The iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro rumors are flooding in – and we’re curious about how it will be different from the iPhone 15.

Although it’s early days, we’re already hearing whispers about a RAM boost for the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus models.

The iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max, on the other hand, are reportedly getting some striking upgrades to the cameras that may dazzle the masses. Here’s a compilation of everything we know so far about next year’s iPhone 16 line.

iPhone 16 release date

The iPhone 16 release date is expected to be September of next year. After Apple has its whole shebang of an event showcasing the next-generation handsets, the iPhones typically ship about a week or two later.

iPhone 15
Credit: Apple

In the past, Apple has deviated from this cadence due to reported production hindrances (e.g., supply chain issues). For example, the iPhone 12 and the iPhone 14 Plus shipped in October, but typically, get unveiled some time during the first half of September every year.

iPhone 16 design

Let’s dive into arguably the most important aspect of the iPhone’s design: the screen.

There haven’t been any significant changes to the display sizes since the iPhone 12, but according to reliable leaker Unknownz21, the upper-tier iPhone 16 models are going to be a little bit more unwieldy in your hands.

Display

The iPhone 16 Pro will reportedly have a 6.3-inch display while the iPhone 16 Pro Max will pack a 6.9-inch panel. You may be wondering, “What about the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus? Will they get a screen size bump, too?” The answer is likely no. The lower-tier models will reportedly have the same display sizes as their predecessors.

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iPhone 15 screen sizes

• iPhone 15 – 6.1 inches

• iPhone 15 Plus – 6.7 inches

• iPhone 15 Pro – 6.1 inches

• iPhone 15 Pro Max – 6.7 inches

iPhone 16 screen sizes (rumored)

• iPhone 16 – 6.1 inches

• iPhone 16 Plus – 6.7 inches

• iPhone 16 Pro – 6.3 inches

• iPhone 16 Pro Max – 6.9 inches

Ross Young, a well-known display analyst and Apple leaker, was the first to claim that the iPhone 16 Pro models will have larger screens. 

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However, he offered slightly different numbers: 6.2 inches and 6.8 inches. What could be the reason behind the discrepancy? According to MacRumors, it’s “likely due to the difference between actual display area and viewable display area.”

Another rumor we’re hearing is that the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus will continue to have 60Hz refresh-rate displays. This is a little disappointing considering other phones in the market at least have 90Hz screens, making navigating through the UI smoother, zippier and seamless.

Thinner bezels

The iPhone 16 will also reportedly have slimmer bezels, according to a report from The Elec (h/t MacRumors). Apple is tipped to be using something called Border Reduction Structure (BRS) technology, which reduces the internal footprint of the circuitry inside, allowing for thinner bezels (without sacrificing anything important aspects like display performance, for example).

Thinner bezels means that the iPhone 16 series should yield more screen real estate for users.

Action Button

A report from MacRumors claims that every single model in the iPhone 16 line will feature an Action Button — not just the iPhone 15 Pro variants. The current-gen iPhone 15 Pro models’ Action Button can be programmed to launch a range of apps and functions, including Flashlight, Camera, Silent Mode, Voice Memo, Focus, Magnifier, Translate (coming to iOS 17.2), and a range of accessibility features.

When iPhone 16 drops, however, the rumor mill states that Apple will add more functionality to the Action Button.

Capture Button

The Action Button was all the rage for the iPhone 15 series, however, according to MacRumors and The Information, a new Capture Button will be one of the biggest selling points for the iPhone 16. Reportedly placed slightly under the power button, the Capture Button is a camera-focused feature that can do the following:

• Zoom in and out of photos/videos with swiping gestures

• Allows users to focus on subjects

• Activates the shutter button

While MacRumors and The Information both concur that Apple is testing a “capture button” on the iPhone 16, both aren’t on the same page on whether it’s a mechanical button or a capacitive one. MacRumors says it’s the latter, but the Information claims it’s both.

