In the early days of the iPhone, Apple would routinely surprise us with a brand new form factor at least once every two years. But as the iPhone matured, Apple started to switch things up far less frequently. Aside from the introduction of the iPhone X a few years back, it’s really been a while since Apple caught us off guard with a brand new form factor. Indeed, the form factor Apple initially introduced on the iPhone 6 in 2014 essentially remained unchanged for four years.
For anyone of the mind that the current iPhone design is a bit stagnant, there’s good news ahead. Just last week, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo — who has a stellar track record with respect to Apple rumors — issued a new investor note claiming that Apple’s iPhone 12 will boast a completely brand new design upon its expected release in September of 2020.
Kuo’s note reads in part:
We predict that the new 2H20 iPhone design will change significantly […] The metal frame and the front and rear 2/2.5D glass are still used, but the metal frame surface will be changed to a similar design to the iPhone 4, replacing the current surface design.
Personally, I think this is very exciting news and should inject a bit of excitement into an iPhone line that some people — from a form factor perspective — believe has become a bit too predictable. The design language Apple employed on the iPhone 4 through the iPhone 5s was incredible and it will be nice to see Apple’s next-gen iPhone 12 incorporate that look and feel into its own design
As to what this might look like, Ben Geskin posted a few concept images to Twitter over the weekend which look pretty slick.
Image Source: Ben Geskin
The iPhone 4-inspired design here is quite apparent.
The iPhone 12, if these renders are anywhere close to accurate, basically boasts an iPhone 4 meets the iPhone 11 design.
And last but not least, there’s a rumor floating around claiming that Apple’s top of the line iPhone model next year may eliminate the notch and, instead, house the Face ID and TrueDepth camera system into the top bezel. If accurate, the photo below might be what the next-gen top of the line iPhone looks like.
Image Source: Ben Geskin
Aside from a new design, the biggest change to Apple’s iPhone 12, from a feature standpoint, will of course be the inclusion of 5G. It’s worth noting, though, that Apple’s entry-level iPhone 12 may not support 5G.
Lastly, a video highlighting these new iPhone 12 renders can be viewed below.
Microsoft is holding a big Surface hardware event in New York City on Wednesday, October 2nd. The company has been teasing this event continually on Twitter, and is even inviting Surface fans to attend. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella will be in attendance, alongside Surface chief Panos Panay. It seems like we’re on the cusp on a significant event, perhaps as big or bigger than the Surface 2015 event when the Surface Book, Microsoft Band 2, Surface Pro 4, and three Lumia phones were introduced.
There haven’t been any major leaks about what we might see on Wednesday, but rumors suggest we’ll see some refreshes of popular devices like the Surface Pro and Surface Laptop, alongside a new mysterious ARM-powered Surface. The most significant part of the day could be Microsoft ushering in its dual-screen plans for Surface and beyond, and a new Windows variant to make those plans a reality. Let’s explore what we’re likely, and unlikely, to see on Wednesday.
Microsoft refreshed the Surface Pro lineup with the sixth edition last year in a new black matte finish, but crucially without USB-C connectivity. We’re expecting to see the Surface Pro 7 arrive on Wednesday, complete with USB-C support. How Microsoft adds USB-C to its Surface Pro 7 isn’t exactly clear, but we’re hoping the company simply replaces the Mini DisplayPort with USB-C at the minimum and keeps a USB-A port for compatibility. Patents from earlier this year suggested that we might even see some type of new Surface Type Cover with a future Surface Pro.
Outside of USB-C, it’s highly likely the Surface Pro 7 will include Intel’s latest 10th Gen processors, and perhaps even some new color options (according to rumors). There could even be a new Surface Pen with wireless charging, as a recent FCC filing revealed a new stylus is on the way.
Microsoft has been rumored to be working on an ARM-powered Surface for months now, and it’s likely we’ll see the unveiling on Wednesday. Unlike previous Surfaces with Nvidia Tegra ARM chips inside (Surface RT, Surface 2), Microsoft is rumored to be working with Qualcomm on this particular Surface. That means the device will likely be powered by Qualcomm’s latest 8cx chip, which was first unveiled nearly a year ago.
