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Can the in-form Verdiblancos derail Barça's title challenge?

Corporate sponsors for the usually apolitical event held on the White House South Lawn include tech giants Meta, YouTube and Amazon.

(Image credit: Mandel Ngan)

The Cityzens look to tighten their grip on 4th place as they head to Merseyside to face David Moyes' Toffees.

Daredevil: Born Again season 2 – key information

- No release date announced yet
- Filming began in late February
- No trailer available to watch
- Main cast set to return
- New additions to its ensemble cast leaked online in March
- No official story synopsis revealed
- Season 1 finale sets the scene for next season
- No word on whether there'll be a third season

Daredevil: Born Again season 2 will continue Matt Murdock and his vigilante alter-ego's journey in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).

The highly-rated Disney+ TV show, which mostly thrilled us during its first season, will be back for more R-rated, street-level action in the near future. Indeed, with principal photography beginning in late February, season 2 could be with us as early as next year.

While we wait for Daredevil: Born Again to return, there's plenty to read about its sophomore chapter in this guide, including information on its cast, plot, and future. Major spoilers follow for the popular series' first season, so proceed with caution if you haven't watched it all yet.

Daredevil: Born Again season 2 release date – what we know so far

Born Again season 2 won't be with us until sometime in 2026 (Image credit: Marvel Studios/Disney+)

Daredevil: Born Again season 2 doesn't have a confirmed release date.

However, speaking on the Phase Zero podcast prior to season 1's release, Marvel's Head of TV, Animation, and Streaming, Brad Winderbaum, revealed season 2 would start shooting in late February. At the time of this article's publication (April 19), that means the cameras have been rolling for almost two months.

As for when the Marvel Phase 6 TV series might make its debut, Winderbaum told ScreenRant that he hoped new seasons would be released annually. That means Born Again season 2 could arrive sometime next year.

My best guess? It'll begin airing in early 2026. Aside from Avengers: Doomsday and Spider-Man: Brand New Day, which will arrive in theaters in May and July 2026, no other MCU projects have official release dates. With such a big gap between Marvel's final release of 2025 and Avengers 5, a February or March 2026 release window feels like a perfect fit for Born Again's next installment.

And it seems I've perfectly nailed my guess. Taking to Instagram after the season 1 finale, showrunner Dario Scardapane all but confirmed season 2 will be released in March 2026.

Is there a trailer for Daredevil: Born Again season 2?

Staring at your phone or computer screen waiting for a season 2 trailer like... (Image credit: Marvel Studios/Disney+)

No, and there won't be a Daredevil: Born Again season 2 trailer until much closer to its launch on Disney+. I'll update this section once one is released.

Daredevil: Born Again season 2 confirmed cast

Matt Murdock and Wilson Fisk will be part of next season's cast (Image credit: Marvel Studios/Disney+)

Spoilers follow for Daredevil: Born Again season 1.

Based on the final episode of Daredevil: Born Again season 1, here's who I expect to return for its follow-up:

• Charlie Cox as Matt Murdock/Daredevil
• Vincent D'Onofrio as Wilson Fisk
• Margarita Levieva as Heather Glenn
• Nikki M. James as Kristen McDuffie
• Deborah Ann Woll as Karen Page
• Jon Bernthal as Frank Castle/The Punisher
• Wilson Bethel as Benjamin Pointdexter/Bullseye
• Ayelet Zuhrer as Vanessa Fisk
• Genneya Walton as B.B. Urich
• Arty Froushan as Buck Cashman
• Michael Gandolfini as Daniel Blake
• Zabryna Guevara as Sheila Rivera
• Clark Johnson as Cherry
• Camila Rodriguez as Angela del Toro
• Hamish Allan-Headley as Conner Powell
• Tony Dalton as Jack Duquesne/Swordsman

They aren't the only actors we'll see in one of the best Disney+ shows' next installment.

Per Deadline, Matthew Lillard (Five Nights at Freddy's, Scooby-Doo) has apparently signed on in an undisclosed role. Deadline has also claimed Lili Taylor (Outer Range, Manhunt) will appear as a political rival to D'Onofrio's Fisk.

Elsewhere, images snapped and uploaded to Getty Images by Bauer-Griffin photographer Jose Perez suggest Broadway star Sydney Parra will appear in some capacity.

Fans thought Foggy had died in Born Again's first episode (Image credit: Marvel Studios/Disney+)

The biggest surprise when it comes to season 2's cast list, though, is the return of Elden Henson, who plays Franklin 'Foggy' Nelson.

Murdock's fellow lawyer and closest friend was seemingly killed by Bullseye in Born Again's first episode. However, following the show's two-episode premiere, Marvel fans came up with a wild theory that Foggy may still be alive. Some pointed out that Nelson's apparent death was eerily similar to how he faked his own demise in an Ed Brubaker-written Daredevil comic series in the mid-2010s, which Born Again is loosely based on.

Speaking to Phase Hero's Brandon Davis prior to season 1's debut, Winderbaum confirmed Elden Henson would be back as Foggy in the show's sophomore season. It's unclear in what capacity that'll be, though. Could it be a flashback sequence or two? Or, as some fans believe, is Foggy still alive? We'll find out when season 2 is released.

Daredevil: Born Again season 2 plot details

Matt Murdock is ready to take the fight to Wilson Fisk in season 2 (Image credit: Marvel Studios/Disney+)

Spoilers follow for Daredevil: Born Again season 1.

