ICYMI: The Week’s 7 Biggest Tech Stories, From Meta Horizon OS to the iPad’s 2024 Launch Date
If you’ve lost track of this week’s top tech news, don’t worry, because we’re here to keep you informed β and this is a week you won’t want to miss.
We say that because some important things have happened in the last seven days. Meta announced it’s sharing its Horizon OS with other VR headset makers β which is the biggest announcement it’s likely to make this decade β Apple teased its 2024 iPad lines and gave us a launch date for it, and DJI gave us a release date for its cheapest 4K drone ever.
And here at Ny Breaking we hosted our first Sustainability Week, producing a slew of articles showcasing some fantastic examples of how the tech industry is focusing on sustainability β and a few cases where it still needs to do better.
Let’s catch you all up to speed on the biggest stories of the week that you might have missed…
7. We organized Sustainability Week
We hosted our first Sustainability Week, highlighting the sustainability heroes who are committed to making a difference in technology β and some think they could do more. We talked to Samsung about its energy-efficient, AI-powered devices, dug deep into Apple’s recent patent for removable, uniform battery cases, and even spoke to the makers of a bioengineered plant cleaner.
It’s not all sunshine and rainbows though, as we also reflected on the energy impact of processors and graphics cards, calling on AMD, Nvidia and Intel to work together towards a more sustainable future for chip manufacturing. We’ve also shared insights on how you can do your part, whether that’s by choosing refurbished technology, seeking out sustainably produced devices or using your phone to save the planet.
6. Apple has set a launch date for its new iPads
Apple has confirmed the date for the next “Special Apple Event” as May 7 at 7am PT / 10am ET / 3pm BST, which is midnight AEST on May 8, and while iPads aren’t officially on the card, it does include invitation a trendy Apple logo with an Apple Pencil surrounded by color accents β a strong indication that new tablets will be shown.
We expect the main announcement to be a new iPad Pro with an OLED display and M3 chipset, with two iPad Air 6 models plus some accessories β such as a new Pencil and possibly a Magic Keyboard β likely to be shown as well.
And if this isn’t enough Apple for you, just over a month later, Apple’s annual developer conference, WWDC 2024, kicks off on June 10. So come back here regularly to stay informed.
This week, Meta announced that its Horizon OS β the operating system used by its VR headsets like the Meta Quest 3 β is coming to third-party hardware, starting with ASUS, Lenovo and Xbox devices.
This is huge news, as it will hopefully lead to a much more diverse range of VR headsets in the near future, with the gadgets already teased including a ‘performance gaming headset’, ‘mixed reality devices for productivity’ and a many more Quest-like headsets coming from the trio of partners respectively.
However, Meta may want to ensure that Horizon OS doesn’t copy too many of the bad aspects of Windows, although only time will tell how this move will turn out.
4. A wearable from Sony brought us one step closer to Dune
With the recent launch of Apple’s Vision Pro headset and Dyson’s Bane-like air-purifying headphones, you’d think we’d reached the pinnacle of wearable technology. This week, however, Sony showed us that the portable product class is just getting started.
The Sony Reon Pocket 5 is a portable thermal device that cools or warms your body depending on the conditions in your environment. Designed to sit neatly on your neck, the Reon Pocket 5 uses a plate-like “thermos module” and five sensors to determine optimal body temperature and hopefully make you more comfortable while traveling on public transportation or walking in less than ideal circumstances.
The Reon Pocket 5 offers five levels of cooling and four levels of heat, meaning it’s β in theory β just as useful on a stuffy commuter train as it is outside on a frosty morning. We tried out the device at a recent demo event and we can confirm that it does indeed regulate body temperature quite effectively β although you’ll have to settle for looking like an extra from a sci-fi film when wearing it.
3. An Android phone offered superior audio
The lack of an audio jack in most today’s phones isn’t popular with everyone β especially audiophiles, who like the reliability of wired connections for high-resolution audio. Meet the Moondrop MIAD01 β not only does this phone have a 3.5mm jack, it also has a 4.4mm balanced output for connecting to a powerful music system without distortion, and a βflagshipβ DAC to ensure that high-quality digital files are handled well on the way to your ears.
Plus, it’s a pretty cool phone too. It has a great futuristic look (like all Moondrop products β just look at the earbuds if you’re bored), a large 120Hz OLED screen and dual cameras on the back. For serious streaming audiophiles, a dedicated music player or a portable DAC is often a big part of on-the-go listening, and this phone aims to replace both β and the music enthusiasts on the Ny Breaking team are keeping a close eye on it.
2. Deadpool and Wolverine’s trailer provided Easter eggs galore
Deadpool and Wolverine is getting closer to its July 26 launch date, so it’s high time that Marvel releases some new footage to further fuel our excitement for the duo’s multiversal buddy-cop movie.
Luckily, the comics giant duly did just that earlier this week (April 22) with a brand new trailer β and unsurprisingly, the Marvel Phase 5 movie’s latest teaser is chock full of Easter eggs. Some are easier to spot than others, mind you, so we’ve taken the liberty of picking six of the best and/or easy to miss Deadpool 3‘s latest trailer. Once you’ve read that, check out our X Men movies in order to see which ones you should also stream ahead of the MCU’s next film.
1. DJI’s cheapest 4K drone ever has been given a release date
A drone announcement from DJI without the usual speculation, rumors and leaked photos is rare, but the DJI Mini 4K quietly popped up on the DJI Amazon store this week, complete with an April 29 release date.
We’re not expecting big things from the Mini 4K β it’ll probably be a modest refresh of the DJI Mini 2 SE, with similar specs like a 31-minute flight time, level 5 wind resistance and a body weighing less than 250 grams β but that will be so. Becoming DJI’s cheapest drone ever to record 4K video, and that should make it one of the most popular drones of 2024 for beginners.