What is a smart home, and do you need one?

What is a smart home, and do you need one?

Illustration by Samar Haddad for The Verge

As connected becomes the default for every household appliance — from TVs and washing machines to ovens and vacuums — we break down exactly what makes a home ‘smart’ and help you decide if it’s the right fit for you.

I find the simplest way to explain the concept of a smart home is that it’s a natural evolution of our homes. A smart home isn’t fundamentally different from a “regular” home — it’s just the improvement of one. In the same way that electricity made our homes better and more functional, so is connectivity improving the way we live in and use our homes.

I’ve lived in a smart home for a decade. Every morning at 5AM, the lights in my living room and kitchen turn on, the pet feeder feeds my border terrier, and my security system disarms. Around sunrise, the shades raise, and the thermostat goes from sleep to home mode as the house prepares for its people to get out of bed. Upstairs, the bedside lamps slowly brighten and adjust their warmth to rouse us with some simulated natural light before the alarms on our smart speakers go off.

I dismiss my alarm by tapping it, and my voice assistant reads my calendar appointments for the day and tells me the weather so I can plan what to wear. As I walk into the bathroom, a motion sensor turns the lights on, and — if it’s after 6AM — the smart speaker starts playing the radio for 15 minutes.

This Ecobee smart thermostat uses sensors to automatically adjust based on where I am in the house as well as the time of day.

When we leave the house for the morning school run, the door locks behind us, the lights shut off, and the robot vacuum starts its chores. When I arrive home an hour later, the robot returns to its dock and empties itself, the door unlocks as I approach, and the lights turn on.

At 8AM, as I walk upstairs to my home office, the smart thermostat adjusts, and the lights downstairs turn off. In the office, I press a smart button, and the lights switch to daylight mode, the ceiling fan starts whirring, my monitor powers on, an air purifier kicks in, and the smart speaker starts playing music quietly as I begin my workday.

Every action in this morning routine is automated. The lights, locks, thermostat, and other appliances are connected to each other and the internet by wireless protocols that allow these automations to control them. I can also make adjustments at any point via an app on my phone or with a voice command to a smart speaker. All of this is because I live in a smart home.

What is a smart home?

A smart home contains more advanced versions of common household appliances, such as this Yeedi robot vacuum that can mop and vacuum your home autonomously.

Smart homes contain “smart” versions of common household appliances: light bulbs, light switches, electrical outlets, thermostats, locks, doorbells, vacuums, refrigerators, washers and dryers, and so on. What makes a device smart is its connectivity — either to the internet, to other devices, or often both. As we put chips into more and more devices, we’re creating an Internet of Things. How a device connects varies (more on that in a bit), but broadly the connectivity allows for three things: remote control, communication with other devices, and over-the-air updates.

Ultimately, just as our cars have done, our homes will become sophisticated computers.

By being connected, smart devices have a number of benefits over their non-connected counterparts. A smart door lock still locks your door, but now, you can lock and unlock it when you’re not at home. A smart sprinkler system will still water your garden, but now it can avoid overwatering by not running before, during, or after a rainstorm. A smart light switch will still turn the lights on and off when you flip it, but it can also turn them on automatically using a motion sensor and even turn on lamps and lights in different rooms.

Another distinction between smart devices and their standard counterparts is intelligence. With embedded sensors, software-powered artificial intelligence, and machine learning, some smart devices can understand the environment they’re in and react a certain way. A smart shade with a temperature and light sensor can lower when it starts to get warm; a robot vacuum can avoid your pup’s accidental bathroom deposit because its camera knows what dog waste is; a smart doorbell can learn who visits your home and tell you when someone you know — or more importantly, don’t know — is at the door.

A smart video doorbell can show you who is at your front door through a smartphone app. Some can also identify pets, people, packages, and vehicles.

Smart devices can talk to each other. A contact sensor on a window can tell a thermostat to shut off when it’s open, an air purifier can tell a fan to start running when air quality is poor, and a motion sensor can tell lights to turn off when no one is in the room. And, as with my morning routine, multiple devices can be grouped into routines that adjust everything in your home automatically.

Finally, and most importantly, smart devices can receive over-the-air updates. This means they can get better (or, in some cases, worse) over time. Unlike a standard thermostat, a smart thermostat can be updated with features and abilities it didn’t have when you bought it. For example, Ecobee’s smart thermostat launched with Amazon’s Alexa voice assistant built-in. After an over-the-air update, it now also works with Apple’s Siri.

But beware, what can be given can also be taken away. A recent example is Google announcing it’s ending support for its smart security system, Nest Secure, leaving users with useless paperweights (although Google will help you recycle the devices). Anything connected to the internet needs regular security updates. And while companies are starting to provide timelines for how long they will support their hardware with software updates, if and when they do, that device may not continue to work as designed as long as its non-smart counterparts. While basic functionality should remain in most cases (although not with the Nest Secure), the fancy features you paid extra for could be gone.

Why would you want a smart home?

Smart plugs, smart speakers, and smart displays can make everyday life a little easier in your home.

Here’s a look at some of the benefits a smart home might offer you:

A safer home: Connected home alarm systems, cameras, locks, and lights can be controlled remotely and monitored from a smartphone or tablet, so you can always know what’s going on in your home wherever you are. Smart lighting can be set on schedules to make it look like someone is home. Smart locks let you give someone access to your home without putting a key under the flowerpot.

A more energy-efficient home: Individual devices like a smart thermostat and smart sprinklers can help conserve resources and save money by lowering energy and water use. Smart energy monitoring of appliances can identify patterns of use and offer suggestions for ways to save energy. More recent technologies, such as Samsung’s SmartThings Energy service, use artificial intelligence to proactively adjust energy use based on the data it collects. For example, if it knows you never open your fridge between 11PM and 5AM, it will increase the temperature by one degree overnight.

A more convenient home: The first smart device people buy is often something that solves a specific problem. If you’re always forgetting your key, you can get a smart lock that opens with your phone or fingerprint. If you never know when the mail arrives, a contact sensor on your mailbox can alert your phone or smart speaker. If you can’t reach a window to close the shades, a motorized blind paired with a smart speaker lets you control it with your voice. If you don’t want the doorbell to ring when the baby is sleeping, a smart doorbell lets you turn the chime off.

A more comfortable, fun home: Having lights that turn on and off based on a schedule or your presence is a convenient feature. But smart LED lighting also adds to comfort and fun. Color-changing LED lights can enhance movie time and take dance parties to the next level. Tunable white LEDs can help keep your circadian rhythm on track by automatically adjusting the tone of white light to energize you during the day and help you wind down at night. Smart speakers have made multiroom audio much easier and more affordable than ever before — pair a few sub-$50 smart speakers together around your home, and you can stream your favorite tunes in every room all at once.

The Echo Dot is a smart speaker that lets you control smart home devices with your voice.