We haven’t seen many ARM-powered Windows laptops throughout 2019, but Samsung surprised us with its new Galaxy Book S recently and a promise of 23 hours of battery life. If Microsoft creates a Qualcomm-powered Surface then it could be the push that other OEMs need to take this type of device seriously. Windows on ARM still lags behind regular Windows 10, thanks to some app compatibility and generally poor performance from previous Qualcomm chips, but the Snapdragon 8cx could change things.
Little details have leaked about Microsoft’s Surface ARM plans, and it’s not really clear what type of device we’ll see this processor in. Microsoft leaker WalkingCat has revealed that Microsoft could introduce a “Surface Pro with thinner bezel and LTE,” hinting that this might be the ARM-powered device that has been rumored. LTE is a natural byproduct of using Qualcomm’s chips, and you’d expect a different design to the traditional Surface Pro. If the rumors are accurate, then it would be surprising to see Microsoft use the “Surface Pro” moniker on an ARM-powered device.
Microsoft looks set to launch new Surface Laptop 3 models on Wednesday. While the existing Surface Laptop 2 comes in just a 13.5-inch edition, it looks increasingly likely that Microsoft will launch a 15-inch model. Rumors have also suggested that Microsoft will use AMD processors in the Surface Laptop for the first time. If you put the AMD rumors and 15-inch rumors together then it’s likely we’ll see a larger Surface Laptop 3 with AMD chips inside.
It’s not clear if the smaller 13.5-inch model will be refreshed or even include AMD chips, but it would be surprising to see Microsoft just launch a Surface Laptop 3 in one new size and no refresh on the smaller model.
Microsoft’s Surface Laptop 3 might even appear without the infamous Alcantara fabric covering. WalkingCat has hinted that Microsoft could launch a Surface Laptop 3 without Alcantara, and even include removable SSDs as an option. If both changes are true, they’d appeal to a number of commercial customers who need to swap out drives and don’t want to look after the Alcantara fabric like a luxury handbag.
The big surprise of the day will likely be Microsoft’s tease of the future of Windows. We’ve known for a while that Microsoft has been working on a dual-screen Surface device, codenamed “Centaurus,” and the October 2nd event could serve as the first unveiling of this new type of hardware. Microsoft has been building a new dual-screen device for more than two years, and it’s designed to be the hero device for a wave of new dual-screen tablet / laptop hybrids that OEMs are expected to launch throughout 2020.
Intel has been pushing OEMs to create dual-screen devices, and a lot of the hardware could look similar to Microsoft’s original Courier concept or even include foldable displays in the future. The Windows Lite interface will be similar to Windows as it exists today, but it will be more of a mix of what Microsoft does with its Surface Hub shell and the limited functionality of its Windows Phone Continuum user interface. The underlying parts of Windows Lite are built on Microsoft’s new Composable Shell (C-Shell) and Windows Core OS, a more modular version of the existing Windows Shell that powers many parts of Windows 10.
How much Microsoft reveals about its dual-screen Surface plans and even Windows Lite remains to be seen, but we’re expecting to see some type of teaser on Wednesday. These devices aren’t expected to be ready until next year, so we won’t likely see final hardware or even software, but just a brief glimpse of the future of Windows.
Alongside the more traditional Surface devices, we could be about to see some type of Surface speaker. Microsoft surprised us all with Surface Headphones last year, and a new patent suggests the company is working on a portable speaker for Microsoft Teams.
The portable speaker itself appears to have a similar design to Google’s Home Mini, with fabric wrapped around the top and volume buttons with the ability to make, receive, and mute calls. That hints that this is related to Microsoft Teams and meeting rooms, and one of the inventors is a principle design manager for Microsoft Teams devices. The device also appears to have a removable base, perhaps to allow it to charge and be positioned around a meeting room.
Microsoft also demonstrated a prototype for a new consumer version of Microsoft Teams earlier this year, dubbed Microsoft Teams “for life.” It’s designed as an extension of Microsoft’s chat app for friends and family. Microsoft is experimenting with features like sending location, shared family calendars, and document sharing. We may see this new version of Teams alongside a potential Surface speaker.
