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Apple AirPods Pro 3 review: I can only say ‘Holy cow!’

Apple AirPods Pro 3 review: I can only say ‘Holy cow!’

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I wrote my initial AirPods Pro 3 review in paradise. Physically, I was sitting in a resort in Maui, attending a conference and pounding away at my keyboard between meetings and presentations. When I put in my new AirPods, however, I entered a personal cone of silence. Gone were the conversations around me, the sound of the waves crashing against the shoreline. All I had was my music, my thoughts, and my fingers on the keyboard.

It’s not that the AirPods Pro 3 do anything remarkably innovative compared to other wireless earbuds, which are often less expensive — you have your quality sound, active noise cancellation (ANC), transparency mode, and more. It’s that they exceeded expectations at every turn.

Standing in the middle of a tech conference social mixer, surrounded by the drone of people talking specs, all I had to do was pop in the AirPods, put on some music, and nothing else in the world existed. It’s a phenomenal feeling. So let’s get into it. I’ve been using the AirPods Pro 3 for about two weeks, both in paradise and out, and this is my full review.

Easy connectivity


Credit: Adam Doud / Mashable

After unboxing the AirPods Pro 3, the first thing you’ll need to do is pair them to your iPhone. That involves the complicated process of… opening the AirPods case next to your iPhone. That’s it. That’s the process. Oh, and by the way, once you do that, any device that you’re signed into with your Apple ID will also be able to connect to them — whether it be an iPhone, Mac, or iPad. This is not new; it’s been that way since the first generation of AirPods. But it doesn’t change the fact that it’s lovely.

Once connected, there’s no app to operate the AirPods — the settings are built into your phone’s operating system, but not necessarily in an ideal way. In the Bluetooth settings area, you can adjust hearing modes, hearing protection and assistance (which we’ll discuss later), controls, and a variety of other settings — there are too many to list here, to be frank. What is not there is the equalizer (EQ) for the AirPods, which is actually elsewhere in settings. There’s also no custom EQ, which is annoying.

Maybe the EQ is optional?

While testing, I primarily listened to podcasts — that’s my usual use case — but I also spent a good amount of time listening to music from artists such as Metallica, Scorpions, Evanescence, and more. Then there’s also my go-to, Lindsey Stirling, for examining the entire spectrum of frequencies from the lowest dub-step bass to the highest violin notes. 

The AirPods Pro 3 have a nice, even sound profile, with no particular emphasis on any frequencies. It’s a very flat profile, which is how it should be. You can set different EQs — also in the phone’s system settings, but again, there are no custom profiles, which is not ideal. Fortunately, I enjoy the default flat profile, so I don’t have any personal complaints, but it’s not unreasonable to want to set your own sound profile.

ANC and Transparency are impressive

airpods pro 3 and charging case on desk

Credit: Adam Doud / Mashable

airpods pro 3 with ear tip removed

Credit: Adam Doud Mashable

As I described above, the ANC on these AirPods Pro 3 is seriously impressive. The purpose of ANC is to reduce outside noise. The key benefit is to hearing health — the lower you can comfortably listen to your music and media, the less likely you are to damage your hearing. But Apple goes further by reducing all sound around you to a near whisper. You can still hear some things, but the volume is reduced to the point that it no longer matters.

ANC used to be great at removing constant noises, but fell short with sudden noises like a person talking or a car horn. That’s still the case with lower-end ANC earbuds, but Apple does a remarkable job at eliminating sudden noises, too. When you put on any music or media, everything around you is simply gone. 

Transparency is what you get when you decide to let noise in from the outside. The AirPods Pro 3 are very good at that, but are also a small step back from the AirPods Pro 2. That’s because transparency mode on the AirPods Pro 3 comes with a hint of sibilance in what you hear — it’s a faint ring of higher frequencies, like talking in a bathroom, or a hissing sound on particular letters. It’s not bad, but it’s noticeable (and likely fixable with a software update down the road). 

Heart rate monitor

iphone clipped to bike handlebars showing Apple Fitness app and heart rate


Credit: Adam Doud / Mashable

Now that I’ve had more than a day on my home turf with the AirPods Pro 3, I’ve been able to take them out on the road to test out the HRM features. And it works very well! The easiest way to test this sensor is to simply take off my Apple Watch and go for a bike ride around my neighborhood, so that’s what I did.

In order for AirPods to track your heart rate, you need to be actively tracking a workout through the Fitness App. Once you start the activity, there’s nothing to do but pop in your AirPods and start the activity. The Fitness app recognizes that you’re wearing AirPods Pro 3 and pulls heart data straight from the sensors. 

I tested the heart rate on two different bike rides — both shorter rides because I’m old and fat — and it worked perfectly. I checked the heart rate against another device (which you’ll hear about from Mashable soon), and in every instance, the heart rate from the AirPods Pro 3 was within a beat or two per minute of the other device, so that speaks very well for its accuracy.

How do they work as hearing aids?

My wife would strenuously disagree with what I’m about to tell you, but according to Apple, I do not have much hearing loss. Personally, I agree with my wife’s assessment. A misspent youth of playing too loud music in too small a space left me with lasting tinnitus problems. Put me in a noisy room, and I will smile and nod without having heard a word a person three feet away is saying. Even Nuance glasses didn’t help. Maybe Airpods will?

But, according to Apple, I only have 8db of hearing loss in one ear and 12db in the other. I tried using Apple’s hearing aid feature, and I basically just got transparency mode, so there wasn’t much help there. I tried it in a noisy bar, and I had a similar experience to the Nuance Glasses — if it helped, it was only by the barest margin. 

What it boils down to is, I spend a lot of time in noisy environments with people who are seemingly unaffected by the volume of the place. As a traveling journalist, I often find myself in cocktail mixers or bars with at the very least a cacophony of people talking and chatting away, and my ears simply cannot sort out the speaker I’m trying to talk to with the rest of the room. I was hopeful that the AirPods could help drown that noise out and allow me to focus on my conversational counterpart, but so far that simply hasn’t been the case.

apple airpods pro 3 next to apple watch


Credit: Celso Bulgatti/CNET

Does Live Translation really work?

As for Live Translation, it seems to work pretty decently. Live translation is available in English, French, German, Spanish, Portuguese, and English from the UK, which by the way, is not the same as American English. Frankly, I’m happy that Apple recognizes that.

I tested this feature by watching a movie dubbed into a different language — which the AirPods ironically would dub back into English, closing the loop. Not being a native speaker of a foreign language, I can’t comment on the accuracy, but I was able to compare the subtitles to what Apple showed, and it was close enough.

What I noticed was a definite 1-2 second lag between what was on the screen and what came through on the AirPods, which made it a little difficult to measure how accurate one was over the other. That being said, I think it’s fair to say that this could be a good help if you’re traveling in a foreign country (that speaks a supported language). That said, having traveled to Germany, Spain, France and South Korea, speaking English is the ultimate superpower, because a lot of people speak English in foreign countries already.

