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Photo by Allison Johnson / The Verge

A hacker breached the systems behind Tile device trackers and stole customer data, including names, addresses, emails, and phone numbers. According to reporting from 404 Media, which was contacted by the hacker, the collected information came from a database that indicated it was intended for law enforcement to identify owners of specific Tile trackers. The stolen information did not include precise Tile location data.
Life360, which owns Tile, published a statement by CEO Chris Hulls acknowledging the hack. Hulls confirmed the data includes Tile tracker IDs and said that the hacker had attempted to extort Life360 and that the company reported it to law enforcement.
In an email to The Verge, Hulls wrote, “From what I gather, very little was accessed.” Hulls did not respond to a question about whether the company would contact affected customers. “We are continuing to work with law enforcement on the matter and have no other updates at this time,” Life360 representative Kristi Collura tells The Verge in another email.
The hacker reportedly gained access using login credentials supposedly belonging to a former Tile employee. 404 Media was provided screenshots by the hacker indicating they had access to various internal tools designed to transfer ownership of a Tile tracker, add admin accounts, and send messages to Tile users.

Photo by Allison Johnson / The Verge

A hacker breached the systems behind Tile device trackers and stole customer data, including names, addresses, emails, and phone numbers. According to reporting from 404 Media, which was contacted by the hacker, the collected information came from a database that indicated it was intended for law enforcement to identify owners of specific Tile trackers. The stolen information did not include precise Tile location data.

Life360, which owns Tile, published a statement by CEO Chris Hulls acknowledging the hack. Hulls confirmed the data includes Tile tracker IDs and said that the hacker had attempted to extort Life360 and that the company reported it to law enforcement.

In an email to The Verge, Hulls wrote, “From what I gather, very little was accessed.” Hulls did not respond to a question about whether the company would contact affected customers. “We are continuing to work with law enforcement on the matter and have no other updates at this time,” Life360 representative Kristi Collura tells The Verge in another email.

The hacker reportedly gained access using login credentials supposedly belonging to a former Tile employee. 404 Media was provided screenshots by the hacker indicating they had access to various internal tools designed to transfer ownership of a Tile tracker, add admin accounts, and send messages to Tile users.

Read More 

Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge

The company’s Elite earbuds hit at the right time and had their moment, but the end was inevitable. Thanks for pushing multipoint until it became the norm, Jabra. Mere hours after announcing two new pairs of earbuds, Jabra parent company GN revealed that the Elite 10 Gen 2 and Elite 8 Active Gen 2 will mark the end of its consumer earbud business. That’s all she wrote for the long-running Elite series after years of quality products.
The decision seems somewhat abrupt; earlier this month, Jabra invited select press on an “all-expenses-paid media trip” to its Copenhagen headquarters. (The Verge did not attend.) Now, just a couple weeks later, GN is acknowledging that “markets have changed” and trying to compete with Apple, Samsung, Sony, and countless other earbud brands is no longer worth the cost.
“The investment required for future innovation and growth in this very competitive space is deemed unjustified,” GN wrote in its press release. It doesn’t get much more blunt than that. There’s just more money to be made in enterprise hardware and hearing aid tech.
I’m sad to see Jabra bowing out. I was looking forward to testing out the company’s new LE Audio charging case, which can transmit audio from other devices like treadmills or in-flight entertainment to the earbuds. That excitement has already dampened now that the end is in sight — even if GN says it’ll continue to support existing Jabra hardware for several years.

Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge
For several years, Jabra was the default pick if you wanted an AirPods alternative.

But I can also concede that Jabra’s best days in the consumer market have been behind it for some time now. In the early stages of true wireless earbuds, when many products were plagued by audio dropouts and other annoyances, the company carved out a solid reputation for itself. The Elite series became the de facto recommendation for those seeking an alternative to Apple’s AirPods. I used the same review headline twice in a row in praise of their quality. For a company that had previously been best known for dorky Bluetooth earpieces, it was an impressive feat.
The peak for Jabra was really in that Elite 65t / 75t era between 2018 and 2020, when heavyweights like Sony and Samsung were still finding their footing with true wireless buds and before a raft of other competition got into the ring. This was also when the company began including a feature — multipoint Bluetooth connectivity — that took bigger players ages to implement in their own buds.

Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge
Jabra ultimately couldn’t compete where it matters most anymore.

Multipoint allows you to pair with two devices at the same time, so you can be listening to music on your laptop and then seamlessly take a call on your phone. We’ve finally reached a point where this feature has (mostly) become the status quo now that Sony, Google, Sennheiser, and others are offering it. Technics’ AZ80 earbuds even let you pair with three devices at once. The big multipoint holdout remains AirPods, but Apple would tell you that its automatic switching between iPhones, iPads, and Macs is a better solution anyhow.
Jabra got other things right, too. I always liked its mobile app. Sure, it was stuffed to the gills with features that some people probably didn’t even know were there — like white noise and nature soundscapes — but it always worked reliably when it came to adjusting EQ or updating the earbuds’ firmware.
But Jabra being surpassed by its much bigger rivals was inevitable. The company reached a point where it just couldn’t hang anymore in crucial areas like sound quality, noise cancellation, and so on. We’re increasingly seeing Apple, Samsung, and Google save the best ecosystem tricks for their own earbuds, which didn’t help matters. And more recently, the Elite lineup got a little too bloated and started trending toward quantity over quality. The best thing I can say about last year’s Elite 10 earbuds is that they’re extremely comfortable. But they never stood much of a chance at replacing my current favorites.
It’s a shame to see the company go, but it’s walking away from a market that’s never been more competitive across every pricing tier. So much so that GN just doesn’t see the point anymore.

Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge

The company’s Elite earbuds hit at the right time and had their moment, but the end was inevitable. Thanks for pushing multipoint until it became the norm, Jabra.

Mere hours after announcing two new pairs of earbuds, Jabra parent company GN revealed that the Elite 10 Gen 2 and Elite 8 Active Gen 2 will mark the end of its consumer earbud business. That’s all she wrote for the long-running Elite series after years of quality products.

The decision seems somewhat abrupt; earlier this month, Jabra invited select press on an “all-expenses-paid media trip” to its Copenhagen headquarters. (The Verge did not attend.) Now, just a couple weeks later, GN is acknowledging that “markets have changed” and trying to compete with Apple, Samsung, Sony, and countless other earbud brands is no longer worth the cost.

“The investment required for future innovation and growth in this very competitive space is deemed unjustified,” GN wrote in its press release. It doesn’t get much more blunt than that. There’s just more money to be made in enterprise hardware and hearing aid tech.

