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Europe banned new gas cars after 2035 — now it’s reconsidering

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Europe banned new gas cars after 2035 — now it’s reconsidering

Mercedes-Benz CEO Ola Källenius is the eternal optimist, and for good reason. He has long pushed the European Union to roll back its lofty goal of phasing out new internal combustion engine cars, arguing that weakening the rules was a return to pragmatism and not capitulation to opponents of Europe’s green agenda.

His push is working. The rigid deadlines for phasing out combustion engines after 2035 are “no longer feasible,” Källenius told The Verge in a recent interview, given infrastructure bottlenecks and the sluggish adoption of EVs by consumers. More flexibility was needed to protect jobs and competitiveness, give consumers greater choice, and ensure manufacturers can finance the transition profitably.

“This is not a retreat,” he said in defense of loosening the 2035 deadline. “It is an upgrade to a smarter strategy that matches Europe’s ambitions with a thoughtful plan for success.”

“This is not a retreat.”

When the economy was humming and jobs were plentiful, Europeans largely backed an ambitious climate agenda. Now, with the economy limping and automakers and suppliers slashing tens of thousands of jobs, support has shifted toward slowing down the transition.

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Källenius said that carmakers had proved their commitment to fighting global warming with a decade of huge investments in new technology, electric vehicles, and battery plants.

“Taking a more pragmatic approach could be a way of delivering on Europe’s climate goals more effectively,” he said. “The ultimate target of achieving CO2 neutrality in the EU by 2050 remains firmly in place. What changes is the path to get there.”

Cars from the vehicle manufacturer Mercedes-Benz are parked in front of a car dealership.
Image: Getty

Reopening the ICE car ban

For now, it is still European law to ban the sale of new cars with internal combustion engines after 2035. To change that, the EU has to either repeal the law or to amend it and create exceptions that would allow the sale of conventional cars to continue beyond the deadline.

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At their October summit, European leaders called on the Commission, the bloc’s executive body, to reopen the ICE car ban and present proposals by the end of the year to slow Europe’s once brisk march to a carbon-free future.

The Commission has said it is considering allowing more “technology neutrality,” which analysts say means possibly allowing plug-in hybrids and ICE cars that run on synthetic fuels or biofuels, which produce fewer emissions than conventional fuel. The auto industry has been demanding such a change for years, and wants the Commission to count hybrids and cars that run on synthetic fuels among zero-emission vehicles, even if they have an internal combustion engine beyond the 2035 deadline.

“Turning the EU’s most important automotive regulation into a Swiss cheese will not restore the industry’s competitiveness,” said Lucien Mathieu, cars director at the Brussels-based lobby group Transport & Environment, in a statement in October. “It is a cynical attempt to dismantle a central pillar of Europe’s climate law. If the Commission capitulates to these demands, it will only hand a further competitive advantage to Chinese automakers.”

“Turning the EU’s most important automotive regulation into a Swiss cheese will not restore the industry’s competitiveness.”

Källenius noted that even after 2035 there would still be more than 200 million conventional cars on the road. Without alternative fuels and new ICE cars to replace them they would age, risking “a ‘Havana effect’ that would cause our vehicle fleet to grow even older, harming both the climate and the economy.”

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Germany is lobbying to weaken the ban and create a longer transition period. The German economy is barely growing after two years of recession. The auto industry’s troubles go back a lot further. Auto production in Germany peaked in 1998, but fell 25 percent in the wake of covid in 2020, and has declined every year since. And now German automakers face new competition from lower-cost Chinese vehicles.

The country’s political leaders are alarmed because of the nearly 800,000 jobs that the industry provides and because economic uncertainty is fueling a rise of support for right-wing populism. Against this backdrop, the government is throwing its weight behind industry demands to roll back climate goals and throw core gas-powered cars a lifeline.

“There will be no hard cut” in 2035, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz pledged after a meeting with auto industry leaders in September.

A Volkswagen e-up! electric car charges at a public fast-charging station in Hanover.

A Volkswagen e-up! electric car charges at a public fast-charging station in Hanover.
Image: Getty

Alternative fuels and hybrids

Slowing the shift to electric vehicles aims to give carmakers and suppliers more time to keep earning money from their most profitable models and maintain their competitive edge over rivals, including the new Chinese manufacturers that are fast making inroads into European markets.