Solid-state buttons

Apple reportedly planned on introducing solid-state buttons with the iPhone 15 Pro models, but instead, we got a customizable Action Button. For the uninitiated, solid-state buttons aren’t buttons per se – they’re panels that feature haptic feedback sensations that simulate real button presses (Think of the iPhone SE series’ Home button). On the plus side, the solid-state buttons aren’t totally out of the picture. According to respected Apple leaker and analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple is working on debuting solid-state buttons on the iPhone 16 Pro models instead.

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Kuo added that these solid-state buttons will add two additional Taptic Engines, which will help fire off tangible feedback to users. (If this is true, the number of Taptic Engines in the iPhone 16 will increase to three — up from one.)

According to a tip from Weibo (via MacRumors), the Action Button on the iPhone 16 Pro will be a solid-state button and sit flush against the chassis. To make room for this change, Apple will reportedly move the mmWave antenna to the left of the iPhone 16 Pro as opposed to the right. This Weibo tip comes from a leaker with the moniker “Instant Digital,” a bean spiller that reportedly has an accurate track record, according to MacRumors.

iPhone 16 AI

The iPhone 16 will reportedly featured an AI-powered Siri.

Siri is about to get a whole lot smarter.
Credit: Apple

In other words, Siri is maturing into a more sophisticated digital assistant. According to Kuo, this means that Siri will bring new hardware to the iPhone 16, including updated microphones with better water resistance and an improved signal-to-noise ratio.

iPhone 16 cameras

Apple debuted a new zoom lens with a “tetra-prism” design on the iPhone 15 Pro Max, which simply means that engineers found a way to “fold” the shooter so that it still has telephoto capabilities without taking up too much space. This new camera increases the Pro Max’s optical zoom from 3x to 5x.

iPhone 15 Pro
Credit: Apple

However, according to Digital Chat Station (DCS), a bean-spiller on the Chinese social media site Weibo, both the iPhone 16 Pro and the iPhone 16 Pro Max will get the new tetra-prism telephoto camera.

DCS also added that the iPhone 16 Pro Max specifically is getting the Sony IMX903 sensor, an upgrade from the Sony IMX803 sensor. This means that the iPhone 16 Pro Max wide lens will have a larger sensor size, allowing for more light gathering for better photos and videos in low-light conditions.

Credit: John Keeble/Getty Images

According to Jeff Pu, a tech analyst from Haitong International Securities (a Hong Kong investment firm), the ultrawide cameras are getting a boost, too.

Pu stated tthe iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max models will also feature a 48-megapixel ultrawide camera with better light gathering. As such, camera performance in dimmer environments should improve. As it stands now, the iPhone 15 Pro models have a 12MP ultrawide camera.

The ultrawide camera is perfect for taking landscape photos, allowing you to capture more scenery. However, compared to the main camera, the ultrawide lens tends to deliver a slight drop in crispness and sharpness. If this rumor is true, the new 48-megapixel ultrawide camera may ameliorate this minor foible.

Ming-Chi Kuo claims that Apple will upgrade the rear cameras on the iPhone 16 Pro models, introducing a stacked design. What will a stacked design do? According to Apple Insider, it increases light capture and provides wider dynamic range, so Night Mode should get a sweet boost.

Finally, it’s worth pointing out that the iPhone 16 Pro, as we reported in April, will allegedly tackle lens flare and ghosting issues by using anti-reflective coating on the cameras.

iPhone 16 battery sizes

As we reported in early April, a Weibo leaker by the name of “OvO Baby Sauce OvO” seemingly unveiled the new new battery sizes across the iPhone 16 lineup:

• iPhone 16: 3,561mAh

• iPhone 16 Plus: 4,006mAh

• iPhone 16 Pro: 3,355mAh

• iPhone 16 Pro Max: 4,676mAh

All the iPhone 16 models have some sort of increase from two to six percent except for the iPhone 16 Plus, which reportedly has a reduction of nearly nine percent compared to the iPhone 15 Plus.