Are the AirPods Pro 3 worth it?

Overall, the AirPods Pro 3 are a remarkable upgrade, even over the AirPods Pro 2, which were already very good. What absolutely takes my breath away is the noise cancellation. I thought I knew what great ANC was, and it turns out I was not shooting high enough.

When you add up all that these buds bring to the table, including how easy they are to use, the long-term comfort, the excellent battery life, and how easily they connect to an iPhone, this is truly a premium package well worth the $249.99 retail price. They are the very definition of premium, but they come with a surprisingly low cost considering the price of other buds on the market. It wouldn’t be a bit of hyperbole to say that these earbuds are a steal.

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Table of Contents

Since the work-from-home shift in 2020, Logitech has been releasing more products with a mobility focus. We love the Casa Pop-Up Desk that was released a couple of years ago. And now, the brand has introduced a computer mouse for modern work with a nod to nostalgic tech. The Logitech Mobi Fold is a pocket-sized mouse that folds up for incredibly easy transportation. It’s also so fun to fold and unfold — reminiscent of snapping a flip phone shut.

Logitech Mobi Fold price and specs

The Mobi Fold retails for $79.99 and is available as of June 10. It features the following:

  • Size: 33 mm (21 mm when folded) H x 122 mm (66 mm when folded) D x 57 mm W

  • Weight: 79 grams

  • Colors: Graphite, off-white, lilac, sand

  • Battery: One-minute charge provides 22 hours of use, full charge provides one month of use

Logitech introduces Mobi Fold, a foldable mouse with major flip phone vibes Table of Contents Table of Contents Table of Contents Logitech Mobi Fold price and specs Mobi Fold first impressions Where to buy the Mobi Fold Since the work-from-home shift in 2020, Logitech has been releasing more products with a mobility focus. We love the Casa Pop-Up Desk that was released a couple of years ago. And now, the brand has introduced a computer mouse for modern work with a nod to nostalgic tech. The Logitech Mobi Fold is a pocket-sized mouse that folds up for incredibly easy transportation. It’s also so fun to fold and unfold — reminiscent of snapping a flip phone shut.Logitech Mobi Fold price and specsThe Mobi Fold retails for .99 and is available as of June 10. It features the following:Size: 33 mm (21 mm when folded) H x 122 mm (66 mm when folded) D x 57 mm WWeight: 79 gramsColors: Graphite, off-white, lilac, sandBattery: One-minute charge provides 22 hours of use, full charge provides one month of use It folds down small enough to comfortably fit in your pocket. Credit: Miller Kern / Mashable Mobi Fold first impressionsI received a Mobi Fold ahead of its launch, and have been using it for a couple of weeks. It’s not my go-to while working at my desk in my home office (that’s Logitech’s Signature Comfort Plus M850 L), but I do think it’s a fun solution for people who don’t work in one location. Mashable Light Speed The design doesn’t scream comfort at first glance, but it’s actually pretty ergonomic and comfortable to use. It tracks very well, even on different surfaces like a coffee shop table or even a pant leg. The touch controls are responsive as well — though I’ve found the scrolling to be a little sensitive, often scrolling the entire length of a page when I’m trying to go line by line.As with other Logitech products, the Mobi Fold can pair with up to three devices, with a button to switch between them. You’re also able to customize two buttons on the touch panel in the Logi Options+ app, which is pretty cool. They’re defaulted to go backward and forward on a webpage, but you could program them, for example, to copy and paste text. As someone who works from home and doesn’t like to stray from my desk, I don’t know that I’d buy the Mobi Fold. But for people who work during their commute or like to move around throughout the day, this is a great alternative to carrying a bulky mouse in their bag. Plus, it’s just such a fun concept, and I find myself fidgeting with the mouse, folding and unfolding it while I work. Where to buy the Mobi FoldAt launch in the U.S., Mobi Fold is exclusively available on Logitech.com and in the TikTok Shop through July 8. In Canada, it’s available on Logitech.com and other retailers beginning June 10. #Logitech #introduces #Mobi #Fold #foldable #mouse #major #flip #phone #vibes

It folds down small enough to comfortably fit in your pocket. Credit: Miller Kern / Mashable

Mobi Fold first impressions

I received a Mobi Fold ahead of its launch, and have been using it for a couple of weeks. It’s not my go-to while working at my desk in my home office (that’s Logitech’s Signature Comfort Plus M850 L), but I do think it’s a fun solution for people who don’t work in one location.

The design doesn’t scream comfort at first glance, but it’s actually pretty ergonomic and comfortable to use. It tracks very well, even on different surfaces like a coffee shop table or even a pant leg. The touch controls are responsive as well — though I’ve found the scrolling to be a little sensitive, often scrolling the entire length of a page when I’m trying to go line by line.

As with other Logitech products, the Mobi Fold can pair with up to three devices, with a button to switch between them. You’re also able to customize two buttons on the touch panel in the Logi Options+ app, which is pretty cool. They’re defaulted to go backward and forward on a webpage, but you could program them, for example, to copy and paste text.

As someone who works from home and doesn’t like to stray from my desk, I don’t know that I’d buy the Mobi Fold. But for people who work during their commute or like to move around throughout the day, this is a great alternative to carrying a bulky mouse in their bag. Plus, it’s just such a fun concept, and I find myself fidgeting with the mouse, folding and unfolding it while I work.

Where to buy the Mobi Fold

At launch in the U.S., Mobi Fold is exclusively available on Logitech.com and in the TikTok Shop through July 8. In Canada, it’s available on Logitech.com and other retailers beginning June 10.

#Logitech #introduces #Mobi #Fold #foldable #mouse #major #flip #phone #vibes">Logitech introduces Mobi Fold, a foldable mouse with major flip phone vibes Table of Contents Table of Contents Table of Contents Logitech Mobi Fold price and specs Mobi Fold first impressions Where to buy the Mobi Fold Since the work-from-home shift in 2020, Logitech has been releasing more products with a mobility focus. We love the Casa Pop-Up Desk that was released a couple of years ago. And now, the brand has introduced a computer mouse for modern work with a nod to nostalgic tech. The Logitech Mobi Fold is a pocket-sized mouse that folds up for incredibly easy transportation. It’s also so fun to fold and unfold — reminiscent of snapping a flip phone shut.Logitech Mobi Fold price and specsThe Mobi Fold retails for .99 and is available as of June 10. It features the following:Size: 33 mm (21 mm when folded) H x 122 mm (66 mm when folded) D x 57 mm WWeight: 79 gramsColors: Graphite, off-white, lilac, sandBattery: One-minute charge provides 22 hours of use, full charge provides one month of use It folds down small enough to comfortably fit in your pocket. Credit: Miller Kern / Mashable Mobi Fold first impressionsI received a Mobi Fold ahead of its launch, and have been using it for a couple of weeks. It’s not my go-to while working at my desk in my home office (that’s Logitech’s Signature Comfort Plus M850 L), but I do think it’s a fun solution for people who don’t work in one location. Mashable Light Speed The design doesn’t scream comfort at first glance, but it’s actually pretty ergonomic and comfortable to use. It tracks very well, even on different surfaces like a coffee shop table or even a pant leg. The touch controls are responsive as well — though I’ve found the scrolling to be a little sensitive, often scrolling the entire length of a page when I’m trying to go line by line.As with other Logitech products, the Mobi Fold can pair with up to three devices, with a button to switch between them. You’re also able to customize two buttons on the touch panel in the Logi Options+ app, which is pretty cool. They’re defaulted to go backward and forward on a webpage, but you could program them, for example, to copy and paste text. As someone who works from home and doesn’t like to stray from my desk, I don’t know that I’d buy the Mobi Fold. But for people who work during their commute or like to move around throughout the day, this is a great alternative to carrying a bulky mouse in their bag. Plus, it’s just such a fun concept, and I find myself fidgeting with the mouse, folding and unfolding it while I work. Where to buy the Mobi FoldAt launch in the U.S., Mobi Fold is exclusively available on Logitech.com and in the TikTok Shop through July 8. In Canada, it’s available on Logitech.com and other retailers beginning June 10. #Logitech #introduces #Mobi #Fold #foldable #mouse #major #flip #phone #vibes