Born Again season 2's story synopsis hasn't been revealed yet. But, based on how its predecessor ended, what its cast has teased, and some leaked images from where it's being filmed in real-world locations, we have a good idea of what might happen.

I won't be covering what happened in last season's final episode here. For a full rundown of events in 'Straight to Hell', plus some key questions that season 2 needs to answer, my Daredevil: Born Again season 1 ending explained piece should be your first port of call.

Additionally, on the non-spoiler front, Cox hyped up the story that'll be told in season 2, the show's lead telling Collider that it's "some of my favorite stuff I've read". D'Onofrio also told a round table of journalists (per IGN) that he "had to have a little cry about" this season's scripts due to the emotional impact they'll have on viewers.

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But what can we expect from season 2's overarching narrative from a spoiler-led perspective? For starters, this season has been in development since March 2023. In light of the creative troubles Born Again season 1 was met with later that year, the show underwent an overhaul, which included the hiring of current showrunner Dario Scardapane and directors Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead.

One thing that was retained, though, was its episodic structure. Like season 1, the show's sophomore outing will comprise eight episodes, which Scardapane reconfirmed to Collider in February.

As its predecessor's finale revealed, Matt Murdock and Karen Page co-founded an underground resistance movement that'll fight Fisk's fascist regime to regain control of New York's streets.

We already have a sense of how they'll start to do so, too. In late March, a bunch of first-look season 2 images appeared online that showed Murdock and Page wearing disguises (or what passes for a disguise in the MCU). Clearly, they're scoping out something or someone, or they're on the hunt for new allies to join their cause.

pic.twitter.com/MkWIh1cIDVApril 11, 2025

That won't be the only costume overhaul that Cox's Murdock will get in season 2. As some leaked images in the above X/Twitter post reveal, Murdock will be sporting Daredevil's classic black suit, complete with its red-colored 'DD' logo on the chest, next time around.

Bullseye, who Daredevil will pursue and/or escape from Fisk's Anti-Vigilante Task Force (AVTF) with, is also seen wearing an updated version of his classic costume. Clearly, the pair haven't heeded Fisk's warning about vigilantes taking to the streets amid the implementation of martial law in New York – part of his 'safer streets' initiative to eradicate the scourge of masked individuals from the city.

There are plenty more superhuman characters who could populate the street corner of the MCU, including those who appeared in Netflix's now-defunct Marvel TV universe. So, what are the chances of Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, and Iron Fist not only making their MCU debuts in season 2 but helping Daredevil combat the threat that the Fisks pose?

In conversation with Entertainment Weekly (EW), Winderbaum and fellow producer Sana Amanat wouldn't rule out one or all of those characters, or even the reintroduction of Elektra and The Hand, showing up in Daredevil: Born Again season 2.

Tom Holland's Spider-Man isn't likely to appear in season 2 (Image credit: Sony Pictures/Marvel Entertainment)

One hero who's incredibly unlikely to join Daredevil's cause (on the small screen, anyway) is Tom Holland's Spider-Man.

There were references to Spider-Man in Born Again episode 2 and Born Again episode 3. However, Sony Pictures owns the live-action rights to the webslinger, so, unless Marvel strikes an expensive deal with the tech giant's entertainment division, the chances of Peter Parker popping in to help take down Fisk are effectively zero. We live in hope, then, that The Devil of Hell's Kitchen will team up with Spidey in a big-screen project instead.

Where to watch Daredevil: Born Again season 1

You'll be waltzing to Disney+ to stream all nine episodes of Daredevil: Born Again (Image credit: Marvel Studios/Disney+)

Daredevil: Born Again season 1 is only available to stream on Disney+, aka one of the world's best streaming services.

If you haven't watched its nine episodes to date but are interested in doing so, you'll need to sign up for an account. Check out our Disney+ price guide for more on how much a subscription will cost you.

Will there be a third season of Daredevil: Born Again?

Frank Castle/The Punisher will star in his own Disney+ special, which could also arrive in 2026 (Image credit: Marvel Studios/Disney+)

Daredevil: Born Again season 2 is highly unlikely to have any impact on what'll happen in the next two Avengers movies or Spider-Man 4. However, other projects will be *ahem* born out of what happened last season and in the series' next outing.

The first of those will be a Disney+ special presentation starring Frank Castle/The Punisher. Per The Hollywood Reporter, it could be released in 2026, so events in this TV Special may run parallel to Born Again's next chapter. It's being co-written by Bernthal and We Own This City director Reinaldo Marcus Green, who has called it a "shotgun blast of a story" (via EW).

As I mentioned earlier, Marvel may look to revisit characters from Netflix's Defenders-Verse, too. Speaking to ComicBook.com, Winderbaum intimated it was "inevitable" that the likes of Jones, Cage et al. would make their MCU debuts before telling EW that the comic book giant was "very much exploring" ways to bring them over.

The devil, though, is in the details, so we'll see what shakes out of Daredevil: Born Again season 2 first before expecting too much, too soon on a potential The Defenders reunion.

For more Marvel coverage, read my guides on Thunderbolts*, The Fantastic Four: First Steps, Avengers: Doomsday, and Spider-Man: Brand New Day.

• British photographer Zed Nelson scoops SWPA's $25,000 top prize
• 10 category winners announced
• The exhibition is open to the public at London’s Somerset House until May 5

"In a tiny fraction of Earth's history, humans have altered the world beyond anything it has experienced in tens of millions of years. Scientists are calling it a new epoch: The Anthropocene – the age of human".