There’s clearly a lot planned for Wednesday, but we’re not expecting any updates to other Surface products like the Surface Book 3 or Surface Go. While a 15-inch version of the Surface Laptop 3 could certainly rival the Surface Book, we’d still expect to see this product updated at some point in the near future. Likewise, a new Surface Go doesn’t seem likely for Wednesday, especially if Microsoft is about to unveil an ARM-powered Surface Pro.
Microsoft is also rumored to be working on Surface-branded earbuds to take on Apple’s AirPods. Amazon just launched its own Echo Buds with Alexa built in, and Microsoft unveiled its first Surface Headphones at its Surface event last year. We haven’t heard any additional rumors about these potential Surface earbuds appearing before the end of 2019, so it would be surprising to see them on Wednesday.
The Verge will be covering Microsoft’s Surface event live, with a dedicated live blog and all the news as it happens. Microsoft’s Surface event starts at 10AM ET / 7AM PT on Wednesday, October 2nd.
Welcome back! Apple's latest iOS update is here, and the difference from .0 to .1 is bigger than you might expect. Also, Flight Simulator is making a comeback, and on Saturday, Elon Musk set the timetable for Starship test flights.
Microsoft is now accepting applications for a pre-alpha Flight Simulator Insider program due to kick off later this year. The full game will launch on PC in 2020 and on Xbox after that. To find out what the ultra-realistic sim has to offer this time around, read Jessica Conditt's impressions.
"Flight Simulator offers a new perspective on the world, period. Developers are committed to holding a mirror to reality, researching and recreating accurate atmospheres, cockpits, wind patterns, flight maneuvers, weather and locations. Even the stars in the night skies are accurate."
As part of a Q&A session at SpaceX's Starship presentation on Saturday night, Musk outlined plans for rapid prototyping that could get the vessel into space in a short time frame. Starship Mk1 at Boca Chica, Texas, should have a suborbital test flight in one to two months. If all goes well, either Mk3 or an eventual Mk5 would fly an orbital test within six months. Besides his typically optimistic production timelines, Musk's presentation also included a look at the plan for in-orbit refueling, which would help the Starship take longer trips to Mars and beyond.
Mojang and Microsoft have revealed that the augmented reality game will be available in "early access" for some countries, starting in October. It didn't say which countries or platforms would be included, but the beta has both Android and iOS users.
Now in its seventh generation, the "most popular" iPad that Apple sells has grown from 9.7- to 10.2-inches, ships with iPadOS and has a connector to support the company's still-pricey keyboard add-on. The folks at iFixit attacked this new model with their assortment of tools and found that despite the new size, inside it's still very similar to the previous model.
All products recommended by Engadget are selected by our editorial team, independent of our parent company. Some of our stories include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
With the barely believable Mi Mix Alpha and its wraparound display dominating attention last week, you could have been forgiven for not noticing the other phone Xiaomi announced at its event, the Mi 9 Pro 5G. Xiaomi has released a lot of phones that look and feel very similar this year, and frankly it’s getting hard to keep up.
Another Xiaomi phone that I’ve been using in recent weeks, the Mi 9T Pro, very much falls into that category. Nothing about its spec sheet particularly stands out even within Xiaomi’s lineup, let alone the Chinese smartphone landscape at large. That I’m only getting around to writing about it this week is down to quirks of Xiaomi’s convoluted naming schemes and global release schedules. But I still think it’s one of the most notable phones of the year.
To put the Mi 9T Pro into context, allow me to briefly explain the Mi 9 line. First off, the flagship Mi 9 and mid-range Mi 9 SE were announced in February. As is typical for Xiaomi, the Mi 9 paired high-end specs (Snapdragon 855, etc) with an affordable price (£499 / €449). I reviewed the Mi 9 when it came to Europe in April; it was good. Then in June, a cheaper €329 variant called the Mi 9T was also released in mainland Europe.
The Mi 9T, however, was a completely different phone. It had a slower Snapdragon 730 processor, a notchless display, a pop-up selfie camera, and an all-new design. All-new, that is, if you hadn’t been paying attention to Indian phone launches the previous month, when the Redmi K20 and K20 Pro were announced. The Mi 9T is just a rebranded Redmi K20.
