Headphones

Apple’s Shocking AirPods Upgrade: Built-In Cameras, AI & a Supercharged H3 Chip

Apple Intelligence & AirPods Cameras Apple is pushing its new “Apple Intelligence” AI platform into every device – including its earbuds. AppleInsider reports that future AirPods (Pro and standard) will include cameras specifically to power Apple Intelligence features appleinsider.com. The idea, first revealed by Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, is that embedded cameras on the earbuds can capture environmental data and feed it to on-device AI. For example, a camera could identify street signs or store fronts to give contextual answers (“Turn right at Main St.”), or translate text on-the-fly without even needing the iPhone’s camera. Gurman says Apple’s ultimate goal is to make

13 October 2025

Noise-Canceling Headphones Showdown 2025: Sony WH-1000XM6 vs Apple AirPods Max

Side-by-Side Specs: WH-1000XM6 vs AirPods Max Feature Sony WH-1000XM6 (2025) Apple AirPods Max (2020/2024) Launch Price (MSRP) $449 / £399 / €429 / ¥49,500 JPY techradar.com $549 / £499 / €629 / ¥62,800 JPY techradar.com Colors Black, Midnight Blue, Platinum Silver techradar.com Space Gray/Black (Midnight), Silver (Starlight), Blue, Green/Orange/Purple (varies) techradar.com Build Materials Plastic build, faux-leather ear cushions Aluminum ear cups, steel frame, knit mesh canopy Weight 254 g (8.9 oz) techradar.com tomsguide.com 385 g (13.6 oz) techradar.com tomsguide.com Drivers 30 mm dynamic drivers techradar.com 40 mm dynamic drivers techradar.com Active Noise Cancel. Yes – Adaptive ANC (multiple modes) Yes

2 October 2025

Audio Technology · Gadgets · Headphones · Product Comparison · Reviews

Sony WH-1000XM6 Arrives in India with Killer Noise-Cancellation – Can It Top Bose & Apple?

Launch and Availability Sony’s WH-1000XM6 are now available in India as the company’s 2025 flagship noise-cancelling headphones indiatoday.in. The launch price of ₹39,990 is slightly higher than the previous XM5 model, reflecting the upgrades included croma.com. Sales began September 29 through Sony’s own outlets, major retailers like Croma and Reliance Digital, and online on Amazon and ShopAtSC indiatoday.in gadgets360.com. The Indian packaging is made entirely of paper materials as part of Sony’s sustainability efforts indiatoday.in. Sony markets the XM6 as a “studio-grade sound” system co-developed with top recording studios (Sterling Sound, Battery Studios, Coast Mastering) business-standard.com. In simple terms, Sony

30 September 2025

Audio Gear · Consumer Electronics · Headphones · NYSE:SNE · Product Review · Technology

CMF’s New $99 Headphone Pro Boasts 100-Hour Battery, Bass-Boost “Energy Slider” – Is It Too Good to Be True?

The CMF Headphone Pro blends budget pricing with surprisingly high-end specs. It’s the first over-ear headphone from CMF (Nothing’s budget arm, now an Indian-based subsidiary) gadgets360.com. With 40mm drivers, LDAC hi-res audio, and modular styling, it punches above its $99 price. Its biggest headline is the massive battery life – 100 hours playtime per charge (with ANC off), slashing to ~50h when ANC is active theverge.com techradar.com. That 100h figure was trailed in teasers, and reviewers quickly noted it applies only sans ANC gizmodo.com techradar.com. Even so, 50h with noise-cancelling is far beyond most rivals. For comparison, tech writer Andrew

29 September 2025

Audio Gear · Buying Guides · Headphones · Product Reviews · Tech News

Audio Tech Blitz: Headphones & Speakers Hit High Notes (Sept 10–11, 2025)

Key Facts In-Depth Report Major Product Launches & Announcements Audio Streaming & Formats Take Center Stage September 10 brought a milestone for music streaming quality. Spotify Lossless is finally live, marking the service’s first foray into higher-than-CD fidelity. Branded simply as “Spotify Lossless,” the feature unlocks FLAC streaming at 24-bit/44.1 kHz for Premium users, after a staggering eight-year wait since hi-fi rumors first began whathifi.com. This launch closes a long-running gap – rivals like Tidal, Qobuz, and Apple Music have offered lossless or high-res tiers for years whathifi.com. Notably, Spotify isn’t paywalling the upgrade: Lossless access is included in the standard

11 September 2025

Audio Tech · Gadgets · Headphones · Reviews · Speakers

Audio Tech Frenzy: Headphones & Speakers Shake Up the Scene (Sept 9–10, 2025)

Key Facts In-Depth Report New Product Announcements Galore Apple’s AirPods Pro 3 took center stage on September 9. Announced during Apple’s fall event, these third-generation AirPods Pro mark the first major update in three years theverge.com. They introduce a suite of new features: a tiny photoplethysmographic sensor in each earbud now enables heart-rate tracking during workouts, a first for Apple’s audio line theverge.com whathifi.com. Apple also upgraded the Pro 3’s custom audio architecture to deliver what it claims is “the world’s best ANC” (active noise cancellation) – reportedly twice as effective as the previous AirPods Pro 2, and four times

10 September 2025

Audio Technology · Consumer Electronics · Gadgets · Headphones · Speakers

Audio Tech Shockwaves: Headphones & Speaker Surprises Rock the World (Sep 8–9, 2025)

