Apple Announces Changes to iOS in Japan for Compliance With the Mobile Software Competition Act
It’s the practical results of legislation and regulation that matter, not the intentions. The Japanese government seemingly gets that, and acts accordingly.

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Indie App Spotlight: ‘AnywAIr’ lets you play with local AI models on your iPhone
Welcome to Indie App Spotlight. This is a weekly 9to5Mac series where we showcase the latest apps in the indie app world. If you’re a developer and would like your app featured, get in contact. AnywAIr, which is a play on the word “anywhere”, is a nifty little iOS app that lets you play with AI models – regardless of if you have an internet connection. It offers custom themes, a plethora of tools and games, and all of the local AI models you could want to mess with. more…

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These Mac mini deals start at $479, with delivery by Christmas
Finish up your holiday shopping with triple-digit discounts on Apple's M4 Mac mini, which starts at just $479, with delivery by Christmas to many locations.Grab last-minute deals on Apple's latest Mac mini.If you're looking for a last-minute holiday gift for someone special, Amazon and B&H Photo have discounts on Apple's latest Mac mini, with free next day delivery on orders shipped within the contiguous U.S. on dozens of SKUs at B&H.Amazon also has several models available for delivery by Christmas to select locations. Because inventory is fluctuating, be sure to check estimated arrival dates for your specific address. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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Quicken Classic 8.4
Updates the financial management app with a sackful of handy improvements and bug fixes. ($71.88/$95.88/$131.88 annual subscription, free update, 3.2 MB, macOS 12+)

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Parallels Desktop 26.2
Maintenance update for the virtualization software focused primarily on bug fixes. ($99.99 Standard Edition, free update, 5.4 MB, macOS 13+)

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Incogni can scrub your SSN and other sensitive data from the web
Would it surprise you to know that in all likelihood your Social Security number is freely available for sale to anyone who wants to buy it? The same is true of your phone number, address, date of birth, and much more. That’s because there are companies known as data brokers whose business is to buy personal data from websites, app developers, and other sources in order to offer it for resale. Fortunately, Incogni is here to help – 9to5Mac readers can get a massive 55% discount. more…

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Clever Apple Watch charger swings both ways
With both wireless and wired capabilities, this 1200mAh portable Apple Watch charger is super-convenient. Great gift for Apple Watch owners. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)

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Is the iMac Pro ready for a comeback? [The CultCast]
This week on Cult of Mac's podcast: Leaked code indicates Apple is working on a new iMac Pro, years after the all-in-one disappeared. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)

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Today in Apple history: NeXT buyout brings Steve Jobs back to Cupertino
On December 20, 1996, Apple Computer officially bought NeXT, the computer company Steve Jobs founded after leaving Apple a decade earlier. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)

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AI calculations on Mac cluster gets a big boost from new RDMA support on Thunderbolt 5
Real-world test of Apple's latest implementation of Mac cluster computing proves it can help AI researchers work using massive models, thanks to pooling memory resources over Thunderbolt 5.An M3 Ultra Mac Studio quartet set up for clustering over Thunderbolt 5 - Image Credit: Jeff GeerlingIn November, Apple teased inbound features in macOS Tahoe 26.2 that stands to considerably change how AI researchers perform machine learning processing. At the time, the headline improvement made to MLX, Apple's machine learning framework, was to support GPU-based neural accelerators, but Thunderbolt 5 clustering support was also a big change.One month later, and the benefits of Thunderbolt 5 for clustering are finally being seen in a real-world environment. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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2025 was huge for Apple — here’s why
In this end-of-year roundup, we’ve gathered the most ground-breaking rumors, consequential news and biggest surprises of 2025. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)

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Apple @ Work: ABM Warranty shows why Apple’s new Business Manager APIs matter for IT teams
Apple @ Work is exclusively brought to you by Mosyle, the only Apple Unified Platform. Mosyle is the only solution that integrates in a single professional-grade platform all the solutions necessary to seamlessly and automatically deploy, manage & protect Apple devices at work. Over 45,000 organizations trust Mosyle to make millions of Apple devices work-ready with no effort and at an affordable cost. Request your EXTENDED TRIAL today and understand why Mosyle is everything you need to work with Apple. The new Apple Business Manager API enables third-party tools to access device data directly from Apple in a secure, predictable, and really helpful manner for IT teams managing large fleets of Apple devices. It is the kind of work that Apple does behind the scenes that ultimately has a huge impact as people build around it. When Apple exposes more of its device information and management capabilities through official APIs, the entire ecosystem benefits, and a new app is a prime example. more…

