Technology

• Amazon Freevee to be phased out in coming weeks
• Freevee content is available on Prime Video instead
• Prime Video's successful ads rollout picks up pace

Amazon Freevee is officially being shut down as the company looks to simplify its streaming offerings by making Prime Video a one-stop shop, according to Deadline.

The free streaming service will be phased out over the coming weeks in the US, UK, Germany and Austria, but you'll still be able to find Amazon Freevee content on Prime Video, including flagship series like Jury Duty, Bosch: Legacy and Judy Justice. These titles will be identifiable by the label 'Watch for Free' in the Prime Video app.

Amazon had already begun shifting Freevee Originals to Prime Video way before it introduced ads earlier this year and had given us more signs of the upcoming shift when it announced that the third and final season of Bosch: Legacy would be shared across Freevee and Prime Video in September.

Opinion: It was inevitable that Amazon would shutter its free streaming service

Despite being one of the best free streaming services, there has been talk of Amazon Freevee closing ever since the launch of an ad-supported tier on Prime Video at the end of January earlier this year, which many considered at the time wasn't necessary.

Amazon denied rumors of Freevee closing at the time, but a lot of us were unconvinced, mainly because the introduction of an ad-supported plan meant there was no real point of difference between Prime Video and its free streaming offering. After all, the overlap between content meant you didn't have to leave Prime Video to find Freevee titles.

The rollout of the ad-tier had been viewed as controversial as many subscribers had been frustrated at the fact that Prime Video was inserting ads unless you paid more – essentially forcing you to spend an extra $2.99 in the US and £2.99 in the UK if you wanted to go ad-free.

Bosch: Legacy is one of Amazon Frevee's flagship Originals. (Image credit: Amazon)

But it turns out that the new ad-tier didn't dent subscriber numbers as much as people initially thought it would. In fact, because people didn't complain enough, Prime Video is expected to be filled with even more ads in 2025, with plans to introduce three new types of adverts to the service, including carousel ads, pause ads and trivia ads – and your Fire TV will not be spared.

Amazon has since doubled down on its advertising efforts, following the successful launch of its new plan – UK ratings body Barb found that 86% of homes are now signed up to its ad-tier – and we can only expect more growth to occur as Amazon Freevee users migrate to Prime Video.

Amazon Freevee had been voted as the best free streaming service by readers at the TechRadar Choice Awards 2024, so it's likely to see a bump in activity in upcoming months. As the new home for Amazon Freevee content, including select Amazon MGM Studios Originals, licensed movies and series alongside over 450 FAST channels in the US, Prime Video has even more reasons why it's the best streaming service for movies.

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• Combines an amp and speaker system for turntables
• High pass filter for adding a subwoofer
• Bluetooth and optional Wi-Fi streaming

Sometimes the trick to making a successful product is to think the unthinkable, or at least think the highly unusual. And Andover Audio did just that with the SpinBase, which answered the question: "what if a soundbar, but for vinyl?" And now there's a new and improved version.

The SpinBase 2 is designed to sit underneath your turntable, and while Andover will happily sell you its own SpinDeck 2, it's designed to work with any turntable. It's an amp and a speaker system in a single device, and it's designed to produce a reasonably wide sound via its 270-degree sound system. It's not going to be as wide as a standard set of the best stereo speakers properly spaced, but as with the best soundbars, it's aimed at people for whom space is at a premium.

One of the key differences between this device and all-in-one turntables is what Andover calls IsoGroove, which it says reduces the vibration from the speakers as well as reducing feedback. That should mean louder audio without bouncing your tonearm around.

(Image credit: Andover Audio) What's new in the Andover SpinBase 2

The second generation SpinBase retains the same looks as the original, which is no bad thing, but replaces the perforated metal grille with a "heathered fabric". The single vented enclosure contains a pair of 1.75-inch x 4-inch oval woofers with 3/4-inch silk-dome tweeters, and each woofer has its own dedicated amp instead of the passive crossovers used in the first generation. There's 2 x 20W power going to the woofers and 2 x 15W to the tweeters, and the frequency range is 65Hz to 20kHz.

That's not as low as your average bookshelf speakers, but too much low end is going to send your stylus skipping when your turntable is atop any speaker system, no matter how clever. If you want more bass there's a new selectable high-pass filter that's designed to work with a subwoofer.

