Researchers at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) have developed a high-performance, hybrid sodium-ion battery that charges rapidly and offers impressive energy density.
This revolutionary prototype uses sodium (Na), a chemical element over 1000 times more abundant and cheaper than lithium (Li), the main component of conventional batteries.
Generally, sodium-ion batteries face constraints such as lower power output, limited storage properties, and extended charging times. The innovative battery design, led by Professor Jeung Ku Kang of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at KAIST, combats existing limitations of sodium-ion batteries by integrating the anode materials used in traditional batteries with the cathodes used for supercapacitors into a hybrid system. The result reportedly delivers high storage capacity and rapid charge-discharge rates.
Multiple possibilities
Developing the hybrid battery hinged upon improving the energy storage rate of battery-type anodes and boosting the relatively low capacity of supercapacitor-type cathode materials.
The research team at KAIST made use of two distinct metal-organic frameworks to create an optimized synthesis of hybrid batteries, culminating in anode material with improved kinetics and a high-capacity cathode material.
The fully assembled hybrid sodium-ion energy storage device reportedly surpasses the energy density of commercial lithium-ion batteries and matches the power density characteristics of supercapacitors. Professor Kang says this new battery, with an energy density of 247 Wh/kg and a power density of 34,748 W/kg, could be used across a range industries, including electric vehicles, smart electronics and aerospace technologies.
The findings of this research, co-authored by KAIST doctoral candidates Jong Hui Choi and Dong Won Kim, were published in the international journal Energy Storage Materials with the catchy title of “Low-crystallinity conductive multivalence iron sulfide-embedded S-doped anode and high-surface-area O-doped cathode of 3D porous N-rich graphitic carbon frameworks for high-performance sodium-ion hybrid energy storages.”
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Mainstream customers looking for fast storage have had a pick of dozens of M.2 PCIe 5.0 SSDs on the market over the last year and a half, but enterprise customers, creative industry professionals, or those who have been looking to upgrade their cloud server storage from older SATA or racks of PCIe 3.0 U.2 drives haven’t been as lucky.
With U.2 PCIe 5.0 drives only now just starting to make it to market, storage newcomer FlumeIO just might be a godsend with its FlumeIO 5900-series U.2 NVMe PCIe 5.0 SSDs, offering a massive speed upgrade for I/O-heavy devices like network servers at a surprisingly affordable price for an enterprise-grade SSD with this level of performance.
With budgetary pricing starting at $643 for 4TB, and scaling up to $2,059 for 16TB, the FlumeIO 5900-series (comprised of the FlumeIO 5900 and FlumeIO 5901 models, the latter of which I tested for this review), is often cheaper than slower, last-gen drives like the Samsung PM9A3, a Gen 4.0 drive with substantially lower read/write speeds, fewer IOPS, and higher latency.
(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)
It goes without saying that this affordability is relative, as customers in enterprise channels are used to paying many thousands of dollars for new drives on a rolling basis as their existing SSD drives near the end of their drive-write lifespan.
But while this drive is almost exclusively for data centers or similar high-throughput, high-volume network devices and systems, there are many creative or engineering and research workstations out there with U.2 compatible motherboards, and this drive might be especially interesting for those in these industries who need both massive storage capacity as well as speed.
(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)
Fortunately, the FlumeIO 5900-series promises a lot and effectively delivers on those promises, at least as far as my testing is concerned. After an extensive couple of weeks putting this drive through its paces, it was ultimately with a heavy heart that I had to send it back to FlumeIO, as it’s the kind of SSD I’d have loved to have incorporated into my test bench in the NYC TechRadar office.
Starting with a simple, single direct I/O operation with 4KB read/write blocks and a 4GB file size, the FlumeIO 5901 scored lower than the promised IOPS and sequential read speeds, but that’s to be expected when using a single process and blocks so small, but it is instructive as to the performance of a single process on this drive. Multiple processes in a production environment will be able to push these numbers much higher, as we see when increasing the block size, process pool, and I/O queue depth.