These are the opening words describing the Sony World Photography Awards 2025 winner Zed Nelson's project, The Anthropocene Illusion.

The project, spanning six years and four continents, explores humankind's consumer behaviour towards nature and wildlife.

"So, while we devastate the world around us, we have become masters of a stage-managed, artificial 'experience' of nature – a reassuring spectacle, an illusion...to mask our destructive impact on the natural world."

Powerful words and confrontational images of wildlife in zoos, national parks, and museums across the world, some of which I have included below.

Image 1 of 2

(Image credit: © Zed Nelson, United Kingdom, Photographer of the Year, Professional competition, Wildlife & Nature, Sony World Photography Awards 2025 - 9)Image 2 of 2

(Image credit: © Zed Nelson, United Kingdom, Photographer of the Year, Professional competition, Wildlife & Nature, Sony World Photography Awards 2025 - 4)

As I prepared to interview Zed during the opening day of the SWPA 2025 exhibition, which is being held at Somerset House in London until May 5, it struck me how severely AI is impacting the landscape of imaging in an equally tiny fraction of the history of photography.

I asked Zed for his thoughts on AI image generation in photography, and here's what he said.

"The biggest worry in documentary photography, is people stop believing in what they see. Already we're at the stage where we can see an image and the first questions are; Is this photoshopped? Did that really happen? Did you move something? Is that image real?

"The problem with that, is that the joy and beauty in photography is to see something and be amazed and think this did happen, this is real, this is a record – even for future generations – of who we were and what we did.

"If AI erodes people's belief in the medium (photography) then we have problems. On the other hand, it may be that we start valuing truth more. And if an image is declared real - this is not AI, but a document of reality – it may be that its value increases.

There will also be a move, a valuing of what is real, and so documentary work will start to become more important, not less.

"As AI multiplies it will cause problems, people will question what's real and what isn't. But I imagine there will also be a move, a valuing of what is real, and so documentary work will start to become more important, not less. People will crave it, they'll want to know it's real.

"I think there will be a separation between what is utterly created through AI, and what is declared real. We will gravitate to what is verified as real, made by people that care, and have a genuine interest in telling stories."

After our conversation, I amble through the SWPA exhibition, soaking in the diverse collection of very real images. A greater appreciation grows in me for those real stories, real people, real places, created in a real moment in time, and they impact me all the more.

I concur with Zed – even as AI-generated images become increasingly believable and plentiful, and the tools become easier and cheaper to access, we'll still need to know and experience what is real, and be moved by it.

We can't afford to be disconnected from photography because of AI image generation, in the same way that Zed suggests in his project that we have become disconnected from nature and are instead consumers of it.

I've included a selection of the SWPA winning images below. Even so, if you're in London, I highly recommend experiencing the exhibition firsthand and seeking out other photography shows near you. More details can be found at the World Photography Organisation website.

The Sony World Photography Awards 2025 winners for each category

The Sony World Photography Awards comprises 10 categories, and the winner of one of these categories is also awarded the overall photographer of the year. As mentioned, this year's award went to Zed Nelson, who also won the Wildlife & Nature category.

In addition to those categories, there is a student photographer and a youth photographer of the year award. I've included an image from each of those winners below.

In all, there were around 420,000 entries from 206 countries – a record for the 18-year-old contest.

WILDLIFE & NATURE WINNER & PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR: Zed Nelson (United Kingdom) for The Anthropocene Illusion (Image credit: © Zed Nelson, United Kingdom, Photographer of the Year, Professional competition, Wildlife & Nature, Sony World Photography Awards 2025 - 9)

OPEN PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR: Olivier Unia (France) (Image credit: © Olivier Unia, France, Open Photographer of the Year, Open Competition, Motion, Sony World Photography Awards 2025)

PERSPECTIVES WINNER: Laura Pannack (United Kingdom) for The Journey Home from School (Image credit: © Laura Pannack, United Kingdom, Winner, Professional competition, Perspectives, Sony World Photography Awards 2025 - 1)

SPORT WINNER: Chantal Pinzi (Italy) for Shred the Patriarchy (Image credit: © Chantal Pinzi, Italy, Winner, Professional competition, Sport, Sony World Photography Awards 2025)

CREATIVE WINNER: Rhiannon Adam (United Kingdom) for Rhi-Entry (Image credit: © Rhiannon Adam, United Kingdom, Winner, Professional competition, Creative, Sony World Photography Awards 2025 - 6)

DOCUMENTARY PROJECTS WINNER: Toby Binder (Germany) for Divided Youth of Belfast (Image credit: © Toby Binder, Germany, Winner, Professional competition, Documentary Projects, Sony World Photography Awards 2025 - 2)

STILL LIFE WINNER: Peter Franck (Germany) for Still Waiting (Image credit: © Peter Franck, Germany, Winner, Professional competition, Still Life, Sony World Photography Awards 2025 - 2)

ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN WINNER: Ulana Switucha (Canada) for The Tokyo Toilet Project (Image credit: © Ulana Switucha, Canada, Winner, Professional competition, Architecture & Design, Sony World Photography Awards 2025 - 3)

YOUTH PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR: Daniel Dian-Ji Wu (Taiwan, 16 years old) (Image credit: © Daniel Dian-Ji Wu, Taiwan, Youth Photographer of the Year, Youth Competition, Sony World Photography Awards 2025)

Student Photographer of the Year 2025: Micaela Valdivia Medina (Peru) (Image credit: © Micaela Valdivia Medina, Peru, Student Photographer of the Year, Student Competition, Sony World Photography Awards 2025 )

ENVIRONMENT WINNER: Nicolás Garrido Huguet (Peru) for Alquimia Textil (Image credit: © Nicolas Garrido Huguet)

PORTRAITURE WINNER: Gui Christ (Brazil) for M’kumba (Image credit: © Gui Christ ) You might also like

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• Another iPhone 17 dummy unit image appears
• We can see all four expected models next to each other
• Some designs are changing on these models

Day by day we're getting closer to September and the expected launch of the iPhone 17, and ahead of the official reveal, we've seen several leaked images purporting to show off this series of handsets – including a new picture featuring all four models.