Keep in mind that an increase in battery size doesn’t necessarily mean that the device will deliver longer battery life. And in the same vein, a battery size reduction doesn’t necessarily lead to shorter runtimes. There are other aspects at play (the display’s efficiency, for example). So we won’t know for sure how battery life is affected until we get the phones in our hands.

iPhone 16 specs

The iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max are equipped with 8GB of RAM while the lower-tier models, the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro Max, are stuck with their predecessors’ 6GB of RAM. If that bums you out, don’t worry. According to Pu, the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus are expected to join the 8GB of RAM bandwagon, too.

iPhone 15 lineup
Credit: Apple

Storage

According to news aggregator account “yeux1122” from Naver, a Korean blog, the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max will feature options that offer 2TB of storage.

That is double the current max storage capacity of the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max.

Chipset

In recent years, Apple has followed the trend of putting last year’s chip into the two entry-level models while the Pro models, the Pro and the Pro Max, get the new-generation chip. For example, the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus got the A16 Bionic chip, the same inside the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max. However, the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max got outfitted with the new A17 Pro chips.

If this pattern continues, it should follow that the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus get the A17 Pro while the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max get the A18 chips. Pu hinted that this is how it will be for the iPhone 16 line, hinting that the A17 Pro will reportedly be less efficient. In other words, the iPhone 16 models equipped with this chip may take a battery life hit. This is because the next-generation chip will offer tremendous performance gains at the expense of power efficiency.

However, another rumor tells a different story.

According to an alleged iOS 18 code leak from MacRumors, the entire iPhone 16 line will get an A18 chip. However, there’s a chance that Apple will use a “Pro” identifier name to differentiate from the standard and Pro models (e.g., A18 chip and A18 Pro).

The iPhone 16 Pro models will also reportedly support Wi-Fi 7 (current models support WiFi 6E). Wi-Fi 7 should offer zippy transfer speeds that exceed 40 Gbps, quadrupling what WiFi 6E can do.

According to Pu (via 9to5Mac), the iPhone 16 Pro will come with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X75 modem, which can reach a 5G download rate of up to 7.5 Gbps.

We’ll periodically update this rumor hub as new iPhone 16 leaks trickle in, so be sure to bookmark this page. 

PS5 Pro rumors have been flooding in for some time now. As such, if you haven’t gotten a PS5 yet, it might be best to wait a few months.

Sony will reportedly release a powered-up “Pro” version of the console as soon as this year. To be clear, there hasn’t been a great deal of solid, reliable reporting on the topic just yet, but rumblings of a PS5 Pro have only gotten more intense as time has gone on.

But what would a PS5 Pro actually entail? Let’s dig in.

PS5 Pro release date

The PS5 Pro’s release date is reportedly some time during the 2024 holiday season, according to Insider Gaming, which cited “trusted sources.”

Serkan Toto, a gaming industry analyst from Kantan Games, told CNBC that he believes a revamped PS5 could be in the works for launch in late 2024, too. Part of the reasoning for this is that Sony cut its sales forecast for the next fiscal year, perhaps signaling that the PlayStation brand could use a boost in the near future.

Credit: Sony

Toto also mentioned the impending release of Grand Theft Auto VI in 2025 as a good reason for Sony to get new hardware in people’s entertainment centers.

These are simply the words of an analyst who doesn’t work for Sony, so it’s fair to take them with a grain of salt. However, the prediction somewhat lines up with Sony’s past activities with the PlayStation brand. For example, the PS4 Pro came out in 2016, three years after the launch of the PS4. Late 2024 will mark four years since the launch of the PS5.

As we enter the latter half of the PS5’s life cycle, 2024 may be the only year where it makes sense to launch the PS5 Pro.