A more helpful home: Smart appliances such as robot vacuums, smart fridges, washing machines, and ovens can take care of some chores for you and help you do others better. A smart fridge can keep track of what food you have and prompt you when you’re running low, a smart washer can tell its dryer counterpart which setting to use for the load it just finished, and a smart oven can adjust the cooking time so your turkey doesn’t overcook.

A more accessible home: All of these functions, while helpful, can be game-changers for people with limited mobility. Controlling locks, lights, shades, appliances, and more by voice or with a touchscreen device such as a phone or tablet can allow people with disabilities to have more independence. Smart buttons that can trigger automations and routines offer a simple, accessible interface for children or those with limited cognitive or physical functions, and programming routines in someone’s home so that they happen automatically can make a huge difference in someone’s daily life.

If we kit out our homes with connected devices today, they can take care of us tomorrow.

For example, an automation for an older person with limited mobility who lives alone can turn smart lights on in the morning, open the shades, brighten the lights during the day, and then dim them at night while closing the shades. This can mean the difference between sitting in the dark all day or being able to feel more connected with the outside.

Accessibility in the smart home is not just about helping people with more challenges than most. It’s also the smart home’s long play. All of us will get older, and most of us want to stay living in our own homes for as long as possible. Smart technology can help us “age in place.” If we kit out our homes with connected devices today, they can take care of us tomorrow.

How does a smart home work?

Good Wi-Fi is the foundation of your smart home. People with larger homes or who have a lot of connected devices will want a mesh Wi-Fi router.

At its core, a smart home is built on connectivity. To have a smart home, you need the following:

• An internet connection.
• A Wi-Fi router (if your home is larger than around 800 square feet or you have a lot of connected gadgets, consider a mesh router).
• Smart devices, such as light bulbs, locks, thermostats, speakers, and security cameras.
• A smart home app and / or platform to set up and program the devices.
• A way to control them, such as a smartphone, tablet, or voice-controlled smart speaker.

Smart home devices use wireless protocols for connectivity. There are several in use today, and you can mix and match protocols in your home as long as the smart home platform you choose supports them. There are some proprietary protocols, but most smart home devices use one of these five:

• Z-Wave
• Zigbee
• Wi-Fi (2.4Ghz and 5Ghz)
• Bluetooth LE
• Thread

Some of these protocols require a hub or bridge to work; others just rely on a Wi-Fi router or smartphone. All can work with Matter, a new open standard that provides a common communication standard for devices and is seen as a unifying technology for the smart home. This means that whatever protocol a smart device uses (unless it’s Bluetooth, which is only used for onboarding in Matter), they have the potential to work with Matter. However, whether the device actually will is up to the individual manufacturer.

This Eve motion sensor uses the Thread protocol to connect to other devices and the internet.

To use and set up smart devices, you’ll need an app on a smartphone or tablet. Nearly all devices come with their own app, but as you add more devices to your smart home, you’ll likely find you want a single smart home platform to control them through. This also lets you connect devices from different manufacturers together into routines and automations.

There are five major platforms, all of which support Matter. Plus, there are a number of smaller ones that fit more specific needs and more complicated setups. We’ve written deep dives into each of these platforms on The Verge, and they’ll be available later this week:

• Amazon Alexa
• Apple Home
• Google Home
• Samsung SmartThings
• Home Assistant

What are the drawbacks of a smart home?

If you’ve gotten this far, you may think: this is awesome — where do I start? But here comes the warning label. There are myriad issues with the smart home, from compatibility to complexity — not to mention privacy and security. Even if those issues don’t concern you, one big problem is that the smart home suffers as soon as you try to scale (unless you spend a lot more money for a professional installation). Individual devices work great, and gadgets from the same manufacturers normally work well together, but as soon as you try to tie multiple devices into more complicated automations and routines — the ones that really add value — problems can arise.

Here’s a look at the biggest drawbacks of today’s smart home.

It’s not all compatible: Not everything works together. The smart lamp you bought may work with Apple Home and your iPhone but not with your son’s Android phone. Your roommate might have two Google Nest smart speakers, but because you have Amazon Echos, no multiroom music in the whole apartment for you. If the smart lock in your new home is Z-Wave, you can’t control it without buying a smart home hub.

These are just a few examples of why compatibility is such a problem. It causes confusion and frustration and leads to the next issue.

It gets complicated: While it’s hard to know which devices to buy that will work with what you have. Once you have chosen your new gadget, setting it up can be tricky. Then you also need to spend time figuring out how to get the most out of its features and how to connect it to your existing devices to set up those automations that make a smart home feel, well, smart.

Both of these issues are exactly what Matter was developed to try and solve. A giant industry collaboration involving Apple, Amazon, Samsung, Google, and many more, Matter has the potential to fix compatibility issues, which will go a long way toward making the smart home easier to set up. But Matter is still very new, and until there is industry-wide adoption, it’s not a solution for today.

It’s costly: Adding smart tech to a light bulb, door lock, or garage door opener makes them more expensive. Additionally, more and more device makers are adding subscription fees to devices to manage the ongoing costs of cloud servers and resources for providing both feature and security updates to their products. While you get more for your money — a garage door you can close from the office versus one that stays open all day because you forgot to shut it — when it comes to choosing to buy a new garage door opener or a retrofit smart controller, is that enough reason to spend more?

It doesn’t always work: From an overreliance on the internet (if your Wi-Fi is down and you can’t control your lights, you are not going to be happy) to weekends spent troubleshooting why your smart speaker no longer understands the command it had no problem with last week, the smart home is often... not smart. When it all works, it’s pretty magical, but when it doesn’t, it’s very frustrating.

It’s scary: Security and privacy concerns in the smart home are very real. Ultimately, a smart home requires trust. Even with advances in machine learning on the edge (where devices don’t have to use the cloud to process data), you are still sharing intimate details of your life with the companies whose devices you bring into your home. Right now, I’d say that’s the biggest reason to consider not adopting the smart home in its current form.

What is the future of the smart home?

Are home robots the future of the smart home? Amazon thinks so. It introduced the Astro last year, which can monitor your home and bring you a beer (if someone hands it the can).

Today’s smart home is mainly about remote control and preprogramming devices to help you. You can use voice control to turn lights off when you’re lying in bed so you don’t have to get up. You can schedule a robot vacuum to run every day at 10AM so you don’t have to think about sweeping your floors. But the smart home of tomorrow has the potential to become proactive and do things for us without our prompting — or even, perhaps, without us even knowing.

Here is where artificial intelligence could transform the smart home. We already have hints of it today. A smart leak detector that knows when the dishwasher is overflowing can shut off the water. A smart thermostat that knows when no one is home can adjust the temperature to save energy. Amazon’s Astro home robot can recognize and find people in the home. But many of these experiences are siloed, relying on specific hardware and software. By deploying its predictive capabilities on unifying smart home platforms, AI could be used to collect, analyze, and interpret data from different smart home devices so you don’t have to.