This comes from well-known tipster @MajinBuOfficial, who posted an image to social media showing dummy units of what we think are the iPhone 17 Pro Max, the iPhone 17 Air, the iPhone 17 Pro, and the iPhone 17.

They go down in size, starting with the iPhone 17 Pro Max as the biggest. That phone has been tipped to have a 6.9-inch display, with a 6.6-inch screen for the iPhone 17 Air, a 6.3-inch screen for the iPhone 17 Pro, and a 6.1 inch screen for the iPhone 17.

That's all largely similar to the current models in terms of screen size, though the iPhone 17 Air is a new addition, so we can't compare it to anything else. It's said to be replacing the iPhone 16 Plus in the line-up, which has a 6.7-inch display.

Cameras and charging

iPhone 17 Lineup pic.twitter.com/JidhEInOofApril 18, 2025

We can see here the rear camera bumps on these iPhones, which in the case of the iPhone 17 Pro Max and iPhone 17 Pro, are going to look substantially different to the ones on the current models – as we've seen from other leaked renders.

The four phone dummy units shown here all show MagSafe connectors too, apparently confirming that the wireless charging tech will be coming to these handsets. Rather unexpectedly, Apple left it off the iPhone 16e launched in February.

Dummy units like these are built based on schematics obtained from the supply chain, and help accessory makers – third-party case manufacturers for example – get their products ready ahead of a phone actually going on sale.

As always, we shouldn't take any of this information as being 100% accurate until it's confirmed by Apple. However, a lot of the leaks and rumors we've seen so far are consistent in the designs they're showing for these 2025 iPhones.

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A grassroots-led campaign has hundreds of protests and events scheduled across the U.S. on Saturday. Organizers say the momentum built on resistance against the Trump administration has not slowed.

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Gather 'round, because we've got some tech tales to tell: TechRadar stories from the last seven days, covering new movie trailers, new instant cameras, new open-ear earbuds, problems for Spotify and Samsung, and more advances in artificial intelligence.

We keep waiting for the pace of tech news across gadgets, AI, and software to slow down, but it certainly hasn't happened this week. In fact, it feels like there's more news to cover than ever, and we aim to cover as many of the most important announcements as we can.

This comprehensive In Case You Missed It round-up will bring you right up to speed with everything that's happened in tech news over the past week, giving you just enough time to take a moment before we go again for another seven days of news and rumors.

8. 28 Years Later terrified us in a new trailer

More zombie mayhem is on the way (Image credit: Sony Pictures)

With the original director-writer combo of Danny Boyle and Alex Garland from the first movie making a return for this third instalment, our hopes were already high for 28 Years Later – and anticipation levels just went up an extra notch after another trailer drop.

The 191-second clip manages to give us just enough of a look at the movie to whet our appetites without giving too much away. It certainly seems as though there will be enough jump scares and zombie gore to make the upcoming movie a treat for horror fans.

• Read more: 28 Years Later looks like it will be the horror movie of the year in new trailer that shows how the deadly rage virus has evolved

7. We got our first glimpse of the imminent OnePlus 13T

(Image credit: OnePlus)

The next OnePlus phone launch is almost upon us, with the OnePlus 13T officially arriving on April 24. We can take a good, long look at the handset before then, though, because OnePlus has released a short video showing the phone in three different colors.

We can see a flat back, curvy corners, and a new button that's replacing the standard OnePlus alert slider on this handset. We've also had confirmation that the phone will sport a 6.32-inch screen, and a capacious 6,000 mAh battery as well.

• Read more: The OnePlus 13T is coming on April 24, and the company has already shown it off

6. Samsung’s One UI 7 rollout hit some serious snags

The Samsung Galaxy S24 (Image credit: Future | Roland Moore-Colyer)

Getting One UI 7 out to the masses has proved to be quite the challenge for Samsung, and just when we thought owners of Galaxy S24, Galaxy Z Fold 6, and Galaxy Z Flip 7 phones would be getting the update, the rollout was put on pause amid reports of a serious bug.

It's likely to mean that owners of older phones, including the Samsung Galaxy S23, are going to have to wait even longer to get their One UI 7 upgrade. With Android 16 (and therefore One UI 8) just around the corner, it's not a good look if you're Samsung.

• Read more: Samsung's One UI 7 update reportedly delayed due to a serious bug, extending the wait for Android 15

5. The music died in Spotify’s biggest outage in years

It's not been the best of weeks for Spotify (Image credit: Shutterstock / Diego Thomazini)

We found ourselves scrambling for our CD decks and radio dials on Wednesday – or maybe just YouTube – as Spotify suffered one of the most serious outages in history. Reports of unresponsive apps came flooding in from across the world for most of the day.

