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Google is selling refurbished Pixels, including the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro. | Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge

Google now sells refurbished Pixel 6, Pixel 6A, and Pixel 7 phones in a special section of the Google Store. The company says that these phones will be of like-new quality with phones, screens, and batteries that technicians “carefully inspect” and are offered at up to a 40 percent discount versus their original price. The phones also come with the same 1-year limited warranty and customer support options as a new phone.
Here’s the price breakdown:

Pixel 6 — $339 (originally $599)
Pixel 6 Pro — $539 (originally $899)
Pixel 6A — $249 (originally $449)
Pixel 7 — $429 (originally $599)
Pixel 7 Pro — $629 (originally $899)

While those prices cover 128GB models, Google spokesperson Patrick Seybold told The Verge via email that its refurbished section will offer other storage tiers, as well. You might find older Pixels for even cheaper elsewhere, either used or via third-party refurbishers, but the warranty and return policy could be harder to match.
Google says the phones “undergo meticulous inspection,” but Seybold stopped short of guaranteeing any specifics about battery health when we asked. Both Samsung and Apple replace the batteries for their refurbished phones, while Google’s blog post says “If any phones need work, our technicians only use authentic Google parts for the repairs. Each phone gets the latest Android software before being packaged in a new box, and comes with a compatible charger.”

Google is selling refurbished Pixels, including the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro. | Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge

Google now sells refurbished Pixel 6, Pixel 6A, and Pixel 7 phones in a special section of the Google Store. The company says that these phones will be of like-new quality with phones, screens, and batteries that technicians “carefully inspect” and are offered at up to a 40 percent discount versus their original price. The phones also come with the same 1-year limited warranty and customer support options as a new phone.

Here’s the price breakdown:

Pixel 6 — $339 (originally $599)
Pixel 6 Pro — $539 (originally $899)
Pixel 6A — $249 (originally $449)
Pixel 7 — $429 (originally $599)
Pixel 7 Pro — $629 (originally $899)

While those prices cover 128GB models, Google spokesperson Patrick Seybold told The Verge via email that its refurbished section will offer other storage tiers, as well. You might find older Pixels for even cheaper elsewhere, either used or via third-party refurbishers, but the warranty and return policy could be harder to match.

Google says the phones “undergo meticulous inspection,” but Seybold stopped short of guaranteeing any specifics about battery health when we asked. Both Samsung and Apple replace the batteries for their refurbished phones, while Google’s blog post says “If any phones need work, our technicians only use authentic Google parts for the repairs. Each phone gets the latest Android software before being packaged in a new box, and comes with a compatible charger.”

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It’s finally glow time.

Apple Intelligence has finally arrived, and like most AI on smartphones so far, it’s mostly underwhelming.
The debut features of Apple Intelligence are all very familiar: there are glowing gradients and sparkle icons that indicate the presence of AI; writing tools that make your emails sound more professional; and an AI eraser in Photos that blots away distractions. It’s all here, and it all works okay. But none of it is even close to the time-saving computing platform shift we’ve been promised.

Essentially, there are two Apple Intelligences: the one that’s here now and the one we might see in the future. Even in today’s launch announcement, Apple is busy teasing the features that haven’t launched yet. What’s here today is a handful of tools that loosely share a common theme: helping you weed out distractions and find the signal in the noise. That’s the theory, anyway.
Apple uses AI to summarize groups of notifications so you can catch up on what you missed faster. You can summarize long emails and use a new focus mode that filters out unnecessary distractions. In practice, these things kind of work, though, after a week of using them, I don’t feel like I saved much time or energy.
In the Mail app, AI summaries appear where the first line of an email would normally show up when you’re viewing an entire inbox; there’s also an option to summarize individual emails. Maybe it’s a reflection of how useless email has become, but I didn’t find either of these features terribly helpful. You know what feature we already use that summarizes an email pretty well? The subject line. At least that’s true of most emails I get; they’re usually short and to the point. Maybe Tim Cook saves himself a lot of time reading long emails, but personally, I could live without a little summary of every email the DNC sends me asking for three dollars by midnight.
Notification summaries seem a little more promising to me — at the very least, it’s pretty funny seeing AI try to summarize a string of gossipy texts or a bunch of notifications from your doorbell. But it also surfaced a bit of important information in a string of texts from a friend, and had I not seen that summary when glancing at my phone, I might have read the messages much later. That was helpful.
Over in Photos, you’ll find the new Clean Up tool in your editing options. It’s designed to quickly remove objects from a scene; you can tap something that’s been automatically highlighted by the tool or outline something yourself that you want removed. It runs on-device, so you only have to wait a few moments, and you’ll see the selected object (mostly) disappear.

I erased a table behind this kiddo with Google’s older Magic Eraser tool in Google Photos.

Apple’s Clean Up does a better job of removing the table, but it’s not exactly miles ahead of Google’s tool.

The tool does a good-enough job, especially for smaller objects in the background. But it’s only about as good as Google’s older Magic Eraser tool in Google Photos — occasionally, it’s better, but it’s not as good as Google’s Magic Editor, which uses generative AI for incredibly convincing object removal. That tool runs in the cloud, so it’s a little apples to oranges, but still. I can use Google Photos’ on-device Magic Eraser tool on my four-year-old iPhone 12 Mini, and the results are pretty close to what I get with Clean Up running on the iPhone 16 — not a great argument for the AI phone upgrade cycle.
There’s also, of course, an upgraded Siri. Sure, it looks different, and typing queries is a handy addition, but you don’t have to use it for long to realize it’s basically the same old Siri with a new coat of paint. It handles natural language better and includes more product knowledge to help you find settings on your iPhone, but that’s about it right now. Apple has promised big updates for Siri down the road, and features like a ChatGPT extension are scheduled to arrive by the end of the year. But the big stuff — contextual awareness, the ability to take action in apps — is all planned for 2025.
Other features — like AI-generated photo memories and smart replies — do what they’re supposed to do but lack a certain human touch. I didn’t send any of the AI-suggested replies in my messages even though they conveyed the right sentiments. If I’m going to take the time to respond to a text, I might as well just write “That’s tough” myself rather than have AI do it, you know? Isn’t that part of the point of texting someone? I also prompted Photos to create a memory of moments of my kid, which it did but titled it the eerily impersonal “Joyous Moments with Child.”

