Microsoft Build 2025 happened in Seattle this year, and I went there in person to see everything firsthand at the company's annual developer conference.

The big news was announced in Microsoft chief Satya Nadella's Monday keynote, and it was all about AI. Between Microsoft bringing DeepSeek R1 models to Windows 11 Copilot+ PCs and Microsoft 365 Copilot debuting new research tools for work, it's clear AI remains a key priority for the company's software and services.

And while we didn't hear anything about Windows 12, the many ways in which Microsoft is trying to work AI into Windows 11 dominated the conversation around Build.

You can read our blog updates below for all the Build news we covered. While Build isn't officially over until the end of the week (May 23), the lion's share of the interesting news was announced in the first two days. At this point, it's all developer networking and informative sessions about how companies can use Microsoft technology to do business more effectively.

But there were some exciting moments to see in the first keynote, which you can watch in full below as you scroll down to see our live blow-by-blow reporting about everything you need to know about Build 2025.

LIVE: LATEST UPDATES

What to expect from the keynote?

Microsoft Build will kick of this year with a two-hour keynote from CEO Satya Nadella and other execs discussing all the latest features and services Microsoft has been working on. And, spoiler alert, expect AI to be mentioned a lot.

Microsoft has spent the last year building out Copilot and this is where we'll hopefully see new features finally rolling out after spending several months in the preview stage. I'm expecting Copilot to be even further baked into Windows 11, giving users things like semantic search in areas of the operating system like Settings and File Explorer.

The keynote will kick off today (May 19) at 12PM ET/9AM PT/5pm BST

Will we hear about the Xbox handheld?

I'm very skeptical that Microsoft will reveal anything about its forthcoming Xbox handheld at Build this year. We know the device is currently in development with Asus but early rumors suggest Microsoft isn't doing any more than providing the Xbox UI.

Given how popular handheld gaming is right now, it's a safe way for Microsoft to experiment with Xbox without having to commit too many resources. Build is likely to be far more focused on Windows and Surface hardware than Xbox.

Still... considering Computex 2025 is also happening right now and there's likely to be a ton of cool handhelds breaking cover at that show, it would be nice if Microsoft could give us just a little tease at its own event...

Copilot agents

Back in September, Microsoft unveiled Copilot agents, which are basically AI assistants that can function autonomously to streamline various processes for you. The shift to agentic AI is probably going to be the next big thing for the industry and Microsoft will probably reveal more about how this is going to work at Build.

Agents are specialized and work within Microsoft 365 Copilot to organize and execute tasks on behalf of the user. So, you may have one agent tasked with searching out the right vacation location while another is scouring through archive documents as part of a research project you need to get done.

Microsoft has said users can @ mention the agent as you would any other teammate to ask questions and get real-time answers.

Microsoft's new Surface devices

Microsoft's Surface devices have dwindled a little in recent years, but the company's in-house laptops and hybrid 2-in-1s are still something of a head-turner. Redmond revealed details about its new Surface PCs earlier this month.

We've got a new 12-inch Surface Pro and a 13-inch Surface Laptop. They're both slightly smaller, lighter and less powerful than last year's models, but the upshot is they should last longer on a charge thanks to their lowered specs.

I guess if there's a silver lining here, it's that in a world of tariffs and rising prices, the new 2025 Surface Laptop 7 (13-inch) starts at $100 cheaper than the least expensive Surface Laptop 7 (13.8-inch). So, there's that.

• Read the full story: Microsoft unveils smaller, cheaper Surface Pro and Surface Laptop — everything you need to know

A possible new Microsoft-developed Copilot model

There have been some rumors that Microsoft is working on its own AI models to use in Copilot, rather than using those from ChatGPT-creator OpenAI. Currently, Copilot is built on OpenAI's GPT-4 model, so if Microsoft can break away from that — and show its own models are a compelling rival to OpenAI — the AI race will have taken another interesting turn.

Microsoft has invested up to $13 billion in OpenAI in a profit-share agreement and according to some reports, the latter is currently renegotiating the agreement ahead of plans to someday launch its IPO.

Microsoft therefore would probably do well to move its reliance away from OpenAI and develop its own models. We've already seen the Phi-4 model family announced at the start of this month.

Phone Link panel rolling out to Windows 11

Here's a small nugget of news ahead of Build kicking off today — Microsoft is making it easier to interact with your Android phone in Windows 11 by rolling out a dedicated Phone Link panel to the start menu.

Users will be able to find it on the right of the start menu with the panel showing things like your device's connection status and battery level. You'll also find buttons for direct access to messages, call history and image gallery.

If you're unfamiliar with Phone Link, it will even mirror your Android device's screen to your PC. Nice!

Windows 12 news is a long, long shot

Some industry analysts expected we may see our first glimpses of Windows 12 this year but instead we got the Windows 11 update 24H2, which introduced a load of new features. That being the case, I would not expect Windows 12 to get any kind of a mention at Build this year.

If and when Windows 12 does arrive, you can probably expect a fully-fledged shift to AI from the outset. But, with Windows 10 ending support on October 14, 2025, Microsoft will be much more concerned about migrating users over to Windows 11.

Microsoft Build officially kicks off!

And we are live with Microsoft Build 2025. Right now we're getting some pre-amble discussing developers' enthusiasm for working with AI. I think it's safe to say this is a pre-cursor to what expect during this event. If you're interested in AI, prepare for a ride!

Satya Nadella takes the stage!

And here we go! Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella is here to officially kick off Microsoft Build 2025. Again, this will be an AI-focused event where the company will detail the latest developments in its AI ambitions.

An interuption

As Satya speaks, it sounds like some protestors are trying to disrupt the show. However, the CEO is continuing his speech. Does anyone feel like this is deja vu? The same thing happened during Microsoft's previous event.

Coding agent

Microsoft now has a new coding agent available on GitHub. Said agent will further help developers with bug fixes. It can add filters for user group size, among other things. In short, this (like most stuff announced at Build) is meant to make developers' lives easier via AI.

Sam Altman joins virtually

OpenAI's Sam Altman joins Build virtually. This was expected given how closely Microsoft and OpenAI are working together.

Sam discusses the latest developments, including how AI agents can help take on larger workloads than before. Altman says models will become smarter and more reliable. Quoting Steve Jobs, Sam says these tools "will just work."

The pace of AI

Sam discusses how fast AI is developing and how people working with AI changed their workflow to compensate with all the changes. AI is in a different state now than even a year ago, so it should become more powerful going forward.

Microsoft 365 updates

We're now hearing about the latest Microsoft 365 updates. As expected, Microsoft's slew of apps is now driven by AI. AI agents analyze multiple source files to put expertise at a developer's fingertips, according to Nadella.

Onboarding new partners

Developers will be able to onboard new partners with the use of agents, which should help everyone get on the same page faster. This will be helped by a new program called Copilot tuning.

Testing the new Microsoft 365

Miti Joshi takes the stage to show off some new Copilot features for Microsoft 365. One new feature is how the AI agent can use reasoning in whatever field it's working in. It not only pulls from your work data, but also from the internet.

Some demos

Miti is now demoing how the server can keep the AI agent updated with the latest data. Agents can even work with each other to tackle more complex workloads.

Evolving apps

One of the themes of this event is that AI has to be useful for multiple and varied tasks instead of specializing in one area. This is something companies believe, given the vast number of partners Microsoft now has using its AI tools.

AI tools to help folks communicate

MyEngine is an AI tool that people with loss of hearing can use to communicate with others. This tool is even capable of understanding regional dialects so that it can be more accurate. This is an excellent way that AI can help folks outside of big business.

Grok is coming to AI Azure

Elon Musk makes an appearance to discuss Grok 3.5 and the partnership he has with Microsoft. Grok will now be available on Azure, which should make the platform more efficient.

Grok 3.5 will be more accurate

Grok 3.5 will use the laws of physics and help minimize error. This last point is important since AI can sometimes be incorrect, which can be detrimental for both developers and users.

Foundry models

Satya is now detailing all the different models that Microsoft is utilizing for its AI programs and tools. This is good so that developers aren't just relegated to using a single model for their work. This, in turn, should yield faster and more accurate work.

Using AI to help cancer patients

As you can imagine, there's a lot of information in a cancer patient's medical records. The healthcare AI agent helps bring together all this disparate information to help doctors. This information can also be shared with community hospitals, ensuring that information can get out to the world

Improving AI agents

Kedasha Kerr takes the stage to show off how developers can improve AI agents to help tasks like trip planning be more efficient. This can be done by using different AI models to give users better results, since they'll see fewer AI hallucinations.