PS5 Pro specs

Thanks to a leak from The Verge’s Tom Warren, the PS5 will have the following internal upgrades over the PS5:

• 10% CPU improvement

• 45% GPU improvement

Warren also added that the PS5 Pro frees up 1.2GB more system memory for developers for a total of 13.7GB (compared to the PS5’s 12.5GB).

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PS5 Pro price

This is where the lack of solid reporting on the PS5 Pro’s existence becomes difficult to deal with.

Credit: Sony

Since we don’t even know that the PS5 Pro exists, it’s impossible to say how much it would cost. All we can really do is look back on how Sony handled the PS4 Pro, which is actually somewhat encouraging. The upgraded PS4 launched at $399 — the same price the original PS4 launched at three years prior. Perhaps Sony will drop the price of the standard PS5 and release the Pro at $499, the current PS5 price in the U.S. for the model with a disc drive.

Making this a little more complicated is the fact that Sony slightly hiked the price of the PS5 in other markets in late 2022. Sony will have to figure out a way to sell the PS5 Pro at a somewhat fair price without losing a ton of money in the process.

PS5 Pro design

This is another area where all we can do is speculate.

Credit: Sony

Sony has already lightly revised the PS5 post-launch, with the release of the PS5 slim model late last year. That made the console slightly shorter and thinner, but it’s still the same basic design. In all likelihood, a PS5 Pro would go in the opposite direction and be even larger than the already very large standard PS5. That’s the price of increasing horsepower.

One way Sony could alleviate this is by getting rid of the disc drive and forcing customers to buy the separate, detachable disc drive that’s available for the PS5 Slim. That wouldn’t exactly be ideal, but it would make the console a bit smaller.

PS5 Pro ‘Ultra boost’ mode

According to The Verge, the PS5 Pro may have an “Ultra Boost” mode for games.

Sony is reportedly asking developers to create something called a “PS5 Pro-exclusive graphics mode” for their games, which uses PSSR (PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution) to upscale to 4K resolution at 60 frames per second (with ray-tracing effects in tow).

Per Insider Gaming, titles will get a “PS5 Pro Enhanced label” if they offer the following:

• PS5 Pro ray-tracing effects

• Higher target resolution for games that run a fixed resolution on the standard console

• Higher target maximum resolution for games that run at variable resolution on the standard console

• Higher target frame rate for games that target a fixed frame rate on the standard console

Sony may be working on an Ultra Boost mode for older games, too.

PS5 Pro controller

When Sony launched the PS4 Pro, it made zero changes to the PS4’s standard DualShock 4 controller. After all, it didn’t really need any. I would expect the same approach to be taken with the PS5 Pro.

Credit: Sony

The PS5 DualSense controller is excellent as is, with the exception of inevitable analog stick drift. I’ve personally gone through like three of the dang things since launch. In a perfect world, Sony would bundle the PS5 Pro with the more expensive DualSense Edge controller, which allows users to easily swap new analog sticks in and out instead of buying a whole new controller when drift develops.

That seems unlikely based on past precedent, but hey, a man can dream.

When iOS 18 launches later this year, the Notes app could be useful for a lot more than just lazy celebrity apologies.

AppleInsider reported on Wednesday that iOS 18 could come with a revamped Notes app that includes two major new features: voice notes and math. If Apple sticks to its usual launch pattern, iOS 18 will be unveiled at WWDC 2024, so expect to hear about official updates from the mothership in June.

Which features are reportedly coming to iOS 18 ‘Notes’?

The two new features are pretty self-explanatory. Voice notes would allow users to record and store voice memos within the Notes app itself, complementing any text or images they wish to include alongside them. Folks could then put their voice notes in iCloud and access them from different Apple devices.

As for what AppleInsider called “Math Notes,” these would tie into the iOS Calculator app and would theoretically allow for users to perform complex math equations with proper notation within the Notes app.