Key Facts Flagship Headphones & Earbuds Unveiled Bose QuietComfort Ultra Gen 2: Defying the usual fanfare, Bose confirmed a surprise upgrade to its top noise-cancelling headphone. The QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) will hit shelves on October 2 at $449, the same MSRP as the current model tomsguide.com tomsguide.com. Key upgrades focus on audio fidelity and user experience. Notably, Bose added wired USB-C audio that enables lossless 16-bit/44.1–48 kHz playback when connected, whereas the first-gen relied on Bluetooth or a 2.5 mm analog jack tomsguide.com tomsguide.com. There’s also a new “Cinema Mode” in Bose’s Immersive Audio arsenal that widens the soundstage and lifts dialogue clarity

9 September 2025

Audio Technology · Consumer Electronics · Gadget News · Headphones · NYSE:SNE · Speakers

Bowers & Wilkins PX7 Headphones – Luxury Sound to Challenge Sony & Bose in 2025?

Key Facts about B&W PX7 Headphones (Current Models) Introduction: PX7 Overview and Legacy Bowers & Wilkins (B&W) has a rich audiophile heritage, and the PX7 wireless noise-canceling headphones carry that legacy into the modern era of Bluetooth and ANC. First launched in 2019, the original PX7 set the tone as a premium alternative to the likes of Bose and Sony – emphasizing high-fidelity sound and luxury build quality over gadgety features. Fast forward to today, and the “PX7” moniker actually refers to a series of over-ear ANC headphones, now in its third generation. The current model on shelves is the PX7 S2e (2023) – an evolution of

8 September 2025

2025 Trends · Audio Gear · Bowers & Wilkins · Headphones · Luxury Tech · NYSE:SNE

Audio Tech Weekend Explosion: New Headphones, Booming Speakers & Big Moves Rock the Sound World

Key Facts & Takeaways Product Launches Galore at IFA 2025 Flagship Headphones & Earbuds: Kicking off the flurry of product launches, Bose made headlines on September 5 by unveiling its next-generation QuietComfort Ultra series – a top-tier over-ear headphone alongside matching true wireless earbuds. These new “Ultra” models introduce Bose’s own Immersive Audio technology (the company’s take on spatial 3D sound) and upgrade to Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Sound platform for hi-res, lossless audio over Bluetooth ts2.tech ts2.tech. In practice, that means the QuietComfort Ultra Headphones finally migrate to USB-C and can deliver full CD-quality wireless playback (via the aptX Adaptive codec)

7 September 2025

Audio Tech · Consumer Electronics · Headphones · Music Gear · NASDAQ:QCOM · NYSE:SNE · Speakers

Headphone & Speaker Frenzy: Bose’s New Flagships, IFA Surprises & Audio Innovations (Sept 5–6, 2025)

Key Facts In-Depth Report Bose Debuts QuietComfort Ultra Flagship Headphones & Earbuds Bose made headlines by unveiling its next-generation QuietComfort Ultra series – a top-tier wireless over-ear headphone and matching true wireless earbuds. These new “Ultra” models introduce Bose’s own Immersive Audio technology (the company’s take on spatial 3D sound) and upgrade to Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Sound platform for hi-res, lossless audio over Bluetooth ts2.tech. In practice, that means the QuietComfort Ultra Headphones finally migrate to USB-C connectivity and can deliver full CD-quality wireless playback (via the aptX Adaptive codec) on supported devices ts2.tech. Bose also refreshed the design with more

6 September 2025

Audio · Gadgets · Headphones · IFA · NYSE:SNE · Speakers

Bose QuietComfort Ultra 2 Headphones Unveiled – Next-Gen ANC King Takes on AirPods Max and Sony

Introduction: A New Challenger in Premium Headphones Bose’s QuietComfort line has long been synonymous with top-tier noise-canceling headphones. On Sept 5, 2025, Bose introduced its second-generation QuietComfort Ultra headphones, a flagship pair designed to fend off growing competition from Sony and Apple bloomberg.com. Priced at $449 – the same as the previous model – the new QuietComfort Ultra 2 arrives with a suite of upgrades aimed at maintaining Bose’s ANC leadership and delivering more immersive sound for listeners bloomberg.com. The headphones go on sale October 2, 2025, with preorders already live bloomberg.com. This report dives into the QuietComfort Ultra 2’s

5 September 2025

Audio · Comparisons · Headphones · NASDAQ:AAPL · NYSE:SNE · Reviews · Technology

Massive Audio Tech Week: Flagship Headphones, Monster Speakers & More (Sept 4–5, 2025)

Full Report Bose Debuts QuietComfort Ultra Flagship Headphones & Earbuds Bose made headlines by unveiling its next-generation QuietComfort Ultra series – a top-tier wireless over-ear headphone and matching true wireless earbuds. These new Ultras introduce Bose’s own Immersive Audio technology (the company’s take on spatial 3D sound) and upgrade to Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Sound platform for hi-res, lossless audio over Bluetooth digitaltrends.com. In practice, that means the QuietComfort Ultra Headphones finally move to USB-C and can deliver full CD-quality wireless playback (via aptX Adaptive codec) on supported devices digitaltrends.com. Bose also refreshed the design and materials for a more premium feel

5 September 2025

Audio Technology · Gadgets · Headphones · NASDAQ:DLB · NASDAQ:QCOM · NYSE:SNE · Speakers · Tech Reviews