Casa Pop-Up Desk that was released a couple of years ago. And now, the brand has introduced a computer mouse for modern work with a nod to nostalgic tech. The Logitech Mobi Fold is a pocket-sized mouse that folds up for incredibly easy transportation. It’s also so fun to fold and unfold — reminiscent of snapping a flip phone shut.

Logitech Mobi Fold price and specs

The Mobi Fold retails for $79.99 and is available as of June 10. It features the following:

  • Size: 33 mm (21 mm when folded) H x 122 mm (66 mm when folded) D x 57 mm W

  • Weight: 79 grams

  • Colors: Graphite, off-white, lilac, sand

  • Battery: One-minute charge provides 22 hours of use, full charge provides one month of use

Logitech introduces Mobi Fold, a foldable mouse with major flip phone vibes Table of Contents Table of Contents Table of Contents Logitech Mobi Fold price and specs Mobi Fold first impressions Where to buy the Mobi Fold Since the work-from-home shift in 2020, Logitech has been releasing more products with a mobility focus. We love the Casa Pop-Up Desk that was released a couple of years ago. And now, the brand has introduced a computer mouse for modern work with a nod to nostalgic tech. The Logitech Mobi Fold is a pocket-sized mouse that folds up for incredibly easy transportation. It’s also so fun to fold and unfold — reminiscent of snapping a flip phone shut.Logitech Mobi Fold price and specsThe Mobi Fold retails for .99 and is available as of June 10. It features the following:Size: 33 mm (21 mm when folded) H x 122 mm (66 mm when folded) D x 57 mm WWeight: 79 gramsColors: Graphite, off-white, lilac, sandBattery: One-minute charge provides 22 hours of use, full charge provides one month of use It folds down small enough to comfortably fit in your pocket. Credit: Miller Kern / Mashable Mobi Fold first impressionsI received a Mobi Fold ahead of its launch, and have been using it for a couple of weeks. It’s not my go-to while working at my desk in my home office (that’s Logitech’s Signature Comfort Plus M850 L), but I do think it’s a fun solution for people who don’t work in one location. Mashable Light Speed The design doesn’t scream comfort at first glance, but it’s actually pretty ergonomic and comfortable to use. It tracks very well, even on different surfaces like a coffee shop table or even a pant leg. The touch controls are responsive as well — though I’ve found the scrolling to be a little sensitive, often scrolling the entire length of a page when I’m trying to go line by line.As with other Logitech products, the Mobi Fold can pair with up to three devices, with a button to switch between them. You’re also able to customize two buttons on the touch panel in the Logi Options+ app, which is pretty cool. They’re defaulted to go backward and forward on a webpage, but you could program them, for example, to copy and paste text. As someone who works from home and doesn’t like to stray from my desk, I don’t know that I’d buy the Mobi Fold. But for people who work during their commute or like to move around throughout the day, this is a great alternative to carrying a bulky mouse in their bag. Plus, it’s just such a fun concept, and I find myself fidgeting with the mouse, folding and unfolding it while I work. Where to buy the Mobi FoldAt launch in the U.S., Mobi Fold is exclusively available on Logitech.com and in the TikTok Shop through July 8. In Canada, it’s available on Logitech.com and other retailers beginning June 10. #Logitech #introduces #Mobi #Fold #foldable #mouse #major #flip #phone #vibes

It folds down small enough to comfortably fit in your pocket. Credit: Miller Kern / Mashable

Mobi Fold first impressions

I received a Mobi Fold ahead of its launch, and have been using it for a couple of weeks. It’s not my go-to while working at my desk in my home office (that’s Logitech’s Signature Comfort Plus M850 L), but I do think it’s a fun solution for people who don’t work in one location.

The design doesn’t scream comfort at first glance, but it’s actually pretty ergonomic and comfortable to use. It tracks very well, even on different surfaces like a coffee shop table or even a pant leg. The touch controls are responsive as well — though I’ve found the scrolling to be a little sensitive, often scrolling the entire length of a page when I’m trying to go line by line.

As with other Logitech products, the Mobi Fold can pair with up to three devices, with a button to switch between them. You’re also able to customize two buttons on the touch panel in the Logi Options+ app, which is pretty cool. They’re defaulted to go backward and forward on a webpage, but you could program them, for example, to copy and paste text.

As someone who works from home and doesn’t like to stray from my desk, I don’t know that I’d buy the Mobi Fold. But for people who work during their commute or like to move around throughout the day, this is a great alternative to carrying a bulky mouse in their bag. Plus, it’s just such a fun concept, and I find myself fidgeting with the mouse, folding and unfolding it while I work.

Where to buy the Mobi Fold

At launch in the U.S., Mobi Fold is exclusively available on Logitech.com and in the TikTok Shop through July 8. In Canada, it’s available on Logitech.com and other retailers beginning June 10.

#Logitech #introduces #Mobi #Fold #foldable #mouse #major #flip #phone #vibes">Logitech introduces Mobi Fold, a foldable mouse with major flip phone vibes

Table of Contents

Since the work-from-home shift in 2020, Logitech has been releasing more products with a mobility focus. We love the Casa Pop-Up Desk that was released a couple of years ago. And now, the brand has introduced a computer mouse for modern work with a nod to nostalgic tech. The Logitech Mobi Fold is a pocket-sized mouse that folds up for incredibly easy transportation. It’s also so fun to fold and unfold — reminiscent of snapping a flip phone shut.

