Mobile Audio Hub

According to a report, Apple is considering refreshing the AirPods Max, as it did with the iPhone 12 mini. A new model is not forthcoming though, for one reason or another.

A new Bloomberg report purports to spill the latest on the next generation of Apple's signature TWS earbuds and their availability. It asserts that the third generation of the base models will be out some time in 2021. The next Pro variants, on the other hand, will be the first to bring a new design to their series, although fans may have to wait until 2022 to see it.

Sony is yet to launch the WF-1000XM4, but a launch commercial detailing the upcoming earbuds has already leaked. A potential launch date has been revealed too, which would put the WF-1000XM4 just over two weeks away from being announced.

Samsung is rumored to launch next-gen wearables called the Galaxy Buds 2 at its next product event. Now, the OEM has submitted a pair of TWS earbuds that might match up with this leak with the FCC. They look a lot like their immediate predecessors and support Bluetooth Low Energy (LE).

The Galaxy Tab A7 Lite is a new Samsung tablet that definitely falls into the budget category. Despite this, it has both Wi-Fi and 4G/LTE-enabled variants. It will be available in certain European markets from June 2021 with an 8.7-inch HD+ TFT display, a 5,100mAh battery and a 3.5mm headphone jack.

ROCCAT has introduced its new Syn Pro Air as its latest high-end gaming headset. It combines a range of potential advantages of its maker's association with Turtle Beach in its build, including a TruSpeak flip-up mic, the Superhuman Hearing sound setting and ProSpecs ear-cushions. The Syn Pro Air also supports Stellar Wireless connectivity and the AIMO RGB system.

The Enco Free series are the more affordable of OPPO's TWS earbuds; nevertheless, the latest generation boasts active noise cancellation (ANC) for just under US$100. They also feature an IP54 ingress-protection, up to 30 hours of the future and input from the OEM's high-end audio partner Dynaudio.

All the details of Sony’s eagerly awaited WF-1000XM4 earbuds have leaked. The new earbuds are Sony’s answer to the Apple AirPods Pro among other competitors and bring many of the features fans of the WF-1000XM3 have been hoping for including LDAC support.

Redmi's new AirDots 3 Pro are rated for a kind of noise-cancelling that apparently adapts to the ambient condition by themselves, using AI. The Bluetooth 5.2 accessories are rated for up to 28 hours of play-time with their new case, which is also capable of wireless charging. They start for under US$50 in China at present, although this price might increase after their initial promotional window.

Carl Pei's new start-up Nothing is slated to launch its inaugural product, a pair of TWS earbuds, at some point in June 2021. This event now seems closer than ever with a new leak. It consists of an alleged BIS certification for the company's first device

Apple left many fans, in particular AirPods Max owners, baffled when it launched Apple Music’s new lossless tier without support for any of its headphones. The folks at 9to5Mac have created a concept product called the iPod Max to pair with the AirPods Max to deliver pristine lossless audio quality.

According to reports, Apple will be announcing a new iPod Touch in a few months. Renders show that Apple has tweaked the iPod Touch's looks too, giving making it resemble an iPhone SE with the iPhone 12's design language.

The SOUNDFORM Connect is a new Belkin audio adapter designed to bring any powered speaker with a 3.5mm or optical input into an Apple-heavy smart home set-up. The user can then control it via AirPlay 2 on their iPhone, iPad or TV. Therefore, a traditional speaker can become as responsive to voice-control and automation as shiny new high-tech models.

Unihertz has announced the Titan Pocket, the OEM's latest in its line of QWERTY smartphones. With a display of just 3.1 inches in diagonal length, it is the most compact member of its series yet. Nevertheless, it runs Android 11, has NFC, Bluetooth, an infrared (IR) port and a campaign on Kickstarter that has already smashed its funding goal.

EZVIZ introduces the C8C as its inaugural outdoor wireless home security camera capable of panning and tilting within its globe-shaped exterior glass shell. Its sensor is rated for FHD recording, as well as night vision in color and AI-powered intruder detection. The new IP65 surveillance accessory is available at Walmart with a special introductory price for its launch.

The "high-fidelity" version of Amazon's music-streaming service has dropped in price by US$5 a month. This change means it now costs the same as the former price of the next tier down, Amazon Music Unlimited. In other words, customers with this service can now avail of lossless playback, or stick with their current service for a reduced rate.

