Not content to allow Samsung to steal the spotlight, Sony today also kicked off the IFA 2014 conference with its own press event that unveiled new wearable devices, new smartphone photography accessories, and several new mobile devices. Sony's newest hardware is slated to arrive in the coming months with price points that are yet to be determined.
Perhaps most relevant to Apple fans given Apple's impending wearable device announcement is Sony's pair of announcements in that area, starting with the new SmartBand Talk that embeds a low-power, 1.4-inch e-ink display into a fitness tracker. The band also includes a microphone and speaker for phone calls, as well as Bluetooth 4.0 for syncing to a smartphone. Rounding out the feature set is IP68 waterproofing, accelerometer and altimeter sensors, and integration with Sony's Lifelog lifestyle-tracking app.
In the more full-featured watch segment, Sony also introduced its new SmartWatch 3, the successor to the SmartWatch 2 and the first Android Wear smartwatch from the Japanese company. The smartphone companion syncs notifications from a compatible Android device and offers 4 GB of on-the-go music storage. Sony's SmartWatch 3 enters a growing Android Wear marketplace, competing directly with similar smartwatch offerings from Motorola and LG.
Sony also added to its lens-style camera line with the new 30x zoom DSC-QX30 and the E-mount interchangeable lens ILCE-QX1, These lens-style cameras improve mobile photography by combining an image sensor with a compact lens that fits onto an iOS or Android smartphone and communicates with the mobile phone via Wi-Fi. The DSC-QX30 is a 30x optical zoom lens with Sony's Optical SteadyShot image stabilization, while the QX1 allows photographers to use their existing Sony Alpha E-mount lenses on their mobile phone.
Besides its wearables and smartphone photography products, Sony also expanded its Xperia Z-series smartphone and tablet lineup with the new extended-battery life Xperia Z3 smartphone, the Xperia Z3 Compact smartphone, and the Xperia Tablet Z3 Compact. These new Xperia devices are notable as they support PS4 Remote Play, allowing users to pair their mobile device with a DualShock controller and play PS4 games on the phone or tablet.
We've been focusing on deals on physical products over the past few weeks, but Black Friday is also a great time of year to purchase a streaming membership. Some of the biggest services have great discounts for new and select returning members this week, including Disney+, Hulu, Paramount+, Peacock, and more.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a...
Tuesday November 25, 2025 7:09 am PST by Tim Hardwick
Apple's first foldable iPhone is expected to launch alongside the iPhone 18 Pro models in fall 2026, and it's shaping up to include three standout features that could set it apart from the competition.
The book-style foldable will reportedly feature an industry-first 24-megapixel under-display camera built into the inner display, according to a recent JP Morgan equity research report. That...
Thursday November 27, 2025 1:01 pm PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple's online store is going down for a few hours on a rolling country-by-country basis right now, but do not get your hopes up for new products.
Apple takes its online store down for a few hours ahead of Black Friday every year to tease/prepare for its annual gift card offer with the purchase of select products. The store already went down and came back online in Australia and New Zealand, ...
Tuesday November 25, 2025 7:16 am PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple recently teamed up with Japanese fashion brand ISSEY MIYAKE to create the iPhone Pocket, a limited-edition knitted accessory designed to carry an iPhone. However, it is now completely sold out in all countries where it was released.
iPhone Pocket became available to order on Apple's online store starting Friday, November 14, in the United States, France, China, Italy, Japan, Singapore, ...
Singapore has ordered Apple to block or filter messages on iMessage that impersonate government agencies, requiring the company to implement new anti-spoofing protections by December as part of efforts to curb rising online scams, the Straits Times reports.
Singapore's Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said that it had issued an Implementation Directive to Apple under the Online Criminal Harms...
We're only a few days away from Black Friday, which will take place on Friday, November 28 in 2025. As always, this will be the best time of the year to shop for great deals, including popular Apple products like AirPods, iPad, Apple Watch, and more. In this article, the majority of the discounts will be found on Amazon.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When...
Black Friday is just a few hours away, and as always this will be the best time of the year to shop for great deals, including popular Apple products like AirPods, iPad, Apple Watch, and more. In this article, the majority of the discounts will be found on Amazon.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a...
Monday November 24, 2025 10:25 am PST by Juli Clover
Apple is making progress on the development of the book-style foldable iPhone expected in 2026, according to a report from Chinese site UDN. The device has reportedly entered the engineering validation stage, and Apple is gearing up for mass production.
Citing supply chain sources, UDN says that Apple has solved "the crease problem" that has plagued most foldable smartphones, and the...
If they really want to compete with Apple, they should sell a bundle for $199:
- 1 Phablet
- 1 Smart Watch
- 1 Tablet
- 1 4K TV Set
- 1 Fridge
- 3 T-Shirts
- 1 Microwave
- 4 white Sony Stickers
Exactly. Something like "I'm horny, get home NOW." Would have been far more effective. :p
I know they're are better uses for a SmartWatch but I just felt like that quote and image of the guy on the wrist was rather creepy "what time are you coming home".