Logitech Mobi Fold price and specs

The Mobi Fold retails for $79.99 and is available as of June 10. It features the following:

  • Size: 33 mm (21 mm when folded) H x 122 mm (66 mm when folded) D x 57 mm W

  • Weight: 79 grams

  • Colors: Graphite, off-white, lilac, sand

  • Battery: One-minute charge provides 22 hours of use, full charge provides one month of use

Logitech introduces Mobi Fold, a foldable mouse with major flip phone vibes Table of Contents Table of Contents Table of Contents Logitech Mobi Fold price and specs Mobi Fold first impressions Where to buy the Mobi Fold Since the work-from-home shift in 2020, Logitech has been releasing more products with a mobility focus. We love the Casa Pop-Up Desk that was released a couple of years ago. And now, the brand has introduced a computer mouse for modern work with a nod to nostalgic tech. The Logitech Mobi Fold is a pocket-sized mouse that folds up for incredibly easy transportation. It’s also so fun to fold and unfold — reminiscent of snapping a flip phone shut.Logitech Mobi Fold price and specsThe Mobi Fold retails for .99 and is available as of June 10. It features the following:Size: 33 mm (21 mm when folded) H x 122 mm (66 mm when folded) D x 57 mm WWeight: 79 gramsColors: Graphite, off-white, lilac, sandBattery: One-minute charge provides 22 hours of use, full charge provides one month of use It folds down small enough to comfortably fit in your pocket. Credit: Miller Kern / Mashable Mobi Fold first impressionsI received a Mobi Fold ahead of its launch, and have been using it for a couple of weeks. It’s not my go-to while working at my desk in my home office (that’s Logitech’s Signature Comfort Plus M850 L), but I do think it’s a fun solution for people who don’t work in one location. Mashable Light Speed The design doesn’t scream comfort at first glance, but it’s actually pretty ergonomic and comfortable to use. It tracks very well, even on different surfaces like a coffee shop table or even a pant leg. The touch controls are responsive as well — though I’ve found the scrolling to be a little sensitive, often scrolling the entire length of a page when I’m trying to go line by line.As with other Logitech products, the Mobi Fold can pair with up to three devices, with a button to switch between them. You’re also able to customize two buttons on the touch panel in the Logi Options+ app, which is pretty cool. They’re defaulted to go backward and forward on a webpage, but you could program them, for example, to copy and paste text. As someone who works from home and doesn’t like to stray from my desk, I don’t know that I’d buy the Mobi Fold. But for people who work during their commute or like to move around throughout the day, this is a great alternative to carrying a bulky mouse in their bag. Plus, it’s just such a fun concept, and I find myself fidgeting with the mouse, folding and unfolding it while I work. Where to buy the Mobi FoldAt launch in the U.S., Mobi Fold is exclusively available on Logitech.com and in the TikTok Shop through July 8. In Canada, it’s available on Logitech.com and other retailers beginning June 10. #Logitech #introduces #Mobi #Fold #foldable #mouse #major #flip #phone #vibes

It folds down small enough to comfortably fit in your pocket. Credit: Miller Kern / Mashable

Mobi Fold first impressions

I received a Mobi Fold ahead of its launch, and have been using it for a couple of weeks. It’s not my go-to while working at my desk in my home office (that’s Logitech’s Signature Comfort Plus M850 L), but I do think it’s a fun solution for people who don’t work in one location.

The design doesn’t scream comfort at first glance, but it’s actually pretty ergonomic and comfortable to use. It tracks very well, even on different surfaces like a coffee shop table or even a pant leg. The touch controls are responsive as well — though I’ve found the scrolling to be a little sensitive, often scrolling the entire length of a page when I’m trying to go line by line.

As with other Logitech products, the Mobi Fold can pair with up to three devices, with a button to switch between them. You’re also able to customize two buttons on the touch panel in the Logi Options+ app, which is pretty cool. They’re defaulted to go backward and forward on a webpage, but you could program them, for example, to copy and paste text.

As someone who works from home and doesn’t like to stray from my desk, I don’t know that I’d buy the Mobi Fold. But for people who work during their commute or like to move around throughout the day, this is a great alternative to carrying a bulky mouse in their bag. Plus, it’s just such a fun concept, and I find myself fidgeting with the mouse, folding and unfolding it while I work.

Where to buy the Mobi Fold

At launch in the U.S., Mobi Fold is exclusively available on Logitech.com and in the TikTok Shop through July 8. In Canada, it’s available on Logitech.com and other retailers beginning June 10.

#Logitech #introduces #Mobi #Fold #foldable #mouse #major #flip #phone #vibes

Parents want one thing, and one thing only, out of AI: to add a list of soccer games or “spirit week” theme days from an email or a poorly formatted flyer onto their calendar in one shot. And I have good news for parents with iPhones — the new Siri can finally do this.

After stumbling through its first launch of an AI-imbued Siri, Apple is trying again. The newly upgraded Siri AI can chat with you about what might be killing the roses in your yard, put together a shopping list for the hardware store, and set a reminder to lay down some compost in that flower bed. It can reference information in your email and calendar to make its recommendations or provide an actually helpful answer to the question: “When should I leave for the airport?” And yes, it can even add a list of events from an email to your calendar. I tried all of these scenarios out for myself and I saw it happen. AI Siri is for real this time.

This is like, baby’s first AI assistant stuff, but it’s huge that it actually works.

Honestly Bun Mee is my go-to, so this is a good call.

But it’s also a pretty basic set of features for an AI assistant in 2026, particularly if you compare it to what Gemini has been doing on Android for the past couple of years. Google’s chatbot has been able to add multiple calendar events from a screenshot for at least a year at this point. It’s been diagnosing plant problems and scheduling maintenance reminders for months now, if not longer. New Siri is built on Gemini models, so it makes a lot of sense that the first iteration of Siri AI feels a little bit “Gemini, circa 2025.”

Siri AI has its own flavor, though. Apple has a lot of proprietary stuff going on under the hood and in the cloud. It draws from an on-device pool of data that’s gleaned from things like email and messages. This information is indexed so Siri can tap into the relevant bits when needed. Prompts that can’t be handled fully on device are sent to Apple’s Private Cloud Compute with only the relevant pieces of personal data attached. Gemini handles personal context differently; you opt into sharing your Gmail or calendar, and then it’ll go directly to those sources to get the information when needed.

Siri AI working well depends a lot on the AI understanding context. So far, it’s doing pretty well. I asked it when I needed to return some camera gear I rented for WWDC, and it found the information from a calendar event I’d made and in an email (it’s due back Friday, for the record). Likewise, prompting it with something like “add these events to my calendar” will consistently trigger it to reference the information on my screen. So far, so good.

I couldn’t get Siri to engage in any shenanigans — I didn’t exactly stress test it, but the guardrails were strong enough to return a curt “I can’t help you with that” to a shady prompt. Fair. As a conversationalist, new Siri also seems a bit more dispassionate than Gemini. I gave them both the same prompt asking why the flowers in front of my house seemed to be wilting. They both gave wordy responses with a lot of possible causes, but Gemini’s started with “That is incredibly frustrating…” where Siri was more direct and got right into diagnosing the situation.