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Amazon has the AirTag 4 Pack Marked $29 off
Amazon has the AirTag 4-pack marked $29 off. Keep track of your items with Key Finder and Locator for your things like wallet, backpack, computer, phone, and more. You can find missing items faster, reduce the time spent, and eliminate the unnecessary stress of looking for them. The disc-shaped AirTag has a built-in speaker so […] The post appeared first on iLounge.

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The AirPods Max Is 5 Years Old
Five years ago, the AirPods Max was released by Apple, which marked Apple’s first charge into the market of over-ear headphones leaning toward the higher end. Apple was reportedly working on headphones called the AirPods Studio around that time, and the device was abruptly announced in December 2020. The AirPods Max came with a lot […] The post appeared first on iLounge.

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Kindle App Integrates AI Assistant
A new feature has been added to the Kindle app for iOS, which integrates AI to answer queries you may have while you’re reading a book. The feature was introduced by Amazon and is currently available in the United States. The Assistant is called ‘Ask This Book’ lets users highlight any text in the book […] The post appeared first on iLounge.

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Apple Car Key Support Rumored to Come to Toyota
A digital key feature was introduced by Toyota a few years back in the package called Remote Connect, letting drivers of Toyota vehicles use a smartphone as their key to drive and unlock their car. Support for Apple’s Car Keys feature may soon be added.  Car Keys were introduced around three years ago, which enabled […] The post appeared first on iLounge.

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9to5Mac Top Stories: iOS 26.3 beta, App Store changes, Apple Music features
Welcome to 9to5Mac’s top stories of the week, where we recap the biggest news in the Apple world every Saturday. This week, we have the first beta of iOS 26.3, new details on the iPhone 18 and iPhone Fold, and more changes to the App Store. Plus, our usual slate of new podcast episodes, opinion pieces, and much more. Read on for all of this week’s top stories. more…

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Review: SwitchBot Wallet Finder is an incredibly useful accessory to track your wallet with iPhone Find My
I have an AirTag on my keychain to keep track of my keys, but obviously an AirTag is too big and bulky to fit inside a wallet. That’s what the SwitchBot Wallet Finder is for. Disguised inside a thin, credit-card form factor, the SwitchBot Wallet Finder connects to the Find My app on your iPhone, so you can follow its location, and it even houses a speaker so you can make it beep to help you find your wallet when it inevitably gets lost somewhere in your home. Read on for my review … more…

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2025 tech gift guide for Apple users — personally tested and recommended
It’s officially time to start checking gifts off your list before it’s too late. For my 2025 tech gift guide, I’m recommending technology products that I’ve actually used all year. Each of these products has been especially useful this year, and they’ll make great gifts for the Apple users in your life. more…

