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With AI taking over our phones, some companies are making it more appealing than others.

• New AI tools are coming to Google Workspace
• Automatic translation is coming to Google Chat
• Your image and voice will be sharper with Studio lighting and sound

Google Workspace is adding new AI powered tools to both Google Meet and Google Chat, without the need to buy a separate Gemini add-on. These come in the form of Generated Background Images and Studio Look, Studio Lighting, and Studio Sound for Google Meet, as well as Translate for me, coming to Google Chat.

This follows Google’s recent infusion of Gemini AI across services, most recently with its introduction into Google Calendar - so that users no longer have to manually add diary entries, or schedule meetings.

Translate for me, the AI injection into Google Chat, is an in-chat automatic detection and translation tool which can identify over 120 languages, and translate messages whilst keeping the original available for review.

Google Meet gets studio tools

For Google Meet, AI is coming with new Generated Background Images, which can help users create unique and bespoke meeting backgrounds, and can obscure your surroundings during a meeting, just in case your home office isn’t as presentable as you’d like.

Also coming to Meet is Studio Look, which uses machine learning to “detect and enhance” image quality with noise reduction and image sharpening, making sure you’re always in focus.

It won’t just be your image that’s sharper though, as Studio Lighting and Studio Sound will be introduced to simulate studio-quality lighting, with automatic light position and brightness adjustments - but only for devices that meet specific browser and processor requirements.

Your voice will sound more balanced and crisp, with Studio Sound making sure even the low quality headset users are still understood perfectly.

If you want to get a bit more creative, Google Drawings is also bringing in Gemini’s image background removal function, to help reduce time spent on fiddly tasks and give you more time to perfect your drawings.

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On this special episode of Uncanny Valley, we unpack Elon Musk's desire for a government shutdown that could become permanent. Plus: An update on measles misinformation in the US.

Niantic's pivot to spatial mapping has been underway for years. What it means for Pokemon Go's future is unclear, but a deeper blend of AR, AI and your future maps of the world are going to be what comes next.

Amazfit Helio Ring: One-minute review

The Amazfit Helio Ring is the first smart ring from Chinese tech company Amazfit, best known for its budget-friendly fitness trackers, like the Amazfit Active 2 and its new open-ear earbuds, the Amazfit Up. Staying true to its brand, the Helio Ring undercuts the competition on price, offering a more affordable alternative to rivals like Oura with no added subscription fee.

The design is sleek and minimalist, with a titanium outer shell, and the ring is very comfortable to wear all day and night – possibly the most comfortable smart ring I’ve tested. The downside? It comes in just one finish and only three size options at the time of writing, which significantly limits your choice compared to competitors.

Functionally, the Helio Ring is built for sleep and wellness tracking. It offers in-depth sleep insights, heart rate monitoring, and energy tracking. There’s no auto-detection for workouts and there are only four workout modes to pick from. But, if one of those is your exercise of choice, you do get comprehensive data after each workout – and heart rate tracking as you exercise is accurate, too.

Having said that, if you’re looking for a fully-fledged fitness tracker, this isn’t it. Most smart rings out there can’t compete with fitness watches in those stakes – but that’s never been the point of them. Amazfit does say that the ring would work very well if you pair it with one of its smartwatches, and this will be too much hassle and expense for some, but if you’re already in the Amazfit ecosystem, it’ll make a lot of sense.

Overall, the Amazfit Helio Ring is a solid choice for sleep tracking and general wellness monitoring. While it lacks some of the refinement of its more premium rivals, especially in terms of battery life and app experience, it’s a welcome new option in the smart ring space. It'll especially appeal to those already in the Amazfit ecosystem – or anyone looking for a more affordable yet equally capable alternative to some of the best smart rings on the market.

Amazfit Helio Ring review: Price and availability

(Image credit: Future)

• Launch price of $299.99 / £269 / AU$399
• Official price now of $199.99 / £169 / AU$269
• No subscription required

The Amazfit Helio Ring originally retailed at $299.99 / £269 / AU$399 in 2024. But now you’ll find it for $199.99 / £169 / AU$269 on the Amazfit website and some regions also stock it on Amazon. For example, you’ll find it on Amazon in the UK right now for a slightly cheaper £149.

How does that stack up against the competition? The Oura Ring 4 starts at $349 / £349 for some designs and colors, but others cost much more. For example, the rose gold version is $499 / £499. Not only is the latest Oura Ring significantly more expensive than the Helio Ring, you’ll also need an Oura Ring Membership to unlock its potential, which is $5.99 / £5.99 a month.

