organ in the new host. Northwestern researchers said that the device detected warning signs of organ rejection three weeks earlier than current monitoring methods. The current “gold standard” for detecting rejection is a biopsy, where a tissue sample is extracted from the transplanted organ and then analyzed in a lab. However, biopsies are invasive and can cause bleeding and increase the risk for infection.

Northwestern University

Despite developing an innovative first-of-its-kind product, researchers at Northwestern University still have a long way to go. It still needs to be tested on humans in a clinical setting before it can make any impact in the surgical market. Northwestern’s John A. Rogers, a bioelectronics expert who led the device development, said in a statement that his team is now evaluating ways to recharge the coin cell battery so that it can last a lifetime.

Victrola has introduced two new premium turntables: the Hi-Res Carbon and Hi-Res Onyx. Both products have built-in Qualcomm audio hardware that will allow for wireless vinyl record play to any Bluetooth or aptX-enabled speakers or headphones. This hardware upgrade is a major shift away from Victrola’s previous lineup which was only compatible with Sonos speakers.

The turntables support Bluetooth 5.4 and Bluetooth LE and feature Qualcomm’s aptX Adaptive audio technologies. The Hi-Res models will still feature RCA outputs for self-powered wired speakers for the more traditional crowd.

Victrola’s Hi-Res Carbon and Hi-Res Onyx models are priced at $599 and $399, respectively, and are available today. Each runs $200 cheaper than their respective Sonos-compatible counterpart.

Honda announced today that it’s switching to Tesla’s North American Charging Standard (NACS) for upcoming EVs sold on the continent. Honda models that go on sale in 2025 and later will use NACS instead of the Combined Charging System (CCS). The automaker says it’s developing an adaptor to allow pre-2025 Hondas to charge using Tesla’s system, as it further establishes itself as the North American standard less than a year after Elon Musk and company opened it up to rivals.

“We’re excited to announce that Honda will expand fast-charging access for Honda & Acura #EV customers by adopting the North American Charging Standard (NACS),” Honda in America posted today on X (formerly Twitter). The company said it plans to launch a new EV model in North America in 2025 that includes the NACS port; all Honda EVs will use Tesla’s standard after that point.

Honda is also part of a recently formed group aiming to create a new charging network across North America with BMW, General Motors, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Mercedes and Stellantis. Honda and the other automakers said in July they wanted to “accelerate the transition to electric vehicles” and “make zero-emission driving even more attractive.” Honda’s press release today describes the NACS adoption as existing “in addition to” those plans, but we asked Honda to clarify if or how today’s NACS announcement might affect that coalition’s strategy. (We’ll update this article if we receive a response.)

Other vehicle manufacturers announcing NACS adoption in North America include Ford, GM, Mercedes, Polestar and Volvo. In addition, Texas announced in June that state-funded EV charging stations would need to include NACS.

The Nintendo Switch isn't dead quite yet. Nintendo has a solid-looking slate of games lined up for its console stretching well into 2024, including Super Mario Bros. Wonder (which I absolutely cannot wait for), Detective Pikachu Returns and maybe, possibly Metroid Prime 4. But there's no denying that the 6.5-year-old console is getting long in the tooth, so Nintendo is gearing up for what's next. To that end, the company reportedly showed developers tech demos for its next-gen system behind closed doors at Gamescom last month.

One of the Switch 2 demos was a beefed-up version of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. That's according to Eurogamer, which points out that this was a tech demo and there's no guarantee of a remastered or upgraded version of BOTW coming to the Switch 2, so don't get your hopes up. That said, the demo was said to show BOTW running at a higher frame rate and resolution than the original Switch can handle.

Perhaps more intriguingly, VGC reports that Nintendo also showed The Matrix Awakens running on the dev kit. The captivating tech demo was originally designed to show off what Unreal Engine 5 can do on the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, but Nintendo managed to get it working on an early version of its next system too. What's more, the Switch 2 demo was said to feature NVIDIA’s DLSS upscaling tech, ray-tracing and visuals comparable to those seen on the PS5 and Series X.

It's unlikely that the Switch 2 will compete with the Sony and Microsoft systems in terms of pure horsepower. It definitely won't if Nintendo retains the hybrid handheld format of the Switch, unless the company is content with a battery life of about 20 minutes. DLSS support is key, as that could help Nintendo run games at higher frame rates and resolution without having to jam more powerful components or an oversized battery into the Switch 2.