Even if you don’t like the idea of a “smarter” home, how about a better one?

For example, today, you can set up an automation that will unlock your door, turn on your lights, start your sprinklers, shut off your HVAC system, and have your cameras start recording video when a smoke alarm goes off in your house. But the key word is you — all that will only happen if you put in the work to set up the automation. In the future, a smart home could have the intelligence to do all of these things automatically, and — crucially — only if there is an actual fire, not just when you burn the toast.

For this interoperable future to be a reality, however, we need a common connectivity protocol so that all devices can talk to each other and not be limited by only working with certain platforms. This is where Matter becomes key to the future smart home. The other major piece of the puzzle is data collection.

A smart home is only as smart as the information it has. Today, we have to stick motion and contact sensors in our rooms to tell us when things move or open and close, but newer, less intrusive technologies, such as mmWave radar, ultrasound, and Wi-Fi sensing, could provide the context smart devices need to make our homes truly smart rather than just remote controlled devices.

Ultimately, just as our cars have done, our homes will become sophisticated computers, capable of self-diagnosing and even fixing problems while intelligently responding to our needs. It’s a natural evolution. And, even if you don’t like the idea of a “smarter” home, how about a better one?

Photography by Jennifer Pattison Tuohy / The Verge

More than six thousand subreddits have gone dark to protest Reddit’s API changes

More than six thousand subreddits have gone dark to protest Reddit’s API changes

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

Over six thousand subreddits, including many of the most-subscribed communities on Reddit like r/funny, r/aww, r/gaming, r/music, and r/science, have set themselves private to protest Reddit’s upcoming API pricing changes. It means these communities are no longer publicly accessible, even to Reddit users previously subscribed to them. Here’s a Twitch stream which is tracking the exact number of subreddits that have gone dark.

Moderators began planning the actions last week after the developers of some of Reddit’s most-beloved third-party apps said they wouldn’t be able to afford the platform’s updated API pricing. On Thursday, the developers for Apollo for Reddit and others announced they would be shutting down their apps on June 30th due to the API changes.

Many subreddits participating in the protest are going private for 48 hours, from June 12th to June 14th, but some plan to stay private until things change, according to a pinned post in the subreddit r/Save3rdPartyApps.

Screenshot by Jon Porter / The Verge

Attempting to access r/aww, one of Reddit’s biggest subreddits, shows this notice.

“This isn’t something any of us do lightly: we do what we do because we love Reddit, and we truly believe this change will make it impossible to keep doing what we love,” r/Toptomcat wrote in the post. And some subreddits didn’t wait until Monday: r/TIHI (Thanks, I Hate It) and r/polls were among those that went dark shortly after CEO Steve Huffman’s poorly-received Friday AMA.

Apollo app developer Christian Selig, whose post about Reddit’s API pricing generated much of the initial outrage, said it was “incredibly amazing” seeing Reddit’s community come together to push back against the proposed changes. “I really hope Reddit listens,” he wrote in a post on the Apollo subreddit. “I think showing humanity through apologizing for and recognizing that this process was handled poorly, and concrete promises to give developers more time, would go a long way to making people feel heard and instilling community confidence.”

As the subreddit blackout begins, I wanted to say thank you from the bottom of my heart to the Reddit community and everyone standing up
by u/iamthatis in apolloapp

While many subreddits are going private, others (such as r/NintendoSwitch, r/Frugal, and r/StarWars) are instead choosing to restrict new posts. Historical posts are still visible, but moderators won’t be allowing new content on these communities while the protest is taking place. One subreddit, r/DankMemes, is still public but only allows users to post memes about the API changes.

In r/ModCoord, four separate threads detail an “incomplete and growing list of participating subreddits” that includes numerous well-known communities with tens of millions of subscribers.

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Star Wars: Outlaws is a new open-world Star Wars game from Ubisoft

Star Wars: Outlaws is a new open-world Star Wars game from Ubisoft

Image: Ubisoft

During the Xbox Games Showcase on Sunday, Microsoft and Ubisoft revealed a cinematic trailer for a new Star Wars game, titled Star Wars: Outlaws. It’s an open-world game that’s set to release in 2024.

“Experience the first-ever open world Star Wars game, set between the events of The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi,” according to the YouTube trailer’s description. “Explore distinct planets across the galaxy, both iconic and new. Risk it all as Kay Vess, an emerging scoundrel seeking freedom and the means to start a new life, along with her companion Nix. Fight, steal, and outwit your way through the galaxy’s crime syndicates as you join the galaxy’s most wanted.”

We won’t have to wait long to see more from the new game: Ubisoft is going to show more footage from Star Wars: Outlaws during its Ubisoft Forward event on Monday.

Porsche’s new Mission X concept is a bubbly, all-electric hypercar

Porsche’s new Mission X concept is a bubbly, all-electric hypercar

The Porsche Mission X electric concept hypercar. | Image: Porsche

Porsche debuted its new Mission X on Thursday — it’s an all-electric concept car it calls a “conceptual reinterpretation” of the hypercar. Like the Porsche 918 Spyder, it’s a squat, compact affair with bubbly fenders, but where the Spyder is somewhat toned down, the Mission X leans into its chunky corner details, instead making it a big part of the design that extends to the roof.

Porsche says the battery, if the car were to go into production, would have a 900-volt system architecture and would charge around twice as fast as the Taycan Turbo S. It says it has a power-to-weight ratio of about one hp per 2.2lbs, and claims it would “be the fastest road-legal vehicle around the Nürburgring Nordschleife” — at the moment, that distinction belongs to the Mercedes-AMG One.

The doors sweep forward and up, so when you open them, you’re now seated under the sky, and the car takes on the look of something like a scarab beetle when looked at from the front. Check out these pictures:

Not that you’d expect anything different, but this concept is a two-seater, with a short wheelbase of just 107.4 inches, which is very close to that of the 918 Spyder. Owing to “aerodynamic purposes,” the tires stagger slightly; it’s got 20-inch wheels in front, and 21-inch ones in back.

Inside it gets all retro-future jet plane. It has a steering yoke instead of a wheel and the rest of the interior looks pulled straight from 80s sports car design, all straight lines, harsh angles, and flat surfaces. In the passenger seat dash, there’s a modular attachment area showing a stopwatch module with both an analogue and digital display for tracking lap times or “vital data of the driver,” among other things.

On the rear, the “PORSCHE” badge and red LED strips actually jut out from the car, giving it a 3D effect that’s very designer-y.

Finally, the car’s beating heart. Porsche put the battery bank in the middle of the car, just behind the seats, referring to it as an “e-core layout,” similar to traditional mid-engine car design.

Porsche’s previous electric concept was the “Mission E,” which was debuted in 2015. By 2017, it had morphed, eventually evolving into the Porsche Taycan.

