Sony announced that it will stop selling the Airpeak S1 camera drone. Sales of the product will end on March 31, 2025. Sony will also stop selling most of the drone’s accessories next year, but replacement batteries and propellers will be available until March 31, 2026. Inspections, repairs and software maintenance will continue through March 31, 2030.

The Airpeak S1 was initially introduced during a virtual presentation at CES in 2021. The drone was intended to capture high-definition footage with Sony’s full-frame mirrorless interchangeable-lens Alpha cameras. It could fly for 12 minutes with a camera attached and achieved a max flight speed of 55.9mph. While the high-end drone would set buyers back about $9,000 even before buying accessories, it had middling to flat-out negative reviews.

Metavrse, a 3D creation platform for the spatial web, has named Julie Smithson as president and CEO.

The Toronto, Canada-based company started out as a kind of metaverse shopping mall, where people would shop virtually for digital or real-world things.

A husband-and-wife team, Alan and Julie Smithson, started working on the company in 2015 amid the virtual reality craze and incorporated the company in the spring of 2016. They assembled a team and built an engine to run the mall on the web in 2020 and kept working on it. Alan Smithson served as CEO and he announced TheMall in 2022 with the hope of filling 100 floors of virtual retailers.

Now the company describes itself as focused on 3D creation for the spatial web, with a focus on XR, 3D and the metaverse. And the Smithsons are changing roles.

“Our mission is to make the metaverse creation experience as intuitive as possible,” said Julie Smithson, CEO of Metavrse, in a statement. “We are thrilled to unveil the next chapter of Metavrse. By combining AI with spatial web technologies, we are creating a platform that empowers users — regardless of their technical skill level to build immersive virtual worlds and experiences effortlessly.”

Before now, Julie Smithson had served as COO and cofounder. Now the team has delivered more than 200 3D projects for companies such as Microsoft, T-Mobile, Samsung, Wipro, JP Morgan, Mars-
Wrigley, Mastercard and more. She was recently named “Top 100 Women of the Future, 2024.”

Julie Smithson said the mission is to make the metaverse creation experience as intuitive as
possible, inspiring innovation and creativity across sectors like education, training, marketing,
retail, and entertainment.

As part of this transformation, Metavrse will soon relaunch its flagship platform, making it easier than ever for creators to develop and deploy immersive content entirely within their browsers. This shift eliminates the need for specialized hardware or software, offering users from all backgrounds the opportunity to shape the future of the spatial internet.

“As we drive technological innovation, our core focus is to empower creators to build and deliver
transformative experiences that reshape entire processes and industries,” she said. “At Metavrse, we are excited to unveil new opportunities for creators, educators, and marketers to explore the limitless potential of 3D creation.”

EV startup Canoo has lost its chief financial officer and its head lawyer, the latest in a string of executive departures as the company continues to struggle to find mass adoption of its electric work vans.

CFO Greg Ethridge and general counsel Hector Ruiz both resigned from Canoo on October 31, the company announced Tuesday in a regulatory filing. Ethridge and Ruiz did not respond to requests for comment.

Canoo also announced it has furloughed 30 workers in Oklahoma for 12 weeks “as part of a broader realignment of its North American operations.”

Ethridge has been replaced by former investment banker Kunal Bhalla, who has been chief of staff to CEO Tony Aquila. Bhalla will make a base salary of $300,000. Associate general counsel Sean Yan will replace Ruiz.

The departures come just a few weeks after Canoo closed its original headquarters in Los Angeles, California in order to prioritize its operations in Texas and Oklahoma. The last remaining co-founder left the company around the same time, as did Canoo’s chief technology officer.

Canoo has been struggling financially as of late. The company reported around $19 million in total cash as of June 30, 2024, $4.5 million of which was unrestricted. In October, Canoo revealed in a regulatory filing that a fund connected to Aquila loaned the startup around $1.2 million at an 11% interest rate. On Tuesday, the company announced in the same regulatory filing that it has borrowed another $2.7 million from Aquila’s fund. Canoo has also entered into a revolving credit facility with Aquila’s fund.