Moving things into a more “production” like environment starts to push up against the promised 14GB/s sequential read and 10GB/s sequential write performance, while its random read IOPS likewise increases considerably, while its random write IOPS decreases a bit, given the increased block size.
Increasing the block size to 128KB slows things down a bit, especially with random I/O IOPS, but increase the number of processes to a true production environment of 128 processes or higher and these numbers too will likewise increase considerably.
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PCMark 10 Quick SSD Bandwidth (MB/s)
228
PCMark 10 Data Drive SSD Score
2200
PCMark 10 Data DSrive SSD Bandwidth (MB/s)
341.63
PCMark 10 Data DSrive SSD Access Time (ns)
74
PCMark 10 Performance Consistency Test Score
2933
PCMark 10 Performance Consistency Test Bandwidth (MB/s)
689.28
PCMark 10 Performance Consistency Test Access Time (ns)
84
PassMark Disk Score
83705
PassMark Disk Sequential Read
12088
PassMark Disk Sequential Write
11126
CrystalDiskMark 8 Sequential Read
14123
CrystalDiskMark 8 Sequential Write
11116
CrystalDiskMark 8 Random Read
7938
CrystalDiskMark 8 Random Write
3945
CrystalDiskMark 8 Average Read
11030.5
CrystalDiskMark 8 Average Write
7530.5
Same Drive 25GB File Copy Time
12.33
Same Drive 25GB File Copy Transfer Rate
2177.43
Second Drive 25GB File Copy Time
11.52
Second Drive 25GB File Copy Transfer Rate
2330.53
For content creators or researchers with workstation-class hardware capable of mounting a U.2 drive and who might be considering this drive over an M.2 PCIe 5.0 SSD like the Crucial T705 or similar, this drive has a lot to offer you as well, including substantially faster random read and write speeds, while still maintaining top-tier sequential read and write performance that you’d expect from a PCIe 5.0 drive.
Even better, rather than having to configure several M.2 SSDs into a RAID configuration to get a solid storage device for very large files, this drive can give you a one-and-done solution thanks to its significantly larger capacities.
In the end, then, whatever your needs might be, this is one of the best U.2 SSD options on the market, and if you’re looking for a PCIe 5.0 SSD, there aren’t really many to choose from, making it relatively lower price point all the more impressive.
FlumeIO 5901 U.2 SSD: Price & availability
The FlumeIO 5900 series SSDs will be available in Q2 2024 with budgetary pricing kicking off at $643 for 4TB, and topping out at $2,059 for 16TB.
FlumeIO 5901 U.2 SSD: Specs
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FlumeIO F5900 Series NVMe SSD Specs
Header Cell – Column 0
FlumeIO 5900
FlumeIO 5901
NAND Flash
3D TLC NAND
3D TLC NAND
User Capacity
3.84TB, 7.68TB, 15.36TB
3.2TB, 6.4TB, 12.8TB
Lifetime Edurance Rating (Drive Writes per Day for 5 years)
1
3
Mean time between failures
2 million hours
2 million hours
Protocol
NVMe 2.0, OCP 2.0
NVMe 2.0, OCP 2.0
Operating System
RHEL, SLES, CentOS, Ubuntu, Windows Server, VMware ESXi
RHEL, SLES, CentOS, Ubuntu, Windows Server, VMware ESXi
Power Draw
Less than 25W
Less than 25W
Should you buy the FlumeIO 5901 U.2 SSD?
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FlumeIO 5901 U.2 SSD Scorecard
Value
Considering the PCIe 5.0 speeds on offer here, the price per TB of this U.2 drive series is very affordable.
4.0 / 5
Design & features
Features like advanced encryption and a 5-year warranty make this one of the best enterprise SSDs going, while the heat sink for the drive itself does an admirable job of keeping things cool.
4.5 / 5
Performance
With true PCIe 5.0 speeds and IOPS on offer, enterprise customers who are looking for a faster storage solution finally have a great option with FlumeIO.
5 / 5
Average rating
FlumeIO’s 5900-series enterprise SSDs are among the fastest you can get right now with a U.2 interface, making them must haves for IT and data center users.