Both features would probably be most useful for people in academia and business. As AppleInsider pointed out, similar features are already available in Microsoft’s popular OneNote app, a competitor to the native Apple Notes app. It would make sense, then, for Apple to crib a couple of key components from OneNote for its own app.

It also wouldn’t be the first time Apple has taken “inspiration” from other companies for big features or ideas. Such is the way of things.

Hate emptying the cat’s box after your furry friend does its business? Check out these deals on self-scooping litter boxes at Amazon as of April 17:

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Cats are absolutely adorable. The entire internet agrees. What isn’t adorable is having to clean up after your feline sidekick. While cats are arguably cleaner than most dogs since they relieve themselves in a litter box, you’re still left with the responsibility of emptying it.

If you’ve had your fair share of scooping your cat’s mess out of the litter box and want a better solution, there is one! We present the self-scooping litter box. It collects waste and empties it into a reservoir that you don’t have to see or touch (mostly), which means a much more pleasant experience for you and a clean and happy cat. Automatic litter boxes are the cat’s meow, so to speak.

Now’s a great time to make the change because Amazon has select self-scooping litter boxes on sale for up to 20% off right now, with one available for just $99.95 — so, no, you don’t have to spend upwards of $700 to get one. If you’re ready to bring home a new litter box for your favorite fur baby, grab one of our picks of the best self-scooping litter boxes below.

Best overall deal

Why we like it

The PetSafe ScoopFree Crystal Smart Self-Cleaning Litter Box connects to its companion My PetSafe app to let you check on its status wherever you are. Its hands-free cleaning cycle is set to automatically rake any solid waste 20 minutes after detecting your cat has left the box. That means you only have to swap in a fresh tray once per month. With its leak-proof trays, you never have to touch anything unsightly, and pre-filled crystal litter helps keep those unpleasant smells as undetectable as possible. Plus, you’ll get a notification when your cat uses the litter box, so you know exactly how your pet is doing, complete with an activity log to show the vet should you run into any health concerns.

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Why we like it

The PetSafe ScoopFree Crystal Plus Front-Entry Self-Cleaning Litter Box is a great front-entry option if that’s what your cat prefers. It has a nice domed entry that your furry friend can feel secure in. You don’t have to clean or refill your cat’s litter box for weeks thanks to this box’s automatic scheduling. It also has disposable trays with plastic lining that you simply throw away instead of replacing with additional litter. The crystal litter it uses can reduce most of the smell, and since you dispose of everything at once, that cuts down on odors as well. There’s also an included health counter to help you keep track of how many visits your cat makes to the litter box in case you need to know.

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Why we like it

The PetSafe ScoopFree Clumping Self-Cleaning Litter Box is compatible with clumping litter if you prefer that over crystal, but it uses most types of litter without the need for trays. It will automatically rake through your cat’s litter with an eye on keeping waste and odors at bay. You can empty its attached waste bin once a week and refresh the litter occasionally, and that’s about all you really need to do for this setup. You can use it with one cat or let multiple felines do their business here. Whatever you choose, it cuts down significantly on the smells you might get from a regular litter box.

Android 15 is set to revolutionize how devices charge by potentially enabling NFC (near-field communication) technology.

Commonly used for contactless payments and to charge phones wirelessly, this addition was discovered in the latest Android 15 Beta release by Android Authority. Dubbed “NfcCharging,” it could introduce wireless charging capabilities to a wider range of devices, particularly budget models that typically lack Qi charging (the current standard for wireless power).

How would ‘NFC charging’ work?

Although NFC charging offers a slower charging rate, peaking at just 1W, it could still prove beneficial in emergencies. For instance, it would take around five hours to fully charge a 5,000mAh battery — making it a less efficient, yet convenient alternative. Primarily, NFC charging could be more useful for smaller devices like earbuds, styluses, and smartwatches due to their low-power requirements and smaller battery sizes.

