Feed aggregator

Thrustmaster T128: One-minute review

The Thrustmaster T128 is a budget racing wheel designed for those after a beginner-friendly experience. Its looks are fairly underwhelming, with its outdated gamer stylings failing to make a great impression. The wheel itself is quite small and has a thin rim, which will suit some hands more than others.

In terms of premium design, the T128 falls short of what some rivals have to offer. While it’s certainly not flimsy, it’s hardly a premium feeling unit, with cost-saving materials employed all over.

It is at least quite light and small, which helps make installation and setup easier compared to some of the best racing wheels. I also found the clamping mechanism much better than those used on other Thrustmaster wheels I’ve tried.

However, installation is hampered somewhat by the awkward placement of the ports, which are inaccessible when the wheel base is clamped down. This means any time you want to remove or reconnect the various cables, you'll have to uninstall the wheel altogether, which is inconvenient.

What’s more, the T128 won’t install on certain dedicated stands, such as the GT Omega Apex I have, since there are no screw holes for fixing the wheel base directly to it.

Once installed, though, the T128 is quick to get going. For Xbox users, it’s a simple case of plug-and-play, although firmware updates do require a PC tool. There’s also a tool for making force feedback and other tweaks, with a generous selection of parameters considering the budget nature of the T128.

The T128 is even better in action. I was pleasantly surprised by just how responsive and connected it feels, making it joy to race with. The force feedback settings, as with other Thrustmaster wheels I’ve tried, are too strong on their highest settings for my liking, although here it’s perhaps a little weaker than usual.

The T2PM pedals are nice and light, which makes them easy to use, although the brake pedal lacks resistance, which can make it difficult to gauge how hard you’re pressing it. It’s still usable enough, though, and I didn’t have an issue with the relatively cramped layout of the pedals either.

All things considered, the T128 offers plenty of fun for the money, undercutting many other wheels and even outperforming some of Thrustmaster’s more expensive offerings. It might not have a standout design, but there aren’t too many wheels at this price that offer such a good time.

(Image credit: Future)Thrustmaster T128 review: Price and availability

• $‌199.99 / £149.99 (about AU$312)
• Available now
• Cheaper than many rivals

The T128 costs $‌199.99 / £149.99 (around AU$312) and is available now. A PlayStation compatible edition is also available. This makes the T128 one of the cheapest in Thrustmaster’s line-up, and one of the best Xbox racing wheels for those on a budget. I was more impressed with it than the T300RS, for instance, which is considerably more expensive yet underperforms by comparison, although its design is more premium.

If you’re looking for another great value racing wheel, the Logitech G920 is another very capable option. It’s still considerably more expensive than the T128, but the build quality is far superior, and the performance is excellent in all aspects.

Thrustmaster T128 review: Specs

Price

$‌199.99 / £149.99 (about AU$312)

Weight

9lbs / 5kg

Peak torque

2Nm

Features

Handbrake buttons, 4 engine speed display RPM LEDs

Connection type

USB-A

Compatibility

Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, PC

Software

Thrustmaster Control Panel

Thrustmaster T128 review: Design and features

• Cheap but functional
• Light and easy to install
• Software tool more advanced than it looks

The T128 doesn't make a great first impression. Its material feels cheap, and the styling is quite outdated, with a few touches that pander to the gaming crowd, harking back to a bygone era.

The wheel itself is small and the rim quite thin, which would make it ideal for younger players and those with smaller hands. As a whole, the unit is also very light, which makes it easy to install and move around, and yet it feels surprisingly sturdy at the same time.

It’s a similar story with the T2PM pedal set, which is also very light and small, meaning the layout might be a little too cramped for some. However, it managed to stay planted on the carpeted surface I used it on, and appears more durable than you might expect.

One gripe I have with the pedal set, though, is its length. It’s too short, which meant I couldn't trail it behind my desk; instead, I had to let it dangle right beside me, which isn’t ideal.

Another drawback of the T128’s design is the poor port placement. When the wheel base is clamped to a desk, the ports are inaccessible, which means you have to attach the various cables prior to installation, making the process a little more awkward. It also means you have to unclamp the wheel any time you want to unplug or reconnect them.

(Image credit: Future)

Fortunately, the clamping system is easy to use, and much better than those of other Thrustmaster wheels I’ve tried. The screw has a plastic handle, which is easy to turn and lock into place, as well as being readily accessible.

There’s a pleasing selection of buttons on the T128 and they’re almost as tactile as what you’d find on the best Xbox controllers. You get a close to full Xbox layout with a few extra inputs thrown in, such as two handbrake buttons and an RSB and LSB buttons, which are compatible with certain games only.

The T128 also features paddle shifters, which are better than I was expecting. They curve slightly to help secure your fingers, and their positioning is ideal, if placed a little too far inwards, which can make them a stretch to reach at times.

Setting up the T128 is a simple process, especially for Xbox users, who only have to plug it into their console. However, as with other Thrustmaster wheels, be sure to keep well out of the way as soon as you power the T128 on, as it immediately fires up its self-calibration feature. Thankfully, this isn’t as violent as with other Thrustmaster wheels, but still worth noting all the same.

To update the firmware, you’ll need to download the PC tool for this purpose. There’s also a tweaking tool, known as the Thrustmaster Control Panel, which looks rather rudimentary and lacks refinement, but is deceptively capable.

It functions well and provides a pleasing amount of tweaks, including multiple parameters for the force feedback. Again, this is all very welcome on a budget racing wheel such as the T128.

Thrustmaster T128 review: Performance

• Fun and accurate steering
• Plenty of force feedback settings
• Brake pedal's a little too light

The T128 acquits itself very well when racing. Steering is accurate and responsive, with plenty of feel and capable of offering smooth and rapid movements in equal measure.

As with other Thrustmaster wheels, the force feedback is very strong – too much so on its maximum setting, although perhaps still less than on other models. But once adjusted appropriately, the T128 provides surprisingly nuanced immersion, although there’s a buzzing sensation that’s a little overbearing at times.

The paddle shifters are solid and snappy, with just enough dampening to make them satisfying to flick. They also provide sufficient feedback, and I was surprised at just how capable they were on this budget wheel.

I was also pleasantly surprised by the T2PM pedal set. I found them quite fun and easy to use, owing to their light actuation. The cramped layout didn’t cause an issue for me either, despite having grievances with similarly tight designs on other pedal sets.

(Image credit: Future)

However, the brake pedal is lacking in feedback somewhat, which can make it hard to judge how much pressure to exert. But overall, both the throttle and the brake provide enough control for modulated inputs.

The T128 also features a gear change indicator in the form of multicolored LEDs, known as the 4 engine speed display RPM LEDs, although I found this quite imprecise in practice. For instance, when playing Forza Motorsport, their progress wasn’t all that smooth, and seemed to reach their peak before the in-game indicator did. Still, it’s a welcome feature to have for a basic visual cue, especially if you like to play with a camera angle that omits the steering wheel from view.

Should I buy the Thrustmaster T128?

(Image credit: Future)Buy it if...

You want an entry-level racing wheel
Die-hard racers might not get enough from the T128, but for those dipping their toes in, this is a good place to start.

You want to save money
The T128 is on the cheaper end of the market, and its good value considering the performance and features on offer here.

Don't buy it if...

You want a premium design
The materials aren’t exactly luxurious, and the overall aesthetic just looks cheap.

You want better pedals
The pedals perform quite well for the most part, but the brake pedal is perhaps a little too light, and there’s no clutch pedal.

Thrustmaster T128 review: also consider

If you're on the hunt for other budget racing wheels, here are some alternatives to the Thrustmaster T128:

Thrustmaster T128

Logitech G920

Thrustmaster T248

Price

$‌199.99 / £149.99 (around AU$312)

$299.99 / £349.99 / AU$549.95

$399.99 / £299.99 / AU$599.99

Weight

9lbs / 5kg

12lbs / 5.4kg

6lbs / 2.7kg

Peak torque

2Nm

2.3Nm

3.5Nm

Features

Handbrake buttons, 4 engine speed display RPM LEDs

Stainless steel paddle shifters, three-pedal base

Hybrid FF system, 2 dual-position encoders, three-pedal base

Connection type

USB-A

USB-A

USB-A

Compatibility

Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, PC

Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, PC

Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, PC

Logitech G920
A close rival to the T128 in the budget realm is the Logitech G920. It’s not as cheap as the T128, but it has a much more premium design and performs very well in all areas. For these reasons, we think it’s one of the best entry-level racing wheels on the market right now.