I’m sad to see Jabra bowing out. I was looking forward to testing out the company’s new LE Audio charging case, which can transmit audio from other devices like treadmills or in-flight entertainment to the earbuds. That excitement has already dampened now that the end is in sight — even if GN says it’ll continue to support existing Jabra hardware for several years.

Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge
For several years, Jabra was the default pick if you wanted an AirPods alternative.

But I can also concede that Jabra’s best days in the consumer market have been behind it for some time now. In the early stages of true wireless earbuds, when many products were plagued by audio dropouts and other annoyances, the company carved out a solid reputation for itself. The Elite series became the de facto recommendation for those seeking an alternative to Apple’s AirPods. I used the same review headline twice in a row in praise of their quality. For a company that had previously been best known for dorky Bluetooth earpieces, it was an impressive feat.

The peak for Jabra was really in that Elite 65t / 75t era between 2018 and 2020, when heavyweights like Sony and Samsung were still finding their footing with true wireless buds and before a raft of other competition got into the ring. This was also when the company began including a feature — multipoint Bluetooth connectivity — that took bigger players ages to implement in their own buds.

Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge
Jabra ultimately couldn’t compete where it matters most anymore.

Multipoint allows you to pair with two devices at the same time, so you can be listening to music on your laptop and then seamlessly take a call on your phone. We’ve finally reached a point where this feature has (mostly) become the status quo now that Sony, Google, Sennheiser, and others are offering it. Technics’ AZ80 earbuds even let you pair with three devices at once. The big multipoint holdout remains AirPods, but Apple would tell you that its automatic switching between iPhones, iPads, and Macs is a better solution anyhow.

Jabra got other things right, too. I always liked its mobile app. Sure, it was stuffed to the gills with features that some people probably didn’t even know were there — like white noise and nature soundscapes — but it always worked reliably when it came to adjusting EQ or updating the earbuds’ firmware.

But Jabra being surpassed by its much bigger rivals was inevitable. The company reached a point where it just couldn’t hang anymore in crucial areas like sound quality, noise cancellation, and so on. We’re increasingly seeing Apple, Samsung, and Google save the best ecosystem tricks for their own earbuds, which didn’t help matters. And more recently, the Elite lineup got a little too bloated and started trending toward quantity over quality. The best thing I can say about last year’s Elite 10 earbuds is that they’re extremely comfortable. But they never stood much of a chance at replacing my current favorites.

It’s a shame to see the company go, but it’s walking away from a market that’s never been more competitive across every pricing tier. So much so that GN just doesn’t see the point anymore.

Read More 

Image: Cartoon Network

As part of Warner Bros. Discovery’s big plan to double down on previously established IP, the studio has ordered a slate of new projects spun off from the worlds of Adventure Time, Regular Show, and Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends.
Timed to Warner Bros.’ presentation at this year’s Annecy Festival, Cartoon Network Studios announced today that it has greenlit a number of new projects including an Adventure Time film as well as series spun off from Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends and Regular Show. Variety reports that Steven Universe’s Rebecca Sugar, Over the Garden Wall’s Patrick McHale, and Adventure Time showrunner Adam Muto are all attached as members of the new film’s creative team.
In addition to the movie, Cartoon Network Studios is also producing Adventure Time: Side Quests and Adventure Time: Heyo BMO, two shows aimed at younger viewers that will bring back a number of the original show’s classic characters, like Finn the Human and the Ice King.
Cartoon Network Studios seems to be especially keen on courting the preschool audience, as it has also tapped Craig McCracken to revive the Foster’s Home IP with Foster’s Funtime for Imaginary Friends — a show about young imaginary friends learning the ins and outs of their whimsical world. And while the studio has yet to announce any details, J.G. Quintel is currently working on a new Regular Show project that may bring back a number of characters from the original show.

Image: Cartoon Network

As part of Warner Bros. Discovery’s big plan to double down on previously established IP, the studio has ordered a slate of new projects spun off from the worlds of Adventure Time, Regular Show, and Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends.

Timed to Warner Bros.’ presentation at this year’s Annecy Festival, Cartoon Network Studios announced today that it has greenlit a number of new projects including an Adventure Time film as well as series spun off from Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends and Regular Show. Variety reports that Steven Universe’s Rebecca Sugar, Over the Garden Wall’s Patrick McHale, and Adventure Time showrunner Adam Muto are all attached as members of the new film’s creative team.

In addition to the movie, Cartoon Network Studios is also producing Adventure Time: Side Quests and Adventure Time: Heyo BMO, two shows aimed at younger viewers that will bring back a number of the original show’s classic characters, like Finn the Human and the Ice King.

Cartoon Network Studios seems to be especially keen on courting the preschool audience, as it has also tapped Craig McCracken to revive the Foster’s Home IP with Foster’s Funtime for Imaginary Friends — a show about young imaginary friends learning the ins and outs of their whimsical world. And while the studio has yet to announce any details, J.G. Quintel is currently working on a new Regular Show project that may bring back a number of characters from the original show.

Read More 

Image: Epic Games

It’s sad but true: Metallica is coming to Fortnite. Epic just announced that the group will be featured in the game’s next concert. The news is part of a larger musical collaboration between Fortnite and the heavy metal band.
First up, the concert itself. It’s called “Metallica: Fuel Fire Fury,” and players can check it out during a few windows later this month: June 22nd at 2PM, 5PM, and 11PM ET and June 23rd at 10AM, 2PM, and 5PM ET. There aren’t many details on what the virtual show will entail, but it’ll be the latest in a line of in-game concerts from the likes of Eminem, Ariana Grande, Travis Scott, and Marshmello.
Now that Fortnite is more than a battle royale (though that remains the most popular mode), Epic is spreading the Metallica experience across the ecosystem. The band will be the featured act in the music game Fortnite Festival starting on June 13th, taking over for Billie Eilish, and there will be a new “Thrash Mountain” track in Rocket Racing. Not only are all four members of Metallica going to be featured in the game but there will also be Lego versions of them as well.

Image: Epic Games

Fortnite’s battle royale is currently in the midst of a postapocalyptic season reminiscent of Mad Max, complete with a wasteland biome and vehicular combat. Lego Fortnite, meanwhile, just got a big update that introduced two new difficulty mode: cozy and expert.

Image: Epic Games

It’s sad but true: Metallica is coming to Fortnite. Epic just announced that the group will be featured in the game’s next concert. The news is part of a larger musical collaboration between Fortnite and the heavy metal band.