We still don't know exactly what happened to trigger such a major problem on Spotify's servers. Perhaps the music streaming service is too embarrassed to tell us, but the company did specifically say that it wasn't a cyberattack causing the extensive issues.

• Read more: Spotify was down – here's everything we know about its huge outage

4. Sennheiser gave us some AirPods-like open earbuds

We like the look of the Sennheiser Accentum Open earbuds (Image credit: Sennheiser)

Say hello to the Sennheiser Accentum Open, an AirPods-esque pair of open-ear earbuds that don't cost much at all: in Europe they're listed at €89.90, which should work out as around £100 / £78 / AU$161 when these attractive-looking earbuds go on sale elsewhere.

As well as being affordable, they look lightweight and promise 28 hours of battery life between charges (if you include the case). We haven't had a chance to test them yet, but we're hoping they live up to the usual high fidelity standards of Sennheiser's audio gear.

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3. The Polaroid Flip took us back to the 90s

Old-school photography, courtesy of the Polaroid Flip (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

The Polaroid Flip is the newest analog instant camera on the market, and it might just be the best, too – take a look at some of the snaps we've managed to capture with the device, and make your own mind up about this $199.99 / £199.99 camera (Australia pricing is TBC).

It's fast and fun to use, and it's a throwback to when photos weren't stuck inside your smartphone forever: these photos actually make you feel something. Our full Polaroid Flip review will give you the complete rundown on this camera and what it has to offer.

• Read more: These 8 photos made me believe the Polaroid Flip is the best analog instant camera on the market

2. Two of the world’s best fitness apps teamed up

Strava and Runna are teaming up (Image credit: Strava)

Strava, meet Runna. These are both fantastic apps for tracking runs and other activities, and now they've joined forces: Strava has announced it's purchased Runna, although nothing is going to change in terms of how the two apps operate for the time being.

The aim is to "create even greater value for our users," according to Strava CEO Michael Martin, and we can expect to see some of the AI-powered personalized training plans that Runna specializes in making their way over to users on Strava as well, in due course.

• Read more: Strava acquires powerhouse AI-training platform Runna, and Garmin should be panicking

1. ChatGPT got some serious upgrades (again)

OpenAI has some more treats for ChatGPT users (Image credit: Shutterstock/JarTee)

OpenAI has been consistent in regularly pushing out upgrades for ChatGPT users, and the latest update brings new o3 and o4-mini models across all user plans. These models are smarter, faster, and better at working with different modes (including text and images).

In fact, these models are a nod towards the eventual arrival of the big GPT-5 upgrade, which is somewhere in the pipeline, and will be able to do much more on its own. In the meantime, images in ChatGPT have also been given their own dedicated Library section.

• Read more: ChatGPT just got a massive upgrade that takes it to the next level – here are the 3 biggest changes

Here's the lowdown from allergy doctors on how to get relief, from which medicines to use — and how to best use them — to tips for keeping pollen out of your home.

As politicians worldwide scramble to appeal to working people, this city in northern England has a claim to be the birthplace of the very concept of the working class.

(Image credit: Rischgitz)

Sony WF-C710N: Two-minute review

Sony's WF-C710N earbuds find themselves in a similar spot to The White Album in 1968: you want to better the absolute barn-stormer that was Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band a mere year later? Good luck. But of course, the Beatles managed it (was it transcendental meditation, or was it simply a clean mind?). So, has Sony done the same with its update on the WF-C700N? Yes and no, Dear Prudence. And given that Sony actually had two years to work on its follow-up, that may not feel enough initially.

The model the C710N are based on topped our pick of the best noise-cancelling earbuds in the budget space for over a year following their release, until Nothing's (a)-suffixed set of buds came in and did almost everything the Sony buds did just that little bit better – and looked slightly classier doing it. And although there are improvements here, a few in-app foibles and initial pairing issues left me struggling to find a reason to pick the Sony WF-C710N over the rivals… until I tested the ANC.

Here, Sony has truly upped its game. On a packed commuter train, I drifted off into my own happy bubble of music. I genuinely didn't expect the blissfully quiet backdrop they served up. The uptick in ANC efficacy is almost certainly aided by the extra mic in each earpiece, but however Sony achieved it, it's commendable.

Also, (because I'm still talking about those mics), call quality is very good for the money here, thanks to Sony's new AI-enhanced voice pickup technology. So, if you regularly take calls on your earbuds, there's an extra value add.

The overall sound profile and fit? It's still good despite the size increase – but it's not better than the outgoing model (Sony has essentially said that little about the driver and acoustic setup changed), so if you've picked up the older set for a discount, you may be tempted to stick with them unless you need that improved ANC.

In fact, other than the much-improved noise cancellation, it's a case of incremental upgrades rather than anything headline-grabbing or ground-breaking.

Yes, there's now a 'Find Your Equalizer' tab, but it works by asking you to pick from a selection of pre-made sound profiles rather than dishing out any otoacoustic tests or splodges to denote where your hearing might be lacking, unlike JBL's Personi-Fi or Nothing Ear's hearing tests (although it's true that you have to pay a little more to get those). The two basic 'Which do you prefer?' tests offered by the WF-C710N don't feel quite as comprehensive, detailed, or involved as those rivals.