Read our full Logitech G920 review

Thrustmaster T248
Another Thrustmaster special, we think the T248 is the best PS5 racing wheel for those looking for a mid-range experience. Similar to the T128, it’s an easy wheel to use, helped by its stability even when clamped to a desk. We also found its pedal set excellent, which, unlike the T128, includes a clutch pedal.

Read our full Thrustmaster T248 review.

How I tested the Thrustmaster T128

• Tested for a day
• Played racing sims
• Experience reviewing racing wheels

I tested the T128 for a day, clamping it to a desk. Unfortunately, it isn’t compatible with certain racing stands, such as the GT Omega Apex that I have, as there’s no way to affix the wheel with screws or bolts.

It should also be noted that the wheel isn’t compatible with cloud gaming or other streamed games; it only works with games downloaded onto your console or drive.

I played Forza Motorsport on an Xbox Series S, which is a competent racing sim on the console that provides a sterling test for racing wheels. I set the in-game steering setting to simulation mode and turned all driving assists off.

I’ve been gaming for decades and racing sims are one of my favorite games to play. I have experienced a number of different racing wheels and reviewed various models as well, including others made by Thrustmaster.

• First reviewed: May 2025
• Read more about how we test

• Big changes are coming to watchOS and tvOS
• They'll apparently match updates to iOS and macOS
• Expect an official unveiling on June 9, at WWDC

We now know Apple's Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) for 2025 is getting underway on Monday, June 9, and now we've got more of an idea about the software updates likely to be announced at the showcase this year.

According to Mark Gurman at Bloomberg, Apple is going to introduce a major interface refresh for watchOS 12 and tvOS 19 – as well as iOS 19 and macOS 16 – which is partly inspired by the look of the visionOS software on the Apple Vision Pro.

While iOS 19 and macOS 16 are likely to attract more of the headlines, Gurman already told us back in March that these operating systems were getting an overhaul in terms of their design. Now Apple Watches and Apple TVs have been added to the list.

The new look for Apple's software is apparently known as 'Solarium' internally, referencing those glass rooms that let in lots of sunlight, and it's said to be "slicker and more modern" in terms of its appearance than the current software.

A 'widely felt' overhaul

WWDC 2025 is on the way (Image credit: Apple)

We don't get much in the way of detail here, and Gurman hasn't provided any screenshots of what the software interface updates might look like, but it's fair to say that the visionOS platform does have a clean and elegant look that works well.

Even if the Apple Vision Pro hasn't exactly been breaking any sales records, its software is intuitive and user-friendly, and apparently Apple is keen to extend the look across all of its other devices throughout the rest of the year.

The company usually sticks to the same schedule every 12 months: a grand unveiling at WWDC, followed by several months of beta testing before the software is pushed out to everyone (usually in September for iOS and watchOS).

"While iOS 7 in 2013 was the biggest-ever visual change to the iPhone's software, the latest overhaul will be much more widely felt," says Gurman. We will of course be bringing you all the big announcements and news from WWDC as it happens next month.

You might also like

• Everything that Apple added in watchOS 11
• 5 new features to look forward to in iOS 19
• tvOS brings an important bug fix with it

Hollyland Lark M2S Combo: two-minute review

Understatement isn’t a common characteristic among content creators, but it’s a winning feature for this wireless mic kit. With two tiny receivers weighing just 7g apiece, the Hollyland Lark M2S is designed to fly under the radar. Hooked over your collar, only a small part of each pick-up is visible. The result is an audio solution that doesn’t distract your audience.

It’s also a versatile one. Available in several variations, the Hollyland Lark M2S Combo kit on test here includes two transmitters, a USB-C mobile receiver and a cold-shoe unit that connects to cameras via USB-C or 3.5mm. There’s also a Lightning cable in the box for connecting to legacy Apple devices. That makes it a pretty complete kit, whatever you choose to shoot with.

Each transmitter is held in place by a rubberized clip, with grips at the tips for extra security. Many of the best wireless mics used magnetic backs to give you more flexibility when positioning. In practise, most users will want the mic on their lapel anyway – and even with the hook on show, the M2S is as subtle as they come.

Despite their discreet size, the omnidirectional pick-ups do a better job than any built-in mic, whether you’re shooting with a smartphone or one of the best video cameras. How the 24-bit audio signal is processed depends on the pre-amp inside your recording device, but voice clips are generally clear and rich enough for the casual listener.

(Image credit: Chris Rowlands)

Blustery conditions can be an issue. The bundled windshields do a good job of buffering against buffeting, though attaching them raises the profile of the mics. You also have the option of enabling noise reduction. This tends to flatten and crisp up the sound slightly, but it’s an effective solution where background noise would otherwise be too intrusive.

Noise cancellation can be activated by pressing the single button found on each transmitter, the button on the USB-C receiver or the dial on the camera receiver. The latter is also used to adjust the output volume, while a long-press switches between mono and stereo recording. That makes the interface sound more complicated than it is. There is a slight learning curve, but once you’ve got your head around the meaning of each indicator light, it’s intuitive enough.

Battery life is far from featherweight, with each transmitter rated for up to nine hours on a single charge. Returning them to the charging case yields a further 18, giving the whole package some serious longevity. Together with its neat proportions, that makes it an attractive solution for creators who need to shoot on the go – even though the case itself feels quite plasticky and the components are prone to rattling inside.

Other wireless mics feel more premium, while the DJI Mic Mini uses a neater single receiver. But if you want a compact and cost-effective way to upgrade your audio quality, the Hollyland Lark M2S Combo kit offers solid value.

(Image credit: Chris Rowlands)Hollyland Lark M2S Combo: price and release date

• $149 / £140 / AU$269 for the Combo kit
• Includes 2x mics, 2x receivers, Lightning cable and charging case
• Several kit versions available for different devices

Launched in January 2025 as a follow-up to the Lark M2, the Hollyland Lark M2S wireless mic is available to buy now in one of several bundle variations. On test here is the Combo kit ($149 / £140 / AU$269), which includes the following:

• Transmitters x2
• Receiver (camera)
• Receiver (USB-C)
• Charging case
• Windshields x2
• 3.5mm cable
• USB-C to Lightning cable
• USB-A to USB-C cable

The Combo kit is designed to give content creators the flexibility to work with both smartphones and cameras. The Lightning cable allows you to connect the camera receiver to older Apple devices. The Combo kit offers good value for what’s included, but other options will be better suited to specific creator requirements.

The cheapest Hollyland Lark M2S option is the barebones USB-C kit ($119 / £110 / AU$219). This includes two transmitters and a USB-C receiver for use with a smartphone. With no option to connect to a camera, it’s the best choice for mobile-only recording.

The next step up is the Mini Combo ($139 / £130 / AU$249), which is the same as the Combo kit, except it doesn’t include a Lightning adapter cable. It’s the best choice if you want the flexibility to connect to a camera and USB-C smartphone.

Top of the pile is the Ultimate Combo ($159 / £150 / AU$289). In addition to the USB-C and camera receivers, this adds a dedicated Lightning receiver to the mix. Given that the Combo kit includes a Lightning cable, there are few people for who this will be a necessity. Unless you absolutely need a physical Lightning receiver, this version is best seen as a legacy option.

