Apple has reportedly laid off a handful of employees from its Fitness+ team, particularly those working on guided workout features like Time to Walk and Time to Run. The layoffs suggest Apple is consolidating its health and fitness features into a single Health app, part of a broader strategy shift under services head Eddy Cue to improve Apple's health offerings and integrate ideas from a scrapped virtual health coach project.
Snap has launched Specs, $2,200 AR glasses that represent a decade-long effort by CEO Evan Spiegel to build a standalone augmented reality computer in glasses form. Unlike previous Spectacles or competitors' smart glasses, Specs function as a dedicated AR headset with onboard computing and no reliance on smartphones or external devices. The company spun out Specs as a separate business to raise capital, signaling ambitious but costly AR ambitions as it competes against Meta's Project Orion.
Tru Narla, a 30-year-old software engineer turned DIY hardware creator, builds whimsical retro-inspired devices like a compass that points only to Taco Bell and flower-shaped cameras. With millions of social media followers, Narla creates nostalgic gadgets that defy modern minimalist design trends and represent a growing cyberdecking subculture focused on practical, joyful innovation rather than cyberpunk aesthetics.
Apple's M6 Mac mini and competing mini PCs from Asus, Lenovo, and Acer are racing to become the primary devices for running AI models locally, with prices ranging from $900 to $3,700. These compact computers feature specialized AI accelerators and aim to challenge Apple's dominance, though clustering multiple machines may be necessary for meaningful on-device AI performance.
Meta is reportedly developing Luna, a new generation of smart glasses without cameras that would launch at Meta Connect. The device would feature microphones and speakers to interface with Meta's Muse AI model, addressing privacy concerns and regulatory bans on camera-equipped glasses.
Apple is launching a photo verification feature for iPhone 18 Pro that cryptographically signs sensor data to prove authenticity and prevent deepfake tampering. The system uses a secure camera mode that signs pixel data at capture, processes it through Apple's Private Cloud Compute with quantum-resistant encryption, and produces a verifiable digital certificate for the final image.
Fujifilm's Instax Pal 2 is a $170 palm-sized instant camera that resembles traditional film cameras with a viewfinder and frame advance lever, unlike its baby monitor-like predecessor. It features a 10-megapixel sensor, 1-inch LCD, app-based operation via Bluetooth or USB-C, microSD card slot, and five filters, though it requires a separate printer for physical prints.
Apple is reverting from its 2016 'Genius Grove' open design back to dedicated Genius Bars under new CEO John Ternus, according to Bloomberg. The bars will feature an all-wood aesthetic and replace video walls in many stores, marking a return to the company's earlier retail support format.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 is a book-style foldable phone that opens into a large tablet-like screen for productivity tasks like reading PDFs, running spreadsheets, or using multiple apps simultaneously, while closing to pocket size for quick tasks on its cover display. It features a Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, improved hinge design with a less noticeable crease, Galaxy AI capabilities, and is currently discounted to $1,650 from $1,900 on Amazon.
Apple is reportedly considering using the Beats brand as a sub-label for lower-priced, experimental products, starting with gaming controllers for iPhone developed over the past year. Rather than carrying Apple branding, these products would allow the company to tap the third-party accessories market without diluting the premium Apple brand image.