Now here we are in the fall with the £399 Mi 9T Pro, which is a rebranded Redmi K20 Pro. Why Xiaomi didn’t put this phone out earlier in the year is beyond me, but Europeans shouldn’t sleep on it. It’s even more flagship-like than the Mi 9, at an even lower price.
The Mi 9T Pro’s spec sheet looks pretty standard if you’re used to following Chinese phones, but drop this thing into an AT&T store and it’d be as high-end as anything else. You’ve got a Snapdragon 855 processor, notchless 6.4-inch OLED screen, in-display fingerprint sensor, pop-up selfie camera, 4,000mAh battery, and triple-rear cameras including a 48-megapixel primary unit alongside telephoto and ultrawide lenses. It’s basically a OnePlus 7 Pro without the high refresh rate screen, except it starts at £399 instead of £699. (Conversions being what they are, US residents should think of this as a $399 phone.)
What makes the Mi 9T Pro different to Xiaomi’s other high-spec-low-cost endeavors — take last year’s sub-$300 Pocophone F1, which crammed the fastest parts available into the cheapest body possible — is that it doesn’t compromise on design. There are lots of neat flourishes here, from the tiny circle in the pop-up camera module that lights up when the phone is charging to the way the holographic rear panel shimmers in response to its surroundings.
Now, the Mi 9 remains a sleeker device in a few ways. It has a few flagship-esque touches, like wireless charging and a better haptic engine. It’s also noticeably thinner, although it does have a smaller battery and omits the headphone jack. The design is certainly more understated, if that’s your thing. Overall, though, the 9T Pro feels like a more balanced, capable phone for most people — not to mention a cheaper one.
The phone’s price, however, actually sparked some controversy in India when it was released as the K20 Pro. Many Indian tech followers, who are often both very knowledgeable about phone specs and keen to get the best value possible, were disappointed in the K20 Pro’s 27,999-rupee ($395) price point after expecting something more in line with the Pocophone F1. (The $7,000 gold version didn’t help.)
Xiaomi found itself having to justify the price in an open letter to Indian fans, pointing out that its features don’t come cheap. But given the Pocophone precedent, those who prioritize price-performance over everything else won’t have been satisfied.
In Europe, though, this is arguably the best-value flagship-class phone around — and I do call this a flagship-class phone. It’d probably be a big deal in the less competitive US market, too, if Xiaomi had ever figured out how to sell phones there. If you’re looking to buy a phone at around this price point, I can’t think of a better option.
Xiaomi releases phones at such an intense pace and in such seemingly random locales that it’s easy to ignore individual models and just think of the lineup as a collective hive mind devoted to being pretty good for whatever the price is. Sometimes, though, the company transcends the sweet spot and delivers something of really incredible value. The Mi 9T Pro, or K20 Pro, is one of those times.
It's been a long day. You get home as the sun is setting and close the door behind you, throwing down your keys and sliding off your shoes. You grab a drink and sink into the chair in front of your PC. The screen boots up and -- click, click -- it's filled by a long stretch of asphalt backed up by the mechanical hum of a single-engine Cessna. You throttle the small plane forward, straighten out, and take off. As soon as you're in the air, you flip the perspective from inside the cockpit, surrounded by dials and gauges and window frames, to a third-person view just behind the plane. Suddenly, the land below stretches 600km in every direction, alive and dense with realistic detail. Above, an infinite sky is peppered with layers of mist and clouds. You pick a direction and fly.
It feels like Flight Simulatorwas made for exactly this scenario: coming down after a long day. But, after soaring around a digital Earth for four hours, casually exploring exotic and familiar locations, it's clear that the game offers plenty more than mere relaxation -- though developers at Microsoft and Asobo Studio would recoil at the term "game." Flight Simulator is too deeply researched and technically detailed to be anything less than a full-on simulation experience, in their eyes. And, even in pre-alpha, that seems to ring true.
Hands-on with Flight Sim
The first location I loaded up was Phoenix, Arizona, my hometown. I wanted to see if the map in Flight Simulator would be accurate enough for me to recognize landmarks, follow highways and even spot specific houses. Besides, Phoenix is gorgeous, especially at sunset -- the airport sits at the heart of a desert valley, saguaros and skyscrapers highlighted from the west in brilliant purples and reds.