The Trust GXT 258W Fyru mic has a USB interface, thus making it compatible with PCs, Macs and other devices. However, given its styling, not to mention its LEDs for RGB, it is clearly intended to pair with the PS5, especially its white SKU. Then again, with its 4 choices of recording mode and decent sampling rate, the OEM asserts it is also ideal for streaming or collaboration.

Apple Music has launched its vaunted lossless and spatial audio support to much fanfare. However, it isn't all good news with Apple confirming that none of its headphones, including the US$549 AirPods Max, support higher resolution streaming over Bluetooth.

Huawei has confirmed that it will launch its latest ANC TWS earbuds, the FreeBuds 4, very soon. However, a new Weibo post may have spoiled their reveal with new hands-on images. They suggest that the accessories will resemble their predecessors, although they are expected to be improved in other ways.

Apple has added images for the Beats Studio Buds to iOS and tvOS betas. The TWS earbuds have a compact design and have been shown in three colours.

Apple Music subscribers are in for a treat, as the platform will soon support Dolby Atmos, Spatial Audio and lossless music. Existing subscribers will automatically gain access to the entire lossless music catalogue. Apple aims to offer its entire library of 75 million tracks in a lossless format.

HTC may be just clinging on to the smartphone market, but there is little question that at its peak it produced some of the most beautiful smartphones ever made. The former design chief behind its classic M7 and M8 smartphones is now working at Apple on new Beats headphones along with other design work for the company, it has been revealed.

LG's new line of soundbars for 2021 includes units that support Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, as well as the latest developments resulting from the OEM's partnership with Meridian Audio. They start at US$179, although the most expensive goes for $1,000. Most are available from now, although one 3.1.2-channel unit is not available until June 2021.

Xiaomi's FlipBuds Pro are the OEM's first TWS earbuds with triple-mic active noise cancellation. They also feature a dedicated audio chip from Qualcomm, Bluetooth 5.2 and up to 28 hours of battery life. These high-end specs do make them more expensive than their predecessors.

AV1 is a fast-emerging codec that is touted as lightweight enough in terms of resource demand to, for example, enable YouTube playback on mobile devices at 4K/60fps with ease. The latest version of the popular editing app Da Vinci Resolve (17.2) adds support for the codec in Windows, as well as a plethora of other new features and upgrades.

The electronics giant Xiaomi had been banned from the US investment market following a blacklisting by the Trump administration, based on claims of the OEM's association with the Chinese military. However, Xiaomi has strongly denied this, and has now won legal action in order to reverse the action against it.

Numerous leaks have painted Asus' 2021 camera-centric flagship phone as the first "Mini" variant of its kind, and the Taiwanese OEM has not let these expectations down on its launch. The new device does indeed have an unusually small 5.9-inch 20:9 display. Then again, there is also the ZenFone 8 Flip, a third-gen motor-cam phone.

According to a new leak, Sony plans to release the WF-1000XM4 in two colours. Both colours appear to have a matte finish and memory foam ear tips, both upgrades over the WF-1000XM3. The WF-1000XM4's charging case is a lot smaller than its predecessor's, too.

Carl Pei's new tech start-up Nothing debuted in January 2021; now, it has revealed that it is ready to launch its first-ever product, a pair of TWS earbuds. The company has chosen to keep the design of these Ear 1 wearables under wraps for now, but does suggest they will stand out on the market. They are now slated to launch in June 2021, although pricing and availability remains a mystery.

The Sony WF-1000XM4 is well on its way and may arrive sooner than expected. The upcoming pair of TWS earbuds will feature a revised design, improved functionality and possibly even a charging case that can be recharged wirelessly.

Lenovo has officially confirmed that the Yoga Pad Pro 13 will launch on May 24, 2021 in China. Moreover, the device's new teasers show it has a new take on its series' classic stand/hang-tab and barrel grip. It is said to pack an HDMI port, as well as dual USB type Cs.

Xiaomi has announced that its next TWS earbuds will be the first to launch with a case inspired by the OEM's re-designed logo. Therefore, it will have apparently precisely-crafted curves to its edges, whereas its predecessors were more boxy. The wearables within are slated to have "Pro"-grade noise-cancelling technology and to launch very soon.

Sennheiser has found a buyer for its consumer audio business, which it has been trying to sell since February. Sonova Holding AG will continue to develop and sell products under the Sennheiser brand, though.