Canoo is also facing multiple lawsuits from suppliers alleging unpaid bills, as TechCrunch previously reported. Another supplier, Kistler Instrument Corporation, has since filed a lawsuit against Canoo as well in Los Angeles Superior Court seeking $56,000 in damages.

Nintendo hasn’t announced its Switch successor yet, but we do know one thing for sure: it will be able to play current Switch games and have carryover for your Nintendo Switch Online services and account. The news was announced during Nintendo’s midyear policy briefing, with further information promised “at a later date.”

Nintendo also talked about numbers for the current Switch (PDF), noting that it sold 4.72 million units in the past three months, a drop of 31 percent compared to the same period last year but well above previous consoles eight years after they launched.

That adds up to 146 million Switch units sold and a new record for software sales on a Nintendo platform, which reached 1.3 billion units as of September 30th, 2024. It also noted that Switch Online subscriptions dropped slightly from last year to about 34 million members. At the same time, the number of people opting for the pricier version with the Expansion Pack library of games continues to increase.

According to the presentation, “More software has been played on Nintendo Switch than on any other Nintendo hardware.”

All three of the major console manufacturers have had spotty records with backward compatibility. Both the Xbox Series X and the PS5 are mostly backward-compatible. But since the transition from the Wii U involved going from discs to cartridges, the Switch is not. Playing a game from previous Nintendo consoles at the moment is a function of optimism, involving the hope that either Nintendo releases a remastered Switch port or brings the game to its Switch Online library, but that won’t be the case this time around.

According to Nintendo, the Switch 2 (or whatever it’s actually called) is still on schedule to be revealed during this fiscal year, which runs until the end of March 2025, without interrupting Nintendo’s existing connection with over 100 million annual Switch players.

The conversation about backward compatibility isn’t just about player satisfaction but also video game preservation. A report from the Video Game History Foundation found that over 87 percent of games released before 2010 are “critically endangered” or unavailable for purchase. While Nintendo has brought some of its back catalog to the Switch, there are still a lot of inaccessible games. Nintendo also directly contributed to the increasing scarcity of older games by shutting down the Wii U / 3DS e-shop last year.

Update, November 5th, 2024: Added additional details.

Strands is the NYT’s latest word game after the likes of Wordle, Spelling Bee and Connections – and it’s great fun. It can be difficult, though, so read on for my Strands hints.

Want more word-based fun? Then check out my Wordle today, NYT Connections today and Quordle today pages for hints and answers for those games.

This time around we have a rather interesting comparison for you. We’re not comparing phones that have similar price tags, not at all. In this article, we’ll be comparing the Apple iPhone 16 Plus vs OnePlus 12R. The former costs twice as much, actually. The OnePlus 12R is shooting above its price range in terms of what it offers, and this comparison could actually surprise you. Apple did omit some features that it shouldn’t have, as it usually does, like a high refresh rate display.

It will be interesting to pit these two together and see what we come up with. As per usual, we’ll first list their specifications, and will then get down to comparing them across a number of other sections. These two devices are immensely different in pretty much every way, including design. So… it should be fun. Let’s get to it, shall we?