Working on simultaneous issues

Thanks to Github Copilot, developers will be able to take on multiple issues at once and take care of them faster than before. This should help streamline one's work.

New Windows updates

Nadella announces Windows AI Foundry. Developers can use it to build features. It can run across CPUs, GPUs, the cloud, and more. This is something Microsoft has used internally, but is now making it available for all Windows 11 developers.

Creating desktop apps in minutes

Divya Venkataramu takes the stage to show off another demo. Like the previous demo, this AI agent takes info from various sources to complete tasks. It can talk to new forms of databases in Windows.

WSL is now open source

Nadella announces that WSL is now open source. This was a question developers have had for decades, and Microsoft can now answer with "yes."

The agentic web

Kevin Scott takes the stage to discuss what Microsoft calls the "agentic web." That's a fancy way of saying an AI-powered internet.

Smarter agents

One of this event's themes has been building smarter AI agents that can recall things you may have asked it to do in the past. This should not only make agents more personal, but also allow them to remember important aspects of the tasks developers need them for. This also includes having agents take actions on one's behalf

Using agents to build websites

This was already teased before, but AI agents can help developers create websites much faster than ever. In fact, they can create multiple websites in a fraction of the time.

Why the open agentic web is important

The idea for an agentic web is to make it more open to as many developers as possible. This should allow for more developers to be creative and thus make the web better for everyone.

AI for NFL Combine

The NFL Combine used Microsoft's AI tools to help it. This is another example of how well AI agents can gather information for users and developers.

Chat with your data

Being able to chat with data will be useful for developers and this is something they'll be able to do thanks to Microsoft's AI tools.

Nvidia and Microsoft

Nvidia's Jensen Huang makes a virtual appearance to discuss how computing now works. Huang details how much faster AI has gotten in recent years. The Nvidia founder also discusses how CUDA can help accelerate workloads and how it can handle different kinds of workloads.

Better weather prediction

Predicting the weather isn't easy since it requires a lot of supercomputing power. With Microsoft's AI tools, the hope is to make predicting the weather better. The aim is to build a cloud-based supercomputer specifically for weather prediction.

Microsoft Discovery

Microsoft Discovery will be a new AI tool to help further scientific innovations across a slew of scientific fields. This will not only be for theories but for real-world simulations.

Using Microsoft Discover for research

John Link takes the stage to demo how Microsoft Discover can create solutions by utilizing data across many AI models. To be specific, he wants to create a new cooling solution. He uses several data points to feed to the AI to build the right workflow to complete the task.

Actual results

The demo wasn't just for show, as Microsoft developed a new coolant using Microsoft Discovery. That, as John Link rightly said, is pretty cool.

Closing things out

Satya Nadella gives his final thoughts. Based on what we saw, Microsoft is working hard at creating better and faster AI for developers, which in turn can help create better tools for users.

Demo time

Now that the Build 2025 keynote is wrapped up it's time to do some demos.

Microsoft has set up a small showcase here in Seattle where spokespeople are talking up how the company's new AI tools and features can help companies run businesses more effectively and efficiently.

It's all AI all the time here at Build

Microsoft's all in on AI at Build this year, and all the demos are showcasing how the company's new AI tools can help make work more efficient.

Here I'm watching someone talk up the new Github Copilot Coding Agent, an AI agent that can be tasked to do things like fix bugs in your code.

Day 2 kicks off with a keynote for developers

Day 2 of Build 2025 is starting with a developer keynote that's going to get into far more technical detail than company chief Satya Nadella and crew went into during yesterday's inaugural keynote.

I'm sitting in the keynote right now with a room full of developers watching two Microsoft engineers showing off the new ways coders can use Github Copilot to take care of boring, repetitive tasks. It's pretty interesting, but only if you're a programmer or someone who works with programmers.

That's a wrap...for now

Now that Microsoft Build is in full effect and the Day 2 keynote is basically over, there's not much left to do but watch developers network in the halls and attend sessions throughout the conference center.

I'm going to hit the floor to see what demos I can check out, so we'll keep this blog going in case anything exciting crops up at Build 2025.

That's a wrap for me

Build 2025 is going to keep going for a few more days, but I'm not. I've got to catch a plane home, so after one last walk through the conference floor I'm going to wind down this blog and head to the airport. If it's not clear enough already, this year Microsoft was all about AI and helping its developer partners use Copilot and the company's other AI tools more effectively with less hassle.

Do you say “please” and “thank you” to Alexa? What about ChatGPT?

While AI assistants are designed to execute commands without the need for social niceties, a new survey suggests that a significant number of people still treat AI interactions with human-like politeness.

Whether out of habit, respect, or a cautious hedge against the possibility of an eventual robot uprising, our collective etiquette towards AI seems to be evolving. And this new data comes at an interesting time, as Amazon's big Alexa event is tomorrow, February 25th.

The rise of AI politeness

A new study conducted by Future Publishing with 510 participants from the US and 518 participants from the UK reveals that more than 55% of respondents say they consistently use polite language when interacting with AI, up from 49% in the previous survey.

This increase suggests that as AI becomes more integrated into daily life, more users are instinctively treating their virtual assistants as conversational partners rather than mere tools.

Some users even take their politeness to a humorous extreme. In the survey, 12% of respondents admitted that their courtesy stems from a tongue-in-cheek fear of a future “robot uprising,” a drop from 18% in the last poll.

While this response is clearly playful, it highlights the way AI is increasingly perceived as something more than just a faceless algorithm — it’s a presence in our homes, offices, and smartphones.

The bot etiquette skeptics

Not everyone believes in extending social graces to artificial intelligence. The number of respondents who take a more direct approach — choosing to forgo politeness for the sake of efficiency—has risen from 15% to 20%.

Another 13% state flatly that they don’t see AI as worthy of politeness, viewing it as no different from a kitchen appliance or any other inanimate tool.

This segment of users seems to embrace the core reality of AI: It doesn’t have feelings. Virtual assistants aren’t offended by blunt commands, and for many, taking the extra time to add “please” and “thank you” feels unnecessary.

Still, the rise in AI courtesy suggests that, for a growing number of people, speaking to AI without social norms feels unnatural.

What’s driving the AI attitude shift?

The increase in politeness towards AI could be due to several factors. As humans, we are hardwired to be polite. From childhood, we’re taught to be polite when making requests. For many, saying “Hey Siri, set an alarm, please” just feels more natural than issuing a cold directive.

Many parents model politeness when speaking to AI in front of their children, reinforcing respectful communication even in digital interactions. There’s a growing concern that children raised with AI assistants might learn to issue demands without courtesy, potentially influencing their real-world interactions with people.

As AI assistants become more sophisticated and natural-sounding, they feel less like basic tools and more like conversational entities. The more human-like the interaction, the more likely users are to default to typical social behavior.

Additionally, AI is taking on more responsibilities, from customer service to healthcare assistance, which may prompt people to subconsciously believe AI interactions carry more weight than in the past.

Being polite to AI today could be a sign of an emerging mindset where humans and AI collaborate more closely.

The future of AI interactions

The fact that more people are being polite to AI — even as others reject the idea —suggests that our relationship with technology is evolving. AI may not require politeness, but the way we interact with it could shape the way AI is designed in the future.

Will AI models be built to respond better to courteous users? Could AI-driven customer service prioritize helpfulness based on the politeness of the request?

Amazon is holding a devices and services event tomorrow, which undoubtedly means we're going to see a major Alexa upgrade. Either way, it's evident that this trend in etiquette towards AI reveals something about us as humans.

Whether out of habit, humor, or genuine respect, many people are choosing to treat AI interactions as they would human ones. And even if AI doesn’t appreciate the effort, it seems that more and more users do.

So, do you say “please” and “thank you” to your AI assistant? Share your thoughts in the comments.

More from Tom's Guide

• New study reveals people are ditching Google for AI tools like ChatGPT search — here's why
• Google launches AI-powered coding for free – here’s how to try it
• I just tested Grok-3 vs DeepSeek with 7 prompts — here’s the winner

The Samsung CES 2023 has kicked off at The Mandalay Bay Convention Center here in Las Vegas and mostly talked about the future of the connect home.

The show kicked off at 2 pm PST and can be viewed below. 

Just want the highlights? Scroll down below to see what was announced, when.