For comparison, the Samsung Galaxy Ring is our top smart ring pick at the moment and that currently costs the most at $399 / £399 / AU$749, but that doesn’t need an additional subscription.

When the Amazfit Helio Ring first launched, some features required an additional payment. Fortunately, Amazfit appears to have removed that model, making the device even more appealing. With no subscription fees, it stands out from Oura.

Whether the Amazfit Helio Ring offers good value depends entirely on what you need from a wearable. At a lower price point than the Oura Ring, and with no must-buy subscription, it’s a solid choice for those focused on sleep and recovery tracking.

If sleep tracking is your top priority, the Helio Ring offers strong value. However, if you’re looking for comprehensive workout tracking, a smartwatch or fitness tracker is likely a better buy. Smart rings, this one included, aren’t designed to replace a sports watch, and the Helio Ring’s limited workout modes prove that. But for those seeking a sleek, comfortable sleep and wellness tracker at a lower cost than the best in the game, it’s a strong contender.

• Value score: 4/5

Amazfit Helio Ring review: Specifications Amazfit Helio Ring review: Design

(Image credit: Future)

• My favorite smart ring in terms of design
• Only three sizes
• Only one finish (but I love it)

The Amazfit Helio Ring is one of my favorite smart rings in terms of design. It’s sleek, lightweight, and comfortable. It has a titanium alloy exterior, giving it a more high-end feel than its price suggests. While the inner side (where the sensors sit) is plastic and comfortable. It’s impressively slim at just 2.6mm and light at 3.65g. This is very similar to the Oura Ring, which is 2.88mm thick and weighs from 3.3g to 5.2g depending on the size. In short, there’s not much in it, so don’t assume affordability means bulkier or heavier.

However, where it does fall short is the Helio Ring comes in only one finish, a brushed silver with tiny dots on the front, which I personally love. The popular matte black options from other brands tend to scratch easily, and gold versions can be too flashy and shiny for me to wear everyday. Of course, this is all down to personal preference, and if you want something that looks different, Oura and Samsung offer more color choices.

Fit-wise, there are just three sizes available (8, 10, and 12), which is far more limited than other smart rings that offer a wider range of sizes. Oura offers 12 different sizes. If one of these fits you, great – but if not, you’re out of luck.

Another big plus is durability. Some smart rings I’ve tested got scuffs within hours, especially those with matte finishes, but the Helio Ring has held up well with only minor scratches after several weeks.

The Amazfit Helio Ring is rated at 10 ATM water resistance, meaning it can handle surface swimming and snorkeling, but not scuba diving. In practical terms, it’s safe for most daily water exposure, including showers, workouts, and casual swims.

A small vertical line on the exterior of the ring marks the sensor placement, which should face the inside of your finger for the best tracking. Unlike some other smart rings, Amazfit makes this clear, which is a nice usability touch.

This is one of the best-designed smart rings I’ve tested. It’s slim and lightweight, subtly stylish, and surprisingly scratch-resistant. The limited sizes and finishes might be a drawback for some, but if the fit works for you, it's a great-looking, comfortable option.

• Design score: 4 / 5

Amazfit Helio Ring review: Features

(Image credit: Future)

• Excels at sleep and general wellbeing tracking
• Limited workout tracking
• App is simple but works well

For a more affordable smart ring, the Amazfit Helio Ring packs in plenty of features. Sleep tracking is where this ring shines. You get everything you’d expect, sleep stages, duration, and detailed metrics presented in easy-to-read charts.

But it also monitors breathing, skin temperature, heart rate variability, and resting heart rate while you sleep. All this data is used to generate a morning readiness score, telling you how well you’ve recovered, how much energy you have, and what kind of activity you’re primed for.

There’s also an EDA sensor (electrodermal activity), which, combined with heart rate data, aims to track stress and emotional responses throughout the day.

Unlike fitness watches, smart rings aren’t designed for workouts, and the Helio Ring is no exception. It only offers four workout modes, which is a bit disappointing. But if you mostly run or walk, you’ll still get solid data like workout time, speed, heart rate, VO2 max, calories burned, and GPS-tracked routes.

Amazfit suggests pairing the ring with an Amazfit smartwatch – the idea being that the watch handles workouts, while the ring tracks sleep and recovery. Both sync seamlessly in the Zepp app, making it a well-rounded system if you’re in the Amazfit ecosystem.