4.7 / 5
We pride ourselves on our independence and our rigorous review-testing process, offering up long-term attention to the products we review and making sure our reviews are updated and maintained – regardless of when a device was released, if you can still buy it, it’s on our radar.
Dell‘s latest flash sale ran for just 72 hours so there wasn’t much time to pick up one of the great laptop deals on offer. But don’t worry if you missed out. I’ve just looked through the manufacturer’s current batch of deals and found four laptops that are just as good (or even better) as we saw in the flash sale.
The highlight is this Dell Inspiron 15 for $429.99 (was $649.99), which is near-identical to the best laptop deal from the previous flash sale. All that’s changed is a swap from Windows 11 Pro to Windows 10 Home for an extra saving of $20. We’ll take that, given the difference in operating system doesn’t make a huge difference overall.
You still get a powerful all-around laptop that’s great value for money. It boasts an Intel i5 processor, 16GB of RAM and a large 512GB SSD to ensure fast load times, boot times and excellent overall performance for everyday computing needs.
Elsewhere there are cheaper options such as this basic Dell Inspiron 15 for $279.99 (was $449.99) that’s ideal for light tasks and general work, including web browsing, word processing, sending emails, and making video calls. Or, if you want a real performance powerhouse, then don’t miss this Dell XPS 13 for $799 (was $1,099) that’s in the clearance section so stock will be limited.
Today’s 4 best laptop deals at Dell
Unlike the flash sale, it’s unclear how long these offers will be available so be sure to pick one up while you can as they are some of the best laptop deals available now. Before you hit that buy button, though, you should check out all the latest Dell coupon codes for ways to save even more money at the manufacturer’s official store.
Earlier today, you may have heard about the unusual Galaxy Z Flip 6 benchmark revealing an unexpected hardware configuration, including an outdated chip. The Galaxy Z Flip 6 is expected to sport the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC, but a new Geekbench entry suggested that the phone would be powered by the older Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 instead.
After that news started spreading, we dug a bit deeper for more concrete information. And it turns out that the Galaxy Z Flip 6 featuring the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip doesn’t exist, after all. The benchmark entry was fabricated.
Fake Geekbench entries used to be more common a couple of years ago, but it’s been a while since we came across any. Nevertheless, the recent Galaxy Z Flip 6 benchmark entry is as fake as can be.
A Japanese Galaxy S23 Ultra in disguise
Digging deeper into the recent Geekbench entry reveals that the device used to fake the benchmark was a Galaxy S23 Ultra. More specifically, it was a Japanese Galaxy S23 Ultra, which sports model number SCG20. Japanese model numbers are more unusual than international ones, which may have helped hide the true identity of this device at a glance.
We can also reconfirm that the older Geekbench entry, which revealed that the Galaxy Z Flip 6 should be powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip, appears to be legitimate.
All in all, the Z Flip 6 with an older Snapdragon chip never existed. It’s not a test model, a Fan Edition variant, or a downgrade in any way. It simply doesn’t exist, and the Geekbench entry was faked using a Galaxy S23 Ultra. So, Galaxy Z Flip fans need not worry. The upcoming model will not be underpowered.
Samsung should unveil the next-gen Galaxy Z Flip 6 at Unpacked later this summer. As we exclusively revealed earlier this year, the event should take place on July 10.
Last year was terrible for smartphone brands, as sales declined year-over-year. However, not everything was bad. People have actually started spending more on smartphones, and a new report reveals how much people spend on average. Consumers in Samsung’s home country spent the most on average on smartphones, bringing a good outlook for Galaxy S and Galaxy Z series devices.
South Koreans are lapping up Samsung foldable phones, resulting in rise of average smartphone selling price
According to a new report from market research firm TechInsights, South Korea, Japan, and the US were the top three markets with respect to smartphone Average Selling Price (ASP). The sales of Samsung’s Galaxy Z series foldable phones are among the reasons TechInsights has quoted for the rise in smartphone ASP in South Korea. This figure is estimated to keep rising until at least 2029, which is great news for Samsung’s foldable phones, especially since Samsung has multiple generations of foldable phones. Price growth has also been reported for iPhones in recent years.