Catch up with Samsung's announcements at CES 2023 so far:

• Samsung unveils Micro LED TVs at CES 2023 — and we just found out how they’re making more sizes
• Samsung's new 57-inch ultrawide gaming screen is impressively ridiculous
• More than just flexible — this Samsung display also slides out
• Samsung S95C OLED TV hands on
• Samsung QN95C Neo QLED TV hands on

Looking for folding OLED displays? Samsung's got them. Check out the Flex Hybrid. Coming courtesy of Samsung Display, this device shows off a concept “smart mobile device” that has both a folding and sliding display.

Using this approach it takes a 10.5-inch display with a 4:3 aspect ratio and expands into a 16:10 12.4-inch screen. So not just adding more space but also transforming the shape of the screen.

While 10.5 inches is a little big for a smartphone, it’s not hard to see how this tech could be condensed down into a phone display and represent an evolution for folding phones. Don’t expect to see this on the potential Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5, but it could be a possibility for future folding Samsung phones and tablets.

Update: we're in our seats at Mandalay Bay. 30 minutes to showtime! 

The show is starting. We've got some catchy music in the background. 

JH Han takes the stage. Asked the question: "Are smart devices really making our lives easier?" Man, I don't know that's a tough one. Probably not.

Han talking about the Device eXperience team formation last year. The DX team is working hard to be create more sustainable products, reduce carbon emissions and create great experiences for Samsung customers.

Han's out. Vice President of Corporate Sustainability Inhee Chung is on next. 

Samsung will reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050. The DX division will be net zero by 2030 and powered by renewable energy by 2027. 

"Many of our phones and TVs include recycled materials ... As we move forward even more products will include recycled material."

Chung is out. This is a breakneck pace! ... And the next dude is done talking, too. 

OK, SmartThings. More than 80 million connected devices to SmartThings platform. Samsung is partnering with other companies to reduce emissions. 

The end goal is that Samsung wants to create a future where homes have solar panels and batteries on the side of the home to store energy.

Chung is now talking about the issue of micro plastics. Introducing Vincent Stanley from Patagonia to talk about the steps it's taken since last year's CES.

"Engineers went to work creating a washing machine that could filter out micro plastics ... That technology has now reached the commercial stage."

Apparently this can reduce micro plastic pollution by 54%. Already available in Bespoke washer and dryers. The filter will be available to all washing machines down the road.

Jaeyon Jung up now to talk more SmartThings. SmartThings will let you check a device's status remotely through the app (an old feature, but a neat one).

Samsung Home Monitor will send you an alert if it detects something out of the ordinary. The microphones on your TV can detect strange noises in the house. 

(Ed. Ooh, not sure if I like the sound of that. My TV is just listening for weird noises all the time?)

Alana Gomez-Solis up next. She's a Communications and Content Specialist at Samsung. Using PetCare on a Samsung TV, she can check in on her dog when she's at work when it detects barking. The AI vacuum cleaner can also clean while she's away so she comes back to a dander-free home.

Gomez-Solis is talking about all the use cases for SmartThings, including the ability to find new recipes for dinner, workout tracking on her Samsung Galaxy smart watch, etc... Multi-view allows her to watch multiple things at once, perfect for her roommate situation, I guess?

Jaeyeon Jung is back introducing the latest SmartThings hub, SmartThings Station. Smallest and most convenient smart hub yet. Can be programmed for a custom night routine when it detects your phone on the charger.

Jasper Vervoot on stage. Philips Hue are now able to sync with any content on Samsung smart TVs. It's an immersive experience that will work through the Philips Hue Sync TV app, available on iOS and Android tomorrow.

Knox Matrix is all about privacy. This is way outside my wheelhouse. But it sounds...safe? I've heard the words security, privacy and safety thrown around umpteen times in the last three minutes.

Samsung is partnering with Harman to create a safer experience. Harman Ready Care wants to reduce the amount of on-the-road fatalities. Harman's in-car sensors can track driver drowsiness and take preventative measures to keep you awake.

Ready Care can detect factors that create stress in drivers and can send reminders that you personalize to help keep you relaxed. It can change the volume of the music or the cabin light color to keep you calm.

(Ed. This sounds kind of annoying, tbh.)

More talk of the internet of things era with Sebastian Seung. He says we've entered the 'Personal AI era' - basically The Jetsons.

"The smart home of the future will understand objects in their context ... In that future you can just say 'Turn on the TV' and it will turn on the TV closest to you." Jetbot will clean up crumbs under the table when you have dinner. 

(Ed. Now this I could get behind, but still, big time security concerns.)

"We're investing in new forms of AI."

Last announcement of the show: Relumino Mode. This helps people with impaired vision see movies and content that they couldn't see before. A video is going with an amateur director who's visually impaired

"Relumino Mode helps people on the blindness spectrum connect with content ... and each other." It's a nice sentiment and a nice way to wrap things up.

The Future Tech Awards are here. The annual event has taken place right alongside CES 2021 with our entirely virtual “Innovation Week.” And, this latest awards event has been made possible by five special sponsors: HP Inc., Roborock, Thermaltake, Tello and Wondershare.

The Future Tech Awards event has been broken up into three categories: 

• Future Choice - The best products, as voted for by Future Tech's editorial committee
• Reader's Choice - The best products as voted for by Future Tech's readers 
• Future 50 - The top 50 tech people, across five key tech industry categories

Every year, we get a ton of new technology dropped in front of us. From the latest in big screen displays and compact smartphones to smart cars and smart vacuums that free our hands for less menial activities, there are new gadgets and software that standout at the forefront of the tech space, and the Future Tech Awards are there each year to recognize those products and the people behind them. Even though 2020 was a trying year for most, the tech industry pushed ahead.

“Despite what we might have expected, we are delighted to note that technology is expanding and advancing at a faster rate than ever before. 2020 saw the launch of dozens of incredible new computers, phones, speakers, games, and home automations,” said Keith Walker, Managing Director, Specialist Consumer Tech for Future. “In an all-digital format, this year’s Future Tech Awards will commemorate these advances and effectively set the stage for an even bolder 2021.”

“In this year when so many people have been spending more time at home as a result of the pandemic, smart home technologies can be genuinely helpful. For instance, robot vacuums help keep floors clean of dust, while smart door locks can eliminate the need to handle keys, preventing the risk of bringing the virus into the home,” Roborock Head of Brand Andy Knight explained. “Smart home devices from temperature controls to voice assistants take away many irritating chores and ‘must-dos’ leaving people free to focus on the things that bring them joy.”

With technology making our home life more convenient, we can then turn to more enjoyable activities. Entertainment has been especially important in the last year, and it will continue to be. That includes streaming video, of course, but gaming has also seen a boom recently.  

In response to that popularity, Thermaltake has chosen to expand their premium gaming offerings. "We have decided to create a gaming series that can be enjoyed at all levels, including visual, auditory, and tactility while providing users to game and compete at the highest levels. The ARGENT series is a concept about creating an ecosystem, the hardware, software, and even the illumination can evolve to a state-of-the-art level. A truly immersive gaming and art enjoyment!" said Kenny Lin, the CEO of Thermaltake.

Consuming entertainment content isn’t the only way people are spending their time. Some also turn to making their own content as a way to entertain themselves and others. Wondershare has been working to make that creative capability as easy as ever. "We are devoted to simplifying the video-making process so our users can free up time for creativity," says Tobee Wu, CEO of Wondershare. "Whether you're a YouTube creator, a small-business owner, or just making great videos for your friends and family, the all new Wondershare Filmora X will change the way creators interact with video editing."

For 2021, Future Tech Awards are an all-digital feature on all of Future’s relevant properties. You can see the winners now, so be sure to check out the best of the best from the Future Tech Awards here. 

You’ll be able to find all the latest from the Future Tech Awards in our new “Innovation Week” hub alongside the latest news from the entirely virtual CES 2021. We’ll keep you fully informed with multimedia content, exclusive technology partner programming, demos, news and video interviews. So, make sure you tune in here for for all the latest content from Future’s Innovation Week.

Think back to 2009. The iPhone was still in its infancy. The fastest networks were 3G. We all used wired headphones. And no one had a clue what an Alexa was.

Fast forward to the end of 2019, and a lot has changed in the technology landscape.

Smartphones have replaced cameras. Wireless earbuds have become ubiquitous. We're streaming Disney Plus and Netflix right to the palm of our hands and our 4K TVs. And asking Alexa pretty much everything that comes into our heads has become second nature.

And smartwatches like the Apple Watch — something that did not exist before this decade — are saving lives with the heart-health data they provide on the fly.