(Image credit: Chris Rowlands)Hollyland Lark M2S Combo: specs

Dimensions

24 × 9mm (transmitter), 40 × 16.7 × 9mm (mobile receiver), 40.5 × 25.5 × 13mm (camera receiver), 86 × 39 × 60.5mm (case)

Weight

7g (transmitter), 6g (mobile receiver), 12g (camera receiver), 110g (case)

Range

300m

Connectivity

USB-C, Lightning, 3.5mm

Battery

9 hours, plus 18 hours from the charging case

Audio

24-bit

On-board recording

No

Noise cancelling

Yes

(Image credit: Chris Rowlands)Hollyland Lark M2S Combo: Design

• Lightweight transmitters with built-in rubber clips
• USB-C receiver with two indicator lights
• Camera receiver with indicator lights and control dial

Dinky is the order of the day with the Lark M2S. From the tiny transmitters (7g each) to the compact camera receiver (12g), everything in the bundle is ultra-light. The components weigh less than almost every other kit in our list of the best wireless mics, including the DJI Mic Mini and the Rode Wireless Micro.

Despite being housed in plastic, the transmitters and receivers feel well-built and sturdy enough for long-term use. The little orange buttons on each device give satisfying feedback, as does the click-scroll of the control dial on the cold-shoe adapter. It’s only the charging case that lets the side down: the hinge for the lid creaks and moves, while the parts rattle around while charging inside.

Still, for a low-weight, low-cost kit, the Lark M2S feels like it’s been assembled with thought. Effort has certainly gone into the design of the transmitters. Most wireless mic kits have rectangular units held in place by a magnetic back. This gives you versatility when mounting, but means the pick-up is quite visible in video footage.

Hollyland has taken a different approach with the Lark M2S. The transmitters are attached by a U-shaped hook with a titanium arm inside. This clips over a collar, with rubber ridges on either side for extra grip. It’s a foolproof solution: it has enough flexibility to fit over different fabrics, with sufficient resistance to hold firm. No magnets means one less piece to lose – and most users will place the mic on a hem anyway.

The added benefit is that the larger side of the transmitter unit is hidden beneath your clothing. Only part of the arm and the smaller puck sits on the outside. The result is a very subtle setup. With mini dimensions and no branding, the mic could easily go unnoticed in interview footage. It’s a lot less distracting than larger alternatives.

Image 1 of 3

(Image credit: Chris Rowlands)Image 2 of 3

(Image credit: Chris Rowlands)Image 3 of 3

(Image credit: Chris Rowlands)

That design does mean the button and indicator light on the transmitter are hard to access when you’re wearing it, particularly as the little LED is obscured beneath the hook arm. Helpfully, there are corresponding lights on the receiver units which indicate the mode and connection status.

The user experience differs slightly depending on which receiver you’re using, but the setup is the definition of plug-and-play. Recording on mobile couldn’t be simpler: remove the transmitters and mobile receiver from the case, insert the USB-C unit into your smartphone and the two LEDs will turn solid to show that everything is connected. The single orange button on the receiver toggles noise cancelling on (green light) or off (blue light). You’re good to go.

Connecting to a camera is no more complicated. Take the cold-shoe receiver and transmitters out of the case and they’ll pair automatically. Then simply hook it up to your camera via 3.5mm or USB-C (or both at the same time) and you’ll get an audio signal. You can also use the bundled USB-C to Lightning cable to connect the camera receiver to an older Apple device.

The camera receiver’s interface is a touch more complicated than the mobile one. You get the same LEDs for connection and noise cancelling status, plus an orange button for power. Then there's an arc of three additional lights to indicate the output volume, which can be adjusted by turning the dial. Pressing the dial changes the noise reduction setting, while a long-press switches between mono and stereo.

There’s a slight learning curve when it comes to the meaning of each LED, but it’s intuitive enough to get your head around after a few minutes. What you don’t get is any kind of display for real-time audio monitoring. That’s a luxury reserved for premium mics that cost and weigh more. It’s also one that’s absent from the DJI Mic Mini and Rode Wireless Micro.

Hollyland Lark M2S Combo: Performance

• Omnidirectional audio with optional noise cancelling
• 9 hours battery life (transmitter), 18 hours battery life (case)
• Up to 300m range

Rating audio quality is a tricky thing, because it depends on your expectations. If you’re a professional sound engineer, you’ll find things to fault with what the Hollyland Lark M2S produces. But if you’re comparing it to the built-in mic on your smartphone or camera, the M2S is leagues ahead.

The additional caveat here is that results are influenced by the device you’re using and its built-in pre-amp. Send the same signal from the Lark M2S to an iPhone and a DSLR camera, as I did, and you’ll notice differences which result from how each device processes the audio.

The Hollyland Lark M2S has strong foundations. It records 24-bit audio at 48khz, which sets it up well for capturing detail. You can also set the output level to high, giving your device more to work with. Serious users will balk at the lack of 32-bit float recording or on-board storage, but that reflects the target market of the M2S. There’s enough detail and depth here to satisfy content creators and anyone who wants to improve the quality of their voiceovers.

The omnidirectional pick-ups do a decent job of isolating speech against background hubbub. As with many wireless mics, though, wind noise is an issue. The bundled fluffy windshields help to tackle this, but also make the mics more visible.

Your other option is to enable Environmental Noise Cancellation. This is highly effective at limiting the impact of blustery conditions on your recordings. It also works well at reducing traffic noise to a barely audible level. The trade-off is that noise cancelling tends to make vocals sound slightly flatter and more processed – although not as significantly as some wireless mics.

(Image credit: Chris Rowlands)

You can adjust the level of noise cancelling through the LarkSound app, with high and low options. Usefully, the app can also be used to monitor the audio level from each mic in real time, giving you a visual indication of whether the gain setting needs to be changed to avoid clipping. This can be controlled in the app, as can the channel mode, which allows you to switch from mono to stereo recording when using the camera receiver.

Transmission range is rated at 300m. Unless you’re working at telephoto distances, there are few occasions when you’d need to be that far from your recording device. Still, with a clear line of sight from transmitter to receiver, I didn’t encounter any signal drop-out at a distance of about 100 paces. That changed as soon as something came between the two. In reality, most users will work at close range, where clear transmission won’t be an issue.

Longevity is also assured. Despite the miniature dimensions of the Lark M2S, battery life comes in at a competitive nine hours. The case can also recharge the components twice over, giving you a total recording time of close to 30 hours before you’ll need to use a wall charger. The case itself needs around 90 minutes to go from flat to full.

It’s unlikely that most users will encounter a shoot where they have to record for 9 hours straight, but it’s reassuring to know that the Lark M2S can live through a lot of takes before it needs returning to the case. Using it as many content creators would – on the move, taking out the components to record clips on location, then storing them back in the case – the M2S simply ran and ran. For such a compact kit, the battery life is seriously impressive. This is a wireless mic that’s easy to live with.

Should I buy the Hollyland Lark M2S Combo?Buy it if…

You want a discreet wireless mic kit

Thanks to a low-profile lapel clip design, the Lark M2S transmitters hide most of their mass behind your collar. Paired with a lightweight build and one-button interface, the mics offer a simple, subtle solution for recording audio content.

You want cleaner audio for your content

Recording 24-bit audio at 48Khz, the Lark M2S can capture voiceovers with more detail than your device’s built-in microphone. Bundled windshields and the optional noise reduction mode help to reduce background sound, too.

You want a plug-and-play setup

The Combo kit comes pre-paired out of the charging case. Connect the mobile or camera unit to your device and you’re ready to go. Lights on the receivers and transmitters make it easy to check mode and connection status.

Don’t buy it if…

You want transmitters to clip anywhere

The clip-on transmitters are neat and tidy, but the rubber hook design means they can only be worn on a lapel or collar. Other wireless mics have magnetic backs that offer more versatility in where you can wear them.

You want bulletproof audio quality

By producing a 24-bit signal, the Lark M2S is capable of decent results. That said, sound quality can be affected by noise cancellation, as well as the quality of the pre-amp in the device that you’re working with.

You only need smartphone audio

This Combo Kit includes a cold-shoe and USB-C receiver, as well as a Lightning adapter cable. If you only create content with a smartphone, you can save money by choosing the standard kit, which ditches the camera module.