I flew over my former condo complex.
Not only did I recognize the airport immediately, but also every side street, skyscraper and mountain range that came into view. Keeping my tiny plane aloft, I clicked through the settings menu at the top of the screen, and shifted the weather and time of day, making the sun and stars streak across the sky. I chose scattered clouds, just as the fading light turned golden. I clicked back and continued flying, tapping the rudder and shifting the wings gently to one side, aiming for the row of high-rises marking downtown. The engine whirred and I pulled the nose of the plane upward, compensating for power lost in the turn.
Each prominent building was accurate and in the correct location, including unique architectural details, company logos and store names. I flew over my former condo complex and saw the exact balcony where I would sit and listen to podcasts while watching the city lights flicker on; I soared over Central Avenue and through the gaps between buildings that I've only ever viewed from below. The roof of Chase Field was open, baseball diamond clearly visible within.
Around me at the Flight Simulator preview event in Seattle, other journalists were checking out their own hometowns, buzzing The Vatican, marveling at Machu Picchu and getting a feel for the geography around the Egyptian pyramids. I crashed my plane into a South Phoenix neighborhood -- landing is by far the most difficult aspect of Flight Simulator -- and booted up a location I'd never visited in real-life: Dubai. Again, I took off, switched to a third-person view, and shifted the environment to my liking. Every trip began with a real-time representation of the actual weather and time in each location, but I wanted to see sunsets and clouds. I set Dubai to rain.
It felt fantastic to learn more about the world in a random flyby.
Even through heavy vapor and moisture, the Burj Khalifa was easy to spot, shooting out of the desert landscape like a shining silver beacon. As I approached, more buildings popped into view. I dropped low along the coast and spotted curious shapes in the water that eventually coalesced into a giant, stylized palm tree. I paused the game briefly and turned to my phone, where I learned this was one of the Palm Islands, a trio of man-made archipelagos hosting hotels and fancy residences. I'd never heard of the islands before, and it felt fantastic to learn more about the world in a random flyby.
Flight Simulator had that effect on me time and time again. It made the planet feel accessible yet impossibly vast. There was a sense that I could go anywhere in that plane, but once I hit altitude, the immensity of the world set in, and I felt impossibly tiny. Not in a bad way -- simply in a true, realistic sense. You know, like in a simulator.
Bing Maps, but better
The Flight Simulator franchise is Microsoft's longest-running software property. It's older than Windows by three years, with the original title released in 1982. It gets a refresh every few years, taking advantage of evolving computer technology with each launch; the most recent title was Flight Simulator X: Steam Edition, which landed in 2014.
A lot has changed since then.
Flight Simulator X: Steam Edition vs the latest Flight Simulator
The rise of online systems has made it possible for developers to recreate the entire planet in the latest Flight Simulator and infuse it with live, real-world events. Every remote island, every landmark and nearly every building is in its proper place, popped into frame in 4K, photorealistic glory via procedural generation and 3D photogrammetry.
That's one reason Asobo Studio is behind this title. It's the home of Fuel, the 2009 open-world racing title that was awarded a Guinness Book world record for having the "largest playable area in a console game," coming in at 5.5 square miles. Today, Asobo's technology is being used to digitize 196.9 million square miles of land, man-made marvels and sea.
Asobo's engine takes full advantage of Microsoft's varied resources, pulling satellite data from Bing Maps and relying on Azure cloud systems to keep the game stable and updated for the majority of players. Machine learning and procedural generation helps populate trees and edifices in the proper spots.
Microsoft is using "other sources" to fill in the gaps in Bing Maps' database, and it's partnered with a handful of third-party companies, including airports and weather-data providers, to pipe live information into Flight Simulator. This means players will be able to see a breakdown of actual flights departing and arriving at any airport on the globe, and experience natural disasters as they happen, from a safe, digital distance.
Just before the preview event in mid-September, Hurricane Dorian hit the Bahamas, traveling slowly and lingering over the islands for days. From their offices in Bellevue, Washington, and Bordeaux, France, Microsoft and Asobo developers flew through the hurricane in Flight Simulator, entering the eye of the storm and getting a sense of the surrounding chaos. Real-world weather systems are growing more extreme under the pressures of climate change, and Flight Simulator will reflect this in real-time, offering a new perspective on dangerous meteorological developments.