But it really hit me that we're entering a new decade as I conducted an interview for this very feature. As I asked questions, the Pixel 4's Recorder app transcribed what my interviewee was saying in real time. No, it's not as cool as a flying car or jetpack, but it was a truly amazing for me I didn't think possible 10 years ago.

The past decade has certainly seen the darker side of technology and its impact, including huge data breaches, privacy concerns around location tracking and especially Facebook's several violations of public trust. But on balance, I'm optimistic about what lies ahead.

As we hurtle toward a new decade of innovation that includes a 5G explosion, self-driving cars and augmented-reality glasses, it's important to take a step back to recognize the products that defined the last ten years.

After much internal debate here at Tom's Guide, here are the 15 best tech products of the decade. 

Sony A7R II (2015)

While Sony helped introduce the world to full-frame mirrorless cameras with the original A7R in 2013, Sony really nailed the design with its successor, the A7R II. Launched in 2015, the A7R II boasted a number of improvements that have become standard in the industry: a larger backside-illuminated 42.4MP sensor, in-body 5-axis image stabilization and full-width 4K video. All this in a camera that's much more compact than a typical DSLR. 

Other features that are just as good now as they were five years ago: An ISO range from 100-102400; a 399-point hybrid autofocus system; a 2.3-million-dot OLED electronic viewfinder (EVF), all housed in a weather-sealed magnesium alloy body. 

"Although backside-illuminated sensors (BSI) had been previously developed in much smaller smartphone image sensors, BSI in full-frame made it possible to enjoy high resolution and high sensitivity in a single camera – something which had not been previously available," said Mark Weir, senior manager of technology at Sony Electronics.

It would take Canon and Nikon another three years before they launched their own full-frame mirrorless cameras, and even against them, the A7R II still acquits itself well. 

"It speaks to the significance of the Sony A7R II that it's now two generations old and it's *still* an incredibly potent camera," said James Artaius, the editor-in-chief of Digital Camera World. "Compare most of the bodies on the market today with this mirrorless marvel from 2015 and it still packs a ton of features that are tough to match. The Sony A7R II took great pleasure in tearing up the rulebook nearly five years ago, and it remains one of the key chess pieces in Sony's spectacular gambit that saw it checkmate the supposed kings of full-frame imaging."

Since the release of the A7R II, Sony has launched two successors, the A7R III and the A7R IV, the latter of which has an even larger 61-MP sensor, a better autofocus system, faster shooting speeds and improved battery life. Even so, the A7R II remains a very potent camera, and now that’s it's less than $1,500, makes full-frame mirrorless photography even more accessible. — Mike Prospero

Xbox Game Pass (2017)

The idea of a "Netflix for games" has been a mostly elusive one chased by many gaming companies throughout the decade to mixed results. PlayStation Now launched in 2014, but it largely existed to deliver older PS3 games via the cloud when the PS4 was already red-hot. That same year gave us EA Access: an all-you-can-play vault of downloadable games, but one that was limited to EA properties such as Battlefield, Madden and FIFA.

Then Xbox Game Pass came around in 2017, and redefined what a gaming subscription could be.

"Our fans were telling us they wanted an easily accessible library of games, and combined with the ongoing popularity of subscriptions and memberships, saw an opportunity to deliver on that," said Ben Decker, head of Gaming Services Marketing at Microsoft.

Game Pass started as an Xbox One-exclusive service, offering access to more than 100 Xbox One games (and backward-compatible Xbox 360 games) for a $10 monthly fee. The library started off humbly enough, with first-party titles such as Halo 5 sitting alongside older fare like Mad Max and Saints Row VI. 

Then, in 2018, Microsoft made the radical decision to offer all of its first party games on Xbox Game Pass on the day of release, meaning subscribers could instantly jump into titles such as Sea of Thieves and Gears 5 as soon as they launched. 

But Microsoft wasn't done. In 2019, the company debuted Xbox Game Pass for PC, a PC-centric version of the service that includes first-party games as well as PC-centric fare like Cities: Skylines and Into the Breach. Better yet, the company also introduced Xbox Game Pass Ultimate: a $15-per-month service that gets you Game Pass for Xbox, Game Pass for PC and the console perks of Xbox Live Gold. That's a whole ton of games across two platforms for a low monthly fee.

Game Pass isn't just a great value –– it's also opened doors for titles that may have not found an audience otherwise. Hit indie survival game Outer Wilds debuted on Game Pass to huge critical and fan praise in the summer of 2019, spreading with the same feverish word of mouth that a hot Netflix show does. According to an internal Microsoft survey, 91% of Game Pass members have played a game they wouldn't have otherwise tried without the service.

"There are some great games that require a base number of players for an optimal experience; without a huge marketing budget, these titles may struggle to ensure high visibility and adoption at launch," Decker said. "With Xbox Game Pass, titles such as Laser League and Blair Witch have the potential to reach millions of players at release, which helps contribute to the overall health of the game."

Perhaps most important, Xbox Game Pass already sets up Microsoft well for next year's console wars, when the Xbox Series X will go up against the PS5 in late 2020. With a huge library of backward-compatible games, eventual Project xCloud support and upcoming titles like Halo: Infinite on the roster, Game Pass seems poised to ensure that both current and future Xbox platforms are packed with great games to play for an accessible price. — Mike Andronico

LG OLED TV 55EA9800 (2013)

LG's first OLED TV was sold in 2010, and other companies had made a handful of OLED TVs back as far as 2007, but it was the 2013 LG OLED 55EA9800 that really changed the game for the TV world. And change it has. OLED technology has become the yardstick by which we measure all displays by, thanks to its perfect black levels, infinite contrast and incredible slimness.

The 55EA9800 was the first OLED TV to land in the US, and it grabbed lots of attention back in 2013. At that time, comparisons were made to plasma displays – remember those? – but at $9,999, it was still a truly premium product. 

The 55-inch OLED TV was revolutionary. It was the first big-screen implementation of OLED technology, which had been limited to much smaller TVs and device displays in the years prior. While 55 inches wasn't the biggest TV option available, it was definitely the biggest OLED to date.

But the 55EA9800 wasn't impressive solely for its size. This TV was packed with features, including a number of faddish offerings that you won't find on many sets today, like a curved screen, a number of 3D options (glasses included) and stunning transparent speakers embedded in the TV's clear acrylic stand.

Although many of the 55EA9800's most attention-grabbing features have faded into history as the fads of 3D and curved TVs have fallen by the wayside, the central promise of LG's first big OLED TV still holds: This will look amazing. Six years later, and the current offerings from LG remain at the top of the TV pyramid. The LG C9 OLED is at the top of our best TV list, and the LG Signature Z9 88-inch 8K OLED pushes the humble OLED TV to dimensions and resolutions that were positively fantastical only six years ago.

"OLED has been a game changing technology for LG and a catalyst to drive innovation in the industry," said Stephen Baker, vice president of industry analysis at NPD Group. He points out how OLED's ascendancy has also spurred other industry players like Samsung to innovate to stay competitive. We may owe LG's OLED thanks for the explosion of quantum-dot technology used to make LCD sets look brighter, and with better color.

And LG's current fortunes owe a lot to that first OLED set. Since 2013 LG has sold more than 5 million units. That's still a relatively small portion of the overall TV market – it's roughly 1% of the 220 million TVs sold each year – but the OLED sets make up more than one-third of the premium TV market, where sets cost $2,500 or more.

Other display technologies threaten to overtake OLED, including micro LED, which is being embraced by Samsung. But OLED ruled this decade, and its reign will likely continue for some time. — Brian Westover

Roku 3 (2013)

Streaming players have become so common in the past five years, we take them almost entirely for granted. It goes without saying that you can connect a device to either a 2.4 Ghz or 5 Ghz Wi-Fi network, then search across dozens of channels to find what you want to watch, then plug in your headphones and listen to your content without waking up the rest of the house. But up until the Roku 3 came out in 2013, these weren't common features. In fact, media players before then looked a little primitive by comparison.

"This was the first big introduction of our new user interface, and also the new introduction of our headphone jack," said Lloyd Klarke, director of product management at Roku. "The Roku 3 allowed you to very quickly search across channels, and within channels. The other thing it introduced that no other player had done before was the headphone jack for private listening."

Although the Roku 3 was arguably ahead of its time, customers embraced it right away. "It's a five-star product," Klarke said. "Customers loved it. It was probably the best embodiment of Roku. Find your channels fast, find something to watch quickly and enjoy it."