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There is a danger that slowing the transition to EVs could put the huge investments that have been made in EV charging networks and battery plants at risk, which could also lead to job losses.

“If tomorrow we abandon the 2035 objective, forget European battery factories,” French President Emmanuel Macron told reporters after the October leaders’ summit, pointing to the gigafactories now being built across the continent as a direct result of the 2035 deadline. Instead, he backed loosening the language of the law to allow alternative fuels and hybrids.

“There will be no hard cut” in 2035.

Allowing automakers to keep selling conventional cars as hybrids or with low-emission fuels is just one part of a compromise. To boost sales of economy EVs, Europeans are also working on incentives for new battery electric vehicle purchases. Manufacturers could be required to use more European-made components to be eligible for EV subsidies as a way to support jobs and push back against cheap Chinese imports.

As politicians discuss how to help automakers, the situation for the industry is increasingly dire.

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The only growth in Europe’s automotive markets this year is coming from electric vehicles and hybrids, from which many automakers still struggle to earn any money because of the high costs of developing new technologies, manufacturing in Europe, and the still meager sales volumes of EVs.

Europeans bought 1.3 million battery-electric vehicles in the nine months through September, accounting for about 16 percent of total new car sales, according to ACEA, the continent’s auto lobby. But even the strong performance of electric and hybrid vehicles could not offset the steep decline of ICE cars. Overall, Europe’s new car sales grew just 0.9 percent in the first nine months.

The Polestar showroom in Stockholm, Sweden.

The Polestar showroom in Stockholm, Sweden.
Image: Bloomberg via Getty Images

‘We’re asking for a different regime’

For some automakers, the changes that are under discussion don’t go far enough.

BMW CEO Oliver Zipse told reporters in an earnings call that under the EU’s current law, manufacturers get no benefit from their investments in carbon-neutral components such as green steel or for building new, low-emission factories. He slammed the EU’s focus on regulating tailpipe emissions instead of the car’s total carbon footprint.

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“We are not asking for the targets to be weakened. We’re asking for a different regime,” Zipse said. “We are continually reducing our CO2 footprint but it has no impact.”

Some green tech lobby groups and think tanks warn against boosting support for plug-in hybrids at the expense of full EVs.

Brussels-based Transport & Environment (T&E), a green tech lobby group, concluded in a recent study that plug-in hybrids emit nearly five times more CO2 in real world driving than shown in official tests. And even when running in electric mode, PHEVs burn more fuel than manufacturers claim because their combustion engines kick in when accelerating or driving uphill, the study concludes.

“We are continually reducing our CO2 footprint but it has no impact.”

The gap hits drivers’ wallets, too: Annual fuel and charging costs are about €500 higher than advertised. With an average sticker price of €55,700 in 2025, plug-in hybrids are also €15,200 more expensive than battery-electrics.

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“Plug-in hybrids are one of the biggest cons in automotive history,” said T&E’s Mathieu.

Peter Mock, Europe managing director of the International Council on Clean Transportation, rejected the notion that plug-in hybrids are a “bridge” to electrification. He said evidence shows most drivers who switch to battery-electrics stay with them, while a large share of plug-in hybrid buyers later revert to combustion cars.

Mock pointed to Denmark, where battery-electrics account for about 70 percent of new sales, and Belgium at around 40 percent, as examples of how to accelerate adoption. The key, he said, is a mix of EU CO2 standards and national tax policies that make combustion cars more expensive while lowering costs for EVs — ideally in a self-balancing system where higher ICE taxes fund EV subsidies.

On e-fuels, Mock was blunt: They are too inefficient and costly for cars and trucks. “For road transport, electrification is by far the better option,” he said. “E-fuels are a distraction.”

A sign for a charging point for electric cars is displayed in Bristol, England.

A sign for a charging point for electric cars is displayed in Bristol, England.
Image: Getty Images

‘The rest of the world will not stand still’

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The EU’s climate policies of the past decade have attracted a lot of investment from pure EV manufacturers, battery manufacturers, and other suppliers along the EV supply chain. That’s why more than 200 business leaders from the industry wrote an open letter calling on the Commission to “Stand firm, don’t step back” in the face of legacy automaker lobbying.

