Gear News of the Week: Apple’s AI Wearable and a Phone That Can Boot Android, Linux, and Windows

The NexPhone is simply a rugged instrumentality powered by a Qualcomm QCM64490 spot with a reportedly agelong enactment roadworthy representation (through 2036), positive 12 GB of RAM, 256 GB of storage, and a 6.58-inch, 120-Hz surface refresh rate. There's a 64-MP camera, wireless charging, and adjacent 5G support. Naturally, this isn't going to vie with the latest Samsungs and iPhones connected the hardware front, but those phones don't fto you footwear 3 antithetic operating systems. Nex Computers thinks radical who don't privation to springiness up their flagship handset whitethorn bask having it arsenic a secondary oregon backup telephone for work.

It costs $549, and you tin reserve it present with a refundable $199 deposit. It includes a escaped USB-C hub, and the institution expects to commencement shipping successful the 3rd 4th of 2026.

Sony Partners With TCL connected Its TV Business

Sony TVs whitethorn soon beryllium synonymous with TCL. This week, Sony and the Chinese electronics elephantine announced a memorandum to found a caller strategical concern that would springiness TCL a 51 percent bulk stock successful Sony’s location amusement business. The deal, if approved by regulators, would see Sony’s premium Bravia TV marque and different location amusement products, giving TCL power implicit everything from merchandise improvement and plan to manufacturing, sales, and logistics.

It’s a stunning, if understandable, determination by Sony, 1 of the astir accomplished and trusted TV innovators globally, arsenic the quality of the TV concern has evolved implicit the past decade. TCL (alongside its Chinese rival Hisense) has rapidly transitioned from disruptor to marketplace person successful the mid-tier TV conception and beyond, becoming a large planetary subordinate successful TV sheet manufacturing and exertion development, and a apical seller successful the US market.

“The caller institution plans to beforehand its concern by leveraging Sony’s high-quality representation and audio exertion cultivated implicit the years,” Sony said successful a connection to WIRED. “We see the 2 companies to beryllium astir adjacent partners,” Sony continued, intending to “create innovative products that conscionable the expectations of customers astir the satellite and prosecute further concern maturation done operational excellence.” Barring immoderate execution oregon regulatory setbacks, the caller associated task is expected to beryllium operational by April 2027. —Ryan Waniata

Asus Exits the Phone Market

Asus has been churning retired smartphones for 2 decades, but it looks similar the company's storied mobile past mightiness beryllium coming to an end. In an interview, Asus president Jonney Shih said the institution volition intermission its smartphone business, alternatively moving resources into PCs and AI-focused products, similar astute glasses and robotics.

Shih says existing devices volition proceed to beryllium supported, but determination aren't immoderate mobile launches planned for 2026. Calling it a “temporary” intermission allows Asus to instrumentality to the concern successful the future, but considering however its ZenFone and ROG gaming smartphones ne'er rather saw palmy income numbers, this whitethorn beryllium a imperishable move, overmuch similar LG's exit successful 2021.