Hollyland Lark M2S Combo: also consider

Hollyland Lark M2S

Rode Wireless Micro

DJI Mic Mini

Dimensions

Transmitter: 24 × 9mm (transmitter)
Mobile receiver: 40 × 16.7 × 9mm
Camera receiver: 40.5 × 25.5 × 13mm

Transmitter: 40 x 27 x 17mm
Receiver:
44 x 24 x 9mm

26.55 x 26.06 x 15.96mm

Weight

7g (transmitter), 6g (mobile receiver), 12g (camera receiver), 110g (case)

12g (transmitter, without magnet), 102g for the whole kit

10g (transmitter, without magnet)

Transmission range

300m

100m

400m

Connectivity

USB-C, Lightning, 3.5mm

USB-C or Lightning

USB-C / Lightning, 3.5mm

Battery

9 hours, plus 18 hours from the charging case

7 hours, plus two additional charges from the fully charged case for a total of 21 hours

11.5 hours (transmitter), 10.5 hours (receiver), up to 48 hours with fully charged case

Audio

24-bit

24-bit

24-bit

Noise cancelling

Yes

No

Yes

Bluetooth

No

No

Yes

Rode Wireless Micro

A simple, reliable solution for recording quality smartphone audio, the Rode Wireless Micro captures 24-bit audio with zero fuss. It’s available in Lightning and USB-C versions, with no camera connectivity. The transmitters are visibly bigger than the Lark M2S, but they do have the flexibility of magnetic mounting.

Read our Rode Wireless Micro review

DJI Mic Mini

The DJI Mic Mini is a compact wireless mic. It comes with just one receiver that works with both smartphones and cameras, meaning there’s less kit to think about. An optional Lightning adapter is available, too. You can even record 16-bit audio directly via Bluetooth, without using the receiver.

Read our DJI Mic Mini in-depth review

(Image credit: Chris Rowlands)How I tested the Hollyland Lark M2S Combo

• Tested extensively over several weeks
• Paired with both the camera and USB-C receivers
• Recorded audio in a range of indoor and outdoor settings

Given that the Hollyland Lark M2S is a wireless mic kit that’s designed to let content creators capture quality audio on the go, that’s how I approached this review. I packed the kit in my backpack every time I headed out of the house, then recorded voiceover content wherever the day took me.

That meant I captured audio clips in a whole range of settings and scenarios, from noisy cafes to windy walks along busy roads. I tested the transmitters at all three volume levels, with and without the windshields installed, and with noise reduction enabled and disabled. This gave me a catalog of recordings with which to make comparisons on clarity and quality.

Because the Lark M2S Combo is pitched as a full kit for creators, I tested it with both the USB-C mobile receiver and the cold-shoe camera adapter. With the latter, I wired up to a Nikon D7100 using a 3.5mm cable, as well as using the bundled Lightning cable to connect an iPhone 12.

During my time with the Lark M2S, I tried to use it as someone might do in the real world. That meant clipping the transmitters to different items of clothing. I also purposefully interacted with interface before consulting the instructions in detail, to get a realistic idea of how accessible the system is for beginners.

• First reviewed: May 2025
• Read more about how we test

Efforts to improve officers' mental health have grown over the past five years. They were sparked in part by the death of George Floyd, which prompted a wave of anti- police protests.

(Image credit: Katja Ridderbusch)

If you'd told me at the start of 2025 that a Seth Rogen comedy about a movie studio would be the best thing I'd seen halfway through the year, I wouldn’t have believed you.

The Studio on Apple TV+ is a sharp, inventive workplace comedy co-created by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg. On paper, it follows Matt Remick (Seth Rogen) as a new studio head who struggles to balance his love for film with actually doing his job.

I say “on paper” because it's more than that. It's a light-hearted satire of Hollywood that touches on its politically correct (and not-so-correct) practices, the human follies capable of ruining movies and the impact studios have on artists.

It's special in other ways, too. One episode depicts Matt on a film set where the director, under severe time constraints, tries to capture a one-shot at sunset – while the episode itself is a single shot. Or another one that's portrayed like a '40s crime noir as he and his right-hand man Sal (Ike Barenholtz) have to find missing film.

Indeed, The Studio highlights Apple's ongoing commitment to producing high-caliber content. While many other platforms are spraying content like tommy guns and hoping something sticks, Apple is a precise sniper that (usually) hits its target.

Last year, Apple TV+ beat Netflix and Prime Video for our Streaming Service of the Year award and it's continuing to prove its dominance in 2025.

Quality over quantity

(Image credit: Apple)

There's a big reason that Apple flies under the radar.

According to JustWatch, in the USA Paramount+ has 1,325 titles, Disney+ has 2,057, Netflix offers 7,270 and Prime Video boasts an industry-leading 24,184 – more than 20,000 movies and almost 3,000 TV shows (though this number may be boosted by rentable movies and inclusions from other platforms).

Apple TV+ has just 286.

This makes it hard to recommend it as a primary service. It won't let you watch 10 Things I Hate About You for the 17th time, the 30th spin-off of Real Housewives or every Seinfeld episode while you eat dinner.

I don't want to bad-talk other services too much. Just this year Disney+ and Max have added new seasons of great shows like Andor, The Last of Us and The White Lotus, while Prime and Netflix added new series in Narrow Road to the Deep North series and Adolescence.

But they're diamonds in the rough. Where other services spend billions on diverse libraries, Apple spends hundreds of millions on making sure its original content is elite.

And, if you're yet to subscribe to Apple TV+ (or haven't explored it since Ted Lasso), there's such an incredible wealth of content to discover. With shows like Black Bird, Shrinking, Maters of the Air, Bad Monkey, Slow Horses, Dickinson, Bad Sisters and a whole lot more, it could be your primary service – at least for a few months out of every year.

Still, despite it's quality, Apple TV+ offers a small content library. But, it makes up for that in a key way.

Better and cheaper with no ads

(Image credit: Apple TV Plus)

One time I casually mentioned in our guide to the best streaming services that Apple TV+ is the best-value streaming service on the market. My colleague questioned this by asking, "Isn't Prime Video… free?"

In a sense, that's true. Prime Video is a free inclusion with a $14.99 / £8.99 / AU$9.99 Amazon Prime subscription. That's with ads now, mind you – you now have to pay $2.99 / £2.99 / AU$2.99 to go ad free.

If you're a regular Amazon shopper, that value is hard to beat. But Prime Video also doesn’t have the nicest user experience.

Let's take a quick glance at the Prime Video app – and it’s a similar setup across many operating systems. There's the Featured Originals and Exclusives section at the top, followed by Subscriptions You Might Like featuring Apple TV+, MGM+, Bein Sports and many others. Then there's New Release movies for rent or purchase and Top TV Shows, many of which aren't even available on Prime.

It’s comparatively overwhelming and cluttered, which is the main reason I hardly ever use it… unless I'm watching a specific series like The Boys, Invincible or something new from The Inspired Unemployed boys.

Meanwhile, Apple TV+ offers a clean, intuitive UI. Items are easy to find, and its library is easy to explore. And – bonus – there's not thousands of titles to sift through. The store is also clearly separated from subscription-inclusive content.

And it does all this at a price that beats every other service (except perhaps Prime Video, depending on where in the world you live) out of the water.

How much cheaper is it?

(Image credit: Apple TV +)

An Apple TV+ subscription costs just $9.99 / £8.99 / AU$12.99 with no ads – competing with many competitors’ cheapest ad-based tiers, as you can see below.

Service

US Price

UK Price

AU Price

Netflix

$7.99

£5.99

AU$7.99

Disney+

$9.99

£4.99

Not available

HBO Max

$9.99

Not available

AU$11.99

The price discrepancy becomes even more stark when you look at the prices of a premium subscription from the services above.

Service

US Price

UK Price

AU Price

Netflix (Premium)

$24.99

£18.99

AU$25.99

Disney+ (Premium)

$19.99

£12.99

AU$20.99

HBO Max (Premium)

$20.99

Not available

AU$21.99

And that’s my argument for how its smaller library is offset by access to superior drama, thriller and comedy series at a compelling price point.