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Best AirPlay speakers for iPhones and Apple Music
Macworld Apple sells two speakers–the HomePod and HomePod mini–but there are lots of different types of speakers that work with iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple TV out there to choose from that could offer better value for money. There’s a lot of choice with the speakers in this round up offering a wide variety of features, specs, designs and price tags. But we’re here to guide you through the complexity and help you find the best speaker for optimal performance with your Mac and iOS devices whether you are playing music from your library or from Apple Music or another music streaming service. We look at a variety of speakers including multi-room speaker systems, which are more popular than ever–especially as mobile devices like the iPhone and iPad allow us to carry our entire music library from room to room, or connect to music streaming services such as Spotify, Apple Music or Amazon Prime Music with a quick tap. Apple users are best off getting a speaker with AirPlay support, and all the speakers in this test offer AirPlay 2 support. AirPlay is useful if you want to stream music from your iPhone to a speaker. We explain what AirPlay is and the features it brings later on in this article. Best speakers for iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple TV 2026 We’ve tested the best speakers you can buy to use with your Apple products below, so read on to find out which AirPlay speakers are best. HomePod mini – Best speaker for Apple Music Price When Reviewed: $99 Best Prices Today: New Refurbished Retailer Price $99 View Deal $99.99 View Deal Check Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Apple HomePod mini Bluetooth speakers – Space gray $80 View Deal Price comparison from Backmarket We’re putting the HomePod mini in the top spot on the basis of its low price tag, excellent sound quality and deep integration with Apple’s software ecosystem – as long as you don’t mind being tied to Siri. The HomePod mini can’t match the bass punch of the full-size HomePod, but the output is still far better than we have any right to expect at this size and price. (Just to reiterate, it’s a third of the price and a seventh of the weight of its larger sibling.) For jazz, rock and classical we were blown away by its clear, rich sound. And while it’s not quite got the welly to deafen your neighbors with house music at 3 am, and you won’t fill a village hall with sound, but it does fill a room beautifully – especially when teamed with a second model as a stereo pair. Read our full Apple HomePod mini review Apple HomePod (2nd generation, 2023) – Best Apple speaker Price When Reviewed: $299 Best Prices Today: Retailer Price $299 View Deal $299 View Deal $299.99 View Deal Check Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket If you’re deep in the Apple ecosystem and you appreciate quality audio, this is the smart speaker for you: it will play your music beautifully and make TV watching a delight. As with the HomePod mini, ease of setup is one of its strongest features–plug in the HomePod and wave an iPhone vaguely in its direction and an onscreen popup (on the phone) will invite you to set it up. If there’s another HomePod of the same model in the selected room, you’ll be given the option to join them as a stereo pair. It sounds great whether used as a single unit, or as a stereo pair, and it’s a great accompaniment to your Apple TV as it supports Dolby Atmos and Spatial Audio (the HomePod mini doesn’t). To find out more, about how the HomePod compares to the HomePod mini. The main disadvantages of the 2023 HomePod are the high price (three times that of the HomePod mini) and the frustrations associated with being reliant on Siri to control it. We really want a HomePod with a screen. Read our full Apple HomePod (2nd generation, 2023) review Audio Pro C10 MKII W – Best speaker for sound quality Price When Reviewed: $480 Best Prices Today: Retailer Price $289 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket The Audio Pro C10 MKII W has a minimalist design, consisting of a simple rectangular box measuring 166mm high, 320mm wide, and 180mm deep. Despite its small size, it’s sturdy, weighing over 4kg. The front panel features a smart fabric grille that can be removed for a retro look with exposed drivers. Removing the grille reveals a large woofer in the centre for deep, full sound, with smaller tweeters on either side for higher frequencies. The C10 MKII W has a total output of 80W, making it suitable as a main speaker system in the living room. However, it requires mains power and is likely to be used in one room at home due to its weight.  