There are multiple inputs: Phono, Line, Bluetooth, Optical Digital, and USB for flash drives. And there are line outs for additional powered speakers or the aforementioned subwoofer as well as Bluetooth streaming to headphones or speakers. Andover also sells an add-on Wi-Fi streaming adapter for access to internet radio and the usual streaming suspects.

The SpinBase 2 is available to order now with deliveries scheduled for December. It's currently US-only and the price is $349.

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• Hyundai design VP says owners are calling out for more buttons
• Changes to safety tests will put an onus on physical controls
• As a result, manufacturers are finally rethinking vehicle interiors

Hyundai is the latest manufacturer to go on record to say that it is reintroducing physical buttons to future vehicles, following customer backlash surrounding fiddly and often distracting touchscreen systems.

Hyundai Design North America vice president, Ha Hak-soo, recently revealed in an interview with Korea’s JoongAng Daily news website that the company had been taken in by the “wow factor” of massive screens and had neglected the ease and convenience of physical buttons.

“When we tested with our focus group, we realized that people get stressed, annoyed and steamed when they want to control something in a pinch but are unable to do so,” Ha said.

The company joins a growing list of automotive manufacturers than have seen fit to reintroduce physical controls for key functionality, with the likes of VW pulling a U-turn on its decision to go screen-only in early ID electric models following negative feedback from the press and general public.

VW’s then-CEO Thomas Schäfer said that the reliance on touchscreens "did a lot of damage" to the brand and it subsequently revised the infotainment offering during mid-life refreshes of the numerous models in the ID range to include proper, back-lit physical buttons for climate control, window de-misters and hazard lights.

What’s more, Europe’s premier passenger car safety body, Euro NCAP, said earlier this year that it would “incentivize OEMs to have physical, easy-to-use, and tactile controls of the main driving features like wipers, warning lights, and indicators,” its Technical Director, Richard Schram told Auto Express.

Analysis: Blame the Tesla effect

(Image credit: Tesla)

Although very few automakers will admit it, the trend for committing absolutely everything to a large touchscreen display is partly down to Tesla and its innovative use of tablet-style infotainment systems.

Before this, legacy brands had merely toyed with screens that were neatly embedded into the dash or centre console, often operated via a rotary dial and other switches.

Rewind to 2009, with the debut of the Tesla Model S, and Mercedes-Benz still had a physical numerical keypad for inputting phone numbers. Now, Tesla has taken things further by removing indicator stalks and other automotive mainstays.

Things have changed and in-car screens are most certainly here to stay, with Hyundai even revealing recently that it had partnered with German optical specialist Zeiss to work on a head-up display that spans the entire windshield.

But committing everything to a display and its numerous sub-menus is, on the surface level, frustrating and often downright dangerous. Having to hunt for a slider to adjust the temperature in the cabin is a chore, while asking a clunky AI-powered voice assistant to defrost the rear window is more hassle than simply pressing an easy-to-locate button.

Until we get to the point where highly autonomous vehicles do most of the driving, we still need physical switches and buttons to make life behind the wheel more convenient and safer.

After all, there’s a reason why an aeroplane cockpit looks the way it does and isn’t just a giant touchscreen computer.

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• Netflix has released the official trailer for festive thriller Carry-On
• The movie is heading to the streaming service on December 13
• Trailer gives first-look at Jason Bateman's villain character

It's mid-November, so all the Christmas teasers are rolling in and Netflix has just dropped a first proper look at Carry-On, which looks a lot like Phone Booth if it was set at an airport during Christmas. If I haven't sold you on that alone, you can watch the trailer below and you'll see exactly what I mean ahead of the movie's release on December 13. It happens to be a Friday as well so, well played Netflix, because this protagonist really is having an unlucky day!

The best streaming service seems to be leading the charge when it comes to Christmas movies – if you don't think this new thriller sounds like one then read why we previously compared Carry-On to the beloved festive movie Die Hard, which is a Christmas movie, actually. It's a fair comparison, but something about the latest trailer just screams Phone Booth to me, and that's a very good thing.

The trailer gives me that high-tension feeling like you're trapped despite being in a public setting with a madman targeting you. This is exactly what I was talking about when I said Red One has proven we need more action-packed festive movies. Sorry Hallmark, but I want to go where the action is.

