Gear News of the Week: Apple’s iPhone Event Gets a Date, and Plaud Upgrades Its AI Note-Taker

Apple has formally set a date for its iPhone September event, which is because of happen on September 9. This yr’s launch shall be held on the Steve Jobs Theater on Apple’s campus in Cupertino, California. The firm is predicted to unveil the iPhone 17 vary, which for the primary time will embrace the iPhone 17 Air—although that identify might change—Apple’s thinnest and lightest iPhone up to now. We’re additionally anticipating the Apple Watch Series 11, Apple Watch Ultra 3, and the AirPods Pro 3.

The invites included the tagline “Awe dropping,” together with the Apple emblem in shades of blue and inexperienced. These are rumored to be shade decisions for the iPhone 17 Pro units. The emblem additionally strikes like a warmth map on Apple’s website, which might allude to potential thermal enhancements within the upcoming units, or the rumored change again to aluminum as an alternative of titanium on the iPhone Pro fashions (which might additionally enhance thermals, anyway).

WIRED shall be on the bottom live-blogging the most recent from Apple’s presentation. In the meantime, you may brush up on all of the options coming to your iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Watch, as Apple often drops the following working system model proper after the occasion.

The Oura Ring.

Photograph: Simon Hill

Oura Is Building a Manufacturing Facility in Texas

Oura, the main international producer of good rings, introduced this week that it has plans to construct a manufacturing facility in Fort Worth, Texas. Oura’s largest enterprise buyer is the Department of Defense, and US-based manufacturing operations will assist its wants. Oura has despatched tens of 1000’s of rings to optimize efficiency throughout all branches of the US armed providers. It notes that its rings are being utilized in 4 key analysis areas: stress administration and resilience, health optimization, fatigue threat administration, and early sickness detection.

This announcement comes at a time when the good ring trade goes by way of a lot of shake-ups. The US International Trade Commission not too long ago dominated in favor of Oura in a patent infringement case towards rivals Ultrahuman and Ringconn, which have needed to pull their respective rings from the US market. This is especially unhealthy information for Ultrahuman, which has a facility in Plano, Texas, the place the corporate was planning to fabricate rings within the US to get round tariffs. Ultrahuman is also countersuing. (It’s all very messy.)

We’ll regulate the scenario because it evolves, however for now, US prospects may solely be capable to purchase an Oura ring. It’s an excellent factor it’s our favourite good ring. —Adrienne So

Courtesy of Plaud

Plaud Has a New Note Pin

Plaud makes a credit score card-sized AI note-taking system that listens to the world round you after which transcribes conversations, summarizing them into assembly notes with actionable insights. It started with the Plaud Note, then the Plaud NotePin, a wearable system, and this week the corporate unveiled the Plaud Note Pro ($179).

It shares an analogous card-shaped design with the unique, however now it options two further microphones to choose up audio at a wider vary. There’s additionally now a 0.95-inch AMOLED display screen that shows battery life, the present recording standing, and the mode. Unlike the unique, you needn’t flip a change to swap from recording calls to in-person conferences—the Pro will do it for you. Just long-press the button as soon as to begin recording. You can spotlight key info throughout a gathering with a brief press, and you’ll sort within the cellphone app concurrently so as to add your ideas; they will be contextualized to the recording immediately. Plaud additionally permits you to snap a photograph together with your cellphone so as to add further context.

Plaud’s Note Pro can determine and label particular person audio system in its transcriptions, and it might probably transcribe 112 languages. You also can ask Plaud (by way of the app) a particular query out of your notes, so there is no must hunt for key particulars. It employs massive language fashions from OpenAI, Google, and Anthropic. The Note Pro is up for preorder now and ships in October. You get 300 transcription minutes per thirty days, however you may must cough up $100 per yr to quadruple that and get entry to new options sooner. (There’s a plan that provides limitless transcription minutes for $240 yearly.)