Who needs to save for college when your kids can enjoy the infinite contrast and eight million glorious points of light in Samsung's new MicroLED TVs, which now start at the low price of $110,000. Available in 89-inch, 101-inch ($130,000) and 114-inch ($150,000) sizes, MicroLED TVs offer all of the benefits of OLED — super dark blacks and bold colors — but without the reasonable price points reachable by lowly commoners. 

Envelope yourself with Samsung's 3D Arena sound, which includes Dolby Atmos, Object Tracking Sound Pro and AI powered voice amplification. Behold the MICRO AI processor, which upscales everything into 4K (never mind that every TV offers pretty decent upscaling today). When you proudly reveal the price of your MicroLED TV, remember your friends won't be laughing at you — they're just jealous. 

Unfortunately, Samsung isn't throwing in a $8,000 8K set and luxury hotel stay with these MicroLED TVs, as it did in South Korea.

Apple's AirTag is certainly convenient for keeping track of everything from your cat to your keys, but it's lack of a key ring hole is frustrating to say the least. Fortunately, there are tons of great Apple AirTag accessories with a range of functions and prices. Right now, its worth checking out the Apple AirTag leather loop, on sale for $10 from $39 in California Poppy and Meyer Lemon. The 74 percent discount is part of a larger sale on Apple wireless accessories at Woot. 

While many Apple AirTag accessories are variations on key ring, the leather loop provides similar functionality with a sleeker look. It's a good option for attaching to a bag, suitcase or any item with a handle really. If you're in need of multiple AirTags then grab the two-pack, which Woot has discounted 81 percent to $15 from $78. You can also check out the AirTag leather key ring if you want a more traditional option. This model is on sale for $10 from $35, while the two-pack is discounted to $15 from $70. All of these items are marked down for 10 days or until they sell out. 

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AT&T and Verizon customers found themselves unable to call contacts on other carriers for several hours on June 4. Based on people's reports on Downdetector, the issue started at around 11AM ET for both carriers and peaked at approximately 5PM ET. Thousands of subscribers were affected. Most of the reports came from New York City, Chicago, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Indianapolis and Cleveland, among other locations. A much smaller number of T-Mobile and Cricket Wireless users also reported problems with their connection. 

The Federal Communications Commission tried to assuage people's worries and announced that it was aware that subscribers from multiple states were "unable to make wireless calls." It also said that it was "currently investigating" the problem. After 7PM ET, both Verizon and AT&T issued statements denying that they were experiencing nationwide outage. They both admitted that their customers were having difficulties calling or texting people on other carriers — Verizon reportedly told Gizmodo that outage reports for its network came from people trying to call AT&T subscribers — but neither one took responsibility. The root cause of the issue remains unknown at this time. AT&T told CNN, though, that 911 calls went through despite the outage.

An hour later, AT&T announced that the problem had been resolved. The company said it collaborated "with the other carrier" to find a solution. It didn't name the other carrier, but it was most likely Verizon, seeing as most of the customers who were affected were subscribers of the two companies. Back in February, AT&T experienced a massive outage that affected over 70,000 subscribers' cellular services and data connections, with customers noting that they couldn't even contact 911. Verizon and T-Mobile said at the time that their subscribers couldn't contact friends with AT&T numbers. 

The Sony WH-CH720N ANC headphones are on sale for $98 via Amazon. That’s a discount of 35 percent, which is nothing to sneeze at. We loved these headphones at the original price of $150, so we most definitely recommend them now.

In other words, the features here are stellar for the price. This is no surprise, as Sony has a fantastic track record when it comes to budget-friendly cans. The WH-CH720N headphones offer great sound quality, capable ANC, decent battery life and a comfortable fit. What else is there?

Specifically, the battery lasts around 35 hours per charge, which is a decent metric. It’s a pretty huge bummer to be in the middle of a walk, totally lost in a jam, when you hear that annoying “battery low” warning immediately followed by a shutdown. There are some physical controls, including a power/pairing button, volume buttons and a noise canceling button that cycles between ANC and transparency modes. These headphones also work with all of the major voice assistants.

We were especially impressed with the comfort and fit, saying that we could easily wear them for “hours at a time," thanks to ample cushioning in the ear pads. The overall sound quality is, however, the standout feature. The bass is on-point and there’s great clarity in the other frequency ranges. It just sounds good.

On the downside, the plastic exterior isn’t going to be winning any design awards and it’s missing some of the advanced features found with pricier Sony headphones. There’s no automatic pausing when you take them off or when you start talking. Other than that, though, these are some dang good headphones.

