We’re in the subscription era of consumer tech

PLUS: Goodbye, physical media.

View in browser  |  Your newsletter preferences 07.02.26 In today’s era of AI-powered consumer tech, buying hardware doesn’t give you access to all the capabilities of your shiny new gadget alone. No, you need to subscribe if you want that, and Meta is the latest company to prove that business model. The company notes in its help pages that owners of its Meta smart glasses will need a Meta Premium One Plan for “expanded access” to an on-device feature called Conversation Focus, which boosts the speech of the person in front of you so you can hear them better in loud environments. It’s free to use initially, but if you hit the three-hour limit, you’ll need a subscription to use it again until your limit resets at the end of the month. As more new AI features land on those glasses, expect a similar treatment. This seems to be the way most new consumer electronics with AI capabilities are going. If that doesn’t flare your nostrils, get this. Sony says it will cease the production of game discs for PlayStation consoles in 2028. Microsoft is also reportedly removing the disc drive from its next Xbox, dubbed Project Helix. It’s the death knell for physical media—whether that’s video games or movies—these consoles are the easiest way to play 4K Blu-ray discs. And considering Sony just announced that it’s removing more than 550 Studio Canal titles from digital libraries, leaving owners no access to their purchases, what happens when Sony decides to pull the PS5 game library? Julian Chokkattu Senior Gear Editor Meta Is Charging a Subscription for Smart Glasses Features. Welcome to the New Era of Consumer Tech BY JULIAN CHOKKATTU You bought the hardware. Now you’ll need to subscribe for “expanded access” to the most advanced features. Motorola Phones Now Have a Built-In Travel eSIM for Mobile Data Outside the US BY JULIAN CHOKKATTU Available in select markets thanks to a partnership with Gigs, Motorola phone owners have one less hurdle to clear when signing up for a data-only eSIM before traveling abroad. Daisy’s First Headphones Are Premium, High-Quality—and Just a Little Bit Cheaper BY BOONE ASHWORTH The California-based startup enters a crowded headphone market with a $399 chiseled-aluminum gamble. ADVERTISEMENT   How To Pack a Digital Go Bag Picture this: You roll out of bed, try to check your work email, and quickly find out you can no longer log in to your account. Your first thought might be that this must be a mistake—nothing a little chat with your company’s IT department can’t fix. But, unfortunately, account lockouts are often not a mistake at all and are instead an increasingly common way companies first alert their (ex) employees that they’ve been laid off. In a job market where many feel they have little control, it’s certainly still worth trying to ensure that job loss won’t necessarily come with the loss of personal files you may want to hold onto. Here’s how you can prepare a digital go bag in case your employer hands you the pink slip.—writes Elana Klein.   Sony’s PlayStation Puts a Nail in Physical Media’s Coffin BY MATT KAMEN Is PlayStation about to make the same mistake Microsoft made with Xbox One? I Tried Rips, the Card-Pack App Where Users Spend Thousands Chasing Pricey Pokémon BY REECE ROGERS I ripped open $892 worth of Pokémon packs on my phone in under 15 minutes and walked away with 62 cents. My adrenaline rush felt like the future of gambling. The 12 Ikea Products the Company's Design Chief Personally Owns We grilled the impeccably dressed and softly spoken Johan Ejdemo on which Ikea pieces he's personally bought for his own home.   ✚ Read more: He leads a team of 20 in-house designers, as well as freelancers, shaping the 1,500 to 2,000 new products released every year   EveryPlate Shows the Key to a Truly Low-Cost Meal Kit Is Simplicity EveryPlate may offer fewer options and ingredients than competitors like HelloFresh, but that simplicity might be its greatest virtue.   ✚ Read more: The brand offers a genuinely low-priced meal kit with hearty and tasty meals—but some instructions are too bare-bones After More Than a Decade of Waiting, GTA VI Is Finally Around the Corner BY BOONE ASHWORTH We’re finally getting Grand Theft Auto VI, poised to be one of the largest gaming releases in history. The Busy Bar Is a Gadget to Get People to Leave You Alone BY BOONE ASHWORTH Flipper Devices, a company that built a banned hacking device, now wants to hack your attention span. ADVERTISEMENT Was this newsletter forwarded to you? Sign up to receive it for free here. Plus, find all of our newsletters here. You’re receiving this email because you signed up for the Gear newsletter from WIRED.   Manage your preferences  |  View our Privacy Policy  |  Unsubscribe   Have questions or comments? Send us a message. Need help? Contact us.   Copyright © Condé Nast 2026. One World Trade Center, New York, NY 10007. All rights reserved.