2025-06-25 20:18:30
After first announcing it at CES 2025, the HDMI Forum is finally releasing the new HDMI 2.2 specification to manufacturers today. Although there is no definitive timeline for how long it will take hardware makers to adopt the new specification, the first Ultra96 HDMI Cables, with bandwidth capabilities boosted to up to 96Gbps, could be available later this year.
HDMI 2.1 and the current Ultra High Speed HDMI cables have a maximum bandwidth of 48Gbps which supports resolutions up to 10K and refresh rates up to 120Hz with 4K content. HDMI 2.2 and the new Ultra96 cables will enable even higher resolutions and refresh rates including 4K at 480Hz, 8K at 240Hz, 10K at 120Hz, and even 16K at 60Hz. It will also handle uncompressed video formats with 10-bit and 12-bit color at 8K at 60Hz and 4K at 240Hz.
Given how difficult it still is to find native 8K content, don’t expect cable providers or console makers to offer 16K anytime soon. HDMI 2.1 has been around since 2017 and hardware makers still don’t take full advantage of the spec, so the increased bandwidth and resolutions of 2.2 should help future-proof the HDMI specification for years to come.
The HDMI Forum is also hoping that the new specification will make it easier for consumers to know what cable they need to be using. HDMI cables are currently differentiated with names including Standard, High Speed, Premium High Speed, and Ultra High Speed, which doesn’t provide any specifics on their capabilities. With HDMI 2.2, the Ultra96 name will make it clear that a cable supports the new specification and bandwidths up to 96Gbps.
HDMI 2.2 will also include the new Latency Indication Protocol (LIP), which was also announced last January. The feature is designed to build on audio and video synchronization improvements introduced with HDMI 2.1, particularly for setups where signals are bouncing through a soundbar or an AV receiver before reaching a TV or projector.
2025-06-25 20:12:25
Fairphone has announced its latest repairable smartphone, nearly two years after introducing the last upgrade. The new Fairphone 6 is smaller and 9 percent lighter than its predecessor, but it includes a larger 4,415mAh battery — easily replaceable by removing just seven screws — that will power the phone for up to 53 hours on a full charge. It’s also more modular than previous versions, with new accessories like a card holder and finger loop that can be attached to the back of the phone.
The Fairphone 6 is available now through the company’s online store and other European retailers for €599 (around $696). There are black, green, and white color options. But as with previous versions dating back to the Fairphone 3, the new model will only be available in the US through Murena, and delivery is expected sometime in August. Instead of running standard Android, the Murena version of the Fairphone 6 will feature a privacy-focused and de-Googled version of Android that the company calls /e/OS. It’s available for preorder now for $899.
The Fairphone 6 has a Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 mobile processor, 8GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage that’s expandable up to 2TB using an SDXC card. It also features a 6.31-inch LTPO OLED display that’s slightly smaller than the Fairphone 5’s 6.46-inch screen, but with a refresh rate boosted from 90Hz to 120Hz.
On the back, you’ll find a 50MP main camera and a 13MP ultrawide camera, while the front has a 32MP hole-punch camera for selfies and video calls. That’s a significant step down from the Fairphone 5, which used 50MP sensors on all three of its cameras.
The Fairphone 6’s physical design is similar to the previous model, although the lenses on the back are no longer located on a small camera bump and instead sit directly on the back panel. That panel is more modular now, allowing the lower section to be removed using just two screws and replaced with alternatives that add more functionality, like a wallet for holding cards or a finger loop for more securely holding the phone with one hand. The idea is similar to the swappable accessories Nothing offers for its CMF Phone 1 and Phone Pro 2, but how useful it will actually be depends on how many accessories Fairphone makes available.
Repairability is still a priority for Fairphone, and its new phone carries forward the same modular design of past versions. The modular aspect lets you access and swap 12 different parts — including the screen, battery, and USB port — using just a single standard screwdriver instead of specialized tools.
To further extend the Fairphone 6’s lifespan, the company includes a five-year warranty and promises eight years of software support through 2033. But the downside to not having everything inside the phone being glued in place and sealed tight is that the Fairphone 6 still has a limited IP55 rating for dust and water resistance. It can get splashed or even blasted with a jet of water, but it won’t survive an accidental submersion.
Aside from performance improvements and the new modular accessories, Fairphone seems to be staying the course with its latest smartphone, but it is introducing one additional new feature on the software side: Fairphone Moments. Activated through a physical switch on the phone’s side, it will let you “toggle between a full-featured smartphone and a minimalist experience.”
We don’t know exactly what Fairphone Moments will be minimizing, but since the company describes it as being “a mindful way to engage with technology, putting owners in control, not their notifications,“ it sounds like an alternate mode that reduces distractions so you can focus on specific tasks.
