Google Pixel 4, Microsoft's new laptop, and the rest of the current tech rumors
It’s fun to speculate about tech rumors, especially when they apply to the products we use every day. But, every rumor is different. Some are likely true, while others are little more than desperate clickbait. On this page, we plan to keep a running tab of the most popular rumors in the tech world and contextualize them so you don’t get your hopes up—and then feel sad when they don’t pan out.
The next GoPro will shoot 4K footage at 120 fps and a GoPro Max is on the way
Last year, GoPro introduced its new motion smoothing tech in the Hero 7 camera, which was a big jump over the previous model. Now, the Hero 8 has reportedly leaked and its big selling point may be super-slow-motion in ultra-high resolution. Purported leaks from Photo Rumors claim the camera will shoot at 120 fps with a 4K resolution, which is double the current model. The leak also claims to show a new accessory mounting system that allows for nifty gadgets like an LED light panel. The GoPro max is a dual-camera system with one front and one rear-facing module.
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| Google Pixel 4, Microsoft's new laptop, and the rest of the current tech rumors |
Gutcheck: The leaks look very reliable and the specs make sense if you follow the progression of GoPro cameras in the past. The last version was a hit, so it would be great to see another leap in features and quality.
Google will announce the Pixel 4 smartphone on October 15th
By now, the new Pixel phone is the worst kept secret in the gadget world. Google initially tweeted about the phone itself after the first leak, but now several more serious leaks have confirmed a wide swath of features like an array of facial recognition sensors. Google has even shown off some of the features in advance with videos like the one embedded above.
Gutcheck: The phone is definitely coming on October 15th, but we will hopefully see some more devices as well. Last year, we saw the new Pixel Slate (though, Google says it's not making any more tablets in the foreseeable future), as well as the Google Home Hub, which is now the Nest Hub.
Apple is working on an AR headset
We've been hearing about the possibility of an Apple VR headset for years, but nothing has materialized just yet. However, recently, an iOS developer discovered mention of such a device in some iOS 13 documentation. The project names reportedly include Starboard and Garta, the latter of which seems to be a dedicated AR headset that shows separate images to each of the wearer's eyes.
Gutcheck: It seems inevitable that Apple will eventually release an AR or VR headset, especially with so many reported projects in the works. We don't know, however, when the products will actually show up for sale or if they'll ever come to market at all. After all, we know that Apple isn't afraid to bin a project that isn't working as it did with its AirPower wireless charging device earlier this year.
Samsung is working on a rolling screen smartphone
Back at CES 2019, LG said it's working on making its rolling screen technology that it already uses in TVs and applying it to smartphones. Now, a Samsung patent shows a phone with a screen that extends thanks to the rolling display that can stash away when it's not in use.
Gutcheck: LG is definitely working on something like this and it's safe to assume that Samsung is, as well, but don't expect to see it all that soon. One wacky screen tech at a time is enough.
Microsoft is making its own wireless earbuds to answer Apple's AirPods
Apple has had tremendous hardware success selling its wireless AirPod earbuds and now it looks like Microsoft may want in on that market segment. A report claims the company is working on a pair of Surface Buds as a follow up to last year's announcement of the Surface Headphones.
Gutcheck: Amazon hopes to get more people into its Cortana smart assistant infrastructure and a successful pair of wireless earbuds could help that along. Tightly integrating its buds with the Windows ecosystem could make them very attractive to non-Mac users, especially if they're as simple to pair and use as the AirPods are with Apple devices.
Oh, and Amazon might make an AirPod competitor, too
Alexa spends most of its time in the home on Echo devices and other smart appliances, but a Bloomberg report claims a pair of Alexa-powered wireless earbuds are on the way in the second half of 2019.
Gutcheck: Information from the report makes a lot of sense when you consider Amazon's recent moves. The new Kindle now has Bluetooth built-in, which would work nicely with a pair of Alexa headphones. The rumor also says Amazon could undercut Apple on price by making the Alexa buds $99 instead of the $159 to $199 consumers shell out for a pair of AirPods. Last year, Amazon's Prime Day shopping event happened in July, which leaves this new product up in the air on whether or not they will be available before the shopping spree kicks off.
Microsoft will release a 15-inch Surface Laptop
October 2nd marks Microsoft's upcoming product announcement event, and we're expecting to see a variety of new products, including a new Surface Laptop that could go all the way up to 15-inches. Other rumors claim we could be in for a new Surface Pro or even a dual-screen Surface device.
Gutcheck: Microsoft has had a lot of success with its Surface Book computers, so expanding them into more options makes sense for the company. The Surface has been Microsoft's hardware focus for some time now and we know that the company has long had interest in a dual-screen device for years. We'll be at the event on the 2nd to see what's new.