Technology

Here are some highly rated series to check out, plus a look at what's new in January.

Here are some hints and the answer for Wordle No. 1,296 for Sunday, Jan. 5.

Commentary: Apple's current, ubiquitous phone design is rooted in the iPhone X and leaves some fans clamoring for a major upgrade. Meanwhile, other iPhone owners are switching to the Motorola Razr.

• Broadcom reportedly secures large HBM order from SK Hynix
• These chips will likely be used in AI hardware for at least one major CSP
• This is part of a broader trend to reduce reliance on Nvidia

Hyperscalers such as Google, Meta, and TikTok owner ByteDance are increasingly seeking to diversify their AI hardware supply chains, reducing their reliance on Nvidia, which has long dominated the sector.

Broadcom is playing a growing role in this shift, and in its recent earnings conference call, CEO Hock Tan told investors the company has three hyperscale customers who are each planning to deploy one million XPU clusters by 2027, and that it has been approached by two additional hyperscalers who are also in advanced development for their own AI XPUs.

Although Broadcom hasn’t named names, it is widely believed to be working with Google, Meta, ByteDance, and OpenAI on custom AI chips. The firm is also thought to be collaborating with Apple to develop the iPhone maker’s first artificial intelligence server chip, codenamed “Baltra,” providing the advanced networking technologies essential for AI processing.

Bad news for Nvidia

According to TheElec, Broadcom has now approached South Korean memory giant SK Hynix to provide the HBM it plans to use in custom AI chips for a "major" (but predictably unnamed) tech company.

TheElec’s sources say that Broadcom actively pursued SK Hynix to supply its verified HBM solutions and has secured a large order of the in-demand memory, with shipments expected to begin in the second half of 2025.

SK Hynix, Samsung’s biggest memory rival, is a key supplier of HBM to Nvidia, which likely won’t be thrilled with this latest news.

To meet the increased demand from Broadcom, SK Hynix is reportedly adjusting its production capacity. TheElec says the company will boost its 1b DRAM wafer output (used as the core die in its HBM) from 140,000–150,000 units to 160,000–170,000 units in 2025. There is a knock on with this expansion however, which is that it could delay the rollout of SK Hynix’s next-generation 1c DRAM as the company prioritizes its immediate production needs.

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• Apple Intelligence needs 7GB now, up from 4GB
• The increase is due to new features in iOS 18.2
• Expect the requirements to go up even further

Over the last year or so we've heard plenty about Apple Intelligence and how it's going to transform the way we use our Apple devices – and it seems the AI tech is also going to take up more internal storage on those devices too.

As spotted by 9to5Mac, the recently launched iOS 18.2 update needs 7GB of free local storage to install Apple Intelligence, according to Apple's website. When the AI features started appearing in iOS 18.1, the requirement was 4GB.

It's no surprise that the iOS 18.2 update requires so much more space on your device: it includes a wealth of new AI tricks, including the integration of ChatGPT with the Siri smart assistant, Genmoji, and Visual Intelligence.

The first batch of Apple Intelligence features that showed up with iOS 18.1 back in October included Writing Tools and Notification Summaries. These upgrades are going to continue to show up gradually as we make our way towards iOS 19 next year.

More to come

Apple Intelligence is an optional extra (Image credit: Apple)

Apple likes as much of its AI to run locally as possible: not relying on the cloud means faster response times and improved user privacy. As we're now seeing though, there is a cost in terms of storage space.

You can turn off Apple Intelligence if you want to: the setting is under Apple Intelligence & Siri on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac. You can also choose to not install it in the first place, because it's not enabled by default on these devices.

However, you can't pick and choose the AI features you want: It's all or nothing. If you're running low on storage space on your device, then you may have to think twice about having Apple Intelligence enabled (or buy some more iCloud storage space, of course).

And it's likely that Apple Intelligence will demand even more storage space as we go through 2025: it's expected that iOS 18.4 will bring with it a host of new AI updates, including smarter features for Siri.

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Athletes and commuters alike will enjoy the Jabra 4 Elite earbuds -- especially since they're just $70 at Amazon right now.

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• amp fitness, a new AI-powered strength machine, is on display at CES 2025
• It’s backed by influencers such as online strength coach Chris Heria and actor Terry Crews
• amp officially launches in January 2025

When it comes to fitness, there are all kinds of gadgets designed to optimize our workouts, improve our health, and shoehorn technology into our otherwise-offline physical pursuits. From the best smartwatches and running watches to the best fitness apps and connected kit like Peloton, right down to the wacky stuff like continuous glucose monitors, technology has woven its way into our exercise and diets.