There are a couple of other features here worth mentioning, like PAI (Personal Activity Intelligence). This is your unique cardiovascular fitness score based on heart rate and daily activity. At first, it felt like just another number, but PAI actually provides a useful gauge of overall fitness. As someone shifting from a weightlifting and yoga focus to more cardio, I found it surprisingly helpful.

You can also track your menstrual cycle from within the Zepp app, which works similarly to period apps like Flo or Clue, predicting cycles and sending reminders. I didn’t test this, but it’s a solid addition if you want all of your health and fitness data in one place.

With all this data, a good app is crucial. The Zepp app has improved recently and while it’s not as sleek as Oura’s, it’s clean, intuitive, and lets you find key insights quickly. Personally, I prefer a simple interface over something overly designed anyway.

At launch, some features within the app required a Zepp Aura subscription, this is Amazfit’s extra sleep and recovery assistant, this included deeper sleep insights, relaxation tracking, and personalized sleep music. But they’re now all free to Helio Ring users.

• Features score: 4 / 5

Amazfit Helio Ring review: Performance

(Image credit: Future)

• Solid at sleep tracking
• Really comfortable to wear
• Won’t replace your fitness tracker

Amazfit claims the Helio Ring lasts up to four days, but in real-world use, I got closer to three-and-a-half days with all health tracking features turned on. That’s noticeably less than the six days you’ll get from the Oura Ring and the seven days from the Samsung Galaxy Ring. Charging is quick, taking about an hour and a half via a USB-C wireless charging plinth.

In terms of comfort, this is one of the most wearable smart rings I’ve tested. The lightweight, slim design makes it easy to forget you’re even wearing it. The size 8 fit perfectly on my index finger, making it feel seamless throughout the day and night. However, with only three sizes available (8, 10, and 12), finding the right fit might be tricky for some. Hopefully, future versions will offer more size options.

Sleep tracking is where the Helio Ring really stands out. It provides a detailed breakdown of sleep stages alongside heart rate and breathing monitoring. The data syncs quickly to the Zepp app, where you can view trends and graphs over time. Compared to other wearables, the sleep tracking felt mostly accurate, though it occasionally overestimated my sleep by a few minutes. One feature I particularly liked was nap tracking, which tends to be hit-or-miss with other devices, but as long as I napped for more than 20 minutes the Helio Ring picked it up accurately.

One of its standout features is how sleep data influences readiness, exertion, and recovery scores, giving you real insights into how well your body has recovered overnight. You can even toggle off certain metrics, like hypopnea (airway obstruction) detection for sleep apnea risk if they’re not relevant to you, which helps conserve battery life.

For me, the recovery tracking was especially useful. Not just physically as I recover from a back injury, but also mentally, after dealing with seasonal depression earlier in the year. If you’re in a similar situation – trying to rebuild fitness or improve sleep – this kind of data can be genuinely helpful. On the other hand, if you’re already in peak shape, I’m not sure these insights would add much value.

When it comes to workout tracking, there are some limitations. Unlike smartwatches or fitness trackers, it doesn’t auto-detect workouts and only supports manual tracking for running, walking, cycling, and treadmill sessions. This was frustrating, as my fitness routine includes a lot of yoga and strength training, neither of which are supported. However, for the workouts it does track, the data is solid. When I took the Helio Ring for a run, I could see everything I needed in the Zepp app, including workout time, average speed, heart rate, VO2 max, calories burned, and GPS-tracked routes.

So while it’s not a dedicated fitness tracker, it does a decent job for running and walking. For more complete sports tracking, pairing it with an Amazfit smartwatch is the best way to get a broader picture of both fitness and recovery.

• Performance: 4 / 5

(Image credit: Future) Scorecard Should I buy the Amazfit Helio Ring? Buy it if…

You already have a watch in the Amazfit ecosystem
The ideal setup is a smartwatch for fitness and daytime tracking and a smart ring for sleep and recovery at night.

Sleep tracking is your top priority
The Helio Ring excels at sleep monitoring, using data like heart rate, temperature, and breathing patterns to inform your Readiness and Exertion scores.

You find other wearables uncomfortable
This is one of the most comfortable smart rings I’ve tested. If you’ve struggled with wristbands or smartwatches for sleep tracking, this could be the perfect solution.

Don’t buy it if…

You’re willing to pay more for a premium experience
If budget isn’t a concern, the Oura Ring offers a more refined experience, plus better battery and size and finish options – just expect to pay extra, both upfront and for the subscription.