In Japan, though, regulatory restrictions on smartphone subsidies have slowed the growth of ASP. Japan was the top-ranked country in terms of smartphone ASP until 2020, but South Korea topped it in 2021. The UK ranked fourth in 2023 but is expected to outgrow the US this year to rank third. This is due to the higher penetration of iPhones in the past couple of years and a faster upgrade cycle. However, the US is estimated to regain its third position in the next few years. The global smartphone market is estimated to grow by 3% in 2024 compared to last year.
While 2023 was bad, the future looks bright for the smartphone market. China, India, and the US are projected to lead smartphone growth. These three countries are expected to contribute almost half the global smartphone revenue by 2024. While India ranks 71st in average smartphone selling price, its massive population will drive revenue for OEMs. This makes India one of the best markets for smartphone brands to invest in, and Samsung is already in a great position. The company was the biggest smartphone brand in India in Q1 2024.
New smartphone form factors, like foldable and rollable phones, and deeper 5G penetration will improve smartphone average selling prices in the coming years. You can read the complete TechInsights report here to see data on 88 markets.
I’ve spent a good chunk of time these last few evenings playing through the Hades 2 Technical Test, which I was lucky enough to receive an invite for after registering my interest on the game’s Steam page. Despite only featuring the first major level and some elements of the hub area, I’ve already found myself completely unable to put the game down.
This brief opening snippet of gameplay was so thoroughly compelling that it began to eclipse all the tasks I’d planned to do this week. Not least of all was a certain multilingual bird getting particularly irate with me. All of this is to say, when Hades 2 releases in Steam Early Access in the near future, be sure to make ample time for it, because as the game’s intro succinctly stresses: time cannot be stopped.
Family matters
(Image credit: Supergiant Games)
Hades 2 is a direct sequel to Supergiant Games’ smash-hit 2020 roguelite. This time around you’re playing as Melinoë, immortal princess of the underworld and sister to Zagreus – the first game’s protagonist. Her titular father and extended family have been spirited away by Chronos, the Titan of Time.
Chronos now threatens to destroy the underworld and instigate his own rule, which Melinoë, the Gods of Olympus and a small band of allies aren’t all too happy with. Instead of ascending to the mortal realm as Zagreus once did, in a neat twist, Melinoë will have to descend from the surface to the depths of the underworld in order to put an end to Chronos (and thus, time itself) and rescue her family.
It’s a fantastic spin that immediately raises the stakes, offering something much more pressing than the (still extremely compelling) internal familial politics of the first game. And what’s more, Hades 2 is still backed up by a terrific range of well-realized characters.
Melinoë herself is fantastic, offering a more measured, calculated personality than her hot-headed brother. She’s got some truly ice-cold lines, too: “His age doesn’t mean anything to me. The old are seldom wise, and often weak.” Her headmistress, the witch Hecate (who I was pleasantly surprised to learn is voiced by Amelia Tyler, Baldur’s Gate 3’s beloved narrator), is another highlight – her strict-but-caring nature provides a stark contrast to the brutish Hades himself.
(Image credit: Supergiant Games)
Melinoë’s combat abilities appear to be somewhat evolved from what was available to Zagreus in the first game. Regular attack combos, specials, projectiles, and casting abilities are still present here, but the princess of the underworld has some additional tricks up her spectral sleeves.
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For one, Melinoë can charge up her attacks, converting them into mana-consuming ‘Omega’ abilities. These lend additional properties and utility to her weapon’s move set. For example, using her magic staff that’s unlocked at the start of the level, a charged basic attack now fires beams of light both ahead and behind her for big damage. And by charging her Cast ability (which by default creates a circle that slows enemies caught within it), you’ll cause the area to detonate after a couple of seconds.
Melinoë can also sprint by holding down the Dash button, which as you’d expect, is extremely handy for navigating each room’s arenas and helps you get into more strategic combat positions. This turned out to be incredibly helpful, as I noticed enemy density in Hades 2 was slightly higher compared to the original game – at least in this initial technical test demo.
