News
Mi Band 5 is now official and it’s loaded to the brim with features
And, there’s no price hike
Xiaomi has launched the Mi Band 5 in China as the fitness tracker continues to be extremely popular. The Mi Band series has given a significant chunk of the wearable market to Xiaomi. Continuing to add more features, the band has a very lucrative price tag.
It has a bigger display, coming in at 1.1-inch AMOLED with a resolution of 294 x 126 pixels. There are a total of 11 fitness tracking modes and female users can also track their menstrual cycles.
Mi Band 5 will gets 100+ new animated watch faces with characters from popular series such as Neon Genesis Evangelion, Case Closed, Hatsune Miku, and SpongeBob SquarePants. To match the watch faces, the Mi Band 5 will accompany similarly colored straps.
Users will also get social media notifications, music control, incoming calls, text, weather updates, and more on the smart band. Furthermore, you can also use the band as a remote control for your smartphone camera.
The Mi Band 5 retains the usual heart rate tracker but it gains a new barometer to track atmospheric pressure. The brand claims a battery life of 14 days in one go. The new magnetic charging dock eliminates the need for taking the tracker out of the strap. The NFC variant of the Mi Band 5 will allow users to make payments via the band.
The standard variant of the Mi Band 5 will cost CNY 189 (US$ 27), while the NFC variant will go for CNY 229 (US$ 32). We expect Xiaomi to launch the band in more markets soon in the coming months.
Sony PlayStation will stop producing physical game discs for all new PlayStation titles starting January 2028.
The company says the move reflects changing consumer habits. More players now buy games digitally instead of on disc.
Games released before January 2028 will not be affected. Those titles will continue to receive physical editions as planned.
After the transition, all new PlayStation games will launch in digital format only. Players can buy them through the PlayStation Store or from retailers selling digital game codes.
Sony says the shift will help it focus on digital distribution. It also wants to give players more ways to purchase games while continuing to improve the gaming experience.
The move also signals a major change for the industry.
Players will no longer be able to buy physical copies of new PlayStation games after January 2027. That could reduce the second-hand game market since digital purchases cannot usually be resold.
Collectors may also see fewer special editions that include game discs. Future collector’s editions could instead bundle digital download codes with physical merchandise.
The transition also makes reliable internet access more important. Every new game will need to be downloaded, and players may need to upgrade their storage as game sizes continue to grow.
For Sony and game publishers, the move could lower manufacturing and shipping costs. It also gives them greater control over pricing, distribution, and digital sales.
While the company did not mention game preservation, some players may also raise concerns about long-term ownership. Unlike physical discs, digital games depend on online storefronts and account access.
Sony thanked players for their continued support and said it remains committed to delivering a world-class gaming experience as the industry continues its shift toward digital.
Accessories
Nothing confirms Ear (3a) is coming this month
It launches alongside the Phone (4b) on July 7.
From being told to not expect anything this year, Nothing fans suddenly have a lot to look forward to. The brand already launched the Phone (4a) series earlier this year, and the new Phone (4b) is likewise coming this month. Now, the Ear (3a) has also been announced.
Through an official teaser on X, Nothing announced that the Ear (3a) is launching alongside the Phone (4b) on July 7. Unfortunately, the short teaser doesn’t spill what the earbuds will look like. However, it does confirm that there will be four colorway options: White, Black, Yellow, and Pink.
Despite being under a relatively new brand, the Ear series carries a lot of history for Nothing. It is, after all, the brand’s first consumer-ready product which came out before the Phones. Since then, the earbuds typify Nothing’s iconic transparent designs. Now, there’s no indication that the Ear (3a) will depart from this tradition, but we’ll see a lot more color, at least.
The Ear (3a) isn’t the only spotlight in this teaser. Nothing also says that the video was shot with the upcoming Phone (4b). Though the video doesn’t spoil the phone’s camera hardware, it’s clear that it can shoot decent videos under relatively low-light conditions. (Of course, we’ll need a better look to confirm that.)
The Phone (4b) and the Ear (3a) are scheduled to launch worldwide on July 7.
News
Samsung is working on the Galaxy Ring 2
It will have better health tracking and a longer battery life.
Though the wearable launched with a lot of promise, the Samsung Galaxy Ring never really took off. That said, Samsung isn’t giving up. The company is already working on a Galaxy Ring 2.
In a new Forbes interview (via SamMobile), Dr. Hon Pak, head of Samsung’s Digital Health, has confirmed the development of the wearable’s sequel. The Galaxy Ring 2 will reportedly feature better health tracking and a longer battery life. Additionally, it will add support for iPhone pairing.
Because of its form factor, the original Ring comes off as a convenient health tracker for those who don’t prefer the larger nature of a smartwatch or a fitness band. However, it did have issues including a relatively short battery life and an incident where it swelled over a man’s finger.
Currently, there is no timeline for the upcoming Galaxy Ring 2. For reference, the original wearable launched all the way back in 2024. A follow-up is a reasonable ask at this point, but it’s still good that Samsung decided not to make the Ring an annual release.
Besides the Galaxy Ring 2, Samsung has a lot of tricks up its sleeve. Just today, the brand finally teased its first wide foldable phone. It’s also set to launch the Galaxy Glasses soon. On top of all this, Samsung is also experimenting with the trifold market via the Galaxy Z Trifold.
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