Courtesy of Joanna Stern; Tyler Le/BI
Gadgets have gotten pretty boring over the past few years. We've gotten a few unsuccessful attempts at AI devices. And every 12 months, we get a new iPhone that's basically indistinguishable from the last iPhone.Which makes the next few months pretty interesting. In September, Apple is expected to release its new operating system, featuring a fully revamped Siri that's supposed to be genuinely useful.And sometime in early 2027, we're expected to see the first gadget from OpenAI — a doughnut-shaped thing the size of a hockey puck that could cost $300 or more.I'm not sold at all on the OpenAI gadget, because I don't see how it will be meaningfully different from a phone without a screen. And I'm quite intrigued by the new Siri, because if it delivers on its promise, it will make my existing iPhone way more useful.But who cares what I think? What about professional gadget watchers, like Joanna Stern?Stern was the primary consumer technology columnist at The Wall Street Journal, where she succeeded the legendary Walt Mossberg. Now she's off doing her own thing — New Things, a video/newsletter operation that seems like it's off to a fast start.She's also spent a bunch of time thinking about OpenAI's yet-to-be-announced device, and playing with the new Siri. She's enthusiastic about both.