Apple’s playing a little catch-up.

To be clear, criticism of Apple Intelligence is not an endorsement of other phones’ intelligences; they’re all varying degrees of unhelpful right now. If you want to make it look like a helicopter crashed in an empty meadow, then sure, there’s AI for that. But if you want help getting things done? That’s not quite ready.
And in fairness, this is v1, and Apple has been pretty clear that its more impressive Intelligence features will drip out over the next year. But Apple also put a big, bright “Built for Apple Intelligence” bow on every new iPhone, iPad, and Mac it’s selling right now, suggesting we’d be sorry if we bought an Apple device that couldn’t handle AI. If Apple Intelligence is a letdown right now, it’s because Apple built it up to impossible heights.
There’s more to come, and some of it looks really promising. This first wave of AI features is Apple playing catch-up to Google and Samsung. But no phone maker has yet created a cohesive set of time-saving AI tools. Apple might be arriving late, but the game is just getting started.

It’s finally glow time.

Apple Intelligence has finally arrived, and like most AI on smartphones so far, it’s mostly underwhelming.

The debut features of Apple Intelligence are all very familiar: there are glowing gradients and sparkle icons that indicate the presence of AI; writing tools that make your emails sound more professional; and an AI eraser in Photos that blots away distractions. It’s all here, and it all works okay. But none of it is even close to the time-saving computing platform shift we’ve been promised.

Essentially, there are two Apple Intelligences: the one that’s here now and the one we might see in the future. Even in today’s launch announcement, Apple is busy teasing the features that haven’t launched yet. What’s here today is a handful of tools that loosely share a common theme: helping you weed out distractions and find the signal in the noise. That’s the theory, anyway.

Apple uses AI to summarize groups of notifications so you can catch up on what you missed faster. You can summarize long emails and use a new focus mode that filters out unnecessary distractions. In practice, these things kind of work, though, after a week of using them, I don’t feel like I saved much time or energy.

In the Mail app, AI summaries appear where the first line of an email would normally show up when you’re viewing an entire inbox; there’s also an option to summarize individual emails. Maybe it’s a reflection of how useless email has become, but I didn’t find either of these features terribly helpful. You know what feature we already use that summarizes an email pretty well? The subject line. At least that’s true of most emails I get; they’re usually short and to the point. Maybe Tim Cook saves himself a lot of time reading long emails, but personally, I could live without a little summary of every email the DNC sends me asking for three dollars by midnight.

Notification summaries seem a little more promising to me — at the very least, it’s pretty funny seeing AI try to summarize a string of gossipy texts or a bunch of notifications from your doorbell. But it also surfaced a bit of important information in a string of texts from a friend, and had I not seen that summary when glancing at my phone, I might have read the messages much later. That was helpful.

Over in Photos, you’ll find the new Clean Up tool in your editing options. It’s designed to quickly remove objects from a scene; you can tap something that’s been automatically highlighted by the tool or outline something yourself that you want removed. It runs on-device, so you only have to wait a few moments, and you’ll see the selected object (mostly) disappear.

The tool does a good-enough job, especially for smaller objects in the background. But it’s only about as good as Google’s older Magic Eraser tool in Google Photos — occasionally, it’s better, but it’s not as good as Google’s Magic Editor, which uses generative AI for incredibly convincing object removal. That tool runs in the cloud, so it’s a little apples to oranges, but still. I can use Google Photos’ on-device Magic Eraser tool on my four-year-old iPhone 12 Mini, and the results are pretty close to what I get with Clean Up running on the iPhone 16 — not a great argument for the AI phone upgrade cycle.

There’s also, of course, an upgraded Siri. Sure, it looks different, and typing queries is a handy addition, but you don’t have to use it for long to realize it’s basically the same old Siri with a new coat of paint. It handles natural language better and includes more product knowledge to help you find settings on your iPhone, but that’s about it right now. Apple has promised big updates for Siri down the road, and features like a ChatGPT extension are scheduled to arrive by the end of the year. But the big stuff — contextual awareness, the ability to take action in apps — is all planned for 2025.

Other features — like AI-generated photo memories and smart replies — do what they’re supposed to do but lack a certain human touch. I didn’t send any of the AI-suggested replies in my messages even though they conveyed the right sentiments. If I’m going to take the time to respond to a text, I might as well just write “That’s tough” myself rather than have AI do it, you know? Isn’t that part of the point of texting someone? I also prompted Photos to create a memory of moments of my kid, which it did but titled it the eerily impersonal “Joyous Moments with Child.”

Apple’s playing a little catch-up.

To be clear, criticism of Apple Intelligence is not an endorsement of other phones’ intelligences; they’re all varying degrees of unhelpful right now. If you want to make it look like a helicopter crashed in an empty meadow, then sure, there’s AI for that. But if you want help getting things done? That’s not quite ready.

And in fairness, this is v1, and Apple has been pretty clear that its more impressive Intelligence features will drip out over the next year. But Apple also put a big, bright “Built for Apple Intelligence” bow on every new iPhone, iPad, and Mac it’s selling right now, suggesting we’d be sorry if we bought an Apple device that couldn’t handle AI. If Apple Intelligence is a letdown right now, it’s because Apple built it up to impossible heights.

There’s more to come, and some of it looks really promising. This first wave of AI features is Apple playing catch-up to Google and Samsung. But no phone maker has yet created a cohesive set of time-saving AI tools. Apple might be arriving late, but the game is just getting started.