Almost everything that viewers love about streaming gadgets in general, and Roku products in particular, debuted in the Roku 3. There was the customizable Roku OS, which let users arrange their favorite apps into convenient rows, in whichever order they wanted. There was dual-band Wi-Fi for faster buffering and more reliable video signal. But the biggest addition was the headphone jack in the remote control — still a staple feature in high-end Roku devices.

"Private listening took something we saw in the home that was a pain point and made it simple and easy to use," Klarke explained. "If you want to watch something and not disturb others, or someone else wants to watch something and you don't want to be disturbed, private listening solved that in the home. 

"No settings, no configuration, nothing to do except plug in a set of headphones, and Roku did the rest for you. WE automatically diverted the audio for you to your remote control; we took care of the audio-video sync. We made it as simple as plugging in a headphone jack."

In fact, when I asked what's next for Roku, Klarke was keen to highlight how many strides the company has made with audio tech recently. The Roku Wireless Speakers, Roku Smart Soundbar and Roku Subwoofer are a logical evolution of the headphone jack: they simplify streaming tech by marrying high-quality sound to an intuitive Roku interface.

There were good streaming players before the Roku 3, and even better ones afterward. But this one would set the standard going forward. — Marshall Honorof

Xbox Adaptive Controller (2018)

The gamepad is a familiar game controller for players around the world, But because it requires two hands, all 10 fingers and full mobility, some players can’t use it. In response to this, Xbox revealed the Adaptive Controller to the world in 2018. It is the first officially made controller with fully customizable input methods, which lets users create a setup that perfectly meets their needs and play games as freely as the rest of the world.

"Our main goal when creating the Xbox Adaptive Controller was to design a product that was easy to use, affordable and readily available," said Gabi Michel, senior program manager at Microsoft. "We set out to empower gamers around the world and give them the opportunity to play the games they want, with the people they want, on the devices they want."

The Adaptive Controller began life as a project created during an internal Microsoft hackathon in the spring of 2015, inspired by stories of military veterans who struggled to use the standard Xbox controller, as well as building on the prior work of gaming accessibility interest groups. While there have been controller options available for gamers unable to use a standard controller fully, these were not mainstream products. "Frequently, custom rigs cost just as much as, if not more than a gaming console, and typically require technical expertise to build," Michel said.

It took three years of work and collaboration with experts and gamers before the Adaptive Controller as we know it was ready for users to buy. 

After its launch (on Global Accessibility Awareness Day), the Adaptive Controller was lauded for its design philosophy, and how well it was executed. The team is still continuing to work on the project though. "We’re passionate about accessibility and are excited to continue on this journey," Michel said. "We haven’t reached our end destination."

Microsoft recently announced the new Xbox, the console that will take over from the Xbox One and take on the PlayStation 5. When I asked about the future of the Adaptive Controller, Michel said that "we [will] continue our commitment to compatibility." — Richard Priday

Galaxy Note (2011)

With a 5.3-inch screen, the original Galaxy Note seems puny compared with today's mega phablets, but it absolutely dwarfed the iPhone 4s back in October 2011. This was a big gamble on Samsung's part, and it ultimately pioneered an entire category of big-screen phones — despite many critics who initially poked fun of the Note's imposing size.

"We knew that what we created was good when we put it in the hands of the first Note consumers…because they could do things and accomplish things that they can't anywhere else," said Suzanne De Silva, head of mobile product management and marketing at Samsung. 

Those things included delivering a lot more web pages without having to scroll, a more immersive viewing experience when watching video, thanks to a colorful HD Super AMOLED display, and Samsung's new S Pen, which let users do everything from sign PDFs to jotting down ideas on the go.

The Galaxy Note evolved during the 2010s and debuted several more innovations as the screen grew, including Multi Window multitasking with the Galaxy Note II (5.5 inches), the Galaxy Note Edge with curved display (5.6 inches) and a screen-off memo feature and clickable auto-eject S Pen button with the Galaxy Note 5 (5.7 inches).

The Note line took a near-tragic turn in 2016 with the Galaxy Note 7, which had to be recalled due to a number of fires and faulty batteries. But Samsung roared back with the Note 8, which delivered a whopping 6.3-inch display along with a telephoto camera with Live Focus mode. Today'.s Galaxy Note lineup gives users two options: large (6.3 inches) in the Galaxy Note 10 and extra large with the Note 10 Plus (6.8 inches). But both devices are remarkably compact given their screen sizes.

The Galaxy Note franchise has been so successful in taking big-screen phones mainstream that there are rumors that Samsung could sunset the brand. But Samsung has learned that the Note customer has very specific needs compared with the Galaxy S line.

"When we ask these consumers, 'What do you prioritize as the No. 1 thing you're looking for when you purchase your device?' said De Silva," time and time again, the Note consumer will say it is the S Pen. It is the productivity, the creativity. A lot of it has to do with not just what the Note brand has stood for over the decade, but also how we bring it together with the hardware and software." — Mark Spoonauer

Sling TV (2015)

By 2015, streaming services like Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Video had successfully demonstrated that viewers didn't need expensive cable or satellite subscriptions to enjoy high-quality television and movies. However, live TV was still a bit of a problem. While an HD antenna could pick up some of the slack for local channels, shows like The Walking Dead, Better Call Saul and Mad Men remained locked behind cable packages that could top $100 per month.

Enter Sling TV: a streamlined subscription service from satellite TV provider Dish. This service promised a relatively bare-bones cable replacement package, with only 14 channels at launch. But here's the kicker: The channels were generally the ones that viewers wanted most, and the service cost only $20 overall.

For the first time, users could live-stream paid channels without locking themselves into an expensive, complicated contract with a cable or satellite provider. Sling TV offered AMC, ESPN, the Food Network, Cartoon Network, the Disney Channel, AMC and El Rey, ensuring that there was a little something for everyone.

However, 14 channels and a low introductory price could take a service only so far. The really clever thing that Sling TV did was offer users à la carte channel packages for reduced prices. You could buy a handful of extra channels for an additional $5 to 15 fee, depending on what you wanted to watch. There were movie channel bundles, sports bundles, kids bundles and even foreign-language bundles. Twenty dollars wouldn't buy you absolutely everything you wanted to watch — but maybe $25 or $30 would, without an additional $70 wasted on stuff you'd never want to watch.

Over the years, Sling TV has become more robust, more expensive and a little more confusing. The service now starts at $25, and is divided into Orange and Blue tiers, depending on what kind of programming you want. 

It's also no longer the only cable-replacement service in town. Since Sling TV debuted, it's been joined by the likes of Hulu with Live TV, AT&T TV, YouTube TV and PlayStation Vue (which is on the way out). However, Sling deserves credit for having a better interface and pricing structure than most of its competitors — and simply outlasting the others.

The TV market is in the process of fracturing again, as individual networks try to carve out their own content and sell users on boutique services, such as CBS All Access and the upcoming HBO Max. Will Sling TV fall by the wayside as users pick and choose their favorites — or become more valuable than ever by concatenating a variety of channels? We'll know for sure in a few years. — Marshall Honorof 

Dell XPS 13 (2016)

For a long time, everyone in the laptop market was trying to keep up with Steve Jobs and Jonny Ive. For years, Apple'[s MacBook Air was the best laptop, combining a heady mix of portability and power. But in 2015, Dell emerged from the crowded pack of MacBook clones and never looked back. It was lightweight. It was powerful. And it was nearly bezel-free. It was the Dell XPS 13, and the start of a new age. 

The XPS brand had been around since 1994 in many different variations. But the modern version of the XPS 13 we all know and love, came on the heels of the 2010 Dell Adamo XPS' failure. But according to Donnie Oliphant, senior director of product marketing for XPS, "that failed brand attempt for us was probably the best thing that could have ever happened for the XPS brand." It set the stage for a total brand relaunch that started with the 2012 XPS 13, then code-named Spider. With a mission of "delivering the absolute best products...within the consumer space," Dell continued to tweak the design with the target firmly set on Apple's consumer base — the premium market.

It was a feat that seemed impossible; Dell essentially had to out-Apple Apple. But at CES 2015, Dell caught lightning in a bottle, unveiling the first Dell XPS 13 with the InfinityEdge display. Formerly code-named Dino, the 2015 13-inch was a jaw-dropping beauty that claimed the title of the world's smallest 13-inch notebook. By eliminating the thick bezels, Dell shrank the XPS 13's profile by 23%. 