See the wires in the case? (Image credit: Future)

Also back for 2025 is Sony's entry-level DSEE upscaler, so Spotify streams will sound better, plus there's that Sony-special 360 Reality Audio support. However, since Tidal parted ways with the format, your only source options for listening to this particular spatial-audio-adjacent offering now are Amazon Music Unlimited and Nugs.net.

Do I still like the new transparent blue colorway now that I've tested it? Not as much as I'd wanted to. The shiny plastic avidly collects fingerprint smudges, and at the risk of stating the bleedin' obvious (as these cases have almost always been plastic, dear reader), this one feels overly plastic. It's also a little bigger than the older model. That said, Sony's more traditional matte black, off-white and pink colorways are available too.

For sound, there's no addition of LDAC, but they're still a solid listen with good volume and energy levels, albeit sacrificing a modicum of dynamic nuance, detail and sonic placement to get there. They're still good for the level, but that's my point, good is simply no longer great in budget 2025 noise-cancelling earbuds.

To really hammer it home: in 2023, when the WF-C710N's predecessor made its grand entrance, earbuds bearing these kinds of features had never been seen at that level. But the competition really upped its game in the following 24 months, didn't it? One can even buy inexpensive open earbuds with excellent ANC now (see the Honor Earbuds Open), something unheard of, even considered impossible, until very recently. So, the fact that these Sony earbuds fit well, boast slightly better stamina and offer auto-off isn't quite enough to trounce the competition these days. But the ANC? If you prioritise noise-nixing, that'll make up the difference…

Sony WF-C710N review: Price & release date

• Released on March 25, 2025
• Priced $119 / £100 / AU$189

Yes, Sony has won this territory before (see the April 2023-issue Sony WF-C700N I keep going on about), but that was before the excellent Nothing Ear (a) arrived, a year later in 2024.

The fact that Sony released these follow-up earbuds at the same MSRP as their older counterparts is welcome but unsurprising news: we've seen it with everything from AirPods to Bluetooth speakers. Why? Because competition is rife, and once-flagship tech (comprehensive ANC, wearer detection, EQ tweaks, spatial audio tech, customisable on-ear functions, and so on) keeps trickling down to entry-level products.

If you've done even a little research into this end of the market, you'll know the current class leader is the Nothing Ear (a) mentioned above, with the insanely cheap $30 / £30 / AU$70 JLab Go Pop ANC or even the $69 / £59 / AU$110 (approx.) Earfun Air 2 NC not far behind.

So have the few extra perks offered by the new WF-C710N – slightly better battery, an auto-off feature, improved call quality, a rudimentary equalizer test and much better noise cancellation – trounced the Nothings? Depending on your priorities, yes, but it's all about that last point…

See the mesh over the mic? (Image credit: Future) Sony WF-C710N review: Specs

(Image credit: Future) Sony WF-C710N review: Features

• Dual noise sensor tech (feedback and feedforward mics) for ANC
• Auto-off is a welcome addition
• AI-enhanced voice pickup for clearer calls

Let's start with the above bullet points: call-handling? It was good before, but it's even better now. That's thanks to the implementation of AI-enhanced voice pickup technology, which works a treat even on crowded, windy and rainy London Soho streets during rush hour (trust me on this one).

Wearer detection for auto-off is perhaps the biggest usability perk added this time around, which means music pauses when you remove one bud (or both) and resumes once you put it back in. It doesn't sound like a big deal, but once you're used to it, you'll always be reaching for buds that can do it.

OK, so Sony's 360 Reality Audio – 24 object-based channels arranged in a 360-degree soundstage (launched back in 2019) – isn't the big ticket feature it used to be, since few streaming platforms support it and Tidal waved goodbye to its support in July 2024.

As noted, Sony's Headphones Connect app is gone, but it's been replaced by the Sony Sound Connect app. Adaptive Sound Control still takes the wheel as far as noise profiles go, optimized according to what you're doing – yes, they know when you're 'Staying'. And although you can't manually up the noise cancellation levels on the fly (although you can tailor the ambient awareness on a slider from 1-20), if you tap the cog under 'Optimize switching for you', you can tailor each sound profile according to your actions. So if you want Adaptive ANC to kick in on your commute, here's how you do it.

That extra mic has paid dividends because the WF-C710N's dual noise sensor tech (feedback and feedforward mics) provides much more robust noise-cancellation performance. On a packed train from London to Dorset, I was struck by how cocooned in my music I felt.

Any omissions worth mentioning? Although there's multi-point to two devices now (you can toggle it off if you want, but why would you?), there's still no LDAC support. Why mention this? Because the WF-C710N's main rival, the Nothing Ear (a) do boast it.

Also, while there's now a 'Find Your Equalizer' tab in the app, it's a little basic compared to any hearing tests to create splodge-type graphs of your hearing profile you might have tried. Essentially, playing your choice of music, there are five profiles to pick from, and then a further four based on your initial pick. It's more than the older model offered, but given the lengths the competition is going to these days (see JBL, Nothing and Denon to name a few, and, of course, the AirPods Pro 2, for a surcharge), it feels a little basic. Yes, the WF-C710N are budget earbuds, but the Nothing Ear with their lengthy hearing tests are roughly the same price now…

• Features score: 4.5/5

(Image credit: Future) Sony WF-C710N review: Sound quality

• Agile, fun, energetic listen
• Minor treble distortion if we're being picky
• LDAC would be a great addition

The sound, as with the older option, is good for the money, but there are incremental gains to be had here. The opening keys in Grian Chatten's All of the People are textured and three-dimensional. There's a human quality to the depressing of each key that most entry-level earbuds cannot convey through the upper midrange.