However, one area where technology hasn't so far been able to gain a foothold is strength training. Sure, there have been attempts – Technogym’s AI-powered dumbbells spring to mind – but while running and outdoor cycling got Strava, hiking got AllTrails and spin classes got Peloton, the barbell has yet to see any real tech-based innovation.

(Image credit: AMP)

That’s because, by its nature, strength training is a primal, offline, natural activity, one with little scope for enhancement beyond having a device to count your reps for you with mild inaccuracy, or to plan your next workout. You can’t measure muscle growth with a sensor. There are plenty of apps that help with programming, but in hardware terms, there’s nothing that can really enhance strength training beyond perhaps a rest timer.

That may all be about to change, however. Showcased at this year’s CES 2025 conference and available to pre-order now, amp takes the old-school gym-based cable machine and jazzes it up with a futuristic design and AI smarts. It’s a machine that might just be strength training’s 'Peloton moment'.

It’s essentially a slick-looking, highly adjustable cable machine with a camera and a companion app that you attach to a wall in your house. You can choose multiple kinds of resistance electronically, from a start-to-finish static mode to 'band', mode which starts out slack and becomes more resistant as you reach the peak of your movement, aping the use of resistance bands. You can control the level of resistance with a simple dial.

It’s got challenges and leaderboards to get those gamified Peloton addicts onboard, and follow-along workouts and programming produced in partnership with popular fitness influencers, such as YouTube star Chris Heria. A press release states the device “features an AI system that adapts workouts in real-time, ensuring users are always challenged and supported on their fitness journey”.

It’s endorsed by bodybuilders like Larry Wheels, and Brooklyn 99 actor Terry Crews has also thrown his (considerable) weight behind it.

There’s no denying it looks good, like a Hydrow (another connected fitness success story) mounted on the wall. It seems incredibly simple to use, and while I was initially skeptical about the benefits an AI-powered machine could bring to strength training, I can certainly see amp at least being a mild success, in an arena where other post-COVID home workout strength tech has failed dismally to generate any excitement. If it had been released in 2019, it probably would have been a roaring triumph.

We can’t wait to put it through its paces with a proper strength workout. amp will cost $1,795 in the US (around £1,450 / AU$2,900) – not cheap, but cheaper than a Peloton. It's available for pre-order now, and will release in the US initially in early January.

(Image credit: Future)

We’re covering all of the latest CES news from the show as it happens. Stick with us for the big stories on everything from 8K TVs and foldable displays to new phones, laptops, smart home gadgets, and the latest in AI.

And don’t forget to follow us on TikTok for the latest from the CES show floor!

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Where Apple TV Plus is concerned, there'll be lots that'll be worth watching on TechRadar's 2024 Streaming Service of the Year award winner in the weeks and months to come. With Apple TV Plus set to be free to watch this weekend (January 3 through 5), you can also try it out and see if it's worth signing up for a subscription before the tech giant's 2025 movie and TV line-up kicks into gear.

You'll want to test out one of the world's best streaming services for free while you can, too, because there are a number of hotly anticipated releases set to arrive this month, including the long overdue arrival of Severance season 2. Here, then, is everything confirmed to be arriving on Apple's streaming platform before February 1.

January 3

Silo season 2 continues with its eighth episode on January 3 (Image credit: Apple TV Plus)

• Silo season 2 episode 8

January 10

Silo season 2's penultimate chapter lands on January 10 (Image credit: Apple TV Plus)

• Silo season 2 episode 9

January 17

Severance season 2 finally makes its debut on January 17 (Image credit: Apple TV Plus)

• Severance season 2 episode 1
• Silo season 2 episode 10

January 22

Prime Target's first two episodes premiere on Apple TV Plus on January 22 (Image credit: Apple TV Plus)

• Prime Target episodes 1 and 2

January 24

What secrets await Helly and Mark in Severance season 2 episode 2? (Image credit: Apple TV Plus)

• Eva the Owlet season 2 episodes 1 to 9
• Severance season 2 episode 2

January 29

Celebrated comedy series Mythic Quest returns with a two-episode premiere for its fourth season (Image credit: Apple TV Plus)

• Mythic Quest season 4 episodes 1 and 2
• Prime Target episode 3

January 31

Staring into the distance waiting for Severance season 2's third entry like... (Image credit: Apple TV Plus)

• Severance season 2 episode 3

For more Apple TV Plus-based coverage, read our guides on the best Apple TV Plus movies, best Apple TV Plus shows, Foundation season 3, and Slow Horses season 5.

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