Michael Lohscheller, CEO of Polestar, told The Verge that watering down the 2035 ban would punish companies that have already staked their future on electrification. “It undermines the basis for the investments that companies like us have made,” he said, noting that years of negotiation went into the current framework, including with legacy carmakers now seeking to backtrack.

While a delay might make EV demand less linear, Lohscheller said, “the shift will still happen and is happening, as we see in demand for our cars across most European markets.”

“Stand firm, don’t step back”

He also warned that Europe risks falling behind global competitors if it weakens its climate goals. “We would become even less competitive in the future. The rest of the world will not stand still: they will continue to develop new, better technologies, which would put even more future EU jobs in jeopardy.”

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Others agree. Lawrence Hamilton, president of Lucid Motors Europe, said that reopening the debate over the EU’s 2035 combustion car ban risks confusing consumers and slowing electric vehicle adoption. “It remains a distraction in the conversation with the consumers,” he said. “If the ICE ban is rolled back, everybody believes they’ve got longer, and consumer adoption tends to be ‘not now.’ But we want people to be thinking about making the transition to EV now.”

Hamilton stressed that car replacement cycles are long — often seven years or more — which means the industry needs customers to start switching today, not years down the road. He pointed out that EVs are approaching price parity with gas cars, already deliver lower total cost of ownership in many cases, and have largely overcome concerns about range.

If Europe’s automakers want to regain competitiveness — especially against China — the answer is not to slow the shift to electric, but to double down on it and tackle their own structural weaknesses.

“They must close the battery cost gap, pivot to software and AI-driven manufacturing, and rediscover the entrepreneurial urgency their Chinese rivals live by,” said Andy Palmer, who played a key role in driving electric vehicle technology at Nissan and later was CEO of Aston Martin. “Europe still has immense engineering talent, but it’s held back by bureaucracy and legacy thinking. They need to catch up. And fast.”

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This Windows gaming handheld has a screen that folds in half

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This Windows gaming handheld has a screen that folds in half

Lenovo put a foldable display on a gaming handheld. The Legion Go Fold Concept is a Windows-based handheld with a flexible POLED display, detachable Joy-Con-like controllers, and a folio case to turn the whole thing into a mini laptop.

You can use it as a standard Steam Deck-esque handheld with the display folded down to 7.7 inches and controllers attached at its sides, or you can unfold it for a bigger experience. When unfolded, the controllers can be repositioned to all four sides, allowing you to play with the screen in vertical or horizontal orientations.

In vertical splitscreen mode, you can put your game on one half of the screen and a second window (like your chat or game guide) on the other half. Horizontal fullscreen mode gives your game the full 11.6 inches of real estate in a 16:10 aspect ratio. To go into laptop mode, you remove the controllers and mount the handheld into a folio case with a stand, built-in keyboard, and trackpad. The controllers can be put into a separate grip mount to unify them as one gamepad.

There are a lot of ways you can use this folding handheld, including turning one of its controllers into a vertical mouse like on other Legion Go handhelds, but there’s one thing it doesn’t do: fold down to close and protect its screen. The Go Fold only folds outwards, so don’t expect a Nintendo DS or GameBoy Advance-like clamshell that closes for portability. Instead, it’s all about getting bigger than your average gaming handheld and offering more. (Though we’ve tried bigger before.)

The Legion Go Fold has some formidable specs: an Intel Core Ultra 7 258V Lunar Lake processor, 32GB of RAM, 1TB of storage, and a 48Whr battery. The plastic-covered OLED has a resolution of 2435 x 1712 and 165Hz refresh rate. And there’s even a second, circular toushscreen on the right controller, under the face buttons. It doubles as a touchpad and can be a support display, allowing you to swipe between extracted UI elements from a game (which I wouldn’t expect to be widely supported), a clock, system monitoring, or an animated GIF (just for fun).

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During my brief in-person demo I didn’t get to play any graphically-intense games — just Balatro, which can practically play on a potato. The screen looked plenty sharp, but like any foldable there’s a crease down the middle; it’s very visible, but you learn to look past it and ignore it after just a bit. The build and feel of the whole thing felt a little fragile, and detaching and reattaching the controllers was definitely janky. Build quality will hopefully be improved if this device ever actually makes it to market.