InfinityEdge wasn’t developed in a bubble. After receiving a challenge from the leadership to put a 13-inch platform into an 11-inch frame, the XPS team teamed with Sharp to create the innovative panel. It combined Dell's desire for a super-aggressive, close to zero bezel panel with Sharp's energy-saving EXO technology, which allows the panel to run higher resolutions more efficiently. After the first panel, Dell refined the color gamut, tweaking brightness and improving the viewing angles. 

"[T]hat's where Infinity Edge was derived from," Oiliphant said. "It basically was no compromise, the most aggressive mechanical packaging we could put together. And then, let's bundle this with a group of other technologies that would really differentiate our product."

However, that new svelte figure and eye-popping display didn't come without a noticeable compromise. The webcam was moved from the top bezel into the bottom, which for a few years was derisively referred to as a "nosecam." Funnily enough, several laptop manufacturers copied Dell's polarizing design choice. Not shying away from criticism, Dell used it to create a 2-millimeter webcam, making it the world's smallest.

"It was a painful few years, but we did get past it," Oliphant said, "and we appreciate the customers who stuck with us during that trying time for those that didn't appreciate the nose cam."

By learning from its mistakes and never resting on its laurels, Dell has become an undeniable trendsetter. Bezel-free laptops are now so common, the trend has made its way to gaming laptops. Dell has established a dynasty five years strong, and shows no signs of slowing down. — Sherri L. Smith

iPad (2010)

The iPad bookended the 2010s with its original model launching on April 3, 2010, and a trio of iPads arriving in 2019 following an excellent iPad Pro update in 2018. Originally criticized for just being a bigger iPhone, the iPad has thrived (while most Android tablets died) by both diverging from Apple's phone and keeping what makes it great. 

While many Android tablets are priced at cheaper levels, the iPad won by being worth its price. Consumer tech analyst Avi Greengart of Techsponential has a pretty simple reason for why the iPad's won: "It has a much better user experience," which you can tell by using it. Unlike Amazon's more affordable Fire tablets, which have always been kind of slow, the iPad, and especially its Safari web browser, have always been snappy.

And just like the iPhone, the iPad's popularity can be tied to the quality of its apps. Over the years, Greengart notes, the iPad's "apps have been in almost all cases, re-designed to take full advantage of the tablet's real estate, whereas most Android apps on tablets are blown up phone apps that don't have the right density of information." Making the most of a big screen also happens on the couch, as the iPad thrives in a space where it's OK that you've got something that's larger than a phone, but still want something more comfortable than a whole laptop.

With regard to their endurance, Greengart told me "Apple should also be commended for supporting its iPads and phones for longer than — I would say rivals, but there aren't many rivals to the iPad at this point. If you just think of Android phones and tablets, Apple updates its software for much longer than the competition, and that leads to consumers using them for longer periods of time."

While Apple would love for people to upgrade their devices frequently, one of my favorite things about iPads in general is how long they last. My parents love their 4th Generation iPad, which came out in 2012, and have been for years. 

And with the advent of iPadOS in 2019, Apple's tablet has become a bit more future-proof, with better multitasking tricks, mouse support and other power-user features. Apple’' continuing to position the iPad as a laptop replacement, and more of these features give the public reason to consider that argument (if they haven't bought in already). — Henry T. Casey

Apple Watch Series 4 (2018)

When Apple released the first Apple Watch in spring 2015, reviews of the smartwatch were mixed. The seamless iPhone integration was useful for notifications, and there were a few neat features, including the ability to scribble quick iMessages. But the device wasn't really a must-have.

"My first reaction was: That’s it?" said Ramon Llamas, an IDC research director who covers wearables. "There were a lot of people, myself included, who thought this is the device that will raise the entire market. The mistake that I made is that I thought it would happen immediately."

With the Apple Watch Series 4 just three years later, Apple hit its smartwatch stride. Not only did Apple for the second time offer a cellular option for people who want a watch that can be used on its own without an iPhone, but the Series 4 also baked in a slew of health and fitness features, including two that were cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for diagnosing irregular heart rhythm. A fall-detection feature could sense a tumble and then alert emergency services.

People were already attributing the Apple Watch Series 3, which offered low and high heart rate alerts, with saving their lives. The Series 4's built-in electrical heart rate sensor, which can diagnose atrial fibrillation when paired with the watch's ECG app, cemented its status as an essential health device. Apple CEO Tim Cook regularly shares stories he's heard, on-stage at Apple events and on his Twitter account, from Apple Watch owners about the impact the watch has had on their lives.

"I think it's a rarity within the realm of technology that you can establish some sort of emotional connection to a device," Llamas said. "You take away my smartphone from me and I'm gonna feel kind of like a fish out of water. In the case of the watch, Apple's playing the angle of this as a lifesaver, and connecting the dots as to why."

Though other companies were working on smartwatches long before Apple, the Cupertino company now dominates the market. Apple's wearables division (which also includes AirPods) would be a Fortune 200 company if spun out on its own.

Those other companies are now playing catch-up: Samsung just put an electrocardiogram sensor in its newest smartwatch, the Galaxy Watch Active 2, and Google acquired Fitbit, presumably in a bid to compete with Apple. Cellular connectivity is no longer impossible to come by in a smartwatch. The Series 4 proved that smartwatches could do so much more than deliver notifications to your wrist, or even make phone calls. They can diagnose disease, making them so much more than the simple accessories they once were. — Caitlin McGarry

Instagram (2010)

No app satiates our scrolling compulsions quite like Instagram. When the social media platform debuted in 2010, its signature filters and grid layouts didn't feel exclusive to photographers. With improving smartphone cameras, anyone could share snippets of their life in tiny squares.        

"At the time, Instagram gave us a dedicated channel to express and follow experiences and moments and thoughts of people in a simple, but compelling platform," said Brian Solis, independent digital analyst studying digital experience, innovation and disruption and best-selling author. "It was a simple visual medium when most social networks were text-based."

Instagram today looks different than it did 10 years ago. A modern white-and-black platform replaced the original blue-and-gray scheme. It has also evolved over time to keep its user base active, while luring new 'grammers with the key features from competing social media networks. 

"Instagram has embraced a fast-follow strategy, meaning it looks at trends from emerging rivals to mimic those capabilities," Solis said. "Like Stories from Snapchat, for example. It prevents people from leaving"”

Depending on your niches, Instagram feels personal and special. I'm able to absorb content from cheese plate artists, labrador owners and calligraphers that speak to my interests. But for some, the social network harvests a complicated culture of chasing likes.

"There's an underbelly of FOMO," Solis said. "Instagram inadvertently creates a sense of comparison economies. Over time, that erodes things like self-esteem and satisfaction."

In the last year, though, Instagram has been experimenting with hiding likes on posts. The move may trouble influencers or those who earn financial gain from their social engagement. But it may be what propels Instagram against fast-rising competitor TikTok as we begin the next decade.

"All eyes are on Instagram to emulate the TikTok experience to keep people from losing interest," Solis said. "Likes on TikTok are starting to erode the positive experience. In an accelerated period of time the optimism of the platform has faded." 

Instagram has managed to maintain its relevance for 10 years now, and there's no reason to suspect it's going anywhere anytime soon. — Kate Kozuch

AirPods (2016)

Admit it, when you first saw the Apple AirPods, you giggled a little. And who could blame you? Apple's grand entry into the wireless earbuds looked like EarPods, but with the wires lopped off. The jokes were flying. But here I am writing about why the AirPods are one of the top products of the decade.

In the tech world, it's been said that a product category hasn't arrived until Apple takes a crack at it (see smartphones, tablets, smartwatches). And so it went for the truly wireless earbuds space. At the onset of the category, I had reviewed my fair share of strong products and vaporware, but when the first generation AirPods debuted, the market seemed to solidify, inspiring other heavy hitters to enter the industry.

Tim Bajarin, Creative Strategies analyst, said that Apple's entry into the space was all but inevitable. "It goes back to Steve [Jobs]'s, incredible love for music and the desire to have that music heard in the greatest quality possible."

But what is it about the AirPods that makes them so special? Apple's particular brand of je n'ais ce quoi lies in its simplicity. Pairing the AirPods with the iPhone was so simple it seemed like magic, thanks to Apple's revolutionary W1 chip. Plus, it didn't hurt that the AirPods actually delivered surprisingly good audio quality and 5 hours of battery life (24 hours with the charging case). It made the weird design less of an issue. 