Read More 

Image: Cath Virginia / The Verge, Getty Images

Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner is suing Elon Musk and his Donald Trump-supporting America PAC. Filed Monday in Philadelphia Common Pleas Court, it’s the first legal action against Musk’s $1 million daily award offered to registered voters.
As reported previously by CNN and the Philadelphia Inquirer, the lawsuit argues that all lotteries in Pennsylvania must be run by the state and calls the arrangement deceptive, saying that “Though Musk says that a winner’s selection is ‘random,’ that appears false because multiple winners that have been selected are individuals who have shown up at Trump rallies in Pennsylvania.”

According to the suit, “Since launching on October 19, 2024, America PAC claims it awarded $1,000,000 checks to nine individuals through its lottery, four of whom live in Pennsylvania. It made those awards on October 19, 20, 21, 22, 24, 25, 26, and 27, 2024. No winner was announced on October 23.”
The lawsuit alleges that Musk’s offer “is a lottery. And it is indisputably an unlawful lottery” under Pennsylvania’s laws because it asks for citizens to give their personal information and make a political pledge in exchange for a chance at winning the prize.
This approach goes around the arguments about whether the offer violates election law, as we addressed with several experts last week. Still, it’s unclear how it will affect the giveaway before Election Day.

Image: Cath Virginia / The Verge, Getty Images

Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner is suing Elon Musk and his Donald Trump-supporting America PAC. Filed Monday in Philadelphia Common Pleas Court, it’s the first legal action against Musk’s $1 million daily award offered to registered voters.

As reported previously by CNN and the Philadelphia Inquirer, the lawsuit argues that all lotteries in Pennsylvania must be run by the state and calls the arrangement deceptive, saying that “Though Musk says that a winner’s selection is ‘random,’ that appears false because multiple winners that have been selected are individuals who have shown up at Trump rallies in Pennsylvania.”

According to the suit, “Since launching on October 19, 2024, America PAC claims it awarded $1,000,000 checks to nine individuals through its lottery, four of whom live in Pennsylvania. It made those awards on October 19, 20, 21, 22, 24, 25, 26, and 27, 2024. No winner was announced on October 23.”

The lawsuit alleges that Musk’s offer “is a lottery. And it is indisputably an unlawful lottery” under Pennsylvania’s laws because it asks for citizens to give their personal information and make a political pledge in exchange for a chance at winning the prize.

This approach goes around the arguments about whether the offer violates election law, as we addressed with several experts last week. Still, it’s unclear how it will affect the giveaway before Election Day.

Read More 

Solo 3 owners have plenty of reasons to consider upgrading. | Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge

One of the best deals on wireless headphones during Prime Day earlier this month is back. The Beats Solo 4 headphones, which only launched in April, are 50 percent off at $99.99 ($100 off) from Amazon, Best Buy, and Target, matching their all-time low. If you prefer over-ear headphones or need active noise cancellation, the Beats Studio Pro fit the bill and are also matching their record low price of $169.99 ($180 off) at Amazon, Best Buy, and Target.

The Solo 4 are a solid refresh that should serve you well into 2025 and beyond. Like typical Beats, they have a sound signature favoring emphasized bass, but with a healthier balance between the mids and highs than older headphones in the line. Apple meets today’s expectations for mid-range headphones with features like spatial audio and lossless playback over USB-C (or 3.5mm), the latter even after the 50-hour battery dies. If you often bounce between iOS and Android devices, Beats are ideal as they natively support each platform’s fast pairing and switching features, plus their respective Find My features.
What you don’t get from the Solo 4 is ANC, which we thought was egregious for a $200 starting price but is forgivable with the discount. If that’s an important trait for you, you’ll want to consider increasing your budget for the Beats Studio Pro. They’re a little bigger and heavier, but have similar cross-platform appeal with a bigger soundstage and a pretty effective transparency mode. The Studio Pro won’t exactly impress audiophiles, but they’ll more than get the job done for casual listening without costing nearly as much as the headphones that do.

A few more Monday deals

Today only, Best Buy is discounting the 10-ounce Ember Mug 2 in stainless steel to $74.99 (50 percent), which is the best price we’ve seen yet. The mug will keep your drinks warmed between 120 degrees and 145 degrees Fahrenheit. You can use Ember’s app to dial in the perfect temperature, and it’ll stick there as long as its 1.5-hour battery lasts. If you’re a slow sipper, the included charging base keeps it going indefinitely. It’s a holiday hit, whether you’re gifting it to loved ones or getting one for yourself to curl up with in the coming winter.
The Lenovo Legion Go gaming handheld with an AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme processor and 512GB of RAM is down to around $499.99 ($200 off) at Amazon, Best Buy, and B&H Photo, which is a new all-time low price. It’s faster than a Steam Deck and an interesting alternative to the ROG Ally X, given the cheaper price. It sits somewhere in the middle of those two when it comes to gaming power, but can outpace the Ally with an overclock. The Legion Go’s main claim to fame is a bigger 8.8-inch 144Hz display and detachable controllers. It’s a lot to hold when the full kit is assembled, but great for maximizing screen real estate and ergonomics if you don’t mind the hit to overall portability. Read our review.

Amazon’s Echo Show 5 is down to $49.99 ($40 off) at Amazon, Best Buy, and Target, which is only $10 more than the lowest price to date. The third-gen smart display can help you keep tabs on smart home cameras, place video calls, check on weather and appointments, and even stream movies and TV. That’s in addition to all of the hands-free Alexa functionality you’ll get from any Echo device. The size is understated compared to other Echo displays, but it’s just right for a nightstand, countertop, or desktop.