The laptop mode was a pleasant surprise for me though. I did not expect a gaming handheld to double as a conventional computer you could get work done on. The Legion Go Fold’s case took quite a bit of fumbling before I set it up correctly, but it shouldn’t take too long to get used to if you actually lived with it.

Then again, I don’t know if anyone is going to be able to live with this thing — ever. I’d love for the Legion Go Fold to go from concept to real product like other out-there Lenovo ideas, but I shudder to think what it might cost. The Legion Go 2 is already priced well over $1,000. And with the ongoing RAMageddon crisis we’re living through, there’s no telling how much more expensive an actual Legion Go Fold would be if it came out in a year or more.

But even if it’s not the kind of foldable I expected, and even though it may never come out, it’s certainly cool. Now somebody please make a folding PC handheld that goes from kinda-big to really small. I think that’d be the one for me.

Photography by Antonio G. Di Benedetto / The Verge

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Iran networks suffer losses amid airstrikes, showing digital evolution of conflicts

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Iran networks suffer losses amid airstrikes, showing digital evolution of conflicts

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

When missiles fly, we expect explosions. We expect smoke, sirens and satellite images. What we do not expect is silence. 

On February 28, 2026, as fighter jets and cruise missiles struck Iranian Revolutionary Guard command centers during Operation Roar of the Lion, a parallel assault reportedly unfolded in cyberspace. 

Official news sites and key media platforms went offline, government digital services and local apps failed across major cities, and security communications systems reportedly stopped functioning, plunging Iran into a near-total digital blackout.

According to NetBlocks, a global internet monitoring organization that tracks connectivity disruptions, nationwide internet traffic in Iran plunged to just 4 percent of normal levels. 

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That level of collapse suggests either a deliberate state-ordered shutdown or a large-scale cyberattack designed to paralyze critical infrastructure. Western intelligence sources later indicated the digital offensive aimed to disrupt IRGC command and control systems and limit coordination of counterattacks. 

For the United States and its allies, the episode offers a stark reminder that modern conflict now blends airstrikes with digital warfare in ways that can ripple far beyond the battlefield.

In a matter of hours, modern conflict looked less like tanks and more like a blinking cursor.

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Iran’s national symbols stand in contrast to reports of a sweeping digital blackout that reportedly disrupted communications and critical systems across the country. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

Iran internet shutdown: A country offline in real time

Reports described widespread outages across Iran. Official news sites stopped functioning. IRNA, Iran’s state-run news agency, went offline. 

Tasnim, a semi-official news outlet closely aligned with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, reportedly displayed subversive messages targeting Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. 

THINK YOUR NEW YEAR’S PRIVACY RESET WORKED? THINK AGAIN

The IRGC, Iran’s powerful military and intelligence force, plays a central role in national security and regional operations. At the same time, local apps and government digital services failed in cities like Tehran, Isfahan and Shiraz.

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This was not one website defaced for headlines. It appeared systemic. Electronic warfare reportedly disrupted navigation and communications systems. 

Distributed denial of service attacks, often called DDoS attacks, flooded networks with traffic to overwhelm and disable them. 

Deep intrusions targeted energy and aviation systems. Even Iran’s isolated national internet struggled under pressure. 

CHINA VS SPACEX IN RACE FOR SPACE AI DATA CENTERS

For a regime that tightly controls information, losing digital command creates both operational and political risk.

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Why cyber warfare matters in the Iran conflict

Cyber operations offer something missiles cannot. They disrupt without always killing. They send a signal without immediately triggering full-scale war. That matters in a region where escalation can spiral fast. 

History shows Iran understands this logic. Between 2012 and 2014, Iranian actors targeted U.S. financial institutions in Operation Ababil. Saudi Aramco also suffered a major cyberattack. 

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE HELPS FUEL NEW ENERGY SOURCES

After Israeli strikes in 2025, cyberattacks targeting Israel surged dramatically within days.

Cyber retaliation lets leaders respond while limiting direct military confrontation. It buys leverage in negotiations. It creates pressure without necessarily crossing a red line.

