The US military has completed intensive testing of Microsoft’s new multifunctional glasses. The soldiers of the 70th Army wore glasses for three weeks, playing three 72-hour scenarios, including movement towards the enemy, attack and defense.

The results of the test report, which will be published in September, will determine whether the US Congress will approve the next $424.2 million test cycle, as well as whether purchases of the device, which is planned to spend another $21.9 billion, will begin. It should be noted that these 22 billion included not only the cost of the glasses themselves, but also spare parts, as well as technical support services for 10 years.

The glasses are a “head display” of the type used by fighter pilots. From a technical point of view, this is a heavily modified version of the HoloLens glasses. The screen of the device, which is always in front of the soldier’s eyes, displays a map of the area, instructions from commanders and other data (for example, an image of a thermal imager).

iPhone users who for some reason don’t like Apple smartwatches will be able to use new models based on Wear OS.

The first and so far the only watch on Wear OS 3 is the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4. And it doesn’t work with iOS. But apparently this is an artificial limitation on Samsung’s part, as it has now become known that Wear OS 3 itself can work with iOS.

Qualcomm confirmed this by saying that the upcoming Montblanc Summit 3 watch will be compatible with the iPhone. This watch will be the first with Wear OS 3 after Samsung devices. True, it will be an expensive $1,290 watch, but there should be many more Wear OS 3 models on the market this year, so iPhone owners will have a choice.

Bloomberg editor Mark Gurman spoke about the new Apple Watch that Apple will release later this year, including the Apple Watch Series 8 and Apple Watch SE 2.

There have been reports earlier that Apple will add a faster Apple S8 SoC to the Apple Watch Series 8, but Gurman claims that “the Apple S8 will have the same specs as the Apple S7.” At the same time, the Apple S7 in terms of characteristics is almost a copy of the Apple S6 in the Apple Watch Series 6 of the 2020 model.

Mark Gurman added that next year’s Apple Watch Series 9 will feature a “completely new processor.” As for the Apple Watch SE 2, it will have the same screen as the Apple Watch SE, as well as the Apple S8 SoC, which will be faster than the Apple S5 SoC found in the Apple Watch SE.

watchOS 9 is ending support for the Apple Watch Series 3, so I’d eventually expect that model to be discontinued in the fall. The Apple Watch SE will remain a mid-range option.

Mark Gurman

He previously said that the Apple Watch Series 8 is expected to feature at least one new body temperature sensor.