Flight Simulator offers a new perspective on the world, period. Developers are committed to holding a mirror to reality, researching and re-creating accurate atmospheres, cockpits, wind patterns, flight maneuvers, weather and locations. Even the stars in the night skies are accurate.
The latest Flight Simulator simultaneously feels like a ridiculously detailed new viewing mode for Bing Maps (or Google Maps, for a reference that more people can relate to), and an intense, realistic training system for wannabe pilots. Because it is such a blank canvas, its applications are vast. It might end up as an educational tool, with teachers sending kids on geographical scavenger hunts; or as an esports title, where players race to complete delivery routes and complicated flight paths. Microsoft is accepting applications for the pre-alpha via the Flight SimulatorInsider program, and that's due to kick off this year. The full game -- excuse me, simulator -- will hit PC in 2020, with a launch on Xbox afterward.
Even with the educational, creative and technical possibilities built into Flight Simulator 2019, the scenario I'm most excited for is its use as an everyday decompression tool. The preview alone was an infinitely relaxing experience, requiring just enough attention from me, the pilot, to keep things interesting, while offering up the literal planet as a playground.
All products recommended by Engadget are selected by our editorial team, independent of our parent company. Some of our stories include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
It's been a long day. You get home as the sun is setting and close the door behind you, throwing down your keys and sliding off your shoes. You grab a drink and sink into the chair in front of your PC. The screen boots up and -- click, click -- it's filled by a long stretch of asphalt backed up by the mechanical hum of a single-engine Cessna. You throttle the small plane forward, straighten out, and take off. As soon as you're in the air, you flip the perspective from inside the cockpit, surrounded by dials and gauges and window frames, to a third-person view just behind the plane. Suddenly, the land below stretches 600km in every direction, alive and dense with realistic detail. Above, an infinite sky is peppered with layers of mist and clouds. You pick a direction and fly.
It feels like Flight Simulatorwas made for exactly this scenario: coming down after a long day. But, after soaring around a digital Earth for four hours, casually exploring exotic and familiar locations, it's clear that the game offers plenty more than mere relaxation -- though developers at Microsoft and Asobo Studio would recoil at the term "game." Flight Simulator is too deeply researched and technically detailed to be anything less than a full-on simulation experience, in their eyes. And, even in pre-alpha, that seems to ring true.
Hands-on with Flight Sim
The first location I loaded up was Phoenix, Arizona, my hometown. I wanted to see if the map in Flight Simulator would be accurate enough for me to recognize landmarks, follow highways and even spot specific houses. Besides, Phoenix is gorgeous, especially at sunset -- the airport sits at the heart of a desert valley, saguaros and skyscrapers highlighted from the west in brilliant purples and reds.
I flew over my former condo complex.
Not only did I recognize the airport immediately, but also every side street, skyscraper and mountain range that came into view. Keeping my tiny plane aloft, I clicked through the settings menu at the top of the screen, and shifted the weather and time of day, making the sun and stars streak across the sky. I chose scattered clouds, just as the fading light turned golden. I clicked back and continued flying, tapping the rudder and shifting the wings gently to one side, aiming for the row of high-rises marking downtown. The engine whirred and I pulled the nose of the plane upward, compensating for power lost in the turn.
Each prominent building was accurate and in the correct location, including unique architectural details, company logos and store names. I flew over my former condo complex and saw the exact balcony where I would sit and listen to podcasts while watching the city lights flicker on; I soared over Central Avenue and through the gaps between buildings that I've only ever viewed from below. The roof of Chase Field was open, baseball diamond clearly visible within.
Around me at the Flight Simulator preview event in Seattle, other journalists were checking out their own hometowns, buzzing The Vatican, marveling at Machu Picchu and getting a feel for the geography around the Egyptian pyramids. I crashed my plane into a South Phoenix neighborhood -- landing is by far the most difficult aspect of Flight Simulator -- and booted up a location I'd never visited in real-life: Dubai. Again, I took off, switched to a third-person view, and shifted the environment to my liking. Every trip began with a real-time representation of the actual weather and time in each location, but I wanted to see sunsets and clouds. I set Dubai to rain.