Xbox Games Showcase 2023 and Starfield Direct: all the news and trailers

Xbox Games Showcase 2023 and Starfield Direct: all the news and trailers

Illustration: Alex Castro / The Verge

Stay up to date with all the announcements and reveals.

We may not have E3 this year, but 2023 still has plenty of gaming events for the summer. First there was Sony’s PlayStation Showcase, then Summer Game Fest Live, and now we have a pair of events from Microsoft: Xbox Games Showcase 2023 and Starfield Direct. It’s a packed, albeit somewhat scattered, line up of events, keynotes, and presentations.

The titles of the two events from Microsoft — which take place back-to-back on June 11th — make it pretty clear what to expect. The first will be focused on Microsoft games hitting Xbox and PC, most likely including titles like Forza, Fable, and Hellblade, while the second will be entirely dedicated to Bethesda’s next big game Starfield.

Typically these events are a rapid fire barrage of announcements and trailers, with hopefully at least a few surprises. Stay tuned right here for all of the most important details as they happen.

How to watch Microsoft’s 2023 Xbox and Starfield showcase

How to watch Microsoft’s 2023 Xbox and Starfield showcase

Photo by Vjeran Pavic / The Verge

Last month Sony showed off a big slate of upcoming games (and even some surprise hardware), which was followed by a packed Summer Game Fest. Now it’s Microsoft’s turn. On June 11th the company will be holding not one but two events: a showcase focused on Xbox games, and another entirely about its biggest title of the year, Bethesda’s sci-fi RPG Starfield, which launches in September.

Now, it hasn’t been the best year for first-party Xbox games so far, but you can likely expect to see some of the typical names from the showcase. That includes the next Forza Motorsport, Fable, and probably a hauntingly realistic look at Hellblade II. Maybe, just maybe, we’ll get a look at the delayed-but-much-anticipated Silksong, or the rumored remake of Persona 3.

As for Starfield, we haven’t seen much of the blockbuster since a big gameplay showcase last year, but with that launch date looming, expect to get into the real nitty-gritty of how Bethesda’s latest will play. We could even get a glimpse at jetpack sex.

How and when to watch the 2023 Xbox Games Showcase and Starfield Direct

The Xbox showcase takes place on June 11th at 10AM PT / 1PM ET. And while we don’t know exactly how long it will last, Microsoft says that the Starfield Direct will take place “immediately following” the Xbox event. You can watch them on all the official Xbox video channels — YouTube, Twitch, Twitch (ASL), and Facebook — and the YouTube version will support 4K at 60fps.

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Fitbit’s old-school, OLED-equipped Inspire 3 is down to just $80

Fitbit’s old-school, OLED-equipped Inspire 3 is down to just $80

The OLED display on the Inspire 3 is better than the monochrome screen on the previous model, even with the mammoth bezels. | Image: Victoria Song / The Verge

In today’s day and age, it often feels like we’re constantly wanting our devices to offer more — more pixels, more sensors, more processing power. However, a back-to-the-basics fitness tracker like the Fitbit Inspire 3 can be a welcome change of pace, especially since it’s on sale at Amazon, Best Buy, and Target right now for $79.95 ($20 off).

The Inspire 3 is pretty bare-bones, but that’s by design. You won’t find built-in GPS or virtual assistants like Alexa or Google Assistant, but rather a color OLED screen and a colorful, comfortable band that’s reminiscent of the kind you’d find on the Fitbits of the late-aughts. Still, the fitness band can last up to 10 days on a single charge and offers a few modern conveniences, including advanced sleep tracking capabilities and several stress management features. Overall, Fitbit’s latest fitness band is relatively simple and straightforward, which is sometimes all you need.

Read our hands-on impressions of the Fitbit Inspire 3.

Summer is coming, whether you’re ready for the absurd weather it’s likely to bring or not. And while many of us might see the warmer months ahead as a perfectly legit excuse to stay in and burn through Tears of the Kingdom, it’s also a great time to go outside and get in shape. Fortunately, if you’re in need of great pair of workout earbuds, the Beats Fit Pro are on sale at Amazon, Best Buy, and Walmart for $159.95 ($40 off), nearly matching their best price to date.

In some ways, the Beats Fit Pro are a lot like the first-gen AirPods Pro, only with more color options and a greater emphasis on fitness. Their noise cancellation is on par with Apple’s more premium earbuds, and they offer the same deep integration with other Apple devices as the rest of the AirPods lineup. That said, the comfortable wireless earbuds also tout a sportier design that relies on a comfortable set of wing tips, which provide a secure fit regardless of whether you’re at your desk or literally pounding the pavement on a run.

Read our Beats Fit Pro review.

The streaming world continues to evolve, with Netflix’s new password-sharing crackdown now in full effect and Amazon Prime Video is reportedly planning an ad-supported tier. Peacock isn’t exempt from changes, either, having dropped its free membership tier in February. Fortunately, new and returning subscribers can still sign up for a year of Peacock Premium for $19.99 ($30 off) through tomorrow, June 11th, when they use promo code SUMMEROFPEACOCK.

Peacock isn’t a streaming giant in the same way Netflix or Hulu is, but there’s more to the service than reality TV and shoddy true crime docs. It’s still the only place you can stream The Office — err, the American version, not one of the other 11 adaptations in existence — along with newer films like Renfield and M3gan. A Peacock Premium subscription also grants you access to news and select sporting events, including Sunday Night Football and the occasional Premier League game, making Peackock’s ad-supported plan a solid jack-of-all-trades option if you’re someone who likes to watch a bit of everything.

Deals, discounts, and other weekend savings

• If you’re looking for a beast of a TV, TCL’s 6-Series is on clearance at Best Buy in the 75-inch configuration for $1,274.99 ($225 off). The 4K set’s Mini LED panel is not going to compete with newer OLED models in terms of picture quality, however, the Roku TV offers a slew of features that make it a great budget-friendly choice for gamers, including low input lag, a 120Hz refresh rate, and support for HDMI 2.1. Read our review of the Google TV model.
• Amazon’s latest Echo Show 8 is once again on sale at Amazon, Best Buy, and B&H Photo for $74.99 ($55 off), which matches the smart speaker’s second-best price to date. The second-gen model remains our favorite Alexa-equipped display even with the arrival of the third-gen Echo Show 5, namely because it offers a pair of powerful speakers and a 13-megapixel camera with a built-in privacy shutter that can be used for video calls. Read our review.
• When it comes to the best noise-canceling headphones, Sony and Bose reign supreme. The Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700, which are currently on sale for $299 ($80 off) at Amazon and Best Buy, are a good example of why. Bose’s flagship over-ears offer superb noise cancellation, multipoint Bluetooth functionality, and sound great while taking calls — something that can’t be said of all Bose headphones. Read our review.
• Hoto’s cordless, electric screwdriver is down to just $37.49 (about $12 off) on Amazon thanks to an on-page coupon for 35 percent off. It’s not as techy as a pair of wireless earbuds or a laptop, but hey, there’s something to be said about a sleek tool with 12 steel bits that allows you to work on your favorite tech and tackle odd jobs around the house.
• Sony’s recent PlayStation showcase was great — that is, assuming you own a PS5. Thankfully, if you don’t, Amazon, Best Buy, and Walmart are all selling the PlayStation 5 God of War Ragnarök Bundle for just shy of $500 ($60 off). The bundle includes a disc-based PS5 console and a digital copy of God of War Ragnarök, which is arguably the best game of 2022 no matter what Elden Ring stans tell you. Read our God of War Ragnarök review.
• Google’s Pixel 6A is still matching its all-time low of $299 ($150 off) at Amazon, Best Buy, and the Google Store, which remains its best price to date. The 6A was our favorite budget Android phone before the Pixel 7A arrived in May, and though it lacks the 90Hz screen and wireless charging found on the newer model, it’s still equipped with a small 6.1-inch OLED panel, a great camera, and other impressive features that have no business being on a phone this affordable. Read our full review.