Siri AI’s response to my question gets to the point quicker.

Gemini sends its sympathies.

The new Siri handled my follow-up requests well, too. I asked it to recommend a garden center “near home” and it came up with a good suggestion. It also created a new reminder list with some checklist items for my garden rehab project and added a calendar event, all from a single prompt. Pretty basic stuff, but this is Siri. The fact that it works at all is a step forward that’s been years in the making.

New Siri pops up in a lot of places on the iPhone. I’ve gotten into the habit of swiping down on the homescreen and using search to get to apps, and every time I do there’s a big prompt to “search or ask” with a glowing, blinking cursor. Long pressing the wake button summons Siri from the Dynamic Island now, too, rather than presenting it as a glowing border around the screen. The changes all add up to a subtle feeling that you’re never very far away from Siri.

The changes all add up to a subtle feeling that you’re never very far away from Siri

This iteration of Siri feels like the AI assistant you’d build if you knew you couldn’t screw it up. It supports a pretty basic set of features — it’s not out here DoorDashing your burritos for you — but it actually does what’s advertised. For the company that made big promises of Siri two years ago that never materialized, that’s a big deal. “It works” and “It will actually ship to customers” are the two targets that Apple couldn’t miss here. It’s only in a developer beta now, but it’s realer than the first AI Siri we were shown at WWDC ever was. Apple needs this version of Siri to earn back trust. And based on what I’ve seen so far, this looks like a small step toward getting that trust back.

Photography by Allison Johnson / The Verge

Follow topics and authors from this story to see more like this in your personalized homepage feed and to receive email updates.
#Siri #worksAI,Apple,Hands-on,Reviews,Tech,WWDC 2026">I tried Siri AI, and so far it actually worksParents want one thing, and one thing only, out of AI: to add a list of soccer games or “spirit week” theme days from an email or a poorly formatted flyer onto their calendar in one shot. And I have good news for parents with iPhones — the new Siri can finally do this.After stumbling through its first launch of an AI-imbued Siri, Apple is trying again. The newly upgraded Siri AI can chat with you about what might be killing the roses in your yard, put together a shopping list for the hardware store, and set a reminder to lay down some compost in that flower bed. It can reference information in your email and calendar to make its recommendations or provide an actually helpful answer to the question: “When should I leave for the airport?” And yes, it can even add a list of events from an email to your calendar. I tried all of these scenarios out for myself and I saw it happen. AI Siri is for real this time.This is like, baby’s first AI assistant stuff, but it’s huge that it actually works.Honestly Bun Mee is my go-to, so this is a good call.But it’s also a pretty basic set of features for an AI assistant in 2026, particularly if you compare it to what Gemini has been doing on Android for the past couple of years. Google’s chatbot has been able to add multiple calendar events from a screenshot for at least a year at this point. It’s been diagnosing plant problems and scheduling maintenance reminders for months now, if not longer. New Siri is built on Gemini models, so it makes a lot of sense that the first iteration of Siri AI feels a little bit “Gemini, circa 2025.”Siri AI has its own flavor, though. Apple has a lot of proprietary stuff going on under the hood and in the cloud. It draws from an on-device pool of data that’s gleaned from things like email and messages. This information is indexed so Siri can tap into the relevant bits when needed. Prompts that can’t be handled fully on device are sent to Apple’s Private Cloud Compute with only the relevant pieces of personal data attached. Gemini handles personal context differently; you opt into sharing your Gmail or calendar, and then it’ll go directly to those sources to get the information when needed.Siri AI working well depends a lot on the AI understanding context. So far, it’s doing pretty well. I asked it when I needed to return some camera gear I rented for WWDC, and it found the information from a calendar event I’d made and in an email (it’s due back Friday, for the record). Likewise, prompting it with something like “add these events to my calendar” will consistently trigger it to reference the information on my screen. So far, so good.I couldn’t get Siri to engage in any shenanigans — I didn’t exactly stress test it, but the guardrails were strong enough to return a curt “I can’t help you with that” to a shady prompt. Fair. As a conversationalist, new Siri also seems a bit more dispassionate than Gemini. I gave them both the same prompt asking why the flowers in front of my house seemed to be wilting. They both gave wordy responses with a lot of possible causes, but Gemini’s started with “That is incredibly frustrating…” where Siri was more direct and got right into diagnosing the situation.Siri AI’s response to my question gets to the point quicker.Gemini sends its sympathies. The new Siri handled my follow-up requests well, too. I asked it to recommend a garden center “near home” and it came up with a good suggestion. It also created a new reminder list with some checklist items for my garden rehab project and added a calendar event, all from a single prompt. Pretty basic stuff, but this is Siri. The fact that it works at all is a step forward that’s been years in the making.New Siri pops up in a lot of places on the iPhone. I’ve gotten into the habit of swiping down on the homescreen and using search to get to apps, and every time I do there’s a big prompt to “search or ask” with a glowing, blinking cursor. Long pressing the wake button summons Siri from the Dynamic Island now, too, rather than presenting it as a glowing border around the screen. The changes all add up to a subtle feeling that you’re never very far away from Siri.The changes all add up to a subtle feeling that you’re never very far away from SiriThis iteration of Siri feels like the AI assistant you’d build if you knew you couldn’t screw it up. It supports a pretty basic set of features — it’s not out here DoorDashing your burritos for you — but it actually does what’s advertised. For the company that made big promises of Siri two years ago that never materialized, that’s a big deal. “It works” and “It will actually ship to customers” are the two targets that Apple couldn’t miss here. It’s only in a developer beta now, but it’s realer than the first AI Siri we were shown at WWDC ever was. Apple needs this version of Siri to earn back trust. And based on what I’ve seen so far, this looks like a small step toward getting that trust back.Photography by Allison Johnson / The VergeFollow topics and authors from this story to see more like this in your personalized homepage feed and to receive email updates.Allison JohnsonCloseAllison JohnsonPosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All by Allison JohnsonAICloseAIPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All AIAppleCloseApplePosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All AppleHands-onCloseHands-onPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All Hands-onReviewsCloseReviewsPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All ReviewsTechCloseTechPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All TechWWDC 2026CloseWWDC 2026Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All WWDC 2026#Siri #worksAI,Apple,Hands-on,Reviews,Tech,WWDC 2026

onto their calendar in one shot. And I have good news for parents with iPhones — the new Siri can finally do this.

After stumbling through its first launch of an AI-imbued Siri, Apple is trying again. The newly upgraded Siri AI can chat with you about what might be killing the roses in your yard, put together a shopping list for the hardware store, and set a reminder to lay down some compost in that flower bed. It can reference information in your email and calendar to make its recommendations or provide an actually helpful answer to the question: “When should I leave for the airport?” And yes, it can even add a list of events from an email to your calendar. I tried all of these scenarios out for myself and I saw it happen. AI Siri is for real this time.

