2026-02-13 06:00:35
Sony today announced a new set of earbuds that are designed to compete with the AirPods Pro 3. The $330 WF-1000XM6 Truly Wireless Earbuds feature Active Noise Cancellation with a 25 percent reduction in noise compared to the prior-generation XM5 earbuds, with improved performance in the mid-to-high frequency range that's common in everyday environments.
The earbuds use Sony's HD Noise Canceling Processor QN3e with an adaptive noise canceling optimizer and four microphones on each earbud to detect sound to cut out. The earbuds analyze external noise and wearing conditions in real time to improve noise canceling performance.
Sony's XM6 earbuds are smaller than the AirPods Pro 3 because there is no stem, and they include noise isolating silicone ear tips with a USB-C charging case. Sony redesigned the earbuds with a more ergonomic shape that's meant to follow the natural curves of the inner ear to reduce discomfort, and the XM6 is 11 percent slimmer than the XM5. The updated design also reduces internal noises like footsteps and chewing sounds.
The battery in the XM6 earbuds lasts for up to eight hours, and the charging case provides an additional 24 hours.
More processing power delivers better sound, and Sony says the earbuds have a new driver unit that combines different materials on the dome and the edge. The soft edge offers deep bass, while the rigid dome provides clear and extended high frequencies. Sony is also using AI to restore compressed files in real time to improve sound quality.
For phone calls, there are two microphones and a bone conduction sensor on each side, with the earbuds using AI beamforming to isolate and capture the wearer's voice even in crowded environments.
Sony offers Adaptive Sound Control, Auto Play, multi-device support, and integrated voice assistance, with Google Gemini Live built in.
Reviews suggest the WF-1000XM6 earbuds are almost on par with the AirPods Pro 3 when it comes to noise cancellation. According to SoundGuys, the XM6 had an 88 percent average reduction in loudness across all frequencies, just behind the 90 percent average of the AirPods Pro 3. Passive isolation was better than the AirPods Pro 3 passive sound reduction.
Engadget felt that Sony's earbuds struggled with human voices and had fit issues, but The Verge said the earbuds tuned out conversations better than other ANC earbuds, including the AirPods Pro 3.
TechRadar said the AirPods Pro 3 had noticeably better ANC, Business Insider preferred the XM6 noise canceling, and CNET said the XM6 offered better sound quality than the AirPods Pro 3.
Sony's new earbuds are available from the Sony website for $330.
2026-02-13 04:22:16
In watchOS 26, the Smart Stack for your Apple Watch is pretty clever. The collection of widgets can be pulled up with a scroll of the Digital Crown, and shows you relevant information throughout your day. But sometimes, its eagerness to help can be a bit much, especially when it comes to Live Activities.
You're probably familiar with this scenario: You raise your wrist expecting to see your customized watch face, but it's been replaced by media playback controls because someone's watching your Apple TV, or a timer you set earlier for cooking that still has ages left to run. Live Activities in the Smart Stack can clearly be useful, but having them automatically take over your display isn't always ideal. Here's how to take back control:
2026-02-13 03:29:38
Apple today released new beta firmware for the AirPods Pro 2, AirPods Pro 3, and AirPods 4. The firmware is limited to developers at the current time, and it has a build number of 8B5034f.
Apple is not testing any iOS updates right now, so it is unclear what's in the AirPods firmware beta.
With iOS 26, iPadOS 26, and macOS Tahoe, Apple added a beta firmware update installation option that's available from the AirPods settings interface when the AirPods are connected to an iPhone, iPad, or Mac, which facilitates beta testing.
Developers can use the beta option to turn on beta downloads.
This article, "Apple Releases New Beta Firmware for AirPods Pro 2, AirPods Pro 3 and AirPods 4" first appeared on MacRumors.com
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2026-02-13 02:21:13
Apple today released a new update for Safari Technology Preview, the experimental browser that was first introduced in March 2016. Apple designed Safari Technology Preview to allow users to test features that are planned for future release versions of the Safari browser.
Safari Technology Preview 237 includes fixes and updates for Accessibility, CSS, DOM, HTML, Networking, Rendering, SVG, Web API, Web Authentication, Web Extensions, Web Inspector, and WebRTC.
The current Safari Technology Preview release is compatible with machines running macOS Sequoia and macOS Tahoe, the newest version of macOS.
The Safari Technology Preview update is available through the Software Update mechanism in System Preferences or System Settings to anyone who has downloaded the browser from Apple’s website. Complete release notes for the update are available on the Safari Technology Preview website.
Apple’s aim with Safari Technology Preview is to gather feedback from developers and users on its browser development process. Safari Technology Preview can run side-by-side with the existing Safari browser and while it is designed for developers, it does not require a developer account to download and use.
This article, "Apple Releases Safari Technology Preview 237 With Bug Fixes and Performance Improvements" first appeared on MacRumors.com
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2026-02-13 01:00:03
Starting today, an official YouTube app is available on the Apple Vision Pro, allowing you to watch videos on a theater-sized screen with immersive visionOS Environments.
Every video on YouTube is available in the new, standalone visionOS app, including standard videos, 180° videos, 360° videos, and YouTube Shorts. And on the newer Apple Vision Pro with the M5 chip, you can even watch YouTube videos in 8K.
Apple Vision Pro users can access their YouTube subscriptions, playlists, watch history, and more.
It was already possible to watch YouTube videos via the Safari browser on the Apple Vision Pro, but there was no official YouTube app on the device until now. A third-party YouTube app called "Juno" was available on visionOS in 2024, but it was quickly removed from the App Store because it was deemed to be violating YouTube's Terms of Service.
The official YouTube app is available in the visionOS App Store. The app is compatible with Apple Vision Pro models with the M2 chip and the M5 chip.
2026-02-12 23:12:53
Amazon this week is offering discounts across the M5 iPad Pro lineup, including both 11-inch and 13-inch models. Every deal on the 11-inch M5 iPad Pro that we're tracking below is a match of the all-time low price on these tablets.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
The highlight this time around is a return of a low price on the 256GB Wi-Fi 11-inch M5 iPad Pro, which is on sale for $799.91, down from $999.00. Amazon provides an estimated delivery date around February 17 for free delivery, but Prime members should see earlier delivery dates in many cases.