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But there is a catch. Every cyber strike risks miscalculation. And digital damage can spill into the real world fast if critical infrastructure is hit.

As military strikes targeted IRGC command centers, internet traffic inside Iran reportedly plunged to just 4 percent of normal levels.  (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

If the blackout and strikes mark a turning point, Tehran has options. None are simple.

1) Cyberattacks against U.S. or allied infrastructure

Cyber retaliation remains one of Iran’s most flexible tools. It can range from disruptive attacks and influence campaigns to more targeted intrusions that pressure critical services. Recent expert commentary warns that U.S. cyber defenses and the private sector could face sustained testing.

2) Targeting U.S. drones and unmanned systems

Iran has used drones and electronic interference as signals before. Analysts continue to flag jamming, spoofing and harassment of unmanned systems as a way to raise costs without immediately striking large numbers of personnel.

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3) Maritime attacks in the Strait of Hormuz

This risk is rising fast. An EU naval mission official reportedly said IRGC radio transmissions warned ships that passage through Hormuz was “not allowed”. Greece has also urged ships to avoid high-risk routes and warned about electronic interference that can disrupt navigation. Insurers are already repricing the danger, with reports of war-risk policies being canceled or sharply increased.

4) Support for allied or informal armed groups

Iran has long worked with allied forces and militias in the region, and some of those groups could step up attacks on U.S. interests or allied partners in retaliation, widening the clash without direct state-to-state engagement.

5) Limited ballistic missile strikes

Missile strikes remain a high-impact option, but they raise the odds of rapid escalation. Recent expert analysis continues to frame them as a tool Iran may use for signaling, especially if leadership feels cornered.

Tehran’s skyline, including the Azadi Tower, became the backdrop to a crisis shaped as much by cyber disruption as by missiles in the sky.  (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

The escalation risk between the U.S. and Iran

Here is the uncomfortable truth. Neither Washington nor Tehran likely wants a full-scale regional war. In moments like this, military strikes rarely stand alone. 

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They often move alongside diplomacy. Leaders send signals. They apply pressure. At the same time, they try to leave room for talks.

But escalation has momentum. Each missile changes the equation. Each casualty raises the stakes. The more damage done, the harder it becomes to step back. 

5 SIMPLE TECH TIPS TO IMPROVE DIGITAL PRIVACY

Fear plays a role. So does pride. Domestic audiences demand strength. Leaders feel pressure to respond in kind. That is how limited strikes can spiral into something much larger.

What the Iran cyberattack blackout means for global cybersecurity

This episode highlights something bigger than regional tension. Nation-states now pair kinetic strikes with digital offensives. 

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Cyberattacks can blind communications, freeze infrastructure and disrupt financial systems before the world even processes the first explosion.

TRUMP TELLS IRANIANS THE ‘HOUR OF YOUR FREEDOM IS AT HAND’ AS US-ISRAEL LAUNCH STRIKES AGAINST IRAN

For businesses and individuals, that reality matters. Modern conflict no longer stays confined to battlefields. 

Supply chains, energy grids and online platforms can feel the ripple effects. The blackout in Iran serves as a reminder that digital resilience is now a national security issue. 

How to stay safe during rising cyber tensions

When a country’s internet can plunge to just 4 percent of normal traffic in hours, it is a reminder that cyber conflict can escalate quickly. 

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Even if the disruption happens overseas, global networks are interconnected. Financial systems, supply chains and online platforms can feel the ripple effects.

You cannot control geopolitics. You can control your digital hygiene. Here are practical steps to reduce your personal risk during periods of heightened cyber activity:

Install strong antivirus software to guard against state-linked phishing and malware campaigns that often spike during geopolitical conflicts. 

Nation-state actors frequently exploit breaking news and global instability to spread malicious links and ransomware. Get my picks for the best 2026 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android & iOS devices at Cyberguy.com

Keep devices updated so security patches close vulnerabilities that attackers often exploit during global cyber spikes.

