Apple's ongoing pursuit of leading performance in custom silicon packages continues with each new generation of Apple Silicon. Today, we have alleged Geekbench performance figures of the upcoming M2 Max chip, designed for the upcoming Mac devices. Featuring the same configuration with two E-cores and eight P-cores, the chip is rumored to utilize TSMC's 3 nm design. However, that is yet to be confirmed by Apple, so we don't have the exact information. In the GB5 single-thread test, the CPU set a single-core performance target of 1899 points, while the multi-core score was 8737. While last year's M1 Max chips can reach 1787 single-core and 12826 multi-core scores, these configurations are benchmarked in a Mac Studio, which has better cooling and allows for higher clocks to be achieved.

Apples to apples (pun intended) comparison with the M1 Max chip inside of a MacBook Pro version with presumably the same cooling capacity, which gets 1497 single-core and 11506 multi-core score, the new M2 Max chip is 19.4% faster in single-core results. Multi-core improvements should follow, and this M2 Max result should be different from the final product. We await more benchmarks to confirm this performance increase and the correct semiconductor manufacturing node.

Semiconductor manufacturing is a significant investment that requires long lead times and constant improvement. According to the latest DigiTimes report, the pricing of a 3 nm wafer is expected to reach $20,000, which is a 25% increase in price over a 5 nm wafer. For 7 nm, TSMC managed to produce it for "just" $10,000; for 5 nm, it costs the company to make it for the $16,000 mark. And finally, the latest and greatest technology will get an even higher price point at $20,000, a new record in wafer pricing. Since TSMC has a proven track record of delivering constant innovation, clients are expected to remain on the latest tech purchasing spree.

Companies like Apple, AMD, and NVIDIA are known for securing orders for the latest semiconductor manufacturing node capacities. With a 25% increase in wafer pricing, we can expect the next-generation hardware to be even more expensive. Chip manufacturing price is a significant price-determining factor for many products, so the 3 nm edition of CPUs, GPUs, etc., will get the highest difference.

It appears that the competition is heating up, well, at least when it comes to who is going to be first to launch a 27-inch OLED-type panel, as Samsung is now considering doing its own 27-inch OLED-type panels, following rumours about LG considering its own 27-inch OLED-type panels. The details are from UBI Research via the Elec and based on what's being reported, Samsung was initially going to release an RGB OLED based 27-inch panel, but the company wasn't quite there research wise. However, Samsung allegedly went for QD-OLED instead and the article claims it's more profitable for Samsung.

That said, it seems like Samsung will try to win over Apple as its first customer for the panels, rather than launching them under its own brand. The panels are said to be manufactured in a brand new plant using Gen 8 OLED substrates, which means that these panels will be produced in a cutting edge facility. 27-inches also appears to be the smallest size QD-OLED panels we can expect, at least for now, as smaller size panels will use what is referred to as two stack tandem RGB OLED panels. These will be used in notebooks and other smaller devices. Samsung is currently producing single stack RGB OLED panels that are used in phones.

Over the past few weeks, the legal dispute between Arm Ltd. and Qualcomm Inc. has been warming up the eyes of the entire tech community. However, as per the latest court filing, Arm could change its licensing strategy and shift its whole business model into a new direction that would benefit the company directly. Currently, the company provides the intellectual property (IP) that chip makers can use and add to designs mixed with other IPs and custom in-house solutions. That is how the world of electronics design (EDA) works and how many companies operate. However, in the Qualcomm-Arm legal battle, Qualcomm's counterclaim has brought new light about Arm's plans for licensing its hardware designs past 2024.

According to Dylan Patel of SemiAnalysis, who examined court documents, Arm will reportedly change terms to use its IP where the use of other IP mixed with Arm IP is prohibited. If a chip maker plans to use Arm CPU IP, they must also use Arm's GPU/NPU/ISP/DSP IPs. This would result in devices that utilize every design the UK-based designer has to offer, and other IP makers will have to exclude their designs from the SoC. By doing this, Arm directly stands against deals like the Samsung-AMD deal, where AMD provides RDNA GPU IP and would force Samsung to use Arm's Mali GPU IP instead. This change should take effect in 2025 when every new license agreement has to comply with new rules.