What do we know about Carry-On?

The gripping thriller follows a young TSA agent who has to spend his Christmas Eve fighting a mysterious traveler who blackmails him into letting a dangerous package slip onto a flight. As if festive travel wasn't stressful enough as it is, you know?

Taron Egerton, Sofia Carson, and Jason Bateman lead the cast of the movie, which was directed by Jaume Collet-Serra, who is also the genius behind The Shallows, one of my favorite shark movies. It's also important to note that Bateman is playing a bad, shady guy in this, and I'm loving the emergence of actors in more villainous roles. Recently, Hugh Grant terrified me in Heretic, and I can't wait to see Jason Bateman in action too.

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• A new strength-training program from Garmin is rumored
• Get Fit would be aimed at beginners
• The number of compatible watches could be limited

It would seem that a new strength-training course is set to arrive on the best Garmin watches in the near future: apparently called Get Fit, the program is said to be aimed specifically at beginners.

This news comes from notable tipster the5krunner (via Notebookcheck), and follows on from the strength-training revamp rolled out in August. The existing courses in this category are Accumulation, Intensification, Exploring Benchmarks, Realization and Deloading.

The source says Get Fit will offer three weekly workouts over 12 weeks, bookended with two benchmarking sessions so you can see how much progress you've made (or haven't made) over the months.

As you may have already noticed, the Garmin Coach component of the Connect App was recently revamped to offer separate sections: Cycling Coach, Running Coach, and Strength Coach. Get Fit would slot into that last one.

Keep updated

The strength training option on the Enduro 3 (Image credit: Garmin)

We don't have any more details about the program, but the source says it'll appear "soon" – and "probably" before the end of the year. There's been no official word from Garmin about it so far though.

For now, the Strength Coach is only available on a limited number of watches: the Fenix 8, the Fenix 8 Solar, the Enduro 3, and the Fenix E. Whether Get Fit is available on any devices outside of those four remains to be seen.

If it is exclusive to the latest and greatest Garmin watches, our full Fenix 8 review will help you decide whether or not you should upgrade. In short, we found it to be a "phenomenal adventure watch" with "a smorgasbord of hardware and software features".

Last week we saw the first round of Fenix 8 and Enduro 3 updates pushed out to users in the beta channel, so be on the lookout for more new functionality in the near future – functionality that will help Garmin keep pace with competing watches such as the Apple Watch Ultra 2.

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• Sony's latest flagship mirrorless camera will be revealed next week
• Live event is on Nov 19 at 9am EST / 2pm GMT (Nov 20 at 1am AEST)
• Set to replace the Alpha A1

Sony has officially revealed that the A1 II will be its next mirrorless camera through a live event announcement on its website and social media channels – the event will take place on November 19 at 9am EST / 2pm GMT (that's November 20 at 1am AEST).

The second-generation model will succeed Sony's current flagship, the Alpha A1, which was launched back in January 2021, and is set to become the most powerful and versatile Sony mirrorless camera ever.

Details of what we can expect from the A1 II are thin on the ground, although Sony Alpha Rumors suggests that it could be a minor update of the A1, which at launch cost $6,500 / £6,500 / AU$10,499 for the body only.

Even if it is a minor update with the same 50MP stills up to 30fps and 8K video, the A1 II should still hold its own against 2024 rivals such as the Nikon Z9 and Canon EOS R1, which goes to show just how ahead of the game the A1 was back in 2021.

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The Sony Alpha A1 was the first professional camera of its kind to boast a high-resolution sensor for superb detail and fast frame-rates to capture the moment for high-speed action.

Previously, pros would have to choose between detail or speed, but suddenly they had a 50MP camera that could shoot up to 30fps. It was a genuine game-changer that set a new bar for hybrid cameras.

The A9 III (above) was Sony's last professional camera – and the A1 II could inherit some of its design and features. (Image credit: Future)

Since then, Sony's rivals have got in on the game with cameras such as the Nikon Z8 / Z9 and Canon EOS R5 Mark II / Canon EOS R1. The Z8 and EOS R5 Mark II look like particularly good value now, so it'll be interesting to see what price tag (and potential upgrades) Sony gives the A1 II.

All will be revealed during Sony's live event on November 19 / 20, so do mark it in the diary if you're interested to learn about the A1 II and where it might rank among the best mirrorless cameras.

