Meta is expected to unveil its display-enabled smart glasses in September, and the first wave of Google’s Android XR smart glasses will arrive in 2026. If you like Halo’s approach, you can make a $249 deposit now for the Halo X.
Google Teases a Nest Speaker
Courtesy of Google
Google held its annual hardware event this week, where it launched new Pixel 10 phones, a Pixel Watch 4, and Pixel Buds 2a wireless earbuds. It didn’t announce any Nest products, but during a segment of the show, we might have gotten a glimpse of a new Nest smart speaker. That’s a big deal, because Google hasn’t released a Nest speaker in 5 years. The device looks like a squashed HomePod Mini, with a ring of LEDs on the underside that light up when Gemini speaks.
That’s the other component—Gemini is coming to Google Home. It’s finally replacing Google Assistant, and that means you’ll be able to interact with the assistant much more naturally and control all of your smart home devices without having to say rigid commands. That includes Gemini Live for a much faster back-and-forth conversation with the assistant. Google’s blog post says early access to Gemini for Home will begin in October, and it will replace Assistant on existing speakers and displays “over time.” That might suggest a new Nest Speaker will kick off the new capabilities.
Masimo Sues Again Over Apple’s SpO2 Tech
Last week, we reported that Apple had “redesigned” its blood oxygen sensing tool to get around a patent infringement suit brought by Masimo, and that blood oxygen sensing had returned to the Apple Watch Series 9, 10, and Ultra 2. On Wednesday, August 20, Masimo sued US Customs and Border Protection, saying that CBP had unlawfully allowed Apple to reactivate the feature, as reported by Bloomberg Law.
In the complaint, Masimo notes that CBP had reversed the ruling in an ex parte decision without Masimo’s knowledge, in spite of the fact that the agency normally requires both parties to be heard. In addition, Masimo also noted that this reversal comes after Apple committed an additional $100 billion in US investment for a total of $600 billion, in a ceremony where Apple CEO Tim Cook presented Trump with an engraved glass disk mounted on a 24K-gold base. Masimo has asked the court for a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction to block CBP’s ruling and to restore the January 2024 decision to sell the watches only if the sensing has been disabled. For the time being, your Series 9, 10, and Ultra 2 have blood oxygen sensing; we will soon see whether this year’s Watch 11 will have it as well. —Adrienne So
Insta360 Launches a New Action Camera
Photograph: Scott Gilbertson
Insta360 has announced the Go Ultra, a new action camera in the company’s tiny Go series. Like its predecessor, the Go 3S, the Go Ultra consists of a body and a detachable camera pod. Unlike the pill-shaped detachable element of previous Go cameras, the Go Ultra pod is square. It’s still light (58 grams) and the built-in magnetic back means it can mount in places other cameras can’t.