Sony has just added new variants of its Mobile Elevated Standard (ES) audio equipment for cars. They consist of 4 kinds of speaker and 1 subwoofer equipped with the latest generation of the OEM's MRC-reinforced diaphragms, combined with Separated Notch Edge Surround technology for increased clarity and an "audiophile-grade crossover" in certain units. They are available to pre-order from now.

IMore's True Wireless ANCs were the world's first TWS earbuds to receive certification from the audio specialists THX. Therefore, they don't come cheap, and have a normal price of US$200. However, the OEM has announced they are down to $130 as part of its 2021 Summer Sale

OPPO's latest product event was a bumper update for its device ecosystem in general. Not only did it introduce the new K9 smartphone, but it also revealed the new TVs of the same name. The Enco Air TWS earbuds also debuted at the show, as did the Vitality Edition of the OPPO Band.

Google has revealed the Pixel Buds A, although seemingly ahead of schedule. The budget earbuds will support Bluetooth Fast Pair and retain the Pixel Buds' design. The Pixel Buds A will be available in multiple colours, too.

The president and CEO of Sony's PlayStation division Jim Ryan has announced that users will soon be able to connect their Discord accounts via the social aspects of the console's Network. The OEM has also just bought a minority stake in the chat-app company, as a result of its current capital-raising drive. The exact nature of the new Sony/Discord integration is now slated to be revealed in the next few months.

The European Commission (EC) has issued a preliminary verdict as a result of its anti-trust investigation against Apple. It concerns the treatment of third-party music apps on its App Store. The Commission has ruled that the OEM leverages its "dominant position" in this market to subvert competition and consumer choice, particularly when it comes to payment methods and rates.

Qualcomm has now released its fiscal performance report for the second quarter of 2021 (2FQ2021). The OEM claims to have made a total of US$7.9 billion in terms of revenue, ~$1.8 billion of which is its net income. Most of this has come from its semiconductor-producing arm, which has posted a 137% growth in pre-tax earnings year-on-year (YoY).

Trust has announced that its latest Taxon webcam has a QHD (2560x1440) sensor. It also features auto-focus for its high-res lens, as well as dual mics and a USB plug-and-play nature. It has been released to Amazon in the UK for £69.99 (~US$97), or £48.99 (~$68) for a limited time.

Today (April 27, 2021), Redmi has introduced the long-hyped new member of the flagship K40 series as its Gaming Enhanced Edition. It is equipped with the premium MediaTek Dimensity 1200 SoC, a thin-bezel FHD+ AMOLED display, retractable shoulder buttons and a 5065mAh battery. It can be pre-ordered for as little as 1999 yuan (~US$308), although its Bruce Lee-themed special edition maxes out at just above $430.

Sony has announced the XAV-AX150, XAV-AX8100 and XAV-AX5600 as its latest AV auto receivers. Sony asserts that they deliver clear, bass-heavy in-car audio thanks to the OEM's proprietary technologies. The new units also feature HDMI inputs for the first time, as well as Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and WebLink Cast.

Motorola is rumored to have what might be a 5G version of the Moto G Stylus (2021) in the works. It, like the rest of its series, allegedly goes by an internal code-name - Denver, in this case. The FCC has just registered a new device from its OEM, thereby possibly confirming its existence and impending launch.

The impending spectre of a Discord that had merged with Microsoft is now off the table, as the chat-service company has now reportedly lost interest in striking such a deal with the Redmond giant. According to the latest rumors, it has now re-visited the prospect of an initial public offering (IPO) instead.

Sony has announced a new limited edition white model of its popular WH-1000XM4 noise-cancelling headphones. The new model is available for pre-order now and will be released in June.

Described as "the best all-round quality gaming headset," the new EPOS H3 is a closed acoustic gaming headset that targets PC, Mac, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox gamers. Its highlights include a sound pressure level value of 124 dB, 10 to 30,000 Hz frequency response, as well as 20 Ohm impedance.

The multi-platform Recon 70 is the best headset option available for around US$40, according to its maker Turtle Beach at least. The company also offers a steadily-growing range of different colors and styles for the 70, the latest of which is a pale silver with camo earcups. This new Arctic Camo SKU is available from now.

Sony has announced pricing and availability for its 2021 TVs. They include the BRAVIA XR MASTER Series A90J, which, as the OEM asserts, integrates its best OLED panel to date. It also has new LED models with 4K and 8K options, including the 100-inch BRAVIA XR X92 now set at US$20,000.