Apple today announced financial results for its fiscal 2022 fourth quarter ended September 24, 2022. The Company posted a September quarter record revenue of $90.1 billion, up 8 percent year over year, and quarterly earnings per diluted share of $1.29, up 4 percent year over year. Annual revenue was $394.3 billion, up 8 percent year over year, and annual earnings per diluted share were $6.11, up 9 percent year over year.

"This quarter's results reflect Apple's commitment to our customers, to the pursuit of innovation, and to leaving the world better than we found it," said Tim Cook, Apple's CEO. "As we head into the holiday season with our most powerful lineup ever, we are leading with our values in every action we take and every decision we make. We are deeply committed to protecting the environment, to securing user privacy, to strengthening accessibility, and to creating products and services that can unlock humanity's full creative potential."

During The Wall Street Journal Tech Live conference, Greg Joswiak—Apple's SVP of worldwide marketing—begrudgingly said that Apple will comply with the European Union's USB-C charging mandate. He said that Apple has been in a "little bit of disagreement" with the EU over the change to a common charging standard. He made a comment about the fact that the EU initially wanted to standardise on micro USB for charging, but admitted that it never happened. He also claimed that neither USB-C or Apple's own lightning connector would exist today if micro USB had been mandated as the charging standard over 10 years ago, which may or may not be true.

According to Greg Joswiak, Apple feels that their change to chargers fitted with a USB-C port is good enough, since it allows anyone to plug in a USB-C cable into Apple's chargers and charge whatever device they like, regardless of the device connector. However, he conveniently forgot to mention that for such a scenario to work, everyone would have to carry a charging cable around with them, the part most people forget about. He also claimed that moving to USB-C means additional e-waste, due to a billion plus lightning cables being in the market already. The argument doesn't seem to hold though, as it's not as if current Apple device owners are just going to throw out their current devices, because Apple is being forced to move to USB-C. The same holds true for most people who have micro USB devices, they didn't throw them away just because they got some USB-C devices. In fairness, the Lightning cables would end up as e-waste at some point in the future, but so do many old cables of every single type over time. Apple would've preferred the EU not to interfere, as the company believes its solution is superior to USB-C for its customers.

Apple today introduced the new iPad with an all-screen design featuring a large 10.9-inch Liquid Retina display. The new iPad is powered by the A14 Bionic chip, which delivers even faster performance with incredible power efficiency for demanding tasks while still providing all-day battery life. Updated cameras include an Ultra Wide 12MP front camera located along the landscape edge of iPad for an even better video calling experience, and an updated 12MP back camera to capture sharp, vivid photos and 4K video. A USB-C port supports a wide range of accessories, Wi-Fi 6 brings even faster connections, and cellular models feature superfast 5G so users can stay connected on the go. Designed specifically for the new iPad, the all-new Magic Keyboard Folio features an incredible typing experience, a click-anywhere trackpad, and a versatile two-piece design. With iPadOS 16 and support for Apple Pencil (1st generation), iPad offers users more ways to be creative and productive. The new iPad is available to order starting today, with availability in stores beginning Wednesday, October 26.

"We're so excited to bring the completely redesigned iPad to our most advanced iPad lineup ever," said Greg Joswiak, Apple's senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. "With a large 10.9-inch Liquid Retina display, powerful A14 Bionic chip, a first-ever landscape front camera, fast wireless connectivity, USB-C, and support for incredible accessories like the new Magic Keyboard Folio, the new iPad delivers more value, more versatility—and is simply more fun."

Apple today announced the next generation of Apple TV 4K—more powerful, entertaining, and affordable than ever, and offering impressive cinematic quality. Driven by the A15 Bionic chip that delivers faster performance and more fluid gameplay, the new Apple TV 4K features endless entertainment options for everyone to enjoy on the biggest screen in the home. HDR10+ support joins Dolby Vision on Apple TV 4K, so users can watch their favorite movies and TV shows in the best quality possible across more TVs. Running tvOS, the powerful and intuitive OS for the living room, and featuring the popular Siri Remote, Apple TV 4K simplifies the way users discover and enjoy their favorite content. Its seamless integration with other Apple devices and services magically transforms the living room in different ways for the entire family, while also adding convenience as a smart home hub.