First up, the concert itself. It’s called “Metallica: Fuel Fire Fury,” and players can check it out during a few windows later this month: June 22nd at 2PM, 5PM, and 11PM ET and June 23rd at 10AM, 2PM, and 5PM ET. There aren’t many details on what the virtual show will entail, but it’ll be the latest in a line of in-game concerts from the likes of Eminem, Ariana Grande, Travis Scott, and Marshmello.

Now that Fortnite is more than a battle royale (though that remains the most popular mode), Epic is spreading the Metallica experience across the ecosystem. The band will be the featured act in the music game Fortnite Festival starting on June 13th, taking over for Billie Eilish, and there will be a new “Thrash Mountain” track in Rocket Racing. Not only are all four members of Metallica going to be featured in the game but there will also be Lego versions of them as well.

Image: Epic Games

Fortnite’s battle royale is currently in the midst of a postapocalyptic season reminiscent of Mad Max, complete with a wasteland biome and vehicular combat. Lego Fortnite, meanwhile, just got a big update that introduced two new difficulty mode: cozy and expert.

Read More 

Image: The Verge

Artificial intelligence has become this year’s wonder technology. But because it comes in a lot of different flavors from a lot of different companies, it can be really confusing. You’ve not only got the ChatGPT bot created by OpenAI, but you’ve got the big three — Google, Apple, and Microsoft — cooking up their own versions.
Google’s latest attempt is called Gemini, and it’s no less confusing than the others.

When I first started researching Gemini, I did a Google search for “versions of Google Gemini.” On top of the search, I got an AI-generated summary that started:
“Google Gemini has three versions: Ultra, Pro, and Nano. Ultra is the largest model and is designed for complex tasks, while Pro is the best model for scaling across a wide range of tasks, and Nano is the most efficient model for on-device tasks.”
Okay, good enough. But it’s not the complete story.
What is Gemini?
Gemini is the third zodiac sign, associated with the twins Castor and Pollux from Greek mythology.
Okay, sorry. I couldn’t resist. Gemini is a chatbot created by Google that has replaced its previous chatbot named Bard. It’s based on something called a large language model (or LLM), also called Gemini, which was developed by DeepMind, a part of Google.

Screenshot: Google
Confusingly, Gemini is both a chatbox and an LLM.

So Gemini is both a chatbox and an LLM? How many types of Gemini are there?
How much time do you have? Seriously, though, we’re going to limit ourselves to the types of Gemini that you may encounter because the number of iterations feel endless.
Originally, when it was introduced in December 2023, Gemini offered three different versions (known as models): Nano as a lightweight Android version, Pro for everyday wear, and Ultra for heavyweight business / enterprise usage.
Then on May 14th, during its I/O 2024 event, Google introduced Gemini 1.5 Pro, the first in what the company called a “mid-sized multimodal model.” According to Google, the new version of Pro is about as powerful as the previous Ultra version and is meant to enhance existing apps and create new ones for day-to-day uses.
Hold on. Multimodal?
In other words, it can accept prompts in all different modes of communication: text, images, audio, and video.
So that’s it for the models, right?
Well, not quite. There’s also Gemini 1.5 Flash, which is a faster version of Gemini for developers who will be able to use it in specific applications. In other words, unless you’re a developer, it’s not something you will be working with.
So, just to reiterate, we now have four Gemini models for developers to work with: Ultra, Pro, Flash, and Nano. (We’ll tell you how you can play with it yourself in a moment.)
I watched the Google event, and they kept talking about 1 million tokens, 2 million tokens. What was that all about?
That’s what you get for watching an event that’s meant more for developers than for everyday people like us. But it’s really not all that difficult.
Tokens are the elements of words that are used to train AI models such as Gemini. The more tokens an AI model is capable of, the more info you can feed the AI and the better it will understand what you need and what it can give you.
Okay, back to Gemini 1.5 Pro. What can I do with it?
Well, if you’re a developer, you can use it to add to or create a bunch of new apps. Otherwise, Google is adding it to a lot of its existing apps and creating new ones.
Like?
Well, just as an example, let’s start with Google Photos. A new feature expected this summer, called Ask Photos, will let you search using more complex queries. Instead of just finding all the photos of your grandmother, for example, you should be able to ask it to “Find all the photos of my grandmother through the years that show her working on her carpentry projects.”
There’s also the existing Lens app, which uses both text and photos to help you identify and research stuff. Lens will now be able to find info using videos as well. Google’s demonstrated it by taking a video of a misbehaving record player and using a video to find out why the tonearm wasn’t contacting the record.
You know that sidebar in Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, Drive, and Gmail? The one where you can now access various other Google apps? Well, it’s going to be taken over by Gemini, which will be used to unify — or, at least, to connect — a variety of Google apps so that you’ll be able to, say, easily reference a Google Doc in an email or visa versa. It should be rolling out to subscribers next month.

Screenshot: Google
AI Overviews explaining AI Overviews.

Even Google’s basic search has been affected: AI Overviews now lead off your search results, giving you an AI-generated summary of what Google thinks you’re looking for. (Although there’s been a lot of pushback on that and quite a few users looking to get rid of it.)
Those are existing apps. How about new ones?
Lots of them. Currently, some include:
Project Astra, which is essentially Google Assistant with the added ability to see (via your phone’s camera) and respond to, and with, spoken language. This is still in its early days, so you probably won’t see it for a while.
LearnLM, which will help students find answers to their questions using educational sources; according to the company, it’s already been built into some products and is being introduced to educators.
Veo, a “generative AI video model.” Generative as in it will generate 1080p videos that you ask it to create. You want a video of a cat wearing a nightgown and a top hat jumping over the Moon? Veos is what you want to use. Well, when you can — like Project Astra, it’s still being tested and won’t be available to the general public for a while.
This all sounds interesting. How can I sign up? And is it free?
You can start working with the Gemini 1.0 chatbot right now and right here. However, if you want to play with Gemini 1.5 Pro — which is faster and gives you more capabilities — you’ll need to subscribe to Gemini Advanced, which will cost $20 a month after a two-month trial. (Gemini Advanced is considered part of a Google One subscription, so you’ll also get 2TB of data storage and other Google One benefits.)
If you’re a business using Google Workspace and you want to try the more sophisticated levels of the AI (also starting at $20 a month), you can find more information here.
Anything else I need to know?
Just the usual cautions. Like all AI applications, Gemini’s answers can be iffy — in other words, downright wrong. The tech is definitely in its early stages, and so while it can be a useful tool, you should also check any data you get. It’s gotten so that wrong information generated by AI engines has gotten its own name: hallucinations, because by accessing wrong information, the AIs are creating their own reality. So, buyer beware.