This is like, baby’s first AI assistant stuff, but it’s huge that it actually works.

Honestly Bun Mee is my go-to, so this is a good call.

But it’s also a pretty basic set of features for an AI assistant in 2026, particularly if you compare it to what Gemini has been doing on Android for the past couple of years. Google’s chatbot has been able to add multiple calendar events from a screenshot for at least a year at this point. It’s been diagnosing plant problems and scheduling maintenance reminders for months now, if not longer. New Siri is built on Gemini models, so it makes a lot of sense that the first iteration of Siri AI feels a little bit “Gemini, circa 2025.”

Siri AI has its own flavor, though. Apple has a lot of proprietary stuff going on under the hood and in the cloud. It draws from an on-device pool of data that’s gleaned from things like email and messages. This information is indexed so Siri can tap into the relevant bits when needed. Prompts that can’t be handled fully on device are sent to Apple’s Private Cloud Compute with only the relevant pieces of personal data attached. Gemini handles personal context differently; you opt into sharing your Gmail or calendar, and then it’ll go directly to those sources to get the information when needed.

Siri AI working well depends a lot on the AI understanding context. So far, it’s doing pretty well. I asked it when I needed to return some camera gear I rented for WWDC, and it found the information from a calendar event I’d made and in an email (it’s due back Friday, for the record). Likewise, prompting it with something like “add these events to my calendar” will consistently trigger it to reference the information on my screen. So far, so good.

I couldn’t get Siri to engage in any shenanigans — I didn’t exactly stress test it, but the guardrails were strong enough to return a curt “I can’t help you with that” to a shady prompt. Fair. As a conversationalist, new Siri also seems a bit more dispassionate than Gemini. I gave them both the same prompt asking why the flowers in front of my house seemed to be wilting. They both gave wordy responses with a lot of possible causes, but Gemini’s started with “That is incredibly frustrating…” where Siri was more direct and got right into diagnosing the situation.

Siri AI’s response to my question gets to the point quicker.

Gemini sends its sympathies.

The new Siri handled my follow-up requests well, too. I asked it to recommend a garden center “near home” and it came up with a good suggestion. It also created a new reminder list with some checklist items for my garden rehab project and added a calendar event, all from a single prompt. Pretty basic stuff, but this is Siri. The fact that it works at all is a step forward that’s been years in the making.

New Siri pops up in a lot of places on the iPhone. I’ve gotten into the habit of swiping down on the homescreen and using search to get to apps, and every time I do there’s a big prompt to “search or ask” with a glowing, blinking cursor. Long pressing the wake button summons Siri from the Dynamic Island now, too, rather than presenting it as a glowing border around the screen. The changes all add up to a subtle feeling that you’re never very far away from Siri.

The changes all add up to a subtle feeling that you’re never very far away from Siri

This iteration of Siri feels like the AI assistant you’d build if you knew you couldn’t screw it up. It supports a pretty basic set of features — it’s not out here DoorDashing your burritos for you — but it actually does what’s advertised. For the company that made big promises of Siri two years ago that never materialized, that’s a big deal. “It works” and “It will actually ship to customers” are the two targets that Apple couldn’t miss here. It’s only in a developer beta now, but it’s realer than the first AI Siri we were shown at WWDC ever was. Apple needs this version of Siri to earn back trust. And based on what I’ve seen so far, this looks like a small step toward getting that trust back.

Photography by Allison Johnson / The Verge

Follow topics and authors from this story to see more like this in your personalized homepage feed and to receive email updates.

#Siri #worksAI,Apple,Hands-on,Reviews,Tech,WWDC 2026">I tried Siri AI, and so far it actually works

Parents want one thing, and one thing only, out of AI: to add a list of soccer games or “spirit week” theme days from an email or a poorly formatted flyer onto their calendar in one shot. And I have good news for parents with iPhones — the new Siri can finally do this.

After stumbling through its first launch of an AI-imbued Siri, Apple is trying again. The newly upgraded Siri AI can chat with you about what might be killing the roses in your yard, put together a shopping list for the hardware store, and set a reminder to lay down some compost in that flower bed. It can reference information in your email and calendar to make its recommendations or provide an actually helpful answer to the question: “When should I leave for the airport?” And yes, it can even add a list of events from an email to your calendar. I tried all of these scenarios out for myself and I saw it happen. AI Siri is for real this time.

This is like, baby’s first AI assistant stuff, but it’s huge that it actually works.

Honestly Bun Mee is my go-to, so this is a good call.

But it’s also a pretty basic set of features for an AI assistant in 2026, particularly if you compare it to what Gemini has been doing on Android for the past couple of years. Google’s chatbot has been able to add multiple calendar events from a screenshot for at least a year at this point. It’s been diagnosing plant problems and scheduling maintenance reminders for months now, if not longer. New Siri is built on Gemini models, so it makes a lot of sense that the first iteration of Siri AI feels a little bit “Gemini, circa 2025.”

Siri AI has its own flavor, though. Apple has a lot of proprietary stuff going on under the hood and in the cloud. It draws from an on-device pool of data that’s gleaned from things like email and messages. This information is indexed so Siri can tap into the relevant bits when needed. Prompts that can’t be handled fully on device are sent to Apple’s Private Cloud Compute with only the relevant pieces of personal data attached. Gemini handles personal context differently; you opt into sharing your Gmail or calendar, and then it’ll go directly to those sources to get the information when needed.

Siri AI working well depends a lot on the AI understanding context. So far, it’s doing pretty well. I asked it when I needed to return some camera gear I rented for WWDC, and it found the information from a calendar event I’d made and in an email (it’s due back Friday, for the record). Likewise, prompting it with something like “add these events to my calendar” will consistently trigger it to reference the information on my screen. So far, so good.

I couldn’t get Siri to engage in any shenanigans — I didn’t exactly stress test it, but the guardrails were strong enough to return a curt “I can’t help you with that” to a shady prompt. Fair. As a conversationalist, new Siri also seems a bit more dispassionate than Gemini. I gave them both the same prompt asking why the flowers in front of my house seemed to be wilting. They both gave wordy responses with a lot of possible causes, but Gemini’s started with “That is incredibly frustrating…” where Siri was more direct and got right into diagnosing the situation.

Siri AI’s response to my question gets to the point quicker.

Gemini sends its sympathies.

The new Siri handled my follow-up requests well, too. I asked it to recommend a garden center “near home” and it came up with a good suggestion. It also created a new reminder list with some checklist items for my garden rehab project and added a calendar event, all from a single prompt. Pretty basic stuff, but this is Siri. The fact that it works at all is a step forward that’s been years in the making.

New Siri pops up in a lot of places on the iPhone. I’ve gotten into the habit of swiping down on the homescreen and using search to get to apps, and every time I do there’s a big prompt to “search or ask” with a glowing, blinking cursor. Long pressing the wake button summons Siri from the Dynamic Island now, too, rather than presenting it as a glowing border around the screen. The changes all add up to a subtle feeling that you’re never very far away from Siri.