The C10 MKII W supports Bluetooth, Apple’s AAC codec, and dual-band Wi-Fi. The updated Audio Pro app works with various streaming services, including Spotify, Amazon Music, and SoundCloud. It also supports AirPlay 2, allowing audio streaming from Apple devices and integration with multi-room music systems. Android users may be disappointed that there’s no aptX support with Bluetooth, but the C10 MKII W supports Google Cast. The speaker has RCA connectors for wired connections, but no audio cables are included. The C10 MKII W delivers good sound quality. The lossless version of Madonna’s Frozen on Apple Music via AirPlay revealed delicate string touches and gentle electronic chimes, followed by a sharp percussion crack that led into the chorus. The C10 MKII W handles harder rock sounds well. Sing Along by Sturgill Simpson, captured the thick, fuzzy guitar sound and the wailing keyboards, creating a lively atmosphere. The deep bass could be firmer, but an extra RCA connector allows for an external sub-woofer for enhanced bass. While it’s more expensive than Apple’s HomePod, the C10 MKII W excels in clarity and precision, especially with high-res music on Apple Music and other streaming services. It also offers better connectivity. Audio Pro’s model numbers are inconsistent, with some older models still on sale, so make sure to buy the correct model. Read our full Audio Pro C10 MKII W review Audio Pro A28 W – Best dual speaker set up Price When Reviewed: $720 Best Prices Today: Retailer Price Audio Pro $720 View Deal Check Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket If you prefer proper stereo speakers the A28 W is a great option. The speaker cabinets are made of MDF, which feels very sturdy and also helps to reduce vibrations that might affect the sound quality. The A28 W is available in black or white, or with a walnut wood finish. There are removable fabric grilles provided with each speaker. Inside each cabinet you’ll find a 4.5-inch woofer for handling the mid-range and lower frequencies, along with a 1-inch tweeter for the higher frequencies. Each speaker provides 75W output – 150W total. The ‘W’ refers to the speakers’ emphasis on wireless connectivity. There’s support for Apple’s AAC codec (but no aptX for Android users). There’s dual-band Wi-Fi for connecting to your home network (2.4GHz and 5.0GHz). And there’s support for AirPlay 2 and Google Cast. Wired inputs include stereo RCA inputs, one digital optical input for use with other Hi-Fi equipment, and an HDMI-ARC interface for a TV. There’s also one more RCA connector that allows you to connect to an external sub-woofer as well. No standard 3.5mm or USB-C connector for wired audio though. There’s a 10-band equaliser, but what really impresses about the A28 W is its ability to create an expansive stereo sound that is far more immersive and atmospheric than one-piece speakers such as Apple’s HomePod. It’s fairly expensive, but the sound quality is excellent. Read our full Audio Pro A28 W review Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin Pro Edition – Best speaker for home Price When Reviewed: $799 Best Prices Today: Retailer Price $830.04 View Deal $899 View Deal $899 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin range of speakers first appeared back in 2007. The  Zeppelin Pro Edition launched at the end of 2024 and looks almost identical to the Zeppelin introduced, so be careful to check which model you are considering buying.  At $799/£699, it’s one of the more expensive AirPlay speakers currently available, but it really does deliver the goods in terms of sound quality. The Zeppelin Pro Edition measures 210 x 650 x 194mm and weighs 6.6kg. It’s available in a dark ‘space grey’ or ‘solar gold’.  Unlike many one-piece speaker systems – including Apple’s HomePod – the Zeppelin Pro Edition provides a full stereo system, with separate left and right audio channels, as well as a dedicated sub-woofer for handling lower frequencies. That’s a similar set-up to previous Zeppelin models, but Bowers & Wilkins says the woofers and tweeters have been redesigned for the Zeppelin Pro Edition for even better sound quality. Like previous models, the Zeppelin Pro Edition supports Bluetooth with AAC for Apple devices, and aptX Adaptive for Android. There’s also Wi-Fi with support for AirPlay 2, which allows you to stream wireless audio (and Apple Music) over your home network from your Apple device. Using AirPlay with Apple devices provides more bandwidth for high-quality audio files. The Zeppelin Pro also supports Spotify Connect, and Tidal and Amazon Music via an app.  Our only complaint is that the Zeppelin Pro doesn’t offer wired inputs, so you can’t connect it to a CD player or Hi-Fi. The Zeppelin Pro Edition is one of the larger and more expensive AirPlay speakers. If you want a powerful, high-quality stereo speaker that supports AirPlay 2 this is a great option.  Read our full Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin Pro Edition review Roku Streambar – Best speaker for TV Price When Reviewed: $129.99 Best Prices Today: Retailer Price Dell Home $129.99 View Deal Roku $129.99 View Deal Check Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Roku is well-known for its range of streaming media devices, which offer an affordable alternative to Apple’s own Apple TV box. However, the Roku Streambar goes a step further by combining streaming features with a compact soundbar speaker and support for Apple’s AirPlay 2 – and all for a highly competitive $129.99/£129.99. The AirPlay support and built-in dual-band Wi-Fi mean that you can simply use the Streambar as a conventional AirPlay speaker, using AirPlay to stream music via Wi-Fi from any Apple device. It’s surprisingly powerful for such a compact