Screenshot: Google
It’s not a bad idea to be cautious about Gemini’s answers.

That being said, it looks like AIs are going to be with us for a long time. It’s not a bad idea to do some hands-on in order to become familiar with them and how they work. Besides ChatGPT and Gemini, there are Microsoft’s upcoming CoPilot Plus PCs, which will come with built in AI-capable hardware, not to mention Apple’s just-announced and upcoming suite of features called Apple Intelligence. So depending on your favorite operating system, not to mention your level of curiosity, you can experiment with a variety of AI chatbots, enhanced apps, and other features.

Image: The Verge

Artificial intelligence has become this year’s wonder technology. But because it comes in a lot of different flavors from a lot of different companies, it can be really confusing. You’ve not only got the ChatGPT bot created by OpenAI, but you’ve got the big three — Google, Apple, and Microsoft — cooking up their own versions.

Google’s latest attempt is called Gemini, and it’s no less confusing than the others.

When I first started researching Gemini, I did a Google search for “versions of Google Gemini.” On top of the search, I got an AI-generated summary that started:

“Google Gemini has three versions: Ultra, Pro, and Nano. Ultra is the largest model and is designed for complex tasks, while Pro is the best model for scaling across a wide range of tasks, and Nano is the most efficient model for on-device tasks.”

Okay, good enough. But it’s not the complete story.

What is Gemini?

Gemini is the third zodiac sign, associated with the twins Castor and Pollux from Greek mythology.

Okay, sorry. I couldn’t resist. Gemini is a chatbot created by Google that has replaced its previous chatbot named Bard. It’s based on something called a large language model (or LLM), also called Gemini, which was developed by DeepMind, a part of Google.

Screenshot: Google
Confusingly, Gemini is both a chatbox and an LLM.

So Gemini is both a chatbox and an LLM? How many types of Gemini are there?

How much time do you have? Seriously, though, we’re going to limit ourselves to the types of Gemini that you may encounter because the number of iterations feel endless.

Originally, when it was introduced in December 2023, Gemini offered three different versions (known as models): Nano as a lightweight Android version, Pro for everyday wear, and Ultra for heavyweight business / enterprise usage.

Then on May 14th, during its I/O 2024 event, Google introduced Gemini 1.5 Pro, the first in what the company called a “mid-sized multimodal model.” According to Google, the new version of Pro is about as powerful as the previous Ultra version and is meant to enhance existing apps and create new ones for day-to-day uses.

Hold on. Multimodal?

In other words, it can accept prompts in all different modes of communication: text, images, audio, and video.

So that’s it for the models, right?

Well, not quite. There’s also Gemini 1.5 Flash, which is a faster version of Gemini for developers who will be able to use it in specific applications. In other words, unless you’re a developer, it’s not something you will be working with.

So, just to reiterate, we now have four Gemini models for developers to work with: Ultra, Pro, Flash, and Nano. (We’ll tell you how you can play with it yourself in a moment.)

I watched the Google event, and they kept talking about 1 million tokens, 2 million tokens. What was that all about?

That’s what you get for watching an event that’s meant more for developers than for everyday people like us. But it’s really not all that difficult.

Tokens are the elements of words that are used to train AI models such as Gemini. The more tokens an AI model is capable of, the more info you can feed the AI and the better it will understand what you need and what it can give you.

Okay, back to Gemini 1.5 Pro. What can I do with it?

Well, if you’re a developer, you can use it to add to or create a bunch of new apps. Otherwise, Google is adding it to a lot of its existing apps and creating new ones.

Like?

Well, just as an example, let’s start with Google Photos. A new feature expected this summer, called Ask Photos, will let you search using more complex queries. Instead of just finding all the photos of your grandmother, for example, you should be able to ask it to “Find all the photos of my grandmother through the years that show her working on her carpentry projects.”

There’s also the existing Lens app, which uses both text and photos to help you identify and research stuff. Lens will now be able to find info using videos as well. Google’s demonstrated it by taking a video of a misbehaving record player and using a video to find out why the tonearm wasn’t contacting the record.

You know that sidebar in Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, Drive, and Gmail? The one where you can now access various other Google apps? Well, it’s going to be taken over by Gemini, which will be used to unify — or, at least, to connect — a variety of Google apps so that you’ll be able to, say, easily reference a Google Doc in an email or visa versa. It should be rolling out to subscribers next month.

Screenshot: Google
AI Overviews explaining AI Overviews.

Even Google’s basic search has been affected: AI Overviews now lead off your search results, giving you an AI-generated summary of what Google thinks you’re looking for. (Although there’s been a lot of pushback on that and quite a few users looking to get rid of it.)

Those are existing apps. How about new ones?

Lots of them. Currently, some include:

Project Astra, which is essentially Google Assistant with the added ability to see (via your phone’s camera) and respond to, and with, spoken language. This is still in its early days, so you probably won’t see it for a while.

LearnLM, which will help students find answers to their questions using educational sources; according to the company, it’s already been built into some products and is being introduced to educators.

Veo, a “generative AI video model.” Generative as in it will generate 1080p videos that you ask it to create. You want a video of a cat wearing a nightgown and a top hat jumping over the Moon? Veos is what you want to use. Well, when you can — like Project Astra, it’s still being tested and won’t be available to the general public for a while.

This all sounds interesting. How can I sign up? And is it free?

You can start working with the Gemini 1.0 chatbot right now and right here. However, if you want to play with Gemini 1.5 Pro — which is faster and gives you more capabilities — you’ll need to subscribe to Gemini Advanced, which will cost $20 a month after a two-month trial. (Gemini Advanced is considered part of a Google One subscription, so you’ll also get 2TB of data storage and other Google One benefits.)

If you’re a business using Google Workspace and you want to try the more sophisticated levels of the AI (also starting at $20 a month), you can find more information here.

Anything else I need to know?

Just the usual cautions. Like all AI applications, Gemini’s answers can be iffy — in other words, downright wrong. The tech is definitely in its early stages, and so while it can be a useful tool, you should also check any data you get. It’s gotten so that wrong information generated by AI engines has gotten its own name: hallucinations, because by accessing wrong information, the AIs are creating their own reality. So, buyer beware.

Screenshot: Google
It’s not a bad idea to be cautious about Gemini’s answers.

