Apple announces second generation $299 Home Pod – but is it too expensive?

Apple has announced its latest, second-generation HomePod smart speaker. Due to go on sale from $299 in February, the futuristic-looking smart speaker not only makes major advancements in acoustics but is also packed with innovations, ranging from advanced Siri capabilities and computational audio to smart home management and automation. Thanks to onboard Siri, the HomePod…

Tech Digest daily roundup: Apple Books launches AI-narrated audiobooks

Apple has launched a raft of audiobooks narrated by artificial intelligence to its Apple Books platform, but maintains it “remains committed to celebrating and showcasing the magic of human narration”. According to The Guardian, which said the tech giant had “quietly” uploaded the text-to-speech content in “an attempt to upend the lucrative and fast-growing audiobook…

CMA launches investigation into cloud gaming, mobile browsers

The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has launched a market investigation into cloud gaming and mobile browsers after receiving widespread support for its proposals first published in June 2022. The CMA consulted on launching a market investigation alongside its Mobile Ecosystem Market Study report, which found that Apple and Google have an effective duopoly on mobile…