Nintendo is expected to release the Switch 2 (or whatever the console will actually be called) in 2024. It will be doing so in a far different gaming landscape than the groundbreaking Switch ventured into due to the likes of the Steam Deck and more advanced mobile gaming experiences. We're seeing a new handheld PC gaming system show upalmost every week at this point. Thanks to emulation (and poor piracy protections on the original Switch), it's not exactly difficult to run Nintendo games better than the company's current console can handle, even while you're on the go.

Nintendo might have its work cut out to convince gamers that both an upgrade from the original Switch is worthwhile and that the Switch 2 is a better option for them than a handheld gaming PC. Still, more advanced hardware, the company's stellar track record of exclusive games and quality-of-life features like an easy way to transition to the Switch 2 could make the next-gen system enticing enough for those who might have been on the fence about snagging the upcoming console.

A few of Amazon's Fire TV Sticks are on sale again, including the Fire TV Stick 4K Max, which is down to $27. It went for $25 during July's Prime Day, but that deal was only for Prime members — this one's open to any one with the funds and inclination. This is a 51 percent discount off the $55 list price, and a sale we've seen a few times before. Two other streaming dongles are also on sale: the standard, HD-compatible Fire TV Stick is $25 instead of it usual $40, and the set-top Fire TV Cube is down to $120 as opposed to $140.  

Of the lot, the Fire TV Stick 4K Max is probably best for most people, as it offers a performance boost for just $2 more than the standard stick. The Cube is likely just for those who want to route other systems, like gaming consoles, through their streaming device. The 4K Max offers quick loading and response times and it'll help you control your Alexa-enabled smart home devices, letting you view live interior or exterior camera footage directly from your TV screen. There's even a picture-in-picture view so you can see who's at the door without stopping the show. The 4K Max also includes support for Wi-Fi 6 — so if you're already set up for that standard or plan to upgrade in the future, this can take advantage of the broader connections. 

Our main concern with Amazon's streaming devices is its less intuitive user interface. Fire OS isn't as streamlined as Roku or Google's streaming operating systems, and Amazon tends to favor its own content, heavily promoting its shows, services and products throughout the system. 

Right now, we think Roku has the best UI of any streaming device, as we detail in our latest guide on the topic. The dongle we recommend, the Roku Streaming Stick 4K, is currently seeing a modest, 20 percent discount, taking $10 off its usual $50 price tag. That's well above the all-time low of $25 that we saw for last year's Black Friday sales, but it's still a decent buy on a feature-rich streaming stick. 

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

A couple weeks ago, Sega did something it doesn’t normally do: it gathered up a bunch of its studios (Atlus, Amplitude, Sega of Europe and others) and put together a showcase highlighting a number of titles coming out over the next few months.

Sonic Superstars (Release date: October 17)

Like a lot of people, I have a love-hate relationship with Sonic. While the original games on the Genesis produced iconic levels like the Green Hill Zone and unforgettable characters like Tails, Knuckles and the lovable blue hedgehog himself, more recent titles often miss the mark (to put it politely). Sonic the Hedgehog ‘06nearly broke me and the Sonic Boom series was a particularly dark period for fans of speedy protagonists.

But Sonic Superstars feels like a return to form, expanding on the breakneck 2D gameplay the franchise was best at, while adding a super crisp art style that doesn’t rely on 16-bit nostalgia. Stages like Cyber Station Zone offer fun twists on the formula by letting you transform into voxelized squids or rockets as you traverse the level. In a lot of ways, it feels like Sega is finally giving side-scrolling Sonic games the overhaul they’ve needed for more than a decade, similar to what Nintendo is doing with Super Mario Bros. Wonder.

Furthermore, Sega has added multiplayer co-op to a 2D Sonic game for the first time, and not coincidentally, it plays a lot like a modern Mario title. Health, or in this case rings are shared between all the players, so as long as your party possesses a single shiny loop, you can revive your friends (except for during boss fights). The one small issue is that due to the pace of the game, if you die you might get stuck in a floating bubble for a bit until things slow down and your friends get a chance to break you out.

Persona 5 Tactica (Release date: November 17)

This is probably the game I was most excited to try out, and even with high expectations I did not come away wanting. Not only is it a treat to hear more riffs on one of the greatest video game soundtracks in recent memory, there are so many mechanics from the JRPG franchise that transition seamlessly to the tactics genre, I’m kind of surprised it took Atlus this long to make a Persona spin-off like this.

Right away the game introduces concepts like team attacks and knockdowns that had me thinking about how to take down enemies in the fewest moves. And instead of Persona’s traditional elemental affinities, Tactica introduces new cover mechanics that make the game feel like a mix between XCOM and the Mario + Rabbids series. The chibi-style art is also fun and expressive without being too kawaii.