speaker, and more than loud enough for playing music at home or watching a few Hollywood blockbusters. It even provides pretty good bass too, landing the bass guitar and crashing drums on Kate Bush’s The Big Sky with real impact (and Roku has recently announced a new range of wireless speakers that also support AirPlay 2, although we’ve not had the chance to test these yet). Going beyond basic speaker mode, you can also use the HDMI port on the back of the Streambar to connect it to a TV or computer display, and this allows you to stream video at up to 4K resolution from your Apple devices as well. You can even get rid of your Apple devices altogether, and just use the Streambar’s built-in streaming features to connect your TV or computer monitor to a wide range of video services–including Apple TV+, Netflix, Disney+ and so on. It also supports a number of music streaming services too, such as Apple Music and Spotify. Admittedly, the low cost of the Streambar means that it does lack a few advanced features, such as support for Dolby Atmos, which you can get from Apple’s HomePod and also the Apple TV 4K. But, of course, the Apple TV box doesn’t include a speaker, and the Streambar’s low-cost combination of AirPlay speaker and music and video streaming features makes it an absolute bargain at this price. In 2024 Roku introduced the Streambar SE, which is a cheaper version of the Streambar reviewed here. The larger Streambar Pro has been discontinued, but for now Roku seems to be continuing to sell the Streambar. Sonos Era 100 – Best multiroom speaker Price When Reviewed: $249.00 Best Prices Today: Retailer Price $169 View Deal $169 View Deal $195 View Deal $199 View Deal Sonos $199 View Deal $199.99 View Deal Check Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide View more prices Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket When Sonos first introduced the Era 100 it was positioned as a mid-range option that sat between the entry-level Sonos One and the imposing Era 300 with Dolby Atmos at the top of the range. However, the veteran Sonos One quietly faded away a few months ago and the Era 100 has taken over as the new entry point for the Sonos range of multi-room speakers, with a $249/£249 price tag that makes it a good alternative to the Apple HomePod at £299/$299. At first glance, the Era 100 does look very similar to the original Sonos One, with an upright cylindrical design that is available in black or white. It’s slightly larger than the Sonos One, though, standing 182.5mm high, 120mm wide and 130mm deep. This allows the Era 100 to squeeze in an additional high-frequency tweeter, so that it now houses two tweeters that are angled out to the right and left to spread sound more widely than the Sonos One. It also includes a larger woofer than the Sonos One, to handle the mid-range and bass and add a little extra power as well. This new design works a treat and the Era 100 provides very good sound quality for a relatively compact speaker. The atmospheric harmonies of Enya’s Orinoco Flow have a light, shimmering sound, but the compact speaker has got some muscle too, and is easily able to fill the room around me with Enya’s swirling cloud of sound. The twin tweeters provide a crisp, clear sound for the electronic loops that fly through the air, but that larger woofer can also reach down and embrace the slow bass pulse and rumbling drums that enter as Enya’s multi-tracked vocals chant – “turn it up, turn it up”. The only minor disappointment is that the Era 100 doesn’t support Dolby Atmos or spatial audio. If you’re a home cinema fan who really wants Atmos then you’ll need to pay a little more for alternatives such as the Apple HomePod or the high-end Era 300. But, if you’re just looking for a compact, high-quality speaker with wi-fi and support for AirPlay, then the Era 100 delivers the goods at a lower price than most of its AirPlay rivals. Sonos Roam 2 – Best portable speaker Price When Reviewed: $179 (reduced to $143) Best Prices Today: Retailer Price $139 View Deal $139 View Deal $139 View Deal Sonos $139 View Deal $139 View Deal $179 View Deal $179 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide View more prices Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Sonos’ Roam has to be the smallest and most portable AirPlay 2 speaker we’ve seen so far. Sonos’s original Roam smart speaker was released back in 2021, and it was one of the best portable speakers we’ve ever seen, providing very good sound quality in a highly compact design that also managed to squeeze in useful features such as wireless charging and even support for Wi-Fi and AirPlay for Apple devices. The Roam 2 fine-tunes a number of features such as its set-up and tuning process, and provides more straightforward controls. Available in a variety of colors–including red, green, blue and plain old black and white–the Roam 2 looks identical to its predecessor. It is 168mm tall, 62mm wide and 60mm deep, and weighs 0.43kg. It’s not pocket-size, but it will fit into a backpack. It has a IP67 rating water and dust resistance, so it’s suited to the outdoors. There’s no room for a large battery in the compact design, but it should last for up to 10 hours with music at 50% volume. It needs to stand upright for wireless charging and the volume, playback and microphone controls sit on the top, but you can turn the speaker onto its side and lay it flat. A USB-C port on the back can be used for charging too.  