Apple TVs will have native VPN support in tvOS 17

Apple TVs will have native VPN support in tvOS 17

Native VPN support is coming to tvOS 17 | Image: Chris Welch / The Verge

Apple TVs will get native VPN app support in tvOS 17, according to an Apple press release (via 9to5Mac). It’s one of many features that didn’t make it into the keynote at WWDC 2023, but it could be a big deal for some folks. Assuming native VPN apps on Apple’s streaming box work as they do elsewhere, you might not have to wait to get home to catch up on streaming shows when traveling with an Apple TV 4K in tow.

Right now, in tvOS 17, to use a VPN with your Apple TV, you’ll need to do something like install a VPN on your router to do it, and not all routers support this. Native VPN support is one of the rare advantages Google’s Chromecast or Amazon’s Fire TV devices hold over the Apple TV right now.

We’ve reached out to a few VPN services like NordVPN and Express VPN to find out if they have any plans to develop native apps for the Apple TV.

Native VPN support already exists on the iPhone, iPad, and Mac, and adding the ability to your Apple TV is potentially great news — not just because it could mean you can stream shows that aren’t available in your own country. VPNs on other devices can potentially let you use TikTok at a university that’s banned it, while selecting servers outside your own location could let you download the embattled social media app if wider bans go into effect in a state like Montana, for example.

Other new tvOS 17 features announced in the release include enhanced dialogue, which separates dialogue from background noise and routes it through your center channel, and Dolby Vision 8.1 support. It will also bring updates to Apple Fitness+ that will add custom workout and meditation plans you can schedule based on things like your day, preferred duration, and workout type. It also adds stacked workouts — essentially a workout playlist option — and Audio Focus, which lets you prioritize music volume or Apple’s trainers’ voices.

The Vision Pro’s biggest advantage isn’t Apple’s hardware

The Vision Pro’s biggest advantage isn’t Apple’s hardware

Image: Apple

Apple’s developers already have the tools they need to create apps for the system.

Apple used the Vision Pro’s $3,499 price tag to give the headset every advantage over the competition. It has dual 4K displays, runs one of the best laptop chips in the business, and comes with sophisticated eye- and hand-tracking technologies. But it also has one advantage money can’t buy: Apple’s developer ecosystem. Perhaps the headset’s single biggest advantage will be the ability for iPhone and iPad developers to easily plug their existing apps into the device’s operating system using familiar tools and frameworks.

Already, the system stands in stark contrast to headsets from Meta, Valve, PlayStation, and HTC, which mostly rely on apps and games made in Unity or OpenXR to power their virtual and augmented reality experiences. While some competitors, like the Meta Quest, have key apps like Microsoft Office, Xbox, and Netflix, offerings beyond this are limited. In the several years that Meta’s headset has been out, the Meta Quest Store has only released about 400 games and apps. That isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it’s a sign that there’s a serious lack of content optimized for VR.

Unlike other headset ecosystems, though, Apple is promising hundreds of thousands of apps on day one, a feat it’s able to pull off thanks to work on other platforms. Apple will automatically convert iPad and iPhone apps to “a single scalable 2D window” that works on the Apple Vision Pro — with no work required from developers unless they want to make any changes. And for the developers who want to create something new for the headset, Apple is making it easy for those already acquainted with its ecosystem to create apps for visionOS, its new mixed reality operating system.

“visionOS is not so different than iPadOS with ARKit”

“visionOS is not so different than iPadOS with ARKit, the augmented reality kit that developers have had access to for a couple of years now,” Maximiliano Firtman, a longtime mobile and web developer, tells The Verge. “iOS and iPadOS developers will be able to use their classic UIKit apps, Unity apps, or their more recent SwiftUI apps for visionOS.”

The frameworks developers can use to build apps for iOS and iPadOS — SwiftUI, RealityKit, ARKit — have all been “extended for spatial computing,” Apple says, allowing developers to craft immersive AR and VR experiences for the Vision Pro. They can also build their apps with the tools already available to devs, including Xcode and Unity as well as Apple’s upcoming Reality Composer Pro that should let devs “preview and prepare 3D content” for visionOS apps.

Firtman adds that even though the visionOS software development kit isn’t out yet, web developers can still use “WebXR for immersive web apps and web experiences using Safari on visionOS… as most of the knowledge needed to create apps is already out there.”

This means that, in addition to Apple’s native apps, we’ll likely see a lot of iOS and iPadOS apps make their way to the Vision Pro at launch.

For developers making the jump, Apple is encouraging them to expand what their apps can do. A simple port might display an app on the Vision Pro as a “Window,” creating a floating version in mixed reality. Apps with 3D elements might present content as a “Volume” that adds depth that’s viewable from all angles. More immersive apps might build a “Space” that can take up a user’s entire view.

“Apple will want to feature apps that take advantage of the new Volume and Space app paradigms,” Steve Moser, an iOS developer and the editor-in-chief of The Tape Drive, tells The Verge. “I imagine developers will want to quickly recompile their existing iOS and iPadOS apps for visionOS so that they will be on the visionOS AppStore on day one and potentially get an opportunity to be featured by Apple.”

This is good news for Apple, which is looking to prime its App Store with services making its headset useful. But the approach falls short in one area where Apple’s competitors are strong: gaming. When the device comes out early next year, Apple says it will house over 100 games from its Arcade service, which is a nice perk, but most of these games aren’t built specifically for VR. That makes a pretty big difference, as users could just as easily whip out their iPhone or iPad to play an Arcade game, rather than put on an entire headset just to play Angry Birds Reloaded or Temple Run.