Specs

Apple iPhone 16 Plus vs OnePlus 12R, respectively

– Screen size:
6.7-inch Super Retina XDR OLED ( flat, 60Hz, HDR, 2,000 nits)
6.78-inch LTPO4 AMOLED display (Curved, 120Hz LTPO, HDR10+, 4,500 nits)
– Display resolution:
2796 x 1290
2780 x 1264
– SoC:
Apple A18 (3nm)
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
– RAM:
8GB
8GB/16GB (LPDDR5X)
– Storage:
128GB/256GB/512GB (NVMe)
128GB/256GB (UFS 3.1)
– Rear cameras:
48MP (wide, f/1.6 aperture, 1/1.56-inch sensor, 1.0um pixel size, sensor-shift OIS), 12MP (ultrawide, f/2.2 aperture, 120-degree FoV, 0.7um pixel size, PDAF)
50MP (f/1.8 aperture, 24mm lens, 1.0um pixel size, OIS, PDAF, Laser AF), 8MP (ultrawide, f/2.2 aperture, 16mm lens, 1.12um pixel size), 2MP (macro, f/2.4 aperture)
– Front cameras:
12MP (f/1.9 aperture, PDAF, 1/3.6-inch sensor size,)
16MP (f/2.4 aperture, 26mm lens, 1.0um pixel size)
– Battery:
4,674mAh
5,500mAh
– Charging:
30W wired, 25W MagSafe wireless, 15W Qi2 wireless, 7.5W Qi wireless, 4.5W reverse wired (charger not included)
100W wired (charger included)
– Dimensions:
160.9 x 77.8 x 7.8 mm
163.3 x 75.3 x 8.8mm
– Weight:
199 grams
207 grams
– Connectivity:
5G, LTE, NFC, Wi-Fi, USB Type-C, Bluetooth 5.3
– Security:
Face ID (3D facial scanning)
In-display fingerprint scanner (optical) & facial scanning
– OS:
iOS 18
Android 14 with OxygenOS 14
– Price:
$899+
$429+
– Buy:
Apple iPhone 16 Plus (Apple)
OnePlus 12R (Best Buy)

Apple iPhone 16 Plus vs OnePlus 12R: Design

The moment you see these two devices you’ll realize the different approaches these companies had. The iPhone 16 Plus is made out of metal and glass, and it’s a lot flatter overall. It has a flat front, flat back, and flat frame all around. Only its corners are rounded. The OnePlus 12R is made out of metal and glass too, but its front and back are curved. Yes, it has a curved display. Its frame is far from being flat.

The iPhone 16 Plus has a pill-shaped cutout on the front and uniform bezels. The OnePlus 12R includes a display camera hole, which is centered, so a much smaller cutout. It also has thin bezels, but they’re not uniform. However, the OnePlus 12R does have a higher screen-to-body ratio, hence thinner bezels. On the back, you’ll find two vertically-aligned cameras on the iPhone 16 Plus, in the top-left corner. OnePlus’ handset has three cameras which are a part of a camera oreo, in the top-left corner too.

Apple’s handset has more buttons overall. It includes a power/lock button on the right, along with a Camera Control button. On the left, it includes volume rocker keys and an Action Button. The OnePlus 12R has a power/lock key on the right, right below the volume up and down buttons. On the left, you’ll find an alert slider. Both phones are water and dust-resistant, but the iPhone 16 Plus comes with a better IP68 rating, compared to the IP64 rating the OnePlus 12R offers.

OnePlus’ handset has a slightly larger display, and the phone is taller, narrower, and thicker than the iPhone 16 Plus. It’s also 8 grams heavier, by the way. The in-hand feel between the two is vastly different, though both are quite slippery.

Apple iPhone 16 Plus vs OnePlus 12R: Display

There is a 6.7-inch 2796 x 1290 Super Retina XDR OLED display included on the iPhone 16 Plus. That panel is flat, and it has a 60Hz refresh rate, so not a high refresh rate. It supports HDR10 content, and Dolby Vision too. The peak brightness here is 2,000 nits, and the screen-to-body ratio is 88%. The display aspect ratio is 19.5:9, while the Ceramic Shield glass protects this display.

The OnePlus 12R, on the flip side, has a 6.78-inch 2780 x 1264 LTPO4 AMOLED display. That panel is curved, and it offers a 120Hz refresh rate. It can project up to 1 billion colors, and it supports HDR10+ content and Dolby Vision. The peak brightness here is 4,500 nits, while the screen-to-body ratio is around 91%. The Gorilla Glass Victus 2 from Corning is here to protect this panel.

Both of these displays are vivid and have great viewing angles. Both of them are also more than sharp enough and have good touch response. The thing is, the OnePlus 12R’s panel does get a bit brighter, and it also offers a high refresh rate. If you notice the difference between refresh rates, and the vast majority of people do, that will be a considerable jump. Do note the display curvature difference here too. The OnePlus 12R technically has a better display out of the two. Apple, for some reason, decided to stick with a 60Hz panel, which is difficult to understand considering the price tag here.