This emerging technology promises to make wireless charging more accessible, especially for devices too small to support Qi’s larger antennas. With NFC antennas being significantly more compact, they could easily fit into a greater variety of devices.

While the concept of NFC charging has been around for some years, its implementation has been limited. However, if integrated into Android natively, it could set a new trend for device charging, potentially paving the way for replacing Qi charging if the speed and efficiency of NFC can be enhanced. This would simplify the internal design by reducing the number of required antennas and allowing for larger batteries or additional features within devices.

Expected to debut between August and October 2024, more insights into NFC charging and other Android 15 updates are likely to be unveiled at the Google I/O 2024 event on May 14.

SAVE $124.98: The Amazon Fire Max 11 tablet (128GB) productivity bundle is on sale for $279.99 at Amazon, down from the normal bundle price of $404.97. That’s a 30% discount. The bundle includes the Amazon Fire Max 11 tablet, keyboard case, and stylus pen.

Working from home or the local cafe can be a welcome break from the office — especially when you have the right equipment to make it easy. If you’re looking to upgrade your work set-up for when you’re away from the office, Amazon has the perfect deal.

As of April 17, the Amazon Fire Max 11 tablet productivity bundle is $279.99 at Amazon, marked down from the standard bundle price of $404.97. That’s a 30% discount or a savings of $124.98. The bundle includes the Amazon Fire Max 11 tablet (128GB), a magnetic keyboard case, and a stylus pen.

The Amazon Fire Max 11 tablet earned a Mashable Choice award, with SaVanna Shoemaker giving the tablet a high rating of 4.6 out of 5 in her review. “The Amazon Fire Max 11 has a large, 11-inch display and is blazing fast, making it a good alternative to pricier tablets for streaming and games,” writes Shoemaker.

Thanks to today’s deal, you’ll get the 11-inch tablet with 2.4 million pixels in addition to a setup that makes it ideal for working away from the office. The included keyboard case has a built-in trackpad that’s capable of gestures like pinch to zoom and scrolling with two fingers. The integrated back cover not only serves as protection but also includes a stand. And the keyboard doesn’t require charging, simply plugging into the Fire Max 11 tablet.

You’ll also get an Amazon stylus pen with the productivity bundle. Take notes, draw, or mark up a PDF with ease thanks to the stylus. If you’re nervous about losing the stylus pen, have no fear: it attaches magnetically to the side of the tablet.

If you prefer to work from home or you’d love to not lug a heavy laptop with you while traveling, the Amazon Fire Max 11 tablet productivity bundle could be ideal for streamlining the process. Thanks to today’s deal at Amazon, you can grab the bundle for 30% off.

How to watch ‘The Sympathizer’ at a glance:

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The Sympathizer, one of our most anticipated shows of 2024, is now streaming. The new limited series from legendary filmmaker Park Chan-wook (Decision to Leave, The Handmaiden, Oldboy) brings Robert Downey Jr. to the small screen following his Oscar win for Oppenheimer. In The Sympathizer, Downey Jr. plays not one, not two, but four different roles. The series also stars Hoa Xuande, Fred Nguyen Khan, Toan Le, Nguyen Cao Ky Duyen, and the lovely Sandra Oh.

HBO and A24’s take on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel is already seeing a flood of excellent reviews pouring in (including our own). If you want a taste of it for yourself, here’s everything you need to know about how to watch The Sympathizer online.

What is The Sympathizer about?

Adapted from Viet Thanh Nguyen’s novel of the same name, The Sympathizer follows a half-French, half-Vietnamese communist spy in the final days of the Vietnam War, as well as his new life as a refugee in the United States. It mixes classic espionage thrills with dark comedy and cross-culture satire, making for a story that blends multiple genres.