You’ll still be collecting boons from the various Gods of Olympus which can transform the properties of Melinoë’s move set in various ways, such as spawning a tornado after dashing or causing your projectile to temporarily freeze enemies in place. The foundations of the first game all seem to be here, but some new systems have been added on top to further diversify Melinoë’s abilities in combat.
My favorite new addition comes in the form of Arachne, an adorable spider that can weave special dresses for Melinoë to wear. Beyond some fun aesthetic changes, these dresses also provide an amount of armor to protect your precious health, and powerful buffs to improve your chances against Chronos’ minions. However, you’re incentivized to take very good care of this armor, as taking enough damage will destroy it, alongside any buffs it added to your run.
Time after time
(Image credit: Supergiant Games)
While we’ve only been introduced to its initial level of Erebus and the first boss (which – spoiler warning – turns out to be Hecate, testing Melinoë’s combat prowess before allowing her to progress further and recreating that gorgeously animated reveal trailer), Hades 2 is already shaping up to be a supremely fun and remarkably polished experience. And while I wasn’t going out of my way to hunt for bugs or unintended oddities, I didn’t run into anything remotely game-breaking.
As you may expect from the talented Supergiant team, Hades 2 also looks and sounds phenomenal. Jen Zee’s iconic character artwork only gets better with each Supergiant release and Hades 2 is no different. Environments look equally stunning, and the voice acting is exceptional; there are already what feels like hundreds of unique lines, and across several runs I didn’t once run into instances of repeated dialogue.
We’ve yet to receive a firm release date for Hades 2’s early access, though Supergiant Games has stressed that it’ll be arriving soon. Until then, be sure to play as much of the technical test build as you can. Or if you haven’t received an invite, rest assured that Hades 2 is already looking like it could surpass the developer’s previous efforts.
The Freestyle is one of Samsung’s coolest products. It’s a portable smart projector with an in-built speaker and a stand that lets you adjust the projecting angle by 180 degrees to allow you to project on walls and roofs. With such capabilities, Samsung thinks that The Freestyle makes for a great product for camping as it lets you watch content in a large size anywhere very easily, and the brand is now demonstrating that in South Korea.
Samsung has announced that it has set up a booth at the 17th Edition of the Go Out Camp in South Korea where it is showcasing The Freestyle and its capabilities. The brand is specifically demonstrating how The Freestyle is a great product for camping as it is portable, can project up to a 100-inch screen, has a wide range of projecting angle adjustments, and packs a 360-degree speaker, allowing you to watch content in a large size very easily in an outdoor setup.
The brand has also created a also a zone with a mini-bus featuring a camping setup where people can take cool photos showing that they are enjoying an outdoor camp. The booth will be live from 19-21 April 2024. We hope Samsung showcases The Freestyle at camping events in other countries too to introduce more people to it as very few of them are aware that a product exists that can let them watch content on a large screen anywhere easily.
Some of the greatest icons of the streets of Paris are les dames d’un certain âge pulling their grocery trolleys down the sidewalk. In my mind, theirs always seem to be rickety things, giant wire baskets on cheap plastic wheels all holding a tarp-like bag into which they can put wine, cheese, leeks, and baguettes. Trolleys are supremely practical, particularly if you are on foot or even in the Métro, but thanks to a touch of modernization, they may be ready to make the leap across the pond.
Photograph: KELSEY MCCLELLAN
Spanish trolley manufacturer Rolser is leading that charge. The company sells a full line of trolleys, including my favorite, the Wallaby Tweed 2 Wheel Foldable Shopping Trolley. First, and kinda crucially, it’s good-looking, trading the rattling basket for a folding tubular frame with a 40-liter bag that, at roughly 7.5 inches deep, 13 inches wide, and 26 inches tall, looks a bit like a giant, fold-flat pannier. That sturdy fabric allows the bag to have sharp corners, and it’s rubberized to keep your Cheerios from getting soggy if you get caught in the rain. Combine that with fat-toothed zippers nestled in natty contrasting tape and the whole thing has a surprising hipness. Plus, big wheels with a 6.5-inch diameter and a bit of squish help smooth out bumps in the pavement.
