Apple unveiled the AirPods 5 at its 'Surprise and shine' event, offering two versions with active noise cancellation now 50% more effective than the AirPods 4. The base model costs $129 without wireless charging, while the $149 step-up version adds wireless charging, longer battery life, and stem volume controls. Both use the existing H2 chip and look identical to last year's AirPods 4, but feature upgraded internal acoustics for slightly better sound.
Apple has released a new generation of AirPods that improves active noise cancellation but leaves out the camera-equipped design that had been rumored ahead of launch. The earbuds focus on incremental audio and performance upgrades rather than new hardware features like built-in cameras.
Apple's iOS 27 update expands the Clean Up feature in the Photos app with a new Auto control that lets users choose between two processing modes. A Fast mode uses a smaller AI model for quick edits like removing background clutter, while a High Quality mode uses more advanced AI for complex scenes, such as removing multiple people from a photo, at the cost of speed and battery life.
WIRED's Labor Day sales roundup highlights discounts on gadgets its reviewers have personally tested, spanning headphones, vacuums, and AirTags. The standout deal cuts the HP OmniBook Ultra 14 laptop to $1,200, a $700 reduction, offering 32GB of RAM in a machine praised for its OLED display and battery life. The list was refreshed on September 5 with additional vacuum and smart home discounts.
Amazon's Labor Day sale has dropped the 2026 Apple Studio Display with Nano-Texture Glass and Tilt-Adjustable Stand to $1,684.88 via an on-page coupon, a $214 cut from its $1,899 list price and a new all-time low. The same sale also brings AirPods Pro 3 down to $199, a $50 discount, plus deals on iPad Air, AirTag 2, and new Anker and Powerbeats Pro 2 accessories.
Anker used IFA 2026 to reveal its first over-the-counter hearing aids, a receiver-in-canal design built on the company's Thus audio chip previously used in its Soundcore earbuds. The devices use four beam-forming microphones to isolate speech from a person facing the wearer, offer up to 12 hours of battery life (36 with the charging case), and can gain two hours of use from a five-minute fast charge. Anker has not yet disclosed specific models, US pricing, or availability, saying more details will come later this year.
Amazon's 2026 Labor Day sale is now live with steep discounts across Apple products, including AirPods Pro 3 back down to $199, AirTag 2 as low as $20, and Apple Watch SE 3 hitting a $200 all-time low. Renewed iPhone 17 Pro units are discounted up to $290, while the newly launched M6 Mac mini and refurbished M5 MacBook Air configurations also see modest price cuts.
Apple's earlier-than-usual update to the Mac mini and Mac Studio was driven by unexpected demand from businesses using the machines to run AI models, according to The Information. The company touted the ability to cluster multiple Mac Studios for larger AI workloads, but reportedly lacks a dedicated enterprise engineering team or developer relations staff, and has declined requests from businesses to access its Private Cloud Compute infrastructure directly.
A wave of Labor Day weekend discounts is hitting Apple products, including a record-low price on the official MagSafe Battery Pack, $50 off AirPods Pro 3, and AirTag 2 down to $20 each. Amazon is also offering its best-ever prices on iPhone 17 Pro renewed units (up to $290 off) and the first-ever discounts on Apple's new M6 and M5 Pro Mac mini models.
Soundcore's new Liberty 5 Pro earbuds carry a Guinness World Records certification for the highest speech quality score among wireless earbuds. A WIRED reviewer testing dozens of earbud models found the Liberty 5 Pro noticeably improved phone call clarity, particularly for conversations with elderly relatives, while also featuring a redesigned, larger pill-shaped body with multiple ear tip and wing options for comfort.
Amazon has kicked off its 2026 Labor Day Sale with widespread discounts across Apple products, including $50 off AirPods Pro 3, AirTag 2 units as low as $20, and Apple Watch SE 3 hitting a record $200 price point. Renewed Premium iPhone 17 Pro units are discounted up to $290, and even the newly released M6 Mac mini is seeing early price cuts on its two entry configurations.
Plaud has introduced the Plaud One, earbuds resembling AirPods that can record calls, while their case can independently capture in-person conversations. The case includes an eSIM card, letting users contact Plaud's AI agent remotely without needing a phone or computer nearby.
GoKawiil