You need a strong workout tracker
If all you need is tracking for walking and running, you do get good data. But for anything beyond that, there are limited workout modes.

The sizes don’t work for you
The Helio Ring only comes in three sizes (8, 10, and 12). If your index finger (the most comfortable placement) doesn’t match one of these, you’ll need to look elsewhere.

Amazfit Up: Also consider

Oura Ring 4
If you’re looking for a more refined experience with a wider range of colors and sizes, as well as a better battery the latest Oura Ring is a great choice. Just be prepared to pay more upfront – and for the ongoing subscription to unlock full features
Read our full Oura Ring 4 review

Ultrahuman Ring Air
Pricier than both the Oura and Helio Rings at the time of writing, but it comes without a subscription. If you want more finish and size options with no additional monthly costs and a solid battery, this is a strong alternative.
Read our full Ultrahuman Ring Air review

How I tested the Amazfit Helio Ring

(Image credit: Future)

• Worn 24/7
• Tested for several weeks
• Lots of expertise testing smart rings to compare

I tested the Amazfit Helio Ring for three weeks, pairing it with an iPhone 14 Pro. Aside from taking it off for charging and showers (it’s waterproof, but I was cautious about soap and shampoo), I wore it 24/7 – through outdoor runs, gym sessions, long workdays in coffee shops, evenings at home, and, of course, while sleeping. It’s been put through its paces in a wide range of real-world environments.

As someone who has reviewed numerous wearables over the years, I’ve tested a variety of smart rings – including models from Ultrahuman, Motiv, Ringconn, Evie, multiple generations of the Oura Ring, and more. The smart ring market is only just breaking into the mainstream, but having worn so many, I have a solid sense of what to expect, how they should feel, and what makes a great user experience.

• First reviewed in March 2025

• Read TechRadar's reviews guarantee

• Apple's M3 Ultra defeats most desktop CPUs in terms of power efficiency
• This is thanks to its ARM-based instruction set compared to x86 used for desktop processors
• It does lag behind the M4 Max in power efficiency, however

Apple's new Mac Studio (M3 Ultra) has received critical acclaim from multiple reviewers thanks to its M3 Ultra processor, despite apparently losing out to the M4 Max in single-core processes. However, its performance capabilities aren't where the praise stops - a new benchmark suggests there is another, equally important benefit to using the M3 Ultra chip compared to other processors on the market.

As highlighted by Wccftech (based on the Ars Technica Mac Studio review), the M3 Ultra's benchmark in Handbrake (a video encoding program that can be used for benchmarking both CPUs and GPUs) reveals that it's only slightly less power efficient than its Mac Studio M4 Max counterpart - and it also proves to be far more efficient than other powerful desktop processors. This is likely due to Apple opting for an Arm-based architecture instead of x86, which is used for most mainstream desktop CPUs, notably those offered by Intel and AMD.

Ars Technica's analysis shows that the Mac Studio (M3 Ultra) draws 77.3W of power on average in Handbrake, slightly lagging behind the M4 Max variant which uses an incredibly low 50.2W. While the latter is more efficient, the M3 Ultra arguably makes up for it with its better performance in multi-core processing based on benchmarks - albeit at a much higher price.

Up against x86 processors, the M-based chips are the clear victors - the prime examples are the Intel Core i9-14900K using 233.6W, and the AMD Ryzen 9950X using 194.6W on average. It's worth noting that none of there aren't any other ARM processors among the comparisons; Qualcomm's Snapdragon X Elite chips are also highly power-efficient, but were likely omitted as they’re still a long way off the likes of the M3 Ultra in terms of performance.

The Mac Studio is, at first glance, just a super-chunky Mac mini - but there's more going on under the surface. (Image credit: Future) Buy the M3 Ultra Mac Studio if you can, but the M4 Max model makes more sense for most users…

There’s no denying that these power-efficiency claims are impressive. But unless you're looking for the absolute best hardware available with deep pockets to justify it, the M3 Ultra Mac Studio is overkill in my eyes.

It might be more powerful than the M4 Max (specifically for gaming and multi-core processes), but I'd argue it may not be a significant enough margin to justify spending more. The M4 Max model starts at $1,999 / £2,099 / AU$3,499 while the M3 Ultra starts at $3,999 / £4,199 / AU$6,999 - bear in mind, the M4 Max isn’t that far behind the M3 Ultra in terms of performance, while also being more power efficient. I don't know about you, but the M4 Max model seems like the easy choice here.