Solo 3 owners have plenty of reasons to consider upgrading. | Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge

One of the best deals on wireless headphones during Prime Day earlier this month is back. The Beats Solo 4 headphones, which only launched in April, are 50 percent off at $99.99 ($100 off) from Amazon, Best Buy, and Target, matching their all-time low. If you prefer over-ear headphones or need active noise cancellation, the Beats Studio Pro fit the bill and are also matching their record low price of $169.99 ($180 off) at Amazon, Best Buy, and Target.

The Solo 4 are a solid refresh that should serve you well into 2025 and beyond. Like typical Beats, they have a sound signature favoring emphasized bass, but with a healthier balance between the mids and highs than older headphones in the line. Apple meets today’s expectations for mid-range headphones with features like spatial audio and lossless playback over USB-C (or 3.5mm), the latter even after the 50-hour battery dies. If you often bounce between iOS and Android devices, Beats are ideal as they natively support each platform’s fast pairing and switching features, plus their respective Find My features.

What you don’t get from the Solo 4 is ANC, which we thought was egregious for a $200 starting price but is forgivable with the discount. If that’s an important trait for you, you’ll want to consider increasing your budget for the Beats Studio Pro. They’re a little bigger and heavier, but have similar cross-platform appeal with a bigger soundstage and a pretty effective transparency mode. The Studio Pro won’t exactly impress audiophiles, but they’ll more than get the job done for casual listening without costing nearly as much as the headphones that do.

A few more Monday deals

Today only, Best Buy is discounting the 10-ounce Ember Mug 2 in stainless steel to $74.99 (50 percent), which is the best price we’ve seen yet. The mug will keep your drinks warmed between 120 degrees and 145 degrees Fahrenheit. You can use Ember’s app to dial in the perfect temperature, and it’ll stick there as long as its 1.5-hour battery lasts. If you’re a slow sipper, the included charging base keeps it going indefinitely. It’s a holiday hit, whether you’re gifting it to loved ones or getting one for yourself to curl up with in the coming winter.
The Lenovo Legion Go gaming handheld with an AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme processor and 512GB of RAM is down to around $499.99 ($200 off) at Amazon, Best Buy, and B&H Photo, which is a new all-time low price. It’s faster than a Steam Deck and an interesting alternative to the ROG Ally X, given the cheaper price. It sits somewhere in the middle of those two when it comes to gaming power, but can outpace the Ally with an overclock. The Legion Go’s main claim to fame is a bigger 8.8-inch 144Hz display and detachable controllers. It’s a lot to hold when the full kit is assembled, but great for maximizing screen real estate and ergonomics if you don’t mind the hit to overall portability. Read our review.

Amazon’s Echo Show 5 is down to $49.99 ($40 off) at Amazon, Best Buy, and Target, which is only $10 more than the lowest price to date. The third-gen smart display can help you keep tabs on smart home cameras, place video calls, check on weather and appointments, and even stream movies and TV. That’s in addition to all of the hands-free Alexa functionality you’ll get from any Echo device. The size is understated compared to other Echo displays, but it’s just right for a nightstand, countertop, or desktop.

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Image: Apple

Apple did more than put out a series of press releases when it announced the new iMac with M4 and the release of its Apple Intelligence software updates. The company also made a video to go with them — although it took a keen eye to spot it at first, as it was tucked away in a “Watch the announcement” link on the company’s splashy iMac page.
Apple has since released the 10-minute video on YouTube as well. In it, Apple Intelligence product manager Allegra Tepper discussed Apple’s AI system, which is now available as a software update for compatible iPhones, iPads, and Macs. Tepper ran through coming features, while specifying that today’s update only includes things like writing tools and slight Siri improvements (including the glowy rainbow edge graphic that shows up when Siri is listening on iPhones and iPads).

Screenshot: YouTube
Hi, Apple SVP of hardware engineering John Ternus.

Sree Panuganty, Apple’s iMac product manager, then discusses the iMac, showing the various colors and discussing details about its M4 chip. Like the Apple Intelligence section, you won’t see anything new in this video, but it’s a nice way to get a good look at the machine and digest what makes it different from last year’s model.

Image: Apple

Apple did more than put out a series of press releases when it announced the new iMac with M4 and the release of its Apple Intelligence software updates. The company also made a video to go with them — although it took a keen eye to spot it at first, as it was tucked away in a “Watch the announcement” link on the company’s splashy iMac page.

Apple has since released the 10-minute video on YouTube as well. In it, Apple Intelligence product manager Allegra Tepper discussed Apple’s AI system, which is now available as a software update for compatible iPhones, iPads, and Macs. Tepper ran through coming features, while specifying that today’s update only includes things like writing tools and slight Siri improvements (including the glowy rainbow edge graphic that shows up when Siri is listening on iPhones and iPads).

Screenshot: YouTube
Hi, Apple SVP of hardware engineering John Ternus.

Sree Panuganty, Apple’s iMac product manager, then discusses the iMac, showing the various colors and discussing details about its M4 chip. Like the Apple Intelligence section, you won’t see anything new in this video, but it’s a nice way to get a good look at the machine and digest what makes it different from last year’s model.