Roam 2 supports Bluetooth 5.2 and now has separate buttons for Power and Bluetooth pairing, which are easier to use than the fiddly multi-function button on the original Roam. You can press the Bluetooth button to pair via Bluetooth, but you need to download the Sonos app for iOS in order to set the speaker up properly. We encountered problems getting the speaker connected to our Wi-Fi network and had to spend time changing the Wi-Fi settings. But, once that was done, the Roam 2 worked really well. Lucky its support for AirPlay made connecting it to additional Apple devices straightforward. The Roam 2 offers great sound quality for such a compact speaker, especially over a Wi-Fi connection. It did a good job with Sturgill Simpson’s Sing Along, laying down the grinding, fuzzy guitars that form the bedrock of the sound. On Billie Eilish’s Bad Guy it achieved a pretty respectable bass beat for such a small speaker. Switching to Bluetooth caused the sound to lose a little clarity–but that’s a limitation of Bluetooth rather than the speaker itself, and the Roam 2 can go head-to-head with any portable speaker of this size and weight. The Roam 2 really punches above its weight when it comes to sound quality and its sturdy and lightweight design is great for outdoor use.  Read our full Sonos Roam 2 review Sonos Era 300 Price When Reviewed: $449.00 each Best Prices Today: Retailer Price $379 View Deal $379 View Deal $449 View Deal $449 View Deal Sonos $449 View Deal $459.99 View Deal Check Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide View more prices Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Apple has been banging the drum for spatial audio for a few years now, but Sonos really took a step forward with that technology when it launched the Era 300 in 2023. Appropriately enough, it also marked a new era for the Sonos range of multi-room speakers, with an entirely new design that was at least eye-catching even if it wasn’t perhaps as elegant as Sonos claimed. Available in black or white, the bulky, hourglass design of the Era 300 is very much designed for spatial audio, housing no less than six separate speaker drivers, with support for Dolby Atmos when watching films and video, or listening to spatial audio on Apple Music. There’s one woofer and one tweeter on each side of the unit, which provide a wide stereo soundstage, while another tweeter on the front highlights vocals and dialogue, or lead instruments. There’s one more tweeter on the top, which is designed to fire sound off the ceiling to help create a sense of height and space when listening to music or video that uses Atmos. Like most Sonos speakers, the Era 300 uses dual-band Wi-Fi (2.4GHz/5.0GHz) to connect to your home network, and also supports AirPlay 2 for use with Apple devices and other AirPlay-compatible speakers. But, unlike previous Sonos speakers, the Era now supports Bluetooth as well, so that it can provide a quick and easy wireless connection for mobile devices and computers when required. You can also buy an adaptor that provides a wired connection (although it’s annoying that this costs an extra $19/£19, given the speaker’s hefty $449/£449 price tag). The Era 300 can earn its keep, though. The Dolby Atmos support works really well on the opening scene of Blade Runner, creating a real sense of movement as the hovercar flies over the Los Angeles skyline, and there’s a satisfying bass rumble to the bursts of steam and flame that erupts into the air. It does a good job with spatial audio on Apple Music too, especially with Ringo’s deft percussion on the Atmos mix of Come Together by the Beatles. The bongos skip lightly through the air and the bass guitar glides forward with a swaying, sinuous rhythm. There’s real weight behind the guitar riff that leads into the chorus, but the Era 300 can still pick out gentler details such as the shimmering cymbals and rhythmic keyboards. Admittedly, it’s one of the more expensive AirPlay speakers currently available, but the powerful and atmospheric sound of the Era 300, and support for Dolby Atmos, make it a good alternative to more expensive soundbar systems for music and watching video. Beats Pill Price When Reviewed: $149.99 Best Prices Today: Retailer Price $99.95 View Deal $99.95 View Deal $99.99 View Deal $99.99 View Deal $99.99 View Deal $129.95 View Deal $129.95 View Deal $149.99 View Deal $149.99 View Deal Beats $149.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide View more prices Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket It sounds better than most portable speakers this size, but still sounds clipped at high volumes and some controls are a little opaque. The Beats Pill is much improved over previous versions, but it has a few faults that we’d love to see addressed in the next revision. Beats’ iconic “pill” shape is handy to carry around, fits anywhere a water bottle would go, and sits well on a table or similarly flat surface. You can get one in classic Beats colors—black, red, or champagne. When at rest the speakers are tilted 20 degrees upward, which is a great way to project the sound more directly at you.  