The new Apple TV 4K is available in two configurations: Apple TV 4K (Wi-Fi), which offers 64 GB of storage; and Apple TV 4K (Wi-Fi + Ethernet), which offers support for Gigabit Ethernet for fast networking and streaming, Thread mesh networking protocol to connect even more smart home accessories, and twice the storage for apps and games (128 GB). Customers can order the new Apple TV 4K with Siri Remote today at a new starting price of $129, with availability beginning Friday, November 4.

Apple today announced the new iPad Pro with the M2 chip, delivering the ultimate combination of portability, versatility, and unbelievable performance. The new iPad Pro features a next-level Apple Pencil hover experience and superfast wireless connectivity, along with the world's most advanced mobile display, pro cameras, Face ID, Thunderbolt, and a four-speaker audio system. New features in iPadOS 16—including Stage Manager, full external display support, desktop-class apps, and Reference Mode—take pro workflows on iPad even further. Enabled by its advanced hardware and iPadOS 16, iPad Pro has an incredible ecosystem of powerful pro apps unlike any other device of its kind. The new iPad Pro is available to order starting today, and in stores beginning Wednesday, October 26.

"The next-generation iPad Pro pushes the boundaries of what's possible on iPad, bringing even more versatility, power, and portability to the ultimate iPad experience," said Greg Joswiak, Apple's senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. "Powered by the M2 chip, the new iPad Pro features incredible performance and the most advanced technologies, including a next-level Apple Pencil hover experience, ProRes video capture, superfast wireless connectivity, and powerful iPadOS 16 features. There's nothing else like it."

In September, we reported that Apple, the world's most valuable company, would source some of its 3D NAND flash chips from the Chinese Yangtze Memory Technologies Corp (YMTC). However, according to the latest political pressure from the US government, Apple has reportedly canceled any contracts with the Chinese company and will not include their 3D NAND chips in the production of iPhones, iPads, and Mac computers. Even with YTMC's Xstacking 3.0 six-plane architecture that provides triple-level cell storage with I/O speeds of 2400 MT/s, Apple is not going to source any NAND Flash memory as US-China political relationship gets tighter regulations.

However, this could not be a deal breaker for both companies, as NAND Flash is in high demand, and new clients will emerge. As for Apple, the company has contracts with Kioxia, SK Hynix, Samsung, and possibly others that will ensure a steady supply of storage for the company's solutions.

Today, we shared our vision for the next era of the Windows PC, where the PC and the cloud intersect and tap into innovative AI technology that unlocks new experiences. So that each of us can participate, be seen, heard and express our creativity.

For nearly 40 years, the Windows PC has held a place at the center of our lives. It's contributed to new levels of productivity, kept us all connected, and unlocked our creativity and potential through innovations we couldn't have imagined when we first began this journey. Just think about how far we've come in how people interact with it. From the very first text-based keyboard input to the precision of point and click with the mouse, up to today, where touch, voice, pen and gestures all help people use the Windows PC more naturally and intuitively. From its inception, Surface has been a catalyst for that change.

Declines continued for the traditional PC market as global shipments totaled 74.3 million units during the third quarter of 2022 (3Q22), according to preliminary results from the International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly Personal Computing Device Tracker. Cooling demand and uneven supply have contributed to a year-over-year contraction of 15.0%. However, shipment volumes remain well above pre-pandemic levels when PC volumes were largely driven by commercial refreshes due to the looming end of support for Windows 7.

"Consumer demand has remained muted though promotional activity from the likes of Apple and other players has helped soften the fall and reduce channel inventory by a couple weeks across the board," said Jitesh Ubrani, research manager for IDC's Mobility and Consumer Device Trackers. "Supply has also reacted to the new lows by reducing orders with Apple being the only exception as their third quarter supply increased to make up for lost orders stemming from the lockdowns in China during the second quarter."

The Connectivity Standards Alliance, the international community of more than 550 technology companies committed to open standards for the Internet of Things, announced today the release of the Matter 1.0 specification and the opening of the Matter certification program. Member companies who make up all facets of the IoT now have a complete program for bringing the next generation of interoperable products that work across brands and platforms to market with greater privacy, security, and simplicity for consumers.