That being said, it looks like AIs are going to be with us for a long time. It’s not a bad idea to do some hands-on in order to become familiar with them and how they work. Besides ChatGPT and Gemini, there are Microsoft’s upcoming CoPilot Plus PCs, which will come with built in AI-capable hardware, not to mention Apple’s just-announced and upcoming suite of features called Apple Intelligence. So depending on your favorite operating system, not to mention your level of curiosity, you can experiment with a variety of AI chatbots, enhanced apps, and other features.

Read More 

This ones for you, retro Apple enthusiasts. | Image: Basic Apple Guy

Apple is introducing a new dynamic screensaver and wallpaper combo in macOS Sequoia that respectfully eulogizes retro Macintosh iconography. Simply dubbed “Macintosh,” MacRumors reports that the animated wallpaper shifts through graphics designed by Susan Kare, the artist and early Apple employee responsible for many of the typefaces and interface elements on the first Macintosh personal computer.
Users can’t control which icons will appear in the randomized Macintosh wallpaper. Some recognizable highlights include the iconic “Happy Mac” boot-up icon, the Dogcow (also known as Clarus) used within the Print Setup dialog box, the floral-inspired Command icon, and the Bomb that appeared when classic macOS crashed. The wallpaper is available in eight colors alongside Spectrum, Random, and Accent.

Image: Basic Apple Guy
Basic Apple Guy released several high-quality screenshots of the Macintosh Wallpaper…

Image: Basic Apple Guy
…to tide us over until we can see the full animated versions in macOS Sequoia‌ later this year.

macOS Sequoia‌ is required to get the full animated effect, but that’s only currently available to developers ahead of the full version being released later this fall. For now, Apple design enthusiast Basic Apple Guy has shared a bunch of high-resolution screenshots of the Macintosh wallpaper that showcase some of its best bits and work beautifully as still wallpapers on other devices.

This ones for you, retro Apple enthusiasts. | Image: Basic Apple Guy

Apple is introducing a new dynamic screensaver and wallpaper combo in macOS Sequoia that respectfully eulogizes retro Macintosh iconography. Simply dubbed “Macintosh,” MacRumors reports that the animated wallpaper shifts through graphics designed by Susan Kare, the artist and early Apple employee responsible for many of the typefaces and interface elements on the first Macintosh personal computer.

Users can’t control which icons will appear in the randomized Macintosh wallpaper. Some recognizable highlights include the iconic “Happy Mac” boot-up icon, the Dogcow (also known as Clarus) used within the Print Setup dialog box, the floral-inspired Command icon, and the Bomb that appeared when classic macOS crashed. The wallpaper is available in eight colors alongside Spectrum, Random, and Accent.

macOS Sequoia‌ is required to get the full animated effect, but that’s only currently available to developers ahead of the full version being released later this fall. For now, Apple design enthusiast Basic Apple Guy has shared a bunch of high-resolution screenshots of the Macintosh wallpaper that showcase some of its best bits and work beautifully as still wallpapers on other devices.

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BYD is just one of the Chinese automakers facing increased tariffs in the EU. | Image: Getty

The European Union will place an additional tariff on vehicles imported from China starting next month, the commission announced on Wednesday. The extra tariffs go as high as 38 percent, adding to the existing 10 percent duty the EU imposes on foreign vehicles.
The move comes after a monthslong investigation concluded that Chinese EV makers benefit from unfair state-backed subsidization, allowing them to sell their vehicles for cheaper than rivals. China-made EVs accounted for around 37 percent of all EV imports in the EU, according to a recent study from independent research provider Rhodium Group.
The European Commission says it’s imposing the new tariffs to “remove the substantial unfair competitive advantage” of Chinese EVs and to ensure they “compete on a level playing field.” The tariffs vary by company, with BYD facing a 17.4 percent duty, Geely at 20 percent, and SAIC at 38.1 percent.
China’s Ministry of Commerce isn’t happy with the changes. “The EU ignored the facts and WTO [World Trade Organization] rules, ignored repeated strong objections from China, and ignored the appeals and dissuasions of many EU member states’ governments and industries,” the agency said in a statement.
President Joe Biden made a similar move in the US last month, increasing tariffs on Chinese EVs from 25 percent to 100 percent. This is in response to fear in the industry that China’s cheap EVs could flood the markets and potentially put domestic automakers out of business.

BYD is just one of the Chinese automakers facing increased tariffs in the EU. | Image: Getty

The European Union will place an additional tariff on vehicles imported from China starting next month, the commission announced on Wednesday. The extra tariffs go as high as 38 percent, adding to the existing 10 percent duty the EU imposes on foreign vehicles.

The move comes after a monthslong investigation concluded that Chinese EV makers benefit from unfair state-backed subsidization, allowing them to sell their vehicles for cheaper than rivals. China-made EVs accounted for around 37 percent of all EV imports in the EU, according to a recent study from independent research provider Rhodium Group.

The European Commission says it’s imposing the new tariffs to “remove the substantial unfair competitive advantage” of Chinese EVs and to ensure they “compete on a level playing field.” The tariffs vary by company, with BYD facing a 17.4 percent duty, Geely at 20 percent, and SAIC at 38.1 percent.

China’s Ministry of Commerce isn’t happy with the changes. “The EU ignored the facts and WTO [World Trade Organization] rules, ignored repeated strong objections from China, and ignored the appeals and dissuasions of many EU member states’ governments and industries,” the agency said in a statement.

President Joe Biden made a similar move in the US last month, increasing tariffs on Chinese EVs from 25 percent to 100 percent. This is in response to fear in the industry that China’s cheap EVs could flood the markets and potentially put domestic automakers out of business.

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Photo by Ben Hasty / MediaNews Group / Reading Eagle via Getty Images