"[O]ne of the things that we've understood in the tech sector for a long time," Bajarin said, "is that people will buy based on need as opposed to style the majority of the time...Apple has always designed for what they believe the customer needs and what the customer wants." 

Apple continued to fine-tune the formula with the 2nd Gen AirPods, maintaining the design, but doubling down on the functionality. The new, improved AirPods were outfitted with Apple's new H1 chip, making switching between devices even faster while letting wearers simply say "Hey, Siri" to chat with Apple's assistant.

But something was missing. Something consumers had been asking for since the first AirPods debuted -–– noise cancelling. Apple finally gave people what they wanted late this year with the AirPods Pro. Does it shut out all noise? No, but it's a massive improvement. In addition to ANC and Transparency modes, Apple finally added eartips to the mix to give listeners a secure, comfy fit. There's even a hearing test to make sure you're wearing the right set of tips. Apple was even kind enough to change up the design and make the buds a little less conspicuous with shorter stems.  

So what's next for the AirPods? Bajarin believes the ubiquitous buds will be the company's first foray into augmented reality as a complementary component to a pair of glasses. He speculates that the AirPods will evolve into some sort of lightweight bone-conduction earphones that will allow for a more immersive experience.

"[T]hat's why I believe that if you look at it, I actually think that part of the rationale behind building the AirPods in the first place was with a long-range vision that this would be connected via critical hardware component of their long-term AR strategy."

Wherever Apple takes the AirPods in the future, one thing is certain: The tiny white earbuds have made an indelible mark on the wearables landscape. — Sherri L. Smith

Nintendo Switch (2017)

Nintendo didn’t exactly own the gaming conversation for most of the 2010s. The popular, family-friendly Wii was on its way out, and while 2011's Nintendo 3DS handheld thrived through a whole decade, Nintendo needed a home console contender. That ended up being 2012's Wii U: a confusing, gimmicky console that featured a giant tablet as its primary controller, and one that was already behind the looming PS4 and Xbox One in  power. 

It felt as if Nintendo's next generation of hardware would be a make-or-break one for the company. And when the Nintendo Switch arrived in March 2017, it was overwhelmingly the former. 

The concept is simple: a small tablet that can be used as a TV console when connected to a dock, or taken on the go as a handheld or tabletop machine thanks to a set of detachable Joy-Con controllers. You can binge on The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild on your couch, undock the Switch, and pick up right where you left off on the subway. You can also stand the Switch up, slide off the Joy-Cons, and enjoy instant multiplayer in titles like Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.

However, even the most brilliant gaming hardware is useless without great games, and despite a relatively slow start, the Switch eventually amassed one of the most impressive libraries of all time. 

"One of the most important factors when launching the Nintendo Switch system was making sure we could ensure a strong lineup of launch software and a steady pace of software," said Charlie Scibetta, senior director of corporate communications at Nintendo, when asked about what lessons the company learned from the Wii U era. "We made various efforts with both our internal software development and with third-party partners to make this happen."

And make it happen Nintendo did. Tentpole titles like Breath of the Wild, Super Mario Odyssey and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate were eventually joined by seemingly impossible ports of Skyrim, Dark Souls and The Witcher 3. The Switch quickly became the de-facto portable indie game machine, thanks to a constant drip of beloved smaller games such as Celeste and Untitled Goose Game. Heck, even rival console maker Microsoft is supporting the Switch with such titles as Minecraft, Cuphead, and Ori and the Blind Forest. 

With a brilliant concept and a steady flow of great games, the Switch was able to surpass the Wii U's lifetime sales after just a year on shelves, and the system has sold more than 40 million units at the time of this writing. The Switch platform has also evolved, with Nintendo launching a dedicated handheld version of the console in September 2019, dubbed the Switch Lite. to capture the 3DS crowd. And with titles such as Animal Crossing: New Horizons, Breath of the Wild 2 and Metroid Prime 4 in the pipeline, it’s showing no signs of slowing down.

Nintendo might have begun the 2010s stumbling, but thanks to the Switch, it's starting the 2020s on top. — Mike Andronico

Apple iPhone 4 (2010)

The number of firsts to the iPhone 4's name is almost too long to list.

This was the first iPhone with a front-facing camera and FaceTime for video calls; the first with an A-series processor designed by Cupertino in-house; the first with a high-resolution Retina Display; and the first smartphone with a glass-and-aluminum sandwich design. The rear camera was accompanied by a flash for the first time as well, and iOS 4, the operating system that the iPhone 4 launched with, was the first version to allow app multitasking.

Of course, smartphones existed before the iPhone 4. However, this was an inflection point. Modern phones owe more to the iPhone 4 than any other device. Everything we expect and associate with the mobile experience — the razor-sharp displays, the design-forward attitudes, the evolution of the phone as a symbol of luxury and craftsmanship, not to mention the very idea of a smartphone as a camera as much as a communications device — we owe all to the iPhone 4.

"The iPhone 4 is most significant to me as being Apple's first 'camera,'" Rene Ritchie, Apple analyst and iMore editor-in-chief, said. "Previous iPhones had cameras. The iPhone 3GS famously added video. But the iPhone 4 was the first in what began a long line of really camera-centric keynote presentations for new iPhones.

"Looking back, I think we'll be able to trace a direct line from the iPhone 4's emphasis on cameras to the iPhone 7 and now iPhone 11 in being really almost camera-first. And among the best in the industry," Ritchie said.

The iPhone 4 isn't just remembered fondly for what it could do; it's relevant for what it stood for. Design was always a pillar of Apple's product philosophy, but the iPhone 4's workmanship was simply on another level. Where previous iPhones predominantly used plastic, the iPhone 4 bonded two slabs of strengthened glass with an aluminum frame for the first time. It looked unlike anything else back in 2010 — it was beautiful.

"The very Leica- and Brawn-esque design blew me away when I first held it," Richie recalled. But, of course, the iPhone 4's unique construction also proved to be its most crippling flaw, because the breaks in the aluminum band necessary for the phone's antennas could be easily obscured by the user's hand.

"Antennagate is, for me, the example of the quintessential Steve Jobs' Apple," said Carolina Milanesi, Creative Strategies analyst,. "Only Jobs could have pulled off 'You are holding it the wrong way.' I always point to that when I look at how different Apple is now under Tim Cook, where the admission of missteps are a little more forthcoming."

Ritchie agreed, calling to mind the infamous Gizmodo prototype leak that preceded Apple's launch by two months as another example of the company's growing pains on its way to being the preeminent player in the mobile industry.

"I think both the left-it-in-a-bar iPhone 4 and antennagate opened Apple's eyes to the realities of being both a consumer and not just computer tech company, but also a mobile device manufacturer," Ritchie said. "They weren't handled gracefully at all, but they forced Apple to grow and understand the risks and the responsibilities that would come with their new business opportunities." — Adam Ismail

Amazon Echo Dot (2016)

Since Amazon unveiled the Echo Dot in 2016, the small smart speaker has disrupted homes well beyond making parents hesitate on naming children Alexa. Priced at a comfortable $49.99, the stationary hockey puck helped propelled voice assistants into the mainstream and changed how we interact with technology forever.

"The price point was pivotal to the general adoption of voice assistants in the home," said Eric Turkington, vice president of strategic partnerships for AI-voice solutions consultancy Rain. "The Echo Dot price was a quarter of the first Echo speaker. It presented a lower barrier to entry so many people could buy them."

With the Echo Dot Amazon introduced a new experience: a low-cost, hands-free and home-based device that connects users to thousands of skills and services. Alexa's superpowers span audio providers, interactive games and organizational assistance. You can ask for traffic conditions, get a daily news briefing, create shopping lists and more. 

The Echo Dot's influence has given way to a number of smart-home developments, too. Connected gadgets like smart lights, smart locks and smart plugs make more sense to manufacture, sell and buy when it's expected you’ll have a smart speaker to control them. 

There are 35 million U.S. smart homes or residences that hold networked devices and related services that enable home automation through either voice, app or third-party hub control. In 2016, when the Echo Dot debuted, there were just 15 million reported smart homes.

"The Echo Dot has been a transformative consumer product for voice assistants and smart homes," Turkington said. "People are buying them as a way to blanket their homes in voice assistant accessibility."

In 2019 Amazon, as well as Google and Apple, faced backlash over transparency in privacy policies when it was discovered that humans review voice recordings for quality feedback. The companies have since doubled down on privacy measures by expanding user data controls. 

"Privacy has been a significant concern in the voice space, but hasn't necessarily dampened the tide of device sales," Turkington said. "We’re still seeing voice-enabled products among the top consumer sales."