Also, while it’s always nice to have played Persona 5 for the added context, the title is a self-contained story featuring new characters, so you don’t need to spend 50+ hours playing P5 before diving into this.

Persona 3 Reload (Release date: February 2, 2024)

I don’t have much to say about Persona 3 Reload aside from I’m thankful that this game is finally getting the remake it deserves. The original basically paved the way for the last 15+ years of Persona RPGs. It’s kind of a shame Atlus isn’t including some of the extra content from Persona 3 FES and the PSP port (notably the female protagonist), but with discs for the original PS2 game becoming harder and harder to find, it’s nice to have a great looking and more widely available version coming in early 2024.

Endless Dungeon (Release date: October 19)

While I’m familiar with some of Amplitude Studio’s previous titles, the latest entry in the Endless series might be the most pleasant surprise I encountered at the showcase. It’s a twin-stick shooter with squad-based gameplay that’s layered on top of rogue-lite mechanics that allow you to unlock things like new weapons, characters and abilities. You can choose to go it alone and control up to three heroes at the same time (with some automated assistance) or play co-op (both local and online) with friends. Either way, the game is refreshingly challenging.

As you explore and open doors, you’ll unleash waves of enemies, collect items and upgrade skills. When you reach the final room, you’ll face a huge horde and even with one of the devs giving me pointers, we didn’t survive. But that merely highlighted the depth of the game’s strategic elements. From what I played, Endless Dungeon has exactly what I look for in a rogue-lite: deep mechanics and solid replayability (with engaging co-op as a bonus).

But my favorite thing is that, despite Sega’s long history on consoles, all of the games above will also be available on PC. This is a move the publisher said it wanted to embrace after seeing strong sales on Steam during the pandemic. Regardless, whether you’re an old-school 2D platformer junkie or someone who just wants more tactics games, there’s a lot to like from Sega’s growing family of studios. And that’s even with me running out of time to check out some of Sega’s other upcoming releases like Total War: Pharoah or Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name.

Max looks set to move into the sports streaming business in the coming weeks. Warner Bros. Discovery may try to get users hooked by offering live sports at no extra cost for several months before charging extra for them.

When WBD revealed the new-look Max (formerly HBO Max) in April, it indicated that it would reveal plans for live sports streaming at some point this year. The company airs NBA, MLB and NHL games across its linear networks and, according to Bloomberg, it has been working with the leagues to determine if it has the rights to stream the games as well.

The report suggests that Max may offer live sports to subscribers at no extra cost until February or March before WBD starts requiring users to pony up more cash for them. That's because the March Madness college basketball tournament is one of the biggest sports events of the year and WBD may feel that could help it to get users to pay a premium for live sports on Max.

Live sports are big business for media companies and they're one of the safest bets to make. Still, broadcast and cable viewership has been waning for years as consumers' attention shifts elsewhere. Some organizations are trying to face that head on by streaming live sports as well.

Disney is reportedly planning on offering a standalone ESPN streaming service. Paramount+ and Peacock (both of which are run by legacy media companies) place a major focus on live sports. YouTube, meanwhile, now holds the rights to NFL Sunday Ticket. Offering access to baseball, basketball and hockey games could help WBD get people who may have already ditched cable TV to sign up for its service, even if they need to pay more than they would for a base Max plan to watch live games.

Google Chrome is well into its adolescence and is celebrating its 15th birthday with a redesign and new safety features. Say goodbye to the standard white background because Google is rolling out background customization using its Material You design language, including new colors and smoother access to light and dark modes.

To change the design of your browser, click a new button at the bottom of your homepage titled "Customize Chrome." Then, a pop-out gives you the option to change themes, with colorways ranging from yellow to purple and everything in between. Chrome will automatically switch to whichever choice you click on, so you can explore the different colors before committing to one. Here's where you can also choose to have your browser be in light mode, dark mode or to match your computer's settings. Your settings can differ based on which Google account you've logged into (and can even stay the standard white if you prefer).

Google has also added more options to Chrome's drop-down menu that the company says will make it quicker to access tools like Google Password Manager and extensions. You can also check out a public preview of Chrome's"fresh, modern" web store. It now has an AI-powered extensions tab and an Editor's spotlight section if you want recommendations for ones to download. 

The birthday updates are mostly design-centered, but Google is also attempting to improve its Safe Browsing technology. Instead of updating its internal list of sites with phishing or malware threats every half hour to hour, Chrome should now check sites in real time. Google claims that 60 percent of bad sites exist for less than 10 minutes and that this change should improve protection by 25 percent.