Correction, June 25th: An earlier version of this article misstated the internal storage of the Fairphone 6. It is 256GB.
2025-06-25 18:45:26
Dutch bicycle brand Veloretti just announced a slimmed-down version of its excellent Electric Two series of electric bikes for European commuters.
The step-over Ace Two Lite is a lighter and less expensive version of the very heavy Ace Two e-bike I reviewed back in 2023, which ditches the sublime Enviolo automatic shifter in favor of a simpler single-speed, belt-driven transmission. It’s being sold alongside the step-through Ivy Two Lite for €2,599. The original Ace Two and Ivy Two e-bikes live on, only now they carry a Pro suffix and a new lower price of €2,999. That gives Veloretti a collection of e-bikes that straddle the €2,681 European average.
I should note that the Lite models aren’t exactly lightweight. They shave 3kg (6.61 pounds) off the Pro frames, putting them at 27kg (59.5 pounds) instead of 30kg (66.1 pounds). That’s still heavy, but Veloretti e-bikes ride super sturdy when carrying around groceries or kids as Europeans are apt to do — with hydraulic brakes that carry over to the Lite models to bring everything to a controlled stop.
The removable 540Wh battery is still there too, which contributes another 3kg (6.61 pounds) to the overall weight. That large battery is capable of providing between 60-120km of range, which varies based upon the rider, chosen power-assist level, weather, and terrain. The Lite models still feature integrated front and rear lighting, but the brake-light feature has been removed. I’d have preferred that Veloretti ditched its overwrought integrated display, but it lives to fight another day.
The Ace Two Lite is available in graphite or matte black, while the Ivy Two Lite is only available in matte black. They’re available to buy now with delivery in 6 to 8 weeks.
2025-06-25 18:30:00
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach is an expansive, captivating sequel filled with huge environments to explore and a big story from Hideo Kojima to try and wrap your head around. But one of my favorite additions is a small one: an in-game music player that basically functions as your own iPod.
Woodkid, a co-composer on the game (and whose real name is Yoann Lemoine), tells The Verge that the music player was important to Kojima because it's "the way Hideo is in everyday life… He plays songs all the time." (And posts about songs on social media, too.) "I think he wanted the players to be able to have the same experience," Woodkid says.
Music was a big part of the original game. Some of my favorite moments from the first Death Stranding took place when songs from artists like Low Roar, Silent Poets, and Woodkid kicked in while exploring the game's world. That still happens a lot in Death Stranding 2, and it's just as effective at setting a mood. But with the personal music player, accessible right from the pause menu, you can create your own vibe as you're traversing the game's expansive environments.
Woodkid worked with Kojima for three years to make music for DS2. In the game, hi …
2025-06-25 09:00:00
Before the multiverse, magic, or any of Marvel's streaming series were important parts of the studio's cinematic universe, there was Iron Man. After years of so-so movies, Iron Man reminded everyone that Marvel's big-screen adaptations could be amazing with the right creative teams and stars attached. Robert Downey Jr.'s Tony Stark was the MCU's centerpiece and a prime example of how the House of Ideas could make box office record-breaking icons out of its lower-profile characters. A couple of the Iron Man films were terrible, sure, but they each played a role in shaping the larger story. And by spending so much time building up Iron Man's presence, Marvel ensured that audiences would be emotionally invested when the franchise ultimately killed him off.
A desire to recapture that old Iron Man magic seemed to be part of the reasoning behind Marvel's baffling decision to bring Downey back as Doctor Doom for its upcoming Avengers features. On its face, the move felt like a sign that the studio was scrambling to win viewers back by playing the hits in a slightly different key. And while Iron Man being a Doctor Doom variant might wind up appealing to diehard fans who've followed along …
2025-06-25 07:19:37
Is DJI exiting the US drone market? The company says no - but it would not explain to The Verge what has changed such that it can't even keep a single drone on shelves.
When I walked into my local Best Buy store today, June 24th, there were zero DJI drones available to purchase. There wasn't even an empty spot for each drone to go. The entire DJI aisle had been swept clean of price tags, lockers, and products - save a handful of motorized gimbals, action cameras, a single lone RC controller, and an almost empty premium endcap spot where a flagship drone would normally go.
"We're not really carrying DJI drones anymore because of the US-China thing," a store employee told me.
Best Buy is not alone. DJI's own US webstore no longer has any drones in stock, as DroneDJ reported Monday. Despite DJI having an official presence on Amazon, all remaining drones there are sold by third parties with low or unknown quantities of stock. Nor will Best Buy's website be much more help than its physical store: As of Tuesday, its only remaining DJI drones are the last-gen Mavic 3 Pro, priced at $3,890, a refurbished version of that same Mavic 3 Pro, and a refurbished version of the 2022 DJI Av …