It felt fantastic to learn more about the world in a random flyby.
Even through heavy vapor and moisture, the Burj Khalifa was easy to spot, shooting out of the desert landscape like a shining silver beacon. As I approached, more buildings popped into view. I dropped low along the coast and spotted curious shapes in the water that eventually coalesced into a giant, stylized palm tree. I paused the game briefly and turned to my phone, where I learned this was one of the Palm Islands, a trio of man-made archipelagos hosting hotels and fancy residences. I'd never heard of the islands before, and it felt fantastic to learn more about the world in a random flyby.
Flight Simulator had that effect on me time and time again. It made the planet feel accessible yet impossibly vast. There was a sense that I could go anywhere in that plane, but once I hit altitude, the immensity of the world set in, and I felt impossibly tiny. Not in a bad way -- simply in a true, realistic sense. You know, like in a simulator.
Bing Maps, but better
The Flight Simulator franchise is Microsoft's longest-running software property. It's older than Windows by three years, with the original title released in 1982. It gets a refresh every few years, taking advantage of evolving computer technology with each launch; the most recent title was Flight Simulator X: Steam Edition, which landed in 2014.
A lot has changed since then.
Flight Simulator X: Steam Edition vs the latest Flight Simulator
The rise of online systems has made it possible for developers to recreate the entire planet in the latest Flight Simulator and infuse it with live, real-world events. Every remote island, every landmark and nearly every building is in its proper place, popped into frame in 4K, photorealistic glory via procedural generation and 3D photogrammetry.
That's one reason Asobo Studio is behind this title. It's the home of Fuel, the 2009 open-world racing title that was awarded a Guinness Book world record for having the "largest playable area in a console game," coming in at 5.5 square miles. Today, Asobo's technology is being used to digitize 196.9 million square miles of land, man-made marvels and sea.
Asobo's engine takes full advantage of Microsoft's varied resources, pulling satellite data from Bing Maps and relying on Azure cloud systems to keep the game stable and updated for the majority of players. Machine learning and procedural generation helps populate trees and edifices in the proper spots.
Microsoft is using "other sources" to fill in the gaps in Bing Maps' database, and it's partnered with a handful of third-party companies, including airports and weather-data providers, to pipe live information into Flight Simulator. This means players will be able to see a breakdown of actual flights departing and arriving at any airport on the globe, and experience natural disasters as they happen, from a safe, digital distance.
Just before the preview event in mid-September, Hurricane Dorian hit the Bahamas, traveling slowly and lingering over the islands for days. From their offices in Bellevue, Washington, and Bordeaux, France, Microsoft and Asobo developers flew through the hurricane in Flight Simulator, entering the eye of the storm and getting a sense of the surrounding chaos. Real-world weather systems are growing more extreme under the pressures of climate change, and Flight Simulator will reflect this in real-time, offering a new perspective on dangerous meteorological developments.
Flight Simulator offers a new perspective on the world, period. Developers are committed to holding a mirror to reality, researching and re-creating accurate atmospheres, cockpits, wind patterns, flight maneuvers, weather and locations. Even the stars in the night skies are accurate.
The latest Flight Simulator simultaneously feels like a ridiculously detailed new viewing mode for Bing Maps (or Google Maps, for a reference that more people can relate to), and an intense, realistic training system for wannabe pilots. Because it is such a blank canvas, its applications are vast. It might end up as an educational tool, with teachers sending kids on geographical scavenger hunts; or as an esports title, where players race to complete delivery routes and complicated flight paths. Microsoft is accepting applications for the pre-alpha via the Flight SimulatorInsider program, and that's due to kick off this year. The full game -- excuse me, simulator -- will hit PC in 2020, with a launch on Xbox afterward.
Even with the educational, creative and technical possibilities built into Flight Simulator 2019, the scenario I'm most excited for is its use as an everyday decompression tool. The preview alone was an infinitely relaxing experience, requiring just enough attention from me, the pilot, to keep things interesting, while offering up the literal planet as a playground.
All products recommended by Engadget are selected by our editorial team, independent of our parent company. Some of our stories include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
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