Read More 

Photo: Allison Johnson / The Verge

Google’s upcoming Pixel phones could come with an upgraded Tensor chip that powers several new AI features, according to leaked documents seen by Android Authority. One feature reportedly coming to the Pixel 11 includes a more advanced, on-device version of the Pixel’s Video Boost with Night Sight feature that brightens up videos shot in the dark.
The Pixel’s existing low-light feature uses AI to automatically adjust the exposure of your video, stabilize it, and reduce graininess. My colleague Allison Johnson got to try it out on the Pixel 8 Pro and found that it works pretty well. To brighten up videos on the Pixel 9, Google uses a combination of on-device and cloud-based processing.
The Pixel 11’s rumored “Ultra Low Light video” feature could change this thanks to the more advanced Tensor chip it’s supposed to come with. Reports suggest that Google will start putting a custom processor into Pixel phones next year, rather than the modified Samsung Exynos chipset it’s been using.
Google is expected to add an upgraded Tensor G5 to the Pixel 10, which will reportedly power a “Video Generative ML” feature that could offer AI-powered video editing in the Photos app. Google is also working on a “Sketch-to-Image” capability for the Pixel 10 that could use AI to turn drawings into images, similar to Samsung’s image-generating AI tool, Android Authority reports. There’s a “Speak-to-Tweak” editing tool and something called “Magic Mirror” as well, but details about these features are still slim.
As noted by Android Authority, the Pixel 10’s Tensor G5 chip may be able to run Stable Diffusion locally. This could potentially allow users to use it within its AI image generation app Pixel Studio, which currently uses on-device AI and Google’s cloud-based Imagen 3 model. Some other information uncovered in the leak suggests that the Pixel 10 will support recording video in 4K HDR at 60 frames per second. The Pixel 9 currently supports 4K HDR video at up to 30 frames per second.
There’s still plenty of time for these rumored plans to change, as the Pixel 10 isn’t expected until the second half of next year, and the Pixel 11 likely won’t arrive until 2026.

Photo: Allison Johnson / The Verge

Google’s upcoming Pixel phones could come with an upgraded Tensor chip that powers several new AI features, according to leaked documents seen by Android Authority. One feature reportedly coming to the Pixel 11 includes a more advanced, on-device version of the Pixel’s Video Boost with Night Sight feature that brightens up videos shot in the dark.

The Pixel’s existing low-light feature uses AI to automatically adjust the exposure of your video, stabilize it, and reduce graininess. My colleague Allison Johnson got to try it out on the Pixel 8 Pro and found that it works pretty well. To brighten up videos on the Pixel 9, Google uses a combination of on-device and cloud-based processing.

The Pixel 11’s rumored “Ultra Low Light video” feature could change this thanks to the more advanced Tensor chip it’s supposed to come with. Reports suggest that Google will start putting a custom processor into Pixel phones next year, rather than the modified Samsung Exynos chipset it’s been using.

Google is expected to add an upgraded Tensor G5 to the Pixel 10, which will reportedly power a “Video Generative ML” feature that could offer AI-powered video editing in the Photos app. Google is also working on a “Sketch-to-Image” capability for the Pixel 10 that could use AI to turn drawings into images, similar to Samsung’s image-generating AI tool, Android Authority reports. There’s a “Speak-to-Tweak” editing tool and something called “Magic Mirror” as well, but details about these features are still slim.

As noted by Android Authority, the Pixel 10’s Tensor G5 chip may be able to run Stable Diffusion locally. This could potentially allow users to use it within its AI image generation app Pixel Studio, which currently uses on-device AI and Google’s cloud-based Imagen 3 model. Some other information uncovered in the leak suggests that the Pixel 10 will support recording video in 4K HDR at 60 frames per second. The Pixel 9 currently supports 4K HDR video at up to 30 frames per second.

There’s still plenty of time for these rumored plans to change, as the Pixel 10 isn’t expected until the second half of next year, and the Pixel 11 likely won’t arrive until 2026.

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Yup, it’s still there. | Image: Apple

Apple’s new USB-C-equipped Magic Mouse somehow still has the charging port on the bottom. While Apple could have used the launch as an opportunity to move the charging port from the underside of the device — where the port has remained for nearly a decade despite other updates to the mouse and being mocked for the decision — the port is still there.
This new $99 Magic Mouse means that, for the foreseeable future, Apple still thinks that the best way to charge your Magic Mouse is by flipping it over — making it so that you can’t use it — and plugging it in. Why?
There have been other solutions to the ridiculous Magic Mouse charging situation. For example, my colleague Wes Davis wrote about an ergonomic grip for the Magic Mouse 2 that can charge the mouse via MagSafe. But Apple seemingly didn’t think that it needed to make a major change to where the charging port is, so you’ll once again have to turn it over to get some more juice.

Yup, it’s still there. | Image: Apple

Apple’s new USB-C-equipped Magic Mouse somehow still has the charging port on the bottom. While Apple could have used the launch as an opportunity to move the charging port from the underside of the device — where the port has remained for nearly a decade despite other updates to the mouse and being mocked for the decision — the port is still there.

This new $99 Magic Mouse means that, for the foreseeable future, Apple still thinks that the best way to charge your Magic Mouse is by flipping it over — making it so that you can’t use it — and plugging it in. Why?

There have been other solutions to the ridiculous Magic Mouse charging situation. For example, my colleague Wes Davis wrote about an ergonomic grip for the Magic Mouse 2 that can charge the mouse via MagSafe. But Apple seemingly didn’t think that it needed to make a major change to where the charging port is, so you’ll once again have to turn it over to get some more juice.

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Leaked details hint Google might go with a custom wearable Tensor chip in 2026. | Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge

Starting in 2026, Google might go in-house with a custom Tensor processor for the Pixel Watch 5.
The rumor comes courtesy of Android Authority, which cites leaked documents from Google’s gChips division. According to the leaked plans, the wearable Tensor chip, codenamed NPT, sports a core configuration of an ARM Cortex A78 and two Arm Cortex A55s. These are older CPU cores, but that’s a fairly typical move with wearable processors. Other than that, details are scant and it’s currently unknown which process node technology the planned wearable Tensor chip might have.
Chips aren’t usually as heavy a focus for smartwatches as they are for smartphones. So long as performance is snappy, smartwatch makers tend to focus on ways to prolong battery life without sacrificing smart features. But this is a potentially interesting development given that chip stagnation has historically been a huge obstacle for Android smartwatches.