After all, people are buying the Valve Index or the Meta Quest 2 just so they can access libraries of VR-only games like Beat Saber and Half-Life: Alyx. A lack of serious VR titles risks putting the Vision Pro in the same position as the Mac — a device mainly for productivity, not a hub for gaming. While Apple is trying to coax game developers into putting their titles on macOS with a new porting tool, the fact is that most developers aren’t prioritizing Mac as a platform because the majority of gamers use Windows, and up until now, Apple didn’t exactly make it easy to bring over games from other OSes. (We’ll still have to see how well these newly ported games actually perform.)

“They clearly aren’t focused on the current VR ecosystem and game developers like myself, but that may be the right move in the end.”

Even though Apple’s headset might not immediately have some of the riveting experiences that come along with playing VR games like Arizona Sunshine and Blade and Sorcery, it’s not likely to make or break the headset’s success. “They seem to be nailing all of the points that Meta has been fumbling for [the] last few years, namely overall UX,” Blair Renaud, VR game developer and the director of IrisVR, tells The Verge. “They clearly aren’t focused on the current VR ecosystem and game developers like myself, but that may be the right move in the end. For the industry to move forward, we need all the things I mentioned, not just incremental hardware improvements.”

Apple’s slow, careful approach to VR is reflected within the device itself. Instead of presenting you with a somewhat jarring and unfamiliar UI that engulfs your reality, the Vision Pro surfaces a set of recognizable apps that exist atop your real-world environment thanks to video passthrough. Of course, there is the option to turn on full VR using the digital crown, but Apple mainly left this application for watching movies or replaying videos. You won’t have to worry about getting used to controllers, either, as you can navigate through the device using just your eyes and hands.

Based on first impressions of the Vision Pro, the technology is clearly there for it to succeed. But like most devices out there, the apps are what make it. Fortunately for Apple, it’s easier to build upon a foundation that’s already been established, rather than build one from scratch.

How to get free electricity in the UK

How to get free electricity in the UK

Photo by Mike Kemp / In Pictures via Getty Images

Octopus Energy is a shining star during a time of high inflation and a cost of living crisis.

I know what you’re thinking: what is this ridiculous clickbait headline all about? Well, a couple of weekends ago, I charged my electric car, cooked lunch in my oven, and washed my clothes totally for free over a few hours. Last weekend, my electricity cost less than 8p per kWh to do the same thing. On average, I’m currently saving 40 percent on my electricity bills compared to the extortionate capped rate that most people in the UK are forced to pay right now.

So, how? Octopus Energy, and I want everyone to know about it.

I’ve obsessed over my electricity usage over the past few months thanks to a mix of the UK’s energy market prices and buying a new electric vehicle. A friend recommended Octopus Energy’s Agile contract, which provides variable pricing every 30 minutes based on wholesale rates. He had been using it all winter with big savings, as wholesale electricity prices have started to drop in the UK in recent months. In 2023, Octopus’ Agile prices have dropped far below the Energy Price Guarantee subsidy that the UK government introduced to cap the maximum consumer prices for electricity after wholesale prices surged following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Octopus Energy issues its 30-minute rates every day at 4PM so you can see when the best times are to use your dishwasher, washing machine, oven, or charge an electric car. Peak rates between 4PM and 7PM are typically the usual rates of 34p or even 35p per kWh, but outside of those times, it has averaged at around 20p per kWh in recent months for me personally.

Octopus Energy’s Agile tariff is also ideal for EV owners.

You can save a bundle of money if you can shift your energy usage outside the peak window. Even if you can’t, you’re still going to save because, for around 20 hours of the day, the Agile rates are far below the standard ones.

A standard rate for electricity across UK providers right now is around 34p per kWh, with a daily service charge of up to 50p. These rates and service charges vary slightly per provider, but the vast majority of people in the UK are currently paying in excess of 30p / kWh. In July, the cap in the UK will be set at 30p per kWh, a rate that falls below the current Energy Price Guarantee and sees the Ofgem regulator return with its own price caps.

But this price cap is still far beyond what I’m currently paying. Over the past 28 days, I’ve used an average of 16kWh per day at a rate of 16.9p per kWh instead of the 34p per kWh I would have paid on a standard rate. That’s a saving of nearly 50 percent compared to what most people would pay for the same amount of electricity.

So why have I and many others not heard about this until recently? Variable rate tariffs are risky. Octopus Energy markets Agile as a tariff that’s ideal for people with EVs, storage heaters, or anyone who can shift their energy usage outside of peak times. But it also warns that prices can spike up to 100p per kWh at any time, three times higher than the standard rates right now. That sounds scary, but it’s something that rarely happens. In fact, it hasn’t peaked past more than 40p per kWh at all in most places in the UK in 2023.

Image: Energy Stats UK

Average rates for Octopus Energy Agile over the past 365 days in the East Midlands.

That’s largely because wholesale prices have been dropping, creating more stable averages and moments of plunge pricing where you get hours of free electricity. You can see in the chart above that pricing has dropped to 0p per kWh or below multiple times over the past six months on Octopus Energy Agile.

Despite the discounts seen in recent months, you can also see a sustained spike for most of December, where the maximum prices shot up to 80p per kWh, a very expensive rate that customers would have seen mostly during the peak 4PM to 7PM window. If wholesale prices continue to stabilize and drop, hopefully we won’t see a repeat of this again this winter. If prices do shoot up, you can always just immediately switch back to the standard rate, which will be capped by Ofgem’s guarantee.

If prices jump, you can always switch back to a standard tariff

This volatility does make it hard to recommend such an energy tariff to everyone in the UK, which is another reason most people won’t have heard about Agile. Consumer advocate Martin Lewis, better known as the “Money Saving Expert,” has been pushing the government continually to help with electricity prices, but he’s rarely recommended people switch to variable rate tariffs. Consumers in the UK have been looking to Lewis’ recommendations throughout this energy and cost of living crisis, but he did highlight Octopus Energy’s “clever” Agile tariff in April. Now that we have six months of stable data, I think it’s time to start recommending Agile until we have decent fixed rates back on the market.

Screenshot by Tom Warren / The Verge

The Octopus Watch app for iOS is a great way to track daily rates.

If you’re savvy enough to track the daily prices, then you’ll benefit greatly here. I’ve personally turned into an Octopus Energy salesman with my friends and family, as the company even offers a referral program where you split £100 with a friend you recommend to the service. I use the excellent Octopus Watch iOS app for alerts on when prices plunge and to see price rates over 24-hour periods, but Octopus also publishes these in its own mobile app and website.

You will need the latest SMETS2 smart meter (some SMETS1 are supported), though, to be able to automatically send meter readings to Octopus Energy and use Agile. If you don’t have a smart meter, you can still switch over, and Octopus will arrange for a meter install. Octopus has also started marketing its Tracker tariff recently, which is similar to Agile but has more restrictions on how long it takes to exit out if prices go the wrong way.