If Apple's M3 Ultra Mac Studio is on your radar for its gaming capabilities, I would still argue the M4 Max is the reasonable option - or even the shockingly impressive M4 Mac mini. We all want great performance from our hardware in some capacity - but it's always worth considering factors like power consumption and whether the price tag is justified, and this is a perfect example of that.

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• WBD has migrated Discovery+ to the same platform as the Max app
• Starting March 12, subscribers will see five great new features
• The update will make the rollout of future changes quicker and simpler

Discovery+ subscribers are getting a big update to their streaming apps, according to an announcement from Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD).

The changes will be rolled out today (March 12) to all subscribers in the US and Canada that update their apps, and includes five great new features that might be familiar to anyone who's signed up to WBD's other streaming service, Max.

That's because the change will see the Discovery+ app migrate to the same in-house tech platform that WBD uses for the HBO streaming service, which WBD's head of tech Avi Saxena says will enable "richer feature set".

Unifying tech stack for all of its streaming services means WBD will be able to roll out any backend changes, including bug fixes and updates to the design of the apps, more efficiently.

What new features are available on Discovery+?

Discovery+ is the home for content from HGTV, Food Network, TLC, ID, Discovery Channel and CNN. (Image credit: Discovery Inc.)

The update means WBD can bring a lot of the same great features that Max subscribers already enjoy to those signed up to Discovery+. These include:

1. An improved homepage that looks more Max
2. More personalized content recommendations
3. A new search layout for jumping between episodes
4. Ability to sign in to the app via a QR code
5. New sharing functionality for social media

Of these new features, the improved navigation tools look to be the most helpful to subscribers looking to find content in the app. Indeed, the new search layout (as pictured in the lead image of this article) looks like it will make jumping between episodes of a show a lot simpler.

I can see this change being most useful for big reality series that have a seemingly endless number of seasons and episodes, making it a lot easier for viewers to find a specific segment from the show. WBD also says that these new discovery improvements will allow for more personalized content recommendations.

There's also new sharing functionality that lets Discovery+ subscribers send content to their friends and family more easily. WBD specifies in its announcement about the update that this new functionality is for "adult profile users" though, so that might mean this feature is disabled for kids. We've contacted WBD for clarification, and will update this article when we hear back.

Discovery+ subscribers can also expect the new homepage, which will look more like Max, to have more personalized recommendations that utilize machine learning to better serve up movies and shows that you like.

Outside of the new features, WBD also says the update means that the Discovery+ app will benefit from faster performance more generally, allowing for better video resolution and playback.

Discovery+ is the latest streaming service to roll out an overhaul of its app in 2025, with YouTube TV teasing a big Netflix update earlier this month, Prime Video launching a new app for Apple TV devices in February, and Max making a big change to its navigation menu in January.

Make sure to check in with TechRadar regularly for details of the latest changes to your favorite streaming services.

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• The Honey extension was recently accused of being a scam
• Google responded by updating its extension rules
• Some people believe the search engine giant took things too far

Earlier this week, Google updated the Chrome extension rules for affiliates, basically telling its users that without tangible benefit, or user action, affiliate links cannot be placed. Although not specifically stated, by large the community agrees that PayPal’s Honey extension forced Google’s arm here.

For those with shorter memory spans, two months ago a YouTuber named MegaLag published an in-depth investigation on how the Honey browser extension was essentially engaged in referral jacking.

Honey is an extension that was advertised as a coupon hunter, finding the best deals for people looking to shop online. However, researchers argued that it was swapping out referrals from the influencers that were promoting the extension, with its own, basically robbing the people of their commission.

Monopoly abuse, or UX protection?

Now, Google’s new extension rules clarify what is allowed, and what is not: “Affiliate links, codes, or cookies must only be included when the extension provides a direct and transparent user benefit related to the extension’s core functionality. It is not permitted to inject affiliate links without related user action and without providing a tangible benefit to users.”

“Some common violations include: Inserting affiliate links when no discount, cashback, or donation is provided," and, "An extension that continuously injects affiliate links in the background without related user action.”

This is apparently what Honey was doing. In some cases, even if it didn’t find any discount coupons, it would still swap out the referrals. Google and PayPal are yet to comment on the new development.

While consumer protection is always a good thing, not everyone agrees with Google here. In the comment section of The Verge’s article, there are people who believe Google is using its browser monopoly position to “strong-arm” Honey, and that it should not be the one deciding if someone else’s business model is viable or not. While probably a strong argument, other people pointed out that Google has the right to decide what kind of user experience it creates for its user base.