Out of the box, the older WF-C700N feel just a little congested and treble-centric in direct comparison – although it took me a while to set up this comparative test, since once paired to either set of buds, my phone flat-out refused to pair to its siblings, and I'm still unsure why. Anyway, the Beatles' Helter Skelter is a great test of the stereo imaging, and with the C710N, drums sit dutifully in my right ear (until the fill, when the kick drum darts between each ear) as the driving bass sits in my left concha with pinpoint precision.

In more layered, complex and groove-heavy tracks (Michael Jackson's Billie Jean, for instance), timing and musicality are bang on across the frequencies. I can detect a minor shortfall in dynamic nuance to get all of that exuberance and volume – these are loud and proud earbuds, and for the most part, that's great news. There's just a small compromise to be made in the leading edges of lower-mids and bass notes, and just a shred of distortion through the treble, very occasionally.

Look, I'm nitpicking – and I'm better able to do it because the noise cancellation here provides such a glorious backdrop. Of course, you can tweak the sonic curve to your liking in the Sound Connect app, but it's important to note that, by default, these are zealous, unafraid earbuds. Compare them to the excellent Technics EAH-AZ100 and you'll get a greater rise and fall through each pensive, building musical passage in Dom Sigales' The Ghost is Me, with exhalations of breath, jagged keys, and waves of strings given an extra ounce of due diligence to be impactful. It's hardly a fair test given the price difference (the EAH-AZ100 retail for $299 / £259 / AU$479), but it's important to note that the sound is very good here for the money, rather than just very good, period.

• Sound quality score: 4.5/5

(Image credit: Future) Sony WF-C710N review: Design

• Bigger but still ergonomic earpieces
• Case is a little bigger – and a little cheap?
• Capacitive touch controls aren't very customisable

These are still some of the most comfortable earbuds I've had the pleasure of wearing (besides the aforementioned Technics), even though the buds and case are bigger this time around. While 4.6g to 5.4g may not sound like much of a size increase, it is noticeable. Given that the WF-C700N really were small, that's perhaps not such a bad thing, depending on your ears.

I still found them easy to fit. That said, the shinier plastic of my glass blue colorway did affect the in-ear security, and the right one fell out on a train. I don't think the fit was an issue, as they feel beautifully weighted and slipped easily into my ears with very little work. I think I just need a more matte, brushed plastic finish – and that is available.

See the difference in case (and earpiece) size, against the WF-C700N (Image credit: Future)

One potential bone of contention is the case: it's bigger – well, deeper – than the older WF-C700N case, and it feels a shade off high-end. Do I love the transparent finish? I'm not sure. Seeing the little red, yellow and black cables under the casework is novel, but the overall aesthetic feels a bit (dare I say it) cheap and cheerful, compared to the way Nothing has implemented transparent sections within its earbuds design language.

And the physical button is gone. I liked it, but it seems I'm in the minority. And to be honest, the new touch capacitive sensor is aided by a slightly larger concave top plate to help your finger find it, and it works fairly reliably.

My main gripe with this? You can now control volume in addition to playback, sound modes, and access to a virtual assistant, but a little more scope for customisation on what each tap does would be a huge bonus. Right now, the only way to up the volume a little is a quadruple press on the right earbud, and a quadruple press on the left lowers it just a tad. As you can probably imagine, these constant quick presses are hit-and-miss. Ah, well – and it hurts your tragus and external auditory meatus (the bit right before your ear canal) a little, after a while.

• Design score: 4/5

The case is quite a bit deeper than the previous model (Image credit: Future) Sony WF-C710N review: Value

• For ANC, there's real value-for-money here
• 360 Reality Audio isn't the draw it once was – LDAC would be excellent
• Nothing's products look and feel more premium

Before the Nothing Ear (a) arrived, with their LDAC and great audio quality, I'd have no issue recommending the Sony WF-C710N above all else. But times have changed. Nothing's earbuds are here, and they are impossible to ignore.

The design of the Sony WF-C710N is fine rather than groundbreaking, and the feature set is good, although 360 Reality Audio support is not the big draw it once was.

Then again, here I sit at our shared table-slash-desk, my partner hitting the keys of his MacBook Pro keyboard heavily, because he's under a tight deadline and is stressed. Can I hear him? Not really. And there's the value, folks – because I've never heard ANC this good for this money…

• Value score: 4.5/5

(Image credit: Future) Should I buy the Sony WF-C710N? Buy them if...

You need great ANC for budget money
These earbuds are some of the most gifted at noise-nixing as I've tried for the money, thanks to that new mic array.

You have an Amazon Music Unlimited account
Link Amazon Music Play Now (after taking photos of your ears, all guided by the app) and you unlock Sony's proprietary 360 Reality Audio for Sony's own spatial audio solution.

You like earbuds that pause the music when you take one out
The WF-C710N now have wearer detection, and you love to see it.

Don't buy them if...

You prioritize on-ear volume control
You can do it, but you still need to press each bud four times quickly to get an incremental increase or decrease. It's a bit much.

