AirPods Pro 2 hearing aid upgrade now live, Silent album launched to protest AI copyright laws, more iPhone 17 leaks
The features list for Apple’s AirPods Pro 2 continues to grow. One of the key updates in the last few months was the addition of a Hearing Aid capability, so that users who had mild or moderate hearing loss could wear the earbuds. Apple announced on Monday, Feb. 24 that this feature is now available in the U.K. as a free software update. The feature is already live in several countries but until now only the Hearing Test was available to British users. That test was useful to tell users if they had hearing issues, but now they can use AirPods Pro 2 as regular hearing aids.
More than 1,000 artists and musicians including Kate Bush, Damon Albarn, Sam Fender and Annie Lennox have recorded a silent album in protest at proposed changes to copyright law, which they say could lead to artists being replaced by artificial intelligence (AI). Is This What We Want? also involves artists including Billy Ocean, Tom Grennan, New Order, Simon Le Bon, Tori Amos, Pet Shop Boys, The Clash, Bashy, Jamiroquai and Imogen Heap – along with a range of composers, conductors and organisations. Sky News
Huawei definitely isn’t one to shy away from trying crazy things (the Mate XT stands as most recent proof), and according to a new rumor out of China, the company is getting ready to do something special again. The upcoming Huawei Pocket 3 is said to have a 3:2 aspect ratio when unfolded. That’s the same aspect ratio used by Apple in the iPad mini, which has an 8.3″ screen. The Pocket 3’s display will be 6.3″, so, when it’s unfolded, it should pretty much look like a smaller iPad mini. GSM Arena
Oppo just unveiled its latest creation, the Find N5, which is the slimmest foldable phone they’ve ever made, and for the global markets. However, it seems like Oppo might not be expanding its release to other countries like Europe. The company has confirmed in a statement given to a YouTuber, The Tech Chap (via 9to5Google), alongside ComputerBase publication indicating that it isn’t bringing its thinnest foldable, the Find N5, to Europe. It also means the device is highly unlikely to be available in Germany as well. Android Central
A new CAD render of all the devices in Apple’s upcoming iPhone 17 lineup has been shared online by leaker Majin Bu, specifically showing the allegedly different rear camera system designs of the standard iPhone 17, all-new ultra-thin iPhone 17 Air, and the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max models.
The leaker Majin Bu has had some hits in the past, but some of his information has been wrong, including a rumor about an iPad 11 being imminent in 2023. MacRumors
Google is about to overhaul the login procedure for nearly 2 billion Gmail users as part of a major security update to its email service. The current method of sending an SMS text message to verify a user’s identity will be phased out “over the next few months”, with a new QR code system replacing it. The switch is aimed at reducing the impact of “rampant, global SMS abuse”, a spokesperson told Forbes. The Independent has reached out to Google for confirmation. Independent
Technicolor, the visual effects (VFX) group which has worked on films ranging from Disney’s 1940 classic Pinocchio to 2024 blockbuster Mufasa The Lion King, has collapsed into administration in the UK. The group owned several leading visual effects studios including MPC, Mikros Animation and The Mill, with operations in the US, UK, Canada and India. Technicolor’s directors had been looking to sell the business, but were not able to find a buyer. Its administrators said “the majority” of the more than 440 people it employed in the UK have been made redundant. BBC