California Senator Scott Wiener is used to pushback when he proposes laws aimed at reining in reckless drivers and improving road safety in his car-dependent state. But even he was caught off guard when, earlier this year, he introduced a new bill requiring a speed “governor” on all new cars sold in the state. The opposition from drivers was so fierce that he had to rewrite the proposal to only require weaker versions of the technology.
“There were people who loved it, people who hated it, people who were mad at me, spouses who were arguing with each other about it,” Wiener said in an interview. “It was an interesting situation. There’s a certain cultural embrace of being able to drive your car however you want to drive your car.”
Speeding is part of our cultural identity. Automakers frequently advertise new cars tearing through empty cities or weaving through traffic well above safe speeds. Movies and television shows frequently push these boundaries further. And social media further glorifies lawbreaking by providing a platform for speedsters. It all perpetuates the idea that speeding is not only safe but an American right.
“There’s a certain cultural embrace of being able to drive your car however you want to drive your car.”
Yet speeding is one of the most deadly things you can do in a vehicle. In 2023, more than 40,000 people died in traffic accidents, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) data released in April of this year. That’s down about 36 percent from 2022, when crashes accounted for nearly 43,000 deaths. The previous year was even worse, with speeding fatalities reaching a 14-year high.
A study from 2020, showed that at speeds above 42mph, there’s a much higher incidence of serious injury and a higher risk of death for vehicle occupants. According to 2021 crash test data from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, at 56mph and above, the driver’s compartment in most modern vehicles showed significant damage, and crash test dummies registered severe injuries to the neck and lower legs.
“Driver’s behavior is the overwhelming cause of traffic crashes,” Jonathan Adkins, CEO of the Governors Highway Safety Association. “We’re driving too fast or drinking, we’re not wearing our seatbelt. We’re distracted by our cell phones. It’s all those behaviors that lead to the vast majority of crashes.”
Salvation could come from technology like intelligent speed assistance (ISA) systems, but there’s a lot of nuance. These systems use cameras, radar, and lidar in conjunction with GPS data to detect both the speed of your vehicle and “read” the speed limit signs on the road.
In most modern vehicles, these systems are “passive” in that they don’t physically slow a speeding vehicle. A notification may pop up if you’re going more than a few miles per hour over the speed limit, but it won’t physically limit your ability to speed. Active ISA systems will physically slow your vehicle to keep you at the speed limit. Some use tactile responses, like pushing the accelerator back into your foot, while others actively limit the engine power to keep you at the speed limit. These active systems can be turned on and off by the driver.
“Driver’s behavior is the overwhelming cause of traffic crashes.”
The EU has been at the forefront of ISA, and as of July of this year, all new vehicles will be required to have the passive form of this technology. The US is well behind Europe’s regulations, but many are trying to change that. NHTSA has been working on studies and proposals for some form of ISA mandate, and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has a proposal out for limiters on commercial vehicles. Local officials in California and New York have proposed laws to require passive ISA systems in all new cars.
While conflicts around speed limiters are not new, they have certainly become more deeply ingrained, thanks in part to the covid-19 pandemic and political division. According to Adkins, speeding got worse when everyone was forced to stay home. “The people that were out, were speeding, they were way more aggressive because they knew they had the space, and they knew they could get away with it,” he said.
Local governments set the speed limits on state and local roads, while the federal government is responsible for setting speed limits on interstate highways. In the last few years, some states have raised the speed limits in the service of driver convenience, with 41 states permitting 70mph or more on some routes. Texas has the fastest speed limit on State Highway 130, a toll road that bypasses Austin, with a limit of 85mph.
While Americans love the freedom to drive where they want, as fast as they want, a study released today from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety shows that consumers may be more open to technology like ISA than previously thought.
According to Ian Reagan, a senior research scientist at the institute who designed the survey, more than 60 percent of the 1,800 drivers who participated said they would be open to some form of passive ISA system in new cars.
Active ISA systems will physically slow your vehicle to keep you at the speed limit
“Acceptability is key,” Reagan said. “There’s a lot of data in the study that suggests that there are a number of options for designers that would allow them to implement systems that are accepted by drivers.”
Even more surprising was that 50 percent of those surveyed said they’d be open to active ISA, including tech that makes the accelerator pedal harder to press or automatically restricts speed. Insurance Institute for Highway Safety data notes that drivers would have the option to turn any active ISA system on and off as they see fit, making the technology only useful if it’s accepted and utilized by drivers.
While this is a small bright spot when it comes to potentially reducing speed-related accidents on US roads, there is still a long way to go. After all, it took nearly 50 years of advocacy from groups like Mothers Against Drunk Driving to stigmatize driving under the influence. And it took nearly that long for drivers to get on board with wearing their seatbelts. “I think we’ll get there,” Adkins said, “but it’s going to take some time, and we have to do this thoughtfully.”
ISA technology is also only one part of the solution. Even more accidents are caused by distracted drivers using their cellphones, and road design plays a significant role in speeding and accidents. The legislation in California, should it pass the Assembly, could significantly change the playing field for ISA technology since the state is the largest new car market in the country.
“The bill does not stop you from speeding, but you should at least be alerted,” Wiener said. “We know that, yes, there are people who intentionally drive very fast, but there are a lot of people who don’t, and they don’t even realize it. So this technology is not going to get everyone to slow down, but if it gets a quarter or a third or a half of people to slow down, that will save many, many lives.”

Photo by Ben Hasty / MediaNews Group / Reading Eagle via Getty Images

California Senator Scott Wiener is used to pushback when he proposes laws aimed at reining in reckless drivers and improving road safety in his car-dependent state. But even he was caught off guard when, earlier this year, he introduced a new bill requiring a speed “governor” on all new cars sold in the state. The opposition from drivers was so fierce that he had to rewrite the proposal to only require weaker versions of the technology.

“There were people who loved it, people who hated it, people who were mad at me, spouses who were arguing with each other about it,” Wiener said in an interview. “It was an interesting situation. There’s a certain cultural embrace of being able to drive your car however you want to drive your car.”

Speeding is part of our cultural identity. Automakers frequently advertise new cars tearing through empty cities or weaving through traffic well above safe speeds. Movies and television shows frequently push these boundaries further. And social media further glorifies lawbreaking by providing a platform for speedsters. It all perpetuates the idea that speeding is not only safe but an American right.

Yet speeding is one of the most deadly things you can do in a vehicle. In 2023, more than 40,000 people died in traffic accidents, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) data released in April of this year. That’s down about 36 percent from 2022, when crashes accounted for nearly 43,000 deaths. The previous year was even worse, with speeding fatalities reaching a 14-year high.

A study from 2020, showed that at speeds above 42mph, there’s a much higher incidence of serious injury and a higher risk of death for vehicle occupants. According to 2021 crash test data from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, at 56mph and above, the driver’s compartment in most modern vehicles showed significant damage, and crash test dummies registered severe injuries to the neck and lower legs.

“Driver’s behavior is the overwhelming cause of traffic crashes,” Jonathan Adkins, CEO of the Governors Highway Safety Association. “We’re driving too fast or drinking, we’re not wearing our seatbelt. We’re distracted by our cell phones. It’s all those behaviors that lead to the vast majority of crashes.”

Salvation could come from technology like intelligent speed assistance (ISA) systems, but there’s a lot of nuance. These systems use cameras, radar, and lidar in conjunction with GPS data to detect both the speed of your vehicle and “read” the speed limit signs on the road.

