As the world's largest company, Apple also leads in R&D spending
The big picture: The competitive strength of hardware makers is often gauged by their research and development expenditure. However, an analysis of recent financial reports from various tech giants reveals that higher R&D spending does not always guarantee success. Intel's recent struggles and Nvidia's astronomical growth driven by the AI boom have broken conventional assumptions.
The AirPods Pro 2 are now more affordable than ever, priced at just $159. Apple's Pro earbuds feature great ANC, excellent battery life and, most recently, new hearing aid functionality.
Apple's latest MacBook Pro 14, powered by the M4 chip, offers faster performance, improved battery life, and a new space black color option. However, Apple Intelligence is not a real feature yet.
This year's Mac mini is much improved, featuring a complete redesign with a more compact footprint and 16GB RAM in the base model. As expected, it lacks upgradability but it's a good point of entry for Mac users on a modern SoC.
If an AI bubble burst is coming, it isn't here yet
The big picture: Nvidia briefly overtook Apple as the world's most valuable company late last month, but this week it solidified that position for the second time in a more definitive way. The GPU maker's meteoric rise and the dethronement of Intel on the Dow Jones index signifies a major shift toward AI in the tech sector. However, uncertainty still surrounds the new technology.