It’s also just refreshing to use a utility company that’s environmentally friendly and has great customer service. In an increasingly inefficient and broken UK energy market, Octopus Energy is way out ahead supplying green energy with one of the best software-as-a-service products I’ve ever seen in the UK.

Eventually, I hope to automate much of this with smart home tech and outlets to limit the time I’m monitoring rates. But figured I’d share this tip right now in case it helps save you some great British pounds.

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Fortnite’s new season adds Optimus Prime and lets you ride the raptors

Fortnite’s new season adds Optimus Prime and lets you ride the raptors

Image: Epic Games

Things are getting pretty wild on the Fortnite island. Epic just launched the latest season of the battle royale game, bringing it up to Chapter 4: Season 3, and it’s called, appropriately, “Wilds.” Epic has been teasing it over the last week — including with a trailer at yesterday’s Summer Game Fest.

The big change is that the center of the map has essentially been destroyed, revealing a new jungle area to explore, complete with ruins. Here’s how the island looks now:

Image: Epic Games

To go along with this theme, there are some notable gameplay changes. Some of these include: the return of raptors, which you can now ride; the ability to grind on vines; mud that you can slide through for stealthy camouflage; new plant life to contend with (including explosive flowers); and weapons like a boomerang and jars full of hostile wasps.

There are also some Transformers elements this season — no surprise, given the premiere of Rise of the Beasts — like a weapon called a Cybertron Cannon that looks quite hefty. Elsewhere, Optimus Prime will be available if you purchase this season’s battle pass, and his animal counterpart, Optimus Primal, is coming to the item shop.

Speaking of the battle pass, here’s the full lineup of new skins — including a very laid-back version of Meowscles — as well as a look at Primal’s Fortnite makeover:

Elsewhere, there’s a big change when it comes to the language of Fortnite. As Epic explains, “pickaxes are now officially called pickaxes instead of harvesting tools.” Okay, maybe it’s not that big of a change, but it does make a lot of sense now that the game offers a Zero Build mode where resources can’t be harvested.

“Wilds” follows the “Mega” season of Fortnite, which added a cyberpunk theme and kicked off in March. It included collaborations with Coachella, Star Wars, Attack on Titan, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, and Final Fantasy artist Yoshitaka Amano, alongside some big changes to its creator economy.

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League of Legends esports players who walked out reach agreement with Riot Games

League of Legends esports players who walked out reach agreement with Riot Games

Cloud9 player Fudge at Worlds 2022. | Photo by Colin Young-Wolff / Riot Games

North American League of Legends esports players who walked out have reached an agreement with Riot Games.

The League Championship Series (LCS) players, represented by the LCSPA, voted last week to walk out after Riot allowed franchises to stop fielding amateur teams in the North American Challengers League (NACL) for the summer. Shortly after the walkout, Riot delayed the original June 1st start of the summer season by two weeks, but said it was also prepared to cancel the entire summer season — which would disqualify LCS players from the annual end-of-season Worlds competition — if the two sides didn’t come to an agreement.

“The LCSPA, Riot, and the LCS teams have come to an agreement to resume the 2023 LCS Summer Split on June 14th,” the LCS wrote in a statement shared on Twitter. “Concessions were made by Riot and teams to ensure a more sustainable NACL future and a more equitable voice for players in their workplace.

LCSPA, Riot, and LCS teams agree on terms to resume 2023 LCS season - talks to continue on unresolved issues pic.twitter.com/xodN7XABie

— LCS Players Association (@NALCSPA) June 9, 2023

Among other things, the parties agreed to $300,000 to be split across the 10 NACL teams, equal representation for players and teams on a committee to “determine any future changes to the practice schedule in a collaborative manner,” and a commitment for teams to “ensure” that foreign players have mandated healthcare available “by the first day they are in the US.”

The summer season (or “split”) will now start on June 14th, Riot wrote in its own announcement. Competition will happen over three days per week — Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday — instead of two days per week in the spring season.

“Delaying Summer Split was not a decision we took lightly, but ultimately the dialogue between the league, the LCSPA, and teams provided the space to realign on shared goals for the future of the LCS and NACL,” Naz Aletaha, Riot’s global head of League of Legends esports, said in a statement. “Building for the long-term sustainability and success of the LCS ecosystem is the win-condition for us all.”

Devolver Digital’s showcase featured just four games, but they look like good ones

Devolver Digital’s showcase featured just four games, but they look like good ones

Image: Devolver Digital

Devolver Digital shared details and trailers about some projects in development during its latest showcase on Thursday. However, much of the presentation revolved around a tongue-in-cheek mascot, “Volvy,” a fictionalized history of the mascot’s impact on gaming culture, and the “return” of the character as a robot (VOLV-E). It was weird, but that’s kind of Devolver’s thing for its presentations.

You can watch the whole 22-minute show right here or catch up on the four featured games below (well, in addition to everything involving Volvy):

Wizard with a Gun

Devolver showed a trailer for Wizard with a Gun, a survival game that’s themed kind of like a fantasy game mixed with a western. You’ll have to collect resources, construct buildings, and explore what looks like a large map. A demo is now available on Steam. The game is coming to PS5 and Xbox Series X / S as well, and it’s set to launch sometime in 2023.

The Talos Principle II

We got a new gameplay trailer for The Talos Principle II, a sequel to the well-regarded first-person puzzler The Talos Principle. We already knew the game was on the way — it was included as part of its PlayStation Showcase in May — but this trailer provided another look at the mysterious puzzle title. It’s coming to PS5, Xbox Series X / S, and PC this year.

Baby Steps

In Baby Steps, a new game from the makers of Ape Out and Getting Over It!, you play as Nate, a washout stumbling his way up a mountain. It appears you individually manipulate Nate’s legs — a press email describes Baby Steps as a “literal walking simulator” — which should lead to some hilarious QWOP-like mishaps. (Not surprising, given Getting Over It! creator Bennett Foddy also made QWOP.) It’s coming out in 2024 for PS5 and PC.

Human Fall Flat 2

Devolver also shared a very brief trailer for Human Fall Flat 2, a sequel to third-person puzzler Human Fall Flat. “Each intricate level comes packed with new toys and devices to fiddle with as you solve a range of fiendish puzzles on your own or in teams of up to eight friends,” according to Devolver’s press email. Devolver didn’t share a release window.

It’s not just Apollo: other Reddit apps are shutting down, too

It’s not just Apollo: other Reddit apps are shutting down, too

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

Apollo for Reddit isn’t the only Reddit app that’s shutting down due to the company’s new API pricing: on Thursday, rif is fun for Reddit (previously Reddit is Fun), ReddPlanet, and Sync also announced that they would be shutting down on June 30th, the same day Apollo will be.

rif is fun for Reddit is shutting down “in response to Reddit Inc’s API changes and their hostile treatment of developers building on their platform,” its developer wrote in a message on r/redditisfun. The developer said Reddit has “unfortunately shown a consistent unwillingness to compromise on all points” mentioned in a previous post, including expected costs “in the ballpark” of Apollo’s expected $20 million per year, Reddit’s decision to block ads in third-party apps, and the removal of sexually explicit content in third-party apps even though that content will still be available in Reddit’s official apps.