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It'll soon be Apple's turn to talk about its next major operating system updates, giving developers a chance to get their apps ready ahead of a broad rollout this fall. The company's Worldwide Developers Conference is right around the corner. Apple is sure to reveal some of the main features of iOS 18 and iPadOS 18, as well as what's ahead for the likes of watchOS, macOS and visionOS at WWDC 2024.

Given the current tech climate, though, it seems likely that Apple is about to follow its rivals by making a big leap into the realm of generative AI. That could be a major focus of the keynote, since those are the only two letters investors seem to give a hoot about hearing these days.

The Apple rumor mill never stops churning, so we've heard some bits and pieces about what WWDC will perhaps entail. It seems unlikely that we'll get any major hardware announcements at the event, but you never truly know until Tim Cook wraps things up. After all, we did see the Apple Vision Pro make its first appearance at the last WWDC.

In any case, here's what to expect from Apple's WWDC 2024 keynote:

When is WWDC 2024?

WWDC 2024 starts on June 10 and runs through June 14. There will be a variety of events throughout the week, but the bulk of the attention will be on Apple's keynote which is set for 1PM ET on June 10. 

The keynote is where Apple tends to reveal many of the key features for the next major versions of its main operating systems: iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS and most likely visionOS. Apple has also used the WWDC keynote to unveil new hardware over the years, though we expect that to be less of a concern this time around.

How to watch WWDC

As usual, you'll be able to tune in to Apple's presentation online. Apple used to restrict its streams to its own homepage and apps, but fortunately its grip has lessened over the years. You'll be able to watch the keynote on apple.com, the Apple Developer app, the Apple TV app and Apple's YouTube channel. 

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AI

Even though Apple has largely shied away from uttering "AI" too often during its events, there's no getting away from the big tech buzzword of the last two years. Generative AI is quickly seeping into more aspects of our lives and Apple seems primed to grab a piece of that pie.

It's believed that Apple doesn't yet have its own AI chatbot that's ready for primetime. While it continues to beaver away on that, the company has reportedly reached a deal with OpenAI to integrate ChatGPT into iOS 18. According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, Apple is still interested in reaching an agreement with Google to offer that company's Gemini AI assistant on iPhones too, but that may not happen until further down the line. 

Siri, meanwhile, is expected to get an upgrade across compatible devices using Apple’s own large language models. Reports also suggest that you'll be able to use the voice assistant to carry out many more specific functions in certain apps (like opening documents and sending emails), but it's believed that Apple won't roll out this Siri upgrade until early 2025.

Apple's approach to generative AI in both iOS 18 and macOS 15 is said to be a practical one that's based on helping regular folk in their everyday lives rather than letting them, say, quickly generate long reams of text they can sell as ebooks for a quick buck. Instead, you're more likely to see GAI features like suggested email and message replies, TL;DR text summaries, voice memo transcriptions (finally!) and improved photo touchup tools in core apps.

Apple is expected to handle as much of the AI processing on-device as it can, with the remainder being sent to data centers. That raises questions about how Apple will ensure user privacy, one of the company's core tenets. It will have to spell out how it's keeping user information secure as it moves between the device and a data center.

Photo by Billy Steele/Engadget

iOS 18 / iPadOS 18

As ever, new features are coming to a swathe of iOS and iPadOS apps. Arguably the most notable is the expected introduction of RCS to Messages.

GMSA's RCS, or Rich Communications Service, is a more advanced messaging protocol than the three-decade-old SMS. RCS is more secure than old-school SMS, since it offers end-to-end encryption. It allows for improved media sharing, with high-resolution images, video and audio clips. RCS allows for proper group chats and it supports Wi-Fi messaging too.

And yet for years, Apple refused to bring RCS to its platform — something Google had long been needling it to do — to keep iMessage more of a walled garden. Of course, iMessage itself has many of the same features as RCS. At one point, Apple CEO Tim Cook's response to someone who asked for improved Android texting compatibility so they could share videos with their mother was to "buy your mom an iPhone."

Apple eventually relented on its RCS stance last year, possibly to ensure it complies with strict EU regulations. The company said it would enable RCS support in 2024, so it makes sense that this feature would debut in iOS 18. That means messaging between iOS and Android should be much better in the near future (even if texts from Android devices will still appear as green bubbles on an iPhone). Meanwhile, Google just started allowing Android users to edit RCS messages within a 15-minute window of sending them.

Gurman also noted that Apple is likely to support custom emoji generation based on what you're writing in text messages. It seems that you'll also be able to change the colors of app icons on your home screen and no longer have to keep apps locked to a rigid grid system.