The changes all add up to a subtle feeling that you’re never very far away from Siri

This iteration of Siri feels like the AI assistant you’d build if you knew you couldn’t screw it up. It supports a pretty basic set of features — it’s not out here DoorDashing your burritos for you — but it actually does what’s advertised. For the company that made big promises of Siri two years ago that never materialized, that’s a big deal. “It works” and “It will actually ship to customers” are the two targets that Apple couldn’t miss here. It’s only in a developer beta now, but it’s realer than the first AI Siri we were shown at WWDC ever was. Apple needs this version of Siri to earn back trust. And based on what I’ve seen so far, this looks like a small step toward getting that trust back.

Photography by Allison Johnson / The Verge

Follow topics and authors from this story to see more like this in your personalized homepage feed and to receive email updates.
#Siri #worksAI,Apple,Hands-on,Reviews,Tech,WWDC 2026
Google just made its budget AI subscription plan a lot more budget-friendly, bringing a price war that’s been brewing in emerging markets squarely to American consumers.

The company announced Monday that it is cutting the monthly price of Google AI Plus from $7.99 to $4.99 — while doubling the storage included at that tier, from 200 gigabytes to 400 gigabytes.

Vikas Kansal, product lead for Gemini AI subscriptions, said on X that the storage updates would roll out to users over the next several days.

Google AI Plus launched in January as the most affordable paid AI subscription in the U.S. market, aimed at individual users and students rather than enterprise customers. Apparently that wasn’t cheap enough.

It includes a decent feature set, too, including video generation via Omni Flash; the creative studio Google Flow; and NotebookLM, Google’s AI research assistant. For heavier users, Google also offers AI Pro and AI Ultra at higher price points and usage limits.

The price cut is worth indexing on for reasons beyond Google’s own product roadmap. Subscription pricing hasn’t yet been a key battleground among AI providers in the U.S. But that’s changing in real time, suggests Chi-Hua Chien, co-founder and managing partner at consumer-focused venture firm Goodwater Capital; he sees Monday’s announcement as the next salvo in the commoditization era for AI infrastructure, pointing to Google’s structural advantages — vertical integration, distribution, the ability to bundle — as precisely the kind of force that’s likely to erode margins for purer-play AI providers over time.

The historical parallel he reaches for is instructive. “If you look at the web era, the infrastructure companies were Microsoft, Cisco, Oracle, Northern Telecom, Lucent, Akamai, Equinix,” he told TechCrunch. “A lot of those companies survived for a period of time but aren’t worth a lot today.” The reason, he said, is that during every big tech shift — from PC to web to mobile — the infrastructure players “get commoditized very aggressively because the end customer doesn’t think, ‘Ooh, are my bits moving on Cisco networking equipment?’ They’re just thinking, ‘How do I move my bits as cheaply as possible?’”

He sees the same dynamic coming in the not-too-distant future for today’s AI infrastructure layer — including the frontier model providers themselves.

“My prediction for a lot of these infrastructure companies — and when I say infrastructure, I mean an OpenAI or an Anthropic, or the backend components, energy, chips, hosting — there will be a period of time when these companies are valuable,” he said. “But over time, you will see them get increasingly commoditized.”

It’s certainly something that a bigger pool of investors will be pondering soon. Both OpenAI and Anthropic have filed confidentially to go public, and their ability to command premium valuations may soon be tested by exactly the kind of price competition Chien is describing.

That competition has been building for nearly a year in markets like India, one of the fastest-growing AI user bases in the world. OpenAI drew first blood there in August of last year, launching ChatGPT Go at roughly $4.60 a month — a fraction of its standard $20 Plus plan. Google followed in December with a sub-$5 AI Plus plan of its own for Indian users.

Monday’s announcement suggests the same logic that drove those emerging-market moves — undercut, bundle, and capture users before rivals do — has now crossed over to the U.S. market.

Anthropic, notably, hasn’t followed. Unlike OpenAI and Google, it has yet to introduce localized pricing for India or a budget tier anywhere, a move that may become harder to avoid as its rivals keep slashing prices.

When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. This doesn’t affect our editorial independence.

#Google #fired #warning #shot #subscription #price #wars #TechCrunchAI,google ai,Google AI Plus">Google just fired a warning shot in the AI subscription price wars | TechCrunch Google just made its budget AI subscription plan a lot more budget-friendly, bringing a price war that’s been brewing in emerging markets squarely to American consumers. The company announced Monday that it is cutting the monthly price of Google AI Plus from .99 to .99 — while doubling the storage included at that tier, from 200 gigabytes to 400 gigabytes. Vikas Kansal, product lead for Gemini AI subscriptions, said on X that the storage updates would roll out to users over the next several days. Google AI Plus launched in January as the most affordable paid AI subscription in the U.S. market, aimed at individual users and students rather than enterprise customers. Apparently that wasn’t cheap enough. It includes a decent feature set, too, including video generation via Omni Flash; the creative studio Google Flow; and NotebookLM, Google’s AI research assistant. For heavier users, Google also offers AI Pro and AI Ultra at higher price points and usage limits. The price cut is worth indexing on for reasons beyond Google’s own product roadmap. Subscription pricing hasn’t yet been a key battleground among AI providers in the U.S. But that’s changing in real time, suggests Chi-Hua Chien, co-founder and managing partner at consumer-focused venture firm Goodwater Capital; he sees Monday’s announcement as the next salvo in the commoditization era for AI infrastructure, pointing to Google’s structural advantages — vertical integration, distribution, the ability to bundle — as precisely the kind of force that’s likely to erode margins for purer-play AI providers over time. The historical parallel he reaches for is instructive. “If you look at the web era, the infrastructure companies were Microsoft, Cisco, Oracle, Northern Telecom, Lucent, Akamai, Equinix,” he told TechCrunch. “A lot of those companies survived for a period of time but aren’t worth a lot today.” The reason, he said, is that during every big tech shift — from PC to web to mobile — the infrastructure players “get commoditized very aggressively because the end customer doesn’t think, ‘Ooh, are my bits moving on Cisco networking equipment?’ They’re just thinking, ‘How do I move my bits as cheaply as possible?’” He sees the same dynamic coming in the not-too-distant future for today’s AI infrastructure layer — including the frontier model providers themselves. “My prediction for a lot of these infrastructure companies — and when I say infrastructure, I mean an OpenAI or an Anthropic, or the backend components, energy, chips, hosting — there will be a period of time when these companies are valuable,” he said. “But over time, you will see them get increasingly commoditized.” It’s certainly something that a bigger pool of investors will be pondering soon. Both OpenAI and Anthropic have filed confidentially to go public, and their ability to command premium valuations may soon be tested by exactly the kind of price competition Chien is describing. That competition has been building for nearly a year in markets like India, one of the fastest-growing AI user bases in the world. OpenAI drew first blood there in August of last year, launching ChatGPT Go at roughly .60 a month — a fraction of its standard Plus plan. Google followed in December with a sub- AI Plus plan of its own for Indian users. Monday’s announcement suggests the same logic that drove those emerging-market moves — undercut, bundle, and capture users before rivals do — has now crossed over to the U.S. market. Anthropic, notably, hasn’t followed. Unlike OpenAI and Google, it has yet to introduce localized pricing for India or a budget tier anywhere, a move that may become harder to avoid as its rivals keep slashing prices. When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. This doesn’t affect our editorial independence.#Google #fired #warning #shot #subscription #price #wars #TechCrunchAI,google ai,Google AI Plus

said on X that the storage updates would roll out to users over the next several days.