RIF will shut down on June 30, 2023, in response to Reddit's API changes
by u/talklittle in redditisfun

“The hurdles placed on third party apps by reddit just aren’t a feasible obstacle to overcome,” the developer of ReddPlanet wrote. “With the removal of explicit content, the unreasonable pricing structure, short time period, lack of responsiveness, and unwillingness to come to a middle ground, reddit has shown that their intent is to extinguish all 3rd parties.”

“To be absolutely clear I really don’t want to close Sync,” wrote the developer of Sync. “Working on this app has been a labour of love and my life for the past decade but with how things stand I can’t see any other way.”

The shutdowns follow outrage from Reddit’s userbase and developer community over the API changes, which could be very expensive for developers. Apollo developer Christian Selig revealed his expected $20 million costs last week, and in a long post about the upcoming shutdown, he reiterated the costs and pushed back on Reddit’s claims that the app is less efficient with the API than other apps. Selig also included part of a transcript from a call with Reddit moderators where CEO Steve Huffman suggested Apollo threatened the company, which Selig says he didn’t (and backed up with a transcript of his own). On Wednesday, Reddit announced it would exempt accessibility-focused apps from the API changes following criticisms from the r/Blind subreddit.

Reddit declined to comment. The company plans to host an AMA with Huffman on Friday about “the latest API updates, including accessibility, mod bots, and third-party mod tools.” Reddit is aiming to start the AMA at 1:30PM ET / 10:30AM PT, spokesperson Tim Rathschmidt tells The Verge.

Meta is testing Reels on Quest

Meta is testing Reels on Quest

Image: Meta

Meta is testing a way for users to watch Reels on its Quest headset. In a post on Meta’s broadcast channel, CEO Mark Zuckerberg shared a video of how a Reel will look when viewed in VR.

Much like when you open other apps on the system, it looks like you can browse through Reels in a window that appears against your virtual background. It’s not exactly clear whether Reels will exist within Meta’s Instagram app for the Quest or if it’ll be available for users to test. Meta didn’t immediately respond to The Verge’s request for comment.

GIF: Meta

Either way, bringing Reels to Quest is a sign that Meta is ready to tie its apps and systems together more closely. Its announcement also comes about a week after Meta showed off its $499 Quest 3 device and just days after Apple revealed the $3,499 Vision Pro.

During a companywide meeting watched by The Verge’s Alex Heath, Zuckerberg responded to the Vision Pro by saying Apple’s vision for the device isn’t the one he wants, as Apple mainly focused on solitary activities during its presentation. “Our vision for the metaverse and presence is fundamentally social,” Zuckerburg said. “It’s about people interacting in new ways and feeling closer in new ways.”

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ChatGPT on iOS gets improved iPad support and Shortcuts integration

ChatGPT on iOS gets improved iPad support and Shortcuts integration

Image: OpenAI

OpenAI is improving ChatGPT on iPad today with a new update designed to take advantage of the entire iPad screen. The updated ChatGPT app for iOS and iPadOS also includes drag and drop, Siri support, and Shortcuts integration.

iPad support means ChatGPT will now run full-screen on Apple’s tablets, instead of as an iPhone sized app running on a bigger display. Little else has changed for the iPad version though, as you’re still presented with a chat interface and options to switch between GPT-3.5 or GPT-4. OpenAI has also added drag and drop support here, so any messages can now be dragged out of the chat interface and into other apps.

The update also lets you summon ChatGPT from Siri and use the chatbot with Apple’s Shortcuts feature. This lets you generate a ChatGPT query in Shortcuts to start a new chat and integrate that into Apple’s Shortcuts automation.

OpenAI has been gradually improving its ChatGPT app on iOS and iPadOS since launching the mobile version last month, making improvements to chat history and voice input in recent updates. The company also plans to release an app for Android in the near future. OpenAI launched a premium subscription for ChatGPT in February called ChatGPT Plus, that offers priority access and the latest GPT-4 model for $20 a month.

WhatsApp’s new Channels feature brings social media to your messaging app

WhatsApp’s new Channels feature brings social media to your messaging app

Illustration: The Verge

The newest feature in WhatsApp brings a very different kind of messaging to the world’s most popular chat app. It’s called Channels, and it’s designed specifically for one-to-many broadcasts rather than conversation. The Meta-owned company calls it “a private way to follow what matters,” and names local and sports updates among the ways you might use it.

But what is a channel, really? It’s a Twitter feed, minus all the metrics and reply guys. WhatsApp has clearly noticed all the governments, transit agencies, brands, and others looking for a new (and non-Twitter) place to share their most important updates, and sees Channels as a drop-in replacement.

Channels is also a creator tool to some extent, a place for those with an audience to “send text, photos, videos, stickers, and polls,” according to WhatsApp’s launch blog post. The company has plans to build payment and other monetization services into channels, too. You’ll be able to find channels by searching for them in WhatsApp or by browsing in a newly created directory, and see their most recent updates in the Status section of the app.

WhatsApp says privacy is a key part of the experience, which is why channel admins’ information isn’t shared and the app only stores 30 days of a channel’s history. Admins can even block screenshots and forwards, making sure that what’s in the channel stays in the channel. Channels aren’t end-to-end encrypted, though; they’re treated more like your messages with businesses, which are also not totally private. But WhatsApp does say it’s thinking about ways to encrypt some channels over time.

This is mostly a really obvious feature for WhatsApp to add. Telegram has had a similar feature, also called Channels and also meant for one-to-many broadcasts, for years. Instagram has a similar feature, too, called Broadcast Channels. And it actually makes sense to bring this kind of information into WhatsApp; getting air-quality updates and train statuses feels more natural in a messaging app than intermingled with everything else on Twitter

But if you zoom out a bit, WhatsApp is quickly turning into something other than just a messaging app. Just in the last few months, the company has made it possible to use one account on multiple phones; has been working on a private newsletter tool and a new usernames system; added polls and shopping and a bunch of other Facebook-y things to the platform; revamped its Status system; improved its group chats; and much more. Channels is just the latest way WhatsApp is trying to bring social media to messaging.

Like most WhatsApp features, Channels is starting small. The company is planning to launch channels with “leading global organizations and select organizations in Colombia and Singapore,” and the feature will only be available in those two countries at first. It’ll come to more countries, and channel creation will be available to more users, “in the coming months.”

WhatsApp is obviously still a messaging app first — billions of people use it to chat with their friends and loved ones. But as it looks to grow, make more money, and become the all-encompassing super app it wants to be, it’s trying to find ways to be much more than that.