Consider recent acclaimed shows such as Adolescence, Baby Reindeer, and Beef from Netflix, or Shōgun and The Bear on Disney+, alongside the best shows on HBO Max. These are as good as TV gets, but such standouts are few and far between on most platforms – with perhaps the exception of HBO.

While Apple might not reach those highs with every new show, it certainly tries to be consistent with the quality it provides.

Even some of the worst series on Apple TV+ by IMDB rating – like Before, Prime Target, Government Cheese and Sunny – still have a maintain a level of quality that is too often absent from other services.

The flip side is that its smaller library is a big reason that its subscriber numbers are dwarfed by its competitors (according to FlixPatrol). And, while many of the best streaming services have recently become profitable (per Forbes), Apple TV+ is not.

However, given Apple is worth almost three trillion dollars – and Netflix is worth $500 billion – it can afford not to be. Which is good for its existing subscribers because, as well as a generally higher quality production, Apple's budget is most noticeable through its casts.

It's a star-led league

(Image credit: Apple TV Plus)

If The Studio was made by any other service, would it have worked? Probably, but I don’t think so.

We pondered back in 2020 – when Scorsese decided to sign with Apple over Netflix and other services – whether Scorsese signed simply because Apple has more cash to burn on a single director. It certainly has more cash to flash, but that's not the only reason that it attracts top-tier talent now.

It was a landmark occasion for Apple TV+ when CODA won the Academy Award for Best Picture at the Oscars in 2022. It proved that streaming services could go toe-to-toe with "real" movies if they tried.

It seems clear that people see Apple working with people like Scorsese, Tom Hanks and Ridley Scott – creating films like Killers of the Flower Moon – and want to get involved, even with projects they wouldn't usually. Just look at the highly-anticipated F1 starring Brad Pitt.

(Image credit: Apple TV+)

That's why I don't think any other service could get Martin Scorsese to have his heart broken in The Studio when he realizes his new movie (Kool-Aid, based on the Jonestown Massacre) has been bought by Matt Remick and will never see the light of day.

Similarly in Brian Cranston's performance as the completely unhinged and unforgettable Griffin Mill (in one of his best roles ever) for what must be 30 minutes of screentime across 10 episodes.

All you have to do is look at HBO's The Franchise, which, in a similar way to The Studio, follows the crew of a movie franchise fighting, which was promptly cancelled after one mediocre season.

Masters of the Air stars Austin Butler, Presumed Innocent is led by Jake Gyllenhaal and Gary Oldman heads Slow Horses. Then there's Cate Blanchett's fantastic performance in Disclaimer and one of my favorite Colin Farrell roles is as a brilliant private investigator in Sugar. There's no chance I'd have watched Wolfs or The Instigators if they weren't led by Casey Affleck, Matt Damon, Brad Pitt and George Clooney.

Admittedly Apple TV+ isn't for everyone, but I think its very best shows are. So while it might not be a service you subscribe to forever, the value you'll get in a short amount of time with Apple TV+ is undeniable.

And The Studio should be reason #1 that you check it out. All 10 episodes are out and bingeable, so you can watch it and cancel, only coming back to watch season two.

While you're subscribed, make sure you at least give the following series a chance: Pachinko, Bad Sisters, Silo, For All Mankind, Black Bird, Dark Matter and Trying.

You might also like...

• I'm a huge stage magic fan so I can't wait for Apple TV+'s new Siegfried and Roy series
• Ted Lasso fans are going to love this new Apple TV+ comedy by the looks of the trailer for Stick
• Apple TV+ drops trailer for a new nightmarish thriller that sees Julianne Moore and Sydney Sweeney unravel a mystery

From the iPhone 16 and Google Pixel 9 to the Samsung Galaxy S25 series, here are the best 5G phones that we've tested and think you should buy.

It's Memorial Day. To honor the fallen military service members this year, the Up First newsletter asked readers to share stories of their loved ones.

(Image credit: Win McNamee/Getty Images)

Quickly find the last time you called your mom on your iPhone -- and reminder: You should probably call your mom.

• More Google Pixel 10 leaks emerge
• Colors and wallpapers have appeared online
• The phones should launch in August

We've already seen the Google Pixel 10 being filmed for an advert on the streets of Canada, but the leaks aren't stopping: we now have unofficial information about some of the color options and wallpapers the flagship phone will bring with it.

According to tipster Mystic Leaks (via 9to5Google), the standard Pixel 10 will be available in Obsidian (black), Blue, Iris (purple), and Limoncello (yellow-ish) shades. Limoncello could be similar to the Lemongrass option we saw with the Google Pixel 7 in 2022.

As for the Pixel 10 Pro and the Pixel 10 Pro XL, the colors listed here are Obsidian (black), Green, Sterling (Gray), and Porcelain (white-ish). We've only got the names though, and there are no images showing what these colors actually look like.

The Pixel 9 offers Obsidian (black), Peony (pink), Wintergreen (green-ish), and Porcelain (white-ish). The Pro and Pro XL models come in Obsidian (black), Porcelain (white-ish), Rose Quartz (pink), and Hazel (gray).

Pixel 10 wallpapers

The Google Pixel 9 Pro XL (Image credit: Peter Hoffmann)

From the same source, we've got a host of high-resolution Pixel 10 wallpapers, and the team at Android Authority has collected them all together in a bundle, so you can install them on your current phone if you'd like to.

There are a lot of swirls and shapes and gradients here, and everything is very abstract. The colors of the backdrops also match the leaked colors of the phones, and each image has both a dark and a light option to match Android's visual modes.

We haven't heard too much about the Google Pixel 10 so far, apart from what was spotted at the recent promotional shoot, but it is expected to show up sometime in August – perhaps with a display upgrade and a significant speed boost.

Before then, Android 16 should begin to make its way out to the masses. The software is bringing with it numerous improvements, and is going to introduce a significant visual overhaul known as Material 3 Expressive.

You might also like

• How the Pixel 10 can beat the iPhone
• The best Pixels you can buy right now
• Rumored upgrades for the Pixel 10

• Marks & Spencer suffered a cyber-incident in April 2025
• Reports claimed the attack was the work of ScatteredSpider
• Tata Consultancy Services is investigating if the attack came from its network

Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), an Indian IT company and part of the massive Tata Group conglomerate, is currently investigating whether the recent cyberattack on Marks & Spencer (M&S) originated from its infrastructure.

In late April 2025, M&S confirmed suffering a “cyber incident” which affected its stores and resulted in changes to store operations.

Later reports said the company had to take some of its systems and processes offline, and was forced to disable contactless and Click and Collect services in stores, since the incident was, in fact, a ransomware attack. Online orders were also halted. The disruption persisted for weeks, M&S’ market capitalization dropped by £1 billion, and customer data was allegedly stolen by the actors.

Get Keeper Personal for just $1.67/month, Keeper Family for just $3.54/month, and Keeper Business for just $7/month

​Keeper is a cybersecurity platform primarily known for its password manager and digital vault, designed to help individuals, families, and businesses securely store and manage passwords, sensitive files, and other private data.

It uses zero-knowledge encryption and offers features like two-factor authentication, dark web monitoring, secure file storage, and breach alerts to protect against cyber threats.

Preferred partner (What does this mean?)View Deal

Targeting Tata

It had been reported the group known as Scattered Spider was behind the ordeal

Now, BBC News reports TCS, which has been servicing M&S for more than a decade, is investigating whether it was the stepping stone to the attack. Right now, both parties are staying silent, but the investigation should wrap up before June 2025.

TCS is part of the large Indian conglomerate Tata Group, which counts more than 100 companies across a wide range of industries. As such, it is a major target for all sorts of cybercriminals, and roughly two years ago, Hive Ransomware struck Tata Power, India’s largest integrated power company. Early this year, Tata Technologies, a global engineering services provider was also attacked.

The attack is reportedly the work of Scattered Spider, a ransomware organization usually targeting UK retailers, financial institutions, technology firms, and entertainment/gambling organizations. The group is not as tightly-knit as organizations such as LockBit or Cl0p.

