Thursday, July 16, 2026

Apple’s everything tool

PLUS: Say goodbye to yet another smartphone company.

WIRED Gear Logo

Say goodbye to yet another smartphone company—at least in North America and Europe. OnePlus, the once-disruptive smartphone brand that made phones with bleeding-edge specs at “flagship-killer” prices, seems to be exiting Western markets. WIRED has tracked several layoffs at the company via LinkedIn updates over the past few months, and people who have transitioned from OnePlus to Oppo—the parent company—or Realme, another Oppo mobile brand. One former OnePlus worker tells WIRED they were fired in April, and the entire New York City office was cut. In a statement, Oppo says OnePlus’s China product road map isn’t changing, though it didn’t confirm the status of business operations in other markets. It’s safe to say that the “Never Settle” brand from 2013 is all but gone.


Apple also released the public beta of iOS 27 earlier this week. If you want to give it a try—just make sure you back up your iPhone first—it’s worth giving the new Siri AI experience a spin. WIRED senior writer Reece Rogers has been testing the improved Siri for a few weeks and says, “Siri now feels like part of the smartphone’s infrastructure.” You’ll need to relearn how exactly to use it, though, assuming you’ve largely ignored Siri over the years.

Julian Chokkattu

Senior Gear Editor

THIS WEEK'S PICKS

OnePlus, the ‘Flagship-Killer’ Smartphone Brand, Is All but Dead

 

By Julian Chokkattu

 

The original OnePlus phone disrupted the mobile market 13 years ago with its affordable price and top-end specs. Now, the company is exiting North America and Europe to focus on China.

Siri AI Is Becoming Apple’s Everything Tool

 

By Reece Rogers

 

Apple’s revamped Siri is more than a voice assistant; it’s now the backbone of the iPhone user experience. You can try it now through the iOS 27 public beta.

Why the Next Generation of Wi-Fi Isn’t Prioritizing Faster Speeds

 

By Simon Hill

 

Chipset makers and router manufacturers are talking about Wi-Fi 8, but what is the new standard, and when will it arrive?

HOW TO

How to Delete All of Your Social Media Accounts

 

It seems like everyone is quitting (or at least talking about quitting) social media. Whether you’re looking to break your late-night Instagram Reels habit or save yourself from getting worked up over rage-inducing posts on X, there are many good reasons to try to log out for good. Unfortunately, once you’ve mustered up the courage to take yourself offline, you’ll face even more obstacles on your way out. The platforms are designed to make setting up an account very easy but deleting one much less so. Here’s how to stick it to social media companies and delete yours anyway.—writes Elana Klein.

Tesla Says It’s Building a Wheelchair-Accessible Robotaxi

 

By Aarian Marshall

 

A Tesla representative at a DC hearing said the vehicle is “an active product being built.” But its timeline isn’t clear.

Slate’s Gray $25,000 Truck Just Got a Crayola Makeover

 

By Jeremy White

 

The Bezos-backed automaker building America’s cheapest electric truck is teaming up with the crayon company in a bid to brighten its rides. Make ours Razzmatazz.

The 1X Neo Robot Has Freaky Fast Fingers

 

By Boone Ashworth

 

The soft, oddly intimate home-chore robot has been given some very tactile hands.

Can Bose Help Skullcandy Shake Its Bargain-Bin Reputation?

 

By Julian Chokkattu

 

Skullcandy’s audio products aren’t exactly known for their stellar audio quality or noise cancellation, but its latest headphones are getting an assist from Bose to turn things around.

Plex Keeps Getting Worse. Is Jellyfin a Decent Replacement?

 

By Justin Pot

 

If you want to stream local media, this free and open source media server is just as good as Plex. But if you rely on remote access or live TV, prepare to tinker.

All products featured on WIRED are independently selected by our editors. However, we may receive compensation from retailers and/or from purchases of products through these links.

The Best of WIRED in Your Inbox

Was this forwarded to you? Sign up.

Plus, find all of our newsletters.

This email was sent to you by WIRED. To ensure delivery to your inbox (not bulk or junk folders), please add wired@newsletters.wired.com to your address book.

View our Privacy policy | Unsubscribe

Copyright © Condé Nast 2026. One World Trade Center, New York, NY 10007. All rights reserved.

No comments:

Post a Comment