Amazon's Echo offerings span sizes, prices and practical uses, but none hits the same sweet spot as the Dot. It provides smarts and solid sound in a compact, affordable package. And it only gets better with age: We gave the third-generation Echo Dot a perfect rating in our review. — Kate Kozuch

I never thought I'd get an Apple Watch — or any wearable, really. The idea of being handcuffed to data and information felt more unbearable than helpful. Today, I stand (to hit my Apple Watch Stand goal) in front of you as a smartwatch convert. I wear an Apple Watch Series 5 every day, and now I can't believe I was so wrong. 

Yes, even though I wrote about how I was skipping the Apple Watch Series 5 back in September, I've become a superfan. What happened? Well, it's all about age and learning to love information on your wrist.

Changing my mind

After I wrote that article, the reply guys showed up, defending their wearable of choice. And for once, they were right. It didn't hurt that, as the weeks passed between Sept. 14 and my late-October birthday, my anxiety about aging crept up on me.

Age might not be anything but a number, but knocking on the door of my 35th birthday, I wasn't (and am still not) in my ideal physical condition. And while I've been dumb enough to snack mere hours before my bedtime, I'm smart enough to realize that the older I get, the harder it will be to do something about my body. 

And then I got the chance to split the price of the watch, thanks to my parents asking what I wanted for my birthday. So, I went to work, figuring out that the 44mm Watch looked right on my wrist and that the Space Gray Aluminum case and Midnight Blue Sport Loop fit with practically everything in my wardrobe.

Fitness-tracking: Counting calories and filling rings

I took to the Apple Watch's Activity rings exactly as intended: a challenge that I had to live up to every day. The Apple Watch visualizes your physical activity (tracking your movement, exercise and standing) with three rings that fill throughout the day. Fortunately, the early default settings I found myself working toward — 790 calories for Move, 30 minutes for Exercise and 12 hours for Stand — were easily achievable, so much so that I always exceeded my Move goal by at least 30%.

On that first day, I completed the Move and Exercise rings thanks to a lot of walking, which I had already planned to do because that night was going to center around a delicious, but caloric, night of eating at my favorite restaurant, Emily West Village (get to know their Detroit-style pizza). I have a standing desk, so filling the Stand ring wasn't an issue.

The Apple Watch is the first fitness tracker I've ever had, so I decided to supercharge my health tracking by finally doing something I had dreaded for years: counting calories. In the MyFitnessPal app, I'm logging my food and workouts to see if I'm reaching the calorie deficit I need to lose weight.

But as much as I want to change my body, I know what I like and enjoy in life, and I don't know if I could make this change at the expense of enjoying tasty food. So, on Nov. 3, when I knew the Popeye's chicken sandwich was coming back, I went hard on exercise to increase the amount I could eat. By the time I strolled up to that chicken shack, I'd put in 35 minutes on the elliptical, more than 5 miles of walking and about 20 minutes of mixed cardio on Ring Fit Adventure, burning enough calories for a pair of those delicious sandwiches (690 calories each).

• Apple Watch Series 5 Review

Ending the day on the right side of the caloric equation, I felt really clever. Or at least I did until I woke up the next day.

Seeing results: The Apple Watch doesn't let you slack

I started reaching my Move goal too quickly, and the Apple Watch noticed. The watch adjusted my goal from burning 790 calories to 1,460 calories.

So I decided to walk more. I took more breaks and took the stairs more often. I was exhausted, but in a good way. Fortunately, I subscribe to a lot of podcasts and an unlimited data plan, so I've always got something to listen to for all my activities.

I don't check my weight on my scale very often, mostly because of some fear that I won't see the results I want. But when I saw my parents after they'd been away for three weeks on vacation, they immediately complimented me on my weight loss and asked how I did it. (I replied "Exercise and chicken." But the real cause was the Apple Watch.) I've lost 11 pounds since I started tracking my weight and using the Apple Watch.

Sleep tracking: just OK

I was originally hesitant about the Apple Watch because of its 18-hour battery life, which isn't long enough to track sleep without some planning. I downloaded the AutoSleep app, one of the best sleep-tracking Apple Watch apps, because I know I need a better night's sleep and $2.99 seemed like a fair price to pay to learn details I can't see on my own, and to hopefully figure out why I don't sleep enough.

But for AutoSleep to work, I had to make sure the Apple Watch would stay charged. So I placed the wearable on its stethoscope-like charging pad whenever I didn't need it, to make sure it would last through the night. One evening, before I went to bed, I saw 29% of the Watch's battery refill in 41 minutes. I had done a pretty good job of gradually feeding power to the watch before bedtime so I could ensure AutoSleep would gather a full night's worth of data.

• The Apple Watch Series 5 just hit its cheapest price yet on Amazon

The results: My sleep is not great. The first night I tracked my sleep, AutoSleep recorded only 6 hours and 41 minutes of sleep, with only 3 hours and 34 minutes of that time as "quality" sleep and zero minutes of deep sleep, for an overall rating of 54%. 

The watch has made me more cognizant of what I do before I go to bed so that I'll be able to see which activities correlate with solid rest and sleepless nights. If Apple eventually decides to take a stab at built-in sleep tracking, I hope the native app offers more insight.

Apple Watch faces: curing information overload

My tech-addled brain loves data, so I immediately gravitated toward the watch's Infograph Modular face. As I use it now, it offers me one-tap access to five of the Watch complications (the micro-apps in faces) I use the most: Overcast (for podcasts), Activity, Workout, Hello Weather, and Rain. 

I give Rain the most prominent placement — the entire middle of the face — because I really value its hourly precipitation view. 

All of my favorite productivity apps — Things, Todoist and Deliveries — have Apple Watch apps, so I began managing my reminders more easily.

• The best Apple Watch apps

One night, I thought about how I could use a break from all the information. So, I sought out a less distracting face, and landed on Simple, with all complications turned off. Don't forget that, yes, Off is an option.

And as much as I loathe this phrase, the watch faces can also spark joy. The 2019 Pride face's vertical version responds to taps and spins of the Digital Crown. As I watched the rainbow-colored strings zig and zag around the watch face for the first time, I actually felt feelings that haven't worn off one month later.

The little things: timers on my wrist, finding my phone

As I was preparing a batch of my homemade cold takeout-style sesame noodles (for an office potluck — I'm not that carb crazy), I looked through the big constellation of Apple Watch apps and realized I finally had a way to make good use of the Timer app.

Opening it, I saw that 5 minutes (the exact amount of time I boil the noodles for) was one of the preset timers, and I smiled. It's probably one of the commonly used amounts of time, but it was a great moment when technology just made things easier. 

It's super easy to set and turn off the alarm when you don't need to ask Siri (and hope it hears you right) or keep your ears open (as the Watch simply vibrates on your wrist).

• Best Apple Watch Black Friday deals and sales in

I misplace things all the time, so I was happy to discover that asking Siri on the Apple Watch, "Where's my iPhone?" triggered a series of vibrations and ringtone chimes on my 11 Pro Max buried in a sofa. 

When other people are around and I don't want to look like a forgetful doofus, I just flick up from the bottom of the screen to open the Control Center, where I can tap an icon of a ringing iPhone to get the phone to vibrate. Yes, this kind of help is available from the Find My iPhone app on macOS or the iPad, but it's so much more accessible when it's right on your wrist.

Battery life: a long way to go

One night, I put my watch on its charging pad to juice it up before hitting the hay. Unfortunately, I dozed off before that happened.

The Series 5's battery life is stuck at around 18 hours, which is part of the problem. If the watch lasted longer, and supported slightly faster charging, sleep tracking would be easier.

• Samsung Galaxy Watch Review: Get It for the Battery Life

I assume battery life is the main reason Apple hasn't released its own sleep-tracking app. If I upgrade to the hypothetical Series 6, improved battery and built-in sleep tracking will be the reasons why.

Outlook

Clearly, my concerns about the Apple Watch were a little overblown. My early weight-loss victory (I want to lose more, but this is good for one month) just one month in has made me sure the Apple Watch was a valuable purchase, if only for my health. 

If I could go back in time and tell myself to get an Apple Watch earlier, I would. I shouldn't have waited so long to get it, and I should have taken my colleague Caitlin McGarry's advice earlier about buying one; she's reviewed all of our smartwatches, and she's right way too often.

If the Apple Watch can turn skeptics like me into believers, it's obviously worth buying. I can't wait to see what Apple does with the Series 6.