Apple Music may gain an auto-generated playlist feature, following an OpenAI-powered tool that Spotify rolled out in 2023. Custom routes and topographic maps (which debuted on Apple Watch last year) are said to be on the way to Apple Maps. In addition, Apple is rumored to be adding a voice-recording tool to Notes, which would dovetail nicely with the expected transcription function, as well as the option to display mathematical notation.

Other core apps are reportedly in line for some changes, such as generative AI functions in productivity apps like Keynote and Pages. Others like Mail, Fitness and Health are also expected to get new features, but the details haven't been leaked as yet.

Calculator

This long-expected update deserves its own section. That's right, the Calculator app is said to be getting a major overhaul on iPhone and Mac. Snarkiness aside, the revamp actually sounds like it'll be useful, with Notes app integration, improved unit conversions and a sidebar listing recent activity. The app is also said to be coming to iPadOS.

Photo by Devindra Hardawar/Engadget

macOS 15

Let's take a wild guess out of the gate here and declare that Apple will name the next version of macOS after a notable location in California. In all seriousness, that would be the least shocking thing Apple could possibly do on the keynote stage.

Many of the iOS app updates are expected to be replicated in macOS 15, such as the Apple Music, Notes and productivity changes. Rumors suggest that Apple is reorganizing the System Settings app based on importance and priority of the various categories, so the General tab is likely to be bumped up while Sound and Notifications are expected to drop down the list.

Elsewhere, Siri's menu bar icon may get a new look with a flat monochrome design expected to supplant the current colorful version. There may be some welcome accessibility upgrades too, such as a Shortcuts option that allows users to trigger a certain setting or action using a custom spoken phrase.

Photo by Nathan Ingraham / Engadget

Apple hardware

Last year's WWDC was a hardware bonanza, with Apple finally announcing the Vision Pro along with the 15-inch MacBook Air and the M2 Ultra-powered Mac Pro and Mac Studio. We're not expecting much from Apple on the hardware front this time around, though.

The company just updated its iPad lineup and it's likely a little too early for any new laptops given the MacBook Pro and iMac updates in October and MacBook Air refreshes in March. Of course, iPhones will remain under wraps until September, as will the next Apple Watches. However, Apple may take the opportunity to slot its M3 or even M4 chips into its other desktop systems, many of which remain mired in the M2 generation.

We could see some refreshed peripherals and other devices too. There's always the possibility that Apple will unveil an (official) version of the AirPods Max with a USB-C charging port.

Back in January 2023, Gurman reported that a new Apple TV box would arrive in the first half of 2024. There's still just enough time for that to happen. There's a possibility that Apple may add a camera to the Apple TV as well. In that case, there'd be no need to use an iPhone or iPad for FaceTime chats on the biggest screen in your home.

Photo by Devindra Hardawar/Engadget

Apple Vision Pro

One thing we are expecting on the hardware side is for Apple to reveal where the Vision Pro is going next. Until now, the headset has only been available in the US. That's probably going to change in the coming weeks and months. Multiple reports have suggested that the next phase of the rollout will include Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Japan, Singapore, South Korea and the UK. However, there hasn't been much in terms of visionOS 2 leaks so far, so it's unclear what kind of updates the mixed reality operating system will get.

Everything else

The rumor mill has been quiet about watchOS updates too. There will surely be some notable changes to Apple's wearable operating system, but we could be in for a relatively minor iteration of watchOS after last year's massive overhaul.

It's rare that tvOS gets much love during an Apple keynote, but it's bound to get an update that we'll learn about at some point during WWDC. You might have to wait until the Platforms State of the Union event at 4PM ET for the scoop. The same goes for CarPlay and HomePod.

Bear in mind, none of this is certain until the likes of Cook, Craig Federighi et al hit the WWDC keynote stage and start discussing what's next for Apple's products and services. But based on the reporting of several Apple-focused journalists with a strong track record of getting things right, we do expect to hear about many of the above updates and announcements.

The second-gen Apple Pencil stylus accessory is back on sale for $79, which is a discount of nearly 40 percent. That’s quite a deal, considering the usual price is around $130. Why Apple decided to charge well over $100 for magnetic pens in the first place is a whole other conversation, but at least there’s a sale for now.

This is a fantastic accessory and perfect for several iPad models, but we have to address the elephant in the room. Apple’s stylus lineup is something of a confusing mess. The company makes four different Apple Pencils and it can be difficult to suss out the best one for your particular tablet. For instance, the new Pencil Pro is only compatible with the latest iPad Airs and iPad Pros.