In most modern vehicles, these systems are “passive” in that they don’t physically slow a speeding vehicle. A notification may pop up if you’re going more than a few miles per hour over the speed limit, but it won’t physically limit your ability to speed. Active ISA systems will physically slow your vehicle to keep you at the speed limit. Some use tactile responses, like pushing the accelerator back into your foot, while others actively limit the engine power to keep you at the speed limit. These active systems can be turned on and off by the driver.

The EU has been at the forefront of ISA, and as of July of this year, all new vehicles will be required to have the passive form of this technology. The US is well behind Europe’s regulations, but many are trying to change that. NHTSA has been working on studies and proposals for some form of ISA mandate, and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has a proposal out for limiters on commercial vehicles. Local officials in California and New York have proposed laws to require passive ISA systems in all new cars.

While conflicts around speed limiters are not new, they have certainly become more deeply ingrained, thanks in part to the covid-19 pandemic and political division. According to Adkins, speeding got worse when everyone was forced to stay home. “The people that were out, were speeding, they were way more aggressive because they knew they had the space, and they knew they could get away with it,” he said.

Local governments set the speed limits on state and local roads, while the federal government is responsible for setting speed limits on interstate highways. In the last few years, some states have raised the speed limits in the service of driver convenience, with 41 states permitting 70mph or more on some routes. Texas has the fastest speed limit on State Highway 130, a toll road that bypasses Austin, with a limit of 85mph.

While Americans love the freedom to drive where they want, as fast as they want, a study released today from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety shows that consumers may be more open to technology like ISA than previously thought.

According to Ian Reagan, a senior research scientist at the institute who designed the survey, more than 60 percent of the 1,800 drivers who participated said they would be open to some form of passive ISA system in new cars.

“Acceptability is key,” Reagan said. “There’s a lot of data in the study that suggests that there are a number of options for designers that would allow them to implement systems that are accepted by drivers.”

Even more surprising was that 50 percent of those surveyed said they’d be open to active ISA, including tech that makes the accelerator pedal harder to press or automatically restricts speed. Insurance Institute for Highway Safety data notes that drivers would have the option to turn any active ISA system on and off as they see fit, making the technology only useful if it’s accepted and utilized by drivers.

While this is a small bright spot when it comes to potentially reducing speed-related accidents on US roads, there is still a long way to go. After all, it took nearly 50 years of advocacy from groups like Mothers Against Drunk Driving to stigmatize driving under the influence. And it took nearly that long for drivers to get on board with wearing their seatbelts. “I think we’ll get there,” Adkins said, “but it’s going to take some time, and we have to do this thoughtfully.”

ISA technology is also only one part of the solution. Even more accidents are caused by distracted drivers using their cellphones, and road design plays a significant role in speeding and accidents. The legislation in California, should it pass the Assembly, could significantly change the playing field for ISA technology since the state is the largest new car market in the country.

“The bill does not stop you from speeding, but you should at least be alerted,” Wiener said. “We know that, yes, there are people who intentionally drive very fast, but there are a lot of people who don’t, and they don’t even realize it. So this technology is not going to get everyone to slow down, but if it gets a quarter or a third or a half of people to slow down, that will save many, many lives.”

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Photo by Vjeran Pavic / The Verge

The new Apple Intelligence features coming to iOS 18 could be the most impressive integrations of AI software and consumer hardware to date. Apple’s AI tools will be able to take actions based on what they know about you, manage your notifications, and rewrite text. They’re the kinds of things that could make day-to-day use of your iPhone a lot better. But they won’t be available unless you have one of Apple’s latest and most expensive iPhone models.
AI has quickly become the latest entry in the tech industry’s never ending desire to drive an upgrade cycle. A few years ago, every smartphone maker raced to 5G; more than a decade ago, the TV industry pushed for 3D TVs. Right now, every tech company clearly sees an opportunity with AI and is adding AI features confined to their latest and greatest devices as a result. But like the race to 5G, the mad rush toward AI is happening quickly and before the tech has been proven useful and its problems ironed out.

Image: Apple
Apple Intelligence can make a “memory movie” using your photos based on a text prompt.

To use Apple Intelligence on an iPhone, you’ll need to have an iPhone 15 Pro (which starts at $999) or iPhone 15 Pro Max (which starts at $1,199). That probably comes as a disappointment to iPhone 15 and 15 Plus users, who have phones that aren’t even a year old. iPad and Mac users are luckier: you’ll need to be running one of those devices with an M1 chip or newer to try Apple Intelligence for yourself, so any device from the past few years will work. (The M-series chips, of course, have been another Apple-encouraged reason to upgrade your gear.)
Apple isn’t necessarily playing tricks here, as there is a real need for improved hardware to run advanced AI systems. AI processing is demanding. And Apple isn’t the only tech company gating some of its best new AI software features to specific hardware. Only the new Copilot Plus PCs from Microsoft and others will support some AI features in Windows like the (controversial) Recall. Google initially said its Gemini Nano model would only be available on its Pixel 8 Pro, even though the regular Pixel 8 has the same Tensor G3 chipset.
On the other hand, it’s not clear how firm those hardware limitations really are. Apple hasn’t said exactly why older iPhones can’t use Apple Intelligence. Many AI features are local, but more advanced queries are often offloaded to the cloud. And given that Google recently said that the Pixel 8 actually will be able to run Gemini Nano, the limitations may not be as cut and dry as the tech companies make it seem. Apple didn’t respond to a request for comment about the hardware restrictions.

As an iPhone 12 Mini super fan, this potential upgrade push is a huge bummer. Since its 2020 launch, the small phone has remained pretty much perfect for me even with its lackluster battery. I haven’t had any significant reason to upgrade my phone for years, saving me bundles of money while still getting to use the vast majority of new features included with iOS upgrades.
I’ve been hoping to hold onto my Mini phone until it goes kaput. But if these Apple Intelligence features actually work, I might end up getting a new iPhone much sooner than I expected.
To be fair, you don’t have to upgrade your devices just because of some new AI features. iOS 18 will be available to every iPhone that runs iOS 17 — devices going back to 2018’s iPhone XR and XS — meaning that a lot of people will still get features like improved Home Screen customization, handy new Messages tools (tapbacks with any emoji!), and the Passwords app. And you can of course keep on using your current Windows machine and Pixel phones if they’re serving you well.
But you can be sure that Apple, Microsoft, Google, and others are going to continue to pack their operating systems with new AI features that require better hardware. Clearly, they think (or maybe just hope) that the features will be compelling enough to make an upgrade a lot more enticing, even if you don’t really need it.