Long story short, Android smartwatches used to be beholden to Qualcomm chips — and Qualcomm took its dandy time making processors that could keep up with the competition. (The Snapdragon Wear 2100, 3100, and 4100 were not great, Bob.) It wasn’t until Google and Samsung teamed up to create Wear OS 3 in 2021 that Qualcomm really started to feel the pressure. That chip problem manifested in Google’s own Pixel Watch lineup. The first watch was powered an older Samsung Exynos chip before the Pixel Watch 2 switched over Qualcomm’s Snapdragon W5. However, Qualcomm last launched a new wearable chip in 2022 and it’s been crickets since.
So it’s unsurprising to see that Google may be mulling the advantages of going in-house. Doing so would allow it to be less beholden to third parties in developing newer features. That said, it’s possible Google could go another way entirely by the time 2026 rolls around. Perhaps more encouraging is that these leaked documents are from early 2023, meaning Google was already thinking ahead toward a Pixel Watch 5 back then. We’ll have to see how things shake out, but Google’s been steadily building up momentum in the smartwatch space. Hopefully this is a sign that it can keep it going.

Leaked details hint Google might go with a custom wearable Tensor chip in 2026. | Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge

Starting in 2026, Google might go in-house with a custom Tensor processor for the Pixel Watch 5.

The rumor comes courtesy of Android Authority, which cites leaked documents from Google’s gChips division. According to the leaked plans, the wearable Tensor chip, codenamed NPT, sports a core configuration of an ARM Cortex A78 and two Arm Cortex A55s. These are older CPU cores, but that’s a fairly typical move with wearable processors. Other than that, details are scant and it’s currently unknown which process node technology the planned wearable Tensor chip might have.

Chips aren’t usually as heavy a focus for smartwatches as they are for smartphones. So long as performance is snappy, smartwatch makers tend to focus on ways to prolong battery life without sacrificing smart features. But this is a potentially interesting development given that chip stagnation has historically been a huge obstacle for Android smartwatches.

Long story short, Android smartwatches used to be beholden to Qualcomm chips — and Qualcomm took its dandy time making processors that could keep up with the competition. (The Snapdragon Wear 2100, 3100, and 4100 were not great, Bob.) It wasn’t until Google and Samsung teamed up to create Wear OS 3 in 2021 that Qualcomm really started to feel the pressure. That chip problem manifested in Google’s own Pixel Watch lineup. The first watch was powered an older Samsung Exynos chip before the Pixel Watch 2 switched over Qualcomm’s Snapdragon W5. However, Qualcomm last launched a new wearable chip in 2022 and it’s been crickets since.

So it’s unsurprising to see that Google may be mulling the advantages of going in-house. Doing so would allow it to be less beholden to third parties in developing newer features. That said, it’s possible Google could go another way entirely by the time 2026 rolls around. Perhaps more encouraging is that these leaked documents are from early 2023, meaning Google was already thinking ahead toward a Pixel Watch 5 back then. We’ll have to see how things shake out, but Google’s been steadily building up momentum in the smartwatch space. Hopefully this is a sign that it can keep it going.

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Image: BioWare

After 40 hours with BioWare’s latest fantasy RPG, it feels like I’m just getting started. I expected to get emotional playing Dragon Age: The Veilguard, but I didn’t think it’d happen as early as it did. It’s been nearly 10 years since Dragon Age: Inquisition, and the time since has been difficult for BioWare, with the studio beset by layoffs, high-profile departures, and poorly performing games. This led to speculation, if not outright fear, that Veilguard would be the latest in a string of disappointing releases. I shared those fears. Dragon Age is a special franchise for me, so naturally, I hoped Veilguard would live up to such expectations.
After 40 hours, I can’t say right now if it has. Inquisition became one of my most beloved games over months of digestion, new playthroughs, different choices, multiple romances, and discussions with internet acquaintances who, because of our shared love of Dragon Age, have become my dearest friends. Veilguard deserves similar consideration. But while I can’t definitively say if Veilguard is the RPG that I hoped it would be, I can say that within minutes of starting the game, I experienced a jolt, a spark, an unnamable thing that let me know that Veilguard has the potential to be the same kind of special Inquisition was. It all started with the character creator.
Spoilers for Dragon Age: The Veilguard below.
My avatars in previous Dragon Age games never looked like they did in my imagination. Dragon Age has always been a franchise where your choices inform the world around you. But as a Black player, the choices I could make for my appearance have always been limited, constrained by what the game’s technology could allow or simple developer oversight. But one of Veilguard’s biggest improvements over its predecessors is its enhanced character creator. There’s a wealth of skin colors, hairstyles, body types, facial features, blemishes, birthmarks, tattoos, and even top-surgery scars. I enjoyed picking my way through the choices, crafting a Rook to suit my tastes.

Image: BioWare

This is the first time in a Dragon Age game where I can make a character that actually looks like me. I’m astounded.

In Veilguard, Rook isn’t your name but your title, given when you were recruited to track down Solas, a companion from the previous game who was an elven god in disguise. Rook must thwart his plans of tearing down the magical barrier that separates the material world from the magical one. But when Rook and their team do manage to stop him, they unleash worse monsters. Now, Rook and Solas must work together to stop a pair of corrupted gods and their plans to destroy the world.
None of the Dragon Age games are direct sequels to one another. Each game only vaguely alludes to the events of the previous one, and sometimes major characters return as minor cameos. Both Inquisition and Veilguard use returning protagonists as a way to establish connection and to add drama for longtime fans. Like Inquisition, Veilguard offers the opportunity to customize a second character who you won’t control but will have an impact on the story — the Inquisitor, the main character from the previous game — and creating her knocked the breath out of me. I felt the same spark of recognition one gets from seeing an old friend after a long absence. Even though this person doesn’t exist, I knew this woman. She was the character who got me through some of my darkest days. It sounds so silly, but it meant so much to see my Inquisitor as I always envisioned her, to finally have reality match my imagination.
The leap in technology from Inquisition to Veilguard is noticeable beyond the character creator. Companions and environments are arresting in their design such that I couldn’t stop gawking. Lace Harding, one of your companions, is so dang pretty, a goodly portion of my screencaps are just of her — and I was tickled to see the game reward my obsession. The first big choice in Veilguard is who to take with you on a dangerous mission to stop a magical ritual. Because I chose Harding, she became grievously injured, with her face covered in bruises. But later, as I continuously visited her as a part of my “squeeze every bit of fun dialogue out of my companions” routine, I noticed that her bruises progressively got better. I could see not only a neat visual representation of the passage of time — something I’ve never seen in a Dragon Age before — but also the progression of our relationship. It felt like I was really checking up on her like I would a real friend. As her bruises healed, our relationship deepened.