Apple iPhone 16 Plus vs OnePlus 12R: Performance

Apple’s handset is fueled by the Apple A18 processor, the company’s 3nm chip. Apple paired that with 8GB of RAM and NVMe flash storage. The OnePlus 12R, on the flip side, is fueled by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip, a 4nm processor. The phone also includes up to 12GB of LPDDR5X RAM and UFS 3.1 flash storage. Apple’s handset does have a more powerful chip here.

The performance between the two is basically on par in terms of everyday use. Both phones are very snappy regardless of what you do with them. It’s actually a real chore getting either phone to slow down. They’re great for general app use, browsing, multimedia consumption, messaging, and so on. The iPhone 16 Plus will have an edge when it comes to truly demanding games, but in all honesty, we did not really notice much of a difference.

The OnePlus 12R was able to run basically any game that we threw at it from the Google Play Store, without a problem. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 may be inferior, but it’s still an outstanding processor capable of running basically any game, with ease. So… even though the iPhone 16 Plus will likely have a longer shelf life, at the moment, the two phones are on par in terms of performance feel when you actually use them.

Apple iPhone 16 Plus vs OnePlus 12R: Battery

Apple’s handset has a 4,674mAh battery on the inside. The OnePlus 12R, on the other hand, includes a 5,500mAh unit. Apple’s iPhones usually have smaller batteries than their Android counterparts, so don’t pay too much attention to the capacity itself. With that being said, both of these smartphones are battery monsters. The OnePlus 12R offers outstanding battery life, but the iPhone 16 Plus is a tough competitor.

The iPhone 16 Plus has one of the best battery life results out there at the moment, so it does trump the OnePlus 12R. However, regardless of which of the two phones you end up getting, chances are you’ll be more than happy. Even if you’re a power user both of these phones have enough juice to get you through the day. Getting over 7 hours of screen-on-time is not much of a problem, especially on the iPhone 16 Plus, at least from what we’ve seen.

In terms of charging, the iPhone 16 Plus is more versatile, but the OnePlus 12R wipes the floor with it in terms of sheer charging speed. The OnePlus 12R supports 100W wired charging, while the iPhone 16 Plus offers 30W wired, 25W MagSafe wireless, 15W Qi2 wireless, 7.5W Qi wireless, and 4.5W reverse wired charging. Do note that only the OnePlus 12R ships with a charger, though.

Apple iPhone 16 Plus vs OnePlus 12R: Cameras

The iPhone 16 Plus comes with a 48-megapixel main camera (1/1.56-inch sensor) and a 12-megapixel ultrawide unit (120-degree FoV). The OnePlus 12R, on the flip side, includes a 50-megapixel unit (1/1.56-inch sensor), an 8-megapixel ultrawide camera (112-degree FoV), and a 2-megapixel macro shooter. Both phones do a good job with photography, but neither is close to competing with the very best.

The OnePlus 12R misses Hasselblad’s color calibration, but despite that, it manages to provide really good results. There’s not much to complain about its main camera performance, across different scenarios, the images end up looking really good, and somewhat contrasty. The iPhone 16 Plus does provide images with warmer tones, though it also does a good job across the board. The images do end up looking different, and the ones in low light, a hair darker.

In regards to the ultrawide camera, the iPhone 16 Plus wins. It simply provides better images in almost every way. They end up providing more details and end up being better-balanced. The macro camera on the OnePlus 12R is forgettable, 2-megapixel macro cameras should not be a thing, at all. In regards to video, that’s an easy win for the iPhone 16 Plus, even though the OnePlus 12R can shoot solid video content.

Audio

Both of these smartphones have a set of stereo speakers. Those speakers are actually rather good, and more than loud enough. In fact, they’re very close in terms of overall loudness, and output quality too.

There is no audio jack on either phone. You can, however, hook up your audio headphones to the Type-C port on either devices. If you prefer wireless audio, Bluetooth 5.3 is supported by both smartphones.