Photo by Vjeran Pavic / The Verge

The new Apple Intelligence features coming to iOS 18 could be the most impressive integrations of AI software and consumer hardware to date. Apple’s AI tools will be able to take actions based on what they know about you, manage your notifications, and rewrite text. They’re the kinds of things that could make day-to-day use of your iPhone a lot better. But they won’t be available unless you have one of Apple’s latest and most expensive iPhone models.

AI has quickly become the latest entry in the tech industry’s never ending desire to drive an upgrade cycle. A few years ago, every smartphone maker raced to 5G; more than a decade ago, the TV industry pushed for 3D TVs. Right now, every tech company clearly sees an opportunity with AI and is adding AI features confined to their latest and greatest devices as a result. But like the race to 5G, the mad rush toward AI is happening quickly and before the tech has been proven useful and its problems ironed out.

Image: Apple
Apple Intelligence can make a “memory movie” using your photos based on a text prompt.

To use Apple Intelligence on an iPhone, you’ll need to have an iPhone 15 Pro (which starts at $999) or iPhone 15 Pro Max (which starts at $1,199). That probably comes as a disappointment to iPhone 15 and 15 Plus users, who have phones that aren’t even a year old. iPad and Mac users are luckier: you’ll need to be running one of those devices with an M1 chip or newer to try Apple Intelligence for yourself, so any device from the past few years will work. (The M-series chips, of course, have been another Apple-encouraged reason to upgrade your gear.)

Apple isn’t necessarily playing tricks here, as there is a real need for improved hardware to run advanced AI systems. AI processing is demanding. And Apple isn’t the only tech company gating some of its best new AI software features to specific hardware. Only the new Copilot Plus PCs from Microsoft and others will support some AI features in Windows like the (controversial) Recall. Google initially said its Gemini Nano model would only be available on its Pixel 8 Pro, even though the regular Pixel 8 has the same Tensor G3 chipset.

On the other hand, it’s not clear how firm those hardware limitations really are. Apple hasn’t said exactly why older iPhones can’t use Apple Intelligence. Many AI features are local, but more advanced queries are often offloaded to the cloud. And given that Google recently said that the Pixel 8 actually will be able to run Gemini Nano, the limitations may not be as cut and dry as the tech companies make it seem. Apple didn’t respond to a request for comment about the hardware restrictions.

As an iPhone 12 Mini super fan, this potential upgrade push is a huge bummer. Since its 2020 launch, the small phone has remained pretty much perfect for me even with its lackluster battery. I haven’t had any significant reason to upgrade my phone for years, saving me bundles of money while still getting to use the vast majority of new features included with iOS upgrades.

I’ve been hoping to hold onto my Mini phone until it goes kaput. But if these Apple Intelligence features actually work, I might end up getting a new iPhone much sooner than I expected.

To be fair, you don’t have to upgrade your devices just because of some new AI features. iOS 18 will be available to every iPhone that runs iOS 17 — devices going back to 2018’s iPhone XR and XS — meaning that a lot of people will still get features like improved Home Screen customization, handy new Messages tools (tapbacks with any emoji!), and the Passwords app. And you can of course keep on using your current Windows machine and Pixel phones if they’re serving you well.

But you can be sure that Apple, Microsoft, Google, and others are going to continue to pack their operating systems with new AI features that require better hardware. Clearly, they think (or maybe just hope) that the features will be compelling enough to make an upgrade a lot more enticing, even if you don’t really need it.

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The Jabra Elite 10 gen 2 wireless earbuds (pictured) will still be available, serving as a final farewell to the Elite lineup. | Image: Jabra

Immediately after introducing upgraded versions of its Elite 10 and Elite 8 Active earbuds, Jabra says it’s departing the consumer earbuds market entirely. Jabra’s parent company GN announced that it’s winding down its Elite and Talk audio product ranges in order to “increase focus and resources on more attractive parts” of its business, citing the rising costs of competition.
“The markets have changed over time, and it is today our assessment that we cannot generate a fair return on investment compared to the many other opportunities we have within our Hearing, Enterprise, and Gaming businesses,” said GN CEO Peter Karlstromer. “I am very grateful to our retail partners, who have supported us on the Elite and Talk product lines, as well as to the consumers who made us a part of their lives.”
The departure for Talk — a dated-looking lineup of over-the-ear mono Bluetooth headphones — isn’t surprising given the decline in that category, but Jabra’s Elite range of wireless earbuds have been generally well received since launching in 2016. The decision follows last year’s decision to redirect the Elite lineup towards the premium audio market, with Jabra’s parent now saying the level of investment required to remain competitive is “deemed unjustified in the long-term” despite having initially resulted in “stronger profitability.”
Jabra isn’t exiting the audio category entirely, however, with Digital Trends noting that the company will continue developing its enterprise-focused Evolve lineup. The second-gen Elite 8 Active and Elite 10 earbuds will still be available to buy later this month as the final entries to the Elite lineup. Jabra will continue to provide support for the products for “several years,” and expects its remaining inventory to be depleted by the end of 2024.

The Jabra Elite 10 gen 2 wireless earbuds (pictured) will still be available, serving as a final farewell to the Elite lineup. | Image: Jabra

Immediately after introducing upgraded versions of its Elite 10 and Elite 8 Active earbuds, Jabra says it’s departing the consumer earbuds market entirely. Jabra’s parent company GN announced that it’s winding down its Elite and Talk audio product ranges in order to “increase focus and resources on more attractive parts” of its business, citing the rising costs of competition.

“The markets have changed over time, and it is today our assessment that we cannot generate a fair return on investment compared to the many other opportunities we have within our Hearing, Enterprise, and Gaming businesses,” said GN CEO Peter Karlstromer. “I am very grateful to our retail partners, who have supported us on the Elite and Talk product lines, as well as to the consumers who made us a part of their lives.”

The departure for Talk — a dated-looking lineup of over-the-ear mono Bluetooth headphones — isn’t surprising given the decline in that category, but Jabra’s Elite range of wireless earbuds have been generally well received since launching in 2016. The decision follows last year’s decision to redirect the Elite lineup towards the premium audio market, with Jabra’s parent now saying the level of investment required to remain competitive is “deemed unjustified in the long-term” despite having initially resulted in “stronger profitability.”

Jabra isn’t exiting the audio category entirely, however, with Digital Trends noting that the company will continue developing its enterprise-focused Evolve lineup. The second-gen Elite 8 Active and Elite 10 earbuds will still be available to buy later this month as the final entries to the Elite lineup. Jabra will continue to provide support for the products for “several years,” and expects its remaining inventory to be depleted by the end of 2024.

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