Locations are richly designed such that they feel like characters in their own right. Arlathan Forest, the game’s first big quest zone, is distractingly gorgeous. Someone on the environment team is very obviously a fan of Alex Garland’s Annihilation because the forest literally shimmers with colorful films of magic and is dotted with the bodies of tree people frozen in time. Because Treviso is under occupation by one of Veilguard’s enemy forces, its citizens are destitute, and the streets are littered with beggar bowls that I always drop a few coins in no matter what.
With the help of my companions, I really got to know those areas. Neve, my detective companion, took me on a tour of Dock Town, introducing me to her contacts and friends. Lucanis, my assassin companion, did the same for his hometown of Treviso. The game artfully made those places as dear to me as my companions were, to devastating effect.
I won’t spoil what happens directly, but just know that when the decision wheel popped, I groaned and giggled at the same time. Making impossible choices that have disastrous consequences is what Dragon Age is all about. It’s why I play. I won’t tell you what I chose, only that it hurt to decide, and it felt so good, so ironically comforting that, once again, a choice in a BioWare game caused me pain.

Your roster of companions features quite a few more mages than in previous games.

In previous Dragon Age games, these decisions usually only resulted in personal consequences that weren’t all that substantial — damaged reputation here or a different type of enemy there. Veilguard is the first time my choice felt consequential to my character, to the world around her, and to me as a player.
At the start of my time with Veilguard, I was so worried that I wasn’t going to feel what I felt playing Inquisition. I was dazzled by all the pretty, and happy to get to explore all the new locations. But it took getting to that second big decision before the game really clicked.
These first 40 hours with Veilguard were a slow burn, and I liked the change of pace. Unlike the other games with big, explosive beginnings — literally, in Inquisition’s case — Veilguard took the time to build a world around me before shattering it just as I was getting comfortable. Now, the game really starts.
Dragon Age: The Veilguard launches on October 31st on Xbox, PS5, and PC.

Image: BioWare

After 40 hours with BioWare’s latest fantasy RPG, it feels like I’m just getting started.

I expected to get emotional playing Dragon Age: The Veilguard, but I didn’t think it’d happen as early as it did. It’s been nearly 10 years since Dragon Age: Inquisition, and the time since has been difficult for BioWare, with the studio beset by layoffs, high-profile departures, and poorly performing games. This led to speculation, if not outright fear, that Veilguard would be the latest in a string of disappointing releases. I shared those fears. Dragon Age is a special franchise for me, so naturally, I hoped Veilguard would live up to such expectations.

After 40 hours, I can’t say right now if it has. Inquisition became one of my most beloved games over months of digestion, new playthroughs, different choices, multiple romances, and discussions with internet acquaintances who, because of our shared love of Dragon Age, have become my dearest friends. Veilguard deserves similar consideration. But while I can’t definitively say if Veilguard is the RPG that I hoped it would be, I can say that within minutes of starting the game, I experienced a jolt, a spark, an unnamable thing that let me know that Veilguard has the potential to be the same kind of special Inquisition was. It all started with the character creator.

Spoilers for Dragon Age: The Veilguard below.

My avatars in previous Dragon Age games never looked like they did in my imagination. Dragon Age has always been a franchise where your choices inform the world around you. But as a Black player, the choices I could make for my appearance have always been limited, constrained by what the game’s technology could allow or simple developer oversight. But one of Veilguard’s biggest improvements over its predecessors is its enhanced character creator. There’s a wealth of skin colors, hairstyles, body types, facial features, blemishes, birthmarks, tattoos, and even top-surgery scars. I enjoyed picking my way through the choices, crafting a Rook to suit my tastes.

Image: BioWare

This is the first time in a Dragon Age game where I can make a character that actually looks like me. I’m astounded.

In Veilguard, Rook isn’t your name but your title, given when you were recruited to track down Solas, a companion from the previous game who was an elven god in disguise. Rook must thwart his plans of tearing down the magical barrier that separates the material world from the magical one. But when Rook and their team do manage to stop him, they unleash worse monsters. Now, Rook and Solas must work together to stop a pair of corrupted gods and their plans to destroy the world.

None of the Dragon Age games are direct sequels to one another. Each game only vaguely alludes to the events of the previous one, and sometimes major characters return as minor cameos. Both Inquisition and Veilguard use returning protagonists as a way to establish connection and to add drama for longtime fans. Like Inquisition, Veilguard offers the opportunity to customize a second character who you won’t control but will have an impact on the story — the Inquisitor, the main character from the previous game — and creating her knocked the breath out of me. I felt the same spark of recognition one gets from seeing an old friend after a long absence. Even though this person doesn’t exist, I knew this woman. She was the character who got me through some of my darkest days. It sounds so silly, but it meant so much to see my Inquisitor as I always envisioned her, to finally have reality match my imagination.

The leap in technology from Inquisition to Veilguard is noticeable beyond the character creator. Companions and environments are arresting in their design such that I couldn’t stop gawking. Lace Harding, one of your companions, is so dang pretty, a goodly portion of my screencaps are just of her — and I was tickled to see the game reward my obsession. The first big choice in Veilguard is who to take with you on a dangerous mission to stop a magical ritual. Because I chose Harding, she became grievously injured, with her face covered in bruises. But later, as I continuously visited her as a part of my “squeeze every bit of fun dialogue out of my companions” routine, I noticed that her bruises progressively got better. I could see not only a neat visual representation of the passage of time — something I’ve never seen in a Dragon Age before — but also the progression of our relationship. It felt like I was really checking up on her like I would a real friend. As her bruises healed, our relationship deepened.