Therefore, this second-gen Apple Pencil is not appropriate for the just-released tablets. This model is the one to get if you use an older iPad Pro or Air, as long as the design predates those with the front-facing cameras on the long edge. It’s also a good match for the current iPad mini. Finally, it’s likely that every Apple tablet moving forward will feature a redesign similar to the latest Air and Pro, so only buy this stylus if you aren’t planning on upgrading your tablet anytime soon.

If you meet the above criteria, however, the second-gen Apple Pencil is a comfortable and highly useful stylus. It features tilt and pressure sensitivity, magnetic charging, wireless pairing and a light form factor. It’s miles better than the average Amazon knockoff, with next to no lag. You’ll be drawing exquisite pizza slices and cats before you know it.

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Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) keynote is right around the corner. The festivities kick off on Monday, June 10 at 1PM ET. The keynote address is available to the public and you can watch it via Apple’s event website or on the company’s YouTube channel. Alternatively, you can just stay here and watch our embed.

This is WWDC, so it’ll be a software-focused event. Apple will most likely reveal many of the main features of iOS 18 and iPadOS 18. It’s also possible we’ll get updates for watchOS, macOS and even visionOS, which is the operating system behind the Vision Pro headset.

This is Apple, however, so the rumor mill is grinding at a feverish pace. The whole world has gone AI crazy, to varying degrees of success, but Apple has remained mostly mum on the technology. Given the current tech climate, it seems likely that changes sooner rather than later. WWDC would be the perfect place to unveil what the company has been working on.

To that end, Apple is reportedly developing its own AI chatbot, likely an update to Siri. Rumors swirl that this tech isn’t ready yet, so Siri will remain just a fairly decent alarm clock for now. The company has, however, entered into a partnership with OpenAI to integrate ChatGPT into iOS 18, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. If Gurman is right, and he usually is, we’ll see something about that. The upgraded Siri will likely get a mention, but won’t be on devices until at least early 2025.

As for software updates, it looks like iOS 18 will finally bring RCS support to Messages. This messaging protocol offers end-to-end encryption and better media sharing. It’ll also improve texting compatibility with Android devices. Rumors indicate that Apple Music may get an OpenAI-powered tool that auto-generates playlists and Notes might get a voice-recording option. Other apps like Mail, Fitness and Health are expected to get new features, but there are no details as of this writing.

Devindra Hardawar/Engadget

There’s also those ever-tantalizing words of “just one more thing.” Last year, the company used WWDC to officially unveil the Vision Pro. Apple won’t introduce a new device category this year, the AVP was its first since Apple Watch, but there should be a Vision Pro global availability announcement and some updated features.

Despite last year's Vision Pro reveal, we're not expecting a lot of hardware news. It’s possible we’ll get a new Apple TV streaming box and, if we’re lucky, an AirPods Max refresh with USB-C. Don’t hold out hope for new tablets or laptops, as Apple recently released both iPads and MacBooks — though Apple could drop the just-released M4 chip in the MacBook Pro. The Mac mini and Mac Studio are both overdue for an update, as well. But it's possible we get none of the above. There won’t be new iPhones until September, and the same goes for Apple Watch.

Smart TVs are the default option for the largest display in the home (unless you have a projector, that is). Their operating systems can be hit or miss, but thankfully there are other options available in the form of dedicated streaming devices. For those heavily invested in the Apple ecosystem, the Apple TV 4K is perhaps the best option of the bunch. The third-gen version is currently on sale at Verizon, where the 64GB model has dropped by $40 to $90. That's the best price we've seen for this variant to date.

The third-gen Apple TV 4K is our pick for the best premium streaming device and we gave it a score of 94 in our review. It's very fast as it runs on an A15 Bionic chip — the same hardware that powers the iPhone 14. It takes barely any time at all to load or switch between apps. With the help of the Siri remote's touch-sensitive directional pad, you can quickly skip to a certain point of an episode or movie. The box (which has a smaller, fan-less design than previous generations) also delivers great picture quality and it has 4K Dolby Vision and HDR10+ support.

Setting up the Apple TV 4K is a cinch if you have an iPhone, but you don't need to have other Apple products to get a lot out of the device (even if the Apple TV app does skew toward Apple TV+ content). Those who are embedded in the Apple ecosystem though will likely appreciate being able to use Apple Fitness+ and Apple Arcade on a big screen.

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Meta’s rolling out a small spring/summer update for the Quest 2 and Quest 3 headsets. There’s nothing too major here, but there are some small improvements for regular users.