“Our narrator, simply known as “the Captain” (Hoa Xuande), struggles under duress to recall the events of his life as clearly as possible. The purpose of this recollection? A confession he’s writing in a Vietnamese reeducation camp, where any lapse in memory or particularly clear detail could mean the difference between life and death,” Mashable’s Belen Edwards writes in her review of the series. “Given the confession’s context, The Sympathizer is never far from a brutal reminder of the stakes at play. Tragedy haunts its blend of satire and espionage thriller throughout, resulting in challenging, can’t-miss TV magic.”

Read our full review of The Sympathizer.

Here’s the official trailer:

When is The Sympathizer streaming?

The first episode of The Sympathizer premiered on HBO and Max simultaneously on April 14, 2024 at 9 p.m. ET. The seven-part series will air new episodes weekly on Sundays, with the season finale falling on May 26.

Is there a Max free trial?

Sadly, there’s no active Max free trial through HBO directly or through third-parties like Prime Video or Hulu. Keep an eye out, though, as we’ve seen free trials pop up sporadically (then disappear just as quickly). However, Max does offer free episodes through its Watch Free portal. There are tons of HBO originals included on the platform, including White Lotus, Succession, The Last of Us, and Euphoria, so you can test the waters with a single episode of each before committing to a subscription.

The best Max streaming deals

Before you sign up for a Max subscription, make sure to double check that you don’t already have access to Max through a previous subscription, a third party, or a cable, internet, or wireless provider. If you do still need to sign up for access, check out the two streaming deals below.

Best Max deal for most people: Save up to 20% on an annual plan

Rather than paying a monthly fee, you can sign up for a Max annual plan and save up to 22%. The Max with ads monthly subscription will run you $9.99 per month, which adds up to about $119.88. With an annual plan, you’ll pay just $99.99 per year — that’s 17% in savings. The Ad-Free annual plan goes for $149.99 per year (reg. $191.88), which saves you 22% (the biggest savings of all three plans), and the Ultimate plan is $199.99 per year (reg. $239.88), which saves you about 17%.

Best Max deal for Cricket customers: Free Max with ads for customers on the $60/month unlimited plan

Being a Cricket Wireless customer certainly has its perks. If you’re on the $60 per month unlimited plan through Cricket, you get Max With Ads for free (as long as your account remains in good standing). Just head over to the Max app or navigate to Max on a browser, then sign in with Cricket as your provider. Your Cricket credentials will then unlock full access to Max With Ads (typically a $99.99 per year value) without you having to pay any extra money. If you’re a Cricket customer on a different plan, you can upgrade or switch over to secure the deal at any time. Check the terms and conditions on the Cricket website to learn more.

What are the different Max subscription tiers?

Similar to the former HBO Max streaming tiers, Max offers three different subscription plans: With Ads, Ad-Free, and Ultimate Ad-Free. Here’s a breakdown of the differences between each tier.

Max With Ads — The most affordable option includes two concurrent streams, 1080p resolution, and 5.1 surround sound quality. There are no offline downloads and only light ads for $9.99 per month (or $99.99 per year).

Max Ad-Free — As the name suggest, this option cuts out the ads and offers two concurrent streams, 1080p resolution, 5.1 surround sound quality, and 30 offline downloads. It costs $15.99 per month (or $149.9 per year).

Max Ultimate Ad-Free — The most expensive of the tiers, this option includes four concurrent streams, up to 4K UHD resolution, Dolby Atmos sound quality, and 100 offline downloads. It’ll cost you $19.99 per month (or $199.99 per year).

2024 has not been good to Tesla so far. 

EV sales are on the decline, which led to the Elon Musk-led company laying off 10 percent of its workforce on Monday. Now there’s a major problem with Tesla’s newest vehicle, the Cybertruck, which has apparently forced the company to halt production, sales, and deliveries.

While Tesla has yet to confirm the problem, some Tesla Cybertruck owners have reported on social media that they have experienced a major safety issue in which the accelerator pedal gets stuck when it’s being pressed down.

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Tesla customers who had ordered the Cybertruck have posted on the internet that their deliveries have been suspended due to either a recall or a “stop-sale.”