Google AI Plus launched in January as the most affordable paid AI subscription in the U.S. market, aimed at individual users and students rather than enterprise customers. Apparently that wasn’t cheap enough.

It includes a decent feature set, too, including video generation via Omni Flash; the creative studio Google Flow; and NotebookLM, Google’s AI research assistant. For heavier users, Google also offers AI Pro and AI Ultra at higher price points and usage limits.

The price cut is worth indexing on for reasons beyond Google’s own product roadmap. Subscription pricing hasn’t yet been a key battleground among AI providers in the U.S. But that’s changing in real time, suggests Chi-Hua Chien, co-founder and managing partner at consumer-focused venture firm Goodwater Capital; he sees Monday’s announcement as the next salvo in the commoditization era for AI infrastructure, pointing to Google’s structural advantages — vertical integration, distribution, the ability to bundle — as precisely the kind of force that’s likely to erode margins for purer-play AI providers over time.

The historical parallel he reaches for is instructive. “If you look at the web era, the infrastructure companies were Microsoft, Cisco, Oracle, Northern Telecom, Lucent, Akamai, Equinix,” he told TechCrunch. “A lot of those companies survived for a period of time but aren’t worth a lot today.” The reason, he said, is that during every big tech shift — from PC to web to mobile — the infrastructure players “get commoditized very aggressively because the end customer doesn’t think, ‘Ooh, are my bits moving on Cisco networking equipment?’ They’re just thinking, ‘How do I move my bits as cheaply as possible?’”

He sees the same dynamic coming in the not-too-distant future for today’s AI infrastructure layer — including the frontier model providers themselves.

“My prediction for a lot of these infrastructure companies — and when I say infrastructure, I mean an OpenAI or an Anthropic, or the backend components, energy, chips, hosting — there will be a period of time when these companies are valuable,” he said. “But over time, you will see them get increasingly commoditized.”

It’s certainly something that a bigger pool of investors will be pondering soon. Both OpenAI and Anthropic have filed confidentially to go public, and their ability to command premium valuations may soon be tested by exactly the kind of price competition Chien is describing.

That competition has been building for nearly a year in markets like India, one of the fastest-growing AI user bases in the world. OpenAI drew first blood there in August of last year, launching ChatGPT Go at roughly $4.60 a month — a fraction of its standard $20 Plus plan. Google followed in December with a sub-$5 AI Plus plan of its own for Indian users.

Monday’s announcement suggests the same logic that drove those emerging-market moves — undercut, bundle, and capture users before rivals do — has now crossed over to the U.S. market.

Anthropic, notably, hasn’t followed. Unlike OpenAI and Google, it has yet to introduce localized pricing for India or a budget tier anywhere, a move that may become harder to avoid as its rivals keep slashing prices.

When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. This doesn’t affect our editorial independence.

#Google #fired #warning #shot #subscription #price #wars #TechCrunchAI,google ai,Google AI Plus">Google just fired a warning shot in the AI subscription price wars | TechCrunch

Google just made its budget AI subscription plan a lot more budget-friendly, bringing a price war that’s been brewing in emerging markets squarely to American consumers.

The company announced Monday that it is cutting the monthly price of Google AI Plus from $7.99 to $4.99 — while doubling the storage included at that tier, from 200 gigabytes to 400 gigabytes.

Vikas Kansal, product lead for Gemini AI subscriptions, said on X that the storage updates would roll out to users over the next several days.

Google AI Plus launched in January as the most affordable paid AI subscription in the U.S. market, aimed at individual users and students rather than enterprise customers. Apparently that wasn’t cheap enough.

It includes a decent feature set, too, including video generation via Omni Flash; the creative studio Google Flow; and NotebookLM, Google’s AI research assistant. For heavier users, Google also offers AI Pro and AI Ultra at higher price points and usage limits.

The price cut is worth indexing on for reasons beyond Google’s own product roadmap. Subscription pricing hasn’t yet been a key battleground among AI providers in the U.S. But that’s changing in real time, suggests Chi-Hua Chien, co-founder and managing partner at consumer-focused venture firm Goodwater Capital; he sees Monday’s announcement as the next salvo in the commoditization era for AI infrastructure, pointing to Google’s structural advantages — vertical integration, distribution, the ability to bundle — as precisely the kind of force that’s likely to erode margins for purer-play AI providers over time.

The historical parallel he reaches for is instructive. “If you look at the web era, the infrastructure companies were Microsoft, Cisco, Oracle, Northern Telecom, Lucent, Akamai, Equinix,” he told TechCrunch. “A lot of those companies survived for a period of time but aren’t worth a lot today.” The reason, he said, is that during every big tech shift — from PC to web to mobile — the infrastructure players “get commoditized very aggressively because the end customer doesn’t think, ‘Ooh, are my bits moving on Cisco networking equipment?’ They’re just thinking, ‘How do I move my bits as cheaply as possible?’”

He sees the same dynamic coming in the not-too-distant future for today’s AI infrastructure layer — including the frontier model providers themselves.

“My prediction for a lot of these infrastructure companies — and when I say infrastructure, I mean an OpenAI or an Anthropic, or the backend components, energy, chips, hosting — there will be a period of time when these companies are valuable,” he said. “But over time, you will see them get increasingly commoditized.”

It’s certainly something that a bigger pool of investors will be pondering soon. Both OpenAI and Anthropic have filed confidentially to go public, and their ability to command premium valuations may soon be tested by exactly the kind of price competition Chien is describing.

That competition has been building for nearly a year in markets like India, one of the fastest-growing AI user bases in the world. OpenAI drew first blood there in August of last year, launching ChatGPT Go at roughly $4.60 a month — a fraction of its standard $20 Plus plan. Google followed in December with a sub-$5 AI Plus plan of its own for Indian users.

Monday’s announcement suggests the same logic that drove those emerging-market moves — undercut, bundle, and capture users before rivals do — has now crossed over to the U.S. market.

Anthropic, notably, hasn’t followed. Unlike OpenAI and Google, it has yet to introduce localized pricing for India or a budget tier anywhere, a move that may become harder to avoid as its rivals keep slashing prices.

When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. This doesn’t affect our editorial independence.

#Google #fired #warning #shot #subscription #price #wars #TechCrunchAI,google ai,Google AI Plus

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