Top tech news for Wednesday, January 18, 2023

Wednesday’s tech news started, like Tuesday’s, with a new Apple hardware announcement. After discontinuing its HomePod speaker a few years ago, the company s launching a new version, priced at $299, with support for Spatial Audio and the Matter smart home spec.

Apple has also reportedly put its plans to release a pair of lightweight augmented reality glasses on hold due to “technical challenges.” Its mixed reality headset (which would offer both AR and VR) is still believed to be on track for this year, but these sleeker AR-only glasses are now unlikely to meet their 2025 target launch date.

For now, here’s a silly tweet to start your day (don’t worry, it’s not actually “sensitive content” as the disclaimer suggests):