A well-known Elon Musk fan account on X, which usually reports on Tesla news, also reported that the company has stopped Cybertruck deliveries due to the accelerator issue.

One Cybertruck owner uploaded a video on TikTok to demonstrate what’s going on with the accelerator. It appears a pedal cover is coming loose and sliding up the pedal. It can then reportedly get wedged in an indent on the floor of the Cybertruck. This issue happens when the accelerator is pushed all the way down causing the vehicle to go “full throttle,” as the Cybertruck owner in the video puts it. The individual says he was able to stop the vehicle by holding down the brake pedal, which overrides the acceleration pedal, but the Cybertruck would immediately accelerate again if he took his foot off the brake.

Tesla’s long-awaited Cybertruck was first delivered to customers who had preordered the vehicle late last year. However, since the very beginning, Cybertruck has been plagued with complaints from customers about a variety of issues.

As Tom’s Guide reports, Cybertruck owners have blasted the car over everything from shoddy build quality issues to braking and accelerating at random.

“My truck has been in service longer than I’ve owned it,” said one Cybertruck owner on X who has faced numerous issues with his brand new vehicle.

The previously mentioned Musk fan account said the delivery halt was for seven days, but it’s unclear exactly when Tesla will fulfill Cybertruck deliveries again. It’s also unclear what the company is doing about what appears to be a major design flaw with its accelerator pedal given that such an issue could potentially have fatal consequences.

Sony is gearing up for the launch of the PlayStation 5 Pro and encouraging developers to optimize their games for the new console.

Aiming to overcome the original PS5’s limitations, the PS5 Pro focuses on enhanced ray tracing performance, which has been a challenge for the base model. The Verge reports that the upcoming PS5 Pro will dramatically improve how games handle ray-traced graphics, aiming for stable frame rates and higher fidelity — in stark contrast to the current model’s performance.

When ray tracing isn’t on point, the result can be glitchy or unnatural light or reflections — including stutters or low frame rates — which can break your feeling of immersion. 

Developers are being prompted to prepare not only new games but also to update existing titles under the “Trinity Enhanced” label, after the console’s codename. This label assures players of enhanced features such as superior ray tracing, higher resolutions, and better overall performance.

According to leaks, the PS5 Pro will boast a significant speed advantage, approximately 45 percent faster than its predecessor, with enhanced titles supporting better resolution and frame rate. This upgrade mirrors the enhancement strategy seen in Xbox Series X and Series S games, although Sony’s focus appears to be meant for native PS5 games only.

The necessity of these upgrades is evident, as even high-profile PS5 games like Dragon’s Dogma 2 and Final Fantasy 16 have struggled with performance issues on the original PS5. With the introduction of the PS5 Pro, Sony aims to not only address these issues but also to enhance the gaming experience significantly, making it an exciting prospect for gamers looking to upgrade.

We still haven’t seen the iPhone 16, but we keep learning more about it every week.

This week’s revelation is that the cameras on the iPhone 16 Pro might feature a small, but meaningful, improvement over last year’s models. According to an aggregator called “yeux1122” on the Korean news platform Naver (as spotted by MacRumors), Apple is using advanced manufacturing techniques to improve future iPhone cameras.

To be more specific, Apple is reportedly looking into using atomic layer deposition (or ALD) equipment for making iPhone cameras. In layman’s terms, that would allow Apple to put anti-reflective coatings on its cameras. This would theoretically fix iPhone camera issues like lens flare and ghosting, which can happen when shooting directly at or behind a bright light source.

In other words, Apple would be killing a couple birds with one stone at the hardware level. This may not be a flashy feature to be advertised in press releases or trailers, but it’s a small improvement that iPhone photographers would probably enjoy. However, as MacRumors pointed out, this could potentially be something Apple introduces next year instead of with the iPhone 16.

We’ll find out in September.