I love using my trolley because it allows me to make a full grocery run without having to lug heavy bags all over my neighborhood, but what I immediately noticed about my Wallaby once I started using it was how many compliments I got every time I hit the street with it. A nice lady at the Mexican grocery down the block switched from admiring its practicality to making sure she knew the make and model before I left the store. Two other people on that same outing went out of their way to ask about it. At the grocery store, I came to appreciate a feature on this model where you fold it in half and then use a row of plastic hooks to clamp the empty trolley to the grocery cart while you shop. At the register, you want to make sure you load heavy stuff in first to keep from crushing more delicate or more delicate items, and there’s a large zipper that runs down most of the outer panel, making loading and unloading a bit easier. While other models have a cinch with a flap at the top, this one just has a stiff flap that gets in the way a bit when it’s time to load it. However, there are also a few well-placed pockets, both on the top flap and inside the bag for items like pens, keys, and produce bags. As someone who frequently marches around the supermarket with the grocery list on a clipboard, I like the large pouch on the back of the bag that accommodates it nicely.
Out of the sidewalk, it functions surprisingly well under load. Rolser has both a recommended load limit of 55 pounds and a “maximum load” of 88 pounds. For months, I’ve pushed mine toward what feels like it could be the limit, stuffing it with a few six packs, a big jug of kombucha, milk, and other heavy groceries to fill the bag. With its fairly large wheels and sturdy frame, it handles just fine. One day, I loaded it about two-thirds full with a fat stack of cookbooks to donate to the Seattle Public Library and, while the tires felt a little splashy on the way over to the Columbia Branch, the multi-block walk was still pretty easy. If you happen to have extra totes, those can be hung over the main bag, helping you free up a hand for waving to your jealous neighbors.
Sometimes even the most die-hard coffee enthusiasts just want a quick cup of joe. Unfortunately, that often leaves people with sipping less-than-satisfactory java from traditional drip brewers. But now after years of customer requests, Fellow is finally releasing a machine that it claims can deliver a pour-over experience at the touch of a button. And after seeing it in action, there’s a lot to like.
Starting at $365, the Aiden certainly isn’t cheap. That said, compared to the $500 grinders and pricey accessories that so many aficionados lust after, this might seem like a bargain to some. But the big difference between the Aiden and traditional coffee machines is that unlike a typical drip-based brewer, it features an adjustable showerhead that mimics the process of a traditional pour-over. Fellow also uses a thick film Ferro Techniek heating element which is said to deliver exact water temperatures (down to a single degree and up to 210F). When combined with the ability to adjust things like bloom time, the amount of water used and more, you get a ton of control over the brewing process. Fellow even includes two different baskets: a single-serve option that delivers a slightly more nuanced product or a batch filter to accommodate big crowds (up to 10 cups at a time).
The Aiden’s carafe is double-walled as Fellow wanted to avoid a built-in hotplate which could potentially scorch your coffee. (Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget)
The Aiden also features a guided brew process that walks you through various settings, though you can always create your own profiles or download instructions directly from participating roasters via a QR code and Fellow’s free companion app. That said, I appreciate that if you don’t want to break out your phone just to make a cup of coffee, you can still set programs, start a brew and input data directly into the machine via its bright color LCD screen and large control dial.
But the best thing about the Aiden is how easy and convenient it is to use. It features a 1.5L reservoir and its heating element is completely silent so you can brew a cup in the morning without disturbing the peace. Once you have your favorite brews dialed in, starting a batch is as simple as dumping in some grounds and hitting start (and adding water to the tank if you haven’t done that already). The machine will remind you when you need to run a clean cycle or descale it. Because its showerhead is super precise, if you schedule it to run in the morning before you wake up, it will be ready exactly when you tell it. Not a minute too early or late. There’s even a cold brew setting that will slowly drip water through the grounds throughout the day (and of course you can set how long or short this takes) instead of relying on a prolonged immersion like you would otherwise.
