We've been hearing for years that over-the-counter hearing aids will soon be great. They would look like headphones and appear completely inconspicuous socially; They can help you tailor the sound around you to your exact needs in any situation. It's a neat idea, but we haven't seen many products that back it up. It could all become a reality with a new software update coming to Apple's AirPods Pro 2 earbuds next week.
But before that, we need to talk about another health and wellness topic: smart rings. The edge's Victoria Song spent months wearing and testing two handfuls of smart rings to find out which was the best. She shares her insights, the reactions she received to her recent story on the topic, and the new Oura Ring that may be the new best choice.
After all the talk about wearables, we ask ourselves a question Vergecast Hotline (call 866-VERGE11 or email vergecast@theverge.com!) on a topic we've all thought about: Why doesn't someone just buy Nintendo? The edgeAndrew Webster explains why Nintendo is having such a hard time figuring out why any Company would like to buy it, and why that will probably never happen. Then, for fun, let's imagine a world where Apple buys the company. Would it be a win for everyone involved? Or anyone involved?
If you'd like to learn more about everything we discuss in this episode, here are some links to get you started, starting with smart rings:
And about the hearing health features of the AirPods: