In 2025, many of IEEE Spectrum‘s top consumer electronics stories were about about creating the experience you want with technology. Open-source software offered more customization for laptops and displays, devices with less distracting design received recognition with a new certification, and smart glasses manufacturers forged paths to figure out what users really want in the wearable tech.
Other stories highlighted the fascinating fundamental tech in our smartphones, like how your new iPhone stays cool and the potential for its camera to gather information beyond what the human eye can see. And we considered the effects of U.S. tariffs from the Trump administration.
We’re gearing up for a 2026 filled with many more exciting developments. In the meantime, read on for IEEE Spectrum’s most popular consumer electronic stories of the year.
Source image: Modos
When hours of our days may be dominated by screens, e-paper displays offer an option easier on the eyes. Historically, these displays have been too slow for everyday computing. But this year, a small Boston-based startup called Modos created a monitor and development kit for a display with a refresh rate of 75 hertz—comparable to some basic LCD screens. That’s even fast enough for video.
“Modos has a not-so-secret weapon,” contributing editor Matthew Smith writes. Specifically, an open-source display controller is key to the display’s speed. Modos completed its crowdfunding campaign and pre-orders are scheduled to ship in late January 2026.
IEEE Spectrum; Source images: Apple
Without the proper cooling tech, high-end smartphones risk burning a hole in your pocket—literally. In the latest generation of Apple smartphones, released in September, the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max contain thin chambers of water that help dissipate heat through evaporation. Cooling phones with water vapor isn’t entirely new though: High-end smartphones from Samsung and Google also use the technique.
For more on how to keep our electronics cool, check out IEEE Spectrum’s recent special report, The Hot, Hot Future of Chips. Our editors and expert authors break down how lasers, liquid cooling, and diamond blankets could all contribute to thermal management for increasingly complex and capable chips.
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