The Aiden comes with two different brewing baskets and a switch for you when you need to change between single-cup and batch brew functions. (Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget)
However, one feature the Aiden doesn’t have is a keep warm function, but that’s because most coffee lovers tend to stay away from machines with built-in hotplates that can result in scorched joe. Instead, Fellow relies on a thermal double-walled carafe to keep things warm until you can get to it (which probably won’t be long if you’re in need of caffeine).
Finally, while your tastes may vary, I like the Aiden’s minimalist design. It’s short enough that it should fit under most kitchen cabinets and its sleek lines and boxy shape make it a cinch to clean. And while I only got to sample a single cup, the Scandinavian light roast I tried retained a lot of the subtle vanilla and hickory notes that would normally be stamped out by traditional drip brewers.
That said, it’s important to remember that the Aiden isn’t meant to replace your V60 or Aeropress or whatever your preferred brewing method is. It’s simply meant to provide a higher quality joe than what your standard drip brewer can make for situations where you don’t have the time or energy to make a cup yourself. From what I’ve seen so far, it does just that.
Pre-sale for the Aiden is live today, with shipments expected to begin sometime this September. Additionally, anyone who pre-orders will get a bag of coffee each from Onyx Coffee Lab, La Cabra and Verve Coffee Roasters specifically designed for this machine along with scannable brewing profiles.
Apple is easing up its self-repair policy, allowing iPhone owners to fix their devices with used parts instead of forcing them to buy new replacements. The tech giant told The Washington Post the update will apply to screens, batteries, and cameras among other things.
Apple states in its announcement post that they have plans to grow the program to include biometric sensors. The changes are scheduled to take effect this autumn, starting, Apple confirmed with TechRadar, with the iPhone 15 and future models.
Parts pairing, where the serial number of a component is matched with the iPhone, remains an important aspect of the repair process. Apple states the technology is important in determining whether a part is genuine and “critical to preserving the privacy, security, and safety of iPhone.” They will, however, relax some of the restrictions surrounding parts pairing.
Neither customers nor service providers will need to give Apple a phone’s serial number when ordering replacements – so long as you’re not fixing the logic board, in which case then you do. Calibration will occur right on the iPhone after the genuine part has been installed.
Maintaining quality
This is a big deal because, as The Washington Post explains, attempting to use “components harvested from other iPhones” results in performance problems. Colors on fixed displays may not look as vibrant as they once did.
But all that changes several months from now. You can expect the same level of quality regardless of whether a part is used or right out of the factory. The policy change could even be helpful for users who can’t afford out-of-warranty costs or don’t have an Apple Store near them.
Alongside the update, Apple is going to expand the availability of its Activation Lock tech to iPhone parts. The feature was originally “designed to limit… theft” by preventing access to lost or stolen devices. Moving forward, if an iPhone under repairs notices a part has either Activation Lock or Lost Mode activated, calibration for that replacement will be disabled. What’s more, the company plans to upgrade an iPhone’s Parts and Service History to show information about whether a part is new or used.
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No word on how much these parts will cost or where people can buy them. Presumably, it’ll all be done through the company’s Self Service Repair Store. We’ve reached out for info and we’ll update this story if we hear back.
Potential future changes
Aftermarket parts built by third parties will not be allowed. The Washington Post states that if you try to install one of those components, you’ll receive a warning stating the part isn’t legitimate and certain features won’t work such as the battery health readout.
Of course, things can always change. Apple was once famously against the right to repair, and yet here they are, providing the parts themselves. We could see additional repair policy changes later in the year moving into 2025. Parts pairing, in particular, is currently caught in the crosshairs. Oregon recently banned the practice back in late March although the law won’t take effect until January 2025. The EU is considering doing the same, but nothing is set in stone.
John Ternus, Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering at Apple, defended parts pairing in an interview with TechCrunch by calling the practice “not evil.” However, if there’s one thing we’ve learned is that with the right motivation, Apple can change its mind.