The biggest news is a new and better way to watch Netflix content. There’s long been a standalone Netflix app available for Quest headsets, but it maxes out at 480p and is generally considered to be, well, crappy. Once updated, you’ll be able to watch Netflix directly from the built-in browser. This offers a much-improved experience, with the option to view content in high resolution.

This browser-based version of Netflix isn’t just for better-looking content. The web app also offers the choice between a flat 2D virtual screen and a simulated theater view. Fake movie theaters are one of the best parts about VR, so this is welcome news.

Meta

Meta announced a dedicated travel mode a few weeks back, but the update brings it to everyone. This is a system mode primarily for air travel, as it tunes the headset’s algorithms to adjust for airplane jostling. The headset will automatically connect to in-flight Wi-Fi and will be available to play anything stored on the device, in addition to movies and TV shows offered by the airline.

The company has entered into a partnership with Lufthansa to offer Quest 3 headsets to people on select business class flights. Of course, you’ll have to be comfortable wearing a giant thing on your face while surrounded by strangers, but you do you.

The rest of the update pertains to existing apps. Beat Saber is getting five free new tracks and the fitness app Supernatural is getting a mixed-reality mode, but only on Quest 3 (for obvious reasons.) Meta has also announced that another trailer for the Quest 3 exclusive Batman: Arkham Shadow will drop on June 7 as part of Summer Game Fest.

After getting officially announced way back at CES 2024, all of Samsung’s new 2024 gaming monitors are finally available for pre-order today. However, while the massive 49-inch Odyssey G9 (G95SD) garnered most of the attention when initial details came out in January, I recently had a chance to check out its smaller siblings in person (plus one of Samsung’s new smart monitors), which are just as impressive due to their lower prices and more-practical screen sizes.

Similar to the Alienware AW3225QF and HP Omen Transcend 32, the 2024 Odyssey G8 OLED (G80SD) and Odyssey G6 OLED (G60SD) are based on Samsung’s third-gen QD-OLED tech. That means you get rich colors and deep blacks along with support for AMD FreeSync Premium Pro and increased brightness compared to traditional OLED displays. But from there, the two monitors diverge slightly with the 32-inch G8 being more of an all-rounder thanks to its 4K resolution and 240Hz refresh rate. Meanwhile, the smaller G6 is better suited for competitive gaming with its 2,560 x 1,440 resolution and 360Hz refresh rate.

Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget

My favorite of the two is the G8, as it features a flat display (not curved like the Alienware) with an anti-reflective matte coating and an extremely sleek design that lets you appreciate its super-thin 0.15-inch panel. Meanwhile, Samsung has equipped both the G8 and G6 with a dynamic cooling system that better reduces temperatures and can even preemptively control brightness if needed. And, for the first time, Samsung is offering a three-year warranty in case the monitor succumbs to burn-in.

I also appreciate that even though it’s a relatively large monitor, the G8 supports height adjustment and the ability to rotate into portrait mode. As a nod towards convenience, it comes with built-in stereo speakers and a solar remote (similar to what you get from Samsung’s flagship TVs), so you can easily connect it to gaming consoles alongside a traditional PC. And in case that’s not enough, the G8 also features Samsung’s Gaming Hub, which allows you to access streaming services like NVIDIA GeForce Now and Xbox Cloud Gaming without needing to connect to another device.

Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget

Alternatively, for more hardcore gamers, the G6 packs almost all of the same tech (including the remote and matte coating) into an even more practical 27-inch display. You still get Samsung’s CoreLighting+ module in back to supply some ambient RGB hues and a similarly sleek metal design. Samsung even redesigned the G8 and G6’s feet to give people with unusual gaming setups more flexibility and room to position their mouse and keyboard.

Finally, while it’s neither OLED nor a gaming display, Samsung’s M80D Smart Monitor is a neat take on 4K office productivity. It features a magnetic mount for a detachable webcam, so you can easily position it without the need for a tripod or quickly remove it at the end of a video call. You can also pair it over Wi-Fi with other Samsung devices, allowing you to easily move images or files from one to another. Just like the G8 and G6, it supports Samsung’s Gaming Hub and the ability to stream shows from apps like Netflix natively on the monitor.

Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget

The G9 remains the true flagship of Samsung’s gaming monitors, but the company has now made great options at smaller sizes too. The Odyssey G8 and G6 will start at $1,300 and $900, respectively, while the M80D Smart Monitor will go for $700. Pre-orders go live today and will come with a $300 discount for anyone who makes an early purchase before official sales begin later this month.