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• Android TV and Google TV may be moving to a biannual update cycle
• TV OSes don't need upgraded as frequently as phone OSes do
• Changes won't affect bug fixing or security updates

As we reported a few days ago, Google is making some changes to the hardware requirements for Google TV. But it's also making another big change, and that could mean a much longer gap between TV software updates in the future.

Google is reportedly moving to a two-year update schedule for Android TV and Google TV. We've seen that happen already, with Google skipping Android 13 for TV devices and moving from Android 12 to Android 14 instead. And now, Android Authority says that Android 15 is going to be skipped too.

What's happening with Google TV and Android TV updates?

According to Android Authority's source, Google privately announced a change to its software release plans at this year's Android TV partner conference. The change means that instead of offering an Android 15 update to Google TV and Android TV sets, Google plans to sit that one out and wait for Android 16 instead.

Android Authority has contacted Google to corroborate the story, but Google says that it has "nothing to share" right now.

The reason for the change seems simple enough: Android is a smartphone-driven operating system, and that means it's on a very intense upgrade schedule to meet the needs and demands of smartphone manufacturers and smartphone users. TV isn't anywhere near as fast-moving, and there's much less of a need for TVs to get operating system updates. And the version of Android for TVs is based on the Android Open Source Project, which tends not to have quite as many gee-whiz new features as Google's own Android.

What does that mean for you? Provided Google stays on top of bug fixes and security updates it shouldn't make much difference; as with other releases in the past, most of the new features arriving in Android 15 are for phones, not TVs. And there may be an upside: better to have a slightly older but solid TV OS with its bugs fixed and its security issues squashed than to have a newer OS that introduces new things to fix.

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• Oura CEO Tom Hale doesn’t think Apple will launch a smart ring
• This is despite analysts predicting that an Apple Ring could land in the coming years
• There's some basis for Hale's speculation, but it ignores Apple’s approach in other tech categories

Smart rings are steadily becoming all the rage in the wearables space. While they’re often a little lacking feature-wise compared to the best smartwatches their simplicity, as well as more compact form factor and longer battery life, make them an excellent alternative for some people – especially those among us that want to wear a classic analogue clock without losing out on too many health-tracking tools.

After Samsung got on board the smart-ring train with the Galaxy Ring there have been rumors Apple would join in too with an Apple Ring, but the Oura CEO doesn’t think that’s likely.

Speaking to CNBC, Oura CEO Tom Hale seemed unconvinced that Apple would create a smart ring, saying “I think they [Apple] are unconvinced about the value of having a ring and a watch together and they’re not interested in undercutting the Apple Watch as a business.”

He added, “Apple is very much a focused company. They’re like: ‘We’ve put our bet on the watch. We’re gonna make the watch our platform.’”

Hale certainly makes a good point; smart rings are direct competitors to other wearables, so Apple’s ring would potentially cannibalize part of its existing Apple Watch brand. However Hale’s argument has a few holes in it, with a big one being that Apple already creates different platforms within its product categories.

Apple makes multiple different kinds of Mac – with the MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, iMac, Mac mini, Mac Pro and Mac Studio; different iPads – the regular, mini, Pro and Air; and even makes different Apple Watches already, with base and Ultra models. So offering an Apple Ring alternative to suit the needs of a different kind of user isn’t as outside of Apple’s usual strategy as Hale is arguing.

An Apple Ring won't come soon

Will the Oura Ring 4 have an Apple Rival? (Image credit: Future)

Where Hale makes more sense is when he says of smart rings that "it’s hard to do this product category right.”

As mentioned, smart rings are inherently less feature-rich than smartwatches – with a big difference being that lack of a screen. They’re also generally less impressive at tracking fitness goals, but are better for sleep and health, as their longer battery life means you need to recharge a ring a lot less often than a watch, and their small form factor means they're comfortable to wear when you're sleeping.

Making a smart ring that feels like good value for money and is well stocked with helpful tools, but isn’t bulky, is a tough line to walk. Especially when you factor in that Apple would want a new wearable device to slot next to its Apple Watch rather than replace it.

That challenge isn’t an impossible one to crack though, and while there’s no guarantee that Apple will or won’t create a smart ring, I still think an Apple Ring is more likely than not – just don’t expect to see it any time soon.

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