The Pill is IP67-rated, so is should be safe on the beach, beside a pool, or in the rain. A silicone outer wrap helps prevent bumps and dings, while adding weatherproofing. Along the top, you’ll find volume buttons, a center multi-function button, and a power button. They’re far enough apart and labeled clearly enough that it’s easy to hit the right one without paying close attention. In the back is a single USB-C port that can be used for charging or as an audio input, with support for lossless audio (not that the Pill has the sound quality to do it justice). It even reverse-charges with a triple-tap of the power button so it can be a sort of power bank for your phone. Beats says the battery will last 24 hours. We can confirm it can easily run all day without recharging. With a single woofer capable of 90 percent more air displacement than the woofer in the Beats Pill+ and a paired tweeter, the new Beats Pill sounds OK. Like all portable speakers with a cylindrical design it lacks low-end oomph. There’s more bass than you’d expect, but still less than you need. It does get pretty loud, but at high volumes, there’s a clipped or limited feel. There’s a microphone to enable speakerphone or voice assistants, but it doesn’t have much in the way of noise reduction to protect from strong wind or nearby highway noise. The weatherproofing, relatively loud volume, and fantastic battery life all make this a really great affordable speaker for hanging out by the pool. The $149.99/£149.99price is reasonable, too. You just need to manage your expectations for getting great sound quality out of a little portable speaker like this. Read our full Beats Pill review JBL Authentics 300 Price When Reviewed: $449.99 Best Prices Today: Retailer Price $299.95 View Deal $299.95 View Deal $333.95 View Deal JBL $449.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket We’ve looked at the JBL Flip 7, which launched in spring 2025, and they are good, but they lack AirPlay. Tucked away in a quiet corner of the JBL website the company has a range of smart speakers, called Authentics, which include both Wi-Fi and support for Apple’s AirPlay. There are three speakers in the range, starting at $349.99/£238.99 for the entry-level Authentics 200, going up to $699.99/£529.99 for the top-of-the-range Authentics 500. However, the sweet spot for us is the mid-range Authentics 300, which has the most versatile design and costs $449.99/£249.99, although you can find them cheaper. The Authentics 300 is attractively designed, with a sturdy wooden cabinet and a big, chunky grille on the front that gives it an intentionally retro look. It’s fairly large, standing 195mm high, 342mm wide and 180mm deep, and it weighs in at a hefty 4.9kg. Even so, it’s still intended to be a portable speaker and – unlike the other Authentics speakers – it includes a rechargeable battery that lasts for around eight hours. There’s also a sturdy metal carrying handle, so it’s easy to pick the speaker up and carry it from room to room at home, or out into the garden when the summer eventually arrives. Inside the speaker are two 25mm tweeters, and a beefy 133mm woofer, along with a large passive bass radiator on the underside of the speaker to help give the bass a bit of a boost. There’s a volume dial on the top panel, along with separate controls for adjusting Treble and Bass, but the inclusion of wi-fi and support for AirPlay means that you can also easily control the speaker from any Apple devices, and the JBL One app also includes an eight-band Equalizer that provides more precise control over the sound. Getting started is a piece of cake, as the JBL One app initially uses Bluetooth to connect to the speaker and then guides you through the process of connecting to your home network, using either wi-fi or the Ethernet port located on the back of the speaker. There are two microphones built into the speaker, although these only work with Alexa and the Google Assistant, but there’s a Mute button that lets you turn the mics off if you prefer to keep things private. Sound quality is great, and the Authentics 300 lets the bass guitar on Blondie’s Rapture bounce along with a relaxed, infectious energy. There’s a bright, clear tone on the chopping rhythm guitar, and the drums and percussion of the late, great Clem Burke are as taut and precise as ever. And, with 100W output, the speaker has more than enough power to get things going at a BBQ or house-party. Our only minor complaint is that the USB-C port on the back of the speaker doesn’t provide a wired audio input – although there is a 3.5mm connector on the back of the speaker if you need a wired connection. How to choose an AirPlay speaker There’s a lot to think about when buying an AirPlay speaker so make sure you read this buying advice before splashing the cash. Music streaming & compatibility Having your favorite music follow you around your home is great, but conventional multi-room speakers often have significant limitations. Many, for example, will only work with a limited number of streaming services that are built into the apps provided by each manufacturer. As you might expect, most will work with