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WORLD LEADERS SPLIT OVER MILITARY ACTION AS US-ISRAEL STRIKE IRAN IN COORDINATED OPERATION

Use strong, unique passwords stored in a reputable password manager to protect your accounts if cyber retaliation campaigns expand beyond government targets. Check out the best expert-reviewed password managers of 2026 at Cyberguy.com

Enable two-factor authentication (2FA) on financial, email and social accounts to safeguard access in case stolen credentials circulate during heightened cyber conflict.

Be cautious with urgent headlines or alerts about international conflict, since attackers frequently mimic breaking news.

Monitor financial accounts for unusual activity in case broader disruptions spill into banking systems.

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When tensions rise, phishing campaigns often rise with them. Threat actors exploit fear and confusion. Staying disciplined with basic security habits makes you a harder target if malicious traffic increases.

Take my quiz: How safe is your online security?

Think your devices and data are truly protected? Take this quick quiz to see where your digital habits stand. From passwords to Wi-Fi settings, you’ll get a personalized breakdown of what you’re doing right and what needs improvement. Take my Quiz here: Cyberguy.com        

Kurt’s key takeaways

The reported cyber blackout inside Iran may signal a new chapter in modern conflict. Jets and missiles still matter. But so do servers, satellites and code. Leaders may try to contain the damage while showing strength. 

Still, history shows how quickly careful plans can unravel once pressure builds. War today runs on electricity and bandwidth as much as fuel and ammunition. 

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When networks go dark, the impact does not stay on a battlefield. It spills into banking systems, airports, hospitals and the phones in our pockets. That is what makes this moment different.

If an entire nation’s digital systems can be disrupted in hours, how prepared is your community if something similar ever hits closer to home?  Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com

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Copyright 2026 CyberGuy.com.  All rights reserved. 

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Soundcore new Space 2 promise improved ANC and sound

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Soundcore new Space 2 promise improved ANC and sound

We finally have an update to the Soundcore Space One that launched two and a half years ago. At MWC 2026, Soundcore has announced the Space 2, which will be available in the US on April 21st in three colors — linen white, jet black, and seafoam green — for $129.99. That’s $30 more than the Space One’s original price.

According to Soundcore, the Space 2 have had a full-band noise cancellation upgrade with the focus of those improvements on the low-frequency sounds we all generally use ANC headphones to block — things like airplane, train, and bus engine sounds while traveling. The Space 2 use the same number of microphones as the Space One for noise canceling, instead relying on optimized mic placement and structure and materials improvements for the boost in performance.

Redesigned 40mm drivers incorporate dual layers in their design. There’s a silk diaphragm with metal ceramic that supposedly results in faster transient response — the driver’s ability to respond to sudden sound quickly and accurately — with better balanced sound reproduction. The Space One had great sound performance for the price, but I’m all for any improvement to sound performance accuracy. Like the Space One, the Space 2 will support LDAC high-res audio.

The headphones connect wirelessly over Bluetooth 6.1, although they do not support Auracast transmissions — an unfortunate exclusion. There’s also a 3.5mm jack for a wired connection.

Battery life has been increased to up to 50 hours with ANC and 70 hours with ANC off. This is up from 40 hours with ANC and 55 hours without ANC with the Space One headphones. With a five-minute charge the Space 2 get an additional four hours of listening.

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The Space 2 will include many of the features found on the Space One. You can use HearID 3.0 to go through a series of sound samples to tune the headphones’ sound to your preferences. It worked well for me on the Space One to get them closer to a sound I liked, with a bit of the edge taken off the higher frequencies. There’s also a sensor that detects when you remove the headphones and stops playback so you don’t miss any of your music or podcast. They once again come with a cloth bag that matches the color of the headphones instead of a case, which is one change I wish Soundcore had made, as the cloth bag doesn’t offer as much protection if you tend to throw your headphones into your backpack or bag.

The Soundcore Space One were among the best budget ANC headphones when they came out, and still hold up to more recent releases. But with the bump in price to over $100 for the Space 2, there’s a bit more expectation on them. ANC performance continues to improve — and products get cheaper — across manufacturers, so the Soundcore Space 2 has some competition from companies like Sony, EarFun, and JLab. If the ANC on the Space 2 stands up to current budget headphones and they still sound as good and are as comfortable as the Space One, you can expect to see the new Soundcore Space 2 on many recommendation lists.

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