ICYMI: The 7 biggest tech stories of the week, from WWDC 2024 announcements for Disney Plus to the Google Pixel 6a being put to rest
In case you missed this past week in the busy world of technology, we’re here with your weekly update to keep you on top of the biggest stories.
This week we finally got a date for Apple’s WWDC 2024 event – which is arguably the most important conference in Apple’s history. We also saw some strange creations from OpenAI’s Sora bot, got to hear some impressive ANC earbuds, and even witnessed the marriage of Disney Plus and Hulu.
To find out more about this, and the other biggest stories of the week, scroll down this page – and be sure to come back next Saturday for another quick recap.
7. Apple WWDC 2024 was announced for June 10
Apple’s next Worldwide Developer Conference has been given a date this week – and it will take place on June 10, 2024. During the opening keynote, we expect to get a first look at Apple’s next wave of software updates – iOS 18, iPadOS 18 and macOS 15 – alongside some hardware reveals – perhaps new Macs, a new silicon chipset from Apple, or perhaps even a Vision Pro successor (although that seems unlikely).
One revelation that seems almost certain is the announcement of Apple’s big generative AI plans. While it didn’t say anything specific, Apple’s senior vice president of marketing, Greg Joswiak, dropped a less-than-subtle hint with a Tweet statement about WWDC 2024: “It’s going to be absolutely incredible!” – note the capitalization of aabsolutely and Iunbelievable.
We’ll have to wait until June to find out what’s in store, but WWDC 2024 is shaping up to be an Apple event you won’t want to miss.
6. OpenAI impressed us with Sora videos
If you’re like us (and who isn’t?), you’ve been watching OpenAI Sora videos on TikTok with increasing wonder and concern. The company responsible for DALL-E and ChatGPT has been posting all kinds of bite-sized video creations that, if they weren’t so alien, would look like they were filmed in a real world. Simply put, this prompt-based generative AI video tool is unlike anything we’ve seen before, and no one really knows what it will do to the film, television, and animation industries.
In an apparent nod to that concern, OpenAI recently opened Sora to a range of independent artists and makers. Instead of throwing up their hands and running in fear for their livelihood, they created a series of unforgettable short films, including one that could rival an Oscar-winning short film (okay, a very short film). You just have to see these AI-generated movies to believe them. We guarantee you will be shocked and a little entertained. We think it won’t be long before Sora is credited as a cinematographer for a feature-length film.
5. The Samsung Galaxy Ring has dropped another big launch hint
Sometimes it feels like the Galaxy Ring is launching in slow motion, but the wearable got closer this week when it was spotted in the battery widget on Samsung phones.
This didn’t really tell us anything new about the Oura rival, other than hinting that it’s heading for a full launch – most likely in July alongside phones like the Galaxy Z Flip 6. But it got us excited again about the potential of the Galaxy Ring. , especially for sleep tracking. If all goes well, it could be one of the gadgets of the year.
4. Hulu has officially merged with Disney Plus
Hulu and Disney Plus have officially tied the knot. Now in the US, in addition to hubs for Marvel, Star Wars, Pixar and National Geographic, you’ll see a Hulu option that lets you watch shows and movies from the Hulu catalog.
Of course, to watch this content, you’ll have to pay for a Hulu subscription. A Disney Plus and Hulu bundle starts at $9.99/month for the Standard plan with ads (just $2 more than Basic Disney Plus). Meanwhile, if you want a Premium subscription to both services that offer 4K video and no ads, you’ll pay $19.99/month.
Please note that some shows – such as Modern family And Love Island – won’t immediately appear on Disney Plus thanks to “content licensing restrictions” per Variety. It’s unclear when these restrictions will stop hindering Disney’s new one-stop streaming service store, but we’re hoping it will happen soon.
3. Nikon has launched a versatile zoom lens
We occasionally get a 10x optical zoom lens for DSLR and mirrorless cameras, but 14x? That is unheard of until now. Nikon has dropped the new Z 28-400mm f/4-8 VR, which looks like an excellent all-in-one zoom lens for its full-frame mirrorless cameras like the Nikon Z6 II. The wide end covers shooting everyday observations and landscapes, the telephoto setting is ideal for distant wildlife and landmarks, and the close-up photography skills are super impressive thanks to the short minimum focusing distance.
At 725 grams it is also quite compact, ideal for travelling. The lens is also equipped with 5 stops of image stabilization, just what you need for those telephoto photos. It won’t be as sharp as a prime lens, but the 28-400mm could be the last Nikon lens you ever buy.
2. Cambridge unveiled its first-ever noise-cancelling earbuds
The company that launched one of our all-time favorite earbuds (namely the 2021 Melomania 1 Plus) is back with a new earbud proposition – and the fact that they’re CA’s first noise-cancelling option isn’t even their biggest selling point.
The company has actually launched two models: the regular Melomania M100 and a limited edition Melomania M100 How High Edition. The latter comes in a bright yellow box that pays tribute to the music video for The Charlatans’ hit How high, which featured singer Tim Burgess wearing a glorious bright yellow raincoat. But both products have a real ace up their sleeve: the slinky vocal style of Matt Berry, aka Steven Toast (Toast of London/Toast of Tinseltown), also known as Lazslo (What we do in the shadows). That’s right, Matt Berry will purr ‘Noise canceling’ or ‘Transparency’ into your ear as many times as you like, for the princely sum of £169 (approximately $219 / AU$326). If that doesn’t make Apple nervous, we don’t know what will.
1. Google pulled the plug on the Pixel 6a
This week, Google unceremoniously killed the Pixel 6a – pulling the budget smartphone from all its official online stores around the world. Even the official protective case has disappeared from the digital shelves.
Of course, you can still buy the device from third-party retailers, but you might not want to, as we think this is a sign that Google plans to launch the Pixel 8a very soon.
The 8a has been plagued by many leaks in recent weeks – suggesting it could be more expensive than the Pixel 7a, and will likely use the same Tensor G3 chipset as the Pixel 8 – so it seems possible that a new Google handset. the route.
We may have to wait a while for more details, but Google’s next official event isn’t until I/O 2024, which kicks off on May 14.