Spotify, while Tidal and Deezer also get a lot of support. But for some reason, Sonos is one of the few manufacturers of multi-room speakers that also supports Apple Music. In fact, some speakers only provide apps for iOS or Android mobile devices, which means that you can’t even play music from a Mac. The other big problem with conventional speakers in the past was that you have generally had to buy them all from one manufacturer when assembling a multi-room setup because rival speakers were incompatible and wouldn’t work together. AirPlay vs AirPlay 2 The speaker market changed dramatically in 2018 with the release of Apple’s updated AirPlay 2 software. Released to coincide with the original HomePod launch, AirPlay 2 has also been licensed to a number of well-known manufacturers, which means there’s now a wide range of compatible speakers available. In fact, every model in our top 10 works with AirPlay 2. The first version of AirPlay, released back in 2010, was like a souped-up version of Bluetooth, allowing you to stream audio from any app on your Mac or iOS devices to any AirPlay-compatible speaker and freeing you from reliance on the manufacturer’s apps. AirPlay also uses a Wi-Fi connection, which means a higher bandwidth than Bluetooth and better sound quality – not to mention longer range. The simplicity and versatility of AirPlay is great, but – like Bluetooth – its original version was only designed to work with one speaker at a time. AirPlay 2 takes Apple into the multi-room market, with the ability to stream music to several speakers in different rooms. (Alternatively, you can create a HomePods stereo pair in the same room.) But the real game-changer with AirPlay 2 was interoperability, the ability to link together speakers from different manufacturers for the very first time. This means you can mix and match speakers around your home – picking, for instance, a HomePod as your main living-room speaker, a Sonos in the bedroom, and a portable speaker for drinks in the garden – and have them all linked up to play music simultaneously. Which version of AirPlay is supported? The important thing to remember is that there are now two types of AirPlay speaker. Some older models will use the original version of AirPlay – which is limited to streaming music to one speaker at a time – but new speakers (and certainly all the speakers in this article) focus on AirPlay 2. Some will have the AirPlay logo on the packaging, but this doesn’t specify whether it’s AirPlay or AirPlay 2. It’s therefore important to check which version is supported by any speaker before buying. Given that AirPlay 2 has been around for three years, it would be surprising to see a manufacturer release an AirPlay 1 speaker right now, but it doesn’t hurt to check. You don’t want to get caught out. It’s also worth mentioning that some older AirPlay speakers can be upgraded to work with AirPlay 2 as well. Libratone’s new Zipp 2 uses AirPlay 2, but it’s possible to download a software update for the older first-generation Zipp speakers that adds support for AirPlay 2. Unfortunately, that’s not the case with all AirPlay speakers, and some models are stuck with basic AirPlay. Sound Quality vs Price The fact that Apple licenses both AirPlay and AirPlay 2 to other manufacturers has other advantages too. Namely, the option to choose from a wide range of (often lower-cost) third-party speakers from companies like Sonos and Ikea. At the other extreme, some really expensive hi-fi systems in the pipeline offer AirPlay 2 support for audiophiles and home cinema buffs. These options give you flexibility: you can spend heavily on a really high-quality speaker for your living room, for example, while opting for a less expensive model in the kitchen. Indoors vs Outdoors Some manufacturers provide more specialised speakers too, such as soundbars that you can use with your TV, or sub-woofers that can provide a bass boost for parties, or for sound effects when watching films. Some even include rechargeable batteries and lightweight, portable designs so you can pick them up and carry them from room to room – which is certainly cheaper than buying a new speaker for each room – or take them out into the garden for a barbecue. Connectivity Connectivity is another key issue. The HomePod has been criticised for relying on Wi-Fi for streaming, with no option for quick and easy Bluetooth streaming for Android and other non-Apple devices. It doesn’t have a 3.5mm audio connector either, which would allow you to use it with a CD player or other audio devices. Fortunately, many AirPlay and AirPlay 2 speakers provide a greater range of connectivity, allowing you to play music from a wider range of devices than the HomePod. Sonos has even announced it will be releasing an AirPlay 2 amplifier soon that can form the centrepiece of a serious home entertainment system. In other words, AirPlay 2 is here to stay. Bluetooth only options We’ve reviewed a few Bluetooth only speakers that don’t offer AirPlay, but are still good options these include the following: Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 (3rd Gen) Read our review Price When Reviewed: $399 Best Prices Today: $399 at Bang & Olufsen

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