It is relatively loose, and operates within a larger hacking community known as “the Com”. Its members engage in all kinds of attacks, from social engineering and SIM swapping, to ransomware.

We have reached out to TCS for comment and will update the article if we hear back.

Via BBC

You might also like

• Marks & Spencer outage allegedly linked to ScatteredSpider ransomware attack
• Take a look at our guide to the best authenticator app
• We've rounded up the best password managers

In today's digital economy, the ability to handle explosive growth without performance ramifications isn't just a technical consideration, it's now a business imperative. So when success arrives, systems must be ready.

Throughout my career advising technology and business leaders, I've witnessed a recurring scenario: a company experiences unexpected success - perhaps they had a successful viral marketing campaign, or suddenly face market interest, or even a random rapid uptick in customer adoption - only to have this triumph transform into a technical crisis as systems falter under the load and stress.

What should be a celebratory moment instead becomes an emergency. Performance levels considerably dip. Customer experience suffers. And the very success that should propel the business forward becomes its biggest operational challenge.

This phenomenon isn't limited to startups and it isn’t necessarily new. Established enterprises frequently encounter these issues during product launches, seasonal peaks, or when entering new markets. Black Friday becomes a nightmare for fresh retailers. The root cause is rarely insufficient hardware or lack of technical talent. More often than not it is that the architectural foundations weren't designed for rapid, unpredictable scaling.

Why traditional approaches can fail

Conventional technology stacks typically perform well under predictable, linear growth conditions. However, real-world business expansion is rarely so simple. Life and business comes in surges, spikes, and sometimes happens overnight.

Traditional databases particularly struggle with these dynamics. When transaction volumes multiply, these systems often hit performance bottlenecks that can't be resolved by simply adding more hardware and their scalability is limited by the biggest available box. Connection limits are reached, query performance deteriorates, and the costs for digital infrastructure climb without delivering proportional benefits.

This is a particular headache that many players in the cryptocurrency space face, where market volatility can trigger 5x transaction volume increases within a matter of minutes. Platforms built on rigid architectures simply cannot adapt quickly enough, leading to trading halts or poor functionality precisely when users need reliability most.

Similarly problematic are monolithic architectures, which are geared for initial speed-to-market rather than long-term flexibility. These approaches might launch quickly, but they rarely support sustainable hypergrowth.

Building from the ground up

Forward-thinking companies are increasingly adopting architectures specifically designed for unpredictable scaling patterns. At the core of this approach is the need for horizontal scalability. This is the ability to expand capacity by adding instances rather than continuously upgrading to larger, more expensive IT infrastructure. In short, flexibility and adaptability is prioritized.

One cryptocurrency exchange that we've worked with demonstrates this principle effectively. By implementing a distributed database architecture, they maintain sub-millisecond response times even during market volatility. So if a run on a certain coin dramatically leads to substantial trading volume fluctuations and customer demand, their platform can automatically scale to handle this without any impacts to the overall service offering.

Equally important is the adoption of cloud-native design patterns - be it deployed on a public cloud, private cloud or just on premises. Microservices, containerization, and orchestration tools all allow businesses to scale cloud computing components independently and recover quickly from failures or setbacks. This modularity essentially supports innovation without compromising stability.

Data model flexibility also plays a crucial role. When another trading platform needed to quickly add new cryptocurrencies to their exchange, their flexible schema approach allowed them to introduce new assets without database migrations or downtime. Understandably, this is a critical advantage in the fast-moving digital asset space.

What does this mean for technology leaders?

For executives preparing their organizations for potential hypergrowth, four priorities consistently make the difference. Firstly, they must design for horizontal scaling from day one. Systems should be built to scale outwardly, but not only in an upward direction. This approach will provide long-term resilience and cost efficiency, something that becomes increasingly valuable as businesses grow and develop.

Secondly, leaders should look to embrace automation. The past two decades have shown how manual processes rarely manage to scale well. Investing in automated provisioning, deployment, and monitoring will not only reduce errors, it allows engineering talent to focus on innovation rather than firefighting issues.

On top of this, they have to stress test beyond their expected peaks. Many systems fail because they're only tested to their current limits. Rigorous testing at 5-10x anticipated peak loads helps identify bottlenecks before they have the chance to impact customers.

Lastly, every leader seeking out hypergrowth must outline architectural efficiency as a key boardroom focus. What I mean here is that scaling isn't purely around performance. It’s as much about financial sustainability, meaning everything from granular resource management to efficient data architecture can help maintain steady growth.

The competitive edge of scalability

In markets where digital experience defines success, scalability is no longer just a technical consideration, it has to be a strategic business capability.

The most successful organizations recognize this. Technology foundations either enable or constrain their ability to capitalize on opportunities and markets. Thinking of recent conversations I’ve had with cryptocurrency executives, when markets surge with interest, exchanges with truly scalable architectures will be the ones that welcome new customers seamlessly. Competitors not following this approach will be forced to implement emergency registration freezes or they risk crumbling altogether.

Ultimately, scaling isn't just about handling growth. It's about being prepared for success, whenever and however that arrives. The question isn't whether your business will face a scaling challenge, but whether you'll be ready when opportunity presents itself.

We've compiled a list of the best cloud databases.

This article was produced as part of TechRadarPro's Expert Insights channel where we feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today. The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/news/submit-your-story-to-techradar-pro

Under the Biden administration, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau finalized a rule barring medical debt from appearing on credit reports. Now, the agency is siding with the credit industry groups suing to have the rule vacated.

(Image credit: Saul Loeb)

President Trump has ordered a Veterans Affairs campus in West Los Angeles to house 6,000 homeless vets by 2028, but details are elusive.

(Image credit: Quil Lawrence)

In 2016, Tulika Prasad was at the grocery store checkout line with her seven-year-old son, who is non-verbal and autistic. A woman understood what was going on when Prasad's son had an outburst.

(Image credit: Ravish Kumar)

A performance of the masterpiece will be transmitted into space on Saturday. The waltz has been associated with space travel since its inclusion in the film 2001: A Space Odyssey.

(Image credit: ESA)

Science is an economic driver in Hamilton, Mont., thanks to Rocky Mountain Laboratories, a federal research lab. Now, layoffs and funding cuts are having an impact in this town far from Washington.

(Image credit: Katheryn Houghton/KFF Health News)

Food apps can help you figure out what's in your food and whether it's nutritious. Just scan the barcode on the packet with your phone. But different apps can give very different results. Here's why.

(Image credit: AJ_Watt)

As the proud owner of an iPhone 15 for almost two years, I've had no issues with the handset since I bought it. It runs perfectly for my needs – music, YouTube, texting and aimless doomscrolling social media – and seamlessly integrates with my other Apple devices.

Other than its Pro siblings and a handful of Android competitors, the iPhone 15 was top of the line when I bought it. I’d just been paid, so I plonked down AU$1,499 ($799 / £799) to purchase it outright to replace my broken iPhone 12 Mini.

(That’s a purchase I cringe at after experiencing the value on offer from the best cheap phones, but I digress…)

The iPhone 16 marked a larger upgrade over its predecessor than usual thanks to the addition of Apple Intelligence – even if its launch has been less than smooth, with many parts of the promised Siri upgrade still up in the air.

Still, the iPhone 15 is an excellent smartphone in 2025, which is why it caught my eye when I found it for AU$1,077 here in Australia where I'm based (which converts to around $692 / £519). There's similarly enticing deals abroad, too – like in the US, where it's just $100 when switching to T-Mobile.

(Image credit: Zachariah Kelly / TechRadar)

However, in February, Apple threw a curveball at the iPhone 15 when it introduced another option for Cupertino loyalists looking to save on an upgrade when it launched the iPhone 16e for $599 / £599 / AU$999.

Like the iPhone 5c and the three iPhone SE models, this new ‘budget’ Apple handset has made small concessions to keep the price down, while still allowing buyers to purchase a truly new iPhone that can access the latest iOS features. The iPhone 16e is arguably even more enticing than its SE forebears, as it offers the power to handle Apple Intelligence.

