Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge The blood oxygen feature is about to disappear from new Apple Watch Series 9 and Watch Ultra 2 devices. While Apple itself has not released a statement or responded to our request for comment, both Bloomberg and 9to5Mac are reporting that the feature will be going away and that US Customs and Border Protection has approved the measure, which would allow Apple to consider selling both products after their sale was banned last year.The Apple Watch Series 9 and Watch Ultra 2 were both banned in the US late last year as the result of a patent dispute with medical device maker Masimo. The International Trade Commission (ITC) ruled that the blood oxygen sensors in both devices infringed on patents from Masimo.Apple pulled the Watch Series 9... Continue reading…

When it comes to business, one of the most valuable things you can do is be informed. That’s why web scraping is such a powerful tool when it comes to improving your pricing and competitor intelligence.

Image: FedEx FedEx announced today that it will launch a new “data-driven commerce platform” this fall called fdx that it says will give online merchants “end-to-end e-commerce solutions,” including data for supply chain management. The platform will build on what it offers with ShopRunner, an online e-commerce store the company bought in 2020.The company writes that fdx will combine new features with those already in ShopRunner, like enabling merchants to give estimated delivery dates to customers during shopping and ordering, or data on supply chain resources’ carbon impact. FedEx says when fdx launches in the fall, it will add “more efficient, cost-effective deliveries” using its data. FedEx’s system would also enable a “custom post-purchase... Continue reading…

Image: Microsoft Microsoft is unlocking the doors for all businesses to get access to its AI-powered Office features. Microsoft’s Copilot for Microsoft 365 launched in November with enterprise customers having to commit to at least 300 users and pick up the phone to get on the list. That was an additional $9,000 cost minimum for businesses, but now Microsoft’s AI-powered assistant is generally available for all businesses large and small with no minimum amount of users.“Given the demand and interest we’ve heard from small and medium-sized businesses, we’re removing that 300 seat minimum,” says Divya Kumar, global head of marketing for search and AI at Microsoft, in a 1 on 1 with The Verge. “So now businesses of all sizes can get the $30 option and... Continue reading…

When you're thinking about purchasing a new motherboard, there are a handful of factors you should keep in mind. For one, the motherboard of your choice should be compatible with your CPU and memory. Likewise, it should have the correct form factor to fit inside your PC cabinet.

Illustration by Nick Barclay / The Verge Apple will combine a San Diego team of 121 employees with one in Austin, Texas, and any of the employees who elect not to move could be let go on April 26. That’s according to Bloomberg, which reported that an Apple spokesperson confirmed that the team, which listens to recordings of Siri interactions to make sure it responded appropriately, will “have the opportunity to continue their role with Apple in Austin.”The article reports that the staff was surprised by the relocation, which Apple had indicated would involve a move to another campus in San Diego by the end of January, rather than going to Texas. The company reportedly told employees they can apply for other jobs within the company, though some doubt they’re qualified for other... Continue reading…

Dell's entire high-end XPS lineup of laptops was overhauled for 2024, the announcement coming just ahead of CES 2024. It's now more focused than ever, with Dell ditching the XPS 13 "Plus" model and folding many of its futuristic features into the regular product lineup. The XPS 13 9340 is, as a result, in as good of a spot as I've ever seen, especially now that it's powered by Intel's new Core Ultra processors.

Photo by Vjeran Pavic / The Verge For anyone who wants to try the Apple Vision Pro when it’s officially released on February 2nd, there’s going to be a whole procedure. We knew that, but now a report in Mark Gurman’s latest Power On newsletter for Bloomberg sheds light on how the in-store demos for the Vision Pro will work.According to Gurman, the process will start with an Apple Store employee scanning users’ faces to pick out the light seal for Apple’s headset — a process he likens to configuring Face ID. For those who need vision correction, Apple will reportedly also scan their lenses with a special device to suss out the prescription. Then an employee fits a Vision Pro with one of “hundreds” of on-hand lenses and a seal and tells you how to use the device... Continue reading…

Unlike Samsung and OnePlus, Apple releases a new iPhone series later in the year, and 2024 won't be an exception. While the release date of the new iPhone series — the iPhone 16 — is unknown, there are plenty of rumors floating around about its specifications. The latest one is coming from a reliable source and points to better camera and network speeds in the iPhone 16 Pro, more RAM in the regular iPhone 16 model, and other important changes Apple is planning to introduce across the lineup.

Image: Microsoft Microsoft first launched its AI-powered Office features for businesses in November, but just two months later the company is already offering them to consumers. Copilot Pro is launching today as a $20 monthly subscription that provides access to AI-powered features inside Office apps like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint alongside priority access to the latest OpenAI models and the ability to build your own Copilot GPT.If you’re already a Microsoft 365 Personal or Home subscriber then the extra $20 per month (per person) subscription will immediately unlock Copilot in Office apps on Mac, Windows, and iPad. These features include the ability to generate entire PowerPoint slide decks from a chatbot-like prompt, and inline Copilot experiences... Continue reading…

If you just set up a new iPad for the first time, then there are some essentials you need to know. iPadOS 17 differs from other tablet operating systems and offers its unique set of features and capabilities. So, to make the most out of your flagship tablet, you may want to get accustomed to these offerings that will only contribute to more powerful workflows. To get you started, we will list some of our favorite tips for setting everything up.

Illustration: The Verge Yesterday TikTok presented me with what appeared to be a deepfake of Timothee Chalamet sitting in Leonardo Dicaprio’s lap and yes, I did immediately think “if this stupid video is that good imagine how bad the election misinformation will be.” OpenAI has, by necessity, been thinking about the same thing and today updated its policies to begin to address the issue.The Wall Street Journal noted the new change in policy which were first published to OpenAI’s blog. ChatGPT, Dall-e, and other OpenAI tool users and makers are now forbidden from using OpenAI’s tools to impersonate candidates or local governments and users cannot use OpenAI’s tools for campaigns or lobbying either. Users are also not permitted to use OpenAI tools to discourage... Continue reading…