Locations are richly designed such that they feel like characters in their own right. Arlathan Forest, the game’s first big quest zone, is distractingly gorgeous. Someone on the environment team is very obviously a fan of Alex Garland’s Annihilation because the forest literally shimmers with colorful films of magic and is dotted with the bodies of tree people frozen in time. Because Treviso is under occupation by one of Veilguard’s enemy forces, its citizens are destitute, and the streets are littered with beggar bowls that I always drop a few coins in no matter what.

With the help of my companions, I really got to know those areas. Neve, my detective companion, took me on a tour of Dock Town, introducing me to her contacts and friends. Lucanis, my assassin companion, did the same for his hometown of Treviso. The game artfully made those places as dear to me as my companions were, to devastating effect.

I won’t spoil what happens directly, but just know that when the decision wheel popped, I groaned and giggled at the same time. Making impossible choices that have disastrous consequences is what Dragon Age is all about. It’s why I play. I won’t tell you what I chose, only that it hurt to decide, and it felt so good, so ironically comforting that, once again, a choice in a BioWare game caused me pain.

Your roster of companions features quite a few more mages than in previous games.

In previous Dragon Age games, these decisions usually only resulted in personal consequences that weren’t all that substantial — damaged reputation here or a different type of enemy there. Veilguard is the first time my choice felt consequential to my character, to the world around her, and to me as a player.

At the start of my time with Veilguard, I was so worried that I wasn’t going to feel what I felt playing Inquisition. I was dazzled by all the pretty, and happy to get to explore all the new locations. But it took getting to that second big decision before the game really clicked.

These first 40 hours with Veilguard were a slow burn, and I liked the change of pace. Unlike the other games with big, explosive beginnings — literally, in Inquisition’s case — Veilguard took the time to build a world around me before shattering it just as I was getting comfortable. Now, the game really starts.

Dragon Age: The Veilguard launches on October 31st on Xbox, PS5, and PC.

Read More 

Image: Apple

Apple is finally removing the Lightning port from its lineup of Mac accessories. Earlier today, the company announced a new iMac with M4 with updated versions of the Magic Keyboard, Magic Mouse, and Magic Trackpad that all have USB-C. Apple is also selling them individually in the Apple Store. All three have featured the proprietary Lightning port since 2015.
The prices haven’t changed from their Lightning versions: the USB-C Magic Mouse is $99; the Magic Keyboard, which is so far seemingly only available as the larger model with a numpad, is $199; and the Magic Trackpad is $149. All three are available in black or white. USB-C aside, their designs are overall unchanged. And I regret to inform you after looking at the iMac page’s “View in AR” option, that means the Magic Mouse still charges on the bottom. (There are ways to fix that if you’re desperate.)

Image: Apple

The shift to USB-C is overdue: all Mac desktops and notebooks had switched to USB-C as their primary connectivity port by 2018. The iPad started getting USB-C the same year, and USB-C arrived on the iPhone in 2023. Switching these accessories to USB-C will allow many Apple device owners to toss their USB-C-to-Lightning cables now that the entire line has switched over.

EU regulators pressured Apple to fully switch from Lightning, with the company ultimately updating the port on the iPhone 15 last year. Apple has been slowly swapping out the ports on its remaining devices since then. Last month, the company upgraded its AirPods Max headphones to USB-C as well (and… didn’t do much else).
In the past few years, Apple has had several opportunities to replace its computer peripherals with new versions that, at the very least, updated how they charge. However, alongside the release of the M1 Mac Mini in 2020, the redesigned M1 iMac in 2021, the Mac Studio in 2022, and each of their spec upgrades in 2023, Apple seemed determined to keep Lightning.
Now, the iPhone SE is Apple’s final major device with a Lightning port, which may change soon enough.

Image: Apple

Apple is finally removing the Lightning port from its lineup of Mac accessories. Earlier today, the company announced a new iMac with M4 with updated versions of the Magic Keyboard, Magic Mouse, and Magic Trackpad that all have USB-C. Apple is also selling them individually in the Apple Store. All three have featured the proprietary Lightning port since 2015.

The prices haven’t changed from their Lightning versions: the USB-C Magic Mouse is $99; the Magic Keyboard, which is so far seemingly only available as the larger model with a numpad, is $199; and the Magic Trackpad is $149. All three are available in black or white. USB-C aside, their designs are overall unchanged. And I regret to inform you after looking at the iMac page’s “View in AR” option, that means the Magic Mouse still charges on the bottom. (There are ways to fix that if you’re desperate.)

Image: Apple

The shift to USB-C is overdue: all Mac desktops and notebooks had switched to USB-C as their primary connectivity port by 2018. The iPad started getting USB-C the same year, and USB-C arrived on the iPhone in 2023. Switching these accessories to USB-C will allow many Apple device owners to toss their USB-C-to-Lightning cables now that the entire line has switched over.

EU regulators pressured Apple to fully switch from Lightning, with the company ultimately updating the port on the iPhone 15 last year. Apple has been slowly swapping out the ports on its remaining devices since then. Last month, the company upgraded its AirPods Max headphones to USB-C as well (and… didn’t do much else).

In the past few years, Apple has had several opportunities to replace its computer peripherals with new versions that, at the very least, updated how they charge. However, alongside the release of the M1 Mac Mini in 2020, the redesigned M1 iMac in 2021, the Mac Studio in 2022, and each of their spec upgrades in 2023, Apple seemed determined to keep Lightning.

Now, the iPhone SE is Apple’s final major device with a Lightning port, which may change soon enough.

Read More