What's New in Tech This Week?
Catch up on the latest developments in AI, e-commerce, and gadgets.
This week, Apple revealed that its most advanced AI features in iOS 27 will be exclusive to iPhone 17 Pro users, Amazon kicked off early Prime Day deals on smart glasses and air fryers, and Valve discontinued physical Steam gift cards due to scams.
iOS 27's AI Exclusivity
Apple's latest operating system, iOS 27, will run on devices as far back as the iPhone 11, but its most advanced AI features will only be available on the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max. According to Craig Federighi, Senior Vice President of Software Engineering, these features require more powerful silicon, which is only available in the latest iPhone models.
"Our most powerful on-device model and the features it enables, like expressive voices and more advanced dictation, will be coming to our most capable iPhone, iPad and Mac systems." — Craig Federighi
Early Prime Day Deals
Amazon has started rolling out early Prime Day deals on various products, including smart glasses and air fryers. The discounts are modest, but they're expected to deepen as the sale approaches. Some popular smart glasses, like the first-gen Ray-Ban Meta glasses, are already on sale, while air fryers from brands like Ninja and Instant Pot are also seeing price cuts.
- Ray-Ban Meta glasses: $50 off
- Instant Pot Vortex Plus 6-in-1 Mini Air Fryer: $65 off
- Ninja Air Fryer: $30 off
Valve Discontinues Physical Steam Gift Cards
Valve has announced that it will no longer manufacture or sell physical Steam gift cards at retail stores due to scams. The company has struggled to prevent scammers from using these cards for malicious activities, and has decided to discontinue them altogether. Digital gift cards will still be available, and Valve has added guest checkout as a feature to make it easier for users to purchase and gift games.
"As we have continued to put more and more restrictions in place, scammers have adapted. They continue to have an impact on Steam customers and other unsuspecting individuals." — Valve
Cordless Power Tool Deals
Amazon is also offering early deals on cordless power tools, including a DeWalt 20V MAX Cordless Drill and Impact Driver Combo Kit that's $80 off. This kit is perfect for anyone building a new tool collection, and comes with a compact drill/driver, impact driver, two batteries, a battery charger, and a carrying case.
- DeWalt 20V MAX Cordless Drill and Impact Driver Combo Kit: $80 off