As part of the Matter 1.0 release, authorized test labs are open for product certification, the test harnesses and tools are available, and the open-source reference design software development kit (SDK) is complete - all to bring new, innovative products to market. Further, Alliance members with devices already deployed and with plans to update their products to support Matter can now do so, once their products are certified.

Today, Logitech announced a new "Designed for Mac" collection of products, crafted to be seamlessly compatible and reliable with Mac setups across a variety of use cases. The new collection includes the MX Mechanical Mini for Mac keyboard, MX Master 3S for Mac mouse, Lift for Mac mouse and the K380 Bluetooth Keyboard for Mac in a new Blueberry color.

"We know that Apple users value a consistent design aesthetic for their entire setup—work or home—and that they need mice and keyboards that work across their ecosystems," said Delphine Donné, vice president and general manager of Creativity and Productivity at Logitech. "We've created a suite of stylish tools that elevates how you work by adding more functionality, customization and comfort. And because we know that one size doesn't fit all, this collection was designed, developed and engineered to meet the diverse needs of Apple users."

According to TrendForce research, due to steady weakening of overall demand for consumer electronics, inventory pressure has increased among downstream distributors and brands. Although there are still sporadic shortages of specific components, the curtain has officially fallen on a two-year wave of shortages in general, and brands have gradually suspended stocking in response to changes in market conditions. However, stable demand for automotive and industrial equipment is key to supporting the ongoing growth of foundry output value. At the same time, since the creation of a marginal amount of new capacity in 2Q22 led to growth in wafer shipments and a price hike for certain wafers, this drove output value among top ten foundries to reach US$33.20 billion in 2Q22. Quarterly growth fell to 3.9% on a weakening consumer market.

A prelude to inventory correction was officially revealed in 3Q22. In addition to intensifying severity in the initial wave of order slashing for LDDI/TDDI, and TV SoC, diminishing order volume also extended to non-Apple smartphone APs and peripheral IC PMIC, CIS, and consumer electronics PMICs, and mid-to-low-end MCUs, posing a challenge for foundry capacity utilization. However, the launch of the new iPhone in 3Q22 is expected to prop up a certain amount of stocking momentum for the sluggish market. Therefore, top ten foundry revenue in 3Q22 is expected to maintain a growth trend driven by high-priced processes and quarterly growth rate is expected to be slightly higher than in 2Q22.

According to Dylan Patel of SemiAnalysis sources, Apple is moving its embedded cores from Arm to RISC-V. In Apple's Silicon designs, there are far more cores than the main ones that power the operating system and end-user applications. For example, embedded cores are present, and there are 30+ in M1 SoCs responsible for all kinds of workloads not related to the operating system. These tasks are usually associated with other functions such as WiFi/BlueTooth, ThunderBolt retiming, touchpad control, NAND chips having their own core, etc. They run their own firmware and power everything around the central cores that run the OS, so the whole SoC functions appropriately.

It appears that a lot of these cores are based on Arm M-series or lower-end A-series IP that Apple is currently looking to replace with RISC-V. Given that a large portion of software runs on the main big.LITTLE configuration, other secondary SoC tasks can migrate to a different ISA like RISC-V, with a small firmware adjustment. Given that these cores can be placed with custom IPs, Apple would save licensing fees if custom RISC-V cores were used. Additionally, developing firmware for these cores at an Apple engineering team size shouldn't be a problem. Of course, we have no information about when these custom cores will appear inside Apple Silicon. Even when they are used, no formal announcement is expected given that the main cores remain to be powered by Arm ISA, with everything else invisible to the end-user.

The brand that invented noise cancelling headphones is once again transforming the industry. Today, Bose announces its next generation of truly wireless noise cancelling earbuds—the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II. With Bose CustomTune sound calibration technology, QC Earbuds II intelligently personalize audio and noise cancellation performance to the unique shape of every ear—resulting in an unprecedented listening experience and the world's best noise cancellation from any headphone—banded or in-ear.

The QuietComfort Earbuds II have an all-new design. Each bud is about one-third smaller than its predecessor, weighs less than a quarter of an ounce, and they come in a pocketable charging case. And for further personalization, they also include an eartip Fit Kit featuring a new two-piece system with interchangeable stability bands and eartips—delivering the all-day comfort and wearability the QuietComfort name is known for.