You're expecting buds the same size as the C700N
There's a difference: the C710N are a little bigger and heavier owing to that extra mic and capacitive touch plate

You want LDAC
No dice, sadly. You'll need to look to Nothing's Ear (a)

Sony WF-C710N review: Also consider

Nothing Ear (a)
The battery life isn't as good, and the ANC is close but no cigar. But if you need a better level of dust- and waterproofing and want LDAC audio support, these buds are oh-so-stylish and just slightly cheaper than the Sony WF-C710N.
Read our Nothing Ear (a) review for more information

Sony WF-C510
What if you want quality Sony sound in Sony's smallest earbuds (smaller than the WF-C710N) and even better battery life, because you don't care about ANC? This is the model you need, and you'll save money. But just to be clear, the noise cancellation is the WF-C710N is very good… 
See our Sony WF-C510 review for the full scoop

How I tested the Sony WF-C710N

(Image credit: Future)

• Tested for two weeks, compared against the Sony WF-C700N and Technics EAH-AZ100
• Used in the office, walking through London, on a train, and at home
• Listened to Apple Music Lossless tracks, Qobuz, Deezer and Spotify on an iPhone 12 Pro and a MacBook Pro

As always when testing portable earbuds, the Sony WF-C710N became my musical companions for two weeks – after a thorough 48-hour run-in period.

They accompanied me to work (walking brusquely to Weymouth station at an ungodly hour; boarding a train to London Waterloo; and at the office – yes, I really do this) and throughout a long weekend at Seaham, collecting sea glass from the stunning County Durham shoreline.

To better test the comfort and battery life claims of the Sony WF-C710N, I wore them throughout the working day on numerous occasions – and as you can see from the above over-share, my working days can be long.

To get through it all, I listened to various playlists (spanning everything from Korn to Dom Sigalas) on Apple Music and Tidal, but also to podcasts and albums on Qobuz and Deezer – and YouTube tutorials (mostly about making music on Cubase and using Cakewalk, since you ask) from my MacBook Pro.

I’ve been testing audio products for well over five years now. As a dancer, aerialist and musical theater performer in another life, sound quality, fit and user experience have always taken priority for me personally – but having heard how wonderful ANC can be when done well, I know what to look for.

Read more about how we test

• First reviewed: April 2025

• Andor's lead actor has opened up about the end of the Star Wars TV show after two seasons
• Diego Luna is relieved that the Rogue One prequel series wasn't cancelled
• It was originally supposed to run for five seasons

Diego Luna believes it's the right decision on Disney's part to allow Andor to end after two seasons rather than one.

Chatting to TechRadar before Andor season 2 debuts on Disney+, Luna expressed satisfaction and relief over the opportunity to tell "the story we wanted to" in the Rogue One prequel series. Indeed, Luna was glad that Disney afforded him, showrunner Tony Gilroy, and the rest of the cast and crew the chance to wrap up its narrative, rather than cancel the show after a single season.

Luna's worries about the Star Wars TV series ending before its time aren't unfounded. Despite the critical acclaim and award nominations Andor's first season was met with, it's no secret that its development was a costly endeavor.

Originally, Andor was supposed to run for five seasons, with its final installment leading directly into the events of Rogue One, However, per a report published by Forbes last December, it's estimated that the price for creating its first two seasons was an astronomical $645 million.

Development on Andor's two seasons reportedly cost over $600 million (Image credit: Lucasfilm/Disney+)

With Disney cutting costs across the board during Bob Iger's second stint as CEO, Andor's five-season plan was never going to materialize.

Thankfully, during development on one of the best Disney+ shows' first season, Gilroy had a "great idea", according to Luna, to condense four seasons' worth of character arcs and wider storytelling into one more season comprising 12 episodes.

It's a format that Gilroy discussed with me prior to season 1's release in August 2022, with the series' head writer calling them "very sexy" time jumps that would depict a single yet important event in each of the four years leading up to the start of Rogue One. Each 12-month period will span three episodes apiece, therefore allowing each narrative the same time and space to depict their individual stories.

The Empire must be stopped. Artwork inspired by Andor and illustrated by @nadamaktari.Don’t miss the three-episode premiere of Andor, streaming April 22 only on @DisneyPlus. pic.twitter.com/h6vdkclbWhApril 17, 2025

"From the beginning [of this show], we knew what we wanted to do," Luna told me. "Structurally, the plan changed because we soon realized we couldn't commit to five seasons. It takes a lot of energy, time, and money to make one, because each season takes two and a half years of our lives.

"But, while we were shooting season one, Tony had this great idea of squeezing four seasons into one and essentially make four chapters.

"I also think that, today in long format storytelling and TV in general, a lot of shows start without knowing where or when they're going to end. But, from beginning to end, we told the story we wanted to tell and that's a beautiful thing to be able to do."

I'll have more exclusive content to bring you from my interviews with Diego and more of Andor's cast in the build up to, during, and after season 2's debut. In the meantime, read more of my Andor season 2 coverage below ahead of its April 22 launch in the US, and April 23 arrival in the UK and Australia.

You might also like

• First Andor season 2 trailer teases Orson Krennic and K-2SO's return, the Death Star's creation, an absurd amount of action and... a Star Wars dance number?
• New Andor season 2 trailer has got Star Wars fans asking the same question – and it includes an ominous call back to Rogue One's official teaser
• Here's how you can watch the Star Wars movies in order

In a brief order, the court directed the Trump administration not to remove Venezuelans held in the Bluebonnet Detention Center "until further order of this court."

(Image credit: Cristian Hernandez)

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for April 19.

In a brief order, the court directed the Trump administration not to remove Venezuelans held in the Bluebonnet Detention Center "until further order of this court."

(Image credit: Manuel Balce Ceneta)