This creates an interesting conundrum – if I needed a new phone and didn't want to splurge on the iPhone 16, which device is the better choice: the iPhone 15, or iPhone 16e?

TechRadar has an entire iPhone 16e vs iPhone 15 comparison article based on this question and it concludes that, for most people, it's worth spending a little extra and go for the older iPhone 15.

But after spending a week with the iPhone 16e, I disagree.

Better battery, baby

(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

For many smartphone buyers, camera quality is key – but for me, battery life is far more important and the iPhone 16e dominates the iPhone 15 in this category.

While Apple doesn't disclose exact battery capacity, third-party reporting shows that the iPhone 16e has a 3,961mAh battery compared to the iPhone 15's 3,349mAh.

It's not just that larger size that makes the 16e longer lasting either. The iPhone 16e's C1 cellular chip – which is exclusive to the device – processes power more efficiently, resulting in a significantly improved stamina.

This was very noticeable in my time with it. Granted, my iPhone 15's battery capacity is slightly degraded down to 91% these days, but I limit its overnight charging to stop at 85%. As a result, after about three hours of listening, watching, scrolling and texting, my iPhone 15's often sitting at less than 30% by 9:30am.

It's 3:30pm as I write this, and with the same battery settings and general screen-on time, the iPhone 16e I'm currently using is sitting at 44%.

My experience seems to fully back up Apple’s own claims, with the brand boasting that the iPhone 16e offers 26 hours of video playback – 15% better than the iPhone 16's 22 hours and a 23% increase over the iPhone 15.

Apple Intelligence is already pretty smart, actually

Having fun creating AI-generated images in Apple's Playground app (Image credit: Future/Jacob Krol)

We're still waiting for AI Siri – and Apple might have to let users swap Siri for another default voice assistant party alternatives – I was surprised by how much I enjoyed Apple Intelligence on the iPhone 16e, a set of features the iPhone 15 lacks.

Visual Intelligence is helpful, letting you quickly search for or ask ChatGPT about any object you take a photo of. And the Clean Up feature is useful for removing photo bombers or objects from any given image, like Samsung's similar Object Remover tool as found on newest Galaxy devices.

And, while I rarely used them, I appreciated the (mostly) constructive AI-generated message replies and smarter phrasing suggestions. Highlighting your written text opens an array of AI-powered options by clicking the Apple Intelligence logo (or 'Writing Tools'). In any app it can proofread or rewrite your text to sound more friendly, professional or concise.

Image 1 of 3

Visual Intelligence analyzing potato chips (Image credit: Future)Image 2 of 3

Using Apple Intelligence to create a Genmoji of a dragon holding a hot dog (Image credit: Future)Image 3 of 3

Using AI to editing and proofread text messages (Image credit: Future / Max Delaney)

Moreover, and especially helpful when writing up notes, is its ability to format text into key points, a list or a table. You also have the option to compose text with ChatGPT.

However, I think my favorite thing about Apple Intelligence is the ability to create my own emojis. Called Genmojis, it lets you turn anything – like my own face and other regularly found faces in my camera roll, or a highland cow surrounded by flowers – into an emoji or sticker.

As someone who uses emojis quite sparingly, I'm now a Genmoji-making dynamo. While the AI tools and features of the iPhone 16 family are far from revolutionary, they're both fun and generally useful. It's a small but significant advantage for the iPhone 16e over the iPhone 15.

Bring the action

(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

The last little feature that I think puts the 16e above the 15 is the Action Button. It, like Apple Intelligence, is exclusive to the iPhone 15 Pro, Pro Max and the iPhone 16 series.

This handy little button replaces the mute/silent switch from older iPhones. There's nothing revolutionary here: all it does is offer shortcuts for commonly used features like Silent Mode, Focus, Camera, Visual Intelligence, Torch and any other app, like Instagram.

Personally, I didn't find myself using any of those preset options, and instead set the Action Button to control my Do Not Disturb mode.

It's such a small difference – after all, unlocking the device, bringing up the Control Center and activating Focus is hardly a laborious task. However, it's a small quality-of-life change that I thoroughly appreciated – letting me turn it on without even directly looking at my phone.

Winner by a split decision

The two phones are nearly identical apart from the camera array (Image credit: Future / Max Delaney)

The iPhone 16e vs iPhone 15 contest is by no means a knockout by the newer model. There are two main reasons that the older iPhone may be the better choice for some people: display and camera.

The iPhone 16e only has a single 48MP Fusion camera, while the iPhone 15 pairs a 48MP main camera with a 12MP ultrawide lens that's equally useful for grand nature shots and trying to fit the whole family into one photo. More importantly, the 16e's single lens means you can't take silly up-close photos of your friends or dog with the 0.5x zoom.

The 15 also has a (small) lead on the 16e in terms of display, as the latter reverts back to the iPhone 14’s notched display rather than the Dynamic Island found on subsequent devices. Personally, I don't mind it, but for some users it could be the reason to spend a little more for the iPhone 15. The latter’s display is brighter and (slightly) higher res too – 1179 x 2556 with a max brightness of 2,000 nits compared to the 16e's 1170 x 2532 and 1,200 nits.

MagSafe charging is also missing from the iPhone 16e. It was rumored this was to make room for the C1 chip, but that has since been denied by Apple according to Macworld. The 16e can still wirelessly charge, but it lacks the magnet.

I'd never much required MagSafe until I recently purchased a magnetic power bank – which is now all but useless with the iPhone 16e. And users who have a magnetic car mount will probably sorely miss this functionality.

The iPhone 15 still has a place, then, and it's a wonderful purchase if you can get it for close to the same price as the iPhone 16e.

It's still ultimately more expensive than its new sibling, though – and unless you really need a telephoto lens, I think the iPhone 16e is the budget iPhone to have.

You might also like...

• The best iPhone 2025: which Apple smartphone reigns supreme?
• The iPhone Fold is apparently being tested with a feature we’ve been waiting years for
• iPhone 17 Air leak hints at how the super-slim phone might solve its potential battery life issues

As businesses realized the potential of artificial intelligence (AI), the race began to incorporate machine learning operations (MLOps) into their commercial strategies. But integrating machine learning (ML) into the real world proved challenging, and the vast gap between development and deployment was made clear. In fact, research from Gartner tells us 85% of AI and ML fail to reach production.

In this piece, we’ll discuss the importance of blending DevOps best practices with MLOps, bridging the gap between traditional software development and ML to enhance an enterprise’s competitive edge and improve decision-making with data-driven insights. We’ll expose the challenges of separate DevOps and MLOps pipelines and outline a case for integration.

Challenges of Separate Pipelines

Traditionally, DevOps and MLOps teams operate with separate workflows, tools, and objectives. Unfortunately, this trend of maintaining distinct DevOps and MLOps pipelines leads to numerous inefficiencies and redundancies that negatively impact software delivery.

1. Inefficiencies in Workflow Integration

DevOps pipelines are designed to optimize the software development lifecycle (SDLC), focusing on continuous integration, continuous delivery (CI/CD), and operational reliability.

While there are certainly overlaps between the traditional SDLC and that of model development, MLOps pipelines involve unique stages like data preprocessing, model training, experimentation, and deployment, which require specialized tools and workflows. This distinct separation creates bottlenecks when integrating ML models into traditional software applications.

For example, data scientists may work on Jupyter notebooks, while software engineers use CI/CD tools like Jenkins or GitLab CI. Integrating ML models into the overall application often requires a manual and error-prone process, as models need to be converted, validated, and deployed in a manner that fits within the existing DevOps framework.

2. Redundancies in Tooling and Resources

DevOps and MLOps have similar automation, versioning, and deployment goals, but they rely on separate tools and processes. DevOps commonly leverages tools such as Docker, Kubernetes, and Terraform, while MLOps may use ML-specific tools like MLflow, Kubeflow, and TensorFlow Serving.

This lack of unified tooling means teams often duplicate efforts to achieve the same outcomes.