Apple today announced the second generation of AirPods Pro, the most advanced AirPods ever. With the power of the new H2 chip, AirPods Pro unlock breakthrough audio performance—including major upgrades to Active Noise Cancellation and Transparency mode—while also offering a unique way to experience Spatial Audio that's even more immersive. Now, customers can enjoy Touch control for media playback and volume adjustments directly from the stem, along with longer battery life, a brand-new charging case, and an additional ear tip size for a better fit.
AirPods Pro (2nd generation) will be available to order online and in the Apple Store app starting Friday, September 9, with availability in stores beginning Friday, September 23.

"AirPods revolutionized the wireless headphone category with an innovative design and incredible sound quality. With the new AirPods Pro, Apple raises the bar once again," said Bob Borchers, Apple's vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. "The new AirPods Pro deliver even better sound quality, a more immersive listening experience with Personalized Spatial Audio, and transformative audio features like Adaptive Transparency. With up to double the noise-cancelling power of their predecessor, the world's bestselling wireless headphones just got even better."

Apple today introduced iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus, featuring two sizes—6.1 inches and 6.7 inches—in a sophisticated design with impressive camera upgrades and groundbreaking new safety capabilities. iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus take stunning photos and video with a powerful camera system featuring new Main and front TrueDepth cameras, the Ultra Wide camera for unique perspectives, and Photonic Engine—an enhanced image pipeline. Both models include the A15 Bionic chip with a 5-core GPU, which offers incredible performance and efficiency for demanding workloads, and is designed with privacy and security built in. iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus introduce critical safety capabilities such as Crash Detection and Emergency SOS via satellite, a first in the industry. And with amazing battery life, industry-leading durability features, and super-fast 5G, this iPhone lineup is more advanced than ever before. iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus will be available in midnight, blue, starlight, purple, and (PRODUCT)RED finishes. Pre-orders begin Friday, September 9, with availability for iPhone 14 beginning Friday, September 16, and availability for iPhone 14 Plus beginning Friday, October 7.

"Our customers rely on their iPhone every day, and iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus introduce groundbreaking new technologies and important safety capabilities. With the new, larger 6.7-inch display on iPhone 14 Plus, users can enjoy more content onscreen when browsing the web and even more text," said Greg Joswiak, Apple's senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. "Both phones have a powerful new Main camera with a huge leap in low-light performance, advanced connectivity capabilities with 5G and eSIM, and the incredible performance of A15 Bionic, which helps enable even better battery life. All of this, tightly integrated with iOS 16, makes iPhone more essential than ever."

Apple today announced iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max, the most advanced Pro lineup ever, featuring the Dynamic Island—a new design that introduces an intuitive way to experience iPhone—and the Always-On display. Powered by A16 Bionic, the fastest chip ever in a smartphone, iPhone 14 Pro introduces a new class of pro camera system, with the first-ever 48MP Main camera on iPhone featuring a quad-pixel sensor, and Photonic Engine, an enhanced image pipeline that dramatically improves low-light photos. These groundbreaking advancements make iPhone even more indispensable for everyday tasks, creative projects, and now even emergency situations with features such as Emergency SOS via satellite and Crash Detection. iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max will be available in four gorgeous new finishes: deep purple, silver, gold, and space black. Pre-orders begin Friday, September 9, with availability beginning Friday, September 16.

"Our customers count on their iPhone every day, and with iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max, we're delivering more advancements than any other iPhone. iPhone 14 Pro introduces a camera system that empowers every user—from the casual user to the professional—to take their best photos and video, and innovative new technologies like the Always-On display and the Dynamic Island, which offers new interactions for notifications and activities," said Greg Joswiak, Apple's senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. "Groundbreaking safety capabilities bring users even more security, offering help when they need it most. And with the incredibly powerful and efficient A16 Bionic chip and all-day battery life, this is the best iPhone yet."