Via The Verge

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• Apple's iOS 18.4 update will add new features to the Photos app
• Some of the new features include new filtering options and a new privacy setting
• iOS 18.4 could arrive via an official release as soon as April

Apple’s next software update – iOS 18.4 – is currently being tested in developer and public betas, and according to 9to5Mac, you can expect a widespread rollout as early as April.

While we were originally expecting based on rumors that we'd get our first look at the AI-infused Siri, early betas of iOS 18.4 showed no signs, and Apple has since confirmed a delay in the feature set. Even so, we've noticed four big changes to the Apple Photos app that we can’t ignore.

Upgrades to Apple Photos’ filtering options are just one of the new features we guessed a few weeks back, and new images that have surfaced from its beta testing show that we guessed correctly. The four new features are relatively small but provide more flexibility in managing your privacy and finding and organizing photos in your gallery.

They're all set to be pretty helpful if you rely on the Photos app to manage all of your photography. So before Apple drops iOS 18.4 for the iPhone – alongside iPadOS and macOS – let's take a look at the latest additions to the Photos app.

Album privacy features

(Image credit: Future)

Over the past few years, Apple has doubled down on its privacy features within its Photos app, and iOS 18.4 will continue to do so with a new option to disable albums.

Once installed, you'll have the ability to disable your ‘Recently Viewed’ and ‘Recently Shared’ galleries by going into the Settings app and selecting ‘Apps’ and then ‘Photos.’ Once disabled, these albums will be able to be viewed in Utilities only.

New filtering features in your gallery

(Image credit: Future)

Instead of spending copious amounts of time scrolling through your gallery to find a specific image you want to edit or show your friends, Apple Photos has many filtering options to make this much more manageable.

The iOS 18.4 update packs two new filtering options, ‘Shared With You’ and ‘Not in an Album,’ which can be found under the two arrow icons on the bottom left.

This feature will make it easier to distinguish between photos that others have sent you and ones you haven’t yet sorted into albums. In addition, you’ll also find new sorting features when you go to Albums and tap the three dots in the top right corner, which will allow you to filter only to show albums or only show folders.

Album sorting just got easier

You can already sort your Photos albums into two categories, ‘Sort by Name’ and ‘Sort by Custom Order’, and a third one arrives with iOS 18.4. The new ‘Sort by Date Modified’ will arrange your albums and folders in an order that shows your most recently modified ones at the top.

Recover and delete photos all at once

This isn’t necessarily a new addition to the Photos app but more so a revamp of an existing feature that allows you to delete and recover all your photos at once.

In iOS 18.4, your ‘Recently Deleted’ photo album will feature a new trash bin icon that you can tap to remove all of your deleted photos permanently. Alternatively, the same works with recovering your photos when you tap the new ‘Recover All’ button.

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• JBL Flip 7 and Charge 6 arrive on April 6, 2025
• AI Sound Boost, longer battery life and Auracast too
• $20 more than current models

When it comes to improving the best portable speakers, manufacturers don't need to add whizzy new features: all they need to do is make 'em louder, make 'em sound better and make 'em last longer. And JBL's new Charge 6 and Flip 7 deliver on all three counts – and they're finally official, having previously sort-of leaked, sort-of been officially revealed in China.

The headline feature here is JBL's AI Sound Boost, which is designed to optimize the sound settings and in particular, to enable you to turn the speaker up louder without getting unwanted distortion. That feature is already in the JBL Xtreme 4, which we've tested and enjoyed immensely.

(Image credit: JBL) JBL Flip 7 and Charge 6: key features and pricing

Both speakers are IP68 rated for water and dust resistance, and they come with longer battery life than before: up to 16 hours for the Flip and 28 hours for the Charge. Those figures are based on using the Playtime Boost feature, which adjusts the EQ in order to eke out a few extra hours of playback.

There's the same Bluetooth support in each speaker (5.4) and both have Auracast for multi-speaker connections. There are six color options – black, blue, white, red, camo and purple – and their USB-C connectors enable you to play lossless hi-res audio.

Both speakers will be shipping from 6 April, 2025. The Flip 7 has an official price of $149 and the Charge 6 is $199; we're waiting on UK and Australian pricing details. But the US price is a slight increase over the current models: the launch price of the Flip 6 was $129.95 / £129.99 (about AU$175) and the Charge 5 was $179 / £159 / AU$229.

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