For instance, versioning in DevOps is typically done using source control systems like Git, while MLOps may use additional versioning for datasets and models. This redundancy leads to unnecessary overhead in terms of infrastructure, management, and cost, as both teams need to maintain different systems for essentially similar purposes—version control, reproducibility, and tracking.

3. Lack of Synergy Between Teams

The lack of integration between DevOps and MLOps pipelines also creates silos between engineering, data science, and operations teams. These silos result in poor communication, misaligned objectives, and delayed deployments. Data scientists may struggle to get their models production-ready due to the absence of consistent collaboration with software engineers and DevOps.

Moreover, because the ML models are not treated as standard software artefacts, they may bypass crucial steps of testing, security scanning, and quality assurance that are typical in a DevOps pipeline. This absence of consistency can lead to quality issues, unexpected model behavior in production, and a lack of trust between teams.

4. Deployment Challenges and Slower Iteration Cycles

The disjointed state of DevOps and MLOps also affects deployment speed and flexibility. In a traditional DevOps setting, CI/CD ensures frequent and reliable software updates. However, with ML, model deployment requires retraining, validation, and sometimes even re-architecting the integration. This mismatch results in slower iteration cycles, as each pipeline operates independently, with distinct sets of validation checks and approvals.

For instance, an engineering team might be ready to release a new feature, but if an updated ML model is needed, it might delay the release due to the separate MLOps workflow, which involves retraining and extensive testing. This leads to slower time-to-market for features that rely on machine learning components. Our State of the Union Report found organizations using our platform brought over 7 million new packages into their software supply chains in 2024, highlighting the scale and speed of development.

5. Difficulty in Maintaining Consistency and Traceability

Having separate DevOps and MLOps configurations makes it difficult to maintain a consistent approach to versioning, auditing, and traceability across the entire software system. In a typical DevOps pipeline, code changes are tracked and easily audited. In contrast, ML models have additional complexities like training data, hyperparameters, and experimentation, which often reside in separate systems with different logging mechanisms.

This lack of end-to-end traceability makes troubleshooting issues in production more complicated. For example, if a model behaves unexpectedly, tracking down whether the issue lies in the training data, model version, or a specific part of the codebase can become cumbersome without a unified pipeline.

The Case for Integration: Why Merge DevOps and MLOps?

As you can see, maintaining siloed DevOps and MLOps pipelines results in inefficiencies, redundancies, and a lack of collaboration between teams, leading to slower releases and inconsistent practices. Integrating these pipelines into a single, cohesive Software Supply Chain would help address these challenges by bringing consistency, reducing redundant work, and fostering better cross-team collaboration.

Shared End Goals of DevOps and MLOps

DevOps and MLOps share the same overarching goals: rapid delivery, automation, and reliability. Although their areas of focus differ—DevOps concentrates on traditional software development while MLOps focuses on machine learning workflows—their core objectives align in the following ways:

1.Rapid Delivery

• Both DevOps and MLOps strive to enable frequent, iterative releases to accelerate time-to-market. DevOps achieves this through the continuous integration and delivery of code changes, while MLOps aims to expedite the cycle of model development, training, and deployment.
• Rapid delivery in DevOps ensures that new software features are shipped as quickly as possible. Similarly, in MLOps, the ability to deliver updated models with improved accuracy or behaviour allows businesses to respond swiftly to changes in data or business needs.

2.Automation

• Automation is central to both practices as it reduces manual intervention and minimises the potential for human error. DevOps automates testing, building, and deploying software to ensure consistency, efficiency, and reliability.
• In MLOps, automation is equally crucial. Automating data ingestion, model training, hyperparameter tuning, and deployment allows data scientists to focus more on experimentation and improving model performance rather than dealing with repetitive tasks. Automation in MLOps also ensures reproducibility, which is critical for managing ML models in a production environment.

3.Reliability

• Both DevOps and MLOps emphasize reliability in production. DevOps uses practices like automated testing, monitoring, and infrastructure as code to maintain software stability and mitigate downtime.
• MLOps aims to maintain the reliability of deployed models, ensuring that they perform as expected in changing environments. Practices such as model monitoring, automatic retraining, and drift detection are part of MLOps that ensure the ML system stays robust and reliable over time.

Treating ML Models as Artifacts in the Software Supply Chain

In traditional DevOps, the concept of treating all software components as artefacts such as binaries, libraries, and configuration files, is well-established. These artifacts are versioned, tested, and promoted through different environments (e.g., staging, production) as part of a cohesive software supply chain. Applying the same approach to ML models can significantly streamline workflows and improve cross-functional collaboration. Here are four key benefits of treating ML models as artifacts:

1. Creates a Unified View of All Artifacts

Treating ML models as artifacts means integrating them into the same systems used for other software components, such as artifact repositories and CI/CD pipelines. This approach allows models to be versioned, tracked, and managed in the same way as code, binaries, and configurations. A unified view of all artifacts creates consistency, enhances traceability, and makes it easier to maintain control over the entire software supply chain.

For instance, versioning models alongside code means that when a new feature is released, the corresponding model version used for the feature is well-documented and reproducible. This reduces confusion, eliminates miscommunication, and allows teams to identify which versions of models and code work together seamlessly.

2. Streamlines Workflow Automation

Integrating ML models into the larger software supply chain ensures that the automation benefits seen in DevOps extend to MLOps as well. By automating the processes of training, validating, and deploying models, ML artifacts can move through a series of automated steps—from data preprocessing to final deployment—similar to the CI/CD pipelines used in traditional software delivery.

This integration means that when software engineers push a code change that affects the ML model, the same CI/CD system can trigger retraining, validation, and deployment of the model. By leveraging the existing automation infrastructure, organizations can achieve end-to-end delivery that includes all components—software and models—without adding unnecessary manual steps.

3. Enhances Collaboration Between Teams

A major challenge of maintaining separate DevOps and MLOps pipelines is the lack of cohesion between data science, engineering, and DevOps teams. Treating ML models as artifacts within the larger software supply chain fosters greater collaboration by standardizing processes and using shared tooling. When everyone uses the same infrastructure, communication improves, as there is a common understanding of how components move through development, testing, and deployment.

For example, data scientists can focus on developing high-quality models without worrying about the nuances of deployment, as the integrated pipeline will automatically take care of packaging and releasing the model artifact. Engineers, on the other hand, can treat the model as a component of the broader application, version-controlled and tested just like other parts of the software. This shared perspective enables more efficient handoffs, reduces friction between teams, and ensures alignment on project goals.

4. Improves Compliance, Security, and Governance

When models are treated as standard artifacts in the software supply chain, they can undergo the same security checks, compliance reviews, and governance protocols as other software components. DevSecOps principles—embedding security into every part of the software lifecycle—can now be extended to ML models, ensuring that they are verified, tested, and deployed in compliance with organizational security policies.

This is particularly important as models become increasingly integral to business operations. By ensuring that models are scanned for vulnerabilities, validated for quality, and governed for compliance, organizations can mitigate risks associated with deploying AI/ML in production environments.

Conclusion

Treating ML models as artifacts within the larger software supply chain transforms the traditional approach of separating DevOps and MLOps into a unified, cohesive process. This integration streamlines workflows by leveraging existing CI/CD pipelines for all artifacts, enhances collaboration by standardizing processes and infrastructure, and ensures that both code and models meet the same standards for quality, reliability, and security. As organizations race to deploy more software and models, we need holistic governance.

Currently, only 60% of companies have full visibility into software provenance in production. By combining DevOps and MLOps into a single Software Supply Chain, organizations can better achieve their shared goals of rapid delivery, automation, and reliability, creating an efficient and secure environment for building, testing, and deploying the entire spectrum of software, from application code to machine learning models.

We've compiled a list of the best IT infrastructure management services.

This article was produced as part of TechRadarPro's Expert Insights channel where we feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today. The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/news/submit-your-story-to-techradar-pro

A dual U.S.-German citizen has been arrested on charges that he traveled to Israel and attempted to firebomb the branch office of the U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv, officials said Sunday.

(Image credit: Ohad Zwigenberg)