As reported by BusinessKorea, Apple, one of the largest companies in the world, will source its 3D NAND from Chinese memory maker Yangtze Memory Technologies Corp (YMTC). Known for supplying 3D NAND to Chinese SSD makers, YTMC's reported contract with Apple will fuel the upcoming iPhone 14 SKU manufacturing. Whether or not this partnership will expand to other products, it is essential to have as many storage sources as possible, as Apple sells millions of devices per year. YTMC is on track to deliver 3D NAND flash with the latest Xstacking 3.0 six-plane architecture that provides triple-level cell storage with I/O speeds of 2400 MT/s.

YTMC has joined the list of 3D NAND flash vendors that Apple works with, including SK Hynix, Samsung, Kioxia, and possibly others. This partnership also highlights that the Chinese memory output is sufficient and significant enough to break into more markets worldwide, not remaining exclusive to domestic use.

Based on media reports out of Taiwan, TSMC seems to have plenty of customers lined up for its 3 nm node, with Apple being the first customer out the gates when production starts sometime next month. However, TSMC is only expected to start the production with a mere 1,000 wafer starts a month, which seems like a very low figure, especially as this is said to remain unchanged through all of Q4. On the plus side, yields are expected to be better than the initial 5 nm node yields. Full-on mass production for the 3 nm node isn't expected to happen until the second half of 2023 and TSMC will also kick off its N3E node sometime in 2023.

Apart from Apple, major customers for the 3 nm node include AMD, Broadcom, Intel, MediaTek, NVIDIA and Qualcomm. Contrary to earlier reports by TrendForce, it appears that TSMC will continue its rollout of the 3 nm node as previously planned. Apple is expected to produce the A17 smartphone and tablet SoC, as well as advanced versions of the M2, as well as the M3 laptop and desktop processors on the 3 nm node. Intel is still said to be producing its graphics chiplets with TSMC, with the potential for GPU and FPGA products in the future. There's no word on what the other customers are planning to produce on the 3 nm node, but MediaTek and Qualcomm are obviously looking at using the node for future smartphone and tablet SoCs, with AMD and NVIDIA most likely aiming for upcoming GPUs and Broadcom for some kind of HPC related hardware.

Apple has removed the final remaining Intel components from its latest M2 MacBooks with the Intel JHL8040R USB4 timer chips being replaced with a pair of custom U09PY3 chips. This change was discovered by iFixIt during a recent teardown and documented by Twitter user SkyJuice with the exact reason for the change unknown. This move towards alternative USB4 chips is also present with AMD's latest Rembrandt laptops switching to retimers such as the KB8001 'Matterhorn' from Swiss startup Kandou who claim to supply five of the six largest PC OEMs with such chips.

Worldwide shipments of traditional PCs declined 15.3% year over year to 71.3 million units in the second quarter of 2022 (2Q22), according to preliminary results from the International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly Personal Computing Device Tracker. This was the second consecutive quarter of lower shipments following two years of growth. The decline was worse than expected as supply and logistics further deteriorated due to the lockdowns in China and persistent macroeconomic headwinds.

"Fears over a recession continue to mount and weaken demand across segments," said Jitesh Ubrani, research manager for IDC's Mobile Device trackers. "Consumer demand for PCs has weakened in the near term and is at risk of perishing in the long term as consumers become more cautious about their spending and once again grow accustomed to computing across device types such as phones and tablets. Meanwhile, commercial demand has been more robust although it has also declined as businesses delay purchases."

beyerdynamic - the audio brand of choice for music lovers around the world - is finally entering the true wireless earbud category with the release of Free BYRD. The all-new TWS earbuds marry beyerdynamic's beloved premium sound quality with a design language reminiscent of the classic guitar pick. By combining the experience of beyerdynamic's audio specialists and world-class manufacturing, Free BYRD provides consumers with meaningful beyerdynamic sound experiences anywhere, anytime. Free BYRD stays true to beyerdynamic's legendary audio quality, and offers smart features like easy Bluetooth pairing, active noise cancelling (ANC) and up to 11 hours of battery life. The new beyerdynamic Free BYRD earbuds are available beginning today for € 229.00 in the beyerdynamic online store and on Amazon.

Free BYRD's release marks the first time the company has brought its genuine premium sound - designed and developed in Heilbronn, Germany - to compact true wireless earbuds. beyerdynamic's obsessive attention to sound quality and detail is paramount in every product brought to market, and no exception was made for its first-ever true wireless earbuds.